In the Spotlight: Aug. 19, 2011

Kudos to these faculty, staff and students

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  • Jeffrey Brian Downard, associate professor of philosophy, completed a summer-long Visiting Erskine Fellowship at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. During his fellowship, Downard gave lectures in the philosophy program. Only those academics who are already advanced in the learning of their subject are invited to be Visiting Fellows.
  • Daniel Laughlin, who recently earned his doctoral degree from NAU’s School of Forestry, published the article, “Nitrification Is Linked To Dominant Leaf Traits Rather Than Functional Diversity,” which was selected as Editor’s Choice for the Journal of Ecology’s September issue.  The article examines how plant communities in the ponderosa pine forests of northern Arizona affect ecosystem processes.Laughlin completed most of the research described in his paper while he finished his doctorate and worked at NAU’s Ecological Restoration Institute. The article is available online.

    Fire Point at the Grand Canyon's North Rim.
    Daniel Laughlin captured this photo while conducting research as a Northern Arizona University forestry doctoral candidate and employee of NAU’s Ecological Restoration Institute. Pictured above is Fire Point at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim.