Our esteemed faculty often share their expertise with the broader public through news stories! Here’s a roundup of the most recent articles featuring our faculty members:

In an article by Live Science, Dr. Robert Chavez shared how the “default mode network” (DMN) – a network of neural connections in the brain – may contribute to our inner monologue. "The default mode network seems to be more active when your mind is wandering," Chavez explained. When we let our mind wander aimlessly, the DMN plans for the future using recent memories and experiences, giving rise to an inner monologue.

Dr. Alayna Park explained how planning fun activities ahead of time can make the weekend feel longer in an article by Huffpost. “Making enjoyable plans in advance can also give you something to look forward to during a hectic workweek,” Park said.

Park also contributed to an article about lifestyle fatigue, which she describes as “feeling off, feeling down [or] feeling tired,” in a world altered by the COVID pandemic. She goes on to explain how it overlaps with depression and how engaging in productive activities can help. “Things that can be productive are things like exercising — so, running further than you did two weeks ago — or learning a language.”

The New York Times sought out Dr. Nick Allen’s perspective on the role of technology in tracking mood. Allen summed up current challenges in creating precise algorithms to predict suicide with “It’s certainly not an easily solvable problem…. You know, the math is just really daunting” in an interesting discussion among mental health scholars tackling big challenges.