Do you have a spotlight item to share with the NAU community?
E-mail your announcements to Inside@nau.edu.

• Michael Stevenson, dean of the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences, is editor of the new Journal of Diversity in Higher Education. This quarterly journal, a joint publication of the American Psychological Association and the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, offers research findings, theory and promising practices to help guide the efforts of institutions of higher education in the pursuit of inclusive excellence. The inaugural issue was published in March.
• Research at NAU earned high praise in an article by Stephen Petlletier, featured in the April/May issue of Public Purpose magazine from the American Association of Colleges and Universities. "NAU researchers consistently announce findings that are distinguished, important additions to basic knowledge," the article states. The author quotes Laura Huenneke, vice president for Research, and cites work by professor Kelley Hays-Gilpin, doctoral candidate J. Judson Wynne, and NAU adjunct professor Ted Bunch and Jim Wittke, a geologic materials analyst.
• The following students and faculty presented at the Western Regional Honors Council annual conference at the High Country Conference Center on April 10-12:

  • Elizabeth Berthold, senior international affairs major, presented her senior honors thesis, "Discursive Representations of 'Security' on the U.S.-Mexico Border: A Study in Race and Citizenship."
  • Lynn Gardner, senior lecturer with the Honors Program, and the following students presented, "This I Believe," a series of personal and philosophical observations about the events, ideas and passions in their lives: Eric Harrison, Nora Donovan, Lori Brooks, Elizabeth Jean Cook, Donald Linder, Jr., Margo Nelson, CJ Penning, Meghan Potash, Nicholas Roberson, Julie Toma and Reid Watkins.
  • Hesham Elnagar, junior dual major in music and mathematics, and Lauren Smerlinski, senior exercise science major, presented "Active Peer Leadership in Honors Education: HON 100."
  • John Doherty, associate instructional designer for NAU's e-Learning Center and HON 190 instructor, and Kevin Ketchner, librarian at Cline Library and HON 190 and HON 191 instructor, presented "Empowering the Honors Student: Using Technology to Enhance Learning in an Honors Composition Course."
  • Nora Donovan, senior economics and political science major, presented "Stuck at the Crossroads," addressing the social, political and environmental effects of the U.S. military's nuclear experimentation in the South Pacific.
  • Nicholas Roberson, senior philosophy major, presented his senior honors thesis, "Comparative Systems of Political Justification."
  • Hesham Elnagar, Lauren Smerlinski, Neshe Gole (junior English secondary education major), and Katie Brooks (junior nursing major), facilitated "Flagstaff-As-Text," a brief excursion and introduction to Flagstaff for more than 50 conference attendees on April 10, introducing participants to Flagstaff and this unique educational experience.
• Laurie Dickson, professor of psychology and department graduate program coordinator, has been appointed chair of the Department of Psychology. She will assume the position July 1.
• The Southwestern Society of American Foresters recognized three individuals from NAU with awards for their accomplishments. Pete Fulé, associate professor and director for the Ecological Restoration Institute, received an award for Outstanding Contributions to Forestry. Cheryl Miller, education coordinator for the School of Forestry, was named Communicator of the Year. Molly Pitts, a graduate of the forestry program, received the Young Forester of the Year award.
• Evan Johnson, a parks and recreation management major, recently rode his bike from Flagstaff to Boston in time for his sister's graduation from MIT.
• Undergraduates Kristen Payne and Kyle Mead each won gift certificates to the NAU Bookstore in a random drawing of participants in the annual National Survey of Student Engagement. About 1,450 NAU freshmen and sophomores responded to the survey, and NAU will use the results to improve the way students interact with each other, with faculty and the community. The results will be released in the fall.