Magnetic East Fall 2011 - East Carolina Universityecu.edu/cs-cas/upload/mag_eastfall11-web-version.pdf · “The Battle for North Carolina’s Coast: Evolutionary History, Present

FALL 2011

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Magnetic East is a publication of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences at East Carolina University. For more information, please visit our website at www.ecu.edu/cas.

If you are an employee of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and would like to submit an article for this publication, please contact Lacey Gray, Director of Marketing and Communications, at [email protected].

FACULTY/STAFFaccomplishments 15

promotions & retirements 19

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CONSERVATION PROFESSOR, MARITIME STUDENTS SPEND BREAK TREASURE HUNTING

DR. KYLE SUMMERS, 2011 THOMAS HARRIOT DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

HURRICANE IRENE PROVES POINT

PROFESSOR AUTHENTICATES 1921 FILM

NCLR CELEBRATES 20 YEARS

STUDENTS’ SCHOLARSHIPS ALLOW FOR STUDY ABROAD

FEATURES

TABLE OF CONTENTS

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TreasureHunting

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COVERSTORY

Conservation Professor, Maritime Stuents Spend Spring Break

Left: Underwater Archaeology Branch Conservator Nathan Henry holds an example of an artifact recovered from the blockade runner Modern Greece that are still being maintained in water tanks at he Underwater Archaeology Branch of the N.C. Division of Archives and History at Fort Fisher.

Photos by Mike Spencer of StarNews Online

Above: Students from East Carolina University’s Program in Maritime Studies examine a rudder from the Modern Greece shipwreck as part of the ongoing conservation of artifacts at the Underwater Archaeology Branch of the N.C. Division of Archives and History at Fort Fisher.

TreasureHunting

This past spring break, 11 graduate students from ECU’s Maritime History program and two interns from UNC-Wilmington, spent their break away from school looking for treasure in murky tanks of crusty old objects. They were examining artifacts from the shipwreck of Modern Greece, a Civil War era blockade-runner that sank in June 1862.

Under the direction of Susanne Grieve, director of conservation for ECU’s Maritime History program; and Nathan Henry, assistant state archaeologist, Underwater Archaeology Branch, N.C. Department of Cultural Resources, the students examined some of the 11,500 artifacts that

were recovered from the wreck lying 300 yards off Fort Fisher in 25 feet of water. Some of the artifacts were conserved and now are exhibited at the N.C. Maritime Museums in Beaufort and Southport, the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh and other museums in and out of state. Thousands more remain to be researched.

The students determined the type and condition of artifacts, and recorded, cataloged, photographed, and evaluated future conservation needs. The students retrieved cases of Enfield rifle muskets, antler handled knives, hand cuffs, hoes, picks, and other 1860s farm and household goods.

Modern Greece represents an important period in history as an early casualty in the naval battlefield associated with Fort Fisher. Found 100 years after it sank, research on the Modern Greece prompted development of the field of underwater archaeology and maritime artifact conservation in North Carolina and throughout the nation.

Fort Fisher State Historic Site and the Friends of Fort Fisher were co-sponsors of this project.

(Original article appears at http://news.ncdcr.gov/2011/03/09/students-discover-shipwreck-treasures-in-the-tanks/)

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Conservation Professor, Maritime Stuents Spend Spring Break


NOTEWORTHNEWS

and is conferred upon a professor whose career exemplifies a commitment to and a love for knowledge and academic life, as demonstrated by outstanding teaching and advising, research and creative productivity, and professional service.

“I am delighted and grateful to receive this honor. The faculty of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences is highly dedicated and accomplished, so it is especially gratifying to receive this recognition given the many excellent candidates available,” said Summers. “I could not have achieved this without the support of many people, including my family, my graduate students, my friends and colleagues in the department of biology (especially the chair) and members of the THCAS administration. Thank you all.”

On Monday, August 22, East Carolina University’s Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences inducted another member of its faculty into the ranks of distinguished professor, an honor bestowed at the beginning of the academic year when a qualifying individual is chosen for the award.

Dr. Kyle Summers, professor of biology, was named the 2011 Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor during the college’s annual faculty convocation.

The Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professorship is one of the most prestigious at ECU

Throughout his 15 years of academic service to ECU, Summers has displayed the qualities and characteristics required of a Distinguished Professor.

Summers has taught many courses at ECU, including evolutionary ecology, evolutionary medicine, evolution and infectious disease, genetics, evolution, behavioral ecology, and tropical ecology, among others, exhibiting his love for knowledge and academic life. Over the years, he has mentored many students, serving as committee chairperson for 13 graduate students and as a member on 24 graduate student thesis and dissertation committees.

