Professor Jerry Sweeten, director of the Environmental Studies Program, will be a plenary speaker at the Indiana Department of Natural Resources meeting on March 15.  Jerry’s presentation is titled, “Low-head Dams: Case Studies and the Data.”

Kristen Short, assistant professor of biology, has been chosen to participate in a National Science Foundation-supported “flipped case” workshop hosted by the National Center for Case Study Teaching in Science this May.  Short participated as a fellow sponsored by the Science Case Network for the past two years, presented her research nationally last spring, and currently has an article in press.  In this summer’s workshop, she will develop additional peer-reviewed cases for use in flipped classrooms.

Jeff Beer, associate professor of exercise science and athletic training, presented recently at the Fort Wayne Teaching Conference. Beer, who directs undergraduate athletic training at MU, spoke on “A Multi-level look at Engagement and Retention,” and highlighted MU’s approach to student retention, success and professional engagement in our undergraduate athletic training program.

Young Lee, associate professor of math and computer science, is co-author of “Modeling the spread of Ebola,” to be published in Osong Public Health and Research Perspectivesin March, 2016.

The College Board has invited Mike Martynowicz, instructor of education, to co-present at the Association of American Colleges & Universities (AAC&U) 2016 Diversity, Learning, and Student Success Conference. The conference is in Philadelphia in March 2016.

Martynowicz, who joined the Manchester faculty in 2011, will be joined by Drew Appleby, IUPUI professor emeritus of psychology; Bethany Neal-Beliveau, IUPUI associate professor of psychology; Amanda Harmon, Zionsville High School psychology teacher; and Melanie Morgan, director of AP Higher Education Academic Engagement at The College Board. The title of their presentation is “Collaborating with High Schools to Strengthen the College Pipeline.”

Associate Professor Heather Schilling, Department of Education chair and director of teacher education, has been selected as one of 24 educators who will participate in the third National Institute of the Progressive Education Network. The program will take her to Santa Monica, Calif., and Columbus, Ohio, to learn from progressive educators and collaborate with the cohort of educators from around the United States.

 Fourth-year pharmacy student Cindy Lu is one of  only eight pharmacy students in the nation to be  chosen as a Paul Ambrose Scholar. The program  prepares public health and clinical health professions  students to address population health challenges at  the national and community levels. Cindy’s project to  benefit the Fort Wayne community will focus on  nutrition and obesity. She joined 39 other student  leaders from across the nation this summer in a leadership symposium in Washington, D.C. (see full release)

Senior Jamie Dowdy is the first MU student chosen as a Young Ambassador by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). The sociology major from Hebron, Ind., is back on the North Manchester campus after studying last year in Marburg, Germany, with BCA Study Abroad. DAAD Young Ambassadors promote study in Germany at their home universities and colleges and train for three days in New York City.

 Assistant Professor Scott Humphries has published his new  composition, “Allegheny Ride,” for concert bands. Scott is director  of Instrumental Studies and Music Education, conducts the  Manchester Symphony Orchestra and MU Symphonic Band,  teaches all music education classes, and is also the saxophone  professor.  He is principal conductor for the Fort Wayne Area  Community Band.

Disneyland is celebrating its 60^th anniversary, and CNN went to the experts to find out how Walt Disney’s parks grew and thrived. One of those experts is Manchester University sociology Professor Robert Pettit, who teaches a January course at Disney World on American culture. More than 400 news outlets picked up the story, which you can readhere.