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Feature Service

Each month, the UNT News Service creates and distributes the feature service. All stories from this service may be printed verbatim in newspapers and magazines. When available, photos are provided to accompany the stories, and may also be downloaded for use in publications.

November 2006

Pelosi will face test as new House speaker, but not entirely because of her gender, professors say A political scientist’s and a women’s studies professor’s thoughts on the obstacles that Nancy Pelosi may face as the first woman speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

Ordinances passed to curb illegal immigration differ by legal arguments, professors say Two professors’ opinions about the legality of ordinances passed by the city council of a Dallas suburb that are aimed at curbing illegal immigration.

Stick to a list when buying holiday gifts, Tips from a merchandising professor about smart shopping and sticking to a shopping budget this holiday season.

Rumsfeld's resignation almost inevitable, UNT military historian says A military historian’s thoughts on the events that led President Bush to accept Donald Rumsfeld’s resignation as defense secretary this week.

Cooking Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd doesn’t have to be complicated Advice from the manager of UNT’s student-run restaurant, who is also a former chef, about creating Thanksgiving dinner for a crowd with minimum hassle.

Film student producing documentary about growing up in war-torn Beirut A UNT film student’s experience with being back in her hometown of Beirut this summer when war erupted between Lebanese Hezbollah and the Israeli Army - and her decision to create a documentary about growing up during a war for her master’s thesis film.

Economics professors examine potential impact of Supreme Court case on electricity in rural America A study by two economists that could play a key role in the argument of a Supreme Court case on electricity in rural America. The case was scheduled to be argued before the Court this week.

More research needed to prove same-sex schools are beneficial, educator says Two educators’ thoughts about whether same-sex classrooms are beneficial to students. The Bush administration is giving public schools wider latitude to teach boys and girls separately under new guidelines issued by the U.S. Department of Education.

Raising minimum wage won't help average worker,university economist says An economist's opinion about five states’ proposed minimum wage increases, which are on the state ballots this month.

October 2006

Extremes of high, low notes and unusual harmonies result in scary music, musician says A music professor's opinions what makes certain pieces of music spine tingling and perfect for Halloween parties.

Cursive handwriting falling by wayside, educator says An educator’s thoughts on the increasing disappearance of cursive handwriting instruction in schools.

University of North Texas opens center for Spanish media UNT's new Center for Spanish Language Media, which will be launched this fall as one of the first comprehensive training and research programs to meet the growing demand for Spanish-speaking media professionals throughout Texas and the United States.

Educator in the Wilderness University of North Texas graduate teaches fire starting, mammal tracking and didgeridoo playing

Supreme Court decisions this term will indicate new justices' ideological positions Three political scientists' thoughts on the new Supreme Court term, which began last week, and how decisions on certain cases will showcase the new justices' political ideologies.

Former college quarterback leads his business to presidential award for excellence An automobile dealership owner in the Dallas-Fort Worth area and former college quarterback, who, as the "quarterback" of his business, put together a staff that led to the dealership winning a Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation's highest presidential honor for performance and organizational excellence.

Parents should hide own fears while discussing school violence, counseling professor says Tips from the director of UNT's Child and Family Resource Clinic on how to discuss media coverage of violence in schools with children and respond to their fears.

University of North Texas to host national fashion competition judged by world-renowned designers A national student fashion competition that UNT will host later this month. The students will hold a fashion show, open to the general public, to close the competition.

UNT receives $450,000 federal grant for suicide prevention programs A federal grant that UNT received to develop training programs to respond effectively to students with mental health problems that may lead to suicide attempts. UNT was one of 34 colleges and universities in the U.S., and one of two in Texas, to receive the grants from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.

Thinking big by looking small University upgrades capability of atom probe tomography microscope

September 2006

Declining ratings prompted advertisers to drop "Survivor" An advertising professor's opinion on why certain companies will no longer advertise on "Survivor," which premieres tonight after producers made the decision to dividethe teams by race.

Hewlett-Packard created trust problems by spying on board members, journalists to track media leaks A management professor's thoughts on the chairwomen of Hewlett-Packard-s board of directors obtaining telephone records of board members and journalists to look for media leaks.

Political scientist says lower female voting rates in Texas linked to low voter turnout in general in state A political scientist’s opinions about a study from the Institute for Women’s Policy Research that places Texas 49th out of 50 states in the percentage of women who voted in the 1998 and 2000 elections.

August 2006

“Stealth marketing” latest way for businesses to reach young consumers, says UNT professor “Snakes on A Plane” buzz latest example A marketing professional’s thoughts about “viral marketing” - marketing of a movie or product that relies on blogs and websites to reach the target of teens and young adults.

