<h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> <h2></h2> February 2009 <p><br /><a href="#preschoolers">·Early Childhood Center Preschoolers Visit SIUE Engineering Labs</a><br /> <a href="#recital">·Faculty Recital To Showcase SIUE Music Department Talent</a><br /> <a href="#Ford">·SIUE Student From Ozark Recognized with Leadership Award<br /></a> <a href="#Lizard">·On Hunt For Vanishing Species, SIUE Professor To Comb Lone Star State</a><br /> <a href="#Gala2">·St. Louis Television Meteorologist To Speak At Social Work Gala</a><br /> <a href="#Bookstore">·Renovated Bookstore To Open March 9; Grand Re-Opening March 23<br /></a> <a href="#Networking">·SIUE Alumni Association Is Seeking Volunteers For April Event<br /></a> <a href="#Segal">·M. Segal To Be Honored At Marketing Management Association Meeting<br /></a> <a href="#Dan">·D. Anderson Wins NCECA Excellence In Teaching Awar</a>d<br /> <a href="#Yates">·J. Yates Continues As Chair Of CACUBO Management Institute<br /></a> <a href="#CivilServiceBanquet">·Civil Service Banquet Committee Donates $500 To Staff Senate<br /></a> <a href="#FDA">·Regionally Known Contractor And Former FDA Head To Be Honored<br /></a> <a href="#BOTBids">·BOT Awards Contracts Worth Nearly $850K For Renovation Projects<br /></a> <a href="#BTW">·SIUE’s Black Theater Workshop To Be Presented Feb. 20-22</a><br /> <a href="#Ethanol">·Program At SIUE To Focus On Ethanol, Oil and Water in Southern Illinois</a><br /> <a href="#Three">·SIUE Offers Backstage Send Up Of Chekhov’s <em>Three Sisters</em></a><em><br /></em> <a href="#Expo">·Healthy Living Expo, Formerly Senior Fair, To Take Place At SIUE</a><br /> <a href="#EOMPeters">·D. Peters Named Employee Of The Month For February</a><br /> <a href="#Profs">·Two SIUE Professors Awarded Distinguished Research Recognition<br /></a> <a href="#Hoppe">·G. Pelekanos Wins Annual Hoppe Research Professorship<br /></a> <a href="#SOE">·School Of Education To Co-Sponsor Math-Science Summer Camps</a><br /> <a href="#FEExam">·SIUE Civil Engineering Students Set the Bar High at National Exam</a><br /> <a href="#Changes">·Changes<br /></a> <a href="#Banquet">·CEO Paul Galeski To Speak Feb. 19 At SIUE Engineering Awards Banquet</a><a href="#Housing"><br /></a> <a href="#Bosnian">·SIUE, SLU Join With Missouri Foundation For Health In Research Project</a><br /> <a href="#Gala">·SIUE School of Nursing Set To Host Annual Gala On April 25</a><br /> <a href="#Open">·SIUE Hosts Spring 2009 Open Houses, Highlights Programs</a></p> <h2><a name="preschoolers" id="preschoolers">2/27/09</a></h2> <h3>Early Childhood Center Preschoolers Visit SIUE Engineering Labs</h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Preschoolers from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville's<br /> Early Childhood Center visited the SIUE School of Engineering's Department of Civil Engineering on Feb. 17.</p> <p>For about an hour and a half, 16 youngsters, supervised by staff from the Early Childhood Center, including teacher Stephanie Henschen, assistant teacher Mary Blain, undergraduate student worker Elaina May, volunteer Courtney Gibson and student teacher Monica Venhaus, were introduced to some basic civil engineering concepts:</p> <p>• An open-channel flow demonstration, which shows how people can get caught in turbulent water and unable to get out;<br /> • How water flows around objects in a stream and causes erosion using a stream table;<br /> • Sand-sieving to show that it is made up of different sizes;<br /> • Soil-rolling to find soil plasticity, or, how water influences the look and behavior of soil.</p> <p>The children were given SIUE souvenirs, including bottles of bubbles and piggy banks, courtesy of the SIUE Foundation. SIUE Professor of Civil Engineering Susan Morgan, who is chair of the department and the mother of one of the preschoolers, worked with Brent Vaughn, a lab specialist and Trisha Youngquist, a graduate student, to create a memorable experience for the youngsters.</p> <p>"Most engineering outreach, including in the School of Engineering, is focused on middle and high schools," Morgan said. "This was an opportunity to introduce engineering to preschoolers, who are such a terrific audience-enthusiastic and not only willing to get wet and dirty, but excited about it.<br /> "We had a great time showing them a few basic engineering concepts, and they had a lot of fun playing with the water and soil."</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/Jayden.jpg">here</a> for a picture of preschooler Jayden Johnson, 5, of Edwardsville, sieving sand during a recent visit to the SIUE School of Engineering.</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/streamtable.jpg">here</a> for a picture of (from left to right) Kathryn Morgan, 4, Jayden Johnson, 5 and Sofia Muller, 4, all of Edwardsville, and Isabelle Leyba, 4, of Granite City, learning about erosion and other civil engineering principles at a stream table.</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/waterbottle.jpg">here</a> for a picture of (from left to right) Kyle Peery, 3, of Collinsville, and Vyla Hupp, 4, of Edwardsville, use water to learn about soil plasticity.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="recital" id="recital">2/26/09</a></h2> <h3>Faculty Recital To Showcase SIUE Music Department Talent</h3> (EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Music will host a faculty recital at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27 in the Abbott Auditorium in the Lovejoy Library on campus. <p>The recital will feature pianist Linda Perry and clarinet and bass clarinet player James Hinson, both professors of music; cellist Marta Simidtchieva, assistant professor of music; Ann Homann, oboe, and Bob Mottl, bassoon, call staff; violinists Eva Gilliland and Rafaela Copetti, both graduate students, and Victoria Brannan, viola, music department volunteer.</p> <p>The event is free and open to the public, with free, open parking available in permit-required campus lots after 4:30 p.m. and all weekend. For more information, contact the music department, (618) 650-3900.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Ford" id="Ford">2/24/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE Student From Ozark Recognized with Leadership Award<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Melissa Ford of Ozark, an accounting graduate student in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Business, recently was honored with the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Student Leader of the Semester Award. The Enterprise Foundation award recognizes SIUE business students who are nominated by student organizations for outstanding participation and responsibility.</p> <p>Ford’s award recognizes her work as president of the SIUE chapter of Beta Alpha Psi, the national honor society for top accounting majors. The organization strives to foster relationships with fellow accounting majors as well as faculty and future employers. Ford was chosen for this award because of her hard work and dedication to the society. She has achieved numerous accomplishments so far this year including competing in the national Beta Alpha Psi case competition and participating in the Planning Committee for Relay for Life on behalf of Beta Alpha Psi.</p> <p>In addition, Ford has organized two very significant events for the honor society: the inaugural Meet the Firms event, which allowed students to network with 12 potential employers, and the Accounting Fall Awards Banquet in which employers, faculty and students joined to celebrate the accomplishments of accounting students. “Melissa also has excelled in willingly leading the officers and members in a constant effort at improving organization and performance in her Beta Alpha Psi chapter,” said Allen Hunt, assistant professor of accounting and faculty advisor to the SIUE chapter. Adding to these accomplishments, Ford also has maintained a 4.0 in the School’s master’s accounting program</p> <p>The award carries with it a $100 stipend and certificate. In addition, Ford will be recognized at a reception in the spring that will honor all Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation Award recipients, while providing SIUE business students an opportunity to network with Enterprise executives.</p> <p>The SIUE School of Business is among an elite 10 percent of business schools worldwide that have earned the prestigious seal of approval from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The School has been AACSB International accredited since 1975. This assures that students receive the highest quality in strategic resource management, interaction with faculty and achievement of learning goals. In addition, the SIUE Accounting Program also is accredited through AACSB International. Less than 33 percent of AACSB-accredited business schools hold an accounting accreditation.