January 2012 CURRICULUM VITAE
Donna I. M. Spraggon Department of Resource Economics 208C Stockbridge Hall 80 Campus Center Way University of Massachusetts, Amherst MA 01003 Office: (413) 545‐5712 Fax: (413) 545‐5853
EDUCATION
Joint Ph.D. in Educational Studies (Policy & Leadership), 2002‐2006 Completed courses and comprehensive examination (July 2005) Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario
Ph.D. in Mathematics, 1998‐2001 Completed courses and written comprehensive examinations · Real Analysis and Complex Analysis (August 1999) · Algebra and Number Theory (December 2000) McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario
M.Sc. in Mathematics, 1998 McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario Thesis: “The Influence of Klein’s Erlangen Program” · Supervisor: Professor Gregory H. Moore · Completed: August 1998
B.Sc. in Mathematics (Specialized Honours), 1996 University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario Emphasis: Pure Mathematics Minor: Statistics
AWARDS
GRANTS · University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass Amherst), MSP Computer Funds ($1,000), September 2009 · UMass Amherst, Research Support Fund (MSP) ($800), February 2010 · UMass Amherst, Flex Grant for Teaching/Faculty Development (MSP) ($500), February 2010
SCHOLARSHIPS · Joint Ph.D. Scholarship, Brock University, 2002‐2005 · National Science and Engineering Council (NSERC) PGS‐B Scholarship, Canada, 1999‐2001 · Departmental Fellowships, McMaster University, 1996‐1999
TRAVEL AWARDS · Faculty of Education and Graduate Studies (Brock University) for CSSE 2004, May 2004 · Canadian Mathematical Society for the MATH 2000 Meetings, June 2000 · Graduate Students Association (McMaster University) for the Midwest Conference on the History of Mathematics, October 1998 C.V. Donna I. M. Spraggon January 2012
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCE ECONOMICS, UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS, Amherst, MA. January 2010 to present Lecturer and Chief Undergraduate Advisor Faculty position responsible for large statistics lecture and advising of all Resource Economics majors. Liaise with the Isenberg Undergraduate Programs Office. January 2009 to December 2009 Chief Undergraduate Advisor – Contract Position This position was created to address the recent influx of undergraduate students to the major. Revised Undergraduate Advising Model: The undergraduate advising model had become inefficient for faculty and students. The department had grown substantially and the use of faculty as the only resource for advising was impractical. I engaged the faculty and staff in a discovery process that lead to five options for a revised undergraduate model. Faculty feedback indicated a strong preference for one of these options. In 2009, steps were taken to move the department in this new direction of advising (see Managing Incoming Students below) Managing Incoming Students: · Developed “So, you want to be a Resource Economics Major?” website and online Statement of Interest to educate prospective students about Resource Economics and the demands of the program. Students can then indicate interest in the program online and give consent for the department to look at their academic records. · Interested students are then invited to a Group Information Session where the Undergraduate Program Director, the Undergraduate Secretary and I introduce them to the program. These sessions were mandatory if students want to become a Resource Economics Major. · Having attended the Group Information Session, students and I met during an individual advising meeting during which we sign them into the major and created a plan to encourage success in completing the Resource Economics Program. Students will be returning each semester to ensure that they are on track. Student Learning Outcomes Assessment As part of the re‐accreditation by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), the Department of Resource Economics participated in a student learning outcomes assessment. The Department Chair, Dr. Julie Caswell, and I evaluated the department’s curriculum and feedback using guidelines provided by the Office of Academic Planning and Assessment. A detailed plan for a curriculum review and goals for student learning outcome were defined. UMass Reorganization: Resource Economics to Isenberg School of Management Provided consultation on merger details concerning undergraduate studies along with the Undergraduate Program Director, Dr. Bernie Morzuch. Provided data support to merger team. January to May 2009 Adjunct Lecturer — Introductory Statistics for the Social Sciences[ResEc212] January to May 2007 Adjunct Lecturer — Introductory Statistics for the Social Sciences[ResEc212] This course provides an introduction to basic statistical methods used to collect, summarize, and analyze numerical data. Emphasis is on application to decision making with examples from the social sciences. Topics include: common statistical notation, elementary probability theory, sampling, descriptive statistics, statistical estimation and hypothesis testing. When students complete this course we want them to have a working understanding of the methods and skills used to organize data, conduct meaningful analysis and draw inferences from the data. 2
C.V. Donna I. M. Spraggon January 2012
DR. RENEE P. KUCHAPSKI, FACULTY OF EDUCATION, BROCK UNIVERSITY, St. Catharines, Ontario. September 2003 to May 2006 Research Assistant Reviewed all available websites for Ontario Boards of Education and conducted literature searches on aboriginal governance of education in Canada. Responsible for the collection and analysis of data relevant to Dr. Kuchapski’s research on accountability and access in public education. Also assisted in the teaching of a Master’s level research methods course via distance using Smartroom technology.
