November 30 2016 Volume 36 / Number 14 uicnews.uic.edu

For the community of the University of Illinois at Chicago Teaching excellence Honoring outstanding faculty / pgs. 6-7

Photo: Roberta Dupuis-Devlin

Former state Man receives Flames excel senate leader vision-restoring in NCAA grad 2 - student voice donates papers retinal implant success report 4 - campus news to UIC 10 - deaths 3 9 12 12 - sports Facebook / uicnews Twitter / uicnews YouTube / uicmedia Flickr / uicnews Instagram / thisisuic & uicamiridis 2 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016

By Jim Wydra — [email protected] Dezmond Mayfield wanted quality surveillance and control to explore the world through in aviation fuel systems. He the military after high school. also supervised the operation “Glad to say I was not disap- and servicing of fuel farms and pointed — the Navy gave me a equipment and trained and chance to get out and explore directed fire-fighting crews, fire the world and myself before I rescue teams, and damage attended college,” Mayfield control parties in fuel and lu- said. bricating oil spaces. Mayfield served in the U.S. Mayfield received the Navy Navy from 2008 to 2013 as an and Marine Corps Achieve- Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 2nd ment Medal twice during his Class. service. His duties included operat- Mayfield is a senior in histo- ing, maintaining and perform- ry with a minor in economics. ing organizational maintenance “I like the resources accessi- on aviation fueling and lubricat- ble for researching through “The Navy gave me a chance to get out and explore the world and myself before I attended college,” says Dezmond Mayfield. He served in the U.S. Navy from 2008 to 2013. ing oil systems on aircraft carri- UIC,” he said. “History course- ers and amphibious assault work has really pushed me to ships, and observing and en- reconsider how I use sources After graduation, Mayfield working within a labor union,” as a researcher, an organizer, a forcing handling safety precau- within the university, as well as plans to attend graduate school. he said. field representative, or in some tions and maintaining fuel in my day to day.” “Ideally, I’d like to see myself “I’m interested in positions legislative capacity.” Journal explores role of museums By Sarah J. Wotaszak

While graduate students in enfranchise or cel- “FWD: MUSEUMS the museum and exhibition ebrate minority studies program are busy com- communities, and IS A SPACE FOR pleting their theses and cap- the journal aims to CHALLENGING, stone projects, several are also illustrate these as- working with the Chica- sessments. The CRITIQUING AND go-based StepSister Press to first issue of the publish a new journal, Fwd: Mu- journal was re- REIMAGINING seums. leased in Septem- “This journal is definitely in- ber and can be MUSEUMS AND spired by our program, which is purchased on Am- OUR WORK WITHIN an interdisciplinary, critical mu- azon. seum exhibition studies pro- “The theme for THEM.” gram that has a focus on social Fwd: Museum’s justice,” said Sarita Hernandez, a next issue is ‘small’ — small staff variety of works, such as essays, second-year graduate student sizes, downsizing, small muse- artwork, reviews, creative writ- who edits and coordinates the ums, small spaces, feeling ing, designs, poetry, love letters journal. “Fwd: Museums is a small in a big space,” Hernan- and more. space for challenging, critiquing dez explained. The deadline for submis- and reimagining museums and In using art to explore how sions for the second issue is our work within them.” communities are excluded from January 5. The program puts an empha- or harmed by museum exhibi- For more information, visit Graduate students in museum and exhibition studies have launched tions, the journal acts as a plat- fwdmuseumsjournal.wordpress. sis on exploring the ways in a new journal, Fwd: Museums.­ which art in museums can dis- form to share stories through a com

Want to contribute a story? E-mail Christy Levy at [email protected] uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | November 30, 2016 3 Former Illinois Senate president donates papers to UIC By Carlos Sadovi — [email protected]

In the mid-1980s, Emil Jones Jr. was As a testament already a veteran member of the Illinois to Jones’s role as a General Assembly when he met a group mentor, his papers of community organizers on the Far include a photo- South Side that included a young man graph of him named Barack Obama. standing next to Jones, who would serve three de- Obama in the Oval cades in Springfield and rise to become Office. Underneath Senate president, recalls inviting Obama the photo is a note and the others to his district office to signed by Obama, help educate them on the world of poli- which reads: “To tics. Emil – I wouldn’t “I wanted to show them how things be in the Oval with- actually worked,” Jones said. “Obama was out you, my friend!” just a pushy young man. I took a liking to While some him but he was very naïve as related to might consider that elected officials.” role a pinnacle of Jones, who retired from politics in their career, Jones’s 2009, is donating his papers from his proudest moment long political career to UIC, where they was when he will be housed in the Special Collections helped impover- and University Archives at UIC’s Richard ished schools get Former Illinois Senate president Emil Jones Jr. is donating his papers from his long political career to UIC. They J. Daley Library. their proper share are housed in the Daley Library. ­(Photo: Vibhu S. Rangavasan) UIC officials announced Jones’s gift of funding. Federal Monday during a reception. funds that should have gone to schools more interest in UIC by the research such as the visit of South African an- The papers contain more than 50 lin- with high poverty rates were instead community and by potential students. ti-apartheid revolutionary and politician ear feet of documents, photographs and being diverted to general state aid cof- “I felt the papers would be a way for Nelson Mandela, meetings with Fidel memorabilia. Among the items are pho- fers. He sponsored a bill that eventually more folks to get involved with the uni- Castro during a trade trip to Cuba with tos and correspondence from his time returned the money to the schools that versity,” Jones said. “I come from Chicago, Illinois Gov. George Ryan, and meetings serving as a mentor to the future presi- needed them the most. I did a lot of things to aid and assist it in with other presidents such as Bill Clin- dent. “Teachers used to tell me that they my legislative career…the University of ton. They also include more private me- “One day he came by to see me and had to spend money out of their own Illinois at Chicago is a perfect place for mentos of Jones’s life and family. he said, ‘I enjoy this work, but I always pocket to aid and assist students. I said, them.” “The papers of Senator Emil Jones Jr., wanted to be a lawyer, and I’m thinking ‘That’s ridiculous,’ because we are send- Along with the Daley papers, the Spe- are a rich contribution to UIC’s political of going to law school.’ He asked me ing all the extra money but it was being cial Collections and University Archives papers collections,” said Mary M. Case, what should he do?,” Jones recalled re- used as general state aid,” Jones said. house rare books, printed materials, university librarian and dean of libraries. cently as he leafed through his papers at “My whole political career was on the manuscript collections and papers from “They document the workings of state the Daley Library. “I said, ‘I enjoy working line, they fought me tooth and nail but I other mayors, state and local office hold- government during Jones’s long career with you, but if I were you, I would leave accomplished it.” ers, judges and political organizations. in the Illinois state legislature and reveal here and go on to law school.’” Jones said he decided to entrust his Researchers from around the world use the political processes that put forward After Obama finished law school at papers to UIC because of its role as the the collections to write about Chicago and enacted legislation on issues of so- Harvard University, he returned and was only public research university in the city. history. cial justice, public education, health care, voted to the state Senate, where Jones He said he is honored that his papers The collection focuses on Jones’s revenue expansion and civil rights. We was serving as minority leader at the will be alongside the papers of Mayor legislative career, with the bulk of the are pleased to add Sen. Jones’s papers time. Jones continued helping his Richard J. Daley, who he remembered collection dating between 1980 and to our collection.” protégé by throwing him difficult assign- fought for the university to be built in 2000. For more information, visit the library’s ments to help him cut his teeth and the city. The collection also includes photos Special Collections website at library.uic. build up his political muscles. He hopes his papers help to spur and documentation chronicling events edu Bachelor’s degree in public health No. 12 in nation By Sharon Parmet — [email protected]

