Self-Study Unit: Covering Terrorism

Elana Newman, Ph.D. is the McFarlin Professor of Psychology and Affiliate Faculty in Media Studies at the University of Tulsa; and Research Director of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma. Newman specializes in understanding and treating trauma-related conditions and training students and professionals from many professions about the skills they need to work effectively with people suffering from trauma-related problems. Her research in the field of traumatic stress has examined a wide range of topics including the physical and psychological effects of trauma exposure upon adults and children, health care costs and trauma, journalism and trauma, occupational health and trauma, research ethics in studying trauma survivors, correctional issues and trauma, and substance abuse and trauma. Newman’s work in journalism and trauma focuses on the occupational health of journalists, including safety, harassment, educational needs, coping with trauma exposure, ethics, and the impact of trauma news on consumers. 

She directs the creation of an online searchable database of articles related to journalism and trauma available at the Dart Center website. She also trains journalists on interviewing survivors, trauma-informed news management, covering traumatic events in local contexts including sexual violence on campus, self-care and occupational health, and general trauma information. Newman consults with journalists and documentary film makers about various ethical and professional trauma-related issues related to storytelling. Newman is a founding staff member of the Journalist Trauma Support Network to train qualified therapists to care for trauma-impacted journalists team members. She co-directed the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma’s’ first satellite office in NYC after 9-11. Newman is a past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Newman was one of the co-founders of the Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma.

Chris Bull is a book author and contributor to USA Today, The Washington Post Magazine and GQ. He was national correspondent for The Advocate where he covered congress, the White House, Supreme Court and federal agencies. He has written on hate crimes, political activism, and education issues.

Chris Bull is co-author of Perfect Enemies: The Battle between the Religious Right and the Gay Rights Movement and The Accidental Activist. He is co-editor of At Ground Zero: 25 Stories from Young Reporters Who Were There. Bull is a recipient of an Alicia Patterson Journalism Foundation Fellowship for 2000, the recipient of NLGJA Honors for a series of articles and a finalist for the Livingston Award.