Past Dean's Faculty Highlights --
Professor publishes on individualism
October 23, 2009Dr. Peter Callero, professor of sociology, has had his work on individualism, or more accurately, “The Myth of Individualism: How Social Forces Shape Our Lives”, published by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group. In the book, Dr. Callero takes on the issue of individual free choice versus the influence of social forces on individual behavior. The book serves as an introduction to sociological thinking and as a critique of prevailing individualist interpretations of social problems.
Physics and education professors collaborate on NASA grant
October 9 , 2009
Dr. William Schoenfeld, associate professor of earth & physical sciences, and Dr. Adele Schepige, professor of education, have received $180,000 to fund a 2-year NASA project that uses research data on global climate change for improving scientific literacy of K-8 teachers in the Pacific Northwest. Dr. Sue Dauer (education) and earth & physical sciences instructor Phil Wade are also collaborating on the project. The Faulconer-Chapman School (Sheridan OR) is one of the pilot schools participating in the project.
Co-principal investigators Dr. Adele Schepige (standing, second from left ) and Dr. William Schoenfeld (standing, fourth from right ) with members of the Global Climate Change Institute team, including Dr. Tony Leavitt, NASA educational administrator (standing far left).
Biology Professors to Study Salmon River Estua
Dr. Karen Haberman, associate professor of biology, and Dr. Erin Baumgartner, assistant professor of biology, have received $73,564 in Oregon Sea Grant (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) funding to conduct a two-year study on the ecological status of the Salmon River estuary. Haberman and Baumgartner will be assessing the ecological recovery of the estuary after a series of dike removals by studying the estuary's macroinvertebrate populations. The funded work also includes educational outreach to K-12 communities and research opportunities for WOU students in the biology department.
Drs. Haberman (l) and Baumgartner (r)
Spanish professor sworn in by Oregon Chief Justice De Mun
August 3 , 2009
Dr. Gianna Martella, associate professor of Spanish, completed training and was sworn in as a certified court interpreter this summer by Oregon Supreme Court Chief Justice Paul J. De Muniz. Court interpreters provide assistance to individuals with limited English-proficiency. Dr. Martella’s involvement with the Court Interpreter Services is part of her professional service to the larger community. She has previously served as an interpreter for the Bi-National Health Council of the US-Mexico Border Health Association. Professor Martella specializes in the study of Spanish language crime and detective literature and science fiction literature.
Business professor speaks on timely topic
June 19, 2009
Dr. Kristina Frankenberger, professor of marketing, presented an invited paper on “The Earnings Effects of Advertising Expenditures During Recessions” at the 38th Annual European Marketing Academy Conference, held at Audencia Nantes University, Nantes France, May 26-27, 2009. Professor Frankenberger and colleague, Dr. Roger Graham of Oregon State University, examined associations between company earnings and advertising expenditures during recessions. The results of their analysis of advertising during five recessionary periods since 1971 have been reported in numerous business media outlets spanning multiple continents.
Music professor receives national student advising recogniti
May 15, 2009
Dr. Kevin Walczyk, professor of music, has been singled out for a certificate of merit as a Faculty Advisor by the National Academic Advising Association. Dr. Walczyk has played an instrumental role in the development of the student mentoring and advising program in the music department. Dr. Walczyk teaches electronic music, composition, jazz arranging, film scoring, aural skills, and horn performance. His compositions have been featured throughout Europe, Asia, South America and North America and at new music festivals in the United States, Holland, Belgium, the Ukraine, and Peru.
April 28 , 2009
Historian invited to be speaker at food science conference…
Dr. Benedict Lowe, associate professor of history, has been invited to participate in a panel on ‘Umami taste and Food-Added Glutamates: New Insights on Taste and Physiology’ at the 8th Pangborn Sensory Science Symposium in Florence, Italy in July 2009. Dr Lowe's paper is entitled ‘Fish sauces in the ancient Rome: a historic perspective on the use of free glutamates to enhance flavour’ and arises from his fieldwork in Pompeii in June-July 2008. The panel is being organized by Dr. Miro Smriga, the Director for Scientific and Regulatory Affairs for Ajinomoto Europe. The panel includes colleagues from Israel, Italy and the Netherlands. Dr. Lowe’s research covers many aspects of cultural antiquity; his latest work on economic impact of external cultures on Spain is found in his recent book, Roman Iberia. Dr. Lowe has involved WOU undergraduate students in his research at the Pompeii, Italy site.
Dr. Lowe (front) at Pompeii study site with colleagues Dr. Betty Jo Mayeske of the University of Maryland - College Park (center) and Dr. Robert Curtis of the University of Georgia - Athens (right). Also present are project staff members Phyllis Manner (far left) and Linda Swanson (far right).
