Notable & Quotable
Researchers Dr. Ruth E. McKenzie, assistant professor of human development and human services and Dr. Katelyn Kurkul, associate professor of human development and human services, are advancing their research project titled “STEM Centered Intergenerational Literacy and Learning Program (SCILL),” which focuses on developing an intergenerational intervention between those most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in children under five years old and older adults.
April Bowling, Sc.D., assistant professor, Department of Public Health and Nutrition, School of Health Sciences was featured in WalletHub’s recent article Best Cities for an Active Lifestyle.
Debra Michals,assistant professor and director of women’s and gender studies, was quoted in a Feb. 2, 2018, Boston Heraldstory about inspiring places to visit during Black History Month, which is celebrated nationally in February. Michals suggested Harriet Tubman Historical Park, a national park in Upstate New York,which celebrates the famed leader of the Underground Railroad. “What makes her so incredibly striking is that she went back several times after her own escape to freedom to help others,” Michals said. “I don’t think most people today could comprehend what kind of inner fortitude and dedication to the larger cause of freedom that that must have taken.”
Omer Unsal, assistant professor of finance, was quoted in a Dec. 14, 2017, story in Pacific Standard,an online magazine that works toward changes to private behavior and public policy. The story examined howcompanies with high incidents of employment lawsuits spend significantly more money on lobbyists than those that don’t, resulting in better court case outcomes. “Lobbying firms do not suffer from reduced value, while nonlobbying firms suffer from litigation and major problems,” Unsal said.
Research from sociology assistant professor Daniel Herda was recently publishedin the Journal of Muslim Minority Affairs. His research examines the discrimination experiences of young Muslim Americans in Southeastern Michigan and how these can alter their self-perceptions and opinions about theUnited States.
Andrew Tollison, assistant professor of communication, gave a talk July 20, 2017, to the Newburyport Parkinson’s Support Group on the emotional impact of difficult medical diagnoses. Tollison emphasized the role of communication in dealing with illness, and the importance of disclosure with friends and relatives. The talk was held at the Newburyport, Massachusetts, Senior Center.
Alison Russell, assistant professor of political science and international studies, was interviewed for the Center for International Maritime Security’s Sept. 6, 2017, “Sea Control” podcast, “Cyber Threats to Navies.” Russell saidthe rise of cyber capabilities, such as precision targeting and long-range attacks on systems, means that navies will be simultaneously more connected and more vulnerable at sea than ever before. “The modern Navy has so many capabilities that rely on cyberspace that it must not take access to cyberspace for granted,” she said. “As our ships grow smarter and we invest more and more in the high-end capabilities that allow this unprecedented array of actions, let us not forget to simultaneously ensure that the cyber-connected systems are protected so that our new technology can be used effectively when it’s called upon.”
Kathryn Welby, Ed.D., associate professor of practice in the Winston School of Education and Social Policy. On June 15, Dr. Welby published Teaching Neurodiverse Students in Inside Higher Ed. The article provides detailed suggestions for how to provide accommodations while continuing to maintain high standards.
Dr. Michael Stroud, professor and department chair of psychology, and Dr. Kirstie Dobbs, associate professor of practice for the department of political science and public policy, have created assignments that expose their students to new educational techniques: Podcasts and TED Talks.
Stroud’s podcast, Curious Minds, is available via Apple Podcasts. Please click the link below to view the TED Talks. Kirstie Dobbs’ podcast, Voices of Gen Z: The Future of Democracy can be found via Spotify Podcasts.
Cynthia Carlson, assistant professor of civil engineering, was first author on a paper, “Storm-Water Management as a Public Good Provision Problem: Survey to Understand Perspectives of Low-Impact Development for Urban Storm Water Management Practices Under Climate Change,” that won Best Policy-Oriented Paper of 2016 from the Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management, published by the American Society of Civil Engineers. The paper explored how storm water could be thought of as a “public good” and be managed better.
Peter Ellard, the dean of student success and academic support, who also teaches environmental ethics and religious studies, had his article “Don’t Think Your Campus Needs to Prepare for Climate Change? Here’s why you’re wrong” published in The Chronicle of Higher Education. He argues that colleges and universities must adjust to weather changes caused by climate change.
Sociology assistant professorDaniel Herda’s latest article, with Dr. Bill McCarthy of UC-Davis, is “No Experience Required: Violent Crime and Anticipated, Vicarious, and Experienced Racial Discrimination.” The article is in press atSocial Science Research.
Associate Professor of marketing Joseph Stasio provided expert commentary for Money Geek on a new auto insurance calculator.
Assistant Professor of Practice Kathryn Welby ’01 was featured in a MoneyGeek article about how to teach children about money.
Paul Antonellis Jr., lecturer in management and director of the human resource management programs, and Rachel Silsbee, assistant director of student success at the Writing Center, publisheda paper, “Employment Interview Screening: Is the Ink Worth It?” in the February 2017 issue of the Global Journal of Human Resource Management. The paperlooked at how tattoos are viewed by interviewers and the impacttattoos have on the interview process. Antonellis published a second article, “Practical Steps for the Utilization of Action Research in Your Organization: A Qualitative Approach for Nonacademic Research,”in the May 2017 issue of the International Journal of Human Resource Studies. The article detailed the process nonacademic researchers can use to investigate topics they wish to change within an organization.
Debra Michals, assistant professor and director of women’s and gender studies, was interviewed for a March 9, 2018, segment on WBUR radio about a new study that claims bones found on Nikumaroro Island in 1940 very likely belong to famed aviator Amelia Earhart, who disappeared over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Because the new study, by researcher Richard Jantz, relied on reinterpreting an original analysis of the bones more than four decades ago rather than the bones themselves, which long ago disappeared, Michals said his study is not likely to close the book on the case. “The mystique around the disappearance of Amelia Earhart will lead a lot of people to that conclusion — that without the real bones, how do we know?” she said.
Sociology professor Michael DeCesare has published “Accrediting Commissions’ Standards on Faculty Governance” in the winter 2021 issue of Academe magazine.
School of Health Sciences DeanKyle McInnis,Associate DeanKevin Finnand Assistant ProfessorZi Yanpublished an article,“Promoting Physical Activity and Science Learning in an Outdoor Education Program,”in the Jan. 5, 2018, issue of the Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance. In the article, theauthorsargue that Integrating physical activity and science learning in an outdoor education program addresses two challengeschildren face today: physical inactivity and poor science performance.
Nancy Wynn, associate professor of visual and performing arts, chaired a panel, “Using ‘The Flip’: Why Your Students Want to Hear From You Rather Than YouTube,” April 6, 2017, at the eighth annual Foundations in Art: Theory and Education conference in Kansas City, Missouri. The panel presented papers on ways to integrate technology to allow students to learn, engage and get feedback quickly outside of class.
Associate Professor Joseph Stasio was featured in WalletHub’s piece about Credit Card promotions. Stasio teaches in the marketing department at Merrimack’s Girard School of Business.
