Integrated Scholars at Texas Tech University

Environmental chemistry professor Todd Anderson holds a solid position among the ranks of Texas Tech’s Integrated Scholars. He joined the university’s faculty in 1997, and since that time Anderson has established himself as an accomplished researcher and an engaging academician. His scholarship tracks the movement of chemical contaminants through the environment, an area of great interest and one with global implications. Anderson has been prolific as a researcher. Over the years he has amassed more than 170 journal publications, more than 8,500 total citations and numerous awards, including the TTU System Chancellor’s Distinguished Research Award in 2004. He has also been instrumental as a mentor, working with students from high school through the postdoctoral levels as well as with women scientists. Anderson has also earned acclaim in the classroom, receiving the TTU President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2003. Beyond research and teaching, Anderson serves as interim director of The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) at Texas Tech, and he chairs the Department of Environmental Toxicology. His service has included duties as an associate editor for two journals, a faculty adviser for the TIEHH student organization, and a member of federal review panels.

Psychology professor Roman Taraban is a teacher at heart—part of the reason he’s earned the distinction of Integrated Scholar. He enjoys studying intelligence and is eager to share his pursuit with others. Some of Taraban’s research interests include language processing, reading comprehension, engineering problem solving and the study behaviors of undergraduates. He also promotes undergraduate research and has been involved with the Texas Tech University/Howard Hughes Medical Institute (TTU/HHMI) for more than a decade. Those experiences led Taraban to co-edit the book “Creating Effective Undergraduate Research Programs In Science,” organize conferences on engineering and science education, and organize and chair the Scholar Research Forum for TTU/HHMI students. Taraban’s research interests also earned him a Fulbright Scholar grant, and in 2010 he traveled to India to study information literacy among students at the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur. Like many professors, Taraban has incorporated elements of his research into his courses. As recognition of his adeptness in the classroom, he was presented with the TTU President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2013. In regard to service, Taraban has worked on numerous university councils and committees, and is a member of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy. Nationally, he served as president of the Society for Computers in Psychology (SCiP) and is associate editor for the Journal of Educational Psychology.

English professor Susan Lang has been guided by an appreciation for words and technology on her unique journey as an Integrated Scholar. Originally a student of British literature, Lang was in graduate school when she took advantage of an opportunity to work with computer networks. The experience spurred her interest in computers and writing, and led her to merge those subjects in her scholarship. Her research centers on data mining, hypertext theory and instructional design. Such emerging topics have helped to shape curriculum and policies for Texas Tech’s First-Year Writing Program, which she has directed since 2006. The program delivers hybrid courses (both online and in the classroom) to first-year students. Lang takes a lead role in the courses’ production, from curriculum development to instructor training to the creation of assessment models. Aside from managing the writing program, Lang has channeled her skills in administration to service roles on university committees, including the Core Curriculum Committee, the Quality Enhancement Plan Development Committee, and the Writing Advisory Committee. Outside of Texas Tech’s environs, Lang has worked with the theater group The Drama League of New York for about 20 years, eventually rising from volunteer website designer to the board of directors.

William Westney has long followed the path of an Integrated Scholar. His efforts have earned him the university’s highest honor, being named a Paul Whitfield Horn Professor—for his excellence in teaching, research and creative activity—as well as receiving the TTU System Chancellor’s Council Distinguished Teaching Award and the TTU President’s Book Award, among other commendations. Westney brings fervor to engaging his students. Since coming to Texas Tech as the Eva Browning Artist-in-Residence in 1978, Westney has expanded his focus from concert piano performance to the intersection of the arts, sciences and philosophy. His research concentrates on nonverbal interactions and understandings, and how these apply to the performance, teaching and aesthetics of music. This focus contributed to publication of the book “The Perfect Wrong Note: Learning to Trust Your Musical Self” and underlies the experimental collaborative project—one that integrates performance studies with technology—that his research team has been pursuing under the aegis of Texas Tech’s Transdisciplinary Research Academy. Westney’s research continues to shape his teaching, whether in one-on-one piano lessons or in his larger performance workshops called “Un-Master Classes.” He is a popular guest presenter for classes in other divisions of TTU’s School of Music as well as for departments across campus, offering enrichment activities to students in such areas as physics, mathematics and art.

Robotics outreach, education research and service learning are key components to the integrated scholarship of Tanja Karp, an associate professor of electrical and computer engineering. For more than a decade, Karp has developed and promoted outreach efforts in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Essential to this focus has been the Get Excited About Robotics (GEAR) program, which she launched in 2007 as a LEGO robotics-based competition for area students. GEAR has also provided an opportunity for Texas Tech engineering students to serve the community. Freshmen enrolled in Karp’s service learning course meet with and mentor student teams that are participating in the GEAR program. Karp’s findings from her outreach efforts have provided a basis for research in STEM education, particularly as it pertains to student retention. The topic has additionally enabled Karp to collaborate with faculty across disciplines on her research. She is a member of the Texas Tech Teaching Academy and faculty adviser to the Society of Women Engineers, in addition to serving on university committees. In 2012 Karp received the Whitacre College of Engineering’s Butler Distinguished Educator Fellow Award, and the Harriet B. Rigas Award from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Education Society.

s an Integrated Scholar, Rawls College of Business professor Jeff Mercer brings his scholarship and financial expertise into the classroom—for the benefit of his students as well as the broader university. Mercer’s research interests cover investment and risk management, and derivative securities. His research has a national reach among professionals. It also complements the subject matter of his undergraduate and graduate finance courses, chief among those being the Student Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) offering. Through SMIF, Mercer and his finance students manage a $2.5 million stock portfolio for the Texas Tech University Foundation. Mercer's students have been solely responsible for the fund’s performance, which affects scholarships, professorships and awards. A hands-on approach in the classroom has earned Mercer numerous accolades, including the TTU President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006 and as a two-time honoree of the college’s Lockheed Martin Excellence in Teaching Award (2006 and 2011). Mercer holds the Briscoe Chair in Finance, in addition to serving as area coordinator in finance and director of the Institute for Banking and Financial Studies. He has received research awards from major foundations in finance, and his service contributions include co-editing the Journal of Financial Research and reviewing articles on an ad hoc basis for numerous journals. Outside the SMIF trading room, Mercer is a partner in Lubbock investment advisory firm McDonald Capital Management.

A dedicated practitioner of the Integrated Scholar concept, TIEHH associate professor Jaclyn Cañas-Carrell works to open doorways into science for students from underrepresented groups. She serves as director of the Plains Bridges to the Baccalaureate (PBB) Program, which has supported minority science students of South Plains College in successfully transferring to Texas Tech since 2008. Also, she serves as the College of Arts and Sciences associate director in the Texas Tech STEM Center for Outreach, Research and Education. In recognition of her efforts to promote and support diversity on campus, Cañas-Carrell received the TTU President’s Excellence in Diversity and Equity Award in 2009 and 2013. As for her research, Cañas-Carrell studies the effects of emerging contaminants on the environment. Her investigations in the areas of analytical toxicology and environmental chemistry help to inform her teaching and keep her course material compelling. Cañas-Carrell also mentors students in her laboratory, following the example set for her by fellow Integrated Scholar, mentor and colleague Todd Anderson. This emphasis on research earned her the Chancellor's Council Distinguished Research Award in 2013. Cañas-Carrell is twice an alumna of Texas Tech—she earned both her bachelor’s and doctoral degrees here.

