Letter from the Dean

Dear Friends of the College,

Welcome to the June 2008 issue of Inside A&S, the monthly e-newsletter of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. This e-newsletter is designed to keep you informed on all of the exciting events and initiatives happening in the College. Whether you are a faculty member looking to stay on top of news in the College, a parent of a current student, or a University alum seeking more information on the College, we hope that you'll find what you're looking for here.

On Monday, May 5, the College hosted an open forum for all A&S students, faculty, and staff in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center. During the open forum, the faculty chairpersons of the College's seven task forces charged with "Re-imagining the College" presented their progress to date and answered questions from the audience. More than 120 students, faculty, and staff attended the very successful open forum. Another open forum will be held in the fall.

In other news, Villanova University and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia are now presenting the traveling exhibition, “Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics,” at the Academy. The exhibit will be on display through Sept. 28. You can read more about the exhibit here. During the exhibition’s Philadelphia tour, all Villanova students, staff, and faculty who present valid University identification (a valid Wildcard) will receive free general admission to the Academy.

The exhibit on Mendel's life, work, and legacy brings with it a wonderful opportunity for the College to celebrate this scientist's enormous impact on our world, while at the same time partnering with the Academy, a very well-respected museum in the city. I encourage you to experience the exhibit for yourself over the summer.

And continuing our celebration of Mendel, the University will host a two-day symposium entitled, "Mendel in the 21st Century: The Scientific, Social, and Ethical Impact of Genetics in Our World." This exciting event is one not to be missed. Learn more about it here.

Thank you for continuing to read Inside A&S. We appreciate your continued interest in the life of the College, and, as always, we welcome your feedback. Have a peaceful and productive summer.

Sincerely,


Rev. Kail C. Ellis, O.S.A., Ph.D.
Dean of the College
 

In College News …

Make Plans to Visit the Exhibit: “Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics"

Coming to Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences
Villanova University and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia present the traveling exhibition, “Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics,” which will visit the Academy at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway from May 24 to September 28, 2008. The exhibit is going on now, and we encourage you to visit the Academy to experience it for yourself.

During the exhibition’s Philadelphia tour, all Villanova students, staff, and faculty who present valid identification will receive free general admission to the Academy of Natural Sciences. It is our hope that you will find this special exhibition informative and enjoyable.

The exhibition will be available to only five tour venues in the United States through 2008: Philadelphia (Villanova and the Academy of Natural Sciences); Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Columbus, Ohio, and Memphis, Tennessee.

To learn more about the exhibit, please visit http://www.fieldmuseum.org/mendel/. You also can visit the Academy of Natural Sciences to learn more. For more information, please contact Kate Szumanski. You can learn more about the City of Philadelphia's "Year of Evolution" here.

Click here to here a KYW Newsradio podcast on the exhibit.
 

Mendel in the 21st Century: The Scientific, Social, and Ethical Impact of Genetics in Our World

Make plans to attend this two-day interdisciplinary academic symposium, "Mendel in the 21st Century: The Scientific, Social, and Ethical Impact of Genetics in Our World," which will be held on Villanova’s campus from Sunday, Sept. 21, to Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2008. The University is hosting the symposium as part of its campus-wide celebration to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the awarding of the Mendel Medal. As an Augustinian institution of higher education, Villanova is one of the custodians of the Mendel legacy. As an Augustinian priest trained in mathematics, physics, and biology, Mendel is an icon of interdisciplinarity.

Accordingly, this symposium will include a series of engaging speakers in fields ranging from molecular genetics, genomics, biotechnology, and evolutionary biology to history and philosophy of science, psychology, ethics, medicine, and law. Speakers will discuss the impact of 21st century genetics in our society from the perspective of their respective disciplines. Learn more here. Register here.
 

The College Honors Its Exceptional Graduating Seniors at Medallion Ceremony

Rich in disciplinary breadth and depth – indeed the very soul of the University – the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences proudly recognized and joyously celebrated the academic achievements of its top graduating students from the class of 2008 at its annual Academic Medallion Ceremony on Saturday, May 17, in the St. Thomas of Villanova Church. Learn more here.
 

