Office of Media Relations at the University of San Diego
August 31, 2021 | View in web browser

USD News Connect: Connecting Expert Voices to the Stories Impacting Our Community

August 31, 2021

Good morning newsrooms!

Here's your USD News Connect — where each week the University of San Diego media relations team offers expert voices to speak on stories impacting our community. If you're interested in the stories below, or need experts for any other topic you might be working on, don't hesitate to reach out to us at press@sandiego.edu.*

Last U.S. Troops Leave Afghanistan

The last U.S. military planes left Afghanistan yesterday, marking the end of the United States’ longest war. Rachel Locke, Director of Impact:Peace at the Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at USD, recently wrote an op-ed on this topic. She can speak on why the average American should care about the withdrawal and what our responsibilities are moving forward.

Colorado River Levels are Down, Compared to Last Year -- What Does This Mean for Californians?

The Bureau of Reclamation released recent conditions of the Colorado River, showcasing that the total Colorado River system storage is 40% of capacity, down from 49% at this time last year. At the same time, Governor Newsom has made calls for Californians to conserve water with the ongoing drought. Dr. Zhi-Yong Yin, Environmental and Ocean Sciences Professor, can provide insight on this topic and share what this could mean if the drought worsens and water levels continue to decrease.

Boom in New Businesses During the Pandemic

Recent research shows that during the pandemic a wave of new businesses were created. The Brink SBDC, hosted at the University of San Diego’s School of Business, has seen similar trends. Between January to August 2021, 140 businesses were created across The San Diego SBDC network – nearly half of those from women. Compared to February 2019 to February 2020, 20 businesses were started with The Brink SBDC at USD. Rachel Lozano Castro, Director of The Brink at USD, can provide insight on the types of new businesses being created and what this means for the economic recovery in our region and around the country.

For all media inquiries, email our team at

press@sandiego.edu.

* Please note that times of availability will vary according to professors' schedules.

USD Expert Spotlight

Mark Chapman, Assistant Professor of Integrated Engineering

“We learn to love math when we realize it’s not meant to be useful.”

-Satyan Devadoss

Professor of Mathematics

Satyan Devadoss recently wrote an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times that focuses on math as students head back to class after more than a year of virtual learning. Most people think of mathematics as a set of useful tools designed to answer analytical questions, beginning with simple arithmetic and ending with advanced calculus. However, according to Devadoss, mathematics is filled with intriguing mysteries that take us to the edge of the unknown.