Wright State opening new doors to China

CHINA'S INCREASED IMPACT ON OUR LIVES—from consumer choices to the Beijing Olympics and China's increased presence on the world stage—will be the focus of many new opportunities at Wright State University beginning this summer. The university recently received word that a major grant titled "China's Re-Emergence: Educating, Informing, and Engaging Ohioans in the Asian Century" received full funding from the federal Department of Education.

The two-year project, which will draw on the expertise and skills of Wright State faculty members, administrators, and partners from more than four colleges and centers coordinated by the University Center for International Education (UCIE), is designed to produce an enhanced international studies and foreign language program at Wright State, develop critical and vital curriculum for students, and expand co-curricular programming on campus, in the community, and abroad. Specifics include the creation of new region-based courses, the expansion of Mandarin Chinese language offerings, and enhancing the university's present education-abroad programs in Asia.

"The only way to understand a different culture and engage in successful relationships is to try to understand how others see the world," said Laura Luehrmann, Ph.D., principal investigator on the grant, associate professor of political science, and director of the Master of International and Comparative Politics Program, who will serve as the campus and community coordinator for this project. "I tell my students: 'If you grow up in the land of blue sunglasses, and you go to visit the land of yellow sunglasses but you never take off your blue sunglasses, then you will see everything green. You will never see the world as the people who live there see it.' It's a simple analogy to explain that China cannot be accurately interpreted using only our Western perspectives." Read More...

Wright State Francophiles receive top program award

TRÈS BIEN! Wright State's French program in the College of Liberal Arts received this year's Outstanding Program Award from the Ohio Foreign Language Association.

"Great programs do not grow overnight," said Henry Limouze, interim chair of the Department of Modern Languages. "This recognition is a testimony to the hard work, resourcefulness and dedication the French faculty and student leaders have shown over many years.

"I attribute the success of the French program to the extraordinary enthusiasm and energy of the faculty and the top students in the program. They are excited about the French language, French culture, French literature and all things French, and they want to share this excitement with the world," said Limouze. "Our French program faculty teach wonderful, high-energy classes where they infect their students with the love of French; they lead study-abroad classes to Paris and other French cities and regions; they sponsor many activities and get-togethers for French students in the French Club; and they involve students in French Immersion Day, where last November more than 150 high school French students came to campus and spent the day speaking only French while they toured the library, learned about WSU's programs, had lunch and had fun." Read More...

Tony Ortiz Named Distinguished Hispanic Ohioan

TONY ORTIZ, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE GREATER DAYTON ATHLETIC TRAINERS' ASSOCIATION, was inducted into the Ohio Athletic Trainers' Hall of Fame in 2003. He has also received the National Athletic Trainers' Association's Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer Award. Ortiz has been a faculty member in Wright State's Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation since 1985.

A LION IN THE HOUSE
Wright State filmmakers honored for lasting contribution to the fight against cancer

Susan Matsuko Shinagawa, left, and Lance Armstrong, right, present Wright State filmmakers Julia Reichert and Steven Bognar the prestigious Susan Matsuko Shinagawa LIVESTRONG Cancer Control Leadership Award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C.

Dayton chapter of SCLC honors Howard

WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR LILLIE P. HOWARD, PH.D., was recognized for her contribution to education by the Dayton chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during this year's Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday Celebration honoring the legacy of the slain civil rights leader.

Howard, a professor of English and Wright State's senior vice president for curriculum and instruction, received the SCLC Dayton chapter's Education Leadership Award named in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and Brother Raymond Fitz, the former president of the University of Dayton, known widely for his commitment to diversity, humanitarianism, and justice. Also awarded were a humanitarian award and an award for community service. Read More...

WSU Director of Athletics Cusack to Retire June 30

AFTER MORE THAN A QUARTER CENTURY OF SERVICE, Wright State University director of athletics Michael Cusack, Ed.D., announced his retirement effective June 30, 2008, at a press conference today.

Cusack, in his 26th year in his current position, was appointed to the director of athletics in April of 1982 and has been only the second director for WSU since the start of intercollegiate athletics in 1967. He replaced Don Mohr who started the program and retired in 1982.

"Wright State's athletics program has flourished under Dr. Cusack's leadership. For more than a quarter of a century he has led the department to significant achievements in athletics as well as academics," said David R. Hopkins, president of Wright State. "Mike leaves the position of athletic director at the top of his game. And we are pleased he will continue to share his significant expertise, working with the College of Education and Human Services in the development of a new sports management certificate program. I'd like to thank Mike for his past contributions to Raider history and for his continuing commitment to Wright State." Read More...

COLA Faculty Lecture Series features fabled stories from Roman times

THE TORTOISE AND THE HARE, The Wolf in Sheep's Clothing, and The Boy Who Cried Wolf. Famous stories that have been passed down through the centuries will be the topic of Rebecca Edwards' presentation, "Telling Tales for Caesar: Fables in Early Imperial Rome," at 4 p.m., May 1, in the Millett Atrium, as part of the 2008 College of Liberal Arts Faculty Lecture Series.

