IU experts available to discuss effects of Tuesday's terrorist attacks

Sept. 13, 2001

President Bush relied too much on words and not enough on emotion in his address to the nation on Tuesday's attack on the United States, according to an IU expert on communication.

"He seemed to be going too much from a script and not enough from the heart," said Erik Bucy, assistant professor in the IU Department of Telecommunications. "The president conveyed an appropriate tone and was resolute and stern. But as commander in chief he could have projected more confidence," explained Bucy, whose research expertise encompasses the emotional appropriateness of presidential reactions to compelling news events.

"This was a test of George Bush to fill the shoes of president as much as it was a test of the nation, and he barely passed. He mangled several words in a speech that should have been executed flawlessly and without hesitation, given the fact that he had several hours to prepare. Instead, we saw a slight amount of uncertainty and lack of confidence. You can't underestimate the importance of a strong visual presence for that type of speech," said Bucy, who teaches classes on politics and the media, and on communication theory.

Students need a chance to talk and discuss their feelings in the wake of the attacks on the United States in New York City and Washington, D.C., according to Russell Skiba, associate professor in the Department of Counseling and Educational Psychology at IU and an expert on school violence and disruption. Skiba said teachers should process as much information as necessary with their students concerning these tragic events.

"This is something that touches all of us, and children who are developmentally ready shouldn't be excluded," he said. "Even difficult and tragic events provide learning opportunities to engage children in our community and society."

Skiba, a proponent of preventive strategies to quell school violence, is director of the IU Institute for Child Study. He can be reached at 812-855-5549 or skiba@indiana.edu.

Rescue workers face many difficulties the public doesn't understand, according to Alan Ewert, an IU professor in recreation and park administration with more than 20 years of experience in search and rescue work.

"Rescue work like what is going on in New York City right now is very hard physical labor. It is not pleasant by any sense of the imagination, as it is very hard, dirty and dangerous," explained Ewert, a member of the Monroe County Search and Rescue Team.

He said many rescue workers are exposed to danger because of the building instability now present in New York. "These rescuers have the burden of toxic fumes in the rubble, plus the depth of the debris is immense because the buildings were so large," he said.

Ewert, who is part of a team that teaches a search and rescue course at IU, said the rescuers need to focus on the job at hand of finding survivors and victims while having to cope with grief and fatigue.

He said the spirit of the emergency workers rises tremendously when they find survivors. "There is a natural tendency to want to find as many survivors as possible, so when you do, it really raises your hopes of finding more survivors," he said.

Ewert, who has participated in rescue operations, said the greatest reward for the work is using some technical skills to benefit society. He can be reached at 812-855-8116 or aewert@indiana.edu.

Travel plans for Americans will change because of the destruction in New York City and Washington, D.C., according to Lynn Jamieson, an expert on travel and tourism and chair of the Department of Recreation and Park Administration in the IU School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation.

"I think it is obvious that air travel will decline until confidence returns for the public," Jamieson said. "The changes being made in passenger air service security will increase the inconvenience for the customers and lead many people to choose an alternate form of transportation."

She estimated it will take a year for air travel figures to return to normal. Jamieson has more than 20 years of teaching and research experience in leisure services management, tourism and commercial recreation planning. She is currently teaching a class on tourism and commercial recreation where terrorism is discussed.

"These incidents will change the way people think about travel and will lead to tremendous changes. I think train travel and travel by car will increase considerably. Ship travel for cruise lines will probably increase and the rental car business should increase, unless price gouging becomes a factor," she said.

Business conventions are already declining in some areas, which will affect hotels, she added.

"People make travel choices for a variety of reasons, and some people will now avoid certain locations, such as New York City," she added.

Jamieson can be reached at 812-855-8676 (office), 812-360-0015 (cellular phone) or lyjamies@indiana.edu.

From the standpoint of relief organizations involved in responding to the attacks in New York and Washington, volunteering on-site may not be the best way to help, said Gene Tempel, executive director and professor of philanthropic studies at the Center on Philanthropy at IU.

