FACULTY NEWS > By Shannon Collins ’14
Professor Beba Shamash Offers
New Study Abroad Program
Professor of Theater and Costume Design Beba Shamash has created a new study abroad program in New York City and London for the Summer 2014. Students will study costume and fashion as it relates to theater, television, and film.
(L–R): Zachary North ’14, Professor of Communications in Contemporary Arts Pat Keeton, Samantha Geyer ’14 and Alexandra Lehaf ’15 discuss their paper presentations for the conference
Communication Arts Students Present at Conference
Seven students in the Global Communication and Media concentration of the Communication Arts program and one student in the Writing concentration received acceptances to present papers at the Eastern Communication Association (ECA) Undergraduate Scholars Conference. This is the most number of Ramapo College students selected to present at the conference, which took place April 25 and 26 in Providence, RI. The conference is part of the Fourth Annual James C. McCroskey and Virginia P. Richmond Undergraduate Scholars Conference. The students, who were selected from a field of 100, will present papers and posters. They chose their topics with the guidance of Professors Andrew Burns, Patricia Keeton, and David Oh. “ECA is the Northeastern regional association of the National Communication Association, among the oldest and most respected professional communication associations in the United States,” said Bonnie Blake, convener of the major. “It’s also the most important venue for undergraduate communication research. This academic conference raises the visibility of Communication Arts programming, the quality of teaching and the research interests and academic acumen of the students.” ECA’s convention theme, “Communities of Dissent: A ‘Lively Experiment’ in Dialogue, Diversity, and Discourse,” explored the expression and suppression of dissent across communication contexts, whether they be relational, organizational, mediated, social, or political. The theme also encompassed the implications for relational quality, community identification, civic engagement, public dialogue, accountability, and justice. Three students delivered papers as part of panels: Danielle Marchese ’14, “Marriage and an American family: A critical look at ‘The Kids are All Right,’’’; Leeann Cerbone ’14, “The kids really are All Right: A change in family dynamic”; and Samantha Geyer ’14, whose paper “Hate or just hype? An analysis of ‘The Laramie Project’” was read by a representative since a conflict prevented her from attending. Five students presented their papers as poster presentations: Alyssa Mendez ’14, “‘Cadillac Records’: The not so historic biopic film;” Miranda Southwell ’14, “Gay marriage: The conservative case against love in the media;” Zachary North ’14, “Transgender representation in mainstream media: What the average American sees”; Marina Consalvo ’14, “Challenging the representation of women in rap/hip-hop” and Alexandra Lehaf ’15, “Differences in perceptions of women's makeup between the sexes.”
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Ramapo College Magazine | Annual Report 2013
“Students will learn the process that a costume designer employs for British period plays and contemporary costume and fashion both in New York City and England through cultural immersion and field trips to museums, exhibits, and costume houses in the U.S. and abroad,” said Professor Shamash. The first week of this program will take place on Ramapo College’s campus and include visits to New York City’s theaters, museums, and exhibitions. Students will then live and study in the heart of London city center for the duration of the program.
G. Elaine Patterson
Presents Paper on Malaria G. Elaine Patterson, professor of Nursing, presented her paper “Malaria—On the Rise in the U.S.” at the Annual Conference of the Black Nurses Association in New Orleans. Organized in 1974, the Black Nurses Association aims “to represent and provide a forum for Black nurses to advocate and implement strategies to ensure access to the highest quality of healthcare for persons of color.” Patterson joined Ramapo in 1995 and is the facilitator of Ramapo’s Sierra Leone Study Abroad Program. This initiative introduces students to Sierra Leone’s healthcare practices, African civilization, society and culture. Malaria is one of Sierra Leone’s most serious public health problems. Through Patterson’s annual trips, she is familiar with malaria’s deadly effects. Although there has not been a major outbreak in the United States, the Center for Disease Control in 2010 reported 1,691 cases, an increase of 14 percent in one year. Patterson attributed this surge in malaria cases in the U.S. to an increase in international travel and the 2010 earthquake in Haiti. Malaria is endemic in Haiti. First responders and volunteers working in Haiti may have contracted malaria. “One of the highest death rates in developing worlds in newborns and children is due to malaria,” Patterson said. “But it’s occurring in America and people, especially nurses, should be aware of that.”
