Remodeling Anatomy N M U R Interactive Technologies and Collaborative Workspacece C H

RRemodelingemodeling AAnatomynatomy

$400,000 remodeling project key to making UNO the school of choice for pre-health students in the region.

ASa newsletter from the college of arts & sciences 2 A letter from the dean

As Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, I always take great pride in presenting to you the accomplishments of our faculty, staff, and students. The stories in this year’s A&S Newsletter embody the real world, hands on, and innovative learning and research opportunities that our faculty and staff provide to our students and showcase the success of our students and the world-class scholars who mentor them.

Innovative teaching is critical to our mission and success in Arts and Sciences. Today’s students come to the university well prepared and curious, but to capture their imaginations we must offer them challenging and inspiring methods of information delivery. Today’s students demand hands-on, collaborative learning experiences because they learn by doing, and by doing their learning results in pro- duction of knowledge. Our renovated Anatomy & Physiology facility reﬂ ects this philosophy, as well as the History Department’s use of active-learning, role-playing games, and the focused efforts of faculty to bring new approaches to general education offerings through the use of First Year Seminars.

Of course, sometimes students learn most when they themselves become the teachers. Such is the philosophy of NE STEM 4U, the largest after school program in the area, in which UNO students provide hands-on, after school learning at K-12 OPS sites.

WithWit this year’s newsletter we are initiating a new column that will be- comecom a standard feature of upcoming magazines. The article on Dr. MerleMe Brooks celebrates the legacy of one our college’s outstanding emeritusem faculty, and for this ideaide I’m indebted to the family ofof the late Dean Jack Newton, wwho commissioned that the mmagazine regularly feature someonesso from the College’s past.ppas

As you read this year’s newsletter,lett I hope you are as amazedam as I am of the out- standingsta accomplishments ofof our students, faculty, and alumni.alu David Boocker

From the 30’s through the 70’s, a postcard from UNO was a postcard of Arts & Sciences Hall 3 Table of contents

Innovation explosion in teaching 4

Student research reshapes college 8 experience

Kahn professorship honors courage, 10 determination of family matriarchs

Science education, life and legacy 11 of “Doc” Brooks

Alums making a difference 12

A&S students taking top honors 13 Symbol of the aspirations of UNO students and faculty Good reads from our faculty 14 for generations, the cupola atop Arts and Sciences Hall Faculty awards continuing tradition 15 is restored to its former of excellence glory as part of a 1.4 million dollar facelift. Full Grande Dame gets 1.4 mil facelift 16 story on page 16.

Editor Joan Bell Photographers Ryan Henrickson, Jeff Beiermann 4 AN EXPLOSION IN TEACHING INNOVATION------not just a bright ﬂ ash

K a re Remodeling Anatomy n M u r Interactive technologies and collaborative workspacece c h

create state-of-the-art facility for the foundationalal S

a f

courses for pre-healthlthh majors. e The $400,000 bill for the remodel of the Anatomy r & Physiology facility reﬂ ects only a portion of the investment the Biology Department has made in this complete reimagining of the classroom space, the pedago- gy, the tools and even the substance of what is taught. As Dr. Karen An expansion of Murch-Shafer puts it, “the body the space allowed hasn’t changed much over time, for an increase but the way we see and study the in capacity from body has changed dramatically. 325 students We must show students the anat- each semester omy of today, not yesterday.” to 572 students, Technology, of course, is revo- allowing the 100 lutionizing both health care and or so students on the study of health care. With the the waiting list to addition of Biopac electrophysiology move forward with equipment and digital interfaces, stu- their studies. Addition- dents are able to monitor brain waves, al technology allows in- muscle contractions, and heart waves structors to keep the larger (EKGs). Students experience collecting real crowd tuned in and in sync. physiological data from their classmates and inter- Instructors are able to do dissec- preting that data. tions captured on a high resolution camera Equal in importance to this hands-on experience is ex- and push those images to student workstations for review posure to modern health care practices including teamwork once the students have completed their own dissections. and patient engagement. This technology allows instructors more time to interact di- New technologies are critical to teamwork in the industry rectly with students and assists students with dissections. as well as in the classroom. In the Anatomy and Physiology Also critical to keeping students on track and engaged is lab, four students at each team table use a touch screen the addition of the Anatomy Academic Assistants Internship monitor and computer not only as a team of four to solve Program (AAAs). The top students from previous semes- problems and discover new information on the Internet, but ters are recruited for an anatomy teaching internship course. also to push that information to all of the other workstations These anatomy interns will be assigned a laboratory section in the lab for sharing or consulting. and a weekly teaching assignment. During class, the intern This same technology allows students to experience pa- will circulate to each group of students to give demonstra- tient engagement. Patient engagement requires that pa- tions and generate discussion that supports the learning ob- tients are not just directed by health care professionals, but jectives. In addition, the interns will staff “open lab” times rather that patients merge that professional advice with their where students can review and discuss the material. own preferences and needs in order to manage, cure and Murch-Shafer and Instructor Brad Jezewski supervise and prevent disease. coordinate the efforts of the AAAs in a facility and teaching “It is imperative that future health care providers un- practice that now mirrors professional schools at UNMC and derstand that caring for their patients involves much more Creighton. One of the AAAs experienced in both the old than knowing the science of anatomy and physiology,” says and new anatomy lab writes, “Adding computers has turned Murch-Shafer. “Our new technology is allowing us to show the groups from lab partners at a bench into collaborators videos of patients with different health conditions and portray at a work station. When presented with a problem, they what their lives are like. By watching and discussing these search for reliable sources and share their experiences and patient scenarios our students emerge from our class with a expertise, guiding themselves to answers. This is the kind better understanding of the need to treat the whole patient of collaboration I experience in my professional work and rather than just the parts and pieces of the human body.” it’s exciting to see students learn to present their ideas and The remodel of the physical space involved not only cre- knowledge to their teams. We are preparing them not with ating a space that encouraged teamwork, but also state-of- just the knowledge of human anatomy and physiology but the-art equipment for effective delivery to the large number with the skills they will need to be successful in the work of students who need the course. force.” The ripples go on forever. 5 A new crusade: setting students’ minds on ﬁ re M u The weapons were fashioned largely of wood or plastic and tempt going through. My professor rolled a dice, and I was r c the crowns of tin foil, but the debate was very, very real. successful in my assassination of King Baldwin, although I h

