Grand Valley: Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence Spotlights GVSU Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence Spotlights http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/ Fri, 25 May 2012 05:27:10 EST Grand Valley: Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence Spotlights http://www.gvsu.edu/images/rsslogo.gif http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/ 112 33 Whipps Receives Mellow Prize Judy Whipps, chair of the Department of Liberal Studies and associate professor of philosophy, was awarded the Ila and John Mellow Prize from the Society for the Advancement of American Philosophy. The announcement was made at the recent SAAP annual meeting at Michigan State University.

The award recognizes excellence in advancing the American philosophical tradition toward the resolution of current personal, social and political problems. The prize was awarded to Whipps for her paper, "Learn to Earn: A Pragmatist Response to Contemporary Dialogues about Industrial Education."

Whipps said her paper draws from previous theories in a contemporary context.

While extolling the virtues of bringing the texts and methods of the liberal arts into dialogue with one's vocation, caution should be exercised not to merely educate workers to become trapped in lower economic classes. Her paper promoted education and vocation together to enhance personal meaning, enrich and support democracy and promote equality between the economic classes.

]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=24838855-D273-54CD-CFCB5790BA287585 Deborah Herrington Receives NSF DRK-12 Award


Principal Investigator Deborah Herrington, associate professor of chemistry in the Chemistry Department at Grand Valley State University, will be expanding and further studying the Target Inquiry (TI) (http://www.gvsu.edu/targetinquiry/).  She received an NSF DRK-12 award for the project titled, “Collaborative Research: Further Development and Testing of the Target Inquiry Model for Middle and High School Science Teacher Professional Development.”  Herrington will receive $1.1M over the next five years to support middle and high school science teachers working through the intensive, 2.5-year professional development program along with an in-depth, longitudinal study of the effects of TI on its teachers and their students.



The GVSU TI study is coupled with a separate $1.35M grant awarded to Miami University (GVSU) Principal Investigator, Ellen Yezierski, associate professor of chemistry in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. Yezierski will direct the implementation and study of TI in chemistry at Miami University in Oxford, Ohio (http://chemistry.muohio.edu/yezierski/targetinquiry.html). Herrington and Yezierski created the TI model in chemistry and began its implementation and study in 2006 with support from GVSU, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and NSF. They hope to replicate the success of the previous TI implementations with their two derivatives in this $2.45M collaborative research project.


]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=7A28A952-D383-877E-A44DCC4B2E2ED75A Distinguished Early Career Scholar: Dr. Ryan Thum


Dr. Ryan Thum is a Faculty Member Researcher at Grand Valley State University's Annis Water Research Institute. For his research in evolutionary genetics in invasive aquatic plants, Dr. Thum was recently awarded as a Distinguished Early-Career Scholar through Grand Valley State University's Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence. Currently, Dr. Thum is focusing on the evolution of herbicide resistant invasive aquatic plants.



To aid his research, Dr. Thum has received funding from foundations such as the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the National Science Foundation, and a research collaborative agreement with a private chemical company.



Dr. Thum works with Grand Valley students in his research lab, and believes it is important for students to gain real world experience in the early stages of their academic career.






The CSCE Spotlight: Dr. Ryan Thum from GVSU CSCE on Vimeo.



]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=1DBA4313-CC71-3C02-865E452CAF2734C5 American Academy of Nursing A Grand Valley professor will receive one of her discipline's highest honors when she is inducted into the American Academy of Nursing in November.

Kirkhof College of Nursing Professor Linda Scott was selected as an AAN fellow largely for her research on staff nurse work hours and the impact of work schedules on patient safety. Scott has teamed with Ann Rogers, professor of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, to study correlations between nurse fatigue and patient errors.

Their first paper was published in 2004. Scott and Rogers, who is also an AAN fellow, began working together in 2002; they have since conducted two major studies that have been widely publicized, cited more than 100 times and have provided the base for Institute of Medicine and the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations recommendations related to work hours, fatigue and patient safety.

