October 2016 Faculty and Staff Accomplishments

Awards 

Eric A. Imbrescia (Instructor of Middle, Secondary and Mathematics Education) has been selected to receive a Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. The award, administered by the National Science Foundation on behalf of the   White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, recognizes outstanding teachers for their contributions to the teaching and learning of mathematics and science. Each awardee will receive a citation signed by President Obama and a $10,000 award from NSF. Awardees will also travel to Washington, DC, for an awards ceremony. 

Dr. Gina M. MacDonald (Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry) is the 2016 recipient of the Stanley C. Israel Regional Award for Advancing Diversity in the Chemical Sciences for the Southeastern Region. The award is given by the American Chemical Society's Committee on Minority Affairs and recognizes individuals and/or institutions who have advanced diversity in the chemical sciences and significantly stimulated or fostered activities that promote inclusiveness within the region. The award consists of a medal and a $1,000 grant to support and further the activities for which the award was made. The award also includes funding to cover the recipient’s travel expenses to the ACS regional meeting in October, at which the award will be presented. 

Grants (awarded in August 2016) 

Dr. Emily K. Akerson (Coordinator of Clinical and Interprofessional Initiatives, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $105,000 from the Virginia Department of Social Services for Healthy Families Page County in fiscal year 2017. 

Dr. Emily K. Akerson (Coordinator of Clinical and Interprofessional Initiatives, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $105,000 from the Virginia Department of Social Services for Healthy Families Shenandoah County in fiscal year 2017. 

Dr. Jo Anne Brewster (Professor, Graduate Psychology) received $3,300 from the Society for Police and Criminal Psychology to perform administrative tasks. 

Dr. Julia W. Carr (Senior Associate Director, University Recreation; Associate Professor, Sport and Recreation Management) and Dr. Benjamin H. Carr (Associate Professor, Sport and Recreation Management) received $9,160 from Shenandoah Valley United for a graduate assistantship at Shenandoah Valley United and $8,700 from Harrisonburg City Public Schools for a graduate assistantship at Harrisonburg High School. 

Dr. Julia W. Carr (Senior Associate Director, University Recreation; Associate Professor, Sport and Recreation Management) and Dr. Benjamin H. Carr (Associate Professor, Sport and Recreation Management) received $8,030 from Rockingham County Parks and Recreation for a graduate assistantship at Rockingham County Parks and Recreation. 

Dr. Jennifer E. Coffman (Associate Executive Director, Office of International Programs; Associate Professor, Integrated Science and Technology) and Dr. Lee G. Sternberger (Executive Director, Office of International Programs) received $352,344 from the Institute of International Education, Inc. for Project Go to increase linguistic and cultural understanding among ROTC students at JMU and nationwide by emphasizing intermediate and advanced Kiswahili instruction. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $500 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration for town hall meetings addressing underage drinking prevention. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $166,489 from the Virginia Department of Education for the Shenandoah Valley Child Development Clinic. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $565,674 from the Administration on Children, Youth and Families for the James Madison University Personal Responsibility Educational Program (JMUPREP) that aspires to reduce teen pregnancies in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County and Page County. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $139,924 from the Virginia Department of Education to continue to enrich after-school experiences for economically disadvantaged students at Spotswood Elementary School through tutoring, literacy intervention, classes and family involvement. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $139,924 from the Virginia Department of Education to continue to enrich after-school experiences for economically disadvantaged students at Stone Spring Elementary School through tutoring, literacy intervention, classes and family involvement. 

Kimberlee Hartzler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $40,000 from the Harrisonburg Police Department for interpreter and translation services. 

Patricia A. Kennedy (Coordinator of Community Grants and Institute Publications, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $242,082 from the Virginia Early Childhood Foundation for the Harrisonburg Community Mixed-Delivery Preschool program. 

Joyce H. Krech (Director, Small Business Development Center) received $8,000 from Augusta County and $5,000 from Page County to support the Small Business Development Center. 

Dr. Jonathan D. Monroe (Professor, Biology) received $215,088 from the National Science Foundation to investigate the functions of several members of an Arabidopsis thaliana ß-amylase gene family to prepare undergraduates for graduate school and careers in science, and to train a postdoctoral scholar for a career in teaching and research at a primarily undergraduate institution. 

