College of Continuing and Professional Studies
Dr. Vikraman Baskaran, assistant professor of informatics in the department of math, science, and informatics, co-authored a paper, titled “Evaluation of HIV health services in Lagos State: an empirical study” in the International Journal of Services, Economics and Management by Inderscience Publishers. The paper evaluates the extent of the behavioral challenges concerning HIV/AIDS among senior secondary school and tertiary institution students in Lagos, Nigeria.
Dr. Thompson Biggers, associate professor, and Kelly Jones, instructional designer, had a program accepted for presentation at the American Communication Association Convention May 29-June 1 in Lafayette, La. The program deals with the future focus of the association as it begins its second decade. They will propose that the association should take the lead in research dealing with the ways in which technology influences the communication process.
Dr. Charles H. Roberts, associate professor of mathematics, and Dr. Kedrick Hartfield, associate professor in the department of mathematics, presented a paper, titled “Why Equity and Diversity Deserve Center Stage for Everyone,” at the Annual Meeting and Exposition of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics in Denver, Colo., April 20.
Dr. Lynn Tankersley, assistant professor of criminal justice in the department of leadership studies, presented a paper, titled “Giving Grades a Pink Slip,” at the 11th Annual Interdisciplinary Conference for Teachers of Undergraduates held March 22-23 on the campus of Gordon State College in Barnesville.
College of Liberal Arts
Dr. Andy Digh, associate professor, served on the program committee for the 51st Association for Computing Machinery Southeast Conference held April 4-6 on the campus of Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah.
Dr. John Marson Dunaway, professor of French and interdisciplinary studies, spoke to Mercer's African Student Association on April 10 on the work of Chinua Achebe, the “Father of African Literature” who died on March 21. Dr. Dunaway also attended the annual brunch of the Francophone Festival in Atlanta on March 24 as an invited guest of the Belgian Consul General, Mme Geneviève Verbeek.
Dr. Gordon Johnston, professor of English, recorded 14 of his poems for the syndicated radio show “Melodically Challenged,” which originates from WRAS in Atlanta. He was assisted by Sara Pirkle Hughes, CLA '02. Johnston hosted poet Jacqueline Osherow, author of six collections of poems and director of the Master of Fine Arts program at the University of Utah, April 7-9 on the Macon campus, arranging a free public reading on April 8 in Willingham Hall and holding an open workshop with Osherow at Jittery Joe's the same afternoon.
Dr. Anya Silver, associate professor of English, published two poems in Five Points, Vol. 15, No. 1 and 2 titled “Girl Braiding Her Hair” and “Tante Annel's Scrapbook.” She also had her poem titled “Dannon” (67) published in the New Ohio Review 13, Spring 2013. Dr. Silver also read poetry at the Writing on Napkins at the Sunshine Club reading at Theater Macon on April 16.
Dr. Marian Zielinski, professor of theatre, was selected as a finalist in Quilting Arts Magazine's “Text Me!” challenge for her art quilt, titled “Here and Now,” in April.
College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Dr. Ajay K. Banga, professor, was awarded a $10,000 grant for “Effect of moisture on crystallization in transdermal patches” from Agile Therapeutics.
Dr. Annesha W. Lovett, assistant professor, Dr. Susan W. Miller, professor, and Simone Austin, doctor of pharmacy student, published “Geriatric care coordination: comparing the U.S., the U.K. and Japan” in European International Journal of Science and Technology.” 2013; 2(2):150-166.
Dr. Maria M. Thurston, clinical assistant professor, achieved certification in “Delivering Medication Therapy Management Services” from the American Pharmacists Association.
Georgia Baptist College of Nursing
Dr. JoEllen Dattilo, associate dean for the undergraduate program, gave a presentation, titled “Second Time Around: Previously Degreed Students Returning to the Classroom,” at the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference in Savannah in March.
Susan Estes, clinical associate professor, and Fran Kamp, clinical associate professor, presented “Baccalaureate Nursing Students' Experience in Appalachian Cultural” at the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning Conference in Savannah in March.
Freida Fuller, professor, presented “Bridging the Gap: Connecting Nurse Practitioner Students with Other Health Professional Students” at the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculty Annual Conference in Pittsburgh, Pa., in April.
