Zhang Jie, professor of sociology and director of the Center for China Studies, published his article "The Association between Depression and Suicide When Hopelessness Is Controlled For," coauthored with Li Ziyao, in the journal Comprehensive Psychiatry 54 (7): 790–796. Li was a visiting scholar at Buffalo State in 2011–2012.
Kimberly Blessing's book Movies and the Meaning of Life: Philosophers Take on Hollywood, coedited with Paul Tudico, has been released as an e-book (Open Court Publishing, December 2013).
Bridget María Chesterton, associate professor of history, has had two articles accepted for publication: "The White Russian in the Green Hell: Military Science, Ethnography, and Nation Building," coauthored with Anatoly V. Isaenko, in Hispanic American Historical Review 94 (4) (forthcoming); and “The Paraguayan War (War of the Triple Alliance),” coauthored with Thomas Whigham, in Oxford Bibliographies in Latin American Studies (Ben Vinson, ed.; New York: Oxford University Press, forthcoming).
Her book The Grandchildren of Solano López: Frontier and Nation in Paraguay, 1904–1936, was also published by the University of New Mexico Press in September 2013.
Francis Kowsky, SUNY Distinguished Professor Emeritus, has received the 2014 John Brinckerhoff Jackson Book Prize from the Foundation for Landscape Studies for his new book, The Best Planned City in the World: Olmsted, Vaux, and the Buffalo Park System (University of Massachusetts Press and Library of American Landscape History, 2013). The award recognizes recently published books that have made significant contributions to the study and understanding of garden history and landscape studies.
A 13-minute video based on the book, produced by Lawrence Hott of Florentine Films, is available on the Library of American Landscape History’s website. Hott is currently working on two feature-length documentaries—one on Olmsted (90 minutes) and one on the Buffalo park system (30 minutes)—that will air nationally and on WNED-TV in the spring.
Elizabeth Cappella and Geraldine Bard of Project FLIGHT have received two substantial grants from the KeyBank Foundation and the Foundation for Jewish Philanthropies for a program titled "Sustaining the Community through Literacy Activities that Promote Conservation, Service Learning, and Citizenship." The program will be held at two Western New York Schools: one elementary and one high school. Students from each school will develop and carry out literacy projects that are approved by Project Flight and the school. Students whose projects are selected as meritorious will receive an award and a scholarship.
Renata Toney, community engagement and public relations strategist at the Burchfield Penney Art Center, was recently honored in the Public Relations category at the National Federation for Just Communities Community Leader Awards Luncheon for outstanding leadership in promoting goodwill and understanding in the community.
Toney has donated the gift of time to numerous organizations throughout her career, including the Michigan Street Preservation Corporation, the Campaign for Greater Buffalo, Leadership Buffalo, the United Way Board Governance Project, the Langston Hughes Institute, the Dr. Lydia T. Wright School of Excellence, the William-Emslie YMCA, the National Black MBA Association WNY Chapter, and the Buffalo Challenger.
She was also honored for her most recent work with the HEART (Helping Empower At-Risk Teens) Foundation, where her skills have instrumentally raised awareness of court-involved youth and how the organization is making a dramatic difference. "In her ongoing pursuit to share HEART's message of hope, resilience, and transformation, Renata has broadened awareness of who we are and what we do," said Umar Adeyola, HEART president and founder. "Working with her has reaffirmed our faith in the value of social justice, advocacy, and sacrifice. Renata’s work has strengthened our resolve to continue to advocate for the underserved, and we congratulate her on this well-deserved honor."
Jennifer Toohey, assistant professor of theater, just completed dialect coaching Mad Cow Theatre's production of the play Table Manners by Alan Ayckbourn, which opened in Orlando, Florida, on January 24.
Allen Shelton's new book, Where the North Sea Touches Alabama, has been published by the University of Chicago Press (October 2013).
Geoffrey Skoll, associate professor emeritus in the Criminal Justice Department, will have a new book published by Palgrave Macmillan, Dialectics in Social Thought: The Present Crisis. Release is scheduled for June 2014.
Bruce Bryski, associate professor of communication, recently appeared with Artvoice editor Geoff Kelly on WBEN-AM 930 news to discuss their predictions for the upcoming year in national politics. Bryski also appeared with Kevin Hardwick, Erie County legislator and associate professor of political science at Canisius College, to discuss the New York State election for governor as well as the potential presidential aspirations of Hillary Clinton and New Jersey governor Chris Christie.