U.S. News and World Report magazine included the Department of Accountancy, part of the NIU College of Business, on its list of elite programs for 2008.
As part of the magazine’s annual rankings of colleges and universities, U.S. News placed NIU Accountancy as 23rd in the nation. It is the highest ranking the magazine has accorded the program this decade; it was rated 25th in 2005 and 2006, and 26th in 2004.
“We are very flattered by this ranking because it is evidence of the national prominence our program has achieved,” Chair of Accountancy Jim Young said.
Young noted that NIU’s ranking was unique in that most of the other programs were from either state flagship universities (the University of Texas and the University of Illinois ranked 1-2, respectively), or private “national universities” like Brigham Young (3), Notre Dame (6) and Boston College (tied with NIU at 23).
One of the most gratifying aspects of the U.S. News rankings, Young said, is that they are based upon input from deans and other senior level administrators.
“We have been consistently ranked in the top 15 by publications like The Public Accounting Report, which surveys accounting faculty across the country. Those rankings are flattering because they are based upon input from people who are so in touch with the field. This ranking is a little different in that it demonstrates that we are well-regarded by people beyond our specialization,” Young said.
Denise Schoenbachler, dean of the NIU College of Business, shared Young’s excitement, saying she was delighted to see one of the college’s flagship programs garner such notice.
“The College of Business is very proud of our Department of Accountancy and the record of excellence it has established over the last 20-plus years,” Schoenbachler said. “The strong leadership of the department, the excellence of the faculty and the quality of the students – along with its strong ties to the accounting profession – have combined to keep this program among the elite in the nation, and we are committed to seeing that it remains there.”
NIU Foundation Venture Grants are intended to support faculty in their pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, and outreach to the larger community. The funding is an investment in the imagination, intellect and dedication of NIU’s faculty and students.
This year, six Venture Grants totaling approximately $60,000 were distributed.
Technology can transform the life of a student with a disability, but only when educators know how to use it.
Thanks to a $13,000 Venture Grant, NIU professor Toni Van Laarhoven of the Department of Teaching and Learning will help educators at NIU and around the country learn how to use assistive technology to make school (and life) a little easier for students with all types of disabilities.
Van Laarhoven will use the funding to create training videos for teachers and speech, language and physical therapists. The tutorials will prepare these professionals to use resources such as software programs that help students read and write; communication devices that “speak” for students who cannot; and devices that allow students with motor and/or visual impairments to use computers.
Van Laarhoven’s work will not only impact NIU students but also will help establish NIU as a leader in the field of assistive technology by making these instructional resources available across the country via professional publications, conferences and the Internet.
Sometimes a photograph is all we have left to remember and learn from the past.
The Khmer Rouge regime’s devastation of Cambodia in the 1970s was one of the worst incidents of genocide of the 20th century. In less than four years, more than 1.7 million people were executed or killed by ensuing famine and disease.
While most of Cambodia’s photographic records were destroyed during the massacre, a precious few images remained: those taken by May Ebihara, the only American anthropologist to conduct field work in rural Cambodia before and after the war.
Not only do Ebihara’s photos document the aftermath, they are one of the only collections of images of daily life before the genocide. Her work captured images of families, religious rituals and villagers making palm sugar, threshing rice and plowing the fields with oxen.
Upon her passing, Ebihara left the image collection to her former assistant, NIU anthropology professor Judy Ledgerwood. Recently, Ledgerwood generously has pledged the images to NIU.
Now, with the help of a $5,927 Venture Grant, Ledgerwood will work with the Digitization Unit and Southeast Asia Collection of Founders Memorial Library to digitize Ebihara’s photos, making them available as a national and international resource for research and teaching on the Internet and as exhibitions at museums across the country.
The key to biodegrading some of the world’s most toxic substances could be held in the most surprising place: a tiny piece of extra DNA in a bacterial organism.
That tiny piece of DNA is called a plasmid, and understanding its genetic sequencing might bring us one step closer to a cleaner, safer environment.
