Faculty News & Achievements

Associate Dean Jamal Watson Honored at National HBCU Pre-Law Summit

Dr.  Jamal Watson, Associate Dean of the School of Professional and Graduate Studies, was awarded the Advocate Award at the 10th Annual National HBCU Pre-Law Summit and Law Expo for his journalistic work and scholarship on higher education. The summit took place on Friday, September 22, 2023, and Saturday, September 23, 2023.

Dr. Mercedez Callenes Publishes Paper in the International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection

Dr. Mercedez Callenes, Associate Professor of Global Affairs, co-published an article titled, “Attacking the Grid: Lessons from a Guerrilla Conflict and Efforts for Peace in Colombia: 1990-2018.” The article was published in the International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection on July 14, 2023. Dr. Callenes and her co-authors address the ongoing internal conflict in Colombia involving leftist guerrilla groups and their attacks on the country’s power grid. Using data from key organizations, such as ISA, IX, and CINEP, Dr. Mercedez and her co-authors analyzed patterns of attacks and strategies used to exert pressure on the government.

Citation
Jennifer S. Holmes, Agustin Palao, Mercedez Callenes, Neil Ortiz Silva, Alvaro Cardenas, Attacking the grid: Lessons from a guerrilla conflict and efforts for peace in Colombia: 1990–2018, International Journal of Critical Infrastructure Protection, Volume 42, 2023, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijcip.2023.100621.

Medstar Neurological Fellow Jill Calvani Presents Capstone at National Rehabilitation Hospital

The Occupational Therapy Programs have a relationship with Medstar in which they support the Neurological fellowship program.  Jill Calvani, the Medstar Neurological Fellow in the School of Nursing and Health Professions, presented her capstone on July 27 at the National Rehabilitation Hospital. Jill’s capstone was titled, “Examining the Motor Scale Items from the Coma Recovery Scale-Revised.”

Dr. Kimberly Monroe Presents Research at the Black Europe Summer School (BESS) Symposium in Amsterdam, Netherlands

Dr. Kimberly F. Monroe, Assistant professor of History and Africana Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented her research titled “Writing Toward a Black Liberation: Claudia Jones’ Black Nationalist/Internationalist Activism in Europe” at the Black Europe Summer School (BESS) Symposium in Amsterdam, Netherlands. The theme, ‘Interrogating Citizenship, Race, and Ethnic Relations” examined the African Diaspora and other people of color in Europe. The lectures concentrated on the origins of Black Europe and investigated the impact of colonial legacies, policies, social organizations, and legislation today. Black scholars from across Europe (Poland, United Kingdom, Netherlands, Italy and more) lectured throughout the two-week program, including Drs. Kwame Nimako, Olivette Otele, Rokhaya Diallo, Camilla Hawthorne, Wayne Modest, and more.

In addition to the lectures, Dr. Monroe immersed herself into Black Amsterdam by visiting the Tropen Museum “Our Colonial Inheritance” exhibit, The Black Archives “No Healing Without Repair” exhibit, and experienced a Black Heritage Amsterdam tour on the canal with Jennifer Tosch. To commemorate the Abolition of slavery in Suriname (1873) and other former Dutch colonies in the Caribbean, Dr. Monroe and fellow BESS participants took part in festivities at the Keti Koti (break the chains) parade and festival on July 1st.

Dr. Cristina Parsons Publishes Article in Portuguese Studies Journal

Dr. Cristina Parsons, Professor Emerita of Economics, In the College of Arts and Sciences, published an article titled, “Fado as Economic History: The Mariquinhas Cycle Reinterpreted”, in the Portuguese Studies Journal. The article shines a light on a new perspective on ‘A Casa da Mariquinhas’ by exploring Portuguese women’s working and social lives and the economic structures that influenced many lives in the twentieth century. 

Citation:

Parsons, Cristina. “Fado as Economic History: The Mariquinhas Saga Reinterpreted.” Portuguese Studies, vol 39 no 1, 2023, p 63-75. Project MUSE, doi:10.1353/port.2023.a900051

Dr. Agnes Conaty Presents Talk on the GLOBE Program

Dr. Agnes Conaty, Adjunct Professor of Mathematics and Science Lead of the NASA GLOBE Observer Program co-presented with NASA Engineer Larry Hilliard, to talk about the Space Geodesy Program, the Model Rocket Program and other contributions of NASA Goddard. The two spoke to an audience of 85 campers and their families from across the DC Metro area, New Jersey, and Washington state at the Greenbelt Park Campfire initiative on April 8, 2023. 

