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Marquette Child’s play leads to Haggerty research award Like many boys who grew up in the 1960s during the Civil War centennial, James Marten spent countless hours playing war and dressed up as a soldier for Halloween more years than not. It should come as no surprise then that Marten associates his research on Civil War children with some of his fondest memories growing up. “My first love as a historian was the Civil War,” Marten said. “And, like many baby boomers, as an adult I’m a little obsessed with thinking about childhood — my own and my children’s — which clearly played a role in my evolution into being a historian of children and youth.” For his leadership, research and scholarship, Marquette awarded Dr. James Marten, chair and professor of history, the 2010 Lawrence G. Haggerty Award for Research Excellence. The annual award recognizes a faculty member who has demonstrated scholarly distinction and an all-encompassing belief in excellence. The award includes a gift of $5,000. “In almost a quarter of a century of service at Marquette, Jim has embodied the university’s ideal of the scholar-teacher. He helped launch a field of study about American childhood and youth during the Civil War, while maintaining a full teaching load, serving as the chair of the Department of History and directing seven doctoral dissertations,” said President Robert A. Wild, S.J. Marten believes it’s too easy for individuals to view children as passive observers and victims of their times. That couldn’t be further from the truth, based on his research. According to Marten, children are important actors in history and can provide important insights into the periods and events they lived in. In 1999, Marten’s book The Children’s Civil War was selected by Choice Magazine as an Outstanding Academic Book of the year and helped establish Marten as an important interpreter of the social history of the Civil War period. He has written, edited or co-edited 13 books and has two more books in progress. His monograph Sing Not War: Civil War Veterans in Guilded Age America will be published in 2011, and his edited
Photo by Ben Smidt
By Andy Brodzeller
Dr. James Marten, chair and professor of history, has been honored with the 2010 Lawrence G. Haggerty Award for Research Excellence.
At the Annual Distinguished Scholars Reception, Marten credited Rev. Francis Paul Prucha, S.J., and Dr. Frank Klement, nationally known historians from the department. Both, he said, were examples of individuals who maintained a scholarly reputation while also being exemplary teachers. He also gave credit to the example set by Dr. Athan Theoharis, professor emeritus of history and the Haggerty Award winner in 2002, for setting a standard of professionalism and for connecting historical research to social justice and public policy. Marten said his research has always been meaningful in very personal ways and believes the Haggerty Award recognizes his work as being meaningful to others, as well. “This award encourages me to suggest . . . that we, as faculty members and as institutions of higher learning, should always strive, as we do generally, to make sure that research is an organic element of one’s life as a scholar rather than simply a way of keeping score, that the quality and relevance of our publications are as important as their quantity,” he said.
work, Children and Youth During the Civil War Era, is nearing completion and under contract with New York University Press. Marten’s contributions to the field go beyond his own work and publications. He was a co-founder of the Society for the History of Children and Youth, which hosted its first conference at Marquette in 2001. The society now counts nearly 300 members from more than 20 countries and publishes a triennial journal. He also serves as senior co-editor of the six-volume anthology The Cultural History of Children and the Family, coordinating 72 volume editors and authors from four continents and 13 countries and co-editing one of the volumes. Marten believes this work is as important as his personal writing, allowing him to bring in and support junior scholars in the field, as well as help refine and bring clarity to the field. “I’ve really been fortunate to find a research field with room to grow and find a voice to articulate why it was important for Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division, Civil War Photographs; LC-USZC4-7983 us to understand the place of children Three children’s Civil War — In 1862 a woman, a soldier, three children and a dog posed for a photograph in the camp of the 31st Pennsylvania Infantry near Washington, D.C. in history,” he said.
Campus H a p pen i n gs Women donors to the Haggerty featured in exhibition The Haggerty Museum of Art will host a Lunchtime Learning program and gallery walk-through with Dr. Annemarie Sawkins, associate curator, Tuesday, May 25. The event highlights A Collection’s Legacy, Women Donors to the Haggerty exhibition, which celebrates the role women donors have played in the development of the museum’s collection. The exhibition, held in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration of Women at Marquette, runs concurrently with the Theodore Czebotar Paintings from the Olympic Peninsula exhibition through Aug. 15.
