Draft
2 min
A recent survey of 26 nations found that climate change ranks as the world’s top security threat, even ahead of terrorism and cyber attacks, while a NASA report shows that the last five years have been the warmest on Earth in 140 years of record keeping – a clear sign that human activity has caused major shifts in global climate and weather patterns. The fight to find an effective solution has now come to Congress, where Democrats and Republicans are clashing over the Green New Deal, a proposal that lays out a broad vision to address climate change and economic inequality.
Hofstra experts who can address environmental and political issues related to climate change include:
Professors Jase Bernhardt and Bob Brinkmann, experts in sustainability, environment, and climate change, can discuss how warmer air and water increase the likelihood of more intense hurricanes, wildfires and droughts, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels – all of which can displace communities and habitats, affect food and water supplies, and cripple important ecosystems.
Public health professor Anthony Santella can explain how climate change poses a global health concern, with potentially higher rates of asthma, cardiovascular disease, injuries, heat-related illness and death, and forced migration – particularly for at-risk communities such as ethnic minorities, older adults, children and adolescents, low-income persons, and persons with chronic diseases.
Biology professor Lisa Filippi can discuss how the extinction of insect species can affect the earth’s ecosystems. A new study published by the journal Biological Conservation warns that over 40% of insect species are facing extinction due to factors such as habitat loss, pollutants and climate change. Some species, however – such as cockroaches and houseflies – will thrive under these conditions.
Political science professor Rosanna Perotti can discuss how government and politics play a role in how climate change is addressed, while economics and labor studies professor Gregory DeFreitas can discuss the potential economic impact of the Green New Deal.
Dr. Bernhardt's current research is focused on using VR technology to teach about dangerous weather conditions.
Professor Perotti's expertise is in American politics, including Congress, elections and political parties.
Prof. DeFreitas is an expert on labor studies.
1 min
A Newsday story on the forecast for a warmer and wetter winter features an interview with Dr. Jase Bernhardt, associate professor of geology, environment, and sustainability. “We expect it to be a wetter winter, but whether that’s big snowstorms or tilting more towards rain, that’s harder to say,” Bernhardt explained. “More precipitation could mean more snow, but then if it’s not cold, then you have more mixed precipitation or rain.”
1 min
Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, talked to Newsday about Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure as White House press secretary. He explained that the person in that challenging role needs to have a high level of credibility with the press. “It is a tough job, but successful press secretaries – and there have been several in the two Trump administrations – I think take a different approach, which is not the kind of bumbling approach that this press secretary took,” Lukasiewicz said. “You have to have a very deep command of the facts and policies of the president … so we’ll see who’s next in line.”
1 min
Martine Hackett, associate professor and chair of population health, spoke with Newsday about health and wellness advice disseminated by social media influencers. People looking to make a lifestyle change are likely to look at posts by influencers. Dr. Martine Hackett, chair of the population health department at Hofstra University, said posts from these influencers can be helpful to people looking for detailed wellness information that they might not be able to get at a routine office visit with their doctor. “You can go for your annual health checkup, but if you are younger and don’t have a chronic disease, you might be told to exercise, but they don’t have the time to tell you how,” she said. “And you may not be able to go to a nutritionist or a trainer.”
Check out some other posts from Hofstra University
1 min
A Newsday story on the forecast for a warmer and wetter winter features an interview with Dr. Jase Bernhardt, associate professor of geology, environment, and sustainability. “We expect it to be a wetter winter, but whether that’s big snowstorms or tilting more towards rain, that’s harder to say,” Bernhardt explained. “More precipitation could mean more snow, but then if it’s not cold, then you have more mixed precipitation or rain.”
1 min
Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, talked to Newsday about Katie Zacharia’s five-day tenure as White House press secretary. He explained that the person in that challenging role needs to have a high level of credibility with the press. “It is a tough job, but successful press secretaries – and there have been several in the two Trump administrations – I think take a different approach, which is not the kind of bumbling approach that this press secretary took,” Lukasiewicz said. “You have to have a very deep command of the facts and policies of the president … so we’ll see who’s next in line.”
1 min
Martine Hackett, associate professor and chair of population health, spoke with Newsday about health and wellness advice disseminated by social media influencers. People looking to make a lifestyle change are likely to look at posts by influencers. Dr. Martine Hackett, chair of the population health department at Hofstra University, said posts from these influencers can be helpful to people looking for detailed wellness information that they might not be able to get at a routine office visit with their doctor. “You can go for your annual health checkup, but if you are younger and don’t have a chronic disease, you might be told to exercise, but they don’t have the time to tell you how,” she said. “And you may not be able to go to a nutritionist or a trainer.”
