“Tony England is an innovative researcher and educational leader with a special interest in undergraduate and interdisciplinary education,” said Kate Davy, provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs, UM-Dearborn. “I am confident that he will apply his experience and leadership to the stewardship of the college and will continue to advance the mission of CECS and its contributions to the region.”

England is a scientist and former astronaut with NASA, where he served as mission scientist for Apollo’s 13 and 16, mission specialist crewman on the Spacelab 2 flight in 1985 and space station program scientist in 1986-87. He most recently served as a professor of electrical engineering and computer science and atmospheric, oceanic and space sciences in the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. England also was associate dean for academic affairs in the college for five years.

“UM-Dearborn serves the region in many important ways, and with the increased recognition of the significance of an educated workforce, that impact will only continue to grow,” said England. “Throughout my tenure, I look forward to working with colleagues within CECS to insure that the college supports the growth of the university by providing an excellent engineering education, producing innovative research and seeking opportunities to inspire youth to pursue careers in engineering and technology."

England earned his doctorate in geophysics and his master’s and bachelor’s degrees in geology and geophysics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

England’s work has been honored within the university and his discipline, with 130 peer reviewed publications. He has vigorously supported faculty and student diversity, as recognized by the University of Michigan’s Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award in 2002, as well as the university’s NCID Exemplary Diversity Engagement and Scholarship Award in 2009. England has been a research geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, a visiting professor at Rice University, an associate editor for the Journal of Geophysical Research, a member of the National Research Councils Space Studies Board and chair of several federal committees concerned with science and technology policy. He is a fellow of IEEE.

 
Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

“The series was very popular with the public as well as with students,” said Ronald Stockton, professor, political science, who organized the series. “People say their view of society is transformed by this class. It gives a totally different way of looking at culture, history, art, religion, ethnicity. It answers questions you didn't know you had.”

All lectures will be held from 7-9 p.m. on Wednesday from May 9 to June 6 in the Social Sciences Building, Room 1600, on the UM-Dearborn campus, located at 4901 Evergreen Rd. The series will conclude with a graveyard tour Saturday, June 9.

The lectures and tour are free and open to members of the community who can attend for “entertainment and education.” Enrolled students can receive one credit hour for attending the lectures and tour, completing readings and writing a paper for the course.

Stockton will speak on June 6 on "Gravestones Around the World." Other speakers are history professor Elaine Clark on "Death and Dying in Pre-Modern Europe" on May 9; humanities professor Randal Woodland on "The New Orleans Way of Death" on May 16; history professor Gerald Moran on “The Puritan Way of Death” on May 23; and Henry Ford Community College art history professor Hashim al-Tawil on "The Muslim Way of Death" on May 30.

Stockton first became interested in the topic when he surveyed a graveyard in southern Illinois where his relatives have been buried since the mid-1800s. In the process, he discovered some historically significant trends in the population in the region, and wrote a scholarly article called "Death on the Frontier."

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

UM-Dearborn has joined other leading universities in implementing single-stream recycling, a system that simplifies recycling for the entire campus community. By accepting a wider variety of materials and allowing them to all be placed in one container, single-stream recycling leads to increased participation and improved recycling rates.

The program expansion follows a successful pilot program conducted at the University Center. Since last summer, students, faculty, staff and visitors to the UC have been able to recycle paper, plastic, metal and glass items. “We are pleased with the success of the pilot program at the UC”, said Kathleen Herr, director, University Center. “The program is convenient and it was amazing to see just how much we can recycle!”

The types of recyclable material has expanded to include all types of paper including office paper, magazines, catalogs, junk mail, envelopes, sticky notes; all plastic containers numbered 1-7; metal cans, glass bottles and jars. A complete list of acceptable and unacceptable recyclables will be provided and is available online at www.umd.umich.edu/singlestreamrecycling/.

“The majority of materials we handle each day at our desks are recyclable,” said Kate Pepin, director, facilities planning. “What is left as trash, is mostly food waste or wrappers.”

The campus community will notice new recycling containers as well as some repurposed containers over the course of the coming months. Recycling will be as easy as throwing away trash in new recycling containers that will be located next to a companion trash can. Old office trash cans will be “recycled” into new recycling containers for staff and faculty. And since more materials can now be recycled, trash cans will shrink to a mini-trash can size.

Efficiencies gained from the new recycling program, combined with the increased diversion of material from the waste stream, will provide both operational and environmental benefits. With a new streamlined approach, custodial services will experience a cost savings by servicing central containers rather than travel desk to desk. The operational savings is projected to be around $25,000 year.

