Study will follow thousands of young children during a critical window for language development

HOUSTON, March 12 – University of Houston researchers have secured an $11.8 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to conduct a first-of-its-kind study of early language development, tracking thousands of Houston toddlers during a critical period of early childhood.

Led by Elena Grigorenko, the Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Psychology, and research professor Jack Fletcher, the project will follow 3,600 children ages 18 to 24 months to better understand how language skills emerge during this early stage and why some children experience delays that can shape later development.

The NIH funding will support a new national Clinical Research Center on Developmental Language Disorders at UH, bringing together experts from psychology, education, health and measurement sciences to study one of the most fundamental questions in human development: how children learn language. This will be the 14th national research center established at UH.

How the Study Will Work

To recruit participants, the research team will partner with the pediatric clinic network at Texas Children’s Hospital, one of the largest in the region. Children will be screened for early language development, allowing researchers to identify those who show signs of delayed speech.

From that group, the team will follow a cohort of about 2,400 children — including both late talkers and children with typical language development — through early childhood to examine how language abilities evolve over time and how early delays may lead to later challenges.

“This will be the first national study to estimate how common late talking is using a large, representative sample of Houston toddlers,” Grigorenko said. “By following these children as they grow, we hope to better understand the developmental pathways that can lead to conditions such as developmental language disorder and autism.”

The Houston Community as a Partner in Discovery

Houston’s linguistic and cultural diversity makes it an ideal setting for this work. The study will include children from a wide range of backgrounds who speak English, Spanish or both, enabling researchers to examine how early communication develops across different home environments and socioeconomic contexts.

“This level of investment from the National Institutes of Health reflects the significance of this work to address a complex challenge affecting children, families and communities,” said Claudia Neuhauser, vice president for research at UH. “By bringing together experts from multiple disciplines and partnering with major health systems across the region, the project reflects our commitment to advancing discoveries that impact our community.”

This research center brings together investigators from multiple UH colleges and departments, along with partners at Baylor College of Medicine and the Texas Center for Learning Disorders. The work also aligns closely with the mission of the Consortium for Translational and Precision Health — a partnership led by Baylor College of Medicine and the University of Houston to accelerate the translation of research into practical health solutions.

“By studying early language development in Houston toddlers, we’re building the knowledge needed to identify developmental challenges sooner and support children at the earliest possible stages,” Grigorenko said.

New York, NY and London, UK – March 12 – Reebok, the iconic and irreverent sports culture brand, today announced a partnership with professional footballer Trevoh Chalobah, further strengthening the brand’s commitment to the global game.

The signing builds on Reebok’s expanding presence in elite football following the recently announced partnership with Dušan Vlahović, as the brand continues to assemble a new generation of athletes ahead of its upcoming performance football launch.

“Reebok is a brand with a deep history in sport, and being part of its return to football is exciting,” said Trevoh Chalobah. “The vision for the next chapter of Reebok Football is ambitious, and I’m proud to represent the brand on the pitch at this moment.”

Known for his composure on the ball, tactical intelligence and defensive versatility, Chalobah has established himself as a reliable presence at the highest levels of European competition. On and off the pitch, his confident style and individuality reflect the disruptive, irreverent spirit that has long defined Reebok. His signing reflects Reebok’s strategy of partnering with athletes competing on the sport’s biggest stages as the brand strengthens its football platform.

Chalobah joins a growing roster of athletes representing Reebok across global sport as the brand continues to expand its performance offering across football, basketball, golf and training.

Organizations Reduced Certificate-Related Incident Costs by $2.4M and Cut Renewal Effort from 30 Minutes to Seconds with the AppViewX Platform

NEW YORK, March 12 — AppViewX, a leader in automated Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) and Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) software, today released findings from a commissioned February 2026 Forrester Consulting Total Economic Impact™ (TEI) study quantifying the operational and financial impact of lifecycle automation as SSL/TLS validity periods begin shrinking March 15 under the CA/Browser Forum schedule.

