LET THE GAMES BEGIN
Lockdowns, isolation and COVID-safe bubbles are just a few of the measures athletes have adhered to in preparation for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Kicking off in Beijing this week, the competition promises to be unlike any that have come before - and with this new format comes a new set of mental obstacles.
- University of Southern Queensland Sports Psychology Professor Peter Terry says it is likely athletes will feel increased anxiety in the lead up to the event as they try to remain COVID free. He can talk on other factors influencing athletes' mindsets at the Games and tricks they use to minimize stress. Media contact: Alexia Austin 0491 022 303.
MAINTAINING RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF COVID
From panic about toilet paper to isolating state border blockades, the pandemic had the potential to show Australians at their worst and raised questions about national resilience. Experts say essential values of resilience need stronger expression in politics, economy and community.
- Honorary Professor John Cole OAM is an expert in the field of regional resilience. He says trust in public institutions is essential for national resilience, and for trust to be restored less partisanship and greater transparency is needed about what can and cannot be done. Media Contact: Rhianwen Whitney 0427 428 380
ROCKET ON MOON COLLISION COURSE
After circling the Earth for nearly seven years, uncontrolled and at the mercy of the gravity of the Sun, Moon, and the Earth, a piece of SpaceX rocket is now on a collision course for the Moon. Launched in 2015, the Falcon 9 rocket carried NASA’s Deep Space Climate Observatory satellite into space, with part of the rocket left behind in a chaotic orbit around our planet. It’s this segment, fourteen metres long and several tonnes in mass, that is expected to collide with the Moon on March 4, bringing its wild ride to a violent end.
- University of Southern Queensland space expert Jonti Horner can speak on the predicted collision and its after-effects. He can also talk more broadly on the issue of space junk and the risks it could pose in the years and decades to come. Media contact: Alexia Austin 0491 022 303.
WORLD CANCER DAY (FEBRUARY 4)
10 million people die from cancer every year - the second-leading cause of death worldwide. With at least one third of common cancers being preventable, World Cancer Day aims to raise awareness, improve education and inspire action.
- University of Southern Queensland researcher Professor Jeff Dunn AO is the President-elect of the Union for International Cancer Control. He is available to discuss the significance of cancer health research and the meaning behind this year’s World Cancer Day theme ‘Close the Care Gap’. Media contact: Rhianwen Whitney 0427 428 380
