Academic Times 2018

NSU's Health and Kinesiology Department collaborated with the United Keetoowah Bandand Tahlequah City Fire Representative, Aaron Garrett, to provide instruction and experience in alternative fire building techniques to PED 2232 Outdoor Recreational Activities. Students received instruction about fire safety, fire prevention, and fire dynamics from Mr. Garrett. Students also had the opportunity to experiment with several of the methods demonstrated. Ignition methods included bow drill, magnification, flint and steel, flammable metals, and utilizing alternative fuels. The course met at The United Keetoowah Band Housing Authority cabin on Highway 10.

Seminole STEM Charter School

Six RACE Fellows were welcomed by Seminole STEM Charter School over the fall break. The fellows worked within the school with teachers from kindergarten to fourth grade, hosted a professional development for the teachers, and concluded with a parent workshop on robotics. Alumna Savanna Atchison-Weis, a Seminole 3rd grade teacher, served an mentor for the students. 

RACE Selected to House Seismograph for NE Oklahoma

RACE's STEAM Maker Lab was selected by the OU Oklahoma Geological Survey to house the first seismograph in the Raspberry Shake Blossom Program (Bridging Local Outreach & Seismic Signal Monitory). The seismograph will monitor earthquakes and tremors and send data for research. The seismograph will also be used to explore earthquakes for lessons with the pre-service teachers and children who visit the lab. Pictured is RACE Fellow Tabitha McIntyre, Molly Yunker, and Jefferson Chang, from the OU Geological Survey.

Grandview Elementary Learns Motion and Gravity

Dr. Suneeti Jog led a field trip to the Ouachita National Park with students from Field Botany at the Broken Arrow Campus and Tahlequah Campus.

Dr. Cindy Cisar, Department of Natural Sciences, reviewed 20+ abstracts for the Microbiology & Immunology and Biology sections for the 2018 National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR).

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo, Department of Natural Sciences, was invited to participate at the Booker T. Washington High School Career Panel on October 17, 2017. The panel included specialists from various areas of expertise.

The Biology and Chemistry Seminar series on the Broken Arrow campus hosted three speakers in the fall semester. The speakers were scientists from University of Tulsa, University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University-Center for Health Sciences. Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo organized the seminar series. Dr. Nathan Green and Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo hosted the speakers for the fall semester.

Dr. John de Banzie served as reviewer for the National Conference of Undergraduate Research to be held at University of Central Oklahoma in 2018. He reviewed 20 abstracts in Biology and Microbiology and Immunology.

Dr. Jim Hicks was chosen to serve as the Vice President of the Arkansas-Oklahoma-Kansas section of the American Association of Physics Teachers.

Dr. Sung-Kun (Sean) Kim attended the 2017 Technical Meeting of the Oklahoma Academy of Science at Rogers State University on November 3, 2017. His student, Casey Abernethy, presented her research work about the temperature effect of ionic liquid on enzymes.

Dr. Sung Kun (Sean) Kim along with his student, Kaylin Shackelford, submitted a manuscript, titled Inhibition of anthrax lethal factor by ssDNA aptamers in the peer-reviewed journal, Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics.

Dr. Sung Kun (Sean) Kim and his research student, Casey Abernethy, attended the Annual Technical Meeting of the Oklahoma Academy of Science, presenting a poster about the temperature effect of ionic liquid on enzymes.

Dr. Suneeti Jog conducted a workshop on "Identification of Oak species" at the Tahlequah Garden Club.

Dr. Michael Shaughnessy completed a proposal to the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation's State Wildlife Grant competition. Dr. Shaughnessy proposed to monitor bats in northeastern Oklahoma.

Dr. Michael Shaughnessy applied to the ODWC State Wildlife Grant competition with a proposal to study habitat usage in northeastern Oklahoma bat species.

Brenda Bradford completes the Heritage Emergency and Response Training in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Bea Keller-Dupree, associate professor of psychology at NSU, visited Alicante, Spain, participating in CIEE's Faculty Development Program on grants from NSU and CIEE.

December 2017

Parchment eTranscripts

Through a collaboration between the College of Education and the College of Science and Health Professions, Dr. Vanessa Anton, Dr. Pam Christol and Ms. Barbara Fuller, received a teacher quality grant from OSRHE for $35,000. They have partnered with multiple school districts to offer mentoring in STEAM to area novice teachers (one - three years teaching experience). The grant includes on campus professional development, off campus and online mentoring, and online instruction through modules developed by the team with the help of Dr. Kathy Hixon. Participants have spent the last two Saturdays working in the STEAM Maker Lab on the Tahlequah campus.

On January 17, 2018 the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education's (AACTE) Clinical Practice Commission (CPC) held a press conference for the release of their report, A Pivot Toward Clinical Practice, Its Lexicon, and the Renewal of Educator Preparation at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. Over the last two years, the commission developed the report that draws on foundational research from the field to define essential proclamations and tenets for effective clinical preparation. Multiple supporting documents and a summary brief also accompany the report release. Dr. Vanessa Anton, a member of the CPC, worked with the team to write the report and attended the event. You can view the report and summary brief on the AACTE website or click on the link below.

Read the Report!

Dr. Vanessa Anton, Dr. Samantha Benn-Duke, and Ms. Barbara Fuller worked with NETSTAR (Native Educated Teachers Successfully Taught Academic Rigor) scholars on February 17, 2018 during a seminar. The COE is a sub-awardee of a grant awarded to the American Indian Resource Center (AIRC) as they partner to provide targeted support for American Indian teacher candidates in teacher shortage areas. At the current time, there are 20 teacher candidates in the program (at various stages in their degree) and 4 graduates. The grant also provides induction/mentoring for one year for its graduates. Dr. Anton, as PI of the project, put together a task force to advise and consult as the COE implements the grant. The task force is interdisciplinary, and in addition to Dr. Benn-Duke and Ms. Fuller, includes Dr. Rachel Green (COE), Dr. Tiffanie Hardbarger(COLA), Sara Barnett (CTS), Alisa Douglas (CTS), and Ms. Darla Chewey (COE). The group is working closely with AIRC's Pam Iron and Gwen Shunatona.

Sheep brain dissection was implemented this year in Mrs. Beth Bowin's Physiological Psychology 4043 class. Although many differences exist between humans and sheep, the basic brain plans are similar. By studying the brain anatomy of sheep, one will have a better understanding of the human brain systems. As the semester progresses, and disorders and diseases of the nervous system are discussed, the students will have a better understanding exactly where in the human brain the problem originates or manifests.

The College of Education received notification from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) that the Special Education Mild/Moderate program is Nationally Recognized until 8/1/2026.