Open Forum on Task Forces Attracts More Than 120 Faculty, Staff, and Students

The College hosted an open forum for all A&S students, faculty, and staff on Monday, May 5, in the Villanova Room of Connelly Center. The faculty chairpersons of the College's seven task forces charged with "Re-imagining the College" presented their progress to date and answered questions from the audience. More than 120 students, faculty, and staff attended the open forum.

College Celebrates the 25th Anniversary of the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies

The Center for Arab and Islamic Studies will celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2009 and will mark the occasion with an international conference titled, "Mirror Images: Challenges for Arab and Islamic Studies," on April 2 to 4. During the conference, which will feature scholarly panels, workshops, discussions, and diverse cultural programs, a keynote address will be delivered by Professor Juan R.I. Cole, Ph.D., the Richard P. Mitchell Collegiate Professor of History at the University of Michigan. Dr. Cole also is the president of the Global Americana Institute.

Call for Papers. To submit your proposal for paper, workshop, or roundtable discussion at "Mirror Images," please click here.
 

New Family of Gecko Discovered by Researchers from the University of Minnesota and Villanova University

Researchers at the University of Minnesota's Bell Museum of Natural History and Villanova have discovered a new family of gecko, the charismatic large-eyed lizard popularized by car insurance commercials. Learn more here. Check out the Philadelphia Inquirer article here.
 

VCLE Recognizes Excellence in ACS Student Writing

The Augustine and Culture Seminar, directed by the Villanova Center for Liberal Education, recognized excellence in student writing at a special ceremony held on Tuesday, April 29, in the Fedigan Room of the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts. The Margaret Cecilia Baney Awards for the Augustine and Culture Prize Essays were awarded to: Chelsea Woods (winner); Shannon Byrnes (honorable mention); and Stephen Gac (honorable mention).
 

Villanova Receives Best Practice Award for Effective Community Partnership by the School District of Philadelphia

Villanova has received a Best Practice Award for Effective Community Partnership by the School District of Philadelphia as a result of the University's partnership with Cooke Elementary School. For more information, please contact Noreen Cameron, director of service learning. To learn learn more about service learning, please click here.

The Illusion Favorably Reviewed in City Paper, Philadelphia Weekly

Villanova Theatre's production of The Illusion directed by Harriet Power has been favorably reviewed in the City Paper and Philadelphia Weekly. The Illusion Through April 27, Villanova Theatre, Vasey Hall, 610-519-7474, http://www.villanova.edu/artsci/theatre/

Grant Development Web Site Now Live

Faculty are strongly encouraged to visit the new Grant Development Web site. Here you will find the guidelines for the submission of proposals.

Call for Papers: Global Sustainability

Call for Papers: A special issue of the Journal for Peace and Justice Studies will focus on sustainability. The deadline for submissions is Oct. 30, 2008. Manuscripts and related correspondence should be sent electronically to the Managing Editor. Manuscript submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter containing all contact information and title of the essay. No identifying information may be in the submission itself.

All manuscripts submitted for publication must be prepared for blind review. Articles should be double-spaced throughout, with notes gathered at the end. An abstract of 100- to 150-words must be included with the submission. Authors are advised to use inclusive language throughout the manuscript, and to follow the MLA Style Sheet. Essays accepted for publication must be prepared in Microsoft Word (.doc) format.

For more information about this on this special issue, please contact Sally Scholz, Ph.D. 
 

Learn More About the Kenneth Burke Society 2008 Conference

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!

College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Partners with the Financial Timesss

Providing Students With Global Perspectives on World Events

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has partnered 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 will enable 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:

• For resources for faculty, please click here.
• For resources for students, please click here.
• To access the digital version of today's newspaper, please click here.
• To access the Financial Times online, please click here.

IT Corner

• Faculty Searches Page. The College has put together a Web page to consolidate current faculty searches that may be spread across different departmental pages. If your department has a search in progress that is not listed, please e-mail Elisa Wiley. Also, please keep this page in mind as new positions become available. All faculty search information for posting on the Web page can be sent to Elisa.
   
• Grant Development Web Site Now Live. Faculty are strongly encouraged to visit the new Grant Development Web site. Here you will find the guidelines for the submission of proposals.
   
