A two-year initiative involving Syracuse University and SUNY Upstate Medical University has found that bringing memory screenings directly into local Offices for the Aging (OFAs) can help identify older adults with early signs of cognitive impairment, but also confirmed that transportation barriers persist. Plus, fear and stigma keep many rural residents from getting a full diagnosis and follow-up care.

The project, led by Maria Brown, associate research professor in Syracuse University’s School of Education, and Dr. Sharon Brangman, director of the SUNY Upstate Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease, trained 54 case managers and 10 supervisors at seven OFAs across Cayuga, Herkimer, Lewis, Madison, Oneida, Oswego and Tompkins counties. Their training involved administering the Mini-Cog, a brief cognitive screening tool, as part of their routine work with clients.

The project built on an earlier pilot in Onondaga County and was funded by the New York Health Foundation and the Health Foundation for Western and Central New York.

In total, case managers screened 684 older adults. Roughly 35% of those screened had scores suggesting possible cognitive impairment, and case managers referred them for a comprehensive evaluation with geriatricians at Upstate’s Center of Excellence for Alzheimer’s Disease.

Of those referred, 52 ultimately completed the evaluation and only 7 of that group were diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. Nearly half were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment, which is memory changes later in life that do not necessarily lead to dementia but benefit from ongoing monitoring.

“It’s important to draw a distinction that cognitive impairment doesn’t necessarily mean dementia,” Brown says. “For the people we screened, a positive result meant we could connect them with geriatricians for a full evaluation. That’s a chance to get ahead of a problem instead of reacting to a crisis.”

“Early detection gives people and their families more choices,”�� says Brangman, who teamed up with Brown on the project. “When we identify memory changes before they become a crisis, we can determine whether it’s Alzheimer’s disease, mild cognitive impairment or another condition, and connect patients with the right treatments, support services and planning resources.”

Many people who were referred for further evaluation chose not to go, and Brown says the reasons point to broader gaps in rural healthcare. Long drives to Syracuse, limited transportation options and fear of an Alzheimer’s diagnosis (including worry about losing independence) all factored into people’s decisions.

Even so, case managers at all seven participating OFAs found the screening valuable enough that they plan to keep using it after the project’s formal funding ends, and providers at SUNY Upstate Geriatrics will continue training new OFA staff on the tool going forward.

“Even when someone can’t or won’t follow up with a specialist, the screening itself gives case managers information they can use to better support their clients,” Brown says. “That’s valuable on its own.”

Brown says the results reinforce the need for more partnerships between medical and social service providers, particularly in rural areas where residents already face a shortage of specialists trained to evaluate cognitive changes. She and her Upstate colleagues hope the model along with the training resources developed through the project can eventually expand to more counties across New York state.

Grocery prices have remained a persistent strain on household budgets, and according to a supply chain expert in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, that pressure isn’t expected to ease before the end of the year.

Patrick Penfield, professor of supply chain practice, says a combination of rising costs across the supply chain is driving food prices higher. A shrinking cattle supply is compounding the problem, pushing up the cost of beef and other proteins.

The data backs him up. Grocery (food-at-home) prices rose for the fifth time this year in June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, and the projects food-at-home prices will climb 2.8% for all of 2026—faster than the 20-year historical average.

Beef is a standout: farm-level cattle prices were up nearly 17% in May compared to a year earlier, and wholesale beef prices were up nearly 16%, driven by a cyclical contraction in the U.S. cattle herd.

Food prices are expected to keep climbing through the rest of 2026,” Penfield says. “[Fuel, fertilizer, trucking and transportation, packaging materials and labor costs are] key pressures pushing prices higher across the supply chain… With farmers now heading into the start of harvest season, these elevated input costs are expected to work their way through the supply chain and translate into higher prices for consumers by the beginning of the fourth quarter of 2026.”

Penfield notes that until these underlying cost pressures ease, shoppers shouldn’t expect meaningful relief at the grocery store in the near term.

About Penfield

, professor of supply chain practice and director of executive education, teaches and researches supply chain management, procurement and logistics.

Media Contact

Reporters interested in speaking with Professor Penfield about grocery prices, supply chain disruptions or related topics may contact:

Daryl Lovell
Syracuse University Media Relations
M��315.380.0206
dalovell@syr.edu����

Camp Mystic filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization nearly a year after catastrophic floods killed 25 campers and two teenage counselors at the Christian camp for girls along the Guadalupe River in Texas. The move follows multiple lawsuits by families alleging that the camp failed to protect campers and counselors.

