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Trump and Zelenskyy Clash in the Oval Office
Dr. Paul Fritz, associate professor of political science, was featured in a Fox 5 WNYW-TV news segment about the tense exchange between President Donald Trump, Vice President J.D. Vance, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy inside the Oval Office.
UPI news service interviewed Dr. Meena Bose for the article “Trump USAID cuts create vacuums of food, medical care for vulnerable populations.” The president’s effort to downsize government agencies makes good on one of his biggest campaign promises, according to Dr. Bose. While presidents have attempted to increase the efficacy of agencies in the past, the article says Trump’s approach is different. “This is kind of a hatchet approach to doing so but I think it has a certain appeal to the president’s constituencies,” Bose told UPI. “He’s getting things done, cutting through red tape.” Dr. Bose is a Hofstra University professor of political science, executive dean of the Public Policy and Public Service program, and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency.
The Power of Refusal: Socially Conscious Boycotts and Corporate Accountability
In today's world, information travels faster than you can say "Google it!" This hyper-connectivity means companies are more exposed than ever when it comes to taking stances or actions on social issues, And a boycott can be a force to reckon with. With social media as their megaphone, these retail boycott campaigns can quickly capture global attention, asking consumers not to spend money in stores or online for a day or even an extended period of time. It's an increasingly common dilemma for corporations and their bottom line. Says David Primo, professor of political science and business administration at the University of Rochester: “Companies need to figure out what they will take positions on, what they won’t take positions on, and then stand firm. Holding your finger to the political winds is not an effective way to run a company in a polarized world.” ```
The research was carried out by the University of Birmingham’s Katie Edwards and Aston University’s Jackie Blissett and James Reynolds Both the availability of high-calorie options and their position on the menu affects teenagers’ choices Restaurants provide an important location for implementing low-cost and high-reach interventions to tackle obesity. New research from the University of Birmingham and Aston University has found that putting lower-calorie meal choices at the top of a restaurant menu, and reducing the availability of high-calorie options, makes teenagers more likely to order the healthier options. Childhood obesity rates have been increasing year on year, with government pledges and targets to reduce obesity unfulfilled or missed. Restaurants are a common food environment for adolescents, with one fifth of children consuming meals out at least once a week. The study has been published in the journal Appetite. Dr Katie Edwards, research fellow in psychology at the University of Birmingham and a visiting researcher at Aston University, who led the study, said: “Childhood obesity is a significant public health challenge. A key period for targeting dietary intervention is adolescence, when young people become more independent, making their own decisions about diet and socialising with friends more. Interventions have targeted healthy eating at home and at school, but we wanted to see how altering restaurant menus can impact the choices teenagers make.” The researchers asked 432 13 to 17-year-olds to take part in an online experiment. They presented the teenagers with three different menus, with five starters, ten main courses and five desserts in separate sections, as one would find on a standard restaurant menu. Each menu was slightly different; one which reduced the number of high-calorie options on offer, one with menu positioning of low- to high-calorie meals, one which combined the availability and position interventions, and then one ‘typical’ menu. The participants were asked to select a starter, main and dessert from each menu. The experiment showed that the availability and the position interventions resulted in significantly lower calorie meal choices, compared to the choices made from the menu with no intervention (the ‘typical’ menu). The average number of calories for a selected meal reduced from 2099.78 to 1992.13 when the items were ordered from least to highest calorie content. The availability intervention reduced it from 2134.26 kcal to 1956.18 kcal. The group who had the combined availability and positioning intervention menu saw their meals’ calorie value plummet from 2173.60 kcal to 1884.44 kcal. The study also found that the positioning intervention had the biggest impact on main course choices. The availability intervention and the combined interventions, on the other hand, did not have a big impact on the calorie value of main course choices. The availability intervention had the most impact on starter choices. None of the interventions had a significant impact on dessert choices. Dr Edwards said: “Main menu choices saw the biggest reduction in calories following the position intervention, going from 1104.17 kcal to 1045.16 kcal, while the availability intervention saw the biggest reduction in the starter option. While not all interventions saw statistically significant reductions for all courses, each intervention saw a significant reduction in the calorie content of the overall meals.” Dr James Reynolds, senior lecturer in psychology at Aston University, said: “People tend to consume higher calorie meals when they eat out, so restaurants provide an important location for implementing low-cost and high-reach interventions which can encourage healthier eating in teenagers. Many restaurants are already required to display calorie information on their menus, but our research has shown that tactics like altering the position or availability of high-calorie options on menus could also be a useful tool in trying to reduce obesity and help young people make healthier choices. The next step for this research would be to replicate the study in restaurant settings.” Read the full paper in the journal Appetite at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666324005749
Avian Flu: Understanding the Threat and Global Response