"Today we tend to use fables to teach children. But in the early empire, fables were a literary genre in themselves," said Edwards, an assistant professor of classics at Wright State, who specializes in Latin and Greek historiography, Roman history, and mythology and folklore. "Thus, while their morals are universally edifying, they were also used to instruct courtiers in political and social behavior. It is this aspect that I find most interesting and which holds the most useful lessons for modern society." Read More...

In Memory of JOHN V. MURRAY
Former WSU vice president of academic affairs dies

JOHN V. MURRAY, PH.D., 86, Wright State's vice president of academic affairs from 1974 to 1981, passed away peacefully on January 31, 2008.

Murray joined the Wright State faculty as an associate professor of management following his retirement from the Air Force in 1967. He became chairman of the management department in 1970. In 1971, he was named dean of the College of Business and Administration and was appointed associate provost in 1973. He was promoted to vice president for academic affairs in 1974 and served in that capacity until 1981. During the years at Wright State University, he was a member or chairman of numerous committees. He also co-authored an organizational behavior text and was a contributor to several professional journals. Read More...

New school of innovation to open in 2009 at Wright State

Dayton will be the recipient of $600,000 in state funding to develop a STEM school initially to be located on or near Wright State University’s campus, the Ohio Board of Regents has announced. The Dayton Regional STEM School will offer a highly advanced curriculum for grades 6-12, designed to help students from Clark, Greene and Montgomery counties gain the skills needed to succeed in higher education and in the global economy.

The Board of Regents also approved a proposal for a STEM School in Cleveland.

The Dayton Regional STEM School proposal (DRSS) was advanced by a broad coalition of Dayton-area universities, colleges, career technical centers, public school districts, EDvention, businesses and Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to create a new school to promote education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

The new school is slated to open in the fall of 2009, initially in a facility provided by Wright State University, with funding and services donated by a strong coalition of partners. Admission will be open to high-potential students, with a special emphasis on underserved communities throughout the three-county region, and diversity in ethnic background, income, gender and abilities. The Dayton Regional STEM School also will serve as a resource to assist schools throughout the area in increasing the effectiveness of STEM instruction for all students. Read More...

Dayton area benefits from Wright State trip to Israel to gain international view on terrorism, emergency preparedness

Emergency preparedness leaders from Dayton are working to be among the best prepared in the country to address disaster situations because of a trip conducted by Wright State University.

A delegation from Dayton traveled to northern Israel in December to visit colleagues at the International School of Community Emergency Management (ISCEM), the Community Stress Prevention Center, the Western Galilee Hospital and various communities in northern Israel. This came about as a result of a first trip to Israel in May 2006 by faculty from Wright State and community officials.

The trip was coordinated through the Wright State University Center for Global Health Systems, Management, and Policy and Master of Public Health program. The Levin Family Foundation of Dayton funded the trip that included medical and psychology students and faculty from Wright State, as well as officials from Public Health–Dayton & Montgomery County and the U.S. Air Force. Read More...

School of Professional Psychology names new dean

Col. Larry C. James, Ph.D., has been named dean of Wright State University’s School of Professional Psychology effective August 1, 2008. He is replacing the current dean, John Rudisill, Ph.D., who retired at the end February after serving six years as dean.

Currently, James is chair of the Department of Psychology at the Tripler Army Medical Center, in Honolulu, Hawaii, where he coordinates the activities of the psychology department. As the chief psychologist and senior mental health consultant at Tripler, he also coordinates the development of behavioral health services in primary care and is responsible for training and overseeing psychological services to the Army’s entire Pacific Rim operations. He is also Co-PI for a $850,000 Native Hawaiian Training Project grant.

Board certified and a diplomate in clinical psychology and health psychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology, James focuses his research on integrating clinical psychology into primary care and medical settings. Read More...

Sayer named WSU Lake Campus dean

After serving for over six months as interim dean of the Lake Campus, James Sayer, Ph. D., has been named to fill that position permanently following a national search for the campus’s top administrative post.

Sayer had stepped up to fill the position on an interim basis last September.

“In our national search, Dr. Sayer emerged as the top candidate,” said Provost Stephen Angle. “Jim’s leadership skills and knowledge of the region has proven to be an asset for both the Lake Campus and the community. During his tenure as interim dean, he traveled extensively throughout the community, visiting area schools and business to see how the Lake Campus could continue to meet the needs of various constituencies through added or expanded academic programs, new outreach activities, and innovative partnerships.” Read More...

Governor appoints Wright State faculty member to state board

M. A. “Maggie” Houston, CPA, a lecturer in the Department of Accountancy at Wright State University, has been appointed to the state’s Accountancy Board of Ohio by Governor Ted Strickland.

The nine-member Accountancy Board is responsible for examining and licensing certified public accountants (CPAs), licensing public accountants (PAs), registering public accounting firms, and enforcing the applicable provisions of the Ohio Revised Code. The board’s mission is to ensure that the services received by Ohio’s citizens and businesses from CPAs and PAs licensed by the board will be performed in an ethical and professional manner and to strictly and fairly enforce Ohio’s statutes and rules. Read More...

