Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Abortion Politics And Policy: Stigma And Access In The Silver State, Celene Fuller

Lincy Institute Events

In the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization (2022) overturning Roe V. Wade, states have taken divergent paths in regulating access to abortion services. In 2024, Nevada voters overwhelmingly passed Question 6 proposing to codify abortion rights into the state constitution. In November 2026, Question 6 will again be on the ballot for final confirmation. If it passes, these rights will be protected from future legislative action.

Despite Nevadans’ strong support for abortion rights, the state’s dearth of abortion providers limits access to these services. As this lecture explores, both providers and individuals seeking abortions, …

People Who Moved In The Mountain West, 2024, Anthony Arroyo, Sydney Mitchell, Maisoon Faris, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Cities & Metros

This fact sheet presents 2024 data on state and city-level mobility rates across the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Point2Homes’ “Mobility Rates Reach Record Low: In 2024, Americans Moved Less Than Ever” report provides data on mobility rates within states, as well as the rate of new residents moving into states and cities across the U.S. This fact sheet highlights mobility rates within Mountain West states, the rate of new residents moving into Mountain West states, and the rate of new residents moving into 63 Mountain West cities. This fact sheet also includes national …

Clustering Of Internet Behaviors And Associated Mental Health Outcomes Among U.S. Adolescents, Aakansha Singh, Timothy Grigsby, Miguel Fudolig, Ying Guo, Clariana Ramos De Oliveira

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Poster: Clustering of Internet behaviors and associated mental health outcomes among U.S. adolescents

Policy Shifts And Educational Access: An Analysis Of Financial Aid Limitations Under The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, Alison Ayala-Jones

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

This paper examines the Department of Education’s reclassification of professional and non-professional studies in relation to the newly imposed caps on the amount of financial aid students can access, as stated in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. While these policy changes take into consideration economic constraints and the principle of supporting students through more effective allocation of resources, they do not function as intended and instead disproportionately affect low-income students. By limiting the total aid available, the policy restricts access to certain programs, particularly for those who rely most heavily on financial assistance. Although education was historically intended to …

How Has The War On Drugs Influenced American Political Discourse, Fabiola Gamez-Lopez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

The War on Drugs was a political initiative designed to eliminate illegal drug use and trafficking through law enforcement and punitive legal measures. Early policies marked a shift from relative deregulation in the early 1900s to a transition to “zero tolerance” policies. Over time, American political discourse has evolved from a strict legal enforcement frame to raising awareness of drug addiction as a public health concern, with growing attitudes of reformation of the previous frame. The methodology used in this study consisted of a qualitative analysis of existing literature, including historical policy documentation, political rhetoric, and scholarly research. By comparing …

Why Don’T Young People Vote?, Mia Diaz

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

This presentation explores the causes of young people's lower voter turnout compared to older adults, a crucial problem for democratic representation. The gap is caused by several important issues, which will be discussed. First, getting information about voting is frequently a major obstacle. Young voters may find it difficult to learn about candidates, policy, and the voting process, which could cause them to lose interest and not cast a ballot. Second, poor civic education in schools and colleges, and complicated voter registration procedures. These obstacles can include complicated registration paperwork and difficult deadlines to meet, particularly for first-time voters. Another …

The "New Normal" In Spine Surgery Economics: A Comparative Analysis Of Surgeon Medicare Reimbursement, Matt Michelberger

Undergraduate Research Symposium Lightning Talks

Introduction: This study evaluated temporal trends, utilization patterns, and the economic burden of inpatient spine surgery in Nevada, and identified demographic and hospital factors associated with high-charge hospitalizations. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the Nevada Hospital Inpatient Billing (NHIB) database was performed for inpatient spine surgery cases from 2010–2024. Utilization trends were assessed across the study period. High-charge hospitalizations were defined as total charges at or above the 75th percentile. Multivariable logistic regression identified independent predictors of high-charge episodes. Results: A total of 41,925 inpatient spine surgery cases were identified. Most patients were female (54.5%), White (76.7%), and aged >65 …

The Effects Of Neighborhood And Interior Characteristics On Residential Sale Prices, Ella Hagman

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

This study analyses how certain neighborhood and interior characteristics affect residential sale prices, after accounting for standard property variables. This is important to examine in order to understand the function of the housing market, the sources of price differences, and whether residential values can be controlled by emphasizing specific desirable property features. The study is based on a dataset of approximately 330,000 observations from the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), as well as walkability data obtained from Walk Score. The data is analyzed in Stata, using three regression models with different combinations of explanatory variables. The results show that the model …