Altering cartoons not a complete answer to curbing smoking among young people, professor says An addiction professor’s opinion about Hanna-Barbera removing scenes that glamorize smoking from its classic cartoons, following a complaint to a British media regulator.

Definition of "planet" changing, says director of astronomy laboratory program A UNT astronomer's thoughts on the International Astronomical Union's proposed change to its definition of what is considered a planet. The IAU will decide on a new definition before its meetings end Aug. 24.

Foiled terrorist attacks could lead to businesses reassessing need for travel, risk management expert says A risk management expert's opinion on companies' possible reassessment of the need for their employees to travel in the wake of last week’s foiled terrorist attacks against U.S.-bound airplanes.

Radio-television-film professor receives look at war while filming documentary A documentary filmmaker's experience of watching the war between Israeli and Hezbollah forces unfold while she was near Lebanon's border on a planned shoot of her latest documentary.

America Online had no choice but to restructure, marketing professional says A marketing professional's opinion about America Online's plans to cease marketing of its subscription service in favor of an Internet-based business supported by advertising.

School uniforms equalize students, education professors say Two education professors' thoughts on the use of school uniforms, and how the uniforms equalize students and lead to more time for teaching and learning.

July 2006

Book provides lesson plans focusing on bullying A book by an education professor, provides lesson plans that school counselors or teachers can use to increase the self-esteem of students who are bullied, and help them deal with anger.

Honors College student overcomes learning disability to graduate with a perfect 4.0. grade point average

Sales tax holiday a win-win for retailers, shoppers, merchandising professor says A merchandising professor’s thoughts about the upcoming annual sales tax holiday in Texas.

Linguist preserving Western Apache language A linguist and UNT adjunct professor who is preserving the Western Apache language by creating a searchable digital archive of Western Apache texts.

Expectations of empty nest syndrome often worse than reality, psychologist says

University students soak up Zappa this summer

Pirates of the Atlantic flourished 100 years after traditional end set by historians

Popularity of flip-flops as all-purpose casual shoe will decline, professor says

Winner of Mexico's presidential election must form coalition to make new policy

June 2006

Equations with vacation SixtyTexas students to attend math camp at UNT

Repair tests crucial to survival of space shuttle program

Warfare tactics from British, not those of tribes, helped Americans win War of Independence, historian says

Summer camp addresses shortage of bilingual teachers in Texas schools

"Grandma" nickname is more of a slogan for Strayhorn,

North Korea's plans to test a long-range missile

Investigation into Marine Corps' involvement in civilian deaths must be thorough to avoid harm to war effort in Iraq, military historian says

Professor writes book on Bush’s "towel snapping" of media

May 2006

Cutbacks in PE class time could have long-term impact on children

April 2006

University students ace tests, improve grades with help from peer tutors

Adjustable rate mortgages causing financial heartache, professor says

Criticism of Rumsfeld by generals reflects historical tension between military and civilians

Chernobyl nuclear accident helped change world politics, professor says

Houston native pens story of Iraqi boxing team

Religion professor says “Gospel of Judas” provides interesting perspective on early Christianity

Rising gasoline prices not high enough to reduce summer consumption, economist says

New MBA graduates can expect more job choices, higher salaries than 2005 graduates

Director of astronomy lab program comments on NASA Dawn mission

Words of Wisdom As Baby Boomers turn 60, experts offer advice about aging

March 2006

Cooking illiteracy forcing cookbook publishers to simplify recipes

Proposed U.S. immigration policy providing valuable lessons, education professor says

Have your book and eat it too at university's Edible Book Festival

University to open astronomy center in North Central Texas region

Finding on high school students' reading skills is indication of new population taking college tests

Merger of phone companies could stifle innovation in telecommunication, professor says

Inner-city San Antonio is spring break destination for some university students University of North Texas students to spend week off doing community service

Getting out of debt is first step to building up savings, finance professor says

Art professor receives grant to continue search for modern Iraqi art lost after bombings

UNT names its own Eagle Idol San Antonio resident takes top prize in contest modeled after "American Idol"

February 2006

Radio Shack must be aggressive in rebounding from ouster of CEO

Literary nonfiction conference sponsored by UNT to offer unknown authors book contract, cash prizes Submission deadline is June 1

Literary symposium at University of North Texas to offer lectures from prominent Texas authors Literature from the Lone Star State will be the topic of discussion April 5 with authors Frank Thompson, Elmer Kelton, Robert Flynn and John R. Erickson.