Reporters looking for an expert to explain the issues of this case, please see comments from , a law professor at the University’s College of Law and the former head of the college’s pro bono . To give a sense of his perspective, below are some of his comments about the case:

“There is nothing surprising about this bankruptcy filing. Bankruptcy coordinates all of the claims in one proceeding, and provides for proportionate distributions to creditors rather than allowing the early claimants to recover and the later claimants get nothing. Bankruptcy is commonly used in mass tort cases like this for procedural reasons. Plaintiffs can pursue individual cases against non-filing defendants, like the family that owns the stock and interests of the entities that filed bankruptcy. But holding the individual owners liable is much more difficult—the plaintiffs will need to prove that the individuals were negligent in their individual capacity or they will need to show that the entities were not operated in accordance with the law. Usually, the plaintiffs and the bankruptcy debtors reach a settlement,” says Germain.

To arrange an interview with Professor Germain, please email Ellen James Mbuqe:�� ejmbuqe@syr.edu.

As lawmakers in dozens of states consider legislation on AI in schools and districts nationwide weigh screen restrictions, debate over how—and how much—technology belongs in the classroom shows no signs of slowing. The American Federation of Teachers recently released a that includes banning screens for students through second grade.

professor Jing Lei says that some of the suggestions take a simplistic approach to complicated issues that could lead to new challenges.

The tenuous peace deal between the United States and Iran has yet to be signed, but for reporters looking for an expert to help explain the deal, please see comments from Syracuse University professor��.

Khalil is a professor of history in the and a frequent media commentator on Middle East issues and conflicts.

When it comes to the deal, Khalil says:

The FIFA World Cup comes to North America for the first time since 1994, with the U.S., Canada and Mexico hosting the 2026 competition. From the economics of global sport to the politics of international competition, faculty experts can offer perspectives across multiple disciplines. All experts are available for print, broadcast and digital interviews.

For media assistance and interview coordination, contact��Keith Kobland via email at kkobland@syr.edu or by calling 315.415.8095.

Sport Economics and Analytics

Rodney Paul | rpaul01@syr.edu

is director of the sports analytics program and a professor in the Department of Sport Management in the David B. Falk College of Sport.

Paul is a sports economist with more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and extensive experience consulting for professional leagues and teams. He has been featured on NPR, Forbes and in CFO Magazine on topics ranging from TV rights deals to franchise finances.

Paul can discuss the economics of hosting, including revenue projections, infrastructure costs and whether host cities recoup their investments. He can also explore ticket pricing, broadcast rights and the financial windfall for FIFA and its sponsor brands. Paul is also available to discuss how increased U.S. viewership and a home tournament could accelerate the growth of MLS and professional soccer investment in North America.

Football, Film and African Culture

Vlad Dima | vdima@syr.edu

is a professor of African American studies in the College of Arts and Sciences. Dima is the author of “The Beautiful Skin: Football, Fantasy and Cinematic Bodies in Africa” (Michigan State University Press), a landmark examination of soccer’s cultural meaning across the African continent. His research spans francophone cinema, cultural studies and the politics of sport as spectacle. He was recently interviewed by the Los Angeles Times on soccer’s growing popularity in the United States.

Dima can discuss the importance of soccer as a cultural identity and what the tournament means for African nations and diaspora communities; how media representations of African and Global South players shape narratives of race and nationhood; and the tournament as soft power—how countries use the World Cup stage to project national identity on a global screen.

Geopolitics and International Security

Corri Zoli ����cbzoli@syr.edu

is an associate teaching professor of political science and a senior research scholar in global affairs and international security in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs | College of Arts and Sciences (A&S). Zoli is a scholar of international security, global conflict and the intersection of law and cross-cultural dynamics. Based in the Forensic and National Security Sciences Institute, Zoli’s interdisciplinary work addresses how international institutions navigate political tensions, a lens directly applicable to a tournament that brings together nations with competing global interests.

Zoli can speak about the World Cup as a geopolitical arena; how FIFA navigates relations with sanctioned states, contested territories and authoritarian hosts; what goes into security planning and counterterrorism logistics for a multi-city, multination tournament on U.S. soil; the diplomatic stakes when rival nations meet on the pitch; and what sport reveals about the limits of soft power.