Political Sophistication: Approaching The Education Divide, Madeline Krieger

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

The 2024 presidential election had the second highest turnout in recent history, with 64 percent of Americans casting a vote. In the context of midterm and local elections, this level of participation is rarely observed. If democracy is driven by constituent input, it is essential to examine who has the resources and incentives to participate. This review considers academic, peer-reviewed literature that examines voting and political sophistication, or an individual’s ability to acquire and apply political knowledge. While sociodemographic and economic variables influence political participation, educational attainment serves as an intersection of both. Access to quality education and post-secondary institutions …

Hedonics Of Used Car Attributes On Market Price, Alexander Bent, Jason Gutierrez

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

This analysis of hedonic price attributes uses Rosen’s paper on hedonic pricing as a framework to analyze the determinants of used car prices found in Craigslist. Using cleaned data, we see over 43,000 listings from 2005 to 2020 and investigate factors that affect used car prices and how they interact in this market. Results show that odometer readings and condition are the strongest factors that influence price, while manufacturers, paint color, drive type, fuel type, size, and year are adverse and depend on perceived attributes, consumer preferences, or market conditions.

Fostering Nationalism: Education As A Political Tool In India And Pakistan, Ashot Khachaturyan

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Education is regarded globally as a necessity for the youth to develop intellectually, emotionally, and socially. In developing countries around the world, like India and Pakistan, the quality of education, as well as the foundations of the curricula, are subject to cultural ties that promote ideologies of strong national identity. This paper aims to highlight the extent to which education, the most critical aspect of a child’s development, is used as a political tool in India and Pakistan. Analyzing existing research and journals, the reformations of Indian and Pakistani education to drive interpersonal conflicts will be explored, focusing on the …

The Quiet Crisis Of Elder Abuse: Evidence And Implications, Vidhani Goel, Nataliyah Tahir, Joshua Khorsandi, Sheila Janofsky

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Elder abuse is a critical public health issue affecting older adults globally, with significant physical, psychological, and social consequences. The COVID-19 pandemic introduced widespread disruptions- including social isolation, economic instability, and reduced access to healthcare and support services- that may have intensified vulnerability to abuse. However, evidence examining how patterns of elder abuse evolved across different phases of the pandemic remains fragmented. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the extent, range, and nature of existing literature on elder abuse across pre-pandemic, during-pandemic, and post-pandemic periods, with a focus on prevalence, risk and protective factors, and reporting patterns. A comprehensive …

Data Centers In Mountain West Markets, 2026, Maisoon Faris, Cason Noll

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

Our presentation, based on research conducted with Brookings Mountain West at UNLV, will focus on the distribution and geographic concentration of data centers across Mountain West markets. We will present data from our recently published fact sheet, """"Data Centers in Mountain West Markets, 2026,"""" which derives data from DataCenterMap, a platform that tracks global data centers in real time. Our presentation will include state and market level data on data center counts and geographic concentration as of March 6th, 2026. We will present two data figures highlighting data on each Mountain West state and market: Table 1 provides the national …

Nevada Mining & The Limits Of U.S. Energy Independence, Mckinley Brown, Emma Kitchen

Undergraduate Research Symposium Podium Presentations

This study examines how heavy equipment investment and project timelines in mining interact with permitting processes to influence blue collar employment in the United States. By using equipment purchases as a proxy for project scale, the research connects industrial activity driven by green energy demand to regional labor outcomes. The expansion of green energy has increased demand for critical minerals, making mining and industrial sectors central to economic growth. Permitting processes play a key role in determining how quickly these projects translate into job creation and regional development. Higher levels of industrial investment and more efficient permitting are associated with …

When The Beat Drops, Do Patients Rise? Critical Care Utilization At Electric Daisy Carnival, Las Vegas, Jie Ren, Kavita Batra, Vidhani Goel, Taya Jensen, San Tran

Undergraduate Research Symposium Posters

Electronic dance music (EDM) festivals are associated with recreational drug use and medical emergencies, yet comparative data on the severity of festival-related overdoses are limited. This study compared hospital outcomes, particularly critical care utilization, between patients transported from the Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) and those with non–festival-related overdoses during the same period. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of adults (≥18 years) presenting with drug or alcohol overdose to an urban tertiary care teaching hospital between May 17, 2019, and May 20, 2024. Patients were classified as EDC-related or non-EDC based on electronic medical record documentation. Group differences were assessed …

