Edward L. Kain, professor of sociology and University Scholar, is presenting a paper at the annual meetings of the Southern Sociological Society in Charlotte, N.C. entitled "Family Change and the Life Course: Cohorts and Social Change in the Year 2050."

Students and faculty within the Department of Psychology returned this week from Memphis, Tenn., where they presented nine talks at the annual meeting of the Southwestern Psychological Association (SWPA). Two of these papers won second and third place in the undergraduate paper competition sponsored by the Southwestern Comparative Psychological Association that meets in conjunction with the SWPA. Students Elizabeth Riedlinger (second) and J. Blair Quinius (third) won recognition for their presentations on cuttlefish cognition and laterality in chimpanzees, respectively. The specific talks, and their presenters are as follows: Stephen L. Carlson (Belmont University), and Jesse E. Purdy, "Aversive conditioning in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)"; Elizabeth M. Riedlinger, Anne E. Peters, and J.E. Purdy, "The role of the CS in determining the nature of the CR in cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)"; A.S. Richardson, S.P. Lambeth, and Steven J. Schapiro, "Using choice procedures to determine musical preferences in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)"; J. Blair Quinius, S. J. Schapiro, and W.D. Hopkins, "Analysis of handedness and laterality through observation of bipedal reaching in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)"; R.E. White, S. J. Schapiro, and W.E. Hopkins, "Inverted and isometric acquisition of joystick tasks in chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)"; S. P. Lambeth, J. Hau, J.E. Perlman, M.A. Martino, and S.J. Schapiro, "Positive reinforcement training effects on physiological measures in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)"; Fay A. Guarraci, "The medial preoptic area plays a critical role in sexual motivation in female rats"; Anastasia Benson, Brittany L. Mason, and F.A. Guarraci, "Moderate doses of caffeine alter sexual motivation in female rats"; M.A. Krause and J.E. Purdy, "Toward a methodology to determine salmon responses to social and predatory vocal cues of killer whales."

David Tabb Stewart, assistant professor of religion, presented an invited paper, "Is the Purity Code (Lev. 11-15) a Women's Text?," at the Biblical Colloquium West in San Diego, Calif., in February. Stewart organized a session on "The Branch Davidian 'Massacre'" at the Texas State Historical Association in Fort Worth and presented a paper, "The Stories of Waco," in March. As a guest of the Department of Philosophy at Texas State University in San Marcos, also in March, he participated in a public panel discussion on "The Bible and Violence: A Symposium." If this were not enough, Stewart presented a third paper, "Does the Hebrew Bible Exhibit Ecriture Feminine?" at the Society of Biblical Literature, Southwest Region's conference in Dallas on March 12.

Mary Hale Visser, professor of art, was invited to give two presentations on "The New Wave in Exhibiting Artworks: The International Digital Art Galleries" and "Rapid Prototyping and New Technologies in Art" at the University of Texas at Dallas Art Museum from April 6-8.

Todd K. Watson, associate director of systems and network, co-authored a paper, which was published this month in the journal "Astronomy and Astrophysics." The paper, titled "Whole Earth Telescope observations of BPM 37093: A seismological test of crystallization theory in white dwarfs," was the result of collaborative research with 60+ astronomers around the world. The paper reports the first observational confirmation of crystallization theory in white dwarf stars. The theory is that particular stars with carbon and oxygen cores crystallize as they age, resulting in cosmic-sized diamonds of sorts. If interested, read more at: http://starryskies.com/articles/2004/02/diamond.html

Romi Burks, assistant professor of biology, along with colleagues Gary Lindquester and Carolyn Jaslow from Rhodes College, recently published a pedagogical article entitled "Developing Information Fluency in Introductory Biology Students in the Context of an Investigative Laboratory" in "Cell Biology Education" (March 2005). This article emphasizes the importance of connecting the growing area of information technology with the discipline of biology that emphasizes critical thinking. Overall, the project examined skills needed in first- year biology and how student confidence in such skills changed after they did specific assignments and activities. Burks worked on this project while as a Faculty Fellow at Rhodes and then finished the statistical analysis after coming to Southwestern.

