First Monday AN UPDATE FROM THE PROVOST | SEPTEMBER 2024

COGER'S CORNER

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

It is amazing that we are already three weeks into the Fall 2024 semester. Amid the intensity of activities in progress across East Carolina University, I have been enjoying the many conversations with our students, faculty and staff. The people of ECU shape and define our institution, and I thank you all for the ways you continue to positively impact our University, this region, North Carolina, the nation, and beyond.

You may recall that one of the actions currently in progress is the search for ECU’s Chief Research Officer (CRO). The search has been officially launched and the search committee is expecting to bring the finalists to campus in the next couple of months. This is an important search for our University and I thank everyone who has worked to get us closer to the phase of interviewing candidates. I am particularly grateful to our CRO Search Committee members Sharon Paynter (committee chair), Loni Crumb (COE), Jason Higginson (BSOM), Joseph Lee (CHHP), Alex Manda (THCAS), Stacey Meardon (CAHS), Ramiro Murata (SODM), Bryan Sylcott (CET), and Becky Welch (Office of Research) for their work. The search committee and I hope our University community will choose to actively participate in the campus interviews of the finalists when we reach that step in the search process. If you have questions about the search in the weeks ahead, please direct them to the search committee chair.

One of the great things about a new semester is that it provides a great backdrop for each of us to look back and reflect on key achievements, and also look forward to plan what we want to accomplish in the near future. ECU’s achievements are too extensive to attempt to list them here, but the contents of this issue of First Monday and University Communications’ news release archives provide glimpses of the many accomplishments by team members across our University. One thing I’d like to highlight is the University community’s continued work and collaborations toward fulfilling the priorities of ECU’s Future Focused, Innovation Driven strategic plan. Our strategic plan is a living document that continues to evolve with our actions, and those actions dictate the speed in which those priorities are achieved. Thank you all for the strategic actions you are each helping to complete, and a special thanks to our Institutional Planning, Assessment and Research (aka “IPAR") team for the tool they’ve provided on the bottom of the strategic plan website. It will assist the University in tracking and collaborating on unit strategies, since teamwork is key to ensuring that ECU reaches the plan’s targets by 2028 or before.

As we focus and dream forward during this time in which multidimensional changes are compounding in ways that affect the nation’s higher education institutions (including ours), I thought I’d share a thought that strengthened as I watched the 6th episode of the PBS series A Brief History of the Future last May. The episode was entitled “Tomorrows,” and in it Ari Wallach, the series’ host, showcased how the future is not rigidly predetermined, but instead each human has the ability to think big and make choices now that impact the version of the future that develops. Of the many messages that resonated with me, I’ll paraphrase one of the episode’s statements here. “Times that feel like chaos hold the seeds of opportunity... and we can choose to become the great ancestors that future generations need us to be.” Chaos is defined differently by different individuals, yet navigating chaotic periods are often uncomfortable and full of unknowns, where shifting one’s perspective can make a difference. As I think of this academic year’s opportunities, I also believe we each have an opportunity to choose to make decisions that future Pirates need us to make now to ensure that our University continues to thrive in the future. That thought and my confidence in the people who comprise East Carolina University today, fuel my belief that ECU’s future continues to be bright.

Thank you for taking the time to read First Monday, and thanks to everyone who made this September issue possible.

Go Pirates!

__________________________________________________________________________

BY THE NUMBERS

__________________________________________________________________________

AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS SERVICES

Success Learning Communities are another innovative approach coordinated by Student Academic Success Services (SASS) to support student success. These communities cultivate a sense of belonging, boost academic engagement, and offer collaborative learning experiences that help students deepen their understanding and retention of course material. This fall, 268 students are participating in one of four learning communities coordinated by SASS staff. For more information about SASS Success Learning Communities email Dr. Elizabeth Coghill.

• Freshmen Success Learning Community is designed to assist first time students transition and succeed in their new college environment. Students enroll in common course work including COAD 1000, receive peer academic success coaching, priority access to tutoring and study groups, academic assistance, and engagement events. This year Freshmen Seminar is taught by Matthew Passwater from Nursing, Amber Arnold from the Pirate Academic Success Center, Dr. Danielle Dietz, and Ashley Cooper from the STEPP Program. Peer Academic Coaching services are coordinated by Davis Searcy of the PASC.
• GEAR UP NC supports first year students from specific NC high schools as they transition to ECU and build academic success. GEAR UP NC is a student success grant sponsored by the UNC System. Michelle Blount serves as ECU’s GEAR UP NC Success advisor.
• Pirate Pathways is a new academic recovery program designed to help sophomore Pirates boost their academic performance and improve their GPAs. Sophomores are paired with a success coach and receive academic support, personalized study skills coaching, and participate in skill-building workshops. Pirate Pathways is coordinated by SASS leaders Elizabeth Coghill, Amber Arnold, and Dylan Moore.
• TrACE Success Program is designed to support transfer students as they pursue their degrees at ECU. 64 students are entering their second year of the program and receive academic coaching, participate in engagement activities, and financial support. TrACE is a student success grant sponsored by the UNC System and is under the direction of Elizabeth Coghill.

ECU CONNECT

The team at the Concepts Integration Lab in the College of Nursing is collaborating with ECU CONNECT to introduce an innovative new service. Featured as a specialized resource tile within the platform’s Student Success Network, it provides access to tailored support services and resources offered via ECU CONNECT. The Concepts Integration Lab is at the forefront of this initiative, enabling nursing students to conveniently book appointments with the lab to practice essential nursing skills critical to their academic success.

What is the Concepts Integration Lab? The College of Nursing employs state-of-the-art simulation technology in training for nursing students to combine technical concepts and critical thinking skills with the practice of providing quality patient care. The labs are equipped with mounted video cameras, and several of the rooms include an observation area that allows faculty and staff to view simulations so that students can be debriefed following each session.

ECU CONNECT’s next progress survey runs from September 2 until September 27. Faculty are encouraged to facilitate student connections with campus resources.

ECU CONNECT would like to acknowledge and recognize the contributions of the following September Super Pirates:

• Dr. Laura Gantt, Associate Dean for Nursing Support Services
• Scott Eaves, Interim Assistant Director, Nursing Consultants
• Samantha Schertzinger
• Teradee Hagan
• Brittany Harriett
• Page Mintz
• Camryn Stalnaker

To learn more about ECU CONNECT, please reach out to Dylan Moore via email.

STEPP Program

ECU's STEPP program is committed to supporting students with learning differences by reducing barriers and increasing access to higher education. This year, for the first time, applications for the 2026 academic year will open on October 1. High school juniors can apply to the program, and once selected, they receive a full year of transition support before entering ECU.

Ashley Cooper, STEPP Transition Specialist, oversees STEPP Program recruitment and application processes. As the Transition Specialist, Cooper has broadened STEPP's recruitment strategy to establish a stronger physical and virtual presence in Tier 1 counties across eastern North Carolina. This initiative aligns with the university's strategic plan, focusing on Regional Transformation, Social and Economic Mobility, and Student Success. By leveraging real-time data to identify potential obstacles for students, the STEPP Program offers support through tailored individual or group programming and actively promotes these resources via social media and email campaigns. This data-driven approach not only guides future activities but also captures the narrative of students' journeys to ECU.

For more information about the STEPP Program contact Adam Denney, Director or Ashley Cooper, Transition Specialist.

Pirate Academic Success Center

The Pirate Academic Success Center (PASC) is back in full swing for the Fall 2024 semester, offering an array of services designed to help students succeed! Whether it’s free tutoring, a study group, or study skills support, PASC has students covered - both in-person and online.

This semester, PASC has expanded services to include MATH 1065 weekly study groups, thanks to a collaboration between Davis Searcy from PASC and Joe Bland from the Math Department.

