Earning A’s: Faculty and staff activities, accomplishments, and accolades

This regular feature recognizes activities and honors of ACC faculty and staff. To submit news or suggestions, see the contact information below.

Sharing expertise

Physics Professor Dr. John Cise presented “Using New York Times Articles on Space & Astronomy to Help Teach Physics” at the American Association of Physics Teachers annual winter meeting in New Orleans in January.

Dr. Sulatha Dwarakanath, associate professor of biotechnology, organized a session at the 103rd Indian Science Congress for some of the world’s top biotechnology educators. Dwarakanath, Dr. Linnea Fletcher, chair of the biotechnology department, and Poornima Rao, adjunct associate professor of biotechnology, were part of a delegation that presented at the January event at India’s University of Mysore. The group also toured university facilities and a stem cell start-up company. Dwarakanath and Rao coordinated the visit.

Lauren Sebel, Student Accessibility Services coordinator at Highland Campus, was featured in the December 2015 issue of the journal Disability Compliance for Higher Education. In the journal’s “Conversations With…” column, Sebel discussed how post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries impact student veterans in the classroom and how they can benefit from accommodations. The article is available by subscription only.

markwilson

Mark Wilson and actor Ray Wise at the premiere of “Land of Leopold.”

Mark Connelly Wilson, adjunct professor of music business, performance & technology and radio-TV-film, was a panelist at the Central Texas Film Conference at Southwestern University in Georgetown in November. That month he also led a workshop on audio production at the “Cine Sol” film festival in McAllen.

Wilson has acted in two recent feature films. “Land of Leopold” premiered in Houston in November. His second, “God Made Man,” directed by Radio-TV-Film Adjunct Associate Professor Nate Locklear, is in production.

He also appears in a soon-to-be-released music video shot in Austin for the band Never Shout Never’s “The Red Balloon.” He soon will begin his seventh season performing magic comedy and music as “Merlin the Wise” at the Sherwood Forest Faire.

Sharing talent

News website Styrk in January posted a feature about cigar box guitars crafted by WT Bryant, adjunct professor of drama. Read the article. The guitars were on display at Texas Folklife Gallery in December and January. View the Texas Folklife website for details about the exhibit, including a video about the guitars.

Just published

Dr. Preston Cooper‘s book, “Playing with Expectations: Postmodern Narrative Choices and the African American Novel,” has been published by Peter Lang Publishing as part of its series on Modern American Literature. Cooper is an adjunct professor of English.

dennismccownbook2Adult Education instructor Dennis McCown’s novel “Savage Winter: A Story of Wilderness … and Survival“ was published in January under his pen name Butch Denny. The story of a man’s struggle to survive a year in a snowy wilderness without help from the outside world is available through Amazon.com.

In print

An essay, “Create a spiritual place for your employees to thrive in” by Gerry Tucker, vice president of human resources, appeared in the Austin American-Statesman on January 23. The essay offers views on creating supportive and nurturing work environments.

ICYMI — Kudos for Eastview

Eastview Campus Student Services staff was thanked in an Austin American-Statesman letter to the editor. The writer said the staff’s “life-changing” help “represents an invaluable contribution to our community.” Read the letter. The counselor referred to in the letter is Mary Forrest-Wright, who also received a personal thank-you note from the writer.

Do you know a faculty or staff member who has accomplished something notable outside the classroom or in their community? We want to hear about them. Contact Jennifer Powers, [email protected].

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