Notable & Quotable

Provost Bulletin Faculty Accomplishments

Fall 2025 Edition

Dr. Sarofian-Butin’s AI Opinion Piece Is Published

Dr. Dan Sarofian-Butin’s new opinion piece, AI is a Copernican Revolution in Education, was recently published by Real Clear Education. Dr. Sarofian-Butin is a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack.

Dr. Sarofian-Butin’s AI Opinion Piece Is Published

Dr. Dan Sarofian-Butin’s new opinion piece, AI is a Copernican Revolution in Education, was recently published by Real Clear Education. Dr. Sarofian-Butin is a professor in the School of Education and Social Policy at Merrimack.

Tunde SzivakDr. Tunde Szivak Studies Stress on Women in Tactical Roles

Dr. Tunde Szivak, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, is the lead author of a new peer-reviewed research publication featured in Metabolites. The scoping review, “Impact of Stress on Adrenal and Neuroendocrine Responses, Body Composition, and Physical Performance Amongst Women in Demanding Tactical Occupations,” examined how stress affects the health and performance of women in demanding tactical roles, including the military, law enforcement, and firefighting.

Dr. Michals Presenteed

Dr. Debra Michals recently gave a presentation at the Hagley Center about her book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women’s Entrepreneurship Since World War II. She is an associate professor in the Humanities Department at Merrimack.

Audrey FalkProfessor Audrey Falk’s Article Named 2025 Outstanding Paper

Dr. Audrey Falk’s article, A Program Evaluation of an International, Intercultural E-Community-Engagement Initiative, was named Outstanding Paper in the 2025 Emerald Literati Awards. It was recognized by the editor and editorial team of the Journal of Applied Research in Higher Education for Dr. Falk’s dedication, insight and countless unseen efforts to advance knowledge.

Avik MahataDr. Avik Mahata Publishes on Artificial Intelligence

Assistant Professor in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, Dr. Avik Mahata, has a video summary posted on YouTube, AI That Reads Materials Papers FOR YOU! (Gemini-Powered Data Mining), for his paper by the same name. 

Raymond ShawDr. Raymond Shaw Publishes Final Volume in JAIE

Associate Professor of Psychology, Dr. Raymond Shaw, recently published his ninth and final volume of the Journal of Assessment and Institutional Effectiveness as editor. In his article, he reflects on the philosophical and practical tensions in contemporary higher education assessment.

Tunde SzivakDr. Tunde Szivak Contributes Expertise to National Military Readiness Panel

Dr. Tunde Szivak, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, was invited to serve as an expert panelist for the National Strength and Conditioning Association’s (NSCA) Third Blue Ribbon Panel on Military Physical Readiness, held in conjunction with the NSCA Tactical Strength and Conditioning Annual Training, in August 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.

Associate Professor Looney’s Paper Featured in The Physics Teacher

Dr. Craig Looney’s paper, “Taylor Series Kinematics,” recently appeared in The Physics Teacher [video abstractjournal link; full text arXiv preprint].  He presents the straightforward, but not widely known, Taylor series derivations of essential equations for uniformly accelerated one-dimensional motion, taught in the first few weeks of every introductory physics course.  

Dr. Sarofian-Butin Published in Real Clear Education

Dr. Dan Sarofian-Butin’s new opinion piece, “Teaching Critical Thinking in the Age of AI,” was recently published by Real Clear Education. 

Assistant Professor Latiano Opened New Art Installation

Assistant Professor of Art and Art History Jonathan Latiano unveiled his latest artistic installation, Scaling a Pyramid, at the Boston Sculptors Gallery in the SoWA Art and Design District.

Dr. Lauri Kurdziel Published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience

Dr. Lauri Kurdziel is the lead author of a new article featured in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. Her research explores the connections between behavior, cognition and neural function, advancing understanding in the field.

Dr. Aaron Mansfield Published in The Conversation

Dr. Aaron Mansfield authored a piece published in The Conversation on October 7, 2025. His article offers expert insight into the psychology of sports fandom, bringing his scholarship to a national audience.

Drs. Seitchik, Parent and Hardway Publish Study on Team-Based Learning

A collaborative study by Drs. Allison Seitchik, Jane Parent and Christina Hardway was published in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. Their article, “A study of the effectiveness of using team-based learning in college courses,” examines innovative approaches to enhancing student engagement and success.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, “She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II,” was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

David SheetsDr. Sheets Releases New Publication

Dr. H. David Sheets has a new publication, Sheets, H.D., Ravines, P. and Webb, Marianne. “A Study of Three Modern Asian Lacquers Using Surface Metrology and Data Science/Analytics” in Collection Care: Environmental Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Risk Management (2025)Perles-Ivars, A.F., Fuster-Lopez, L. and Bosco, E.  Springer Online.