Dr. Jacquelyn K. Nagel (Assistant Professor, Engineering) received $5,000 from the National Institute of Aerospace to develop a medical sterilization system for NASA space exploration missions. 

Dr. Carole L. Nash (Assistant Professor, Integrated Science and Technology) and Dr. Clarence Geier, (Professor Emeritus of anthropology) received $8,088 from the Clermont Foundation to test and monitor the ground-disturbing activities associated with the rehabilitation of the standing springhouse at Clermont Farm in Berryville. 

Dr. M. Ioana Niculescu (Professor, Physics and Astronomy), Dr. Gabriel Niculescu (Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy) and Dr. Kevin L. Giovanetti (Professor, Physics and Astronomy) received $110,000 from the National Science Foundation to work with undergraduates to commission detectors used in particle physics experiments for Jefferson Laboratory and for other work relating to the project.

Dr. Olga Pierrakos (Associate Professor, Engineering) received $172,631 from the National Science Foundation to serve as program director for the Improving Undergraduate Education in STEM, Division of Undergraduate Education, Directorate for Education and Human Resources at the National Science Foundation. 

Dr. Lisa C. Schick (Instructor, Learning, Technology and Leadership Education) received $100,000 from the Virginia Department of Education for a Career Development Academy to offer high quality, affordable, contextualized EL CIVICS services to adult learners in Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. 

Dr. Hala A. H. Shehadeh (Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics) and Dr. John J. B. Webb (Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Statistics) received $6,250 from the Center for Undergraduate Research in Mathematics to guide research on self-similarity in various one-dimensional thin film structures. 

Dr. Nathan T. Wright (Assistant Professor, Chemistry and Biochemistry) received $291,621 from the National Science Foundation to provide insight into how cells passively and actively respond to physical stretch.

Honors

Dr. Jacquelyn K. Nagel (Assistant Professor, Engineering) was recognized as a Distinguished New Engineer by the Society of Women Engineers. The recognition honors women engineers who have been actively engaged in engineering in the first 10 years of their careers. 

Presentations

Dr. Marty Cohen (Associate Professor, Political Science) participated on a Breaking News Panel entitled "Did the Party Decide?" at the American Political Science Association conference on September 1, 2016 in Philadelphia.

Dr. John A. Scherpereel (Professor, Political Science), Jerry Wohlgemuth and Audrey Lievens presented, "How Does Institutional Setting Affect Legislators Use of Twitter as a Representational Tool?" at the Biennial Meeting of the European Consortium for Political Research Standing Group on the European Union, Trento, June 2016.

Dr. Maureen G. Shanahan (Professor, Art History) presented her new research project on the Moroccan photographs of French psychiatrist Gatan Gatian de Clrambault (1872-1934) at the French Cultural Institute in New York. (http://www.albertine.com/events/the-orientalist-and-the-asylum-gaetan-gatain-de-clerambaults-veiled-photography/) 

Publications

Dr. Marty Cohen (Associate Professor, Political Science), with Mary McGrath, Peter Aronow and John Zaller, published "Ideologically Extreme Candidates in U.S. Presidential Elections, 1948-2012" in The ANNALS of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, September 2016.

Dr. David Jones (Professor, Political Science) published "U.S. Media and Elections in Flux: Dynamics and Strategies," (Routledge) a concise textbook that analyzes how political campaigns strategically adapt to an ever-changing media environment.

Dr. Maureen G. Shanahan (Professor, Art History) Published "Simon Bolivar: Travels and Transformations of a Cultural Icon" (University Press of Florida; http://www.upf.com/book.asp?id=SHANA001), co-edited with Ana Mara Reyes, an art historian at Boston University.  Simon Bolivar was the great liberator of much of 19th century Latin America, one of the richest men of his era, and a daring and innovative general. He is that continents most famous historical figure and an iconic object of study at all levels of education.

Dr. David A. Stringham (Associate Professor, Music; Coordinator, Music and Human Services Minor), Dr. Linda C. Thornton (The Pennsylvania State University), and Dr. Daniel J. Shevock (Penn State Altoona) published, "Composition and Improvisation in Instrumental Methods Courses: Instrumental Music Teacher Educators' Perspectives" in Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education.

Visit Madison Scholar to access an archive of past accomplishments.