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Modernizing rural health – what it could mean for America
For Americans living outside of cities and in rural and sometimes remote areas of the country, the concept of readily accessible health care just isn’t a reality. However, the idea of expanding broadband internet into rural communities to improve access is one that shares support from all sides of the political spectrum. Just last week, an expert from Augusta University was called up to speak before lawmakers in Congress on the need for this technology and who it could best serve. "Broadband is the gateway to rural schools, businesses and health care providers," said Rep. Angie Craig, a Democrat from Minnesota. Lawmakers raised concerns about the dwindling number of hospitals in rural areas and the need to be competitive when recruiting corporations to do business. "Just the ability in rural America for a physician to pull up an X-ray at their home instead of having to drive to the hospital to look at a patient to know if that is something that’s an emergency," said Rep. Austin Scott, a Republican from Georgia. "One of the biggest needs is tele-psychiatry and tele-mental health," said Dr. David Hess of the Medical College of Georgia. - Spectrum News 1 - July 11 It’s an interesting topic and one that is gaining a lot of attention. How many rural Americans are without access to a doctor or hospital in the country? How much money could be saved by expanding online health care? Online is a viable solution, but are there drawbacks or concerns for patients? And how could expanding broadband and digital health care support issues like mental and maternal health across rural America? If you are a reporter covering this topic – that’s where our experts can help. Dr. David Hess is dean of the Medical College of Georgia and executive vice president for Medical Affairs and Integration at Augusta University. He also helped develop the REACH telestroke network in rural Georgia that now includes about 30 hospitals. Dr. Hess is available to speak with media regarding this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Social media and the road to 2020
It was supposed to be a summit to discuss social media with lawmakers, political campaigners and social media gurus. But never missing an opportunity to take a swipe at Silicon Valley, President Trump unleashed on the tech industry at the White House’s Social Media Summit. “Trump delivered his diatribe against Facebook, Google and Twitter — charges of political bias that all three companies long have denied — at an event at the White House featuring Republican lawmakers, GOP campaign strategists and social media meme-makers, a move that led some critics to express dismay that the president aimed to use the policy summit as a reelection push.” - July 11, Washington Post But will social media play the role it did in previous elections? Has the fad faded or accounts, influencers, followers and friends still as vital as ever? And what have we learned from the past election about account data being used to sway voters? There’s still a lot to know, and that’s where we can help. David A. Schweidel is Professor of Marketing at Emory University’s Goizueta Business School. He’s an expert in the areas of social media and is available to speak with media – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
The political math behind the numbers - let our experts explain why a census is suddenly a hot topic
Usually, there’s nothing particularly interesting, let alone controversial, about a census. It’s an objective collection of data that allows the government and other organizations to use pure evidence to determine things like population growth and shift, income rates and education participation rates. For those who rely on metrics, it means a lot. For everyone else — it’s a form we fill out once a decade. However, these are not normal times. There's an ongoing debate among politicians and the courts regarding the request to add a question about citizenship to the 2020 census. Here’s the question: So, is it right to inquire about citizenship in a census? What are the benefits? What are the concerns And why is this such a big deal? That’s where our experts can help. Dr. Martha Ginn, professor of political science at Augusta University, is an expert on the judicial process, constitutional law and the U.S. Supreme Court. Dr. William Hatcher, associate professor of political science and director of the Master of Public Administration program at Augusta University, focuses on public administration and social, economic and political institutions in local communities. Both are available to speak with media regarding the census issue. To arrange an interview, click on either expert’s icon.
