Monday Memo October 12, 2015

Message from the Dean

Dear Colleagues,

Last year we spent a lot of time identifying areas of multidisciplinary strength in A&S, which we hoped would advance to a position on the priorities for the 21st Century Initiative alongside advanced manufacturing, cancer, and regenerative medicine. We came up with several great ideas so I hope we can turn some of them into success this year!

The new plan in that regard is an internal competition, and a draft of that plan was circulated to deans last week. This may change somewhat, but I’m providing what was distributed because I think the quicker A&S folks plan, the more likely we will be successful. The goal is either to boost an area in which we already have strength or to advance an emergent interdisciplinary area. The program should be announced formally by early November; proposals will be due in January; funding begins July 1. There will be both internal and external review, but no involvement of the Board of Trustees.

An internal RFP: Academic and Research Excellence for the 21st Century

• Grants will be made for up to $250k for 3 years
• Proposals should be innovative and socially significant
• Proposals should generate significant student interest and provide opportunities for undergraduate research as well as graduate research, and opportunities to diversify our graduate ranks
• Proposals require matches from programs, departments, and/or colleges of at least 1-to-1, which could include faculty lines, reallocation of GTA lines, or other forms of support
• The PI on the proposal should be a strong researcher/scholar with a national reputation who is able to lead an innovative program
• Letters of support from deans will be required

Sincerely,

Kimberly Kempf-Leonard
Dean, College of Arts & Sciences

Message from the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Education

Fellow faculty and staff,

What does critical thinking entail in different disciplines? Are the same critical thinking skills required to solve problems in Chemistry and in English, in Art and Anthropology? If so, are these some of the core intellectual skills at the heart of a liberal arts education?

These questions seem to me to be worth thinking and talking about at this point in the College’s history, especially as we are in our eighth year of the Ideas to Action critical thinking initiative (i2A), and as we are in the process of revising the General Education program.

AAC&U has engaged faculty across the country in discussion of liberal education for the twenty-first century, and their website is a very good resource. The faculty here at UofL have written and refined the rubrics for assessing critical thinking in General Education courses in each of the divisions of the College.

What goals in teaching do we share across the College? Email your ideas, or send questions and concerns, to julia.dietrich@louisville.edu.

Sincerely,
Julia Dietrich
Professor, English

Announcements

Governor’s Scholars seeks faculty for summer 2016
The Governor’s Scholars Program seeks enthusiastic faculty to develop and teach programming for bright high school students in summer 2016. Faculty members will receive a stipend, plus room and board on the university campus to which they’re assigned for the six week session. For more information, visit Governor’s Scholars Program.

STEM Engagement Workshops for faculty in October
A series of professional development workshops for faculty will be held across the state beginning in October. These workshops, co-sponsored by Kentucky Campus Compact and CPE, will feature staff from the SENCER Center for Innovation located at UNC Asheville. The workshops will feature hands-on demonstrations of the pedagogical techniques employed by SENCER, including techniques for connecting STEM learning to civic engagement. STEM faculty may be especially interested in participating, but all faculty are welcome. For more information, see the STEM Workshops flyer.

UofL Day of Giving Oct. 20
On Oct. 20, the office of University Advancement is hosting a Day of Giving. During this event, students, alumni, faculty, staff, fans, and friends will come together for one common purpose: to fund student scholarships, or the UofL area you feel most passionate about, and change lives. #UofLDayOfGiving is a 24-hour, social media campaign during Homecoming week encouraging people to give. Our goal is to have 1,798 donors come forward to help fund scholarships (or whatever designation they choose). Anyone can get involved at #UofLDayOfGiving.

Teaching, Research, Creative Activities & Service

Prof. Yanoviak appointed Smithsonian Research Associate
Prof. Steve Yanoviak(Biology) was appointed as a Smithsonian Research Associate with the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI). His appointment will be from Oct. 5, 2015 through Oct. 8, 2018.

2016 Latino Student Initiative in A&S
Prof. Gerald Hammond’s (Chemistry) 2015 “Targeting Excellence: Hispanic Latino Student Initiative,” was so successful he has already scheduled guest speakers to lead panel discussions with UofL and duPont Manual High School students in 2016. The 3rd Annual Latino Student Initiative will include chemistry Prof. Alán Aspuru-Guzik (Harvard University) and Prof. Tomas Kirchhausen (Harvard Medical School). For more information, email Prof. Hammond.

Prof. Griner invited to Aspen as Writer-in-Residence
The Aspen Words Foundation (known previously as the Aspen Writers Institute) has chosen Prof. Paul Griner (English) as the July 2016 writer-in-residence. In addition, Prof. Griner will lead a workshop and give readings, including a reading at Prairie Lights bookstore in Iowa City, this week as part of an expenses-paid invitation from the University of Northern Iowa.

Prof. Mast to lecture on Alzheimer’s research
Prof. Benjamin Mast (Psychological & Brain Sciences) will give a lecture based on his research in person-centered care and Alzheimer’s disease at the University Club. The lecture is part of the Institute for Sustainable Health & Optimal Aging’s Optimal Aging Lecture Series. For more information, visit Alzheimer’s lecture.

Kudos & Congratulations

Prof. Buchanan receives national advising award
Prof. Rhonda Buchanan (Latin American & Latino Studies) was presented the National Academic Advising Association’s (NACADA) National Faculty Advising Award at the NACADA Conference in Las Vegas.

Debate team wins at Utah tournament
Juniors Courtney Brown and Thomas Gordon III were the top team in the Novice Division at Utah's Weber State University Debate tournament this weekend; this is their first tournament win. Additionally, Gordon received an award as 1st Speaker, with Brown recognized as 3rd Speaker. In the Junior Varsity division, Seniors Wes Tolbert and Arnav Wheat II advanced to the semi-final round before losing on a 2-1 decision. Tolbert was awarded 2nd Speaker in that division and Wheat was recognized as 3rd Speaker.

Items of Note

Braden Institute co-sponsoring fair housing forums
The Anne Braden Institute for Social Justice Research is co-sponsoring a series of fair housing forums at the Brandeis School of Law and the main branch of the Louisville Free Public Library. Prof. Lauren Heberle (Sociology) will be on the Oct. 27 panel. For more information, see the Fair Housing Forum flyer.

2015 Vietnam War Commemoration
The University of Louisville's Vietnam War Commemoration Program has planned a number of events and activities for 2015. Prof. Daniel Krebs (History) serves on the Vietnam War Commemoration Committee and assisted in planning two events in November. For more information, email Prof. Krebs.

In the News

Developer Wants New Soccer Stadium Built In West Louisville (WFPL, 10/5/2015) – Prof. Janet Kelly (Urban & Public Affairs), executive director of the Urban Studies Institute, on the economic value of a soccer stadium in the West End of Louisville.

Conference to Explore Ohio Valley’s Environmental History (WFPL, 10/6/2015) and What can we learn from 1937 Ohio River flood? (The Courier-Journal, 10/9/2015) – Prof. Glenn Crothers (History) on the Environmental History Conference, focusing on the Ohio River Valley, at UofL this past weekend.

Centenary College creates social media center in push to teach online skills (USA Today, 10/6/2015) – Prof. Karen Freberg (Communication) on UofL social media courses.

Did You Know?

The 30th Anniversary celebration of the Grawemeyer Awards this month includes events highlighting A&S areas of study in psychology and political science. The panel discussions will feature past Grawemeyer Psychology and World Order recipients in discussions surrounding cutting-edge research in their fields. For more information, visit Grawemeyer 30th Anniversary Celebration.