Experts available: Government shutdown, Trump-Netanyahu meeting, political violence, Taylor Swift, 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
Potential federal government shutdown looming, again
A standoff between Republicans and Democrats in Congress raises the possibility that the federal government will at least partially shut down in less than 48 hours. Monday afternoon, President Donald Trump will meet with key Congressional leaders in an attempt to resolve the stalemate. Political scientist Karen Hult can put the shutdown in historical context and discuss what’s at stake and what’s different this time around.
Will Netanyahu’s Washington visit lead to a ceasefire?
The United States presented a handful of Arab and Muslim countries with a 21-point plan for peace in Gaza that includes the release of all hostages and a permanent ceasefire. Middle East politics expert Ariel Ahram can discuss the outlook for the plan and whether Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with U.S President Trump on Monday did anything to stop or pause the war. [Available starting Tuesday.]
Politicization of shootings on the rise
America suffered more fatal mass shootings over the weekend, including at a restaurant in North Carolina, a church in Michigan, and a casino in Texas. In an internet age where information — correct and incorrect — spreads fast after shocking events, James Hawdon, an expert in online communities, can speak to the heated rhetoric and increase in politicization of these tragedies.
Taylor Swift’s masterful marketing, economics of a superstar, cultural impact, rewriting the music industry, and what it means to be a popstar
Taylor Swift’s upcoming album, The Life of a Showgirl, isn’t just another release, according to Virginia Tech experts; it’s a cultural, economic, and musical masterclass—offering lessons on reshaping the music industry, marketing, and capitalizing on a brand, the pressures of fame, and shaping more than just music when it comes to our economy.
Curious Conversations Podcast
Michael Evans joined Virginia Tech’s “Curious Conversations” to talk about controlled environment agriculture. He shared its historic roots, economic challenges, and impact on consumers. Evans explained how this method of farming allows for the cultivation of crops in controlled settings, the role technology plays, and the importance of efficiency and sustainability in modern agriculture.
About Evans
Evans is a professor in the School of Plant and Environmental Sciences and co-director of the Controlled Environment Agriculture Innovation Center, which is primarily housed in Danville, Virginia. His current controlled environment agriculture research is focused on the production of crops such as lettuce, herbs, medicinal plants, and strawberries in soilless and hydroponic systems within greenhouses, factories, and vertical farms.
“Curious Conversations” is available on Spotify, Apple, and YouTube.
Research Highlights
Late-night screen use, easy access to medications tied to teen suicide attempts, study finds
There has been a notable rise in child and adolescent suicides in recent years, particularly in the United States. Suicide ranks as the second leading cause of death among children, adolescents, and young adults ages 15 to 24, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
A new study by a Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine’s child and adolescent psychiatry physician Abhishek Reddy is shedding light on factors that may be contributing to the rise. The research looked at the time of day, screen use, and medication type related to overdose suicide attempts.
“Researchers have previously found links between screen use, suicidal behaviors, sleep problems, and mental health challenges in children. We wanted to examine the combination of those factors as well as the availability of prescription and OTC medications when it comes to overdoses,” Reddy said. “Our findings support clinical recommendations related to these factors.” More here.
Exercise lowers disease risk. This researcher wants to understand how
While any workout can seem daunting, the physical stress of exercise often affords long-term benefits. One advantage is that it triggers a physiological response that allows our cells to adjust to meet future energy demand in what’s known as a hormetic response. With an early career research grant from the American College of Sports Medicine Research Endowment, exercise scientist Ryan Montalvo will explore how this response to exercise-induced stress might help overcome noncommunicable diseases.
“Every time you exercise, you’re increasing the demand to your mitochondria, and the exposure to that stress makes you better adapted to that stress the next time you encounter it,” Montalvo said. “If your mitochondria adapt to those physiological stressors you’ve given them through exercise, they can be more effective at mitigating or preventing disease.” More here.
Certain processed foods and beverages linked to declines in brain health
Two researchers at Virginia Tech found that consuming processed meats and sugary beverages, compared with all other ultra-processed foods, is linked to poor memory and cognitive issues. By the end of the study period, they found a 17 percent increase in cognitive issues among people who consumed at least one serving of ultra-processed meat a day. And for each serving of soda consumed, there was a 6 percent increase in cognitive impairment.
Ultra-processed foods, which are foods that contain a slew of additives, preservatives, and artificial ingredients, are already known to be harmful to human health in a variety of ways. But Ben Katz, associate professor of human development and family science, and Brenda Davy, a professor of human nutrition, foods, and exercise, set out to explore which of these foods may be associated with a greater risk of altering a person’s brain health.
"Maybe some of those are still bad for cardiovascular health, but when we see impacts on cognition, it looks like a lot of this is driven really meaningfully by a couple of these categories that often make up substantial parts of our diets,” Katz said. More here.