"The hardest thing to coordinate is general volunteers who just want to help," Tempel explained. "Although these volunteers mean well, the rescue and relief efforts need highly trained volunteers with specific skills, such as doctors, grief counselors, or search and rescue teams."

Besides donating money and giving blood, if they really want to help, the best thing most people can do is to volunteer locally in their own communities, said Tempel, a nationally recognized expert on philanthropy, nonprofit organizations and fund-raising.

"Direct those feelings into caring for people in your own neighborhood or hometown. Even though you may not be directly assisting people in New York or Washington, by volunteering locally you are helping other people, meeting your own need to take action, and doing something positive in response to terrible acts. You don't have to be at the scene to make a difference," he said.

Tempel can be reached at 317- 236-4912 or etempel@iupui.edu.

Americans need to beware of fraudulent fund-raising schemes when giving money to help the victims of Tuesday's terrorist attacks, warned Tim Seiler, director of the Fund Raising School and professor of philanthropic studies at the Center on Philanthropy at IU.

"Unfortunately, there are people out there who will take advantage of tragic events to make some easy money," Seiler said. "Although these are emotional times, donors need to avoid letting their emotions replace good judgment."

When giving money to charities, there are several factors to watch for. "It's usually best to give to well-known, well-established charities, such as the American Red Cross or the Salvation Army, or to relief efforts coordinated by such groups," he said. One example is the September 11 Fund, established this week by the United Way of New York City and the New York Community Trust.

"You may want to give to organizations that most closely reflect your own values. Giving to general relief efforts like the Red Cross is great. But if healthcare has had a significant impact on your life, you may choose to donate to a hospital caring for survivors of the attacks. If you are passionate about education, you may contribute to a scholarship fund for the children of the victims. Decide what causes mean the most to you, and give accordingly," he said.

He said people can check the legitimacy of a group by going to Web sites such as http://www.guidestar.org or the Better Business Bureau's Wise Giving Alliance at http://www.give.org. The Internal Revenue Service (http://www.irs.gov) offer donors resources and information about nonprofit organizations.

Seiler can be reached at 317-236-4912 or tseiler@iupui.edu.

Today's terrorist activity will lead to increased security at airports nationwide and speed up the introduction of new technologies that screen passengers and workers for weapons, according to C. Kurt Zorn, IU professor of public and environmental affairs.

Zorn is co-author of the book, Why Airplanes Crash: Aviation Safety in a Changing World (Oxford University Press, 1992) and the author of published journal articles such as "Combating Terrorism Against Commercial Aviation" (Journal of Transportation Management) and "How Safe Are Skies at Home and Abroad?" (Forum for Applied Research and Public Policy).

He has served as a consultant to the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Department of Transportation, the State of Indiana, and the President's Commission on Aviation Safety.

Zorn can be reached at 812-855-5058 (office) or zorn@indiana.edu.

Public reaction to the attacks may lead to a U.S. recession, warns Robert Klemkosky, chair and professor of finance in IU's Kelley School of Business.

Klemkosky can be reached at 812-855-3422 (office), 812-339-8846 (home) or at rklem@indiana.edu.

The grief associated with the World Trade Center and Pentagon incidents relates to a common view held by many about the "senselessness of it all," according to Kathleen Gilbert, IU associate professor of applied health science and an expert on grief and bereavement.

Gilbert can be reached at 812-855-5209 (office), 812-332-3404 (home) or gilbertk@indiana.edu.

William Head, a consultant on anti-terrorist security, is an IU assistant professor of criminal justice.

Head's doctoral dissertation dealt with how law enforcement officials handle hijackings, kidnappings and hostage situations. He can be reached at 812-855-6434 (office), 800-958-1296 (pager) or bhead@indiana.edu.

Despite the intentional direct attack on U.S. financial markets, an IU professor who recently returned from a year-long sabbatical at the New York Stock Exchange doesn't foresee any real long-term impact on the way securities are traded in the United States.

Jennings can be reached at 812-855-2696 (office), 812-336-8042 (home) or jennings@indiana.edu.