S These weren’t actors. This was a genuine struggle among was chased down by the Hospitallers and killed.”

h intellects. Horobik says, “My initial thought was that the loss of ed-

f e Students in Martina Saltamacchia’s Crusades class were ucational presentation time was steep even for the excellent r embroiled in a role playing game called Reacting to the Past, educational benefi ts the game provided. A trip to Barnes specifi cally, The Second Crusade: The War Council of Acre, and Noble with my daughter changed that. While my daugh- 1148. Mark Carnes, a professor of History at Barnard Col- ter was chasing down the latest 39 Clues books and spend- lege, Columbia University, who initiated the active-learning ing her monthly $25 gift certifi cate, I tried to chase down concept has appropriately described it as “setting students some books on the Knights Templar for a future research minds on fi re.” project. What I found was fi ve books specifi cally over the In the game, students are assigned roles and given a Second Crusade, seven more on the Crusades in general list of primary and secondary texts to research. The roles and about an equal number more on the First Crusade. I or characters are divided into four factions: the French, the found nothing useful on the Knights Templar. It was at that Germans, the Jerusalem Faction, and the Eastern Allies. A point it dawned on me. To paraphrase a quote from Good number of students are also assigned indeterminate charac- Will Hunting, nothing Dr. Saltamacchia would have lectured ters who contribute their singular points of view and whose on over the second crusade during that 5-week period could votes will fi nally tip the scales toward victory for a particular not be obtained for fi ve dollars in late fees and a check out faction or one course of action. card from the local public library.... What we gained was an Senior Craig Horobik writes, “A majority of students spent understanding of how to go about viewing that information. time seeking out additional sources, even beyond the scope We gained an understanding how to gather our own evi- of the class. For my character, Master Robert, leader of the dence to support a point, we gained knowledge on how to Knights Templar, I researched not only my character and his look past bias in a source and still make it useful. We gained background but also the history of the Knights Templar, Bibli- the basic knowledge of how to be historians. What we lost, cal Philosophy, the Qur’an, chivalry, Muslim customs, medi- well I’ll pick that up with next month’s M a eval military strategy, and the geography of the Holy Land.” gift certifi cate. rt in Matthew Kennedy explains, “With every argument we A sure sign of fi re, enthu- a

used our sources to back up our assertions. It was not just a siasm for the course has S a

l mindless argument without any evidence, but every speech spilled over into presenta- t

was stuffed full of various quotes to justify a position. Is it tions at a professional con- m

justiﬁ ed to kill people as a Christian? Should we attack Da- ference (highly unusual for a c

mascus or Edessa? How about Aleppo? How exactly can undergraduates) and par- c h

i we attack these cities? All of these questions needed to be ticipation in a crusades dig a answered, justifi ed and then argued about with peers.” (see page 18). Shane Cavlovic, aka Duke Henry of Bavaria, adds, “the game placed us directly inside of history as if it was hap- pening just then.... to view history at a micro level – from the view of one certain person who has their own agenda–this is how history truly unfolds. Now when you have 30 people with their own agendas, this is where the true magic happens. We dove into the primary and secondary sources to fi nd treaties our opponents had signed that would negate their stance or to fi nd anything that could call their faith into question. We had no idea that amidst the mudslinging, we were immersing ourselves in knowledge.” Suzi Eberly describes her role, “While I told the class I was Anthony, ambassador for Raymond II, Count of Trip- oli, I was actually an Assassin spy named Malik, with the objective to attempt an assassination if it would benefi t my people.... For the month we played the game, I focused on trying to understand who I wanted to kill and why this would benefi t the Assassins. I chose to assassinate King Baldwin of Jerusalem because I believed King Baldwin was the ultimate symbol of Jerusalem and the Crusades and if he died the Latin Kingdoms in the East would crumble.... Based on the requirements I fulfi lled in a paper, and on the delivery of my speech I had a 3 in 6 chance of my assassination at- 6 AN EXPLOSION IN TEACHING INNOVATION------not just a bright fl ash First Year Seminars bring focus on student interests So you’re 18. You think you might be interested in study- and we hope a focus that will capture and hold students’ ing politics. You know you need a social sciences course interests. for your general education requirements anyway. Which of For example, the history department has experiment- these classes would you choose? ed with teaching World Civiliations through topics such as food. The study of world civilizations through food focused, PSCI 1000 Intro to Political Science: This course initially, on three world sites and civilizations: Mesopotamia introduces students to political ideas, behaviors, pro- (Southern Iraq), China and Mesoamerica and the Andean cesses, institutions, and issues on a national and region as early as 8,000 B.C.E. In these societies, food pro- global level. duction and consumption developed into complex social institutions: class, politics, religion, culture, and writing. There- PSCI 1000 Intro to Political Science: The Politics of after, the class explored the expansion, specialization, and Marijuana diffusion of agricultural practices around the world and how they changed human organization. If you chose the second option, perhaps you get the con- Dr. Jonathan Benjamin-Alvarado, Professor of Political cept of First Year Seminars already. The College of Arts Science, this semester is introducing students to political & Sciences is exploring ways to engage students’ interests science through an exploration of the issues surrounding earlier in their careers through of- marijuana. fering special sections of He explains, “I have attempted to engage the students at introductory courses, a number of different levels that are distinctly different from courses tradition- other political science courses. First, we are framing the en- ally called “survey” tire question or proposition of the course on the question of courses because ‘what is the proper role of the state?’ Is it to provide security of their broadest or to protect us from ourselves? possible scope. “We are also focusing on the base causes of why we These special have arrived at the present state of affairs relative to our sections have a laws regarding marijuana and are openly questioning and much narrower marveling at the same time at how fast change is occurring. focus, I also have focused on giving the students the broadest base of opinions and perspectives on the question of pot by bringing in drug and alcohol counselors, federal law enforcement, state legislators, neuro-biologists, members of the legal community, etc. “All of this is in preparation for the students assuming the roles of the State Legislature to develop legislative proposals for legalization and/ or prohibition of the uses of marijuana later in the semester.” Benjamin-Alvarado points out that these special courses present challenges for the instructor as there are no textbooks available on these special points of view, but so far the reward has been worth the trouble. “I had a very interesting thing occur at the end of one of the class sessions. We hosted Senator Sue Crawford from the Nebraska State Legislature to discuss her role in introducing legislation to legalize cannabis extracts for the treatment of severe cases of epilepsy in children, and at the end of the Q&A I told the students that there were possibilities to do internships with the Unicameral for Jo na course credit in Political Science. The senator then left th and one student jumped up and ran after her, returning a an B minute later with a business card in her hand and beaming - en jam ‘I’m gonna intern in Lincoln next semester.’ I asked her what in-A lvarado her major was and she answered -’“Political Science now!!’" The ripples go on forever. 7 NE STEM 4U The largest afterschool STEM program in the area is run by college students who learn as they teach.