Over a 5-year period, the recycling efforts at UM-Dearborn and the new expanded program is projected to divert 1.4 million pounds of materials from the landfill, avoid emissions that is the equivalent of taking 69 cars off the road, and conserve 4.3 million gallons of water, 3.4 million kilowatts of energy, and almost 10,000 trees.

For more information about the new program, please visit www.umd.umich.edu/singlestreamrecycling/ or contact Kate Pepin at 313-593 -5045 or kpepin@umd.umich.edu.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

“We relied a lot on each other,” said Roddy, University of Michigan-Dearborn assistant professor of public policy. “We didn’t wander very much.”

Through research, Roddy discovered many similarities between reservations and Detroit neighborhoods. She studied how Motor City residents retained and utilized their resources, like money, time, food and shelter.

Roddy now can expand upon that research with financial assistance from the Graham Environmental Sustainability Institute (GESI).

Roddy and Paul Draus, UM-Dearborn director of public administration and public policy, will use about $30,000 to jumpstart the project, titled “Building a Healthy Community in Detroit: Tracking the Impact of the Hope Village Initiative.”

Roddy and Draus plan to interview Detroit residents about how various social and economic issues affect their everyday lives.

“I think interventions like Focus: HOPE can change the whole character of a neighborhood,” Roddy said.

Roddy will focus on economic issues, while Draus plans to examine social factors. Through interviews, focus groups and photography, Draus hopes to learn how city residents interact in their environment, as well as how their neighborhoods have changed over time.

“We’re looking at how people are impacted by their environment,” Draus said. “It’s exciting for us in that its multilayered, collaborative work that has potential to benefit a specific community in Detroit.”

They soon plan to present their research ideas to residents of HOPE Village, a 100-block area surrounding the facilities of Focus: HOPE. Focus: HOPE is a Detroit-based organization dedicated to intelligent and practical solutions to the problems of hunger, economic disparity, inadequate education and racial divisiveness.

Roddy and Draus, however, aren’t the only UM-Dearborn faculty to benefit from GESI funding. Bruce Pietrykowski, professor of economics, plans to use about $30,000 to organize the “Mapping Community Economies and Building Capabilities in HOPE Village” project.

Like Roddy and Draus, Pietrykowski plans to interview HOPE Village residents. But his goal is to identify neighborhood activities that aren’t often tied to economic growth.

Those activities could include residents performing childcare and eldercare, participating in do-it-yourself home repair, volunteering to help neighbors and working in church and civic organizations. By identifying those activities, Pietrykowski can help local residents and community organizations identify the capabilities and talent woven into neighborhood life.

“What are the undervalued skills that these residents have?” he said. “It helps people rethink what they can contribute to their community.”

The project is expected to engage community members in a conversation, through which the local economy is mapped in a broad and inclusive way. Pietrykowski and Roland Zullo, research scientist at UM-Ann Arbor’s Institute for Labor, Employment and the Economy, hope the initiative will reframe residents’ understanding of their relationship to the economy.

It also should enable the development of community-owned and managed economic ventures by neighborhood residents.

“You need that sort of grassroots ownership of neighborhood assets in communities that have long been neglected by the traditional economy,” Pietrykowski said.

Tracy Hall helps connect UM-Dearborn faculty with various community engagement resources, including research funding opportunities. Hall said she is excited about these particular grants because they impact faculty, local communities and students.

“It’s a win-win-win for everybody,” said Hall, UM-Dearborn’s director of community engagement. “It’s all about being part of positive social change.”

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Professor Georgina Hickey is well known for her tireless advocacy for women in her research, teaching, and service. She has led several programs that specifically enhance the quality of life and learning for women students. Since 2009, she has been Faculty Director of the Women in Learning and Leadership (WILL) program and currently serves as Chair of the Social Sciences Department. Professor Hickey provided leadership to the Women and Gender Studies program, served on the Agenda for Women, and the Civic Engagement Project. She has produced outstanding feminist research that helped her earn the Women and Gender Studies Outstanding Research Award in 2009.

Sister Mary Ellen Howard is being recognized for her efforts to improve access to quality healthcare for uninsured men, women, and children in the Detroit area, and for her strong voice in the community representing the needs of the uninsured.  For the past 16 years, Sister Mary Ellen has served as Executive Director of the St. Francis Cabrini Clinic of Most Holy Trinity Church. As Executive Director, she has led the charge to build a new clinic facility and expand clinic services. The Cabrini Clinic is the oldest free medical clinic in the nation and the largest free clinic in Michigan.

