CA&S Today Saint Joseph’s University
Criminal Justice and Public Safety Institute Benefits Emergency Responders
Spring 2009
College of Arts and Sciences
College of Arts and Sciences Dean William Madges, Ph.D.
Latin American Studies, Director Richard Warren, Ph.D.
Associate Deans Paul Aspan, Ph.D. Nancy Fox, Ph.D. Michael McCann, Ph.D. ’87
Mathematics and Computer Science, Chair David Hecker, Ph.D.
Actuarial Science, Director Richard A. Cavaliere, Ph.D.
Medieval/Renaissance/Reformation Studies, Director Alison Lewin, Ph.D.
Aerospace Studies (AFROTC), Chair Lt. Col. Joan Y. Fourniere
Philosophy, Chair Julie M. McDonald, Ph.D.
American Studies, Director Jeffrey Hyson, Ph.D.
Physics, Chair Paul Angiolillo, Ph.D.
Ancient Studies, Director Andrew Payne, Ph.D.
Political Science, Chair Lisa Baglione, Ph.D.
Asian Studies, Director David Carpenter, Ph.D.
Psychology, Chair Donald Leitner, Ph.D.
Biology, Chair Karen Snetselaar, Ph.D.
Sociology, Chair Raquel Kennedy-Bergen, Ph.D. ’89
Chemistry, Chair Roger K. Murray, Ph.D.
Theology, Chair Shawn Madison Krahmer, Ph.D.
Classics, Chair Maria S. Marsilio, Ph.D.
GRADUATE PROGRAMS
Criminal Justice, Director Raquel Kennedy-Bergen, Ph.D. ’89 Economics, Chair George A. Prendergast, Ph.D. Education, Chair Jeanne F. Brady, Ph.D. English, Chair Jo Alyson Parker, Ph.D. Environmental Science, Director Jean Smolen, Ph.D. European and French Studies, Director Thomas J. Donahue, Ph.D. Faith-Justice Institute, Director Virginia Goulding Johnson, Ph.D. Fine and Performing Arts, Acting Chair Renee Dobson, M.F.A.
Associate Dean Sabrina DeTurk, Ph.D. Biology, Director James Watrous, Ph.D. Computer Science, Director Jonathan Hodgson, Ph.D. Criminal Justice, Director Patricia Griffin, M.S. ’81 Education, Director Encarna Rodriguez, Ph.D. Environmental Protection and Safety Management, Director Patricia Griffin, M.S. ’81 Gerontological Services, Director Catherine Murray, Ph.D. Health Administration, Director Nakai G. Henderson, M.S. ’06
Foreign Languages and Literatures, Chair Maria S. Marsilio, Ph.D.
Health Education, Director Nakai G. Henderson, M.S. ’06
Gender Studies, Director Ann E. Green, Ph.D.
Nurse Anesthesia, Directors John J. Newhouse, Ed.D. Joan Woods, C.R.N.A., M.S.Ed.
History, Chair Katherine A.S. Sibley, Ph.D. Honors Program, Director Maria S. Marsilio, Ph.D. Interdisciplinary Health Care Ethics, Director Peter A. Clark, S.J. ’75 Interdisciplinary Health Services, Chair Sara Black, Ph.D. International Relations, Director Nancy Fox, Ph.D.
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Psychology, Director Jodi Mindell, Ph.D.
Letter from the Dean The College of Arts and Sciences at Saint Joseph’s University places a real emphasis on the value of a liberal arts education. That emphasis, the way I see it, couldn’t be more important in our changing and shrinking world. A businessman or woman who can’t acclimate to his or her diverse workplace or who can’t decipher propaganda in rhetoric is not in a position to be most effective at his/her job. We live in a global society and without understanding different cultures, religions, economies and traditions, we cannot function as global players. In this issue of CA&S Today, you’ll learn about University initiatives to strengthen relations among Jews and Catholics, to bring experts together to discuss environmental issues in Asia, and to extend learning beyond the traditional classroom to real-life laboratories and virtual worlds. The cover story announces a new effort to fuse two long-standing programs in criminal justice and public safety under one institute. The result: a more collaborative approach to law enforcement and response. People are multidimensional. We have intellectual, spiritual, moral and aesthetic sides to our personalities. The humanities open up all dimensions of the human person and, in doing so, inspire people who will pursue learning throughout life. As Yeats said, “Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.” What is perhaps most fulfilling about my position as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences is the opportunity afforded me every day to learn from my colleagues and our students. It is, after all, why I chose this profession and why Saint Joseph’s University is such a perfect place to be both an educator and a life-long learner.
Public Safety Management, Director Patricia Griffin, M.S. ’81 Training and Organizational Development, Director Thomas N. Tavantzis, Ph.D. Writing Studies, Director Ann E. Green, Ph.D.
