Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
How to create an engaging online presence for your experts at scale.
Tasked with creating or expanding how you promote your organization's experts? Delivering an engaging online presence is vital, yet scaling from a handful of experts to hundreds takes planning. While interesting content, modern layouts, and intuitive navigation are essential, the real test lies in managing and presenting the extensive knowledge each expert brings. What works for a few can become a complex, time-consuming, and costly endeavor as you attempt to scale to dozens or hundreds of experts and their content, leading to an underwhelming user experience and missed opportunities. These challenges are magnified as small marketing and digital teams face greater demands such as: How do I create and maintain up-to-date content for all my experts? How can I efficiently roll out this content across my website, beyond just the About Us/Team or Newsroom sections? How can I best facilitate audience interaction with my content, leading to valuable opportunities for both my experts and my organization? And perhaps most importantly… How can I minimize the use of marketing and digital resources, as well as costs, in building and maintaining all this content? Addressing these challenges requires a plan. The following highlights 4 areas to focus on when scaling your expert content to ensure an engaging user experience for your audience. 1. Create versatile content that’s engaging, timely, and relevant. The foundational importance of the quality and versatility of your expert content in designing an optimal user experience cannot be overstated. According to a recent report from the Content Marketing Institute, the majority 52% of B2B marketers plan to increase their marketing spend in 2025 on “thought leadership content”. This underscores the necessity of making relevant, high-quality expert content the backbone of delivering engaging and intuitive interactions with your visitors. Without this focus on content, it doesn’t matter how visually appealing your layouts are or how well structured your navigation, it won’t meet the needs of your audience. Expertly crafted content builds trust and credibility, as users perceive well-organized, comprehensive and authoritative information as a sign of a reputable organization with interesting and credible experts. "Content precedes design. Design in the absence of content is not design, it’s decoration". Jeffrey Zeldman - Renowned designer, author & speaker on web design. Ultimately, the integration of high-quality, versatile content into UX design is essential for creating meaningful and effective digital experiences that meet and exceed your visitor’s expectations. Keys to Scaling Share the Workload: Make content creation and management easier by using a purpose-built system that streamlines content creation and updates, vs custom designed page or need to provide access to the core CMS. Ensure the system allows multiple team members, including the experts themselves, to easily access and manage their content, making the process quick and efficient. Repurpose Existing Content Assets: According to the Content Marketing Institute, the failure to utilize pre-existing content is significant challenge (37%) impacting marketers' ability to scale. Leverage existing content assets, such as blog copy & imagery, and previously created videos, to enhance your expert content. This approach allows you to enrich your content without the need for expensive production, making the most of the resources you already have. Leverage Your Content Elements Together or Individually: Each content element should enable visitors to explore deeper insights from experts. Linking profiles to embedded videos and insightful posts or showcasing other experts within your organization can offer new and diverse perspectives. This approach enhances user engagement and provides a richer, more interactive experience. 2. Start with a home base, then grow your footprint. Creating a home base for your expert content, such as an "Expert Center" or "Speakers Bureau," within your website's newsroom or media section, or enhancing your "About Us" pages, can significantly elevate your organization's profile and improve user experience. This hub could also be tailored to highlight specific areas like "Research Expertise," depending on your primary audience—be it media, event organizers, or prospective clients. Establishing this destination for your expertise using a flexible integration option, not only provides a focal point for your owned content but also lays the groundwork for expanding your reach across your website. By categorizing and featuring your expert content strategically, you can engage a broader audience across various sections of your site. "Your website’s content should act as a doorway. Land new visitors with compelling stories, then expand their engagement by guiding them to explore more relevant content tailored to their interests." Ann Handley, Chief Content Officer, MarketingProfs Keys to Scaling Establish & State Clear Objectives - Ensure you prominently state the goals of your initiative—whether it’s combating fake news, serving the community, or showcasing your organization's breadth of expertise. Clearly outline the types of inquiries you’re seeking to attract. This transparency not only sets expectations but also aligns visitors with your mission, fostering trust and engagement. Invest in Fresh Content - To keep your expert content hub dynamic and engaging, continually invest in new content. Regularly feature new experts and insights to encourage visitors to bookmark and frequently visit your site. Implementing a centralized, multi-access platform for content updates will streamline this process, making it scalable and sustainable. Link to Related Content - Utilize your expert content hub as a gateway to other areas of your website. Create links to related content, such as research initiatives, to help visitors explore and engage with your broader expertise. This not only enhances