FALL ’20
U OF I DELIVERS IN PANDEMIC
THAT MOMENT BETWEEN MAKING A GRADE AND MAKING AN IMPACT.
At University of Idaho, a breakthrough can happen at any point. Some are expected. Most are not. From research to exploration, stargazing to startups. Yours is out there. Which is why we have more research expenditures than all colleges and universities in Idaho combined. Your breakthrough awaits.
UIDAHO.EDU/UNEXPECTED
Moscow | Boise | Coeur d’Alene | Idaho Falls
Fall 2020
CONTENTS 02 04 06 09
10 14 16
FROM THE PRESIDENT NEWS GEMS IMPROVING PLANT & SOIL HEALTH VOICES OF IDAHO: SARAYA FLAIG IT TAKES A VILLAGE (AND A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY) PRO BONO, PRO IDAHO ECHO IDAHO'S STATEWIDE IMPACT
23 VANDAL PROMISE 26 INSIDE OUT IN IDAHO 30 U OF I IN THE NEWS ALUMNI 31 31 Class Notes
36 37
31 Marriages 32 In Memoriam 34 Future Vandals
SUSTAINING OUR WATER EXPERIENCES ‘EN PLEIN-AIR’
Joe lives by the Healthy Vandals Pledge to keep himself and his Vandal Family safe.
LETTER FEATUREFROM THE PRESIDENT
I
daho helps Idaho. The University of Idaho makes investments in the future of the Gem State every single day that benefit all of its citizens. This issue of Here We Have Idaho Magazine highlights those investments. The university helps this state thrive, and has for more than 130 years, just as this great state supports our land-grant mission. That virtuous circle ensures a bright future for Idaho. The value of the Idaho/Idaho partnership became especially clear as we navigated the challenges of the past year. This magazine focuses on the green shoots that grow from that kind of collaboration. Project ECHO added a COVID-19 series this spring to support the state’s rural healthcare providers as they quickly addressed the pandemic. The telehealth initiative, featured here, works with the Idaho WWAMI Medical Education Program. Another story looks at the work of our Inside Out program, in which Assistant Professor Omi Hodwitz teaches students about criminology by taking them to an Orofino prison. The program also enables the prison’s inmates to prepare for a new future in our society by pursuing their own higher education goals — thereby reducing the probability of recidivism. Idaho is the nation’s third-largest grower of hops — one of more than 40 crops grown at the Parma Research and Extension Center. A 2018 economic analysis showed $1.41 is generated for every dollar invested in research and Extension efforts at Parma. In this edition, we’re featuring work that supports growers throughout Idaho and the region to benefit the Gem State’s $16 billion agricultural economy. Vandals can support these projects and invest in our shared future by promoting access to higher education. Enabling accessibility is the mission of the Vandal Promise Scholarship program, now in its second year. The scholarship, which supported two dozen first-year Vandals in 2019-20, helps bridge the $5,000 gap most students face in the cost of attendance once scholarships, grants and other aid is taken into account. Our first cohort benefited from the generosity of our donors, but also from programming by the Dean of Students Office and a course designed to get them off on the right foot. These Vandals thrived, with an average GPA of 3.59 in their first year. A few of them are profiled here. Enjoy these stories and the others in this issue of Here We Have Idaho. They provide yet more examples of the impact that the University of Idaho and the State of Idaho have by working together. Go Vandals!
C. Scott Green ’84 President
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HERE WE HAVE IDAHO The University of Idaho Magazine Volume 26, No. 2 Fall 2020
PRESIDENT C. Scott Green ’84 VICE PRESIDENT FOR ADVANCEMENT Mary Kay McFadden ’80 EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, U OF I ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Kathy Barnard ’81 ALUMNI ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT Catie Freeman ’09, ’13 UNIVERSITY OF IDAHO FOUNDATION CHAIR Andrew Emerson ’97 MANAGING EDITOR Jodi Walker CREATIVE DIRECTOR Emily Mowrer COPY EDITOR Kassandra Tuten WRITERS AND CONTRIBUTORS Amy Calabretta ’03 Leigh Cooper Saraya Flaig ’20 David Jackson ’93 Lindsay Lodis Joshua Nishimoto ’09 Alexiss Turner ’09 Kassandra Tuten Jamie Wagner ’94 Jodi Walker PHOTOGRAPHY U of I Photo Services Michael Boren Melissa Hartley Joe Pallen ’96
For detailed information about federal funding for programs mentioned in this magazine, see the online version of the relevant story at uidaho.edu/magazine. The University of Idaho is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer and educational institution. © 2020, University of Idaho Here We Have Idaho magazine is published twice per year. The magazine is free to alumni and friends of the university.
Photo by U of I Photo Services
The University of Idaho has a policy of sending one magazine per address. To update your address, visit uidaho.edu/alumni/stay-connected or email alumni@uidaho.edu. Contact the editor at UIdahoMagazine@uidaho.edu.
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NEWS GEMS News and feature stories from around the state. Read more articles at uidaho.edu/news or follow the University of Idaho on FACEBOOK, INSTAGRAM and TWITTER.
U of I partnered with the City of Moscow and the Kenworthy Performing Arts Centre to host DRIVE-IN MOVIES in the ASUI-Kibbie Activity Center parking lot.
U of I raised
$649,050 during Vandal Giving Day for scholarships and other resources to help students impacted by COVID-19 continue their education.
Bruce Haglund, distinguished professor of architecture, received the 2020 ASES LEADERSHIP IN SOLAR ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN AWARD for the influence he has made on generations of design professionals to improve and advance the field.
U of I student groups hosted EIGHT ON-CAMPUS CULTURAL EVENTS to celebrate diversity during the last academic year. Others were hosted via Zoom after the switch to online learning.
I found Zoom class meetings to be very helpful for me as I tried to fight feelings of isolation [during COVID-19]. The students helped me. – Aman McLeod, assistant professor of political science and lecturer in law
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A 90-ton crane placed the first 35foot wood column forming the roof of the ICCU ARENA. The multi-purpose facility is constructed with more than 442 tons of glulam beams and will open in Fall 2021.
HERDS OF MOSS BALLS roll across glaciers. U of I scientists are investigating the mysterious migration patterns of these “glacier mice.” U of I rose to TOP 50 of U.S. News and World Report Best Value colleges this fall, placing the state’s land-grant institution at No. 37, above all other national universities in the West and third among all public colleges and universities in the nation.
I was so impressed at how quickly faculty were able to change direction and adapt. Flexibility was the key for our success in these difficult circumstances.
– Torrey Lawrence, interim provost and executive vice president
Katherine Aiken, a U of I emerita professor of history, received the 2020 IDAHO STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY’S ESTO PERPETUA AWARD, which recognizes influential individuals and organizations for their accomplishments in Idaho history.
Nearly 4,500 people from more than 50 countries visited the College of Engineering’s website to explore FREE, DOWNLOADABLE OPEN-SOURCE DESIGNS for the Vandal Mask filtering face covering and build-yourown UV stations to decontaminate personal protective equipment.
Students from areas including the Pacific Northwest, Poland and Nigeria participated in this year’s VIRTUAL ENGINEERING EXPO EXTENDED EXPERIENCE.
84%
of participants said they were more likely to pursue a STEM education and had an interest in attending the College of Engineering.
1,800 More than
U of I’s College of Engineering launched Idaho's first bachelor's degree program in
CYBERSECURITY. Using state-of-the-art equipment, labs and resources, students will become cybersecurity professionals and participate in lab-based research to strengthen cybersecurity protocols and develop cybersecure industrial control systems.
Vandals have EARNED THEIR DEGREES DURING THE PANDEMIC SO FAR.
The new VISITING TRIBAL SCHOLARS PROGRAM at U of I connects Native American students in STEM fields with Indigenous scientific methodology that provides mentorship for student success. The College of Natural Resources is the host college for the program.
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FEATURE
UPGRADES AT THE PARMA RESEARCH AND EXTENSION CENTER WILL BENEFIT AGRICULTURE ACROSS THE STATE Amy Calabretta '03
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s the research division of the University of Idaho’s College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, the Idaho Agricultural Experiment Station operates nine Research and Extension Centers across the state. Scientists work with producers, businesses and communities to find solutions for issues that directly impact Idaho. Nestled in the unique microclimate of the Treasure Valley, U of I’s Parma Research and Extension Center conducts research on a diversity of crops grown statewide, from key commodities like potatoes, cereals and onions to specialty crops including tree fruit, table grapes and mint. Established in 1925, the center comprises 200 acres dedicated to improving crop productivity. Much of the research infrastructure, laboratory space and scientific equipment is over 50
years old. Plans to establish the Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health at Parma will modernize outdated facilities, upgrade equipment and grow the number of faculty at the center, enhancing the benefit Parma provides to Idaho growers.
HEALTHY HOPS Parma is also home to one of the country’s fastest growing regions for hops, a delicate flower used to add aroma, flavor and bitterness when brewing beer. Idaho is now second in the nation in production with 8,358 acres growing more than 17 million pounds of hops in 2019, valued at $89 million. Fourthgeneration farmer Brock Obendorf, manager and co-owner of Obendorf Hop Inc., and Diane Gooding, sixth-generation farmer and vice president of Gooding Farms, are contributing
The new Parma Research and Extension Center will better equip faculty to diagnose and address grower concerns and issues facing the agriculture industry.
