Faculty and staff sketches

February 10, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 11)

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Participants explore the campus tunnels during a Groundhog Day event that started in Lake Ontario Hall and called attention to sustainability efforts.

Photo Credit: Cory Morse

Faculty and staff members who have given presentations, were recognized for outstanding contributions or had their research published are detailed below. The campus community can submit a sketch online for future publication. 

In the News
Mark Schaub, dean of the Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies; Yumi Jakobic, director of the Office of Sustainability Practices; and Rence Meredith, associate vice president for Facilities Services, were interviewed by WGVU Public Media about the Groundhog Day event that called attention to sustainability.

Paul Isely, professor of economics and associate dean of the Seidman College of Business, was interviewed by WOOD-TV8 for a story about West Michigan's economic outlook. Isely presented his research during the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting.

Sketches
Raymond Higbea, associate professor and director of the Master of Health Administration program; Larry Warkoczeski, affiliate faculty of health administration; and graduate student Jagadish Mandate gave a presentation, "The Value of the Electronic Health Record and Disability Support," at the 15th Annual Midwest Medical Humanities Conference. Higbea was recently elected as a trustee for the Cherry Health Foundation Board.

Matthew Roberts, senior instructional design specialist and adjunct faculty of political science, gave a presentation, "Transparency, Pedagogical Presence, and Social Contract in the AI Classroom," at the ITLC-Lilly Conference on Advancing Teaching and Learning in Traverse City.

Joel Zwart, curator of exhibitions and collections for the GVSU Art Museum, gave a presentation, "The Future of Storytelling," at the Michigan Museums Association Annual Conference in Lansing.

Mostafa El-Said, professor and founding chair of computing, was nominated to serve as an ABET Team Chair/Commissioner. ABET is a global nonprofit organization that accredits more than 4,300 associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs across the applied and natural sciences, computing, engineering and engineering technology disciplines. 

Al Steinman, Allen and Helen Hunting Research Professor at the Annis Water Resources Institute, was an author of an article with colleagues from China, “Homeostatic Response of Calcium and Potassium Ions in Microcystis spp. and Chlorella to MC-LR,” published in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety.

Stuart Jones, executive director of the Annis Water Resources Institute, received a two-year, $873,634 grant from the National Science Foundation for a project, "Advancing Marine Technology Careers through Immersive Autonomous Vehicle Deployment (AUV) Experiences." The aim is to offer an impactful, experiential opportunity for students and professionals, preparing them for cutting-edge AUV deployment in the marine technology profession.

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Faculty & Staff Sketches