COGER'S CORNER
Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs
I suspect many of you also perceive 2022 as rushing towards its conclusion. In the midst of time passing rapidly, and with multiple actions and deadlines requiring attention, it is sometimes too easy to forget to pause long enough to assess if the road being traversed so rapidly leads to the intended destination, and whether the norms we are using to make the journey are helping or impairing our goals. This thought occurred to me as I reflected on the fact that several members of our Pirate Nation have unfortunately passed away in the last couple of weeks, and during the same time period several persons within the ECU community have also lost family members. The pain of those losses is very real and it continues to be important that those most deeply affected know that the Pirate Nation cares. That sense of support and caring across the University is also key to what makes East Carolina University the place that current and future Pirates want to work and the place that our students want to earn their degrees and other credentials.
During last week’s Board of Trustees meeting, Dr. Virginia Hardy, Dr. Sharon Paynter, and I organized a session during the University Affairs Committee meeting focused on student success and the value of a relationship-rich culture in achieving those goals. A relationship-rich culture is one that honors the importance of human connection, and we all have personal stories in which positively connecting with another person has been essential to finding a solution, completing a challenging task, or to inspiring someone to step into an enhanced version of themself. As we work together to shape the next phase of our University, imagine if — in addition to bringing our respective knowledge, expertise, and personalities to each interaction — we each committed to intentionally connecting with a member of the Pirate Nation once a week to assist the person in progressing forward on their goals and aspirations, or in knowing they are seen and valued. Carrying that thought forward, what if that habit was so characteristic of ECU that every graduate, without exception, proactively recommended our University to others because of their experiences with both that connection and our quality academic programs?
I already know that ECU is an institution of caring, talented people contributing to ensuring that our institution continues to be strong and relevant. In my role I have the privilege of seeing evidence of this every day through my interactions with our faculty, staff, students, and administrators. There is also no question that the Pirate Nation is committed to student success, public service, and regional transformation; and the active work of the Strategic Planning Committee will undoubtedly help ECU further advance the “national model” part of our mission. Supporting students to succeed always has multiple dimensions, financial support being one of them. As such it was great to see another example of alumni and friends joining forces with our academic units to enable that support when I attended the College of Education’s “Educator’s Hall of Fame” event. This past weekend I also witnessed the hard work of so many Pirates across the University in connecting with potential students and their families during the rescheduled Fall Open House. On the same day I had the honor of observing Professor Stephen Moysey (Department of Geological Sciences) and his team from the Water Resources Center join forces with volunteers, members of the community, and guests to discuss important environmental justice relevant realities and engage in activities that simultaneously informed and celebrated the Tar River, water management, and science at the Tar River Community Science Festival. These are just a few examples of what is true each day at East Carolina University — the people of our University are our strength and are collectively hard at work in achieving great things.
Many of you are familiar with Dr. Carol Dwek’s 2006 book, “Mindset.” For those of you who have not read it, the publication reminds us all that adopting a growth mindset is key to embracing the learning and resilience habits critical to achieving challenging accomplishments. In alignment with the journey that we are on together as members of the Pirate Nation, we have many challenging accomplishments before us to achieve. I am asking that we support each other in the journey. By applying a growth mindset while individually and collectively looking for positive possibilities in the situations we navigate and the people we encounter each day — I am confident we will not only amplify our successes but also infuse additional support and enjoyment into each phase of the voyage.
As I close, a hearty congratulations to Madeleine Griffith, her husband, and her family on the birth of their daughter last week. I also sincerely thank everyone who has made this November issue of First Monday possible.
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BY THE NUMBERS
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AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
PIRATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER
UNC System Grant Supports ECU Transfer Student Success: Transitioning to a new campus can be challenging, especially for new community college transfer students. Designed to assist transfer students from admission through graduation, the TrACE (Transfer, Accelerate, Complete, & Engage) Success Program connects new transfer students to East Carolina’s academic community. This year, 53 students are participating in the TrACE program.
TrACE is a UNC system grant initiative modeled after the CUNY ACE program. ECU is one of three TrACE grant recipient campuses, along with Appalachian State and UNC Greensboro. Program services and staff are administered through the Pirate Academic Success Center (PASC).
TrACE success services are provided by Tatum Taylor (pictured above, right), ECU TrACE Director, and Yolanda Davis (pictured above, left), ECU TrACE Academic Success Advisor. TrACE students receive services that include academic success coaching, priority tutoring services, financial incentives, early course registration, community involvement (social & cultural activities), Starfish early alert monitoring, and PASC learning center employment opportunities.
The TrACE grant planning team at ECU consists of Angela Anderson and Elizabeth Coghill serving as co-principal investigators, Allen Guidry, Bryan Jenkins, Ying Zhou, Stephanie Whaley, Beverly King, Steven Asby, and Julie Poorman.
For information about TrACE, read more HERE.
OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS
International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education designed to promote programs that prepare US students for a global environment and to attract top international students to study in the US. This year, ECU’s IEW events include: a table tennis tournament, Peace Corps interest sessions, a study abroad financial planning workshop, Global Zone training, a walk-in passport fair, and a World Cup watch party. Click HERE for a full schedule of ECU’s IEW events.
This year 38 faculty-led study abroad programs have been proposed for spring and summer 2023, more than double the number that ran last year. 17 programs are either to be led by first-time directors or traveling to new locations this year. In all, programs are being proposed for travel to 23 countries across six continents.
Congratulations to Dr. Mamadi Corra, Professor of Sociology, on the publication of his new book, “African Immigrants in the United States: The Gendering Significance of Race Through International Migration?” In the book, Dr. Corra investigates the trends and implications of the growth of African immigration to the United States in recent decades.
Are you conducting impactful international research? Tell us about it!
OFFICE FOR EQUITY & DIVERSITY
Diversifying East Carolina University’s faculty pipeline with emphasis on groups underrepresented in their field is the primary objective of the Emerging Scholars Symposium, hosted by the Office for Equity and Diversity. After a shift to virtual delivery for the last two years, we were pleased to bring our fall Symposium, held Nov. 1-3, 2022, back to ECU’s campus. The Symposium brought in fourteen advanced doctoral students and post-doctoral scholars representing a range of disciplines from the Colleges of Engineering, Arts and Sciences, Fine Arts and Communication, Business, Health and Human Performance, Education, and Nursing.
Provost Robin Coger welcomed our scholars at an opening welcome dinner, which also included remarks from Associate Provost LaKesha Alston Forbes. The Symposium featured Scholar Research/Clinical Presentations, which were held on both campuses, were open to the campus community, and showcased the great work of our scholars.