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FEATURE
to that growth as they expand their operations. More acreage means more knowledge is needed to stay ahead of pests and diseases and best management practices related to irrigation and soil health. The new facility at Parma will assist growers like Obendorf and Gooding with these issues. Justin Clements joined the Parma faculty in January 2020 as an assistant professor and U of I Extension entomology specialist. Part of his research focuses on insecticide resistance in common pests found in hops and alfalfa. “There are a lot of insect and mite pests in the region that have developed resistance to different chemicals, including two-spotted spider mite in hops,” Clements said. “What I hope to accomplish is to understand how resistance is developing and how to help growers determine appropriate integrated pest management strategies to manage resistance.” Clements is also working with Gooding and U of I Professor Edwin Lewis to combat the California prionus beetle, a large insect that feeds on the roots of hops plants. They are investigating the use of entomopathogenic nematodes — microscopic insect parasites — as a way to infest and kill the beetles at the larval stage. They also hope to identify a species of nematode that can control multiple pests in hops.
“Potentially, it would not just benefit our farm or our area, but this is something we could take to industry and possibly have a pretty significant impact if our findings are better than what the industry standard has been as far as water usage and efficiency goes,” Gooding said. The new facility at Parma will better equip scientists to address issues facing not only hops, but other traditional crops grown in Idaho. “Growers in this region are incredibly hardworking and smart and they have developed pest management strategies to fit their growing practices. However, as pests evolve over time and new pests come into the region, new integrated pest management strategies are needed,” Clements said. “Having a new facility with new equipment allows researchers to develop new and exciting diagnostic and research techniques to assist growers. It’s incredibly rewarding to be able to provide guidance to growers in a real time situation and hopefully make things a little easier so they can produce a high-quality crop.” To learn more about the Idaho Center for Plant and Soil Health visit uidaho.edu/cals/parma.
PARTNERING WITH INDUSTRY Support from the Idaho Hop Growers Commission will allow Clements to hire a research technician to monitor field plots for fungal pathogens and assist growers with integrated pest management decisions. “We support U of I and what they’re doing with a lot of other crops, but the main thing will be getting a new building and having a lab and a technician that can focus on our industry,” said Obendorf, who serves as chairman of the Idaho Hop Growers Commission. “Hops is a bigger industry here now. It needs more attention and that’s a way as a commission to be involved with the university and keep things progressing.” The commission is also working with U of I Cropping Systems Agronomist Olga Walsh on a two-year irrigation study. Walsh has identified an irrigation schedule that Gooding will follow on a small section of her farm. Once the plots are harvested, the team will assess hop yield, alpha and beta acids, and oil content.
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Justin Clements' research program focuses on the integrated pest management of insect and mite pests affecting vegetable and field crops grown in Idaho.
VOICES OF IDAHO
CLASS OF 2020: MEETING UNCERTAINTY WITH AGILITY AND RESILIENCE By Saraya Flaig ’20
Saraya Flaig '20 of Lewiston was one of only 40 undergraduates nationwide appointed to the Library of Congress Junior Fellows summer intern program for 2020. She worked remotely with the Signature Programs Office to consolidate information and provide recommendations for the National Book Festival. At U of I, she served as director of programming and traditions for the Residence Hall Association, received the Guy and Grace Wicks Memorial Award and the Alumni Award for Excellence, served on several committees and appeared on the College of Letters, Arts and Social Sciences' Deans List many times.
t the beginning of this year, I chatted with my friends about the semester ahead and what we would accomplish. We had dreams of planning amazing events, studying on the Theophilus Tower Lawn on the first sunny days of spring and walking across the stage to collect our diplomas. I never pictured my last day on campus being the Friday before Spring Break. I packed up my things thinking there was no way I would remain at home for the rest of the semester, and yet I returned to campus only to pack up the rest of my belongings from the Living Learning Communities residence hall. I always enjoy returning to campus after Spring Break because of the exciting events such as UIdaho Bound, Parent and Family Weekend and Finals Fest. For the past two years, I worked for Vandal Entertainment and the Residence Hall Association planning some element of these events. Having all in-person events canceled for the semester and switching to a virtual format was a strange experience. My meetings were held via Zoom, events moved online and I recorded radio shows for KUOI and edited them from my family’s home in Lewiston. However,
I adapted quickly and am proud to say I planned the most popular student event of the semester: a live Zoom Q&A session with John Finlay, one of the subjects of the wildly popular true crime documentary miniseries “Tiger King.” Outside of events, I completed my degree in history and, with the help of Rebecca Scofield, assistant professor of history, finished my capstone research on the royalty system of gay rodeo and the place of drag queens in rural spaces. Over the course of the year, I interned with her “Voices of Gay Rodeo” project for which I traveled to Denver, Colorado, and Phoenix, Arizona, to collect oral histories, and then transcribed and edited the recordings remotely to get them ready to publish online. Finishing up a research paper without physical access to the library was quite difficult; fortunately, I was able to capture in my research my experience at gay rodeos. My last semester at the University of Idaho did not go the way I expected it to, but I never stopped feeling the love and support of the Vandal Family. Friends, professional staff and professors ensured the virtual semester was a success. As for the future, I hope to never have to work from home again, because I missed working directly with people. I also look forward to returning to campus as an alumna and supporting the Vandal Family. UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
IT TAKES A VILLAGE FILTER
VANDAL MASK
FACE SEAL
SNAP RIM
MASK BASE
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AND A RESEARCH UNIVERSITY U of I Works with Communities to Bring Innovation and Research Expertise in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic By Alexiss Turner ’09
s the global coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impact Idaho, experts across the University of Idaho have united to bring innovative solutions to Gem State communities in need and help ensure the health and safety of Idaho residents.
INTRODUCING THE VANDAL MASK By late March — as COVID-19 cases worldwide continued their upward trajectory — it became clear the supply of face masks and face shields for first responders nationwide was being depleted. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for the use and reuse of personal protective equipment (PPE) — including N95 and surgical masks — changed daily. Despite the uncertainty, 3-D printers across the country were up and running as large companies and community volunteers learned of the need for additional equipment. U of I was no different. Mechanical Engineering Professor Gabriel Potirniche said the College of Engineering recognized its ability to contribute to the worldwide call to action early on. “We were all stuck at home, and we wanted to help in any way we could,” Potirniche said. The college, said Potirniche, has significant infrastructure and material resources and access to faculty, staff and students with extensive expertise in 3-D printing. “We can’t have COVID-19 overwhelm our healthcare system. Everyone has a duty to put a stop to the virus,” he said. The U of I engineering team reached out to local medical communities in an effort to develop the best filtration mask available.
“People on the frontline were put in a difficult situation, as they were at risk for bringing COVID-19 into their communities and into the facilities,” said Area Director for Infinity Rehab Robin Albers. Albers helped coordinate the validation of the mask design with the help of medical staff at Valley Medical in the Lewiston-Clarkston Valley. The final product was dubbed the Vandal Mask — a filtering facepiece respirator mask that has a breathing area about eight times larger than that of some open-source designs. “There were a lot of people 3-D printing masks, and each design had different goals,” said Mechanical Engineering Associate Professor Joel Perry. “We were looking to improve upon a design that was very structural to provide a good seal. We wanted to create something with an ergonomic contour that could be a little more accessible to a wide range of users.” Along with its unique shape and sizing options, the snap ring of the Vandal Masks that holds the filtration material in place attaches from the front, allowing the piece to be easily removed while keeping contaminants on the outside of the mask and thus reducing the risk of contamination. “Through this whole process, we’re building people who are much more knowledgeable in the design requirements for different PPE,” said Christopher Bitikofer, a mechanical engineering graduate student who led the design of the Vandal Mask. “Everybody who’s getting involved ends up being a lot more aware of how these systems work.” Since March, open-source designs for 3-D-printed face masks and face shields have been accessed from the university's website by the thousands. The College of Engineering has also delivered 200 masks and more than 900 face shields to area medical staff, working closely with the Public Health – Idaho North Central District to distribute them to areas with the greatest need. Masks have also been distributed across the country. “I’m really impressed by this team and how we all worked together,” said Albers. “It’s so important to work with people who think differently; that’s where innovation rises up, when you have different thinkers.” UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
THE POWER OF LIGHT
DOWNLOAD OUR DESIGNS
nurses and techs and respiratory therapists who use N95 masks, and it allows us to conserve our supply. This helps everyone.”
