Prof. Sharda Umanath was awarded the 2023 Mentorship Award in Aging winner by the American Psychological Association’s Division 20 – Adult Development and Aging. She was selected in part thanks to the efforts of eight former CMC and Scripps students led by Madeline Valdez ’21. Umanath also received an Honorable Mention for the J. Don Read Early Career Award from the Society for Applied Research in Memory and Cognition.
Prof. Ron Riggio was interviewed on the topic of best practices for becoming a better leader. Key points from the interview included that emotional and social intelligence are building blocks of communication and successful leadership; best leaders have a parental relationship with their followers; and it is also important to focus on becoming a better person in general.
Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article about Rep. Jim Jordan’s legislative reforms that could help the defendants named in Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ RICO indictment from being prosecuted. “There is no chance that both houses of Congress will pass legislation affecting the Georgia investigation. The mention of ‘legislative reform’ is just a rationalization for investigating the district attorney. This move contradicts the Republican Party’s devotion to federalism and the Tenth Amendment. It’s all about Trump protection, not serious legislation.”
Prof. Manfred Keil was mentioned in a story about how the Hollywood strikes have revealed weaknesses in the economic engine of Los Angeles. Keil compared the competition between states and cities to a decathlon, which California neglected to train for because it was so far ahead.
In an op-ed piece, Prof. Terril Yue Jones discussed the rapid downfall of Chinese diplomat Qin Gang, attributing his fall from grace to missteps in handling diplomatic relations and failing to navigate international politics effectively, leading to diminished influence and strained foreign relations between China and the United States.
Prof. Jack Pitney was quoted in an article on President Biden’s Grand Canyon event and how Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D) attended, while Rep. Ruben Gallego (D) did not attend. Rep. Gallego is running to fill Sen. Sinema’s seat. “If you’re running a tough campaign against an incumbent, embracing a not very popular president isn’t the smartest tactic.”
Prof. John Roth was interviewed on the topic of Trump’s dangerous Nazi-style rhetoric and how this resurgence of antisemitism impacts America’s larger democracy crisis.
