For News Media: Sources Available For Stories On War With Iraq

March 17, 2003

The following sources at the University of Florida are available to speak to the news media on a variety of topics related to the war with Iraq.

Anti-Arab, Anti-Muslim Sentiment

Joe Feagin- A graduate research professor at UF and an expert on racial and ethnic relations, Feagin can speak about anti-Arab and anti-Muslim prejudice. He is the author of “Racial and Ethnic Relations, which includes a chapter on Arab-Americans. He also wrote “Racist America,” published in 2000, and “The Many Costs of Racism,” published in January. (352) 392-0265, Ext. 250, or (352) 332-9399,feagin@ufl.edu.

Battlefield Injury

Ronald Hayes- A professor of neuroscience and director of the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Studies at the McKnight Brain Institute, he is involved with U.S. Defense Department-backed research to develop a battlefield test for traumatic brain injury. (352) 392-6850 or (352) 392-8338,hayes@mbi.ufl.edu.

Biological Agents, Infectious Diseases

Dr. Bradley Bender- A professor in the infectious disease division, he can discuss infectious diseases, notably smallpox and influenza. He also is an associate chief of staff at the Malcom Randall Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville. Contact Tom Nordlie, (352) 392-2621,tnordlie@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Philip Collis- An assistant director of environmental health and safety, he can discuss infectious diseases, virology and bioterrorism. (352) 392-7399,pcollis@ehs.ufl.edu.

Dr. James M. Crawford- Chairman of the department of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine, is working on the University Alliance for Weapons of Mass Destruction Education, a state program preparing Florida health-care responders to deal with bioterrorism issues. He can discuss issues relating to public-health initiatives to deal with bioterrorism. Contact Tom Nordlie, (352) 392-2755,tnordlie@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Richard R. Gutekunst- A member of the UF Task Force on Bioterrorism who did a tour of duty in biological warfare research in the U.S. Army in the mid-1950s, he can talk about bacteria and viruses, specifically respiratory diseases. (352) 392-3621,rgutekun@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Dr. Jennifer W. Janelle- An assistant professor of infectious disease and an epidemiologist for Shands at UF medical center, she is involved in the medical center’s Bioterrorism Readiness Planning Subcommittee. She can discuss infectious diseases. Contact Tom Nordlie, (352) 392-2621,tnordlie@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Richard W. Moyer- A professor and chairman of molecular genetics and microbiology and a key member of the Southeastern Regional Center of Excellence for the Study of Emerging Biologic Threats, he can discuss smallpox and related viruses. Contact Tom Nordlie, (352) 392-2621,tnordlie@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Laszlo Prokai-A professor of pharmacy in the department of medicinal chemistry, is the principal investigator on a project to develop agents against botulinum toxin, which causes the disease botulism and is recognized as a biological agent stockpiled by many hostile nations. He can discuss botulinum, exposure of agents to the central nervous system, potential treatment and neuroprotection methods. Contact: Laszlo Prokai (352) 392-3421,lprokai@grove.ufl.edu.

Dr. Kenneth H. Rand- Director of clinical pathology and chairman of the Shands at UF medical center subcommittee on bioterrorism, he can discuss laboratory diagnosis of various infectious diseases. Contact Mike Garrison, (352) 392-2621,mgarriso@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Dr. Parker A. Small Jr. – A professor of pathology, immunology and laboratory medicine, he can discuss smallpox and related viruses, smallpox vaccinations and complex DNA viruses that replicate in a cell’s cytoplasm. He is co-creator of an educational Web site on the potential risks and benefits of smallpox vaccination viruses:http://ccl.ichp.edu/smallpox. (352) 392-0686,small@pathology.ufl.edu.

Dr. Frederick Southwick- A professor of medicine and chief of the infectious disease division. (352) 392-4058,southfs@medmac.ufl.edu.

Disaster Psychology, Coping

Garret D. Evans- An associate professor of clinical and health psychology, he can discuss psychological effects of disaster, terrorism and bioterrorism, and how to cope with them. Contact Jill Pease, (352) 846-1153,jpease@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Samuel F. Sears- An associate professor of clinical and health psychology, he can discuss coping with serious illness, the psychology of disaster aftermath and disaster-related stress. Contact Jill Pease, (352) 846-1153,jpease@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Jennie Tsao- An assistant professor of clinical and health psychology, she can discuss treatment of anxiety disorders, including panic disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, and coping with fear and anxiety. Contact Jill Pease, (352) 846-1153,jpease@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Disaster Recovery

Anthony Oliver-Smith- An anthropologist specializing in recovery after disasters, Oliver-Smith has devoted more than 30 years to researching how communities re-emerge from destruction. His research has focused on the problems of social reconstruction after natural and technological disasters as well as political conflict. (352) 377-8359,aros@ufl.edu. Speaks Spanish.