Scott, who also serves as director of KCON's undergraduate degree programs, said being named an AAN fellow is an honor. She is thrilled to work with other fellows on addressing health care issues and policies. "I've always wanted to make a difference in some way; as a nurse, and now with our students as a faculty member," she said. "This is making a difference from a scientific base and hopefully affecting policies."

Cynthia McCurren, dean of KCON, said Scott demonstrates the high caliber of nursing faculty at Grand Valley. "Linda has demonstrated a commitment to the discipline of nursing as evidenced by her engagement in academic, clinical, and administrative practice, as well as the establishment of a sustainable program of research," McCurren said.

Research by Rogers and Scott continues. Scott said she received a grant from the Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Michigan Foundation to study fatigue countermeasures (strategic naps, completely relieved breaks combined with increased sleep hours) and their impact on nurses.

The AAN ceremony is November 8 in Scottsdale, Arizona, where 92 professionals will be inducted into the academy.

Scott received a bachelor's degree in nursing from Michigan State University, a master's degree in nursing administration from Grand Valley, and a doctorate in nursing and health care systems from the University of Michigan.

]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=BDDF0540-C6EF-2D0A-2A5B4E770AF4EA53 A Novel Idea--Free Writing Textbook


Charlie Lowe of Writing is co-editor of a new kind of textbook: a free one. "Writing Spaces: Readings on Writing, Volume 1, is a collection of Creative Commons licensed essays for use in the first year writing classroom, all written by writing teachers for students," according to the Creative Common's web site. Charlie explains how this works: "You can download a copy of the text from http://writingspaces.org/volume1. These are essays written by teachers for students. We will have another volume coming out, hopefully by December 2010, and currently have a CFP out for proposals for a 3rd volume. All chapters are/will be released under Creative Commons licenses, so the essays can be downloaded and used for free in any classroom." In these days of stretched student budgets, this approach to publishing will be welcome in the mix. As Charlie points out, "We believe this is a fairly novel open textbook publication process because it is an edited collection that goes through peer review much like a scholarly edited collection or journal (we have an editorial board made up of tenure track faculty in the field), and we believe it is a model that could be adopted in other disciplines. In fact, our publisher is an independent scholarly press, one well-regarded in my discipline, who sells print versions of the text at a low cost: http://parlorpress.com/writingspaces ." And this new approach looks after the faculty involved as well as students' wallets. "Because of the more standard peer review process and recognized publication genre of the edited collection, we believe that we have come up with a model that is more easily evaluated (and hopefully more valued) in tenure and promotion committees in higher ed than textbooks made in wikis or people loading textbook materials to online repositories where there might be some post-production review," Charlie notes. While aimed at teachers of first-year writing, the text may also be of interest to those in other disciplines interested in supporting stronger writing by students in their majors.


]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=8E118ACA-A49A-1C88-444C548B311D26CB Distinguished Early Career Scholar: Dr. Rachel Powers


Dr. Rachel Powers is a Chemistry Professor at Grand Valley State University. For her research in understanding enzymes that cause bacterial resistance to antibiotics, Dr. Powers was recently awarded as a Distinguished Early-Career Scholar through Grand Valley State University's Center for Scholarly and Creative Excellence.



To aid her research, Dr. Powers has received funding from foundations such as the Research Corporation for Science Advancement, the National Insititutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, and Grand Valley State University's Student Summer Scholars. Her research was recently featured on the cover of the academic journal Biochemistry.



Dr. Powers works with Grand Valley students in her research lab, and believes it is important for students to gain real world experience in the early stages of their academic career.






The CSCE Spotlight: Dr. Rachel Powers from GVSU CSCE on Vimeo.



]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=B4439A43-9B53-FA90-9E94714F69676DEA Café Scientifique's global reach 2008-08-06 21:22:42.0 A West Michigan scientific forum is on the map with other forums worldwide, thanks to a national grant.

