4. Led by John Tucker, professor of
history and director of Asian Stud-
ies, the month-long trip provided an
extraordinary opportunity for teach-
ers to learn about Japanese culture,
history and schooling.
“It was like a visual feast,” said
Catherine Allen who teaches social
studies at the Oakwood School. “I
couldn’t tell you how many thou-
sands of pictures I took. I just kept
hoping I would somehow be able to
capture what I was experiencing.”
The group – made up of public and
private school teachers from around
the state and three ECU Teach-
ing Fellows – stayed in Kyoto and
conducted field studies at historical
sites and cultural events.
They visited more than two dozen
Buddhist temples and Shinto
shrines, saw three samurai castles
and toured the ancient imperial pal-
ace in Kyoto, the current imperial
palace in Tokyo and the Hiroshima
Peace Park.
In addition, they attended a Noh
had more responsibility at younger
ages and received lessons in practi-
cal life skills in addition to tradi-
tional subjects.
Glenna Theurer, who teaches
Suzuki Method violin, a style that
originated in Japan, noticed how
society informs the country’s teach-
ing philosophies. “It is interesting
to see how much of the philosophy
of that method was rooted in the
value system of Japan, the religion
and the culture, and to realize how
much of that is the norm in educa-
tion there,” she said.
Though philosophies may dif-
fer, Japanese students seemed to
share many of the same interests as
American kids, said Damon Percy,
an ECU Teaching Fellow. “I didn’t
see too much of a difference in
their lives versus the lives of chil-
dren here,” he said.
A grant from the U.S. Depart-
ment of Education Fulbright-Hays
Group Project Abroad Program
covered the costs of the trip, about
$84,000.
Before traveling, most of the teach-
ers had completed seminars devoted
to education about Asia, sponsored
by the North Carolina Teaching
Asia Network (NCTAN) based at
the University of North Carolina-
Chapel Hill. Led by Tucker, the
ECU-NCTAN seminar included
presentations about Asian history,
language and culture by ECU fac-
ulty, and guest lecturers.
The teachers will receive academic
credit for their field studies and will
complete lesson plans showing how
they will integrate what they learned
about Japanese history, language
and culture into their teaching.
‘‘
“
play, a kabuki performance and a
dance performance by maiko (ap-
prentice geisha). They donned ki-
monos and took part in a traditional
Kyoto-style multi-course meal,
watched a Japanese baseball game,
took a day-trip to Tokyo Disney and
enjoyed many more cultural activi-
ties.
It was a continual
pleasure for me,” said
Tucker, who led a sim-
ilar tour last summer.
“There was a lot of
activity, and we were
determined not to
miss a second of it.
For many of the teachers, the most
informative part of the trip came
on visits to Japanese schools and
universities. The teachers were spe-
cial guests at five universities, where
they had the opportunity to discuss
Japanese and American educational
theories.
They also visited K-12 schools to
watch Japanese classrooms in ac-
tion. There, they saw differences
in approach between Japanese and
American systems. Japanese stu-
dents appeared motivated to learn,
Photo: Alfreda Sherman Photo: Tucker’s group with Takamigaoka principal and staff
It is interesting to see
how much of the phi-
losophy of that method
was rooted in the value
system of Japan, the
religion and the culture,
and to realize how much
of that is the norm in
education there.
‘‘
“
Gleena Theurer,
North Carolina Teacher
6
5. When the vice president’s office calls
with a dinner invitation, you can’t very
well turn it down. Especially if, like
Jody Baumgartner, assistant professor
of political science, you study Ameri-
can vice presidents.
Baumgartner’s extraordinary invita-
tion came by way of an advisor toVice
President Joe Biden this past May. He
was asked to join several other experts
on the vice presidency for a special
dinner to be hosted by Biden in his
Massachusetts Avenue home on June 9.
Baumgartner has published a book,
“The AmericanVice Presidency Re-
considered” (2006), and several articles
on the subject of vice presidents but
never thought he would have the
chance to dine with one.
“I was very surprised,” he said. “It was
very exciting.There is no other way to
say it.”
Guests at the June 9 dinner included
three other scholars, a former advisor
toVice PresidentWalter Mondale, U.S.
SenatorTed Kaufman of Delaware and
several of Biden’s advisors.
The meal, which was served in a
formal dining room, consisted of
salad, a fish entrée, dessert and coffee.
But the most memorable part was the
conversation that unfolded through the
courses.
Biden had called the gathering to
converse about the opportunities and
pitfalls facing a vice president.While
Baumgartner did not reveal specifics of
their talk, he did say Biden seemed to
have a good sense of the office from a
historical perspective.
“I got the distinct impression that he
had a fair idea of what was going on
already. I think he called together this
convocation to confirm those ideas
and see if anything new came out,”
Baumgartner said.
Baumgartner’s research has shown that,
though the primary job of the vice
president is to help the president, some
have found this secondary role to be
a difficult one. “If vice presidents can
avoid having other expectations for the
job, they seem to be setting themselves
up for more success,” he said.
Baumgartner also noted that vice
presidents have become more influen-
tial, more powerful and more involved
sinceWalter Mondale served under
President Jimmy Carter. He sees Biden
continuing this trend.
“In spite of the fact that Biden is not
going to be another Dick Cheney,
there is no chance that he’s going to
fade into the background. He may not
overtake Cheney in terms of power
and influence, but he’s not going to go
backwards.That’s the trajectory this
institution is on,” Baumgartner said.
All in all, Baumgartner enjoyed the ex-
perience, describing it as “pretty cool,”
and “a heck of a nice deal.”
