Wichita State News: Academe

WSU research could improve prognosis for battlefield injuries

Mon, 6 May 2013 15:30:00 CST

Leg and arm injuries sustained in the battlefield are made worse when splinting devices used by military medics don't provide ideal stabilization of the injured extremity.

But a project under way by Wichita State University research engineer Kim Reuter aims to change that. Reuter is working on the development of novel materials for a fast-setting composite stabilization device.

It would initially enable shape manipulation and then harden to create a stiff, protective, custom-shaped splint. The splint would provide more stability than current devices being used today, Reuter said.

The important features of the splint include portability, ease of use and improved support and protection.

Why is this so important?

Reuter said protecting injured limbs from further vascular, neural and soft tissue damage during transport to a medical treatment center will result in less bleeding, less pain, and faster recovery.

It could also provide a potentially life-altering benefit to the injured person.

"The increased protection and support during transport could mean the difference between keeping or losing a limb," Reuter said.

Along with use in the battlefield, the improved splints could be used in daily life – added to first aid kit for emergency responders, athletic trainers, school nurses, outdoor enthusiasts, or parents.

Outperforming traditional splints

The project is paid for by a $1.39 million grant from the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command. The grant was awarded in 2011 to WSU, and the work is being completed by NIAR's Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopedic Research (CIBOR).

The composite materials being researched for the splint include a resin that instantly begins to cure when it comes in contact with the reinforcement fabric; and a resin that is mixed in a closed-air environment and, when exposed to oxygen, begins to polymerize.

In preliminary trials, these composite splints outperformed the traditional splint currently being used by the military. Reuter, who is in her second year working in this project, said the next steps are to finalize the material selection, fabricate prototypes and perform testing.

"This is just one of the many ways that the composite technology of the aerospace industry can be applied to the medical industry," Reuter said. "The CIBOR team is excited to be exploring composites for orthopedic applications."

History professor's research took her to Mongolia, Siberia

Mon, 13 May 2013 15:56:00 CST

Wichita State Russian history professor Helen Hundley spent last summer in the highlands of Mongolia and Siberia. Hundley's latest research trip took her from the plains and prairies of Kansas to the steppes and mountains of northern Mongolia and Siberia.

Since she returned, Hundley has been working on two books detailing her research, and will soon start looking for funding for her next trip.

Landing at Genghis Khan International airport in Mongolia's capitol city of Ulan Batar, Hundley began a month-long study of the resurgence of Buddhism and Buddhist imagery and symbols in the former Soviet Union.

Since the fall of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s, a "Buddhist explosion," as Hundley described it, has spread across the region in much the same way as it did originally from China. This new form of "public Buddhism," Hundley said, has changed the physical and cultural landscape of Mongolia and Siberia alike.

One of the principal reasons for Hundley's trip was the study of roadside prayer shrines called oovoos. These structures, to a casual observer, might look like a pile of stones and wood covered in strips of brightly colored fabric. In actuality, oovoos are a tangible symbol of the resurgence of Buddhism in the region and are found on the side of roads all over Mongolia.

"The interesting thing is that none of these shrines existed 30 years ago," Hundley said. Since the fall of the Soviet Union, perhaps thousands of them have been built.

"There's a sense that the Soviets destroyed everyone's history here," Hundley said, and these shrines are just one way of getting it back.

"We can explain all of our art," Hundley said. "They can't do that there."

On a closer look, Hundley said, the stones of the shrines would be covered in prayers for everything from a good harvest, to hopes that a relative's chemotherapy treatments go well.

New signs

In a country where practicing Buddhism openly was once illegal, now signs and images of its practice are everywhere, Hundley said. From roadside oovoos to Buddhist prayer wheels for sale on street corners.

Even solar powered prayer wheels, Hundley said, can be found on the dashboards of almost any car, highlighting the fusion of ancient buddhist traditions and the modern culture of Ulan Bataar.

Leaving Ulan Batar, Hundley traveled north to Amarbayasgalant monastery. While Mongolia was under Communist rule, thousands of Buddhist monasteries were destroyed or converted to other uses. Amarbayasgalant was one of the few to survive and was a major stop on Hundley's trip.

While visiting the monastery, where Hundley said it wasn't uncommon to see a shaven-headed monk tapping away on his iPad, Hundley stayed in a ger camp— a collection of traditional circular wooden latticework buildings covered in layers of felt and painted in bright colors.

Ger camps are usually powered by gasoline generators, but being out in the country are prone to frequent power outages. Hundley fondly remembers one particular incident where, during a power outage, she and her hosts sat around the dinner table telling stories by candlelight and the light from smartphones.

Hospitality and thousands of years of history aside, there's another reason Hundley has been traveling to Mongolia whenever she could since 1992.

"I can't describe how beautiful it is there," Hundley said.

Such a captivating country is always hard for Hundley to leave, she said. The prospect of coming home again she likened to Cinderella's coach turning into a pumpkin at midnight.

WSU professor Wilson Baldridge receives fundraising award

Mon, 13 May 2013 13:30:00 CST

Wilson Baldridge, professor and chair of Modern and Classical Languages at Wichita State University, is the recipient of the WSU Foundation Faculty/Staff Fundraising Award.

The award was established to recognize WSU faculty or staff members who have played a key role in cultivating and securing a major gift for WSU.

This is the second year the award has been presented.

Read full story.

Faculty/staff news update: March/April 2013

Wed, 8 May 2013 13:26:00 CST

Academe welcomes news from WSU faculty and staff about research, teaching and service activities. This column recognizes grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and deaths of our current and former colleagues.

William Proctor Artz, instructional technologist and designer, School of Community Affairs, presented a paper "Secure Testing in the Virtual Classroom: Is It Even Possible?" at the Innovative Technology to Recharge and Connect (ITRAC) instructional technology conference on March 8.

Dinorah Azpuru, associate professor of political science, was invited to present her research on U.S-Latin America relations at the Woodrow Wilson Center, in Washington, D.C., on March 27. In the framework of the seminar "China in Latin America: Public Impressions and Policy Implications" she compared public opinion in the Americas about the influence and role of China and the United States in the region. Watch the webcast here.

Michael Birzer

Michael Birzer, professor, School of Community Affairs, worked with the Wichita Police Department's Command Staff on organizational transformation and issues. He also recently received a $32,000 grant award from the Kansas Department of Transportation to continue his research on racial profiling across the state of Kansas.

Travis Bruce, assistant professor, history, has published a book about the trading community of Denia, a Muslim city state in al-Andalus in the Middle Ages, and the trade links and cultural ties between the Muslim and Christian worlds.

Amy Delamaide, director, community and organizational development, WSU Center for Community Support and Research, was recently named a BoardSource Certified Governance Trainer and is now certified to deliver BoardSource's signature nonprofit governance trainings in the Midwest and Great Plains area. BoardSource supports and promotes excellence in nonprofit board service by providing cutting-edge thinking and resources on board effectiveness and by engaging and developing the next generation of board leaders.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, earned four awards in the Kansas Professional Communicators 2012 contest: First and second in magazine page design; first in PR magazine (editing/creative direction); and second in magazine feature story. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Ed Flentje

Ed Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas. At the invitation of the Center for Information and Resources for Development, he also traveled to Asuncion, Paraguay to participate in the Public Policy and Presidential Elections Project. This trip was the seventh of an eight-part series to educate and engage political activists on democracy, elections and public policy prior to upcoming elections in April 2013.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, and Misty Bruckner and Corinne Bannon, both from the Center for Urban Studies, collaborated with the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County as part of a four-step process to guide a comprehensive plan update and to develop and implement a multiphase citizen engagement effort. Glaser was also recently appointed to the publication committee of the American Society for Public Administration. This is a prestigious appointment to the committee that oversees publication of the Public Administration Review, the top rated journal in the field.