During their stay, participants spent a full afternoon of dedicated time with their host departments learning more about ECU’s academic programs. Scholars also engaged with administrators, faculty and students through a workshop and panel discussions about faculty life and the student experience at ECU. Tours and networking events provided the scholars with additional information about the campus and Greenville community.
The Office for Equity and Diversity had a great response to our call for applications to participate in the Symposium, and the selection process was very competitive. We plan to host our next Emerging Scholars Symposium in fall 2023. For more information about the Emerging Scholars Symposium, please contact the Office for Equity and Diversity by email or phone at 328-6804.
OFFICE FOR FACULTY EXCELLENCE
Faculty180 Reviews Update: A big thank you to everyone involved in launching our initial implementation of Faculty180 Reviews so far! Over the last 12 months:
- Three colleges piloted Faculty180 Reviews for their Annual Evaluations in Spring 2022;
- The Faculty180 Coordinator, Cara Gohn, visited 14 groups over the summer with representatives from ECU libraries, colleges, and schools to plan for annual evaluations in the Spring of 2023. Based on feedback from across campus, 99 custom workflow templates have been created;
- Over 50 Unit Administrators have participated in various Faculty180 Reviews electronic workflows;
- 100% of PADs for the 2022 Promotion & Tenure candidates were submitted on time.
On Dec. 6, stop by the Office for Faculty Excellence (Joyner Library 1001) for a floating party to celebrate a successful kickoff. Whether you were a candidate submitting a PAD, a chair completing an annual evaluation, or a departmental administrator finalizing workflows, please stop by!
Seven faculty members in the Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and the College of Health and Human Performance have been selected as subject matter experts to work with instructional designers on course design projects focused on developing high-quality and engaging online sections of courses that carry General Education credit.
Each participant is completing Quality Matters (QM) training and will submit their course for QM certification. Marylaura Papalas (THCAS) is serving as coordinator for the initiative. These intensive projects are just a few examples of the commitment and passion ECU faculty bring to exploring ways to effectively design different learning environments for our students.
We are pleased to share that Jan Tillman is serving as the Office for Faculty Excellence Faculty Fellow during the 2022/2023 Academic Year. Jan is a faculty member in the College of Nursing and brings a passion for teaching and an eye for cross-campus collaboration opportunities. In addition to planning and facilitating professional development opportunities for faculty, Jan is available for consultation about teaching-related topics.
Marina Walker (Physics, THCAS) is serving as the Fall 2022 Online Peer Teaching Mentor in collaboration with Digital Learning & Emerging Technology Initiatives and the Office for Faculty Excellence. In addition to supporting faculty working on course design projects, Marina is offering professional development and consultation opportunities for faculty designing and facilitating online learning environments.
OFFICE OF ONLINE LEARNING, ACADEMIC OUTREACH AND ACADEMIC INNOVATION
Jennifer Baysden and Millicent Thomas from the Office of Online Learning, Academic Outreach and Academic Innovation (OLAOAI), along with several university partners, represented ECU at The North Carolina Community College System Conference held on Oct. 9-11 in the Raleigh Convention Center. This event allowed the university to showcase its many online programs, as well as other Real Options for Real Life opportunities that can assist residents of North Carolina seeking to further their education. Attendance at this event was close to 1,900 and ECU’s booth was visited by representatives from 50 of the 58 NC community colleges. The event was quite successful at offering a collaborative opportunity between ECU and the many community colleges located across the state.
Jeff Netznik, Director of Military Outreach, recently traveled through Elizabeth City, Nags Head, Fort Macon, and Wilmington to represent the university at Education Fairs being held aboard United States Coast Guard (USCG) Stations up and down the NC coast. ECU was among 20+ higher education institutions in attendance at these education fairs and utilized the opportunity to promote the university’s online degree and certificate programs.
ADVISING
Pre-Professional Advising held its 12th annual “Prescription for Success” in late September – a workshop to educate students on health professions programs offered at ECU. Over 90 participants were connected with faculty and students from Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, Physician Assistant Students, the Brody School of Medicine, the ECU School of Dental Medicine, and staff from our campus partners whose offices provide opportunities for student engagement. Students gained a better understanding of what a competitive applicant looks like, how they can begin to prepare for professional school, and the resources available to assist them in achieving success.
OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID
The Office of Student Financial Aid is pleased to announce that as of Nov. 3, we have improved the student experience by moving access to financial aid and award information onto Pirate Port Self-Service.
With the new “Financial Aid Self Service” card, one click will allow students direct access to their most vital financial aid information without having to navigate through multiple screens and sub-menus. Now students will be able to see from the landing page and tabs across the top of that page: outstanding requirements; cost of attendance; aid awarded and offered; financial aid holds and there is a resource page for definitions and links to important information.
The Office of Student Financial Aid is located at 2103 Old Cafeteria Complex and is available for walk-in appointments from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Staff are also available at 252-328-6610 to answer questions from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. For questions after hours write to FinAid@ecu.edu or review our website.
OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS
The campus based scholarship process, promoting over 1,200 opportunities for our students, kicked off Nov. 1. Please encourage students to visit ECUAWard (available through Pirate Port) and file a General Scholarship application. The scholarship window will remain open (for most opportunities) through Jan. 15, 2023. Note the exceptions to this deadline are in the health sciences areas of nursing, dental, and Brody, which have slightly later deadlines due to their admissions processes. Last year there were just over 10,500 scholarship applications filed by interested students and about 3,300 scholarship offers made as part of the annual scholarship process. Promotional information will start appearing across campus this month to encourage students to apply (flat screen ads, parent portal, advisor contact, emails). Questions about the process should be directed to scholarships@ecu.ecu.
Also remember the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2023-2024 academic year opened on Oct. 1. Incoming and existing students should apply as soon as possible to ensure they are in the queue as early as possible for the best funding opportunities. The application can be found HERE.