And, he spoke highly of his host:
“He’s a very nice fellow. Some of it is
probably practiced, but I get the sense
that he is, genuinely, a really nice guy.”
“He’s a very nice fellow. Some of it is
probably practiced, but I get the sense
that he is, genuinely, a really nice guy.“ Jody Baumgartner,
assistant professor of political science
8
6. This past spring, 10 local elementary
and middle school science teach-
ers conducted ecological and ge-
netic research at ECU’sWest Research
Campus, in continuation of a two-year
immersion in field experiences that
prepare them to be scientific leaders in
their schools and communities.
The project, known as “Big Ideas
in Science,” is funded by the NC
QUEST Program from the Center to
UNC General Administration, and is
a collaborative partnership among the
Thomas Harriot College of Arts and
Sciences, the College of Education
and Beaufort County Schools.
As selected participants in the project,
teachers spent more than 160 hours
actively involved in learning new
science content, refining their instruc-
tional skills and developing expertise
in leadership—all to improve the
quality of science teaching in eastern
North Carolina.
During their two-day immersion at the
West Research Campus, the visiting
science teachers focused on research
of a long-term ecological experiment.
They embarked on a new investiga-
tion, seeking to answer the question
of whether fertilization and natural
disturbance treatments affect the com-
munity of bacteria in the soils.
Using classic microbiology techniques
and DNA sequencing, participants
began to identify the bacteria present
and determine whether these differ
among the fertilizer and disturbance
treatments.
“The study has provided some excit-
ing and unexpected insights into the
effects of the treatments on the plant
community,” said Dr. Carol Goodwil-
lie, associate professor of biology and
partner in the project.
According to Goodwillie, work the
teachers participated in this spring will
set the stage for further studies of soil
ecology at the research site.
“If our
students
have as
much fun
as we’re
having,
they will
love science,” said Susan
Howard, a participant in
the project.
Photo: Sheri Hale
10
7. This fall, an ECU faculty member
shares credit for discovering a new
genus of salamander from the
southern Appalachians. Dr. Trip
Lamb, professor in the Department
of Biology, co-authored the article
in the Journal of Zoology’s Septem-
ber issue that details the finding and
classification of the new genus and
species of lungless salamander.
It’s the first new genus of amphib-
ian to be described from North
America in 50 years. The research-
ers call it the “patch nosed sala-
mander” for the yellow patch on its
snout.
Around the world there are ap-
proximately 500 species of salaman-
der. North Carolina boasts a high
species count for salamanders with
nearly 60, said Lamb.
Lamb’s co-authors are graduate stu-
dents Bill Peterman of the Univer-
sity of Missouri and Joe Milanovich
of the University of Georgia, who
found the tiny salamander; ecologist
J.C. Maerz, Milanovich’s major pro-
fessor at UGA; herpetologist Carlos
Camp at Piedmont College, who
performed the initial identification;
and David Wake at the University
of California-Berkley, a comparative
anatomist and an expert on lungless
salamanders.
Lamb had been contacted by Camp
at Piedmont College to help with
the initial identification as more and
more facts pointed to a new species.
“I first compared DNA sequences
from the new salamander with
those of several brook salamanders
and related genera,” said Lamb, an
evolutionary biologist.
As he began the analysis, Lamb
said that he joked with his graduate
student, David Beamer, “Wouldn’t
it be wild if this fell outside of the
brook salamanders? And it did. We
were stunned.”
Lamb’s sequencing showed high
levels of genetic divergence relative
to the brook salamanders, so Camp
toyed with the idea of describing it
as a new genus, he said. That’s when
Wake, the world’s expert on lungless
salamanders, was called in.
The new species is Urspelerpes bru-
cei; the specific epithet commemo-
rates Dick Bruce, a well-known
salamander ecologist who was
director of the Highlands Biological
Station in western North Carolina,
Lamb said.
The lungless salamanders belong
to the family Plethodontidae, the
largest and most geographically
widespread family of salamanders.
Of the 580 species of salamander,
nearly 400 are plethodontids, he
said. They exchange respiratory gas-
es (oxygen, carbon dioxide) through
their thin moist skin and the lining
of the mouth, as all amphibians do,
but for lungless salamanders, skin is
their only avenue for gas transfer.
One of the more remark-
able things about this new
salamander is that it occurs
right here in the United
States, opposed to some
remote tropical locale, and
in the Appalachian Moun-
tains, a region well known
for its salamander diversity
and one well studied by
biologists,” Lamb said.“Yet
this species eluded discovery
until 2007.
The new species, at 25 to 26 mm,
vies with the pigmy salamander for
the tiniest species of salamander in
the United States.
“Discovering something like this is
luck of the draw,” Lamb said. “It’s
a matter of serendipity that these
guys found this salamander. And
describing a new species new to sci-
ence is pretty exciting.”
“
‘‘
Photo: Dr. Trip Lamb with Patch Nosed Salamander
12
8. According to the U.S. Department
of Labor, one of the fastest grow-
ing technology industries within our
economy, along with the growth of
nanotechnology and biotechnology,
involves the application of advanced
geospatial technologies.These new
information technologies include
the development and use of satellite
images, global positioning systems
and geographic information systems,
and they are used in virtually every
sector of the economy, ranging from
transportation and utilities, the health
industry and intelligence agencies.
This fall, ECU students and faculty
are benefiting from a large gift, gener-
ously provided by IAVO Research and
Scientific, a geospatial technology firm
located in Durham, N.C. IAVO’s gift,
which arrived on campus this past
spring, consists of more than 100
copies of their GeoGenesis® image-
processing software, valued at nearly
$3.2 million, which will be used over a
five-year period.