As the United States prepares to mark its 250th anniversary on July 4, 2026, journalists covering the Semiquincentennial will find no shortage of angles—from celebration and patriotism to polarization, history and the legacies still unresolved. Syracuse University has a deep bench of scholars ready to help reporters tell the full story.

Below is a reference guide to several��Syracuse University��faculty experts��and thought leaders��available on topics ranging from national identity to the democratic blueprint drawn by this land’s first��peoples.

For media��assistance��and interview coordination, contact��media@syr.edu.

How Has America Celebrated Its Birthday Before—and What Does Our Constitution Really Mean?

Carol Faulkner ����cfaulkne@syr.edu

is a professor of history in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.

A specialist in 19th-century American history, constitutional history and social reform movements, Faulkner can offer a deep historical lens on how the United States has marked its major anniversaries—from the Centennial in 1876 to the Bicentennial in 1976—and what those celebrations reveal about the nation’s evolving sense of itself.

She can also speak to what the Constitution means as a living document and how its interpretation has shifted over time. Faulkner recently helped develop a free public course at the Maxwell School in conjunction with the 250th commemoration.

Can a Divided Nation Still Celebrate Together?

Shana Kushner Gadarian ����sgadaria@maxwell.syr.edu

is a professor and chair of political science in the Maxwell School.

A leading expert on American politics, political psychology and public opinion, Gadarian has spent much of her career studying how fear, polarization and partisanship shape the way Americans engage with shared institutions and national events.

As the country marks 250 years, she can address whether a deeply divided electorate can still find common ground in national celebration—and what the politics of patriotism look like in this moment.

The State of American Democracy at 250

Grant Reeher ����gpreeher@maxwell.syr.edu

is a professor of political science in the Maxwell School and a longtime observer of American political culture.

He can speak broadly to the health of U.S. democracy at this milestone, examining how the nation’s founding ideals are faring amid contemporary political pressures, what citizens expect from their government and how the meaning of democratic participation has evolved over 250 years.

Reeher is also a veteran media commentator on electoral politics and civic life.

The Blueprint America Forgot: Indigenous Roots of U.S. Democracy

Scott Stevens ����scsteven@syr.edu

is an associate professor and director of the Center for Global Indigenous Cultures and Environmental Justice in the College of Arts and Sciences, with expertise in Indigenous literature, history and cultural studies.

As the nation celebrates its 250th birthday, Stevens can speak to the often-overlooked story of how the democratic traditions and governance structures of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy—among other First Peoples—provided a foundational blueprint for the framers of the U.S. Constitution.

His work challenges and enriches conventional narratives about American democracy’s origins.

Nostalgia, Media and the Moments That Unite Us

Robert Thompson ����rthompso@syr.edu��

is founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture and a Trustee Professor of Television and Popular Culture in the .

Dubbed a “pop culture ambassador” by the Associated Press, Thompson has been a go-to voice for hundreds of media outlets on how Americans process shared national experiences through television, film and popular media. For the 250th anniversary, he can speak to how the media will cover—and shape—the celebration, as well as the role nostalgia plays in national identity and whether big national moments still have the power to bring a fragmented country together.��

Serena Williams made headlines this week with her return to professional tennis at age 44, entering the doubles draw at the HSBC Championships in London after nearly four years away from the sport. But beyond the fanfare, what does her comeback actually demand of her body?

Matthew Armstrong, assistant professor in the Department of Exercise Science in the David B. Falk College of Sport, says the cardiovascular realities of competing at 44 are significant—and measurable.

The most concrete factor, Armstrong explains, is maximum heart rate (HR), which declines approximately 0.7 to 1 beat per minute per year—a rate that holds regardless of sex or training background. Over two-plus decades of a career, that adds up.

“A 20-year-old would be able to achieve a max HR about 24 BPM higher than a 44-year-old Serena,” Armstrong says. “That is a large delta that would make a difference.”

As for the reconditioning process itself, Armstrong says the fundamentals don’t change much at the elite level. “Realistically, the training is the same. It’s just hard work that needs to be done in order to get to a level that you can compete at.”

One key variable, he notes, is how active Williams remained during her hiatus. “If she has done very little training during her break then the comeback will be difficult—but if she has been training consistently, even though it would not be to a pro athlete standard, then this would make it easier.”