Sabrina Perez Glatt, director of field practicum, School of Social Work, is the 2013recipient of the Wayne Carlisle Distinguished Service Award. The award is presented to an unclassified professional who models the standard of extraordinary service.

Brandy Jackson, undergraduate program director, was approved to receive funding from the College of Health Professions' IPE Fund to support participation in the Team STEPPS training program at Tulane University in New Orleans.

Phyllis Jacobs, assistant professor, nursing, and her husband, Lou, are receiving the 2013 Joel A. Gingras, Jr. Award from the American Brain Tumor Association. The award recognizes individuals, organizations or groups who through philanthropy, advocacy, discovery or patient care and support, have had a transformative impact on the advancement of the mission of the American Brain Tumor Association. Phyllis and Lou have facilitated a brain tumor support group called Headstrong at Victory in the Valley in Wichita for the past 14 years. The Award will be given at the American Brain Tumor Association national conference in Chicago in July.

Kim Johnson, DNP Candidate, whose submission titled "Does primary care provider advance directive education influence attitudes and practice?," was accepted as a poster presentation at the Graduate Research and Scholarly Projects. She was also selected to participate by WSU in the Rising Stars of Scholarship and Research Poster Program at Sigma Theta Tau International's 42nd Biennial Convention.

Stuart Lasine, professor of religion, has been elected vice president of the Society of Biblical Literature's southwest region. In 2014 he'll become president-elect and then in 2015, president.

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, Kelly Anderson (Dental Hygiene) and Mary Koehn (CHP IPE coordinator) abstract, "Making IPE Discipline Relevant" was accepted for presentation at the Collaborating Across Borders IV Conference in Canada.

Cheryl Miller, assistant dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, earned several awards in the 2012 Kansas Professional Communicators contest: First in personality profile, first in editing; second in advertising; and third in editing. Miller also received honorable mentions in feature writing, personality profile, and specialty articles - travel. First-place winners move on to compete at the national level.

Pamela O'Neal, SON Academic Writing Specialist, and Michelle Dreiling, a graduate student at the Elliott School of Communication, were invited to Wiley College in Marshall TX to speak at the Ethical Student Leadership Conference about the WSU Hunger Awareness Initiative.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor; Carla A. Lee, Debbie Strickert and Margaret Trumpp are authors of an article entitled "Oral Care and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia-An Integrated Review of the Literature" accepted for publication in the forthcoming May/June 2013 issue of Dimensions in Critical Care Nursing.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, Adult Health & Illness Clinical nurse specialist program coordinator, Acute Care Nurse Practitioner Program coordinator, had two book chapters published. Steinke, E. E. (2014). Ineffective sexuality patterns. In B. Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook,10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 724-730. And Steinke, E. E. (2014). Sexual dysfunction. In B.Ackley, G. Ladwig. Nursing Diagnosis Handbook, 10th ed. St. Louis: Elsevier; pp. 717-724.

DISTINGUISHED AND PHENOMENAL AWARDS
The Wichita State University Women's Association named its Distinguished Gentlemen Award winners in March. They are: Wilson Baldridge, chair, Modern & Classical Languages; Michael L. Birzer, professor, criminal justice/director SCA; William Bischoff, professor, geology; Buma Fridman, chair and professor, mathematics; Terre Johnson, vice president for major gifts, WSU Foundation; Chuck Koeber, associate dean, liberal arts, professor, sociology; Ron Matson, interim dean, liberal arts and sciences; Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts; Rick Muma, associate provost and professor, public health; Ravi Pendse, vice president, Information Technology, and chief information officer; Wade Robinson, vice president for Campus Life and University Relations; Mel Whiteside, director, engineering technology program;

The Office of Multicultural Affairs announced its Phenomenal Women of the Year at the fifth annual Phenomenal Women Award Recognition on March 14. Jean Patterson, from the Educational Leadership Department was awarded Faculty Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Frankie Brown, from Human Resources was awarded the Unclassified Professional Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. Juanita Reed from the Alumni Association was awarded the Classified Staff Phenomenal Woman of the Year. These women were recognized along with five other nominees.

IN MEMORIAM

Ronald Christy, 63, business instructor at Wichita State University, died Monday, April 22. He is survived by a son, Cody; Cody's mother, Linda Pool; extended family members, Jamie Doss, Mary Giordenella Belden and Wanda Aikin, and their children Jordan Doss, Kaylee Doss, Brooklyn Aikin, Madison Aikin, Makenna Belden and Cade Belden, who referred to Mr. Christy as Grandpa. Mr. Christy was a pioneer in entrepreneurial education and was instrumental in helping Fran Jabara found WSU's Center for Entrepreneurship in 1977. Mr. Christy taught the widely acclaimed "Your Future in Business" class to thousands of Kansans in the 1970s and 1980s. He co-authored four books on entrepreneurship, was the recipient of the prestigious Sargent Americanism Award, as well as the Outstanding Teaching Award from the W. Frank Barton School of Business. As a businessman, he founded several businesses and was a sought after consultant for over 35 years. The Ron Christy Entrepreneurship Memorial has been established through the WSU Foundation. Donations can be sent to support this memorial, in lieu of flowers, to 1845 Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002. Services have been held.

Jeraldine Cobb, 77, retired, died April 15. Services have been held. Survivors: husband, James; sons, Terry (Diane) Evans, Larry Evans, Michael Cobb ; daughter, Jacqueline Cobb ; sister, Roberta (Lawrence) Crockett; brother, Claude (Linda) Dayton; 7 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; a host of other relatives, Strangers Rest family and friends.

Donald Leroy Foster, 77, retired Wichita State Physics professor, died Sunday, May 5. He taught at WSU for 39 years, where he served as department chair. He is preceded in death by parents, Raymond and Hilda Mae (McCrea) Foster. Mr. Foster is survived by his cherished wife, Deanna; sister, Susan A. Foster; children, Andrew (Amy) Foster, Matt (Lucinda) Foster, Brandie (Kevin Blount) French and Kelly French; 12 grandchildren, Josh, Nick, Jack, Ethan, Luke, Zach, Alex, Sebastian, Sofia, Evelyn, Levi and Lydia; and one great-grandchild. Recitation of the Rosary will be at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 9, followed by the funeral mass at 10:30 a.m., both at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church. Memorials may be sent to National Parkinson Foundation, P.O. Box 51018, Hagerstown, Maryland 21741. Baker Funeral Home, Wichita.

Doris Kathleen "Kathy" Lewis, 73, former chair and associate professor, physical therapy, died March 11 in Peoria. Services have been held. She is survived by her daughter, Terri Lewis, and son-in-law, Daniel Angot, of Peoria; grandsons, Dustin and Jordan Angot; four brothers; two sisters; and many nieces and nephews. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society's Road to Recovery Program in Peoria.

