bissinger examines famed violins - east carolina … violins from bad violins. in the past 30 years,...

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East Carolina University

ECU Faculty and Staff Newspaper http://www.ecu.edu/news/poe/poehome.cfmOctober 6, 2006

Having a HeartService Work on a Friday Afternoon, p. 6

A Day in the Life of StanSimulated Patient Improves Medical Training, p. 7

Painting it PurpleFreshmen Construct, Decorate Birdhouses, p. 6

For almost two centuries scien-tists have searched for the essential measurable properties that separate

good violins from bad violins.In the past 30 years, East Carolina

University physi-cist George Bissinger has made strides in this endeavor, using vibration, acous-tics, and computer analyses to help vio-lin makers craft better-sounding instruments

Bissinger Examines Famed Violinswith a National Science Foundation-funded project called VIOCADEAS (VIOlin Computer Aided Design Engineering Analysis System).

Bissinger, a professor at East Carolina University, worked with leading violin makers and the California-based Polytec, Inc., to expand his research using the companyʼs 3-D laser scanning equip-ment.

Two legendary Stradivarius vio-lins — the 1715 “Titian” and the 1734 “Willemotte,” as well as the 1735 “Plowden” Guarneri del Gesu — were brought to Greenville in September and tested at Bissingerʼs laboratory at ECU. Violins by leading contemporary violin makers, Sam Zygmuntowicz and Joseph Curtin, were also tested.

There is a strongly held opinion that there are certain sound qualities asso-ciated with old Italian violins that modern instruments do not attain.

Zygmuntowicz, who works with these violins, said he was excited that PolyTecʼs equipment would reveal the instruments ̓sonic properties.

By Erica Plouffe Lazure “There is no visible measurement or point Iʼve not seen on these violins,” Zygmuntowicz said. “The important aspects of the violin are what we canʼt see. With sound, you canʼt see it because itʼs microscopic, but with this equipment, it all becomes very tangible. You can see and touch it.”

Bissinger hopes these scans will reveal new ways that the violin vibrates and thus provide information on how it radiates sound, which will also be mea-sured in an anechoic chamber during this experiment.

“Weʼre getting a taste for how things move,” Bissinger said. “Itʼs more interesting to me from the science point of view. I can say, here are ways you can incorporate what you do with violins.”

The violins also underwent CT scans at ECUʼs Leo W. Jenkins Cancer Center at the Brody School of Medicine.

Comparing these 3-D scans on superlative old Italian violins with pre-vious “good” and “bad” modern violin

Three researchers at East Carolina University received the universityʼs 2006 Achievement for Excellence in Research/Creative Activity awards.

Dr. James McCubrey, a profes-sor of microbiology and immunology at the Brody School of Medicine, received the University Lifetime Achievement award. Derek Alderman, a professor of geography, and Reide Corbett, a profes-sor of geology, received the Five-Year Achievement awards.

Dr. Deirdre Mageean, vice chan-cellor of Research and Graduate Studies, said she was proud of the accomplish-ments of these three researchers.

“These faculty represent the spirit and creativity of East Carolina Univer-sity,” Mageean said. “Congratulations to these faculty for their exceptional research accomplishments.”

In the past 18 years at ECU, McCubrey has received more than $3.5 million in grants to further his research in cancer. He has written more than 100 manuscripts and articles, and serves on the board of six academic journals.

He has been a visiting professor at the University of Catania in Italy since Oct. 2003.

By Erica Plouffe Lazure

Researchers Honored


Highlights, Plans Cited

ECU physics professor George Bissinger (right) and world renown violin maker Sam Zygmuntowicz (left) prepare to scan for information on how a legendary violin radiates sound. Along with violin maker Joseph Curtin and members of the California-

based PolyTec, Inc., they tested acoustics of three 18th century violins. Resulting 3-D scans can help them learn about violin sound production and quality. (Photos by Cliff Hollis)

Laser scans of legendary violins may provide new data on violin sound.

The ECU Board of Trustees, now in its second year under the chairmanship of Steve Showfety, is looking forward to participating in major university mile-stones in the coming months.

Showfety, president of the Koury Corp. real estate development firm in Greensboro, said that strategic planning, master planning and the universityʼs cen-tennial will occupy much of the Boardʼs attention during the current academic year.

He cited plans for a new dental school at ECU, the groundbreaking for

By John Durham

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Pieces of Eight October 6, 2006


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By Mark Taggart

In his role as chair of the faculty, Mark Taggart (Music) shares his perspective on peer classroom observation.

On Dec. 7, 1993, our Faculty Senate passed Resolution 93-44 outlin-ing direct, peer classroom observation of teaching for non-tenured, probationary term faculty. This resolution established procedures and an instrument to be used to assess and improve teaching.

The procedures require that all peer observers be trained to evaluate teach-ing through special sessions. Currently, these sessions are offered in the Center for Faculty Development. The established procedures state that individual academic units can modify the Faculty Senate pro-cedures and/or evaluation instrument, provided that these are approved by the appropriate vice chancellor. For example: the School of Music had to modify the evaluation instrument to include not only classroom observation, but also studio teaching and ensemble rehearsing as well.

The established procedures and instrument also mandate that the Chancellor appoint a committee to per-form a regular validation study on peer review instruments and procedures. The overall purpose of these peer review pro-cedures is to assess and improve teaching. They are not to be used to punish or threaten non-tenured, probationary term faculty.

The Faculty Senate approved pro-cedures and instrument require two observers for each session: one who is selected by the faculty memberʼs depart-ment chair and/or personnel committee, and one who is selected by that particular faculty member.

The minimum observation cycle is two observations with feedback during the professorʼs first year, and two obser-vations with feedback during the faculty memberʼs fourth year. The professorʼs unit may decide that to use one observer per class session observation. If that is the case, then the total number of observa-tions increases to eight over that faculty memberʼs probationary period.

At this point, I would like to recom-

mend that all interested faculty register for the peer observation training sessions offered through the Center for Faculty Development. Information can be found at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/facdev/peer.cfm.

The more faculty in your unit who are qualified as peer observers, whether using the Faculty Senate instrument or one designed specifically for your aca-demic unit, the easier it will be for the tenure-track faculty to complete their observation cycle during their probation-ary period.

As a trained peer observer, I have learned that two very important compo-nents of the peer review process come in conferences with the professor prior to the observation and following the observation. During the pre-observation conference, the professor provides the reviewers with copies of handouts, a list of materials that will be used during that class period as well as a current course syllabus. In these sessions, I go over the peer review instrument with the faculty member, and ask questions regarding the specific goals for that class period. I have

learned that, the better prepared I am for peer observation, the more effective I can be in fulfilling that task.

The post-observation conference is also important. I try to schedule it as soon as possible after the class, where I will go over the pre-observation goals with the faculty member, and ask him if he felt that those goals were met. I will also discuss strengths, any needs for improvement, and search for strategies to improve. I mention what I regarded as successful strategies that were unique to that faculty member, for example, if that faculty member was successful in engaging his or her students in a special “teaching moment.”

Over the years, I have enjoyed the experiences I have had as a trained peer classroom observer. I have learned to recognize and appreciate effective teach-ing. I have also employed new techniques learned from my colleagues when I have observed their classes.

Please feel free to contact the Center for Faculty Development for addi-tional information on this and other ways to enhance the teaching experience.

Taggart Recommends Peer Observation Training

Showfety Cites Board of Trustees Plans, Highlights

the new East Carolina Heart Institute, and the completion of the Health Sciences Building as major steps for the university during the last academic year.

He also noted that the Board of Trustees and the Board of Visitors held their first joint meeting in June in an attempt to more closely coordinate and elevate their working relationship.

“We had a very productive year in 2005-06, capped by a retreat in July,” Showfety said.

“There is no question that Board members are united in their desire to help take ECU to the next level. Under the leadership of Chancellor Ballard, we are clearly headed in the right direction.”

The Board will participate in a stra-tegic planning workshop at its meeting on Oct. 6, reviewing a draft of the plan and providing suggestions and comments. Faculty and administrators are also reviewing the plan. Once the new univer-sity strategic plan is adopted, the Board will begin to participate in developing a new master plan to guide the universityʼs property acquisition and construction.

Because the Board is charged with approving the sites and plans for new buildings, much of its work is focused in these areas.

Showfety, in a recent report on Board activities over the last year, also highlighted the following activities and projects:

Memberships and chairmanships• Welcomed three new members to

the Board: Mark Tipton, Bob Lucas and Bruce Austin.

• Took advantage of members ̓experience and previous service in appointing committees.

Internal structure and governance• Revisited the governing docu-

ments—The UNC Code and ECU Trustees By-laws—to get a better under-standing of the duties and responsibilities of the Board.

• Merged the University Advance-ment Committee and the Naming Committee to form the Advancement

and Naming Committee.• Created a separate Audit Commit-

tee.

Relations with PCMH/University Health Systems.

• Through the Joint Liaison Com-mittee, continued to enhance relations with Pitt County Memorial Hospital, the

university's most important partner. The Board supported the relocation and tem-porary closing of Moye Boulevard to facilitate the construction of the hospital's new tower that is part of the East Caro-lina Heart Institute.

• Joined the hospital board in seek-ing the widening of N.C. Highway 43 all the way to the 264 loop.

ECU Board of Trustees chair Steve Showfety cited the groundbreaking for the new East Carolina Heart Institute as one of the universityʼs major accomplishments during the

past academic year. Construction has begun in earnest on the center. Above, a welder works on the structural frame of the facility. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)

October 6 2006 Pieces of Eight


News in Brief

Pieces of Eight

Editor: Joy Manning Holster(5,000 copies of this issue were printed at an approximate pre-tax cost of $595 or 12 cents per copy.)

