First Monday AN UPDATE FROM THE PROVOST | november 2023

COGER'S CORNER

Provost and Senior Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs

With November comes the reality that the Fall 2023 semester will be over in a matter of weeks. This means we are all engaged in achieving deliverables and hitting deadlines, and helping those with whom we work to do the same. Amid the business of now, I hope you take a moment to engage with nature as this is also a time when its beauty is on display. I still find that noticing the changing foliage while taking a walk around campus is a great way to put things into perspective and simultaneously witness the people of East Carolina University interacting together. The strength and support of those interpersonal interactions makes the difference for those new and not-new-at-all to ECU. I thank everyone who takes time to say a kind word, offer a smile, or express words of genuine care and encouragement to students and colleagues within the Pirate Nation. Your actions may not seem large to you, but can be transformational for the recipient, especially during this time of the semester.

This is also a time in which student applicants for admission into ECU are being reviewed, and continuing students are navigating critical assignments. Support infrastructures (e.g, counseling, student health, etc.) throughout the University are seeing a great deal of traffic. In last month’s segment of “Coger’s Corner,” I reminded us that ECU’s enrollment is always the combination of our success in attracting new students and the retention and degree persistence of current students. I also shared an example of how small shifts can make the difference in a few more students passing a class without altering the rigor of a course. Today I offer another example to consider. Suppose a faculty member of a course that has traditionally had high drop, fail, and withdrawal (DFW) rates noticed that very few students in the course attend office hours. There can be a variety of reasons why students choose to skip office hours, yet perhaps we don’t always consider the stigma some students attach to going to see the professor. Our student body is certainly not a monolith. Our students are different varieties of races, cultures, preparations, experiences, income-levels and more, and 23% of ECU’s undergrads are first generation students. The only thing that all first generation students have in common with each other is that their parents did not earn four year college degrees. This typically translates to our first gen students not being able to lean on their parents for knowledge on how to navigate the vocabulary and norms of the university experience. Hence if any of our students ask you a question like: “Where do I go to find X?” or “How do I log in to B?” – how we respond can demonstrate that we are a welcoming university, or be off-putting and discouraging. For the example of a course with traditionally high DFW rates (or any course), explicitly taking a few moments to demystify office hours by communicating to the entire class that the professor expects their students to come to office hours with lecture, conceptual and/or homework questions is an action that can take five minutes or less, but potentially have a huge impact on student success in that course.

Some of you may know that I chair the advisory committee for one of the directorates of the National Science Foundation (NSF). We met last week, and that reminded me that multiple NSF grant programs may be of direct interest to our University community. For instance, there are programs focused on Clean Energy, quantum research, on biotechnology and bioeconomy, the AGEP program focused on graduate education and preparing grad students for the professoriate, the GRANTED program focused on growing research access infrastructure, the ART program focused on translating “academic research into tangible solutions that benefit the public,” programs to support education and training, and so much more. If you have not reviewed the array of grant programs available at NSF, or within the Department of Education, National Institutes of Health, the Department of Defense, the Department of Energy, etc., I encourage you to do so and to engage with REDE to assist you. There are many grant programs available to help you leverage your expertise as a subject matter expert and your passion for our students to attract extramural funding in support of projects that align with each aspect of ECU’s mission (i.e., national model for student success, public service, and regional transformation).

Finally, to update the campus community on current searches under my purview, last month I charged the search committee for the Dean of the Graduate School. Interim Dean Stacey Altman is the committee chair, and the members of this committee are Tania Alvarez of the Graduate School, Leigh Atherton of the College of Allied Health Sciences, Michelle Eble of the College of Arts & Sciences and the Graduate School, Christy Howard of the College of Education, Len Rhodes of the College of Business, Jean-Luc Scemama of the College of Arts & Sciences, and Zhen Zhu of the College of Engineering & Technology. I am grateful to all members for their service on this important, university-level committee.

As I close, I thank everyone whose contributions made this November 2023 issue possible. We all hope you enjoy this First Monday!

Go Pirates!

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BY THE NUMBERS

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STUDENT AFFAIRS (GUEST SPOT)

ECU Career Services, within the Division of Student Affairs, is excited to introduce a new career exploration tool called Steppingblocks and will provide a demonstration of the tool on November 14, 2023, at 9:00 a.m. in the Main Campus Student Center Blackbox Theater.

Steppingblocks is an innovative online career exploration platform that empowers students to discover meaningful career pathways and prepares them for the future of work with information about relevant skills and experience. Every ECU student will gain access to our data-driven digital career counselor system which provides an insider’s look at education and career outcomes for ECU alumni and can analyze career paths by job title or major from a database of over 100 million professionals.

Steppingblocks, currently used at Georgia State University, the University of Georgia System, UNLV, Memphis, Central Florida, and University of Maryland Global Campus, collects, organizes, classifies, and analyzes demographic, education, and employment data from hundreds of different sources.

Click HERE to let us know you’re planning to attend on November 14th at 9:00 a.m.

For questions about the demonstration, please contact Tom Halasz, ECU Career Services Director at 252-328-6050 or HALASZT18@ECU.EDU.

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AROUND ACADEMIC AFFAIRS

STUDENT ACADEMIC SUCCESS SERVICES

Pirate Academic Success Center

TrACE: Celebrating Transfer Student Success

October 16 marked National Transfer Student Week, and the TrACE Success Program joined the celebration with a group photo and a "We Love Our Transfer Students" party. In collaboration with the Office of Student Transitions, TrACE staff conduct academic wellness workshops and participated in campus outreach events designed to encourage transfer student success at ECU.

TrACE success program is a part of Student Academic Success Services initiatives and is a UNC system office grant that leverages academic supports, community involvement, campus engagement activities, financial incentives and dedicated professional staff to foster transfer student success. Pictured in the photo are Dr. Tatum Taylor, program director, Yolanda Davis, Success Advisor, and 32 out of the 120 students in the TrACE program. All TrACE students transferred from North Carolina community colleges and are pursuing their bachelor's degrees.

STEPP Program

The College STAR Network is offering a national workshop series for K-12 professionals and families who support individuals with disabilities as they transition from high school to college. The first part of the workshop series, "Options: Types of College Settings," was held on October 26. Over 1,100 participants registered for the conference, including over 500 prospective student teachers from East Carolina University’s College of Education.

The workshop series will continue throughout the spring with the following sessions:

• Habits and Behaviors of Successful College Students, January 25, 2024
• Transition to College-A Student Perspective, February 22, 2024
• Common College Resources and Departments, March 21, 2024
• Differences between High School and College, May 9, 2024

College STAR is a network of professionals who support students who have learning & attention differences (neurodiversities). The network establishes a nexus of experiences, expertise, and resources designed to enhance and improve our programs and create opportunities for students nationwide.

ECU STEPP Program staff Adam Denney (Director), Dr. Danielle Dietz (Instructional Specialist), and Ashley Cooper (Transition Specialist) each serve in leadership roles within the College Star network. Denney is Network Chair, Dietz serves as K-12 Bridge Working Group Coordinator and Cooper is the K-12 Bridge Working Group Coordinator-Elect.

Faculty and staff can learn more about the College STAR Network or receive additional information about the workshop series by contacting the College STAR network.

