September 11 marks the 25th anniversary of the terrorist attacks that forever changed the United States and the world.
A quarter-century later, the legacy of 9/11 continues to shape everything from national security and emergency preparedness to public health, mental health, and how Americans remember collective trauma.
Experts at the George Washington University are available to provide perspective on the lasting impact of the attacks and what has changed and what challenges remain in the 25 years since 9/11.
Public Health
NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani released more than 170,000 pages of previously undisclosed records Tuesday, including internal communications indicating officials were aware of serious air-quality concerns even as New Yorkers were repeatedly assured the air was safe to breathe.
The records provide a new lens into the long-term public health consequences of 9/11, including the illnesses and cancers that have affected first responders, survivors, and people who lived and worked near Ground Zero.
Susan Anenberg, the director of the GW Climate & Health Institute, and professor and chair of the department of environmental and occupational health at the GW Milken Institute School of Public Health, is available to weigh in on this.
Foreign Policy & National Security
The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks reshaped U.S. national security, leading to structural changes across government, intelligence, and travel.
Gordon Gray, Kuwait Professor of Gulf and Arabian Peninsula Affairs at the GW Elliott School of International Affairs, is available to weigh in on this. Gray worked for the U.S. government for 35 years. Gray’s public service included U.S. Ambassador to Tunisia from 2009-2012, Senior Advisory to the Ambassador in Iraq 2008-2009, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from 2005- 2008.
History
Matt Dallek is a professor at GW’s Graduate School of Political Management and a political historian with expertise in the intersection of social crises and political transformation, the evolution of the modern conservative movement, and liberalism and its critics. Along with four co-authored books, Dallek is the author of Birchers: How the John Birch Society Radicalized the American Right, which explores the history and influence of America’s right-wing activism. Dr. Dallek can discuss the historical context surrounding 9/11.
Sean Aday is an associate professor of media and public affairs. His work focuses on the intersection of the press, politics and public opinion, especially in relation to war and foreign policy, public diplomacy and the role of digital media in democracy movements and countering violent extremism. Aday has published widely on subjects ranging from the effects of watching local television news, to coverage of American politics and media coverage of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been involved in global media and government capacity training projects, including work in Iraq and Afghanistan. Previously, he, along with two colleagues, conducted a series of surveys about Americans' attitudes about government and media following the September 11th terrorist attacks.