epratherstafford.bsky.social
@epratherstafford.bsky.social
Media Relations Manager | Science & Technology at #SMU
https://www.smu.edu/news/research
Sharing discoveries from Dallas, Texas
PhD student
https://www.smu.edu/news/research
Sharing discoveries from Dallas, Texas
PhD student
When COVID shut labs, SMU doctoral student Juliana Antonio pivoted to computer modeling—reshaping her career. Her latest research in Pure and Applied Chemistry's quantum science issue shows how fine-tuning proteins could lead to more efficient treatment development. 🧪
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
November 17, 2025 at 4:42 PM
When COVID shut labs, SMU doctoral student Juliana Antonio pivoted to computer modeling—reshaping her career. Her latest research in Pure and Applied Chemistry's quantum science issue shows how fine-tuning proteins could lead to more efficient treatment development. 🧪
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Why do we love being scared? Dean Bryan Stone (Perkins School of Theology) and film professor Rick Worland (Meadows School of the Arts) unpack our fascination with horror films at SMU's G. William Jones Film & Video Collection.
Happy #Halloween! 😱🎃
Happy #Halloween! 😱🎃
Why We Love Being Scared: SMU Experts on the Psychology of Horror
YouTube video by SMU
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Why do we love being scared? Dean Bryan Stone (Perkins School of Theology) and film professor Rick Worland (Meadows School of the Arts) unpack our fascination with horror films at SMU's G. William Jones Film & Video Collection.
Happy #Halloween! 😱🎃
Happy #Halloween! 😱🎃
SMU computer scientists have discovered that even with cameras turned off and virtual backgrounds in use, attackers can actively and covertly probe a user’s physical location by exploiting the two-way audio channels of video conferencing apps. www.smu.edu/news/researc... 💻👀
October 28, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SMU computer scientists have discovered that even with cameras turned off and virtual backgrounds in use, attackers can actively and covertly probe a user’s physical location by exploiting the two-way audio channels of video conferencing apps. www.smu.edu/news/researc... 💻👀
Smithsonian's "Sea Monsters Unearthed" is going on a road trip. A collaboration between Angolan, American, Portuguese and Dutch paleontologists excavated and studied the fossils, which were then prepared for the exhibition by a team of SMU scientists and students.🦕🦖🧪
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
October 23, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Smithsonian's "Sea Monsters Unearthed" is going on a road trip. A collaboration between Angolan, American, Portuguese and Dutch paleontologists excavated and studied the fossils, which were then prepared for the exhibition by a team of SMU scientists and students.🦕🦖🧪
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Mitch Thornton, Executive Director of the Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity, has been awarded $2.7 to lead research in autonomous systems testing, establishing SMU as a leader against emerging cybersecurity threats in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 💻👨💻👩💻
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
October 17, 2025 at 3:03 PM
Mitch Thornton, Executive Director of the Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity, has been awarded $2.7 to lead research in autonomous systems testing, establishing SMU as a leader against emerging cybersecurity threats in a rapidly evolving digital landscape. 💻👨💻👩💻
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
"I truly believe that it's only when head and heart work in harmony that we can achieve our true human potential."
~Jane Goodall
~Jane Goodall
October 1, 2025 at 7:29 PM
"I truly believe that it's only when head and heart work in harmony that we can achieve our true human potential."
~Jane Goodall
~Jane Goodall
Toxic wastewater from dormant West Texas oil wells has alarmed residents. A @bloomberg.com investigation found that the reasons for the leaks may jeopardize fossil fuel development across the Permian basin. Heather DeShon , professor of geophysics at SMU, was one of the experts interviewed. 🧪🌎
The Looming Disaster Under America’s Biggest Oil Field
YouTube video by Bloomberg Originals
youtu.be
October 1, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Toxic wastewater from dormant West Texas oil wells has alarmed residents. A @bloomberg.com investigation found that the reasons for the leaks may jeopardize fossil fuel development across the Permian basin. Heather DeShon , professor of geophysics at SMU, was one of the experts interviewed. 🧪🌎
Jacobs is emeritus professor in the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences at SMU. He studies the fossils of animals with backbones to understand their evolution & how it fits together with the Earth & the environment, presenting a holistic picture of our world. 🦕🦖 🌍🧪@pbtscience.bsky.social
Dr. Louis Jacobs discusses how his career as a vertebrate paleontologist has taken him around the world to study #fossils & examine Earth's history. He shares stories from the field, scientific successes, interests outside of #science, & great advice.
www.peoplebehindthescience.com/dr-louis-jac...
www.peoplebehindthescience.com/dr-louis-jac...
