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Letter from the Dean
Dear Friend of the College,
Welcome to the May 2009 issue of
Inside A&S,
the monthly e-newsletter of the
College of
Liberal Arts and Sciences at Villanova University.
This semester is quickly drawing to a close. Today,
Friday, May 1, is a reading day, and final exams will run from May 2 to May
8. This is an especially busy time of year for everyone. Our students, in
particular, are working hard to complete their studies for the semester, and
we wish them all the best.
On Saturday, May 16, the College will honor its graduating seniors during
the A&S Recognition Ceremony, the first Commencement-related ceremony of its kind that the
College is hosting. My hope is that all faculty in the College attend,
dressed in full academic regalia, to celebrate the accomplishments of our
graduates. The ceremony will take place in the Pavilion; a reception will follow the 12:30 p.m. ceremony on Sheehan Lawn
at approximately 2:30 p.m.
The reception is an ideal time for faculty and staff to congratulate our
graduates and their families, and celebrate with them.
To learn more about 2009 graduation ceremonies and festivities, please
click
here. While on this page, please click on the link
titled
"Faculty" for more information specific to you.
I wish you a peaceful and relaxing summer, and
encourage you to stay in touch with the College by reading
Inside A&S during the
summer months. Also, the College is on
Facebook and maintains a
blog. Find us in these locations, too.
Thank you for continuing to read
Inside A&S. We appreciate your ongoing
interest in the life of the College, and, as always, we welcome your
feedback.
Sincerely,
Rev. Kail C. Ellis, O.S.A., Ph.D.
Dean of the College
In College News …
From the Local to the Global: International
SustainAbility Conference
 From the Local to the Global: International
SustainAbility Conference was held on campus April 22-25 and featured many
panel discussions and a keynote address by environmental activist and
attorney, Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.
See the full list of panel discussions and presentations here.
(Select presentations will be posted on
iTunes University in the coming days.)
Kennedy delivered the conference’s keynote address Thursday, April 23, at
7:30 p.m., in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center before a capacity crowd. During his address, “Our Environmental Destiny,” Kennedy discussed
the important role that our national surroundings play in our work, health,
and identity as Americans. Using examples gathered from art, history,
litigation, and literature, he reminds us that we have a responsibility to
protect and preserve the environment for future generations.
Rev. Peter M. Donohue, O.S.A., Ph.D., University president, signed the
American
College and University Presidents' Climate Commitment in 2007, which
publicly established a Villanova commitment to sustainability that has
quietly thrived for more than 30 years. As a manifestation of this
commitment, Villanova launched a
Year of Sustainability in 2008-09. Led by an interdisciplinary executive
committee of faculty members, this initiative was launched with the
80th Anniversary of
the Mendel Medal Celebration.
Learn more here.
The College thanks Paul Rosier, Ph.D., an associate professor of history,
and Frank Galgano, Ph.D., chair of the department of geography and the
environment, for serving as the primary organizers of the successful conference.
Amy Domini Awarded Third Annual Praxis Award in
Professional Ethics
 Amy
L. Domini, founder and CEO of
Domini Social Investments, LLC,
received the third annual
Praxis Award
in Profession Ethics on Tuesday, March 31, in the Villanova Room of
Connelly Center. The award is sponsored by the Ethics Program of the College
of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
Driven by a personal belief in responsible
investing, ingenuity, and strong business intuition, Domini began
systematically exploring the principles and strategies of socially
responsible investing during the 1980s.
In her book, Ethical Investing (1984), Domini
and co-author Peter Kinder were the first to offer a comprehensive
discussion on the subject of socially responsible investing. Through its
shareholders’ investments, her company works to encourage greater corporate
responsibility by using both social and environmental standards in selecting
holdings and by directly engaging corporate management through proxy voting
and shareholder dialogue.
In addition, Domini
Social Investments has developed investment vehicles which enable
investors to help rebuild the economy of struggling communities.
Learn more here.
Students Defend Their Biology, Honors Theses
Graduating seniors who have completed independent
research for the Honors senior thesis will present their work to an open
audience on Friday, May 1. Please contact
Kate Morris for more
information. The 2009 Biology Senior Thesis Colloquium also will be held on
May 1.
Click here for more information and the full schedule of events.
Seventh Annual Biology Plant Sale to be Held on May
13 and 14
The seventh annual Biology Plant Sale will be held
May 13 and 14 (Wednesday and Thursday after finals) from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.
in the Greenhouse behind the Mendel Science Center. For sale will be many
different varieties of perennial and annual flowers (including native
plants), vegetables, herbs, hanging baskets, and houseplants. Plant Sale
proceeds to provide funds for greenhouse general upkeep and supplies (air
filters, soil, fertilizer, hoses, clippers, pots, student workers, etc.),
greenhouse improvements, and educational needs in the greenhouse. We accept
cash and checks as payment.
