News

Friday, July 16, 2021

2 ASU professors join UN's Africa Knowledge Network to shape policy

Two Arizona State University professors have been invited to join a prestigious new initiative that’s intended to empower African experts to help shape policy in Africa. The Africa Knowledge Network was launched last month with the goal of highlighting scholars and professionals from the continent in order to leverage their expertise. The project is led by the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on Africa , which was created in 2003 to raise global awareness about issues in Africa....

Friday, July 02, 2021

Addressing the world's food systems and how they affect the planet's health

The empty grocery shelves and miles-long food bank queues we have seen during the COVID-19 pandemic have underscored the fragility of the highly centralized, “just-in-time” global food supply chain on which we all depend. Food produced through the overuse of chemicals, monoculture cropping systems and intensive animal farming on land and at sea degrades natural resources faster than they can regenerate and causes over a third of all human-made greenhouse gas emissions. Crucially, this flawed...

Monday, June 28, 2021

What's the rush? A debate about remote vs. in-person work

Is the office dead? As COVID-19 vaccines become readily available, social distancing guidelines begin to relax and active COVID-19 cases among Americans continue to decline, many companies and organizations are looking to the future of work. How should companies handle the long-anticipated — and in some cases dreaded — return to the office? Will we ever return to the old 9-to-5 model? Do we even need to? “This is, in some ways, a privileged conversation,” said Andrés Martinez , editorial...

Wednesday, June 09, 2021

Cindy McCain discusses new memoir, life with Sen. John McCain

In her new, intimate memoir, Cindy McCain opens up about her beloved husband, the late Sen. John McCain, their 38-year marriage, and the trials and triumphs of her life. She recently sat down with Ambassador Josette Sheeran, the McCain Institute for International Leadership’s executive chairman, to discuss the book. In “Stronger: Courage, Hope, & Humor in My Life with John McCain,” McCain recounts the struggles and joys of being a political spouse, relives their early years together and...

Friday, April 30, 2021

The 'next wave' of higher education includes a remodel

Higher education has myriad equity issues: The gap between “elite universities” and other institutions continues to increase, tuition prices are inaccessible for most and admission requirements are unattainable for many. The higher education model is in need of a remodel. The pandemic has accelerated some of the trends already in place to disrupt the traditional model of higher education. With these changes being set into motion, what does the future of higher education look like? “There’s...

Wednesday, March 31, 2021

ASU's 'Mission: Interplanetary' podcast hosts talk about the future of space exploration

On Feb. 18, the Perseverance rover landed on Mars to search for signs of ancient life and collect samples to return to Earth. The same month, Elon Musk’s SpaceX announced plans for the world’s first all-civilian mission to space. We are in a revolutionary era of space exploration, and humans are becoming an interplanetary species. As we continue to push the boundaries of space exploration, we must also contend with new sets of questions, challenges and opportunities that come with our ever-...

Monday, March 22, 2021

How 'food security' is quickly becoming national security

The fight against food insecurity has grown in importance over the past decade, as a growing number of underserved communities are living in food deserts — areas that have limited access to food that is both affordable and nutritious. Although the work being done to tackle food insecurity typically happens on a local level, food insecurity is a rising concern for the United States on a global scale. On March 15, Daniel Sarewitz , Arizona State University professor and Issues in Science and...

Tuesday, March 16, 2021

How 'disruptive innovation' can lead to societal impact

“Disruptive innovation,” a term coined by Harvard Professor Clayton Christensen in 1995, describes the process by which a smaller company — usually with fewer resources — moves upmarket and challenges larger, well-established businesses in a sector. The theory of disruptive innovation has been enormously influential in business circles, particularly among Silicon Valley innovators. Unfortunately, according to Christensen himself , the theory has also been widely misunderstood, and the “...

Friday, March 05, 2021

The end? How movie theaters move past the pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic, social unrest and economic turbulence defined 2020. The past year has also changed the entertainment industry dramatically — and perhaps permanently. Has the pandemic led to the disappearance of movie theaters for good? Can storytelling industries adapt and become more representative of diversity and respond to cries for racial and social justice? How will Big Tech’s entrance into streaming impact the industry? “I think (the industry) has changed forever,” said Michael...

Events & News