DENTON (UNT), TEXAS—The University of North Texas has subject matter experts who can offer opinions and answer questions about:
- The incidence, distribution and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health during a global crisis
- COVID-19 impacts on the 2020 Presidential Election and how presidential leadership style can influence public response during crisis
- The short- and long-term impact COVID-19 could have on our economy
- Tips for families as they try to continue their children’s education from home
- The importance of documenting individual experiences during this moment in history
- America’s online infrastructure and how the addition of millions of workers can affect speeds
- Technology for students learning at home
- Media coverage of COVID-19
- How COVID-19 is affecting the sport entertainment industry
- The short- and long-term impact COVID-19 could have on real estate
- Tips for families on helping special populations, therapeutic play and utilizing public resources like online libraries
- Food preparation and cooking with all ages
- FDA science and research procedures
- Professor and Dean of the College of Health and Public Service
- Chumbler is a recognized expert in the field of health services research. His research centers on applying information technology to healthcare and the remote delivery of health services through telehealth technologies to improve access to and quality of care. He can address the incidence, distribution, and possible control of diseases and other factors relating to health during a global crisis and special healthcare concerns for U.S. aging populations.
- Professor and Chair in the Department of Political Science
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Eshbaugh-Soha specializes in the presidency and mass media and public policy. He can talk about how the virus is impacting the 2020 Presidential Election and how presidential leadership style can influence public response during crisis.
- Professor in the Department of Economics and Director of the Economics Research Group
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Carroll specializes in Regional Economic Development Theory, regional policy, political economy and history of economic thought. He can discuss the short- and long-term impact COVID-19 could have on our economy.
- Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Clayton is a pedagogical expert. She can address anything relating to teaching such as remote learning, the importance of mindfulness, protected time, scheduling and staying on task, finding normalcy when working from home, practicing compassion and student and faculty resources.
- Associate Professor in the Department of History
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Stockdale is using the pandemic as a lesson for students to understand the importance of primary source accounts in documenting history. She is encouraging her students to keep a record of their experience whether that’s through writing, art, music or another medium to collectively create an archive that future generations can use to understand what it was like to live during this moment in our history.
- Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering
- College of Engineering
- Dantu spent the last 30 years studying the internet and network traffic management and has industrial experience in designing network equipment. He can address America’s online architecture and discuss what effect the addition of millions of students and remote workers will have on the internet itself. Dantu can discuss whether or not the internet can handle the load with millions of students and workers moving online, America’s online infrastructure and what large broadband users can do to help increase speed for all users.
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Learning Technologies
- College of Information
- Hayes has spent her career developing and evaluating technology used for learning in formal and informal settings. Prior to coming to UNT, she led design, development, testing and implantation teams for virtual reality, augmented reality, mixed reality and “gamified” learning technology. Hayes works to encourage students of all levels to pursue STEM education and careers. Ray can address technology for students learning from home, optimize learning through a home virtual reality experience and learning games and online resources.
- Lecturer in the Mayborn School of Journalism
- Loftis has taught science, environmental and health reporting, public affairs reporting, U.S. media history, and other topics relevant to the coronavirus crisis. He is a veteran journalist focusing on science, the environment and health. He has written about epidemics and other health risks, public health and public health policy, disasters and emergency planning and other relevant topics. He is comfortable speaking about media coverage, public health policy, disaster preparedness, and political responses regarding the coronavirus crisis.
- Lecturer in the Mayborn School of Journalism
- McElroy’s professional background is primarily in television news. She can provide insight about media innovation during a time when traditional reporting practices have been significantly disrupted:
- how innovation raises new ethical issues and concerns about the way reporters interact with government sources
- concerns that new norms could damage transparency moving forward
- media literacy of the general public, especially in regards to sorting through what is a credible source while being flooded with information.
- Principal Lecturer in the Mayborn School of Journalism
- Foote has previously worked at The Miami Herald, The Washington Post, The Dallas Morning News, the Belo Corporation and the Tom Joyner Morning Show. He is president of the National Black Public Relations Society, chairman of the National Kidney Foundation Serving North Texas, a past chairman of the National Association of Multicultural Media Executives and a longstanding member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
- He has recently participated in webinars for the National Association of Black Journalists and CommPro.biz on best practices for communicators during COVID-19.