Future Milwaukee applications due June 16 Applications for the Future Milwaukee Class of 2010-11 are due Wednesday, June 16. The class starts in September 2010 and will graduate in May 2011. The Future Milwaukee Leadership program is an opportunity for participants to improve leadership skills and become more involved in the community. Apply online at http://bit.ly/futuremilw.
Richards-Wilson receives fellowship to research executed student Dr. Stephani Richards-Wilson, assistant dean for recruitment and retention for the Helen Way Klingler College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded a fellowship from the Rheinisch Friedrich Wilhelms University of Bonn, Germany, in July. Richards-Wilson will research Willi Graf, a devout Catholic who attended the University of Bonn and was beheaded by the Nazi party in 1943 for participation in a student resistance group.
Ratcliffe honored with AMUW faculty achievement award Dr. Krista Ratcliffe, chair and professor of English, has been recognized with Association of Marquette University Women’s Nora Finnigan Werra Faculty Achievement Award for 2010. The award honors a woman faculty member at Marquette who has excelled in her research, teaching and service to Marquette and the community, and has mentored students and other faculty.
Marquette Matters
Four honored for teaching excellence
Award winners use real-world examples to solve real-world problems
Photo by Matt Dixon
By Tim Olsen
Photo by Dan Johnson
Rev. Steven Avella humanizes the narrative of U.S. history.
Photo by Ben Smidt
Dr. Lisa Koenig is committed to access to radiographic technology.
Photo by Ben Smidt
Dr. Erik Ugland draws from training as a lawyer.
Excellence in teaching comes in many forms at Marquette. “What stands out in particular among this year’s group is the use of real-world examples that help students learn to address complex, real-world problems,” said Dr. John Pauly, provost, about this year’s Teaching Excellence Award winners. “We had an exceptionally strong field this year.” Rev. Steven Avella, professor of history, received the Robert and Mary Gettel Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. Dr. Lisa Koenig, associate professor of general dental sciences; Dr. Erik Ugland, assistant professor of communication; and Dr. Theresa Weynand Tobin, assistant professor of philosophy, were awarded the John P. Raynor, S.J., Faculty Award for Teaching Excellence. The award winners were recognized May 6 at the Père Marquette Dinner. Avella’s use of novels, photo archives and even YouTube videos to “humanize” the narrative of U.S. history engages students in the classroom, according to Dr. James Marten, chair and professor of history. “Steve Avella has a mission as a teacher just as he does as a diocesan priest,” said Marten. “Teaching has been in my blood since I was a high school student,” said Avella. “I have always admired the men and women who could tell great stories and make the human experience come alive. I have tried to imitate those great teachers with the students God gives me each semester. I enjoy telling them the stories of our national past, especially our evolving American culture.” Koenig’s use of real-world examples in her teaching has involved developing a curriculum that uses modeling, blended instruction, quizzes to prepare for national boards, case studies and one-on-one coaching. “My teaching philosophy encompasses a variety of instructional methods, a commitment to student access to state-of-theart radiographic technology, and a demonstration of professionalism through patient care in the clinic,” she said.
Students and former students consistently note that Koenig challenges them to be the very best dentists and humans they can be, according to Pauly. One of her former students, now an established dentist, said that Dr. Koenig’s words “to this day guide me through my work . . . her voice resounds during my radiographic diagnosis and patient care.” Ugland’s department chair, Dr. Michael Havice, noted that Ugland draws from his training as a lawyer and his own scholarship and uses class discussion and Socratic teaching methods to help students master difficult and sometimes intimidating material. “The students at Marquette are willing to go anywhere you want to take them,” said Ugland. “They are already inclined to live reflective lives and contemplate their place in the world and to make a difference, so they are more willing to engage in the kind of abstract and critical thinking that are hallmarks of a great education. I love to help students strip away all of their assumptions and to see the world through something other than the prism of their own experience.” Using Ignatian pedagogy as her guide, Tobin has developed a variety of creative approaches such as Mindfulness Reading Assignments and applied service learning experiences, according to Pauly. “I really enjoy being in an institution that not only permits but encourages innovative approaches to teaching that engage the intellectual, emotional and spiritual dimensions of the person,” said Tobin. “I strive to provide a classroom environment of trust where students can ask difficult questions about the moral dimensions of human life and can feel safe as we grapple with those questions together. I also aspire to make teaching and learning fun — I love philosophy and aim to share that enthusiasm with students with the hope of inspiring them to love it, too.”
