The Conversation

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...

Using blockchain to secure the 'internet of things'

Written by Nir Kshetri, Professor of Management, University of North Carolina – Greensboro

What's the best way to secure a world of connected objects?Wilgengebroed, CC BY-SA

The world is full of connected devices – and more are coming. In 2017, there were an estimated 8.4 billion internet-enabled thermostats, cameras, streetlights and other electronics. By 2020 that number could exceed 20 billion, and by 2030 there could be 500...

The dark side of daylight saving time

Written by David Wagner, Professor of Management, University of Oregon

A New York engineer is wheeled away in December 2013, after a train he was driving crashed. Lack of sleep could have been a factor.AP Photo/Robert Stolarik

A train hurtled around a corner at 82 mph, eventually coming off the rails and killing four passengers.

Decades earlier, faulty decision-making resulted in the deaths of the seven-person crew of...

Uneasy US-Mexico relationship will survive ambassador's resignation — but just barely

Written by Pamela K. Starr, Associate Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California – Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences

After two years on the job, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Roberta Jacobson has announced that she will retire on May 5, 2018 — the latest in a growing list of career diplomats to step down under Donald Trump.

Jacobson has worked in Latin America diplomacy for three decades, including in the Obama administration’s effort to reopen the U.S....

While Mexico plays politics with its water, some cities flood and others go dry

Written by Veronica Herrera, Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Connecticut

Flooding is a common hazard in Nezahualcoyotl, a Mexican city just outside the nation's capital.AP Photos/Eduardo Verdugo

When Cape Town acknowledged in February that it would run out of water within months, South Africa suddenly became the global poster child for bad water management. Newspapers revealed that the federal government had been slow to...

DACA deadline passes, Congress fails to act and fate of 'Dreamers' remains uncertain: 6 essential reads

Written by Danielle Douez, Associate Editor, Politics + Society

Immigration advocates hold a rally on Capitol Hill.AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File

The final day for an Obama-era program called Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, was set to be March 5.

In 2017, President Donald Trump and Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced they would shut down the program.

However, immigrants and the University of...

GOP tax law snubs US expats and 'accidental Americans'

Written by Karen Alpert, Lecturer in Finance, The University of Queensland

It may opens doors but follows wherever you go.AP Photo/Benny Snyder

Since Congress began taxing incomes, American citizens have been unable to escape the reach of Uncle Sam: They must report their income, no matter where they live or where it’s earned. It’s known as a worldwide citizenship-based tax system.

Most other countries,...

How vaccination is helping to prevent another flu pandemic

Written by Nicole Iovine, Associate Professor, Infectious Diseases, University of Florida

An injectable flu vaccination. Flu vaccines lessen the likelihood of getting the flu and its severity. Flickr/, CC BY-SA

Researchers believe that over 50 million people worldwide died in the 1918 flu pandemic, making it possibly worse than even the Black Death that began in the 14th century.

Could another catastrophic pandemic like the 1918...

Bioengineers today emphasize the crucial ingredient Dr. Frankenstein forgot – responsibility

Written by Ian Haydon, Doctoral Student in Biochemistry, University of Washington

Victor Frankenstein’s mistakes serve as cautionary lessons.Etienne Marais/Pexels, CC BY

Mary Shelley was 20 when she published “Frankenstein” in 1818. Two hundred years on, the book remains thrilling, challenging and relevant — especially for scientists like me whose research involves tinkering with the stuff of life.

The...