Joanna Hendren's company dress code has changed drastically over the last eight Open-source designs for the 3-D-printed Vandal Mask, months. Her N95 mask is face shields and ultraviolet C light disinfecting systems covered by a protective surgiare available online and open to the public. Learn more A CURE THROUGH cal mask, because it’s easier about our research and the collaboration of our entire DEFENSE to replace than the shortteam at uidaho.edu/engr-covid19. A research team in the supply N95 underneath. Department of Biological The masks protect the air Sciences is working to deshe breathes, but a face shield velop a one-size-fits-all drug and eye protection are still that could protect human cells from many coronaviruses, inrequired to guard against projectiles and other contaminants cluding the one responsible for COVID-19. associated with working in the dental service. “Humans have similar genetics,” Department of Biological Hendren is a dental hygienist at Nimiipuu Health Center Sciences Virologist and Assistant Professor Paul Rowley said. in Lapwaii. The center serves Native American communities “From the point of view of a human protein, a targeted drug across the state, offering health services from medical and therapy could be a universal solution.” pharmaceutical to nutrition and home visits. The COVID-19 virus attaches to a human cell using spike pro“I have no idea how we would be able to keep everyone safe if teins that have evolved to dock with the specific ACE2 receptor. it weren’t for the cabinet,” she said. Once attached, the spike protein begins transferring genetic maHendren’s cabinet is a PPE disinfecting station that uses terial to the cell, tricking the cell to generate more virus. short-wavelength ultraviolet C (UVC) light to damage viral Rowley is working with Jagdish Patel, a College of Science DNA, rendering the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19 molecular modeling specialist and research assistant profesunable to infect human cells, and converting it to harmless carsor, and others to use computational modeling to virtually sift bon compounds and water. through millions of molecules and optimize existing drugs to Open-source designs for the U of I-engineered cabinets are identify potential inhibitors that could shield the ACE2 recepavailable online, and pre-built prototypes and kit materials tor, preventing the virus that causes COVID-19 from docking in have been delivered as far as New York. the first place. The box device plugs into a standard outlet and can disinfect “By using a computational 3-D map of this human cell reabout 15 masks at a time in just 17 minutes. And it uses only ceptor, we can determine which virtual molecules, out of thouone-fourth of the power of a traditional microwave, keeping sands, would bind strongly,” said Patel. “Using chemistry and operation costs minimal. physics-based algorithms, we can rank the binding and visualUsing UV light for germicidal purposes is common, espeize the molecule on the computer to see how they bind. The cially in wastewater treatment. The U of I engineering team strong binders — which bind as intended — will be purchased received UVC bulbs donated from the City of Lewiston wasteand sent to Dr. Rowley’s lab for empirical testing in the fall.” water treatment plant to build its first prototypes and fulfilled Working collaboratively with researchers in the Institute for requests for bulbs to help individuals build their own UVC staModeling Collaboration and Innovation has helped the team tions across the country. earn funding needed to keep research developing through the “Our university is a place for incubating ideas and nurtursummer and fall semesters. ing a safe, happy and healthy community,” said Research Support Scientist Chad Dunkel, who worked with Biological BETTER PREPARED MOVING FORWARD Engineering Professor Dev Shrestha to build the first prototypes. “We can do some pretty cool things, not just for local As the coronavirus pandemic continues to assert itself on communities, but beyond.” our planet, U of I researchers will continue to seek creative A prototype capable of disinfecting 24 masks — or other and innovative ways to combat the virus. equipment including lab coats, stethoscopes and other contamA lot has changed in a short period of time but moving forinated devices — was delivered to St. Joseph Regional Medical ward Bitikofer said the process has helped to ensure the comCenter in April for on-site testing. munity is more knowledgeable and better prepared to find new “By doing a UV germicidal cycle, we are going to elimisolutions during uncertain times. nate the coronavirus that could be on the outside of PPE,” “Next time there’s something challenging that rolls around, said Heather Beasley, an emergency physician at St. Joseph’s. it’s going to be easier for us to address because people will be “In case we have to reuse our PPE, this makes it safer for our more prepared to do so,” he said.
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LEADING THE RESPONSE Units across the University of Idaho have united to respond to the global coronavirus pandemic, including: n ECHO Idaho used its teleconferencing platform to deliver real-time updates on COVID-19 protocols to Idaho healthcare providers in the early days of the pandemic. n Researchers partnered with the City of Moscow to improve wastewater testing for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and develop an early warning system for detecting increases of cases in the community. n U of I and Washington State University researchers are recruiting COVID19-positive mothers from around the country to better understand how the virus affects the health and immune responses of mothers and infants, and whether infant feeding practices play a role in transmission. n College of Agricultural and Life Sciences Apparel, Textiles and Design Instructors Chelsey Lewallen and Lori Wahl developed a fabric mask style pattern to offer the best fit and helped community members identify ideal fabrics for protection. n The Department of Theater Arts and Idaho INBRE (IDeA Network of Biomedical Research) donated hundreds of masks and PPE to Gritman Medical Center in Moscow.
Mechanical engineering graduate student Christopher Bitikofer tests improvements for the 3-D-printed Vandal Mask.
A large-scale ultraviolet C light system prototype capable of disinfecting 24 masks at a time was delivered to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center.
n The Idaho Community Relief Drive raised nearly $50,000 to help U of I students overcome challenges that threaten to disrupt their learning experience and deliver specialized coronavirus training to Gem State healthcare professionals. n Kevin Chang, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is looking into the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal mobility to better understand how travel behavior has changed in different countries and across the United States. n Clarissa Richardson, assistant professor in psychology and communications studies, is leading a research team to understand the psychological effects of the pandemic and how it’s impacting daily life. n Michael Overton from the Department of Politics and Philosophy and colleagues are exploring the novelty of collective action as it relates to traditional economic development practices and the pandemic response. n U of I Extension delivered hundreds of youth and adult programs virtually, including a personal finance webinar series for citizens facing economic hardships due to the pandemic. n U of I is modeling intervention strategies to help the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare and Gov. Brad Little’s Coronavirus Task Force make healthcare decisions. n Paul Lewin, director of the Rural Studies Program and professor with the school’s Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, has developed interactive community-level infographics that track variables surrounding COVID-19 in Idaho to keep community leaders and residents informed as they make decisions during the crisis.
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PRO PRO BONO, IDAHO U OF I LAW GRADUATE FINDS PASSION FOR PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS TO JUSTICE By Joshua Nishimoto ’09
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transformational education, professional discipline and appreciation for public service work led Jim Cook '92, '95 to his passion: providing low-income Idahoans with equal access to legal services. Cook's career with Idaho Legal Aid Services (ILAS), where he serves as executive director, has its roots in a law clinic at the University of Idaho. As a student in the U of I College of Law, Cook enjoyed participating in a law school/ILAS Native American clinic focused on serving Nez Perce tribal members. “The highlight of the clinic was getting to practice in court and having to think on my feet,” he said. “I also grew up in an upper middle-class household and knew nothing of poverty. It was an eye-opener to me to see the poverty that exists in Idaho and across our nation. That’s partly what led me to my career at ILAS.” ILAS has served Idaho for 53 years. It is Idaho’s largest nonprofit law firm, providing free services to 4,706 clients in 2019 through its regional offices, not including its advice hotlines and website. ILAS doesn’t charge clients and instead relies on grants
I am passionate about working with low-income clientele, as is everyone I work with at ILAS.
40% Up to
of all Idaho Legal Aid Services employees are Vandals
and donations to provide services to low-income individuals. “My coursework at U of I provided me with the fundamentals and the discipline to be an attorney,” Cook said. “My time as a student was transformative for me, but I didn’t realize it at the time. Later in my career, I found that I felt more fulfilled by nonprofit work, which drew me back to public service.” After graduating and working three years in private practice, Cook took a full-time position with ILAS in Boise in 1999. “Transitioning from private practice was exciting and intimidating,” Cook said. “I went from being more of a researcher and writer to getting assigned a high-conflict domestic violence caseload with constant court time. It was more of a ‘sink or swim’ environment.” Cook continues sharing his enthusiasm for equal access with his coworkers. “The nonprofit world creates greater flexibility to work within my passions,” Cook said. “I am passionate about working with low-income clientele, as is everyone I work with at ILAS.” ILAS recently added services for those needing assistance with issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic, including
unemployment claims, evictions, foreclosures and pandemicrelated scams. ILAS also serves senior citizens, many in failing health who need help from Medicaid to pay for nursing home care or assisted living communities. “Many of my favorite clients were seniors,” Cook said. “One senior I worked with had served with the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression at a camp at French Creek along the Salmon River. My family is from the area and I knew French Creek well, so it was fun to hear his stories and compare his memories to the present day.” Vandals have a strong presence at ILAS, including lawyers and interns from the College of Law. “Up to 40% of all ILAS attorneys are Vandals,” Cook said. “I’ve been hiring lawyers and recommending Vandals for years now, and I really do believe that the quality of lawyer from U of I is essentially the same as the ones we’ve hired from the more prestigious schools. Our network of Vandals is unlike any other. If you want to practice law in Idaho, you should probably go to school in Idaho.”
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ECHO IDAHO’S STATEWIDE 16
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ECHO Idaho Director Lachelle Smith wears a mask while facilitating a COVID-19 session. ECHO's COVID-19 sessions routinely see more than 100 Idaho healthcare workers and administrators on Zoom call-ins.
