College of Continuing and Professional Studies
Dr. Caroline Brackette, assistant professor of counseling, was selected to participate in the United Way Volunteer Involvement Program for nonprofit board development training. The program provides training for board leadership roles in nonprofit agencies by leading participants through a comprehensive 10-week nonprofit service curriculum. Participants agree to commit to a full board term of service to a matched United Way agency's board of directors.
Dr. Kenyon Knapp, assistant dean of graduate studies and associate professor of counseling, and Ph.D. student Mayi Dixon had an article published March 7 in the Better Marriages e-newsletter. The article was titled “Emotional infidelity: The silent marriage killer.” Dr. Knapp and Dixon will also speak at the Better Marriages national conference in Raleigh, N.C., in July.
Dr. Karen D. Rowland, assistant professor of counseling, was appointed by the the Georgia School Counselors Association to the 2013-2014 Leadership Team as the editor for the GSCA Professional School Counseling Journal. The appointment is for three years.
Dr. Art Williams, chair of the counseling and human sciences department, was appointed to the Georgia Composite Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists by Gov. Nathan Deal. Board members are appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate.There are 10 board members: three social workers, three professional counselors, three marriage and family therapists and one member representing the public at large having no professional connection with any specialty. All board members are appointed for three-year terms.
College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Craig Byron, associate professor of biology, Dan VanValkinburgh, CLA alumnus, Dr. Virginia A.Young, assistant professor of biology and Dr. Katharine Northcutt, assistant professor of biology, co-authored “Plasticity in the Cerebellum and Primary Somatosensory Cortex Relating to Habitual and Continuous Slender Branch Climbing in Laboratory Mice (Mus musculus),” in The Anatomical Record, Early View. DOI 10.1002/ar.22685, 1-12.
Dr. David A. Davis, assistant professor, had students from his southern foodways class publish entries in the online food encyclopedia Nitty Grits. Sydney Addison wrote about hoppin' john (http://nittygrits.org/hoppin_john), Colleen Closson wrote about pimento cheese (http://nittygrits.org/pimento_cheese) and Maggie Cropp wrote about macaroni and cheese (http://nittygrits.org/macaroni_and_cheese). Forthcoming entries include Seth Thompson on fried chicken, Kailey Bryan on gumbo and J.T. Del Tufo on cornbread.
Dr. Wallace L. Daniel, Distinguished University Professor of History, presented “'Aleksandr Men', Russian Orthodoxy, and the Connection between Religion and Culture,” at Indiana University's conference Ready for Democracy? Religion and Political Culture in the Orthodox and Islamic Worlds, in Bloomington, Ind., held Feb. 28-March 2. He also served as a panelist for the conference's concluding session, “Belief and Bureaucracy, Democracy and Devotion: What Have We Learned?”
Dr. John Marson Dunaway, professor of French and interdisciplinary studies, organized the Nineth Annual Building the Beloved Community Symposium on Feb. 28 and March 1. The event featured the Rev. Gail E. Bowman, director of the Willis D. Weatherford Jr. Christian Center at Berea College in Kentucky. Other featured speakers included filmmaker Michael J. Dunaway and the Rev. Cameron Pennybacker, CEO of Diversity Assets in Macon. More than 100 local pastors, faculty, staff and students attended the event. Dunaway also published a short essay, titled “Volkoff et l'Amerique” in the Paris literary journal Livr'Arbitres, no. 10, Winter 2013, pp. 42-44 (http://livr-arbitres.com/). The issue was devoted to the writings of Vladimir Volkoff, late husband of Denise Volkoff, associate professor emerita and former instructor of creative writing at Mercer. Dunaway was interviewed on Jan. 22 for the Paris talk show “Libre Journal de Lydwine Helly” on Radio Courtoisie (www.RadioCourtoisie.fr) as part of a panel discussing the works of Vladimir Volkoff.
Dr. Curtis Herink, professor of mathematics, presented “Tennenbaum's New(?) Proof that the Square Root of 2 is Irrational,” at the annual meeting of the Southeastern Section of the Mathematical Association of America, March 15-16, at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C.
