American Foreign Policy, International Relations
Thomas Schwartz, associate professor of history--can discuss America's current foreign policy regarding Iraq. He has done extensive research on the making of American foreign policy, the interaction of domestic and foreign policy interests and the role of alliance politics in U.S. foreign policy. He is the lead teacher of a class called "Understanding the New Global Crisis." He's written several books including the forthcoming Lyndon Johnson and Europe: In the Shadow of Vietnam and is working on another book about the Cold War.
Foreign Policy, International Conflict, Middle East, U.S./Israeli Relations, Terrorism
James Ray, professor of political science--written about American foreign policy in the Middle East and terrorism. He teaches a course on international law and organization that looks at current issues regarding human rights protection, international aggression, holding world leaders accountable and the role of the U.N. in international crises. He is also team-teaching the "Understanding the New Global Crisis" course and writing a book on American foreign policy. One of his previous books, Global Politics, is a comprehensive review of issues in international politics.
Smallpox, Biological Weapons, Infectious Diseases
William Schaffner, professor and chairman of the department of preventive medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center--can discuss the different types of biological agents, how they could possibly be used as weapons, their effects on the human body, and treatments and preventions for them. Schaffner is a member of the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices and a consultant with the Tennessee Department of Health on issues of public health, including biological weapons. He is the infection control officer for Vanderbilt University Hospital. He has more than 30 years of public health experience and is considered by his peers a nationally recognized leader in the field.
Muslims, Islam, Islamic culture Lenn Goodman, professor of philosophy--a scholar on Middle Eastern and Islamic culture. He says Muslims throughout the world have a choice to make about what Islam will mean for them and their communities. He has written a book called Islamic Humanism (Oxford University Press). "Forward-looking Muslims will build new and better lives for themselves and their communities by drawing upon the achievements of the past and learning from the open spirits of their great predecessors," Goodman says.
American Children of War, Department of Defense Schools
Claire Smrekar, associate professor of public policy and education--can discuss how children of American military cope when their mothers and fathers are deployed. Not only do the children cope, but schools operated by the DOD score higher on national reading and writing tests than public schools, according to Smrekar's research. She recently spent a week at a military base in the Southeast and is now working on a paper focusing on social networks and support systems and student success at that base school. She has written two books and numerous papers on education and received her doctorate degree from Stanford.
DOD Tipsheet: http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/newspub/bjfTyg?time_period=2003&arc%20&id=551Bio: http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/lpo/smrekar.htmRadio Actuality: 615-343-NEWS
Psychological Effects of War on Troops and their Families
Dr. Paul Ragan, assistant professor of psychiatry, VanderbiltUniversity Medical Center--Ragan was a U.S. Navy psychiatrist during the Gulf War and served with occupational forces in Kuwait City, treating troops for post-traumatic stress disorder. He can comment on what kinds of stressors troops will likely encounter, what will affect them andhow -- both acutely and over the long term. He can also address the stress and fears of families left behind.
Psychological Effects of War in Afghanistan, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Karen Starr, R.N., Lt. Col. in the U.S. Army Reserves--Starr, who runs the psychology clinic for the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, has spent active duty time treating troops of the 101st Airborne Division at Ft. Campbell as they returned from the war in Afghanistan. "Apparently, it's a lot bloodier in Afghanistan than we were led to believe," she said.
Psychological Effects of War, Children of War, Post-traumatic Stress Disorder
Carol Etherington, assistant professor of nursing--can discuss the psychological effects of war, the effects of war on children in war zones, post-traumatic stress disorder and general international relations. She has traveled to Bosnia, Angola, Sierra Leone, Kosovo, Tajikistan, Honduras and Poland as a member of Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF), also known as Doctors Without Borders. She is president of the Board of Directors for MSF USA. She has traveled to Cambodia with the International Medical Corps and the International Red Cross. Etherington serves as coordinator and trainer/consultant, implementing programs that address post-traumatic stress in the wake of war or natural disaster. She negotiates with government and health officials to integrate mental health into health systems. Her missions often include treating war injuries. Etherington also has worked on several missions in this country, including the aftermath of 9/11 in New York, the 1994 earthquake in Los Angeles and Hurricane Andrew.
Middle East, Arab-American Muslims
Samar Ali, senior, Student Government Association (SGA) President--can discuss what it's like being an Arab-American Muslim during these difficult times and how a war with Iraq will be viewed by people living in the Middle East from a personal perspective. Vanderbilt students elected Samar, its first Arab-American Muslim SGA president, not long after Sept. 11. Samar was born and raised in Waverly, Tenn., where both of her parents are physicians. Her mother, Dr. Maysoon Shuqair-Ali, is from Syria and her father, Dr. Subhi Ali, is Palestinian and, at one time, lived in Ramallah. Samar's grandfather, Dr. Abdel Rahman Shuqair, is a prominent Arab living in Jordan.
Ali Article: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/alumni/publications/spov.pdf
Influencing the Enemy, Public Diplomacy and Media During War; Role of Media in Arab Countries
Michael Schoenfeld, vice chancellor for public affairs--As former Voice of America chief of staff during the Gulf War, Schoenfeld can discuss how governments try to influence the enemy and their allies, the impact and role of media in Arab countries and public diplomacy and media during war. At Voice of America, Schoenfeld served as liaison to the State Department, the National Security Council and presidential task forces on international broadcasting and public diplomacy. Before becoming Vanderbilt's first vice chancellor for media relations, he was senior vice president for policy and public affairs at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting in Washington, D.C.
