Tip Sheets

A drone that autonomously attacked soldiers during a civil conflict in Libya last year raises concerns about the global use and spread of such weapons, said Zak Kallenborn, a Policy Fellow at George Mason University’s Schar School of Policy and Government.

Though several public opinion polls have shown a decrease in support for the Black Lives Matter Movement year after the murder of George Floyd, the political victories gained by the movement’s earlier momentum will set the stage for what’s next, said Carter School professor Tehama Lopez Bunyasi. “#BlackLivesMatter and the Movement for Black Lives have played critical roles in not only shaping our contemporary discourse on racism, but we have seen how those mobilized in concert with this movement have brought about important electoral victories,” Lopez Bunyasi said. “This racial justice movement endures and evolves alongside a countermovement that seeks to restrict who participates in our democracy and what stories get told about our country.”

This year, billions of Brood X cicadas emerged in the United States and generated quite a buzz, according to environmental experts. They also prompted questions about whether they are safe to eat, and who would want to eat them.

As companies throughout the country transition from remote work back to the office, employers can help their employees through the process by giving them a voice and options, said George Mason University School of Business professor Victoria Grady.

As K-12 school districts throughout the country reexamine their early reading programs, Seth Parsons, a George Mason University education expert, said schools should invest in teacher development and training to reach all students.

Even though a ceasefire came into effect on May 21 for the conflict in Israel and Palestine, the violence could start again, said George Mason distinguished visiting professor and former U.S. ambassador Richard Kauzlarich. “What makes the current situation different from previous cycles of violence is that this one involved communal violence between Israel’s Jewish and Arab citizens,” Kauzlarich said. “The total lack of apparent leadership from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides is also a factor.”

Results of a recently published survey by a team that includes Mason faculty shows that there is still critical public health work to be done to combat COVID 19.

Northern Virginia residents can expect robust attendance and a plethora of outside opportunities at local and regional parks this summer, said Paul Gilbert, executive-in-residence for the College of Education and Human Development’s Recreation Management Program.

The international tourism industry will experience a recovery once the coronavirus pandemic is better under control, according to Min Park, associate professor of tourism and events management in Mason’s College of Education and Human Development.

To overcome potential racial bias, physicians should use digitized protocols when making decisions about patient care, according to a research paper co-written by Brad Greenwood, an associate professor of Information Systems and Operations Management in George Mason University’s School of Business.

Children and teens who are experiencing increased anxiety and anger during the coronavirus pandemic will need guidance and validation as their lives continue to change, said Robyn Mehlenbeck, director of George Mason University’s Center for Psychological Services.

“For some people, it will be tough to go back,” said Keith D. Renshaw, chair of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ Psychology Department and director of the Military, Veterans and Families Initiative. “Many of us have spent the year with reduced human interactions. For people with anxiety, this has meant they’ve been able to turn off the technology when they needed to unplug.”