On December 4, 2019, the Department of Sociology and Criminology celebrated the career of TRC founding Director, Dr. Brent L. Smith, as he retired from the University of Arkansas. Dr. Smith received his PhD in Sociology from Purdue University in 1979, and first began teaching about terrorism in the U.S. Army. In 1987, while working in as a professor in the Department of Justice Sciences at the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Smith founded the American Terrorism Study (ATS). During his career, Dr. Smith has testified before congress, worked with federal law enforcement, published numerous scholarly articles in distinguished journals, and written a book, “Terrorism in America: Pipe Bombs and Pipe Dreams.” He also served as Chair of the Department and generated several million dollars in federal funding for the University while fostering interdisciplinary research efforts. Dr. Jeff Gruenewald, the new director of the TRC, described Dr. Smith as someone who has achieved an incredible amount of success in his career and served as a mentor to countless researchers.
Our best wishes and congratulations to Dr. Smith, and his entire family!