May 14, 2026

EagleEye

A Newsletter for UMW Faculty and Staff

Harris Named AAM Accreditation Commissioner

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University of Mary Washington Museums Executive Director Scott Harris

University of Mary Washington Museums Executive Director Scott Harris

Executive Director of Museums Scott Harris has been appointed one of six new accreditation commissioners by the American Alliance of Museums. Read more.

Harris also recently published a piece titled  “President William Howard Taft’s Wild Ride from Washington, D.C., to the Manassas Peace Jubilee” in White House History Quarterly. The article retraces Taft’s harrowing adventure from Washington, D.C., to Manassas, Virginia, for the 1911 Manassas Peace Jubilee. Harris details the many challenges President Taft encountered on this journey including his surviving Virginia’s muddy and flooded roads while making his way from the White House to the countryside to address Civil War veterans gathered at the 1911 Peace Jubilee. Read more.

Bales Covers Bases in Presentation About Baseball History

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Reference and Humanities Librarian Emeritus Jack Bales

Reference and Humanities Librarian Emeritus Jack Bales

Reference and Humanities Librarian Emeritus Jack Bales will present a virtual talk about baseball history and true crime on Tuesday, Sept. 26, at 6 p.m. central, at the LaSalle Public Library in Illinois. The presentation is titled “No Shrinking Violet: Violet Popovich and the Chicago Cub Shot for Love.” Bales’ lengthy career in librarianship included more than 40 years at UMW. Read more.

Larus Comments on WION News About BRICS Summit

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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 Freund Larus, an adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum, commented to WION News that the expansion of the BRICS club of emerging economies benefits China. Most of the new members are participants of China’s Belt and Road Initiative, who are likely to support China in any initiatives Beijing favors. Larus also stated that Chinese leader Xi Jinping desires to turn the club into an intergovernmental forum able to challenge the G7 group of Western governments. Watch the segment.

Other recent media mentions and professional highlights for Larus include:
  • Larus Comments to BBC Chinese on Arms Transfers to Taiwan: Elizabeth Freund Larus, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and Adjunct Fellow at Pacific Forum, commented to BBC Chinese on Biden’s transfer of US military arms to Taiwan using Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA). Professor Larus indicated that providing Taiwan with defensive weapons is consistent with the 1979 Taiwan Relations Act, which legally requires the US to help Taiwan defend itself. However, this is the first time that a US president has transferred arms to Taiwan using PDA, allowing the US to pull weapons directly from Department of Defense inventories. Professor Larus claimed that China certainly will retaliate against Taiwan for Biden’s move. August 1, 2023. Read more.
  • Is it time for the US to abandon its one China Policy?: Elizabeth Freund Larus, Ph.D., Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs and 2022 Pew Davis Fellow for Peace at Middlebury College, offered the bilingual guest lecture “美國取消一個中國政策的時候到了嗎？” (“Is it time for the US to abandon its one China Policy?”) to faculty and students at the Middlebury College Chinese Language School, August 1, 2023. Professor Larus explained the origins of the policy, taking care to distinguish it from Beijing’s one China principle. The difference between the US policy and China’s principle has been the cause of much confusion and disagreement between the two countries. Professor Larus also explained why it is becoming harder for Washington and Beijing to agree to disagree over the status of Taiwan.

Professor Elizabeth Freund Larus Speaks on PDA Military Transfer to BBC Chinese

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Professor Emerita of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Freund Larus, who also is an adjunct fellow at Pacific Forum, an expert on China issues at the Pacific Forum, an American diplomatic think tank, told BBC Chinese that although the plan to use the PDA military transfer to Taiwan is in line with the US One China Policy, it shows that The U.S. seeks a peaceful resolution of Taiwan’s status, but that could hinder progress in U.S.-China relations. Read more.

Farnsworth Considers Impacts in Elections This Year

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Stephen Farnsworth, professor of Political Science and director of the University’s Center for Leadership and Media Studies, commented on divided government in an off-off year in The Connection Newspapers, and looked at how a long-standing labor law in Virginia could impact elections this year. He also talked about how other states are having an impact on Virginia Elections, and provided expertise on presidential candidates. Read more.

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-10/how-a-long-standing-labor-law-in-virginia-could-impact-elections-this-year

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-11/other-states-are-having-an-impact-on-virginia-elections

https://www.voanews.com/a/authenticity-charisma-count-for-us-presidential-candidates/7216901.html

https://www.theusnews.com/news/273926886/authenticitycharisma-count-forus-presidentialcandidates

https://www.wvtf.org/news/2023-08-09/abortion-is-likely-to-be-a-top-issue-on-the-campaign-trail-this-fall

 

 

Frankel Provides Plenary Talk for FMC R&D Expo

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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 invited to provide the opening plenary talk at the FMC Corporation R&D Expo in June 2023. Held at the Delaware Stine Research Facility, this two-day event gathered FMC scientists from around the world to learn about the latest innovations, share ideas and celebrate the company’s achievements. Frankel’s talk, titled “Developing and Applying Sensitive Methods To Assess Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals,” provided an overview of his ecotoxicology program over the last decade and highlighted the exciting research and collaborations currently being conducted alongside undergraduates at the University of Mary Washington. Dr. Frankel is also a recipient of the 2022 FMC New Investigator Award, which provides $50,000 in funds to support his research program.

Davidson Talks Alliances on WHRO Radio

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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 featured by WHRO Public Media in a With Good Reason Radio show segment titled “Entangling Alliances.” George Washington famously warned against the dangers of alliances in his Farewell Address, but Davidson said that despite Washington’s misgivings, America has relied on foreign alliances throughout its history. Hear the broadcast.