The increasing availability of digital traces provides researchers like Gourab Ghoshal, an assistant professor of physics, and the members of his lab an incredible amount of data for complex systems research.

Using GPS location tracking, check-ins on apps like Foursquare, geocaching from Twitter posts, and, under some circumstances, call data records from cell phones, they are able to find patterns in human mobility, traffic, and disease progressions with greater accuracy and precision than ever before. But the amount of data available also means that the burgeoning field of complex systems can be overwhelmed without some constraints.

“When you have this change of scale, the simple ways of drawing diagrams don’t work; you need laws to dictate how the data interact,” Ghoshal says.

That’s where physics enters the picture.

In a series of papers in Physics Reports and Nature Communications, Ghoshal and members of his lab used science to untangle complex systems and networks. Their work extends to three main branches: human dynamics and behaviors; urban systems and city science; and social networks.

Applying the universal rules of physics and mathematics, they are able to build foundational models onto which other researchers—such as economists or city planners—can introduce more complex variables.

Ghoshal’s current research applies rules of physics to urban systems and cities using Information and Communication Technology (ICT) data. The data allows his group to uncover patterns in the organizational structure of cities, as well as the dynamics of human movement and its effects on land use, transportation design, the spreading of epidemics, socioeconomic indicators, and sustainability.

Researchers must sign nondisclosure agreements to use the data and there are layers of privacy and encryption, so it’s impossible to trace data points to any one specific person. Data might include geotag stamps on a Tweet that indicate the geographic location of the tweeter, census data that indicates where people have migrated, and GPS data that show how fast a car reached its intended destination and which route the driver chose—shortest distance, less traffic, more scenic, and so on.

One project, conducted by Surendra Hazarie, a PhD student in physics, uses the data to look at segregation patterns in cities, along lines of income, race, or other characteristics. “By looking at the ways populations flow around cities in the different regions, we can examine the way those populations are split up in important ways,” he says. “Maybe wealthier communities tend to box themselves in and things like that.”

Ghoshal and other members of his group use ICT data to develop specific metrics that define how urban residents navigate a city. Their “inness metric,” for instance, shows that when people navigate a city, they tend to gravitate toward the socioeconomic center. The researchers found that the inness factor tightly correlates with the level of a city’s socioeconomic development, infrastructure development, and death and mortality rates. High levels of inness often accompany low levels of development because cities in the process of developing only have one city center. Conversely, well-developed cities have multiple socioeconomic centers, and the inness tends to be low or statistically insignificant.

Read more here.

Families of cancer patients described three distinct experiences — “We Pretty Much Knew,” “Beating the Odds,” and “Left to Die” — in the final weeks of their loved one’s life. Wilmot Cancer Institute researchers gathered these valuable perspectives, identified the problems, and plan to use the data to improve care at this difficult and emotionally charged time.

“All of the families in this study are telling us how we can be more helpful,” said the lead author, Sally Norton, a palliative care expert and associate professor at the School of Nursing. “We are listening and working to do a better job.”

The study was published recently in the journal Supportive Care in Cancer. Investigators recorded and analyzed stories from 92 families and caregivers, looking for common threads about their loved one’s final transition from active treatment to death.

The first group, categorized as “We Pretty Much Knew,” was the largest. The healthcare system worked for them as it is designed to do. For example, a patient might say “I’ve had it, I’m done,” according to one example, and then move into comfort care after having open discussions with loved ones and physicians about what to expect at the end of life.

The second group, which included people who described themselves as “fighters” and believed the patient would beat the odds of a poor prognosis, said they had good communication with their medical team. The patients’ wishes to continually try new treatments were honored, but they also experienced chaos at the end of life because they were unprepared for the nearness of death.

The families in the third group — “Left to Die” — described a crisis in the final weeks. They had no memories of explicit end-of-life care discussions with doctors, and the patients spiraled into frightening and distressing emergency health situations. These families felt abandoned.

“The third group was the smallest group, but the most tragic,” Norton added. “They felt they had no information, did not know their family member was dying, and described frantically trying to get help at the end.”