The Access Scholars program, for the first time since 2019, was able to return to the annual Fall Break experience for the freshmen Access scholars this October. This year, the group traveled to the Outer Banks and spent Saturday with the North Carolina Coastal Federation learning about marine conservation. While with the Federation, the scholars completed a service project helping clean out the waterways in the Wanchese area. On Sunday, the group took tours of the Wright Brothers Memorial, Fort Raleigh National Park, the Bodie Lighthouse, and the Island Farm. At these locations, the scholars learned the history of a number of North Carolina “firsts” such as the Wright Brothers First Flight and Virginia Dare, the first English child born in a New World English colony. Many of the scholars had never visited the Outer Banks, so learning about North Carolina’s rich history was a highlight of the trip. The weekend wrapped up on Monday with a day at the Coastal Studies Institute. At this location, students toured the facility, learned about the research going on at this ECU campus, and worked on building “wave action to energy” devices to help them think about conservation, alternative energy sources, and ways to harness some of our coastal resources to help future generations with energy production and maybe reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. Scholars from the First Aboard and Residential Scholars programs, managed by Campus Living, took the trip in partnership with the Access Scholars.
OFFICE OF RESEARCH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & ENGAGEMENT
Research Development - Faculty Reassignment Awards:
- Sambuddha Banerjee (Chemistry): Investigating interaction between periplasmic FtrA and FtrB from Brucella using 15N NMR-HSQC experiments;
- Rashmita Basu (Public Health): Impacts of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Older Adults with Chronic conditions and their Family Caregivers in Eastern North Carolina;
- Nany Dias (College of Nursing): Psychosocial and Physical Sequalae of Parental Bereavement: A national survey project;
- Helena Feder (English): NEA Creative Writing Fellowship for environmental nonfiction;
- Marame Gueye (English): Boubacar Boris Diop, A Committed Writer;
- Nathan Hudson (Physics): Deciphering the role of fibrinogen post-translational modification changes during pregnancy;
- Cheryl Kovar (College of Nursing): Research Study Proposal – Reproductive Coercion Among Pregnant or Parenting Adolescent Females;
- Morgan Milton (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology): Exploring the link between bacterial communication, biofilm formation, and virulence;
- Ali Vahdati (Engineering): Elucidating the Multi-Scale Role of Mechanical Forces in Tissue Fibrosis by Machine Learning-Enhanced Computational Modeling.
Undergraduate Research: Congratulations to the 53 student primary investigators who have been awarded Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) funds for Fall 2022. Click HERE for a full list of recipients. The award provides support for faculty-mentored research and creative projects led by undergraduates in the disciplines of biomedical science, STEM, social science or arts and humanities. Awards range from $1,500-$2,000 for each project.
National Security and Industry Initiatives: ECU and the Defense Alliance of NC (DANC) are partnering to host a Science and Technology Forum Tuesday, Nov. 29, 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Main Campus Student Center. Registration is free but required - click HERE. This session will include a showcase of ECU researchers focused on:
- Human performance
- Biomechanics
- Biochemical/Biomedical
- Overwater acoustics
- Database optimization
- Spiritual/mental readiness
- Prolonged casualty care
- Neurocognition
- Unmanned underwater vehicles
- mTBI
These types of projects are funded by several defense sponsors including DoD, DARPA, Office of Naval Research, U.S. Army, Civil-Military Innovation Institute, Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), and the Henry M. Jackson Foundation. Additionally, our Technology Systems department in the College of Engineering & Technology will partner with Murano Corporation to provide a digital twin advanced manufacturing demonstration.
ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology faculty and staff attended and participated in the 82nd Airborne Division Innovation Lab Grand Opening, Oct. 17, aboard Fort Bragg Army Base. Dr. Biwu Yang and Scott Snead were on hand to present Dr. Erol Ozan’s work to develop and implement a new and improved airdrop database supporting the 82nd Airborne Division’s Air Shop as part of the U.S. Army’s Pathfinder Program. Click HERE for more information on the event.
ECU Faculty and staff from the College of Allied Health Sciences and Information Technology & Computing Services presented during the 82nd Airborne Division’s Holistic Health and Fitness (H2F) Summit in September. Dr. Stacy Meardon, Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy and Scotty Stroup, Director, Enterprise Data Services, presented best practices and uses of Power BI dashboards to a group of national military fitness leaders.
ECU and The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) recently entered into an Educational Partnership and Cooperative Research & Development Agreements. Under these agreements NSA subject matter experts have presented several Interactive Learning Sessions to ECU’s College of Engineering and Technology and College of Business students. These agreements have also led to several Department of Technology Systems student Capstone projects with the NSA.
ECU Health’s Dr. Addisalem Makuria from Blood Bank/Transfusion Medicine Service, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, was recently awarded a subcontract from the Delta Development Team to conduct independent testing and evaluation of its new Single Unit Blood Warmer (SUBW) device for the FDA. Once approved the SUBW will be critical in saving countless lives on the battlefield/prehospital settings. This premarketing testing is being funded by the DOD via the Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium.
Continuing and Professional Education - Upcoming CPE Opportunities:
- North Carolina Certified Economic Developers Program
- GlasStation Workshops - Ornaments
- The College STAR Virtual Conference and Workshop Series: Preparing students who learn differently for college success
- College of Education, Courses for K-12 Teachers
- Dental Medicine, Intraoral Radiography Courses
CPE provides course marketing, registration and management services for continuing education courses, special events and conferences. Learn more HERE.
If you would like to offer your expertise as an instructor or plan an experiential excursion, contact Annette Kariko with the Lifelong Learning Program to see what opportunities are available.
Know someone who could benefit from the LLP offerings? Information is available HERE.
FACULTY SENATE
Remaining 2022 - 2023 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:
- December 6, 2022
- January 24, 2023
- February 21, 2023
- March 28, 2023
- April 25, 2023
- May 2, 2023 (Organizational Meeting for 2023-2024)
For more about ECU Faculty Senate, click HERE.
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COLLEGE UPDATES
ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES
Members of ECU's chapter of Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) - the honor society for Occupational Therapy students - hosted a Backpack Awareness Day prevention event at The Oakwood School in Greenville. Pirate OTs welcomed the middle schoolers with a backpack weigh-in - measuring to be sure that the students were carrying no more than 10% of their body weight. Joining the morning meeting to explain OT, PTE members then used trivia followed by a skit to demonstrate how to safely load, lift, and carry a backpack. Students could take home additional information to share with their parents and guardians provided by Pirate OTs.
"The focus for National Backpack Awareness Day is ergonomics which is an area of occupational therapy expertise. Although this one day of the year focuses on school age children, there are ergonomic changes that everyone across the lifespan can make every day to promote safety." -Charli White, OT student and PTE Secretary
Hanan Alazzam, a Physician Assistant Studies student, received the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship, a program that incentivizes professionals to practice in an area with high need of medical services. Hanan joins classmate Alice Kenneally whose selection for the NHSC Scholarship was announced previously.