William Madges, Ph.D., Dean On the cover: Lieutenant John W. Dougherty ’09 and Chief Fire Officer Charles J. McGarvey, Sr. ’08 apply their graduate studies in the field every day, working together to protect the Township of Lower Merion in Pennsylvania.
New SJU Institute Strengthens Criminal Justice and Public Safety Initiatives When 9/11 Commission member John F. Lehman ’64 (B.S.), Ph.D., visited Saint Joseph’s University in September 2005 to discuss the Commission’s findings from the September 11 attacks, he strongly urged his audience to take action. “We must do something with a unity of purpose, we must be prepared and we must prevent something like this from ever happening again,” he warned. “We don’t have time to chew on the problem. We need to focus our efforts now. There are very manageable things we can do, and if we take a stand, we will prevail.” Patricia Griffin ’81 (B.S.), the director of the graduate criminal justice program at the time, was in attendance and felt as though Lehman was personally calling on her to take initiative. Pooling University resources in the spirit of collaboration and exigency, Griffin has helped Saint Joseph’s create the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Institute, which now will house its graduate programs in criminal justice, public safety management, homeland security and environmental protection and safety management. “After Lehman’s poignant address, we looked at the strengths of these graduate programs, while assessing the needs of law enforcement and public safety entities in the 21st century, and realized we had the resources to do something significant,” said Griffin, the director of the new Institute. Since their inception in 1980, the criminal justice and public safety programs have developed a solid reputation within the law enforcement and public safety communities. Housed in the College of Arts and Sciences, the master’s in criminal justice degree has expanded over the years to address the evolving face of legal and law enforcement issues by developing a curriculum that emphasizes research and theory. Former Director Vincent McNally Jr., Ph.D. ’71 (B.A.), originally created the graduate public safety management program and the graduate environmental protection and safety management program — both housed in the former Public Safety & Environmental Protection Institute — to teach emergency professionals to be more resourceful managers. McNally believed that, in addition to being physically capable of handling a disaster, they should also be better equipped to administer incident response and even work to prevent future catastrophes. “The public safety program serves the educational needs of professionals directly involved in protecting lives, property and the physical environment in our society,” McNally said. This approach will round out the Institute’s curriculum by introducing criminal justice students, who may have more of a criminology/sociology background, to crisis management methods.
Joan Fabrizio ’01 (B.A.), ’07 (M.S.), the Institute’s administrator, said, “The September 11 attacks brought to light that the U.S. is vulnerable to terrorism. Our graduate public safety program focuses on teaching all emergency responders how to cooperate and manage not only homeland security, but all other emergencies.” Griffin added, “As a preeminent Jesuit university, everything we do is mission-driven by cura personalis, magis and transformative social justice. Our curriculum provides the most comprehensive, diverse learning environment and meets the needs of each individual.” She noted, “The Institute will continue to support scholarly research, host symposia, and maintain a long-standing tradition of providing prevention efforts and outreach in the community.” Now housed in the University’s sociology department and backed by a diverse faculty with extensive professional experience, the Institute seeks to further advance SJU’s strong reputation and track record in both areas. Griffin explained, “By merging these programs under the Institute, students will benefit from choosing electives to augment their understanding of the multiple facets of the criminal justice and public safety fields.” “I think it’s a great idea to unite the programs, since there is a commonality between both subjects,” said Jack Maxwell ’90 (M.S.), adjunct professor of criminal justice at SJU and a retired Philadelphia Police Department chief of detectives. “I think this will become a premier program under Griffin’s leadership. She’s dedicated to keeping it up-to-date, relevant and intrinsically tied to the University’s mission.” “My time at Saint Joseph’s was among the most positive experiences in my entire public safety career,” said Tom Sullivan ’95 (M.S.), the director of public safety for Montgomery County, Pa. “I’m happy to see these two programs come together; there’s the potential for some real synergy in both fields.” Among its present initiatives, the Institute will offer courses in the areas of addictions, alternative dispute resolution, behavior analysis, homeland security, fire safety management, federal law enforcement, intelligence and crime analysis, police executive management and restorative justice. In addition to the potential for growth in these highdemand fields, the Institute is working to expand its online course offerings and certificate programs as well. Courses are offered at the main Philadelphia campus, the Montgomery County Intermediate Unit, the Philadelphia Police Academy and Ursinus College in Collegeville, Pa. The Institute is currently pursuing opportunities in Bucks County as well. — Sarah (Whelehon) Hennessey ’07 (M.A.) Spring 2009 |
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New Minors Connect Arts and Sciences with Business
Institute of Catholic Bioethics Launches Master’s Program
