ODU Researchers Gómez, Usher Appear on "With Good Reason"
September 18, 2014
Lindsay Usher
Two faculty members in park, recreation and tourism studies at Old Dominion University will speak about their unique research areas - surf tourism and dog parks - on the public radio program "With Good Reason."
Associate professor Edwin Gómez will discuss how dog parks build community and cut back on crime, while assistant professor Lindsay Usher will talk about the conflicts that can arise between surfers and local residents in the show, entitled "Paddle Battle and Puppy Play." It airs Thursday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. on WHRV-FM (89.5) in Hampton Roads.
Gómez developed his unique line of research when he noticed the diverse crowd that congregated in community dog parks. His studies, published in the prestigious Journal of Park and Recreation Administration, suggest that dog parks are beneficial to even non-dog owners in terms of the community they create - provided dog owners are responsible.
Usher travelled to Central America to study tribalism in surf communities for her dissertation. Since she started at Old Dominion University in 2013, she has conducted focus groups with surfers in Virginia Beach, exploring the sometimes contentious relationship between surfers and other beach stakeholders.
"With Good Reason" airs at every Thursday at 1 p.m. on WHRV, and at various times on public radio stations across Virginia and around the country. Broadcast times are posted HERE.
The hour-long show, produced by the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, spotlights the achievements of Virginia public universities in scholarly research and innovation.
Audio files of the full program and its companion news feature will be posted the week of the show to the "With Good Reason" WEBSITE.
"With Good Reason" has twice won the Gabriel Award for Best Documentary/Public Affairs Program. It also is the recipient of top honors from the Virginia Association of Broadcasters and won a second-place award in the Public Radio News Directors competition.
ODU listeners are encouraged to join the show's FACEBOOK PAGE, and subscribe to the "With Good Reason" PODCAST.