the user experience but also maximizes the value and reach of your content across your site. 3. Always be thinking about Discoverability Creating expert content—from compelling profiles to thought leadership—is only valuable if it’s easy to find. If visitors can’t quickly locate the expertise they need, frustration sets in and user experience suffers. To make expert content truly effective, it must be optimized for search engines, clearly organized, and internally linked. This is especially important for audiences like media, event organizers, and potential clients who rely on quick access to credible information. Prominently featuring and properly tagging expert content boosts visibility, builds authority, and drives meaningful engagement. Keys to Scaling Homepage/Top-Level Navigation: Don’t rely solely on a menu option or link buried in a subsection like your Newsroom. Featuring menu items, graphics, and other call-outs on your homepage and main section pages will increase interaction and inquiries. Leverage Distribution Networks: Drive traffic to your expert content by promoting your experts and their insights on platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and expert-specific search engines like expertfile.com or mobile expert directory apps. Add Free-Form Google-Like Search: Provide visitors with a free-form search experience that encompasses all elements of your expert content, rather than just a series of tags, titles, and names. Ensure All Metadata is Available: Let Google do the heavy lifting by ensuring you have properly structured metadata and schema data for each piece of expert content. While most digital teams remember standard title and description metadata, powerful schema data that helps Google understand the context and authority of the content is often overlooked. Add Links to Common Recurring Communications: Leverage all your communication channels, including adding links to your About Us section in press releases and individual experts’ email footers. 4. Plan for your Success It is important to plan for the success of your Expertise Marketing program. A successful program will not only deliver valuable opportunities, helping drive reputation and revenue, but can also place increased demands on your marketing and digital teams, as well as your experts themselves. Your success will likely inspire interest from other experts or departments for inclusion in your program, necessitating tools and defined processes for efficient onboarding of new experts and integrations across your website. Equally important is managing the influx of inquiries from key audiences such as the media, event organizers, and prospective clients in a way that provides a seamless user experience and encourages repeat engagement. Addressing these challenges with a strategic approach will lay a solid foundation for a robust and scalable expertise marketing initiative. Keys to Scaling Inquiry Workflow: Putting a general email or phone # as a contact does not scale. Implementing an efficient inquiry workflow is essential for the success of your expertise marketing. This process starts by ensuring that inquiries from key audiences—such as media, event organizers, and potential clients—are promptly and accurately directed to the appropriate experts within your organization. An automated system can streamline this process by categorizing inquiries based on specific topics and routing them to the relevant experts, even filtering out unnecessary or harmful inquiries. This approach not only saves time but also ensures swift and professional responses, enhancing your organization's reputation and effectiveness. Capture and Act on Analytics: Continually monitoring your analytics is crucial for refining your content strategy. By analyzing which types of content and which experts resonate most with your audience, you can better plan future content creation and decide who to feature prominently. This data-driven approach allows you to tailor your expertise marketing efforts more effectively, ensuring that you consistently engage your audience and meet their needs. Share Your Success - By sharing your experts' achievements both within and outside your organization, you create a culture of recognition and aspiration. This not only encourages additional departments and experts to join your program but also enhances the overall value of your expert center. Expanding your program to include more experts and additional expert content transforms your website into a valuable destination for key audiences such as media, event organizers, and potential clients. Effective dissemination of success stories amplifies your reach, reinforces your organization’s credibility, and drives sustained engagement and growth. Successfully scaling your Expertise Marketing program while maintaining an optimal user experience presents unique challenges. It requires producing versatile, high-quality content that is consistently engaging and relevant. Establishing a centralized home base for this content, such as an "Expert Center," helps streamline navigation and enhance user interaction. Improving discoverability through effective SEO and internal linking ensures that your expert content is easily accessible to key audiences like media and event organizers. Finally, meticulous planning for content updates and inquiry workflows is essential to manage resources efficiently and sustain growth. By addressing these areas strategically, you can build a robust and scalable Expertise Marketing initiative that drives engagement and reinforces your organization's reputation. About ExpertFile ExpertFile is changing the way organizations tap into the power of their experts to drive valuable inquiries, accelerate revenue growth, and enhance their brand reputation. Used by leading corporate, higher education and healthcare clients worldwide, our award-winning platform helps teams structure, manage and promote their expert content while our search engine features experts on over 50,000+ topics. Download our "Guide to Expertise Marketing", book a demo and more here.
