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A Chemical Perspective on Sustainability
For most people, sustainability means little more than recycling soda cans, using reusable water bottles or biking to work. But thanks to the dedication of one Millersville University professor, undergraduate chemistry students can better understand current sustainability issues from the perspective of their discipline.
This past spring, Dr. Jeremiah Mbindyo was recognized by the American Chemical Society Committee on Environmental Improvement (ACS-CEI) for his incorporation of sustainability into the chemistry curriculum. As a professor in the chemistry department at MU, Mbindyo adopted multiple approaches in order to engage his students in a very current discussion of sustainability.
“Sustainability is the ability to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs,” explains Mbindyo. “Study of sustainability involves understanding the environmental, societal and economic impact of human activities, and seeking solutions to prevent negative impacts of these activities.”
As a trained analytical and environmental chemist, Mbindyo’s involvement in sustainability resulted naturally from his professional and research interests. He utilizes the principles of analytical chemistry to seek solutions to environmental problems, a passion he is now passing down to his students to prepare them to make pro-sustainability choices in their professional careers and everyday life.
At MU, Mbindyo integrated topics on sustainability into two environmental chemistry courses as well as his general chemistry classes. Students became engaged as they aided in the development and adaptation of new microscale laboratory experiments and were presented with opportunities for sustainability-focused internships, field trips and research.
Mbindyo collaborated with other MU personnel to create an environmental chemistry minor, which merged environmental science and chemistry into an interdisciplinary study. He also helped to organize a symposium themed “Stewards of Sustainability” for an international conference held on campus.
“The award is an acknowledgement of a very supportive environment at Millersville and the input of many, including colleagues, mentors, students and family. It is also speaks highly about the opportunities available for students to engage in study of sustainability at Millersville University,” explains Mbindyo.
The ACS-CEI recognized Mbindyo’s extensive efforts by awarding him with a certificate for his “outstanding contributions to the incorporation of sustainability into chemical education.” This award acknowledges those who put forth exemplary efforts and is only given to a select group each year. Mbindyo was one of six awardees in 2016.
Mbindyo says, “Learning about and practicing sustainability is a tangible way to help make the world a better place. I feel greatly honored to be recognized through the award for my contributions to such a worthy endeavor.”
To learn more about sustainability and environmental chemistry opportunities in the chemistry department, contact Dr. Mbindyo at 717-871-7416 or email Jmbindyo@millersville.edu.
Millersville University Gets New Assistant Director of Communications
Kate Hartman was hired at the beginning of the fall semester to join the university as the Assistant Director of Communications. Hartman joins the team after spending the last three years working as an award-winning newspaper and magazine journalist in Connecticut.
Hartman is a graduate of Temple University in Philadelphia where she received a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with a minor in sociology.
After graduation she took a job as a reporter at The Register Citizen newspaper in Torrington, Connecticut and then transitioned into a writer and content curator position at Connecticut Magazine in New Haven, Connecticut. At that magazine she wrote a variety of articles including cover stories and recurring features, had a hand in the entire editing process and helped to manage social media accounts.
At Millersville, Hartman will head The Review—the University’s magazine, which is published twice a year—and will contribute to a wide variety of communications and marketing projects.
Hartman is currently living back in her hometown, Reading, Pennsylvania.
MU’s Laura Kendall Assumes Leadership Roles in the Arts Industry
Two is better than one, they say. Millersville University’s Laura Kendall would know.
That is because Kendall, director of the Office of Visual and Performing Arts at Millersville University, received not one but two prestigious honors.
First, Kendall was chosen to participate in the Leadership Fellows Program for the Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP). Out of a diverse application pool, Kendall was selected for the second class of this program, aimed at expanding knowledge and proficiency among professionals in the performing arts field.
As if that honor was not enough, Kendall was also voted in as the board president of Pennsylvania Presenters. Her two-year term began in July of 2016. PA Presenters is a service organization dedicated to supporting performing arts presenters throughout the state and surrounding areas, with the goals of communication, professional development and cooperative projects.
“Leadership development for women within arts organizations is something I am very passionate about,” said Kendall. “I am committed to creating opportunities for more women to rise to leadership roles within our field, and I am truly honored to be selected for the APAP Leadership Fellows program, as well as to lead our state presenting organization. Through these avenues, I am eager to serve my local community, my state, and the field in bringing the arts to the forefront and encouraging more women to take the lead.”
As the director of MU’s visual and performing arts office, Kendall oversees the Ware and Winter Center venue and the Arts at Millersville program. Her most recent honors will only help to reinforce the office’s mission of supporting the arts for both student and community populations.
Faculty at the Capitol
Drs. Jill Craven, Sandra Deemer, Erin Moss, Kendra Saunders and Kathleen Walsh were invited to a meeting at the capitol in May where they spoke with Governor Wolf’s Secretary of Policy and his Public Liaison. The Millersville University faculty women requested that the Board of Governors and each university’s Council of Trustees be more representative of and accountable to their constituency. They recommended that the PASSHE Board of Governors adopt the Association of Governing Boards of University and Colleges best practices, and that all PASSHE Councils of Trustees provide their contact information online.
Faculty News
Drs. Rich Mehrenberg and Janet Josephson, both of the Early, Middle and Exceptional Education, have contributed entries to the second edition of “Encyclopedia of Middle Grades Education.” This reference guide is being promoted as a comprehensive overview of the field. It contains over 210 entries from nearly 160 expert contributors. Mehrenberg’s entry is on “National Board Certification for Professional Teaching Standards.” Josephson’s entry is on “accommodations and modifications.”
Dr. Ying WuShanley, wellness and Sport sciences, was recently was elected to Fellowship in the College of Fellows of the European Committee for Sports History at its 2016 Annual Conference held at De Montfort University in Leicester, UK. WuShanley also presented his research paper at the conference – “The ‘Forceful Roses’ of the Former Chinese Women’s National Soccer Team – A case study of their impact on gender equality in sport.”
Congratulations to:
Kristin M. Babner (Brubaker), Dining & Conference Services who married Joe Babner on May 21, 2016 in Lancaster.