College Welcomes Newly Admitted Students and
Families on Candidates' Day
The University hosted Candidates' Day on Saturday,
April 18. The College had the opportunity to present to the candidates and
their families throughout the day. In the morning, three student presenters,
pictured above, Osayi Osunde, Bryan Kerns, and Emily Trancik joined the Rev. Kail C. Ellis,
O.S.A., Ph.D., dean of the College, and Helen K. Lafferty, Ph.D., an
associate dean and college professor in the liberal arts and sciences, for
an informative hour-long session about the College. Later in the afternoon,
A&S departments and programs hosted open houses where candidates and their
families could learn more and ask specific questions about majors, fields of
study, and academic support services. Photo courtesy of Diane Brocchi.
VCLE Recognizes Excellence in Student Writing
The
Villanova Center for Liberal Education recently honored four students
for excellence in writing. The Margaret Cecilia Baney Award for the
Augustine and Culture Prize Essay was awarded to Shauna C. Segadelli for her
essay, Aristotle on Hal and Falstaff: Which is the Follower?
Receiving honorable mention were Jennifer Byrnes, Jaime Vejar, and
Caitlin-Marie Ward.
Kappa Delta Pi Honor Society Inducts New Members
Kappa Delta Pi is an international honor society
dedicated to scholarship and excellence in education. Xi Phi Chapter was
installed by Leo Zuckowsky on April 27, 1978, at Villanova University.
Membership in Kappa Delta Pi involves fostering the high ideals of the
education profession by assuming trusteeship of a rich, professional legacy.
Inductees agree to strive towards four ideals: fidelity to humanity,
science, service, and toil.
Graduate and undergraduate students who are working on programs in teaching,
school counseling, and educational leadership, and who meet the appropriate
criteria, are eligible for membership in Kappa Delta Pi. On April 1, 2009,
forty-six graduate and undergraduate students were inducted as new members
of Kappa Delta Pi.
Dr. Deborah Schussler, who currently serves as the Xi Phi Chapter's advisor,
led the induction ceremony. Dr. Ray Heitzmann offered an inspiring talk
titled, "Be Ashamed to Die Until You Have Won Some Victory for Humanity."
Following the ceremony, students, faculty, and guests enjoyed food and
fellowship at a reception. The Department of Education and Human Services is
proud to have so many students committed to scholarship and excellence in
education.
Physics Department Hosts Annual Spring Meeting of
Physics Teachers
 Villanova’s
Department of Physics hosted the
Southeastern Pennsylvania
Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers spring meeting
on April 24 and 25. This organization’s mission is to bring together high
school and college physics teachers and other professionals working in
science education. The spring meeting featured a series of lectures, paper
presentations, and workshops.
Learn more here.
Villanova's Chapter of Sigma Xi Sponsors 2009 Research Poster Symposium
 The University's chapter of
Sigma Xi, the
national scientific research honor society, sponsored the
2009 Sigma Xi Student
Research Poster Symposium on Saturday, April 25, from 2 to 5 p.m., in the
Driscoll Hall Auditorium. During the event, undergraduate and graduate
students showcased their research through presentation posters. Poster
presentations represented all areas of science and engineering. Student
research posters were evaluated by a team of judges based on a number of
criteria, such as scientific thought, scientific method, and communication.
"The annual event is intended to add depth and value
to student lives and to encourage undergraduate and graduate students to
pursue their best in research," said Mirela Damian, an associate professor
of computer science and president-elect of the Sigma Xi chapter at
Villanova. "The symposium presented an excellent opportunity for science and
engineering students to communicate original research work to faculty and
peer students and to be recognized for their scientific achievements."
The symposium included 38 poster presentations
across the departments of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Biology, Chemistry,
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical and
Computer Engineering, and Mathematics. Student presenters enjoyed
discussions with faculty, peers, and an interdisciplinary team of judges,
who presented certificates of recognition and cash awards for the most
outstanding posters. Congratulations to undergraduate award-winning students
Ronald-Louis Ballouz, Paul A. Cianci, Kellie M. Datin, Meghan Hickey, Jose
James, Kory Kirk, Heather Lander, Danielle J. Soucier, and Heather A.
Stewart. Congratulations to graduate award-winning students Matthew DeSimone,
Kranthima Edupuganti, Imad Estephan, Preethi Krishnamurthy, Avni Malhotra,
Heather Melville, Stephen B. Mowbray , Sridhara Potluri, and Ryan P. Smoke.
The Sigma Xi chapter and its officers would like to thank the faculty
judges, the student participants, and everyone else who shared the joy and
wonder of a new discovery on this research day, and who donated their time
and skills to make this event a success. Photo and text courtesy of
Mirela Damian.
Villanova Theatre Proudly Announces Its 2009-2010
Season
Villanova Theatre proudly announces its 2009-2010
Season. Subscriptions are now available and may be ordered by calling the
Villanova Theatre Box Office at 610-519-7474. Faculty, staff, and alumni
subscriptions cost just $40 plus handling. The Zoo Story by Edward
Albee and directed by Joanna Rotté -- September 22 – October 4, 2009; As
You Like It by William Shakespeare and directed by Harriet Power --
November 10 – 22, 2009; Medea by Euripides and directed by Shawn
Kairschner -- February 2 – 14, 2010; and Annie Get Your Gun, book by
Herbert and Dorothy Fields, music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, directed by
Valerie Joyce -- March 23 – 28 & April 6-18, 2010.