PASC hosted an Open House event from August 26 - 30 with over 350 students exploring the PASC, witnessing tutoring in action, and booking their first appointments. Thanks to PASC Assistant Director, Monique Barrett, for coordinating the Open House event!

We invite all faculty and staff to encourage students to take advantage of PASC’s resources. Booking an appointment is easy - just call 252-737-3009, drop by 2300 Old Cafeteria Complex, or book online!

Join PASC staff and students as they celebrate the PASC’s 16th birthday on Friday, September 27, from 3:00 - 5:00PM. Come tour the center, meet our awesome students and staff, and join the festivities at 2300 Old Cafeteria Complex.

For more information or questions, email us or call 252-737-3009.

GEAR UP NC

GEAR UP NC sponsored 10 students to attend the 2024 Camp Pirates, an immersive, three-day experience designed to prepare students for the challenges of college life through a blend of academic enrichment and community-building activities. Through interactive sessions and peer bonding, students gain valuable insights into campus resources, develop effective study habits, and build a supportive network of fellow campers. Michelle Blount, ECU’s GEAR UP NC success coach, also participated in the event. Camp Pirates is coordinated by the Office of Student Transitions and was held at Camp Dixie in Fayetteville, NC.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS

The 17th Annual Global Partners in Education (GPE) Conference was held at University of Shimane in Japan this past May. GPE is an ECU led membership organization comprised of approximately 50 institutions in more than 30 countries that all participate in our award-winning virtual exchange programming including the Global Understanding and Global BEEHIVE courses. At the conference, faculty and staff from ECU and partner institutions networked and participated in workshops and knowledge building around the theme “Fostering Cross-Cultural Awareness Through Education.” Participants also explored Japanese culture through various activities and events organized by the host institution.

The Office of Global Affairs co-hosted Study NC’s Mountains to Coast counselor tour this summer. On July 15, ECU hosted high school counselors from Mongolia, China, Kazakhstan, Switzerland, Brazil and the UK on both main and health sciences campus. Special thanks to Jason Yao (College of Engineering and Technology), Chip Galusha (College of Business) and Lauren Sastre (College of Allied Health Sciences) for proudly showing off their facilities and discussing their programming with our visitors.

Congratulations to Martin Bier (Department of Physics) on his successful Fulbright Scholar-in-Residence application. Martin will host Maciej Majka, a visiting professor from the Institute of Theoretical Physics at Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Poland, as part of this prestigious program. The Fulbright SIR is among the most competitive international awards available to US universities, with only 43 incoming scholars being funded this year by the U.S. Department of State. Dr. Majka is ECU’s first ever Fulbright SIR.

Upcoming Global Affairs Events and Activities:

• International Tailgate: September 28, 3:30 - 5:30PM, Immanuel Baptist Church
• Study Abroad Fair: October 1, 11:00AM - 2:00PM. MCSC Lawn
• International Awards applications/nomination deadline: October 11

REGISTRAR

On July 10, 2024, Dr. Ashley E. Shivar presented research on early college student success during AACRAO’s Technology and Transfer Virtual Summit. AACRAO, the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers, is a non-profit organization designed to assist higher education become more conscious of student needs, at every point in their academic career. Recently elected as the Eastern Region Four-Year University Representative for the North Carolina College Transfer Program Association, Dr. Shivar’s presentation focused on early college students as “stealth” transfers at the university, showcasing where this population is struggling, and why overlooking them as transfer students could affect retention and success.

OFFICE OF RESEARCH

Join us Monday, September 30, 5:00 - 7:00PM in the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Building for STEM@Starlight as we welcome new startup faculty members to ECU! There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and time for networking. We’ll hear three-minute talks on the research focus of our new faculty members starting at 5:30 p.m. Register to attend.

The CHIPS & Science Act of 2022 prohibits principal investigators and all senior/key persons involved in research or development awards funded by the U.S. federal government from participating in any Malign Foreign Talent Recruitment Programs (MFTRPs). Funding agencies are aligning and standardizing required disclosures. All senior/key persons must certify to the federal government that they are not party to a MFTRP, and those persons are subject to various consequences. For more information, visit the ECU’s Export Controls and Customs webpage.

ECU’s Water Resources Center and the Office of Undergraduate Research are fostering scholarly productivity by offering access to ForagerOne, a platform that enables students to connect with faculty and scholars to engage in research, innovation, creative pursuits, and more. Faculty and scholars can post their current work and availability so students can more easily connect with openings. Faculty are invited to log in to ForagerOne using ECU credentials and create a profile.

All this year, the Office of Research Development will host a series of workshops to help you submit stronger grant applications and to help you better progress through the proposal writing process. Register now for the Grants: Proposals, Processes and People sessions.

Faculty: Please encourage your students to apply for an Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity (URCA) award. URCA awards can provide funding up to $2,000 to support faculty-mentored research and creative projects in the areas of biomedical sciences, social sciences, STEM, as well as arts and humanities. The fall deadline to apply is Friday, September 27. Check HERE for more information.

OFFICE OF INNOVATION & ENGAGEMENT

The Innovator of the Month was established by the Office of Licensing and Commercialization to recognize faculty that have developed novel innovations that can have a major impact on eastern NC and beyond. Nominees are selected by members of the ECU Patent Committee, which chose Dr. Robert Hughes for this month’s spotlight.

Protein preparations using column chromatography can often be met with challenges such as contamination. Further, the use of proteases can be difficult to express and if commercially sourced can be cost prohibitive. To solve this challenge, Dr. Robert Hughes from the Department of Chemistry, developed a Tobacco Etch Virus protease (TEVp)-labelled superparamagnetic nanoparticle for optimal recovery and reuse in protein preparation applications. This approach simplifies the protein preparation, reduces downstream contamination, and can be used for multiple reactions without losing activity. The biological reagent has been licensed to Kerafast and has been purchased by research labs across the United States.

Do you have an idea or innovation that can have impact? Contact us.

Presented by Business NC and East Carolina University, the NC Rural Economic Summit aims to build powerful networks of passionate, engaged, innovative business leaders in rural North Carolina willing to share ideas and resources and take action to strengthen their small communities across the state. It will consist of a two-day conference on Oct 1 and 2 focused on addressing the challenges, opportunities and collaboration of businesses and business supporters in rural North Carolina. Programming will include sessions covering important topics to rural NC businesses including: Entrepreneurship/Small Business, Healthcare, Education/Workforce, and Broadband/Technology.

Register today to attend!

Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy (EOSA) is accepting applications. Take your academic and community engagement to the next level! Apply HERE to be part of the next EOSA cohort.

EOSA is a community of passionate scholars and campus leaders who are committed to making a positive impact on society. The program encourages and supports faculty as they collaborate with a regional partner in an effort to solve a problem that will improve the quality of life for community members across the region. Eligible faculty include:

• Tenure Track Faculty
• Permanently Tenured Faculty
• Fixed Term Faculty with at least 5 consecutive years of ECU employment

Application deadline: Friday, October 4

ECU’s Continuing & Professional Education (CPE) supports non-credit continuing education courses for university faculty and for industry partners. If you would like to offer non-credit continuing education courses, please contact our office to discuss options.

Upcoming CPE classes and events:

• 21st Century Leadership Program: Leader as Inclusion Champion - September 13
• North Carolina Certified Economic Developer (NCCED) Program: Data and Analytics for Economic Developers - September 18 & 19
• K-12 Educator Programs - View Programs

The Lifelong Learning Program (LLP) is accepting proposals for the Spring program! Lifelong Learning is possible because of dedicated volunteer instructors. If you have an interest in volunteering your time to share your knowledge or special interest with adult learners, please complete a proposal form for a workshop, series of short classes, or a Spring trip! Proposals for the spring semester are accepted through September.