With a recent $500 recognition grant, Muskegon's Café Scientifique will be able to further develop its Web site, www.muskegoncafescientifique.com, for local, state and international outreach. The grant is from the WGBH Educational Foundation, through NOVA ScienceNOW, an offshoot of PBS's award-winning NOVA series.

A Café Scientifique is typically located in cities with major research universities, such as Oxford, Cambridge, San Francisco and Tokyo. Each "café" is an informal and accessible place for the discussion of important and interesting scientific issues with the general public.

"This is a wonderful validation of Muskegon's Café Scientifique," said Alan Steinman, who had read about the phenomenon in a scientific journal. Steinman is director of the Grand Valley State University Annis Water Resources Institute, located in Muskegon. He discussed the "café" venture with Arn Boezaart, vice president for grant programs at the Community Foundation for Muskegon County, who enthusiastically supported the idea. They both believed it could help revitalize the redeveloping area of downtown Muskegon by attracting a knowledge-based crowd to the area.

Ben Wiehe, the outreach coordinator for the grant provider, noted that even though it is only three years old, the Muskegon Café is one of the oldest in the United States and they were pleased to help it. The WGBH Educational Foundation is playing an active role in helping support the development of Café Scientifiques across the U.S. through its grants.

"It is rewarding to look at the global distribution of these cafes and see Muskegon, Michigan, on that map," said Steinman.

The Annis Water Resources Institute is a multidisciplinary research organization committed to the study of freshwater resources. The mission of the institute is to integrate research, education, and outreach to enhance and preserve freshwater resources.
By Mary Isca Pirkola

]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=9AC190A2-B506-0256-83F27FA33C1B31C3 Staging Their Success 2008-08-06 21:20:44.0 When 20 Grand Valley State University theatre students arrived in Milwaukee for the Region 3 Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, they were only another group in a sea of competition.

"By the time we left, Grand Valley was a known name in the world of theatre," said student Katrina Niemisto, who directed one of the 10-minute plays.

The national theater program involves students from colleges and universities nationwide and serves as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theatre in the United States. The KCACTF has grown into a network of more than 600 academic institutions throughout the country, where theater departments and student artists showcase their work and receive outside assessment by KCACTF respondents.

Whitney Hershberger led her team in winning the first ever Design Storm competition, where teams of four are assigned a play and required to develop plans for a set, costumes, lighting and direction, and then present their ideas to a panel of judges.

Ten Grand Valley students took part in the Irene Ryan acting competition, which involves two scenes and a monologue. Scott Watson and partner Nancee Moes reached the semi-finals.

Certificate of Merit winners included Hannah Gaff, Josh King, Brit Shea and Sara Vasquez, for their work in makeup, costume, set and lighting design, as well as directing, stage managing and acting in shows at Grand Valley during the past year.

Grand Valley visiting assistant professor Ian Borden accompanied the students to the competition. He is a certified teacher from the Society of American Fight Directors and conducted two stage combat workshops.

"This was our largest and most successful contingent of Grand Valley students ever at the festival," said Borden. "I'm glad they have been so wonderfully recognized for their efforts."
By Mary Isca Pirkola

]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=9ABFDEA0-E3B3-4E8E-6DFB8ED6ABC3ADD6 Robert H. Ferrell Award Winner 2008-08-06 21:19:07.0 Grand Valley State University history Professor James Goode is this year's winner of the Robert H. Ferrell Book Prize.

The $2,500 prize, awarded annually from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations, is designed to reward distinguished scholarship. Goode's book, Negotiating the Past: Archeology, Nationalism, and Diplomacy in the Middle East, 1919-1941, studies traditional diplomacy combined with culture and art.

Noted in the award letter was Goode's truly incredible array of archival sources in the U.S., Europe, and several Middle Eastern countries as he focused on the importance on nationalism in the Middle East and how this affected the efforts of Western museums to obtain treasures from ancient sites, including Iran, Egypt and Iraq.