Avian influenza, commonly known as bird flu, is a highly contagious viral infection that affects birds but has the potential to spread to humans and other animals. With recent outbreaks raising concerns among health officials worldwide, understanding the origins, transmission, and potential risks of avian flu is critical for public health preparedness. The virus poses significant threats to global food supply chains, economic stability in agriculture, and pandemic prevention efforts. As governments and health agencies monitor the situation, the public must stay informed about the latest developments and protective measures. Key story angles include: Origins and Evolution of Avian Flu: How the virus emerges, mutates, and spreads among birds and humans. Public Health Risks and Prevention Measures: Assessing the likelihood of human transmission and the effectiveness of vaccines and treatments. Economic Impact on Poultry and Agriculture: How outbreaks affect food production, trade restrictions, and industry regulations. Global Response and Preparedness Efforts: What governments and health organizations are doing to contain outbreaks and prevent a pandemic. Wildlife and Environmental Factors: The role of migratory birds in spreading avian flu and the impact of climate change on disease patterns. Lessons from Past Outbreaks: Comparing the current situation to previous bird flu strains and what history teaches us about managing the threat. As concerns over avian flu grow, staying ahead of the science and policy responses will be key to safeguarding public health and economic stability worldwide. Connect with an expert about avian flu: To search our full list of experts visit www.expertfile.com
Villanova Nursing Professor Addresses Overlooked Roles in Mental Health Care
Mental health crises, such as suicidal ideations or attempts, present profound challenges, not only for the individuals experiencing them, but also for the families and professionals who provide care. Parents, in particular, often find themselves stepping into the role of a primary healthcare provider when a child returns home from mental health inpatient treatment. Guy Weissinger, PhD, MPhil, RN, the Diane Foley Parrett Endowed Assistant Professor of Nursing at Villanova University’s M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing, explores the complex challenges parents face during these delicate situations and how the healthcare system can better prepare them for these responsibilities. Dr. Weissinger’s research also emphasizes the need to rethink how educators train and support healthcare providers involved in mental health care and suicide prevention. In a recent conversation, Dr. Weissinger shared insights into his research, the unique roles that parents and nurses have in managing mental health crises and the steps needed to create a more holistic and inclusive approach to care. Q: A large part of your research examines the parents of youth who are experiencing mental health crises. What challenges do parents face when tasked with providing ongoing healthcare for their children who might be facing these issues? Dr. Weissinger: There’s been a lot of recent work looking at how parents can be better supported in any kind of health crisis as their child is experiencing it. At the end of the day, a physician, therapist or nurse practitioner (NP) can support a patient with their clinical expertise in the hospital, but when those patients return home, the responsibility most often falls on the parent to continue that care. If we're then requiring parents to act as case managers and healthcare providers for their children, how can we best equip them to fill those roles? Q: How does a parent’s role in managing a child’s mental health crisis differ from the roles of a physician or therapist? Dr. Weissinger: I studied family intervention science, which looks at both the individual and family processes that may be related to adolescent suicide risk or any other mental health concern, so I like to ask the question: what is this person's role in their family system? Parents oftentimes have a particular role in the family system, and when there's any kind of mental health crisis, that role may have to change: how they act, what tasks they perform, etc. I’m studying the role transition of a parent during a suicide crisis—what are their struggles and what are parents identifying as their big needs? I’m finding that a lot of parents are feeling really alone or shameful in some way, and then they’re using their own money, time or social resources to try to provide care for their child. This often happens because they feel like the mental health system is not providing the support they need to take on that role, so they’re trying to figure out what to do on their own. Q: An additional part of your research surrounds the role of a nurse practitioner in suicide crises. What are some of the findings from your recent research with nurse practitioners (NPs) about their suicide prevention education? Dr. Weissinger: The findings, which will soon be published, are really interesting because they’re very mixed. I went out and asked NPs what they were taught about suicide prevention and when they were taught it as part of their education and training. Some said that their primary care education integrated suicide prevention as a focus of the curriculum. Others mentioned that they didn’t learn about it in their undergraduate or master’s programs, but they’re still expected to know about suicide prevention as part of their job responsibilities. It’s important to highlight these discrepancies and how we need to think about adapting nursing education to include these important topics. Q: What are some of the overlooked responsibilities and challenges of nurses in managing adolescent mental health? Dr. Weissinger: A large percentage of primary care visits are currently conducted by nurse practitioners, and now suicide screenings are expected to be a standard of practice in primary care visits, even though some NPs don't have that specific training. NPs are often left out of consideration and conversation around best practices related to suicide prevention, so we need to make sure that anyone who's conducting these screenings surrounding suicide has the training and the preparation to do so. It's a difficult conversation for NPs to have, especially when they’re working with kids and families. Q: Why is suicide prevention important to study from a nursing lens? Dr. Weissinger: So much mental health research lumps together groups or only studies psychologists and physicians, so a lot of people who provide mental health services or do suicide prevention screenings are left out of these studies. For example, nurses provide a majority of the discharge education on what parents are expected to do at home when a child leaves the hospital—whether that’s administering injections for a child with diabetes or making a house safer for preventing self-harm. Most of the time, a nurse is walking parents through next steps, answering questions and checking in on patient progress. It’s not the psychologists who evaluated the child, or the physicians who decided that the individual needed to be inpatient, it’s the nurses who are providing those points of contact. Q: What do you hope is the main takeaway from your work surrounding mental health and suicide crises? Dr. Weissinger: Suicide is a really complex thing to address, and it needs to be a conversation that isn’t looking for a silver bullet. It’s a conversation that asks the questions: how do we improve the mental health care system? How do we get primary care providers trained and involved in these discussions? How do we best prepare family members to support individuals who are struggling? Not all researchers need to work on every part of this, but it needs to be a total, all-encompassing effort.