UIC’s bachelor’s degree in public ally made up either of people with mas- public health and related fields are rela- tutes of Health. Twenty-seven percent of health was ranked 12th in the U.S. by ter’s degrees in public health, or people tively few, but they are growing in popu- UIC’s public health student body is un- College Choice, a company specializing in other professions that are working in larity, as the field offers many career derrepresented minorities, making it one in college and university rankings and public health-related jobs,” said Paul paths. of the most diverse schools of public resources. Brandt-Rauf, dean of the School of Pub- College Choice based their ranking health in the U.S. The bachelor’s degree at the UIC lic Health. “By creating this undergradu- on tuition, institutional reputation, antici- Through partnerships with communi- School of Public Health is a recent offer- ate degree, we are helping build a pated salary, and other factors. ty groups and government agencies, stu- ing, now in just its fifth year. As a bache- public health workforce with more ex- The UIC School of Public Health is the dents and faculty are involved in projects lor of arts degree, it integrates liberal perience with key public health con- only public health school in Illinois ac- that include violence prevention, HIV/ arts concepts into the public health cur- cepts.” credited by the Council on Education for AIDS prevention, water quality, maternal riculum. Students begin taking public Public health careers are expected to Public Health. It consistently ranks and child health, emergency and disas- health courses in their third year. grow faster than other occupations na- among the top 20 schools of public ter preparedness, asthma education and The public health workforce is gener- tionwide. Undergraduate degrees in health in funding from the National Insti- health disparities. 4 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016 CAMPUS NEWS Students brighten patients’ day with blankets

By Tim Goldrick — [email protected] summer orientation, and was on hand to present them. “I’ve never volunteered before,” Goggin said. “This is Demetria Neal wiped away tears as she exited a che- such an emotional thing for my first volunteer opportu- motherapy room at the University of Illinois Hospital. nity. It was kind of overwhelming, but really nice to see She had just finished presenting a handmade fleece [patient’s] faces and appreciation.” blanket to a patient and couldn’t help but get emotional. Before Goggin, Neal and other UIC representatives “I didn’t think it would hit me this hard,” said Neal, a gave out the donations Oct. 25, UI Hospital officials freshman in neuroscience. “To know they’re strong thanked them for their commitment to service. Kinga enough to keep fighting and won’t give up, that really Mateja, manager of volunteer services at UI Health, touches me.” echoed the same sentiment afterwards. The blanket Neal gave away was one of 131 hand- “It’s such a priceless feeling when you see young crafted by student volunteers over the last few months. people make time to help others and put a smile on pa- Volunteers also constructed 103 craft kits and 177 tient’s faces,” she said. “I have no words for how grateful cards to help brighten up patients’ time in the hospital. we are.” “The impact is huge,” said Spencer Long, coordinator It was the second consecutive year UIC students for the fleece blanket project and associate director of have devoted their time toward the project, which has Student Leadership Development and Volunteer Ser- helped many Chicago families and individuals in their vices. “The little things that we can do to help make that time of need. time there a little enjoyable go a long way.” “The chancellor says it all the time,” Long said. “We’re In total, 227 students contributed 290 hours of their not just the University of Illinois at Chicago, we’re the time to assist in the effort. University of Illinois for Chicago. Every time I hear that, I Student volunteers handcrafted blankets for hospital Rosie Goggin, a freshman in rehab sciences, was patients. ­(Photo: Vibhu Sreevatsa Rangavasan) feel it’s one of the best missions for this office. We need among them. Goggin chose to craft blankets during her to be here for Chicago.”