Retirement: For Better, For Worse, and for Much More Time Together
Retirement is supposed to be your golden reward—freedom from alarm clocks, endless Zoom meetings, and performance reviews. But no one warned you about the relationship performance review that arises when you and your partner suddenly find yourselves spending over 100 hours a week together. For some, it’s bliss; for others, it feels like a full-time job without an HR department. While grey divorce (divorce after age 50) is on the rise in Canada, separation isn’t inevitable. However, marital harmony is also not guaranteed. The truth lies somewhere in between—and that’s where things become interesting. Retirement isn't merely a lifestyle change—it’s a complete identity shake-up, which can create stress even in the strongest relationships. Grey Divorce: An Increasing Trend Though Canada’s overall divorce rate reached a 50-year low in 2020, divorce among people over 50 is increasing—this trend is dubbed grey divorce. According to Statistics Canada, this demographic is increasingly re-evaluating their relationships as they retire (CBC News, 2024). The same pattern is unfolding south of the border, with the AARP reporting a steady rise in senior divorces in the U.S. Grey divorce isn’t just emotionally taxing—it can be financially devastating. Women, in particular, bear the brunt. A study by the National Center for Family & Marriage Research found that divorced women over 50 have 45% less wealth than their married peers. In Canada, the Canadian Institute of Actuaries has warned that divorce later in life can significantly erode retirement savings and delay or derail financial plans. Role Confusion One retired executive shared that after decades of being chauffeured to work, he assumed retirement meant his wife would now be his driver. “I thought she’d just take over that role, as he climbed into the back seat,” he said, genuinely confused. She had other plans that did not involve sitting behind a wheel, taking coffee orders, or navigating roundabouts. He had not yet made the emotional or physical shift from being served to becoming equal. That transition is more complicated than it sounds—and more common than you'd think. When one partner’s identity is career-driven and the other manages the home, retirement necessitates a complete recalibration. Power dynamics shift, control issues surface, and resentment simmers if left unacknowledged. Housework ≠ Heartwork If you're home full-time now, guess what? You’re not a guest anymore. The dishes, the vacuuming, the grocery runs—these are now shared responsibilities. Nothing breeds resentment faster than an unequal workload. Retirement doesn’t mean “relax”; rather, it signifies redistributing the work of life. Unspoken truths will find their voice. Let’s face it—decades of unexpressed frustrations don’t remain buried. They begin to comment on how someone folds laundry, stacks the dishwasher, or leaves the cap off the toothpaste. Retirement magnifies everything: the quirks you used to laugh off? Mansplaining! What habits did you ignore because life was busy? Now they’re front and center. And what bad habits did you have before? They don’t improve with age—they get worse. Emotional and Mental Health Insights Relationship difficulties can trigger anxiety, depression, and loneliness, especially among men who may have smaller support networks outside their marriages. A 2020 study in the Journal of Gerontology found that post-divorce social isolation is closely linked to declining physical and mental health in later life. Not all couples want to—or need to—divorce to find peace. Increasingly, older Canadians are exploring “Living Apart Together” (LAT) arrangements, where partners maintain separate residences while remaining in a committed relationship. Research by the Vanier Institute and AARP suggests that LAT relationships allow for autonomy while maintaining emotional connection—a potential middle ground for couples who struggle with full-time togetherness in retirement. For many, retirement means the loss of structure, identity, and purpose, particularly for those who have closely tied their sense of self to their professional roles. This loss can create irritability, aimlessness, and tension in a partnership. As Harvard Business Review put it, retirement can be especially tough for men because “so many men are bad at retirement” (HBR, 2021). This emotional void often spills over into the relationship, testing its resilience. Retirement often brings a sudden reshuffling of roles at home. Many men who may have spent decades focused on their careers struggle to adjust to a more balanced domestic lifestyle. The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives notes that retirement can expose long-standing gendered inequalities in household labour, leading to friction, resentment, and, at times, relationship breakdown. How to Thrive—Together or Apart The goal isn’t perfection; it’s peace, fulfillment, and ample personal space to breathe. Here’s how to get there: creatively, practically, and honestly. 1. Have the Real Conversations Ask the questions you avoided when life was too busy: • “Are we happy?” • “What do you want out of the next ten years?” • “Are there things we’ve never talked about that matter now?” Unspoken expectations are relationship landmines. Bring them to light—gently and often. 2. Separate Bedrooms, United Front Don’t frown; they are more common than you might think and less scandalous than it sounds. Separate sleep equals better rest, less irritation, and sometimes a more intentional intimate life. Please don’t consider it a breakup; position it as a better mattress strategy. 3. The Basement Suite or In-Law Apartment Plan This represents the sweet spot between staying together and going entirely separate. Living in the same house with clearly defined zones provides each partner with breathing room and independence, especially when you’ve grown apart but don’t want to disrupt finances or family. Ground rules are essential: • Who is responsible for what costs? • Shared meals or separate? • New partners—yay or nay? It’s not perfect, but it can be practical. 4. A Second Space: Cottage, Trailer, or Tiny Cabin A humble trailer or rustic cabin might save your marriage. It’s not about luxury—it’s about space, autonomy, and silence when needed. Whether alternating weekends or solo sabbaticals, having a backup place to go can restore harmony at home. 5. Travel Separately (Sometimes) One of you wants to hike Machu Picchu, while the other prefers to nap in Muskoka. You don’t have to compromise; you can take turns. Alternate between solo trips, friend getaways, or short solo retreats. You’ll both return refreshed—and more engaged. 