Faculty & Staff Notables
College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Kevin Bucholtz, assistant professor of chemistry, along with students John Dortch and Leslie Aldrich, recently attended the American Chemical Society National Meeting in Boston, Mass. Dortch and Aldrich presented their poster, “Solid-Phase Synthesis of Rationally Designed PPAR Delta Ligands,” in the Undergraduate Research Poster Session in Organic Chemistry.
Dr. Craig Byron, assistant professor of biology, is a co-author of the paper “Craniofacial Morphology in Myostatin-Deficient Mice” in the November issue of the Journal of Dental Research 86(11):1068-1072.
Dr. Jamie Cockfield, professor of history, was guest speaker at the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the death of U.S. Senator Walter F. George in Vienna, Aug. 4. Cockfield is writing a biography of Senator George and has received grants from the Watson-Brown Foundation and the Walter F. George Foundation.
Dr. Kevin Cummings, assistant professor of communication and theatre arts, and Jay Black, assistant professor of journalism, presented “Decorum, Power and Digital Noesis: An Analysis of Propriety in Computer Mediated Communications” at the Semiotic Society of America conference in New Orleans, La., Oct. 7.
Dr. Andy Digh, associate professor of computer science, served as an exam reader and scorer for the Advanced Placement Program in Computer Science, Trenton, N.J., June 10-18.
Dr. Greg Domin, associate professor of political science, presented a paper on “Jimmy Carter: Pluralism, Public Opinion, and the Presidency” at the American Political Science Association’s annual meeting, Chicago, Ill., Aug. 30-Sept. 2. He also organized and lead discussion of the working group on “Political Science Education” at the same meeting. Domin attended the Council on Undergraduate Research annual meeting as a councilor in the Social Sciences Division at Hamilton College, Hamilton, N.Y., June.
Dr. Bob Hargrove, professor of chemistry and environmental science, was one of 10 chemists who developed “Molecules That Matter,” a chemistry exhibit for the Tang Museum at Skidmore College, Saratoga Springs, N.Y. “Molecules That Matter” showcases ten molecules that have profoundly altered the world, including such items as aspirin, nylon, DNA, polyethylene, Prozac and DDT. Featuring large-scale molecular models, contemporary art and everyday objects, this project was curated by Raymond Giguere, former Mercer professor, and the Tang Museum in partnership with the Chemical Heritage Foundation of Philadelphia, the Hach Scientific Foundation and The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation. The exhibit will be on display in Philadelphia in August 2008 before a national tour. More information can be found at http://tang.skidmore.edu/4/exhibitions/doc/2070. As the author of the DDT exhibit, Hargrove was invited to attend its national opening and be one of four panelists at the Dunkerley Dialogue: Reactions and Reflections on “Molecules That Matter” on Sept. 8.
Roger Jamison, professor of art, had works in two fall exhibitions, “Perspectives 2007: Georgia Potters and Collectors” and “Simple Glazes,” at the Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation in Watkinsville, Sept. 1-19.
Dr. Lori A. Johnson, assistant professor of political science, was selected to participate in a summer workshop sponsored by the Institute for Constitutional Studies at George Washington University School of Law. Fourteen professors of history, political science and law, from schools across the country, were chosen to participate in the week-long workshop titled “New Approaches to Teaching the Constitution” at the State University of New York at Albany.
Dr. Leona Kanter, associate professor of sociology, attended a conference in Savannah on “Islam in Asia.” The conference was sponsored by the East-West Center of the University of Hawaii’s Asian Studies Development Program.
Dr. Ajaz Karim, assistant professor of earth and environmental science, received a $7,500 research grant from the River Basin Center of the University of Georgia for creating infrastructure for a project entitled “Partnership for Common Good: The Altamaha Comprehensive Monitoring Network (ACOMMON).” He supervised the following research projects that were presented at the Mercer University Undergraduate Research Symposium: “An Audit and Assessment of Energy Consumption at Mercer University, Macon Campus” by Katie Blackburn, Alex Brown and Mokshana Wijeyerathne; “Surface Water Quality Investigations within Bibb County, Ga.” by Bryan Heard; “Water Budget, Ionic Export, and Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide for the Altamaha River” by Khusboo J. Patel and Brian S. Oh; “Correlation Between Land Use and Water Quality Indices and the Upper Ocmulgee River” by Chi K. Vuong, and “Possible Damage to the District of Colombo, Sri-Lanka from a West Coast Tsunami Epicenter” by Mokshana Wijeyerathne.