</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/FordEnterprise.jpg">here</a> for a photo of the award presentation: Shown here are Melissa Ford (at center holding award certificate) along with Lee E. Lewis Jr. (second from right), community relations manager for the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Foundation. They are joined by (at far right) School of Business Dean Gary Giamartino, (at far left) Tina Diehl, Group Rental manager with Enterprise and (second from left) Tom Preusser, area manager with Enterprise. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Lizard" id="Lizard">2/23/09</a></h2> <h3>On Hunt For Vanishing Species, SIUE Professor To Comb Lone Star State</h3> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) As a high school student, Ralph Axtell trapped snakes to make money to buy books about reptiles.</p> <p>Always fascinated with animals, the young man-now a professor of biological sciences at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville-recalls catching rattlesnakes and other types of snakes in the early 1950s and selling them to Snake King-a business in Brownsville, Texas that then sold the reptiles to zoos and individuals across the United States.</p> <p>"I was interested mainly in snakes at the time," said Axtell who holds a bachelor of science each in zoology and geography; a master's each in zoology and botany and a doctorate each in zoology and paleontology, all from The University of Texas at Austin.</p> <p>Axtell first became interested in reptiles while searching for snakes under metal, wood and cardboard lying in backyards in Texas City, Texas. After moving to the small town of Bishop in South Texas, he noticed some unusual looking lizards running across a road about one mile south of Bishop.<br /> "I didn't know what they were," he said.</p> <p>Captivated by these small beasts, Axtell's discovery turned out to be an unidentified southern subspecies of the spot-tailed earless lizard, which first had been found in Central Texas, and identified as Holbrookia lacerata in the 1800s. The new subspecies, which became known as Holbrookia lacerata subcaudalis, was found living in South Texas and Northern Mexico. Axtell made the study of the animals his life's work, spending more than 50 years searching for and cataloguing the creatures, and chronicling their distributions, behaviors and habits.</p> <p>Today it is rumored that these creatures are facing extinction, a rumor that Axtell hopes to clarify by traveling, along with a team of other scientists, to Texas this spring and summer-during the months when the creatures are most active. The team plans to locate populations of these unique lizards. The spot-tailed earless lizard's distinctive characteristics make it difficult to mistake for any other, he said. While he believes the species might be gone from many locations it previously inhabited, he does not think it is endangered.</p> <p>"I think a number of populations still exist, but they are missing from a broad area in Texas where they used to occur," he said. All the known localities for this lizard have been placed in a publication, An Interpretive Atlas of Texas Lizards, which includes "all museums and collection in the United States where they are kept, as well as in private collections."</p> <p>Measuring up to about six inches in total length, the creature is named for the prominent dark spots under its tail. Because it outwardly appears to have no ears, it is referred to as an earless lizard.</p> <p>Axtell and other scientists on the team will conduct their investigation through The Nature Conservancy, which is a leading, global conservation organization dedicated to protecting ecologically important lands and waters. The Conservancy has more than one million members and protects more than 18 million acres in the U.S. It has helped preserve more than 117 million acres in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and the Pacific.</p> <p>The Nature Conservancy in Texas protects roughly 250,000 acres of wild lands and, along with partners, has conserved 750,000 acres for wildlife habitat across the state.</p> <p>The project on which Axtell is working is being funded by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department's Texas Horned Lizard License Plate Fund. More information on the lizard is available online: www.nature.org/texas, including a form for lizard-spotters that may be downloaded, a map of historic locations, photos, video and a poster. For more information, contact Axtell by e-mail: raxtell@siue.edu, or by phone, (618) 650-3405.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Gala2" id="Gala2">2/20/09<br /></a></h2> <h3>St. Louis Television Meteorologist To Speak At Social Work Gala<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Matt Chambers, KMOV-TV (Ch. 4) meteorologist, will be the featured speaker at the Third Annual Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Social Work Scholarship Gala on March 21. Reservations must be received by March 10. Scheduled to begin with 5 p.m. cocktails, the gala will take place in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIUE’s Morris Center. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m.; a 7:30 p.m. program is planned.</p> <p>During the program, Community Commitment Awards will be announced: Robert and Jane Roennigke, long-time volunteers with the Madison County (National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI), will receive the Social Work Humanitarian Award; Shirley J. Rakers, an SIUE graduate who has been an instructor at the University for many years, will receive the Outstanding Alumni Award; Alva Tevini, of Community Memorial Hospital in Staunton, will receive the Social Worker of the Year Award; and Kenneth R. Aud, of the United Congregations of Metro-East, will be recognized with the Community Organization Award.</p> <p>In addition, Christie Haskenherm, of Teutopolis, will receive the Outstanding Bachelor of Social Work Student Award, while Serene M. Tobey, of Belleville, will receive the Outstanding Master of Social Work Student Award. All proceeds benefit the scholarship fund for the SIUE Department of Social Work. Tickets, which include dinner, are $50; a table of eight, $350. For reservations, call the department, (618) 650-5429.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Bookstore" id="Bookstore">2/20/09</a></h2> <h3>Renovated Bookstore To Open March 9; Grand Re-Opening March 23<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The newly renovated bookstore at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will open its doors at 8 a.m. Monday, March 9, on the first floor of SIUE’s Morris University Center.<br /> A grand re-opening of the bookstore will be celebrated the week of March 23, with light refreshments served from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. that Monday. “Faculty Poetry and Prose,” an event that will feature eight authors from the SIUE English Language and Literature faculty reading from their works and conducting book signings, is scheduled at 5 that afternoon.</p> <p>At 10:30 a. m. Tuesday, March 24, the Bookstore will conduct a story book reading for children. That same day is Apple day in the Bookstore, with classes offered by Apple at 11 a.m., 1 p. m. and 3 p. m. There also will be giveaways for attendees of classes as well as drawings throughout the day. From noon-1:30 p.m. Thursday, March 26, author Cheryl Jett of Alton will conduct a book signing for her newest work—<em>Alton</em> (Arcadia, 2009), a pictorial history of the city.</p> <p>The book is the newest in Arcadia Publishing’s <em>Images of America</em> series, which brought us <em>Southern Illinois University Edwardsville</em> (Arcadia, 2000) by SIUE Associate Professor Stephen Kerber and Donna Bardon, former director of development for SIUE’s Lovejoy Library, and <em>The Mississippi River Festiva</em>l (Arcadia, 2006) by Kerber, who is the SIUE archivist, and Amanda Bahr-Evola, senior library specialist in Lovejoy’s Louisa Bowen Archives.