Does What Happens In Vegas Increase Pedestrian Safety? A Longitudinal Study On The Effectiveness Of Pedestrian Bridges, Jalen Paulos, Jalen Paulos, Joaquin Del Mundo, Brock Wentz

School of Medicine Research Poster Showcase

Urban populations continue to rise and the frequency that pedestrians are exposed to vehicular traffic continues to increase. The result is an increase in automobile versus pedestrian collisions. This study aims to determine the efficacy of pedestrian bridges in reducing the rates of automobile-pedestrian collisions. Data for all automobile versus pedestrian collisions and injuries from July of 1997 through December of 2023 at four distinct intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard were retrieved from the Nevada Department of Transportation. These sites were chosen because of their historically high rates of automobile versus pedestrian incidents and the construction of pedestrian bridges at …

The Death Penalty & State Executions In The Mountain West, 1976 - 2024, Mia Tschan, Sydney Mitchell, Yiselle Olivas Ruiz, Dre Boyd-Weatherly, Olivia K. Cheche, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents 1976-2024 data on the death penalty and state executions in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah. The Death Penalty Information Center (DPIC) report, “State Execution Rates,” includes data on the 36 states that have conducted state executions and the 38 states, federal government, and military institutions that imposed the death penalty between 1976 and 2024. This fact sheet focuses on cumulative executions, executions per capita, and executions per death sentence in each Mountain West state.

Does What Happens In Vegas Increase Pedestrian Safety? A Longitudinal Study On The Effectiveness Of Pedestrian Bridges, Jalen Paulos, Joaquin Miguel Del Mundo, Brock Wentz, Janel Pietryga

Department of Orthopaedics Faculty Research

Urban populations continue to rise and the frequency that pedestrians are exposed to vehicular traffic continues to increase. The result is an increase in automobile versus pedestrian collisions. This study aims to determine the efficacy of pedestrian bridges in reducing the rates of automobile‒pedestrian collisions. Data for all automobile versus pedestrian collisions and injuries from July 1997 through December 2023 at four distinct intersections along Las Vegas Boulevard were retrieved from the Nevada Department of Transportation. These sites were chosen because of their historically high rates of automobile versus pedestrian incidents and the construction of pedestrian bridges at three of …

Bravery And Bayonets: The Nigerian Regiment And The Battle Of Bweho Chini, September 1917, Paul Cronin

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

The First World War in East Africa spanned the entirety of the war, from 1914 to 1918, and by the end of the war nearly all of the personnel on both sides were African. Understanding how the war in East Africa was different geographically and militarily from the western front helps to shed light on the unique experience of the men who fought there. My thesis builds on the thesis of Ibiang O. Ewa, that the Nigerian Regiment was crucial to allied victory in the campaign, in his chapter in Africa and the First World War: Remembrance, Memories, and Representations …

Navigating Sustainable Burial In Southern Nevada, Kristen Gibson

Calvert Undergraduate Research Awards

Navigating Sustainable Burial in Southern Nevada investigates the accessibility of environmentally conscious end-of-life options for individuals throughout the region. Sustainable burial practices, including green burial, water cremation, and natural organic reduction, provide alternatives to traditional burial and cremation methods. Research was conducted through an analysis of Nevada statutes, local reporting, funeral service resources, and public discussions related to sustainable burial. The research revealed that although Nevada expanded legal recognition of sustainable burial by legalizing natural organic reduction, public access to clear information and available services remains limited. These findings informed the creation of a choose-your-own-adventure booklet designed to translate legal …

Retirement Rankings In The Mountain West, 2025, Isabelle G. Graham, Mia Tschan, Anthony Arroyo, Kristian Thymianos, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Demography

This fact sheet reports 2025 data on retirement rankings in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The Bankrate report, “America’s best states to retire in 2025: New Hampshire takes the top spot,” presents data on retirement rankings for all 50 U.S. states. This fact sheet focuses on the overall retirement rank and individual retirement category rankings for each Mountain West state.

Data Centers In Mountain West Markets, 2026, Cason Noll, Krish Sharma, Maisoon Faris, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Transportation & Infrastructure

This fact sheet reports on the distribution and geographic concentration of data centers across the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico and Utah as of March 6th, 2026. Using data from DataCenterMap, this fact sheet examines the number of data centers in each Mountain West state and further analyzes market-level  distribution, defined as cities within each state where data centers are located. The data are used to compare state totals and to rank Mountain West markets from highest to lowest based on the number of data centers operating in that area.