Terrorists often attach significance to anniversaries when planning their attacks, and today's events may be no exception, according to Steven Chermak, IU associate professor of criminal justice, who researches domestic terrorism.

Chermak can be reached at 812-855-5161 (office) or schermak@ucswp.ucs.indiana.edu.

Experts from IUPUI Indianapolis

Peter Beering, adjunct faculty member for the School of Public and Environmental Affairs, is the Terrorism Preparedness Coordinator for Indianapolis and teaches a class on terrorism. He can be reached at 888-848-3529 (pager) or 8483529@skytel.com.

Mary Fisher, associate professor of nursing, is available to talk about managing large influxes of patients during a disaster. She can be reached at 317-274-8721 (office) or 317-466-1923 (home).

Subir Chakrabarti, professor of economics, is available to discuss the economic impact of Tuesday's incidents. He can be reached at 317-274-2412 (office) or 317-580-7617 (home).

Richard Fredland, professor of political science, specializes in international politics. He can be reached at 317-274-3855 (office) or 317-637-7643 (home).

Robert White, professor of sociology and assistant dean for faculty affairs in the School of Liberal Arts, is an expert on political violence, social movements and terrorism. He can be reached at 317-274-8305 (office).

Patricia Wittberg, professor of sociology, can discuss psychological impacts on victims, rescue workers and the general public. She also can discuss how to talk about the tragedy with children. She can be reached at 317-274-4478.

Scott Pegg, associate professor of political science, teaches classes on war and international conflict, guerilla warfare and security. Pegg has also taught classes on international relationships and security studies at the University of Bilkent in Ankara, Turkey. He can be reached at 317-278-5749 (office) or 317-636-7718 (home).

Experts from the IU School of Medicine

Mark Bangs, M.D., child psychiatrist, experience in treating children with trauma and anxiety disorders

Theodore Petti, M.D., professor of psychiatry, specializing in child psychiatry (various issues)

Richard J. Lawlor, Ph.D., J.D., child clinical psychology; forensic psychology; marital and family therapy

Vickie Burdine, M.D., clinical assistant professor of psychiatry; specialist in depression; chief executive officer and president, IU Psychiatric Management

Alan Schmetzer, M.D., psychiatric emergencies, triaging psychiatric crises; associate professor of psychiatry; Medical Director, Midtown Community Mental Health Center

To arrange interviews with Medical School experts, contact the IU School of Medicine Office of Public & Media Relations at 317-274-7722 or pager 317-274-5000. IUSM media contacts are Joe Stuteville, Mary Hardin and Pamela Perry.

Experts from Indiana University South Bend

Political science professor John Lewis said the first priority after Tuesday's events is to be prepared for possible further attacks. Next, he said, we need to "help those who can be helped and prevent this from happening again by tightening security and improving intelligence." 219-237-4147

Anthropology and sociology professor Rebecca Torstrick is a specialist on the Palestinian and Jewish conflict in the Middle East. She recommended caution in assigning blame for the attacks, noting that the events in Oklahoma City "taught us to wait" and not jump to premature conclusions. 219- 237-6534

Experts from IPFW Fort Wayne

Van Coufoudakis, professor of political science and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, is available to discuss national security and public policy. 219-481-6833

James M. Lutz, professor of political science, is working on a book about terrorism and may be reached for comments on national security and public policy. 219-481-6688

Thomas L. Guthrie, associate professor of public and environmental affairs, can discuss the effect of the terrorist attacks on the stock market and the economy. 219-481-6798

Jeannie DiClementi, assistant professor of psychology, worked with the Denver, Colorado, police department’s Victim Assistance Unit offering crisis counseling following the Columbine tragedy. 219-481-6397

David M. Young, professor of psychology, is available to discuss issues involving children and traumatic events. 219-481-6397

Experts from Indiana University Kokomo

Allen B. Maxwell, professor of political science, 765-455-9255

Angela H. Becker, associate professor of psychology, 765-455-9447

Allen I. Safianow, professor of history, 765-455-9292

Allen F. Anderson, assistant dean of the Division of Public and Environmental Affairs, associate professor of criminal justice, 765-455-9289

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