Dr. Mariela Méndez, Associate Professor of Latin American, Latino, and Iberian Studies and Women, Gender and Sexuality Studies discusses her new book, Crónicas Travestis: The Transgressive Journalism of Alfonsina Storni, Clarice Lispector and María Moreno, published recently by Beatriz Viterbo Editora. In this book, Dr. Méndez illuminates the ingenious and calculated “transvestite” strategies deployed in the journalism and cultural activity of Storni, Lispector, and Moreno to expose and challenge the sexual gender norms of their times.

Dr. Della Dumbaugh, Professor of Mathematics and Mathematics Coordinator at the University of Richmond, and Basel Arafat, a senior studying mathematics, computer science and cognitive science, discuss a recent

co-authored article entitled, “The Genesis of Americanmathematics.org: A Global Classroom Experience” in the August/September 2019 issue of MAA (Mathematical Association of America) Focus. The article describes the development of American mathematics.org, a website dedicated to American mathematics.

Dr. Ashley Austin, Assistant Professor of Accounting, discusses

a recent article in Contemporary Accounting Research, entitled “Improving Auditors’ Consideration of Evidence Contradicting Management’s Estimate Assumptions.” Dr. Austin’s research interests involve using experimental methods to understand and improve auditors’ judgments and decision making, with a focus on how to motivate auditors to exercise professional skepticism and be alert to fraud throughout the audit.

Dr. Elisabeth Gruner, Associate Professor of English, discusses her new book, Constructing the Adolescent Reader in Contemporary Young Adult Fiction, published recently by Palgrave Macmillan. The book considers a range of contemporary titles in order to explore the types of reading sparked through various forms of adolescent fiction.

Dr. Julie Pollock, Assistant Professor of Chemistry in the School of Arts

and Sciences, discusses “Synthesis and characterization of hydrogen peroxide activated estrogen receptor beta ligands,” an article that she and her students recently published in Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry.  Dr. Pollock’s lab utilizes chemical biology techniques, biochemical methods, and organic synthesis to understand breast cancer and lung cancer development and progression. In particular, they are interested in nuclear receptor function, phosphorylation signaling pathways, and the link between cancer and inflammation.

Dr. Holly Blake, Director of the WILL* program and Associate Dean for Outreach Education and Development, and Dr. Melissa Ooten, Associate Director of the WILL* Program and gender research specialist, discuss their new book, Audacious Voices : Profiles in Intersectional Feminism, published recently by She Writes Press. The book is a collection of twelve stories from WILL* alums. WILL* is a nationally recognized program for students interested in exploring gender through an intersectional lens, both in and out of the classroom. Students strengthen their leadership skills as they actively work to create a more equitable world.

Dr. Kevin Cruz, Assistant Professor of Management in the Robins School of Business, discusses his recent article, “Perceptions of psychological contract breach and perceptions of co-worker exclusion: The moderating effects of collectivism and individualism,” in Occupational Health Science. Dr. Cruz’s

research interests focus on employee – employer relationships, employee – team relationships and employee – co-worker relationships.

Dr. Wade Downey, Professor of Chemistry in the School of Arts and Sciences, and his student lab group study the ability of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate (TMSOTf) to mediate new reactivity or increase the efficiency of known reactions. The most likely downstream application of this new chemistry is in the fields of pharmaceuticals, pesticides, and herbicides. In 2018 he co-authored two articles, along with his students, in both the Journal of Organic Chemistry and Tetrahedron Letters.

Dr. Bob Spires, Assistant Professor of Education in the School of

Professional and Continuing Studies, discusses a recent article in Youth Voice Journal, entitled “Hong Kong Youth Identity and Self-presentation in the New Territories: A Qualitative Study on Letters from Youth and Teachers to an NGO Internship Program.” Dr. Spires’ research interests include international non-formal education through charities, non-profits and NGOs, as well as social justice-related issues impacting teacher training.

Dr. Lauren Tilton, Assistant Professor of Digital Humanities in the Department of Rhetoric & Communication Studies discusses her work with Photogrammar, a web-based platform for organizing, searching and visualizing the 170,000 photographs from 1935 – 1945 by the United States Farm Security Administration and Office of War Information. Dr. Tilton also serves as co-director of Photogrammer.

.