People

Boulder Staff Council elects officers, new members

The University of Colorado at Boulder Staff Council elected officers at its April 14 meeting; their one-year terms begin July 1. New members also were elected; they generally serve for three years.

Denver CLAS faculty, staff honored

Howard

University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) faculty and staff were honored April 23 during the dean's reception. Dean Dan Howard said it was only "fitting that near the end of the merit season we publicly recognize some of the truly outstanding faculty, staff and students in the college."

Those honored, along with brief comments from nominators:

Teaching Excellence Awards

Mitchell M. Handlesman, psychology. Allison Bashe wrote, "Being in class with Dr. Handelsman feels like magic. He has no magic wand, but he has magic phrases – phrases like active learning and interactive assessment: phrases that at first might seem like mysteries to his students. Then, suddenly, you realize that you know something that you did not know before. You realize that you are learning how to learn."

Chad Kautzer, philosophy. A former student wrote, "It is because of professors like him that students get motivated to continue their education and hopefully have a positive influence in the world."

Rafael Moreno, geography and environmental sciences. Department Chair Brian Page wrote, "Rafael has excelled at developing new courses and brought experiences, knowledge, technologies, and approaches previously unavailable on our campus. He has developed new courses and expanded the technological capabilities of the interdisciplinary FAST GIS lab."

Teaching Excellence Awards, Nontenure-Track Faculty

Russell S. Kellogg, instructor, economics. Student Katie Dolara wrote, "Not only does Russell have an effortless ability to cohesively and articulately present the subject matter, but he does so in a way that holds the attention and catalyzes the curiosity of his students ... (and is) a testament to his knowledge base, teaching style and investment in the classroom."

Gary A. Olson, instructor, mathematics and statistical science. Chair Mike Jacobson wrote, "I have witnessed the passion and enthusiasm that he brings to his work with the Graduate TAs ... Gary has a deep and extensive knowledge of the material he is presenting, displays incredible patience and preparation to make clear the mathematical message at all levels."

Faculty Service Award

Leo P. Bruederle, associate professor, integrative biology. Associate Chair Timberley Roane wrote, "Evident in his outside service activities, Leo clearly believes that the influence of higher education should be felt beyond its campus walls. Consequently, Leo's service to professional organizations and the community are equally outstanding. In addition to serving as reviewer for scholarly manuscripts and grant proposals, Leo serves on the Colorado Rare Plant Conservation Initiative Committee; volunteers at the Denver Botanic Gardens; is an active participant in, organizing several workshops for, the Colorado Native Plant Society and the Colorado STEM Network; and is the editor for Aquilegia, Newsletter of the Colorado Native Plant Society."

Research and Creative Activities Awards

Jan Mandel, professor, mathematical and statistical sciences. His influence in his field is noted by Jeffrey Anderson of NCAR: "Dr. Mandel has become a recognized researcher in this field during the last few years. He has brought new mathematical insight to the field that has led to a series of important papers."

Steven G. Medema, professor, economics. In his tribute to Medema's efforts in transforming the Journal of the History of Economic Thought during his tenure as its editor, Bradley Bateman wrote, "Steve is respected as a scholar, an editor and an elder statesman of the discipline despite being a young man.... Steve has become someone who has the reach and ability to look across the whole of the history of economic thinking."

Barbara J. Walkosz, associate professor, communication. Communication Chair Stephen Hartnett wrote, "Dr. Walkosz has developed a systematic research program that focuses on health communication, public health and the behavioral sciences. Her research speaks to questions of enhancing the public good, thus supporting UCD's mission to become a first-rate research institution and a good community partner."

Outstanding Faculty Achievement Award

Robert Damrauer, professor, chemistry; special assistant to the provost; dean of the graduate school, UC Denver Downtown Campus. Sally Pusede, Berkeley Graduate Student, wrote, "If Dr. Damrauer were a merely superb professor, steering me to academic success in a field in which I had no prior interest would be exemplary enough. Yet, in all sincerity, he additionally caused me to imagine that I might attach my ambitions to helping others. He showed me that being a chemist could also mean being many other things."

Provost's Award for Excellence in Practices Related to Nontenure-Track Faculty

The department of psychology, chaired by Peter Kaplan, received this "best practices" honor. Three nontenure-track faculty work in the department; Kaplan commented on each of the educators:

Allison Bashe: "Allison has played a central role in the conceptualization, approval and implementation of the Ph.D. program in clinical health psychology. She has gone above and beyond the call of duty in mentoring students and serving UCD and the community."