Adele Lindenmeyr, Ph.D., Appointed Dean of Graduate
Studies
 Adele
Lindenmeyr, Ph.D., a professor of history, pictured left, has been appointed
dean of Graduate Studies in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Dr.
Lindenmeyr will succeed Dr. Gerald Long, who will step down from his current
position at the end of August.
Learn more here.
Department of Modern Languages and Literature
Expresses Sincere Thanks
The
Department of Modern Languages and Literature would like to thank the
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Rev. Kail C. Ellis, O.S.A.,
Ph.D., and his office for their support of the symposium on Spanish Nobel
Laureate Juan Ramón Jiménez, which took place on March 31, 2009. Professors
and students from several universities, including Dickinson College, Bryn
Mawr, CUNY, Immaculata, Eastern, etc., attended the symposium, as well as
our Spanish majors, graduate students, and faculty from our own department
and from other departments. Falvey Memorial Library's collaboration also made this
event a great success, and we would like to express our appreciation for
allowing us to use their space and their expertise.
Open Mic Poetry Reading: Celebrating Nat'l Poetry
Month and Senior Class Poet Contest
 The
English department in
the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Falvey
Memorial Library hosted
a well-attended open mic poetry reading celebrating Nation al Poetry Month on April 15 at
1 p.m. in the
first floor lounge of Falvey.
During the event, poets read their work, and
poetry lovers listened intently. The event also celebrated the launch of
Arthology, the University's literary-arts magazine, which is published
annually by students. Be sure to find a copy on campus today!
Danielle Robert, '09, was named the 2009 Senior Class Poet. She will recite
her award-winning poem during the A&S Recognition Ceremony on Saturday, May
16.
The photo to the upper left features Sam Silverman, a
student whose work is published in Arthology, and to the right is
pictured Lisa Sewell, Ph.D., an associate professor of English and director
of programming for the Women's Studies Program.
Manuscript Offers Glimpses of Early Catholics in New Jersey
News from the Catholic Star Herald.
A manuscript discovered in the archives of the
Archdiocese of Newark offers valuable and even inspiring insights into the
heretofore largely unreported stories of early Catholics in southern New
Jersey. The manuscript is published in full in the quarterly journal
American Catholic Studies, published at Villanova University. The
manuscript was discovered by Professor Peter J. Wosh of New York University
whose article situating and contextualizing the manuscript also appears in
American Catholic Studies.
Learn more here. Click
here to
view the Web site of American Catholic Studies.
Patristic, Medieval, and Renaissance Studies Hosts
34th International PMR Conference
 The
PMR committee this year extends a special invitation to scholars from
all disciplines in these fields to address our plenary theme, "Ora et Labora:
Pray and Work," featuring John Van Engen University of Notre Dame, author of
Sisters and Brothers of the Common Life, and M. Michele Mulchahey
Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies, Toronto, author of First the
Bow is Bent in Study, on Oct. 16-18, 2009. For Call for Papers details,
please
click here.
Rev. Richard Cannuli, O.S.A., Presents
Iconic Images in Villanova Exhibit
 An
interpretive exhibit of Old World religious
icons,
“Ever Ancient, Ever New – Sacred Treasures,"
by Rev. Richard G. Cannuli (Order of St.
Augustine), opened March 27 in Villanova
University’s Art Gallery, with a public
reception from 5 to 7 p.m. to meet the
artist. The exhibit continues to May 17. The
exhibit is free and all are welcome.
The exhibit offers a look into the
centuries-old holy shrines stationed along
the streets and alleyways of Southern Italy
and Sicily, the birth region of the
Philadelphia-born artist’s ancestors.
The
Villanova University Art Gallery is open
weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For weekend and extended hours, and other
information, call the Art Gallery at
(610) 519-4612. Selected works for the
exhibit may be previewed on the gallery’s
Web site:
www.artgallery.villanova.edu.
Department of Computing Sciences Awarded $600,000
Scholarship Grant
The Department of Computing Sciences has been
awarded a $600,000 scholarship grant from the NSF's Scholarships in Science,
Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (S-STEM) program.
This NSF program has a Congressional mandate to support undergraduate
educational initiatives to increase the quality, quantity, and diversity of
STEM majors. The department grant will support the Villanova Computing
Scholars (ViCS) community. Current and incoming Computer Science majors in
ViCS will be eligible to receive up to $8,000 in financial aid per year over
the next four years, and will participate in a learning community advised by
faculty members from the Department's Center of Excellence in Enterprise
Technology (CEET).
The award is one of 85 new S-STEM awards made by NSF this year, across all
STEM disciplines. These awards are a result of the evaluation of 277
proposals submitted in August 2008.
New Feature on A&S Web Site: Learn About
Mendel's Legacy at Villanova
 Be
sure to check out a new feature on the A&S Web site: Mendel's Legacy at
Villanova. Here, you will learn about the University's role as one of the
custodians of Gregor Mendel’s legacy. The accomplishments of this 19th
century Augustinian friar, teacher, scientist and mathematician have helped
shape the world’s collective understanding of genes, crossbreeding, and
heredity. Learn more here.
