Sign in

epratherstafford.bsky.social

@epratherstafford.bsky.social
212 followers 629 following 96 posts

Media Relations Manager | Science & Technology at #SMU www.smu.edu/news/research Sharing discoveries from Dallas, Texas DLS student

PostsRepliesMedia
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 29/07/2026
Driverless cars could ease commutes in Dallas-Fort Worth, a new study led by SMU suggests. Civil and environmental engineering professor Khaled Abdelghany and his collaborators used a North Texas travel model to evaluate how connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) might impact traffic by 2045.
smu.edu
Autonomous vehicles could potentially cut DFW congestion
Driverless vehicles could significantly ease traffic congestion and improve travel efficiency in Dallas-Fort Worth, SMU-led study shows.
000
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 14/07/2026
Meet Ounalashkastylus tomidai: a toothy, hippo-sized marine mammal that sucked vegetation off shorelines like a vacuum cleaner 23 million years ago. Identified by an SMU-led team, it's now on display at the Museum of the Aleutians in Alaska. 🧪
smu.app.box.com
Baby Desmo Video.mp4 | Powered by Box
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/06/2026
Meet the new T. rex of the ocean! Co-authored by SMU paleontologist Michael J. Polcyn, a joint study with the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and the American Museum of Natural History, has identified a 43-foot prehistoric marine reptile right here in North Texas. 🧪 youtu.be/97viaNw-dno?...
youtu.be
New T. rex species holotype on view at the Perot Museum
YouTube video by Perot Museum of Nature and Science
071
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
Researchers at SMU, the Perot Museum and the American Museum of Natural History have identified Tylosaurus rex, a school-bus-sized marine lizard.The fossil is part of the Perot Museum’s collection and on view in the Life Then and Now exhibit hall. 🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Picture of mosasaurs fossil. One of the largest mosasaurs known to date—stretching up to 43 feet long—this top predator was described from 80-million-year-old fossils that were found primarily in northern Texas over the span of several decades.
198
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 29/04/2026
Anhedonia reduces the ability to feel joy and affects nearly 90% of people with major depression. Most conventional therapies barely address it. A new study from SMU psychologists/colleagues suggests targeting positive emotions directly is a powerful treatment approach.🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
A new study suggests targeting positive emotions directly is a more powerful treatment approach for anhedonia. From left to right, Thomas Ritz, Alicia E. Meuret and David Rosenfield.
043
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 13/04/2026
SMU researchers created an electromagnetic coil system that can control microrobots without requiring continuous visual tracking—an advancement that could enable them to operate inside the body, within industrial pipes and places that aren’t always visible with a camera 🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
SMU researchers developed an electromagnetic coil system that controls microrobots without continuous visual tracking. This breakthrough could allow microrobots to operate inside the body, in industrial pipes, and in other hard-to-see environments.
042
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
At @smuguildhall.bsky.social, students have access to facilities normally available only from major publishers. That includes the Game User Research Lab, which offers key resources for game testing, housing testing stations and real-time high definition recording and broadcasting equipment.
youtu.be
Inside SMU Guildhall’s Game Development Program + New B.A. Launching Fall 2026
YouTube video by SMU
011
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/02/2026
How to make urban farming sustainable and profitable? SMU study shows research partnerships can help urban farms thrive. 🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
New research from SMU reveals how urban farming can become both sustainable and economically viable.
062
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 19/02/2026
New study reveals significant detection gap for urban natural gas leaks. SMU researchers Kathleen Smits and Venkata Rao Gundapuneni led a team that identified which factors in urban areas make it harder to detect natural gas leaks from underground pipelines. www.smu.edu/news/researc... 🧪
SMU researchers Kathleen Smits and Venkata Rao Gundapuneni led a team that identified which factors in urban areas make it harder to detect natural gas leaks from underground pipelines.
050
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 13/02/2026
Screen time doesn't just affect how many words toddlers learn. It changes which ones. SMU's Sarah Kucker found video exposure meant fewer body part words. Another study with Syakira Wijaya and Sneh Jhaveri found more media use at age 2 meant smaller vocabularies at age 3. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
Syakira Wijaya, Sarah Kucker and Sneh Jhaveri at the SMU KID Lab. The lab focuses on young children's cognitive and language development, with special interest in technology and digital media.