Since NE STEM 4 U began deliver- ing afterschool programs in 2013, 50 college students have volunteered over 5,000 hours at seven Omaha Public Schools (OPS). As of fall 2014, the number of mentors has reached 65. And, according to faculty advisor and NE STEM 4U founder, Dr. Christine Cutucache, “18 more schools want us!” The UNO mentors of NE STEM 4U provide hands-on lessons that complement school-day learning at K-12 OPS school sites. OPS students enroll in six week sessions and each session is built around a new theme.

Some of the more popular themes include

Zombies and Forensic Science or CSI. Pop- e

ular themes and lively experiments draw the c

students in, but the hands-on experience of suc- c u

cessfully doing science can spark a genuine interest t in science and open a student’s mind to the possibility of u

being a scientist. e n i Studies conducted over the last ten years report a Dr. Cutucache is t s remarkable difference in students’ lives as a result of par- ri Haddix Community Chair h ticipation in afterschool programs. According to Afterschool of Science and Assistant C Alliance, 95% of students enrolled in a similar program in Professor of Biology Chicago graduated (almost double the average for Chicago Public Schools) and 60% enrolled in STEM programs at lesson is practiced, every teacher-student mentored. four year colleges. The success of the program is carefully tracked. On-site The NE STEM 4U program is free to students and enroll- evaluations are conducted. 100 point pre-tests and post- ments are limited to students on free or reduced lunches tests are administered and analyzed. The curriculum is re- through OPS. According to the NE STEM 4U website, they considered and adjusted in light of the data. And then the serve this group of students because although “only 69% work starts all over again. of Nebraska students are profi cient in STEM education, The reward, like the work, also piles up. Not only do the students from low socioeconomic households and those of NE STEM 4U mentors serve the youth of Omaha, and enjoy migratory families show profi ciencies of only 13%.” the satisfaction of good work well done, but they also build Making science cool, fun and safe for students from a better future for themselves. They learn how to teach stu- kindergarten through high school is, of course, a lot of work. dents at a variety of levels, to be sensitive to all the varia- Up front, Cutucache spent months meeting with schools tions, to communicate, to lead. They learn about curriculum and other institutions, talking to local politicians, and ap- development and assessment. They learn how exciting it is plying for funding. Thanks to a grant from the Sherwood to share knowledge and watch how their students grow in Foundation as well as a NASA Nebraska Space Grant the that knowledge. program is off to a great start. Currently, she’s applying for At that point, they know why Cutucache puts in the long funding from the National Science Foundation to build on hours. Also critical to the program’s success are faculty ad- that momentum. visors Dr. William Tapprich, Kahn Professor of Biology, and Then there’s training the 62 undergraduates and 3 gradu- Dr. Neal Grandgenett, Haddix Community Chair of STEM ate students how to teach fun, cool, safe science. Every Education. 8 Student Research Student research reshapes college experience for students and faculty “Millions of dollars and thousands of lives are being redirected in the effort to draw more students into STEM studies and careers. The future of the United States depends on remaining competitive in these areas and recent research suggests we’re losing ground. In the NE STEM 4 U program, elementary and middle school students experience the fun, excitement, and sense of accomplishment in hands-on science. But what about the college level student? Conroy earns gold At the college level, out of all majors, the STEM majors have the highest at- trition rates. Is the answer here also hands-on science? Unequivocably. At all for cancer research levels of college study, engaging students in original research and real world is- In the 130 year history of the Sigma sues allows students to develop both personally and professionally. They realize Xi honor society, more than 200 mem- that they can change the world for the better and they don’t even have to wait for bers have won a Nobel Prize. Each graduation. year, this illustrious organization holds We feature three STEM majors on these pages who are doing research, an International Conference at which creating new knowledge, with the potential for making the world a better place: outstanding students present their biotechnology majors, Bina Ranjit and Brittany Conroy and mathematics major, research to experts in their fi elds. Al- physics minor, Benjamin Knutson. though Brittany Conroy’s gold medal The role of a faculty advisor or mentor in each project is, of course, critical and from this conference isn’t a Nobel med- higher education hasn’t yet fi gured out how to systematically measure or reward al, it is the fi rst place award in her fi eld that faculty role, so, for the most part, faculty volunteer their time and talents. of “Physiology and Immunology.” Most agree their efforts bring their professional lives full circle. Conroy, lead researcher, shares Griff Elder, Professor of Mathematics, and Director of the FUSE Program (Fund credit with student Matthew Latner (now at UNMC), collaborator, Dr. To- for Undergraduate Scholarly Experiences) explains it this way: mas Helikar and faculty mentor, Dr. “There are times when faculty feel that teaching and research pull them apart. Christine Cutucache. Indeed, Abraham Robinson, the famous mathematician who developed non-stan- The title of her project is Charac- dard analysis, was described by his wife as ‘stripping his gears’ each year as he terization of the Role of CAV1 in Cellu- transitioned from teaching to research in May, and then stripping them again as he lar Proliferation Pathways in a CD4+ T transitioned back in the Fall. Of course, the discomfort was worth it for Abraham Helper Cell. Conroy built a CD4+ T cell Robinson, as it is clearly worth it when you are passionate about both activities. model highlighting the role of CAV1. As But how can this discomfort be lessened or even turned into a source of energy? CAV1 is highly overexpressed in T cell “At UNO we have students who step into and close the gap. When this hap- leukemias and is involved in immune pens, it obviously becomes easier to share your passion for research. But when synapse formation, characterization this happens, you and the project are also propelled forward by the enormous of the role of CAV1 in T cell pathways