Roger Hoerl, the Donald C. Brate ’45-Stanley G. Peschel ’52 Assistant Professor of Statistics, is to receive the Statistical Advocate of the Year award from the Chicago Chapter of the American Statistical Association. The award, which recognizes those who successfully advocate for the importance of data and sound analysis in a variety of sectors, also celebrates the contributions of the late Harry V. Roberts, a noted statistician whose work had a significant impact on the practice and teaching of statistics. Hoerl, who joined the College last fall, previously led the Applied Statistics Laboratory at GE Global Research. His recent research interests have focused on the development of the discipline of statistical engineering, which provides approaches to address large, complex, unstructured problems.
David Ogawa, associate professor and chair of the Visual Arts Department, has been selected to participate in a National Endowment for the Humanities Summer Seminar at the American Academy in Rome. The seminar brings together scholars from a variety of fields to explore new interpretations of Italian history during the 19th century.
Carol Weisse, director of Health Professions, recently offered a workshop to 120 premedical advisors. “Practical Tools that Promote Core Competency Training” was held during the regional meeting of the Northeast Association of Advisors to the Health Professions in Atlantic City, N.J. Weisse co-hosted the session with Alex Tan of Johns Hopkins University. Weisse was also a panelist for the workshop, “Technology and Advising: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly.”
Also at the NEAAHP meeting, Rhona Beaton, assistant director of Health Professions, was elected president of the organization. Beaton served on the planning committee for the meeting and presented at a leadership session for members.
Ann Anderson, the Agnes S. MacDonald Professor of Mechanical Engineering, and Mary Carroll, professor of chemistry, were awarded a $50,000 grant from the NSF’s Innovation Corps Teams program, enabling them to study the feasibility of commercializing their patented rapid supercritical fabrication method for making aerogels. Union was one of 42 teams selected from more than 270 applicants and is one of the first undergraduate institutions to take part in the program. Others on the team include Brad Bruno, associate professor and chair of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Jose Eduardo Madero Muñoz ’12, Lauren Brown ’11 and Michael Newell ’74.
Bradley Hays, assistant professor of political science, recently participated in an episode of “Congressional Corner” with Alan Chartock on WAMC. Hays discussed the career of former Congressman Anthony Weiner.
Jennifer Matsue, associate professor of music and director of the Asian Studies program, was quoted in a recent article in the Troy Record. Matsue, along with students in the Taiko Ensemble, performed in Troy, N.Y. with other local drumming groups that featured percussion styles from around the world.
Two oil paintings by Tina Lincer, associate director of Communications and Marketing, are included in a group invitational at the Martinez Gallery in Troy, N.Y. “Portraits: Looking into a Glass Darkly” celebrates the gallery’s 12th anniversary. A reception is scheduled for Friday, April 26, 5-8 p.m. during Troy Night Out. The show runs through mid-June. In addition, Lincer will take part in a curated group reading in the Bookmarks series of the Arts Center of the Capital Region, Troy, on Monday, May 13 at 7 p.m. She will read a personal essay addressing the themes of faith and acceptance. Bookmarks is a program of the center’s Memoir Project.