</p> <p>The $1.6 million renovation project was the first since the bookstore opened in 1967. The project includes custom-designed maple wood casework throughout the store. “The bookstore has been completely transformed,” says Emily Gray, assistant director of the Morris University Center for the SIUE Bookstore and Textbook Services. “It has become a bright, inviting and comfortable place to shop. Expanded offerings include Cougar Tech, a complete technology department featuring Apple computers, iPods, software, electronics and accessories.” The Cougar Shop, marked by the cougar inset in the floor at the store entrance, contains an expanded selection of SIUE clothing and gifts. “Other bookstore departments include school, art and residence hall supplies, general books and textbooks.”</p> <p>Gray pointed out that the new bookstore also includes an expanded central desk providing customer service, product information, a kiosk for special ordering, a daily textbook buyback service, financial aid charges, department charges as well as customer exchanges and refunds. The grand opening week also will feature prize drawings each day and a grand prize drawing at the end of the week. Special offers during that week will include discounts on selected clothing and 75 percent off selected clearance book titles, to name two.</p> <p>“Customers may also notice that we will no longer ask them to leave their backpacks or carrying bags at the front of the store,” Gray said. “More information may be found on the store’s Facebook page; just search ‘University Bookstore’ to keep up with everything that’s happening. We welcome everyone to come visit during Grand Opening week.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Networking" id="Networking">2/20/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE Alumni Association Is Seeking Volunteers For April Event<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Alumni Association is seeking SIUE alumni and community volunteers from all career fields for an exciting new event—SIUE Speednetworking—that will take place Thursday, April 30, in SIUE’s Conference Center, on the second floor of the Morris University Center.</p> <p>Based on the format of speed dating, attendees will have five minutes to network with each new person they meet. After five minutes, attendees will move to the next person and continue networking. Attendees will learn how to make a good first impression and networking volunteers will share their post-college job experience. Each volunteer will be assigned to a table and participants will rotate around the room every five minutes. There will be time before and after the Speednetworking rounds to network with other volunteers. Volunteers will model effective networking techniques for participants as well as gain useful experience for your own professional development. Volunteers also are needed to mingle with attendees during the social networking hours and serve as substitutes when the Speednetworking contacts need to take a break.</p> <p>The welcome and keynote speaker—Kasey Bergh, manager of Community Affairs and Public Relations at Nestlé Purina PetCare—will begin at 6:30 p.m. that Thursday, and Speednetworking will begin at 7 p.m. The evening will conclude with “conversation wrap-ups” at 9:30. Those interested may complete the online volunteer form on the Web site: <a href="http://www.siue.edu/alumni">www.siue.edu/alumni</a> For more information, contact Katie Bennett, assistant director of SIUE Alumni Affairs, by e-mail: kabenne@siue.edu.</p> <p>Tickets for the event are $15 for SIUE students with valid Cougar ID; $25 for SIUE Alumni Association members; $35 for non-members; and will go on sale Monday, March 2. Ticket prices include refreshments and may be purchased online at <a href="http://www.siue.edu/alumni">www.siue.edu/alumni</a>, by phone: (618) 650-2760, or in person at SIUE’s B. Barnard Birger Hall. “All attendees will be separated into two groups,” Bennett explained. “While the first group is participating in Speednetworking, the second group will practice social networking. During the social networking hour, participants will practice approaching others during receptions and learn how to work the room like a pro," she said.</p> <p>“Remember—good networking is all about exchanging information, building trust, being seen and creating a positive foundation for future interactions.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Segal" id="Segal">2/20/09</a></h2> <h3>M. Segal To Be Honored At Marketing Management Association Meeting</h3> <p><br />Madhav N. Segal, a professor of marketing and director of the SIUE Master of Marketing Research (MMR) Program in the School of Business, will receive the 2009 Meritorious Teaching Award from the Marketing Management Association (MMA). He will be among 15 educators recognized at the MMA meeting in Chicago on March 18. Segal is receiving the award for excellence in collegiate marketing education.</p> <p>He has been director of the MMR Program at SIUE since he founded it in 1984 and over the years has served as a consultant for many business, and marketing research service agencies and organizations. Segal also has been an author of several articles and is widely known nationally and internationally as a marketing expert. The MMR program provides courses that deal in theoretical and analytical marketing curriculum while integrating coursework with marketing research and graduate internships.</p> <p>The MMA, which promotes professional activities in the field of marketing, is an organization within the Midwest Business Administration Association (MBAA), which serves as a facilitating agency for the regional association in the Midwest.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Dan" id="Dan">2/20/09</a></h2> <h3>D. Anderson Wins NCECA Excellence In Teaching Award</h3> <p><br />Dan Anderson, noted ceramicist and professor emeritus of Art and Design at SIUE, recently was recognized with the Excellence In Teaching Award from the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA). The award was given for Anderson’s “outstanding contributions to education in the field of ceramics.” According to NCECA, the award places Anderson in “the elite company of the finest educators in the country.” Anderson, who will recognized in April at the NCECA Conference in Phoenix, also will receive a lifetime membership in the organization.</p> <p>Joining the University in 1970 as an instructor in Art and Design, Anderson became a full professor in 1984 and retired in 2002. He has won several awards on and off campus through the years including SIUE’s Great Teacher Award and Outstanding Scholar Award. He earned an MFA in 1970 at the renowned Cranbrook Acadamy of Art in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where he was an instructor. He received a bachelor of science in art education in 1968 from Wisconsin State University.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Yates" id="Yates">2/20/09</a></h2> <h3>J. Yates Continues As Chair Of CACUBO Management Institute</h3> <p><br />Jill Yates, business manager for Informational Technology Services (ITS) at SIUE, is continuing as chair of the Collegiate Management Institute (CMI) Committee of the Central Association of College and University Business Officers (CACUBO). She also is serving on CACUBO’s Current Issues Workshop/Professional Development Committee and the Annual Meeting Host Committee.</p> <p>Yates, who joined the University in 1990 as an accounting clerk in the Office of Administrative Accounting, became an accounting technician in what was then known as Office of Information Technology in 1995. She became business manager in OIT in the late-1990s. A 1994 SIUE alumna, Yates hold a bachelor of science in mathematical sciences.</p> <p>CACUBO is a nonprofit association representing chief business officers at more than 700 institutions throughout the North Central region of the United States. The association promotes best practices in educational business administration through professional development programs and in taking action in matters that affect the financial standing of higher learning institutions. According to CACUBO’s mission statement, the association's objective is “to plan, provide and encourage professional and personal development for all levels of management in the business and financial area of higher education.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="CivilServiceBanquet" id="CivilServiceBanquet">2/17/09</a></h2> <h3>Civil Service Banquet Committee Donates $500 To Staff Senate</h3> <p><br />The Civil Service Banquet Committee, which holds the annual Civil Service Banquet each year in the fall, recently donated $500 of the proceeds from the October 2008 banquet to the Staff Senate Scholarship Fund. The scholarship is awarded annually to an SIUE staff member’s child or grandchild eligible under the scholarship’s academic guidelines. From left are Donna Lesicko, Marlin Fohne and Cathy Merkle, all members of the banquet committee; Jessie Harris, treasurer of the Staff Senate; Brian W. Lotz, president of the Staff Senate; and Jeff Hicks, a Staff Senate panel chair. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/StaffSenatePhoto0209.jpg">here</a> for the photo</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="FDA" id="FDA">2/12/09<br /></a></h2> <h3>Regionally Known Contractor And Former FDA Head To Be Honored<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) During its May commencement ceremonies, Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will honor David M. Oates, a long time supporter of the University who has served as president and chairman of the SIUE Foundation Board and who has served as president of his highly successful engineering firm in Collinsville. Oates will receive SIUE’s Distinguished Service Award as approved today by the SIU Board of Trustees at its regular meeting at SIU Carbondale. The SIU Board today also approved awarding an honorary doctorate to Dr. Jane E. Henney, the first woman to serve as commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).</p> <p>The SIUE Honorary Degrees and Distinguished Service Awards Committee actively solicits nominations from members of the University community to obtain a diverse pool of qualified candidates for these awards. A candidate for an Honorary Degree may be any person who has made significant contributions to cultural, educational, scientific, economic, social, humanitarian or other worthy fields of endeavor. Distinguished Service Awards may be presented to any person who has given outstanding or unusual service to the University, the region or the state.</p> <p>Oates has directed numerous transportation and building projects that have benefited the University, Edwardsville, Madison County and others throughout the region. On the SIUE campus, Oates Associates has been instrumental in several major projects. The company was responsible for the design of SIUE’s state-of-the-art Engineering Building, which also included improvements to surrounding roads and parking areas. The company also oversaw the addition of the SIUE Student Fitness Center as part of SIUE’s Vadalabene Center, and also played a key role in the development of the track and field facility at Korte Stadium, which, in addition to hosting Cougar events, was used for the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival.</p> <p>Oates’ current projects include the design of a new Mississippi River Bridge in St. Clair County, street planning for the city of Edwardsville, and the design of additional bike trails in Madison County. As a staunch supporter of the University, Oates represented the community on the search committee for a new chancellor in 2003 and has been a member of the SIUE School of Engineering’s Industrial and Professional Advisory Board. He is currently a member of the SIUE Foundation Board, having previously served as its President and Chairman. He currently is a steering committee member for SIUE’s “Defining Excellence” comprehensive campaign and, in addition, he and his employees support two scholarship funds for SIUE Civil Engineering students.</p> <p>As one who has dedicated her career to improving public health, working in both government and higher education, Dr. Henney has held positions at the University of Kansas, including vice chancellor for Health Programs and interim dean of the School of Medicine. In 1992, Dr. Henney began her work at the FDA as deputy commissioner for Operations. In 1994, she moved to the University of New Mexico as vice president for Health Sciences. Based on her excellent reputation as both a researcher and administrator, Dr. Henney was appointed by President Clinton to her groundbreaking post as head of the FDA in 1998, a role she held until 2001. As FDA Commissioner, she led the agency responsible for safeguarding the public health by regulating human and veterinary drugs, the nation’s food supply, medical devices and cosmetics, among other products.</p> <p>Following her tenure with the FDA, Dr. Henney was a senior scholar in residence at the Association of Academic Health Centers from 2001 to 2003. In 2003, Dr. Henney became the senior vice president and provost for Health Affairs at the University of Cincinnati until last year, where she remains on the faculty of UC's College of Medicine. Her distinguished career has resulted in numerous accolades. She has been elected to the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine and the Society of Medical Administrators. She received an Honorary Fellowship from the American College of Healthcare Executives in 1999. The Jacob Institute honored her with its Excellence in Women’s Health Award, and the National Organization for Rare Disorders gave her its Public Health Leadership Award. Dr. Henney has been president of the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, an advisory committee member to the director for the National Institutes of Health, and member of the National Advisory Research Resources Council.</p> <p>She also will serve as keynote speaker for the inaugural SIUE School of Pharmacy hooding ceremony in May 2009. She has previously received honorary degrees from North Carolina State University, Manchester College, and the University of Rochester. She received a Distinguished Alumni Award from the Indiana University School of Medicine in 1998 as well as an Alumni Award from Manchester College in 1996. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for Manchester College.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="BOTBids" id="BOTBids">2/12/09</a></h2> <h3>BOT Awards Contracts Worth Nearly $850K For Renovation Projects<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees today awarded contracts worth nearly $850,000 to seven Metro East companies for expansion projects at the SIU School of Dental Medicine in Alton and in one of two buildings housing the SIUE School of Pharmacy in University Park, a research park on campus. The project at the SDM will add four oral surgery stations at the School’s Main Clinic, while the expansion at Pharmacy includes added gathering and common study space at 220 University Park Drive.</p> <p>The Board made the awards at its regular meeting conducted today at SIU Carbondale. However, before awarding the bids for the Pharmacy project, the Board was asked to increase the budget for the construction from $350,000 to $800,000 because bids came in much higher than expected. The original estimate did not include furniture costs. The project will be paid through University Operating Funds.<br /> Pharmacy project bids were awarded to: GRS Construction of Columbia, $405,300, for general work; Pyramid Electric Contractors Inc. of Fairview Heights, $51,875; and France Mechanical Corp., $41,500, for ventilation work. Since approving a Pharmacy curriculum in 2003, changes have been made that now allow for three years of study on campus in Pharmacy rather than only two. This change has, with the program finishing its fourth year, resulted in an increased focus of on-campus training which in turn has created the need for additional space.</p> <p>In the School of Dental Medicine’s project, a contract worth $132,000 was awarded to general contractor Morrisey Construction Co. of Godfrey; a $119,177 contract was awarded to Wegman Electric of East Alton; a $72,631 contract was awarded to Bel-o Sales & Service of Belleville, for plumbing; and a $26,320 contract was awarded to JEN Mechanical Inc. of Alton, for ventilation.<br /> Funding for the SDM project will come from existing donated funds, equipment use fees and local operations funds. The budget for the project was originally set at $1.1 million but the bids came in substantially lower. The project is expected to be complete by the end of summer.</p> <p>An increased demand for care has created a long waiting list for oral surgery. This renovation will provide the ability to accommodate the increase in patient volume and enhance the education of students and residents in the area of oral surgery. The renovation project also will include installation of an emergency backup power system for three oral surgery operatories, four regular operatories and support systems for these areas. In the event of a power outage, the emergency backup system would provide temporary power to safely complete any patient procedures in progress.