June 20, 2023

UOW expert commentary (20 June)

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

World Refugee Day – Tuesday 20 June

Associate Professor Phil Orchard is available to talk about World Refugee Day (Tuesday 20 June). The latest UNHCR Global Trends report found 108.4 million people were forcibly displaced at the end of 2022, including 35.3 million refugees and 62.5 million internally displaces persons. Associate Professor Orchard said that’s more than double the displaced population 10 years ago. Associate Professor Orchard is from the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry. His research and teaching interests focus on international efforts to provide legal and institutional protections to internally displaced persons, refugees, and war-affected civilians.

Voice to parliament

Dr Summer May Finlay can discuss the Senate passing legislation to hold a vote on an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Dr Finlay is a Yorta Yorta woman who grew up on Awabakal country (West Lake Macquarie) and is a passionate advocate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. She is a Senior Lecturer of Indigenous Health in the School of Health and Society.

ABS data release - Labour Force statistics (Thursday 22 June)

Associate Professor Martin O’Brien is available for interview about the ABS Labour Force Statistics which will be released on Thursday 22 June. He can discuss employment, unemployment, underemployment, participation and hours worked in January 2023 from the monthly Labour Force Survey. Associate Professor O’Brien is an economist and the Director of the Centre for Human and Social Capital Research. His research interests include segmented labour market theory, econometrics, older worker employment issues and hidden unemployment. 

Does hair help regulate body temperature?

In an article for The Conversation Associate Professor Theresa Larkin explains the role hair plays in regulating body temperature. She writes:

We have millions of hair follicles on our body, including around 100,000 on our scalp. This might sound like a lot of hair, yet humans are described as “hairless”. We have evolved to be the only mammals with a relatively hairless body, but still with scalp hair.

 So how does your hair affect your body temperature when it’s hot or cold?

 Compared with other animals, our hair does not have as much influence on keeping us warm or cool as you might think.

Associate Professor Larkin is an expert in anatomy and medical science. She is a Senior Lecturer in UOW’s Graduate School of Medicine. Associate Professor Larkin was recently named a Superstar of STEM by Science & Technology Australia.

Top stars missing as Argentina takes on Indonesia

Professor Troy Heffernan can talk about why football fans are disappointed after top stars, including Lionel Messi, didn’t play in Argentina’s first friendly match against Argentina in Indonesia on Monday night. Professor Heffernan is an expert in sports marketing from the School of 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.