In exchange for two years providing primary health care after graduation, Hanan's tuition, fees, and other eligible education costs will be paid for by the Health Resources & Services Administration. Hanan will also receive a monthly stipend to assist with living expenses while enrolled.
Dr. Wesley B. Webber, Postdoctoral Scholar in Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, will serve as the elected President of the Postdoctoral Association (PDA) Executive Council for 2022-2023 - the officially recognized representative body of ECU's Postdoctoral Scholars. As PDA Executive Council President, Dr. Webber looks forward to working collaboratively with ECU postdoctoral scholars, faculty, and administrators in order to serve the interests of the postdoctoral scholar community.
ARTS & SCIENCES
To raise awareness about historical preservation, Governor Roy Cooper has announced that October will be known as Archaeology Month. In his proclamation (attached), he praises the nearly 20-year partnership between East Carolina University, the Queen Anne’s Revenge Conservation Laboratory in Greenville, and the North Carolina Office of State Archaeology.
Jamal-Jared Alexander (English, MA alumnus ’17) has won the 2022 Association for the Rhetoric of Science, Technology, and Medicine’s Article of the Year Award for his article, "Health and Wellness as Resistance: Tactical Folk Medicine," published in Technical Communication Quarterly.
The Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences is pleased that Dr. Aleia M. Brown has joined the college and ECU as the college’s David Julian and Virginia Suther Whichard Distinguished Professor in the Humanities. Brown comes to ECU after serving as the vice president of programs and chief curator at the National Women’s History Museum, where her main responsibility involved developing exhibits and strategies for interpreting women’s history in the United States. She will hold the Whichard professorship from 2022-25 in Harriot College’s Department of History. Read more HERE.
Isaac Kwakye (Economics, MS Applied Economics alumnus, '01), as an employee of the state of Washington, was recently honored with the state's Governor's Outstanding Leadership award for recognition of excellence in leadership. Kwakye manages the Research Division at the Student Achievement Council. In 2021, he led the agency in establishing partnerships with leading national research organizations and he secured a $1.5 million grant from the Capital One Foundation to conduct a research project to improve initiatives in the state of Washington.
Andrea Kitta (English) has been named a Fellow of the American Folklore Society. Established in 1960, the Fellows of the American Folklore Society is an honorary body of folklorists, whose election to the Fellows signifies their outstanding contributions to the field. In addition to its honorary function, the Fellows sponsor activities to advance folklore studies, including mentoring programs for students, plenary sessions at the annual meeting, and special awards. The Fellows meet annually during the AFS annual meeting.
Faculty, staff, and former students of the Department of History and the Maritime Studies Program are participating in exhibits of artifacts recovered and conserved by Dr. Bradley Rodgers from a 2001 excavation of the Burroughs Shipwreck, a Revolutionary War period shipwreck. Nearly two dozen objects are on exhibit for the next three years at the Museum of the Albemarle through Nov. 15, 2025 in a display titled, “Rock of the Eye: Boatbuilding Traditions Around the Albemarle Sound.” Artifacts include a wooden cut-away-model representing a reconstructed section of the Burroughs Shipwreck built by former MA Maritime Studies students, Claire Dappert (MA ’05), Adam Lehmann (MA ’06), and Jeff Groszkowski (MA ‘07) from Dr. Rodgers' History of Marine Architecture and Ship Construction class. The exhibit also includes 3D models of objects recorded via a photogrammetric process led by Dr. Nathan Richards, professor of history and director of the program in maritime studies, and Jeremy Borrelli, maritime studies staff archaeologist. The models include: a wooden block (#EB0005): Leather shoe (#EB0002): wooden carpenter’s bevel (#EB0009): and an iron star shot (1 of 2 in #EB0001).
Peter Francia (Political Science) has been elected as the new Vice President of the Southern Association of Public Opinion Research (SAPOR).
BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Dr. Nasreen Vohra, an associate professor in Brody’s Department of Surgery and a surgical oncologist with ECU Health, is teaming up with Dr. Kelsey Fisher-Wellman, an assistant professor in Brody’s Department of Physiology, on a melanoma discovery project that could lead to a better understanding of how the “powerhouse” of immune cells, called mitochondria, differ in melanoma patients. The two-year, $200,000 Department of Defense Melanoma Research Program funded project aims to better understand why some melanoma patients respond to immune therapies while others do not.
Brody student Sina Kazemzadeh and co-author, Brody alumna and ECU Health resident Dr. Chloe Opper have published their research on physical activity in adolescents attending rural schools. Their findings suggest that more physical education is needed in rural eastern North Carolina middle schools to meet the health needs of adolescents — and to address health disparities evident across those age groups.
In its 16th year, the José G. Albernaz Golden Apple Distinguished Lecture brought together speakers on Oct. 24 to discuss how understanding patient stories, as well as their own narratives, could help Brody’s first-year medical students learn to be better medical providers. The lecture is named after Dr. José G. Albernaz, who was born in Brazil and became one of the first fully trained neurosurgeons to practice in his home country. In 2006, the Albernaz family established the annual lecture with the goal of providing support for visiting physicians to share their expertise with ECU medical students and the local medical community.
The inaugural Tate Holbrook Annual Sickle Cell Disease Update brought patients, providers and experts together Sept. 30 at the East Carolina Heart Institute to share information on history, treatments, impact and advocacy for patients with sickle cell disease. The event, hosted by East Carolina University’s Comprehensive Sickle Cell Program and the Division of Hematology and Oncology in the Department of Pediatrics at ECU’s Brody School of Medicine, brought nearly 80 participants from across the country to the sessions and panel discussion.
BUSINESS
The College of Business’ annual scholarship ceremony was held Sept. 29. On that night, 150 students, faculty and COB donors met, networked and celebrated a program that handed out a record-breaking $400,000 in scholarships in 2021-22. For more information, click here.
At the College of Business’ annual scholarship ceremony, the School of Hospitality Leadership celebrated donors and the recipients of student scholarships. As part of the ceremony, thirty-one SHL recipients who received $65,000 in scholarships from fifteen donors were recognized, with some students receiving more than one scholarship. Additionally, many students had the opportunity to meet their scholarship donor(s) and express their appreciation for the support shown to ECU, the COB, SHL leadership and their academic careers. For more information, click here.
To help recognize National Manufacturing Day, graduate students from the College of Business visited Scout Scientific to learn about the manufacturing processes used for natural product isolation. Through the College of Business’ Bureau of Business Research, Drs. Christine Kowalczyk and Jason Rowe are collaborating with Scout Scientific to facilitate experiential learning projects for the COB graduate students. For more information, click here.