Additionally, and in recognition of Earth and Citizen Science Month, Dr. Agnes Conaty and the GLOBE Observer Program team led the Third Sunday Experiment at the Goddard Visitor Center on April 16, 2023. She also participated in the Earth Day celebration at Union Station with Trinity’s Early College Academy Program on April 21, 2023, and at the University of Maryland, College Park, MD on April 29, 2023.  

Adjunct Professor Frank Handler Co-Publishes Article in Aerosol Science and Technology

Adjunct Professor, Dr. Frank Handler, co-published an article titled, ” Enhanced survival fractions of UV-irradiated spores in clusters on a surface in air: Measured and mathematically modeled results at 254-nm“. The article was published online in Aerosol Science and Technology on March 31, 2023. Dr. Handler, and co-authors, discuss the use of germicidal ultraviolet light (GUV) to eliminate pathogenic bacteria and viruses for disease transmission control. It highlights that certain microbes, like bacterial spores, can form clusters that shield them from GUV, making it challenging to achieve an effective reduction in viability.

Citation

Steven C. Hill, David C. Doughty, Daniel W. Mackowski, Vipin Rastogi, Jay D. Eversole, Dan McGrady, Frank Handler & Jana Kesavan (2023) Enhanced survival fractions of UV-irradiated spores in clusters on a surface in air: Measured and mathematically modeled results at 254-nm, Aerosol Science and Technology, 57:6, 487-507, DOI: 10.1080/02786826.2023.2186213

Dr. Patrice Nielson Presents at the Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting

Dr. Patrice Nielson, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences, gave an oral presentation titled “Incorporating Student Voice and Student Choice into a Lab Activity” at the 2023 Ecological Society of America’s Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting on April 1, 2023. The meeting, hosted by the University of Delaware in Newark, DE, brought together ecologists from academia and the public and private sectors to engage and present on ecology-related topics. Dr. Nielson’s presentation examined how she restructured lab activities to support learning needs and empower students to explore lecture topics that suited their interests. 

Citation:

Nielson, P. (2023, April). Incorporating Student Voice and Student Choice into a Lab Activity. Ecological Society of America’s Mid-Atlantic Annual Meeting . Newark; University of Delaware.

Dr. Stacey Baugh Presents Poster at Lilly Conference in College and University Teaching

Dr. Stacey Baugh, Associate Professor of Psychology, presented a poster at the Lilly Conference in College and University Teaching on October  14, 2022. The poster titled “The Impact of Course Deadline Flexibility on Student Performance” examined whether students in the Introductory Psychology course performed better with structured or flexible deadlines. Listen to summary recording of Dr. Baugh’s presentation.

Citation:

Baugh, S. The Impact of Course Deadline Flexibility on Student Performance. Poster. Lilly Conferences International Learning Cooperative. Traverse City, MI. October 13-15, 2022.

Dr. Stacey Baugh Serves as Panelist to Discuss Mental Health and Helping Teens Copes with Anxiety

Dr. Stacey Baugh, Associate Professor of Psychology, served as a panelist for a virtual town hall on mental health strategies presented by the 100 Black Men of Prince George’s County. The panel focused on ways to help teens and their parents cope with anxiety and exposure to violence. Founded in 2012, The Prince George’s County chapter of the 100 Black Men of America, Inc. provides community programs based on the pillars of education, health and wellness, economic empowerment, and leadership.

Adjunct Professor Agnes Conaty Featured in SSAI Newsletter for Her Work in Earth Science Research

Dr. Agnes Conaty, Mathematics Adjunct Professor and Senior Research Scientist, was featured in the Science Systems and Applications, Inc (SSAI) newsletter in honor of Women’s History Month. The article highlights Dr. Conaty’s background and work as an earth science researcher at SSAI, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, and Center for Space Science Education. The article shares Dr. Conaty’s exciting work in writing modules and developing workshops for educators, researching sea surface temperatures and ocean color satellite data sets, learning UNIX and C programming language, and presenting scientific research at conferences.

We salute Dr. Conaty’s great work in the earth science field and her dedication to teaching mathematics at Trinity Washington University over an eight-year period.

Learn more about what inspired Dr. Agnes Conaty to enter the field of Earth Science.