IMPACT
By Lindsay Lodis
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The Telementoring Platform Connects Healthcare Workers with Specialists to Build Community and Ensure High-Quality Care Across Idaho — Pandemic Notwithstanding.
ight years sober, Tonya*, 41, has taken charge of her life despite decades of mental and physical health issues compounded by severe life stresses. “I was subjected to abuse — all the different kinds of abuse — from when I was five to 15 years old,” Tonya said. “I became depressed and anxious very early on in life. My addiction started in high school as a way to escape my life.” When Tonya began working with Andy Bradbury, M.D., she wanted to reduce her medications — a challenge given her history and the chemical interactions of her medication regimen. Bradbury, a physician and the chief medical officer for the Rexburg Free Clinic, found support for Tonya’s case through Project ECHO Idaho, a telehealth program that convenes healthcare professionals statewide to learn best practices from subject matter experts to help tackle some of Idaho’s most urgent medical problems. Specialists who lead ECHO Idaho’s Behavioral Health series — which features an Idaho-based panel of experts in pharmacy, psychiatry, family medicine and mental health — advised Bradbury to increase some medications in order to slowly eliminate others. “That advice has changed my life,” Tonya said. “With Dr. Bradbury’s support and guidance, I found momentum to begin changing dosage. Since my case was presented at ECHO, I’ve been able to get off all my pain medications as well as prescriptions that I don’t consider as vital, like allergy meds.” Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) is a program replicated worldwide to address regional healthcare concerns. Like Project ECHO programs everywhere, ECHO Idaho uses video conferencing over lunchbreaks to connect physicians, nurses, counselors, pharmacists and other professionals with specialists in regular, real-time
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collaborative sessions. Dr. Bradbury has observed a change in Tonya since they first began working together. “Discussing what specialists from across the state recommended strengthened Tonya’s resolve and helped give her confidence to move forward in her treatment plan,” he said. Dr. Bradbury continues to attend Project ECHO Idaho weekly. “ECHO Idaho provides new perspective on difficult cases, reinforces some of my conclusions and allows me to proceed with more confidence,” he said. “I make time for it because it helps me stay in line with evidence-based medicine rather than risk drifting due to my solo practice in a rural area.”
IDAHO’S ECHO CHAMPIONS The WWAMI Medical Education Program at the University of Idaho brought Project ECHO to the Gem State in 2018. Idaho WWAMI Director Jeff Seegmiller wanted to not only educate physicians-in-training but help expand the knowledge and abilities of Idaho’s practicing healthcare providers. “A medical school should be the epicenter for knowledge and healthcare advancement for the region,” Seegmiller said. “Many people in Idaho’s healthcare community understood what Project ECHO could do for the state, but the program needed a champion. University of Idaho’s WWAMI program is that champion.” Idaho Representative Caroline Nilsson Troy, R-Moscow, was also an early advocate of the ECHO model. A Vandal herself, Troy likens Project ECHO to the university’s land-grant mission. “ECHO is a world-class, creative and clever program that can reach practitioners who may not have access to cutting-edge research and best practices,” Troy said. “It is the type of program that exemplifies land-grant thinking.” *Name is changed for anonymity.
Regardless of their location, Idaho’s clinicians can Zoom into free, one-hour ECHO Idaho sessions to learn practical information from the region's top experts in topics including opioid use and treatment, behavioral health for primary care providers and COVID-19.
THE STATE OF HEALTHCARE IN IDAHO Idaho’s need for improved healthcare is urgent. According to the Association of American Medical Colleges, the state ranks 49th for practicing physicians per capita, and the entire state is a designated mental health workforce shortage area according to the Health Resources and Services Administration. “The reality of limited access to specialists means primary care providers end up treating patients with complicated conditions, but isolation in rural communities can make it difficult for providers to get professional development and support to provide care that follows the most up-to-date standards,” said Lachelle Smith, director of Project ECHO Idaho. “That’s the gap ECHO Idaho tries to fill.” Rates of suicide and drug overdose deaths have steadily risen over the last 10 years and in many parts of the state are nearly double the national average according to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Compounding these issues, many of Idaho’s healthcare professionals are nearing retirement and recruitment of young professionals to rural communities can be challenging. “ECHO Idaho helps leverage different disciplines to work together to deliver top-notch patient care and participants
develop camaraderie. The program has a ripple effect to build up the capacity of the existing workforce to help many, many patients,” Smith said. As of June, Project ECHO Idaho connected 1,331 Gem State healthcare workers in 41 of Idaho’s 44 counties with expert-level education on opioid use, behavioral health, substance use in pregnancy and COVID-19.
ECHO HEARD THROUGHOUT STATE DURING PANDEMIC When the COVID-19 pandemic began sweeping the nation, ECHO Idaho was already a trusted source of state-specific healthcare information. With infrastructure to host virtual meetings, an experienced staff and an engaged network already in place, ECHO Idaho was able to design a COVID-19 program within two weeks. “We could plan a high-impact COVID-19 program quickly because of support from the Vandal Community Relief campaign and partners like the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare,” Smith said. “We were intrinsically motivated to deliver facts about the disease to Idaho’s practitioners and administrators so they could make informed decisions on personal protective UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
equipment, treatment options, infection control and more.” ECHO Idaho’s initial COVID-19 session exceeded attendance records; 730 healthcare providers, educators and state leaders called in — including Gov. Brad Little. In anticipation of ECHO Idaho’s first COVID-19 session, Latah County Commissioner Tom Lamar invited all of Idaho’s county commissioners and other local elected officials and emergency managers. “It’s critical to base our decisions on the science of the disease,” Lamar said. “ECHO Idaho gave us current information and COVID-19 participants directly influenced our actions.” represented: Frank Batcha, M.D., was one of the COVID-19 program panelists. Batcha is the assistant counties cities clinical dean for Idaho WWAMI and practices family medicine in Blaine County, where he also serves as the chief of staff at St. Luke’s Wood River Medical public clinics health Center. Blaine County, home to districts 23,000 residents, made national headlines for its substantial percapita rate of infection — higher than both Italy and New York City. “COVID-19 is too new to have subject matter experts,” Batcha said. “So, ECHO Idaho is important for two reasons: one, you have panel members who are accumulating and synthesizing the data that does exist, which is really important; second, you have people like me, who have an experiential perspective of the disease and can share information about what they’ve seen firsthand in hospitals and clinics.”
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‘A COMMUNITY OF KNOWLEDGE’ ECHO Idaho is a simple yet innovative strategy to overcome healthcare challenges in Idaho and helps providers collaborate and support each other. Patients benefit from better care in their home community, and decreased costs can be realized through less travel time to see specialists, reductions in hospitalizations and unnecessary tests/labs. “Along with reading, I think the way we assimilate information is from interaction with other people,” Batcha said. “Our pedagogic models are built on teachers who impart knowledge to students, who then interact and exchange ideas with each other. Project ECHO Idaho does that in an online forum every week.” Seegmiller echoed Batcha’s sentiment. “I love it when a rural clinician brings a challenging case for review and another ECHO participant on the call shares what worked for them in their rural town,” Seegmiller said. “We are discovering that there is a community of knowledge in Idaho, and when clinicians participate in this program, their clinical practice improves. That is the beauty of ECHO.”
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WWAMI —
A FIVE-STATE MEDICAL SCHOOL CREATING NATIONAL IMPACT WWAMI is the University of Washington School of Medicine’s (UWSOM) multi-state medical education program. The acronym, WWAMI, stands for the states that partner with UWSOM to help educate physicians across the region: Washington, Wyoming, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. WWAMI emphasizes primary care education, particularly in the areas of family and rural medicine. Idaho WWAMI is the only publicly-funded medical education program in the state and offers an opportunity for students to attend a world-class medical program for the cost of in-state tuition. This year, U.S. News & World Report ranked UWSOM No. 2 nationally in primary care and family medicine. For more than 25 consecutive years, until 2018, UWSOM’s rural medicine training program ranked No. 1; this category has not been ranked since. Beginning with a cohort of 10 students in 1972, the class size has grown four-fold to educate 40 in-state students each year. Idaho WWAMI students spend nearly two years of their medical education in the Foundations Phase at the University of Idaho, followed by two years of clinical training. Most of their required clinical rotations can be completed in 13 communities across the Gem State. Idaho WWAMI has trained 812 physicians over the past 48 years. Of these, approximately 51% return to Idaho to practice — the national average of graduates who practice in the same state where they received their education is 39%. While attending medical school, Idaho WWAMI students can participate in programs that are designed to identify and support interest in rural and underserved medicine. One of these programs, the Targeted Rural Underserved Track (TRUST), was established by Idaho WWAMI in 2013 to generate a physician workforce specifically trained for medically underserved areas. TRUST students train clinically during all four years of medical school in one community, establishing longitudinal clinical experiences and a deep sense of community. Idaho’s TRUST communities include Moscow, Hailey, Jerome, McCall, Nampa, Orofino and Sandpoint.
Idaho WWAMI students begin medical school at the University of Idaho. Students have the opportunity to use world-class facilities, such as an anatomy lab and high-tech classrooms located on-site at Gritman Medical Center.
