In the News

KSL.com Tuesday, Apr. 21, 2020

USU Space Dynamics Lab delivers test unit to NASA for 2022 launch

The Utah State University Space Dynamics Lab in North Logan has delivered to NASA an engineering test unit for a major subsystem of its PACE spacecraft scheduled for launch in 2022. Data from the PACE satellite, short for Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem, will help scientists better understand how the ocean and atmosphere exchange carbon dioxide. It will also help identify the extent and duration of harmful algal blooms. According to the Centers for Disease Control, harmful algal blooms can produce toxins that can make people and animals sick and affect the environment. The science satellite is scheduled to be lofted into orbit by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launched from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida in December 2022. ... Alan Thurgood, the Space Dynamics Lab’s director for civil and commercial space, said in a press release that the lab and NASA “have a long, successful history working together to solve some of science’s most interesting and pressing questions.” “We are grateful to NASA for these opportunities to support its mission to drive advances in science, technology, aeronautics, and space exploration to enhance knowledge, education, innovation, economic vitality and stewardship of Earth,” he added.
The Daily News Sunday, Apr. 19, 2020

Mount St. Helens ecologist looks back on 40-year 'love affair' with volcano

Charlie Crisafulli has become the face of ecological study of Mount St. Helens over the course of his 40-year career researching how life is returning to the volcano. Now, with plans to retire later this summer, Crisafulli is eager to pass on his knowledge to a new generation of researchers he says are enthusiastic and more diverse than ever before. Lean and nimble for his 62 years, Crisafulli kept pace with his 19-year-old intern across the pumice plain on a blustery but boiling late August day last summer. Crisafulli was just a tad older than her when he first visited Mount St. Helens shortly before the May 18, 1980 eruption. Since then, Crisafulli has published numerous studies, expanded the U.S. Forest Service’s ecology program at the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and been a consultant for volcanoes in Indonesia, Iceland, Chile and Hawaii. In 2016, he received the Outstanding Scientist award from the Northwest Scientific Association. ... Crisafulli spent a decade as a research associate at the Utah State University Department of Ecology running a summer program at Mount St. Helens. In 1989, the Forest Service hired him as the monument’s ecologist, which is the role he serves in today. He still conducts research, but his broader job is to be a liaison between the Forest Service and the ecology community. Every five years he organizes an event to gather researchers to network and share their findings. “I keep my fingers on the ecological pulse of the place and community,” he said.
The Herald Journal Friday, Apr. 17, 2020

USU president describes what 'new norm' may look like for students, faculty

During a virtual town hall meeting on Friday morning, USU President Noelle Cockett and members of her staff discussed what the coming months might look like and answered questions about tuition, protocol and incoming freshmen. “It has been a very crazy month. In fact it feels like it has been a year,” Cockett said. “But for me, I think the COVID pandemic really started on March 14. That was the day we decided to move our classes to a remote format, and it is incredible to think that was just a month ago.” Describing the transition to normalcy as a dial rather than a switch to be flipped, Cockett said there are still many stages before things will run freely again, and it will take a working vaccine to get to that point. ... USU students, faculty and staff were invited to submit questions prior to the town hall meeting, and one of the most frequently asked questions was about a refund on tuition due to the format of classes changing. ... “One of the things that I think is a bit of a misunderstanding is that by moving our classes to online, remote delivery, is that we were going to save money,” Cockett said. “That is actually not how that worked. It actually cost us more money to do that in the middle of a semester.” Between the large number of hours people put into making the transition happen along with the need to purchase more software licenses and video conferencing contracts, Cockett said there aren’t any savings that can be returned. However, Dave Cowley, the vice president for Business and Finance at USU, said monetary aid is going to be available to students through the federal stimulus package, additional state funding and FEMA dollars as well.
Cache Valley Daily Friday, Apr. 17, 2020