Most problems arose when families did not understand how the cancer was likely to progress, when deliberations with doctors and nurses were ineffective, and when medical decisions did not reflect a shared understanding between the family and the treatment team. Although some families understood the limitations of available therapies, they did not know how to anticipate, identify, or respond to their loved ones’ rapid decline. And in some cases, caregivers were totally unprepared and confused about what was occurring, leading to more intensive treatments and resuscitation efforts than patients had wanted and a breakdown of trust with the medical team, the study said.

Investigators suggested that loved ones might benefit from a standard plan that lays out clearly what to anticipate as patients in active treatment become too sick for additional chemotherapy and yet do not transition to hospice. Such a plan would be automatically triggered when symptoms indicated a patient’s health is markedly deteriorating. The plan would explicitly identify signs and symptoms and would develop clear action for patients and families. Ideally, it would include emergency contact information for a clinician or a response team that would quickly respond to the family and guide them, Norton said.

“The importance of clear planning and anticipatory guidance for this group cannot be overstated,” the study concluded.

The use of sarcasm in urban high school classes can be met with laughter or with confusion among a diverse classroom of students. But, in either case, if used meaningfully and purposefully, teachers can build a trusting community for learning through sarcasm and humorous banter in the classroom.

New research, which appears in the Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, sheds light on the use of sarcasm in building and sustaining positive rapport with students, including English as a New Language (ENL) students. The findings could provide educators with new ideas on how sarcasm can be used meaningfully to develop critical language understanding and positive relationships between teachers and students in high-poverty urban settings such as Rochester, N.Y.

“Sarcasm, as an ironic speech act, promotes critical language awareness and thinking instead of conditioned response, which is common in high schools,” according to the coauthors of the article, titled “Sarcasm as Pedagogy of Love: Exploring Ironic Speech Acts in an Urban High School English Classroom.”

The study was led by a professor and researcher from the Warner School of Education, Joanne Larson, and two coteachers—Timothy Morris, an English teacher, and Kristen Shaw, an English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher—from East Upper & Lower Schools (Rochester, N.Y.) who participated as research participants and coauthors.

“We are not suggesting that all teachers should start being sarcastic in their classrooms,” the coauthors wrote. “We are suggesting that a purposeful and reflective use of sarcasm and humor can support learning complex language.”

The research is part of a larger effort being undertaken by the Center for Urban Education Success (CUES) at the Warner School to research and identify, address, and improve systems, practices, and culture at East. The center will continue to leverage the knowledge gained at East to impact K-12 urban education regionally, nationally, and globally.

Read more here.

Three prize winners in the sixth annual America’s Got Regulatory Science Talent student competition, hosted as part of the Regulatory Science program at the University’s Clinical and Translational Science Institute (UR CTSI). Twelve teams of students proposed a wide range of novel solutions to address the nine scientific priority areas outlined in the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Strategic Plan for Advancing Regulatory Science.

• Sarah Hackley, the first place winner, will present her proposal in person at the FDA next month. Hackley, an undergraduate student in bioethics, proposed a regulatory science measure that provides an efficient and validated process for consented participants to access and share mobile health data with third parties for research purposes, while also increasing autonomy by allowing individuals a mechanism to change their level of participation or opt-out entirely.
• Ashley Holub, an epidemiology graduate student in public health sciences, won second place for her proposal to use computational models to simulate clinical trials to hone in on the most promising therapies while sparing much of the cost of traditional preclinical and clinical studies. A central database of all simulation trials could help further the science and promote the use of simulations in clinical trials.
• Simeon Abiola, a graduate student in the UR CTSI’s Translational Biomedical Science PhD Program, took third place for proposing a proprietary database to help expedite the clearance of new medical devices and, in conjunction with nationally representative public health datasets, advance the development of novel databases to support the manufacture of patient centered medical devices.

Read more here.

The University is seeking a new Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Studies, starting July 1, 2019.

As a member of the President’s Cabinet and the Provost’s Senior Leadership Team, the Vice Provost and University Dean of Graduate Studies is responsible for the development, execution, and promotion of the strategic vision for graduate studies at the University.

The position also advances the graduate education experience with particular attention to fostering a culture of respect, providing career development guidance, and building academic and social mentorship models among the graduate community.

A complete position description can be found on the Office of the Provost site.