As an Integrated Scholar and professor of human development and family studies, Jeffrey Wherry hopes that his work will improve the lives of children and families who have had to face traumatic experiences. Wherry directs the Institute for Child and Family Studies, and he primarily works with abused children in the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Clinic at the TTU Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). At TTUHSC, Wherry holds appointments as a clinical professor in the departments of psychiatry and pediatrics. His research tests functional magnetic resonance imaging technology in an effort to understand how the brain responds to trauma. Of special interest is examining how emotions and memories correspond for children suffering from post-traumatic stress. In addition to providing a setting for his research, the ACE Clinic offers space for Wherry to supervise graduate students as they meet with children and their families. He also oversees students at the Children’s Advocacy Center of the South Plains. Outside of clinical settings, Wherry leads seminars and workshops that focus on abuse-related issues, as well as online training for professionals who handle child trauma and abuse in Texas. Moreover, Wherry serves numerous organizations at the national, state and local levels, and works on university committees.

The roles of an Integrated Scholar have come naturally for atmospheric science professor John Schroeder. His focus is on all things wind at Texas Tech. His research, which involves analyzing the wake patterns caused by an array of wind turbines, aims to improve the performance of wind farms, so they may yield greater amounts of energy at more affordable rates. In the area of wind engineering, Schroeder has also made notable developments with his publications and technologies. He has led the development of dual Doppler Radar platforms, the WEMITE instrument towers, Stick-Net probes and mobile mesonets to document the wind and inner workings of hurricanes, tornadoes and severe weather events. As director of the National Wind Institute, Schroeder works to recruit faculty from various colleges and departments to collaborate on the institute’s projects. Interaction with colleagues across campus has proven valuable and strengthens the interdisciplinary essence of research in wind science. That approach also carries over to the classroom, and Schroeder is a champion of academics with a multidisciplinary format. As a result, Texas Tech’s bachelor’s program in wind energy and doctoral program in wind science and engineering stand out because of their foundational curricula and industry-centered research perspective.

As an Integrated Scholar, theater and dance associate professor Linda Donahue connects her scholarship throughout campus and beyond university bounds. Donahue’s area of expertise is arts administration, and her efforts have elevated the program within the College of Visual and Performing Arts to the ranks of the best in the nation. She works primarily with master’s and doctoral students in the classroom—at Texas Tech and abroad. Donahue and her students have traveled to Prague and Seville to explore fine arts and culture. She also has lectured and made presentations throughout the U.S. and internationally, from Canada to England and Spain to the United Arab Emirates. Not only a faculty member, Donahue serves as head of arts administration, associate chair and graduate adviser. Her duties have allowed for unique opportunities in interdisciplinary collaboration. Most recently, she has worked with the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry to teach performance techniques and lead role-play sessions in training laboratory teaching assistants. Donahue also stays involved with her first passion—the theater. She continues to direct plays at Texas Tech and in the community, and her productions often perform before sellout crowds.

The plight of the immigrant child is a foremost concern in the integrated scholarship of bilingual education Professor Zenaida Aguirre-Muñoz. The daughter of immigrants herself, Muñoz noticed while growing up that she was singular among friends to be on track for a college education. A desire to work with students that had backgrounds similar to hers led Muñoz, while an undergraduate, to rewarding work and volunteer opportunities that laid the foundation for her research into children's educational experiences. She ultimately earned a doctorate, and through her own teaching and research, Muñoz has impacted the pedagogy of many educators and the learning experiences of many more students. Additionally, Muñoz's expertise has enabled her to serve with numerous organizations, committees, and advisory panels at the state and national levels, however, her contributions within the local community—thanks to Muñoz's emphasis on relationships with area teachers, administrators, and districts—have been the most valuable to her work.

Public relations Professor Trent Seltzer is fascinated by politics, and his passion is reflected through his teaching, research, and service projects. Seltzer's scholarship revolves around relationships management in public relations, and he examines social media and the strategic communications of political parties and campaigns to gauge their influence on the public. Seltzer notes that his research helps to inform his teaching, and correspondingly, his teaching and emphasis on service combine in his Public Relations Campaigns courses, which primarily involve partnerships with local and regional nonprofits. Since he recently took on the role of department chair, Seltzer is committed to strengthening the image of the university's public relations program. He also aims to resurrect the student public relations firm, establish a PR journal, and organize a regional conference for public relations practitioners. Seltzer was born into a politically active family. He recalls that his father was always running for office locally— and as a young man he became interested in the media side of campaigning, which led him to graduate school.

For Horn Professor Linda Allen, finding solutions to mathematical problems has always been a source of great enjoyment, as has discovering nature's mysteries. These two distinct pursuits combine to form Allen's academic specialties of mathematical biology and mathematical epidemiology. She applies a mathematical context to events arising in ecosystems, particularly the spread of infectious diseases, and her research holds increasing relevance to societies as scientists seek to understand the complexities of disease proliferation. Moreover, Allen helps to ensure that future generations can comprehend such topics by sharing modeling techniques in her undergraduate and graduate math classes, and serving as a presenter in mathematics short courses and workshops for novice and experienced students alike. Allen also involves students in her research projects; currently, she and her students are developing models of immune responses and lytic bacteriophage phenomena. Indeed, engaging with students has been key to Professor Allen's integrated scholarship, and she adds that it continues to be the most enjoyable aspect of her work.

As an epidemiologist in the Department of Animal & Food Sciences, Guy Loneragan concentrates on the beginning of the farm-to-table continuum, in an effort to ensure food safety early on in the production process. Professor Loneragan's appointment at Texas Tech is wholly focused on research that mitigates E. coli, salmonella, and antibiotic resistance. He works with several graduate students and trains them in epidemiological methods and analysis. Additionally, Loneragan and his colleagues in the College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources have research partners throughout the US, as well as in Mexico, Honduras, El Salvador, Argentina, France, and Australia. Loneragan's work has led him to serve on the food safety committees of beef producers and to work with pharmaceutical companies. Additionally, he collaborates with such organizations as the National Cattlemen's Beef Association and the Texas Cattle Feeders Association, as well as with industry stakeholders and legislators. His engagement in epidemiology and food safety began early in life; growing up, Loneragan helped his father, a veterinarian who studied embryonic transplantation in cattle, in his medical work and in managing their family's ranch in Australia.

The road to Texas Tech has been a long one for Professor Jennifer Bard, but her responsibilities to educate law and medical students promise that the journey has been worth all the years of study, practice, and commitment to integrated scholarship. Bard calls her dual appointment at the TTU School of Law and the Health Sciences Center a "dream job," allowing her to follow in the path of the late Professor Angela Holder, a leading voice in health care law. Bard's lectures and research focus on health-related topics, including bioethics, the insanity defense, and whistleblowing. Her research has been published widely, and her engagement in teaching has been noteworthy, earning her the recognition of the university and peers; in recent years, Bard has received the TTU President's Excellence in Teaching Award and was elected to the American Law Institute, in addition to other professional achievements. Also, her service contributions have included work with Texas Tech's Research Advisory Council and Teaching Academy, as well as volunteerism with her congregation.

