Georgetown ISD's Partners in Education honored Amigas as the Southwestern University Participant supporting learning. They were selected as the partner that has impacted Georgetown students through community service. Amigas assists Latina students as tutors and friends in addition to providing a forum to embrace their culture. Amigas members include: Isabel Casas, Leticia Davila, Adrienne Garcia, Andriana Gonzales, Iliana Sosa and Glynnis Zarria.

Five students and one faculty member presented papers at the Southern Sociological Society meetings in Atlanta, Ga., this week. The student papers are:

"Everything Goes in Camden Town" by Erin Crockett
"Brixton: An Historical Case Study in Urban Sociology" by Andrew Fordham
"Brixton, London: Defended Neighborhood on the Brink" by Karl Shaw
"Brixton: Neighborhood in a Global City" by Lewis Woods
"Jessica Lynch: Hero or Victim?" by Emily Claire Stewart

The papers by Erin Crockett, Andrew Fordham, Karl Shaw and Lewis Woods were developed in an urban sociology course in Southwestern's London program last semester. Emily Stewart's paper was part of her capstone, under the direction of Dan Hilliard, professor of sociology.

Senior chemistry majors Micheal Brinkman, Jade Hatley, Kimberly Larson and Heather Martin presented posters at the 227th American Chemical Society National Meeting in Anaheim, Calif. Brinkman's poster entitled "Binding Studies of CaM and Peptide Ligands Related to HIV-1gp-160" was based on his research with Kerry Bruns, associate professor of chemistry. Hatley's poster, "Detection of Tetracycline Antibiotics and Tetracycline-Resistant Genes in Surface Water and Topsoil Surrounding Livestock Operations," was based on a collaborative project with Kerry Bruns and Emily Niemeyer, assistant professor of chemistry. Larson's poster, "Preparation of Allene Derivatives by a Selective Mono-Claisen Rearrangement," was based on her research with Frank Guziec, professor of chemistry. At the meeting, Martin received the 2004 I.M. Kolthoff Award for Undergraduate Research from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Analytical Chemistry. The ACS sponsored Martin's trip to present her poster entitled "Determination of Phthalate Ester Concentrations in PET Bottles Exposed to UV Radiation" based on her research with Emily Niemeyer.

Southwestern University was well represented at the 50th annual Southwestern Psychological Association Convention in San Antonio last week. Jesse Purdy, professor of psychology, presented the invited Psi Chi lecture titled "The Future and Promise of Psi Chi: The National Honor Society in Psychology." Paper presentations were also made by Elizabeth Cheaney and Purdy, titled "New Procedure for Assessing Foraging Strategies in Fish"; Fay Guarraci, "The Neurobiology of Paced Mating Behavior in the Female Rat"; Purdy, Nichole Buehler and Sheralyn Chilson, "Empirical and Functional Analyses of Trills in Male Weddell Seals"; and Nicole Buehler, Margaret Remkus and Cristy Torres, et. al titled "Additional Assessments of Laterality in Chimpanzees (Pan Troglodytes). Southwestern University students and faculty also contributed numerous poster presentations: Genevieve Pruneau, Bryan Neighbors, assistant professor of psychology, and Elizabeth Vera presented "Attachment and Psychopathology: Attachment Security, Axis I Symptoms, and Gender." Rebecca Stelter, Ashley Still, Kamini Verma, and Jacqueline Muir-Broaddus, professor of psychology, presented "Who Dunnit? Attractiveness Stereotypes and Children's Responses to Leading Questions." Ashley Hadsell, Neighbors, and Erin L. Leverenz presented "Are Parental Attachment Security and Adult Romantic Attachment Styles Related?" Abigail Riggs, Erin Crockett and Traci Giuliano, associate professor of psychology, presented "Pink Slips and Black Cats: The Relationship Between Stress and Superstition." Nicole Blanchett, Erin Puckett, Sarah Barnett and Muir-Broaddus presented "Life After College?: Factors Influencing Seniors' Post-Graduation Plans." Aubrey D. Buckert, Genevieve Pruneau and Giuliano presented "Mr. and Mrs. Know-It-All: Perceptions of Individuals Demonstrating Male Answer Syndrome." Tara Cummings, Neighbors, Ellen Gass and Amy Casbeer presented "Interparental Conflict Associated with Parent-Young Adult Child Attachment Security." Mary Ann Erwin, Neighbors, Elizabeth Vera, and Heidi Tesch presented "Dimensions of Romantic Attachment and Symptoms of Psychopathology." And, Brandy Ledbetter and Neighbors presented "Eating Disorder Traits and Romantic Attachment." Notably, Southwestern University students won five of the 12 Psi Chi Undergraduate research prizes awarded at the conference. The papers first-authored by Nicole Blanchett, Aubrey Buckert, Mary Ann Erwin, Brandy Ledbetter, and Abby Riggs each won $300 for being among the best papers submitted by members of Psi Chi, the National Honor Society for Psychology.

