Publications

Rebecca Utz's study aimed to understand how caregivers accessed and achieved respite when respite services were not readily available during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sarita Gaytan's research explores the Fijian kava commodity chain.

Max Coleman's research found that "Women tend to be more vulnerable to the adverse psychological effects of “network events” (stressors that occur to loved ones). The cost-of-caring hypothesis is regarded as the primary mechanism for this vulnerability and posits that women’s relatively high level of emotional involvement in the lives of network members causes women to experience greater empathetic reactions when loved ones encounter stressors."

In a groundbreaking study, University of Utah researchers, Sara Grineski and Roger Renteria, found strong evidence that exposure to industrial pollution during pregnancy can shape a grandchild’s neurodevelopment. A child has a higher risk of an intellectual disability if their grandmothers lived near industrial facilities while pregnant with a parent, especially the mother. Higher density of industrial facilities corresponded to higher risk for the child.

Brett Clark’s new research links military spending and carbon emissions and was published recently in PLOS Climate. Brett and his colleagues analyzed US military expenditures and documented a strong relationship with energy use. Their paper argues the Dept of Defense can substantially reduce its carbon emissions by reducing spending.