Biology and Agriculture
New Set of Chairs: Keith A. Crandall is the new Integrative Biology chair, and Oscar A. Pike (BS ’80) is the new Nutrition, Dietetics, and Food Science chair.
Education
Talking Eyes: The School of Education now has EagleEyes, a device designed to assist speech-impaired students by monitoring their eye movements. MORE Hungary for Books: Literacy specialist Nancy Brockbank Livingstone (EdD ’75) presented her paper, “International Literature Links: Increasing Global Understanding by Pairing Award-Winning Novels with Informational Books,” at the World Congress on Reading in Budapest, Hungary. MORE
Engineering and Technology
Taking Their Seats: Michael A. Jensen (BS ’90) is the new chair of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Steven E. Benzley (BS ’65) is the new chair of Civil and Environmental Engineering; and Val D. Hawks (BS ’80) is the new interim director of the School of Technology. A.F. Award: Clark N. Taylor (BS ’95), assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, was recently awarded a grant from the Air Force Office of Scientific Research. MORE Model Behavior: A group of industrial design students used visualization software and a state-of-the-art five-axis mill to design models of exercise equipment for people over 50. MORE
Family, Home, and Social Sciences
Director & Co.: Richard B. Miller (BS ’82), professor of marriage, family, and human development, is new School of Family Life director. MORE A Pair of Chairs: Ramona Ovard Hopkins (AS ’75) is the new Psych chair and Renata A. Tonks Forste (BS ’84) is the new chair of Sociology. What Matters in Marriage: David C. Dollahite’s (BA ’83) new study reveals that shared religious beliefs and practices help couples reconcile marital conflict. MORE
FINE ARTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
Universal Appeal: The Daily Universe won a general excellence award in the college division of the National Newspaper Association’s 2006 Better Newspaper Contest. MORE Notable Notes: Associate music professor Laurence M. Lowe (BA ’78) recently won an honorable mention in the International Horn Society’s composition contest for his Sonata no. 1 for Horn and Piano. MORE
Health and Human Performance
Alumni Honor: Exercise science professor Kenneth L. Knight was recently named a 2006 Weber State University Distinguished Alumnus. MORE Happy Feet: The International Folk Dance Ensemble celebrated its 50-year anniversary in December. MORE
Humanities
Chilean Consul: Thomas E. Lyon, a professor of Spanish and the director of Latin American studies for the Kennedy Center, was recently appointed as the honorary consul of Chile for the State of Utah. MORE Language Learning: The U.S. Department of Education has renewed funding for BYU’s National Middle East Language Resource Center (NMELRC). The NMELRC, which comprises language experts from 20 universities, will receive about $1 million through 2009. MORE
Law School
Law and Religion: In October 2006, the International Center for Law and Religion Studies sponsored the 13th Annual International Law and Religion Symposium, which hosted 91 delegates from 41 countries. MORE
Marriott School
Stellar ROI: BusinessWeek placed BYU first among MBA programs nationwide for giving graduates a quick return on their financial investment, reporting it takes BYU graduates an average of less than four years to pay off their education. MORE
Nursing
Old Friends: The first graduating class of the nursing college held a 50-year reunion this fall, welcoming back 14 of the original 24 Class of ’56 graduates. MORE
Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Math Mentors: The math department landed a $1.3 million National Science Foundation (NSF) grant that will be used to train professors from other universities in BYU’s unique math mentoring model. MORE Understanding Life: In Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Gerald D. Watt (BS ’62), of chemistry and biochemistry, and Thomas J. Lowery Jr. (BS ’02) published research on a bacterial enzyme that makes life on Earth possible. MORE Bright Ideas: The Information and Decision Algorithm Labs received a $700,000 grant from NSF. MORE
Religious Education
Ancient Learning: Ancient scripture professor David Rolph Seely (BA ’81) became the first person appointed to the BYU Ancient Studies Professorship. MORE Historical Presence: Associate professor Alexander L. Baugh (MA ’86) was appointed president of the John Whitmer Historical Association for 2006–07. MORE