Brundage Scholarship University of Illinois students who excel in both aca- demics and athletics are encouraged to enter the 2017- 18 Avery Brundage Scholarship competition. Deadline for submitting completed applications is Feb. 6. Full-time students at the Chicago, Springfield and Ur- bana campuses, including incoming freshmen, graduate and transfer students, may apply. Grant-in-aid recipients may be eligible for Brundage scholarships under specified conditions. Academic and athletic competence will be considered over financial need. Undergraduate and transfer student applicants must rank in the top 25 percent of their college, and incoming freshmen must rank in the upper 25 percent of their in- coming class. Graduate and professional students must be in good academic standing. Students must also have demonstrat- ed “special athletic ability” in an amateur sport. However, their participation must have been for personal develop- ment, rather than as preparation for professional athletics. Previous winners represent a wide variety of sports, from archery and tennis to swimming and wheelchair bas- Children’s Hospital Thanksgiving ketball. More than 150 pediatric cancer patients and their families celebrated Thanksgiving with a lot of energy The late Avery Brundage, a 1909 U of I graduate, com- Saturday, thanks to the Children’s Hospital University of Illinois and a dedicated group of nursing and medi- peted in the 1912 Olympics and later served as president cal student volunteers. Festivities included a Thanksgiving meal, donut decorating, ornament making and of both the U.S. and International Olympic committees. He dancing with the Joffrey Ballet. established the scholarship in 1974, with a $343,000 Among the participants was the Orchard family — Magda, Micah and their son, Mason, a 4-year-old pa- endowment to the University of Illinois Foundation. Over tient of Dr. Mary Lou Schmidt, associate professor of pediatrics. Mason has rhabdomyosarcoma, cancer of the past 41 years, 890 scholarships with a total value of the soft tissue, but his mom, Magda, said he just wants to run around like a typical kid. $1,204,225 have been awarded. “Mason was diagnosed when he was one year and one month old, so he’s never known anything else,” Brundage maintained his interest in the University Magda said. through service as a member of the University of Illinois The children received holiday gifts and more than 10 organizations — including Make-A-Wish, Gilda’s Foundation, President’s Council and Citizen’s Committee. Club, Imerman Angels and the Girl Scouts — donated time or materials. (Photo: Vibhu S. Rangavasan) For more information and to apply, visit go.uic.edu/ 17-18brundage

Send campus news information to Christy Levy at [email protected] uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | November 30, 2016 5

UIC students introduce UIC News will print its first commemorative edition for December Commencement ceremonies engineering to girls next week. The special edition will be available By David Staudacher — [email protected] at the undergraduate and graduate ceremonies Dec. 10 at the UIC Pavilion. A Spanish-language version of the newspaper will also be printed and distributed during the event for students and their family members.

Promoting men’s health The department of urology and the ority. University of Illinois Cancer Center “Studies show that men experience teamed up to raise awareness for worse health than women and die, on men’s health as part of the national average, six years earlier,” Abern said. Movember campaign. Building upon “It’s vital that men take control of their last year’s team of “MoBros,” students own health and engage with their phy- and faculty upped their game this year sicians.” by launching a community health fair, Taylor Jones, assistant coach of the a “UIC Got Mustache?” campaign and Triton College men’s basketball team a three-on-three basketball tourna- and prostate cancer survivor, was a ment. featured guest and speaker at the More than 50 people participated tournament. in the inaugural tournament. “I thought I was healthy as a horse Michael Abern, assistant professor when I was diagnosed,” Jones said. and director of urologic oncology, is “I’m a basketball coach, coaching is the Movember team leader. He said what I do. I want you to lean in be- young men are facing a health crisis cause this is a pre-game speech, a and that raising awareness about top halftime speech and a post-game men’s health issues — cancer, mental speech: Go see the doctor, make that health and obesity, for example — in decision, influence others to make that the community is a public health pri- decision.”

Megan Dague (left) and Stephanie Sagun gave girls in fifth through seventh grade their first look at careers in electrical and computer engineering during a Nov. 12 event.

UIC engineering students hosted daughter, Sophia. “Mom, Me, and SWE” Nov.12 to encour- “She’s coding at [Jerling Junior High age elementary students to consider School] and that has really peaked her careers in engineering. interest,” Jimenez said. “She said, ‘This is The event, hosted by the Society of fun and I like it.’ So when this program Women Engineers, is an outreach pro- came about, we thought we can attend gram for female students in fifth through and see all the other areas of engineer- seventh grade and their parents. More ing offered. I think it’s a great opportuni- than 30 students and parents participat- ty for the young kids to be out and ed in the free event, which focused on experiencing new things and learn electrical and computer engineering. about new areas. It’s great that they UIC engineering students Stephanie have this program so young women can Sagun and Megan Dague provided an know that they too can be part of the overview about the department and engineering world.” worked with the guests as they built cir- The Society of Women Engineers is a cuit boards. support group for all engineering stu- “SWE is really important to me,” dents at UIC. “Mom, Me, and SWE” is Dague said. “It’s the first student organi- one of the many events the student or- zation I got connected with and they ganization hosts throughout the aca- made me feel really welcome. I’ve been demic year to promote STEM (Science, able to grow as a person and engineer Technology, Engineering and Math) ca- with all the girls in engineering.” reers to younger students. The event included a computer sci- “This is a great way to introduce ence overview, and activities that in- young girls to engineering and strength- volved basic computer science and en the College of Engineering’s rela- electrical engineering concepts. The day tionship with local schools,” said Elsa concluded with remarks from guest Soto, associate director for UIC’s speakers Anu Khera of IBM Cloud Stor- Women in Engineering programs. age and Anne Johlie of Mobilitie. The next “Mom, Me, and SWE” is Teresa Jimenez of Orland Park attend- scheduled for April 2017. For more in- ed the event with her 11-year-old formation, visit swe.engr.uic.edu. 6 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016

