The Virginia Tech media relations office has the following experts available for interviews this week surrounding issues in the news. To schedule an interview, please contact mediarelations@vt.edu.
Supreme Court set to release blockbuster rulings
The U.S. Supreme Court will end its session with a series of major rulings, including decisions on whether former president Donald Trump has “absolute immunity” from prosecution for acts committed while he was in office, whether a longstanding doctrine empowering federal agencies to pursue regulations independent of congressional approval will be struck down, and whether states have the right to control the political content on social media platforms. Political scientist Karen Hult and media expert Cayce Myers can elaborate on the potential ramifications of these court case outcomes.
What will matter most in the first presidential debate of 2024?
Incumbent president Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump will go head to head Thursday on CNN in the first presidential debate scheduled prior to the November election. Virginia Tech political and communications experts can provide insight and add context.
“Given concerns about their cognitive and physical capabilities, the logic, clarity, and coherence of their responses seem likely to receive special scrutiny, as will their evident grasp of policy details, demonstration of empathy and familiarity with the experiences and concerns of voters, their relative emphasis on the past, present, and future, and their evident energy and focus,” says political scientist Karen Hult.
“Donald Trump’s recent conviction in New York also will create a political talking point for Joe Biden,” says media and communications expert Cayce Myers. “However, how Biden can leverage this conviction during the debate will be complicated, especially in light of his own son’s felony conviction in federal court.”
Find more Virginia Tech election experts here.
Recognizing heat-related illness signs and symptoms
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, there were more than 2,300 heat-related deaths in 2023, up from 1,600 in 2021. While heat is the number one weather-related cause of death in the United States, Dr. Stephanie Lareau, an emergency medicine doctor at the Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine, says many of these deaths are preventable. Dr. Lareau explains that it is vital to recognize signs and symptoms of heat-related illness. She is available to discuss the differences between heatstroke and heat exhaustion, as well as the importance of staying hydrated and planning for outdoor exercise and activities. More here.
How extreme heat impacts worker productivity
Extreme heat can pose real threats to workers, especially those whose jobs keep them outside during the heat of the day. When temperatures reach the low-90s and higher, workplace productivity can drop by as much as 50%. But indoor workers can be impacted by poor ventilation and cooling as well, with productivity dropping by 2% for every degree of temperature rise above 72 degrees. Economist Jadrian Wooten explains how the workforce can feel these impacts as the temperatures go up and stay up this summer.
Heavy winter rainfalls may actually lead to stronger wildfire season
While peak wildfire season usually starts in late spring, heavy rains in traditionally drought-stricken areas have led to a wetter spring this year, pushing the peak season later into the summer and potentially leading to a more severe wildfire season. According to wildfire expert Brian Lattimer, “The combination of higher fine fuel growth due to early wet conditions and increased dry conditions in late summer and fall can lead to very severe fires.” Severity will depend on when the pattern switches over to La Niña, the timing of which remains uncertain for now. More here.
Dali cargo ship finally on the move
Three months after crashing into and destroying a span of the Baltimore Key Bridge, the Dali cargo ship is finally on the move Monday morning, en route to Norfolk, where it will undergo extensive repairs. Roberto Leon is an expert in the engineering and design of steel bridges and can speak to the challenges faced by the crews as part of the massive effort to clear the wreckage and rebuild the bridge.
Delays in the return flight of Boeing Starliner
Boeing and NASA have repeatedly announced delays in bringing the Boeing Starliner capsule back to Earth from the International Space Station. On June 5, the Starliner successfully launched, carrying two astronauts to the station, but issues arose during the flight — five thrusters malfunctioned and the spacecraft leaked helium. For now, the astronauts are not expected to attempt the return home until sometime in July. Aerospace engineer Ella Atkins can discuss the considerations that have led to the delay and the preparations that have driven the mission.
How to crush your summer reading goals
Reading often takes on a sunny spotlight during the summer months. So what’s the best way to tackle those reading lists? Jared Gibbs, senior instructor and assistant chair of the English Department at Virginia Tech, says to first remember that reading is like exercising a muscle and it may take time to build a reading habit. Gibbs is available to share tips for sticking to a summer reading routine and how to motivate yourself to read more. Find out more here.
2024 Summer Olympic Games
The Olympic Games in Paris are rapidly approaching, and there is no shortage of stories. Did you know that the gold medals are also, really, silver medals? Or whether we should all be eating as much protein as Olympic athletes? Experts can speak to all that and more as the Games approach. More here.
Research Highlights
Invasive ants spread by hitchhiking on everyday vehicles
Insects are masters of transportation and get around by flying, crawling, swimming, burrowing, and even gliding. Now, ants have been observed using a new method of getting around: hitchhiking. These social insects pack up the whole family, including their queen, and hop in the car for an opportunistic ride to a new area where they can set up a home.
Scotty Yang, assistant professor in the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology within the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, published a paper in Ecological Entomology describing this automotive phenomenon. His observations of this ant behavior spanned from 2017-23, when he observed nine species of ants hitchhiking on personal vehicles. Of these nine species, seven were considered invasive to the places they were found. More here.
Controlling the precise timing of electrical pulses may offer promise for treating mild traumatic brain injury
While the timing pattern of electrical signaling is important in the normal brain, it also plays a role in regulating the strength of synaptic connections after brain injury, particularly strengthening them with the same patterns that would otherwise weaken those connections in the normal brain. Publishing in the Journal of Neurotrauma, Virginia Tech scientists with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC show that specifying the timing pattern of neurostimulation – impulses used to activate the brain’s own electrical signaling mechanisms – can rebalance the strength of synaptic connections between nerve cells, selectively up- or down-regulating those connections. The research could lead to improvements in treatment of mild brain trauma. More here.
