In the Spotlight: Nov. 19, 2008

Kudos to these faculty, staff and students

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  • Tad Theimer, associate professor of biology, was recognized as the 2008 Student Chapter Adviser of the year at the 2008 national meeting of the Wildife Society, an international organization of wildlife professionals.
  • Amy Sheridan, special education teacher and adjunct professor for NAU’s SELECT program, was awarded Wal-mart’s 2008 Teacher of the Year Award on Oct. 31. Her school, Cortina Elementary in Queen Creek, received $3,000.
  • Lori Poloni-Saudinger, professor of politics and international affairs, recently published “The Domestic Opportunity Structure and Supranational Activity: An Explanation of Environmental Group Activity at the European Union Level,” in European Union Politics.
  • David Schlosberg, professor of politics and international affairs, gave an invited talk at the University of Colorado, Boulder, Nov. 7 on “Doing Justice to Nature: The Capabilities Approach and Ecological Justice.” Schlosberg also has accepted a joint appointment in the Princeton Environmental Institute and the University Center of Human Values at Princeton University as the Currie C. and Thomas A. Baron visiting professor in the Environment and Humanities for the spring 2009 semester.
  • Gary L. EmanuelMary I. Dereshiwsky and Bill Wright, professors of educational leadership, presented their paper titled “Evaluating the Success of Inservice on Legal Issues for Arizona School Administrators: Implications for Facilitating a Positive Social Learning Climate of Arizona Students,” at the Arizona Educational Research Organization annual meeting in Phoenix.

 

NAU forestry students, faculty and alumni had a major presence at the Society of American Foresters National Convention this month in Reno. The following people were recognized for their achievements.

  • Amanda Garcia, a forestry graduate student, won first place for her student poster titled: “Effects of Seasonal Fires on the Susceptibility and Resistance of Pinus Ponderosa to Bark Beetles.”
  • Donna Peppin, a forestry graduate student, won second place for her student poster titled: Northern Arizona Native Plant Materials Market Feasibility Study.
  • Erin Saunders, senior forestry major, was the grand prize winner in the photography contest. Her photo will be featured on the cover of an upcoming issue of the Journal of Forestry.
  • Regents Professor Mike Wagner accepted the prestigious Sir William Schlich award during the opening plenary session.
  • Tom Kolb, forestry professor, gave a presentation titled “Wildfire and Silviculture Impacts on Carbon, Water and Energy Balances in Ponderosa Pine Forests.”
  • Dave Huffman, research associate with the Ecological Restoration Institute, gave an oral presentation titled “Fuels Reduction Treatments in Southwestern Pinyon-Juniper Woodlands.”
  • forestry-spotlight-photo
    Jennifer Tsonis and Cheryl Miller enjoy Lake Tahoe after the presentation.


    Jennifer Tsonis, School of Forestry student services coordinator, and Cheryl Miller, School of Forestry education coordinator, presented a poster on unique recruitment initiatives to boost enrollment and interest in the forestry program titled “A Dedicated Student Is No Accident; Cultivating Tomorrow’s Foresters.”

  • Anna Lowell, a forestry graduate student, was selected out of 10 students to receive a $1,000 scholarship to travel and attend the Society of America Foresters National Convention. She also presented a poster on her graduate work, “Management of Gambel Oak in Southwestern Ponderosa Pine Forests.”
  • Forestry students Rachael Dickson, junior; Charles Machula, junior; Sean Considine, senior; and Eric Hough, senior, were part of the Quiz Bowl team at the convention. They competed against teams from other forestry schools around the nation, answering forestry-related questions in a single-elimination format. Recently, the team beat the University of Minnesota in the first round and lost to North Carolina State University in overtime in the second round.