Notable & Quotable
Assistant professor of graphic design,Dan Vlahos, MFA, was elected for membership to the prestigiousSociety of Printersin Boston, Massachusetts. Established in 1905, the Society is dedicated to the study and advancement of the art of printing.
Dr. Alison Russell, chair and associate professor of the political science and public policy department and director of the international studies program, has been invited as one of two academics to speak at The Return of Naval Combat conference in Paris on Jan. 18. Russell’s career and research are heavily focused on naval strategy, cyber security, cyber strategy and United States naval strategy where it intersects with technology.
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.
Brittnie Aiello co-authored “’Grandma is the next best thing to mommy:’ Incarcerated motherhood, caring relationships, and maternal identity” in the International Journal of Care and Caring. Features incarcerated mothers’ separation from their children and conflicted feelings toward caregivers.
Dr. Susan Marine, vice provost and professor in graduate education, published a new edited book Critical Praxis in Student Affairs: Social Justice in Action.
Health sciences assistant professor Juliana Cohen was interviewed by both the Washington PostandGood Morning America(GMA) for a story on school lunches.Cohen says that because children learn better when they eat, schools should provideenough time to have lunch.
Dr. Craig Looney, associate professor in the department of physics, gave a presentation entitled “Making high-quality videos on an inexpensive DIY Lightboard (with technical tips relevant to all budgets)” at the Spring 2023 meeting of the New England Section of the American Physical Society.
James Kaklamanos, assistant professor of civil engineering, was honored by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of this year’s 10 New Faces of Civil Engineering worldwide. The program recognizes the next generation of civil engineering professionals, 30 years and younger, who have demonstrated the potential to lead the field to new heights. Kaklamanos, who serves as faculty adviser to Merrimack’s ASCE student chapter, was cited for his exemplary work with students.
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 Professor James Kaklamanos was recently interviewed for a feature article on earthquakes in Turkey published on InterestingEngineering.com, a website that profiles the latest events, developments, and breakthroughs in engineering, science and technology. Kaklamanos teaches in the civil engineering department at Merrimack’s School of Science and Engineering.
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.”
Joe Kelley, professor of religious and theological studies and director of the Center for Jewish-Christian-Muslim Relations, will be traveling to Bogotá, Colombia in April with Sr. Jeanne Gribaudo and 3 Austin Scholars to attend the International Conference on Education: St. Augustine, Teacher for the 21st Century. Kelley will present a paper about Catholic higher education and the Austin Scholars Program, Merrimack’s oldest existing living-learning community.
Janine LeBlanc-Straceski, associate professor and chair of biology, published a paper, “A Conserved Role of the Unconventional Myosin 1d in Laterality Determination,” in the March 2018 issue of Current Biology. The paper was an international collaboration with colleagues in Germany and France and the culmination of many years of work with LeBlanc-Straceski’s students.
Assistant Professor of Practice Kathryn Welby ’01 was featured in a MoneyGeek article about how to teach children about money.
The new Merrimack College fight song, titled “Down in the Valley of Victory,” was written by Alumna Paige Sorensen ’19, arranged by Director of Bands Paul Geresy, and recorded and mixed by Assistant Director of Bands Andrew Cote. It was performed remotely by members of this year’s Merrimack College Marching Band at an alumni event in November 2020.
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.
Juliana Cohen, assistant professor of health sciences, was named a fellow at the Obesity Society, the leading scientific organization dedicated to the study of obesity. The appointment, which recognizes exemplary contributions to the field of obesity research, treatment and prevention, is one of the highest honors awarded by the society. Cohen was cited for her ongoing research and publications on child nutrition, especially in economically vulnerable populations.
An article inCredit Donkeyon April 27, 2020, features associate professor of marketing,JosephStasio, as an expert source on people’s shopping habits.Stasio, who studies entrepreneurship, discussed how people behave when looking at products in-person and online.
Laura Hsu, assistant professor of education, was quoted in a March 1, 2017, Yahoo! story about the difficulty many men have with the aging process. “Ultimately, it comes down to a feeling of a loss of control,” saidHsu, whose research explores the psychological process of aging and how it can affect physical and mental health. “The norms of masculinity have an undercurrent of being in control and having some element of power, including a feeling of power and control over their own decisions, physical fitness and ability to generate an income. When one’s body or social position can no longer reinforce those feelings, increasing feelings of helplessness can ultimately take a toll on one’s mental and physical health.”
Associate professor in the Girard School of Business Joseph R. Stasio was featured in The Ascent’s Best Rewards Credit Cards for June 2022. Stasio shared his insight on high gas prices and if consumers should consider using credit cards that provide rewards to pay for gas.
