Expert Spotlight: Cities Ranked for Climate Resiliency

May 28, 2024

1 min

USA Today Homefront interviewed Jase Bernhardt, associate professor and director of Sustainability Studies in the Department of Geology, Environment and Sustainability, for its feature on the top-ranking cities for climate resiliency.

Dr. Bernhardt was asked to explain initiatives or incentives that can be implemented by cities to address vulnerabilities to climate change.

He said, “Cities in the U.S. should be most concerned with investing in solutions to the unique challenges they face in a changing climate. Such initiatives might include green roofs to reduce the urban heat island effect and planting more trees to absorb excess water and limit flooding.”

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Jase Bernhardt is an associate professor in the Department of the Geology, Environment and Sustainability at Hofstra University and also director of the department's MA Sustainability program. He's also an expert on hurricane preparedness.

Jase is available to speak with media about these topics - simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.

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Jase Bernhardt

Associate Professor of Geology, Environment, and Sustainability

Dr. Bernhardt's current research is focused on using VR technology to teach about dangerous weather conditions.

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Apr 14, 2026

1 min

The Political Ripple of Iran at Home

Lawrence Levy, associate vice president and executive dean of the National Center for Suburban Studies, provided analysis to Newsday on how national political dynamic are shaping the electoral landscape on Long Island ahead of the midterms. In coverage of the ongoing U.S. military operation in Iran, Levy highlighted the political ripple effects of the conflict at home. While the war itself has prompted debate over national security and economic consequences such as rising gas prices, Levy emphasized its electoral implications, noting that voter perceptions of President Trump’s performance are likely to be the dominant factor in upcoming congressional and state races. He pointed out that even though the president will not be on the ballot, his influence will loom large, particularly among swing voters and segments of the Republican base.

Apr 9, 2026

1 min

The Impacts of Stronger El Niño Conditions on LI

Jase Bernhardt, Hofstra University associate professor of geology, environment, and sustainability and director of meteorology, spoke to Newsday to explain how strong El Niño weather conditions could impact the region. “It often leads to the earth’s atmosphere warming,” said Dr. Bernhardt. “It could be expected that this year could be the warmest on record, if El Niño pans out.” He added that El Niño also “plants the seeds for more coastal storms in the late fall and winter.”

Apr 7, 2026

1 min

Supreme Court to Hear Arguments on Ending Birthright Citizenship

Professor of Constitutional Law James Sample and Director of the Law School’s Deportation Defense Clinic Alexander Holtzman at the Maurice A. Deane School of Law were interviewed by Newsday for a report on President Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship for hundreds of thousands of children of parents here illegally or temporarily. The Supreme Court will hear arguments from Trump administration lawyers that the Citizenship Clause of the U.S. Constitution was never intended to grant citizenship universally to everyone born in the country. Professor Sample said the administration’s case lacked merit. The clearest precedent, he said, was an 1898 Supreme Court case, United States v. Wong Kim Ark. He said, “That established clearly that, in the Supreme Court’s view, the language of the 14th Amendment meant that a child born in the United States, including to immigrants, whether documented or not, was a citizen.” He also added that a ruling that overturned this precedent would mark a fundamental change to the American identity. “The notion of birthright citizenship is one of the things that distinguishes us from other countries where citizenship is often a function of lineage,” he said. Professor Holtzman told Newsday that the case was creating anxiety for people who could be negatively affected by a court ruling, which could come as early as this summer. “I’ve had clients who’ve asked me, ‘Are my children safe, or who are pregnant and wonder if their children will be safe.”