Elite athletes do carry certain cardiovascular advantages into later career stages—structural adaptations like enlarged chamber size and increased stroke volume that make the heart more efficient—but those advantages only go so far against the natural decline in aerobic capacity that comes with age.

With the HSBC Championships beginning June 8, Armstrong says the most fascinating question may be one that only time—and performance data—can answer: whether Williams’ speed, power and endurance on court today match what she brought to the game in the past.

Professor Armstrong is available for interview. If you’d like to connect with him, send written questions or learn more, email Daryl Lovell: dalovell@syr.edu.��

Leonard M. Lopoo, the Paul Volcker Chair in Behavioral Economics and a professor in the Department of Public Administration and International Affairs at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, is the author of the newly-published book, “Wanting Children: Family Planning Policies and the Engineering of America’s Population.”

In his new book, Lopoo looks at the history of government-sponsored family planning programs that were designed in the 1970s to reduce childbearing among “undesirable populations.”

Nearly all these programs still exist today but he argues that these population policies should be redesigned to not only prioritize contraception, which they currently do, but also to include the option to assist families who want children.

In this Q&A, Lopoo explores what is means for families and society when children are wanted.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is sounding the alarm on a growing trend in American schools: the steady erosion of recess. In its first on the subject in over a decade, the AAP recommends that all students—from kindergarten through high school—receive at least 20 minutes of unstructured play each day, and warns that cutting recess puts children’s health, behavior and learning at risk.

Katie Kidwell, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology in Syracuse University’s College of Arts and Sciences (A&S), says the research backs that up. She provides the following quote which can be used directly:

“Play and physical activity are essential for children’s mental and physical health, not optional extras during the school day. Recess supports emotional regulation, attention, stress reduction and social development. Losing recess as punishment can be especially harmful because the children struggling behaviorally are often the ones who most need opportunities for movement and regulation.”

“Research consistently shows that recess and unstructured physical activity support children’s physical and mental health in meaningful ways. Regular opportunities for movement during the school day are associated with better attention, emotional regulation, mood, social functioning and overall well-being. Recess should not be viewed as separate from learning—because children learn through play.”

To arrange an interview with Professor Kidwell, contact Daryl Lovell, associate director of media relations, at dalovell@syr.edu.

As bipartisan legislation to allow Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chickens moves through Congress, Syracuse University food insecurity expert is available to discuss how the proposal addresses real barriers faced by seniors, people with disabilities and time-constrained families.

Background: The , introduced this spring by a group of bipartisan lawmakers, would update SNAP rules to allow recipients to purchase hot rotisserie chickens. Currently, SNAP recipients can only buy rotisserie chickens after they’ve been cooled, as existing regulations restrict benefits to “staple foods” intended for home preparation. The bill would not increase SNAP funding or expand eligibility.

Expert: Colleen Heflin is a professor of public administration and international affairs at Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and a nationally recognized expert on food insecurity and SNAP policy. She has testified before Congress, published more than 70 research articles on food assistance programs, and recently co-authored “” with Madonna Harrington Meyer. Her research is regularly funded by the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Professor Heflin is available for interviews on this legislation as well as any SNAP policy story you may be working on.

Comments from Professor Heflin (quotes may be used directly):

“SNAP benefits were designed to be used to cover food items prepared at home at a time when most families cooked from scratch daily. Today, however, those with physical limitations (such as older adults and those with disabilities) that make it difficult to shop, carry, stand and clean-up, those who are time constrained (such as households with children), and those without access to or knowledge of how to use kitchenware (items used in food preparation), may find that SNAP does not cover the food that they usually eat.

“In my recent book, ‘Food for Thought: Understanding Older Adult Food Insecurity,’ with Madonna Harrington Meyer, we heard how older adults’ mobility limitations and stamina reduced their food preparation and pushed them towards consuming less nutritious foods. Older adults mentioned the desire to be able to purchase rotisserie chickens specifically in our interviews.

“New provisions that make SNAP more accessible for these groups by allowing participants to use their benefits to cover hot rotisserie chickens is a step in the right direction. USDA has already allowed states to opt into the Restaurant Meal Program, which allows SNAP benefits for older adults, those with disabilities, and the homeless to use their benefits at participating restaurants, which vary by state.”

