In this issue, find out how a professor is getting a true view of the destruction caused by the war in Ukraine, discover how an alumna’s history degree aids her career in genealogy and learn tips to develop healthier social media habits.
🗓️ Heads up! 3/29 live stream. NATO turns 75 next month. Is it time to strengthen, transform or even retire it? Our experts answer these questions — and yours — during a free Dornsife Dialogues event.
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1 Big Thing: Cutting Through the Fog of War |
A USC Dornsife Earth scientist used publicly available satellite and military intelligence data to visualize the destruction in Ukraine resulting from the war with Russia.
Why it matters: The methods developed by the researchers enable anyone with the appropriate technical expertise to analyze public data and gain a true, unbiased understanding of a conflict’s impact, free of misinformation.
Social media has generated a wealth of detailed online information about the war in Ukraine, with an active community documenting aspects like troop movements and infrastructure damage.
Sylvain Barbot of Earth sciences and a team of researchers used this information, along with satellite data, to track the war.
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- The team tracked the battles of Rubizhne, Severodonetsk and Lysychansk from March to July 2022.
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They also tracked battles in Bakhmut, which began in May 2022 and ended one year later when the city was completely decimated.
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In his words: “After they’ve bombarded enough stuff, the front line begins to move to the west and the Russian army advances through the crumbles. … It looks like cancer spreading throughout the body,” says Barbot.
Using satellite-based synthetic aperture radar (SAR), researchers followed the destruction of cities and how military tactics evolve over time.
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- SAR uses electromagnetic waves and records the signal reflected back from Earth, regardless of sunlight and clouds.
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The radar normally is used to monitor natural disasters but is equally adept at evaluating the damage of war.
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Of note: Tracking the conflict with SAR revealed that other forms of open-source intelligence data weren’t always reliable.
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- For instance, SAR revealed fighting in Lysychansk that other forms of intelligence data missed.
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Images captured by a satellite that is sensitive to artificial light gave the researchers a somber view of the conflict’s impact on the daily lives of Ukrainians.
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“We looked at all of Eastern Europe and you can see those lights you’re familiar with, except an entire country is completely black — all of Ukraine was dark,” Barbot said. “You could see from space an entire country shutting down.”
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Bridging History and Families |
To uncover family histories as a genealogist for Ancestry.com, USC Dornsife alumna Christina Copland ‘18 uses her skills as a historian.
Why it matters: The skills gained through a history degree, such as the ability to contextualize how people lived in the past and accurately interpret primary (original) documents, can set the stage for a variety of rewarding careers.
Copland, who grew up in England, has had a long-time fascination with American politics and developed a particular interest in the influence of fundamental Christianity while working on her master’s degree in modern history at York University.
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Her studies brought her to LA, where she met USC Dornsife history professor William Deverell, who encouraged her to earn a PhD in history at USC.
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Nearing graduation, Copland delved into her own family history and quickly became captivated by genealogy, wondering how she could turn it into a career.
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- She turned to LinkedIn to find members of the Trojan family who worked at Ancestry.com, which led to an informational interview and eventually employment.
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In her words: “At the interview, I sold myself as a candidate who was trained as a historian who could very quickly learn the specific skills I needed for that role. I think it was a good sales pitch,” said Copland.
As a professional genealogist at Ancestry.com, Copland helps clients build their family trees and overcome obstacles in genealogical research.
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- She also worked on celebrity genealogical projects for TV shows like NBC’s Who Do You Think You Are?
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Word of advice: For those interested in a career in genealogy, Copland advises people to begin by researching their own family history.
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A Healthier Relationship With Social Media |
The strategies social media companies use to keep users engaged may have negative consequences. USC Dornsife scholars provide guidance to foster a healthier relationship with social media.
Why it matters: The negative effects of apps such as Instagram and YouTube, particularly on young adults, are increasingly raising concerns among experts.
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Studies suggest that social media use is contributing to historic-levels of depression in teens, fueling disordered eating and destroying our attention spans, and even inciting violence, says behavioral neuroscientist Ian Anderson ’24, who researches social media.
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- A powerful tactic called “random reinforcement,” the same strategy used in slot machines, keeps users scrolling endlessly.
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Controversial posts generate the most engagement, so apps prioritize them in feeds, often causing harmful or false content to be amplified.
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The solution: As many individuals try to reduce their personal or family usage on their own, the experts offer helpful tips.
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Create barriers to entry: Turn off notifications, hide or delete social media apps, place the phone in a different room or use a lock box with a timer, and switch to an old-fashioned alarm clock to keep phones out of the bedroom.
- Make a healthy swap: Try replacing social media apps with something more productive, like a language-learning app.
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Model restraint: Parents can avoid scrolling online for hours while their children are present.
- Set aside sacred spaces: Avoid using phones during meals or social gatherings with others.
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In her words: “The research shows that if you even have a phone on the table, it’s like a drug. Part of your attention is on that phone and you’re not really paying attention to those around you,” says Albright.
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| Digital Detox: Strategies for Social Media Sanity |
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A solar eclipse is coming in April. Will electrical grids hold up without solar power? Go deeper >>
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Scott Fraser of biological sciences and quantitative and computational biology is appointed to a VP position with the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, which aims to end or control all disease by the end of the century. Go deeper >>
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What’s up with climate activists throwing soup on a priceless Van Gogh? There is logic behind the madness. Go deeper >>
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Dune, now a successful movie and book franchise, was originally intended as a cautionary tale that bolstered the emerging environmental movement in the 1960s. Go deeper >>
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Attention Parents of Graduating Seniors |
Is your child graduating this May? If so, please remind them to check their USC email for instructions on registering to participate in their USC Dornsife Ceremony.
⚠️Important: Registration closes on Monday, April 8.
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Undergraduate Education: The Dornsife Difference |
USC Dornsife Dean Amber Miller spotlights the unique Dornsife undergraduate experience, which combines a traditional liberal arts foundation with skills-based training and hands-on learning to prepare students for a rapidly changing world.
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From Novel to Critically Acclaimed Film |
The Oscar-winning film American Fiction was adapted from Erasure, a novel written by USC Dornsife Professor of English Percival Everett. Hear him discuss the inspiration behind his book and his reaction to Oscars buzz.
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Dornsife Dialogues - NATO at 75: Future of the Alliance
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| At this live streaming event, USC Dornsife experts examine NATO’s evolution from a Cold War bulwark to its current role — and answer your questions.
Mar. 29, noon - 1 p.m. PT
Virtual
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2024 Delta Murphy Lecture |
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| Ed Yong, Pulitzer Prize-winning science journalist and bestselling author, takes us behind the scenes of his latest book and shares how storytelling can inspire climate action.
Apr. 25, 5 - 8 p.m. PT
Los Angeles, CA
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