The awards will be presented at the annual Susan B. Anthony Awards Dinner, scheduled to be held on Thursday, April 12, from 5:00-8:30 p.m. in the Michigan Rooms at the Fairlane Center. The Susan B. Anthony Campus and Community Awards are presented each year to recognize individuals whose lives and deeds exemplify the dedication, fortitude, political agitation, and involvement of Susan B. Anthony on behalf of women.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Enviance, Inc. and Environmental Leader this month announced the nation’s top 16 schools, in regard to excellence in environmental academics.

UM-Dearborn made the list, along with Baylor University, Duke University and University of Florida. No other Michigan schools made the cut.

“It gives us some credibility,” said Orin Gelderloos, UM-Dearborn professor of biology and environmental studies. “It’s nice to be recognized.”

In order to be recognized among the “Sustainable 16,” schools had to complete surveys that explained their credentials. A panel of expert judges then evaluated those surveys.

“The ‘Sustainable 16’ has been selected from a highly-competitive field of colleges and universities who responded to our survey looking for the top environmental studies programs in the country,” said Lawrence Goldenhersh, CEO and president of Enviance. “These are the institutions that will prepare the next generation of environmental professionals to lead environmental compliance, sustainability and social responsibility programs for some of the world’s largest companies.”

Gelderloos nominated UM-Dearborn and was pleased Enviance recognized the University’s sustainability efforts. As was Jerold Hale, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters’ dean.

“Being included on the list does speak to the excellent quality of the environmental studies and environmental science faculty,” Hale said. “It also speaks to the University’s commitment to environmental issues and sustainability. That commitment starts with the University’s Metropolitan Vision and extends to the Environmental Interpretive Center, and the environmental sciences and environmental studies curriculum.”

Students enrolled in UM-Dearborn’s environmental studies program focus on the interdisciplinary nature of environmental problem solving at the local, regional and international levels. Enrollment in the program is “on an upswing right now,” Gelderloos said.

And at the center of it all, the Environmental Interpretive Center (EIC) promotes environmental sustainability through community education and scientific research. The Center’s mission is to promote human and ecosystem health and sustainability through environmental education, research and service, said Gelderloos, former EIC director.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Digital forensics is an area of computer science that encompasses the examination and analysis of material found in electronic devices including computer hard drives, cell phones, PDA’s and storage devices. Often, the retrieved information is used as legal evidence in criminal or civil cases.

“This increasingly digital age brings new challenges in securing our computing and intellectual assets,” says Subrata Sengupta, dean of CECS. “University of Michigan-Dearborn’s new program in digital forensics will help meet the demand in this emerging field, providing well-qualified graduates to serve in both the public and private sectors.”

The degree program combines the study of a core curriculum of computer science and security with selected areas of criminal justice, engineering and accounting.

For more information, contact the College of Engineering and Computer Science at 313-593-5510 or email uninfo@engin.umd.umich.edu.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Brandon will speak at the morning ceremony, beginning at 10 a.m., for graduates of the University’s College of Engineering and Computer Science and College of Business. Johnson will speak at the afternoon ceremony, beginning at 3 p.m., for graduates of the College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters and School of Education.

Student speakers include Phillip C. Dean, a human resources and management student from Taylor, Mich., during the morning ceremony and Sabrina Ali, a social studies student from Canton, Mich., during the afternoon ceremony.

Also during the ceremonies, seven students will receive Chancellor’s Medallions for outstanding academic achievement: Kristen Hill, College of Business, from Taylor, Mich.; Kaitlyn Mallett, College of Engineering and Computer Science, from Ypsilanti, Mich.; Blair Chamberlin, School of Education, from Rochester Hills, Mich.; Alexandria Freemain, School of Education, from Livonia, Mich.; Jessica Reed, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, from Canton, Mich.; Megan Torti, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, from Grosse Ile, Mich.; and Amy Bondy, College of Arts, Sciences, and Letters, from Canton, Mich.

Brandon began his tenure as director of intercollegiate athletics at University of Michigan in March 2010. A U-M alumnus, Brandon played football under Bo Schembechler and was a member of three Big Ten Championship teams.

Prior to joining the athletic department, Brandon served as chairman and chief executive officer of Ann Arbor-based Domino’s Pizza, Inc. for 11 years, leading the company to the largest IPO of a restaurant company in history. He continues to serve as non-executive chairman at Domino’s. He also serves as a member of the Board of Directors of Herman Miller, DTE Energy and Kaydon Corporation. Prior to his role with Domino’s, Brandon served as chairman, president and CEO of Valassis Communications, Inc.

In 2007, Brandon received the “Distinguished Alumni Service Award” from the U-M Alumni Association. The following year, he received the “Bennie Oosterbaan Award” for service, dedication and leadership from the Bob Ufer Quarterback Club. Later in 2008, the American Football Coaches Association honored Brandon as national “CEO Coach of the Year.”

