Wichita State News: Graduate School

Grad student taking census of Wichita's snowy egrets

Thu, 27 Jun 2013 09:58:00 CST

A pint-size gray fluff ball peeps its head out of its twig nest, only to see its own tiny reflection in a mirror.

Just underneath, Hannah Holden – armed with her 6-foot ladder and a 15-foot mirror on a pole – scribbles her daily observations on a 5-by-7-inch note card.

After she finishes with this nest, there will be plenty more for her to examine.

Every year, approximately 4,000 migratory birds take up temporary residence in a tree line on North Doris, near 13th Street and I-235 in west Wichita, and this year it's Holden's job to track 30 of their nests.

Holden, 24, a student at Wichita State University, is writing her master's thesis on the population dynamics of Wichita's snowy egrets – what the colony's rate of growth is. This is a two-year project for her.

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GRE Test Prep Workshop is scheduled at Wichita State

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 16:22:00 CST

Wichita State University's Counseling and Testing Center and WSU Graduate School are offering a GRE Test Prep Workshop from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 16.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required at www.registerblast.com/wsu.

The GRE has been revised, and this workshop will include information that will help potential graduate students prepare for the current exam.

Toolika Ghose wins first Sawan Fellowship award of $6,400

Fri, 11 Nov 2011 10:12:00 CST

Toolika Ghose

Toolika Ghose, a doctoral student in electrical engineering and computer science, is the first recipient of the Maha "Maggie" Sawan Fellowship for Graduate Students at Wichita State University.

The award was announced in an award ceremony Friday, Nov. 11 at the Wichita State's Garvey International Center.

The Sawan Fellowship award totals $6,400 for the current academic year, and is to be evenly divided between fall 2011 and spring 2012 semesters, said Armin Gerhard, executive director of the Office of International Education at Wichita State.

Don Beggs, president; Ravi Pendse, chief information officer and executive director of Advanced Networking Research Institute; and Elizabeth King, CEO of the WSU Foundation, attended the award ceremony to congratulate the fellowship recipient.

"I am honored to have been selected," said Ghose. "I am thankful for the wonderful people willing to help me."

Ghose came to Wichita State in spring 2010 to work on her doctorate in electrical engineering after earning her bachelor's and master's degrees in electrical engineering at the University of Texas, Tyler. She is working with Pendse and assistant professor Vinod Namboodiri on increasing the energy efficiency and sustainability of smartphones and other such portable devices.

Ghose met and married her husband, Nikhil Ghose, while both were students in Texas. He is working on his Ph.D. in nano-techonology at Oklahoma State University. They spend their weekends together.

Edwin Sawan

The Maha "Maggie" Sawan Fellowship for Graduate Students was established by Edwin Sawan, professor emeritus in electrical engineering and computer science at Wichita State University.

It is established in memory of his wife, Maha "Maggie" Sawan, who died in 2010, and honors her lifelong dedication to education and service to family and community.

Geology professor's research highlighted in national publication

Wed, 8 Jun 2011 10:55:00 CST

Wichita State University geology professor Sal Mazzullo, WSU alumnus Brian Wilhite, and graduate students Beau Morris and Robert Turner were featured in the American Association of Petroleum Geologists "Explorer," the flagship publication for the petroleum geology industry.

The AAPG "Explorer," which is read by tens of thousands of people each month, published two articles in the May issue detailing new research done by Mazzullo, Wilhite, Darwin Boardman from Oklahoma State University, and several graduate students.

The publication features new and innovative advances in the understanding of Mississippian-age stratigraphic architecture and its relevance to the exploration for petroleum occurrences in the subsurface rocks in Kansas, Oklahoma and throughout the mid-continent.

Their research greatly expands Mazzullo and Wilhite's earlier studies of the subsurface Mississippian-age Cowley Formation in Kansas. That research was published in the 2009 issue of the "Bulletin" of the AAPG.

The Cowley Formation is a very prolific, but previously poorly understood petroleum reservoir in the mid-continent, Mazzullo said.

Advances in understanding of the stratigraphic architecture gained from their work at the outcrop level in Missouri, Arkansas and Oklahoma has been re-applied to the subsurface of Oklahoma and Kansas to aid in better understanding previously misinterpreted reservoirs, hence adding new hydrocarbon production, Wilhite said.

In large part because of their research, Mazzullo said, now oil exploration can be more methodical, based on clear, concise and repeatable/testable science.

'Jumping on this information'

Oil exploration that used to be hit-and-miss is now more successful.

That's good news for petroleum geologists and oil and gas companies.

"The mid-continent region is experiencing a renaissance in exploration and production based on new drilling technology and a renewed desire to better understand discrete reservoir objectives, which makes the timing of our work quite relevant to Mississippian exploration," Wilhite said.

It's also a boost to local economy, meaning more money for landowners as the oil companies lease property for exploration. Subsequent oil and gas production from this recent leasing activity will yield additional tax revenues to county and state coffers.

"For the first time, we now have a more coherent picture of the Mississippian-age reservoirs that have produced so much oil and gas in the mid-continent, and petroleum geologists are literally jumping on this information," Mazzullo said.

GRE Test Prep Workshop is scheduled at Wichita State

Thu, 26 May 2011 16:10:00 CST

Wichita State University's Counseling and Testing Center and the WSU Graduate School are offering a GRE Test Prep Workshop from 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, June 4.

The workshop is free, but pre-registration is required at www.registerblast.com/wsu.

The GRE is being revised and this workshop will include information that will help potential graduate students decide if they want to take the test in its current form by July 31, or wait to take the revised test in August or later.

New certificate prepares engineering grad students for teaching

Tue, 7 Dec 2010 11:17:00 CST

Graduate engineering students at Wichita State can now work toward teaching through a new Certificate of Engineering Education program, a joint effort by the colleges of education and engineering.

