University Affairs Office
1801 E. Cotati Avenue
Rohnert Park, CA 94928-3609
(707) 664-2057
e-mail: jean.wasp@sonoma.edu
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 17, 2003 File #339
Contact: Jean Wasp, Media Relations, (707) 664-2057
Professors Available for Commentary on War With Iraq, Bio-terrorism,
Economy,
Peace Movement, Impact of Military Actions on Families, Energy Policy
* FOREIGN POLICY, PRESIDENCY, CONGRESS, CIVIL LIBERTIES ANDY MERRIFIELD — public opinion on foreign policy as it applies to peace, war, elections, civil liberties issues etc; American foreign-policy making from the perspective of the presidency, congress, the bureaucracy, interest groups etc. He can talk generally about the national institutions of government in the context of what is going on, in addition to media, interest groups etc. He can also discuss state, local and inter-governmental issues.
Dr. Merrifield is chair of the political science department and a professor of political science.
Office: (707) 664-3946; home: (707) 526-7218; e-mail: andy.merrifield@sonoma.edu
* ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT, PEACE MOVEMENT TACTICS,
IMPACT OF SECTARIAN GROUPS INVOLVED
DAVID WALLS — anti-war movement in historical perspective, non-violent and other disruptive tactics used by the peace movement, and controversies over the impact of left-wing sectarian groups on the anti-war movement.
Walls has been an activist and observer of social movements for four decades, and has participated in the activities of numerous peace, environmental, and human rights organizations. He brings a comparative
perspective to the use of non-violent direct action techniques by the civil rights and peace movements, and has written on the problems and prospects of humanitarian intervention in military conflicts. He follows the participation of sectarian political groups in the peace movement and other social movements.
Dr. Walls is a professor of sociology who teaches classes on the civil rights movement, the environmental movement, and gender and social movements. He is the author of The Activist's Almanac: The Concerned Citizen's Guide to the Leading Advocacy Organizations in America (Simon & Schuster/Fireside, 1993).
Home: (707) 823-7403; e-mail: dwalls@igc.org
* IMPACT OF WAR ON FAMILY LIFE
ELAINE LEEDER — impact of war on family life; effects of trauma and catastrophes as well as the ongoing problems associated with disruption of "normal life;" impact of bombing on daily life, the effects on children, the problems associated with leaving one's home and the status of being a refugee; the impact of war mobilization on families here in the US, on the soldiers themselves, as well as those left behind.
Dr. Leeder is a professor of sociology and dean of the School of Social Sciences. She has a Ph.D. from Cornell University, an M.P.H. from UC-Berkeley, and an M.S.W. from Yeshiva University.
Office: (707) 664-2120; e-mail: elaine.leeder@sonoma.edu
* WARTIME ECONOMY, ECONOMIC SANCTIONS, OIL PRICE FORECASTS,
REGIONAL ISSUES, POST-WAR IRAQI ECONOMY
ROBERT EYLER — how the American, California and local economies will react to a war in Iraq; potential reactions of the US economy to policies carried out domestically and how consumers may react to the war; possible post-war Iraqi economy and economy set-up, and the costs and issues involved with an UN/American occupation force and command over sources of oil.
Dr. Eyler is assistant professor of economics and the Director of The Center of Regional Economic Analysis at SSU. He teaches macroeconomic theory, econometrics, and money and banking, with a particular emphasis on financial markets and economic sanctions.
Office: (707) 664-4256; e-mail: crea@sonoma.edu.
* ENERGY AND NUCLEAR TECHNOLOGY AND POLICY, RENEWABLE ENERGY, ELECTRIC
POWER
DR. ALEXANDRA VON MEIER — various aspects of energy technology
and policy;
electric power, renewable resources, and nuclear energy; management and
reliability of the electric grid (including vulnerability of the grid
to terrorist attack); the performance, economics, and politics of renewable
energy (especially solar and wind power); and issues pertaining to nuclear
technology (including nuclear power plant operation, nuclear materials
management, proliferation and weapons issues, and nuclear politics).She
can comment on opportunities for reducing energy end-use throughout our
economy, especially with regard to decreasing U.S. dependence on fossil
fuels.
Dr. von Meier's technical background is in the area of electric power,
renewable resources, nuclear energy, energy efficiency and green building
design.
She is assistant professor in the Department of Environmental Studies
and Planning at Sonoma State University, where she teaches courses in
energy management and design, and Director of the Environmental
Technology Center. She has testified on energy policy before Congress.
Office: (707) 664-2430; e-mail vonmeier@sonoma.edu
* NATURE AND STRATEGIES OF BIO-TERRORISM
DR. JIM CHRISTMANN — the nature and strategies of bio-terrorism
and bio-warfare and how these threats are used to create hysteria. He
can discuss current scientific tools that can be used to track the source
of these agents and how the risks of infection can be managed.
A molecular geneticist in the biology department, Professor Christmann
has spent his career using recombinant DNA and biochemical techniques
studying gene function. He was drafted out of graduate school in 1969
and spent two years working on the means of detection of bio-warfare agents
while in the U.S. Army.
Office: (707) 664-3054; e-mail: james.christmann@sonoma.edu
* BIO-TERRORISM ORGANISMS AND VIRUSES
DR. EILEEN THATCHER — various aspects relating to pathogenic
organisms and viruses which may cause harm if used as agents of warfare
or terrorism. She can address issues relating to the characteristics of
the organisms and/or viruses; means of recognition; means of prevention
and control; durability in the environment; and potential for causing
damage in the population.
Dr. Thatcher teaches microbiology, bacteriology, medical microbiology,
virology, and immunology. In addition, she consults in the biotechnology
industry, particularly in areas relating to laboratory practices, and
to assay and protocol design.
Office: (707) 664-2931; e-mail: thatcher@sonoma.edu