</p> <p>In other business today, the SIU Board approved planning for one project and approved another project, both at the SIUE National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center (NCERC). The Board gave planning approval for laboratory expansion and gave project and budget approval for renovation of the NCERC’s distillation and dehydration systems, which is estimated to cost $1.5 million. The latter will be funded through a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. Costs are still to be determined for the lab expansion. The lab expansion plans call for adding fermentation wet labs, analytical wet labs, additional office area and support space. The renovation of the distillation and dehydration systems calls for boosting the capacity of the systems by replacing and upgrading several of the system’s components.</p> <p>Today, the Board also approved planning for resurfacing of South University Drive from Stadium Drive to the existing overlay north of Parking Lot No. 1. In addition, the Board approved a $1.68 million increase in SIUE’s advertising budget in the Office of Marketing and Communication to add additional print marketing as well as increased cable television, radio and network television spots as well as additional billboard marketing. Actual costs will be dependent on the competitive bids solicited and awarded in accordance with University purchasing policies.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="BTW" id="BTW">2/11/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE's Black Theater Workshop To Be Presented Feb. 20-22<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Black Theater Workshop production of “We Wear the Mask,”—a compilation of theatrical scenes, dances, and songs that demonstrate the many facades put on by society—will be performed at 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 20-21, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22, all at SIUE’s Metcalf Theater.</p> <p>The production features work performed and directed by students and includes “Losing Identity,” an original work by SIUE student Curtis Lewis about a homeless man with enriching life lessons; two excerpts from George C. Wolfe’s “The Colored Museum,” about how society judges others by outward appearance; and “Scrape” by Jean Paul Archambeault, which focuses on a man struggling with his race.</p> <p>The workshop also will include a performance of “Wheels of a Dream,” a showstopping song from the hit Broadway musical, <em>Ragtime</em>, that deals with hope and the longing for happiness; “The Adventures of Superguy,” an original work written by SIUE student Greg Fenner about a superhero with a secret; “Smiling Faces,” a song performed by the SIUE Vocal Jazz Ensemble, conducted by faculty member Reggie Thomas, as well as other scenes and monologues plus dances performed by the SIUE East St. Louis Performing Arts Center.</p> <p>Admission is free. For more information or for directions, call SIUE’s Fine Arts box office , (618) 650-2774, or toll free, (888) 328-5168, ext. 2774. Fenner and Lewis, both theater majors at SIUE, are serving as production coordinators for the show. “This will be an entertaining evening that truly celebrates the talents and diversity of our students,” Lewis said.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Ethanol" id="Ethanol">2/11/09</a></h2> <h3>Program At SIUE To Focus On Ethanol, Oil and Water in Southern Illinois</h3> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Crosscurrents: Ethanol, Oil and Water in Southern Illinois, a program featuring expert panelists, will take place from 7-8:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 17, in the Morris University Center at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.</p> <p>The possible use of ethanol in place of fossil fuels, and the effect production could have on water and land resources, will be among the topics addressed. Also discussed will be the promise and limitations of ethanol use; the influence production would have on supply and demand of water, as well as the environmental and ethical implications of making ethanol.</p> <p>The panelists will include Christopher Lant, Ph.D., UCOWR executive director, Environmental Resources and Policy co-director and professor in the SIU-Carbondale Department of Geography and Environmental Resources; John Caupert, director of the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center at SIUE; Christopher H. Pearson, Ph.D., assistant professor in the SIUE Department of Philosophy, who will act as the moderator, and Ira Altman, Ph.D., assistant professor in the SIUC Department of Agribusiness Economics.</p> <p>The event is part of a statewide series, All-Consuming: Conversations on Oil and Water, that will run through Fall 2009. The series is sponsored by the Illinois Humanities Council, the Motorola Foundation and The Boeing Company, with additional support from Illinois American Water and media sponsors; Chicago Public Radio (WBEZ 91.5) and Illinois Channel.</p> <p>The goal of each of the events is to increase public knowledge of oil and water issues, by engaging Illinois citizens to talk about the potential for individual, regional and global impact. Scholars, scientists, ethicists, artists and philosophers act as guest speakers.</p> <p>The event at SIUE is free and open to the public. Reservations are not required. For more information, visit www.prairie.org/OilandWater, or e-mail Pearson, chpears@siue.edu. For more information, contact Maggie Berndt, (312) 422-5585, ext. 239.</p> <p>For a full calendar of events or for more information on all activities, please visit www.prairie.org/OilandWater, or call (312) 422-5580.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Three" id="Three">2/11/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE Offers Backstage Send Up Of Chekhov’s <em>Three Sisters</em><br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Anton Chekhov was a gifted playwright who created memorable characters in four major plays, none of which could be considered comedies (except, perhaps, <em>Uncle Vanya,</em> which usually is referred to as a tragicomedy). But Chekhov never met playwright Jane Martin, either.</p> <p><em>Anton in Show Business</em>, the next offering in Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s 2008-09 Mainstage season, has been called a “savage, savvy backstage comedy” and is Martin’s take on a troupe of actors performing Chekhov’s <em>Three Sisters</em> in San Antonio, Texas.</p> <p>Martin’s <em>Anton</em> first burst on the scene in 2000 at the Humana Festival of New American Plays in Louisville, Ky., where most of the playwright’s works have premiered over the years. SIUE offers its version of the madcap comedy at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, Feb. 25-28, and at 2 p.m. Sunday, March 1, all in the theater at SIUE's Katherine Dunham Hall.</p> <p>In 2001, the play won the American Theatre Critics Steinberg New Play Award. Critics have called it a “remorseless” look into life in the theater as Martin skewers all the usual stereotypes and, as one critic put it, the playwright “satirizes, celebrates, and challenges the importance of theatre as an art form today.”</p> <p>Director Peter Cocuzza, who is putting together SIUE’s production, says the “play within a play” uses several theatrical conventions that promise a delightful evening of comedy. “First of all, women play all the roles, which makes a statement about how the theater industry is so male dominated,” Cocuzza said. “Martin also pokes fun at funding for the arts from corporations or the lack thereof. Also, someone in the audience keeps interrupting the play, which is very funny. In fact, the play breaks the ‘fourth wall’ quite a bit.”</p> <p>Cocuzza said he was looking for a comedy to direct and decided on <em>Anton</em> because of the number of female students in the department who are very talented. “We have so many talented women in our performance major and this play had the most promise. It has wonderful character roles.”</p> <p>He explains the three characters playing the sisters are quite interesting—one is an actress who is trying to make a comeback, one is a Hollywood starlet who has been told her career will be enhanced if she does more theater, and the third has no experience whatsoever. “They all have similar hopes and dreams,” Cocuzza said, “but there are many twists and turns in this play. For those in the audience who are Chekhov aficionados, they will find plenty of parallels between this play and the works of Anton Chekhov. But the play also appeals on basic levels to all audiences,” he said.