- University News Archive - ��Vlog��ý Little Rock

Foster, Glazier, and Anderson named Faculty Excellence Award winners

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 13 Apr 2018 14:58:55 +0000

Lynn Foster, Rebecca Glazier, and Glenn Anderson have been selected as the 2018 winners of the University of Arkansas at Little Rock Faculty Excellence Awards.�� Each of the three professors will receive a $5,000 award as winners of the Faculty Excellence Awards in the categories of teaching, research and creative endeavors, and public service. “The amount of resolve, persistence, and pride our faculty exhibit in their scholarly work on campus and in the greater community is a testament to the vision of our university,” said Dr. Velmer Burton, executive vice chancellor and provost. “Faculty like the ones we honored during this ceremony mold our students into earnest creators, leaders, and change agents.” The winners were honored during an April 12 awards ceremony at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology Auditorium. Fourteen additional faculty members who earned Faculty Excellence awards at the college level also were honored, and they will each receive $1,000. The 15 members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Board of Visitors reviewed the achievements and selected the winners. Since 1989, when the first award was given, the event has provided a way to recognize the great work of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Bailey Foundation, Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor’s Circle. More about the winners:

Faculty Excellence in Teaching

Lynn Foster is the Arkansas Bar Foundation professor of law at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s William H. Bowen School of Law. In the classroom, Foster utilizes a team-based learning method focused on problem solving and skills assignments to maximize comprehension. In 2014 and 2015, she revised the Property I and II courses to include team-based learning and assessment by creating class structures with clear expectations and manageable assessment tools. After assessing her curriculum revision, Foster discovered that students perform better when there is more team-based learning and assessment built into the course. “I feel very grateful, and I am grateful for all my great students over the years,” Foster said. “It’s a complicated course, but I have seen team-based learning increase what our students have learned.” A decade ago, Foster started the Arkansas Real Estate Review, an Arkansas Bar Foundation publication that summarizes Arkansas’s appellate real estate decisions with commentary provided by real estate attorneys. Foster’s students gain property law experience by working with attorneys to write abstracts for the publication. She is the recipient of the Charles W. Goldner Teaching Award, two William H. Bowen School of Law Faculty Excellence awards for Public Service, the first Law School Outstanding Service award, and the Arkansas Bar Association Golden Gavel, Continuing Legal Education, and Presidential Excellence awards.

Faculty Excellence in Research and Creative Endeavors

Dr. Rebecca Glazier is an associate professor of public affairs and advisor to the Model Arab League. Her research centers on religion and politics, framing and foreign policy, and pedagogy. Glazier’s work on religion and politics has included a focus on providential beliefs, religious peacemaking, and the impact of religious organizations on congregants’ political and community attitudes and behaviors. Her articles on providential religious beliefs have influenced the work of other scholars of political science. She has worked closely with organizations from around the world to collect survey data from over 160 peacemakers. “I feel very surprised and humbled by this award,” Glazier said. “The other researchers are doing incredible work. I try to do work that brings real change to the world, and I appreciate the university and the College of Social Sciences and Communication for supporting that.” She recently submitted a grant through Notre Dame’s Global Religious Research Initiative to support the project’s next phase involving fieldwork in Sri Lanka, Israel, and Palestine. Glazier was a principal investigator on the Little Rock Congregations Study. The study began in 2012 with a survey of five Little Rock congregations during the 2012 presidential election. In 2016, she partnered with the Clinton School of Public Service, where students collected surveys from more than 1,500 respondents at 17 congregations around Little Rock. “A big part of my research is the Little Rock Congregations Study, work that wouldn’t be possible without the wonderful places of worship in Little Rock that open up their hearts and their sacred spaces for this research,” Glazier said. “It is also such a joy to get to work with students on research. Over 60 students were part of the 2016 Little Rock Congregations Study. They are a huge part of the work that I do and make it so much more rewarding.” Glazier has written 12 peer-reviewed articles, four book chapters in edited volumes, and received numerous grants from internal and external sources leading to numerous citations. She has won best paper awards at several conferences including those of the Arkansas Political Science Association, the American Political Science Association, and the Midwest International Studies Association.

