Drew Kahn, professor of theater and director of the Anne Frank Project, was invited by the Rwanda ambassador to the United States, Mathilde Mukantabana, to speak at the 24th annual commemoration of the Rwandan genocide on April 7, 2018, at the Rwanda Embassy in Washington, D.C. The embassy holds the annual commemoration, called Kwibuka (meaning “remember” in Kinyarwanda), to pay tribute to the lives lost during the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi and to make a collective pledge to prevent such genocides from happening again anywhere in the world. The event was attended by international officials and representatives from the U.S. government, the military, and the United Nations.

Zhang Jie, professor of sociology and director of the Center for China Studies, published his paper "Does Believing in a Religion Relate to Individuals' Mental Health? An Initial Study among Chinese College Students," coauthored with Sibo Zhao and Liu Juan, in the International Journal of School and Cognitive Psychology 4 (4): 1–7. Dr. Zhao was a visiting scholar to Buffalo State in 2011, and Ms. Liu Juan was a visiting scholar in 2012.

The paper by Daniel W. Cunningham, professor of mathematics, "Why Does Trigonometric Substitution Work?" now appears in the current issue of the International Journal of Mathematical Education in Science and Technology 49 (4) 588–593. Modern calculus textbooks carefully illustrate how to perform integration by trigonometric substitution; however, most of these books do not adequately justify this powerful method of integration. Dr. Cunningham's paper presents an accessible theorem and proof that establishes the validity of integration by inverse substitution. The proof offers calculus instructors an argument that can be used to show their students that trigonometric substitution is a valid technique of integration. IJMEST is a refereed journal that provides a medium by which a wide range of experience in mathematical education can be presented, assimilated, and eventually adapted in schools, colleges, and universities.

Jodelle Magner, associate professor of mathematics, has been appointed to the Association of Mathematics Teachers of New York State (AMTNYS) 2018–2019 Executive Board as a college level representative. AMTNYS was founded in 1951 and currently has about 2,100 members statewide. Members of AMTNYS include teachers at the elementary, middle, secondary, and college levels as well as others interested in mathematics and mathematics education.

Thomas Reigstad, professor emeritus of English, published his article "John Harrison Mills: Twain's Unsung Buffalo Express Illustrator" in the spring 2018 issue of the Mark Twain Journal 56 (1): 86–101. The article describes the friendship between Twain and Mills, the staff artist at the Buffalo newspaper co-owned and co-edited by Twain from 1869 to 1871.

Robert Baumet, director of business services, has met the required continuing professional education credits needed to recertify his active credentials as a senior professional of human resources (SPHR). SPHR certification is awarded by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and is the senior-most human resources certification for those who have demonstrated a strategic mastery of the HR body of knowledge. His recertification is effective through October 14, 2021.

Jane Cushman, chair and associate professor of mathematics, participated in the Academy of Inquiry Based Learning (AIBL) as an experienced IBL facilitator in Phoenix, Arizona, in February to help coordinate the upcoming IBL workshops in June and July. AIBL is a community of college math instructors, math teachers, and IBL supporters that supports a wide range of empirically validated teaching methods to improve undergraduate math education.

Funded by a $2.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation, AIBL summer workshops provide professional development opportunities for math instructors across the country to increase IBL in the classroom. Research has shown IBL to be a positive teaching method that uses active learning to reduce math anxiety by focusing on the mathematical process rather than pure mathematical memorization.

Vida Vanchan, associate professor of geography and planning, recently published her paper "Repatriation or Reshoring of Manufacturing to the U.S. and UK: Dynamics and Global Production Networks or from Here to There and Back Again," coauthored with Rachel Mulhall and John Bryson, in the international peer-reviewed journal Growth and Change  49 (1): 97–121. The paper explores the restructuring of global production with a focus on the reshoring or repatriation of manufacturing production to the United States and United Kingdom.

Dhannayia Johnson, certified MWBE business adviser and procurement specialist in the Small Business Development Center, was honored for her work with minority and women entrepreneurs and her expertise in government procurement, business certification, and contracting during the annual Women Making History event on Saturday, March 10. She was also recognized for her leadership in managing the Buffalo State Student INC.ubator.?

Eric Dolph, assistant professor of art and design, presented his ongoing study on the state of universal design education in U.S. interior design programs at the Interior Design Educators Council 2018 annual conference, held in Boston, Massachusetts, March 7–10. The work is funded by an Art Works grant through the National Endowment for the Arts and is being conducted in collaboration with the School of Architecture and Planning at the University at Buffalo.