R. Meganathan, Distinguished Research Professor of biological sciences at NIU, has found a soil bacterium capable of degrading a number of carcinogenic compounds.
Its secret lies in the genetic code of the bacterium’s plasmid. The plasmid’s gene sequence is what gives the bacteria the ability to digest unusual substances – substances such as the cancer-causing malachite green. Malachite green is a dye used in the nylon, wool, silk, leather and cotton industries – a dye that is contaminating our rivers and groundwater, jeopardizing the ecosystem and posing a serious health risk.
A Foundation Venture Grant of $5,500 will allow Meganathan to determine the genetic code of this bacterial plasmid, a step that will allow him to embark on this promising new field of discovery. Understanding this sequencing also will help Meganathan turn his provisional patent on his work into a functional patent, a process he must complete within a year in order to continue his research.
Meganathan’s work includes graduate and undergraduate biology students with the talent and motivation to work within the complex areas of bacterial genetics and biochemistry
As a “universal language,” music long has been known for its power to bring people together. The same can be said for video conferencing, which has been used for quite some time in the business world to bring people from different sites together for “virtual meetings.”
With the help of a $19,000 Venture Grant, Paul Bauer, director of NIU’s School of Music, will adapt the tools used for business video conferencing for use in the music world.
The technology will open myriad opportunities for music students through one-on-one private lessons, group instruction and even concert performances. Students, professors, and community members will “meet” through NIU’s current Internet and Internet2 connections.
The grant will pay for the video conferencing equipment that will allow the NIU School of Music to become a leader in the region and to perform as leaders throughout northern Illinois, the nation and the world.
The equipment also will generate revenue the school will use to provide instruction to students at other institutions of higher education and local public school districts.
Thanks to the Venture grant program, musical video conferencing capabilities will debut at NIU this fall.
Few problems can be more frustrating for children or their parents than struggling in school.
That’s why the psychology department at NIU has been awarded a $7,500 Venture Grant to help with start-up costs associated with creating an innovative clinic to conduct in-depth assessments of student needs and respond with timely, effective, research-based “next steps.” Interventions at the new clinic will follow a problem-solving model that allows for continual data collection and analysis and flexible strategies based on the constant stream of data.
Led by Michelle Demaray and Christine Malecki, associate professors in the Department of Psychology, the program will benefit academically struggling children, their parents and NIU graduate students.
The clinic will provide local families with innovative academic support for their students while grad students benefit from rich supervised training experiences as they help these children succeed.
This project also is supported with $15,000 of in-kind donations from the Department of Psychology.
A generous gift can inspire a lot in an academic community. Take, for example, a gift of Japanese prints given to the NIU Art Museum from art collector Richard F. Grott.
The gift inspired Helen Nagata, professor of art history, and Josephine Burke, director of the NIU Art Museum, to design a multi-disciplinary, interactive program that will multiply the Grott collection’s impact three-fold.
In honor of the Grott donation, Nagata and Burke have designed a large-scale academic project designed to illuminate issues of identity in Japanese artwork from the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. The exhibits, activities and events will encourage reflection on the artist’s sense of self and response to place and society from one century to the next.
The project will be funded, in part, by a $9,000 Venture Grant.
Ultimately, the university, its faculty and students and the community all will benefit from this highly collaborative project that includes three visual art exhibitions; a scholarly catalogue; guest lecturers; extensive student involvement; opportunities for international organizations; musical performances; and public programming.
NIU has become the place of work for dozens of new professors, administrators and other supportive professionals. Here is a glimpse at just a few.
Background: Davis was a lecturer in the Temple University Theatre Department. He served as speech and dialect coach for the graduate and undergraduate actors as well as teaching speech and acting. Before Philadelphia, he was at SUNY New Paltz, where he taught voice, acting, Shakespeare, dramatic literature and stage combat. He received his MFA in acting from the University of Delaware and his BFA from the University of Utah Actor Training Program. He has worked as an actor (stage, film and TV commercials), fight choreographer, stagehand, director, stunt man, voice coach and education director at professional theatres throughout the country. He takes private students in accent reduction, dialect, voice and speech, is a member of the Independent Fight Director’s Guild and is a certified associate teacher of Fitzmaurice Voice Work.