For an individual with a passion for music, refining an artistic talent can supersede any inclination to develop strategic business skills. The same could be said of a writer or videographer. While struggling to think of words or images to express a thought or idea, these individuals may let creativity prevail over business sense. The objective of two new minors at SJU is to bridge these areas of study in the College of Arts and Sciences (CA&S) with business fundamentals offered by the University’s Erivan K. Haub School of Business (HSB). The University has approved a music industry minor and a minor in communication studies for integration into the curriculum beginning in fall 2009. The music industry minor was developed to meet the growing needs in both schools for students who are interested in careers in this field. The minor will provide fine and performing arts majors with the business and legal knowledge necessary for professional success. “There is no question that the new music industry minor will be attractive to music students,” said Suzanne Sorkin, Ph.D., assistant professor of performing arts. “The curriculum is a great meld of creative coursework in music theory and composition with practical classes in music entertainment and marketing.” Likewise, the minor will benefit HSB entertainment marketing majors by giving them a greater understanding and appreciation of music. “The minor provides the business marketing student with an appreciation of the creative process that will allow them to market it in such a way that would be difficult without this behind-the-curtain knowledge,” said David Allan, Ph.D. ’98 (M.B.A.), assistant professor of marketing. Music industry minors will gain hands-on industry experience prior to graduation by working with the University’s record label. “The minor provides the coursework, and the record label is the lab,” said Allan, who advises the studentrun label. The minor in communication studies was designed for students interested in public relations, advertising, print and broadcast journalism, convergent media, technical writing, business writing, writing for the Web and digital media production. The minor is grounded by three core courses: Communication, Theory and Practice; Ethics and Communication and a Communication Internship. Students will select three additional courses in marketing, English, fine and performing arts, linguistics, philosophy and/or theology. According to Jenny Spinner, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, the best feature of this program is its emphasis on ethics and social justice. “It’s something we felt was important to the mission of the University, and it will set our program apart from other communications programs,” said Spinner.
A new graduate program at Saint Joseph’s will respond to growing concerns about ethical medicine in today’s world. The master of arts in health care ethics, housed in the Institute of Catholic Bioethics, is designed for individuals involved in the health care field in any capacity. Current and future health care professionals, as well as those who hold institutional positions in hospitals, nursing homes or medical organizations will have the opportunity to engage in the ongoing dialogue about the role of ethics in medical decision-making. Recruitment for the program is in progress, and classes will begin in September 2009. “Our master’s program provides a solid foundation in the theoretical aspects of health care ethics and allows students to apply course work in a clinical setting,” said Mark Aita, S.J., director of the program. The Institute of Catholic Bioethics has a constituency that includes professionals in health care, especially in Philadelphia. “I believe there is a real need and demand in the Philadelphia area for professional training in health care ethics,” said Peter Clark, S.J. ’75 (B.A.), professor of theology and director of the Institute. “The Saint Joseph’s master of arts in health care ethics will address this critical need and demand in both Catholic and secular hospitals.” The program will offer courses relevant to issues in modern health care, including “Aging in America,” “Health Education in HIV/AIDS,” and “Social Justice and Bioethics.” Graduates will have the opportunity to extend this concern for ethics into the practical realm of health care. To learn more about the program, contact Terri O’Doherty at 610-660-3425, or via email at todohert@sju.edu.
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Mathew Mathew, M.D. is assistant chief medical officer at Mercy Catholic Medical Center in Philadelphia. He also serves on the advisory board for the Institute of Catholic Bioethics and collaborates on research.
Asian Studies Program Sponsors Conference on Asia’s Eco Plight
Nealis ’69, McGinty ’85 and Carpenter
“Asia and the Environment,” a two-day interdisciplinary conference, brought experts in the environmental challenges facing Asia’s rising powers — India and China — to campus March 20-21, 2009. Sponsored by Saint Joseph’s University’s Bernadette B. and James J. Nealis III ’69 Program in Asian Studies, the conference was free and open to the public. The Honorable Kathleen A. McGinty ’85 (B.S.), former secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) and current secretary of SJU’s Board of Trustees, delivered the keynote address — “Asia, the Environment and Us” — which outlined why the
West has a vital stake in the success of India’s and China’s environments and economies. Conference organizer David Carpenter, Ph.D., director of the Asian studies program and associate professor of the history of religions at Saint Joseph’s, said that the success or failure of attempts to deal with global environmental problems may well be decided in Asia, where unprecedented economic growth has in turn been matched by unprecedented environmental devastation. “This conference brought together experts on India and China to discuss some of the most pressing environmental issues that impact the future of Asia and the world,” added Carpenter.
