issues and experts
SFU 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Experts Directory
Welcome to the SFU 2020 U.S. Presidential Election Experts Directory. This directory is here to support media in finding and connecting with SFU experts during the election period and will be updated regularly to include new experts on topics of interest that may come up in the coming weeks.
Experts are currently available to speak on the following topics:
Communication
Sun-ha Hong, assistant professor, communications, 215.605.3493, 778.775.4856; sun_ha@sfu.ca
Topics: online disinformation, hate speech, online platform moderation, U.S. election
Maite Taboada, professor, linguistics, 778.782.5585; mtaboada@sfu.ca
Topics: gender representation in the coverage of the election, media coverage, fake news and misinformation, online comments
Jaime Lee Kirtz, postdoctoral fellow, Digital Democracies Institute, 303-638-8661, jaime_kirtz@sfu.ca
Topics: Platform policies and standards, toxicity, content moderation, algorithmic decision making and media, social media/platform crossover between Canada and the U.S.
Crime
Neil Boyd, professor, criminology, 778.782.3324; nboyd@sfu.ca
Topics: crime and media, drug policy, homicide, rates of crime in the U.S. and elsewhere
Business and Economy
Andrey Pavlov, professor, Beedie School of Business, 604.763.3696; apavlov@sfu.ca
Topics: economic-related issues, financial markets
Steeve Mongrain, professor and associate chair, economics, 778.782.3547; mongrain@sfu.ca
Topics: Taxation, welfare programs, unemployment insurance (*speaks French)
Environment
Deborah Harford, Executive Director of Adaption to Climate Change Team (ACT), 604.671.2449; Debbie_harford@sfu.ca
Topics: climate change impacts, risks and strategic solutions for U.S. election
Hendrik Wolff, associate professor, economics, 778.782.4109; Hendrik_wolff@sfu.ca
Topics: transportation, energy, environment, climate change (carbon taxes) issues
Health and Aging
John O’Neil, professor, Global and Indigenous Health, Faculty of Health and Sciences, 604.306.4987; joneil@sfu.ca
Topics: COVID-19 and public health issues impacting Indigenous Americans, Global Indigenous health
Politics
Anil (Andy) Hira, professor, political sciences, 778.782.3286; ahira@sfu.ca
Topics: the rise of populist leaders such as President Trump in 2016-17 and how times have changed through social movements and the effects of COVID-19; why the 2020 U.S. election will mark a historic turning point as the majority of Americans have a desire for systemic reform
Aaron Hoffman, associate professor, political science, 778.782.4162; aaron_hoffman@sfu.ca
Topics: U.S. foreign policy, the connection between foreign policy and the election, the chances of violence in the U.S. surrounding the election
Robert Adamson, lecturer, Beedie School of Business, 604.657.1213; radamson@sfu.ca, adamson.robert@me.com
Topics: political strategy and COVID-19 issues in U.S. and B.C. and Canada, the impact of vaccines and COVID issues on the US election, legal and constitutional issues about masks and vaccines, new rules in the workplace and other issues that may impact the election
Steven Weldon, associate professor, political science, 778.782.4995; sweldon@sfu.ca
Topics: U.S. election, the polls, the “horserace”, the states to watch, the key issues, the Senate race, campaigns, political parties, opinion polls, far right parties, politics of immigration and diversity
Samir Gandesha, associate professor, director, Department of Humanities, 604.726.6704; samir_gandesha@sfu.ca
Topics: policing, racial politics, authoritarianism/fascism/populism, crisis od liberal-democracy, identity politics, “cancel culture,” free speech/expression and academic freedom, corporatization of the university
Stewart Prest, lecturer, political science, 604.219.9309; stewart_prest@sfu.ca
Topics: the presidential and congressional races, implications of the election for Canada and Internationally
Comment Guidelines