BOOSTING RURAL MEDICINE FROM TEXAS TO IDAHO For Dr. Byron Elliott ’81, who practices maternal and fetal medicine in Austin, Texas, giving back goes beyond providing scholarship support to Idaho WWAMI students. Driven by his passion for advancing rural medicine, giving back also takes the form of working directly with Idaho WWAMI to prepare future doctors to practice in underserved areas of Idaho. This fall, Dr. Elliott began sharing his clinical expertise as a guest lecturer for Idaho WWAMI on the subjects of genetic testing, prenatal diagnosis and ultrasound. “Though I have not practiced medicine in Idaho nor lived there since I was an undergraduate, I jumped at the opportunity to teach future physicians at the University of Idaho,” he said. To learn why this Texas doctor is inspired to teach Idaho medical students, visit uidaho.edu/IdahoWWAMI-support. UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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WHAT WILL YOU INSPIRE? PLANNING IS BRINGING THE FUTURE INTO THE PRESENT SO THAT YOU CAN DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT NOW. – Alan Lakein
he spring graduating class of 2020 had many plans that changed quickly in ways no one expected, but they persevered and their futures are open before them. The University of Idaho and our students can adapt and thrive today because generous supporters in years past had the foresight to make gifts for the future. A gift in your will or by beneficiary designation is a simple way to support what matters to you without affecting your current finances. To help you create your U of I legacy today, we invite you to download our free planning guides, which others like you have found useful.
Visit
myuidaholegacy.org/guides or contact Sharon Morgan at 208-885-5760 or morgans@uidaho.edu
FEATURE
VANDAL PROMISE UNCONDITIONAL SUPPORT HELPS IDAHO STUDENTS SUCCEED By Jodi Walker
The Vandal Promise Scholarship gave Jackie Lee the ability to tackle his freshman year without needing to work.
UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
Some of the first-year Vandal Promise Scholarship recipients gather on the first day of school 2019 to begin their united journey. Pictured, from left to right, are Stephanie Fink, Apryl Peterson, Julian Smith, Cyndi Enderle, Jada Ponse, Anneke Mulder, Travis Kerr and Emeliza Luna.
ne year ago, a group of 20 students gathered on the ASUIKibbie Activity Center floor, each was filled with inspiration from the Convocation speaker, alumnus Richard Rock. The students didn’t know each other but they were all sharing a common experience — the first day at University of Idaho. “I am really encouraged for all of you because you have made a fantastic first step on your journey,” Rock told the crowd of freshmen and their families. The journey for this small group was dangerously close to not happening. All are Vandal Promise Scholarship recipients — students who benefit from donor support to help fill the gap between financial aid and the cost of tuition. The average financial gap for a U of I student is $5,000 a year. The Vandal Promise Scholarship program has the added benefit of peer support, guided by the Dean of Students Office. Students
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met with advisors once a month to talk about the challenges of college, living away from home and settling into being independent. “It helped build confidence that I am not alone,” said Jackie Lee, a scholarship recipient from Kuna. “We all have our struggles.” Cari Fealy, associate dean of students and a Vandal Promise advisor, said the connections made among the students was strong. “They knew they all had this connection. They all had one thing in common,” Fealy said. The financial gap is something financial aid advisors have heard about for years; the solution comes from our own alumni and friends who are dedicated to helping students succeed. The Vandal Promise Scholarship is the first large-scale program U
VANDAL PROMISE SCHOLARSHIP BY THE NUMBERS
THE SUPPORT U of I students will receive a total of over
$100 million
in financial assistance and scholarships each year through state and federal programs.
THE $5,000 GAP
Over
60%
of U of I students receive federal assistance to help them pay for college in addition to scholarships and state financial assistance.
1,200
Idaho students who are admitted to U of I aren’t able to attend because they can’t afford it. Average unmet need:
$5,000 of I has strategically applied to need-based Idaho students. When COVID-19 hit the university in March 2020, the regular Vandal Giving Day focused on raising money for this and similar funds to help students with the unprecedented challenges of a global health crisis. Donors gave nearly $650,000 to help struggling students Vandal On. “I shouldn’t have been able to attend a major university for my first year, and because of the generosity of a random person, that allowed me to be standing in the Kibbie Dome,” said Travis Kerr, a scholarship recipient. “This was the starting line of what let me go on to U of I.” The four-sport student from Coeur d’Alene was always interested in science and was pretty good at math. But with his older brother already in college and two younger siblings coming up behind him, paying for college seemed nearly impossible.
THE DRIVE The Vandal Promise Scholarship aims to increase scholarship support for those with a need. Renewable access grants valued at up to
$5,000
for students with the demonstrated financial need help fill their gap. The support is renewable for up to four years. Can you help? Visit uidaho.edu/give to learn how you can support students.
He was set to go to community college to get his prerequisite classes out of the way when he received word about getting the Vandal Promise Scholarship. “That made me feel amazing inside,” Kerr said. “All the hours I had put in in high school. I felt like the work was worthwhile.” For Lee, the scholarship meant not having to work during his freshman year. “I was concerned I wouldn’t be able to handle both,” said Lee, who worked at his family’s restaurant in Kuna in high school and knew how hard working and going to school can be. The first cohort is involved in mentoring the second cohort this fall — a program they helped build over the summer. “They will be able to talk about their experience and work in small groups with the next cohort to share that same first-year experience,” said Fealy. “The goal is to create community.” UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
Omi Hodwitz, assistant professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology
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INSIDE
OUTINIDAHO U OF I CRIMINOLOGIST USES ACTIVISM, ACADEMIA TO SHOW THERE ARE NO BOUNDARIES FOR LEARNING By David Jackson ’93
ven though she was a child at the time, Omi Hodwitz remembers seeing the smile on her father’s face when he handed her the jewelry boxes he crafted after learning how to use woodworking equipment. That was when she understood it was possible for people like her father — people behind prison bars — to accomplish things they never thought possible. “His hardened demeanor just melted away — he was so pleased and excited,” she said. “It gave him a sense of purpose.” Hodwitz credits experiences like these for finding her passion to help incarcerated individuals reach their potential. An assistant professor in the Sociology and Anthropology Department at the University of Idaho, she provided the spark for getting U of I involved in the Inside Out Prison
Exchange Program after she was hired in 2017. As a criminologist, she witnessed the program’s ability to make connections with people in prisons all across the country before arriving in Moscow. The Inside Out program allows university students (outside students) and incarcerated individuals (inside students) to meet once a week within correctional facilities for educational and social interaction. Founded in 1997, Inside Out has a worldwide presence, with more than 50,000 college students from over 200 colleges and universities participating at more than 200 jails and prisons. As the only current Inside Out instructor in Idaho, Hodwitz’s approach is likely different than that of most. Not only did she witness life on the other side of the prison gate while visiting her father, UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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FEATURE
University of Idaho students participating in the Inside Out Program meet weekly with incarcerated individuals within correctional facilities for education and social interaction. Photos by Pete Caster/Lewiston Tribune
she herself has spent time in correctional facilities for several “civil disobedience” types of offenses. While never serving serious time behind bars — she refers to her stints as “being a tourist” — her experiences have allowed her to balance out the equation by not looking at the criminal justice system simply from an academic point of view but also through the eyes of an offender. “I know what prison food tastes like. I know what it’s like to be in a shared cell with someone else,” she said. “I can also appreciate educational opportunities that show incarcerated individuals they have untapped potential. They need to feel like they are members of society, like they are relevant and like they have something valuable to offer.” U of I’s participation in the program began at the Idaho Correctional Institution in Orofino in the fall of 2018. In 2019, university participants completed a summer session at the North Idaho Correctional Institution in Cottonwood. The class consists of a weekly three-hour session between inside and outside students. A typical session involves a game or icebreaking activity at the start before beginning that day’s topic. Providing a setting where college students and incarcerated individuals meet face-to-face is no small task. Each semester, both sets of students who wish to participate are interviewed by Hodwitz to make sure their interest is compatible with program goals. Selected outside students are then subjected to background checks and training by the Idaho Department of Corrections prior to entering a prison facility. Any trepidation about how the two groups would coexist quickly melted away said Steff King, who graduated from U of I in 2018 with a bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Anthropology. King was Hodwitz’s teaching assistant for the first three semesters of the Orofino class. “I was very surprised how well the outside students did,” said King. “It just clicked. They realized inside students are just other students in a different place.” Class activities consist of what you might expect to see in any college course — discussion groups, debates and projects. Sometimes, outside students would be able to watch inside students really start believing they could change themselves. King remembered one inside student who was very hard on himself. He was not successful in school and didn’t think he was capable of learning. During the class, he slowly developed an interest in writing and by the end of the semester, he was crafting articles for the local newspaper as part of the class project. “Somewhere in the middle of that semester, he went from thinking he was stupid to wanting to be a writer and pursue a college education,” said King. “That was very cool to see.”
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Here for you
now more than ever.
Dollars spent at the VandalStore stay on campus to support the University of Idaho.
