Haitian Tragedy: Faculty Experts Available for Commentary

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- University at Buffalo faculty -- including earthquake engineering, disaster, trauma and communication experts -- are available to discuss the tragic earthquake in Haiti.

A listing of the experts and their commentary is available at http://newstips.buffalo.edu.

Several of the worst possible ingredients have combined to create the disaster that resulted from Tuesday's 7.0 earthquake in Haiti, says UB's Andre Filiatrault, PhD, a leading expert on earthquake resilience and shake-table testing of structural and nonstructural buildings.

"A massive catastrophe like the Haiti earthquake has immediate and long-term effects on mental and physical health beyond the direct injuries and illnesses suffered during the event and its aftermath," cautions Steven L Dubovsky, MD, UB professor and chair of psychiatry.

"We're seeing some very successful initiatives using social media for large-scale mobilization of resources," says UB's Michael Stefanone, an expert on the use of social media and its impact on how information is used and disseminated.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.