April 10 , 2009
Anthropologists awarded summer institute grants…
Dr. Robin Smith, professor of anthropology, has been awarded a Fulbright-Hays grant to participate in a four-week China summer institute for university educators. The institute will travel around the country; including weeklong stays in Beijing, Xi'an and Shanghai. The program will focus on Chinese history, culture and economic development.
Dr. William "Doug" Smith, associate professor of anthropology, has been awarded a summer National Endowment for the Humanities grant for university faculty to participate in Nature and History at the Nation's Edge: A Field Institute in Environmental and Borderlands History. Hosted at the University of Arizona, the four-week long interdisciplinary institute includes classroom seminars, archival studies, and an extended 15-day field study tour through the arid lands and historical landscapes of Arizona, New Mexico, and Sonora, Mexico.
Above: Dr. Robin Smith and anthropology students.
Below: Dr. Doug Smith and children at a U.S.-Mexico Border field site.
March 13, 2009
Professor publishes on Yellowstone project…
Dr. Sarah Boomer, professor of biology, has had her NSF-funded work on “Formation of Multilayered Photosynthetic Biofilms in an Alkaline Thermal Spring in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming” accepted for publication in the April 2009 issue of the journal, Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The work comes out of a multi-year research project involving undergraduate students from Western. Indeed, Katherine Noll, a 2008 earth sciences major/biology minor graduate, is a co-author on the research report. Dr. Bryan Dutton, associate professor of biology collaborated on the study with Dr. Boomer as did Dr. Gill Geesey of Montana State University. Dr. Boomer has had an active research program since joining the biology department with over $750,000 in federal research and equipment infrastructure grants awarded to her.
Dr. Sarah Boomer (standing with hat) and students at a Yellowstone field site.
February 18 , 2009
Professor publishes on Ghanaian migrant women...
Dr. Isidore Lobnibe’s work on migrant women and reproduction pressures will be published in the professional journal, Africa Today (vol. 55, no.2, spring 2009). The article, entitled "Between Aspirations and Realities: Northern Ghanaian Migrant Women and the Dilemma of Household (Re)production in Southern Ghana" comes from field work that Dr. Lobnibe conducts in Ghana on socioeconomic issues faced by migrant farm workers. Professor Lobnibe has also collaborated on studies of prison honor farms in Ghana with criminal justice assistant professor, Dr. Vivian Amantana. Dr. Lobnibe, assistant professor of anthropology and member of the African Studies Committee, provided the keynote address at the 2009 WOU Model United Nations Annual Awareness dinner, speaking on “The Recent Ghanaian Elections and the Paths to Democracy in Africa.”
Dr. Lobnibe (center) with local farm hands. The wooden tools are hoes used to form yam mounds in which yam plants are cultivated.
January 30 , 2009
Chemistry professor applies technology to ancient art...
Dr. Pete Poston, professor of chemistry, and colleague Dr. Gregg Swazy of the US Geological Survey are performing analyses of pigments in archeological rock paintings; some estimated to be 2,000-8,000 years old. Poston and Swazy are attempting to determine the pigment composition of the ancient rock art found within the Canyonlands National Park (Utah) in a nondestructive fashion using various forms of spectrometry. They are working on this project for the National Park Service. For more information about Dr. Poston’s rock painting research.
Dr. Poston (on ladder) is using a portable device to collect spectrographic measurements of paint pigments. Photo below: The film crew from National Geographic is making a documentary about archeological rock paintings. Dr. Poston is second from left.
January 9 , 2009
Professor's work noted for distinction...
Dr. Claire Ferraris, associate professor and head of communication studies, has been notified that her paper to be presented at the 100th annual Eastern Communication Association convention to be held in Philadelphia, April 23-26, has been selected by Association reviewers as one of the top three papers to be presented in Media Communication. Dr. Ferraris will be presenting on “The Ethics of the Image Repair Discourse Strategy Used by Duke University in its Handling of the Lacrosse Team Sex Scandal.”
December 14, 2008
Professor nominated for international literary award...
Dr. Eduardo Gonzáles-Viaña, professor of Spanish, has been nominated for The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. The award offers the largest prize for single work of fiction in the English language. The nominations are submitted by libraries from capital and major cities from throughout the world. The works are nominated based upon “high literary merit”. Professor Gonzáles-Viaña has been nominated for his recent book, “Dante’s Ballad”. Dr. Gonzáles-Viaña has been teaching abroad at the University of Oviedo in Oviedo, Spain during fall 2008; he will return to Western's Modern Languages Department for start of winter term 2009.