— who had a really significant impact on Cosner has also been a co-leader of they are learning in their school settings. my life,” Cosner said. UIC’s doctoral program in Urban Educa- “I hope that one of the first things that After earning her master’s degree, tional Leadership, where she has played a students see is that I really have a duty of Cosner moved to Wisconsin and was a key role with the ongoing improvement of care for them as people and that I have a school principal and a district-level lead- the program. In 2013, the program was duty of care for their learning,” Cosner er for about a decade before completing recognized as one of just two exemplary said. “I’m hoping they would see some- her doctoral studies at the University of leadership preparation programs in the body who is very intentional about what I Wisconsin-Madison. U.S. by the University Council for Educa- do when we are together in a classroom Cosner, associate professor of educa- tional Administration. In the last three space so we can have a classroom con- tional organization and leadership, for years, it has ranked in the top 20 educa- text that is really generative of learning the second time has received recogni- tional leadership programs by U.S. News and development.” tion for her teaching at UIC. In 2009 & World Report. Cosner is among the college’s most Cosner earned UIC’s Council for Excel- Cosner recently received a $400,000 demanding instructors and succeeds in lence in Teaching and Learning Award. grant, which will allow her to lead a UIC demonstrating to students the impor- This year, Cosner has earned UIC’s most team that will provide intensive support tance of what they are learning, said prestigious teaching award, the Award to two other U.S. universities seeking to Steve Tozer, professor of educational for Excellence in Teaching. transform their principal preparation pro- policy studies and director of the UIC “Teaching as a part of what I do at UIC grams. Center for Urban Education Leadership. is very important to me,” she said. “Re- “The work of principals must really “She knows the literature in her field By Carlos Sadovi search, service and teaching are all three focus on creating strong teacher-learning better than anyone I know, and she ex- [email protected] parts of what we do and so to be recog- organizations,” she said. “My research real- pects her students to reflect familiarity, if nized in one of those areas for me is re- ly informs the pedagogy of my classes. not yet mastery, of this literature in their work,” Tozer said. When Shelby Cosner was a young ally important.” Had I not been a principal who was “Dr. Shelby Cosner embodies an ethic student-teacher in Iowa, a chance meet- Cosner is an applied qualitative re- deeply involved in designing and provid- of care in her teaching that closely aligns ing with the superintendent led her to searcher whose work draws heavily from ing teacher learning, and had I not then with her scholarship and mentorship,” consider a future as a school leader. the organizational sciences, sociology, had 20 years of doing a lot of study in said Alfred Tatum, dean of the College of As a result of this encounter, she social psychology and management. this area, my pedagogy would be very Education. “The teaching award is a began her master’s degree in education- Cosner’s research and scholarship focus- different.” well-deserved recognition for one of the al administration shortly after earning es on the practice of school leaders Over the last 15 years, Cosner has fo- College of Education’s strongest student her undergraduate degree. During her seeking to improve and transform cused on becoming an expert in learning advocates.” graduate studies, she quickly came to schools, as well as the preparation and how to design strong adult learning sys- view the principal position as a dream development of school leaders. She has tems. Cosner said she engages doctoral job. written extensively in the areas of leader- students with authentic work tasks that ­(Photo: Jenny Fontaine) “I had people in my life — educators ship preparation and development. require them to apply and practice what

ing master’s and bachelor’s students to important and worthwhile it was, then, to ‘Hold on a second, maybe I’m going to lead their own classrooms, as well as in also cultivate democracy and help it learn from that other position and that the professional development of current flourish in my daily life as a professor, other side.’” educators. especially in the classroom.” “What it really provides, especially in a He has served as the academic direc- Johnston’s own teaching practice is public school like UIC, is a great proving tor for three U.S. Department of Educa- heavily influenced by his undergraduate ground for people to go on and practice tion Teaching American History grants, studies at Reed College, a small liberal democracy later in life.” each more than $1 million, in conjunc- arts college where intellectual discus- Johnston is a two-time recipient of tion with the Newberry Library and the sion was at the center of every course. both the UIC Council for Excellence in Chicago Metro History Education Center. “I thought that it was truly empower- Teaching and Learning’s Teaching Rec- He teaches and directs a four-week Na- ing and made students genuinely ac- ognition Program Award, and the depart- tional Endowment for the Humanities countable,” he explained. ment of history’s Shirley Bill Award for summer institute for K-12 teachers from He feels strongly that the classroom excellence in teaching, which is based across the country. itself is a democratic space, so he aims on votes from undergraduate and gradu- Johnston, whose research focuses on to foster a respectful environment for ate students. the Gilded Age and Progressive Era, critical discussion and debate. “He is one of those model professors post-1970 U.S. history, the history of “I really want to decenter the authori- who truly open their students’ minds and medicine, and the politics of historiogra- tative textbook. In fact, most of my class- provide the kind of rich learning experi- By Brian Flood phy, doesn’t come from a traditional edu- es get rid of it and focus on high level ence that makes a liberal education so [email protected] cation background. As a result, he was a scholarship, secondary sources that are life-changing,” wrote Astrida Orle Tantillo, bit unsure of the position when he ar- contentious,” he said. dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Robert Johnston is UIC’s leading ex- rived from Yale in 2003. “Robust classroom discussion is a Sciences, in support of Johnston’s nomi- pert on the teaching of history and his “I recognized that the focus within my wonderful and unfortunately very rare nation for the UIC Award for Excellence influence goes well beyond campus own scholarship was very much on de- opportunity to really dig in and get to in Teaching. classrooms. mocracy — especially during the Pro- know each other and get to cross ideo- As director of UIC’s Teaching of Histo- gressive Era, but throughout American logical boundaries and not just argue, ­(Photo: Jenny Fontaine) ry program, he plays a key role in prepar- history,” he said. “I ultimately realized how not just hold your position, but in fact say, uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | November 30, 2016 7

Each year, UIC honors some of its most dedicated and outstanding teachers with the Award for Excellence in Teaching. The winners, who receive a $5,000 salary increase, are selected by past recipients of the award from nominations made by departments and colleges.