Pieces of Eight, a newspaper for East Carolina University faculty and staff, is issued monthly during the academic year by the ECU News Bureau (News & Communication Services).Items may be sent to the Editor via campus mail addressed to Howard House, East Campus; delivered in person to Howard House, corner of East Fifth Street and Rotary Avenue; or e-mailed to [email protected]. Phone inquiries to 328-1162.

http://www.ecu.edu/news/poe/poehome.cfmVolume 29, Number 2

ECU faculty, students and research-ers are reaping the benefits of the univer-sityʼs participation in the Carolina Con-sortium, an informal group of academic libraries in North and South Carolina that negotiates with publishers and informa-tion resources vendors to provide journal access for members at a lower price.

Consortium negotiations with pub-lishers allow program members to share journal subscriptions for an additional fee. The access fee is much lower than the cost of subscribing to the additional journals.

For example, ECU has subscrip-tions to 68 journals through the publish-ing company, Cambridge Journals, but membership in Carolina Consortium allows ECU access to 195 journals. Other publishers with whom ECU has Carolina Consortium agreements include Oxford, Blackwell, Brill, Kluwer, Springer, and Wiley.

A wide range of subject areas are

The Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center is seeking new associates among ECUʼs faculty. The center strives to carry out its mission to reduce childhood obesity by bringing together faculty from both ECU campuses who are inter-ested in collaborating in childhood obesity care and research. As associates, faculty have the opportunity to network and collaborate with others who share similar research inter-ests. Associates also receive notification of obesity-related news, events and funding opportunities. For additional informaiton, contact Yancey Crawford, program coordina-tor (744-5061 or e-mail [email protected]) or visit www.ecu.edu/pedsweightcenter.

Pediatric Healthy Weight Center Seeks New Associates

The Office of Academic Affairs has posted detailed information on East Carolina Universityʼs phased retirement policy, including revisions completed in August. Faculty and staff interested in phased retirement may find detailed information available at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/aa/AAPersonelForms.cfm. Scroll to the bottom of the page for information on ECUʼs policy, frequently asked questions, the program for tenured faculty continuation of benefits, charts listing numbers eligible or ineligible for the pro-gram, and details on UNC phased retirement.

Phased Retirement Details Available Online

served through these agreements, includ-ing arts and humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Blackwell provides ECU more than 770 journals through its Syn-ergy journals interface, grouping them according to these subject areas: Agricul-tural and Animal Sciences; Arts; Busi-ness, Economics, Finance, Accounting, Maths and Stats; Engineering, Comput-ing and Technology; Health Sciences; Humanities; Law; Life and Physical Sci-ences; Medicine; Social and Behavioral Sciences. Brill, Kluwer, and Springer journals—totaling nearly 1500—are available through SpringerLINK.

ECU community members may browse available journals by publisher at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-lib/erdbs/ejournal-publishers.cfm, or search for a specific journal through Joyner Libraryʼs E- Journal Locator page.

For more information, contact Jan Lewis, interim associate director for col-lections at 328-2267 or [email protected].

An $800,000 federal grant will help fund operating costs for a local commu-nity health center set to open in December.

The James D. Bernstein Commu-nity Health Center is one of 29 health cen-ters across the country to share in $10 mil-lion in grants announced in August by the Health Resources and Services Adminis-tration, part of the Department of Health and Human Services. The center is near the intersection of N.C. 33 and N.C. 11.

The grant officially goes to Greene County Health Care of Snow Hill and will cover 16 months of operating expenses at the 15,000-square-foot center.

After that, it is renewable for approximately $600,000 a year. The money allows center leaders to begin interviewing and hiring staff members, including physicians.

“It was plan A,” Doug Smith, presi-dent and chief executive of Greene County Health Care, said. “We had a plan B but fortunately didnʼt have to use it.”

Access East, an independent, char-itable, non-profit organization, is build-ing and will own the center. That group, the East Carolina University Division of Health Sciences and Eastern Carolina Community Health Centers, a division of Greene County Health Care, will operate the center. To be eligible for grants such as the HRSA one, the center must meet cer-tain requirements such as providing pro-grams specifically for the uninsured and turning no patients away.

With 35 years of experience oper-ating health centers in Greene, Pitt and Wayne counties, Greene County Health Care was the obvious choice to operate the center, Irons said.

“We have to demonstrate we can produce top-quality results to sustain fund-ing and get new funding,” said Dr. Tom Irons, East Carolina University associate vice chancellor for regional

Grant Funds Health Center

health services and board member of Access East. “We together decided Greene County Health Care was the most qualified entity to lead a community-based health care center.”

When it opens, the center will include 16 medical exam rooms, eight dental operatories and areas for audio-logy, X-ray, social work and other ser-vices, many of which arenʼt available at local health departments. Pitt County public health, social services and mental health departments will provide services as well. The center will have space for meetings and educational programs for community and health sciences students.

The land and site development, val-ued at $538,500, were donated by E.R. Lewis Construction. The Kate B. Rey-nolds Charitable Trust pledged $300,000, the Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation pledged $225,000, The Duke Endowment pledged $200,000 and the N.C. Office of Rural Health committed $200,000 toward construction. Funds from other state and federal agencies and private foundations and individuals are pending, Irons said.

By Doug Boyd

Carolina Consortium To Benefit ECU Researchers

Tom Irons speaks during a tour of the newly funded community health center. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)

The 2006 State Employees Combined Campaign has begun, with a goal of rais-ing $250,000 and a participation rate of 40 percent. Last yearʼs participation rate was 29 percent, with contributions totaling $225,000. Campaign co-chairs for 2006 are Dr. Alta Andrews (Nursing) and John Toller (Human Resources). The SECC is an annual cam-paign that allows employees to make donations by selecting from an extensive list of eligible agencies, so that charitable contributions are solicited from employees only once per year. Additional information can be found at http://www.ncsecc.org/.

Combined Campaign Sets Goal at $250K

The ECU Office of Academic Outreach will host Teaching with Technology 2006: A Think-In of Best Practices Nov. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Mendenhall Student Center. The event offers faculty from ECU and area community colleges the opportunity to share their experiences in incorporating technology in both face-to-face and distance education courses. For additional information about the event, visit http://www.ecu.edu/cs-acad/academicoutreach/think-in2006.cfm

Teaching with Technology Think-In Set for Nov. 9

Lee Maril, chair of the sociology department at East Carolina University, testified before a congressional panel in Iowa Sept. 1 regarding the U.S. Border Patrol and immi-gration. Maril wrote a book on the subject in 2005, “Patrolling Chaos: the U.S. Border Patrol in Deep South Texas.” His research has contributed to the immigration bill now under consideration in Congress.

Maril Testifies on Congressional Panel

Award-winning Ugandan pop superstar and gospel artist George Okudi will per-form Oct. 27 from 7 to 9 p.m. in Mendenhall Student Center. Okudi is a musician and dancer who was named Best Male Artist and Best East African Artist at the 2003 Kora All-Africa Music Awards. Okudiʼs single, “Wipolo,” was named best song on the African market in 2003. Okudi fuses tribal sounds and instruments such as the adungu or bow harp, the thumb piano, and the flute (Titus), with techno sounds produced on the keyboard, at times supplemented by guitar and percussion. Most of his songs are bilin-gual, in English and at least one of the languages spoken in Uganda: Acholi, Luganda, Ateso, Langi, or the pan-African language of Swahili. His visit coincides with the GuluWalk scheduled for Oct. 28 to raise money for children displaced by fighting in Uganda (see p. 12). Okudi lived in the Gulu region as a young boy. The performance is sponsored by Multicultural Studies and the English Department. For information, con-tact Laureen Tedesco at 328-6571, or [email protected].

Ugandan Pop Star to Perform on Campus





Jonathan Dembo found the col-lected writings of Brig. Gen. George McIver, a post-Civil War general from North Carolina, fascinating.

McIverʼs manuscripts, housed in East Carolina Universityʼs Special Collections, are the subject of a book that Dembo edited, A Life of Duty: The Autobiography of George Willcox McIver, 1858-1947 (2006, The History Press). The autobiography offers a first-hand account of life as a career soldier dur-ing the transformative period in American history between the Civil War and World War II.

“There are number of very impor-tant passages and descriptions of life on the frontier posts,” said Dembo, an asso-ciate professor and the curator of Special Collections Projects at East Carolina Universityʼs J.Y. Joyner Library.

A native of Davidson, N.C., McIver was an active participant in many important episodes in American his-

tory, including the Spanish-American War and World War I. McIver trained at West Point, served in various posts on the Western Frontier, and fought in Cuba during the Spanish-American War. While commandant of Alcatraz Prison, he played a crucial role in the relief effort after the devastating San Francisco fire and earthquake of 1906. His critical observations of the Militia Bureauʼs mili-tia mobilization during the Pancho Villa campaign of 1916 led to reforms that greatly improved the Armyʼs tactics dur-ing World War I.

Demboʼs annotations, along with photos, maps and letters, put McIverʼs life into context.

“There were lots of thing that were common knowledge in the 19th century that nobodyʼs heard of today,” Dembo said.

Dembo described McIverʼs writing as accessible. “He got a sense of humor and a sense of humility,” McIver said. “Heʼs constantly praising his men for their military bearing. He supported the men that served under him and with him.”

McIver Writings ExaminedBy Nancy McGillicuddy

In his new book, Charles Calhoun revisits the question of the role Repub-licans played to extend voting rights to blacks in the South during the years following the Civil War.

Calhoun, a professor of history at East Carolina University, argues in Con-ceiving a New Republic: The Republican Party and the Southern Question, 1869-1900 (University of Kansas, 2006) that Republican leaders had set out, through the enactment of the 15th amendment, to recreate the ideals of the Declaration of Independence but encountered opposition from white Southern voters.

“Certainly giving blacks the right to vote would be to the Republicans ̓benefit. What interested me is what are the ideas behind this and where they fit into the notion of government,” Calhoun said.

The Southern question emerged as one aspect of Calhounʼs larger body of research on the Gilded Age, an era of significant economic and technologi-cal change in the United States follow-

ing Reconstruction. Through his research of the public and private correspondence of Republican Party members of this era, Calhoun sought to gauge their per-sonal hopes for extending voting rights to blacks.

