Noteworthy

Delaware Law School Professor Erin Daly participated in the hearings of the Inter-American Court on Human Rights when it considered the request for an advisory opinion on the climate emergency and human rights submitted to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights by the Republic of Colombia and the Republic of Chile.

Daly and Soledad Garcia Muñoz, the former special rapporteur for economic, social, cultural, and environmental rights at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, submitted a brief to the court on the indivisibility and inter-dependence of human rights, particularly in the context of climate change. They encouraged the Court to take a holistic view of the human rights impacts of climate change, deeply rooted in the law of human dignity. Hearings in the case are being held in Barbados in April and in Brazil in May.

Daly also recently released a draft international covenant on environmental rights, as chair of the drafting committee of the International Center for Comparative Environmental Rights, known by its French acronym CIDCE. The draft has been translated into Arabic, French, Italian, Japanese, Spanish, and Turkish. She has also been invited to join the Green Rights Coalition, an international body that supports environmental human rights.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/31566/

Kayla Van Osten, assistant librarian at Wolfgram Memorial Library, has been recognized by Pennsylvania Military College alumnus Ken Byerly ’68 for her contributions to his new book, “Paid in Full: Tales of Bravery and Sacrifice.”

Byerly’s book tells the stories eight PMC graduates who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Van Osten assisted Byerly in researching the alums in the year leading up to the book’s release, uncovering information and records from their time as cadets and beyond by searching through university archives and area news outlets of the time.

“Kayla’s work and communications were exceptional,” said Byerly, a Vietnam veteran himself. “What she uncovered was amazing and so helpful to me to be able to explain who these young men were when they were at PMC and in service to their country.”

A special, hardcover edition of Byerly’s new book were donated to the library.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/library-staff-honored-pmc-alumnus

A group of four gender, women, and sexuality studies students recently attended the Feminist Majority Foundation’s National Young Feminist Leadership Conference in Washington, DC. The focus of the conference was to educate and motivate young people - specifically college students - on feminist issues.

Conference speakers covered topics such as reproductive rights and the Equal Rights Amendment. Attendees also learned about challenges that can come into play when trying to implement a political action.

In addition to attending the conference, the students met with a staff member of Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlon, representative of Pennsylvania’s 5th district which is home to Widener and much of the surrounding area. They shared their concerns about various feminist issues and expressed interest in continuing to build a relationship with Congresswoman Scanlon’s office.

Each of the four students received scholarship funding from the Feminist Majority Foundation to attend.

“Students reported that this trip was transformational,” said Mariah Schug, director of gender, women, and sexuality studies. “They made important career contacts with feminist political leaders - contacts which may influence the course of their careers. Finally, they left the conference with a new sense of empowerment and commitment to taking political action in their own communities.”

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/gender-women-and-sexuality-students-attend-national-feminist-leadership-conference

Faculty in the School of Engineering have been awarded grant funding through the Manufacturing PA Innovation Program. Funded in part by the Department of Community and Economic Development, this fellowship program pairs graduate and undergraduate students with local manufacturers on research projects to develop new technologies and advance innovation statewide. 

Three Widener engineering projects have been selected to participate in the 2024 initiative:

1. Babak Eslami, associate professor, and Kamran Fouladi, associate professor and associate dean, mechanical engineering.

   Associate Professors Eslami and Fouladi are working with industrial partner American Additive Manufacturing to enhance durability and repeatability of 3D printing with Polyeth-ether ketone (PEEK) polymer. During this project, a Widener student-research team are modeling the industrial 3D printers used by American Additive Manufacturing to perform computational fluid dynamics study to have a better understanding of flows around the parts. Multi-scale material characterization will be performed on 3D printed parts in order to develop the optimum printing condition for PEEK.

2. John Suarez, associate professor, electrical engineering.

   Associate Professor John Suarez and his student-research team will develop a radio-frequency system for sensing roadway nonuniformities in front of vehicles. The system is intended to operate in vehicles moving at relatively high speeds. The nonuniformities of greatest interest are potholes or other defects in the road which can damage vehicles or create unsafe conditions. Dr. Suarez’s group will work with Dorman Products, an industry leader in aftermarket automotive products located in Colmar, Pennsylvania.

3. Xiaochao Tang, associate professor, and Vicki Brown, professor, civil engineering.

   Associate Professor Xiaochao Tang and Professor Vicki Brown along with a team of student-researchers are working to create a low-carbon sustainable alternative for concrete, the most widely used construction material. Cement, a key component of concrete, is a highly energy-intensive product that releases a large amount of carbon dioxide when produced. In collaboration with two partners, the Delaware County Reginal Water Quality Control Authority (DELCORA) in Chester, Pennsylvania and Conewago Manufacturing, LLC in Hanover, Pennsylvania, this project will utilize sewage sludge ash, a byproduct from DELCORA's wastewater treatment facility, to create an inorganic polymer binding agent, known as geopolymer, at ambient or slightly elevated temperatures. This project will potentially enable repurposing the ash, which would otherwise be disposed of in landfills, for beneficial reuse at scale. The project will also utilize Conewago's concrete mix and testing facility to characterize the geopolymer product and cast pilot scale test bed. 

