Mark Scharf, adjunct instructor of theatre, was an invited guest speaker for Johns Hopkins University’s Witness Theatre on Sept. 20. His seminar covered a general introduction to playwriting, what you can do when you’re stuck writing a play and marketing for playwrights.
John Broome Invited to Present at Education Conference
John 
P. Broome, assistant professor in curriculum & instruction and director of undergraduate secondary education and preK-12 education in the College of Education, has been invited to present his study on civic engagement in an alternative learning environment at the American Montessori Society (AMS) 2013 Annual Conference in Orlando, Florida on March 14th, 2013.
The study entitled, “Reflecting on The Civic Mission of Schools: Lessons from a Montessori Middle School” examined how the Montessori curriculum and educational practices address civic engagement in a U.S. Montessori middle school. He further analyzed how the curriculum compared against U.S. civic education recommendations and investigated students’ observable civic engagement in that environment.
The American Montessori Society (AMS) is the foremost advocate for quality Montessori education in the United States. AMS sets the high professional standards that inform Montessori education as practiced in AMS-accredited schools and taught in AMS-affiliated teacher education programs. Founded in 1960, the organization has nearly 13,000 members worldwide.
UMW Jazz Group Featured at Riverfest
The UMW Jazz group was featured at the Friends of the Rappahannock’s 22nd Annual Riverfest. The group, led by Senior Lecturer Doug Gately on flute, included Professor David Long on drums and Instructor Bruce Middle on guitar. Recent Department of Music graduate Joanna Smith, bass and sophomore Music Major Judi Jackson on vocals. The event raises funds to promote and maintain the water quality and scenic beauty of the Rappahannock River and its tributaries.
For more information:
http://riverfriends.org/Events/Riverfest2012/tabid/91/Default.aspx
Mehdi Aminrazavi Lectures at the Library of Congress
Mehdi Aminrazavi, professor of philosophy and religion, gave the lecture “Reading Omar Khayyam’s Ruba’iyyat within Their Historical Context” at the Library of Congress on Thursday, July 19. The lecture is now available online through the Library of Congress at http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5588.
Curtiss Grymala Educates Baltimore
Curtiss Grymala
On Saturday, Sept. 8, University Webmaster Curtiss Grymala presented his WordPress Multi-Network session to a crowd of about 50 designers, developers and content managers at WordCamp Baltimore. The session was well-received, and a lot of interesting questions were posed throughout.
Grymala will also be presenting this session at WordCamp Detroit on Oct. 6 and at HighEdWeb 2012 on Oct. 8. The slides from Grymala’s presentation can be viewed online, and video of the presentation should be coming soon.
On Sept. 18, Karine Joly of HigherEdExperts and CollegeWebEditor, published a blog post outlining her ten most anticipated, or “must see”, presentations at HighEdWeb 2012. Among the ten sessions chosen by Joly is Curtiss Grymala’s presentation on WordPress Multi Network.
Eric Bonds Publishes Research Article
Eric Bonds
Eric Bonds, assistant professor of sociology and anthropology, recently published an article, entitled “Indirect Violence and Legitimation: Torture, Surrogacy, and the U.S. War on Terror” in the journal Societies Without Borders: Human Rights and the Social Sciences. The article uses data from the Wikileaks “Iraq War Logs” to document the extent of torture practiced by the Iraqi state during the years of the U.S. occupation. In the article, Bonds argues that the U.S. shares responsibility for this torture, despite official efforts to create distance from this violence and deflect blame. The article can be downloaded at: http://societieswithoutborders.com/.
Mark Snyder’s Multimedia Work “Harvey” Performed in Kansas City
Assistant Professor of Music Mark Snyder’s multimedia work Harvey for processed clarinet, electronics and video was performed in Kansas City by the newEar contemporary music ensemble on the opening concert for their 20th season.
The Kansas City Star wrote “Mark Snyder’s Harvey conveys well his shock and incomprehension of the sheer, random brutality of the Harvey family murders in his hometown of Richmond, Virginia in 2005. It’s a tribute to the human capacity to wrestle meaning and even beauty from evil.”
Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2012/09/09/3804779/divergent-dreams-opens-newears.html#storylink=cpy
KC Metropolis wrote: “Simple and moving was Harvey (2008) by Mark Snyder, dedicated to the Harvey family who were victims of a brutal murder spree in Richmond, VA in 2006. This piece featured Aber playing a soft, straightforward melody on clarinet accompanied by electronics that increased the aural depth of the work in all directions. A visual aspect was also incorporated with projected drawings by children among swirling and flickering colors that, coupled with the haunting laughter of kids at play, had a cathartic power even for those not associated with the tragic events that inspired the work.”
Mark Snyder’s Nature Boy Explorer Featured in FLS
Assistant Professor of Music Mark Snyder’s band Nature Boy Explorer is featured in the weekend section of the Free Lance Star.
“The attitude and sound of their songs can shift from ‘testosterone-fueled aggression to soft and delicate.’ And it’s this juxtaposition—the harp in the rock band, the students and the teacher, the atmospheric valleys between the rough-edged ridges of rock ‘n’ roll—that makes Nature Boy Explorer something worth exploring.”
http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/weekender/2012/09/12/sounds-nature-boy-explorer/
The Free Lance Star also reviewed the EP.
“Overall, these four tracks give a great example of what Nature Boy Explorer is. It might still be difficult to understand the music, and even harder to explain it to a friend but it will be clearer. They’re definitely doing something different from most any other band, especially any band around Fredericksburg, and if anything, it’s worth giving the album a listen to be able to sing along at a live show, which is where Nature Boy Explorer really shines.”
http://blogs.fredericksburg.com/therumble/2012/09/12/nature-boy-explorer-ep-review/
Ranjit Singh’s Chapter Appears in New Book
Ranjit Singh
Associate Professor of Political Science Ranjit Singh’s work has recently been published in “The Middle East: Its History and Culture,” edited by Jason Tatlock. The book includes Singh’s chapter, “Dictatorship and Democracy in the Contemporary Middle East.”
The book can be viewed and purchased from the University Press of Maryland at http://www.cdlpress.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=187&osCsid=a28ac9308a7a735b5300806e1ab4f639.
Andréa Livi Smith Presents at International Preservation Conference
Andréa Livi Smith, assistant professor and director of the Center for Historic Preservation, presented two papers at the Preservation Education Conference held in Providence, R.I., Sept. 7-9.
The first paper, entitled “Historic Preservation 101”, discusses curricular and pedagogical issues in the introductory course and is derived from Dr. Smith’s award of the College of Arts and Sciences Curricular Innovation Grant. The second paper, entitled “The Development of a Preservation Planning Board Game” discusses Dr. Smith’s most recent senior-level laboratory project and its effectiveness as a capstone experience.