College of Education doctoral student Marlene Ballejos was one of five students from the U.S. and Canada selected recently to participate in the 2008 Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) Graduate Student Research Program, a program of the Association of American Medical Colleges.
Photo: Marlene Ballejos, director of admissions, UNM School of Medicine
The highly selective program is open to just a few students each year in the field of educational measurement, psychometrics or a related field such as industrial/organizational psychology. Ballejos is pursuing her doctorate in educational psychology under the guidance of mentor and Associate Professor Jay Parkes, College of Education.
“The Educational Psychology program is very proud of Marlene for being selected,” said Parkes. “This opportunity will allow her to collaborate with MCAT staff to influence the next generation of admissions tests for medical schools.”
As part of the selection process, Ballejos submitted a 1,000-word statement/essay explaining why her research topic was a good fit and consistent with MCAT research interests. Ballejos wrote her statement on a literature review regarding race and ethnicity group differences associated with measures of alternative constructs not currently represented on the MCAT.
Construct examples included cultural competence, collaboration and teamwork, compassion, service orientation, learning orientation and communication skills.
With applications on the rise to U.S. medical schools, and a rise in minority applicants over the past 10 years, Ballejos, who is director of admissions at the UNM School of Medicine, knew firsthand the challenges minorities face in gaining admittance to medical school.
“Our experience in the University of New Mexico Office of Admissions is congruent with national findings that the admissions process should include assessment of both the cognitive and non-cognitive skills and abilities of applicants,” said Ballejos in her statement. “Although the MCAT is an extremely important component of the medical school application process, there are many challenges when an institution is attempting to measure personal characteristics.”
Ballejos will receive a stipend as part of her selection as well travel accommodations for two visits to the MCAT office in Washington D.C. As Ballejos’ mentor, Parkes will provide advice for the project and oversee her work.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
Lecture series highlights UNM Distinguished Professors
Dr. Linda Hall, Distinguished Professor of History at the University of New Mexico, will present “Images of Women and Power,” the second in a series of lectures in the Distinguished Professors Lecture Series at UNM. The lecture will be held Thursday, May 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. in the Acoma room in the UNM Student Union Building. The series is sponsored by the UNM College of Arts and Sciences.
Photo: Dr. Linda Hall, Distinguished Professor of History
Hall’s lecture will discuss iconic visual images of three powerful women: The Virgin of the Apocalypse, as painted by 18th-century Mexican artist Manuel Cabrera; Marlene Dietrich; and Dolores del Río.
In Cabrera's work, the Virgin Mary is depicted with wings, actively protecting her child and her people with great energy - almost the opposite of better-known images of the Virgin of Guadalupe. Artfully controlling her own image, Dietrich used her fame and appearance to combat the Nazis and aid the Allies in World War II. Del Río used her image and extraordinary beauty to change the way U.S. audiences perceived Latina and indigenous women, with Catholic filmmaker John Ford even choosing to portray her as the Virgin Mary. These images made, and still make, a difference.
Hall, who was named Distinguished Professor in Fall 2007, is author or co-author of six books, four of which have appeared in Spanish translation as well as English. Hall’s latest work, ‘Mother and Warrior: The Virgin Mary in Spain and Latin America,’ was released by the University of Texas Press in 2004. Currently, she is finishing a biography of Mexican film actress ‘Dolores del Río: Icon of Beauty in Two Cultures,’ under contract to the University of Mississippi Press.
Hall has been a professor of Latin American History at UNM since 1986. She was a University Research Lecturer in 2000-2001, has served as director of the Latin American Studies program (1995-2000), and has had numerous grants, including two Fulbright Awards for research in Latin America.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
UNM School of Law Professor Sherri Burr received six prizes in the 2008 New Mexico Press Women Communication Competition. The competition recognizes excellence in print and electronic media communication efforts. The awards were presented at the recent New Mexico Press Women Conference held in Albuquerque.
Photo: UNM School of Law Professor Sherri Burr
Burr received two first-place awards for “Focus on University Candidate’s Positives” in the Editorial/Opinion/Daily Newspaper category and for “Athletes as Television Celebrities” in the Speeches category.
Additionally, Burr won two third-place awards, for “Minding Finances for Writers: Minding Copyrights” in the Personal Column/Informational and Personal Column/Specializes categories, and a third-place award in the Sweepstakes Competition for most overall points.
Burr also received an honorable mention for in the Television Talk Show category for “Arts Talk: Mariachi Tepeyak."
The reviewer of her award-winning editorial, “Focus on University Candidate’s Positives,” wrote, “A strong decisive editorial that stakes its claim and offers clear, concise arguments to back it up.” The reviewer of her first-place speech “Athletes as Television Celebrities” said, “Interesting topic, great weaving of examples.”
These first-place entries will compete in the National Federation of Press Women Competition, with winners announced in September.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505)-277-1816. email: bhendrix@unm.edu
On Thursday, May 1, University of New Mexico President David Schmidly will conduct his first-ever “University Town Hall Meeting” allowing the University community to openly discuss the fourth element of his Strategic Framework rollout, entitled “Inspire.” The meeting will be held in the UNM Student Union Building Ballroom from 1:30-3:30 p.m.
This meeting will feature compelling stories of UNM students, faculty and staff that have gone out of their way to reach out to the community to fulfill the mission of the University. Among the featured presentations are:
• A program at the UNM Music Department that works with physicians to use music to further the healing of patients at the UNM Hospitals;
• A student mentoring program through which volunteers work with under-represented students.
Streaming audio of the event will be webcast live at: UNM Home. Earlier elements of the framework, “Launch,” “Reflect” and “Engage,” involved posts on the President’s website, a University-wide webcast, and Departmental meetings held across campus.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
The next Qualitative Cafe Brown Bag will be held Thursday, May 8 from 12 to 1 p.m., in rm. 364 at the College of Nursing. Associate Professor Jan Armstrong, Department of Individual, Family and Community Education (IFCE), will present a lecture titled "Setting up a Qualitative Data Management System."
Qualitative researchers collect a number of different kinds of data as they carry out their investigations: field notes, interview transcripts, journals, letters, photographs, maps, drawings, sketches, and documents. The focus of this interactive presentation will be on designing a qualitative data management system.
Armstrong will offer guidelines for setting up a simple, flexible system that will help people organize all of their data and quickly locate specific items when needed. Academic work and every day life are messy, paper-intensive enterprises, leaving many of us struggling to keep on top of ever-expanding piles of notes, handouts, records, articles, clippings and other paperwork.
Qualitative data management principles can also help you organize household and work-related documents and media, freeing up time for more important and rewarding activities.
For more information contact Marlena Bermel at (505) 272-4438.
UNM anchors regional bid
The FBI announced recently that the state of New Mexico, in conjunction with the UNM Police Department, UNM Information Technology Services Department (ITS) and the NSA-certified UNM Anderson School of Management’s Center for Information Assurance Research and Education (CIARE), has been awarded the
nation’s 15th Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory (RCFL).
The NM RCFL will be a full-service digital forensics laboratory and training center devoted entirely to the examination of digital evidence in support of local, state, and federal criminal investigations. Digital forensics is the application of science and engineering to the recovery of digital evidence in a legally acceptable method.
The NM RCFL will be the second RCFL that is located on and is closely affiliated with a university campus (the Kentucky RCFL began operations in the Fall 2006 on the University of Louisville’s Shelby campus.)
It is expected that the NM RCFL will follow suit with the other 14 RCFLs across the U.S. and offer internships or student cooperative programs. UNM’s CIARE will work closely with the yet-to-be-named NM RCFL local governing board to develop such programs to give students the opportunity to hone their digital forensic skills in the burgeoning digital forensics area and to work in a cutting edge digital evidence laboratory supporting state, local and federal investigations.
“The cooperative and comprehensive proposal submitted to the RCFL National Program committee by UNM in partnership with CIARE, the national labs, and local, regional and state law enforcement is indicative of the new era here at the University of New Mexico,” said Barney Maccabe, interim UNM chief information officer.
“President Schmidly’s vision of ‘student success through collaboration’ and ‘excellence through relevance’ is manifested in these types of shared endeavors that will not only provide students with practical experience in an area of growing demand but also exemplify New Mexico’s leadership in the region, the nation and the world.”
The NM RCFL will be a one stop, full service forensics laboratory and training center devoted entirely to the examination of digital evidence in support of criminal investigations such as terrorism, child pornography, theft or destruction to intellectual property, Internet crimes and fraud.
RCFL Examiners combine the talents and experience of federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies. Normally, an RCFL consists of approximately 15 people: 12 of the staff members are Examiners and three staff members support the RCFL.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
The UNM College Bowl Team finished second at the National College Bowl Tournament, the fourth year in a row a UNM team has made it to the national tournament, held recently at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minn. This year they reached the final four and placed second behind the University of Rochester.
Team members are Jason Zuffranieri, Vanessa Gatsch, John McCulloch, Chad McCoy and John Ogren.
Some other schools competing in the tournament included Ohio State University, Arizona State University, Seton Hall, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Rice, Florida State and Ball State.
College Bowl, “The Varsity Sport of the Mind,” has a long and illustrious history on television, on radio and on campuses. It is the world famous game of questions and answers played by two teams of competing students. College Bowl has provided the arena for the fastest minds in school to demonstrate their great skills under the fire of varsity competition.
For more information, visit College Bowl Results.
KUNM News took home 17 Associated Press Awards on Saturday – including Station of the Year – in the highly-competitive Radio Division 1 Category which is the largest in the state.
Notably, KUNM reporters took all three awards for breaking news, feature news and public service. KUNM's website was named best in the state.
Devon Armijo, Adrian Martin and Samuel Irons are students employed at KUNM during the contest period. Funding for student training and employment at KUNM is provided by an annual grant from UNM student leadership through the Student Fee Review Board.
Awards by category...
Breaking News
1st Place- Domenici Retires- Jim Williams
2nd Place- KNME Board Shakeup- Jim Williams
3rd Place- UNM NCAA Violations- Steve Shadley/ Devon Armijo
Feature News
1st Place- Santa Feans Work to Keep Water For Their River- Jim Williams
2nd Place- Estancia Biomass Plant Plans Draw Criticism- Jim Williams
3rd Place- Taos Residents to See New Conservation Area- Jim Williams
Continuing Coverage
1st Place- Opposition to Oil Drilling Mounts in Santa Fe- Jim Williams
3rd Place- Los Alamos National Laboratory- John West
Documentary
1st Place- Bandelier National Monument Deals With Graffiti- Jim Williams
3rd Place- 48 Hour Filmmakers- Adrian Martin
Public Service
1st Place- Domestic Violence Series- Jim Williams
2nd Place- Sexual Assaults in Santa Fe Series- Jim Williams
3rd Place- Autism in New Mexico- Elaine Baumgartel
Sports
2nd Place- UNM/NMSU Game- Devon Armijo
3rd Place- UNM Football Opener- Devon Armijo
Web site
1st Place- KUNM News- Sam Irons
A formal grand opening of the Zimmerman Library Basement area will be held from 2 – 4 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30. President David J. Schmidly and others will speak at 2:30 p.m. April 30, 2008 is the two-year anniversary of the fire that destroyed a part of the periodical collection housed in the basement.
The fire displaced more than 100 members of the library staff as the building was smoke damaged. It came at a difficult time, just as students were preparing for final exams and library staff moved quickly to set up special reference desks and study areas in the Student Union Building and expand hours at the other three libraries on campus to help students prepare for exams.
Contractors removed all the periodicals for cleaning and gutted the basement so the entire area could be rearranged and rebuilt to make it more student-friendly. The new carpeting had just been laid last fall when a 10-inch fire suppression pipe broke as it was being tested. The entire basement area was flooded to a depth of several inches. Recovery required a complete removal of carpeting and work on dry wall throughout the area to prevent problems with mold.
The Zimmerman Basement quietly reopened last month to students as library staff worked to re-shelve the thousands of bound periodicals that have been in storage. Now everyone is ready to celebrate the 10 new group study rooms for students, the 20 new computers, the new 40-seat computer classroom and the six new microform reader-printers with attached scanners. The new compact shelving also makes it possible to expand the storage space for periodicals.
UNM students will offer the campus an opportunity to get rid of non-functioning or no longer needed electronic devices by bringing them to an E-Waste recycling event Thursday, May 1 from 10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. on Cornell Plaza, between the Student Health Center and the Student Union Building. The E-Waste event is organized by the students in American Studies 182, “Science, Technology and Environment.”
The students spent this semester learning about the effects of technology on the environment, including the prevalence of E-waste deposited in landfills. The recycling event is the final project for the class.
E-waste is a popular, informal name for computers, televisions, VCRs, stereos, copiers, fax machines and other electronic products nearing the end of their usefulness. Many of these products can be recycling and disposed of properly.
Items accepted at Thursday’s event include cell phones, iPods, computers, calculators and other electronic items. Larger items, such as appliances, will not be accepted.
Electronics should be properly recycled because:
· Cathode ray tube (CRT) computer monitors or television displays contain an average of 6 pounds of lead each.
· When these components are illegally disposed and crushed in landfills, that lead is released into the environment.
· Lead can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, blood system and kidneys in humans.
· Lead accumulates in the environment, and has highly acute and chronic toxic effects on plants, animals and microorganisms.
· Other hazardous materials used in computers and other electronic devices include cadmium, mercury, hexavalent chromium, PVC plastic and brominated flame retardant.
Before recycling computers and cell phones, remember to remove personal data.
To remove personal data from a PC visit: PC Data Removal.
For information regarding the removal of cell phone data visit: Cell Phone Recycling Data.
For more information about the event, please contact Kate Loewe at kloewe@unm.edu
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
A new exhibition featuring a unique selection of photographs, lithographs and books about two contiguous periods in Mexican history opens today at the Herzstein gallery on the 2nd floor of Zimmerman Library. The exhibition, “The President, the Prince and the People” features a unique selection of photographs, lithographs and books from the Reform era, 1855-1861 and the French Intervention, 1861-1867.
Images featuring Mexican President Benito Juárez, the Austrian Archduke Ferdinand Maximilian and his wife, Princess Charlotte of Belgium are featured along with published materials from this tumultuous era in the history of Mexico. The images, books and pamphlets are all drawn from the collections in the Center for Southwest Research.
The lithographic reproductions represent the work of various artists from the “Taller Gráfica Popular” or the TGP and are part of the “Año de Juárez” collection of images commemorating the centennial anniversary of President Juarez’s death. The photographs consist of several small albumen prints of Maximilian, Charlotte and members of their court.
Visitors to the exhibit will also see images depicting Mexican vendors; a delegation of Kickapoo indigenous members and a well-known photograph of the Cerro de Las Campanas in Querétaro, the site of Maximilian’s execution in 1867.
The exhibit is curated by Roland RodrÍguez, a Masters candidate in the UNM Department of Art and Art History. RodrÍguez, who specializes in the history and visual culture of Mexico’s nineteeth century, is the 2007-2008 recipient of the CHIPOTLE Fellowship, funded by the Center for Regional Studies.
The exhibit is sponsored by the University Libraries Division of Iberian and Latin American Resources and Services (DILARES) and the Center for Southwest Research (CWSR). It will run through Sept. 16, 2008. It is free and open to the public during regular library hours. For more information about the exhibit call 277-0818.
Graduate planning students from the University of New Mexico School of Architecture and Planning presented their design ideas to New Mexico MainStreet, Tucumcari residents and other interested guests Saturday at the Tucumcari Convention Center.
“This has been a semester-long project where UNM planning students work with a community in the state to develop ideas that address community needs,” said Phil Gallegos, research associate professor in the School of Architecture and Planning. He and his colleagues, David Henkel, director of the school’s planning program; Anne Godfrey, assistant professor; and Steve Borbas, adjunct professor and former UNM campus planner, held two sessions with Tucumcari residents.