Featured LLP classes and events:

• Glass Candy Dish – September 21
• Glass Garden Ball – October 19
• Glass Paperweight – October 5

FACULTY SENATE

2024 - 2025 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:

• September 10, 2024
• October 1, 2024
• November 5, 2024
• December 3, 2024
• January 28, 2025
• February 25, 2025
• March 25, 2025
• April 22, 2025
• April 29, 2025 (Organizational Meeting for 2025-2026)

For more about ECU Faculty Senate, click HERE.

__________________________________________________________________________

COLLEGE UPDATES

ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

Dr. Deirdre Larsen, Assistant Professor in ECU Communication Sciences and Disorders teamed with the Department of Speech Pathology at ECU Health to standardize communication of modified diet orders for people with difficulty swallowing. They had a blast sampling a texture modified meal featuring thickened tea, mango and brownies.

The International Dysphagia Diet Standardization Initiative (IDDSI) testing methods were used to make sure everything was made to the right IDDSI levels for safe and easy swallowing.

An interdisciplinary team of Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Communication Sciences and Disorders graduate students lead another successful Speech Beach camp for kids with communications challenges and delays in July. The camp is fun and beneficial for the children, but as much offers students hands-on experience with young clients, and their caregivers, as well as an opportunity to learn how they will work together in therapeutic spaces after graduation.

Engage ENC, an outreach and research project lead by Dr. Leigh Atherton from the Department of Addictions and Rehabilitation Studies, has been selected as an Award of Excellence finalist in the Engaged University category by the University Economic Development Association. The Awards of Excellence are given in recognition of outstanding economic development initiatives, research, or accomplishments. Engage-ENC seeks to increase the workforce for individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders (SUD/COD) through the integration of innovative, evidence-based vocational services within standard SUD/COD treatment.

ARTS & SCIENCES

Harriot College’s Voyages of Discovery Series will feature two special guests for the 2024-25 season — LeVar Burton, a well-known actor and literacy advocate, and Jeff Corwin, a biologist and wildlife conservationist — who will speak to the theme of “Trailblazing Tales: Telling the Stories of Our Communities.” Discover more about the upcoming season HERE.

As of Aug. 1, Dr. Keith Keene, Professor in the Department of Biology, is Harriot College’s Associate Dean for Research. “I am so pleased that Dr. Keene has joined the Harriot College Dean’s Office,” said Dean Allison S. Danell. “I have the utmost confidence in his abilities to excel in this role, thanks to his extensive positional leadership experience and his deep connection to the mission of ECU.” Read more about Keene and his experience HERE.

Dr. Joseph Luczkovich, Professor in the Department of Biology, has been named to the college’s prestigious rank of distinguished professor. The appointment is the highest honor within Harriot College and is conferred upon a professor whose career exemplifies a commitment to and a love for knowledge and academic life as demonstrated by outstanding teaching and advising, research and creative productivity, and professional service. Read more about Luczkovich’s career accomplishments HERE.

Dr. Marame Gueye, Associate Professor in the Department of English, has won a competitive Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program award for the 2024-25 academic year. Beginning Oct. 1, she will teach and conduct a 10-month-long research project in Sénégal, Africa, on “Discourses of Wifing.” The project will focus on how Senegalese women think about wifehood as a service they render to men. Gueye will examine the concept of wifehood and scholarly activism surrounding gender violence through art, films, music, social media and soccer. Read about Gueye’s notable award HERE.

Dr. Susan McRae, Teaching Professor in the Department of Biology, has won the Animal Welfare Institute’s prestigious Christine Stevens Wildlife Award. McRae is one of nine researchers from across the country developing humane solutions to human-wildlife conflicts. She will use scent lures to increase the effectiveness of trail cameras to non-invasively monitor eastern black rails, a threatened marsh bird species. Find out more about this elusive bird HERE.

ECU students are helping a small business owner expand broadband access in eastern North Carolina, a resource that many people rely on daily and take for granted. Jessica Zufolo, owner of HarvestBeam, Inc., a rural broadband startup company based in southern Pitt County, is the recipient of a USDA grant to collect data on broadband access in rural, low-income communities in the eastern region of the state. The grant is designed to show areas where people have insufficient access to the internet so that federal money can be used to improve infrastructure and get people connected. Learn more about how these students, with majors like sociology, anthropology and economics, are showing how #HarriotCollegeWorks.

BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Brody is one of 15 nationwide and the only medical school in North Carolina included in the top tier of medical schools in a new ranking recently released by U.S. News & World Report. In the 2024 Best Medical Schools rankings, Brody has the highest percentage of graduates from public universities in North Carolina practicing primary care medicine, including in rural areas and in federally designated health service shortage areas. “Brody has a 50-year history of training students from various backgrounds to serve all communities in North Carolina, especially the rural and underserved,” said Dr. Jason Higginson, executive dean of the Brody School of Medicine.

Members of the East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine’s Class of 2028 spent a week gearing up for medical school, getting a closer look at what their next four years will look like. Eighty-three students were selected for the Class of 2028, representing every region of North Carolina. “What makes this class special is their energy and eagerness to join a community of medical learners committed to our mission of practicing in primary care and serving the health care needs of North Carolina,” said Dr. Kema Gadson, Brody’s associate dean for student affairs.

Brody Professor Dr. Rukiyah Van Dross-Anderson won the second statewide N.C. Biotech Venture Challenge on June 27. She received $40,000 from the North Carolina Biotechnology Center in seed funding for her company, Claradele Pharmaceuticals, which is working on a patented therapeutic to treat melanoma. Van Dross-Anderson was one of five teams from across the state pitching their innovations. “I am proud and honored to have represented eastern North Carolina and to receive first place in the statewide Venture Challenge pitch competition,” said Van Dross-Anderson.

Brody’s Dr. Rachel Roper (Microbiology & Immunology) was recently invited to a private meeting with the White House's Executive Office of the President and the Office of Pandemic Preparedness and Response Policy. Her expertise was sought regarding the WHO Emergency Declaration of a new outbreak of a highly virulent Clade 1 Monkeypox virus and its potential importation into the U.S. The meeting was an impactful opportunity to inform the development of public health policy. Roper was one of nine faculty invited to advise on diagnostics, surveillance, vaccines and antiviral treatments, along with representatives from Yale, Emory, Harvard, UCLA, Columbia and Brown universities.

Roper was also invited to a writing retreat for a film project on women in STEM in Colorado this summer. Facilitated by seven award-winning film producers doing a “womanhood series,” the seven women scientist participants wrote five scripts and screenplays for five short films to raise awareness of the obstacles women face. The group is hoping to show the films at conferences and as part of the curriculum for STEM class discussions.

Dr. Emmanuel Zervos, Brody professor in surgical oncology and adult oncology, was featured during the 16th annual José G. Albernaz Golden Apple Distinguished Lecture on July 26. Zervos shared advice and wisdom with Brody’s Class of 2028 and special invited guests at the East Carolina Heart Institute.

Bill Vasios, a simulation fellow in the school’s clinical simulation program, adjunct clinical associate faculty member in physician assistant studies and Army veteran, was offered a chance to jump into western France as part of the 80th anniversary of D-Day, the beginning of the liberation of Europe during World War II. “Doing that jump was a good experience because now I’ve walked those same grounds, and I’ve seen some of the same things,” Vasios said.

BUSINESS

The East Carolina University Board of Trustees approved the appointment of Dr. Michael Harris as dean of the College of Business during its June 18 meeting. Harris served as interim dean of the COB since July 2022, replacing Dr. Paul Schwager, who was dean from 2019-2022.

As interim dean, Harris continued to advance the COB and its role in serving the region and its students. He helped lead efforts in the naming of the Twilley Academy of Sales Leadership, which was made possible by a $4.5 million commitment by Richard G. Twilley. The Twilley Academy focuses on advancing world-class sales education and providing executive educational programs.

