Adler Presents at American Center for Physics
Charles Adler (associate professor of physics) gave a talk, "Shooting the Sky: Optics, the Atmosphere, and You" at the American Center for Physics in College Park on May 8. His talk opened the traveling exhibition of "The Atmosphere Exposed," which has shown at the Boyden Gallery as well as the National Science Foundation's headquarters in Arlington, Virginia. The exhibition at the American Center for Physics runs through October 19, 2012.

Arnett Earns Fulbright Grant
Katy Arnett, associate professor of educational studies, has been awarded a Fulbright grant for the fall 2012 semester. Arnett will research and teach at the Second Language Research Institute of Canada at the University of New Brunswick. The focus of her scholarship is on facilitating second language skills in students with disabilities and in newcomer populations.

President Urgo Published in The Chronicle
President Joe Urgo has an article in this week’s issue of The Chronicle of Higher Education entitled “There’s More Than One Way to Defend Your Country.” Read the article.

Eberly is USA Today's Redistricting Expert
USA Today newspaper quoted Todd Eberly (assistant professor of political science) as a redistricting expert in an April 23 article about the continued reduction of swing districts in which either Democrats or Republicans has potential to win and determine a majority. Read the article.

Friebele's Work in Two Exhibitions
Billy Friebele, assistant professor of art, has two exhibitions currently underway. One is at the Art Currents Institute in NYC; the other is in collaboration with Michael Dax Iacovone at the Orlando Museum of Art in Florida.

Froom Trusts His Connections
Professor of Music David Froom trusts his connections. New Music USA interviewed him, with a short video that includes recent music highlights. He talks about his composing, his life in Southern Maryland, and the ways he relies on community, here and beyond. Read the interview and see the video.

Stover's Chapter on Young Adult Literature Published

"Young adult literature as a call to social activism" is the title of a chapter written by Professor of Education Lois Stover, with Jacqueline Bach. The chapter appears in Teaching Young Adult Literature Today: Insights, Considerations and Perspectives for the Classroom Teacher (Judith Hayn and Jeffrey Kaplan, Eds., 2012).

von Kellenbach is Invited Lecturer at Boston College
The Center for Christian-Jewish Learning at Boston College will welcome Katharina von Kellenbach, professor of religious studies, as guest lecturer commemorating Yom HaShoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, on April 19.

Caldwell's Two Shows in DC Get Strong Reviews
Colby Caldwell, associate professor of art, has two solo photography shows in Washington, DC. Civilian Art Projects shows "spent," featuring Caldwell's new photographic work based on shotgun shell casings in varying states of decay found in St. Mary's County. Jayme McLellan '94 (director of Civilian Art Projects) and Joe Lucchesi (assoc. prof. of art history) provided essays for the show's catalog. Hemphill has "Colby Caldwell: gun shy," showing Caldwell's use of photography to capture the changing rural landscape, sometimes shot in Super 8mm film. Matt Sargent '06 composed the sound piece for the Hemphill show. The Washington Post published a review of his work on March 30; Washington City Paper also published a review on March 26.

Adams Gets Op-Ed Published
An op-ed article about the recent contraception controversy from the perspective of a historian of gender and family, written by Professor of History Christine Adams, was published by RHReality Check on March 8. Read the article.

Wiebers Awarded Fulbright Research Grant
Leon Wiebers, assistant professor of scenography, has been awarded a Fulbright research grant for the 2012-13 academic year in Seoul, South Korea, hosted by the Seoul Institute for the Arts (Seoul Arts).  The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is designed to promote understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.

When Well-Educated Politicians Cry 'Snob'

Professor of History Charles Holden and Zach Messitte, formerly of St. Mary's and now dean of the College of International Studies and William J. Crowe Chair in Geopolitics (Univ. of Oklahoma) co-wrote a political perspective that appeared in The Baltimore Sun on March 8. Read the article.

Botzman Selected to Leadership Maryland 2012
Thomas J. Botzman, vice president for business and finance at St. Mary’s College of Maryland, has been selected for the Leadership Maryland Class of 2012. Leadership Maryland, founded in 1992, is one of 34 state leadership programs in the nation and has graduated over 900 statewide leaders.

Brodsky Delivers Lecture at Library of Congress
A Kluge Fellow for the 2011-2012 academic year, Adriana Brodsky (associate professor of history) gave a lecture on March 1 at the Library of Congress. Her lecture: "“Becoming Jewish‐Argentines: Sephardim, marriage choice, and the construction of a Jewish Argentine Identity (1920‐1960).” View the podcast.

