Experts Available

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Daniel Béland, a professor with the Johnson-Shoyama Graduate School of Public Policy at the University of Saskatchewan, is a specialist in U.S. and international old-age pensions and Social Security reform. He has published two books on U.S. Social Security with major U.S. publishers. Regarding Canadian public policy, Prof. Béland works on nationalism, federalism, equalization and old-age policy/social policy, among other topics. More information is available at: http://www.danielbeland.org/pubs/index.htm

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As economic gloom permeates the lives of Americans, older adults face increasing anxiety and depression. George Grossberg, M.D., Saint Louis University psychiatrist, can offer advice to deal with economic worry.

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Indiana University health and wellness experts offer tips for keeping upbeat over the holidays despite added stress, revamping unhealthy eating traditions and habits, active date gifts, avoiding holiday-related injuries and managing consumerism and kids' expectations during tough economic times.

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The campaign marathon has turned into a transition sprint, with thousands of decisions on personnel, policy and spending to be made in a fraction of the time it took the country to elect a new president.

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Widespread layoffs that stem corporate financial losses but leave workers out in the cold would deepen the looming recession that sparked them, a University of Illinois labor expert warns.

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Fatigue is a distressing side effect of cancer and can affect one's sense of well-being and even compliance with treatment. During this Cancer-Related Fatigue Awareness Month, experts are available to discuss this condition, which can become more prevalent during the busy holiday season.

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With more Americans feeling financially pinched this year, many may feel they'll be perceived as a scrooge if they try to rein in spending. But according to an interpersonal communication expert, putting the brakes on gift-giving can make the holidays more meaningful.

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The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation is pleased to announce the convening of the first major International Symposium dedicated to the current and future use of magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) "“ a breakthrough therapeutic technology for treating a variety of serious medical conditions including cancer, neurological disorders, and uterine fibroids.

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The Focused Ultrasound Surgery Foundation (FUSF), a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing new applications for and accelerating the worldwide adoption of magnetic resonance (MR)-guided focused ultrasound surgery, today announced that it has awarded Nathan McDannold, Ph.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Radiology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Co-director of the Focused Ultrasound Lab with a research award to study new applications for this emerging technology.

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Patients worried about their bladder health have one more reason to have an extra helping of cranberries this Thanksgiving: the fruit could help prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs). Long used as a home remedy for simple UTIs, cranberries are useful in preventing these infections because the fruit's high acid content can help inhibit bacterial growth along the urinary tract.

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Expert sources at the University of Illinois available for comment on issues relating to the Obama presidency.

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The New Jersey Institute for Successful Aging, one of the nation's premier providers of geriatric education, research and clinical services, has experts available to discuss the complex nature of Alzheimer's and the challenges of treating and caring for individuals affected by this devastating disease.

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Three-wheel professional personal mobility vehicles are instantly recognizable to anyone who's seen a policeman on patrol or a security guard handling crowd control at big public events. A market exists, however, in the security, military, law enforcement, and public event space: addressing the need for alternative, all-electric "green" vehicles.

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William K. Smith, professor and Charles H. Babcock Chair of Botany at Wake Forest University, leads the Coastal Barrier Island Network (CBIN), an international group of scientists studying the effective management of barrier island ecosystems.

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Faculty experts in the School of Architecture at The University of Texas at Austin are available to discuss topics ranging from sustainable building and design to urban planning and energy performance of buildings.

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The industrial revolution was inherently flawed from a supply chain perspective" says Patrick Penfield, assistant professor of supply chain practice in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. "The U.S. supply chain processes in business have been developed on the basis of an inexhaustible supply of resources and a total disregard of waste products. We in essence have created a "˜disposable society.'

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Students measuring the loss of sand on the barrier island of Grand Isle, La., are seeing coastal erosion happen before their eyes. Dean Moosavi takes students in his physical geology course to the spit of land on the edge of the Gulf of Mexico where they are observing rapid land loss in southern Louisiana.