Also Romi Burks and environmental studies major Rebecca Marfurt were recently invited to attend the United States Department of Agriculture's Mollusk Action Plan Working Group meeting in Houston, Texas, in mid-March. Burks gave a presentation about the work that Marfurt has done on the invasive, exotic channeled applesnail (Pomacea canaliculata). Channeled applesnails fall under the responsibility of the Plant Protection and Quarantine (PPQ) section of the USDA because they are "plant eaters" and pose a potential threat to rice crops in Texas. Besides that impact, they pose additional threats to the natural ecology and biodiversity of aquatic habitats. This meeting provided Burks and Marfurt with the opportunity to share their research with government workers that are on the front line of defense against the spread of exotic species.

March 10, 2005

Romi Burks, assistant professor of biology, gave a poster presentation of her collaborative research with colleagues in Denmark, Belgium and Argentina, at the annual meeting of the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography. The research titled "Spineless but not wimpy" suggests that an invertebrate predator can prompt migration of an important crustacean (Daphnia) in small lakes. Daphnia use the edges of the lakes, which have vegetation, to hide from predators. This poster presented research that was finished while Burks worked in Denmark on a Cullen Faculty Grant last summer.

Dirk Early, associate professor of economics, had his article "An Empirical Investigation of the Determinants of Street Homelessness" accepted for publication in the March issue of the "Journal of Housing Economics."

Alicia L. Moore, assistant professor of education, was the invited opening keynote speaker at a symposium for Williamson County Child Care Directors hosted by the Central Texas Workforce Board. The symposium was held March 3-5, 2005, in Round Rock, Texas. Her keynote address focused on the ABCs of excellence in childcare and presented the participants with a blueprint for success in their programs.

Mary Grace Neville, assistant professor of business, along with colleagues Shana Bernstein, assistant professor of history; Alison Kafer, instructor of feminist studies; and Alicia Moore, assistant professor of education, have formed an interdisciplinary peer network called Women Changing the World (WCW). The network is a self-supported, informal, collaborative effort that provides a collegial support system in which to talk through ideas, theoretical frameworks and questions related to research topics, manuscripts and research data and analyses.

March 3, 2005

Bob Bednar, assistant professor of communication studies, was featured as the sole expert interview source for a documentary feature story on Roadside Crosses that was broadcasted Feb. 27, 2005 on the national PBS program called "Religion & Ethics Newsweekly."

Mary Hale Visser, professor of art, will have her artwork in the Zoller Gallery at The Pennsylvania State University from now through March 23, 2005. There will be reception on Wednesday, March 16. For more information contact Michelle Tillander, coordinator, Zoller Gallery, The Pennsylvania State University at http://www.sva.psu.edu/zoller.html.

Mary Hale Visser also has been invited to be the keynote speaker at the International Student Conference for Research and the Creative Arts. This conference is committed to providing students across disciplines a forum in which to present original research and creative arts projects. Relevant workshops and lectures on various topics are schedule for participants. The Conference was founded in 1995 and has provided a forum for over 2,500 participants from 127 colleges and universities coming from 13 states and 4 countries with over 269 faculty sponsors. This International Student Conference for Research and the Creative Arts 11th annual conference meeting will be held at the University of Houston-Clear Lake, Houston, Texas, on April 20-21, 2005.

Edward L. Kain, professor of sociology and University Scholar, has been awarded a competitive grant from the Teaching Enhancement Fund of the American Sociological Association. Funds from this award will help support two to three student researchers during the May term. Using content analysis, students will collect and analyze data on national patterns in the undergraduate sociology curriculum. Students selected for the program will have the opportunity to present their research at a national professional meeting as well as co-author a paper for a peer review journal in sociology.

Emily Niemeyer and Laura Hobgood-Oster presented "Challenges to Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Perspective on US-Mexico Borderland Environmental Injustice," at the International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability. The conference was held at the East-West Center, the University of Hawai'i, February 25-27. Melissa Johnson also contributed to both research and writing.

ITS directors Sharon McEuen and Todd Watson, presented a talk titled "The Natives Were Restless: Outsourcing ResNet, a Case Study" at the Southwest Regional Educause conference which took place Feb. 16-18, in Austin.