William Cavert
Dr. William Cavert, History Department, College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of "Urban Pollution and The Country and the City," published in Global Environment: A Journal of Transdisciplinary History. The article discussed the history of air pollution in London in relation to a classic work of literary criticism by Raymond Williams. The volume was a special edition, edited by the Rachel Carson Center for Environment and Society of Ludwig-Maximilian University, Munich, which emerged from a conference organized by the Carson Center and hosted in Beijing by the Ecological History Research Center of Renmin University.
Luke Gion, an undergraduate music composition minor, won the 2016 James and Paula Nelson Young Composer Competition. His composition, "The Day Draws Near," was performed by the Duluth Superior Symphony Orchestra on March 5 at DECC Symphony Hall.
Hans Gustafson
Dr. Hans Gustafson, Theology Department, College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of “Descandalizing Multiple Religious Identity With Help From Nicholas Black Elk and His Spirituality: An Exercise in Interreligious Learning,” published in the winter issue of Journal of Ecumenical Studies, volume 51, issue 1, pp. 80-113.
Dr. Michael Naughton, Center for Catholic Studies, was invited to participate in the Vatican symposium "Centesimus Annus, 25 Years Later," held April 15-16. The symposium is jointly sponsored by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences and the Institute for Advanced Catholic Studies.
Sophie Carson (left) and Paige Hietpas
Dr. Shirley Nieto-Flores, Modern and Classical Languages Department, College of Arts and Sciences, mentored undergraduate students Sophie Carson and Paige Hietpas to participate in the fourth annual Spanish Undergraduate Research Conference hosted at Minnesota State University, Mankato on March 14. Carson’s presentation, “Análisis y exploración de la estratificación social de Chile," analyzed and explored the social stratification in Chile, while Hietpas’ presentation, “Reflexiones y lecciones aprendidas de un viaje de servicio y aprendizaje a la frontera,” discussed the importance of service learning and the lessons learned from a couple of trips to the border. Both presentations were in Spanish.
William Ojala
Dr. William Ojala, Chemistry Department, College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of an article, “Peggy Etter and Polymorphism: Highlights of an Enduring Scientific Legacy,” published in the March issue of the chemical journal Crystal Growth and Design, volume 16, pp. 1,144-1,148, as part of a special virtual issue in memory of the chemist and crystallographer Margaret C. Etter. Ojala is serving with fellow former Etter research group members Dr. Susan Reutzel-Edens of Eli Lilly and Dr. Daniel Adsmond of Ferris State University as a guest co-editor for this issue.
Dr. Buffy Smith, Sociology and Criminal Justice Department, College of Arts and Sciences, was invited to give a keynote address titled “The Next Frontier of Higher Education: Creating a Mentoring Institution," sponsored by the Ethnic Studies Institute and the Office of Multicultural Affairs, West Chester University of Pennsylvania, and held March 22.
Dr. Artika Tyner, Office for Diversity and Inclusion, is a nominee for Midwest Book Award for her book, The Leader’s Journey: A Guide to Discovering the Leader Within, which a is finalist in the Inspiration category. Winners will be announced at the 26th annual Midwest Book Awards Gala on May 13 at the Olson Campus Center at Luther Seminary in St. Paul.
Also, Tyner gave the G. Lane Ware Keynote Leadership Address at the 2016 Young Lawyer Leadership Summit and YLD Leadership Conference held April 1 at Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
Lisa Waldner
Dr. Lisa Waldner, Dean’s Office, and Sociology and Criminal Justice Department, College of Arts and Sciences, presented two workshops at the annual meetings of the Midwest Sociological Society held in Chicago: “How to Get Published in Academic Journals” and “How to Review for Academic Journals.”
Meg Wilkes Karraker and Mathew Vicknair
Dr. Meg Wilkes Karraker, Sociology and Criminal Justice Department, College of Arts and Sciences, and Family Business Center Fellow, presented "Not Religious, Not Spiritual, but Committed to the Common Good: Early Findings from 'Middle Class in Middle America'" at the Sixth International Conference on Religion and Spirituality in Society. While in Washington, D.C., she also met over dinner with St. Thomas sociology alumnus Mathew Vicknair '13 (Master of Public Policy, George Washington University) and enjoyed lunch with the director of the Department of Justice, Peace and Human Development at the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
Victoria Young
Dr. Victoria Young, chair, Art History Department, College of Arts and Sciences, was elected second vice president of the Society of Architectural Historians at their annual meeting held April 7 in Pasadena. Young will serve on the executive committee for the next six years, moving onto the first vice presidency in two years and ultimately becoming president of the 3,500-member international organization in 2020.
Twenty students and two faculty from the Chemistry Department presented their research at the 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, held in San Diego, from March 13-17. Student presenters, their projects and their research advisers were: Michael Andreone, “Antibiotic resistance in surface drinking water sources and finished tap water,” Stephanie Berg, “Kinetic studies of the reversible photodegradation of dienone and trienone steroids” and Danielle Webb, “Determining the viability of ozone as a treatment method for eliminating antibacterial activity of clarithromycin” (students of Dr. Kristine H. Wammer); Maya Audi, James Smyth and Cooper Tye, “Synthesis of the suspected biologically active portion of teixobactin,” Thomas Tuohy, “Novel synthesis of tetrasubstituted furan molecules,” Jacob Goodwin, “Synthesis and testing of GLP-1 stimulants,” Grant Larson, “Unexpected route to imidazolidinones” and Landon Crippes, “Synthesis of novel blood sugar lowering compounds,” (students of Dr. J. Thomas Ippoliti); Kara Kassekert, “Toward isomorphous bridge-flipped isomers: Crystal structure of a hydrated phenylhydrazone,” Kiersten Idzorek, “Crystal structures of reactive nitrile oxides: 2,6-Dichlorobenzonitrile oxide” and Samantha Whitcomb, “Solid-state nitrile oxide dimerization: Crystal structure of bis(4-methylphenyl)furoxan” (students of Dr. William H. Ojala); Theresa Pham, “Microwave-assisted synthesis of 1,3-bis(picolyl)benzimidazolium bromide” and Brian Bustrom, “Optimizing the synthesis of luminescent lanthanide(III) complexes through microwave technique” (students of Dr. Marites A. Guino-o); Hannah Drazenovich, “NMR Binding Studies of Glycosaminoglycans and Cell-Penetrating Compounds,” Francesca Ippoliti, “Synthesis and characterization of three oleoyl-PEG orthoester micelles for drug delivery,” (students of Dr. Lisa E. Prevette); and Bridget McGivern, “Impact of triclosan on antibiotic resistance in waste water bacteria” (student of Dr. Justin Donato).
Faculty presenting talks were Dr. J. Thomas Ippoliti (with St. Thomas student co-authors Andrew Peterson, Michael Sirianni, Thomas Tuohy, Andrew Kuelbs and Courtney Pahl), “Synthesis of tetrasubstituted furans from propargylic diols,” and Dr. Eric Fort (with student co-authors Joseph Jaye, Benjamin Gelinas and Grant McCormick), “Mechanistic insights from the aryl-alkyne ring closure of 10b-aza-10c-borapyrene.”
St. Thomas students who attended the 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition in March.