Economy, Finances

Joel Houston- A finance professor, he can discuss financial markets and how they are likely to perform in the event of war with Iraq. (352) 392-7546.

Arnold Heggestad- A finance professor and director of UF’s Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, he can discuss the effects a war with Iraq likely would have on consumer confidence, entrepreneurial companies, venture capital and the U.S. economy in general. (352) 392-2610,arnie@ufl.edu.

Emergency Medical Response, Preparedness

Dr. David Seaberg- Associate chairman of emergency medicine and chief of emergency services for Shands at UF medical center, he is chairman of the University Alliance for Weapons of Mass Destruction and co-chairman for the health/medical/EMS committee for the State Working Group for Terrorism Preparedness and president of the Florida College of Emergency Medicine. He can discuss emergency medicine preparedness and EMS/first-responder emergency preparedness. Contact Mike Garrison, (352) 392-2621,mgarriso@vpha.health.ufl.edu.

Dr. David Vukich- Chairman of the department of emergency medicine at the UF Health Science Center’s urban campus in Jacksonville, he can discuss EMS, tactical EMS (EMS plus law enforcement), toxic and hazardous substances, decontamination and handling mass casualties. (904) 244-4107,vukich@ufl.edu.

Environmental Cleanup, Restoration

Mike Annable- An associate professor of environmental engineering sciences, has expertise in the cleanup of oil spills on land. (352) 392-3294,annable@ufl.edu.

Thomas Crisman- A professor of environmental engineering sciences and director of UF’s Howard T. Odum Center for Wetlands, is a member of the technical advisory board to a wetland restoration project proposed for post-war Iraq. The project, called “Eden Again,” seeks to restore a huge wetland in Iraq systematically drained by Saddam Hussein. (352) 392-2424,tcris@eng.ufl.edu.

Food Supply Threats

Paul Gibbs- A professor of pathobiology and former director of the UF International Center, he recently gave the keynote address on bioterrorism at the World Veterinary Association Congress. He can discuss foot-and-mouth disease. Contact Sarah Carey, (352) 392-4700, Ext. 5206,careys@mail.vertmed.ufl.edu.

Paul Nicoletti- A professor of pathobiology, he can discuss zoonoses – diseases that can be contracted by both animals and people – and infectious diseases of livestock, particularly brucellosis and tick-borne diseases. Contact Sarah Carey, (352) 392-4700, Ext. 5206,careys@mail.vertmed.ufl.edu.

Foreign Affairs, Terrorism

Robert J. McMahon- A professor of history with expertise in American foreign affairs, McMahon specializes in U.S.-South Asian relations. He also can discuss general aspects of current or past American foreign relations, including issues relating to terrorism, the war in Afghanistan and the prospective conflict with Iraq. (352) 392-0271, Ext. 271,rmcmahon@history.ufl.edu.

International Affairs, Peacekeeping

Dennis Jett- Dean of UF’s International Center, Jett spent 28 years as a career diplomat and was ambassador to Peru and Mozambique. He also served in Monrovia during the initial years of the civil war in Liberia and in Tel Aviv. His dissertation, “Why Peacekeeping Fails,” was published in March 2000, and he has written a number of articles on peacekeeping and democracy. Jett also has extensive knowledge of U.S. foreign policy and issues related to Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. (352) 392-5323, Ext. 501,djett@ufl.edu. Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

Gulf War Syndrome

Janet Karlix- An associate professor in the department of pharmacy practice, can discuss Gulf War syndrome and immune response to environmental toxins, which she is researching. Contact Linda Homewood, (352) 392-2137, ext. 231,lhomewo@dce.ufl.edu.

International, Human Rights Law

Paul J. Magnarella- A professor of anthropology and law, is an expert on humanitarian, international and human rights law. A former expert on mission with the United Nations Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and current special counsel to the Association of Third World Studies and the American Anthropological Association’s Human Rights Committee, he can discuss the law of war, human rights law, Iraq and the Middle East. (352) 392-4453, Ext. 307,Magnarella@law.ufl.eduorPaulmag@anthro.ufl.edu.

Middle East

Patricia Woods- An assistant professor of comparative politics and Jewish studies, her regional focus is Israel and modern Middle East politics. Her research centers on comparative law and society, particularly law, religion, and politics, including gender politics, in Israel. In addition, she teaches about Islamic religious resurgence, Islamic law and politics and women in the Middle East. She currently is a visiting scholar at Harvard University and can be reached atpjwoods@polisci.ufl.eduorpjwoods@fas.harvard.edu. Speaks Hebrew and French.

Military and the Law

Diane Mazur- A professor of law and former captain in the U.S. Air Force, she can discuss political and constitutional issues related to military service, civil-military relations, re-introduction of the draft, political and social representativeness of the all-volunteer force, and the cultural gap between military and civilian society. Prefers e-mail contact:mazur@law.ufl.edu, (352) 392-2255.