The new Certificate of Engineering Education at Wichita State University has been established to better equip graduate students with the skills necessary to teach engineering courses at the collegiate level.

Larry Whitman

"Gone are the days when simply being an 'expert' makes you qualified to teach engineering," said Larry Whitman, director of engineering education at Wichita State University. "Universities are looking for Ph.D. engineers who not only excel in research but also know how to teach and communicate effectively. This certificate will demonstrate to future employers that you have these abilities."

The certificate requires 12 credits, with courses offered in both the spring and fall terms, and is complementary to graduate study in engineering and education.

It's another innovative teacher education program from Wichita State, melding content knowledge from engineering coursework with teaching theory courses on learning, pedagogy and measurement. It also includes an internship, with relevant courses and authentic classroom situations.

For more information about the program and related coursework, go to www.wichita.edu/teachengineering.

WSU collaborates to develop new online fall prevention kit

Tue, 28 Sep 2010 10:47:00 CST

The Falling LinKS Toolkit, a collaborative program led by Wichita State University, is now available online.

WSU, along with Envision Low Vision Rehabilitation Center and the Harvey County Department on Aging, developed the toolkit to enable people who may be at risk of falling to learn more about falls and how to prevent them.

The toolkit is designed to be used by people who are living at home. It will help users identify situations that increase the risk of falling and create plans for falls prevention.

Falling LinKS is funded by a United Methodist Health Ministry Fund and the WSU Graduate School. The WSU Falling LinKS Research Team includes:

• Teresa Radebaugh (PI)
• Candace Bahner
• Deborah Ballard-Reisch
• Michael Epp
• LaDonna Hale
• Rich Hanley
• Karen Kendrick
• Michael Rogers
• Nicole Rogers

The Falling LinKS research team is supported by the following WSU graduate students:

• Ashley Archiopoli
• Melissa Granville
• Bobby Rozzell
• Chigozirim Utah
• Katie Sue Williams

To download the toolkit, go to www.wichita.edu/aging.

Faculty/staff news update: Know your senators

Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:38:25 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.

CAMPUS BUSINESS

2010-2011 Faculty Senate

Officers: Frederick Hemans, president; Deborah Soles, past president; Steve Skinner, president-elect; Johnnie Thompson, vice president; Daniel Russell, secretary. Executive committee: Walter Horn and Betty Smith-Campbell (elected); Rhonda Lewis-Moss (appointed); Bobbi Dreiling (Office of the Faculty Senate). At-large members are Dan Close, communication; Jeff Hershfield, philosophy; Will Klunder, history; Peer Moore-Jansen, anthropology; Deborah Soles, philosophy; Frederick Hemans, art and design. A complete list of senators can be found at www.wichita.edu/facultysenate.

2010-11 Unclassified Professionals Senate

Officers: Grady Landrum, president. Other officers will be elected in August. Newly elected members representing specific areas of the university are Edie Brown, Cheryl Miller, Becky North and Mike Wood for Academic Affairs and Research; April Keim, Delinda Royse and Kimberly Sandlin, Campus Life and University Relations; Rege Klitzke, President and General Counsel. A complete list of senators can be found at www.wichita.edu/upsenate.

2010-2011 Classified Senate

Officers: Linda Claypool, president; Matthew Albers, vice president; Shanda Burch, secretary. Executive council 2010-2011: Tanya Wickersham, Margene Webster, Darryl Carrington and Heather Ballard. Executive council 2011-2012: Angela Linder, David Wise and Richelle Stoner. A complete list of senators can be found at www.wichita.edu/senate.

Faculty/staff news update

Thu, 3 Jun 2010 16:06:00 CST

GRANTS, AWARDS AND HONORS

Annette LeZotte, associate director, School of Art and Design, associate professor, art history, has been elected to the Board of Trustees of the Midwest Art History Society.

Michael Rogers and his colleague Nobuo Takeshima of Nagoya City University in Japan were awarded $10,000 for a study to determine the effect of concurrent aerobic and resistance circuit exercise training using the Thera-Band Exercise Station in older adults. The 12-week exercise program began in April at two senior centers in Nagoya. Rogers will visit Nagoya in June to assist with post-intervention data collection and analysis.

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Karen Hayes, assistant professor, and Alicia Huckstadt, professor, School of Nursing, presented "Chronic Disease Electronic Management in Clinical Care of Diabetics" at the Centers for Disease Control Diabetes Translation Conference in Kansas City, Mo., on April 14.

Alicia Huckstadt, professor and graduate programs director, School of Nursing, presented "Navigating the Transition of NP Education to the DNP Degree" at the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties conference in Washington, D.C., on April 17. She also was nominated for the Outstanding Educator annual achievement award at the conference.

Raymond H. Hull, professor, communication sciences and disorders, has published "Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation," 2009, San Diego, Plural Publishing.

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean, Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, had her poem "Perseid Musings" read and presented in a poster session at the 10th International Multicultural-Multilingual Poetry Reading on March 20 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada. The event was in conjunction with The United Nation's Dialogue Among Civilizations Through Poetry.

Ward Jewell, professor, electrical engineering, lectured about energy grid issues at the dinner and awards presentation of the 72nd Annual Kansas Junior Academy of Science for top-ranked Kansas middle and high school science researchers. The event was held at the Rhatigan Student Center on May 6.

Nicholas Smith, professor of horn, School of Music, has published "Don't Miss!," a book on how to play the French horn more accurately. The book is being distributed by www.hornmatters.com of Tempe, Ariz., which specializes in publications for the horn and other brass instruments. Layout and design work for the book was prepared by Jim Hellman, associate professor, School of Art and Design.