While earlier scholars have blamed Republicans for not being more stead-fast advocates for blacks, Calhoun argues that southern Democrats had so strongly resisted the breakdown of white suprem-acy that Republicans ultimately could not prevail. Calhounʼs interpretation of the disputed election of Rutherford B. Hayes in 1876, as well as the Lodge Fed-eral Elections bill of 1890, shows that Republicans had tried to put the best pos-sible face on an all-but lost cause. “The old interpretation is that Hayes made a deal with the Southerners to pull out the federal troops in the Southern states, and they would give up the disputed elec-tion,” Calhoun said.

“My interpretation is considerably different. By the time Hayes was run-ning for presidency, Reconstruction was already on its last legs.”

ECU Historian Revisits GOP Effort To Give Blacks Vote

Luke Whisnant was named editor of East Carolina Universityʼs poetry jour-nal, Tar River Poetry.

The publication had been under the founding editorship of Peter Makuck, a professor of literature and poetry, since 1976. Makuck retired in May.

Whisnant, a professor of creative writing in ECUʼs English Department, said he hopes to continue the prece-dent set by Makuck 30 years ago.

“Peter Makuck built Tar River Poetry into a highly-respected and well-known showcase for contem-

porary poets, and my first priority will be to maintain the high standards he set over the past 30 years,” Whisnant said.

The fall Tar River Poetry will fea-ture work from Claudia Emerson, the 2006 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for poetry, Louis Simpson and the late Leslie Norris, Whisnant said.

In addition to his new position, Whisnant published a collection of short stories, Down in the Flood (Iris Books, 2006) in June. One of the stories, “How to Build a House,” was included in the anthology, New Stories from the South 2006 (Algonquin Press) and had been originally published in the journal, Arts & Letters.

ECUʼs creative writing department will host a reading for Whisnant Nov. 9 at 8 p.m. in Bate 1031.Whisnant

Whisnant Assumes Editor Post

Grant Expands Asian Studies

ECU professor Peng Yu pronounces Chinese language characters for students in Chinese 1001, a first year course made possible this year by a grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant allows expansion of ECUʼs Asian Students Program. The expanded program will include additional offerings of Asian language instruction. (Photo by Joy Holster)

In his new book, When Greek Goats Sing Sad Songs (Independent Press, 2006), Steve Cerutti offers an easy-reading guide to Greek tragedy.

Cerutti, East Carolina University classics professor, will hold a book signing will be held at 7 p.m., Oct. 9 at Barnes & Noble Booksellers.

The book focuses on the work of the Greek dramatists of the fifth century, Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides.

“This book was inspired by one simple, albeit ambitious goal: to make the surviving works of the ancient dra-matists accessible to everyone who has an interest in great literature,” Cerutti said.

The title is inspired by the origin of the word, “tragedy,” which means, literally, “goat songs,” he said.

Independent Press is the publish-ing arm of University Book Exchange in Greenville.

Cerutti To Hold Book Signing

The U.S. Department of Education has awarded East Carolina University a $158,000 grant to develop and expand the universityʼs Asian Studies program.

The two-year award allows for development and expansion in three main areas: curriculum, faculty research and community outreach.

The grant began this fall and is overseen by Sylvie Debevec Henning, director of International Programs for Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and John A. Tucker, professor of Asian His-tory and Director of the Interdisciplin-ary Asian Studies Program housed in the Harriot College of Arts and Sciences.

The grant will enable the univer-

sity to expand Asian language instruc-tion at ECU. The Harriot College of Arts and Sciences and the U.S. Department of Education are providing funds for a full-time position in Japanese language and cultures. This year additional sections of beginning Japanese are being offered. Currently 60 students are enrolled in Jap-anese language classes.

The grant has also made is possi-ble for ECU to offer first year Chinese language instruction after a long hiatus. These students will have a chance to continue to study Chinese in China either during the summer at China Agriculture



By Crystal Baity

c o n t i n u e d o n p a g e 8

Ribbons Cut For Health Sciences Facility Opening Day

Agencies, schools, businesses, health care professionals and others will have to work together to help turn the tide of obesity, according to a plan released in Raleigh with authors from East Carolina University.

“Eat Smart, Move More: North Car-olinaʼs Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obe-sity and Related Chronic Diseases” is a five-year set of goals and strategies designed to help people and organizations address overweight and obesity in their communities and create policies and envi-ronments supportive of healthful eating and physical activity.

“Through these strategies, we can all come together to create a North Car-olina where healthy eating and physi-cal activity are the norm rather than the exception,” said Dr. Kathryn Kolasa, a registered dietitian and professor of fam-ily medicine at the Brody School of Med-icine at East Carolina University, who helped write the plan. “Working together we can create a North Carolina where adults and children of all ages and abil-ities eat smart and move more wherever

ʻEat Smart, Move More ̓Targets ObesityBy Doug Boyd they live, learn, work, play and pray.”

The Healthier North Carolina Sum-mit, held at N.C. State Universityʼs Mc-Kimmon Center, also released the Eat Smart, Move More county profiles, which highlight successes in obesity preven-tion and emphasize the need for more to be done in each of the stateʼs 100 coun-ties. The day-long conference of state and national leaders and experts working to fight obesity was hosted by Trust for Americaʼs Health and the North Carolina Division of Public Health in partnership with Healthy Carolinians.

“We have already made progress in Pitt County,” Kolasa said. “Leaders at the hospital, ECU, Pitt County Schools, the county health department and many pri-vate companies are making changes to make it easier for employees, staff and students to eat smart and move more when away from home. We have and need strong collaborative efforts, but this is no single agencyʼs problem or responsibility. There is still more to do.”

In Pitt County, nearly 31 percent of adults are obese, according to the 2005 state Behavioral Risk Factor Surveil-lance System survey. Another 34 percent

are overweight, while one-third are at a healthy weight. In 2005, approximately $503,000 in county Medicaid funds and $2.8 million in state Medicaid funds were spent on conditions attributable to over-weight and obesity, according to the county profile.

According to Trust for Americaʼs Health, Mississippi is the nationʼs heavi-est state, with 29.5 percent of adults termed obese. Colorado has the lowest percentage of obese adults at 16.9 per-cent. North Carolina ranks 17th.

The federal government equates obesity with a body mass index of at least 30. Someone who is 5-feet-4 would have to weigh 175 pounds to reach that threshold.

A video filmed in Greenville and played at the summit highlighted efforts in Pitt County to reduce overweight and obesity among children. It featured Dr. David Collier, assistant professor of pedi-atrics and co-director of the ECU Pediat-ric Healthy Weight and Treatment Center; Dr. Tate Holbrook of Childrenʼs Health Services; Jim Cox, coordinator of the

ECUʼs College of Education has opened a new Wachovia Partner-ship East Northeast Consortium hub site at Beaufort County Community College to provide degrees in elemen-tary education, special education and middle grades education. ECU faculty will teach class face-to-face, online or in blended deliveries that use telecon-ferencing capabilities at the commu-nity college.

The program allows students to complete general education course-work at community colleges and then transfer into the ECU program to complete their junior and senior years. The consortium serves students from Beaufort County Community College, College of the Albemarle, Martin Community College, Roa-noke-Chowan Community College, and Windows on the World; as well as school systems in Beaufort, Ber-tie, Dare, Edenton-Chowan, Hertford, Hyde, Martin, Tyrrell, and Washing-ton Counties. Information is available at http://www.ecu.edu/cs-educ/part-ner_east/Index.cfm.

Hub Site Opens

Officials prepare to cut the ribbon on Sept. 22 to commemorate the official opening of the new Health Sciences Building, that will house the School of Allied Health Sciences, the School


of Nursing and Laupus Library. The $66 million, 303,000 square-foot facility was made possible through a $3.1 billion bond referendum passed in 2000. (Photo by Cliff Hollis)

Chancellor Steve Ballard and the Board of Trustees cut the ribbon Sept. 22 on the $66 million Health

Sciences Building, signaling a new begin-ning for the School of Allied Health Sci-ences, the School of Nursing and Laupus Library.

“Whatʼs behind me is just one of many great examples that moves higher education forward in this state and in this community,” Ballard said. “Itʼs mak-ing a huge difference for people, for pro-grams, for economic development and for the education of our children and for the future leaders of eastern North Carolina.”

The schools and library moved this summer, bringing the health sci-ences division together on west campus for the first time in the history of the uni-versity. Positioned near Brody School of Medicine and Pitt County Memorial Hos-pital, a true academic health center has emerged. Fewer than 150 academic health centers exist in the United States, said Dr. Michael J. Lewis, vice chancellor for health sciences.

“It is a remarkable achievement for the health sciences division and the uni-versity at large,” Lewis said.

The site is providing interdisciplin-ary health sciences education, where doc-tors, nurses and allied health care provid-ers learn to work effectively in teams. The four-story, 303,000-square-foot building has 296 offices, 31 classrooms, 30 class labs, eight open labs and 25 research labs.

“Simulated patient labs place ECUʼs School of Nursing in an elite category of nursing schools in the United States that have integrated advanced technology in their curricula, giving students hands on experiences in a controlled clinical envi-ronment,” Dean Phyllis Horns said. “Our

students will graduate with more expe-rience, greater confidence and superior knowledge of clinical skills than ever before.”

Allied Health Sciences Dean Ste-phen Thomas said the new space is more than a high-tech building.

“It is a state-of-the-art environment in which the School of Allied Health Sci-ences faculty, staff, and students can cre-ate new opportunities in teaching and

learning, research and discovery, the application of new and applied knowl-edge, service and clinical practice that will serve residents of eastern North Car-olina, and collaboration with our new neighbors in the Division of Health Sci-ences and surrounding health care com-munity,” Thomas said.

Designed by architects Walter, Robbs, Callahan & Pierce of Winston-Salem, the building was made possible by

the passage of a $3.1 billion bond referen-dum for the University of North Carolina system and community colleges in 2000.