Peterson, clinical professor and director has conducted research and helped our roles, routines and personal strengths. of professional education in the depart- department achieve remarkable success, An occupational therapist builds per- ment of occupational therapy in the Col- which is evident by its ranking as the top sonalized plans with clients to support lege of Applied Health Sciences. “My public university department of occupa- their engagement in meaningful activi- experiences as an occupational therapist tional therapy in the nation,” Fernhall said. ties — occupations — within the frame- and educator have taught me that the “It is an honor to even be nominated work of their everyday lives. best learning occurs within a social con- and I am very proud to win,” Peterson “In a clinical or community-based text and, as a result, role modeling and said. “Teaching is a privilege and I am setting, it’s clear how the context sur- student participation are key features of very fortunate to work with the amazing rounding the patient and his or her the environments and experiences I cre- students and faculty we have here at UIC. goals influences the path and destina- ate for my students.” There is an optimism on our campus that tion of therapy. The same is true of edu- Peterson began teaching at UIC in comes from our strength as a research cation — it’s my job as an educator to 1993. In her 23 years with the university, institution that is committed to serving provide a structure and a process that she has been instrumental to the suc- our city. facilitates learning,” Peterson said. cess of the occupational therapy mas- “It’s a joy to help my students not only Kathy Preissner, a former student of ter’s degree program, from curriculum build skills as occupational therapists Peterson’s, strongly supported the nomi- development to accreditation and ex- and academics, but as individuals,” she nation. pansion of the program. Peterson has said. “Dr. Peterson knew her students per- taught or contributed to many of the re- Peterson’s philosophy and success as sonally and provided individual atten- quired courses in the program, frequent- an educator are born from her back- tion,” said Preissner, clinical associate By Jackie Carey ly drawing on her experiences as a fall ground as an occupational therapist. Oc- professor in occupational therapy. “She [email protected] prevention researcher to highlight the cupational therapists, she explains, are linked the content in her courses to the importance of evidence-based practice very attentive to the impact of context on curriculum as a whole, and helped stu- Elizabeth Peterson’s teaching philos- and interdisciplinary approaches to pa- performance. dents to make connections to concepts ophy is grounded in the concept of so- tient care. “Occupational therapists are trained to learned in other courses. UIC is a world- cial learning. She believes that context, Bo Fernhall, dean of the College of work with people of all ages to achieve class university because of educators not just content, matters. Applied Health Sciences, nominated her individualized goals by considering a va- such as Dr. Peterson.” “Social learning theory suggests that for the Excellence in Teaching Award. riety of factors,” she said. “These factors people learn through observation, partic- “Dr. Peterson has not been content can range from physical and social envi- ­(Photo: Jenny Fontaine) ipation and modeling, not just study,” said with being an exceptional teacher. She ronments and available resources to

He manages — and excels — by tak- physics, all working together,” he said. 400 publications and three books, and ing an interdisciplinary, team-oriented “It’s good training for undergraduates he has edited four other volumes. approach to his teaching as well as his and graduate students, because that’s “The books have been essential aids engineering research. what research in engineering is about.” in my teaching at the junior, senior, and As the Richard and Loan Hill Profes- His previous graduate students now graduate level,” he said. sor and UIC Distinguished Professor of work at Intel, General Motors, Motorola, Stroscio and his coworkers have electrical and computer engineering the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office used quantum dots capped with spe- and of bioengineering, Stroscio has and Columbia, Northwestern and Wash- cialized peptide sequences to bind inte- graduate and undergraduate students ington universities, among others. grins — receptor molecules embedded from both departments working in his Stroscio takes a similar approach in in the cell membrane that conduct cell- laboratory on three or four different lecture courses. to-cell signals and communication with grants at one time. He melds these “If there’s anything distinctive about the extracellular matrix — in fibroblasts diverse students into research teams my classroom teaching, it’s that it tends and stem cells. His research in nano- to collaborate on projects that use to be interdisciplinary, and it tries to structures, including quantum dots, quantum dots — nanocrystals with ex- help students make the transition be- quantum wires and quantum wells, has traordinary optical and electrical prop- tween the classroom and the lab,” he resulted in a dozen patents and several erties that attach to cellular receptors said. disclosures. and appear as light under a micro- Among the courses he teaches are a Stroscio has served on a number of scope. graduate ECE course in nanoelectron- National Science Foundation panels “We meet as a group and got in the ics and a graduate bioengineering and reviews, and he was facilitator at By Bill Burton practice of inviting undergraduates to course in nanobiotechnology – two hot UIC for the Women in Science and [email protected] our meetings, and they form teams,” areas of research. Technology System Transformation said Stroscio, who came to UIC in “A lot of the material is based on the (WISEST), supported by an NSF ad- Michael Stroscio believes in a heavy 2001 after holding a variety of posi- current literature,” Stroscio said. “Being vance grant. He has been a finalist for course load – for himself, as a teacher. tions in federal agencies and national in two departments also helps me a lot. the Silver Circle teaching award and the He regularly teaches four to five courses labs. There’s a synergism between the re- College of Engineering teaching award. a year, not the usual three for a professor “The teams are interdisciplinary, in- search done in each department, and the students like that.” who performs service and research in cluding students from ECE and bioen- ­(Photo: Jenny Fontaine) the UIC College of Engineering. gineering and sometimes from Stroscio has authored more than 8 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016 uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | November 30, 2016 9 CAMPUS NEWS Man receives vision-restoring retinal implant at UIC By Sharon Parmet — [email protected]