Students and faculty within the areas
of geography, urban planning, geolog-
ical sciences, maritime studies, anthro-
pology and computer science will use
the free software to analyze satellite
and other earth images.
Dr. Matt Heric, CEO of IAVO, and
Dr. Ron Mitchelson, former chair
of the Department of Geography,
orchestrated the GeoGenesis gift.
“This is a very generous offer from
Matt and his colleagues at IAVO.This
type of software is very expensive, and
with tight budgets, we are very thank-
ful,” said Mitchelson. “Our students
will make great use of this software as
they learn to inventory the surface of
our planet in a scientific way and then
to analyze those inventories with rigor
and creativity.”
GeoGenesis is a unified image-pro-
cessing suite specifically designed to
support modern geodata production
services.With the GeoGenesis com-
puter suite, students at ECU receive
a package that is geared to support
mapping, feature extraction, digital
elevation modeling and the manage-
ment of these tasks. Some students
might be looking for pre-historic
settlements, others might be examin-
ing vulnerable coastlines, or designing
a new subdivision, while still others
might be estimating the area of imper-
vious surfaces and storm water issues.
“The applications of the software are
endless,” said Heric. “Mastering these
tools provides great marketability for
all students.”
Photo: Eric Lester, Ron Mitchelson, Matt Heric
Our students will make great use of this
software as they learn to inventory the
surface of our planet in a scientific way
and then to analyze those inventories with
rigor and creativity.
“ “
Ron Mitchelson,
former chair of the Department of Geography
14
9. Though the Civil War has long
past, history of this epic era con-
tinues to surface. This summer,
ECU professors and students in
the Maritime History and Nautical
Archaeology Program spent nearly
four weeks identifying and docu-
menting submerged vessels within
the Pee Dee River near Mars
Bluff, South Carolina.
The summer field school was un-
der the supervision of ECU pro-
fessors Drs. Larry Babits and Lynn
Harris and was a joint project
between ECU and the South Caro-
lina Institute of Archaeology and
Anthropology at the University of
South Carolina.
According to Babits and Harris,
the Mars Bluff Naval Yard was
one of five inland water naval
facilities created in 1862 by Con-
federate States Naval Secretary
Stephen Mallory in an attempt to
build a strong navy to defend the
South.
Nolen Caudell and Adam
Edmonds, two ECU students,
participated in the summer field
school, gathering data for their
graduate theses. Caudell and
Edmonds, as well as other stu-
dents, learned a full range of un-
derwater archaeological searching,
mapping, recording, excavating
and recovery techniques.
Goals of the field school included
identifying and documenting sub-
merged resources in the Pee Dee
River, and uncovering, recording
and recovering elements of the
CSS Pee Dee armament, ordnance
and related materials, as well as
artifacts associated with the Con-
federate Naval yard.
Harris said the project aimed “to
increase understanding of the role
played by inland Confederate
Navy yards during 1862-65 and
the type of vessels produced dur-
ing these years.”
Photo: learnnc.org
16
10. ECU geographer, Derek Alderman,
received the highest teaching award
given at the university during the
Teaching Awards ceremony held this
past April 28 in the Mendenhall Stu-
dent Center.
Derek Alderman, associate professor
in the Department of Geography,
was selected as the ECU recipient of
the annual UNC Board of Governors
Award for Excellence inTeaching.
The award was one of several present-
ed during the ceremony.Thirty-seven
faculty members from a variety of dis-
ciplines were nominated or presented
with awards. Several faculty members
were recognized in more than one
category.
Chancellor Steve Ballard said, while
the university provides many impor-
tant services, teaching is “at the heart
and soul of the institution.”
“I think what you all are doing makes
all the difference in the world for our
students and our future,” he told the
nominees.
Alderman began his career at ECU in
2000 and, in 2005, became a ten-
ured associate professor. He holds an
undergraduate degree in history from
Georgia Southern College and master’s
and doctoral degrees in geography
from the University of Georgia. He
has received the Board of Governors
Distinguished Professor forTeaching
Award, the Robert L. Jones Award
for OutstandingTeaching and the
Scholar-Teacher Award, in addition to
other honors.
Alderman has authored a book, 12
chapters in edited books and more
than 40 journal articles. He has
become a nationally known expert on
the politics of naming streets and oth-
er public places after Martin Luther
King Jr., and has been quoted in more
than 90 interviews with the media.
“I’m truly honored to be recognized
among all of my great colleagues,”
Alderman said. “One of the reasons
I enjoy this institution so much is its
commitment to research, teaching and
service.”
Alderman credited a mentor from his
undergraduate days with his success-
ful teaching model, which includes an
open door policy, constant communi-
cation with students, the involvement
of students in research, and the culti-
vation of a challenging and engaging
classroom atmosphere.
“The university is more than just a
transfer of information,” Alderman
said. “Our job as university professors
is to create opportunities and environ-
ments in which we can put students in
places where they can help construct
their own knowledge.”
During ECU’s commencement
ceremony, a member of the Board of
Governors presented Alderman with
a commemorative bronze medal and a
$7,500 cash prize.
Several additional awards were pre-
sented during the ECU ceremony.
Six faculty members were selected
for the 2009 Board of Governors
Distinguished Professor forTeach-
ing Awards. Recipients were Michael
Harris (Management), Jeannie Golden
(Psychology), Mark Richardson (Mu-
sic), John Howard (Communication),
Sue Steinweg (Curriculum & Instruc-
tion) and Linda Mooney (Sociology).
Each recipient received $1,000 from
the UNC system.
The Max Ray Joyner Award for
Faculty Service through Continuing
Education was presented to Shanan
Gwaltney Gibson of the College of
Business Department of Management.