“The ceremony gave us the oppor-tunity to show the community how much our higher education bond dollars are benefiting health professional education in eastern North Carolina,” Horns said. “It was truly a special day for everyone



In coordination with the Recognition and Rewards Committee of the ECU Staff Senate, the Pieces of Eight series honor-ing exceptional ECU staff recognizes the Department of Human Resources.

By Judy Currin

ʻHouses to Homes ̓Benefits ECU Habitat for Humanity

An ECU Pirate catchphrase urges sports fans to “Paint it Purple!”

Volunteers on campus appropriated that sentiment last month when, paint-brushes in hand, they applied purple and gold to plain wooden birdhouses, trans-forming the structures into avian homes emblazoned with Pirate Spirit.

More than 100 ECU students turned out Sept. 15 to hammer, nail and paint birdhouses for ECUʼs Habitat for Human-ity chapter. They created more than 100 brightly-colored birdhouses in the first of three scheduled “Houses to Homes” events held on campus. Another success-ful event was held Sept. 29, and another is set for Oct. 20 at Mendenhall Student Center Brickyard, from 3 to 5 p.m.

Students from classes led by ECU faculty members Alice Arnold (Art) and Ronald Sessoms (Construction Manage-ment) serve as art and construction lead-ers for the project, supported by campus leaders and members of both the ECU and the Pitt County Chapters of Habitat for Humanity.

Loweʼs Home Improvement Hard-ware donated the wood to build the houses, and ECUʼs Dowdy Student Stores donated acrylic paint to support the deco-rating theme of “Pirate spirit.”

Volunteer Fridays are focused “pri-marily on providing a comprehensive service experience for our first year stu-dents,” said Jason Denius, director of

ECUʼs Volunteer and Service-Learning Center.

“The fact that this project is held on campus and on Friday afternoons, and that it incorporates the leadership skills of our upperclassmen, are all in an effort to accommodate first year students,” he said.

Al Smith, assistant vice chancellor for Student Development, said the project was designed as part of the ECU Office of Student Developmentʼs Weeks of Wel-come. Through the WOW program, the office seeks to engage freshman in mean-

ingful activities during their first six weeks of college as a way to ensure a sig-nificant first year experience and increase retention.

“We know that the first six weeks of college can be critical in creating insti-tutional attachment for new students,” Smith said. In addition, the office hopes that a positive volunteer experience will lead to repeated volunteer efforts throughout the students ̓college careers.

Smith said the WOW program focuses on creating co-curricular experi-

ences. “With a great committee of profes-sionals from various parts of the univer-sity, this project has mushroomed into a truly meaningful experience for our stu-dents,” he said.

ECU freshmen were invited to par-ticipate through an extensive publicity campaign conducted by the Volunteer Fri-days committee.

Volunteer Fridays are aimed at increasing volunteering awareness while raising funds for the ECU Habitat for Humanity chapter. The chapterʼs ultimate goal is to build a Habitat home in Green-ville sponsored entirely through the chap-terʼs funds and volunteer efforts.

The Volunteer Fridays lead up to ECUʼs Oct. 28 celebration of National Make a Difference Day, a national day of helping others through large-scale, one-day service projects across the coun-try. Created by USA Weekend Magazine, Make A Difference Day engaged more than three million people in volunteer activities last year.

ECU has several volunteer oppor-tunities on tap for this yearʼs Make a Dif-ference Day including food drives, build-ing, painting, cleaning and landscaping.

Volunteer Fridays are sponsored by the ECU Volunteer and Service- Learning Center, the ECU Division of Student Life, the Weeks of Welcome Committee, Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County, and Loweʼs.

For more information, visit www.ecu.edu/volunteer.

Students apply purple and gold paint to decorate wooden birdhouses for the ECU chapter of Habitat for Humanity. Profits from sale of the birdhouses will support the chapterʼs goal of building a Habitat home in Greenville. (Photo by Joy Holster)

By Joy Holster

Employees Play Cards Right with Volunteer Efforts

Human Resources employees stuff food bags for the Food Education Distribution Center in Greenville as part of a staff development activity. Pictured from left to right are Dianne Henderson, Patricia Baldwin, Lee Ann Goff, Gwen Green and Tina Hyman. (Photo by Joy Holster)

“Are you Hearts or Diamonds, Clubs or Spades?”

Visitors to ECUʼs Department of Human Resources might overhear these words and wonder if they have stumbled onto a lively game of Bridge.

The departmentʼs employees would not be discussing a card game, however. Instead, they would be referring to the names of four employee groups that are challenged on a rotating basis to plan and execute a unique staff development activ-ity. Members of all four groups partici-pate in the activity during quarterly meet-ings with Human Resources Associate Vice Chancellor John Toller and Assistant Vice Chancellor Jim Mullen.

“The activity encourages team-work,” Mullen said, while helping employees to get to know one another in a positive, informal environment.

Septemberʼs challenge fell to the Hearts members, who elected to engage all the departmental employees in com-munity service activities.

Following a business meeting held Sept. 22, departmental employees enjoyed comments from Jason Denius, director of the ECU Volunteer and Ser-

vice Learning Center. He spoke about the center and explained the vast number of volunteer opportunities available to ECU faculty and staff.

Then the employees headed out to complete their service work. Half of the group traveled to South Greenville Church of Christ, where they helped ECU student Andrea Starkie prepare bags of food items for distribution to Greenvilleʼs needy residents. The volunteers set up an assembly line to fill 40 bags with food items and approximately 50 bags with essentials for families with infants.

A sociology major, Starkie founded the Food Education Distribution Center at the church. “People line up around the block,” Starkie said, to “shop” with fake money they are given to buy items in the distribution center. Before they can shop, they must listen to a brief session on how to meet a familyʼs nutritional needs.

Another group traveled to Land-mark Drive in Greenville for work with the North Carolina Branch of Give2- theTroops. There the volunteers sorted donations and bagged them in Ziploc bags for shipping. They also packed care packages and wrote letters of support for deployed troops.

Personnel analyst Michelle Mor-ris, a Hearts group member, particularly enjoyed working with Give2theTroops.

“The most important lesson I learned,” Morris said, “was that any amount of time and resources can help.

“It makes you feel good to know

that whatever amount of time you give can make a positive difference in your community.”

Other members of the Hearts group include Christopher Turner, Becky Creech, Beverly Smith Savage, Robin M. McKinnon-Wilkins, Connie Getsinger, Jessica Wallace, Teresa Shook and Robyn Galloway.

Galloway said the groupʼs efforts were a success. She referred to an arti-cle she had read entitled, “Volunteer! Itʼs

Good for your Health,” by Kathy Hoff, director of Volunteer Services for Truman Medicine Center Lakewood in Kansas City, Mo. Hoff said that “helping others benefits more than just the people receiv-ing the assistance.

“Research confirms that volunteers derive physical, mental and social bene-fits from their efforts,” Hoff said.

And that is probably more than can be said for playing a competitive game of cards.



The October issue of North and South magazine will feature an article by East Carolina University history profes-sor David Long in which he claims that

By Jeannine Manning Hutson

Life or Death Challenges Governed by Reset Button

Long: Lincoln Attempted Jeff Davis Assassination

President Abraham Lincoln attempted to have the Confederate President Jefferson Davis assassinated.

Long claims that the assassin was to be Ulric Dahlgren, the 21-year-old son of Lincolnʼs friend and Navy Admiral John Dahlgren.

The attempt, Long claims, was foiled when the would-be assassin was shot and killed by Confederate home guard troops in King and Queen County, Virginia. Papers were discovered on Dahlgrenʼs body that revealed the plan.

“It set off a major controversy at the time, and has remained a controversial subject ever since,” Long said.

Long said the discovery could sig-nificantly alter the impression most Americans have of Lincoln.

“A conspiracy to assassinate Jefferson Davis is hardly compatible with the image of Lincoln as a savior of the Union, the Great Emancipator, the man who spoke the noble words of the Gettysburg Address and the Second Inaugural Address.”

ECU history professor David Long has marked former President Abraham Lincolnʼs involvement in an assassination attempt on Confederate President Jefferson Davis. (Contributed Photo)

Stan had a bad week. First, he suf-fered injuries from an automo-bile accident, and then he was shot by a friend and then again by

his wife. The story changed each time the reset button was hit and Stan experienced a new medical challenge for the medical students, residents and new nurses work-ing on him.

Stan is short for “Standardized Man” and is the computerized mannequin in the Department of Emergency Med-icineʼs Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory. He can assume one of 12 different patient profiles or an individ-ualized patient profile, with a few key-strokes.

The computer-driven full-sized mannequin can open its eyes, has vital signs, varying breath rates and sounds, heart tones, pulses and even has a voice transmitted via a speaker under his neck.

“Weʼre trying to create a life-like experience in this lab,” said Dr. Walter C. “Skip” Robey, clinical associate professor in the Department of Emergency Medi-cine at the Brody School of Medicine. “Medical students and residents are able to learn and practice skills in this no risk, hands-on environment before proceeding to the bedside to provide care.”

The Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory is directed by Robey and is in the academic offices of the Department of Emergency Medicine. Stan isnʼt the only simulation modality used for skills training. Robey and his col-leagues use a variety of partial-task train-ers (such as a torso model) and manne-quins when teaching complex medical procedures to medical students and emer-gency medicine residents.

Robey and Dr. Charles Brown, pro-fessor of emergency medicine and vice chair for education for emergency medi-cine, recently put Stan through his paces for a group of new emergency department nurses at Pitt County Memorial Hospital and an emergency medicine resident phy-sician.

After Stan was stabilized, Donna Zekonis, educational nurse specialist at PCMH, walked through with the group what went well and what “they were slow to make happen.”

She said the patient simulation lab is a good tool for health care providers to learn to work together in limited space. “Itʼs true to life. We need to have the nurses in here with the residents working side by side,” Zekonis said.

Robey and his fellow faculty mem-bers provide several simulation sessions each month to groups of three or four residents, or physicians in training, plus additional training for medical students and PCMH personnel.

