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News Archives Judith Barnes Publishes Book of Essays - 08.14.2009 LL&C alumnus Judith Barnes '84 (Ph.D., Communication and Rhetoric) has recently published her first book entitled Good to be Here: A Book of Moments. The book is a compilation of her essays -- part poetry, part prose -- that shows how life can be fully lived. The essays capture the potential, the pleasure, and the goodness of a moment, even in the face of pain or death. For more information about Dr. Barnes and her book, visit: www.thegoodtobeherebook.com
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RSA Leaders: LL&C Faculty and Alumni - 08.06.2009 LL&C faculty and Ph.D. graduates have contributed substantially to the work of the Rhetoric Society of America (RSA) over the course of many years: S. Michael Halloran '73, Professor Emeritus, Past President Gregory Clark '85, Brigham Young University, Past Editor, Rhetoric Society Quarterly Carolyn R. Miller '80, North Carolina State University, Current Editor, Rhetoric Society Quarterly Ekaterina V. Haskins, Associate Prof. of Rhetoric, Current Book Review Editor, Rhetoric Society Quarterly Arabella Lyon '90, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Current Membership Officer, Rhetoric Society of America For more information about the RSA, visit: www.rhetoricsociety.org
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Arabella Lyon Named RSA Membership Officer - 07.30.2009 LL&C alumnus Arabella Lyon '90 (Ph.D., Communication and Rhetoric) has been appointed to the position of Membership Officer of the Rhetoric Society of America (RSA). The role of Membership Officer is to assist in acquiring and retaining members of the Society. Dr. Lyon currently is a member of the faculty in English at SUNY-Buffalo and serves as president of the SUNY Council of Writing, an organization representing the sixty-two campuses with first-year writing programs. Her research interests include deliberation, human rights, feminist rhetorics and Chinese communication, and her work on China has been supported by a Fulbright year in China, three NEH seminars, and a year of teaching in Singapore. Her book, Intentions: Negotiated, Contested, and Ignored, received the Ross Winterowd Award, and her many articles have appeared in Philosophy and Rhetoric, College English, College Composition and Communication, and other journals and collections. Dr. Lyon attended her first RSA conference at Arlington in the late 1980s, and the RSA Board will welcome her first reports at its meeting in Chicago in November. For more information about the RSA, visit: www.rhetoricsociety.org
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Hillary Savoie To Participate in Eleventh Berlin Roundatables on Memory Politics - 07.30.2009 LL&C doctoral candidate Hillary Savoie '12 has been selected by the Irmgard Coninx Foundation for participation in the Eleventh Berlin Roundtables on "Memory Politics: Education, Memorials and Mass Media" October 21-26, 2009, in Berlin. Hillary will discuss her research and ideas with prominent scholars at some of Europe's leading research institutions. For more information, visit: www.irmgard-coninx-stiftung.de/index.php?id=150
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The Promises and Perils of Immersing Children in Technological Environments - 06.03.2009 LL&C Assistant Prof. Nathan G. Freier has co-edited a special issue for the journal Children, Youth and Environments (CYE) titled "Children in Technological Environments". The issue examines the increasing impact of technology on children from various perspectives, including knowledge and education, social and moral development, culture and community, access and equity, relationship to nature, therapy and health, and art and expression. "Today, technology is part of everyday life, and it can easily mediate or even replace other types of experiences," notes Prof. Freier. "This journal issue provides us with a forum to address this ongoing dialogue regarding the impact of technology on children, and to find ways to strike a balance in terms of interaction, development, and design." The enormous benefits that technologies have offered to children notwithstanding, the authors stress that "we are not only a technological species, but one that came of age through deep and intimate daily contact with other humans and with an embodied, physical natural and often wild world -- and we still need that world to flourish as a species." For the full news story, go to: RPI: News & Events To view the journal publication, visit: Children, Youth and Environments
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Whitney Coleman Debuts New Gospel CD at EMPAC - 05.29.2009 On Thursday, April 2, 2009, EMAC senior Whitney Coleman '10 performed original songs from her first gospel CD, Bright Morning Star, at the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center (EMPAC) at Rensselaer. Known by many for her talents on the basketball court, the self-taught singer, songwriter, and musician has blended a mix of music genres including rock, hip hop, R&B, and other styles to create her music. "My overall message is to be able to reach people lyrically and musically by expressing my relationship with God and how that relationship has affected my life and changed me to be the person that I am today," notes Coleman. "I also want to welcome all people of various cultures and religious backgrounds so that they can understand what I so passionately believe in. Our experiences may be different, but we all feel a need to be connected to something or someone and since music is universal, it's the best way for me to express myself and relate my experiences." For the full news story, go to: RPI: News & Events To hear songs from Bright Morning Star, visit: www.reverbnation.com/whitneycoleman
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Why Not Study Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) This Summer? - 05.18.2009 Rensselaer will again be offering an HCI Summer Program. Students will be able take one or both of the introductory courses in the well-respected 4-course graduate Certificate in HCI. Learn about the HCI Summer Program Read about the full M.S. in HCI degree Watch a short HCI program video Summer Program begins May 18, 2009.