Dr. Cynthia S. Deale of the School of Hospitality Leadership (SHL) recently spoke at the sustainable tourism session at the 4th International Conference on Tourism Research, Oct. 11, 2022, hosted by Cadi Ayyad University, Marrakech, Morocco. Deale spoke about sustainable tourism with a focus on the United States and sustainability and its impact on communities, tourism and hospitality businesses and the environment, e.g., sustainability as it relates to human resources.
More than 50 teams helped kick off the sixth annual Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge (PEC), held Oct. 19 on East Carolina University’s mall. The PEC is ECU’s premier pitch competition, where student teams showcase their business ideas and vie for more than $150,000 in cash and in-kind services. The student-led teams started the three-round process of pitching and judging in an open-air format. Contestants pitched their ideas to anyone who stopped by a team’s table; if so inclined, visitors could vote for a team via a QR code. After more than 1,400 votes were cast, expert judges submitted reviews, and Miller School of Entrepreneurship leaders weighed in, 12 teams advanced to the second round. For more information, click here.
More than 1,200 students, alumni and presenters attended the seventh annual Business Leadership Conference, held Oct. 20 on the campus of East Carolina University. During the one-day event, College of Business sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduate students heard from more than 20 local and national business leaders, entrepreneurs and alumni. Traditionally, the BLC kicks off with a keynote presentation. This year, event organizers introduced a new feature that replaced the presentation: a fireside chat. For the inaugural chat, Mike Harris, interim dean of the College of Business, welcomed Pirate alum John May (BSBA ’93) back home to Greenville and to his alma mater. May is the founder and managing partner of CORE Industrial Partners, a Chicago-based private equity firm focused on North American lower middle market manufacturing, industrial technology, and industrial service businesses.
DENTAL MEDICINE
During the ECU Student Government Association's Assembly in October, D2 Markus Mosley was named the School of Dental Medicine's SGA representative. The SGA advocates for students so that they may be heard collectively and helps facilitate student-university engagement.
The School of Dental Medicine was named as an Apple Distinguished School for 2022 for its use of technology in every aspect of teaching, learning and clinical practice. The school’s clinics, classrooms and seminar rooms are video-teleconferenced; this connectivity in conjunction with a common electronic patient record system helps maintain the teledentistry research network.
The SODM’s outreach to address lack of access to care is continuing to expand in counties with few or no practicing dentists. The Bertie County School Based Oral Prevention Program, funded by the Duke Endowment, kicked off in 2020 and has seen resounding success for young patients who need consistent dental care. More than 700 students have received treatment through the program, which is slated to expand to Jones County next year. The office in Hyde County — one of four counties with few or no practicing dentists — opened last April and has provided care for more than 60 patients so far.
EDUCATION
Dr. Todd Finley was the featured guest on “The Flywheel Effect” podcast where he discussed teaching children experiencing trauma, equity in teacher preparation, classroom management, brain-based teaching and more. Listen HERE.
Six COE faculty members received a $9 million grant to support the creation of an educator preparation program in educational justice. You can learn more about the initiative of Dr. Kristen Cuthrell, Dr. Jennifer Gallagher, Dr. Karen Jones, Dr. Amy Swain, Dr. Christy Howard and Dr. Matthew Militello HERE.
The Education Community of Scholars and Education Living-Learning Community went to Atlanta, Georgia this semester to visit the Ron Clark Academy and attend new teacher training. They also were able to visit the Georgia Aquarium and the World of Coca-Cola.
Dr. Guili Zhang, chair of the Department of Special Education, Foundations and Research, was awarded the College of Education Profiles in Diversity Award for the 2021-2022 year. This award honors her commitments and efforts to social justice, diversity, equity and inclusion in her research, teaching and service.
Four education majors were selected as recipients of Pitt County Schools’ new Educator Fellows Scholarship Program. Learn more HERE.
High school students had the chance to research climate change and work with the U.S. Coast Guard to deploy buoys measuring ocean currents as part of this year’s Summer Ventures. Learn more HERE.
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
The College of Engineering and Technology recognized its scholarship recipients and those who support them at the annual Robert and Betty Hill Recognition of Excellence Awards Ceremony. A total of 82 students received $113,000 in scholarships for 2022-23. Read more HERE.
Chancellor Philip Rogers unveiled a plaque naming the first floor of the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building in recognition of the Golden LEAF Foundation. The floor is home to the Eastern Region Pharma Center, which was established with a $1.9 million Golden LEAF grant in 2021. Read more HERE.
The Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering has received three grants from the Environmental Protection Agency totaling more than $740,000. The center aims to partner with industry and businesses on sustainability issues that include energy and cost savings, lean and green manufacturing, and pollution prevention. Read more HERE.
The Department of Technology Systems will soon be collaborating with the European Union on the Next Generation Internet (NGI) Enrichers Program that will bring European “internet innovators” to ECU to collaborate on research. The program’s goal is to initiate and support partnerships that will enhance cooperation between European Union and North American researchers in the development of NGI technologies, services and standards. Read more HERE.
The new Student Success Center Lounge opened in rooms 107 and 108 of the Rawl Building, offering CET students a chance to work on their studies, collaborate with other students on projects, meet with advisors or simply relax. Read more HERE.
FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION
Jessica Crenshaw (BFA, Theatre and Dance) guest directed the School of Theatre and Dance and Loessin Playhouse production of “Intimate Apparel,” a play written by two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage that won various awards with an off-Broadway cast starring Viola Davis.
ECU School of Theatre and Dance alumna Beth Grant is in a new film, "Amsterdam," alongside Robert De Niro, Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, and John David Washington.
School of Communication and the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association hosted the Eastern North Carolina High School Media Workshop in the Main Campus Student Center. Faculty members (Adrienne Muldrow, Glenn Hubbard, Cindy Elmore, Barbara Burlington, Brittany Thompson) led sessions on student media topics, including diversity in publication, podcasting, storytelling, blogging, and photography techniques.
School of Art and Design graphic design senior, Will Treadaway, designed a new uniform for the ECU Football team with a modern throwback. The purple jersey and white pants combination takes elements from eras of Pirates football from the 1970s through the 1990s.
Scott Avett (BFA 2000, School of Art and Design) gave a talk, Stories About the Education of an Artist, last month in Jenkins Fine Arts Center. Joined by Professor Emeritus Michael Ehlbeck, Scott spoke about his education at ECU and his work as an artist.
