Faculty Award: Jesse Middaugh, assistant teaching professor of information sciences and technology, School of Business Administration, was named All-campus IST faculty member of the year in October. The University-wide IST faculty award recognizes outstanding members of the College of Information Sciences and Technology faculty from across the Commonwealth who exemplify the mission of the college for improving the lives of people in Pennsylvania, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality programs in teaching, research, and outreach in the information sciences and technology. Awardees excel in their efforts to accomplish the school’s mission and have an outstanding record of fostering leaders for a digital, global economy.
Student Award: Brian Zhang, doctoral student in the American studies program, School of Humanities, won the Bill Ellis Prize of the American Folklore Society (AFS) for his article titled "Conservative Cyborg Synagogues: Extending the Virtual Arms and Legs of Religious Communities." The Bill Ellis Prize, offered by the New Directions in Folklore Section of AFS, is awarded to the best graduate student essay that combines research and analysis on folklore, broadly construed, and digital culture, popular culture, or new media.
Article publication: Dr. Stephanie Winkeljohn Black, assistant professor of psychology, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, published a teaching brief in the Psychology of Women Quarterly titled “Using Motivational Interviewing and Constructivism to Address Information Illiteracy.” The article discusses research and clinical experiences to create ways of teaching, and addresses current sociopolitical difficulties, like how to address racism in the classroom.
Art Exhibit: Jeff Bye, lecturer in art, School of Humanities, exhibited his work in Portland, Maine at the Greenhut Galleries in October. Bye’s work, titled “American Roots,” elevates seemingly mundane places by imbuing them with the stories and history they possess using light and color. His ability to convey depth and mood to run-down or forgotten spaces allow him to give each of his paintings character and presence.
Fellowship: Dr. Senel Poyrazli, professor of counseling psychology, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, was elected to fellow status in American Psychological Association Division 17 Society of Counseling Psychology. Fellows are selected by peers based on evidence of sustained superior performance that is recognizable at a national rather than local or regional level. Poyrazli’s research interests include psychological and environmental factors that impact immigrant student achievement, acculturative stress, the college adjustment process, international students, and multicultural competency.