A message from the Interim Dean: Evolving challenges, new opportunities
A message from the Interim Dean: Evolving challenges, new opportunitiesFor a brief moment in summer 2021 we looked to the near future and thought we saw a scene in which all the things we do in the College of Arts and Sciences might actually get back to the ways we did them before the pandemic. What we experienced instead was stranger and more complicated than that vision of a simple recovery of familiar modes of teaching, learning, creating, discovering, collaborating, and living. The challenges of the pandemic did not fade away; they evolved.
As the people of the College of Arts and Sciences—students, faculty, staff, and administration—worked through this year of evolving challenges, we did find opportunities to experience again the kind of interaction that we need and cherish as a community. The breakthrough art exhibition Visible Man, the civically invigorating exchanges with distinguished speakers Laura Coates and Jeffrey Rosen on Constitution Day, the public recognition of the life and work of Dr. Robert Perry and the dedication of the Shatzel Hall veranda in his name, the palpable connection that Oscar-winning screenwriter Dustin Lance Black formed with students during his Creative Minds visit, the chance for Governor DeWine to learn from our faculty and student researchers about their work on the watershed ecosystems of our region: These were all moments that brought us together, recovered vital histories, illuminated persistent problems, clarified a new sense of possibility, and reminded us that the experience of each other’s voices, perspectives, and ideas—without the electronic filter—is one of the most precious gifts we have as human beings.
At the same time, we continued our digital campus lives, continuing recently established practices or improvising new ways to lead and participate in class, pursue collaborative creative work and research, connect through service, and engage stakeholders on and beyond campus. I invite you take a little time to review the stories and images in this year’s digital Transformations. An annual magazine can’t hope to capture everything important from a year. But for me, and perhaps for you as well, this issue provides a chance to re-live some meaningful moments and find out more about those that one didn’t have a chance to catch in real time.
For me as Interim Dean, time was running out from the start. Perhaps that gave me additional impetus to take in and be present for as much as I could. What I witnessed was by turns joyful, exciting, thought-provoking, humbling. The challenges that we face as a society and as a species are great, which makes our work in the College of Arts and Sciences vital. Each day in our life as a college, students are developing the broadly applicable knowledge and skills required to meet those great challenges, and we are equipping them to put their learning to work in the professional, civic, and community settings that will define their lives. Thank you for stopping by to learn about this year in the College of Arts and Sciences and thank you for your support of our critical work.
Ted Rippey, Ph.D.
Interim Dean
BGSU alumnus chosen for prestigious artist-in-residence program created by Kehinde Wiley
BGSU School of Art alumnus, Paul Verdell ’18, was one of only four American artists selected for the Black Rock Senegal artist-in-residence program, founded by acclaimed artist Kehinde Wiley. Only 16 artists from across the world in various disciplines are selected annually to live and work at the Black Rock compound in Dakar, Senegal.
Recent BGSU graduate chosen for inaugural fellowship in support of female artists with chronic illnesses
BGSU School of Art alumna, Crystalyn Hutchens ’22, was recently awarded the inaugural Marian Treger Fellowship for Enduring Creativity, which supports female artists whose creative paths have been detoured or hindered by chronic health conditions or disabilities.
BGSU art students hailed as 'change agents' during internship at national art museum in Trinidad
Kate Bozzo and Raven Begell-Long, art history majors in the BGSU School of Art, completed a summer internship with the National Museum and Art Gallery of Trinidad and Tobago which will have lasting effects on the care and record-keeping of the museum’s collection.
3… 2… 1 Liftoff
Three BGSU School of Art digital arts majors, including two alumnae and one current student, help communicate NASA’s work and its impact on society to the general public.
BGSU senior's artwork increases visibility of complex sea level change research
Kate Lochridge, a double major in biology and art, spent the summer in Alaska as a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration scholarship recipient. Combining her interests in science and art, she translated complex research on sea level change through visual representations.
First-generation BGSU student chosen for inaugural Obama scholarship for public service
Psychology major, Kaylee Ries, was among only 100 college students nationwide to win the inaugural Obama-Chesky Voyager Scholarship for Public Service aimed at providing greater access to education and exposure to new experiences to those pursuing a career in public service.
BGSU doctoral graduate inspired to create public good, selected for prestigious humanities fellowship
American Culture Studies alumna, Dr. Elizabeth Brownlow ’20, was selected as a 2022 American Council of Learned Societies (ACLS) Leading Edge Fellow. She will be working with PowerSwitch Action, a nonprofit organization working to build multiracial feminist democracies in cities, towns and regions across the United States.
