October 30, 2015

ICYMI, Snapchat is the newest, hottest social media platform in the world. Fueling this growth (67% in 2014) are college students, of which 77% use the mobile application every day. Overall, 100 million people use Snapchat on a daily basis. The app’s robust creative tools and its near invisibility to search engines make it a hit among its core demographics. Now, Fortune 500 companies, media conglomerates and even higher education institutions, have jumped on the band wagon. Scott Troxel, the University of Utah’s director of web, interactive, and social media, is available to discuss Snapchat’s popularity and how organizations are utilizing the new technology.

Scott Troxel Phone: 801-209-5988 | Email: scott.troxel@utah.edu

October 23, 2015

The University of Utah’s Department of Theatre presents Naomi Iizuka’s “Good Kids,” which explores the very public aftermath of a sex crime and its cover-up, Oct. 30 –  Nov. 8. The plot is based on the widely reported incidents in Steubenville, Ohio, in 2012, in which four high school football players assaulted a young woman while she was unconscious and then used social media to foolishly broadcast their exploits to the world. Katie Steil, manager of the Center for Student Wellness, is available to discuss victim services, prevention and education and college trends.
Phone: 208-521-7853| Email: kstiel@sa.utah.edu

October 22, 2015

EMV cards seem to be all the rage right now, but the U.S. is behind other countries in adapting to this technology. EMV cards are safer than traditional swipe cards because each purchase has a unique encrypted transaction code.

The University of Utah’s Personal Money Management Center is available to help students navigate these changes and learn how to protect themselves from fraud. Tiffany Davis, assistant coordinator of the Personal Money Management Center, is available to discuss EMV cards as well as any personal financial topics.

Phone: 801-581-3959 | Email: tiffany.davis@sa.utah.edu

October 9, 2015

This October, the U is participating in National Cyber Security Awareness Month, a collaborative effort to teach students, staff and faculty how to keep their online lives safe and secure. The Internet plays a big factor in everyone’s lives at work and at home, and no one is immune to cyber threats. Over the next four weeks, U Information Technology will cover how to be aware of the many threats to your online security and the proactive ways to avoid them. Dan Bowden, chief information security officer for the U, is available for interviews.

Phone: 801-213-3397 | Email: dan.bowden@utah.edu

October 2, 2015

The New York Times recently explored the thorny topic of leasing iPhones.  As the topic continues in public discussion, family and consumer studies professor Jessie Fan can provide insight into the thinking behind buying versus leasing.

Phone: 801-581-4170 | Email: fan@fcs.utah.edu

August 21, 2015

Law students this fall will play a role in a new initiative at the S.J. Quinney College of Law. Students will staff the mobile home park help line, providing information to residents and owners of Mobile Home Parks about their rights and responsibilities under the Mobile Home Park Residency Act. Since mobile homes are so expensive to move, it is crucial that disputes within the park be resolved and evictions and loss of major investments be avoided. A small team of students will work with supervising attorneys and clinical program director Linda Smith. The help line will provide students with hands-on experience with the intersection of technology and the practice of law. The project is funded in part by a grant from the Utah State Legislature.

Linda Smith | Phone: 801-581-4077 | Email: linda.smith@utah.edu

August 14, 2015

The U’s Center for Integrative Biomedical Computing just landed a $6.1 million grant renewal from the National Institutes of Health. The center produces open-source software for image-based modeling, simulation and visualization of biomedical data. Tens of thousands of scientists have downloaded the center’s software tools and data sets, and more than 200 papers published by scientists outside the center reference its software or computing infrastructure. The NIH grant has a five-year term. The principal investigators are bioengineering professor Rob MacLeod, computer science professor Ross Whitaker, and computer science professor Christopher Johnson, who directs the Scientific Computing and Imaging Institute. Johnson can talk about the future of biomedical computing and next steps at the U.
Phone: 801-581-7705 | Email: crj@sci.utah.edu

July 27, 2015

There’s no shortage of interesting research going on at the University of Utah every day. Brian Baucom and Craig Bryan, assistant professors in the Department of Psychology, and Eric Garland, associate dean for research in the College of Social Work, were recently awarded a $2.4 million Department of Defense grant for a three-year study on “Technologies for Assessing Behavioral and Cognitive Markers of Suicide Risk.” The primary objectives of the research are to determine behavioral and cognitive markers of suicide risk among National Guard service members and their spouses, to improve the neurocognitive measurement of undetected suicidal tendencies, and to improve the feasibility and practicality of assessing suicide risk by using advanced technology solutions. Baucom and Garland are available to talk about what the team’s research aims to achieve.
Brian Baucom | Phone: 801-581-6425 | Email: brian.baucom@psych.utah.edu
Eric Garland | Phone: 801-581-3826 | Email: eric.garland@socwk.utah.edu

June 19, 2015

After receiving support and guidance from the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the U, MBA graduate Cam Cameron started a company designing high-quality and performance soccer cleats at a fraction of the price of name brands. Cameron and his ambassadors travel the world donating soccer cleats and supporting the growth of soccer. They focus on supporting and developing institutions and players most in need so that anyone who wants to play soccer has the opportunity. Students like Cameron will soon have a new venue to spark creativity and entrepreneurship in 2016, when the new Lassonde Studios debuts on the U’s campus. Lassonde Studios will be a place for young visionaries to have an around-the-clock environment to bounce ideas off of others who also are working through plans that may one day become the next cutting-edge technology. The 160,000-square-foot Lassonde Studios will have a 20,000-square-foot garage on the main floor of the residence hall, complete with 3-D printers, laser cutters, prototyping tools and company launch space. Above will be four floors of housing, with students allowed to choose between pods, lofts and traditional rooms. The U is currently in the midst of recruiting the 400 best students nationwide who will comprise the first class of students to live in the unique environment. Contact Thad Kelling for more information.
Phone: 801-587-8811 | Email: thad.kelling@utah.edu