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A Nazca booby in the Galápagos Islands incubates eggs with its webbed feet. Wolfgang Kaehler/LightRocket via Getty Images hide caption

The Science of Siblings

For birds, siblinghood can be a matter of life or death.

May 1, 2024 • Some birds kill their siblings soon after hatching. Other birds spend their whole lives with their siblings and will even risk their lives to help each other.

Planet Money

How do you counter misinformation critical thinking is step one.

April 30, 2024 • An economic perspective on misinformation

This image shows a brain "assembloid" consisting of two connected brain "organoids." Scientists studying these structures have restored impaired brain cells in Timothy syndrome patients. Pasca lab, Stanford University hide caption

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Scientists restore brain cells impaired by a rare genetic disorder.

April 30, 2024 • A therapy that restores brain cells impaired by a rare genetic disorder may offer a strategy for treating conditions like autism, epilepsy, and schizophrenia.

Katie Krimitsos is among the majority of American women who have trouble getting healthy sleep, according to a new Gallup survey. Krimitsos launched a podcast called Sleep Meditation for Women to offer some help. Natalie Champa Jennings/Natalie Jennings, courtesy of Katie Krimitsos hide caption

Helping women get better sleep by calming the relentless 'to-do lists' in their heads

April 26, 2024 • A recent survey found that Americans' sleep patterns have been getting worse. Adult women under 50 are among the most sleep-deprived demographics.

Bird flu is spreading through U.S. dairy cattle. Scientists say the risk to people is minimal, but open questions remain, including how widespread the outbreak is and how the virus is spreading. DOUGLAS MAGNO/AFP via Getty Images hide caption

As bird flu spreads in cows, here are 4 big questions scientists are trying to answer

April 26, 2024 • Health officials say there's very little risk to humans from the bird flu outbreak among dairy cattle, but there's still much they don't know. Here are four questions scientists are trying to answer.

A coyote at the Fort Worth Zoo is photographed in the hours leading up to the April 8 total solar eclipse. The Hartstone-Rose Research Lab, NC State hide caption

Animals get stressed during eclipses. But not for the reason you think

April 25, 2024 • After studying various species earlier this month, some scientists now say they understand the origin of animal behavior during solar eclipses.

Dr. Jeffrey Stern, assistant professor in the Department of Surgery at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, and Dr. Robert Montgomery, director of the NYU Langone Transplant Institute, prepare the gene-edited pig kidney with thymus for transplantation. Joe Carrotta for NYU Langone Health hide caption

A woman with failing kidneys receives genetically modified pig organs

April 24, 2024 • Surgeons transplanted a kidney and thymus gland from a gene-edited pig into a 54-year-old woman in an attempt to extend her life. It's the latest experimental use of animal organs in humans.

Drug companies often do one-on-one outreach to doctors. A new study finds these meetings with drug reps lead to more prescriptions for cancer patients, but not longer survival. Chris Hondros/Getty Images hide caption

Oncologists' meetings with drug reps don't help cancer patients live longer

April 22, 2024 • Drug company reps commonly visit doctors to talk about new medications. A team of economists wanted to know if that helps patients live longer. They found that for cancer patients, the answer is no.

When the media covers scientific research, not all scientists are equally likely to be mentioned. A new study finds scientists with Asian or African names were 15% less likely to be named in a story. shironosov/Getty Images hide caption

Perspective

Which scientists get mentioned in the news mostly ones with anglo names, says study.

April 19, 2024 • A new study finds that in news stories about scientific research, U.S. media were less likely to mention a scientist if they had an East Asian or African name, as compared to one with an Anglo name.

An artistic rendering of a washed-up Ichthyotitan severnensis carcass on the beach. Sergey Krasovskiy hide caption

An 11-year-old unearthed fossils of the largest known marine reptile

April 19, 2024 • When the dinosaurs walked the Earth, massive marine reptiles swam. Among them, a species of Ichthyosaur that measured over 80 feet long. Today, we look into how a chance discovery by a father-daughter duo of fossil hunters furthered paleontologist's understanding of the "giant fish lizard of the Severn." Currently, it is the largest marine reptile known to scientists.