Starfish

Academic departments of all disciplines have the option to request Starfish usage data by submitting a request HERE. Additionally, training opportunities are open to both departments and individual faculty or staff members. To inquire about training, please contact ECU's Starfish system Administrator, Dylan Moore.

OFFICE OF GLOBAL AFFAIRS

International Education Week (IEW) is a joint initiative of the US Department of State and the US Department of Education designed to promote programs that prepare US students for a global environment and to attract top international students to study in the US. Click HERE for a full schedule of ECU’s IEW events, which include:

• Parade of Flags to celebrate ECU being selected as a winner of the Senator Paul Simon Award for Comprehensive Internationalization (11/9)
• 7th Annual International Award Ceremony (11/9)
• Fulbright US Scholars program panel discussion (11/14)
• Hosting international visiting scholars information session (11/15)
• Study abroad financial planning workshop (11/15)
• Incorporating International Virtual Exchange into your courses (11/16)
• International Potluck (11/16)
• Walk-in Passport Fair (11/17)

Samantha Farquhar, a Ph.D. student in the integrated coastal sciences program, recently completed her Fulbright-Hays Doctoral Dissertation Research Abroad fellowship. Samantha conducted her fellowship with Université Laval and the Makivik Corporation in Quebec, Canada. Her project aimed to understand how the development of commercial industrial fisheries impacts local food security.

OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS

The Access Scholars program, managed by the Office of University Scholarships, continued the tradition of the annual Fall Break experience for the freshman Access Scholars this October. This year, the group traveled to the Outer Banks and spent their Saturday with the North Carolina Coastal Federation. They learned about marine conservation and participated in two service projects. Students worked on cleaning up the rain garden at Manteo Middle School and cleaning up debris at a water access point. On Sunday, students learned about a number of North Carolina ‘firsts,’ starting their day with a group tour of the Wright Brothers National Memorial, visiting and climbing the Bodie Island Lighthouse, and wrapping up their day at Fort Raleigh National Park. While they were learning about the firsts, many students were experiencing the Outer Banks for the first time. Learning more about North Carolina’s rich history is always a highlight of the trip. The Access program traveled with the First Aboard and Residential Scholars programs managed by Campus Living.

OFFICE OF STUDENT FINANCIAL AID

Like the rest of the country, ECU is waiting for the U.S. Department of Education to release the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (the FAFSA) for the 24/25 school year. Typically available on October 1, this year we are looking at a December release date.

The Department has publicized that they have made significant changes to both how families complete the form (the FAFSA Simplification Act) and formula that underlies the calculation of eligibility for aid.

The Financial Aid Office staff who worked the Open House event on October 14 (both the seminars in the New Student Center and the table event in Rec Center) spoke about these changes and reassured families that we understand their concerns:

• that ECU will begin to load FAFSA data about three days after the form opens;
• that we will load their data to the scholarship portal so that student may be considered for both merit and need-based scholarships;
• that students should create their profile in the scholarship portal as soon as they have their admission confirmation letter with their Pirate ID and password;
• that the student and that both “parental figures” in the household should begin the Federal Student Aid ID process now, it make take several days to confirm identity and that the FSA ID will be their signature going forward;
• that parents who do not have a valid social security number should go ahead with creating the FSA ID – using nine zeroes as their SSN.

The Financial Aid Office began awarding the Spring 2024 entering students on October 18. We will continue to review and award this population through the start of the spring term.

INSTITUTIONAL PLANNING, ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH (IPAR)

Institutional Research staff within ECU’s office of Institutional Planning, Assessment, and Research (IPAR) brought home two awards from a recent conference for members of the Southern Association for Institutional Research (SAIR). ECU placed third in the category of Best Innovative Practice. This award is given annually to recognize an outstanding assessment program, workflow, or other team process that has led to increased efficiencies and/or improved outcomes. The best practice for which ECU was recognized involved the provision of PII data on faculty and staff by institutional researchers. A description of this practice was published earlier this year in the newsletter of the national Association for Institutional Research. Also at this year’s conference, Dr. Beverly King, Director of Institutional Research, received the Unsung Hero Award. This award recognizes the ongoing contributions of a member to SAIR and the field of institutional research and planning in the broadest sense. This Award honors individuals whose effort and initiative might not otherwise receive public recognition. Dr. King has served as a director for institutional research offices for 16 years, has authored numerous presentations and publications related to the field, and currently serves as a member of the board for the North Carolina Association for Institutional Research (NCAIR).

OFFICE OF RESEARCH, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & ENGAGEMENT

REDE and ITCS invested in a pilot program to provide access to high performance computing (HPC) resources for ECU researchers. The goal of the program is to assist primary investigators and their labs in the generation of preliminary data necessary for high quality applications to extramural funding agencies. Learn more HERE.

The first group of HPC applications are currently under review. New applications will be accepted and reviewed monthly going forward. Contact Dr. Mary Farwell with questions by email or by phone at 252-328-4810.

Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Awards program is open for applicants. This opportunity is for faculty in their first two years of appointment in the following fields: Engineering and Applied Science, Life Sciences, Mathematics/Computer Sciences, Physical Sciences, Policy, Management, or Education. Two applicants from ECU will be chosen to move forward with a full proposal.

Click HERE for full instructions. Click HERE to submit internal application (Smartsheet). The internal application deadline is Monday, November 13.

Earlier in 2023, REDE developed a new internal funding award, the Trendsetter Award, to identify noteworthy scholars across various career phases. The application for the 2024-2025 Trendsetter Award will be available in November 2023. Applications will be due in February 2024. All faculty, regardless of tenure status, department, school and/or college and field of study, are welcome to submit a nomination, consisting of a current CV and Chair letter. Awardees will be announced at the annual Research & Scholarship Award Ceremony in April 2024.

The inaugural Trendsetter Award recipients are sharing their experience and expertise in research and creative activities achievements during a professional development workshop series this academic year. If you missed the first two workshops, you can view the recorded sessions here:

• Workshop 1 – Co-hosts: Matt Militello, Lisa Beth Robinson, and Stacy Warner – View session
• Workshop 2 – Co-hosts: Ryan Schacht, Alex Vadati, and Siddharth Narayan – View session

Workshop 3 of the Trendsetter Series will be held Thursday, February 16, 2024, 2:00 - 3:30p.m. via Microsoft Teams. Join the session by registering through OFE’s website. You'll hear from Leigh Atherton, Jacquelyn Mallette, and Rukiyah Van Dross-Anderson. Learn more HERE.

Join us Tuesday, December 5, 5:00 p.m. at 5th Street Hardware, for an introduction to ECU’s public-private partnership with NCInnovation. Learn what the powerful partnership means for faculty researchers and meet the newly appointed Regional Innovation Network Director for the eastern region, Derrick Welch.

Dr. Carlyle Rogers, Director of Licensing & Commercialization, will also join us to discuss initiatives and support programs available to faculty to grow their ideas and advance their businesses towards commercialization success.

STEM@Starlight is open to the public. Register to attend. STEM@Starlight is sponsored by the NC Biotechnology Center.

The Office of Licensing and Commercialization Innovation Ambassadors represented their respective faculty innovations at the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge on October 17.

