Elaina Hancock

Elaina (Laina) Hancock came to UConn as a graduate student and earned her master’s degree in microbiology in 2009. Laina first dipped her toes in writing for the Ka Leo student newspaper while studying pre-medicine at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Though she never became an M.D. or Ph.D., Laina kept writing and brings experiences of being a student, researcher, and teaching assistant to her storytelling for UConn Today. After moving more than a dozen times growing up as an Army brat, she now lives in Storrs with her family but still travels whenever possible and dreams of returning to a more nomadic life someday. When not at work, you can find Laina in her garden, on a bike, lost in a book, or at a protest.

Author Archive

Winter means road salt, which means a range of effects on our environment, according to UConn researchers (Adobe Stock).

Too Much Salt: Good for Winter Travel, but with Consequences for Environmental and Human Health

An overuse of road salt in the winter has potentially harmful effects for everything from wildlife to groundwater

January 11, 2022 | Elaina Hancock

Research
One year after the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, a UConn professor who a decade ago predicted turbulent times in the 2020s says little has been done to address the underlying factors driving social instability.

An ‘Age of Discord’: Looking Ahead One Year After the Capitol Insurrection

Failing to address the underlying causes of instability guarantees worse episodes in the future, says UConn's Peter Turchin

January 5, 2022 | Elaina Hancock

Operation Community Impact: Still Helping Connecticut Residents in Need

Since April 2020, more than 220,000 pounds of dairy products have been delivered to Connecticut families in need

December 28, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Community Impact
A member of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation harvests heirloom at their farm located in North Stonington Ct. The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation and UConn Extension have been collaborating thanks to a USDA Federally Recognized Tribes Extension Program to enhance agricultural production, food security, and health of tribal community members.

Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Establishes Tribal Department of Agriculture

UConn Extension offers assistance in developing sustainable agriculture and community education

December 22, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Community Impact UConn Voices
One of the brachiopods (Floweria chemungensis) samples collected as part of this study (Photo courtesy of Andrew Bush).

Looking at Factors that Accelerate Mass Extinction in the Fossil Record as Climate Changes

Finding clues to the present in what happened 372 million years ago

December 21, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Research
Redeveloped orchard land that did not have contaminated soils. Higgins says historic aerial photos showed that the trees were not planted until around 1970, which was after lead arsenate pesticides fell out of style.

Arsenic in Connecticut Wells May be a Legacy of Past Pesticide Use on Orchards

Poisons can linger in the ecosystem decades after they were last applied

December 20, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Alumni Community Impact Research
The new collaborative effort will see part of CIRCA housed in SGCI offices at UConn Hartford.

Closer Collaboration and Community Outreach for Urban Sustainability, Together at Hartford Campus

The partnership between CIRCA and SCGI aims to help build more environmentally sustainable and resilient cities

December 9, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Community Impact
Pine beetle infestations can be difficult to detect at a distance, and when it becomes apparent they've taken up residence in a forest, it may be too late.

Diagnosis from the Sky: Catching Insect Infestations within Forests Before It’s Too Late

Fine-tuning remote sensing to protect forests from the spread of dangerous critters

December 6, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Research
A lunar eclipse occurs when the sun, Earth, and moon are aligned in a straight path.

Keep Your Eyes to the Night Sky to Catch the Blood Moon on November 19

The event will be the longest partial lunar eclipse visible from Connecticut this century

November 18, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Increased flood risk is not confined to coastal development. Inland towns and cities also faced increased flooding risks.

CIRCA Awarded $5 million in New Funding to Strengthen CT’s Climate Change Resilience

CIRCA is creating a 'project pipeline' to move resilience planning and adaptation forward

November 16, 2021 | Elaina Hancock

Community Impact