Visit us for an itinerary featuring the best of Moscow, including beautiful hiking trails, golfing, cycling, fishing and more. 19-II-04
FEATURE U OF I IN THE NEWS
U OF I IN THE NEWS By Kassandra Tuten
U OF I WORKS TO DEVELOP
Cure for COVID-19
of I researchers hope to create a drug that shields human cells from coronaviruses rather than attacks viruses, like typical antiviral drugs. According to molecular modeling specialist Jagdish Patel, the drug is likely to be effective for a longer time than antiviral drugs and would withstand evolution of the virus. Through the process of studying and
CAFE SECURES
$10M USDA Grant
TO BUILD SUSTAINABILITY FOR DAIRY INDUSTRY
of I is working to create useful bioproducts from dairy manure to support crop production and manufacturing. A $10 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture will help researchers evaluate the use of bioproducts from dairy waste streams to enhance sustainability in Idaho agriculture. This project supports dairy producers in adopting technologies and processes that transform nutrients extracted from
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testing potential inhibitors to combat COVID-19, the team will also develop and refine a multidisciplinary pipeline for antiviral drug development. Through the pipeline, they can respond quicker to other outbreaks. The team includes Patel, virologist Paul Rowley and evolutionary biologist JT Van Leuven within the Institute for Modeling Collaboration and Innovation, a multidisciplinary, collaborative research program with biomedical research modeling experts. This project is funded with $100,000 from a $6 million National Science Foundation EPSCoR grant No. OIA1736253 issued to U of I Department of Physics Professor F. Marty Ytreberg.
dairy manure into alternatives for commercial fertilizers and other value-added bioproducts. The award emphasizes the importance of U of I’s effort to establish the nation’s largest research dairy, the Idaho Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment, or CAFE, in Idaho’s Magic Valley. This project, titled “Creating a New Bioeconomy for Dairies to Increase Nutrient Recycling, Enhance Productivity of Crops & Stimulate Prosperity in Rural America,” is funded under the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Institute of Food and Agriculture grant No. 2020-69012-31871. The total project funding is $10,000,000 of which 100% is the federal share.
LESSONS FROM IDAHO’S
Earthquake
6.5-magnitude earthquake near Stanley this spring has Idaho Geological Survey (IGS) researchers, in collaboration with University of Idaho and other researchers across the state, continuing to monitor and study the more than 1,000 aftershocks. According to Claudio Berti, director of IGS, the earthquake was an interesting event scientifically because it occurred in an area with no historical field evidence of active seismicity. The earthquake also happened at the northern termination of the Sawtooth fault and may represent the “growth” of the fault and its interaction with areas of crustal weakness, mapped and recognized in the area, but thought to be “dead” and no longer active. The quake also resulted in many unique or unusual surface phenomena such as the failure of the Stanley Lake inlet delta. The earthquake displays the potential hazards of seismic activity in much more densely populated areas and will provide data critical in advancing our understanding of the seismic and tectonic evolution in Idaho.
ALUMNI
CLASS NOTES The University of Idaho congratulates these Vandals on their achievements.
1970s Timothy G. Thomas ’74 served as a United Methodist pastor in central Texas for 25 years before retiring in 2010. Timothy is on staff at First United Methodist Church of Azle, Texas. Ruth Pierce ’77 serves on Twin Falls City Council and was recently elected vicemayor.
1980s Deborah Susan (Gonyon) Hustead ’80 retired from Abbott Laboratories after 30 years as a biostatistician in the Department of Scientific and Medical Affairs for medical nutrition research and development.
Paul Mattie ’80 of Sun Valley, sold Canyon Sales Company in New York, NY, and opened LTD Consulting in 2020 to continue supporting western potato and onion growers and shippers.
Ray Skowronski ’84 retired in 2020 after 33 years teaching high school science in Maryland. Leigh Selting ’85 was recently named associate dean of the Honors College at the University of Wyoming (UWYO) after completing 31 years as a professor of theatre and dance at UWYO.
Steve ’81 and Terri Babcock ’81, after 39 years in Washington, have moved to the rolling hills of eastern Tennessee to watch cows and birds.
Dr. Patrice Burgess ’85, ’86 was elected to the American Medical Association's (AMA) Council on Medical Service in June 2019. This is a four-year term and she will work with other council members on AMA policy around socioeconomic issues that influence the practice of medicine.
Gerald Ourada ’81 was named a Lockheed Martin Fellow with a specialty in cyber/systems security engineering.
Scott L. Mallory ’86 retired in May 2020 as global sales contracts regional director in the Asia Pacific Region after 32 years with The Boeing Company.
Curtis S. Jones ’83 retired from a 30-year career at Micron Technology in Boise as an automation engineer.
1990s
Bill Farmin ’84 is the author of “Seatroit, Washington, the City Within the City of Seattle, Washington,” a book about the problems Seattle is having dealing with the homeless crisis. It is his first book.
Ariana Burns ’91, ’12 wrote the play “The Three Keys of Captain Hellfire,” which premiered at the Hartung Theater in 2019 and received The David Mark Cohen Playwriting Award, second place, from the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival.
2000s Joanna R. Zattiero ’00, ’07 earned her Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Texas, Austin, in May 2020. Annette (Henke) Tejpal ’03 earned a master of education degree from the University of Dundee, Scotland. Aaron Johnson ’07 recently joined Downey Brand as an associate in the firm’s estate planning and taxation practices. Kimberly Anne Catelin ’09, ’11 accepted a position with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as an ORISE Evaluation Fellow in February.
2010s Nathan LeRoy Rosenau ’11 switched careers from agriculture commodities handling to insurance agent with McGregor Risk Management Services, while continuing to live and work in the Pacific Northwest.
Conner M. Farley ’15 has completed his doctorate in biochemistry at Purdue University and has accepted a post-doctoral position at Cal Tech in the University of California system. Hailey Knox ’15 recently graduated from University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign with a Ph.D. in chemistry and has accepted a position as a postdoctoral researcher at the California Institute of Technology. Austin Kindall ’19 is working toward his doctorate at the University of Texas.
To be featured in Class Notes, submit your news at uidaho. edu/class-notes. You can also email your information, including your graduation year, to alumni@uidaho. edu, or via regular mail to Class Notes, Office of Alumni Relations, 875 Perimeter Drive, MS 3232, Moscow, ID 83844-3232. Please limit your submission to fewer than 50 words. Photos are only accepted for Future Vandals submissions.
MARRIAGES The University of Idaho wishes these Vandal newlyweds lots of love and happiness.
Marissa Payton ’16 to AJ Gravel ’16 — June 2019 Claire Kennedy ’14 to Colin Cain ’14 — Oct. 12, 2019 Steve Meyers ’07 to Shannon Hohl ’08 — Dec. 30, 2019 Cynthia Johnson ’96 to Jon McDaniel — May 8, 2020 Nicholas Lodato ’14 to Bailey Hewitt ’14 — Sept. 5, 2020 UIDAHO.EDU/ALUMNI
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ALUMNI
IN MEMORIAM The University of Idaho extends its condolences to the family and friends of our departed Vandals.