DR. J. SPRAGGON, SSHRC GRANT, DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMICS, LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, Thunder Bay, Ontario September 2002 to May 2006 Research Assistant Provide support for economic experiments at Lakehead University. Includes conducting literature searches, recruiting students, supervising experiments and completing financial transactions.
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, LEARNING AND COMMUNICATION TASK FORCE, LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, Thunder Bay, Ontario January to March 2005 Co‐author and statistical consultant Conducted statistical analysis on results of informal survey designed and distributed by the Northern Aboriginal Education Circle. Provided, along with co‐authors Dr. A. Bowd and Dr. R. Slipperjack‐Farrell, an independent review and analysis of the survey and the collected data. Recommendations were made for future surveys.
DR. J. ZAMPARO, CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, MENTAL HEALTH TASK FORCE, NUNAVUT. RESEARCH WORK DONE AT LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, Thunder Bay, Ontario. September 2003 to January 2005 (Volunteer capacity from January 2004 to January 2005) Research Assistant Conducted a thorough literature search and analysis on intersectoral, multidiscipline and cross‐sectional best practices in mental health promotion and suicide prevention for youths. Particular emphasis was given to Aboriginal and Inuit. A web‐based database of programs was compiled. Analysis of governmental documents from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States was conducted.
CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE FOR CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS, LEARNING AND COMMUNICATION TASK FORCE, LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, Thunder Bay, Ontario May 2002 to May 2003 Research Assistant Conducted literature searches and analysis for Dr. A. Bowd on topics relevant to children and adolescents in northern rural and remote communities including gifted and talented and attention and behaviour difficulties. Provided editorial support for Dr. Bowd’s report on gifted and talented youth as well as authoring an annotated bibliography on attention and behaviour difficulties.
FACULTY OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY, Thunder Bay, Ontario January 2001 to April 2002 Sessional Lecturer — Quantitative Analysis in Management This course provides introductory statistics to business and economics majors. The practical orientation of this course should help students relate statistics to real‐life problems.
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C.V. Donna I. M. Spraggon January 2012
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS & VENTURES, CONFEDERATION COLLEGE, Thunder Bay, Ontario January 2002 to May 2002 Sessional Lecturer — Statistics for International Marketing This course introduces students to basic processes and approaches associated with forecasting in international marketing. They examine a wide range of statistical concepts including the use of statistics in business, data collection and presentation, probability, correlation analysis, simple and multiple regression, time‐series analysis and forecasting. September 2001 to December 2001 Sessional Lecturer — Quantitative Methods This course is an introduction to statistics. Organization and presentation of data in charts, measures of central tendency, standard deviations, probabilities, sampling, estimation, regression, time‐series, linear programming and tests of hypotheses are thoroughly investigated.
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS, MCMASTER UNIVERSITY, Hamilton, Ontario Summer 1997 Instructor — Calculus for Business and Social Science This course provided a comprehensive investigation of the theory and applications of the techniques of calculus such as sequences and series, differentiation, integration, graphing, and multi‐variable calculus. Fall 1996 – Winter 1999 Teaching Assistant for first‐ and second‐year mathematics courses.
DEPARTMENT OF MATHEMATICS & STATISTICS, UNIVERSITY OF GUELPH, Guelph, Ontario Fall 1993 – Spring 1996 Mathematics Lab Tutor Fall 1995 Teaching Assistant — Differential Equations
PUBLISHED PAPERS
Spraggon, D., 2011. “Think Before You Tweet: Social Media Best Practices for Undergraduate Business Schools.”, UMass Amherst, Department of Resource Economics Working Paper Series, Number 2011‐1.
Bowd, A., Slipperjack‐Farrell, R. & D. Spraggon, 2005, A report on the literacy and numeracy survey conducted by the Northern Aboriginal Education Circle. Centre of Excellence for Children & Adolescents with Special Needs.
Spraggon, D. & J. Zamparo, 2005, Echoes and reflections program database: A companion document of best practices in Inuit mental health. Centre of Excellence for Children & Adolescents with Special Needs, Available at http://www.coespecialneeds.ca/PDF/echoesdatabase.pdf
Zamparo, J. & D. Spraggon, 2005, Echoes and reflections: A discussion of best practices in Inuit mental health. Centre of Excellence for Children & Adolescents with Special Needs. Available at http://www.coespecialneeds.ca/PDF/echoes&reflectionsreport.pdf
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C.V. Donna I. M. Spraggon January 2012
Spraggon, D., 2004, “Alpha She‐Wolves: Female Administrators in Higher Education.” Women in Higher Education, 13(8), 21‐22.