Coleman Interviewed on "Tavis Smiley" and "Maryland Morning"
On April 6, Jeffrey Coleman, associate professor of English, was interviewed on the Tavis Smiley Show about his new collection of poetry of the civil rights movement, "Words of Protest, Words of Freedom." Listen to Smiley's interview. On February 28, WYPR's "Maryland Morning" with Sheilah Kast featured an interview with Coleman as well. Listen to Kast's interview and hear a poem read by Coleman. Coleman's book is now available in the College bookstore.

Eberly's "Family Feud" Catches Attention of the Media
Washington Post opinion columnist Ruth Marcus interviewed Todd Eberly (assistant professor of political science) about his paper, “Family Feud: Democratic Activists v. Democratic Voters- The Ideological Gulf that Thwarts a Sustained Majority,” just published by Third Way, a Washington, D.C. think tank representing the political center. Read the article in the Post and read Eberly’s paper. The paper was derived from a chapter in the book, America's Dysfunctional Political System: Professional Government and Popular Distrust, co-authored by Eberly and Steven Schier (Carleton College) to be published in 2013 by Routledge Press. Eberly also wrote an OpEd on the topic in The Baltimore Sun.

Dialogue through the Arts Features Krondorfer's Work
Björn Krondorfer, professor of religious studies, partners with Karen Baldner for a solo show at the Julio Fine Arts Gallery (Loyola Univ.), Baltimore. The show is titled "Dialogue through the Arts: A Jewish-German Exploration." Wednesday, Feb. 29 through April 4. Opening reception and artists' talk at the gallery is 5 pm on Feb. 29.

Anderson's Poem One of Year's Best
Karen Anderson, assistant professor of English, has had her poem, “Receipt: Midway Entertainment Presents” selected as one of the year’s 75 best to be included in The Best American Poetry 2012, edited by recent National Book Award winner Mark Doty.

Musgrove Presents Paper at Venice Conference
Assistant Professor of History Charles Musgrove presented a paper, "Nationalist Nanjing, 1927-1937, as a Ritual-Architectural Space" at the Univ. of Warwick's Global History Program conference in Venice, Italy, Feb. 2-4.

Patterson's Art Featured in Solo Exhibition
The Southwest Minnesota State University Art Museum presents "Groundtruthing: Painted Constructions" featuring art by Carrie Patterson (associate professor of art), running Feb. 13 - Mar. 29. Patterson's work explores the meaning behind the material, form, and color of local Southern Maryland architectural forms.

Sue Johnson's Art on Exhibit at Oxford Museum
Art Professor Sue Johnson has a one-person show, “The Nature of Curious Objects: Sue Johnson’s Paper Museum,” at the Pitt Rivers Museum at the University of Oxford. “Just occasionally, an artist comes … with such a sympathetic but different take that it changes everyone’s way of seeing. Such an artist is Sue Johnson,” said Jeremy Coote, museum curator.

Kung Gives Math Talk at Coastal Carolina Univ.
Associate Professor of Math David Kung, with violin in hand, presented "How Math Made Modern Music Mad Irrational," at Coastal Carolina University on January 26. Kung played passages from classical and modern composers to illustrate mathematical principles of musical sound. Kung has written many scholarly articles on harmonic analysis.

Williams Says Friday 13th is Lucky
MSN Health and Fitness interviewed Libby Nutt Williams, associate professor of psychology and dean of the core curriculum and first year experience, about Friday the 13th bringing bad luck. Read the article.

Brodsky is Co-Editor of Journal
With Monique Balbuena, Adriana Brodsky (associate professor of history) co-edited the Journal of Jewish Identities 5:1 (2012) special issue, “Jewish Latin American Identity and Cultural Production.”

Bright Gives Talk on Financial Aid for College
On Jan. 11, Caroline Bright (director of financial aid) gave a talk about financial aid planning for college at the Charlotte Hall branch of the St. Mary's County public library system.

Book on China Studies its Contradictions
A book on the paradoxes of China by Haomin Gong, assistant professor of Chinese, "Uneven Modernity: Literature, Film, and Intellectual Discourse in Postsocialist China," has been published by the University of Hawaii Press. The monograph talks of the economic boom, political conservatism, and cultural complexity of modern China. “‘Uneven Modernity’ makes a significant contribution to the burgeoning field of China studies,” says one review. “It addresses some of the most popular, yet understudied, cultural phenomena in contemporary China.”

Gilbert Named to ACUHO-I Position
Clinton Gilbert, area coordinator (multicultural initiatives) has been named chair-elect of the ACHUO-I multicultural network.

