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.

Historic trial of former President Trump continues

Today, Michael Cohen, former attorney for Donald Trump, is expected to take the stand in the first criminal trial of a former U.S. president in the nation’s history. Cohen is the most anticipated witness in the complex case, in which Manhattan’s district attorney seeks to prosecute Trump on 34 counts of falsifying business records, interfering with the presumptive Republican nominee’s campaign to retake the presidency. Political science expert Karen Hult can discuss the historic and governance aspects of this unprecedented trial, while public relations expert Cayce Myers should shed light on how the trial hurts and helps Trump’s reelection efforts. Read more here.  

Solar storms and the northern lights

This weekend’s solar storms captured our attention and filled our social media feeds with glowing greens and reds from auroras reaching as far south as Florida and Southern California. But Solar Cycle 25 — the current period of increased solar activity — isn’t even set to peak until July 2025. Can we expect more visits from the northern lights at lower latitudes for the next year or longer? And what other impacts might these solar storms have on Earth? Scott Bailey studies the aeronomy of the atmosphere and can speak to why the auroras happened and when we can expect them again.

Baltimore bridge demo to begin Monday

A crucial section of the Baltimore Key Bridge was scheduled to be demolished over the weekend, but work was postponed until Monday due to lightning storms in the area. Nearly seven weeks after the bridge’s collapse, this operation will remove key pieces of debris and ultimately free the Dali cargo ship that has been stuck since striking the bridge. 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.

National Bike to Work Day is Friday

National Bike to Work Day is this Friday, May 17. But even as work habits have changed since the pandemic — with many people working hybrid or fully remote — bike ridership continues to boom in the D.C. metro area. Capital Bikeshare posted a 26.4% increase in rides from 2021 to 2022, then an additional 28.5% increase in 2023. Ralph Buehler, who studies transportation and travel behavior in cities, says all that doesn’t even account for people riding their own personal bikes and e-bikes. “It’s a boon for public health,” says Buehler. “It reduces traffic, reduces noise, and reduces air pollution.” While D.C. has built more than 100 miles of bike lanes in the last 20+ years, much of bike traffic sticks to trails, which is why Buehler is currently in the midst of a five-year study counting cyclists on national trails for the National Park System. More here.

Safety advice for operating yard equipment and preventing injuries at home

Most equipment used in lawn care and landscaping is simple and straightforward to use. However, if it is not operated carefully, it has the potential for accidents and injuries. Mike Goatley, a professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and a Virginia Cooperative Extension specialist offers advice for homeowners and provides safety tips for operating yard equipment and reducing injuries at home. Read more here.

2024 Summer Olympic Games

With just over nine weeks until the Olympic Games return to Paris this summer, all eyes will be on the City of Light. And there is no shortage of stories — from its dramatic infrastructural transformation to a more pedestrian and bike-friendly city, to its unique station as the first real test of the Olympic Agenda 2020, Paris might just be the model for a more sustainable Olympic project. But it will also be a focal point for a number of broader issues, from the impact of rising summer temperatures on athletes and fans alike, to the reckonings of sexism baked into the foundations of certain sports. Experts can speak to all that and more as the Games approach. More here.

Experts available to discuss 2024 U.S. Presidential race

Virginia Tech has experts available to speak on topics surrounding the 2024 November Presidential election including the campaigns, issues such as abortion and climate changes, campaign finance, disinformation, election security, and more. For a full list, click here.

Podcast: How real estate values impact the presidential election

Sherwood Clements joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about the impact real estate values have on the presidential election. He discussed some recent research he was a part of that explored the impact of the “homevoter,” what findings surprised him, and what he thinks the data tells us about the upcoming election. 

About Clements

Clements is a collegiate assistant professor of real estate and the William and Mary Alice Park, Jr. Faculty Fellow in the Blackwood Department of Real Estate in the Pamplin College of Business. His research focuses on the relationships between the commodity futures markets and real estate markets and the behavioral aspects of residential real estate development.


New research aims to calculate the real cost of cybersecurity breaches

Last year, the reported average cost of a cybersecurity breach in the United States amounted to nearly $9.5 million. But what is this number based on, and what underreported expenses — like reputational damage, downtime, government inquiries, and other associated expenses — does it fail to include? Joseph Simpson, collegiate associate professor with Pamplin’s Department of Management, is working with Hive Systems on a sponsored research project that hopes to uncover underreported costs, enhancing risk assessment for businesses. Determining the accurate costs associated with cybersecurity breaches can help firms to better prepare and respond. Additionally, it can help insurance companies establish more accurate insurance rates. More here.

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