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.

Kate Middleton undergoing treatment for cancer

A shocking announcement from Princess Kate has put an end to weeks of speculation about her disappearance from public life when she shared with the world last week that she has cancer. Little is known about the type of treatment or kind of cancer, but Dr. William Fintel, an assistant professor with Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine and Carilion’s Medical Director of Hematology-Oncology, is available to speak about preventative chemotherapy and how doctors address cancer diagnoses post-surgery in the United States, as well as equity as it relates to treatment and the importance of screening and prevention of cancer in women.  

Donald Trump’s historic legal entanglements 

Donald Trump has clinched the 2024 GOP nomination for president, yet his legal woes continue to compound, in a situation without precedent for U.S. presidential candidates. Today his deadline expires to make a $464 million bond in a civil fraud case, and if he doesn’t deposit the money, the New York Attorney General’s office could start freezing and seizing his assets. Simultaneously, Trump is expected to appear in court for a criminal trial hearing involving hush money payments, during which the judge might set a trial date. Political expert Karen Hult can provide perspective on what these developments could mean for Trump’s campaign.

All about the upcoming eclipse

Assuming the weather permits, communities across the country and in Southwest Virginia will have a spectacular view of the April 8 solar eclipse. Astrophysicist Nahum Arav can share insight into the science of eclipses and what makes this one remarkable. Neuroscientist Kristofer Rau has many tips for how to view the eclipse safely. Veterinarian Mark Freeman explains how our companion animals may or may not react to the unexpected darkness, and what human owners can do to help anxious pets cope. Read more here.

Federal lawsuit accuses Apple of stifling competition

The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Apple, accusing the tech giant of improperly maintaining a monopoly. “The antitrust suit against Apple is one of what will likely be an ongoing series of such suits against massive companies working in the tech industry and beyond,” says media and communications expert James Ivory. “The DOJ is exploring the extent to which federal laws that limit monopolistic and anti-competition practices can be applied to giant corporations, many of which dwarf the companies that prompted the laws’ creation more than a century ago.”

Trump’s Truth Social goes public 

Shares in former President Donald Trump’s social media platform Truth Social will likely be available for public purchase by the end of this week. Virginia Tech economist David Bieri says while the plan for an IPO of Truth Social was approved by the shareholders of a shell company, the windfall for Trump is not a reality yet and might turn out that the inflated valuations we saw will end up significantly lower. Meanwhile Virginia Tech public relations expert Cayce Myers says going public will be a major boost to the former president who faces cash problems from a $454 million judgment in New York and increasingly expensive campaign. Myers says this strategy is truly a first of its kind given its impacts on presidential politics. Megan Duncan, a social media strategist at Virginia Tech says Truth Social’s continued relevance shows the extent that social media platforms are able to succeed as a politically partisan space for speech.

How the Caitlin Clark Effect is driving interest in women’s March Madness

The biggest name in March Madness this year is in the women’s bracket. Iowa’s Caitlin Clark has helped her team sell out games all year long and, according to the ticketing app TickPick, they’ve sold six times as many tickets to the women’s Final Four as the men’s this year, with tickets to the national title game selling for more than twice the price. The most notable and most recognizable names in college basketball belong to the women by an overwhelming margin, says Virginia Tech sports media professor Anthony Amey. While many top men’s players are leaving for one season for the NBA or not going to college at all and opting for a professional development league or one overseas, this has opened the door for the personalities of the women’s game to shine.

Podcast: Dogs and aging  

Audrey Ruple joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the Dog Aging Project, the largest-known study of dog health which aims to understand the keys to healthy aging in dogs and the risks to their health. She explained what information they are collecting, what it means for dogs, and how it might also be used to better understand human health. 

Ruple is an associate professor of quantitative epidemiology and the Metcalf Professor of Veterinary Medical Informatics in the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. She is also the program director of the Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences Graduate Program and serves on the executive leadership team of the Dog Aging Project.

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