Dr. Eric Klingelhofer, professor of history, presented findings from the past four seasons of fieldwork in a paper, entitled “Found: The Lost Town of Jamestown, Nevis,” to the International Association of Caribbean Archaeologists meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, in July.
Dr. Achim Kopp, associate professor of Latin and German, participated in a marker response selection conference for the Georgia Assessments for the Certification of Educators in Latin on Sept. 12. The committee he has been serving on over the last 18 months has created a new test for future Latin teachers in Georgia that replaces the Praxis exam currently in use.
Dr. Mary Kot, professor of biology, will have a paper, “The Hungry Gene as a Core Text in a Freshman Learning Community,” included in the book The Place of Core Texts, edited by J Scott Lee and published by the Association for Core texts and Courses.
Scot Mann, assistant professor of communication and theatre arts, spent five weeks on the stunt team for Eyeborgs, a SciFi film starring Adrian Paul of the Highlander series and Danny Trejo from Grindhouse. He performed stunts, rigged stunts for the principal actors, served as weapons expert, performed precision driving stunts and choreographed tactical sequences for the film’s assault team. After a brief trip to Macon, Mann spent three weeks at the University of Las Vegas serving as a master instructor for the Advanced Actor Combatant section of the Society of American Fight Director’s National Stage Combat Workshop. In October, Mann served as Fight Director and Movement Consultant for the Georgia Shakespeare Festival’s production of Richard III and served as a Master Instructor for a professional theatre training seminar at Howard Community College, Baltimore, Md. He also directed Diana Son’s award-winning play “Stop Kiss” for Mercer Theatre. He will next direct “The Disciples,” an original work by Dr. Andrew Silver, Hunter Associate Professor of English, concerning the 1939 heresy trials at Mercer University that will be presented in the Back Door Theatre.
Dr. Matt Marone, associate professor of physics, was interviewed for the television show “Focus on Marshall” while working at NASA over the summer. The episode, titled “October, 2007: Dusty Plasma Lab, In Situ Resource Utilization & Technology Development,” can be found at http://www.nasa.gov/centers/marshall/about/fom.html.
Dr. Lydia Masanet, associate professor of Spanish, and J. Fernando Palacios, assistant professor of Spanish, led 13 students on a Faculty Led Summer Study Abroad Program to Spain, May 23-June 21. During the duration of the program, the group visited interesting sites in three major cities: Madrid, Toledo and Santander. As part of the program, students took two classes at the Universidad Internacional Melendez Pelayo, taught by Masanet and Palacios. In addition, students lived with a Spanish family while in Spain.
Dr. Matthew Oberrieder, assistant professor of philosophy, delivered an on-campus talk on “Eros and the Sicilian Debate in Thucydides,” as part of the Philosophy Department’s Political Philosophy Presentation Series, Sept. 20.
Dr. Randall Peters, professor of physics, worked this summer with Kase Jameson of Toccoa and Jimmy Strates of Orlando, Fla., two freshmen scholarship students, to study the cumulative spectral power of seismic records - a new software tool that Peters invented.
Dr. Brian Rood, associate professor of chemistry, presented a seminar entitled “Engaging the Community in Water Quality Investigations - Perspectives on the Ocmulgee River Initiative” as an invited speaker at the meeting of the Georgia Association of Water Professionals. He discovered and investigated contamination from a leaky underground storage tank owned by the Macon Public Works Department on Lower Poplar and worked with local and state professionals on this project. This story aired on WMAZ TV-13. Rood also served as a Biological Review Participant for the Bond Swamp National Wildlife Refuge (Biological Review) as mandated by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The review document is currently out for public comment and final draft will be submitted to USFWS thereafter. He was invited to become a member of the Leadership Advisory Board of the Cooperative Extension Agency of the University of Georgia. Responsibilities to this committee commenced in June 2007. Rood served as an American Chemical Society Peer Reviewer and reviewed the Annual Reports for 14 Student Affiliate Chapters of the ACS nationally. He is currently reviewing a manuscript titled “Soil Carbon Pools and Aggregation Following Stream Restoration in a Riparian Corridor: Bernheim Forrest Kentucky” for consideration to be published in JEMREST, the Journal for Environmental Management and Restoration, for which he serves as a member of the Editorial Review Board.