Michael Rogers, associate professor, kinesiology and sport studies, research director, Center for Physical Activity and Aging, wrote about adult playgrounds in the Netherlands, active design in New York City, Dutch and American fall prevention programs, and Japanese day care in his editorial column in Active Aging Today (Vol. 1, No. 4, 2010), an online peer-reviewed journal for which he serves as editor-in-chief. He was also the subject of the journal's face-to-face interview column in which he talked about his teaching and research on physical activity and aging.

Marlene Schommer-Aikins, professor, and Linda Bakken, professor emeritus, along with a colleague, have recently published a book chapter: Schommer-Aikins, M., Bird, M., & Bakken, L. (2010). Manifestations of epistemological beliefs in Pre-K-12 Classrooms. In L.D. Bendixen & F.C. Feucht (Eds.), Personal Epistemology in the Classroom: Theory, Research, and Implications for Practice, 31-54, Cambridge University Press.

Professors and graduate students from the College of Education and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences presented papers at the annual American Educational Research Association (AERA) meeting in Denver, Colorado, April 30-May 3. Craig Elliott,Gina Marx, JK Campbell and Mara Alagic: "Attitudes and Communication: Implementation Cornerstones"; Jean A. Patterson, Heather Eubank, Shelia E. Rathbun and Steve Noble: "Making Sense of the Complexities of Urban District Reform in a Change World"; Jennifer Pearson: "The Impact of School Religiosity on Women's Same-Sex Attraction and Well-Being in Adulthood"; Jo Bennett, with other authors: "The Surprising History of Education Policy Since 1950"; Jo Bennett: "Advocates as Linkages in Urban School Services: Implications for Leadership Development"; Jo Bennett, Natalie Grant andLance Stout: "Study of Parental Involvement in a Rural School District: Implications for Urban Schools and Leadership Development Programs"; Jodie Hertzog: "A Pilot Study of Simulations as Effective Teaching Tools"; Marlene A. Schommer-Aikins and Orpha K. Duel: "Adjusting Study Time Based on Course Difficulty: The Role of Epistemological Beliefs";Sabina M. Low: "Differences Between Student and Staff Perspectives on School Bullying: Findings from a 33-School Study." Jo Bennett: "Surrogate Grandparents in an Urban School: Research, Policy Implication, and Next Steps" at the International Roundtable on School, Family, and Community Partnerships held in conjunction with the AERA conference.

IN MEMORIAM

Bert L. Smith, 78, former longtime WSU professor and chair, aerospace engineering, died May 14 in Wichita. He was preceded in death by parents, Roy and Helen Smith, and sister Betty Smith (Allan) Brennecke. He is survived by his wife, Joyce; son, Kevin; daughter, Erin (Kenton) Stewart; and three grandchildren, Reed Nicole Stewart, Blake Andrew Stewart and Cameron Lou Stewart. A memorial service has been set for 11 a.m. Saturday, June 19, at the University Congregational Church, 9209 E. 29th St. A memorial fund has been established, and contributions can be made to the Bert Smith Memorial in Aerospace Engineering in care of the WSU Foundation, campus box 2. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.oldmissionmortuary.com.

Nicholas P. Trabue, 69, painter, illustrator, WSU teacher, died May 11 at his home in Andover. Services have already been held. He was preceded in death by his parents, June and M.G. Trabue; and brothers, Christopher and Timothy Trabue. He is survived by his wife of 25 years, Christine Trabue (Carla Sue); and daughter, Elizabeth Anne. A memorial has been established with Ghana School, c/o First United Methodist Church, 330 N. Broadway, Wichita, KS 67202. Tributes may be sent to the family via Downing and Lahey Mortuary, www.dlwichita.com.

Jim Zinn, 57, loan officer, Campus Credit Union, died Friday, May 28. Services were held June 2 in Wichita. He is survived by his daughters, Amanda (Brian) Anderson, Wichita, and Erin (Christoffer) Armour, Okinawa, Japan; sisters, Helen (Terry) Rybold, Ft. Worth, Texas; Marie (Bruce) Nuttall, Arlington, Texas; and grandsons Felix, Kaiser, Cole and Carter. Memorial with Harry Hynes Hospice, 313 S. Market, Wichita, KS 67202. Memories may be shared at watsonfuneral.com.

MFA student connects people to the arts with Fractions

Thu, 6 May 2010 09:28:08 CST

Andrew Bales, a creative writer in the Master of Fine Arts program at Wichita State University, joined two designers to create Fractions, an arts and literature journal serving the Wichita community.

"The only experiences I had in writing or publishing were rounding up and arranging articles at Metro Boulevard for our school newspaper and creating satire pieces about the inequity of our bathrooms," Bales said of his Wichita High School.

But he continued with writing at WSU through workshops about theory and analysis to sharpen his criticism skills.

"At the same time, these lessons show us writers how critics will eventually, if we're lucky enough to gain their attention, tear our life's work to shreds," Bales said.

The fiction workshops are the cornerstone of WSU's writing program.

"Without them, we wouldn't be able to have our work reviewed or become familiar with other students' work," Bales said.

The workshop courses let writers get to know each other's work, give insightful critiques and offer advice.

"The larger idea of a writing community that works both individually and as a group is what we're here for," he said.

Fractions Journal, Bales' creative idea come to life, embodies the philosophy of an arts and literature community.

After Bales was accepted to the MFA program in spring 2009, he quit his job to travel for the summer. He stayed with friends in Beijing.

"During the evenings, we'd go out to eat, walk around the neighborhood and have these tall, green-bottled beers in various beer gardens by the university," Bales said.

But, during the day, he wandered the city one his own "clutching his phrase book."

"It was having this free time to wander and think that led me to have the vague idea that, when I got back to Wichita, I'd like to work on a publication that could get out whatever writing the workshops would produce," he said.