December 2, 2008
Professor addresses international conference…
Dr. Emily Plec, associate professor of communication studies, presented an invited lecture on November 13th at an international conference on gender equality hosted by Gongju National University of Education, Gongju, Korea. Professor Plec was one of four invited speakers at the conference which was hosted in celebration of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Gongju National University of Education. Dr. Plec's presentation was entitled, “Women Hold Up Half the Sky: Meditation on the Multiple Meanings of Gender Equality.” Dr. Plec will be teaching during winter term 2010 in Morelia, Mexico as part of the Northwest Council on Study Abroad program.
Dr. Plec with fellow conference presenter; Professor Kaori Honoku from Kobe University, Japan.
November 6 , 2008
Professor publishes on Coptic community in Michigan…
Dr. Eliot Dickinson, assistant professor of political science, has had his work, Copts in Michigan, published by the Michigan State University Press. Copts are also known as Egyptian Christians. Professor Dickinson’s work is part of the collection of works on the cultural diversity in Michigan being published in the DISCOVERING the PEOPLES of MICHIGAN series. As part of his study of the Coptic community that immigrated to Detroit in the 1960’s, Dr. Dickinson was able to engage with members of the community through a series of interviews with community members.
October 20 , 2008
Professor staying on top of presidential campaign...
Dr. Edwin Dover, professor of political science, has been keeping extra busy this year. Being a scholar on the US presidency, every four years Dr. Dover has a new opportunity to study the selling of presidential candidates. And he always has plenty of new material to work with--professor Dover specializes on the use of television advertising in presidential campaigns. Dr. Dover has published extensively on the US presidency, his most recent book was released in 2006: Images, Issues, and Attacks: Television Advertising by Incumbents and Challengers in Presidential Elections (Lexington Books). He also is quite active in speaking about presidential elections at public forums.
September 17 , 2008
Professor receives grant renewal to continue French film series...
Dr. Shaun Huston, associate professor of geography and director of the film studies program has received continued funding from the French American Cultural Exchange to host the Tournées Festival in the fall term. Five films will be screened on successive Tuesday evenings at 7:00 PM in ITC 211; all showings are open to the public. The French American Cultural Exchange is a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting contemporary creative work in the context of French-American culture. The Tournées Festival was made possible with the support of the Cultural Services of the French Embassy and the French Ministry of Culture (CNC). This makes the fourth year that Professor Huston has had grant funding from FACE to sponsor the French film series.
August 27 , 2008
Psychology professor recognized by international journal…
Dr. Joel Alexander, professor and chair of psychology was recognized for his “exceptional contribution to the quality of Neuropsychologia.” and was named “top reviewer” by Tom Merriweather, publisher and Ewa Kittel-Prejs, publishing editor. Merriweather and Kittel-Prejs noted that professor Alexander has assisted in serving as a senior reviewer for the professional journal on manuscripts difficult to evaluate. Neuropsychologia is a highly selective international interdisciplinary journal devoted to integrating experimental, clinical and theoretical contributions that advance understanding of human behavior and cognition from a neuroscience perspective.
July 28 , 2008
Creative arts faculty recognized by The Kennedy Center
Dr. Solveig Holmquist, professor of music, and Sandra Hedgepeth, assistant professor of theatre and dance are recipients of the Meritorious Achievement Award issued by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Washington, D.C. The creative work on this spring’s WOU production of The Mystery of Edwin Drood was reviewed by adjudicators for The Kennedy Center; Dr. Holmquist was recognized for her musical direction and professor Hedgepeth was recognized for her costuming work. Faculty and students from theatre, dance and music programs frequently collaborate on joint productions.
Assistant professor Sandra Hedgepeth (above) and Dr. Solveig Holmquist (below).
July 15, 2008
Theatre professor among international group of certified combat instructors…
Ted deChatelet, adjunct assistant professor of theatre, brings unique qualifications to the WOU theatre program--he is one of 107 internationally certified instructors of stage combat. Professor deChatelet completed his training in stage combat instruction with the Society of American Fight Directors in 2007 and since then has been able to provide stage combat training and certification to WOU students. This spring 22 student actors passed 3 weapons tests (single sword, quarterstaff, hand to hand) and are now registered as Actor Combatants with the Society of American Fight Directors. Also this spring, professor deChatelet adapted and directed The Three Musketeers which provided ample opportunity for students to showcase their stage combat talents. In addition to teaching and directing at WOU, professor deChatelet is involved in directing and acting in professional theatre.
June 23 , 2008
Biology professor is principal investigator on state-funded Math and Science Partnership program training grant …
Dr. Karen Bledsoe, adjunct professor of biology, is the principal investigator on a 2-yr, $500,000 Oregon Department of Education Title IIB Math and Science Partnership (MSP) training grant awarded to Western Oregon University and the Oregon Science Teachers Association. Dr. Bledsoe and colleagues from Oregon State University, Willamette University and Central Oregon Community College will provide professional development training for elementary school teachers leading to a science endorsement to their teaching license. The ultimate objective of the training grant is to improve student performance on state math and science performance metrics. Teachers may choose to receive college credit from Western Oregon University for their participation in this project. Dr. Bledsoe will be working with teachers in the Sisters and Bend LaPine school districts. For more information about the Oregon Department of Education's Math and Science Partnership Program.