In what was once a wide field to replace the fallen British Prime Minister Theresa May has now become a race for Boris Johnson to lose. As the outspoken and bold British MP looks to unite his party, pull Britain from the EU by the end of October and defeat Labour in the next election – what will his presence at 10 Downing Street mean for his country, Europe the rest of the world? Britain is one of the cornerstones of the west, but what will a wildcard like Johnson mean? What’s his background and do people need to know more about the man who will reside in the chair as historic figures like Tony Blair, Margaret Thatcher and Sir Winston Churchill? If you are covering and need to no more – that’s where we can help. Dr. Glen Duerr's research interests include nationalism and secessionism, comparative politics, and international relations theory. Glen is available to speak to media regarding Boris, Brexit and Britain – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Tuesday November 03, 2020 – it’s 17 months away. For most of us – that is two World Series and at least a one new iPhone released before the date even hits the calendar. But if you are a political junkie or a journalist – that date is the finish line for what is an expected election of historic proportions that is already underway. On the left, there are at least two dozen candidates vying to lead the Democrats. Some are brand name Washington players; some are rising stars and some are long shots – but each is trying to separate themselves from the peloton of politicians hoping to make that big splash in Iowa during the first week of February in 2020. And if Iowa doesn’t provide results – there’s always New Hampshire and then the Carolinas. On the other side, President Donald Trump has already declared his candidacy. He’ll rely on the economy and odds are...hoping his teflon that ensure nothing ever seems to sticks sustains through the next year and a half. Through it all there will be controversy, scandals, rhetoric, policies and promises. And if you are a journalist, you’ll need an expert to help you navigate through it all. That’s where we can help. Mark Caleb Smith is the Director of the Center for Political Studies at Cedarville University. Mark is available to speak with media regarding the long journey to lead the DNC in 2020 and the election. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
A global commitment to democracy
When I was invited to attend the Global Forum on Academic Freedom, Institutional Autonomy, and the Future of Democracy held this June in Strasbourg, France, I jumped at the chance. I was proud to add Otterbein’s support to a movement of global leaders committing to protecting democracy. I attended the forum along with more than 100 higher education leaders from around the world. Since its founding, Otterbein has stood for the rights of academic freedom and autonomy, as well as the freedom of speech of individuals, and we continue to stand resolute today. Otterbein believes that all voices from different walks of life must be represented, respected and valued, and we are committing to be a national and global leader in preserving democratic societies and values. The Global Forum was co-organized by the Council of Europe; the International Consortium for Higher Education, Civic Responsibility, and Democracy; the Organization of American States; and other partners, notably the International Association of Universities and the Magna Charta Observatory. It gathered higher education leaders and representatives of public authorities and NGOs from Europe and the United States, as well as smaller numbers from Australia, Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. - John Comerford Are you a journalist covering topics about democracy and how it is being threatened around the world? What role does higher education play in global democracy? And what countries or regions are the most at risk? There are a lot of questions regarding this topic – and that’s where we can help. John Comerford is an expert in higher education, regional and national topics. He is the President of Otterbein University and is available to speak with media regarding this issue and how higher-education needs to be made available to everyone in America regardless of income, family name or background. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Big trouble for big pharma – let our expert explain
Things are sunny and bright for the usually family-friendly image of Johnson & Johnson. In fact, as more and more evidence and details are presented in a landmark lawsuit between the corporate giant and the State of Oklahoma. The company could be facing financial calamity and its reputation might be a near impossible mission for any PR expert to recover. “As the state of Oklahoma’s multibillion-dollar lawsuit against Johnson & Johnson has unfolded over the past month, the company has struggled to explain marketing strategies its accusers say dangerously misrepresented the risk of opioid addiction to doctors, manipulated medical research, and helped drive an epidemic that has claimed 400,000 lives over the past two decades. Johnson & Johnson profited further as demand for opioids surged by buying poppy growing companies in Australia to supply the raw narcotic for its own medicines and other American drug makers. One expert witness at the forefront of combatting the epidemic, Dr Andrew Kolodny, told the court he had little idea about Johnson & Johnson’s role until he saw the evidence in the case. “I think it’s fair to characterize Johnson & Johnson as a kingpin in our opioid crisis,” he said. – The Guardian, June 19 But what is next? Will this lawsuit be duplicated in other states? Are other big-pharma companies liable or in similar trouble? And is this the gamechanger the industry needs? There are a lot of questions and that’s where we can help. Dr. Marc Sweeney is the Founding Dean of the School of Pharmacy at Cedarville University and is an expert in the fields of drug abuse, prescription drug abuse and Opioid addiction. Marc is available to speak with media regarding this growing issue. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
A closer look at deepfakes. Let our experts explain if there’s a reason to worry.
