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COVID-19 experts available for comment

UNSW has a wide range of experts available for comment on the coronavirus pandemic.

Published on the 15 Jun 2020 by UNSW Media
The Medical Research Future Fund has awarded nearly $2 million to UNSW research into COVID-19 transmission and treatment. Image: Shutterstock
The Medical Research Future Fund has awarded nearly $2 million to UNSW research into COVID-19 transmission and treatment. Image: Shutterstock

The following UNSW experts are available for media interviews this week. 

Business

For media enquiries contact Ebony Stansfield on 0434 904 669 or e.stansfield@unsw.edu.au.

  • JW Nevile Fellow Tim Harcourt from the School of Economics is available to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the economy and trade tensions.
  • Associate Professor Nitika Garg from the School of Marketing is available to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on the retail industry.
  • Professor of Practice Jennie Granger is available to comment on tax reforms. 
  • Dr Yenni Tim from the School of Information Systems and Technology Management is available to discuss the impact of COVID-19 on cyber security.
  • Founding Director of UNSW Tax Clinic Dr Ann Kayis-Kumar is available to comment on tax issues faced by people and small businesses in financial distress.
  • Economics Professor Richard Holden can comment on the impact on the global economy.
  • Banking and Finance Associate Professor James Doran can comment on the impact on finance, the share market and investors.
  • Taxation and Business Law Professor Pamela Hanrahan can comment on the Australian Government’s business relief package, corporate law and capital markets law changes, and the impact on superannuation. 

Centre for Social Impact

For media enquiries contact Nicola Hannigan on 0407 075 307 or n.hannigan@unsw.edu.au.

  • Dr Cobi Calyx can comment on disaster response and recovery, science communication and health promotion.
  • Associate Professor Gemma Carey can comment on disability and the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).
  • Chris Hartley can comment on housing, homelessness and social housing policy.
  • Professor Kristy Muir can comment on disadvantage, poverty, social cohesion, homelessness and housing, government policy, wage subsidies, Universal Basic Income (UBI) and leadership.
  • Dr Megan Weier can comment on measuring social progress, wellbeing and access to pharmaceuticals.

Law

For media enquiries contact Kay Harrison on 0402 602 722 or kay.harrison@unsw.edu.au. 

  • Law Professor Melissa Crouch can discuss the impact of COVID-19 on democracies in Southeast Asia (use of emergency powers, role of military, infringements of human rights, curfews, lockdowns etc etc), in Indonesia (presumably a large second wave is coming) and Myanmar.
  • Law Professor Graham Greenleaf can discuss the relevance of data privacy laws in relation to the COVIDSafe app as well as privacy concerns around video-conferencing platform, Zoom.
  • PhD student Daniel Cater can also talk about the COVID-19 app and privacy considerations.
  • Family law expert Dr Noam Peleg can discuss the impact of COVID-19 on parenting arrangements.
  • Professor Jane McAdam, Director of the Kaldor Centre for International Refugee Law, can discuss the impact on refugees, asylum seekers and other displaced people.
  • Human rights expert Scientia Professor Louise Chappell can talk about human rights under COVID-19. Contact Gabrielle Dunlevy on 0423 972 801.

Arts and Social Sciences

For media enquiries contact Kay Harrison on 0402 602 722 or kay.harrison@unsw.edu.au. 

  • Professor Deborah Lupton from UNSW's Centre for Social Research in Health and Social Policy Research Centre can discuss people's use of digital health and their views on health data privacy.
  • Political science and international relations Professor Fengshi Wu from UNSW Arts & Social Sciences can discuss societal responses in relation to China in the COVID-19 era. 
  • Global Health and Development Professor Anthony Zwi can comment on global health and policy responses.
  • Social policy and governance expert Associate Professor Bingqin Li can discuss social distancing and lockdowns.
  • Experimental Arts Professor Jill Bennett is available to comment on creative, trauma-informed responses to distress and older peoples’ experiences.
  • Political media expert Honorary Associate Professor David McKnight can talk about the lessons of the epidemic for small government.
  • Social researcher Dr Siobhan O’Sullivan can discuss animal cruelty in Asian wet markets and the move to ban trade in wild animal meat. 

Built Environment

For media enquiries contact Kay Harrison on 0402 602 722 or kay.harrison@unsw.edu.au. 

  • Associate Professor Paul Osmond can discuss the importance of green spaces during COVID-19.
  • Rental housing and housing affordability expert Dr Chris Martin from UNSW City Futures Research Centre can discuss tenancy law and renters rights.
  • Architecture Professor David Sanderson is available to discuss urban resilience.

Health & Science

For media enquiries contact Cecilia Duong on (02) 9385 0846 or cecilia.duong@unsw.edu.au. 

  • Biosecurity expert Professor Raina MacIntyre, Kirby Institute at UNSW Medicine 
  • Professor Anthony Kelleher, Director of the Kirby Institute at UNSW Medicine, leads the Institute’s development of COVID-19 immunotherapies. The Kirby Institute is conducting various COVID-19 research projects, including cohort studies, clinical trials, treatment studies, modelling, surveillance and intervention studies. 
  • Epidemiologist Professor John Kaldor, Public Health Interventions Research Group Head, Kirby Institute at UNSW Medicine 
  • Professor Greg Dore, Viral Hepatitis Clinical Research Program Head, Kirby Institute at UNSW Medicine, can discuss COVID-19 testing and types of tests.
  • Infection control expert Professor Mary-Louise McLaws, UNSW Medicine
  • Virologist Professor Bill Rawlinson, UNSW Science
  • Virologist Professor Peter White, UNSW Medicine
  • Virologist Dr Sacha Stelzer-Braid, UNSW Medicine
  • Virologist Emma Harding, UNSW Science
  • Social Scientist Dr Holly Seale, UNSW Medicine, can discuss social/behavioural responses (such as social distancing, face masks, vaccinations, infection control) and strategies to promote acceptance/engagement.
  • Epidemiologist Abrar Chughtai, UNSW Medicine, can discuss prevention and control of COVID-19 through the use of masks and respirators.
  • Professor Richard Buckland, UNSW Engineering, can discuss cybersecurity, the Australian Government’s contact tracing app and staying digitally connected.
  • Professor Sanjay Jha, UNSW Engineering, can discuss security and privacy issues with the Australian Government’s contact tracing app. 
  • Associate Professor of Food Microbiology Julian Cox, UNSW Engineering, can discuss safe food hygiene practices.