Call for Nominations: 2010
Praxis Award in Professional Ethics
 The
Ethics Program invites nominations for the
2010 Praxis Award in Professional Ethics. To highlight and celebrate the
work of professionals and academics in the field of professional ethics, the
Ethics Program of Villanova University’s College of Liberal Arts and
Sciences recognizes the work of such a person by awarding him or her with
the Praxis Award.
Learn more here. |
College Enters the Blogosphere!
The
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has
started a blog to help its many
constituencies stay well informed on
Colleges news, events, and initiatives.
View the blog here.
Find the College on Facebook
 Become
a
fan of the
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on
Facebook. This is an ideal way for all
Facebook
users to stay informed of College
news and events.
Click here to visit the College on Facebook.
Reminder: Grant
Development Web Site Live
Faculty are strongly
encouraged to visit the
Grant Development Web site. Here you
will find the
guidelines for the submission of proposals.
Explore iTunes University on the Web
Download faculty lectures and subscribe to podcasts all
at
iTunes University. Connect to what is happening at Villanova anytime,
anywhere.
Visit Mideastwire.com Today!
The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is pleased
to offer to its students, faculty, and staff access to
Mideastwire.com, an
Internet-based news service that employs a team of translators from around
the region to gather important stories from and about the Middle East.
Learn
more here.
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Partners with
the Financial Times
Providing Students With Global
Perspectives on World Events
The
College of Liberal Arts
and Sciences partners with the
Financial Times, internationally recognized for its
authoritative news, comment, and analysis, to provide students and
faculty with full access to the FT’s electronic edition and to
FT.com’s Level Two subscription service. This partnership
enables the University to further educate its students on
socio-economic and geo-political issues that affect everyone
regardless of a student’s major.
How To Access the Financial Times Online
There are many ways to access the FT online:
IT Corner
- Information Technology A-Z. The College has constructed
a
SharePoint page (username and password required) as a
comprehensive resource for all of your technological needs.
Is there something missing that you believe should be listed? If
so, please notify
Elisa Wiley.
- 2009 PC Refresh. There will be a refresh of full-time faculty
computers this summer. The tentative schedule has the College of Liberal
Arts and Sciences being refreshed between June 1 and 19. Those
receiving MacBooks will be refreshed at the end of May. More information
coming soon.
- Staff Computer Upgrades. While the full-time staff computers
will not be replaced this summer, the College IT Office will be
re-imaging all FT staff computers this summer in July. This will include
upgrading everyone to Office 2007 and the latest virus protection
software. More information will be distributed via e-mail in the coming
month.
- Confused about how to advertise your announcements and events?
Please check out the College's
Announcement(s) Quick Guide.
- Creating a Digital Sign. Located in the lobby of the St.
Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts and the west lobby entrance of the
Mendel Science Center, the purpose of these signs is to display
University and College news, events, and other special
announcements. Powered by the RISE Display Network software, the College
can create announcements that serve to further educate students,
faculty, staff, and visitors about happenings within the College.
Learn how to create a digital sign here.
Save the Dates!
Please mark your calendars for these important events:
Reading Day
May 1
A&S Recognition Ceremony
May 16
Baccalaureate and Commencement
May 16-17
Please
click
here for the complete academic calendar.
Event Round-up
Be sure to visit the
College's home
page for a more complete rundown of upcoming events!
University Events Module Makes It Easy to Promote Special
Events, Lectures, and Other Happenings
Posting an event on the University's Web site and College's Web site has
never been easier. Simply enter all relevant information
here.
Be sure to include your event announcement on the daily Wildcat Newswire,
too. The Newswire is sent to all undergraduate, graduate, and law school
students at Villanova. Access the online submission from from the
University's home page.
Faculty Scholarship
-
Sarah-Vaughan Brakman, Ph.D., an associate
professor of philosophy and an ethics consultant, has written the
following book chapters: “Real Mothers and Good Stewards: The
Ethics of Embryo Adoption,” in The Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the
Catholic Tradition. Eds. Sarah-Vaughan Brakman and Darlene Fozard
Weaver. (Dordrecht: Springer Publishers, 2007): 119-138; “Introduction:
The Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the Catholic Tradition,” in The
Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the Catholic Tradition. Eds.
Sarah-Vaughan Brakman and Darlene Fozard Weaver. (Dordrecht: Springer
Publishers, 2007): 3-23. (with Darlene F. Weaver); and “Paradigms,
Practices and Politics: Ethics and the Language of Human Embryo
Transfer/Donation/Rescue/Adoption,” in Pluralistic Casuistry: Moral
Arguments, Economic Realities, and Political Theory, Essays in Honor of
Baruch A. Brody. Eds. Mark J. Cherry and Ana Smith Iltis (Dordrecht:
Springer Publishers, 2007): 191-210.
-
Sarah-Vaughan Brakman, Ph.D., an associate
professor of philosophy and an ethics consultant, and Darlene Fozard
Weaver, Ph.D., an associate professor of theology and religious
studies and director of the Theology Institute, have co-edited
the book, The Ethics of Embryo Adoption and the Catholic Tradition:
Moral Arguments, Economic Reality and Social Analysis, published by
Springer Science & Business Media B.V. 2007. Drs. Brakman and Weaver
co-edited the book and co-wrote an introductory chapter together. In
addition, each wrote a single-authored chapter in the book, which is a
comprehensive collection of essays that examines and advances ethical
evaluations of the controversial and increasingly popular practice of
embryo adoption.