COMIC: Our sun was born with thousands of other stars. Where did they all go?

April 18, 2024 • Our sun was born in a cosmic cradle with thousands of other stars. Astrophysicists say they want to find these siblings in order to help answer the question: Are we alone out there?

Surgeon Christoph Haller and his research team from Toronto's Hospital for Sick Children are working on technology that could someday result in an artificial womb to help extremely premature babies. Chloe Ellingson for NPR hide caption

An artificial womb could build a bridge to health for premature babies

April 12, 2024 • Artificial wombs could someday save babies born very prematurely. Even though the experimental technology is still in animal tests, there are mounting questions about its eventual use with humans.

In the womb, a brother's hormones can shape a sister's future

April 9, 2024 • When siblings share a womb, sex hormones from a male fetus can cause lasting changes in a female littermate. This effect exists for all kinds of mammals — perhaps humans too.

The black-capped chickadee, seen here, is well known for its strong episodic memory. Dmitriy Aronov hide caption

The "barcodes" powering these tiny songbirds' memories may also help human memory

April 5, 2024 • Tiny, black-capped chickadees have big memories. They stash food in hundreds to thousands of locations in the wild – and then come back to these stashes when other food sources are low. Now, researchers at Columbia University's Zuckerman Institute think neural activity that works like a barcode may be to thank for this impressive feat — and that it might be a clue for how memories work across species.

The "barcodes" powering these tiny songbirds' memories may also help human memory

"One second doesn't sound like much, but in today's interconnected world, getting the time wrong could lead to huge problems," geophysicist Duncan Agnew says. Here, an official clock is seen at a golf tournament in Cape Town, South Africa. Johan Rynners/Getty Images hide caption

Negative leap second: Climate change delays unusual step for time standard

March 30, 2024 • We're nearing a year when a negative leap second could be needed to shave time — an unprecedented step that would have unpredictable effects, a new study says.

A researcher holds up a sandy De Winton's golden mole. Nicky Souness/Endangered Wildlife Trust hide caption

Once lost to science, these "uncharismatic" animals are having their moment

March 29, 2024 • Historic numbers of animals across the globe have become endangered or pushed to extinction. But some of these species sit in limbo — not definitively extinct yet missing from the scientific record. Rediscovering a "lost" species is not easy. It can require trips to remote areas and canvassing a large area in search of only a handful of animals. But new technology and stronger partnerships with local communities have helped these hidden, "uncharismatic" creatures come to light.

Once lost to science, these "uncharismatic" animals are having their moment

The country's two biggest reservoirs are on the Colorado River. Water levels at Lake Powell have dropped steeply during the two-decade megadrought. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images hide caption

The Colorado River rarely reaches the sea. Here's why

March 28, 2024 • More than half of the Colorado River's water is used to grow crops, primarily livestock feed, a new study finds. The river and its users are facing tough decisions as the climate warms.

A post-reproductive toothed whale mother and her son. David Ellifrit/Center for Whale Research hide caption

Most animals don't go through menopause. So why do these whales?

March 22, 2024 • Across the animal kingdom, menopause is something of an evolutionary blip. We humans are one of the few animals to experience it. But Sam Ellis , a researcher in animal behavior, argues that this isn't so surprising. "The best way to propagate your genes is to get as many offspring as possible into the next generation," says Ellis. "The best way to do that is almost always to reproduce your whole life."

A cicada perches on a picnic table in front of Nolde Mansion in Cumru Township, PA in May 2021. New research shows that these insects urinate in a surprising way. Ben Hasty / MediaNews Group/Reading Eagle via Getty Images hide caption

Scientists studied how cicadas pee. Their insights could shed light on fluid dynamics

March 20, 2024 • Cicadas, and the way they urinate, offer a 'perfect' lab for understanding fluid dynamics at very small scales, researchers say

Workers at the U.S. Embassy in Havana leave the building in September 2017. New research out of the National Institutes of Health finds no unusual pattern of damage in the brains of Havana syndrome patients. Emily Michot/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images hide caption

In Havana syndrome patients, NIH scientists find no physical trace of harm

March 18, 2024 • The mysterious ailments that became known as Havana syndrome left no physical evidence of injury or disease, according to two government studies.