The College of Education just received notification from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) that the Health and Physical Education program is Nationally Recognized With Conditions.

The College of Education received notification from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) and The Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) that the Special Education Mild/Moderate program is Nationally Recognized until 8/1/2026.

Under the direction of Dr. Jeffery Wall, the University Singers were selected to perform as an honor group for the Oklahoma Music Educators Association conference in Tulsa on Jan. 18 at Trinity Episcopal Church. The University Singers were hailed as the outstanding group of the two-day series.

Mr. Troy Bender, newly appointed program director of Physician Assistant Studies, and Dr. Wes DeRosier, associate dean of Gregg Wadley College of Science and Health Professions, attended Entering the ARC-PA Provisional Accreditation Pathway Conference on January 19th in Atlanta, Georgia. The conference presented information on the physician assistant accreditation process.

Dr. Cindy Cisar, Department of Natural Sciences, served on a National Science Foundation, Directorate for Education and Human Resources Graduate Research Fellowship Program review panel in January. The NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research-based master's and doctoral degrees at accredited United States institutions. Fellows benefit from a three-year annual stipend of $34,000 along with a $12,000 cost of education allowance for tuition and fees (paid to the institution), opportunities for international research and professional development, and the freedom to conduct their own research at any accredited U.S. institution of graduate education they choose.

Dr. John de Banzie served as an accuracy checker for Norton Publisher's SmartWork adaptive online learning environment for use with a new Biochemistry textbook. He reviewed a set of questions that make use of manipulable three-dimensional representations of biological molecules.

Dr. John de Banzie attended the Arkansas/Oklahoma Pathway to Calculus meeting held at University of Arkansas - Fort Smith on February 1.

Dr. John Diamantopoulos, Professor of Mathematics, attended the joint national meetings of the American Mathematical Society and the Mathematical Association of America, January 2018, in San Diego, CA. While there, he presented a talk Proofs Without Words...Animated Gif Style! and judged two poster competitions. He published an article in Plus Magazine.

CHECK IT OUT!

Sydney Dorrough, in partnership with a local non-profit organization My Friends and Me, provided trainings to teachers at Grandview Schools, Sequoyah Elementary, and Greenwood Elementary in Tahlequah. The trainings provided information regarding the utilization of sensory tools in the classroom. The sensory kits were purchased and donated to the schools by My Friends and Me. Eleven other local schools are scheduled to receive the trainings and sensory kits over the course of the next few months.

Dr. Janaki K Iyer published a study on using nanodiamonds to treat bladder infections caused by Escherichia coli in the journal PLoS ONE.

Dr. Suneeti Jog and her undergraduate student Stacey Murray co-authored a manuscript titled "Could the adult dragonflies ecophysiology hypothesis extend to the emergence phase?" by Bried et al. which was submitted to Ecological Entomology for review.

Dr. Martha Parrott, Professor of Mathematics, and Dr. Sallie Ruskoski, Assistant Professor of Medical Laboratory Science, presented an integrated math-science session for the Sonia Kovalevsky Girls' STEM Day, a STEM support initiative in the greater Tulsa area, on February 2, 2018.

Dr. Mark Paulissen participated in the third annual STEM night at Grandview event February 6. This event attempts to build interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics among Grandview students by exposing them to a variety of demonstrations and displays of science in action. Dr. Paulissen attended with his leopard gecko and showed videos of previously undiscovered lizard behaviors recorded by former NSU student and current Grandview Science teacher Ms. Laura Myers.

Dr. Elizabeth Escobedo attended the Global Specialty Lens Symposium on January 26-29 in Las Vegas, NV. She is currently in the Cornea & Contact Lens residency program supervised by Dr. Latricia Pack. Dr. Escobedo had her poster selected for this conference, which is an outstanding accomplishment. Her poster is entitled: Managing Keratoconus 2-Years Post-Crosslinking with Semi-Scleral Lenses.

Chinese New Year or Spring Festival is the most important holiday in China. In 2018, Chinese New Year began on February 16 and marked the beginning of the Year of the Dog. The annual Lunar New Year celebration is the International Program Office's main event of the year. The event included dragon dances, fan dances, a martial arts performance by international students, and a group dance by the Hmong students. The theme of this year's event was a tour of China. On display were famous Chinese historical sites models, with some fun facts about each site. Attendees could also use virtual reality equipment to take a real tour of China.

Award Name: Confucius Institute 2018
Award Dates: 01/01/2018 - 05/31/2018
Award Amount: $9,000
Project Director: Dr. Eloy Chavez
Funding Agency: Beijing Normal University through the University of Oklahoma-Confucius Classroom
Purpose of Award: This project will provide four non-credit, Chinese Art/Culture workshops which will be open to the public. These workshops will be offered through the College of Extended Learning and held in the Broken Arrow Campus Confucius Classroom.

Alyssa Simmons is the new Administrative Assistant for the Office of Academic Affairs. She efficiently & effectively provides administrative support for the office by assisting in the coordination of conferences, programs, and special events, managing calendars for the Vice Presidents & Provost, updating electronic data bases, and ensuring faculty, staff, and students receive proper assistance.

Alyssa graduated with her bachelor's degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management in August 2017 from NSU. While pursing her degree, she worked in IT Client Services where she grew accustomed to a fast-paced environment. She also completed two internships with the Walt Disney Company where she continued to grow her communication and customer service skills.

What do you like about NSU?
The sense of community & family on campus.

What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Spending time with my family & friends, playing with my dogs, watching movies, and doing home improvement projects.

What is your favorite quote?
"Stay afraid, but do it anyways. What's important is the action. You don't have to wait to be confident. Just do it, and eventually the confidence will follow." - Carrie Fisher

The American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education selected the Robotics Academy of Critical Engagement to showcase their program in Baltimore, Maryland where over 3,000 higher education participants attended.

Pictured: Interim Provost, Dr. Debbie Landry; Dr. Sophia Sweeney, Assistant Dean for the College of Education; Interim Dean of the College of Education, Dr. Vanessa Anton, Director of the RACE Program, Ms. Barbara Fuller; and Assistant Dean for the College of Education, Dr. Lisa Bisogno.

30 students from the Tahlequah Middle and High School after school programs experimented with Google Expeditions on a virtual field trip in the RACE STEAM Maker Lab. The STEAM Maker Lab is open to all faculty and staff, teachers, classes, and students from higher education, public schools, and home schools.

Twelve students from the Emerging Technologies class collaborated with RACE for the Cappi Wadley Reading and Technology Literacy Night. Nearly 200 area children and families were able to explore how robotics and emerging technologies in the integration of technology and reading are used.