</p> <p>Cocuzza also pointed out that the play will be presented without “blackouts” and will occur in continuous action. “There will also be what we’re calling ‘ninjas,’ members of the crew dressed in black coming off and on stage, bringing in set pieces and props as the action keeps continuing. For example, if a character is sitting down, a chair will suddenly appear in place. The play has a Brecht-ian feel to it in that way. And, if we do it well, it will be seamless and a joy to watch.”</p> <p>Tickets are $10; senior citizens and SIUE retirees, $8; SIUE faculty and staff, $6; non-SIUE students, $6; and SIUE students with a valid Cougar ID, no admission charge. Contact the SIUE Fine Arts box office, (618) 650-2774, for tickets or more information.</p> <p>Click on numbers at right for photos suitable for print: Photos <a href="/news/img/Anton4.jpg">1</a> | <a href="/news/img/Anton3.jpg">2</a> The cast of <em>Anton</em> includes (in Photo No. 1) Sarah Jones (seated at the table), of St. Louis, who plays three characters, and (above) the three actresses who play the sisters (from left): Anna Skidis, of Glen Carbon, as Casey; Emily Reutebuch, of Granite City, as Lisabette; and Angie Svec, of Belleville, as Holly. Photo No. 2 is a shot of the three actresses who play the sisters. (SIUE Photos by Bill Brinson)</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Expo" id="Expo">2/11/09</a></h2> <h3>Healthy Living Expo, Formerly Senior Fair, To Take Place At SIUE</h3> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Office of Educational Outreach at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville will hold the Healthy Living Expo-formerly the Senior Fair-from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday, March 9, 2009 in the Morris University Center on campus.</p> <p>The event provides information about services for older adults and their families in Southwestern Illinois, with free preventive health screenings, medical information tables, social service booths, entertainment and break-out information sessions on topics including The Dirt on Organic Gardening, Sex After 50, and The Recent Financial Crisis: Looking Back and Looking Forward.</p> <p>Roger Maclean, executive director of the Office of Educational Outreach will welcome guests on behalf of the office and the Healthy Living Expo committee, and SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift will extend a welcome on behalf of the University. Free parking will be available in lots B and E, which are closest to the Morris University Center. Activities are free and lunch can be purchased in Center Court on the lower level of the MUC.</p> <p>Social service agencies, health organizations and other businesses interested in participating in the fair, or for anyone wanting more information about the event, can contact Educational Outreach, (618) 650-3210.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="EOMPeters" id="EOMPeters">2/10/09</a></h2> <h3><br />D. Peters Named Employee Of The Month For February</h3> <p><strong><br />Congratulations:</strong> Diana Peters, office support specialist in the Department of Public Administration and Policy Analysis, is the February recipient of the Employee Recognition Award. In the photo Peters is flanked by Vice Chancellor for Administration Kenn Neher, who presented the award, and Sherrie Senkfor, director of the SIUE Office of Human Resources. At far right is T.R. Carr, chair of the department, who nominated Peters for the award. In addition to the plaque Peters is holding, she was awarded a $25 gift certificate to the SIUE Bookstore, two complimentary lunch coupons to the University Restaurant and a parking space close to her office for 30 days. (SIUE Photo by Denise Macdonald)</p> <p>Click <a href="/news/img/EOMPeters09.jpg">here</a> for the photo.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Profs" id="Profs">2/11/09<br /></a></h2> <h3>Two SIUE Professors Awarded Distinguished Research Recognition<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Margaret A. “Peg” Simons, professor of philosophy and chair of that department, and Leah C. O’Brien, professor of chemistry, are each recipients of the 2009 Distinguished Research Professor Award from the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Graduate School. The award is an academic rank awarded to SIUE faculty members to recognize outstanding and sustained contributions to research and creative activities.</p> <p>Simons has sustained an extraordinary record of research activities since her promotion to professor in 1990 and brings national and international recognition to her department. She has maintained the highest level of professional development and has steadfastly pursued her scholarly research independently and through internally and externally funded projects, including two from the prestigious National Endowment for the Humanities.</p> <p>She has been acclaimed one of the most important scholars writing about the philosophy and life of Simone de Beauvoir. Since 1990 she has given 15 international, 35 national, 10 regional and eight local presentations. Simons’ academic record clearly demonstrates that her research and publications have had a tremendous impact on the field, her students and the public. External reviewers of Simons’ credentials have provided unequivocally strong evidence of the high quality of her work. These reviewers stated that “Beauvoir scholarship in the United States owes more to Peg Simons than to any other individual.”</p> <p>Carlin Romano, writing in <em>The Philadelphia Inquirer</em>, refers to Simons as “America’s leading Beauvoir scholar.” Many of these reviewers say she is a “pioneer … to whose writings over the past 20 years all philosophers taking part in the current [Beauvoir] renaissance are deeply indebted.” Her work is called “pathbreaking” and “fundamental” in <em>Feminist Studies</em>, a highly respected interdisciplinary journal in the broad areas of theory, philosophy, culture, history and literature.</p> <p>Simons continues to publish, most recently a 2008 article appearing in France and a 2009 book publication, her edition of <em>Beauvoir’s Wartime Diary</em>. Her continuing enthusiastic commitment to her research on Beauvoir’s philosophy promises to continue to bring advances in knowledge within the discipline of philosophy and international recognition for SIUE.</p> <p>O’Brien was promoted to professor in 2001 and has brought broad acclaim to her department. Like Simons, O’Brien has pursued her independent research activities through both internally and externally funded projects that have earned her national and international recognition. She has received research funding from two of the most prestigious research agencies in the field of Chemistry: the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Chemical Society. She is highly respected in the international field of gas-phase spectroscopy and her work has relevance to many broader areas of science. O’Brien also regularly publishes in mainstream international journals.</p> <p>Since 2001, O’Brien has published 15 articles, all in pre-eminent journals in her field, and presented at the most prestigious conferences in all of chemistry. She has been asked to use her expertise in chemistry and science in general to review articles submitted to the <em>Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy,</em> the <em>Journal of Physical Chemistry</em> and to review proposals submitted to the NSF. Her academic record clearly demonstrates her research and publications have had a tremendous impact on the field, her students and the public.</p> <p>External reviewers of O’Brien’s credentials have provided unequivocally strong evidence of the high quality of her work. One reviewer stated, for example, that “she has become one of the leading experts in the spectroscopy of small metal containing molecules and has made many important contributions to the field. She has maintained a steady and consistently high level of quality research and is widely known and respected in the international spectroscopy community.”</p> <p>Another review stated that “her research is on the cutting edge of her profession.” Noting the exceptionally outstanding NSF panel reviews of her proposals, another reviewer stated: “this level of commendation is the highest praise a scientist in this country can hope to achieve.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Hoppe" id="Hoppe">2/10/09</a></h2> <h3>G. Pelekanos Wins Annual Hoppe Research Professorship<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) George Pelekanos, associate professor of mathematics and statistics at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, is this year’s winner of the Hoppe Research Professor Awards made annually to SIUE faculty members to recognize and support individual programs of research or creative activities. These awards recognize faculty members whose research or creative activities have the promise of making significant contributions to their fields of study.