New Leadership for Institute for Jewish-Catholic Relations Philip A. Cunningham, Ph.D., a leader in Jewish-Christian relations, has been appointed director of the Institute for JewishCatholic Relations (IJCR, formerly known as the Jewish-Catholic Institute.) He succeeds founding director Donald G. Clifford, S.J., who guided the Institute for four decades, and who will continue his association with the IJCR as director emeritus. Cunningham began his tenure as a full-time professor of theology in August 2008. His faculty appointment has enabled him to enlarge the scope of the IJCR. “I am delighted that SJU has chosen to intensify its decades-long commitment to Jewish-Catholic relations by establishing the IJCR’s directorship as a theology faculty appointment,” Cunningham said. “The Jewish-Catholic dialogue has matured to the point that each community is recognizing its own theological self-understanding is affected by its relationship to the other. The resources of Catholic universities are needed in this regard now more than ever, and the IJCR will make a vital contribution to this effort.” During the 2008-09 academic year, Cunningham brought innovative interreligious programming to SJU. Rev. Dr. Hanspeter Heinz, a prominent German Catholic priest, author and scholar, spoke on “Jewish-Catholic Relations in Germany in 2008” in December. In February, the IJCR held a panel discussion on Pope Benedict XVI’s lifting of the excommunications of four bishops ordained in 1988 by the founder of the Society of Saint Pius X, an organization that rejects Vatican II’s ecumenical outreach. Other programming included “Religion, Politics and Moral Decision-Making” in September 2008, and in January 2009, the Institute held a public dialogue surrounding “Contemporary Questions about Covenants and Conversion.”
Cunningham, (center) with panel participants Rev. Msgr. Michael J. Carroll, director of the Office of Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs, Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and (right), Rabbi Alan Iser, executive committee, Philadelphia Board of Rabbis.
Cunningham is a member of the Advisory Committee on Catholic-Jewish Relations for the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, and has served as a delegate for the Vatican at international conferences about Catholic-Jewish relations. He is the author of numerous books, scholarly articles and professional papers, and is the founding executive director of the Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College, in Chestnut Hill, Mass. Cunningham also maintains, in collaboration with the Council of Centers on Jewish-Christian Relations, DIALOGIKA, an online library that chronicles the evolving conversation and relationship between the Christian and Jewish communities. DIALOGIKA provides a comprehensive cyber-archive of official statements, historic documents, educational resources and current information.
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NSF Grant to Enhance Microscopy The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded SJU $413,000 to fund the purchase of a laser scanning confocal microscope and live cell observation chamber. The microscope will be used for faculty research and the research training of biology master’s students and advanced undergraduate students in biology and physics. “Saint Joseph’s has offered exceptionally good microscopy training to undergraduate students for many years, and this equipment will build on that tradition,” said Karen Snetselaar, Ph.D., chair and professor of biology, who is principal investigator of the grant. Confocal microscopy increases the ability to visualize thick specimens by eliminating out-of-focus or blurry information that is a by-product of standard wide-field fluorescence microscopes, which flood the entire specimen in light. This “flood-light” illumination creates a large amount of visual static that can obscure important information. A confocal microscope uses a pinhole and precise point illumination (laser) that removes the extraneous information and digitally scans the specimen to reveal a much sharper, hyper-focused image of the molecular material. A computer then creates a 3-D image of the specimen. Biology majors Matthew Kongkatong ’10 and Jacquelyn Cortes ’11 work with the microscope.
Howard Hughes Medical Institu Grants $1 Million for Science Education Howard Hughes Medical Institute (HHMI), the nation’s largest private supporter of science education, has awarded SJU $1 million to fund multiple initiatives in the biology and physics departments. The initiatives include interdisciplinary efforts between the two departments, undergraduate student research, faculty, curriculum and laboratory development and outreach programs. “This award will help us support many initiatives, including the integration of biology and physics education, so our students can understand and address the challenges and questions they will face as scientists of the future,” said Christina King Smith, Ph.D., professor of biology and program director. Faculty members of both departments will develop new courses in biophysics and biomechanics. Existing courses in biology and physics will be modified to enhance this integration. To facilitate collaboration between the two departments, a tenure track faculty position in biophysics will be created. “The expertise this new hire brings will be augmented by our visiting scholars program and a teaching postdoctoral fellow position, because both programs will be broadened to include biophysics,” added King-Smith. In 1993, HHMI awarded the biology department $500,000 for a faculty-mentored student research program — SJU Summer Scholars — that has since been institutionalized across the University. The SJU Summer Scholars program is a hallmark
Invites Participation in Innovative Research Program Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science Education Alliance (HHMI-SEA) announced that SJU’s biology department was chosen to join the second cohort of universities and colleges teaching genomics to freshman students through an innovative research program. Beginning in fall 2009, one class will engage in authentic inquiry-based study of genomes — also commonly known as genomics — rather than perform conventional “cookbook-type” experiments. A genome is a complete set of DNA or hereditary material in an organism or virus. Christina King Smith, Ph.D., professor of biology, and Julia Lee, Ph.D., assistant professor of biology, will team-teach the yearlong course. Both professors anticipate that the experience will immerse students in the uncharted nano-territory of bacteriophages, which are constantly evolving viruses that attack bacteria, are abundant in the environment and are miniscule in size. “Our students will contribute to the body of scientific knowledge about mycobacterium (tuberculosis) phages, and they may have the opportunity to present their findings in professional venues,” said King Smith. Students will become “phage finders” in the fall by collecting soil samples from the environs of Saint Joseph’s. They will isolate, purify and characterize the bacteriophages of nondisease-causing mycobacterium by using a variety of techniques,
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ute Supports Science at SJU: of excellence in undergraduate education at Saint Joseph’s, and the HHMI grant will support increased funding for student stipends and research supplies. “We will also recruit undergraduate student researchers from nearby Lincoln University to participate in our Summer Scholars program, which will broaden student access to science,” said King-Smith. The grant will also support the existing biology department outreach program GeoKids LINKS (Learning Involving Neighborhoods, Kids and Science), which allows both undergraduate and M.S. biology students to work with elementary students, teachers and educational specialists of the Wagner Free Institute of Science in Philadelphia.
