World Class Faculty & Research / March 15, 2011

UMD Business Experts Available for Comment on Japan Tsunami Aftermath

Experts on business and the economy at the University of Maryland’s Robert H. Smith School of Business are available to comment on the aftermath of the earthquake and devastating tsunami in Japan. Smith School experts can address the economic consequences and energy policy impacts; the use of technology and social media in disaster response; and the impact of the events on the bond market. The Smith School has a fiber-linked ReadyCam broadcast studio on premises for live and taped interviews.

Louiqa Raschid on technology applications for disaster response:

Areas of expertise:

  • Use of technology-based solutions in disaster response
  • The application of information technology to address humanitarian challenges
  • Humanitarian open-source software products -- Google’s Person Finder, Ushahidi, Sahana

Contact: Louiqa Raschid, professor of information systems; louiqa@rhsmith.umd.edu
240-423-9212 (mobile); www.rhsmith.umd.edu/doit/faculty/raschid.aspx.

Peter Morici on economic consequences and impacts on energy policy:

“Gross domestic product, which measures goods and services produced, will immediately dive in Japan and stay lower through the second and into the third quarters of 2011, but will then surge as construction and spending on capital equipment to rebuild drives up growth. Overall, however, Japan will be poorer, for this disaster. Lost infrastructure, factories and the like will be replaced but wealth is the sum of what citizens and governments own—those include physical assets like those just noted and financial wealth, namely securities and cash. Rebuilding will run down Japan’s financial wealth to replace lost physical assets. As estimates of the damage emerge, those totals are real deadweight losses to wealth.”

“For the global economy, the nuclear disaster in Japan will cause more delay in reducing dependence on oil from the politically volatile Middle East. Wind, solar and other alternatives hold great promise but nuclear still offers the safest, large scale option around. The problem is the loss of life associated with nuclear failures gets concentrated, even if it is much smaller over time per British thermal unit (BTU) produced, at events like Fukushima. That latter will increase hesitation around the world about building nuclear plants and keep the global economy in the grip of oil longer.

Contact: Peter Morici, professor; pmorici@rhsmith.umd.edu
703-549-4338, 703-618-4338 (mobile); www.rhsmith.umd.edu/lbpp/faculty/morici.aspx.

William Rand on use of social media:

Areas of expertise:

  • Use of social media in disaster response
  • Use of social media for charitable giving
  • Social media’s role in reconnecting those impacted
  • Social media role in reporting new warnings, developments

Contact: William Rand, assistant professor of marketing; wrand@rhsmith.umd.edu
301-405-0146; www.rhsmith.umd.edu/marketing/faculty/rand.aspx.

Elinda Kiss on impact on the Bond markets:

“During time of turmoil, there is a "flight to safety" - the Treasury bill is at 6 basis points - very low yield. On the other hand, yields on 30-year Treasury bonds are higher because Japan is the second largest foreign buyer of treasury debt (behind China). It is believed that Japan is selling U.S. treasury bonds.”

Contact: Elinda Kiss, Tyser Teaching Fellow, finance; ekiss@rhsmith.umd.edu
301-405-7538, 215-962-9071 (mobile); www.rhsmith.umd.edu/finance/faculty/kiss.aspx.

Media Contact

Greg Muraski
Media Relations Manager
301-405-5283  
301-892-0973 Mobile
gmuraski@umd.edu 

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 12 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and flex MBA, executive MBA, online MBA, business master’s, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

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