Experts Matter. Find Yours.
Connect for media, speaking, professional opportunities & more.
Widening rift with Canada puts India's relations with the West at risk
Relations between India and Canada continue to devolve after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused India of playing a part in the assassination of a Sikh activist on its home soil. Following India's denial, both countries expelled senior diplomats. In a new video posted on his YouTube channel, Professor Muqtedar Khan said relations are spiraling toward a dangerous place. And, he added, if the situation continues to devolve, it could have a major impact on India's relations with the entire Western world. Khan, a professor of political science and international relations, is an expert on issues surrounding U.S. foreign policy in the Muslim World as well as national security and counter-terrorism. He can also discuss: The Khalistan Movement: The Sikh separatist movement that has taken many lives since the 1980s including the assassination of India's former PM Indira Gandhi. How Canada's large Sikh population 770,000 (2.1%) makes it a hotbed of Sikh activism. In 1985, Canadians Sikh exploded an Air India flight from Montreal to London killing 329 people The assassination of Hardeep Singh Nijjar and its diplomatic fallout. The dispute between Canada and India is over the killing of Nijjar, a Canadian Sikh who was organizing an illegal referendum on separatism. Khan is the author of "Islam and Good Governance: A Political Philosophy of Ihsan." Video of Khan discussing the concept of Ihsan can be found here. He has also drawn a large following with his "Khanversations" channel on YouTube. To schedule an interview, click on the contact button found in his ExpertFile profile.
Exploring the role of social media in fomenting hatred and prejudice in society
Each day, it feels like there's a new social media platform to join, the latest one being Threads. While social media like Threads, Instagram, Twitter, TikTok and Facebook can be a space to bring people from different corners of the world together, it has also become a way to spread hatred and prejudice. Kassra Oskooii, associate professor of political science and international relations at the University of Delaware, studies the interplay between contextual and psychological determinants of political opinions on minority groups. He recently published work examining at how social media news consumption over the last two presidential cycles has heightened anti-Muslim views. He noted that social media works by creating information bubbles that echo and amplify views, and when political information is left unregulated, individuals can be exposed to false and prejudicial content that can shape their views toward marginalized groups. Oskooii's research was recently cited in the 2023 Economic Report of the President. He can speak about the role that social media continues to play on politics and everyday society. To arrange an interview, simply click on Professor Oskooii's profile and press the contact button.
Concerns Persist Over the State of Ecuadorian Democracy
On August 9, 2023, Ecuadorian presidential candidate Fernando Villavicencio was ambushed and killed following a campaign rally in Quito. The Alausí-born journalist-turned-assemblyman had long been a proponent of social and governmental reform, framing his election bid as a crusade against the drug traffickers, corrupt corporate interests and “political mafia” besetting his country. His assassination has, in turn, sparked concerns and discussion over the current state of democracy in Ecuador. Lowell Gustafson, PhD, is an expert on Latin American affairs and a professor of political science in Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. From his perspective, Villavicencio’s murder stands as the latest chapter in a saga of malfeasance, intimidation and violence in the region. “This is not new in Latin American political history,” said Dr. Gustafson. “The role of private armies funded by economic sectors beyond state control has been an issue often for the national period. It has taken a stark turn with the riches pouring in from illegal drugs.” In Ecuador, “narco-capitalism” has emerged as a particularly corrosive force. According to Dr. Gustafson, Albanian, Mexican and South American criminal outfits established themselves within the nation by the early 2010s, drawn by the country’s vast network of ports and its proximity to coca-rich Colombia and Peru. “That became a problem for stability in 2016, when the government of Colombia signed a peace agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia [or FARC],” he stated. “FARC had long controlled cocaine trafficking routes from southern Colombia to Ecuador’s ports on the Pacific Ocean. With their dominance gone, other cartels began to compete for control.” Since the opening of this power vacuum, the situation in Ecuador has grown increasingly volatile, with the governmental response ham-fisted at best and faciliatory at worst. Under the presidential administrations of Rafael Correa, Lenín Moreno and Guillermo Lasso, the cartels succeeded in infiltrating the country’s privatized ports and airports, seizing control of the nation’s prison system and contributing to an ever-growing wave of crime. “Violence against public officials and by vigilante groups have steadily increased since 2018,” Dr. Gustafson said. “With the familiar choice between bribes and cooperation or violence, it is no wonder that cartel influence throughout the Ecuadorian state and military is widely discussed.” While Dr. Gustafson acknowledges the Ecuadorian government’s culpability for this disastrous situation and its escalation, he also cites another factor: the United States’ “war on drugs.” According to the professor, the longstanding U.S. policy has only served to prop up criminal enterprises south of the border, fueling a market for illicit substances. “After a half-century of the war and over a trillion dollars spent on it, coca cultivation in Colombia in 2020 was at an all-time high,” he shared. “The war on drugs has led to the continued power of illegal drug cartels in many countries, now including Ecuador.” In Dr. Gustafson’s estimation, the recent murder of Villavicencio only brings greater attention to this unfortunate state of affairs—a state of affairs common throughout Latin America. “With his consistent and outspoken critique of the cartels’ influence in Ecuador, Villavicencio courageously knew he faced the threat of violence,” he concluded. “The assassination of a presidential candidate brings all of this to a higher level within Ecuador, but the likely reason for [his murder] plagues Mexico, El Salvador and other Latin American nations.”
