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

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

Bringing science to the suburbs

TXMOST_logo_300_whitebgTorvald Hessel, assistant adjunct professor of astronomy, and Dr. Ron Johns, assistant dean for learning assessment, helped launch and now lead the recently opened Texas Museum of Science & Technology in Cedar Park. Hessel is the museum’s executive director and president; Johns was board vice president for five years and now is secretary. The museum, initially known as the Austin Planetarium, is the area’s first and only science and technology museum.

A bit of purple and a smile

Carol DeVuono, student services assistant at the Cypress Creek Campus, volunteers about 15 hours a week with the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to raise awareness of the disease. DeVuono, who is battling stage IV pancreatic cancer, was featured on Time Warner Cable news. The station plans to re-air the story on Sunday, April 12. View the video.

Birds of a feather

The American Association for the Advancement of Science published research by Associate Professor of Biology Jessica Armenta in its online journal Science Advances. Armenta co-authored the report, “Natural and Sexual Selection Act on Different Axes of Variation in Avian Plumage Color,” as a graduate student at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Armenta collected data from 977 species of birds from museums in the United States and Australia. Read the article.

utopiaiowacoverOn the bookshelves

Brian Yansky, associate professor of developmental writing, has published his fifth young adult novel, “Utopia, Iowa,” a blend of small-town urban fantasy, supernatural, paranormal, and romance. Yansky began tutoring at ACC in 1993 and has been a faculty member since 1994.

Sharing expertise

Roy Casagranda, associate professor of government, discussed ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham) on KLBJ radio. Listen to the interview.

Carol Hamilton, chair of the surgical technology department, discussed training for the field and the local job market for surgical technologists on KVUE-TV. Watch the interview.

sxswpanel3Four ACC faculty and staff members presented at SXSW.edu in March: Panelists Mike Midgley, vice president of instruction; Stacey Guney, director of the ACCelerator; and Gillian Waterston, math department specialist, discussed “Accelerating Change by Personalizing Learning.” Herb Coleman, director of instructional computing & technology, presented “Math Re-imagined: A Collaborative Coaching Model.”

Achievements of Faculty & Staff directory

The deadline for the 2014-2015 Achievements of Faculty & Staff is Friday, June 12. Submit information about awards or recognition, or if you have presented, authored, exhibited, added to your educational credentials, or received a grant or sabbatical. Achievements must have been completed between May 31, 2014, and May 31, 2015; submit each listing separately. See the details on the Achievements of Faculty & Staff webpage.

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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