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 omicron surge
As the omicron variant surges, hospitals are overcrowded and the U.S. is seeing record cases of COVID-19. Experts from UW–Madison are available to discuss the latest.
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Jeffrey Pothof on: Is omicron close to its peak?
Jeffrey Pothof is an associate professor of emergency medicine at the School of Medicine and Public Health and Chief Quality Officer at UW Health. Pothof is available to assess whether omicron has peaked in parts of the United States and what we can expect after the peak in terms of COVID-19 cases and other variables.
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Timothy Bertram on: Best mask for the omicron variant
Timothy Bertram, a chemistry professor and an expert on air quality, is available to discuss which masks are most effective against the high transmissibility of the omicron variant.
Experts on today’s news
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Jordan Gerth on: 5G rollout and aircraft safety concerns
Wireless carriers around the country are ramping up 5G coverage. But airlines – and the Federal Aviation Administration – have concerns about how the move could affect some aircraft safety tools that rely on airwaves. Jordan Gerth, a resarcher at the Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies, is available for interviews about the topic.
Gerth says, "These late-breaking issues with 5G deployment and aircraft safety demonstrate the need for improved spectrum decision-making within the federal government. We must build a science-based process to ensure there is not interference with airlines and weather monitoring."
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Noah Williams on: Rising inflation rates
Economics professor Noah Williams is available for interviews to discuss rising rates of inflation and what the rates mean for monetary policy, interest rates, and economic growth.
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Yoshiko Herrera on: Russian-Ukraine tensions
Yoshiko Herrera is a professor of political science and director of the Center for Russia, East Europe and Central Asia. Herrera is available for interviews about Russia's demands that Ukraine stay out of NATO and options for a U.S. response, including sanctions.
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Sarah Halpern-Meekin on: Impact of expanded child tax credit ending
Approximately 35 million families in the U.S. benefited from the expanded child tax credit, receiving monthly payments. That ended after Congress failed to renew the program that would have been part of the Build Back Better plan. Sarah Halpern-Meekin, an expert on assistance programs and policies for low-income families, says this not only impacts families but also companies across communities.
"When families have less money, that means fewer dollars flowing into local businesses," Halpern-Meekin says. "For the most vulnerable families, the end of the monthly CTC risks rolling back progress in lifting children out of poverty. The full impacts of this policy, though, may take months to reveal themselves, since households are set to receive the other half of their 2021 Child Tax Credit when they file taxes in the coming months."