Marguerite "Mickey" Miller, 92, professor emeritus and longtime former chair of keyboard, College of Fine Arts, died April 17. She was preceded in death by parents, Joe and Mary Smith; husband, Luther; and grandson, Brandon. Survivors include sons Joe of Wichita, Jay (Madeline) of Lake Forest, Ill., and Jon of Kechi; daughter, Jean Little (Kent) of Kechi; three grandchildren. In accordance with her wishes, services will be private.

Gilbert "Gil" Perez, 61, WSU Environmental Scientist, passed away Saturday, April 27, 2013. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Perez; children, Paul (Annie) Perez, Angela Perez, Isaac (Crystal) Perez, all of Wichita; grandchildren, LaTaylah, Zayda, Adrian, Evan, Aiden, Brittany (Kade), Cidnie, Daphne, Emilie and Remi; mother, Beatrice Perez of Kinsley; brothers, John (Olga) Perez of Dodge City, Larry Perez of Kinsley, Tom (Diane) Perez of Dodge City; sisters, Rose Perez of Kinsley, Gloria (Joe) Lock of Lewis and Mary (Alvaro) Bencomo of Dodge City; many other family and friends. Services have been held. Memorials to Riverlawn Christian Church, 4243 N. Meridian, Wichita, KS 67204. Baker Funeral Home, Valley Center.

Claycomb named interim dean of WSU's business school

Thu, 2 May 2013 09:15:00 CST

Cindy Claycomb

Cindy Claycomb has been named interim dean of the W. Frank Barton School of Business, effective June 2, according to Keith Pickus, interim provost at Wichita State University.

Claycomb will be interim dean for the 2013-2014 academic year while a national search is conducted for a permanent dean.

"Dr. Claycomb demonstrated great leadership as co-chair of the WSU strategic planning steering committee this past year," said Wichita State President John Bardo. "I'm confident that she will accept this next challenge with the same enthusiasm, energy and commitment."

The change was necessitated when Doug Hensler, the current dean, announced recently that he is leaving Wichita State to assume the position of provost at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif.

"Dr. Claycomb has developed great relationships in the community and on campus," said Pickus. "She will help ensure that the W. Frank Barton School of Business continues to move forward in the coming year."

Claycomb joined the WSU faculty in 1994 as an assistant professor of marketing and entrepreneurship in the Barton School of Business. She was promoted to associate professor in 2000, and to full professor in 2006.

In 2004, she was awarded a teaching fellowship and became the Neff Family Fellow in Business. She won the 2003 Wichita State University Board of Trustees' Award for Leadership in the Advancement of Teaching. In 1996, she won the Barton School's "Instructor of the Year" award.

Claycomb won the Barton School's "Researcher/Writer of the Year" award in 2004 and 2000. She held a Barton Fellow position in the Barton School during 2002, 2003, 2011 and 2012. These fellowships recognize quality research.

Before coming to Wichita State, Claycomb held several management positions in her 10 years with Pizza Hut Inc.

Claycomb received her doctoral degree in marketing at Oklahoma State University and her master's and undergraduate degrees at Wichita State.

Her areas of expertise are marketing management, sales, retail, services marketing, relationship marketing and supply chain management.

New Ulrich director returns to his Wichita State roots

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 11:42:00 CST

In 1978, Bob Workman was up in the air, standing on scaffolding at the front of the Ulrich Museum of Art, meticulously plugging bits of mosaic into bolt holes.

He was an undergraduate student at Wichita State, and getting the honor of helping install the famous Miro mural was the icing on the cake for the art enthusiast.

"I have to say that being a part of the Ulrich at such a dynamic and engaging time was life changing for me," Workman said.

Thirty-five years and six cities later, the Wichita native is back home and back at Wichita State as director of the Ulrich Museum.

When Workman returned to the Ulrich, the Miro mural – a visual icon on the WSU campus – was gone, undergoing a multi-million dollar restoration. So the project he worked so hard on as a student is now one of his biggest projects as museum director.

"There's a wonderful symmetry to my starting my art museum career here, with the privilege in 1978 to be a part of the Miro installation and unveiling," Workman said. "Now I have a leadership responsibility with our great WSU team to not only raise the remaining funds to conserve the Miro, but also be here for the reinstallation in 2016."

'It's great to be back'

After earning his bachelor's in art history from Wichita State, Workman moved to Boston, where he received his master's from Boston University.

Workman then held a series of positions as he earned experience in the world of art. He was curator for the Museum of Art at the Rhode Island School of Design; director of exhibitions at the American Federations of Arts in New York City; deputy director of the Amon Carter Museum in Fort Worth, Texas; and founding director of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Ark.

Most recently, Workman was director of the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan, Kan.

"My career is somewhat unique in that I have been intimately involved in the design and construction of three museums," Workman said.

Now as director of WSU's art museum, he leads the staff in the development and care of the 7,000-plus works of art in the Ulrich collection, the development and implementation of the exhibitions program, and the delivery of educational programs on and around campus.

Ulrich staff is also in the early stages of photographing and digitizing the museum's permanent collection.

"That process is a key step in our making the art accessible to the students and faculty of WSU, as well as our greater community," Workman said.

Workman said fundraising to support the conservation of the Miro – and the work itself – is going very well.

"The opportunity to return here and work to enrich the lives of students on campus is a great motivator for me," he said. "The collections and programs of the Ulrich provide exciting and enriching experiences for all our visitors, and I look forward to building on the great work that has been done here over the last several years. It's great to be back, and I am very excited by the prospects for the future of the Ulrich Museum of Art."

WSU professors' research could enhance quality of human life

Tue, 9 Apr 2013 15:35:00 CST

Coronary stents have saved a lot of lives over the years, but there is a growing interest in what happens when a stent stays inside the body for too long.

With that in mind, Wichita State assistant industrial and manufacturing engineering professor Anil Mahapatro is focusing his research on the investigation of biodegradable metallic stents.

Mahapatro, who came to WSU in August 2011, is collaborating with associate mechanical engineering professor Ramazan Asmatulu and Li Yao, assistant biology professor.

The goal of their research is to someday develop metallic implants, including cardiovascular stents, that will safely dissolve inside a person's body.

"There exists a critical clinical need, as well as a growing interest, in development of biodegradable stents," Mahapatro said.

About biodegradable stents

A biodegradable metal is a metal that would degrade inside the body without causing any harm to the human body. Biodegradable metallic implants are being explored for applications that currently use permanent metallic implants but do not required those implants to be in the body lifelong.

Examples include cardiovascular stents and orthopedic fracture fixation devices. Coronary stents are placed during a percutaneous coronary intervention procedure, better known as an angioplasty, for treating coronary artery diseases resulting from narrowing of coronary arteries.

A stent is a tubular mesh-like scaffold that is placed and expanded inside a coronary artery during angioplasty.

There have been many arguments within the medical research community over the potential benefits of having the stent removed after 12-18 months, by which time most of stents have fulfilled their purpose.

Mahapatro said the most obvious argument for stent removal is the fact that the stent is a foreign object, and its presence is associated with the potential for inflammatory reactions and other damage.

Researchers also worry that the long-term presence of a stent could cause remodeling of the arterial wall in a person's heart.

