Expert Alert
July 2006

Archive
Subscribe

Dangerous temperatures in the Twin Cities
July 31, 2006

Temperatures in the Twin Cities will hit the 100 degree mark today, as the heat wave that hit Minnesota continues to endanger people as well as animals. University of Minnesota experts who can talk about the heat, its potential dangers, and give tips on what to do, are:

John Shutske, professor and safety and health specialist with the University of Minnesota Extension Service
Shutske can give advice on how to avoid heat illness - especially when working outside. People that are in danger, according to Shutske, include agricultural and construction workers, those who work in the landscaping and horticultural industries, homeowners doing yard work, as well as joggers, hikers and those playing organized sports. Shutske has a number of tips that he can offer up on working outside and staying safe in the heat.

Kelly Tart and Justine Lee, U of M College of Veterinary Medicine emergency veterinarians
Tart and Lee treat pets suffering from heat related problems. They can give tips on how keep your pets safe in the heat.

To interview any of the experts above, contact Asim Dorovic at (612) 6124-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.

Excessive Heat Watch
July 28, 2006

The National Weather Service has issued an “excessive heat watch” for the Twin Cities. It has been issued for Saturday and Sunday, but the U’s climatologist Mark Seeley says that it will most likely be extended into next week. University of Minnesota experts who can talk about the heat, its potential dangers, and give tips on what to do, are:

Moira Novak, athletic trainer at the U’s intercollegiate athletics department
Novak is an expert in the area of heat exhaustion. She can comment on heat exhaustion, heat stroke/sunstroke, and hydration in general. Novak can provide excellent tips for people on what symptoms to watch out for, how to stay hydrated and how to properly exercise in this weather.

Kelly Tart and Justine Lee, U of M College of Veterinary Medicine emergency veterinarians
Tart and Lee are emergency veterinarians at the U, and they treat pets suffering from heat related problems. Tart and Lee can give tips on how keep your pets safe in the heat.

To interview any of the experts above, contact Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu, or Drew Swain at (612) 625-8962 or dswain@umn.edu.

Sarbanes-Oxley Act
July 27, 2006

As former Enron and WorldCom executives begin their prison terms or await sentencing, the corporate community and America’s economy are adjusting to the repercussions left after the scandals. Four years ago this week, federal legislators passed the Sarbanes-Oxley Act to combat such illegal practices that were permeating the business world. But who has been affected by such rules and regulations? How has the economy reacted? And what have corporations done to accommodate the act? University of Minnesota experts who can comment on the Sarbanes-Oxley Act are:

Ivy Zhang, accounting professor at the U of M's Carlson School of Management
Professor Zhang has been monitoring the effects of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act on the American economy for the past two years. Her research, the first of its kind, has documented the events after the passage of the law and found that markets have reacted negatively. Similarly, she has also studied Continental European firms’ voluntary adoption of the General Accepted Accounting Principles that United States’ companies abide by.

Brett McDonnell, professor at the University of Minnesota Law School
Professor McDonnell is analyzing the organizational structure of post Sarbanes-Oxley firms. His concentration is on the area of limits of corporate control and what role the board of directors plays in its independence from the business. In his other work, McDonnell studies mergers and acquisitions, securities regulations and corporate contracts. He has also been published in the Minnesota Law Review, the Yale Law Journal and the Antitrust Bulletin.

To interview Zhang or McDonnell, contact Drew Swain at (612) 625-8962 or dswain@umn.edu, or Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.

Boundary Waters Wildfire
July 20, 2006

The fire in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area has claimed almost 31 square miles of wilderness, and the battle to contain it continues. A University of Minnesota expert who can talk about the wildfire is:

Lee Frelich, director of the U of M’s Center for Hardwood Ecology
Frelich has done extensive research on forest fires and windstorm disturbance in remote wilderness areas such as the Boundary Waters Canoe Area in northern Minnesota and the Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park in Upper Michigan. While dangerous and destructive, Frelich would contend that this wildfire is a good thing, as it is critical for the regeneration of the forest, and that the current fire might not even be enough to regenerate the area.

To interview Frelich, contact Jeff Falk at (612) 626-1720 or jfalk@umn.edu, or Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu. Radio stations wishing to feature Frelich as a call-in guest, please submit timeslot and call-in number to jfalk@umn.edu.

