Spotlight

In the Spotlight: March 8, 2013

Kudos to these faculty, staff and students

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  • A foldout panorama from Amundson's book shows Stimson's photo of Sylvan Lake in Yellowstone National Park, taken in July 1903, left, alongside Amundson's rephotograph of Sylvan Lake in July 2008.
    A foldout panorama from Amundson’s book shows Stimson’s photo of Sylvan Lake in Yellowstone National Park, taken in July 1903, left, alongside Amundson’s rephotograph of Sylvan Lake in July 2008.

    Michael Amundson, history professor, has published a new book, Passage to Wonderland: Rephotographing Joseph Stimson’s Views of the Cody Road to Yellowstone National Park, 1903 and 2008. In 1903, Cheyenne photographer J. E. Stimson followed the route that led travelers from Cody, Wyo., to Yellowstone National Park, documenting now-famous landmarks like Cedar Mountain, the Shoshone River, the Holy City, Chimney Rock, Sylvan Pass and Sylvan Lake. Amundson traveled the same road 105 years later, carefully duplicating Stimson’s original photographs. The book features these images, paired side by side and accompanied by a detailed explanation of the land and history depicted, making it more than a “then and now” photography book—it is a unique exploration of the interconnectedness between the Old West and the New West.

  • A recent article, “Climate Control of Terrestrial Carbon Exchange Across Biomes and Continents,” published in the journal Environmental Research Letters co-authored by School of Forestry professor Thomas Kolb and former research associates Sabina Dore and Mario Montes-Helu, has been awarded the Norbert Gerbier-MUMM International Award from the World Meteorological Organization.
  • Martin D. Sommerness, professor of journalism, wrote the review of Steven R. Sedberry’s book Law School Labyrinth: A Guide to Making the Most of Your Legal Education, which was printed in the spring 2013 issue of WAPLA, the publication of the Western Association of Pre-Law Advisers.
  • Bruce M. Sullivan, professor of religious studies, is publishing an article analyzing a museum exhibition of sacred objects. “Religions of the World at the Phoenix Art Museum” will be published in Material Religion: The Journal of Objects, Art and Belief, Vol. 9, No. 4 (2013).

  • Dennis C. Tanner, professor of health sciences, and Stephanie Christensen, senior lecturer of health sciences, have contributed a section on swallowing disorders to the Nursing Diagnosis Handbook: An Evidence-Based Guide to Planning Care (10th Edition). In their section, Tanner and Christensen discuss the role swallowing impairments play in often-fatal aspiration pneumonia and provide guidelines and suggestions for nurses to avoid dysphagia complications.

  • J. Gregory Caporaso, assistant professor of bioinformatics
in the Department of Computer Science, is coauthor of a paper, “Evidence for a persistent microbial seed bank throughout the global ocean,” published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The full text is online.
  • Tim Smith, professor of music theory, designed a virtual and interactive performance of the “St. Matthew Passion.” He created the site  for the Oregon Bach Festival to honor Helmuth Rilling for his 44 years as its artistic director.

  • Eric Heins, director of Track and Field and Cross Country, was named the Mountain Region Men’s Coach of the Year for the 2013 indoor season, the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association announced Monday. The award is the second of Heins’ career for indoor track and field, having been honored for the first time in 2010.

  • Ryan Lamfers, an adjunct faculty member for the School of Art, received the Emerging Artist Award at Saturday’s Viola Awards, the Flagstaff Cultural Partners’ annual reception celebrating excellence in the arts and sciences. Lamfers works primarily in sculptural art, but he also is a painter, jeweler, photographer and drawer. A video highlighting Lamfers is available online.

    Also during the awards reception, Clifford E. White, emeritus faculty and former chair of NAU’s speech and theater department, was honored posthumously with the Viola Legacy Award for his significant contributions to the local theater community.

    Overall NAU had a strong showing at the reception, with several others having NAU connections garnering nominations for Viola Awards, including:

    • Mayor’s Award for Lifetime Contribution to the Arts
      • Joe Cornet Sr., emeritus professor for the School of Art
      • Paula Rice, emeritus professor for the School of Art
      • Jon Eder, orchestra and jazz band director for the Community Music and Dance Academy
    • Visual Arts Award
      • Steve Schaeffer, assistant professor of practice for the School of Art
    • Literature Award
      • The English Department’s Thin Air magazine
      • Nicole Walker, assistant professor of English
    • Arts Educator Award
      • School of Art professor David Williams
      • Karin Hallberg, senior lecturer for the School of Music
    • Science Educator Award
      • Tina Ayers, associate professor of biological sciences
    • Emerging Artist Award
      • John Hitzel, graduate student in fine arts
    • Leadership Award
      • Michael Vincent, dean of the College of Arts and Letters