An appreciation for music has helped to drive the integrated scholarship of Professor Dominick Casadonte Jr. As a student of both chemistry and classical trombone, Casadonte combines elements from those areas in the study of sonochemistry; his research involves using high-intensity sounds to propel chemical reactions in nanomaterials, alternative fuels, and environmental remediation processes. Additionally, Casadonte carries out research in supramolecular photochemistry and chemistry education. His studies, especially in the latter research area, have carried over into laboratories and lecture halls; Casadonte's interests in chemistry education have led him to flip the traditional lecture-homework paradigm in his honors general chemistry classes. His desire to ignite the scientific interests of both young and old has led him to perform more than 250 chemical demonstration shows over two decades and to prepare teacher's aides for science class settings. Also during his more than 20-year career at Texas Tech, Casadonte has served as an adviser for more than half a dozen student organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, the Catholic Student Association, and Iota Tau Alpha.

A true artist in academia, dance Professor Genevieve Durham DeCesaro has made performing arts front and center in her integrated scholarship. Her knowledge of dance choreography and performance are not reserved just for the studio and classroom, but is ever-present in DeCesaro's research and service projects. One of DeCesaro's research interests involves blending performing arts with traditional written scholarship; she is interested in examining ideas that are typically expressed through prose and reinterpreting them kinesthetically, in an effort to reach a more diverse audience. As part of a collaboration with human sciences Professor Elizabeth Sharp, DeCesaro is choreographing a performance based on American women's ideologies of marriage and motherhood. In a separate effort, DeCesaro is examining how the arts are understood and valued by colleagues and administrators in higher education, as their points of view can further cultural understanding. DeCesaro's service projects also maintain a focus on the performing arts. She advises several student organizations on campus—chief among them is Chi Tau Epsilon, an honors dance society that promotes community service—and she gives back to her profession as a board member of the American College Dance Festival Association.

By melding his admirations of science, technology, and design, Professor Christian Pongratz has crafted an impressive career in architecture and accomplished much as a Texas Tech Integrated Scholar. Pongratz is based in Lubbock during the academic year, teaching and directing the college's Master of Science Program in Digital Design and Fabrication (DDF). Extending learning opportunities to the summer months, he leads a study abroad program for architecture students, allowing them to travel to Verona, the stone-producing center of Italy, where Pongratz operates an architectural firm with his wife, Professor Maria Perbellini, chair of instruction in the College of Architecture. Pongratz's work has focused largely on the building envelope, essentially a structure's skin, which divides a building's interior from the outdoors. He has conducted research into design computation and geometry, building materials and assembly, and construction assembly processes. Pongratz's designs have been exhibited throughout the US, Europe, and Asia. Born in Germany, Pongratz came to the US to pursue graduate studies in the field of architecture and eventually founded the DDF Program at Texas Tech.

Literature and its interconnections with science are central to the academic work of Horn Professor Bruce Clarke. He has spent more than two decades researching and teaching about this emerging area of literature, crafting his findings into scholarly articles as well as lectures. His commitment to the field recently brought to Texas Tech the Earth, Life & System Symposium—dedicated in honor of the late Professor Lynn Margulis, whose scholarship on cell biology shaped the study of evolution and made a deep impression on Clarke. Also, Clarke's service to his field and to the university have likewise been great. He has been president of the Society for Literature and Science and is interim chair of the English Department in the College of Arts & Sciences, in addition to appointments on administrative committees and as an editor of INTERTEXTS: a Journal of Comparative and Theoretical Reflection, which is published by TTU Press. In addition to his recognition as one of this year's Integrated Scholars, Clarke was named a Paul Whitfield Horn Professor in 2011. Prior to his career in academia, Clarke was a founding member of the pop band Sha Na Na during his days as an undergraduate at Columbia University.

Through his teaching, research, and service, accounting Professor William Pasewark is educating the newest leaders in business. He lectures on a range of topics, including financial analysis and advanced accounting. His research centers on behavioral issues in the field, and along with a colleague, Pasewark is conducting research about customer payment behaviors under a grant from accounting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers. Moreover, Pasewark is editor of the scholarly journal Issues in Accounting Education. As part of his service to the Rawls College of Business, Pasewark is an adviser for the audit internship program, which places accounting students at CPA firms in large cities. Pasewark is a native of Lubbock and returned to his hometown to work at Texas Tech after teaching at the University of Houston and the University of Georgia. Before joining academia, Pasewark worked in the banking and energy sectors.

Inspired by the teachings of her own civil engineering professor, Audra Morse also strives to ignite her students' interests in the classroom and the laboratory. Morse says Texas Tech Professor Heyward Ramsey triggered her fascination with the field of environmental engineering, and she hopes to have a similar influence as a professor and an administrator by integrating her teaching, research, and service activities. Morse's research concentrates on wastewater treatment and reuse, and she believes that this focus will make a lasting impact on future generations and societies. Complementing her research efforts, Morse teaches a service-learning course on wastewater reuse for industrial applications. She also devotes time to the next generation of engineers through her participation in organizations such as Women in Science and Engineering, Shake Hands with Your Future, and the American Society of Civil Engineers at Texas Tech. Originally from Houston, Morse is a Red Raider through and through; she earned her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in environmental and civil engineering from TTU.

Helping her students to understand human nature through the examination of creative expression is at the core of philosophy Professor Anna Ribeiro's integrated scholarship. Ribeiro explores the philosophy of art, concentrating on the aesthetic aspects and cultural significance of poetry, in her research and her classes. She is writing a book that sifts through global poetic traditions from their origins through modern times in order to provide a comprehensive view of the art form. This past summer, she developed an introductory philosophy course for students participating in the College of Engineering's study abroad program in Spain. As part of her service to the university, Ribeiro is collaborating with colleagues to update the core curriculum requirements in the component area of language, philosophy, and culture. Ribeiro, originally from Brazil, says she always had a fondness for poetry, but her appreciation for philosophy took root during her undergraduate years at Hunter College in New York. When she heard the words of René Descartes (known for imparting, "I think, therefore I am"), Ribeiro says she "never looked back."

Those who know Michael San Francisco know that he wears many hats. Besides being an inspiring teacher, student mentor, and researcher, he serves as associate dean of the Honors College. Additionally, he is faculty director for the Clark Scholars Program, which brings promising high school scholars to campus each summer for frontier research experiences; immediate past faculty director of the Joint Admission Medical Program; and immediate past program director and current associate director for Undergraduate Research for the Texas Tech/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Program. He also serves as co-director of the Center for the Integration of Science Education and Research. All of these activities are pursued with insight and dedication to important scientific and societal challenges, from innovating new approaches to teaching and learning to basic research on animal and plant pathogenesis, to helping underrepresented students transition and succeed in university degree programs. He has received funding from the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and the U.S. Department of Defense for his research. In short, Michael San Francisco has a record of achievement that places him high among Texas Tech’s integrated scholars.

He has been the recipient of the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award, the College of Media and Communication Outstanding Research Award, and the College of Media and Communication Billy I. Ross Faculty Achievement Award. And, that’s just in the last two years! Wilkinson teaches a variety of courses, which are noted for creative approaches to student learning. His research and service outreach efforts are organized through The Institute for Hispanic and International Communication (IHIC) of which he is director. Through the IHIC, Winkinson engages international media experts and finds funding to bring them to campus either in person or through telecommunications. His overall efforts bring teaching, research, and outreach efforts together in highly integrated ways to enrich offerings to students and serve Texas and the international community in special ways. Thus, he may easily claim the title of integrated scholar.