May 28, 2008
Pre-nursing advisor receives national recognition…
Dr. Michael LeMaster, associate professor of biology, has been selected as a Faculty Advisor of the Year by the National Academic Advising Association. Dr. LeMaster, who serves as the natural science and mathematics division's pre-nursing advisor, will be recognized at the NAAA annual conference in October; he is one of seven faculty from across the nation to be so recognized. Dr. LeMaster was selected by the WOU student body as the 2006 faculty advisor of the year. Also recognized this year by the NAAA are two members of the Academic Advising Center at WOU—Roberta Weber and Tamie Saffell.
Dr. LeMaster with two undergraduate members of his snake chemical ecology research team--Chelsey Miller (l) and Emily Uhrig (r)--at their Manitoba, Canada field site.
May 16, 2008
Professor publishes on powerful political women…
Dr. Molly Mayhead, professor of communication studies, and Linfield College colleague, Brenda DeVore Marshall, have released an edited collection of rhetorical essays on the political lives of Barbara Jordan, Patricia Schroeder, Geraldine Ferraro, Elizabeth Dole, Wilma Mankiller, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Madeleine Albright and Christine Todd Whitman. The foreword to the book, “Telling Political Lives: The Rhetorical Autobiographies of Women Leaders in the United States,” was penned by Representative Darlene Hooley, Congresswoman for Oregon’s 5th District. Dr. Emily Plec, associate professor of communication studies, authored the chapter on Chief Mankiller.
April 29, 2008
Language professor assisting US-Mexico Border Health Association…
Dr. Gianna Martella, associate professor of Spanish in the Modern Languages Department, has been invited to participate and to act as translator and interpreter for two Bi-National Health Council conferences to advance health care in the Texas boarder areas of El Paso-Juarez-Las Cruces and Presidio- Ojinaga. Currently there are eight Bi-National Health Councils along the Texas-Mexico boarder. The councils were created as an initiative of the US-Mexico Border Health Association, which was established in 1943 under the auspices of the Pan American Health Organization.
April 14, 2008
Professor receives best article award…
The Editorial Advisory Board of the Oregon Historical Quarterly selected Dr. Kimberly Jensen as the winner of the 2008 Palmer Award—the award was presented at the annual meeting of the Oregon Historical Society, April 12. The award is given to the best article published in the journal during the previous 12 months. Professor Jensen’s article “‘Neither Head nor Tail to the Campaign’: Esther Pohl Lovejoy and the Oregon Woman Suffrage Victory of 1912” appeared in the Fall 2007 issue of Oregon Historical Quarterly. The Palmer award is named after Joel Palmer, an Oregon pioneer. Dr. Jensen is a professor of history and specializes in work on woman suffrage and women’s role in health care in the early 20th century. She has recently published “Mobilizing Minerva” a book on American women in World War I.
March 21 , 2008
WOU faculty member publishes on Salman Rushdie; to be new director of WOU honors program …
Dr. Gavin Keulks, associate professor of English, has had his article on Salman Rushdie, "'Preferring the composite darkness': trauma theory and narration in The Ground Beneath Her Feet and Shalimar the Clown,” accepted for inclusion in the forthcoming book, New Perspectives on Salman Rushdie edited by Meenakshi Bharat (Pencraft International, 2008). This is the third article on Rushdie published by professor Keulks. Dr. Keulks is also widely known for his writings on the English writer, Martin Amis. Professor Keulks is the 2007 recipient of the Pastega Award for Faculty Scholarship at Western Oregon University. He will be taking on the directorship of the University Honors Program in fall 2008. Above photo: Dr. Keulks with students in his British literature class.
March 2 , 2008
WOU faculty member elected president of Oregon Academy of Science; 2009 annual meeting to be at WOU…
Dr. Jeffrey A. Myers, Associate Professor of geology/paleontology has been elected president of the Oregon Academy of Science for the 2008-2009 year. The board and assembled members of the Academy also voted on Feb 23 to endorse WOU as host of the Academy’s 2009 annual meeting. The meeting will take place on Saturday, Feb 28, 2009. Dr. Myers has served, previously, as president of the Academy and headed the organizing committee for the 2007 annual meeting that took place at WOU. More information about the Oregon Academy of Science and the annual meeting can be found at the OAS web site. In photo: Dr. Myers and undergraduate research students Matt Buche and Alyssa Pratt. The students are working with Dr. Myers on a North West Seismic Network project that will monitor sesimic data from sensors installed as part of the HSS building seismic upgrade project. (see previous happenings in the college).
