Education
Summer School: In 1892 Karl G. Maeser invited educators to Brigham Young Academy for the Summer Institute, a conference that promoted progressive education. Details about the conference compiled by educational leadership prof A. Legrand Richards (BS ’75) were published in Pioneer Magazine, the publication of the Sons of Utah Pioneers.
Engineering and technology
Steffanie Kuehn
Scout’s Honor: Seventy-five construction management students combined for nearly 600 hours of service to repair the Boy Scouts of America’s Camp Maple Dell in Payson, Utah. Pick Her Brain: Electrical engineering graduate Steffanie M. Kuehn (BS ’09) received a $320,000 scholarship for graduate studies at Columbia University where she will work to develop ways for prosthetic limbs to interact with the brain.
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Political Blogging: According to a new book by poli-sci prof Richard Davis (BA ’75), people who read both politcal blogs and traditional news media tend to believe the blogs are more accurate. The book, Typing Politics, was published by Oxford University Press.
Fine Arts and Communications
Kory Katseanes
New Director: Kory L. Katseanes is the new director of the School of Music, replacing Dale E. Monson (BA ’75). Best in Bass: Freshman Alexander C. A. Willey (’14) won first on double bass in the senior performance division at the American String Teachers Association Conference.
Health and Human Performance
Fancy Footwork: The Department of Dance has moved from the College of Health and Human Performance to the College of Fine Arts and Communications and no longer includes the Cougarettes, who are now part of the Athletics Department.
Humanities
Best Poetry: “Why Do You Keep Putting Animals in Your Poems?” a poem by English prof Lance Larsen (BA ’85), was selected for inclusion in The Best American Poetry 2009. Bible Translation: Hebrew prof Donald W. Parry (BA ’84) was selected to be an editor for the new version of the Hebrew Old Testament, Biblia Hebraica Quinta.
Law School
New Dean: Law prof James R. Rasband (BA ’86) is the new dean of the J. Reuben Clark Law School. Moot Court Wins: Kirstin Cornett Norman (’09) and Benjamin M. Smith (’10) placed first at the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Jeremy T. Johnston (’10) and S. Spencer Brown (’10) placed first at the Religious Freedom Moot Court Competition.
Life Sciences
Polar Practices: CNN.com featured the polar bear research of Thomas S. Smith (BS ’82), prof of plant and wildlife sciences. Smith’s BYU research team filmed polar bears emerging from hibernation with their cubs.
Marriott School
Kevin Stocks
Ranked Again: U.S. News & World Report ranked the Marriott School of Management 29th in the country for the second year in a row, its highest ranking from U.S. News. Numbers King: C Kevin D. Stocks (BS ’78), director of the School of Accountancy, has been named president-elect of the American Accounting Association.
Nursing
Saying Thanks: Nursing students presented more than 150 newborn kits to four hospitals and medical centers in Utah as a thank-you for allowing students to complete clinical hours. On Scholarship: Nursing students Brittany Kenyon Bayles (’10) and Jane D. Leavy (’10) received scholarships from the National Student Nurses Association.
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Bart Kowallis and Lehi Hintze
Math Money: Assistant math ed prof Douglas L. Corey (BA ’99) and his colleagues at Harvard and the University of Michigan received a $4.5 million grant from the National Science Foundation to study the correlation between teachers’ mathematical knowledge and student outcomes. Utah Rocks:BYU geology profs Lehi F. Hintze (PhD ’55) and Bart J. Kowallis (BS ’76) published the third edition of Geologic History of Utah, which serves as a field guide to Utah’s rock formations for both scientists and tourists.
Religious Education
New Book: Ancient scripture prof Clyde J. Williams (BS ’74) compiled and published a number of President Boyd K. Packer’s addresses in Mine Errand from the Lord: Selections from the Sermons and Writings of Boyd K. Packer.