In the News

In this Marie Claire article, CUNY SPS Psychology Professor Dr. Lauren Mahoney provides expert testimony about the far-reaching cultural impact of the Cornell sexual assault case. Dr. Mahoney's many statements primarily focus on the behavior of the 57 young men in the group chat who, despite the disturbing nature of the text messages, failed to intervene. “Education should ask what respect, courage and loyalty require when following those values carries a social cost. Young people need preparation for challenging a friend, teammate or older member whose approval matters to them,” claims Dr. Mahoney.

In this opinion piece for USA Today, CUNY SPS Psychology Professor Dr. Lauren Mahoney frequently offers her testimony as a behavioral expert. The article examines the lack of bystander involvement in the Cornell sexual assault case, even though there were 57 fraternity members on the now infamous group chat. Dr. Mahoney aptly points out that a bystander doesn't need to be a hero or put their life on the line, but they can help prevent assault by just being "someone who came in and interrupted it, or quietly and anonymously called campus security.”

CUNY SPS alum Joël René Scoville (Liberal Studies '26), whose capstone research project examined why it has been so difficult to get work by Black women playwrights onto the stage, made the listing in WhatsOnStage of "favorite musical theatre concept albums." Scoville's libretto and lyrics for "2&1: A Harlem Love Story with Loose Morals" are praised as a "queer musical that celebrates Black joy, Black love and reclaims the sexuality of Black women, this is a previously ignored side of the Roaring 20s."

CUNY SPS alum Traciz Geraldo (MA Youth Studies '19) co-authored a book that addresses the trauma youth faced as a result of both the COVID-19 pandemic and the social/racial reckoning that occurred during that time. The recently published book,"Resilient Futures Addressing Collective Trauma and Marginalization in Out-of-School Time Spaces," examines how youth and practitioners are dealing with the collective trauma and opportunity facing this generation of young people.

Adjunct Associate Professor Dr. Mark Friedman of the CUNY SPS Disability Studies Programs is frequently quoted in this Mother Jone's article that examines the development and launch of Meta's AI glasses. During the development phase, Meta employed both individuals and organizations from the disability community to test its product. Dr. Friedman points out the Meta glasses present a paradoxical situation for disabled people. On the one hand, many disability groups are "cash-strapped," and the glasses are "going to benefit people greatly." However, the glasses will also create surveillance-related issues, which can have an outsized impact on disabled persons.