July 23, 2025
UOW expert commentary (23 July)
UOW academics provide expert commentary, opinion and analysis on a range of ongoing and breaking news stories
Donald Trump’s new diagnosis
Associate Professor Theresa Larkin can talk about Donald Trump’s chronic venous insufficiency diagnosis and what it means for his health. In an article for , she writes:
In more progressive or severe cases, surgery may be needed to fix the inside of the veins, remove any underlying deep vein thrombosis, or insert a stent in the case of a vein compression.
Overall, Trump has been diagnosed with a common condition for someone of his age, and his doctors have ruled out severe underlying disease. But this is a reminder of the importance of healthy veins and of the risk factors for venous disease.
teaches in the Graduate School of Medicine and is an expert in clinical anatomy, hormones and health. She currently has a research partnership with a vascular surgeon to examine the role of pelvic vein obstruction in chronic pelvic pain.
The future of aid in Gaza
Associate Professor Susan Engel is available to speak on how cuts in funding and increased levels of violence are affecting the future of aid in Gaza and the surrounding region. works in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry and is co-director of the Future of Rights Centre. Associate Professor Engel worked in the government, community and aid sectors before becoming an academic. She plays an active role in the issues of aid and development through advocacy and has published 35 articles and book chapters on topics including aid and development.
Young people in politics
Dr Babet de Groot can speak on systemic barriers preventing young people from participating in politics and decision-making in Australia following the UK’s decision to lower their voting age to 16. is a lecturer and researcher in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry, and specialises in the politics and governance of the global plastics crisis. Dr de Groot also works with young people from around the world to amplify youth engagement in multilateral processes and in 2021 produced and delivered a communique of youth priorities to the Prime Minister of Australia.
Re-boiling tap water
Professor Faisal Hai can talk about the safety of drinking re-boiled tap water. In an article for , he writes:
While bringing water to a boil disinfects it, you may have heard that boiling water more than once will somehow make the water harmful and therefore you should empty the kettle each time.
Such claims are often accompanied by the argument that re-boiled water leads to the accumulation of allegedly hazardous substances including metals such as arsenic, or salts such as nitrates and fluoride.
This isn’t true. To understand why, let’s look at what is in our tap water and what really happens when we boil it.
is the Head of the School of Civil, Mining, Environmental and Architectural Engineering and has extensively researched water treatment and infrastructure. Professor Hai is the head of Water & Bioresource Technologies and an elected director of the Membrane Society of Australasia.
US politics and US President Donald Trump
Professor Markus Wagner can talk about US President Donald Trump, US politics, constitutional law and trade tariffs. is an internationally recognised expert in international economic law and governance, international peace and security, as well as US and Australian constitutional law. He is the Director of the Transnational Law and Policy Centre at UOW.
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 精东传媒 of 精东传媒.