831: Dr. Louis Jacobs: Unearthing Ancient Fossils to Reveal the History of Life on Our Planet - People Behind the Science Podcast
Listen to the Episode Below (0:44:24) 0.75x 1x 1.25x 1.5x 2x 0:000:44:24 831: Dr. Louis Jacobs: Unearthing Ancient Fossils to Reveal the History of Life on Our Planet Apple PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpot...
www.peoplebehindthescience.com
September 23, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Jacobs is emeritus professor in the Roy M. Huffington Department of Earth Sciences at SMU. He studies the fossils of animals with backbones to understand their evolution & how it fits together with the Earth & the environment, presenting a holistic picture of our world. 🦕🦖 🌍🧪@pbtscience.bsky.social
Asking people to imagine future regret could be a tool for increasing flu vaccination rates, according to new research from SMU. The research suggests the technique could apply to other preventive health behaviors involving single decisions, such as cancer screenings. 🧪🩺
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
September 23, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Asking people to imagine future regret could be a tool for increasing flu vaccination rates, according to new research from SMU. The research suggests the technique could apply to other preventive health behaviors involving single decisions, such as cancer screenings. 🧪🩺
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
The roar of a T. rex, made iconic by Jurassic Park, has become the soundtrack of prehistory.
In reality, no one — not even paleontologists — can say for certain what dinosaurs sounded like, though there have been plenty of guesses.
In reality, no one — not even paleontologists — can say for certain what dinosaurs sounded like, though there have been plenty of guesses.
Want to hear dinosaurs ‘sing’? These instruments bring prehistory back to life
Southern Methodist University professor Courtney Brown has been building musical instruments modeled on dinosaur skulls for over a decade.
www.dallasnews.com
September 10, 2025 at 2:00 AM
The roar of a T. rex, made iconic by Jurassic Park, has become the soundtrack of prehistory.
In reality, no one — not even paleontologists — can say for certain what dinosaurs sounded like, though there have been plenty of guesses.
In reality, no one — not even paleontologists — can say for certain what dinosaurs sounded like, though there have been plenty of guesses.
SMU PhD student Jake Klinkert is testing LLMs to create non-playable characters that act and respond more like real people. Klinkert and colleagues found GPT-4 achieved 73.98% accuracy in maintaining consistent personality traits.
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
August 26, 2025 at 9:04 PM
SMU PhD student Jake Klinkert is testing LLMs to create non-playable characters that act and respond more like real people. Klinkert and colleagues found GPT-4 achieved 73.98% accuracy in maintaining consistent personality traits.
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
If wine adjectives feel like riddles, you’re not alone.
It's why SMU researchers turned to a technique called sentiment analysis — using AI to bring clarity to the tasting-note chaos for everyday wine drinkers.
It's why SMU researchers turned to a technique called sentiment analysis — using AI to bring clarity to the tasting-note chaos for everyday wine drinkers.
To drink or not to drink: SMU researchers’ AI tool makes choosing the best wine easy
Beyond wine, SMU researcher Jing Cao sees her AI helping decode the sentiment in other jargon-heavy worlds.
www.dallasnews.com
August 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
If wine adjectives feel like riddles, you’re not alone.
It's why SMU researchers turned to a technique called sentiment analysis — using AI to bring clarity to the tasting-note chaos for everyday wine drinkers.
It's why SMU researchers turned to a technique called sentiment analysis — using AI to bring clarity to the tasting-note chaos for everyday wine drinkers.
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
Research shows small, frequent #fires by Western Apache mobile hunter-gatherer groups controlled landscape-scale fire activity and and increased resiliency in their homelands. The study, published in @pnas.org by Southern Methodist University: cires.colorado.edu/spotlights/i...
August 13, 2025 at 7:51 PM
Research shows small, frequent #fires by Western Apache mobile hunter-gatherer groups controlled landscape-scale fire activity and and increased resiliency in their homelands. The study, published in @pnas.org by Southern Methodist University: cires.colorado.edu/spotlights/i...
In a breakthrough that could significantly improve medical imaging techniques used to detect cancer and monitor treatments, SMU researchers have solved a decades-long puzzle about why certain light-producing molecules glow brighter in thicker solutions. 🧪⚕️
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
August 12, 2025 at 4:50 PM
In a breakthrough that could significantly improve medical imaging techniques used to detect cancer and monitor treatments, SMU researchers have solved a decades-long puzzle about why certain light-producing molecules glow brighter in thicker solutions. 🧪⚕️
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
With fossils and seismic images, a team led by SMU paleontology researchers has chronicled the history of Louisiana in the interval leading up to, during and soon after the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit Earth roughly 66 million years ago.🧪🦖🌎 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
August 11, 2025 at 8:17 PM
With fossils and seismic images, a team led by SMU paleontology researchers has chronicled the history of Louisiana in the interval leading up to, during and soon after the dinosaur-killing asteroid hit Earth roughly 66 million years ago.🧪🦖🌎 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
A new study led by SMU fire scientist Christopher Roos reveals that Western Apache communities had far greater control over fire patterns across Arizona than scientists previously believed possible. 🧪🌎 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
August 7, 2025 at 4:45 PM
A new study led by SMU fire scientist Christopher Roos reveals that Western Apache communities had far greater control over fire patterns across Arizona than scientists previously believed possible. 🧪🌎 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
SMU researchers explore "sandbox" solutions to Affordable Housing Crisis https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/smu-compressed-earth-bricks-affordable-housing-texas/
SMU researchers explore "sandbox" solutions to Affordable Housing Crisis
A summer program at SMU is teaching high school students how compressed earth bricks could help solve the affordable housing crisis.