• Dymon Pickett from the department of criminal justice presented on Moon Grips, a smart cap device that can help individuals with dexterity issues open medicine bottles and track health information.
• Brittany Trotter from the department of bioenergetics and exercise science demonstrated the JoJo, an all-in-one medical device and mobile application that can be used by home health caregivers.
• Amber Faircloth, from the department of communication sciences and disorders, showed attendees the virtual reality platform Talkative, which provides social anxiety relief for individuals with stuttering.

Moon Grips and Talkative will compete in the second round of the Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge. Outside of the challenge, Innovation Ambassadors Jacqulyn Flanagan from the Coastal Studies Institute and Elizabeth LaFave from the department of chemistry are assisting teams participating in the Fall I-Corps cohort.

Graduate students interested in the Innovation Ambassador Program can learn more online. Applications for the Spring 2024 cohort are due November 10.

The Office of Engaged Research is accepting applications for the next Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy (EOSA) cohort. Applications are due November 25. EOSA is a community of passionate scholars and campus leaders who are committed to making a positive impact on society. As an EOSA member, you will have access to a wide range of resources, mentorship, and opportunities to engage with local communities and bring about meaningful change. EOSA can provide a unique platform to enhance your faculty research experience and make a real difference for the people and communities of eastern North Carolina.

We are looking for:

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

A successful candidate will:

• Have an active research agenda that contributes to their discipline and has an impact on the community
• Demonstrate a clear desire to implement a research agenda that incorporates engaged scholarship Have a desire for new learning about community engaged scholarship
• Demonstrate capacity to communicate effectively and disseminate results to an external audience Have strong interpersonal and professional communication skills
• Demonstrate commitment to active participation, planning, and implementation of an engaged scholarship program with a community partner

Take your academic and community engagement to the next level. Apply today! To learn more about ECU's Office of Economic and Community Engagement and how our services can assist you, click HERE.

FACULTY SENATE

2023 - 2024 Faculty Senate meeting dates are as follows:

• November 7, 2023
• December 5, 2023
• January 30, 2024
• February 27, 2024
• March 26, 2024
• April 23, 2024
• April 30, 2024 (Organizational Meeting for 2024-2025)

For more about ECU Faculty Senate, click HERE.

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COLLEGE UPDATES

ALLIED HEALTH SCIENCES

Student Success

Health Services Management (HSM) students – Baily Barefoot, Sarah Barrington-Walls, Madeline Grimes, and Kasey Perkins – won second place in the Undergraduate Case Competition at Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). Hosted by the Association of University Programs in Health Administration (AUPHA), students competed against teams from well-known HSM programs at Auburn, George Mason, and Penn State universities with a presentation about obtaining medical insurance approvals for gastroenterological disease. Dr. Robert Kulesher, Professor in Health Services and Information Management, served as the team’s advisor and coach.

Natalie McBryde and Cayli Sutton, Physical Therapy graduate students, received awards for their research posters at the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) North Carolina Annual Conference hosted by Elon University. ECU PT’s Fall Prevention Educational Video Submission was awarded 1st place. Riley Pilcher presented the exercise and education program led by Dr. Amy Wedge, Clinical Assistant Professor, for those with Parkinson’s to the association.

The Department of Occupational Therapy celebrated 50 years of graduates with an afternoon open house bringing students, alumni, fieldwork educators, and donors together. Activities included a memory gallery of photographs, tours of facilities, research poster presentations, and program updates. The Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA) and Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE) Honor Society hosted lunch and mocktail fundraisers, respectively, raising more than $590 to support their efforts.

Public Service

Physical Therapy students celebrated National Physical Therapy Day of Service by packing bagged lunches for Community Crossroads Center and writing cards to patients at ECU Health Medical Center. Department faculty donated the materials to support these service activities.

Julia Gillespie, senior in Speech and Hearing Sciences, received ECU Homecoming’s Captain of the Ship Award for service in and outside of the Greenville community.

Regional Transformation

A video commissioned by Dr. Anne Dickerson, Professor in Occupational Therapy, won Bronze in Government Video and Education Video categories at the Summit International Awards. Funded through a grant from the North Carolina Governor’s Highway Safety Program, ‘Making the Call, EMS Identifying Medically-at-Risk-Drivers’ was directed by Erick Yates Green, Associate Professor in Film and Video Production. Dr. Dickerson is the Director of Research for the Older Adult Driving Initiative (ROADI) lab. Read more HERE or watch the winning video HERE.

The Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders hosted Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) Vendor Day to introduce students to available technology and devices. Under the direction of Emily Brewer, Teaching Assistant Professor, and with the partnership of four local companies, participants learned how to be inclusive through other methods of communication.

ARTS & SCIENCES

Dr. Mamadi Corra, professor of sociology, recently was selected to serve as a rotator in the Division of Social and Economic Sciences at the National Science Foundation in Washington, D.C. Rotators make recommendations about which proposals to fund; influence new directions in the fields of science, engineering, and education; support cutting-edge interdisciplinary research; and mentor junior research members. Read more about this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.

Dr. Charles Ewen, professor of anthropology, is Harriot College’s 24th distinguished professor. Ewen’s research interests include historical archaeology that has been associated with state historic sites, including Bath, Fort Macon, Somerset Place, Tryon Palace and more recently, Brunswick Town on the Cape Fear River. The creativity of his courses in the classroom and in the field ensures all students gain knowledge, confidence, and insight into the complex and exciting world of anthropology. Learn more about Ewen’s celebrated career.

Dr. Samantha Mosier, associate professor of political science, is a recipient of a 2023 National Science Foundation – Kaleta A. Doolin (NSF-KADF) Ocean Decade Champion award. NSF-KADF recipients “advance our ability to thrive in a changing coastal environment and to engage with and solve the problems of underserved communities in these areas.” Mosier’s research focuses on sustainable agriculture, food labeling, university-community partnerships for sustainability, and local sustainability and resilience initiatives. Read the official award press release HERE.

ECU alumnus Robert Long first joined Pirate Nation in the 1990s, leaving within a few years to embark on a long career in professional welding. When he returned to ECU in 2021 to complete his undergraduate degree in University Studies, he knew he wanted to incorporate his passions for metal fabrication and education into his capstone project. He did just that by developing a summer camp curriculum for middle school students to learn all about welding. His employer, Johnston Community College, has now leveraged a grant from the Golden Leaf Foundation to offer these summer camps, which Long is facilitating. They have proved very popular, and Long said he looks forward to meeting even more demand in summer 2024.

Congratulations to Kelsey Coates, a student in the Interdisciplinary Doctoral Program in Biology, Biomedicine and Chemistry, who has received a prestigious National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship program helps “ensure the quality, vitality and diversity of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States.” Coates is engaging in microbial ecology research with mentor Dr. Ariane Peralta, in the Department of Biology, and she is no stranger to wetland ecosystems. Growing up in the Chesapeake Bay region and playing in the wooded areas and streams teeming with plant and animal life, Coates learned that she could use science to be a leading-edge, environmental steward.

Dhanushi Dedakia, majoring in Physics, recently attended the GlaxoSmithKline Foundation Women in Science Scholars Program annual meeting with Harriot College Associate Dean for Research Cindy Putnam-Evans. In addition to receiving a generous scholarship from the organization, Dedakia enjoys leadership and professional development opportunities like this annual conference, and support from a GlaxoSmithKline mentor.