What I teach: “At NIU, I am the theatre department’s voice, speech and dialect teacher. I will serve as resident fight choreographer, and I will also be directing in the season. This year, it will be ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream.’ ”
Why NIU: “It has nice people, grass, trees and a great future as one of the top-tier theater training programs in the country.”
Goals: “To help the theatre program grow. I also would like to make professional connections with the vibrant theatre community on our door step to the east. I firmly believe that theater can make a difference in the life of those who see it as well as those who practice it. It is my hope that students who study with me discover that powerful speaking can help to make that difference. I believe that human beings can change, transform and unstick themselves from the narrative of their own assumed limitations. Actors can be of service to audiences by pointing the way, stretching beyond our sense of self and transforming into characters. I hope that my students find a love of spoken language and that we can create together a culture of vibrant, authentic, powerfully exciting and transformative speaking.”
What others say: “Stanton is fabulous. He’s got great training, a great background and is a terrific fit,” said Alex Gelman, director of the School of Theatre and Dance. “He’s a terrific teacher, a widely experienced professional and he shares this faculty’s collaborative approaching to training actors.”
Background: Originally from St. Louis, Finch comes to NIU from Notre Dame, where she spent the last year as a post-doctoral research fellow at the Center for Philosophy of Religion. Prior to that, she served as a faculty member for five years in the Department of Philosophy at St. Louis University. She earned her bachelor’s degree in philosophy and political science from the University of Missouri and her master’s degree and Ph.D. in philosophy from Notre Dame. Finch specializes in contemporary metaphysics, especially the problem of free will. She also has research and teaching interests in ethics, feminism, ancient philosophy and philosophy of religion. She has co-authored three research papers dealing with the topic of free will.
What I teach: “This semester I’m teaching two sections of introduction to philosophy and a graduate seminar that surveys contemporary metaphysics. Next semester I’ll teach another section of intro and an upper-level course on Aristotle.”
Why NIU? “When I came for my interview, I was extremely impressed with members of the philosophy department and very eager to have them as colleagues. I was also very impressed with the students, who are passionate about the subject matter. NIU’s philosophy department has a clear vision, high standards and is very well rounded.”
Goals: “I want to help the department build on its strength in metaphysics, especially at the graduate level. I have a number of projects in metaphysics that I intend to pursue, and I look forward to getting feedback on those projects from my colleagues. Teaching a wide variety of courses at the undergraduate level will allow me to explore the full range of my interests. Most of all, I hope to share my passion for philosophy with students and show them how exciting the field can be.”
What others say: “With her broad interests and knowledge in the areas of metaphysics, Greek philosophy, feminist philosophy, and philosophy of religion, Alicia brings to our department several important abilities and is capable of offering a wide array of courses,” says Tomis Kapitan, chair of the Department of Philosophy. “She is a wonderful writer who is working on some exciting philosophical research, and she comes to us highly acclaimed as a gifted teacher.”
Background: Liping Guo received her M. S. and Ph.D. degrees in electrical and computer engineering from Auburn University. Prior to joining NIU, she was an assistant professor in the Department of Industrial Technology at the University of Northern Iowa for a year. She now joins the Department of Technology as an assistant professor. Her research and teaching interests are in the area of electrical engineering technology, including power electronics, embedded systems and automatic control.
What I teach: “I teach courses in the electrical engineering technology program. I will teach fundamental electronics courses and more advanced courses in power electronics and industrial control.”
Why NIU: “NIU provides a great opportunity for my career development. NIU allows me to find the balance between teaching and research. The location of NIU is also great.”
Goals: “I want to achieve excellence in both teaching and research.”
What others say: “Liping is a great addition to the department. She has a very well-rounded background, with four years teaching experience and several years in the power industry,” said Cliff Mirman, chair of Technology. “She also has a background in renewable energy, which is an area we are trying to strengthen because of its importance to the future.”