The study, available here, found that a composite organization representative of interviewed customers using the AppViewX platform achieved:

• 302% return on investment (ROI)
• $3.9 million in total three-year, risk-adjusted benefits
• $2.4 million reduction in certificate-related incident costs (three-year, risk-adjusted present value)
• Less than six months payback

“There were 15 major outages the year before, which dropped to three the next year after implementing AppViewX. In fact, these three outages were caused by certificates that we had decided not to migrate to AppViewX,” said a Senior Vice President of Data Protection at a financial services organization interviewed for the study.

As certificate lifespans compress and renewal frequency increases, the study highlights the operational risk of manual processes and fragmented tooling. Forrester found that manual certificate renewals required approximately 30 minutes per certificate, while automated renewals through AppViewX reduced that effort to approximately 0.25 minutes.

“The March 15 milestone signals more than a compliance change, it marks the beginning of a structural workload shift,” said Stephen Tarleton, Chief Operations Officer at AppViewX. “As validity periods shrink, renewal frequency accelerates and fundamentally changes the operating model for certificate management. Without centralized automation, enterprises risk diverting skilled engineers from higher-value security initiatives just to prevent certificate expirations.”

Operational Impact of Shorter Validity Periods

Under the CA/Browser Forum’s phased reduction schedule, certificate lifespans will continue to shorten in stages, increasing renewal frequency across hybrid, cloud, and machine identity environments. The Forrester study found that enterprises adopting centralized lifecycle automation materially reduced both the frequency and cost of certificate-related incidents while scaling certificate management without proportional staffing increases.

Organizations that adopt modern certificate lifecycle management benefit from:

• Greater protection against certificate-related outages
• Faster mean time to resolution
• Reduced application deployment cycles
• Improved audit and regulatory compliance

To address this complexity, the AppViewX platform centralizes and automates certificate lifecycle management through:

• Automated certificate discovery and inventory
• Policy-driven renewal and re-enrollment workflows
• Centralized governance and compliance reporting
• API-driven integration with DevOps and infrastructure pipelines

See 47-Day Readiness at RSA Conference 2026

AppViewX will demonstrate how enterprises are preparing for accelerated certificate renewal cycles at RSA Conference 2026, North Expo Booth #4236. Attendees can see how centralized lifecycle automation reduces renewal effort, mitigates outage risk, and strengthens governance as validity periods shrink.

Anastasios (Andy) Tzanidakis was combing through old telescope data from 2020 when he found an otherwise boring star acting very strangely. The star, named Gaia20ehk, was about 11,000 light-years from Earth near the constellation Pupis. It was a stable “main sequence” star, much like our sun, which meant that it should emit steady, predictable light. Yet this star began to flicker wildly. 

“The star’s light output was nice and flat, but starting in 2016 it had these three dips in brightness. And then, right around 2021, it went completely bonkers,” said Tzanidakis, a doctoral candidate in astronomy at the University of Washington. “I can’t emphasize enough that stars like our sun don’t do that. So when we saw this one, we were like ‘Hello, what’s going on here?’’

The cause of the flickering had nothing to do with the star itself: Huge quantities of rocks and dust — seemingly from out of nowhere — were passing in front of the distant star as the material orbited the system, patchily dimming the light that reached Earth. The likely source of all that debris was even more remarkable: a catastrophic collision between two planets.

“It’s incredible that various telescopes caught this impact in real time,” Tzanidakis said. “There are only a few other planetary collisions of any kind on record, and none that bear so many similarities to the impact that created the Earth and moon. If we can observe more moments like this elsewhere in the galaxy, it will teach us lots about the formation of our world.”
The analysis of the star was published March 11 in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

Planets form when gravity forces together matter — dust, gas, ice or rocky debris, for example — orbiting a new star. Early solar systems are chaotic — planets routinely collide and explode or go flying off into outer space. Through this process, and over perhaps 100 million years, solar systems like ours winnow their planets down and settle into an equilibrium. 