“During the first session we gathered information about what the community had to offer and what it would like to see for Tucumcari. At a second session, this time held at the university, Tucumcari leaders and citizens came to provide feedback to the students at a midpoint in their design plans,” Gallegos said. Tomorrow the students’ final ideas will be presented for community consideration.
Student work includes a zoning overlay and asset mapping – an assessment of what Tucumcari has now to build upon; a look at walkways, streetscapes and landscapes, “the things that provide connections and linkages within the community,” Gallegos said. Another project focuses on catalytic projects – the city/county building and the library as well as the rail yard depot, “areas that have a lot of potential for development,” he said. Finally, students from the UNM Anderson School of Management collaborated on the project to develop a business plan and look at economic viability in the region.
“We hope city leaders from both the public and private sector will join us and the MainStreet Program staff to see and hear what the students have come up with. I think they will find the presentations interesting and full of possibilities,” Gallegos said.
University of New Mexico School of Law third-year student Robert Medina had a good job working corporate security when he set his sights on law school as a way to help his community at Zia Pueblo.
Last February, his goal was met when he became the tribe's first-ever tribal judge trained in the law. When he graduates in May, the position will become full time and he will continue in earnest his efforts to develop a separate judicial system for the pueblo.
"I'm excited and anxious to get started because I know that people with pending cases want a resolution, they want to move on," Medina said. "Some of these misdemeanor cases go back at least a year." Initially, he will hold court in the tribal council chambers, but would like to see a courtroom built eventually.
Another priority is to revise the pueblo's law and order code. "It is the same one the BIA gave us in the 1960s and is not based on tribal values," he said.
Medina was a tribal police officer in 2000, the only one with a home phone, when he decided to begin his journey toward law school. He earned two associate degrees at CNM, then a B.S. in criminology at UNM.
At the UNM School of Law, he has concentrated on economic development. "Even if we create the best judicial system for our community, we will still need money to operate it," Medina said.
"I have gained a good foundation in understanding codes and regulations, which will help me as I create a new tribal code," he said. "And I know my new laws will be challenged, so I need to be sure they withstand those challenges.
"The law school also has taught me where to look for answers and has helped me to see both sides of an argument," he says.
Medina will work closely with the tribal council in revamping the law and order code, making sure it better reflects the tribe's values.
"I have to live with the tribal members who will come before me, and I will use the judicial system to help with social problems, as well," he said. "I'm pleased that the dream I had is becoming a reality and I look forward to moving the pueblo forward."
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816. email: bhendrix@unm.edu
Race is becoming a greater issue during this year’s Democratic presidential primary. Barack Obama’s recent speech, “A More Perfect Union,” has helped spark a new conversation about how people from different cultural and racial backgrounds interact. Guests and panelists will discuss race in New Mexico, the state of the Democratic presidential race after Pennsylvania and other topics on this week’s edition of KNME’s “New Mexico In Focus,” airing Friday, April 25 at 7 p.m. and repeats Sunday, April 27 at 6:30 a.m.
Co-hosted by David Alire Garcia, managing editor, New Mexico Independent, a new online news web site, affiliated with the Center for Independent Media, and Albuquerque Journal columnist Gene Grant, “New Mexico In Focus” takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, health, education and arts issues and explores them in-depth, with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment."
Joining Alire Garcia this week to discuss race in New Mexico is Laura Gomez, UNM Law Professor & Author, and State Historian Estevan Rael-Galvez.
Then Harold Bailey, executive director of the State of New Mexico Office of African American Affairs, will join co-host Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya from the UNM School of Law and UNM School of Medicine, Scott Darnell, Communications Director for the Republican Party of New Mexico, and Jim Scarantino, columnist for the Weekly Alibi to continue the discussion of race in New Mexico and also talk about the latest in the Democratic presidential race, the victory for Spaceport America in southern New Mexico, and the recent Tax Increment Development Districts vote in the Albuquerque City Council.
“New Mexico In Focus” is KNME’s prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. The one-hour show concentrates on bringing viewers the important topics of our time, and all the opinions and insight they are used to, in an integrated and cohesive package.
The producer of “New Mexico In Focus” is Kevin McDonald. Closed Captioning of “New Mexico In Focus” has been made possible by a gift from Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs.
The inaugural exhibition for the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy opens Thursday, April 24 at 5:30. The exhibition features UNM Art and Art History Professor Basia Irland’s ‘Waterborne Disease Scrolls.’
The Center for Health Policy and the exhibit, which runs through July 31, 2008, is located at 1909 Las Lomas, N.E.
For more information on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy visit: http://rwjf.unm.edu/index.shtml
The Anderson School of Management and the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce will host the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce Day at the Anderson School on Wednesday, April 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Paul R. Jackson Student Center.
Photo: Albuquerque Hispano Chamber President Alex Romero to be featured speaker.
This first annual event will allow Anderson students and the UNM college community to learn first-hand from some of New Mexico's most prominent Hispanic business leaders as they share their individual stories of business successes and failures.
"We have waited for a long time for an opportunity to partner with the Hispano Chamber and to develop natural synergies between our two organizations," said Anderson Professor Raul de Gouvea.
Albuquerque Hispano Chamber President Alex Romero will be a featured presenter along with Carlo Lucero, president/owner of Sparkle Maintenance Inc., Maria Estela de Rios, executive vice president and co-owner of Orion, Orion IT, and Orion TR, and John Avila, managing partner at Avila Retail Development and Management.
The number of Hispanic-owned business firms in the United States is predicted to grow considerably in the future. Over the next 10 years, according to the United States Latino-Business Barometer, Hispanic-owned businesses will be the fastest growing component of the business end-user market in the United States - their rate of growth is expected to be in the 8 percent range- almost three times the rate of overall U.S. firms.
New Mexico already enjoys one of the highest percentages of firms owned by Hispanics and we are ready to educate and foster the next generation of business entrepreneurs, said Chamber President Alex Romero.
Several student organizations will also be in attendance showcasing material and providing professional networking opportunities for undergraduate business students and others interested in starting their own businesses.
Admission to this event is free and light refreshments will be provided. Parking is available free on a first-come, first-serve basis. To RSVP go to http://www.mgt.unm.edu/students/rsvp.asp or for more information
call (505) 277-0717.
Exhibit's final lecture set for April 29
Through the end of May, the UNM Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center is hosting a traveling exhibition called “Frankenstein: Penetrating the Secrets of Nature." The exhibition, originally developed by the National Library of Medicine®, has been on display since March 10 in the Domenici Center for Health Sciences Education on the Health Sciences Center campus. Exhibit hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
A lecture series, held as part of the exhibit during the month of April, concludes Tuesday, April 29 with a lecture titled 'Ethics of Neurosystems Engineering' by researchers Rex E. Jung, UNM Department of Neurology; John Phillips, Mind Research Network and Gerry Yonas, Sandia National Laboratories and director of neurosystems engineering, Mind Research Network. It will be held in the Domenici Center rm. 2112 from 5 to 6 p.m.
Local curator of the exhibit, Laura Hall, notes that since its appearance in 1818, the Frankenstein story has been a symbol for public fears about new scientific techniques and research, which often challenge beliefs about what is "natural" and what it means to be human. The exhibition offers a fresh look at what the story can contribute to discussions of social responsibility and ethical scientific research.
Established in 1963, the Health Sciences Library and Informatics Center is the only comprehensive health sciences library in New Mexico. It supports the information needs of faculty, students, staff and programs of the HSC and provides health-related information services to community health professionals and the citizens of New Mexico.
For more information, please call 272-6518 or visit: Frankenstein Exhibit.
On Tuesday, April 22 the University of New Mexico Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) hosted an Alternative Transportation Fair that attracted the attention of students, commuters, staff and faculty. In a surprise visit, Mayor Martin Chávez also attended the fair and perused the booths, while handing out energy efficient light bulbs.
Photo: Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez talks with SmartCar representatives during UNM's Alternative Transportation Fair held recently.
“The energy and commitment that was demonstrated by the UNM students, faculty and staff during the Alternative Transportation Fair was incredible. I am proud to partner with the UNM community on saving the planet and working toward sustainability” said Chávez.
The fair included information on everything from bicycling to using public transportation. UNM Sustainability Studies, Pop Diesel, Vespa, and SmartCar demoed their fuel-efficient vehicles for fair-goers, while the UNM Police Department held their annual bike auction.
Other student groups such as the Organization for Alternative Transportation (OATS) encouraged people to sign a petition asking the City of Albuquerque to extend bus service at night and a marketing group from Anderson School of Management presented their “My Other Ride is Green” ABQRide promotion.
“(The Alternative Transportation Fair) was very productive in informing people about various alternatives to the single-occupancy vehicle. I thought it was a fun time more than anything” said Julian Mórathrú of Biccición, a local bicycle group. “It was a good way to get everyone of a similar mindset together and look toward the future.”
UNM’s Student Health Center and Employee Health Promotion Programs (EHPP) attended the fair and promoted the healthful benefits of alternative transportation. The Student Health Center had a “Guess Your Blood Pressure” activity and EHPP raffled a physiological assessment to staff.
“I think the fair was particularly alluring and diverse because alternative transportation can mean commuting in a more environmentally sustainable way, but it can also be about health and wellness” said Clovis Acosta, PATS Director. “Concerns about rising gas prices also played a role in the success of this year’s fair. With gas prices expected to reach $4 gallon by the summer, interest in alternative modes of transportation is growing.”
For more information about the fair or to inquire about specific alternative transportation options available to you, contact Danielle Gilliam, UNM Parking & Transportation’s Alternative Transportation Coordinator at dgilliam@parking.unm.edu or at 277-0461. You can visit: Parking & Transportation.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
In January, the University of New Mexico Department of Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) announced an agreement with Zipcar, a national car-sharing service, to provide vehicles to UNM students, staff, faculty, and members of the Albuquerque community. The deadline to sign up for a Zipcar membership and get the initial annual fee waived, a savings of $35, is Wednesday, April 30.
"Anyone who bikes or rides the bus to UNM can benefit from this new program," UNM PATS Director Clovis Acosta said. "Faculty and staff who use alternative transportation don't have to drive to UNM anymore if they have an appointment off campus.”
Five vehicles - three Honda Civics, a Toyota Sienna Minivan, and a MINI Cooper - are located throughout campus and available for use 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you're 18 or older, you're eligible to be a member. Hourly rates start at $9 and include gas, insurance and 180 free miles.
Members receive their own "prox card," and when they need a vehicle they reserve it from Zipcar either online or by phone. The vehicles are available at an hourly or daily rate which includes gas, vehicle insurance, maintenance, 24/7 roadside assistance and 24/7 customer support, if necessary.
Among the dozens of colleges that have partnered with Zipcar include MIT, Columbia, Georgetown, Ohio State, Arizona State University, American University, Harvard University, University of Minnesota, University of
Toronto, University of North Carolina and The University of Chicago.
Log onto Zipcar to sign up. Registering does not require any financial commitment from the user. For more information about the Zipcar program contact Parking and Transportation Services at 277-0461.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
Dr. Eliseo "Cheo" Torres, vice president for Student Affairs, was recently honored at two local events for his dedication to education and life-long commitment to human rights. The Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (AHCC) awarded Torres with its annual President’s Award with an inscription that reads, “For your vision, dedication and service to education in New Mexico.”
Photo: Vice President for Student Affairs Eliseo "Cheo" Torres
During the presentation of the award, AHCC President, Phil Castillo credited Torres for his service in supporting Hispano scholarship programs and his work, among other things, with several projects involving students, faculty and administrators from Latin American countries, especially Mexico.
Castillo talked about Torres’ summer UNM class, “Traditional Medicine Without Borders: Curanderismo in the Southwest and Mexico,” which attracts students from all over New Mexico and throughout the United States. The class hosts Mexican folk and spiritual healers who share their knowledge and experience of medicinal and spiritual healing with the class.
The AHCC has given more than $100,000 to New Mexico’s graduating seniors many who will be attending the University of New Mexico.
A few weeks prior to receiving the AHCC award, Torres received the Cesar Chavez, “Si Se Puede” award by City of Albuquerque Cultural Services Department for his life-long commitment to community, social and human rights issues.
With gas prices expected to reach $4 a gallon this summer, students from the Anderson School of Management (ASM) at the University of New Mexico are developing an advertising campaign aimed at tackling the ever-present “pain at the pump.” UNM is one of 11 universities chosen to participate in a unique educational program, sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association (APTA).
Photo: Anderson School of Management students are creating a comprehensive marketing communications campaign to tackle high gas prices. Albuquerque Mayor Martin Chavez is in the center.
The program is designed to give undergraduate marketing students the opportunity to develop a national and local marketing campaign for public transportation.
This partnership is an industry-education program, known as Green Means Go: The American Public Transportation Association Campus Challenge. The focus of this project is to inform and educate their peers, 18-25 year olds, about mass transit and encourage them to use it. “What makes this program so exceptional is that it is run entirely by students, for students” says John Benavidez, marketing professor at UNM.
The 37 students enrolled in Professor John Benavidez’s class formed an advertising agency: Anderson Advertising Marketing Promotions (AAMP). The students will receive a $1,000 budget to create, validate and deliver a comprehensive integrated marketing communications campaign.
The program culminates in a formal, marketing and public relations agency-style presentation that will be presented to APTA and Albuquerque’s local mass transit providers (ABQ Ride and New Mexico Rail Runner Express). The strategies developed must also be capable of influencing the target market across the nation.
All 11 universities participating in the program will be competing in the Scholastic Achievement Awards. The top three universities will be invited to Washington, DC, where they will present their campaign to APTA representatives at the national level. Teams from the University of New Mexico have placed either first or second in similar marketing challenges with companies such as Cadillac and Subaru over the past four years.
Associate Professor of University Libraries and Branch Director of Centennial Science and Engineering Library Bruce Neville will receive the University Libraries Faculty Acknowledgement Award on Tuesday, April 29 at 2 p.m. in the Willard Room of Zimmerman Library. As part of the award ceremony he will give a brief talk on “Molluscan Biogeography and the Value of Historical Collections.”
Photo: Associate Professor Bruce Neville
Neville, who is considered an international expert in the study of Wenteltrap shells, says mollusks can be used to answer big geographic questions such as how do species spread throughout the world? His talk will also highlight the value of historical collections. Neville’s research in providing a basis of global comparison has helped reinvigorate the study of snails in a way that has led to the discovery of new species. He will also point out treasures to be found in UNM collections.
The University Library Faculty Acknowledgement Awards are a way of allowing faculty members to showcase their research and give the community an interesting way to learn about the research underway at the University. The Awards are presented for scholarly research.
The event is free and the public is welcome.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
The Indigenous Nations Library program will host two events on Wednesday, April 23 featuring nationally recognized expert Keahi Kimo Souza talking about “Guns, Gangs and Graffiti in Indian Country.” A brown bag discussion at noon in the Herzstein Room on the 2nd floor of Zimmerman Library and a lecture at 3 p.m. in the Willard Room of Zimmerman will offer the public opportunities to explore this issue of concern.
Souza will discuss the rise in gang membership on reservations even though current literature shows national gang membership is actually on the decline. The presentation will provide the audience with basic information including theories of gang development, national trends and current gang intervention programs and strategies with a focus on Native American issues.
Souza is a social worker with the Native American Community Academy in Albuquerque and is a faculty consultant for Arizona State University and a Senior Research Associate with the California State University Center for Delinquency and Crime Policy Studies.
He has worked in the area of adult and youth gangs for the past decade, developing and supervising gang intervention programs both in and out of Indian Country and has coordinated an internationally recognized gang intervention and tattoo removal program.