Almost 30% of adults in the U.S. lack basic numeracy skills, meaning they don’t understand simple processes like counting, arithmetic and calculating percentages. Two professors from Georgia Southern University’s College of Education (COE) are part of a collaborative effort, funded by a $3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant, aimed at improving that number for upcoming generations. Sam Rhodes, Ph.D., assistant professor of elementary mathematics education, and Antonio Gutierrez de Blume, Ph.D., professor in curriculum, foundations and reading, were awarded almost $400,000 of the overall sum. In collaboration with researchers from the University of Minnesota and the University of Pennsylvania and CueThink, an online application focused on improving math problem-solving and collaboration skills, they will help middle school students better understand numerical and mathematical concepts. “The grant is important to me because I am passionate about helping students improve their abilities to engage in mathematical problem solving,” said Rhodes. “Collaborating with peers to tackle challenging problems is one of the most exciting parts of learning and doing mathematics. I want to work to bring these experiences to all students in ways that are engaging and that effectively support their learning of mathematics.” The four-year grant is part of NSF’s Discovery Research preK-12 program. Georgia Southern’s COE offers students multiple program opportunities, including undergraduate and more than 30 graduate program options that span campus locations in Savannah, Statesboro and Hinesville, and online. Programs offered by the COE prepare future teachers, school psychologists, counselors, school library media specialists, instructional technologists, researchers and leaders through intensive field experiences, cutting-edge technology and research-based instruction. Interested in knowing more? To arrange an interview with Sam Rhodes or Antonio Gutierrez de Blume simply connect with Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
The National Science Foundation announced a $2.5 million award supporting Georgia Southern University researchers in addressing high-demand workforce needs in information technology and computer science fields. The funded project, “Enabling Lifelong Success in an Information Technology Workforce,” adapts and evaluates evidence-based student support activities within the IT Department, one of the units in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. The goal of the project is to identify a group of highly qualified students and to render 161 scholarships over a six-year period in an effort to increase student retention and graduation rates. “This is great news for the IT program at Georgia Southern, and it will provide a positive impact to the surrounding area as businesses’ needs for IT professionals increase,” said interim Vice President of Research and Economic Development Chris Curtis, Ph.D. Georgia Southern Professor and Department of Information Technology Chair Yiming Ji, Ph.D., is taking the lead on the grant, which, he noted, has the potential to have a profound impact on students. “This project will train a pool of talented students, especially those with financial needs, and prepare them for successful careers in IT,” said Ji. “With scholarships from the grant, students will have time to focus on studying, instead of having to work to make ends meet. These students will also receive dedicated support, including academic advising, research opportunities, internship and career service and much more. The result is that these students will become confident and have a greater future in IT careers.” The project involves four researchers, including Lei Chen, Ph.D., (co-PI), professor of IT; Hayden Wimmer, Ph.D., (co-PI), associate professor of IT; Elise Cain, Ph.D., (co-PI), assistant professor of leadership’ and Kania Greer, Ed.D., (external evaluator), program coordinator of the Center for STEM education. The project also received support from the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) and the Georgia Southern Office of Research. The national and regional demand for computer and IT professionals remains high. “This project will directly benefit our local, regional and national economies,” said CEC Dean Craig Harvey, Ph.D. “High-tech industries are already in and being attracted to the Savannah area, and the locations of Georgia Southern University’s campuses provide unique opportunities to train high-quality computing and IT professionals who are in high demand.” The Department of Information Technology offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate computer and IT programs at Georgia Southern, in addition to a new Ph.D. program in applied computing. This grant is the first of its kind to be received by the IT department. The department hopes that through the use of this grant, they will build stronger partnerships with businesses and federal or state government organizations, among others. Interested in knowing more? To arrange an interview with Yiming Ji or Chris Curtis, simply connect with Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Back to School: Experts Available to talk ChatGPT, Food Insecurity and Education Leadership
