Publications

2022
Reality intrusion on Iran nuclear talks - Iran's nuclear progress renders the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) essentially moot
Lerner KL. Reality intrusion on Iran nuclear talks - Iran's nuclear progress renders the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) essentially moot. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2022;(11 January). Publisher's VersionAbstract

Reality intrusion on Iran nuclear talks: Iran's nuclear progress renders the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) essentially moot. Even with revisions proposed by the Biden Administration, recommitment to the JCPOA would provide little protection.

 

The JCPOA is intended to provide a one-year window of safety between Iran's commitment to build a nuclear weapon and the possession of sufficient enriched uranium to construct such a weapon. Iran has already reduced that window of time to weeks. (download to read more)

Russian propaganda and western media cheerleading mask causes, perils, and probable outcomes in Ukraine
Lerner KL. Russian propaganda and western media cheerleading mask causes, perils, and probable outcomes in Ukraine. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2022;(March 22). Publisher's VersionAbstract

March 22, 2022 Russian media is a tightly controlled instrument of state propaganda. Sadly, large segments of our western media are now independently engaged in cheerleading that often crossed into propaganda. The Ten Essential Techniques and Elements of Propaganda. Go ahead... test it against all sides in all wars. Although formulated for war, with some minor modifications the list is also applicable to political and culture war propaganda.

"1. We don’t want war; we are only defending ourselves.

2. Our adversary is solely responsible for this war.

3. Our adversary’s leader is inherently evil and resembles the devil… (download to read more)

North Korean missile test reveals both increased capacity and Pyongyang's smokescreen
Lerner KL. North Korean missile test reveals both increased capacity and Pyongyang's smokescreen. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2022;(March 25). Publisher's VersionAbstract

Based on reports by the U.S. Department of Defense, the Open Nuclear Network (ONN) and other open source intelligence,  here are 10 things you need to know about the North Korea missile program and the latest North Korean missile test:

1. With a flight duration of 71 minutes, the March 24, 2022 test, assumed to be a Hwasong-17 missile test, was the longest duration flight by a North Korean ICBM. The missile reached an estimated altitude of 3730 miles (6,000 km) and 3850 miles (6,200 km) according to respective reports from Japan and South Korea. The launch was nearly vertical, ranging only 730 miles (1,180 km) to fall into the Sea of Japan, but if the missile had been launched on a standard ballistic missile trajectory, the estimated range would reach across the continental United States. (download to read more)

Putin's take it or break it strategy in Ukraine and his perilous nuclear options
Lerner KL. Putin's take it or break it strategy in Ukraine and his perilous nuclear options. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2022;(March 26). Publisher's VersionAbstract
Ten things to know about the war in Ukraine, including Putin's potential use of a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine: 
1. Time is now an ally of Ukraine. With Western logistical support, time is now on Ukraine's side. Until recently time was viewed as something that worked against Ukraine. Given Russia's superior numbers, the defeat and occupation of Ukraine was widely viewed (myself included)  as just a matter of time. The stout Ukrainian resistance combined with Russian Army and Air Force arrogance and incompetence have now, however, turned time into a Ukrainian asset. Absent substantial help from China, or Putin's use of tactical nuclear weapons (for political purposes his most viable WMD option) the war has devolved into one of attrition that gives a constantly resupplied Ukraine a fighting chance. 
2. Putin's WMD reasoning. A war of attrition increases the potential that Putin will resort to the use of a tactical nuclear weapon. How likely is it that Putin might pursue a nuclear option? If Putin is irrational then rational analysis will not yield medium or high confidence assessments of his potential decisions, but one way to approach this problem is to assess negative outcomes a rational Putin might weigh in deciding whether to use a nuclear device. 
3. Perilous options. Should Putin attempt the use of a tactical nuclear weapon, he not only faces the prospect that (1) subordinates may not follow orders, but also (2) that a nuclear weapon fizzles. If either of those things happen, it is the end of the Putin regime. 
4. A military plundered by corruption. How much confidence does Putin have in his command and control? …. 
5. How potent is the Russian nuclear threat? There is also great uncertainty regarding the state of Russian nuclear weapons. Given the state of Russian military infrastructure and performance, it is questionable whether the Russian have adequately maintained and replenished enriched uranium or plutonium stocks. Nuclear weapons also depend on other components that degrade with time… (download to read more)
Iran's Nuclear Breakout Window Narrows
Lerner KL. Iran's Nuclear Breakout Window Narrows. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2022;(March 9). Publisher's VersionAbstract

 

Iran's nuclear window narrows. Ten things you need to know about the nuclear capacity of the Islamic Republic of Iran in order to offer cogent analysis of Iran’s compliance with the existing Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and/or ongoing negotiations by the U.S. to adapt that agreement before joining it once again as a participating party.

Based on a recent International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) Iran Verification and Monitoring Report of March 3, 2022 [1], and subsequent Institute for Science and International Security (ISIS) analysis [2], Iran is continuing to advance its nuclear capabilities, hide nuclear research facilities, and thwart international inspections. (download to read more)

Frequently Cited Quotations
Lerner KL. Frequently Cited Quotations. Multiple Sources. 2022.Abstract

 

Last Updated: 10 May, 2023

 

Frequently cited quotes from K Lee Lerner's books, papers, articles, and essays:

 

“Science produces the sea wall of reality that waves of quasi-religious. pseudo-intellectual, and postmodernist thought crash against.” -- K. Lee Lerner.  Scientific Thought

 

 

“Historians still labor over whether Travis literally drew a line in the sand with his sword. Scholarly sentiment has swayed back and forth over the years, but the truth is that we will never know for sure. I argue that it does not matter because Travis essentially drew a more important, and equally dramatic, metaphorical line in the sand for the men under his command with his triple underscoring of ‘Victory or Death.’” – K. Lee Lerner, "Remember the Alamo and the Texas Revolution: Both the Heroic Sacrifice and Historical Uncertainties." Scholars at Harvard (Open Scholar). Originally published online: March 6, 2012. Last revised: March 6, 2024. Available online at https://scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/papers/remember-alamo-and-texas-revolution and via Academia at https://www.academia.edu/27193976.

