Media are welcome to contact the following La Trobe academics directly.
COVID-19, VACCINE SAFETY & EFFICACY
- Safety and effectiveness of vaccines, how to ask your friends/family if they’re vaccinated
Professor Vijaya Sundararajan, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Email: V.Sundararajan@latrobe.edu.au - Public health policy, risk of domestic/international travel, University’s approach to re-opening, vaccine supply chain and ability for poorer countries to access vaccines
Associate Professor Deborah Gleeson, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Email: d.gleeson@latrobe.edu.au - COVID modelling, COVID rates in indigenous communities
Dr Rebecca Chisolm, Mathematics & Statistics
Mobile: 0435 613 311 / Email: R.Chisholm@latrobe.edu.au
CONSPIRACY THEORIES, ANTI-VAX SENTIMENT
- How conspiracy theories and ideologies take hold, conspiracy theories related to COVID-19 and vaccination , why people can be vaccine hesitant, how to respond to someone spreading disinformation
Dr Mathew Marques, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Mobile: 0405 507 727 / Email: M.Marques@latrobe.edu.au
HEALTHCARE
- How regional/rural hospitals are coping over the summer break Professor Jane Mills, Head of School, La Trobe Rural Health School
Mobile: 0409 762 200 / Email: jane.mills@latrobe.edu.au
BUSHFIRE SAFETY, RECOVERY
- Bushfire season, risks, planned burns and summer in Australia, bushfire recovery, impacts of bushfire on flora and fauna
Professor Michael Clarke, La Trobe University School of Life Sciences
Mobile: 0427 368 851 / Email: m.clarke@latrobe.edu.au - Bushfire preparedness, particularly in areas that have not traditionally experienced such events, recovering from the trauma of a bushfire event
Adjunct Professor Jim McLennan, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Mobile: 0438 096 548 / Email: j.mclennan@latrobe.edu.au
*Available from the 28th December to the 4th Jan. - Historical attitudes to Aboriginal fire management, climate change
Associate Professor Liz Conor, La Trobe University Department of Archaeology and History
Mobile: 0424 132 605 / Email: l.conor@latrobe.edu.au
WELCOMING 2022 WITH A POSITIVE MINDSET
- New Year's resolutions, enhancing resilience, wellbeing and positivity post-pandemic
Adjunct Lecturer Ros Ben-Moshe, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Mobile: 0413 592 030 / Email: r.ben-moshe@latrobe.edu.au
LOCAL AND INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
- Australian foreign policy, maritime disputes in the Indo-Pacific, China-Australia relations
Dr Bec Strating, Executive Director, La Trobe Asia
Mobile: 0400 287 758 / Email: b.strating@latrobe.edu.au - Afghanistan’s unfolding situation, the relationship between Afghanistan and the US, Middle East politics
Dr Niamatullah Ibrahimi, Lecturer in International Relations
Mobile: 0403 000 570 / Email: n.ibrahimi@latrobe.edu.au
BACK TO SCHOOL, READING
- Improving your child’s reading abilities before they head back to school, what to look for in how your child’s school is approaching reading instruction
Pamela Snow, Professor of Cognitive Psychology, La Trobe School of Education (Bendigo-based)
Mobile: 0458 377 253 / Email: p.snow@latrobe.edu.au
Tanya Serry, Associate Professor Literacy and Reading Education, La Trobe School of Education
Mobile: 0418 384 085 / Email: t.serry@latrobe.edu.au - Blending remote and classroom learning, digital technologies in the classroom, what 2022 will bringDr Stefan Schutt, Senior Lecturer in Learning Design, La Trobe School of Education
Mobile: 0410 387 622 / Email: s.schutt@latrobe.edu.au
HEALTH, DIET, ALCOHOL, SPORT AND EXERCISE
- The meaning of food in people’s lives, how food embodies cultural values, sustainable consumption, veganism/vegetarianism
Dr Matt Ruby, La Trobe University School of Psychology and Public Health
Mobile: 0490 854 736 / Email: m.ruby@latrobe.edu.au
- Maintaining a healthy diet over the holiday period, New Year diet resolutions
Graduate Researcher Katerina Sarapis, La Trobe University Department of Nutrition
Mobile: 0405 818 832 / Email: K.Sarapis@latrobe.edu.au
- What future foods will be on your Christmas table in 2050?
Dr Kim Johnson, La Trobe Institute for Agriculture and Food
Mobile: 0418 858 465 / Email: K.Johnson@latrobe.edu.au
- Why are young people drinking less than their parents? Dr Sarah MacLean, Associate Professor Social Work & Social Policy
Email: S.MacLean@latrobe.edu.au
- How we can keep active, healthy and eating well over the summer period, and why it's important
Dr Steve Cousins, Lecturer Community and Allied Health (Bendigo based)
Mobile: 0450 318 190 / Email stephen.cousins@latrobe.edu.au
(Please note, Dr Cousins is NOT available between December 24 to 28 2020)
- Easing back into group sports and avoiding injury, 2021 exercise trends, keeping fit over the holidays
Professor Kay Crossley, La Trobe University Sport and Exercise Medicine Research Centre
Mobile: 0411 055 738 / Email: k.crossley@latrobe.edu.au
AGED CARE AND AGEING
- Aged care, especially rural aged care, ageing, older people
Professor Irene Blackberry, Professor, Chair and Director, John Richards Centre for Rural Ageing Research (Albury-Wodonga-based)
Mobile: 0410 626 880 / Email: i.blackberry@latrobe.edu.au
AGRIBUSINESS
- Agribusiness, the impact of climate change, agriculture and water policy, drought recovery, fires and floods
Dr Tim Clune, Lecturer in Agribusiness, La Trobe Business School (Albury-Wodonga based)
Mobile: 0455 552 323 / Email: t.clune@latrobe.edu.au
ANIMALS/PETS
- Looking after your dogs and cats during Summer (including during fireworks), adopting pets as Christmas presents
Professor Pauleen Bennett, Head of Department Psychology and Counselling (Bendigo based)
Mobile: 0427 700 260 / Email: pauleen.bennett@latrobe.edu.au