Spraggon, D., 2003, Attention and behaviour difficulties: An annotated bibliography with a focus on northern youth. Centre of Excellence for Children & Adolescents with Special Needs.
Wright, C. S., R. T. Barth, & D. I. Spraggon, 2003, “Scale‐economies in University Costs: An Analysis of BC Cost/Output Data.” In Azondekon, S. H. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the Administrative Sciences Association of Canada, Management Science Division, 24(2), 95‐107.
Spraggon, D., 2001, “Felix Klein’s Erlanger Programm and Its Influence.” The Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics Proceedings June 2000, ed. M. Kinyon.
Spraggon, D., 1999, “Felix Klein’s Erlanger Programm and Its Influence.” Combined Proceedings for the Sixth and Seventh Midwest History of Mathematics Conferences, ed. D. Curtin, D. Otero and J.D. Wine.
Spraggon, D., 1998, The Influence of Klein’s Erlangen Program, Thesis for the Degree Master of Science (Hamilton, Ontario: McMaster).
SEMINAR AND CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
July 24, 2011—“Life is Full of Choices: An examination of student choices of Resource Economics as their major, or not”, (Spraggon, D. & D. Lass), 2011 American Agricultural Economics Association Annual Meeting, Teaching, Learning & Communication Session, Pittsburgh, PA.
May 4, 2007 — SchoolPad presentation to the Tablet PC Community of Practice Meeting, UMass‐Amherst, MA.
May 31, 2004 — “Attempting to Analyse the Efficacy of the Maclean’s University Rankings”, CSSE 2004, Canadian Educational Research Association, Winnipeg, MB.
March 21, 2003 — “2+2=5: Issues of Numeracy in the North”, Promising Practices in the North, Centre of Excellence for Children & Adolescents with Special Needs, Thunder Bay, ON.
June 11, 2000 — “Felix Klein’s Erlanger Programm and its Influence”, Math 2000, Canadian Mathematical Society and the Canadian Society for the History and Philosophy of Mathematics, McMaster University.
November 12, 1998 — “Hypatia: First Woman of Mathematics”, Graduate Student Seminar, McMaster University.
October 4, 1998 — “Felix Klein’s Erlanger Programm and its Influence”, Midwest Conference on the History of Mathematics, Iowa State University.
December 6, 1997 — “Felix Klein and his Erlanger Programm”, Graduate Student Seminar, McMaster University.
March 17, 1997 — “The Bishop – Gromov Inequality”, Differential Geometry Seminar, McMaster University.
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C.V. Donna I. M. Spraggon January 2012
COMMITTEES
UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
UNIVERSITY WIDE
Member of UMass Academics & Records Committee (CAR), UMass, Spring 2011–present
Member of UMass‐Amherst Committee on Advising Technology (CAT), 2010‐‐present
Member of UMass Undergraduate Advising Network, 2009‐present
ISENBERG SCHOOL OF MANAGEMENT
Member of Isenberg Scholarship Committee, Isenberg School of Management, UMass, 2010‐present
DEPARTMENT OF RESOURCE ECONOMICS
Member of Resource Economics Scholarship Committee, Department of Resource Economics, UMass, 2009‐ present
Member of Resource Economics Undergraduate Studies Committee, Department of Resource Economics, UMass, 2009‐present
OTHER INSTITUTIONS
Member of the Planning Committee for the Habitat for Humanity Dinner–Auction, Thunder Bay, 2001/2002.
Member of Subcommittee of the Research Committee for developing The Journal of Applied Business and Economics, Lakehead University, 2001/2002.
Representative for Mathematics Graduate Students Delegation, Mathematics & Statistics, McMaster University, 1998. Responsibilities: Met with graduate students and faculty to discuss graduate issues and concerns.
Member of the Liaison Committee, Mathematics & Statistics, McMaster University, 1998/1999. (Elected by peers and staff of the Department.) Responsibilities: Acted as a mediator for the Staff, Faculty and Graduate Students.
Member of the Senate Ad Hoc Search Committee for an Associate Dean of Graduate Studies (Science and Engineering), represented the Department of Mathematics & Statistics, McMaster University, Summer 1998. (Nominated to the committee by the Chair of the Mathematics & Statistics Department.)
Co‐Chair of the Health & Safety Committee, Mathematics & Statistics, McMaster University, 1997/1998. (Elected to chair by peers and staff of the Department.) Responsibilities: Attended meetings of the Health & Safety Council of McMaster University, conducted inspections of the offices controlled by the Department of Mathematics and Statistics offices and prepared a safety report for the Council.
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