Latest Achievements

Updates about the latest accomplishments—including latest research, publications, and awards—by students, faculty, and staff

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Walter Duffy and Sharon Kahara, Fisheries Biology

Drs. Duffy and Kahara recently had an article published in the journal ecological applications. The artical reports their findings of ecological services provided by wetlands restored under USDA conservation programs. The citation for their paper is: Duffy, W.G. and S. N. Kahara. 2010. Wetland ecosystem services in California's Central Valley and implications for wetland reserve program conservation practices.

Tall Chief Comet; Chris DeHart; Adam Cockrill; Desiree Perez, Plant Operations; Marketing & Communications
HSU has made the list of Sierra Magazine’s Coolest Schools of 2010. The Sierra Club’s flagship publication compiles the list to recognize the most sustainable universities nationwide. Ranking is based on a survey of several different categories including academics, energy usage and waste management.

Anthony P. Kontos, School of Applied Health

Dr. Kontos, who is currently on professional leave for 1 year at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, received a $143,000 grant from the US Army Special Operations Forces for research on mild-traumatic brain injury and PTSD. He was elected the American Psychological Association Division 47 Program Chair for 2010-2012, and published an article in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology titled, “Exploring Differences in Computerized Neurocognitive Concussion Testing between African A

Howard Kaufman, Music

On 7/31/10, the Explorations in Afro-Cuban Dance and Drum program completed its 14th year at HSU. It is widely recognized as the most comprehensive workshop on Afro-Cuban folkloric music and dance in the United States. Internationally known Cuban and American artists teach for one week participants from the U.S. and abroad. I founded this program in 1996 with the support and coordination of the Office of Extended Education directed by Carl Hansen with the assistance of Ward Angles.

Mohsen Modarres; Beth Wilson, Business

1) Modarres, M. 2010. Reorganization: Contingent Effects of Changes in the CEO and Structural Complexity, Academy of Strategic Management Journal, Vol 9.

2) Modarres, M. & Wilson, B. 2010. Improving Corporate Decision Making and Design in Emerging Economies: Does Information Technologies Matter? Western Economic Association International. July2-5

3) Modarres, et al,. 2010. Reorganization: A Comparative Analysis of Change in Market and Non-Market Organizations. Decision Sciences Institute. San Diego California

Michael Eldridge, English

Spent Fall 2009 as Fulbright Visiting Research Chair in Globalization and Cultural Studies at the Institute on Globalization and the Human Condition, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario.

Published "Calypso's Cosmopolitan Strategy: Race, Nation, and Global Culture in Postwar Canada" in issue 10:1 (2010) of the Institute's refereed "Working Papers" series.

Sam Sonntag, Politics

Professor Sonntag is an international collaborator in a five-year, million-dollar research project under the direction of Dr. Linda Cardinal at the University of Ottawa. The project is funded by the Canadian government’s initiative on research alliances between academic institutions and community organizations. Sonntag’s contribution to the project stems from her 2006-2009 stint on the Group of Advisors to the National Security Education Program, which initiated state language summits and language roadmaps in the US.

Sam Sonntag, Joseph Dieme, Politics

Professor Sam Sonntag, Department of Politics, had an article entitled “La Diversité Linguistique et la Mondialisation: Les Limites des Théories Libérales” (Linguistic Diversity and Globalization: Limits of Liberal Theory) published in May in Politique et Sociétés, the journal of the Quebec political science association. She was assisted in the translation of the article into French by Professor Joseph Diémé, Department of World Languages and Cultures.

Prof. Marcy Burstiner, Journalism & Mass Communication

The Lumberjack received two Society of Professional Journalism awards for general excellence for a college newspaper. Journalism Prof. Marcy Burstiner is the newspaper's faculty adviser.

Prof. Marcy Burstiner, Journalism & Mass Communication

The California Journalism Educational Coalition named Assistant Prof. Marcy Burstiner "Journalism Educator of the Year." The Coalition is a prestigious umbrella group of several state journalism organizations including the California Newspaper Publishers Association. Prof. Burstiner is the faculty adviser for the Lumberjack newspaper.

Teresa Stanley, Art + Film

My work will be featured in the upcoming book "Acrylic Innovations: Styles and Techniques of 64 Visionary Artists" by Nancy Reyner, published by Northlight Books. The book will be available on Amazon in October and is a follow-up to Ms. Reyner's bestselling "Acrylic Revolution".

Alison Purcell O'Dowd, Environmental Science & Management

Dr. Purcell O'Dowd received a Sea Grant to explore how an invasive cord grass, Spartina densiflora, influences the overall primary productivity of salt marshes surrounding Humboldt Bay.

Nikola Hobbel, English

Nikola Hobbel's new text, "Social Justice Pedagogy across the Curriculum: The Practice of Freedom" (co-edited with Thandeka K. Chapman, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee) was published in the United States and Europe in April, 2010 by Routledge. Reviewers of the book have noted that it is "A must-have in any teacher education program," and "A brave, smart work [that] comprises hopeful opposition to injustice in school and society."