Utah State in line for $17.5 million from CARES Act

Utah State University is expected to receive nearly $17.5 million in Coronavirus relief funding under the federal CARES Act recently passed by Congress. According to the Utah System of Higher Education, the state’s universities, college and technical institutions will receive nearly $100 million from the stimulus legislation. That amount is based on institutional enrollment and the number of low-income students qualifying for financial assistance under the federal Pell Grant Program. USU spokesperson Emilie Wheeler said that about half of USU’s allocated funding – more than $8.7 million — will be awarded in emergency financial aid grants to students. Wheeler added that, although the funds have not actually been received yet, university administrators are already developing a plan for their distribution. “We really appreciate the funding allocated to education through the CARES Act,” she explained. “The dollars coming directly to USU are critical as we respond to Coronavirus expenses and costs.”
Cedar City News Tuesday, Apr. 14, 2020

Five tips to help avoid being caught up in a coronavirus scams

Not surprisingly, scammers are taking advantage of the fears that surround the coronavirus. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission has already communicated with several scammers who are selling phony coronavirus “treatments.” Scammers have set up websites to sell bogus products using fake emails, texts and social media posts as a method to get victims’ money and personal information. The scammers’ emails and posts generally promote awareness, prevention tips and fake information about cases in local neighborhoods. They may also ask for donations to victims, offer advice on unproven treatments or even contain malicious email attachments. With this in mind, and considering other scams that have been circulating, here are five tips to help keep scammers at bay both during the COVID-19 pandemic and in general.
Smithsonian Magazine Monday, Apr. 13, 2020

What We Can Learn From 1918 Influenza Diaries

When Dorman B.E. Kent, a historian and businessman from Montpelier, Vermont, contracted influenza in fall 1918, he chronicled his symptoms in vivid detail. Writing in his journal, the 42-year-old described waking up with a “high fever,” “an awful headache” and a stomach bug. “Tried to get Dr. Watson in the morning but he couldn’t come,” Kent added. Instead, the physician advised his patient to place greased cloths and a hot water bottle around his throat and chest. “Took a seidlitz powder”—similar to Alka-Seltzer—“about 10:00 and threw it up soon so then took two tablespoons of castor oil,” Kent wrote. “Then the movements began and I spent a good part of the time at the seat.” The Vermont historian’s account, housed at the state’s historical society, is one of countless diaries and letters penned during the 1918 influenza pandemic, which killed an estimated 50 to 100 million people in just 15 months. With historians and organizations urging members of the public to keep journals of their own amid the COVID-19 pandemic, these century-old musings represent not only invaluable historical resources, but sources of inspiration or even diversion. ... When Helen Viola Jackson Kent’s children donated her journals to Utah State University, they offered an apt description of the purpose these papers served. Like many diary writers, Kent used her journal to “reflect her daily life, her comings and goings, her thoughts, her wishes, her joys, and her disappointments.” On November 1, 1918, the lifelong Utah resident wrote that she “[h]ad a bad head ache all day and did not accomplish much. Felt very uneasy as I found out I was exposed to the ‘flu’ Wed. at the store.”
Richfield Reaper Sunday, Apr. 12, 2020

Controlling coronavirus fear and apprehension

Are you feeling afraid, nervous, or anxious about the coronavirus? You are not alone. Threats such as the coronavirus may only happen once in a lifetime, and we may not feel prepared to deal with it and its associated emotional impacts. The most common of these emotional impacts are related to feelings of anxiety and fear. These fears are likely caused by some distorted thoughts that impact our ability to stay calm and rational. These thoughts happen automatically. Some of the most common distorted thoughts include: 1. All-or-nothing thinking. You might think in extremes, or that things are black or white. 2. Over generalization. You might assume that if one negative event happened, then something else is bound to go wrong. 3. Mental filter. You dwell on one negative point, making the entire situation feel negative. ... Don’t put pressure on yourself to never have negative automatic thoughts. Everyone does. I have been teaching these principles for fifteen years and I still catch myself in my tendency to jump to conclusions and reason with my emotions. However, when I remind myself that it is the distorted thoughts that are talking, I can slow the negative emotions that tend to follow.
Salt Lake Tribune Monday, Apr. 06, 2020

Utah's Outdoor Spaces Can Help Us Reconnect. At a Distance.