This close-up of the Verona astrolabe shows Arabic and Hebrew markings. Federica Gigante hide caption

This medieval astrolabe has both Arabic and Hebrew markings. Here's what it means

March 16, 2024 • This discovery sheds new light on the rich history of scholarship and intellectual exchange between Muslims, Jews and Christians during a time of Muslim rule in medieval Spain.

Flares burn off methane and other hydrocarbons at an oil and gas facility in Lenorah, Texas in 2021. New research shows drillers emit about three times as much climate-warming methane as official estimates. David Goldman/AP hide caption

Oil and gas companies emit more climate-warming methane than EPA reports

March 13, 2024 • Oil and gas drillers are releasing more climate-warming methane than the government estimates, a new study shows.

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Irregular bone marrow cells may increase heart disease risk

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Healthy lifestyle may offset genetics by 60% and add five years to life, study says

Genetics alone can mean a 21% greater risk of early death, research finds, but people can improve their chances

A healthy lifestyle may offset the impact of genetics by more than 60% and add another five years to your life, according to the first study of its kind.

It is well established that some people are genetically predisposed to a shorter lifespan. It is also well known that lifestyle factors, specifically smoking, alcohol consumption, diet and physical activity, can have an impact on longevity.

However, until now there has been no investigation to understand the extent to which a healthy lifestyle may counterbalance genetics.

Findings from several long-term studies suggest a healthy lifestyle could offset effects of life-shortening genes by 62% and add as much as five years to your life. The results were published in the journal BMJ Evidence-Based Medicine .

“This study elucidates the pivotal role of a healthy lifestyle in mitigating the impact of genetic factors on lifespan reduction,” the researchers concluded. “Public health policies for improving healthy lifestyles would serve as potent complements to conventional healthcare and mitigate the influence of genetic factors on human lifespan.”

The study involved 353,742 people from the UK Biobank and showed that those with a high genetic risk of a shorter life have a 21% increased risk of early death compared with those with a low genetic risk, regardless of their lifestyle.

Meanwhile, people with unhealthy lifestyles have a 78% increased chance of early death, regardless of their genetic risk, researchers from Zhejiang University School of Medicine in China and the University of Edinburgh found.

The study added that having an unhealthy lifestyle and shorter lifespan genes more than doubled the risk of early death compared with people with luckier genes and healthy lifestyles.

However, researchers found that people did appear to have a degree of control over what happened. The genetic risk of a shorter lifespan or premature death may be offset by a favourable lifestyle by about 62%, they found.

They wrote: “Participants with high genetic risk could prolong approximately 5.22 years of life expectancy at age 40 with a favourable lifestyle.”

The “optimal lifestyle combination” for a longer life was found to be “never smoking, regular physical activity, adequate sleep duration and healthy diet”.

The study followed people for 13 years on average, during which time 24,239 deaths occurred. People were grouped into three genetically determined lifespan categories including long (20.1%), intermediate (60.1%) and short (19.8%), and three lifestyle score categories including favourable (23.1%), intermediate (55.6%) and unfavourable (21.3%).

Researchers used polygenic risk scores to look at multiple genetic variants to arrive at a person’s overall genetic predisposition to a longer or shorter life. Other scores looked at whether people smoked, drank alcohol, took exercise, their body shape, healthy diet and sleep.

Matt Lambert, the health information and promotion manager at the World Cancer Research Fund, said: “This new research shows that, despite genetic factors, living a healthy lifestyle, including eating a balanced nutritious diet and keeping active, can help us live longer.”

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1 in 5 U.S. Cancer Patients Join in Medical Research

HealthDay April 3, 2024

CDC: Tuberculosis Cases Increasing

While the U.S. has one of the lowest rates of tuberculosis in the world, researchers found that cases increased 16% from 2022 to 2023.