He consults and provides technical assistance with the National Youth Gang Center, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Program, National Association of Drug Court Professionals, Native American Alliance Foundation, American Indian Development Associates, Tribal Youth Programs and the Tribal Law and Policy Institute. He is also on the board of directors for the National Association of Drug Court Professionals.
For information about the program, contact Savannah Gene, Native Pathways Lecture Series Coordinator at savgene@yahoo.com.
The Coaches vs. Cancer Basketball will team with the UNM Lobos coaching staff to provide a basketball-themed gala event on Saturday, May 3 at the Embassy Suites Hotel located at 1000 Woodward Pl., N.E. Coaches v. Cancer is a nationwide collaboration between the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) that empowers basketball coaches, their teams and communities to join the fight against cancer.
Since 1993, more than 500 coaches nationwide have raised nearly $40 million to support the Society’s lifesaving efforts to eliminate cancer.
For more information contact Abbie Ouimet at (505) 260-2105 or via email at Abby.Ouimet@cancer.org.
Ramona Caplan, the Beatrice Chauvenet Fellow in the Center for Southwest Research and a Ph.D student in the UNM History Department, will present a lecture titled “Cathy Williams, Lady Buffalo Soldier” on Tuesday, April 22 at noon in the Willard Room of Zimmerman Library. This is also a brown bag event.
Cathy Williams was a freed slave who posed as a man to become the only woman to enlist and serve as a Buffalo Soldier on the Southwest Frontier.
Questions about the lecture should be directed to Audra Bellmore, curator of the John Gaw Meed Archives of Southwestern Architecture at abellmor@unm.edu
David J. Hill, the deputy director for Science and Technology at the Idaho National Laboratory will be on campus Wednesday, April 23 to speak with campus administrators and the Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Faculty. He will also conduct a public seminar at 2 p.m. in room 120 of Dane Smith Hall.
Hill is responsible for the science and technology strategy for Idaho National Laboratory and for the lab’s research and development programs for nuclear energy, homeland security and clean energy. He has extensive experience in the area of international nuclear cooperation, working with countries in Western Europe and the former Soviet Union.
At UNM he will present an overview of INL’s nuclear energy programs, including its technical leadership in the Department of Energy’s Global Nuclear Energy Partnership and Next Generation Nuclear Plant. Hill will provide his perspective on how investment in research capabilities and collaboration with universities, industry and other research institutions are delivering nuclear science and technology for the nation.
Hill will also discus the newly established Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility as well as opportunities for collaborative research and development, internships, graduate fellowships and joint appointments.
The University of New Mexico Department of Psychology and Department of Linguistics are hosting “Why We’re So Smart,” a colloquium by Northwestern University’s Dedre Gentner on Friday, April 25, from 3-4 p.m. in Hodgin Hall’s Bobo Room.
Gentner will discuss human cognitive abilities and her view that two contributors to human intelligence are analogical ability, an inborn capacity for relational learning that is shared, to some degree, “with other great apes,” and language, especially relational language, which consolidates and augments that arise from analogical processes. In her presentation, Gentner will present evidence that these analogical processes are instrumental in learning new relational terms, and reciprocally, relational language fosters analogical processing.
For more information about the colloquium contact Jessica Slocum at (505) 277-3890.
A “Change of Command” ceremony honored Captain Nori Ann Reed on Friday, April 18, as she retired after 30 years of naval service. She has been a professor of Naval Science and NROTC Commanding Officer at the University of New Mexico since 2003.
Though born in California, Reed calls Sanibel Island, Fla., home. Reed obtained a degree in Zoology and after graduating at age 20 she decided to serve in the military, as many others in her family had done.
“I’m in the family business,” Reed joked, when referring to her family’s history of military service.
She was commissioned an ensign at Officer Candidate School in Newport, R.I., in May of 1978, where she was sworn in by her father, a retired Marine Corps Colonel.
During her time at the Officer Candidate School, Reed was accepted into the “Women at Sea Program,” which began the integration of women on to Navy ships. Reed credits this program with allowing her to witness and experience the changing face of the Navy, which now allows women to participate in 90 percent of all military jobs.
“It is amazing how far we have come,” she said. “Women in the Navy today couldn’t imagine a time when it was unheard of for them to be there.”
In the Navy, Reed held a variety of positions including commander of three ships – USS DETROIT, USS KISKA and USS WILLAMETTE – operations officer on the USS YELLOWSTONE, and damage control assistant on the USS FULTON.
Additionally, Reed served as commander of logistics for U.S. Naval Forces Central Command and as commander of Task Force FIVE THREE in Bahrain, a small country island to the east of Saudi Arabia. She also served on the staffs of commander for Naval Surface Forces Pacific, Combat Logistics Group TWO and of commander in chief of the Naval European Forces. Her joint assignment was on The Joint Staff as NATO Logistics Officer in the Logistics Directorate. In 1999, she received her master’s degree from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, National Defense University.
As a result of her 30-year naval career, Reed has been able to travel and live in a variety of plDavid Brookshire across the United States and around the world.
“Living in these countries has allowed me to see how great the United States is,” she said. “It is not perfect, but it is great.”
The Ronald E. McNair Program and Research Opportunity Program will host graduate school preparation information sessions on Tuesday, April 22. Sessions will be held in Mitchell Hall, Room 120, 12:30-1:45 p.m., and in Dane Smith Hall, Room 325, 5:30-6:45 p.m.
The Ronald E. McNair program is a federally funded program in existence at UNM for seven years. The program recently successfully competed for an additional five years of funding to continue programming at UNM.
The Research Opportunity Program is a state funded program. Both programs are focused on preparing under-represented, first generation and low-income students for graduate school.
KNME, Channel 5 in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, holds a preview screening of highlights of the new 10-part PBS series “Carrier,” Tuesday, April 22 from 6:30-8:15 p.m. at KNME, 1130 University Boulevard N.E. “Carrier” tells the story of daily life on the United States Navy aircraft carrier, USS Nimitz, taking a personal look at the Navy’s role in the Persian Gulf War.
“Carrier” follows a core group of military officers and personnel, from the strike group admiral to fighter pilots to the youngest sailors and tells their stories, from personal conflicts around their jobs, families, faith, patriotism, love, the rites of passage and the war on terror.
The USS Nimitz is 24 stories high, three football fields long and carries more than 5,000 Navy personnel and 85 military aircraft. Filmed from May to November 2005, nearly 2,000 hours of high-definition video were captured aboard the ship during a full six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf, of which three months were spent in combat in support of the ground troops.
Seating for this event is limited. Please RSVP by Monday, April 21 to Ed Ulman at 277-8296. “Carrier” will air on KNME-TV, channel 5, from Sunday, April 27-Thursday, May 1 from 9-11 p.m.
A sustainability fair and growers' market designed to educate students, staff, faculty and the community about locally grown, nutritious food and alternative solutions will be held on the UNM main campus at Cornell Plaza between the Student Health Center and Student Union Building on Thursday, April 24, 10 a.m.-2 p.m.
The fair will feature local farmers with the best of their spring harvest, along with displays by local food vendors and New Mexico medicinal herbalists. A variety of organizations working on food and sustainable health care issues will also be in attendance.
The fair will showcase sustainable projects from students in UNM's new sustainability studies program. The program's carbon-neutral food kiosk and photovoltaic trailer will be on display, as well as powering local entertainment.
The UNM Anderson School of Management recently announced the winners of its 2008 UNM Technology Business Plan Competition. Capturing first place honors was Advanced Pulmonary Solutions (APS). Team members Kevin Stevenson, Robin Perini, and James Baldwin won the $25,000 Michael Gallegos Prize for Entrepreneurship as well as legal services from Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck.
Their winning plan aims to commercialize innovative, non-invasive diagnostic tools for a wide array of bacterial infections of the pulmonary system. Stevenson said being able to receive feedback and recommendations from world-class judges was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
"The business plan competition was great because it provides a very real example of how different parts of a business work together," said Stevenson. "In our courses, focus is usually limited to the material being studied at any given time. Being able to experience how everything comes together - technology, finance, marketing, organizational behavior - in a very real way proved to be an outstanding learning experience."
Surya Skincare team members Steven Renfro, William Reichard, Miles Nelson, Klaus Mueller and Peter Duselis took home the second place TVC Lockheed Martin $10,000 Prize for their plan that builds on patented nanotechnology to offer consumers the first-ever optically transparent sunscreen able to claim complete protection against cancer-causing UV radiation.
Third place went to Meghan Norvell and Isaac Estrada of ABQari Wellness, who presented plans to produce innovative, high quality nutraceutical compounds at the cutting edge of nutritional science. These compounds are designed to reduce the risk of such diseases as prostate cancer, inflammation, and connective tissue injury. The pair received the $5,000 vSpring Capital Prize.
In all, 10 teams competed in the third annual UNM Technology Business Plan Competition. In addition to the $40,000 in prize money, venture capital partners also offered more than $100,000 in seed funding as incentives for the students looking to form their own high-tech startups in New Mexico.
Dr. Sul Kassicieh, Anderson Endowed Chair in Economic Development and competition founder, says economic development's central theme is the creation of wealth and high-paying jobs.
"In what better way can UNM contribute to New Mexico's success than by using our technological expertise to start new enterprises that potentially provide us with both?" asks Kassicieh. "UNM students increase our labor pool when they graduate, but they can enrich that pool for themselves and future generations when they use our technology resources to start companies that bring new jobs to others and wealth to themselves. The Center for Support of Economic Development and the Management of Technology program at Anderson match students with real-life projects that create revenue locally and allow us to compete globally."
The winners were announced at a banquet at the DoubleTree Hotel on Friday, April 11. Sherman McCorkle, President and Chief Executive Officer of Technology Ventures Corporation, delivered the keynote address and Michelle Coons, Commercial Banking Manager with Bank of the West, was the emcee for the event.
This year more business community partners and Anderson faculty were involved in mentoring the budding entrepreneurs than ever before, and the field of competitors was the strongest yet in the competition's three year history.
The UNM Geography Colloquium Series features John Carr, visiting professor in Communication and Journalism, presenting, “The Political Grind: The Role of Youth Identities in the Municipal Politics of Public Space,” Friday, April 25 from 11 a.m. to noon in Bandelier West room 104.
In the talk he examines how the identities of a particularly problematic group of youthful users of public space – namely urban skateboarders – have effectively served as the battleground over which a variety of political projects related to public space have played out in Seattle, Wash., including ongoing efforts to maintain racial residential segregation in Seattle’s neighborhoods.
Carr, a graduate of Albuquerque Academy who went on to earn a JD at the University of Texas at Austin, has been a skateboarder for many years. He became interested in the issue surrounding youth and skateparks when he was attending the University of Washington, where he earned his PhD in geography last year.
The Anderson School of Management at UNM is hosting an MBA open house on Tuesday, April 29 from 5:30-7:30 PM at the Paul R. Jackson Student Center. The event is free and open to anyone considering the Master of Business Administration or Master of Accounting programs. Registration is not required.
The Anderson School of Management graduate programs offer students the unique opportunity to gain real world experience while in school.
"Working on real projects with real clients has been one of the most exciting and valuable experiences I have had", says Megan Long, current MBA Marketing student.
Come meet with Anderson faculty, students, and alumni, tour the school's brand new state-of-the-art facilities, and learn about the 10 areas of specialization.
Limited free on-campus parking is available at Lot C located on Las Lomas Road in front of the Anderson School. Paid parking also is available at the Cornell Parking Garage located just across from UNM Bookstore near the corner of Central Avenue and Stanford Drive.
UNM's MBA program is designed for students from a wide variety of backgrounds including liberal arts, sciences, education, law, business and for entry- and middle-level managers who want to enhance their career skills. The Anderson School is well recognized for delivering first-rate graduate education at an affordable cost. The school has the distinction of being the only business school in the greater Albuquerque area to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
For more information visit mba.unm.edu or call 277-6471.
A workshop titled, ‘Ground Truth from Mars: Science Payoff from a Sample Return Mission,’ will be held Monday - Wednesday, April 21–23 at the Hotel Albuquerque at Old Town in Albuquerque. The focus of the workshop is the payoff of research from a Mars sample return mission, which is again on the horizon. It will include technical, oral and poster presentations presented by some of the top researchers in the field.
A registration reception will be held Sunday, April 20 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Oral sessions will begin on Monday, April 21 and continue through mid-day on Wednesday, April 23. There will be a poster reception Monday, April 21 from 6 to 8 p.m.
Enabled by a sample cache on the 2009 Mars Science Laboratory rover, and endorsed as a logical continuation of the "Follow the Water" strategy of NASA's Mars Exploration Program, this strategy has tied together the search for life and potential habitats for life, evolution of the martian atmosphere, nature of martian surface processes and the thermal-magmatic evolution of the martian mantle and crust.
Orbital and surface missions have revealed that Mars' surface is far more diverse than was imagined only a decade ago, with a plethora of distinct environments — each of which presents different sorts of samples, with different potential scientific returns. Returning samples from these martian environments and analyzing them in the best terrestrial labs available will provide an unparalleled perspective of Mars not yet achieved.
“This is one of those missions scientists here at UNM are working on with NASA,” said Carl Agee, director, Institute of Meteoritics and one of the workshop conveners along with Sr. Research Scientist Charles “Chip” Shearer, UNM and David Beaty, NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. “The goal is to define the science capability and research of the mission. It will all be set down by previously determined policies evolving out of the meeting. We want to know what to expect and how to prepare.”
The IOM has a long history of involvement in studying Mars from the Viking missions in the 1970s, the question of martian life in meteorite ALH84001 to ongoing missions (i.e. Mars Science Lab).
A few of the presentations during the workshop include ‘Enabling Sample Return: Priorities, Missions and Strategies,’ ‘Sample Requirements from the Astrobiology Point of View,’ ‘Sulfates as Recorders of Mars Near Surface Processes and the MER sites as First Sample Return Locations,’ ‘Understanding the Evolution of Mars: Core, Mantle, Crust Surface and Atmosphere,’ and ‘Hydrous Minerals as Recorders of Fluid-Atmospheric Evolution and Secondary Alteration.’
“Part of our mission is to help return samples,” said Shearer, who is also chair of CAPTEM (Curation and Analysis Planning Team for Extraterrestrial Materials). “A sample return from Mars will provide a very important glimpse of Mars never seen before from orbiters and rovers.”
The Lunar and Planetary Institute, NASA Planetary Science Division, NASA Mars Exploration Program and the UNM Institute of Meteoritics are sponsoring the workshop. For more information visit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
Sarah Guilinger, a senior in biology and Gary Lawson an archeology student are the joint winners of the 1st place prize in the photography contest sponsored by University Libraries Marketing Group with their image of a student studying in one of the library carrels. They received $100 in Lobo Cash.
Imran Mansuri, an M.A. candidate in architecture received the 2nd place prize of $75 in Lobo Cash with this image of the new Fine Arts and Design Library, and Majina Miller a student in studio arts is the 3rd place winner with this image of a student studying in the newly reopened basement area of Zimmerman Library.
University Libraries is celebrating library week with the contest for students to creatively portray an identifiable UNM library area or activity. Pictured below, l. to r., are first through third place winners.
Michael S. Gallegos, Co-Founder, CEO and President of American Property Management Corporation (APMC) will be the featured speaker at the first Anderson School of Management's Distinguished CEO Lecture Series. On Thursday, April 24, Gallegos will discuss the pitfalls of growing your business too quickly in his talk titled, "Entrepreneurship: The Challenges of Growth." The lecture begins at 6 p.m. in the Paul R. Jackson Student Center on the UNM campus.
Photo: Michael S. Gallegos
Gallegos, who co-founded APMC in 1990, has acquired 50 hotels from coast to coast and focuses on purchasing nonperforming and underperforming hotels and transforming them into successful properties through state-of- the-art financial systems, innovative food and beverage concepts, preventative maintenance, human resources support and creative sales and marketing solutions.
