Bissinger Examines Famed Violins
Transcription
Bissinger Examines Famed Violins
Having a Heart Service Work on a Friday Afternoon, p. 6 A Day in the Life of Stan Simulated Patient Improves Medical Training, p. 7 ECU Faculty and Staff Newspaper October 6, 2006 Painting it Purple Freshmen Construct, Decorate Birdhouses, p. 6 http://www.ecu.edu/news/poe/poehome.cfm Researchers Honored By Erica Plouffe Lazure ECU physics professor George Bissinger (right) and world renown violin maker Sam Zygmuntowicz (left) prepare to scan for information on how a legendary violin radiates sound. Along with violin maker Joseph Curtin and members of the California- based PolyTec, Inc., they tested acoustics of three 18th century violins. Resulting 3-D scans can help them learn about violin sound production and quality. (Photos by Cliff Hollis) Bissinger Examines Famed Violins with a National Science Foundationfunded project called VIOCADEAS (VIOlin Computer Aided Design or almost two centuries scienEngineering Analysis System). tists have searched for the essential Bissinger, a professor at East measurable properties that separate Carolina University, worked with leading violin makers and the California-based good violins from bad violins. Polytec, Inc., to expand his research using In the past 30 years, East Carolina the companyʼs 3-D laser scanning equipUniversity physiment. cist George Two legendary Stradivarius violins — the 1715 “Titian” and the 1734 Bissinger “Willemotte,” as well as the 1735 has made “Plowden” Guarneri del Gesu — were strides brought to Greenville in September and in this endeavor, tested at Bissingerʼs laboratory at ECU. Violins by leading contemporary violin using makers, Sam Zygmuntowicz and Joseph vibration, Curtin, were also tested. acousThere is a strongly held opinion tics, and that there are certain sound qualities assocomputer ciated with old Italian violins that modern analyses to instruments do not attain. help violin makers Zygmuntowicz, who works with craft better- Laser scans of legendary these violins, said he was excited that sounding violins may provide new PolyTecʼs equipment would reveal the instrumentsʼ sonic properties. instruments data on violin sound. By Erica Plouffe Lazure F “There is no visible measurement or point Iʼve not seen on these violins,” Zygmuntowicz said. “The important aspects of the violin are what we canʼt see. With sound, you canʼt see it because itʼs microscopic, but with this equipment, it all becomes very tangible. You can see and touch it.” Bissinger hopes these scans will reveal new ways that the violin vibrates and thus provide information on how it radiates sound, which will also be measured in an anechoic chamber during this experiment. “Weʼre getting a taste for how things move,” Bissinger said. “Itʼs more interesting to me from the science point of view. I can say, here are ways you can incorporate what you do with violins.” The violins also underwent CT scans at ECUʼs Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center at the Brody School of Medicine. Comparing these 3-D scans on superlative old Italian violins with previous “good” and “bad” modern violin East Carolina University continued on page 12 Three researchers at East Carolina University received the universityʼs 2006 Achievement for Excellence in Research/ Creative Activity awards. Dr. James McCubrey, a professor of microbiology and immunology at the Brody School of Medicine, received the University Lifetime Achievement award. Derek Alderman, a professor of geography, and Reide Corbett, a professor of geology, received the Five-Year Achievement awards. Dr. Deirdre Mageean, vice chancellor of Research and Graduate Studies, said she was proud of the accomplishments of these three researchers. “These faculty represent the spirit and creativity of East Carolina University,” Mageean said. “Congratulations to these faculty for their exceptional research accomplishments.” In the past 18 years at ECU, McCubrey has received more than $3.5 million in grants to further his research in cancer. He has written more than 100 manuscripts and articles, and serves on the board of six academic journals. He has been a visiting professor at the University of Catania in Italy since Oct. 2003. continued on page 12 Highlights, Plans Cited By John Durham The ECU Board of Trustees, now in its second year under the chairmanship of Steve Showfety, is looking forward to participating in major university milestones in the coming months. Showfety, president of the Koury Corp. real estate development firm in Greensboro, said that strategic planning, master planning and the universityʼs centennial will occupy much of the Boardʼs attention during the current academic year. He cited plans for a new dental school at ECU, the groundbreaking for continued on page 2 Pieces of Eight Page 2 October 6, 2006 Showfety Cites Board of Trustees Plans, Highlights continued from page 1 the new East Carolina Heart Institute, and the completion of the Health Sciences Building as major steps for the university during the last academic year. He also noted that the Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors held their first joint meeting in June in an attempt to more closely coordinate and elevate their working relationship. “We had a very productive year in 2005-06, capped by a retreat in July,” Showfety said. “There is no question that Board members are united in their desire to help take ECU to the next level. Under the leadership of Chancellor Ballard, we are clearly headed in the right direction.” The Board will participate in a strategic planning workshop at its meeting on Oct. 6, reviewing a draft of the plan and providing suggestions and comments. Faculty and administrators are also reviewing the plan. Once the new university strategic plan is adopted, the Board will begin to participate in developing a new master plan to guide the universityʼs property acquisition and construction. Because the Board is charged with approving the sites and plans for new buildings, much of its work is focused in these areas. Showfety, in a recent report on Board activities over the last year, also highlighted the following activities and projects: Memberships and chairmanships • Welcomed three new members to the Board: Mark Tipton, Bob Lucas and Bruce Austin. • Took advantage of membersʼ experience and previous service in appointing committees. ECU Board of Trustees chair Steve Showfety cited the groundbreaking for the new East Carolina Heart Institute as one of the universityʼs major accomplishments during the Internal structure and governance • Revisited the governing documents—The UNC Code and ECU Trustees By-laws—to get a better understanding of the duties and responsibilities of the Board. • Merged the University Advancement Committee and the Naming Committee to form the Advancement past academic year. Construction has begun in earnest on the center. Above, a welder works on the structural frame of the facility. (Photo by Cliff Hollis) and Naming Committee. • Created a separate Audit Committee. Relations with PCMH/University Health Systems. • Through the Joint Liaison Committee, continued to enhance relations with Pitt County Memorial Hospital, the university's most important partner. The Board supported the relocation and temporary closing of Moye Boulevard to facilitate the construction of the hospital's new tower that is part of the East Carolina Heart Institute. • Joined the hospital board in seeking the widening of N.C. Highway 43 all the way to the 264 loop. Taggart Recommends Peer Observation Training In his role as chair of the faculty, Mark Taggart (Music) shares his perspective on peer classroom observation. By Mark Taggart On Dec. 7, 1993, our Faculty Senate passed Resolution 93-44 outlining direct, peer classroom observation of teaching for non-tenured, probationary term faculty. This resolution established procedures and an instrument to be used to assess and improve teaching. The procedures require that all peer observers be trained to evaluate teaching through special sessions. Currently, these sessions are offered in the Center for Faculty Development. The established procedures state that individual academic units can modify the Faculty Senate procedures and/or evaluation instrument, provided that these are approved by the appropriate vice chancellor. For example: the School of Music had to modify the evaluation instrument to include not only classroom observation, but also studio teaching and ensemble rehearsing as well. The established procedures and instrument also mandate that the Chancellor appoint a committee to perform a regular validation study on peer review instruments and procedures. The overall purpose of these peer review procedures is to assess and improve teaching. They are not to be used to punish or threaten non-tenured, probationary term faculty. The Faculty Senate approved procedures and instrument require two observers for each session: one who is selected by the faculty memberʼs department chair and/or personnel committee, and one who is selected by that particular faculty member. The minimum observation cycle is two observations with feedback during the professorʼs first year, and two observations with feedback during the faculty memberʼs fourth year. The professorʼs unit may decide that to use one observer per class session observation. If that is the case, then the total number of observations increases to eight over that faculty memberʼs probationary period. At this point, I would like to recom- mend that all interested faculty register for the peer observation training sessions offered through the Center for Faculty Development. Information can be found at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/facdev/ peer.cfm. The more faculty in your unit who are qualified as peer observers, whether using the Faculty Senate instrument or one designed specifically for your academic unit, the easier it will be for the tenure-track faculty to complete their observation cycle during their probationary period. As a trained peer observer, I have learned that two very important components of the peer review process come in conferences with the professor prior to the observation and following the observation. During the pre-observation conference, the professor provides the reviewers with copies of handouts, a list of materials that will be used during that class period as well as a current course syllabus. In these sessions, I go over the peer review instrument with the faculty member, and ask questions regarding the specific goals for that class period. I have East Carolina University learned that, the better prepared I am for peer observation, the more effective I can be in fulfilling that task. The post-observation conference is also important. I try to schedule it as soon as possible after the class, where I will go over the pre-observation goals with the faculty member, and ask him if he felt that those goals were met. I will also discuss strengths, any needs for improvement, and search for strategies to improve. I mention what I regarded as successful strategies that were unique to that faculty member, for example, if that faculty member was successful in engaging his or her students in a special “teaching moment.” Over the years, I have enjoyed the experiences I have had as a trained peer classroom observer. I have learned to recognize and appreciate effective teaching. I have also employed new techniques learned from my colleagues when I have observed their classes. Please feel free to contact the Center for Faculty Development for additional information on this and other ways to enhance the teaching experience. Pieces of Eight October 6 2006 News in Brief Page 3 Grant Funds Health Center Combined Campaign Sets Goal at $250K The 2006 State Employees Combined Campaign has begun, with a goal of raising $250,000 and a participation rate of 40 percent. Last yearʼs participation rate was 29 percent, with contributions totaling $225,000. Campaign co-chairs for 2006 are Dr. Alta Andrews (Nursing) and John Toller (Human Resources). The SECC is an annual campaign that allows employees to make donations by selecting from an extensive list of eligible agencies, so that charitable contributions are solicited from employees only once per year. Additional information can be found at http://www.ncsecc.org/. Teaching with Technology Think-In Set for Nov. 9 The ECU Office of Academic Outreach will host Teaching with Technology 2006: A Think-In of Best Practices Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mendenhall Student Center. The event offers faculty from ECU and area community colleges the opportunity to share their experiences in incorporating technology in both face-to-face and distance education courses. For additional information about the event, visit http://www.ecu.edu/ cs-acad/academicoutreach/think-in2006.cfm Ugandan Pop Star to Perform on Campus Award-winning Ugandan pop superstar and gospel artist George Okudi will perform Oct. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Mendenhall Student Center. Okudi is a musician and dancer who was named Best Male Artist and Best East African Artist at the 2003 Kora All-Africa Music Awards. Okudiʼs single, “Wipolo,” was named best song on the African market in 2003. Okudi fuses tribal sounds and instruments such as the adungu or bow harp, the thumb piano, and the flute (Titus), with techno sounds produced on the keyboard, at times supplemented by guitar and percussion. Most of his songs are bilingual, in English and at least one of the languages spoken in Uganda: Acholi, Luganda, Ateso, Langi, or the pan-African language of Swahili. His visit coincides with the GuluWalk scheduled for Oct. 28 to raise money for children displaced by fighting in Uganda (see p. 12). Okudi lived in the Gulu region as a young boy. The performance is sponsored by Multicultural Studies and the English Department. For information, contact Laureen Tedesco at 328-6571, or [email protected]. Maril Testifies on Congressional Panel Lee Maril, chair of the sociology department at East Carolina University, testified before a congressional panel in Iowa Sept. 1 regarding the U.S. Border Patrol and immigration. Maril wrote a book on the subject in 2005, “Patrolling Chaos: the U.S. Border Patrol in Deep South Texas.” His research has contributed to the immigration bill now under consideration in Congress. Phased Retirement Details Available Online The Office of Academic Affairs has posted detailed information on East Carolina Universityʼs phased retirement policy, including revisions completed in August. Faculty and staff interested in phased retirement may find detailed information available at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/aa/AAPersonelForms.cfm. Scroll to the bottom of the page for information on ECUʼs policy, frequently asked questions, the program for tenured faculty continuation of benefits, charts listing numbers eligible or ineligible for the program, and details on UNC phased retirement. Pediatric Healthy Weight Center Seeks New Associates The Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center is seeking new associates among ECUʼs faculty. The center strives to carry out its mission to reduce childhood obesity by bringing together faculty from both ECU campuses who are interested in collaborating in childhood obesity care and research. As associates, faculty have the opportunity to network and collaborate with others who share similar research interests. Associates also receive notification of obesity-related news, events and funding opportunities. For additional informaiton, contact Yancey Crawford, program coordinator (744-5061 or e-mail [email protected]) or visit www.ecu.edu/pedsweightcenter. Pieces of Eight http://www.ecu.edu/news/poe/poehome.cfm Volume 29, Number 2 Pieces of Eight, a newspaper for East Carolina University faculty and staff, is issued monthly during the academic year by the ECU News Bureau (News & Communication Services). Items may be sent to the Editor via campus mail addressed to Howard House, East Campus; delivered in person to Howard House, corner of East Fifth Street and Rotary Avenue; or e-mailed to [email protected]. Phone inquiries to 328-1162. Editor: Joy Manning Holster (5,000 copies of this issue were printed at an approximate pre-tax cost of $595 or 12 cents per copy.) By Doug Boyd An $800,000 federal grant will help fund operating costs for a local community health center set to open in December. The James D. Bernstein Community Health Center is one of 29 health centers across the country to share in $10 million in grants announced in August by the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The center is near the intersection of N.C. 33 and N.C. 11. The grant officially goes to Greene County Health Care of Snow Hill and will cover 16 months of operating expenses at the 15,000-square-foot center. After that, it is renewable for approximately $600,000 a year. The money allows center leaders to begin interviewing and hiring staff members, including physicians. “It was plan A,” Doug Smith, president and chief executive of Greene County Health Care, said. “We had a plan B but fortunately didnʼt have to use it.” Access East, an independent, charitable, non-profit organization, is building and will own the center. That group, the East Carolina University Division of Health Sciences and Eastern Carolina Community Health Centers, a division of Greene County Health Care, will operate the center. To be eligible for grants such as the HRSA one, the center must meet certain requirements such as providing programs specifically for the uninsured and turning no patients away. With 35 years of experience operating health centers in Greene, Pitt and Wayne counties, Greene County Health Care was the obvious choice to operate the center, Irons said. “We have to demonstrate we can produce top-quality results to sustain funding and get new funding,” said Dr. Tom Irons, East Carolina University associate vice chancellor for regional Tom Irons speaks during a tour of the newly funded community health center. (Photo by Cliff Hollis) health services and board member of Access East. “We together decided Greene County Health Care was the most qualified entity to lead a communitybased health care center.” When it opens, the center will include 16 medical exam rooms, eight dental operatories and areas for audiology, X-ray, social work and other services, many of which arenʼt available at local health departments. Pitt County public health, social services and mental health departments will provide services as well. The center will have space for meetings and educational programs for community and health sciences students. The land and site development, valued at $538,500, were donated by E.R. Lewis Construction. The Kate B. Reynolds Charitable Trust pledged $300,000, the Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation pledged $225,000, The Duke Endowment pledged $200,000 and the N.C. Office of Rural Health committed $200,000 toward construction. Funds from other state and federal agencies and private foundations and individuals are pending, Irons said. Carolina Consortium To Benefit ECU Researchers ECU faculty, students and researchers are reaping the benefits of the universityʼs participation in the Carolina Consortium, an informal group of academic libraries in North and South Carolina that negotiates with publishers and information resources vendors to provide journal access for members at a lower price. Consortium negotiations with publishers allow program members to share journal subscriptions for an additional fee. The access fee is much lower than the cost of subscribing to the additional journals. For example, ECU has subscriptions to 68 journals through the publishing company, Cambridge Journals, but membership in Carolina Consortium allows ECU access to 195 journals. Other publishers with whom ECU has Carolina Consortium agreements include Oxford, Blackwell, Brill, Kluwer, Springer, and Wiley. A wide range of subject areas are East Carolina University served through these agreements, including arts and humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Blackwell provides ECU more than 770 journals through its Synergy journals interface, grouping them according to these subject areas: Agricultural and Animal Sciences; Arts; Business, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Maths and Stats; Engineering, Computing and Technology; Health Sciences; Humanities; Law; Life and Physical Sciences; Medicine; Social and Behavioral Sciences. Brill, Kluwer, and Springer journals—totaling nearly 1500—are available through SpringerLINK. ECU community members may browse available journals by publisher at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/erdbs/ejournalpublishers.cfm, or search for a specific journal through Joyner Libraryʼs EJournal Locator page. For more information, contact Jan Lewis, interim associate director for collections at 328-2267 or [email protected]. Page 4 Pieces of Eight October 6, 2006 McIver Writings Examined By Nancy McGillicuddy Jonathan Dembo found the collected writings of Brig. Gen. George McIver, a post-Civil War general from North Carolina, fascinating. McIverʼs manuscripts, housed in East Carolina Universityʼs Special Collections, are the subject of a book that Dembo edited, A Life of Duty: The Autobiography of George Willcox McIver, 1858-1947 (2006, The History Press). The autobiography offers a first-hand account of life as a career soldier during the transformative period in American history between the Civil War and World War II. “There are number of very important passages and descriptions of life on the frontier posts,” said Dembo, an associate professor and the curator of Special Collections Projects at East Carolina Universityʼs J.Y. Joyner Library. A native of Davidson, N.C., McIver was an active participant in many important episodes in American hisECU professor Peng Yu pronounces Chinese language characters for students in Chinese 1001, a first year course made possible this year by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant allows expansion of ECUʼs Asian Students Program. The expanded program will include additional offerings of Asian language instruction. (Photo by Joy Holster) Grant Expands Asian Studies The U.S. Department of Education has awarded East Carolina University a $158,000 grant to develop and expand the universityʼs Asian Studies program. The two-year award allows for development and expansion in three main areas: curriculum, faculty research and community outreach. The grant began this fall and is overseen by Sylvie Debevec Henning, director of International Programs for Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and John A. Tucker, professor of Asian History and Director of the Interdisciplinary Asian Studies Program housed in the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. The grant will enable the univer- sity to expand Asian language instruction at ECU. The Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education are providing funds for a