energy and enthusiasm of these students. This is FUSE experience. FUSE is a could provide a better understanding of UNO grant funding program that supports faculty-mentored undergraduate stu- cancer biology. dent research and creative activity.” Ranjit takes top honors in Student Research and Creative Acitivity Fair Under the guidance of Dr. Bruce Chase, Bina Ranjit earned a FUSE Award to fund her work on Localization ADAM Pro- teins Expressed by the MMD Gene in Neuronal Cells of Drosophila. Presentation of her work at the UNO Student Research and Creative Activity Fair garnered the “Best” award. Ranjit poses right with Dr. Scott Snyder, Associate Vice Chancellor for Research. While some ADAM proteins are known to play critical roles in key developmental processes (e.g., fertilization, nervous system formation, muscle formation) and cancer, the relevance of other proteins is not known. One approach to understanding the function of such ADAMs is to undertake genetic analyses in model organisms such as Drosophila (fruit fl ies). The proteins were visualized using indirect immunofl uo- rescence staining to understand what role the isoforms play in the developing nervous system. Confocal microscopy was used to detect and analyze the pattern of staining. Student Research AND on-the-job training 9 Students receive on-the-job training in Archaeology at Red Willow Reservoir by Alan Osborn Students from both UNO and UNL have increasingly been employed in have been able to learn about Ne- both state and federal jobs related to braska’s past while participating in an the management of such cultural re- archaeological project at Red Willow sources that include prehistoric and Reservoir in Frontier County near Mc- historic Native American sites, as Cook. The Red Willow Archaeological well as the material history of Whites, Project (RWAP) is being carried out un- Blacks, Asians, and Latinos. In fact, a der a cooperative research agreement recent survey in the U.S. found that Knutson builds weapon between U. S. Department of the Inte- about 80 percent of the jobs available rior’s Bureau of Reclamation and the for archaeologists are in cultural re- recognition software University of Nebraska. source management. This is one of the “For 50 years, scientists in various Red Willow Reservoir (also known more important reasons that today’s fi elds have been working to solve the as Hugh Butler Lake) was created dur- students should be included in cultural problem of image recognition for use in ing the early 1960s in order to prevent resource management projects like robotics and a wide range of informa- fl oods and to provide irrigation water. that being carried out at Red Willow tion technologies,” explains senior Ben The reservoir covers more than 1,600 Reservoir. Knutson, providing context for his proj- During the sum- ect and his excitement. “We’ve com- acres and is surrounded mer of 2014, So- pleted our 2D shape recognition soft- ciology students ware and are making good headway on by more than Matt Zmijewski, the next stage, 3D shape recognition.” 3,200 acres of The shapes that Knutson and faculty scenic valleys, undergraduate, mentor Renat Sabirianov are focusing forests, and and David Scheer, on are weapons. upland prairie. graduate, were Knutson was a senior at Millard North Archae- employed as in 2011 when a shooting left Millard ologists have crew members South Assistant Principal Vickie Kas- worked in- on RWAP and par dead and Principal Curtis Chase termittently also completed wounded. Knutson, who by then had requirements for advanced beyond high school math, within both the Red Willow an independent had enrolled in calculus-based physics studies course. at UNO with Sabirianov and so inspira- and neighbor- Students who tion met opportunity. ing Medicine Creek valleys since the Knutson, now a math major and 1940s. Most of these previous investi- participate in the RWAP learn about physics minor, has earned support gations have been carried out as earth identifying archaeological sites, sys- from UNO’s FUSE program as well as moving machines circled their excava- tematic collection of artifacts and fi eld the NASA Nebraska Space grant. He tions and lake waters began to rise. data, excavation methods, global posi- has spoken with Congressman Lee Four years ago the reservoir was tioning systems (GPS), site mapping, Terry about federal funding and is in- drawn down to twenty percent of its and lab methods. This summer they vestigating those possibilities. capacity in order to modify the earth- conducted small scale excavations to The Omaha Police Department help assess the scientifi c potential of Crime Lab, who catalog all weapons en-core dam. Consequently, archaeologists have recently focused upon three prehistoric sites for the Bureau of used in crimes have shared those im- Reclamation. In the near future, these ages with Knutson, greatly expanding investigating a number of known pre- prehistoric localities will be submerged the library his software depends on. historic sites before they go back under Additionally, a company that provides water. once again beneath the waters of Red the Transportation Safety Board with Since 2007, thirteen students from Willow Reservoir. This project has en- baggage scanners has given Knutson the University of Nebraska have either abled us not only to learn more about access to their 3D images for use in de- been employed on RWAP or have tak- Nebraska’s past but also to provide an veloping and testing the 3D software. en a fi eld course while learning about opportunity for university students to In Knutson’s shape recognition archaeology fi rsthand. Federal legisla- experience archaeological fi eld work system, the computer identifi es the tion requires that archaeologists carry fi rst hand. weapon, rather than an attendant, so out intensive surveys to locate cultural Dr. Alan J. Osborn is an assistant professor of no violation of privacy occurs and no anthropology He also holds an academic ap- attendant needs to be paid. resources on all public lands – particu- pointment at the Midwest Archeological Center Knutson calls graduate school “a larly those that are to undergo devel- (National Park Service) and serves as Curator possibility,” but for now his focus is on opment including dams, irrigation sys- of Anthropology and director of the Nebraska completing a weapon detection system tems, highways, and airports. Archaeological Survey at the University of Ne- braska State Museum. that schools can both afford and imple- Since the 1970s, archaeologists ment. 10 Kahn Professorship

Tapprich awarded Sophie and Professorship honors courage, generosity, Feodora Kahn Professorship industry underpinning lifetime of learning