Brown added: “It gives them a chance to get close to a gunshot wound victim. In a real-life gunshot patient, the medical student isnʼt going to be that close, and the new nurse might be over-whelmed because of the demands and the constant needs of multiple people in the trauma bay.”

And if Stan dies, then the resident has to speak to his family, usually por-trayed by another faculty member.

Robey said they strive to make it as real as possible.

“We strive to get the team members to suspend disbelief and immerse them-selves in the moment by making the man-nequins and scenarios as realistic as pos-sible,” he said.

He added that having Stan be able to communicate with the residents adds to the realism and their ability to treat him as a real patient.

“Our residents start with self-directed study materials to learn the basics then proceed to a variety of skill labs and workshops that include partial-task trainers, mannequins and cadavers,” Robey said. “The next step is the full-

sized high-tech mannequin that allows for the learner to put it all together, in the context of a simulated patient and a team.

“We have models, such as adult air-ways or pediatric mannequins, that they use to practice psycho-motor skills. Once they have mastered the skill, such as a lumbar puncture, then they may proceed to the bedside to perform the procedure under direct faculty supervision.”

Robey said he and his colleagues focus on educating the medical students and resident physicians in a non-

threatening educational environment, not ridiculing those who make a mistake.

“We are decreasing the risk to actual patients. Mistakes can be made in the lab. Errors can be discussed in a non- threatening way,” Robey said.

“The days of see one, do one, teach one philosophy are gone,” said Brown. “Now itʼs a system like the airlines have. You donʼt fly an airplane until youʼve trained on the simulator.”


Emergency medicine professor Dr. Skip Robey works with Stan, a mannequin used in medical simluation exercises.

The Medical Simulation and Patient Safety Laboratory in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the Brody School of Medicine includes a computerized mannequin, nicknamed

“Stan,” for practicing simulated medical emergencies. Above, an emergency medicine resident physician and new PCMH nurses treat Stanʼs latest injuries. (Photos by Cliff Hollis)



NewsMakers

In the Spotlight

Service, Honors and Professional Activities

Appointments/Elections



East Carolina University professor Michael Behm (Occupational Safety) pro-vided a safety training session Sept. 22 for personnel in the Habitat for Humanity ReStore facility in Greenville.

Along with Matt Rice, a gradu-ate student in ECUʼs occupational pro-gram, Behm pre-sented information on general safety awareness, moving heavy objects, and handling hazardous materials. He also completed a safety inspection for the store, which resells donated household items to support Habi-tatʼs building efforts in Pitt County.

Faculty and students from the occu-pational safety masterʼs program in the ECU Department of Technology Systems complete outreach programs regularly, Behm said.

“It helps our students gain experi-ence, while providing an important ser-vice that can mitigate accidents…in orga-nizations that may not have the resources

to proactively address occupational safety and health issues,” he said.

In 2005, a graduate student from the program completed a fire safety audit for an economically disadvantaged pre-school. This year, plans are underway for an occupational safety program for TCI-Works of Rocky Mount, an organiza-tion that hires the mentally and physically handicapped.

Faith Medrano, Greenville ReStore manager, said the safety training was an effort to be proactive in addressing safety and workplace hazards to help ReStore provide a safe environment for employ-ees, volunteers and customers.

“We want to have a solid safety pol-icy in place for our store move coming up in November,” she added. The store will move from West 10th Street to the 14th Street Merchant Center, behind Har-ris Teeter in Greenville. ReStore solicits donations of household items including furniture, appliances, books, office furni-ture, collectible and vintage items. Prof-its fund construction of Habitat homes and offset operational costs of Habitat for Humanity of Pitt County. For more infor-mation on ReStore, call 252-329-8364.

Behm Delivers Safety Training

ECU School of Communication Director Tim Hudson served as exec-utive producer of “Tornado Glory,” an award-winning documentary now available on DVD through PBS Home Video. The fast-paced, feature-length film follows two risk-taking tornado chasers from Oklahoma.

The wide-screen documen-tary, directed by Kenneth Cole, was

shot in 2003 and 2004 and featured in film-festivals nationwide before PBS picked it up for national broadcast this summer.

Hudson described the docu-mentary as “part storm-story and part buddy picture, with some of the most compelling tornado footage youʼll ever see.” For more information visit tornadoglory.com.

Documentary Released on DVD

Eat Smart, Move More Program

Carmine Scavo, a political science professor at East Carolina University, received two awards this month from the American Political Science Association for developing a web-based version of the Voting Behavior SETUPS program.

Scavo, along with UNC-Greensboro political scientist Charles Prysby, received the Rowman & Littlefield Award for Innovative Teaching in Political Science and the Best Instructional Web Site award at the APSA meeting in Philadelphia on Sept. 1.

Scavo and Prysby have co-authored the Voting Behavior SETUPS series since 1984. SETUPS, short for Supplementary

Empirical Teaching Units in Political Science, was once released in booklet form but is now an online tool to help political science students analyze data from national elections. Voting Behavior: The 2004 Election is a new program that offers students the ability to analyze voter data from the 2004 National Election Study survey.

The site includes about 160 vari-ables, including party affiliations of voters, basic demographics, voter per-ceptions of candidates and voter attitudes on issues such as foreign policy and civil rights. To access the site visit http://www.icpsr.umich.edu/SETUPS/index.html.

Paul D. Bell (Allied Health) was awarded a Ph.D. from the School of Edu-cation at NCSU after successfully defend-ing his dissertation, “Can Factors Related to Self-Regulated Learning and Epistemo-logical Beliefs Predict Learning Achieve-ment in Undergraduate Asynchronous Web-Based Courses?”

ECU Business Services Quest for Excellence and Treasured Pirate Awards recipients were Barbara Ward (Dowdy Student Stores), Captain Award; Caro-lyn Carraway (Materials Management), Navigator Award; Carol Hudnell (Uni-versity Printing and Graphics), First Mate Award; and both Tony Roebuck (Medical Storeroom) and Jan Foust (Dowdy Stu-dent Stores), Explorer Award.

SEANC District 65 received the District of the Year award at the State Employee Association of North Carolina Conference, Sept. 7-9 in Greensboro, NC. ECU staff serving as official delegates (active or retirees) for the conference this year were Beverly Moore (Chair D65), Treva Brigman, Sherry Pernell, Debbie Austin, Clayton Weaver, Evelyn Hin-nant, Del Kingsland, Tammy Heller, Gloria Highsmith, Shirley Williams, Sharon Sharpe, Debbie Gardner, Lynn Tuthill, Linda Nelson, Vivian Baze-more, Bobbie Austin, Donna Poe, and Bill Dawson.

Department of Recreation and Lei-sure Studies professors Dr. Jane A. Funderburk and Dr. Susan McGhee received awards at the 2006 Annual Con-ference of the American Therapeutic Rec-reation Association. Funderburk was awarded a certificate of recognition for meritorious service related to her efforts in coordinating the Higher Education Institute for recreational therapy educa-tors. McGhee was awarded a 2006 presi-dential award in appreciation for her sup-port of the profession of recreational ther-apy. Both Funderburk and McGhee teach in the recreational therapy degree programs at ECU.

Jeff Johnson (Sociology) took third place for his tutorial, “Network The-ory and Data,” at the International Con-ference on Social Networks, Indiana Uni-versity.

English faculty Luke Whisnant and Barri Piner received the 2006 Bertie E. Fearing Excellence in Teaching Award for the ECU Department of English.

Political Scientist Honored

Heidi Lane and Maria Clay (Med-icine) in The Daily Reflector on standard-ized patients at the Brody School of Med-icine, Aug. 22.

Jan-Ru Wan (Art) in The Inde-pendent Weekly (Raleigh, Durham, Cha-pel Hill) on the large-scale textile instal-lations of her work at the Louise Jones Brown Gallery, Duke University, Aug. 23.

Sage Claydon and Trish Payne (Medicine) on WNCT-TV, on the morn-ing after pill, Aug. 24.

Daniel Sprau (Environmen-tal Health Sciences) in Pine Magazine, on solutions for radioactive waste from increased use of nuclear power in the United States, Sept. 12.

Lee Maril (Sociology) in The Daily Reflector and the Des Moines Register, and on Fox News on his report to the U.S. House Judiciary Committee on the state of U.S. Border Patrols, Sept. 18.

Clancy Ratliff (English) in The International Herald Tribune and the New York Times on bloggers ̓effect on business travel, Sept. 18.

Brian Massey (Communication) was invited to serve as co-investigator of the 2006 installment of a three-year attitu-dinal survey of journalists in Australia and New Zealand, sponsored by APN News and Media.


The old adage, “forgive and forget,” could be good advice for the body as well as for the mind and heart.

This is according to Kathleen Row, the chair of the psychology department at East Carolina University, who stud-ies correlations between a personʼs health and the ability to forgive.

Row, who arrived at ECU this semester from the University of Tennessee at Knoxville, has been study-ing the forgiveness question, and how it relates to spirituality, well being and health, for the past seven years.

“Some people would like to forgive and they canʼt; but they still see it as a value. Religions treat it as a value,” Row said. “From a psychological perspective, instead of moral or spiritual value, does forgiveness have a physical value?”

Rowʼs research has shown a marked difference in the blood pressure and heart rate recovery levels of those who can more easily forgive compared to those

who cannot. “You literally carry it around with you,” Row said.

“If you had a heavy sack on your back, your blood pressure would rise to let you be able to carry it around with you. My question is, how is forgiveness mapped onto the body?”

For her research, Row asks par-ticipants to fill out a questionnaire about forgiveness. In a one-on-one meeting, the participant, hooked up to heart rate and blood pressure monitors, is asked to recount a time when he or she had been wronged or betrayed.