fulltime position in Japanese language and cultures. This year additional sections of beginning Japanese are being offered. Currently 60 students are enrolled in Japanese language classes. The grant has also made is possible for ECU to offer first year Chinese language instruction after a long hiatus. These students will have a chance to continue to study Chinese in China either during the summer at China Agriculture continued on page 12 Whisnant Assumes Editor Post Luke Whisnant was named editor of East Carolina Universityʼs poetry journal, Tar River Poetry. The publication had been under the founding editorship of Peter Makuck, a professor of literature and poetry, since 1976. Makuck retired in May. Whisnant, a professor of creative writing in ECUʼs English Department, said he hopes to continue the precedent set by Makuck 30 years ago. “Peter Makuck built Tar River Poetry into a highly-respected and well-known showcase for contemWhisnant porary poets, and my first priority will be to maintain the high standards he set over the past 30 years,” Whisnant said. The fall Tar River Poetry will feature work from Claudia Emerson, the 2006 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, Louis Simpson and the late Leslie Norris, Whisnant said. In addition to his new position, Whisnant published a collection of short stories, Down in the Flood (Iris Books, 2006) in June. One of the stories, “How to Build a House,” was included in the anthology, New Stories from the South 2006 (Algonquin Press) and had been originally published in the journal, Arts & Letters. ECUʼs creative writing department will host a reading for Whisnant Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. in Bate 1031. tory, including the Spanish-American War and World War I. McIver trained at West Point, served in various posts on the Western Frontier, and fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. While commandant of Alcatraz Prison, he played a crucial role in the relief effort after the devastating San Francisco fire and earthquake of 1906. His critical observations of the Militia Bureauʼs militia mobilization during the Pancho Villa campaign of 1916 led to reforms that greatly improved the Armyʼs tactics during World War I. Demboʼs annotations, along with photos, maps and letters, put McIverʼs life into context. “There were lots of thing that were common knowledge in the 19th century that nobodyʼs heard of today,” Dembo said. Dembo described McIverʼs writing as accessible. “He got a sense of humor and a sense of humility,” McIver said. “Heʼs constantly praising his men for their military bearing. He supported the men that served under him and with him.” ECU Historian Revisits GOP Effort To Give Blacks Vote By Erica Plouffe Lazure In his new book, Charles Calhoun revisits the question of the role Republicans played to extend voting rights to blacks in the South during the years following the Civil War. Calhoun, a professor of history at East Carolina University, argues in Conceiving a New Republic: The Republican Party and the Southern Question, 18691900 (University of Kansas, 2006) that Republican leaders had set out, through the enactment of the 15th amendment, to recreate the ideals of the Declaration of Independence but encountered opposition from white Southern voters. “Certainly giving blacks the right to vote would be to the Republicansʼ benefit. What interested me is what are the ideas behind this and where they fit into the notion of government,” Calhoun said. The Southern question emerged as one aspect of Calhounʼs larger body of research on the Gilded Age, an era of significant economic and technological change in the United States follow- ing Reconstruction. Through his research of the public and private correspondence of Republican Party members of this era, Calhoun sought to gauge their personal hopes for extending voting rights to blacks. While earlier scholars have blamed Republicans for not being more steadfast advocates for blacks, Calhoun argues that southern Democrats had so strongly resisted the breakdown of white supremacy that Republicans ultimately could not prevail. Calhounʼs interpretation of the disputed election of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, as well as the Lodge Federal Elections bill of 1890, shows that Republicans had tried to put the best possible face on an all-but lost cause. “The old interpretation is that Hayes made a deal with the Southerners to pull out the federal troops in the Southern states, and they would give up the disputed election,” Calhoun said. “My interpretation is considerably different. By the time Hayes was running for presidency, Reconstruction was already on its last legs.” Cerutti To Hold Book Signing In his new book, When Greek Goats Sing Sad Songs (Independent Press, 2006), Steve Cerutti offers an easy-reading guide to Greek tragedy. Cerutti, East Carolina University classics professor, will hold a book signing will be held at 7 p.m., Oct. 9 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers. The book focuses on the work of the Greek dramatists of the fifth century, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides. East Carolina University “This book was inspired by one simple, albeit ambitious goal: to make the surviving works of the ancient dramatists accessible to everyone who has an interest in great literature,” Cerutti said. The title is inspired by the origin of the word, “tragedy,” which means, literally, “goat songs,” he said. Independent Press is the publishing arm of University Book Exchange in Greenville. Pieces of Eight October 6 2006 Page 5 Ribbons Cut For Health Sciences Facility Opening Day C By Crystal Baity hancellor Steve Ballard and the Board of Trustees cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on the $66 million Health Sciences Building, signaling a new beginning for the School of Allied Health Sciences, the School of Nursing and Laupus Library. “Whatʼs behind me is just one of many great examples that moves higher education forward in this state and in this community,” Ballard said. “Itʼs making a huge difference for people, for programs, for economic development and for the education of our children and for the future leaders of eastern North Carolina.” The schools and library moved this summer, bringing the health sciences division together on west campus for the first time in the history of the university. Positioned near Brody School of Medicine and Pitt County Memorial Hospital, a true academic health center has emerged. Fewer than 150 academic health centers exist in the United States, said Dr. Michael J. Lewis, vice chancellor for health sciences. “It is a remarkable achievement for the health sciences division and the university at large,” Lewis said. The site is providing interdisciplinary health sciences education, where doctors, nurses and allied health care providers learn to work effectively in teams. The four-story, 303,000-square-foot building has 296 offices, 31 classrooms, 30 class labs, eight open labs and 25 research labs. “Simulated patient labs place ECUʼs School of Nursing in an elite category of nursing schools in the United States that have integrated advanced technology in their curricula, giving students hands on experiences in a controlled clinical environment,” Dean Phyllis Horns said. “Our Officials prepare to cut the ribbon on Sept. 22 to commemorate the official opening of the new Health Sciences Building, that will house the School of Allied Health Sciences, the School students will graduate with more experience, greater confidence and superior knowledge of clinical skills than ever before.” Allied Health Sciences Dean Stephen Thomas said the new space is more than a high-tech building. “It is a state-of-the-art environment in which the School of Allied Health Sciences faculty, staff, and students can create new opportunities in teaching and of Nursing and Laupus Library. The $66 million, 303,000 square-foot facility was made possible through a $3.1 billion bond referendum passed in 2000. (Photo by Cliff Hollis) learning, research and discovery, the application of new and applied knowledge, service and clinical practice that will serve residents of eastern North Carolina, and collaboration with our new neighbors in the Division of Health Sciences and surrounding health care community,” Thomas said. Designed by architects Walter, Robbs, Callahan & Pierce of WinstonSalem, the building was made possible by the passage of a $3.1 billion bond referendum for the University of North Carolina system and community colleges in 2000. “The ceremony gave us the opportunity to show the community how much our higher education bond dollars are benefiting health professional education in eastern North Carolina,” Horns said. “It was truly a special day for everyone continued on page 11 Hub Site Opens ʻEat Smart, Move Moreʼ Targets Obesity ECUʼs College of Education has opened a new Wachovia Partnership East Northeast Consortium hub site at Beaufort County Community College to provide degrees in elementary education, special education and middle grades education. ECU faculty will teach class face-to-face, online or in blended deliveries that use teleconferencing capabilities at the community college. The program allows students to complete general education coursework at community colleges and then transfer into the ECU program to complete their junior and senior years. The consortium serves students from Beaufort County Community College, College of the Albemarle, Martin Community College, Roanoke-Chowan Community College, and Windows on the World; as well as school systems in Beaufort, Bertie, Dare, Edenton-Chowan, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, and Washington Counties. Information is available at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/partner_east/Index.cfm. they live, learn, work, play and pray.” The Healthier North Carolina Summit, held at N.C. State Universityʼs McKimmon Center, also released the Eat Smart, Move More county profiles, which highlight successes in obesity prevention and emphasize the need for more to be done in each of the stateʼs 100 counties. The day-long conference of state and national leaders and experts working to fight obesity was hosted by Trust for Americaʼs Health and the North Carolina Division of Public Health in partnership with Healthy Carolinians. “We have already made progress in Pitt County,” Kolasa said. “Leaders at the hospital, ECU, Pitt County Schools, the county health department and many private companies are making changes to make it easier for employees, staff and students to eat smart and move more when away from home. We have and need strong collaborative efforts, but this is no single agencyʼs problem or responsibility. There is still more to do.” In Pitt County, nearly 31 percent of adults are obese, according to the 2005 state Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey. Another 34 percent By Doug Boyd Agencies, schools, businesses, health care professionals and others will have to work together to help turn the tide of obesity, according to a plan released in Raleigh with authors from East Carolina University. “Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolinaʼs Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity and Related Chronic Diseases” is a five-year set of goals and strategies designed to help people and organizations address overweight and obesity in their communities and create policies and environments supportive of healthful eating and physical activity. “Through these strategies, we