Contributing to the professional realm, Summers is a member of the Animal Behavior Society, American Society of Naturalists, International Society of

2011 Thomas Harriot Distinguished Professor


Behavioral Ecology, Society for the Study of Evolution, Research and Analysis Network for Neotropical Amphibians, National Center for Science Education and the Sigma Xi Society. He currently serves as co-editor of “Foundations of Human Social Evolution,” an edited volume of the classic works of R.D. Alexander, and in 2008, he was appointed to the editorial board of the journal, Ideas in Ecology and Evolution.

Dr. Summers’ research on poison frogs has garnered international recognition, with frequent highlights in National Geographic magazine, BBC Wildlife and Scientific American. He has attracted attention for his research on the evolution of monogamy and for his research in evolutionary medicine. Within the past 10 years, Summers has received nearly 20 grants that total more than $740,000

in funding. He has co-authored more than 70 journal articles and 50 scientific papers, and he has been an invited presenter of more than 40 seminars in his field.

Letters of nomination from colleagues within and outside the ECU community were praiseworthy of Summers’ contributions to his field, adding to the impressive case for inducting him into the prestigious group of Thomas Harriot Distinguished Professors.

“Kyle Summers is the quintessential professor,” writes one ECU colleague. “He is an extraordinary scholar, teacher and academic citizen.”

An external nomination letter reads, “Dr. Summers is, in my opinion, one of the most innovative and productive

evolutionary ecologists working in the world today…. Dr. Summers is a uniquely skilled biologist who is continuing to make lasting, broad impacts across a wide swath of the evolutionary-ecological research landscape. He is certainly deeply deserving of this award.”

Summers is a graduate of the University of Michigan, where he received his doctoral degree in biology (‘90). He received his bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of California at Santa Cruz (‘84). After postdoctoral research appointments at the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Queen’s University, Cambridge University and the University of California at Davis, Summers joined the faculty of ECU in 1996 as an assistant professor of biology.

2011 Thomas Harriot Distinguished Professor


NOTEWORTHYNEWS

Hurricane Irene, which crashed upon the Outer Banks of eastern North Carolina on August 27 and 28, literally changed the shape of a section of the 325-mile-long barrier islands that form the coast of North Carolina. In a recently published book, four East Carolina University experts on coastal dynamics discuss the ever-evolving North Carolina coastline; it’s history, and the current and future battles to preserve its natural beauty.

“The Battle for North Carolina’s Coast: Evolutionary History, Present Crisis, and Vision for the Future,” published by the University of North Carolina Press, is 160 pages of eye-opening facts, figures, graphs and stunning photographs that reveal the urgency in protecting North Carolina’s coastline.

Authors of the book are ECU geological science distinguished research professor and Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor Dr. Stanley R. Riggs; research instructor Ms. Dorothea V. Ames; Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor and Chair of the Department of Geological Sciences Dr. Stephen J. Culver; and associate professor Dr. David J. Mallinson.

The North Carolina barrier islands are not permanent. Rather, they are highly mobile piles of sand that are impacted by sea-level rise and major storms and hurricanes, as evidenced by the recent Hurricane Irene.

According to the authors, “Our present development and management policies for these changing islands are in direct conflict with their natural dynamics.”

Revealing the urgency of the environmental and economic problems facing coastal North Carolina, this book offers a hopeful vision for the coast’s future if we are willing to adapt to the barriers’ ongoing and natural processes.

“This will require a radical change in our thinking about development and new approaches to the way we visit and use the coast,” write the authors. “Ultimately, we cannot afford to lose these unique and valuable islands of opportunity.”

Hurricane Irene Proves Authors’ PointNorth Carolina’s Coastline at Risk


Background image courtesy of sxc.hu.

Hurricane Irene Proves Authors’ PointNorth Carolina’s Coastline at Risk

ECU History Professor Authenticates 1921 FilmFirst Movie Produced in North Carolina


NOTEWORTHYNEWS

For decades on Roanoke Island, a pristine copy of the first movie produced in North Carolina sat undisturbed, and possibly forgotten, in storage with other historical documents relating to the outdoor drama, “The Lost Colony.”

Now the film is coming to light and the story of how the film came to be produced in Manteo in 1921 is being told.

