News University of Northern Colorado

Chemist Selected as Young Observer Fellow by National Academy of Sciences

Thu, 02 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Associate Professor Robin Macaluso is one of 10 chemists nationwide to be selected a Young Observer Fellow by the National Academy of Sciences.

As a Young Observer Fellow, Macaluso will participate in the 47th International Union for Pure and Applied Chemistry General Assembly and 44th World Chemistry Congress on Aug. 8-16 in Istanbul, Turkey.

The selection of Young Observer Fellows is a highly competitive process held biennially. Young Observer Fellows are chosen as a new generation of distinguished researchers who will address international scientific policy issues.

Macaluso also leads a grant-funded project exploring the next generation of efficient lighting, which could result in more affordable, longer-lasting options for light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, in the future. Read More

Macaluso, who earned her Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry from Louisiana State University, has taught at UNC since 2006. Her research focuses on the synthesis and characterization of magnetically interesting materials with emphasis on solid-state materials.

UNC in Photos: An April Retrospective

Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A slideshow of events and activities on campus.

UNC Receives NEA Grant to Support Research into Student Movement and Arts Institute for K-12 Teachers

Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The National Endowment for the Arts today awarded the University of Northern Colorado a $25,000 grant to support research of student movement and professional development for K-12 teachers through the Center for Integrated Arts Education.

UNC was the only university to receive a grant of this kind in Colorado.

The funding supports a two-year study to determine how much school-age children move throughout the school day. In addition, the grant provides funding for the long-running Arts Education Leadership Institute for K-12 teachers.

UNC's Center for Integrated Arts Education annually hosts the institute for Colorado educators. The institute focuses on improving quality of arts programs and arts integration practices in schools.

"The purpose of the CIAE Institute is to bring new awareness of the importance of the arts to our culture and to the education of our children," said Connie Stewart, associate professor of the School of Art and Design and director of the institute.

The NEA grant supports the summer institute in 2014, and the center is planning to accommodate 15 school teams of up to eight members of teachers and administrators in addition to 30 teachers and students attending as individuals.

Registration details for the 2014 institute will be forthcoming. Information for this summer's institute, "Mapping New Terrain: Arts Applied," which features live performance, workshops and speakers, is at: http://www.arts.unco.edu/ciae/institute

In August 2012, the NEA received 1,547 eligible applications for Art Works grants requesting more than $80 million in funding. Art Works grants support the creation of art that meets the highest standards of excellence, public engagement with diverse and excellent art, lifelong learning in the arts, and the strengthening of communities through the arts. The 817 recommended NEA grants total $26.3 million and span 13 artistic disciplines and fields. Applications were reviewed by panels of outside experts convened by NEA staff and each project was judged on its artistic excellence and artistic merit.

Acting NEA Chairman Joan Shigekawa said, "The National Endowment for the Arts is proud to support these exciting and diverse arts projects that will take place throughout the United States. Whether it is through a focus on education, engagement, or innovation, these projects all contribute to vibrant communities and memorable opportunities for the public to engage with the arts."

For a complete listing of projects recommended for Art Works grant support, please visit the NEA website at arts.gov.

For more on UNC's Center for Integrated Arts Education, visit http://www.arts.unco.edu/ciae/

UNC Graduate Researcher Who Filmed Acclaimed Documentary Earns Prestigious U.S. Geological Survey Grant

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A graduate student whose work was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Chasing Ice has earned a $1,500 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey.

Adam LeWinter's proposal to extend a study of the summit vent at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii was one of three projects in the nation selected for the 2013 Kleinman Grant for Volano Research.

LeWinter and UNC Professor Steven Anderson are working with the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey to use LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to study small changes in Kilauea's craters and lava lake, changes that could trigger explosive activity and increases in lava flow that could potentially endanger lives and property.

