Wayne State University has several experts who can talk about issues related to the explosions at the Boston Marathon.
Richard Chasdi is an adjunct professor at the Center for Peace and Conflict Studies at Wayne State University and an adjunct associate professor of political science at the University of Windsor. Dr. Chasdi is the author of three books on terrorism and counterterrorism, his latest being Counterterror Offensives for the Ghost War World: The Rudiments of Counterterrorism Policy (Lexington Books, 2010). He has been invited to provide his expertise on counterterrorism to an international arena: Last October he took part in the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism’s (ICT) 11th Annual International Conference discussing the value of targeted killings of terrorists.
Cynthia Bir is a WSU professor and biomedical engineering researcher. She is available to comment on ballistics and the biomechanics of injuries after an impact.
Matt Seeger, professor and dean of the College of Fine, Performing and Communication Arts, is an expert in crisis communications and can discuss crisis and emergency communications.
Jonathan Weinberg, professor of law and an expert in immigration law, is available to answer questions about how the Boston bombing case might affect sweeping immigration reform proposals now before Congress.
Anthony Cacace (professor of communication science and disorders), John Woodard (professor of psychology) and Mark Haacke (professor of radiology and director of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging Institute for Biomedical Research) are collaborators on a $1.5 million Department of Defense grant and a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs grant looking at several effects of blast injuries.
Cacace can speak about hearing loss, tinnitus and vestibular issues such as balance loss.
Woodard can talk about tinnitus and the effect blast injuries have on cognitive functions, such as memory and reaction time.
Haacke can talk about how advanced imaging is helping scientists better understand the effect of blast injuries, which have been poorly understood.