 

 

“Pseudoscience is almost always recognizable from a distance, and easy to confirm on close examination. Science is, however, not immune from hubris, and bad science can be tougher to spot. Those of us who make a living from science or science media must display scientific integrity. We must constantly test our assumptions and fight the siren song of consensus when our data tells us to be contrarian. We must remain independent of political or religious bias in evaluating our work. We must admit when we are wrong and remain willing to evolve when verifiable data demands change. We must admit when we are uncertain, remain humble in advances, and offer courageous and independent advice grounded in science.” ― K Lee Lerner

 

“Pseudoscience often relies on a witches' brew of scientific terms (e.g. "wavelength," "energy fields," "vibrations") half-baked into simplistic metaphors that do not correspond with testable reality. In some cases, pseudoscience simply relies on language that is deliberately vague and poorly defined to deceive. While outright lunacy is almost always easy to spot, the most dangerous of pseudoscientific meanderings are those filled with scientific terminology that, even for experts, can initially be daunting and impressive. Upon dissection, however, the terminology is invariably found to be misused, or used in a context far from accepted understanding. However convincing and artful, however much we may even wish the conclusions to be true, monuments built in such shifting sands cannot withstand the inevitable tests of time.” ― K Lee Lerner

 

“Facts count. Conspiracy theories, usually the refuge of the bitter or disempowered, range from factually challenged to wildly hallucinogenic. Conspiracy theories are not harmless entertainment, or a laudable facet of the freedom of speech. Conspiracy theories do both overt and tacit harm. Dangerous when they deal with public health issues, at a minimum, almost all are insults to the integrity of thousands of hard-working and honest people. In the extreme, conspiracy theories slander entire races, nations, or cultures.” ― K. Lee Lerner, Social Issues Primary Sources Collection

 

"Regarding hidden variables in quantum systems: Quantum theory makes no claim to impart any form of knowing or consciousness on the behavior of particles. Although it is trendy to borrow selected concepts from quantum theory to prop up many New Age interpretations of nature, quantum theory does not provide for and mystical mechanisms. The fact that quantum theory make accurate depictions and predictions of particle behavior does not mean that the mathematical constructs of quantum theory depict the actual physical reality of the quantum wave. Simply put, there is no demand that the universe present us with easy-to-understand mechanisms of action." K. Lee Lerner. Scientific Thought in Context.

 

“I have always believed there is great value in studying the flaws of mankind and men —even fictional characters. All of us are flawed. All of us are diminished by some form of prejudice and bias. If a fictional character is to be realistic, he must struggle with imperfections and weaknesses.” ― K. Lee Lerner, Government, Politics, and Protest: Essential Primary Sources

 

“There is unspeakable yet entirely preventable suffering in this world. The job of journalists and writers engaged with global issues is to articulate the unspeakable and give voice to solutions. -- K. Lee Lerner” ― K. Lee Lerner, Infectious Diseases: In Context

 

About the Alamo and the mythology surrounding commander, Lt. Col William Barret Travis' famous  "line in the sand," with reference to letter the Travis wrote on February 24, 1836: “Historians still labor over whether Travis literally drew a line in the sand with his sword. Scholarly sentiment has swayed back and forth over the years, but the truth is that we will never know for sure.  I argue that it does not matter because Travis essentially drew a more important, and equally dramatic, metaphorical line in the sand for himself and the men under his command with his triple underscoring of ‘Victory or Death’ in his letter from the Alamo dates 24 February, 1836.” – K. Lee Lerner

 

“I have always regretted instances in which I failed to live up to the highest standards of conduct or principles of compassion that I cherish and teach. Being human, I anticipate regretting future failures.” ― K. Lee Lerner

 

“Global experience -- whether gained from work, travel, or more challenging exploration -- shreds preconceptions and stereotypes, deepens appreciation of cultural similarities and diversity, and integrates local insights into the coverage of international issues." -- K. Lee Lerner. Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, April 2010.” ― K Lee Lerner, Human Geography: People and the Environment

 

“Facts count. Conspiracy theories, usually the refuge of the bitter or disempowered, range from factually challenged to wildly hallucinogenic. Many conspiracy theories do both overt and tacit harm. Almost all are insults, intended or unintended, are insults to thousands of hard-working and honest people, and sometimes to entire races, nations, or cultures.” ― K Lee Lerner

 

“There is adventure in finding compelling stories and exploring complex issues in challenging environments, but there is also a responsibility to tell those stories accurately and objectively.” ― K. Lee Lerner, Human Geography: People and the Environment

 

“The nimble of mind long for the challenge of new discoveries. Weary minds cling to what is already known.” ― K. Lee Lerner, Scientific Thought in Context

 

“I'm an unabashed elitist. Everyone needs a good editor, and there is peril in worshiping amateurism and the unedited in science, art, and journalism.” ― K Lee Lerner

 

"We no longer live in a world of classic and formal divisions between man-made technology and the natural world, but rather in a world of increasing synthesis of technology and nature, a techno-natural world. An example of such blurring and blending exists if we plant crops in flood prone areas that are flood tolerant (or that thrive on flooding) but which also mitigate soil erosion and flash flooding. To effectively combat global warming and climate change, this blurring of technology and nature will be essential. To this mix we should, most often without any engineering compromise, also add in ethical and cultural value considerations." — K Lee Lerner, Climate Change in Context

 

 (more quotes)

 

Additional quote collections are available online at:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/1437692.K_Lee_Lerner
https://www.wisefamousquotes.com/k-lee-lerner-quotes/
https://quotation.io/page/author/k-lee-lerner

 

 

2021
The discredited Steele dossier, a test of media ethics
Lerner KL. The discredited Steele dossier, a test of media ethics. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2021;(November 21). Publisher's VersionAbstract
With regard to the Steele Dossier, the question I address is not the ultimate truth or falsity of those assertions.  My concern is the subsequent scrutiny laid on the dossier as well the subsequent use of unsubstantial claims to enhance ratings or advance partisan interests.  The who, what, when, where, and why regarding the media and political use the now discredited Steele Dossier is an story import for journalistic integrity. It hauntingly smacks of a publish-then-verify attitude that pumps ratings, or worse, a willingness to publish unverified and potentially unverifiable allegations because they support a preconceived partisan narrative.  Both practices should be anathematic to the ethical practice of journalism.  (download to read more)
What Does the End of a Pandemic Look Like?
Lerner KL. What Does the End of a Pandemic Look Like?. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2021;(March 03). Publisher's VersionAbstract

March 23, 2021

What does the end of a pandemic look like?