The Manufacturing PA project was financed [in part] by funding from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Community and Economic Development.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/engineering-faculty-awarded-more-200000-manufacturing-pa-innovation-program

Anne Krouse, dean of nursing, received the M. Louise Fitzpatrick College of Nursing Medallion for distinguished achievement presented by Villanova University. Krouse, a Villanova alumna, was celebrated for her work as an educator and influential leader in the development and delivery of nursing education. Under Krouse’s direction, Widener’s School of Nursing has been repeatedly named a Center of Excellence, and in 2023, was the only recipient in the category of advancing the science of nursing education. Throughout her career, Krouse has served as president of the Board of Directors of the Pennsylvania Higher Education Nursing Schools Association, and completed two consecutive three-year terms as the National League of Nursing. Her contributions to the fields have been recognized in the past with honors from the Student Nurses’ Association of Pennsylvania, a fellowship in the Leadership in Academic Nursing Program for the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award, and the Excellence in Leadership Award, Eta Beta Chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/nursing-dean-honored-excellence-nursing-education

Lisa Grimm has been named dean of Widener University’s College of Arts & Sciences effective July 1, following the retirement of David Leaman, who has served as dean of the college since 2018. 

Grimm is a respected educator and leader in the field of psychology. She comes to Widener from The College of New Jersey (TCNJ), where she has served in many roles since 2009, including as a member of the faculty, associate dean, and, most recently, interim dean of TCNJ’s School of Humanities and Social Sciences. In her role as interim dean, Grimm has led nearly 100 faculty and staff and over 2,000 students across ten departments and many additional interdisciplinary programs. 

Grimm is an accomplished teacher and scholar with a commitment to civic and global engagement, community-engaged learning, and mentorship. Her notable projects include serving as co-chair for the Humanities and Social Sciences Committee Against Anti-Black Racism and working closely with TCNJ’s Center for Global Engagement to support integrating global learning into coursework.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Grimm to Widener to lead the College of Arts & Sciences,” said Provost Andrew Workman. “Arts & Sciences is so deeply engrained in the education of every student regardless of major, and Dr. Grimm brings with her a proven track record of leadership and commitment to belonging that will help to enhance opportunities for students. Her experience with creating new, interdisciplinary programs, and her dedication to being not only an educator- but a mentor- makes her a great fit to help the university continue to grow and provide the best experience for students.”

“I am excited to join the talented faculty and staff of the College of Arts & Sciences. It is abundantly clear that they are a strong community focused on student belonging and helping students achieve their goals. I look forward to working together to build on the strong foundation of student success inside and outside of the classroom,” said Grimm. 

As a cognitive psychologist Grimm’s scholarship on structure and content of mental representations is highly regarded and she often collaborates with students on publications and conference presentations. She received her PhD from the University of Texas, where she also completed her post-doctoral fellowship. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/lisa-grimm-named-dean-widener-universitys-college-arts-sciences
 

Xiaochao Tang, associate professor of civil engineering, was awarded approximately $75,000 from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, as part of the Agency’s People, Prosperity, and the Planet (P3) Program.

The P3 Program supports faculty-student research designed to develop innovative solutions that address leading environmental and public health challenges. Tang's research aims to develop a process that uses industrial byproduct to create low-carbon sustainable cement product in an effort to reduce carbon emissions and solid waste that would otherwise be disposed of in landfills. This multidisciplinary project boasts educational opportunities to undergraduate students across the engineering programs and infuses sustainability into senior design projects in multiple departments.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/engineering-professor-awarded-epa-grant-develop-low-carbon-sustainable-cement-product

Ali Hamza, assistant professor of electrical engineering, has been awarded approximately $200,000 in grant funding from the prestigious Engineering Research Initiation program from the National Science Foundation, or NSF. The grant will support Hamza's research, which aims to revolutionize cognitive sensing technologies for radar and wireless communication systems. By enhancing interference mitigation, using artificial intelligence techniques, Hamza’s pioneering work promises improved signal detection with applications spanning wireless communication, aerospace, healthcare, and automotive industries. These contributions will significantly advance the radar imaging for self-driving cars, weather and military radar, radar-based human activity monitoring, fall detection, and remote vital sign estimation. With the integration of machine learning and AI algorithms, the project seeks to optimize radio frequency spectrum utilization, alleviate congestion, and expand bandwidth, ultimately enhancing quality of service and regulatory capabilities. 