“One finding is that people with a more forgiving personality will struggle to tell a story about a time when someone hurt them,” she said. “Other people will say, ʻWhere do you want me to start?ʼ”

The blood pressure and heart rates of everyone who interviewed rises as they recount their betrayal, Row said, but those who had forgiven the wrongdoing showed a marked difference in returning

Behm

Forgiveness Affects Health

Pitt County Memorial Hospital Pediatric Healthy Weight Case Management Pro-gram; ECU dietitian Sarah Henes; and exercise physiologist Allison Spain of the ViQuest Center, part of University Health Systems of Eastern Carolina.

The specific goals of Eat Smart, Move Moreʼs five-year plan are to

increase healthy eating and physical activity, increase the percentage of North Carolinians who are at a healthy weight, increase the percentage of North Caro-linians who consume a healthy diet and increase the percentage of adults and chil-dren age 2 and up who get recommended amounts of physical activity.

More information is available at www.EatSmartMoveMoreNC.com.



By Nancy McGillicuddy

PresentationsThree grants from the North Car-

olina Biotechnology Center total-ing $371,992 will boost biotechnology research and teaching at ECU.

One grant will fund research into freeze-dried blood platelets being com-mercially developed to stop bleeding in emergencies. The second grant will sup-port research into engineered nanopar-ticles for delivering medicine to heart patients. The third will support recruit-ment of a chemistry department head whose specialty is biophysical chemistry.

“These awards represent not only financial support for our researchers but a vote of confidence in the exciting work being conducted at ECU and the ability to translate that work into products which are beneficial to the people of North Car-olina.” said Deirdre Mageean, vice chan-cellor for research and graduate studies.

Recipients and titles of the three projects follow:

• Dr. Arthur Bode, ECU Cardio-vascular Center,“Hemostatic Performance of Lyophilized Platelets (Stasix) in the

Presence of ADP Receptor Blockade and Other Platelet Dysfunction.”

• Dr. Timothy A. Johnson, Brody School of Medicine, “Engineered Nanoparticles for Targeted Delivery of Nitrous Oxide to Decrease Ischema/Reperfusion Injury in the Heart.”

• Dr. Paul Gemperline, Depart-ment of Chemistry, “Recruitment of Dr. Rickey Hicks of the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research as the Chair of the Department of Chemistry.”

The three grants, awarded this sum-mer, are in addition to three other Bio-technology Center grants awarded to organizations in Eastern North Carolina earlier in the fiscal year.

Those grants included funding for Dr. Arun P. Aneja, College of Technology and Computer Science, “Enhancement to Undergraduate Laboratory for Bioprocess Manufacturing Education.”

The Biotechnology Center is a pri-vate, non-profit corporation that supports biotechnology research, business and education statewide.

Biotechnology Center Grants Strengthen Research, Teaching

A partnership of five years is start-ing to pay off for students of M. H. N. Tabrizi, a professor of computer science at East Carolina University.

Tabrizi and IBM executives Angela Allen and Rich Ward began a partnership program between ECU and IBM in 2000. The partnership encourages IBM employ-ees to become actively involved with students in teaching, mentoring and soft-ware development.

Students then gain real world pro-fessional experience while at ECU and are prepared for high tech job opportuni-ties upon graduation.

“It is a true partnership program – we get software, tools and real world experts from them and they in return col-laborate with ECU experts. IBM recruits and opens up our students to a high tech-nology job market,” Tabrizi said.

In the fall of 2005 IBM recruited six students that were in Tabriziʼs soft-ware engineering class. “Besides having access to the resources of IBM, we have

been putting together more permanent plans for IBMʼs experts to attend and teach different modules of courses, collaborate with ECU faculty, and par-ticipate in the education of our students,” Tabrizi said.

The partnership continues this fall as Tabrizi – with participation of different experts from IBM – teaches the software engineering-1 course. During this semes-ter IBM will hire as many as ten students. These students will enroll in software engineering-2 in spring 2007 with IBMʼs continued participation, Tabrizi said.

IBMʼs lectures are designed to complement software engineering courses by bringing real world expertise into classrooms.

“It is my strong belief and sincere hope that this unique partnership program will become a model of how to effectively bring the university and high technology companies together,” Tabrizi said.

“This partnership will hopefully grow further to help in strengthening high technology job market and economic development of eastern North Carolina.”

Presentation by John Moskop (Medical Hu-manities, Bioethics), “The Constitution and the Right to Die,” as part of ECUʼs celebration of Constitution Day at Joyner Library.

Presentation by Charles Fantazzi (Foreign Languages and Literatures), “The Erasmus-Vives Correspondence” at the Conference on Erasmus and the Republic of Letters, held at Corpus Christi College, Oxford University.

Presentation by Carson Bays (Economics), “Does the Droit de Suite Benefit Artists?” at the biennial meetings of the Association for Cultural Economics International in Vienna, Austria.

Presentation by Sitawa R. Kimuna (Sociol-ogy), “Intimate Partner Violence among Married Women in Kenya,” at the American Sociological Association annual conference held in Montreal, Canada.

Presentations by Larry Nash White (Education), as invited presenter to the Library World Con-gress at the International Federation of Library Associations in Seoul, South Korea: “Using the L.E.A.3.D. Technique to Turn Your Competition into an Emergent Strategic Cool,” and “Library Administrators Knowledge Management Prac-tices and Perceptions When Conducting Organiza-

tional Performance Assessment.” White was the only invited presenter from the U.S. on the two panels, and ECU was the only U.S. library school represented by a presenter. White was also invited by the Chilean Library Association and the U.S. Embassy in Santiago, Chile to be the inaugural keynote speaker at the joint XXVI International Santiago Book Fair/Chilean Library Association International Library Conference.

Presentation by Cheryl McFadden (Education), “Integrating Online Learning,” at the annual con-ference of the National Council of Professors of Educational Administration in Lexington, Ky.

Presentation by Recreational Therapy faculty at the American Therapeutic Recreation Association conference: by Richard Williams, “The Effects of Recreational Therapy on People Recovering from Stroke”; by Williams with David Loy, “Making Collaborative Efficacy Research Hap-pen”; by Thom Skalko and Lisa Morgan, “Public Policy: Affecting Change at the State and National Levels”; and by Carmen Russoniello and Susan McGhee with student T. Maes, “Children and Natural Disasters: Post Traumatic Stress and Coping.” David Loy and Richard Williams led the associationʼs Research Institute highlighting efficacy-based research.

Partnership Proves Effective

East Carolina University has taken another step to reduce petroleum product consumption on campus by using re-refined motor oil for vehicles.

“Re-refining is the reuse of oil that would otherwise be discarded,” said George Harrell, senior associate vice chancellor for campus operations at ECU. “In recycling, reuse is the goal.”

Lubricating oil does not wear out, Harrell said, it simply becomes dirty. Once water and other contaminants are removed, it is as good as new.

“We have found there is no com-promise in the quality of re-refined oil; it must meet the same high standards as new oils,” he said. “It complies with

American Petroleum Institute certification requirements and vehicle manufacturers ̓warranty requirements.”

During the research that led to the conversion, ECU found re-refined motor oil to be an energy-efficient and environ-mentally friendly way to manage used motor oil. The cost savings are minimal, averaging a few cents a quart less. Harrell said the decision to use the recycled oil is based on conservation, not fiscal reasons.

The change follows the ECUʼs con-version to gasohol, a mixture of ethanol and gasoline that can be used in place of regular gasoline. The university began using the mixture this year, resulting in a 10 percent reduction in petroleum.

Petroleum Consumption Cut

The School of Theatre and Danceʼs

Storybook Theatre has received a $5,000 gift from Target to expand their tours of elementary schools in Pitt and surround-ing counties.

“This funding from Target will really help us grow,” said Patch Clark, professor of theatre and director of the troupe. “It can further help us to create an interest in reading through participation and visual literacy.”

While entertaining children and promoting visual literacy, Storybook Theatre provides opportunities for ECU students to enhance their own learning

experiences. “We have great ideas for the program,” said Clark.

“Our hope is to have a playwriting contest for the kids and to also establish a Storybook Theatre Junior program in the elementary schools.”

The funding from Target will help the group to create fresh costumes and sets, develop new scripts, and offset the costs of transportation.

The troupe will perform on campus as part of the Family Fare series, present-ing “James and the Giant Peach” Nov. 11, and Chester Freemanʼs “Runaway Bear,” April 14.

Target Grant Will ExpandStorybook Theatre Tours

ECUʼs Storybook Theatre troupe presented the story, “The Rainbow Fish” to a captivated audience of elementary school children Sept. 28. The children enjoying the show are in a mentor program in which local at risk grade school students are paired with students in the ECU Honors Program. (Photo by Joy Holster)



PublicationsArticle by William Joseph Thomas and Carolyn Willis (Joyner Library), “Students as Audience: Identity and Information Literacy Instruction,” in portal: Libraries and the Academy.

Article by Dale Sauter (Joyner Library/Special Collections), “The ̒ Mystery-Filled ̓Natchitoches Meat Pie: A General Investigation by Dale Sau-ter,” in Louisiana History.

Texbook by Joseph Kalinowski (Allied Health) with Timothy Saltuklaroglu (University of Ten-nessee, ECU Ph.D. graduate), Stuttering, a new paradigm for understanding the treatment of stut-tering based on discoveries in neuroscience.

Article by Robert Kulesher and Susie T. Harris (Allied Health), “Managed Care and the Bottom Line of Your Practice,” in The Health Care Man-ager. In the same journal, by Kulesher, “Impact of Medicareʼs Prospective Payment System on Hospitals, Skilled Nursing Facilities, and Home Health Agencies.”

Chapter by Michael F. Bassman (Honors, EC-Scholars, Undergraduate Research), “A Project in Integrating Undergraduate Research with Service Learning,” in Designing, Implementing

and Sustaining A Research-Supportive Under-graduate Curriculum.

Article by Brian Massey (Communication) with co-author, “Exploring Some of the Factors that Contribute to the Use of Ordinary People as News Sources,” in the Australian Journalism Review.

Book by Barbara Bullington (Communication), The Work of Life, her first novel.