Expert opinion varies as to how the current COVID-19 global pandemic will end. Many questions still lack answers. 

Most public health experts argue that eradicating or eliminating the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 is no longer possible. The probability is that, even with broad vaccination programs, the virus will remain endemic (i.e., persisting at some level in the human population), if not globally, at least regionally. 

Previously, only two viruses, the deadly smallpox virus and the rinderpest virus that causes disease in cattle, have been declared eradicated (i.e., removed from any presence in the general population and consigned to laboratories designed to house and study dangerous pathogens).  

Sadly, the chances are very slim–virtually nonexistent–that the SARS-CoV-2 virus can be eradicated. Even if it were possible to vaccinate everyone, this would not eliminate the virus because of its zoonotic nature. Zoonotic viruses have an undiscovered animal reservoir that harbors the virus and allows it to exist, reproduce, and mutate outside the human body (download to read more)

Lerner KL. SARS-CoV- Omicron Variant Primer. harvard.academia.edu/KLeeLerner/Papers-and-Articles. 2021;(November). Publisher's VersionAbstract
As of today (November 30, 2021), the Delta variant remains the world's most prevalent mutation of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus first identified in January 2020 that is responsible for the global COViD-19 pandemic. The previously named B.1.1.529 variant now known as the Omicron variant was first reported by South African scientists on 9 November 2021 and then quickly visualized (see image below) by researchers at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome. This does not mean that the variant necessarily first arose in South Africa. Variants can also arise independently and spontaneously in multiple locations. On November 26, the WHO designated the Omicron variant a variant of concern (VOC) subject to special reporting and investigation. The Omicron variant is the most mutated form of SARS-CoV-2 yet sequenced <download to read more>
SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Primer
Lerner KL. SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant Primer. Scholars at Harvard (scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner). November. 2021.Abstract
As of today (November 30, 2021), the Delta variant remains the world's most prevalent mutation of the original SARS-CoV-2 virus first identified in January 2020 that is responsible for the global COViD-19 pandemic. The previously named B.1.1.529 variant now known as the Omicron variant was first reported by South African scientists on 9 November 2021 and then quickly visualized (see image below) by researchers at the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome. This does not mean that the variant necessarily first arose in South Africa. Variants can also arise independently and spontaneously in multiple locations. On November 26, the WHO designated the Omicron variant a variant of concern (VOC) subject to special reporting and investigation. The Omicron variant is the most mutated form of SARS-CoV-2 yet sequenced. (more)
k_papers_and_articles_20211130_omicron_variant_primer_k_author_.pdf
Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th edition.
Lerner KL, advisor and contributing subject matter expert. Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th edition. (Katherine H. Nemah and Jacqueline L. Longe, eds. Cengage | Gale. 2021.Abstract

K. Lee Lerner served as editor-in-chief for the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 3rd (2003), 4th (2008), and 5th editions (2014). He continued as a advisor and contributing subject matter expert for the 6th edition published in 2021.

Introduction by K, Lee Lerner

At its printing, the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition features the latest in vetted climate data from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the most recent assessments made by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and other global monitoring agencies on topics ranging from atmospheric greenhouses gas levels to sea level rise. Key articles also include information and generalized predictions relating climate change to severe storms, floods, and draught for regions around the world including the impacts of climate change—both observed and predicted—in Africa, Asia, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, North America, South America, and in small island nations. 

With a global pandemic of COVID-19 underway due to an outbreak of the novel SARS-CoV-2 virus, the editors have attempted to strengthen this edition's coverage of emerging diseases. The Gale Encyclopedia of Science includes updated articles on epidemics, pandemics, epidemiology, hepatitis variants, SARS, H1N1, H5N1, the MERS coronavirus in the Middle East, the H7N9 flu virus and a new article on the first six months of the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic. Because knowledge related to these diseases—especially COVID- 19—changes rapidly with science and medical advances, readers must always consult their personal health care provider to ensure that they have the latest information that applies to their individual needs. 

Advances in biotechnology, especially related to genome editing and related molecular genetic engineering technologies—including 2020 Nobel Prize winning work related to the development of CRISPR technologies—are expertly covered in Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th Edition more. -- K. Lee Lerner. Cambridge, Mass. October 2013.

Hemingway: Burns and Novick's Portrait of the Artist and the Man
Lerner KL. Hemingway: Burns and Novick's Portrait of the Artist and the Man. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2021;(April 12). Publisher's VersionAbstract

Part I: Hemingway's enduring intimacy 

I am a scientist, an author, occasionally a journalist, and an editor of science and factual media. I'm not a literary scholar, but I have read all of Hemingway's published works and spent many days with his personal writings and photos preserved in the Hemingway archives at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library.

Spelunking in the collection donated by Mary Welsh Hemingway was always one of my favorite personal diversions when in Boston. After making a reservation with a research librarian, I'd jump on the Red Line from Harvard to the JFK/UMass exit. That being sufficient "T" time, I would take a taxi back to my room at the Harvard Club in Back Bay or to the house I rented in Cambridge, just off campus on Kirkland Place.

It would be hard to mistake the Hemingway room, adorned as it is with a mounted antelope head from his 1933 safari, a lion-skin rug, and his portrait.

My explorations in the Hemingway collection were admittedly cursory. l followed my own interests and requested material related to Hemingway's coverage of the Spanish Civil War and WWII. I confess to an almost promiscuous voyeurism in viewing rarely seen writings and photos of someone whom I felt I already knew intimately. Great writers have the ability to span time, distance, and differences to make their readers intimate companions.

