Summer 2007

Faculty Focus: English Professor Receives Fulbright Award To Lecture In Lebanon

Rose-Hulman Assistant Professor of English Rebecca Dyer will lecture and do research at Lebanese American University in Beirut during the 2007-08 academic year as a Fulbright Scholar joining approximately 800 U.S. faculty and professionals that are participating in America’s flagship international educational exchange program.

Dyer’s research emphasizes works that feature public or private memorials erected to honor those who were among the approximately 150,000 who lost their lives during the Lebanese Civil War of 1975- 90. She hopes to pinpoint recurring patterns and uncover the commemorative aspects of these texts, aspects that enable literary and filmic narratives to elicit responses similar to those evoked by architectural monuments, photograph displays, and other primarily visual memorials.

Fulbright Scholars are selected by the U.S. Department of State and the J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board. Scholars are selected on the basis of academic or professional achievement, as well as demonstrated leadership potential in their fields.

Other Rose-Hulman faculty recognized in their academic fields have been:

Caroline Carvill, head of the Department of Humanities & Social Sciences and Professor of American Literature, received the the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Liberal Education Division’s Sterling Olmsted Award for “Innovative Contributions to the Liberal Arts within Engineering Education.”

Michael Moloney, professor of physics, was honored for his distinguished service to the Indiana Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers. He has served three different terms as president of the Indiana Section and a section member for more than 35 years.

Patricia Carlson, professor of American literature, was a finalist in the Education Contributions to Technology – Individual category for this year’s TechPoint Mira Awards, Indiana’s most recognized technology awards. She was recognized for developing the Portal Resource for Indiana Science and Mathematics (PRISM), which is providing valuable digital resources for middle school teachers.

Mark Minster, assistant professor of English, had his poem, “Krasnyi Ugol (The Beautiful Corner),” selected as a finalist for the James Hearst Poetry Prize by Poet Laureate Ted Kooser.

Lee Waite, head and professor of applied biology and biomedical engineering, is author of a new textbook, “Applied Biofluids Mechanics,” published by McGraw-Hill. He is also co-editor of a second McGraw-Hill publication, “Applied Cell and Molecular Biology for Engineers.”

A cover story in a recent issue of CE News magazine by civil engineering professors Robert Houghtalen and Michael Robinson showcases the hydraulic forces that cause low-head dams to become hazardous situations for river and stream travelers. The article was titled “Dangerous Dams: Removal or Retrofitting Improves Public Safety at Low-Head Dams.”

Kay C Dee, associate professor of applied biology and biomedical engineering, is the founding director for Rose- Hulman’s Center for Practice and Scholarships of Education, a faculty initiative that strives to maintain a high quality of teaching and learning on campus. The two-year appointment will have Dee serving as an advocate for quality teaching and learning; developing short- and long-term plans for the center’ structure, leadership and activities; seeking financial resources to support the center; and assisting in planning and conducting pedagogical research projects.

Cary Laxer, head and professor of computer science and software engineering, was named one of the Triangle Fraternity’s Men of the Century for serving as a model of extraordinary Triangle excellence and inspiration to alumni and current members. The Men of the Century award was created to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Triangle, a fraternity that limits its membership to students majoring in engineering, architecture and the sciences.

Jennifer O’Connor, assistant professor of applied biology and biomedical engineering, was selected a 2006-2007 Scholar-in-Residence by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM), the oldest and largest organization devoted to a single life science in the world.

Glen Livesay, associate professor of applied biology and biomedical engineering, was elected a Fellow for the National Effective Teaching Institute of the ASEE’s Educational and Research Methods Division. He was also elected to the directing board of ASEE’s Design in Engineering Education Division.

Anthropology professors Scott Clark and Heinz Luegenbiehl are serving as Visiting Fellows for the Applied Ethics Center for Engineering Education at Japan’s Kanazawa Institute of Technology.

Renat Letfullin, assistant professor of physics and optical engineering, is serving as a Scientific Advisory Board member of Lifeboat Foundation, an organization dedicated to helping humanity survive existential risks and possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including genetic engineering, nanotechnology and robotics. He joins Nobel Laureates Sir Clive W.J. Granger and Wole Soyinka on the board.

Andreas Michel, associate professor of German, continues to serve as president of the Humanities and Technology Association, an interdisciplinary scholarly society that explores interactions of technology, science, the humanities, and the social sciences. He has led the group since 2005.