The world of polymer research owes a debt of gratitude to Sindee Simon and her students who have crafted special instrumentation in her chemical engineering laboratory. Referred to as a volume dilatometer, the equipment is being used in fundamental polymer research that could lead to the development of materials for construction of the next generation of spacecraft–materials that will be lighter and less prone to heat damage. Simon’s research, which has been funded over the years by the National Science Foundation, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, among others has been highly regarded and cited. But, Simon is not content with the status quo when it comes to overall approaches to education and research. Several years ago, she organized a workshop, “Teaching Engineering Faculty to Teach in an Active Learning Environment,” in collaboration with the Texas Tech Teaching, Learning and Technology Center. The workshop helped to focus attention on the concept of the scholar-educator or what I would call integrated scholarship. In short, Simon has mastered the mixing and melding of teaching, research, and service to the science and engineering communities, including societies where she has been recognized as a fellow and served in important leadership roles such as president of the North American Thermal Analysis Society in 2005. All of these efforts ensure her claim as an integrated scholar.

A beloved teacher of contracts, property, and criminal law along with law and psychiatry, Brian Shannon’s orientation to teaching and learning is informed by and integrated with the scholarship and service he has engaged in during his years at Texas Tech. Recent efforts on the service side include his role as an appointee on the Texas Governor’s Committee on People with Disabilities and memberships on the boards of directors of the Lubbock Regional Mental Health and Mental Retardation Center (immediate past chair); the Lubbock County Bar Association (immediate past president); Advocacy, Inc.; and the Texas Council of Community Mental Health and Mental Retardation Centers. On the scholarly research side, Shannon has co-authored four editions of the book, Texas Criminal Procedure and the Offender with Mental Illness, and two editions of Texas Alternative Dispute Resolution and Arbitration Statutes and Commentary. He has also filed pro bono amicus curiae or friend-of-the-court briefs in cases at the United States and Texas Supreme Courts. The service and scholarly work have been woven so effectively that students recognize him as an outstanding teacher but we know that his instructional abilities stem in part from his being a notable integrated scholar.

If you read Ronald Mitchell’s teaching dossier you find what he values: “(1) each student as an individual with unique interests and capabilities; (2) comprehension, appreciation, and creative expression of human knowledge; (3) the encouragement and expectation of analytical, critical, and strategic thought; (4) the acquisition of new knowledge and its subsequent dissemination to others (especially those who have traditionally had limitations on their access to this knowledge); (5) service to the set of students who passionately desire to possess the knowledge base and problem-solving methods used by expert entrepreneurs; and (6) extended (life-long) learning.” These values reveal much about an accomplished educator and researcher whose commitments to values and ethics in entrepreneurship have an international reach. Indeed, programs he has led have had significant impact on economic development in the U.S., Canada, China, and Sweden, among other countries. Mitchell holds the Jean Austin Bagley Regents Chair in Management. In the Texas Tech University System, Mitchell directed the best-practices analysis of the technology commercialization process, the “Possibilities Project,” and served on the Chancellor’s Taskforce for Improved Efficiencies. At Texas Tech per se, he is currently co-chairing President Guy Bailey’s Revenue Enhancement and Allocation Task Force that is leading the way towards a system of responsibility centered management for all academic units at the university. On the national scene, Mitchell has served the Academy of Management’s Entrepreneurship Division, with 2,600 members, as division chair and program chair, among other positions. If you add to the above, research publications in first-tier journals and presentations at prestigious venues nationally and internationally, you have all the ingredients for integrated scholarship. But, when you find the sum of his teaching, research, and service efforts truly melded you are compelled to see Mitchell as one of the university’s prominent integrated scholars.

Faculty colleagues acquainted with Tara Stevens believe that her middle name could be “Educational Psychology,” given how the art, or practice, and science of the field are so melded into all that she does in teaching, research, and service. Her outreach work is typified by consulting services in which she conducts psychological assessments and offers counseling services to students. Some of the topics she has tackled in her research and service efforts include: (1) the effects of TV viewing on learning and the possible development of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, (2) the correlation between physical activity and academic performance, and (3) teaching innovations that assist the learning of mathematics. In the latter efforts, she is serving as co-principle investigator, along with Professor Gary Harris in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, on a $6 million grant from the National Science Foundation, which includes collaborations with other Texas Tech mathematics faculty members. In all, the research and service undergirds all she does in instruction, particularly in the College of Education’s Educational Psychology Doctoral Program, that is also being expanded to help graduates qualify for licensure as school psychologists. The terms, “respected teacher,” “leading researcher,” and “dedicated service provider” all apply to Tara Stevens, but as equally important are the ways she has found to weave such efforts together to be recognized as a remarkable integrated scholar.

If you go to the Texas Tech Web site for the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Literature, you will find the following statement: “Our faculty are known for exceptional teaching, diverse research and publication, and deeply involved service to their fields.” The assertion fits perfectly the academic life of Janet Pérez, whose record of teaching, research, and service reaches almost legendary proportions. Consider, for example, her membership in the Texas Tech Teaching Academy; the direction career-wise of more than seventy doctoral dissertations and master’s theses; her landmark scholarship in twentieth- and twenty-first-century Spanish literature, especially that of women writers, which is funded by more than thirty grants; the editing of the journal Hispania, with a worldwide subscription of greater than 14,000; and founding co-editorship of The Monographic Review. Beyond these notable accomplishments, think about how Pérez brings her fine teaching, research, and service work together with coherency and insight and you’ll realize why she is so appreciated by her students and peers. In fact, in 2009, she was elected to full membership in the North American Academy of the Spanish Language, which takes place concurrently with corresponding membership in the Royal Spanish Academy. Thus, Janet Pérez’s designation as an integrated scholar is solid indeed.

It is rare for a professor, at any university, to be responsible for a unit that receives the highest award a state’s environmental quality agency can bestow. But, that is what happened to Ron Kendall and The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH) that he has directed for twelve years at Texas Tech. The Texas Environmental Excellence Award, was one of only ten statewide and was conferred on TIEHH by Governor Rick Perry at a banquet in Austin this past May. And, well-deserved it was for a unit that has done seminal work on the effects of biohazards on our environment, practically all of it made possible by extramural grants and contracts from the federal government and both national and international corporations. Kendall’s contributions and leadership have been notable, but the research and service contributions have also come with outstanding educational benefits to students. As chair of the Department of Environmental Toxicology, located within the College of Arts and Sciences, Kendall has guided the development of a doctoral program that recently was hailed as the best of its kind in the nation. When Ron Kendall came to Texas Tech in 1997 he had an integrated vision of teaching/learning, research and service for an environmental toxicology program that has since captured worldwide attention. Kendall’s integrated-scholar approach was pivotal in making it happen.

Two years ago, in a program that aired on CNN, Kitty Harris-Wilkes stated, “To be in recovery from substance abuse and to be on a college campus is an absolute catastrophe without support.” Her answer to that challenge has been to help the Texas Tech Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR) become the foremost of its kind on any U.S. university campus. As a result of her efforts and other Texas Tech faculty members and staff, the center has amassed an enviable success record success working with Texas Tech students who have substance abuse and eating disorders, including a relapse rate of less than 10 percent following counseling and continuing help by the Collegiate Recovery Community. The work of CSAR also extends to research efforts that have received significant extramural funding from state, federal, and private sources. In addition to her work with CSAR, Harris-Wilkes assists the director of the Center for Prevention and Resiliency, which has spearheaded numerous projects including United Future Leaders, a program funded by United Supermarket. The latter program’s focus is on civility, leadership, and ethics among pre-adolescents. Harris-Wilkes also has been instrumental in establishing the Lubbock Independent School District’s School for Young Women Leaders, which has benefited from her special passion for service. Overall, the results of her research and extraordinary service contributions have been brought into instructional programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels in the College of Human Sciences, where Harris-Wilkes is known as a knowledgeable, caring, and enthusiastic teacher. On top of all of the above, Harris-Wilkes holds the George C. Miller Family Regents Professorship and serves as associate dean for outreach, engagement, and external relations in the College of Human Sciences. Thus, she has been able to blend her roles as teacher, researcher, and service provider, along with college-level administration, in unique ways. In the process, she has become one the university’s highly regarded integrated scholars.