“He’s been following me his whole life,” al vision,” he said. He would often follow said Jimmy Selby with amazement as he the sound of his younger brother Jimmy’s watched his brother Robert walk along a voice. His vision gradually worsened to hallway at UIC, pointing out doorways near-total blindness by age 20. and edges without using his cane. Jimmy Selby had been following the develop- caught up with Robert, who had wan- ment of technology that held the promise dered into someone’s office. “I’m just of renewed sight. In 2013, the Argus II looking around,” Robert said. The two of retinal prosthesis, made by Second Sight, them broke into laughter. was approved by the FDA to treat RP, and Robert Selby, a legally blind 54-year- UIC became one of only 13 centers in the old man from Hazelwood, Missouri, has U.S. to offer the device. Approximately retinitis pigmentosa, or RP — a rare, in- 400,000 people worldwide are legally herited condition that progressively robs blind due to RP. sight, leading to blindness or near-total Jennifer Lim, the Marion Schenk Chair blindness. But with the help of an artificial for Research of the Aging Eye and profes- retina called the Argus II, which was im- sor of ophthalmology in the UIC College planted in his left eye in late October at of Medicine, led the surgery to place the UIC and turned on Nov. 16, he hopes to Argus II electrode array of the Argus II on be able to get around more independent- Selby’s retina. ly and safely. He is the first person from “It’s humbling and gratifying that after Missouri to receive the implant, and one so many years of following the develop- of about 60 people in the U.S. with an ment of this kind of technology, that now I Argus II. can see it work in one of my own patients,” Within moments of the device being said Lim, who is director of retina services Watch the video at at UIC’s Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary. The Argus II consists of a miniature youtube.com/uicmedia camera housed in a pair of glasses that converts video images into electrical im- pulses that are transmitted wirelessly to Jennifer Lim and Argus II patient Robert Selby give the thumbs up after the retinal an array of electrodes implanted on the implant is turned on for the first time. surface of the retina. The pulses stimulate the retina’s remaining light-sensitive interpret the signals it provides, Lim windows and doors. Some were able to cells, which send signals through the said. sort light and dark laundry and read large optic nerve to the brain, where they are “It will take a while to learn how to letters (about 9 inches high). translated into images. scan using the camera on the glasses, “In terms of what other patients have “My brother jokes that the implant and also figure out what the flashes of seen, its not going to be regular vision, might be able to pick up some paranor- light mean,” Lim said. where you can see faces and recognize mal activity,” Selby said. He and Jimmy are In earlier clinical trials of the Argus II, small features,” Lim said. “But it will give casual “ghost-hunters” and use audiovi- participants were better at tasks like him more freedom and confidence in get- sual equipment to pick up unusual signals detecting street curbs, walking along a ting around and navigating through his The Argus II retinal prosthesis made by and investigate reports of hauntings sidewalk, and perceiving objects like environment.” Second Sight. around the St. Louis area. The device will certainly provide no benefit to Selby in his turned on, Selby reported seeing “flashes beep-ball game, which is played by both of light.” The flashes indicate borders or blind and sighted players wearing blind- objects — either a person or a doorway folds. Selby is a member of the St. Louis or other edges. Firing Squad, a beep-ball team that won “Wow. I can see how much work it’s the Mind’s Eye 2016 Beep Ball Tourna- going to take to be able to interpret what ment in July that drew 22 teams from the these flashes mean, but this is already so St. Louis area. amazing,” Selby said. “I’ve got a lot to As in baseball, beep-ball players need learn.” to hit a ball thrown by a pitcher and run Selby scanned the room filled with the bases. The pitcher is on the hitter’s family members and UIC faculty and staff team, and the ball, as well as the bases, and picked out the location of each per- beep. son, who he was able to “see” by the “Having some vision isn’t going to real- flashes of light they produced through the ly help, but I think some of my teammates Argus II. “There’s one, there’s one, there’s and others in the league we play in who one,” he said. are blind from retinitis pigmentosa might Selby, who lives with his adult daugh- be interested in learning more about my ter and granddaughter, started losing his implant,” Selby said. sight at around age 8. Selby will undergo extensive training at “I was just constantly bumping into the UIC Illinois Eye and Ear Infirmary to Argus II patient Robert Selby detects the edge of a doorway. things and had a hard time with peripher- learn how to use the device and how to 10 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016 DEATHS Richard Wang College of Architecture, Design, and the Arts Richard Wang, 88, associate profes- sician as a faculty member,” said Astrida sor emeritus of music and a leader in Orle Tantillo, dean of the College of Lib- the jazz community, died Oct. 10 in Chi- eral Arts and Sciences. “We are proud to cago. be associated with his work and legacy.” During his 29 years at the university, Wang began his journey into the mu- Wang was the resident jazz scholar, his- sical world early on in his life, playing torian, and authority on all things jazz at trumpet professionally at events in his UIC. school and around the South Side of An advocate for the genre, he was a Chicago by the time he was 15 years co-founder, past president and longtime old. He also frequented now-legendary board member of the Jazz Institute, and clubs and theatres where jazz flourished part of the programming committee for in the 1930s and 40s. the first Chicago Jazz Festival. He was After high school, Wang served in the also a founding member of Chicago’s armed forces. When he returned, he at- Friends of Duke Ellington Society, which tended and graduated from the Chicago Richard Wang and his wife, Vanya. celebrates the life, music and legacy of Musical College, a division of the Chica- the jazz legend. go College of Performing Arts at Roos- Wang’s work to reconstruct the musi- evelt University, and completed a composition theories while holding per- The Jazz Institute’s Kiewit-Wang Men- cal comedy “Jump for Joy” received master’s degree in music theory. formers to a high, professional standard torship Award, an award given to high prominent mention and wide coverage His first teaching job was at Wilson during rehearsals. school students who demonstrate excel- by Newsweek and U.S. News & World Junior College, later renamed Kenne- “He very quickly brought the Jazz En- lence in jazz musicianship, spotlights a Report after it was performed by the dy-King College, where he created semble from something that was rather ad tradition that Wang was proud of: shap- breakthrough ensembles. hoc to something that was run at a profes- ing the next generation of musicians. “He was very generous sional level and able to play much more “Professor Wang’s influence on the with his time and his tal- demanding repertoire,” Collerd said. future was unparalleled,” said Michael ents, and quite a dedicated Eventually it became, as Collerd de- Anderson, head of the department of scholar and artist,” said scribed, a first-rate ensemble that laid the music. “He touched the lives of so many Gene Collerd, professor groundwork for the current Bachelor of young people.” emeritus of music at UIC. Music in jazz studies. Donations in Wa honor can be sent to At the college, he taught Wang also taught at the Chicago the Jazz Institute of Chicago, 410 S. students like Roscoe Mitch- Teacher’s College, now Chicago State Michigan Ave, Suite 500, Chicago, IL ell, Henry Threadgill, Joseph University, and the University of Chicago. 60605, or online at jazzinchicago.org. Jarman, Malachi Favors and others — the pioneers of the Association for the Ad- Playing in the Army band. vancement of Creative Mu- sicians (AACM), a Pegasus Players. Chicago-based group that supports the He helped develop the University of creation of original music. Wang is rec- Chicago’s Jazz Archive in 1976, preserv- ognized for some of the group’s early ing materials pertaining to the birth and history in A Power Stronger Than Itself: early growth of Chicago Jazz. Wang’s The AACM and American Experimental scholarship was also recognized by re- Music. search grants from the National Endow- At the college, he also met Vanya Jan- ment for the Humanities and the Illinois kovich, his wife. They married in 1960. Arts Council, and his articles appeared In 1973, Wang started his career at in the Black Music Research Journal, Mu- UIC, teaching courses in jazz, orchestra- sical Quarterly, Jazz Educators Journal tion and music literature and analysis. He and the New Grove Dictionary of Jazz. assumed directorship of the UIC Jazz “UIC is fortunate to have had such an Ensemble three years later, introducing eminent and influential scholar and mu- students to a range of styles, works and

