Faculty/Staff Accomplishments and Departmental News 3/4/20

In this issue, we celebrate the accomplishments of faculty and staff in art, biology, child development, English, sociology/criminology, and world languages and cultures. We also share an invitation to the groundbreaking for Meredith’s new academic building.

Assistant Professor of Child Development Fain Barker presented at the NC Council for Exceptional Children’s Conference in Greensboro, N.C., on February 27. Her presentation was on “The Effects of a Pyramid Coaching Model on Infant-Toddler Student Teacher’s Social Emotional Awareness Skills.” Senior Child Development major Maha Issa also attended and presented her poster “The History and Current Status of Infant Mental Health.”  Barker also presented “Beyond the Blocks: A Collaborative Project to Promote Protective Factors and Foster Resiliency for Young Children Experiencing Homelessness,” a collaborative project between the Raleigh Rescue Mission and the Early Intervention Program at the Tammy Lynn Center for Developmental Disabilities, and “Family Engagement for Children with Disabilities: Early Intervention, Preschool, and School Age,” at the Pacific Rim International Conference on Disability and Diversity on March 2-3, 2020.

Three members of Meredith’s Department of Sociology and Criminology attended the North Carolina Criminal Justice Association annual meeting in February. Instructor of Criminology Bianca Harris presented on “Substance Use Disorder and Corrections: Informed Management.” Professor of Sociology & Criminology Lori Brown presented on “‘Do you know how fast you were going?’: Public Perceptions of Speeding and Traffic by Race, Age and Gender” and Assistant Professor of Sociology & Criminology Kris Macomber presented on “Addressing Sexual Violence Outside the Co-Ed Context.”

Associate Professor of World Languages and Cultures Kevin Hunt interpreted simultaneously into Spanish for a presidential campaign rally held in Durham prior to the North Carolina primary.

Professor of Art Shannon Johnstone was awarded two Honorable Mentions in the 14th Annual Julia Margaret Cameron Award. Her work will be featured in the exhibition of award winners at the FotoNostrum Gallery in Barcelona, Spain from March 4–29, 2020. Johnstone’s work was also selected by Nat Trotman, curator of performance and media at the Guggenheim R. Solomon Museum in New York, for the Raleigh Fine Arts Exhibition, which will open at the Contemporary Art Museum in Raleigh on March 8.

Professor of English Kelly Morris Roberts presented her research on “Creating Literacy Experiences to Teach Empathy:  A Comparative Analysis of U.S. and International Students” at the state conference of the NC Association of Elementary Educators in late January, 2020.

Associate Professor of Biology Jorge Vasquez-Kool participated in the scientific jury to evaluate and recommend awardees for the 2020 L’Oreal For Women in Science Fellowship.  Candidates are selected from a variety of fields including the life and physical sciences.  This national fellowship is administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science and recognizes and rewards women researchers at an early stage in their careers for their scientific contributions, as well as their commitment to mentoring the next generation of women in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. In addition, awardees receive mentorship, career coaching, and access to a robust network of fellow female scientists.

Departmental News

Groundbreaking Planned for New Academic Building
The Meredith College Board of Trustees and President Jo Allen cordially invite the campus community to attend the Groundbreaking Ceremony for Meredith’s new academic building. The ceremony will be held on Friday, March 20, 2020, at 10 a.m. The building site is adjacent to Weatherspoon Gymnasium and the Lowery Fitness Center. Reception to immediately follow. The building will house Meredith’s academic programs in Communication and Exercise and Sports Science, and athletics offices. The new facility will open in the 2021 spring semester.