Aftermath of Sept. 11, 2001, had adverse impact on government's response to Katrina, expert says

Graduate of Texas university, medical school to compete in 2006 Iditarod Sled Dog Race in Alaska UNT alumnus from Big Lake, Alaska has taken with the dogs from his kennel to compete in this year's race

Relationship counselors give advice for finding -- and keeping -- love Two relationship experts say even struggling couples can keep the romance alive all the time - not just on Valentine's Day.

Recent findings on low-fat diets won't mean cuts in restaurant menu choices, nutritionist says

New anthology from University of North Texas Press celebrates state's nature through essays

Advertising professor gives thoughts about Super Bowl ads His students will study commercials for class discussion

Journalists embedded in Iraq need to dig below surface, ask tougher questions, says military historian Journalists concerned with their marketability, hesitate to make any strategic judgment about what they are seeing

"Brokeback Mountain" the latest in queer cinema to be recognized for Oscars, film historian says Though some may see "Brokeback Mountain's" success at winning and being nominated for awards, including eight Academy Awards, as a breakthrough for movies with gay, lesbian and bisexual themes, UNT film historian Harry Benshoff says it's the latest in a trend of movies that are increasingly recognized at awards shows for their depiction of complex gay and lesbian characters.

January 2006

University of North Texas group takes leadership role in national program addressing sexual harassment of student Nearly two-thirds of college students nationwide are sexually harassed,says most comprehensive national research to date

On the border University of North Texas initiative transforms library service along the Rio Grande

University student wins international prize for gloves constructed from beer cans Inessah Selditz's stylish red gloves inspired by origami and made of beer cans earned her an award of best accessory from the United States

Sport psychologist to assist mogul ski team at Winter Olympics in Torino Karen Cogan will be one of several sport psychologists on hand to provide support to members of the U.S. Freestyle Mogul Team and their coaches when the mogul competition begins Feb. 11.

Finger scans can now buy food at university UNT selected as one of two campuses in the nation to use new biometric finger-image technology.

Artist depicts personal struggle with dyslexia

An entertaining career With Jackie Gleason's help and the flip of a coin, Longview native sang and danced her way to Hollywood

Texas student to appear on "Montel Williams Show"

High school student research World War II cavalry with UNT's Oral History program Students pushed legislation to honor veterans

UNT Expert on the Future of Israel without Sharon's leadership After suffering a massive, life-threatening stroke, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is unlikely to return to politics.

Plano computer analyst has second career as Texas Poet Laureate

University of North Texas senior rallies neighbors to fight wildfire Emergency management student puts lessons to good use

Expert offers tips to resist addictions During this first week of 2006, many Texans have probably vowed to kick bad habits that have been clouding their lives -- whether it's drinking too much, smoking, overeating or taking drugs.

December 2005

Student to graduate from university more than 50 years after starting degree

UNT Press offers ideas for holiday gifts

Animal therapy provides way for pet owners to honor pets Put your pet's photo on the Center for Animal Assisted Therapy web site with a donation of any amount.

Making a better nonstick frying pan Polymer researcher Witold Brostow says that, among plastics, nonstick and scratch-resistance are almost mutually exclusive properties, but that may soon change.

Narnia's myth-like qualities hold universal message Viewed by many scholars as a fairy tale with Christian symbolism, the beloved tale by C.S. Lewis also has mass appeal.

Labor of love: Art prof Eric Ligon opens world of books Thanks to his dad’s ingenious design, Ethan Ligon can share a Braille book with his sighted brother and the rest of his family.

Earth, wind and fire: Predicting the path of a wild one A GIS expert can determine the path of a grass fire, making it possible to warn nearby residents before fire threatens their home.

Hurricane history may lie in Louisiana marshlands Geographer Harry Williams will study marshes along the Texas-Louisiana border for evidence of past tsunamis and hurricanes, and try to discover whether their deposits can be distinguished.

Artist begins painting after losing sight English major John Bramblitt took up paintbrushes after he lost his vision, painting his way across the canvas by touch.

November 2005

Murder of Saddam Hussein's lawyers creates no-win situation Despite the assassinations, political scientist James Meernik doesn't believe that Hussein's trial will be moved out of Iraq, although more violence can be expected.

Holiday shoppers: mind those credit card bills With larger credit card payments looming, finance prof John Baen says shoppers can still make wise choices.

Education rolls out $500,000 in full ride scholarships Math and science professionals looking for career change teaching secondary education are eligible for $7,750 annually, starting in spring 2006.

When athletes behave badly A UNT sport psychologist says the recent suspensions of Terrell Owens and Kurt Busch show that athletes are being held to the similar standards as others.

