Georgia State University News & Events

University Relations Tip Sheet - May 4, 2004

Professor: War in Iraq will dominate talks at G-8 summit
When leaders from the world's major industrial democracies descend on Sea Island, Ga., for the Group of Eight summit June 8-10, global economic issues will likely take a backseat to the war in Iraq, says a Georgia State University political scientist. "The G-8 summit in 2004 will have the whole issue of Iraq and Afghanistan in the background," says Henry "Chip" Carey, an associate professor of political science. "Normally, G-8 summits are focused on economic questions. But invariably, political issues of importance are discussed when such important heads of states are gathered together. And given the United States' urgent need for multilateral cooperation, one that was not anticipated originally when the war planning was undertaken, President Bush will try to convince his colleagues that they all need to pitch in." Contact Carey at 404/651-4845 or polhfc@langate.gsu.edu.

Peterson's character on trial
Possessing only circumstantial evidence, prosecutors will likely paint Scott Peterson as a man with deep character flaws while trying him for the murder of his pregnant wife, Laci, says Georgia State University law professor Mark Kadish. Information about Peterson's actions both before and after his wife's death - including the revelation that he was having an affair with a massage therapist - may be used to influence jurors, Kadish says. "The pictures of him and the other woman sure don't make him look like a nice person," says Kadish, a noted criminal-law expert who's available to comment on developments in the trial. "The most damaging thing is that he was out there fishing on the day his wife disappeared in San Francisco Bay." Contact Kadish at 404/651-2094 (office), 404/252-7799 (home), 404/317-8908 (cell), or mkadish@gsu.edu.

Communities need to prepare volunteers for disaster
In addition to working on a national scale to prevent future terrorist attacks, public officials should direct more resources toward helping local communities plan for disasters, says William Waugh, professor of public administration and urban studies at Georgia State University. He advocates building teams of civilians who are trained to help police officers, fire fighters and other first responders deal not only with terrorist attacks, but also other types of crises. "It's more effective than spending a lot of money on more police," says Waugh, a renowned international expert on terrorism and disaster management. The U.S. government is encouraging Americans to participate in such disaster-preparedness efforts, but communities need to figure out how to organize and train these volunteers, Waugh says. Contact him at 404/651-4592 (office), 404/377-8173 (home), or wwaugh@gsu.edu.

Study shows crime rates can be misleading
Police and other public officials - especially in cities with high crime rates - often complain that rankings of "dangerous" metropolitan areas are misleading because of the presence or lack of social problems that can contribute to lawlessness, including poverty and unemployment. A new study completed by researchers at Georgia State University, the University of Missouri-St. Louis and Carnegie Mellon University accounts for such socio-economic factors - and reveals important changes in national homicide rankings. "The model produces a more meaningful comparison of city homicide levels, especially for providing insight into the effectiveness of criminal justice policies and programs," says Robert Friedmann, a professor of criminal justice at Georgia State and principal investigator for the project. Results showed that some cities with high murder rates actually ranked lower than other cities previously considered "safe." Based on the model created by the researchers, San Francisco had the highest homicide rate in 2003, even though it's considered one of the safest cities in the country by FBI standards. The homicide study was conducted as part of the Improving Crime Data Project, which is funded by the National Institute of Justice. For more information on the study, visit: www.cjgsu.net/initiatives/HomRates-PR-2004-05-14.htm. Contact Friedmann at 404/651-3515 or cjmail@gsu.edu.

Camera ready: Keeping summer memories from fading
Summer is a shutterbug's delight - from vacations and weddings to graduations and Father's Day, opportunities abound to snap away. Georgia State University photo archivist Peter J. Roberts can offer tips for keeping photos around and looking good long after the sun sets. To store pictures, Roberts recommends avoiding photo albums that feature "magnetic" pages, because over time the adhesive backing can fuse to the prints. Instead, he says, look for albums that feature acid-free pages or archival plastic to prevent damage, and store them in a cool, dry location (not attics or basements). He reminds gadget gurus fond of digital images to keep an eye on the market, transferring pictures to new storage devices as the technology advances. "Otherwise, newer players may not recognize the media you've saved your photos on," he says. For more, contact Roberts at 404/651-3890 or libpjr@langate.gsu.edu.

Happening at Georgia State University:

'The MAN Show' highlights young artists
The Ernest G. Welch School of Art and Design Gallery presents "The MAN Show," featuring the work of five young male artists from the Atlanta area: Jason Butcher (animated drawings); Angus Galloway (sound art); Paul Rodecker (printmaking); Ryan Roth (painting); and Addison Will (photography). Galloway, Rodecker and Will are graduate students at Georgia State University. Butcher recently graduated with a bachelor of fine arts degree from Georgia State, while Roth earned a master's in fine art from the University of Georgia in 2003. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Saturday. The show, which opened June 3, runs through August 6. For more information, visit www.gsu.edu/artgallery or call 404/651-0489.

Dinner and a concert at City Grill
The Georgia State University School of Music and City Grill are offering a gourmet three-course dinner, accompanied by operatic performances by singers from the Harrower Summer Opera Workshop under the artistic direction of W. Dwight Coleman, on June 20. The dinner, which benefits Georgia State's opera studies program, will be at the City Grill (50 Hurt Plaza). Tickets are $75, $45 of which is tax-deductible. Reservations are requested by June 10, and may be made by calling 404/651-1326.

Workshop students perform opera scenes
The three-week Harrower Summer Opera Workshop concludes with two performances of opera scenes, including selections from Marc Blitzstein's Regina, Menotti's The Old Maid and the Thief and The Saint of Bleecker Street, Douglas S. Moore's The Ballad of Baby Doe, Charpentier's Louise, Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites, Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro and Così fan tutte, and Rossini's The Barber of Seville, as well as the entirety of Donizetti's one-act Rita, sung in Italian, on the Sunday performance. Performances are at 7:30 p.m. June 25 and 3 p.m. June 27 at the Kopleff Recital Hall (corner of Peachtree Center Avenue and Gilmer Street). Tickets are $10 general admission and $5 for students with ID and may be purchased at the door. For more information, call the Georgia State University School of Music at 404/651-3676.

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