In 2008, Mindy Brashears received one of the Young Professionals of Greater Lubbock Under Forty Awards for her combined civic and university leadership. Meriting such an award speaks volumes about the dedication and energy she has brought to Texas Tech and our city since joining the university in 2001. Besides teaching food microbiology and safety at the undergraduate and graduate levels, Brashears is a nationally recognized leader in food safety, having published extensively from research conducted at Texas Tech and with collaborators at the University of Nebraska. The research has been sponsored by more than $13 million in extramural grants and has been instrumental in supporting a significant number of graduate students and other researchers. No ivory tower researcher, Brashears has extended the benefits of her research through the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources International Center for Food Industry Excellence, which she directs. Her outreach and service programs have been recognized as being of great benefit to food producers regionally and nationally. Most notably, Brashears is an acknowledged expert in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration so-called Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point program that is crucial to keeping the nation’s food supply safe. Bringing all that she does together with coherency and a firm resolve to serve students as well as the local, regional, and national communities, are marks of the integrated scholarship of this notable integrated scholar.

The creation and crafting of jewelry through the ancient art of metalsmithing is not likely the first area that comes to mind when you think of Texas Tech. However, Texas Tech is blessed by Rob Glover who is known worldwide for his jewelry creations, several of which can be found on display in museums such as the Victoria and Albert in London, the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Smithsonian American Art Museum. Step into the laboratories where Glover’s creative work is done and you are struck by the well-equipped carrels that support instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Imagine lower division students receiving fine arts design instruction with hands-on experience that provides opportunities to create works that would attract attention in some of the smartest boutiques in the world. Such world-class experience is accompanied by Glover’s dedicated mentoring, results of which are reflected by framed photographs of students’ work that adorn the instructional laboratory. Thus, Glover has found a way to mix creative scholarship with craftsmanship and teaching. As one of his students Mary Mecca, a senior in art from Dallas, noted succinctly, “He is amazing.” Overall, his creative craft and teaching have influenced his work with the Saturday Morning Art Project, a program that helps talented high school students participate in the world of art at a level far beyond that available through typical K-12 offerings. As contributor for twenty years and coordinator for six, Glover contributes to the Helen Jones Foundation-funded program that takes students to art museums, involves them in workshops, and gives them hands-on opportunities that have helped launch many a successful career in the arts. So, whether we consider contributions in the Lubbock area, at Texas Tech, or literally around the world through the many juried reviews that have appeared nationally and internationally, Glover has blended wonderfully his roles as teacher, creative craftsman, and service provider. Thus, he can rightfully claim the integrated scholarship title he so richly deserves.

Art embodies the language of the soul. It also reflects history, culture, striving, and strife. For Professor Tate, the art of Mesoamerica has been central to her scholarly life since graduate school when she studied under Linda Schele – one of art history’s great scholars of Mayan art, epigraphy, and history. Today, Professor Tate continues her studies of Mayan art history with expanded emphasis on the art and culture of North American indigenous peoples. And, her noted scholarly accomplishments have provided the framework that reinforces a set of teaching commitments that spans offerings from basic art appreciation courses (for non-majors) and art history surveys, to more specialized courses in Mesoamerican, Maya, and North America art, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Her scholarly work was recognized at Texas Tech through the Barney Rushing Research Excellence Award in 2006. Her supervisors praise her teaching, research, and all she does to contribute to the university. At the university level, she has been an active senator in the Faculty Senate during the past few years. In the larger world, she has engaged in curatorial efforts at museums in Toronto, New York, and Houston. So, her acknowledgement as an integrated scholar is well deserved and should be celebrated by our academic community.

A colleague was known to say: “If you want a job done well, find a busy person.” The expression fits Professor Paton, because she has accomplished well, not only her administrative assignments, but also the teaching and scholarly work she has performed at TTU. Imagine! She is serving as vice provost for planning and assessment (including supervision of the Office of Planning and Assessment [responsible for university-wide accreditation along with oversight of more than 50 programmatic accreditation efforts across the university], the TTU Ethics Center, the Office of Academic Support and Facilities Resources, and the Office of Institutional Research), interim dean of the University College, and associate professor of higher education. The later assignment involves teaching, and thesis and dissertation direction in higher education graduate programs, including the direction of five students whose doctoral degrees were awarded just in the past three years. Not to overemphasize numbers, Professor Paton’s teaching has been outstanding, and with her academic appointment in higher education, she has brought her administrative expertise to bear on her pedagogy and content – all to the benefit of students. Students also have been engaged in her scholarly research, which has resulted in numerous publications and presentations that have, in turn, offered insight for all that she does in her administrative work. On the university side, Professor Paton has put Texas Tech on the national map of institutions that value outreach in special ways. Indeed, her efforts are primarily responsible for Texas Tech’s membership in an impressive group of peer institutions that will hold a national conference in Lubbock in 2013. Professor Paton is truly a professional whose integrated scholarship adds value to all she does, and all she does benefits a very large and important component of the academic enterprise at Texas Tech.

Architectural preservation requires a keen understanding of materials, structures, space, design, the environment, and the characterization thereof – all blended with sensitivities to culture and aesthetics. Professor Louden has been involved in all aspects of architecture and historical preservation, and she is best noted for integrating all these components into her teaching, research, and service efforts at Texas Tech – recognized in part through TTU Research and Teaching Awards in 2002 and 2003, respectively, continuing into 2004 with the College of Architecture nomination for the Barney Rushing Research Excellence award and the college's title of researcher of the year, and in 2006 the student-nominated Professing Excellence Award. Most notably, Professor Louden has brought 3D laser and aural scanning techniques into her teaching and scholarly work, to the benefit of students who will require these leading-edge tools in future practice. Her service and research efforts have included preservation projects across the Texas landscape, the nation, and World Heritage Sites such as the Roman Forum. These preservation efforts provide case material that is brought into the classroom and studios of the College of Architecture, as well as inform future scholarship. Dr. Louden’s work on historic buildings and integrating them into the classroom has raised awareness about the values of heritage and important construction methods. This integrated approach to learning advances students experiences and gives them an opportunity to fully understand all aspects of architecture and their surrounding environment. Her comprehensive studios provide students with valuable skills they can migrate into their professional pursuits. Over the past decade, Dr. Louden’s grants and contracts have funded student research assistants on nationally significant projects such as the documentation of the Statue of Liberty, while also including students in the study of numerous regional historic ranches. The more local work provides communities with proposals that help to preserve important sites and offers students service learning opportunities to work directly with the public – to literally see the direct effects of their proposals. For example, graduate student preservation work on the Lubbock 1931 Federal Post Office building helped draw statewide attention when the building was listed on the 2011 Texas’ Most Endangered Places list. Professor Louden’s unique abilities to weave teaching, research, and service into all of her academic pursuits make her a fine example of an integrated scholar.

