Media Relations http://mediarelations.uwo.ca Western Media Relations acts as a link between the University and local, national and international media. Wed, 24 Jun 2026 19:03:46 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=5.4.19 Experts available on extreme weather, ‘super’ El Niño http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2026/06/24/extreme-heat-el-nino-western-experts/ Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:41:43 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10862 From the science behind weather phenomena to the broader impacts on health and society

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]]> Earth is bracing for record-breaking heat in 2026 with an Omega block currently keeping hot air trapped over western Europe. Meanwhile, an El Niño event that could reach “super” status is expected to bring cooler temperatures to eastern Canada and warmer temperatures to western Canada this summer.

Western University has experts available to speak on the science behind extreme heat as well as its potential impacts on food production, health, extreme weather events, the role of climate change and more.

Katrina Eyvindson
Associate Professor and Chair, Geography & Environment
• Climate change education
• Climate change and wildfires
• Climate change and water resources
• Drought
• Environmental change in alpine and arctic regions

Dr. Anna Gunz
Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry
• Health effects of wildfire smoke
• Health monitoring of climate change
• Climate change as a health crisis

Gordon McBean
Professor Emeritus, Geography & Environment
• Climate change and wildfires
• Climate change science and policy
• Natural hazards-prediction and mitigation
• Weather and environmental prediction systems

Nicole Redvers
Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry; Western Research Chair & Director, Indigenous Planetary Health
• Climate change and health impacts
• Indigenous health
• Planetary health

Slobodan P. Simonović
Professor Emeritus, Civil and Environmental Engineering
• Climate change and flooding
• Sustainable development in water resources management
• Hydrology
• Energy
• Climate change and public infrastructure

James Voogt
Professor, Geography & Environment
• Urban heat islands
• Urban heat maps
• Extreme heat
• Mitigating heat in urban areas
• Urban climatology

MEDIA CONTACT: Jacquelyn Mitchell, Media Relations Officer, Western University, (226) 386-9683, j.mitchell@uwo.ca

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]]> Expert insight: How ‘perceived scarcity’ drives our grocery shopping – and more waste https://news.westernu.ca/2026/06/expert-insight-food-waste-perceived-scarcity-grocery-shopping/#new_tab Tue, 23 Jun 2026 18:50:57 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10864 The post Expert insight: How ‘perceived scarcity’ drives our grocery shopping – and more waste appeared first on Media Relations.

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]]> Canada has a new national food security strategy | CBC Radio https://www.cbc.ca/listen/live-radio/1-108-daybreak-kamloops/clip/16220469-friday-highlights-click-listen#new_tab Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:52:45 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10860 The post Canada has a new national food security strategy | CBC Radio appeared first on Media Relations.

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]]> Inspired by mom’s battle, siblings graduate from Western, eye careers in health care | London Free Press https://lfpress.com/news/local-news/inspired-by-moms-battle-siblings-graduate-from-western-eye-careers-in-health-care#new_tab Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:48:29 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10858 The post Inspired by mom’s battle, siblings graduate from Western, eye careers in health care | London Free Press appeared first on Media Relations.

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]]> SpaceX kicks off wave of monster IPOs: What to know about companies going public | CBC Business https://www.cbc.ca/news/business/spacex-ipo-what-to-know-9.7232536#new_tab Fri, 19 Jun 2026 14:44:00 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10856 The post SpaceX kicks off wave of monster IPOs: What to know about companies going public | CBC Business appeared first on Media Relations.

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]]> Canadian Nuclear Laboratories collaboration with Western explores radiation exposure on astronauts https://news.westernu.ca/2026/06/radiation-exposure-astronauts/#new_tab Wed, 17 Jun 2026 20:27:12 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10850 Organ and organoid-on-chip technology allows researchers to study biological effects of radiation

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]]> Expert explainer: Science-backed ways fathers build strong bonds with children https://news.westernu.ca/2026/06/expert-explainer-fathers-build-strong-bonds-children/#new_tab Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:47:23 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10844 The post Expert explainer: Science-backed ways fathers build strong bonds with children appeared first on Media Relations.

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]]> Corrosion and wear damage examined in retrieved knee and hip implants http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2026/06/15/implant-corrosion/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 17:46:03 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10846 Western and London Health Sciences Centre Research Institute scientists investigate 240 implant components

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]]> Experts available for National Indigenous Peoples Day http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2026/06/15/national-indigenous-peoples-day-2026/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:53:06 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10841 Western experts available to speak on Indigenous history, culture, art and more

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]]> June 21 is National Indigenous Peoples Day — a time to celebrate the cultures, languages and traditions of First Nations, Inuit and Métis peoples and recognize efforts to effect change and address injustices in Canada. Western University has experts available to speak on a variety of topics related to National Indigenous Peoples Day throughout the week.

Vanessa Ambtman Smith (Two Thunderbirds/Niizhbinesiik)

Assistant Professor, Geography & Environment, Indigenous Studies

Nêhiyaw-Métis

  • Indigenous health geographies
  • Indigenous traditional healing spaces within a hospital context

Cody Groat

Assistant Professor, Indigenous Studies, History

Kanyen’kehaka (Mohawk) and band member of Six Nations of the Grand River

  • Indigenous-government relations
  • Indigenous-Crown relations
  • Indigenous-Vatican relations
  • Indigenous commemoration and public history
  • The Sixties Scoop
  • Residential school system

Dr. Rebekah Jacques

Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and Forensic Pathologist

Citizen of Métis Nation

  • Death investigation bioethics
  • The role of forensics in the search for residential schools missing children
  • Public health

Sheri Nault

Assistant Professor, Visual Arts

Métis

  • Indigenous art
  • Contemporary art
  • Experimental art
  • Ecological and environmental art

Nicole Redvers

Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry; Western Research Chair and Director of Indigenous Planetary Health

Deninu K’ue First Nation

  • Indigenous health
  • Planetary health
  • Traditional medicine
  • Indigenous global health

MEDIA CONTACT: Jacquelyn Mitchell, Media Relations Officer, Western University, (226) 386-9683, j.mitchell@uwo.ca

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]]> Experts available on social media and youth http://mediarelations.uwo.ca/2026/06/15/experts-canadian-youth-social-media-ban/ Mon, 15 Jun 2026 13:35:02 +0000 https://mediarelations.uwo.ca/?p=10679 Implications of potential social media bans

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]]> On June 15, the United Kingdom announced plans to ban social media for youth under 16, following in the footsteps of Australia. Canada, meanwhile, introduced an online harms bill on June 10 that included a similar proposal but would allow for exemptions. The following experts are available to media for comment.

Emma Duerden
Associate Professor, Education

  • Screen time and mental health
  • Cognition and behaviour
  • Social media and child development

Christopher Dietzel
Postdoctoral fellow, Sociology

  • Benefits, risks, and possibilities associated with everyday digital platform
  • Digital safety among youth
  • Tech-facilitated sexual violence

Kaitlynn Mendes
Professor, Sociology

  • Social media and online harms
  • Tech-facilitated sexual violence
  • Youth online violence

Luke Stark
Assistant Professor, Faculty of Information and Media Studies

  • Historical, social, and ethical impacts of social media platforms and artificial intelligence technologies
  • Technologies mediating social and emotional expression

MEDIA CONTACT: Jacquelyn Mitchell, Media Relations Officer, Western University, (226) 386-9683, j.mitchell@uwo.ca

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