February 12 , 2008
Biology professor to serve on national undergraduate research board…
Dr. Lonnie Guralnick, professor of biology and chair of the natural science and mathematics division has been elected to a three-year term as a Councilor in the Biology Division of the Council on Undergraduate Research--CUR. Dr. Guralnick’s term will begin in June. CUR is a highly respected organization dedicated to promotion of undergraduate research experiences. Dr. Guralnick brings considerable experience to this position; he has involved WOU biology students in his plant physiology research that has resulted in student presentations at national and international conferences and publication in professional journals.
January 28 , 2008
History professor to represent WOU in Germany…
Dr. David Doellinger, associate professor and chair of the history department, has been invited to represent WOU at the 40th anniversary commemoration of exchange relationships between the OUS system and universities in the Baden-Württemberg region of Germany. Professor Doellinger will be participating in faculty conferences and meeting with faculty at Mannheim University and Konstanz University to discuss internship and research possibilities in history and social sciences for WOU undergrad and graduate students studying abroad. Dr. Doellinger's regularly publishes in the area of religion-based dissent in former eastern-bloc countries.
January 4 , 2008
WOU music professor and students perform in China…
Dr. Solveig Holmquist, professor of music, Dr. Stephen Scheck, dean of the college, and students in the WOU Chamber Singers take time from their December multi-city tour in China to visit the Great Wall. Professor Yebing Feng, associate professor of music at Anshan Normal University (Anshan, China) was guest conductor for several pieces in the group's repertoire. Professor Yebing was a visiting international scholar at WOU during the 06-07 academic year. Professor Holmquist will be engaged in sabbatical work in China in 2008, including work at Anshan Normal University.
November 30 , 2007
Music professor chosen as recipient of national music award…
Dr. Joseph Harchanko, assistant professor of music, has been selected as a 2007-2008 American Society of Composers, Authors & Publishers PLUS Award honoree in the Concert Music Division. Professor Harchanko’s catalog of original compositions and recent performances were reviewed by a panel of noted conductors for unique prestige value. Compositions by Dr. Harchanko have been performed by WOU orchestras and ensembles.
November 3 , 2007
Professor and students’ artistic work showcased at language conference…
Dr. Cheryl Strand, professor of Spanish, and undergraduate students Diana Pineda, Fabiola Salgado, and Gary Henrickson had their cultural murals showcased throughout the fall conference of the Confederation in Oregon For Language Teaching. The murals were painted as part of Dr. Strand’s Chicano Life and Culture class. The WOU presentation was done in collaboration with professor J. A. Trujillo from OSU, who has been experimenting with similar artistic response class projects. Pineda, Salgado and Henrickson had the opportunity to speak about the special significance of the images they had chosen to include in the murals. Indeed, their presentation persuaded some attendees at the conference to adopt similar artistic response projects at their home institutions.
Gary Henrickson and Diana Pineda
Fabiola Salgado
October 15 , 2007
Professor receives international organization's outstanding service award…
Each year the CORPS de Ballet International (Council of Organized Researchers of Pedagogical Studies of Ballet)--a professional organization of university professors from around the world who teach ballet in higher education--bestows a single Outstanding Service Award to a member of the organization. The 2007 recipient is Sharon Oberst, professor of dance in the Creative Arts Division. Professor Oberst has been with the department of theatre and dance since 1987. Besides her recognition for outstanding professional service, professor Oberst was awarded the Mario and Alma Pastega Award for Excellence in Teaching in 2006—WOU’s top recognition for teaching excellence.
October 5 , 2007
Professors receive grant to enhance preparation in mathematics education …
Drs. Laurie Burton, Cheryl Beaver and Klay Kruczek of the mathematics department have received competitive funding from the Mathematical Association of America to provide a summer training workshop on “Active Learning Approaches and Visual Methods for Teaching the Foundational Mathematics for Elementary Teachers Courses”
The workshop, to be offered July 2008, is targeted to college instructors who are new to or are seeking to improve their proficiency in teaching elementary teacher candidates. Participants will experience how a dynamic and carefully guided classroom atmosphere, with appropriate curriculum choices, can improve the learning experience and overall attitude of future elementary school teachers.
September 19 , 2007
Professor strengthens art exchange with Japanese colleagues...
Kim Hoffman, professor of art and head of the department, had a very successful August visit with art faculty at Saitama University, Saitama, Japan. He also met with a number of Saitama alumni who had studied with the art faculty at WOU. Saitama University has been an international exchange institution with WOU since 1990. Professor Hoffman and associate professor, Masashi Takasuka, chair of the art department at Saitama have established more formal ties for faculty and student exchanges between the two art programs. Saitama professor, Motohiro Kozawa, will be a guest artist in residence at WOU in fall 2008 and will teach painting classes. The two art departments have also scheduled an exchange of art exhibits showcasing the work of the two faculties to run during the 2009-2010 academic year. Professor Hoffman will be exhibiting a number of his sculptures this fall at George Fox University in the Minthorne Gallery through October 11th.