Takeaways from Trump’s Inauguration and Executive Orders
Dr. Meena Bose was interviewed by NY 1 Spectrum News about President Trump’s first day in office and his inauguration. She was also interviewed by WFMD radio in Frederick, MD, about the president repealing restrictions placed on federal immigration officials under the Biden administration. Dr. Bose is a Hofstra University professor of political science, executive dean of the Public Policy and Public Service program, and director of the Kalikow Center for the Study of the American Presidency.
Supply chain disruptions cost organizations an estimated $184 billion annually, according to Swiss Re. A recent survey of 2,000 European shipping customers by logistics giant Maersk revealed that 76% experienced supply chain disruptions that delayed their business operations in the past year, with 22% reporting more than 20 disruptive incidents in the same period. These figures underscore the growing businesses’ growing vulnerabilities, as detailed in the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, which outlines how companies worldwide must adapt to an increasingly complex and volatile supply chain landscape. As highlighted in the 2025 Global Risk Report, modern supply chain disruptions stem from a range of factors, including climate change, natural disasters, cyberattacks, fraud, and geopolitical instability. Conflicts such as the Russia-Ukraine war and tensions in the Middle East continue to exacerbate these challenges. Gone are the days when companies could shift blame to suppliers without accountability. The globalization of supply chains has made them increasingly susceptible to cyber incidents, material shortages, and regulatory scrutiny. Consumers and governments alike are demanding greater transparency, pushing companies to disclose where products come from, how they are sourced, and whether their manufacturing processes harm people or the environment. The 2025 Global Risk Report notes that in response, governments worldwide have introduced stricter regulations, particularly in the European Union, where new and existing legislation is enforcing greater oversight and compliance. “As consumers, governments, and corporations acknowledge the effects of supply chain risks, transparency and due diligence will become more critical to the internal compliance structure of global businesses,” said Vice President of Sustainability Andrea Korney. “The enactment and greater enforcement of laws focused on sustainability issues have increased the obligations on companies to examine the sources and actions of their suppliers and how it all impacts the entire value chain.” In the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report, multidimensional experts who combine scientific, technical, financial, and risk management expertise identify and explore key business risks shaping the future of supply chain resilience, including: Geopolitical instability Natural disasters and climate science Maritime route disruptions Regulatory fragmentation Cybersecurity threats Trade and tariff threats Critical minerals dependency Financial risks and fraud J.S. Held environmental risk and compliance expert John Peiserich, Esq., observes, “These risks are no longer hypothetical—they are actively reshaping the business landscape. Organizations that fail to anticipate and mitigate these challenges risk operational disruptions, financial losses, and reputational damage.” For businesses seeking to build resilient supply chains, the 2025 J.S. Held Global Risk Report serves as an important guide, providing expert insights and data-driven analysis to help companies navigate the evolving risk landscape. J.S. Held experts serve as trusted advisors to global clients on these and other risks, crafting business strategies, leveraging technology seeking to mitigate risk, and optimizing business opportunities to build resilience in an era of uncertainty. Supply chain risk is just one of the five key areas analyzed in the J.S. Held 2025 Global Risk Report. Other topics include sustainability, the rise of crypto and digital assets, AI and data regulations, and managing cyber risk. If you have any questions or would like to further discuss the risks and opportunities outlined in the report, please email GlobalRiskReport@jsheld.com. To connect with Andrea Korney or John Peiserich simply click on either expert's icon now. For any other media inquiries - simply contact : Kristi L. Stathis, J.S. Held +1 786 833 4864 Kristi.Stathis@JSHeld.com
Researchers looked at trust in scientists in 68 countries and found relatively high levels of trust everywhere The TISP Many Labs study of 71,922 people included those living in under-researched nations of the Global South The majority of survey participants believe that scientists should be more involved in society and policymaking. Public trust in scientists is still high, according to a survey carried out in 68 countries by an international team of 241 researchers, led by Dr Viktoria Cologna (Harvard University, ETH Zurich) and Dr Niels Mede (University of Zurich). The study found no evidence of the oft-repeated claim of a crisis of trust in science. The team, which included Aston University School of Psychology’s Dr James Reynolds and Dr Charlotte Pennington, also found that the majority of survey participants believed that scientists should be more involved in society and policymaking. This study is the result of the Trust in Science and Science-Related Populism (TISP) Many Labs study, a collaborative effort that allowed the authors to survey 71,922 people in 68 countries, including many under-researched countries in the ‘Global South’. For