Faculty Excellence in Public Service

Dr. Glenn Anderson is an associate professor in the School of Counseling, Rehabilitation and Adult Education who has received national attention for his contributions to the field of interpreter education. “This award is not something that I was expecting, and I really appreciate the recognition from the scholarship committee and from the university,” Anderson said. “There are four deaf faculty members working in the College of Education and Health Professions, so it’s nice when a deaf faculty member can be recognized for their work.” Anderson’s significant contributions to the black deaf community are undeniable. He often guest lectures, makes presentations, and writes journal articles on black deaf history and linguistic variations among black American Sign Language users. From 1982 to 2008, he served as director of training at the University of Arkansas Rehabilitation Research and Training Center for persons who are deaf or hard of hearing. He currently serves on the Commission on Collegiate Interpreter Education, the national accrediting board for interpreter education programs and is a past member of the National Council on Disability and Board of Directors for National Black Deaf Advocates. In 2010, Anderson was one of 20 national advocates for individuals with disabilities interviewed by the Federal Communications Commission and featured in the documentary, “Celebration Progress: Americans with Disabilities Act’s 20th Anniversary.” Anderson received the National Black Deaf Advocates Lifetime Achievement Award at its 30th anniversary gala in 2012. In addition to the award, the board of directors voted to establish a scholarship in Anderson’s honor to provide financial support for deaf African American students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate postsecondary education programs. In 2017, Anderson participated in a federal think tank administered by the Center for Advanced Training in Interpreter Education at St. Catherine University. The project focused on incorporating learning principles into interpreter education training practices from the 2014 book “Make It Stick.” Anderson also lays claim to several pioneering roles. He is the first deaf person hired by Michigan Rehabilitation Services to work as a vocational rehabilitation counselor (1970), the first African-American alumnus of Gallaudet to earn a doctoral degree (New York University, 1982), and the first African-American deaf person to be appointed as a Gallaudet trustee (1989) and to serve as chair of the Board of Trustees (1994 to 2005). In the upper right photos, the winners of the 2018 Faculty Excellence Awards are Lynn Foster (left), Rebecca Glazier (middle), and Glenn Anderson (right). Photos by Ben Krain.

��Vlog��ý Little Rock chooses top faculty of 2017

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 14 Apr 2017 14:01:56 +0000

Drs. Kathryn King, Tansel Karabacak, and Suzanne Penn have been selected as the top University of Arkansas at Little Rock faculty members of 2017.�� The three professors were the recipients of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Faculty Excellence Awards in the categories of teaching; research and creative endeavors; and public service. Each will receive a $5,000 award. The winners were honored during an April 13 reception at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology Auditorium. Eleven other faculty members, who earned Faculty Excellence awards at the college level, also were honored. The 15 members of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Board of Visitors reviewed the achievements and selected the winners. Since 1989, when the first award was given, the event has provided a way to recognize the great work of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor’s Circle. More about the winners:

Faculty Excellence in Teaching

Dr. Kathryn King, assistant professor of anthropology, is known for her willingness to help students learn by creating a socially conscious learning environment. Students and colleagues praised King for her knowledge of the field, class organization, and student focus. King has also been involved in curriculum development for the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Anthropology Department, having created several innovative courses such as Race and Ethnicity, the Anthropology of Death, and Historic Mortuary Archaeology, in which students collected data from historic cemeteries across central Arkansas. King received a Ph.D. and master’s degree in anthropology from the University of��Tennessee and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from the University of Kentucky.

Faculty Excellence in Research

Dr. Tansel Karabacak, associate professor of physics and astronomy, is an internationally known expert in the glancing angle deposition (GLAD) method to fabricate nanostructured metals, alloys, oxides, and semiconductors. Shortly after joining ��Vlog��ý Little Rock, Karabacak created a new thin films and nanostructure laboratory, which utilizes state-of-the-art fabrication and testing equipment and computational tools for analysis and modeling studies. Karabacak collaborated with students, about 20 faculty members, and approximately 55 national and international researchers outside ��Vlog��ý Little Rock. He has been involved in projects with 10 companies and built connections with about 20 project managers from federal funding agencies. Karabacak managed research projects and contributed to 83 journal papers, 39 peer-reviewed conference proceedings, two book chapters, and two patent disclosures. He has also presented or co-authored about 175 invited talks and conference presentations. Karabacak has a Ph.D. and a master’s degree from the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a bachelor’s degree from the Middle East Technical University.

Faculty Excellence in Public Service

Dr. Suzanne Penn, associate professor of clinical law at William H. Bowen School of Law, is dedicated to serving individuals who do not have access to legal assistance. In 2014, Penn created a clinical experience for law students in the Delta region of Arkansas, an area that has long been underserved by attorneys. The Delta project is comprised of two courses: The Delta Experience and the Delta Clinic. In the Delta Experience course, students travel to the Delta to educate low-income residents about grounds for divorce and what is necessary to obtain one without attorney representation. In the Delta Clinic course, students travel with Penn to Desha and Chicot counties to conduct client interviews, perform fact investigations related to case success, prepare divorce complaints and motions for fee waivers for clients. The students appear in courts as needed to represent their clients and also observe sessions of the courts. �� Penn earned a Juris Doctor from Tulane University and a bachelor’s degree with honors from Hendrix College. In the upper right photos are Drs. Kathryn King (left), Tansel Karabacak (middle), and Suzanne Penn (right). Photos by Lonnie Timmons III/��Vlog��ý Little Rock Communications.��

