Dialog, UA Faculty and Staff News

Dialog Online, UA Faculty & Staff News

UA Experts Comment on Terrorist Attacks

The Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., sent reporters flocking to UA and other universities for commentary on the unprecedented attacks and their impact on American society. The Office of Media Relations put together a tipsheet of UA sources on topics ranging from national security to economics to how to talk to children about the crisis.

Dr. Donald Snow, UA professor of political science

Dr. Donald Snow, professor of political science

Dr. Donald Snow, professor of political science and a published expert on military affairs, terrorism, national security and international conflict, devoted numerous hours to media calls (over 40 different interviews) and has been quoted internationally in the Journal of Brazil (published in Portuguese) and nationally in the Patriot Ledger (Mass.) and the Marine Corp Times, among other papers. Instate he has been quoted by AP, the Mobile Register and the Montgomery Advertiser. He also wrote an op-ed for the Birmingham News’ Sunday editorial section. Snow has also been interviewed by ABC 33/40, NBC 13, Fox 6, WJRD 7, Alabama Public Radio and WTXT radio.

Finance professor Robert Brooks

Finance professor Robert Brooks, SouthTrust Professor of Financial Management, was quoted in a national AP story on the economic impact of the attacks and appeared on Fox 6’s Good Day Alabama to discuss the reopening of the stock market. Psychologist John Lochman and education professor Patti Harrison were quoted by AP on talking with children about the attacks. Anthropologist Michael Murphy was quoted by the Birmingham Post-Herald on the role of religion when people face a disaster, while fellow anthropologist Keith Jacobi appeared on WJRD 7 discussing the use of cadaver-sniffing dogs, such as those used in the recovery efforts in New York (see Dialog, Sept. 17, 2001, for the story on Jacobi’s research).

The Tuscaloosa News used the expertise of Dr. Jerome Rosenberg, associate professor of psychology and New College, on how to deal with trauma, from an emotional perspective; Dr. Loy Singleton, professor and chair of telecommunication and film, on TV’s impact during tragedies; and Dr. Walter Enders, Bidgood Chair and professor of economics, finance and legal studies, on terrorism and business links.

The University’s reaction to the tragedy was the focus of local news media with coverage including student reaction and events including the ceremony of remembrance on the Quad and the candlelight vigil organized by the African American Association. President Sorensen’s remarks at the fall faculty and staff meeting were published as an op-ed in the Tuscaloosa News.

Among the quotes:

"If we knew within two hours of this attack that 18 terrorists hijacked airplanes, isn’t it possible to get that information before the airplanes took off?" - Dr. Donald Snow, as quoted in The Patriot Ledger (Mass.)

"The people who are making their living trading stocks are clearly not making any money right now. But every day that it remains closed, there’s more uncertainty in the marketplace and that can only lower the value of stocks and depress things further." - Dr. Robert Brooks, as quoted by the Associated Press, in The Baltimore Sun, on the long-term effects of the market closure two days after the attack on the World Trade Center.