UNMC professor featured in Discovery Channel documentary

Kendra Schmid, Ph.D.

What began as a graduate project has catapulted Kendra Schmid, Ph.D., assistant professor of biostatics in the College of Public Health, onto the international stage as an expert in facial attractiveness.

This weekend, she will be part of a two-hour documentary on the Discovery Channel titled, “The Science of Sex Appeal.” It airs Sunday at 8 p.m. CST.

The show examines the research of top experts in an attempt to explain how various features (face, voice, etc.) predict attractiveness. Dr. Schmid’s research measures the geometry of the face and rates attractiveness on a scale of one to 10. Her research was published in Pattern Recognition magazine in August 2008.

More international acclaim Because of her research, Dr. Schmid was asked to develop an additional software program for an international company. Dr. Schmid will present her program next month in Australia.

But a video about the attractiveness of the candidates in last fall’s presidential campaign put her research software program in the spotlight. (Click here to view that video.)

The story was picked up by The Associated Press and sent to media outlets around the world.

A Discovery Channel producer heard about her research and decided to include it in the upcoming documentary.

“I was extremely impressed with the level of research the producers conducted on different aspects of beauty,” Dr. Schmid said. “I am honored to have my work included among experts from around the world.”