Thomas Reigstad, professor emeritus of English, published an article, "Mark Twain and the Coal Question," in the fall 2018 issue of the Mark Twain Journal 56 (2): 20–47. The article examines the complex and often contradictory positions Twain took toward the coal industry during his time as co-owner and editor of the Buffalo Express. Twain’s ambivalence—on one hand siding with victimized coal consumers and even low-paid coal miners, while on the other embracing the entrepreneurship of multimillionaire coal moguls like his father-in-law, Jervis Langdon—reflects his lifelong tug between his personal allegiances toward the working class he was born to and the privileged class he aspired to. A member of the journal's editorial board called the article "a first-rate example of what Twain scholars should be doing—digging out new information and taking a fresh look at what we think we already know."

Dr. Reigstad also gave an illustrated lecture, "Mark Twain in Buffalo," to the local chapter of P.E.O. International at Fox Run at Orchard Park in Orchard Park, New York, on January 8. P.E.O. is an international group that has awarded college scholarships to women since 1869.

Wanda Slawinska, associate librarian in Butler Library, translated from Polish into English two letters and a last will and testament for the Pallottine Fathers in North Tonawanda, New York, in November.

Thomas J. Reigstad, professor emeritus of English, was interviewed for a WBFO radio program, Happy Birthday, Mr. Clemens: How Buffalo Defined Mark Twain's Legacy, which aired November 30, Twain's birthday. WBFO's website includes an additional 12 minutes of interviews with Reigstad about the relevancy of Twain's Buffalo Express stories today.

Carolyn Guzski, associate professor of music, presented the paper “An American Trittico” at the symposium Puccini’s "Trittico" at 100, held at New York University's Casa Italiana Zerilli-Marimň on November 30. Sponsored by Boston University's College of Fine Arts and NYU, the event commemorated the world premiere centenary of Giacomo Puccini’s opera triptych presented by the Metropolitan Opera in 1918.

Kerry Renzoni, assistant professor of music, and Buffalo State Music Department alumnae Angela Carriero,  Brianna Jenkins, and Kristine Murnieks, all B.M.E. '18; and Rebeca Ruesch, B.A. '18, presented "The World as Our Classroom: Creating International School-University Music Education Partnerships" at the 2018 New York State School Music Association Winter Conference, held in Rochester, New York, November 29–December 2.

Evelyn (Santiago) Rosario, senior academic adviser in the Educational Opportunity Program, was proclaimed an "exemplary daughter" of her hometown of Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, by Mayor Rafael Surillo Ruiz, on November 23. She also received a recognition award from La Casa Autónoma del Arte Mario Enrique Velázquez (Autonomous House of the Arts Mario Enrique Velazquez), a nonprofit organization devoted to the development of all art expressions in Yabucoa, Puerto Rico, on November 23, for "her unpublished patriotism; representing with pride her hometown, Yabucoa; 38 years of unlimited service in the Puerto Rican diaspora in Buffalo, New York; her humbleness, work responsibility, and desire to excel; and her academic and community leadership for many Puerto Rican youngsters."

Wanda Slawinska, associate librarian in Butler Library, edited a 30-page typescript titled "The Bright Light of Gietrzwald" for authors Kazimierz Braun and Zofia Braun in November.

Dan MacIsaac, associate professor of physics, was unanimously awarded an international fellowship by Pädagogische Hochschule Heidelberg University of Education for mid-May through mid-July 2019 in Heidelberg, Germany. Dr. MacIsaac will team teach a course approximating PHY 622 for physics teachers, give several public lectures on physics education, and conduct research and scholarship refining materials for physics learning by refugees and streetchildren (Flüchlinge und Straßenkinder).

Dan MacIsaac, associate professor of physics, presented his paper "Physics for Refugee Children in Germany" at the 2018 conference of the Northeast Section of the Association for Science Teacher Education, held in Burlington, Vermont, October 11–13.

Jodelle Magner, associate professor of mathematics; Kristen McCabe (B.S., M.S. mathematics, Buffalo State), NYS master teacher and mathematics teacher at West Seneca East High School; and Kelly Rodriguez, current postbaccalaureate student in the Mathematics Department, presented the session “Rocket Math Power! Taking Pre-Calculus Off the Paper and into the Sky!” at the annual conference for the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State, held in Saratoga Springs, New York, November 2 and 3.

This session discussed the professional development school partnership (PDS) Dr. Magner initiated with West Seneca East High School and described some of the work done during the spring 2018 semester. In particular, the partnership created a venue for preservice teacher candidates to work with precalculus and algebra students and their teachers over the course of a semester. To make the mathematics more "hands-on," a rocket project exploring 3-D space and parametric equations was created, allowing high school students to launch rockets, collect pertinent data, and calculate the apogee and the associated parametric equations describing the rocket’s path.