Gibson received a $1,750 cash prize
and a plaque.
Eighteen faculty members were
nominated for the 2009 East Carolina
Alumni Association Awards for Out-
standingTeaching.Three winners were
selected for the association’s Robert
L. Jones Award.Winners were Shanan
Gwaltney Gibson (Management), Lisa
Clough (Biology) andTodd Fraley
(Communication).
18
Photo:SteveBallard,DerekAlderman
11. Harriot College Dean’s Office
Congratulations to JenniferTripp,
director of development, and Scott
Wells, major gifts officer, for their
contributions to ECU’s fundraising
efforts.This summer, ECU as a whole
was awarded the 2009 Council for the
Advancement of Education (CASE)
“WealthEngine Award for Educa-
tional Fundraising.”This award honors
superior fundraising programs across
the country and is a component of
CASE’s Circle of Excellence program.
Anthropology
Dr. Eric Bailey, professor of anthro-
pology, recently received a federal
grant from the Health Resources &
Services Administration for 2009-
2010.The nearly $13,000 grant
will be used to develop a new on-
line graduate certificate program in
“Ethnic & Rural Health Disparities”
at ECU. For more information on the
new program, visit http://blogs.aos.
ecu.edu/cer.
Dr. Charles Ewen supervised a group
of 11 undergraduate students and two
graduate students this summer dur-
ing a five-week long archaeology field
school.The field school, located in
Bath, NC, gave students the opportu-
nity to excavate an 18th century mer-
chant storehouse cellar, with artifacts
dating as far back as 1710.
Asian Studies
This September, Dr. JohnTucker,
director of the Asian Studies Program,
presented a paper at NationalTaiwan
University (NTU) inTaipei,Taiwan,
at an international conference on
“East Asian Confucianism and Japa-
neseThought.”Tucker was invited to
take part in the conference by NTU,
who sponsored the conference and
paid for expenses incurred to allow
Tucker to attend.
Biology
Research conducted by ECU biolo-
gist Dr. Jason Bond and former PhD
student Dr. Paul Marek appeared in a
summer issue of the Proceedings of
the National Academy of Sciences
USA.Their study demonstrates that
Southern Appalachian Mountain
millipedes located in the mountain-
ous regions of Virginia, Kentucky
andTennessee, have evolved a set of
defense mechanisms and color patterns
that serve as a warning to potential
predators. Marek and Bond document
this form of mimicry known as “Mül-
lerian mimicry” in seven species that
vary considerably in their warning col-
oration and distribution.The article
has generated considerable interest in
scientific circles and recently was re-
viewed in an issue of Current Biology.
Marek is now a National Institutes of
Health PERT postdoctoral research
associate at the University of Arizona.
Anne Bunnell, teaching instructor in
biology, directed ECU’s second annual
PIRATES Summer Science Camp this
June. PIRATES, an acronym for Part-
nering with Industrial and Regional
Assets forTeaching and Enrichment in
Science, gives rising junior and senior
high school students from Beaufort,
Greene, Martin and Pitt counties the
opportunity to immerse themselves in
science.This summer, 36 high school
students interested in exploring science
majors and science careers attended
one of two, two-week camps.
Biology professors Joseph Luczkovich,
Susan McRae and Kyle Summers took
a group of students to Panama this
summer to teach them about terres-
trial and marine ecology.The month-
long trip was organized with the help
of the Smithsonian, which runs the
SmithsonianTropical Research Insti-
tute (STRI) in the Central American
country.
Chemistry
This summer, ECU hosted its first
“LatinoYouthVisit,” co-coordinated
by Dr. Rosa Alvarez-Bell, assistant
professor of chemistry and co-coor-
dinator for Latino Day at ECU.The
event, held on July 18, familiarized
eastern North Carolina high school
Latino students and their families with
college life and the admissions process.
Students from Duplin, Edgecombe,
Greene, Lenoir, Nash, Pitt andWilson
counties attended the free event, which
was co-sponsored by the Associa-
tion of Mexicans in North Carolina,
the North Carolina Civic Education
Consortium, and the LatinYouth in
Action student group.
Geography
Three associate professors of geogra-
phy recently have received grants for
their fields of research.
Dr. Hong-Bing Su was awarded a
grant from the National Science
Foundation for his research titled
“Collaborative Research: Measurement
and Modeling of Aerodynamic Inter-
actions BetweenTree-Sway-Motion
andTurbulence In and Above a Forest
Canopy.”The project seeks to improve
our understanding of the character-
istics and mechanisms of the atmo-
spheric turbulence within and just
above forest canopies.This thinnest
and lowest layer of the atmosphere is
the interface for exchanges of green-
house gases, particles and energy from
the earth’s surface.The potential role
of forest canopy motion in slowing or
adapting to climate changes is a goal
of this research.
Dr.YongWang received a grant from
the United States Geological Survey
for his research with the North Caro-
linaView (NCView) Consortium,
whose members include ECU as the
leading institute, UNC-Chapel Hill,
UNCWilmington, Central Piedmont
Community College, Pitt County
Management Information Systems and
InformationTechnology Services of
the City of Wilson.
Dr.TadWasklewicz has received three
grants over the past year to continue
work on mass wasting in steep to-
pography. He received a National
Geographic Society grant through
whichWasklewicz will conduct field
data collection with a terrestrial laser
scanner at the U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) and NationalWeather Ser-
vice (NWS) Intensive Research Area
(IRA).