In 1998, Brandon was elected to the University of Michigan’s Board of Regents and served one eight-year term. Currently, Brandon serves numerous not-for-profit organizations in a variety of capacities, including the Purple Rose Theatre Company, the Gerald R. Ford Foundation, C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital and the David A. Brandon Foundation.

Brandon earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in communications from University of Michigan in 1974. He has honorary doctorate degrees from Walsh College, Schoolcraft College, Lawrence Technological University, Cleary College, Albion College, Davenport University and Central Michigan University, where he served as a trustee from 1994-98.

Johnson is president and CEO of the Detroit Public Schools Foundation. Johnson was appointed as CEO in October of 2009, and since that time, has organized a professional team that has engaged foundations, corporations, organizations and individuals in providing financial resources for value-added programs and activities for the benefit of the Detroit Public Schools.

Prior to her current role, Johnson had a 23-year career with University of Michigan. At the time of her retirement, she was serving as associate vice president for development, where she was a part of the University’s fundraising management team undertaking a $2.5 billion campaign. From 1997 to 2003, Johnson served as chief of staff to the president and associate vice president for development at University of Michigan. In her role as chief of staff, Johnson advised the president on a wide range of internal and external issues. Previously, Johnson served as area director for the first Campaign for Michigan, regional director for major gifts, senior associate director of major gifts and director of principal gifts.

Johnson has received awards from the Detroit Metro Girl Scout Council, Metropolitan Detroit Teen Conference and the Brotherhood Award from Bethel A.M.E. Church. She was selected as one of the 2009 Women to Watch by Crain’s Detroit Business Magazine, a 2010 Women of Excellence by the Michigan Chronicle and recognized for her community service by 100 Black Men of Greater Detroit. Her current volunteer activities include board memberships with Detroit Institute of Arts, Detroit Symphony Orchestra and the Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation.

Johnson earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from Saint Augustine’s College in Raleigh, N.C., and her master’s degree in public administration from Ohio State University.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 100 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

###

Contact:

Beth Marmarelli

UM-Dearborn

313-593-5542

bethmar@umd.umich.edu

“It’s an exciting time for our graduate programs at the College of Business. These new master’s programs fulfill our commitment to educating professionals with vision, skills and business savvy that will make an impact throughout our region,” said Lee Redding, interim dean, UM-Dearborn College of Business. “We are pleased that the College continues to receive national recognition for its strengths in graduate business education.”

These new programs fulfill the College’s mission to provide education that prepares professionals in assisting companies to manage their businesses across various industry sectors in southeast Michigan. The DTE Energy Foundation provided a grant to help support the development and marketing of these two innovative graduate programs.

The Master of Science in Business Analytics integrates applied mathematics with quantitative and computer-based techniques to optimize the decision-making process in business. The Master of Science in Supply Chain Management unites theory and practice in a unique, interdisciplinary program focused on the solution of supply chain management problems in the manufacturing and service sectors.

The part-time M.B.A. program was named the second best program in Michigan in the 2013 edition of U.S. News & World Report rankings. The program has received recognition for the past three years. U.S. News & World Report based the part-time M.B.A. rankings on a fall 2011 peer assessment survey that asked business school deans and M.B.A. program directors at each of the nation's 295 part-time M.B.A. programs to rate the other part-time programs. Programs were ranked based solely on their average peer assessment score.

In a separate ranking the College was also identified as a 2012 Best Business School by the publication. Last fall, the Princeton Review also recognized UM-Dearborn as a Best Business School.

The University of Michigan-Dearborn’s College of Business is home to several nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty members and business professionals in a variety of areas.

###

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
UM-Dearborn
313-593-5542
bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Level 2 requires the chimps to toggle their joystick until they again find the purple object, but this time, it’s hidden behind a brick wall.
The virtual reality simulation, however, isn’t only fun and games. It helps Dr. Francine Dolins analyze the chimpanzees’ spatial cognitive abilities.
Dolins, University of Michigan-Dearborn assistant professor of psychology, spent her spring break at Georgia State University’s Language Research Center, where she tested four chimpanzees’ navigational behavior through virtual reality maze environments.

“They seem to understand the movement with their hand and the cursor moving on the screen,” she said. “Our results found that chimps learned to discriminate between landmarks to successfully localize goal sites.”
But the simulation trials wouldn’t have been as successful without a functional joystick. That’s where a group of UM-Ann Arbor engineering students, enrolled in the multidisciplinary design course, come into play.