Architectural preservation requires a keen understanding of materials, structures, space, design, the environment, and the characterization thereof – all blended with sensitivities to culture and aesthetics. Professor Louden has been involved in all aspects of architecture and historical preservation, and she is best noted for integrating all these components into her teaching, research, and service efforts at Texas Tech – recognized in part through TTU Research and Teaching Awards in 2002 and 2003, respectively, continuing into 2004 with the College of Architecture nomination for the Barney Rushing Research Excellence award and the college's title of researcher of the year, and in 2006 the student-nominated Professing Excellence Award. Most notably, Professor Louden has brought 3D laser and aural scanning techniques into her teaching and scholarly work, to the benefit of students who will require these leading-edge tools in future practice. Her service and research efforts have included preservation projects across the Texas landscape, the nation, and World Heritage Sites such as the Roman Forum. These preservation efforts provide case material that is brought into the classroom and studios of the College of Architecture, as well as inform future scholarship. Dr. Louden’s work on historic buildings and integrating them into the classroom has raised awareness about the values of heritage and important construction methods. This integrated approach to learning advances students experiences and gives them an opportunity to fully understand all aspects of architecture and their surrounding environment. Her comprehensive studios provide students with valuable skills they can migrate into their professional pursuits. Over the past decade, Dr. Louden’s grants and contracts have funded student research assistants on nationally significant projects such as the documentation of the Statue of Liberty, while also including students in the study of numerous regional historic ranches. The more local work provides communities with proposals that help to preserve important sites and offers students service learning opportunities to work directly with the public – to literally see the direct effects of their proposals. For example, graduate student preservation work on the Lubbock 1931 Federal Post Office building helped draw statewide attention when the building was listed on the 2011 Texas’ Most Endangered Places list. Professor Louden’s unique abilities to weave teaching, research, and service into all of her academic pursuits make her a fine example of an integrated scholar.

Former School of Law Interim Dean Susan Fortney succinctly characterized Professor James as “an engaged and engaging professor and scholar who connects his research, service, and teaching.” When you look further, you find that the teaching, research, and service cover a broad swath, beginning in his life with teaching and administrative appointments in the K-12 system in his homeland of Dominica in the West Indies, and extending through assignments at Syracuse University, the University of Tennessee, Southern Illinois University, and of course, Texas Tech. At TTU, Professor James was recognized for his notably effective teaching efforts through a President’s Achievement Award in 2009. In teaching, he is particularly well-known for service learning efforts that have brought, as examples, advice on wills preparation and income tax preparation to needy citizens in the surrounding community. Professor James’ legal scholarship has focused on issues critical to the Caribbean and developing world. But, it doesn’t stop there. His interest in elder care led to the book The Alzheimer's Advisor: A Caregiver's Guide to Dealing with the Tough Legal and Practical Issues, which was rated by the Library Journal as one of the Top 24 Consumer Health Care Books of 2009. Service-wise, Professor James gives back to his academic and civic communities in many ways. A talented calypso and reggae musician, as well as recording artist of 30 years, Professor James was awarded the Heritage Legend Award from the University of the West Indies (Dominica Center) in 2007. At Texas Tech, his service contributions include the service learning efforts noted earlier, along with his organizing and conducting the annual School of Law Cricket League. His range of contributions informs a consciousness that has made Professor James a noteworthy integrated scholar within our academic community and well beyond.

Imagine being tagged “a world expert.” That’s exactly how a number of Professor Jackson’s peers characterize him. Indeed, noted endowed professors at Purdue and Rice universities recently wrote about him: “Dr. Jackson’s major research focus is biological wastewater treatment, and Andrew is a recognized international leader in that field,” and, “[He] is unquestionably a world expert on the transport, fate, and remediation of perchlorate in the environment.” Because of his expertise, Professor Jackson was recently invited to go to Antarctica as a member of a field team of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The field team is part of a research group that focuses on Mars exploration and the search for life on Mars. They used Antarctica as a model for Mars, and since perchlorate has been found on Mars, Professor Jackson was invited to participate on the Antarctica trip. His grant record, including more than $2.3 million in competitive awards over 13 years, attests to his mastery in the field of environmental engineering. Apparently, his colleagues in the Whitacre College of Engineering also agree, since they have recognized him as a top departmental and college-level researcher on several occasions. As a teacher, Professor Jackson receives high marks both from undergraduate and graduate students through course evaluations. His success in assisting graduate students in master’s and doctoral programs is also well above the norm. On the service side, Professor Jackson is the academic adviser for all environmental engineering majors, faculty adviser for the student chapter of the Water Environment Federation, and has recently been appointed graduate adviser for the environmental and water resources area of civil engineering. He also is an associate editor of the world-recognized journal Air Water & Soil Pollution. Professor Jackson also has served on the editorial boards of two other respected journals. If these efforts are not enough to inform of his teaching and research, Professor Jackson has unselfishly served as external reviewer for the National Science Foundation’s small business development grant programs. Additionally, he currently is serving on the steering committee for the annual NASA Life Support Conference (i.e., The International Conference on Environmental Systems, or ICES). Taken together, we consider that his roles as research world expert, notable teacher, and unselfish contributor to his discipline – coupled with his ability to bring such experiences together for the benefits of students, faculty, and staff at TTU – all make a strong case for the integrated scholarship of Professor Andrew Jackson.

Mathematics proficiency among United States students in grades 6 through 12 is ranked poorly among many developed nations in the world. Enter Professor Dwyer and a host of his colleagues who are trying to repaint this picture. Their efforts are funded by major grants from federal (e.g., National Science Foundation) and private foundations, and enable interventions with children and teachers in middle and high schools. Professor Dwyer has been working with a group of colleagues at Texas Tech and peer universities (as noted below), as well as with teachers in West Texas and beyond. With funding in the millions, their efforts are making a difference, and Professor Dwyer and his collaborators have presented their contributions at conferences and in peer-reviewed literature. On the instruction side, Professor Dwyer teaches math to undergraduate and graduate students at TTU and in grant-funded demonstration projects at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Tennessee. At TTU, more generally, Professor Dwyer is a leader in service learning and outreach. Indeed, beyond the national scene, Professor Dwyer has for several years volunteered during personal summer time periods in projects designed to raise mathematics education in East Africa. Thus, he is an exemplar for bringing together, capabilities in teaching, research, and service, and evolving an integrated whole that is valued by a great number of educators, including the academic community at Texas Tech.