6. Discover New Purpose (or Income) A restless, lost, or bored partner can quietly sabotage the household. Encourage: • Volunteering • Consulting or part-time work • Mentoring • Taking courses or teaching others • Rediscovering old passions If Divorce Is the Best Option At times, the most honest act is to end a marriage with kindness. If this is the only option, there are important factors to consider: Financial Reality Check • Assets will be divided, including the house, pensions, RRSPs, etc. • Expenses double: two homes, two insurance policies, and two fridges to stock. • Retirement income may not be sufficient for both lives. • Legal costs and timing matter more than ever now—because the time to recover financially is limited. There are no pensions in tears. Therefore, if you choose this route, plan ahead. Family Impact • Adult children might feel shocked—or even angry. • Grandchildren can pose challenging questions. • Long-term friendships may weaken. • Shared traditions may require reinvention. This process can be amicable. A new term has emerged among women caring for their ill or aging ex-husbands: “Wasbands.” These women step up with empathy rather than obligation. Vows no longer bind them; instead, they are guided by compassion. Honestly, humanity wins in these situations. There is still love, respect, and history—even if it’s no longer romantic. That is not failure; it is growth. Rewrite the Rules Retirement is not a dead end; it’s a creative reawakening—if you approach it that way. Retirement is a significant life transition—not just financially, but relationally. Like any other chapter in life, it requires renegotiation, mutual respect, and a willingness to evolve. Some couples find deeper intimacy, while others redefine their relationships entirely. The good news? Whether it's under one roof or two, retirement can still be a time of connection, discovery, and, yes, romance. But it also requires some good, old-fashioned adulting. Yes, *adulting*—that modern word we usually reserve for paying bills, booking dental appointments, and reading the fine print. It turns out it’s equally essential in retirement. Emotional maturity, communication, boundary-setting, and a shared approach to evolving roles are all keys. Think of it like the Sonnet Insurance commercials that cheekily remind us adulting is hard but worth it. Retirement is also a factor, especially when approached with intention and a sense of humour. This is your last chapter. Make it a good one. Whether you stay together, sleep apart, live separately under one roof, or consciously uncouple, do it with clarity, kindness, and courage. The goal isn’t a perfect love story; it’s a fulfilling life for both of you. When in doubt, take a walk (alone if necessary). Share a joke. Communicate like adults. And for the love of long-term care insurance, remember: resentment compounds faster than interest. If you enjoyed this article or thought, “Oh wow, this is exactly what my friend/parent/relative needs to read,” please share it. You can also subscribe to the Retirement Literacy newsletter for more smart, candid, and occasionally cheeky insights on navigating life after full-time work. Let’s make retirement not just the end of work, but the start of something meaningful, fulfilling, and a little fabulous. Don’t Retire…Rewire! p.s. Know someone who’s about to retire?— Why not share this worksheet? It’s the best pre-retirement checklist they never knew they needed. 6 Questions to Ask Before Retiring Together Retirement reshapes your schedule, your identity—and your relationship. Before you hand in your keycard, ask these candid questions with your partner. Because the toughest part of retirement isn’t money—it’s time. And you’ll be spending a lot more of it together. 1. What Do You Want This Chapter of Life to Look Like? Dreams misaligned can lead to daily friction. Do you crave adventure while your partner seeks peace and quiet? Map it out—together. 2. How Much Time Do We Really Want to Spend Together? “Always together” sounds sweet—until it feels stifling. Define your ideal balance between shared time and personal space. 3. What Roles Are We Playing Now—And Do They Need to Change? Retirement often means rebalancing housework, caregiving, and emotional labor. What’s fair now that you’re both at home? 4. Are There Any Long-Standing Frustrations We’ve Avoided Talking About? Retirement shines a spotlight on old resentments. It's better to talk than to silently stew over how the dishwasher is loaded. 5. How Will We Handle Money Decisions as a Team? With changing income and more shared expenses, financial transparency and joint planning are more crucial than ever. 6. What Will Give Each of Us a Sense of Purpose—Individually? A restless or bored partner can bring tension into the home. Talk about passions, volunteer work, or part-time pursuits that bring meaning. Want more smart, candid insights? Visit www.retirementliteracy.com to start rewriting your next chapter with clarity and confidence.
Hidden History of Bermuda is Reshaping the Way We Think About Colonial America
Early colonialism in the Americas tends to conjure images of Jamestown and Plymouth Colony. But long before settlers there acclimated to the New World’s growing conditions and overcame starvation conditions, an English settlement established in Bermuda in 1612 was wealthy and prosperous. University of Rochester historian and archaeologist Michael Jarvis has been uncovering the hidden history of Smith’s Island in Bermuda and its pivotal role in reshaping the understanding of colonial America. Nicknamed “Chainsaw Mike” by his students, he has spent 14 years excavating Smith’s Island and one of the first English settlements in the New World. Jarvis argues that Bermuda’s role in supplying Jamestown with food and influencing early colonists make it a cornerstone of America’s origin story rather than the historical footnote to which it has largely been relegated. His research on Smith’s Island was recently the cover story of Smithsonian magazine and was featured on the History Unplugged podcast. Jarvis is an expert on colonial America, the international and intercolonial networks of trade at the time, and settlement patterns in eastern North America, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and the communities surrounding European gold- and slave-trade forts in West Africa. He can be reached at 585-275-4558 and michael.jarvis@rochester.edu.
