Bears Abroad

By Amy Charles

Assistant Provost Amanda Slone, Ph.D., ’06 and Assistant Director of Human Resources Melinda Goodson ’08, MBA ’21 represented UPIKE at the International Leadership Association’s Women in Leadership Conference at the University of Portsmouth in the seaside naval town of Portsmouth, England. The conference’s theme was “Reflection and Rejuvenation: Inspiring Women Leaders.” It included participants and speakers from all over the globe, from various industries and educational settings. Slone and Goodson presented a session titled “The Impact of Covid-19 on Women in Leadership: Fostering a Resilient Mindset.”

Before the conference began, the two found time to explore the sites in London, visiting many notable tourist attractions such as Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, The House of Commons, Hyde Park, Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and the Tower of London. They also got the chance to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace, and on their last day, traveled to Wiltshire to visit Stonehenge.

Associate Professor of Biology Darla French, Ph.D., and recently retired Professor of Biology Tim Whittier, Ph.D., traveled to Belize as part of a study-abroad course for UPIKE biology majors. In what made the university’s seventh trip to the Central American country, 13 students were able to learn firsthand about the natural history and culture of Belize. They studied sustainable ecotourism in one of the leading countries developing such programs.

In this week-long adventure, students spent their days snorkeling and scuba diving, learning about marine biology and exploring coral reef ecosystems. They participated in birdwatching, insect collecting and plant identification in tropical rainforests. The group also spent a memorable day visiting ancient Mayan ruins and learning about Mayan culture.

Provost Lori Werth, Ph.D., made the voyage to Japan as part of the Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program to explore partnerships, research opportunities and student exchange programs in Tokyo, Nagoya and Hiroshima. She visited six universities and several tourist destinations, including the Hiroshima Peace Memorial, the Atomic Bomb Dome and a Tokyo Giants baseball game.

Werth conducted a research study in which she interviewed female leaders in Nagoya to discuss their leadership growth, development and collaboration. Results from the project focus on how a leader who follows her passion, leads with purpose, builds great teams and strives for continued excellence in her product or services can be successful as she leads within organizations. Werth is grateful to have spent time learning about Japanese culture, leadership and policy.

Representing the Commonwealth of Kentucky, President Burton J. Webb, Ph.D., joined a delegation to the Netherlands as part of a high-tech agriculture initiative. Webb presented at GreenTech in Amsterdam and met with the Ministry of Agriculture and International Business at The Hague. He collaborated with a research team at Wageningen University, visited Greenport and the World HortiCenter and worked on research for a major feasibility study on controlled environment agriculture in Kentucky. Webb also observed trading at the International Flower Auction, where approximately 19 million flowers and two million plants of more than 12,000 varieties are sold every weekday.

The Netherlands has become an agricultural giant by showing the future of farming. Webb hopes to replicate the agricultural model in UPIKE’s AgTech Center of Excellence, creating a place for research and education for UPIKE students.

Chemistry student Amber Hill joined Chief Assistant Pike County Attorney Tommy Chamberlin ’96 on his fourth trip to Israel to conduct archeological work and research. Associates for Biblical Research began their work on the site in Tel Shiloh, a town about 20 miles north of Jerusalem, in 2017. This location of historical significance is the site of the biblical tabernacle. For 300 years, the people of Israel would go to worship and offer sacrifices to God at this site.

The excavation in Tel Shiloh focuses on exploring the site, uncovering any structures associated with the tabernacle and discovering further evidence of the biblical sacrificial system. Chamberlin and Hill worked within a dig square believed to be a pottery dump, where they pulled hundreds, if not thousands, of pottery shards from the ground daily. Excavation teams in their site, and the adjacent square, were working to uncover what is believed to be part of the city gate complex.