In the Spotlight: April 19, 2013

Kudos to these faculty, staff and students

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• Northern Arizona University was selected to compete in the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s inaugural Collegiate Wind Competition. Ten universities were selected through a competitive process to create teams to build a lightweight, transportable wind turbine that can power small electronic devices. The teams also will create business plans for marketing the turbines and participate in a debate of current wind market drivers and issues. The competition will take place in the spring of 2014. Read more here.
• Five faculty members represented NAU at the 60th annual meeting of the Rocky Mountain Council for Latin American Studies in Santa Fe, New Mexico, April 3-6. The council is the world’s oldest Latin American Studies association.
  • Judith Costello, instructor in humanities and cinema studies, presented “The Farce of the Frontera: Blurring the Border on Film.”
  • Susan M. Deeds, emeritus professor of history, presented “Can Witches and Guajalotes Fly?” on authenticity and reliability in Mexican history, and she served as commentator for a second panel on the subject.
  • Jack R. Ferrell, associate professor of sociology at NAU-Yuma, presented his paper, “Rebels, Reform and Reparations: Ending the Civil War in Colombia.”
  • Edward Waters Hood, professor of Spanish, presented “El Anticlericalismo y el Motivo de los Papas en la Obra Narrativa de Gabriel Garcia Marquez.”
  • Ryan Kashanipour, assistant professor of history, served as a panelist on intercollegiate pedagogical strategies and as commentator for two other panels on Latin American history.
• Glenn Hansen, assistant director for the Honors Program, was appointed president of the Western Regional Honors Council during its annual regional conference, held April 11-13 at the High Country Conference Center. He also served as this year’s conference coordinator. The WRHC is a professional organization of faculty, administrators and students dedicated to the promotion and advancement of undergraduate honors education and is comprised of more than 125 member institutions from 14 states.

• Constance DeVereaux, senior lecturer of comparative cultural studies and coordinator for Arts and Cultural Management, and Kristen Swanson, professor for the School of Communication, have published a book chapter, “Empowerment, Entrepreneurship and Cultural Sustainability: Hopi Tourism Policy,” in Africa and Beyond: Arts and Development, by Cambridge Scholars Publishers.

• Natalie Cawood, assistant professor of social work, had her article, “Violent Events: School Social Workers’ Perception and Response,” published in the March 2013 edition of the School Social Work Journal.
• PLoS Medicine published a review by Bill Wiist, professor of health sciences, of the Pulitzer Prize-winning author Michael Moss’s most recent book Salt Sugar Fat. Wiist’s review describes how the book details the processed food and beverage industry’s scientific manipulation of salt, sugar and fat in products so that consumers crave the foods, leading to overconsumption and health problems such as the obesity epidemic. While praising the book’s insider revelations, Wiist criticized the lack of proposed solutions, including omission of the ongoing efforts of health professionals and advocates to address the issues revealed in the book.
• Theresa Carlson, Julie Swann and Beth Schuck, all librarians from Cline Library, recently presented poster sessions at the Association of College and Research Libraries 2013 National Conference. The posters showcased innovative approaches to library staffing for chat service, licensing and providing access to e-book content and learning spaces projects.

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  The NAU Environmental Engineering program sent two senior capstone project teams to compete among 20 other teams from the U.S. and Canada at the International Environmental Design Contest, sponsored by the Institute for Energy and the Environment, at New Mexico State University in Las Cruses April 7-11. The two projects NAU students presented were the design of a solar-powered water distillation unit and a composite landfill cap design using paper sludge waste material. The landfill team won the Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Award for Innovation in Sustainability.

  The solar distillation team was comprised of environmental engineering majors John Jowers, Nathaniel Lail, Gabriel Murray, Daniel Hamill and Amy Anderson, and chemistry major Annalise O’Toole.

  The landfill team was comprised of environmental engineering majors Yiguo Chen, Yang Yang, Chaz Enbody, Banning Burt and Ben Shields.