The 17th annual Global Partners in Education Experience conference occurred in Shimane, Japan, May 20 – 22. During the conference, Dr. Cynthia Deale, professor in the School of Hospitality Leadership, was awarded the Rosina Chia Instructor of Excellence Award. The award recognizes instructors involved in the Global Understanding program who demonstrate a strong commitment to both their students and their partners and create positive and impactful experiences as they collaborate with their partners to prepare students with the skills, knowledge, and values essential for thriving in today’s interconnected world.

A $15,000 gift from Truist Center for Leadership Development led to the inaugural Emerging Leader Experience, a two-day deep dive focused on personal and professional development centered on leadership.

More than 20 MBA students in the Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business visited ECU’s campus May 17 - 19 and immersed themselves in campus life, from tailgating for a baseball game to building their professional network and tackling concepts and approaches designed to help their leadership capabilities.

Thanks to an anonymous gift, 18 COB students visited San Francisco, California and met with alumni and reps from companies such Cisco, Zoom, Google, Parthenon Capital and Databricks.

“These experiences provide a perspective and level of realization that the classroom cannot,” said Rodney Turner (ECU'93). “Students need to see the humans behind the logos, the personalities they can relate to, and an example of how the real world looks.”

“These trips directly impact the learning experience of our students,” said Mike Harris. “And we’re not done. We’re hard at work pursuing new destinations for our students to visit so they can broaden their perspectives and meet with other successful COB Pirates.”

This year’s Summer Innovation Academy, its seventh, kicked off a weeklong run on July 10. Sixteen students from Pitt County, Beaufort County and the Charlotte area were exposed to the basics of entrepreneurship and how to launch a business idea. Highlights of the innovation academy included learning lean launch startup methodology and one-on-one feedback from local entrepreneurs and investors.

Immersive exercises focused on:

• Creative problems to problem-solving
• Discovery of an idea to solve a problem
• Challenges and decisions involved in starting and growing a business; and
• Pitching an idea to raise capital

East Carolina University and its College of Business once again hosted high school juniors from around the state as they participated in EY’s College Mentoring for Access and Persistence (MAP) program. EY’S College MAP is the company’s signature volunteer program in education. It is focused on empowering students in underserved high schools to gain access to college and succeed in higher education.

During the weeklong camp (July 22-26), the 14 students met with EY and ECU volunteers who spoke about assorted topics to make applying for and going to college easier.

The inaugural Immersive MBA pathway that was announced in August of last year came to a close late July with the first cohort presenting their internship experiences, either in person or video, to COB faculty, faculty, industry representatives and members of the second cohort. The internships were the last phase of their intensive, three-semester MBA education in the Thomas D. Arthur Graduate School of Business.

Job descriptions, project successes, lessons learned, and next steps were shared by 10 of the 12 IMBA students. Whether via PowerPoints or Q&As, the first cohort spoke candidly about their internships and even proffered up ideas for leadership to consider and for the members of the second cohort to keep in mind when their IMBA journey starts in August 2024.

During June’s ATLAS Annual Conference 2024: Leisure & Tourism 2030 2024, Dr. Jalayer (Jolly) Khalilzadeh of the School of Hospitality Leadership presented “A Fractal Analysis of the Global Tourism System.” An ongoing research project on the global tourism system, his presentation won the Best Presentation Award as voted by conference participants.

According to Khalilzadeh, his research is about understanding the complex structure of global tourism.

DENTAL MEDICINE

This summer, the school welcomed an ambitious group of first-year dental students to campus as Summer Research Scholars. The students had the opportunity to work alongside faculty mentors to conduct research before beginning classes in August. The program provides a unique experience for students interested in combining research with their dental school journeys and careers.

The school’s monthly dental care clinic in Hyde County will be featured on PBS’s show “ncIMPACT,” on a segment covering rural oral health care in our state. Once a month, students, faculty, residents and staff travel to Hyde County to provide care to patients from nearby counties.

The school held its 13th annual Fall Convocation on Aug. 19, with guest speaker Dr. Virginia Hardy, who retired in 2022 as ECU’s vice chancellor for student affairs. Each year, the entire school gathers to officially kick off a new academic year and formally welcome the newest class of students.

In August, the school’s team at CSLC-Brunswick County held an ECU Smiles for Veterans event at its facility, providing care for 22 veterans and totaling more than $10,000 in care. Teaming up with the Veteran Smiles Foundation for this initiative, the School of Dental Medicine created this event to give back to veterans across North Carolina.

The Class of 2028 began its dental school journey Aug. 12, kicking off Orientation Week in style. Over the course of this week, they heard from the dean and vice dean, faculty, staff, residents, fellow students and the Office of Student Affairs, who will usher them into their D1 experience.

For the seventh consecutive year, 100% of the school's graduating class signed up for membership in the American Dental Association. The Class of 2024 was recently recognized by the ADA for this accomplishment as they set out for practice and residencies this summer. The ADA provides resources, benefits and opportunities for dentists across the country to network, grow and lead in their communities and beyond.

EDUCATION

This summer’s Advanced Placement Summer Institute at East Carolina University boasted the largest numbers ever for the program. The 277 participants from 11 countries and 29 states constituted a 46% increase in enrollment.

Abigail Lung, a recent history education major graduate, received the 2023-24 ECU Educator Preparation Program Student Teacher of the Year.

The college hosted a First Day of Class celebration in the Speight student lounge to welcome all of the students and faculty back to campus.

Dr. Julie Stanley was spotlighted for her work with AI in teacher prep on an international stage. She presented at GoReact’s spring conference and also spoke during a table webinar on how AI can be used to teach critical thinking.

More than 70 rising high school sophomores, juniors, seniors and graduates spent three days on East Carolina University’s campus to learn more about teacher education programs and life through the Pirate Institute for Regional Aspiring Teachers and Educators (PIRATE) symposium.

ECU students had the chance to travel to Spain with science education faculty Dr. Tammy Lee & Bonnie Glass to study how humans have connected with and impacted the ecosystems in Mallorca. Trip highlights included snorkeling in the blue cave, visiting villages and hiking the Serra De Tramunta mountain range.

For Laura Lee and Mickayla Lee Willobee, education is a family affair. The mother and daughter recently completed their bachelor’s degrees in education through East Carolina University’s Partnership Teach program.

Twelve College of Education students experienced a sample of the culture that Europe has to offer during a summer study abroad trip in May to England, France and Italy. During the 12-day trip, education living-learning community students visited England, France and Italy. Throughout the journey, they had tour guides leading them on bus and walking tours to see sights such as the Eiffel Tower, the Roman Forum, the Colosseum, Pompeii, and several palaces, churches and museums.

Elementary to high school students in eastern NC who are blind or visually impaired participated in Discoveries in Earth Science (DES) program on the East Carolina University campus for two weeks in July 2024.

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

Educators from across the state came to ECU to enhance their STEM teaching strategies during the Engineering and Technology Symposium: Pathways to Enhance K-12 STEM Education. Hosted by the College of Engineering and Technology, the symposium featured workshops, keynote speakers, panel discussions, display tables and hands-on activities that allowed teachers to discover innovative methods to integrate real-world technology applications into their classrooms. Networking with fellow educators and ECU faculty provided more opportunities to enhance K-12 student education in science, technology, engineering and math. Read more HERE.

The new Center for IoT (Internet of Things) Engineering and Innovation offers businesses and researchers as well as governmental, farming, nonprofit and environmental communities IoT solutions for a range of issues. The center, under the guidance of Dr. Ciprian Popoviciu in the Department of Technology Systems, manages the Platform for IoT Open Networks (PITON) that covers more than 1,000 square miles of eastern North Carolina. Read more HERE.

