Marianne Ferguson, professor, Philosophy and Humanities, will have an article published in the Fall 2008 volume of MountainRise, a peer-reviewed, international electronic journal dedicated to the scholarship of teaching and learning. Her article, “Use of Student Feedback on Reflection Papers to Assess Critical Thinking,” reflects her interest in assessment of student learning.
Ann Emo, assistant professor, Theater, appeared on Channel 4’s “By the People” on November 2, discussing costume design for the Jewish Repertory Theatre of Western New York and the challenges of changing body types to fit a character through clothing, makeup, and hair style. She mentioned the upcoming production of Clifford Odets’s Awake and Sing! and gave experiential insight to approaching period design.
Lloyd Elm, associate professor, Elementary Education and Reading, was chosen by the Committee on the Canandaigua Treaty of 1794 to receive a Certificate of Recognition from the Monroe County Legislature to mark the 214th year of the treaty. Elm received the recognition on behalf of the Haudenosaunee on November 12.
Sharon F. Cramer, SUNY Distinguished Service Professor, Exceptional Education, has received the 2008 Leo D. Doherty Memorial Award for Outstanding Leadership and Service from the Northeastern Educational Research Association (NERA). The award is given to a NERA member who exemplifies the qualities of leadership, ethics, humanity, and service to professional organizations. Cramer was recognized for her professional characteristics and contributions and her outstanding leadership and service to NERA. She has served in formal and informal roles within NERA, and was president of the organization in 2003–2004.
Zhang Jie, professor, Sociology, and director, Center for China Studies, delivered a keynote speech at the Eighth Chinese National Conference on Suicide Prevention and Crisis Intervention, held in Shenzhen, China, October 27–30. The topic of his speech was “Suicide and Suicide Prevention from Sociological Perspectives.”
William Wieczorek, director and professor, Center for Health and Social Research, was an invited speaker at the second annual Safe Patient Handling in Health Care Conference, held in Niagara Falls, New York, October 1–2. He presented the session “Data Gathering, Basics of SPHM Research Design” at the conference.
Dan Shanahan, lecturer, Theater, is founder and artistic director of Torn Space Theater. He has directed over 25 plays; many were U.S. and area premieres. He has written and produced five original works for the stage that have been performed in Buffalo and New York City. He created two site-specific installation performances that took place in the Central Train Terminal and the grand ballroom of the Dnipro Ukrainian Home. Shanahan was chosen Best Director by Artvoice for direction of his original work Terminus, which also received Best Production of WNY from Buffalo Spree magazine. He is the recipient of NYSCA’s Individual Artist grant for playwriting and has been nominated for Artie Awards in stage direction and for Best New Play.
Ted Schmidt, chair and associate professor, Economics and Finance, presented a paper on “U.S. Government Policies and Small Business Creation” at the Fourth International Colloquium on Small Businesses, held at the University of Quintana Roo, in Chetumal, Mexico, October 9–10.
Dean Reinhart, interim director, Admissions, was an invited presenter on the Educational Opportunity Program application review process at two SUNY Operation Inform conferences, one at Alfred State College on October 21 and the second at SUNY Cortland on October 22. He was joined by admissions staff from Alfred State and SUNY Cortland respectively. The sessions covered the history of EOP, what determines eligibility, and who is the best fit to apply.
Constance Dean Qualls, chair and professor, Speech-Language Pathology, was the invited keynote speaker for the first research conference of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association’s Special Interest Division 14, Communication Disorders and Sciences in Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CLD) Populations. Her presentation was titled “Scientifically Based Professional Practice.” The conference, titled “State of the Research in CVD Populations: Establishing Our Foundation and Advancing Our Science,” was held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, in June. Qualls also presented an invited six-hour continuing education seminar on “Evidence-Based Management of Neurogenic Language Disorders” as the ASHA-sponsored speaker for the Alaska Speech-Language-Hearing Association conference in Anchorage, Alaska, in November. She recently published a paper inCommunication Disorders Quarterly with coauthors Blood et al. titled “Double Jeopardy for Children Who Stutter: Race and Coexisting Disorders.”