The University of Houston has expanded faculty resources available to comment on the apparent terrorism attacks in New York and Washington, D.C. on Tuesday, Sept. 11. If you have any difficulty reaching these faculty members, please contact the UH External Communications Office at 713-743-8155.

Topics Covered:

Antiterrorism Legislation
Bioterrorism
Constitutional law
Counter-terrorism
Crisis communications
Economics
Energy
Historical analysis
International Finance
Legal impact
Media and Society
Military History
Rebuilding/Construction
Religion
Security/Civil Rights
Tall Buildings

Antiterrorism Legislation:
Michael Olivas
Professor of Law
713/743-2078 (office)
Molivas@uh.edu
Immigration Law

Sandra Guerra-Thompson
Professor of Law
713/743-2134 (office)
sguerra@central.uh.edu
Constitutional Law

David Dow
Professor of Law
713/320-3074 (cell)
713/743-2171 (office)
713/667-9931 (home
ddow@central.uh.edu
Dow can provide expert commentary on constitutional law as it applies to martial law, heightened security and infringements on civil rights in the wake of terrorist acts. Can also comment on what the United States might expect, what the government should do, and how martial law affects civil rights.

Bioterrorism:
Steven Blanke
Assistant Professor of Biology and Biochemistry
713/743-8392 (office)
sblanke@uh.edu
Blanke can comment about the feasibility of using biological agents as terrorist weapons.

Constitutional law:

Jordan Paust
University of Houston International Law Professor
713/ 743-2177

Paust is available to address questions and breakdown legal jargon regarding use of force and war powers under International and Constitutional law; the new use of force resolution; impermissibility of assassination and permissibility of self-defense targetings.

David Dow
Professor of Law
713/320-3074 (cell)
713/743-2171 (office)
713/667-9931 (home)
ddow@central.uh.edu
Dow can provide expert commentary on constitutional law as it applies to martial law, heightened security and infringements on civil rights in the wake of terrorist acts. Can also comment on what the United States might expect, what the government should do, and how martial law affects civil rights.

Counter-terrorism:

Raymond Ellis,
Lecturer, Conrad N. Hilton College
Director, Loss Prevention Management Institute
713/743-2448 (office)
rellis@uh.edu
Ellis has for 30-plus years been a leading spokesperson for the hotel, restaurant and transportation industry globally on counter-terrorism and security. Ellis organized and continues to be a member of the security directors task force of the American Hotel And Lodging Association and is a member of the Overseas Security Advisory Council to the U.S. Department of State

Crisis communications:

Martha Haun
Associate professor, UH School of Communications
713/743--2886 (office)
281/536-6250 (cell)
Can talk about how the attacks will create strong interpersonal bonding around the country; how the country will go into rescue mode; and how major urban areas will experience an increased fear factor which will bring people together.

Economics:

Barton Smith
Director, Institute for Regional Forecasting Professor of Economics
281/370-5125 (home)
bartsmith@aol.com
Smith can provide commentary on the economic impact of the tragedies in New York and Washington D.C.; available via phone and e-mail. His research areas include urban economics and economic impact analysis.

Energy:

Michelle Michot Foss
Director, Energy Institute/Bauer College of Business
713/743-4634 (office)
832/326-4370 (alternative office phone)
713/783-3512 (home)
mmfoss@uh.edu
Foss can provide commentary and analysis on business and public policy aspects of energy industry, including short- and long-term market demand and supply trends for fuels (oil, gas, electric power), as well as United States and North American energy trends.

Historical analysis:

Clifford Egan
Professor of History
713/743-3096 (office)
713/723-9383 (home)
Can provide expert commentary on United States diplomatic history and American military history with respect to terrorism.

Martin Melosi
Professor of History
713/743-3090 (office)
mmelosi@uh.edu
Can compare/contrast the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington D.C. with the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Robert Buzzanco
Professor of History
713/864-5704 (home)
713/743-3093 (office)
buzzanco@jetson.uh.edu
Can provide expert commentary on military history in the United States as it relates to aggressive retaliation and war. Author of the book Masters of War: Military Dissent and Politics in the Vietnam Era.

International finance:

Stephen Zamora
Professor of Law, UH Law Center
713/743-2255 (office)
713/526-1937 (home)
szamora@uh.edu
Zamora can discuss international financial transactions, money laundering, monetary relations and bank secrecy laws.

Legal impact:

Jordan Paust
Director of the International Law Institute
Professor of Law
713/743-2177 (office)
713/461-1198 (home)
jpaust@central.uh.edu
Can give comment on terrorism as it relates to International Law, and can provide insight on how the government responds to terrorist acts by using military force.

Media and Society:

Garth Jowett
Director, School of Communications
Professor of Communications
713/743-2884 (office)
713/747-5922 (home)
gjowett@uh.edu
Can speak about the impact of television on our perceptions of events like terrorist attacks and other current events.

Military History:

Robert Buzzanco
Professor of History
713/864-5704 (home)
713/743-3093 (office)
buzzanco@jetson.uh.edu
Can provide expert commentary on military history in the United States as it relates to aggressive retaliation and war. Author of the book Masters of War: Military Dissent and Politics in the Vietnam Era.

Rebuilding/Construction:

Cumaraswamy Vipulanandan ("Vipu")
Professor and Chair, Dept. of Civil and Environmental Engineering
713/743-4278
Can talk about construction materials and construction in general. He says before rebuilding or rehabilitation can begin in New York, damage to the buildings must be assessed, which could take months, and it will take years to rebuild the city.

Religion:

Lynn Mitchell
Associate Professor, Religious Studies
Resident Scholar in Religion
Coordinator of Religious Studies
713/692-8378 (home office)
LEM@neosoft.com
Jewish-Muslim-Christian Trialogue; religion, theology, ethics; American religion; religion and culture; religion and society; religion and politics; history of Christianity; history of religion in America.

Security/Civil Rights:

Peter Linzer
Professor of Law
713/743-2176 (office)
979/877-0808 (home)
plinzer@central.uh.edu
Available to provide commentary on security as a result of terrorism and infringement of civil rights as it pertains to constitutional law.

Tall Buildings:

Joseph Colaco (pronounced "Co-la-so")
Professor, Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture
President, CBM Engineers Inc.
713/629-1982
Can talk extensively about the future of tall buildings in the wake of the terrorist attacks. Can provide expert commentary on issues of vulnerability of tall buildings to terrorist attack.

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