Dr. Susan S. Gunby, professor, has been named as a reviewer for the Virginia Henderson International Nursing Library Online Research Repository.
Dr. Linda Streit, dean, was selected to serve as a judge for the 2103 Capstone International Book Award for Sigma Theta Tau International
McAfee School of Theology
Dr. R. Alan Culpepper, dean, participated in the interfaith Theology Conference on “Forgiveness” at the Shalom Hartman Institute in Jerusalem in February. On April 9, he delivered the Radboud Prestige Lectures in New Testament at the Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands on “The Prologue of the Gospel of John as the Foundation of Johannine Ethics.”
School of Medicine
Dr. Hamza Awad, assistant professor, published a paper, titled “Management and outcomes of patients presenting with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction by use of chronic oral anticoagulation: results from the GRACE registry,” at the European Heart Journal Acute Cardiovascular Care (in press). The paper describes the characteristics, treatment and mortality in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction by use of chronic oral anticoagulant therapy.
Dr. Macram A. Ayoub, professor and vice chair of surgery, was honored at the Department of Surgery testimonial dinner and scientific symposium for his 34 years of service to the medical school and the residency in surgery at the Medical Center of Central Georgia. Nearly 200 people, including more than 30 former chief residents and medical students, attended a formal dinner at the Idle Hour Country Club on April 17. A festschrift commemorating the occasion was presented to him by Medical College of Central Georgia chief residents. Included were letters from members of the Georgia congressional delegation, including U.S. Sens. Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson. Macon Mayor Robert Reichert issued a proclamation declaring the day “Macram Ayoub Day” in the city. On April 18, the department held a scientific symposium featuring graduates of the residency. T. Clark Gamblin, associate professor and chief of surgical oncology at the University of Wisconsin; Paul S. Dale, professor and chief of surgical oncology at the University of Missouri at Columbia; and Bradley Dennis, instructor in surgery and fellow in surgical critical care at Vanderbilt University, were featured speakers at the event. Dr. J. William Mix, assistant professor, and the chief residents in surgery represented the department at the event.
Dr. Kerry Lee Coburn, professor, and Dr. Ali Safet Gonul, associate professor, and several co-authers published “Computer Based classification of MR scans in living Alzheimer patients” in Current Alzheimer Research, 9(7):789-794), “The relationship between anterior corpus callosum size and prefrontal cortex volume in drug-free depressed patients” in the Journal of Affective Disorders, 146(2):281-285 and “Altered hippocampal formation shape in first-episode depressed patients at 5-year follow-up” in the Journal of Psychiatric Research, 47(1):50-55 http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2012.08.22.
Dr. Cheryl Gaddis, Master of Public Health program assistant director and instructor, was inducted into the Gamma Theta Chapter of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health on April 26. Her induction was based on her high academic standards and outstanding performance in scholarship, teaching, research and community service. Delta Omega is a national honor society existing to encourage research and scholarship among graduate students of public health and to recognize attainment and achievement in the field of public health.
Dr. Ashley Horner, associate professor of pharmacology, presented a seminar on Feb. 20 at the University of Iowa College of Pharmacy, titled “Cause or Effect? Reactive Aldehyde and Methamphetamine-Induced Neurotoxicity.” Dr. Horner also presented a poster, titled “Ablation of the patch compartment alters methamphetamine-induced behavior and c-Fos expression in the striatum and substantia nigra,” at the 11th triennial International Basal Ganglia Society meeting in Eilat, Israel, March 3-7. Co-authors on the poster included Ryan Murray, research assistant I, Mercer graduates Yamiece Gilbert and Anna Logan, and second-year medical student John Hebbard.
Dr. Edward C. Lauterbach, professor emeritus of psychiatry and neurology, recently published “Melatonin in antinociception: Its therapeutic applications” in the journal Current Neuropharmacology 2012:10:167-178 with colleagues from medical schools in India,Singapore, Spain, Malaysia and Israel.