Cecelia Smith-Schoenwalder March 28, 2024

Researchers Find New Way to Curb Asthma Attacks

HealthDay March 26, 2024

Biden to Sign Order Expanding Health Research in Women

HealthDay March 18, 2024

Politics Hasn't Shaken Most Americans' Faith in Science: Study

HealthDay March 12, 2024

Jill Biden Announces $100 Million for Research on Women's Health

HealthDay Feb. 22, 2024

Study Links Living Alone to Depression

New research bound to influence conversations about America’s ‘loneliness epidemic’ suggests living alone could have implications for physical and mental health.

Steven Ross Johnson Feb. 15, 2024

Scientists Discover New Way to Fight Estrogen-Fueled Breast Cancer

HealthDay Feb. 14, 2024

Food Insecurity Tied to Early Death

An inability to get adequate food is shaving years off people’s lives in the U.S., a new study suggests.

Steven Ross Johnson Jan. 29, 2024

Dana Farber Cancer Center to Retract or Fix Dozens of Studies

HealthDay Jan. 23, 2024

America 2024

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• Research @ BEA

Studies on the Value of Data

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has undertaken a series of studies that present methods for quantifying the value of simple data that can be differentiated from the complex data created by highly skilled workers that was studied in Calderón and Rassier 2022 . Preliminary studies in this series focus on tax data, individual credit data, and driving data. Additional examples include medical records, educational transcripts, business financial records, customer data, equipment maintenance histories, social media profiles, tourist maps, and many more. If new case studies under this topic are released, they will be added to the listing below.

• Capitalizing Data: Case Studies of Driving Records and Vehicle Insurance Claims | April 2024
• Private Funding of “Free” Data: A Theoretical Framework | April 2024
• Capitalizing Data: Case Studies of Tax Forms and Individual Credit Reports | June 2023

Rachel Soloveichik

JEL Code(s) E01 Published April 2024

Nutrition Research News

Top headlines, latest headlines.

• Treating Brain Disorders
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• Moderate Alcohol Use and Birth Abnormalities
• Antioxidant Supplement May Improve Cognition
• Ketogenic Diet for Severe Mental Illness
• Keto Diet Prevents Early Memory Decline in Mice
• How Bitter Polyphenols Promote Well-Being
• Crave Snacks After Eating? Food-Seeking Neurons

Earlier Headlines

Wednesday, march 20, 2024.

• Metformin During Pregnancy Affects the Brain Development in Offspring Mice, Study Finds

Friday, March 15, 2024

• Fatty Food Before Surgery May Impair Memory in Old, Young Adults

Thursday, March 14, 2024

• A Healthier Diet Is Linked With a Slower Pace of Aging, Reduced Dementia Risk, Study Shows

Wednesday, March 13, 2024

• Middle-Age Obesity Is Caused by Changes in the Shape of Neurons in the Brain

Monday, March 11, 2024

• AI-Generated Food Images Look Tastier Than Real Ones

Wednesday, March 6, 2024

• Consuming Refined Carbs Might Be Linked to Perceived Facial Attractiveness
• Too Little Sleep Raises Risk of Type 2 Diabetes, New Study Finds

Friday, March 1, 2024

• Study Results Show 25% of Pregnant People Are Not Getting Enough Omega-3 Fatty Acids from Their Diet or Dietary Supplements

Tuesday, February 27, 2024

• Living Near Pubs, Bars and Fast-Food Restaurants Could Be Bad for Heart Health

Tuesday, February 20, 2024

• Avid Appetite in Childhood Linked to Later Eating Disorder Symptoms
• Could Ultra-Processed Foods Be the New 'silent' Killer?

Friday, February 16, 2024

• Why Do(n't) People Support Being Nudged Towards Healthier Diets?

