February 11, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

McDonald Talks ‘Super Tuesday’ With The Conversation

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Parker’s Hunt for Mary Washington Grave Continues to Make Headlines

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Assistant Professor and Archaeology Director Katherine Parker

Assistant Professor of Historic Preservation Katherine Parker’s work with UMW students to locate Mary Washington’s grave continues to catch media attention.

Mary Washington’s Grave Location a Mystery (Mount Vernon Gazette)
The team was led by historians from Washington Heritage Museums, and a professor from the University of Mary Washington who manned the GSSI Ground Penetrating Radar apparatus to investigate this colonial mystery. Read more.
High-tech hunt for Mary Ball Washington’s grave (Potomac Local)
The exact location of the actual grave remains unknown though, so in steps the GSSI Ground Penetrating Radar apparatus manned by historians from Washington Heritage Museums and a professor from the University of Mary Washington to investigate this colonial mystery. Read more.

Rao Presents at International AI Conference

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Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao

Professor of Communication and Chair of the Department of Communication and Digital Studies Anand Rao

Anand Rao, Chair of Communication and Digital Studies, attended the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI) meeting in Vancouver, Canada, to share research on the development of AI tools to support the teaching of argumentation and debate. He and his co-authors had a poster presentation at the AAI Conference’s AI4Education Workshop titled “Augmented Debate-Centered Instruction: A Novel Research Agenda for Responsible AI Integration in Education.” The paper argues for a debate-centered model of instruction that addresses concerns over assessment and AI reliance while helping students develop critical, durable skills. With presenters from around the world, the workshop focused on bridging innovation and responsibility in AI research. Collaborating organizations at the workshop included  Google Research, DuoLingo, OpenStax, Princeton University, Berkeley – University of California, Rice University, Jinan University, and the University of British Columbia.

A copy of the paper is available at https://www.debaterhub.com/aaai

Farnsworth Shares Primary Predictions on WTOP

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South Carolina primary: Trump beats Haley, but here’s why she’s staying in the GOP race (MarketWatch; Morningstar)
Haley “seems likely to stay in the race regardless of the outcome in South Carolina” because she wants to remain the main Republican alternative to Trump in 2024 or perhaps become the GOP front-runner for 2028, said Stephen Farnsworth, a professor of political science at Virginia’s University of Mary Washington, ahead of Trump’s victory in the Palmetto State.
South Carolina and the GOP Primary Today: What to expect. (CTV News)
“I think we can close the books on this pretty much already,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
Trump compares his legal troubles to the persecution of Alexei Navalny (Fox News)
“From the very start of Trump’s period of time in public life, Donald Trump has been extraordinarily pro-Moscow,” said Stephen Farnsworth.
As National Political Omens Go, Republicans Sought Middle Ground On Abortion In Virginia − And Still Lost The State Legislature (MENAFN)
Polls, including a September 2023 statewide survey by the University of Mary Washington and Research America Inc., demonstrated that Democrats were far more likely to vote based on the abortion question than Republicans were.

Barry Invited to be Marsico Visiting Scholar at Denver University

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Jennifer Barry

Associate Professor of Religious Studies Jennifer Barry

Jennifer Barry, Associate Professor of Religious Studies, was invited to be the 2024, Marsico Visiting Scholar at Denver University. Barry was invited to share material from the next book, meet with both undergraduate and graduate students, and co-teach a course on Gender and Sexuality in Early Christianity.

Barry also recently was honored with a book panel publication. The latest forum on Ancient Jew Review published the entire collection of reviews on Jennifer Barry’s Bishops in Flight: Exile and Displacement in Late Antiquity. The collection can be found here: SBL 2021 Review Panel: Bishops in Flight

Barry is currently on research leave as the 2023-2024 Harvard, Loeb Classical Library Fellow.

 

 

 

Williams Touts Fredericksburg Civil Rights Trail on ‘Town Talk’

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James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams

James Farmer Multicultural Center Assistant Director Chris Williams joined the City of Fredericksburg’s Victoria Matthews in talking about the importance of the Fredericksburg Trail now being part of the U.S. Civil Rights Trail on “Town Talk,” News Talk 1230 WFVA. Listen to the segment.

Cooperman Weighs in on Abortion Issue in Political Campaigns

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Professor and Chair of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman

Professor of Political Science Rosalyn Cooperman shared her expertise on Republican candidates and political leaders in a recent article titled “A presidential rematch — this time with abortion at the forefront.” In the article, Cooperman said, “I don’t know that there’s any real fidelity to any stance on an issue unless it’s perceived to be useful — abortion being one of a very long list. If you look at what he has said over time, it is what is politically expedient.” Read more in the AZ Mirror and on Yahoo News.

Majid Cashes in on Credit Card Expertise With WalletHub

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Associate Professor of Marketing Kashef Majid

Associate Professor of Marketing Kashef Majid

Associate Professor of Marketing Kashef Majid shared his expertise with WalletHub for an article titled “Best Store Credit Cards – Expert Opinions.” In the article, Majid answers questions, including,”Why do store credit cards tend to have lower credit-standing requirements than general-purpose cards with equivalent terms?” The answer, he said, is that “store credit cards are more lucrative for the store. They encourage consumers to shop at the store versus competitors so this is more lucrative for the retailer (in terms of additional sales). If lower credit-standing is offered then it is more likely to encourage consumers to choose the retailer card versus a comparable card.” Read more.

Liss Contributes to Article, ‘Best and Worst States for Women’

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Professor of Psychological Science and Department Chair Miriam Liss

Professor of Psychological Science and Department Chair Miriam Liss

Professor of Psychological Science Miriam Liss shared lessons from her research on happiness in a recent article titled “Best & Worst States for Women 2024.” In the article, Liss said, “Women, like everyone else, should weigh various factors when deciding where to live. This may include employment opportunities for themselves or their spouses, proximity to family, cost of living including housing and childcare expenses, access to outdoor activities, walkability or access to bike paths, availability of a supportive community, and opportunities to form meaningful relationships.” Read more on WalletHub and in the Oakdale Leader.