Dr. Gordon Johnston, professor, invited celebrated Boston poet Paul Hostovsky to Macon for a poetry performance and writing workshop on Feb. 1.Johnston's poems “Sweep,” “Durable Goods,” and “Ash Monday” were published in Southern Poetry Review 50:2 and his poems “Bear,” “Crutches,” and “Hooters Girls,” were published in The Southern Poetry Anthology Volume 5: Georgia (Texas Review Press) in December. Johnston also completed a master naturalist certification program with the University of Georgia Extension Service in December, including an advanced class in coastal ecology on Sapelo Island. Johnston worked with Judson Mitcham, Ferrol A. Sams Jr. Distinguished Writer in Residence for 2013, to host a Reunion of Mercer Writers March 21-22. The reunion welcomed alumni writers back to the Macon campus for two days of readings by 10 Mercer alumni poets and fiction writers and a book arts show by alumni book artist Amy Pirkle in Hardeman Gallery.
Dr. Eric Klingelhofer, professor of history, published through Oxbow Press, 'A Glorious Empire': Archaeology and the Tudor-Stuart Atlantic World, a festschrift of essays by former associates of the retired archaeologist of Colonial Williamsburg, Ivor Noel Hume. The book was launched on Jan. 19 at The Noel Hume Legacy symposium, which Klingelhofer organized and included talks on the archaeological research programs at Williamsburg, Jamestown and Roanoke Island. Klingelhofer helped lead all three research programs and currently co-directs excavations at Roanoke, where Mercer undergraduates participated in a field school in October.
Scot J. Mann, associate professor of communication and theatre, served as master firearms instructor for the Society of American Fight Directors' Theatrical Firearms Safety Course. Seven instructor candidates were put through a thorough 14-hour course at the North Carolina School of the Arts. At Mercer, Mann directed “The Seagull” for Mercer Theatre and coached student actors for graduate school and professional auditions.
Dr. Anya Silver, associate professor of English, published two poems in the Southern Poetry Review 50:2, titled “Paper Mill, Macon” and “Sexually Explicit Lyrics, Ash Wednesday.” Silver was the featured speaker at the Macon Writers Club annual luncheon on March 23. She spoke at the poetry reading at the Sidney Lanier House on Dec. 22 and was featured in an interview on “The Stanza” blog:”Anya Silver's Next Big Thing!” www.mollyspencer.wordpress.com on Feb. 26. Finally, Silver's poem “Saint Sunday,” was published in America Jan. 21-28:31
Dr. Fletcher Winston, associate professor of sociology, presented a paper at the Gulf-South Summit on Service-Learning in Louisville, Ky., on Feb. 28. The paper was titled, “The Proof is in the (Very Messy) Pudding: Challenges Measuring the Enduring Impact of Service-Learning on Civic Engagement.”
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Dr. Ashish A. Advani, clinical assistant professor, co-authored “The role of pictograms for enhancement of patient prescription medication information in the U.S.” in the Journal of Pharmacy Technology 2013;29:40-5.
Dr. Ajay K. Banga, professor, was awarded a $30,000 grant, titled “Enhanced delivery of retinol and other cosmeceuticals,” from Skin Medica Inc. Dr. Banga and graduate student Yingcong Zhou co-authored “In vivo transdermal delivery of leuprolide using microneedles and iontophoresis” in Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology 2013;14(2):180-193. Banga also co-authored “Induction and inhibition of crystallization in drug-in-adhesive-type transdermal patches” in Pharmaceutical Research 2013;30:562-571.
Dr. W. Klugh Kennedy, clinical associate professor, co-authored “Computerized prescriber order entry and opportunities for medication errors: comparison to traditional paper-based order entry“ in the Journal of Pharmacy Practice. 2013. DOI: 10.1177/0897190012465982.
Dr. Annesha W. Lovett, assistant professor, and Dr. Gina J. Ryan, clinical associate professor, co-authored Introduction to the Pharmacy Profession first edition, (Burlington, Mass.: Jones and Bartlett Publisher).
Dr. Nader H. Moniri, associate professor, was awarded a $409,770 grant, titled “The role of phosphorylation in regulating the antidiabetic effects of O3FAR-1,” from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Moniri was also appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology.
Dr. Chalet Tan, associate professor, and graduate student Usha Katragadda, co-authored “Combined delivery of paclitaxel and tanespimycin via micellar nanocarriers: pharmacokinetics, efficacy and metabolomic analysis” in the online journal PLoS ONE 8(3): e58619. Dr. Tan was also appointed to the editorial board of the Journal of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacology.
Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics
Jody Blanke, professor of computer information systems and law and undergraduate program director, had his article “The Legislative Response to Employers' Requests for Password Disclosure,” accepted for publication by the Journal of High Technology Law.
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
Dr. Linda A. Mason Barber, assistant professor, presented a poster at the American Heart Association Epidemiology and Prevention / Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions, in New Orleans, La., in March.
Dr. Freida Fuller Payne, professor and FNP program coordinator, served as the team leader representing the Commission for Collegiate Nursing Education for an accreditation visit to Southwestern College in Winfield, Kan.
MERC
Stephen R. Boswell, principal software engineer, received the Clark G. Fiester Research and Development Award from the Association of Old Crows, Dixie Crow Chapter. The Association of Old Crows is an internationally recognized electronic warfare organization whose mission is to further the development and fielding of advanced electronic warfare solutions. Boswell received the award for his work in the development of low power detection methods using wavelets and advanced statistics. Boswell's work was presented at the September 2012 National Association of Old Crows Annual Convention in Phoenix, Ariz.
George E. DePuy, principal systems engineer, received the Association of Old Crows, Dixie Crow Chapter's Jerry Sowell Radio Frequency Award. DePuy received the award for his development and implementation of an innovative frequency dwell and switch software algorithm for the B-1B bomber's ALQ-161 Defensive Countermeasures Suite improving aircrew situational awareness.
Daniel Edwards, senior mechanical engineer, presented the briefing 2012 C-130 Force Structural Maintenance Plan Update, which he co-authored with Jason Ward, senior software engineer, and Darren Fritz, USAF C-130 ASIP Manager, at the 2012 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP) Conference in San Antonio, Texas, Nov. 27-29. The briefing detailed the methods for implementing the C-130 fleet ASIP inspections, with the goal of improving aircraft availability and reducing fleet lifetime inspection cost. The ASIP Conference brings together the world leaders in aircraft structural integrity and promotes sharing of state-of-the-art technologies and techniques for military and civilian fleets.
School of Engineering
Dr. Susan Codone, associate professor of technical communication, led a workshop, titled “Trends in Church Technology,” as part of the William L. Self Preaching Lectures at Mercer's McAfee School of Theology on Feb. 26.
Dr. Richard O. Mines Jr., director of graduate engineering programs, presented “A Preliminary Investigation of the Effectiveness of Peer Ratings in Engineering Design Teams” at the American Society for Engineering Education, Southeastern Section Annual Conference held at Tennessee Tech University in Cookeville on March 10-12. Dr. Joan M. Burtner, associate professor of industrial engineering and engineering management, was co-author of the paper.
School of Medicine
Dr. Hamza Awad, assistant professor, published a paper, titled “Management and outcomes of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction by use of chronic oral anticoagulation: results from the GRACE registry,” in the European heart journal Acute Cardiovascular Care (in press). The paper describes the characteristics, treatment and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction by use of chronic oral anticoagulant therapy.
Dr. Edward C. Lauterbach, professor emeritus of psychiatry and neurology, recently published “Alzheimer's disease: focus on the neuroprotective role of melatonin” in the Journal of Neurology Research 2012:2(3):69-81 with colleagues from medical schools in India and Malaysia.
Dr. Eric K. Shaw, associate professor of community medicine, published two articles on prostate cancer screening. Dr. Shaw collaborated with colleagues from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey on this Department of Defense/Dean and Betty Gallo Prostate Cancer Center-funded study. The articles were “The influence of family ties on men's prostate cancer screening, biopsy and treatment decisions” in the American Journal of Men's Health, published ahead of print March 3, and “Emotional consequences of persistently elevated PSA with negative prostate biopsies” in the American Journal of Cancer Prevention, 2013, 1(1):4-8.
Dr. Ajay Srivastava, associate professor and chief of the nephrology division, gave a lecture at the Waddell Barnes Day of Medicine symposium Feb. 22 at the Medical Center of Central Georgia, titled “The Diagnosis and Management of Renal Arterial Stenosis” On March 23, he spoke at the American Nephrology Nurses Association (Georgia Statewide Chapter) for the Nephrology Nurse Exchange held at Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta. The presentation was titled “Harnessing the Power of the Team-based Multidisciplinary Approach to Achieve Dialysis Targets.”