Budding scientist only Texan in Siemens Westinghouse finals Last summer, while other 17-year-olds were working as lifeguards, camp counselors, sales clerks or wait staff, Desh Mohan studied how nematodes adapt to oxygen deprivation.

Gas for Google: Researcher develops fuel for Internet search engine Rada Mihalcea continues research on natural-language processing in information retrieval, thanks to a grant from Google.

Battle over Prop. 2 hinges on definition of "marriage" Communication studies professor Jeffrey Bennett found both common ground and cultural baggage attached to marriage's definition.

Nomination could trigger filibuster, politicial scientists say Professor Wendy Watson notes that, despite several progressive decisions, Supreme Court nominee Samuel Alito's staunch anti-abortion dissent in Planned Parenthood v. Casey makes him a lightening rod.

Forcing blooms goes high tech By introducing a specific gene to a leaf, biology professor Bryan Ayre and Robert Turgeon, of Cornell University, caused the Arabidopsis plant to flower out of season.

October 2005

Miers' withdrawal a rarity, political scientist says Corey Distlear points out that 10 other nominess withdrew their Supreme Court nominations for health issues or a scandal, not to save a president continued embarrassment.

Battlefield bravery marks West Texas native's medical career UNT alum Frank Spencer beat the odds to attend college, become a decorated war hero and distinguished cardiac surgeon.

Mapping the spread of avian flu Medical geographer Joseph Oppong says that diseases don't respect boundaries, so helping other countries contain avian flu protects the U.S.

TAMS student snaps up international photo prize Nick Murphy took photos of dragonflies along the creek near his Dripping Springs home and then took home Wildlife Photographer of the Year from the Natural History Museum of London and BBC Wildlife Magazine.

Shedding light on ghostly phenomena Researchers seek ways to inquire scientifically into ghosts and other supernatural claims.

Group takes up RFID technology A tech think tank based at UNT is examining the many ways radio frequency identification could impact the way we live and do business.

Funny business: writers deliver punch lines for DJs Dallas comedy writers Pat Reeder and Laura Ainsworth spark the morning commute through their service, The Comedy Wire.

The Pepper Lady keeps it spicy Author Jean Andrews traveled the globe to research peppers, carving an international reputation with her adventurous spirit.

Parenthood redux Graduate student Leah Bell chronicles children being raised by their grandparents in an award-winning documentary that will show at the Cannes Film Festival.

September 2005

Student identity connected to mobile devices, study finds Students create virtual families in their cell phones and lap tops, making the devices an extension of their bodies.

Drummers find their muse at UNT Although John Bryant and Earl Harvin came to the College of Music in different decades with different styles, each followed his own beat to a successful career.

Reality better than TV for these apprentices Eight students with entrepreneurial dreams learned risk-taking from Dallas business executives.

March 2005

U.S. Marine marches ahead with accounting studies Despite the fact that his unit was deployed in Iraq, Oscar Lopez is on track to graduate with a bachelor's degree. He plans on attending officer candidate school.

College students dependent on cell phones, e-mail An anthropology study finds that students create virtual families in their mobile devices, but lose social awareness.

February 2005

Dallas Diamonds a best friend to devoted athletes Women's professional football national champions this year, the team is a venue for women who played flag football and other sports in high school and college.

Turkish police train in Western criminology at institute The graduate program helps Turkey move toward community-oriented policing in order to better fight organized crime and terrorism.

Setting priorities your first step in time management Expert Katy Goolsby says that knowing yourself and your limits often helps you accomplish more than using the latest personal digital assistant.

January 2005

His old-school values get the job done A child of the Great Depression, Ronald Waranch ('54) made his fortune as a Southern California homebuilder but his commitment to share the wealth made him a Horatio Alger Association winner.

When a co-worker needs your shoulder UNT's senior staff counselor offers ways to listen and be flexible when a colleague has a crisis.

December 2004

Researcher's study of heart proteins targets disease of the young The research of Douglas Root, associate professor of biological sciences, is leading to a better understanding of the most common cause of heart-related sudden death in people under age 30.

Materials science professor invents stronger materials for security vests Rick Reidy, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, developed a lightweight soft body-armor vest — a flack jacket — that stiffens upon impact from high velocity projectiles.

October 2004

An American Original G. Harvey discovers the artist within

UNT computer courses provide cheap training for library staffs during budget cuts The School of Library and Information Sciences is creating an affordable and convenient means to train staff through UNT's Library Education @ Desktop program.

Mapping outbreaks Medical geographer tracks the spread of infectious diseases

September 2004

Low-carb diets compromise overall health, nutritionist says According to nutritionist Juliet Getty, a UNT faculty member, a low-carb diet isn’t healthy because it trades off balanced meals for fats from animal sources as well as foods that are high in protein.

