By Chad Binette and Zenaida Gonzalez Kotola

Several University of Central Florida professors are available to speak with reporters about the five-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and other issues related to terrorism.

Reporters can contact the professors directly or contact university writers Chad Binette (407-823-6312 or cbinette@mail.ucf.edu ) or Zenaida Gonzalez Kotala (407-823-6120 or zkotala@mail.ucf.edu ) for assistance in reaching them.

Stephen Sloan, afellow in the UCF Global Perspectives office and a political science professor, has worked as a consultant on terrorism and peacekeeping issues to governments and corporations worldwide for three decades and has taught terrorism courses for 40 years. He is the author of "Terrorism: The Present Threat in Context," which was published in August. The book explores the history of terrorism since the French Revolution, the psychological effects of terrorism and how terrorism affects policy decisions at all levels of government.

Sloan can discuss the protracted nature of the war on terror and how the Sept. 11 attacks are an example of how "the actions of a small terrorist group are magnified through the lenses of the media to create an impact far beyond the number of individuals killed or injured." Sloan wrote the book to counter the "fear multiplication" that makes terrorism so effective. He also aims to help readers understand the context of the threat of terrorism so that they don't react to it primarily on an emotional level.

Contact: 405-821-2316 (cell), carlos@mail.ucf.edu

Pamala Griset, interim chairwoman of the Department of Criminal Justice and Legal Studies, is the co-author of the "Terrorism in Perspective" textbook. She teaches a graduate course on terrorism that explores several topics, including conventional terrorist tactics (such as hijackings and bombings), ecoterrorism, actions by left-wing and right-wing extremists in theUnited States and media ethics and responsibilities in reporting on terrorism. Griset is preparing a paper entitled "Ten Myths of Terrorism" to deliver at a national conference inSeattle. Those myths shape the social construction of terrorism and may hinder the development of sound public policy.

Contact: 407-823-5929 (office), 407-482-4112 (cell), griset@mail.ucf.edu

Abe Pizam, dean of the Rosen College of Hospitality Management, can discuss the impact of terrorism and fears about terrorism on the tourism industry. He is the editor of "Tourism, Security and Safety: From Theory to Practice," which examines prevention measures and crisis management issues for the hospitality industry.

Contact: 407-903-8010 (office) , 407-222-3242 (cell), apizam@mail.ucf.edu

K. Michael Reynolds, associate professor of Criminal Justice, teaches a graduate course in Criminal Justice Intelligence Analysis and uses the 9/11 Commission Report as one of his textbooks. He can discuss the importance of law enforcement agencies identifying terrorism risks proactively and improving their abilities to "connect the dots" by sharing information and intelligence at all levels of government. He believes law enforcement in the United States still has "a long way to go" to achieve that.

Contact: 407-823-2943 (office), kreynold@mail.ucf.edu

Naim Kapucu, assistant professor of Public Administration, can discuss the importance of intergovernmental relations, coordination and communication in official responses to terrorist acts. He uses the Sept. 11 response as a case study in his Homeland Security and Crisis Management courses. Kapucu wrote his doctoral dissertation on 9/11 response operations.

Contact: 407-823-6096 (office), 321-230-2304 (cell), nkapucu@mail.ucf.edu.

Houman Sadri, associate professor of Political Science, can discuss how theU.S. relationship has and hasn't changed with theMiddle East since Sept. 11 and the wars inIraq and Afghanistan.

Contact: 407-823-6023 (office), sadri@mail.ucf.edu

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