Dr. Margaret Symington, associate professor of mathematics, worked with two K-12 educators from Center for Education Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing to provide a 10-day professional development workshop for 3rd-12th grade teachers in Coffee County. The workshop focused on the new state mathematics standards and frameworks.
Dr. Laurie White, professor of computer science, was named head of the Advanced Placement Computer Science Development Committee, effective July 1. The committee consists of three faculty members and three high school teachers from across the U.S. and Canada and is responsible for determining the future direction of the APCS program, as well as writing the APCS A and AB examinations. White chaired her first meeting the week of Aug. 6-10 in New York City. Along with finalizing the 2008 exam (to be given next May), they planned outreach events, started the 2009 exam, worked on rolling out a new case study for 2008 (which will be approximately 25 percent of the exam), and started reworking the course description for 2009-2010. She also served as the exam leader for the grading of the CSAP A alternate examinations at the University of New Jersey in June.
Dr. Richard F. Wilson, Columbus Roberts Professor and chair of the Roberts Department of Christianity, delivered a paper entitled “Thoughts on Frost’s 'Mending Wall': Rethinking the Academy and the Church” at the Mercer Preaching Consultation, St. Simons Island, Sept. 24.
Dr. Fletcher Winston, assistant professor of sociology, presided at the American Sociological Association Section on Environment and Technology Roundtable Session. The roundtable was included in the American Sociological Association Annual Meeting, New York, N.Y., Aug. 11-14. He also accepted the invitation to serve on the Program Planning and Budget Committee for Macon Housing Moving to Success, a Macon Housing Authority program to provide services for low-income residents of Macon.
Dr. John Wright, professor of psychology, has been elected chair of the Animal Behavior Society’s Board of Professional Certification for a three-year term. Certification constitutes recognition by the Society that the professional applied animal behaviorist meets the educational, experiential and ethical standards required by the Society. The Animal Behavior Society is the leading professional organization in North America for the study of animal behavior, and was the first organization in the United States to offer a certification program for applied animal behaviorists. Animal behaviorists can be educated in several disciplines, including psychology, biology, zoology and animal science. More information can be found at www.animalbehavior.org.
Dr. Carolyn Yackel, associate professor of mathematics, attended MathFest where her dual tori (made jointly with Sarah-Marie Belcastro) could be seen in the juried Math and Art exhibit. She held a session of the Knitting Network, and she presided over the first of the semiannual meetings of the Committee for the Participation of Women of the Mathematical Association of America. She has been appointed the committee’s chairperson and will be expected to serve in that capacity for the next three years. Incidentally, Yackel was also quoted in the San Jose Mercury News.
Marian Zielinski, professor of communication and theatre arts, presented a paper titled “Form, Color, Light and the Landscape of Dreams: The Impact of Place in Theatre Experience” at the International Human Science Research Conference in Rovereto, Italy, June. Her paper will be published in the conference proceedings.
Walter F. George School of Law
Linda Edwards,professor, spoke on “Writing the Story: Perspective, Voice, Detail and Language” at a plenary session of the Persuasion Institute at Cornell Law School, Ithaca, N.Y., Sept. 29. The Persuasion Institute trains federal capital defense lawyers in appellate brief writing. Edwards spoke on “The Law’s Narrative” at American University’s Washington College of Law, Washington, D.C., Nov. 2.
David T. Ritchie, associate professor, served as the resident director for the Stetson/Mercer Summer Institute in International and Comparative Law in Buenos Aires, Argentina, last summer. He published a paper entitled “Modern Constitutionalism and Weimar Liberalism” in 20 Revista Secão Judiciária do Rio de Janeiro 15 (2007). His book, entitled Mastering Legal Analysis and Communication, will be released by Carolina Academic Press soon. The House of Delegates also appointed Ritchie to the Academic Initiatives Monetary Fund Committee.
