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Andrea Stolowitz wins Oregon Book Awards Drama Prize

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Drama Adjunct Instructor Andrea Stolowitz won the Oregon Book Awards Drama Prize for her play Antarktitos. The play just finished a successful run in Pittsburgh. Stolowitz was recognized on Monday, April 8, 2013, and will be published this summer in Theatre Forum Magazine.

Stolowitz has been an adjunct instructor at the University of Portland for five years, during which time she has taught playwriting and screenwriting. Her latest play, Ithaka, is a commissioned play by Artists Repertory Theatre. It premieres May 28th, and will run throughout June.

For more information contact Stolowitz at stolowit@up.edu.

Two Students Win Prestigious Goldwater Scholarships

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University of Portland students Claire Couch, of Oregon City, OR, and James Gaynor, of Vancouver, WA, have received prestigious scholarships from the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation. Couch and Gaynor earned two of 271 scholarships that were awarded to undergraduate sophomores and juniors for the 2013-2014 academic year.

The Goldwater Scholars were selected on the basis of academic merit from a field of 1,107 mathematics, science, and engineering students who were nominated nationwide. The one and two year scholarships will cover the cost of tuition, fees, books, and room and board up to a maximum of $7,500 per year.

Couch is a sophomore biology major from Oregon City. Her career goals include getting her doctorate in virology and conducting research in virus ecology and viral evolution.

Gaynor is a junior chemistry major from Vancouver, Wash. He plans to pursue his doctorate in physical chemistry and masters in materials science as well as research nanomaterials for application in biomedicine and energy, and teach at the university level.

Past Goldwater Scholarship recipients from the University of Portland include Claire Clelland ’05 and Mitchell Myjak ’01. Truc-Vi Huynh Duong ’13 was an honorable mention for the award.

The Goldwater Foundation is a federally endowed agency established in 1986. The scholarship program, honoring Senator Barry Goldwater, was designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue careers in the fields of mathematics, the natural sciences, and engineering.

Since its first award, the foundation has bestowed more than 6,550 scholarships worth about $40 million. Recent Goldwater Scholars have been awarded 80 Rhodes Scholarships, 118 Marshall Awards, 110 Churchill Scholarships and numerous other distinguished fellowships.

Tara Maginnis wins Murdock Grant

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Tara Maginnis has been awarded a grant from the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust for $40,500 to study “The Evolutionary Significance of Leg Loss and Regeneration in Crabs.”

Program description:

The Murdock College Research Program for Life Sciences supports research in the life sciences in private predominantly undergraduate colleges and universities. Proposals that describe original research in the life sciences will be evaluated on the basis of their scientific merit, the scientific qualifications of the investigator or investigators that are proposing the research, and the feasibility of the work. Involvement of undergraduate students in the research is also considered important.

Program goals:

The goals of this Program are several. Primary among these goals is the development of excellent faculty and undergraduate students in life sciences. Faculty and students are encouraged to work together in the pursuit of the knowledge and understanding of the basic principles underlying the function of living systems. It is anticipated that such research will be strongly educational in itself, but that it will also catalyze improvements in traditional science courses through inquiry-based teaching. The primary criterion that will be used in evaluating proposals will be the perceived scientific quality of the research as measured by its likelihood to contribute significantly to fundamental knowledge in the field. A clear commitment of the college or university to support the research will also strengthen a proposal, as will substantial participation of undergraduate students as research associates, rather than merely as technical assistants.

Veronicca Solis Accepted into the Holy Cross Overseas Lay Ministry Program in Chile

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Veronicca Solis, a current Theology major and graduating senior, has been accepted into the Holy Cross Overseas Lay Ministry Program. She will be living and working in Chile for 17 months and is very excited to be a part of the program. She will be leaving for her mission sometime in July. The process was competitive; only 2-3 post-graduate applicants are accepted for Chile, and applicants must have a strong service record, be proficient in Spanish, and have a strong commitment to enhancing the three program pillars: prayer, mission, and community, among other criteria that was part of the application and review process.

Please join us in wishing Veronicca well as she prepares for her work with Holy Cross in Chile.