BGSU student selected for prestigious Aspen Institute fellowship
Gabriel Beaver, a communication major in the School of Media and Communication, was selected for a prestigious Aspen Institute fellowship. He will be working with the nonpartisan organization on a digital tool that will increase access, quality and resourcing of youth leadership programs nationally.
BGSU student awarded national service prize for work with Falcon Food Pantry
Lorenzo Zamora, a graduate assistant with the Falcon Food Pantry, received the 2022 Nachman Justice Award from the national nonprofit organization Swipe Out Hunger in recognition of his efforts to eradicate food insecurity on the BGSU campus.
BGSU media students aid alumnus Steve Hartman with CBS ‘On the Road’ segment
When BGSU alumnus, Steve Hartman ’85, needed a hand with a segment for the national televised “On the Road” broadcast, a handful of BG Falcon Media students and faculty from the School of Media and Communication stepped up to make the idea a reality.
Class of 2023: Journalism graduate finds voice in world of motorsports
School of Media and Communication graduate, Taylor Kitchen '23, began a media brand called 'Above the Yellow Line' that blends her passion for NASCAR with her professional skill set. “What I learned at BGSU made me feel more confident in my abilities and it showed me that I can do anything and everything I put my mind to,” Kitchen said.
Turning the Tide
Faculty and students from the School of Earth, Environment and Society and the Department of Biological Sciences research toxic algal blooms from the shores of Lake Erie and Kenya’s Lake Victoria to discover their cause, how to halt them, and ultimately, how to improve the water quality of freshwater lakes.
Watershed Moment
Great Lakes and Watershed Studies scientists and students are part of a research team working with nonprofit organizations, landowners, and environmental engineers to improve water quality around the state through the monitoring of wetlands over a period of at least a decade.
Recent BGSU alumnus involved in ‘next generation’ AI research as undergraduate
Chase Somodi ’22 credits the BGSU physics program with providing opportunities that launched his career. “I feel really fortunate to have met the professors I did and get into the lab as early as I did. It put me in a unique position to excel in physics,” Somodi said.
The real deal: BGSU undergraduate students earn vital research experience through H2Ohio
Undergraduate students in the Departments of Biological Sciences and Chemistry are not just learning about water quality — they are actively participating in research through H2Ohio, a statewide initiative to improve Lake Erie.
BGSU involved in multi-organizational partnership to provide U.S. Department of Defense with electronically dimmable protective eyewear
BGSU photochemical scientists are partnering with public and private organizations in Ohio to provide the U.S. Department of Defense with electronically dimmable protective eyewear.
Class of 2023: BGSU Honors College student inspired to pursue dual degree in medicine and research through MD/Ph.D. program
Recent BGSU graduate, Mackenna Starr '23, was inspired to pursue a dual MD/Ph.D. program after working with Dr. Hans Wildschutte, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, on drug resistant pathogenic microbes. “Research and clinical practice are incredibly important aspects of my life, and I couldn’t imagine myself without them both,” Starr said.
2022-2023 highlights of faculty and staff accomplishments
From research and scholarship to service and public good, College of Arts and Sciences faculty and staff have recorded many successes during the past academic year.
Matthew Partin, teaching professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the 2022 College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award.
Dr. Hans Wildschutte, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, received the 2022-23 College of Arts and Sciences Diversity Award.
Dr. Heidi Nees, assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Film, and Jenn Stucker, associate professor in the School of Art, received the Faculty Senate Distinguished Service Award.
Dr. Christopher Ward, assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, was honored with the Outstanding Early Career Award.
Dr. Wei Ning, professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, was awarded the title of Professor of Research Excellence for 2023.
Dr. Apollos Okwuchi Nwauwa, professor in the Department of History, was conferred the title of Professor of Service Excellence for 2023.
Mille Guldbeck, professor in the School of Art, received the Professorship of Creative Arts Excellence at the 2023 Faculty Excellence Awards ceremony.
Dr. Phil Peek, professor and chair of the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor.
Dr. Edgar Landgraf, professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was named a Distinguished Research Professor.
Dr. Julia Halo, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, won the 2023 award for Outstanding Contributor to Graduate Education from the Graduate Student Senate.
Dr. Amy Robinson, associate professor in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was awarded the Outstanding Faculty Award at the Latino/a/x Issues Conference.
Dr. David Fulton, founding chair of the BGSU Department of Computer Science, was awarded an honorary doctorate from the University during Spring 2023 Commencement in recognition of his life's dedication to the field.