Digital Dementia: Does Technology Use by ‘Digital Pioneers’ Correlate to Cognitive Decline?
As the first generation that interacted with digital technology reaches an age where dementia risks emerge, scientists have asked the question: Is there a correlation between digital technology use and an increased risk of dementia? With the phrases “brain rot” and “brain drain” circulating on social media, it would appear that most people would assume the answer is yes. However, a new study in Nature Human Behavior by neuroscientists at Baylor University and the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School reveals the opposite – digital technologies are actually associated with reduced cognitive decline. The study – A meta-analysis of technology use and cognitive aging – was sparked by the ongoing concern about the passive activity of digital technologies and their relation to accelerating risks of dementia. Study co-authors are Jared F. Benge, Ph.D., clinical neuropsychologist and associate professor of neurology at Dell Medical School and UT Health Austin’s Comprehensive Memory Center within the Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences, and Michael K. Scullin, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and neuroscience at Baylor. “You can flip on the news on just about any day and you’ll see people talking about how technologies are harming us,” Scullin said. “People often use the terms ‘brain drain’ and ‘brain rot,’ and now digital dementia is an emerging phrase. As researchers, we wanted to know if this was true.” The “digital dementia” hypothesis predicts that a lifetime of exposure to digital technology will worsen cognitive abilities. On the contrary, the study’s findings challenge this hypothesis, indicating instead that engagement with digital technology fosters cognitive resilience in these adults. Reviewing more than 136 studies with data that encompassed over 400,000 adults, and longitudinal studies with an average of 6 years of follow-up data, Scullin and Benge found compelling evidence that digital technology use is associated with better cognitive aging outcomes, rather than harm. The researchers’ study supported the “technological reserve” hypothesis, finding that digital technologies can promote behaviors that preserve cognition. In fact, their study revealed that digital technology use correlates with a 58% lower risk of cognitive impairment. This pattern of cognitive protection persisted when the researchers controlled for socioeconomic status, education, age, gender, baseline cognitive ability, social support, overall health, and engagement with mental activities like reading that might have explained the findings. Increase in problem-solving skills Scullin said that for some, these findings are surprising as technology use is often associated with being sedentary both physically and mentally. However, for the current generation of older adults who were introduced to the first technological advancements – computers, the Internet and smartphones – past their childhood, using technology is cognitively challenging because it is everchanging. “One of the first things that middle-age and older adults were saying is that ‘I’m so frustrated by this computer. This is hard to learn.’ That's actually a reflection of the cognitive challenge, which may be beneficial for the brain even if it doesn’t feel great in the moment.” Scullin said. Technology requires constant adaption, he said, such as understanding new software updates, troubleshooting Internet loss or filtering out website ads. “If you’re doing that for years and you’re really engaging with it, even though you might experience frustration, that may be a sign of you exercising your brain,” he said. Social connection Technology also enables communication and engagement like never before, which can expand opportunities for connectivity. Video calls, emails and messaging apps help maintain social networks, especially for people who would not otherwise regularly see their family members. “Now you can connect with families across generations,” Scullin said. “You not only can talk to them, you can see them. You can share pictures. You can exchange emails and it's all within a second or less. So that means there's a greater opportunity for decreasing loneliness.” Better social connectedness is a well-documented correlate of cognitive functioning in older adults, providing a link between decreased isolation from digital technologies and reduced risks of dementia. Impact of “digital scaffolding” A dementia diagnosis is indicated in part when cognitive changes lead to a loss of independence with daily tasks. Tools such as digital reminders, GPS navigation and online banking allow older adults to remain independent despite cognitive difficulties through digital scaffolding. According to the research article, this digital scaffold “facilitates better functional outcomes in older adults while general cognitive functioning declines.” Technologies can serve as a compensatory support system to maintain general independence and reduce the risk of a dementia diagnosis even with the presence of some cognitive decline. “As clinical practice continues to move toward an individualized, precision-medicine approach, it will be necessary for the field to identify for whom and for how long, such digital scaffolding is effective,” the researchers said. Promoting healthy technology use While Scullin recognizes the negative effects of technology, such as distracted driving or using technology over consistent face-to-face interaction, he also emphasizes how promoting a healthy use of digital tools in older adults is beneficial for their cognitive health. “If you have a parent or grandparent who’s just staying away from technology, maybe revisit that. Could they learn to use photo, messaging, or calendar apps on a smartphone or tablet? Start simple and be very patient while they learn,” he said. Social media use is another highly debated topic in terms of cognitive effects. While he says it’s hard to predict the cognitive effects of endlessly scrolling on TikTok, Scullin does argue that generating videos through creative cognition could be beneficial. In addition, he said that interacting with communities online can provide benefits by forming social connections. “We could spend a long time talking about all the specific ways in which technology use can be bad. However, the net effect since the 1990s has been positive for overall cognition in older adults,” he said. FUNDING The study was supported by funding from the National Institutes of Health (R01AG082783; M.K.S., J.F.B.). Michael Scullin was named Baylor’s inaugural Newsmaker of the Year in 2018, after his “to-do list” research was widely covered by media outlets, including ABC’s Good Morning America, TODAY.com, USA TODAY, Discover, LiveScience, HealthDay, BBC Radio and many more, reaching an international circulation and viewership of nearly 1 billion people. Looking to interview or chat with Michael Scullin? Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