Barbara Fuller, Director of RACE, received an invitation to lead the judging teams in the Oklahoma VEX Robotics Championship. Her team of four teacher candidates also received an invitation to accompany her. Twenty-nine judges from different areas in Oklahoma, business leaders and industry engineers volunteered for the two-day championship to determine the advancement of Oklahoma teams to the World Championship in April.

Pictured: Barbara Fuller is NSU alum and Fuller's former student, Kirk Norrid, REC and VEX regional manager for Oklahoma.

Under the direction of Dr. Jeffery Wall, the University Singers embarked on a 6 day tour through the Dallas area February 1-6. They made recruiting stops to sing for several high schools including Durant High School (Durant, OK), Woodrow Wilson High School (Dallas, TX), Carroll Senior High School (Southlake, TX), and Booker T. Washington Fine Arts High School (Dallas, TX). The tour was the result of an invitation to sing as Prelude Choir for the North Texas Children's Choir at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center in Dallas where they sang to great acclaim for 2,000 or more audience members. They also performed a full concert of their own at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in Allen, TX. The University Singers were immediately invited back for a future performance. Plans are underway for 2021.

Students and faculty from the Department of Criminology, Justice Studies, and Global Security attended the Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences (ACJS) Annual Meeting in New Orleans this past month. Fernandezpresented his research, The Brazilian Police Experience: Phenomenological Evaluation of Perceptions of Procedural Justice among Brazilian Police Officers. Neal and Dias presented Becoming a U.S. Citizen: International College Student's Perceptions on Undocumented Immigration and the Pathway to Citizenship. Heersche andCreason-Parker, presented "Employer Attitudes towards Hiring Female Offenders in Oklahoma." Creason-Parker also presented her work on Native American Attitudes towards Police: Uncertainty and Contradiction in a Research Age", "Cruel and Unusual Punishment: An Age-Old Debate in a Modern Era," and the Hot Topic in American Policing: Understanding Perceptions of Police by Minorities and the Majority."

Dr. Clark Gibson, Assistant Professor of Music and head of Jazz Studies, hosted the 51st annual Green Country Jazz Festival on March 4 and 5, where he and students had an opportunity to work with world-renowned organist Pat Bianchi.

Dr. Christine Hallman, Associate Professor of Geography, spoke at the United Nations Association of Eastern Oklahoma's Global Conversation on Women's Rights at the Raindrop Turkish House in Tulsa on March 8. Dr. Hallman's presentation was titled Warrior Women in the Community.

Professor of Art, Lance Hunter s piece Toxic Beauty II was awarded First Place in the Rockies West National Exhibition held in Grand Junction, Colorado for the month of March. Last fall, this painting also received an award in the 68th National Exhibition of the Texas Watercolor Society.

In November, Lance Hunter received the Best in Show Award for Net Worth in the 23rd Annual Artist's of Northwest Arkansas Regional Exhibition in Fayetteville. The ANA annual exhibition is open to artists in a nine state region. December NSU graduate, Amanda Lamberson, received a Merit Award in the ANA exhibit for her charcoal drawing, Practice. Both artists work were featured prominently in the ANA exhibition catalog.

Dr. Ben Kracht, Professor of Anthropology's book Kiowa Belief and Ritual (2017), has been nominated for the Clifford Geertz Prize in the Anthropology of Religion, sponsored by the Society for the Anthropology of Religion (a section of the American Anthropological Association). Kracht's most recent book, Religious Revitalization Among the Kiowas, examines changes in Kiowa belief and ritual in the final decades of the nineteenth century and has been featured in Nebraska University Press.

Associate Professor of Drama, Christopher Miller, directed John Pielmeir's play Agnes of God in February. Dr. Robyn Pursley, Associate Professor of Drama, designed costumes for the production and Assistant Professor of Drama, Scott Pursley, designed lighting and sound for the production.

Award Name: Robotics Summer Academy 2018 Yr 3 of 3 Award Dates: 01/01/2018 - 09/30/2018
Award Amount: $17,775
Project Director: Mrs. Barbara Fuller
Purpose of Award" This project will hold a summer robotics academy for students entering 8th-12th grades. The goals will be: to provide supplemental learning beyond the STEM standards; provide students with a learning and living experience on a college campus; prepare students for college admission by providing students with resources and support for college preparation; introduce students to career awareness in STEM fields; teach life skills such as: studying, note-taking, prioritizing, planning, and setting timelines. In addition, the program will establish a follow-up connection for ACT support.
Funding Agency: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Award Name: Get Green for Blue Summer Academy 2018 Yr 3 of 3
Award Dates: 01/01/2018 - 09/30/2018
Award Amount: $5,381
Project Director: Dr. Pamela Christol
Co-Director: Dr. Martha Parrott
Purpose of Award: This project will continue a summer academy for high school students at the NSU Broken Arrow campus. The academy will connect students to possible STEM career paths, to their relationship with the local and global environmental communities, and to their roles as responsible stewards of the planet that may ultimately inspire personal action to address community needs.
Funding Agency: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education

Award Name: INBRE-Equipment 2018
Award Dates: 01/01/2018 - 04/30/2018
Award Amount: $19,992
Project Director: Dr. Jessica Martin
Purpose of Award: To purchase the following equipment:

• Safe Imager blue trans-illuminator - $1,525
• T100 Thermal Cycler - $2,495
• ELx808 Ultra Absorbance Reader - $5,634
• Rotavapor R-300 Rotary Evaporator Standalone - $4,777
• VeeMAX II silicon attenuated-total-reflection (ATR) plate - $1,750
• Eppendorf Multi-channel Pipettors $2,238
• Polyethylene windows for IR - $778
• Disruptor Geni - $584
• Shipping & Handling - $211

Funding Agency: Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education through INBRE-NIH

Robotics Academy at Northeastern State to Win AACTE Technology Award

Art

Rayna, a watercolor nude by Professor Lance Hunter recently received the Silver Award in the Mid-Southern Watercolorists Annual Exhibition. The exhibition is on display March 9th until June 30th at the Butler Arts Center in Little Rock, Arkansas. In past years, this large watercolor by Hunter has also received awards in exhibitions of the Kansas Watercolor Society and the Adirondacks Watercolor Society and it was featured in the 135th International Exhibition of the American Watercolor Society in NYC.

Denver Pinkston, senior Studio Art major received the Best in Show Award in the annual Muskogee Art Guild Judged Art Exhibition for his watercolor painting titled "Watches in Gold." Pinkston also won First Place in the Mixed Media category and an Honorable mention in the Watercolor category. NSU art major, Bethie Seay, received First Place and an Honorable Mention in the Drawing category.