</p> <p>Pelekanos, who has been with SIUE since 1998, received the Hoppe Award for his research project in the area of computational electromagnetics, “On the Development of a Fast and Efficient Reconstruction Algorithm in Computational Electromagnetics.” Computational Electromagnetics is the science of numerically solving a complex set of Maxwell’s equations using limited computer resources. These solutions describe the physical interactions and phenomena between charged particles and materials. A fundamental understanding of these phenomena are critical in the design of many devices such as radar, computer chips, optical fiber systems, and mobile phone systems.</p> <p>The Hoppe project will lay the foundation for long-term research that will result in the development of fast and efficient codes capable of resolving many of the current and future computational electromagnetic problems faced by the U. S. Air Force. Overall, this interdisciplinary work brings together computer science, applied mathematics and electromagnetic theory, and it portends the creation of a new and important technology not previously available.</p> <p>Pelekanos earned a doctorate in Applied Mathematics at the University of Delaware in 1997. During the following year, he was a postdoctoral research associate at the Center of Computational Electromagnetics in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. He has published more than 20 articles in the areas of inverse scattering, computational electromagnetics and mathematics education. His research has appeared in leading journals in his field. His main research interests include solving forward and inverse problems in elastodynamics, electromagnetics and acoustics, and he is currently working on fast algorithms for solving electromagnetic scattering and inverse problems.</p> <p>SIUE’s Hoppe Research Professorship Awards, administered through the SIUE Graduate School, are designed to support a significant and discrete portion of a faculty member’s larger research agenda. The Hoppe Research Professor is appointed for a two-year period, during which he or she receive 50 percent assigned time for research each academic year, the services of a one-quarter time graduate assistant and $1,000 in support.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="SOE" id="SOE">2/9/09</a></h2> <h2>School Of Education To Co-Sponsor Math-Science Summer Camps</h2> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Education is co-sponsoring a math and science youth residential camp this summer in conjunction with the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) in Aurora. The camps are also made possible through support of The Boeing Company.</p> <p>Two week-long summer camps-designed to accommodate more than 80 students from seventh through 12th grades who will be applying for admission-will offer activities in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). They will both run on the SIUE campus from July 26-31.</p> <p>As part of this first-ever partnership, 12 SIUE student-teachers will work with SIUE and IMSA faculty and staff to hone their practices in inquiry-based, competency-driven, integrated STEM curriculum. They then will apply their learning under the guidance of experienced educators to the students attending the camps. Staff and employees from Boeing will play an integral role at the camps in mentoring and advising roles.</p> <p>As a resource for the people of Illinois, IMSA (www.imsa.edu) serves thousands of teachers and students throughout Illinois and across the country. In addition to serving talented Illinois students in its advanced college prep program, IMSA's award-winning statewide programs include teacher professional development in research-based and practice-proven instruction in mathematics, science and technology. The Academy's statewide programs ensure that young students, particularly the underserved, have opportunities to excel in mathematics and science.</p> <p>The application for each program, as well as information about need based scholarships, may be downloaded online at www.imsa.edu or by calling (630) 907-5950 or by e-mail: summerprograms@imsa.edu. All applications will be reviewed after the due date of April 24 and notifications for program acceptance will be mailed no later than May 11.</p> <p>IMSA President Max McGee said he is thrilled to be able to bring IMSA's programs to Edwardsville and its surrounding community this summer. "Thanks to our partners at Southern Illinois University and the support of The Boeing Company, IMSA will have a tangible presence in southern Illinois as we work together to stimulate STEM education and motivate students to reach their unlimited potential as future leaders."</p> <p>The internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) develops creative, ethical leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a teaching and learning laboratory created by the State of Illinois, IMSA enrolls academically talented Illinois students (grades 10-12) in its advanced, residential college preparatory program, and it serves thousands of educators and students in Illinois and beyond through innovative instructional programs that foster imagination and inquiry. IMSA also advances education through research, groundbreaking ventures and strategic partnerships. (www.imsa.edu)</p> <p>The School of Education at SIUE has been preparing quality teachers for the Metro East region since the institution's inception in 1957. The School's education programs combine current teaching theories and technologies, practical applications, and intensive field experiences in diverse placements to prepare high quality teachers for the demands of today's classrooms.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="FEExam" id="FEExam">2/6/09</a></h2> <h3><br />SIUE Civil Engineering Students Set the Bar High at Nationally Administered Exam</h3> <p><br />According to administrators of the national Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) examination, 20 of 21 Southern Illinois University Edwardsville civil engineering seniors passed, achieving a pass rate of 95 percent. The FE exam is a nationally administered test taken by seniors in various engineering majors, but mostly by civil engineers due to the nature of their career functions in the industry. The FE is considered an important milestone on the road to professional engineer licensure.</p> <p>SIUE School of Engineering Dean Hasan Sevim called the accomplishment an extraordinary performance by the SIUE civil engineering seniors. “It is particularly remarkable,” he said, “because it significantly exceeds the passage rate of the civil engineering students at the Carnegie master’s level institutions and Carnegie doctoral extensive institutions.” Those rates remained at 58 percent and 73 percent, respectively.</p> <p>“The civil engineering students at SIUE have consistently performed better than the national averages, but this pass rate is exceptional,” said Susan Morgan, civil engineering department chair. “Congratulations to them as well as to the faculty and staff.”</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Changes" id="Changes">2/6/09</a></h2> <h3>Changes</h3> <p><strong><br />Personnel</strong></p> <ul> <li>Kaitlin “Kate” Betz joined the University Dec. 15 as director of development for the School of Engineering.</li> <li>Lynette Fields joined the University Jan. 5 as assistant professor in Lovejoy Library.</li> <li>Michelle Jenkins joined the University Dec. 1 as an academic advisor for the SOAR Program.</li> <li>Maria Kontoyianni joined the University Jan. 1 as assistant professor of pharmaceutical science in the SIUE School of Pharmacy.</li> <li>Shonda Lawrence, assistant professor of social work, left the University Jan. 5 to take a position elsewhere.</li> <li>Sarah MacDougal, director of development for the School of Engineering, left the University Oct. 31 after nearly seven years of service.</li> <li>Yvonne Mitkos joined the University Dec. 1 as director of Instructional Services.</li> <li>Zsuzsanna Szabo, assistant professor of educational leadership, left the University Dec. 31 after more than three years of service.</li> <li>Michelle Toohey, assistant professor in Lovejoy Library, left the University Jan. 5 after nearly four years of service.