Six decades after his death, Hemingway still has legions of us who think we know him. We think we understand him, and we envy and try to emulate his life, his writing, or both. (download to read more)

2020
The Early History of the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak and Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic: December 2019 to May 5, 2020. A case study resource and primary source reader
Lerner KL. The Early History of the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak and Start of the COVID-19 Pandemic: December 2019 to May 5, 2020. A case study resource and primary source reader. Scholars at Harvard (scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner) . 2020.Abstract

This is a highly curated timeline and set of references intended to memorialize the evolution of scientific research and knowledge during a period covering the first public emergence of the SARS-CoV-2 starting late in December 2019 through the early months (until June 2020) of what some became the global COVID-19 pandemic. It is designed to be a scholarly academic resource for journalists and others researching the history of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and COVID-19 pandemic. Although there are references early in this timeline to nCoV-2019 and/or the novel Wuhan coronavirus outbreak, the virus was soon officially named SARS-CoV-2 (also styled SARS-CoV2) and the disease associated with the virus was designated as COVID-19 (also styled as Covid-19). While in some cases updates and additional resources are found indented below main entries. Readers should note that many entries and comments refer to intermediate findings and data later discarded or modified by subsequent research. 
 
In creating this reference, I focused on essential articles from peer-reviewed journals but I have also added in some general news and opinion pieces that were important to understanding the evolution of government and public health policies (or the absence thereof). In general, I have avoided politics per se, but the timeline and archive should be useful to those wanting to provide context for stories (e.g., what was known and when). (more)

Full text .pdf copies of articles mentioned in this resources are available for download at scholar.harvard.edu/kleelerner/blog/pandemic-reader.

the_early_history_of_the_sars-cov-2_outbreak_and_start_of_the_covid-19_pandemic._vol._1._-_december_2019_to_may_5_2020.pdf
COVID-19: Understanding the Vaccine Approval Process
Lerner KL. COVID-19: Understanding the Vaccine Approval Process. Library & Educator News, Cengage | Gale. September. 2020. Publisher's VersionAbstract

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, governments, pharmaceutical companies, and teams of scientists have invested heavily in the research and testing of potential vaccines.

From foundational molecular analysis of the novel and highly infectious SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus (COVID-19) to advanced clinical trials of vaccines to ensure that they are both effective and safe, scientists have gathered and published an unprecedented amount of journal articles and data on the virus and the human immune response to it. <download to read more>

Pensacola, Fla — Bravo Zulu Maximus: Chuck Yeager, No Bridge Too Low
Lerner. KL. Pensacola, Fla — Bravo Zulu Maximus: Chuck Yeager, No Bridge Too Low. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2020;(Dec 8). Publisher's VersionAbstract
Mortal flesh grounded
yet his spirit will live on
Now, like Sparta's myths,
his legend will grow with time
The voice and creed will live on

December 8, 2020

Pensacola FL-- Bravo zulu maximus for Chuck Yeager on his service, a life fully and well lived, and for his "no bridge too low" approach to all of it.

Today is a day for solitary reflection on life, and also probably a good bit of bourbon. A legendary icon and true American hero has passed. General Chuck Yeager, always a man among men–and for a time, THE man among men–died last night at age 97.

What the force is to the Jedi, Yeagerisms are to pilots. It is a force that binds us and training must be undertaken to properly use it. Yeager's way was THE way.

Yeager was a WWII hero who once shot down five enemy aircraft in a single day, and a legendary test pilot. As Yeager would dismissively say, he was the first pilot "confirmed to exceed the speed of sound and live to talk about it," but he was also the originator of Yeagerisms, and it was this quality and force of character that Tom Wolfe so aptly later captured and immortalized in The Right Stuff.

Every pilot who has ever kicked a rudder to line up at the top of a loop, landed a crippled plane, ejected from a flaming hunk of falling metal, or walked away from a crash understands Yeagerisms. No matter their personal titer of the right stuff, no matter their accent, they will invariably drawl out the tale in a way that shows they believe doing your duty or your job is the most important thing, but also that coolness while doing it is THE thing. (continued at continued at https://blogs.harvard.edu/kleelerner/chuck-yeager-no-bridge-too-low/ )

Hydroxychloroquine and the allure and perils of abandoning evidence-based science and policy in times of crisis. (SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19 pandemic)
Lerner KL. Hydroxychloroquine and the allure and perils of abandoning evidence-based science and policy in times of crisis. (SARS-CoV-2, Covid-19 pandemic). Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs. 2020;(Mar 22).Abstract

In a disaster, the coronavirus pandemic providing a ready example, cries to abandon caution and gamble on solutions can lead to spectacular success and deadly failures.

President Trump continues to tout an antibiotic and anti-viral drug called hydroxychloroquine as a potential treatment for Covid-19. More than just promoting the treatment, Trump urges its use, including prophylactic use. With regard to efficacy, Trump said, "It may work, it may not." Moreover, because the drug has proven relatively safe when used under other specific circumstances (e.g., treatment of malaria, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and other autoimmune diseases), Trump asserts, "What is there to lose?" more

Originally published 22 March, 2020, Updated: 10 April, 2020.

 

harvard_academia_k_journal_20200318_hydroxychloroquine_and_the_allure_and_perils_of_abandoning_evidence-based_science_drafttbck_author.pdf
SARS-CoV-2 Virus and COVID-19 Pandemic: Virus Identification, Classification, Molecular Biology, Epidemiology, Transmission and Epidemic Dynamics
Lerner KL, Lerner BW. SARS-CoV-2 Virus and COVID-19 Pandemic: Virus Identification, Classification, Molecular Biology, Epidemiology, Transmission and Epidemic Dynamics. (originally published as "2019-nCoV Virus Outbreak and Epidemic, with a derivative version also published in the Gale Encyclopedia of Science, 6th edition, Cengage | Gale, 2021) Scholars at Harvard (harvard.scholar.edu/kleelerner). 2020.Abstract

Beginning in December 2019, a small cluster of cases of a pneumonia of unknown origin was reported in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. Genetic sequencing of samples taken from the respiratory tract secretions of those exhibiting the suspicious pneumonia revealed the causative agent as a previously unknown coronavirus, subsequently named the 2019-nCoV virus. The virus is now officially named SARS-CoV-2 (also styled SARS-CoV2). The disease associated with the virus is now known as COVID-19 (also styled as Covid-19). The disease outbreak is also commonly known as the novel coronavirus outbreak or COVID-19 pandemic.  (more)

 

 

The American Elimination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani: Strategic Implications, Asymmetrical Threat Risks, and U.S. Congressional Reporting Requirements
Lerner KL. The American Elimination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani: Strategic Implications, Asymmetrical Threat Risks, and U.S. Congressional Reporting Requirements. Taking Bearings. Harvard Blogs . 2020;(Jan 3).Abstract
Any assessment of Soleimani's acts, expenditures, and influence in creating satellite militias across the Middle East over the past decade, especially with his expenditures made possible by the economic boost to the Iranian economy after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (hereafter referred to as the Iran nuclear agreement), will quickly dispel any assertions that recent escalations in tensions with Iran are the result of the U.S. pulling out of that deal. That's Tehran's line, and those who push it become pro-terrorist propagandists. The Iranian nuclear agreement, with the economic boost and cash it brought Iran–along with the Obama administration's weakness toward Iran–fueled the regional instability and terrorism orchestrated by Iran. 