The prize will be presented at the SHAFR annual meeting luncheon in New York on March 29.
By Mary Isca Pirkola

]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=9ABE0144-C4CD-FCFF-1FFB4C53E3662D7E Michigan Campus Compact 2008-08-06 21:16:01.0 The efforts of Paul Wittenbraker as a tireless advocate for creating connections between the academic community and the larger community were recently recognized with a Michigan Campus Compact Award.

Michigan Campus Compact is a coalition of college and university presidents, with 41-member campuses and a goal of building civic engagement into campus and academic life. The Faculty/Staff Community Service-Learning Award is given to one person from each campus who engages or influences students to be involved in community service or service-learning through modeling, influence or instruction.

Wittenbraker, a faculty member in the Department of Art and Design at Grand Valley State University, started the Civic Studio Project in 1999, as a course in public art. Each semester, his students establish a temporary studio in the community and make art that is locally relevant. Studio participants also contribute volunteer service to existing agencies and programs in the vicinity of the project site.

"Through these projects the students learn about the communities they are living and working in," said Wittenbraker. "It changes their view of public service, public space, audience and the possibilities for community engagement and for a larger educational connection for art."

The current semester students are at work on the Civic Studio Wealthy Project, which focuses on public space along the full length of Wealthy Street, from the former Butterworth Dump, near John Ball Zoo, to Reeds Lake, in East Grand Rapids. Each studio member is researching one of 15 sections to discover its history, current status and theorize what could be. They will report their findings on Viget, a wiki for the City of Grand Rapids, started in March 2007, by Wittenbraker, Michael Greene and George Wietor. Viget is a collaborative project of Civic Studio and G-RAD.org.
By Mary Isca Pirkola


]]> http://www.gvsu.edu/csce/module-spotlight-view.htm?entryId=9ABB8189-9B6A-D188-6F4077B0FA315AC1 Project Stride 2008-08-06 21:09:25.0 To advance careers of women faculty members in the science and engineering fields, Grand Valley has received a $500,000, two-year grant from the National Science Foundation ADVANCE Program, in partnership with The University of Michigan.

The goal of the ADVANCE program is to increase the representation and advancement of women in academic science and engineering careers, contributing to the development of a more diverse science and engineering workforce.

Grand Valley's grant was co-authored by Shaily Menon, associate professor of biology, and Kathleen Underwood, associate professor of history and coordinator of Women and Gender Studies. The goals of the grant are to address aspects of recruitment, retention, professional development, and climate in the sciences and engineering.

While the grant is targeted at professors, students will also see benefits. Menon chairs the biology department and teaches some technical courses using geographic information systems and computer modeling. "I know it makes a difference for women students to see a woman teaching a class that deals with technology," she said. "It shows them a role model and opens up career possibilities in fields that they might not have considered before."

Fred Antczak, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, said because the grant promotes diversity in the workplace, education at Grand Valley will be enhanced.

"Diversity makes us all deal with the variety of perspectives that make up the world we live in, and the world ahead," he said.

The NSF grant will also allow UM graduate and post-doctoral students to teach at Grand Valley. "It's a collaborative pipeline," Menon said. "They will gain valuable experience at a university committed to undergraduate teaching and a liberal arts and science education."

Underwood said that portion of the grant could be key to some women, as the sciences remain a male-dominated field. According to NSF, women constitute less than 21 percent of the science and engineering faculty at four-year universities.

"For women PhDs at risk of giving up on an academic career, it offers an alternative model of a primarily undergraduate university, which might be more attractive," Underwood said.

Wendy Wenner, dean of the College of Interdisciplinary Studies, said receiving the competitive grant acknowledges the strength of Grand Valley's science, engineering and Women and Gender Studies programs and the excellence of its faculty.

"We are pleased that UM and NSF recognize our ability to provide mentoring and support for new female faculty and are enthusiastic about partnering to change academic culture to more stongly support and develop women in their academic careers," she said.
By Michele Coffill

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