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James P. Zappen Awarded 2009 HASS Award for Service - 05.14.2009 For a high level of impact and contribution in the university and the community, LL&C Prof. James P. Zappen has been awarded the 2009 HASS Award for Service. In the twenty-four years since his arrival at Rensselaer, Prof. Zappen has provided exceptional service to the Rensselaer community and beyond. Since 2001, Prof. Zappen has spearheaded ConnectedKids, an online information system for young people in Rensselaer County and the Capital Region in Upstate New York. The ConnectedKids information system is a Web-accessible database providing information about area youth-services organizations; information about these organizations' programs, services, and activities for learning, arts, sports, recreation, socializing, and counseling; and images of young people enjoying educational, recreational, and social activities. ConnectedKids is supported by Rensselaer County, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and the University at Albany, SUNY, in cooperation with the City of Troy, the Lansingburgh and Troy Public School Districts, the Troy Housing Authority, and numerous area youth-services organizations and was developed with funding from the National Science Foundation. Largely for his work with ConnectedKids, Prof. Zappen was named a "Champion of Character" and given a Community Leadership Award by the Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges in March 2009. Prof. Zappen has also been recognized for his contribution to the profession of technical communication. In 2007, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by the Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication for his significant long-term contribution to programming in technical communication, working both on the local and the national levels. In the Department of LL&C, Zappen is one of the pillars of the community. He has served the Graduate Programs in one capacity or another every year since his arrival. For the last five years, he has served Graduate Coordinator for LL&C and as representative for the School of HASS to the Institute Graduate Coordinators Committee. He has also served as chair of department searches since 2006.
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June Deery Awarded 2009 HASS Award for Teaching - 05.14.2009 For being a remarkable teacher, skillful, engaging and with a career record in teaching contributions that few at Rensselaer can equal, LL&C Associate Prof. June Deery has been awarded the 2009 HASS Award for Teaching. In over sixty courses taught in the Department of LL&C, Prof. Deery has maintained a career average of 4.6 in her teaching evaluations. Furthermore, in the last two years, she has received an average of 4.9. Deery's reputation is well established among the students who speak of the "Deery experience". Roger Grice, Clinical Professor of Human-Computer Interaction and advisor to many students on campus, notes that students "talk glowingly about her in hallway conversations". Erin Glasheen, Director of Undergraduate Programs for EMAC and Communication, reports that she hears "enthusiastic responses regarding Dr. Deery and her class". The comments that Professor Deery receives on her course evaluations -- she is "a fantastic professor," "one of the rare, great teachers here at RPI," "an asset to the RPI community," "one of my favorite professors," "a wonderful teacher" -- can become so repetitive that we need to remind ourselves that these are not the typical accolades one finds in student comments. Prof. Deery has also played an expanded role in graduate programs in the area of media studies. She saw her first doctoral student finish in 2007, but expects to see three more complete in 2009. By setting high standards for classroom instruction, Prof. Deery is influencing teachers for the next generation. In addition to her contribution in classroom instruction, Prof. Deery has had a substantial and significant impact on Rensselaer's curriculum. As described by Merrill Whitburn, she served as Director of the EMAC program during its early years of tremendous growth and dealt successfully with its growing pains. Both Lee Odell and Caren Canier speak of her careful and insightful contributions as a member of the Faculty Senate Curriculum Committee on which she served for two terms.