Students there helped design a joystick fit for a chimp. And their work seems to have paid off.
“The old joysticks weren’t designed for a chimpanzees’ grip,” Dolins said. “The handles weren’t very good. This one seems to have more precision and it gives them a better grip. The chimps were able to go slow and control the speed better.”

That success resonated with UM-Ann Arbor junior Andy Scheffer, who accompanied Dolins to Decatur.
Scheffer was attracted to Dolins’ research because it blended psychology and engineering. He is a psychology major, and plans to minor in multidisciplinary design. Scheffer initially didn’t share Dolins’ affinity for primates, but after taking a course about animal behavior, he grew to appreciate chimpanzees.

The course, however, couldn’t prepare Scheffer for the first time he witnessed chimps handling the joysticks.
“When I first saw that, it was a bit breathtaking and shocking,” he said. “It’s almost like a parent-child relationship. When they get stuck on something, it’s hard for you to just stand there. You’re really rooting for them.”

Scheffer returned to campus last week and, along with his classmates, plans to tweak the prototype joystick.
Meanwhile, Dolins plans to return to the Language Research Center next month to continue her research with the chimps.

“The use of virtual reality provides fascinating avenues for further research on how apes perceive their world and how they interpret perceptual details to solve navigational problems,” she said.

Kai Zeng will conduct research toward reliable and efficient network monitoring in white space

DEARBORN / March 15, 2012---Kai Zeng, assistant professor of computer and information science at University of Michigan-Dearborn, has been awarded the Early Faculty Career Development Award from the National Science Foundation. The award, also known as the CAREER Award, is NSF’s most prestigious honor for young faculty members.

Zeng’s research interests are in wireless networking and cyber security. The CAREER Award – a five-year, $465,000 grant – will enable Zeng to conduct a comprehensive study toward reliable and efficient network monitoring in white space cognitive radio networks.

Monitoring the detailed characteristics of an operation cognitive radio network is critical to many system administrative tasks, such as spectrum usage optimization, network optimization and forensics.

“People use wireless networks every day. Wireless traffic is expected to increase more than 20 fold in five years,” Zeng says. “How to support this increase is an ongoing challenge.”

That challenge, he says, is comparable to one engineers face when roads become too crowded. “You want to fit a lot of cars on one road. Options might be to broaden the road or use parts of the road more efficiently. Similarly, the spectrums on which we communicate wirelessly have become crowded due to demand. Now we are looking for ways to communicate and compute as efficiently as possible.”

The project will develop mechanisms for monitoring the activity of a low-power primary user – the wireless microphone – and secondary users in white space.

“Because of the significance of spectrum shortage, the Federal Communications Commission released analog TV bands, often referred to as white space, to unlicensed, secondary users on a non-interference basis,” Zeng explains.

“So to access white space, secondary users must first identify the spectrum hole before transmitting and then must evacuate immediately when a licensed primary user appears.”

The goals of Zeng’s research are to quickly and reliably determine when the primary users access the spectrum and to characterize the user traffic and spectrum usage patterns in secondary networks.

Long term, monitoring the network is fundamental to further manage and optimize spectrum utilization, supporting smart grid, public safety, broadband cellular and medical applications.

Zeng joined UM-Dearborn this past fall. Previously, he was a postdoctoral researcher within the Department of Computer Science at University of California, Davis. He received his Ph.D. degree in electrical and computer engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

Zeng is one of three UM-Dearborn faculty members currently conducting research with a CAREER Award. Habib Ammari, associate professor of computer and information science, and Shengquan Wang, assistant professor of computer and information science, also have received CAREER Awards.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.
####
Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
313-593-5542 / bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Associate professors Paul Fossum and Susan Everett provided leadership for the TEAC accreditation process in the School of Education.

Founded in 1997, TEAC is a nonprofit organization that seeks to improve teacher preparation programs. According to its Website, TEAC’s goal is to support the preparation of competent, caring and qualified professional educators.

The certification comes as universities across the state are being asked to prove the effectiveness of their programs. All approved Michigan teacher preparation institutions are required to attain national accreditation through TEAC or the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) by December 31, 2013.

“With the close scrutiny being given to teacher preparation programs in the country amidst deep skepticism about the quality of these programs, the accreditation by TEAC after a rigorous review and close examination of all aspects of our work is especially gratifying,” Silver said.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.
###
Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
313-593-5542 / bethmar@umd.umich.edu

The six universities that make up MCRN are Wayne State University, the University of Michigan, Michigan State University, Michigan Technological University, University of Michigan-Dearborn, and Western Michigan University. Each member university maintains an office that connects businesses to university resources and faculty that can assist research needs. Companies interested in applying for the SCIP will be paired with the appropriate faculty principal investigator (PI) to outline a project and submit a proposal.

