Noteworthy

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. 

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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

Nancy Laplante, professor of nursing, co-authored a new textbook geared toward preparing nursing students for the Next-Generation NCLEX exam. The textbook, "Clinical Nursing Skills & Techniques, 11th Edition," provides clear, step-by-step guidelines to more than 200 basic, intermediate, and advanced skills. With more than 1,200 full-color illustrations, a nursing process framework, and a focus on evidence-based practice, this manual helps students learn to think critically, ask the right questions at the right time, and make timely decisions. 

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Professor of Chemical Engineering Sachin Patil, together with a team of international collaborators from Imperial College London in the United Kingdom and the Cancer Research Center in Marseille, France, published a paper in the Journal of Advanced Research titled, “Inactive-enriched machine-learning models exploiting patent data improve structure-based virtual screening for PDL1 dimerizers.” The paper presented novel PDL1-specific machine-learning scoring functions as a powerful drug design tool for detecting small-molecule PD1/PDL1 inhibitors, forming the basis for developing novel cancer immunotherapies with better patient outcomes and milder side effects.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/engineering-professor-and-international-collaborators-publish-artificial-intelligence-enabled-cancer 

The School of Business Administration (SBA) hosted over 225 area high school students on Widener’s Chester campus for the Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Delaware County Leadership Conference.

Students from eight high schools across Delaware County gathered for a day of Widener faculty-led workshops covering topics such as the basics of banking, sales and marketing, artificial intelligence, leadership and communication, and more.

In addition, students competed for prized in events judged by Widener students, alumni, staff, and industry partners. Overall, students earned awards in 55 categories, and the top students will move on to compete at the state level. This was the first time the competitions were held in person since before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was everything we say the SBA is – hands-on, engaged, real world, future looking, and industry aligned,” said Donna McCloskey, associate dean for undergraduate programs in SBA. “It was a great day to be a part of the pride!”

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Widener President Stacey Robertson was recently a panelist at the “Breakfast with Brian” event, “Leading Through Change: Insights and Perspectives from Dynamic Leaders” in center city Philadelphia. She was one of four remarkable leaders invited to the conversation. Others included Lisa Hughes, publisher and CEO of The Philadelphia Inquirer, Angela Val, president and CEO of VISIT PHILADELPHIA, and P. Sue Perotty, president and CEO of Tower Health. 

The conversation examined the difficulties of taking over a leadership role in the midst of a global pandemic, and lessons learned. Leaders shared their perspectives on how to lead through change, with a focus on successful strategies in their industries.

Robertson highlighted Widener’s culture of belonging, and how it supports student well-being. “Sometimes it's just a matter of one person, one connection, one place where you feel safe,” she said.
 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/node/31232

Lauren Shermer, professor of criminal justice, has been named the new Widener University Program Director for Project Pericles effective January 2024. Project Pericles is a national consortium of 29 member colleges and universities that promotes civic engagement in higher education of which Widener has been a member for nearly two decades.

Shermer looks forward to growing Project Pericles engagement with faculty, staff, students, and community partners. She was named a Periclean Faculty Leader in 2021 and has presented at two Project Pericles conferences held in the last year. Shermer brings a deep commitment to civic engagement to this role.

This role was formerly held by Associate Dean of Social Sciences James Vike, who has been a leading member of Project Pericles at Widener since 2005. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/lauren-shermer-named-new-widener-university-program-director-project-pericles
 

Mark Nicosia, vice provost for Academic Affairs and Strategy and professor of engineering, was a featured speaker during a panel discussion at the 2023 World Dysphagia Summit. The summit was hosted by the Dysphagia Research Society (DRS) in affiliation with the European Society for Swallowing Disorders, the Japanese Society for Dysphagia Rehabilitation, and the Latin America Society for Dysphagia. 

Nicosia, who also serves as president of the DRS, is an expert in dysphagia which is the medical term for difficulty swallowing. The summit was held on World Swallowing Day to increase worldwide awareness among health care professionals as well as the public to increase knowledge about normal swallowing and swallowing disorders, their causes, early detection, complications and management.

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Jeremy Hancher, adjunct professor in the School of Business Administration and EMAP Program Manager for the Widener Small Business Development Center, has been invited to serve as a member on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Air Act Advisory Committee for a two-year term.

The committee consists of government figures, industry professionals, and academics who are experts in the environmental and sustainability fields and can advise the EPA on issues related to implementing the Clean Air Act Amendments. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/business-faculty-named-epas-clean-air-act-advisory-committee

Widener honored faculty members for their high distinction in areas of civic engagement, institutional leadership, research, as well as innovative and distinguished teaching. Various faculty were awarded at the ceremony, held Thursday, October 19 in Lathem Hall.