BRODY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE

Two Brody research scientists are part of an ECU team that received nearly $2 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to find better ways to help people dealing with infertility get the best chance at welcoming healthy children into their families.

Unlocking the secrets of fertility is a daunting task, the researchers agree, but if they are successful they may be able to help reduce the often prohibitive cost of assisted reproductive therapies (ART) like invitro fertilization (IVF) or pioneer new forms of contraception, ones free of the health risks associated with current female hormone-based birth control methods.

For years Dr. Chris Geyer, a Brody associate professor of anatomy and cell biology, has studied how spermatogenesis, the development of male reproductive cells, works. He has worked closely with Dr. Darrell Neufer, a Brody professor of physiology and an expert in cellular metabolism. Geyer’s partner in the NIH study, Dr. Cameron Schmidt, assistant professor of biology, is an expert at understanding how cells use energy and resources from their environments to thrive. Dr. Benjamin Hale, a postdoctoral scholar who works in Geyer’s lab, began working on experiments with Schmidt in 2021.

With a team assembled and the NIH grant funding, the two labs have partnered to unlock the secrets of how female and male reproductive systems naturally find the best candidate cells for fertilization.

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Dr. Karen Oppelt was named interim chair of the Brody School of Medicine’s Department of Comparative Medicine in September. Oppelt takes the helm after the retirement of Dr. Dorcas O’Rourke, who served the department for many years. Oppelt also holds the roles of clinical assistant professor, attending veterinarian and affiliate member of the N.C. Agromedicine Institute.

Oppelt has been with the department since 2004, when she was named research assistant professor and clinical veterinarian. In 2007, she became a clinical assistant professor. Before coming to ECU, she was in a small animal private practice in Richmond, Virginia, and then became a clinical veterinarian for the Division of Laboratory Animal Medicine at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, followed by an appointment as head of veterinary services and clinical veterinarian for the Animal Resources division at the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, Louisiana.

Oppelt earned her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University. She is a member of the American Veterinary Medical Association, North Carolina Veterinary Medical Association, American Society of Laboratory Animal Practitioners, American Association for Laboratory Animal Science, Association of Primate Veterinarians, and the North Carolina Association of Laboratory Animal Medicine, where she served as the treasurer for over nine years. She also has numerous publications and presentations as well as teaching, research, and creative activities. She has served on the Brody Women Faculty Committee and the Brody Admissions Committee. She is currently the Pre-Vet Club advisor at ECU.

Dr. Doyle “Skip” Cummings, professor of public health and adjunct professor of family medicine in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, was presented the 2023 Jim Bernstein Community Health Career Achievement Award during an Oct. 4 Foundation for Health Leadership & Innovation’s (FHLI) annual awards event in Chapel Hill.

Each year, FHLI presents two awards to health leaders in North Carolina: the Jim Bernstein Community Health Career Achievement Award and the FHLI Community Achievement Award. Cummings’ honor was presented by the North Carolina Healthcare Association.

“I am very excited to accept this award, but I accept it on behalf of a large group of team members and partners,” Cummings told the audience as he accepted the award. “I have been blessed beyond measure with fantastic opportunities, funding from multiple agencies and incredible partners in North Carolina. I am thankful for leadership at ECU and Eastern AHEC, some of whom are here tonight who have supported me and others in thinking outside the box to address our shared mission and vision for improved rural health equity.”

Dr. Rachel Roper, professor of microbiology and immunology, contributed to a report addressing misinformation circulating about COVID-19 vaccines. The report was from Agence France-Presse, an international news agency headquartered in Paris.

Roper also recently presented her research at the 24th International Poxvirus Conference in Dusseldorf Germany. She was also invited to give a platform presentation of her research on poxvirus virulence genes, improved vaccines and the monkeypox outbreak at the Institute of Human Virology's 25th Anniversary Dr. Robert Gallo Scientific Legacy Symposium & Gala, Global Virus Network in Baltimore, Maryland, on Sept. 29.

Grants and patents

• Dr. Doyle “Skip” Cummings, professor of public health in the Brody School of Medicine, received $6.1 million in funding to lead a multi-institutional team in implementing a statewide randomized clinical trial to test a new model of care for improving blood pressure control in high-risk patients.
• Dr. Sy Saeed, professor and chair emeritus in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and founding director for the Center for Telepsychiatry and e-Behavioral Health, was awarded $3.2 million to further expand the North Carolina Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP) that currently provides services in over 60 counties across the state. This expansion provides mental health care services to children and adolescents in rural and underserved areas.
• Dr. Stefan Clemens’ (Department of Physiology) U.S. patent on the Treatment and Management of Augmentation in Restless Legs Syndrome has now also been approved by the European Patent Office. The first national offices to grant ECU the respective national patents are Spain and the UK.

BUSINESS

The Miller School of Entrepreneurship held its third induction ceremony on Friday, Sept. 29 in the ECU Main Student Center. The Miller School welcomed 42 students who plan to graduate with a Bachelor of Science in Entrepreneurship degree within the next two years. For more about the induction ceremony, click HERE.

On Friday, Sept. 22, students from the AIS (Association of Information Systems, formally AITP) attended a conference for Security BSides-RDU’s 10th anniversary. Security BSides is a community-driven framework for building events for and by cyber security community members. Marketing major Fiona Freyholtz said of the event, "I was pleasantly surprised by the valuable insights I gained. I even connected with someone in sales, which aligns more with my interests than coding." For more about the AIS trip to Raleigh, click HERE.

College of Business faculty Dr. Christine Kowalczyk, Dr. Shirley Mai, and Dr. Linda Quick hosted the second Toolbox Leadership Academy for 18 students from the Innovation Early College High School during the month of September. Developed in 2022 through the Engagement and Outreach Scholars Academy, the Toolbox Leadership Academy empowers underrepresented high school students in eastern North Carolina to develop leadership skills and become aware of opportunities in business. For more to the story, click HERE.

Twenty-two students representing the Arthur School’s Immersive MBA pathway and the Dean’s Student Leadership Council hit the Big Apple recently thanks to a gift from a donor. Students spent four days learning about the career opportunities available in NYC, visiting business districts and meeting with COB alumni.

Student-led teams with entrepreneurial dreams lined the mall Oct. 17 with the hopes of winning the seventh annual Pirate Entrepreneurship Challenge. After 1,700 votes cast, twelve teams representing twelve majors will move on to the second round of the Pirate Challenge, scheduled for Feb. 6 at the Health Sciences Student Center.

Representing CAHS, COB, CET, THCAS and HHP, the twelve teams are:

• Horizon Shield - A pedestrian safety system for intersection monitoring
• Dude Trips - Travel agency centered around creating a trip of a lifetime for men and bachelor parties, as well as company retreats
• Twist-n-Surf - surf wax in a twist up-down stick container (like deodorant) that is heat-resistant and environmentally friendly
• PALMQUATICS - a service-based business working in the marine industry that works with boat dealerships and private owners to provide exceptional repair services specializing in fiberglass and gel coat repair
• Crossfit Greenville Kids - a place of strength and empowerment for the KIDS of Greenville, NC
• Moon Grips - is developing a novel universal pill bottle opener to ease the process of adhering to medication regimens
• GRID - An all-in-one housing app for college students
• Arnold and Curtis Education Design - Educational kits for teachers to introduce students of all ages to STEM and simplify the teacher's experience
• Valet - A ride hailing service where a driver (your Valet) arrives and drives the customer home in the customer's own car
• Mental Ease Kit - enhance mental well-being on campuses by providing items that promote mindfulness and provide resources to help them navigate a stressful and anxious time in a student's life in the form of a gift box or subscription box
• Limulus Biomedical - will design, construct, and maintain aquaculture systems where The American Horseshoe crab is sustained. These cohorts are kept for the purpose of sustainable hemolymph collection.
• Talkative - Creates virtual reality interactions to help speech language pathologists assist their stuttering patients with real world situations.