Hall
Professor’s Music Research Takes a New Shape
Above, King Smith and Lee will team-teach course. Right, Bacteriophage collected from the environs of the Science Center.
including electron microscopy and DNA analysis. At the end of the semester, a purified DNA sample will be sent to the Joint Genome Institute–Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico for sequencing. During the spring semester, students will download the genome sequence from the National Laboratory and will use bioinformatics tools to annotate its DNA. They will also have the opportunity to name the fully sequenced and decoded phage.
From the Greek astronomer Pythagoras’ theory of “the music of the spheres” to the concept of using colored lights to present songs to a deaf audience, the idea that we can “see” music or associate physical properties to it has been around for centuries. According to research supported by Saint Joseph’s University mathematician Rachel Hall, Ph.D., that idea may not be far from the truth, and geometric delineation of music isn’t as counterintuitive as some may think. In a recent article in Science magazine, Hall expands on research by scientists from Florida State, Yale and Princeton universities that combines a large number of geometric theories that already exist and identifies techniques for exploring musical theory that had not previously been seen. “[This new research] showed that even very basic musical relationships — the kind one learns in an undergraduate music theory class — have complex mathematical implications,” Hall said in an interview. “They used geometry to represent these relationships, and it turns out that the geometry is quite unusual. It’s similar to some of the models physicists use.” In simpler terms, by mapping notes and chords to points in a geometrical space, researchers can better describe how composers combine melody and harmony to produce coherent music. One of the most exciting outcomes from this research could be the development of new instruments, according to Hall. “This type of geometry actually appears in some instruments that have been around for a while,” she said. “Studying the geometry could allow us to create new ones. For now, it will be extremely useful in teaching music theory and composition.”
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Professor Receives Fellowship for Work in Denmark, Germany Professor of Philosophy Vincent A. McCarthy, Ph.D., former provost and dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, spent the fall 2008 semester on sabbatical. With the support of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation of Bonn, Germany, McCarthy was a senior research fellow on the philosophy faculty at the Humboldt University of Berlin. At the same time he was a senior research fellow at the Kierkegaard Research Center of the University of Cøpenhagen. During his sabbatical, McCarthy — who has published widely on the father of Existentialism, Danish philosopher
Søren Kierkegaard — worked on a book about Kierkegaard’s psychological thought. His previous book, The Phenomenology of Moods in Kierkegaard, was written in the late ’70s when he was also a von Humboldt fellow in philosophy and theology at the University of Tübingen in Germany. To facilitate his research, McCarthy traveled between Berlin and Cøpenhagen, but was based in Berlin. “Kierkegaard traveled between Berlin and Cøpenhagen in 1841, and accomplished some of his best work in this way, so it’s a travel route worth imitating,” noted McCarthy.
McCarthy
Filmmaker Awarded Fulbright Grant to Teach in Africa
Albright
Award-winning filmmaker Deron Albright, M.F.A., associate professor of fine and performing arts, has spent the 2008-09 academic year as a Fulbright Scholar in Ghana, West Africa. According to Albright, “Ghana and West Africa are central to my work for
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several reasons, but at the heart of the matter is the idea of exchange — what the Fulbright commission calls ‘mutual understanding and benefit.’” “Despite — or because of — the abundant American imagery available in Africa, a lack of fundamental knowledge
about the two worlds traverses the Atlantic Ocean in both directions,” said Albright. He has designed his lecture curriculum and creative research project, “African Home,” to address this lack of understanding. “African Home” is a multimedia event that follows a day in the life of a male character named Kojo. The project will be produced as an interactive DVD for distribution and community/festival screening. Through courses in popular American cinema, television studies and film/media production at his host institutions — the University of Ghana, Legon, and the National Film and Television Institute (NAFTI) — Albright is engaging Ghanaian undergraduate students in the creation and production of their own stories and collaborative work, while they study how images have shaped their perception of America. Additionally, Albright will produce the feature film “Bodom, The Stray Dog,” with screenplay by Ghanian Yao Bunu Nunoo, which is built upon the framework of Akira Kurosawa’s 1949 masterpiece “Nora inu” (“Stray Dog”). “Bodom” will target the 2010 festival circuit and subsequent international distribution.