History

National History Day: Oklahoma attracted 147 students from seven regional middle and high schools to NSU, which hosted the Region 6 competition for the thirty seventh consecutive year on March 30. Participants showcased their individual and group exhibits, documentaries, performances, and websites, and individual papers, on the theme of Conflict and Compromise in History. The top three junior and senior entries in each category, as determined by groups of volunteer judges from NSU and the community, go on to compete in the state finals on May 2-3 at the Oklahoma History center in Oklahoma City. Winners advance to the national finals at the University of Maryland-College Park in June.

Languages and Literature

Lara Searcy, English Education Specialist, successfully defended her Ph.D. dissertation: "How Do English Teacher Educators in Oklahoma Utilize the Secondary English Methods Course to Prepare Teacher Candidates for Today's Classroom?" at the University of Arkansas on April 13th, 2018.

Dr. Chris Malone presented "All the Who's in Howlville: Teaching Cultural Diversity in Beat Literature" at the Society for Higher Education Interdisciplinary Learning and Discovery Conference, March 30, 2018. Rogers State University, Claremore, OK. Dr. Malone also presented on the panel "Trauma and Healing in Literature: A Pedagogical Approach." Big Read Event: Cynthia Ozick's The Shawl (NEA-funded grant). Invited and collaborated with four area high school English teachers, all graduates of NSU BA/MA in English programs. April 12, 2018. NSU-BA. Broken Arrow, OK.

Dr. Irina Strout attended an annual Pacific Coast Conference on British Studies conference at University of California at Santa Barbara on March 23, 2018. She presented a paper Finding the holy grail of manhood in Martin Chuzzlewit and The Cossacks on March 24, 2018. The paper discussed the gender issues, specifically looking at the construction of masculinity and manhood in Dickens and Tolstoy in their two respective novels. Dr. Strout is researching these writers for her current book project, which focuses on the manifestations of disability and illness in the works of the 19th century writers (including Dickens and Tolstoy).

Dr. Beth Green-Nagle has had her paper "The Journey of Maternal Grief in Concha M ndez's Ni o y sombras accepted for the panel on 20th and 21st Peninsular Literature at the South Central Modern Languages Association conference which will be held October 11-14, 2018 in San Antonio, Texas. She will also be serving as the secretary for the 20th and 21st Peninsular Literature session.

Dr. Green-Nagle presented two of her poems "Pillows" and "The Blood Orange" to the creative writing panel on inspiration for the Visions Conference, April 6, 2018. She also presented "'Yo's a nadie le importa:' Concha Mendez's Defiant Declaration of her maternal Creative Subject in Poem 26, 'Yo's ' from Ni o y sombras" and moderated the Spanish Language panel at the Visions Conference.

The annual Visions conference is open for all undergraduate and graduate Languages and Literature majors or minors, as well as students in allied or supported programs, in good standing. The conference promotes scholarly research opportunities for students as well as faculty. Work on any aspect of languages, literature, creative writing, teaching, and popular culture is usually welcome. Finished essays should be presented in around 20 minutes. (8 pages). All submissions are blind reviewed. This year's conference took place on April 7, 2018. The event was organized by Dr. Strout, Dr. Farmer and Dr. Flavin. There were 7 panels, ranging from language, writing and pedagogy to British and American fiction, including one faculty research panel (included Lara Searcy, Dr. Scott and Dr. Lowman) and well as a Spanish panel (included Dr. Green-Nagle). The keynote speaker for this year's event was Chris Murphy whose talk was titles The Craft of Flash Fiction: A Lecture and Reading . Chris received his MFA from The University of Arkansas and currently teaches creative writing at Northeastern State University. His work has been published in Gulf Coast, This Land, The Jellyfish Review, Five Quarterly, and decomP, among others. The flash fiction published in decomP was nominated for Best Short Fictions 2018. He was recently interviewed for OSU's Deep Roots: Oklahoma Authors Oral History Project and will read his work on an upcoming episode of KOSU's Dear Oklahoma. At the end of the conference, the students received awards for best in each section and best overall for the conference, this year's winner was Brittany Seay for her paper Shakespeare's Lady Macbeth: A reminder of femininity."

Media Studies

Terran English, communication and media studies major, talks to students at Sequoyah High School about NSU. Students in advanced advertising are recruiting at four different high schools in the area.

Media Studies students participated in the Tahlequah Backpacks program by volunteering their time to learn about the daily inner-workings of this philanthropic Tahlequah organization.

Music

Dr. Ronald Chioldi adjudicated the first national Steinway Competition on April 21. The prestigious piano company Steinway and Sons Corporation sponsored the competition, and Saeid Music of Tulsa, OK hosted it. The competition was open to pianists from Oklahoma and Arkansas, aged 18 years old and under.

Dr. Jeff Wall adjudicated the Oklahoma State Choral Festival for E-class groups in Norman on March 28th and the Arkansas State Choral Festival in Conway, AR at University of Central Arkansas, April 10-13.

Dr. Brett Fitzgerald, Criminal Justice, is the faculty sponsor for the NSU Fishing Team. Blake Haggard, Cody Metzger, Tyler Winn and Caleb Gibson qualified for the 2019 National Championship.

READ MORE!

Tyler Winn and Caleb Gibson

Blake Haggard and Cody Metzger

Dr. Chris Burba published a paper in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C.

Dr. Chris Burba presented a paper at the 255th American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans, LA.

Dr. Cindy Cisar, Department of Natural Sciences, attended the Joint Meeting of the Missouri and Missouri Valley Branches of the American Society for Microbiology on March 9-10, 2018 at Kansas City Kansas Community College. She served as a judge for the undergraduate student oral presentations at the conference.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo attended and presented research at the Gordon conference on DNA Damage, Mutation and Cancer at Ventura, California from March 25 to 29, 2018. Dr. Das-Bradoo was awarded Gordon Research Conferences Predominantly Undergraduate Institution (PUI) Fund to attend this conference.

Dr. Das-Bradoo's student, Steven Shirley represented NSU at the Research Day at the State Capitol on March 26-27, 2018.

Steven Shirley with Sen. Dewayne Pemberton of Tahlequah.

Steven Shirley with Rep. Matt Meredith of Tahlequah.

Steven Shirley with Rep. Ross Ford of Broken Arrow.

Dr. Das-Bradoo attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) held at University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) from April 5-6, 2018. Three of her students, Sarah Woller, Batuel Okda and Bryan Wright presented their research posters at the conference.

Dr. John Diamantopoulos, Professor of Mathematics, attended the 2018 International Conference on Technology in Collegiate Mathematics in Washington, D.C. He presented a workshop entitled Get Down and Dirty with Doceri... and Amaze your Students with Your Responses! and he delivered a talk Math + Students + YouTube = Fun."