��Vlog��ý Little Rock announces college-level Faculty Excellence Award winners

Ajani Oyindamola — Tue, 28 Mar 2017 14:31:58 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock will honor 14 of its top faculty members during the Faculty Excellence Awards Thursday, April 13.�� “Faculty excellence winners underscore ��Vlog��ý Little Rock’s commitment to quality instruction, innovative research, and service to the community. Our faculty’s dedication to these fundamental principles continue to be the bedrock of our institution,” said Interim Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. Deborah Baldwin. A panel of external judges will review the achievements of the college-level winners and select the university-wide winners in the categories of teaching, research, and public service. The three university-wide winners, who will each receive a cash prize of $5,000, will be announced during the Faculty Excellence Awards ceremony at 5:30 p.m. April 13 in the Engineering and Information Technology Building Auditorium on the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock campus. A reception will follow in the Engineering and Information Technology Building lobby. Since 1989, when the first award was given, the event has provided a way to recognize the great work of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty and is made possible through the valued contributions of the Office of the Chancellor, the Office of the Provost, and the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor’s Circle.�� The event is free and open to the public. For more information, contact the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Office of the Provost at 501.569.3204. The following is a list of college-level winners:

��Public Service

��Allison Holland, director of the University Writing Center and senior instructor of rhetoric and writing, College of Social Sciences and Communications
��Cynthia Johnson, advanced instructor of accounting, College of Business
��Laura Barrio-Vilar, assistant professor of English, College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences
��Michael DeAngelis, assistant professor of earth sciences, George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
��Suzanne Penn, associate professor of clinical law, William H. Bowen School of Law

Research/Creative Endeavors

��Mengjun Xie, associate professor of computer science, George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
��Michael Flannery, professor of law, William H. Bowen School of Law
��Tansel Karabacak, associate professor of physics and astronomy, College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences

Teaching

��J. Lyn Entrikin, professor of law, William H. Bowen School of Law
��John Talburt, professor of information science and Acxiom Chair of Information Quality, George W. Donaghey College of Engineering and Information Technology
��Kathryn King, assistant professor of anthropology, College of Communication and Social Sciences
��Linda Holzer, professor of music, College of Arts, Letters, and Sciences
��Linda Stauffer, associate professor of interpreter education and program coordinator of the Interpreter Education Program, College of Education and Health Professions
��Otmar Varela, associate professor of management, College of Business

Taste of Little Rock to honor Bailey Family

Ajani Oyindamola — Fri, 04 Nov 2016 14:36:13 +0000

The 14th annual Taste of Little Rock alumni fundraising event will honor the Bailey Family for their decades of support to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock.�� Set for 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, April 27, at the Jack Stephens Center, Taste of Little Rock raises funds for student scholarships while introducing guests to some of the best food in the city from the finest restaurants in Little Rock. Led by patriarch Dr. Ted Bailey II, the family is composed of long-time supporters of ��Vlog��ý Little Rock and higher education. Dr. Bailey serves as president of the Bailey Foundation. Additional family board members include Dr. Bailey’s wife, Sharon, and children, Mary Bailey Shafer, Ted Bailey III, Jo Bailey McCray, John Bailey, and Amy Bailey. Virginia Bailey, who was married to Dr. Bailey for nearly 58 years when she passed away in 2003, also served on the board. “The Bailey name is synonymous with higher education opportunities at ��Vlog��ý Little Rock,” said Christian O’Neal, vice chancellor for university advancement. “Their gifts over the years truly keep on giving through student scholarships, faculty awards for excellence, and the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center, the central gathering for our alumni and friends of the university. “It is very fitting that we honor the members of the Bailey family who are so integral to this university.” The Baileys have long invested in the university as a way to give back to and help grow the community. Dr. Bailey is one of the university’s earliest supporters, having founded the Society of Philanthropy, a precursor to the current Chancellor’s Circle. “My family has always had a passion for education and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock,” Dr. Ted Bailey said. “This university is an essential part of the community, and I have been privileged to watch it grow and reach its potential as I have watched my own children and grandchildren grow over the years.” Individual tickets are $75 and will be available at the door tonight, or you can still contact the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni office at 501.683-7208, email��alumni@ualr.edu, or visit the��.��Proceeds support ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Alumni Association scholarships.