Professor Rosetta D’Angelo
Edits and Translates Italian Novel Rosetta D’Angelo, professor of Italian Studies and Literature at Ramapo College has edited and translated the novel Olimpo (Mount Olympus), in collaboration with Barbara Zaczek, Professor of Italian at Clemson University. The novel was written by one of Italy’s most acclaimed authors, Umberto Piersanti. In the introduction, the two authors explained that translating this particular piece by Piersanti into English offers the reader a “rare and profound” look into the philosophy of Piersanti as an author. The novel intertwines two narratives: The first, a love story, the other an ascent of Mount Olympus. “Despite the prestige and international fame, Piersanti is virtually unknown to the English-speaking public and only a handful of translations of his poetry have appeared in anthologies and a few literary and academic journals,” said D'Angelo. D’Angelo is the author of the book Il Poemetto dell’Intelligenza and co-author of two textbooks: L’Arte di Comunicare and Eccoci, and of an anthology Resisting Bodies: Narratives of Italian Partisan Women. She writes poetry and was the recipient of the 2003 “Jewels of Poetry Award.” She has also published numerous articles on contemporary literature.
Professor Ashwani Vasishth Receives Grant for Environmental Initiative
Professor of Environmental Studies Ashwani Vasishth received a grant from The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for his work with Sustainable Jersey City (SJC). Professor Vasishth helped launch the collaborative network two years ago. SJC was established to “encourage community partnerships and neighborhood actions toward making Jersey City a more sustainable place to live and work.” Due to Jersey City’s combined and dated sewage system, the city has a long history of flooding. With this grant, SJC will educate and train individuals on how to create a more sustainable infrastructure. SJC’s Rain Gardens + Art campaign is seeking the installation of 11,000 rain gardens in Jersey City. The gardens help to improve groundwater infiltration by recharging underground aquifers and reducing the amount of pollution entering rivers and streets.
Ben Neill Writes
for Cadillac and Premieres New Electronic Opera
Ramapo Professor of Music Production Ben Neill, through his company, Green Beets Productions and Cadillac, has created music for eight Cadillac commercials for the Internet and TV. The commercials featured a wide variety of musical styles and approaches and a collaboration with DJ A Trak, who has performed with numerous artists including Kanye West. Several of the spots ran during the 2014 Winter Olympics. Professor Neill joined Ramapo College in 2008. He recently performed his new electronic opera The Demo at the University of Illinois. Based on Douglas Engelbarts 1968 demonstration of early computer technology, The Demo is a musical theater piece written and performed by Neill and Mikel Rouse. This piece, a collaborative work between Neill and Rouse, portrays the people and events that occurred during Engelbarts’ historic demonstration, which set the groundwork for much of modern computer technology. Through a fusion of music, performance and digital video, The Demo recreates Engelbarts impact on the contemporary world. The Demo will officially premiere at Stanford University, in April 2015.
Professor John Peffer Receives Grant from National Endowment for the Humanities Ramapo Professor of Art History John Peffer received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities for research and writing on family photography in Soweto, South Africa. The project is entitled “Popular Photography and the Survival of Traumatic History in South Africa.” This is a follow-up to Professor Peffer’s previous work in 2012 and will lead to a book manuscript. “The grant enables me to produce the kind of substantive scholarship that feeds directly into my teaching at the college, something that is greatly appreciated by my students. While in South Africa I also hope to initiate a summer abroad program for our students,” said Peffer.
Dean Made Life Member of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science Dr. Edward Saiff, Dean of School of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, was recently named a life member of The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Dr. Saiff has been a member of AAAS for 50 years and was elected Fellow by the association in 1992. The AAAS seeks to “advance science, engineering, and innovation throughout the world for the benefit of all people.” Dr. Saiff has been with Ramapo for 42 years. He received his BA in Biology at Rutgers University, his MA in Biology from the State University of New York at Buffalo, and his Ph.D in Zoology and Physiology from Rutgers University. In addition, he has published works on various topics, including the evolution of birds, Neuroscience, and Paleontology. He is a visiting scientist for the American Museum of Natural History. www.ramapo.edu
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