January 14, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Frankel Quoted on Environmental Impacts by The Bay Net

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Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Tyler Frankel was quoted by The Bay Net in an article entitled “Potomac Riverkeeper Gets Up-Close Look At Crash Aftermath.” The article states: That’s when he called Tyler Frankel, a professor of environmental sciences at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg, VA. Frankel said he was initially so struck by the loss of life that he could hardly think about long-term consequences. But, he noted, Naujoks’s observations “of items covered in fuel two miles downstream clearly show that the contamination release was not limited exclusively to the immediate crash site.” Read the article. 

Erchull Awarded at Association for Women in Psychology Conference

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Professor of Psychological Science Mindy Erchull

Professor of Psychological Science Mindy Erchull

Professor of Psychological Science Mindy Erchull received the 2025 Christine Ladd-Franklin (CLF) award at the Association for Women in Psychology (AWP) conference. The award is named in honor of Christine Ladd-Franklin (1847-1930), an early scientist whose career provided a painful example of the way institutional sexism operated to exclude women from careers in psychology and the sciences. The CLF Award is presented annually by the AWP Implementation Collective to a member who has made significant and extensive contributions to the AWP.

Farnsworth Lectures on Disinformation in US Politics

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Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth

Professor of Political Science Stephen Farnsworth

Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, recently presented a guest online lecture, “Disinformation Discourse in U.S. Politics,” to students at Montclair State University in New Jersey. The talk was derived from portions of Dr. Farnsworth’s recently published co-authored book, Producing News in a Time of Disinformation: Information Evaluation Strategies for Journalists.

In addition, other recent media mentions for Farnsworth include:

From Tariffs to DEI, Trump is shaping Virginia’s campaign for governor (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
“The main thing you want to avoid doing in March is saying things you’ve got to defend in the fall,” said Steve Farnsworth, a political scientist and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg.
https://richmond.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/article_b93fc9ec-feb0-11ef-bb46-87fbdcc13032.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=email&utm_campaign=user-share

Might Trump change the law to run for a third term? (The Independent UK)
“There is zero chance the Constitution will be amended in time for Donald Trump to see a revised version,” Dr. Stephen J. Farnsworth, Professor of Political Science and International Affairs, told The Independent. “It is very hard to change the constitution. It requires two thirds of both houses of Congress, and two thirds of the states to go along,” he added. Read the article.

Virginia’s legislative session is over. Here’s what’s headed to Youngkin (Daily Press; MSN)
“Virginia politics today is very different than a generation ago,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington.
https://www.dailypress.com/2025/02/28/virginia-general-assembly-bills-youngkin-sign-veto/
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/virginia-s-legislative-session-is-over-here-s-what-s-headed-to-youngkin/ar-AA1zZJoG

Tensions escalate as Trump and Zelenskyy clash at White House (CHCH TV Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
“Well, this is really pretty unprecedented. If you look at the way that publicly leaders intereat with each other, even enemies or potential adversaries do not level this kind of verbal combat against each other,” said Stephen Farnsworth. https://www.chch.com/chch-news/tensions-escalate-as-trump-and-zelenskyy-clash-at-white-house/

Commentary: In fight against Trump, D.C. Dems should look to Richmond (Richmond Times-Dispatch)
In the legislative session that concluded Feb. 22, Virginia’s Democratic lawmakers demonstrated that they have something to teach Democratic members of the U.S. Congress about shaping public discourse, promoting their party and fighting back against executive branch power. https://richmond.com/opinion/column/article_f08507e6-f523-11ef-9ad9-87efdc8df0ba.html

Does the number of bills a Virginia delegate passed matter in this fall’s election? (WVTF; WMRA)
University of Mary Washington political science Professor Stephen Farnsworth said getting bills passed, or not passed, can be a campaign message either way. “You can claim credit for introducing an idea even if it goes nowhere,” he said. “And you can blame the other side for standing in the way.” https://www.wvtf.org/news/2025-03-03/does-the-number-of-bills-a-virginia-delegate-passed-matter-in-this-falls-election
https://www.wmra.org/2025-03-03/does-the-number-of-bills-a-virginia-delegate-passed-matter-in-this-falls-election

How federal layoffs could impact Virginia’s governor’s race (NBC Washington 4)
“Well, the good news for Republicans is that the election is still a long way away. A lot can happen between February and November,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/president-trump-politics/how-federal-layoffs-could-impact-virginias-governors-race/3854952/?_branch_match_id=1378046433189259489&utm_medium=share&_branch_referrer=H4sIAAAAAAAAA8soKSkottLXz0tKLk8szsjMSy%2FJz9NLLCjQy8nMy9ZPL3NJriryzM4JSrKvK0pNSy0qAiqJTyrKLy9OLbJ1zijKz00FALsjenJEAAAA

