Office of Media Relations at the University of San Diego
August 19, 2025 | View in web browser

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

August 19, 2025

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.*

New Report from the Children’s Advocacy Institute Finds Big Tech Fails to Comply with California’s Child Safety Laws

A new report released by the University of San Diego School of Law’s Children’s Advocacy Institute (CAI) evaluated how major social media platforms have responded to California’s AB 1394 and SB 1504 — two laws aimed at protecting children from online sexual exploitation and cyberbullying. The report found that none of the major social media platforms have implemented reporting tools to meet basic online safety standards outlined in the bills. A representative from CAI is available to discuss the report and what needs to be done by social platforms to comply with new state laws.

California Energy Commission Launches Incentive Program to Install EV Chargers for Free at Businesses

The California Energy Commission recently launched a $55 million incentive program to cover 100% of the installation costs for electric vehicle fast chargers at businesses and other public areas. Jae Kim, associate professor and chair of Industrial and Systems Engineering, studies electric vehicles and can discuss what this incentive program will mean for getting more EV drivers on the road and how this can help California get closer to its goal of only allowing the sale of zero-emission vehicles by 2035.

San Diego Book Festival Returning to USD This Saturday

This Saturday, USD is partnering with KPBS for the San Diego Book Festival. The free event will bring major national and local authors to USD’s campus for a day of panels and a celebration of reading. USD professors and authors Alejandro Meter, Amanda Petersen and Brian Clack, are available for interviews. They can talk about what to expect at the festival, and why it’s important to get people of all ages engaged with reading. You can register for the event here. *Interviews available in English and Spanish

For all media inquiries, email our team at

press@sandiego.edu.

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

USD Spotlight

At the Edge of It All Podcast: Atoms, Space, and Identity: USD Professor Champions Science and Belonging

In this episode of At the Edge of It All, Maren Mossman, Clare Boothe Luce Assistant Professor of Physics at USD, unpacks the mysteries of quantum mechanics, from atoms near absolute zero to her groundbreaking work aboard the International Space Station. She also shares her journey into science and her mission to foster inclusivity in physics through the Physics Identity Program. You can listen to the episode here.