</li> <li>Sabrina Trupia joined the University Feb. 1 as assistant director of biological research for the National Corn-to-Ethanol Research Center.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Retirements (effective Jan. 1, 2009, unless otherwise noted)</strong></p> <ul> <li>Ronald Dozier, a building mechanic for Facilities Management, after nearly eight years of service.</li> <li>Sharon Hinton, a supervisor of departmental information for Health Services, after nearly 20 years of service.</li> <li>Larry Hogg, a staff assistant at the East St. Louis Center, after more than 32 years of service.</li> <li>Maria Homan, FS Sanitation Labor at the East St. Louis Center, after more than 17 years.</li> <li>Shirley Houston, chief clerk for the Office of Emergency Management and Safety, after nearly 21 years of service.</li> </ul> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Banquet" id="Banquet">2/4/08<br /></a></h2> <h3>CEO Paul Galeski To Speak Feb. 19 At SIUE Engineering Awards Banquet<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Paul Galeski, president and CEO of MAVERICK Technologies and a graduate of the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of Engineering, will be the guest speaker at the School’s Third Annual Awards Banquet from 6-9 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 19. Deadline for reservations is Feb. 16. The banquet, scheduled in Meridian Ballroom, on the first floor of SIUE’s Morris University Center, celebrates the academic excellence, service and leadership of both Engineering students and faculty.</p> <p>Awards will be given to one outstanding junior, a senior, and faculty member of each department in the School. Members of the Joint Engineering Student Council also will be recognized for their contributions to the community.</p> <p>Galeski, a 1983 electrical engineering graduate, started his professional career at what was then known as the McDonnell-Douglas Corp. He also was with Monsanto and was a consultant for what was then known as Anheuser-Busch Cos.</p> <p>St. Louis based MAVERICK Technologies Holdings LLC traces its roots to Magnum Technologies, which Galeski founded in 1989. Eight years later, Magnum Technologies Inc. was acquired by General Electric in a rollup that included five other businesses. Glaeski served as president of GE Magnum Inc. until early 1999. That year, he founded MAVERICK Technologies which has become a global systems integration company providing operational consulting, industrial automation and integrated information solutions to manufacturing and distribution clients.</p> <p>Galeski is a licensed professional engineer, certified automation professional, Fellow Member level of the ISA and recipient of numerous professional awards. He serves on the SIUE School of Engineering Industrial Advisory Board. “My SIUE education was an important first step along the path to career success,” he said.</p> <p>The $25 admission to the banquet includes dinner and a cash bar; last year’s banquet was very well attended, with more than 200 guests, so early reservations are recommended. Visit the Web page (<a href="http://www.siue.edu/ENGINEER/banquet">www.siue.edu/ENGINEER/banquet</a>) to RSVP, purchase tickets, and learn more about student sponsorship.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Bosnian" id="Bosnian">2/2/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE, SLU Join With Missouri Foundation For Health In Research Project<br /></h3> <p>Wai Hsien Cheah, an assistant professor of speech communication at SIUE, is a co-investigator with researchers from Saint Louis University and the Missouri Institute of Mental Health (MIMH) at the University of Missouri Columbia in a study to examine substance abuse and mental health issues in the metropolitan St. Louis Bosnian community.</p> <p>The study is funded by a $49,000 one-year grant from the Missouri Foundation for Health (MFH) and is part of a multi-year effort supporting both broad-based and targeted projects addressing mental health and substance abuse issues. The research project began in December and is headed by principal investigator Ajlina Karamehic-Muratovic, research assistant professor at MIMH, and another co-investigator, Hisako Matsuo, associate professor of research methodology at SLU.</p> <p>The study is aimed at identifying the mental health and substance abuse needs of the Bosnian community. Researchers hope the study will collect information that can be used by health care providers and agencies to create culturally appropriate responses targeting community needs.</p> <p>Karamehic-Muratovic said the ultimate goal of the project is to improve the health of Bosnian refugees in the St. Louis area and that can be achieved through getting past barriers that prevent making a connection to needed and available services. “Language and cultural differences in attitudes about mental health and substance abuse may have been one of the major obstacles to meeting the needs of this community,” Karamehic-Muratovic.said. “By involving the community throughout the various stages, the project will make a difference and empower them.”</p> <p>The project has received widespread support from local Bosnian agencies and businesses as well as the Islamic Community Center, the Bosnian Media Group and the Association of the Survivors of the Serbrenica Genocide.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Gala" id="Gala">2/2/09</a></h2> <h3>SIUE School of Nursing Set To Host Annual Gala On April 25</h3> <p><br />(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) The Southern Illinois University Edwardsville School of nursing again will honor its graduates, faculty members and health care partners from the community, while raising money for student scholarships at the 5th Annual Jewels of Nursing Excellence Gala, which will take place Saturday, April 25 at the Four Points by Sheraton in Fairview Heights (Ill.)</p> <p>This year's event, marking the school's 45th anniversary, will feature a different format from past years, with the addition of a fashion show and live music. A dinner and silent and live auctions also will take place, and a cash bar will be available. Activities will begin at 5:30 p.m. and tickets are $60 per person, or $600 for sponsorship of a table of 10. Tickets only will be sold in advance of the event.</p> <p>All proceeds will be used for student scholarships in the SIUE School of Nursing.</p> <p>"These funds have become even more critical to our nursing students, as they, too, have been facing challenges brought on by the current economy," said Angie Peters, the School of Nursing's director of development.</p> <p>For more information about the event, to ask about room reservations at the hotel, or to purchase tickets, contact Kris Heather, (618) 650-2551, or, kheathe@siue.edu.</p> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p> <h2><a name="Open" id="Open">2/2/09<br /></a></h2> <h3>SIUE Hosts Spring 2009 Open Houses, Highlights Programs<br /></h3> <p>(EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.) Spring 2009 Open House Programs at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville are a great way to learn about exciting, rewarding degree programs. Open house events slated for February, March and April will offer prospective students the chance to explore academic programs, tour the SIUE campus, visit residence halls and talk to representatives from the offices of Admissions and Student Financial Aid.</p> <p>The Schools of Nursing, Business, Education and Engineering will host open houses for students interested in undergraduate and graduate programs. The School of Pharmacy will host an open house for students interested in a Pharm.D. degree. Open houses are taking place the following days, times and locations:</p> <ul> <li>School of Nursing, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Feb. 14, Alumni Hall;</li> <li>School of Business, 9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Feb. 21, Founders Hall;</li> <li>School of Education, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, March 21, Founders Hall;</li> <li>School of Engineering, 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday, March 21, Engineering Building;</li> <li>School of Pharmacy, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., Saturday, April 18, University Park.<br /> For more information, call (618) 650-3705, or visit <a href="http://www.siue.edu/prospectivestudents">www.siue.edu/prospectivestudents</a> and register on the Web site. <a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="http://www.siue.edu/news/current.shtml#top">Back to top</a></p>