March 2004

The Texas National Association for Multicultural Education (NAME) Conference was held at Southwestern University on March 27. All student presentations were supervised by La Vonne I. Neal, associate professor of education. Student presenters included:

-Pre-service teachers Aurora Low and Danver Chandler, and economics major Josh Keltner. Their research was funded by the King Creativity Fund and titled: "Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice: Let's Get R.E.A.D.Y."

-Pre-service teachers Grant Kessler, Karlee Miller, Elma Lopez and Yvonne Jaubert. Their paper was titled: "Sexism in Children's Literature."

-Pre-service teachers Katie Peterson, Vanessa Chapa, Lisa Cook, Yvonne Jaubert, Aaron Johnson, Ginger Jurecka and Dawn Rupert. Their paper was titled: "Intention Without Action is Insufficient: Balancing Integrated Curriculum in a Standards Driven Environment."

-Pre-service teachers Tracy Machu and Stephanie Lind, and economics major Manuel Buitrago. Their research, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, was titled: "This is How We Do It: Culturally Responsive Teaching in Urban Schools."

February 2004

Southwestern students working with Associate Professor of Education Michael Kamen and Assistant Professor of Mathematics Cami Sawyer operated three booths at the Annie Purl Science and Math night for Pre-K through 2nd graders. Jacob Schrum and Morgan Sweatt demonstrated programming lego mindstorms. They were assisted by Elisabeth Reyna and Charles Holloway. Jamie Hardy, Sarah House, Grant Kessler and Kirsten Navarrette demonstrated static electricity using a Van de Graaff generator. Julia Aleman, Danver Chandler, Emily Duncan, Anna Ferrick, and Jessica Keen showed the students how to create interesting shapes using giant tangrams. All the booths were a big hit with the students and their parents.

Preservice teachers Jason Hayes, Manjah Fernandez and Aaron Bowser presented their research titled "Braids, Fades, & Razorblades: The Educational Function of the African American Barbershop," at the Turning Points National Conference in San Antonio in February.

January 2004

Preservice teachers Aaron Bowser and Manjah Fernandez, supervised by Assistant Professors of Education La Vonne I. Neal and Alicia Moore, were invited keynote speakers on Dec. 5, at the Urban Research Conference in Houston. Other conference keynote speakers during the four-day conference were: Linda and Cheryl Brown of the Brown v. Board Supreme Court Case; Carlotta Walls LaNier of the Little Rock Nine; and Geneva Gay, renown social justice researcher. Bowser and Fernandez presented their research titled "Braids, Fades, & Razorblades: The Educational Function of the African American Barbershop." Their research was funded by the King Creativity Fund.

Two psychology research groups were awarded Psi Chi Undergraduate Research Grants in national competition. Nicole Blanchett, Sarah Barnett, Erin Puckett, and Professor Jacqueline Muir-Broaddus were awarded $1170 to study "Predictors of Decision-making among College Seniors," and Aubrey Buckert, Kathryn Hodges, Annie Peters, and Professor Jesse Purdy were awarded $1440 to study "The Role of Congruence between the CS and US and the Role of the US in Determining the nature of the CR in Cuttlefish (Sepia officinalis)."