Vanderbilt University Register: Faculty Staff Notes

FACULTY & STAFF NOTES

AWARDS

Gay Welch, University chaplain, received the Mary Jane Werthan Award by the Margaret Cuninggim Women's Center Feb. 6. The annual award is presented to an individual who has "contributed significantly to the advancement of women" at Vanderbilt. The award honors three qualities characteristic of the first recipient for whom it is named: vision, persistence and extraordinary skill in interpersonal and institutional relations.

PAPERS AND PRESENTAIONS

Jason H. Moore, assistant professor of molecular physiology and biophysics, presented his paper, "A Cellular Automata Approach to Detecting Interactions among Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms in Complex Multifactorial Diseases," at the Pacific Symposium on Biocomputing 2002, Kauai, Hawaii, Jan. 5. He presented the paper "New Strategies for Identifying Combinations of Single-Nucleotide Polymorphisms Associated with Common Multifactorial Diseases" at the Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, University of Pennsylvania, in Philadelphia Jan. 31.

Margaret W. Smithey, senior lecturer in education, will present two papers at the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education conference in New York Feb. 24-25. Smithey, Carolyn M. Evertson, professor of education, and Camilla P. Benbow, dean of Peabody College, professor of psychology and investigator and senior fellow of the Kennedy Center, were co-authors of the paper titled "Providing System-Wide Mentoring for New Teachers: A School District and University Partnership." Smithey and Evertson were also co-authors of "How Mentors Help New Teachers Improve Student Learning: Examples From New Teachers' Classroom-based Inquiry."

Williams

Brian Williams, assistant dean of the School of Engineering, and Marci Hunt, associate director of new student and family programs in the Division of Student Life, participated on a panel Feb. 8 at the 25th Annual National Public Administration Teaching Conference in Knoxville. The panel discussion was titled "Big Horizons Beyond the Vanderbubble: Service Learning as a Bridge Connecting Students, Communities and Academics."

Hunt

PROFESSIONAL AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES

John Bransford, co-director of the Learning Technology Center and Centennial Professor of Psychology, and Georgine Pion, research associate professor of psychology and human development and fellow at VIPPS, were designated as National Associates of the National Academy of Sciences in December 2001. The honor, which is a lifetime appointment, recognizes exceptional contributions to the National Academies through pro bono service.

John M. Braxton, professor of education, was invited to serve on the Peer Review Panel for the Office of Research Integrity of the National Institutes of Health. The office provides funding on research integrity.

Robert K. Rasmussen, professor of law, director of the Joe C. Davis program in law and economics and associate dean for academic affairs, is organizing and participating in a Feb. 22-23 conference at the Vanderbilt University Law School. "Convergence on Delaware: Corporate Bankruptcy and Corporate Governance" brings together leading academics to examine and evaluate the convergence of bankruptcy law and corporate law. It is sponsored by the Law School, Vanderbilt Law Review, the Vanderbilt University Law School Law and Business Program and The Center for Corporate Governance at the University of Delaware. Rasmussen will present his paper, "The Four Easy Lessons of Enron," with co-author Douglas G. Baird, Harry A. Bigelow distinguished service professor of law at the University of Chicago Law School.

Rasmussen

Daniel Reschly, professor of education and psychology, and chair of the Department of Special Education, is senior editor of a report released Jan. 29 by the National Academy of Sciences Panel. The report was titled "Disability Determination for Mental Retardation." Reschly also chaired the panel. Reschly has been asked to testify to the full President's Commission on Excellence in Special Education Feb. 25 in Houston.

Reschly

Jenny Robinson, physical therapist and assisted technology practitioner in the wheelchair center at the Medical Center, and John R. Haendel, systems administrator in the Office of the Chancellor, are among 18 Davidson County residents who are serving on the Citizens Advisory Council of the Nashville-Davidson County Strategic Plan for Sidewalks and Bikeways. Members were selected based on interest in sidewalk and bikeway issues. The initiative, slated for completion in July, should result in more non-motorized transportation and fewer conflicts between motor vehicles and pedestrians.

Items for "Faculty and Staff Notes" should be sent to Jessica Howard, via e-mail to jessica.howard@vanderbilt.edu, via fax to 343-3209 or by mail to the Vanderbilt Register, 708 Baker Building.

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