Dr. Larry Tise, the Wilbur and Orville Wright Distinguished Professor of History at East Carolina University, and a historian at Roanoke Island Historical Association have confirmed that the film found this past spring is a true copy of the 46-minute silent movie, made in 1921, on the 1580s exploration of the Outer Banks. It had long been assumed, Tise said, by film historians that no faithful copy of the film survived.

The researchers – Tise and lebame houston of the Roanoke Island Historical Association – have been looking for a copy of the historic film for the last decade. Both have seen some badly deteriorated copies of the film and kept hoping that an undisturbed version existed, Tise said.

Houston has been cataloguing the vast historical records of the outdoor symphonic drama, “The Lost Colony” – which will celebrate 75 years in 2012 – and in February she found a stash of film and audiotapes with obscure labels suggesting the items might be associated with the 1921 film.

Tise and houston have also uncovered two previously

unknown audio narratives of the film with the voice of Mabel Evans Jones, the film’s producer, explaining the scenes and how the film production came together in 1921 in Manteo.

A native of Manteo who attended East Carolina Teachers Training School, Jones returned to Roanoke Island in 1921, after one year at Columbia University in New York. She was intent on creating good schools on the Outer Banks and on making an educational movie that told the story of NorthCarolina’s first colonists for the state’s school children, Tise said.

The original film was made 35 mm nitrate film, which was used by all filmmakers at the time, Tise explained. However, over time nitrate becomes explosive so the original films had to be destroyed in the 1950s and 60s.

“The original film was stored at the Atlas Film Company in New York and when they realized that they had to destroy it, they contacted the Lost Colony and told them that they could make a 16 mm film copy for them,” Tise said.

The former director of the Institute of Outdoor Drama for North Carolina Mark Sumner told Tise that he remembered either three or five copies being made of that original film. One copy was used about 20 years ago, and was badly damaged, Tise said.

“As far as we know, this copy that lebame found is the only pristine copy in existence. It’s as good in terms of light and fidelity as the original 35 mm; however, it has been reduced to 16 mm,” Tise said.

Jones commentary adds much to the watching and

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understanding of how the movie was made, Tise said. The audio tapes that houston found were made in 1971 and 1976. As the film plays, Jones describes for the interviewer which local residents took what role, how the costumes were made and other interesting snippets of the history of the film that would have otherwise been lost, Tise said.

In one 26-minute recording, piano accompaniment plays silent movie era music matching the drama and action of the scenes, while Jones details the scenes. “It’s fascinating,” he said. The second part of that recording hasn’t been found; houston and Tise continue to hope it will be located.

“We are always thrilled when we can assist groups such as the Roanoke Island Historical Association in researching, preserving and interpreting their rich historical materials,” Tise said.

“Already my colleagues at ECU in history, English, anthropology, geology and other fields have offered their expertise as we research ways of bringing this important treasure to a broader audience across North Carolina,” he said.

While Tise referred to the film as “The 1921 Lost Colony movie,” the actual title is longer and doesn’t contain any reference to the famous English colonists. The film’s title frame shows the work as “The Earliest English

Expeditions and Attempted Settlements in the Territory

of What Is Now the United States, 1584-1591.”

The Roanoke Island Historical Association owns the discovered copy of the film as well as the audiotapes.

Houston and Tise are now working on a documentary history of the film to be premiered during the 75th anniversary of the outdoor drama.

“We’d like to present (the film) in a format that has the proper music and have a premiere at some point,” Tise said.

“We’re just scratching the surface thus far on this film,” Tise said. “Mabel Evans Jones and Elizabeth Grimball, two women of the same age, both from North Carolina, making the first movie in North Carolina is incredibly remarkable.”

In this photo from the film, Mabel Evans Jones, the film’s producer, is seen in character as Elanor Dare, Virginia Dare’s mother.


NOTEWORTHYNEWS

The North Carolina Literary Review (NCLR), featuring literature and art from a wide range of contributors, marked a significant milestone – its 20th issue – when the literary magazine made its way to subscribers and independent bookstores across the state this summer. The 2011 special feature section focuses on environmental writing in North Carolina and features essays by such literary luminaries as David Cecelski, Jan DeBlieu, Janet Lembke and Bland Simpson; poetry by James Applewhite, Gerald Barrax and Allison Hedge Coke, among others; and interviews with environmental writers David Gessner and George Ellison. Each piece is beautifully complemented, in color for this special milestone issue, with various types of visual art by North Carolina artists and photographers.