• E-mail Backup. Learn how to backup your Outlook Personal Folders here.
   
• Digital Signage. The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences has worked in conjunction with University Information Technologies to install two digital signs for the College. Located in the lobby of the St. Augustine Center for the Liberal Arts and the west lobby (entrance near the large lecture halls) of the Mendel Science Center (coming soon ... this summer), the purpose of these signs is to display University and College news, events, and other special announcements. Learn how you can have your announcement posted on the digital sign here. Please note: Preferred JPEG dimension to maximize the screen appearance is 770 x 510.

Save the Dates!

Please mark your calendars for these important events:

Exhibit on Gregor Mendel                   May 24-Sept. 28
New Student Orientation/Registration  August 21 - August 24
Classes Begin                                   August 25
Liberal Arts Open House                     Saturday, Sept. 6

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.

Make Plans Now to Visit the Mendel Exhibit ... Coming to Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences
Villanova University and the Academy of Natural Sciences in Philadelphia present the traveling exhibition, “Gregor Mendel: Planting the Seeds of Genetics,” which will visit the Academy at 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway from May 24 to September 28, 2008.

The exhibition will be available to only five tour venues in the United States through 2008: Philadelphia (Villanova and the Academy of Natural Sciences); Chicago; Washington, D.C.; Columbus, Ohio, and Memphis, Tennessee.

During the exhibition’s Philadelphia tour, all Villanova students, staff, and faculty who present valid identification will receive free general admission to the Academy of Natural Sciences. It is our hope that you will find this special exhibition informative and enjoyable.

To learn more about the exhibit, please visit http://www.fieldmuseum.org/mendel/. You also can visit the Academy of Natural Sciences to learn more. For more information, please contact Kate Szumanski.
 

Faculty Scholarship

• Rebecca Brand, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology, and former master's student Wendy Shallcross, presented a poster in March at the International Conference for Infant Studies in Vancouver, BC, entitled, "Putting the Motion in Motionese: Infants Prefer Infant-Directed Action to Adult-Directed Action Even With Actors' Faces Obscured."
   
• Gail Ciociola, Ph.D., an assistant professor of English, was interviewed by WRTI (Temple University radio) regarding Philadelphia Theatre Company's production of Wendy Wasserstein's Third. The story was broadcast on March 22. Ciociola's article on Wasserstein, "An Uncommon Playwright," appears in the current issue of Playwise. In addition, she participated in a post-play panel discussion, which also featured playwright Christopher Durang and set designer Heidi Ettinger, on Sunday, April 6.
   
• Kathleen Connor, Ph.D., an adjunct faculty member of the psychology department, was selected as one of the finalists for the Pohlhaus-Stracciolini Faculty Award for Excellence in Teaching. 
   
• Christopher Haas, Ph.D., a professor of history, has written the article, "Mountain Constantines: The Christianization of Aksum and Iberia," which has been published in the inaugural edition of The Journal of Late Antiquity (Spring 2008), 101-126.
   
• Jeffrey Johnson, Ph.D., a professor of history, discusses the dual use technology and how products and processes can be used by the military and in civilian life in Distillations, a weekly science podcast that brings listeners extracts from the past, present, and future of chemistry. Produced by the Chemical Heritage Foundation. Learn more here.
   
• Catherine Kerrison, Ph.D., an associate professor of history, has been awarded a postdoctoral fellowship from the American Association of University Women. This year, the association selected only 97 fellows out of 1,116 applicants.
   
• Charlene Mires, Ph.D., an associate professor of history, has been selected as a Penn Humanities Forum Mellon Regional Faculty Research Fellow for the 2008-09 academic year. As a Faculty Fellow, Dr. Mires will participate in a regularly scheduled interdisciplinary seminar on the theme of "Change." She will also be presenting a paper based on her current research project on the United Nations titled, "Capitals of the World."
   
• Michael Posner, Ph.D., an assistant professor of statistics in the Department of Mathematical Sciences, received the Best Poster Award at the 2008 Lilly-East Conference. The poster portrayed his scholarly work on “Proficiency-based assessment and re-assessment of learning objectives in an introductory statistics class.” Learn more here.
    