Nine Gamma Iota Sigma students attended the 52nd GIS annual conference in Baltimore, Maryland. Gamma Iota Sigma - Beta Theta Chapter is beyond proud of its students! A special congratulations to Filmon Futsum for winning the diversity award for the Beta Theta Chapter at East Carolina University - College of Business. There were great educational breakout sessions that can be implemented in the workforce such as "Do you have the DNA of an underwriter?" and "Compensation Communication Do's and Don'ts." The conference was a success and we cannot wait to attend again next year! Thank you to our supporters for making this happen.

Supply Chain Management professors Drs. Scott Dellana, Ying Liao and John Kros have recently published the preliminary edition of their book, Supply Chain and Operations Management. Focused on the relationship between business operations and supply chain management, the textbook, designed for third-year undergraduate students, includes supporting materials, classroom exercises and updated pedagogy on the topic.

Students from North Lenoir High School enrolled in a Foods II course, visited the School of Hospitality Leadership and met in the Darden Dining Room (Rivers 160). The group was lead by SHL Alum and North Lenoir teacher Sarah Casey. Crystal French (SHL Recruiter) provided the students an overview of the SHL, its courses and curriculum. Dr. Robert O'Halloran, director of the SHL, also greeted the students and answered questions about SHL and hospitality careers. The students were also given a brief tour the SHL facilities, Golden Corral Culinary Center and the Darden Dining Room and Quantity Foods Production kitchen.

Authors Asligul Erkan-Barlow (ECU), Thanh Ngo (ECU) and Rajni Goel (Howard University) recently published an article in the Journal of Global Business Insights titled, An in-depth analysis of the impact of cyberattacks on the profitability of commercial banks in the United States. The study looked at the effects of cyberattacks on the profitability of U.S. public and private commercial banks using a sample of 120 data breaches across various institutions. Research can be found HERE.

The COB’s Annual Business Leadership Council welcomed Raj Kannan (MBA ’90), CEO of I-MAB, as its keynote speaker on Oct. 24. Almost 1,000 attendees listened to Kannan’s main message, centered around critical traits of achieving business success: believing in oneself and cultivating a growth mindset, being comfortable operating outside one’s comfort zones, and lastly, becoming stronger and more resilient going through life’s challenges. Click HERE to find out how his message struck a chord with numerous attendees.

More than 250 juniors and seniors met with 110 local and regional professionals during the College’s Fall Network Event, designed for students to show off what they’ve learned in their professional development and ethical leadership class. The event is designed to help them transition from college to the workplace. The event is a great time for our regional businesses to interact with students and share their servant leadership journeys.

DENTAL MEDICINE

The School of Dental Medicine’s community service learning center in Spruce Pine held its first ECU Smiles for Veterans event this fall, hosting 15 veterans from western North Carolina who received nearly $10,000 in dental care at no cost to them. While it was the first ECU Smiles for Veterans event at the CSLC–Spruce Pine, the school has hosted events through the program since 2018. It partnered with western North Carolina veterans organizations to host the inaugural program 95 miles southwest of Spruce Pine at the CSLC–Sylva. Prior to the Spruce Pine event, the ECU Smiles for Veterans program had provided more than $125,000 of care to nearly 300 veterans.

The program was created to reach veterans who have not had access to dental care in the past, part of the school’s efforts to prioritize special populations within its communities. The event provides preventive care and necessary procedures — from fillings to extractions and more — at no cost to the veterans. In 2018, school leaders joined forces with local veteran services organizations, NC Serves Western and Smoky Mountains Outreach Foundation — now Veteran Smiles Foundation — which provides education and financial support to veterans in North Carolina who want to improve their oral health.

“Having faculty and administrators that have dedicated their careers to service through the Armed Forces brings an excitement that is hard to describe,” said fourth-year dental student William Via. “The service events that the school is able to hold emphasizes the immense need in North Carolina communities, a need that ECU School of Dental Medicine works so very hard to meet.”

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For two students in the School of Dental Medicine, a passion for serving patients who need special care shines through action and advocacy.

Lydia Hartung and Hope Anne Elias, both third-year dental students, have put together an oral health care instructional video for caretakers and health care providers of pediatric patients on long-term ventilators at the RHA Howell Center-Tar River in Greenville.

The Howell Center is an immediate care residential facility that serves medically fragile patients, including infants and children who may require around-the-clock nursing and respiratory care. The students’ video offers detailed information on how to brush teeth and provide additional preventive oral care to pediatric patients on ventilators.

“The purpose of the video itself is to show it to not only caregivers at the center whenever they’re onboarding,” Hartung said, “but also potentially to families to educate them on the best, safest, most efficient way to handle the oral care of their loved one.”

Elias said the project contributes to solutions to challenges that should not be factors in accessing care.

“There’s a huge percentage of the population that needs special care, and they deserve to have their needs met,” she said. “Just being here in Greenville has really inspired me. I really want to help make a change, and I feel like dentistry is a good way to do it.”

Students, faculty, administrators and donors celebrated scholarship together during the East Carolina University School of Dental Medicine’s Meet Our Scholars Reception on Thursday, Oct. 19 in Ross Hall.

The event provided an opportunity for dental students to meet and get to know the donors who helped fund their scholarships. It was also a time to honor the donors and pay tribute to an oral surgeon who supported the school over the years.

“Student scholarships play such an important role in any school, and particularly in the ECU School of Dental Medicine,” said Dr. Margaret Wilson, vice dean and interim associate dean of student affairs as she kicked off the formal program. “They represent not only financial support, but they also represent professional and personal support and encouragement.”

“Thank you for your support in our dental education,” second-year student Peyton Piscorik told the donors. “We greatly appreciate the support in offsetting the cost of our education so we can focus on becoming the best dentists for our state. Your gifts not only impact us as students but also the patients we treat and lives we change.”

ECU School of Dental Medicine Dean Dr. Greg Chadwick welcomed the guests and reiterated the importance of scholarships to student and school success.

“Scholarships help us achieve our dreams,” he said. “Everybody here plays a role in that statement. Even though our tuition is low, these scholarships are extremely needed, appreciated and meaningful because that number is a little bit lower, every scholarship is a higher percentage that you’re helping these students with.”

On Oct. 19, the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics celebrated the completion of the year of study for the first cohort in the Jasper L. Lewis, Jr. Collaborative in Pediatric Dentistry. The collaborative provides practicing general dentists a year-long program built around rigorous academic classroom and clinical experiences focused on building their knowledge and skills in caring for pediatric dental patients. The collaborative was created to mirror the values of the School of Dental Medicine — including the mission to be vocal advocates for children, while also being professionally positioned to improve their oral health care.

