April 22, 2008
Kent Student Center
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The symposium will focus on how the looming nature of mass casualty circumstances in society today, especially the occurrence of unexpected violent incidents (e.g. terrorism, school shootings) and natural (e.g. infectious disease) or manmade catastrophes (e.g. chemical spills, war) has led to a sustained state of hypervigilance; and how hypervigilance affects individuals, institutions, and systems, and ultimately influences politics, practice and policy. This symposium will include a breakfast plenary session, breakout sessions, and a luncheon with a keynote speaker.

The symposium will highlight some of the best current research being conducted by Kent State faculty on how hypervigilance affects individuals, institutions, and systems, and ultimately, influences politics, practice and policy. Kent State faculty members at the forefront of this research are coordinating the symposium, including:

• Dr. Daniel Flannery, Director of the Institute for the Study and Prevention of Violence and Professor of Justice Studies
• Dr. Stevan Hobfoll, Distinguished Professor and Director Applied Psychology Center and Summa-KSU Center for the Treatment and Study of Traumatic Stress
• Dr. Chris Woolverton, Director of The Center for Public Health Preparedness and Professor of Biological Sciences