Welcome to pumpkin season! It’s time to embrace the cozy aroma of pumpkin spice, bake delicious pies and get creative with those jack-o’-lanterns.

In this issue, discover a course that took students abroad to learn about human rights, learn some surprising things about how your gut is linked to health and uncover a threat leading to declines in the wild bee population.

A study abroad course at USC Dornsife took students to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan, where they met with activists, politicians and journalists to learn about the challenges and rewards of advocating for human rights.

Why it matters: Increasing acts of repression in Central Asia highlight the importance of inspiring students to consider careers in human rights, as they can play a key role in advocating for change.

The big picture: Authoritarianism is rising in Central Asia, with countries like Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan increasingly cracking down on dissent.

During the Maymester course, students heard from activists and public officials entrenched in the region’s ongoing human rights struggles.

In his words: “Before this program, I knew nothing about Central Asia. Now I see how Central Asia is vital to understanding Russia, Ukraine and the lingering Soviet legacy,” said Radulf Mohika, a philosophy, politics, and law major.

Alongside their human rights studies, students also immersed themselves in Central Asia’s local culture by engaging with communities, exploring traditional cuisine, and participating in cultural events.

The gut microbiome is a complex ecosystem of trillions of microbes in the intestines influencing our overall health. USC Dornsife experts recently discussed the latest science about our gut during a recent Dornsife Dialogue.

Why it matters: The gut microbiome affects the body’s physiology, metabolism and immunity, yet it is often overlooked, underscoring the need for further research.

Certain gut bacteria prevent inflammation, while others can trigger it, and diet influences the balance between them.

What to do? Focus on consuming a diet rich in fiber, which beneficial bacteria can break down to enhance metabolism.

What else: In addition to a high-sugar diet negatively affecting the gut microbiome, Scott Kanoski, professor of biological sciences, has shown that it can be especially harmful during key developmental stages, such as adolescence.

4

The number of USC Dornsife faculty who have won Nobel Prizes.

Pesticide use could be a major contributor to the decline of wild bee populations, with significant ecological and agricultural consequences, according to research by Laura Melissa Guzman, of biological sciences and quantitative and computational biology.

Problem: Wild bee populations are experiencing a widespread decline across the United States.

Why it matters: Wild bees are vital pollinators that support natural ecosystems, ensuring plants reproduce and maintaining the balance of food webs that sustain diverse animal species.

Guzman headed a team of researchers to investigate the reasons behind the decline, focusing on the impact of pesticide use.

What they found: They discovered a strong correlation between pesticide use and fewer wild bee sightings, with sightings of some species dropping by as much as 56% in areas of high pesticide use.

Solution: Reserving pesticides as a last resort and using alternative strategies like natural predators and traps can help protect declining wild bee populations.

Follow along as USC Dornsife student Jayda Kimura, a law, history and culture and intelligence and cyber operations double major, tackles classes, a work study job and a social life!

News headlines and social media are filled with people questioning the validity of election polling. USC Dornsife political scientist and professor Christian Grose explains the challenges of polling and why polls are crucial to informing research and policy.

Explore political experts’ predictions for election night and which key states to watch. Get insights on campaign strategies and potential outcomes in this crucial moment for America.

Join the Institute of Armenian Studies for a symposium featuring voices from embattled Artsakh, leading scholarly work on dispossession, and a rap performance, film screening, cooking demonstration and photo exhibit.

Connect with journalist and author Mónica Guzmán for a post-election discussion to reflect and navigate the big emotions together.