February 28, 2023

UOW expert commentary (28 February)

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

Mexico protests

Dr Luis Gomez Romero is an expert in human rights, international law and international relations and can speak about protests in Mexico in response to controversial electoral law reforms. Dr Gomez Romero is a Senior Lecturer in Human Rights, Constitutional Law and Legal Theory. He is from the School of Law.

School refusal

Professor Penny Van Bergen is available for interviews about reports of growing reports of children refusing to go to school. She says there has been an increase in school refusal after the pandemic and it impacts the wider family as well: “It can be tough because parents have other commitments and school refusal has cascading consequences. Parents are naturally worried for child, their family and their own work patterns.”

Professor Van Bergen is passionate about educational psychology and about evidence-based teaching practice. She is an Educational Psychologist in the School of Education.

Interest rates

Dr Paul Mazzola is available for interviews about interest rates. Dr Mazzola is a Lecturer in banking and finance in the School of Business. He has more than 25 years’ banking and finance experience in the Australian, European and Asian Pacific markets. 

New coordinator for cybersecurity

Privacy and cybersecurity expert Honorary Professor Katina Michael can discuss plans to set up a national office for cybersecurity. She says cybersecurity is everyone’s problem and welcomes the announcement of a new Coordinator for cybersecurity. Honorary Professor Michael is from the School of Business and comments regularly on the social implications of emerging technologies with an emphasis on privacy and national security. She is also a Professor in the School for the Future of Innovation in Society and School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence at Arizona State University.

Silicosis and engineered stone

Occupational hygienist Jane Whitelaw is an expert on industrial respiratory diseases and can talk about the growing number of people diagnosed with silicosis after exposure to silica dust from cutting engineered stone. Ms Whitelaw is an occupational hygienist in the School of Health and Society.

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.