Iran will, of course, threaten retaliation, and because they can only fight asymmetrically, Iran will probably mount a violent response, most likely through proxies, against innocent civilians or U.S. diplomatic missions. "Death to America" will once again be the chant du jour. In the end, however, allowing Iran to dictate or constrain our policy and actions by threat of asymmetrical warfare is capitulation to terror. 

Courage is required. We must see through those proxy smokescreens and hold Tehran accountable by ensuring that the price for such acts is ultimately too steep a price to pay even for a theocracy exhorting martyrdom... Cost versus benefit calculus must be made to apply to both sides.  (more)
Lerner KL. The American Assassination of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani: Strategic Implications, Asymmetrical Threat Risks, and U.S. Congressional Reporting Requirements. Taking Bearings. 2020.Abstract
Any assessment of Soleimani's acts, expenditures, and influence in creating satellite militias across the Middle East over the past decade, especially with his expenditures made possible by the economic boost to the Iranian economy after the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (hereafter referred to as the Iran nuclear agreement), will quickly dispel any assertions that recent escalations in tensions with Iran are the result of the U.S. pulling out of that deal. That's Tehran's line, and those who push it become pro-terrorist propagandists. The Iranian nuclear agreement, with the economic boost and cash it brought Iran–along with the Obama administration's weakness toward Iran–fueled the regional instability and terrorism orchestrated by Iran. 

Iran will, of course, threaten retaliation, and because they can only fight asymmetrically, Iran will probably mount a violent response, most likely through proxies, against innocent civilians or U.S. diplomatic missions. "Death to America" will once again be the chant du jour. In the end, however, allowing Iran to dictate or constrain our policy and actions by threat of asymmetrical warfare is capitulation to terror. 

Courage is required. We must see through those proxy smokescreens and hold Tehran accountable by ensuring that the price for such acts is ultimately too steep a price to pay even for a theocracy exhorting martyrdom. Cost versus benefit calculus must be made to apply to both sides. 
… 
Questions about presidential notifications to Congress are inherently contextual, and the requirements surrounding notifications to Congress rely on several factors, the first being whether an action is a Title 50 covert action that requires prior congressional notification...However, even if one determines that the U.S. structured the airstrikes on Soleimani to allow potential deniability if things went wrong (thus making the operation potentially classifiable as a covert operation), many exceptions exist to the Title 50 notification requirements.  "Traditional military activities" are exempt and, as defined under 50 U.S.C. 3093(e)(2), provide an exception that would apply in the killing of Soleimani.  This was an attack by U.S. military forces in a defined theater of operations (Iraq) against an Iranian military commander of a group designated an enemy and/or terrorist group. As the strike was conducted by U.S. armed forces under U.S. military command, the airstrikes count as traditional military activities. That makes the killing Title 10 action, not a Title 50 action. (See footnote 2.)  (continued… download to read more)
2019
Lerner KL, Lerner BW. LMG Editorial Guidelines. London Paris Cambridge: LMG; 2019.Abstract

LMG’s experts and artists collaborate with the world’s leading publishers and commissioning entities to create award-winning science and factual content. LMG media projects are distinguished by their emphasis on stimulating critical thought and informed commentary. Accordingly, we welcome inquires from scholars, graduate students, journalists, and content experts strong content creation skills.

Our research colleagues often have substantial experience working in diverse, unique, and challenging environments. LMG's customized ISA teams draw on a global network of experts with extensive scholarly, business, military, and government service backgrounds to offer confidential data, analysis, and time-critical solutions to clients navigating complex, and often cross-border, issues. Because the work is confidential to clients, professional journalists, whether freelance or under contract, are ineligible for ISA teams.

We do not accept telephone or telefax inquiries from prospective colleagues, nor do we accept unsolicited submissions. If you have a ninterest in working on an LMG project please send an inquiry to inquires@lernermedia.co.uk. We request that prospective colleagues include a vitae breve in the body of their email as part of their letter of introduction.

Policies

 

 

LMG Content Standards

LMG carefully selects colleagues of high integrity who value their professional reputations. The work of others must be properly acknowledged and cited. All sources must be properly credited. Except as allowed by express instruction (i.e., use of OER  material),  with the exception of properly attributed quotes, all submissions must be original material. 

All contributions are subject to screening by analysis programs designed to identify similarities to material already in publication (both print and online). Plagiarism or artistic deception (e.g. altering photos or film) will not be tolerated and is treated as both academic fraud and, when accompanied by a demand for payment, potentially prosecuted as criminal fraud.

Corrections

LMG is responsible for the quality of its work. Although the format of corrections may vary across media platforms, it is longstanding LMG policy to admit errors and to clarify or correct published work as quickly and accurately as possible.

Unsolicited Submissions

LMG does not accept unsolicited samples of work, submissions, or proposals of any kind. Those who send unsolicited submissions waive their rights in all venues to claim subsequent intellectual property rights infringement or any form of damages against all recipients of unsolicited materal and their designated agents and affiliates.

General Business policies

In accepting and submitting any assignment, contributors acknowledge and reiterate their initial contractual agreement with us, agreeing to continue to abide by the following policies:

Employment Status: In accepting any assignment from any corporate entity of Lerner & Lerner, LLC., LMG, or any derivative therof, the person, persons, or entity accepting the assignment acknowledges that they are independent contractors, not employees of LMG unless they hold a separate and express employment agreement with LMG.

Subordinate to individual contracts and LMG policies, LMG supports the rights of various artists collectives and when applicable supports established union, guild, and other collective agreements, policies, and conventions for writers and artists.

Invoices and payments: Independent contractors should submit work as it is completed and submit an invoice for all work delivered. Please submit separate invoices for individual projects and SOWs as printable email attachments.