Graphic designers Andrew Stephens and Matthew Miller were on the same page as Bales. The three got together to discuss collaborating on the project.

"From there, we had lots of talks that led us to the current concept of Fractions," Bales said.

Bales described Fractions as a journal that gives exposure to artists by putting a focus on the work they create rather than cluttering the presentation with nonessential information.

"This design lets artists have their work presented in the purest way possible – in print," Bales said.

Having a physical, print-based publication, instead of just an online journal, gives weight to the content and helps promote the art community in Wichita.

"I think print publications have a lot to do with community mentality and their relationship to their city," he said.

Physical copies are distributed to diverse locations around town including Watermark Books, the Donut Whole, all over downtown and in Lindquist Hall at WSU. A full digital version is also available online at www.fractionsjournal.com.

Because of the high quality paper and professional printing, Fractions is an expensive mission of the arts.

"The journal is funded by community sponsors, both individuals and businesses," Bales said. "(It) is free, so it's essential to have this generous community backing to produce each installment."

Sponsors and sales of limited ad space generate most of the funding, but Fractions' editors also hold benefit shows and sell brownies on their bikes.

To the creators, Fractions is a labor of love more than an expense.

"We're really optimistic about the future of Fractions," Bales said.

The journal is continually expanded online with Collections, a free music download catalog, and Forward Slashes, a podcast.

"This is a passion of ours," Bales said, "and we're just trying to offer the best service we can at no cost for our friends and the community."

To see Fractions Journal online, go to http://fractionsjournal.com/.

Faculty/staff news update

Tue, 6 Apr 2010 11:38:47 CST

Faculty/staff news update (through March 2010)

AWARDS, HONORS, OPPORTUNITIES

The next issue of Academe will cover Faculty Awards and the President's Distinguished Service Awards.

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Alison McKenney Brown, director, Midwest Criminal Justice Institute, and Martha J. Smith, associate professor, School of Community Affairs, had their paper "Using a Flowchart to Help Teach Search and Seizure Principles," published in the "Teaching Tips" column in the most recent edition of The Criminologist, published by the American Society of Criminology.

Elaine Steinke, professor, School of Nursing, published "Sexual dysfunction in women with cardiovascular disease: What do we know" and a co-authored paper, "Sexual problems in cardiac patients: How to assess, when to refer" in the Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing; a co-authored paper as the UNITE European nursing research group, "Sexual counseling of cardiac patients: Nurses' perception of practice, responsibility, and confidence" in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Nursing; and two book chapters in the Nursing Diagnosis Handbook , 9th ed. (2011), "Altered sexuality patterns" and "Sexual dysfunction."

TENURE AND PROMOTION

The next issue of Academe will cover tenure and promotion.

IN MEMORIAM

George W. Collins, 89, retired associate professor, history, died Feb. 24 in Olathe, Kan. He was preceded in death by his wife, Kathryn (Kay) Swistowicz. He is survived by daughters Kathleen (James) Beyer of Westborough, Mass., and Patricia Collins of Kansas City; two grandchildren; brother, Harry (Mary) Collins of Tinley Park, Chicago; sister, Elaine Guerard of St. Petersburg, Fla. Services have been held.

Janice L. Cryer, 68, retired administrative assistant, English, died March 31 in Wichita. She was preceded in death by son Scott Cryer. She is survived by her husband, Gary; son Greg Cryer; daughters Melanie (Bill) Stewart of Lewisville, Texas, Melissa Koehn and Melinda (Paul) Cryer-Peffly, all of Wichita; mother, Geneave Shaw, and sister, Deborah Hernanadez, both of Wichita; three grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Countryside Christian Church in Wichita.

Howard E. Ellis, 89, retired associate dean for the College of Fine Arts, died on March 12. He was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara. He is survived by two daughters, Cynthia (Samson) Ellis-Stoll and Diane E. McCullough, and one granddaughter, Abigail E. McCullough. Memorials may be sent to Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice or the Howard Ellis Memorial Scholarship Fund at Wichita State University, WSU Foundation, Box 2, Wichita, KS 67260. Services have been held.

Peggy E. (Hamilton) McLuen, 84, former modern dance instructor, died March 19 in Wichita. She is survived by her husband, Wilbur "Red" McLuen, and her two children, Stanley Ray McLuen (Jan) and Diane Elaine McLuen (Wayne Ingham). A memorial has been established in her name with Alzheimer's Association, 347 S. Laura, Wichita, KS. Services have been held.

IN OTHER NEWS

Ken Ciboski, professor, political science, was interviewed for the March 5 Wichita Eagle story "5 offer views on tea party movement." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?507

Ciboski and Mel Kahn, professors, political science, were interviewed for the March 6 Wichita Eagle story "Kelsey suspends campaign for House." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?506

Deborah Gordon, associate professor and chair, Center for Women's Studies, had her commentary "Women athletes lead a cultural revolution" published in the March 28 Wichita Eagle. http://www.wichita.edu/j/?505

Donald Hackett, professor, Center for Entrepreneurship, was quoted in the March 16 Wichita Eagle story, "CybertronPC moves, plans retail storefront." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?508

Douglas Hensler, dean, Barton School of Business, was quoted in the March 16 Wichita Eagle story, "Speaker illuminates how industries evolve, migrate." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?509

C. Nicholas Johnson, director, dance program, and founder, Wichita Contemporary Dance Theatre, was interviewed for the March 21 Wichita Eagle story "An offbeat 'Oz,'" about the spring production "The Wiyos of Oz." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?510

Richard D. Muma, professor and chair, public health sciences, was quoted in the March 27 Wichita Eagle news brief, "WSU aims course at health entrepreneurs." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?511

James McKinney, associate professor emeritus and continuing education instructor, political science, was quoted in the March 26 Wichita Eagle story about his student Iris Bain, "Wichita State University student 100 and still learning." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?512

Becky Nordyke, instructor and research coordinator, Elliott School of Communication, was interviewed for the March 8 Wichita Eagle story, "Good deeds multiply -- Kindness initiative inspires Kansans," about her students' participation in Do the Deed, a community kindness initiative launched by Greteman Group and The Wichita Eagle. http://www.wichita.edu/j/?513

Tim Pett, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, was interviewed for the March 30 Wichita Eagle story, "Collision shops growing steadily." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?514

Carolyn Shaw, associate professor and chair, political science, will serve as a Fulbright Scholar at the University of Marie Curie Sklodowska in Lublin, Poland, during the 2011 spring semester.