Dr. Richard Hasenauer, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, presented a talk at Karl-Franzens-Universitat Graz in Graz, Austria Factorization in Pr fer domains. Attendance at the conference was partially funded by the Karl-Franzens-Universitat Graz, February 2018.

Dr. Richard Hasenauer presented Factorization properties in Pr fer domains at a special session on multiplicative ideal theory at the Midwest Sectional Meeting of the American Mathematical Society at The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, March 2018.

Dr. Hasenauer refereed three papers for the Journal of Commutative Algebra in March and has accepted a position with the American Mathematical Society to serve as a reviewer for Mathematical Reviews.

Dr. Suneeti Jog gave an invited talk titled "Towards rapid assessment of wetland biological condition at the Biology Department in the University of Central Oklahoma.

Dr. Sung-Kun (Sean) Kim, associate professor of chemistry, along with his student Kaylin Shackelfordpublished the article Inhibition of anthrax lethal factor by ssDNA aptamers in the peer-reviewed journal Archives of Biochemistry and Biophysics (ABB).

Dr. Karl Kruczek, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, presented his paper Factors that Predict Academic Achievement and Retention of First-time Freshmen at the Annual Research Council of Mathematics Learning, Baton Rouge, LA, February 2018.

Senior Fish and Wildlife major Eddy Wild and Dr. Michael Shaughnessy submitted a poster presentation to the 2018 Undergraduate Research Day entitled, "An examination of Bergmann's Rule in the Southern Redbelly Dace." The poster represents the culmination of Mr. Wild's senior research project.

Dr. Neal Xiong and Dr. Patrick Harrington, both Associate Professors of Computer Science, have published with three coauthors Data Fusion-based Multi-Object Tracking for Unconstrained Visual Sensor Networks, IEEE Access, March 2018.

Dr. Neal Xiong and Dr. Ernst Bekkering, both Associate Professors of Computer Science, have published with two coauthors Design and Analysis of a Data Fusion Scheme in Mobile Wireless Sensor Networks Based on Multi-Protocol Mobile Agents, Sensors (Basel), November 2017.

Dr. Neal Xiong, with four coauthors, has published A Services Routing based Caching Scheme for Cloud Assisted CRNs, IEEE Access, March 2018.

Dr. Neal Xiong, with two coauthors, has published An Intelligent Adaptive Algorithm for Environment Parameter Estimation in Smart Cities, IEEE Access, on page(s): 1-13, Print ISSN: 2169-3536,DOI:10.1109/ACCESS.2018.2810891.

Dr. Neal Xiong, with two coauthors, has published "Intelligent Impulsive Synchronization of Nonlinear Interconnected Neural Networks for Image Protection," IEEE Transactions on Industrial Informatics, Digital Object Identifier: 10.1109/TII.2018.2808966.

Richard Castillo, OD, DO, NSUOCO's director of surgical care and assistant Dean for surgical training, conducted an 8-hour continuing medical education seminar for the Optometric Association of Louisiana in March. Louisiana, like Oklahoma and Kentucky, has a broad scope of practice where optometrists perform office-based surgical procedures. Topics presented included laser procedures, office surgery, and surgical pathology.

Dr. Castillo also traveled to the Illinois College of Optometry, as he has every year for over a decade now, to promote advanced practice optometry by lecturing and holding workshops on optometric surgery and advanced diagnostics. While in Chicago, Dr. Castillo met with Illinois Optometric Association state leaders and advocates to discuss optometry's role as an established primary health care profession that includes vision, medical and surgical care.

NSU recognized for emergency management, MCAT test prep programs

Northeastern State University was presented with two exceptional program awards by the Association for Continuing Higher Education Great Plains Region on March 9.

NSU was recognized for its Certificate of Emergency Management and Planning certificate program in the credit category and for its MCAT Test Prep program in the noncredit category.

The Certificate of Emergency Management and Planning certificate program for undergraduate credit is the first of its kind in Oklahoma, said Eloy Chavez, dean of the NSU College of Extended Learning. The program, which can be part of NSU's criminal justice degree program, prepares emergency managers for a variety of situations. Federal officials have recommended there be a college-credit emergency management program in every state. There is general consensus the field is evolving into a professional area requiring advanced education.

The MCAT Test Prep program was created in collaboration with three other universities: Oral Roberts University, University of Tulsa and Rogers State University. The course includes seven sessions covering Critical Analysis and Reasoning, Physics, General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, Psychology and Sociology. Professors from various universities teach the different session topics and work with the students.

These awards are a positive reflection of NSU, said Chavez.

"These two awards are great because they recognize NSU as a full service institution that not only offers quality for credit academic programs but also non-credit continuing education programs."

For more information, please contact the NSU College of Extended Learning at 918-449-6527.

NSU Press Release

China Recruitment Trip for COE Graduate Programs

Dr. Vanessa Anton, COE Interim Dean, Dr. Cari Keller, Graduate Dean and Xuan Li, International Programs, traveled to China on March 20 April 1, 2018. Dr. Anton and Xuan Li presented at the U.S. Embassy, and then attended an Expo recruitment event for two days in Beijing. While Xuan Li flew to a recruitment event in Singapore, Dr. Anton and Dr. Keller met with school leaders at universities in Wuhan, Jinhua, and Hangzhou. Xuan Li then joined them in Shanghai for further recruitment meetings. The plan is for four of the COE's master's programs to start a bridge program in China in the fall (Early Childhood, Instructional Leadership, Health & Kinesiology, and Higher Education Leadership). Dr. Roger Collier has also been working with the group. The plan includes COE Instructional Leadership faculty members Dr. Renee Cambiano and Dr. Maria Christian traveling to China to work with graduate students in the fall. The students will then be coming to NSU to complete their degrees.

American Sign Language

Dr. Kyeorda Kemp attended the annual American Association of Immunologists meeting in Austin, Texas this month. She received a travel award to present research from her lab. She was also awarded funds to take her undergraduate student, who contributed to the work, as a guest.

Dr. Sung-Kun (Sean) Kim, Associate Professor of Chemistry, attended the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) held at University of Central Oklahoma from April 4-7, 2018. His students, Kaylin Shackleford, Jarrett Wingfield, and Luke Bayless presented their research posters at the conference.

Dr. Mark Paulissen was asked to review a manuscript by the journal ANIMAL BEHAVIOUR.

Toxic Beauty: Fish Tales V received Second Place in the 2018 National Exhibition of the Georgia Watercolor Society. The large painting by Lance Hunter, Professor of Art, was displayed at the Oglethorpe University Museum of Art in Atlanta through April 29.