Professor Cohen, in some ways, is in an enviable position. He not only teaches and does research in clinical psychology, but he also has had the opportunity for six years to coordinate training in a doctoral program that is in high demand. Thus, akin to the best programs in the country, hundreds of applications are received each year for relatively few spots that are filled each fall with some of the best students nationally and internationally. So Professor Cohen has been engaged in helping to shape the development and implementation of a program that adds great value to his department and the university. In 2011 he took on the added responsibility of serving as chair of the Department of Psychology that supports two American Psychological Association (APA) accredited programs (clinical psychology and counseling psychology), another fully accredited (by the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society) doctoral program in human factors psychology, broad-based undergraduate and graduate programs, and research in experimental psychology with emphases in applied cognition, human factors, and social psychology. In the area of teaching, Professor Cohen is a member of the TTU Teaching Academy, received the President’s Excellence in Teaching Award in 2006, and has successfully directed undergraduate research, even though his programmatic assignments have principally been directed at the doctoral level where he receives outstanding commendations from students. He also has contributed in special ways to the clinical programs in psychology. For example, a high official with the APA underlined Professor Cohen’s contributions to the scholarship of teaching and graduate training in clinical psychology as follows: “As the director of clinical training for the APA accredited doctoral program at Texas Tech – a very demanding and central role for all graduate students in that program . . . he was principal investigator on a major grant from the Department of Health and Human Services [DHHS] for the education and training of doctoral students in . . . clinical and counseling psychology . . . This was a very competitive national grant process, and Dr. Cohen’s leadership in teaching and training to prepare a culturally competent workforce to deliver services to underserved groups addresses a significant national need.” Besides his contributions to the DHHS training grant, he has been the recipient of over $1.6 million in grants from a variety of competitive sources, including the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse, and National Science Foundation. He also has collaborated recently with colleagues in his own department and researchers at the TTU Health Sciences Center on a State of Texas Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) grant involving tobacco use and its influence on the treatment of cancers. His research on behavioral, cognitive, and psychological corollaries to tobacco use, especially the specific effects of nicotine, has—as his record would indicate—direct implications to health care. One highly respected human behavioral researcher recently commented that Professor Cohen’s research: “Is of the highest quality . . . full of technological and methodological rigor, and replete with important insights that have made an impact in the field.” Service-wise, and as noted above, his contributions to the training components of the psychology department’s clinical programs, have been truly notable, given the extraordinary accreditation compliance and necessary funding issues involved in these programs nationally. Additionally, he has served in several editorial positions of well-recognized journals and is currently assistant editor for the journal Addiction. Overall, Professor Cohen is a faculty member who brings insight, dedication, and perseverance to his responsibilities in teaching, research, and serv

In terms of integrated scholarship, Professor Cogliser’s record is outstanding. She teaches at all levels (undergraduate, executive MBA, MBA for working professionals, doctoral) and in myriad settings, from face-to-face to online instruction. Her undergraduate and MBA courses routinely involve service learning with an emphasis on assisting non-profit corporations in their work with needy members of society. In the service learning offerings, she emphasizes a blending of the theoretical and practical, and ensures, through course objectives and other interventions, that students are exposed to cognitive and affective modes of learning. Additionally, Professor Cogliser publishes articles on her pedagogical efforts. Akin to her teaching efforts, Professor Cogliser’s research blends the theoretical and the practical in the domains of leadership, organizational context, entrepreneurship, and research methods, and can point to specific publications that not only highlight one or more areas of interest, but also illuminate connections among the areas of scholarship. Professor Cogliser’s service record is as impeccable as those in teaching and research. She has been an active contributor to college and university diversity efforts in assisting the retention of students from underrepresented groups. At the national level, she has made contributions to professional organizations through meeting organizational efforts, the teaching of leadership workshops, and service on editorial boards. Overall, Professor Cogliser’s case for integrated scholarship is not only supported through her integrative efforts within the realms of teaching, research, and service, but also among these three areas that are often considered independent. Thus, we offer kudos to Professor Cogliser for all she is doing to advance integrated scholarship at Texas Tech.

The old expression, “learn another language, live another life,” is certainly true for language/culture/literature integrated scholars such as Laura Beard. In her case, the additional life or lives emerge through the portals of Spanish, Portuguese, and indigenous languages of the Americas. Professor Beard’s teaching has covered a range of subject areas from Spanish language and women’s studies, to Hispanic and Native American literatures and cultures. Her contributions in teaching have been recognized by membership in the TTU Teaching Academy, along with Texas Tech Alumni Association and President’s Academic Achievement Awards. In her scholarly work, Professor Beard has been recognized through several significant travel and study fellowships (e.g., Fulbright, National Endowment for the Humanities, Newberry Library) that have resulted in many notable works, including a recent book, Acts of Narrative Resistance: Women’s Autobiographical Writings in the Americas, published in 2009 by the University of Virginia Press in the American Literatures Initiative Series. In this book, which she prefaces with the comment: “Turning lives into stories seems irresistible,” Professor Beard proceeds with, “I am interested in how these authors negotiate the discourses of personal, cultural, ethnic, national, sexual, gender, and, in some cases, indigenous identities in order to inscribe their own stories and their own life experiences.” The book—resulting from more than ten years of study, teaching, and outreach in cultures across the North and South American continents, is a tour de force that captured a TTU President’s Book Award in 2011. As important as Professor Beard’s teaching, scholarly study, and outreach have been to her integrated scholarship, she also has contributed to her department administratively and at the university level through her work as an officer in the Phi Beta Kappa chapter at TTU, and as a faculty liaison for the Cross Cultural Academic Advancement Center. Outside of the university, she has served as journal editor and has performed editorial review work for noted journals and presses in her fields of interest. All of these efforts have informed the life and works of this prominent integrated scholar.

Professor Akers is a truly remarkable integrated scholar and caring professional. She teaches at all levels and has an impressive student evaluation record. She ranks consistently within the top 5 percent of her colleagues in the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources (CASNR). She is innovative in teaching practices and documents her efforts through journal articles and presentations at national meetings. Professor Akers’ contributions to teaching have been recognized through 11 awards from regional and national organizations, in addition to college-wide awards, both for teaching and advising. Her research in agricultural education and communications spans an array of topics, from assessment of agricultural education interventions within and outside the academy to collaborative efforts with animal scientists on the epidemiology of disease outbreaks connected with the public’s contact with animals. If all the above were not enough, Professor Akers serves as director of CASNR’s Student Services Center, which handles all recruitment, retention, and student services efforts for undergraduates within the college’s varied programs. CASNR’s former dean, John Burns, summarizes Akers’ efforts in the student services arena as follows: “She coordinates all the undergraduate recruitment and retention efforts for the college. Her leadership in our student retention programs is the main reason that CASNR has the highest freshmen retention rate of any college at Texas Tech.” Enough said! Except that, we can imagine few other faculty members with a stronger claim to the title, “integrated scholar” – at Texas Tech or anyplace else.

The theatrical triple threat is one who can sing, dance, and act with aplomb. Professor Chansky, following a seven-year acting career that took her to Broadway, and dinner and children’s theatres in five states (along with contributions to television commercials), chose to pursue an academic career somewhat later in life than others. But, she has caught up fast and has found the combination of excellence in teaching, scholarly works, and outreach that places her among the top integrated scholars at TTU. The evidence: the love that students have for her dedication to the art of teaching, her many scholarly publications (including one that received a TTU President’s Book Award, Composing Ourselves: The Little Theatre Movement and the American Audience in 2006), and her contributions to the theatre locally and nationally. The comments of students (Privitt, 2009) about Professor Chansky’s contributions are instructive. For example, a recent theatre graduate testified: “She introduced me to a wide variety of scholars and then enabled me to engage and even challenge their ideas. In my opinion, it is not enough for a teacher to be passionate about something; they must be able to make that passion contagious. I think that [she] has the ability to inspire her students to read, to research, and [to] publish in their field.” One doctoral student stated: “She brings a level of serious professionalism to scholarship . . . She puts us on an academic map. She is indispensible for us, especially if we want to be a top-tier research institute.” A 2007 baccalaureate graduate summed up: “She was great. I loved her class. It was very hard, but it was worth it . . . I left there knowing that I had learned something.” These remarkable student comments reveal the composite story well. The “story” offers the conclusion that Professor Chansky’s integrated scholarship is equivalent to an academic Tony.