Israel-Lebanon Crisis
July 14, 2006

Late last month, an Israeli soldier was kidnapped by Palestinian rebels on the Gaza-Israel border. In retaliation, Israeli forces struck back, demanding the release of their soldier. Now, two weeks later, the fighting has spread north to Lebanon with Hezbollah militants, and the region finds itself in another military conflict. University of Minnesota experts who can speak about the issues involved in this conflict are:

Michael Barnett, professor at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs
Barnett, a professor in international relations at the University of Minnesota, can comment on Middle Eastern politics. He can help decipher some of the complexity of the region's relations and history between the Middle Eastern states. Regarded as one of the nation's leading international relations scholars, his work in Arab-Israeli affairs has been published in World Politics, International Studies Quarterly and the European Journal of International Relations.

Oren Gross, professor at the University of Minnesota Law School
Oren Gross is the Irving Younger Professor of Law and the Director of the Minnesota Center for Legal Studies at the University of Minnesota Law School. He is an internationally recognized expert in the areas of national security law, international law and international trade. He is also an expert on the Middle East and the Arab-Israeli conflict. Prior to coming to the University of Minnesota, Gross was a member of the faculty of the Tel Aviv University Law School in Israel. Gross is currently in Tel Aviv.

To interview Barnett or Gross, contact David Ruth at (612) 702-9473 or druth@umn.edu.

Heat Wave in Minnesota
July 13, 2006

A potentially dangerous heat wave is hitting Minnesota, and people, pets, lawns, and crops all across the state might suffer. University of Minnesota experts who can talk about the heat wave, its potential dangers, and what to do, are:

Mark Seeley, climatologist with the U's department of soil, water, and climate
Seeley, a climatologist at the U, can comment on this heat from a meteorological perspective. Seeley says, “there won't be any 'ifs' and 'buts' - the next four to six days will be very stressful for people.” Seeley also says that Minnesota has not experienced a heat wave of this length and intensity in more than a decade, and some parts of the state have not gone through something like this since 1988. His prediction is that this heat will last at least until Monday or Tuesday next week. Seeley can give tips on how to deal with the heat, what precautions to take and how to ensure our neighbors, the elderly and our families stay safe.

Jeff Todd and Justine Lee, emergency veterinarians with the U's College of Veterinary Medicine
Todd and Lee are University of Minnesota College of Veterinary Medicine emergency veterinarians, and they treat pets suffering from heat related problems. They can give tips on how to take care of your pets during this heat wave, and how to avoid potentially dangerous overheating.

Moira Novak, athletic trainer at the U's intercollegiate athletics department
Novak is an expert in the area of heat exhaustion. She can comment on heat exhaustion, heat stroke/sunstroke and hydration in general. Novak can provide excellent tips for the public on what symptoms to watch for, how to stay hydrated, and how to properly exercise in this weather.

Bob Mugaas, professor and extension educator with the U of M's Extension Regional Center in Farmington
Mugaas is a regional extension educator in horticulture, and his area of expertise is turf grass science and management. He can talk heat waves and lawns, and he can give tips on what can be done to alleviate dead lawns, especially in regards to watering bans that some cities are starting to enforce. Mugaas can also talk about general lawn issues such as sustainability, natural lawns, low input lawn care, environmentally responsible lawn care, chemical and non-chemical weed control and lawn care for protecting water quality.

Dave Nicolai, extension educator with U of M's Extension Regional Center in Hutchinson
Nicolai is a regional extension educator in crops, and his area of expertise is corn and soybeans. He can discuss the issues farmers are facing across the state related to the heat, their crops and the lack of rain. He can comment on when this could become a serious issue and potential economic damage.

To interview any of the experts above, contact Drew Swain at (612) 625-8962 or dswain@umn.edu, or Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.

G8 Summit and Russian Democracy
July 12, 2006

With President Bush in Russia and the G8 Summit about to happen in St. Petersburg, Russian President Putin and U.S. Vice President Cheney have been taking “shots” at each other over Russia’s brand of democracy. A University of Minnesota professor who can talk about the G8 Summit and Russian democracy is:

Evelyn Davidheiser, director of the Institute for Global Studies at the University of Minnesota
Davidheiser is the director of the U’s Institute for Globals studies, and her area of expertise includes foreign relations and the democratization of Russia. She can comment on the significance of the G8 Summit happening in Russia, Russia’s desire to be a player in the West, and what we should be watching for in the Bush-Putin relationship.

To interview Davidheiser, contact Asim Dorovic at (612) 624-0214 or dorovic@umn.edu.