Professional notes
Dr. Jan Andrews-Schenk, School of Social Work, is the author of a variety of recent publications: "Collaborative Education in a Progressive Social Work Class," co-written with former student Stacy Husebo, in the summer issue of the Journal of Progressive Human Services; a book review of Joe Blau's The Dynamics of Social Welfare Policy (Oxford University Press, 2004) in the spring issue of Poverty and Justice; "Rebellious Spirit: A Tribute to Gisela Konopka" in the winter issue of Newsbytes of the National Association of Social Work and reprinted in the spring issue of Poverty and Justice and the winter issue of the Social Work With Groups Newsletter; "Death of a Hero," in the journal, Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping; the entry, "Rank and File Movement," in the Encyclopedia of Social Welfare History in North America, edited by J. Herrick and P. Stuart and published by Sage; and "Gisela Konopka and Youthwork" in the online International Child and Youth Care Network magazine. Her recent presentations include "The Healing Power of Social Group Work" for field instructors and students; "Pioneer in Social Group Work and Adolescent Health," an opening paper given at Chrysalis' first Women's Chemical Health Conference last May, and "Grounding Principles in Social Group Work," a keynote speech this month for the annual meeting of the Minnesota chapter of the American Association of Social Work with Groups.
Dr. Sharon Gibson and Dr. John Conbere, Organization Learning and Development Department, were awarded a research grant by Avera Health to study the outcomes of the Mini MBA program offered by the UST Center for Health and Medical Affairs to the Avera Health system in South Dakota. The study involves investigating the personal and professional changes in the lives of physicians who participated in the Mini MBA program.
Father Jan Michael Joncas, Theology and Catholic Studies departments, is the author of an online review of Mary, the Mother of God, edited by Carl Braaten and Robert Jensen (Grand Rapids, Mich., and Cambridge, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004). It can be found at CatholicBooksReview.org.
Dr. Meg Wilkes Karraker, Sociology and Criminal Justice Department, presented a workshop for new faculty, "Incorporating Race, Class and Gender Across the Sociology Curriculum," in the Section on Teaching and Learning at the American Sociological Association's annual meetings in San Francisco.
Dr. David Kelley, Geography Department, is the author of an entry on "Leaching" to be included in the Encyclopedia of Water being developed by John Wiley & Sons Publishing. When published in 2005, the four-volume encyclopedia will consist of 1,000 original works divided into 14 water-related categories to form the largest and most comprehensive assortment of water-related information ever created.
Dr. Don LaMagdeleine, School of Education, presented a refereed paper, "A Mighty Fortress is the Market: The Mythic Assumptions Underlying Economic Fundamentalism," at the American Sociological Association meeting last month in San Francisco. The paper argues that recent U.S. policy, while an imperfect reading of "free market" dynamics, closely aligns the post-Reagan era's antipathy for government regulation with the discourse of the New Christian Right.
Dr. William Ojala, Chemistry Department, has been awarded a three-year, $50,000 grant from the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society to support his undergraduate research program in solid-state organic chemistry and X-ray crystallography. The funded project is titled "The Preparation and Characterization of Novel Organic Solids."
Sister Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, addressed the 55th annual conference of the Religion Newswriters Association Sept. 11 in Washington, D.C. Her topic: "The State of Roman Catholic Seminaries in the U.S." On Aug. 23 she facilitated the opening workshop for the faculty of St. Vincent's Seminary in Latrobe, Pa. The workshop dealt with "Integrating Dimensions of Seminary Formation: Human, Spiritual, Intellectual, and Pastoral."
Dr. Barbara Shank, School of Social Work, has been elected to a three-year term as treasurer on the board of directors of the Council on Social Work Education.
Dr. Lisa Waldner, Sociology and Criminal Justice Department, presented "Predictors of Hate-Crime Victimization for Gays and Lesbians," co-written with former student Jillian Berg, at the annual meetings of the American Sociological Association in San Francisco. She also presented a workshop, "Teaching Undergraduate Demography Using the KIDS COUNT Data."
Dr. Fred Zimmerman, School of Engineering, was invited to give the keynote talk, "Made in USA: The Importance of Manufacturing to the United States," Sept. 15 at Woodlake Lutheran Church in Richfield. On Sept. 10, he was invited to a meeting with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Don Evans and Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., on the problems facing U.S. manufacturers. The meeting was held in St. Paul at Minnesota Wire and Cable Company. The company gave the secretary and the senator copies of the book Manufacturing Works: The Vital Link Between Production and Prosperity, by Zimmerman and Dave Beal of the St. Paul Pioneer Press.