A gift from the Kahn Family Founda- keted by UpJohn as Rogaine. After a tion honors family matriarchs Feodora legal battle, Kahn and Grant received and Sophie Kahn who brought their royalties and credit on the patent. families out of Nazi Germany in 1938 According to Howard Cohen from the to build a new life in Nebraska. The Miami Herald (9/24/2014) “The windfall risks they took and the sacrifi ces they didn’t change Kahn. He didn’t upgrade made provided the next generation a his aging Chevrolet Caprice. Or leave good life and a good education. his medical practice.” Michelle Kahn, Sophie’s grand- Guinter Kahn carried on with the val- daughter, writes, “My dad was born a ues he had learned from Aunt Feo and Jew in Nazi Germany in 1934 into a his mother, Sophie. In addition to rec- A successful department chair is fac- family of cattle dealers, none of whom ognition for his philanthropic ventures ulty advocate, fi scal manager, staff had more than an eighth grade educa- in Miami and other places around the supervisor, report-writing maniac, and tion. They wworld, he was recognized for his gen- visionary who can lead the faculty in lived in an eerous support to UNO in 2006 when their teaching, research, and outreach. apartment tthe university named the library addi- It is the exceptional professor who can above ttion in his honor. be such a successful administrator and the cattle Kahn be a leader by example as an active barn.... loloved learn- researcher and innovative teacher. Bill it was my iingn and was Tapprich was recently honored as the great-aunt ppassionate Sophie and Feodora Kahn Professor of Feo who aabout edu- Biology for achieving it all. made it ccation his Tapprich, Chair of Biology for ten possible eentire life. years, is committed to the student re- for almost MMichelle search experience. He notes, “It has the entire Kahn family to fl ee perse- aadds, “Even been my pleasure to work with hun- cution in their homeland on one of aafter earning dreds of undergraduate research stu- the last transports before the Ger- hhis medical dents in my 24 years at UNO. These man borders were closed in 1939. ddegree and include biotechnology interns, inde- She unabashedly asked her uncle, an honorary pendent research students, FUSE stu- David Kaufman, who lived in Grand Is- doctorate, and gaining international dents, UNO-UNMC Biotechnology-Bio- land Nebraska, to sponsor 80 families recognition for discovering Rogaine, medical Research Training Program to come to America....” he still wanted to learn more. Until his students, and Scholars in the IDeA According to Michelle, a pregnant stroke, he could be found reading the Network for Biomedical Research Ex- Sophie determined her family would latest research in the library every Sun- cellence program.” emigrate when her husband was jailed day.” Tapprich has also developed a for punching a man “who yelled a racial Speaking of Great Aunt Feodora and Course-Based Undergraduate Re- slur at him.” “Oma Sophie took it upon Oma Sophie, Michelle says, “I like to search Experience (CURE) in which herself to smuggle money out of Ger- think that had they been born a gen- students discover viruses in area wa- many in her unmentionables in order to eration later and under different cir- ter samples. The plan is to incorporate start a new life a world away.” cumstances, they would have availed this research even in fi rst-year cours- Michelle’s dad, Sophie’s son, Guint- themselves of an education here too. es. Tapprich explains, “The goal is to er Kahn fl ourished in the new life, de- Their hard work and ingenuity gave engage students in research as soon spite the language challenge, fi nishing my dad the opportunity to become as as possible. Studies show substantial high school in three years and his un- successful as he was. I hope with this learning gains among students who dergraduate degree in biology at UNO professorship in Biology, the Kahn fam- complete CUREs early in their career.” in another three. Kahn graduated from ily helps to inspire the future genera- Tapprich, “humbled” by the recent UNMC in 1958 and did his residency at tions of doctors, scientists and teach- award of the Kahn professorship, is the University of Miami. ers to love and appreciate the value quick to point out that his department’s In the 1960s when Kahn was head of a lifetime of learning and education. overall success is due to the talented of the University of Colorado’s derma- Sophie and Feodora would have been faculty he serves. Other recent STEM tology department, he and his medical very proud of having this professorship initiatives in the news include the re- assistant Dr. Paul Grant began devel- named for them, and I can think of no search and education facility at Glacier oping a topical solution for hair growth one more deserving of this honor than Creek Preserve and NE STEM 4U. known as monoxidil, eventually mar- these two women.” Retrospective: Brooks Legacy 11 Science Education, life and legacy of “Doc” Brooks Merle Brooks’ passion for education had its roots in his child- hood on the family farm in Missouri. His father, who was also a school teacher and minister, and his mother encouraged their children to pursue an education. After World War II and four years in the Army, Brooks earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology at Emporia State Teacher’s College. In 1956, he earned his PhD in Biology from the University of Boulder at Colorado. While teaching at Emporia State and long before the world had heard of STEM, Brooks and colleague Dr. Wel- don Baker studied the preparation of high school science teachers in Kansas and found that most science teachers had little training in the sciences, resulting in high school “Doc” Brooks with a group of students drawing water samples students getting an insuffi cient science education. on a trip to Allwine Prairie in 1963. Limnology, or the study of Shortly after the National Science Foundation was created freshwater biology, was one of Brooks’ areas of interest. by Congress in 1957, Dr. Brooks secured funding for the fi rst both going on to earn PhDs in Biology. Brooks’ son Loel also NSF Institute for Science Teachers. Under his direction, the studied Biology at UNO but chose a different path, earning a institute at Emporia gained national recognition. bachelor’s degree in History and his Juris Doctorate. In 1959, Dr. Brooks brought the institute to the University of Merle Brooks retired in 1978 and lived in Omaha until he Nebraska at Omaha. Hundreds of science and math teach- died in 1996. To honor his life-long commitment to science ers attended the institute and passed on what they learned education, Brooks’ wife of fi fty-fi ve years, Blanche, together to thousands of students. Brooks also worked in support of with his two sons and Dr. Hoham established the “The Dr. the National Science Fair, the Visiting Scientist Program of Merle E. Brooks Academic Achievement Award in Biology the Nebraska Academy of Sciences, and the Outstanding and/or Science Education.” Biology Teacher of Nebraska. The income from this endowment is used for awards to At UNO, Brooks taught general botany, limnology, plant outstanding undergraduate or graduate students in the De- anatomy, morphology and physiology. His dedication to partments of Biology or Teacher Education, who have a de- teacher preparation and biology inspired many students, sire to pursue a career in the area of plant sciences, limnol- among them Dr. Ron Hoham and son Dr. Kenton Brooks, ogy and/or teaching biological sciences at high school level. Budding plant scientists carry on Brooks Legacy Two Biology graduate students from Dr. Roxi Kellar’s lab are on academic achievement and career goals as opposed to the recipients of the 2014 Merle Brooks Achievement Award. research design and concept. For me, being recognized for Shelly Aust began working with Dr. Kellar as an under- my achievements and career goals only increases my pas- graduate and is continuing her study of plant biodiversity. sion for Biology and drives me to work harder to meet my In addition to maintaining a high GPA, she has made presentations at multiple professional conferences including the International Botany Conference in New Orleans. In service, Shelly has volunteered for Party for the Planet at Henry Doorly Zoo and leads Middle School fi eld trips at UNO’s Glacier Creek Preserve. She hopes to build a career in research and conservation. Like Shelly, Dakota Ahrendsen is working on plant biodiversity in Kellar’s lab. In addition to maintaining a high GPA and making presentations at professional conferences, Dakota has a peer reviewed abstract published in the pro- ceedings for the International Association for Research on Service Learning and Community Engagement. In service, Dakota is involved in NE STEM 4U and has volunteered for Party for the Planet, Collective for Youth, and Habitat for Humanity. Dakota is pursuing a teaching career at the uni- Photo by Chauncey Kellar versity level. She writes, “The Brooks award is one of few From left to right, Dr. Roxi Kellar, Aust, Ahrendsen enjoying Nio- aimed at graduate students with interests in plant sciences brara Valley Preserve where Kellar’s lab investigates the genetic or science education and it is refreshing that it is focused basis of biodiversity in plant species. 12 A&S Alums changing the world