John Wong, professor and interim director, School of Urban and Public Affairs, was interviewed for the March 28 Wichita Eagle story, "City, state show some resilience." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?515

Faculty/staff news update, through February 2010

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 11:52:44 CST

Faculty/staff news update, through February 2010

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

AWARDS, HONORS, OPPORTUNITIES

Deborah Ballard-Reisch, professor and Kansas Health Foundation Distinguished Chair in Strategic Communication, Elliott School of Communication, was the lead organizer for a WSU Feed Haiti million-meal event Feb. 5-8 at the Eugene M. Hughes Metropolitan Complex. The effort was in partnership with international hunger relief organization Numana Inc.

Nikki Currie, assistant professor, counseling, educational and school psychology, has been elected president of the Kansas Association of Counselor Educators and Supervisors. She was also recently appointed scholarship reviewer for the Barbara Gazda scholarship for the Association of Specialists in Group Work, a division of the American Counseling Association.

Lynne Davis

Lynne Davis, Ann and Dennis Ross Endowed Faculty of Distinction in Organ, performed a recital on Feb. 28 for the St. Louis French Festival. She performed at the Cathedral Basilica in St. Louis.

Nick Taylor, a WSU graduate who assists with WSU's tennis program, won the Quad Wheelchair Doubles Title at the Australian Open, sponsored by the U.S. Tennis Association in January.

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS

Nikki Currie, assistant professor, counseling, educational and school psychology, attended the December 2009 International Conference on Social Science Research where she presented a paper based on her dissertation, "A case study of incarcerated males participating in a canine training program."

Jay M. Price, associate professor and director, public history, presented his recently published book "Wichita's Lebanese Heritage," co-authored with Matthew Namee and Victoria Foth Sherry, at the Fifth Annual Kansas Author Dinner on Feb. 26 in Wichita. The event is organized by the Wichita alumnae association of Kappa Kappa Gamma as a fundraiser for children's literacy programs.

Michael Rogers, professor and chair, human performance studies, co-authored a paper with colleagues from Nagoya City University in the Journal of Physical Activity and Health (volume 6, issue 4, pages 467-474) titled "Efficacy of an accelerometer-guided physical activity intervention in community-dwelling older women," focusing on women in Japan.

Niall Shanks, Curtis D. Gridley Distinguished Professor in the History and Philosophy of Science, participated in a panel discussion in February at the University of California at Los Angeles about the conflict over animal research.

IN MEMORIAM

Ina Marie (Bally) Grimes, 93, retired secretary to the WSU dean of admissions, died March 1 in Valley Center. She is survived by her daughter, Elaine Tibbets (Pete) of Newton; sons, Alan Grimes (Rose) of Overland Park; Anthony Grimes (Tina) of North Carolina; Peter Grimes of Park City; sister, Iris Malcom (Max) of Augusta; brother, Sam Bally (Helen) of Tampa, Fla.; eight grandchildren; 13 great-grandchildren. Preceded in death by parents Blanche and Frank Bally; husband Charles H. Grimes Jr.; sons, Daniel W. Grimes and Mark E. Grimes. Funeral service has been held. Memorials to St. Jude Children's Hospital.

IN OTHER NEWS

Lynne Davis, Ann and Dennis Ross Endowed Faculty of Distinction in Organ, was interviewed for the Feb. 21 St. Louis Post Dispatch story, "French spoken here for festival." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?455

Lynne Davis, Ann and Dennis Ross Endowed Faculty of Distinction in Organ, had her concert reviewed in a Feb. 28 St. Louis Examiner critique, "Organist Lynne Davis delivers gorgeous music at recital at Cathedral Basilica." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?470

H. Edward Flentje

H. Edward Flentje, professor, public administration, had his commentary, "A loophole closing commission," published in the Feb. 21 Hutchinson News. http://www.wichita.edu/j/?454

H. Edward Flentje, professor, public administration, was featured in a Feb. 7 Topeka Capital Journal story, "Kansas politics chronicled in book." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?456

Gary L. Miller, provost and vice president, academic affairs and research, had his commentary "Higher education benefits students, society" published in the Jan. 28 Wichita Eagle. http://www.wichita.edu/j/?475.

Jay Price, associate professor and director, public history, was interviewed for the Feb. 22 Wichita Eagle story "Syrian immigration influenced Wichita culture." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?453

David Soles, professor and chair, philosophy, director of masters of liberal studies program, had his commentary "College benefits not just economic" published in the Feb. 25 Wichita Eagle. http://www.wichita.edu/j/?476.

John Tomblin, executive director, NIAR, was featured in the Feb. 21 Wichita Eagle story "John Tomblin drives NIAR forward by bringing people together." http://www.wichita.edu/j/?452

Feed Haiti event draws 3,000 volunteers

Mon, 8 Feb 2010 12:07:10 CST

Nearly 3,000 people, including more than 500 students, faculty and staff from Wichita State University, helped package 641,000 meals in two-and-a-half days for the Feed Haiti event at WSU's Metropolitan Complex.

