Published by the Students of Johns Hopkins since 1896
April 26, 2024

Science & Technology



LAKSHAY SOOD/LAYOUT EDITOR 
Though not the first time that Texas has received snow, the conditions were a bit abnormal.  

How did climate change cause the Texas snowstorm?

2021 has brought some surprises, and one of those surprises is the terrible snowstorm in Texas. Although there have been such conditions in the past, this storm hit hard, leading me to think about climate change’s role in the extremity of the storm. Did climate change make the snowfall worse?


COURTESY OF BEN STRAUS
Over 200,000 students follow Ben Straus’ STEM mentorship channel. 

Hopkins senior uses TikTok to mentor STEM students

TikTok has rapidly increased in popularity since 2019 — especially during COVID-19 lockdowns. Just like many other people, Ben Straus, a senior majoring in Biomedical Engineering, saw the app as a place to watch and make funny videos.


COURTESY OF SABRINA EPSTEIN 
The dashboard provides prioritization information from multiple states. 

Hopkins launches a vaccine tracker for people with disabilities

In a collaborative effort between the Hopkins Disability Health Research Center and the Center for Dignity in Healthcare for People with Disabilities (CDHPD), the COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization Dashboard was recently launched to help people with disabilities and underlying conditions determine whether they are eligible for vaccination in their home state. 




LAKSHAY SOOD/LAYOUT EDITOR 
Executive Director Odis Johnson of the Center for Safe and Healthy Schools remarked that the foray into virtual learning will profoundly affect how future students receive their education. 

The plan to reopen schools is a balancing act

Sammy and Louie Proctor are two middle school brothers attending Roland Park Elementary Middle School. While they do not miss the commute or the homework load of in-person learning, they both agree that online learning does have its own unappealing aspects. 


LAKSHAY SOOD/LAYOUT EDITOR
Bumpus wrote in a recently published article that dosage recommendations are largely based on trials with individuals of European backgrounds.

Hopkins pharmacologist calls for diversifying clinical trials

As the pandemic looms on, social justice advocates are urging more pharmaceutical companies to consider race and ethnicity when developing and testing drugs. One of these advocates is Namandje Bumpus, director of the Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Sciences at the School of Medicine. 


COURTESY OF ALEXIS HAMMOND
COVID-19 has exacerbated existing mental health issues within the Black community.

Stigma is rife in the treatment of mental illness in the Black community

The Black Faculty and Staff Association (BFSA) invited Dr. Alexis Hammond, associate medical director at the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy/Addiction Treatment Services, to highlight inequities in healthcare and destigmatize mental illness among the Black community. The BFSA hosted the event on Feb. 18 as part of the organization’s celebration of Black History Month. 



ISTOCKPHOTO/GORODENKOFF
Jessica Kasamoto stresses the importance of finding research that sparks joy.

Looking for research? Here is some advice

Dear freshmen, First and foremost, congrats on making it through your first semester, and to those of you who are in Baltimore, welcome to campus! School-imposed quarantine, illegal parties and an otherwise confusing beginning to this semester aside, I know many of you guys are hoping to create a normal-ish experience for yourselves this semester.




JOSHUA MIRANDA/PEXELS 
A study surveyed 1,000 Americans to better understand beliefs about social distancing. 

Social distancing linked to socioeconomic status, Hopkins study shows

When not researching COVID-19, Hopkins Economics Professor Nick Papageorge investigates factors surrounding adherence to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment regimens. For those living with HIV, taking prescribed medications has not only a personal health benefit but a public health benefit, as it decreases the likelihood of transmitting the disease. 


COURTESY OF JOHNS HOPKINS CENTER FOR GLOBAL HEALTH
A team of researchers at the Bloomberg School of Public Health created a national survey to discern the impact of the pandemic on racial and ethnic minorities.

National Pandemic Pulse team continues to research racial disparities during the pandemic

The Hopkins Center for Global Health hosted its new virtual seminar series on Feb. 3 with the first of a two-part seminar titled “National Pandemic Pulse: Findings from a U.S. Representative Survey in December 2020.” National Pandemic Pulse is part of an initiative by the University’s Inequities in COVID-19 project tasked to monitor the effects of the pandemic on low-income and minority groups in the United States.




WESLEY FRYER / CC BY 2.0
Run by Hopkins, the widely-used COVID-19 tracking map illustrates the spread of COVID-19.

Hopkins COVID-19 tracking map celebrates one-year anniversary

Jan. 22 marked one year since the launch of the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center (CRC). Upon its launch, the website became a preferred source for the general public and news media over the world, including the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times. 


CC 3.0  CONTAINS MODIFIED CORPENICUS SENTINEL DATA 2020
This satellite image of Baltimore illustrates the lack of greenery in the city, making it susceptible to the urban heat island effect.

How does the U.S. Supreme Court affect climate policies in Baltimore City?

On Jan. 28 the Center for the Law and the Public’s Health and the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Agora Institute hosted a discussion on “Climate Change, Public Health, and the U.S. Supreme Court.” Guest speakers included the Baltimore Chief of the Affirmative Litigation Division Sara Gross, University of Maryland Environmental Law Professor Robert Percival and University of Maryland Public Health Professor Amir Sapkota. 



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