These experts from the UW–Madison faculty and staff have agreed to comment on breaking news, ongoing developments and trends in their areas of expertise. If you need help arranging interviews, email University Communications.
The cicadas are on their way
A historic double brood of cicadas is expected this year in numbers not seen since Thomas Jefferson was president. Experts from UW–Madison are available for interviews about cicada biology, hatching timeline and the poetry of cicada song.
-
Patrick (PJ) Liesch on: Cicada biology
PJ Liesch is director of the UW–Madison Insect Diagnostic Lab. Liesch can discuss the emergence of periodical cicadas, cicada biology, the timing and distribution of periodical cicadas in Wisconsin and the ecological impacts of these insects. Liesch is tracking the impact of early spring weather on cicada emergence. Liesch says, “A key factor for emergence of periodical cicadas is the temperature of the soil at a depth of 8 inches. The soil temperature must reach and exceed 64.5 F, so depending on weather, we could see emergence shifted a bit earlier.”
-
William Brockliss on: Cicadas in the ancient world
William Brockliss is a classics professor in the College of Letters and Science. Brockless says the music of cicadas is embedded within the poetry of ancient Greece. In The Illiad, says Brockliss, Homer “likens the chatter of old men to the sound of cicadas.” Another early poet, Hersiod, compares a single cicada to a singer, and possibly the poet himself.
Brockliss says, “As a Greek friend of mine once put it, he knows he’s home when he hears the sound of the cicadas. While other plant and animal species contribute to the visual environment of Greece and the wider Mediterranean, cicadas are an ever-present constituent of the region’s auditory environment, at least in the summer. For this reason, ancient Greek poets were able to draw on the cicada in their creation of similes describing sounds.”
-
Daniel Young on: Cicada emergence
Daniel Young is a professor of entomology and director of the UW–Madison Insect Research Collection. Young is an expert on insect classification and natural history and teaches a course called Introductory Entomology that covers brood XIII cicada emergence.
Experts on today’s news
-
Keith Poulsen on: Avian flu in dairy cows
The USDA has been tracking a highly pathogenic strain of avian influenza in dairy herds across the country. Keith Poulsen, an expert in zoonotic disease and director of the Wisconsin Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, can discuss the disease, how it is spreading and what Wisconsinites should look out for in their herds. While wild migratory birds are still believed to be the original source of the virus, there is some evidence that it may also be spreading between cattle herds and even from dairy herds to poultry flocks.
-
Sumudu Atapattu on: Earth Day: Human rights
Sumudu Anopama Atapattu, executive director of the Human Rights Program at UW–Madison and a teaching professor and director of the Global Legal Studies Center at UW Law School, can discuss the link between environmental issues like climate change on human rights.
-
John (Jack) Williams on: Earth Day: Climate change
The 54th Earth Day will be observed April 22 with the theme “Planet vs. Plastic.” Jack Williams, an expert on global warming and ecological responses to climate change, can discuss.
-
Holly Gibbs on: Earth Day: Deforestation
Holly Gibbs, a professor of geography at the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, can discuss the impacts of tropical deforestation, policies to reduce deforestation and how and why people use land around the world.
-
Paul Robbins on: Earth Day: Environmental politics
Paul Robbins, dean of the Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies, can provide insight on the numerous environmental challenges facing the planet and how we must respond. Robbins can discuss restoration ecology, novel ecosystems, and diversifying the conservation community.
-
Kenneth Mayer on: Trump hush-money trial begins
Kenneth Mayer, an expert on the American presidency and a professor of political science, is available for interviews about former President Trump's hush-money trial underway in New York and what's at stake in the coming presidential election.
-
Jon Pevehouse on: Iran targets Israel in drone, missile strike
Bring a what has been called a "shadow war" into the open, Iran targeted Israel over the weeked in an airstrike with hundreds of drones and missiles. Jon Pevehouse, professor of political science and public affairs and an expert on international relations, is availalbe for interviews on the historic attack.
-
Andrew W. Stevens on: The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children is updated
The Biden Administration has updated food prescriptions and secured funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children for 2024. Andrew Stevens, expert on agricultural and food policy, is available for interviews about the news. Stevens says, "New updates...are set to increase flexibility in program benefits despite reducing the total amount of milk that participants can receive through the program."