UIC News Staff Published on Wednesdays during the Advertising Coordinator academic year (monthly during summer) by: Samella Wright — [email protected] Office of Public and Government Affairs Visual Communication & Design University of Illinois at Chicago Anna Dworzecka — [email protected] 601 S. Morgan St., 1320 UH (MC 288) Associate Graphic Designer Chicago, IL 60607-7113 Megan Strand — [email protected] Editorial:...... (312) 996-0662 Editorial Associates Advertising: . . . . .(312) 996-3456 Francisca Corona — [email protected] Fax: ...... (312) 996-3754 Timothy Goldrick — [email protected] Vibhu S. Rangavasan — [email protected] Associate Editor Editorial Intern Christy Levy — [email protected] Sarah Wotaszak — [email protected] Senior Executive Director, Public Affairs Photography Sherri McGinnis González — [email protected] Jenny Fontaine — [email protected] Senior Director, Public Affairs Bill Burton — [email protected] uicnews.uic.edu uicnews.uic.edu UIC News | November 30, 2016 11 PEOPLE Barbara Ransby Keely Stauter-Halsted Historian to lead women’s Historian’s book on prostitution studies association in Poland wins awards

By Brian Flood — [email protected] By Brian Flood — [email protected] Distinguished professor Barbara UIC historian Keely Stauter-Halsted Ransby has been elected president of the has been named the winner of two literary National Women’s Studies Association. prizes for her book The Devil’s Chain: Ransby, who has faculty appointments Prostitution and Social Control in Parti- in African American studies, gender and tioned Poland. women’s studies, and history, begins her The awards for Stauter-Halsted, pro- two-year term at the completion of the fessor of history and the Stefan and Lucy group’s annual conference this month in Hejna Family Chair in the History of Po- Montréal, Québec. land, come from the American Historical “I am thrilled to assume the presidency Association and the Association for of NWSA at this critical time when feminist Women in Slavic Studies. scholars and activists are doing such The American Historical Association’s amazing work in the U.S. and trans-na- Joan Kelly Memorial Prize is awarded an- tionally,” she said. nually to honor the best book in women’s “We look to deepen the tradition of history and/or feminist theory. engaged scholarship so central to our “The Devil’s Chain provides a panoram- mission as an organization, and to build Photo: Jenny Fontaine ic yet exquisitely detailed analysis that illu- er-Halsted’s “painstaking research, the bridges to intellectual communities be- minates the place of prostitution in the readability of the monograph and how it yond the academy.” several academic journals and is edi- political imaginary of partitioned Poland, challenges Polish historiography to put Ransby, a historian, writer, and long- tor-in-chief of SOULS, a critical journal as well as in the lived experience of re- gender at the center of any discussion on time political activist, also serves as direc- of black politics, culture and society. formers, physicians, politicians, and sex nation and state-building.” tor of the Social Justice Initiative at UIC, a Ransby, who has been at UIC since workers,” the Kelly Prize committee said in Stauter-Halsted is an expert in the his- campuswide program that aims to build 1996, earned a bachelor’s degree in a statement. “Unearthing rich archival evi- tory of modern East Central Europe with a on socially conscious research and inter- history from Columbia University and dence, Stauter-Halsted reveals how a concentration on the history of Polish ests across different disciplines, improve master’s and doctoral degrees in history moral panic became the staging ground lands during the 19th century. connections with community partners, from the University of Michigan, where for concerns about international migra- She has written extensively about and serve students interested in social she was a Mellon Fellow. tion, critiques of imperial government, and non-elite social classes and excluded justice work. Established in 1977, the National the emergence of women as political and population groups in Polish society, in- Ransby has been published widely in Women’s Studies Association has as social actors in a modernized na- cluding peasants, Jews, lower-class scholarly and popular publications and is one of its primary objectives to promote tion-state.” women and labor migrants. Her current a frequent guest lecturer internationally. and support the production and dis- Stauter-Halsted will be honored during work examines questions of citizenship She is the author of an award-winning semination of knowledge about women a ceremony at the association’s 131st and the impact of return migration in biography of civil rights activist Ella and gender through teaching, learning, annual meeting in Denver in January. Polish history. Baker, titled Ella Baker and the Black research and service in academic and Her second literary accolade, the 2016 Among her other publications is The Freedom Movement: A Radical Democrat- other settings. Barbara Heldt Prize, is granted by the As- Nation in the Village: The Genesis of ic Vision. Her most recent book is Eslan- The association has more than sociation for Women in Slavic Studies for Rural National Identity in Austrian Poland, da: The Large and Unconventional Life of 2,000 individual and 350 institutional the best book in Slavic, East European, 1848–1900, which won the Polish Stud- Mrs. Paul Robeson. members working in varied specialties and Eurasian women’s studies. ies Association’s Orbis Prize for outstand- She serves on the editorial board of worldwide. The Heldt Prize committee cited Staut- ing book on Polish affairs in 2002.