In 2004 Gallegos, a New Mexico native and a UNM graduate, earned the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award for creating in only 14 years one of the nation's largest and fastest growing independent hotel companies. APMC owns 45 hotels and resorts located coast to coast with 13,550 rooms, 5,500 employees, and generating more than $400 million in annual revenues. Eight of the APMC properties are located here in New Mexico.
The lecture is free and open to the public, however, due to limited seating reservations are required. RSVP via email to rsvp@mgt.unm.edu or call
(505) 277-6413.
Focus is on Engaged Literacy for Teachers of 7th – 12th Graders
To succeed in college, students must be able to apply reading and writing skills to a variety of problem-solving tasks across disciplines. For Summer 2008, the University of New Mexico Teachers’ Institute offers two seminars designed to help teachers help their students develop higher-level literate capabilities.
“Reading Critically, Writing Analytically,” with Wanda Martin, associate professor of English, presents strategies for teaching critical reading, analytic writing which is the basis for learning across disciplines. Participants will learn to gather and report on information and arguments; interpret, evaluate, and respond to information and arguments; as well as communicate clearly and logically in a variety of written forms.
The second course, “Pick it Apart: Critical Analysis of Public Policy,” with Kate Krause, associate professor of economics, focuses on answering the question: How do you know what (and whom) to believe about politics, policy and public issues? Public policy debates are played out daily on the op-ed pages of virtually every newspaper, especially in a presidential election year.
In this seminar students will study economic theory and formal rules and tools for argumentation to evaluate arguments presented in campaign literature, on the editorial pages of the local paper and in other media. After critically reading other authors’ works, students will write their own editorials and letters to the editor.
The seminars meet on 12 days over three weeks: June 2-5, 9-12, and 23-26. On Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, 9 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Participants must commit to attend all 12 meetings and the Teachers’ Institute will pay a $600 stipend to each participant. The Teachers’ Institute will provide all needed books and materials. Each seminar is available for 1-3 hours of graduate credit at the registrant’s expense.
To apply, visit www.unm.edu/~abqteach, click on the link for the desired seminar and follow the instructions. Admission is competitive, so it’s important to complete the entire application. Enrollment is limited to 12 participants in each seminar. To maximize impact, we prefer teams of two teachers from a school. For best consideration, apply by April 20, however applications will be accepted through May 20 or until all spDavid Brookshire are filled.
For more information, contact Wanda Martin, director, 277-5027, or email wmartin@unm.edu.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
Sam Truett, associate professor of history in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been selected for inclusion in the History News Network’s Top Young Historians feature. Truett has taught at UNM since 1998. He received his Ph.D. from Yale University and has been a Fulbright Lecturer in Finland and a Mellon Research Fellow at the Huntington Library. http://hnn.us/roundup/49.html
Photo: Associate Professor Sam Truett
He was recently chosen for the Lloyd Lewis Fellowship in American History for 2008-2009 at the Newberry Library in Chicago.
“I’m flattered to have been chosen and I am pleased to represent the larger fields of borderlands history, environmental history and western U.S. history. I am pleased to bring attention to UNM’s history department and our strengths at both the graduate and undergraduate levels in borderlands history, environmental history, western U.S. and Latin American history,” Truett said.
He also hopes that posting information about his research areas on the History News Network site will encourage students and colleagues to consider the importance of these topics.
While at the Newberry, Truett will complete research on his second book project, “Old New Worlds: Ruins, Borderlands, and Empire in America.” In this book, Truett examines the U.S. fascination with ruins and antiquity in the nation’s expanding borderlands, from the eighteenth century on. Truett will draw on the rich Native American, Latin American and Western Americana collections at the Newberry Library to track this fascination with ruins across the broad sweep of U.S. frontier and borderlands history.
Truett’s first book was, “Fugitive Landscapes: The forgotten history of the U.S. – Mexico borderlands,” Yale University Press, and he co-edited “Continental Crossroads: Remapping U.S. – Mexico borderlands history,” published by Duke University Press.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
Each year the Center for Regional Studies and the Center for Southwest Research fund graduate assistantships for students to conserve and research collections at University Libraries. This year the fellows will present their research in a series of talks. All presentations will be in the Willard Room of Zimmerman Library on the UNM main campus.
On Tuesday, April 22 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. five fellows will present their work in four talks.
* “Scanning the Past: Digitization of the William A. Keleher Photograph Collection and Selected Items from the Pictorial Archives” by Kari Schleher and Laura York.
* “From Inquisition to Expeditions: Colonial New Mexico Documents” by Sue Taylor.
* “Conservation and Preservation for Special Collections at the CSWR: Housing Books in Four-Flap and Clamshell Boxes” by Erika Aragon.
* “Collections, Classes and Coffee: The Anderson Fellowship at the CSWR” by Char Perry.
On Tuesday, April 29 from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m., six fellows will present their work in four presentations.
* “Selling the Romantic: The Landscape of New Mexico’s TB Sanatoriums” by Julie McGilvray.
* “Sanatoriums, Soirees, and the Rise of New Mexico Art Communities” by Ramona Caplan.
* “Histories and Legacies of the New Deal Programs in New Mexico” by Lavinia Nicolae, Sandra Arazi-Coambs and Eric Castillo.”
* “Gloria Montoya Chavez Collection: Enhancing the History of Chicana/o Activism at the University of New Mexico” by Annette Rodriguez.
On Monday, May 5 from 10 a.m. to noon there will be two presentations.
* “Digital Dilemmas: The Advantages and Challenges of Creating Digital Archives” by Sarah Wentzel-Fisher, Katie Councilor, Ruth Cisneros and Brian Luna Lucero.
* “Jenny Vincent: A Retrospective of New Mexico Cultural History through Community Radio and Song” by Theresa Cordova.
The research done by the fellows and their presentations are an easy and interesting way to explore some of the rich cultural history contained in the collections at the Center for Southwest Research. All presentations are free open to the public.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
The University of New Mexico Native American Studies Lecture Series features two presentations, one offering insight on indigenous higher education in Canada and the other focusing on the Iroquois. Both events are free and open to the public.
Photo: Singer, performer, composer Joanne Shenandoah.
Shauneen Pete, vice president of academics, First Nations University of Canada, presents, “Indigenous Higher Education in Canada: Visions for a 21st Century World,” Monday, April 21 from 5-7 p.m. in Santa Ana B in the Student Union Building on the UNM campus.
The First Nations University of Canada at the University of Regina is an independently administered university offering university education to First Nations and non-First Nations students. The First Nations University of Canada is the only First Nations-controlled university in Canada has the largest concentration of aboriginal faculty in one institution in the world.
For more information about First Nations visit: First Nations.
The second event features Joanne Shenandoah, singer, performer, composer, and journalist Doug George-Kanentiio. The duo present, “We Are The Iroquois: Preserving a Distinct Native Identity in the Northeast,” Thursday, April 24 from 3-5 p.m. in the Willard Room in Zimmerman Library on the UNM campus.
Shenandoah, a Wolf Clan member of the Iroquois Confederacy - Oneida Nation, has 14 recordings with her music on 40+ compilations. Her original compositions, combined with a striking voice, allow her to embellish ancient songs of the Iroquois using a blend of traditional and contemporary instrumentation. Shenandoah’s music reflects indigenous philosophy and culture that continue to have a profound effect on the world today.
For more about Shenandoah visit: Shenandoah.
Kanentiio, Akwesasne Mohawk territory, is a lecturer, renowned author and award-winning journalist. He is nationally recognized as a primary source of information about Iroquois politics and culture. His expertise has been relied upon and sought after by historians, film producers as well as television documentary directors. He is a columnist for News From Indian Country and Indian Time publications.
Kanentiio’s columns have also been printed in the Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Toronto Star, Rochester Democrat-Chronicle, Montreal Gazette, London Free Press, Schenectady Gazette and the Albany Times Union. For nine years The Syracuse Newspapers printed his columns on the opinion page.
Kanentiio received the “Wassaja Award” for his journalistic contributions; the highest honor bestowed by the Native American Journalists Association, and was also featured in Gentlemen’s Quarterly (GQ) Magazine.
Kanentiio was the editor of Akwesasne Notes for six years, a bimonthly international journal about indigenous people worldwide. He also edited Indian Time, a newspaper serving the Mohawk Nation.
University Libraries Indigenous Nations Library Program is a co-sponsor for both events.
For more information regarding both lectures contact: Native American Studies at (505) 277-3917 or nasinfo@unm.edu.
Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
In a major medical center like UNM Hospitals, it is important for the hospital community to have a quiet place set aside for meditation, reflection or prayer. The UNM Hospital Pavilion has such a place for patients, family members, guests and even hospital staff. The meditation room, located on the first floor of the pavilion, is a serene setting, the west wall made of a stained glass mural and a fountain in the center of the room brings a sense of peace to those who visit.
To enhance the meditation room further, UNMH is currently working on the Tree of Life glass door panel project. The glass door panel inserts for the meditation room’s double doors will be created by glass artist Denise Taylor of Taylor Made Glass, the same artist who created the glass mural.
The project is being led by the Jerry and Ed White family. Jerry is a longtime employee of the University of New Mexico School of Medicine. Through the Tree of Life Project, Jerry and her family hope to bring comfort to other families with loved ones being cared for at UNMH.
In July 2006, the White family was one of those families. Jerry’s daughter, Shannon White-Fredrickson, was brought to UNM Hospitals during her 24th week of pregnancy. Shannon’s complications resulted in the premature birth of her daughter, a 17-ounce micro-preemie they named Mackenzie.
Mackenzie spent her whole life in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit at the UNM Children’s Hospital. She was one month old when she passed away.
Shannon and her husband Frank Fredrickson appreciated the attentive care they received from their doctors. Jerry said she was struck by the kind and wonderful staff of nurses and health professionals who took special care of Mackenzie.
The family was also grateful to Chaplain Dave Hartenberger for his strong faith and comfort. He baptized Mackenzie in the hospital and was with the family when she passed away. Chaplain Hartenberger also officiated at a memorial service for Mackenzie.
After their experience at UNM Hospitals, the family wanted to be a part of something that honored Mackenzie in a reverent way, and that spiritually supported other families in need of care at the hospital.
The tree of life has long been a symbol of a welcoming community. The stained glass tree of life on the double doors will have 500 engraved leaves, casting a shade of compassion and peace on all who visit.
UNM Hospitals is asking for donations of $200 for a single leaf on the tree, inscribed with the donors name or the name of a person the donor would like to honor. If a donor would prefer a leaf with two names, UNMH requests a $250 donation (maximum of 30 characters per leaf).
All the donations will be used toward the enhancement of the mediation room in the UNM Hospital Pavilion. The tree of life project is a limited-edition, 500-unit offering.
For more information on the Tree of Life Project or to make a donation, call the UNM Hospitals Development Office or Hannah Farrington at (505) 277-5685.
Contact: Lauren Cruse, (505) 272-3690; email: lcruse@salud.unm.edu
New Mexico is facing a healthcare emergency with too few doctors, nurses, and other health professionals to meet today’s needs — and the shortage is projected to worsen in the coming years. To address these issues, the UNM Health Sciences Center Office of Diversity and UNM Hospitals, in partnership with other stakeholders throughout the state, are holding a two-day forum on Friday and Saturday, May 2-3 on growing and diversifying the pool of people entering and staying in the healthcare professions in New Mexico.
The forum, which will run from 8 – 3:30 p.m. both days at the Marriott Hotel at 2101 Louisiana NE, will bring together people from middle and high schools, colleges and universities, the healthcare community, and rural and tribal areas to address the issues and develop solutions.
New Mexico First, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, will facilitate the forum. While there will be a few guest speakers to help set the context, the bulk of the two days will be spent in small group discussions among citizens who care about the topic. Prior to the forum, participants will receive a background report which will provide interesting information on the forum topic and serve as a basis for small group discussions during the forum.
Participants will be asked to share their best ideas for improving the state’s health careers pipeline. On the first day, participants will be divided into small groups to share best practices and to discuss the key issues. The second day will have participants will begin refining and combining their ideas for solutions.
By the end of the day, participants will have developed concrete, actionable recommendations for local and state policymakers, educators, and private sector leaders. The recommendations developed at the forum will not sit on a shelf. UNM and its partners will organize an implementation team to advance the recommendations and participants may volunteer for the implementation team if they wish. Implementation efforts may run for 12-18 months.
Who Should Attend? Anyone with an interest in the topic is invited to attend, including educators, students, employers, practitioners and professionals, policymakers and community members.
Seating is limited with a maximum of 200 participants. Early registration is highly recommended. Register online at NM First. The cost is $125 and scholarships are available. For more information, contact Krista Koppinger at 505-241-4813 or kristak@nmfirst.org.
When the 7th International Conference on Hantavirus Ecology and Disease was held in Puerto Vargas, Chile earlier this month, it opened with a tribute to UNM Vice President for Research and Economic Development Terry Yates. Yates, who died in December, was a well-known researcher into the ecology of rodent-borne diseases. He established research studies on Hantavirus ecology in Chile in 1999 and served as the ecology project leader from 1999-2005 under an ongoing research grant funded by the NIH.
The conference was sponsored by Universidad Católica de Santiago, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile, the Fogarty International Center of the U.S. National Institutes of Health and UNM. The yearly conference draws scientists, medical doctors, and clinicians interested in the latest research on the biology and ecology of Hantavirus.
A number of UNM representatives attended the conference including Brian Hjelle, professor of pathology and interim chair of the pathology department in the School of Medicine; Diane Goade, associate professor of internal medicine; Sang Joon-Lee, assistant professor of internal medicine; Greg Mertz, professor of internal medicine and chief of the division of infectious diseases; Sarah Koster, clinical research manager in the division infectious diseases; Joe Cook, professor of biology and curator of mammals in the Museum of Southwestern Biology; Marjorie McConnell, a senior program manager in the biology department and Fernando Torres Perez, a post-doctoral fellow the departments of biology and pathology.
The tribute was arranged by two Chilean friends and colleagues of Yates, Eduardo Palma, a professor of biology at Universidad Católica de Santiago and former UNM doctoral student, and Roberto Belmar, a former senior physician in the Ministry of Health of Chile. Both Chilean scientists noted Yates’ extraordinary efforts to bring together a diverse set of investigators and clinicians to stimulate truly interdisciplinary work on this emerging pathogen in Chile.
Yates’ widow, Nancy also attended the tribute and conference, which attracted more than 100 researchers from the United States, Brazil, Panama, Paraguay, Argentina and Chile.
Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
This week’s edition of KNME’s “New Mexico In Focus” will feature a special program, “Building Green,” to celebrate Earth Day. “Building Green” will explore some of the realities and myths around green building development, such as: cost and design of the buildings, and will discuss the solutions, innovations and visionaries in building environmentally green buildings. “New Mexico In Focus” will air on Friday, April 18 at 7 p.m. and repeat on Sunday, April 20 at 6:30 a.m. on KNME-TV, channel 5.
Featured on “Building Green” will be the architects, builders, and community people who champion this new movement. Plus, mini-documentaries will highlight examples of green buildings such as three nationally recognized Rio Rancho Schools, and Santa Fe’s new Convention Center. There will also be web components and links that focus on green building techniques specific to New Mexico.
Co-Hosted by David Alire Garcia, managing editor, New Mexico Independent, a new online news web site, affiliated with the Center for Independent Media, and Albuquerque Journal columnist Gene Grant, “New Mexico In Focus” takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, health, education and arts issues and explores them in-depth, with a critical eye to give them context beyond the "news of the moment."
