In the Spotlight

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 3rd episode of this 4 episode series, we next dive into the research behind COVID-19, but this time more specifically about transmission and risk mitigation strategies in schools. Dr. Priya Edward and many others from Lurie Children's Hospital are doing ongoing research on how SARS-COV-2 transmission through schools can be characterized and shares about how this could make a big difference in how we make policy decisions moving forward.
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here:

• Dr. Edward's study on asymptomatic COVID-19 transmission in Chicago private schools and preprint study on COVID-19 variants in children
• Information on the childhood opportunity index measurement
• Detailed information on COI in Chicago zip codes as of 2015 and the "Healthy Chicago 2.0" plan of action that incorporates COI data
• Chicago Teacher's Union's safety committee resources, including vaccination rates in Chicago Public Schools
• The CDC's "Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools"

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

We are introducing a new monthly policy episode series called "Science Policy in the Spotlight," where we will focus our attention on a timely and local policy topic in the greater Chicago area and understand how science helps inform the topic. This series, we're focused on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on K-12 schooling.
In the 1st episode of this 4 episode series, we will hear from Chicago Public Schools nurse and active member of the Chicago Teachers Union, Dennis Forsuth, to best understand the teacher experience during the changing safety guidelines of COVID-19.
If you want to learn more about the information discussed throughout this episode, our sources are listed here:

• "90% of U.S. school boards are picked by voters, but not in Chicago. Here's why that could change" news article
• "Chicago will have the largest elected school board of any major U.S. city" news article
• Nationwide analysis of school boards from the Pew Charitable Trust
• COVID-19 Vaccine Doses by ZIP Code reported and updated by the city of Chicago
• COVID-19 Vaccine Administration Data reported and updated by the Illinois Department of Public Health
• "South Siders In Chicago’s Least-Vaccinated Areas Say Misinformation, Mistrust Behind The Lag. Here’s What They Say Can Help" news article
• "Chicago teachers approve deal to end walkout over COVID safety protocols" news article
• Risk of diabetes diagnosis in kids after COVID-19 as studied by the CDC and as reported by the New York Times
• "What's new in the January 2022 Safety Agreement?" summary fact sheet by the Chicago Teachers Union
• What is an unfair labor practice (ULP)? from the U.S. Federal Labor Relations Authority
• Update on the CTU: "ULP charge now moves to trial before an administrative law judge" news article

If you want to follow the Chicago Teachers Union, you can follow them on Twitter or check out their website and blog for updates.

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases! Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

The mind works in mysterious ways. Why do we make the decisions we do, and how do our experiences guide them? PhD student Alexa Ruel joins us to talk about how this complex process changes and adapts as we age, and why we shouldn’t be as worried about mental aging as you’d think.
If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Thinking, Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman
• An opinion piece in the Montreal Gazette on decision making in seniors
• A review paper on approaches to control problems across lifespans

Feel free to connect with Alexa on her Twitter @AlexaRuel

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

We all know that honeybees are important pollinators, but did you know that they only make up a tiny fraction of bee species? PhD student Amelia Litz does field research on ground nesting bees and wants us to know what we have yet to discover about them, her experiences with field research, and why these interesting solitary bees matter for agriculture.

If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• Cool bee pictures from the Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Lab
• Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conversation to learn about pollinator conservation (website)
• The Solitary Bees: Biology, Evolution, Conservation. By Danforth, Minckley & Neff (2020) (book)
• The Bees in Your Backyard: A Guide to North America's Bees. By Wilson & Messinger-Carril (2015) (book)

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438

The microbiome has gotten a lot of attention recently, with gut health being emphasised in everything from digestion to mental health. But when is the last time you thought about the microbiome in your lungs ? Here to tell us all about the fascinating environment that is our lungs is Jack Thomas Sumner, a Northwestern University PhD candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering.
If you want to learn more about the topics discussed in this episode, check out:

• This TED Talk on the human microbiome
• If you're feeling a longer read, Ed Yong's I Contain Multitudes is a great deep dive into the topic (non-affiliate link)
• If you're feeling extra science-y, here's a review on the lung microbiome
• To find out more of the research at Northwestern, check out SCRIPT's homepage

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @SpotlightThePod to stay up-to-date on all news and episode releases!

Learn more about Northwestern University SPOT on Twitter @SPOTForceNU or at our website spot.northwestern.edu

Podcast artwork created by Edie Jiang, available at her website https://ediejiang.weebly.com/ or on Instagram @ediejiang

Music in this episode: Earth by MusicbyAden https://soundcloud.com/musicbyadenCreative Commons — Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported — CC BY-SA 3.0Free Download / Stream: https://bit.ly/_earthMusic promoted by Audio Library https://youtu.be/5yIbZVOv438