MTSU faculty and staff recently provided the media with their perspectives on various issues, from porch pirating to politics and dyslexia to dinosaurs.

• Dr. Amy Sayward, history professor, talked with The Sun Times in Fairfield, Montana, Sept. 14 about the debate over using nitrogen for executions. Read the article here. Sayward was also tapped for her expertise on the United Nations in an article published Sept. 21 in La Figaro, a French daily newspaper.

• Political science professor Kent Syler shared thoughts about Tennessee’s 2024 U.S. Senate race in this article that appeared Sept. 18 in The (Nashville) Tennessean.

• Ken Paulson, director of the Free Speech Center at MTSU and a First Amendment lawyer, was tapped for commentary about Clarksville’s move to opt out of Tennessee’s Sunshine Law in this Tennessean article from Sept. 18. On Sept. 25, Paulson talked about attacks on free speech in American schools in this Boston.com article.

• Dr. Ben Stickle, criminal justice professor, talked with numerous media outlets about the problems of porch pirates. On Sept. 20, Stickle talked with Rochester, New York, ABC affiliate KAAL-TV about how to prevent porch pirates. Watch his commentary. Stickle debates the validity of doorbell cameras in the prevention of porch pirating in this CNBC article on Sept. 21. Watch his appearance Sept. 25 on Good Morning America.

• Dr. Tim Odegard, a professor of psychology and holder of MTSU’s Murfree Chair of Excellence in Dyslexic Studies, talked about dispelling myths around dyslexia at the Sept. 23 Understanding Early Literacy Conference and was featured in an article about the event. In a Sept. 25 BusinessWire article, Odegard talked about the new dyslexia center at Vanderbilt University. 

• Dr. Chuck Higgins, professor of astronomy and co-founder of Radio JOVE, explained how citizens scientists can join a “Ring of Fire” eclipse experiment in this Sept. 24 Popular Science article.

• Alan Brown, geosciences lecturer and co-founder of the Earth Experience: Middle Tennessee Museum of Natural History, talked with Murfreesboro.com about a newly garnered triceratops skull now on display. Watch the video from Sept. 27.

• Dr. John Vile, Honors College dean and political science professor, and fellow political science professor Kent Syler co-wrote a guest column Oct. 5 in The Tennessean about predictions for the 2024 presidential election. Read their commentary.

• Dr. Jackie Gilbert, professor of management, and Dr. Kristie Abston, associate professor of management, were featured in WalletHub’s article Oct. 5 about states where unemployment claims are decreasing. Read Gilbert’s commentary here. Abston’s commentary can be found here.

• Dr. Sean P. Salter, associate professor of finance, shared budgeting tips for the holiday season in this Bankrate article Sept. 26. He talked with Bankrate about the risks of digital wallets in this Oct. 6 article. Salter also participates in a weekly Bankrate poll. You can follow weekly updates.

• Melissa Cohen, economics and finance lecturer, gave expert advice on credit card use for college students in this WalletHub article from Oct. 9.

— Nancy DeGennaro (Nancy.DeGennaro@mtsu.edu)