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Dr. Ajay K. Banga, professor, received a $175,000 grant for “Evaluation of Terbinafine and Other Drug Cartridges for Iontophoretic Release and Transdermal Delivery” from Transport Pharmaceuticals.
Dr. Michael W. Jann, professor, with others, published a chapter on Psychiatry in Drug and Biological Development Textbook, edited by Ron Evans, 2007, Chapter 12.5, p. 338-350.
Dr. Lisa M. Lundquist, clinical assistant professor, published “Abatacept: A Novel Treatment for Rheumatoid Arthritis” in Expert Opinion Pharmacotherapy 2007;8(14):2371-79.
Dr. Leisa L. Marshall, clinical associate professor, published “OTC Product: Alli” in Journal of the American Pharmacists Association.
Dr. Nadar Moniri, assistant professor, and R.G. Booth published “Novel Ligands Stabilize Stereo-Selective Conformations of the Histamine H1 Receptor 1 Activate Catecholamine Synthesis” in Inflammation Research.
Dr. Chad M. VanDenBerg, clinical associate professor, was awarded a $244,800 grant for “An Open-Label, Long-Term, Multiple-Dose Safety and Tolerability Pharmacokinetic Study of 150 Mg Eq Paliperidone Palmitate in the Treatment of Subjects with Schizophrenia” from Johnson/Johnson. He also co-published “Pharmacokinetics and Absolute Bioavailability of Selegiline Following Treatment of Healthy Subjects with the Selegiline Transdermal System (6 mg/24 h): A Comparison with Oral Selegiline Capsules” in Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2007; 47: 1256-1267.
School of Medicine
Dr. Kerry Coburn, professor of psychiatry and behavioral science, and Dr. Ed Lauterbach, professor of psychiatry, neurology and radiology, co-authored with others two recent articles: “Neuropsychiatric Complications of Traumatic Brain Injury: A Critical Review of the Literature” in Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 19(2): 106-127 and “The Cognitive Correlates of Functional Status: A Review from the Committee on Research of the American Neuropsychiatric Association” in Journal of Neuropsychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 19(3): 249-265.
Jan LaBeause, director of the Medical Library and Peyton T. Anderson Learning Resources Center, was named the 2007 Distinguished Educator/Researcher of the Year by the Georgia Rural Health Association (GRHA) at their Awards of Excellence reception on Sept. 17. This award is presented to individual whose research or teaching has made the most significant contribution of the year or whose sustained history of teaching and educating over a period of time is deemed to be the major contribution of the year. She was nominated by Mary Kate Pung, director of Magnolia Coastlands Area Health Education Center (AHEC), in recognition of her leadership and support of the educational efforts at Mercer, Georgia’s AHECs, and GRHA.
Dr. Edward C. Lauterbach, professor of psychiatry, neurology and radiology, recently
published “Dextromethorphan as a Potential Neuroprotective Agent with Unique Mechanisms of Action” in The Neurologist, 2007;13(5):272-93.
Dr. W. Douglas Skelton, dean emeritus, was elected president of the 1,500-member Georgia Public Health Association on Sept. 7 for a 15-month term. This is a second term for Skelton, who served previously as president in 1982-1983. He was appointed to the nine member Board of Advisors of the newly created College of Public Health of the University of Georgia. Skelton also presented a week of lectures on the U.S. medical education system to Chinese leaders in Chengdu, China, at the invitation of the Carl Vinson Institute of Government of the University of Georgia.
Eugene W. Stetson School of Business and Economics
Jordan “Jody” Blanke, professor of computer information systems and law and director of undergraduate programs, recently published an article, “Roper v. Simmons: Supreme Court Case Provides Great Introduction to Basic Legal Principles,” in Journal of Legal Studies in Business. He also presented a paper, “Informational Privacy: How the Law Varies from State to State,” at the Annual Conference of the Academy of Legal Studies in Business, in Indianapolis, Ind., and moderated panel presentations in Ethics and Curriculum/Pedagogy.
Dr. Linda Brennan, associate professor, edited Computer-Mediated Relationships and Trust: Organizational and Managerial Implications with Dr. Victoria Johnson, professor emeritus. The book was published fall 2007 by Information Science References.