“The environment is something that pulls all the diverse regions of our state together,” said NCLR Art Editor Diane Rodman. “Each region has its own challenges and threats, but also its own beauty – beauty that needs to be protected.”

Each of the contributors to the special feature worked with a common, though not prescribed theme—not taking for granted that what was here a generation ago will be in the same condition a generation from now. In her introduction, NCLR Editor Margaret Bauer noted how the Gulf oil spill convinced her that featuring writing about the environment seems crucial and timely. Complex issues such as industrial and residential development, population growth and forces of nature are covered.

Following the special feature section of the issue, the Flashbacks section includes several book reviews, including a review of new collections of poet A.R. Ammons, whose poetry appeared regularly in the early issues of NCLR; a review of three new anthologies of North Carolina writing; and reviews of novels by Charles Dodd White and Warren Rochelle.

In the North Carolina Miscellany section, the fascinating story of Chapel Hill writer Richard McKenna is examined in an article by Thomas Douglass, and McKenna’s short story “The Left-Handed Monkey Wrench” is reprinted in full. An interview with novelist Michael Malone, by Art Taylor; the winning story of the 2010 Doris Betts Fiction Prize, “As Breaks the Waves Upon the Sea,” by Robert Wallace; and more poetry also appear in this section of the issue. More book

North Carolina Literary Review . . . . .


. . . . Celebrates 20-Year MilestoneNorth Carolina Literary Review . . . . .

reviews are included in this section as well, including a review of a reprint edition of Guy Owen’s novel “Journey for Joedel,” which won the Sir Walter Raleigh prize in 1970, and a review of the 2010 Raleigh award winner, “By Accident,” by Susan Kelly.

Published by East Carolina University and the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association, NCLR has won numerous awards in its 20 years, most recently from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals in 2010 for Best Journal Design.

The cover art for the 2011 issue is by Joan Mansfield, a professor in the East Carolina University School of Art and Design. More of Mansfield’s art appears within the issue. The cover was designed by NCLR’s Art Director, Dana Ezzell Gay, a professor in the Art Department at Meredith College. Gay, along with Pamela Cox of Washington, NC, and Stephanie Whitlock Dicken of Greenville, NC, designed the content of the issue.

For a complete table of contents for this issue, subscription and purchase information, and to find out about upcoming publication events, go to


NOTEWORTHYNEWS

Two East Carolina University students are applying their knowledge of a foreign language and enjoying study abroad thanks to scholarships awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service valued at nearly $12,000 each.

Ashley Hooper of Raleigh just completed a year of study at the University of Leipzig, Germany. She was also selected for the organization’s Alumni Association Academic Excellence Award, which supported her attendance at the Institute for Cultural Diplomacy Academy in Berlin, July 25 – 31. The weeklong academy focused on cultural diplomacy and international relations through lectures, workshops and cultural and social activities. “My year in Leipzig was a life changing experience,” said Hooper. “Not only was I able to visit sites of historical and contemporary interest and discuss them in German with local residents, but I also had the opportunity to travel and make friends from throughout Europe. I have no doubt that my year living and studying in Germany will make me a more thoughtful, competitive applicant for employment or advanced study once I graduate in May.” Hooper is a rising senior majoring in German and history.

Students’ Scholarships Allow for Study Abroad

Ashley Hooper


Chadwick Spence of Charlotte also received an undergraduate scholarship from the German Academic Exchange Service. His scholarship will fund a year of study at the Universität Konstanz in southern Germany this academic year. “I’m excited about studying in Konstanz because immersion in the language and culture is the next logical step in my training, and it’s a great location for experiencing regional differences in Germany, Austria and Switzerland,” said Spence. “I thank the DAAD and my German professors at ECU for their support and for this opportunity.” Spence is a rising junior majoring in German and chemistry. Faculty in the ECU German program praise Hooper and Spence for their hard work and dedication in learning a second language.

“Ashley is a mature, thoughtful student. I had no doubt that she would impress faculty in Germany with her hard work, and that she would be a great ambassador for our program and university,” said David L. Smith, associate professor of German and program coordinator. “Chadwick is an intellectually curious student with a range of interests, and it has been a joy to work with him over the past two years. I look forward to following his successes in Germany and to hearing about the new friendships and insights that this year abroad will afford him,” concluded Smith.

Students’ Scholarships Allow for Study Abroad

Chadwick Spence

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FACULTY&STAFFACCOMPLISHMENTS

AccomplishmentsFaculty and Staff

Dr. Paul Gares was awarded the R.J. Russell Award from the Coastal and Marine Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers.

