Experts Matter. Find Yours.

MEDIA RELEASE: Ten things Ontarians need to know prior to booking travel abroad

CAA South Central Ontario (CAA SCO) has compiled a list of ten things that Ontarians should be aware of if they are considering travelling abroad. “Now that the Canadian government is no longer advising against non-essential travel due to COVID-19, those who are considering booking a trip should make sure they understand the scope of what travel looks like at the moment,” said Kaitlynn Furse, director, corporate communications, CAA Club Group. “The checklist for planning a trip has changed and we want to help people navigate this new environment.” Through consultation with its top travel agents, CAA SCO has identified ten key considerations that potential travellers may not be aware of. Anyone who is considering travel in the current environment should make sure they have looked into the following and remember that travel requirements and regulations are continually changing. 1. Confirm the COVID-19 situation at destination prior to booking. Understand the risk level associated with travel to a particular destination by checking the Government of Canada Travel Advice and Advisories website. While the Global Affairs Canada Level 3 Travel Advisory to avoid all non-essential travel has been lifted, individual travel advisories do remain on a country-by-country basis. It is important that Canadians understand the ongoing uncertainty associated with international travel, whether that be related to the continued community transmission of COVID-19, or state of health care systems in destinations hit hard by the pandemic. 2. Understand the type, timing, cost and accessibility of required COVID testing. Every country has different requirements when it comes to the COVID tests that are needed prior to travel, and every country has different testing capacities once you are there. There are also requirements in order to return to Canada. Make sure you understand the difference between molecular PCR and rapid antigen tests, in what time period tests must be taken, the associated costs and locations where these tests are available. 3. Confirm change and cancellation flexibility with your travel service provider. Many airlines and hotels have been providing more flexibility when it comes to refunds and changes to bookings. Make sure you understand any key dates related to cancellation and changes and whether you are entitled to a refund or a future travel voucher or credit at the time of booking. 4. Buy travel insurance and understand what is covered. Make sure you have $5 million in coverage for emergency medical situations and that illness related to COVID-19 is included. Understand your entitlements for things like denied boarding in the event of a positive test and coverage related to isolation expenses. 5. Prepare required travel documentation and the format it must be presented in, for both Canada and your destination. Canadians returning home should have all required documentation loaded onto the ArriveCAN App or website. Each destination has varying requirements, so make sure you fully understand what information you need to have ready and in what format. Make sure you also take into consideration connections and any requirements in the connecting destination due to lay over or delays. 6. Take note of local public health rules prior to departure. Many destinations have measures in place such as curfews and quarantine requirements. You should also understand what the regulations are if you happen to test positive for COVID-19 in the country you are visiting. 7. Be aware of changes between booking and departure. Make sure you reconfirm all the details that were researched prior to booking, to ensure they are still accurate prior to departure. What was true when a trip was booked may not be the case by the time you are ready to travel. 8. Double check all research with the appropriate embassy or consulate. Travel at this time is complex and many factors can change quickly, so ensuring you have the most up to date and accurate information is essential. 9. Plan for extra time. From disembarkment and customs to retrieving luggage and exiting the airport, most things on the travel journey are taking longer than during pre-COVID travel times. Also note the check-in and baggage drop off deadline for your flight as it may require you to arrive earlier than anticipated. 10. Stay connected. Fully unplugging while travelling is likely a thing of the past. It is important to have access to trusted, up-to-date information while travelling so you can monitor changing conditions and requirements and adapt accordingly. Bookmark the Global Affairs Canada website prior to departure and check it regularly while abroad. It is also a good idea to sign up for Registration of Canadians Abroad and stay in touch with a family or friend that has knowledge of your travel plans.

UCI scientists study the effects of an oil spill on Orange County's coastline

Joana Tavares and Melissa Brock, a Ph.D student in ecology and evolutionary biology, are spearheading the newly formed Southern California Oil Spill Project at UCI. They are analyzing the composition and health of the phytoplankton and bacterial communities in the ocean and inland waterways, using samples collected before, during, and ultimately after the oil spill situation has played out. Also, the cleanup of the oil spill off the coast of Huntington Beach earlier this month is essentially complete, but responsibility for the spill has yet to be assigned. In the coming months, and possibly years, it will be the legal system that determines liability — and damages. Michael Robinson-Dorn, a clinical professor of law, co-associate dean for experiential education at the law school and director of UCI’s Environmental Law Clinic, joins the UCI Podcast to discuss how this spill compares to past ones, why simply shutting down offshore drilling is more challenging than it may seem and how society’s values will shape the future of oil drilling in California. For more information or to contact the researchers, email Brian Bell at bpbell@uci.edu.

