BGSU Zoom News

Thursday, August 31, 2017

Whitfield recognized for Parkinson’s research | Coates to give ‘Spotlight on the Arts’ talk

Jason Whitfield (right) examines the acoustic features of a recorded speech sample as Anna Gravelin (left) leads Zoe Kriegel, wearing a microphone used to obtain high-quality audio recordings, through the protocol.

CLYDE WILLIS AWARD
WHITFIELD RECOGNIZED FOR PARKINSON’S RESEARCH, STUDENT ENGAGEMENT

Jason Whitfield

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is well known for producing tremors, muscle rigidity and a halting gait. But it can also affect speech, making it difficult to produce sounds and communicate clearly.

That is the aspect of the disease studied by Dr. Jason Whitfield, an assistant professor of communication sciences and disorders. He has presented and published widely on his research into how speech is impaired in PD, with the goal of improving rehabilitative techniques for individuals who experience communication difficulties.

“Parkinson’s disease varies widely among people, and, luckily, the effects on speech are usually fairly mild, but they can also be significant,” Whitfield said. “It can produce what we call disfluency, a stuttering-like disturbance in their speech. They can have trouble with initiation, or starting the movement to produce speech. My lab focus is on the juncture of speech motor control and cognition.”

Whitfield is the 2017-18 recipient of the Clyde R. Willis Faculty Development Award, presented annually to a College of Health and Human Services faculty member whose accomplishments best represent “a strong, balanced performance in the traditional areas of teaching, scholarship and service during the past calendar year, with particular emphasis on major accomplishments in research.”

State of the University - The Blade, BG Independent, BG Independent,
Sentinel-Tribune, 13abc
Mosquito monitoring - The Blade
Jackson on celebrity politicians - Moneyish
Manning on declining marriage rate - AirTalk
BGSU one of safest colleges in the country - WTOL

SPOTLIGHT ON THE ARTS: CREATIVE WRITING
LAWRENCE COATES TO PRESENT ‘TEMPORARY LANDSCAPES: THE FICTION OF PLACE’

Lawrence Coates

Dr. Lawrence Coates, award-winning author, professor and chair of the Department of English, is the featured speaker for the second annual Spotlight on the Arts on Sept. 7. He will present “Temporary Landscapes: The Fiction of Place” at 7:30 p.m. in the Thomas B. and Kathleen M. Donnell Theatre in the Wolfe Center for the Arts.

Coates is the author of five novels, most recently “The Goodbye House.” His other books include “Camp Olvido,” “The Garden of the World,” “The Master of Monterey” and “The Blossom Festival,” and are primarily historical fiction set in his native California. His work has been recognized with the Western States Book Award in Fiction, the Donald Barthelme Prize in Short Prose, the Miami University Press Novella Prize, an Ohio Arts Council Individual Excellence Award and a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Fiction.

His talk is free and open to the public. A reception will follow in the lobby of the Wolfe Center. Guests with disabilities are requested to indicate if they need special services, assistance or appropriate modifications to fully participate in this event by contacting Accessibility Services, access@bgsu.edu 419-372-8495 prior to the event.

Optimally aging at home and in the community is the topic of the second Optimal Aging Fair on Sept. 19, hosted by the Optimal Aging Institute. Older adults and their families, aging services providers, community members, and others are invited to explore how to age in place, as well as how to make area communities age-friendly.

The fair is free to BGSU students and employees, but registration is required by Sept. 12.

ALL-CAMPUS PICNIC SEPT. 8

Faculty, staff and students are invited to have lunch together Friday (Sept. 8) at the All-Campus Picnic, featuring locally sourced foods, lawn games and activities. Join fellow Falcons on the University Hall lawn from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Recyclable, reusable and compostable products will be used to enhance sustainability and lower the environmental impact of the event.

IN BRIEF

Volunteers are needed for STEM in the Park on Saturday, Sept. 23, at the Perry Field House. The event brings nearly 5,000 people to campus to engage children of all ages in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

The University is offering a way to help faculty, staff, students and community members who have prediabetes avoid developing type 2 diabetes through the PreventT2 lifestyle change program.

ElderCollege at BGSU Firelands kicks off the fall semester Sept. 6 with Michael Mage, two-time award-winning Cleveland performer known as a comedian stuck in a magician’s shoes.

The competition team at BGSU Firelands’ Caryl Crane Youth Theatre will present Disney’s “The Lion King” Sept. 7-10 for four performances only.

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