September 5 , 2007
Professor documents the living history of coal mining town...
Dr. Curtis Yehnert, professor of English, has been revisiting work he originally engaged in during the 1980s on personal narratives of coal miners in San Toy, Ohio; a town that was disincorporated in1929. Current field work has Dr. Yehnert interviewing the children and grandchildren of his original subjects. He is writing about life in San Toy as originally described by the coal miners compared to the stories that their children and grandchildren remember. In addition to teaching literature, Dr. Yehnert will be serving as the new faculty advisor to the WOU student newspaper, the Western Oregon Journal , and speaks on Native American Literature through the Jensen Arctic Museum.
August 17 , 2007
LAS professors involved in defining Oregon high school graduation requirements…
Dr. Carol Harding, associate professor of English and chair of the Humanities division, Dr. Klay Kruczek, assistant professor of Mathematics, Dr. Steve Taylor, associate professor of earth/physical science and Dr. Robert Turner, associate professor of Biology, have been appointed to the Oregon Department of Education’s Essential Skills Task Force, one of five task forces that will assist with designing and implementing new high school diploma requirements. The WOU professors, along with colleagues from other Oregon universities, businesses, and high schools, will advise the Oregon Department of Education on qualitative aspects of high school graduation requirements and applicable skills. The goal of the task force is to ensure that high school graduates will be able to meet performance expectations when they enter the workforce or commence studies at the university level.
August 8 , 2007
Professor facilitates cross-cultural communication…
Dr. Emily Plec, associate professor of communication studies, has been pairing international students studying at WOU with U.S. student conversation partners who can help them acculturate and adapt to the spoken English of U.S. Americans. The students involve each other in social activities, class projects, family celebrations, and have regular conversations about cultural differences. At the end of the term, each student delivers a presentation about her or his conversation partner and reflects on the knowledge and perspective gained from participation in the program. Dr. Plec is part of a contingent of WOU faculty traveling to China this September as guest speakers at a number of universities.
July 30, 2007
Computer science division hosts SuperQuest 2007 summer institute…
The computer science division, under the leadership of Dr. John Marsaglia, professor and chair of the division, is hosting this summer’s SuperQuest at Western Oregon University, July 30-August 3. The week-long institute--targeted for K-12 teachers--offers courses on LEGO robotics, gaming as curriculum, advanced programming topics and animation in a Web environment. Featured workshops include fundraising for the tech classroom, recruiting and attracting students, integrating technology into the classroom and more. Experienced high school teachers serve as instructors at the institute.
July 23, 2007
Professor mixes history and ecological study of Oregon forest …
Dr. Max Geier, professor of history, has published a comprehensive review of the development and management of the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest in the west-central region of the Oregon Cascades. Established in 1948, the Andrews Forest has provided numerous opportunities to apply science-based ideas in forest management strategies. The report, Necessary Work: Discovering Old Forests, New Outlooks, and Community on the H.J. Andrews Experimental Forest, 1948-2000, is published by the USDA-Forest Services Pacific Northwest Research Station. Dr. Geier's prior work has been in historical examinations of community development and environmental management of public lands and watersheds. He routinely sponsors undergraduate students in related work.
July 11, 2007
Professor publishes on controversial figure…
Dr. Ram Sil, professor of history, has had his comprehensive work, "Tipu Sultan in History: A Re-Vision" accepted for publication by South Asian Studies, Cardiff University, UK. It is a sensitive piece of research on a very controversial figure of the history of early colonial India. Professor Sil has been invited to deliver the 2007 Annual Lecture at Jadavpur University's Corpus Research Institute, Calcutta on August 18. Dr. Sil will lecture on his research on the Bengali male literati of late colonial India and the Indian nationalist movement. The lecture will be published as an occasional paper of the Institute.
June 4, 2007
Anthropology professor and students to examine social dynamics of colonia settlement near US-Mexico border…
Dr. Doug Smith, head of the anthropology department, and undergraduate students Kristin Andree, Scott Buhl, Caterina Cortese, Amy Franzen, Daniel Sprinkle and Allison Thompson will be engaged in a four-week summer fieldwork study in the city of Agua Prieta, Sonora, across from Douglas, Arizona. Dr. Smith and the student team will be examining an array of topics related to family migration histories, labor and household economy, gender experiences, urban ecology, housing, and public health of living in the colonia (shantytown) of Ladrillera. Much of the project will be defined by an applied social science ethic and will be designed in collaboration with residents of the colonia where the project is centered.
