For years, rural Nebraska communities have faced expensive water treatment overhauls due to groundwater contaminated with nitrates, primarily from fertilizer runoff. Jessica Fargen Walsh, assistant professor of journalism, sought to better understand Nebraska’s news coverage of this important topic. She teamed with East Tennessee State University to analyze articles published in Nebraska newspapers over nearly… Continue reading Studying Nitrate News Coverage
Tag: Science and Technology Literacy for Society
Interacting with Voice Assistants Eases Loneliness
“Good morning, Alexa.”“Good morning, Martha.” Interacting with personal voice assistants such as Amazon’s Echo Dot, otherwise known as Alexa, can lessen loneliness in older Americans who live alone, according to a Nebraska study. Loneliness – the perception of feeling disconnected – is so pervasive, especially among older people, that it’s considered an epidemic with public… Continue reading Interacting with Voice Assistants Eases Loneliness
Center Focuses on Technology Governance
Technology has evolved at breakneck speed the last 150 years – from telephones, computers and the internet to recent breakthroughs like drones, genetic tools and mRNA vaccines. But laws and regulations aren’t keeping pace. That’s why a technology like CRISPR, the gene-editing tool, has vast potential to cure diseases, but also to drive nefarious activity… Continue reading Center Focuses on Technology Governance