Biology

Dr. Jason E. Bond, former ECU professor of biology, was one of two recipients in the college to receive last spring’s Five-Year Achievement for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award. Recipients are recognized for the originality and excellence of their research and creative activities during five years of continuous service at ECU. As an award winner, Bond received a cash award and was able to showcase his research during Research and Creative Achievement Week held this past April.

Earlier this year, an independent journalist writing an article in Nature magazine used information from biology professor Dr. Ed Stellwag about ECU’s preliminary results of the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Stellwag is exploring what mixtures of spill oil and dispersant do to the embryos of zebrafish. He found that even at the modest concentrations that many animals would have encountered during the spill, the mixture caused fatal heart and other defects in all of the embryos tested. Stellwag says that assessing how embryonic damage plays out offshore is likely to be difficult, if not impossible, because larger animals eat most of the larvae in surface waters. The full article may be read at http://www.nature.com/news/2011/110413/full/472152a.html.

Dr. Kyle Summers, professor of biology, joined the ranks of Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Professor this year. The announcement was made by Dean White at the 2011 Harriot College Faculty Convocation held August 22.

Geography

The Coastal and Marine Specialty Group of the Association of American Geographers awarded

Dr. Paul Gares the group’s prestigious R.J. Russell Award this year. The Russell award is the highest honor given by the COMA specialty group. Gares joins a list of the most renowned coastal geographers in the discipline recognized for their major contributions in research and teaching. Throughout his career, Gares has particularly influenced many students and advanced the study of aeolian and coastal geomorphology research on dunes.

Drs. Tom Rickenbach and Rosana Nieto-Ferreira were notified this summer that they are the recipients of a $314,000 National Science Foundation grant, funded by the NSF Directorate for Geosciences’ Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences Division. Rickenbach and Nieto-Ferreira will work on developing and analyzing models of how precipitation is delivered in North Carolina. They propose that knowing how year-to-year changes in the atmosphere control the way in which precipitation is delivered to the state will lead to a better understanding of the impact that these changes have on the current and future climate of North Carolina.

Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology

Earlier this summer, Dr. Larry Babits, history professor and director of the Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology program, was quoted in an article written by Susan Milton with the Cape Cod Times. The article addresses the topic of merchant mariners who sailed coastal barges during WWII, but who have been denied benefits for their service. Babits has historical and archaeological expertise in this area pertaining to North Carolina mariners. The article may be accessed at http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110822/NEWS/108220314.

Susanne Grieve, director of conservation for the Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology program,

is spending some time in Haiti this fall working with the Smithsonian Institute on art recovery and restoration efforts from the 2010 earthquake. She will travel to Antarctica in January to continue the conservation of the huts of two early explorers, Capt. R. F. Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton.

Philosophy

Jim Metzger, teaching assistant professor of philosophy and English graduate student, recently published his first fiction novel titled “DIM.” The novel covers a litany of issues ranging from homophobia, racial bigotry, hypocrisy, spousal abuse, secularism and biblical authority. Metzger is pursuing his Master of Arts degree in English at ECU and will complete coursework in spring 2012.

Political Science

Dr. Jalil Roshandel, professor of political science, conducted a live interview with BBC-London in Farsi on Sept. 11, discussing the impact of 9/11 on International Security. One of his articles on the impact of 9/11 and the Middle East also was published by Radio Liberty Europe (Radio Farda) in Persian. The article can be found at www.radiofarda.com/content/f7_roshandel_iv_over_mideast_after_sep11/24325034.html.

Psychology

Dr. Jeannie Golden, associate professor of psychology, has received a grant from the North Carolina Department of Education for $1.5 million. This follows up on an earlier grant from the Kate Reynolds Foundation that Golden used to provide mental health services to Greene County Schools.


Dr. Healther Littleton, professor of psychology, was notified this summer that she was the recipient of the 2011 Eugene Hargrove award from the North Carolina Psychiatric Association. The NCPA presents this award to an individual who has been recognized by colleagues for exceptional contributions in the field of mental health research.

Additionaly, an article written by Littleton, “The Impact of Social Support and Negative Disclosure Reactions on Sexual Assault Victims,” was selected as one of the best papers to be published in the Journal of Trauma & Dissociation in 2010. Jennifer Freyd, editor of the journal, commented “many outstanding articles were published last year and the committee commended Littleton for using both cross-sectional and longitudinal measures, and for examining the complex interplay of factors that influence the outcomes of sexual assault disclosure.”