The resulting collaboration will give small companies the opportunity to meet research needs that may not otherwise be affordable. The SCIP will also stimulate talent retention in Michigan by creating relationships between small companies and university graduate student researchers.

Individual SCIP projects are funded at $20,000 to $40,000 and require one-to-one matching funds from the sponsoring company. MCRN member universities will supply funds to cover all their indirect costs. Additional information is available at www.michigancrn.org/scip . The deadline to submit a proposal is May 1, 2012.

The Michigan Corporate Relations Network is collaboration among six public universities working to connect small businesses with university resources that will help to drive innovation and commercialization.

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Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
313-593-5542
bethmar@umd.umich.edu

This week, students will canvass the nation as part of Alternative Spring Break. Students plan to lead volunteer efforts in Detroit, Florida, Kentucky and Louisiana.

They also plan to blog about their volunteer experience here. We recently caught up with some of those students who are serving as site leaders to talk about their spring break plans:

Detroit, Mich.
Heather Ballard is well aware of the problems surrounding Detroit. Homelessness. Crime. Unemployment.

This week, the UM-Dearborn senior plans to give something back to her community. “I lived in Detroit over the summer and just seeing all the issues going on … there were so many problems,” Ballard said. “I think everyone has a skill they can perform to help out this city. Especially because it’s right in our own backyard.”

Ballard and six other UM-Dearborn students plan to volunteer with the Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan and Motor City Blight Busters. Ballard isn’t exactly sure what her duties include, but she hopes to work on neighborhood cleanup efforts.

Everglades, Fla.
Phil Dean and snakes don’t get along very well.

But the UM-Dearborn senior will have to get over his distaste for slithery reptiles this week as he volunteers in an area known for its rich snake population – Everglades, Fla. “I’m kind of stepping outside of my comfort zone,” Dean said.

Dean and UM-Dearborn junior Ryinta Brown plan to volunteer at Everglades National Park, Biscayne National Park and Monkey Jungle, a protected habitat for endangered primates.

Brown wasn’t thrilled with the Everglades as a child, but her growing passion for environmental issues made Florida a perfect spot to volunteer.

“For me, I am a person who loves service,” she said. “I believe that in pursuit of giving, you receive back so much more.”

Dean agrees.
“I think it’s really important to give back, not just to our metro Detroit community, but to other communities across the globe,” he said. “Just to see what sort of impact you’ve made … it’s great.”

Harlan, Ky.
Keep the hustle and bustle of city life. Branden Nathan will gladly take the countryside any day. Nathan’s appreciation for rural environments should help him this week, as he ventures to southeast Kentucky to volunteer.

“I actually like the countryside more than the city,” Nathan said.

The UM-Dearborn sophomore has visited larger cities in Kentucky, like Lexington, but he’s never traversed through Harlan. Needless to say, he’s excited to get his hands dirty.

There, Nathan plans to weatherize homes and plant trees, as part of a communitywide beautification project.

New Orleans, La.
Aayat Ali closely followed the wrath of Hurricane Katrina. Like Ali, audiences throughout the world watched as TV news crews displayed footage of the natural disaster’s devastating impact on New Orleans.

News coverage about Hurricane Katrina has died down in recent years, but the UM-Dearborn sophomore understands the rebuilding process is far from over.

“There’s still a lot of work that needs to be done,” she said.

Ali and other UM-Dearborn students, including sophomore Aaron Sarver, plan to work on rebuilding efforts in the Lower Ninth Ward, a community devastated during Hurricane Katrina.

“The ultimate purpose of Alternative Spring Break is to take whatever you learn and bring it back to the city of Detroit to help improve your community,” she said.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

#### Contact: Beth Marmarelli 313-593-5542 / bethmar@umd.umich.edu

“The slight rise is largely due to growth in job creation and venture capital. The Index has been gradually improving since hitting a low during the worst of the credit crunch around early 2009,” according to Lee Redding, interim dean, associate professor of business economics and director of the Innovation Index at the College of Business.

The Innovation Index tracks economic innovation in Michigan based on calculations of employment of “innovation workers,” trends in venture capital, trademark applications, incorporation activity, small business loans and gross job creation. For the third quarter four of the indicators advanced, while two declined. Five of the six were above year-earlier levels.

Positive indicators in the third quarter 2011 Innovation Index were gross job creation which rose in the quarter reversing two earlier quarters of declines, trademark applications coming from the State of Michigan, which continued an increase that began in late 2009, innovation workers, the percentage of workers employed in science and engineering, which increased slightly and venture capital funding. Negative indicators included incorporations and LLC filings, which were down in the third quarter, and Small Business Administration Loans, which fell modestly in the quarter.