“The professors who were honored at our annual awards ceremony continuously display commitment to teaching, civic engagement, meaningful research, remarkable leadership, and cutting-edge innovation. They are highly valued colleagues and represent core values for which Widener stands," said Provost Andrew Workman. 

The awards included:

• The Distinguished University Professor Award honors faculty members of high distinction at the University who also demonstrate the institution is committed to recognizing excellence in teaching, scholarship, and service throughout faculty members’ careers. This year's recipients were College of Health and Human Services Professor, Stephen E. Kauffman as well as College of Arts and Sciences Professor, Alexis A. Nagengast.
• College of Arts and Sciences Professor Dana Olanoff was awarded with the Lindback Distinguished Teaching Award. This award is given to a faculty member who has exemplified a history of teaching at the highest level of distinction. It is endowed by the Christian R. and Mary F. Lindback Foundation, a Philadelphia-based foundation that provides grants to institutions of higher education for the promotion of excellence in teaching.
• The Faculty Award for Civic Engagement serves to recognize the outstanding contributions that faculty members have made in accordance with Widener’s civic engagement mission, as well as solidifying Widener students’ understanding of their social responsibilities, and the impact of their disciplinary learning. This year's recipients included faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences: Associate Professor Angela M. Corbo, Professor J. Wesley Leckrone, and Associate Dean of Social Science and Professor James E. Vike.
• College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Michael Toneff was awarded the Outstanding Researcher Award. This award gives recognition to a faculty member who has participated in research and scholarship nationally or internationally, and made a significant contribution through their research, while advancing their profession or discipline as well as the university’s mission and vision.
• The Fitz Dixon Innovation in Teaching Award highlights an individual who has designed, implemented, and assessed an innovative or experimental teaching and learning project. This award was presented to College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Janice Krumm.
• The Faculty Institutional Leadership Award recognizes a record of leading initiatives that further the university’s vision, mission, and strategic objectives. This year’s award recipients were College of Health and Human Services Associate Professor Marina Barnett, who is also interim assistant provost for civic engagement, and College of Arts and Sciences Associate Professor Bretton Alvare.
  
  Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-commends-faculty-2023-awards-event

Widener faculty recently took 20 students to New York City as part of the urban excursions grant program, which allows faculty to take students on daylong trips to a metropolitan area to allow for deeper engagement and hands-on experiences as they relate to course material. 

Led by YuFeng Mao, associate professor of history, Beatriz Urraca, chair of modern languages, and Stephen Madigosky, chair of environmental science and sustainability, students visited popular New York City stops such as the Natural History Museum, Central Park, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Times Square, and Koreatown. The trip also coincided with the date of the 2023 New York City Marathon, where students were able to watch and cheer on runners. 

In addition to experiencing the iconic New York sites, students were also exposed to the diverse culinary culture of the city by trying Latin American food, Dim Sum, and Korean shaved ice and coffee. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-students-visit-new-york-city-urban-excursions-trip

Widener University’s Physics Department hosted members the Southeast Pennsylvania Section of the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) on campus for their fall 2023 meeting. 

Organized by Assistant Professor of Physics Alice Du, the event was full of guest speakers and presentations covering topics such as student engagement, professional development for teachers, and hot topics in the physics industry. Martin Melhus, assistant professor of physics, presented “Numerical Integration of Trajectories at a Student Level.”

The AAPT hosted an additional event in collaboration with the Delaware Valley Amateur Astronomers in which Paul Baker, assistant professor of physics, shared work he completed as a member of the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves (NANOGrav) and the International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA). 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/widener-hosts-aapt-members-fall-meeting-physics-faculty-share-research

Jill Borin, librarian and head of archives and distinctive collections, Kayla Van Osten, affiliate librarian and assistant archivist, and Kristina Dorsett, affiliate librarian, presented a poster at the Pennsylvania Library Association’s (PaLA) 2023 Conference. 

The trio presented a poster, titled “I Did That: Student Scholarship in Academic Libraries,” which showcased the scholarly work of Widener graduate and undergraduate students from the 2022 academic year. They shared a selection of works from across schools and departments, covering topics such as student mental health, better living through technology, and sexual healing. 

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Maria Pinho, assistant professor of strategic management, will present at both the US Northeast and US Southeast Chapter Conferences of the Academy of International Business (AIB). 

Pinho and co-presenters will share their works “Agility & Resilience in Emerging Market Multinationals: Integrating two faces of the Same Coin,” and “The Role of Multinational Enterprises in Addressing Societal Tensions: A Review of Business-Society Frameworks.”

For more than 60 years, AIB has been a leader in bringing international business scholars and professionals together to share ideas. 

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/business-faculty-presents-two-aib-conferences

Widener’s Summer Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities (SURCA) program offers undergraduate students hands-on, faculty-mentored research experience over the summer. Months of hard work led to the annual SURCA Symposium where students present their findings to the community, as well as a panel of volunteer judges. 

