Rochester Review • University of Rochester

Rochester Quotes

“Please, keep doing your homework.”
—Daphne Bavelier, associate professor of brain and cognitive sciences, in The New York Times, discussing her study published in the journal Nature that suggests playing action video games improves visual attention skills. But, the mother of 6-year-old twins and a 2-year-old points out, that doesn’t mean video games improve academic skills or increase IQ.

The Wall Street Journal
“Everyone’s nerves are on edge. No matter where we turn, we’re reading about something killing us prematurely”—Andrew Karam, University radiation safety officer, analyzing the notion that many Americans have a loose and often-contradictory sense of the risks that they face.

USA Today
“Musicians have to create a need and a demand for what they do. When you are a musician, you are the sole proprietor of a store. You have to get as many products of high quality as possible on the shelf. People will come to
a store with more products”—Ramon Ricker, professor of saxophone and director of the Institute for Music Leadership at the Eastman School, on why musicians need business skills in today’s marketplace.

The Washington Post
“There’s such an issue with alcohol, so we sort of take the stand that it’s okay to have a modest amount and let it go at that. The reality is that the one time you might have a few minutes to sip some wine is when you are feeding the baby”—Ruth Lawrence, professor of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, and director of the University’s Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center, commenting on conflicting studies on the health effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol while breastfeeding.

Shape Magazine
“Some people approach exercise with a ‘work’ mentality. They do it because they ‘have to’ or ‘should,’ not because they get pleasure from it”—Richard Ryan, professor of clinical and social psychology, talking about the need to approach exercise as a positive and fulfilling experience in order to remain motivated to stick with a workout regimen.

Austin American-Statesman
“It could be so devastating for [Letterman] that he can’t be a funny man—he can’t think of the quips because of the pain”—Robert Betts, professor of medicine and an expert on shingles, discussing the viral nerve infection that sidelined the late-night TV host last winter. Betts, who is helping conduct a study involving 37,000 people in an effort to develop a vaccine for shingles, says some people who have had shingles find it difficult to sleep or even eat for years.