Joining Alire Garcia this week are Karen Cook, a “Green” commercial broker, Stace McGee, a principal at EDI Regenerating Architecture, and Joran Viers of the Bernalillo County Cooperative Extension. Featured in the “Building Green” mini-documentaries are:
· Edward Mazria, Architecture 2030 Founder
· Martina Montano, Capital Projects & Data Administrator, Rio Rancho Schools
· V. Sue Cleveland, Rio Rancho Schools Superintendent
· Croft Elsaesser, Co-Owner, American Clay
Then author and journalist Sharon Niederman will join co-host Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya from the UNM School of Law and UNM School of Medicine, Scott Darnell, Communications Director for the Republican Party of New Mexico, and Jim Scarantino, columnist for the Weekly Alibi to continue the discussion about green building in New Mexico.
“New Mexico In Focus” is KNME’s prime-time news magazine show covering the events, issues, and people that are shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. The one-hour show concentrates on bringing viewers the important topics of our time, and all the opinions and insight they are used to, in an integrated and cohesive package.
The producer of “New Mexico In Focus” is Kevin McDonald. Some of mini-documentaries were produced by Lillian Kelly. Closed Captioning of “New Mexico In Focus” has been made possible by a gift from Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs.
This episode of “New Mexico In Focus” was sponsored in part by the Energy Conservation & Management Division of the New Mexico Energy, Minerals and Natural Resources Department and U.S. Green Building Council, New Mexico Chapter.
UNM staff are encouraged to use tuition remission to increase professional and personal development through education and training. The Staff as Students Fair, presented by the UNM Division of Human Resources, will be held on Friday, Apr. 18, 11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m. in Student Union Building Ballroom B will provide a fast and easy one-stop shop to help staff become students.
Academic advisors, UNM Extended University and the Office of Graduate Studies will be on site to answer questions about specific programs. Representatives from the Admissions, Registrar’s and Bursar’s offices will also be available to process admissions applications, class registration and tuition remission forms.
All UNM benefits eligible staff are invited to attend this special event. Employees will be able to meet with academic advisors and representatives from the admission's and registrar's offices. Tuition remission forms will be available and can be used for professional, academic and personal enrichment classes.
Class schedules are available online at: UNM Schedule. For more information call 277-5856 or .
The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Center for Health Policy at UNM continues its Spring Lecture Series with Yvette Roubideaux, MD, MPH, University of Arizona, presenting, “Health Care in Indian Country: Setting a Research Agenda for Health Care Improvement,” Wednesday, April 23 from 1-2:30 p.m.
The lecture will be held at the Domenici Center room 3010 on the UNM Health Sciences Center campus. Light refreshments will be served. Parking passes are available for off-campus visitors by calling 277-0130.
UNM President David J. Schmidly has appointed Julia E. Fulghum as the interim vice president for Research. Fulghum currently serves as the chair of the UNM Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department.
Photo: Julia E. Fulghum appointed interim vice president for Research.
“Julia has proven herself to be a great asset to the University of New Mexico as an outstanding professor and administrator,“ said Schmidly. “I think she will serve the campus well in this role and I look forward to working with her as we continue to improve the research programs and services at UNM.”
Fulghum says she looks forward to serving in the interim position and has the immediate priority to work with colleagues across campus to facilitate all aspects of on-campus research and also to extend collaboration with UNM’s external partners.
An acting chair will be appointed for the Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department; however Fulghum said she plans to remain involved in departmental activities and to return to the department when the current search for a permanent vice president for Research is complete.
Fulghum joined the Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Department in 2002, coming in as department chair. She had previously been a professor in the Department of Chemistry at Kent State University.
Her research interests include materials characterization with an emphasis on multi-technique correlation and multivariate analysis for non-destructive evaluation of heterogeneous samples using XPS,TOF-SIM, AFM, FTIR, and Confocal microscopy.
Fulghum received her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry in 1987 from the University of North Carolina.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
Ángel González, emeritus faculty member in the University of New Mexico Department of Spanish and Portuguese and one of Spain’s most prominent poets, died in January at the age of 82. An event honoring González is set for Saturday, April 19 at 7 p.m. at the National Hispanic Cultural Center’s Bank of America Theater.
The memorial event includes personal testimonials of his life and work by friends and colleagues, a reading of his poems and the special appearance of singer songwriter Pedro Avila performing his original compositions based on González’s poetry.
Many writers, artists, teachers and others who were friends of González, a lover of late-night chats in the bars and cafes of Madrid, attended his funeral in January.
González was a member of the Spanish Royal Academy, the prestigious, official watchdog of the Spanish language, and won awards that included the Asturias Prize for Letters in 1985.
His poems addressed issues like freedom and solidarity, and like many intellectuals under the Franco regime, González eventually left Spain.
In 1972 he accepted a teaching position at UNM and remained on faculty until 1993, although he frequently traveled back to Spain.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
The Anderson School of Management on the University of New Mexico campus is hosting an MBA Open House on Tuesday, April 29, 5:30-7:30 pm at the Paul R. Jackson Student Center. The event is free and open to anyone considering the Master of Business Administration or Master of Accounting programs. Registration is not required.
Anderson School graduate programs offer students the unique opportunity to gain real world experience while in school.
"Working on real projects with real clients has been one of the most exciting and valuable experiences I have had", says Megan Long, current MBA Marketing student.
The public is invited to meet with Anderson faculty, students, and alumni, tour the school's brand new state-of-the-art facilities, and learn about the 10 areas of specialization. Free parking is available on a first come, first served basis in the lot just north of the Anderson School. Paid parking also is available at the Cornell Parking Garage located just across from UNM Bookstore near the corner of Central Avenue and Stanford Drive.
UNM's MBA program is designed for students from a wide variety of backgrounds including, liberal arts, sciences, education, law, business and for entry- and middle-level managers who want to enhance their career skills.
The Anderson School is well recognized for delivering first-rate graduate education at an affordable cost. The school has the distinction of being the only business school in the greater Albuquerque area to be accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.
For more information visit, mba.unm.edu or call 277-6471.
The University of New Mexico Parking and Transportation Services (PATS) will be hosting an Alternative Transportation Fair on Earth Day, Tuesday, April 22, from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. on the Cornell Mall near Johnson Gym. The fair will feature displays promoting everything from biking, skateboarding, and walking to Vespa, ABQ Ride and the New Mexico Railrunner.
“This is a great one-stop opportunity for campus commuters to evaluate all of the alternative options available to them,” said Cynthia Martin, PATS Program Planning Manager. “We want to promote anything other than single-occupancy vehicle transportation.”
Whether an individual is motivated by environmental concern, personal wellness or efficiency, the fair will feature alternative transportation options that can meet a varied set of needs and desires.
“Taking a closer look at alternative commuting options is beneficial right now, not only for environmental reasons but also because of the rising costs of gas and increasingly limited parking options available around campus,” said Martin.
Among the featured displayers at this year's fair, Albuquerque Alternative Energies will be displaying two vehicles they have converted to run on vegetable oil, the UNM Police Department will be holding a bike auction, and fair-goers can expect to see many bicycle advocacy groups, local outdoor retailers, and lots of giveaways.
“This fair will be informational and fun,” Martin said. “It is a celebration of sustainability.”
More information about the Alternative Transportation Fair can be found at the Parking and Transportation Services Web site, Parking and Transportation Services.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
Open forums have been scheduled for the finalists for the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO). The finalists were identified by a search committee in a national search. The CIO leads and integrates information technology related functions across the University. They are: Arthur "Barney" Maccabe, Anna Peralta Hines and Kenneth Stafford.
The finalists dates, times and locations of their respective open forums follow:
Arthur “Barney” Maccabe - open forum is scheduled for Tuesday, April 15 from 3:30-4:30 in the Robert’s Room, Scholes Hall. Dr. Maccabe is the interim CIO and professor of Computer Science at the University of New Mexico.
Anna Peralta Hines - open forum is scheduled Friday, April 18 from 3:30-4:30 in the Robert’s Room, Scholes Hall. Hines is the currently the CIO at Dona Ana County and previously the CIO at University of Texas at El Paso.
Kenneth Stafford - open forum is scheduled Monday, April 21 from 3:30-4:30 in the Robert’s Room, Scholes Hall. Stafford is the vice chancellor for Technology at the University of Denver. He was previously CIO at the University of Maryland Systems and vice president for Administration and Finance at Bowie State University.
Previously announced candidate John Lawson withdrew from consideration.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
Amy and David Goodman are celebrating the release of their third book, 'Standing Up to the Madness: Ordinary People in Extraordinary Times.' The Goodmans will give a talk and sign their new book at UNM's Woodward Hall on April 18 at 6:30 p.m. This inspirational event is a benefit for KUNM 89.9 Community Radio and honors the 170+ community volunteers and students working at KUNM and kunm.org.
Amy Goodman is the co-host and executive producer of "Democracy Now!," an independent, award-winning news program airing on over 650 radio and TV stations. She has been broadcasting "Democracy Now!," which airs on KUNM weekdays at 4 p.m., for 12 years.
Amy Goodman, known worldwide for her courageous coverage of news missed or ignored by the USA's mainstream media, is now on tour to tell the inspiring stories of ordinary people doing extraordinary work in countering the "madness" of current White House policies. These stories are recounted in her latest book, Standing Up To The Madness, which is co-authored with her journalist brother David Goodman. The book release date is April 8, 2008 and is published by Hyperion.
Amy Goodman has a strong, and growing, audience; previous events in Albuquerque have sold out.
The Schedule...
Friday, April 18
Authors' talk: 6:30-8:30 p.m.; book signing to follow
At Woodward Hall, UNM campus, Albuquerque
To benefit KUNM-FM community radio
Co-sponsored by Bookworks.
Tickets...
$20 general admission; $10 UNM students (with valid ID)
UNM Ticket Offices (The Pit and Bookstore) http://www.unmtickets.com
(505) 925-5858 for phone orders.
Select Albertsons stores in Albuquerque and Santa Fe, listing is available at http://www.unmtickets.com/.
Bookworks, 4022 Rio Grande Blvd. (next to Flying Star Café) http://www.bkwrks.com; (505) 344-8139 for phone orders ($5 discount on general admission ticket with purchase of the book & ticket from Bookworks.)
Woodward Hall is located just west of the Student Union Building (turn west between Popejoy Hall and the SUB).
Parking is free on campus after 6 p.m. on Friday except at reserved & handicap spDavid Brookshire and paid parking is available at the nearby Cornell parking structure.
Additional info for public at www.kunm.org or from KUNM membership coordinator Cris Nichols at (505) 277-3968.
Larry Sklar, professor of pathology, will present the 53rd Annual Research Lecture, the highest honor UNM bestows on its faculty members. His talk addressing “Team Science: Partnerships for Discovery and Innovation” will be held Thursday, April 17, at 7 p.m. in the Domenici Auditorium, UNM Health Sciences Center. The event is free and open to the public.
Photo: Larry Sklar
Sklar’s research interests include signal transduction, cell adhesion, leukocyte biology, high throughput technologies for molecular assembly and drug discovery. He received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University in 1976. He came to UNM in 1990 after a number of years in the Department of Immunology at Scripps.
Among his many appointments, he has served as director of signal transduction and cell adhesion, associate director of basic research and director of biotechnology, all at the UNM Cancer Center. Currently he is director of the NIEHS Biotechnology Core and Biotechnology Integration at the UNM School of Medicine.
See the flyer for the event: 2008 Annual Research Lecture.
The Anderson School of Management Accounting Department and CIARE are co-sponsoring the next Information Assurance Seminar on Thursday, April 24 from 7:30 - 9 a.m. at the Paul R. Jackson Student Center. Retired FBI Special Agent Allen Ezell will be discussing topics ranging from fictitious schools and academic fraud to white collar crime in banking and government bodies.
Photo: Allen Ezell
Ezell is co-author with Dr. John Bear in Degree Mills, and is the author of Accreditation Mills. Ezell recently submitted his manuscript for Knock-Off Credentials-Counterfeit Diplomas & Transcripts to AACRAO.
There is no admission to this seminar breakfast, Space is limited. Interested participants are asked to RSVP at http://www.mgt.unm.edu/students/seminarIA.asp.
Parking spDavid Brookshire in the lot immediately north of the Anderson School are available free on a first-come, first-serve basis. Additional spDavid Brookshire may be found at the parking structure next to Popejoy Hall for a nominal fee as well as paid meters along Las Lomas.
For more information contact Aline Gonzales at (505) 277-0717 or email gonzales@mgt.unm.edu.
The American Indian Business Association at Anderson School of Management is sponsoring the 2nd Annual Native American Career Fair on Thursday, April 17 from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Paul R. Jackson Student Center. All UNM students, faculty and staff are welcomed to attend.
For more information contact Jaye Francis at (505) 277-8889 or Aline Gonzales at (505) 277-0717 or visit: Native American Career Fair .
The Spring Vendor Fair, hosted by the UNM purchasing department, is scheduled for Wednesday, May 21, in the Student Union Building Ballroom from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The fair allows participants networking opportunities to create new business opportunities and strengthen existing business relationships within the UNM community. It also helps to provide small and disadvantaged businesses a greater opportunity to compete fairly and equally in the market.
University purchasing agents, staff and faculty will be attending the fair to learn about the products and services area businesses can provide. (None of the institutions have confirmed so I am not sure which ones will be in attendance.)
The business participation fee is $60, which includes a booth consisting of a 6’ skirted table, 8’ background curtain, two chairs, one line identification sign (35 letters) and one parking pass.
Interested participants are encouraged to register early. Booths will be available on a first-come, first-serve basis.
Vendor booths will be pre-assigned in the order in which the registration form and payment are received – the earlier the registration form and payment are submitted, the greater the chance a vendor has to receive this prime location to advertise their business. Approximately 80 booths will be available for vendors and institutions.
If you own a business and are interested in participating, please complete the registration form available from the UNM Purchasing Department web site at: Spring Vendor Fair. The registration deadline is Friday, April 18, 2008. Registered participants will receive a letter confirmation, a map to the Student Union Building, a map to the parking structure and a parking pass two weeks prior to the fair.
For more information contact Carla D. Martinez at 277-1735 or via e-mail at carlad@unm.edu.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; e-mail: scarr@unm.edu
Students at several universities are reporting that their Social Security Numbers are being used by unauthorized third parties to fraudulently file taxes. A compromised SSN can affect credit ratings, future employment opportunities, utility services and tax returns. It can happen to you. UNM wants to ensure faculty, staff, and students know what precautions to take in protecting sensitive identity information. Visit: http://its.unm.edu/security/id for more information.
If you believe you are a victim of tax fraud, call the IRS at (800) 829-1040. You also may wish to flag your credit report with a fraud alert; see the web page above for contact information for the credit reporting agencies.
Professor Jackie Hood will present the final UNM Anderson School of Management faculty lecture on Wednesday, April 16 at 7 p.m. Her lecture, Bullying in the Workplace: Challenges to Preserving an Ethical Organization, is the last in a series of seven lectures presented in the past seven months.
Photo: Anderson School of Management Professor and Faculty Senate President Jackie Hood.
The talk will take place on the third floor of the Graduate School of Management building, located just west of the Anderson School on the UNM campus. Admission is free and parking is available on a first come, first served basis in the lot north of the school.
The lecture series started last October with Anderson faculty presenting intriguing issues to a broad audience that included individuals from the business community, the general public as well as students, staff, alumni, and other UNM faculty. Participating faculty members were: Sul Kassicieh, Alistair Preston, Charles Crespy, Jeanne Logsdon, Joseph E. Champoux, O.C. Ferrell and Jackie Hood.
The talks were so well received that plans are already underway to continue the series in the next academic year.
President David J. Schmidly has announced the appointment of Carmen Alvarez Brown to the position of vice president for Enrollment Management. This new position will consolidate service areas that impact students’ progression toward their degree objective. The offices of recruitment, admissions, financial aid, records and registration will report to the vice president.
Photo: Carmen Alvarez Brown
Additionally, the vice president will work closely with the university community to improve recruitment, enrollment and graduation of all students.
