Episode S.3: Lorie Higgins — A Rural Look at COVID-19

Meet Lorie Higgins (bit.ly/2YGMGqa), a professor in the Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology and an Extension specialist at the University of Idaho. Many COVID-19 hot zones are located in large cities, but small towns and rural areas aren’t immune to the virus. Lorie, who’s an expert on rural communities, thinks there are likely benefits and challenges to living outside of big cities during the current pandemic. She thinks everything from the age of local populations to internet connectivity could impact how the pandemic impacts places like the Gem State. Lorie and I chatted virtually about how places like rural Idaho are dealing with COVID-19. Visit our website go.uidaho.edu/thevandaltheory​. Email us at [email protected]. Learn about Idaho’s premier research university, University of Idaho, at uidaho.edu. More U of I research: Geographer Grant Harley and colleagues will be using tree rings to reconstruct summer air temperature in the Eastern United States, from North Carolina to maritime Eastern Canada. Read more at bit.ly/3dDuQbM. Many climate change skeptics hold pro-environmental views. The researchers from U of I interviewed 33 Idahoan climate skeptics and found that many had concerns about pollution and deforestation and supported policies for clean air and water and alternative energy sources. Read more at bit.ly/2ztbM1g. Ann Brown with Movement Sciences conducted a study on female collegiate dancers and their protein intake. The findings suggest protein supplementation for 12 weeks could be a simple way to improve the diets of female collegiate dancers without altering overall body weight. Read more at bit.ly/3fDDLfb. Music: “Young Republicans” by Steve Combs (bit.ly/2PsMCpw) via freemusicarchive.org, not modified (bit.ly/2Ju7MQb). “Multitudes” by Gillicuddy (bit.ly/2YJVKuI) via freeusicarchive.org, not modified (bit.ly/35EdOI5).