Valerie Barr, professor of computer science, participated in a White House Technology Inclusion Roundtable run by United States Chief Technology Officer Todd Park. The session focused on how to ensure that all youth have the opportunity to participate in the technology sector, particularly those from underserved or historically underrepresented communities.
Michael Vineyard, the Frank and Marie Louise Bailey Professor of Physics, gave a talk, “Reflections on Computational Modeling in the Undergraduate Physics Curriculum,” at the summer meeting of the American Association of Physics Teachers held in Philadelphia.
Scott LaBrake, senior lecturer and accelerator manager in the Physics and Astronomy Department, presented a poster, “Construction of a Scattering Chamber for Ion-Beam Analysis of Environmental Materials in Undergraduate Physics Research” at the 22nd International Conference on the Applications of Accelerators in Research and Industry in Fort Worth, Texas. A paper of the same title was also submitted for the conference. Vineyard, along with three students, were co-authors.
Stephen Berk, the Henry and Sally Schaffer Professor of Holocaust and Jewish Studies, will be a featured speaker at Hobart and William Smith Colleges’ Symposium on Genocide and Human Rights. Berk will speak at 7 p.m. Sept. 20 on “The Holocaust Revisited.” Berk also recently spoke at the Drew University Center for Holocaust/Genocide Study. In a preview of his talk with the New Jersey Jewish News, Berk discussed being a “child of World War II.”
Jennifer Matsue, director of the Asian Studies program, had an article accepted to the Journal of Asian Studies. “Stars to the State and Beyond: Globalization, Identity and Asian Popular Music” will appear in the publication’s May 2013 issue.
Jeffrey Corbin, associate professor of biology, and Miriam Katz of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute had a paper published in the American Geophysicists’ Union publication, Eos. They offered ways that student and faculty presented climate change science to counter Chrisopher Monckston’s visit to the College in March and a similar experience at RPI. The paper was titled “Effective Strategies to Counter Presentations on Climate Denial.” Corbin also co-chaired a symposium at the North American Congress for Conservation Biology titled, “Managing Novel Ecosystems: Bridging the Gap Between Research and Practice.”
“National Policies, State Response and Community College Outcomes: Testing an Augmented Bennett Hypothesis” by Allison Frederick ’10; Stephen Schmidt, professor of economics; and Lewis Davis, associate professor of economics, will appear in the December issue of the Economics of Education Review. The article estimates the effect of the American Graduation Initiative on community college enrollments, tuition rates and educational quality.
An article by Lewis Davis, associate professor of economics, and Fuat Sener, professor of economics, will appear in the October issue of the European Economic Review. The paper, “Private Patent Protection in the Theory of Schumpeterian Growth,” considers the legal and economic conditions under which private legal action to enforce intellectual property rights will increase the rate of innovation.
Pilar Moyano, professor of Spanish, attended a faculty development program in international business this summer, “Teaching Spanish for Business: A Global Approach.” The program, conducted by the Center for International Business Education and Research of the Florida International University, was in preparation for a new course Moyano will teach this winter, “Spanish for Business and Economics.” The program was held at the University of Salamanca in Spain. Moyano also delivered a paper at the International Conference on the Bicentenary of the Spanish Constitution of 1812 in Cadiz, Spain. Her talk centered on the input of elite women on the Constitution of 1812 through their literary and political salons.
An essay co-authored by Christopher Chabris, associate professor of psychology, was published in The Wall Street Journal. “Do Our Gadgets Really Threaten Planes?” looked at the Federal Aviation Administration’s restrictions of cellphone use during take-off and landing. Daniel Simons of the University of Illinois was his co-author.
George Gmelch, the Roger Thayer Stone Professor of Anthropology, is part of an interdisciplinary team that received a $2.5 million grant from the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. The grant is for a multi-year study of employment-related geographical mobility, labor migration and its many impacts on the workers' home communities and on regional economic development. Gmelch's research will be conducted in several Newfoundland communities over the next several summers with the help of student assistants.