'Friendly fire' pilots -- amphetamines interfered with body time clocks
   Defense attorneys for two U.S. Air Force pilots recently argued that Air Force-issued amphetamines - known on the street as uppers or speed - clouded the pilots' judgment, causing them to accidentally bomb Canadian troops in Afghanistan last April. Amphetamine use, which interferes with the body's clock that dictates sleep, is commonly used by pilots to stay alert on long missions. Elliott Albers, a professor of biology and psychology at Georgia State, has researched biological clocks for decades and has served on a NASA advisory panel to address sleep deprivation in astronauts. He can discuss how interfering with biological clocks might affect judgments. Contact Albers at 404-651-2946 or biohea@panther.gsu.edu.

Legal safety 'net' needed to protect online consumers
   Protecting consumers against identity theft and privacy invasion is a growing concern in the world of e-commerce. Many gaps still exist in laws designed to protect consumers and govern online payment systems. Mark Budnitz, a professor of law, follows these issues closely and can discuss them in-depth. Contact him at 404-651-2135 or mbudnitz@langate.gsu.edu.

Be my Valentines?
   Although Western society overwhelmingly rejects polygamy, Patricia Dixon argues that African-American women should consider it. In her book We Want for Our Sisters What We Want for Ourselves , Dixon proposes that a shortage of marriageable African-American men, along with men's natural tendency to engage in multiple relationships makes polygyny (multiple wives) a viable option for the African-American community. She calls for African-American women to move toward "co-partnering" by building relationships on love, truth, community and ultimately "a womanist ethic of care for sisters." Contact Dixon, associate professor in African-American studies and co-founder of the African-American Relationships Institute, at 404-651-4882 or pdixon@aarelationshipsinstitute.com.

Female Mexican quake victims will likely experience greater psychological trauma
   As the death toll rises from an earthquake that rattled Mexico this month, residents struggle to find missing loved ones and gather belongings from destroyed homes. Georgia State researchers have studied how disasters such as earthquakes, floods and hurricanes impact citizens. In a study of post-disaster social support after Hurricane Paulina left 250 Mexican citizens dead in 1997, researchers found Mexican culture amplified female victims' post-traumatic stress. Women tended to avoid thoughts, people and places that reminded them of the hurricane more than men. Art Murphy, an anthropology professor, can discuss how culture and gender shape the experience of trauma, and how Mexican residents might cope with the most recent disaster. Contact him at 404-651-1758, 404-651-4350 or oaxaca@gsu.edu.

New auditing standards put companies under closer scrutiny
   Fallout from the accounting scandals that rocked Wall Street over the past year and a half continues to reverberate throughout corporate America. The Securities Exchange Commission is in the process of issuing new rules governing relationships between publicly-held companies and their auditors. One new requirement taking effect this year is that external auditors must attest to the efficacy of companies' internal accounting controls. William F. Messier, professor and director of the School of Accountancy, is actively involved in this regulatory process as a member of the Auditing Standards Board of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants. He can be reached at 404-651-4465 or bmessier@gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

Panel discussion: Media coverage of terrorism
   The 51st World Media Forum on Wednesday, Jan. 29 features a panel of 16 government and law enforcement officials from Latin America discussing the interaction of media and government in reporting on the war on terrorism and international crime. Co-sponsored by the Center for International Media Education at Georgia State University and the Georgia Council for International Visitors, the forum begins with a reception from 11:30 a.m. until noon, when the panel discussion will begin. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held in Room 150 of the College of Education Building at 30 Pryor Street. Contact Beth Flannigan at 404-651-3574 or bflannigan@gsu.edu for more information.

Symposium: Checks and balances in foreign affairs
   Georgia State University College of Law's 2003 Law Review Symposium Jan. 31 will discuss whether the U.S. Constitution grants the president or Congress primary authority in formulating foreign policy and making war - a timely topic as controversy rages over plans to battle Iraq. Titled "The President's Authority Over Foreign Affairs," the symposium will run from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. in the Student Center's Speaker's Auditorium (corner of Courtland and Gilmer streets). For more information, contact the Law Review office at 404-651-2047.

Lecture: The Hon. Ruth Bader Ginsberg to visit Georgia State
   U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will speak Feb. 13 as part of Georgia State University College of Law's Henry J. Miller Distinguished Lecture Series. Ginsburg's lecture, which starts at 5:30 p.m. at the Rialto Center for Performing Arts (corner of Forsyth and Luckie Streets), is titled "A Few Little Known Pages of Supreme Court History." A well-known pioneer for women's rights, Ginsburg became the second woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court in 1993.

Georgia State Leads is a biweekly email publication from the Department of University Relations. For more information about the publication or to sign up to receive Georgia State Leads, contact Beth Flannigan at 404-651-3574 or bflannigan@gsu.edu.

Don't see what you're looking for? Call University Relations at 404-651-3025 for fast access to faculty experts and university news. After hours and on weekends, contact Betsy Robertson, assistant director, via pager at 404-655-3456.

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