Low Turnout Expected for Updated COVID Vaccine

Sep 3, 2024

1 min

Dr. Martine Hackett, associate professor and chair of Hofstra’s Department of Population Health, told Newsday that she believes many people will not get the recently updated vaccine for COVID-19. Less than a quarter of adults and less than 15 percent of children received last year’s vaccine.

“I would predict that there would be much less of an uptake, in part because folks have gotten COVID in big numbers over the last few months; there was a summer surge. So some people might feel like they don’t need the vaccine because they feel protected from their recent infection,” she said. “But just in general, there’s just a lack of urgency around the need to get the most recent version of the vaccine.”

Dr. Hackett's research focuses on public health and health inequities, particularly in the American suburbs and minority communities. She's available to speak with media - simply click on her icon now to arrange an interview today.

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Martine Hackett

Associate Professor of Population Health

Dr. Hackett's research focuses on public health and health inequities, particularly in the American suburbs and minority communities.

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Jul 17, 2026

2 min

Why Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Still Matters

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is bringing one of the world’s oldest and most influential stories back to the big screen. Beyond the monsters, battles and epic-scale adventure, Homer’s story asks questions that still feel immediate. What happens after a long war? What makes a leader legitimate? How do displaced people find their way home? Can violence ever truly restore order? Luke Madson, visiting assistant professor in Greek and Roman Studies at Hofstra University, can help audiences look beyond the spectacle. Madson teaches Greek and Roman epic, mythology, tragedy, comedy and the literature and culture of the ancient world. His research into ancient Greek politics, political identity and historical storytelling also provides insight into the power struggles, competing loyalties and contested ideas of leadership found throughout the epic. An Epic Shaped by War The Odyssey is a story about what comes after war. Odysseus survives Troy, but his journey home reveals the toll of conflict on soldiers, families and societies. In Ithaca, his absence creates a power struggle as the suitors compete to replace him. Drawing on his expertise in ancient Greek politics, Luke Madson can explain how early audiences understood this crisis and why it resonates amid displacement, political instability and contested leadership. Strangers, Stories and Power The epic repeatedly asks how societies treat outsiders. Through the Greek tradition of xenia, Odysseus encounters communities where strangers are welcomed, exploited or attacked, connecting the story to modern debates about migration, refugees and borders. Odysseus also changes identities and carefully shapes his story for different audiences. Madson can explore how persuasion and reputation shaped authority in the ancient world, and how these themes relate to propaganda and misinformation today. A Source for Stories Beyond the Screen Journalists covering Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, Greek mythology or the modern relevance of ancient stories can connect with Luke Madson for expert commentary and interview support. He can provide historical, political and cultural context on topics such as: The lasting appeal of Odysseus and the hero’s journey War, displacement and the challenges of returning home Leadership, legitimacy and political instability Hospitality, migration and the treatment of outsiders Storytelling, propaganda and political identity Revenge, justice and cycles of violence How modern adaptations keep Greek mythology relevant The political and cultural world behind Homer’s epic As Nolan brings The Odyssey to a new generation, Madson can help audiences understand the ancient ideas and conflicts behind the spectacle, and why they continue to resonate today.

Jul 8, 2026

1 min

Sample Provides Analysis of Landmark Supreme Court Decisions

Professor James Sample of the Maurice A. Deane School of Law at Hofstra University was among the nation’s leading legal scholars providing analysis of the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark end-of-term decisions this week, appearing on ABC News and MSNBC’s MS NOW to examine the Court’s rulings alongside other major legal and constitutional developments. Professor Sample summarized the recent analysis on his “Who Decides Who Decides” Substack. Across his June appearances, Professor Sample provided legal insight into the Supreme Court’s decisions involving birthright citizenship, immigration, transgender athletes, and religious liberty, while also analyzing election law disputes, executive authority, federal investigations, and litigation involving the Trump administration. His commentary offered audiences context on the constitutional questions shaping the Court’s term and the broader implications for American law and democratic governance.

Jun 30, 2026

1 min

Map Shows Trump Approval Rating in Each State With Critical Senate Races

Meena Bose, executive dean of Hofstra University’s Peter S. Kalikow School of Government, told Newsweek that President Donald Trump’s approval ratings in key Senate battleground states suggest Republicans face a more challenging political environment heading into the 2026 midterm elections. She noted that while incumbency and candidate quality will still matter, a president with approval ratings below 50 percent can create headwinds for candidates from his own party, making competitive Senate races more difficult for Republicans.