The Conversation

Why big bets on educational reform haven't fixed the US school system

Written by Jack Schneider, Assistant Professor of Education, College of the Holy Cross

After years of claiming they want to fix what's wrong with public schools, education reformers are still hunting for solutions.Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

The Gates Foundation is regrouping after its latest school improvement disappointment, but it’s not bowing out of the education reform business.

As the philanthropic powerhouse...

Let them eat carp: Fish farms are helping to fight hunger

Written by Ben Belton, Assistant Professor of International Development, Michigan State University

Farmed fish like these carp now make an important contribution to global food security.Ben Belton, CC BY-ND

Over the past three decades, the global aquaculture industry has risen from obscurity to become a critical source of food for millions of people. In 1990, only 13 percent of world seafood consumption was farmed; by 2014, aquaculture was...

Perish not publish? New study quantifies the lack of female authors in scientific journals

Written by Ione Fine, Professor of Psychology, University of Washington

It's not good if women's research isn't in the library stacks.Redd Angelo on Unsplash, CC BY

“Publish or perish” is tattooed on the mind of every academic. Like it or loathe it, publishing in high-profile journals is the fast track to positions in prestigious universities with illustrious colleagues and lavish resources, celebrated...

Very few women oversee US companies. Here's how to change that

Written by Yannick Thams, Assistant Professor of Strategy and International Business, Suffolk University

Men's dominance in the boardroom has barely changed over the years. Everett Collection/Shutterstock.com

Women’s participation in the labor force has soared over the past 50 years, rising from 32 percent in 1948 to 56.7 percent as of January.

Yet those gains have not translated into the U.S. corporate boardroom, where women held just 16.6...

Female presidents don't always help women while in office, study in Latin America finds

Written by Merike Blofield, Associate Professor, University of Miami

When Michelle Bachelet steps down as Chile’s president on March 11, she will bring to a close not just her own administration but also an era of female leadership in Latin America.

Between 2006 and 2018, four women served as presidents in the region. On the political left, Bachelet and Argentina’s Cristina Fernández both...

Why it's so important for kids to see diverse TV and movie characters

Written by Julie Dobrow, Senior lecturer, Eliot-Pearson Department of Child Study and Human Development, Tufts University

Television continues to be the main source of media consumption for kids.Arthimedes/Shutterstock.com

The hype surrounding “Black Panther” has been as hyperbolic as any feat its characters might perform, with the film being praised for its layered story and what’s been described as its “Afrofuturist” cast. And...

Purdue-Kaplan deal blurs lines between for-profit and public colleges

Written by Kevin Kinser, Professor of Education Policy Studies, Pennsylvania State University

Purdue Global is the name of a new online education venture that involves Purdue and Kaplan universities.Shutterstock.com

As far as universities go, Kaplan and Purdue could not have been more different.

Kaplan University, which operated under parent company Graham Holdings, a $3.2 billion corporation, was part of the troubled for-profit college...

If polls say people want gun control, why doesn't Congress just pass it?

Written by Harry L. Wilson, Professor of Public Affairs, Roanoke College

Protesters at the Vermont Statehouse on Feb. 20, 2018. AP/Wilson Ring

Why doesn’t the government do what the people want?

After the recent deadly shooting at a Florida high school, many Americans are asking that question about the federal government’s firearms policy. Recent polls show that a majority of Americans support stronger gun...

West Virginia teachers win raise – but nation's rural teachers are still underpaid

Written by Erin McHenry-Sorber, Assistant Professor of Higher Education, West Virginia University

A teacher holds a sign at a teacher rally at the West Virginia Capitol.Tyler Evert/Ap

The longest teacher strike in West Virginia history came to an end when Gov. Jim Justice announced a deal on March 6 to grant the teachers 5 percent more in pay, but issues of pay disparities for rural teachers still persist.

If those issues are not resolved, we...

Why are we so sleep deprived, and why does it matter?

Written by Michael S. Jaffee, Vice chair, Department of Neurology, University of Florida

As many as 70 million Americans may not be getting enough sleep. Men get fewer hours of sleep than women.Akos Nagy/Shutterstock.com

As we prepare to “spring forward” for daylight saving time on March 11, many of us dread the loss of the hour’s sleep we incur by moving our clocks forward. For millions, the loss will be an added...