Shirley A. Powell, technical director for the Histopathology Curricular Support Laboratory, attended the 40th Anniversary Georgia Society for Histopathology annual meeting, which was held at Jekyll Island on April 11-14. Powell is a co-founder of GSH and currently treasurer for the organization. She received the first ever GSH “Lifetime Achievement Award” at last year's meeting and July 18 of this year will mark her 51st year in the field of Histotechnology.
Dr. Wei-Hsiung Yang, assistant professor of physiology, and lab member, Chiung-Min Wang, presented a poster, titled “SUMOylation of ATF3 alters MC2R, NR5A1, STAR, and TP53 gene activities,” at the American Association for Cancer Research's 104th Annual Meeting in Washington, D.C., April 6-10. Dr. Yang and Wang also published an article, titled “Loss of SUMOylation on ATF3 inhibits proliferation of prostate cancer cells by modulating CCND1/2 activity,” in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, which was accepted April 9.
Staff and Administration
Kim Meredith, assistant director of career services andcareer counselor, earned the Licensed Professional Counselor credential from the State of Georgia Board of Professional Counselors, Social Workers and Marriage and Family Therapists on April 9.
Tift College of Education
Elaine M. Artman, associate professor for education leadership, presented “Leading Entrepreneurially: Strategies and Resources Contributing to One Community College's Survival” at Council for the Study of Community Colleges in April.
Dr. Anthony J. Harris, professor of education, published his book, titled Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me 'Round: A coming of age story and a personal account of the Civil Rights Movement in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, released April 1.
Dr. William Lacefield, professor of mathematics education, presented “Real Opportunities for Reasoning through Matrix Logic Puzzles” at the annual conference of the United Kingdom's Association of Teachers of Mathematics, held April 2-5 in Sheffield, England. Dr. Lacefield and Cathy Costello, head of mathematics at London's British Recording Industry Trust Secondary School, also presented “Tangrams for Beginners: Who Knew Seven Polygons could Possess Such Power?” at the conference. Dr. Lacefield presented “Exploring Multiple Ways to Multiply: Ideas to Engage All Learners,” at the annual meeting of the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, held April 17-20 in Denver, Colo.
Dr. Pamela Larde, assistant professor, was selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement from Cardinal Stritch University. Dr. Larde also recently published a book, titled Letters to the Brokenhearted.
Townsend School of Music
Dr. Douglas Hill, professor of music, presented high school band clinics at Veterans, Perry and Houston County high schools during March in preparation for their Georgia Music Educators National Association's Large Group Performance Evaluation performed at Peach County High School on March 9. Dr. Hill was a representative on the small university committee held March 20-23 at the national conference of the College Band Directors National Association in Greensboro, N.C. He performed a trumpet solo at the Riverside United Methodist Church in Macon on April 14 and performed in the brass choir with the Griffin Choral Arts Society's performance of John Rutter's Gloria on April 14 at the First United Methodist Church in Warner Robins. The Mercer University Faculty Brass Quintet performed brass clinics for the students of Sequoyah and River Ridge High Schools in Cherokee County on May 8.
University Libraries
Erin Edmond, library assistant at the Douglas Regional Academic Center Library, earned a Master of Library and Information Science from Valdosta State University in December 2012.
Amy Gratz, instructional services librarian, and Lee Twombly, outreach and assessment librarian, both at Jack Tarver Library, have had their article “Evolution of a Culture of Assessment: Developing a Mixed-Methods Approach for Evaluating Library Instruction,” accepted for publication in College & Undergraduate Libraries.
Julie Poole, coordinator of center library services and assistant professor, attended the Association of College and Research Libraries Virtual Conference April 11-12.
Walter F. George School of Law
Jessica Feinberg, assistant professor, had her article, titled “Avoiding Marriage Tunnel Vision” accepted for publication in the Tulane Law Review. She also presented this article at the Midwest Family Law Consortium at the University of Wisconsin Law School in Madison, Wis., in April and at the Feminist Legal Theory Conference at the University of Baltimore School of Law in Baltimore, Md., in March.
Jim Fleissner, professor and co-director of the LLM Program, presented to attorneys in the United States Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Georgia on April 3. The program provided an update on 20 cases concerning legal issues of interest to federal prosecutors that currently are on the docket of the U.S. Supreme Court.
