Professor uses grant to strengthen multicultural collaboration, understanding

A pilot program aimed at helping to model collaboration and cultural inclusivity in a local Dual Language Immersion Program received support from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities.

Dr. Lisa L. Porter, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, received a $2,000 grant from the foundation for her project, “Journeying Together: Building Intercultural Parental Relations within Dual Language Immersion Programs.” The project involves James Madison University students, families with children in the Harrisonburg City Public Schools and various non-profit organizations.

“Journeying Together” creates a space in which parents from native English-speaking and heritage Spanish-speaking language groups can come together and engage in meaningful activities in hopes of building a bridge within the community, developing an appreciation for the cultures of each group and envisioning continued collaboration for the families. The five-week seminar took place Feb. 11-March 10 and was organized thematically, covering a new topic each week, ranging from understanding the diversity of each individual’s journey, identifying a common ground and building a community.

Porter has been facilitating weekly seminars with Sylvia W. Beitzel, JMU alumna and language interpretation and translation coordinator for the Harrisonburg Schools, and Diamond Blathers, a senior sociology major who is serving as the research assistant for the project.

See the list below for more faculty accomplishments.

GRANTS (Awarded in February 2016)

Dr. Robert N. Brent (Associate Professor, Integrated Science and Technology) received $22,300 from DuPont to analyze the use of a handheld X-ray fluorescence spectrometer for measuring mercury in South River bank soils to complement traditional sampling and analysis conducted for remediation planning.

Dr. Keigo Fukumura (Assistant Professor, Physics and Astronomy) and Dr. Sean T. Scully (Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy) received $38,373 from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory to model the absorption line of properties of warm absorbers and fast outflows with an MHD wind model to measure spectral features in active galactic nuclei. Fukumura and Scully received $44,413 from the NASA Exploration Systems Mission Directorate to explore the observed ultraviolet and X-ray absorbers of diverse populations of active galaxies in the context of magnetically driven accretion disk wind model around supermassive black holes through ultraviolet and X-ray spectroscopic analyses.

Kimberlee Harztler-Weakley (Director of Children and Youth, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services) received $500 from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration to conduct town hall meetings to address issues related to underage drinking, in coordination with the Futuro Latino Coalition.

Dr. Jonathan J. Miles (Professor, Integrated Science and Technology; Director, Virginia Center for Wind Energy) received $5,000 from the Southeastern Wind Coalition to conduct outreach and education to stakeholders and decision makers on wind energy in Virginia and the Southeast.

Dr. Michael R. Parker (Assistant Professor, Biology) received $79,332 from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to determine the identity of the female brown treesnake sex pheromone and study manipulation of estrogen implantation.

Dr. Lisa L. Porter (Assistant Professor, Sociology and Anthropology) received $2,000 from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities to enhance communication and cultural understanding between native English-speaking and heritage Spanish-speaking parents within the Harrisonburg City Schools Division Dual Language Immersion Program.

Dr. Kenneth R. Rutherford (Director, Center for International Stabilization and Recovery; Professor, Political Science) received $4,128 from Radiance Technologies Inc. to continue to incorporate technology-related articles into the existing Journal of ERW and Mine Action. Rutherford received $64,948 from the U.S. Department of State to create, deliver and maintain a custom data collection and analysis system to disseminate maps and other products for Conventional Weapons Destruction programs. Rutherford received $22,000 from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for the “Harrisonburg Refugee Peer Support Program” to train adolescent refugees in the Harrisonburg community who have successfully adapted to life in the United States to become peer leaders for newly arrived refugee youth.

Dr. Brenda M. Ryals (Professor, Communication Sciences and Disorders) received $42,900 from the American Auditory Society to support the editor-in-chief of the Ear and Hearing Journal.

Dr. Kristen E. St. John (Professor, Geology and Environmental Science) received $93,633 from the National Science Foundation to synthesize, digitize and create a resource library of geoscience education research materials.

Dr. Jacqueline A. Williams (Professor, Kinesiology) received $30,000 from the Virginia Department of Education to support a high-quality health and physical education content/teaching summer institute.

Dr. Rhonda M. Zingraff (Associate Dean, College of Health and Behavioral Studies; Director, Institute for Innovation in Health and Human Services), Cheryl L. Henderson (Co-director, Training/Technical Assistance Center) and John T. McNaught (Co-director, Training/Technical Assistance Center) received $158,243 from the Virginia Department of Education to provide direct instruction, models and opportunities to practice skills associated with self-determined behavior beginning at the elementary level and continuing through a student’s educational career.

PRESENTATIONS

Natalie Doughty (Graduate Student, Piano Performance) received a grant from the JMU Graduate School to present “From Harmony to Estrangement: The Women’s Sections as the Dramatic Crux of ‘The Rape of Lucretia’” at the College Music Society – Mid-Atlantic Regional Conference (46th) at Winthrop University.

Mandi Eggenberger (Graduate Student, Combined-Integrated Doctoral Program in Clinical and School Psychology) received a grant from the JMU Graduate School to present “Planning Skills in Children: Development, Trajectory and Interventions” at the National Association for School Psychologists conference in New Orleans.

PUBLICATIONS

Dr. Jean W. Cash (Professor Emeritus, English) co-authored the book, “Rough South, Rural South: Region and Class in Recent Southern Literature,” published by University of Mississippi Press. Contributing to the book were Dr. Richard Gaughran (Assistant Professor, English) and Dr. David K. Jeffrey (Dean, College of Arts and Letters). Her co-author is from Dalton State College.

Dr. David A. Stringham (Assistant Professor, School of Music; Coordinator, Music and Human Services Minor) co-authored a chapter, “Moving, Chanting, and Singing For All Students In Instrumental Music,” in “Winding It Back: Teaching to Individual Differences in Music Classroom and Ensemble Settings,” published by Oxford University Press. His co-author is from Midwestern State University.