Learn more here.
-
Michael Brown, Ph.D., a professor of
psychology and director of the graduate programs in psychology, along
with seven student co-authors, published a paper in a recent issue of
Learning and Behavior entitled, “Social working memory: Memory for
another rat’s spatial choices can increase or decrease choice
tendencies." Graduate student co-authors are Mary Beth Knight-Green,
Edward Lorek, Wendy Shallcross, and Tim Wifall. Undergraduate student
co-authors are Caroline Packard and Eric Shumann. Professor Brown also
co-authored a paper published in the most recent issue of Psychonomic
Bulletin and Review entitled, “Facilitation of learning spatial
relations among locations by visual cues: Implications for theoretical
accounts of spatial learning." Principal author of that paper was Dr.
Bradley Sturz, who did postdoctoral research in Dr. Brown’s laboratory
before moving to Armstrong Atlantic State University. The paper was also
co-authored by Dr. Debbie Kelly of the University of Saskatchewan.
Professor Brown presented a paper at the recent meeting of the Eastern
Psychological Association entitled, “Social influences on spatial choice
in rats” and authored or coauthored three presentations at the recent
International Conference on Comparative Cognition in Melborne Beach,
Fla.
-
Bill Cowen, a faculty member in the
communication department, has won another MarCom Gold Award for
“Best Publicity Campaign”. Cowen was honored for his PR work on “Odor
Limits," a world premiere art-in-science exhibit by Philadelphia’s Monell Center and Science Center. The MarCom Awards is an international
competition sponsored by the Association of Marketing and Communication
Professionals. Cowen previously won a Gold Award for another campaign in
2006. In addition, Cowen has been appointed a PR industry advisor for
Guidepoint Global, an international research house based in Manhattan
that works primary in the financial industry.
-
Alan Drew, M.F.A, who teaches fiction
writing in the English Department, has written the novel Gardens of
Water, which was published originally a year ago. The novel came was
released in paperback on Feb. 10.
Learn more here.
-
Nicole Else-Quest, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of psychology, published an article in the journal
Psychology and Health entitled, “Perceived stigma, self-blame, and
adjustment in lung, breast, and prostate cancer patients.” The coauthors
of the article were Noelle LoConte and Janet Hyde of the University of
Wisconsin-Madison, and Joan Schiller of the University of Texas
Southwestern Medical Center. A related article coauthored by Dr.
Else-Quest also appeared in Clinical Lung Cancer in 2008.
-
Charles Folk, Ph.D., a professor of
psychology and director of the cognitive science program, recently
published a paper in the journal Attention, Perception, and
Psychophysics entitled, “Additivity of abrupt onset effects supports
non-spatial distraction NOT the capture of spatial attention.” The paper
was coauthored by Shu-Chei Wu of NASA Ames Research Center and Roger
Remington of the University of Queensland.
-
José Luis Gastañaga Ponce de León, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the Department of Modern Languages
and Literature, has been selected from a large national applicant pool
to attend one of several summer study opportunities supported by the
National Endowment for the Humanities. The Endowment is a federal agency
that each summer supports seminars and institutes at colleges and
universities so that teachers can work in collaboration and study with
experts in humanities disciplines. Professor Gastañaga will participate
in a seminar titled, "Celestina and the Threshold of Modernity." The
five-week program will be held at The University of Virginia in
Charlottesville and be directed by E. Michael Gerli, Commonwealth
Professor of Hispanic Studies. The 15 teachers selected to participate
in this program each receive a stipend to cover their travel, study, and
living expenses.
-
Anthony J. Godzieba, Ph.D., an associate
professor of theology and religious studies and editor of the journal Horizons, has recently published an article entitled, “The Catholic
Sacramental Imagination and the Access/Excess of Grace,” in New
Theology Review 21/3 (August 2008): 14–26. He also presented invited
papers at two symposia held at the Catholic University of Leuven
(Belgium). The first, for a symposium on the imagination and religious
truth (November 2008), was “Agnus Dei: Sin, Sacrament, and Subjectivity
in the Liturgical Imagination”; the other, for a symposium on the
theology of Edward Schillebeeckx (December 2008), was “God, the Luxury
of Our Lives: Schillebeeckx and the Argument.” During spring semester
2009, Dr. Godzieba is serving as Distinguished Visiting Professor of
Religious Studies at the University of Dayton.
-
Ray Heitzmann, Ph.D., a professor of
education, received the Twenty-fifth Anniversary Award from the National
Social Science Association at its annual conference. The award was given
for his “publications, professional conference presentations, mentoring
students, and general collegiality within the Association.” Two of Dr.
Heitzmann’s students have won the organization’s graduate student essay
contest and were published in the organization’s peer reviewed journal.
Heitzmann said, “I enjoy being part of NSSA’s commitment to excellence
in pedagogy and research.” Dr. Jerry Baydo, executive director of the
association, thanked Professor Heitzmann for his valuable work for
social science education over the years as he presented Professor
Heitzmann his anniversary award. Also, he spoke recently at Archbishop
Carroll High School to the social studies and guidance department
faculty as part of a Professional Development Program.