Restaurants that once bustled every night of the week are now open for takeout only. The sports venues, shopping centers, gyms and museums that used to fill our nights and weekends are now empty. And many religious gatherings, which serve as a cornerstone to so many Utahns’ lives, have been halted. The COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to have a massive impact on the social lives of Utahns. While many of the social interactions that are essential for our economy have started to transition online, we still need real social interaction to feel alive. Many Utahns have begun to explore local outdoor recreation opportunities as an alternative way to have family activities, see others, and learn something new. ... We can consider ourselves more fortunate than many other states navigating their way through this pandemic. Utah’s abundance of outdoor recreation settings provide many opportunities to stay connected with what used to be “normal life,” with what we value so much, and with what for many of us is essential to who we are. Stay close to home, think about the importance or your local outdoor spaces, recreate responsibly, maintain social distance and reconnect.
Richfield Reaper Sunday, Apr. 05, 2020

Where Do We Go from Here?

As daily deaths resulting from the coronavirus increase worldwide, many in our community are wondering if we are still at risk? As a health and wellness professor with Utah State University Extension, I would like to share the best objective information I can with Sevier County residents so we can all do our best to protect our families. I call your attention to the death data, the most reliable measure we have when evaluating the spread of this disease because we have tested far too few people in the United States to really know how far the virus has spread. Death data from the U.S. when compared to three other countries — Italy, South Korea, and Spain — may help give us a picture of what may come. Keep in mind it typically takes from two to six weeks before the virus takes lives. Hence, the death data shows us what spread may have happened two to six weeks ago. ... It will likely be months before we can ease up on these efforts. Take care of yourself during this time and we will get through it. The lives of our loved ones are worth it. We can do it. We are caring and compassionate people. Let’s lock arm in arm (from a distance) and protect each other by continuing our preventative approach. It is working and will save many of our loved ones if we keep it up.
Salt Lake Tribune Saturday, Apr. 04, 2020

Susan R. Grayzel: Face Masks are a Cultural Phenomenon Then and Now

As we confront an unexpected pandemic, we try to do what we can to protect ourselves and those who are dear to us. We are advised to wash our hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, to maintain at least six feet of distance between ourselves and others, and, increasingly, we are advised to wear masks. Americans were initially told that masks did little good to slow the spread of the coronavirus. We also heard that those who are well should not wear masks so that they would be available to health care workers. This always seemed contradictory. If masks aided doctors and nurses, then wouldn’t they help us? Over the last week the mainstream media has reported that masks, even simple ones made at home, could provide some protection to the wearer. How-to videos proliferate on the web and the message is becoming clear: We should all be wearing masks now. Since they are hard to find in stores, making masks at home can help us to pass the time as we shelter in place. ... We are not at war. The novel coronavirus is behaving like the pathogen it is and all of us must be part of the collective endeavor to sustain our lives and our communities. The face masks we are being asked to make and wear may, at the very least, help us to avoid touching our faces while they contain some of the spread of our virus-laden droplets. But the suggestion that we all need masks is also a reminder that, unlike many places during the Second World War, there is no official policy or reassurance about this. Nothing is being provided to those without the resources or skills to make their own masks, but who are nonetheless at risk.
Utah Public Radio Friday, Apr. 03, 2020

Three USU Aggies Named 2020 Goldwater Scholars

Utah State University students Matthew Hogan, Andrew Kjar and Jenny R. Whiteley were named 2020 Goldwater Scholars in a prestigious national competition that recognizes outstanding achievements in science and mathematics. The awards were announced Mar. 27 by the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, which administers the program. The Aggies are among 396 awardees selected this year, from more than 1,300 nominees representing 461 institutions. With this year’s award recipients, USU boasts 34 Goldwater Scholars and 16 honorable mention recipients since 1998; numbers that rival the nation’s top universities.
The Herald Journal Saturday, Mar. 28, 2020

President Cockett: USU Poised to Take Further Precautions If Needed

COVID-19 Update from President Cockett: Yesterday, March 27, Governor Gary Herbert released a "Stay Safe, Stay Home" directive for the state of Utah further emphasizing the urgency of social distancing and staying home. The health and safety of all our campus community members - students, faculty and staff - depend upon us making the right decisions and following the guidance of our public health experts. I want to provide details for how our campus will continue to operate in response to these actions. As of today, USU is still operating in Level 2 of our Infectious Disease Response Plan. But we are preparing for the potential of county health officials taking actions in the future that would move us to Level 1 status, defined as "all functions performed remotely and off site except functions designated as on-site essential".
Utah Public Radio Friday, Mar. 27, 2020

