Publications

Pursuing Human Strengths: A Positive Psychology Guide by Dana Dunn, professor of psychology and assistant dean of special projects, is just off press. The first edition, written by the late Martin Bolt, appeared in 2004. Dr. Bolt died in 2009 after a brief illness. “Worth/Macmillan Publishers approached me over a year ago and asked me to update and expand the work,” says Dunn. “I had always admired the first edition, so I was both delighted and honored to have the opportunity to prepare a second edition. It was a great deal of fun to work on and I am really pleased at how well it turned out." 

Dunn also penned a blog post for PsychologyBenefits.org to celebrate the 25th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. The ADA will be celebrated through the end of 2015.

An article entitled "New standard results in major changes in accounting," by John D Rossi III, associate professor of accounting, was published in the November 23, 2015 issue of the Lehigh Valley Business Journal. The article reports on new standards in non-audit engagements that will be mandatory next year and represents the most significant changes to the Statements on Standards for Accounting and Review Services (SSARS) since the issuance of SSARS #1.

In addition, Rossi’s piece "Reimbursement for premiums may lead to excise taxes" appeared in the October 19th issue of the Pennsylvania Business Journal. The article alerts employers to a little known provision in the Affordable Care Act that could be very expensive--possibly resulting in bankruptcy--if employers at risk do not take immediate action.

Cecilia M. Fox, Ph.D., associate professor of biological sciences and Director of the Neuroscience Program has a piece entitled "Developing the Next Generation of Civic-Minded Neuroscience Scholars:  Incorporating Service Learning and Advocacy Throughout a Neuroscience Program" in the fall issue of the  Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education. To read it, click here http://www.funjournal.org/current-issue/

Professor of Economics and Business Dr. James West’s research paper, "Rational, Relational, Reflective and Constrained: the Miindset of American Capitalism” was published in the book, Global Perspectrives on Sustainable Regional Development, Irmela Gorges, Ed., Verlag Dr. Kovac, Hamburg, Germany, 2015 pp. 329-338. The paper, which was presented at the 2014 Congress of Political Economists, explores and expands the pervasive driving economic concept of rational self-interest to explore the complex ideas, history  and evolutionary forces that shape a unique and more useful model of American capitalism.

Jean DesJardin, assistant professor of education was recently asked to write a special paper for a new research-to-practice website for professionals and stake holders who work with Children who are Deaf and Hard of Hearing. She asked her friend and co-researcher at Boys Town National Hospital to co-author with me, Dr. Sophie Ambrose.

Santo D. Marabella, professor of economics and business recently penned an article on how to make training less painless, more, fun, and more effective in Reading Eagle Business Weekly. 

Gary Olson, professor of political science wrote an editorial for The Morning Call commenting on Senator Bernie Sander’s remarks following the first democratic debate. You can read the full text here.

Joel Nathan Rosen, associate associate professor of sociology, was recently published in Drain, a Journal of Contemporary Art and Culture. “They actually came to me and ​asked me for something to contribute to this special issue on sport, which was perfect for me given that I was about to get rolling on a re-do of an older book for a revised release with a new publisher within the next two years. Some of that is spelled out in the article, by the way!” You can read his story, “A Critique of Self-Concept and Youth Sport Reconsidered,” at http://drainmag.com/a-critique-of-self-concept-and-youth-sport-reconsidered/

Conferences and Presentations

Faramarz Farbod, adjunct professor of political science, recently participated in a panel discussion entitled “Signs of Hope in Cuba-US Relations,” organized by the Lepoco Peace Center in Bethlehem, PA.

Dana S. Dunn, professor of psychology, recently participated in the 123rd Annual Meeting of the American Psychological Association (APA) in Toronto, Canada. Dunn was honored to deliver an invited address, the Harry Kirke Wolfe Lecture. Dunn spoke on "Teaching Matters in Psychology: A Wolfe-ian Manifesto."