the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic, the study provides global, representative survey data on the populations and regions of the world in which researchers are perceived to be most trustworthy, the extent to which they should engage with the public and whether science is prioritising important research issues. Dr Mede said: “The study is the most comprehensive post-pandemic snapshot of trust in scientists, societal expectations of their involvement in society and policymaking and public views on research priorities.” Across 68 countries, the study finds that the majority of the public has a relatively high level of trust in scientists (mean trust level = 3.62, on a scale of 1 = very low trust to 5 = very high trust). The majority of respondents also perceive scientists as qualified (78%), honest (57%) and concerned about people’s wellbeing (56%). However, the results also reveal some areas of concern. Globally, less than half of respondents (42%) believe that scientists pay attention to the views of others. Additionally, many people felt that the priorities of science are not always well-aligned with their own priorities. The researchers call upon scientists to take the results seriously and find ways to be more receptive to feedback and more open to dialogue. The findings confirm the results of previous studies that show significant differences between countries and population groups. In particular, people with right-wing political views in Western countries tend to have less trust in scientists than those with left-wing views. This suggests that attitudes toward science tend to polarise along political lines. In most countries, however, political orientation and trust in scientists were not related. A majority of respondents want science to play an active role in society and policymaking. Globally, 83% of respondents believe that scientists should communicate with the public about science, providing an impetus for increased science communication efforts. Only a minority (23%) believe that scientists should not actively advocate for specific policies. 52% believe that scientists should be more involved in the policymaking process. Participants gave high priority to research to improve public health, solve energy problems and reduce poverty. On the other hand, research to develop defence and military technology was given a lower priority. In fact, participants explicitly believe that science is prioritising the development of defence and military technology more than they would like, highlighting a potential misalignment between public and scientific priorities. Dr Cologna said: “Our results show that most people in most countries have relatively high trust in scientists and want them to play an active role in society and policymaking”. Dr Reynolds, a senior lecturer at Aston University School of Psychology, said: “This research demonstrates that people from all around the globe still have high trust in science and want scientists involved in policymaking. When we face great challenges, such as threats to public health or energy crises, the public recognise the importance that scientists can play and want us involved. This is also true of the UK where levels of public trust in science is one of the highest globally.” Dr Pennington, a senior lecturer at Aston University School of Psychology, said: “This project showcases the importance and power of big team science to answer fundamental questions about human behaviour. By pooling our expertise and resources, we were able to reach over 70,000 people and improve sample diversity and representation by recruiting from 68 countries. Overall, the study resulted in an optimistic finding – that people generally trust scientists and agree that they should engage more in society and policymaking. Such trust is important because it allows people to make research-informed decisions about their own lives.” Find out more about the research in Nature Human Behaviour by visiting https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02090-5.
Richard Turner Conducts Workshop on Florida’s Shallow-Water Echinoderms
Richard Turner, professor emeritus of biological sciences, ran the Florida Association of Aquatic Biologists’ Fall 2024 Marine Taxonomy Workshop in November alongside Janessa Fletcher from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Over four days, they taught attendees how to identify Florida’s many shallow-water echinoderms. Florida’s coastal areas host more than 210 species of shallow-water echinoderms, which are seafloor animals such as starfish, sea urchins and sand dollars. They are often a dominant presence in marine ecosystems, Turner said. The workshop included six presentations that broke down the characteristics of each individual species followed by a chance to examine and practice identifying both Turner’s and Fletcher’s collections of specimens. Attendees came from a variety of workplaces, including environmental consulting firms, museums and state agencies responsible for identifying seafloor animals collected in surveys and for conducting dietary studies of marine fish. The workshop, which happened at University of Tampa Marine Science Center, was organized by Florida Tech alum David Karlen ‘93. While Turner wasn’t his advisor, he said he hired Karlen to help study echinoderms that were collected off the east coast of Florida during Project SEAMAP in the 1980s. If you're interested in learning more about shallow-water echinoderms like starfish, sea urchins and sand dollars or a reporter looking to speak with Richard Turner - simply contact Adam Lowenstein, Director of Media Communications at Florida Institute of Technology at adam@fit.edu to arrange an interview today.
