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

What will tariffs on autos and parts mean?

President Trump has stated a 25% tariff on foreign-made cars, trucks, and parts will go into effect Wednesday — although he could change his mind. “If the tariffs are strictly on finished goods, imported cars and light trucks, the manufacturers here in America themselves are not affected, because the higher prices on foreign cars will be borne by the consumers themselves,” said economic expert David Bieri. “If it’s on unfinished goods, intermediary products that need to be imported from Mexico or other assembly destinations of origin, that affects the bottom line. This is where the supply chain adjustments will have to come.” Other experts who can address tariff effects include political scientist Karen Hult, foreign policy expert Dimitris Tsarouhas, and agricultural trade expert Jason Grant.

Could Trump realize his wish to serve a third term?

President Trump stated this past weekend that he is “not joking” about seeking a third term despite the constitutional term limit. “Not since Franklin Roosevelt has a U.S. president served for more than two terms, and the 22nd Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which was ratified in 1951, limits a president to serving only two terms in office,” said political communications expert Cayce Myers. “Earlier this year, a bill was introduced in the House of Representatives to amend the Constitution to allow for a third term, but the chances of it, or any other Constitutional amendment to that effect, passage seems highly unlikely.” Political scientist Karen Hult can also discuss what it would take for Trump to run again.

Musk charges into state supreme court race

Tech billionaire and Trump presidential advisor Elon Musk is throwing his influence and wealth toward an effort to elect a conservative judge to the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Musk gave checks for $1 million to two voters and offered more money to those who recruit voters for his preferred candidate. The election could decide the court’s political leaning as it considers issues such as abortion rights, labor rights and election rules. Political scientist Karen Hult and communications expert Cayce Myers can discuss what’s at stake for Musk and the Trump administration.

What will happen to TikTok on Friday?

TikTok is once again facing a possible ban in the U.S., with a deadline looming on April 5 for its Chinese parent company to sell. President Trump has hinted he might push that deadline back, though it has become an issue intertwined with tariffs on Chinese exports. Virginia Tech media and political communications expert Cayce Myers said his extension would come from another Executive Order, but there is increasing discussions of U.S. buyers for the app. “One of the biggest impacts of TikTok is that over half of the U.S. population uses the app, which is considered to have a high-quality video product and superior algorithms for users' feeds,” Myers said. “It remains to be seen whether there will be a resolution by April 5th, but given the Trump administration's support for the company, it seems unlikely that the app will become banned outright in the U.S.”

Officials: Southeast Asia earthquake leads to the worst damage in Asia in 100 years

A powerful 7.7 magnitude earthquake rocked Southeast Asia on Friday, leaving more than 1,600 dead and turning skyscrapers to piles of rubble from Myanmar to Thailand. Rescue efforts are still underway today.  Virginia Tech geoscientist Robert Weiss, who studies the impact of natural hazards and their often-deadly consequences, is available to discuss what caused such a powerful disaster and how countries can protect themselves from this type of devastation.

Your humidifier could be affecting indoor air quality, says expert

With allergy season here and this year’s flu season being the worst in more than a decade, those experiencing symptoms are looking for relief. Many turn to humidifiers to manage symptoms like a stuffy nose or dry throat. However, a Virginia Tech environmental engineering expert Andrea Dietrich warns that improper use of humidifiers could do more harm than good. More here.

Podcast: Security implications of gaze data in virtual and augmented realities

Brendan David-John joined ⁠Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations”⁠ to talk about gaze data, exploring its applications in virtual and augmented realities and the associated privacy concerns. He highlighted the potential for gaze data to reveal personal information and related security implications, especially in a military context, and shared the projects he’s currently working on to better mitigate this threat.

David-John is an assistant professor in the Department of Computer Science and the Virginia Tech Private Eye Lab, as well as a researcher with the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative. His research interests include eye tracking, virtual reality, augmented reality, privacy, and computer graphics.

Research

Technology on the trail: Appalachian Trail managers say pervasive use of digital devices harms trail experience

The iconic Appalachian Trail passes through 14 states and stretches approximately 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. Each year, at least 3 million people hike parts of it or the whole trail. Armed with smartphones, smartwatches, iPads, and more, today’s Appalachian Trail hikers are more digitally connected than ever before. And research from Virginia Tech reveals that hikers’ connectivity with the internet makes trail management much more challenging than the days before mobile devices. New research, published in the Journal of Environmental Management, reveals that trail managers reported technology, specifically social media, has led to the trail’s degradation, overcrowding, and the spread of misinformation among hikers. These findings highlight the need for a balanced approach — one that harnesses technology’s benefits while preserving the trail’s natural and cultural integrity. More here.

Study highlights how frustration can lead to failure for search and rescue dogs

Search and rescue dogs are heroes in fur coats, using their incredible sense of smell to find lost hikers, disaster victims, and missing people. But a new study suggests that these life-saving dogs may face an unexpected obstacle: frustration. Researchers at Virginia Tech found that frustration significantly impacts search and rescue dogs’ ability to perform search tasks effectively. In a study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science, they reported that when the dogs experience frustration — such as blocked access to a reward or an unfulfilled expectation — they are slower to complete their searches and more prone to errors.

The study was led by Sally Dickinson, a Ph.D. student in the School of Animal Sciences who is also a career firefighter/paramedic and canine search and rescue handler and trainer of more than 20 years. As a handler for Virginia Task Force 1 and training officer for the Virginia Search and Rescue Dog Association, Dickinson and her dogs have been deployed for searches in locations from Northern Virginia to central Asia.

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