The next UM-Dearborn Innovation Index report, due in late May, will contain a detailed report of fourth quarter 2011 activity with preliminary indications for the first quarter of 2012. Redding collaborates on the project with economist Anne-Louise Statt.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.
###
Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
313-593-5542 / bethmar@umd.umich.edu

SOCC is a coalition of organizations and community volunteers who work to support the lives of children and families in foster care. Approximately 14,500 youth are in foster care in Michigan, including 4,000 youth in Wayne County.

The Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care is an outreach branch of SOCC. Its mission is to serve as a catalyst to bring congregations and agencies together in collaborative partnerships to address the current foster care crisis.

With the funding, SOCC will further develop and expand outreach to diverse agencies, congregations and families within Wayne County. The goal is to increase adoptive parent and foster parent recruitment and retention.

“There is a desperate need to recruit and retain high-quality foster and adoptive parents in Michigan, especially for teens and sibling groups,” says Katie Page Sander, director of SOCC. “Loving foster and adoptive families are essential to providing youth in foster care with opportunities to thrive.”

SOCC also received funding for UTOOLS, an experiential learning program for teenagers in foster care. In this program, members of the UM-Dearborn community lead Saturday workshops built around the framework of Sean Covey’s, “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens.”

The goal of UTOOLS is to encourage youth to complete high school and aspire to higher education. Studies show that 70 percent of foster youth aspire to attend college, but only approximately 2 percent earn a college degree.

“UTOOLS is powerful because the UM-Dearborn faculty, staff, students and alumni involved in the program have high expectations for the youth and treat them with respect. This is especially impactful for this population because so many of their experiences with adults are negative and filled with pain and disappointment,” says Page Sander.

“The UTOOLS students begin to feel like they belong on a college campus and get comfortable here.”

This is the second consecutive year the Department of Human Services has provided funding for the program, which began in 2010, and the first year the Department has funded the Faith Communities Coalition on Foster Care.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education. A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.
###
Contact:
Beth Marmarelli
313-593-5542 / bethmar@umd.umich.edu

Building a snowplow robot is a lot harder than it looks.

Just ask UM-Dearborn student Taoran Yan.

“It requires both theoretical knowledge and practical experience to make the design fit the requirements of this competition,” she said.

Yan, an international student from China, can speak from experience after she and other UM-Dearborn students recently participated in the Autonomous Snowplow Competition in St. Paul, Minn.

The competition, sponsored by Institution of Navigation (ION) Satellite Division, challenges college students to design and operate a fully autonomous snowplow to work on a designated path.

“I am very proud of taking part in the competition because it provided me a valuable opportunity to work on a project from scratch,” said Yan, who is studying electrical engineering.

Nattu Natarajan joined UM-Dearborn students at this year’s competition and advised them throughout the process.

“They learned things that they never learn in the classroom,” said Natarajan, UM-Dearborn associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. “There’s a different type of learning taking place. They started acting like engineers, not students.”

UM-Dearborn sent two teams to the competition – Yeti 2.0 and Geili, comprised of multiple international students from China. Yeti 2.0 took third place and won $1,000, while Geili placed fourth.

 “They can now compete with the best of the best,” Natarajan said. “They can be very proud of themselves. Everything they did was from scratch. I’m really proud of them.”

UM-Dearborn student Doris Kotori helped lead Yeti 2.0 to a strong finish and also learned a lot about programming.

“It was a great experience,” Kotori said. “That was pretty much a perfect project.”
Yan agreed.

“I have not only enjoyed the happiness of the big festival, but also accumulated knowledge and eye-opening experiences during the competition,” Yan said. “It encourages me to keep working on the next task and develop my potential in the near future.”

UM-Dearborn’s Intelligent Systems Club sponsored the students’ trip to Minnesota.

Here’s a list of UM-Dearborn students who competed in the competition:
Geili: Xi Xie, Yuezhang Zhou, Taoran Yan, Yumeng Wang and Jia Huang
Yeti 2.0: Zach DeGeorge, Angelo Bertani, Doris Kotori, Alf Williams and Mark Lawrence. Benjamin Craig and Jhonatan Ferrer served as student advisors for both teams.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

Irreplaceable.

Look it up in a dictionary and one is likely to find the name Sid Bolkosky.

At least that’s the belief of many UM-Dearborn faculty and staff who worked with Bolkosky over the past four decades.