• Several students have completed research projects funded through the NAU NASA Space Grant Program and recently presented their results at the 22nd annual statewide symposium for the Arizona NASA Space Grant Undergraduate Internship Program. Following are the students, major, project title, project mentor and mentor’s department or organization:
  • Aurelia Acquati, journalism. “United States Geological Survey Planetary Science Reporting.” Paul Geissler, USGS.
  • Luke Contreras, physics. “Multiple Wavelength Digital Holography.” Christopher Mann, physics and astronomy.
  • Maria DiCosola, journalism. “Communication Between Scientists and the Media.” Randy Wilson, Arizona Daily Sun.
  • Jason Dikes, mechanical engineering. “Evaluation of Power Harvesting Potential of a NiMnGa Magnetid Shape Memory Alloy.” Constantin Ciocanel, mechanical engineering.
  • Carly Farr, environmental science. “The Impact of Invasive Plant Species on Carbon Storage and Reservoirs.” Mentor: Angela Moline, environmental science.
  • Vivianna Gamez Molina, environmental engineering. “Exchanging Gases Between Algae and Biogas in a Life-Support System.” Terry Baxter, civil and environmental engineering.
  • Jessica Gardin, chemistry. “Interfacial Chemistries to Improve Matrix Fiber Adhesion in High Temperature Polymer Matrix Composites.” Mark Hawthorn, ATC Materials.
  • Allesandra Graf, mathematics. “A New Graceful Labeling for Pendant Graphs.” Jeff Rushall, mathematics and statistics.
  • Austin Gundy, physics and astronomy. “Impact Crater Analysis in 0-5oS 180-270E Region of the Moon.” Nadine Barlow, physics and astronomy.
  • Susanna Hamilton, psychology. “Wind for Schools.” Karin Wadsack, Institute for Sustainable Energy Solutions.
  • Spenser Harris, geology. “Assessment of Structurally Controlled Diagenesis Associated with Martian Impact Craters.” Chris Okubo, USGS.
  • Maria Hayden, geology. “Volcanic History of Colton Crater, San Francisco Volcanic Field, Northern Arizona.” Nancy Riggs, geology.
  • Aaron Lostutter, mechanical engineering. “Integration of 3D Printing in Rocket Engine Nozzle Fabrication.” John Tester, mechanical engineering.
  • Weston Maughan, Identification of Absorption Characteristics of Oxygen Ice for Comparison to Icy Celestial Bodies.” Stephen Tegler, physics and astronomy.
  • Arlyn Palmer, physics and astronomy. “Supergiant Effective Temperatures.” Gerard VanBelle, Lowell Observatory.
  • Ernest Peyketewa, Jr., computer science. “Technology Education and Outreach—Robots and Space Science.” Mansel Nelson, Institute for Tribal Environmental Professionals.
  • Chelsea Sayer, biology and anthropology. “Fire Disturbance Effects on Native Thistle Circium Arizonica and Non-Native Invasive Thistle C. Vulgare.” Catherine Gehring, biological science.
  • Heidi Somsel, physics and astronomy. “Searching for High Inclination Kuiper Belt Objects Using Archival Data from Hubble Space Telescope.” David Trilling, physics and astronomy.
  • Bo Stevens, environmental science biology. “Characterization of Land Cover Using SPOT Satellite Imagery and Terrain Variables in Rivas, Nicaragua.” Ophelia Wang, Laboratory of Landscape Ecology and Conservation Biology.
  • Kent Wagner, electronic media and film. “USGS Astrogeology 1963-2013: 50 Years of Exploration.” David Portree, USGS.
  • Stephanie Wood, physics and astronomy. “Mid-Infrared Variability and Color in Young Stellar Objects.” Kevin Covey, Lowell Observatory.

• Ann Marie deWees, marketing director for Extended Campuses, co-presented “Branding the Extended Campuses: Appealing to Online and Non-traditional Students,” with Beatrice Szalas, associate vice president for Stamats, at the fifth annual Adult Student Integrated Marketing Conference in Palm Springs, Calif., on Feb. 26. Their presentation described the research and collaborative processes that enabled the Extended Campuses to adapt NAU’s brand to the adult/online market.

• Stacy Wyman, grant and contract administrator for the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, has earned a nationally recognized credential from the Grant Professionals Association. The credential recognizes proficiencies in criteria including tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated achievement and a commitment to service for public and private philanthropy.