Before he enrolled at UNC, LeWinter was part of the film crew that placed time-lapse cameras throughout the Arctic region to track multiyear changes in glaciers for the award-winning documentary Chasing Ice.

LeWinter is working on his master's degree in Earth Sciences at UNC.

Graduate Researcher Earns Prestigious U.S. Geological Survey Grant

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Adam LeWinter, a UNC graduate student whose work was featured in the critically acclaimed documentary Chasing Ice, has earned a $1,500 grant from the U.S. Geological Survey. LeWinter's proposal to extend a study of the summit vent at Kilauea Volcano in Hawaii was one of three projects in the nation selected for the 2013 Kleinman Grant for Volano Research.

LeWinter is working on his master's degree in Earth Sciences at UNC.

Raising Awareness of Stuttering

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The acclaimed film The King's Speech, and most recently, TV appearances by an American Idol contestant have brought welcome public attention to stuttering, says UNC faculty expert Patty Walton about the speech disorder that "affects a person's entire life" in the one out of every 100 people who experiences it.

"The King's Speech changed the way the world thought of stuttering," said Walton, who specializes in therapy for both children and adults and supervises graduate students working with clients who stutter in UNC's Speech and Audiology Clinic. "The king was portrayed as being so courageous and strong through everything.

"The movie shed light on what true stuttering looks like."

And that ties in with the message Walton wants to get out about stuttering. The condition impacts a person a person's daily routine at school or work (e.g, reluctance to raise a hand to a question in class despite knowing the answer), in social situations (e.g., choosing to be isolated from others) and shapes self-concept.

"No two people stutters alike," Walton said. "It's like a fingerprint and unique to the person. That makes it harder to treat. Therapy needs to be tailored to meet needs of individuals, not just their speech pattern, but also how it affects their lives. Therefore it is important to seek out a speech language pathologist with expertise in stuttering."

Walton says stuttering is often accompanied by tension and feelings of loss of control. Fear and anticipation can occur before moments of stuttering, which can make the stuttering worsen.

Nervousness, stress and lack of intellect as contributors are common myths. So are the beliefs that a child will grow out of it or that there's nothing that can be done to help. Watching American Idol's Lazaro Arbos compelled Walton to contact him and offer encouragement about finding the right speech therapist when he's ready.

"‘Therapy can help, and you don't have to live this way,'" she told him in her message. "I see changes in people every day at the clinic."

About UNC's Clinic

Since 1958, the UNC's Speech and Audiology Clinic has provided diagnostic and rehabilitative services to people with speech, language, hearing and/or balance difficulties. In addressing stuttering, Walton said there are generally three areas of focus: 1) Fluency shaping: helping people who stutter learn how to produce more fluent speech; 2) Modification: teaching people who stutter to do so better and under control;
3) Counseling: To help shape positive attitudes and emotions. More info at: http://www.unco.edu/NHS/asls/Clinic.htm

Online Resource

http://www.stutteringhelp.org

FOX News video featuring Walton

http://kdvr.com/2013/01/23/153301

UNC Scientists Collaborate on Breakthrough Research

Mon, 08 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado faculty Stephen Mackessy and Ashis Mukherjee recently discovered that a protein in a venomous snake has potential to be used to develop drugs to treat clotting disorders and heart patients.

Mackessy and Mukherjee isolated the protein Russelobin from the venom of Russell's Viper, a venomous snake native to India. The non-lethal protein has properties that could be used in new cardiovascular drugs.

The paper, published in Biochimica Biophysica Acta, includes some of the work conducted at Mackessy's lab at UNC while Mukherjee, a UNC adjunct faculty member from India's Tezpur University who was a visiting scientist at UNC last year. The article is available at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304416513000500.

In 2011, Mackessy earned grant funding for research showing promise in creating drugs from snake venoms to treat and limit the spread of breast, colon and skin cancers.

On a related note, Mackessy was also recently invited to present a paper on reptile venoms and toxins to the British Toxicology Society in Solihull, United Kingdom.