The meals that were packaged Feb. 5-7 are being driven to Miami and airlifted to Haiti, where the first truckload will be distributed this Wednesday and Thursday, Feb. 10-11. A second truckload should arrive in Haiti by the end of the week.

Among those helping to package food were President Don Beggs and his wife, Shirley; WuShock; and Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer and his daughter, Cheryl.

» See a slideshow of the Feed Haiti event

Faculty/staff news update, fall 2009

Fri, 4 Dec 2009 15:02:36 CST

As the academy of faculty and staff at Wichita State University engage in externally supported research, training and service activities consistent with the university's mission and vital to its growth, this column will recognize grants, honors, awards, presentations and publications, new appointments, new faculty, sabbaticals, retirements and the deaths of our current and former colleagues.

AWARDS, HONORS AND WSU GRANTS
Dinorah Azpuru, assistant professor, political science, was an invited panelist at the Conference on Ethics in Democracy organized by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Canada, in El Salvador, in November.

Dorothy Billings, professor, anthropology, was honored with the Chester I. Lewis Distinguished Service Award, given by the Wichita Branch NAACP at its 65th Annual Legacy Awards Banquet in October.

Ngoyi Bukonda, associate professor, public health sciences, was selected to receive the 2009 Honorable Mention Nobuo Maenda International Aging and Public Health Research award by the Gerontology and Health Section of the American Public Health Association. The selection was based on his submitted paper "Incidence and correlates of diarrhea, fever, malaria and weight loss among elderly and non-elderly parents in a community of internally displaced peoples in the Eastern Kasai province, Democratic Republic of the Congo."

Donna Carter, associate director, financial aid, has been voted president-elect of the Kansas Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. She will serve her term as president during the 2011-12 academic year.

Joe Donlay, assistant director systems, financial aid, received the Oscar R. "Jack" Hendrix Award at the annual Rocky Mountain Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators conference in October for assuming the chair position of the RMASFAA Electronic Initiatives committee when the previous chair left the association. He will continue this role on the regional board for the 2009-2010 year.

Patricia Dooley, Betty and Oliver Elliott Professor of Distinction, Elliott School of Communication, has been selected by the League of Women Voters to be a member of "The Open World" delegation to Russia, May 11-23, 2010.

Carla Eckels, news reporter, KMUW 89.1, received a first place award from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters for her story "Kansas Mounted Guard Heads to Inauguration." She won in the Complete News Feature/Enterprise Coverage category. The awards banquet was held in Topeka in October.

H. Edward Flentje, professor, Hugo Wall School, facilitated the annual November planning retreats for both the Regional Economic Area Partnership (REAP) and its Water Resources committee (WRC). WSU public affairs associates Joe Yager, who serves as REAP's chief executive officer, and Angela Krummel Buzard, who serves as executive officer of the WRC, assisted in the discussion process.

Charles Fox, associate dean, College of Health Professions, has been appointed to a statewide Dental Workforce Cabinet that will oversee a professional workforce project established by Oral Health Kansas and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Bureau of Oral Health. Fox was the author of a 2004 white paper that noted serious issues in Kansas oral health and led the process that established the Advanced Education in General Dentistry residency program.

Kevin Hager, associate professor, Elliott School of Communication, was named Best of Champion in the News Division by the Broadcast Educators Association.

Karen Hayes, assistant professor, School of Nursing, received the 2010 American Association of Nurse Practitioners' State Award for Excellence. The award is given annually to a dedicated nurse practitioner in each state who demonstrates excellence in their area of practice. She will be recognized during the 2010 AANP National Conference in June 2010 in Phoenix, Ariz.

William Hendry, chair and professor, biological sciences, served as a member of the Cellular, Molecular and Integrative Reproduction Study Section review committee for research grant applications submitted to the National Institutes of Health.

Barbara W. Hodson, professor, communication sciences and disorders, has been selected by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) Board of Directors to receive the Honors of the Association. The highest award ASHA can give, it publicly recognizes her many contributions to the field. She was formally recognized at the ASHA convention in New Orleans in November.

Jerry Martin, director, Lowell D. Holmes Museum of Anthropology, received the 2009 Arts Advocate/Individual Award from the Wichita Arts Council at its 40th Annual Arts Award Dinner in November.

Sal Mazzullo, professor, geology, received the Planalp Award for best poster-session presentation at the American Association of Petroleum Geologists convention in October. His co-authors on the research, which focuses on Mississippian-age petroleum reservoir rocks in subsurface Kansas, are Brian Wilhite and I. Wayne Woolsey.

Louis Medvene, professor, psychology, is a recipient of the Gridley Hoover Pilot Research Program Award through WSU's Regional Institute on Aging. It is a one-year, $20,000 research award.

Jay Price, associate professor, history, and director, public history, has been appointed by Gov. Mark Parkinson to the State Historic Sites Board of Review, which considers applications for grant funding and nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and the Register of Historic Kansas Places.

Pal V. Rao, professor, University Libraries, received the 2009 Distinguished Service Award of the College and University Libraries Section (CULS) of the Kansas Library Association. The award was presented during the CULS fall meeting held in Hays.

Chris Rogers, associate professor, biological sciences, was appointed associate editor for The Auk, the world's top-ranked scientific journal in avian biology.

Carolyn Shaw, chair and associate professor, political science, was an invited speaker at the Headline Seminar on the Regional and Global Dimensions of Conflict and Fragility sponsored by the World Bank in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, in October. The seminar was designed to seek the guidance of global leaders and practitioners and to stimulate debate and inform the World Bank's strategic and operational thinking on various aspects of fragility and conflict. Shaw's presentation addressed the conflict resolution efforts of the Organization of American States.

Elaine Steinke, professor, School of Nursing, was inducted as a Fellow in the American Heart Association in November at the Annual Meeting of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing in Orlando, Fla. Nursing fellows are elected by the membership of the Council on Cardiovascular Nursing, American Heart Association.

