The College of Health and Human Services is hosting a Monday, Nov. 3. virtual interdisciplinary discussion on gun violence prevention, its causes and the impact on communities, an initiative led by the Interdisciplinary Health Research Center.
The panel brings together scholars from across fields to share research, challenge common misconceptions and highlight strategies for addressing this critical public health issue.
Titled “The Complexity of Gun Violence: Interdisciplinary Perspectives,” the virtual discussion is scheduled from noon to 1:30 p.m. via Zoom.
Panelists include:
• Dr. Heather Sloane Cleary, a professor of social work and founder of Fearless Writers and the No More Silence podcast, who will discuss youth-led research and community engagement in gun violence prevention;
• Dr. Lisa Pescara-Kovach, a professor of educational psychology and director of the Center for Education in Mass Violence and Suicide, who will challenge common myths about mental health and violence and how media narratives and political rhetoric frequently oversimplify targeted shootings rather than focus on specific causation factors;
• Dr. Minxuan Lan, an assistant professor in the Department of Geography and Planning, and director of the Spatial Social Science Research Lab, who will discuss using machine learning and Al to predict gunshot hotspots in Toledo.
“From the very first semester of writing, high school students shared moments when their daily lives were interrupted by gunfire, threats or personal loss from gun violence,” Cleary said. These perspectives have shaped advocacy, research and media projects, giving voice to youth experiences and highlighting the importance of community-based prevention efforts.
“After each targeted mass shooting, there is a divide among those who feel the key factor is mental illness, while others blame the acts solely on access to weapons,” said Pescara-Kovach. “While both mental illness and guns play a role, contributors to targeted mass shootings are far more complex.”
To watch the virtual discussion, go to the event’s webpage.