School of Engineering
Dr. Marjorie Davis, founding chair of the technical communication program, was recently awarded the 2007 Ronald S. Blicq Award for Distinction in Technical Communication Education. This is an international award of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Professional Communications Society.
Dr. George F. Hayhoe, professor of technical communication and director of the master of technical communication management degree program, co-authored A Research Primer for Technical Communication: Methods, Exemplars, and Analyses with Michael A. Hughes, a user experience architect with IBM Internet Security Systems in Atlanta. Published by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, the book provides a thorough introduction to methods of conducting and critically reading research in technical communication, complete with research articles that exemplify the research methods discussed.
Dr. Paul MacNeil, associate professor of electrical and computer engineering, Dr. Scott Schultz, assistant professor of mechanical and industrial engineering, and F.M. Barron, director of the Applied Systems Division at MERC, along with three graduate students, have been accepted for participation in the Receiver and Processing Concepts Evaluation Program (RAPCEval). RAPCEval is a joint program from the Air Force Research Laboratory with the School of Engineering and MERC that oversees graduate level research. The accepted proposal and students are: “RWR Threat Detection Scheduler,” Eric Mullenax; “Scheduling RWRs using Genetic Algorithms on a Multi-Core System,” Dontel Newton; and “Scheduling RWRs with Multi-Core Ant Colony Optimization,” Michael Swift.
Dr. Philip T. McCreanor, associate professor of biomedical and environmental engineering, attended the Center for Sustainable Engineering’s Summer Workshop, Austin, Texas, July 16-20. The Center is funded by the National Science Foundation and workshop attendance was based on a competitive application process. McCreanor also served as a proposal reviewer for the Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Southeast Region Research Initiative, July 24-25.
Dr. Clayton R. Paul, Sam Nunn Eminent Professor of Aerospace Engineering and Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, has published the Second Edition of his popular textbook Analysis of Multiconductor Transmission Lines for John Wiley Publishers. He also attended the 2007 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Symposium on Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC) in Hawaii in July where he was presented the IEEE Undergraduate Teaching Award by the president of the IEEE. This was the 50th anniversary of the EMC Society and he also received an award for being the “Author of the Fourth Most Referenced Transactions Paper in the First 50 years of the IEEE EMC Society.”
Tift College of Education
Dr. Dana H. Lilly, professor of early childhood education, made a presentation entitled “Playing and Learning at Home: Building Partnerships with Families Through Home Learning Activities” at the Georgia Association on Young Children, Atlanta, Oct. 13.
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
Dr. Freida Fuller, professor, presented “Keeping Up and Keeping Going: Making the Most Out of a Twelve-Hour Clinical Day for Undergraduate Nursing Students,” at the Third Annual Educational Resources, Inc. conference in Kansas City, Mo., Oct. 7-9. She will also be the co-chair of the Atlanta Campus activity for the QEP initiative focusing on Professional Ethics. She has recently been appointed to the Ethics Committee at Rockdale Medical Center.
Elaine Grier, assistant professor, was the recipient of the Essence of Nursing Award given by Advance for Nurses journal. An article entitled “Teaching Compassion” highlighted Grier’s holistic approach to nursing education. Grier was nominated for this honor by her colleague, Sandra Shuler, assistant professor, who recently died of breast cancer. “Being nominated by Sandra Shuler during the final months of her life makes this award even more precious to me,” said Grier.
Dr. Becky Shabo and Brenda Rowe, associate professors, presented a paper at the National League for Nursing’s Education Summit 2007 in Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 29. The title of the presentation was “Use of an Online Survey to Evaluate the NCLEX-RN Experience of New Graduates.”
College of Continuing and Professional Studies
Dr. Thomas Kail, dean, and Dr. Billy Slaton, associate professor, addressed the Metropolitan Police Organization (METROPOL) at their monthly meeting, Aug. 5. The meeting was hosted by the College on Mercer's Atlanta Campus. METROPOL is an organization made up of Metropolitan Atlanta police chiefs and their command staff, members of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the United States Marshall’s Office, the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and various drug task force agencies. Approximately 75 members were in attendance. This is the second METROPOL meeting hosted by the College.