-
Assistant Professor and Associate Artistic Director
Michael Hollinger's new play GHOST-WRITER is one of the six plays
chosen from 350 submissions to be workshopped this summer at PlayPenn,
one of the nation's premiere play-development centers. Professor Harriet
Power will direct. The cast includes Villanova alumna Megan Bellwoar,
Villanova adjunct acting professor of acting Nancy Boykin, and Dan Kern,
a professor of theatre at Temple University who performed the role of
James Tyrone in this season's LONG DAY'S JOURNEY INTO NIGHT.
-
Shawn Kairschner, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of theatre, directed a staged reading of a new Welsh play,
titled Art and Guff, by Catherine Tregenna, for Inis Nua Theatre
Company in Philadelphia on March 23.
-
Irene P. Kan, Ph.D., an assistant professor
of psychology, presented a poster entitled, "Memory monitoring failures
in confabulation: Evidence from the semantic illusion paradigm,” at the
Cognitive Neuroscience Society Annual Meeting in San Francisco, Calif.
This work was done in collaboration with Mieke Verfaellie, Ph.D., and
Karen Fossum, B.S., at the Memory Disorders Research Center, VA Boston
Healthcare System, and with H. Branch Coslett, M.D., at the Department
of Neurology, Hospital at the University of Pennsylvania.
-
Chad Leahy, a visiting instructor of Spanish
in the Department of Modern Languages and Literature, recently has
published two articles, one entitled "¿Lascivas o esquivas? La identidad
geográfica y sexual de las yeguas gallegas en Don Quijote (I, 15)," in
the journal Cervantes 28.2 (Fall 2008): 89-117, and the other in
the journal Anuario Lope de Vega (2007), entitled "Entre Lope y
Padecopeo: la traducción en los Soliloquios amorosos." In February,
Chad participated in the International Conference on Literature,
Culture, and Religion in the Hispanic World (UT, San Antonio),
presenting a paper entitled "Entre Madrid y Tierra Santa: la topografía
sagrada en el Isidro (1599) de Lope de Vega."
-
Chaone Mallory, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of philosophy, published the article, “Ecofeminism and a
Politics of Performative Affinity: Direct Action, Subaltern Voices, and
the Green Public Sphere in Ecopolitics Online Journal (Vol. 1 No.
2. 2-13, October 2008). In addition, Dr. Mallory was a plenary presenter
on a special panel devoted to the work of recently-deceased ecofeminist
philosopher Val Plumwood, giving a paper titled, “Plumwood,
Intentionality, and Political Solidarity,” at the meeting of the
Canadian Society for Women in Philosophy in Windsor, Ontario October
3-5, 2008. She also gave an invited paper titled, “What Is Ecofeminist
Political Philosophy? Gender, Nature, and the Political,” on a panel
called "Feminist Approaches to the Environment" sponsored by the Society
for Philosophy and Public Affairs, at the Eastern American Philosophical
Association in Philadelphia in December 2008. Also at the meeting of the
American Philosophical Association in December, she gave a paper titled,
“Val Plumwood and Ecofeminist Political Philosophy: Gender, Nature, and
Political Solidarity.”
-
Eugene McCarraher, Ph.D., an associate
professor of humanities and director of the Graduate Liberal Studies
Program, has written the article,
"The Earthly City: Can Augustine Save Our Politics?," which appears
in
Commonweal magazine.
-
Emmet McLaughlin, Ph.D., a professor of
history, has recently published two articles. The first, “Truth,
Tradition, and History: The Historiography of High/Late Medieval and
Early Modern Penance,” is the lead article in A New History of
Penance, ed. Abigail Firey (Leiden 2008) pp. 19-71. The second is
“Luther, Spiritualism and the Spirit,” Luther Digest, 16
(2008)
pp. 69-75.
-
Alain J. Phares, Ph.D., a professor of
physics, and his collaborators, Francis J. Wunderlich, Ph.D., at
Villanova and David W. Grumbine, Jr., Ph.D., at St. Vincent College,
recently have published an article entitled,
“A
Phenomenological Study of Monomer Adsorption on fcc (335) Surfaces With
Application to CO, O, and N2 Adsorption on Pt(335).” The article
appeared in Langmuir, a journal of the American Chemical Society,
Volume 25, Number 2, pages 944-951, 2009.
-
Silvia Nagy-Zekmi, Ph.D., a professor of
Hispanic and Cultural Studies and director of the Center for Arab and
Islamic Studies, has written the book, Moros en la costa:
Orientalismo en Latinoamérica (Madrid/Frankfurt: Iberoamericana/
Vervuert, 2008, a collection of 15 scholarly articles exploring the
manifestations of orientalism in the Latin American literary and
cultural production with an article-length introduction.
-
Michael A. Posner, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of mathematical sciences, was recently appointed to serve on
the Mathematics Association of America's and American Statistical
Association's Joint Committee on Statistics Education. Dr. Posner has
recently published two articles. He is co-author, with Michael Mason,
Ph.D., assistant professor of education and human services, of an
article that demonstrates the effectiveness of a substance abuse
protocol on reducing alcohol use in urban adolescents. He is also
co-author of an article looking at the benefits of discharging homeless
patients to respite care. This article has been cited by an Irish report
to make the case for respite units and the research is currently under
examination by a congressional-mandated multisite federal study of the
effects of respite care.