- He can speak about how companies can best respond to the crisis, effective messaging strategies during crisis situations for companies and governments and the role of journalists in covering a major crisis.
- Dean at Mayborn School of Journalism
- Miller’s research and role in news producing have touched some of the nation’s biggest headlines, including Ebola, the BP oil disaster and Hurricane Katrina. With an expertise in crisis communication, she can discuss how journalists communicate in crisis and how public relations experts can communicate in crisis, as well as the importance of local news in crisis.
- Director of Sport Management
- G. Brint Ryan College of Business
- Heere has research expertise in the social impact of sport on society and has worked with teams and federations around the world, including Fulham FC, AFC Ajax Amsterdam, the Shanghai Sports Federation and the Aruban Ministry of Health and Sport. He has conducted research across five continents and worked alongside researchers from at least 20 countries. He is also President of the North American Society for Sport Management.
- He can discuss the effects of COVID-19 on the sport entertainment industry.
- Adjunct Professor of Real Estate
- G. Brint Ryan College of Business
- Moffitt is a licensed appraiser, real estate seller and appraisal instructor in the state of Texas. He has more than 15 years of professional experience in the DFW metroplex and can speak about topics related to the effect of COVID-19 on real estate.
- Director of the UNT Center for Play Therapy
- College of Education
- Ray started her educational journey in the counseling field, specializing in adolescents in the school setting. She received her Ph.D. at the University of North Texas where she also discovered play therapy.
- She can discuss engaging children in educational and therapeutic play at home, helping children understand a crisis situation such as COVID-19 and children and school counseling
- Chair in the Department of Learning Technologies
- College of Information
- Tyler-Wood is the Department Chair in Learning Technologies and also has four decades of experience in special education. She is certified in K-12 special education and is a guardian ad litum for adults with special needs. Tyler-Wood’s research includes assessing and determining the appropriate curriculum for special needs populations.
- Tyler-Wood can address what happens to special needs populations during a crisis, home learning for students with disabilities and resources available.
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Information Science
- College of Information
- Evans is an expert in library services for youth, literature for youth and pop culture and fan studies. She can discuss what online library services home-bound students can use to keep up with current events, get help with studies and discover new, interesting subjects. Evan is also in the process of putting together a list of child, teen and young adult literature that will provide thoughtful entertainment for everyone.
- Evans can discuss exciting library services online for students of all ages, why libraries offer these services – it’s not just during COVID19 – and youth literature and fan fiction.
- Professor in the Department of Kinesiology, Health Promotion and Recreation
- College of Education
- Mcfarlin can discuss how people can maintain their health at home through home-based work out programs and nutrition. McFarlin’s research focuses on the interaction between the immune system, illness and exercise.
- Assistant Professor in the Department of Sociology
- College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences
- Scarborough studies gender, race and class inequality. In relation to COVID-19, he can discuss how school closings and the increased parenting burden may exacerbate existing work inequalities by race and gender. He also can talk about how this will affect economic inequality in U.S. over the long haul given what we know about the workers most affected and with least supports in the present.
- Chef General Manager of Mean Greens Café
- UNT Dining Services
- Ward can offer tips on food preparation and ways to use the cooking process as a fun, interactive and educational experience for all ages. Plus, he has ideas on ways to inspire new dishes as people are staying home and cooking more.
- Vice President for Research and Innovation
- McLellan was a member of the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s Science Board for 10 years before leaving in January 2019. He served during the Ebola crisis, as well as serving as Chair of the board for his final three years. He is a recognized leader in university research administration and was previously president of the 28,000-member Institute of Food Technologists. He can speak about FDA science and research procedures.
- Senior Director of the Murphy Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation
- McCarry has previously worked at Nestle as a Senior Group Internal Auditor, where he conducted operational and financial audits across three continents and ten countries, managed a venture capital portfolio in a Hong Kong family office and served in the United States Marine Corps. He can comment on the needs of small and startup businesses and the impact of COVID-19 on the availability of capital for new ventures.
For virtual interviews with any of our experts please contact Kris Muller by email at kris.muller@unt.edu, or by cell at 281-704-7739.