Zwibel Discusses Zoom Fatigue in Tech & Learning University

Mar 09, 2021

Hallie Zwibel, D.O., New York Tech's medical director and director of the Center for Esports Medicine, was quoted in Tech & Learning University on how educators can curb Zoom fatigue, despite needing to spend more time in front of a screen due to the pandemic. Much of the medical advice that Zwibel and his team share with esports athletes is also applicable to educators finding themselves in front of a computer more frequently. 

“Make sure you're limiting glare, that your screen is eye level, with a certain amount of distance between you and your screen,” recommends Zwibel. “Try to have an ergonomic chair, making sure your keyboard is ergonomically designed. We also recommend taking a standing break at least every 45 minutes. And between 20 and 40 minutes, we recommend eye stretches, just to relax the eye muscles.” 

 

InnovateLI Highlights Zscaler Initiative

Mar 05, 2021

As seen in InnovateLI, the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences has partnered with Zscaler, a leader in cloud security, to allow students and alumni to gain real-world skills in the field of cybersecurity, specifically with secure access service edge and zero trust best practices through courses that teach Zscaler Internet Access and Zscaler Private Access powered by the Zscaler Zero Trust Exchange.

“Preparing our students by providing them a career-oriented and deep technical education has always been our focus,” says Babak Beheshti, Ph.D., dean of the College of Engineering and Computing Sciences. “This partnership with Zscaler equips our students with highly in-demand skillsets in cybersecurity while integrating these skillset acquisitions in their curriculum.”

 

Newsday Pandemic Coverage Highlights Harper's Public Health Expertise

Mar 04, 2021

Insight from Brian Harper, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for equity and inclusion and chief medical officer, was included in a Newsday story on the one-year anniversary of COVID-19 on Long Island. Harper, who is also a former Suffolk County health commissioner, noted that people of color are more likely to have public-facing jobs that could expose them to the virus and underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19. In addition, he adds that these communities are also less likely to have access to routine primary care, making it even more challenging for them to manage their health.

 

Psychology Today Features Kirk’s Behavioral Findings on Pet Owners

Mar 02, 2021

Psychological ownership research by Colleen Kirk, D.P.S., associate professor of marketing, is featured in Psychology Today. In late February, Lady Gaga's French bulldogs were stolen at gunpoint, with the singer issuing a $500,000 reward for the dogs’ safe return. The article, “How Much Money is Your Pet Worth to You,” uses Kirk’s findings to explain why dog owners, like Lady Gaga, place a high value on their pets, as compared to owners of other pets, such as cats.  

 

LIBN Honors Harper with a 2021 Diversity in Business Award

Mar 02, 2021

Brian Harper, M.D., M.P.H., vice president for equity and inclusion and chief medical officer, received a 2021 Diversity in Business award from Long Island Business News (LIBN). These awards are designed to highlight the outstanding achievements of the region’s leaders who actively support the growth of diversity and equality in the community. Harper, who was also profiled in a special issue of LIBN, and several other leaders from a variety of organizations across Long Island were honored at the publication’s March 2 virtual awards ceremony.

When asked what motivates his efforts, Harper said, “I have spent roughly 30 years focused on issues pertaining to public health, including communicable diseases and health inequities. It has become more apparent than ever that a lack of health information or misinformation can literally result in both morbidity and mortality. This has motivated me to continue to educate the public on basic medical and scientific principles to help dispel myths and prevent unnecessary illness and death.”

 

VRWorldTech Interviews New York Tech Graduate Student

Feb 22, 2021

Dominica Jamir, a graduate student in New York Tech’s UX/UI (user experience/user interface) design and development program is featured in a five-page spread by VRWorldTech, a UK publication dedicated to the business of manufactured realities and immersive technologies. Inside the February 22 issue (login required), the article, “Meet Dominica Jamir,” provides an in-depth look at what inspired Jamir to study UX/UI design and development, and how she is using virtual reality (VR) to enhance current teaching and learning methods. Much of the article focuses on Jamir’s award-winning project proposal, Intellect VR: Learning in VR; The VR Experience in the Classroom, which was named “Best Practitioner Poster Proposal” at last year’s International Conference of the Immersive Learning Research Network.

 

Newsday Quotes Experts on Financial Aid Amid Pandemic Economy

Feb 21, 2021

Karen Vahey, Ed.D., dean of admissions and financial aid, and Marcelle Hicks, M.A., senior director of undergraduate admissions, are quoted in a Newsday story on how the pandemic economy has impacted college students. 

“For fall 2020, we saw a 15 percent increase in requests for additional aid and assistance, and much of this increase can be attributed to the pandemic,” said Vahey. “We have already begun to process requests for additional aid. This is earlier in the cycle than is typical and before many of our financial aid packages have been mailed.”

Hicks noted that students who appealed for more aid due to personal loss of work indicated working in movie theaters, grocery stores, pharmacies, babysitting, and restaurants. 

 

Finn Explains Cybersickness in RealSimple.com Article

Feb 17, 2021

As seen in a Real Simple online story, Christina Finn, Ed.D., OTR/L discusses why some people may feel sick after spending time in front of a digital screen, a growing phenomenon due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Finn explains that “cybersickness” is due to a condition called vestibular conflict, when the brain receives messages that a person is moving, when in fact, the person is still. Often experienced as nausea, dizziness, or other neurological symptoms, it is the same condition that causes some people to feel sick while reading in a moving vehicle.  

“Your eyes may detect movement on the screen while your body remains stationary, setting up a conflict that can cause similar feelings of motion sickness,” Finn says, adding that this might occur after only one or two hours of screen use, and symptoms can last anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. She also notes that blue light may exacerbate the issue. “When people look at screens, some may experience it as nausea and dizziness associated with eye strain, which may be associated with blue light exposure.”

 

INSIDER Features Haar's Nutrition Expertise

Feb 16, 2021

Nutrition expert Mindy Haar, Ph.D., clinical associate professor and chair of interdisciplinary health sciences, was quoted in an INSIDER story on plant-based diets. As noted in the article, a plant-based diet consists of mostly plant-based food sources like fruits, vegetables, beans, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, and oils. However, some plant-based diets still include small amounts of animal products, as Haar notes. 

“A key point for those contemplating a plant-based diet is that it does not have to be an all-or-nothing proposition. Each change one is able to make – whether it's eliminating some type of animal-based food or just reducing its frequency – can have a significant health impact when done the right way,” she says.  

The article also appeared in MSN and Yahoo.

 

Newsday Quotes Harper on COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

Feb 12, 2021

Brian Harper, M.D., vice president for equity and inclusion and chief medical officer, is quoted in Newsday regarding COVID-19 vaccine distribution on Long Island. In discussing the various distribution challenges, he notes the ways in which vaccine rollout to underserved populations, those hit hardest by the pandemic, could have been improved. He states that federally qualified health centers, which serve many low-income people and other underserved populations, should have been used more extensively for vaccine rollout due to their rapport with these communities.