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.
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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.”
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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.”
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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
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John (Jack) Williams on: Earth Day
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.
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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.
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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.
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Menzie Chinn on: High inflation rate surprise
A new report shows a surprise surge in inflation, undercutting an expected interest rate cut from the Fed. Menzie Chinn, professor in the La Follette School of Public Affairs and a fiscal and monetary policy expert, is available to discuss the news.
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Jenny Higgins on: Arizona Supreme Court abortion ruling
The Arizona Supreme Court ruled that an abortion law on the books from 1864 — enacting a near total ban on abortion — is enforceable in the state today. Jenny Higgins, professor of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the Collaborative for Reproductive Equity at the School of Medicine and Public Health, is available for interviews about the news.
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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."