Dr. James Callahan, professor emeritus in the College of Arts and Sciences (Music Department), will perform in recital at 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, for the opening of the new Schubert Club Museum. He'll play on copies of three old fortepianos: a Stein from 1784, a Schantz from about 1800 and a Streicher from about 1815. The recital is free and open to the public.
Dr. Jan Hansen, School of Education, delivered an invited lecture that she and Dr. AnnMarie Thomas, School of Engineering, prepared for the "New Voices in Creativity and Intelligence" conference Nov. 2 at the University of Kansas. The lecture, "Creative Applications in Engineering Education," was the first conference at KU to invite noted psychologists, researchers and educators to present with a selected group of graduate students serving as “new voices” to the field.
Dr. Michael Hennessey, School of Engineering, presented a research paper, “Brachistochrone on a 2D Curved Surface u=Using Optimal Control,” at the 12th IASTED International Conference on Intelligent Systems and Control Nov. 4 in Cambridge, Mass. The paper, co-written with Dr. Cheri Shakiban of the College of Arts and Sciences (Mathematics Department), represents a modern look at an extension to an old problem in mechanics from a control theory perspective – the “brachistochrone,” or minimum-time route. The extension can be thought of as how to ski down the mountain in minimum time, knowing the equation of the surface of the mountain. This work also has formed the basis of several Center for Applied Mathematics summer projects over several years with undergraduate students Jake Maida, Aaron Hagstrom and Natasha Wright.
Dr. John Holst, College of Applied Professional Studies, is the author of “The Revolutionary Party in Gramsci’s Pre-Prison Educational and Political Theory and Practice," published in the peer-reviewed journal Education Philosophy and Theory.
Dr. Ameeta Jaiswal-Dale, Opus College of Business (Finance Department), was invited to present her paper “Total Risk Evaluation for Capital Budgeting in the Oil and Gas Industry: A Clinical Study of the BTC Project,” at the annual meeting of the Academy of International Business-Southeast last month in Jacksonville, Fla.
Dr. Shersten Johnson, College of Arts and Sciences (Music Department), is the author of an article, “The Intellectual and Inspiration: Sounds of Sense and Sensuality in Aschenbach’s Venice,” published in the International Journal of Arts in Society (Vol. 4, No. 2). This paper examines the nature of inspiration as portrayed in Benjamin Britten’s opera, “Death in Venice,” especially with regard to the effect of Venice as a place of artistic stimulation. The article draws on metaphor theory to explain how we conceive of bursts of insight as gestures, and how music can amplify these embodied notions of creativity.
Dr. Matthew Kent, College of Arts and Sciences (Philosophy Department), delivered an invited lecture Oct. 17 at the annual meeting of the American Kinlein Association in Cable, Wis. Kent's talk on "Connaturality" was well received, earning him an invitation to give another lecture at the 2010 Kinleiners' meeting. This year's lecture was Kent's third address to the Kinleiners in the past four years.
Sheik Odeh Muhawesh, College of Arts and Sciences (Theology Department), is the author of an article in the November issue of the Jordanian magazine Ash-shari’ah. The article explores how to tackle monotheism and the Trinity while respecting the boundaries of the respective faiths. Muhawesh is a member of the board of advisers for the Muslim Christian Dialogue Center.
Dr. Lalith Samarakoon, Opus College of Business (Finance Department), is the author of The Financial Market of Sri Lanka, published by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Sri Lanka. The book was written in Sinhala, the main language of Sri Lanka. It provides the theory and practice of the stock market, the Central Depository System, the SEC, stock market indices, stock market returns, valuation and selection of shares, financial statement analysis, government debt securities, corporate debt securities, unit trusts and derivative securities. It is the only comprehensive book available on the Sri Lankan market.
Dr. Britain Scott, College of Arts and Sciences (Psychology Department), delivered a keynote address on “Teaching Psychology for Sustainability: The Why and How of Greening Your Psychology Course” at the Iowa Teachers of Psychology conference Nov. 6 in Pella, Iowa.
Dr. Scott Wright, College of Arts and Sciences (History Department), had a weekend homily published in the fall issue of The Oblate, the newsletter of the Benedictine Oblates of St. John’s Abbey, Collegeville. Wright is also a deacon serving at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in South St. Paul.