University of Delaware researchers have found that measuring brain stiffness is a reliable way to predict brain age. This information could be used to identify structural differences that indicate departure from the normal aging process, potentially identifying and addressing disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. In recent findings, Curtis Johnson, associate professor of biomedical engineering, and Austin Brockmeier, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, show that measuring both brain stiffness and brain volume produces the most accurate predictions of chronological age. Their findings were published in a recent edition of the journal Biology Methods and Protocols. The pair worked with three current and former UD students to reach their conclusions. “Brain volume is a common measure that we use to study the brain,” Johnson said. “But something has to be happening to cause a brain to shrink. Something is happening at the microscale that causes it to shrink — changes in the tissue that also cause stiffness to change. And that precedes whatever happens when the volume changes.” “The stiffness maps all seem kind of random — until we see a large number of images and the randomness fades away and we start to see common patterns in stiffness,” Johnson said. “We sort of knew there was more [information] in there than what we were extracting." A cutting-edge magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner at UD’s Center for Biomedical and Brain Imaging handled the brain scanning. On the artificial intelligence side, the brain maps were analyzed by three-dimensional “convolutional neural networks,” which — as the name suggests — are convoluted and complicated, incorporating many layers and dimensions. To arrange and interview with Johnson or Brockmeier, send an email to mediarelations@udel.edu
With a trade war that sees steep tariffs on imports from China, Canada and Mexico - various industries across the continent are scrambling to figure out how to conduct cross-border business in the wake of President Trump's new policies on trade. For many industries with production lines that crisscross the border, there's concerns about how to prosper or function in the future. Among Detroit brands, GM's Chevrolet and GMC pickups, along with Stellantis's Ram, are more exposed to Trump's taxes than Ford because both build large numbers of pickups in Mexico. Ford builds its F-series pickups in the United States - but also makes some truck engines in Canada, underscoring the web of economic interdependence among the three North America trading partners. Almost no American vehicle is made from solely American parts, industry research shows. Barclays bank analysts estimate that Mexico provides up to 40% of the parts in U.S. vehicles and Canada more than 20%. Suppliers say they will have to cover some of the tariff costs and will likely see an additional hit if consumer demand weakens from rising vehicle prices. Automakers and suppliers also worry about the effects of tariffs on vehicle components that bounce across borders before reaching their final destination. Companies worry that such parts could be taxed with every border crossing, although Trump has not clarified his policy in such cases. March 05 - Reuters Industry insiders are saying companies need to adapt their strategies immediately. To become more agile, companies are increasingly turning to advanced supply chain solutions. Modern platforms provide end-to-end visibility, helping businesses map complex, inter-connected supply chains made up of multiple tiers and assess risks associated with tariffs or regulatory changes. These tools enable companies to model the financial impact of different scenarios, offering data-driven insights for supplier diversification or regional sourcing strategies. March 06- Supply Chain Management Review Despite the 30 day reprieve for automakers, companies are still waiting and figuring out how to adapt. If you're a journalist covering tariffs and the trade war and how the supply chain might be impacted, Steven Carnovale can help. Steven is a supply chain strategist specializing in interfirm networks, risk management and global sourcing/production networks. Steven is available to speak with media. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today
Researchers at the Institute for Water and Health (IWH) at Georgia Southern University initiated a new project in Marion, Alabama, to address the city’s aging water infrastructure and its impact on human health with a focus on community-based research, workforce development and environmental justice. The pilot project in Marion, Alabama, is a collaborative effort between Georgia Southern and the University of Alabama. IWH Director Asli Aslan, Ph.D., is the principal investigator (PI) and Lacey Huffling, Ph.D., from Georgia Southern’s College of Education, and Lanna Nations, director for education and outreach for the Alabama Water Institute at the University of Alabama, are co-PIs. In partnership with the city of Eastman, Georgia, the project includes an internship program for next-generation water operators and a peer mentorship program for current water managers. Project leaders seek to improve communication and foster trust between local authorities and residents, contributing to long-term environmental health and equitable access to safe drinking water. Aslan sees workforce readiness as a critical component to maintaining standards in water management. “Nationwide, community water systems are managed by specialized professionals to ensure safe water every time we turn on the tap,” noted Aslan. According to her, about 50% of water operators working at these facilities will retire in the next decade, but only 10% are expected to be replaced. Training the next generation of water operators and developing leaders for rural water systems is a matter of national security. “The Institute for Water and Health is committed to launching a regional program to equip future water managers with the necessary skills to ensure safe water for all,” Aslan continued. “This pilot project will lay the foundation for this goal and aims to expand the program throughout the southeastern United States.” The project is funded by Alabama Power and Partnership for Inclusive Innovation, a Georgia-based program that funds and supports networks through resources across businesses, research universities and government entities. To learn more about this project and other IWH research and educational programs visit here. To connect with IWH Director Asli Aslan, simply click on her icon now to arrange an invterview today.