FILM GRANTS the recipient of the Association of Univer- The prize is awarded annually for the sity Centers on Disabilities 2016 Trainee “best English-language book on any Thea Crum, director of the Neighbor- Yolanda Suarez-Balcazar, professor Research Award, which is presented an- aspect of Latin American History.” The hoods Initiative at the Great Cities Insti- and head of occupational therapy, and nually to recognize outstanding research book by Boyer, who is also in Latin tute at UIC, is among a group of Angela Odoms-Young, associate pro- accomplishments by trainees in the as- American and Latino studies, previous- Chicagoans featured in “Count Me In,” a fessor of kinesiology, are the recipients of sociation’s network. ly won the prize for best book of social new documentary movie about participa- $100,000 in competitive funding from science awarded by the Mexico section tory budgeting (PB). the Chicago Community Trust for their Gary Slutkin, executive director of of the Latin American Studies Associa- Crum co-leads Participatory Budget- research project titled, “Promoting Cure Violence, was appointed Goodwill tion. ing Chicago, an initiative that works to healthy lifestyles among Latino youth Ambassador for the Golden Rule and re- expand PB processes throughout Chica- with disabilities and their families.” ceived a National Statesman Award from go and provides technical assistance and iChange Nations during a ceremony Oct. PRESENTATIONS training to residents as they work to im- 14 at the School of Public Health. Four- plement the process. HONORS teen other Cure Violence staff members Patricia Politano, clinical associate The film, which is presented and pro- and youth advocates were also honored professor of disability and human de- duced by WTTW-TV (Channel 11), ex- Biomedical visualization students during the ceremony. velopment, presented two case analy- plores the participatory budgeting Drew Fast and Ni-ka Ford are among ses — “Accessing Augmentative and concept where local citizens get involved the winners in life sciences category of Political Landscapes: Forests, Conser- Alternative Communication Aids” and in their community and the government this year’s UIC Abraham Lincoln Fellow- vation, and Community in Mexico, by “Successful Communicators Use Multi- decision-making process for local proj- ship competition. Christopher Boyer, professor and chair ple Communication Methods” — at the ects. of history, received an honorable mention Assistive Technology and Communica- “Count Me In” debuted on WTTW-TV Disability and human development for the Bolton-Johnson Prize from the tion Regional Conference held in Sep- Nov. 3. postdoctoral scholar Carli Friedman is Conference on Latin American History. tember in Zagreb, Croatia. 12 UIC News | Wednesday, November 30, 2016 SPORTS Flames excel in NCAA graduation report By Laura White — [email protected]

FLAMES @ HOME Photo: Steve Woltmann Wednesday, November 30 Men’s basketball vs. Chicago State UIC’s Graduation Success Rate was Women’s gymnastics and volleyball men’s cross country/track and field, 7 p.m. / UIC Pavilion above 80 percent for the 12th consecu- earned a 100 percent rate, while base- men’s swimming and diving, softball and

tive year, according to NCAA Graduation ball, men’s swimming and diving, wom- women’s tennis. Sunday, December 4 Success Rate and Federal Graduation en’s basketball, women’s cross country/ The Graduation Success Rate has Men’s and women’s gymnastics Rate reports on student athletes who track and field, women’s gymnastics, been used by the NCAA as an academic mixed pairs were enrolled during the period of 2006 softball and volleyball graduated above assessment tool. Universities are not pe- 2 p.m. / Physical Education Building to 2009. the national average. nalized for outgoing transfer students

UIC’s overall graduation rate of 82 Compared to the data released in who leave in good academic standing. Men’s basketball vs. Eastern Illinois percent tied for fourth among schools in 2015, the Flames had five programs im- Incoming transfer students and midyear 3 p.m. / UIC Pavilion the Horizon League. prove their percentage: men’s basketball, enrollees are included in the calculation. Men’s basketball falls short in Thanksgiving Classic finale By Laura White — [email protected]

Cheer on the men’s basketball team the Flames finally claw to within a point, tonight at the Pavilion when they host 34-33. the Chicago State Cougars at 7 p.m. Stu- The Huskies scored 12 points off 10 dents get in free with their i-card. UIC turnovers to take a four-point lead Dikembe Dixson scored at least 31 into the locker room, 42-38. points for the Flames for the second A three-pointer from Dixson put the time during the Northern Illinois Thanks- Flames back to within two, but the Hus- giving Classic, but it wasn’t enough to kies scored six unanswered points to push past the Huskies Saturday. The push the lead back to eight, forcing UIC Flames lost, 92-81. to use a timeout with 13:32 remaining. Dixson shot 58.3 percent from the Northern Illinois eventually got its lead field against the Huskies and made a back up to a game-high 14 points with career-high 14 shots from the free-throw 9:11 to go. line. UIC went on an 8-0 run to cut its defi- Freshman Marcus Ottey scored a ca- cit to six points with 7:17 remaining, but reer-high 16 points for UIC, while class- a quick five-point surge got the edge mate Tarkus Ferguson was also in Clint Robinson (right) makes a play. (Photo: Steve Woltmann) back to double digits (11) with 5:25 left double figures with 11. Dixson and Tai on the clock. Odiase led the way on the glass with five NIU was ahead by as many as 15 rebounds each. develop any offensive rhythm in the early cit to five points, 26-21, with 8:10 left in points with 2:42 to go, but UIC could Odiase scored four early points, but a going. the half. only get within 11 points as Ferguson hit scoring drought gave Northern Illinois Clint Robinson scored a couple of UIC got the Huskies into foul trouble, a three-pointer from the right corner in an early 10-4 lead. The Flames couldn’t baskets inside to help UIC slice the defi- and two free throws from Ottey helped the waning seconds.

MORE SPORTS AT uicflames.com