Professional Activities

Recognition

Claire Bunch has been named Coordinator of Special Projects and Fellows Outreach for the Center for California Studies at Sacramento State. She was previously Program Assistant for the Center’s Executive Fellowship Program and later the Judicial Administrative Fellowship Program. Her primary responsibility in her new position will be to develop, coordinate and implement outreach efforts for the Capital Fellows program. She will also organize the Center’s annual Envisioning California conference. Bunch holds a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from CSU Fresno.

Scholarship

Dave Zuckerman, Communication Studies, had his book chapter “To argue you have no opinion is to insult people: Gebserian analysis of identity in Northern Ireland” published in Communication, Comparative Cultures, and Civilization Annual, Volume 1. He has been appointed editor of the book Communication, Comparative Cultures, and Civilization Annual, Volume 2. He also presented “Questioning the dialogue: A Gebserian interrogation of mainstream intercultural adaptation theories,” “Creating and Maintaining Identity; Semiotic Analyses of Popular Culture,” and “Contextual Patterns and Resources: Competitive Papers in Language and Social Interaction” at the National Communication Association convention in Boston in November. He presented “Chaos/Magic/Order: Valencia, CA and the ex-nihilo creation of nostalgia” at the Jean Gebser Society annual meeting in Houston in October. He also presented the invited lecture, “Corporate Creation of Nostalgia” at Royal Roads University, Victoria, BC, Canada, on Dec. 21.

Terry A. Thomas and Glenda Thomas, College of Education, were members of a people-to-people ambassador delegation to visit schools in the People’s Republic of China in December. The delegation, led by the president of the National Association for Gifted Children, conducted professional seminars with their Chinese counterparts from schools and colleges serving gifted and talented youth. Stops included Beijing, Nanjing, and Shanghai.

In the News

David J. Leon, Chicano Studies/Ethnic Studies, was interviewed for a KVIE documentary focused on the Bracero Program which brought 4 to 5 million Mexicans to work in America's fields from 1942-64. He was also interviewed for an article on Latino politics for the Lodi News-Sentinel.

Michelle Renee Matisons, Women's Studies, had a guest editorial in the Oct. 20 Sacramento News and Review, about one of her students and affordable housing.

Amy Qiaoming Liu, Sociology, was quoted in the Oct. 7 Sacramento Business Journal about political fundraising for newcomers.

Winston Lancaster, Biology, was mentioned in the Oct. 21 Sacramento Bee for his involvement with the North American Symposium on Bat Research. Lancaster hosted the event which drew more than 300 scientists from around the world.

Sanjay Varshney, Dean of the College of Business Administration, was quoted in the Oct. 18 Sacramento Bee about the strength of the nation's economy, despite of rising gas and oil prices. Varshney also was featured in the September Sacramento magazine's “Upfront” section.

Stephanie Ewing, Dining Services, was interviewed for a Sacramento Bee article about the popularity of flaxseed.

David Bell, English, was quoted in the Oct. 23 Sacramento Bee on perceptions of a media double-standard for government officials when they give speeches and articulate ideas in a manner that they otherwise would not.

Dennis Tootelian, Marketing, was quoted in the Sacramento Bee on Oct. 30 about efforts small businesses make to compete with chain businesses. He was also quoted in the Nov. 4 Sacramento Bee on the sale of the Florin Mall and the possible reluctance of retailers to lease space and in the Sept. 17 Sacramento Bee on computer hackers' inclination to target smaller businesses.

Stephen Blumberg and Daniel Kennedy, Music, were featured in the Oct. 30 Sacramento Bee on their involvement with the Festival of New American Music.

Carol Hayashino, Vice President for University Advancement, was quoted in the Oct. 20 Sacramento Bee about the Green and Gold Gala.

Robert Fountain, President’s Office, was quoted in the Oct. 21 Sacramento Business Journal on a surge of office leasing. He was quoted in the Nov. 4 Sacramento Business Journal on rising building costs for local schools and public works projects because of Hurricane Katrina.

Andrew Connelly, Art, was featured in the Oct. 21 Sacramento Business Journal for his involvement with two local firms in the creative development of the Upper East Side Lofts.

Barbara O’Connor, Communication Studies, was quoted in: the Nov. 20 Sacramento Bee on the leadership qualities of Sacramento City manager Bob Thomas; the Nov. 4 Santa Ana Orange County Register on the effectiveness of cartoon characters in Internet advertising for the special election; the Nov. 10 San Mateo Daily News and in the Nov. 10 New York Times on what the special election defeat means for Gov. Schwarzenegger; the Nov. 7 Los Angeles Times on Proposition 73; the Nov. 10 Pleasanton Valley Times and Pinole West County Times on voter turnout for the special election; the Nov. 5 San Luis Obispo Tribune on the controversy surrounding Prop 73; the Nov. 6 Fremont Argus on what the passage of Proposition 75 would mean for labor unions; the Nov. 7 Woodland Hills Daily News on California voters' outlook on the special election; the Nov. 6 Honolulu Star on what the future holds for Gov. Schwarzenegger and how he can reclaim his popularity.

Rosemary Papa, Center for Teaching and Learning, was featured in the Nov. 5 Sacramento Bee about a photography show promoting adoption.

Kevin Wehr, Sociology, was quoted in the Nov. 7 Sacramento Bee on the legitimacy of generation labels such as "baby boomers" and "Generation X."

Kristin Van Gaasbeck, Economics, was quoted in the November issue of Prosper magazine on the importance of diversifying when investing and the risks involved with small-cap stocks.

Nick Trujillo, Communication Studies, was quoted in the Nov. 10 Sacramento Bee on the ramifications of a demeaning video about the city of Detroit played at Arco Arena before a Kings game.

Robert Waste, Public Policy Administration, is quoted in the Nov. 13 Sacramento Bee about the power of Davis voters.