Kevin Everhart: "Kevin is the hardest working psychology instructor in Denver; he can and will teach any course, anytime. He has also been instrumental in providing top quality clinical training and supervision to our Ph.D. students."

Joan Bihun: "Joan is passionate about education. Her courses in research methods/statistics and human development are in high demand, even though they are among the most rigorous in the department."

Outstanding Staff Award

Beverly Andes, course and curriculum coordinator. Tammy Stone wrote, "The respect and high regard with which Beverly is held in this college is demonstrated by the 12 letters of support from the departments that were received for her nomination. Without exception, these letters praise her for her hard work, dedication and her grace and charm. CLAS is a better place because of her presence."

UCCS College of Education has new interim dean

Fenell

The chair of the Department of Counseling and Human Services at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and a retired U.S. Army colonel will be the interim dean of the university's College of Education.

David Fenell, a faculty member since 1984, will serve as dean beginning July 1 and continuing until June 30, 2011. A national search for the permanent dean will be conducted in 2010-11.

"David has provided outstanding leadership and service to the College of Education and the campus for many years," Provost Peg Bacon said. "I appreciate his willingness to serve the college through this transition."

Fenell replaces La Vonne Neal, who recently accepted a position at the University of Northern Illinois.

Fenell teaches courses in individual, group and marriage, and family therapy. He is currently revising his family therapy textbook, "Counseling Families: An Introduction to Marriage and Family Therapy." His most recent publications and national presentations focus on effective counseling interventions for combat veterans and their families. He developed and directs a one-year intensive master's degree program taught primarily by College of Education faculty to prepare Air Force officers to assume command of cadet squadrons at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

A behavioral sciences officer in the Army Reserve, Fenell was mobilized in October 2001, serving as the deputy and later director of the Psychological Applications Directorate, U.S. Army Special Operations Command, Fort Bragg, N.C. In 2002, he was deployed to Afghanistan and served as the command psychologist with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Afghanistan. He returned to the UCCS faculty in 2003. He was mobilized in 2006 and served with 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne), Fort Carson, as command psychologist with the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force-Arabian Peninsula in Iraq. He was awarded the Bronze Star medal for each of his combat tours. Fenell returned to the university and retired from the Army in January 2007.

Fenell joined the UCCS faculty in 1984 as an assistant professor. He was promoted to associate professor in 1987 and professor in 1994. He earned a Ph.D. in counselor education from Purdue University, a master's in education from the University of Southern California, and a bachelor's in physiology from Oklahoma State University. He completed a post-doctoral internship in counseling psychology at Texas A&M University.

Director of Center for Homeland Security strengthens partnership between UCCS, Croatia

Kurt Johnson, interim director of the Center for Homeland Security (CHS) at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs, will meet with Croatia President Ivo Josipovic on Friday, May 21, to discuss potential collaboration between the university and the southeast European nation.

Croatian officials recently contacted the center for assistance in building a homeland security education program and laying the groundwork for a regional center of excellence in homeland security. Johnson will meet with Josipovic to discuss the next steps in the UCCS-Croatia partnership. He also will meet with the mayor of Split, Zeljko Kerum, and the rector of the University of Split, Ivan Pavic, to discuss locating the proposed homeland security education program and center of excellence in Split, the largest coastal city in Croatia. Johnson also will meet with the Veterans Committee of the Croatian Parliament and the committee working on national security and search and rescue.

The UCCS-Croatia partnership began in May 2009, when Johnson was invited to Croatia to meet with the Mayor of Zagreb, leadership of the University of Zagreb, and senior emergency management officials. In August 2009, a senior Croatian delegation visited UCCS leadership and area senior emergency management and defense officials.

CHS, which is one of four centers within the National Institute for Science, Space and Security Centers, conducts educational services and research in the homeland security area of study.

Dropping names ...

University of Colorado at Colorado Springs patrol officers Mike Bianco and Larry Darnall will receive commendations from the Colorado Springs Police Department for their role in catching two suspects in an attempted robbery of a local convenience store. The officers' quick reaction led to the arrest of two UCCS students who were charged in the May 11 incident at a Fillmore Avenue store. Colorado Springs Police Chief Richard Myers talked about the cooperation between UCCS and Colorado Springs Police in an interview with KRDO radio. ... Sharon Araji, interim chair in the department of sociology at the University of Colorado Denver, contributed a chapter in the recently published "Domestic Violence, Abuse and Child Custody: Legal Strategies and Policy Issues." She and more than 30 others contributed to the resource for advocates. ...

Erika Randall

Rennie Harris

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