Faculty and staff sketches

March 31, 2026 (Volume 49, Number 14)

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Deana Weibel, professor of anthropology, gave a presentation at the famed Explorers Club in New York.

Photo Credit: Kendra Stanley-Mills

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
Several faculty and staff and GVSU alumni participated in Grand Rapids' "Legacy of Activism" events in early March to celebrate the life of Pauli Murray, a civil rights activist and legal scholar. DL McKinney, director of the Rainbow Resource Center, was a panelist following a screening of a film about Murray. Ayana Weekley, associate professor of women, gender, and sexuality studies, gave a presentation about Murray’s prolific writing career. Alumni joined Lindsay Ellis, professor of English; Dana Munk, professor of sport management; Kel Nemetz, CLAS dean's assistant, and members of the Grand Rapids Women's Chorus at a cantata, "Sincerely Yours, Pauli Murray," at Fountain Street Church.

Kara Van Dam, vice president and chief executive for GVSU Omni, and Jeffrey Potteiger, dean of the College of Health Professions were interviewed by MLive and WLNS-TV for stories about an agreement between GVSU and Jackson College to expand educational pathways for students pursuing careers in health care. Jackson College students who complete a medical assistant certificate will have a seamless transfer pathway into Grand Valley's allied health sciences program with an emphasis in pre-physician assistant studies. 

Paul Isely, professor of economics and associate dean of the Seidman College of Business, was interviewed by WOOD-TV for a story about food prices increasing due to the U.S.'s war with Iran.

Sketches
Deana Weibel, professor of anthropology, gave a talk at The Explorers Club in New York titled "The Ultraview Effect: Awe, humility and exploring the unknown." The lecture drew from her forthcoming book, "The Ultraview Effect," which explores the profound effect that looking into deep space has on those who have traveled to space. 

Student Life's Laker Link, a partnership with the Seidman College of Business, was highlighted by Suitable, the software company used for LakerLink, in its newsletter as an innovative way to drive engagement among students in co-curricular activities. 

Leanne Kang, associate professor of educational foundations, and students Melanie Avila and Avri Marihugh participated in the Scholars Transforming Through Research program in Washington, D.C. They met with staffers of Michigan's congressional delegation to discuss research and advocate for undergraduate research. Funding was supported by the College of Education and Community Innovation Dean’s Office and the Office of Undergraduate Research and Scholarship.

Hospitality and tourism management faculty Patty Janes and Scott Rood, and Sango Otieno, professor of statistics, gave a presentation, "Activity Trends Pre/Post COVID-19 in State Park Campgrounds," at the RECNet Annual Conference at Kiawah Island Resort, South Carolina. 

Computing faculty Yong Zhuang and Haoyu Li attended the IEEE International Conference on Data Mining in Washington, D.C. Zhuang served on the organizing committee and as student travel award co-chair. Graduate student Nishan Khanal gave a presentation. 

Amber Dierking, liaison librarian, gave a presentation, "Access in an Age of Censorship,"  at the DLF Forum in Denver, Colorado.

Bopi Biddanda, professor of water resources, received a $245,635 grant from the Cooperative Institute for Great Lakes Research for a project, "Tracking Harmful Algal Blooms in a Great Lakes Estuary With High-Frequency Time-Series Observations and Remote Sensing Hyperspectral Overflights." 

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Faculty & Staff Sketches