Related

UNC Faculty Recognized for Research, Scholarly Work

Thu, 04 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado's Faculty Research and Publications Board, College Deans, and the Office of Sponsored Programs recognized faculty achievement in research and other academic pursuits at the Distinguished Scholar Luncheon on April 8.

Rick Adams, professor of Biological Sciences, received the 2013 A.M. and Jo Winchester Distinguished Scholar award - given annually to a faculty member who's consistently demonstrated outstanding scholarly performance.

Awards for college scholars were presented to: Robyn Hess, professor of School Psychology; Nicholas Syrett, assistant professor of History; Isaac Wanasika, assistant professor of Management; Robin Macaluso, associate professor of Chemistry; Melissa Malde, professor of Music; and Jennifer Leffler, associate professor and manager of Resource Maintenance at the University Libraries.

In addition, Paula Conroy, associate professor of Special Education, received the Outstanding Achievement in Sponsored Programs Award, and Jill Bezyak, assistant professor of Human Rehabilitative Services, received the Sponsored Programs New Faculty Recognition Award.

About the recipients:

Rick Adams' research encompasses the ecology, evolution and development of bats. His field research is predominately based in Colorado but also takes him to the Caribbean islands, South Africa, Botswana and China. He is best known internationally for his research on the importance of water sources to natural bat populations as well as for using ontogeny (growth and development) as a surrogate for novel insights into the evolutionary origin of bats 60 million years ago. He recently published articles in two of the highest ranking international ecology journals (Journal of Animal Ecology, and Ecology) showing how bats are "canaries in a global coal-mine" for predicting negative ecosystem effects of climate-change. Adams has four books either already published or in-press, and 39 peer-reviewed publications including journal articles, book chapters and monographs. For more about Adams, visit www.unco.edu/news/?3713.

Robyn Hess' research interests are in the areas of school dropout/completion, especially among Latino students; culturally responsive assessment and intervention; systemic interventions; and stress/coping in children. She and a colleague recently started a project to evaluate the effects of cultural adjustment groups on the social and school adjustment of Somali refugees. Her recent articles have appeared in Best Practices in School Psychology-V and The Journal of Special Education. She has co-written two books, Counseling Children and Adolescents in Schools and Public Health Problem-Solving to Address Children's Mental Health Needs. Hess is actively involved in many different school psychology professional organizations in her roles as chair of the School Psychology Specialty Council, chair-elect of the American Academy of School Psychology, and co-chair of the School Psychology Leadership Roundtable.

Nicholas Syrett teaches and researches the history of women, gender and sexuality in the United States. He's the author of The Company He Keeps: A History of White College Fraternities, published by the University of North Carolina Press in 2009, and has published journal articles in American Studies, Genders, and The Journal of the History of Sexuality, and has articles forthcoming in GLQ: A Journal of Gay and Lesbian Studies, The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth, the Pacific Historical Review, and a number of edited collections. He has been interviewed about his research by Newsweek, Out Magazine, The New York Times and local and national newspapers and radio programs. He's currently on sabbatical writing a book about the history of child marriage and the regulation of children's sexuality in the United States.

Isaac Wanasika's research interests include strategic deception, transaction cost economics, base-of-the-pyramid strategies and strategic leadership orientations. He's collaborated with internationally-known scholars in the GLOBE studies, the largest international study in management involving 62 countries. His research has been published in prestigious journals such as the Journal of World Business, Journal of Strategic Innovation and Sustainability and the Journal of Managerial Issues. His work has been presented at national and international management conferences including the Academy of Management.

Robin Macaluso has established a research program at UNC that focuses on the synthesis and structural characterization of intermetallic compounds. More recently, she's begun a research program in the synthesis of novel oxynitride compounds for solid-state lighting technology. Hess has published 11 journal articles in the field of solid-state chemistry and has earned more than $1.5 million in external grants, including a highly competitive CAREER grant from the National Science Foundation and funding from the Petroleum Research Fund from the American Chemical Society. For more on Macaluso, visit www.unco.edu/news/?4076.

