Montclair State Experts Help Others Understand the Pandemic

As the nation grapples with the ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic, Montclair State University faculty experts are part of the conversation – lending their expertise to both New Jersey and national media to help readers and viewers understand the ramifications of the global health crisis caused by this highly contagious, fast-spreading virus with an alarming death rate. Our experts are talking with The New York Times, CNN, WNYC, NJ.com, the Arizona Republic and German Public Radio, as well as local media, about everything from the impact of K-12 school closings to what being at the epicenter of the pandemic means to the psychology behind “panic shopping” and how the national health emergency will impact the economy. You can read what our experts had to share with the public by following the links below.

This information is current as of June 19, 2020 and is updated as commentary is published.

• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the new hurdles facing New Jersey contact tracers and testers with NJTV. Watch the full interview here (July 16).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the potential dangers surrounding outdoor summer activities with NJ.com. Read the full story here (July 15).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not Governor Murphy’s outdoor mask mandate is needed with NJ.com. Read the full story here (July 11).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the importance of Governor Murphy’s outdoor mask mandate with NJTV. Watch the full interview here (July 8).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the need to mandate face masks outdoors with NJTV. Watch the full interview here (July 6).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not New Jersey will see a second wave of infections with NJ.com. Read the full story here (July 5).
• Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health Director Gerard Costa discussed the impact lack of family contact can have on children with disabilities during the pandemic with Northjersey.com/The Record. Read the full story here (July 1).
• Professor of Biology Sandra Adams discussed whether or not your blood type can protect you from coronavirus with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 25).
• Professor of Marketing Patrali Chatterjee discussed Main Street’s rebound efforts as businesses begin to reopen with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 20).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes participated in a virtual “newsinar” titled, ““Reopen, Recover and Redefine” for NJBIZ. Read the summary here (June 17).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera how a second spike of cases in New Jersey is inevitable – but how severe that spike will be depends on how New Jersey responds – with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 17).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed how his latest models show New Jersey can avoid a second wave of infections by instituting better testing and contact tracing measures with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 13).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed how indoor dining is still too risky with the Asbury Park Press. Read the full story here (June 12).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed how risky certain activities are now that coronavirus restrictions are being lifted with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 8).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not RO is a useful tool to track the spread of the virus with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 6).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not New Jersey could see a second spike in cases as businesses begin to reopen with NJTV. Watch the full segment here (June 4).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed how his latest models show to decrease the number of deaths and hospitalizations, people need to accept that things will shut down again but on a much smaller level with WNYC. Listen to the full segment here (June 2).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes discussed why a recession due to the pandemic may require a longer recovery with NJ.com. Read the full story here (June 1).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not New Jersey is reopening at the appropriate pace with The Wall Street Journal. Read the full story here (May 30).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed how COVID-19 is spread with NJTV. Watch the full segment here (May 29).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed why Arizona officials haven’t reported detailed testing data from the zip codes on tribal lands with the Arizona Republic. Read the full story here (May 22).
• Instructional Specialist for Economics David Axelrod discussed how the New Jersey Shore economy will need “early adopters” to help its economy rebound with The New York Times. Read the full story here (May 21).
• Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Tanya Maloney discussed whether or not New Jersey Schools should give letter grades during the pandemic with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 20).
• Director of Counseling and Psychological Services Jaclyn Friedman-Lombardo discussed Montclair State’s mental health initiatives with Northjersey.com/The Record. Read the full story here (May 19).
• Professor of Family Science and Human Development Jonathan Caspi discussed how the pandemic is testing sibling bonds – and parents – with CNN. Read the full story here (May 19).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the opening weekend at the beaches with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 18).
• Associate Professor Joel Penney discussed why people are social media shaming others during the pandemic with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 18).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed Governor Murphy’s new testing plan with WNYC. Listen to the full story here (May 13).
• Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Jessica Bacon discussed how extended remote learning will impact students with disabilities with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 13).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed what effective contact tracing entails with Northjersey.com. Read the full story here (May 12).
• Assistant Vice President for Hispanic Initiatives Katia Paz Goldfarb discussed the impact the pandemic is having on New Jersey’s Hispanic community with NJTV. Read the full story here (May 11).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed how New Jersey’s coronavirus-related deaths could be undercounted by nearly 25% with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 9).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not it was too soon for New Jersey to open its parks with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 9).
• Professor of Family Science and Human Development Jonathan Caspi discussed how siblings fighting during quarantine doesn’t mean parents are failing with The New York Times. Read the full story here (May 5).
• President Susan A. Cole discussed the different scenarios the University is preparing for this fall with University Business. Read the full story here (May 5).
• Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Tanya Maloney discussed how the decision to keep schools closed — while necessary to protect students and educators — will have far-reaching consequences with Chalkbeat Newark. Read the full story here (May 5).
• Department of Biology Chairperson Dirk Vanderklein how the lack of cars and buses on the roads could provide short-term aid to the environment with Montclair Local. Read the full story here (May 2).
• Professor of Public Health discussed how a lack of testing and contact tracing could lead to another spike in cases with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 2).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed what could be next to open after New Jersey opened parks and golf courses with NJ.com. Read the full story here (May 1).
• Professor of Marketing Patrali Chatterjee discussed whether or not shoppers will return to malls – and what experiences will be awaiting them – with the Asbury Park Press. Read the full story here (April 29).
• Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Tanya Maloney discussed the challenges facing New Jersey schools as they determine how best to reopen with NJ.com. Read the full story here (April 29).
• Staff Psychologist Nancy Friedman discussed the University’s virtual therapy initiatives with NJ Spotlight. Read the full story here (April 24).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not full-service gas stations are safe during the pandemic with News 12 New Jersey. Watch the full interview here (April 20).
• Assistant Professor of Teaching and Learning Tanya Maloney discussed the resources currently unavailable for students in an online environment with Chalkbeat. Read the full story here (April 20).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed the need for global collaboration in fighting the pandemic in a story that appeared on Forbes.com. Read the full story here (April 20).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed how increased testing is needed before states can reopen with the Arizona Republic. Read the full story here (April 20).
• Professor of Marketing Patrali Chatterjee discussed how the pandemic is impacting businesses with NJ 101.5 FM. Read the full story here (April 19).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not New Jersey could see a second peak with NJ.com. Read the full story here (April 17).
• Professor of Psychology Ruth Propper discussed how the pandemic may impact your dreams in a story for Wired. Read the full story here (April 16).
• Director of Undergraduate Nursing Courtney Reinisch discussed how the pandemic is affecting nursing students in an interview with American Mobile. Read the full story here (April 16).
• Career experts Adam Mayer and Jeffrey Poulos discussed tips for college seniors on the verge of entering the job market in an interview with NJTV. View the full interview here (April 15).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed whether or not New Jersey could see a second peak in an interview with NJTV. View the full interview here (April 14).
• Assistant Professor of Public Health Sze Yan Liu discussed the racial disparities in coronavirus-related deaths with NJ.com. Read the full story here (April 14).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed how a lack of data can inhibit the ability to make important policy decisions with the Arizona Republic. Read the full story here (April 13).
• Professor of Biology Sandra Adams participated in a Q+A with NJ.com in which she answered questions surrounding how the coronavirus works. Read the full story here (April 13).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed the right way for New Jersey to move out of quarantine with NJ.com. Read the full story here (April 13).
• Director of Career Development Adam Mayer and College of Education and Human Services Career Advisor Jeffrey Poulos shared their tips for college graduates entering the job market in this feature story, which ran in the print edition of The Record and was featured on Northjersey.com. Read the full story here (April 9).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston discussed the importance of weighing many different mathematical models to track the impact of the pandemic with The Record. Read the full story here (April 6).
• Director of Undergraduate Admissions Jeff Gant discussed Montclair State’s virtual admissions initiatives and the importance for students to still get a sense of a school’s culture as they make their college choices with The Record. Read the full story here (April 6).
• Professor of Applied Mathematics Eric Forgoston participated in a virtual panel discussion titled, “COVID-19 Testing, Drug Discovery, Infectiousness, and more” for Newswise, in which he discussed common terminology being used in the mathematical models tracking the pandemic and the countries that are doing the best job at “flattening the curve.” Watch the full virtual press conference and read the transcript here (April 3).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed NJ Governor Phil Murphy’s decisions in a story about how Murphy went from cancer surgery in early March to “meeting the biggest challenge of his political life” in this story for NJ.com (March 31).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera explained why New York and New Jersey are at the epicenter of the coronavirus pandemic in this NJ.com story (March 28).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed how “contact tracing” proves easier when dealing with a social gathering such as a party in a story for the Arizona Republic (March 26).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes cited the multiple ways the pandemic is impacting the New Jersey economy in a conversation with NJBIZ (March 24).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes discussed the rise in New Jersey unemployment claims in an interview with WNYC (March 20).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed why people still need fresh air during social distancing with NJ.com (March 20).
• Center for Autism and Early Childhood Mental Health Director Gerard Costa provided parents with tips on how families can still mark the first day of spring while practicing social distancing for NJ.com (March 19).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed why the number of cases given by the State of New Jersey may not be accurate in a story for NJ.com (March 15).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera stated that New Jersey was past the point of containing the pandemic in a conversation with NJ.com (March 13).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes discussed how “panic shopping” is the first sign of economic disruption with The New York Times (March 13).
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera discussed when New Jersey schools should ideally close due to the Coronavirus with NJ.com (March 12).
• Associate Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies Lauren Dinour explained how closings could impact thousands of New Jersey children who receive free meals at school in a story for NorthJersey.com (March 12) and in NJ.com (March 11).
• Professor of Economics Luis Portes detailed why northern New Jersey could see economic disruption due to the pandemic for NJTV (March 11). See the full video here.
• Professor of Public Health Stephanie Silvera detailed the process of “contact tracing” and how public health officials will use it to determine who may be infected with the coronavirus in a story for NorthJersey.com (March 6).