Background: Hamayotsu grew up in Japan and also has lived in Australia, the U.K., Malaysia and Indonesia. She completed her Ph.D. at Australian National University in 2006. Before joining the NIU faculty, she was a postdoctoral research associate at the Yale Center for International and Area Studies and a postdoctoral fellow in Modern Southeast Asian Studies at Columbia University. Hamayotsu has conducted research on state-Islam relations in both Malaysia and Indonesia. Her research and teaching interests include comparative politics, Southeast Asian politics, politics of identity, political Islam, ethnic conflict, religion and politics, and politics and development in the developing world.
What I teach: “This semester I’m teaching an introduction to comparative politics. In the spring I’ll be teaching a course for undergraduates in the politics of Southeast Asia and a course for graduate students in the politics of identity.”
Why NIU? “I am a specialist in Southeast Asian politics, particularly politics in Malaysia and Indonesia. NIU has a nationally recognized Center for Southeast Asian Studies, so the university would seem to be a natural fit.”
Goals: “I want to establish myself as a scholar and motivate my students to learn about the world around them, particularly about the politics of Southeast Asia and the Muslim world. These are fascinating and important areas of study.”
What others say: “Over the last two years, the Department of Political Science has hired a number of new faculty members with excellent credentials and cutting-edge research agendas,” said Christopher Jones, political science chair. “Kikue’s presence continues this trend. In particular, her research and teaching expertise will contribute significantly to the department’s comparative politics and international relations fields and especially enhance our international reputation in Southeast Asian politics. My colleagues and I are delighted to have such a promising young scholar with global training and experience join our faculty.”
Background: Jones received his undergraduate degree in history from U.C. Berkeley and his J.D. from NYU. He clerked for the Honorable Jack B. Weinstein, a federal judge in Brooklyn, New York, and practiced for four years in the field of antitrust law at the Washington, D.C., law firm of Arnold & Porter. Prior to joining NIU, he taught for four years in the clinical wing at UCLA law school.
What I teach: “I teach classes that provide the students with some of the clinical skills and knowledge that they will need for legal practice, such as evidence and trial advocacy, as well as classes such as conflicts of law and antitrust law that focus more specifically on the business competition and jurisdictional issues in which I specialized as a practitioner and now research as a scholar.”
Why NIU: “I chose NIU for many reasons. In addition to being a great academic institution, the law school offers a collegial and supportive environment that is ideal for a young teacher and scholar. In addition, NIU law is somewhat unique among its peer institutions in legal academia in that it provides the highest quality education in a public and diverse setting that allows students from a variety of backgrounds to pursue legal careers and contribute back to the public interest of their communities, the state of Illinois and the nation.”
Goals: “To help my students grow as individuals and to prepare them for the rigors of legal practice that await them. While the substantive offerings of my classes vary, the goal in all my classes is the same: to equip my students with the knowledge and analytical skills they will need to be successful throughout their legal and law-related careers. In addition, I hope to contribute to the academic life of the school through my scholarship and the publication of my writings.”
What others say: “Robert has an enthusiasm for the law which he shares with his students,” said Malcolm Morris, associate dean of the NIU College of Law. “He is an outstanding addition to the faculty.”
Background: Jung received his doctorate in curriculum and instruction, specializing early childhood education at Indiana University, where he taught early childhood, elementary mathematics and science method courses. He developed his expertise in designing professional development materials for pre- and in-service teachers by working for a couple of projects at Indiana University, including the Indiana University-NAEP project, in which he and his team members recently published a set of multimedia (manual-plus-CD-ROM) teacher education materials. His research interests include mathematics for young children, professional development and the use of technology with young children. He recently moved to Sycamore with his family, wife Jaeyeon and 6-year-old son, Joochan.
What I teach: Jung teaches two sections of the early childhood science and mathematics methods course this fall.
Why NIU: “In addition to a NIU’s great reputation, I really wanted to work with colleagues who can give me a sort of ‘family-like feeling,’ and I met them in my department.”