LMG accepts, via email, any style of invoice that specifies the following: Name, SSN or other Tax ID, Mailing Address, a brief outline of the work performed, a resonable specification of sums due. Failure to submit a proper invoice may delay payment. Unless we notify you of a reason for a delay, payments will normally be posted no later than 45 days after the assigned deadline date, submission date, or date the invoice your invoice is received, whichever date is later.

Payments are normally made in US currency via corporate check sent standard post. Contributors may request electronic payments in US Dollars ($), Pounds (£), Euros (€), Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, or Hong Kong Dollars via online electronic transfer services. If, at its discretion, LMG agrees to the transfer, the contributor shall be responsible for all currency exchange, transfer, and electronic payment fees. LMG entities do not endorse any electronic payment service, nor can we indemnify colleagues for loss due electronic transfer procedures or failures beyond our control.

 

Advisors, Contributing Editors, Expert Authors for recent LMG projects include:

Katy Aisenberg

Katy Aisenberg (Cambridge, MA). Dr. M.K. Aisenberg holds a psychology doctorate from the Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology and is a licensed clinical psychologist in Massachusetts. A published poet, she is a graduate of Princeton University and also holds an M.A. in Creative Writing from Boston University, and a Ph.D. in Modern Literature from the Johns Hopkins University. She has taught at Bentley College, Boston University, and Tufts University.

Aleszu Bajak

 

Aleszu Bajak (Cambridge, MA), a journalist covering international issues in science, energy, the environment, and health, serves as a contibuting advisor to LMG. Mr. Bajak was a 2013 Knight Science Journalism Fellow at M.I.T. and has served as a producer for the NPR talk show Science Friday. His work routinely appears in Nature, Science, New Scientist, and other respected publications.

Stephen A. Berger

Stephen A. Berger is the developer of GIDEON (Global Infectious Disease and Epidemiology Network), the world’s premier global infectious diseases database used by the World Health Organization (WHO), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PROMED, and other infectious disease specialists and groups. In addition to serving on the GIDEON Board of Advisors, Dr. Berger is currently affiliated with the Tel Aviv Medical Center as both Director of Geographic Medicine and of Clinical Microbiology. He also serves as Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Tel-Aviv School of Medicine. He has been awarded the New York Medical College Teaching Award 5 times. Dr. Berger is the author of numerous articles and books, including Introduction to Infectious Diseases, The Healthy Tourist, and Viral Diseases: A Global Guide.

 

Wallace S. Broecker

Wallace S. Broecker, Newberry Professor of Geology, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, is a member of both the US National Academy of Science and the British Royal Society. In 1996, he received the National Science Medal. A member of the Columbia faculty since 1959, Dr. Broecker serves as the Newberry Professor of Earth & Environmental Sciences and as member of The Earth Institute Academic Committee. His ongoing research interests include paleoclimatology, ocean chemistry, isotope dating and other important facets of environmental science. He has authored or co-authored close to 500 journal articles, textbooks, and books, including How to Build a Habitable Planet (1987) and Fixing Climate (2008) with Robert Kunzig. Among a list of honors and awards, Dr. Broecker is the recipient of the Alexander Agassiz Medal by the National Academy of Sciences, the Japanese Blue Planet Award, the Swedish Crafoord Award, and has been honored by both the Geological Society of America and Geological Society of London.

 

James Corbett

James Corbett, an alumnus of the London School of Economics and the University of London, is an author and journalist living in London. He is a regular contributor to outlets including the BBC World Service, The Guardian, The Observer and The Sunday Times and has reported from more than 20 countries across five continents, including Palestine, China and South Africa. He was formerly Contributing Editor of the award winning Observer Sport Monthly and London Correspondent of English language Egyptian newspaper, Al Ahram Weekly. He is regularly sought for his opinions by a range of broadcasters on his speciality subject, sport politics, including the BBC, al-Jazeera, ABC, SBS and CNN. He the author of four books, including a history of the England football team England Expects (Aurum Press 2006).

 

Antonio Farina

Antonio Farina M.D., Ph.D., is an Assistant Professor at Universita’ di Bologna and has served as Visiting Associate Professor, Showa University, Tokyo, Japan, Visiting Professor at the Woman & Infants’ Hospital Division of Prenatal and Special Testing, Providence, RI, and as a Research Fellow at New England Medical Center, Division of Genetics, Boston, MA.

 

Thomas Hayden

Thomas Hayden is a journalist and lecturer at Stanford University. A former staff writer at both Newsweek and US News & World Report. his writing appears Nature, National Geographic, and other respected publications.

 

Angelia Herrin

Angelia Herrin, Editor, Director of Research and Special Projects at Harvard Business Review. Cambridge MA., A Knight Fellow in journalism at Stanford University, Ms. Herrin reported for Knight-Ridder newspapers and served as Washington, D.C., editor of USA Today.

 

Joseph Patterson Hyder

Joseph Patterson Hyder, J.D. is the managing partner for the Hyder Law Group in Jacksonville, Florida. An honors graduate with a degree in history from Oglethorpe University in Atlanta, Mr. Hyder was editor-in-chief Tennessee Journal of Law and Policy at the University of Tennessee Collage of Law. He has written extensively on international treaties and political issues.

 

Alexander I. Ioffe

Alexander I. Ioffe,Senior Scientist, Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, Russia. Alexander I. Ioffe is a physicist who serves as Senior Scientist, Geological Institute. Russian Academy of Sciences. Moscow, Russia. Dr. Ioffe has served as contributing advisor on a number of projects related to science and the environment.

 

David T. King, Jr.

David T. King, Jr., is a Professor, Dept. of Geology, Auburn University. Dr. King’s research interests include the effect of asteroid and comet impact upon Earth history and the stratigraphic record. Dr. King has been honored as the outstanding science/math faculty member and as an Auburn Alumni Association outstanding teacher.