“There is nothing more important to this university than the success of its students,” Schmidly said. “We want to remove roadblocks that may hamper their journey from admission through graduation. Carmen will bring a rare energy to the task.”
Alvarez Brown is currently assistant vice president for Enrollment Management and director of Undergraduate Admissions at Florida International University. She brings more than 35 years of administrative experience in enrollment management and establishment and successful execution of recruitment and enrollment strategies for students of diverse backgrounds. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies and a master’s in Adult Education from FIU.
Prior to her current appointments, Alvarez Brown served at FIU as director of admissions from 1989-2002, state articulating officer from 1990-98, associate director of admissions from 1984-89, director of international and graduate admissions from 1976-84, coordinator for international admissions from 1974-76, and admissions evaluator from 1972-1974. She also served the U.S. Agency for International Development Presidential Training Initiative for the Island Caribbean/United School of America Contractors as program manager from 1987-88 and training development specialist from 1986-87.
Alvarez Brown will begin her duties at UNM this summer.
Media Contact: Susan McKinsey, (505) 277-1807; email: mckinsey@unm.edu
Classical guitarist Gabriel Ayala plays at the University of New Mexico-Gallup’s Calvin Hall Auditorium Tuesday, April 29, from 6:30 - to 8 p.m. The performance, sponsored by UNM-Gallup’s Achieving the Dream grant, is free and open to the public. Ayala, who is Yaqui, has performed at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Oscar Meyer Theatre in Green Bay, Wis., National Museum for the American Indian, the Gathering of Nations, and a host of universities and other venues.
He has also performed on radio and television, and in 2003, released his self-titled debut CD, for which he was nominated for a Best Independent Recording award for the Native American Music Awards. He also recorded a Christmas CD in 2007, and is at work on two new CD’s this year, one of which is on Canyon Records and is due for release in July.
A resident of Tucson, he earned a master’s in music from the University of Arizona. He has taught in all levels of education from elementary to college. The winner of several music competitions, he also serves as a judge for competitions.
In addition to his career as a solo classical guitarist, Ayala also promotes
Native culture through traditional singing and dancing.
Media Contact: Linda Thornton, (505) 863-7565; email: lthornton@gallup.unm.edu
On KNME’s ‘In Focus,’ hosts and panelists discuss the 66th anniversary of the Bataan Death March with interviews from former New Mexico POWs. The program airs Friday, April 11 at 7 p.m. and repeats Sunday, April 13 at 6:30 a.m.
Other topics include General Patraeus and the American troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, a look at the New Mexico Congressional rDavid Brookshire and the spaceport.
This week’s guests are Ed Baca, former adjutant general of the New Mexico National Guard; John M. Garcia, secretary of Veterans Affairs; and Bataan veterans Ernesto Montoya, Charles Naslund, William Overmier, Tony Reyna and Don Schloat.
Barbara Wold, blogger for Democracy for New Mexico, will be a featured panelist, joining regular panelists Gene Grant, Albuquerque Journal columnist; and David Alire Garcia, Santa Fe New Mexican reporter; Margaret Montoya, UNM School of Law / UNM School of Medicine; Scott Darnell, communication director, Republican Party of New Mexico, and Jim Scarantino, Weekly Alibi columnist.
‘New Mexico In Focus’ discussions are unedited. However, in some programs, certain segments may run long. These segments, and additional footage, can be seen at: New Mexico In Focus.
‘New Mexico In Focus’ is Channel 5’s prime-time news magazine show covering events, issues and people shaping life in New Mexico and the Southwest. The one-hour show brings viewers important topics of our time in an integrated and cohesive package.
The University of New Mexico is again home to an internationally recognized, award winning Model United Nations team. The 12 members of the UNM World Affairs Delegation returned recently from the Harvard World Model United Nations conference in Puebla, Mexico as recipients of five awards for excellence in diplomacy.
Award Winners
Awards for excellence in diplomacy were given to Julio Acosta and John Smeltzer, representing Brazil in the World Trade Organization; Jay Reidy and Brian Moore representing China in the World Bank; and Lauren Huesemann, representing Brazil in the World Bank. UNM was the only university in attendance to win more than one award in the same committee.
Schools attending the conference included Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, the London School of Economics, Sciences Politiques du Paris, Princeton University, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the Universidad Central de Venezuela and the University of California at Los Angeles. With more than 160 universities and graduate programs represented and more than 1,500 students in attendance, the UNM team brought home an impressive five awards.
“As one of the only teams from a public school competing in Harvard World Model UN, the UNM World Affairs Delegation is proud to bring international recognition to UNM,” said John Smeltzer, a senior in political science. Now in its fourth year, the World Affairs Delegation plans to continue competing on the national and international levels, as well as raising awareness of foreign affairs among the student body.
Economics Professor Christine Sauer, the group’s advisor, said, “They are the most successful team we’ve had in the existence of the group at UNM, both in numbers of delegates and in terms of prizes and recognitions they won. The group has grown tremendously. Some students who went this year went for the first time, although all the winners were veterans.”
Sauer also said that the group, consisting of exceptional students who have been successful in winning scholarships, also did its own fundraising on campus and in the community.
Simulating Diplomacy
Each committee is an accurate simulation of its real-UN counterpart. Delegates act as ambassadors from their assigned countries, advocating their countries’ respective positions on myriad topics taken directly from the current UN agenda. Delegates debate in accordance to the UN’s rules of procedure and are considered representatives of their assigned nation throughout the week. Each committee is charged with the task of writing and passing resolutions on the debate topic in accordance with UN procedure.
John Smeltzer is a veteran member, participating since the group’s inception in fall 2004. The group is completely student organized with support from faculty mentors Christine Sauer, economics; Ellen Grigsby and Christopher Butler, political science; and Rosalie Otero, honors.
“I felt it was a novel idea, founded by a German exchange student whose university hosted a Model UN event. The preparation is rigorous, requiring simulations of committee sessions in various topics being held months in advance,” Smeltzer said.
The UNM students researched targeted regions – Brazil, Croatia, and China – and in the Model UN was the only school allowed to represent three countries.
“This was significant because we had a relatively small delegation with only 10 members, compared to say, Venezuela with 20,” he said.
UNM’s World Affairs Delegation organized a Model UN conference for high school students last year. “We had more than 100 high school students participate. Both Mayor Martin Chavez and President David Schmidly took time to address the group,” Smeltzer said. He added that the UNM group had to identify issues the high school students would find compelling, such as refugee issues in both Haiti and the Spanish Canary Islands.
Smeltzer graduates in May and will go to the Graduate Institute of International Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. “It is where Kofi Annan went,” he said, of the Ghanian diplomat and co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
The school requires knowledge of French, Smeltzer said, adding that although French is the long-standing language of diplomacy, other languages – English, Spanish, Arabic, Russian and Mandarin Chinese are also widely spoken in diplomatic circles.
“This program provided me with the incentive to pursue this career path. I would like to become a political officer in UN political affairs,” Smeltzer said.
For more information, visit : www.worldmun.org/2008, or www.unmmun.org.
UNM World Affairs Delegation Media Contacts: Brian Moore, (505) 310-5913, bmoore@unm.edu; John Smeltzer (505) 453-1192, sauer@unm.edu.
'Artists 4 Autism' is a first time partnership between the UNM Center for Development and Disability and the best known artists and galleries from New Mexico and beyond. The CDD will host its first live art auction on Saturday, April 19, 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. at the Casa Rondena Winery as we auction art to benefit New Mexican families living with autism and related developmental disorders.
Autism is more common than pediatric cancer, diabetes and AIDS combined and affects 1 in 150 children in the U.S. The needs of families continue to grow throughout New Mexico. Your support is key to creating a state-of-the-art facility so that the Center for Development and Disability may better serve New Mexico with the best education, family support, and services provided at one central location.
Tickets are $95 per guest. For more information contact Maryellen Missik-Tow at (505) 272-6990.
University of New Mexico President David J. Schmidly has announced that Josephine (Jozi) De León has been selected as the university’s Vice President for Equity and Inclusion, a new position that provides strategic leadership on initiatives that increase and maintain diversity across all academic disciplines and units on campus. De León currently serves as the associate provost for Academic Affairs and Community Colleges at New Mexico State University.
Photo: Josephine (Jozi) De León
“We’re looking for a system-wide program that supports inclusion, equity and diversity of students, faculty and staff,” said Schmidly. “Jozi brings a wealth of experience to the position.”
De León professional and academic experience focuses on addressing educational needs of underrepresented groups. She earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and a master’s in educational psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
De León earned her doctorate from New Mexico State University in curriculum and instruction with a special emphasis in bilingual special education. During her career at New Mexico State University she has served as academic department head, associate dean, and most recently as associate provost. De León also served as an assistant professor and director of Bilingual Special Education Training at UNM from 1987 – 1992.
De León worked as deputy secretary for Academic Affairs, Research and Planning for the newly created New Mexico Higher Education Department in 2005. She completed her temporary appointment with the Higher Education Department and returned to NMSU in May 2007.
De León is nationally recognized for her contributions to special education in addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students. She has written many articles and chapters on the subject and has presented and consulted nationally and internationally.
Among several board and association appointments, De León is a former Minority Serving Institution/Kellogg Leadership Fellow and former Governor of the Division for Diverse Exceptional Learners of the Council for Exceptional Children. She has also served on the Board of Directors of New Mexico MESA and as chair of NMSU’s Diversity Council.
De León will begin her duties at UNM on July 1, 2008.
Media Contact: Susan McKinsey, (505) 277-1807; email: mckinsey@unm.edu
University of New Mexico interim Provost Viola Florez has named management and organization expert Barry Cooney as acting executive director of the UNM-Gallup branch campus. Cooney started work on April 9 and will serve a six-month appointment while a national search for executive director is conducted.
Dr. Beth Miller, who served in that post since 2003, resigned last month. On July 1, she will begin working with the UNM Vice President for Rio Rancho operations, Dr. Marc Nigliazzo, on plans for the new campus in that community.
In 1985, Cooney founded Alliance for Creative Management, Inc., a management and organization consulting firm that works with public and private institutions on strategic planning, internal communication development, leadership training, management development, conflict resolution and team building. In this capacity, he has worked with UNM’s Anderson School of Management, the College of Education and Office of the Comptroller.
In 1991 – 1993, Cooney served as deputy assistant to the New Mexico Secretary of Health. During his career, he has also served as director of operations for Canyon Ranch Resort in Tucson, Ariz.; as executive director of the Rio Grande Center for Alcohol Treatment in Embudo, N.M.; and as an instructor in human behavior at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, Pa.
Cooney is also author of the book, Conquering Dysfunction in the Workplace: Three Winning Strategies to Bring New Life to Troubled Work Environments.
Interested in the intersection of art, research and computational media? GFX Cafe presents a lecture by Wesley Smith on “Computational Audiovisual Composition and the Allosphere” on Friday, April 11, noon-1 p.m. at ARTS Lab, located at 131 Pine St., NE (one block west of University Boulevard and half a block north of Central Avenue).
The Allosphere – a three-story spherical projection surface located in a near-anechoic chamber – is a unique space for interactive and immersive audiovisual environments. This talk will describe recent research in audiovisual software for composing works and environments in the Allosphere. The subject of the software, called computational audiovisual composition, maintains a philosophical concern with both computational aesthetics and the nature of audiovisual composition on the computer, addressing the Allosphere’s status as a hybrid scientific and artistic instrument.
Wesley Smith is a doctoral candidate at the University of California-Santa Barbara’s media arts and technology program, where he is a researcher in audiovisual composition and interactive immersive environments on the Allosphere project. In addition, Smith is one of the lead programmer’s on Cycling 74’s Jitter software, where he works on real-time video and 3-D graphics systems.
The event is co-organized with Claudia X. Valdes’ Advanced Electronic Arts Class.
Four proposed policies by the UNM Policy Office are currently available for review and comment at Proposed Policies. The policies are: proposed policy 2030 “Social Security Numbers;" proposed policy 2480 "Incentives to Program Participants;" proposed policy 2550 "Information Security;" and proposed policy 3280 "Background Checks."
Proposed policy 2030 "Social Security Numbers" defines restrictions on use of social security numbers.
Proposed policy 2480 "Incentives to Program Participants" describes legal requirements for documenting and reporting monetary and non-monetary incentives provided to participants to encourage participation in sponsored projects or programs.
Proposed policy 2550 "Information Security" describes the University's security program for protecting information and data.
Proposed policy 3280 "Background Checks" was sent to the campus for review and comment in November 2006. Changes have been made to address concerns raised during the review period. In addition, students employed in positions designated as "safety or security sensitive" have been added to the policy. These changes are shown in italics and are underlined.
Comments on the proposed policies are requested by May 15, 2008, and can be e-mailed to ubppm@unm.edu or mailed to the UNM Policy Office at MSC07 4270.
UNM Regents’ Professor of Chemical, Nuclear and Mechanical Engineering Mohamed S. El-Genk has been elected fellow of the International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety. El-Genk is also the founding director of the Institute for Space and Nuclear Power Studies at UNM.
Photo: Mohamed S. El-Genk
El-Genk serves on the IAASS Academic Committee to develop international education and training programs in collaboration with other universities in the United States and internationally in the areas of space power and propulsion technologies and the advancement of space safety.
IAASS is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering international cooperation and scientific advancement in the field of space systems safety and is a member of the International Astronautical Federation.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
The Indigenous Nations Library Program at University Libraries is sponsoring two events focused on the life and interests of Larry Casuse on Wednesday, April 16 at Zimmerman Library on the University of New Mexico campus. A brown bag event at noon in the Herzstein Room features an informal discussion with David Correla, University of Maine, and Frank Bosler, temporary faculty at UNM-Gallup. A panel discussion follows at 3 p.m. in the Willard Room in the West Wing of Zimmerman Library.
The topic will be Larry Casuse, a former UNM student and activist who died in a shootout with police in March 1973, after he kidnapped the mayor of Gallup, New Mexico.
Casuse grew up in western New Mexico, frustrated with the alcoholism, racism and poverty he saw as a Native American. He became an activist and tried to organize his fellow students to fight some of the complex problems he saw. Today he is remembered with honor by Native Americans for his efforts.
Both events are free and open to the public.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
George Carter and Gayle Tripp receive top honor
The Lobo Club recently announced its 2007-08 University of New Mexico Student-Athletes of the Year at the 2008 membership drive kickoff event. Football player George Carter and volleyball player Gayle Tripp were selected for the award by the Lobo Club Board of Directors Executive Committee from nominations by each Lobo team. It is the second year in a row that the award has been presented by the department’s primary support organization.
Carter and Tripp were selected for representing UNM Athletics through volunteer and community service while maintaining a 3.0 grade point average and performing well in their sports.
“We are proud to recognize George and Gayle for their accomplishments in competition, in the classroom, and in the community,” said Lobo Club vice president Bruce Beebe. “They are the true representation of what it means to be a Lobo student-athlete. It is an honor to be able to recognize our student-athletes for their exceptional work in the community.”
George Carter
A graduated senior from Albuquerque, N.M., Carter received the honor for a second time, after being receiving the inaugural award in 2007. The Albuquerque High School graduate is active in the Albuquerque community, spending time visiting UNM Children’s Hospital and serving as the keynote speaker at Job Core for a Black History Month program. He participated in “Red Ribbon Day” at Edward Gonzales Elementary, a program encouraging kids to stay in school and avoid drugs.
Carter, a four-time Academic All-Mountain West Conference honoree, is also active in providing food and clothing to the homeless through New Hope Baptist Church and the Good Shepherd Church. On the field, Carter was a four-year letterwinner for the Lobos at linebacker, recording 77 tackles with nine tackles for loss in 40 career games. Carter graduated in May 2007 with a bachelor’s in Marketing Management and worked on his master’s in Business Administration during his senior season.