Uncertainty Aside, COVID-19 Can Strengthen our Resiliency, Relationships

This moment in our history is, without doubt, difficult and uncertain. It’s also, says social worker Vonda Jump-Norman, an “unprecedented opportunity that we may never have again.” Appreciate the relationships in your life, she said. Be of service. Play a game with the kids. Reflect. Be grateful. Reach out for the many resources our communities provide. For Jump-Norman, an assistant professor of social work in the College of Humanities and Social Services, these activities define resiliency. She thinks of resiliency more broadly, and more personally, than what’s given to us by dictionaries: rebounding from adversity, for instance, or pushing up to your feet in the 10th round.
Utah Public Radio Thursday, Mar. 26, 2020

COVID-19 Quarantine Reduces Emissions, Improves Air

While there are many economic concerns about business shutdowns related to the coronavirus, Utah State University professor Randy Martin said one positive outcome has been the reduction in emissions, leading to better air quality throughout the world. “We know that in the last few weeks, the vehicle count, at least along the Wasatch Front, has dropped to about 75% of what it normally is," Martin said. "And just doing some really rough, back of the envelope calculations, that suggests that we're putting about 2,000 tons less per day of pollution in the air. And that's not accounting for businesses that are closed or reductions in air travel or train travel, because I just don't have those numbers.” Will this emissions reduction have long term impacts on air quality? According to Simon Wang, a USU climate change professor, that may not be determined for another five years. “It's similar to just the virus itself, right? You'll note that the people who contracted wouldn't have a response right away, I mean, you can you can wait from three days to up to two weeks," he said. "So, the atmosphere functions like that.”
KSL TV Thursday, Mar. 26, 2020

USU Awarded Grant To Fund COVID-19 Research

Utah State University has been awarded a $2.5 million research grant to aid in their efforts to find possible treatments for COVID-19. The grant was awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The lab being used at the university has been used by several drug companies to help test products before they go out to the public. Doctors said their research on the novel coronavirus has brought a sense of urgency to fight a virus that has affected so many people. “It’s a little scary. I treat it with great respect,” said Dr. Bart Tarbet. He said it’s somewhat unique, despite the fact that he’s been working against infectious diseases for about 25 years. “I would say not to panic, but to definitely follow the instructions of our government leaders, of our public health officials. We’ve got to do what they say,” he said.
The Herald Journal Thursday, Mar. 26, 2020

USU Scientists Discuss their Coronavirus Research

A vaccine or treatment for the virus that has turned the world upside down in 2020 could come from right here in Cache Valley. The Institute for Antiviral Research at Utah State University has been studying infectious diseases for 43 years in its high-level containment laboratories on campus, including analysis of the original SARS virus that killed hundreds and caused widespread alarm in the early 2000s. Thursday the institute announced it has received a $2.5 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to test antiviral agents and drugs for their effectiveness against novel coronavirus, the latest mutation of SARS. The institute has been running experiments on coronavirus since February and just secured the funding for an extensive investigation into treatments. The urgency of the project has the institute “working at a run,” USU’s lead coronavirus researcher Bart Tarbet said, and in the interest of expediting work, the research team will pursue a number of different avenues of investigation at the same time. ... In a USU press release sent out Thursday, Hurst was described as being frustrated with messages on social media playing down the threat of coronavirus and comparing it to just another round of seasonal flu. Data indicates death rates for COVID-19 are much higher than for flu. Asked by The Herald Journal if daily press briefings by the president and the federal Coronavirus Task Force have added to public confusion about the severity of the threat, Hurst said no. “I have great trust in Dr. Fauci and his response to the administration. So I think he’s helping keep them on track,” Hurst said. “He has a very level head and he’s a very smart man. So the things that I hear him say are the things I try and repeat and I try and keep in mind.”
National Review Thursday, Mar. 26, 2020

Why Are We Responding Slower Today Than during the Last Pandemic?