can all come together to create a North Carolina where healthy eating and physical activity are the norm rather than the exception,” said Dr. Kathryn Kolasa, a registered dietitian and professor of family medicine at the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, who helped write the plan. “Working together we can create a North Carolina where adults and children of all ages and abilities eat smart and move more wherever East Carolina University are overweight, while one-third are at a healthy weight. In 2005, approximately $503,000 in county Medicaid funds and $2.8 million in state Medicaid funds were spent on conditions attributable to overweight and obesity, according to the county profile. According to Trust for Americaʼs Health, Mississippi is the nationʼs heaviest state, with 29.5 percent of adults termed obese. Colorado has the lowest percentage of obese adults at 16.9 percent. North Carolina ranks 17th. The federal government equates obesity with a body mass index of at least 30. Someone who is 5-feet-4 would have to weigh 175 pounds to reach that threshold. A video filmed in Greenville and played at the summit highlighted efforts in Pitt County to reduce overweight and obesity among children. It featured Dr. David Collier, assistant professor of pediatrics and co-director of the ECU Pediatric Healthy Weight and Treatment Center; Dr. Tate Holbrook of Childrenʼs Health Services; Jim Cox, coordinator of the continued on page 8 Pieces of Eight Page 6 October 6, 2006 Employees Play Cards Right with Volunteer Efforts In coordination with the Recognition and Rewards Committee of the ECU Staff Senate, the Pieces of Eight series honoring exceptional ECU staff recognizes the Department of Human Resources. By Judy Currin “Are you Hearts or Diamonds, Clubs or Spades?” Visitors to ECUʼs Department of Human Resources might overhear these words and wonder if they have stumbled onto a lively game of Bridge. The departmentʼs employees would not be discussing a card game, however. Instead, they would be referring to the names of four employee groups that are challenged on a rotating basis to plan and execute a unique staff development activity. Members of all four groups participate in the activity during quarterly meetings with Human Resources Associate Vice Chancellor John Toller and Assistant Vice Chancellor Jim Mullen. “The activity encourages teamwork,” Mullen said, while helping employees to get to know one another in a positive, informal environment. Septemberʼs challenge fell to the Hearts members, who elected to engage all the departmental employees in community service activities. Following a business meeting held Sept. 22, departmental employees enjoyed comments from Jason Denius, director of the ECU Volunteer and Ser- vice Learning Center. He spoke about the center and explained the vast number of volunteer opportunities available to ECU faculty and staff. Then the employees headed out to complete their service work. Half of the group traveled to South Greenville Church of Christ, where they helped ECU student Andrea Starkie prepare bags of food items for distribution to Greenvilleʼs needy residents. The volunteers set up an assembly line to fill 40 bags with food items and approximately 50 bags with essentials for families with infants. A sociology major, Starkie founded the Food Education Distribution Center at the church. “People line up around the block,” Starkie said, to “shop” with fake money they are given to buy items in the distribution center. Before they can shop, they must listen to a brief session on how to meet a familyʼs nutritional needs. Another group traveled to Landmark Drive in Greenville for work with the North Carolina Branch of Give2theTroops. There the volunteers sorted donations and bagged them in Ziploc bags for shipping. They also packed care packages and wrote letters of support for deployed troops. Personnel analyst Michelle Morris, a Hearts group member, particularly enjoyed working with Give2theTroops. “The most important lesson I learned,” Morris said, “was that any amount of time and resources can help. “It makes you feel good to know Human Resources employees stuff food bags for the Food Education Distribution Center in Greenville as part of a staff development activity. Pictured from left to right are Dianne Henderson, Patricia Baldwin, Lee Ann Goff, Gwen Green and Tina Hyman. (Photo by Joy Holster) that whatever amount of time you give can make a positive difference in your community.” Other members of the Hearts group include Christopher Turner, Becky Creech, Beverly Smith Savage, Robin M. McKinnon-Wilkins, Connie Getsinger, Jessica Wallace, Teresa Shook and Robyn Galloway. Galloway said the groupʼs efforts were a success. She referred to an article she had read entitled, “Volunteer! Itʼs Good for your Health,” by Kathy Hoff, director of Volunteer Services for Truman Medicine Center Lakewood in Kansas City, Mo. Hoff said that “helping others benefits more than just the people receiving the assistance. “Research confirms that volunteers derive physical, mental and social benefits from their efforts,” Hoff said. And that is probably more than can be said for playing a competitive game of cards. ʻHouses to Homesʼ Benefits ECU Habitat for Humanity By Joy Holster An ECU Pirate catchphrase urges sports fans to “Paint it Purple!” Volunteers on campus appropriated that sentiment last month when, paintbrushes in hand, they applied purple and gold to plain wooden birdhouses, transforming the structures into avian homes emblazoned with Pirate Spirit. More than 100 ECU students turned out Sept. 15 to hammer, nail and paint birdhouses for ECUʼs Habitat for Humanity chapter. They created more than 100 brightly-colored birdhouses in the first of three scheduled “Houses to Homes” events held on campus. Another successful event was held Sept. 29, and another is set for Oct. 20 at Mendenhall Student Center Brickyard, from 3 to 5 p.m. Students from classes led by ECU faculty members Alice Arnold (Art) and Ronald Sessoms (Construction Management) serve as art and construction leaders for the project, supported by campus leaders and members of both the ECU and the Pitt County Chapters of Habitat for Humanity. Loweʼs Home Improvement Hardware donated the wood to build the houses, and ECUʼs Dowdy Student Stores donated acrylic paint to support the decorating theme of “Pirate spirit.” Volunteer Fridays are focused “primarily on providing a comprehensive service experience for our first year students,” said Jason Denius, director of ingful activities during their first six weeks of college as a way to ensure a significant first year experience and increase retention. “We know that the first six weeks of college can be critical in creating institutional attachment for new students,” Smith said. In addition, the office hopes that a positive volunteer experience will lead to repeated volunteer efforts throughout the studentsʼ college careers. Smith said the WOW program focuses on creating co-curricular experi- ences. “With a great committee of professionals from various parts of the university, this project has mushroomed into a truly meaningful experience for our students,” he said. ECU freshmen were invited to participate through an extensive publicity campaign conducted by the Volunteer Fridays committee. Volunteer Fridays are aimed at increasing volunteering awareness while raising funds for the ECU Habitat for Humanity chapter. The chapterʼs ultimate goal is to build a Habitat home in Greenville sponsored entirely through the chapterʼs funds and volunteer efforts. The Volunteer Fridays lead up to ECUʼs Oct. 28 celebration of National Make a Difference Day, a national day of helping others through large-scale, one-day service projects across the country. Created by USA Weekend Magazine, Make A Difference Day engaged more than three million people in volunteer activities last year. ECU has several volunteer opportunities on tap for this yearʼs Make a Difference Day including food drives, building, painting, cleaning and landscaping. Volunteer Fridays are sponsored by the ECU Volunteer and ServiceLearning Center, the ECU Division of Student Life, the Weeks of Welcome Committee, Habitat for Humanity of Pitt Students apply purple and gold paint to decorate wooden birdhouses for the ECU County, and Loweʼs. For more information, visit www. chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Profits from sale of the birdhouses will support the chapterʼs goal of building a Habitat home in Greenville. (Photo by Joy Holster) ecu.edu/volunteer. ECUʼs Volunteer and Service-Learning Center. “The fact that this project is held on campus and on Friday afternoons, and that it incorporates the leadership skills of our upperclassmen, are all in an effort to accommodate first year students,” he said. Al Smith, assistant vice chancellor for Student Development, said the project was designed as part of the ECU Office of Student Developmentʼs Weeks of Welcome. Through the WOW program, the office seeks to engage freshman in mean- East Carolina University October 6 2006 Pieces of Eight Page 7 Life or Death Challenges Governed by Reset Button By Jeannine Manning Hutson S tan had a bad week. First, he suffered injuries from an automobile accident, and then he was shot by a friend and then again by his wife. The story changed each time the reset button was hit and Stan experienced a new medical challenge for the medical students, residents and new nurses working on him. Stan is short for “Standardized Man” and is the computerized mannequin in the Department of Emergency Medicineʼs Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory. He can assume one of 12 different patient profiles or an individualized patient profile, with a few keystrokes. The computer-driven full-sized mannequin can open its eyes, has vital signs, varying breath rates and sounds, heart tones, pulses and even has a voice transmitted via a speaker under his neck. “Weʼre trying to create a life-like experience in this lab,” said Dr. Walter C. “Skip” Robey, clinical associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine. “Medical students and residents are able to learn and practice skills in this no risk, hands-on environment before proceeding to the bedside to provide care.” The Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory is directed by Robey and is in the academic offices of the Department of Emergency Medicine. Stan isnʼt the only simulation modality used for skills training. Robey and his colleagues use a variety of partial-task trainers (such as a torso model) and mannequins when teaching complex medical procedures to medical students and emergency medicine residents. Robey and Dr. Charles Brown, professor of emergency medicine and vice chair for education for emergency medicine, recently put Stan through his paces for a group of new emergency department nurses at Pitt County Memorial Hospital and an emergency medicine resident physician. Emergency medicine professor Dr. Skip Robey works with Stan, a mannequin used in medical simluation exercises. The Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine includes a computerized mannequin, nicknamed After Stan was stabilized, Donna Zekonis, educational nurse specialist at PCMH, walked through with the group what went well and what “they were slow to make happen.” She said the patient simulation lab is a good tool for health care providers to learn to work together in limited space. “Itʼs true to life. We need to have the nurses in here with the residents working side by side,” Zekonis