University of Miami researchers tackling some of society's most pressing challenges brought their discoveries to a national audience through "The Academic Minute," a two-and-half-minute radio program and podcast featuring researchers from colleges and universities around the world.
During "University of Miami Week on The Academic Minute," which ran Aug. 30-Sept. 4, University experts explored topics ranging from the health of fire service members and water insecurity to artificial intelligence, youth anxiety and Hispanic adolescent mental health. Their research highlights how the University is addressing complex challenges and creating meaningful impact far beyond campus.
Explore the episodes below to hear directly from the researchers behind the discoveries.
Rethinking how discovery happens with Dr. Alberto J. Caban-Martinez
Protecting the health of the men and women who serve in fire departments requires an understanding that the dangers faced on the job continue even after the fire has been put out. Repeated exposure to hazardous environments can increase a fire service member's risk for serious health conditions, including certain types of cancer.
Dr. Alberto J. Caban-Martinez, vice provost for research and scholarship, Office of the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost, leads a national longitudinal cohort and works with a multidisciplinary team studying the health outcomes of fire service members and investigating evidence-based approaches that could reduce occupational health risks and inform better safety practices.
As global challenges continue to intersect, Caban-Martinez argues that the future of discovery depends on researchers working across traditional boundaries.
Reshaping human behavior with AI with Nina Huang
Artificial intelligence (AI) has already transformed our daily lives, but as AI becomes ubiquitous, how will the human experience transform?
This is one of the questions Nina Huang, professor and department chair for Business Technology at the University of Miami Business School, explores through her research focused on how AI and digital technologies influence society. From online shopping and gaming to software development and business strategy, her research has found that AI can create meaningful benefits while also producing unintended consequences.
Huang's research underscores the importance of looking beyond AI as a technological innovation and understanding its transformative power.
Smart support: Can AI bridge the mental health equity gap for Hispanic youth with Guillermo "Willy" Prado
For Hispanic adolescents, barriers to mental healthcare can include limited access to insurance, cultural stigma and other systemic challenges. However, research has shown that families can become a powerful source of support.
For more than two decades, Guillermo "Willy" Prado, professor at the School of Nursing and Health Studies, and his team have developed and tested Familias Unidas, an evidence-based family intervention program designed to strengthen communication, trust and parental involvement in Hispanic families. His team has implemented Familias Unidas locally, nationally and internationally, and is now investigating how AI could expand access, bringing family-centered mental health resources to more people.
To maximize impact of research on anxiety treatment, the right questions matter with Jill Ehrenreich-May
For young people struggling with anxiety, effective treatment can make a meaningful difference in how they learn, interact and navigate everyday life. But treatments developed in controlled research settings do not always translate easily into schools and other community environments.
Jill Ehrenreich-May, professor of psychology and pediatrics at the College of Arts and Sciences, is a clinical psychologist and researcher who has spent more than two decades leading studies in treatment strategies designed to address the emotional needs of children. Her latest work extends beyond the research clinic, demonstrating that evidence-based treatments have the greatest potential for impact when they are designed around the realities of the communities and young people they are intended to serve.
America's quiet water crisis with Justin Stoler
When people in the United States think about water insecurity, they may picture a community in a developing country. Yet research suggests that many American households face their own struggles with access to safe, reliable and affordable water.
As a global water security researcher, Justin Stoler, professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, has spent his career studying how people experience water insecurity. Now, he is co-leading a team investigating household water insecurity in the United States. The findings are daunting, but Stoler says solutions exist, including technologies that improve the reliability of water supplies.
Stay tuned for an upcoming episode featuring Katharine Mach, professor and chair of the Department of Environmental Science and Policy at the Rosenstiel School of Marine, Atmospheric, and Earth Science, where she presents her research on extreme weather.
The Academic Minute airs on WAMC weekdays at 7:30 a.m. and on 70 stations around the United States and Canada. The program, hosted by Lynn Pasquerella, president of the American Association of Colleges and Universities, features a different professor every day sharing groundbreaking research at the forefront of innovation.