000
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 30/01/2026
Scientists recovered a 5,500-year-old genome of Treponema pallidum, the bacterium behind syphilis and related diseases, from human remains in Colombia. The findings, published in Science, expand what we know about this pathogen's history in human populations. 🧪🌎 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
The archeological site of Tequendama I at the border of the Sabana de Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia. Credit: Angélica Triana.
12510
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 16/12/2025
Quan Xie, a digital advertising researcher at SMU, collaborated with an international team to develop two frameworks that use digital marketing strategies to help academics expand their reach beyond scholarly circles and amplify their works' societal impact. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
SMU researcher Quan Xie and colleagues developed frameworks to help scholars amplify the societal impact of their research through digital marketing strategies.
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 09/12/2025
With a $5 million grant from the NSF, SMU is leading an initiative to enhance how science and engineering are taught in Texas elementary and middle schools. 🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
SMU's Janille Smith-Colin, Jeanna Wieselmann and Anthony Petrosino are spearheading an initiative to improve science and engineering education in Texas elementary and middle schools.
040
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
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...
SMU doctoral student Juliana Antonio holds a Mustang Fellowship from SMU's Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies. Antonio is part of the university's Computational and Theoretical Chemistry Group (CATCO).
0102
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
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! 😱🎃
youtu.be
Why We Love Being Scared: SMU Experts on the Psychology of Horror
YouTube video by SMU
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 28/10/2025
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... 💻👀
New research by SMU highlights potential privacy risks in video conferencing applications. A man participates in a video conference with several people on a laptop.
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
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...
0133
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 17/10/2025
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...
With a $2.7M grant, SMU's Darwin Deason Institute for Cybersecurity aims to identify cyber vulnerabilities in AI- and machine-learning-powered autonomous systems. Picture of drone flying.
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
"I truly believe that it's only when head and heart work in harmony that we can achieve our true human potential." ~Jane Goodall
020
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 01/10/2025
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. 🧪🌎
youtu.be
The Looming Disaster Under America’s Biggest Oil Field
YouTube video by Bloomberg Originals
196
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
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
051
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 23/09/2025
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...
Picture of person with band-aid on arm after shot administered.
172
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
The Dallas Morning News @dallasnews.com · 10/09/2025
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.
dallasnews.com
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.
021
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/08/2025
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...
120
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
The Dallas Morning News @dallasnews.com · 15/08/2025
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.
dallasnews.com
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.
011
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
CIRES @cires.colorado.edu · 13/08/2025
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...
A forest of burnt pine trees in Arizona with light snow covering the ground.
051
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 12/08/2025
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...
Chemiluminescent compounds.
172
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 11/08/2025
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...
Picture of two dinosaurs and an asteroid in the background.
3190
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
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...
New research on fire-scarred trees reveals Western Apache communities had far greater control over landscape fire patterns than scientists previously thought possible. Picture of wildfire in forest.
074
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
cbstexas.bsky.social @cbstexas.bsky.social · 19/07/2025
SMU researchers explore "sandbox" solutions to Affordable Housing Crisis www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/smu-comp…
cbsnews.com
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.
011
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 17/06/2025
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...
Current Dinosaur Choir instruments were inspired by the Corythosaurus, a duck-billed dinosaur that used its large head crest and nasal passages to create resonant vocal calls. SMU faculty member Courtney Brown plays one of the instruments during a performance at SMU.
513623
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 06/06/2025
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...
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 29/05/2025
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...
Picture of Amin Salehi-Khojin, who led a team of researchers who created a more cost-effective, energy-efficient nanoribbon material that can better resist harsh conditions than current materials.
010
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
SMU Guildhall @smuguildhall.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
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
021
Reposted by epratherstafford.bsky.social
Nature @nature.com · 30/04/2025
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/42ZHm0P
go.nature.com
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.
14912
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 30/04/2025
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. 🧪
1111
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 04/04/2025
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...
SMU researchers present new glacial erosion rates from Lago Argentino, Patagonia. Here is a picture of glaciers in that area.
030
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 28/03/2025
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/...