Van Abbema Completes Management Institute
Director of the Career Development Center Dana Van Abbema completed the Donna M. Bourassa Management Institute in January 2012.

Eberly Talks Politics on WBAL
On January 20, WBAL radio's Clarence Mitchell interviewed Todd Eberly, assistant professor of political science, about the South Carolina primary on WBAL's "The C4 Show."

Gijanto Earns Dissertation Award
Liza Gijanto, visiting assistant professor of anthropology and instructor of SMCM’s PEACE program in The Gambia, was presented the Society for Historical Archaeology Dissertation Award on January 4, 2012, in Baltimore. As part of the award, the society will facilitate the publication of Gijanto’s dissertation, “Change and the Era of the Atlantic Trade: Commerce and Interaction in the Niumi Commercial Center (The Gambia).”

Eberly Quoted in ABC's "The Note"
Assistant Professor of Political Science Todd Eberly was quoted in ABC's "The Note" on January 9 in the article, "Independent Voters on the Rise but Do They Matter?" Read the article.

SMCM Photo Exhibition Goes on the Road

An exhibition of stunning photographs of atmospheric conditions conceived and produced by St. Mary’s College of Maryland’s Boyden Gallery’s Director, Mary Braun, and Dr. Charles Adler, St. Mary’s physics professor, has opened at the National Science Foundation (NSF) in Arlington, Virginia. “The Atmosphere Exposed:  Photographs of Halos, Mirages, Iridescent Clouds… and more!” began as a juried exhibition of photos taken by scientists, meteorologists, and amateur photographers in conjunction with the 10^th International Light and Color in Nature conference held at the college in June 2010. See details.

Why We Call Elections ‘Races’

An article exploring gambling in early America by Kenneth Cohen, assistant history professor, “The Entreaties and Perswasions of Our Acquaintance: Gambling and Networks in the Early Republic," ran in the December issue of the Journal of the Early Republic and was short-listed in Boston Globe columnist Kevin Lewis’ list of relevant scholarly research at National Affairs, a leading political magazine. The article outlines the history of election gambling, traces its origins to horse racing (which is why we call elections "races"), and argues about the important role sports and entertainment played in creating American democracy.

Goldwater Makes the Cover
Joanne Goldwater, associate dean of students/director of residence life, was profiled on the cover of the January issue of the Mid-Atlantic Association of College and University Housing Officers (MACUHO) magazine in honor of the organization’s 40th anniversary.

Silberschlag Conducts in Sardinia
Professor of music Jeffrey Silberschlag conducted the Sassari Chamber Orchestra in Sassari and Alghero, on the island of Sardinia, on December 28 and 29. The concert in Sassari was in celebration of the University of Sassari’s 450th anniversary. Silberschlag was awarded the university’s seal for his participation.

Krondorfer, Guest Editor

Bjorn Krondorfer, professor of religious studies, guest-edited a themed volume for the December 2011 issue of the journal CrossCurrents called “Embattled Masculinities in the Religious Traditions.” The 150-page volume presents a diversity of scholarship from South Africa, The Gambia, India, New Zealand, Australia, Switzerland, Mexico, The Netherlands and the United States; it covers Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, African traditional religions, and interreligious encounters.

Two from St. Mary's Elected to Maryland Humanities Council
Joseph R. Urgo, president and professor of English at St. Mary's College of Maryland, and Michael S. Glaser, professor emeritus at St. Mary's and former Poet Laureate of Maryland, were elected to a three-year term on the board of directors of the Maryland Humanities Council.

Studying Lab Animals
“Distinguishing performance and learning in laboratory animals,” written by Aileen Bailey, associate professor of psychology, was published in the December issue of the “Journal of Behavioral and Neuroscience Research.”  

Colleges and Suicide Prevention
M.J. Raleigh, director of St. Mary’s counseling services and president of the American College Counseling Association, was quoted in a recent Associated Press article on the responsibilities of a college and a suicidal student. Suicide, the article said, is the second leading cause of death for college students, behind automobile accidents, half the rate of similarly aged people not in college.

The Story behind the Ship
President Joe Urgo tells us how he is reminded of Bob Dylan's "When the Ship Comes In" as he describes in University Business the story behind the cruise ship being used as a residence hall last semester. The magazine is one of the most widely read publications by higher education leaders. The piece was published Jan. 2.

Brodsky Earns Research Award
Adriana Brodsky, associate professor of history, has earned a research award for her project, "Helping to Create New States: Argentine Sephardim at Home and in Israel, 1956-1976" from the Hadassah-Brandeis Institute.