Thursday, February 15, 2024

• Protein-Rich Breakfast Boosts Satiety and Concentration
• Helping Caregivers Help People With Dementia Eat at Home

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

• A Closer Look at Cannabis Use and Binge Eating

Monday, January 29, 2024

• Study Urges People to Think Twice Before Going on a Diet

Wednesday, January 24, 2024

• 'Furry Fruit' Improves Mental Health -- Fast

Thursday, January 18, 2024

• Removing Largest Serving Sizes of Wine Decreases Alcohol Consumption, Study Finds
• New Gut-Brain Circuits Found for Sugar and Fat Cravings

Saturday, January 13, 2024

• Early Study Shows Health Benefits of Creative Arts Therapies and Nutrition Education for Postmenopausal Women

Thursday, January 11, 2024

• Scientists Identify How Dietary Restriction Slows Brain Aging and Increases Lifespan

Monday, January 8, 2024

• Drugs Used to Treat Type 2 Diabetes Reduce Alcohol Cravings, Use in Individuals With Obesity

Monday, December 18, 2023

• Parents' Top Resolutions: More Patience, Less Time on Phones

Tuesday, December 12, 2023

• Fat Flies Live Longer on a Diet at Any Age

Monday, December 4, 2023

• Survey Finds Americans Struggle to Maintain Healthy Habits During the Holiday Season

Friday, December 1, 2023

• How Pre And Postnatal B-12 Vitamins Improve Breast Milk Vitamin B-12 Levels, Which Supports Infant Brain Development

Tuesday, November 28, 2023

• Fat Cells Help Repair Damaged Nerves

Monday, November 27, 2023

• Scientist Discovers Potential Brain Link Between Stress, Emotional Eating

Wednesday, November 22, 2023

• From the First Bite, Our Sense of Taste Helps Pace Our Eating

Friday, November 17, 2023

• Following a Mediterranean Diet Reduces the Risk of Cognitive Decline in Older People

Thursday, November 16, 2023

• Hunger Hormones Impact Decision-Making Brain Area to Drive Behavior

Monday, November 13, 2023

• Study Finds Melatonin Use Soaring Among Youth

Tuesday, November 7, 2023

• Obesity Linked to Neurodegeneration Through Insulin Resistance

Tuesday, October 24, 2023

• Children as Young as Four Eat More When Bored

Friday, October 20, 2023

• Women With a Heart Healthy Diet in Midlife Are Less Likely to Report Cognitive Decline Later

Wednesday, October 11, 2023

• Jet Lag Disorder Associated With Shift Work Can Lead to Brain Changes Increasing Appetite

Tuesday, October 10, 2023

• How Plant-Derived Nutrients Can Affect the Gut and Brain

Monday, October 9, 2023

• Scientists Says Identifying Some Foods as Addictive Could Shift Attitudes, Stimulate Research

Wednesday, October 4, 2023

• Being a Vegetarian May Be Partly in Your Genes

Monday, October 2, 2023

• Discrimination Alters Brain-Gut 'crosstalk,' Prompting Poor Food Choices and Increased Health Risks

Wednesday, September 27, 2023

• Saturated Fat May Interfere With Creating Memories in Aged Brain

Sunday, September 17, 2023

• Early Treatment of Child Obesity Is Effective

Friday, September 15, 2023

• Living in a Disadvantaged Neighborhood Affects Food Choices, Weight Gain and the Microstructure of the Brain

Thursday, September 14, 2023

• A Quarter of People Are Undoing the Benefits of Healthy Meals by Unhealthy Snacking

Friday, September 1, 2023

• Red Blood Cells Exposed to Oxygen Deficiency Protect Against Myocardial Infarction

Thursday, August 31, 2023

• Adding Complex Component of Milk to Infant Formula Confers Long-Term Cognitive Benefits for Bottle-Fed Babies
• A New Breakthrough in Obesity Research May Allow You to Lose Fat While Eating All You Want

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

• Researchers Identify the Link Between Memory and Appetite in the Human Brain to Explain Obesity