Bob Butler Wins OAS Outstanding Teaching Award

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Bob Butler, with former CAS Dean Marlene Moore, at award ceremony

Congratulations to Bob Butler for receiving the Oregon Academy of Science 2013 Outstanding Higher Education Teacher in Science and Mathematics!  The award was presented on March 2, 2013.

The Oregon Academy of science promotes scientific research and education in Oregon. Divisions of the Academy represent all areas of the natural sciences and social sciences. The Academy encourages participation by research and applied scientists and educators from all fields. Discipline sections work to encourage the communication among Oregon scientists both private and public through the annual OAS meeting. The annual OAS meeting acknowledges contributions by outstanding university and K-12 educators demonstrating dedication to the advancement of science education. Additionally, each year the Academy acknowledges an Oregon scientist who has made outstanding contributions in their field.

Robert Butler joined the Department of Chemistry and Physics as Professor of Science in 2004. He earned a B.S. in Physics and Geology from Oregon State University in 1968. He completed his M.S. in 1970 and Ph.D. in 1972 in the Department of Geophysics at Stanford University. From 1972 to 1974, he was a Research Associate in the Department of Geology and Geophysics at the University of Minnesota. From 1974 to 2004, he was with the Department of Geosciences, University of Arizona, as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Full Professor, and then University Distinguished Professor. Dr. Butler is a Fellow of the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of America. Professor Butler’s research projects on application of paleomagnetism to geochronologic and tectonic problems have involved fieldwork on six continents. Recent scholarly work has included (1) magnetostratigraphy of Cenozoic sedimentary sequences of Nepal, (2) paleomagnetic studies of Mesozoic and Cenozoic tectonics of western South America, (3) terrain motion and uplift history of the Canadian Cordillera and southeastern Alaska, (4) paleomagnetic studies of vertical axis rotations of the northern Tibetan Plateau and Tarim Basin, China, (5) enhancement of Earth science teaching through computer visualization of geological processes space and time, especially K-12 applications of GIS, (6) geochronology of hominid fossil and stone tool bearing deposits in Ethiopia, (7) field-based Earth Science teacher professional development. Dr. Butler teaches Earth System Science, Natural Hazards of the Pacific Northwest, and Introduction to Marine Science.

Mock Trial Team Triumphs

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The University of Portland Mock Trial Team sent two squads to the 2013 American Mock Trial Association Regional Tournament in Corvallis, Oregon,on February 22-24. Both squads achieved winning records of 6-2 and 4-3-1, qualifying them for the Opening Round Championship Tournament in Memphis, Tennessee in late March. This is the first time a UP team has advanced two squads with winning records to the opening round championships.

Team members Charity Taylor and Brenna Twohy each received individual awards for their attorney portrayals. Jennifer Perkins and Amanda
Danforth received individual awards for their witness portrayals.

For more information contact team coach Aaron Johnson, political science, at johnsocu@up.edu.

David Alexander wins Becky Houck Award

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David Alexander has been awarded the Becky Houck Award for Excellence in Advising.  The Professor Alexander was honored at the CAS All-College Celebration February 27.

David Alexander has been a member of the faculty at the University of Portland since 1995. He received B.S. and M.S. degrees in Microbiology from the University of Texas at El Paso and a Ph.D. in Soil Science from Texas A&M University. After completing postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Texas at Austin and at Texas A&M, Dr. Alexander worked as a research microbiologist at Oregon Health Sciences University and the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Portland, Oregon, where he helped design and evaluate new classes of antimicrobial agents. He is interested in the physiological ecology of bacteria, focusing particularly on symbiotic interactions of bacteria with other organisms. Dr. Alexander teaches Microbiology, and in 2005 was honored as Teacher of the Year by the University of Portland Air Force ROTC detachment. He has served as the Health Professions Advisor for 16 years, and during that time has mentored hundreds of students interested in careers in health care.

The All-College Celebration is held annually to recognize achievements by faculty and departments within the College of Arts and Sciences.

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University Singers Tour the Puget Sound Area

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The University Singers traveled to the Puget Sound areas January 9-13, performing at seven high schools, three churches, and a large retirement community during the five days before the spring semester.  Twenty-six members of the choir were able to.  As the conductor of the choir, Michael Connolly led the tour, assisted by Dr. David De Lyser, of the music faculty.