Dr. Erica K. Argyropoulos, Instructor of Library Services, was recently interviewed by a reporter representing the Times of Israel for the occasion of Leonard Bernstein's 2018 birth centennial. Her PhD dissertation, "Conducting Culture: Leonard Bernstein, the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Negotiation of Jewish American Musical Identity, 1947-1967" proved a significant resource for the newspaper in their discussion of Bernstein's Jewish identity and his deep relationship with Israel. Dr. Argyropoulos's work supported an article that personalized an ongoing exhibit in Philadelphia on one of America's most significant musical figures, putting the artifacts into a more detailed biographical context.

Tom Rink of the BA Library was presented with a Presidential Citation from President Dee Magnoni of the Special Libraries Association (SLA), "for his boundless support of SLA and unceasing efforts to ensure its success and increase its value." Tom was the President of SLA in 2016 and the Past President of SLA in 2017. President Magnoni further stated, "SLA is blessed with members who give generously of their time and talents to help move our association forward and open new doors to engaging, educating, and connecting with information professionals. I am proud and honored to present presidential citations to the many members who went above and beyond in 2017."

Award Name: American Indian Science & Engineering Society (AISES Spring 2018)
Award Amount: $500
Project Director: Alisa Douglas
Funding Agency: Oklahoma State University Oklahoma EPSCoR through the National Science Foundation
Purpose: To assist students with admittance fees to the Annual Symposium on the American Indian luncheon.

Dr. Tobi Thompson and Dr. Ingrid Massey presented research findings at the 4th Annual Higher Education Advances (HEAd'18) conference in Valencia, Spain this summer. Their paper, Preparing Effective Literacy Educators Through Professional Development, was published in the conference's journal.

Awards

July 2018

July 2018

Academic Spotlight: Dr. Bea Keller-Dupree

Dr. Bea Keller-Dupree traveled to Alicante, Spain for faculty development.

On August 7, 2018, Dr. Maria Christian co-presented with Kari Henry-Hulett, Communications Instructor at Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology, a presentation titled Lessons from Oz: Using Transformational Leadership to Advance Student Learning at the 2018 Lilly Conference on Evidence-Based Teaching and Learning in Asheville, NC.

On July 18, 2018, Dr. Maria Christian served as a panelist for the presentation The Rough (But Rewarding) Road from Green to Red then Back Again on Blackboard's Happiness Scale During our SaaS\Ultra Migration for the Blackboard World Conference held in Orlando, FL.

The NSU faculty in the Library Media and Information Technology Master of Science Program, Dr. Alesha Baker and Dr. Kelli Carney, are currently providing consulting services to the United Keetoowah Band (UKB) through an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) grant in the amount of $10,000. Students enrolled in Library Media graduate courses will work with faculty to catalog and evaluate the UKB educational library collection. Automation software, which will be utilized to improve the circulation process, was purchased through the grant. Faculty will assist in writing and developing policies including circulation and collection maintenance. In order to ensure sustainability, faculty will develop and deliver software training for the UKB library staff. The grant concludes in August 2019, at which time faculty will inventory the newly automated collection and recommend titles for future consideration. This partnership not only serves to benefit the citizens of the UKB but also provides NSU students a model for community collaboration and networking.

Dr. Ben Kracht, Professor of Anthropology and American Indian Studies was awarded the Phillips Fund grant from the American Philosophical Society to conduct ethnographic fieldwork in southwestern Oklahoma. Dr. Kracht is also currently in production of his third book, "Autobiography of a Kiowa Woman," which is an ongoing collaborative project with the subject's descendants.

Dr. James T. Lindroth, Associate Professor of Music, has been appointed to the Scholarly Research Committee for the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) as a committee member for a four-year term.

Dr. Suzanne Farmer, Associate Professor of History, and Dr. Jennifer Edwards, Professor of Sociology, co-hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Center for Women's Studies. The Center has now been officially established in its new location at the Woods House. NSU Alumnus Dr. Isabel Baker was the keynote speaker for the event and Chief Bill John Baker presented the Center with a framed print outlining notable Oklahoma female leaders.

Splash 19: Illusion of Light, features a watercolor painting created by Professor of Art, Lance Hunter. Late July, North Light Books published his painting, Ephemeral , in the newest book in the Best of Watercolor series. This is the fourth consecutive year that Hunter has had work selected by the Splash editorial staff from international submissions. The current issue of Watercolor Artist magazine (October) also features Ephemeral in an ad promoting Splash 21.

John Petrucelli, Director of Jazz Studies, was featured in All About Jazz with a review of his forthcoming album Presence.

Dr. Robyn Pursley and the NSU Drama program presented a play for children, A Bagful of Fables, to over 1,000 elementary students at the NSU Center for Performing Arts during the first week of September.

Dr. Stephan Sargent received the AdvancED Midwest Region's 2018 Servant Leadership Recognition award for the state of Oklahoma. Dr. Sargent was selected as a result of the many years he has contributed his time, talent, and expertise in service to AdvancED on behalf of their Improvement Network. Dr. Sargent will be recognized at an Awards Ceremony during the 2018 Midwest Region Fall Conference in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Dr. Virginia Whitekiller, currently on sabbatical leave, was named Canada's Vancouver Island University Jarislowsky Visiting Research Chair and held audience with the Honourable Carolyn Bennett, Canada's Minister of Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs. Dr. Whitekiller was asked to discuss how large historic institutions can become more amicable and inclusive to women and racial minorities.

Dr. Martha Parrott and Dr. Pamela Christol facilitated an OSRHE Summer Academy titled, Get Green for Blue: Outdoor STEM Investigations Connecting Water to You in June with high school students.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradooand two of her students performed hands-on demonstrations with 5th grade students at Andersen Elementary School, Broken Arrow on May 24, 2018.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo attended and presented a research poster at the NIGMS Seventh Biennial National IDeA Symposium of Biomedical Research conference at Washington D.C. from June 24 to June 26, 2018. Her undergraduate student, Sarah Woller, also attended and presented her research at the conference.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo was selected to mentor students through the INBRE summer mentor and SMaRT programs.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo attended the OK-INBRE summer undergraduate research program at University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center on July 13, 2018. Her research student, Batuel Okda, gave a short talk and presented a poster at the meeting.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo s research student, Batuel Okda presented a research poster at the Tulsa Area Bioscience Education and Research Consortium (TABERC), Oklahoma Society of Physiologists (OSP) and Tulsa Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience (T-SfN) symposium at OSU-Center for Health Sciences, Tulsa on July 23, 2018.

Dr. Sapna Das-Bradoo reviewed a manuscript for National Council of Undergraduate Research.

