Rochester Quotes

“That’s part of the fantasy—you imagine yourself to be stronger or tougher as you drive a muscle car.”

—Richard Ryan, a professor of psychology, psychiatry, and education, talking about the psychological appeal of muscle cars in the New York Times.

The Guardian

“Some people think that extreme natural phenomena happened only in historical times. But here we can see them happening right now.”—Cindy Ebinger, a professor of earth and environmental sciences, talking about research she’s helping lead that indicates a new ocean may be forming in the arid Afar region of Ethiopia where three tectonic plates meet.

Chronicle of Higher Education

“In sports there’s this rhetoric of violence toward the other team. But nobody says it better than Homer when he’s talking about the wrath of Achilles, mowing down these Trojans.”—Carl Adair ’07, talking about his role as “team orator” at Yellowjacket football games. Adair, an English major, recited passages from classical literature to inspire the team and fans.

Washington Post

“Right now, almost all the therapies in the ICU are supportive. The patient’s basically dependent on fixing themselves.”—Paul Bankey, an associate professor and director of the Trauma, Burns, and Critical Care Division of the Department of Surgery, commenting on research to explore the role genes play in surviving traumatic injuries.

Newsday

“The progress of women is not that straight line up on the graph.”—Nora Bredes, the director of the University’s Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership, talking about women’s representation in elected office. The center released a report card this fall that gave the majority of counties in New York a grade of either “Unsatisfactory” or “F” for the small number of women serving in office.

Seattle Times

“Congress can ‘find’ that the moon is made of green cheese. That doesn’t make it so.”—Nancy Stanwood, an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology, commenting on the Supreme Court’s consideration of the constitutionality of a nationwide ban on late-term abortions signed into law by President Bush in 2003.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“You don’t necessarily need a doctor to help you. You need someone who actually knows how to do it and can show you.”—Ruth Lawrence, the director of the Breastfeeding and Human Lactation Study Center, talking about trends among new mothers who breastfeed.