|
June 2008
Marsha McCoy
Laura Spear
Tom Baker
Andra Troncalli |
|
Faculty Notebook
Humanities
Daniel Dominick, associate professor of
music, became president of the South Central Division of the College
Orchestra Directors Association at the annual national meeting. The
presidency is a two-year position.
Jerry Lincecum, professor emeritus of
English, presented a paper, “The Hoxsey Cancer Treatment: From
Dallas to Tijuana,” at the Texas State Historical Association
meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas, in March. He is writing a
biographical article on Harry Hoxsey for the Handbook of Texas, and
Texoma Living! Magazine has accepted two articles written by
Lincecum. One of those, “Tom Nuckols: Growing Up in a Wild West
Show,” which highlights professor emeritus of religion Tom Nuckols’
early years, appears in the June issue.
Marsha McCoy, visiting instructor in
classics, attended the American Philological meeting in Chicago,
Illinois, and presented the paper “The Cult of Priapus and Queer
Identities in Petronius’ Satyrica” as part of the Lambda Classical
Caucus panel “Cults and Queer Identities in Classical Antiquity.” In
March, McCoy attended the 10th Annual University of South Carolina
Comparative Literature Conference, focused this year on “Plato and
Platonisms: The Constitution of a Tradition,” and presented the
paper “Reading Plato in Gatsby: The Great Gatsby, Trimalchio, and
Platonic Origins” as part of the session “Plato Today."
Laura Spear, assistant professor of French,
attended the national conference of the American Council on the
Teaching of Foreign Languages in San Antonio, Texas, in November
2007. She presented “Beyond Borders: French and Francophone Crime
Narratives of the Orient Express” at the Louisville Conference on
Literature and Culture Since 1900 in Louisville, Kentucky, in
February and “In the Middle of Conflict: Women in the Fictions of
the Orient Express” at the Women in French International Conference
in Dallas in April.
Social Sciences
Tom Baker, professor of education,
presented a paper, “‘If I Knew Then What I Know Now’: Intern
Teachers’ Advice to Next Year’s Cohort,” at the annual conference of
the Association of Teacher Educators in New Orleans in February. He
accepted an appointment to a term as an advisory director of Global
Education, a quarterly peer-reviewed journal.
Jeff Czajkowski, assistant professor of
economics, has written the paper “Modeling Shifts in
Willingness-To-Pay From A Bayesian Updating Perspective,” which has
been accepted for publication in Land Economics
Karen Nelson, associate vice president for
Institutional Effectiveness and professor of psychology, presented
“The Changing Role of Personal Autonomy in Emerging Adulthood” at
the meetings of the Southwest Psychological Association in April.
The paper addresses some of the data from the Teagle Project on
“study away” in which several Austin College faculty participated.
That project was part of a larger study, “Value-Added Assessment of
Student Learning in the Liberal Arts: Assessing the Impact of
Engaged Learning,” completed by Austin College, Furman University,
Juniata College, and Washington and Lee University with a grant from
the Teagle Foundation of New York.
Karen Roper, adjunct assistant professor of
psychology, presented an invited address as part of the introduction
of speakers during the 30th Brown Symposium at Southwestern
University in April.
Kevin Simmons, associate professor of
economics, and colleague Dan Sutter wrote “Tornado Warnings, Lead
Times, and Tornado Casualties: An Empirical Investigation,”
published in Weather and Forecasting in April 2008. The two had
prepared articles on tornado shelters and manufactured home parks,
and on the housing market, for publication in Construction
Management and Economics in November 2007 and in Natural Hazards in
December 2007. Simmons and Sutter also wrote “The Groundhog Day
Florida Tornadoes: A Case Study of High Vulnerability Tornadoes” for
Quick Response Research Report #193 for the University of Colorado
Natural Hazards Research and Applications Information Center.
Simmons also made presentations at faculty seminars at Northern
Illinois University in January and at Dallas Baptist University in
April.
Sciences
Andra Troncalli,
assistant professor of physics, contributed the talk “Investigation
of Vortex Pinning Anisotropy in the High Temperature Superconductor
YBa2Cu3O7-d” at the Division of Condensed Matter Physics meeting of
the American Physical Society in New Orleans in March. She also gave
the presentation “Extreme Physics: Superconductors, Nanotubes, and
Beyond” to the Lindsay High School Science Club that visited Austin
College in November 2007. Troncalli was nominated for and accepted a
position as a board member of ALPhA — the Advanced Laboratory
Physics Association.
Back
to the Top
|
|
|
C arr
Receives Excellence in Teaching Award
Andrew J. Carr,
associate professor of chemistry and a member of the Austin
College faculty since 2000, received the 2008 Austin College
Excellence in Teaching Award at Honors Convocation in April. The
award recognizes the fundamental importance of the quality of
teaching in the educational process and seeks to honor an
individual who has made a distinct difference in the teaching
climate in areas such as classroom teaching, campus leadership,
pioneering pedagogy, and instructional support.
