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 the Office of Strategic Communication.
Experts on the news
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John Hall on: Escalation of conflict in Iran
U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iranian leadership and military targets in February and March 2026 triggered a wider conflict and Iranian retaliation across the Middle East. The fighting has heightened fears of regional escalation and raised questions about the strategic consequences of U.S. military involvement in the conflict.
John W. Hall, Ambrose Hesseltine Professor of U.S. Military History at the University of Wisconsin Madison, studies American military policy and the history of modern warfare, including how the United States has used military force in international crises and regional conflicts.
He can speak to:
- How the United States has historically entered and managed conflicts in the Middle East when regional tensions escalate.
- What past conflicts show about how wars expand after initial attacks on leadership or military targets.
- What historical experience suggests about the strategic risks and outcomes when the United States becomes involved in conflicts in the Middle East.
Recent Press:
WTAQ Green Bay- March 2026
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Laura Albert on: The Math Behind March Madness
As March Madness approaches and millions of fans fill out tournament brackets, analysts and researchers are using mathematical models and probability to better understand how the NCAA tournament unfolds and why predicting outcomes is so difficult.
Laura Albert, professor of industrial and systems engineering at the University of Wisconsin Madison, studies operations research, predictive modeling, and data driven decision making. Her work applies mathematical optimization and analytics to complex systems, including sports tournaments and ranking problems.
She can speak to:
• How statistical models and probability help forecast tournament outcomes and evaluate matchups.
• Why the structure of the NCAA tournament makes perfect brackets extremely unlikely.
• What analytics reveal about upset probabilities and common bracket mistakes.