said. Robey and his fellow faculty members provide several simulation sessions each month to groups of three or four residents, or physicians in training, plus additional training for medical students and PCMH personnel. Brown added: “It gives them a chance to get close to a gunshot wound victim. In a real-life gunshot patient, the medical student isnʼt going to be that close, and the new nurse might be overwhelmed because of the demands and the constant needs of multiple people in the trauma bay.” And if Stan dies, then the resident has to speak to his family, usually portrayed by another faculty member. Robey said they strive to make it as real as possible. “We strive to get the team members to suspend disbelief and immerse themselves in the moment by making the mannequins and scenarios as realistic as possible,” he said. He added that having Stan be able to communicate with the residents adds to the realism and their ability to treat him as a real patient. “Our residents start with selfdirected study materials to learn the basics then proceed to a variety of skill labs and workshops that include partialtask trainers, mannequins and cadavers,” Robey said. “The next step is the full- “Stan,” for practicing simulated medical emergencies. Above, an emergency medicine resident physician and new PCMH nurses treat Stanʼs latest injuries. (Photos by Cliff Hollis) sized high-tech mannequin that allows for the learner to put it all together, in the context of a simulated patient and a team. “We have models, such as adult airways or pediatric mannequins, that they use to practice psycho-motor skills. Once they have mastered the skill, such as a lumbar puncture, then they may proceed to the bedside to perform the procedure under direct faculty supervision.” Robey said he and his colleagues focus on educating the medical students and resident physicians in a non- threatening educational environment, not ridiculing those who make a mistake. “We are decreasing the risk to actual patients. Mistakes can be made in the lab. Errors can be discussed in a nonthreatening way,” Robey said. “The days of see one, do one, teach one philosophy are gone,” said Brown. “Now itʼs a system like the airlines have. You donʼt fly an airplane until youʼve trained on the simulator.” continued on page 10 Long: Lincoln Attempted Jeff Davis Assassination The October issue of North and South magazine will feature an article by East Carolina University history professor David Long in which he claims that ECU history professor David Long has marked former President Abraham Lincolnʼs involvement in an assassination attempt on Confederate President Jefferson Davis. (Contributed Photo) East Carolina University President Abraham Lincoln attempted to have the Confederate President Jefferson Davis assassinated. Long claims that the assassin was to be Ulric Dahlgren, the 21-year-old son of Lincolnʼs friend and Navy Admiral John Dahlgren. The attempt, Long claims, was foiled when the would-be assassin was shot and killed by Confederate home guard troops in King and Queen County, Virginia. Papers were discovered on Dahlgrenʼs body that revealed the plan. “It set off a major controversy at the time, and has remained a controversial subject ever since,” Long said. Long said the discovery could significantly alter the impression most Americans have of Lincoln. “A conspiracy to assassinate Jefferson Davis is hardly compatible with the image of Lincoln as a savior of the Union, the Great Emancipator, the man who spoke the noble words of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address.” Page 8 Pieces of Eight In the Spotlight Forgiveness Affects Health By Erica Plouffe Lazure The old adage, “forgive and forget,” could be good advice for the body as well as for the mind and heart. This is according to Kathleen Row, the chair of the psychology department at East Carolina University, who studies correlations between a personʼs health and the ability to forgive. Row, who arrived at ECU this semester from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, has been studying the forgiveness question, and how it relates to spirituality, well being and health, for the past seven years. “Some people would like to forgive and they canʼt; but they still see it as a value. Religions treat it as a value,” Row said. “From a psychological perspective, instead of moral or spiritual value, does forgiveness have a physical value?” Rowʼs research has shown a marked difference in the blood pressure and heart rate recovery levels of those who can more easily forgive compared to those who cannot. “You literally carry it around with you,” Row said. “If you had a heavy sack on your back, your blood pressure would rise to let you be able to carry it around with you. My question is, how is forgiveness mapped onto the body?” For her research, Row asks participants to fill out a questionnaire about forgiveness. In a one-on-one meeting, the participant, hooked up to heart rate and blood pressure monitors, is asked to recount a time when he or she had been wronged or betrayed. “One finding is that people with a more forgiving personality will struggle to tell a story about a time when someone hurt them,” she said. “Other people will say, ʻWhere do you want me to start?ʼ” The blood pressure and heart rates of everyone who interviewed rises as they recount their betrayal, Row said, but those who had forgiven the wrongdoing showed a marked difference in returning continued on page 10 Political Scientist Honored Carmine Scavo, a political science professor at East Carolina University, received two awards this month from the American Political Science Association for developing a web-based version of the Voting Behavior SETUPS program. Scavo, along with UNC-Greensboro political scientist Charles Prysby, received the Rowman & Littlefield Award for Innovative Teaching in Political Science and the Best Instructional Web Site award at the APSA meeting in Philadelphia on Sept. 1. Scavo and Prysby have co-authored the Voting Behavior SETUPS series since 1984. SETUPS, short for Supplementary Empirical Teaching Units in Political Science, was once released in booklet form but is now an online tool to help political science students analyze data from national elections. Voting Behavior: The 2004 Election is a new program that offers students the ability to analyze voter data from the 2004 National Election Study survey. The site includes about 160 variables, including party affiliations of voters, basic demographics, voter perceptions of candidates and voter attitudes on issues such as foreign policy and civil rights. To access the site visit http://www. icpsr.umich.edu/SETUPS/index.html. Behm Delivers Safety Training East Carolina University professor Michael Behm (Occupational Safety) provided a safety training session Sept. 22 for personnel in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore facility in Greenville. Along with Matt Rice, a graduate student in ECUʼs occupational program, Behm presented information on general safety awareness, moving heavy objects, and handling hazardous materials. He also Behm completed a safety inspection for the store, which resells donated household items to support Habitatʼs building efforts in Pitt County. Faculty and students from the occupational safety masterʼs program in the ECU Department of Technology Systems complete outreach programs regularly, Behm said. “It helps our students gain experience, while providing an important service that can mitigate accidents…in organizations that may not have the resources to proactively address occupational safety and health issues,” he said. In 2005, a graduate student from the program completed a fire safety audit for an economically disadvantaged preschool. This year, plans are underway for an occupational safety program for TCIWorks of Rocky Mount, an organization that hires the mentally and physically handicapped. Faith Medrano, Greenville ReStore manager, said the safety training was an effort to be proactive in addressing safety and workplace hazards to help ReStore provide a safe environment for employees, volunteers and customers. “We want to have a solid safety policy in place for our store move coming up in November,” she added. The store will move from West 10th Street to the 14th Street Merchant Center, behind Harris Teeter in Greenville. ReStore solicits donations of household items including furniture, appliances, books, office furniture, collectible and vintage items. Profits fund construction of Habitat homes and offset operational costs of Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County. For more information on ReStore, call 252-329-8364. October 6, 2006 Appointments/Elections Brian Massey (Communication) was invited to serve as co-investigator of the 2006 installment of a three-year attitudinal survey of journalists in Australia and New Zealand, sponsored by APN News and Media. NewsMakers Heidi Lane and Maria Clay (Medicine) in The Daily Reflector on standardized patients at the Brody School of Medicine, Aug. 22. Jan-Ru Wan (Art) in The Independent Weekly (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill) on the large-scale textile installations of her work at the Louise Jones Brown Gallery, Duke University, Aug. 23. Sage Claydon and Trish Payne (Medicine) on WNCT-TV, on the morning after pill, Aug. 24. Daniel Sprau (Environmental Health Sciences) in Pine Magazine, on solutions for radioactive waste from increased use of nuclear power in the United States, Sept. 12. Lee Maril (Sociology) in The Daily Reflector and the Des Moines Register, and on Fox News on his report to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on the state of U.S. Border Patrols, Sept. 18. Clancy Ratliff (English) in The International Herald Tribune and the New York Times on bloggersʼ effect on business travel, Sept. 18. Service, Honors and Professional Activities Paul D. Bell (Allied Health) was awarded a Ph.D. from the School of Education at NCSU after successfully defending his dissertation, “Can Factors Related to Self-Regulated Learning and Epistemological Beliefs Predict Learning Achievement in Undergraduate Asynchronous Web-Based Courses?” ECU Business Services Quest for Excellence and Treasured Pirate Awards recipients were Barbara Ward (Dowdy Student Stores), Captain Award; Carolyn Carraway (Materials Management), Navigator Award; Carol Hudnell (University Printing and Graphics), First Mate Award; and both Tony Roebuck (Medical Storeroom) and Jan Foust (Dowdy Student Stores), Explorer Award. SEANC District 65 received the District of the Year award at the State Employee Association of North Carolina Conference, Sept. 7-9 in Greensboro, NC. ECU staff serving as official delegates (active or retirees) for the conference this year were Beverly Moore (Chair D65), Treva Brigman, Sherry Pernell, Debbie Austin, Clayton Weaver, Evelyn Hinnant, Del Kingsland, Tammy Heller, Gloria Highsmith, Shirley Williams, Sharon Sharpe, Debbie Gardner, Lynn Tuthill, Linda Nelson, Vivian Bazemore, Bobbie Austin, Donna Poe, and Bill Dawson. Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies professors Dr. Jane A. Funderburk and Dr. Susan McGhee received awards at the 2006 Annual Conference of the American Therapeutic Recreation Association. Funderburk was awarded a certificate of recognition for meritorious service related to her efforts in coordinating the Higher Education Institute for recreational therapy educators. McGhee was awarded a 2006 presidential award in appreciation for her support of the profession of recreational therapy. Both Funderburk and McGhee teach in the recreational therapy degree programs at ECU. Jeff Johnson (Sociology) took third place for his tutorial, “Network Theory and Data,” at the International Conference on Social Networks, Indiana University. English faculty Luke Whisnant and Barri Piner received the 2006 Bertie E. Fearing Excellence in Teaching Award for the ECU Department of English. Eat Smart, Move More Program continued from page 5 Pitt County Memorial Hospital Pediatric Healthy Weight Case Management Program; ECU dietitian Sarah Henes; and exercise physiologist Allison Spain of the ViQuest Center, part of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina. The specific goals of Eat Smart, Move Moreʼs five-year plan are to increase healthy eating and physical activity, increase the percentage of North Carolinians who are at a healthy weight, increase the percentage of North Carolinians who consume a healthy diet and increase the percentage of adults and children age 2 and up who get recommended amounts of physical activity. More information is available at www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com. Documentary Released on DVD ECU School of Communication Director Tim Hudson served as executive producer of “Tornado Glory,” an award-winning documentary now available on DVD through PBS Home Video. The fast-paced, feature-length film follows two risk-taking tornado chasers from Oklahoma. The wide-screen documentary, directed by Kenneth Cole, was East Carolina University shot in 2003 and 2004 and featured in film-festivals nationwide before PBS picked it up for national broadcast this summer. Hudson described the documentary as “part storm-story and part buddy picture, with some of the most compelling tornado footage youʼll ever see.” For more information visit tornadoglory.com. Pieces of Eight October 6 2006 Page 9 Petroleum Consumption Cut East Carolina University has taken another step to reduce petroleum product consumption on campus by using re-refined motor oil for vehicles. “Re-refining is the reuse of oil that would otherwise be discarded,” said George Harrell, senior associate vice chancellor for campus operations at ECU. “In recycling, reuse is the goal.” Lubricating oil does not wear out, Harrell said, it simply becomes dirty. Once water and other contaminants are removed, it is as good as new. “We have found there is no compromise in the quality of re-refined oil; it must meet the same high standards as new oils,” he said. “It complies with American Petroleum Institute certification requirements and vehicle manufacturersʼ warranty requirements.” During the research that led to the conversion, ECU found re-refined motor oil to be an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly way to manage used motor oil. The cost savings are minimal, averaging a few cents a quart less. Harrell said the decision to use the recycled oil is based on conservation, not fiscal reasons. The change follows the ECUʼs conversion to gasohol, a mixture of ethanol and gasoline that can be used in place of regular gasoline. The university began using the mixture this year, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in petroleum. Partnership Proves Effective By Nancy McGillicuddy A partnership of five years is starting to pay off for students of M. H. N. Tabrizi, a professor of computer science at East Carolina University. Tabrizi and IBM executives Angela Allen and Rich Ward began a partnership program between ECU and IBM in 2000. The partnership encourages IBM employees to become actively involved with students in teaching, mentoring and software development. Students then gain real world professional experience while at ECU and are prepared for high tech job opportunities upon graduation. “It is a true partnership program – we get software, tools and real world experts from them and they in return collaborate with ECU experts. IBM recruits and opens up our students to a high technology job market,” Tabrizi said. In the fall of 2005 IBM recruited six students that were in Tabriziʼs software engineering class. “Besides having access to the resources of IBM, we have ECUʼs Storybook Theatre troupe presented the story, “The Rainbow Fish” to a been putting together more permanent captivated audience of elementary school children Sept. 28. The children enjoying plans for IBMʼs experts to attend and the show are in a mentor program in which local at risk grade school students are paired with students in the ECU Honors Program. (Photo by Joy Holster) teach different modules of courses, collaborate with ECU faculty, and participate in the education of our students,” Tabrizi said. The partnership continues this fall as Tabrizi – with participation of different experts from IBM – teaches the software engineering-1 course. During this semester IBM will hire as many as ten students. The School of Theatre and Danceʼs experiences. “We have great ideas for the These students will enroll in software program,” said Clark. Storybook Theatre has received a $5,000 engineering-2 in spring 2007 with IBMʼs “Our hope is to have a playwriting gift from Target to expand their tours of continued participation, Tabrizi said. contest for the kids and to also establish a elementary schools in Pitt and surroundIBMʼs lectures are designed to Storybook Theatre Junior program in the complement software engineering courses ing counties. elementary schools.” “This funding from Target will by bringing real world expertise into The funding from Target will help really help us grow,” said Patch Clark, classrooms. the group to create fresh costumes and professor of theatre and director of the “It is my strong belief and sincere sets, develop new scripts, and offset the hope that this unique partnership program troupe. “It can further help us to create an costs of transportation. interest in reading through participation will become a model of how to effectively The troupe will perform on campus and visual literacy.” bring the university and high technology as part of the Family Fare series, presentWhile entertaining children and companies together,” Tabrizi said. ing “James and the Giant Peach” Nov. 11, promoting visual literacy, Storybook “This partnership will hopefully and Chester Freemanʼs “Runaway Bear,” Theatre provides opportunities for ECU grow further to help in strengthening high April 14. students to enhance their own learning technology job market and economic development of eastern North Carolina.” Target Grant Will Expand Storybook Theatre Tours Biotechnology Center Grants Strengthen Research, Teaching Presentations Presentation by John Moskop (Medical Humanities, Bioethics), “The Constitution and the Right to Die,” as part of ECUʼs celebration of Constitution Day at Joyner Library. Presentation by Charles Fantazzi (Foreign Languages and Literatures), “The Erasmus-Vives Correspondence” at the Conference on Erasmus and the Republic of Letters, held at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University. Presentation by Carson Bays (Economics), “Does the Droit de Suite Benefit Artists?” at the biennial meetings of the Association for Cultural Economics International in Vienna, Austria. Presentation by Sitawa R. Kimuna (Sociology), “Intimate Partner Violence among Married Women in Kenya,” at the American Sociological Association annual conference held in Montreal, Canada. Presentations by Larry Nash White (Education), as invited presenter to the Library World Congress at the International Federation of Library Associations in Seoul, South Korea: “Using the L.E.A.3.D. Technique to Turn Your Competition into an Emergent Strategic Cool,” and “Library Administrators Knowledge Management Practices and Perceptions When Conducting Organiza- tional Performance Assessment.” White was the only invited presenter from the U.S. on the two panels, and ECU was the only U.S. library school represented by a presenter. White was also invited by the Chilean Library Association and the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile to be the inaugural keynote speaker at the joint XXVI International Santiago Book Fair/Chilean Library Association International Library Conference. Presentation by Cheryl McFadden (Education), “Integrating Online Learning,” at the annual conference of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration in Lexington, Ky. Presentation by Recreational Therapy faculty at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association conference: by Richard Williams, “The Effects of Recreational Therapy on People Recovering from Stroke”; by Williams with David Loy, “Making Collaborative Efficacy Research Happen”; by Thom Skalko and Lisa Morgan, “Public Policy: Affecting Change at the State and National Levels”; and by Carmen Russoniello and Susan McGhee with student T. Maes, “Children and Natural Disasters: Post Traumatic Stress and Coping.” David Loy and Richard Williams led the associationʼs Research Institute highlighting efficacy-based research. Three grants from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center totaling $371,992 will boost biotechnology research and teaching at ECU. One grant will fund research into freeze-dried blood platelets being commercially developed to stop bleeding in emergencies. The second grant will support research into engineered nanoparticles for delivering medicine to heart patients. The third will support recruitment of a chemistry department head whose specialty is biophysical chemistry. “These awards represent not only financial support for our researchers but a vote of confidence in the exciting work being conducted at ECU and the ability to translate that work into products which are beneficial to the people of North Carolina.” said Deirdre Mageean, vice chancellor for research and graduate studies. Recipients and titles of the three projects follow: • Dr. Arthur Bode, ECU Cardiovascular Center,“Hemostatic Performance of Lyophilized Platelets (Stasix) in the East Carolina University Presence of ADP Receptor Blockade and Other Platelet Dysfunction.” • Dr. Timothy A. Johnson, Brody School of Medicine, “Engineered Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery of Nitrous Oxide to Decrease Ischema/ Reperfusion Injury in the Heart.” • Dr. Paul Gemperline, Department of Chemistry, “Recruitment of Dr. Rickey Hicks of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry.” The three grants, awarded this summer, are in addition to three other Biotechnology Center grants awarded to organizations in Eastern North Carolina earlier in the fiscal year. Those grants included funding for Dr. Arun P. Aneja, College of Technology and Computer Science, “Enhancement to Undergraduate Laboratory for Bioprocess Manufacturing Education.” The Biotechnology Center is a private, non-profit corporation that supports biotechnology research, business and education statewide. Page 10 Pieces of Eight October 6, 2006 Forgiveness Affects Health continued from page 8 more quickly to normal levels. “We want to see what they are like when something negative happens to the body and afterwards. How long does it take to get back to the relaxed state?” Row has found that older people, in general, are more likely to be forgiving, and that women are more likely to be forgiving in general than men, although men had shown to be more forgiving when considering specific situations. For much of her 25-plus year career in psychophysiology, Row studied the mind-body connection of how certain behaviors could be predictors of cardiovascular disease. “At some point, I realized I wanted