Dr. Kaklamanos Presents Research at Seismological Society of America Annual Meeting

Dr. James Kaklamanos presented research at the Seismological Society of America (SSA) 2025 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, from April 14-18, 2025. His presentation covered basin effects on earthquake ground motions in selected sedimentary basins in the Central and Eastern United States (focusing on Memphis and New York City). 

Dr. Ward Recognized for Leadership

Dr. Elaine Ward was inducted  into The Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship in recognition of her research and scholarly contributions to her field in July 2025.  The Academy “recognizes exceptional leaders who unite academics and communities to benefit society.”

Dr. Russell Gives Presentation at U.S. Naval War College

Dr. Alison Russell recently gave a presentation at the Secretary of the Navy’s Current Strategy Forum at the U.S. Naval War College. Her presentation focused on Cyber, American Strategy and International Competition. She was invited to be on a panel with experts from Harvard University, Congressional Research Services and the Naval War College. The panel focused on “American Power and Purpose in a Changing World.” 

Newsweek Interviews Dr. Hayden

Dr. Karen Hayden was quoted in Newsweek on June 3, 2025,  on the topics of gender norms, femininity and the rise of female shooters in the United States.

Dr. Kaklamanos Published in Premier Journal

Dr. James Kaklamanos published a peer-reviewed journal paper in Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, which is one of the premier journals in the field of earthquake engineering. Zhan, W., L. G. Baise, and J. Kaklamanos (2025). “A geospatial model for site response complexity, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering,” Vol. 192, Article 109282, DOI: 10.1016/j.soildyn.2025.109282.

Provost Bulletin Monthly Archives

Aug. 7, 2025 Edition

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Jul. 9, 2025 Edition

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Jun. 16, 2025 Edition

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals’ book, She’s the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Notable & Quotable

Provost Bulletin Faculty Accomplishments

Fall 2025

Dr. Lauri Kurdziel Published in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience

Dr. Lauri Kurdziel is the lead author of a new article featured in Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience. Her research explores the connections between behavior, cognition and neural function, advancing understanding in the field.

Dr. Aaron Mansfield Published in The Conversation

Dr. Aaron Mansfield authored a piece published in The Conversation on October 7, 2025. His article offers expert insight into the psychology of sports fandom, bringing his scholarship to a national audience.

Drs. Seitchik, Parent and Hardway Publish Study on Team-Based Learning

A collaborative study by Drs. A. E. Seitchik, J. D. Parent and C. Hardway was published in the Journal on Excellence in College Teaching. Their article, “A study of the effectiveness of using team-based learning in college courses,” examines innovative approaches to enhancing student engagement and success.

Dr. Michals Featured on New Books Network Podcast

Dr. Debra Michals' book, She's the Boss: The Rise of Women Entrepreneurs since World War II, was featured on the New Books Network Podcast. Dr. Michals was also interviewed by NAWBO on Go, the podcast for the National Association of Women Business Owners.

New Publication for Dr. Sheets

Dr. H. David Sheets has a new publication, Sheets, H.D., Ravines, P. and Webb, Marianne. “A Study of Three Modern Asian Lacquers Using Surface Metrology and Data Science/Analytics" in Collection Care: Environmental Monitoring, Risk Assessment and Risk Management (2025), Perles-Ivars, A.F., Fuster-Lopez, L. and Bosco, E.  Springer Online.

Dr. Kaklamanos Presents Research at Seismological Society of America Annual Meeting

Dr. Jim Kaklamanos presented research at the Seismological Society of America (SSA) 2025 Annual Meeting in Baltimore, Maryland, from April 14-18, 2025. His presentation covered basin effects on earthquake ground motions in selected sedimentary basins in the Central and Eastern United States (focusing on Memphis and New York City). 

Dr. Ward Recognized for Leadership

Dr. Elaine Ward was inducted  into The Academy of Community Engagement Scholarship in recognition of her research and scholarly contributions to her field in July 2025.  The Academy "recognizes exceptional leaders who unite academics and communities to benefit society."

Dr. Russell Gives Presentation at U.S. Naval War College

Dr. Alison Russell recently gave a presentation at the Secretary of the Navy's Current Strategy Forum at the U.S. Naval War College. Her presentation focused on Cyber, American Strategy and International Competition. She was invited to be on a panel with experts from Harvard University, Congressional Research Services and the Naval War College. The panel focused on "American Power and Purpose in a Changing World." 

Newsweek Interviews Dr. Hayden

Dr. Karen Hayden was quoted in Newsweek on June 3, 2025,  on the topics of gender norms, femininity and the rise of female shooters in the United States.

Dr. Kaklamanos Published in Premier Journal

Dr. Jim Kaklamanos published a peer-reviewed journal paper in Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering, which is one of the premier journals in the field of earthquake engineering. Zhan, W., L. G. Baise, and J. Kaklamanos (2025). "A geospatial model for site response complexity, Soil Dynamics and Earthquake Engineering," Vol. 192, Article 109282, DOI: 10.1016/j.soildyn.2025.109282.