Goals: “I’d like to continue my journey of helping students to be better, competent teachers. Also, I would also like to develop professional development materials by actively working with pre- and in-service teachers and investigating their professional needs.”
What others say: “Myoung Jung brings a special expertise to our department, with his in-depth understanding of how young children learn mathematics,” said Paul Kelter, chair of the Department of Teaching and Learning. “His vast experience working with teachers of 4- and 5-year-olds in the development and evaluation of curricula will be important throughout the region.”
Background: Magnusson recently earned his Ph.D. from Saint Louis University (2007) and holds an M.B.A. and a B.S. in marketing from Indiana State University. At Saint Louis University, his research focused on global marketing practices, particularly the internationalization process and firm performance in international markets, country-of-origin effects and the influence of culture and cultural differences in international business. Although he has spent the past 12 years in the United States, most of them in the Midwest, he originally hails from Sweden.
What I teach: “This semester, I will be teaching ‘Principles of Global Marketing.’ In this course, we will explore the heterogeneity of the global environment, develop an understanding and appreciation of cultural and institutional differences, and learn theoretical frameworks to help international marketers analyze and develop solutions for customers’ needs worldwide.”
Why NIU: “What impressed me most about the College of Business at NIU is the unparalleled sense of optimism and excitement about the future. NIU’s national reputation is on the rise with strong support for both research and teaching. Our facility is first-class and provides an excellent environment for both students and faculty.”
Goals: “My goals are to continue to maintain a very active research agenda and to translate scholarly research into relevant and applicable frameworks for our students to help them gain a stronger appreciation and understanding of the global marketing environment.”
What others say: “Globalization is one of the six major initiatives under way in the College of Business, and the Department of Marketing is uniquely positioned to help carry that process forward with Peter in this position,” said Tanjua Singh, chair of Marketing. “He comes to us from a Ph.D. program at St. Louis University, known for its strength in that area, and he has demonstrated a tremendous ability to integrate what matters to industry with what matters to academia.”
Background: Miller formerly was supervisor of corporate reconcilement for Bank One in Chicago. She has three beautiful grown daughters and three amazing grandchildren.
What I do: She works as secretary to the marketing and sales department in the College of Business.
Why NIU: “I love being on campus – the excitement and activity and marvelous opportunities. I am a full-time student as well as a new NIU employee.”
Goals: Miller hopes to earn a master’s degree in math education.
What others say: “Candi is like the baby which was thrown in at the deep end of the pool. She began her new job in Marketing in the midst of organizing a major activity for the sales program,” said Jane Nenonen, staff secretary in the Department of Marketing. “She has remained cheerful and focused in spite of the stress of attending to the details. I think she will be a good addition to the department.”
Background: Mooney received her doctorate at the Kelley School of Business at Indiana University, Bloomington, where she developed a research expertise in CEO succession and top executive decision-making. She has also begun research in the area of entrepreneurship, examining the effects of mega-events (such as the Olympics) on new venture creation. She and her husband Mark recently moved to Geneva with their two children, Annie, 7, and Jack, 5.
What I teach: “I teach strategic management, the undergraduate business school capstone course.”
Why NIU: “What drew me first and foremost to the school and university was the people. This is such a friendly and welcoming environment. At the same time, there are wonderful resources to support my teaching and research. I really like this balance!”
Goals: “My main goals right now are to continue to develop my research program (and publish!) as well as to develop and improve my teaching effectiveness. These will help me realize my long-term goals – to get tenure and stay at NIU a long time.”
What others say: “Christine’s expertise in strategic management fits well with one of our existing areas of strength, and she brings some expertise in the area of entrepreneurship and new venture creation, which is an area we are trying to build in the college,” said Sarah Marsh, chair of the Department of Management. “She is also a terrific, innovative teacher who is also doing some fascinating research on the phenomenon of the revolving CEOs.”