In the summer of 2009,Wasklewicz
served as a USGS Senior Scientist in
Residence at the Landslides Hazards
Program in Golden, Co.The work en-
tailed repeat terrestrial laser scanning
to aid in a study of how debris flows
initiate by surface water runoff during
short, intense rainstorms.The antici-
pated results will be used to improve
probabilistic and physical models
of the transition from surface water
runoff to debris flow throughout the
Western United States.
Finally,Wasklewicz has been awarded
an NSF grant for his research on
“Geomorphic Connectivity in Recent-
ly BurnedWatersheds.”
Sociology
Congratulations goes to RebeccaWil-
liammee, an administrative associate in
sociology, who completed her bach-
elor’s degree this past May. Rebecca’s
husband and another ECU employee,
JedWilliammee, also completed a
bachelor’s degree this past May.
20
Photo:PIRATESsummer
scienceparticipant
Photo:Dr.Summersholdsa
browncaimancrocodile
Faculty and Staff
Accomplishments
12. Economics
The 10th anniversary of Hurricane Floyd was commemorated in a two-day
symposium discussing the response to, recovery from and ongoing research
related to the devastating storm.The symposium was organized by the Center
for Natural Hazards Research and was held Sept. 17 and 18 at the City Hotel
and Bistro in Greenville. Speakers include ECU researchers and scientists from
around the country; former Governor Jim Hunt, who was in office when the
hurricane struck eastern North Carolina; and the Honorable Richard Moore,
who, as then-Secretary of the Department of Crime Control and Public Safety,
led the state’s emergency response to Floyd.The event focused on the history of
Floyd, as well as the future of hurricane hazard response and research.
History
Dr. LarryTise,Wilbur and OrvilleWright Distinguished Professor of His-
tory, has authored a new book about theWright Brothers titled “Conquering
the Sky:The Secret Flights of theWright Brothers at Kitty Hawk.” Palgrave
Macmillan in NewYork has published the book, which became available on
September 29.
Maritime History & Nautical
Archaeology
Nathan Richards, Steve Sellers, and
JohnWagner, from the maritime stud-
ies program, received an honorable
recognition this summer for ECU’s
efforts in preserving historic ship-
wreck sites. Secretary of the Interior
Ken Salazar presented a “Partners in
Conservation Award” to the Battle of
the Atlantic Expedition off the North
Carolina coast. Richards, Sellers, and
Wagner represented ECU on the
project, which included partnerships
between 15 other individuals within
six other organizations and universi-
ties, and was brought together under
the leadership of the National Ocean-
ographic and Atmospheric Admin-
istration’s Monitor National Marine
Sanctuary.
Physics
Associate professor and assistant chair
for graduate studies in physics, Dr.
Michael Dingfelder, and co-investiga-
tor and physics professor, Dr. Larry
Toburen, received a one-year funded
extension for their current NASA
grant titled “Patterns of Energy De-
position by HZE Particles in Cellular
Targets.”This is the fifth year of fund-
ing for Dingfelder andToburen.
Drs. Jeff Shinpaugh and LarryTo-
buren recently were awarded a Na-
tional Science Foundation grant in
the amount of $867,982, which will
be used to replace the 1970s model
particle accelerator and supporting
beam components located in the ECU
Accelerator Laboratory.
Political Science
Dr. Olga Smirnova co-authored a
paper “Reassessing Privatization Strat-
egies 25Years Later: Revisiting Perry
and Babitsky’s Comparative Perfor-
mance Study of Urban BusTransit
Services,” which appears in Public
Administration Review, vol. 69, issue
5, pp 855-867.
Dr. Jalil Roshandel, with Dr. Anjali
Sahay of Gannon University, has co-
authored a paper titled “Iran to India
Natural Gas Pipeline: Implications
and Challenges for Regional Security,”
which will appear in the January 2010
edition of Strategic Analysis.
This September, Dr. Peter Francia was
interviewed by theWashingtonTimes,
concerning the role of labor in elec-
tions and the making of legislation.
To ready the article, visit http://www.
washingtontimes.com/news/2009/
sep/07/big-labor-rising-but-main-
goals-unmet/?feat=home_headlines.
Psychology
Dr. Shahnaz Aziz was selected as an
editorial board member for the Open
Education Journal.
Recently, Dr. Erik Everhart was asked
to chair an NIH study section on
Psychopathology, developmental dis-
abilities, stress and aging.The study
section, which meets in November,
is reviewing F12b grants, which are
predoctoral, postdoctoral and MD/
PhD fellowships. Everhart also has
been asked to be the opening speaker
for the National Multiple Sclerosis
Society’s local chapter conference on
February 20, 2010.The focus of his
talk will be cognitive issues and mul-
tiple sclerosis.
Dr. Lisa Campbell, assistant professor
of psychology and associate director
of the Center for Health Disparities
Research, recently was appointed to a
National Institutes of Health study
section on behavioral medicine inter-
ventions and outcomes. She also will
serve as a guest editor for the Journal
of Best Practices in Health Profes-
sions Diversity for a special issue on
black male health. Finally, Campbell
gave the keynote address on “Impact
of Prostate Cancer on the Family”
at the 6th annual Prostate Cancer
Awareness and Education Conference
on Sept. 19 in Raleigh, and she gave
a joint presentation with the Health
Disparities Centers form UNC,Wake
Forest andWinston-Salem State at
the annual conference of the North
Carolina Public Health Association
on Sept. 30.
This summer, Dr. Lesley Lutes, a
licensed clinical psychologist in the
treatment of obesity, and health
psychology graduate students, Ma-
rissa Errickson and Emily Steinbaugh,
joined forces with faculty from the Pe-
diatric HealthyWeight Research and
Treatment Center in delivery of “Take
Off 4-Health,” a three-week summer
camp for adolescents with weight chal-
lenges. The camp, held at the Eastern
4-H Environmental Education Center
in Columbia, NC, was attended by
32 overweight teens between the ages
of 13 and 17, who wanted to make
healthy lifestyle changes, decrease their
weight, and learn skills to maintain
their healthy changes long-term.