1940s Virginia M. (Wickman) Sparling ’43, San Marcos, CA, March 19, 2019 Helen B. (Motzko) Kaufman ’44, Boise, Feb. 19, 2020 Liviah A. (Oslund, Olin) Michaelis ’44, Coeur d’ Alene, Jan. 27, 2020 Mary E. (Closner) Porter ’44, Soda Springs, Jan. 24, 2020 Dorothy (Van Engelen) Domowitz ’46, Frederick, MD, Jan. 29, 2020 M. Maxine (Webb) Henderson ’46, Lewiston, Jan. 4, 2020 Frances Widener ’46, Boise, Feb. 19, 2020 Wanda S. (Siple) Brooks ’48, Moscow, Feb. 8, 2020 Ralph E. Matthews ’48, Galt, CA, Dec. 14, 2020 Robert W. Neel ’48, Goldendale, WA, Dec. 24, 2019 Claire (Hale) Tyra ’48, Minneapolis, MN, Dec. 23, 2019 Ronald E. Magden ’49, ’55, Tacoma, WA, Dec. 31, 2018
1950s Tommy W. Ambrose ’50, ’51, Pocatello, Jan. 13, 2020 Milton Blume ’51, Boise, March 29, 2020 Leilani (Nock) Hasbrouck ’51, Cascade, Feb. 19, 2020 Robert W. Jones ’51, Camarillo, CA, Feb. 18, 2020
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Maurice B. Lynch ’51, ’76, Wasilla, AK, Jan. 9, 2020 Herbert Salinger ’51, Napa, CA, March 4, 2020 Marvin B. Hetrick ’52, Boise, Dec. 20, 2019 Carolyn (Webb) Idler ’52, Santa Rosa, CA, Feb. 16, 2020 Maxine Nelson ’52, Moscow, Jan. 3, 2020 Joan (Deshazer) Bernard ’54, Seattle, WA, Jan. 26, 2020 Alden Fitch ’54, Spokane, WA, Feb. 11, 2020 Glenn K. Hossner ’56, Salem, OR, June 5, 2019 Edward W. Kautz ’56, March 15, 2020 Larry D. Klappenbach ’56, Mount Gilead, NC, Jan. 26, 2020 James D. Middlekauff ’56, Boise, Sept. 1, 2018 Joan R. (Reynolds) Middlekauff ’56, Boise, Nov. 8, 2019 Leroy C. Ogan ’56, Bend, OR, Feb. 12, 2020 David N. Banks ’57, Seattle, WA, Dec. 27, 2019 Joyce E. (Lytle) Frazier ’57, Kamiah, Feb. 29, 2020 Kay (Lipp) Bergmann ’57, San Francisco, CA, Feb. 14, 2018 Donna J. Olson ’57, Hayden, Feb. 6, 2020 Lawrence “Larry” C. Hendrickson ’58, Olympia, WA, May 9, 2020 Ray D. Copeland ’58, Spokane, WA, Feb. 12, 2020 Shirley J. (True) Fougere ’58, Millbury, MA, Jan. 11, 2020
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Vernon C. Indermuhle ’58, Broomfield, CO, Feb. 2, 2020 Donald L. Mecham ’58, Ammon, Jan. 23, 2020 Kenneth D. Tolmie ’58, Caldwell, Feb. 12, 2020 Mary Jane (Milbreth) Webb ’58, Boise, Feb. 8, 2020 Sharyn Byers ’59, Boise, Jan. 6, 2020 Ann Marie (Copithorne) Cleveland ’59, Calgary, AB, Jan. 3, 2020 Robert Gleason ’59, Lewiston, Jan. 10, 2020 Elwood W. Kinter ’59, Spokane, WA, March 8, 2020 Sara E. (Robertson) Lowe ’59, Jerome, Feb. 11, 2020 Cecil A. Olson ’59, Vancouver, WA, Jan. 8, 2020 Thomas E. Olson ’59, Boise, Jan. 30, 2020 Thomas E. Vopat ’59, ’64, Hayden, Jan. 6, 2020 Kala (Gresky) Rehm ’59, Las Vegas, NV, Dec. 11, 2019 Hester M. (Allison) Wamstad ’59, Caldwell, Nov. 20, 2019
Gerry D. Brown ’61, ’67, Pierce, Feb. 3, 2020 Leslie “Roger” Falen ’61, Moscow, Dec. 8, 2019 Marlys A. (Hughes) Saltzer ’61, Boise, Jan. 26, 2020 Michael R. Sheeran ’61, Belmont, MA, Feb. 7, 2020 Lyle Webber ’61, ’63, Spokane, WA, March 5, 2020 William J. Crea Jr. ’62, ’64, Lewiston, Feb. 17, 2020 Eldon R. Harwood ’62, ’63, Lafayette, CA, Feb. 19, 2020 Glen Porter ’62, Pleasant Hill, CA, Feb. 9, 2019 Sharon C. (Matheney) Hoogland ’63, Lewiston, Feb. 5, 2020 Bill Pressey ’63, Eagle, June 23, 2019 Benjamin L. Kerfoot ’64, Boise, Feb. 23, 2020 Lowell E. Lindstrom ’64, Bremerton, WA, March 6, 2020 Victor N. Smith ’64, Lewiston, Jan. 30, 2020 Rex M. Barstow ’65, Lewiston, Feb. 13, 2020 Rodger P Graham ’65, Boise, Jan. 11, 2020 Darlene M. (Larson) Newland ’65, Roseburg, OR, Jan. 2, 2020 Judy H. Trupp ’65, Boise, April 15, 2019 Judy (Allwardt) Bourassa ’66, Sandpoint, Phyllis R. (Weeks) Jan. 20, 2020 Beary ’60, Missoula, MT, Feb. 6, 2020 Nathan Henry “Hank” Gellert ’66, Kaneough, Eva A. (Barber) Daniels HI, Aug. 9, 2019 ’60, Salt Lake City, UT, March 1, 2020 William R. Hollifield ’66, ’69, Boise, March 13, 2020 Jerry E. Enders ’60, Spokane, WA, Feb. 28, 2020 Roy Peak ’66, Kennewick, WA, Dec. 14, 2019 Kenneth Goodwin ’60, Coeur d’Alene, Feb. 19, 2020 Lindarae P. Watts ’66, Robert B. Hawkes ’60, ’62, Wilbur, WA, Dec. 20, 2019 Salem, OR, Feb. 1, 2020 Carola Jean Connell ’67, Austin, TX, Jan. 6, 2020 Edwin A. Mottern ’60, Coeur d’Alene, Jan. 14, 2020 Severt Swenson Jr. ’67, Twin Falls, Nov. 27, 2019 Arlene (Morrow) Rogers ’60, ’67, Kennewick, Stephanie Staniewski ’68, WA, Jan. 18, 2020 Sandpoint, April 25, 2020
1960s
Shilung Kuo ’68, Feb. 29, 2020 Larry Underwood ’68, Lehi, UT, Feb. 4, 2020 Don E. Abegglen ’69, ’71, Rexburg, March 3, 2020 James Kevan ’69, ’72, Filer, Feb. 21, 2020 Cecelia H. (Dalton) Lange ’69, Arvada, CO, Dec. 27, 2019 William L. Schrader ’69, Salida, CO, Dec. 23, 2019 John S. Bond ’69, San Jose, CA, April 6, 2020
1970s Adren “Ray” Kroeger ’71, Homedale, Oct. 6, 2018 Myrtle L. (Cable) Berg ’71, Osburn, March 1, 2020 Judy A. Duncan ’71, Kimberly, Jan. 13, 2020 Verla J. Peterson ’71, ’79, Lewiston, Feb. 5, 2020 Christine Wyatt ’71, ’75, Bainbridge, WA, April 23, 2020 Charles R. Blakley ’72, Sandpoint, Feb. 24, 2020 Gary J. Cottle ’72, Swan Valley, Jan. 2, 2020 Virginia A. (Robertson) Patano ’72, Spokane, WA, Feb. 13, 2020 Kathleen M. (McNally) Curtis ’73, Spokane, WA, March 4, 2020 David D. Rau ’73, Plano, TX, Feb. 27, 2020 Bruce L. Baird ’74, Eagle, March 25, 2019 Daniel M. Everts ’74, Coeur d’Alene, Feb. 29, 2020 James A. Becque ’76, Libertyville, IL, Jan. 26, 2020 Jeffery J. Clemmer ’76, McCall, Dec. 16, 2019 Scott H. Mead ’77, Boise, Jan. 11, 2020 John M. Minden ’77, Post Falls, Feb. 7, 2020
ALUMNI
Donald C. Kaufmann ’79, Spokane, WA, March 9, 2020
1980s Susan Evans Watson ’80, Waterton, MA, May 5, 2020 James D. Landerman ’81, Rigby, March 1, 2020 Nancy L. (Doser) Rust ’82, Moscow, March 1, 2020 Martha A. Frederick ’86, Albuquerque, NM, Jan. 2, 2020 Leonard E. Shaheen ’86, Chandler, AZ, March 6, 2020 Betty (Goad) Benson ’88, ’95, Moscow, Jan. 9, 2020
1990s Charles E. Simpson ’90, Jerome, June 22, 2019 Gregory G. Brown ’92, CA, Jan. 2, 2020 Mike Trojovsky ’92, Hiawatha, KS, Dec. 17, 2019 Harold N. Rohde ’93, Potlatch, Jan. 6, 2020 Mary (Grunewald) McGown ’94, Boise, Feb. 29, 2020 Ian Sampson ’94, Puyallup, WA, March 10, 2020 Frank G. Hartlieb ’98, Pocatello, Nov. 16, 2018 Paula M. (Silvestri) Hone ’98, Clarkston, WA, Dec. 30, 2019
2000s Paul J. Anders ’02, Seattle, WA, Jan. 25, 2020 Benjamin R. Hull ’05, Kennewick, WA, Feb. 8, 2020 Joe J. Pagel ’06, Post Falls, Jan. 30, 2020 Jordaan Rainier Van Stolten ’07, Coeur d’Alene, Feb. 1, 2020
2010s Alyson J. Marisch ’13, Denver, CO, March 7, 2020 Ryan L. Merrifield ’15, Bonners Ferry, Jan. 3, 2020 David S. Rutherford ’19, Kent, WA, Feb. 3, 2020 Dan C. Schmidt ’19, Kansas City, MO, March 10, 2020
FACULTY
Instructor Hal Foster, Coeur d’Alene, June 10, 2020
FRIENDS OF THE UNIVERSITY Marilyn Opheim Moore, Bainbridge Island, WA, March 5, 2020
Marilyn Howard,
College of Education, Health and Human Sciences alumnae, donor and advocacy board member, died July 13 at her Eagle home. Education propelled Marilyn ’60, ’65 from her hometown of Mackay to a career as a teacher in Lewiston and principal in Moscow, then on to Idaho Superintendent of Public Instruction, a position in which she served until her retirement in 2007. Marilyn served on multiple boards including the Garden City’s Learning Lab and Boise’s Wassmuth Center for Human Rights, both speaking to her core pillars of reading and social responsibility. In 2009, Marilyn received the President’s Medallion from the University of Idaho. Recipients of the medallion have made significant contributions to the cultural, economic, scientific and/or social advancement of Idaho and its people and have provided exceptional service to the state or nation that has influenced the wellbeing of humankind. Marilyn was known for her rich sense of humor and her drive.
Obituary information can be submitted to alumni@uidaho.edu or at uidaho.edu/ class-notes.