But a biodegradable stent would provide a temporary opening to a narrowed arterial vessel. When the vessel is fixed, the stent would progressively disappear.

A successful biodegradable stent could possibly phase out other long-term clinical problems sometimes associated with traditional metallic implants, Mahapatro said.

Contributing to society's well-being

The research being done by Mahapatro, Asmatulu and Yao includes the testing of magnesium-based alloys as possible metallic biodegradable stent material.

Typically, pure magnesium corrodes too quickly, losing its mechanical integrity before the tissue has had time to heal.

One of the focuses of their research is to develop surface coatings and modification strategies to control and slow the biodegradation rates of magnesium-based materials.

Mahapatro's interest in this line of work started with casual discussions with clinicians and slowly evolved from there.

"Being involved in biomaterials and biomedical engineering research enables me not only to be involved in basic and applied research, but also in contributing to the well-being of the society by developing medical technologies that improve and enhance the quality of human life."

Vizzini named VP for academic affairs at Wichita State

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:17:00 CST

Anthony Vizzini

Anthony Vizzini has been named vice president for academic affairs at Wichita State University, effective July 1, according to President John Bardo.

Vizzini assumes the position vacated in 2011 by Gary L. Miller, who left to become chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Wilmington. Keith Pickus has served as interim provost since Miller's departure.

"I am pleased Dr. Vizzini has accepted the offer to become WSU's next vice president for academic affairs," said Bardo. "His academic background will prove invaluable for advancing the university's academic programs, and he brings to campus a wealth of experience in the development of entrepreneurship and business innovation in private and public partnerships. I am excited to have his breadth of experience in both business and academics."

Vizzini earned his undergraduate, master's and doctoral degrees from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research involved the manufacture, testing and analysis of composite structures.

He is a Fellow of the American Society for Composites and served as president of the Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering.

Vizzini served as a catalyst in the economic development of the aerospace corridor in Mississippi.

"I am eager to be joining so many exciting individuals and to be part of the team of students, staff and faculty who will make great things happen for Wichita State University and the state of Kansas," said Vizzini. "I have had a great welcome thus far."

Since 2009, Vizzini has served as dean and professor of the College of Engineering and Applied Sciences at Western Michigan University.

Previously, he was department head, professor and inaugural holder of the Bill and Carolyn Cobb Chair for the aerospace engineering department at Mississippi State University.

Vizzini started his professional career as assistant professor at the University of Maryland, where he eventually became founding director of the Composites Research Laboratory, graduate director of aerospace engineering and associate professor.

Tomblin named interim VP for research and technology transfer

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 09:54:00 CST

Because of a new emphasis on research and technology transfer, Wichita State University President John Bardo has renamed the Office of Research Administration.

It is now the Office of Research and Technology Transfer. The renamed office will report directly to the president.

John Tomblin

In addition, Bardo announced that John Tomblin will be interim vice president for research and technology transfer effective immediately. Tomblin will continue in his role as executive director of the National Institute for Aviation Research.

Tomblin's role in technology transfer will be expanded to enhance the transfer of intellectual property out of the university, to increase partnerships with businesses, government agencies and non-governmental organizations. It also is the first step in readying the university for potential development of a public/private research and development center on campus.

According to Bardo, Tomblin and the incoming vice president for academic affairs will work closely with the college deans, Faculty Senate and Research Council to assure that the new structure enhances support for faculty and staff researchers.

New tech transfer director

In addition, a director of technology transfer position will be established and a search will begin later this spring.

The director will focus on business spinouts and partnerships. Patenting and licensing will be outsourced to specialists, according to Bardo.

Since becoming president at Wichita State in July 2012, Bardo has emphasized five key areas for development, two of which are research and technology transfer.

"Moving this office to the university level is an important step in enhancing our capacities in these two critical areas," said Bardo. "WSU already does more than $55 million in funded research each year, and we intend to increase that amount substantially.

"At the same time, we recognize that taking the products of research, as well as good ideas from students, faculty and staff to the market to create new businesses and jobs is an important activity for universities today."

WSU archaeologist focuses research on ancient social change

Wed, 6 Mar 2013 15:19:00 CST

After only one year, assistant anthropology professor Lisa Overholtzer is making a name for herself at Wichita State University.

Overholtzer, who joined the WSU faculty in 2012 after holding adjunct instructor positions at Northwestern University and DePaul University, has been in the scientific news recently for her research in central Mexico.

Together with experts from the University of Texas at Austin and Washington State University, Overholtzer is researching whether the Aztecs who conquered the city of Xaltocan in ancient Mexico around the year 1435 changed the genetic makeup of those who lived there.

The study – called the Xaltocan Archaeological Project – was published in the December issue of the American Journal of Physical Anthropology.

UT Austin graduate student Jaime Mata-Miguez is first author on the paper. Other collaborators include Deborah Bolnick (director of the DNA lab at UT Austin); Enrique Rodriguez-Alegria (archaeologist at UT Austin); and Brian Kemp (DNA expert at Washington State).

"I was interested in how the lives of ordinary people changed when they were conquered and then incorporated into the Aztec empire," Overholtzer said.

Significant research

Colonial documents recount that when the site was conquered, all of its original Otomi inhabitants fled, leaving the site empty for 40 years until the Aztec king sent taxpayers to repopulate the island.

Overholtzer's archaeological excavations, though, suggest that there was continuity in occupants.

"Houses were built, and burials were interred in the exact same spot in the houses I excavated, and radiocarbon dates showed that there was no 40-year abandonment period," she said.

Overholtzer thought some of the answers might lie at the molecular level in the DNA of the family members buried underneath the house patios.

To further investigate that question, she collaborated with ancient DNA experts at the University of Texas at Austin. So far, they have conducted mitochondrial DNA sequencing, which shows there was indeed some form of demographic shift in at least some households.

The reason for that shift is unclear, Overholtzer said. One theory is that there might have been some demographic change, but not a complete replacement of the population.

Overholtzer points out that her study is preliminary and that ancient DNA analyses are ongoing.

The research is significant, though, because it is the first to examine the genetic impact of Aztec imperialism and is using molecular anthropology techniques to address new questions of social dynamics and demographic shift in the region.

For more information on Overholtzer's research, go to http://loverholtzer.wordpress.com/ or http://www.wichita.edu/j/?2061.

Faculty/staff news update: January/February 2013

Mon, 4 Mar 2013 11:34:00 CST

Kathy Coufal, professor and chair, communication sciences and disorders, recently joined the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges.

George Dehner

George Dehner, associate professor, history, had two books published recently. "Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response" is aimed at the academic market, and "Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza" is a more general book on the subject.

Suzy Finn, engineering coordinator/job developer, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning, has been accepted into the Young Professionals of Wichita 2013 Leadership Academy.

Ed Flentje, professor and longtime REAP consultant, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, was recognized at the December 2012 legislative policy summit for outstanding service in fostering regional cooperation for south-central Kansas.

