From research to presentations to news features, our faculty are doing exciting things! Here’s a look at a few highlights:
Professor Gary Gibbs (History) published a viewpoint essay, “Parish Studies and Medieval and Early Modern London History,” in The London Journal. The essay explores the past and present state of research in the field and offers arguments for topics of future inquiry. The essay appears both in print and online. The online version has been accessed over 400 times by people located in the UK, U.S., Ireland, Canada, New Zealand, Austria, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Belarus, India, China, Japan, and Indonesia.
Associate Professor Laura Hartman (Environmental Studies) was featured in an episode of Parking Reform Network, where she discussed the unexpected role of church parking lots in land use, regulations and affordable housing. Her interview drew connections between the environmental and religious significance of church parking, as well as her interest in the broader moral and ethical issues surrounding transportation today.
Assistant Professor Karin Carneal (formerly Kaerwer) (Education) was presented with the Virginia English Writing Award from the Virginia English Journal for a 2024 article she co-authored critically analyzing the impact of LGBTQ policies on classrooms in rural Virginia. Carneal also presented her co-authored research on Black Feminist Pedagogy at the National Women's Studies Association Conference in Puerto Rico and the National Council for Social Studies Educators in Washington D.C. this year.
Associate Professor Richard Keithley (Chemistry) was selected to present at an American Chemical Society meeting in Washington, D.C. His work, "Detection of caffeic acid by fast-scan cyclic voltammetry," used a new technique to more accurately measure essential, naturally occurring chemicals in plants.
Lecturer Md Tajuddin Khan (Economics) co-authored recent research published in Energy Economics and Earth Systems and Environment. His work examines how factors such as access to electricity in rural Bangladesh and groundwater risks in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam shape people’s daily lives and economic well-being.
Professor Edward Nik-Khah (Economics), who is a visiting scholar this fall at Duke University’s Center for the History of Political Economy, was invited to present at an international conference in Geneva focused on addressing climate change. His presentation drew from the history of market design to help explain the recent failures of market engineering to stem the climate crisis.
Professor DB Poli (Biology and Cannabis Studies) was quoted in a High Times article offering expert insight into the rise of cannabis education in the United States. Poli explained how formalizing cannabis as an academic discipline helps students gain a more rigorous understanding of the science, history and social impact of the plant.