MTSU faculty and staff experts recently shared their expertise with national media outlets on various subjects related to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as topics such as football player recruitment, electron clouds, vinyl siding and the presidential race.

Dustin Royston

Stephen B. Smith

• Dustin Royston, defensive line coach and recruiting coordinator for the MTSU football team, explained how the COVID-19 outbreak is slowing down the recruitment of new players in a March 27 article in the Pensacola (Florida) News-Journal. His remarks can be accessed here.

• Steve Smith, chair of the MTSU Board of Trustees, said the panel is practicing social distancing due to the COVID-19 outbreak by holding meetings in cyberspace in a March 29 story in the Daily News Journal of Murfreesboro, Tennessee. His comments are available here.

Dr. Daniel Smith

Dr. Ben Stickle

• Dr. Daniel Smith, an associate professor of economics and director of the Political Economy Research Institute, assessed the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on rural communities in a March 29 story in the Knoxville News-Sentinel, The Tennessean and other newspapers. His views can be read here.

• Dr. Ben Stickle, an associate professor of criminal justice administration, anticipated an increase in online scams due to the COVID-19 outbreak in a March 30 article in U.S. News and World Report. His remarks can be accessed here.

Stickle also authored an article on his research into porch piracy that was published April 1 in The Conversation. The article can be read here.

• Dr. Katie Foss, a professor in the School of Journalism and Strategic Media, analyzed the COVID-19 outbreak’s impact on late night television programs for a March 30 article in Variety. Her views are available here.

Dr. Katie Foss

Foss also penned an article on how prior epidemics have shaped American lifestyles that was published April 1 by Smithsonian Magazine. Her writing can be accessed here.

Foss commented on the ongoing discussion about whether to wear masks during the COVID-19 pandemic for an April 1 story in the Philadelphia Inquirer. The article can be read here.

Foss also wrote an article on how to juggle domestic gender roles during the pandemic that was published April 7 at www.styleblueprint.com. Her views can be accessed here.

Foss was interviewed by WGN-AM in Chicago about why people have great difficulty self-quarantining during the COVID-19 pandemic. The audio, which was posted April 7, can be heard here.

Dr. Preston MacDougall

Danielle Rochelle

• Dr. Preston MacDougall, a professor of chemistry, delivered a lecture titled “Up in the Electron Clouds” that was posted March 31 by Finding Genius Podcast. The audio is available here.

• Danielle Rochelle, coordinator of outreach programs and services and manager of the MTSU Student Food Pantry, explained how the pantry is continuing to serve students during the COVID-19 outbreak in an April 1 report by WSMV-TV in Nashville. The video can be seen here.

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee

Dr. John Vile

• Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, MTSU president, hailed the university’s delivery of gallons of free milk to Murfreesboro City Schools’ food buses during the COVID-19 outbreak in an April 1 report by WSMV-TV in Nashville. The video can be accessed here.

• Dr. John Vile, dean of the University Honors College and political scientist, discussed the government’s response to COVID-19 and the presidential race on the April 1 edition of “MorningLine” on NewsChannel5+. The video can be viewed here.

Dr. Dwight Patterson

Kent Syler

• Dr. Dwight Patterson, an associate professor of chemistry, explained the relatively low risk of vinyl siding to the environment in an April 2 story for Consumer Reports. His comments can be read here.

• Kent Syler, a professor of political science and international relations, explained how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the political races in this election year in an April 5 story in the Chattanooga Times Free Press. His comments are available here.

Dr. Debra Sells

Tom Neff

• Dr. Debra Sells, vice president of student affairs and vice provost for enrollment services, discussed virtual recruiting efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic in an April 6 report for WZTV-TV in Nashville. The transcript and video can be seen here.

• Tom Neff, an assistant professor of media arts, examined viewers’ fascination with the Netflix series “Tiger King” for an article published April 6 by www.justthenews.com. The story can be read here.

Dr. Ryan Korstange

Craig Havighurst

• Dr. Ryan Korstange, an assistant professor of university studies, outlined ways to stay motivated while studying at home in an article he wrote for The Conversation. The story was published April 7 and can be read here.

• Craig Havighurst, a content producer for MTSU radio station WMOT-FM, penned a tribute to the late musician John Prine that was posted April 7 at www.wmot.org. The essay is available here.

Nick Satinover

• Nick Satinover, an associate professor of art and design, explained how he employs what he learned at Normal Editions, a nonprofit print research facility, in the classes he teaches at MTSU for an April 7 article at www.illinoisstateuniv.edu. His comments can be accessed here.

Reporters seeking expertise from MTSU personnel, as well as members of the campus community with expertise for media, may contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Media Relations at 615-898-5081 or via email at gina.logue@mtsu.edu.