As hantavirus cases linked to a cruise ship continue to draw national attention, Syracuse University public health expert����is available to offer insight on transmission risks, outbreak response, and what this unusual case reveals about infectious disease preparedness.

Larsen is a professor and chair of public health in Syracuse University’s Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, whose work includes wastewater-based epidemiology. He notes that hantavirus cases in a cruise ship setting are highly uncommon—and raise immediate questions about the vessel’s environment.

“Hantavirus is transmitted by rodents, so I would first wonder about rodents on the cruise ship,” Larsen says. “Person-to-person transmission is incredibly rare and would not be the primary suspect.”

With three deaths already reported, Larsen says identifying the source of infection is the most urgent priority for public health responders. “Knowing how the infections occurred is a primary concern. If there are rodents on the ship with hantavirus—as I would suspect—then removing them would be the next step.”

Larsen also points to wastewater testing as a potentially valuable tool in confirming whether the threat has passed. “Wastewater testing could be useful here to confirm that hantavirus is no longer present on the cruise ship, as could other types of environmental testing,” he says.

On the broader takeaway, Larsen is direct:��“We are always at risk of infectious diseases, and sometimes in unexpected ways. We need to continue to invest in public health and outbreak response so that we can control outbreaks when they do happen.”

Professor Larsen’s comments in this article can be directly quoted. To connect with him for additional questions or an interview, please contact:

Daryl Lovell, Media Relations
dalovell@syr.edu

On April 19, 2026, a humanoid robot developed by Chinese smartphone maker Honor completed a Beijing half-marathon in 50 minutes and 26 seconds, faster than the human world record by almost seven minutes. The improvement from 2025’s inaugural race has generated widespread attention. But what does it tell us about the future of robotics off the track?

is an assistant professor in the College of Engineering and Computer Science and director of the Dynamic Locomotion and Robotics Lab, where he researches legged locomotion. He is a for his research on how animals transition seamlessly between movement patterns and how to give robots that same kind of physical intelligence. Gan helped put the race results in context.

On the Technological Improvements

• “Last year’s winning robot took over two hours, with few teams finishing. This year, a much larger field saw many completions, and the fastest robot surpassed human racers. This reflects advances in energy efficiency, control and morphology, especially with a known benchmark.”

On the Work Still to Be Done

• “The race highlights that humanoid robotics is progressing rapidly in task-specific dynamic locomotion. However, these are structured conditions. We still have work ahead before achieving robust, general performance in everyday scenarios.”

On the Limits of Controlled Conditions

• “While controlled settings allow us to test locomotion in isolation, real-world applications are far more complex. Uneven terrain, obstacles and safety factors require significant advances in perception and adaptability.”

On What to Expect in the Near Future

• “In the next decade, we’ll likely see humanoid robots in well-defined roles—for example, industrial inspections, logistics or hazardous environments—where tasks are repeatable and structured to their strengths.”

As the U.S., Israel and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, questions remain about the legal and ethical boundaries of the rhetoric that defined the conflict. Judge , director of the Institute for Security Policy and Law and a professor in both the and the at Syracuse University, addresses those questions directly in our latest Q&A.

Baker also serves as a judge on the Data Protection Review Court, bringing a rare combination of academic expertise and active judicial experience to issues at the intersection of national security, military law and international legal norms.

To schedule an interview, please reach out to Vanessa Marquette, media relations specialist, at vrmarque@syr.edu.

Recent coverage in and an earlier article in the have questioned the increase in disability accommodations for students and recent graduates. A Syracuse University law professor and leading national expert says that framing is missing critical context.

The Expert

, professor of law and director, disability law and policy program in Syracuse University’s College of Law

What She Can Address

• Why rising accommodation numbers reflect a pipeline success story, not a system being gamed
• How the American with Disabilities Act’s broad definition of disability shapes what qualifies—and what gets denied
• The accommodations that never make headlines: requests that are routinely rejected
• How successful implementation of anti-discrimination laws at the K-12 level has expanded the population of students with disabilities entering higher education

In Her Own Words

“An increase in accommodations is a natural consequence of the increased presence of students with disabilities in higher education. The Americans with Disabilities Act defines disability broadly, and without knowing more about each individually approved accommodation, it is difficult if not improper to conclude that any increase is suspicious.”

Recent Work

Macfarlane’s article “” was recently published in the Georgetown Law Journal.