2019 Faculty Showcase Highlights Research + Expertise

In late September, faculty and other members of JWU’s academic community came together to celebrate scholarship and exchange ideas at the 3rd annual Faculty Scholarship Showcase. Faculty were invited to submit presentation proposals aligned with the Boyer Model of Scholarship for inclusion in this showcase. (The branch campuses will hold their own Showcases throughout the Fall.)

The Showcase served multiple purposes:

1. To encourage peer-to-peer sharing of ongoing research and scholarly work
2. To introduce the greater JWU community to the depth and breadth of academic scholarship at the university
3. To encourage interdisciplinary research between faculty members from different JWU colleges

The range of projects on display was impressive — from a comparative analysis of the peace process in two very complex conflicts (Central African Republic and the South Sudan) to an ongoing case study on the ways that maternity leave can stall or even damage a career trajectory. Learning engagement strategies and “gamifying” topics to boost student motivation in the classroom were strong themes, as was the concept of curriculum customization and implementation.

Dissertation work from a number of Ed.D scholars was also included for the first time as a way to round out the scope of work on display. Rising Scholar Lisa Hughes, Ed.D., examined some of the underlying structural causes for the major shortage of special education personnel in New England, while Assistant Professor Rollie Wesen, Ed.D., identified essential learning outcomes for community-based culinary arts training programs (CBCATs).

“The faculty scholarship showcase is a wonderful opportunity for faculty from across campus to share their scholarship and research with their colleagues,” noted Provost Billye W. Auclair, Ph.D. “Many faculty have commented that they have been inspired to start their own scholarship project by talking with their colleagues at the showcase.”

Scholar-collaborators who are not affiliated with JWU are listed in (parentheses).

College of Business

• Christine Perakslis, Ed.D., associate professor (with Katina Michael, MG Michael, Roba Abbas and Anas Aloudat), “The Converging Veillances: A Fifth Privacy Border Crossing”
• Magnus Thorsson, Ph.D., associate professor, “Investigating the impact of university sustainability commitment on a student’s attitudinal loyalty and intent to apply”
• Michelle Rego, Ph.D., professor, “Modeling Purpose: A Meta-Analytic Structural Equation Model of Purpose-Driven Cause Marketing Campaigns”
• Sara Jablon-Roberts, Ph.D., associate professor, “Stephen Burrows: Blackness and Funding in the Fashion Industry”
• Diane McCrohan, associate professor, “Cloth Haul Vlog vs. Sustainable Fashion Vlog: Its influence on Millennial Shoppers”
• Nicole Amos, assistant professor, and John Varlaro, Ph.D., professor, “Invisibility: A Potential Side Effect of Maternity Leave: A Primary Researched Case Study”
• Frank Satterthwaite, Ph.D., professor, and Lisa Spicola, chief librarian, “Implementing a Multidisciplinary Approach to Creating ‘Highly Personalized’ Learning in Hybrid Courses: A Faculty/Librarian Collaboration Pilot Study”
• John Varlaro, Ph.D., professor, “The Practice of Human Resource Management: An Active Learning eTextbook”
• Nicole Amos, assistant professor, “Gamification to Increase Engagement and Concept Retention”

College of Culinary Arts

• Linda Kender, associate professor, “Phase 1 of a multi-phase pilot study leveraging Food Safety case studies in the culinary academic classroom”
• Rollie Wesen, Ed.D., assistant professor, “Community-Based Culinary Arts Training Program Outcomes: Chef-Instructor and Employer Valuations”
• Katrina Herold, associate professor, “Using audio and video feedback to increase motivation and engagement”

College of Engineering & Design

• Vidyasagar Sivalingam, instructor, “Spectral Projection Model for Electromagnetic Scattering of Paraboloid Surfaces”
• Walter Zesk, associate professor, “Assessment, Motivation and Design Process in the Design Studio”

College of Health & Wellness

• Kara Cucinotta, associate professor (with Ou Han-Wen, MD, and Dana Elia), “A Dietary and Botanical Approach to the Treatment of SIBO: A Case Report”
• Jonathan Noel, Ph.D., assistant professor (with Tara M. Lutz, Ph.D.), “LGBT Question Preferences in National Disease Surveillance Systems”
• Allison Acquisto, associate professor, “Emotional Eating: The Registered Dietitian Nutritionist’s Role in Integrating Two Effective Interventions into the Interdisciplinary Healthcare Team”

College of Hospitality Management

• Tiffany Rhodes, assistant professor, “Storytelling as a Tool to Increase Engagement and Comprehension”

John Hazen White College of Arts & Sciences

• Christine Stamm, Ed.D., professor, “A meta-analysis of the National School Lunch Program: What works, what’s missing and alternative approaches for the future”
• Kevin DeJesus, Ph.D., assistant professor and Dylan Fletcher, Political Science student, “Peace Processes, Armed Groups and Decision-Making Models: A Comparative Case of the Central African Republic and South Sudan”
• Jim Brosnan, Ph.D., professor, “Long Distance Driving: A Poetry Collection”
• Geraldine Wagner, Ph.D., professor, “Ad Nauseam: A Comic Screenplay Addressing Serious Food Issues”
• Paul Sylvestre, Ph.D., associate professor, Jessica Fede, Ph.D., associate professor, and James Desmarais, J.D., associate professor, “Integrated Learning an Opportunity Seized and a Lesson Learned”
• Andrew Karatjas, Ph.D., professor (with Jeffrey A. Webb, Ph.D.), “Who Does Extra Credit?”
• Ryan Tainsh, Ed.D., associate professor, and Christos Dimos, Ph.D., associate professor, “The Self-Directedness of Undergraduate Biology and Health Science Students: Implications for Teaching and Curriculum Interventions”
• Kelly Dunn, Ed.D.,director of new student orientation and support programs and student involvement & leadership, “Investigating Parenting Style and College Student Grit”
• Megan Stoessell, assistant professor, “Travel Writing as a Tool to Build Empathy Among College Students”