Experts available: Iran war, oil prices and stock markets, Virginia redistricting, cycling in cities, and more
Virginia Tech experts are available this week to talk about issues in the news, including the Iran War, oil prices, the stock market, alternative transportation, and Autism Acceptance Month. To schedule an interview with any of them or if you need analysis on other topics, please contact mediarelations@vt.edu.
New peace talks in doubt after U.S. seizes Iranian ship
After the U.S. seized an Iranian ship as part of its ongoing blockade of Iran’s ports, the U.S. is sending a delegation to Pakistan to resume negotiations, but Iran officials have stated that they will not participate. Virginia Tech political and foreign affairs experts Arial Ahram, Paul Avey, Robert Hodges and Yannis Stivachtis can discuss the ever-changing situation.
Oil prices, the stock market, and the constant seesaw
Friday’s announcement from Iran that the Strait of Hormuz was “completely open” sent the stock market surging and oil prices falling. The news this morning that Iran might not resume negotiations with the U.S. reversed the trends. With the situation so volatile that it changes on a dime, economist David Bieri can discuss the broader picture.
Oil prices boost cycling solutions
The higher oil prices have given residents in U.S. cities more incentive to explore alternative traffic solutions to lengthy gas-guzzling commutes. Transportation expert Ralph Buehler suggests that swapping cycling for driving for modest commutes or other daily travel activities is an easy way to avoid high gas prices impacting your weekly budget. His research indicates that even with more people returning to the office post-pandemic, cycling has increased in major cities. You can read more about Buehler’s findings here.
Virginia votes Tuesday on redistricting plan
Tomorrow, April 21, Virginia will finalize its vote on a redistricting plan intended to realign congressional districts in favor of Democrats, pitched as a counterbalance to other states’ redistricting to favor Republicans. Political science experts Nicolas Goedert, Karen Hult, and Cayce Myers are available to discuss the implications, last-minute political communication, and what happens next.
April is Autism Acceptance Month
New research: AI models lean on autism stereotypes when giving social advice
When people ask ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence models for advice, they often share deeply personal details in hopes of getting better answers: their age, their gender, their mental health history, even medical diagnoses like autism. But new Virginia Tech research suggests those disclosures may change artificial intelligence (AI) models’ advice in ways that track closely with common stereotypes about people with autism. Up to 70 percent of the time, AI discourages those with autism to avoid socializing. The findings raise difficult questions about whether AI is personalizing its responses, or if it’s giving biased advice that reinforces stereotypes. Read more here.
Emotional overload: Signs, triggers, and coping strategies
Emotional overload is common, but for autistic individuals, it can happen more often and with greater intensity. It happens when the demands of a situation exceed a person’s ability to cope. Angela Scarpa, director of Virginia Tech’s Autism Clinic & Center for Autism Research, explains why overload happens, how it presents across different ages, and strategies to recognize and manage it. Read more here.
Podcast: Rental housing impact on educational outcomes
Tom Mayock, professor of real estate, joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about recent research that shows a relationship between single-family rental housing and educational outcomes. He explained the historical and evolving landscape of rental markets and the work he and his colleagues did that point to a rise in student achievement when units are located in the bounds of high-achieving school districts.
“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
Research Highlights
Student identifies new dinosaur three times older than T.rex
A Virginia Tech undergraduate has identified a new species of early carnivorous dinosaur from a badly deformed skull once dismissed as unusable—offering rare insight into how dinosaurs rose to dominance after the end-Triassic extinction. Using CT scanning and 3D reconstruction, the team shows the species had previously unseen skull features, suggesting rapid evolutionary change just before dinosaurs took over the Jurassic. Read more here.