Grant creates program to produce more bilingual librarians for Texas

August 2004

Modern Explorer University photographer follows the footsteps of Lewis and Clark Exhibition to open at Fort Worth's Amon Carter Museum Sept. 25

A Team United Racism brought University of North Texas football players together in 1956

No big changes for fall TV, television professor says With only six new comedies scheduled to premiere on FOX, ABC, NBC and CBS in September, the fall 2004 network television schedule is filled with the familiar.

July 2004

Gender bias still evident in Olympics coverage, study says

Play areas, Texas atmosphere among desired features at D-FW airport, study finds

Libraries offer cure for summer boredom

May 2004

Burning issues Technology and tradition unite to help fight fires

Waiting to Inhale Hot time in the city can mean too much ozone in the air

UNT expert says Brown v. Board of Education altered the foundation and policies of public libraries Though the 1954 Supreme Court case Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka is known for integrating schools, it also changed the face of public libraries.

April 2004

Flower power UNT biochemists discover new method for preserving cut flowers

Business fun At CI Host, only the interns are younger than the owner, and he's on company No. 3

The Weather Dude Fort Worth native on Weather Channel describes forecasts in song

March 2004

King of Thailand treated to jazz Texas style University of North Texas band performs special concert

Want ads or wake up calls? "Seize the day!" could be the battle cry for many people who have been downsized or terminated from their jobs.

February 2004

Rhythm and rhinestones Dancer finds heart in competitive country dance

University of North Texas digitizes a chunk of black history Graduate students of the University of North Texas School of Library and Information Sciences have been digitizing rare photos of black history icons, as well as well as photos of black life in the United States from the 1940s to the 1980s.

January 2004

UNT students improve quality of life of animals through animal training organization During the past four years, ORCA has worked with the Frank Buck Zoo, Animal Edutainment in Aubrey, Texas, and other sites throughout the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, training animals ranging from La Mancha goats and a lemur to ostriches.

Death defying Forensic anthropologist reconstructs lives

Waking Up With Debbie WFAA-TV's morning anchor

December 2003

Study questions the sizing methods in women's apparel According to a University of North Texas study, women may have a quick fix for those extra pounds before they hit the gym to fit into a certain size — if they’re willing to pay the price.

Costume dramas, offbeat smaller films among 2003's best films Dr. Don Staples, professor of radio, television and film and a member of the Screen Actors Guild, called 2003 a year of many "pretty good, but not great" films.

Joyful Noise Unique classes turn baby sounds into beautiful music

November 2003

UNT professor helping to preserve American films As a member of the National Film Preservation Board, Ben Levin, a University of North Texas professor of radio, television and film, joins others in making recommendations to the Librarian of Congress on possible feature, documentary, experimental, amateur and other films for the registry.

Overcoming the ghosts of Christmas past Banishing the holiday blues

You can have your dessert — just don’t eat too much of it For many, November and December are the months of excess and overeating, but the best option for everyone is moderation, according to nutritionist Juliet Getty, a University of North Texas associate professor of hospitality management.

October 2003

Mental lapses linked to depression in middle-aged and older adults Depression, rather than the effects of normal aging, may be the culprit when an older person forgets how to do routine tasks such as becoming lost on familiar driving routes.

Halloween icon came from witch hunts, historian says Dr. Richard Golden gives his insights into how the witch hunts of past centuries contributed to Halloween images that we see today.

A taste for adventure Teacher's environmental projects inspire students worldwide

September 2003

Sam Moon Madness Marketer turns wholesale into a whole lot of business

NAFTA pumps dollars into Texas economy, but at expense of border cities, economist says Dr. David Molina, director of UNT’s Center for Inter-American Studies and an associate professor of economics, studied the impact of NAFTA on four metropolitan statistical areas, or MSAs, in the Texas border.

Fall colors to adorn Texas soon Different regions, different trees display fall colors across the state

August 2003

Romancing the wind Balloonists dance with Mother Nature

The Battle for Lunch Money Professor warns parents of potentially unhealthy competition for children’s eating environment

Historian debunks myths about American colonial troops' warfare tactics

July 2003

Ghostwerks College friends pool their talents on the way to their comic book destinies

Math E matics Overcoming the fear of math through the language of mathnerds.com

Anti-smoking CD-ROM seen as cool to Texas middle school students

June 2003

Recycling Cyanide Biologist searches for key to detoxifying the poison

Saving Nature's Shaders Botanist working to preserve post oak

Professor says Harry Potter books inspire reading, discussion between children and adults