Bio: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/publicaffairs/vicechancellor/schoenfeld.html
North Korea, Japan, East Asian Defense Policies
James Auer, director of the Center for U.S. Japan Studies at Vanderbilt, retired naval commander--can discuss North Korea's military threats to Japan and the U.S. Auer was stationed in Japan and the Western Pacific during his naval career and was the former special assistant for Japan with the office of the secretary of defense. He has written numerous articles and made a number of presentations addressing East Asian security and defense policies. He is the co-author of "The Maritime Basis of American Security in East Asia," in the Naval War College Review.
Web site: http://www.vanderbilt.edu/VIPPS/VIPPSUSJ/aboutUS-Japan.htm
War's Impact on Economy, Historical Perspective of Financial Markets
Peter Rousseau, associate professor of economics--can address how war will impact the financial markets and what happened to the markets during past wars. Rousseau is a former financial systems analyst and Wall Street consultant who studies the financial markets from a historical perspective.
Economy Tipsheet: http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/newspub/bjfTyg?time_period=2003&arc&id=549
War's Impact on Oil Prices, Economy
David Parsley, associate professor of economics, Owen Graduate School of Management--can discuss war's impact on oil prices and how that will affect the economy. Parsley's teaching and research interests are in the areas of international business, finance and global monetary systems.
Economy Tipsheet: http://sitemason.vanderbilt.edu/newspub/bjfTyg?time_period=2003&arc&id=549
Bio: http://mba.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/dparsley.cfm
Health Effects of Nuclear Fallout and Long-term Radiation Exposure, Potential Health Effects of "Dirty Bombs"
John Boice, Ph.D., professor of medicine, Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center, scientific director, International Epidemiology Institute, Rockville, Md.--Boice has studied nuclear fallout in Chernobyl and has written extensively on the health effects of nuclear and other radiation exposures in groups of people over time. He can discuss the potential late health effects of the use of "dirty bombs" or nuclear weapons, both from fallout and from direct exposure. He is a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United National Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation.
Anthrax Attacks
Glenn F. Webb, professor of mathematics--believes the public does not comprehend the potential destructive capability of anthrax when used as a weapon. Webb collaborated on a mathematical model of the 2001 anthrax postal attack that concluded some 5,000 people received significant exposures. He recently wrote a commentary accompanying the report of an effort to predict the impact of the airborne release of two pounds of anthrax spores over a city the size of New York. Webb considers the study, which estimates that such a release could kill more than 120,000 people, to be conservative.
Preparing for Mass Casualties and Weapons of Mass Destruction, Emergency Preparedness
Colleen Conway-Welch, dean of the Vanderbilt School of Nursing--can discuss how nurses and nursing schools are preparing for possible mass casualty situations. She is the founding director of the International Nursing Coalition for Mass Casualty Education (INCMCE). The Coalition developed a five-year strategic plan for the Department of Health and Human Services to deliver a national curriculum to healthcare providers for mass casualty education. Conway-Welch also coordinated with Vanderbilt University Medical Center to form the National Center for Emergency Preparedness (NCEP), established to train medical providers and emergency responders in planning for and responding to mass casualty incidents (MCI) and incidents involving weapons of mass destruction (WMD).
Emergency Preparedness, Preparing Healthcare Providers for Major Crisis
Stephen Guillot, director of the National Center for Emergency Preparedness--can discuss how the Vanderbilt center is working to train healthcare providers and emergency workers to respond to possible incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and mass casualties. He has an extensive background in fire and emergency training, and certifications in Fire Service Instruction and the Environmental Protection Agency's Instructor for Emergency Response to Hazardous Material Incidents Course.
Emergency Preparedness, Soldiers in War John Walsh, assistant director of the National Center for Emergency Preparedness, former U.S. Marine-- can discuss how the NCEP is training healthcare providers and emergency workers to respond to possible incidents involving weapons of mass destruction and mass casualties. The former U.S. Marine served in Vietnam and can discuss what it's like serving as a soldier during wartime. He currently serves as Weapons of Mass Destruction Committee member with the National Sheriffs' Association.
Transportation of Hazardous Materials, Transportation Issues Post 9/11Mark D. Abkowitz, professor of civil and environmental engineering--an expert on the transportation of hazardous materials, intelligent transportation systems, risk analysis and the use of information technology in crises and emergencies. Since 9/11 he has been working to integrate security issues with more traditional transportation risk management. He and his colleagues are developing systems that can give both officials and the public the real-time information they need to respond to transportation emergencies, including terrorist attacks.
Bio: http://frontweb.vuse.vanderbilt.edu/vuse_web/directory/facultybio.asp?FacultyID=66
Racial Profiling
Brian Williams, assistant clinical professor of human and organizational development--areas of research include the impact of racial profiling and other controversial police strategies. He has served as a consultant to several police departments in the U.S., including San Diego. He can discuss how Muslims and Arab-Americans are now experiencing what African-Americans have endured for years. He is a member of the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences and serves on the editorial board of Police Quarterly.
Bio: http://peabody.vanderbilt.edu/faculty/hod/william.htm
Peace Movements, Anti-WarJames Hudnut-Beumler, dean of Vanderbilt Divinity School and professor of American religious history--can provide a historical context for the current peace movements triggered by the potential war with Iraq. He says such movements do change government policy, but only in conjunction with other events that help policy makers revaluate earlier opinions about a selected course of action. In his book Looking for God in the Suburbs, he discussed the Vietnam protests and the Civil Rights movement. These and resistance to a Reagan-era Central American policy are revealing cases with respect to issues surrounding a potential war with Iraq, he says.
Pacifism, Anti-War J. Patout Burns, Malloy Professor of Catholic Studies--edited War and Its Discontents: Pacifism and Quietism in Abrahamic Traditions. Burns can provide background on the restrictions Christianity and Islam impose on the use of force in warfare. He can also provide information on the pacifist Christian tradition and the quietist Islamic tradition, each of which asserts that their adherents do not have the authority to undertake warfare.
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