With at least 27 species of ticks in the eastern U.S., ticks and tick-borne diseases have become a serious public health issue. Cornell University experts are warning that in 2019 the Asian longhorned tick will track further into the U.S., humans may be struck with tick-borne infections within 15 minutes of contact, and pets will be exposed to ticks simply by running on a freshly mowed lawn. Laura Harrington, Laura Goodman, Manigandan Lejeune Virapin, and Matt Frye are available for interviews on tick-borne diseases, prevention tips for humans and animals, advice on pest management, and invading tick species.

Health, Nutrition & Medicine

Life Sciences & Veterinary Medicine

Agriculture and Life Sciences

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Rockland County, New York officials declared a state of emergency today and banned anyone who is under 18 years of age and unvaccinated against the measles from public spaces for 30 days or until they receive the MMR vaccination. Cynthia Leifer, professor of immunology at Cornell University, says the general public is at risk when parents choose not to vaccinate their children and compares the situation to the recklessness of drunk drivers.

Health, Nutrition & Medicine

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Rick Geddes, founding director of the Cornell Program in Infrastructure Policy and expert on infrastructure, says congestion pricing has proven successful in other cities around the world and could be beneficial to New York City on many levels.

New York City

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Election results are slowly rolling in in Thailand, accompanied by growing complaints of irregularities. According to the votes counted so far, the pro-military party is set to retain power. Thomas Pepinsky, professor of government at Cornell University and an expert in South East Asian politics, says preliminary results suggest the outcome is unlikely to bring stability to the country’s politics.

International

Arts and Sciences

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Doug Kriner, professor in Cornell University’s Government Department and author of the book “Investigating the President: Congressional Checks on Presidential Power,” says that the Mueller report is likely to represent just the beginning of investigations that will threaten President Donald Trump’s presidency.

Law, Government & Public Policy

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On Thursday, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to “promote free and open debate on college and university campuses.” Trump said the order was the first in a series of steps to defend free speech on American campuses which, he said, have become increasingly hostile to the First Amendment.  Wendy Williams and Stephen Ceci, professors of developmental phycology at Cornell University, have written about the treatment of controversial topics on campus. When it comes to topics some people find offensive, they say, college campuses today are hardly bastions of free speech.

Arts & Humanities

Human Ecology

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Today, Levi Strauss & Co will begin trading on the New York Stock Exchange, with shares expected to be priced between $14 and $16. This is the second time the clothing company has launched an initial public offering (IPO), the first time being 1971. Nicholas Guest, professor of accounting at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business studies how companies make decisions when trading in the equity market. He says investors should approach this IPO with a level of skepticism.

Economics and Business

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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Anindita Banerjee is an associate professor of comparative literature at Cornell University and a faculty fellow at the Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future. She says the ruling highlights the importance of invisible threats such as climate change, and harkens back to the 1960s debate over pesticides.

Atkinson Center for a Sustainable Future

Energy, Environment & Sustainability

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New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio has announced that all NYC public schools will officially have “meatless Mondays” starting next fall. Carol Parker, program leader for Cornell Cooperative Extension-NYC (CCE-NYC) Nutrition and Health Program Area, says she supports the decision for NYC schools to provide meatless meals on Mondays.

Social & Behavioral Sciences

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Rumors abound about Apple’s likely foray into TV streaming. In confirming the date for its next event, Apple tagged the March 25 invitation with a sentence that hinted at an upcoming video service, reigniting speculation on the company’s streaming plans. Aija Leiponen, professor of applied economics at the Cornell SC Johnson College of Business and an expert on digital markets, studies the way data is commercialized on the internet. She says that Apple will need big hit shows to convince consumers to subscribe to yet another streaming service.

Economics and Business

Dyson School of Applied Economics & Management

Cornell SC Johnson College of Business

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