Dr. Lesley Lutes, assistant professor of psychology, along with Dr. Skip Cummings from the Brody School of Medicine, are the recipients of a $300,000 grant from the Bristol Myers Squib Foundation. They have received the grant for their work on empowering rural African American women and communities to improve diabetes outcomes using a peer-led small changes treatment program.

Dr. Scott Methe, assistant professor of school psychology, has received a grant from Research and Graduate Studies for $36,857.

Dr. T. Chris Riley-Tillman, former ECU associate professor of psychology, was one of two recipients in the college to receive last spring’s Five-Year Achievement for Excellence in Research and Creative Activity Award. Recipients are recognized for the originality and excellence of their research and creative activities during five years of continuous service at ECU. As an award winner, Riley-Tillman received a cash award and was able to showcase his research during Research and Creative Achievement Week held this past April.


FACULTY&STAFFACCOMPLISHMENTScontinued

Dr. Chris Riley-Tillman, psychology

Dr. Heather Littleton, psychology


Dr. Sam Sears, professor of psychology and cardiovascular sciences, was named by Provost Marilyn Sheerer’s office as ECU’s 2011-12 nominee for the O. Max Gardner Award. The award annually recognizes faculty who have “made the greatest contributions to the welfare of the human race.” Sears has spent his career learning about the experiences of patients with heart disease, particularly those living with ICDs (implantable cardioverter defibrillators) and other new technologies devices. He has developed a variety of therapeutic approaches for helping patients, and their family members, manage the fear and stress associated with the devices.

Sociology

Dr. Susan Pearce, assistant professor of sociology, co-authored a new book “Immigration and Women: Understanding the American Experience,” that came out this spring. The book is a portrait of immigrant women who live in the Unites States today, and features the voices of these women as they describe their contributions to work, culture and activism.

Additionally, Pearce published a new article this summer titled, “Intersections, Immigration and Partner Violence: A View from a New Gateway—Baltimore, Maryland.” The article was published in the journal Women & Criminal Justice.

Dr. Sam Sears, psychology

Dr. Larry Bolen, professor of psychology and former Harriot College associate dean for planning, has moved to phased retirement this fall.

Dr. John Stevens, director of the Great Books Program, is now serving in the role of interim chair for the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures. Dr. Frank Romer previously served as chair of the department and has returned to teaching.

Dr. Marieke Van Willigen, director of the Women’s Studies Program, is now serving in the role of interim chair for the Department of Sociology. Dr. Leon Wilson previously served as chair of the department. He is now Dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Alabama State University.

Images from top: Dr. John Stevens, Dr. Frank Romer, Dr. Marieke Van Willigen and Dr. Leon Wilson


Promotions & RetirementsFaculty and Staff

FACULTY & STAFF


East Carolina University English professor Roger C. Schlobin retired this summer after a combined 42 years of teaching at ECU, The Ohio State University and Purdue University.

Schlobin is one of three founders of the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts, a scholarly organization devoted to the study of the fantastic, now in its 33rd year. He is past editor and founder of “The Journal of the Fantastic in the Arts.” He was editor of “The Aesthetics of Fantasy Literature and Art” as well as more than 50 volumes in the Starmont Reader’s Guides to Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror, the first scholarly series to focus on individual authors.

He is the author of “The Years Scholarship of Fantasy, Science Fiction and Horror,” as well as “Fire and Fur: The Last Sorcerer Dragon,” the first original fantasy novel to be published online. Schlobin’s bibliography, “The Literature of Fantasy,” is recognized as the definitive annotated bibliography in the field of modern fantasy fiction.

Schlobin’s various other publications include more than 100 essays, poems, short stories, reviews and bibliographies that cover topics of fantasy literature, pedagogy, science fiction, medieval and Arthurian literature, feminism, shamanism, linguistics and microcomputer hardware and software.

Recently, Schlobin donated his personal library to ECU and endowed The James H. and Virginia C. Schlobin Collection of Literature of the Fantastic, the third largest of its kind in the world.

Schlobin Retires After 42-Year Teaching Career

Beyond writing and teaching, Schlobin’s interests include tinkering with “Princess,” a souped-up 1977 Datsun 280Z, and membership in the Emerald City Z Club, an automotive club for Z car enthusiasts in eastern North Carolina, where he was founder and past president. He enjoys spending time with his family, great food and drink, photography, computer games, collecting dragons and t-shirts, and still mourns the passing of his silver-mackerel tabby, the great Joshua Thunderpussy.