May 29 , 2007
Creative Arts faculty engage students in interdisciplinary venture…
The WOU theatre production, DEBRIS TOSSED ABOUT-- subtitled "Experiments in Movement and Sound"-- is an original, student-created performance piece that is the culmination of a year-long workshop project led by theatre faculty member Dr. Michael Phillips in collaboration with fourteen student actors. Nine students in Professor Diane Tarter’s Intro to Typography art class have had the opportunity to watch the actors in workshop sessions so they could visually interpret what they saw; their typography work will be on display in the lobby of Rice Auditorium during the run of the play, Tuesday May 29 through Saturday June 2.
May 18, 2007
Creative Arts faculty critical force in Oregon professional theatre...
The Salem Repertory Theatre, a professional theatre located in the historic Reed Opera House of downtown Salem, closes out its current season this month. David Janoviak, Ted de Chatelet, Scott Grim, Sandra Hedgepeth and Michael Phillips have exported not only their professional artistic talents from the Creative Arts Division through their involvement in directing, set design, costuming and acting at the SRT, but also have overseen internship opportunities at the theatre for 15 WOU undergraduate students during the current production season. The Salem Repertory Theatre was founded in 2003 as a non-profit organization to add professional theatre to the cultural life in the state capital and the mid-Willamette Valley area.
May 11, 2007
Professor receives NSF research award—will benefit undergraduate experience at WOU…
Dr. Lonnie Guralnick, professor of biology and chair of the Natural Science and Mathematics Division, has received an NSF Research Opportunity Award to work on the molecular genetics and evolution of a unique genus of neo-tropical tree, Clusia, that has carbon metabolism similar to cacti. Guralnick will spend much of the summer on this study collaborating with Dr. John Cushman, at the University of Nevada, Reno; he will be adopting some of the research techniques to work being done with students at WOU. Professor Guralnick and undergraduate biology major, Amanda Cline, will be presenting a paper on the photosynthetic metabolism of the genus Grahmia at the 14th International Congress of Photosynthesis Satellite Meeting on "C4 and CAM: from Molecular Diversity to Ecological Convergence, to be held on July 17-20, 2007 at the University of Cambridge, UK.
April 30, 2007
Faculty-student team reports on challenges deaf students face in working with writing tutors…
Dr. Katherine M. Schmidt, assistant professor of English and director of the university writing center and undergraduate student writing tutors Marta Bunse (education), Kynzie Dalton (social science), Nicole Perry (literature) and Kayla Rau (writing) presented findings from their research on making the writing tutor more effective in serving the writing needs of deaf students. Their presentation, Lessening the Divide: Strategies for Promoting Effective Communication between Hearing Consultants and Deaf Student-Writers, was given April 28 at the 2007 Pacific Northwest Writing Centers Association meetings in Bellingham, WA.
April 16, 2007
Faculty and students in full force at 2007 Northwest Communication Association Conference...
Speech Communications department faculty members, Nick Backus, Claire Ferraris, Molly Mayhead and Emily Plec attended the annual Northwest Communications Association conference in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho, April 11-15. The WOU professors presented papers, served on workshop panels and sponsored student presentations by undergraduates Kathy Bolen, Gary May, Ambyre Phelps and Trevor Setyin. Leadership in the NWCA is well represented by WOU faculty: Dr. Mayhead is president, Dr. Ferraris serves as interim treasurer and Dr. Backus is secretary and newsletter editor.
Also of note, commencing with the 2007-2008 academic year, the Speech Communications Department will be renamed Communication Studies. The new name better describes the more comprehensive academic programming offered in the department.
April 2 , 2007
Psychology faculty mentor sends student researchers to present findings to US Congress...
Psychology student team--Ashley Arnold, Eric Nicolarsen and Phil Matthews -- under the mentorship of Dr. David Foster, associate professor of psychology, have been invited by the Council on Undergraduate Research to present their research at the 11th annual Posters on the Hill conference in the Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, DC, on April 25. The team is one of 60 nationally selected to present their research to members of the House of Representatives and the Senate. They will also be meeting individually with members of Congress from the state of Oregon to highlight the value of undergraduate research at schools such as Western Oregon University. The title of their research is Effects of Forming, Member Competence, and Self-Esteem on Small Group Processes and Decision Outcomes.
March 19 , 2007
Professor accepted to summer Canadian Studies Institute...
Dr. Mary Pettenger, assistant professor of political science, has been selected as a 2007 Fellow for the International Canadian Studies Institute (ICSI) to be held July 2007, in the province of Alberta, Canada. Twelve fellows were selected from universities in Washington, Oregon and Idaho. The purpose of the ICSI is to provide American academics with an in-depth exposure to Canadian politics, economics and culture. Dr. Pettenger will be using her ICSI experience in course development and potential research projects. Pettenger is the faculty moderator of WOU’s Model United Nations program and specializes in research related to social issues and global climate change.