Dr. Theresa Tobin strives for a classroom environment of trust.
Chemistry professor earns Way Klingler Sabbatical Wehr Distinguished Professor of Chemistry Scott Reid has been awarded the Way Klingler Sabbatical to continue in-depth research with colleagues in Madison and Australia from the fall of 2010 to spring 2011. Since joining Marquette in 1994, Reid has established himself as a leader in the area of interactive intermediates – short-lived, unstable molecules that are key players in the mechanisms of many real-world chemical processes, such as reactions in combustion, the atmosphere and beyond. “Only by understanding the mechanisms of these important chemical processes can we make progress in better utilizing them,” Reid said. During his sabbatical, Reid will collaborate with researchers at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and the University of Sydney to develop new solutions for studying reactive intermediates, which by their short-lived nature are hard to capture and
study. Reid said this research will, in part, develop expertise in experimental methods that can be applied at Marquette for new research initiatives. As evidence of Reid’s reputation in his field, colleagues have cited his election as one of the main organizers of specialized workshops held biannually at Telluride Col., as well as his selection to organize the Gordon Conference on Molecular Energy Transfer, which seeks to understand how energy flows within and between molecules. Reid said an emphasis on research in his department is one thing that drew him to Marquette. “One thing I really appreciate about Marquette is the teacher-scholar model,” Reid said. “Your research informs your teaching, and you strive for excellence in both. Our research with undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate students is critical as we seek to encourage, motivate and equip the next generation of scientists.”
Photo by Ben Smidt
By Tim Cigelske
Dr. Scott Reid will research interactive intermediates during his Way Klingler Sabbatical.
Schinder-Ivens and Van Hecke receive 2010 Way Klingler Young Scholar Awards
Dr. Sheila Schindler-Ivens (above right) and Dr. Amy Van Hecke (below right) have been recognized for researching stroke rehabilitation and social skills in autistic children, respectively.
Photo by Ben Smidt
Dr. Sheila Schindler-Ivens Assistant Professor of Physical Therapy Nobody has ever conducted brain scans during locomotion of people with stroke, according to Dr. Sheila Schindler-Ivens, but that’s what she’s setting out do. Schindler-Ivens, who studies the rehabilitation of stroke survivors and how the brain adapts to regain walking ability, is a recipient of a 2010 Way Klingler Young Scholar Award. “We’re trying to see if there’s an actual remapping of the way the brain controls movement or if it’s just the stronger leg taking over,” she explained. Her work is supported by a five-year, nearly $600,000 Career Development Award from the National Institutes of Health. The grant pairs Schindler-Ivens with mentors Dr. Kris Ropella, chair and professor of biomedical engineering, and Dr. Brian Schmit, associate professor of biomedical engineering, who will provide support as Schindler-Ivens expands her research using functional imaging techniques. Schindler-Ivens has already used functional MRI to examine brain activity while subjects pedaled on a bike. “Now we’re moving into people with stroke, which is much more challenging,” said Schindler-Ivens, who will take a sabbatical this fall to focus on her research.