Democratic Lawmakers Send Youngkin Same Minimum Wage Bill He Vetoed Last Year (Williamsburg Yorktown Daily)
“The minimum wage debate has been one of the more controversial issues in Virginia in the last several years,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “You see significant public support for increasing the minimum wage, but you also see some resistance in the business community to higher minimum wages.” https://wydaily.com/latest/2025/02/28/democratic-lawmakers-send-youngkin-same-minimum-wage-bill-he-vetoed-last-year/

Democratic lawmakers send Youngkin minimum wage bill — again (Rappahannock News)
“The minimum wage debate has been one of the more controversial issues in Virginia in the last several years,” said Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor and director of the Center for Leadership and Media Studies at the University of Mary Washington. “You see significant public support for increasing the minimum wage, but you also see some resistance in the business community to higher minimum wages.”
https://www.rappnews.com/news/government/democratic-lawmakers-send-youngkin-minimum-wage-bill-again/article_1a219dfe-f4a6-11ef-9e85-9ffc0c1d8321.html

Szulczewski and Grothe Quoted on NOAA, NWS Cuts for FXBG Advance

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Associate Professors of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski

Associate Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski

Professors of Earth and Environmental Sciences Melanie Szulczewski and Pamela R. Grothe were quoted by the Fredericksburg Advance in an article entitled “How Will NOAA, NWS Cuts Affect Our Region?”

In the article, it says “Many people are not aware that it is actually NOAA that is in charge of protecting all marine species on the Endangered Species List, such as the Atlantic sturgeon, marine mammals (like dolphins), and sea turtles that all spend time in the Bay,” said Dr. Melanie Szulczewski — an associate professor or earth and environmental sciences at the University of Mary Washington — in an email to the Advance.

Assistant Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences Pamela Grothe

Dr. Pamela R. Grothe, also an associate professor of earth and environmental sciences at Mary Washington, formerly worked at the NOAA building in Boulder, Colorado. “There are so many functions that NOAA serves to protect our coasts and keep communities and people safe,” she wrote the Advance in an email.

Read the article.

 

Kahn Talks Eagles Basketball with D3Hoops and ESPN Richmond 106.1 FM

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Men’s Head Basketball Coach Marcus Kahn

Men’s Head Basketball Coach and Senior Lecturer in Athletics Marcus Kahn was on the radio airwaves this week talking with ESPN Richmond 106.1 FM and D3hoops to discuss Eagles basketball. The pieces covered the team’s early struggles and resiliency in February which sparked their NCAA Tournament run, the youth of the Eagles, and how the veteran leadership of players Zack Blue and Cam McCravy prepared the team for a deep run into March.

Kahn was also quoted by D3hoops in an article titled “Eagles Still in Flight,” saying “As coaches we understand the process,” says Kahn. “We knew we had a young team and we were waiting for it to start clicking. The problem was the strength of schedule; every mistake we made, teams took advantage of it. We were getting exposed in all 25 games, but we were learning from it.” Read the article. 

Other media mentions for Kahn include:

Cinderella Eagles look to continue improbable run in Sweet 16 (Fredericksburg Free Press)
“It’s their experience,” Kahn said.  “We’re such a young team overall that we’ve been learning a lot on the fly, and that led to our weaknesses getting exposed earlier in the season.  But the young guys have been able to lean on Zack and Cameron because they’ve been here before and know what to expect, and that kind’ve helped us stay the course through the ups and downs.” Read the article.

UMW Men’s Basketball Tops Ramapo in NCAA Tournament 2nd Round (D3hoops.com)
“It’s awesome,” said UMW head coach Marcus Kahn. “To get into the tournament, and have the opportunity to keep playing with these guys… to survive and advance in this environment here is a testament to the schedule we played this year, and to have freshmen on the floor in key moments in this game, it’s just awesome.” https://www.d3hoops.com/seasons/men/2024-25/contrib/20250308h70pn9

 

Dhar Attends NAEE Conference in Philadelphia

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Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar in Philadelphia at the NAEE Spring Conference

Associate Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar in Philadelphia at the NAEE Spring Conference

Associate Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar attended the National Association of Economic Educators (NAEE) Spring Conference 2025 at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia, where she connected with fellow economic education leaders, shared best practices, and explored innovative strategies to enhance economics and financial literacy in K-12 education.

As the Director of the UMW Center for Economic Education, Dhar is committed to bringing new insights and resources to local K-12 educators, empowering students with the knowledge they need for financial success. She is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with passionate professionals dedicated to strengthening economic education.

Larus Comments on Japan Prime Minister’s White House Visit by BBC Chinese

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Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus

Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus

Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Larus, who is nonresident senior fellow at the Atlantic Council’s Global China Center and Indo-Pacific Security Initiative commented to BBC Chinese on Japan PM Shigeru Ishiba’s White House visit. Professor Larus indicated that meeting with Trump gave Ishiba “face” following his party’s poor showing in recent elections, raising his political image. At the meeting, the US and Japan agreed that China is their most intractable strategic rival in the Indo-Pacific region. Read the article.

