A nationally recognized mental health professional who was a consultant for various agencies following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks will kick off this years Benedum Lecture Series at West Virginia University.


Terence Keane, an expert in posttraumatic stress disorder, will speak at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 18, in Room G24 Eiesland Hall. His lecture will be”Terrorism, War and Trauma: Lessons for the Promotion of Resiliency and Recovery.”


The Benedum Lecture Series brings experts from other universities and institutions to the WVU campus every year to speak on topics related to a specific theme. The theme for this years lecture series is”September 11th: One Year Later.”Other lecture dates are Oct. 2, 9 and 16.


Keane is professor and vice chairman of research in psychiatry at BostonUniversitys School of Medicine and chief of psychology and director of the NationalCenter for PTSD at the VA Boston Healthcare System.


A past president of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, Keane has published three books and more than 140 articles on the assessment and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder. The disorder is a psychiatric condition that can arise after experiencing or witnessing life-threatening events.


His contributions to the field have been recognized with many honors, including the Robert Laufer Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement from ISTSS , a Fulbright Scholarship, an Outstanding Research Contribution Award and the Distinguished Service Award from the Division of Public Service Psychologists of the American Psychological Association.


In the wake of the terrorism attacks on New York City and the Pentagon, Keane has consulted to the Fire Department of New York and numerous federal agencies regarding the provision of mental health services.
He is a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society.