Carr expressed shock and honor at receiving
the award, wondering initially if there could be a second Andrew
Carr on the faculty. “I never thought that a chemistry
professor, much less an organic chemistry professor, could win
this award,” Carr said. “My sophomore-level organic chemistry
has crushed many a pre-med dream, so I never thought that
students would ever put me forward for this type of award.”
Though Carr does not consider himself a master
educator with the latest implementation of pedagogical
practices, he said he is willing to try almost anything to
facilitate learning for his students, whether that means
dancing, jumping on a table, meeting with students outside
office hours, or listening with a compassionate heart to his
students’ troubles. “The only thing I will not do,” he said, “is
compromise my high standards. I expect my students to meet and
overcome the challenges my courses present.”
Carr said he treats his students with respect
and encourages them to do their best, recognizing that students
without hope of success will drop the course or bring down the
entire class. He typically structures classes to offer “a chance
at redemption” by allowing the final exam grade to replace one
test grade. This, Carr said, gives students opportunity to learn
from their mistakes and to perform better, adding that if
students drop his course or take an adversarial positions, he
can’t teach them – and teaching is his goal. “I hope to continue
teaching and helping our students here at Austin College for
many years to come,” he said.
Carr earned a bachelor’s degree magna cum
laude in chemistry from Illinois Wesleyan University and a
Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh. He
served as a visiting research assistant in chemistry and a
post-doctoral research associate at Yale University before
taking the teaching position at Austin College.
Back
to the Top
|
|
 |
Teaching Is Priority for Austin College Faculty
Austin College nominees for two external teaching
awards are announced each spring during Honors Convocation. Nominees
for these awards receive Austin College teaching awards for this
important honor. A committee of faculty and students reviews
nominations and makes selections.
Don Rodgers,
assistant professor of political science, was announced as
the College’s CASE Professor of the Year nominee. The Council for
the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) program recognizes
extraordinary undergraduate teaching by selecting one professor of
the year in each state and one national-level winner in each of four
categories.
Rodgers has been a member of the Austin College
faculty since 2003. He is an expert in Asian politics, and his
teaching and research interests include international politics,
international human rights, and political psychology. Rogers has
taken 22 Austin College students to Taiwan during summer trips and
JanTerm courses, and organized a Taiwan symposium during Austin
College’s 2007 Asia Week.
Rogers earned a bachelors’ degree in international
studies from Ohio Wesleyan University and master’s and doctoral
degrees in political science at the University of Georgia. He also
completed programs in Chinese language and political psychology.
Before joining the Austin College faculty, he was co-director of
research at the Southern Center for International Studies, research
fellow at the Center for the Study of global Issues, and had taught
at the University of Georgia and Oglethorpe University.
E. Don Williams,
professor of mathematics and Chadwick Chair in Mathematics,
is the Austin College Minnie Stevens Piper Professor nominee for
2008. The contest honors 15 faculty members throughout Texas for
teaching excellence.
Williams, who joined the faculty at Austin College
in 1970, has been involved in teaching mathematics for four decades.
Students report that Williams thrives on teaching and is dedicated
to the individual learning experience. He teaches courses in real
and applied analysis, probability theory, calculus, and statistics.
Williams earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics
and chemistry at Southwestern University and a doctorate in
mathematics at Texas Tech University. Other than a year teaching at
Tarleton University in 1965, Williams has been at Austin College for
his entire teaching career.
Back
to the Top
|
 |
Daeley Named to Professorship in English Literature
Carol A. Daeley,
professor of English, was installed as the Henry L and Laura H.
Shoap Professor of English Literature during Honors Convocation in
April.
The Shoap Professorship was established in 1959 by
Mr. and Mrs. Henry L. Shoap of McKinney, Texas, to provide the
students of Austin College with instruction of the highest quality
in the composition, understanding, and appreciation of the
literature of the English language as a part of the liberal arts
tradition.
Daeley, chair of the English department, joined
the Austin College faculty in 1973. The 1999 recipient of the
College’s Excellence in Teaching Award, she specializes in British
literature of the 18th and early 19th centuries and frequently works
with East Asian, African, and post-colonial literature. Daeley also
has interests in Asian studies, having taught and studied at Kobe-Gakuin
University in Japan, and has coordinated the College’s Africa
Symposium for several years. She has explored her interests in
theatre and drama through student trips and sabbatical visits to New
York, London, and beyond.
Daeley earned her bachelor’s degree in humanities
from Rutgers University and master’s degree and doctorate in English
from University of California, Riverside.
Back
to the Top
|
|
|
 Remembering
the Legacy of Monroe “Bud” Bryant
Present success often is built on the
foundation of the past. This sentiment is the principle on which
most institutions of higher education operate. The education
they provide builds a platform for future success in the lives
of students who attend the institution. Those who study biology
or other pre-medical preparation at Austin College owe the
quality of the education and the reputation of the College’s
program in part to the legacy of the late Monroe “Bud” David
Bryant ’27, professor emeritus of biology.
Bryant graduated from Austin College in 1927,
obtained his doctorate from the University of California,
Berkeley, and pursued a broad spectrum of experiences — from
playing minor league baseball to serving as a park ranger at
Yosemite National Park — before returning to Sherman. “Once on
the faculty, he quickly established a loyal following at Austin
College among pre-medical students and biology majors that would
make him one of the most respected science professors during a
teaching career that lasted until the 1970s,” according to
Austin College: A Sesquicentennial History 1847-1999,
written by Light Cummins, Guy M. Bryan Professor of
History.
