A daily selection of stories about UC Berkeley and higher education that have appeared in the local and national media.
Wednesday, 16 May 2012
1. Special Report: University of California Spearheading New Initiative To Mine 'Big Data' in Health Care
iHealthBeat
Following the announcement of a $10 million grant from the National Science Foundation for a "Big Data" initiative at Berkeley, computer science professor David Patterson joins a discussion of the project's potential for health care and scientific research, as well as challenges the researchers will face. Link to audio.
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2. Pacific Swell Blog: Trout, salmon threatened by water shortages in California wine country
KPCC Online [Southern California Public Radio]
A study led by biology professor Theodore Grantham has linked higher death rates in steelhead trout with lowered summer water levels and vineyard activity upstream. Co-author Adina Merenlender says, "These findings will help inform an important environmental issue in California that is disturbing to conservationists and grape growers alike." Professor Grantham says, "I don't suggest we get rid of vineyards, but we do need to focus our attention on water management strategies that reduce summer water use. I believe we can protect flows for fish and still have our glass of wine."
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3. Scientists Generate Electricity from Viruses
Forbes Online
A Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory—UC Berkeley research team led by associate bioengineering professor Seung-Wuk Lee has harnessed the electricity-generating capabilities of viruses, a development that could lead to pocket power plants for mobile devices. Stories on this topic have appeared in more than 100 sources, including CNET, Ars Technica, and ABC Online.
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4. Maternal Deaths Plunged Over 2 Decades, to About 287,000 in 2010, U.N. Reports
New York Times & International Herald Tribune (*requires registration)
A United Nations report co-authored by a team of Berkeley researchers has found that maternal deaths have plummeted in the last 20 years. Improvements in maternal health are attributable to increased use of contraception, rising numbers of births attended by medically trained nurses, doctors or midwives, and the availability of antiretroviral drugs for mothers with AIDS.
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5. Blog: Facts show Democrats are job creators
Politico
Jennifer Granholm, distinguished visiting professor of public policy professor, discusses Bloomberg’s BGOV Barometer data, released last week, which showed that during the past 50 years "Democrats created nearly twice as many private-sector jobs as Republicans. Even though Democrats held the presidency for only 23 years compared with 28 years of Republican rule." Similar revelations apply to stock market performance, gross domestic product growth, income growth, and poverty rates.
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6. Voter distrust will be a hurdle for Brown tax plan
San Jose Mercury News (*requires registration)
Political science professor Bruce Cain comments on Governor Jerry Brown's proposal to increase taxes to help solve the budget deficit, saying voter mistrust will be a factor: "The question is: Does a very drastic budget bring home to people the need for additional revenue?"
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7. Wrangling Facebook's Rich
Wall Street Journal (*requires registration)
Business professor Barry Staw comments on the challenges Facebook will confront trying to keep nouveau riche workers motivated post-IPO. One way Google does it, he says, is by giving engineers "20% time" to work on creative projects. He also compares the situation to that of baseball teams, where coaches keep highly paid players on track with "jiu jitsu management."
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8. Rivals for House blast tech exec Lawson's claims
San Francisco Chronicle
Stacey Lawson, a wealthy tech entrepreneur now running for Congress from California's North Coast, is a co-founder and Berkeley Industry Fellow of the Center for Entrepreneurship and Technology.
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