A few days ago, Tyler Cowen posted this at Marginal Revolution: “In 1957, when flu swept through Hong Kong, Mr [Maurice] Hilleman identified the virus as a new form to which people had no natural immunity and passed on his findings to vaccine-makers. When the virus reached the United States a few months later 40m doses of vaccine were ready to limit its damage.” So basically, when it comes to producing vaccines, we were much better and faster at responding to pandemics in 1957 than we are now. That’s not right, especially since creating vaccines should be much easier now than it was back then.

At the Mercatus Center, Eli Dourado, who is now at the Center for Growth and Opportunity at Utah State University, writes about the way the FDA is impeding this process, and what to do about it: "Unfortunately, the FDA approval process is not likely to result in a marketable vaccine until sometime next year. To resolve this mismatch in timelines, Congress should create an expedited process to allow patients, via a process of informed consent, to use vaccine candidates that have not yet completed the full FDA approval process. . . . The traditional vaccine timeline is 15 to 20 years,” says Mark Feinberg, president and CEO of the International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. Given the urgency of addressing the COVID-19 pandemic, the world is moving faster: For example, researchers have skipped the usual animal testing of Moderna’s mRNA vaccine candidate and have already begun human clinical trials in Seattle. Even so, experts say it will take between a year and 18 months to get an FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine on the market. This means that even if society “flattens the curve” and gets some respite via warm summer weather, the population will still be unprotected in the fall, when colder weather could drive an increase in the COVID-19 contagion again."
KUTV TV Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2020

USU Extension Offers Online Courses to Assist Utahns

Utah State University Extension is offering online courses, many of which are free or offered at a discount, as a way to assist Utahns as they navigate the challenges of COVID-19. Current concerns for many Utahns include keeping relationships strong – especially in times of stress, activities to engage youth while they’re not in school, and gardening for beginners and professionals for both enjoyment and self-sufficiency, a press release stated. USU Extension’s online resources address those topics and are included below: Healthy Relationships Utah offers free online relationship education courses for people of all relationship and family statuses. Each course is research-based and has been created as a way to help develop and improve important relationship skills. Course topics include smart dating, couples, fatherhood and parenting. For more information or to enroll in a course, visit healthyrelationshipsutah.org.
The Herald Journal Wednesday, Mar. 25, 2020

Utah State Student Events Continue on Social Media

Over fast-paced rhymes and slower, thoughtful odes, USU students joined each other on Instagram for an avant-garde Slam Poet Night on Wednesday evening. Although USU student events were among the many activities canceled to slow the spread of COVID-19, student leaders devised new ways to engage with the USU student body. “After the announcement that all events were canceled, we just kind of felt that it was the end,” said USU Student Events Vice President Cooper Low. “After about a week of not knowing what to do, I sat down with some other students and our adviser and we knew we had to do something.” ... “It was such a cool experience,” said Ketzel Morales, a senior at USU who shared a poem during the online event. “I think it was so powerful for me because USU events have a way of offering safety and belonging to the students, and being able to still have a way to be together, even though it was over Instagram, I still felt that.” Morales said it was strange opening up like she did on camera but as she shared the poem about women empowerment that she has worked on for over a year, she was grateful there was a space for people to express themselves.
Salt Lake Tribune Tuesday, Mar. 24, 2020

So You Have Your Groceries. Here's How to Make Them Safe

Several times a day, ever since the COVID-19 pandemic started, Teresa Hunsaker is asked the same question. “Can I get the coronavirus by touching the boxes, bottles and bags I buy at the grocery store?” It’s not the only food-safety query Hunsaker, a family and consumer science educator with Utah State University Extension, gets. She also hears things like: “How should I wash my fresh fruits and vegetables?” “What do I do if I can’t find bleach or sanitizing wipes at the grocery store?” "Is it safe to use reusable grocery bags?” By the time we actually get our groceries home, most items already have been handled by the employee who stocked the shelf, the cashier and the bagger, she said. And who knows if another customer touched it or, even worse, coughed or sneezed nearby?
Richfield Reaper Sunday, Mar. 22, 2020