UCI experts can discuss California's Climate Crisis

For the past half century, UC Irvine has been home to some of the world’s leading experts on the environment, energy, oceans and atmosphere in the Golden State. To share their stories, UCI today is launching a web special report, “California’s Climate Crisis.” Through its three main sections – The Problem, Human Impacts and Solutions – the site offers dozens of feature articles, videos, podcast recordings and photographs, with plans for ongoing updates and new stories. The materials outline the UCI researchers’ understanding of the climate issues facing California and the extent to which they are working to counteract the dilemma. The site includes an experts' page. Contact Tom Vasich at 949-285-6455 or tmvasich@uci.edu for more information.

Companies Big and Small Can Benefit From a Clear Remote Work Strategy

As remote work evolves into a regular work mode that satisfies employment needs for both employer and employee, it is important for businesses to have a well-thought-out remote work strategy, says Timothy Golden, professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Golden, who teaches in the Lally School of Management, believes that creating the right norms and expectations from the start provides an important boost for achieving success in remote work. “If these norms — informal and often unspoken expectations for how people should act and behave — are not set correctly right from the start, then remote work can be much more challenging than it needs to be,” Golden said. In many companies, creating a position of a Chief Remote Officer (CRO) — a position similar to a CFO or COO but with a focus on leading remote work programs — can be a step toward future stability. According to Golden, other aspects to consider range from methods of employee communication and performance assessments, to the compatibility of a combination of hybrid, in-person, and remote work modes in the framework of an organizational business model. Remote work and telecommuting have been the focus of Golden’s body of research for more than 20 years. He is available to discuss remote work strategies and other aspects of working from home from the business perspective as well as the viewpoint of the remote workers.

Supply Chain Disruption Continues Due to the Pandemic

During the pandemic, the global supply chain began experiencing major disruptions. Kathleen Iacocca, PhD, an associate professor of management and operations in the Villanova School of Business, says that this issue is currently more severe than at the beginning of COVID's spread. Per the professor, the supply chain relies on effective forecasting, inventory control and logistics of supply and demand. At the start of the pandemic, the supply and demand scale became off-balance due to panic purchasing. Today, one reason it's much worse is that the supply went down. "You can try and push supply back up, which is what President Biden is doing with having ports operating 24/7. [But] Costco or Target can make as many phone calls as they want to Hasbro asking for Barbies, and if they don't have them, they can't just wave a wand and get them," says Dr. Iacocca. One option, if there's an imbalance, is to push demand down. "As a retailer, you can raise prices. That will help bring the supply and demand into a balance until the logistics part can catch up," says Dr. Iacocca. "But that can lead to dangerous issues. The people that can afford things are going to continue buying product, and it will exaggerate the differences in socioeconomic status." Dr. Iacocca predicts, with the upcoming holiday season, supply will simply not be able to meet demand. "In a normal world, retailers can forecast and build up inventory. In the future, demand will continue to go up while the supply doesn't get any larger and will just increase the gap between the two." In the meantime, small businesses can expect challenges. "If there's a short supply of lumber, Home Depot can afford it more than Mom and Pop's Lumberyard. Raising prices are a risk for those that can't necessarily afford things, but also the small businesses," says Dr. Iacocca. Ultimately, Dr. Iacocca predicts that supply could catch up with demand by March (at the earliest), depending on two things: "First, that the labor force doesn't remain as is. If you're playing the game of catchup, you’re working overtime. Second, you’re counting on factories not shutting down again because of COVID. March is the assumption that you have the means—and you just need the time and a period where demand does not continue to go up."

Presidential plantations – are they leaving out slavery when telling the story of America’s history?

The presidential plantations once belonging to George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe are picturesque destinations for tourists who want to learn more about these Founding Fathers from Virginia. But these museums often fail to adequately tell the stories of the enslaved people who lived and toiled there. UMW Professor of Geography Stephen Hanna's research on the topic was recently highlighted in Northern Virginia Magazine. Do plantation museums do justice to the memory of the enslaved? Local professor Stephen Hanna wanted to find out, so in 2014 he joined a team of researchers associated with TourismRESET, a world-wide network of scholars who study and challenge social inequity in tourism. Hanna, who teaches geography at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, received a grant from the National Science Foundation, enabling him to lead undergraduate students through multi-year research on how narratives and exhibits about enslaved populations and slavery were presented or absent at 15 different plantation sites. The goal was to present their findings to museum managers and thus facilitate more historically accurate and meaningful tours. His team is in the final stages of publishing a book summarizing their data and findings, to be released in March 2022. The full article is attached below and is well worth the complete read. If you are a journalist covering this critical topic about American history, then let us help with your questions and stories. Dr. Hanna is available to speak with media regarding this topic. Simply click on his icon to arrange an interview.