Institute Hits the Streets to End Silence Surrounding Crime Philadelphia, like other American cities, has seen an epidemic of violence. Last year 392 homicides were recorded, and nearly half — 49 percent — remain unsolved. It can be hard to imagine, but young people who live in crime-infested neighborhoods and witness violence every day are often the last to report those crimes to police. Saint Joseph’s University’s Institute for Violence Research and Prevention (IVRP) attributes this to a cultural mindset known as the “Stop Snitching” phenomenon, which was first recognized in 2004 and threatens violence to would-be informants. Armed with a $67,000 grant through the Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Program, the IVRP is taking to the streets — quite literally — to seek a greater understanding of how youth in medium-to high-crime neighborhoods in Philadelphia perceive and interact with law enforcement. “We need to understand and adopt the most effective means of response to this growing epidemic of violence,” said Maria Kefalas, Ph.D., director of the IVRP and associate professor of sociology. “To accomplish this, we must explore new approaches to public safety while opening the lines of communication between vulnerable youth and those law enforcement officials and policymakers charged with protecting them.” Researchers contacted social services and began collecting interviews this past summer, talking to young people, ages 14 to 24, on street corners in high-crime Philadelphia neighborhoods. According to Kefalas, the basic idea is to see youth as a resource for anti-violence initiatives
rather than as a cause of the problem. The IVRP is looking to answer a number of questions through the interviews: are young people in these neighborhoods alienated from the police? How much legitimacy does the criminal justice system have in these areas? What does “Stop Snitching” mean to young people? How does the “Stop Snitching” message permeate Kefalas these neighborhoods? Kefalas and her team believe that authorities lack the data to evaluate and address the “Stop Snitching” phenomenon, and therefore will benefit from the research findings. Another phase of the project involves bringing these results to the Philadelphia Police Department, City Hall and community groups in the form of a summit, to be held sometime this fall. “What we know is that young people who grow up under these conditions all too often espouse an oppositional stance to police and the legal system throughout their lives,” said Kefalas. “If we start with this demographic, hopefully we can build trust and open communication for future generations.” The Edward Byrne Memorial State and Local Law Enforcement Assistance Grant Program (Byrne Formula Grant Program) is a partnership among federal, state and local governments to create safer communities. The grant is named for Officer Byrne, a New York City police officer killed while protecting a witness.
Distance Learning Center Awarded $795K in Federal Funds It’s one thing to sit in class or read from an instruction manual and quite another to actually apply that knowledge. This is especially true for the millions of Americans serving on our many emergency response teams. Saint Joseph’s University’s Early Responders Distance Learning Center (ERDLC) understands that distinction, and has worked closely with the federal government on a number of projects aimed at providing state-of-the-art and accredited training for the nation’s emergency response personnel. Most recently, the ERDLC was awarded $795,000 from the Technical Support Working Group, a national interagency program for counterterrorism, to bring port security to the virtual world through a simulated learning environment. Users of the simulation will approach it in much the same way as they would a video game, in first person as characters, driving the unfolding scenario. For example, users will explore a simulated port environment, encounter suspicious persons, engage them in a line of questioning, determine their level of risk and either apprehend the individuals or send them on their way. A built-in scoring system will track each decision point in the game and determine the user’s level of success. “Simulated learning environments allow users to replicate real world scenarios without the real world consequences,”
said Paul DeVito, Ph.D., executive director of ERDLC and SJU associate provost. “Additionally, they allow users to experience situations that would otherwise be too costly, too risky, or nearly impossible to achieve in a real world environment.” Users of the simulation will run the gamut from military, security and law enforcement personnel to the general emergency response community. According to Brian McCauley, senior director of business operations and development for ERDLC, it’s important to make the training accessible to these many layers. “Our current security environment assumes that all U.S. forces are vulnerable to attack,” he explained. “In the event of a real emergency, personnel within and outside the port industry will need to respond. It’s imperative that we take a cross-agency approach.” The ERDLC creates and administers accredited Webbased training for the emergency response community on preparing for weapons of mass destruction and terrorist incidents with a specialized focus on psychological consequences. In the past five years, ERDLC has developed online courses that focus on port security, food security and combating agro-terrorism.