Melissa Malde has performed with numerous orchestras and opera companies throughout the United States, including Kentucky Opera, the Bangor Symphony and Opera Colorado. She has sung abroad with the Moscow Chamber Orchestra, the Prague Radio Symphony, the Bad Reichenhall Orchestra, and Vancouver Opera. She's licensed as an Andover Educator to teach Body Mapping and the book she has co-authored on that subject titled What Every Singer Needs to Know about the Body is in its second edition. She is an active clinician and presenter at national conferences for organizations including the College Music Society, the Multidisciplinary Rehabilitation of the Performing Voice and the Physiology and Acoustics of Speech.

Jennifer Leffler is known as the "master of unraveling challenges in user access" because of the leadership she's provided in integrating new applications of technology to library operations resulting in processing efficiencies and enhanced access to resources. She's shared that expertise through presentations at regional and national conferences and in articles in peer-reviewed journals relating to her areas of interest: technical services work flows, use of technology in technical services, use of software tools such as web conferencing and building collections in support of new interdisciplinary degree programs. She's a member of the national editorial board of the Journal of Electronic Resource Librarianship, and serves as a copy editor for UNC's Undergraduate Research Journal.

Paula Conroy has been the project director on several U.S. Department of Education personnel preparation and research grants in the area of culturally and linguistically diverse students with visual impairment, helping to prepare teachers for working with this unique population of student, and has received numerous grants from other organizations in the areas of assistive technology, training and in-service and pre-service teacher preparation. She's published book chapters, juried articles, juried special/technical reports and has conducted numerous professional presentations in her areas of expertise, and has studied the importance of physical education and activity for students who are blind and visually impaired.

Jill Bezyak is a certified rehabilitation counselor with a wide array of clinical interests including psychiatric rehabilitation, substance abuse counseling and counseling individuals with physical disabilities and chronic illness. Her research interests include health promotion of individuals with disabilities, evidence-based practice in rehabilitation counseling and education and implementation strategies for the Americans with Disabilities Act. She currently directs a U.S. Department of Education grant for long-term training in Rehabilitation Counseling. She has numerous juried publications and presentations in her areas of academic expertise, in addition to several non-juried presentations and guest lectures to community health education and vocational rehabilitation programs and groups.

For more information, visit the Office of Sponsored Programs online at: http://www.unco.edu/osp/ or http://www.unco.edu/osp/news/dslunch.html.

Faculty Author’s New Book to Offer Roadmap to Successful Acting Careers

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT

An accomplished actor and faculty member in the University of Northern Colorado's theatre program interviews 12 award-winning actors in an upcoming book that sheds light on what makes actors successful.

Inside Act: How Twelve Actors Made It and How You Can Too by Ken Womble documents the experiences of the working actors by exploring the choices they made at critical moments in their careers and how those choices led to substantial results.

"The inspiration for the book arises from my work with aspiring professional actors," Womble said. "I've seen there is a chasm between learning how to act and becoming a successful actor, which many talented actors are never able to bridge. That is what this book will do."

The book will include interviews with each actor's "success team," their agents, managers, directors and teachers, to get their perspective on each actor. Each chapter will conclude with an analysis of the keys to each actor's success. The book's final chapter will compare the stories and note the results of each actor to create a master list of keys that every successful actor shares.

Womble teaches acting at UNC, one of the country's top professional actor training programs — with six grads recently on Broadway, dozens more working in film and TV and one-third of graduating actors placed with talent agencies the past three years.

Inside Act will be published by Hansen Publishing Group in late 2013.

