FEATURES

Robert Levine (Associate Dean, College of Science and Math) was interviewed on campus and featured in the National Geographic television program "Ultimate Explorer: Extreme Speed," which aired on Aug. 8. In addition, his most recent book, “The Power of Persuasion" is getting international attention and has been sold for translation into six languages, including German, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. 

Ellen Gruenbaum(Anthropology) recently returned from Sudan, where she spent part of her sabbatical as a Visiting Professor at Ahfad University for Women in Omdurman.   During February and March she advised students in their master’s degree program in Gender and Development Studies and did research on the social movement against traditional female genital cutting practices.   Being in Sudan also gave her the opportunity to return to the two villages she has been studying since the 1970s for additional research. more

Danette Dutra ( Nursing) has been selected for the Central Valley Nursing Faculty Fellowship. The $66,000 fellowship will support her doctoral education at the Department of Learning and Instruction at University of California, San Francisco beginning this fall. Dutra also has been accepted into the California State University Forgivable Loan program, which will reimburse up to $30,000 of a doctoral loan in exchange for teaching at a CSU campus. Mike Russler (chairman, Nursing), will serve as her mentor over the next two years. Dutra will continue to teach part time at Fresno State while working on her Ph.D.

Juan Felipe Herrera (Chicano and Latin American Studies) had his bilingual children’s book “Featherless/Desplumado” published by Children’s Book Press.

Sasan Fayazmanesh (Economics) published “The Nature of ‘Human Nature’” in the History of Economic Ideas, Volume XI, Number 3, released in August 2004. He presented his essay, “Smith’s ‘Bartering Savage’ and the Equation of Exchange,” at the 31 st Annual Meeting of the History of Economics Society, at Victoria University, Toronto, on June 27, 2004. He wrote “Nuclear Ambiguity or Hypocrisy?” for CounterPunch, July 17, 2004. He had an interview with Pars News, which was republished as “An Interview with Sasan Fayazmanesh: IAEA, US, Israel and Iran,” in CounterPunch, May 29, 2004 . He also had a one hour interview, entitled “Is Iran Next? ” with KPFK ( Los Angeles), July 29, 2004.

Barlow Der Mugrdechian (Armenian Studies) was named the "Outstanding Club/Organization Advisor, 2003-2004" by the Fresno State Leadership Program. Der Mugrdechian has been advisor to the Armenian Students Organization for 19 years. He was interviewed by the Fresno Bee on April 18, 23 and 24, concerning the Armenian Genocide and efforts towards recognition of the Genocide, and was the keynote speaker at the Annual Commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, held on Saturday, April 24, at the Krouzian-Zakarian Armenian School in San Francisco. Der Mugrdechian also was elected as Secretary of the California Faculty Association, Fresno State chapter.

Peter Robertson (Alumni Relations) presented "Successfully Marketing an Alumni Web site" at the 7th annual Harris Internet Services Conference held in Scottsdale, Ariz., in August.

Tommy Miller (Mass Communication and Journalism) contributed four articles for publication this month in the eighth edition of the textbook “Reporting for the Media,” which is designed for introductory news reporting courses. Miller’s articles focused on the topics of description, reporting, plagiarism and learning about an unfamiliar place on a new job. Miller also reviewed the book “Edward R. Murrow and the Birth of Broadcast Journalism” for publication July 25 in the Sunday Zest magazine of the Houston Chronicle. Miller also was asked in July to join the Alumni Advisory Board of the graduate school of journalism at the University of California, Berkeley. He will serve a three-year term on the board, which meets four times a year.