Lutes is also co-investigator on a grant
awarded by the NIH to the University
of Wyoming for $16,000,000. Lutes
will receive $100,000 per year, for five
years, to conduct an internet-based
study on physical activity.
Dr. Susan McCammon was re-elected
for another three-year term to the
American Psychological Association
Task Force on Serious Mental Illness/
Serious Emotional Disturbance.
Dr. Chris Riley-Tillman was invited
to join the editorial board of School
Psychology Quarterly. He also has
been asked to represent the Council
for Directors of School Psychol-
ogy Programs at the 2009 American
Psychological Association Education
Leadership conference.The conference
meets October 3-6, inWashington,
DC.
22
Photo: Recovery after September 1999 Hurricane Floyd outside of ECU’s Taylor/
Slaughter Alumni Center
13. Kristen Dalton, a Spanish
major, was the winner of the
“Miss USA 2009” pageant
and placed 10th in the “Miss
Universe 2009” pageant, which
was held at the Atlantis Resort
in the Bahamas.
Richard Barnhill, graduate
student in the Department of
Geography, presented a paper
at the 34th American Meteo-
rological Society conference on
Radar Meteorology inWil-
liamsburg,Va., on October 6.
Barnhill’s paper titled “Re-
gionalVariation of Convective
Structure at Monsoon Onset
across South America inferred
fromTRMM Observations,”
was co-authored by geogra-
phy professors Drs.Thomas
Rickenbach and Rosana
Nieto-Ferreira, with another
fellow graduate student, Emily
Wright.The paper is a result of
research funded by the Nation-
al Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration on the onset of
the South American Monsoon.
Whitney Bronson, a senior,
undergraduate anthropology
student and minor in Asian
studies, recently was selected
to give a poster presenta-
tion at the upcoming 108th
Association of American
Anthropologists meeting
in Philadelphia. Bronson’s
poster is “Fears of Failure:
The Perceptions of Chinese
High School and University
Students About the Fairness
of the University Admission
Process in Mainland China.”
Jesse Creech, a graduate of the
psychology program, co-authored a
paper with psychology professor Dr.
Jeannie Golden.Their paper, titled
“Increasing Braille Practice and Read-
ing Comprehension in a Student with
Visual Impairment and Moderate
Mental Retardation: An Initial Study
and Follow-up,” recently appeared
in the Journal of Development and
Physical Disabilities. Creech began the
work as a project for Golden’s PSYC
4333 (Contingency management in
the classroom) course. She is now
pursuing her master’s degree in social
work at ECU.
Diana Gliga, a gradu-
ate student in biology,
was awarded a Fall 2009
graduate fellowship from
the ECU chapter of the
Phi Kappa Phi national
honor society. Gliga also
received the southeastern
regional award for “Most
Outstanding Student” in
the national Phi Kappa
Phi competition. She re-
ceived a named fellowship
of $5,000. She has been
accepted into the doctor-
ate of pharmacy program
at UNC, Chapel Hill.
This summer, along
with 11 undergraduate
students, Dawn Luker
and Lauren McMillan,
graduate students in the
Department of An-
thropology, spent five
weeks participating in
a hands-on archaeology
field school. Under the
direction of Dr. Charles
Ewen, professor of an-
thropology, the students
worked on excavating an
18th century merchant
storehouse cellar located
in Bath, NC. Historic
ceramic artifacts found in
the cellar date as far back
as 1710 to 1780.
Ajlana Music, a doctoral student in
health psychology, was selected as a re-
cipient of the David Hardee Scholarship,
awarded by the Mental Health Asso-
ciation in Pitt County. Music received a
$500 scholarship and was invited to at-
tend the meeting of the Steering Commit-
tee of the Mental Health Association of
Pitt County, on September 30, where she
met the Director of the Mental Health
Association of North Carolina.
Jennifer Satterwhite, a biol-
ogy undergraduate, was one of
15 students attending North
Carolina universities to be
awarded a $5,000 Undergradu-
ate Research Fellowship Award
funded by the North Carolina
Biotechnology Center’s Educa-
tion andTraining Program.
Through the fellowship, Sat-
terwhite will conduct at least
400 hours of research, de-
liver a seminar on her research,
present a paper or poster at a
professional conference, and
attend a regional or state meet-
ing on the business aspects of
biotechnology.
24
Student
Accomplishments
14. This past spring, Nathan Lean, a
graduate student in the International
Studies Program, was awarded a U.S.
Department of State Critical Lan-
guage Scholarship, which allowed him
to study Arabic inTunisia during the
summer.
Lean, a native of Goldsboro, traveled
to the Centre d’Etudes Maghrébines
inTunisia for an eight-week program
of classes in both Modern Standard
Arabic andTunisian dialect.
Prior to leaving for the trip Lean said,
“I am honored to have received this
scholarship.The opportunity to travel
toTunisia and immerse myself in
the study of the Arabic language and
North African culture is thrilling.This
program will help fulfill the goals of
my academic career.”
While working on his undergradu-
ate degree at ECU, where he majored
in piano performance, Lean took a
Global Understanding course that he
says changed the direction of his life
and made him more globally aware. In
2006, he won a Global Understand-
ing Scholarship from ECU to live and
study in Morocco.While in Morocco,
Lean partnered with the United States
Embassy to develop a music program
that sent him traveling around the
country giving concerts.