Bryant taught at Austin College from 1947 to
1972, serving as professor of biology, chair of the Biology
Department, and adviser to the pre-medical and dental students
during his tenure. His 25 years of dedication to Austin College
spurred former academic dean Dan Bedsole to express his
appreciation in response to Bryant’s letter announcing his
retirement. “Based on remarks made by doctors and faculty in
medical schools, it is evident that you are the one faculty
member most responsible for the reputation Austin College has
earned as an outstanding liberal arts college for preparing
pre-med students,” Bedsole wrote.
Austin College: A Sesquicentennial History
1847-1999 credits Bryant with a part
in “developing one of the preeminent pre-medical curricula in
the southwest.” Vick Williams ’58 said he wasn’t
interested in biology when he entered Austin College — until he
took one of Bryant’s courses. “Dr. Bryant had a well-deserved
reputation for giving lectures that covered topics thoroughly
and captured students’ attention,” Williams said. “He knew the
subject well and could make it fascinating. In short, it was a
very rich learning environment.” Williams is a professor of
anatomy at University of Texas Health Science Center at San
Antonio.
The respect Bryant garnered from students and
peers alike stemmed from not only his knowledge and teaching
ability but also his sincere interest in his students’ success
beyond the classroom, Williams said.
Bryant was well-noted for his recommendations
to medical school, said Don Shepherd ’58, a retired
physician in Tow, Texas. “Dr. Bryant was the best teacher I ever
had, and I have had a lot of teachers over the years on into
medical school and post-graduate studies,” Shepherd said.
“Because of his great variety of experience, he helped students
find their way into what they wanted to do in life.”
Vick and
Dorothy (Rodina) ’59 Williams, Don Shepherd,
and Patricia “Pat” Myers ’59 hope to memorialize Bryant’s
Austin College legacy through an endowed professorship named in
his honor. Vick Williams said they hope to honor him with
something of lasting value, much like the lasting impact Bryant
had on Williams’ own life. “He showed me a life that I could not
possibly have imagined,” said Williams, who entered Austin
College with a small-school education and no real career plans.
“The most important thing he did for me was to believe that I
could do it. I will be grateful for that gift as long as I
live.”
“An endowed professorship would recognize Bud
Bryant’s many contributions to Austin College as a teacher and
biologist, and would honor a faculty recipient who embodies the
professional values exemplified by Bud’s career,” said Mike
Imhoff, vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the
faculty.
For information about helping these alumni to
establish the Monroe “Bud” David Bryant Endowed Professorship
Fund and memorialize this mentor whose work is part of the
history of Austin College, contact Josh Bowerman,
director of endowment and gift planning, at (903) 813-2423 or
jbowerman@austincollege.edu.
Back
to the Top
|
|
Michael Fairley
B.A., M.A.,
University of Arkansas
Ph.D.,
University of Oklahoma
June 2008
Feedback? |
Michael Fairley,
associate professor and department chair of communication studies,
never thought a stint as a lifeguard would be in his future when he
came to Austin College in 2000. Yet, during a JanTerm trip to Chile,
Michael had to fish his colleague David Baker, associate
professor of physics, out of the Class 3 to 4 rapids of the
Petrohué River during a rafting trip. “Dave
rode the rapids sans raft through the worst part,” Fairley
said. “The guides were genuinely scared after their failed attempts
at throwing life-lines. As Dave floated, face-up and out of danger,
to a calmer spot, I got in position to ‘pull him out of the drink.’
He owes me his life, and I often remind him.”
Rescuing capsized rafters is just one —
thankfully, rare — adventure in the life of this Austin College
faculty member. Fairley has taken advantage of JanTerm trips to
China, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, and Australia, learning
aspects of the cultures and communication styles of each locale.
When not guiding students around the globe on JanTerm courses,
Fairley also travels to present papers or teach at communication
workshops and conferences in England, Hawaii, China, and throughout
the continental United States.
Though not nearly as risky as whitewater rafting,
Fairley has stretched his students through his professional travel
also. In 2000, he and students attended the Southern States
Communication Association annual convention in New Orleans, where
students presented research papers they had prepared through work
with him. “Working with the students and seeing them present at the
New Orleans conference with graduate students and professors was
definitely a highlight of my teaching career,” he said.
Fairley, who teaches speech and social interaction
courses like public speaking, interpersonal communication,
intercultural communication, organizational communication, nonverbal
communication, and persuasion, said he enjoys “uncovering the
taken-for-granted ways we all communicate and getting students to
value their thoughts about things.”
Whether saving colleagues from raging waters or
unraveling the intricacies of communication, Fairley said he
appreciates Austin College for making it all happen. “Professors are
given great latitude in what courses they offer and how they teach
them,” he said. “Austin College also is very supportive of projects
that advance teaching and scholarship.”
Back
to the Top
 Printer friendly version
|
 pdf version |
Email to a friend |
|
|