Dr. Carol Massarra, assistant professor in the Department of Construction Management, has found a unique way to test quality construction. Massarra uses a hurricane simulator that can produce winds of more than 70 mph to instruct students of all ages on the importance of hazard-resistant construction. Read more HERE.

Eight engineering students spent the summer along the coast, but it wasn’t all fun and games. Based at ECU’s Outer Banks Campus in Wanchese, the students conducted field work for Dr. Teresa Ryan’s research project on near-shore atmospheric acoustics. Read more HERE.

Students in Duplin County now have an easier path to an ECU degree thanks to the signing of a bilateral agreement with James Sprunt Community College. The agreement provides guaranteed admission into ECU’s Bachelor of Science in industrial technology program for JSCC students who meet specific requirements. Read more HERE.

The College of Engineering and Technology hosted a series of camps this summer. STEM Mavericks welcomed youth from economically distressed counties as well as military dependents, while another group of middle school students spent two weeks focused on green manufacturing and renewable energy. The Department of Technology Systems also hosted educators for a week-long exploration of cybersecurity.

FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION

Recent ECU CFAC graduate Denver Hollingsworth [Journalism and Film and Video Production] had his documentary film entitled The Singing Senator screen on PBS in July of 2024. This film tells the life story of Charlie Albertson, from his successful career as a country music singer-songwriter to becoming one of the longest-serving state senators in North Carolina. Watch a preview, HERE.

Emma Kiriloff, senior Music Therapy student, won the Southeastern Region-American Music Therapy Association student research poster award. Her research poster was “Perceptions of Hearing Loss Risk and Use of Hearing Protection Amongst Music Students.” Emma is the third consecutive student from ECU to win this competitive award in as many years.

At the annual Association for Theatre in Higher Education (ATHE) conference held in Atlanta, GA, Jen-Scott Mobley was proud to be a part of the event: “Reflections on the Impact of Feminist Playwriting: 40 Years of the Jane Chambers Award,” a roundtable bringing together Jane Chambers Award coordinators (Jen-Scott Mobley & Maya Roth) and past winners to reflect on the impact of the Award and feminist playwriting over the past forty years. The Jane Chambers Award, which annually receives over 350 submissions from a diversity of writers for the stage, honors feminist playwriting and praxis. Mobley and Roth, Feminist critic-artists who have stewarded the contest over time (10 and 20 years respectively) engaged with a cross-section of winners from across the Award’s history. Fusing activism and artistry, the roundtable explored disparate lenses on the history, present, and future of feminist playwriting as impacted by the Jane Chambers Award.

East Carolina University’s first residential summer art and design camp tailored specifically for high school students attracted more than 50 students across a tri-state area June 16-21.

Each had the opportunity to explore their creativity, develop new skills, learn about potential careers and meet new people in morning and afternoon sessions in the ECU School of Art and Design in the Jenkins Fine Arts Center. The students lived in White Hall for the week, which ended with a showcase of what students made and keepsakes to take home.

Animation, digital and darkroom photography, textile design, sculpture, graphic design, film and video, and sculptural paper were taught by experienced instructors led by ECU camp director Daniel Kariko and assistant director Robert Quinn.

Kariko said art students are often the minority in their high schools. “They are not necessarily surrounded with everybody else that’s creative, so these types of camps are really allowing them to see that there are other people like them, and enjoy the process, reinforce their belief in ‘hey, this is what I’m about and what I’m doing,’” he said. “I think that’s primarily why these types of camps function really well. This is oriented to their specific interests.”

Aysel Morin's book, “Crafting Turkish National Identity, 1919-1927: A Rhetorical Approach” has been nominated both for the Roderick P. Hart Outstanding Book Award in Political Communication and the Hochmuth-Nichols Book Award in Public Address at the national level.

Dr. Brian Massey, Dr. Festus Eribo and Dr. Mary Tucker-McLaughlin presented research and served as moderators at the May 13th ATINER (Athens Institute for Education and Research) conference in Athens, Greece along with scholars from both the US, across Europe, the Middle East and South Africa.

Juliano Dutra Aniceto, former ECU Graduate Assistant (MM Instrumental Conducting, May 2020), was recently appointed Director of Orchestras of the New England Conservatory NEC Prep division, a brand new position created within the organization, and Music Director of the NEC Prep Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, in Boston, MA, beginning fall 2024. In further exciting news, Juliano is currently serving as cover conductor for the Ravinia Festival, the summer residence of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, and as assistant to Marin Alsop, James Conlon, Valentina Peleggi, and other stellar conductors. In addition, he is assistant conductor for the Festival production of Mozart’s opera Idomeneo. Juliano is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Musical Arts degree (DMA) and Teaching Fellow at the Peabody Institute, the music conservatory of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD. While at ECU, Juliano was a conducting student and Graduate Teaching Assistant to Dr. Jorge Richter and studied flute with Dr. Christine Gustafson.

GRADUATE SCHOOL

Over the summer, the Graduate School welcomed two new members of the Graduate School: Dr. Tatum Taylor and Dr. Debra Jackson.

As Assistant Director for Graduate Admissions, Recruiting, & Outreach, Dr. Taylor focuses on developing and implementing strategic recruitment initiatives, traveling to recruitment events across the region, and communicating with prospective students.

As Dean of the Graduate School, Dr. Jackson is the chief executive officer of the Graduate School. In partnership with the College Deans, she is responsible for the oversight and coordination of activities related to the promotion, development, and implementation of graduate studies.

The Graduate School saw the fruits of their year-long recruitment efforts come to bear this fall. The admissions team processed 4,492 applications, resulting in 1,982 new graduate students and total of 4,966 enrolled graduate students in fall 2024.

Eager to attract the highest quality students for the next cycle, you can find the Graduate School hosting multiple recruitment events throughout the fall semester. These include the following events held during the month of September:

Graduate Explorations are program-specific recruitment events held in the Main Campus Student Center from 2:00 - 3:30PM. Students will have the opportunity to pre-register or walk-in to meet directly with program representatives.

• Monday, September 16 – Arthur Graduate School of Business
• Wednesday, September 18 – Master of Public Administration
• Monday, September 30 – Master of Health Informatics and Information Management

Chart Your Path to Graduate School are general graduate informational sessions. There will be an in-person information table and a virtual evening session on Wednesday, September 11. Register HERE.

• In-Person: Main Campus Student Center Corridor, 2:00 - 3:00PM
• Virtual Session: MS Teams, 7:00 - 8:00PM

Graduate and Professional Success (GPS) Boot Camp is an opportunity for prospective students to learn more about the services available to ECU graduate students. Representatives from Financial Aid, Scholarships, Student Affairs, Online Student Services, and the Child Care Center will be on hand to speak to participants. The event will also include a panel session of current graduate students and some alumni. This event will be on Friday, September 27 from 8:00AM - 12:00PM in the Main Campus Student Center. Register HERE.

The Graduate School will offer several professional development opportunities for graduate students and faculty during the fall term. Associate Dean Kathy Cox and Interim Associate Dean Ron Preston have planned the following events this September:

Faculty and Staff Lunch & Learns are held via Teams on alternating Tuesdays at noon. These sessions are designed to help faculty and staff stay informed on policy- and procedure-related issues relevant to graduate education. Register by clicking on the dates below.

• September 3 – Accelerated Programs and Dual Degrees. When can a course be used twice?
• September 10 – Policy Review: Transfer Credit; Time Extensions; Non-Degree Credit; Add/Drop vs. Withdrawal; Course Withdrawal vs. Term Withdrawal; Incompletes

Graduate Student Lunch & Learns are held via Teams on Thursdays at noon. These sessions focus on timely topics of interest to current graduate students. Register by clicking on the dates below.