Background: Prieto received her doctorate in education with a specialization in language, literacy and culture, and her master’s in education with a specialization in socio-cultural studies both from the University of California, Davis, after receiving an undergraduate degree in community rhetoric from the University of California, Davis. For the past few years, Prieto worked as a student affairs officer in the College of Biological Sciences and as a graduate student researcher in the Chicana/o Studies. Both positions were at the University of California, Davis.
What I do: “I am responsible for the overall administration of the Latino Resource Center and for facilitating collaborations and partnerships across campus and to the surrounding community/region. One of the most critical aspects of my position is ensuring that there is a welcoming and supportive environment for the Latino campus community and to develop program initiatives that enhance the undergraduate experiences of Latino students, including areas of service learning and community activism.”
Why NIU: “NIU has such a strong commitment to creating an inclusive community for all students. Moreover, NIU is a progressive campus where I would have the opportunity to work with incredible colleagues and dedicated students.”
Goals: “I want the Latino Resource Center to become nationally recognized for its level of commitment to students and surrounding community, as well as providing multi-disciplinary collaborations.”
What others say: “While we certainly have a great Latino Resource Center, I think Emily can move it into the 21st century,” said James Brunson III, assistant vice president for diversity and equity in Student Affairs. “Some of the research she has done in her doctoral program relates specifically to Latino students and, long-term, that research is infinitely tied to public health issues. From a scholarly vantage point, she’s going to become a noted scholar in that field of expertise, which will propel the center forward and put it on the map with her colleagues nationally.”
Background: Ryan grew up in the city of Bath, England, and received his bachelor’s degree in American Studies at the University of Reading. He earned his master’s degree and Ph.D. from the University of Nevada, Reno, where he later served as a lecturer in writing and humanities. He has also taught literature and film courses in the American Studies program at King’s College in London. He joins NIU as a specialist in 20th-century U.S. and African American literature. His first scholarly book, “Calls and Responses: American Slavery Fiction since ‘Gone with the Wind,’ ” is to be published in 2008 and has already received the Landry Award from Louisiana State University Press. Ryan’s wife, Dee Anna Phares, also teaches in NIU’s English department as a visiting assistant professor. She is associate editor of the new Royal Shakespeare Company’s “Complete Works of Shakespeare” and is working on a study of the bed in Renaissance drama.
What I teach: courses on American and African-American literature.
Why NIU? “I enjoy teaching at a university with a diverse student population. Furthermore, Northern is an extremely supportive institution – and the English faculty is outstanding and extremely collegial.”
Goals: “I would like to help develop the English department’s emphasis upon ethnic literatures and to contribute to new interdisciplinary programs at the university. My research and teaching are primarily concerned with dialogues – between texts, across disciplines, and over racial boundaries – and I hope to pursue that focus here at NIU.”
What others say: “We could not be more pleased to have Tim Ryan join our faculty. His credentials are as impressive as his personality is warm,” says Philip Eubanks, acting chair of the English department. “We were seeking someone who not only is an expert in African American literature but also has a strong background in a broad spectrum of 20th -century literature. Tim Ryan fills that bill perfectly.”
Background: Shokrani was an assistant professor at Saint Louis University for two years. He has had teaching experience as an adjunct faculty as well. With a Ph.D. in microbiology/immunology and a degree in clinical laboratory science, he has a contributing background for the program and in the department of Allied Health and Communicative Disorders (AHCD). In addition, Shokrani has research and scholastic experience in the biomedical field for many years. His research focus is on the role of signal transduction pathways and mechanism of immune regulation.
What I do: Shokrani teaches medical immunology, medical terminology, clinical microbiology, mycology and clinical chemistry. In addition, he will conduct scholarship activity, advise students and provide service at the level of the program, department, college and university.
Goals: “One of my goals is to be an effective teacher at NIU. I am also interested in doing scholarship and research. I plan to get my course work together and also focus on scholarship activity and earn tenure status.”