Dr. Nathan Green and NSU undergraduate researcher Michael Smith attended the IDeA Network for Biomedical Research Excellence (INBRE) Summer Research conference at the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City on July 13th. Michael presented a poster titled "Synthesis and Characterization of Oligonucleotide Conjugated Gold Nanorods for Theranostic Application" as part of his Summer Undergraduate Research Program scholarship work done in the Green Lab.

Dr. Sung-Kun (Sean) Kim attended the 2018 OK INBRE summer research conference in Oklahoma City on July 12-13. His student, Kaylin Shackelford, presented her research work about the kinetic analysis of biofilm-related enzymes.

Dr. Sung-Kun (Sean) Kim and his undergraduate research student, Luke Bayless, presented at the 256th American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting & Exposition in Boston, MA on August 19-23, 2018.

Dr. Mark Paulissen presented " Does the Little Brown Skink, Scincella lateralis, Use Positional Cues for Spatial Learning? " at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) at the Rochester Convention Center, Rochester, NY in July.

Dr. Mark Paulissen also moderated a paper session for the Stoye Student Award for Ecology and Evolution at the annual Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (JMIH) at the Rochester Convention Center, Rochester, NY in July.

Dr. Mark Paulissen reviewed a manuscript for the British Herpetological Society's Herpetological Bulletin.

Dr. Mia Revels was invited to present her Northern Saw-whet Owl research to the Inter-tribal Environmental Council (ITEC) Conference in Catoosa on July 25. The title of her talk was: Learning about Northern Saw-whet Owls in Oklahoma: Shifting the paradigm.

Richard Castillo, OD, DO (NSU's Ophthalmologist and Director of Surgical Services), traveled to Lexington, KY to speak on optometric surgery and lasers at the end of July. He then travelled to Little Rock, AR along with members of the NSU CE department to hold an Optometric Advanced Procedures course for Arkansas optometrists. At the end of August, Dr. Castillo traveled to Fairfield, CT to speak on laser procedures and complications. Dr. Castillo is also the founder of and faculty sponsor for the NSU-OCO Optometric Surgery Club, which held its first meeting of the semester in August. The Surgery Club, open to any NSU-OCO optometry student interested in advanced optometric procedures, also held a workshop where students received instruction on setting up a surgical office space as well as basic suturing techniques.

In July, Dr. Leland Carr presented six hours of Continuing Education to 215 OD's at the Annual Pacific University Victoria Conference in Victoria, B.C. 

NSU Faculty Members Attend International Faculty Development Seminars Abroad

One goal of the Office of International Programs is to help NSU faculty gain a more global perspective and a unique cultural understanding they can bring back to the university and incorporate into the classroom. Recently the OIP, in conjunction with CIEE and the NSU College of Education, helped provide funding for three NSU professors to travel abroad on international faculty development seminars this past spring and summer. Dr. Bea Keller-Dupree, associate professor of psychology, went to Alicante Spain, Dr. Jim Ferrell, associate professor of educational leadership, to Morocco, and Dr. Mary Waters-Bilbo, associate professor of psychology, to Cuba.

Ferrell said he had the opportunity to study the culture and language of Morocco during his program, which examined how people view and interact with those from other cultures and how people express culture through language. He said he also learned about his own interactions with different cultures and discovered some things he could incorporate into his own classes when dealing with other cultures.

Dr. Keller-Dupree appreciated the diversity of interest and skills among fellow participants, which made for a more dynamic and integrated learning experience. I'm thankful to work for an institution that values these experiences as well, she said.

Waters-Bilbo said her fascination with Cuba began as far back as 1970, while studying Spanish and learning from tutors who were Cuban refugees from under the Castro regime. This trip to Cuba was so stimulating because of the eclectic nature of the lectures and varying disciplines represented by the colleagues on the trip, she said. This was a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience that I am still pondering. I am so grateful for the support I received from Northeastern State University to make this dream a reality.

Award Name: Immersive & Innovative Mentoring for Novice Teachers: Grades K-5
Total Additional Funding Amount: $20,520.86
Project Directors: Dr. Vanessa Anton, Dr. Pamela Christol, Ms. Barbara Fuller

Academic Spotlight: Dr. Arthur Wendorf II

Tulsa Transfer Project Update

NSU faculty and staff joined representatives from institutions across the Tulsa metro area on September 21 to participate in the official launch of the Tulsa Transfer Project. This collaborative effort is designed to improve the transfer experience and increase the number of bachelor's degrees in the metro area. In addition to NSU, other institutions participating in the project are Oklahoma State University, Rogers State University, Langston University, University of Tulsa, and of course, Tulsa Community College. Using the John N. Gardner Institute's Foundations of Excellence framework, NSU will complete a self-study reviewing the total transfer experience. During fall 2018, nine dimension committees will review survey data, policies, and practices. Each will write a report of their findings with recommendations for improvement. In late spring 2019, an institutional report and recommendations will be finalized with implementation during the next academic year. The Dimension Committees are led by the following faculty and staff. Anyone with an interest in participating in a committee can contact the co-chairs of that committee.

• Philosophy
  Dr. Pamela Fly and Dan Mabery
• Organization
  Julia Carlo, Mark Shields, and Jeff Walker
• Learning
  Dr. Jessica Martin and Dr. Ben Ofili
• Faculty
  Dr. Renee Cambiano and Dr. Kat Shahan
• Transitions
  Lori Riley and TBD
• All Students & Roles/Purposes
  Lauren Condry and Dr. Sheila Self
• Diversity
  Sara Barnett and Lena Deere
• Improvement
  Dr. Cari Keller and Dr. Kelly Jo Larsen

China Bridge Program

Health and Kinesiology

The Department of Health and Kinesiology is now implementing a Minor in Recreation. This minor offers experiential learning courses presented in exciting and invigorating environments. Students take the required core of 14 hours then select four hours of electives related to the recreation field. The required core classes are:

• HED 2212 First Aid/ Responding to Emergencies
• HED 3313 Personal Fitness and Wellness
• REC 2222 Rec Leadership
• REC 3212 Camp Rec
• REC 4212 Therapeutic Recreation
• PED 2232 Outdoor Rec Activities
• PED 1081 Beginning Ropes

Students then choose any 4 hours from the following electives:

• REC 4500 Internship in Rec (up to 6 hours 4501, 4502, 4503)
• PED 1081 Advanced Ropes
• PED 1201 Aquatic Activities- Lifeguarding Skills
• PED 4741- SEMINAR IN HEALTH, PHYSICAL EDUCATION- CPR Training

Courses focus on teaching students the hard skills needed to safely facilitate the hands on activities as well as the soft skills required to succeed in an ever-changing group dynamic. In a society that is increasingly dependent upon sedentary technological entertainment, outdoor recreation classes utilize NSU's unique geographical resources to refresh, renew, and recreate. Classes meet at NSU campus, Tenkiller Lake, Sparrowhawk Mountain, the Illinois River, Echota Village, Camp Seven star, and Lake Lincoln Arkansas. Cost to the student is minimized by partnerships with the Grand River Dam Authority Oklahoma Scenic River Commission, The United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians, The American Indian Resource Center, Oklahoma State Parks, and the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife and Conservations.