Actors interviewed to date include Debra Monk, Richard Portnow, John Tartaglia, Krysta Rodriguez, Robert Clohessy, Gary Beach, Eric Ladin, Tony Yazbeck, James Earl and Jose Llana. Success team members include Jon Jory, Meg Mortimer, Bonnie Monte, Lori Swift, Walt Witcover, Steven Unger, Michael Einfeld, Patrick Welborn, and Penny Luedtke.

For more information on Womble, visit www.arts.unco.edu/pva/faculty/bios/womble.html.

Providing Expert Commentary

Sat, 30 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT

For the third time in recent months, television producers have used University of Northern Colorado science faculty and their research as key elements in three different television programs.

UNC Earth Sciences Professor Steven Anderson's ongoing research at one of the most active volcanoes on the planet will be included in a 12-episode TV series about extreme environments currently in production for the Weather Channel and scheduled to air in 2014.

He and his team's pioneering research were previously featured on a segment of "Volcano Live," a four-part BBC television series that aired throughout Europe last summer.

UNC Biology Professor Stephen Mackessy's research showing that a protein in prairie rattlesnakes' venom has allowed them to adapt and survive in harsh environments was featured in a segment of a program that aired in December on both the Discovery Channel and the Science Channel.

In February, Anderson, an internationally renowned volcanologist, spent 10 hours with the Weather Channel production crew at the active lava flows originating from rifts in the flanks of the Kilauea volcano on the island of Hawaii. In 1990, a lava flow from the volcano buried the town of Kalapana under nearly 50 feet of lava and extended the coast hundreds of yards.

Anderson and UNC graduate student Adam LeWinter are working with the Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Geological Survey to use LiDAR (light detection and ranging) technology to study small changes in Kilauea's craters and lava lake, changes that could trigger explosive activity and increases in lava flow that could potentially endanger lives and property.

Anderson was on the other side of the camera during a January visit to collect additional LiDAR topographical data, capturing the accompanying video footage and photographs of the lava lake while its level was near an all-time high.

- UNC News Service

UNC Honored Nationally for Noise-Induced Hearing Loss Prevention Program

Fri, 22 Feb 2013 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado is among the winners of the 2013 Safe-in-Sound Excellence in Hearing Loss Prevention Awards, announced today by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), in partnership with the National Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA).

The innovation award honors the university for its collaboration on Dangerous Decibels, a multi-faceted, evidence-based intervention program dedicated to the prevention of noise-induced hearing loss and tinnitus.

The program is being recognized for the development, widespread dissemination and cultural adaptation of innovative training strategies shown to positively change knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in youth and adults, including occupational settings (www.dangerousdecibels.org), and applying solid scientific and theoretical basis into all program aspects. The program includes science museum exhibits, virtual exhibits, K-12 classroom programs, educator training workshops, public outreach tools and research. Dangerous Decibels emphasizes the need to protect hearing for a "lifetime" and bridges the occupational and non-occupational noise risks.

Built upon partnerships among the Oregon Health & Science University, Portland State University, UNC and the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, the program has received widespread funding and dissemination support by numerous organizations. At UNC, Audiology faculty Deanna Meinke and Don Finan have led related campaigns.

Presented at the 38th Annual Hearing Conservation Conference on Feb. 22 in St. Petersburg, Fla., the awards honor organizations that have shown dedication to excellence in hearing loss prevention practices in the work environment and beyond. The other winners are Vulcan Materials Company and Johns Mansville.

"This year's recipients confirm that the benefits of noise control go far beyond the prevention of hearing loss and make good business sense, as a safe and healthy workforce benefits workers, employers, and the U.S. economy," said NIOSH Director John Howard, M.D. "We are pleased to have the opportunity to highlight the innovative work of companies who serve as leaders in this area."

To view the award recipient presentations visit http://www.safeinsound.us/winners.html. For further information please visit www.safeinsound.us.