Interested faculty may submit a letter of interest and CV by Friday, April 26, 2019 to Provost Rob Clark at provost@rochester.edu. The letter of interest should be no more than three pages and must include a vision statement for graduate studies at the University of Rochester.

Dong Chen, computer science, “Program Locality Analysis Based on Reuse Intervals.” 10 a.m. April 11, 2019. Goergen 109. Advisor: Chen Ding.

John Portlock, history, “Before Riverside: Black Antiwar Activism, 1917-1967.” 10 a.m., May 8, 2019. Gamble Room, Rush Rhees Library. Advisor: Daniel Borus.

Today: Fulbright Scholar Alumni Luncheon to celebrate Rochester’s Fulbright Alumni and to discuss the various offerings of the Fulbright Program. Research presentation by Jeff Wyatt, professor and chair of comparative medicine. Panel of Rochester Fulbright awardees who will share information on their experiences and effective practices for successful awards. Noon to 3 p.m. Eisenberg Rotunda, Schlegel Hall. Lunch and parking vouchers will be provided. Register for the event.

Today: 8th Annual Medical Scientist Research Symposium. Keynote address: “Catch Me if You Can: Resistance to Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell Therapy” by Marco Ruella, assistant professor of hematology/oncology and scientific director of the Lymphoma Program at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Noon, Class of ’62 Auditorium. Student poster session 1:30 – 3 p.m. Flaum Atrium. Student oral presentations 3-4:30 p.m., Class of ’62 Auditorium.  For questions or requests, email Cathy Senecal-Rice or call 5-8721. Additional Information

April 8: Deadline for two-page preposals for funding from the Center for Research on Flavored Tobacco (to support research relevant to the regulation of tobacco products by the Food and Drug Administration. Learn more from the request for applications.

April 12: 2019 Neurosience Retreat. David Amaral, professor of neuroscience at University of California/Davis, will be keynote speaker. 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Memorial Art Gallery, 500 University Ave. Free and open to all members of the University community. To attend, register here.

April 17: Jesse L. Rosenberger Works-in-Progress seminar. Anaar Desai-Stephens, assistant professor of ethnomusicology, presents “‘You have to feel to sing!’: Affective Pedagogy, and the Commodification of  ‘Feel’ in (Neo)liberalizing India” as part of the theme of expertise and evidence. Noon to 2 p.m. Humanities Center Conference Room D at Rush Rhees LIbrary. Lunch provided. RSVP by clicking here.

April 22: Deadline to apply for UR-CTSI Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) Pipeline-to-Pilot grant of up to $15,000. Read the full request for applications. For questions, contact John Cullen.

April 23-24: Workshops on using Dimensions, a linked research information system, to explore a research area, use the API, find collaborators, access metrics and other data, and explore new grant opportunities. Sponsored by River Campus Libraries and AS&E. More information and registration links are available here.

April 25: 31st Annual Genetics Day. 9 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. Class of ’62 Auditorium and Flaum Atrium. Lecture by Phillip D. Zamore, Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator and professor of biomedical sciences at the University of Massachusetts on piRNAs and the Struggle to Reproduce.  Register for a poster presentation by Monday, April 15, 5:00 p.m.

April 26: Preproposals due for Technology Development Fund awards of up to $100,000 to develop a technology to a commercial endpoint. Submit preproposals to omar.bakht@rochester.edu. View more information online.

May 2: Jesse L. Rosenberger Works-in-Progress seminar. Tracy Stuber and Anastasia Nikolis, Public Humanities graduate fellows, present a public humanities fellowship update. Noon to 2 p.m. Humanities Center Conference Room D at Rush Rhees LIbrary. Lunch provided. RSVP by clicking here.

May 23: Deadline to apply for funding from the Center for Emerging and Innovative Sciences (CEIS) to support projects with NY companies that promote technology transfer to those companies. All proposals must be submitted by email as attachments using the forms on the CEIS web site at http://www.ceis.rochester.edu/funding/CIRP.html. Documentation of company commitment must accompany the proposal. Proposals must be received by Cathy Adams (cathy.adams@rochester.edu, 585-275-3999). Questions may be addressed to her as well.