Dropping names …
Geeta Verma, associate professor in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education in the CU Denver School of Education & Human Development, presented a paper last month at the Korean Association of Science Education in Busan, South Korea. In her presentation, “Enacting Acts of Authentications in an Informal Learning Environment: Opportunities for Creative Engagement,” she discussed a National Science Foundation-funded project, “Dinosaurs, Denver and Climate Change (D2C2).” The project created opportunities to promote STEM education to elementary-aged under-represented students. Students worked closely with scientists (geologists and soil scientists) and science and mathematics educators. … The School of Medicine’s Allison Kempe, professor of pediatrics, and Sean O’Leary, assistant professor of pediatrics, were in high demand last week by the media after releasing a studyregarding parental pressure on physicians to spread out vaccinations. The study, published in the journal “Pediatrics,” found that nearly all pediatricians and providers surveyed had been asked to delay some vaccinations and that a majority of those said they complied with the requests even if they thought it was not in the child’s best interest. Kempe told The New York Times that vaccine counselling needs to be improved to dispel inaccurate information that is causing some parents to ask for the delays. … Rick Silva, director of the CU Technology Transfer Office, has left his position for an opportunity at another academic research institution. To replace him, a search committee will identify finalists for campus visits in April. Kate Tallman, associate vice president for technology transfer, is stepping in as director of the office during the transition. … Gordon Stringer, senior instructor, College of Business at UCCS, and Cathy Thompson, visiting professor at Beth-El College of Nursing and Health Sciences, recently Quality Matters Certification for their online courses. Stringer’s course is FNCE 3050: Fundamentals of Finance, and Thompson’s is NURS 4015: Nursing Research. Quality Matters is a nationally recognized faculty-centered, peer-review process designed to highlight the quality of online courses and components. The Quality Matters rubric is the most widely used set of standards for the design of online and blended courses at the college level. At UCCS, Quality Matters certification is coordinated by the Faculty Resource Center.