Rachel M. Turner (student); Pamela Brown (faculty sponsor), Social Work

Rachel M. Turner has been selected from among 205 student applicants to be one of 70 Sally Casanova California Pre-Doctoral Scholars for 2010-11. The award includes funding to support a plan developed by the student and the faculty sponsor to explore opportunities for doctoral study, travel to doctoral granting institutions, and prepare application materials. Rachel will also have the opportunity to apply for a summer research internship at a doctoral institution.

Andrew P. Stubblefield, Forestry, Fire & Rangeland Management

Participated in Early Career Scientist Assembly at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder Colorado.
The purpose of the forum was to discuss means of closing the gap between climate change scientists and water resource managers. The goal was to help improve the adaptation of human societies to climate change impacts. Participants cowrote a position paper which will be submitted to the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society.

Beth Wilson, Economics

Presented "Assessing the Economic Impact of a Theatre Renovation" at the Western Economic Association Meetings in Portland, Ore., on July 3rd, 2010.

Laura K. Hahn, Communication

The paper, "Teaching Public Speaking: Cultural Expressions through Food" will be presented at the annual meeting of the National Communication Association (NCA) in San Francisco.

Laura K. Hahn, Communication

The chapter, “I’m Too Sexy for Your Movement: An Analysis of the Failure of the Animal Rights Movement to Promote Vegetarianism” was published in "Arguments About Animal Ethics," Eds. Greg Goodale and Jason E. Black. Lexington Books, 2010.

Tasha Souza, Communication

Souza, T.J., Carey, T., McMartin, F., Ambrosino, R., & Grimes, J. (in press). Using multimedia case stories of exemplary teaching for faculty development. In L.B. Nilson & J.E. Miller (Eds.), To Improve the Academy: Resources for Faculty, Instructional, and Organizational Development, 29. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Souza, T.J., Dallimore, E, Pilling, B. Aoki, E. (2010). Communication climate, comfort, and cold-calling: An analysis of discussion-based courses at multiple universities. In L.B. Nilson & J.E. Miller (Eds.), To Improve the Academy: Resources for Faculty, Instructional, and Organizational Development, 28, (pp. 227-249). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Laura K. Hahn & Michael Bruner, Communication

We have had two competitive papers accepted for presentation: “Would You Like Some E Coli with That? Anti-'Organic' Rhetoric“ has been selected for presentation at "Chew on This: Food Studies in Communication," at the National Communication Association (NCA) Scholars Seminar. The second, "Politics on Your Plate: Building and Burning Bridges across Organic, Vegetarian and Vegan Discourse" will be presented at NCA's Annual Meeting in San Francisco.

Steve Hackett, Economics

This summer Professor Steve Hackett completed the 4th edition of his textbook, titled "Environmental and Natural Resources Economics: Theory, Policy, and the Sustainable Society" (M.E. Sharpe). He has also been directing economic research on renewable energy (including wave energy) in collaboration with the Schatz Energy Research Center and the Redwood Coast Energy Authority. His funded research has employed five graduate and undergraduate student research assistants.

Sharon N. Kahara, Wildlife

Public lecture at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center during their "Celebrating American Wetlands Month" on May 20th 2010. Title of the talk was "Marsh Crowdsourcing! What you get when you cross wetlands, citizen scientists and cell phones".
The talk focused on the importance of monitoring wetland restoration projects and the pros and cons of citizen science data collection as a viable means to do this. Newer, more efficient public data collection methods are becoming available.

Mark A. Colwell, Wildlife

In October 2010, UC Press will publish Shorebird Ecology, Conservation, and Management, a text-referenced book authored by Mark Colwell of HSU’s Wildlife Department. The book is based on the course that Colwell has taught for 21 years at HSU and draws on his 30 years of research and management of shorebirds in North America.
See: http://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520266407

Matt Johnson, Brent Campos, Vitek Jirinec, Steve Railsback, Wildlife

Wildlife professor Matt Johnson delivered an oral presentation at the International Ornithological Congress held in Brazil in August 2010. The presentation was co-authored by wildlife students Brent Campos and Vitek Jirinec, and Math adjunct faculty Steve Railsback. Their research involves modeling how bird movements across a landscape may influence the provisioning of ecosystem services in agricultural settings.

Ryan Kalinowski, Matt Johnson, Wildlife

Wildlife undergraduate student Ryan Kalinowski published his Honor's Thesis in the international ornithological journal, The Condor. His thesis and paper is entitled, "Influence of Suburban Habitat on A Wintering Bird Community in Coastal Northern California" and appears in the Vol 112, pages 272-284. His advisor Matt Johnson is a second author. Ryan is now a graduate student in the Natural Resources-Wildlife program.