As common as these collisions probably are, observing one in a distant solar system requires patience and luck. The orbits of the planets must take them directly between us and their star, so that the resulting debris obscures some of the star’s light. The telltale flicker then takes years to play out.

“Andy’s unique work leverages decades of data to find things that are happening slowly — astronomy stories that play out over the course of a decade,” said senior author James Davenport, a UW assistant research professor of astronomy. “Not many researchers are looking for phenomena in this way, which means that all kinds of discoveries are potentially up for grabs.”

Tzanidakis, the study’s lead author, studies extreme variability in stars over time. His previous work at the UW identified a system with a binary star and a large dust cloud that caused a seven-year eclipse.

The behavior of Gaia20ehk, however, posed a new mystery. The star’s particular fluctuation — short dips in brightness and then chaos — had never before been observed. The team was stumped, until Davenport suggested that they use data from a different telescope to look for infrared light rather than visible light. 

“The infrared light curve was the complete opposite of the visible light,” Tzanidakis said. “As the visible light began to flicker and dim, the infrared light spiked. Which could mean that the material blocking the star is hot — so hot that it’s glowing in the infrared.”

A cataclysmic collision between planets would certainly produce enough heat to explain the infrared energy. What’s more, the right kind of collision could also explain those initial dips in light.

“That could be caused by the two planets spiraling closer and closer to each other,” Tzanidakis said. “At first, they had a series of grazing impacts, which wouldn’t produce a lot of infrared energy. Then, they had their big catastrophic collision, and the infrared really ramped up.” 

There are also clues that the collision resembles the one that created the Earth and moon about four and half billion years ago. The dust cloud is orbiting Gaia20ehk at roughly one astronomical unit, the same distance from the sun to the Earth. At that distance, the material could eventually cool down enough to solidify into something similar to our Earth-moon system. Scientists like Tzanidakis and Davenport can’t know for sure until the dust settles — literally — in the system. That could take a few years, or a few million. 

In the meantime, their discovery is a call to action to find more collisions. The powerful Simonyi Survey Telescope at the NSF–DOE Vera C. Rubin Observatory will be well suited to the task when it begins its Legacy Survey of Space and Time later this year; some back-of-the-napkin math by Davenport suggests that Rubin could find 100 new impacts over the next 10 years. That could ultimately help narrow the search for habitable worlds outside our solar system.

“How rare is the event that created the Earth and moon? That question is fundamental to astrobiology,” Davenport said. “It seems like the moon is one of the magical ingredients that makes the Earth a good place for life. It can help shield Earth from some asteroids, it produces ocean tides and weather that allow chemistry and biology to mix globally, and it may even play a role in driving tectonic plate activity. Right now, we don’t know how common these dynamics are. But if we catch more of these collisions, we’ll start to figure it out.”

New York, NY, March 12 — Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations are pleased to announce the appointment of Andrea Lucille Pooler as Chief Operating Officer for the group’s divisions.

With more than 25 years of experience in the jewelry industry, Pooler combines strategic leadership with a deep understanding of both the artistry and business of fine jewelry. Her expertise spans manufacturing, retail, and wholesale channels, bridging creative direction with data-driven execution to help jewelry companies grow with structure and purpose.

Andrea began her career as a bench jeweler and designer and later owned her own retail jewelry store, gaining firsthand insight into craftsmanship, design, and customer experience. She went on to hold senior operations roles for one of the world’s largest B2C e-commerce jewelry brands, overseeing production, logistics, customer success, and process optimization for high-volume operations. Most recently, as Principal Consultant at Hill & Co., she led end-to-end business transformation and strategy projects for manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers, and designers, spanning operations and process improvement, financial strategy, branding, merchandising, technology implementation, and team development.

Beyond her executive work, Pooler remains an active voice in the industry. She currently serves as Editor-in-Chief of THE SOURCE for the Community for Ethical Jewelry, Chair-head of the Women’s Jewelry Association NY Metro Chapter, resident volunteer jewelry appraiser for a retail hospice store, and Business Coach. A passionate advocate for education, mentorship, networking, and leadership, she is committed to empowering individuals and organizations to thrive within a more connected and transparent jewelry ecosystem.

