8/21/2002

EAST LANSING, Mich. - The following information is provided to help reporters connect with Michigan State University faculty and resources regarding the one-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

FACULTY EXPERTS

Arab history, culture and religion

• Marc Bernstein (Linguistics, 517/353-0740)
• Alan Fisher (History, 517/355-4548)
• Rosina Hassoun (Anthropology, 517/353-2950)
• Lewis Sieglebaum (History, 517/355-7502)
• Gordon Stewart (History, 517/353-5005)
  
  International relations
  
  
• Mohammed Ayoob (James Madison, 517/353-3538): politics of Arab world, international security
  
• Gene Burns (James Madison, 517/353-3119): politics and religion
  
• Sherman Garnett (James Madison, 517/353-6753): political implications, diplomatic strategy; used to work in Pentagon and for Carnegie Endowment for World Peace
  
• John Hudzik (International Studies, 517/355-2352): study abroad programs, travel issues in general
  
• Michael Rubner (James Madison, 517/353-9395): politics of Arab world, international security
  
• Ken Waltzer (James Madison, 517/353-3560): politics of Middle East
  
• Richard Zinman (James Madison, 517/353-9396): political theory, politics and religion
  
  Domestic terrorism, policing and forensic issues
  
  
• David Carter (Criminal Justice, 517/355-9308): all aspects of terrorism
  
• Judith Collins (Criminal Justice. 517/432-4236): identity theft, FBI/police investigation procedures
  
• Joyce DeJong (Anthropology, 517/353-9160): pathologist who helped identify remains of victims at the World Trade Center
  
• Norm Sauer (Anthropology, 517/353-6722): forensic anthropologist who helped identify remains of victims at the World Trade Center
  
  Bioterrorism and preparedness issues
  
  
• David Ghilarducci (Human Medicine, 616/337-6600): co-author of study finding that most hospitals are unprepared to handle a biochemical attack
  
• Dan Grooms (Large Animal Clinical Sciences, 517/432-1494): bio-security, farm safety
  
• Margaret Knapp (MSU HealthTeam, 517/353-5366): hazardous materials, detection, and treatment of anthrax and similar diseases
  
• Tom Mullaney (Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, 517/353-9572): detection
  
• Willie Reed (Animal Health Diagnostic Laboratory, 517/353-0635): detection of anthrax
  
• Michael Rip (Epidemiology, 517/353-8623): bioterrorism
  
• Mahdi Saeed (Epidemiology, Food Safety/Toxicology, 517/432-9517): anthrax, infectious diseases
  
• Brenda Wrigley (Communication, 517/355-7556): conducted survey of Michigan corporations and found most feel unprepared to cope with a bioterrorism incident
  
  Psychological effects
  
  
• Jean Baker (Education, 517/432-0843): effects on children, how adults can help children cope, specific classroom activities for teachers
  
• Glenn Davis (Human Medicine, 517/353-1730): post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); has worked with Detroit police officers and firefighters who suffered PTSD
  
• Bradley Greenberg (Communication, 517/353-6629): conducted survey of Lansing residents to assess reactions to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks
  
• Gary Stollak (Psychology, 517/353-8877): mindset of terrorists, victims' response to terrorism, grieving process
  
  Popular culture
  
  
• Gary Hoppenstand (American Thought and Language, 517/432-2550): patriotism, flags, national anthem and hymns, homefront culture during previous wars
  
• Ann Larabee (American Thought and Language, 517/353-1613): war, disaster and trauma in American culture; failures of technology; wrote Decade of Disaster about famous disasters in the 1980s
  
  Business and industry
  
  
• Charles Ballard (Economics, 517/353-2961): impact on Wall Street, gas prices, consumer confidence
  
• Brenda Wrigley (Communication, 517/355-7556): conducted survey of Michigan corporations and found most feel unprepared to cope with a bioterrorism incident
  
  Media response
  
  
• Bradley Greenberg (Communication, 517/353-6629)
  
  Conflict resolution
  
  
• Stephen Esquith (Philosophy, 517/355-4490)
  
  TIP SHEET
  

• Islam and liberal democracy as competing political and social systems
  "With the collapse of Soviet-style communism, a certain brand of political Islam remains the one viable alternative to liberal democracy in the world," says David DiPasquale, professor in MSU's James Madison College, who studies comparative political systems. He can comment on the advantages and disadvantages of regimes based on a divine law that attempt to lead their citizens toward an understanding of happiness that is defined by God and those regimes that emphasize rights over duties and leave the question of happiness for the individual to decide. Telephone: 517/353-6750.
  
  
• David vs. Goliath: security and military issues after Sept. 11
  "At the center of the current conflict is a contrast between the small-scale, 'asymmetrical' terrorist or small state military operations and an enormous and highly technological American military force," says Michael Rip, MSU professor of social science. He notes that President Bush has repeatedly stated his commitment to "transforming" the Pentagon away from a Cold War military of heavy tanks and nuclear weapons to a new force characterized by highly accurate missiles and weapons, enormous capacities to acquire and process information, and a resulting technical edge that simply cannot be matched by any military anywhere in the world. These changes together constitute what some have called a "revolution in military affairs." Telephone: 517/353-8623.
  
  
• "Know thy enemy": Sept. 11 and identity theft
  The discovery that terrorists could live and work in local communities using false and stolen identification while secretly planning the deaths of thousands has opened a debate on how better to recognize enemies, says Judith Collins, MSU professor of criminal justice. The 19 terrorists who hijacked American planes on Sept. 11 reportedly used fraudulent driver licenses, birth certificates, student visas and passports to plan the attack. Collins is an internationally recognized expert on identity theft and director of the Identity Theft University-Business Partnership, which works with business and industry to secure competitive and personal information and to prevent the theft of employees' identities. She also investigates criminal use of the Internet as well as workplace and white-collar crime. Telephone: 517/432-4236.
  
  
• Hospitals remain unprepared for biochemical attacks
  Nearly a year after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, a majority of American hospitals are unprepared to handle a biochemical attack, says an MSU physician and hazardous material expert who has studied the issue. His study, published more than a year ago in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, remains extremely relevant today, says David Ghilarducci, an emergency medicine resident at the MSU College of Human Medicine's Kalamazoo campus. The study surveyed 156 trauma centers around the nation. Among the findings: Only 6 percent had the necessary equipment required for safe decontamination, 36 percent of staff had received proper training, about 30 percent had a complete hazardous material response plan and only 58 percent had ever performed a hazardous material drill. "If you think of the emergency response chain, which includes police, fire, EMS personnel and hospital, a chain is only as strong as its weakest link," Ghilarducci says. "The hospitals just aren't as prepared as the field people. The investment we put in the pre-hospital response is wasted if you can't provide the same level of treatment at the hospital end." Telephone: 616/337-6600.