Gayle Tripp
A junior from Rio Rancho, N.M., Tripp is the second woman to receive the honor. A political science and communications and journalism major, Tripp is active in the community and on campus. She volunteers with several organizations, including the New Mexico Special Olympics and “Dig For A Cure” Cancer Awareness, and coaches a 12 & under club volleyball team.
On campus, Tripp represents the volleyball team on the UNM Student-Athlete Advisory Committee and assisted with the Mountain West Conference Blood Drive in February 2008. The Rio Rancho High School graduate has been a three-year starter at libero for the Lobos and ranks second on the all-time career digs list. She was a captain in 2007 and named to the Academic All-MWC team.
Other nominees, by sport, were: Baseball – Ian Hollick, senior third baseman, Corona, Calif.; Men’s Basketball – Chad Toppert, junior guard, Albuquerque, N.M.; Women’s Basketball – Brandi Kimble, senior guard, Stevenson Ranch, Calif.; Men’s Golf – Jon Sauer, junior, Albuquerque, N.M.; Women’s Golf – Britney Choy, sophomore, Wahlawa, Hawaii; Skiing – Tor-Hakon Hellebostad, sophomore, Nesoddtangen, Norway; Women’s Soccer – Terryn Granados, senior midfield, Albuquerque, N.M.; Softball – Ashley Allen, senior outfielder, Citrus Heights, Calif.; Swimming & Diving – Carrie Quinn, senior diver, San Clemente, Calif.; Men’s Tennis – Max Jones, senior, Chichester, West Sussex, England; Women’s Tennis – Mackenzie White, junior, Mobile, Ala.; Men’s Cross Country/Track & Field – Jeremy Johnson, senior distance runner, Albuquerque, N.M.; Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field – Sheyenne Lewis, senior distance runner, Gallup, N.M.
Media Contact: Judy Willson, (505) 925-5851; e-mail: jwillson@unm.edu
Summer and Fall 2008 Schedule of Classes for UNM-Albuquerque is now available through UNM.edu. Click on 'Class Schedule' on the left hand side of the university’s home page.
Pre-registration begins on Monday, April 21, by earned hours appointment dates. Check your appointment date through LoboWeb. Meet with your academic advisor to make sure the courses selected will keep you on track toward your degree program and graduation.
On Friday, April 11, The Anderson School of Management hosts the third annual UNM Technology Business Plan Competition. This year, $40,000 in prize money is up for grabs as 10 student teams looking to form their own high-tech startups in New Mexico vie for top honors. The awards include the Michael Gallegos Prize for Entrepreneurship ($25,000), the TVC Lockheed Martin Prize ($10,000) and the vSpring Capital Prize ($5,000). Venture capital partners have also offered more than $100,000 in seed funding as team incentives.
The alpha or morning round of team presentations are from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. in ASM rooms 1016, 1017, and 1064. Following the presentations, judges will confer to decide which teams from the alpha round will advance to the omega (final) round. The omega round takes place from 2 - 5 p.m. in ASM 1017.
Afterward, judges will determine the winners who will be awarded prizes at the UNM Technology Business Plan Competition Awards Reception and Banquet. The banquet will be held Friday evening from 6 to 9 p.m. at the DoubleTree Hotel Downtown.
Sherman McCorkle, president and chief executive officer of Technology Ventures Corporation, will deliver the keynote address at the banquet, while Michelle Coons, commercial banking manager with Bank of the West, will be emcee for the evening.
For a complete list of competing teams visit: Technology Business Plan Competition.
For a complete list of judges visit: Technology Business Plan Judges.
For a complete list of sponsors visit: Technology Business Plan Sponsors.
Idelber Avelar, Tulane University, visits the University of New Mexico Monday and Tuesday, April 14 and 15. On Monday, he will present, “Neurosis and Masculinity in the Contemporary Argentine Novel,” from 4 - 5:30 p.m. in Ortega Hall room 335. Avelar is a professor of Latin American Literatures, Critical Theory, and Cultural Studies. His area of specialization is the Southern Cone.
Avelar is a preeminent scholar of post-dictatorship Southern Cone fiction and culture and has published extensively on this topic. Besides penning various essays on Latin American literature and culture, Avelar also published The Letter of Violence: Essays on Narrative, Ethics, and Politics (2004) and The Untimely Present: Postdictatorial Latin American Fiction and the Task of Mourning (1999), winner of the MLA Kovacs prize and which was translated into Spanish and Portuguese.
Most recently, he won the Brazilian Foreign Ministry essay contest on Machado de Assis. Currently Avelar is working on two monographs, El vértice y el desamparo: Arte, subjectividad y masculinidad en la novela argentina post-crisis and Timing the Nation: Rhythm, Race, and Nationhood in Brazilian Popular Music. Additionally, he is editing Brazilian Popular Music and Citizenship, with Christopher Dunn.
Avelar received his Ph.D. from Duke University in 1996 and joined Tulane in 1999.
The 27th Annual Service Recognition Ceremony will be held Tuesday, April 8 in the SUB Ballrooms from 1 - 3 p.m. The ceremony will honor and recognize more than 300 UNM faculty and staff who have achieved milestones of 15, 20, 25, 30, 35 and 40 years of service with the university.
President David J. Schmidly and Helen Gonzales, Vice President of Human Resources will preside over the ceremony.
All are invited to attend. A reception will follow the ceremony.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
UNM President David J. Schmidly launched an initiative that will set a course for the university for the next several years. For the past few months university leadership has worked to develop a “Strategic Framework” individual departments and programs can use as guide as they develop their plans and goals. On Tuesday, Schmidly spoke to the entire university community via a live web cast explaining what this means for the campus community and how to become more involved.
Photo: UNM President David J. Schmidly
The underlying question for all major decisions at UNM for the next few years begins with, “How does this enhance the ability of our students to be successful?”
The framework puts forth UNM’s mission, vision, core values and institution-wide strategies as keys to aligning the campus toward future success.
Also included as part of the framework are “Four Strands of Priority” to focus the university’s efforts:
Student Success – With a focus on affordability, access, graduation and retention rates.
Systemic Excellence – With focus on research, undergraduate and graduate education, international education and diversity.
Healthy Communities – With focus on urban/rural health, education and training, research, outreach and intervention and health policy.
Economic and Community Development – With focus on economic revitalization, community capacity building, and leadership in sustainability.
Over the next two weeks all faculty, staff and student are asked to read the Strategic Framework document and institution-wideEnvironmental Assessment and SWOT Analysis, hold departmental discussions and think about how to connect current and future activities to the framework. Schmidly will attend some departmental discussions.
On Thursday, May 1, Schmidly will hold a town hall meeting from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. to highlight various departmental plans to carry forth the mission, contribute to the vision and live the values.
Schmidly said this exercise sets UNM on a specific course for the next several years so it is important for everyone to participate in the process now as it is being shaped.
Media Contacts: Susan McKinsey, (505) 277-1807; email: mckinsey@unm.edu or Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
Norm Augustine, former chief executive officer of Lockheed Martin Corporation and author of “Rising Above the Gathering Storm,” will be featured speaker for the 83rd annual meeting of the Southwestern and Rocky Mountain region of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His speech is at 7 p.m. on Friday, April 11 in Ballroom B of the Student Union Building on the University of New Mexico campus is free and open to the public. Augustine will focus on the barriers to innovation in America, particularly in science and engineering.
The 83rd annual meeting of the Southwestern and Rocky Mountain region of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, is hosted by UNM and Sandia National Laboratories on the UNM campus in the Student Union Building on April 10-12. An online registration form can be found at www.sandia.gov/AAAS-SWARM.
UNM professors and researchers will be featured as panelists on a variety of topics presented throughout the conference. A panel on Friday afternoon, April 11 will be chaired by Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Professor Jeff Brinker and Chemical and Nuclear Engineering Research Assistant Professor Hongyou Fan. They will lead a discussion on “Nanostructured Polymers for Enhanced Catalysis and Separations.”
Presenters from the Anderson School of Management will lead the discussion on “International Collaborations and Technology Entrepreneurship.” Students are encouraged to attend and the first 100 students to register will have the registration fee waived.
In addition, all students are invited to participate in “The Many Pathways to a Career in Science Workshop,” on Friday, April 11, from 3:30 - 5 p.m. in the Spirit/Trailblazer Room of the UNM SUB. The workshop is free.
Media Contact: UNM, Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627 or (505) 220-0313; email: kwent2@unm.edu or SNL, John German, (505) 844-5199; email: jdgerma@sandia.gov
The Office of the Vice President for Research & Economic Development and the Health Sciences Center Office of Research host the UNM Symposium on Research Ethics and Conduct on Friday, April 18 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. in the Student Union Building Lobo Rooms A & B.
Assistant Vice President for Research Tim J. Ward said, “The symposium will bring together invited guests and members of the UNM community engaged in research and creative activities so we may learn about current ideas and issues on research ethics and the responsible conduct of research.”
Program
9 a.m. - Welcome
Jack McIver, interim vice president for Research & Economic Development
Morning Session Pauline Cupit Cunningham, Ph.D. - moderator
9:10-9:40 a.m. - Why Compliance?
Rob Schwartz, J.D.
9:40-10:10 a.m. - Contemporary Ethical Issues Facing IRB’s
Mark Holdsworth, Pharm. D.
10:10-10:40 a.m. - Export Control and Universities
John D. Tanberg - Special Agent, FBI
10:40-11:10 a.m. - Research Integrity
John Gluck, Ph.D.
11:10-noon - Lunch (on own) and Networking
Afternoon Session Bill Gannon, Ph.D. - moderator
Noon-12:30 p.m. - Animal Care and Compliance
Tracy Thompson, DVM - USDA, APHIS, AC
12:30-1 p.m. - Conflicts of Interest
Jeanne M. Logsdon, Ph.D.
1-3:30 - Intellectual Property Considerations in the Research Process
Marsha Baum, J.D.
3:30-4 p.m. - Panel Questions & Answers
Pauline Cupit Cunningham, Ph.D., and Bill Gannon, Ph.D. - Moderators
4-4:10 - Close of Symposium
Tim J. Ward, Ph.D., P.E.
There is no registration fee, but attendees are encouraged to register in advance to provide an estimate for seating and refreshments. To register, visit http://research.unm.edu/NewsEvents/register/
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; email: cgonzal@unm.edu
Scott Lovald won first place in the graduate student category of the American Society for Engineering Education 2008 Gulf-Southwest Annual Conference for a paper titled “Investigating the Role of Fluid Dynamics and Wall Mechanics in Atherosclerosis, Plaque Rupture and Plaque Excavation in the Human Carotid Bifurcation.” He coauthored the paper with Tariq Khraishi, Juan Heinrich, Howard Yonas and Christopher Taylor.
Michael Sheyka won second place in the graduate student category for a paper on “Simulation of Damage in Three Dimensional Metallic Photonic Crystal Due to Micro-indentation” authored by Michael Sheyka, M.M. Reda Taha, T. Khraishi, I El-Kady, and Mehmet F. Su.
UNM School of Engineering hosted the conference. It attracted more than 100 participants to Albuquerque the last week in March.
Media Contact: Karen Wentworth, (505) 277-5627; email: kwent2@unm.edu
What will the recent focus on health care reform in New Mexico mean to the estimated 400,000 New Mexicans suffering from substance abuse problems, and other behavioral health issues? This week’s edition of KNME’s “New Mexico In Focus” tackles this important question, in addition to the continued debate of Governor Richardson’s endorsement of Barack Obama and other topics. "New Mexico in Focus" airs on Friday, April 4 at 7 p.m. and repeats Sunday, April 6 at 6:30 a.m. on KNME, channel 5.
Co-hosted by Gene Grant, columnist with the Albuquerque Journal, and Santa Fe Reporter staff writer David Alire Garcia, “New Mexico in Focus” takes a multi-layered look at social, political, economic, health, education and arts issues – exploring them in depth, with a critical eye to give them the necessary context beyond the “news of the moment.”
This week, Alire Garcia is joined by Pamela Hyde, secretary of the Department of Human Services, Steven Adelsheim, PhD, director of the University of New Mexico Center for Rural and Community Behavioral Health, Regina Begay-Roanhorse, Native American Behavioral Health Specialist, and consumer advocate Douglas Frasier to examine the behavioral health system in New Mexico. Plus, viewers will take a look inside a unique program in Albuquerque that is designed to dispel many of the stereotypes that exist relating to people battling mental health issues.
Then guest panelist Scot Key joins Gene Grant and regular panelists Margaret Montoya, UNM School of Law / UNM School of Medicine; Jim Scarantino, columnist, The Weekly Alibi; and Scott Darnell, communication director, Republican Party of New Mexico.
Other topics include the continuing political fallout of Governor Richardson’s endorsement of Barack Obama, the water outlook for New Mexico as summer approaches, and recent news regarding Albuquerque’s possible budget problems.
The show’s producer is Kevin McDonald. Closed captioning has been made possible by a gift from Mrs. Elspeth G. Bobbs.
Media Contact: Evy Todd, (505) 277-1812; email: etodd@knme.unm.edu
Anderson, Elston and Woodward to be recognized
A weekend of events hosted by UNM’s Earth and Planetary Sciences department is scheduled for Friday - Sunday, April 4-6, to honor three long-time emeriti faculty. Roger Anderson, Wolf Elston and Lee Woodward will be honored, roasted and celebrated by alumni, faculty and staff members, and friends of the department. Together the trio has amassed more than 110 years in the department.
For brief biographical information on each honoree visit: Emeriti Faculty Bios
On Friday, April 4, from 9 - 11 a.m., a panel will discuss the future of geosciences and geosciences employment. The discussion will be held in Northrop Hall rm. 122 followed by a luncheon provided by EPS graduate and undergraduate students in front of Northrop Hall. Talks by former students of Anderson, Elston and Woodward will highlight the afternoon from 2 - 4:30 p.m.
A few talks include Larry Crumpler (New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science) “Field Geologic Mapping on Mars: Mars Exploration Rovers 4 Years Later;” Ted Bornhorst (Michigan Technological Institute): "Minerals as Natural Art;" Sheila Seaman (University of Massachusetts): "The Behavior of Water in Volcanic Glasses and Minerals;" and Harvey Duchene: “The impact of the development of the Rio Grande Rift on speleogenesis in the Guadalupe Mountains.”
A banquet is set for Friday at the Hilton Hotel beginning at 6 p.m. The fare includes a New Mexican buffet. The trio will be “roasted” by colleagues and friends following dinner.
Field trips hosted by Anderson, Elston and Woodward comprise Saturday’s events including a tour of the Estancia Basin (Anderson), a trip to the Santa Fe impact site (Elston) and a hike along the South Crest Trail (Woodward). All field trip participants meet behind Northrop Hall at 9 a.m.
On Sunday, a meeting of the Caswell Silver Foundation Spring Board Meeting will wrap-up the weekend beginning at 9:30 a.m.
For a complete list of all events, times and locations visit: Emeriti Faculty Celebration.
Media Contact: Steve Carr, (505) 277-1821; email: scarr@unm.edu
University of New Mexico student Julio Romero recently received an international award for his efforts as a Supplemental Instruction (SI) leader at the Center for Academic Program Support (CAPS). The Award for Outstanding Supplemental Instruction leader is given annually to at least one student out of hundreds of nominees from supplemental instruction programs around the world who has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to the success of her/his program.
Photo: Julio Romero
Romero will accept the award at the 5th Annual International Conference on Supplemental Instruction in Orlando, Fla. in May. The conference is sponsored by the International Center for Supplemental Instruction at the University of Missouri-Kansas City.
"I am humbled to have received this award and thankful to be working with a supportive and enthusiastic CAPS staff, UNM Chemistry department, and students," said Romero.
