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Newsroom

Research

Cashing in on the ER

You have probably heard the saying: “You know it is going to be a bad day at the office when the camera crew from 60 Minutes pulls into the parking lot ahead of you.” And the management of any organization might rightly worry that they could be the target of a “hatchet job” at the hands of one of the long-serving CBS correspondents.

But what about a case when the TV report is more like an accurate scalpel?

Skimming: It's Worse than You Think

In our digital age, “skimming” has become a growing problem. Skimmers are small devices, installed by criminals on ATM machines, self-serve gas pumps and other devices to steal information from credit, debit or ATM cards.

According to the U.S. Secret Service, thefts from ATM skimmers now total more than $1billion/year. That number is expected to rise. In January 2013, two people were arrested in New Jersey and charged with skimming more than $1 million from ATM machines.

Adventures in Research

Hauling 60-plus pounds of geological gear up mountains. Purifying ancient marine shells for cutting-edge analysis. Rendering educational concepts into mathematical expressions. These professional-level adventures were the stuff of summer for three Bentley juniors.

Listen & Learn

Jonathan White calls hunger in the United States an invisible epidemic. His research on the subject includes interviews with 54 Americans who battle under-nutrition as a result of poverty; a survey of over 200 college students to assess their awareness of the issue and their beliefs about those who are hungry; and an intensive literature review of national and regional data. White tackles the issue in his forthcoming book, Hungry to Be Heard: Voices From a Malnourished America. 

Piece Maker

As a sociologist, Angela Garcia routinely fits together how and why people do things. What unfolds when someone calls 911? Takes part in a divorce mediation session? Visits an Internet chat room? Lately she has fixed on a real conundrum: process and motivation in the construction of jigsaw puzzles.

A Poor but Standard Model

With the business model of the credit rating agencies in the news again, we wonder if there will be more than partial repairs.

Since U.S. Attorney Eric Holder filed suit against the market leader, Standard & Poor’s, seeking $5 billion in damages, we are about to find out. 

Essays Capture the Voices of Globalization

Globalization. It’s the buzzword of a generation, but what does the term really mean? Ask a Chinese economist, a South African cinematographer, an American cultural anthropologist, and a Mexican migrant worker, and each is likely to give a different definition.

Conference Engages Experts in Customer Service

The service sector used to be the stepchild of the business world, with a reputation for relatively low-paying positions in industries such as retail, banking and hospitality. No more. Service is drawing the attention of high-powered executives and academics alike.

A Supreme Decision I

What will be the tipping point for national legal recognition of gay marriage? Politicians, scholars, activists, and historians can all disagree but one thing is certain: the Supreme Court cannot avoid at least the first significant step toward that tipping point this month.

How a “Good Enough” President Can Serve the Nation

Anyone experiencing the current political climate might easily conclude that our system of governing is either severely dysfunctional, even broken.