Jocelyn Nelson chaired a panel presented by the Committee on Academic Citizenship (CAC) at the College Music Society National Conference in Long Beach. They shared progress on their CMS Equity & Inclusivity Coalition Project, which aims to assess barriers and allow for critical self-reflection upon diversity, equity, and inclusion in institutions and disciplines for all people and all musics, in order to ensure representation from voices and bodies not typically heard within collegiate music spaces.
Scott Sawyer (School of Music), above left, released a new album, Change of Scene, with Oteil Burbridge and Scott Amendola.
Dean Linda Kean, Associate Dean Seo Eo, School of Art and Design Director Kate Bukoski, and Professor Mi-Sook Hur are visiting Seoul, Korea to strengthen CFAC’s collaborations with the Seoul National University and to explore more student/faculty opportunities with other universities, including KyungHee Cyber University and HanYang University.
GRADUATE SCHOOL
The annual Three-Minute Thesis (3MT) competition will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. in the Ballrooms of the Main Campus Student Center. We look forward to hearing the research presentations by graduate students who each year impress us with the depth and breadth of the research projects occurring on our campus. Student presenters are tasked with explaining their research in three minutes, using only one static slide for support, and presenting with non-technical language. Although 3MT is a competition, we believe that every student who participates is a winner because it is beneficial for young researchers to learn to succinctly summarize their research when doing a poster session, meeting a potential sponsor, applying for a job, etc. Our graduate students are an important part of ECU’s research mission and this public competition each year reminds us of the outstanding work they do. This work could not be done without the support of their faculty mentors and we encourage as many faculty to attend along with their students. We will have “celebrity” judges from campus and the Pitt-Greenville community and their excitement about participating in a campus research event is always palpable. We encourage all faculty, staff, and students to attend. All the details are available on the 3MT website.
HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE
One of our HHP student ambassadors, Lydia Pinto, was named Captain of the Ship during ECU Homecoming week. Pinto is a recreational therapy major in the Department of Recreation Sciences. She’s also part of the STEPP program, Pirate Scuba Diving and owns her own clothing and apparel company, designs by lyd.
A ceremony was held to name a room inside the Family Therapy Clinic in honor of Dr. David A. Dosser, who was the first director of the ECU master’s program in marriage and family therapy. He retired from ECU in 2015 after a 26-year career of teaching, research and service. More on Dosser and the dedication ceremony is available HERE.
Dr. Leslie Cofie, assistant professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion, is lead author on research that was published in the American Journal of Public Health focused on evaluating emergency internet hotspot inclusion for farmworkers across the state. Cofie was complemented by Dr. Joseph Lee, HHP’s associate dean for research, and others as co-authors. Check out the article HERE.
HHP was well represented by students and faculty among the primary investigators who received Fall 2022 Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity awards. Award winners included: Simona Adhikari (public health, mentored by Dr. Alice Richman); Madison Barnhill (public health, mentored by Dr. Leslie Cofie); Savannah Harris (kinesiology, mentored by Dr. Bhibha Das); Madison Holloman (kinesiology, mentored by Dr. Nick Murray); Kendall Nelson (kinesiology, mentored by Murray); Elisabeth Reed (health education and promotion, mentored by Cofie); Abigail Ulffers (kinesiology, mentored by Das) and Tyler West (health education and promotion, mentored by Dr. Joseph Lee).
Twenty campers went to Camp Don Lee in Arapahoe on Oct. 14-16 for a tropical paradise-themed 17th annual Camp WholeHeart, which is a fun weekend for children ages 7-17 with complex heart defects living in eastern North Carolina. Camp is designed to build resilience by helping campers better understand their condition through educational and recreational activities, including sailing, relays, canoeing, singing and dancing, learning about Hawaiian culture and sound nutrition, while promoting self-esteem, skill-based learning and fitness concepts. Camp WholeHeart leadership includes Dr. Priti Desai with the Department of Human Development and Family Science and Emmy Leggett with Brody School of Medicine/Pediatric Cardiology. They and other leadership were supported by Dr. Dennis Steed as camp doctor and ECU student/community volunteers.
Dr. Jennifer Hodgson earned this year’s Family Oriented Care Award during the annual meeting for the Collaborative Family Healthcare Association. The association recognized her dedication to family health, including with the ECU medical family therapy program, African American Cultural Trail of Greenville-Pitt County, PeeDee’s Sensory Room and other contributions.
HONORS
Honors College student Bradly Boaz was recognized along with junior biology major Krysta Byrd last week for their lifesaving actions in helping fellow student Blake Solomonson in September. Read more HERE.
Honors alumna Jordan Sturgill is exemplifying servant leadership through her new role as an ECU faculty member. Jordan graduated from ECU with a degree in exercise physiology in 2015 and received her master’s in physician assistant studies in 2019. Learn more about Jordan HERE.
The junior EC Scholars traveled to Washington DC for their high impact experience. On this trip, they were able to explore the nation’s capital, meet with ECU alumni, tour the Pentagon and more!
Three of this year’s College of Business Copeland Diversity and Inclusion Fellowship recipients are Honors College students. Lauren Humann, Andrea Knight and Neeraj Mehra were selected for this year’s cohort. Learn more HERE.
Six of this year’s Captain of the Ship finalists were Honors College students. We want to congratulate Matthew Blount, Teresa Hupp, Calli Jon Massengill, Amrina Rangar, Abby Ulffers, and Wrenn Whitfield for their accomplishment!
Jordan Anderson was recognized as this year’s College of Business student speaker at their annual scholarship ceremony. Jordan holds several leadership positions on campus as well as a position conducting research with Dr. Linda Quick. This upcoming summer she will have an audit internship with FORVIS, the merger of BKD and DHG accounting firms, which is in the top 10 of all accounting firms.
Twenty-five Honors College students received URCA funding for this year.
EC Scholar alumna Madeline Fleishman was recently published in the Washington Post. You can read her analysis “Can ECOWAS convince Burkina Faso to return to civilian rule?” HERE.
Six Honors College students presented to the ECU Foundation Board last week in the Isley Innovation Hub. Grant Smith, Hannah Blackburn, Sarah Hicks, Meredith Bullard, Austin McAllister and Josh Ali-Martinez shared a little of what they’re involved in at ECU.
Honors student Nandini Vishwakarma is the youngest person to have been published with an affiliation to Brody School of Medicine at the age of 17, with the recent publication to the Journal of Life Sciences. You can read the article, “Dopamine receptor 3: A mystery at the heart of cardiac fibrosis” HERE.
INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS
Dr. David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies) and his Coasts and Oceans Observing Lab team attended the NASA Biodiversity and Ecological Forecasting Science Team Meeting in College Park, Maryland (Sept. 20-22). This was one of the first in-person NASA Science Team Meetings since the start of the pandemic. Integrated Coastal Studies PhD Students, Shalimar Moreno and Kinsey Blumenthal, both funded on NASA grants, learned about many ongoing and new research projects that incorporate stakeholder needs with satellite Earth observations to help make better decisions regarding conservation. Dr. Lin Xiong, a postdoc also funded by NASA connected with lidar (light detection and ranging) experts from around the nation to learn more about how lasers in space can be used to map forest structure and elevation around the world. Reconnecting with old colleagues, research teams led by Drs. Lagomasino and Lola Fatoyinbo (NASA) held several brainstorming and information sharing sessions to discuss current and future NASA research projects.
Hurricane Irma caused significant damages to mangrove forested wetlands in Florida Everglades. Drs. Lin Xiong, David Lagomasino, and Sean Charles (all of Coastal Studies) and several other researchers have been analyzing large lidar datasets to understand how wetland forests recovery after hurricanes and recently published their findings in the International Journal of Applied Earth Observations and Geoinformation. They used 3 years of data collected by a specialized NASA instrument, G-LiHT, to accurately quantify the regrowth and recovery of mangrove forest structure in 3D. Their results show that the majority of the wetlands damaged by Hurricane Irma have shown positive growth, but only a third of that recovered to pre-hurricane conditions in 3 years. The type of species and the height of the forest were major factors in predicting where regrowth occurred. Read more in their paper: Quantifying mangrove canopy regrowth and recovery after Hurricane Irma with large-scale repeat airborne lidar in the Florida Everglades - ScienceDirect.
Dr. David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies) and coastal habitat experts analyzed sediment samples from seagrass beds around the world and identified relationships with how much carbon is stored in these habitats and the landscape context. Their paper was published in Global Biogeochemical Cycles, an American Geophysical Union publication, titled "Species Traits and Geomorphic Setting as Drivers of Global Soil Carbon Stocks in Seagrass Meadows". The results from the study provide insights into conservation, restoration and protection strategies for seagrass meadows.
Dr. David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies) and remote sensing experts from around the world published a book chapter, The Fate of Wetlands: Can the View From Space Help Us to Stop and Reverse Their Global Declines?, in the book "Earth Observation Applications and Global Policy Frameworks," an American Geophysical Union publication. The book highlights the use of satellite imagery in helping guide conservation and global policy actions, like the Sustainable Development Goals. The chapter authored by Lagomasino and colleagues focuses specifically on using satellites to inform managers and policy makers on current wetland status and how to monitor them over time.
Additionally, Dr. David Lagomasino and over 100 remote sensing experts contributed to an open-source textbook, "Cloud-Based Remote Sensing with Google Earth Engine: Fundamentals and Applications," that focuses on the basics and practices of using satellite imagery in the cloud format. Dr. Lagomasino coauthored the chapter, "A3.3 Mangroves II - Change Mapping." Read the full book here.
Scientists from the Department of Coastal Studies led a multi-institutional campaign in Everglades National Park to collect information on greenhouse gas emissions, forest structure, and soil accumulation (photo above). The team included scientists from ECU, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Yale University. This was the second of four field campaigns in south Florida. During their trip, the team held a Community Day that was open to the public which had instruments and equipment on display. Scientists were able to chat with members from the Miccosukee tribe and south Floridians to discuss the importance of the Everglades and how it influences the environment and climate.
Drs. Mike O’Driscoll (Coastal Studies, ECU Water Resources Center), Charlie Humphrey, and Guy Iverson (Health Education & Promotion), in collaboration with researchers at NC Sea Grant (Jane Harrison, Lauren Voorhees), NC State University (Eric Edwards, Jared Bowden), and University of Georgia (Katie Hill) recently completed a report to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration evaluating the effects of climate change on onsite wastewater treatment systems in the Carolinas. Their results showed that rising groundwater levels near the coast associated with sea level rise and coastal storms are increasing the risk of malfunctioning septic systems in low-lying areas in Dare County. The team, led by Dr. Harrison, presented results at the Outer Banks Leadership Forum chaired by Dr. Reide Corbett (Integrated Coastal Programs; Coastal Studies Institute) at the Coastal Studies Institute on Sept. 23 and at the Geological Society of America Annual Conference in Denver, Colorado, on Oct. 12. The team, along with the Town of Nags Head and NC State Extension, hosted a coastal wastewater workshop and fieldtrip for onsite wastewater installers and operators at the Coastal Studies Institute on Oct. 19. The Geological Society of America’s press release on this research, “Rising sea levels mean rising groundwater—and that spells trouble for coastal septic systems,” was recently featured by Science Daily, Newsweek, Smart Water Magazine, Sky News, Coastal News Today, Environmental News Network, The Independent, EurekAlert, Yahoo News and others. These efforts have helped to highlight the challenges that coastal communities face as rising sea level and coastal storms impact the effectiveness of decentralized wastewater infrastructure.
Dr. Reide Corbett (Coastal Studies) was recently featured on NBC Nightly News discussing coastal change along the Outer Banks, beach nourishment, and challenges facing coastal communities.
Dr. David Griffith (Coastal Studies) is presenting his research at Sea Grant’s NC Coastal Conference in Raleigh on Monday, Nov. 7. His presentation is entitled, “Sound Values: LiIvelihood Constellations, Networks, and Communicating Risk along North Carolina's Coast.” The abstract for his talk is as follows: Socioecological trends along North Carolina’s coast include frequent damaging storms, sea level rise, gentrification, increasing immigration, and the evolution of commercial fishing fleets as they struggle against seafood imports, adapt to fisheries and environmental regulations, deal with unstable inlets, and witness marina space transform from commercial to recreational use. Positive consequences of these trends include the revitalization of small-town commercial districts in coastal plain communities as new immigrants establish businesses, the development of community-based fisheries, a younger generation of commercial fishermen who have come of age with an ever-changing regulatory environment, and the continuing opportunities afforded by the coastal plain’s fisheries, farms, and forests. Negative consequences include drownings from rip currents, the loss of real estate from coastal erosion, and exaggerated environmental risks like the mid-1990s Pfiesteria hysteria. These trends have also reorganized settlement patterns and commercial opportunities, creating labor camps out of trailer parks and alternative markets and production sites for merchants and craftspeople from various points along the socioeconomic spectrum, such as swap meets, fishers’, farmers’, and artisans’ markets, and mechanics’ workshops — all attempts to diversify income and reduce risk. Drawing on interviews, social network analysis, cultural mapping, oral histories, and ethnographic methods, this work will examine relationships among these trends along North Carolina’s coast, considering the roles of livelihoods constellations — or the generation value from multiple social, cultural, economic, and ecological activities — in how people perceive, communicate, and respond to the risks and opportunities of a dynamic coast.