About the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
NIOSH is the federal agency that conducts research and makes recommendations for preventing work-related injuries and illnesses. Mention of any company or product does not constitute endorsement by NIOSH. More information about NIOSH can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh. NIOSH recommends removing hazardous noise from the workplace whenever possible and implementing an effective hearing loss prevention program in those situations where dangerous noise exposures have not yet been controlled or eliminated. For more information about noise and hearing loss prevention research at NIOSH please visit www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/noise.

UNC Professor Details How Prairie Rattlesnakes Survive in Yellowstone for Discovery Channel

Tue, 29 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

Research by University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy provides evidence that a protein in their venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to adapt and survive in harsh environments, such as those in Yellowstone National Park.

The presence of the venomous North American snake in Yellowstone has been considered a scientific mystery.

"We've long hypothesized that venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to expand their behavioral repertoire that's typically been out of reach," Mackessy said.

It typically takes snakes, which are cold blooded, about five days in normal 75-degree temperatures to digest their prey. If the process takes longer, deadly bacteria from the decaying meal can build up and the toxins can kill the snake. Furthermore, digestion typically shuts down below 55 degrees, Mackessy said.

In "unprecedented" experiments in his lab, Mackessy replicated Yellowstone's extreme temperatures in the snake's habitat and took a series of X-rays of prairie rattlesnakes that ingested mice. It took the snake much longer to digest the mouse that had not been injected with venom. Mackessy ended the experiment before it became lethal for the snake. When venom was introduced into the prey before being consumed, X-rays confirmed that digestion was nearly complete after five days.

"One of the major components of prairie rattlesnake venoms is what we call proteolytic enzymes, and these are proteins that chop up other proteins," Mackessy said on the program "X-Ray Yellowstone" for the Discovery Channel series Curiosity, whose producers approached him to conduct the experiments.

The program initially aired on the Discovery Channel last month and was then re-broadcast multiple times on the Science Channel.

"This is an area that encapsulates an interest since I began doing research: what are the venoms doing for the snakes themselves," he said, adding that prairie rattlesnakes make it the farthest north of large-bodied snakes. Their habitats stretch from southern Canada to northern Mexico.

Mackessy, a UNC biology professor internationally known for his research on venomous snakes, has received $1.3 million supporting his research and scholarship since 1991. He has published more than 50 research articles, one book and six book chapters, and has presented at more than 50 local, national and international scientific meetings. During his 21 years at UNC, he's involved nearly 50 undergraduate students in his research, which focuses on how compounds in snake venom can be used in cancer-fighting drugs.

Discovering for Discovery

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy's research showing that a protein in prairie rattlesnakes' venom has allowed them to adapt and survive in harsh environments, such as those in Yellowstone National Park, is featured in a segment of a program on the Discovery Channel.

The presence of the venomous North American snake in Yellowstone has been considered a scientific mystery.

"We've long hypothesized that venom has allowed prairie rattlesnakes to expand their behavioral repertoire that's typically been out of reach," Mackessy said.

The program initially aired on the Discovery Channel last month and was then re-broadcast multiple times on the Science Channel.

UNC Chemist Discusses LEDs on National Radio Program

Mon, 21 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A taped segment featuring UNC Assistant Professor of Chemistry Robin Macaluso aired on more than 50 radio stations throughout the country on Thursday, Jan. 17.

As part of The Academic Minute, Macaluso addressed her research on the next generation of energy-saving LED lighting. She her team of researchers are analyzing an underexplored class of materials known as pyrochlore oxynitrides, a ceramic that's inexpensive to produce and shows promise for use in LEDs.

The segment can be heard on The Academic Minute website and on Inside Higher Education's site.

UNC Chemist to Discuss LEDs on National Radio Program

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

A taped segment featuring UNC Assistant Professor of Chemistry Robin Macaluso will air on more than 50 radio stations throughout the country on Thursday, Jan. 17.

As part of The Academic Minute, Macaluso will address her research on the next generation of energy-saving LED lighting. She her team of researchers are analyzing an underexplored class of materials known as pyrochlore oxynitrides, a ceramic that's inexpensive to produce and shows promise for use in LEDs.

