Since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, various groups have come together to try to offer services in the wake of tragedy. University faculty members are no exception.
Whether organizing speakers' bureaus or serving as commentators for media outlets, faculty volunteers have played important roles in the past five months.
Still others have taken on significant responsibilities in protecting the national infrastructure against future terrorism, by providing expert medical and scientific advice on national commissions.
Yacov Haimes is the Lawrence Quarles Professor of Engineering and Applied Science and director of the University's Center for Risk Management of Engineering Systems.
He voluntarily serves on the System Engineering and System Analysis Panel, as part of the White House's newly-formed committee on terrorism.
Before the attacks, Haimes started volunteering on a White House Panel for the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
Based on the committee findings, the "President looks over how technology can be used to help our well being and national security," Haimes said.
Committee findings can help improve understanding of the interdependency of infrastructures, components critical to our well being, such as telecommunications, water resources, energy and transportation, he said. For example, the commission might examine how an attack on electric power could affect transportation,"he added.
But unlike the new committee on terrorism, faculty volunteerism is not new to the University.
"I don't know if outreach has increased at the University [since the attacks] but I certainly know awareness has," former Faculty Senate Chairwoman Patricia H. Werhane said.
The work of many faculty who conducted research related to terrorism and national security prior to the attacks has particularly grown in importance, contributing to an ongoing effort devoted to building up homeland security and improving preparedness.
"The terrorists have existed since before the attack," said Gabriel Laufer, professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering. "The public is just more aware" of their presence since the attacks.
Since submitting his proposal in July, Laufer has been working with Avir, a local start-up company associated with Darden's Progressive Incubator Program, to develop a system that uses infrared radiation to detect chemical weapons.
The device is the size of a cell phone, and can pick up traces of nerve gases like sarin, blister agents like mustard gas, and blood agents such as cyanide, Laufer said.
For the last seven months, he has received monetary support from the Virginia Center for Innovative Technology.
Next month, he said he will begin receiving financial support from the Office of Naval Research.
The Office of Naval Research planned to support him before the attacks, he added.
Laufer said he thinks if such financial assistance continues, he will finish work on the device within the next two years.
"The threat was always there," he said. "I wanted to do something positive," by creating the device.
But faculty volunteerism goes beyond activities related to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Faculty volunteerism at the University is "probably more than at the typical University of our size," University President John T. Casteen III said.
Over the years faculty have devoted substantial time to the Charlottesville Free Clinic, Madison House and the Charlottesville Albermarle Rescue Squad. Other services include providing health care for elderly public housing residents and leading local arts organizations, Casteen said.
"Volunteer service extends well beyond the immediate region," because a number of faculty members serve on the boards of and lead national academic organizations, he added.
Besides donating their time, faculty members have donated money too. "A good measure of the scale of faculty and staff engagement with the community is the faculty/staff component of the" Combined Virginia Campaign, Casteen said.
The CVC is a group that works in partnership with the United Way and provides employees from all state agencies, including the University, the opportunity to contribute to charities.
"In this year when most charities of this kind reported declines in participation, ours showed an increase of about 10 percent and our total faculty/staff giving totaled more than the total giving in any other entity in the state of Virginia," Casteen said.
Many officials agree that faculty volunteerism remains important and should continue to grow.
"Volunteerism is the best attribute of the American public," Haimes said. "The strength of our country is because everyone is involved."
"Government cannot do everything for us," he added.
At the University, faculty volunteerism is important because it establishes a "line of engagement between the University and the surrounding region," Casteen said.
Along with excellence in teaching and scholarly work, public service and volunteerism is "part of the fundamental essence of what we should be doing as faculty," Haimes added.
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