to look at what psychological states could lead to lower blood pressure,” she said. “If you hold in anger, if you are competitive, what are you supposed to do? To be less of these things, what are ways to enhance healthy attitudes that can prevent cardiovascular disease?” In 1999, Row received a grant that enabled her to extend her research to the question of forgiveness. Her work in the past seven years, she said, validates that forgiveness can yield positive benefits not only for the forgiven, but for the forgiver as well. Life or Death Challenges continued from page 7 One reason that simulators are valuable is because in July 2003, residents were limited to 80-hour work week of patient care. While Robey and Brown understand and support the need to regulate work hours, it also limits the number of unusual medical cases a resident might see in a given week, such as an allergic reaction to a medication, which Stan can easily have. Physicians are evaluated on six core competencies during their residency training and are expected to have mastered those competencies by residency graduation, according to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Those core competencies are in patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice. “Using the computerized mannequin and the different modalities, you can cover the six core competencies and assess the residents on each one,” Robey said. One hurdle is time. A faculty member must be present to operate the computer and evaluate the simulated patient encounter. “The issue is providing the environment where they can practice these type of things on demand,” Robey said. Stan cost approximately $40,000 and was paid for by a grant from the Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation. The Eastern Area Health Education Center also provided approximately $10,000 for the video recording devices and other equipment. Videotaping the patient encounters with Stan allows Robey and other faculty members to show the students what went well and what needs to be improved or done differently the next time. For second-year emergency medicine resident John Whitman, who worked with the new PCMH nurses during a recent training session, Stan is close to what he sees in the emergency department on any given day or night. “Itʼs not exactly the real thing, but itʼs close,” he said. Then it was time to reset Stan. He had been shot again. The East Carolina University Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center received a Good for Kids Award from the N.C. Pediatric Society during the groupʼs annual meeting Aug. 18 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The award recognizes people and organizations who start or promote community or statewide efforts to improve the health and well-being of children. Accepting the award on behalf of ECU were (left) Dr. John Olsson, associate professor of pediatrics, and (center) Yancey Crawford, clinical instructor of pediatrics. At right is Dr. Olson Huff, chairman of the Task Force on Obesity and Nutrition of the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund. (Contributed photo) Model Saves Time, Money Three College of Business faculty members, with input from ECU Student Health Center staff, developed a mathematical model that helped the center save an estimated $150,000 annually in staff downtime. Decision Sciences professors John Kros, Scott Dellana and Dave West developed the model in response to costs associated with health center patients who missed appointments at the center. With nearly 35,000 patient visits annually, and a 10 to 15 percent rate of patients who did not show up for appointments, the cost was significant. The model demonstrated the benefits and consequences of selectively overbooking the clinical schedule, or scheduling two patients in the same appoint- ment time period. Kros, Dellana and West explained how overbooking could reduce idle time for center staff, increase abilities to service patients, and improve availability of open appointment times. As a result of their demonstration, the SHC began overbooking by about five percent during selected times in the Spring of 2006. Periods overbooked were identified as times with the highest probability of no-shows, that also had the smallest impact on the system if all patients kept their appointments. The overbooking resulted in significant savings, reducing server idle time with no significant adverse effect on patient satisfaction. As a result, the SHC will increase their rate of selective overbooking this fall. Publications Article by William Joseph Thomas and Carolyn Willis (Joyner Library), “Students as Audience: Identity and Information Literacy Instruction,” in portal: Libraries and the Academy. Article by Dale Sauter (Joyner Library/Special Collections), “The ʻMystery-Filledʼ Natchitoches Meat Pie: A General Investigation by Dale Sauter,” in Louisiana History. Texbook by Joseph Kalinowski (Allied Health) with Timothy Saltuklaroglu (University of Tennessee, ECU Ph.D. graduate), Stuttering, a new paradigm for understanding the treatment of stuttering based on discoveries in neuroscience. Article by Robert Kulesher and Susie T. Harris (Allied Health), “Managed Care and the Bottom Line of Your Practice,” in The Health Care Manager. In the same journal, by Kulesher, “Impact of Medicareʼs Prospective Payment System on Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Health Agencies.” Chapter by Michael F. Bassman (Honors, ECScholars, Undergraduate Research), “A Project in Integrating Undergraduate Research with Service Learning,” in Designing, Implementing and Sustaining A Research-Supportive Undergraduate Curriculum. Article by Brian Massey (Communication) with co-author, “Exploring Some of the Factors that Contribute to the Use of Ordinary People as News Sources,” in the Australian Journalism Review. Book by Barbara Bullington (Communication), The Work of Life, her first novel. Article by Sitawa R. Kimuna (Sociology) and co-author, “HIV/AIDS Orphansʼ Education in Uganda: The Changing Role of Older People,” in the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships. Article by Atticia Bundy McAtee (Counseling and Student Development) with co-author, “Rural Dislocated Women in Career Transition: The Importance of Supports and Strategies,” in the Community College Journal of Research and Practice. Chapter by Charles Fantazzi (Foreign Languages), “Vivesʼ Parisian Writings” in Humanism and Creativity in the Renaissance. Also by Fantazzi, “Las relaciones de Erasmo con algunos universitarios de Alcalá y Salamanca” (Erasmusʼ Relations with University Professors at Alcalá and Salamanca) in Permanencia y Cambio, Universidades hispánicas (Permanence and Change in Hispanic Universities). Publications by Juan J. Daneri (Foreign Languages and Literatures), “Fernández de Oviedoʼs Pineapple and Cultural Authority in Imperial Spain,” in Monographic Review; and “Reescritura y tensión utópica en Noticias del extranjero (19591998) de Pedro Lastra,” in Acta Literaria. Article by John B. Harer (Education), “LibQual in Liliput: The Assessment Benefits for a Small, Academic Library,” in Performance Measures and Metrics, Fall 2006. Presentations by Cheryl McFadden (Education) with recent ECU doctoral graduate D. Grimes and former ECU faculty member Susan Colaric, “Factors for Adopting the Internet for Instruction,” in Academic Exchange Quarterly; and with Marilyn Sheerer (Student Life), “A Comparative Study of the Perceptions of Teacher Preparation Faculty and School Superintendents,” in Action in Teacher Education. Abstracts by Martha Alligood (Nursing), East Carolina University “Implementing Theory-Based Nursing Practice at a University Medical Center,” Southern Nursing Research Society; and “Implementing TheoryBased Nursing Practice with Action Research at a Major University Medical Center,” 14th Annual Collaborative Research Day in Greenville. Article by Phyllis N. Horns and Phyllis S. Turner (Nursing), “Funding in Higher Education: Where Does Nursing Fit?” in the Journal of Professional Nursing. Abstract by D. Elizabeth Jesse (Nursing), “Reusable Units of Learning: An Innovative Teaching Strategy for Online Nurse-Midwifery Education,” Conference Proceedings, 27th International Confederation of Midwives), Brisbane, Australia. Article by Kathryn Kolasa with co-authors on the N.C. Eat Smart Move More Leadershop Team, “Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolinaʼs Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity and Related Chronic Disease.” Also, commentary by Kolasa with Kay Craven, Sarah Henes and Catherine Sullivan (Medicine), “The Clinical Nutrition Implications of Obesity and Overweight,” in the N.C. Medical Journal. Pieces of Eight October 6 2006 Campus Calendar FRIDAY OCTOBER THURSDAY 5 ECU/Loessin Playhouse, “Chicago,” (through Oct. 10). McGinnis Theatre. Performances nightly at 8 p.m. except Sunday performance at 2 p.m. Folkfriends Concerts featuring acoustic music performed by Folk Arts Society members and guests, Tipsy Teapot/ Kennybrook-Parker Books, 409 Evans St., 7 p.m. Free. ECU Opera Theatre, “Curlew River,” (through Oct. 7). St. Paulʼs Church, 4th St., Greenville, 7 p.m. FRIDAY 6 Geriatric Symposium, led by Kenneth Steinweg (Medicine), City Hotel and Bistro, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Third Annual Eastern Regional Trauma Symposium, Greenville Convention Center, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. “Reporting on the War and Insurgency in Iraq,” Hannah Allam, Middle East Bureau Chief, McClatchy Newspapers, Mendenhall 244, 2 – 3 p.m. Comm Crew Reunion Banquet, featuring ECU alumnus and best-selling author James Dodson; Mendenhall Student Center Great Rooms, 6:30 p.m. SATURDAY 7 “Representations of Japanese Women,” Asian Studies Program workshop, Science and Technology Building Room 309, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m. Pitt County Womenʼs Agenda Assembly, Bate 1031, 1 p.m. ECU Pirate football, ECU vs. Virginia, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 6 p.m. TUESDAY 10 “What Does the Muscle Have to Do with Obesity,” lecture by Lynis Dohm (Medicine), Brody Auditorium, 4 p.m. WEDNESDAY 11 Russian Film Series, “Passions,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m. 20 Homecoming Weekend Volunteer Fridays to benefit Habitat for Humanity, Mendenhall Student Center Brickyard, 3 – 5 p.m. Salsa Dance, Lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 11 p.m., Willis Building. SATURDAY 21 ECU Pirate Football, ECU vs. SMU, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 3 p.m. MONDAY 23 “Connecting Community Colleges and the Four-Year Institutions of North Carolina,” Phi Kappa Phi Leadership Forum, Mendenhall Student Center, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY 25 Russian Film Series, “A Cruel Romance,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m. THURSDAY 26 ECU Career Centerʼs Fall Career Fair, Two locations: Minges Coliseum and the Health Sciences Building, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. ECU Tourism Conference, “Making Tourism Work for You II,” Hilton Greenville (through Oct. 27). Hispanic Film Series, “Iluminados por el fuego” (Enlightened by Fire), Bate 2011, 5:30 p.m. FRIDAY 27 Contra Dance, Willis Building. Lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 10:30 p.m. Family Fare Series, “Alice,” by Whoopi Goldberg. SATURDAY 28 ECU Pirate Football, vs. Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, Miss., 7:30 p.m. (CSTV). NOVEMBER THURSDAY 2 14 Folkfriends Concerts,Tipsy Teapot/ Kennybrook-Parker Books, 409 Evans St., 7 p.m. Free. ECU Pirate Football, ECU vs. Tulsa, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 3 p.m. “Wellness Japan,” Allied Health Sciences Room 1102, 5:30 p.m. Contra Dance, Willis Building. Potluck dinner, 6 p.m.; lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 10:30 p.m. Exhibitions SATURDAY Fall Break (through Oct. 17) TUESDAY 17 S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series, “Gilbert & Sullivan Players: Pirates of Penzance,” Wright Auditorium, 8 p.m. WEDNESDAY 18 Russian Film Series, “Tycoon: A New Russian,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m. 2006 School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibition, “Bringing it All Back Home,” on view in Gray Gallery (through Oct. 7). 2006 School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery (Oct. 19 through Nov. 18). “A Century of Education and Impact: The History of East Carolina University, an Exhibit in Four Parts.” Series II: The College Transformation -- East Carolina Teachers College (through Feb. 15, 2007). Page 11 Japan Center East Hosts Eastern Health Seminar Acupuncture, Reiki and other alternative health topics are the focus of a seminar offered by East Carolina Universityʼs Japan Center East. The program, “Wellness Japan,” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2, at ECUʼs School of Nursing, Room 1102, in the Allied Health Sciences Building. “The program is designed to educate people to become more health conscious by introducing them to contemporary and traditional Japanese methods of wellness,” said Chikako Massey, interim director of Japan Center East. Experts in the fields of acupuncture, Reiki, Shiatsu acupressure, karate, and power eating will present information and demonstrations. Mark Stebnicki, an ECU rehabilitation studies professor, will discuss Reiki. In addition to his work in the School of Allied Health, Stebnicki is a Reiki Level I Practitioner and has had basic and intermediate training as a Shamanic counselor through the Institute of Shamanic Studies. Delores Harris will discuss Shiatsu massage. She is founder and owner of Alternative Healthcare in Greenville. She is nationally certified by the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine and licensed by the state of N.C. as a massage and bodywork therapist. Rie Ishida will discuss Japanese power eating and Natto, fermented soybean curd from Japan. Ishida is a native of Hiroshima, Japan and has been a professional chef since 1995. She is the chef for the annual Taste of Japan in Greenville. William White will discuss karate. White has been teaching and practicing martial arts, including karate and Kobudo since 1994. He had taught Shorinji-Ryu Karate at the Bushido Martial Arts Center, and now teaches karate in Greenville and New Bern. Jeffery Pierce, M.D., will discuss acupuncture. Pierce is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the ECU Brody School of Medicine. Pierce completed his training in medical acupuncture in 2002 and obtained board certification in medical acupuncture in 2005. For information, contact Massey at [email protected] or 737-1352, or visit http://www.ecu.edu/japancentereast/. Ribbons Cut for Opening Day continued from page 5 associated with the School of Nursing students, alumni, staff, faculty, and emeriti faculty.” The Medical Foundation of ECU was recognized for working to strategically assemble and purchase land for the site. The foundation continues to seek donors to endow and support educational programs in the building. Ballard saluted the contributions of the schools and library to the region and state. The nursing program has grown from 40 students in 1960 to 1,006 students today and graduates more new nurses each year than any college in the state. Projected enrollment is 1,100 students by 2011. ECUʼs nurse graduates have a 99 percent pass rate on the licensure exam. Approximately 88 percent of allied health sciences graduates remain in the state to work. The school, established in 1967, is the largest producer of allied health professionals in North Carolina. With nine departments and 661 students, enrollment is expected to top 725 students in just two years. “This new building is something that the residents of eastern North Carolina deserve, and can be proud of, and the faculty, staff and students in the nine departments in the School of Allied Health Sciences will use strategically in serving our region though improved professional education, research, service, clinical practice, and collaboration,” Thomas said. Programs Set for Faculty, Staff Campus Recreation and Wellness provides a variety of services for ECU faculty and staff. Exercise Wisely is a fitness and instructional program designed in a 45-minute workout routine for the lunch hour. Size Friendly Fitness and a free aqua fitness class will also accommodate faculty and staff schedules. Other opportunities include yoga and pilates, sports specific training, fitness workshops, self defense, and ballroom dance. The youth and family program offers many Sunday afternoon activities. Sunday Slam Youth Basketball¸ open for individuals ages 7-12, provides an opportunity to learn basic basketball skills. The Super Spiders Wall Climbers includes a mixture of skill development and recreational climbing for children, ages 7 to 14. Beginning this fall, Parentsʼ Night East Carolina University Out will provide an evening for children at the SRC while parents have a night out. A new 50-foot state-of-the-art Alpine Tower was unveiled as part of the team training center and challenge course. ECU faculty and staff can purchase SRC membership on an annual, semester or summer basis. For more information, contact the department at 252-328-6387, visit www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/crw, or come by the Student Recreation Center. Vital Records BORN: to Michael OʼDriscoll (Geological Sciences) and wife, Carolina Loop, a son, Seamus and a daughter, Claire on July 18. Page 12 Pieces of Eight On Campus Violins Examined continued from page 1 September 1, 2006 Around the World at Mendenhall results promises to generate new insights into violin sound production and violin quality, Bissinger said. Finally the map of essential material properties – stiffness, density, damping and shape – that govern the vibrations of any violin will be extended to these legendary violins. “Basically, a very good violin sounds loud while still sounding beautiful,” Zygmuntowicz said. “We know what it sounds like, but it wonʼt tell us why itʼs good.” In addition to the violin makers, Violin Society of America members Fan Tao and Joseph Regh were also involved in this first-ever 3-D scan of legendary violins. Asian Studies Grant continued from page 4 University in Beijing or during the next academic year through one of the available exchange programs. The grant will enhance the interdisciplinary minor in Asian Studies, which debuted two years ago. Several new curricular projects will be developed as part of the program. These include a template for an Asian Studies concentration for the Multidisciplinary Studies major, new Asian Studies content courses, new modules for existing courses and additional study abroad opportunities. The University Honors Program will be an important contributor to the project with two new courses with Asian Studies content as well as opportunities for Honors students to meet visiting scholars. Another aspect of the Department of Educationʼs Asian Studies project is a two-week curriculum development trip to a country or region of Asia. Faculty will compete for four travel grants for spring/ summer 2007. An additional four grants will be available for 2008. The grant will also allow for the procurement of research and instructional materials for the language lab and library. The final aspect of the grant involves community outreach. A film series, an Asian Studies Forum, an Asian Studies web site and workshops with Pitt County Schools will expand the program. In Memoriam Sarah McPherson, former associate dean for the College of Technology and Computer Science, and wife of Bill McPherson, former faculty member in the College of Technology and Computer Science, died Sept. 21. Taiko Drummers performed at ECUʼs first World Community Day Sept. 19 in Mendenhall. The event was billed as a “whirlwind trip around the world,” where spectators could immerse themselves in global cultures. Performances included Philippines Dance, Indian Dance, Gospel Choir and Salsa Dance. Participants could experience such diverse activities as learning Chinese calligraphy, communicating with students in Morocco, and sampling sushi. The event was organized by the ECU Office of Student Development. (Photo by Jack Hoskins) Volunteers Sought For GuluWalk Greenville ECU graduate Neil Klinedinst (May ʼ06) is seeking volunteers to participate in GuluWalk Greenville, a 4.5 mile walk scheduled for Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m. at the Greenville Town Common. The event is part of an international effort to raise money and awareness for the “night commuters,” children of northern Uganda who nightly walk up to eight miles in search of a safe place to sleep. Approximately 40,000 children from rural communities in Uganda “commute” to larger cities such as Gulu to avoid capture by a rebellion force known as the Lordʼs Resistance Army. The children gather to sleep wherever they can find safe haven, bedding down in such places as church grounds and bus stations. They return to their homes each morning. If captured by the rebellion forces, the children may be raped, tortured, murdered, abducted and forced into abducting and murdering other children or even their own families. More than 35,000 children have been abducted since 1986. GuluWalk Greenville is seeking 200 ECU Researchers Honored continued from page 1 Alderman, who has taught at ECU since 2000, specializes in the politics of public commemoration and symbolic landscapes of the American South, including the politics of naming streets for Martin Luther King, Jr. He also studies popular culture such as NASCAR, the Internet as electronic folklore, Graceland as a pilgrimage site, Wal-Mart and the cultural history of kudzu. Corbett, who has taught at ECU since 2000, studies the sediment and geochemical processes in coastal areas, the discharge of groundwater on the coast. In the past five years, he has worked on research grants totaling more than $3.3 million. Each researcher will receive a cash award and will speak at a research seminar this fall. East Carolina University individuals who would be willing to raise $100 each in sponsorships to benefit the night commuters. Seventy-five percent of funds raised in the walk go directly to childrenʼs programs in northern Uganda, programs that work to prevent AIDS/HIV, provide basic education, award scholarships or grants and facilitate peer-to-peer networking and support. The remaining twenty-five percent supports ongoing educational and awareness efforts. Last year, in the inaugural global GuluWalk, more than 15,000 people around the world collected more than $40,000 to support these children. The goal for 2006 is $1 million. More than 100 cities in 20 countries are scheduled to run GuluWalk events this year. For more information on GuluWalk, visit www.guluwalk.com. For details on the Greenville event, or to register as a volunteer, contact the GuluWalk Greenville Committee Chair, Neil Klinedinst at 252-917-1938 (e-mail, [email protected]) or committee member Kenneth Taylor at [email protected].