March 2 , 2007
Professors recommend improvements for evaluating faculty performance...Dr. Joel Alexander, professor and chair of the psychology division and
Dr. Katherine Schmidt, assistant professor of English and director of the WOU writing center presented arguments to improve performance evaluations of faculty at the 2007 Association of American Colleges and Universities annual meeting in New Orleans. Schmidt and Alexander recommended adoption of experimental-design approaches common in social science research for evaluation of effectiveness of college faculty. By employing research-designed approaches, reliability of the evaluation process can be strengthened and recommended steps for improvement can be made more useful to the individual, compared to evaluation practices common in higher education today.
February 21, 2007
Joint student-faculty film effort to screen at Mid-Valley Video Festival...
Geography and Film Studies associate professor Dr. Shaun Huston led a team of Social Science Division colleagues, Drs. David Doellinger, William Smith, Robin Smith and adjunct instructor Maren Anderson in the production of the short film: “5 Cups of Coffee” which is screening at the Mid-Valley Video Festival on February 23rd.
The film takes the viewer through a day in the life of three people, Ashley, Pam, and Jeff, as they work through an interpersonal crisis together, but with Ashley taking the lead. The films stars WOU students Katey Bridge as Ashley, and Meghan Flickinger as Pam. Jeff is played by former WOU student, Nick Forsberg. Jennifer Stamps helped to supervise the music and designed the score.
February 10, 2007
WOU Faculty Prominent at Annual Science Meetings...
President of the Oregon Academy of Science, Dr. Jeffrey Myers, associate professor of earth and physical sciences, along with undergraduate student assistants-- Laura Fitzgerald, Kelsey Young, and Alyssa Pratt in the division of science and mathematics-- will serve as host of the 65th annual meeting of the OAS on the Western campus on February 24. Dr. Tamina Toray, professor of psychology, will be receiving the 2007 Outstanding Teacher (Higher Education) Award from the Academy at the proceedings.
The Junior Oregon Academy of Science, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium and the Intel Science and Engineering Fair will meet as part of the Feb 23-24 Central Western Oregon Science Expo; Drs. Adele Schepige, associate professor in teacher education, and Arlene Courtney, professor of earth and physical sciences, are leading the team of WOU faculty hosting the junior science programs. Undergraduate student Avery Cotton is assisting.
January 31, 2007
Computer science professors develop Chinese Mandarin language distance delivery program...
Dr. John Marsaglia, professor and chair of the computer science division along with colleagues Drs. Jie Liu and David Olson, professors of computer science, have been developing a web-based delivery system for on-line Chinese language. The program, targeted to high school students who do not have access to Mandarin language classes at their schools, is schedule to go live in early 2007.
January 22, 2007
Lecture on first woman president of physician association...
Dr. Kimberly Jensen, professor of history at WOU, will present a lecture on a trailblazing Oregon doctor, Ester Pohl Lovejoy MD, who became the first president of the Medical Women's International Association, one of the oldest international professional organizations in existence. Dr. Lovejoy was also very involved in woman suffrage campaigns and international medical relief. Dr. Jensen's presentation will take place on April 20, 2007 as part of the Oregon Health and Sciences University's History of Medicine Society Lectures Series.
January 15, 2007
Faculty share meth-abuse expertise at national meeting...
Dr. William (“Bud”) Brown, associate professor of criminal justice, and WOU colleague, adjunct instructor Randal Fritzler, will present research on methamphetamine abuse at the 2nd National Conference on Methamphetamine, HIV, and Hepatitis in Salt Lake City this February. The National Institute on Drug Abuse has noted that family-focused prevention efforts seem to be more effective than some other approaches. Dr. Brown's and instructor Fritzler's conference presentation is entitled “Establishing a Scientific Starting Point for Intervention and Prevention of Methamphetamine Abuse Among Incarcerated Parents.”
January 8, 2007
Penguins caught by WOU biologist—on camera...
Dr. Karen Haberman, chair of the biology department at WOU, has brought back some penguins from Antarctica — in photos. Her photography was shown in an exhibit this past fall curated by the Hamersly Library. Gift cards s showcasing Dr. Haberman's nature photos, which include penguine portraits and other seascape scenes, are being sold to generate funds for the Biology Scholarship and Hamersly Library exhibit programs. Dr. Haberman has been engaged in work on Antarctic krill, critical organisms in the Antarctic food chain.
January 1, 2007
With Oregon in the midst of the winter storm season, the work of Dr. Frank Nevius, associate professor of communication studies is quite timely. Dr. Nevius has recently published an article on “Sensational Weather” in the International Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Change Management. Dr. Nevius’s article addresses how marketing pressures are filling newspaper and television weather news with entertaining graphics and trivia but of questionable value to the consumer.