“There could not be a more critical
time to study Arabic,” Lean said.
The CLS is one of the most pres-
tigious language scholarships in the
world and is part of the National Se-
curity Language Initiative, a U.S. gov-
ernment interagency effort to expand
dramatically the number of Americans
studying and mastering critical need
foreign languages.
In 2009, from more than 5,400 ap-
plications, the Department of State
awarded scholarships to more than
500 U.S. undergraduate and graduate
students for the study of Arabic, Indic
There could not be a more
critical time to study Arabic.”
languages (Bangla/Bengali, Hindi,
Punjabi, Urdu),Turkic languages
(Turkish, Azerbaijani), Chinese, Ko-
rean, Persian and Russian.
All program costs were covered by
the scholarship, including travel, pre-
departure orientation costs, applicable
visa fees, room, board, group-based in-
tensive language instruction, program-
sponsored travel withinTunisia and all
entrance fees for program activities.
“
“
26
Nathan Lean,
ECU Graduate Student
Photo: Lean (on right) with former US Ambassader to Tunisia, Robert
Godec
Photo: Lean (second from left) with other students in the Arabic Program Photo: Fellow colleague and professor with Lean (on right) in Dougg Photo: Lean (on left) with friend in Tunisia
15. This past May, three graduating
seniors received the 2009 Robert
H.Wright Alumni Leadership
Award, which recognizes academic
achievement, service and leadership
qualities. Recipients were Joel Banjo-
Johnson, Diana Gliga and Stefanie
Wethington.
“These three students have dis-
tinguished themselves with their
exceptional academic and leader-
ship performance.We are proud to
highlight their accomplishments and
hold them up as examples to the
Pirate Nation,” said Paul J. Clif-
ford, president of the East Carolina
Alumni Association.
Banjo-Johnson graduated with a
double major in broadcast journal-
ism and German. She has been
recognized as an Emerging Leader
of theYear, an Outstanding Stu-
dent Leader of theYear, a lifetime
member of Phi Kappa Phi and an
Outstanding German student. She
has received an American Legion
Award for Scholastic Excellence,
an Academic Excellence Award and
Meritorious Service Award through
the Air Force ROTC program.
While at ECU, Banjo-Johnson
served in leadership roles for a
number of campus organizations,
including Legacy Endeavors, Stu-
dent Government Association, Delta
Phi Alpha National German Honor
Society, African Student Organization
and the National Broadcasting Society.
She volunteered for March of Dimes,
Adopt-a-Highway, as a “Big Sister”
and as a tutor.
Gliga graduated with a major in biol-
ogy and a minor in Spanish. She was a
two-time recipient of the East Caro-
lina Alumni Association Scholarship,
ECU’s Mary Caughey Helms Scholar-
ship, the President’sVolunteer Service
Award from ECU’s National Society
of Collegiate Scholars chapter, and the
Scholar Promise Award, in addition to
other honors.
Gliga participated in a number of
campus organizations, including Phi
Kappa Phi National Honor Society,
Golden Key International Honor
Society, the National Society of
Collegiate Scholars, the American
Medical Student Association, the Pre-
Pharmacy Organization and the NC
Rural Health Student Coalition. Her
volunteer efforts helped theTar River
Clean-Up, the Primary Care Physi-
cian Shadowing Program, St. Jude
Children’s Hospital, the Grimesland
Clinic and American Red Cross Blood
Drives.
Wethington, graduated with a double
major in communication and English.
During her time at ECU,Wethington
received the Golden LEAF Scholarship
and interned for the UnitedWay of
Pitt County. She participated in Phi
Theta Kappa Honor Society, Golden
Key International Honor Society and
Phi Kappa Phi honor Society. She also
participated in a Leadership Reading
Circle that focused on leadership in
literature.
The Robert H.Wright Alumni Lead-
ership Award recipients were selected
based on academic performance,
service to the university and com-
munity and recommendations.They
were recognized on May 8 at a tribute
lunch for graduating seniors and their
families, and at the commencement
ceremonies that evening.
28
Photo: Diana Andreea Gliga Photo: Joel Funmilola Banjo-Johnson Photo: Stefanie Marie Wethington
16. Drs. Shahnaz Aziz and Christyn Dolbier both
were awarded tenure and promotion to Associate
Professor of Psychology this year.
Dr. Jason Bond, (9/1/2009) professor of biology,
recently was named Director of the newly estab-
lished North Carolina Center for Biodiversity at
ECU.
Dr. Burrell Montz, (8/1/2009)
was appointed the new Chair of
the Department of Geography,
filling the position vacated by Dr.
Ron Mitchelson. Montz comes to
ECU from Binghamton Univer-
sity at the State University of
NewYork.
Dr. Isaac Kalimi, (8/1/2009)
visiting professor, Biblical scholar
and historian, is serving as the
2009-2010 David Julian and
Virginia SutherWhichard Distin-
guished Professor in Humanities.
During the year at ECU, Kalimi
will teach classes in the Religious
Studies Program housed in the
Department of Philosophy.
Dr. Ron Mitchelson,
(6/22/2009) former chair of
geography, stepped into the role
of Interim Chair of English.
New Positions and Promotions
Dr. Charles Calhoun, (8/24/2009) professor of
history, was named the 2009Thomas Harriot Col-
lege of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor at
the dean’s annual college convocation held Aug. 24.
Dr. Fan-chin Kung, (8/1/09) a new tenure-track
faculty member, joined the Department of Econom-
ics this year. Kung comes to ECU from a tenure-
track position at the City University of Hong Kong.
Retirements:
Dr. David Lawrence, professor of geology, retired this past May.
