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

Contentious, historic Virginia elections Tuesday

Virginia Tech politics and communications experts can shed light on aspects of the upcoming elections and more.

  • Whoever wins, the commonwealth will elect its first woman governor. Farida Jalalzai can discuss the historic nature of that milestone.

  • Nick Goedert can discuss redistricting in Virginia and what proposed changes to that process would require.

  • Megan Duncan can talk about how voters receive information from news and social media and the roles of partisan news media and partisan misinformation.

  • Political scientist Karen Hult and political communications expert Cayce Myers can offer insight into the campaigns and also discuss the ongoing federal government shutdown.

***Expert availability may be limited Election week. If you would like to interview them, we recommend scheduling in advance.***

Decision on SNAP benefits expected today

After state attorneys general and governors from 25 states and the District of Columbia, alongside cities and nonprofits, filed a lawsuit, two federal judges gave the Trump administration a Monday deadline to determine whether November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will be distributed in November. Virginia Tech food insecurity experts Elena Serrano and George Davis can explain how SNAP benefits work, how people will be affected by them expiring, and actions those impacted can take. “SNAP is one of the most powerful tools to reduce food insecurity,” says Serrano. “Without SNAP, many families, including children and the elderly, will simply go without food or with very little food.” More here.

Government shutdown could devastate Head Start program

The Head Start program offers early education, wellness, and other developmental services to approximately 715,000 young children and pregnant women in fiscal year 2024. “Children enrolled in Head Start programs across the country are the children who need high-quality early education the most,” said Cindy Smith, a child development expert at Virginia Tech. Smith said a pause of Head Start services across many states will likely have a ripple effect on low-income families. More here.

Potential economic fallout from Supreme Court decision on tariff case

The Supreme Court is set to rule Wednesday on the legality of the tariffs that have defined much of the Trump administration’s economic policy to date. With significant revenues already collected and a busy shopping season ahead, the outcome could have a significant economic impact no matter which way the case is decided. Virginia Tech economist David Bieri can speak to the ramifications of the decision.

Podcast: The evolution of bed bugs


Lindsay Miles joined ⁠Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations”⁠ to talk about her research on bed bugs, focusing on genomic sequencing, the history of bed bug populations, and the implications of their mutations. She explained how bed bugs evolved alongside humans, their genetic similarities, and the challenges in managing their populations due to their emerging resistance to pesticides.

Miles is a postdoctoral fellow in the ⁠Department of Entomology⁠ and an affiliate with the ⁠Fralin Life Sciences Institute⁠. Her research focuses on population genetics and molecular evolution to understand how urbanization impacts organisms and she is currently studying how urbanization and pesticide use can influence genomic evolution in bed bugs.

Contact:

Tags

Share this story