Other media mentions for Larus include:

Trump Reshapes U.S. Military Leadership in Major Overhaul (NewsX World)
Larus participated in a panel discussion on President Trump’s overhaul of U.S. Military Leadership. Professor Larus noted that not only was Trump removing senior officers but is seeking a new crop of JAG officers, the military lawyers who represent the legal interests of soldiers. https://youtu.be/oqJ6Ti95JFY?si=cAepsITFZkE2Q3e6

Taiwan Investigates Damage to Undersea Cable (Deutsche Welle)
Larus commented on Germany’s Deutsche Welle on sabotage of Taiwan’s undersea cable. Professor Larus indicated that China was likely to have carried out the severing of the cable, as it had several times before. She also claimed that the act was consistent with China’s “gray zone” activities that fall short of war, and that non-kinetic attacks, such as those against lines of communication and infrastructure, presage kinetic attacks. https://www.dw.com/en/taiwan-investigates-damage-to-undersea-cable/video-71749946

Need for Synchronous and Flexible Policies (Vietnam News)
Larus was interviewed by Vietnam News on President Trump’s immigration policy. Among other comments, Professor Larus indicated that Trump had campaigned on a promise to stem the flow of illegal immigration to the United States through the southern border and that his policies are carrying through on that promise. https://vnews.gov.vn/video/the-gioi-hom-nay-can-chinh-sach-dong-bo-va-linh-hoat-151583.htm

US-Russian Officials Meet In Saudi As EU Leaders Meet In Paris (NewsX World)
Larus offered commentary to NewsX on US-Russia talks in Saudi Arabia on ending the Ukraine War. Professor Larus indicated that Russia is willing to negotiate bilaterally with the US rather than multilaterally with Europe because Putin feels he can get the best deal with Trump. https://youtu.be/7Vq9zSWkBW0

Israel Accuses Hamas of Ceasefire Violation Over Misidentified Captive (NewsX World)
Larus commented to India’s NewsX on the ceremony that Hamas conducted at the handover of Israeli hostages’ remains. Professor Larus indicated that the ceremony, marked with music and parading of the remains and attended by thousands of Hamas supporters, was a demonstration of both hate and power. Even the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia condemned it as cruel and inhumane and a disgrace to Islam. https://youtu.be/L2eJLRgj0CM

Indian Prime Minister Visits the White House (Times of India)
Larus offered continuous commentary on Indian Prime Minister Modi’s January 20, 2025 visit to the White House, indicating that “President Trump would like more hi-tech cooperation with India, recognizing that developing new technology is important to the military calculus in the Indo-Pacific.” https://x.com/TimesNow/status/1890132213976432869

Davidson Comments on Zelensky’s NATO Proposal for ZDFhuete

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Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson

Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Jason Davidson was quoted by ZDFheute in Germany in a feature story entitled “What Zelensky’s NATO proposal means.” The article states, “Jason W. Davidson, professor of security policy at the University of Mary Washington in Virginia, also stated in an interview with ZDFheute that admitting Ukraine into NATO – only in the form of the territory it currently controls – would be risky. “Given that Putin is seeking control over the whole of Ukraine and will not stop until he gains this control.” Read the article.

In addition, other recent media mentions for Davidson include:

US researcher: Europe must take responsibility for its own security (Latvian Public Media)
https://www.lsm.lv/raksts/zinas/arzemes/13.02.2025-asv-petnieks-eiropai-pasai-jauznemas-atbildiba-par-drosibu.a587755/

Dhar and UMW Economics Students Present Research at Conference in NYC

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Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar and UMW students Ryan Meyer and Vanessa Wu present at the IPE conference in NYC.

Associate Professor of Economics Amrita Dhar and UMW Economics students Vanessa Wu and Ryan Meyer recently had the  opportunity to present their research at the Issues in Political Economy (IPE) conference, a two-day event held at the Sheraton Times Square Hotel in New York City.

Vanessa Wu presents her research on Air Pollution and Healthcare Costs.

Wu presented her research “Air Pollution and Healthcare Costs” while Meyer shared his study “A Panel Data Analysis of the Three-Pointer and Winning Percentages in the NBA.” In addition to presenting their own work, both students had the unique opportunity to serve as discussants, providing thoughtful feedback on research papers presented by other students from colleges and universities across the country.

Meyer shares his study: A Panel Data Analysis of the Three-Pointer and Winning Percentages in the NBA.

 

According to Meyer “The conference was a fantastic experience, allowing us to engage with other young, motivated scholars, exchange ideas, and gain valuable insights into the research process. Beyond the academic experience, we also had the chance to network with fellow students, economists and explore New York City!”