Schlobin received his doctoral degree from Ohio State University, his master’s degree from The University of Wisconsin and his bachelor’s degree from C.W. Post College.

SuccessesCelebrating Student

This July, Dr. Sayward Harrison became the first graduate of ECU’s pediatric school psychology concentration of the health psychology program. Harrison received a Johnson Scholarship and a National Merit scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for her undergraduate studies, where she received her BA degrees in psychology and international studies. She received an MA and a Certificate of Advanced Study in school psychology at ECU in 2007, during which time she was inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. After working for Durham Public Schools, Harrison returned to ECU to pursue a PhD in health psychology, with a concentration in pediatric school psychology. During her doctoral studies, Harrison was named an ECU Student Engagement Outreach Scholar and also received the psychology department’s 2010 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Award. Harrison’s dissertation research examined knowledge of sickle cell trait and sickle cell disease among African-American college students. She completed a pre-doctoral internship in pediatric school psychology at Guilford County Schools Psychological Services, where she is now employed. Harrison resides in Saxapahaw, NC, with her husband Conor and 2-year old daughter Beatrice.

Brittany Carr, a dual major in Asian studies and biology who was admitted into the Brody School of Medicine this fall, was selected this summer as a recipient of a $5,000 Fellowship from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi.

During the spring 2011 semester, psychology students Alexandria Caple, Daniel Fischer, Jaleesa McMillan, Kelsey Ruffing, and Darryl Wright presented their research at the 36th Annual Carolinas Psychology Conference at Meredith College. Their two research presentations examined the relationships between personality, social support and physical health. Industrial and organizational psychology masters students, Martha Baker and Catherine Buria, assisted Dr. Lisa Baranik, ECU assistant professor of psychology, by teaching the undergraduate students about designing, implementing and presenting research projects.

(Left to Right) ECU assistant psychology professor Lisa Baranik with students Kelsey Ruffing, Daniel Fischer and Darryl Wright


STUDENTS

Health psychology program director Dr. Christy Walcott (left) with Dr. Sayward Harrison (right). Harrison is the first graduate of ECU’s pediatric school psychology concentration.

Albee Ongsuco, health psychology PhD candidate, was awarded one of the two David Hardee Scholarships given by the Mental Health Association in Pitt County. Ongsuco has been using the knowledge she has gained through her educational career to address the mental health needs of middle school students in rural school settings in eastern North Carolina.

Brianna Biscardi, Chemistry and Neuroscience MajorRobert Broda, Geology MajorStephen Canady, Biochemistry and Chemistry MajorJohn Creech, Biology and Chemistry MajorCaitlin Gold, Biology MajorDanielle Jessen, Biology and Chemistry MajorLena Keller, Biology Major


Spring 2011 Undergraduate Research,Creative Activity Awards

This summer, for the second year in a row, ECU history students of Lambda-Eta, ECU’s chapter of the Phi Alpha Theta History Honor Society, received the Division VI Chapter of the Year Award. Division VI includes all of the Society’s 900+ chapters at institutions with more than 23,000 students enrolled. To earn the award, the 65 student and faculty members of Lambda-Eta presented more than 30 scholarly papers at various regional and national

Congratulations to the recipients of the Spring 2011 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity Awards.

History Students Excel conferences, raised money for charitable institutions such as Relay for Life and the Japanese Relief Effort, donated money to the North Carolina Collection at Joyner Library for book purchases, and swept the Rhem/Schwarzmann Prizes for Undergraduate Research (Will Brown, William Avery and Baylus Brooks took first, second and third prizes). Three graduate members, Jennifer E. Jones, Peter Campbell and Joyce Steinmetz; and one undergraduate member, Samantha

M. Mazzuca, published articles during the year.

Dr. Wade G. Dudley, advisor to the chapter, also serves Phi Alpha Theta as its director for the Carolinas Region. As Regional Director for the 2010-11 academic year, he helped organize and served on Phi Alpha Theta panels at the Southern Historical Association’s annual meeting in Charlotte. Additionally, he led the installation of a new chapter at High Point University and provided assistance to regional conferences at East Tennessee State University and Francis Marion University. Dudley leads the Historical Simulations Group (ECUHSG) sponsored by Lambda-Eta and the

Department of History, an organization well known at gaming conventions in the eastern United States.