Why NIU: “This university offers a very good environment for a junior faculty to flourish his capabilities. NIU is the place to be for someone who wants to have the advantage of being in a quiet college town with the opportunity of being close to amenities of a major city such as Chicago. NIU is an institution on the rise and has the capacity to be one of the best public universities ever. The program in clinical laboratory science at NIU is a well-rounded program that educates outstanding graduates in the field of clinical laboratory science. In addition, the department of AHCD offers medical terminology to students from across the allied health and other disciplines.”
What others say: “The faculty feels that he fills an essential function in the program and meshes well with other faculty’s expertise,” said Jeanne Isabel and Gail Williams, associate professors in the clinical laboratory science program.”
Background: Tira earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Illinois State University (2004) and a master’s degree in Family and Consumer Sciences from Illinois State University (2006). She has experience working as graduate adviser for Family and Consumer Sciences students while completing her master’s degree at ISU. She also served as a temporary academic adviser at Kankakee Community College and a recruitment and admissions coordinator for Ph.D. programs at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
What I do: She is an academic adviser for Family, Consumer and Nutrition Sciences (FCNS) students as well as Early Childhood Studies (ECS) students.
Why NIU: “NIU is a great university outside of the fast-paced life, and the people I’ve met here are some of the friendliest people I’ve ever worked with before.”
Goals: “To gain professional development experience, become more active in advising associations across the nation, help students with academics and finding career goals, and become licensed in marriage and family therapy one day.”
What others say: “Alissa comes to us with lots of good experience, and I think students will find her to be a very supportive person to work with,” said Mary Pritchard, associate dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences. “We’re really glad to have her and her fellow advisers, Kerry Spitze and Liz Harris, here in our new CHHS Advising Team.”
Robert Hoey, an NIU graduate student in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, recently won an award for outstanding research at the 2007 Current Trends in Microcalorimetry Conference in Boston.
The award included a trophy and a prize of $1,000.
Hoey presented a poster describing his research to an audience of international scientists from both academia and industry.
The research poster was co-authored by Hoey’s adviser, Professor James R. Horn in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.
The conference focused on applications of microcalorimetry in the life sciences. Microcalorimetry is a technique that measures the heat of chemical reactions, providing valuable information for the discovery, design and development of new drugs and biotherapeutics.
Hoey and Horn investigated the molecular basis of recognition of an in vitro matured antibody and used microcalorimetry to reveal important insights into the mechanism of antibody binding.
Most of the research presented was performed by Hoey while he was an undergraduate honors capstone student in Horn’s lab. The judges of the poster competition were some of the top biophysical scientists in academia.
Join NIU President John G. Peters as he delivers his annual State of the University Address.
The address begins at 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 27, in the Altgeld Hall Auditorium. A reception immediately follows the address in the Altgeld Auditorium Foyer.
For more information, call the Office of Special Events at (815) 753-1999 or e-mail ellena@niu.edu.
All letters of nomination for the 2008 Presidential Teaching Professorships should be submitted to Earl Seaver, Vice Provost, Office of the Provost, Altgeld Hall 215, no later than Monday, Oct. 1.
Following receipt of a letter of nomination, the selection committee will invite each nominated faculty member to prepare materials in accordance with the published procedure. Only full professors with tenure and at least six years service at NIU are eligible for the award.
The Presidential Teaching Professorships were established in 1990 to recognize those outstanding teachers who have demonstrated over time that they:
The procedure calls for a rigorous and thorough portfolio review including contacting former students. The 2008 recipients will be announced next spring.
Have you been thinking about losing some weight? If so, NIU needs you.
The Employee Assistance Program will sponsor a Weight Watchers at Work group on campus in HSC Blackhawk West at noon Tuesdays if 15 people are willing to commit to participating in the program. Please consider improving your health, losing some weight and helping some NIU employees and yourself.
Contact Karen Smith at (815) 753-9191 for more information.
Rehearsals for the sixth season of the Greater Kishwaukee Area Concert Band will begin at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12. They are held in the Band Room of Huntley Middle School, located at the corner of South Seventh and Taylor streets in DeKalb, and conclude at 9 p.m.
