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.*
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Wildfires May Emit more Toxic Chemicals than Anticipated
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A new study co-authored by Claudia Avila, assistant professor of environmental and ocean sciences, looks at soil chemical changes during and after wildfires. Along with emitting more toxins than assumed, the study also found better techniques are needed to monitor changes in soil and surrounding ecosystems after wildfires, which could help inform decisions in the recovery effort. Avila is available to talk about the study, as well as the projects she will be working on with students this summer on this topic.
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USD Professor Talks International AI Gap at United Nations
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With the emergence of artificial intelligence technologies, there’s a new digital divide forming between developed and developing countries, based on their access to this transformative tech. USD professor and president-elect of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Kathleen Kramer recently spoke about the issue at an event hosted by the United Nations. She can talk about the global disparities being created by AI, ways international leaders and organizations can help bridge those gaps, and her experience at the UN.
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Middle and High School Students Create Solutions to Global Problems
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On Friday, the winners of this year’s Jacobs Teen Innovation Challenge (JTIC) will be announced. This year, more than 500 students from 31 countries participated in the challenge by creating innovative, sustainable projects aimed at improving people's quality of life. For example, creating adaptive toys for patients at Rady Children's Hospital or a drink mix providing nutrients for people in situations of food scarcity. Rebecca Ottinger, program manager at USD’s Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education, helped to coordinate the challenge. She is available for interviews, along with the winners.
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* Please note that times of availability will vary according to professors' schedules.
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Celebrating the Graduating Class of 2024
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Shayla Rodriguez is graduating from the Knauss School of Business and the College of Arts and Sciences with a double major in marketing and political science. Rodriguez’s passion for marketing and political science began at a young age. In high school, she started her own nonprofit organization called Nuestras Voces Georgia, which works to dismantle language and racial barriers that Latinx communities face across Georgia. The organization is still running and is currently doing civic engagement phone banking for the upcoming election.
Her entrepreneurial drive doesn’t end there. After taking inspiring marketing courses, she realized she could turn her candle making hobby into a business. Rodriguez started Deseos Candles Co. with body candles – candles formed into bodies of all shapes and sizes – to help women and girls feel empowered regardless of their body image. She donates a portion of her proceeds to The Body Positive.
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Office of Media Relations
University of San Diego
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