The Conversation is an independent, nonprofit publisher of commentary and analysis, authored by academics and edited by journalists for the general public. On a mission “to promote truthful information and strengthen journalism by unlocking the rich diversity of academic research for audiences across America,” The Conversation publishes short articles by academics on timely topics related to their research. CU Boulder provides funding as a member of The Conversation U.S. Learn more about the partnership and how and why to write for The Conversation.

 

Bernie Sanders gets into a vehicle

Bernie Sanders drops out, as Democrats pick pragmatism over consistency

April 8, 2020

Bernie Sanders is the antithesis of a political showman who says one thing today, another tomorrow. Perhaps, in the end, that was his undoing. Adjunct Assistant Professor of Linguistics Adam Hodges shares on The Conversation.

Basketball player sits on the court

Breaking contracts over coronavirus: Can you argue it’s an ‘act of God’?

March 31, 2020

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing companies, universities and even the NBA to break contracts. What does the law say about liability in a situation like this, and does the money have to be returned? Professor Andrew Schwartz shares on The Conversation.

Empty hospital beds

Coronavirus control measures aren’t pointless—just slowing down the pandemic could save millions of lives

March 12, 2020

Why not just let the pandemic run its course? Public health officials are working to spread infections out over a longer period of time to help make sure hospitals have space for those who get sick. Public Health Program Director and Professor Matthew McQueen shares on The Conversation.

Copies of ‘American Dirt’ sit on a rack at a bookstore in New York

‘American Dirt’ fiasco exposes publishing industry that’s too consolidated, too white and too selective

March 9, 2020

Publishers funnel resources into potential bestsellers, but they’ve become spellbound by “stories of struggle” that can succumb to stereotypes. Assistant Professor of Journalism Christine Larson shares on The Conversation.

White piggy bank in a desert

Growing up in a banking desert can hurt your credit for the rest of your life

March 9, 2020

New research highlights the importance of learning from interactions with local banks and developing a credit history at a young age. Associate Professor of Finance Tony Cookson shares on The Conversation.

Tubeho Neza community distributions of household water filters and cookstoves in western Rwanda in 2014

Lessons from Rwanda on tackling unsafe drinking water and household air pollution

March 9, 2020

Unsafe drinking water and household air pollution are major causes of illness and death in Rawanda. Associate Professor Evan Thomas and co-authors discuss a research program to address these environmental health challenges on The Conversation.

Archaeologists investigate an ancient habitation site in western Mongolia

Humans domesticated horses—new tech could help archaeologists figure out where and when

March 9, 2020

Where, when and how did humans first domesticate horses? How can you distinguish a domestic animal from its wild cousin? Assistant Professor and Curator of Archaeology William Taylor shares new research on The Conversation.

illustration of an eye spying

Even after blocking an ex on Facebook, the platform promotes painful reminders

March 9, 2020

Algorithmic cruelty: Unable to fully grasp the nuances of human relationships and behavior, social media algorithms can end up backfiring. Anthony Pinter, doctoral student in information science, shares on The Conversation.

CU Law Professor Ming Chen wrote a piece for The Conversation about a backlog in U.S. citizenship applications and what that means for civil and voting rights. (Photo by Glenn Asakawa/University of Colorado)

Faculty expertise amplified by new membership in The Conversation

Nov. 14, 2019

CU Boulder has joined leading Association of American Universities peers by becoming a member of The Conversation, an independent, nonprofit publisher of analysis and commentary by academics, edited by journalists for the general public.

Swarm of bees in a tree

What a bundle of buzzing bees can teach engineers about robotic materials

Jan. 29, 2019

How do swarms of bees maintain collective stability in the face of something like strong wind? What if engineers could take these lessons from nature and apply them to buildings? Assistant Professor of Computer Science Orit Peleg shares on The Conversation.

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