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In 1994, Kohl became concerned about high levels of mercury in the sediment and fish of the Pearl River, a popular fishing spot in Louisiana where people had little knowledge of mercury contamination. He took his concerns to the legislature.

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University of Iowa students developed a hand-held water sanitizing device that could save lives. A creative cafeteria worker developed a compost project to divert food waste from dumpsters. And a surprising substance is the source of one-fifth of the fuel consumed in the UI's Main Power Plant: oat hulls. These and other intriguing story ideas are detailed in a sustainability tip sheet for reporters.

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In times of yore, to trace the path of a meal from your table to the source may have only been a short jaunt out to some nearby woods. But in these days of modern transit, when the foods that people consume hail from various regions of the United States and even the globe, that path, many times, is much more complex.

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Purse strings are tightening for individuals and corporations alike this holiday season, and donations may be the first to be cut from holiday budgets. Non-profit organizations should take steps to ensure they stay afloat during the current economic recession, says Ray Sarnacki, visiting assistant professor of management at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia.

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Indiana University professors of law and sociology discuss issues involved with the same-sex marriage debate in the United States.

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Aging "“ we are all doing it. It is relentless and terminal. We stand in modern times with a span of a century to our name, at most. Technological wizardry abounds, so why do the factors that determine life span still elude us? If you ask Arizona State University researcher Juergen Liebig, he would point to his favorite study animal, the ant, to provide answers.

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Looking ahead to the Christmas shopping season, retailers are stuck between a rock and a hard place. So says marketing Professor Michael Hartline of The Florida State University, who forecasts weaker than normal holiday sales for most retailers.

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Washington and Lee University e-commerce expert Robert Ballenger predicts that online retailers will offer more discounts to compete in the current economic climate.

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A panel of experts discusses how surveys and polls may change as more U.S. homes having fewer landline telephones. More cell phone and Internet surveys will likely be incorporated into research, experts say.

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As NASA's lost tool bag continues to float in space, Auburn University has a credible source who can address space debris and its effect on space craft and satellites. Henry Brandhorst of our Space Research Institute and his team study how even the smallest speck of dust can devastate man-made materials in space. As an interesting visual, the Institute uses the second fastest gun in the country to blast tiny particles through a vacuum and into a variety of materials.

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University of Alabama professor Peter Clark offers opinions on whether gas prices will continue to fall this holiday season, whether more drilling will mean cheaper prices at the pump, how a new President will affect gas prices, and whether falling gas prices will fuel holiday spending.

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University of Alabama professor Allen Parrish offers a peek at peak travel, advice on the best time to travel and how weather affects holiday travel, whether GPS systems improve driving safety, and more.

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On a budget this holiday season? Jan Brakefield, assistant professor of consumer sciences at The University of Alabama, offers a tip sheet to follow during the holiday shopping season.

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American consumers have a lot of challenges this holiday shopping season, the most important challenge being how to spread holiday cheer and give gifts without overspending on an already tight budget. University of Alabama professor Caroline Fulmer offers tips on gift giving that doesn't empty your wallet.

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In his 20 years as a genocide scholar, Samuel Totten has moved beyond cataloging and commemorating past genocides to working to intervene and prevent future genocides.

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Cracking, chaffing, dry patches, and itchiness"“all are unpleasant symptoms of dry and irritated skin that often comes with winter. As temperatures drop, the wind howls, and humidity levels hit an all-year low, our skin requires extra attention and care to stay healthy. To be sure you're effectively treating and protecting your skin during the harsh winter season, Jeff Moore, an instructor of pharmaceutics in the Pharmaceutical Sciences Department at University of the Sciences in Philadelphia, has provided simple skin care tips.

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Anne Blue Wills, assistant professor of religion at Davidson, explains that the current version of Thanksgiving was created by a journalistic crusader, and would have been unrecognizable to the Pilgrims it supposedly honors.

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Pushing and punching. Spreading rumors and name-calling. Whether it's physical or verbal, bullying has no place at school or in cyberspace. Parents can help children not be bullied or be bulliers, but first it is important to understand why bullying occurs.

