Infotrak

Van C. Tran, PhD, Associate Professor of Sociology Columbia University, was the co-author of a study that found that although Asian Americans graduate from universities at far higher rates than white Americans, they still are no more likely to hold professional or managerial jobs. He discussed the additional barriers and discrimination that Asian Americans face when trying to climb the career ladder, a phenomenon known as the “bamboo ceiling.”

Trees play a surprisingly big role in keeping America’s cities and towns cool. Carly Ziter, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Biology Department at Concordia University in Montrea shared the results of her study that found that the right amount of tree cover can lower summer daytime temperatures by as much as 10 degrees Fahrenheit. She said the effect is quite noticeable from neighborhood to neighborhood, even down to the scale of a single city block. She stressed the importance of urban landscaping and development in making neighborhoods more livable in the future.

Ramon Hinojosa, PhD, Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology at the University of Central Florida warned of a coming public health crisis for veterans. He led a study that found that veterans are more likely to have heart disease at a younger age than nonveterans. He discussed the possible differences between vets who served in Iraq and Afghanistan compared to those who served in previous conflicts. He offered advice for veterans who may have cause for concern.

James P. Smith, PhD, Distinguished Chair in Labor Markets and Demographic Studies at the RAND Corporation, a nonprofit research organization led a study that found that Americans under the age of 26 are much more likely to be arrested than Americans born in previous decades. He noted that the increase occurred most rapidly among white Americans and women. He said that the study also found connections between the rising rate of arrests/convictions and lower probabilities of being married, fewer weeks worked, lower hourly wages and lower family incomes during Americans' adulthood.

Hitting the gym at night won’t keep you tossing and turning all night, contrary to popular belief. Penelope Larsen, researcher and PhD candidate, School of Exercise Science, Sport & Health, Charles Sturt University, Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia led a recent study that found that evening high-intensity cycling didn’t ruin sleep and may even reduce appetite. She said study participants also seemed to have more energy when exercise occurred later in the day, which could also debunk the belief that working out first thing in the morning is the optimal time.

Arielle O'Shea, investing and retirement specialist for Nerdwallet.com said the average American must live on their retirement savings for 23 years. She explained how consumers can determine how much money they may need in retirement. She outlined four strategies to find extra income and control expenses in retirement. She recommends using a fee-only financial planner.

Airlines’ pricing strategies have changed in significant ways in the past several years and ticket prices can literally change by the minute. Scott McCartney, Travel Editor and author/creator of the weekly Middle Seat column on airlines and travel for The Wall Street Journal discussed the best days to find the lowest prices, how far ahead to buy and other money-saving travel tips for airline travel.

Martin Röösli, PhD, Associate Professor, Head of Environmental Exposures and Health at Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute in Basel, Switzerland led a study that suggests that radiation from phones can harm a teenager’s memory. He found that the problem occurs when a phone is held next to a child’s head for a phone call. His team even found different effects, depending on whether the phone was used on the right or left side of the head. He said Bluetooth devices can help, and that children’s phone calls should be short and infrequent.

Phony prescription drugs are big business and can be life-threatening to consumers. David Closs, PhD, Professor of Supply Chain Management in the Eli Broad College of Business at Michigan State Universitydiscussed a recent change in federal regulations that requires companies to track prescription drugs from their raw materials stage to their delivery to pharmacies. He explained how copycat drugs sometimes make their way into the system and what consumers need to know.

73% of Millennials (ages 23-38) who have student loan debt have delayed at least one major life or financial milestone as a result, according to a new Bankrate.com report. Mark Hamrick, Senior Economic Analyst for Bankrate.com said the issue has influenced large percentages of Americans of all ages, affecting decisions such as buying a home or car, saving for retirement, having children and getting married.

Alan Young, home security expert, CEO of Armor Concepts, a New Jersey-based security firm talked about the basic steps that the average homeowner can take to prevent home intrusions or burglaries. He said the most common way that criminals enter a house is by simply breaking through a door, rather than picking locks or breaking windows. He also discussed the misunderstood role that alarm systems play in home security.

Dean Ornish M.D, founder and President of the nonprofit Preventive Medicine Research Institute, Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, author of “Undo It!: How Simple Lifestyle Changes Can Reverse Most Chronic Diseases” Dr. Ornish is a well-known advocate for using diet and lifestyle changes to treat and prevent heart disease. He outlined four changes in lifestyle that he believes can stop the progression and even reverse many chronic diseases. He said it’s surprising how rapidly our bodies can begin to heal after making simple lifestyle changes.

Many Americans will be shocked once they reach retirement, to find that their IRA or 401(k) is not worth nearly as much as they think. Alicia Munnell, PhD, economist, Director of the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College, Peter F. Drucker Professor of Management Sciences at Boston College's Carroll School of Management said many upper income retirees will be hit with 25-32% federal tax bills on the funds they saved for retirement, and possibly even more from state taxes. She noted that those who save in tax-deferred retirement plans still come out ahead, even after paying taxes on the withdrawals.

It has been proven that a lack of enough sleep or poor quality if sleep is a major factor in heart disease. Michael Twery, PhD, Director of the National Center on Sleep Disorders Research at theNational Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health discussed a recent NIH study that examined the biological reasons behind it. He said the research may lead to improved treatments for both sleep disorders and heart disease.

Americans’ views about marijuana have drastically changed in a relatively short period of time. Amy Adamczyk, PhD, Professor of Sociology and Criminal Justice, City University of New York led a study that found that support for legalization began to increase shortly after the news media began to frame marijuana as a medical issue, rather than as a criminal or drug abuse issue. She believes that nationwide legalization of marijuana is likely in coming years.

Daniel Pink, author of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing explained how timing affects everything — from work to home to school — and that it’s a science, not an art or luck. He outlined research that found that 86 specific days each year are the optimal days to start a project or to get a fresh start. He offered several examples of how productivity, personal goals and even medical procedures are significantly affected by the timing of the event.

Cheryl Hyatt co-founder of Hyatt-Fennell Executive Search talked about the importance of references in job searches. She said they are an integral part of an application package. She offered suggestions to customize references for specific jobs and how to choose the best people as references.

Nancy O’Reilly, PsyD, licensed psychologist, author of In This Together: How Successful Women Support Each Other in Work and Life explained why women experience more rudeness and incivility from other women in the workplace than they do from men. She said women have not been trained to lead as women. She offered suggestions for women to offer support to each other at work, rather than competing. She explained why men should also be concerned about this trend.

Americans are preparing to file their taxes, and fraudsters are getting ready to target taxpayers with new scams. Darrell Laffoon, Chief Technology Officer of security firms EZShield + IdentityForce outlined some of the most common schemes used to commit tax fraud and tax-related identity theft. He noted that the IRS never uses email to contact taxpayers or others filing tax returns. He explained what to do if you are targeted.

Nearly everyone can use some help in getting organized. Regina Leeds, professional organizer, author of The 8-Minute Organizer talked about the reasons that keeping order in our lives and possessions is so difficult. She offered small, step-by-step suggestions on how determine goals to get organized, and how to create positive routines for the long-term.