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Awards and Achievements

Faculty Citings: Sept. 25, 2023

Akbarali Thobhani, Ph.D., received the first-ever Internationalization Award from the University of Pécs.

Metropolitan State University of Denver faculty members publish research in some of the world’s most prestigious academic journals and share their knowledge at conferences around the globe. They also spend time developing valuable partnerships, working with colleagues across the country and world, creating new and exciting learning opportunities for students of all ages and securing vital funding to drive research and innovation.  

Congratulations to the following faculty members and programs for all their recent success: 

Faculty Citings

Eric Blomfelt, professor in the Department of Management 

Blomfelt recently gave a presentation at the National Workers’ Compensation Conference. His topic, “Data driven loss prevention in action,” was inspired by a short video about risks on campus that was made by one of his students. “It’s an idea I’ve utilized in risk-management consulting to help employers tackle the causes of their workers’ compensation injuries and help employees avoid them by using 15- to 30-second videos as a way to train employees on safety,” Blomfelt said.
   
See more about his presentation here.   

Corey R. Sell, professor of Elementary Education and chair of the Elementary Education and Literacy Department

  • Coauthored a chapter in a new online elementary social studies methods textbook for preservice teachers. This was published in April by the National Council for Social Studies.
    • Read the publication here. 
  • Sell recently co-authored a practitioner article with a former student and School of Education alumna with a Master’s of Arts in Teaching, Jen Earley. The article details how to incorporate LGBTQ+ history within the elementary curriculum. It is titled “Using the Inquiry Design Model to Reveal Pauli Murray’s Story: A Fierce Advocate and Activist Hidden in the Elementary Curriculum.”
    • Read the full article here

Akbarali Thobhani, Ph.D., executive director, Office of International Studies 

The University of Pécs has given its first Internationalization Award to Akbarali Thobhani, Ph.D., in recognition of his tireless and enthusiastic work and enduring commitment of more than a decade to the cooperation of MSU Denver and the University of Pécs. The latter has achieved significant results and successes in the field of internationalization in recent years.  

Watch the video in English here. 

Smita Singh, Ph.D., assistant professor, School of Hospitality  

Singh wrote a chapter in the book “Metaverse Events – Experiences Events and Sustainability” in collaboration with Shellie Kark, program manager in the School of Hospitality. 

The chapter provides a unique opportunity for future leaders to be innovative in creating unique and immersive experiences using metaverse technology. This chapter also outlines and demonstrates the value of conceptual theories such as user engagement and the sustainability, accessibility and inclusivity benefits that the metaverse brings to the industry. 

Cristina A. Bejan, affiliate faculty, Theatre and Dance Department and the Department of History 

Bejan is a prolific playwright, having written 19 plays. The affiliate faculty member at MSU Denver has published three plays this year. Included in her published works are “Buchenwald,” with Colorado’s Next Stage Press, and “Finally Quiet: Four Plays From Bucharest to Washington D.C.,” with No Passport Press of New York.

Kudos

Shawna M. Farrell, Ph.D., professor in the Department of Social Work  

Master of Social Work students April Stewart and Katrina Nicholson will travel with Farrell in November and December to participate in the Ethnographic Bootcamp in Dortmund, Germany. They will discuss American social work and the dialogue that surrounds anti-oppressive/trauma-informed practice. This presentation will also include a transcultural dialogue regarding how nation/states across the globe frame the same theoretical phenomenon. Upon their return, the students will share their experiences with their Social Work student-and-faculty community. Funding was provided by the Student Travel and Professional Development program at MSU Denver’s Center for Multicultural Engagement and Inclusion. 

Kristy Lyons, professor of Psychological Sciences in the Department of Psychology, spearheads support for parenting students

According to institutional data estimates, about 10% of MSU Denver students are parents. A recent survey found that MSU Denver student parents are raising children across a wide age span (from infants to adolescents and even young adulthoods). Among parents who filled out the survey, more than one in 10 reported having a child with special needs. Student parents reported some commonalities in challenges faced, including financial and time constraints related to parenthood, but also reported a variety of specific strengths that they as parents bring to MSU Denver. Currently the university offers some targeted supports for student parents, including help with paying for child-care at the Auraria Early Learning Center and pregnancy related accommodations through the Access Center. Efforts are underway to expand supports and to ensure student parents are aware of all of the supports that are available. If you would like to learn more or share your input on this topic, please contact Lyons at [email protected].

Congratulations to the winners of the Faculty Affairs Civic and Community-Engaged Excellence Awards:

  • Tenured/tenured track faculty member: Christina Foust
  • Full-time faculty members: Leslie Merrill Schmidt and Nichole Predki

How to submit your achievement for consideration

  • Navigate to the Service Request Form and select “Share your story: Early Bird and/or RED.”
  • Fill in your contact information and all details regarding your grant or recently published material in the “Project/Story/Issue Description and Goals” section, including:
  • The name of your paper or presentation.
  • Names, titles and higher-education institutions of all authors.
  • The name of the book, journal or conference in which it was presented.
  • Any relevant links or attachments that could be helpful.

Thank you for all your hard work, and the Early Bird looks forward to giving you a much-deserved round of applause.