Ed Flentje fielded calls on Kansas politics about the 2012 November elections from national reporters with the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and Reuters, in addition to Kansas newspaper reporters. He also made presentations on Kansas politics and elections, including the Docking Symposium on Kansas Politics at Southwestern College in Winfield; the Downtown Lions Club, Wichita; the Post-election Roundtable, with professors Joe Aistrup (Kansas State), Bob Beatty (Washburn), Burdette Loomis (University of Kansas), and Michael Smith (Emporia State) at Washburn University in Topeka; and the Lions Club in Clay Center.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, Jean Patterson, associate professor, and Pat Terry, senior fellow, served as faculty advisers to students in the College of Education's educational leadership program who presented research papers at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention in January. "Growth and Sustainability in a Rural Kansas Town: The Role of Public Schools" was presented by Michael Argabright, superintendent, Southern Lyon County USD 252; Andi Williams, principal, Haysville Elementary, USD 261; and Royce Powelson, superintendent, Jayhawk USD 346 (Freeman). "Successes and Challenges of Implementing 21st Century Skills" was presented by Mary Liebl, literacy coordinator, Wichita USD 259; Janice Smith, executive director, The Opportunity Project Early Learning Center; Alicia Thompson, assistant superintendent, Wichita USD 259; Tiffinie Irving, executive director, Wichita USD 259; and Brad Pepper, executive director, The Service Center at Clearwater (Patterson/Terry).

Philip Gaunt, professor, Elliott School of Communication, director and founder, Interdisciplinary Communication Research Institute, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Feb. 9 for his recently published novel, "The Blane Game."

Lou Heldman, Distinguished Senior Fellow and interim director of the Elliott School of Communication, presented "Communicating with Citizens on Their Terms" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs, on Feb. 8.

Sharon Iorio

Sharon Iorio, dean and professor, College of Education, presented "Partnerships with School Districts," along with other Kansas Board of Regents' college of education deans at the USA|Kansas Annual Convention conference in January.

Ashlie Jack, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, has been selected to serve on the Kansas Handwriting Standards Committee, which will design the new handwriting standards for schools in Kansas in response to the request of the Kansas State Board of Education.

Ashlie Jack and Mandy Lusk, assistant professors, special education, received funding for their study "Developing Word Consciousness of Academic Vocabulary in Adolescents with Challenging Behaviors through Co-Teaching" to be conducted during the spring 2013 semester.

Elizabeth King, president and CEO, WSU Foundation, was re-elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Kansas Society for Children with Challenges. The KSCC was established in 1925.

Kenneth Kriz, professor of Public Finance and Economics with the University of Nebraska-Omaha who will soon join the Hugo Wall School as Regents Professor of Public Finance, presented the keynote speech "Public Finance in the 2010s: an Environmental Scan" at the 2013 Midwest Regional Public Finance Conference on Feb. 14 and 15 in Wichita.

Sal Mazzullo, professor, geology, had a book signing hosted by Watermark Books in Wichita on Jan. 5 for his recently published novel, "Chac Balam."

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean, Fairmount College, and associate professor, Spanish, had her book chapter "Resounding Silences: En las noches que desvisten otras noches" included in the Festschrift Nela Rio: Escritura en foco: La mirada profunda, edited by Qantati e-books (Ottawa, Canada).

Ravi Pendse

Ravi Pendse, chief information officer, presented "Creating Relevance through Innovation and Collaboration" at the 2013 Kansas Association of City and County Managers Winter Seminar, hosted by the Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs on Feb. 8.

Michael Rogers, chair and professor, human performance, presented "International trends of study concerning exercise programs and health promotion for older adults" at the 2012 International Forum on Muscle Fitness Exercise as Chokin for Elderly People held at the National Institute of Fitness and Sports in Kanoya, Japan, in December.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, recently had her article "Quinceaneras and Quadratics: Experiences of Latinas in state-supported residential schools of science and math" published in the Journal of Latinos and Education.

Aleksander Sternfeld-Dunn, assistant professor, music theory and composition, had two new compositions premiered at Carnegie Hall on Feb. 9 by an East Coast new music group, the Case Ensemble. While in New York, Sternfeld-Dunn gave guest presentations with undergraduate and graduate composers at The Hartt School of Music in Hartford, Conn., and Kutztown University in Kutztown, Pa.

Clay Stoldt, chair and professor, and Mark Vermillion, associate professor, both of sport management, presented "Member Churning Among Conferences: A Contributing Factor to Economic Inequality at the NCAA Scholarly Colloquium," along with Martin Perline, professor and Bloomfield Foundation Faculty Fellow, Barton School of Business.

Anh Tran, associate professor, and Jim Granada, assistant professor, both of curriculum and instruction, presented "Social, Cultural and Economic Capitals for College Success" at the 2013 USA|Kansas Annual Convention.

NEW TO CAMPUS
Leah DiPietr, coordinator for College of Engineering, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Kenneth Kriz, Regents Distinguished Professor of Public Finance, Hugo Wall School of Urban and Public Affairs

Kelley Mattivi, coordinator for College of Business and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Office of Cooperative Education and Work-Based Learning

Arwiphawee Srithongrung, associate professor, Hugo Wall School

Matthew Cecil, director, Elliott School of Communication

Bob Workman, director, Ulrich Museum of Art

ON SABBATICAL
Dharma DeSilva, professor, management, fall 2013, five related projects including teaching, research and advisory service in Sri Lanka, as well as completion of international business and marketing resource textbooks

Jeffrey Hershfield, associate professor, philosophy, fall 2013, research on linguistic norms regarding truth/falsity and their underlying principles; development of a taxonomy and publication

Xiaomi Hu, associate professor, mathematics, fall 2013, conduct research to identify multivariate order relations and focus on models with their parameter vectors under multivariate order restrictions including testing and implementation

C. Nicholas Johnson, professor, dance, spring 2014, research on mime/physical theatre; further development of the SPA core curriculum mime course and a new Fine Arts exchange opportunity in Mexico

Xiufen Lu, associate professor, philosophy, spring 2014, research on Li Dazhao's adaption of Marxism to Chinese Confucianisnism; publication of two articles

Chungsheng Ma, professor, mathematics, academic year 2013-14, research on spatio-temporal stastics and vecor random fields in space and time leading to book and journal publications

Daowei Ma, professor, mathematics, spring 2014, research on complex analysis and linear transforms in applied mathematics leading to publication of several research papers

Robert Owens, associate professor, history, spring 2014, research and manuscript writing on early American frontier "Indian-hating" and attempts to settle Indian-white disputes

Atul Rai, associate professor, accountancy, spring 2014, study effects of the international financial reporting system and quality of earnings; preparation of papers for publication

Nick Solomey, professor, mathematics (physics), academic year 2013-14, participate in cosmic ray research to expand scientific expertise and enhance the ability of Kansas to qualify for joint hosting of the next large cosmic ray experiment in western Kansas and eastern Colorado

James E. Steck, professor, engineering (aerospace), fall 2013, (1) continue research on advanced aircraft flight control methods at NASA and (2) expand quantum computing research leading to publication in both areas

Craig Torbenson, associate professor, history, spring 2014, continue work on a manuscript examining Norwegian emigration and patterns of westward migration and settlement in the United States

Janet Twomey, professor, engineering/manufacturing, spring 2014, (1) investigate worker education in the emerging field of engineering-public policy and (2) develop a proposal to support a network of researchers in climate change, health care and energy

Chu-Ping Vijverberg, associate professor, economics, academic year 2013-14, compare current models for examining structural change or business cycles with an exploratory time deformation model to provide improved forecast ability and further model development

Robert Zettle, professor, psychology, spring 2014, complete writing and co-editing Handbook of Contextual Behavioral Science

IN EMERITUS
Roger D. Lowe, vice president emeritus, administration and finance

Salvatore J. Mazzullo, professor emeritus, geology

IN MEMORIAM
Peggy J. Anderson, 67, retired associate professor emeritus, College of Education, died Feb. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is survived by her brothers, Denis (Bobbi) Anderson of Springfield, Mo., and Russell (Debra Dikeman) Vornold of Pilot Mountain, N.C. Memorials may be made to St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, 7404 Killarney, Wichita, KS 67206.