Hundreds of his friends and colleagues honored Bolkosky Feb. 9 at the University Center for his dedication to UM-Dearborn. Bolkosky retired after 39 years of teaching and 25 years of directing the Honors Program.

“Sid, you will always be our heart’s best memory,” said Elaine Clarke, UM-Dearborn professor emerita of history.

His name is synonymous with the Honors Program, designed for those students who seek an extra level of challenge and stimulus during college.

Michele Rushman worked closely with Bolkosky as an administrative assistant for the Honors Program and saw plenty of students who struggled, at times, with their studies.
“Sid would take the time to sit with them, talk with them,” Rushman said. “You never once turned them away.”
Bolkosky brought that same sense of passion with him to the classroom.


His research involving World War II, namely the interviews he conducted with Holocaust survivors, is considered second to none by many of his colleagues.

Barbara Kriigel works at Mardigian Library and helped Bolkosky transcribe his interviews so they could be shared with others.
 After transcribing hours of interview tapes, Kriigel learned a lot about Bolkosky and the relationships he built with his subjects.

The Holocaust survivors often opened up more with Bolkosky because of his personality, Kriigel said.
“The interviews are really amazing,” she said.


Jamie Wraight can attest to that. Wraight, curator of UM-Dearborn’s Voice/Vision Holocaust Survivor Oral History Archive, described Bolkosky as a mentor. 
“His impact is just beyond reach,” Wraight said.
For as many kind words that Bolkosky’s colleagues shared about him, he repaid the favor.


“You’ve made my life a happy and loving one,” Bolkosky said to those packed in Kochoff Hall. “I love this place. You all made it so much fun to be at work.”


And although Bolkosky is no longer teaching at UM-Dearborn, his service to the University will never be forgotten through the creation of the Austin-Bolkosky Scholarship Fund. The fund, which also honors retired U-M historian Erik Austin, will provide a four-year scholarship at $1,000 per year to a UM-Dearborn freshman who pursues a major within the Social Sciences Department.


Chancellor Daniel Little also awarded Bolkosky with the first-annual Distinguished Career With Metropolitan Impact Award, which recognizes and honors a faculty or staff member who has made a career-long contribution to the improvement of southeastern Michigan.

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.

Ismael Ahmed, associate provost for Integrated Learning and Community Partnerships, believes UM-Dearborn is the first institution nationwide to establish such a minor. “This is really the only minor that stands on its own in the entire country, so it’s historic,” Ahmed said. “The more cultural competence people have, the more they can work with, do business and live with people in the community. It’s a great opportunity.”

Sally Howell, assistant professor of Arab American studies and history, said she’s already fielded plenty of excitement from students. “The news that we have the minor has already made a big difference,” Howell said. “It’s a mix of humanities, social sciences and behavioral sciences. We’re also going to try and provide some engaged learning classes to coincide with the University’s metropolitan vision. Students will come out of this with a much better idea of Arab American culture and history.”

Bawardi, assistant professor of Arab American studies and history, introduced Arab American studies courses at UM-Dearborn five years ago, two of which will be core offerings for the minor. “Whereas the existing courses attempt to address the breadth of the Arab Americans' complex experiences, the minor will allow us to address specific strands of Arab American life in separate courses, including strengthening links with local institutions and, I hope, translations of untouched Arabic language works that could unlock neglected historiography,” he said.

Student demand, paired with the University’s diverse community, prompted the minor’s inception. “The UM-Dearborn student body is unique in its ethnic composition, providing a sizable pool of potential Arab American studies minors of both Arab and non-Arab backgrounds,” according to the program proposal.

Bawardi contends the Arab American studies minor can benefit students pursuing majors across the board. Whether they’re studying to become a lawyer or an accountant, the minor will help students prepare for a diverse workplace, he said.

Ron Stockton, political science professor, agrees. “This minor will be of great interest to certain types of people, for example, teachers,” Stockton said. “A teacher with Arab American students, or even a teacher with no Arab American students, would find it valuable to know about this community. My own hope is that more non-Arabs sign up for this minor than Arabs. That would be a great success for us as an educational institution.”

Founded in 1959 with a gift of just over 200 acres of land and $6.5 million from the Ford Motor Company, University of Michigan-Dearborn is a metropolitan university serving southeastern Michigan, committed to excellence rooted in strong academics, innovative research and programming and civic engagement. The University has nearly 8,900 students pursuing more than 90 bachelor's, master’s, doctoral and professional degrees in liberal arts and sciences, engineering, business and education.  A top-ranked university with a faculty devoted to teaching, and students committed to achievement, UM-Dearborn has been shaped by its history of partnering with local leaders and communities, and is committed to finding solutions for the challenges that face the region.