www.cbsnews.com
July 19, 2025 at 9:08 AM
SMU researchers explore "sandbox" solutions to Affordable Housing Crisis https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/smu-compressed-earth-bricks-affordable-housing-texas/
Dinosaurs were singers. That revelation struck SMU faculty member Courtney Brown during a cross-country road trip, inspiring her to spend over a decade recreating the voices of creatures that went silent millions of years ago. 🧪🦕🎶
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
June 17, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Dinosaurs were singers. That revelation struck SMU faculty member Courtney Brown during a cross-country road trip, inspiring her to spend over a decade recreating the voices of creatures that went silent millions of years ago. 🧪🦕🎶
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Recent research reveals how AI is revolutionizing the centuries-old practice of wine evaluation, with implications for the industry and consumers alike. SMU researcher Jing Cao has been conducting research in wine economics since the early 2010s. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
June 6, 2025 at 4:51 PM
Recent research reveals how AI is revolutionizing the centuries-old practice of wine evaluation, with implications for the industry and consumers alike. SMU researcher Jing Cao has been conducting research in wine economics since the early 2010s. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
An SMU-led research team has developed a more cost-effective, energy-efficient material called high-entropy oxide (HEO) nanoribbons that can resist heat, corrosion and other harsh conditions better than current materials.
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
May 29, 2025 at 6:58 PM
An SMU-led research team has developed a more cost-effective, energy-efficient material called high-entropy oxide (HEO) nanoribbons that can resist heat, corrosion and other harsh conditions better than current materials.
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
Our graduating @SMU Master's students will exhibit their Thesis work in game development on May 9th from 11am-2:30pm. Come visit us to see the inspiring work they have completed in game art, design, production, programming, applied technologies, and gamification. RSVP: conta.cc/4cIdQRD
April 29, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Our graduating @SMU Master's students will exhibit their Thesis work in game development on May 9th from 11am-2:30pm. Come visit us to see the inspiring work they have completed in game art, design, production, programming, applied technologies, and gamification. RSVP: conta.cc/4cIdQRD
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
DNA from ancient and present-day members of Picuris Pueblo confirm oral histories linking the tribe to the famed Chaco Canyon centre.
https://go.nature.com/42ZHm0P
https://go.nature.com/42ZHm0P
Native American tribe teams up with genomicists to confirm link to iconic ancient site
DNA from ancient and present-day members of Picuris Pueblo confirm oral histories linking the tribe to the famed Chaco Canyon centre.
go.nature.com
April 30, 2025 at 4:05 PM
DNA from ancient and present-day members of Picuris Pueblo confirm oral histories linking the tribe to the famed Chaco Canyon centre.
https://go.nature.com/42ZHm0P
https://go.nature.com/42ZHm0P
Picuris tribal leadership reached out to SMU researchers Michael Adler and David Meltzer to initiate conversations with geneticist Eske Willerslev at Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen and Department of Genetics at University of Cambridge. 🧪
DNA links modern Picuris Pueblo tribe to ancient New Mexico site reut.rs/3Gwr7ke
DNA links modern Picuris Pueblo tribe to ancient New Mexico site
DNA obtained from the remains of people who inhabited Pueblo Bonito in New Mexico's Chaco Canyon a millennium ago is helping to link present-day members of a Pueblo tribe to this historic site known for its distinctive architecture and sacred meaning to Indigenous peoples.
reut.rs
April 30, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Picuris tribal leadership reached out to SMU researchers Michael Adler and David Meltzer to initiate conversations with geneticist Eske Willerslev at Globe Institute at the University of Copenhagen and Department of Genetics at University of Cambridge. 🧪
A recent study by SMU researchers reveals that glaciers don't necessarily erode mountains faster now than in the past. Instead, glacial erosion occurs in episodic bursts followed by periods of minimal activity. 🧪⛰️❄️
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
April 4, 2025 at 4:58 PM
A recent study by SMU researchers reveals that glaciers don't necessarily erode mountains faster now than in the past. Instead, glacial erosion occurs in episodic bursts followed by periods of minimal activity. 🧪⛰️❄️
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Tony Award-winning set designer and SMU alumnus John Arnone has donated his archives to the university! 🎭
The collection spans 40+ years of groundbreaking designs, sketches, and papers and is a treasure trove of theatrical innovation for researchers and artists. www.smu.edu/news/latest/...
The collection spans 40+ years of groundbreaking designs, sketches, and papers and is a treasure trove of theatrical innovation for researchers and artists. www.smu.edu/news/latest/...
March 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM
Tony Award-winning set designer and SMU alumnus John Arnone has donated his archives to the university! 🎭
The collection spans 40+ years of groundbreaking designs, sketches, and papers and is a treasure trove of theatrical innovation for researchers and artists. www.smu.edu/news/latest/...
The collection spans 40+ years of groundbreaking designs, sketches, and papers and is a treasure trove of theatrical innovation for researchers and artists. www.smu.edu/news/latest/...