Lois Mae Bergerhouse, 94, former WSU cafeteria employee, died Jan. 28 in Andover. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Winifred (Ferris) Troyer; her husband, Wayne; and sisters Delores Krueger and Naomi Daharsh. Survivors include children Cynthia Gillett and Phillip Bergerhouse ; grandchildren, Dwayne Wilson, Michael Wilson, Stephanie Murphy, Joshua Bergerhouse , Ian Bergerhouse and Cody Bergerhouse. Memorials may be made to Life Care Center of Andover, 621 W. 21st St., Andover, Kan.

Donald Morse Douglas, 88, associate professor emeritus, history, died Jan. 15 in Wichita. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Ada Glynn ("Lynn"); daughters, Sharon Lynn Douglas and Donna Christine Douglas; granddaughters Michelle Leigh Nielsen, Erika Lynn Douglas and Meredith Lynn Coughenour; great-grandchildren, Zak, Luke and Kate Nielsen; and brother Guy Barry Douglas and his wife, Pat. Memorials may be made to the Alzheimer's Association, the American Heart Association, Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or Holocaust Commemoratives, in care of Congregation Emanu-El.

Cecilia Sanchez Epperson, 83, retired assistant librarian, died Feb. 11, 2013. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Gregorio and Maria Sanchez. She is survived by her husband, Gene; children Rene Epperson, Mark Epperson and Diane Cole all of Wichita, and Alan Epperson of Ft. Worth, Texas; sisters Trini Sanchez of Wellington and Alejandra De La Torre of Los Angeles; grandchildren Jennifer, Laura, Justin, Kyle and Janel; great-grandson Taylor. Memorials may be sent to Hardin Hospice, 2622 W. Central, Wichita, KS 67203.

John C. Gries, 72, professor, geology, died Jan. 18 following a short illness. A celebration of life has been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Virginia Gries, and his brother Don. He is survived by his wife, Toni Willis-Jackman; his daughter, Lynn Gries of Tucson; his first wife and friend, Robbie Gries; sister-in-law, Neella Gries; and two nephews, Nathan and Mark. Memorials have been established at the Great Plains Transportation Museum, 700 E. Douglas Ave., Wichita, KS 67202, and the Wichita State University Foundation, 1845 Fairmount St., Wichita, KS 67260.

Harry Miller, 86, former Shocker basketball coach, died Feb. 13 in Nacogdoches, Texas. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Lanora (Tillie), and sons Bob and Tom of Nacogdoches, and Gary of Tyler. He is also survived by his son's wives, Ardan, Patty and Dorota; granddaughters, Claire Miller, Isabella and Sophie Miller; step-grandchildren Ember Ashby, Will Ashby and his wife, Anna; and three great-grandchildren, Bryana and Nolan Ashby, and Emerson Carden.

James M. Murphy, 90, professor emeritis, economics, banking and finance, died Feb. 10. Survivors include his children Michael J. (Arlyn) Murphy of Lubbock, Texas, Dennis J. (Beth) Murphy of Tulsa, Okla., Susan E. (Steve) Pattison of Broken Arrow, Okla., John M. (Noreen) Murphy of Beaverton, Ore., and David K. Murphy of Austin, Texas. Private services will be held in Oklahoma at a later date. Donations may be made to the Dr. James M. Murphy Endowed Fellowship, c/o WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Box 2, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

William M. Perel, 85, retired former chair, mathematics, died Jan. 20 in Stillwater, Okla. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister Ada Gaskill; and daughter Cathy Perel. He is survived by his wife, Tula Perel of Stillwater; daughters Elizabeth (Dwayne) Deckard and Shirley (Tod) King, all of Wichita; stepchildren Teresa (John) Petersen of Pawnee, Okla., Lenora (Larry) Rawdon of Wellston, Okla., Dan (Pam) Ripley of Pawnee, Okla., and Susan (Paul) Hartle of Plano, Texas; four grandchildren; nine step-grandchildren; and 14 step-great grandchildren. Memorial contributions may be made to the Parkinson's Foundation of Oklahoma, 720 W. Wilshire, Suite 101H, Oklahoma City, OK 73116 or the First Baptist Church, 720 6th St., Pawnee, OK 74058.

William H. "Bill" Smith, 73, retired 30-year administrator, Rhatigan Student Center, died Feb. 20 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Mary Olive Smith; and brother Garel Smith. He is survived by his wife, Barbara Smith; sons Michael (Stephanie) of Maple Grove, Minn., Stephen (Michelle) of Derby and Jeffrey (Melissa) Smith of Derby; 11 grandchildren; sister Betty Jo McWhorter of Atlanta, Ga.; several nieces and nephews. Memorials may be made to Shocker Bowling Fund in care of the WSU Foundation, 1845 N. Fairmount, Wichita, KS 67260-0002.

Regis Lenora Welch, 82, former instructor, English/linguistics, died Jan. 13 in Sherman, Texas. Services have been held. She was preceded in death by her parents, Thomas Francis and Cecilia Ellen Flynn Downey; her husband, John William; brother Paul; and sister Margaret Ernestine Archer. She is survived by son Matthew Welch of San Francisco, Calif.; brother-in-law Charles T. Welch of Huntsville, Ala.; nieces Sheila Archer Carter and Laura Welch Gilley; nephew Thomas Welch; and great friends and caretakers Kyle and Mary Payne. Donations can be made to St. Elizabeth Scholarship Fund, St. Elizabeth Catholic Church, 916 Maple St., Bonham, TX 75418.

Milan Zivanovic, 99, instructor, broadcasting and film, died Jan. 23, at home in Kansas City. He was preceded in death by his brother Dragan; mother, Olga, and father, Dusan. He is survived by his wife, Judith; brothers-in-law Tom (Vicki) Goergen and Lee Goergen; sister-in-law Pam Stucke; five nephews; and several grand-nieces and nephews.

Podcast: 'Dr. Love' presents pros and cons on online dating

Tue, 12 Feb 2013 09:00:00 CST

This WSU Newsline Podcast is available at http://www.wichita.edu/newslinepodcast. See the transcript below:

You're listening to the podcast edition of the Wichita State University audio newsline. Learn more about WSU on the Web at wichita.edu.

If you ask a young couple, "Where did you meet?," don't be surprised if they say, "We met online." According to online dating statistics, 40 million people in the United States have tried online dating. Wichita State University's Deborah Ballard-Reisch has researched the subject of communication and relationships for about 20 years and she was once called "Dr. Love" by a Nevada radio station. She says the odds of meeting someone has increased with online dating.

Ballard-Reisch: "There are 54 million single Americans today. Forty million of them are online in one way or another. You have a better chance of meeting Mr. or Ms. Right today than you ever have."