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Marcy Szablewicz Selected for U.S. Fulbright Student Grant - 05.06.2009 LL&C doctoral candidate Marcy Szablewicz has been selected for a U.S. Fulbright student grant to conduct her doctoral research in China next year. She has also been recommended for an NSF doctoral dissertation improvement grant to be co-funded by the Cultural Anthropology and Science Technology & Society divisions of NSF. Marcy's project proposes an extended period of ethnographic fieldwork in the cafés in order to provide insight into the lived experiences of Chinese youth. She also seeks to contribute to broader theoretical understandings of the dynamic ways in which the Internet is both engaging and transforming Chinese notions of community and identity. For more information about the U.S. Fulbright program, visit: http://us.fulbrightonline.org/
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Gaming Students Win Third Place in Vicarious Visions Student Challenge 2009 - 05.04.2009 LL&C graduate student Lillian Spina-Caza, in collaboration with CSCI senior Keith Emmanuel and EMAC junior Daniel Koo, was awarded third place in the Vicarious Visions Student Challenge 2009 for the experimental and educational video game prototype "Animal Wrangler". The video game, which was created in Rensselaer's Experimental Game Design course, teaches young people about invasive animal species in Australia. The game features real objects and a novel motion detection interface to appeal to tactile learners. To see a demonstration, visit: Animal Wrangler
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Amber Davisson Awarded Best Poster Prize at Journal of Information Technology & Politics Conference - 04.30.2009 LL&C doctoral candidate Amber Davisson won best poster prize at the Journal of Information Technology & Politics (JITP) conference "YouTube and the 2008 Election Cycle in the United States". The conference, held at the University of Massachusetts Amherst on April 16-17, 2009, explored the electoral impact of user created technology, such as YouTube videos. Amber's study looked at the strategies present in ten YouTube videos from Hillary Clinton's official Democratic Primary campaign. Her results showed that "while Clinton's early attempts at a dialogue approach failed, the candidate's later videos using humorous and documentary style approaches allowed her to overcome a lot of issues facing the campaign". In addition, Amber noted that "Clinton's rhetorical choices offer insight to future candidates attempting to use new media technologies". To view Amber's poster and video presentation, visit: http://youtubeandthe2008election.jitp2.net/paperhome/adavisson
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Ellen Esrock Awarded 2009 Jerome Fischbach Faculty Travel Grant - 04.01.2009 LL&C Associate Prof. Ellen Esrock has been awarded the 2009 Jerome Fischbach Faculty Travel Grant. The annual grant, established in 1963 by Jerome Fischbach '38, provides funds for one member of the Rensselaer faculty to participate in an international meeting as a representative of Rensselaer. Prof. Esrock will be using this grant to participate in a conference in China.
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Johel Brown-Grant Named Director of Educational Technology at Pratt Institute - 03.25.2009 LL&C alumnus Johel Brown-Grant '02 (Ph.D., Communication and Rhetoric) has been promoted to Director of Educational Technology at Pratt Institute. In this new position, he will oversee distance education, technology training, and other e-learning initiatives. Johel can be reached at jbrowngr@pratt.edu
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James P. Zappen Named "Champion of Character" - 03.24.2009 LL&C Prof. James P. Zappen has been named a "Champion of Character" and given a Community Leadership Award by the Academy for Character Education at the Sage Colleges for his work in bringing computer and networking to children and families in Troy. Established in 2000, The Academy for Character Education promotes character education within the greater community by raising awareness, educating, motivating, and facilitating the infusion of positive character traits that become lifelong habits. The Community Leadership Award is given by the Academy for outstanding positive leadership in our schools and communities. For more information about the Academy for Character Education, visit: www.sage.edu/centers/charactered
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Julie Gardner Berry's Debut Fairy Tale Released - 03.18.2009 LL&C alum Julie Gardner Berry '95 (B.S., Communication) had her debut novel The Amaranth Enchantment released in March by Bloomsbury USA. The book is a fairy tale fantasy which chronicles the adventures of Lucinda Chapdelaine, a young adult who will dance at the royal ball, fall under the Amaranth Witch's spell, avenge her parents' death, and maybe capture the heart of a prince. Julie will be holding a book signing in Albany at The Little Book House (Stuyvesant Plaza) on Thursday, March 26, 2009, at 7:00 p.m. For more information, visit Julie's website at: www.julieberrybooks.com
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Roger Munger Awarded Frank R. Smith Outstanding Journal Article Award - 03.17.2009 LL&C alumnus Roger Munger '97 (Ph.D., Communication and Rhetoric) has been awarded the Frank R. Smith outstanding journal article award for his article "Green Printing: A Guide to Environmentally Responsible Printing". The Frank R. Smith award recognizes the authors of exceptional articles that appeared in the journal Technical Communication during the previous calendar year. During Frank Smith's eighteen-year tenure as editor, the journal became established as the flagship publication of the Society for Technical Communication (STC) and the profession. Roger Munger is currently Associate Professor in the Department of English/COAS at Boise State University.
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Jason Waite Named Director of Writing at Western Oregon University - 02.17.2009 LL&C alumnus Jason Waite '07 (Ph.D., Communication and Rhetoric) has been named the new Director of Writing at Western Oregon University (WOU). Jason has also been selected to represent WOU in the Oregon Writing and English Advisory Committee, a state-wide committee that reports to Oregon's Joint Boards Advisory Committee -- Oregon's version of a board of regents -- on matters concerning writing and English instruction.
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Matthew R. Iacovone Awarded Service Mark Certificates of Registration - 02.11.2009 LL&C alumnus Matthew R. Iacovone (B.S., Electronic Media, Arts, and Communication '02; M.S., Technical Communication '03) has been awarded four service mark Certificates of Registration, on the Primary Register, by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The marks, which encompass a business name and logo, slogan, and service name, are used in conjunction with his advertising studio, Prestigent Design.
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Michael Halloran Celebrates Birthday Milestone - 02.07.2009 Best wishes to LL&C Prof. Emeritus Michael Halloran on his 70th birthday. Join LL&C alums in toasting Michael: YouTube
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