UNLV Newsmakers 2023: January | University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Never mind the winter chill. UNLV experts were hot on the scene this January as they fielded hundreds of interview requests from media on topics including finance, the friendly skies, health, hunger, artificial intelligence, and outer space.

Read on for details on these accomplishments and more.

University Happenings

Business & Economy

• Several outlets called on consumer behavior expert Amanda Belarmino. She spoke to CNN about inflation’s effect on holiday sales; Scripps about the revenue impact of a Virginia casino’s decision to allow smoking; Las Vegas Review-Journal about recovery of the Las Vegas convention industry; and KNPR about projects opening in Las Vegas amid recession worries.
   
• Belarmino, along with responsible gaming expert Alan Feldman, spoke to outlets about a class-action lawsuit alleging price fixing by Las Vegas Strip hotels: CBS News, Fortune, Associated Press, KNX News Radio, Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review-Journal, KVVU-TV: Fox 5
   
• Feldman, hospitality professors Mehmet Erdem and Scott Morrow, and historian Michael Green helped answer questions surrounding a rash of casino cage robberies: Associated Press, Las Vegas Sun, Las Vegas Review-Journal.
   
• Erdem also shared tips for guests navigating hotel reservation problems with USA Today.
   
• Stephen MIller, research director for the Center for Business and Economic Research, shared local economy predictions with CDC Gaming Reports. He also spoke to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about California businesses moving to Las Vegas.
   
• IGI executive director Brett Abarbanel offered insight for an Associated Press story about record-setting wins at Nevada casinos and on sports wagering apps. 

Health

• Recovering from surgery? Architecture professor Dak Kopec chimed in via Verywell on the health benefits of a hospital room with a view. He also was featured in a Forbes piece about aging in place and accommodations for senior living.
   
• Following an NFL player’s on-field medical emergency, KVVU-TV: Fox 5 reached out to athletic training expert Tedd Girouard for insight on the importance of medical personnel at both local amateur and professional sporting events.
   
• Nursing researcher Jinyoung Kim chatted with LiveScience about white noise and improved sleep.
   
• CAPS psychologist Luke R. Allen offered insight to Medical News Today about the links between mental health and gender-affirming hormone therapy for non-binary and trans youth.
• Epidemiologist Brian Labus talked to the Las Vegas Review-Journal about Nevada’s low rate of COVID-19 infections, the Nevada Independent about pandemic lockdown protocols, and Verywell Health about home tests for RSV and flu. 

Science

Expert Roundup

• Kendall Hartley, an educational technology expert, spoke with Today at NBC, Scripps National News, Smithsonian Magazine, and KVVU-TV: Fox 5 about the rise of artificial intelligence website ChatGPT and its impact on school cheating.
   
• Tax expert Francine Lipman commented on former president Donald Trump’s finances following the release of his tax returns via the Daily Beast, Daily Mail, FrankfurterRundschau, and Australian Broadcasting Corp. She also penned an essay for the American Bar Association about child poverty and pandemic tax relief.
   
• Airline expert and former pilot Dan Bubb helped answer Newsweek readers’ questions about the mysteries behind flight rules. He also talked to Fodors Travel and Travel Radar about an FAA system outage that grounded dozens of flights.
   
• Journalists reached out to UNLV experts with racial and police protocol questions surrounding the law enforcement killing of Tyre Nichols. Criminal justice professor William Sousa spoke to the Los Angeles Times and Vox, while law professors Addie Rolnick and Anthony Cabot spoke to Casino.org.
   
• Law professor Nancy B. Rapoport spoke to Financial Times and Bloomberg about an FTX bankruptcy case, as well as with Expressen regarding an NHL player’s bankruptcy filing.
   
• The Chattanooga Times Free Press sought gender psychology researcher Rachael Robnett’s expertise on the impact of potential name change for divorcing lawmaker Marjorie Taylor Greene.