minored in Chemistry. During her time here, she learned about student-run free clinics. She visited a number of free clinics to learn more and ultimately was able to convince government ofﬁ cials and university administrators in Pe- king to give health care based in compassion and volun- teerism a try. The Sunshine and Love Clinic opened in 2010 and today is run by hundreds of student volunteers. The clinic provides physical exams, diagnosis of minor ail- ments, and health proﬁ les for the poor. By spending time getting to know patients, volunteers are able to bridge both the economic and social divides between the poor and the medical community. Zha knows that this one clinic is just a small foothold on a very large mountain, but she continues her efforts to build the clinic as a model and to spread the word among faculty photo copyright Jon Gilbert Fox and students at every opportunity. Now a student at Geisel School of Medicine at Dart- mouth College, she told the News Center there, “Geisel has Zha takes on health care been really supportive of my efforts. For the past year, I’ve been able to take time off from my studies to organize and Mengyi Zha has found her life’s mission: to change health bring medical students from China to the U.S. to attend the care education and health care systems. She found her annual Society of Student-Run Free Clinics conference.” earliest inspiration growing up in Beijing where she be- Zha has also been awarded a fellowship from the Schwartz came aware of the large number of poor and homeless Center for Compassionate Health care. Zha’s project in- people who had no access to health care. volves studying the local homeless population and looking After a semester as a pre-med student at Peking Uni- for ways to better serve them, with the ultimate goal of in- versity, Zha came to UNO where she majored in math and corporating what is learned into Geisel’s curriculum. Internationally renowned physi- cist, astronomer Penny Sackett, one of UNO’s brightest stars

When this former Chief Scientist for Australia was but a physics and math major at UNO in the 1970s, her mother suggested that she also get certifi ed to teach. “She wanted me, she said, to have something to ‘fall back on’ just in case. Just in case, well, in case the physics and math didn’t work out.” Her study of physics and math served her well in her graduate studies in theoretical physics at the University of Pittsburgh. After fi fteen years of teaching and research at Pittsburgh, she took a post as assistant professor at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute at the University of Gronin- gen in the Netherlands. There she assembled an international team of 73 as- tronomers known as PLANET (Probing Lensing Anomalies NETwork) that used microlensing to search for planets. In 2005, the team discovered the planet OGLE-2005-BLG- 390Lb. The discovery was remarkable as this planet was the smallest planet ever discovered outside our solar system, circling a star 20,000 light years away in the center of the world-famous, 78-year-old observatory and its fi ve tele- the Milky Way. scopes, Sackett led not just a rebuilding but a signifi cant Sackett’s next move was to Australia to become di- revision to the facility which included placement of a new rector of the Australian National University (ANU) School telescope in an area less subject to light pollution and enter- of Astronomy and Astrophysics, and of the Mount Stromlo ing into a partnership with a consortium of universities and and Siding Spring Observatories. After wildfi res destroyed institutes to build the proposed Giant Magellan Telescope, a A&S Student Awards and Achievements 13 telescope many times more powerful than any existing in the world today. In her next post, as Chief Scientist for Australia from 2008 to 2011, Sack- ett provided independent advice to the Australian government on matters of science and innovation and was a vocal champion of evidenced-based decision-making. Today Sackett maintains an adjunct professorship at ANU and is an independent strategic advisor and facili- From left to right: Teng Li: Nathan Cornelius; Emily Divis; Brad Horner; Harrison LeFrois and Brandon Kirk. tator serving corporate, government and not-for-profi t sectors in Australia Math Team in top 10% in North America and abroad. UNO’s Putnam team placed 49th out of 557 competing institutions from across Sackett has served on various in- the United States and Canada, good enough to be among the top 10 percent of ternational boards, including that of participating North American schools. The result is the school’s best fi nish ever the Giant Magellan Telescope, and in the Putnam Competition, besting its previous high fi nish of 67th (out of 476) in the Association of Universities for 2002 which placed UNO in the top 15%. Research in Astronomy, a body that This year’s competitors include Teng Li, Brad Horner, Isaac Anderson, Em- governs large astronomical centers, ily Divis, Brandon Kirk, Nathan Cornelius and Harrison LeFrois. Individually, Li including the Hubble Space Tele- placed in the top 10 percent of North America and Horner in the top 15 percent. scope Science Institute. For her con- Anderson, Divis and Kirk—a freshman—placed in the top third of the competi- tributions and service to astronomy, tion. Sackett was awarded an international “This is huge,” said Dr. Griff Elder, the Maurice and Nancy Lipton Professor fellowship in the Royal Astronomical of Mathematics at UNO. “There is a tremendous amount of street credibility that Society. comes with such a high fi nish.” Sackett was most recently hon- Elder, who helped supervise a study group for the competition, added, “UNO ored by the UNO Alumni Association is in the midst of a mathematical surge, and it shows with our graduates. Recent Alumni Achievement Citation and by students have headed to schools like Cornell for a Ph.D. and have accepted the College of Arts & Sciences Out- jobs at Google and the like.” standing Alumni Award and gracious- ly agreed to give the charge to gradu- Outstanding Undergraduate Achievement Awards 2014 ates at the 2014 Arts & Sciences Spring Commencement. Krista Apa Teng Li As for her mother’s fallback plan, Psychology Mathematics Sackett shared with A&S graduates Sara Ausdemore Sanjaunita Murguia that although she had never used her Sociology Latino/Latin American Studies teaching certifi cate, she valued the Derek Benson Samuel Nath skills she acquired through that edu- Foreign Languages – French Geography cation. Michael Boylan Andrew Neville Sackett pointed out that, “A de- Physics Chemistry gree in Arts and Sciences does not so Erin Burkett Benadette Ngamelue much certify you to make a living in English/Language Studies Biotechnology a given fi eld, as give you a language Natalie Christiansen Chelsea Rose with which to make a life in a new land Foreign Languages – Spanish Psychology of discovery and contribution. Benjamin Cleary James Sadowski The languages I learned at UNO -- Philosophy History and Political Science physics and mathematics -- have al- Delaney Farnsworth Nathaniel Schlagel lowed me to make small contributions English/American Literature Geology to our knowledge of the cosmos. Moussa Guira Erin Smith My life’s trajectory has allowed Environmental Studies – Earth Science International Studies me to act as a translator between the Tyler Herek Emily Sunde worlds of science and politics. Biology English/Creative Nonfi ction What seemingly disparate worlds Ian Jones Zoe Yohn will you bring together as you hone Religious Studies English/British-Irish Literature your translation skills? Evan Kenkel Austin Zigler This commencement is just the Foreign Languages - German Environmental Studies – Life Sciences beginning of a lifetime of learning lan- Honorees selected by major departments must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.33 and are selected on the basis of academic achievement in addition to their contributions to the university and the community. guages.” 14 Awards all around