If you study the challenges modern professionals face balancing work and family life, especially where the work-related efforts involve considerable travel, you will come across the name of Anisa Zvonkovic. She has been a leader in related research and funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH)—over $1.4 million in the past five years—which has involved managing a large group of graduate students and research staff in studies that are illuminating the work-family life dynamic, including such notable challenges as job termination. The research and findings are vital to the courses and mentoring that Professor Zvonkovic is known for among human development and family studies master’s and doctoral students (she advises nine graduate students). For example, in 2010 a number of her students won university-wide awards for research/graduate study (e.g., TTU Graduate School Outstanding Social Sciences Master’s Thesis Award, AT&T Chancellor’s Doctoral Fellowship Award) and instruction (TTU Teaching, Learning and Technology Center TEACH Fellowships, Graduate Part-Time Instructor of the Year). Professor Zvonkovic herself was acknowledged through an Outstanding Faculty Mentor award from the TTU Center for Undergraduate Research. Her efforts at outreach and service, which have informed the teaching and research, have involved service on a major NIH scientific review committee (2009-2011) and presentations at numerous national forums. Additionally, she serves on the Berado Mentoring Award committee of the National Council on Family Relations. In the past, she has also chaired the national program for this organization, along with giving service in other organizational areas. On top of all of the above, is the service that Professor Zvonkovic has given in recent years to editorial boards (of three major journals) as well as the College of Human Sciences as chair of the Department of Human Development and Family Studies. Thus, she has had to manage her own work-family life dynamic, which has been aided by her integrated approach to scholarship across the teaching-research-service triad.

If you listen to the Texas Tech NPR Station (KOHM) on Friday nights or Saturday mornings, you will hear “Celtic Shores”, the radio program Chris Smith has written, produced, and hosted since 2005. The program is one measure of the integrated scholarship of Professor Smith, who is a Teaching Academy member and responsible for courses in musicology, ethnomusicology, and popular music as general university and honors offerings. Professor Smith’s scholarly work includes studies of American and African American Music, twentieth-century music, folk music including especially that originating from Ireland and other Celtic regions, along with improvisation in musical performance, the intersection of music and politics, and great performances in history. His conference presentations and published works (in journals and magazines ranging from New Hibernia Review to Contemporary Music Review to Lubbock Magazine and many others) include studies of the “Celtic guitar,” the improvisations of Miles Davis, cinematic portrayals of Irish musical culture, among a broad swath of work. His teaching and research is informed and enlivened by performances with Altramar—a medieval music ensemble, co-leadership (with Angela Mariana) of the traditional Irish group, Last Night’s Fun, as well as numerous other presentations nationally and internationally. His outreach activities also include World Wide Web content for the Prentice-Hall music history textbook series, the Buddy Holly Center, and the Banjo Lessons and Tips site. In all, his integrated efforts are as rich and abundant as one could hope for in a TTU integrated scholar.

“Prairie woman—through and through,” “artist,” “naturalist,” “scientist,” “teacher,” and “writer,” are words that all apply to Susan Tomlinson—with one rejoinder. Bring them together in all you do and all you contribute to your academic life at Texas Tech. The joining, the weaving, and the integration come together in a remarkable program (which she directs) and degree offered through the TTU Honors College: Natural History and Humanities (NHH). Although relatively small in enrollment, the NHH program offers opportunities for student sojourners to learn and contribute to interdisciplinary scholarship that cuts across art, literature, history, philosophy, and science (particularly environmental and sustainability studies), all with a thrust towards integrated understanding. Professor Tomlinson’s life quest in natural history and humanities comes alive through the courses she has created (e.g., Introductory Fieldcraft: Nature as Text, Women and Nature); her writings, which include the recently published book, How to Keep a Naturalist’s Notebook; and the field experiences she creates for her students. Her excellence as a teacher has been recognized by induction into the TTU Teaching Academy, a President’s Excellence Award in Teaching (2004), and accolades noted frequently by students. The latter came to fruition in 2010 when TTU students voted to designate her as “Honors Faculty Member of the Year.” Professor Tomlinson’s scholarship has been acknowledged through an Editor’s Choice Award (2008) of Isotope—a literary magazine devoted to science and nature writing. We acknowledge her as an integrated scholar because of her bringing together and synergizing teaching, research, and service—an accomplishment of great importance in the education of students who will bring understanding and energy to the sustainability of our shared environment.

Akin to many fine poets, John Poch knows that poetry brings together—pithily—rhyme, meaning, and word sound in stunning ways. But, Professor Poch also knows that to insure the future of his art, poems and poetry have to be brought to scholars and the public at large in time-honored and unique ways. John Poch is known as a great teacher in one of the top creative writing programs in the country, right here at Texas Tech. His scholarly credentials record a number of books, including his most recent Dolls (2009). But, the scholarly work does not end with his work alone. It also includes editorial efforts and the production of the print poetry magazine, 32 Poems. Additionally, he is the Series Editor for The Vassar Miller Poetry Prize, which involves responsibility for oversight of one of the most prestigious annual poetry prizes in the country. He has also chaired (2001-2009) the Lubbock-based program Poetry by Heart and has been a contributor to the Highland Park School Literary Festival (Dallas). Additionally, he is a contributing author to the website: From the Fishouse (sic)—an audio archive of emerging poets. Thus, honoring his interwoven life of teaching, scholarship, and research, we acknowledge John Poch as a 2010 integrated scholar.

When the TTU leadership wished to highlight a science-engineering integrated scholar in the recently developed strategic plan for 2010-2020 (Making it Possible . . .), they chose to highlight an apt exemplar—Michelle Pantoya. Known principally for her work in mechanical engineering, where she studies the synthesis and explosive properties of materials, her academic efforts do not stop there. Professor Pantoya has amassed an instructional record—principally at the graduate level—that blends elegantly directed science-engineering research and learning for future researchers and higher education leaders. But, her life of integrated scholarship does not stop at higher education teaching and research. Her concern for the education and development of the youngest of current generations led her and colleague Emily Hunt of West Texas A&M University to publish a children’s book, Engineering Elephants (2010), illustrated (Molly Stewart) and designed to help children ages 4-8 not only to grasp the concepts of engineering but also to see how vital the field of engineering is to our twenty-first century. In short, the interwoven world and contributions of Michelle Pantoya clearly seal her claim to the tile of integrated scholar.

When we offer advice to new faculty members on becoming integrated scholars, we talk about developing teaching skills including the publication of papers on advances in pedagogy. We also advise a research agenda that includes research and scholarly disciplinary and interdisciplinary studies in areas of seminal importance, along with publication of results in front-line journals. Finally, our advice includes involvement in meaningful service-oriented efforts and conscious attempts to integrate all the lessons noted to this point. If Professor Laverie had been a student of the above noted lessons, she would have a received a top grade for her results to date. She is an outstanding teacher who has been recognized by membership and leadership appointments (e.g., Chair, 2000-2002) in the Teaching Academy. Additionally, she is the recipient of the TTU Chancellor’s Distinguished Teaching and President’s Excellence in Teaching Awards, along with the Academy of Marketing Science Outstanding Teaching Award. In 2010, she was also awarded one of only 15 statewide Piper Professorships (of the Minnie Stevens Piper Foundation), which acknowledge superior teaching at the college level. Not to be just on the receiving end, Professor Laverie has given of herself to teaching excellence through her service as director of the university’s Teaching, Learning and Technology Center during the past five years. Her direction of undergraduate and graduate student research has led to the publication of many research papers in leading journals in her field of marketing. In 2010, Professor Laverie was appointed senior associate dean in the Rawls College of Business where she will be offering a new level of service to Texas Tech and the world of academic business administration. We know the model of her integrated scholarship will not be lost as she comes in contact with greater numbers of faculty members and students through her new administrative role.