HAMBURG, N.Y. – Post-deployment issues faced by U.S. military service members, including post traumatic stress disorder and reintegrating back to their families and communities, will be examined by leading experts at a one-day symposium being held at Hilbert College.
“The 2010 International First Responder-Military Symposium” will be held from 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Sept. 24 in Hilbert’s William E. Swan Auditorium.
Cutting-edge research on PTSD and other brain disorders will be discussed by Newton Howard, Ph.D., director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Mind Machine Project and chairman of the Center for Advanced Defense Studies.
Other featured speakers will be Louis French, Ph.D., a clinical neuropsychologist and director of the traumatic brain injury (TBI) service at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, who will address the broad spectrum of disabilities and treatment of individuals with TBI; Major Eduardo Suarez of the Minnesota National Guard Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program, who will talk about providing a comprehensive network for service members and military families to assist with the reintegration process; and John Violanti, Ph.D., research associate professor in the University at Buffalo Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, who will examine suicide and PTSD.
Keynote speaker will be terrorist expert Mathieu Guidere, Ph.D., professor at the University of Geneva, who will examine predictive profiling of lone bombers.
The one-day symposium is open to the public. Cost is $30, which includes continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments.
To register, contact Hilbert alumna Cindy Goss, conference coordinator, at 656-8641 or e-mail laweap@aol.com.
Symposium co-sponsors are the Hilbert Department of Criminal Justice and Institute for Law and Justice, Catch a Falling Star, the U.S. Attorney’s Office Western District of New York, Behavioral Health of the Palm Beaches, Inc., Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Program, Buffalo Professional Firefighters Association, Center for Advanced Defense Studies, Independent Health , New York State Cops 4 Cops, New York State Fraternal Order of Police, Niagara County Sheriff’s Office, Niagara Falls Police Department, Niagara Regional Police Association.