Article by Sitawa R. Kimuna (Sociology) and co-author, “HIV/AIDS Orphans ̓ Education in Uganda: The Changing Role of Older People,” in the Journal of Intergenerational Relationships.

Article by Atticia Bundy McAtee (Counsel-ing and Student Development) with co-author, “Rural Dislocated Women in Career Transition: The Importance of Supports and Strategies,” in the Community College Journal of Research and Practice.

Chapter by Charles Fantazzi (Foreign Lan-guages), “Vives ̓Parisian Writings” in Human-ism and Creativity in the Renaissance. Also by Fantazzi, “Las relaciones de Erasmo con algunos universitarios de Alcalá y Salamanca” (Erasmus ̓

Relations with University Professors at Alcalá and Salamanca) in Permanencia y Cambio, Univer-sidades hispánicas (Permanence and Change in Hispanic Universities).

Publications by Juan J. Daneri (Foreign Lan-guages and Literatures), “Fernández de Oviedoʼs Pineapple and Cultural Authority in Imperial Spain,” in Monographic Review; and “Reescritura y tensión utópica en Noticias del extranjero (1959-1998) de Pedro Lastra,” in Acta Literaria.

Article by John B. Harer (Education), “LibQual in Liliput: The Assessment Benefits for a Small, Academic Library,” in Performance Measures and Metrics, Fall 2006.

Presentations by Cheryl McFadden (Education) with recent ECU doctoral graduate D. Grimes and former ECU faculty member Susan Colaric, “Factors for Adopting the Internet for Instruc-tion,” in Academic Exchange Quarterly; and with Marilyn Sheerer (Student Life), “A Comparative Study of the Perceptions of Teacher Preparation Faculty and School Superintendents,” in Action in Teacher Education.

Abstracts by Martha Alligood (Nursing),

“Implementing Theory-Based Nursing Practice at a University Medical Center,” Southern Nursing Research Society; and “Implementing Theory-Based Nursing Practice with Action Research at a Major University Medical Center,” 14th Annual Collaborative Research Day in Greenville.

Article by Phyllis N. Horns and Phyllis S. Turner (Nursing), “Funding in Higher Educa-tion: Where Does Nursing Fit?” in the Journal of Professional Nursing.

Abstract by D. Elizabeth Jesse (Nursing), “Reus-able Units of Learning: An Innovative Teaching Strategy for Online Nurse-Midwifery Education,” Conference Proceedings, 27 th International Con-federation of Midwives), Brisbane, Australia.

Article by Kathryn Kolasa with co-authors on the N.C. Eat Smart Move More Leadershop Team, “Eat Smart, Move More: North Carolinaʼs Plan to Prevent Overweight, Obesity and Related Chronic Disease.” Also, commentary by Kolasa with Kay Craven, Sarah Henes and Catherine Sullivan (Medicine), “The Clinical Nutrition Implications of Obesity and Overweight,” in the N.C. Medical Journal.

Three College of Business faculty members, with input from ECU Student Health Center staff, developed a mathe-matical model that helped the center save an estimated $150,000 annually in staff downtime.

Decision Sciences professors John Kros, Scott Dellana and Dave West devel-oped the model in response to costs asso-ciated with health center patients who missed appointments at the center. With nearly 35,000 patient visits annually, and a 10 to 15 percent rate of patients who did not show up for appointments, the cost was significant.

The model demonstrated the bene-fits and consequences of selectively over-booking the clinical schedule, or sched-uling two patients in the same appoint-

Model Saves Time, Moneyment time period. Kros, Dellana and West explained how overbooking could reduce idle time for center staff, increase abilities to service patients, and improve availabil-ity of open appointment times.

As a result of their demonstration, the SHC began overbooking by about five percent during selected times in the Spring of 2006. Periods overbooked were identified as times with the high-est probability of no-shows, that also had the smallest impact on the system if all patients kept their appointments.

The overbooking resulted in sig-nificant savings, reducing server idle time with no significant adverse effect on patient satisfaction. As a result, the SHC will increase their rate of selective over-booking this fall.

The East Carolina University Pediatric Healthy Weight Research and Treatment Center received a Good for Kids Award from the N.C. Pediatric Society during the groupʼs annual meeting Aug. 18 in Myrtle Beach, S.C. The award recognizes people and organizations who start or promote community or statewide efforts to improve the health and well-being of children. Accepting the award on behalf of ECU were (left) Dr. John Olsson, associate professor of pediatrics, and (center) Yancey Crawford, clinical instructor of pediatrics. At right is Dr. Olson Huff, chairman of the Task Force on Obesity and Nutrition of the N.C. Health and Wellness Trust Fund. (Contributed photo)


Life or Death Challenges

One reason that simulators are valu-able is because in July 2003, residents were limited to 80-hour work week of patient care.

While Robey and Brown under-stand and support the need to regulate work hours, it also limits the number of unusual medical cases a resident might see in a given week, such as an allergic reaction to a medication, which Stan can easily have.

Physicians are evaluated on six core competencies during their residency training and are expected to have mas-tered those competencies by residency graduation, according to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education.

Those core competencies are in patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism and systems-based practice.

“Using the computerized manne-quin and the different modalities, you can cover the six core competencies and assess the residents on each one,” Robey said.

One hurdle is time. A faculty mem-ber must be present to operate the com-puter and evaluate the simulated patient encounter.

“The issue is providing the environ-ment where they can practice these type of things on demand,” Robey said.

Stan cost approximately $40,000 and was paid for by a grant from the Pitt Memorial Hospital Foundation. The East-ern Area Health Education Center also provided approximately $10,000 for the video recording devices and other equip-ment.

Videotaping the patient encounters with Stan allows Robey and other faculty members to show the students what went well and what needs to be improved or done differently the next time.

For second-year emergency medi-cine resident John Whitman, who worked with the new PCMH nurses during a recent training session, Stan is close to what he sees in the emergency depart-ment on any given day or night.

“Itʼs not exactly the real thing, but itʼs close,” he said.

Then it was time to reset Stan. He had been shot again.

more quickly to normal levels.“We want to see what they are like

when something negative happens to the body and afterwards. How long does it take to get back to the relaxed state?”

Row has found that older people, in general, are more likely to be forgiving, and that women are more likely to be for-giving in general than men, although men had shown to be more forgiving when considering specific situations.

For much of her 25-plus year career in psychophysiology, Row studied the mind-body connection of how certain

behaviors could be predictors of cardio-vascular disease.

“At some point, I realized I wanted to look at what psychological states could lead to lower blood pressure,” she said. “If you hold in anger, if you are compet-itive, what are you supposed to do? To be less of these things, what are ways to enhance healthy attitudes that can prevent cardiovascular disease?”

In 1999, Row received a grant that enabled her to extend her research to the question of forgiveness. Her work in the past seven years, she said, validates that forgiveness can yield positive benefits not only for the forgiven, but for the forgiver as well.


Forgiveness Affects Health



Campus Calendar

Exhibitions

OCTOBER


Acupuncture, Reiki and other alter-native health topics are the focus of a seminar offered by East Carolina Univer-sityʼs Japan Center East.

The program, “Wellness Japan,” will be held at 5:30 p.m. Nov. 2, at ECUʼs School of Nursing, Room 1102, in the Allied Health Sciences Building.

“The program is designed to edu-cate people to become more health con-scious by introducing them to contempo-rary and traditional Japanese methods of wellness,” said Chikako Massey, interim director of Japan Center East.

Experts in the fields of acupuncture, Reiki, Shiatsu acupressure, karate, and power eating will present information and demonstrations.

Mark Stebnicki, an ECU rehabilita-tion studies professor, will discuss Reiki. In addition to his work in the School of Allied Health, Stebnicki is a Reiki Level I Practitioner and has had basic and inter-mediate training as a Shamanic counselor through the Institute of Shamanic Studies.

Delores Harris will discuss Shi-atsu massage. She is founder and owner of Alternative Healthcare in Greenville. She is nationally certified by the National

Certification Commission for Acupunc-ture and Oriental Medicine and licensed by the state of N.C. as a massage and bodywork therapist.

Rie Ishida will discuss Japanese power eating and Natto, fermented soy-bean curd from Japan. Ishida is a native of Hiroshima, Japan and has been a pro-fessional chef since 1995. She is the chef for the annual Taste of Japan in Green-ville.

William White will discuss karate. White has been teaching and practicing martial arts, including karate and Kobudo since 1994. He had taught Shorinji-Ryu Karate at the Bushido Martial Arts Cen-ter, and now teaches karate in Greenville and New Bern.

Jeffery Pierce, M.D., will discuss acupuncture. Pierce is a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at the ECU Brody School of Medicine. Pierce com-pleted his training in medical acupuncture in 2002 and obtained board certification in medical acupuncture in 2005.

For information, contact Massey at [email protected] or 737-1352, or visit http://www.ecu.edu/japancentereast/.

THURSDAY 5

ECU/Loessin Playhouse, “Chicago,” (through Oct. 10). McGinnis Theatre. Performances nightly at 8 p.m. except Sunday performance at 2 p.m.

Folkfriends Concerts featuring acoustic music performed by Folk Arts Society members and guests, Tipsy Teapot/Kennybrook-Parker Books, 409 Evans St., 7 p.m. Free.

ECU Opera Theatre, “Curlew River,” (through Oct. 7). St. Paulʼs Church, 4th St., Greenville, 7 p.m.

FRIDAY 6

Geriatric Symposium, led by Kenneth Steinweg (Medicine), City Hotel and Bistro, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Third Annual Eastern Regional Trauma Symposium, Greenville Convention Center, 7:30 a.m. to 4:45 p.m.

“Reporting on the War and Insurgency in Iraq,” Hannah Allam, Middle East Bureau Chief, McClatchy Newspapers, Menden-hall 244, 2 – 3 p.m.

Comm Crew Reunion Banquet, featuring ECU alumnus and best-selling author James Dodson; Mendenhall Student Center Great Rooms, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY 7

“Representations of Japanese Women,” Asian Studies Program workshop, Science and Technology Building Room 309, 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Pitt County Womenʼs Agenda Assembly, Bate 1031, 1 p.m.