Staying Calm During Coronaviris Fright

As the fears associated with the coronavirus swirl around us, it is easy to get swept up. Some of the most common fears are related to our health, the health of those we love, our personal finances, the economic impacts and ensuring we feel adequately prepared. Are you feeling some of these fears? That is ok. Try these three suggestions and see if you feel better: 1. An essential step in managing fear and anxiety is giving yourself permission to feel the fear and anxiety. Trying to make yourself not feel may cause more anxiety and fear. Instead, allow yourself to experience the fear and anxiety. Verbalize it. Write it down. Get it out. Talk to someone about it. Experiencing these emotions, especially with someone else, will be therapeutic and can help you move past the emotions so you can be more logical and rational.
Utah Public Radio Friday, Mar. 20, 2020

USU Student Says This Is Second Time A Pandemic Has Affected Commencement

Efforts to eliminate large gatherings continue across the state in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, and on Wednesday all eight public universities in Utah announced their commencement ceremonies will be rescheduled or canceled. Students and families are of course, disappointed, but also recognize this is a life-saving measure. “I’ve had two of my three graduation ceremonies affected by a global pandemic, which is just kind of a bizarre experience,” said Utah State University student Deeann Evans. Evans was sick with the swine flu the day of her high school graduation in 2009 and could not attend the ceremony because of it. ... The country has been advised to avoid large gatherings and to practice social distancing to limit the spread of the illness. Evans said although she is disappointed in not being able to attend her commencement ceremony, she is glad the university is taking steps to protect the students, staff and the community. “Because several people that I love are high-risk individuals that may or may not survive getting coronavirus, and so I think it’s very important to recognize they are just trying to protect everybody,” Evans said.
Satellite Today Thursday, Mar. 19, 2020

On Orbit Podcast Puts New Space Under the Microscope
Agility was one aspect of New Space that On Orbit guests could agree on, as they put the hotly debated term under the microscope during a live podcast recording at SATELLITE 2020. Traditionally the space industry has worked with very long production cycles, explained Tanya Harrison, manager of science programs for Planet Labs, a company building a global network of earth observation satellites. “You build it, you test the hell out of it, because you want to make sure it will not fail,” she said. But that could mean working on a project on the ground for ten years before a decision was even made whether to launch it or not. In New Space, Harrison said, “We have a new mentality, where we’re a lot less worried. … We’ll launch something and then test it in orbit.” “That difference encapsulates what New Space is,” she said. “New Space is global,” observed podcast co-host Grace Graham, an aerospace student at Utah State University. Graham said that the shared dream of space unites people from all over the world — “It’s not just America, Russia, and China anymore.”
The Herald Journal Thursday, Mar. 19, 2020

USU Alumni Publish Kids' Book on Bee Diversity

There are over 4,000 species of bees living in North America, and Joseph Wilson, an associate biology professor at the USU Tooele campus, has written a book to help educate children about them. “Bees are the Best!” is a picture book geared toward children in preschool through fourth grade. It tells the story of “Honey,” the honey bee. “She, like most of us, assumes bees are like her, they all have stripes, live in a big hive, and make honey. As she goes out in the world to collect pollen and nectar for her hive, she meets a lot of other kinds of bees, bees that are not necessarily just like her,” Wilson wrote in an email to the Herald Journal. “At first she is confused by this new discovery, that not all bees are like her. But, through her experience, she comes to realize that bees are the best not because they are all like her, but because they are all different and they all do amazing things.” ... “Bees are the Best!” isn’t Wilson’s first book on bees. Wilson published "The Bees in Your Backyard," a field guide to diverse bee species, with fellow USU alumna Olivia Messinger Carril. After “The Bees in Your Backyard” was published, Wilson realized there was a lot of interest in bees from the younger audiences, but there were not really many resources for kids to learn about bees. “I toyed with the idea of writing a non-fiction book about bees for kids (still on my list of things to do) but I decided a story book might be more fun,” Wilson wrote. “With my friend Jonny Van Orman, who is a talented illustrator and storyteller, we decided a story about bees and acceptance was a story that everyone needed to hear.” You can purchase “Bees are the Best!” on Amazon, or on Wilson’s website, www.beesinyourbackyard.com.