And it appears that more and more people are getting to know each other online.

Ballard-Reisch: "Online dating has become a really common way for people to meet one another and start romantic relationships. Estimates are that one in five romantic relationships start online today."

Of course, the way people used to get to know each other in the past is still the way many people develop relationships today, as Ballard-Reisch explains.

Ballard Reisch: "We used to develop romantic relationships with people we went to school with or knew through church, or family or friends introduced us to, and now we supplement that by meeting people online. And the world of people available to us has exploded exponentially because of that."

But while the opportunity to get to know others has increased because of online dating, people need to be aware of some of the risks, according to Ballard- Reisch.

Ballard-Reisch: "Like any new technology, there are some downsides to online dating, too. One of the biggest is fraud. There are a number of international consortiums that get on online dating sites and pretend to be someone they're not in order to get money out of people. So if someone asks you to send them money, especially out of the country, run."

Ballard-Reisch says language fluency is something to pay attention to in online dating.

Ballard-Reisch: "One of the things to look out for in online dating is that, when people claim language fluency and then they have grammar and syntax and spelling errors, if their language doesn't seem right, it likely isn't."

Ballard-Reisch says to be sure to get more information if you've only gotten to know the person online.

Ballard-Reisch: "This might sound coarse, but so much information is available to us online now. If you're thinking of meeting someone you have met only online, Google them. Use multiple search engines. Consider seeking criminal background checks. Make sure that people are who they say they are. We used to be able to rely on our support networks — our family, our friends, et cetera — to vet people for us, and when we meet people online, we can't do that anymore."

For anyone thinking about trying online dating, Ballard-Reisch offers the following tips.

Ballard-Reisch: "If you decide to meet someone in person that you've spoken with only online, there are some tips and some cautions to be aware of. Always meet in a public place the first few times. Drive yourself. Let your friends and family know where you're going, with whom and when you plan to return. Have a panic word in case you have a quick second to call them if you need help. And keep your phone online so you can be tracked through GPS if necessary. Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, get out."

Ballard-Reisch says if you engage in online dating, protect your identity.

Ballard-Reisch: "If you decide to engage in online dating, the first tip is to protect your identity. Don't give information about yourself too quickly. Get to know people before you share with them personal information about who you really are."

Ballard-Reisch says someone who wants to try online dating should choose a site that's consistent with his or her interests.

Ballard-Reisch: "If you decide you want to try online dating, check out multiple sites. There are a lot of them out there now. Figure out what each site is looking for and choose the one that's most consistent with your interests."

It's also a good idea to be yourself when creating an online profile, as Ballard-Reisch explains.

Ballard-Reisch: "In creating your online profile, be yourself. Be clear about what you're looking for, what types of people, relationships and so forth. Include flattering pictures of yourself and reach out to people that you find interesting. Don't wait for them to come and find you."

Thanks for listening. Until next time, this is Joe Kleinsasser for Wichita State University.

Faculty spotlight: George Dehner's flu research

Mon, 4 Feb 2013 15:26:00 CST

The flu: It's a popular topic of conversation lately, as most people probably know someone who has gotten sick this winter.

But for Wichita State associate professor George Dehner, the flu is a year-round focus. Dehner, who teaches world and environmental history, recently wrote two books about the flu.

"Influenza: A Century of Science and Public Health Response," which Dehner said is aimed at the academic market, and "Global Flu and You: A History of Influenza," a more general book on the subject.

"They're written for different audiences, but there's a lot of overlap," Dehner said.

Dehner received his Ph.D. from Northeastern University and came to Wichita State in 2004 on a visiting professorship. The next year, he changed directions and started on the tenure track.

His interest in influenza research, though, started more than a dozen years ago when reading about the Spanish Flu pandemic of the early 20th century.

"That set me off on my research path, and I've been plugging away ever since," he said.

Separating fact from fiction

Dehner's focus in both of his books is on the history of the flu and how the public and health officials have responded. He also aims to expose the facts and fiction surrounding the illness.

As for what most of the country is experiencing this season, Dehner is quick to point out that it is not a pandemic, and that most of what people call the flu is in fact something else entirely.

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness that comes on suddenly, can last a week or more and can include symptoms such as fatigue, fever, cough, runny nose and sore throat.

Vomiting and other stomach problems are not typically seen with the flu, except sometimes in small children.

In terms of the flu itself, this year is a rough one, but nothing to be concerned about – especially if you get your flu shot, Dehner said.

"This is a particularly strong year for influenza, but it's not out of the realm of normal influenza," he said. "This particular year just happens to be more transmissible. There's no way of predicting it."

Dehner said throughout history, the flu virus has been very changeable and infectious.

"The virus is a remarkable organism," he said. "It is very changeable, and it's very infectious, and throughout history it has popped up and impacted in communities repeatedly in greater or lesser volume."

Professor studies causes, prevention of Parkinson's

Fri, 1 Feb 2013 09:09:00 CST

On the fourth floor of Wichita State University's McKinley Hall, biochemistry professor Kandatege Wimalasena and his group of doctoral and undergraduate students are hard at work researching Parkinson's disease (PD) – the second-most common neurodegenerative disease, affecting 1 to 2 percent of people older than 60.

Wimalasena, a native of Sri Lanka, has spent the past several years focusing his research on PD, hoping to help identify a way to target the underlying causes of the disease.

Wimalasena believes his studies will identify molecular causes and eventually lead to the development of effective preventive and therapeutic strategies for Parkinson's.

With more than 50,000 new cases diagnosed in the United States each year, Wimalasena believes that ongoing Parkinson's research is vital.

About Parkinson's

Parkinson's is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system. The motor symptoms of PD result from the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra, a region of the midbrain. The cause of this cell death is unknown.

Although L-Dopa is currently used to improve PD symptoms, there is no drug on the market that helps the causes of Parkinson's.

Wimalasena said the prevention of cell death is essential to protecting the aging population from PD. That's why the cause of the specific degeneration has been such a strong focus.

"Although considerable advances have been made, a comprehensive integration of the various risk factors has not been successful," he said.

Wimalasena said the most commonly accepted view is that the exposure to environmental factors and toxins, together with cumulative defects in protective mechanisms, may be the cause of Parkinson's. Although many examples of environmental factors have been identified, there is one toxic molecule – referred to as MPP+ - that has garnered the most attention from researchers, including Wimalasena and his students.

"Since the MPP+ model is the current gold standard for PD research and pharmacological therapeutics development, a proper understanding of its mechanism of specific toxicity to dopamine cells is of prime importance," he said.

Understanding neuro-degeneration

In the past several years, Wimalasena's lab has gathered strong evidence to contradict the proposed mechanism for MPP+ toxicity. His lab is in the process of collecting the data to formulate a previously unknown mechanism.

One of the things Wimalasena has discovered in his lab is a group of commonly used industrial chemicals with structures similar to MPP+ that are about 1,000 times more toxic.

The comparative studies of these toxins will not only allow them to further understand the causes of neuro-degeneration, but also to identify the characteristics of environmental toxins that are responsible for Parkinson's and other neuro-degenerative diseases.

Wimalasena's lab has also discovered two different sets of compounds that protect dopamine cells affected by MPP+ toxicity. He believes these compounds could be further developed to treat and/or to prevent Parkinson's.