Why do we have leap years? What would happen if we didn’t?

Scientist and writer David Dominic,Ph.D., associate professor and the associate chair of the Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, uses a unique blend of science and philosophy to answer these questions and elaborate on leap years. Dominic explains the connection between the earth’s rotation, the simple calendar and when a leap day is added as well as how “the very idea of a calendar illustrates two human traits that define how we find our place in the universe.”

By David Dominic, Ph.D.
What we call a year is the time it takes the earth to revolve around the sun. What we experience as a day is the time it takes the earth to rotate once on its axis. Because these intervals of time are defined by independent astronomical motions, there is no reason why a year should be an exact multiple of a day. It turns out that after 365 rotations, the earth is not quite back to the same position in its orbit. By the time the earth does get back to the starting point, it has rotated an additional quarter of a turn, so each year contains 365 days plus a fraction of a day. Read More...

Is it magic, or is it chemistry?
Wright State professor receives national honor

John Fortman, professor emeritus of chemistry from Wright State University, has received national recognition from the American Chemical Society (ACS) as the 2007 recipient of the Helen M. Free Award for Public Outreach. Established in 1995, the award is given to an ACS member who demonstrates a long-term commitment to improving the lay public’s recognition and appreciation of the contributions of chemistry.

Known for starting things off with a big bang
Fortman is best known by educators and students alike for his demonstrations and pyrotechnics illustrating principles of chemistry. For more than 25 years, Fortman has done chemistry demonstration shows for middle and high school students throughout the Dayton region—once projected to be the largest outreach effort of its kind in the nation. Today, he continues to inspire and fascinate nearly 8,000 students a year with at least 15 shows, each filled with a lively dialog of information and humor.

“John Fortman is one of the premier educators in the nation and, both figuratively and literally, he has left an indelible mark in the chemical arena,” said Kenneth Turnbull, chair of chemistry at WSU. “Whether he’s using elephant's toothpaste, glowing pickles, burning books or songs set to color changes, he brings chemistry to life, and his contagious enthusiasm charms audiences of all ages!” Read More...

Lake Campus Business Enterprise Center awarded $484,000 Capital Improvement Grant

The Business Enterprise Center (BEC) at Wright State University-Lake Campus will continue its mission of providing customized business training in a newly remodeled home, thanks to a recent grant award totaling $484,000. The Capital Improvement Grant, jointly awarded to Edison Community College and the Lake Campus by the Ohio Board of Regents (OBR), supports the improvements of facilities at EnterpriseOhio Network Campuses. These improvements are seen as critical to the success of on-going, long-term regional economic development projects.

“EnterpriseOhio Campuses are committed to doing what we can to keep jobs in our areas,” says BEC Director Julie Miller, who came to the Lake Campus in 1997 and has been promoted to lead the Center she’s watched grow exponentially during her WSU tenure. “We need to increase the number of skilled workers in the area surrounding our Campus, and projects such as SkillsTrac will do that. Now, with the OBR grant, we can provide better facilities that will be flexible for all types of training needs.” Read More...

Strategies to enhance the security of your data

The theft of computer data, especially sensitive information like social security and credit card numbers, makes the news every day. Data theft can happen to anyone, at anytime, and can occur any place. Universities are often targeted because they handle very large amounts of sensitive data. That’s a tempting heist for cyber thieves. This makes Wright State’s network, and each computer on campus, an attractive venue for cyber attack.

A recent review by an independent security firm has verified that Computing and Telecommunications Services, known here on campus as CaTS, is doing a good job of providing a secure network at Wright State. But that same report revealed a sobering fact: CaTS can’t do it alone. It must enlist the entire campus community to create a unified effort to defend against cyber threats.
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Wright State’s STREAMS Program seeks undergraduate applicants for summer research opportunities

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine is now accepting applications from outstanding minority college students and college students with disabilities for summer research opportunities in the biomedical sciences. STREAMS (Short-Term Training Program to Increase Diversity in Health-Related Research) will select 14 college students from throughout the nation for the summer program that runs June 9 to August 8, 2008. This opportunity gives students the means to conduct laboratory research under the guidance of medical school faculty mentors. They also attend classes, give presentations and participate in a symposium. Read More...

To Michele Wheatly, “Top Ten” rhymes with STEMM

When Michele Wheatly, Ph.D., professor and dean of the College of Science and Mathematics, was named one of this year’s Ten Top Women by the Dayton Daily News, she took the opportunity to encourage women to pursue a career in the areas of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine (STEMM).

“The future of Ohio’s economy is dependent on its move to a knowledge economy and how efficiently and successfully it embraces the STEMM fields,” said Wheatly. “That leaves the door wide open for girls who enjoy and succeed at math and the sciences.

“When we hear the word “stem” in everyday speech, we probably think of the main structural part of a plant, or the main upright timber at the bow of a ship, or the grammatical roots of nouns and verbs. However we define this word, it connotes something that is a structural foundation upon which other entities draw strength. And so, in my mind, this is a great metaphor for the role that STEMM needs to play in the economic recovery of our region and, of course, the nation.”
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