Dr. Yudan Wei, associate professor of community medicine, presented a research paper, titled “Association of rice and grain consumption with urinary concentrations of total arsenic and dimethylarsinic acid in US adults,” and chaired a poster session, titled “Epidemiology: Exposures and Associations,” at the 52nd Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting that was held in San Antonio, Texas, March 10-14. An Nguyen, a third-year medical student, was co-author of the paper.
Staff and Administration
Tony Kemp, associate director of academic and advising services, was elected to another four-year term on the executive committee of Phi Eta Sigma National Honor Society.He has officially been serving the national organization in various capacities since 2009 and is also the advisor to the local chapter.
Emmilee Mercer, administrative coordinator, completed her Master of Science in Technical Communication Management with the School of Engineering on Dec. 15.
Tift College of Education
Dr. Lucy Bush, assistant professor of education, Dr. William Lacefield, professor of mathematics education, and Dr. Diana Beverley, a Tift College Ph.D. graduate, presented “Bilingual Parents' Perspectives on the Early Development of Number Sense within the Amish Community” at the annual conference of the Association of Teacher Educators, held Feb. 15-19 in Atlanta.
Dr. Geri Collins, assistant professor of education, and Dr. William Lacefield, professor of mathematics education, presented “Making the Most of History: Teaching Historical Empathy Across the Content Areas” at the annual conference of the Association of Teacher Educators, held Feb. 15-19 in Atlanta.
Dr. Jeffrey Hall, assistant professor of education, and Dr. William Lacefield, professor of mathematics education, presented “Introducing the Common Core State Standards for Mathematics to K-12 Pre-service and In-service Teachers of Mathematics” at the Mathematics Education Special Interest Group meeting held during the annual conference of the Association of Teacher Educators, held Feb. 15-19 in Atlanta.
Dr. J. Kevin Jenkins and Dr. Dia Sekayi, both associate professors, had a manuscript accepted for publication in the Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals. The title of the article is “Teacher Perceptions of Response to Intervention Implementation in Light of IDEA Goals.” The article will appear in the Winter 2014 volume of the journal. The original research was presented at the annual conference of the National Social Science Association this past fall.
Dr. William Lacefield, professor of mathematics education, presented “Nurturing Mathematical Practices in Primary School Teachers: Results of a University Course in Problem Solving” at the spring conference of the British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics, held March 2 at the University of Bristol in Bristol, England.
Dr. Jane M. Metty, assistant professor of education, and Dr. Clemmie Whatley, assistant professor of education, presented results of long-term professional development involving 76 K-12 mathematics and science teachers at the national conference of the Association of Teacher Education held Feb, 16-20 in Atlanta. Dr. Metty joined the Georgia Department of Education Science Advisory Board and the Georgia Department of Education Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Board. Dr. Metty presented research on mathematics and science teachers cooperative training, including advances, barriers and limitations, at the 2nd Annual Georgia Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Conference held at Georgia Southern University in Statesboro.
Townsend School of Music
Jack Mitchener, director of Townsend-McAfee Institute of Church Music and associate professor of organ and university organist, performed recitals and gave master classes and lectures at the University of North Texas and for chapters of the American Guild of Organists in Fort Wayne, Ind., Jackson, Miss., and Macon. He was the organist for the annual Macon Hymn Festival in February, and he also served as an adjudicator for the William Hall Competition in San Antonio, Texas.
University Libraries
Kim Eccles, assistant professor, interim director and associate dean and business liaison librarian at the Swilley Library, secured a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association titled, the Muslim Journeys Bookshelf Collection. In addition to 26 books and videos, the Swilley Library has a one-year subscription to Oxford Islamic Studies Online, which features reference content and commentary by renowned scholars in areas such as global Islamic history, concepts, people, practices, politics and culture.
Walter F. George School of Law
Dwight Davis, practitioner in residence, was appointed by Gov. Nathan Deal to the board of the Department of Natural Resources in January. In February, Davis was also appointed to the board of the North Georgia Mountain Authority by Gov. Deal.