Dr. Richard Mauger, professor of geology, retired this past May.
Ms. Claire A. Pittman, teaching instructor in history, recently retired after 21 years of service to ECU.
Dr. Maurice D. Simon, professor of political science, retired after 25 years of service to ECU.
Ms. Betty Lou White, lead administrative assistant in sociology, retired this past May, after 35 years of
service to ECU.
Photo: Charles Calhoun - 2009 Thomas Harriot College
of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor
30
17. Congratulations to the Harriot College recipients of the Spring 2009 ECU Treasured Pirate Awards!
Exie Anderson, Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean
Donna Evans, Anthropology
Kellie Guyton, Chemistry
Gwen Hardin, Mathematics
Jami Leibowitz, Anthropology
Purificacion Martinez, Foreign Languages, Literatures & Linguistics
Susan McCammon, Psychology
Cindy Mills, Economics
Dawn Phillips, Psychology
Marcie Southward, Physics
MichaelTeske, Foreign Languages, Literatures & Linguistics
DerrickWirtz, Psychology
LindaWolfe, Anthropology
(Treasured Pirate awardees for Fall 2009 will appear in a future issue of Magnetic East.)
ECU’sTreasured Pirate Award is designed
to reward the special or unique contribu-
tions of ECU employees to their college/
unit or to the university.The program
recognizes any permanent SPA, CSS, or
EPA employee within their college or unit.
Award recipients receive an award certifi-
cate and a gift of their choice from the
Treasure Pirate Reward Gift Catalog.
TheTreasured Pirate Award program is
coordinated by the Staff Development
Unit of the Department of Human
Resources and is supported through the
generous sponsorship of TIAA-CREF.To
learn more about the award go to www.
ecu.edu/cs-admin/humanresources.
Spring 2009 ECU Treasured Pirate Awards
November 6
Gloria Steinem, American feminist icon, journalist and social activist, will present the Premier lecture in
the 2009-10Voyages of Discovery Lecture Series. Her discussion, “Reflections on Feminism,” will be
held at 7 p.m. inWright Auditorium. For additional information, visit www.ecu.ecu/voyages.
November 16
Dr. SteveVance of the Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, Calf., will give an open lecture on the “Habit-
ability of IcyWorlds,” at 4 p.m. in N107 Howell Science Complex.Vance’s lecture is part of the Astro-
biology Seminar Series sponsored through a course taught by ECU biologist Matt Schrenk. For more
information, contact Schrenk at 252.328.5276 or schrenkm@ecu.edu.
January 26, 2010
Dr.Walter Brueggemann will give the Jarvis lecture in the 2009-10Voyages of Discovery Lecture
Series. Brueggemann will present the “Recovery from the Long Nightmare of Amnesia,” at 7 p.m. in
Wright Auditorium. For additional information, visit www.ecu.ecu/voyages.
February 17, 2010
Dr.Trudier Harris will present the Sallie Southall Cotten lecture in the 20009-10Voyages of Discov-
ery Lecture Series. Her presentation, “Little Old Ladies and the LastWord: A Exploration of Sassiness
and Risqué Behavior in African American Folklore,” will be held at 7 p.m. inWright Auditorium. For
additional information, visit www.ecu.edu/voyages.
February 20, 2010
The Department of English is hosting the 7th annualTESOL Applied Linguistics Graduate Students
Conference (TALGS). All students, faculty and staff are invited to attend.To register for the event, go
to www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/engl/talgs/registration.cfm. Early bird registration ends Jan. 18, 2010. Pre-
sentation proposals also are being accepted at www.edu.cs-cas/engl/talgs/papers.cfm.The deadline to
submit a proposal is Nov. 30.
March 18, 2010
Dr.Theda Perdue will give theThomas Harriot lecture in the 2009-10Voyages of Discovery Lecture
Series. Perdue will discuss “Native Americans of North Carolina,” at 7 p.m. inWright Auditorium. For
additional information, visit www.ecu.edu/voyages.
Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Events
32
18. www.ecu.edu/cas
Anthropology
Dr. Linda Wolfe, Chair
Biology
Dr. Jeff McKinnon,
Chair
Chemistry
Dr. Rickey Hicks, Chair
Economics
Dr. Richard Ericson,
Chair
English
Dr. Ron Mitchelson,
Interim Chair
Foreign Languages
and Literatures
Dr. Frank Romer, Chair
Geography
Dr. Burrell Montz,
Chair
Geological Sciences
Dr. Steve Culver, Chair
History
Dr. Gerry Prokopowicz,
Interim Chair
Mathematics
Dr. Tom McConnell,
Interim Chair
Philosophy
Dr. George Bailey, Chair
Physics
Dr. Jim Joyce, Interim
Chair
Political Science
Dr. Brad Lockerbie,
Chair
Psychology
Dr. Kathleen Row,
Chair
Sociology
Dr. Leon Wilson, Chair
African and African American Studies (BA & Minor)
Asian Studies (Minor)
Classical Studies (Minor)
Coastal Studies (Minor)
Ethnic Studies (Minor)
Great Books (Minor)
Indigenous People of the Americas (Minor)
International Studies (Minor, MA, and Certificate in
International Teaching)
Leadership Studies (Minor)
Medieval and Renaissance Studies (Minor)
Multidisciplinary Studies (BA and BS)
Neuroscience (Minor)
North Carolina Studies (Minor)
Religious Studies (Minor)
Russian Studies (Minor)
Security Studies (Minor and Certificate in Security
Studies)
Women’s Studies (BA and Minor)
DEPARTMENTS
INTERDISCIPLINARY PROGRAMS