The funding, which marks the first NSF grant for the electrical engineering department, will support undergraduate and graduate research.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/engineering-professor-awarded-nearly-200000-national-science-foundation

The Delaware County Women’s Commission honored Chief Diversity Officer Michelle “Micki” Meekins-Davis with a Woman of Achievement Award at the commission’s awards celebrating Women’s History Month.

Meekins-Davis was one of three women honored under the theme “Women Who Advocate for Equity, Diversity and Inclusion,” for her dedication to championing these principles within Delaware County, Pennsylvania. The awards recognize honorees for their invaluable accomplishments and contributions toward bettering the lives and opportunities of all women, and for their tireless advocacy for a future in which women can achieve their full potential, free from barriers and discrimination. 

Meekins-Davis has been a part of Widener for over three decades, after starting as a part-time departmental assistant and rising to become the university’s inaugural full-time chief diversity officer. Along the way, she has served in various roles, such as the founding director of the Multicultural Student Affairs Office, where she supported and mentored students from underrepresented backgrounds. She developed innovative and effective programs, such as the 1821 Experience Pre-Orientation Program and the Pride Mentoring Program. She contributed to the university’s Common Ground Initiative by bringing DiversiTEA gatherings to Widener, where conversations have fostered a sense of belonging and a culture of respect.

Meekins-Davis is a member of Widener President Stacey Robertson’s leadership team. Robertson introduced her at the awards event.

“Micki is the perfect embodiment of this honor,” she said. “She has dedicated her life and career to creating a more just and equitable society, and her work has touched thousands of lives in Delaware County and beyond.”

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/31515/
 

The University Relations department won six “Cuppie” awards from the annual CUPRAP conference. CUPRAP, or the College and University Public Relations and Associated Professionals, presents the awards for creative excellence in marketing and communications. The competition drew more than 400 entries this year from colleges and universities predominately located in the northeast.

The department won:

• Gold, for the Family Connections quarterly e-newsletter for families of undergraduate students.
• Gold, for the Widener Pride families website.
• Silver, for the pre-move-in-shopping-advice video shot at Target and shared on social media.
• Silver, for the admit packet prepared for parents of admitted undergraduates.
• Silver, for the public relations campaign built around the 2023 President for a Day event.
• Honorable mention, for the Pride 101 social media campaign videos.
• Honorable mention, for an OPED co-authored by President Stacey Robertson and Ursinus College President Robyn Hannigan.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/university-relations-wins-awards-cuprap-conference 

Beatriz Urraca, professor of Spanish and chair of modern languages, has been selected as a Fulbright Scholar. Urraca will travel to Argentina to pursue her project, which will explore “how Latin American cinema integrates different knowledge systems into western discussions of sustainability and the environment.”

Urraca will also spend time teaching a graduate seminar course at the National University of Central Buenos Aires (UNICEN), and establishing relationships between their institution and Widener. In addition to teaching students, Urraca will also hold workshops for UNICEN faculty with sustainability as a focus, and pave the pathway for collaboration between Argentinian faculty, researchers, and students.  

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/spanish-faculty-named-fulbright-scholar
 

Widener Executive Chef Matthew Clarke has brought home silver in the 2024 Aramark Culinary Excellence (ACE) competition for the mid-Atlantic region of Aramark Collegiate Hospitality.

Clarke competed against 13 chefs representing institutions in Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland, in a timed competition using duck as the main protein in their recipes.

Clarke took first place in the 2023 competition and went on to represent the region at the national Aramark Collegiate Hospitality Competition, where he took home a bronze medal.

In addition to overseeing the roughly 1,000 meals a day being served in the Pride Café, Clarke also runs the cooking for catered university events.

Share Link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/executive-chef-cooks-second-place-culinary-competition

The 2024 Beideman Visiting Scholar Program featured vibrant discussions about the importance and impact of relationship building. This year's program welcomed Peter Felten (pictured), Leo Lambert, and Oscar Miranda Tapia, three of the authors of "Connections Are Everything: A College Student's Guide to Relationship-Rich Education." The visiting scholars spent the day on Widener's Chester campus leading interactive discussions with students, faculty, and staff about how relationships are a key element of student learning, well-being, and success.

During the keynote presentation in Founders Hall, the authors provided both statistical and anecdotal evidence demonstrating the value of a relationship rich higher education experience. According to the authors, institutions of higher education can better serve and prepare their students for long-term success by shifting away from the transactional interactions and focus instead on fostering meaningful and intentional relationships within the community. The presentation led to the discovery of how the Widener community can build additional relationship-rich experiences for its students and further advance its commitment to belonging and inclusion.