Dr. Thomas Kail, dean, and Dr. Billy Slaton, associate professor, hosted the first Mercer University College of Continuing and Professional Studies Criminal Justice alumni meeting at the Henry County Regional Academic Center, Oct. 14. Since 2000, 547 students have graduated with a degree in criminal justice. Melissa McCants, director of administrative services in the Senior Vice President’s Office-Atlanta, was also in attendance. Richard Horton and Steve Smith, adjunct professors, were present.
Dr. Donna Lane, adjunct professor of counseling and human sciences, co-authored a book entitled, Restored Christianity, published in July by Inkwater Press.
Dr. Billy Slaton, associate professor, addressed two public safety classes at the Rockdale County Professional School, Sept. 17. Seventy Rockdale High School students are bussed two days a week to take classes in public safety.
Dr. Billy Slaton, associate professor, Dr. Lynn Clemons, assistant professor, and Dr. Larry Stewart, associate professor, spent a day at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center in Forsyth. Melissa McCants, director of administrative services in the Senior Vice President’s Office-Atlanta, was also in attendance.
Dr. Colleen Stapleton, assistant professor of science, and Dr. Priscilla Danheiser, professor of human services and associate dean, led a poster session they developed along with Dr. Hani Khoury, associate professor of mathematics and chair of mathematics and science, entitled ‘Using Technology to Create Effective Natural Science Learning Environments for Working Adult Learners,” at the Math and Science Symposium held in Knoxville, Tenn., and sponsored by Southeast Educational, Inc., BWX Technologies, Inc., Science Applications International Corporation, the Tennessee Department of Education, the United States Department of Education, and Pellissippi State Technical Community College’s Department of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. The purpose of the conference was to dialogue for a common understanding of the collective data that math and science projects have amassed, to suggest where math and science project work should focus, and to understand what good math and science projects include in their evaluations and in their professional development design frameworks.
Dr. Art Williams and Dr. David Lane, associate professors of counseling and human sciences, presented “Habits of Highly Effective Supervisors” to the Licensed Professional Counselors Association of Georgia Annual Convention in Savannah, May 1.
Townsend School of Music
Adrian Gnam, distinguished artist-in-residence, guest conducted at the University of Delaware, gave an oboe master class and performed on the Master Players chamber series. He performed at First Baptist Church of Christ in Macon with organist Diane Bish and Dr. Stanley Roberts, interim dean, on Sept. 23 and with the Mercer Children’s Choir, under the direction of Dr. John Simons, associate professor and director of graduate studies, on Oct. 20.
Dr. Douglas Hill, professor of music and director of instrumental ensembles and undergraduate studies, adjudicated high school bands, orchestras and jazz ensembles at Festival of Music Competitions at Chapel Hill High School, Douglasville, April 27-28 and May 4-5. Ensembles from Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Indiana, Tennessee, Virginia, South Carolina and North Carolina were represented. He performed as a member of the Colony IV Brass at the Emergency Medical Services state conference in Forsyth on May 14 and at Ingleside Baptist Church, Macon on May 26. Hill performed as trumpet soloist with the Chancel Choir at Riverside United Methodist Church, Macon on the anthem titled “Praise Him” composed by Craig Courtney and arranged by Townsend School of Music Graduate student, Gail Pollock, June 17. He performed in a trumpet duet at Jackson First United Methodist Church, June 30. Hill served as guest conductor of the Houston County Honor Band, July 3. Students from Warner Robins, Northside, Perry and Houston County High School were represented. He was interviewed on WMUM radio as part of the program “Music From Across the Street,” featuring the Mercer University Wind Ensemble and special guest artists, American Brass Quintet in their performance of John Cheetham’s “Concertino for Brass Quintet and Wind Ensemble,” accompanied by the Mercer Wind Ensemble, July 24. On August 20, Hill hosted the Georgia Music Educators Association’s District 11 annual meeting in the McCorkle Music Building with 18 middle Georgia counties represented. Dinner was provided for all participants by the Admissions Office staff. Special thanks go to Terry Whittum, Vice President of Enrollment Management at Mercer University for their sponsorship. Hill also performed as member of trumpet duet at St. Joe’s Catholic Church, Macon, Oct. 12, and gave a trumpet soloist performance at Riverside United Methodist Church, Macon, Oct. 13.
