AMHERST, Mass. — Researchers at the University of Massachusetts Amherst have quantified the impacts of a constellation of social factors on the spread of HIV. Their study, published in Health Care Management Science, found that a hypothetical 100% effective intervention addressing barriers to HIV treatment and care from depression, homelessness, individual and neighborhood poverty, education disparities, lack of insurance and unemployment could reduce the national HIV incidence by 29% over 10 years. The mathematical model, a novel integration of machine learning, probability theory and simulation, is positioned to be an important tool for decision-makers to optimize social programs and will have applications for other diseases. 

With the intensifying global demand for power, cost-effective clean energy technologies are now required more than ever. Hydrovoltaic (HV) systems have recently gained significant attention for clean power generation that utilizes the interaction of water and nanostructured materials to generate electricity. Now, researchers have developed a novel dual-function HV device that also functions as a fire sensor, demonstrating, long-term viability, self-reliance, and fast response. This innovation opens new avenues for sustainable small-scale energy generation applications.

Traditional educational systems focused on prescribed, curriculum-defined courses of study impose societal expectations and limit student autonomy and personalized learning. To propose radical transformation to current educational systems, a team of researchers conducted an ecological analysis. Their proposed ‘school within a school’ approach can aid the utilization of artificial intelligence tools in education and equip students to face the challenges of the modern age.

A global survey and educational campaign, called "Under the Snakefluence," aims to better understand public perceptions of snakes and to help prevent bites, which contribute to up to 138,000 deaths worldwide each year. A Cal Poly biological sciences graduate student and professor are collaborating with Austrialian and U.S. snake experts and others throughout the world to gather information and assess educational insights to help people in more than 20 countries. Participating countries include people from Canada, Mexico, South Africa, Uganda, Malawi, Bangladesh, Nepal, India, Peru and the Philippines, in addition to the U.S. and Australia.

The University of Texas at Arlington has once again solidified its reputation as a national leader in online education, earning significant gains in the 2025 U.S. News & World Report Best Online Programs rankings released today, including the College of Education’s online programs placing in the top 5% nationally. UTA’s online master’s in education ranked 15th out of 313 institutions, and those programs tailored for military veterans and military-connected students jumped to No. 5, up from No. 10 in 2024. This marks the seventh consecutive year that the College of Education’s online master’s programs have ranked among the top 60 in the nation.