Thursday, August 17, 2023

• A Healthy Diet, Reading, and Doing Sports Promote Reasoning Skills in Children

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

• Adherence to a Mediterranean Lifestyle Associated With Lower Risk of All-Cause and Cancer Mortality
• How Cold Temperatures Trigger the Brain to Boost Appetite

Thursday, August 10, 2023

• Font Size Can 'nudge' Customers Toward Healthier Food Choices

Tuesday, August 8, 2023

• Brain's 'appetite Control Center' Different in People Who Are Overweight or Living With Obesity
• Laboratory Research Finds Gluten Caused Brain Inflammation in Mice

Monday, August 7, 2023

• Out With the Life Coach, in With the Chatbot

Thursday, August 3, 2023

• A Mother's Diet Can Protect Her Grandchildren's Brains: Genetic Model Study

Wednesday, August 2, 2023

• Irregular Sleep Patterns Associated With Harmful Gut Bacteria

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

• Mediterranean Diet and Physical Activity Could Prevent Hospitalization-Associated Disability in Older People

Thursday, June 29, 2023

• Fasting Can Help You Lose Weight, but You Might Gain It Back Quickly

Tuesday, June 27, 2023

• The Worm That Learned: Diet Found to Affect Learning in Older Nematodes
• Molecular Imaging Identifies Brain Changes in Response to Food Cues; Offers Insight Into Obesity Interventions

Monday, June 26, 2023

• Lean Body Mass, Age Linked With Alcohol Elimination Rates in Women

Wednesday, June 21, 2023

• Omega-3 Fatty Acids Linked to Slower Decline in ALS

Monday, June 12, 2023

• Researchers Uncover Why Light-to-Moderate Drinking Is Tied to Better Heart Health

Thursday, June 8, 2023

• Colorful Fresh Foods Improve Athletes' Vision
• How Chronic Stress Drives the Brain to Crave Comfort Food

Tuesday, May 30, 2023

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Monday, May 29, 2023

• Low-Flavanol Diet Drives Age-Related Memory Loss, Large Study Finds

Wednesday, May 24, 2023

• How Tasty Is the Food?
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Monday, May 22, 2023

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Thursday, May 11, 2023

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Friday, May 5, 2023

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Thursday, April 13, 2023

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Friday, April 7, 2023

• Researchers Leverage Cell Self-Destruction to Treat Brain Tumors

Wednesday, April 5, 2023

• Exposure Therapy to Feared Foods May Help Kids With Eating Disorders

Tuesday, March 28, 2023

• New Form of Omega-3 Could Prevent Visual Decline With Alzheimer's Disease

Monday, March 27, 2023

• Beneficial Bacteria in the Infant Gut Uses Nitrogen from Breast Milk to Support Baby's Health

Friday, March 24, 2023

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Thursday, March 23, 2023

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Wednesday, March 22, 2023

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Monday, March 20, 2023

• Molecular Basis for Alkaline Taste

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

• Meta-Analysis Shows Association Between Autism in Children and Cardiometabolic Diseases

Monday, March 13, 2023

• Mediterranean Diet Associated With Decreased Risk of Dementia, Study Finds

Wednesday, March 8, 2023

• MIND and Mediterranean Diets Associated With Fewer Alzheimer's Plaques and Tangles

Friday, March 3, 2023

• A Good Night's Sleep May Make It Easier to Stick to Exercise and Diet Goals

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• Taking Vitamin D Could Help Prevent Dementia

Thursday, February 23, 2023

• Leptin Helps Hungry Mice Choose Sex Over Food

Tuesday, February 14, 2023

• Want Healthy Valentine Chocolates? We Can Print Them

Monday, February 13, 2023

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Thursday, February 2, 2023

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Tuesday, January 31, 2023

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Thursday, January 26, 2023

• Why a High Fat Diet Could Reduce the Brain's Ability to Regulate Food Intake

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• Supplementation With Amino Acid Serine Eases Neuropathy in Diabetic Mice

Friday, January 20, 2023

• Loneliness Associated With Unhealthful Diets and Physical Inactivity Among US College Students

Wednesday, January 18, 2023

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Study Shows How Higher Education Supports Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Students Through Culturally Relevant Courses, Programs, and Research

Analysis of minority-serving institutions on the East and West Coasts demonstrates layered processes to build students’ capacities

The model minority myth paints a picture of Asian Americans as a monolithic group with unparalleled success in academics. A new NYU study unpacks this myth, exploring the needs of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander students and how higher education institutions support these populations.

