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November 25, 2024

UOW expert commentary (25 November)

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

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Tesla Bot

Dr Armin Alimardani is available to talk about Tesla’s Optimus robot. He is an expert in the ethical and legal implications of emerging technologies and says people need to consider the social implications of AI robots before normalising them in our society. is a Lecturer in the School of Law.

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Global treaty to end plastic pollution

Professor Faisal Hai can discuss calls for a global treaty to end plastic pollution, ahead of final UN talks in South Korea this week to tackle the issue. Earlier this year Professor Hai published new research that uncovered how the current process of recycling plastic is creating and releasing more microplastics into the environment.  is the Head of the School of Civil, Mining, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and Director of UOW’s Strategic Water Infrastructure Lab.

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Bunnings’ use of facial recognition technology

Honorary Professor Katina Michael is available to talk about Bunnings’ plans to roll out facial recognition technology in all stores, despite recent privacy concerns being raised over the store’s use of the technology. Professor Michael says the law is not keeping pace with the technology and serious questions must be asked around its effectiveness.

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 ¾«¶«´«Ã½.

Honorary Professor Michael requires 24 hours’ notice for media interviews this week.

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Social media ban

Honorary Professor Katina Michael can also talk about plans to ban children from using social media in Australia. Professor Michael says age verification technology is not foolproof and not necessarily the path the government should take. She says we should be framing this issue in legislative terms and a greater duty of care is required by commercial providers of social media.

Honorary Professor Michael requires 24 hours’ notice for media interviews this week.

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16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence

Dr Kelly Lewer is available for interviews about 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, an event held from 25 November (International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women) to 10 December (Human Rights Day). Her research focuses on the impacts of domestic violence on health and wellbeing. She believes there needs to be improved support responses across many settings.  is a researcher in the School of Nursing.

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Tax incentives for critical minerals

Associate Professor Rabindra Nepal can talk about the federal government’s plans to introduce new legislation that will provide tax incentives for the production of critical minerals, in an attempt to boost investment in the sector. The proposed law will set up a tax incentive worth 10 per cent of the relevant processing and refining costs for 31 critical minerals.

says ensuring a sustainable and secure supply of critical minerals is a significant economic and policy challenge. He is an internationally recognised scholar specialising in energy, environment and resources. Associate Professor Nepal is an economist in the School of Business.

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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 ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½. 

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Find an expert

The ¾«¶«´«Ã½ of ¾«¶«´«Ã½ boasts world-leading experts across a range of disciplines. Visit our Find an expert page for a selection of our experts who can speak to current ongoing and breaking news stories, or contact the Media and Public Relations Unit for help finding relevant experts, organising interviews and providing answers to specific questions.