The new device is designed to reduce the risk of injuries when medicines being delivered into a vein enter the surrounding tissues It detects this problem at the earliest stages, before it is visible to the human eye The project is being supported by SPARK The Midlands at Aston University, a network to support technology development for unmet clinical needs. Clinicians at Birmingham Women’s and Children's NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) have joined with academics at Aston University to create an innovative sensor to reduce the risk of injuries caused when drugs being delivered into a vein enter the surrounding tissue. This complication, called extravasation, can cause harm and, in the most severe cases, life-changing injuries and permanent scarring. It happens most often when infusing medicines into peripheral intravenous (IV) devices, such as a cannula, but can also occur when infusing into a central venous access device. By joining together, BWC and Aston University are combining clinical, academic and engineering expertise to create a sensor that can detect extravasation at its earliest stages. Karl Emms, lead nurse for patient safety at BWC, said: “We've done lots of work across our Trust that has successfully reduced incidents. While we've made fantastic progress, there is only so much we can do as early signs of extravasation can be difficult to detect with the human eye. “The next step is to develop a technology that can do what people can't - detection as it happens. This will make a huge impact on outcomes as the faster we can detect extravasation, the less likely it is that it will cause serious harm.” The focused work to date addressing the issue has recently been recognised by the Nursing Times Awards 2024, winning the Patient Safety Improvement title for this year. This new project is supported by SPARK The Midlands, a network at Aston University dedicated to providing academic support to advance healthcare research discoveries in the region. SPARK The Midlands is the first UK branch of Stanford University's prestigious global SPARK programme. It comes as a result of Aston University’s active involvement in the delivery of the West Midlands Health Tech Innovation Accelerator (WMHTIA) – a government-funded project aimed at helping companies drive their innovations towards market success. The SPARK scheme helps to provide mentorship and forge networks between researchers, those with technical and specialist knowledge and potential sources of funding. SPARK members have access to workshops led by industry experts, covering topics such as medical device regulations, establishing good clinical trials, and creating an enticing target product profile to engage future funders. Luke Southan, head of research commercialisation at Aston University and SPARK UK director, said: “I was blown away when Karl first brought this idea to me. I knew we had to do everything we could to make this a reality. This project has the potential to transform the standard of care for a genuine clinical need, which is what SPARK is all about.” Work on another potentially transformative project has also begun as the team are working to develop a medical device that detects the position of a nasogastric feeding tube. There is a risk of serious harm and danger to life if nasogastric tubes move into the lungs, rather than the stomach, and feed is passed through them. Emms explained: “pH test strips can usually detect nasogastric tube misplacement, but some children undergoing treatment can have altered pH levels in the stomach. This means this test sometimes does not work. “A medical device that can detect misplacement can potentially stop harm and fatalities caused by these incidents.” SPARK will bring together engineers, academics and clinicians for both projects to develop the devices for clinical trial, with a goal of the technologies being ready for clinical use in three to five years. Southan said: “BWC is one of our first partners at SPARK and we're really excited to work with them to make a vital impact on paediatric healthcare in the Midlands and beyond." Notes to editors About Aston University For over a century, Aston University’s enduring purpose has been to make our world a better place through education, research and innovation, by enabling our students to succeed in work and life, and by supporting our communities to thrive economically, socially and culturally. Aston University’s history has been intertwined with the history of Birmingham, a remarkable city that once was the heartland of the Industrial Revolution and the manufacturing powerhouse of the world. Born out of the First Industrial Revolution, Aston University has a proud and distinct heritage dating back to our formation as the School of Metallurgy in 1875, the first UK College of Technology in 1951, gaining university status by Royal Charter in 1966, and becoming the Guardian University of the Year in 2020. Building on our outstanding past, we are now defining our place and role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution (and beyond) within a rapidly changing world. For media inquiries in relation to this release, contact Helen Tunnicliffe, Press and Communications Manager, on (+44) 7827 090240 or email: h.tunnicliffe@aston.ac.uk About Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust (BWC) brings together the very best in paediatric and women’s care in the region and is proud to have many UK and world-leading surgeons, doctors, nurses, midwives and other allied healthcare professionals on its team. Birmingham Children’s Hospital is the UK’s leading specialist paediatric centre, caring for sick