Covering the death of Colin Powell? UMW's foreign policy expert can help

Colin Powell, the first Black US secretary of state whose leadership in several Republican administrations helped shape American foreign policy in the last years of the 20th century and the early years of the 21st, has died from complications from Covid-19, his family said on Facebook. He was 84. "General Colin L. Powell, former U.S. Secretary of State and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, passed away this morning due to complications from Covid 19," the Powell family wrote on Facebook, noting he was fully vaccinated. A source familiar with the matter said Powell had multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells that suppresses the body's immune response. Even if fully vaccinated against Covid-19, those who are immunocompromised are at greater risk from the virus. "We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father, grandfather and a great American," the family said. October 18 - CNN If you are covering the life and legacy of Colin Powell - then let our experts help with your questions and coverage. University of Mary Washington Political Science and International Affairs Professor Jason Davidson is an expert in American foreign and security policy, and international security. He is also the author of the commissioned study, "The Costs of War to United States Allies Since 9/11," which focuses extensively on the human and monetary sacrifices made by America's allies in these conflicts. Davidson, and the document, made waves this spring, landing in the likes of Forbes, The Guardian and The Daily Mail. If you’re looking to arrange an interview with Dr. Davidson, simply click on his icon.

All eyes on Virginia – What’s at stake as the race for Governor goes into overdrive

Virginians are already voting to elect a new governor – and as political junkies, pundits and media across America know, this race could paint a picture of what’s to come in next year’s midterm elections and even as far away as 2024. Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at University of Mary Washington, said Mr. Biden's ability to sell his agenda will be "significantly deteriorated" if Republicans win the governor's mansion in Virginia. "If a Biden-like message offered by McAuliffe doesn't succeed in purple Virginia, a lot of Democrats around the country will wonder if it makes more sense to chart a more independent course," he said. CBS News – October 07 Dr. Stephen Farnsworth is a sought-after political commentator on presidential politics. He has been widely featured in national media, including The Washington Post, Reuters, The Chicago Tribune and MSNBC. If you are a reporter covering Virginia's gubernatorial race, simple click on his icon to arrange an interview today.

Did stomping out the dreaded spotted lanternfly work? UMW’s expert entomologist has the buzz on when we’ll know and what to expect

It’s the bug that been in the news all summer long. The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species that was first spotted on American soil seven years ago and is now moving at a fever pitch across the country. The petulant pest has the potential to devastate crops and agriculture – and there were hopes that steps to eradicate or at least minimize the insect’s spread would work. That’s why media are looking to experts like Josephine Antwi from the University of Mary Washington for answers. "The key right now, is to keep them from spreading and to keep their numbers down in areas where they currently occur," said Josephine Antwi, an entomologist at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia. "By destroying egg masses in the winter, we keep the number of the following generation down." September 30 - NorthJersey.com If you're writing about the Spotted Lanternfly, Dr. Antwi is available to speak with media; simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.

Friends or enemies? Is there any solving the ancient secret that is Chinese diplomacy?

When it comes to trade, investment and trillions of dollars of opportunity for American companies – it would appear that China and the United States should be close-knit allies. However when it comes to military escalation, an emerging global bull and national security – China is also a country that the U.S. government is very concerned about. NPR recently got in touch with UMW Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus to lend her expertise when it comes to the politics of China. Elizabeth Larus, who teaches Chinese studies at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, says any economic "de-coupling" between the U.S. and China will be very difficult. "You can't just say you're going to pick up your factory and move all your resources and have a consistent, reliable energy source and the shipping port to get your stuff out at a decent price, and the logistics. China has nailed that down," said Larus, the author of Politics and Society in Contemporary China. China's President Xi Jinping uses this as leverage, she noted. "One of the goals of this Xi Jinping regime is to make the world really reliant on China for its supply chain, but not to have China reliant on the rest of the world," she added. "So that makes it difficult for the businesses." Is there a way out of this downward spiral? "I do not see a de-escalation anytime soon," she said. October 08 - NPR There will be no easy or immediate solution to the hot-and-cold relationship between the United States and China. But if you are covering this ongoing story – then let our experts help with your questions and coverage. Dr. Elizabeth Larus is an expert in the politics of China. She is available to speak to media, simply click on her icon to arrange an interview today.