Election Experts in Demand

The lead-up to November’s midterm elections gave Seattle University experts plenty of opportunities to speak to the media on some of the country’s most pressing issues.

Patrick Schoettmer, associate teaching professor in political science, was a go-to source for all things elections, speaking to KCPQ, KOMO and KING 5, as well as Cascadia Daily. Just for good measure, he also spoke to KOMO about remarks Seattle mayor Katie Wilson made about Gaza at a town hall and KING 5’s Joyce Taylor about impacts of foreign elections on the United States.

Assistant Professor of Law Erin Carr talked to KOMO about the limits of presidential power and to KING 5 about the legal ramifications for illegally voting. Kelli Rodriguez, director of Seattle University’s sports law program, was interviewed by The Seattle Times about how the Washington ballot measure impacting transgender girl student-athletes could set up a legal battle.

Jill La Pointe, executive director of SU’s Indigenous Peoples Institute, was featured on KIRO TV about efforts to revitalize the ancestral Lushootseed language. Director of the MBA in Sport and Entertainment Management program Natalie Welch was interviewed by The Guardian about the impact the Connecticut Sun WNBA team relocating will have on Native American fans.

Associate Teaching Professor of Mechanical Engineering Eric Gilbertson’s research on the impacts of climate change on mountain peaks continued to get attention around the country. He was featured in the Tacoma News Tribune, Good Day Oregon and Bridge Michigan.

The botched execution of Christa Pike in Tennessee received extensive global coverage and Teaching Professor of Law Michael Russo, who has experience in capital cases, was quoted in stories that were picked up worldwide including in The Mirror. Also in the realm of law, Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice Senior Director Jessica Levin spoke to KUOW about the role of the state supreme court and how it differs from the U.S. Supreme Court. Pilar Margarita Hernández Escontrías, research director for SU Law’s Center for Civil Rights and Critical Justice, was interviewed by the Redmond Reporter about the Department of Education’s decision to rescind Title IX protections for LGBTQ students.

Criminal justice professor and Director of the Crime and Justice Research Center Jackie Helfgott was interviewed by the Daily Mailabout if the show Dexter teaches people how to kill. Helfgott also wrote a piece about a serial killer exhibit that came to town for The Seattle Times and the annual Seattle Public Safety Survey that Helfgott helps administer, which was covered by several stations including FOX 13.

Economics Professor Joseph Phillips was interviewed by KIRO twice—on AI’s impacts on jobs at Kroger and about Microsoft offering 60,000 employees voluntary exits.

Adjunct Political Science Professor Yasir Zaidan spoke to BBC Newshour about the use of drones in warfare in Sudan. Zaidan also spoke to NPR and the  War on the Rocks podcast about the subject.

KING 5 reported on Seattle University Law students working to help people held in ICE detention facilities and The Seattle Times wrote about a new exhibit at Seattle’s Museum of History and Industry about the history of basketball in Seattle that will include SU memorabilia.