Dr. Martha Malone, professor and chair of vocal studies department, performed a solo recital with pianist Jean Roberts during the Macon State College concert series, Oct. 4. She performed two lecture/recitals with pianist Anne Davis and led two three-hour workshops for general elementary, middle and high school teachers at the “Bibb County Institute for the Arts” held at Vineville Academy, Macon, June. She also gave a master class for the Macon State College Department of Music, Macon, Oct. 5. One of Malone’s students, junior Mary Brooke Quarles, was selected as the winner of the Cheryl Boyd Waddell award for excellence in singing, to be given at the annual Fall Master Classes of the Georgia chapter of the National Association of Teachers of Singing on Nov. 2-3. Each of the following students was selected by audition to perform as one of the nine singers or four alternates at the same event: Mary Brooke Quarles, Kristin Moye, Loretta Seabolt, Elisabeth Slaten and Lindsay Judy. Master of Church Music student Whitney Coleman is a full time elementary school music teacher in Albany, Ga.
Amy Schwartz Moretti, director of the Robert McDuffie Center for Strings, associate professor and Caroline Paul King violin chair, was featured as guest soloist with the Salem Chamber Orchestra in Oregon performing the Butterfly Lovers Violin Concerto on Sept. 29-30. As violinist with TRIO RPM, she performed with cellist Christopher Rex, cello chair and Distinguished Artist of the Center, and pianist Elizabeth Pridgen for the Lindberg Concert Series, Huntsville, Ala., Sept. 15. Moretti will be featured Nov. 18 with the Oregon State University-Corvallis Symphony as guest soloist in the Brahms Violin Concerto in D major, Op.77.
Dr. Robert Parris, Charles B. Thompson Professor of Organ and University Organist, gave recitals in September in Winston-Salem, N.C., and at Carson-Newman College in Jefferson City, Tenn. At Carson-Newton, he also gave a master class for organ students. In early October, organist Alvin Blount, MUS ‘91, played two of Parris’s compositions in a recital at the Cathedral of St. Phillip in Atlanta.
The Robert McDuffie & Friends Labor Day Festival for Strings welcomed 17 gifted high school junior and senior string students to Mercer from Aug. 30-Sept. 3. The festival was held in the Townsend School of Music and included performances, master classes, chamber music coachings, and lessons with the faculty of the McDuffie Center. Three incoming students to the newly established Robert McDuffie Center for Strings performed in the Opening Concert to an enthusiastic capacity audience in Fickling Recital Hall. Cellist Lavena Johanson, of Washington; cellist Elaine Shin, of Georgia, and cellist Miranda Henne, of Pennsylvania, performed alongside Andres Diaz, distinguished artist cellist of the Center, and Christopher Rex, cello chair and distinguished artist of the Center, in “Carmen Fantasy” for 5 celli. Amy Schwartz Moretti served as coordinator of the festival, faculty member, and performer.
Division of Library Services
Amy Allison, assistant professor and College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences liaison, was reappointed to the editorial board of the American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education.
Judith Brook, associate professor, associate dean of University Libraries and director of Swilley Library, presented a paper at the cross disciplinary Conference on the Book at the University of Birmingham, England, Aug. 31. The paper was titled “Reading Practices Among 21st Century College Students.”
Beth Hammond, dean of University Libraries, attended the fall meeting of the Southeastern Library Network (SOLINET) Board of Directors in Atlanta, Sept. 27. As a board member, Hammond represents small/medium libraries across the Southeast.
Staff and Administration
Beth Evans, assistant director of Campus Life, published the article “College Life: Your Child Has Gone to College...Now What!?” in Around Town North Macon magazine.
Dr. Douglas R. Pearson, vice president and dean of students, was appointed to the 2007-2008 Board of Advisors of Student Affairs Today, a national newsletter focused on best practices for student affairs professionals in higher education.
Ben Wicker, residence life coordinator, attended the Georgia Housing Officer’s meeting in Savannah, Oct. 4-5. He and Jessica Merriman, residence life coordinator, attended the New Professionals Workshop for Georgia Student Affairs professionals at Georgia College and State University, Milledgeville, Sept. 7.