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SJU Debuts Online Learning for Professionals As the economy continues to struggle, people in every walk of life are doing everything possible to build as much job security as they can. Thanks to a new set of online programs from Saint Joseph’s University, professionals in several fields can do just that starting this month, with the launch of SJU Professional. SJU Professional (www.sjuprofessional.com) offers online certification for degree-holding adults who are interested in adding credentials to their line of work or learning relevant skills for a new career. The site debuts with classes in crisis management, purchasing certification and project management, and will soon expand to offer courses from various disciplines. “The site is geared toward career enhancers and career changers,” said Paul DeVito, Ph.D., associate provost at SJU. “The typical user already has a degree, but is looking to make him or herself more employable.” The concept of not-for-credit programming is not new to SJU — classes have been offered through University College and the Early Responders Distance Learning Center for years — but the online component, according to DeVito, is bringing SJU into a market already occupied by several of its peers. “Students who choose SJU Professional will encounter a truly virtual classroom experience,” DeVito said. “Instead of a class run by a computer, our programs feature a facilitator who will interact with students.” He added that class participants will also have the opportunity to interact with each other online. The programs will tap both on-campus teachers and non-
+ Saint Joseph’s University Saint Joseph’s University offers online degree programs in education, business, and criminal justice.
faculty experts to act as facilitators. Future classes in medical coding and pharmaceutical technologies, for example, will utilize existing partnerships between the University and authorities in those fields. Programs in sport management and certified financial planning are also being planned through the expertise of SJU faculty. The use of online programming is beneficial both to the student and the University, according to DeVito. “Professionals who enroll in online programs can take classes from anywhere in the world, and they learn from an expert and receive the advantage of a certificate from Saint Joseph’s,” he said. “Meanwhile, the University is able to reach constituents that we are normally unable to reach.”
Online Master’s Degree in Special Education Offers Coveted Certification Students in Saint Joseph’s University’s Online Special Education: Response to Intervention Program will have the opportunity to earn certification as Wilson Reading System® teachers, a highly respected credential for teachers who instruct students with language-based learning disabilities, such as dyslexia. The University’s partnership with Wilson Language Training Corporation marks the first time the certification will be available in an online format, as part of a master’s degree. “SJU’s collaboration with Wilson is an exciting enhancement to our special education program and a testament to the quality of our teacher preparation programs,” said Cathy Spinelli, Ph.D., professor of education and director of special education programs. “The online master’s degree is only in its first year and enrollment is high. We’re thrilled to be able to offer this option to our students in such a convenient format.”
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Since its launch in 1986, more than 10,000 educators have become certified in the Wilson Reading System®, designed to bolster training for teachers assisting students with reading challenges from grade two through adult. The integrated Webcam practicum introduced through Saint Joseph’s University allows teachers to have their lessons observed while receiving simultaneous feedback from a professor. “We have seen a significant increase in the number of students identified with reading disabilities in recent years. School administrators tell us that parents want their schools to provide the Wilson Reading Program,” explained Spinelli. “Some students don’t learn the way we typically teach. Many students with reading disorders, even non-readers, benefit from the systematic instructional approach provided by the Wilson Reading System®.”
Journal/Research Highlights Concha Alborg, Ph.D., professor of foreign languages and literatures, “Todas las direcciones apuntan al amor,” a prologue to Rosa Nautica. F. Betul Atalay, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, Proceedings of International Meshing Roundtable 2008.
George J. Grevera, Ph.D., assistant professor of computer science, Proceedings of SPIE Medical Imaging. Joseph Godfrey, S.J., associate professor of philosophy, A Cosmopolitan Hermit: The Bridging of Tradition and Modernity in the Philosophy of Josef Pieper, anthology edited by Bernard N. Schumacher.
Tetyana Berezovski, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics and computer sciences, An Inquiry into High School Students’ Understanding of Logarithms.
Rachel W. Hall, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics, Science, Proceedings of Bridges, Math Horizons.
Gerald J. Beyer, Ph.D., assistant professor of theology, Journal of Catholic Social Thought.
Benjamin H. Liebman, Ph.D., associate professor of economics, Journal of Law and Economics.
Sara Black, Ph.D., assistant professor of health services, Journal of Adolescent Research, Family Violence Prevention Health Practice.
April Lindner, Ph.D., associate professor of English, Born Magazine, The Cincinnati Review, Mad Poets Review, Valparaiso Poetry Review.
James Boettcher, Ph.D., associate professor of philosophy, Metaphilosophy, Philosophy and Social Criticism.
Maria S. Marsilio, Ph.D., associate professor and chair of foreign languages and director of the classics and honors programs, Latomus.
Peter Clark, S.J. ’75, professor of theology and director of the Institute of Catholic Bioethics, The Internet Journal of Health, Christian Bioethics, Journal of Law, Medicine and Ethics.
John J. McCall, Ph.D., professor of philosophy and management and director of the Pedro Arrupe Center for Business Ethics, Handbook of Business Ethics.