A frequent writer for industry publications, speaker, and educator.  Pooler has presented at JCK Las Vegas, international jewelry trade shows, the U.S. Small Business Administration, and a range of entrepreneurship and networking associations. Andrea will be presenting two talks at the upcoming JA NY  show, titled “AI without the Overwhelm” on March 15th at 1 pm, and “Curate Less, Run Lean: Why Merchandising and Operations Must Move Together” on March 16th at 1 pm.

“Modani Jewels is pleased to welcome Andrea Lucille Pooler as its new Chief Operating Officer, strengthening the firm’s leadership team as it continues to scale operations and accelerate growth,” said Sumit Modani, CEO. “Pooler brings extensive operational and strategic experience and will play a key role in driving Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J Creations next chapter of expansion.”

“I’m thrilled to join Sumit and the incredible team at Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations,” said Pooler. “This company has an inspiring heritage and a vision for the future that honors both tradition and innovation. I look forward to helping scale our operations, strengthen global systems, and expand our presence in key markets.”

Led by Sumit Modani, Soham Diamonds is a third-generation family enterprise known for its craftsmanship, innovation, and integrity. Over the past several decades, the company has evolved from a traditional gemstone and diamond business into a vertically integrated jewelry manufacturer and global organization through its three core divisions: Modani Jewels, Soham Diamonds, and S.N.J. Creations, with offices in New York, Ohio, Mumbai, Hong Kong, and Dubai.

New Delhi, Mar 12th: Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited (Tata Power-DDL), a leading power utility supplying electricity to a populace of around 9 million in North Delhi, expects the Power Peak Load to touch 2622 MW this summer and has made adequate power arrangements of up to 2900 MW to meet the anticipated rise in summer power demand.

As part of its summer preparedness strategy, Tata Power-DDL has undertaken comprehensive measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply during the peak demand season. Adequate arrangements have been put in place through Bilateral Agreements, Reserve Shutdown mechanisms, and participation in Power Exchanges to maintain supply reliability.

Company’s Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) facilities at Rohini will also support in providing continuous and reliable power to key customers during any exigency during the summer months.

Tata Power-DDL has extensively implemented advanced technologies to ensure reliable power supply, like advanced statistical/Machine Learning forecasting models and Integrated Digital Energy Portfolio Management application etc.   

Summer Peak Demand Trends in Tata Power-DDL’s Area:

2026-27: 2622 MW (expected)

2025-26: 2410 MW

2024-25: 2481 MW

2023-24: 2218 MW

2022-23: 2028 MW

“Tata Power-DDL is completely prepared and committed to ensure reliable and uninterrupted power supply for our customers. As we approach summer season of 2026, we are expecting power demand within our distribution area to reach approximately 2622 MW, and we are fully prepared to meet the demand on the back of our arrangements and technology-centric load management system. We have optimized load management, deployed cutting-edge technologies, and fortified our network infrastructure to ensure smooth operations. Some of the proactive initiatives that our team has taken up include mobile transformers, increased maintenance, deployment of adequate resources & QRTs for promptly handle any emergencies,” said spokesperson, Tata Power Delhi Distribution Limited.

The company has also undertaken the following additional measures to ensure uninterrupted power supply to its customers:

Network Strengthening Activities 

• Commissioning of new and augmentation of existing distribution transformers to meet increasing load
• Preventive and condition-based maintenance of all critical electrical installations

Tripping Mitigation:

• Predictive maintenance of 11 kV Feeders & DTs through Thermo-scanning & Physical Audits
• Regular Tree Trimming & replacement of faulty units
• Infra-red & Ultrasound of all Grid Substation Equipment
•  Preventive Maintenance of Grid Switchgear
•  Vegetation Maintenance of sub-transmission overhead Lines

Maintenance & Backup:

To meet with eventualities, mobile distribution transformers have been deployed for breakdown and are evenly stationed in the entire distribution network. Additional staff has been recruited at the call centres. Dedicated round-the-clock teams to attend breakdown and supply restoration for sub-transmission system have also been created.