Jessica Feinberg, assistant professor, gave a presentation, titled “Avoiding Marriage Tunnel Vision: Why the Same-Sex Marriage Movement Need Not and Should Not Undermine the Advancement of Non-Marital Relationship Recognition,” at the Midwest Family Law Consortium at the University of Wisconsin Law School. She also presented on the same topic at the Feminist Legal Theory Conference at University of Baltimore School of Law in March. Feinberg was also a panelist at Sister to Sister, Southern Region of Black Law Students Association Academic Retreat in Atlanta in October.
Jim Fleissner, professor and director of the LLM program, spoke as a panelist at a symposium hosted by Mercer Law School, titled “Defining and Enforcing the Federal Prosecutor's Duty to Disclose Exculpatory Evidence,” on Oct. 5. Along with panelists Bruce Green of Fordham Law School and Peter Joy of Washington University Law School, Fleissner addressed legislative proposals for federal criminal discovery reform.
Patrick E. Longan, W.A. Bootle Chair in Ethics and Professionalism, presented “Ethics and Professionalism Uncorked” as part of a panel at the Georgia Defense Lawyers Association Continuing Legal Education in February. Longan was also the program co-chair of the Beginning Lawyers Program, Georgia Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Atlanta, which was held in February. He was the moderator for “Acting for Your Client” at the Beginning Lawyers Program and presented on “Update on Legal Ethics and Professionalism” at the Georgia Trial Lawyers Association Continuing Legal Education in Macon. In November, he made several presentations: “Ethics and Professionalism in Entity Representation and Dealing with a Mistake by Opposing Counsel,” at the Georgia School Board Association School Law Seminar in Atlanta; “Georgia Stakeholders Roundtable,” at the 2012 Convocation on Professionalism, Georgia Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism in Atlanta; and served as a panelist on “Ethics and Professionalism in Mediation,” at the Georgia Institute for Continuing Legal Education in Macon. Longan was the program co-chair and moderator for “Defining and Enforcing the Federal Prosecutor's Duty to Disclose Exculpatory Evidence,” at the 13th Annual Georgia Symposium on Professionalism and Ethics in Macon in October. Finally, he presented on “Ethics for Law Assistants and Judicial Staff Attorneys” in Atlanta for the Atlanta Bar Association in September.
Jack Sammons, Griffin B. Bell Professor of Law, had his article, titled “The Law's Mystery,” accepted for publication in the British Journal of American Legal Studies with co-author Linda Berger. He also published “The Impossible Prayers of James Boyd White” in 'The Legal Imagination': The Future and the First Forty Years, Watts and Etxabe, editors (Ann Arbor: Univ. of Mich. Press, 2013). Sammons presented a paper, titled “The Origin of the Judicial Opinion as a Work of Art,” at the 2012 Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Law, Culture and Humanities. He also presented his paper on James Boyd White at a festschrift in White's honor at the 2013 Annual Meeting of the Association for the Study of Law, Culture and Humanities in London in March.
Karen J. Sneddon, associate professor of law, presented “It's About Time: Assessing Transactional Skills in Thirty Minutes or Less,” at the Third Biennial Conference on Teaching Transactional Law and Skills at Emory Law School in Atlanta on Nov. 3 with Susan Chesler, professor. Sneddon also published “Improving Routine Documents Part 2: Memo to File,” 18 No. 4 Georgia Bar Journal 70 (December 2012) with David Hricik, professor. Sneddon and Hricik also published “Improving Routine Documents Part I: Engagement Letters,” 18 No. 2 Georgia Bar Journal 54 (October 2012). Sneddon was also appointed a member of the 2012 poster committee for the AALS Section on Legal Writing, Reasoning and Research.
Scott Titshaw, associate professor, presented “'I Do,' You Don't: The Constitutionality of Defining Marriage,” as a panelist for the Charlotte Law Review Symposium held in Charlotte, N.C., in March. He also presented “Shifting Immigration Options for Same-Sex Couples & Their Children” at the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) Georgia-Alabama Chapter Conference in Atlanta in February. Titshaw also presented “LGBT Immigration Issues” at the National LGBT Bar Association lecture series in January and “Why Yes, This is My Spouse—Same-Sex Partners & Significant Others” as a panelist for the AILA National Audio Seminar in January.