• Colleen Sheehan, Ph.D., an associate professor of political science and director of the Matthew J. Ryan Project for the Study of Free Institutions and the Public Good, delivered a lecture entitled, “The Wit and Wisdom of Jane Austen,”  as part of the lecture series, "All About Austen: Her Life, Her Laughter, Her Legacy," at Camden County College on March 20. Dr. Sheehan also spoke on the topic of, “Transatlantic Cargo: The Influence of French Ideas on Madison and American Republicanism," at the Transatlantic Ideas of the American Founding Conference in Edinburgh, Scotland, on March 27. She also spoke on “James Madison and Republicanism” at Hillsdale College on April 8.
   
• Seth Whidden, Ph.D., an assistant professor in the department of modern languages and literatures, will be the Starr Foundation Fellow at Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford University, during Michaelmas (fall) term 2009. Dr. Whidden's research project for the fellowship will focus on poetic authority in 19th-century France.

Faculty in the News

• David M. Barrett, Ph. D., a professor of political science, was featured in an article entitled, "After 9/11: Are We Safer?," which appeared in a California newspaper.
   

• Bill Cowen, Ph.D., faculty in communication and director of the public relations program, served as a senior member of the PR team for the recent presidential debate between Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Cowen supported the National Constitution Center and the City of Philadelphia, while working with media from around the world including debate sponsor ABC, as well as CNN, the BBC and the Associated Press.
   

• Lowell Gustafson, Ph.D., a professor of political science and chair of the department, was featured in an online news article entitled, "Clinton uses GOP tactics to win PA."
   

• Matthew Kerbel, Ph.D., a professor of political science, participated in a live chat on 6ABC.com regarding the Pennsylvania primary elections.. Read the transcript here.
   

• Timothy W. Kirk, Ph.D., a Catherine of Siena Fellow in Ethics and visiting assistant professor of philosophy,
  was featured in a Washington Post article entitled, "Heart Pump Creates Life-Death Ethical Dilemmas."
   

• Thomas C. Toppino, Ph.D., a professor and chair of the department of psychology, was featured in a a New York Times health blog. Read more here.

Students in the News

• Michael Athy ('08, Political Science) has been awarded a a Fulbright Grant for an English Teaching Assistantship in South Korea. The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's flagship program to promote mutual understanding and cultural exchange.  Fulbright scholars demonstrate strong academic preparation and leadership. Michael is a scholar both inside and outside of the classroom. In addition to his his outstanding academic record with a Political Science major and minors in Africana Studies and Spanish, he is a Diversity Peer Educator, Vice President of the Black Cultural Society, a journalist for The Culture magazine, and a Resident Assistant for freshman students in Stanford Hall. He has spent his summers teaching and mentoring middle school students in Philadelphia and he can now share his experience and skills with students in South Korea. Michael's future plans include graduate school in order to become an educator and an advocate for education reform. -- Submitted by Jane Morris, director of undergraduate grants and award.
   

• Alexandra (Ali) Bausch ('09, Chemistry/Honors) has been awarded the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship , a nationally competitive scholarship for undergraduates planning research careers in the sciences, engineering, and math. Ali was selected from a pool of more than 1,000 applicants on the strength of her considerable research experience with Dr. Amanda Grannas in the Chemistry Department on organic pollutants in liquid and frozen media.  Ali's work in this area resulted in a 2007 publication in the Journal of Physical Chemistry and a poster presentation at the Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society in October 2006.  Ali has maintained her research commitment and an excellent record of academic achievement  as an active and engaged member of our campus, working with Special Olympics, Rays of Sunshine, and Habitat for Humanity. Her future plans are to pursue a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry to teach at the university level and conduct research in analytical, atmospheric chemistry. -- Submitted by Jane Morris, director of undergraduate grants and awards
   