A history of generosity

In 2002, a generous donation by the Bailey Family Foundation facilitated the construction of the Bailey Alumni and Friends Center, named after Dr. Ted Bailey and Virginia, his wife of almost 58 years who passed away in 2003. Throughout the year, the Bailey Center hosts numerous events and gatherings, serving as a welcome center to the university family and the community. The Bailey family members are strong supporters of student scholarships, having multiple endowed scholarships across disciplines and departments. The family foundation made a direct gift of $2 million to boost student scholarships in 2015. The Baileys also started the Faculty Excellence Awards in 1988, an awards ceremony that recognizes the contributions of outstanding ��Vlog��ý Little Rock faculty in teaching, research, and public service. They are also supporters of the ��Vlog��ý Little Rock Chancellor’s Circle and Trojan Athletics, as well as the College of Engineering and Information Technology.

��Vlog��ýLR Artspree Concert Series presents Brock McGuire Band

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 16:54:57 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Artspree Concert Series will feature a performance by the Brock McGuire Band at 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the ��Vlog��ýLR Fine Arts Building. Paul Brock and Manus McGuire founded the the Brock McGuire Band. Brock and McGuire are two of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional musicians and have been at the forefront of Irish music for many years. According to , the band’s music is a tight, tenacious blend of instruments that emphasizes mostly Irish music, but also utilizes impressive arrangements of Bluegrass, French-Canadian, and other Celtic traditions. ��Vlog��ýLR students and employees may attend the event for free. General admission tickets are $15, while tickets for students from other institutions are $5. Tickets may be reserved at the ��Vlog��ýLR Music Office on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be picked up at the door prior to the concert. Artspree is funded in part by the ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor’s Circle and . Artspree is affiliated with the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the Southwest Association of Presenters. For more information, contact the ��Vlog��ýLR Music Department at 501.569.3294 or music@ualr.edu. In the upper right photo, the members of the Brock McGuire Band, from left to right, are Manus McGuire, Denis Casey, Dave Curley, and Paul Brock.

Artspree Concert Series continues with jazz guitarist Julian Lage

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 28 Sep 2016 15:42:54 +0000

The University of Arkansas at Little Rock Artspree Concert Series will feature a special performance by jazz artist and guitarist Julian Lage at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 6, in the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the ��Vlog��ýLR Fine Arts Building.�� Lage was a child prodigy who began playing at the age of 5. By 8, he performed with Carlos Santana and became the subject of the 1997 Academy Award-nominated documentary film “Jules at Eight.” Lage has collaborated with artists like Gary Burton, Jim Hall, David Grisman, Béla Fleck, and Charles Lloyd. He has released three albums as a leader, most recently the 2016 trio outing “Arclight,” featuring Scott Colley and Kenny Wollesen. Lage released several duo projects that included artists such as Wilco guitarist Nels Cline, pianist Fred Hersch, and Punch Brothers guitarist Chris Eldridge. ��Vlog��ýLR students and employees may attend the event for free. General admission tickets are $15, while tickets for non-��Vlog��ýLR students are $5. Tickets may be reserved at the ��Vlog��ýLR Music Office on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets may also be picked up at the door prior to the concert. Artspree is funded in part by the ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor’s Circle and KLRE Classical 90.5. Artspree is a member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the Southwest Association of Presenters.

Sangeet Millennium Ensemble to kickoff Artspree Concert Series

Ajani Oyindamola — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 15:09:36 +0000

The Sangeet Millennium Ensemble will open the 2016-17 University of Arkansas at Little Rock Artspree Concert Series at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 18, at the Stella Boyle Smith Concert Hall in the ��Vlog��ýLR Fine Arts Building.�� The fuses North Indian music marked by the exotic sounds of the long-necked string instrument sitar with saxophone, Indian tabla drums, bass, and Indian vocals. The ensemble members and their instruments include: Amie Maciszewski, sitar; Pandit Shantilal Shah, tabla; Ali Pervez Mehdi, vocals, harmonium; Aparna Shah, vocals, tanpura; and Paul Klemperer, saxophone. ��Vlog��ýLR students and employees may attend the event for free. General admission tickets are $15, while tickets for non-��Vlog��ýLR students are $5. Tickets may be reserved at the ��Vlog��ýLR Music Office on the first floor of the Fine Arts Building from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tickets may also be picked up at the door prior to the concert. �� Artspree is funded in part by the ��Vlog��ýLR Chancellor’s Circle and KLRE Classical 90.5. Artspree is a member of the Association of Performing Arts Presenters and the Southwest Association of Presenters. In the upper right photo,��Amie Maciszewski, a member of the Sangeet Millennium Ensemble, plays the sitar. Photo provided by��Amie Maciszewski.

- University News Archive - ����Vlog��ý Little Rock