Joseph Corabi, Ph.D., assistant professor of philosophy, Religious Studies, Journal of Consciousness Studies. Thomas J. Donahue, Ph.D., professor of French, Jacques Copeau’s Friends and Disciples: The Théâtre du VieuxColombier in New York City, 1917-1919 (Peter Lang Publishing). George W. Dowdall, Ph.D., professor of sociology, College Drinking: Reframing a Social Problem (Praeger Publishers, 2009). Sylvia Forman, Ph.D., associate professor of mathematics, PRIMUS (Problems, Resources, and Issues in Mathematics Undergraduate Studies). Amina Gautier, Ph.D., assistant professor of English, Tampa Review. Peter Graham, Ph.D., assistant professor of chemistry, Organometallics.
Scott M. McRobert, Ph.D., professor of biology, Ethology, Behavioural Processes.
Rommel G. Regis, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics and computer science, SIAM Journal on Scientific Computing. Encarna Rodriguez, Ph.D., associate professor of education, The Journal of Curriculum Theorizing. Philip Schatz, Ph.D., professor of psychology, chapters in: Favorite Activities for the Teaching of Psychology and Handbook for the Assessment of Driving Capacity. Samuel Smith, Ph.D., professor of mathematics and computer science, Mathematical Proceedings of the Cambridge Philosophical Society, Pi Mu Epsilon Journal. David R. Sorensen, Ph.D., professor of English, Carlyle Society Papers, New Versions of Pastoral: Post-Romantic, Modern, and Contemporary Responses to the Tradition. Kristopher Tapp, Ph.D., assistant professor of mathematics, Proceedings of the American Mathematics Society. John Tudor, Ph.D., professor of biology, Applied and Environmental Microbiology. Aubrey Wang, Ph.D., assistant professor of education, US-China Review.
Randall M. Miller, Ph.D., professor of history, Library Journal, Pennsylvania History. Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D., professor of psychology, Annals of the Academy of Medicine Singapore, Behavioral Sleep Medicine. Peter Norberg, Ph.D., associate professor of English, Leviathan: A Journal of Melville Studies. Robert Palestini, Ed.D. ’63, ’67, associate professor of education, A Game Plan for Effective Leadership: Lessons from 10 successful coaches in moving from theory to practice (Rowman & Littlefield) and Catholic School Administration: Theory, practice, leadership, 2nd edition (Pro-Active Publications).
CA&S Today Editor Kelly Welsh ’05 (M.A.) Managing Editor Harriet Goodheart Design Carol McLaughlin ’80 Photography Melissa Kelly Contributors Patricia Allen Kelly Farber ’09 Jeffrey Martin ’04, ’05 Carolyn Steigleman Sarah (Whelehon) Hennessey, M.A. ’07
Spring 2009 |
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Newsmakers College of Arts and Sciences faculty have contributed their expertise to stories appearing in the following media outlets: Argus Leader The Arizona Republic Associated Press The Boston Globe BusinessWeek Catholic Star Herald CBS “The Early Show” Centre Daily Times Chambersburg Public Opinion The Chronicle of Higher Education Cincinnati Enquirer Citypaper Columbus Dispatch
The Courier Courier-Post CNN.com Daily Indian (California) Daily Record Daily Tech Democrat and Chronicle The Evening Bulletin The Examiner Flagstaff Today Investor’s Business Daily Kansas City Infozine News KYW Newsradio 1060AM Lebanon Daily News
Massage Magazine The Modesto Bee Monterey County Herald Mother Nature Network MSNBC National Post NBC “The Today Show” Online The News Journal (Wilmington) New Scientist, Cell New York Times NPR Philadelphia Daily News
The Philadelphia Inquirer Philadelphia Metro Politico The Seattle Times Springfield News-Leader The Tennessean The Thubodaux Daily Comet U.S. News & World Report USA Today The Virginia Engineer Wayne Suburban WDEL-1150 WTFX-29FOX Yahoo!
Faculty members who have been seen and heard in the news include: Sara Black, Ph.D. David H. Burton, Ph.D. James Carter, Ph.D. Judy Chapman, Ph.D. Peter Clark, S.J. ’75 Philip A. Cunningham, Ph.D. Joseph J. Feeney, S.J. Piotr Habdas, Ph.D.
Emily Hage, Ph.D. Eric Hoffman, Ph.D. Jeffrey Hyson, Ph.D. Susan Jackson, M.S. Maria Kefalas, Ph.D. Francis Graham Lee, Ph.D. Benjamin Liebman, Ph.D.
John J. McCall, Ph.D. Michael McCann, Ph.D. Scott M. McRobert, Ph.D. Randall M. Miller, Ph.D. Jodi A. Mindell, Ph.D. Jack Newhouse, Ph.D. Robert Palestini, Ph.D. ’63, ’67
Cristian Pardo, Ph.D. Elaine Shenk, Ph.D. Katherine Sibley, Ph.D. Karen Snetselaar, Ph.D. Clint Springer, Ph.D. John Tudor, Ph.D. Umeyye Isra Yazicioglu, Ph.D.