The winners of the 2023 SURCA Symposium are: 

Biochemistry: Emily McHenry (Mentors: Robert Mishur & Michael Toneff)
Developing a procedure for the metabolic profiling of cancerous cells

Biology & Environmental Science: Evelyn Peyton (Mentor: David Coughlin)
Comparing summer acclimation studies during summer months between hatchery brook trout and wild brook trout

Chemistry & Chemical Engineering: Christina McCullough (Mentor: Dipendu Saha)
Conversion of Styrofoam to activated carbon

Engineering & Computer Science A: Ryan Mendenhall (Mentor: Babak Eslami)
Experimental investigation on effect of temperature on FDM 3D printing polymers: towards 4D printing

Engineering & Computer Science B: Fran DiPietro (Mentor: Aylin Acun)
Examining senescence in artificially aged induced pluripotent stem cell(iPSC)-derived cardiomyocytes

Engineering & Computer Science C: Alyson Fornes (Mentor: Daniel Roozbahani)
AI-driven cardiovascular disease forecasting platform

Humanities: Zoe Sweet (Mentor: Jayne Thompson)
Prison reform: Little Scandinavia

Social Science, Social Work, and Business A: Shane Landue (Mentor: Wei Gao)
Robo-advisor returns: startup vs traditional

Social Science, Social Work, and Business B: Brooke Morales & Adriana Moreta (Mentor: Robin Goldberg-Glen)
Intergenerational relationships: SURCA and career development in Social Work

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/2023-surca-symposium-winners-announced

Assistant Professor of history Jordan Smith has received the Wayne D. Rasmussen Award from the Agricultural History Society for his article “The Native of this Island: Processes of Invention in Early Barbados.” This award recognizes an outstanding article on agricultural history that is published in a journal other than Agricultural History.

In the article, which was published in the Fall 2022 “Sugar and Slaves at Fifty” special issue of Early American Studies: An Interdisciplinary Journal, Smith explores the contributions of indigenous people and enslaved Africans in the production of rum in the seventeenth century. The article demonstrates that, while officials of the time claimed that rum was native to the island of Barbados, those contributing to the production used their own cultural assumptions to adapt new ingredients and methods to create something new.  

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/history-faculty-recognized-agricultural-history-society

Professor of Accounting Joseph Hargadon has co-authored an article published in the August 2023 issue of Strategic Finance. The article, entitled “Dual CMA and CPA Certification: A Winning Combination,” defines a nine-step plan for accounting students to pass the Certified Management Accountant (CMA) exam while still a student, and the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) exam within six months of their graduation. 

Hargadon’s co-authors include former Widener faculty members Lori Fuller and Peter Ohelers. Strategic Finance is the leading journal of The Institute of Management Accountants.

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Associate Professor of Social Work Robin Goldberg-Glen, along with social work student Jessica Mereshensky ’24, and Stephanie Cole from the PA Department of Aging, presented at the 2023 Generations United Global Intergenerational Conference in Washington, D.C. 

The team's presentation, titled "For Whom Does Service Learning Really Serve: Intergenerational Benefits for Reducing Loneliness and Isolation," highlighted their experience as part of a semester-long service-learning course at Widener completed in partnership with the PA Department of Aging.

As part of the course, students are paired with an older adult who may be at risk for social isolation. The students and older adults often form deep bonds through regular conversations, and some students have created lasting connections that have continued beyond the end of the course. Having completed the service-learning course herself, Mereshensky went on to become a leader for the next semester’s class of student participants alongside Goldberg-Glen.

Share link: https://www.widener.edu/news/noteworthy/social-work-faculty-and-student-present-service-learning-work-global-conference

Widener University’s School of Nursing has been recognized by the National League for Nursing as a Center of Excellence in the area of advancing the science of nursing education. This is the third time Widener has received this recognition.

Nine nursing education programs across the country and the academic spectrum of higher education in nursing, as well as leading teaching hospitals and clinical sites, have been named Centers of Excellence, with Widener being the only recipient in the category of advancing the science of nursing education for 2023. Formal recognition of the award will take place at the 2023 National League for Nursing education summit in September.

“Widener is dedicated to educating the next generation of nurses by creating the evidence to support innovation in nursing education. Recognition for advancing the science of nursing education demonstrates our commitment to ensuring student success through scientific inquiry,” said Anne Krouse, dean of the school of nursing.  

Since 2004, the National League for Nursing has encouraged nursing programs to apply to become a center of excellence based on their ability to demonstrate in concrete, measurable terms sustained excellence in faculty development, nursing education research, student learning and professional development, and academic progression in nursing. Historically, many programs have achieved recognition in multiple categories or once designated, have maintained their center-of-excellence status through multiple award cycles. 

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