Biology Faculty Member Awarded $450K NIH Grant to Expand Student Research Opportunities
Dr. Jennifer Kerr, NDMU's Dr. Mary Kay Shartle Galotto ’64 Endowed Chair in the Biological Sciences, was recently awarded a $451,560 grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) which will greatly enhance student research opportunities. Through the three-year grant, which will begin this November, the Biology Department will develop genomic data science curricula that will use cloud computing to increase student access to research opportunities both locally and abroad. Learn MoreMorrissy Honors Students Travel to Kansas City for National Conference
Four members of NDMU's Elizabeth Morrissy Honors Program traveled to Kansas City last week for the 2024 National Collegiate Honors Conference. Anna Choudhary, Eliza Davis, Katelyn Stephenson, and Nwanneka Udolisa were accompanied by Dr. Evelyn Spratt, director of the Morrissy Honors Program, and Dr. Rachel Burk, Morrissy faculty fellow. All four students gave presentations at the conference, which took place from October 30 through November 3, and they also had the opportunity to visit both the Harry Truman Presidential Library and the National World War I Museum and Memorial.
Choudhary, Davis, and Dr. Spratt presented "The Woman's Industrial Exchange: Baltimore Heritage, Economy, and Community," Choudhary, Dr. Spratt, and Darryl Peterkin presented "This Is Us: Researching the Heritage and Community of NCHC," Davis presented "On the Frontlines of History: The Legacy of Jane Addams," Stephenson presented "Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome: Current and New Treatments," and Udolisa presented "Survival, Resistance, and Mistreatment: The Evolution of Monstrosity in N.K. Jemisin’s The Fifth Season."
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NDMU Celebrates Inaugural Gator Spirit Day
NDMU's Division of Student Life organized the University's first Gator Spirit Day on Tuesday, October 29! Community members showed their appreciation for fellow students, faculty, and staff at "Thank a Gator" tables set up across campus, and the day was capped off in MBK, when our volleyball program posted a 3-0 sweep on Senior Night to clinch a home game in this year's United East conference tournament. The Gators will host Penn State Berks in a United East opening round matchup at 7 p.m. this evening at MBK Sports Complex.
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Renaissance Institute Participates in Power of Age Expo
Members and staff of the Renaissance Institute engaged with thousands of individuals from Maryland’s senior community last week at the Baltimore County Department of Aging Power of Age Expo at the Timonium Fairgrounds. Visitors to the booth received free candy and information about membership benefits, including the array of classes available.
In exchange for sharing their email addresses, visitors to the booth got to spin the wheel to win a prize. Prizes included bookmarks, bumper stickers, chocolate, cookies, and copies of Reflections, RI’s literary and arts magazine. Silent auction bidders were able to bid on a semester at Renaissance, and the proceeds of the silent auction went to the Seniors In Need program, which provides emergency assistance to older adults in need in Baltimore County.
Student/Faculty/Staff Updates
School of Education
Dr. Juliann Dupuis and Dr. Lisa Pallett recently led an unforgettable canoe trip on Dundee Creek in Northern Baltimore County for School of Education students visiting from China. This unique experience gave students a break from the intensity of their studies while introducing them to both the art of canoeing and the beauty of Maryland's natural landscapes.
Reflecting on the day, one student expressed gratitude, saying, "Thanks for the trip arrangement, from which we not only gained, for the first time in our lives, new skills with canoeing, but also discovered a harmony between the ecosystem and human beings, pulling us away from the heavy final term workload."
Dr. Ryan Schaaf, associate professor of Educational Technology in the School of Education, recently participated in a panel titled "Teaching Tomorrow: AI's Role in K-12, Higher Education, and Instructional Design," with fellow AI researchers and practitioners. The webinar, hosted by the Maryland Society for Educational Technology, explored the impact of artificial intelligence on education at every level.
Dr. Christa de Kleine, professor of TESOL in the School of Education, presented an invited highlighted session at Maryland TESOL's 44th Annual Conference on November 2. Dr. de Kleine's session was titled "Critical language awareness: What is it and why is it essential for advocacy in TESOL?" She additionally gave a talk (along with Dr. Rachele Lawton) at the International Symposium on Language Ideologies and Attitudes, which was held in Palma, Spain, in October. That discussion was titled “A Critical Analysis of Standard Language Ideology among Community College Writing Instructors in the United States.”
Dr. Angelo Letizia, associate professor in the School of Education, presented a paper titled “Moving from ‘is’ to ‘ought’, the pedagogy of Utopia” at the 50th annual American Moral Education Conference on October 24 in Queens, N.Y.
School of Nursing
Junior year nursing students collaborated with members of the Caroline Center’s Certified Nursing Assistant program during a simulation and skills day at the Center for Caring with Technology last week! The morning included a tour of the CCT’s state-of-the-art simulation labs, discussion on the importance of caring and compassion in nursing, and opportunities for the students to sharpen their skills at several patient stations.
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School of Pharmacy
The School of Pharmacy hosted several activities on campus to celebrate National Pharmacy Week, which took place from October 20-26. Activities included a selfie station, trivia prize drawings, an event recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and a self-serve coffee, beverage, and snack station.
Library Updates
The Loyola Notre Dame Library has several exciting classes, workshops, and events coming up through the end of November. Additional Information is available below!
Pop-Up Class - Reading is Tactile: Bookbinding
Thursday, November 7, 7 - 10 pm, Loyola Notre Dame Library IDEA Space
Learn about basic bookbinding techniques and create a hand-bound notebook of your own! This class is capped at 10 participants.
Register Here
Workshop - Copyright and Careers: Understanding Copyright for Visual and Graphic Artists
Monday, November 11, 4:30 - 5:30 pm, Loyola Notre Dame Library IDEA Space
Are you planning on a career as an artist, photographer, graphic designer or other visual artist? This workshop will provide information on how copyright law will affect your work including who owns the copyright, how you can protect your rights as the creator, how you can legally use other people’s work as part of your work, and the implications of copyright on AI in creative works.
Register Here
Workshop - Addressing the Textbook Affordability Problem Part 1: An Introduction to Open Educational Resources
Thursday, November 14, 4 - 5 pm, Online via Zoom
Hoping to reduce textbook costs for your students? This workshop will provide an introduction to open educational resources and information on how to locate and reuse existing OER materials.
Register Here
Pop-Up Class - Reading is Data Literacy: Visualizing Data
Monday, November 18, 4:30 - 5:30 pm, Loyola Notre Dame Library IDEA Space
Learn about how to turn quantitative data into engaging visuals!
Register Here