Charlebois Gives Keynote Address
Elizabeth Charlebois, associate professor of English, was the keynote speaker at a symposium at The Shakespeare Theatre Dec. 11 that gathered experts to give a closer look at Shakespeare’s comedic masterpiece, “Much Ado About Nothing.”

Robbins Takes First Prize in Photography Contest
Sandy Robbins, Kent Hall office associate, took first prize in the St. Mary's County Camera Club's annual photography competition for her entry, "Marsh Sunrise." The photo was also printed in the spring 2011 issue of Avatar.

Brodsky Named Co-Chair
Adriana Brodsky, associate professor of history, has been named co-chair of the “Sephardic Studies Caucus” of the Association of Jewish Studies. The term is two years.

Hiris Article in the Journal Perception

Alum Aaron Mirenzi '11 and Eric Hiris, associate psychology professor, recently published an article in the journal Perception, demonstrating that the well-known Margaret Thatcher illusion extends to biological motion displays. See article. 

Research Presented to Society for Neuroscience
Students and alumnae of the college’s psychology department and neuroscience minor presented at the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting in Washington, D.C., (Nov. 12-Nov. 16).  The projects were mentored by department chair and associate professor Aileen Bailey.

Jeff Smith on NACAC Committee
Jeff Smith, associate director of admissions, sits on the NACAC (National Association for College Admissions Counseling) Inclusion, Access, and Success committee which was historically the NACAC Human Relations Committee. Smith just finished his presidency for the Potomac and Chesapeake Association for College Admissions Counseling.

Musgrove Presents China Paper at Harvard
Charles Musgrove, assistant history professor, presented a paper at Harvard University as part of an international program called “China After Empire: 1911 Remembered.”  This conference brought together international scholars to reflect on the 100^th anniversary of the 1911 revolution in China and its legacies. His paper was entitled “Nationalist 1911: Building a Founding Myth.”

Stover Article Best of the Year
“Portrait of the Artist as a Young Adult: Who is the Real Me,” written by Lois Stover, professor and chair, Department of Educational Studies, with colleague Connie Zitlow, emeritus professor of education at Ohio Wesleyan University, is the winner of this year’s Nilsen-Donelson’s award for best article in “The ALAN Review.” The piece considers the value of literature for adolescents that centers on ways young adults develop their identities as artists and use their artistic abilities to explore their sense of self, as well as ways teachers can use the arts in the classroom.

Glidden’s Chapter in Disability Handbook
Laraine Glidden, distinguished professor of psychology and human development, was the author of a chapter, “Family Well-being and Children with Intellectual Disability,” in the recently published “Handbook of Intellectual Disability and Development” (Oxford University Press 2011). In the chapter, Glidden reviews more than a decade of scientific research on this topic, including her own 23-year study of adoptive and birth parents rearing children with developmental disabilities.

Professors Outline Flaws of ‘No Child Left Behind’
Angela Johnson, Lin Muilenburg, Katy Arnett, and Lois Stover of the Educational Studies Department published “Combating Symbolic Violence in Public Schools:  Federal Education Policy Must Aim at a Different Target” in the most recent volume of Peace and Justice Studies.  The authors outline the flawed premises inherent in two recent federal interventions, “No Child Left Behind” and “Race to the Top,” which inhibit their potential to address the symbolic violence permeating the educational system, with special attention to their effects on teacher education. Read the article.

Wiebers Designs Glimmerglass Costumes
Leon Wiebers, assistant professor  in the Department of Theater, Film, and Media Studies, will be designing the costumes for a new production of “The Music Man” for the Glimmerglass Festival’s 2012 summer season in  Cooperstown, N.Y. Wiebers, who has designed costumes for English National and San Francisco operas, will work with Tony-nominated director Marcia Milgrom Dodge.  Glimmerglass, now under new artistic and general director Francesca Zambello, offers 40 performances of four productions every summer.

Dowla Publishes Chapter in Handbook
Asif Dowla, professor of economics and Hilda C. Landers Endowed Chair in the Liberal Arts published a chapter on higher education and microfinance in "The Handbook of Microfinance" published by World Scientific Publishing. The handbook addresses the issue of mismatch between a limited microfinance menu and the demand for financial services by more than two billion unbanked poor, and includes invited contributions from the top researchers in the field in the United State and in Europe.

Fulbrights Awarded to the Cognard-Blacks
Jennifer Cognard-Black, associate professor of English and Andrew Cognard-Black, adjunct professor of sociology and liberal arts associate, have been named Fulbright Scholars to Slovenia for the spring 2012 semester. The Fulbright Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State and is designed to promote understanding between the people of the United States and the people of other countries.