Photo by Dan Johnson
By Nikki Sweeney Etter and Tim Olsen
Way Klingler Young Scholar Awards support promising young scholars in critical stages of their careers. The awards of up to $32,000 are intended to fund $2,000 in operating costs and to cover up to 50 percent of salary
Dr. Amy Van Hecke Assistant Professor of Psychology Hoping to capitalize on the newly recognized burst of neural development around pre-adolescence, Dr. Amy Van Hecke is investigating whether social skills therapy in autistic children affects brain activity and heart rate. Van Hecke will use a therapeutic approach, Program for the Enrichment and Education of Relational Skills, on children with autism 11-17 years old during her Way Klingler Young Scholar sabbatical in spring 2011. The prevalence of autism has risen from 1 in 2,500 in the 1980s to 1 in 91 children today, and the average cost of life-span treatments for a person with autism is $3.2 million, according to Van Hecke. “We are excited to ask the question, ‘Does social connectivity affect neural connectivity?’” said Van Hecke. “We know quite a bit from animal studies about what social isolation does to the brain, which is nothing good, but we know very little about what social connectedness and having friends does to the brain. So, I’m examining potential change in the connectivity of different brain areas in children who respond well to the treatment.”
to afford the recipient a one-semester sabbatical.
Take
On the Side
Albert Abena – Jazz musician plus By Joseph Gacioch
Photo by Jim Brozek
When Albert Abena was in high school, his band received a once-in-alifetime opportunity that actually came around twice in his life — the chance to perform for the commander-in-chief. Abena played for President Gerald Ford and Japanese Emperor Hirohito when they visited San Francisco in 1975, and also performed when President George W. Bush delivered the commencement address at Concordia University Wisconsin in 2004. Abena began playing the clarinet as a fifth grade student, and when he reached middle and high school began to explore various jazz instruments, as well. Currently the director of the Marquette University Community Dental Clinic-North, Dr. Abena (who also received his J.D. from Marquette University Law School in 2008), is a versatile musician, playing flutes, clarinets, saxophones, bassoon, French horn, percussion and electric bass guitar. “Whether I’m playing a jazz solo or ensemble pieces, I love the high level of interaction with other musicians,” Abena said. Even though he has played in front of thousands of spectators, one of Abena’s most memorable musical experiences comes when he plays during the Baccalaureate Mass the night before the annual Commencement exercises. “It is a privilege to play for the Baccalaureate Mass with Campus Ministry,” he said. “I’ve played the particularly beautiful melody of Taste and See during Communion and am humbled that my music can be part of a spiritual experience for so many people.” “On the Side” offers a glimpse of faculty and staff interests outside of Marquette. E-mail your story suggestions to
[email protected].
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The top five most common ZIP codes of residence for Marquette employees, according to Human Resources. 1) 53217 — 192 ( Bayside, Fox Point, Glendale, Milwaukee, River Hills, Whitefish Bay) 2) 53211 — 191 ( Glendale, Milwaukee, Shorewood, Whitefish Bay) 3) 53213 — 150 (Milwaukee, Wauwatosa) 4) 53202 — 140 (Milwaukee) 5) 53233 — 110 (Milwaukee)
Abena has played with many jazz and symphonic groups in Milwaukee, including the Cedarburg Civic Band, Lakeshore Symphonic Band, Milwaukee American Legion Band, Concord Chamber Orchestra, Knightwind Ensemble, Waukesha Area Symphonic Band, All-Star SUPERband and Swing Nouveau.
“Take Five” is a brief list concerning an interesting aspect of Marquette life. E-mail your list suggestions to
[email protected].
Marquette Matters is published monthly, except June, July and August and a combined issue for December/January, for Marquette University’s faculty and staff. Submit information to: Marquette Matters – Zilber Hall, 235; Phone: 8-7448; Fax: 8-7197 E-mail:
[email protected] Editor: Tim Olsen Graphic design: Nick Schroeder Copyright © 2010 Marquette University
Marquette Matters
Fitts, Vandevelde recognized with Way Klingler Fellowships
M A R Q U E T T E Ha p pen i n g s Marquette recognized for contributions to Avenues West neighborhood
By Tim Olsen
Photo by Ben Smidt
Photo by Ben Smidt
The board of directors of Avenues West Association has selected Marquette University as the 2010 recipient of the Avenues West Association’s Impact Award. Marquette was selected in recognition of university activities resulting in substantial positive impact on the Avenues West neighborhood. The award will be formally presented at noon Thursday, May 20, at the association’s awards luncheon in the AMU Monaghan Ballroom. Tickets cost $40. Call 933-0640 for more information.
Dr. Robert Fitts received the Way Klingler Fellowship in Science.