-
Professor Harriet Power will direct the
world premiere of Bruce Graham's newest play, ANY GIVEN MONDAY, in a
co-production between Act II Playhouse and Theatre Exile. Villanova
alumna Michele Volansky is the developmental dramaturg.
-
Bernard G. Prusak, Ph.D., a Gallen Fellow in
the Humanities in the Villanova Center for Liberal Education (VCLE), has
been elected to the Executive Council of the American Catholic
Philosophical Association for a three-year term beginning November 2009.
He has also been named to the Board of Editorial Consultants of Public Affairs Quarterly and as a peer reviewer for
The Journal
of Catholic Education. His project, "Parenting and the Demands of
Justice and Virtue Toward Children," received a 2009 VERITAS grant from
the Office of Research and Sponsored Projects.
-
Jill Rappoport, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of English, was recently awarded the Monticello College
Foundation Fellowship at the Newberry Library for her book project, Giving Women: Sisterhood and Exchange in Victorian Literature. She
will be in residence at the library during the fall of 2009 to complete
her manuscript.
-
Theatre Professor Joanna Rotté, along with
actresses Olympia Dukakis and Marian Seldes and acting teachers William
Esper and Kristin Linklater, among others, participated as a panelist in
an all-day seminar entitled ACTING TEACHERS OF AMERICA held at the City
University of New York Graduate Center on December 8 for the purpose of
exploring the legacy of the teaching of acting in America. The
full-house audience in the Proshansky Auditorium of the Graduate Center
was composed of teachers of theatre, students of acting, and
professional actors.
-
Deborah Schussler, Ed.D., an associate
professor in the Department of Education and Human Services, recently
published the article, "Using Case Studies to Explore Teacher
Candidates' Intellectual, Cultural, and Moral Dispositions," in Teacher Education Quarterly with co-authors Lynne Bercaw and Lisa
Stooksberry. She also presented a session, "School Care: What Is It and
How Do We Foster It?," for superintendents, teachers, administrators,
and school counselors at the Delaware Valley Minority Student
Achievement Consortium Fall Conference hosted by the University of
Pennsylvania.
-
Catherine Skeen, Ph.D., an Arthur J.
Ennis Postdoctoral Fellow in the Villanova Center for Liberal Education,
has received the ASECS's Irish-American Research Travel Fellowship for
2009 unanimously by the prize jury. ASECS stands for the American
Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies. Dr. Skeen has forthcoming from
Four Courts Press of Dublin an edition, with introduction and notes, of
William Dunkin's The Parson's Revels. Her winning proposal,
entitled "On College Property: William Dunkin and Trinity College
Dublin," investigates the poet Dunkin's relations to Trinity College
Dublin and the College's unusual commitment to provide him with an
education and livelihood in exchange for its receipt of estates
bequeathed to the College by Dunkin's great-aunt by marriage.
-
Thomas Toppino, Ph.D., a professor and
chair of the psychology department, published a paper entitled, "The
Spacing Effect in Intentional and Incidental Free Recall by Children and
Adults: Limits on the Automaticity Hypothesis." The article appeared in
the most recent issue of Memory & Cognition and was coauthored by
three graduates of the M.S. program in psychology: Melodie Fearnow-Kenny,
Marissa Kiepert, and Amanda Terembula.
-
James W. Wilson, Ph.D., an assistant
professor of biology, has written the article,
"Media Ion Composition Controls Regulatory and Virulence Response of
Salmonella in Spaceflight," which was published in
PLoS ONE. This
paper is based on the results from two separate spaceflight experiments
aboard Space Shuttles Endeavor and Atlantis. In the paper, the authors
show that (1) spaceflight increases Salmonella virulence, and (2) we can
counteract this increase in virulence by addition of a specific ion to
the media (phosphate). Both earth-based and space-related antibacterial
strategies can be based on the results of this work.
-
Rebecca Winer, Ph.D., an associate
professor of history, has written the article, “Conscripting the Breast:
Lactation, Slavery, and Salvation in the Realms of the Crown of Aragon
and Kingdom of Majorca, c. 1250-1300.” The article has been selected as
the winner of the 2008 Society for Medieval Feminist Scholarship Best
Article Prize.
Alumni in the News
Faculty in the News
- Sherry Perlmutter Bowen, Ph.D., the
assistant chairperson in the Communication Department, was quoted in an
article entitled, "ASSERT
YOURSELF: Programs help women, girls build self-confidence," in
Central Pennsylvania's The Patriot-News.
- Lara M. Brown, Ph.D., an associate
professor of political science, was featured in an article entitled,
"Faithful turn blue," in the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.
Read the article here.
In addition, Dr. Brown is featured in a recent
New York Times blog about what Pennsylvania U.S. Senator
Arlen Specter's move to the Democratic Party.
- Rev. Richard G. Cannuli, O.S.A., Ph.D.,
chair of the department of theatre, is featured in a Philadelphia
Inquirer article entitled,
"Rev. Richard Cannuli's show at Villanova: Re-creating shrines for the
saints in Sicily."