The Ulrich Museum of Art was named a winner in the Mountain-Plains Museums Association 2009 Publications Design Competition, receiving the top award in the brochure and rack cards category for its new general information brochure, which was created by University Relations' creative services team.

Tom Wine, professor, School of Music, received the 2009 Burton Pell Award from the Wichita Arts Council. He was recognized at the organization's 40th Annual Arts Award Dinner in November.

John Wong, professor, Hugo Wall School, was appointed to the Transportation-Leveraging Investments in Kansas (T-LINK) Task Force, filling a vacancy created by the departure of Bart Hildreth. Former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius created the T-LINK Task Force in August 2008 to examine the state of transportation in Kansas and to develop a set of recommendations for a new strategic approach to future transportation needs.

Bill Wynne, Registrar, received the Laura Cross Distinguished Service Award from the Kansas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers at its annual conference in September. It is the association's highest award. Wynne is a past president of KACRAO.

Wan Yang, chair and associate professor, geology, received $65,000 from the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund for "Anatomy of a half-graben, NW China."

PRESENTATIONS AND PUBLICATIONS
Ngoyi Bukonda, associate professor, public health sciences, presented a poster of a study on the incidence and correlates of diseases among elderly parents who have been forcibly displaced from the Katanga province to the Eastern Kasai province (Congo) at the annual conference of the American Public Health Association in Philadelphia in November. He also presented a second paper at the conference on diarrhea and water sanitation practices in the health zone of Mpokolo in Eastern Kasai province (Congo).

Darwin Dorr, professor, psychology, and director, clinical training, co-authored the poster
"Relationship of MMPI-2 RC Demoralization to Depression and Somatization Scales" with WSU Ph.D. graduate students Susanna Ciccolari-Micaldi and Sonya Padilla, and adjunct faculty member and professor at KU School of Medicine-Wichita C.D. Morgan. The poster was presented at the Annual Conference of the American Psychological Association in Toronto, Canada.

Frances Ervin, executive director, TRIO-Educational Opportunity Centers, was elected to serve as treasurer of the National Educational Opportunity Centers Association during its 2009 annual conference in San Antonio, Texas, in September. It is her second term as a member of the association's executive board.

Mark Glaser, professor, Hugo Wall School, presented a paper that he authored with John Wong, professor, and graduate assistant Corinne Bannon on "Symbiosis between Government and Community: Community Attachment, Trust, and Willingness to Pay" to the Fifth Transatlantic Dialogue held in Washington, D.C., in June. The same month, Glaser presented "Frederickson's Social Equity Agenda Applied: Public Support and Willingness to Pay," co-authored with Bart Hildreth, professor, and Bannon, to the Social Equity and Leadership Conference of the National Academy of Public Administration in Newark, N.J.

Jean C. Griffith, assistant professor, English, has published the book "The Color of Democracy in Women's Regional Writing" with The University of Alabama Press.

Anthony P. Gythiel, professor, history, has published the book "Dragon's Wine and Angel's Bread. The Teaching of Evagrius Ponticus on Anger and Meekness,"translated from the German text written by Gabriel Bunge, "Drachenwein und Engelsbrot. Die Lehre des Evagrios Pontikos von Zorn und Sanftmut." It was published by St. Vladimir's Seminary Press, Crestwood, N.Y., and is available at Eighth Day Books in Wichita.

Raymond Hull, professor, communication sciences and disorders, has released a new book, "Introduction to Aural Rehabilitation," whose cover is his own design.

Eunice Doman Myers, associate dean of the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and associate professor of Spanish, presented the paper "The 'Other' Inquisition: Rosa Montero's Portrayal of French Medieval Religious Thought" at the Mid-America Conference on Hispanic Literature in Lawrence in November. She also led a discussion of Montero's "Historia del Rey Transparente" at Watermark Books' Spanish Book Club in October.

Nancy McCarthy Snyder, associate professor, and Melissa Walker, associate professor, Hugo Wall School, have completed organizational assessments of the Mid-America All-Indian Center and Exploration Place. The project was funded by the Kansas Health Foundation through the Wichita Community Foundation. Snyder and Walker worked with the Midwest Center for Nonprofit Leadership at the University of Missouri Kansas City on the study.

Evan McHughes Palmer, assistant professor, human factors psychology, has had a first author paper, "What are the shapes of response time distributions in visual search?," co-authored with T.S. Horowitz, A. Torralba and J.M. Wolfe, accepted by the Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception and Performance. In October, he presented "Perceptual cues and imagined viewpoints modulate visual search in air traffic control displays," co-authored by C.M. Brown, C.F. Bates, P.J. Kellman and T.C. Clausner, at the Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.

Carolyn Shaw, associate professor and chair, political science, was an invited speaker at the Headline Seminar on the Regional and Global Dimensions of Conflict and Fragility sponsored by the World Bank in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia in October. Her presentation addressed the conflict resolution efforts of the Organization of American States.

John Wong, professor, and graduate assistant Michael Woodrum, Hugo Wall School, attended the Association for Budgeting and Financial Management annual conference in September in Washington, D.C. The theme was "Democracy, Equality and Responsibility: Budget Expectations Versus Fiscal Realities." Wong presented "Revenue Forecasting in Interesting Times."

Wan Yang, chair and associate professor, geology, was an invited speaker for the meeting of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing in August.

NEW FACULTY AND NEW POSITIONS
Lyn Goldberg, associate professor, communication sciences and disorders, has been awarded the John and Ruby Hendren Distinguished Professorship, created through an $8.5 million gift from the estate of Evelyn and Paul Cassat. A reception in Goldberg's honor was held in November at the Marcus Welcome Center.