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 26/03/2025
SMU and George Washington University have created a magnetic tweezer system that could one day make it possible for doctors to do remote, non-invasive, highly precise medical procedures on their patients using a microrobot. www.smu.edu/news/researc... 🧪🤖⚕️
0104
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 19/03/2025
SMU nanotechnology expert MinJun Kim is working with Applied Research Associates, Inc. to create tiny robots that could offer a less invasive way to treat vitreous hemorrhage. 🧪 🤖⚕️ www.smu.edu/news/researc...
021
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 03/03/2025
SMU professor Leanne Ketterlin-Geller was awarded a $14 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to nationally scale a math intervention designed to help students improve their fraction skills. The five-year project will provide support to 4th and 5th graders. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
A teacher works with two young students on learning fractions. An understanding of fractions is key to understanding proportions, ratios, algebra and higher levels of math.
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 20/02/2025
MinJun Kim, Robert C. Womack Endowed Chair Professor in Engineering at SMU, has been named a Senior Member of the National Academy of Inventors. He is internationally known for his contributions to the development of nano- and microbiotics. www.smu.edu/news/researc...
000
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 13/02/2025
“I give full credit to our world-class faculty and students who push the envelope on groundbreaking research every day.” - Suku Nair, Vice Provost for Research and Chief Innovation Officer at SMU
smu.edu
SMU Achieves Carnegie R1 Classification, Ranking Among Top U.S. Research Universities
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 16/01/2025
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy #SUDEP is the leading cause of epilepsy-related mortality. Although the underlying mechanisms have historically remained shrouded in mystery, new findings from the lab of SMU biology professor Edward Glasscock are beginning to provide valuable clues. 🧪 #epilepsy
smu.edu
SMU biology researchers move closer to cause of Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy
Sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) is the leading cause of epilepsy-related mortality. Although the underlying mechanisms have historically remained shrouded in mystery, new findings from the...
0152
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 06/01/2025
A new $100,000 grant awarded to SMU engineering professors J.-C. Chiao and Ali Beskok will assist in their development of a fast, portable tool for point-of-care medical diagnoses. 🧪 www.smu.edu/news/researc...
SMU engineering professors Ali Beskok and J.-C. Chiao.
010
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
It takes practice to manage children in a classroom. SMU has created a virtual space where student teachers learn with teen avatars (Ava, Dev, Ethan, Jasmine and Savannah) how to navigate tough conversations and turn controversy into meaningful learning moments.
smu.edu
Virtual environment teaches classroom strategies in turbulent times for future educators
000
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 05/12/2024
SMU mechanical engineering graduate student has figured out a way to enhance the sensitivity of nanopores for early detection of diseases. 🧪
smu.edu
SMU graduate student makes breakthrough in biosensing technology
SMU graduate student has found a new way to detect and analyze biomolecules, potentially making it easier to detect proteins that are present in low concentrations. That could pave the way for new met...
0112
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 22/11/2024
Reporters, looking for experts? SMU has a list of folks who can speak on MANY topics. 👩‍💻 High performance computing, AI, cybersecurity 🌎 Earthquakes, sinkholes, geothermal energy, wildfires 🧪 Nanobiotechnology, machine learning ⚕️Mental health, worldwide healthcare 🎮Gaming in research And more.
smu.edu
SMU Faculty Experts
070
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 13/11/2024
DFW Clean Ports Project: As a key center for national transportation and logistics, the DFW Metroplex’s intermodal terminals drive economic expansion, creating jobs and fostering business growth. However, heavy truck traffic in these areas poses air quality challenges for nearby communities.
smu.edu
DFW Clean Ports Project: Planning for cleaner air in Dallas-Fort Worth
SMU researchers and the Southern Dallas Inland Port Transportation Management Association are working with officials from Wilmer and Arlington to address air quality around key logistics hubs in the D...
000
epratherstafford.bsky.social @epratherstafford.bsky.social · 30/10/2024
SMU's Barbara Minsker and a multidisciplinary team of researchers received a National Science Foundation Planning Grant to revolutionize how weather warnings are issued in the U.S. and improve safety of communities. 🧪
smu.edu
Researchers aim to personalize hazardous weather warning for improved safety
SMU civil and environmental engineer Barbara Minsker and a multidisciplinary team of researchers received a National Science Foundation Planning Grant to revolutionize how weather warnings are issued ...
010