A&S students dominate 2014 student honors

Helen Hansen Outstanding Graduate Scholarships Award-winning books were awarded to Daniel Harris and Pat- rick Mainelli. Harris is a doctoral student in Industrial/Organizational Psychol- from our faculty ogy whose current research interests include creativity, personality, leadership, and ideological organizations. He plans Marching into Dark- to develop a research program that fo- ness : the Wehrmacht cuses on malevolence and dysfunction, and the Holocaust in such as malevolent creativity, destructive Belarus by History Pro- leadership, dysfunctional organizational fessor Waitman Beorn, cultures, and terrorism. He received a Terrorism Research explores the role of the Award from START, a consortium that focuses on the study ordinary German soldier in of terrorism and responses to terrorism. the Holocaust. Winner of the Patrick Mainelli is a graduate student Harvard University Press Wil- in English with a talent for teaching son Prize. “With a level of detail and writing. As a graduate teaching that is chilling to the bone, . . . assistant for two English composition Marching into Darkness convinc- classes, Patrick is responsible for devel- ingly shows how and why these oping lessons, assignments and exer- atrocities could occur.” Karel Berhoff cises that enhance students’ growth and knowledge in the subject. What the Riverr CCarries:arries: Encoun-Encoun- An Outstanding Student Athlete ters with the MMissippi,issipi pi, Award was presented to Melanie Mc- Missouri, andd Cormick, a graduating senior majoring Platte by Eng-- in biology and minoring in chemistry. lish Professor Lisasa These awards are presented to student Knopp, winner ofof athletes on the basis of academic and a Nebraska BookBook athletic achievement in addition to their Award and Honorableorable contributions to the university and com- Mention from thehe As-As- munity. sociation for the StudyStudy ofof Literature and thee Environ-Environ- The Senior Vice Chancellor’s Award ment. “What thiss boobookk cacar-r- for Outstanding Leadership recogniz- ries? Majesty. Knowledge.Knowledge. es an undergraduate student for exem- Inspiriation.” Katherineerine Fischer.Fischer. plary leadership through inﬂ uential par- ticipation in campus organizations and community volunteer work, in addition to scholarly achievement. Martha Span- Daddy Long Legs: the Natural Education of Fa- gler, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts therther by EEnglishngli Professor John in Sociology and a minor in Spanish was PriPrice.c 2013 Midwestern also the student body president/regent Connections Book for the 2013–2014 academic year. Pick. “If David Se- daris and Annie Dil- Outstanding Dean’s Scholar for Arts & Sciences went lalard had a literary love to Andrew Neville. A dual major in chemistry and biotech- cchildh and raised him in nology, Neville was recognized not only IowIowa,a he would write like for academic achievement but also his thithis.”—s.”—The Iowan “This contributions to the university and the ggentle,entle, ingenuous, and funny community. Among his scholarships mmemoiremoir ofo a ﬂ awed father is is the Schultz Collegiate Scholarship as MidwesternMidwes as the Loess awarded by the Nebraska Academy of Hills,Hills, and asas universal as family Sciences. His long list of volunteer ac- itself.”itself.” RobertRobert Michael Pyle. tivities includes Habitat for Humanity, the American Red Cross, the University of Nebraska Medical Center, and Lydia House. Faculty Awards 15