 

Kathleen Koch

Kathleen Koch served as a special contributor for LMG's book Doomed: The Science Behind Disaster (at press). Her introduction to the book drew on her 18 years of experience as an award-winning correspondent for CNN. During that time, Ms. Koch faced down presidents, snipers, and just about every disaster imaginable. She covered the White House, Pentagon, Capitol Hill and State Department as well as disasters ranging from tornadoes and hurricanes to plane crashes and the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Her work reporting on Hurricane Katrina and her two documentaries on her hometown&apos;s recovery from the storm earned her a Peabody Award and a New York Festivals gold medal. Ms. Koch is also author of the critically acclaimed book, Rising from Katrina: How My Mississippi Hometown Lost It All and Found What Mattered. Ms. Koch also has hands-on experience in disaster recovery. She volunteered in the Hurricane Sandy relief effort and led nationwide letter-writing campaigns to encourage disaster survivors in Japan and the Philippines. Ms. Koch is founder and executive director of LeadersLink, the first organization to harness and share elected officials' disaster lessons learned to help other communities better prevent, prepare for and recover from similar crises.

 

Kenneth T. LaPensee

Kenneth T. LaPensee PhD, MPH, has pursued a career in private industry for more than 30 years that has encompassed epidemiological and clinical research in therapy areas ranging from oncology and antibiotics to mental illness. He has served as a peer reviewer for the Journal of Managed Care Pharmacy (JMCP) specializing in the review of epidemiological, public health-related, and health care system-related journal submissions. For LernerMedia/LMG he has served as an expert author and/or advisor on a number of critically acclaimed books.

 

Christopher Lawrence

Christopher Lawrence is an author, professor of the history of medicine at the Wellcome Trust Centre for the History of Medicine, University College London , and a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. Dr. Lawrence is a contributing advisor for Scientific Thought: In Context and was editor along with Steven Shapin at Harvard of Science Incarnate: Historical Embodiments of Natural Knowledge (University Of Chicago Press, 1998)

 

Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner

Adrienne Wilmoth Lerner, J.D., served as co-editor for volumes on the Environment; Gender Issues and Sexuality; Human and Civil Rights; Government, Politics, and Protest; and Immigration and Multiculturalism. Ms. Lerner is the Director, Pre-Law and an instructor in the Department of Political Science and Public Administration at the University of North Florida. Prior to taking a post at UNL she worked as an author, editor, certified archaeologist, and an attorney in private practice as well as an Adjunct Professor at the Florida Coastal School of Law in Jacksonville, FL. She has taught courses at undergraduate, graduate, and law school level on topics including the U.S. Supreme Court, American Legal System, Constitutional Law, Administrative Law, International Human Rights, Gender and the Law, Art Law, and Intellectual Property Licensing. Ms. Lerner served as graduate instructor in communications at Vanderbilt University, where she was also a University Fellow (2000-2002) and a Summer Fellow for the Vanderbilt Program in Social and Political Thought (2001). She is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Oglethorpe University where she was named as Outstanding Honors Student and received the Leo Bilanco Award for Outstanding History Graduate (co-recipient). (bio updated March 2017). Ms. Lerner is also the editor of several books including Global Viewpoints: Freedom of Expression and has written extensively on a range of legal, social, and science policy issues for a number of academic books.

 

Alicia Cafferty Lerner

Alicia Cafferty Lerner is an independent author and editor. A graduate of University College, Dublin, Ireland (M.A.) and Auburn University, she is a member of Sigma Tau Delta, the National English Honors Society. In addition to independently editing a series of books on global issues for younger students, Ms. Cafferty contributed to a number of Lerner & Lerner / LMG projects.

 

René Lynn

René Lynn, Department of Communications, San Antonio Independent School District. San Antonio, Texas. A graduate of the University of Texas School of Journalism, René Lynn is former journalist and media commentator who now works as a representative of the San Antonio Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas.

 

Lois N. Magner

Lois N. Magner, Professor Emerita of History, Purdue University. Professor Magner is the author of A History of Medicine.

 

Nancy E. Masters

Nancy E. Masters is a Distinguished Member in the International Association for Identification and a member of the Editorial Review Board for the Journal of Forensic Identification. She also serves as a Fellow of the Fingerprint Society of Great Britain. In 2004, the International Association for Identification awarded Masters the IAI’s highest honor, John A. Dondero Memorial Award.

 

Elisa Rennie

Elisa Rennie is a member of the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., Covering an array of global issues, she continue to serve as an independent copyeditor for international news and academic resource platforms. As degree candidate at Harvard University, she helps teach grammar and expository writing. A best-selling author. Her fiction writing is published under a nom de plume.
 

Rebecca De Los Rios

Rebecca De Los Rios was a senior advisor at the Pan American Health Organization, the Regional Office of the World Health Organization for the Americas (PAHO/WHO), and is a specialist in international public health issues. She was a leader in mainstreaming gender as an important criteria into public health policies, programs and interventions. As Head of the PAHO/WHO Research Grant Program, she designed and implemented the Multi-center Research Networks. As a PAHO/WHO Senior Advisor on International Cooperation, she had a leadership role in the formulation and adoption of the PAHO/WHO Policy on Cooperation for Health Development and the establishment of the PAHO/WHO knowledge exchange and peer learning platform to promote cooperation among countries.

 

 

Anna Marie Roos

Anna Marie Roos is an author and Research Associate at the Wellcome Trust Unit for the History of Medicine at Oxford University. She has previously served as a Visiting Fellow, Wellcome Trust Unit for the History and Understanding of Medicine and as an Associate Professor in the Department of History at University of Minnesota. She holds a Ph.D. in History and a B.A. in Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology from the University of Colorado at Boulder. In addition to writing on contemporary topics regarding culture and medicine, she has published extensively in the history of science including Luminaries in the Natural World: The Sun and the Moon in England, 1400-1720 (Peter Lang, 2001) and The Salt of the Earth : Natural Philosophy, Medicine, and Chymistry in England, 1650-1750 (Brill Academic Pubishers, 2007).

 

Joachim Schummer

Joachim Schummer, Ph.D., Philosophy, University of Karlsruhe, Germany, has served as a Lecturer and Research Fellow, University of Karlsruhe; Visiting Professor, University of South Carolina; Heisenberg Fellow, Technical University of Darmstadt; Visiting Fellow, Center for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics, Australian National University; and Visiting Professor, University of Sofia, Bulgaria. Writing on a range of topics from chemical warfare to environmental pollution, he was co-editor of The Public Image of Chemistry (World Scientific Publishing, Singapore, 2007). He is a member of the Editorial Board of Studies in Ethics, Law and Technology (Berkeley Electronic, CA, USA)

 

Yavor Shopov

Yavor Shopov is Professor of Geology & Geophysics University of Sofia, Bulgaria , Dr. Sopov has served as President, Commission on Physical Chemistry and Hydrogeology of Karst, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization ( UNESCO).

