University Collective
Dr. Pat LeMay Burr
Dr. Pat LeMay Burr, Distinguished Chair in International Business, has been appointed to the Fulbright Program’s Senior Specialist Review Committee for recommendation of Fulbright Awards by professional and academic applicants in the U.S. She is one of 12 business faculty members in the U.S. who serve on the Review Committee and is UIW's first appointee to this Committee. Of Burr’s four Fulbright Awards, her most recent, Senior Specialist Award, was hosted by The Ton Duc Thang University in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, where she worked with government officials on the country’s 10-year economic plan for poverty reduction. The Fulbright Review Committee is assigned to work in subcommittees to hold timely conference calls. Review is primarily done online because applicants are required to apply online.
Raul Rodriguez, chairman of RMI, an investment and trade consulting firm in Mexico with projects in Latin America, China, the U.S. and Europe, was named the UIW Tom Benson Chair of Banking and Finance. In the spring, Rodriguez served as managing director and CEO of the North American Development Bank (NADBank) until October 2005. The bank is capitalized and governed equally by the United States and Mexico for the purpose of financing infrastructure and providing technical assistance and training for community development along the U.S. - Mexico border.
Ambassador Dr. James F. Creagan has joined the UIW community as the Amy Freeman Lee Chair in Arts and Humanities to teach political science. Creagan served as the U.S. Ambassador to Honduras under the Clinton administration. The Amy Freeman Lee Chair is a teaching position bestowed on an individual that has a proven dedication to the field of liberal arts and an interest in interdisciplinary and multicultural studies. Prior to joining UIW, Creagan served as the Kellogg Professor at his alma mater, Notre Dame University, and as president of John Cabot University in Rome, Italy.
Dr. Michael McGuire, professor of economics, was honored with the 2006 CCVI Spirit Award as part of the university’s Incarnate Word Day celebration. The CCVI Spirit Award is given annually to one member of the UIW community whose life embodies the spirit of service of the founding sisters. The recipient is selected by a committee of faculty and administrators, including previous CCVI winners. This year’s honoree has been teaching at UIW since 1987 and has taught at the collegiate level for 30 years. McGuire has received numerous accolades and grants over the years including being awarded a Title V International Travel and Research Grant to work in Mexico. Since the summer of 1991 he has been a visiting professor of economics for the master of business administration program for the Universidad Centroamericana José Simeón Cañas (UCA), San Salvador, El Salvador.
Dr. Richard Peigler
Dr. Richard Peigler, associate professor of biology, is conducting field work in Australia this summer, leading several students in conducting biology and engineering research.
Dr. Neeta Singh, associate professor of nutrition, is performing nutrition service and research in Tanzania in association with the Women’s Global Connection.
Dr. Sara Kerr, professor of biology, was reappointed to a three-year term as Sr. Joseph Marie Armer Chair for Biology, allowing her to continue internationally recognized research in disease transmission and prevention.
Dr. Suk Bin Kong, professor of chemistry, is serving an extended 10-week summer fellowship at the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Philadelphia research site. Joining him are two senior students who received UIW’s first summer internships at the USDA.
Dr. Elizabeth Kreston
Dr. Elizabeth Kreston, associate professor of mathematics, continues to represent UIW in the local BRIDGE (Bringing together Resources in Industry, Development, Government, and Education) initiative. The program, sponsored by the University of Texas at San Antonio, is comprised of faculty and administrators at local universities and public schools and members from industry and government. Its focus is to unify math support and promote a stronger foundation of math skills in the community.
Dr. Pat Gower, associate professor of history, received a grant from Humanities Texas to begin a website and online journal on San Antonio history that can be viewed at: The Journal of Life and Culture in San Antonio: www.uiw.edu/sanantonio/
Miguel Cortinas, assistant professor of art, is presenting “Recent Works by Miguel Cortinas, A One Person Exhibit” at the Semmes Art Gallery on the UIW campus June 1 – August 31. A closing reception will be held Thursday, August 31, from 5 – 7 p.m.
Dr. Bill Thomann
Dr. Bill Thomann, professor of geology, and Alex Garcia, adjunct instructor and FOX29 meteorologist, hosted the Alamo Area Skywarn Training Conference this spring. The conference trained about 100 participants from diverse local groups, from law enforcement to municipal officials and amateur radio operators, about how to recognize weather-related threats and coordinate interactions with the National Weather Service.
Dr. Emily Clark, assistant professor of English, and Dr. Scott Dittloff, associate professor of political science, attended the Caribbean Studies Association annual meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad, on May 28-June 3. Clark presented her paper, “Derek Wolcott: Borderless Politics and Post-colonialism.” Dittloff presented his paper, “Borderless Politics: “Derek Walcott’s Omeros and Post-colonialism.”
Dr. Doug Gilmour, associate professor of philosophy, was selected to attend the National Endowment for the Humanities summer seminar: “African American Struggles for Civil Rights in the Twentieth Century,” sponsored by the W.E.B. Du Bois Institute at Harvard University. Leading scholars in this field will be facilitating and teaching at the Institute.
Dr. Chris Paris
The faculty “Mission Continues Awards” honored three recipients. Dr. Chris Paris, assistant professor of English, received the Sr. Margaret Rose Palmer Award for Education. Dr. Sally Said, assistant associate professor of Spanish, received the Mother Columnkille Colbert Award for service, and religious studies. And Dr. Glenn Ambrose, assistant professor of religious studies, received the Sister St. Pierre Cinquin Award for faith.
Dr. John Perry, professor of speech communications, was awarded a sabbatical for fall 2006. Dr. Harold Rodinsky, assistant professor of psychology, Dr. Lisa Lockhart, assistant professor of psychology, Dr. Julie Miller, associate professor of religious studies, and Dr. Hector Perez, associate professor of English, were awarded research grants from the Faculty Development Endowment Fund. Dr. Paul Lewis, assistant professor of philosophy, won the Student Government Association’s (SGA’s) Faculty Member of the Year Award at the SGA Banquet.
Several faculty were awarded tenure or promotion this year. Dr. Scott Dittloff, associate professor of political science, and Dr. Julie Miller, associate professor of religious studies, received tenure. Kathy Vargas, assistant professor of art, received tenure and promotion to associate professor. And Dr. Glenn Ambrose, assistant professor of religious studies, and Dr. Lisa Lockhart, assistant professor of psychology, received promotions to associate professors.
Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, professor of religious studies, was appointed to the Fr. Thomas A. French Chair in Religious Studies. Dr. Patricia Lonchar, professor of English, was appointed to the Sr. Margaret Patrice Slattery Chair in English. Dr. Michael Tallon, instructor of Spanish, successfully defended his dissertation at UT-Austin and is therefore now titled accordingly. Eloise Stoker, former professor of art, was awarded status of faculty emerita.
The Worship Renewal Grant focusing on gifts from Hispanic, Middle Eastern, African-American, African and Asian cultures to Christianity, directed by Sr. Martha Ann Kirk, professor of religious studies, has been selected as an outstanding project. She was one of four presenting at the gathering of grant directors at the Calvin Institute of Worship in Grand Rapids, MI, June 20-23. The grant is from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc. A new grant focusing on worship and community service has been awarded for the coming year.