The segment also will be available on The Academic Minute website and on Inside Higher Education's site.

The Academic Minute invites contributions from faculty who would like to record a 1:40 essay related to their area of expertise. Email Nate Haas for more about this opportunity.

UNC Faculty to Lead Forum to Discuss Children, Poverty, Education

Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado faculty Teresa McDevitt and Nancy Sileo will lead a presentation at a public forum on children, poverty and education at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 23, at the Evans Community Center, 1100 37th St.

Topics to be discussed include local initiatives addressing childhood poverty; national, state and Greeley-Evans School District 6 data on children living in poverty; risks and effects of growing up in poverty; the resilience of children; interventions for children in poverty and perspectives from high-poverty/high performance schools.

The program is based on research of existing literature conducted by McDevitt, professor of Psychological Services and acting assistant vice president for Research, and Sileo, professor of Special Education and assistant dean of the College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.

The forum is offered in conjunction with the Evans Area Chamber of Commerce and Greeley-Evans School District 6. Ranelle Lang, District 6 superintendent, will attend and be available to answer audience questions after the presentation.

Making New Year’s Resolutions Last

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Almost everyone creates a New Year's resolution. How long the resolution lasts, however, varies from person to person. John Froiland, UNC assistant professor of School Psychology, suggests the use of intrinsic motivation as a way to keep resolutions going all year long.

A common New Year's resolution on college campuses is to get better grades. Many students resolve to focus more in the coming semester, and paying attention in class and turning in assignments on time would seem key to accomplishing this goal.

Research shows, however, that intrinsically motivated students excel in the classroom every semester.

"Intrinsically motivated students focus on the beauty of learning, understanding what they learn, and in some cases, use what they learn to help others," Froiland said.

According to Froiland, these students tend to do better in school because they're passionate about what they're learning and are typically under less pressure. They express themselves in what they are learning, and in turn, tend to get better grades.

Another common resolution is to lead a healthier lifestyle. Many people are motivated by the physical changes that come with this new lifestyle - a certain number of pounds lost or thinner thighs to fit a favorite pair of jeans. Froiland suggests that instead of focusing only on physical benefits, you should also try to seek deeper meaning in what you're doing for yourself and how it can affect others.

"Focus more deeply on the idea that if you eat healthy, you will live longer and be stronger," Froiland said. "By increasing your strength and vitality, you'll be able to do more to make this world a better place."

Increasing intrinsic motives, however, doesn't mean you need to completely eliminate all extrinsic motives (desire to make more money, impress others, etc). Froiland recommends focusing first on intrinsic goals, such as helping yourself to help others; then focus on extrinsic goals.

"If you put the intrinsic goals and aspirations first, but still keep the extrinsic aspirations high, you can have a motivational synergy," he said.

A helpful tip for everyone with a New Years resolution, whether intrinsically motivated, extrinsically motivated or both, is the idea of implementation intentions. According to Froiland, implementation intentions involve asking yourself, "What am I going to do today to help accomplish my goal?" By saying your intentions out loud or to yourself, or by writing them down, they become a habit. The more you say your intentions, the more automatic it becomes; you'll get closer to your goal each day.

"It's like programming yourself for success - programming yourself to follow through on the things you want to follow through on," he said.

- Katie Owston, Senior Journalism Major

Keys to Cultivating Happiness in the New Year

Froiland also offered several keys to cultivating happiness in the new year, each driven by intrinsic values:

Elevate your intrinsic motivation. Seek passion in what you do: If you want to lose weight in the new year, reconsider your reasons. Consider that a healthy body reduces stress and helps you live longer. Try to be motivated by how your resolution will affect you as a whole.
Get excited for other people's good news, Ask your friends questions; help them relive their best moments. In doing so, you'll find that you become excited too.
Be grateful. Each day, write down three events that you are thankful went well in your day and why you think they went well. Writing why it went well helps you to see the role you played in the positive outcome of the situation.