At each APA Convention, the Society for the Teaching of Psychology in collaboration with the Education Directorate of APA, sponsors the G. Stanley Hall Lecture Series and the Harry Kirke Wolfe Lecture. These are the premiere lectures delivered by teachers of psychology to teachers of psychology. In these talks, renown experts deliver cutting-edge talks designed specifically for other teachers of psychology. Dunn will give this Wolfe lecture again in May 2016 at the Annual Meeting of the Midwestern Psychological Association in Chicago, IL.

During his Toronto visit, Dunn also chaired a symposium on "The APA Guidelines 2.0: Helping Students Leverage Learned Skills", where his co-presenters were Drs. Suzanne Baker (James Madison University) and Maureen A. McCarthy (Kennesaw State University). Dunn also participated in a second symposium on "Building the Assessment Archives for Guidelines 2.0: A Workshop."

He recently completed a three year term on the American Psychological Association's (APA) Committee on Disability Issues in Psychology. Dunn attended his final meeting in Washington, DC from September 18 - 20th. During the meeting, the Committee received a Presidential Citation from current APA President Barry Anton, who praised the Committee for "significant contributions to psychology and society at large by promoting the psychological welfare of people with disabilities." During Dunn's time on the committee, he created college guides for students with disabilities and their parents, respectively, wrote several pieces on disability language as well as disability identity, and wrote blog entries on disability issues for APA's Public Interest Directorate.

In July, Diane Husic, professor of biological sciences was an invited attendee at the new Gordon Conference on Undergraduate Biology Education Research held at Bates College in Maine. Her presentation was entitled "Opportunities for Undergraduate Students to Explore the Nexus Between Science and Policy.”

John D Rossi III, associate professor of accounting, served on a panel of experts to explain the impact of the Statement on Standards for Accounting and Review Services pronouncement number 21 (SSARS #21) and its impact on practitioners. This video will be among several resources on the PICPA (Pennsylvania Institute of CPAs) website to aid practitioners in understanding how SSARS #21 will impact them and how to comply with the new standard by December 15th, 2015.

From August 8 to 12, Rossi attended the annual meeting of the American Accounting Association (AAA) in Chicago, where he presented a paper "Teaching Professional Skepticism" and volunteered as a Discussant for a paper titled "Satisfaction and Learning Outcomes with Distance Education in Brazil among students of Accounting:  Is the grass always greener on the other side?" He also served on the following committees: "IMA Academic Mentor" and the "Teaching and Learning Committee of the International Section."

John Black, associate professor of English, participated in the 2015 Atlantic Medieval Association Conference at Prince Edward Island University in Charlottetown, PEI, Canada on October 2-3. John presented a paper entitled, "Forging Places: Hagiographic Landscapes." The paper first examines the metaphorical potency of landscape as an element of narrative that conveys meaning through enriching details and deeper symbolic, spiritual resonances and then elucidates the ways in which the literary construction of sacred space both forms and is formed by saints as the protagonists of their narratives. John is grateful to the Faculty Development and Research Committee for its support of his participation in the conference and his research.

Joanne McKeown, Professor of French, presented a paper entitled “Faculty-Student Research Grants: Collaborate for Success” at the International Conference of the American Association of Teachers of French in Saguenay, Quebec. The trip was funded in part by a Faculty Development and Research Grant.

In the Media

As the United Nations Conference on Climate Change enters its second week and a draft agreement is being negotiated by high-level ministers from countries around the world, Diane Husic, professor of biological sciences, provides historic context to help explain what brought the world to this pivotal moment and the overarching goals of the COP meetings. You can read her blog here.

Joel Nathan Rosen, professor of sociology, was mentioned in the story “The Culturing of Baseball, Part II,” by Evan F. Moore.

Artist-in-residence Sean O’Boyle appears in “Isa to bring new symphony to life” by Andrew Harrison. You can read the story here.