• September 5 - Thesis-Dissertation Processes - Getting Started
• September 12 - Thesis-Dissertation Processes - Submitting & Graduating!
• September 19 – Degree Works - using your audit to follow your progress and CPOS (Course Program of Study)
• September 26 - Academic Policies: Incompletes, Course Withdrawals & Term Withdrawals

Thesis and Dissertation Bootcamps are designed to provide graduate students with focused writing time with the goal of completing major sections of the entire document. Sessions are held virtually on September 18, 19, and 20. Register by clicking HERE.

HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE

Dr. Nicole Bromfield began as dean of the College of Health and Human Performance in July and already has made an impact within HHP and at ECU. She delivered remarks at the Army ROTC summer commissioning ceremony, which included sharing her family connection to military service, and she recently helped lead procedures and honoring students at the annual HHP scholarship social event.

Dr. Michele Wallen, chair of the Department of Health Education and Promotion, and Chris Stansbury (Student Affairs) were identified as state leaders and selected to represent ECU in the fifth cohort of the UNC System’s Executive Leadership Institute. Wallen’s roles have included serving as the HEP department chair for four years, and previously as the department’s director of graduate studies. She began at ECU in 2006.

HHP announced during its August scholarship social event that it awarded 120 scholarships totaling $207,600 for this academic year. HHP director of outreach Mack Keenan and the college also produced a digital program from the event, listing all scholarship winners.

Dr. Sarah Maness (health education and promotion) became the first from HHP awarded to the Fulbright Specialist Program for her project titled, “Psychological Measures to Respond to Events of Violence.” This collaboration in Ecuador with Escuela Superior Politecnica Del Litoral University will give Maness the opportunity to use her research knowledge and expertise to help provide tools and specialized training for the ESPOL community to deal with crises calmly and effectively.

HHP received three awards from the National Institutes of Health Division of Loan Repayment for this cycle. Dr. Leslie Cofie (health education and promotion) earned a Loan Repayment Program renewal award from the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Lindsey Oakes (recreation sciences) was awarded an NIH Health Disparities Research LRP from the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development. Dr. Lori Ann Eldridge (health education and promotion) earned an NIH Health Disparities Research LRP from the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Dr. Joseph Lee, associate dean for research in HHP, noted that: “NIH loan repayment awards are highly competitive and are awarded to faculty with world-class research skills and potential. We are proud NIH is recognizing amazing researchers in HHP who are helping to deliver on our mission of making eastern N.C. healthier.”

Kylie Kresho, a student ambassador president representing ECU with the National Retail Federation Student Association, led a shoe drive to initially collect 512 pairs of shoes to benefit Sole4Soles, a nonprofit organization helping communities impacted by natural disasters, war violence or poverty. Kresho has worked with Dr. Marina Alexander in the Department of Interior Design and Merchandising and several community members, businesses and IDMR board members. The 512 pairs put Kresho in first place nationally for shoes collected for the drive.

The website northcarolinasocialworkedu.org rated ECU among having the most affordable Master of Social Work programs in the state. Details for the selection included highlighting that ECU places an emphasis on on-the-ground experience and field work hours.

The Bachelor of Science in recreational therapy program earned continuing accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, which is the leader in the accreditation of health sciences and health professions education. A congratulatory social media post from the CAAHEP stated that this distinction directly attributes to graduates who are highly qualified to work alongside healthcare professionals to improve patients’ quality of life.

A video feature highlighted the work being performed in teacher support and the PEAS (Preschool Education in Applied Sciences) grant, in which ECU’s Drs. Archana V. Hegde and Tammy Lee are among grant leaders. Hegde, professor in the Department of Human Development and Family Science, and Lee are members of a statewide team that includes representatives from ECU, N.C. State, the University of North Carolina Greensboro and North Carolina A&T State University.

The College of Health and Human Performance determined distinguished scholar and professorship designations for members of its faculty. Dr. Joseph Lee was selected to serve as the Dr. Jerry E. McGee Distinguished Professor. Lee is a professor in the Department of Health Education and Promotion and serves as HHP’s associate dean for research. HHP announced Dr. Stacy Warner, a scholar in the disciplines of sport studies and sport management, for the esteemed Dr. Leroy T. Walker Professorship. The college announced that Dr. Abby Schwartz, a scholar in the disciplines of social work and gerontology, was selected as Carolyn Freeze Baynes Distinguished Scholar. And HHP with the Department of Human Development and Family Science announced Dr. Archana V. Hegde, a scholar in the disciplines of human development and early childhood education, for the esteemed Nancy W. Darden Distinguished Professorship.

Mackenzie Hoey was named by the North Carolina Space Grant as one of its 2024-25 graduate research fellows to conduct STEM research benefitting NASA, commercial space or the International Space Station. Hoey is a PhD candidate in the bioenergetics and exercise science program, part of the Department of Kinesiology. Her project is titled, “A finite element analysis of the effects of microgravity and return to gravity on cervical spine biomechanics.” Dr. Zac Domire, director of the Performance Optimization Lab and associate professor in kinesiology, and Dr. Alex Vadati are co-directing Hoey’s dissertation.

HONORS

In August, the Honors College and Brinkley-Lane Scholars Program hosted our annual donor recognition event, Celebrating Excellence, to thank all of our donors. We also introduced the newest class of Brinkley-Lane Scholars during the event and welcomed alumni back to campus.

In May, we announced our newest cohort of Brinkley-Lane Scholars. They represent 11 North Carolina counties and Brazil, and plan to study majors ranging from engineering and public health to marketing and biochemistry. Before classes began, the new cohort had the chance to go on a team-building retreat to Ocracoke Island as part of the Holloman First-Year Retreat. During this retreat, they learned more about the program and their role in it and had the chance to spend time with Brinkley-Lane Scholar leaders.

The Honors College is excited to welcome Addison Sortini to the college in her new role as Business Services Coordinator. She started in early June and we are thrilled to have her as a part of the team. Addison is a graduate of ECU’s College of Business and is currently working on her MBA and a certificate in Leadership in Organizations.

The Honors College moved in just over 250 students to Greene Residence Hall this August as the newest honors class. Honors upperclassmen assisted with the move-in process and also hosted two days of programming to help welcome the students to campus and get them ready for their first day of classes.

As part of welcoming the new students to campus, the Honors College had our annual convocation featuring the following speakers: Dr. Todd Fraley, Honors College dean; Dr. Katie Ford, Honors College assistant dean and Brinkley-Lane Scholars program director; Maggie Marshall, ECU alumna; Emma Corbett, Honors College Student Council vice president; and Tierney Reardon, Brinkley-Lane Scholars Roundtable president.

In June, the Honors College and Truist Leadership Center celebrated Dr. Steve Ballard’s retirement after a four-decade-long career in higher education. Ballard served as ECU’s seventh chancellor from 2004 to 2016. He became director of the Truist Leadership Center in 2017 and became a professor, teaching leadership courses in the Honors College.

The Honors College is proud to announce the creation of an Honors College Young Alumni Council (YAC) to help bridge the gap between recent graduates and the Honors College. The YAC has already begun to create programming to connect with students, including virtual coffee chats and an adulting/life skills seminar series.

Christine Chan spent 9 weeks interning at the Alaska Fisheries Science Center Kodiak Laboratory, part of NOAA Fisheries, as part of her Hollings Fellowship. Her mentors were Drs. Chris Long and Emily Ryznar, and they were looking at the combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on the physiology and behavior of the sea star species Evasterias troschelii.

Two Honors College students received fellowships through the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program and spent the summer working at the Naval Surface Warfare Center in Bethesda, Maryland. Sophie Arruza worked in the Data Collection, Instrumentation, Controls and Electronics Group of the Maritime Systems Hydromechanics Branch. Molly Lasure worked in the Structural Acoustics Group in the Signatures Monitoring and Surface Ships Program Branch.