- Robert DeFina, Ph.D., a professor of
sociology, was quoted in an article entitled,
"Economy of Crime," which appeared in
Style Weekly.
- Rick Eckstein, Ph.D., a professor of
sociology, was quoted in two recent Philadelphia Inquirer
articles:
"Soccer team to break ground amid shaky economy," and
"A stadium plan that won't pay off."
- Edward Guinan, Ph.D., a professor of
astronomy and astrophysics, was quoted in a recent Philadelphia
Inquirer article entitled,
"A world away, two planets somewhat like Earth."
- Matt Kerbel, Ph.D., a professor of
political science, was featured on KYW Newsradio on Monday, Feb. 1, in a
piece entitled, "Group Uses Radio Ads to Push Obama’s Stimulus Bill
Through Senate."
Learn more here.
In addition, Dr. Kerbel was featured in an
ABC-WPVI piece about Pennsylvania U.S. Senator Arlen Specter
switching parties.
- Charlene Mires, Ph.D., an associate
professor of history, is featured in a Philadelphia Inquirer
article entitled,
"Gathering history of Philadelphia."
Students in the News
-
Graduate student Carlie Allison was awarded
the Barbara Wall award for her paper "Objects Lack Subjectivity: A
Mediational Model of Risky Sex in College-aged women," which she
presented at the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Conference, hosted by the
Villanova University Gender and Women's Studies program.
-
Graduate students Carlie Allison and Amy
Moors presented a poster coauthored with Patrick Markey, Ph.D.,
entitled, "What We Want vs. What We Get: Are We Satisfied?", at the
annual conference of the Eastern Psychological Association in
Pittsburgh, Pa.
-
Alexandra Bausch (’09, Chemistry), who was
awarded the 2008 Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship for Excellence in the
sciences, has been awarded a 2009 Fulbright U.S. Student Program
Grant to continue her research in Environmental Chemistry at the
University of Stavanger in Norway. Ali is currently working with Dr.
Amanda Grannas in the Chemistry Department investigating organic
pollutants in the Arctic. Her future plans include obtaining a Ph.D. in
analytical environmental chemistry and serving as a scientific officer
with an environmental advocacy group.
-
Villanova Master in Theatre student Bill
D'Agostino has been selected from a competitive pool to be an intern
this summer at PlayPenn, one of the nation's premiere play-development
centers.
-
Devin Dippold, a student in the Master in
Theatre program, was offered a $300 stipend to enable him to attend the
prestigious O'Neill Critics Institute at the O'Neill Center this summer.
-
David Heayn, B.A. Villanova, and M.A. in History 2009, has been
offered the following fellowships for doctoral studies in Ancient
History and Classics: City University of New York, Graduate Center,
Enhanced Chancellors Fellowship; Indiana University, Bloomington,
Graduate Scholars Fellowship and Graduate Assistantship; and University
of Connecticut, Graduate Assistantship.
-
Matt Keller, a second-year student in the
M.S. in psychology program, presented a poster entitled, “Observe,
remember, avoid? Social spatial memories in a foraging task,” at the
recent International Conference on Comparative Cognition. The poster was
co-authored by Dr. Michael Brown of the psychology department.
-
Villanova University senior forward Laura Kurz has been named
first team All-Big East, in addition to earning the Big East Conference
Co-Most Improved Player Award. Kurz was a unanimous first team
selection. Laura is a communication major.
Learn more here.
-
David R. Rounce ('10, Civil and
Environmental Engineering) has been awarded a 2009 Morris K. Udall
Undergraduate Scholarship. The Udall Scholarship, established in 1996,
honors Congressman Udall's legacy of public service by awarding
scholarships to students who are committed to careers related to the
environment or to Native Americans/Alaska Natives engaged in tribal
public policy or health care. David has established his commitment to
environmental activism through his participation in Villanova's
Undergraduate Research Program with Dr. John Komlos and his involvement
with water resource management programs both in the College of
Engineering and in the broader community.
-
Jessica Shaw ('10, Civil and Environmental
Engineering/Physics) has received Honorable Mention in the Udall
Scholarship program. A Villanova University Presidential Scholar,
Jessie's remarkable academic performance in two undergraduate colleges
combined with her strong desire to develop clean and sustainable
alternative energy resources earned her this distinct honor. This
summer, she will be an intern at the Lawrence Livermore National
Laboratory.
-
The following students received Honorable Mention
in the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship competition: Shreya Trivedi
('10 Biology/Honors) and Jonathan Axtell ('10, Chemistry). Shreya,
a Villanova University Presidential Scholar and a Villanova
Undergraduate Research Grant awardee, has been actively engaged in
molecular endocrinology research with Dr. Louise Russo since her
freshman year, and she was a summer research student last year at the
University of Pennsylvania. Jonathan's work in organometallic chemistry,
which he has been pursuing in the lab of Dr. Deanna Zubris since
freshman year, has been published in the Journal of Organometallic
Chemistry. Last summer, he participated in a Research Experience for
Undergraduates at James Madison University, and this summer, he will be
a research intern at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
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