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.

The race for the White House: Biden vs. Trump

There are still eight months to go until the November presidential election but the campaigning for President Biden and former President Trump is well underway. Both, already trading punches in interviews and speeches. Political analysts say the true kick off to Biden’s began with his State of the Union speech last week, while Trump actually shifted his focus to the current president at the start of primary season. Virginia Tech political expert Karen Hult is available to discuss what we can expect over the next several months from the two candidates and Virginia Tech public relations expert Cayce Myers can speak to campaign strategy and public perception for the two.

Ramadan began without cease-fire in Israel-Gaza war

The United States, Qatar and Egypt tried to establish a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas before the start of Ramadan today, raising a possibility of Israeli hostages in Gaza being released in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but even indirect negotiations stalled, with no sign of an end to the war. Foreign policy experts Ariel Ahram and Joel Peters are closely following the newest developments.

Kate Middleton apologizes for ‘editing’ Mother’s Day photo

The Princess of Wales has issued an apology after posting on social media what is now confirmed to be a doctored family photo. Sunday evening, news broke after numerous new outlets noticed irregularities in the photo. There have been a number of questions and rumors surrounding the princess’ health after she underwent abdominal surgery in January. Virginia Tech public relations expert Cayce Myers is available to discuss the optics surrounding the photo and the decision by the Royal Family to keep updates about her mostly private.

Women’s History Month: World leaders who have broken down global barriers

Women’s History Month recognizes the achievements of women throughout the world, regardless of national, political, ethnic, economic or cultural divisions. “Women’s History Month gives an opportunity to evaluate how far women have come but also how far we still have to go worldwide,” said Virginia Tech political science expert Farida Jalalzai. She reflected on world leaders who are women, and how in recent years they’ve broken down barriers and expanded understandings of the roles of women in governance.

Women’s History Month: Meet the women challenging systems in engineering

Virginia Tech’s Grado Department of Industrial and Systems Engineering (ISE) is home to a top-ranked undergraduate and graduate program, cutting-edge research, and dedicated faculty and staff. The paths of the department's 12 female teaching and research faculty vary widely — from educational backgrounds and research topics to passions and hobbies. This group of women are working to inspire the next generation of problem solvers. Read here to find out what excites them about their field and the future of women in engineering.

Research Highlights

Unveiling a hidden threat: Researchers show viral infections pose early heart risks

Up to 42 percent of sudden cardiac deaths in young adults are attributed to myocarditis, and of these cases viral infection is the leading cause. Traditionally, heart inflammation research has focused on myocarditis, often triggered by the body’s immune system as a response to a viral infection. But new research from James Smyth, associate professor at Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, reveals that the virus itself can cause dangerous conditions prior to inflammation. More here.

Researcher uses AI to assess job applicants 

Automated video interviews (AVIs) are a tool that use artificial intelligence (AI) to assess job applicants interview responses, which can help both those hiring and those applying for jobs. While winnowing the applicant pool to applicants that are good fits, they also enable more applicants the chance to express their skills, qualifications, and passion for the position compared to the traditional process that relies on resumes. Louis Hickman, assistant professor in the Department of Psychology, recently led a study that examined the psychometric properties — reliability, validity, and generalizability — of AVI personality assessments. The research, published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, was awarded the Jeanneret Award for Excellence in the Study of Individual or Group Assessment by the Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology. More here.

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