A senior majoring in history, Romero has been employed with CAPS for three semesters where he has worked both as a tutor and supplemental instruction leader. Supplemental instruction is a program that provides additional support for students in key courses. In a series of weekly workshops led by SI leaders such as Romero, students review notes, discuss readings, develop organizational tools and prepare for exams. The goal of the program is for students to learn how to integrate course content with reasoning and study skills.
Supplemental instruction is currently offered for courses in a variety of UNM departments including anthropology, biology, chemistry, math, physics, economics, sociology and English. Romero serves as an SI leader for chemistry and is working with Professor Lorraine Deck.
"The goal of SI is two-fold," said Romero. "First, to encourage and guide students into grappling concepts found in challenging courses, and second, to allow SI leaders, like myself, to develop a rapport with the professor and students of the course that propounds an increased enthusiasm for deeper study of advanced problems found within the field."
The award reflects the growth, as well as the increasing recognition, of the SI program at UNM in recent years. Beginning in fall of 2000 with service for two courses, the program now employs 25 leaders providing supplemental instruction for 23 courses in 76 sessions weekly. Initiators of the UNM SI program plan to continue the trend, increasing the amount of courses, and, ultimately, students the program reaches.
Supplemental instruction is offered through CAPS, a center dedicated to providing academic support for UNM students. Many UNM students are familiar with CAPS through their tutoring services. The supplemental instruction program is also funded through the Title V program, a federally-funded program designed to advance retention and graduation rates at Hispanic-serving institutions.
More information about the SI program can be found at the CAPS Web site at http://caps.unm.edu or by phone at 277-7205. CAPS is located on the third floor of Zimmerman Library.
Story by Daniel Sanford.
Praising the openness of the budget process and the promise of long-term planning for tuition, University of New Mexico Board of Regents unanimously approved a 4.85 percent tuition increase for the 2008-09 academic year. UNM President David J. Schmidly proposed the increase after a number of frank discussions with students, faculty and staff leadership. He said the increase lays the foundation for a frugal yet targeted budget.
“With this increase, we can prepare a budget that funds initiatives important to student success, such as a scholarship portfolio, faculty retention and extended library hours,” Schmidly said, adding, “However, we did not want to pass all charges on to students.” One million dollars in scholarships will come from endowments. In addition, $3 million is being reallocated from existing university resources.
The total student and fee increase is 5.75 percent, or an average increase of $262.79 per student. There was no increase in fees other than what is mandated by the institutional bond issue and decisions made by the Student Fee Review Board. The tuition increase also includes the two percent tuition credit approved by the New Mexico Legislature.
Last month regents approved compensation increases of an average three percent for faculty and two percent for staff. They also approved raising the minimum wage to $9 per hour, giving five percent increases to employees earning less than $30,000 and increasing graduate student assistantships.
Schmidly will present a five-year plan for tuition to the regents before the next legislative session. “Volatility is not in the best interests of UNM,” Schmidly said. “We will present a plan that focuses on building a true flagship, one that maximizes student success primarily by restoring and rewarding the faculty.”
Schmidly said he wants to “stabilize and incentivize” tuition increases with a plan that could include incentives to graduation like guaranteed tuition, which would set tuition for freshmen for a four-year period, and block tuition, which promotes free credit hours over a certain level.
“When you set tuition, you impact policy because it directly affects our operations,” Schmidly said. “Low cost of tuition does not always equate to student success. We need to take a longer range view at UNM – one that incentivizes our students to stay in school and graduate.”
Interested in making films? The UNM Department of Cinematic Arts will present an Open House on Friday, April 4, 2-4 p.m. in CERIA, room 365, northeast of the Mother Earth fountain. The open house presents an opportunity to learn about UNM’s cinematic arts curriculum, which includes a range of history, theory, criticism and studio classes.
Faculty will discuss summer and fall courses, including Native American Film, Beyond Hollywood, Science Fiction and Women Filmmakers. Refreshments will be served.
The Department of Cinematic Arts is dedicated to the study and practice of film and video as art. In the hope of understanding and enhancing the immense role of film and video in the modern world, the program offers students a broad foundation in the purposes of art and culture. The bachelor’s degree in media arts provides a liberal arts background which enables students to pursue further education and professional training.
The University of New Mexico School of Law’s Natural Resources Journal, the school’s oldest publication, hosts “Land Grants and the Law: A Symposium on the Disputed Legal Histories of New Mexico’s Land Grants,” Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. at the UNM School of Law.
New Mexico’s Spanish and Mexican land grants have been the subject of social and legal conflict since the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848. Presentations at the symposium explore recent developments in the law, history and politics of the land grants, including a discussion of the 2004 Government Accountability Office’s report analyzing whether the federal government has fulfilled its obligation to grantees.
The relationship between land grant holders and the U.S. Forest Service, and how and why some community land grants have survived while others have been vanished are among topics to be discussed.
Speakers include:
· Susan Sawtelle, managing associate general counsel, and Jeff Malcolm, assistant director, GAO
· David Benavides and Ryan Golten, New Mexico Legal Aid Land and Water Rights Project
· Manuel García y Griego, director, UNM Southwest Hispanic Research Institute
· David Correia, assistant professor of geography, University of Maine Farmington
· Denise Holladay Damico, doctoral candidate in history, Brandeis University
· Mark Schiller, editor, La Jicarita News
· Carol Raish and Alice McSweeney, US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station
Costs are $65 for general admission, $40 for students, and free to UNM School of Law staff, faculty and students. Two Continuing Legal Education credits are available for attorneys. For more information, contact Susan Tackman, managing editor, Natural Resources Journal, at 277-4910 or tackman@law.unm.edu.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; email: bhendrix@unm.edu
University of New Mexico senior Margi Miranda, a 2003 graduate of Las Cruces Mayfield High School, is the recipient of the Outstanding Student Leadership Award for the National Association of Orientation Directors Region III. She received the award at the regional conference in Cheyenne, Wyo. last month. She is the daughter of Joe and Micha Miranda.
Photo: Margi Miranda
“The award is designed to give special recognition to students within the region for their creative energy, enthusiasm and outstanding abilities, the backbone of successful and dynamic orientation programs,” said Laura Valdez, senior program manager in the UNM Dean of Students office.
Orientation leaders are experienced UNM students who are knowledgeable about university procedures such as academic advisement and registration, and trained to accompany students through the entire process. Miranda was an orientation leader for sessions from summer 2005 through spring 2007. She helped plan the orientation program the last two semesters, Valdez said.
“Orientation is the first experience a student has with the university, so I think it is vital. It can make or break a new student’s perspective on the university. I had a great orientation leader who was supportive, fun and knew a lot about the university. That encouragement helped me to make the most out of my time here as well as to become an orientation leader,” Miranda said.
“The award means a lot to me. Helping with orientation gave me the most leadership experience in different situations because I was not just working with incoming students, but also with other orientation leaders. For two years I was a student leader while also helping to plan orientation, which gave me a perspective on how the organization is run,” Miranda said. She said that 250-350 students go through orientation in each of 12 regular sessions each year.
“I have had great influence from my mentor, Laura Valdez. Our university is filled with outstanding professional and student leadership,” she said.
Miranda graduates in May from the UNM College of Arts and Sciences with a dual degree in history and creative writing. Following graduation she joins the Teach for America program where she will teach English in Chicago.
Currently Miranda works as director of UNM Community Experience where she coordinates and plans service events and projects.
“We partner with citywide and campus organizations. On April 19 we will hold Spring Storm where more than 1,000 students, staff come out with 70 city partners doing community service projects,” she said.
Last year Spring Storm volunteers worked on a community garden, a halfway house, worked with the Animal Humane Society and helped with a carnival at the Whittier Elementary Community Center.
“I came to UNM because I wanted a new experience but still wanted to be close to my family. The Lottery Scholarship provided incentive to stay in state because school was free!” she said.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu
Working parents each summer face the challenge of identifying quality childcare and enrichment programs for their children ages birth to 18. UNM’s Staff Council Work+Life Committee responds to the need providing a presentation about youth summer care and growth opportunities Wednesday, April 9, from noon to 1 p.m. in the UNM SUB fiesta rooms A&B. Refreshments will be provided.
Naomi Sandweiss, Continuing Education supervisor of Youth Programs, will give a presentation on how to identify summer care, including camps, enrichment programs and internships.
Trish Heaton, staff recruitment specialist in the Department of Human Resources, will give a presentation on UNM’s High School Summer Helper Program.
Prized editions of the March 2008 New Mexico Kids Magazine will be distributed. The publication outlines a wide variety of summer youth programs, camps and schools in Albuquerque, Rio Rancho and the East Mountain area. Information about the City of Albuquerque Department of Parks and Recreation programs will also be on hand.
UNM Parking & Transportation Services (PATS) recently announced the winners of a new “Lobo Bikes” departmental bike-share program. PATS had 10 bikes to loan to 10 departments for a year. Seventy UNM departments entered the free drawing.
Photo: PATS director Clovis Acosta selects the first Lobo Bike winner, assisted by Rhonda Miranda of Employee Health Promotion Program.
The recipients are:
· Bursar's Office
· UNM Psychiatric Center - Case Management
· Speech & Hearing Sciences
· ATR Institute
· Army ROTC
· Emergency Medicine
· VP for Community Health
· College Enrichment Program
· Health Exercise & Sports Sciences
· Media Technology Services
Lobo Bikes can be used to run errands on campus, attend meetings, or exercise during breaks. The program is funded by a UNM World of Wellness Mini-Grant and is intended to enhance the health and well-being of employees at UNM.
“As employees become healthier, their productivity increases,” said Cynthia Martin, PATS Program Planning Manager. “Studies have shown workplace wellness initiatives reduce absenteeism and stress, lead to greater employee retention, and overall enhance employee satisfaction.”
In addition to the wellness benefits, Lobo Bikes was also intended to contribute to the larger university-wide goal of environmental responsibility.
“A bicycle is a short-cut and reduces traffic congestion around campus. Using a Lobo Bike can both reduce emissions and greenhouse gases, and also get you where you need to go with more efficiency,” Martin said, referring to the limited parking available on campus.
Christine Mermier, acting manager of the Employee Health Promotion Program added, “the great thing about it is you are not only being more efficient for your job by getting across campus a little faster, but it’s fun and it makes you feel good.”
The winning departments will receive their Lobo Bikes after they send a representative to attend the required bicycle safety course being held at the beginning of April.
For more information visit the Lobo Bikes page from http://pats.unm.edu or contact Danielle Gilliam at 277-0461 or dgilliam@parking.unm.edu.
Media Contact: Benson Hendrix, (505) 277-1816; e-mail: bhendrix@unm.edu
Michael Korbas has been hired as the new manager for pre-award services in the Sponsored Projects Office. His office is responsible for all grant submissions and contracts for sponsored research on the main and branch campuses.
Interim Associate Vice President for Research Administration Carlos Rey Romero said, “Mr. Korbas comes to us with a very diversified and solid background in contracting and acquisition policies and procedures.”
Korbas is a 20-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force where he spent the majority of his career in contracting. This includes an assignment teaching contracts to USAF officers and non-commissioned officers.
He retired from federal service where his last assignment was director of contracts for the U.S. Air Force Test and Evaluation Center at Kirtland Air Force Base. He was recently with KBR International as the lead contract administrator for southern Iraq.
University of New Mexico History Professor Paul Hutton has won a Western Heritage Award from the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum for his article “Silver Screen Desperado: Billy the Kid in the Movies” published in the Spring 2007 issue of the New Mexico Historical Review. The black-tie awards ceremony is Saturday, April 12 in Oklahoma City.
Photo: Paul Hutton
This is Hutton’s fifth Western Heritage Award. The article also received the Ray Allen Billington Award from the Western History Association.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu
The Black Graduate and Professional Students Association presents an Old School Skate Night at the Roller King, 400 Paisano NE on Saturday, April 5, 6-10 p.m. Proceeds and toy donations will benefit S.A.F.E. House, a shelter for victims of domestic violence.
The Black Graduate and Professional Students Association addresses the unique needs and concerns of Black graduate and professional students and promotes diversity within the UNM community.
Through the use of consistent social interaction, multicultural programming and programming geared toward scholarship, career and community assistance, BGPSA fosters academic achievement, understanding of and respect for differences and development of future minority leadership.
The skate night costs $7.75. For more information contact Michelle Touson at 277-5645.
Media Contact: Sari Krosinsky, (505) 277-1593; e-mail: michal@unm.edu
Two candidates for vice president for Equity and Inclusion will be on campus this week. The open forum for Josephine DeLeon, associate provost for Academic and Community Colleges, New Mexico State University, is Wednesday, April 2 from 9-10 a.m. in the Student Union Building Acoma room. The open forum for Carmen Coustaut, associate vice chancellor for Institutional Diversity and Education, University of Arkansas, is Thursday, April 3 from 9-10 a.m. in the Student Union Building Santa Ana room.
Josephine “Jozi” De Leon
De Leon began her academic career at the University of New Mexico in 1987. She earned a doctorate from New Mexico State University in curriculum and instruction with a special emphasis in bilingual special education. During her career at New Mexico State University she has served as academic department head, associate dean, and most recently as associate provost for Academic Affairs and Community Colleges.
De Leon served as deputy secretary for Academic Affairs, Research and Planning of the newly created New Mexico Higher Education Department in 2005. She completed her temporary appointment with the Higher Education Department and returned to NMSU in May 2007.
De Leon’s professional and academic experience focuses on addressing educational needs of underrepresented groups. She earned a bachelor’s in early childhood education from Fayetteville State University in Fayetteville, North Carolina. Following, she earned a master’s in educational psychology from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill.
De Leon is nationally recognized for her contributions to special education in addressing the needs of culturally and linguistically diverse exceptional students. She has written many articles and chapters on the subject and has presented and consulted nationally and internationally. She maintains her rank as full professor in the Department of Special Education/Communication Disorders at New Mexico State University.
Carmen Coustaut
In her current role as associate vice chancellor for Institutional Diversity and Education at the University of Arkansas, Coustaut is responsible for collaborating with campus units to develop and implement strategies and plans to enhance diversity and inclusion. She is also responsible for providing leadership to the Multicultural Center. Coustaut also holds a tenured appointment as associate professor in the Department of Journalism.
Prior to joining the University of Arkansas in January 2005, Coustaut was a tenured, associate professor at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she taught film studies from 1989-2004. Her area of expertise includes the history of the image of African Americans in film, film directing and screenwriting. She taught similar courses at Howard University from 1985-89 in the Department of Radio, Television, and Film. She was a member of the faculty in the English Department at Howard University from 1977-79 and 1983-85, and she began her career in education teaching high school English in Los Angeles from 1973-77.
Coustaut is an independent filmmaker who has received numerous grants and several awards for her work. She was a Rockefeller Scholar-in-Residence at Brown University, and a Fulbright Scholar in Mali and Senegal in West Africa.
She received a MFA in Cinema Production from the University of Southern California in 1982, a master’s in education from Harvard University in 1972,and a bachelor’s in sociology from UCLA in 1971.
The full range of Fulbright programs available for faculty and professional scholars and information about the application process will be available at a Fulbright Scholar Program 2009-10 meeting on Wednesday, April 9, 4-5:30 p.m. in Dane Smith Hall 333.
“Opportunities are available for short or long term programs in 130 countries in almost every field of study. Some 32 UNM faculty members have won awards in the past ten years,” said Ken Carpenter, associate director, Office of International Programs and Studies.
Applications for most programs are due August 1.
To prepare for the meeting, review the 2009-10 catalog of programs on the Web site: cies.org
To register call Carpenter at 277-4032 or e-mail at carpenk@unm.edu.
Media Contact: Carolyn Gonzales, (505) 277-5920; e-mail: cgonzal@unm.edu