Notable & Quotable
Jonathan P. Kessler, LICSW, who is completing his first year as an assistant professor of practice in the department of social work, presented a lecture at Rīga Stradiņš University (RSU) in Riga, Latvia in March titled “The Triple Threat: Brain Development-Attachment, Trauma, and Addiction“. Kessler’s presentation was attended by about 45 current RSU social work students, the dean of the Rīga Stradiņš University School of Social Work as well as administration and faculty members.
Presidential Rhetoric and Indian Policy is a book recently published by Dr. Anne Flaherty, associate professor of political science public policy and interim associate dean of the School of Liberal Arts.
Isabelle Cherney, dean of the School of Education and Social Policy, published a chapter, “Characteristics of Masculine and Feminine Toys and Gender-Differentiated Play,” in the book “Gender Typing of Children’s Toys: How Early Play Experiences Impact Development” (2018, American Psychological Association) by Erica S. Weisgram and Lisa M. Dinella.
Kathryn Welby, assistant professor of practice, education and community standards in theWinston School of Education and Social Policy, was featured in an article inWalletHubabout states and the best schools.
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.
Melissa Zimdars, assistant professor of communication, wrote a fake news “how-to” for the Young African Leadership Initiative as part of the U.S. State Department’s ongoing campaign to counter misinformation in Africa. YALI supports young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kevin Finn, associate professor and chair of health sciences, co-authored two papers about teaching and learning methods aimed at improving academic success in the health sciences. “Student Expected Achievement in Anatomy and Physiology Associated with Use and Reported Helpfulness of Learning and Studying Strategies,” co-authored with professor emerita Kathleen FitzPatrick and former assistant professor Courtenay Dunn-Lewis, was published in the December 2016issue of the HAPS-Educator, the official publication of the Human Anatomy of Physiology Society. The second paper, “Integrating Lecture and Laboratory in Health Sciences Courses Improve Student Satisfaction and Performanc,” co-authored with FitzPatrick and assistant professor Zi Yan, will be published in the summer 2017issue of the Journal of College Science Teaching.
Director of Campus Music Activities Hugh Hinton is the winner of the 2021 Choir Master Prize in choral conducting. This award is given each year to the person who earns the top score in the National Choir Master certification examination.
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.
Associate Dean Russell Olwell’s letter to the editor was published in the Jan. 2. 2021 edition of the Eagle-Tribune. Olwell talked about Merrimack students’ community service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sociology assistant professorDaniel Herda,with coauthors John Hagan (Northwestern) and Bill McCarthy (UCDavis),have published a study in the journalThe DuBois Review.The research looked into the connections between legal cynicism, the electoral regime of Mayor Richard M. Daley and citizen calls for police assistance and police reports of drug crime.
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.
Lauri Kurdziel, assistant professor of psychology, was recently quoted in the Boston Globe on the topic of naps and bedtime sleep for preschoolers. Kurdziel conducted research with two others entitled “Sleep-dependent enhancement of emotional memory in early childhood” which was published in Scientific Reports.
Education Department assistant professor Rena Stroud, the senior researcher for Project LEAP at Merrimack, was recently quoted in “Education Week Spotlight” for a story on the benefits of introducing to students as young as elementary school ages. The intent isn’t to introduce curriculum meant for older students, but rather to look at how younger students can think through algebraic concepts.
Associate Clinical Professor Brigid Hopkins was named a 2021 Board of Certification (BOC) Dan Libera Award Honoree. Hopkins has been a long-time leader and volunteer in the BOC community.
Dr. Emma Polyakov gave public lectures on her latest book, The Nun in the Synagogue: Judeocentric Catholicism in Israel, at Brandeis University and Boston College in the United States. Following these lectures, Dr. Polyakov was invited to speak about her book later this spring at Abo Akademi University and Helsinki University in Finland, and Lund University in Sweden.
Krista McQueeney, associate professor of education, was quoted in a May 3, 2017, Eagle-Tribune story about parents’ and educators’ concerns arising from the Netflix series “13 Reasons Why,” whichfeatures the graphic depiction of a teenager’s suicide. Though sheis uneasy about such scenes being viewed by teens, McQueeney said they can have a positive impact if discussed openly. “What I find effective is when school systems give parents and guardians talking points to initiate conversations with young people about these difficult issues,” she said. “This can be especially helpful for parents who didn’t grow up in today’s digital society and/or may be uncomfortable navigating conversations about sensitive topics.”
Associate Professor Joseph Stasio was featured in WalletHub’s Best Barclays Credit Cards article. Stasio teaches in the marketing department at Merrimack’s Girard School of Business.
Azam Noori, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, presented her research at the annual meeting of the American Society of Plant Biology (ASPB) in Portland, OR. Her presentation “Lemna minor for Silver Nanoparticles Phytoremediation” focuses on using common duckweed (Lemna minor) in removing silver nanoparticles from an aquatic environment.
Jim Kaklamanos, associate professor of civil engineering and Zampell Family Faculty Fellow, was recently recognized with the Distinguished Service Award from the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Tufts University, where he earned his Ph.D., M.S. and B.S.C.E. The Distinguished Service Award is presented to an alumnus or member of the Tufts CEE community who exemplifies service to their profession and the department.