Recent Honors and Brinkley-Lane Scholar graduate Javier Limon has been awarded an $8,500 graduate fellowship from The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. Limon graduated in May with a degree in political science and is pursuing his master’s degree in public administration at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He was one of 62 Phi Kappa Phi fellowship recipients nationwide and one of four from a North Carolina institution.

INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS

ICS student Samantha Farquhar recently spent 23 days in Greenland as a Guest Scientist with Hurtigruten Expeditions (HX). This role allows researchers to join an HX voyage and collect data while onboard. Sam's project focused on climate change, weather, and traditional kayak use. The Greenlandic qajaq is an important symbol of culture and even still used for hunting in some communities. However, the qajaq can only be used in certain weather conditions. Changes in weather, driven by climate change, may decrease ability to use the qajaq. Sam interviewed traditional qajaq users from various communities during the voyage and gained insight into what wind speeds, wave heights, ice conditions, and temperatures the qajaq can be used in. When Sam was not interviewing qajaq users, she assisted other scientists onboard with their sampling.

Farquhar and her mentor Dr. Nadine Heck (Coastal Studies), along with Drs. Eric Wade (Coastal Studies) and Rebecca Asch (Biology) and others, also recently published an article in Frontiers entitled, “Industrial fishing and its impacts on food security: a systematic review.”

Shalimar Moreno, and ICS Ph.D., focuses on coastal ecosystem processes and ecosystem functions by combining ecological methods and remote sensing techniques. She recently visited Bermuda in July 2024 to conduct fieldwork studies to understand the growth rates of the shallow water coral reefs. This included a variety of methods including deploying instruments for measuring water chemistry, conducting video surveys to assess benthic composition, and collecting different reef building coral species to measure their seasonal weight changes over the course of a year. This research is part of her dissertation and was funded partially by the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences Grants-in-Aid.

Over the summer, ICS Ph.D students Kinsey Blumenthal and Daystar Babanawo and their mentor Dr. David Lagomasino (Coastal Studies) spent two weeks in the Florida Everglades collecting mosquitoes across the mangrove complex. This fieldwork was conducted as part of Kinsey’s dissertation research into the effects of mangrove conditions on mosquito dynamics and the implications for infectious disease circulation. Mangrove conditions include microclimate, understory light, salinity, and forest structure metrics obtained from spaceborne LiDAR. Mosquito dynamics focus on biodiversity and select species known to transmit pathogens. Funding for this fieldwork was provided by the Everglades Foundation from a $25,000 fellowship Kinsey was awarded last year.

This summer Babanawo (above - back, center) also assisted Priscilla Baltezar, a Remote Sensing and GIS Analyst from MIT Space Enabled Research Group, in developing a user guide for monitoring the impacts of illegal gold mining and relevant deforestation and forest degradation in Ghana, West Africa. Illegal gold mining has become a significant menace to the vegetation cover of Ghana. This practice, often referred to as "galamsey," involves unregulated gold mining that results in large swaths of forests including protected areas being cleared at an alarming rate in Ghana. The guide was developed to give background on the analysis “The large footprint of small-scale artisanal gold mining in Ghana,” published in the Journal Science of the Total Environment (Barenblitt et al., 2021). It provides in-depth information on leveraging Landsat Earth observations and Google Earth Engine (a cloud computing programming platform) to monitor vegetation loss in response to illegal gold mining. A workshop was held in Ghana this summer by Priscilla and Danielle Wood, also from MIT Space Enabled Research Group to present and transfer the guide to the project collaborators, Ghana Space, Science and Technology Institute, (GSSTI) and Ghana Statistical Service (GSS).

In a recent Washington Post interview, Drs. Michael O’Driscoll (Coastal Studies), Charlie Humphrey, Guy Iverson (Environmental Health Sciences), Jane Harrison (NC Sea Grant), and Jared Bowden (NC State Climate Office) discussed the impact of rising sea level on groundwater levels in Dare County, NC and the implications for coastal septic systems. Rising sea level and coastal flooding pose significant risks to onsite wastewater infrastructure in coastal communities, including potential water contamination and increased maintenance and replacement costs for homeowners. The article helps to illustrate the vulnerability of wastewater infrastructure in coastal and low-lying inland communities and emphasizes the urgent need for infrastructure improvements and policy reforms. The article can be accessed here: Rising waters plague septic tanks, threatening pollution and health risks - Washington Post.

In July, Dr. Mike Muglia (Coastal Studies) and his lab team went offshore to work on a CDIP buoy (Coastal Data Information Program, in partnership with National Renewable Energy Laboratory with funding from the US Army Corps of Engineers). The buoy measures wave height, period, and direction and near-surface ocean currents. It informs several wave energy and current energy converter projects in the UNC system and helps provide an accurate estimate of the wave energy resource off the Outer Banks. The buoy was disconnected by divers, then hauled aboard, where the team replaced batteries and other software before re-deploying it in the ocean.

Then in August, the Muglia lab assisted with a test deployment of a "wirewalker" buoy straight offshore of Oregon Inlet at the shelfbreak in 300 m water depth with Dr. Harvey Seim's lab at UNC CH. Dr. Seim has a NSF project in the Galapagos this coming year and asked the Muglia lab to assist with learning how to deploy and recover this buoy from CSI’s vessel Miss Caroline. The Wirewalker is a profiler that measure salinity, temperature, depth, currents with an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, nitrogen, and oxygen. If successfully retired from the Galapagos project, the Muglia lab intends to use this again on the NC shelf break to provide information about turbulence in the water column for theNC Renewable Ocean Energy Program.

High school students, Finnegan Davis, Moira Furr, and Maya Corbett, and Hannah Holland, an undergraduate student from University of Tampa interned in the Ecology & Biogeochemistry of Marine & Coastal Systems Lab with Dr. Lindsay Dubbs (Coastal Studies Institute) and UNC Chapel Hill PhD student, Claire Johnson over the summer. The high school interns investigated the use of pelagic Sargassum tissue for energy and material synthesis purposes, which included literature review, analysis of the lab’s 9-year dataset of Sargassum tissue, and experimentation with making a plastic from algae. Ms. Holland’s summer internship project was a method comparison for the removal of epiphytes from the surface of macroalgae. Hannah collected samples from the Pamlico Sound and Gulf Stream, gained experience using a high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) for algal pigment analysis, and created a scientific poster detailing her project.

Dean Reide Corbett gave a presentation, entitled “Hazards & Vulnerability across Eastern NC,” at the recent Disaster Recovery Contracting Summit hosted by ECU’s Small Business and Technology Development Center in August. The goal of this Summit was to help our region’s small businesses better understand how government contracting works after a disaster and opportunities related to hazard preparedness. Corbett’s presentation focused on the unique conditions that prevail across Eastern NC that make tropical cyclones, nor-easters, flooding and other natural disasters so common in the region.

The Coastal Studies Institute and ECU OBX Campus was the chosen site for the ECU Board of Trustees summer meeting in early August. The Board and distinguished guests were welcomed with a reception the night prior to the meeting, and attendees had the opportunity to learn about the ongoing research and education initiates at the site.

The Coastal Studies Institute held eight weeks of hands-on, STEAM-focused summer camps in 2024, 107 individuals participated in programming, and some even attended multiple sessions. This year CSI offered four different camp themes- marine and coastal biology and ecology; maritime archeology; art and science; and oceanography and coastal engineering. More information about CSI summer camps can be found HERE. Registration for the 2025 season will begin on March 1.