ECU Pirate football, ECU vs. Virginia, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 6 p.m.

TUESDAY 10

“What Does the Muscle Have to Do with Obesity,” lecture by Lynis Dohm (Medicine), Brody Auditorium, 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 11

Russian Film Series, “Passions,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m.

SATURDAY 14

Fall Break (through Oct. 17)

ECU Pirate Football, ECU vs. Tulsa, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 3 p.m.

Contra Dance, Willis Building. Potluck dinner, 6 p.m.; lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 10:30 p.m.

TUESDAY 17

S. Rudolph Alexander Performing Arts Series, “Gilbert & Sullivan Players: Pirates of Penzance,” Wright Auditorium, 8 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 18

Russian Film Series, “Tycoon: A New Russian,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m.

FRIDAY 20

Homecoming Weekend

Volunteer Fridays to benefit Habitat for Humanity, Mendenhall Student Center Brickyard, 3 – 5 p.m.

Salsa Dance, Lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 11 p.m., Willis Building.

SATURDAY 21

ECU Pirate Football, ECU vs. SMU, Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium, 3 p.m.

MONDAY 23

“Connecting Community Colleges and the Four-Year Institutions of North Caroli-na,” Phi Kappa Phi Leadership Forum, Mendenhall Student Center, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

WEDNESDAY 25

Russian Film Series, “A Cruel Romance,” Bate 2011, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY 26

ECU Career Centerʼs Fall Career Fair, Two locations: Minges Coliseum and the Health Sciences Building, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

ECU Tourism Conference, “Making Tourism Work for You II,” Hilton Greenville (through Oct. 27).

Hispanic Film Series, “Iluminados por el fuego” (Enlightened by Fire), Bate 2011, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY 27

Contra Dance, Willis Building. Lesson, 7:30 p.m.; dance, 8 – 10:30 p.m.

Family Fare Series, “Alice,” by Whoopi Goldberg.

SATURDAY 28

ECU Pirate Football, vs. Southern Missis-sippi, Hattiesburg, Miss., 7:30 p.m. (CSTV).

NOVEMBER

THURSDAY 2

Folkfriends Concerts,Tipsy Teapot/Kennybrook-Parker Books, 409 Evans St., 7 p.m. Free.

“Wellness Japan,” Allied Health Sciences Room 1102, 5:30 p.m.

2006 School of Art and Design Alumni Exhibition, “Bringing it All Back Home,” on view in Gray Gallery (through Oct. 7).

2006 School of Art and Design Faculty Exhibition, Gray Gallery (Oct. 19 through Nov. 18).

“A Century of Education and Impact: The History of East Carolina University, an Exhibit in Four Parts.” Series II: The College Transformation -- East Carolina Teachers College (through Feb. 15, 2007).

Japan Center East Hosts Eastern Health Seminar

Programs Set for Faculty, StaffCampus Recreation and Wellness

provides a variety of services for ECU faculty and staff. Exercise Wisely is a fit-ness and instructional program designed in a 45-minute workout routine for the lunch hour. Size Friendly Fitness and a free aqua fitness class will also accom-modate faculty and staff schedules. Other opportunities include yoga and pilates, sports specific training, fitness work-shops, self defense, and ballroom dance.

The youth and family program offers many Sunday afternoon activities. Sunday Slam Youth Basketball¸ open for individuals ages 7-12, provides an oppor-tunity to learn basic basketball skills. The Super Spiders Wall Climbers includes a mixture of skill development and recre-ational climbing for children, ages 7 to 14. Beginning this fall, Parents ̓Night

Out will provide an evening for children at the SRC while parents have a night out.

A new 50-foot state-of-the-art Alpine Tower was unveiled as part of the team training center and challenge course.

ECU faculty and staff can purchase SRC membership on an annual, semester or summer basis. For more information, contact the department at 252-328-6387, visit www.ecu.edu/cs-studentlife/crw, or come by the Student Recreation Center.

Vital RecordsBORN: to Michael OʼDriscoll (Geo-logical Sciences) and wife, Carolina Loop, a son, Seamus and a daughter, Claire on July 18.

Ribbons Cut for Opening Day

associated with the School of Nursing - students, alumni, staff, faculty, and emer-iti faculty.”

The Medical Foundation of ECU was recognized for working to strategi-cally assemble and purchase land for the site. The foundation continues to seek donors to endow and support educational programs in the building.

Ballard saluted the contributions of the schools and library to the region and state.

The nursing program has grown from 40 students in 1960 to 1,006 stu-dents today and graduates more new nurses each year than any college in the state. Projected enrollment is 1,100 stu-dents by 2011. ECUʼs nurse graduates

have a 99 percent pass rate on the licen-sure exam.

Approximately 88 percent of allied health sciences graduates remain in the state to work. The school, established in 1967, is the largest producer of allied health professionals in North Carolina. With nine departments and 661 students, enrollment is expected to top 725 stu-dents in just two years.

“This new building is something that the residents of eastern North Car-olina deserve, and can be proud of, and the faculty, staff and students in the nine departments in the School of Allied Health Sciences will use strategically in serving our region though improved pro-fessional education, research, service, clinical practice, and collaboration,” Thomas said.

Pieces of Eight September 1, 2006


On Campus


results promises to generate new insights into violin sound production and violin quality, Bissinger said. Finally the map of essential material properties – stiffness, density, damping and shape – that gov-ern the vibrations of any violin will be extended to these legendary violins.

“Basically, a very good violin sounds loud while still sounding beauti-ful,” Zygmuntowicz said. “We know what it sounds like, but it wonʼt tell us why itʼs good.”

In addition to the violin makers, Violin Society of America members Fan Tao and Joseph Regh were also involved in this first-ever 3-D scan of legendary violins.

Asian Studies Grant

Taiko Drummers performed at ECUʼs first World Community Day Sept. 19 in Mendenhall. The event was billed as a “whirlwind trip around the world,” where spectators could immerse themselves in global cultures. Performances included Philippines Dance, Indian Dance, Gospel

Violins Examined

University in Beijing or during the next academic year through one of the avail-able exchange programs.

The grant will enhance the interdis-ciplinary minor in Asian Studies, which debuted two years ago. Several new cur-ricular projects will be developed as part of the program. These include a template for an Asian Studies concentration for the Multidisciplinary Studies major, new Asian Studies content courses, new mod-ules for existing courses and additional study abroad opportunities.

The University Honors Program will be an important contributor to the project with two new courses with Asian Studies content as well as opportuni-ties for Honors students to meet visiting scholars.

Another aspect of the Department of Educationʼs Asian Studies project is a two-week curriculum development trip to a country or region of Asia. Faculty will compete for four travel grants for spring/summer 2007. An additional four grants will be available for 2008.

The grant will also allow for the procurement of research and instructional materials for the language lab and library. The final aspect of the grant involves community outreach.

A film series, an Asian Studies Forum, an Asian Studies web site and workshops with Pitt County Schools will expand the program.

Choir and Salsa Dance. Participants could experience such diverse activities as learning Chinese calligraphy, communicating with students in Morocco, and sampling sushi. The event was organized by the ECU Office of Student Development. (Photo by Jack Hoskins)

ECU graduate Neil Klinedinst (May ʼ06) is seeking volunteers to participate in GuluWalk Greenville, a 4.5 mile walk scheduled for Oct. 28, 9:30 a.m. at the Greenville Town Common.

The event is part of an international effort to raise money and awareness for the “night commuters,” children of north-ern Uganda who nightly walk up to eight miles in search of a safe place to sleep.Approximately 40,000 children from rural communities in Uganda “commute” to larger cities such as Gulu to avoid cap-ture by a rebellion force known as the

Lordʼs Resistance Army. The children gather to sleep wher-

ever they can find safe haven, bedding down in such places as church grounds and bus stations. They return to their homes each morning.

If captured by the rebellion forces, the children may be raped, tortured, mur-dered, abducted and forced into abducting and murdering other children or even their own families.

More than 35,000 children have been abducted since 1986.

GuluWalk Greenville is seeking 200

individuals who would be willing to raise $100 each in sponsorships to benefit the night commuters.

Seventy-five percent of funds raised in the walk go directly to childrenʼs pro-grams in northern Uganda, programs that work to prevent AIDS/HIV, provide basic education, award scholarships or grants and facilitate peer-to-peer networking and support.

The remaining twenty-five percent supports ongoing educational and aware-ness efforts.

Last year, in the inaugural global GuluWalk, more than 15,000 people around the world collected more than $40,000 to support these children.

The goal for 2006 is $1 million. More than 100 cities in 20 countries are scheduled to run GuluWalk events this year.

For more information on GuluWalk, visit www.guluwalk.com. For details on the Greenville event, or to regis-ter as a volunteer, contact the GuluWalk Greenville Committee Chair, Neil Klinedinst at 252-917-1938 (e-mail, [email protected]) or committee mem-ber Kenneth Taylor at [email protected].


Volunteers Sought For GuluWalk Greenville


Alderman, who has taught at ECU since 2000, specializes in the politics of public commemoration and sym-bolic landscapes of the American South, including the politics of naming streets for Martin Luther King, Jr. He also stud-ies popular culture such as NASCAR, the Internet as electronic folklore, Graceland as a pilgrimage site, Wal-Mart and the

cultural history of kudzu. Corbett, who has taught at ECU

since 2000, studies the sediment and geo-chemical processes in coastal areas, the discharge of groundwater on the coast. In the past five years, he has worked on research grants totaling more than $3.3 million.

Each researcher will receive a cash award and will speak at a research semi-nar this fall.

ECU Researchers Honored

Around the World at Mendenhall

In MemoriamSarah McPherson, former associate dean for the College of Technology and Computer Science, and wife of Bill McPherson, former faculty mem-ber in the College of Technology and Computer Science, died Sept. 21.

bissinger examines famed violins - east carolina … violins from bad violins. in the past 30 years,...

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