Dr. Vanessa Anton and Mrs. Barbara Fuller were interviewed on Education Talk Radio.

LISTEN NOW!

Teacher Induction Ceremony

The Sequoyah Institute and NSU Drama hosted a workshop presented by The Reduced Shakespeare Company for NSU Drama students and Tahlequah High School students. The workshop instructed students on the use of physical comedy and improvisation.

Dr. Robyn Pursley, Associate Professor of Drama, provided critiques and scene workshops at Muskogee and Edison high schools in preparation for their OSSAA One-Act Competitions. Muskogee will be presenting a cutting of The Diviners and Edison will be presenting Almost Maine at the 6A regional competitions in October.

Dr. Heather Fenton has been named one of the Great 100 Nurses in Oklahoma. These exemplary Nurses are selected based on their concern for humanity, their contributions to the profession of Nursing, and their mentoring of others. It is a great honor in the life of the Nurse to be selected as a Great 100 Honoree. The NSU nursing program is delighted to see one of our own honored this year!

Margaret Bates and Sydney Dorrough, instructors in the Occupational Therapy Program, presented Low Tech Solutions for Everyday Problems at the Oklahoma Occupational Therapy Association state conference on September 28, 2018. The presentation focused on adaptive equipment solutions for patients with limited resources or living in rural areas with limited access to commercially available equipment.

Brenda Bradford, Head of Special Collections and Archives won 1st and 2nd place in photography at the 66th Cherokee National Holiday Art show. On Labor Day weekend, more than 100,000 visitors traveled to Tahlequah, Oklahoma to experience the celebration of Cherokee heritage, culture, history and art.

Ashley Stoddard, the Special Collection's Historical Specialist at the John Vaughan Library, attended the 2018 Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums from October 8 to October 12. The International Conference was held in Prior Lake, Minnesota on historic Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux land. The conference sought to educate attendees on how they could advance and protect their Indigenous collections, and build their professional skills.

Dr. Erica K. Argyropoulos, a Leonard Bernstein scholar who has investigated his career for 16 years, took the lead in coordinating NSU's Bernstein birth centennial celebration, "Bernstein at 100," a joint collaboration between John Vaughan Library and the Department of Music. The events kicked off in July with a library exhibit showcasing his diverse career alongside Bernstein materials available for checkout; in October, music majors visited the library to hear a lecture by Dr. Argyropoulos on Bernstein's decades-long television and film career. The Department of Music will cap off the celebration with four evening concerts at the University Center for the Performing Arts showcasing the composer's works (with informational context provided by Dr. Argyropoulos): the Joint Voice Studio Recital (November 2), Wind Ensemble Concert (November 15), an Opera Workshop in which scenes from Bernstein's theatrical repertoire will be discussed and brought to life by musicians on the stage (November 16), and a Brass Area Recital featuring some lesser-known musical gems alongside classic works.

On October 21, Dr. Argyropoulos led a panel discussion moderated by film critic Jeff Huston at Circle Cinema in Tulsa. Following a screening of West Side Story, the panel will explore the musical in the broader context of Bernstein's life as a prominent Jewish American musician. The event is part of the Oklahoma Jewish Film Festival, jointly hosted by the Sherwin Miller Museum of Jewish Art and the Jewish Federation of Tulsa. Dr. Argyropoulos has greatly enjoyed working with both her colleagues here at NSU and in coordination with other local organizations to shed light on Bernstein's career in the region this year.

Dr. Roy Wood, Dean of the Broken Arrow campus, and Associate Professor of Business, authored a book chapter entitled Three Innovations for Defense Acquisition Reform, in the recently released Defense Innovation Handbook: Guidelines, Strategies, and Techniques. The chapter discusses ways to improve the acquisition process by competing requirements among the military services, improving technology transition into programs, and making improvements in managing the defense acquisition workforce. Prior to coming to NSU, Dr. Wood was a recognized expert in defense acquisition and served as the Vice President of the Defense Acquisition University. He has over 30 years of experience managing large, complex acquisition program and educating acquisition professionals.

Award Name: Educational Talent Search - Tahlequah (2018-19), Year 3 of 5
Award Amount: $256,455
Project Director: Ms. Diane Walker
Funding Agency: U.S. Department of Education
Purpose of Award: To identify disadvantaged youths with potential for post-secondary education, encourage them to complete secondary school and undertake post-secondary educational training. To publicize existing forms of student aid. To provide tutorial services for youths being encouraged to undertake or re-enter programs of post-secondary education. This program is part of TRIO.

Award Name: Using Ciprofloxacin Encapsulated Liposomes to Treat UTI's Caused by E. coli, 2018-19
Award Amount: $46,831
Project Director: Dr. Janaki Iyer
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health through OUHSC
Purpose of Award: The proposed project investigates the ability of ciprofloxacin-encapsulated liposomes to kill invasive E. coli in infected bladder cells. This study will allow the design of better therapies to treat bladder infections.

Award Name: National Voter Registration Day 2018
Award Amount: $500
Project Director: Shelly Dreadfulwater and Brian Barlow
Funding Agency: Non-Profit Vote
Purpose of Award: National Native Vote Action Week occurred Monday, September 14-28, 2018. During this time, the NASC team made a concerted effort to educate, inform, and increase NSU Native American Student engagement within the Election systems.

Award Name: Alliance for Minority Participation 2018-2019, Year 5 of 5
Award Amount: $43,357
Project Director: Dr. Jody Buckholtz
Funding Agency: National Science Foundation through Oklahoma State University
Purpose of Award: A subcontract to contribute to the national agenda to increase the number of underrepresented minorities receiving B.S. degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The NSU Center for Tribal Studies, Admissions and Recruitment, Graduate College and College of Science and Health Professions attended the 2018 American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Conference in Oklahoma City on October 4-6, 2018. The University was well represented at the College and Career Fair with two separate booths to highlight both general opportunities for American Indian students and more specifically, opportunities within science related fields. GRDA also sent two representatives to share information about research opportunities through the partnership with NSU. With the help of the Native American Support Center and Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation, nine students were also able to attend the conference.