The Beideman Visiting Scholar Program brings world-class speakers and scholars to the Widener campus on an annual basis to stimulate discussions on current and pertinent theories and practices related to leadership development and the effective exercise of leadership. The Beideman Visiting Scholars Program is made possible by a generous gift from Paul and Caroline Beideman. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/beideman-visiting-scholars-detail-importance-relationship-rich-education 

Jimmy Wynes was named the Delaware Valley College Hockey Conference (DVCHC) American Division Offensive Player of the Year. The men’s DVCHC consists of twenty-four teams split into three divisions. Wynes, a junior finance major and economics minor, is a forward and has played on the Widener men’s ice hockey club team for the past three years.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-club-hockey-player-named-offensive-player-year-regional-conference

Loyd Bastin, associate dean of science and professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been chosen as the first-ever recipient of the Teaching Green Fellowship by the Green Chemistry Institute at the American Chemical Society. Bastin will be honored at the upcoming 28th Annual Green Chemistry & Engineering (GC&E) Conference.  

This award recognizes innovation and creativity in the development of curriculum materials with green chemistry and sustainability topics as a focus, and that prepares students for future careers where they can address global challenges.

Throughout his time at Widener, Bastin strives to incorporate political advocacy and activism into his courses, specifically as it pertains to environmental topics. This award will help provide funding for Bastin and students working with him to assist in their work, as well as travel expenses to attend GC&E Conferences.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/chemistry-faculty-awarded-inaugural-teaching-green-fellowship-green-chemistry-institute

Nursing Associate Professor Banibrata Roy authored a research article in the journal Pharmacy Education to determine the leadership skills needed amongst pharmacists in different work settings and in different parts of the world. The article titled, "Results from a global pharmacy leadership needs assessment: Opportunities to advance pharmacy leadership," finds that skills should be carefully considered for career development and advancement while providing leadership training in pharmacy education.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/nursing-professor-publishes-research-article-pharmacy-leadership 

Professor and Chair of Chemistry Shirley Fischer-Drowos has been elected to the executive board for the Eastern Analytical Symposium (EAS), the second largest international conference of analytical chemists. With over 1000 attendees annually, the symposium features vendor exhibits and poster presentations covering the latest in pharmaceuticals, environmental science, forensics, and more.

Fischer-Drowos has served on the symposium board for a number of years in various roles. In her new executive board role as Secretary, she can continue to help organize and execute the symposium annually along with other board members and sponsoring organizations. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/chemistry-faculty-named-executive-board-eastern-analytical-symposium

Zora Wolfe, associate dean of the College of Health & Human Services and interim director for the Center for Education, has published a chapter in "First-Gen Docs: Personal, Political, and Intellectual Perspectives from the First-Generation Doctoral Experience.” This newly release is the third volume in The Doctoral Journey in Education series of books.

Wolfe’s chapter, titled “Program Supports for First-Generation Education Doctoral Students: A Faculty Perspective,” gives her personal insight into working with first-generation doctoral students pursuing a degree in the field of education.

This book serves to highlight the determination and resilience of the first-generation doctoral student population. 

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In a recent symposium held in Philadelphia, four law professors and a law alumna explored the right to a clean environment through the lenses of state and federal courts. The event, presented by the Journal of Constitutional Law at the University of Pennsylvania Carey Law School, featured the following participants:

• Delaware Law Professor Erin Daly moderated the panel "Environmentalism: the History, the Source of Law, and the Future."
• Assistant Professor Quinn Yeargain of Commonwealth Law School presented "Against Environmental Rights" as part of the panel "Litigating Constitutional Environmentalism: Current Realities and Future Considerations."
• Delaware Law Professor James May and John Dernbach, emeritus professor of law and former director of the Environmental Law Sustainability Center at Commonwealth Law School, both spoke on the panel titled "Green Amendment Movement: Pennsylvania Roots and Nationwide Reach." May discussed the pursuit of climate rights at the state level in the U.S., while Dernbach examined judicial decisions under the environmental rights amendments to explain their contribution to environmental protection.
• Delaware Law alumna Maya van Rossum ’94, the Delaware Riverkeeper and founder of Green Amendments for the Generations, also participated on the panel with May and Dernbach.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/31334

Robert Buckley Jr. ’81, a School of Business Administration graduate, returned to the Chester campus to give a presentation on his role leading the I-95 rebuild. Buckley is president of Buckley & Company, Inc., the primary company that oversaw the record-setting rebuild of the collapsed interstate highway in the summer of 2023. Moderated by Engineering Dean Pamela McCauley, Buckley presented alongside Archie Filshill, CEO at Aero Aggregates of North America, whose company produced the ultra-lightweight aggregates that was used to fill the rebuild. The conversation recounted the hands-on contributions of Buckley & Company and the transformative power of collaboration between local industries and city, state, and federal government partners. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/robert-buckley-jr-81-presents-rebuilding-i-95-twelve-days-june

Watch the Full Presentation Here