“Additional training in pediatric dentistry is something I have sought out and hoped for, for a long time,” said Rachel Tucker, one of the first four participants in the Lewis Collaborative, who practices at Seaside Dentistry in Cedar Point, N.C., and attended the University of Alabama–Birmingham School of Dentistry. “My practice sees a lot of children and I enjoy them as patients. The more comfortable I am with the clinical concepts, the more efficient I am, and the freer I am to be a team manager and relationship builder, thus creating a better experience for the patient and caregiver.”

Participants included Dr. Crystal Rosser, Dr. Rachel Tucker, Dr. Jessica Atwood and ECU SoDM alumna Dr. Jessica Shamberger. They are pictured with Dr. Michael Webb, left, chair of the Department of Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and inaugural Jasper L. Lewis, Jr. Distinguished Scholar, and Dr. Jasper Lewis, center, a Greenville pediatric dentist and the program’s namesake.

Alumni honors and appointments

• Dr. Amanda Stroud ’15 was inducted into the American College of Dentists during the American Dental Association’s SmileCon. Dr. Rob Tempel, associate dean for extramural clinical practices; Dr. Margaret Wilson, vice dean and interim associate dean for student affairs and Dr. Greg Chadwick, dean, were on hand to celebrate with her. Stroud serves as the dental director at AppHealthCare in western North Carolina.

• Dr. Katrina Myers ’17 has achieved Diplomate status from the American Board of Oral Medicine. Myers is a dentist and oral medicine specialist with Southeast Dental Partners.

• Dr. Victoria Hardy McGowen ’22 was appointed to the Advancement Council for ECU’s Thomas Harriot College of Arts and Sciences. McGowen holds three degrees from ECU, including a bachelor’s degree in biology and economics, a master’s degree in biology and a DMD from the School of Dental Medicine. She currently practices with Sound Dental in Morehead City.

EDUCATION

ECU alumni Kurt Garner and Barnanne Creech were recognized by the North Carolina Center for the Advancement of Teaching (NCCAT). Garner received the 2023 Career & Technical Education Teacher of the Year and Creech was the runner up.

Ten Pitt County middle school science teachers will receive fully funded master’s degrees in science education from ECU as part of a new partnership between the College of Education and Pitt County Schools.

The College hosted a Wellness Wednesday event for faculty, staff and students to learn more about resources in the college and on campus as well as take time to relax in the midst of the fall semester.

Dr. Mary Huffman attended the 20th celebration of the Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History’s National History Teacher of the Year award ceremony this month. Huffman received the award in 2015 and is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Elementary Education and Middle Grades Education. Throughout her years of teaching, she has collected artifacts spanning the history of our nation, including military uniforms, household objects, toys and more. She uses these in her classes to help bring history to life.

The College of Education partnered with the Graduate School to celebrate Ragsdale Building’s centennial anniversary during Homecoming weekend. Guests were able to learn more about the programs housed in the building currently as well as the history, including the dorm room of ECU’s first black student, Laura Marie Leary, and the first School of Medicine at ECU.

Dr. Crystal Chambers was selected as the 2023 Association for the Study of Higher Education (ASHE) Council for the Advancement of Higher Education Programs (CAHEP) Barbara Townsend Lecture and Award recipient. The award recognizes a lecture and lecturer focused on community colleges, feminist studies, doctoral education and/or higher education programs.

Dr. Al Jones received the Ray Moore Award for his article “The American Public Library as a Multicultural Force.” This award recognizes the author of the best article about public librarianship published in the North Carolina Libraries during the preceding biennium.

ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY

The Center for Sustainable Energy and Environmental Engineering received a $563,932 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency that targets pollution prevention to improve public health in disadvantaged communities. Read more HERE.

The Department of Construction Management hosted more than two dozen students and faculty from HAN University in the Netherlands as they learned about American construction techniques and about life on an American university campus. Read more HERE.

The Eastern Region Pharma Center along with the Office of Continuing and Professional Education and Career Services hosted PharmaFest. Local and regional pharmaceutical companies recruited students and talked to them about pathways to a career in the pharmaceutical industry. Read more HERE.

Engineering student Ariel Lineberger received the Student Scholarship Program Award in the undergraduate category at the 16th annual Georgia Environmental Conference in Jekyll Island, Georgia. The event for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 4 includes North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, South Carolina and Tennessee. Read more HERE.

The Department of Construction Management hosted its 2023 CONTECH Expo in the Main Campus Student Center. Construction company representatives demonstrated the latest innovations such as drones, ground penetrating radar, virtual reality and robots used in the industry and talked to students about careers in construction.

FINE ARTS & COMMUNICATION

Daniel Kariko, professor of photography, published his new work, Impermanence: Environmental and Social Collapse along the Louisiana Coast on Southern Cultures, a UNC Press from the Center for the Study of the American South.

“Since 1999, I have documented the endangered wetlands and dramatic changes in the landscape in South Louisiana. I emigrated from the former Yugoslavia to Louisiana at age 17 and attended Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, Louisiana. This project grew out of an annual photography and coastal ecology workshop created by my two college professors, who were interested in exploring the Barataria-Terrebonne National Estuary and building a partnership between the arts and sciences. First as an attendee of the workshop, and later as one of the instructors, I returned year after year to photograph the ever-changing landscape. The workshop ran successfully for 15 years, with support from the Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium (LUMCON) facility in Chauvin, Louisiana.”

On October 11, the ECU School of Communication welcomed more than 120 regional high school students to campus for our annual High School Media Workshop in partnership with the North Carolina Scholastic Media Association. The event kicked-off with a keynote address by Red Shark Digital Director of Marketing and School of Communication Alumna Alaina Corsini. Students participated in three sessions which offered four choices of media workshops. College of Fine Arts and Communication faculty, including Drew Ashby-King, Barbara Bullington, Mary Tucker-Mclaughlin, and Angela Wells, participated in the event. Workshops included photography, blogging, yearbook design, audience analysis, marketing, and more.

Dr. Andrea VanDeusen presented her paper titled, “Music Education in Times of Change” at the Cultural Diversity in Music Education (CDIME) international conference in Cape Town, South Africa. The conference provides a platform for the global exchange of practices and research related to cultural diversity in music education. In addition to the conference proceedings, conference participants also learned about music making traditions and practices of various cultures represented across South Africa.

Jessica Doyle-Mekkes's debut book, I'm Speaking: Every Woman's Guide to Finding Your Voice & Using It Fearlessly, came out on Oct. 15. This book was recently named one of publisher Rowman & Littlefield's "most anticipated titles of 2023 with women at the forefront." To learn more about the book, click HERE.

HEALTH & HUMAN PERFORMANCE

Public Health major and Honors College student Tyler West, in conjunction with mentor Dr. Joseph Lee with the Department of Health Education and Promotion, authored a manuscript that was accepted and published by Nicotine & Tobacco Research. The research project involved West interviewing data collectors ages 18-20 in New Jersey, North Carolina and New York, examining underage tobacco product purchasing experiences in relation to store characteristics, clerk interactions and buyer identities.

