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.

Virginia Tech experts available to discuss headlines in the news

Boeing Starliner ‘pings’ not as mysterious as they sound

The Boeing Starliner, currently docked at the International Space Station, is set to return to Earth without its crew this Friday. However, over the weekend, one of the astronauts, Butch Wilmore, radioed NASA to let them know that a strange pinging noise was coming from the craft and relayed that audio back to Earth. “It was proper for the astronauts to report a strange noise carefully,” says aerospace expert Ella Atkins, but she stresses that just because more eyes are tracking every little detail about Starliner these days doesn’t mean the episode was out of the ordinary. While the noises may have seemed like something out of a science fiction movie, Atkins says that “speaker/microphone feedback happens on Earth every day,” and that this was not an unusual occurrence.

Why a mosquito-borne disease makes park shutdowns necessary

Eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but potentially deadly mosquito-borne disease, has caused the death of a person in New Hampshire, and led communities in Massachusetts to reschedule public events, curb outdoor activities, and close public parks. “The potential harm from EEE is worsened by a lack of both a human vaccine to prevent infection and specific drugs to treat infection,” says Sierra Guynn, clinical assistant professor with the Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine. “Though cases are rare, there are several factors that make EEE a significant public health threat for people.” Read more about the history of the disease and the risk it poses here.



Listeria lunch meat contamination highlights need for good food safety practices


A listeria outbreak that claimed the lives of nine people has been linked to consumption of contaminated Boar’s Head brand deli meat. The tragic development raises concerns with consumers about issues of food safety. Melissa Wright with Virginia Tech’s Department of Food Science and Technology offers tips for what to do when you’re worried that food you bought could be part of a recall, as well as safe food handling practices that always apply. Read more here.



Presidential candidates campaign in final week before lone scheduled debate


There is just one week to go until the sole presidential debate scheduled between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump. While Trump has suggested he might back out of the event, scheduled to be hosted by ABC News on Sept. 10, both candidates are targeting crucial swing states. Meanwhile, tightening polls now show Harris with the edge in an extremely close race. Political scientist Karen Hult and media communications expert Cayce Myers can provide context for these developments and more.



Podcast: Curbing the threat of invasive species


Jacob Barney joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about invasive species, their impact on native species, and the challenges of managing them. He explained the history and terminology of invasive species, their economic and ecological consequences, and the interdisciplinary approaches being taken to addressing the problem. Barney also highlighted practical steps people can take to prevent their spread.

Barney is a professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences. He is also the director of the Invasive Species Collaborative, which began in the Global Change Center at Virginia Tech with support from the Fralin Life Sciences Institute and the Office of the Executive Vice President and Provost.

Research Highlights

Guidelines to steer the future of autonomous trucking

In 2020, the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) and 17 partners were awarded a $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop a concept of operations. The final report, published in July, includes best practices for the implementation of automated driving systems (ADS) in large trucks and policy issues for fleets to consider across eight topic areas:

  • Fleet specifications

  • System installation and maintenance guide

  • ADS inspection procedures

  • Drive state monitoring

  • Motor carrier guide to insuring automated driving system-equipped trucks

  • Identification of automated driving system-equipped truck safety metrics and variables

  • Road readiness assessment system

  • Data transfer and cybersecurity best practices

Read more here.

Contact:

Tags

Share this story