children and young people between 0 and 16 years of age. Based in the heart of Birmingham city centre, the hospital is a world leader in some of the most advanced treatments, complex surgical procedures and cutting-edge research and development. It is a nationally designated specialist centre for epilepsy surgery and also boasts a paediatric major trauma centre for the West Midlands, a national liver and small bowel transplant centre and a centre of excellence for complex heart conditions, the treatment of burns, cancer and liver and kidney disease. The hospital is also home to one of the largest Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services in the country, comprising of a dedicated inpatient Eating Disorder Unit and Acute Assessment Unit for regional referrals of children and young people with the most serious of problems (Tier 4) and Forward Thinking Birmingham community mental health service for 0- to 25-year-olds. Birmingham Women’s Hospital is a centre of excellence, providing a range of specialist health care services to over 50,000 women and their families every year from Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. As well as delivering more than 8,200 babies a year, it offers a full range of gynaecological, maternity and neonatal care, as well as a comprehensive genetics service, which serves men and women. Its Fertility Centre is one of the best in the country, while the fetal medicine centre receives regional and national referrals. The hospital is also an international centre for education, research and development with a research budget of over £3 million per year. It also hosts the national miscarriage research centre – the first of its kind in the UK - in partnership with Tommy’s baby charity. For interview requests please email the Communications Team on bwc.communications@nhs.net
The ISS is Leaking! What Happens Now? Florida Tech's Don Platt Can Explain
There's an issue on the International Space Station (ISS) that is becoming a growing concern for both the Russian and American space programs. The ISS is leaking, and the matter is rightfully getting attention from media around the world. The reporters looking for answers are connecting with Florida Tech's Don Platt to explain what exactly is happening and what it means for the future of this $100 billion facility. Dr. Platt's work has involved developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications and rocket propulsion systems. He teaches about space systems. The problem exemplifies how NASA is contending with aging but critical space infrastructure: The orbiting laboratory, with a living area larger than a six-bedroom house, is the agency's only way to learn about health impacts to astronauts, develop or test life support systems for future missions, and advance a plethora of space technologies. NASA wants to keep it running until 2030 — but doing so will require constant surveillance and, literally, patching. "It's an old station, and it has done some amazing things," Don Platt, an associate professor of space systems at Florida Tech, told Mashable. Mashable, Nov. 19 Local television and national networks like NPR were also seeking Platt's expert insights. NASA and Russian space officials are at odds over the significance of a long-standing air leak aboard the International Space Station. The leak, originating from a Russian module, has reportedly persisted for about five years. Don Platt, an associate professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, explained the potential risks. “There’s definitely concerns about this leak and the potential for it to get worse over time,” Platt said. While NASA views the issue as a serious safety concern, Moscow insists the situation is under control and the module is safe. “NASA is quite concerned about it, and the Russians are more or less saying, ‘We have it under control. Don’t worry about it,’” Platt said. The affected module is one of the oldest on the station, having been operational for more than 20 years. “One of the Russian modules on the space station, one of the oldest, is starting to lose some of the air that astronauts need to breathe,” he said. November 18 - NBC News The coverage featuring Platt's insight is also being carried by Russian media and news sites. Are you following this developing story? Let us help with your coverage. Dr. Don Platt's work has involved developing, testing and flying different types of avionics, communications, rocket propulsion systems as well as astrobiology/biotechnology systems and human deep space exploration tools. Don is available to speak with media. Simply click on the icon below to arrange an interview today.
Election Night Disinformation Concerns
Mark Lukasiewicz, dean of The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, talked to Newsday about concerns of disinformation facing television and cable networks as they prepare for their Election Day coverage. “Virtually all the mainstream media outlets, and the major networks for sure, have developed and resourced units that specialize in spotting” disinformation, he said. “They’re certainly applying the resources to combat that and to prevent their own channels from disseminating false information and I give them credit for that." However, “the fact set for one group of people is completely different from the fact set of another group,” Dean Lukasiewicz explained, because of fast-growing social media platforms like TikTok — with 170 million users in the United States alone. Dean Lukasiewicz also spoke to the Associated Press for the story, “By moving to podcasts, Harris and Trump are turning away from legacy media to spread their messages.”