Last fiscal year, the College of Health and Human Performance enjoyed more than $13 million in external funding awards for the second-most secured amount at ECU behind only the Brody School of Medicine. This contributed to ECU’s $85.6 million in sponsored awards for its highest level on record.

HHP held a college-wide brainstorming and reflection session at Belk Annex on Oct. 6 for a flexible and fun environment for meaningful discussions. This was designed for progress toward determining HHP strategies to assist the university in meeting the goals of the ECU Strategic Plan — Future focused. Innovation driven.

A National Football League game between the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers on Sept. 10 in Atlanta brought together ECU HHP alums Kevin King, head athletic trainer for the Panthers, and Lovie Tabron, who is a player engagement specialist for the Falcons.

Dr. JK Yun was inducted as Fellow #643 in the class of 2023 into the National Academy of Kinesiology. Yun is chair for the ECU Department of Kinesiology who has mentored more than 100 graduate students in his career and conducted research focused on promoting physical activity and inclusion to reduce health and educational disparities, as well as training highly qualified personnel in adaptive physical activity. The National Academy of Kinesiology is an honorary organization composed of Fellows who have made distinguished and sustained contributions to the field of kinesiology through scholarship and professional service, considered to reflect a “who’s who” of eminent scholars. Yun joined current ECU faculty Drs. Paul DeVita (#518) and Joe Houmard (#467) as members.

Members of ECU’s Department of Human Development and Family Science traveled to Provo, Utah, and presented at the Intervention Research in Systemic Family Therapy Conference.

Dr. Linda May was announced as next director of the College of Health and Human Performance’s Human Performance Lab. May also serves as the coordinator for the exercise physiology concentration within the Master of Science in Kinesiology program, and leads research and outreach aimed at understanding and improving the health of pregnant women and their children, primarily through exercise. If you have an interest that aligns with the work of the Human Performance Laboratory, we encourage you to reach out to May to learn more about services and opportunities for collaboration.

HONORS

The culminating academic experience for ECU Honors students is the Signature Honors Project — a research or creative endeavor that a student works on with a faculty mentor for a year. Read about the experiences of the following students and their mentors:

• Ashley Jones (communication) & Dr. Denise Donica
• Sydney Cook (art) & Dan Elliott
• Emma Marshburn (education) & Dr. Maureen Grady
• Anna Roche (history) & Dr. Helen Dixon
• Soumya Kamath (biology) & Dr. Almitra
• Tyler West (public health) & Dr. Joseph Lee
• Madison Rose (computer science) & Dr. Nic Herndon
• Fosua Dadson (public health) & Dr. Jarvis Hargrove

Julia Gillespie won ECU Homecoming’s Captain of the Ship, a recognition of the outstanding contributions she has made to ECU through her campus and community involvement. Julia is a senior Honors College student. Three additional honors students were in the top ten: Luke Boldt, Lauren Carter & Sarah Maisto.

Honors College students were able to take part in friendly competition with Chancellor Rogers during our October Fridays with Fraley Kan Jam tournament.

Honors students Ryan Edwards and Noel Lanier are working on research into how climate change affects North Carolina farmworkers with College of Nursing’s Dr. Liz Mizelle.

Honors College students celebrated Homecoming with faculty, staff and alumni during our annual Party on the Porch celebration at Brock’s Farm.

Faculty members from across ECU’s campus participate in our Honors College Faculty Advisory Committee and serve as liaisons to their colleges as well as providing support to honors students and delivering honors curriculum.

Second year Brinkley-Lane Scholars visited Washington, D.C. during fall break to meet with alumni, serve the local community and learn more about the history of our nation.

Brinkley-Lane alumna Lindsay Caddell was named one of North Carolina’s Great 100 Nurses. Lindsay graduated from ECU in 2015 and has worked at ECU Health in the NICU for eight years.

Brinkley-Lane alumna Lily Faulconer was named as a 2023 Trailblazer by Business North Carolina magazine. The article lists under-40 leaders who are making dynamic impacts in their communities.

INTEGRATED COASTAL PROGRAMS

Dr. Jim Morley (Asst. Professor, Dept. of Biology; Asst. Scientist, Coastal Studies Institute) was a contributing author on a recently published NOAA Technical Report titled “A climate vulnerability assessment for fish and invertebrates in the United States South Atlantic large marine ecosystem.” The report represents a comprehensive synthesis of climate change vulnerability for 71 marine species of economic or ecological importance off the southeast U.S. coast. Results from the report will help guide the federal fisheries management process during this time of climate change.

The Atlantic Marine Energy Center (AMEC), the newest national marine energy center funded by the Department of Energy and of which the Coastal Studies Institute is a founding partner, hosted the University Marine Energy Research Community (UMERC) 2023 Conference at the University of New Hampshire in early October. The AMEC Stakeholder Engagement Team, consisting of Dr. Linda D'Anna (Dept. of Coastal Studies), Dr. Lindsay Dubbs (Coastal Studies Institute, UNC-CH), and Integrated Coastal Sciences Ph.D. student Jillian Eller (they/them), presented findings from their efforts focused on connecting marine energy researchers and developers with coastal communities and potential marine energy end-users. During the presentation, audience members were asked to participate by considering the questions they had for end-users and coastal communities that, if answered, could advance their work in marine energy research and development. The activity, facilitated by Jillian, garnered responses from more than half of the attendees. The presentation concluded with a discussion of best practices for asking the right questions when engaging with individuals outside of one's field with the intention of improving accessibility to the public.

During the third week of October, ICP Dean Reide Corbett spoke as part of the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series in Pinehurst, NC. As stated on their website, the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series has been providing residents of the North Carolina Sandhills and surrounding areas with the opportunity to benefit from a roster of renowned thinkers, statesmen, artists, experts and other extraordinary speakers. “I was humbled by the reception and really excited by the turnout and the great discussion following the lecture. I really enjoy interacting with communities around NC to discuss coastal changes and how we might best respond,” said Corbett.

Over the past few weeks, Oceanography & Marine Hydrokinetic Energy Lab members Trip Patterson and Lindsay Wentzell have taken multiple site visits to the lab’s high frequency (HF) radars in Buxton and at Jennette’s Pier. With special help from Teresa Updyke, research scientist at ODU’s Center for Coastal Physical Oceanography, the team completed drone antenna pattern measurements (APMs), an innovative method of calibrating the land-based radars, at each site. Instead of the typical walking or boat-based methods, Updyke’s drone carried a small transponder and flew a pre-programmed pattern around each antenna. This calibration is necessary to determine the direction of a signal and is required whenever there is a change to the antenna response pattern, such as a change in location. Just a few weeks ago, Trip and Lindsay moved the Buxton antenna as it had become imperiled by beach erosion.

The National Science Foundation plans to move the Ocean Observing Initiative Pioneer Array offshore of the Outer Banks in Spring 2024. Researchers at the Coastal Studies Institute are excited about the observations that can be made from the instruments on the array, allowing them to better address climate change influences in the coastal ocean, and improve ocean/weather/storm forecasts through data sharing. Beyond just the instruments in the water, the new partnerships and collaborations created as part of this deployment will provide the ability to better engage this socio-economically diverse region, with disadvantaged groups more impacted by sea level rise and climate change compared to many coastal regions. This broad network of partnerships across the region will provide a mechanism to drive knowledge to action. More about the planned Pioneer Array move can be found HERE.

