Scholarly Achievements: Fall 2022

Here are the latest accomplishments in scholarship, research, and publications by MBU faculty and staff.

Gold College of Arts and Sciences 

School of Humanities and Social Sciences

Katherine Low, associate professor of religion and MBU chaplain 

A chapter, “Zombies in the Biblical Studies Classroom? Bingo!” in Teaching the Bible with Undergraduates (SBL Press, 2022).

An Article, “Moses Married a Black Woman: Modern American Receptions of the Cushite Wife of Moses,” Journal for Interdisciplinary Biblical Studies, 4.2 (November 2022), 66-88. 

Brenci Patino, professor of Spanish

A presentation, “The Power of Community in the Educational Journey of a First-Gen Professor,” Keynote Speaker for Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Hispanic Heritage Month programming, October 12. 

A presentation with Estela Knott, “Bridging Latinx Traditions and Identities in the Commonwealth,” SOMOS James Madison University Latinx Conference, October 28.

Krissy Egan, associate professor of English  

A chapter, “The Peculiar Associations of Melville’s ‘Encantadas’: Nature and National Allegory,” for the edited collection Interrogating Boundaries: Literature of the Nonhuman amidst Climate and Environmental Crises, May 2022.  

A book review of Lowell Wyse’s Ecospatiality: A Place-Based Approach to American Literature for the journal ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment, Autumn 2022. 

Paul Menzer, dean of the Gold College of Arts and Sciences 

A new book, Shakespeare Without Print, published in December from Cambridge University Press. Available in both hard copy and digital form. 

Elected to the Cosmos Club of Washington, D.C., a private social club for women and men distinguished in science, literature, the arts, a learned profession or public service, founded in 1878.

School of Science

Louise Freeman, professor of psychology  

An invited speaker at the 11th annual Harry Potter Academic Conference at Chestnut Hill College, October 2022. Her presentation, “From Transabled to Transgendered; What Can We Learn from Cormoran Strike?,” was part of a special session on JK Rowling and the transgender community.

School of Visual and Performing Arts

Kerry Mills, assistant professor of art history 

Presented a paper, “Another Look at American Regionalism: Urban Vernacular of the Harlem Renaissance,” in a session called “Revisioning and Revisionism in Current Art Historical Scholarship,” SECAC conference, October, Baltimore.  

Martha Saunders, assistant professor of art 

Presented a paper, “Proliferation: Plastics, Art and The Consumer,” in collaboration with MBU senior Heather Korzun, SECAC conference, October, Baltimore.

Molly Seremet, assistant professor of theatre 

Selected for the first cohort of Healing Arts Education’s certification course for Artistic Mental Health Practitioners. She has completed both Level I and Level II of the course with an education emphasis and will sit for her certification exam by year’s end.

Palmer College of Professional Studies 

School of Education

Brianna Kurtz, assistant professor of education 

A presentation, “A Comparative Analysis of Inequitable Access to Quality Education in South Africa and the United States,” World Council of Comparative Education Societies 5th Annual Symposium (virtual). 

Pam Bailey, associate dean and director, school of education 

A presentation with three other professors from surrounding colleges and universities on the small EPPs reflect on CAEP accreditation, fall VACTE conference at James Madison University, October.

School of Professional Studies

Doris Dodson, associate professor of social work

Served as a grant reviewer for the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners Competitive Grant opportunity, October. 

Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences 

School of Health & Human Performance

Lisa Shoaf, dean, Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

A presentation with her Virginia Commonwealth University dance colleague, Judith Steel, International Association of Dance Medicine and Science meeting, Limerick, Ireland. Their topic was an experiential presentation for dance educators: “Inversions – Exploring Function of the Upper Body and Trunk for Safe and Successful Weight Bearing.” 

Lisa Burns, associate professor of occupational therapy

A virtual poster presentation, “Faculty Members’ Perceptions of Entry Level Doctoral Occupational Therapy Students’ Scholarly Writing,” resulting from a collaborative project with Assistant Professor Greg Hansen, American Occupational Therapy Association’s annual Education Summit Conference, November. 

Occupational therapy faculty: Pam Stephenson, Emily Budd, Lisa Burns, Allison Ellington, Greg Hansen, Sarah McCadden, and Elizabeth Richardson

The entire OT department collaborated to provide a presentation, “Meeting your needs:  Capstone projects that work for you,” Virginia Occupational Therapy Association annual conference, October. 

School of Nursing

Kwame Akuamoah-Boateng, program director, adult gerontology acute care nurse practitioner 

A co-author of recent publication, “Ketamine in Critically Ill Patients: Use, Perceptions, and Potential Barriers,” Journal of Pharmacy Practice

A moderator for the Society of Critical Care Medicine Webcast on the topic “Is Mentorship Obsolete in Our Modern Healthcare Environment?,” November 8.  

Johanna Newman, founding director, nurse anesthesiology

A podium presentation, “Tools for Resiliency and Healthy Workplace,” Massachusetts Association of Community Health Workers Workshops: The Importance of CHWs and Equity in the Public Health, virtual conference, September. 

A podium presentation, “Cultural Awareness: A Trip Around the World,” American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology Annual Congress, Chicago, August. 

School of Public Health

Mark Erath, assistant professor of healthcare administration 

Invited to develop and teach a sequence of two courses on the subject of applied healthcare finance, Physician Leadership Academy of the Louisiana Hospital Association. The academy provides diverse leadership development training to a cohort of two dozen physicians from health systems across the state, so graduates can assume progressive executive roles in their organizations.