Froiland shares tips for children's academic success.

UNC Professor Featured on Discovery Channel Series

Fri, 28 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado Professor Stephen Mackessy appears on the latest episode of Discovery Channel‘s Curiosity series to discuss his research on prairie rattlesnake venom. The episode, "X-Ray Yellowstone," is scheduled to air next on the Discovery Channel at 7 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 30. Check your local listings for channel information for your provider. The segment on Mackessy is toward the end of the 60-minute program. A preview of the episode is available at: http://dsc.discovery.com/tv-shows/curiosity

UNC Now Accepting Applications for 2013 International Teacher’s Summer Seminar

Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The University of Northern Colorado, in partnership with the National Endowment for the Humanities, is offering K-12 teachers an intensive four-week graduate-level summer seminar in Berlin, Germany. and Prague, Czech Republic.

The peaceful revolutions and fall of communism are still considered to be among the most important events of the 20th century. The Seminar "East-Central Europe, 1989: The History and Philosophy of the Peaceful Revolutions" is open to teachers of all disciplines.

The Seminar takes place from June 23-July 20, 2013, in Berlin and Prague, two key cities which were at the very center of political opposition movements under communism and developments that led to the fall of communism in the region. Additional activities including a day trip to nearby Leipzig, museum and city tours, and guest lecturers including dissidents and topic scholars round out the seminar.

"The study of dissidence in East-Central Europe provides insight into the reasons that communism ultimately fell and the ‘power of the powerless' to undermine totalitarian rule," said Christiane Olivo, seminar director and UNC Associate Professor of Political Science & International Affairs.

While some scholars believe that the political philosophies of those dissidents are not relevant outside of Soviet totalitarianism, the participants in this NEH Summer Seminar will examine whether they have a place in addressing the problems facing modern large-scale liberal democracies.

Olivo, a sought after, subject-matter expert in Eastern German studies, has published a book and numerous articles and case studies on the philosophical ideas of East German dissidents before, during and after the fall of communism.

Completed applications should be postmarked no later than March 4, 2013. A total of 16 applicants, including two graduate students, from across the United States will be selected to participate.

For Seminar details and application requirements please visit the website:
www.unco.edu/psci/nehseminar

Contact info:
Christiane Olivo, Political Science & International Affairs
University of Northern Colorado
Campus Box 130
Greeley, CO 80639
970-351-2058
Email: NEH.seminar@unco.edu

UNC Researcher Earns $197,090 Grant to Offer Math Teacher Program

Fri, 07 Dec 2012 00:00:00 GMT

University of Northern Colorado researcher Jerry Overmyer recently earned a $197,090 grant from the Colorado Department of Higher Education to enhance teacher quality in high-need, rural school districts.

The one-year grant will allow Overmyer to offer a comprehensive professional development program to high school math teachers and provide them with technology and instruction addressing state standards to improve teaching quality and student achievement in math.

The program will admit 30 teachers and cover their costs of graduate-level courses and implementing technology in their classrooms. The curriculum consists of an online course beginning this spring followed by a hybrid online and face-to-face course in the summer. Teachers will then implement aspects of the professional development course in Fall 2013.

The program expands on an existing course, MED 341: Tools and Technology of Secondary Mathematics, a course created for pre-service teachers in secondary mathematics education by UNC's William Blubaugh, who is part of the project.

One of the goals is to create a professional learning community of rural Colorado math teachers.

Overmyer is the outreach coordinator for UNC's Mathematics and Science Teaching Institute. For more information, visit http://mast.unco.edu/people/jerry_overmyer.php

Project Name: "Tools and Technology for Rural Colorado Mathematics: Improving Teacher Quality Project"
Funding: $197,090 from Colorado Department of Higher Education