On all stops, the tour promoted the University of Portland.  At schools and the retirement center I spoke about the University, majors offered, repeated the UP web address.  School directors were given recruiting posters, music and drama brochures, and multiple copies of the Admissions Office preview booklet.  The purple satin banner from the Events Office was displayed.  At churches, the choir was introduced at each Mass.  Bulletin notices were sent in advance to the parishes to promote the choir’s performance and the University.

Over 3,200 people heard the choir sing at the 12 events during the five-day tour.  Reception was very enthusiastic.  The tour was very successful.  The Singers promoted the University in general, and raised their level of performance in a way that will certainly help the group grow in the future.

Dundon-Berchtold Initiative in Applied Ethics names inaugural class of faculty fellows and student scholars

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The University of Portland recently launched the first semester of the Dundon-Berchtold Initiative in Applied Ethics. The initiative, funded by Amy Dundon-Berchtold and Jim Berchtold ’63, is designed to ensure that the University meets its “aspirations both to form the moral character of its students and to conduct sustained ethical reflection in applied aspects of business, science, engineering, education, health care and the arts.”

The initiative began in January 2013 after seven faculty fellows and seven student scholars were selected. The faculty-student groups will work on distinct ethics projects over the course of the semester. Here is a listing of the faculty fellows, students and their respective projects:

  • Brian Adams, Ph.D. and Colin Mahoney ’15, Pamplin School of Business
    • “Issues in Finance: Planning a Financial Ethics Symposium”
  • Timothy Doughty, Ph.D. and Jordan Schiemer ’14, Shiley School of Engineering
    • “Ethical Resources for Engineers: What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do”
  • Karen Eifler, Ph.D. and Cady Anderson ’13, School of Education
    • “Ethics from the Teaching Trenches: A Principled Framework for Differentiated Instruction”
  • Deana Julka, Ph.D. and Georgia Wilson ’13, College of Arts & Sciences: Psychology
    • “Ethical Issues Related to the Adoption of Physical Activity Programs in Various Social Settings”
  • Jeff Kerssen-Griep, Ph.D. and Danielle Christensen ’13, College of Arts and Sciences: Communication Studies
    • “Exploring Ethics in Organizational Decision-Making Practices at the University of Portland”
  • Lorretta Krautscheid, Ph.D. and Molly Brown ’14, School of Nursing
    • “Micro-Ethical Decisions in Clinical Practice Settings: A Qualitative Investigation of Student Nurse Experiences”
  • Jacquie Van Hoomissen, Ph.D. and Tiffany Chau ’13, College of Arts & Sciences: Biology
    • “Ethical Issues Related to the Adoption of Physical Activity Programs in Various Social Settings”

To prepare for this launch, there was a faculty colloquium held during the fall semester conducted by Michael Andrews, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and the McNerney-Hanson Chair in Ethics; Rev. Mark Poorman, C.S.C., Ph.D., Executive Vice President and Professor of Theology; James Baille, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy; and Thom Faller, Ph.D., Professor of Philosophy. The seven student scholars were selected based on their academic excellence and interest in applying ethical studies to their respective fields of study.

For more information on the initiative please go to http://www.up.edu/shownews.aspx?id=4612.

History Journal Wins Top Prize . . . Again!

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University of Portland’s history department awarded first place for student journal, Northwest Passages

University of Portland’s Department of History department was awarded first prize in the Gerald D. Nash History Journal competition for its student journal, Northwest Passages. This marks the second year in a row that the journal has placed first and the fourth time overall.

The 2012 Northwest Passages editorial team includes 2012 alumni Tessa Daniels, Cassie Passion, and Whitney Simpson; senior Renne Erb; and junior Lindsey Tsuruda. Faculty advisor is history professor Mark Eifler.

Northwest Passages is sponsored by the Rho Pi Chapter of Phi Alpha Theta, the national history honor society. Published in the spring of each year since 2000, each edition of the journal includes several senior theses as well as a diverse sample of smaller papers completed in history courses offered throughout the academic year. The writings are selected by the editorial team which is staffed entirely by students. Each year over the past six years, the journal has received recognition in a national journal competition.