Deepfakes…they’re eerie, entertaining and getting a lot of attention. Deepfake videos are made using artificial intelligence technology which can manipulate someone's face in a video to make it look like they are saying something that they didn't. It's one level up from dubbing, or lip syncing, and can appear very convincing. One example is a video that was made using footage of Mark Zuckerburg in 2017; it was doctored and falsely portrays the Facebook CEO discussing how he had stolen data. – The Sun, June 26 The new concept is all the rage and has seen people spoofed, mocked and tricked. But as once again technology outpaces legislation and with an election approaching, deepfakes have some people going off the deep end. Every day, thousands of videos are posted online, which means that any potential filtering program would need to be able to quickly and efficiently detect fake content. Even then, such media would likely be removed only after being published, meaning that the video would likely have already had an impact. For these reasons, deepfakes are expected to contribute to the upcoming 2020 election in the United States, likely acting as an agent of spreading fake news. However, Edward Delp, a Purdue University professor who developed a computer program to help detect these videos, believes deepfakes pose a bigger threat. “Deepfakes pose a threat to more than just political videos,” he said. “It can be used in making fake child pornography, revenge porn and financial bribes. Just general criminal behavior.” – The Exponent (Purdue University), June 21 As deepfakes become more common on social media and the internet, odds are they will make their way – accidentally or not – into the actual media. And as America still battles with the fake news phenomenon, will Deepfakes further erode our trust in media and our leaders? As deepfakes become more common on social media and the internet, odds are they will make their way into the actual media. So, what can be done? How will these deepfakes affect the perception of news media? What simple advice can we apply to verify if something is real or fake? And do these videos represent a threat to democracy, as some experts are saying? Dr. Gregg R. Murray, professor of political science at Augusta University, is available to talk about the implications of this new threat. Murray’s research focuses on political behavior and psychology with specific interests in voter mobilization and turnout. He is also executive director of the Association for Politics and the Life Sciences.
Experts in the media - Will Facebook, Google take over blockchain?
Banking and big tech are going ‘all-in’ on blockchain initiatives – and it is getting a lot of attention from investors, regulators and the industry. In an announcement this week, Facebook stated it was moving full speed ahead with its cryptocurrency ‘Libra”. With this announcement, Facebook isn’t just moving into the cryptocurrency space—it’s also setting itself up as a financial services company. Unlike many other cryptocurrencies, Libra will be specifically designed for use as a payment medium, rather than a speculative asset. Bitcoin, Ethereum, and other digital currencies are generally difficult to transfer back and forth for everyday payments, partly because the price of the tokens is based primarily on market demand. The value thus fluctuates dramatically. If it works, Libra should be much less volatile since it will be pegged to traditional financial assets, including a raft of government-issued currencies. Slate, June 18, 2019 Recently, Dr. Eric Overby, associate professor of information technology at Georgia Tech's Scheller College of Business was interviewed by Blockchain Tech News to get his perspective on what to expect now that Google and Facebook are adopting blockchain as part of their platforms. The interview is attached below. Eric Overby's research focuses on the transition from physical to electronic modes of interaction and its effect on market efficiency. Eric is available to speak to media regarding blockchain or any other technology related topics – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
Recently in Brainerd Lake…one lucky fisherman reeled in quite the catch. What looked like a giant goldfish was in fact a very old and very rare bigmouth buffalo fish. The catch left a lot of people confused – what was it and how did it get there? And that’s where our experts can wade in to help. “We’re starting to study them more, and they’re living far longer than we ever thought possible,” explained Dr. Josh Lallaman, assistant professor of biology at Saint Mary’s University, and large river fish expert. “It shows the importance of not always focusing on popular species; there are other species out there that need to be researched. “It’s often difficult for my students to understand that in fish identification color can be variable. Two individuals of the same species can look very different. That coloration (of the golden bigmouth buffalo) was pretty unique. It’s one of those situations similar to albinism. Every once and a while a rare set of genetic conditions makes species look very different from others. That’s what makes my job really interesting. There are these rare exceptions you don’t know are out there.” Climate change is definitely putting more pressure on fish and wildlife populations. If their habitat changes, then their ability to survive in that habitat changes. It relates to this story in that if there are these unique or old lived species, then climate change is a threat to these unique individuals. “In the end, we are decreasing species diversity within the populations. Climate change increases the temperature of the water, and it may not increase it more than a couple of degrees but how quickly it changes has big impact on food availability. Fish are adapted to very specific seasonal changes. Warmer water, even a couple of degrees, increases their metabolism so they’re hungrier and need more oxygen to survive but warmer water decreases the amount of oxygen in water. So it’s a double hit because they’re less active. It’s synergistic. That stress, but also new and synthetic chemicals being introduced to in the water, as well as flooding and navigation — all of this combines together to harm fish populations a lot more than we realize,” he said. Are you covering climate change and its impact on fish and other wildlife? Do you need to know more about fish populations in rivers and lakes across America? And what does the future look like for species and their ecosystems as the impacts of climate change starts to be seen and felt? There are a lot of questions, and that’s where our experts can help. Dr. Josh Lallaman is an assistant professor of biology at Saint Mary’s University, and large river fish expert. Josh is available to speak with media - simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.
