Experts available: Tariffs & farmers, economics of scam texts, U.S. cash warning, and more
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
Tariffs could place Virginia farmers between a rock and a hard place
“The U.S. tariffs on Mexico and Canada will strain Virginia’s agricultural crop production, particularly impacting tobacco, corn, soybeans, wheat, and barley, by driving up production costs. Virginia’s crop producers will face higher expenses as potash — a vital fertilizer component sourced largely from Canada,” explains agricultural economics expert Xi He. At the same time, “Virginia’s crops most affected by retaliatory tariffs from Mexico, Canada, and China — in response to U.S. tariffs — will be soybeans, poultry, pork, and tobacco, as these face significant economic threats tied to disrupted trade with key partners.”
Why scam texts about unpaid tolls just won’t stop
Have you been getting those toll road text messages? The ones that claim you owe a few bucks — and that if you don’t pay now, your license might be suspended? They’ve been flooding inboxes across the country. Virginia Tech’s Jadrian Wooten explains that these scammers are actually thinking like economists — using a concept called a separating equilibrium to filter out the people who are most likely to fall for their scheme. He’s also able to discuss how thanks to automation and artificial intelligence, the filtering process is cheaper, faster, and smarter than ever. More here.
Could the U.S. run out of cash?
The Bipartisan Policy Center, a think tank, has warned that the United States might run out of cash needed to fulfill its financial obligations as early as July if Congress does not take steps to raise the debt limit. President Donald Trump has stated in the past that the debt limit should be lifted or abolished. Political scientist Karen Hult can discuss this recurring challenge.
Expert explains why March Madness captivates us, propels little-known schools
March Madness has become a cultural phenomenon that extends far beyond simply three weeks of college basketball games. The NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments are expected to draw more than $3 billion in legal sports wagers this year, but the excitement and cultural capital of “the big dance” also draws from our sense of community, our pride in our alma maters, and the thrill of previously unknown Cinderellas, says Anthony Amey, a sports media expert and former ESPN analyst. More here.
Spring closet cleaning tips
As spring begins, it's the perfect time for a closet clean-out. Virginia Tech fashion design and brand expert Stephany Greene says about 70 percent of clothes in closets go unworn but are kept for sentimental reasons or in hopes they will fit again someday. According to her, detoxing your closet by getting rid of excess stuff that no longer serves you is one of the best ways to take physical action to let the past go. She’s available for interviews to discuss common mistakes people make when determining what to remove from their closets and mindful purchasing. More here.
Podcast: Community resilience after a disaster
Liesel Ritchie joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” podcast to talk about how sociology can help people better understand community dynamics during and after disasters. Ritchie shares the importance of understanding social capital’s role in community resilience, how natural disasters differ from other types of disasters that strike communities, the need for strong community relationships, and the importance of listening to community needs when providing assistance from the outside.
Ritchie is a professor of sociology in Virginia Tech’s College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences. Her research focuses on community resilience and the social impacts of disasters, including conducting social impact assessments, with an emphasis on technological hazards and disasters, social capital, and rural renewable resource communities. During her career, she has studied a range of disaster events, including the Exxon Valdez, BP Deepwater Horizon, and Wakashio oil spills; the Tennessee Valley Authority coal ash release; Hurricane Katrina; and earthquakes in Haiti and New Zealand.