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The Great American Smokeout is this Thursday, and the American Urological Association (AUA) gives smokers another good reason to quit: Smoking causes bladder cancer. Only about 33 percent of people know that smoking is a leading risk factor for the disease, according to a new study published in The Journal of Urology, the official journal of the AUA. The American Cancer Society estimates that smokers are twice as likely to get bladder cancer as nonsmokers.

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University of Alabama retail expert Kristy Reynolds predicts the upcoming holiday season for retailers will be the worst since the recession in the early 1980s when the nation was hit by increased bankruptcies, agricultural exports plummeted, crop prices fell, interest rates increased, and the federal budget deficit jumped.

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For many, the holiday season is about family and traditions. One of the traditions that carries from year to year might involve past disagreements and sensitive subjects. You can avoid the negativity this season with some helpful advice from Dr. Linda Enders, associate professor of human development and family studies at The University of Alabama.

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American University experts are available to discuss the G20 emergency global financial summit in Washington, D.C., on Saturday, November 15. For complete expert profiles, see AU's online Experts Guide.

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While many are focusing on race and the breaking of barriers, Graham Lee, Ph.D., professor of political science at Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia, is talking about the changes he's observed in voting trends. "This is a turning point," explains Lee. "What we have is no longer party-centered voting. We've entered the era of "˜candidate-centered' politics. Most voters aren't strong Democrats or strong Republicans anymore. Party is important, but it keeps getting less and less important."

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Before the election results rolled in late Tuesday night, political analysts across the country were feverishly predicting which states would go blue or red. Now that the dust has settled and the electoral map is clearly painted, those same experts are looking back on the campaigns to analyze how Senator John McCain and President-Elect Barack Obama got where they are today.

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The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in Pleasant Grove City v. Summum, in which a group called the Summum church wants to be able to erect a religious monument in a Utah city park. Daniel O. Conkle, professor at the Indiana University School of Law--Bloomington, says the Court's decision could turn on whether it sees the monument as private or government speech.

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This season, holiday shoppers will be shifting their purchasing habits. Instead of buying the latest electronic gadgets, consumers will be more likely to purchase gifts from familiar brands. "When a child gets frightened, he instinctively reaches for his security blanket. Consumers do the same in frightening economic times - they look for the familiar and are less prone to take risks," explains Michael Solomon, Ph.D., professor of marketing and director of Saint Joseph's University's Center for Consumer Research.

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Ludwig Bstieler, associate professor of marketing at the University of New Hampshire Whittemore School of Business and Economics, is available to discuss the return of layaway programs, a popular method of purchasing created during the Great Depression.

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With more companies struggling during the economic downturn, employees may be more prone to blame someone else for problems they have caused, according to a management professor who studies behavior in the workplace.

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Electing a non-white person as chief executive sets the United States apart from the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other advanced democracies, says Milind Thakar, associate professor of international relations at the University of Indianapolis. Thakar is available for interview on this and related topics.

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Kansas State University veterinarians are researching the interaction of two drugs commonly administered together to horses after surgery. The drugs are given to relieve pain and to help alleviate the gastrointestinal tract problems to which horses are prone. Research is showing that the drugs may not have the same type of potentially dangerous interaction in horses that they do in a test tube.

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An occupational therapist and child development expert offers recommendations for toys and other gifts that will help young children develop their minds, bodies and imagination. Dr. Jennifer Fogo of the University of Indianapolis is available for interview on this and related topics.

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According to widely circulated reports from his transition team, President-elect Barack Obama plans on swiftly using executive authority to reverse or overturn approximately two hundred Bush administration executive orders on a range of hot-button policy issues including stem cell research, reproductive rights, and climate change.

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Rising costs at the grocery story will be especially painful for many families this Thanksgiving as they get ready for the biggest meal of the year. Saint Louis University nutrition and dietetics expert Jennifer Ebelhar McDaniel offers seven easy ways to save money, cut calories and reduce stress.