For immediate use Sept. 12, 2001 -- No. 426
TIPSHEET
UNC professors offer expertise on security, psychological, other aspects, current crisis
The following University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professors are available to the media for analysis and commentary on Tuesday's (Sept. 11) tragic events and the aftermath:
National political, military issues:
Dr. Richard Kohn, (919) 962-9700; home, (919) 419-0323; or [email protected], a history professor and chair of the curriculum peace, war and defense, is an expert on topics including American military policy, strategy, war-making, presidential war leadership and civil-military relations. He is at work on "The President at War: Presidential War Leadership from George Washington to George Bush," a book analyzing the challenges of successful war leadership by presidents of the United States over the course of American history. Kohn also is co-directing a major research project on the gap between the military and American society today -- whether it exists, if so, its nature, and whether a gap could harm military effectiveness and/or civil-military cooperation.
Ms. Brenda Schoonover, (919) 962-2353, a diplomat-in-residence in the department of history, can relate her experiences as a career U.S. State Department diplomat who was in Lome, Togo, Africa (the Togolese Republic) in 1998 when explosions in two U.S. embassies in Africa killed 224 people -- including 12 Americans. She can discuss her longtime career in the U.S. State Department and her personal experiences with security and terrorism abroad. She is one of a dozen diplomats-in-residence on U.S. college campuses. That post involves recruiting college students to consider international public service careers.
Dr. William E. Leuchtenburg, (919) 967-1257, one of the nation's top experts on the U.S. presidency and a UNC-Chapel Hill professor emeritus of history, commented for national networks during George Bush's inauguration in 1989, for PBS, and Ronald Reagan's second inauguration in 1985, for CBS. Leuchtenburg, whose books include "In the Shadow of FDR: From Harry Truman to Bill Clinton" and "The FDR Years," was an expert commentator for C-SPAN during Clinton's second inauguration in January 1997 and for CBS during Clinton's first inauguration, with Dan Rather and the late Charles Kuralt. A past president of the American Historical Association, Leuchtenburg won favorite faculty awards in 1990 and 1997. He joined UNC-Chapel Hill's faculty in 1982 after teaching for 30 years at Columbia University. He also has taught at Harvard University.
Psychological issues:
Dr. Thomas M. Haizlip, (919) 733-5344, a professor in the division of child and adolescent psychiatry of the School of Medicine, also directs the child mental health training program at Dorothea Dix Hospital, a state psychiatric facility. One of his areas of expertise is on how to help families and children handle disaster situations. Haizlip said certain symptoms may be expected in children who are grappling with the tragedy: unusual fears and anxieties, sleep disturbances and reluctance to attend schools. Haizlip also could speak to the most effective ways that parents and educators can encourage children to talk about their feelings -- as well as the most effective ways these adults can reinforce to children that their world is safe. Another faculty member with expertise in talking with children about traumatic events: Dr. Andrea Hussong, (919) 962-3989, [email protected], assistant professor of psychology.
Dr. Erica H. Wise, (919) 962-5432; voice mail, (919) 962-5034; or [email protected], clinical associate professor of psychology, directs the department's training clinic for graduate students. Previously in UNC-Chapel Hill's Student Health Services for 18 years, she has counseled clients who have experienced trauma and trained in the American Red Cross model for critical incident stress debriefing. The latter involves counseling emergency services personnel who have combated disaster on the front lines, but it also is adaptable for helping survivors and people experiencing "vicarious trauma," a term for distress about a massive tragedy even when one was not directly involved.
Dr. Dianne Chambless, (919) 962-3989 or [email protected], a psychology professor, co-directs the department's Anxiety Treatment Center. She can discuss how people respond to trauma and under what circumstances they would need to seek treatment.
Dr. Patrick Akos, (919) 843-4758, assistant professor of school counseling in the School of Education, was formerly a school counselor and has had extensive experience in counseling students (and teachers) after crisis situations. He can address the most effective ways of counseling students -- as well as the importance of making sure the adults who teach them are getting the counseling assistance they need.
Historical contexts, the Middle East, the various faces of Islam:
Dr. Thomas Tweed, (919) 843-7773, (919) 962-3934 or [email protected], a professor of religious studies, is concerned about potential "misrepresentations of Islam" during speculation on who may have committed the attacks. His expertise concerns American representations of Islam and Islam as part of the fabric of religion in America. His essay on how to teach Islam, written for high school teachers, is posted on the World Wide Web site of the National Humanities Center at: http://www.nhc.rtp.nc.us:8080/tserve/twenty/tkeyinfo/islam.htm
Dr. Sarah Shields, (919) 962-8078, (919) 843-5797; home, (919) 933-0187; or [email protected], associate professor of history, teaches courses on the modern Middle East. She is a specialist on historical contexts and ideologies of the people and interest groups of the region.
The airline industry:
Dr. John D. "Jack" Kasarda, (919) 962-8201 or [email protected], management professor with the Kenan-Flagler Business School and director of the Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise, can speak to the impact the Sept. 11 tragedy will have on the airline industry and air commerce, what it will mean to the cost and convenience of air travel, what the impact of changes in the airline industry will have on the economy and other topics related to the airline industry. Kasarda leads a team of UNC-Chapel Hill researchers and practitioners focused on helping governments, the air-commerce industry and airports strategically leverage airport-linked commercial development. He serves as a consultant to airports and air cargo firms as well as the National Academy of Sciences Transportation Research Board.
The economy:
Dr. Stanley W. Black III, (919) 966-5926; home, (919) 967-6059; or [email protected], Lurcy professor and former chairman of economics at UNC-Chapel Hill, can discuss international monetary issues and the likely effects of the terrorist attacks on the U.S. economy. He spent last year at the International Monetary Fund in Washington, D.C., and has much experience with national and world economic issues. He believes the attacks will boost U.S. military spending considerably and possibly send the slowing U.S. economy into a tailspin since the nation relies so heavily on air transportation.
Dr. Michael Salemi, (919) 966-5391; home, 929-9504; or [email protected], professor of economics, is a macroeconomist who can talk about potential threats to the U.S. economy, both direct and indirect. He also can discuss world and national financial markets. He recently spent time in Geneva as a visiting professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies.
Dr. Patrick J. Conway, (919) 966-5376; home, (919) 967-4009; or [email protected], professor of economics, is an international economist who does not believe the attacks themselves will have much effect on the national and world economies. However, how the United States and other governments respond could have very strong effects. If immigration is restricted and trade barriers are erected, strong consequences should soon result. He has worked at or with the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the U.S. Department of State.
Public health issues:
Dr. Bill Roper, (919) 966-3215 or [email protected], dean of the School of Public Health, is former director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and White House domestic policy adviser. He can give an overview on health effects, governmental mobilization in time of crisis and the tragedy's impact on the population's health.
Dr. Hugh Tilson, (919) 966-9275 or [email protected], senior adviser to School of Public Health Dean Bill Roper and adjunct professor of health policy and administration and of public health leadership, can speak to emergency preparedness and disaster response. He is former health director of the State of North Carolina.
Dr. Carol Runyan, (919) 966-2251 or [email protected] is director of the UNC-Chapel Hill Injury Prevention Research Center. Runyan, also associate professor of health behavior and health education in the UNC School of Public Health, can speak to injury prevention and occupational health issues.
Dr. David Leith, (919) 966-3851 or [email protected], professor of environmental sciences and engineering in the UNC School of Public Health, can speak to the effects of dust and smoke on a population's health. He can speak also of general air-related health effects.
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Contacts: News Services staff, (919) 962-2091
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