 

Colette St. Clair

As a Managing Editor, Colette St. Clair represents LMGlobal in both Paris and Washington, D.C.. Ms. St. Clair manages project development and production in French-speaking areas of the world. A former journalist based in Paris and Washington, D.C., she produces both French and English news for an array of international media clients, including France24, Canal+, TF. and Radio France Internationale

 

Matthew Stanley

Matthew Stanley, a 2006-2007 Member of the School of Historical Studies, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton University is also an Assistant Professor, Department of History Program in the History of Technology and Science at Iowa State University.

 

Constance K. Stein

Constance K. Stein, Associate Professor, SUNY Upstate Medical University. Syracuse, New York. A graduate of the University of Michigan, Dr. Stein is an Associate Professor, Pathology and Director of Cytogenetics, Assistant Director of Molecular Diagnostics, SUNY Upstate Medical University. Syracuse, New York.

 

Michael J Sullivan

Michael J Sullivan is Director of the Children’s Cancer Research Group, Christ Church School of Medicine University of Otago Christchurch, New Zealand. A former Senior Lecturer in Paediatrics, Dr. Sullivan (FRACP DCH PhD) has also written on a variety of medical topics for general audiences.

 

John (Jack) P. Woodall

John (Jack) P. Woodall (1935-2106). Director, Nucleus for the Investigation of Emerging Infectious Diseases, Institute of Medical Biochemistry, Center for Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1998-2008. Jack Woodall is a graduate of Cambridge University and received his Ph.D. from the world-renowned London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London University. He served at the East African Virus Research Institute, Entebbe, Uganda; as director of the Rockefeller Foundation Belem Virus Laboratory in Brazil; as a Research Fellow at the Yale Arbovirus Research Unit, and then head of the Arbovirus Laboratory, New York State Health before being appointed director of the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) San Juan Laboratories in Puerto Rico. In 1981, he moved to the World Health Organization (WHO), Geneva, Switzerland, first in the Laboratory Unit, and then as Epidemiologist in the Division of Health Statistics. On retirement from WHO, Dr. Woodall he returned to direct the Arbovirus Laboratory for the New York State Health Department. In 1998 he moved to Rio de Janeiro, where he is still based. Dr. Woodall has also served as a member of the WHO Gulf Emergency Task Force in support of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) in Iraq; Leader of the WHO delegation to the Third Review Conference on the Biological Weapons Convention; and as editor of various publications for PAHO, the World Health Organization (WHO), the Sabin Vaccine Institute, and the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. Dr. Woodall was a co-founder of ProMED-mail, the online global outbreak early warning system of the Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED) of the International Society for Infectious Diseases (ISID), where he continues as Associate Editor. He is a member of the Biological Weapons Working Group of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation, Washington DC, and Board member, Sabin Vaccine Institute, Washington DC. Update: Jack Woodall, pioneer in the field of infectious diseases surveillance, was born on Jan 13, 1935, in Tianjin, China. He died on Oct 24, 2016, in Esher, Surrey, UK. Lancet Obit, Stat Obit

AP Teacher Advisors

 

 

Michael Bolsoni

Michael Bolsoni, an advisor for Human Geography: People and the Environment, began teaching AP Human Geography in 2001, the first year the national test was offered.  He has 13 years of teaching experience at the School of Environmental Studies and has traveled with students across the globe.  He is a content expert for the Kaplan AP Human Geography Guide and was an AP exam reader for several years. Mr. Bolsoni is currently an Assistant Principal in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan Public School District.

 

Linda L. Hammon

Linda L. Hammon, M.Ed., an advisor for Human Geography: People and the Environment, has more than 28 years experience teaching geography, including both 9th-grade Pre-AP Geography and AP Human Geography at Canyon High School in New Braunfels, Texas.  She is currently teaching Cultural Geography, as an Adjunct Lecturer, at Texas State University in San Marcos. A consultant with the College Board for the last twelve years, she has also served as a reader for the APHG exam the last six years.  In 1993, she received the National Council for Geographic Education Distinguished Teaching Award.

 

Kelly W. Swanson

Kelly W. Swanson, an advisor for Human Geography: People and the Environment, teaches geography at Johnson Senior High School and Metropolitan State University in St. Paul, Minnesota. In addition to his teaching work, Mr. Swanson serves on the standing committees of the United States Department of Education National Assessment in Educational Progress (NAEP) geography and the Praxis Geography committee.Author of the Kaplan AP Human Geography Guide, Mr. Swanson is an active member of the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education (MAGE) and has spoken around the world on geographic issues and projects.

 

Ann Elizabeth Linsley

Ann Elizabeth Linsley, a College Board Southwest Region Distinguished Teacher (2006) and advisor for Human Geography: People and the Environment, is a teacher at Bellaire High School in the Houston Independent School District. With 25 years of experience teaching human and physical geography in PreAP, AP, and IB programs, Ms. Linsley is a teacher consultant for the College Board in AP Human Geography. In addition to serving as an AP Human Geography exam reader and table leader since 1999, Ms. Linley was a PolarTrec teacher to Antarctica (2007), NGS Teacher Fellow (2008) and a NOAA "Teacher in the Field." Ms. Linsley also serves as a teacher consultant for the National Geographic Society and the Texas Alliance for Geographic Education.

 

 

Past Editorial Interns

Shaquilla T. Harrigan 

Shaquilla T. Harrigan, is a graduate of Harvard College (Class 2016). Ms. Harrigann served as a paid summer editorial intern for LMG, offering key contributions to the production of  Human Geography: People and the Environment.

 

Adeline Wilmoth Lerner

Adeline Wilmoth Lerner (Ellie Lerner) studied at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris and is a graduate of Auburn University.  After serving an internship at ZGF in Portland, she took a Masters's in  landscape architecture at North Carolina State University.  Ms. Lerner served as a paid summer editorial intern for LMG, with a primary focus on image selection offering for a range of science and factual projects.

 

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