Dr. Pol Vandevelde received the Way Klingler Fellowship in Humanities.
After 30 years of researching the effects of microgravity on skeletal muscle structure and function, Dr. Robert Fitts, chair and professor of biological sciences, is hoping for a change of heart. Specifically, he’s changing the focus of his research to determine the best exercise programs for limiting heart disease and for facilitating recovery from it. Thanks to his Way Klingler Fellowship in Science, Fitts will convert the emphasis of his lab from space biology to studies designed to understand the role of endurance and high-resistance exercise-training programs in the prevention of and rehabilitation from heart disease. Using organ and tissue studies, the work is designed to uncover the mechanisms of the exercise protection. As the science fellow, Fitts will receive $50,000 annually for three years. “Heart disease is a major health issue worldwide,” said Fitts. “The incidence of this disease and death from it are greater than from any other disease. When you add that 50 percent of all diabetics die of heart disease, the enormity of the problem to human health is astronomical, as are the health care costs.” Fitts’ research, as does all research, involves knowledge — the pursuit of it, the use of it and the creation of it. However, for Dr. Pol Vandevelde, professor of philosophy, knowledge is also the subject of his research. Vandevelde, recipient of the Way Klingler Fellowship in Humanities, is developing a
unified theory of knowledge, reconciling the Anglo-American and continental approaches as well as accounting for cultural and social influences in the way we “know” something. Vandevelde will receive $20,000 annually for three years as the humanities fellow. Three themes are central to a theory of knowledge, according to Vandevelde — interpretation, meaning and what the subject of knowledge is. “While there are many books on each of these issues, what is unique about my project is that it demonstrates the interconnections between them,” said Vandevelde. Having dealt with interpretation in a previous book and literary meaning in a book currently under review by a publisher, Vandevelde plans to complete a book on the theory of meaning during his fellowship. “I defend the view that meaning is a process, instead of a content,” said Vandevelde. “The purpose of the Way Klingler Fellowship awards is to provide funding that will have an impact on the future research and scholarship of our faculty who have the greatest potential to contribute to their professions,” said Dr. John Pauly, provost. “To determine the awardees, we examine the applicant’s publication record, presentations record, grants activity, the potential impact of the award on the recipient, and the impact of the awardee’s work on his or her discipline.”
Dr. William Wiener named Dean in Residence The Council of Graduate Schools has named Dr. William Wiener as the “Dean in Residence” for 2010-11. Each year, CGS selects an outstanding graduate school dean with national leadership experience to serve as Dean in Residence. The dean joins the staff at CGS for one year, infusing a campus-based perspective and vision across a variety of programs. Wiener, vice provost for research and dean of the Graduate School at Marquette, will join CGS on Aug. 16.
2010 Commencement to take place May 23 Wendy Kopp, founder and chief executive of Teach For America, will be the speaker for Marquette University’s Commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 23. The ceremony will take place at the Bradley Center at 9:30 a.m. The Baccalaureate Mass will be celebrated Saturday, May 22, at 4:30 p.m. in the U.S. Cellular Arena.
Centennial Celebration of Women culminates with July 25 event The year-long Centennial Celebration of Women at Marquette will culminate with a Women’s Centennial Brunch at 10 a.m. Sunday, July 25, in the AMU Monaghan Ballroom in conjunction with Alumni Reunion Weekend. President Robert A. Wild, S.J., will speak at the brunch on the legacy the celebration has created and the university’s reinvigorated commitment to providing access to higher education for all deserving students. The brunch is open to the Marquette community. Cost is $20 per person. Registration begins June 1 at http://bit.ly/centennialbrunch.
Photo by Ryan Messier
Telling the Marquette Story Zilber Hall now serves as the “front door” to Marquette University for thousands of new students and visitors annually. Visual portrayals celebrating the history and mission of the university and student life are showcased in the lobby, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions and the Gallery (first-floor hallway that runs the length of the building, from 12th to 13th streets). The building was dedicated May 5 and named in honor of Milwaukee real estate developer and philanthropist Joe Zilber and his wife, Vera, who are also honored in a lobby exhibit.