• Jose James ('10, Biology/Honors) received Honorable Mention in the Goldwater Scholarship competition, a significant accomplishment for a sophomore competing mostly with juniors. Jose is an extraordinary young man with impressive research experience and academic achievement.  As a freshman, Jose began working with Dr. Janice Knepper on the Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus, and he has since extended his inquiry to a related project with Dr. Dennis Wykoff. Last summer, he was a research intern with Dr. Elizabeth Gavis at Princeton University working on the genetic regulation of embryonic development. Jose's exceptional ability is not limited to the biological sciences. His passion for math led him to pursue an independent study of Differential Equations (without academic credit). Jose has significant campus commitments beyond academics through his participation in Best Buddies, FaceAIDS, Habitat for Humanity, SAMOSA, and the Villanovan. In the future, Jose plans on obtaining an MD/PhD in order to conduct research at the university level in cancer biology. -- Submitted by Jane Morris, director of undergraduate grants and awards
   

• Amy Knop-Narbutis ('08, Honors/Latin American Studies) has been awarded a Fulbright U.S. Student Program Grant to pursue a research project in Costa Rica. Amy, a Connelly Delouvrier International Scholar and recipient of a Villanova University Undergraduate Research Award, will be conducting research on community perspectives on fair trade through the Centro International para el Desarrollo Humano (CIDH) in San Jose. Last summer, Amy held an internship through Catholic Relief Services at a fair trade company in Ecuador, and she has served as a Catholic Relief Services Fair Trade Ambassador at Villanova since 2006. Amy has been an active voice for social justice both on our campus and in the broader, civic community through her work with Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, Amnesty International, Water for Waslala, and as an interpreter for the Villanova Law School Clinic. Upon her return from Costa Rica, Amy hopes to pursue a master's degree in Development Studies at the London School of Economics. -- Submitted by Jane Morris, director of undergraduate grants and awards
   

• Frances Koons, a current math major and Villanova runner, is featured in the Philadelphia Inquirer in an article entitled, "Franklin Field of dreams beckons healthy Koons of Villanova." Koons also is featured here in "Game Changers: Villanova Runner Beats The Odds."   
   

• Haig Norian ('08, Electrical and Computer Engineering) received Honorable Mention in the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship competition. A 2007 winner of the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, Haig has been active on campus as a tutor in the Math Learning and Resource Center and for the Department of Electrical Engineering Department, and he is currently the president of the Armenian Youth Organization. He plans to study for a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering at Columbia University to pursue a career as a university professor and research scientist. -- Submitted by Jane Morris, director of undergraduate grants and awards
   

Alumni in the News

• Jody Alessandrine, '85, who received a bachelor's degree in communication, recently was appointed the finance director in Atlantic City, N.J. Learn more here.
   

• Liz Barszczewski, '95, (BA English/History) recently returned to the National Constitution Center to help plan and promote the April 16 Democrat Candidate Presidential Debate. Liz served as Public Relations Director for the National Constitution Center from 2001-2004 and spearheaded its PR and media relations campaign leading up to and including the Center's grand opening on July 4, 2003.
   

• Ian Bush, '04, '06, who earned a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in communication, has been named by Edison Media Research as one of its "30 Under 30," which is a nationwide search for 30 promising talents under 30 years of age in the radio industry. Ian is a anchor, reporter, and editor at KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia. Learn more about Ian Bush here. 
   

• Merrimack College has re-established its mission and ministry position and hired the Rev. Raymond F. Dlugos, O.S.A., '79, to fill the post as vice president. Ordained to the priesthood in 1983, Dlugos has a bachelor's degree in Honors from Villanova, a master's degree from Washington Theological Union, and a doctorate in counseling psychology from the State University of New York at Albany. Learn more here.
   

• Matthew L. Fritz, '89, was recently selected as Crest Memorial School's Teacher of the Year (New Jersey) by his co-workers and school administrators. Fritz, who teaches the school's integrated studies lab (ISL), has been with the school for 15 years. His ISL class takes information students receive in regular math and science classes and provides additional education through hands-on experiments and deeper exploration of the subject matter. A graduate of Villanova, where he majored in astronomy and astrophysics, Fritz went on to earn a master's degree in astrophysics from the University of Illinois. Learn more here.
   

Send Your News Items and Event Notices for Publication

Is your upcoming event not listed in this e-newsletter? Do you wish it was? Do you need help broadening your outreach efforts, publicizing events, and getting the word out about the accomplishments of your faculty? Learn more here! Please submit your announcements or events via our online submission form or directly to Kate Szumanski. Kate will include it in the next issue of the College’s e-newsletter.