By  HALEIGH ERRAMOUSPE

Thirty years after earning their degrees from Texas Tech University, John and Rachel Brownlee are investing in the students who will define the next generation of the commercial real estate industry.

Both alumni and loyal supporters, the couple has made a significant gift to the Center for Real Estate in the Jerry S. Rawls College of Business in support of ON&ON: The Campaign for Texas Tech University.

In honor of their generosity, the center will be renamed the John and Rachel Brownlee Center for Real Estate.

“The Center for Real Estate has given Rachel and I the opportunity to contribute directly to three of our major passions: Texas Tech, the real estate industry that has done so much for us and helping to create the next generation of real estate business leaders,” John said.

Located within the Area of Finance in the Rawls College, the center was founded in 2016 and has focused on promoting excellence in commercial real estate education through academic programs, student involvement, research initiatives and strong partnerships with alumni and industry professionals over the past decade.

Since joining that effort in 2021, the Brownlees have proven to be among the center’s most dedicated advocates — and this gift is a testament to that commitment.

The Brownlees’ donation will serve as a driving force in fueling the center’s growth and advancing these goals, opening doors for the next generation of Texas Tech students. The gift will provide comprehensive support for the Brownlee Center for Real Estate by funding scholarships, internships, student travel to conferences and events, faculty and staff support, research and other program needs.

“John and Rachel’s decision to support the Center for Real Estate at this level allows us to elevate the impact of the center by launching more students in their careers, providing greater service to the real estate industry and garnering national attention,” said Margaret L. Williams, dean of the Rawls College. “Their commitment to working with us is even more exciting. Our students, faculty and staff look forward to benefiting from our partnership with John and Rachel, who are such terrific people, for years to come.”  

Nearly 300 students are enrolled in the commercial real estate courses administered by the Brownlee Center for Real Estate, open to every student at Rawls College regardless of major. Students from select majors in the Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and the Edward E. Whitacre College of Engineering can also participate. 

By completing four real estate courses (12 credit hours), students earn a Certificate in Commercial Real Estate. The certificate prepares graduates for careers in commercial real estate and related industries, equipping them with skills in brokerage, appraisal and property and asset management. 

“Demand for a commercial real estate program at Texas Tech has never been stronger —  both from students who want meaningful careers and from employers who want well-rounded graduates ready to immediately contribute to the industry,” said Jared Harrell, director of the Brownlee Center for Real Estate. “The Brownlee Center for Real Estate is designed to sit at that intersection, preparing students for the marketplace while giving industry partners a direct connection to Texas Tech’s talent, research and professional networks.”

John earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing in 1994, and Rachel earned a Bachelor of Arts in Advertising with a minor in marketing the same year. Through his more than 30 years of experience in the commercial real estate industry, John has originated and structured more than $12 billion in transactions. He is a principal at Brownlee Waggoner Holdings, LLC, a Dallas-based real estate investment firm he co-founded in 2025 and holds the CRE® (Counselor of Real Estate) designation.

Prior to founding Brownlee Waggoner Holdings, John was a senior managing director at JLL (formerly HFF). He has held leadership roles in numerous industry organizations. He is a past chair of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) DFW District Council and has served on boards and councils for organizations including ULI’s National Small-Scale Development Product Council, The Counselors of Real Estate and Freddie Mac’s CME’s formation advisory council.

A champion for Texas Tech and the center, John has contributed not only financially but also through his time and dedication by mentoring the next generation of industry professionals and deepening ties between Texas Tech and the broader commercial real estate community. He is the chair of the Brownlee Center for Real Estate Advisory Council and serves on the Texas Tech Foundation Board and the Rawls College Dean’s Advisory Council. John and Rachel reside in Dallas, Texas, and have three daughters.