Domestic Violence In The Mountain West, 2026, Isabelle G. Graham, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents 2026 data on domestic violence in the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The World Population Review report, “Domestic Violence by State 2026,” reports data on the percentage of women and men in each state who report experiences of domestic violence in their lifetime.This fact sheet highlights state-level data on different forms of domestic violence reported across the Mountain West.

From One-Shots To Gems: Building Scaffolded Microcredentials In Information Literacy, Layla Barati, Kevin Sebastian

Library Faculty Research

Discover how UNLV Libraries redesigned first-year information literacy instruction into the GEM Knowledge Series—scaffolded microcourses awarding stackable badges. Learn how this model moves beyond traditional one-off library lessons, embeds assessment, and empowers students to Gather, Evaluate, and Make knowledge across academic, professional, and civic contexts.

The Price Of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power Of Taxation In American History, Vanessa Williamson

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presented a lecture titled, "The Price of Democracy: The Revolutionary Power of Taxation in American History" by Brookings senior fellow in governance studies, Vanessa Williamson.

From tariffs to “no tax on tips”, taxation has often been a hot topic in American elections. What is not commonly recognized, however, is that—from the framing of the Constitution to the decades-long backlash to the civil rights movement—taxes have been at the heart of battles over the breadth of our democracy. Brookings senior fellow Vanessa Williamson discusses her new book, The Price of …

Social Media And E-Cigarette Use In Youth: Does Depression Play A Mediating Role?, Soumya Upadhyay, Mohammad Karim, Shivank Chhaya

Healthcare Administration and Policy Faculty Research

About 28% of middle and high school students report the use of e-cigarettes per the 2019 NYTS survey. Social media can seclude a youth into limited set of beliefs, including affirmation for e-cigarette use. Internalizing problems like depression may be due to overuse of social media, and youth with depressive symptoms are more likely to use e-cigarettes to cope. National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS) 2023 data was used (n = 18 143) in a cross-sectional design. Ever e-cigarette use was the binary (Y/N) dependent variable. Independent variable, social media use, was categorized as “never,” “nondaily,” “daily.” Mediator variable, presence of …

Violent And Property Crime In The Mountain West, 2024-2025, Sydney Mitchell, Kian Parikh, Kristian Thymianos, Olivia K. Cheche, William E. Brown Jr.

Criminal Justice

This fact sheet presents 2024-2025 violent and property crime data for the Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. Crime data are sourced from the Real-Time Crime Index (RTCI) created by AH Datalytics. The RTCI table, “Reported UCR Part One Crimes Year to Date” compares violent and property crime rates during the time frames of January-October 2024 and January-October 2025 for states across the U.S. This fact sheet highlights the violent and property crime rates in each Mountain West state and considers how these data have changed between January-October 2024 and January-October 2025.

The State Of Mental Health In The Mountain West, 2025, Cason Noll, Anirudh Polagani, Taylor Volk, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Health

This fact sheet presents data on the mental health of youth and adults, as well as the availability of mental health care, across the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah in 2025. The data are derived from "The State of Mental Health in America 2025,” originally published by Mental Health America (MHA).

Child Care Costs In The Mountain West, 2025, Cason Noll, Isabelle G. Graham, Mohit Pande, Olivia K. Cheche, Caitlin J. Saladino, William E. Brown Jr.

Economic Development & Workforce

This fact sheet reports child care affordability and cost data for the five Mountain West states of Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Utah. The Economic Policy Institute (EPI) report, “Child care costs in the United States,” highlights data on the differences in child care affordability across the United States. This fact sheet presents data on the percentage of annual income required to afford infant care for a minimum-wage worker, a typical child care worker, and a median family with children based on state-level income data for each Mountain West state. This fact sheet also reports annual costs, including college, …

The Rise Of The Global Middle Class, Homi Kharas

Brookings Scholar Lecture Series

As part of the Brookings Scholar Lecture Series, Brookings Mountain West presented a lecture titled, "The Rise of the Global Middle Class" by Brookings senior fellow in global economy and development, Homi Kharas.

For the last two hundred years, ever since the start of the Industrial Revolution, the most successful economies in the world have developed large, stable middle classes. With globalization, the expansion of the middle class has accelerated to a historically unprecedented speed. But global consumerism is scaling faster than the adaptation of institutions, ecosystems, and social norms. Brookings senior fellow Homi Kharas discusses his most recent book, …