Chemistry Adjunct Professor Nyesa Enakaya Publishes Article in American Chemical Society Journal

Chemistry Adjunct Professor, Nyesa Enakaya, in the College of Arts and Sciences publishes her first article in the American Chemical Society Journal (ACS) in March 22, 2023. The article, titled “Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Allosteric Effectors for Hemoglobin”, outlines the causing factors of vaso-occlusive crisis in sickle cell patients and potential treatments to increase oxygen levels.  Read full abstract. 

Citation

Enakaya, N. A., Jefferson, A., Chew-Martinez, D., & Matthews, J. S. (2023). Design, synthesis, and evaluation of allosteric effectors for hemoglobin. Accounts of Chemical Research. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00590

Dr. Lisa Simmons Presents Poster at Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy at Virginia Tech

Dr. Lisa Simmons, Director of Master of Occupational Therapy in the School of Nursing and Health Professions at Trinity Washington University presented at the Conference on Higher Education Pedagogy at Virginia Tech on February 16, 2023. The presentation was co-led with Callie Victor, Shenandoah University and Kristen Maisano, St. Catherine University.

Supporting the Mental Health and Wellness of Our Students

Poster Presentation: Most entry-level clinical programs aim to establish clinical competence in their students in preparation for patient care. In the process of establishing clinical competence, it is essential to build knowledge and confidence. Addressing students’ mental health can help them be successful students and practitioners. This presentation will allow participants to reflect on their current practices and increase their toolbox of engaging activities. As we look to create an inclusive workforce that can meet the needs of a diverse population, faculty must be prepared to positively impact the mental health needs of the students they educate.

Dr. Olivia White to Present at the American Occupational Therapy Associate Conference

Dr. Olivia White,  Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy in the School of Nursing and Health Professions, will participate in three scholarly activities at the American Occupational Therapy Associate Conference in Kansas City, Missouri April 21-23, 2023.

The three activities are noted as follows:

“Adaptive Yoga for Wellness” – Thursday, April 20

Poster presentation on how adaptive yoga promotes health and well-being for clients with disabilities. The poster will educate OT practitioners on effectively modifying and adapting traditional yoga poses and led solely by Dr. White.

“Home Automation: The Emerging Instrumental Activity of Daily Living” – Friday, April 21

Short course on educating OT practitioners on how to identify types of technology for clients and their caregivers to access their home environment safely and independently, and how to identify apps on phones and tablets to be used by persons with cognitive or physical impairments. The session will be led by Trinity adjunct professor, Megan Mahaffey and Dr. Olivia White will serve as one of three additional presenters.

“Best Practices in AOTA Fellowship Programs” – Friday, April 21

Panel participant: OT Fellowship best practices with a focus on specific methods and strategies for moving occupational therapists beyond entry-level practice, and toward expertise in a focused area of practice. Dr. Oliva White and Amanda Gahlot, a former Trinity adjunct professor, will lead the panel.

Click to view all AOTA Conference sessions 

Dr. Shizuka Hsieh Serves as Panelist for AAAS Webinar on Environmental Science and Sustainability

Dr. Shizuka Hsieh, Associate Professor of Chemistry in the College of Art and Sciences, served as a panelist in the third webinar of the Inaugural Webinar Series: AAAS Section Q Equity & Justice in Science Education Webinar Series, a 4-part series to engage and discus equity- and justice-based considerations, approaches, curricula, pedagogies, and actions for advancing progress in sciences and science education. The first webinar focused on Informal STEM Environments and the second on Communities and their Knowledges. The third webinar, Dr. Hsieh’s panel, focused on “Engaging Non-STEM Undergraduates in Climate/Environmental Science and Sustainability to Promote Equity-Based Decision Making”. The webinar was held March 21, 2023.

Topic

Engaging Non-STEM Undergraduates in Climate/Environmental Science and Sustainability to Promote Equity-Based Decision Making

Description

Decisions for a sustainable and equitable future will require students who understand science, equity and the intersection between them. A critical part of this is to address sustainability and equity in undergraduate science courses for non-STEM majors. Panelists will share and discuss their approaches of engaging non-STEM major undergraduates in learning climate change, environmental science and sustainability through the lens of equity and justice.

Panelists:

David Szymanski, Associate Professor, Natural and Applied Science, Bentley University, Waltham, MA

Shizuka Hsieh, Associate Professor of Chemistry, Trinity Washington University, Washington D.C.

Beth Osnes, Professor of Theater and Environmental Studies, University of Colorado, Boulder, Colorado

Moderator:

Tamara Shapiro Ledley, STEM Education Consultant, Sustaining Science Consulting & Adjunct Professor, Bentley University