With the school year starting very soon, the University of Delaware media team have rounded up some education stories, experts and research to consider for feature/publication. Experts: Gary Henry is dean of the University of Delaware’s College of Education and Human Development and professor in the School of Education and the Joseph R. Biden, Jr. School of Public Policy & Administration. He specializes in education policy, educational evaluation, educator labor markets, and quantitative research methods. Gary can lend context and steps to take to reverse/adapt to this new educational landscape. Allison Karpyn is an associate professor who can speak to topics related to hunger, obesity, school food, supermarket access, food insecurity, healthy corner stores and strategies to develop and maintain farmer’s markets in low-income areas. She has spoken extensively about food in schools and can offer context to those subjects. Joshua Wilson is an associate professor and has been featured in WaPo for his AI/ChatGPT knowledge in the past. His research broadly focuses on ways to improve the teaching and learning of writing and specifically focuses on ways that automated writing evaluation systems can facilitate those improvements. Stories: UD professor partners with Sesame Workshop to create Stories with Clever Hedgehog Among the casualties of the Ukraine war are 2 million-plus children. In an effort to restore some sense of normalcy to their education years, University of Delaware professor Roberta Golinkoff—a nationally recognized expert in childhood literacy—has partnered with Sesame Workshop and others to develop Stories with Clever Hedgehog, a website with free interactive e-books, games and other resources. Books are available in both Ukrainian and English, prompting a global experience for readers of any background. There are photos and video ready for this coverage. Golinkoff and Sesame Workshop leadership are open for interviews. Research: Study finds teachers’ anxiety in mathematics and science was associated with the mathematics and science anxiety of their low-SES students To reach out to specific experts, please click on their "View Profile" button.
The race to lead the GOP kicked off long ago, but all eyes are on Wisconsin tonight as the first Republican presidential debate takes place. The field, as expected, is crowded and chock full of hopefuls. But how will Donald Trump’s absence affect the debate? And will it even matter given his massive lead in the polls among Republican voters? In his absence will a strong alternative emerge, and if so, what does he or she need to do to coalesce the GOP vote and bolster a campaign that is in for a long fight against a former president that seems unscathed by indictments, scandal and deemed almost unstoppable? If you're covering the race - we have an expert who can help with your stories. Kevin Wagner, Ph.D., is Florida Atlantic University’s renowned political science expert. He is here to answer all your questions and is available for interviews. Simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Record Water Temperatures Testing Resilient Coral Reefs
Coral reefs are some of the most diverse and beautiful ecosystems on the planet. Roughly 25% of the ocean’s fish and over half a billion people depend on these underwater habitats, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). But, like most other ecosystems, coral reefs are being threatened by the impacts of global climate change. This summer, record water temperatures stemming from a strong El Niño weather pattern are causing coral bleaching and death events in reefs throughout the world. Lisa Rodrigues, PhD, professor of environmental science, is an expert in coral reef ecosystems and ocean environments. She has been following the reports of coral bleaching when they began surfacing in July. “Coral bleaching often coincides with El Niño years,” she said. “Since water takes much longer to heat than air, July is very early in the year for water temperature to be so high and that is one of the main causes for concern.” Coral bleaching is a stress reaction emanating from high water temperatures, among other causes. When stressed, corals expel the microscopic algae inside of their tissues. The absence of these algae reveals corals’ white skeletons. “In a healthy coral system there is a symbiotic relationship between the coral host (an animal) and the endosymbiotic algae (a plant),” Dr. Rodrigues said. “Corals prefer to live in a fairly narrow range of temperature, which is typically when the symbiotic relationship can be successful. During bleaching, the symbiotic relationship is broken down and the two partners no longer live together.” If corals’ energy stores are low, or if the relationship is compromised for an extended period, corals can die. “This can have long-lasting and negative impacts on ecosystems, as a healthy structure provides a habitat for fish and other organisms,” she said. “For humans that live near the coast, loss of reefs means lost coastal protection, lost economic revenue from fishing and tourism and a lost piece of their natural history.” Reports of coral bleaching and death have stretched across the Americas, and the NOAA is issuing bleaching warnings in southeast Asia. Water temperatures off the coast of Florida this summer have been measured at over 100 degrees in some areas, and temperatures could continue to rise into September. Despite dismal conditions, especially in the Gulf and Caribbean waters, there is still hope for these reefs. “Death doesn’t always happen following bleaching and we also know that recovery from bleaching can occur,” Dr. Rodrigues said. “We have learned a lot from past bleaching events. Over the longer term, following a bleaching event, corals and coral reefs can recover, but the process is slow and dependent on the stressor(s) that caused the event in the first place.” Dr. Rodrigues notes there is a species of coral in Hawai’i that is able to sustain itself during bleaching events and can even reproduce, proving these underwater marvels won’t go down without a fight. “It’s unknown how many species are able to do this, but there is evidence that corals have a wide array of susceptibility and resilience to bleaching associated with high temperatures.”