The Coastal Studies Institute launched the 2024-2025 season of its Science on the Sound lecture series on August 28. Professor Don Hornstein (UNC Chapel Hill) presented "What in the World is Happening with Homeowners and Flood Insurance at the North Carolina Coast." For a list of upcoming Science on the Sound Speakers and topics, along with other events on the ECU Outer Banks campus, click HERE.

JOYNER LIBRARY

A creative team including project leaders in Academic Library Services employees Amy Cooley, Brandon Stilley, Bryna Coonin and David Hisle launched “A Guide to Artificial Intelligence for Students” LibGuide. The guide is filled with various content tabs, images, questions, answers and insight into AI uses and student success. There also is a faculty tab that includes classroom and research best practices, and additional resources. Other topics detailed include image generation, ethical concerns, AI tools and citations.

Extensive research within the library’s Special Collections conducted by James Stroud and Elise White earned them each the Senator Robert Morgan Papers Student Research Award. Their projects — “Favorable Winds: Robert Morgan & the Circumstances of the 1974 Election Year” by Stroud and “Justice Deferred: Antidumping Legislation in the Robert Morgan Collection” by White — are available in The ScholarShip, ECU’s Institutional Repository. White entered the award process while dually enrolled as an ECU first-year student and a junior in the Innovation Early College High School. Stroud was a senior when he submitted his paper, and is now Interlibrary Loan lending and document delivery manager for the library while also enrolled in the ECU Master of Library Science program.

Our librarians helped new faculty who attended ECU new faculty orientation gain more familiarity with Joyner Library, our spaces and various resources available to them. The library session included lunch with a librarian, an address delivered by library director Jan Lewis and an opportunity to participate in a librarian-led tour.

Head of North Carolina Collection Jennifer Daugherty was praised in a social media post as a constituent of the week by U.S. Rep. Don Davis’ office. Daugherty provided research and application assistance to a staff member from their office and was nominated as a constituent of the week thanks to her work as a librarian and helping people and her community. The post lauded Daugherty’s passion for helping others discover their own ancestry and preserve family stories.

ECU’s Making Artificial Intelligence Generative for Higher Education (MAIGHE) research project will offer several workshops through the Office for Faculty Excellence during the 2024-25 academic year. Look for sessions on AI literacy, ECU faculty’s current use of generative AI, use cases for generative AI in teaching and research, and more topics. Based on analyses of focus group and interview data from Phase One of the project, many research study participants identified the need for additional learning opportunities. Favored methods include learning from colleagues, attending faculty panels, utilizing case studies, discipline-specific guides, online modules, webinars and hands-on sessions. Jan Lewis, director of Academic Library Services, is principal investigator on ECU’s team that is joined by 19 other universities, including Princeton University, Yale University, Temple University and Carnegie Mellon University — and Duke University as the only other in-state institution — in creating the nation’s “largest qualitative dataset to date on AI issues and opportunities related to teaching, learning and research in higher education” in conjunction with and compiled by Ithaka S+R.

The magnet wall located on our first-floor main hallway features an opportunity for patrons to post their Starbucks order, other order suggestions and feedback. This idea for a Starbucks interactive magnet wall was sparked and carried out by library administration student employee Analise Watts.

Game Night at Joyner Library is scheduled for Oct. 17 from 5-9 p.m. Pumpkin decorating will be an option again this year, along with an arcade experience, board games, video games, trivia, DnD and other fun entertainment options on the first floor of the library. This is not only for students to attend, but it’s a family-friendly event for staff and faculty to also come enjoy.

A Lost Colony exhibit is displayed in our North Carolina Collection on the third floor. The exhibit, "Legacy of the Lost Colony" was curated by intern Deanna Pate and will be displayed into December. It explores how the story of The Lost Colony has been researched and portrayed in the past several centuries.

Thanks to Academic Affairs, ECU Libraries were able to negotiate expanded access to all JoVE content and acquire a variety of new resources, including video databases from Clarivate, additional journal backfiles, Ebooks, reference works and magazine archives. For more information, contact your subject liaison librarian. Also, ECU researchers can access discounts for open access publishing through several publisher agreements like Cambridge, Frontiers, PLOS and Springer Nature. A complete list of eligible publishers is available on our Sustainable Scholarship website.

LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

Information and Research Services librarians made a great showing at this year's Medical Library Association meeting in Portland, Oregon. Jeff Coghill, Soph Myers-Kelley, Mary Roby and Heidi Reis shared research outcomes and case studies with colleagues from around the country. Topics included advancing digital equity in rural agricultural communities, an analysis of donor weight criteria in U.S. body donation programs and supporting student success through collaborations across campus.

For our 55th anniversary, we will be hosting pop up tables throughout the semester to celebrate the library and our patrons! Take-a-Break Tuesday was a hit with our Allied Health Sciences students who got to grab a snack, drink, frisbee and play some yard games on the lawn.

We are proud of our current group of student employees at Laupus, who are vital to the operations of the library and provide support for public and historical services. Mary Grace Meadows is an occupational therapy graduate student employee in History Collections where she assists the archivist and helps fellow students and interested community members when researching topics related to health history. Mary says that “History Collections has shown an even greater importance on documentation and using the knowledge of those before you,” as she relates her work with her future career. The library has lots of opportunities to support learning through work experiences and internships. If you know students who would benefit from an opportunity like Mary's, please reach out to HR Specialist Kathy Massey at masseyk15@ecu.edu for more information.

Laupus welcomed our inaugural Data Librarian to the library this summer. Xiaolan Qiu is responsible for ensuring health sciences researchers and students are aware of data policy and practices that will ensure compliance with federal requirements, but also promote and make their research data as discoverable and reproducible as possible. Xiaolan can be reached at qiux24@ecu.edu for questions and consultations.

We also welcomed our first-year medical students to campus in July. “Team Loyal” stopped by for an orientation and tour of the History Collections. Welcome to ECU, M1s!

NURSING

Libby Guerrero, a Clinical Nurse Specialist student, recently had a paper published that outlines her work to provide exercise guidelines for patients with LVADs – left ventricular assist devices.

Guerrero graduated from the University of Virginia 19 years ago with her BSN and has served patients with cardiac conditions across the spectrum of care ever since through intensive care, electrophysiology and cardiac rehabilitation. She is currently the Ventricular Assist Device (VAD) Program Coordinator at WakeMed Health & Hospitals in Raleigh.

Guerrero has a passion for fitness and wellness, which easily blended with her nursing work and research in her current studies.

“I focus largely on acute inpatient rehabilitation of advanced heart failure patients with VADs, and I aspire to improve quality of life for the VAD population by facilitating safe, quality care, which is why I joined the ECU Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS) program,” Guerrero said.

“The CNS training program has resonated with me, filled knowledge and skill gaps, and provided genuine faculty support in ways I had hoped and also in ways I did not anticipate. Moreover, the ECU program has been the right balance of feasibility and learning that has made graduate school fruitful for me and flexible during a time of many life transitions,” Guerrero said.

Three ECU Army ROTC Pirate Battalion's nursing students got some important experience – nursing and soldiering experience – as part of the U.S. Army’s Nurse Summer Training Program over the waning days of the summer break. Cyniah Phillips was at Brooke Army Medical Center at Fort Sam Huston, Texas, and Adam Zimmerman and Tahjee Dingle are in the national capital region, at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.

The training experience offered the cadets opportunities to experience Army nurse life in intensive care, pediatrics, emergency medicine and cardiac rehabilitation while shadowing Pirate Nurse alumni.

Recent Doctor of Nursing Practice graduate, and certified nurse midwife, Dr. Heather Helton was interviewed for a USA Today story about birthing care, particularly epidurals.

She has shown, through her research, that consistent distribution of research-informed health care information from trusted health care professionals, as she does in social media spaces, helping to disrupt misinformation and improve patient outcomes.

__________________________________________________________________________