June 21, 2022

UOW experts available this week (21 - 25 June)

UOW academics provide expert comment, opinion and analysis on a range of ongoing and breaking news stories

TRANSGENDER ATHLETES AND ELITE WOMEN’S SWIMMING

Dr Quah Ee Ling Sharon can provide comment on FINA’s decision to restrict transgender athletes from competing in women’s elite swimming competitions. Dr Quah is a sociology expert from the School of Humanities and Social Enquiry. She is also the Chair of UOW’s ally network, a group of people who are allies of gender, sex and sexuality diverse students and staff.

SOLOMON ISLANDS

Dr Charles Hawksley can discuss Australia’s role in the Pacific, including the Solomon Islands. Dr Hawksley is a Senior Lecturer in Politics and International Studies and is an expert on food security, state building, police building, intervention, aid and development in the region.

ENERGY MARKETS

Associate Professor Rabindra Nepal is an expert in energy markets and can discuss the current energy supply crisis in Australia. In a new article for The Conversation Prof Nepal says nationalising electricity is not a silver bullet. He writes: “To operate most effectively, the sector needs to balance the roles of private competition and government regulation.”

Prof Nepal is an internationally recognised scholar specialising in energy, environment and resources. He is an economist in the School of Business.

JULIAN ASSANGE

Dr Luis Gomez Romero is an expert in human rights, international law and international relations and can speak about the British Home Secretary’s decision to extradite Julian Assange to the United States. Dr Gomez Romero is a Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory. He is from the School of Law.

Dr Shawn Burns can discuss the impact Assange’s extradition will have on the future of journalism and press freedom. Dr Burns is a former journalist and news director and is a journalism lecturer in the School of Arts, English and Media.

WORLD TRADE ORGANISATION

Associate Professor Markus Wagner is an expert in international law and politics. He teaches and writes in the areas of international economic law and governance. He has previously provided expert comment for numerous newspapers as well as for ABC News, CNN, France 24 and Al-Jazeera. In an article in The Conversation, Professor Wagner writes that after decades of conflict that has neutered its work, the World Trade Organisation looks to be back in business.

UOW academics exercise academic freedom by providing expert commentary, opinion and analysis on a range of ongoing social issues and current affairs. This expert commentary reflects the views of those individual academics and does not necessarily reflect the views or policy positions of the University of Wollongong.