William Wieczorek, director of the Center for Health and Social Research, gave a keynote presentation, "Geography: A Key Factor in Assessing, Managing, and Improving Health," at the Cross-Border Conference: Maintaining the Regional Public Health Collaborative in 2013, held in Niagara Falls, New York, on March 20. The conference was organized by the Empire State Public Health Training Center.
An article by Dolores Battle, professor emerita of speech-language pathology, titled "DSM V: What Does It Mean for Speech Language Pathologists and Audiologists?" was published in the March 2013 issue of the Brazilian Journal of Communication Disorders and Sciences. Battle also delivered two invited keynote addresses this month: "50 Years of Progress in Civil Rights and Speech Language Pathology" on April 5, a "Through the Doors" lecture to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the civil rights movement at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa; and "Global Issues in Disability and Rehabilitation" on April 9 at the University of Southern Illinois Carbondale's annual Renzaglia Awards Program.
Joy Battison, a graduate student in the Higher Education Administration Department, joined Kimberly Kline associate professor of higher education administration and Fulbright scholar, at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, in Kyive, Ukraine. Under Kline's supervision, Battison completed an internship, conducted research, and gave three presentations—two to USAID and one to the Fulbright program in Ukraine. In addition, Battison attended a Fulbright scholar orientation at the American Embassy in Ukraine, edited English translations for the Fulbright website, and interviewed graduate students at Kyiv-Mohyla Academy and Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv for her study, "Social Media in the Higher Education Setting: A Pilot Study Comparing Trends in Social Media within Two Graduate Student Populations."
Deborah Silverman, associate professor of communication, served as a judge for the Public Relations Society of America's Silver Anvil Awards, regarded as the "Oscars" of the public relations profession, in New York City on March 22. Silverman was one of 150 educators and PR practitioners across the United States invited to serve as judges, based on expertise in public relations, who judged entries ranging from media relations to crisis communications. Winners will be announced June 13 in New York City. Silver Anvil Award–winning cases, posted on the PRSA website, are widely used as PR case studies in public relations classes.
Amy Wilson, assistant professor of higher education administration, presented “Inspirational Supervision: Developing Inclusive and Healthy Office Communities” at the American College Personnel Association’s annual convention, held in Las Vegas, Nevada, March 4–7. The conference theme was "Inspiring Communities of Wellbeing."
Jean F. Gounard, director of international student affairs, has been elected president of Project FLIGHT (Family Literacy for Intergenerational Growth and Home Teaching).
Manny Lezama, senior director of dining services, placed fourth in the 13th annual Sassafraz Ice-Carving Competition on Saturday, February 23, in Yorkville, Toronto. Lezama competed against 11 master ice carvers, showcasing his talents in front of hundreds of spectators.
Lezama has been a member of the National Ice Carving Association since 2001 and has had the pleasure of carving ice for more than 18 years. He has participated in numerous competitions across the United States and Canada and has been featured in many magazines, on local television, and in other media events for his work.
Gerhard Falk, professor of sociology, has published his 22nd book: Twelve Inventions Which Changed America: The Influence of Technology on American Culture (Hamilton Books, February 2013).
The Buffalo State School of Education's Professional Development Schools Consortium received the 2013 Spirit of Partnership Award from the National Association for Professional Development Schools at its national conference, held in New Orleans, Louisiana, February 14–17. The Buffalo State PDS received the award for its continuous support of partnership initiatives at local, state, national, and international levels. The consortium was especially commended for engaging the next generation of educators so they will not only be prepared for the ever-changing world but will also step into leaderships roles when this generation passes on the torch of collaboration. Seventeen members of the Buffalo State PDS attended the conference and were called to the stage to receive this significant award.
Reva Fish, assistant professor in the Social and Psychological Foundations of Education Department, and Laura Klenk, assistant professor in the Elementary Education and Reading Department, were featured presenters at the 2013 Conference on the Value of Play held at Clemson University, in Clemson, South Carolina, February 17–20.
They presented two of their studies about play in early childhood education. The first presentation, “But It’s Not Time to Switch: The Impact of Academic Press in Head Start,” addressed their findings from a US Play Coalition-funded study of Head Start stakeholders' views about developmentally appropriate means to meet preschool standards.
The second presentation, “I’m the Conductor of the Store! One Child’s Search for Identity in the Dramatic Play Center,” addressed findings from Klenk’s data collection about the change in the dynamics of play in a classroom when one child takes charge of the play centers.