This Week in the Media

Associate Professors Sarah Bowen and Sinikka Elliott have been featured in an NC State press release (“Study Finds ‘Family Meal’ Ideal is Stressful, Impossible for Many Families“) about a recent article they wrote, along with Dr. Joslyn Brenton, former graduate student in the department and now an assistant professor of sociology at Ithaca College. Their article entitled, “The Joy of Cooking?” was published in the Summer 2014 edition of Contexts and critiques the idea that families returning to eating home-cooked meals will improve physical health and family well-being, as well as reform the food system. According to the NC State press release written by Matt Shipman, their research findings “show that home cooking and family meals place significant stresses on many families – and are simply impossible for others.” The research project was supported by an Agriculture and Food Research Initiative Competitive Grant from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

Professor Ann Ross was featured on the cover of Indy Week,  one of the Triangle’s regional news and culture publications, for her testimony in the Grant Hayes trial last year. The article is titled “A national expert in human remains, Ann Ross used cutting-edge science to help solve one of Raleigh’s most notorious murders.” Through bone-analysis techniques, Dr. Ross was able to determine the type of saw blade used in the in the murder of Laura Ackerson. Her testimony, along with that of nearly 50 others, culminated in the conviction of Grant Hayes for first-degree murder, followed by a life sentence. In addition, Grant Hayes’s wife, Amanda Hayes, was found guilty of second-degree murder and sentenced to 13-16 years in prison. As of a result of her work on the case, Ann Ross and Amanda Hale, a former master’s student in the anthropology program, obtained federal funding for similar forensic research.