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ALUMNI
The University of Idaho welcomes these new Vandals into the family. 1. Kelly Edward Button,
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son of Nicholas ’09 and Kimberly ’11 (Russell) Button. Oshin, daughter of Mueen Nawaz ’02 and Hina Kanwai. Cannon Lane, born April 2017, and Banks Garrett, born December 2019, sons of Eric ’11 and Jenna (Lane) Fletcher ’12. Micah Kriegel Richmond’s mother, Laura ’19, is a fourthgeneration Vandal, and his father, Kyle ’23, is a first-generation Vandal. James Cooper Pahl, son of Brianne and Wes Pahl ’08 and grandson of Julie and Greg Pahl ’84. Evie Jame Nichols, child of Ryan ’13 and Becca (Leavitt) Nichols ’13. Andrea (Critchlow) ’05 and Mike Locke ’03 welcomed baby girl Alice, born May 2019, pictured with her sisters Kelly, 7, and Nicole, 4. Jane Phyllis and Thomas Feusahrens Louviere, daughter and son of Ellen Teresa FeusahrensLouviere ’05 and Jacques Louviere, and grandchildren of Phyllis (Champlin) Feusahrens ’75. Reece Kelton Hermann, born on April 2, 2020, son of Ryan and Kayla Hermann ’11, ’15.
10. Jameson Dolecheck
was born Jan. 30, 2020, son of Mark ’18 and Shantel Dolecheck. 11. Xaiden Baeza Nunez was born April 5, 2019, son of Viviana Baeza ’17. 12. Madelena Taylor was born Dec. 30, 2019, to Chelsy (Dryden) Taylor ’09 and Ryan Taylor. 13. Colton Neal Shourd, son of Amanda Pence Shourd ’06 and David Shourd ’06; grandson of Ann Lewis ’84, ’06 and Don Pence ’86 and Deb Pence; great grandson of Arleen Pence ’60, ’68 and Ned Pence ’59, ’68 and Glenn Lewis ’46, ’48 and Norma Lewis. 14. Atticus Alex Benjamin Williams was born June 5, 2019, to Ashley ’09, ’11 and Eric Williams ’11. 15. Einar Boyd Holmstead was born Nov. 21, 2019, son to Jamilee E. (Lords) Holmestead; brother of Fynn, Carsten and Porter; and great-grandson of R. Boyd Leonard ’42. 16. Kay Kriwox, fourth child of Erik Kriwox ’03 and Amanda C. Moore-Kriwox ’02, ’11, great-niece of Kay E. Moore Christensen ’84, niece of Amanda J. Kriwox ’99, ’17, Jarred Moore ’02 and Daniel Moore ’07. 17. Lincoln McMillen, son of Travis ’12 and Tyfini McMillen ’11, grandson of Brent McMillen ’86,
great-grandson of Lee Clausen ’58 and Mary Gilderoy Clausen ’58. 18. Elijah “Lou” Noble Foster was adopted by Kristin (Royster) Foster ’11 and Taylor Foster from an orphanage in Ukraine and he’s already a Vandal; grandson of Brian Royster ’83 and Debbie Royster; nephew of Justin Royster ’07 and Danielle Royster. 19. Micah Bryce Johannesen, son of Brycie DeckerJohannesen ’02 and James Johannesen; nephew of Gerald Lambert ’87; and great-nephew of Bill Shane ’59. 20. Eleanor Grace Kimball, daughter of Jenni ’05 and Adam Kimball ’04. 21. Amber Van Clief, granddaughter of Rebecca and Micheal Bryant ’90; greatgranddaughter of Kenneth Deal Sr. ’56; niece of Kenneth Deal Jr. ’86, William Deal ’90, James ’59 and Ann Graban ’59, and Mark Bryant ’81. 22. Ashlynn Marie Aherin, born Nov. 7, 2019, daughter of Jesse ’06 and Jamie (Mabbutt) Aherin’ 06, greatgranddaughter of Anita Mabbutt ’04, granddaughter of Bill Mabbutt ’78, and greatgreat granddaughter of William Hamilton ’22.
VANDAL
BOOK CLUB A VIRTUAL BOOK CLUB FOR AVID READERS, NO MATTER YOUR LOCATION. JOIN FOR FREE AT uidaho.edu/bookclub
VANDAL BUSINESS DIRECTORY
n SUPPORT VANDALOWNED BUSINESSES n LIST YOUR BUSINESS n REFER VANDAL BUSINESSES
uidaho.edu/businessdirectory To feature your Future Vandal, submit a high resolution photo at uidaho.edu/class-notes or email alumni@uidaho.edu. Please include the graduation year of the alumni parent(s). The Office of Alumni Relations will send you a signed certificate and a complimentary pair of Vandal baby booties.
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FEATURE
SUSTAINING OUR WATER
Heather Crawford collects a water sample in Payette Lake.
RESEARCHERS PRESERVE IDAHO'S WATER QUALITY BY LEIGH COOPER
Another Way to View the Frank e often think of wilderness as a place that escapes change, a place set aside from development and untrammeled by man. While policy has protected Idaho’s Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness from many human impacts, researchers with the Confluence Lab are finding the wilderness has changed. By combining science, music, interviews and film, the team is exploring change in the wilderness and how people react to that change. Master’s student Micaela Petrini, now graduated, worked with Teresa Cohn in the Department of Natural Resources and Society and at Taylor Wilderness Research Station to reshoot historic pictures of the Frank and interview stakeholders such as landowners, outfitters and aviators. Department of Music’s Ruby Fulton composed a musical piece on the Frank’s changing landscape, which was recorded by the icarus Quartet. Department of English’s Ben James will produce a final film that combines the musical score with stakeholder interviews and the rephotography project.
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What's Left in the Wake? ome boats create wakes large enough for a person to surf. But large wakes can also disrupt fellow boaters, disturb lake sediments and erode shorelines. Next to McCall, Payette Lake drives the region’s economy through tourism and supplies the city with water. The Big Payette Lake Water Quality Council organized funding for research by master’s student Heather Crawford to investigate how boat wakes and wind-created waves influence shoreline erosion and the resuspension of lake sediments. She will quantify if sediment resuspension in the lake alters the amount of phosphorus — a nutrient that can trigger algae blooms — in the water column. Crawford would like to create a citizen science tool that landowners can use to determine the type of sediment on their shorelines — information useful to estimate shoreline vulnerability to erosion. Her findings will provide scientific data that natural resource managers could use to make decisions regarding water quality and recreation.
Toxic Algae Harm Idaho Lakes ccording to Idaho’s Department of Environmental Quality, toxic algal blooms erupt in roughly 20 to 25 Gem State lakes every summer. Algal toxins harm plants, animals and humans, and the blooms impair Idaho’s economy by reducing recreation opportunities and property values. Over the last 15 years, these blooms have become more common and persist for more days each year. One highly impacted water body is Fernan Lake in North Idaho. Residents and lake managers asked Frank Wilhelm, with the Department of Fish and Wildlife Sciences, to investigate the cause of blooms. Wilhelm and Trea LaCroix, who was then a master’s student, measured the water and nutrients flowing into and through Fernan Lake as part of a National Science Foundation project. They found 81% of the phosphorus — a nutrient that stimulates algal growth — entering the lake never leaves, allowing the element to build up year after year. These findings will help lake managers develop mitigation plans for the lake.
FEATURE
EXPERIENCES ‘EN PLEIN-AIR’ ART PROFESSOR OFFERS LIVE PAINTING DEMONSTRATIONS IN NATURE AMID COVID-19 By Kassandra Tuten
ome professors ask students to put down their phones in class. When the University of Idaho moved classes online amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Aaron Johnson, assistant professor in the College of Art and Architecture, encouraged his students to pick them up. “Instagram is an incredibly powerful tool for connecting, communicating, sharing and exploring visual elements and ideas,” said Johnson. “All of my students were already on the platform, so I took advantage of that and created a private account for the class.” In Johnson’s Intermediate/Advanced Painting class, students hone their painting technique to find their style and voice as practicing artists by receiving feedback from Johnson and their peers as they work. “It’s hard to do that online,” said Johnson. “You can’t replace
15 to 20 students in the same studio space working on the same project, struggling to solve the same problems.” Johnson, who primarily paints “en Plein-air” — French for painting outside on location — incorporated live Instagram demonstrations into his online lessons. He hosted live videos of himself painting scenes on the Palouse, during which the students could ask questions in real time. The live videos were helpful during an otherwise difficult transition, said Grace Wood, a student in Johnson’s class, and they allowed students to stay connected and engaged with their professor and each other. “Professor Johnson really listened to our feedback on what would be helpful to us as students during the transition to online learning, and I found that really beneficial to our class and our success,” Wood said. Read more of this story online at uidaho.edu/en-plein-air. UIDAHO.EDU/MAGAZINE
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Moscow, ID 83844-3232
CAMPUS HISTORY TRIVIA This building, constructed in 1935, was moved in 1950 to make room for what is now the Janssen Engineering Building. It survived a fire in 1952 and served several purposes until it was demolished in 1972. Can you name one or more of those purposes? The answer is posted online at
uidaho.edu/magazine Did you study, teach or work in this building? Share your memories on social media
@uidahoalumni or send them to
alumni@uidaho.edu
Digital Image Copyright 2013, University of Idaho Library
Digital Initiatives