In 2007, Congress established a federal designation for higher education institutions that enroll at least 10 percent of undergraduate Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AA&NHPI) students, and who enroll a significant proportion of students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. This designation as an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) was among one of the newest categories of minority-serving institutions that receive federal funding to advance educational equity and support for ethnic and racial minorities.

In a two-site case study, Mike Hoa Nguyen , assistant professor of education at NYU Steinhardt, collected data from interviews, internal and public university documents, and observations of activities, courses, and meetings to determine the process in which AANAPISI programs expand students’ capacities through culturally relevant coursework, mentorship, research, and civic engagement. His findings are published in The Review of Higher Education .

“AANAPISIs demonstrate a federal commitment to supporting the unique educational needs of AA&NHPI students, which are too often obscured by the model minority myth,” said Nguyen. “This myth dangerously asserts that Asian American students, and Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students by association, are universally successful and unparalleled in their academic achievements. AANAPISIs play a major role in addressing this problem, and in doing so, provide critical resources to uplift the students they serve. This study documents the process in which these colleges and universities engage in this important work.”

Nguyen's study centered on a large, public community college on the West Coast and a large, urban, regional public university on the East Coast. Nguyen’s findings related to the experiences of students in these programs.

He uncovered a five-tiered process that the two institutions use to build opportunities for learning, practice, and engagement:

AA&NHPI Focused Coursework At both institutions, courses focused on these populations are offered through the institutions’ Asian American Studies programs, where students are exposed to concepts connected to their racial and ethnic identities. One student shared her experience with a course, Asian Women in the United States, “Through my experience with that class I learned…for the first time, issues that affected my community. Specifically, me as an Asian American woman, specifically Vietnamese American…”

Teaching and Mentoring Students who had previously taken AA&NHPI coursework provided tutoring and mentoring to support new students with classwork, programs, books, and scholarship applications.  According to one mentor, “Cambodian Americans fall through the cracks, we’re just not in higher ed…It’s not a supportive space for us…[the AANAPISI faculty] understand…from their own community work, from being on campus, and [from] teaching for so long that…when they find students who fit these demographics it makes sense for them to mentor them.”

Advanced AA&NHPI Focused Coursework After serving as mentors, students often take more advanced courses focused on theoretical, historical, and contemporary issues regarding the AA&NHPI experience to continue their academics while gaining tools to make larger contributions toward their communities. 

Academic and Research Development Students who complete advanced coursework are provided opportunities to engage in academic projects and research with faculty and staff, presenting research at conferences or publishing in peer-reviewed journals. 

Professional and Community Experience The final step in the process offers opportunities for students to engage in community-based projects, internships, and employment with partner organizations, government offices, or other schools. A student shared that his research experience led to the creation of a Vietnamese American organizing and training program. “[Researchers] found out that Vietnamese Americans in [the neighborhood] don't participate in civics or politics…they basically feel disenfranchised, like their vote doesn’t matter…So, the research showed that there needs to be an organization to help push and provide opportunities to talk about politics in a Vietnamese American progressive context…”

“AANAPISIs are the backbone for AA&NHPI students in higher education. These institutions account for six percent of all colleges and universities, yet enroll over 40 percent of all AA&NHPI undergraduates,” said Nguyen. “This study offers new understandings of the critical role that AANAPISIs play to expand educational opportunity and enrich learning experiences—which can be adopted beyond AANAPISIs and for other students—as well as inform the work of policymakers as they seek new solutions to refine and regulate the administration of minority-serving institutions.”

Funding for this study was provided by the UCLA Institute of American Cultures and the UCLA Asian American Studies Center. 

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