YSU Excellence at Work: Faculty and staff scholarly achievements

Publications

Dana Sperry, associate professor of Digital Media, has released a self-guided audio walk titled, The Why Here: 1877 Railroad Strike. The walk examines the physical and intellectual connections between the largely forgotten 1877 railroad strike in Pittsburgh and technology advancements currently taking place just blocks away by big tech corporations such as Uber. “I’m not a historian, but I like to think of how history dovetails into technology and how it affects us at different intersections of life,” Sperry said. Sperry earned a bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Painting/Sculpture, a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy from Southern Methodist University and a master of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture/Digital Media from Indiana University. Listen. 

Amy Laurel Fluker, assistant professor of History, has published two articles related to the Civil War: "'The Recuperative Powers of Missouri:' The Civil War and Reconciliation in a Border State," in Missouri Historical Review, and "Union, Loyalty, and Patriotic Sacrifice in the Civil War North" in The New England Quarterly. The first article explores the challenges faced by Missouri's veterans as they struggled to reconcile in the aftermath of the Civil War, and the second is an essay about how politics, gender, race and ethnicity shaped the experiences of Northerners in the conflict. Fluker earned a bachelor’s degree from Westminster College in Missouri and master’s and PhD degrees from the University of Mississippi, all in American History. She joined the YSU faculty in 2018.
 

ACRONYM, a baroque string band founded by Kivie Cahn-Lipman, assistant professor in the Dana School of Music, has released its 10th CD, titled Cantica Obsoleta. “For this recording, we searched this treasure trove of 17th-century music for the most beautiful and fascinating works available,” said Cahn-Lipman, who holds degrees from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music, The Juilliard School and the University of Cincinnati. “It is likely the first time any of these ‘forgotten songs’ have been heard in hundreds of years.” The disc includes music from the Düben Collection, consisting of 2,300 manuscripts assembled by composers who served as Kapellmeister (“chapel master” or director of music) to the Royal Swedish Court in Stockholm. Cahn-Lipman, a cellist, appears on more than 40 recordings and has performed frequently in Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and other major venues on four continents. He joined the YSU faculty in 2017. Listen.

Mollie Hartup, instructor and coordinator of Student Development and Retention in the YSU Honors College, published  “Life Interrupted—Finding the Good, Despite the Challenges, in the Pandemic as a Professional” in the Western ABC Bulletin, a publication of the Western Region Association for Business Communication. Hartup, former editor of the YSU Magazine, is currently pursuing a PhD in Communication and Information at Kent State University. Her research explores communicative practices in organizations that foster and inhibit knowledge exchange. The article discusses the work the Honors College did to help support students early on in the pandemic.  

Paul Louth, associate professor of Music and coordinator of Music Education in the Dana School of Music, published “Emphasis and Suggestion versus Musical Taxidermy: Neoliberal Contradictions, Music Education and the Knowledge Economy” in Philosophy of Music Education Review. The article analyzes the creeping influence of standardization in music education. Louth holds bachelor’s degrees in Music Performance and Education from the University of Toronto and a master’s and PhD in Music Education from the University of Western Ontario.

Robert J. Korenic, associate professor and program coordinator of Civil and Construction Engineering Technology, published "Case Study: Urban Revival and Appropriate Storm Water Management"  in the Journal of Sustainability Education Water and Climate Issue (March 2020).

Presentations

Sarah Jenyk, instructor of Economics, presented “Economics (In)Action: Revamping a Survey of Economics Course” at EconEd in New Orleans. Jenyk, who earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Economics from YSU, was a research assistant at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland and an economic assistant for the Bureau of Labor Statistics before joining the YSU faculty in 2011. Watch.

Caroline Oltmanns, professor of Piano in the YSU Dana School of Music, was among 13 international performers who took part in UNICEF’s virtual benefit Concert for Children. Other performers included YSU alums Sophie van der Westhuizen, MM Music Performance, 2003, South Africa;, and Pierre van der Westhuizen, MM Music Performance, 2003, South Africa, director of the Gilmore Festival.

Michelle Nelson, professor of Graphic Design, and Ryan Geilhard, director of IT Infrastructure Services, participated in a webinar series hosted by the Mahoning County Educational Service Center Career Counselors. More than 550 students logged into the Virtual Career Exploration webinars. 

Carla Mattiussi, Career Development coordinator in the YSU Office of Career and Academic Advising, presented "Remote Work and Evolving Trends: A guide to looking for remote work, working remotely and employer trends in telecommuting" as part of the virtual Alumni Lecture Series.