Fort Stewart, Georgia Southern University, sign agreement to offer graduate courses on base
Representatives from Georgia Southern University and Fort Stewart signed an official memorandum of understanding Monday morning that clears the way for Georgia Southern to offer a slate of in-demand graduate courses this fall on base. Col. Manuel F. Ramirez, garrison commander at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, and Kyle Marrero, president of Georgia Southern University, signed the agreement in front of officials from both organizations and the University’s live bald eagle mascot, Freedom, at Fort Stewart’s SFC Paul R. Smith Army Education Center. With the agreement, Georgia Southern will offer the following degree programs at the Fort Stewart education center: Master of Business Administration Master of Health Administration Master of Science in Information Technology Master of Arts in Professional Communication and Leadership Professional Communication and Leadership – Graduate Certificate Cybercrime – Graduate Certificate “This is truly a collaboration that will provide incredible opportunities and possibilities for our soldiers and our family members here on the installation,” Ramirez said. “Here at Fort Stewart, we’ve always believed in investing in our most precious asset, which is our people. And today, this partnership is a shining testament to that belief. By adding Georgia Southern to our stable of schools here at the Education Center, we’re opening doors to advanced education, professional development, and then a brighter future for all of our soldiers and their family members and all those people who call Fort Stewart home.” This partnership allows soldiers and their families to advance their career prospects by equipping them with the knowledge and skills and preparing them for increased responsibility in the Army and afterward, he said. Marrero said the courses that will be offered are being configured to allow Soldiers and their families to pursue higher education without disrupting their duties or relocating, allowing them to strike a healthier work-life balance while investing in their personal growth. Marrero thanked the teams behind the agreement and noted that the courses will be flexible and compressed to meet the unique needs of military-connected students. Marrero said this partnership between Fort Stewart and Georgia Southern University creates valuable educational opportunities for soldiers and their families by offering accessible and high-quality master’s degree programs on-site. It’s also the latest example of the University’s commitment to the military, which has led to Georgia Southern being named a “Military-Friendly” school for six years in a row and a “Gold School” for 2023-2024 by Viqtory Media, publisher of G.I. Jobs, STEM Jobs and Military Spouse magazines. “We have had a rich history of partnerships here,” Marrero said. “For us, this is a beginning and a continuation of the belief in the transformational power of education. We are proud and excited to be your partner. Thank you so much for this opportunity.” To learn more about the courses being offered at Fort Stewart and Hunter Army Airfield, visit think link below: If you are interested in knowing more about this partnership or would like to speak with Kyle Marrero, president of Georgia Southern University, simply contact Georgia Southern's Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Inspired by Palm Trees' Resilience, Florida Tech Researcher Seeks to Strengthen Made Materials
Inspired by the tiny, circular vessels in the trunks of palm trees that allow the iconic plants to bend but not snap in strong winds, an assistant professor of aerospace engineering is researching how to recreate Mother Nature’s handiwork in additive manufacturing. Mirmilad Mirsayar received a three-year, $200,627 research grant from the National Science Foundation’s highly competitive Mechanics of Materials and Structures program under the Division of Civil, Mechanical and Manufacturing Innovation to study the mechanics and physics of crack propagation in functionally graded cellular structures made by additive manufacturing. That’s the process of creating an object by building it one layer at a time. Mirsayar is the sole principal investigator of the project, “Understanding Mixed-Mode Fracture Mechanics in Additively Manufacturable Functionally Graded Microcellular Solids.” His research is inspired by cellular patterns seen in palm trees and butterfly wings. For example, unlike oak trees and some others, the palm tree’s center contains those vessels, distributed non-uniformly throughout the trunk, that help it survive in Florida’s windy environment. Other biological systems, such as bone, honeycombs and marine sponges, also serve as inspirations from nature. “I’m enjoying this research because I’m learning from nature and I’m applying fundamentals of physics and mathematics to solve a very important engineering problem while training the next generation of engineers and researchers,” Mirsayar said. Materials with cellular structures, such as aircraft wings and artificial bones, are widely used in industries such as aerospace and biomedical. As additive manufacturing has advanced, materials with cellular structures and increasingly complex geometrical patterns can be precisely manufactured. Mirsayar is looking at ways to optimize these strong and light cellular structures made by additive manufacturing to achieve the highest resistance against failure under complex operational loading conditions, such as bending tension, compression and torsion. What could this mean for additive manufacturing? How could stronger materials change what or how we build? Contact Florida Tech Media Communications Director Adam Lowenstein at adam@fit.edu to schedule an interview with Dr. Mirsayar.