Viet Le

One of the doctoral students involved in this research with Wimalasena is Viet Le, who has been working in the lab since 2005.

"Having had the opportunity to work in research as an undergraduate and a graduate student, the experiences were very valuable," Le said. "It has allowed me to develop my critical thinking skills and learn many different lab techniques. I was able to apply what I learned in the research lab and classrooms to the labs that I taught for 10 semesters and in real-life situations."

Le has won numerous student teaching and research awards, and he credits working with Wimalasena for that success.

"Dr. Wimalasena has given me endless amount of support on my research projects," Le said. "He has helped me at every stage, from discussing what I need to take my research projects to the next step, to presenting my results. I believe that he, and my lab mates, are the most significant people in influencing the success of my Ph.D. All of those will help on my resume when I graduate."

Faculty/staff news update: November 2012

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:37:00 CST

Alla Aranovskaya, Leonid Shukaev, Boris Vaynor and Evgeny Zvonniko, members of the St. Petersburg String Quartet in residence at WSU; the student Suprima Chamber Orchestra; Andrea Banke, Erika Binsley, Sarunas Jankauskas, Scott Oakes and Frances Shelly, members of the Lieurance Woodwind Quintet, and Julie Bees, Lynne Davis and Mark Foley performed by invitation in November at the 100th anniversary celebration of the St. Petersburg State Conservatory in Russia.

Amy DeVault, assistant professor, Elliott School of Communication, led a daylong workshop on Team Storytelling for 56 high school students from around the country at the National High School Journalism Convention in San Antonio in November. The convention, put on by the National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association, was attended by more than 5,000 high school journalism students and teachers.

Eric Freeman, assistant professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "Falsification, Annual Targets, and Errant Leadership: What Really Happened in Atlanta" at the American Educational Studies Association conference held Nov. 1-4 in Seattle.

Dan Krutka, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, presented "Student Civil Liberties: Is Your School Violating Student Constitutional Rights?" and co-presented "Bayard Rustin and the Social Studies Curriculum: Thoughts about Citizenship in a Complex World" at the Kansas Council for the Social Studies in Topeka.

Gayla Lohfink, assistant professor, curriculum and instruction, was co-author of "Developing cultural competence through problem posing and multicultural literature" in Advocate.

Joseph Mau, professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, and M.E. Yeager, postdoctoral fellow, were awarded the Kansas Educational Research Scholars Program award from the Kansas Board of Regents. The study is titled, "Factors influencing Kansas college students' choice of a STEM major and factors influencing their success in completing a STEM degree."

Jacquelyn McClendon, senior clinical educator, nursing, and Kelly Anderson, assistant professor and senior clinic coordinator, dental hygiene, received an Interprofessional National Oral Health Agenda Curricular Innovation Award, Oral Health Nursing Education Program and Practice Grant in August for $2,000.

Nancy McKeller, associate professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "Legal Issues that Impact School Psychological Practice" at the Kansas Association of School Psychologists annual conference in Lawrence this fall.

Rick Pappas, physical education educator, human performance studies, received the highest award made by the Kansas Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (KAHPERD). The Wayne Osness award, which recognizes leadership and significant contributions, was presented to Pappas in November at the annual KAHPERD conference held in Lawrence.

Susan Parsons, assistant professor, nursing, published Collaborative Oral Health Care for Caregivers in an Assisted-Living Facility in the Journal of Nursing Education & Practice, Vol. 3, No. 3.

Susan Parsons, C. Lee and M. Trumpp, nursing, presented "Evidence-Based Practice: Ventilator Bundle to Prevent Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia" to the Kansas State Nurses Association, Exhibit Session.

Jean Patterson, professor and chair, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, presented "High School 21st Century Learning Initiatives as a Manifestation of Neoliberalism" at the American Educational Studies Association conference.

Jennifer Rodgers, clinical educator, nursing, gave a one-hour presentation, "Pulmonary Care Continuum: Hospital to Community," to the Kansas Healthcare Collaborative 4th Annual Summit on Quality, with Bobbie Starks, Darla Wilson and Amanda Hullet.

Donna Sayman, assistant professor, and Dan Krutka, both curriculum and instruction, co-presented "A Freirean Analysis of Identity for Individuals with Asperger Syndrome," also at the Kansas Council for the Social Studies conference in Topeka.

Elaine Steinke, professor, nursing, has been inducted as a Fellow of the American Academy of Nursing for her significant contributions to the profession of nursing and health care in general. Steinke, who attended the induction ceremony in October in Washington, D.C., is internationally renowned for bringing the science of sexuality and sexual counseling of cardiac patients to the forefront of cardiac practice.

Elaine Steinke presented "Psychology and sexual function: What do we know?" to the European Society of Cardiology 2012 Congress, Munich, Germany, in August.

Elaine Steinke, Victoria Mosack, associate professor, nursing, and Twyla J. Hill, professor, sociology, gave a poster presentation, "Sexual concerns of cardiac patients: A psychometric analysis," to the European Society of Cardiology, in Munich, Germany, in August.

John Tomblin

John Tomblin, executive director of WSU's National Institute for Aviation Research, has been named a Newsmaker for 2012 by the Wichita Business Journal. He and other 2012 Newsmakers will be recognized at a Jan. 29 event at Newman University.

Susan Unruh, assistant professor, counseling, educational leadership, and educational and school psychology, was the WSU representative on a panel, "School Psychology Practice: Here I Come," at the Kansas Association of School Psychologists annual conference in Lawrence.

IN MEMORIAM

D. Ray Cook, 69, former team physician for Wichita State and longtime community doctor, died Nov. 7. Services have been held. He is preceded in death by his parents, Leon and Marie Cook. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Candi (Mark) Brown of Spring Hill, Kan.; son, Chad (Jill) Cook of Overland Park, Kan.; brother, Gene (Linda) Cook of Phoenix City, Ala.; grandchildren, Ben, Will, Graham and Betsy Brown, and Johnny Ray, Spencer, Freddie and Lucy Cook. The following memorial has been established: D. Ray Cook, M.D. Memorial Fund, c/o Christian Network Foundation, 17001 Prairie Star Pkwy, Suite 200, Lenexa, KS 66220.

Richard Allen Moellenberndt, 71, former professor of accounting, died Nov. 24 in Topeka. Services have been held. He is survived by his wife, Kathleen; daughter, Sarah Moellenberndt; and sister, Eleanor Shaffer.

Linda Tedder, 60, senior research grants administrator in the Office of Research Administration, died Nov. 24 in Wichita. Services have been held. She is preceded in death by her parents, Francis D. and Evelyn J. (Voran) Bornowsky. She is survived her son, Mike Tedder; grandchild, Lexi Tedder; great-grandchild, Jenna St. Martin; sisters, Paula Sullivan, Gail Roland, Mary Daugherty, Jean Kemp and Rita Winfrey; brothers, Ralph and Larry Bornowsky; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Kaylyn Turner, 70, former reference librarian, died Nov. 8. Services have been held. She is preceded in death by her parents, Robert Briggs and Ara Cron. Survivors are husband, Stanley; son, Joshua David (Tracy) Turner, Shawnee Mission; and grandchildren, Emily, Molly and Jack Turner. Memorials to Midland Baptist Church, 4200 N. Church Circle, Wichita, KS 67205.