Dr. Reide Corbett (Coastal Studies) was recently selected as a member of the 2022-2023 class of Leadership OBX. The primary objective of Leadership OBX is to educate business and organizational professionals about economic, demographic and social resources, as well as the successes and challenges of our diverse area. The Outer Banks Chamber launched Leadership OBX in 2014 to develop business professionals with a greater understanding of the Outer Banks region and a network of individuals ready to serve the region. The Class of 2022-2023 will run from late October 2022 through early April 2023 and includes 10 full-day sessions every 2-3 weeks. Program participants develop life-long friendships and enduring professional connections as well as a deeper understanding of the community we live in.
Researchers at the Coastal Studies Institute were awarded a minigrant from NC Seagrant to study the effectiveness of dune restoration strategies on coastal resilience in North Carolina. Led by Dr. Lin Xiong, a postdoc scholar at CSI, the project aims to address short- range time sensitive critical needs of the Town of Nags Head and Better Beaches OBX, a grassroots effort to restore beach dunes along the OBX. The team will use the Coastal Laser Scanning System to collect highly accurate height data of beach dunes in Nags Head. The information collected results in millions of points that create a 3D space that can measure elevation to less than an inch.
Dr. Michael Muglia (Coastal Studies) and North Carolina Renewable Ocean Energy Program (NCROEP) Director George Bonner participated in International WaTERS (Wave and Tidal Energy Testing Sites) Workshop in Bilboa, Spain. This provided an opportunity for world’s leading marine energy open water test to collaborate on best practices, challenges, and standards to advance marine energy commercialization.
Additionally, NCROEP researchers, including Dr. Michael Muglia (above, second from right) and NCROEP Director George Bonner (above, middle), participated in the International Conference on Ocean Energy (ICOE) in Sebastian, Spain. The Coastal Studies Institute representatives presented on recent open water device deployments for Waves to Water competition. The conference included technical sessions and networking sessions from global leaders from academia, industry, and government stakeholders.
NCROEP Director George Bonner and NCSU Researcher Chris Vermillion participated in Dominion Energy’s Innovation Expo in Richmond, Virginia. This provided an opportunity to showcase NCROEP leading advancements in marine energy and opportunities to power the blue economy. The Expo also included sessions on leading energy transitions and Dominion’s carbon reduction strategy.
The Coastal Studies Institute will host its next Science on the Sound on Nov. 17, at 6 p.m. Dr. Mike Muglia (Coastal Studies) will be this month’s featured speaker. Additionally, due to unforeseen circumstances, our October event had to be postponed. Dr. Chris Oakley (History) will now give his presentation on Dec. 8 at 6 p.m. As always, Science on the Sound is a free event and open to the public. Past presentations can be found on the CSI YouTube Channel playlist Science on the Sound.
Integrated Coastal Programs and the Coastal Studies Institute partnered with the College of Engineering and Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences to present a program on energy and water for the ECU Foundations Board. Board members learned about renewable ocean energy and then completed their program by making their own wave energy converters.
The Coastal Studies Institute hosted the first ever BioBlitz in October. Through this event, members of the community learned about local flora and fauna, engage with experts, and connect and learn from one another, all while contributing data to the scientific community by using the platform iNaturalist. To date, there have been 219 recorded plant and animal observations on the ECU Outer Banks Campus.
JOYNER LIBRARY
The Janice Hardison Faulkner Gallery on the second floor of the main campus library is hosting the traveling exhibition, “Crossroads: Change in Rural America,” through the end of November. In conjunction with North Carolina Humanities, this Smithsonian Institution exhibit offers rural communities a chance to look at their own paths to highlight the changes that affected their fortunes during the past century. ECU was one of six North Carolina venues chosen as a host. This YouTube video shows more of what to expect when visiting the interactive and informative exhibit in our gallery.
The 2022 Library Student Awards Ceremony supported student success and provided a moment to reflect on remarkable student achievements. The ceremony featured students honored for the W. Keats Sparrow Writing Award, Rhem/Schwarzmann Prize or Marie & James Thompson Student Employment Award.
“The students I got to work with and supervise … were amazing. I am positive that every student who was recognized today is amazing,” said library staff member Ashley Moore. More about the ceremony and a list of winners is available HERE.
LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY
Laupus Health Sciences Library is hosting the following events this month:
- “Community Care: When Self-Care is not Enough,” a webinar panel discussion - Panelists from ECU Health, the ECU Family Therapy Clinic, and the Department of Health Education and Promotion will discuss how ECU is promoting community care, and what research and measures have been taken to implement community care around ECU and beyond. This event also has a public viewing opportunity at Carver Branch Library in West Greenville. Contact Andrea Bristol.
- Writing Data Management Plans - Laupus Research Librarian Kerry Sewell and ALS Scholarly Communication Librarian Jeanne Hoover will host a session for researchers on writing data management plans.
- Medical History Interest Group lectures - The last in the library’s fall series is on Nov. 15 and features David Durant, MLS, MA, Associate Professor/Federal Documents & Social Sciences Librarian.
NURSING
The Doctor of Nursing Practice students recently visited campus to work on clinical skills such as EKG interpretation and suturing, as well as self-care and motivational interviews. Since admitting our first cohort of advance practice DNP students in fall 2013, students in the program have represented bedside nursing professionals seeking to become nurse practitioners; nurses from advanced nursing practice including nurse-midwives, neonatal, pediatric and psychiatric nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse leaders, adult gerontology primary care nurse practitioners and family nurse practitioners. As the Doctor of Nursing Practice degree has emerged as the entry-level for advanced nursing practice, DNP Program options within the College of Nursing have expanded to meet the needs of our region and beyond.
College of Nursing Dean Dr. Bimbola Akintade recently participated in a panel discussion at the American Association of Colleges of Nursing Fall 2022 leadership conference in Washington, D.C.
A new cohort of nursing students recently attended the 2022 Beta Nu Banquet with support from the Truist Center for Leadership Development. Beta Nu is ECU’s chapter of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing, which works to advance world health and celebrates nursing excellence in scholarship, leadership and service.
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