The band is an all-volunteer group made up of anyone 18 and older who has played either a wind or percussion instrument in the past. No auditions are necessary, just an eagerness for fun, to meet new people and to grow musically. John Hansen, retired band director from Malta, is the director.
The first of the four concerts of the season will be held at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 21, in the Boutell Memorial Concert Hall on NIU’s campus. Band members are grateful for Mildred and Joan Sulaver, the concert’s sponsors.
For more information, call Sue at (815) 899-4867 or John at (815) 825-2350.
The fall exhibition season at the Nehring Center Gallery opens with “Natural Selections: Artwork by Kimberly Mullarkey” from Friday, Sept. 14, through Sunday, Oct. 14. The public is invited to an opening reception from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 21.
Mullarkey’s work combines elements of scientific illustration, charcoal drawing and mixed media.
Displayed in conjunction with her pieces is a selection of Mullarkey’s personal natural science collection that both inspired and directed her works: She is a self-described collector of unusual things who believes the art of collecting and labeling is as important as the resulting artwork itself.
As the collection grows, she has started developing a 21st century Cabinet of Curiosities.
Mullarkey received her BFA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and obtained her MFA at NIU. She studied Northern Renaissance oil painting in Monflanquin, France, at the Atelier Néo Médicis. She now teaches botanical art and illustration at the Morton Arboretum, the College of DuPage and the Fine Line in St. Charles. She currently maintains a studio in DeKalb.
“Natural Selections” is free and open to the public during regular gallery hours from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesday and from 1 to 5 p.m. Saturday. The Nehring Gallery also is open by appointment.
Located on the second floor of the historic First National Bank building on the corner of Lincoln Highway and Second Street in downtown DeKalb, the gallery is cooperatively operated by the DeKalb Park District and the NIU College of Visual and Performing Arts Division of Outreach. An entrance accessible to all is available at the 111 S. Second Street entrance.
The Women’s Resource Center has posted its 2007 Fall Events Calendar. Visit http://www.niu.edu/women/URW/WRC_calendar_fall2007_final.pdf for the latest information on support groups, speakers, services and other valuable resources offered by WRC.
All NIU women – students, faculty and staff – are invited to the Networking Luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, Sept. 28, in the Chandelier Room, Adams Hall. Department of Geography associate professor Lesley Rigg and assistant professor David Goldblum will present “Living and Working Environmentally: One Family at a Time.”
The cost is $8 per person. Make a reservation by Tuesday, Sept. 18, by calling (815) 753-0320. For details, visit http://www.niu.edu/women/PCSW/network.shtml.
In conjunction with one of its current exhibitions, “Some Enchanted Evening: 100 Years of Evening Gowns (1900-1999),” the NIU Art Museum is hosting a Big Band Dance Night with dessert buffet and cash bar at the Altgeld Auditorium from 7 to 11 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20.
Swing dance lessons with Barb Heimendinger begin at 7:15 p.m. in the auditorium. The Grand Avenue Big Band will perform from 8 to 11 p.m. Dance lessons and a dessert bar are included in the ticket price. Formal or vintage attire is encouraged, but not required.
All of the NIU Art Museum’s galleries on the first floor, west end, will be open from 7 to 10 p.m. during the event.
The museum also is offering free foxtrot and cha cha dance lessons from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 15, to those who register in advance.
Advance ticket prices for members are $25 for a single or $45 for a couple. Non-members pay $36 for a single or $65 for a couple. Tickets also are available at the door during the event. Members pay $30 for a single or $50 for a couple; non-members pay $40 for a single or $70 for a couple.
Advance tickets can be purchased by credit card or check payable to NIU. To purchase advance tickets, call the museum at (815) 753-1936 or visit www.vpa.niu.edu/museum for a ticket order form. Print and return completed order form by mail or deliver to the museum with payment. The mailing address is NIU Art Museum, Altgeld 116, NIU, DeKalb, IL, 60115.
Free parking is available during this special event in the lot northeast of Gilbert and College Drives. Campus parking is available without a permit after 7 p.m. except for designated service and reserved spaces.