A Stanford University report ranked 18 BGSU researchers among the top 2% worldwide based on multiple citation metrics. Faculty from the School of Media and Communication, the School of Earth, Environment and Society, and the Departments of Chemistry, Psychology, and Sociology made the list.
Three College of Arts and Sciences alumni – Brenda Hollis ’68, ’14 (Hon.), Beth Macy ’86, and Dr. Anthony “Tony” Rucci ’72, ’76, ’78 – received the 2022 Academy of Distinguished Alumni Award, the highest honor bestowed by the University. Hollis and Macy received bachelor’s degrees from BGSU – political science for Hollis and journalism for Macy. Rucci earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s and doctoral degrees in industrial psychology from BGSU.
Akiko Kawano-Jones, teaching professor emeritus in the Department of World Languages and Cultures, was honored by the Japan-America Society of Central Ohio (JASCO) with the Bradley M. Richardson Award for her efforts in bringing Ohio’s Japanese & American communities together.
Dr. I-Fen Lin, professor in the Department of Sociology, is joining four other university researchers to conduct a five-year, $2.2 million study funded by the National Institutes of Health on the generational health and economic impacts of COVID-19.
BGSU was ranked No. 6 among Ohio public universities for its graduate programs in chemistry (150th nationally), mathematics (173rd nationally) and public affairs (182nd nationally) by U.S. News & World Report.
Graphic Design USA named the BGSU School of Art graphic design program as a 2023 Top Design School.
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Travelers through Kansas City International Airport can see the artwork of John Balistreri, professor in the School of Art. “Wings,” four large-scale ceramic sculptures, contain imagery of human and natural flight as well as iconography of the region.
In The Round, a speakers series co-created by Dr. Heidi Nees, assistant professor in the Department of Theatre and Film, and jenn stucker, associate professor in the School of Art, received four Addy Awards from the American Advertising Federation of Toledo. The purpose of In The Round is to move BGSU’s Land Acknowledgment statement from words into meaningful action by bringing presence & visibility to the work of Native American Creatives.
The documentary "Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics" premiered during a series of public preview screenings in celebration of Women’s History Month. The non-partisan documentary by Dr. Melissa Miller, professor in the Department of Political Science, and public television station WBGU tells the story of both Democratic and Republican women who broke electoral barriers beginning in the 1960s.
Dr. Sheri Wells-Jensen, associate professor in the Department of English, spoke at the United Nations’ 8th International Day of Women & Girls in Science Assembly.
Dr. Sandra Faulkner, professor in the School of Media and Communication, was honored by the National Communication Association with the Legacy Award for her 20+ years of work in ethnography.
Moira J. van Staaden, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, was awarded the Carnegie African Diaspora Fellowship. She plans to research communication behavior and work with colleagues at the University of the Western Cape in South Africa to improve undergraduate STEM teaching.
Dr. Susan Brown, distinguished professor in the Department of Sociology and co-director of the National Center for Family and Marriage Research, was named vice president-elect of Population Association of America.
The research of Dr. Ken Pargament, professor emeritus in the Department of Psychology, addresses the intersection of spirituality and mental health in clinical training spanning psychology, counseling, marital and family therapy and social work.
Dr. Jayaraman Sivaguru, distinguished university professor in the Department of Chemistry and associate director of the University’s Center for Photochemical Sciences, worked with two professors from North Dakota State University to develop a plastic that decomposes on demand using ultraviolet light.
Danielle Burkin '94, administrative secretary for the Department of English, lead the drive to bring Be The Match bone marrow registration to BGSU in honor of her daughter, Hope, who passed away from an inherited DNA-repair disease that led to bone marrow failure.
Dr. Wendy Manning, Distinguished Professor in the Department of Sociology, was awarded the inaugural Piper Simmons Data Contributor of the Year Award from the Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research.
Since 2018, Dr. Hans Wildschutte, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, has received nearly $1 million in research funding to discover new antibiotics & alternative treatments in the fight against multi-drug resistant pathogens.
BGSU and the National Center for Family and Marriage Research held the first Falcon Flames Vow Renewal officiated by BGSU President Rodney Rogers as part of the 2022 Homecoming weekend festivities.
Dr. Vipa Phuntumart, associate professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, was selected for a Fulbright Scholar fellowship, during which she researched Phytophthora, a plant-destroying pathogen, and studied a possible alternative to chemical pesticides in a six-month residency in Thailand.
Updated: 09/04/2024 01:31PM