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From the College of Natural Sciences
E-Cookbook Promotes Sustainable Food Sourcing and Raises Funds for Charity

E-Cookbook Promotes Sustainable Food Sourcing and Raises Funds for Charity

A team of 17 students from The University of Texas at Austin created a donation-based e-cookbook titled "A Taste of Austin Through the Lens of Sustainability" that showcases local restaurants and businesses focused on sustainability.

The Case Against Spanking (Audio)

The Case Against Spanking (Audio)

Physical punishment, or spanking, is widely practiced in the U.S. and around the world, although it appears to be decreasing. Parents, caregivers and school administrators who use it say the goal is to prevent unwanted behaviors and teach children to make better choices. But does it actually work? And what long term effects does it have on the physical and mental health of people who are punished this way?

Two CNS Faculty Receive President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Awards

Two CNS Faculty Receive President’s Associates Teaching Excellence Awards

Laura Lashinger (left) and Sally Ragsdale are recipients of the annual President's Associates Teaching Excellence Awards.

Laura Lashinger and Sally Ragsdale, two College of Natural Sciences faculty members, have been named recipients of the annual President's Associates Teaching Excellence Award for the 2020-2021 academic year. The award recognizes the university's educational innovators who demonstrate exceptional undergraduate teaching in the core curriculum, including signature courses, and engage with curriculum reform and educational innovation.

Nutrition Researchers Developing Digital Platform for Teachers

Nutrition Researchers Developing Digital Platform for Teachers

A group of University of Texas at Austin nutrition researchers and educators received a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas to create a digital platform empowering teachers to include nutrition and gardening lessons in outdoor settings in their curriculum. The premise is that when kids have a direct connection to fresh produce — planting vegetables, tending them and watching them grow — they are more likely to make healthy eating choices.

Twin Study Shows Why Physical Punishment Leads to Child Behavior Problems

Twin Study Shows Why Physical Punishment Leads to Child Behavior Problems

Harsh parenting practices, not genetics, are linked to higher levels of behavior problems in children, according to a new study in the March 2021 volume of Psychological Science, which studied pairs of twins whose parents disciplined them differently.

New Model Can Help Improve COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

New Model Can Help Improve COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Illustration by Jenna Luecke.

Richard Taylor, clinical assistant professor in the School of Human Ecology, co-authored a study published in Frontiers in Public Health which estimated that 1.7 million vaccine doses are needed to reach herd immunity for COVID-19 in Travis County. A new model could help public health officials in Central Texas better manage what amounts to a much larger vaccination campaign than was carried out during the last pandemic.

School Gardens Linked With Kids Eating More Vegetables

School Gardens Linked With Kids Eating More Vegetables

Getting children to eat their vegetables can seem like an insurmountable task, but nutrition researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have found one way: school gardens and lessons on using what's grown in them.

Elders Who Live Alone See Benefits in Interacting with Others

Elders Who Live Alone See Benefits in Interacting with Others

For older adults living alone during the pandemic, in-person visits bring benefits to emotional wellbeing distinct from what they experience from phone calls or electronic communication, University of Texas at Austin researchers have found. 

COVID-19 Pandemic is Having Little to No Effect on Intimate Relationships

COVID-19 Pandemic is Having Little to No Effect on Intimate Relationships

Illustration by Jenna Luecke

When the COVID-19 pandemic brought many couples into the close quarters of quarantine and lockdown, many researchers wondered whether the effect would be more arguments, more divorces or perhaps closer relationships. Scientists at The University of Texas at Austin have found that relationships have mostly continued much as they were before, with the happiest couples seeing a small boost. In a new study out today in the journal Psychological Science, the researchers found people's overall satisfaction levels with their relationships changed little during the pandemic, even amid significant stressors, from job losses to health concerns.

UT Students’ Jewelry Design Picked Up by Kendra Scott

UT Students’ Jewelry Design Picked Up by Kendra Scott

A group of 2020 University of Texas at Austin graduates can now see the jewelry they designed on the shelves at Kendra Scott.

Navigating Friendships and Relationships During the Pandemic

Navigating Friendships and Relationships During the Pandemic

No one expected how personal and uncomfortable the fallout of the pandemic would become in every aspect of our lives.

Perhaps today, going to a restaurant with your best friend makes you feel unsafe.

Perhaps your parents would prefer to connect on video chat rather than have you come over.

Or perhaps you and your roommates now need to agree on house rules about grocery shopping and mask wearing.

UT Center Paves the Way on ‘Future of Aging’ Research

UT Center Paves the Way on ‘Future of Aging’ Research

The Center on Aging and Population Sciences is now accepting proposals for 2021 pilot studies. Deadline to submit is January 22.
As populations age, they carry their weight of experiences, both good and bad — but collectively powerful in setting the pace of aging.
E-Cookbook Promotes Healthy Eating Amid COVID-19 and Raises Funds for Charity

E-Cookbook Promotes Healthy Eating Amid COVID-19 and Raises Funds for Charity

The Coordinated Program in Dietetics 2020 class contributed recipes from their diverse cultural backgrounds into an e-cookbook that benefits charity. Back row from left: Matt Landry, Grace Carstens, Kyndal Klose, Eloise Westlake, Jessica Kyle, Cami Eastman, Elizabeth Hill. Middle row from left: Yanni Liu, Danielle Kolsin, Mariam Eid, Linda Steinhardt, Heather Jones, Miao Lin, Hannah Wang, Wendy Snowden, Rose Hyak. Front row from left: Annie Lee, Sarah Johnston, Bailey Irvin, Shannon Sullivan.

A team of 20 undergraduates from the University of Texas at Austin created a donation-based e-cookbook titled "Food: For the Love of Community" that offers easy recipes and guidance on how to maintain healthy food habits amid the COVID-19 crisis.

New Iris Apfel Coloring Book Will Support Student Scholarships

New Iris Apfel Coloring Book Will Support Student Scholarships

Well-known and colorful fashion icon, Iris Apfel is a visiting professor at The University of Texas at Austin and the inspiration for the decade-old UT in NYC program. In it, she introduces students primarily from UT's Textiles and Apparel Division to every aspect of the fashion world, including leading stars of the industry.

Snacking on Hummus Shown to Improve Diet Quality, Appetite, and Mood

Snacking on Hummus Shown to Improve Diet Quality, Appetite, and Mood

​ A new study performed by a University of Texas at Austin researcher found that snacking on hummus in the afternoon can improve diet quality, curb hunger and desire to eat, and even improve alertness throughout the day when compared to consuming high sugar snacks or eating no snack at all.