A&S Faculty Awards McCarty receives Reiter-Palmon earns Dr. Randy Adkins, UNO Teaching Award UNO Research Award Professor and John McCarty, Professor of Biology and Roni Reiter-Palmon, Professor of Psy- Chair of Political Director of the Enviromental Studies chology, was recognized by the UNO Excellence in Research Award for Science, was hon- Program, (photo below) was awarded ored for excel- 2014 (photo below). Reiter-Palmon the UNO Excellence in Teaching Award has worked with many different orga- lence in reserach. for 2014. “Dr. McCarty is an outstand- In a letter of sup- nizations and government agencies, ing professor. He is patient, focused, port, Dr. Richard bringing not only recognition to UNO J. Powell, Direc- and driven to help students succeed but also many research, internship, tor, University of even beyond his classroom,” writes and employment opportunities for her Maine Institute for one student, and that sentiment is evi- students, seventy plus publications, Leadership and Democracy, and As- dent in each additional letter of support. and roughly fi ve million in grants. sociate Professor of Political Science “Dr. McCarty is an engaging and Among Reiter-Palmon’s numerous writes, “Randy’s work has been espe- thought-provoking lecturer who is other titles, are Editor of Pscyhology of cially infl uential in shaping how politi- clearly passionate about his subject Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, an APA publication, and Director of Re- cal scientists have come to understand material,” adds another and another the impact of the early stages of presi- search for UNO’s Center for Collabora- and another. tion Science. dential nomination campaigns. Randy All the letters speak to McCarty’s has been one of the primary scholars Dr. James Kaufman, Director of the continuing infl uence in the lives of his responsible for transforming the fi eld Learning Research Institute at Califor- by applying sophisticated quantitative students. “Dr. McCarty not only helped nia State University, San Bernandino, methods to the study.” to shape my knowledge and abilities as writes, “She’s the kind of scholar and Two of Foreign Language’s Finest I completed my undergraduate educa- leader who raises the quality and pro- were honored for excellence in teach- tion, but he helped to shape my entire duction of everyone around her. She is ing, Drs. Claudia Garcia, Associate life and future.” a research powerhouse, a generous mentor, and an academic leader.” Professor of Spanish, and Gwyneth Cliver, Associate Professor of German (photo right). Garcia’s supporters write of her “deep commitment” and “enthusiasm” both in UNO classrooms and outreach efforts. “She exudes and exacts excellence.” “Due to her, I be- came aware of my full potential … she turned me into the person I am today.” Cliver’s students write of her “passion” and “dedication,” each one applaud- ing her availability outside of class for individual help. “It wasn’t until I took courses with Frau Cliver, that I was fi - nally learning the language and not just memorizing it.” Robert H. Woody, PhD, ScD, JD, Professor of Psychology, was honored for 40 years of professional and com- Rose Strasser, John McCarty, Roni Reiter-Palmon, Claudia Garcia, and Gwyneth Cliver pose with munity service. Regarding his service Dean David Boocker at the Faculty Honors Convocation to the profession Dr. Steven Walfi sh, President, APA Strasser earns Outstanding Faculty Service-Learning Award Psychologists in In- Rose Strasser, Associate Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience, (photo dependent Practice above) was recognized by the Outstanding Faculty Service-Learning Award for writes, “Wherever 2014 for her incorporation of service to the Nebraska Humane Society, the Henry Bob Woody goes, Doorly Zoo, and area schools into the classes she teaches. he brings with him Strasser’s learning laboratory students interacted with area high school stu- his attitude of ‘How dents to develop clicker training strategies for dogs at the Nebraska Humane can I be helpful?’ Society. In her Animal Behavior Laboratory class, her students partnered with the What I especially Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo and K-12 grade students to apply behavioral observa- appreciate about tion skills to answer questions posed by zoo staff regarding specifi c behaviors of Dr. Woody is that captive animals. he backs up this attitude with action of Strasser has also been awarded the Excellence in Community-Based Teaching the highest caliber.” & Scholarship Award by the Campus Compact Heartland Conference. 16 UNO’s Grande Dame gets $1.4 mil facelift

Shaking off the cherry pickers, yellow tape, and scaffolding she has suffered for the last eleven months, Arts & Sciences Hall stands ready for another 75 years.

Remodeling included repair and reﬁ nishing of the long-absent weather vane, wood trim and brick repair, paint, a new roof, and 299 new windows! 17 1938

Arts and Sciences Hall is the original building on the Dodge Street campus and was dedicated in 1938. Many opposed the “west Dodge” location at the time as they feared the municipal university would become a school for “the children of millionaires.” The Omaha World-Herald was among the infl uential voices that called for locating the school nearer to downtown and the working class. In their response to this argument, the Regents pointed out that the cost of the land at the western edge of town was signifi cantly less than land near downtown. Residents of Fairacres, the neighborhood just west of the proposed Dodge location, expressed concern that their neighborhood would “degenerate into fraternity houses, sorority houses, boarding houses, confectionery stores, small supply houses, saloons, soft drink parlors, and such places.” The controversy was fi nally settled by an unexpected grant of $414,000 from the Public Works Administration. The grant required short deadlines that forced a decision in favor of the Dodge street location. There were rumors that the grant was engineered by FDR himself, in part a response to the World-Herald’s criticism of The New Deal. Frank Latenser of Omaha designed Arts & Sciences Hall. The architectural fi rm of John Latenser & Sons, established 1886, in fact, designed many of early Omaha’s buildings including the Douglas County Courthouse and Central High School, not to mention a few buildings down the road such as Memorial Stadium. The building’s thermos bottle construction and innovative heating and cooling systems were state-of-the-art and earned then Municipal University of Omaha national atten- tion including mention in the New York Times. For the Regents and the Omaha Community, construction of the building ended a twenty-year struggle to secure a campus with room for expansion and to earn accreditation from the North Central Associa- tion. For more information about UNO’s history, please see A History of The University of Ne- braska at Omaha 1908-1983 by Tommy Thompson, Emeritus Professor of History. 18

Ripples of inspiration At an international symposium on the Cru- sades in St. Louis, Professor Adrian Boas, the keynote speaker, author of a number of books on the Crusades and Archaeol- ogy, was so impressed by the enthusiasm of Martina Saltamacchia’s students that he offered to pay for their food and lodging to work on his excavation at Montfort Castle, a crusader castle in Israel’s northern Galilee. (See story page 5.) In the photo, left to right, are history majors Matthew Kennedy, Derek Benson and Shane Cavlovic at the dig. Our thanks go out to Dr. Boaz as well as our many donors who support our students Photo courtesy of Shane Cavlovic in their learning and research adventures each year through generous gifts to the I wish to donate to the College of Arts & Science Excellence Fund. College of Arts & Sciences Fund for Excel- lence. Name______If you would like to be part of the fun, please complete and mail the form at left to Address ______City______State_____Zip______the following address:

Phone ______Email______College of Arts & Sciences University of Nebraska at Omaha I am paying by: _____ check payable to UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA FOUNDATION 6001 Dodge Street Omaha, NE 68182-0013

I am paying by credit card: ____Visa____MasterCard____Discover____American Express or, for other ways to give, contact Card Number______Exp. Date______Mary Bernier Cardholder’s Signature______402-502-4108 direct 800-432-3216 toll free Amount [email protected]