NYT among media covering Hirsh-Pasek language research presented at White House
New research findings presented at a White House conference by Temple psychologist Kathy Hirsh-Pasek suggest that the quality of words and language interactions between children in low-income families and their parents and caregivers is of much greater importance to language development than the number of words a child hears. “It’s not just about shoving words in,” said Hirsh-Pasek, lead author of the study. “It’s about having these fluid conversations around shared rituals and objects, like pretending to have morning coffee together or using the banana as a phone. That is the stuff from which language is made.”
The New York Times, The Week, WHYY/NewsWorks, HHS.gov, many more | Oct. 16-22, 2014

Diverse on Temple’s aims to “broaden access” with Temple Option
Temple is the first public research university in the Northeast to implement an option that allows applicants not to submit standardized test scores. “There is a strong correlation between socioeconomic status and standardized test scores,” said College of Education Dean Gregory Anderson. President Neil D. Theobald added that Temple is committed to providing access for talented and motivated students of all backgrounds. “By giving students more choices, we open doors to more first-generation students and those from underserved communities whose enormous academic promise may be overlooked by conventional measures of achievement,” he said.
Diverse: Issues in Higher Education | Oct. 9, 2014

Religion Department’s Alpert on pioneering rabbi, a Temple alumna
When Deborah Waxman was appointed head of the Reconstructionist movement and president of the Reconstructionist Rabbinical College, she became the first woman and the first lesbian to lead a major movement in Judaism. The movement "was the first to work for equality for women, push for the rights of gay and lesbian Jews, and first to think about intermarried Jews and how to welcome them in rather than chasing them out," said Temple Professor of Religion Rebecca Alpert. Waxman, who earned a PhD from Temple’s College of Liberal Arts in 2010, based her dissertation on Rabbi Mordecai Kaplan, the Reconstructionist movement’s founder.
The Philadelphia Inquirer | Oct. 23, 2014

TUJ’s Kingston discusses Japan’s ministerial resignations in national media
The departure of the Japanese industry and justice ministers within hours of each other deals a significant blow to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and appears to mark the first significant crisis for a popular leader known for strength and decisiveness. “This is the first real test he has faced since being elected, and he needs to respond effectively to regain his mojo,” said Jeff Kingston of Temple University Japan. “The aura of invincibility and inevitability is truly gone. What started as a cabinet reshuffle designed mostly as a public relations event has backfired badly.” Abe’s five-woman cabinet “has been a disaster from the get-go,” Kingston added.
Time, Reuters, The Christian Science Monitor, more | Oct. 20, 2014

Steinberg’s research on the adolescent brain featured in The Atlantic
According to Temple psychologist Laurence Steinberg, 25 is the new 21. In his new book, The Age of Opportunity: Lessons From the New Science of Adolescence, Steinberg reports that today’s 25-year-olds are 50 percent more likely to receive financial assistance from their mother and father than the 25-year-olds of their parents' generation. Adolescence, according to Steinberg, now stretches over a 15-year span, beginning at age 10 and ending around 25; that’s more than twice as long as during the 1950s. This may not be a bad thing. Steinberg’s research suggests that putting off adulthood can have certain benefits in terms of brain development and mental health. “We have a cultural stereotype about these kids being slackers,” Steinberg said. “But we don’t see any evidence of that.”
The Atlantic | Oct. 15, 2014

Temple among universities proactively preparing for possibility of Ebola
As Ebola concerns mount, many campuses are suspending university-sponsored travel to affected countries, training health center employees to deal with an outbreak and monitoring the health of students arriving from regions hit by the illness. "Being proactive is a good thing, and coming up with a preparedness plan is important for any outbreak, but for a major outbreak like this, it's very important," said Eileen Farnon, an infectious diseases expert at Temple's School of Medicine. Temple’s preparedness efforts, which began over the summer, include outreach to the handful of students from the affected countries and coordinating with Temple Health on training and equipment.
The Philadelphia Inquirer, KYW Newsradio | Oct. 22, 2014

Psychologist Farley and alumna Hall talk fear on Today
When Tamron Hall, Temple alumna and co-host of NBC’s Today, visited a haunted house in New Jersey, she screamed so much that she hurt herself—a deep muscle tear. Letting out a yelp is part of the normal response to fear, said psychologist Frank Farley of Temple’s College of Education. “Screams have multiple features. They can be a signal for help; they can be an expression of emotion,” he said. “Screaming is one form of expressing fear. … [It’s] what we do in social situations that have scary qualities.” So why do people seek out haunted houses and horror movies? “It is scary, but it’s a safe thrill,” Farley said.
NBC’s Today | Oct. 20, 2014

SMC students visit 6abc studios
Peter Jaroff, an assistant professor in media studies and production in Temple’s School of Media and Communication, took about a dozen students from SMC’s TV News Production Practicum to the 6abc’s Action News studios to observe the production and broadcast of a noon newscast. Jaroff, who worked at Action News from 1982 to 2007, introduced the students to producers, anchors, editors, directors, graphic artists and engineers. Students who appear in the Action News segment documenting the visit include Alyssa Mckendrick, M.J. Moyer-Fittipaldi, Rebeccah Hendrickson, Yale Alpert and Kate Reilly.
6abc | Oct. 21, 2014

Adams in Daily News special section on gentrification
In many Philadelphia neighborhoods, rising home values and higher taxes are feeding fears that long-term homeowners will be forced to sell because they can no longer afford to stay. But Carolyn Adams of Temple’s Department of Geography and Urban Studies says there is little direct displacement due to gentrification. "When housing specialists use that term, they really aren't talking about displacing people," she said. "They are talking about market pricing that makes it impossible for people who are looking to move into that neighborhood who cannot find an affordable unit. That really is more the dynamic of gentrification now."
Philadelphia Daily News | Oct. 23, 2014

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