Jonathan Lee, Neuroscience Studies MajorTiffany Lee, Neuroscience Studies and Biology MajorCristian Potter, Mathematics MajorEden Rouse, Neuroscience Studies MajorKimberly Tillapaugh, Chemistry and Biochemistry MajorKimberly Wade, Biology Major

(Bottom Row, L-R) Melissa Jones, Virginia Dodd, Clay Smith (Middle Row, L-R) Marshall Lamm, Nick Outlaw (Top Row, L-R) Ryan Goodman and faculty advisor Dr. Wade G. Dudley pose at the Carolinas Regional conference at Francis Marion University in April.

ECU’s Treasured Pirate Award is designed to reward the special or unique contributions 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 certificate and a gift of their choice from the Treasured Pirate Reward Gift Catalog.

The Treasured 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.

Congratulations to the Harriot College recipients of the Spring 2011 ECU Treasured Pirate Awards!

Amber Aloia, Department of ChemistryExie Anderson, Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Office of the DeanMichael Baker, Department of PsychologyRachel Baker, Department of PsychologyGregory Brown, Department of ChemistryVickie Crafford, Department of PsychologySusan Howard, Department of EnglishRuth Lee, Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Office of the DeanJone Letsinger, Department of BiologySherry Lillington, Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Office of the DeanCindy Mills, Department of EconomicsSuzanne Powell, Harriot College of Arts and Sciences Office of the Dean

(Treasured Pirate awardees for Fall 2011 will appear in a future issue of Magnetic East.)

SPRING 2011 ECU TREASURED PIRATE AWARDS


AWARDS & EVENTS


EVENTSTHOMAS HARRIOT COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES

October 24 – Medical History Interest Group LectureDr. David Dennard, associate professor of history and director of the African and African-American Studies Program, will present “African-American Health Care Providers in the Civil War,” at 4:30 p.m. in the gallery on the 4th floor of Laupus Library.

October 26 – Gender to a Tea Faculty Lecture SeriesThe Women’s and Gender Studies Program will host a lecture at 1 p.m. in Bate 1006 titled “Operation Iraqi Stephen: Mr. USO’s Commando Masculinity,” led by ECU English professor Anna Froula.

October 28 – Political Science Homecoming ReceptionThe Department of Political Science will hold a homecoming reception from 2-4 p.m. in Brewster C-105. RSVP by Oct. 26 to Dr. Brad Lockerbie at [email protected].

October 28 – English Homecoming ReceptionThe Department of English will hold a homecoming reception from 5-8 p.m. in the Mendenhall Student Center, room 244. For more information, contact the department at 328-6041.

November 10 – Voyages: A University Lecture Celebrating 50 Years of DiversityDr. Henry Louis Gates Jr., professor and researcher at Harvard University, will give A University Lecture Celebrating 50 Years of Diversity at ECU. He will present, “African-American Lives: Genetics, Genealogy and Black History” at 7 p.m. in Wright Auditorium. For additional information, visit www.ecu.edu/voyages.

November 30 – Gender to a Tea Faculty Lecture SeriesThe Women’s and Gender Studies Program will host a lecture at 1 p.m. in Bate 1006. Jayne Geissler will discuss “Retention Rates by Gender at ECU.”

December 1 – Medical LectureDr. Andrea Kitta, assistant professor of English, will present “The Shot Heard Round the World: Vaccine Legends and Beliefs” at 12:30 p.m. in Brody 2West-50. For additional information, contact the Department of Bioethics & Interdisciplinary Studies at 744-2361.

February 2, 2012 – Voyages: Thomas Harriot LectureBland Simpson, professor of English at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, will give the Thomas Harriot Lecture in the 2011-12 Voyages of Discovery Lecture Series. He will present, “Eastern North Carolina Culture in Music and Literature” at 7 p.m. in Wright Auditorium. For additional information, visit www.ecu.edu/voyages.

March 13, 2012 – Voyages: Jarvis Lecture on Christianity and CultureDr. J. Kameron Carter, professor of theology and Black church studies at Duke University, will give the Jarvis Lecture in the 2011-12 Voyages of Discovery Lecture Series. He will present, “Religion and the Post-Racial Condition” at 7 p.m. in Wright Auditorium. For additional information, visit www.ecu.edu/voyages.

Magnetic East is a publication of the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences at East Carolina University. For more information, please visit our website at www.ecu.edu/cas.

© 2011 Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences, East Carolina University.

>MAGNETICEAST

Documents

Magnetic East Fall 2011 - East Carolina Universityecu.edu/cs-cas/upload/mag_eastfall11-web-version.pdf · “The Battle for North Carolina’s Coast: Evolutionary History, Present