Sophomore Carissa Raymond and her professor, Ross Secord, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, were covered in October by Time, ABC, Scientific American, and NPR Morning Edition among many, many others, after Raymond discovered a fossil that turned out to be part of a previously unknown mammal species dating back to the age of the dinosaurs.
A study showing the surprising frequency of sibling bullying was covered by NBC News and other national outlets in February. The study was conducted by Eve Brank and Lori Hoetger, Psychology.
A new theory about how snakes evolved, described by Jason Head, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, and an Indiana University colleague, was covered by Popular Science and other outlets in January.
Research by Matthew Jockers, English, using digital techniques to map and analyze plot structures in fiction generated news stories in Paris Review, Motherboard, and several United Kingdom newspapers in February.
Efforts to develop a drone that can start controlled fires for conservation purposes were covered by a number of technology news sites in November, including Slate.com’s Future Tense. The research is led bySebastian Elbaum and Carrick Detweiler, Computer Science and Engineering, and Dirac Twidwell, agronomy and horticulture.
Popular Mechanics reported in December on a laser-derived X-ray that could be used to detect hidden nuclear materials. Donald Umstadterand Shouyuan Chen of the Diocles Extreme Light Laboratory (Physics) reported that the unconventional X-ray produced an image of a small disk of uranium hidden behind three inches of steel.
Chigozie Obioma, English, received international acclaim after his debut novel, “The Fishermen,” became one of six nominees for the 2015 Man Booker Prize. Obioma, who is from Nigeria, began teaching creative writing and literature at UNL this fall. His book tells the story of Nigerian brothers who turn on one another after they defy their parents to go fishing in a forbidden river. The New York Times and National Public Radio reviewed his book in April. The Washington Post and the Atlantic were among the outlets covering his Booker Prize nomination in September and October.
Time, USA Today and the Huffington Post were among the national outlets that took notice when Jean Kops, 87, collected her bachelor’s degree from UNL in August. She left college in 1947 to marry Lyle Kops and become a ranch wife in Bassett, Neb. After her husband died in 2011, Jean Kops went back to college at her daughters’ urging. (Sociology)
After the New England Patriots were accused of cheating by deflating footballs used by star quarterback Tom Brady, Timothy Gay, Physics, was quoted in the New York Times on whether the Ideal Gas Law explained why the footballs seemed to have less air pressure than required. In January, Gay said it was possible. In a follow-up story in May, Gay said the team could no longer hide behind the Ideal Gas Law. Gay, who went to high school with Patriots' coach Bill Belichick, also was quoted on "Deflategate" by NBC News and the Los Angeles Times.
Wheeler Winston Dixon, Film Studies, was quoted nearly monthly about trends and events in the movie and entertainment industry, from the departure of Amy Pascal from Sony and the downfall of producer Ryan Kavanaugh, to this year’s trend of ‘80s reboots and moviegoers’ enduring love for the James Bond franchise.
