Welcome to “In the News,” where Kent State University’s values, culture, high-quality academics and award-winning support and access for all are evident in these media stories that highlight Kent State’s faculty, staff, students and alumni in action. The university and its experts are frequently featured in the news media. Here is a selection of recent media coverage, raising Kent State’s reputation locally, nationally and internationally.
Oxford’s 2024 Word of the Year, ‘Brain Rot’ Is All About Mindless Online Content
Ideastream Public Media’s “Sound of Ideas”
Jacob Barkley, Ph.D., professor in the School of Health Sciences, and Cooper Pontis, a first-year recreation, park and tourism management major, both discussed the concept of “brain rot” on Ideastream Public Media’s “Sound of Ideas.” The pair explored the use of slang in social media and how screen time may be affecting the brain.
‘These Are Not Toys:’ Kent State University Experts Look at Problems, Promise of Drones (subscription required)
Akron Beacon Journal, Record-Courier, The Canton Repository and The Massillon Independent
Esrat Farhana Dulia, a doctoral student studying aerospace engineering, was featured in Akron Beacon Journal, Record-Courier, The Canton Repository and The Massillon Independent to offer insight into the safety of drones as she engineers a way to prevent them from colliding into each other. Jason Lorenzon, J.D., assistant professor in the College of Aeronautics and Engineering, was also featured in the article, sharing his concerns about drone regulations and excitement for the popularity of drones.
Squirrels Reign Supreme: Ohio Colleges Embrace Their Campus Critters
The Columbus Dispatch, Akron Beacon Journal and Record-Courier
Kent State and its students were featured in an article about the prevalence of squirrels on Ohio college campuses. Yasmeen Matthews, a junior photography major, and Anthony Furiga, a senior digital media production major, both recounted their appreciation for the campus squirrels as the article dives into the history of squirrel culture at Kent State.
Art + Technology = Fashion@Kent State University
WAKR-AM’s “This Week in Tech”
Margarita Benitez, professor of fashion design in the School of Fashion, was featured on WAKR-AM’s “This Week in Tech.” With her experience as the faculty director for the TechStyleLAB, a creativity hub that focuses on the use of digital fabrication, she discusses how digital textile printing, AI and other technologies are being used in the School of Fashion to turn an artistic idea into a product.
‘Gray Divorce’ Is on the Rise, and Relationship Experts Think This Is Why
Women’s Health Magazine
Kelly Cichy, Ph.D., professor in the School of Lifespan Development and Educational Sciences and interim executive director for Student Success Initiatives, is featured in an article from Women’s Health Magazine in which she comments on the increasing occurrence of “gray divorces,” how they are affecting women and what they can do to take care of themselves while navigating one.