IN EMERITUS
Tom Fowler, associate professor, School of Music, was named a 2009 emeritus faculty member effective July 1.

Lori K. Miller, professor, Sports Management, was named a 2009 emeritus faculty member effective Sept. 25.

Bert L. Smith, professor, Aerospace Engineering, was named a 2009 emeritus faculty member effective Nov. 2.

IN MEMORIAM
William Kucharek, 88, retired WSU Physical Plant supervisor, died Nov. 28 at Lakepoint Assisted Living Center. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by his wife, Gloria, and son Billy. Survivors include daughter Michaelene (Steve) Bauer; sons Roger (Claudia) and Edward; three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to the Kansas Humane Society.

Alfred "Al" Littleton, 83, former WSU golf coach, member of WSU Sports Hall of Fame, died Oct. 30 in Wichita. Services have been held. He was preceded in death by parents, John H. Sr. and Lorena French; and brother, John H. Jr. Survivors include his wife, Donna Lee; daughters, Linda Baxter of Wichita, Cynthia (Daniel) Stone of Fairfax Station, Va., and Cheryl (Ben) Koerner of Wichita; six grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and sister-in-law, Dorothy Littleton. Memorials may be sent to the Al and Donna Littleton Endowed Men's Golf Scholarship Fund, c/o WSU Foundation, and Junior Golf Foundation, 58 Via Verde, Wichita, KS 67230.

Thanh Q. Pham, 61, WSU carpenter, died Oct. 25. He is survived by his wife, Hue Tran; three sons; one daughter, one brother; and four sisters. Services have been held.

Hiley H. Ward, 80, longtime award-winning journalist and former WSU journalism instructor, died Oct. 1 at home in Warrington, Pa. He is survived by his wife, Joan Bastel; daughters Dianne Ward of Minnesota, Carolee Sommers of Ohio, Marceline Valenty of Minnesota and Laurel Boures of Illinois; six grandchildren; one great-grandson; his twin brother, Harry; his older brother, Jack; and a sister, Margaret Daniel.

IN OTHER NEWS
Fawn Beckman, biology lab technician, was interviewed by KWCH Channel 12 for a Nov. 18 story on the effectiveness of hand sanitizers vs. soap and water. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=899

Kathy Coufal, chair and professor, communication sciences and disorders, was interviewed by KWCH Channel 12 for the Nov. 10 story about how to talk to children. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=887

Grady Landrum, director, disability services, was interviewed by KWCH Channel 12 for a Nov. 5 story on how to talk to a person with disabilities. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=884

Stanley Longhofer, director of the Center for Real Estate, was interviewed for the Nov. 30 Forbes.com article "Best bang-for-the-buck cities." http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=909

Rodney Miller, dean, College of Fine Arts; Mark Laycock, director, orchestras; and Paul Brodene Smith, assistant professor of voice, were interviewed for the Nov. 1 Wichita Eagle article "WSU playing leading role in 'Mikado.'" Laycock conducted the Wichita Grand Opera's Nov. 8 production of "Mikado" — leading cast, chorus and orchestra; Smith coached the chorus; and Miller performed as the Mikado. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=872

Greg Novacek, director, Fairmount Center for Science and Mathematics Education and Lake Afton Public Observatory, was profiled in the Oct. 4 Wichita Eagle "Search for moon water may be visible from Earth." http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=839

Paul Wooley, professor, biology, and research director, Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research (CIBOR), was interviewed by KWCH Channel 12 for a Sept. 24 story by about a $2.1 million grant for CIBOR from the Knight Foundation. http://www.wichita.edu/thisis/wsunews/news/?nid=824

WSU doctoral student globalizes Wichita music class

Tue, 15 Sep 2009 15:39:21 CST

Wichita State University grad student Lisa Lutz is interested in globalization; more specifically, she is interested in making relationships and communication global for students in her district.

Lutz works in the USD 259 district office in secondary curriculum and instruction.

"If I'm going to be a leader in education, then I feel I should educate myself to the highest degree that I can," Lutz said.

Her doctoral project is focused on global education and building lasting relationships between Wichita students and students in other countries.

Her research subjects are high school students in a USD 259 music class. The students will work with others around the world to compose a piece of music.

She is studying how they work together and how their perceptions of each other change over time.

Graduate School Assistant Dean Mara Alagic said Lutz put a lot of time and careful thought into the design of her project.

"(The project) aims to help us understand more about how collaborative music performance can improve the development of a global mindset," Alagic said.

The other schools participating are in Spain, Austria and Japan. Lutz traveled to each country to set up her project. The Ollie A. and J.O. Heskett Graduate Fellowship funded her travel.

Lutz wants to expand her project through the K-12 curriculum in Wichita classrooms to offer all students global interaction before they enter the work force, which she said expects such skills.

She hopes the experience will give the students a global mindset as well.

She said globalization is "beyond an understanding." To her, globalization is "to have a compassion for the human spirit regardless of where" it is.

"As a result of the multiple communications they have, they will gain a broader understanding and acceptance of others with the potential to develop some sustainable relationships," she said.

While there is the ability to globalize the curriculum of every subject, Lutz chose music because it doesn't pause at language barriers.

Language is a challenge, but Lutz said it is a give-and-take opportunity and fully part of the global experience. Connections will be made in multiple time zones, and students will have to work through that.

Lutz doesn't want her project to be a one-year, one-classroom event in Wichita. She wants to see it implemented in every classroom in the district.

"This could go somewhere," she said. But she needs someone to facilitate the project to expand it community wide.

Her desired outcome would be to have global concerts, occurring at the same time in each participating country, where students can play the music they've composed.

Regardless if Lutz's concert happens, Alagic said: "The outcomes of her project will inform further global learning initiatives, particularly in the area of music education, in USD 259, and broader as she's intent to publish her findings at national and international levels."