JOYNER LIBRARY

Lisa Barricella was voted as incoming Chair of the Resources and Technical Services Section of North Carolina Libraries Association. Barricella serves as Head of Acquisitions, E-resources and Conservation for Academic Library Services.

ECU’s Making Artificial Intelligence Generative for Higher Education (MAIGHE) research project team will give a presentation at 10:00AM during the Nov. 9 ECU Technology Tailgate. ECU was one of 19 institutions in North America selected to participate in a two-year research project led by Ithaka S+R to assess the existing and emerging applications of generative AI that are most likely to impact teaching, learning and research, as well as the needs of institutions, instructors and scholars as they navigate the environment. Members of the research team are Wendy Creasey, Director of Digital Learning and Emerging Technology Initiatives; Jan Lewis, Director of Academic Library Services; Ken Luterbach, Associate Professor, Department of Mathematics, Science & Instructional Technology Education; and John Southworth, Technology Support Specialist – Supervisor in ITCS.

ALS staff members Jennifer Daugherty and Andrew Grace wrote a chapter - titled Using Federal Government Documents for Genealogy Research - in the published book “What Can U.S. Government Information Do for Me?” with McFarland & Company, Inc., Publishers.

Academic Library Services held its annual Game Night event in October, featuring video games, board games, trivia, pumpkin painting, contests and more for students, staff, faculty and families to enjoy. Video and more photos from Game Night are available on Joyner Library social media outlets.

Nov. 9 is the last day to view the full “No Quarter: The History of East Carolina Football and Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium” exhibit on the second and third floors of the main campus library. If interested in learning more or a tour of the exhibit, curators Patrick Cash and Daniel Ferkin are available to assist. Email them at cashpa18@ecu.edu or ferkind23@ecu.edu.

LAUPUS HEALTH SCIENCES LIBRARY

Jamie Bloss, information and research services librarian and library associate professor, is part of the research team awarded a five-year, $6 million Community Partnerships to Advance Science for Society award from the National Institutes of Health. The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Rural Health is lead partner, along with researchers in the College of Health and Human Performance and at North Carolina State University. The funded project, The Agricultural Workers Digital Equity Initiative, strives to advance health equity by promoting digital inclusion for agricultural workers and their families in North Carolina.

Congratulations to Marlena Rose, library associate professor, for receiving the 2023 Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association’s award for Professional Excellence by a Health Sciences Librarian. This award is given to one librarian annually for exhibiting leadership in the profession, engaging in scholarship, service and a high level of performance in professional duties amongst other criteria.

Congratulations to Heidi Reis, library assistant professor, and Soph Myers-Kelley, library assistant professor, for winning an honorable mention, voted on by colleagues at the Mid-Atlantic Chapter of the Medical Library Association’s annual meeting in October in Pittsburgh, for their research on “Donor Weight Criteria in Body Donation Programs: Website Analysis, Preliminary Results, and (if we have time) Next Steps.”

Laupus Library is currently hosting a new exhibition: “Outside/Inside: Immigration, Migration, and Health Care in the United States.” The exhibition is housed on the 4th floor of Laupus Library in the Evelyn Fike Laupus Gallery and will be on display from Oct. 23 to Dec. 2. The National Library of Medicine produced this exhibition and companion website, supplemented with additional content from the library’s History Collections.

NURSING

Dr. Susan Kidd, a clinical associate professor of nursing and the outgoing chair of the department of baccalaureate education, retired Oct. 31 after nearly 20 years teaching future Pirate Nurses at ECU. She started her academic teaching career in 1989 as a nursing instructor at Wilson Community College.

Dr. Kidd has led significant programmatic growth in Baccalaureate Education - the largest producer of entry into practice nursing graduates for any school or college in the state. More impressive than the size of the program is the outcomes – average NCLEX examination pass rate of 97.3% over the last 10 years, versus the national average is 79.9%. She facilitated the growth of programs designed to meet the need for increasing the number of baccalaureate-educated nurses in eastern North Carolina and across the state.

“Dr. Kidd’s service on behalf of the nursing profession and the State of North Carolina has been noteworthy,” said Dean Bim Akintade. “We thank Dr. Kidd for her time, leadership, sacrifices, and many years of excellence and dedicated service. Her soft-spoken words and approachable personality will be missed on our campus.”

A federal grant will provide East Carolina University’s midwifery program just under $4 million over four years to support students and preceptors, which program directors at ECU say is a game changer, continuing the innovation of rural health care in North Carolina.

Dr. Becky Bagley, the College of Nursing’s midwifery program director (pictured above), said ECU was one of only eight of the 46 accredited nurse-midwife programs across the country selected for grant support from the federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).

Three main goals of the college’s plan to implement the funding support are fairly straightforward: increase the number of certified nurse-midwives and diversify the maternal and perinatal health workforce; expand maternal health training and enhance the college’s curriculum; and strengthen community-based training partnerships.

According to HRSA figures, rural and underserved areas, like much of North Carolina, see higher maternal mortality, at just under 30 deaths per 100,000 live births, than the rest of the nation at just over 18 per 100,000 live births. Half of counties across the United States lack OB-GYNs and more than half don’t have nurse-midwives.

A significant aspect of the grant is strengthening community-based training partnerships, which translates to paying preceptors to be extensions of the education process in clinics and practices across the state. ECU midwifery students are required to spend 800 hours in a clinical setting before graduation learning the hands-on skills necessary to be an effective health care provider. Currently preceptors are paid a nominal amount, which is a recognition of the importance of their contributions, but Bagley said most serve as preceptors as a service to the future of their profession.

Pirate Nursing had a big night Oct. 19 at the American Association for Men In Nursing conference in New Orleans. ECU’s Men in Nursing Chapter received the Best Schools for Men in Nursing Designation, which is a huge honor and a recognition of the College’s faculty, staff and students’ efforts to make the CON a more inclusive place for all students.

Dr. Mark Hand was inducted into the Society of Luther Christman Fellows for his contributions to the nursing profession by men. He and former honors nursing student Ashley Reid received the Gene Tranbarger Award for their research publication “Men as Nursing Faculty.” The award is particularly poignant as Gene Tranbarger, a former Pirate Nurse faculty member and a fixture in the nursing profession, died Oct. 13.

Harrison Smith, a senior nursing student and treasurer for our Men in Nursing Chapter, presented a poster on his research about violence against health workers.

On the afternoon of Oct. 13, faculty and staff from the Department of Baccalaureate Education presented a simulated labor and delivery scenario using state of the art medical simulation equipment to dozens of students. The foyer was the perfect theater for our students to participate in a labor and delivery simulation offering two tiers for observation. The CON’s Concepts Integration Labs team set up the interactive mannequins, monitors and loudspeakers where instructors could interact face-to-face with students simultaneously. The CON’s faculty and staff continue to innovate ways of making education for our nursing students exciting and engaging.

College of Nursing Neonatal Nurse Practitioner student Elizabeth Jadczak won first place in a poster competition at the Florida Association of Neonatal Nurse Practitioners conference in Clearwater Beach Oct. 12. More than a dozen Pirate NNP students presented their scholarly work with dozens of other participants. For the first time in the history of conference, faculty members judged each poster and an ECU nursing student took first place.

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