Amber Candela, Jennifer Chen, Lon Chubiz, Lara Kelland, Jerome Morris, Lee Slocum, Leighanne Heisel, Waldemar Rohloff and Kate Watt have been granted time to devote to research or course development.
LATEST IN Arts & Sciences
Faculty members granted sabbaticals and teaching releases during 2025-26 academic year
Amber Candela, Jennifer Chen, Lon Chubiz, Lara Kelland, Jerome Morris, Lee Slocum, Leighanne Heisel, Waldemar Rohloff and Kate Watt have been granted time to devote to research or course development.
Faculty members granted sabbaticals and teaching releases during 2025-26 academic year
Amber Candela, Jennifer Chen, Lon Chubiz, Lara Kelland, Jerome Morris, Lee Slocum, Leighanne Heisel, Waldemar Rohloff and Kate Watt have been granted time to devote to research or course development.
Faculty members granted sabbaticals and teaching releases during 2025-26 academic year
Amber Candela, Jennifer Chen, Lon Chubiz, Lara Kelland, Jerome Morris, Lee Slocum, Leighanne Heisel, Waldemar Rohloff and Kate Watt have been granted time to devote to research or course development.
UMSL English Writing Program shows students the impact writing makes
Associate Professor Lauren Obermark and Assistant Teaching Professor Lauren Terbrock-Elmestad worked to revamp the curriculum of the university’s first-year writing course, including the addition of a community advocacy project.
UMSL English Writing Program shows students the impact writing makes
Associate Professor Lauren Obermark and Assistant Teaching Professor Lauren Terbrock-Elmestad worked to revamp the curriculum of the university’s first-year writing course, including the addition of a community advocacy project.
UMSL English Writing Program shows students the impact writing makes
Associate Professor Lauren Obermark and Assistant Teaching Professor Lauren Terbrock-Elmestad worked to revamp the curriculum of the university’s first-year writing course, including the addition of a community advocacy project.
Eye on UMSL: ‘A Grand Night for Singing!’
Members of the Singing Actor’s Workshop Ensemble perform a song from Rodgers and Hammerstein on April 10 in the Lee Theater at the Touhill.
Eye on UMSL: ‘A Grand Night for Singing!’
Members of the Singing Actor’s Workshop Ensemble perform a song from Rodgers and Hammerstein on April 10 in the Lee Theater at the Touhill.
Eye on UMSL: ‘A Grand Night for Singing!’
Members of the Singing Actor’s Workshop Ensemble perform a song from Rodgers and Hammerstein on April 10 in the Lee Theater at the Touhill.
Biology alum Chris Hollingsworth contributing to Saint Louis Zoo’s hellbender conservation and care team
Hollingsworth earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UMSL in December 2023 and first joined the zoo staff as an intern early last year.
Biology alum Chris Hollingsworth contributing to Saint Louis Zoo’s hellbender conservation and care team
Hollingsworth earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UMSL in December 2023 and first joined the zoo staff as an intern early last year.
Biology alum Chris Hollingsworth contributing to Saint Louis Zoo’s hellbender conservation and care team
Hollingsworth earned his bachelor’s degree in biology from UMSL in December 2023 and first joined the zoo staff as an intern early last year.
MORE IN Arts & Sciences
Greek dig makes pages of Archaeology magazine
Each summer for more than a decade, University of Missouri–St. Louis archaeologist Michael Cosmopoulos has led an expedition of students and volunteers to an area in the middle of an olive grove in southwest Greece for hands-on experience they’re likely to never forget.
Professors talk Olympic Games in recent podcast
As the world gears up for the 2012 Summer Olympics next month in London, reflection on the last summer games continues. University of Missouri–St. Louis scholars Susan Brownell and Richard Wright recently sat down to film a video podcast about the Olympics for the British Journal of Sociology in London.
Novelist’s book makes ‘great summer reading’ list
To paraphrase KMOX (1120), you don’t have to travel far from the University of Missouri–St. Louis campus to find great summer reading. “The Inverted Forest” by John Dalton, director of the MFA in Creative Writing program at UMSL, made the radio station’s list of “Books by St. Louis authors to read this summer.”
Eye on UMSL: Big camps on campus
Saxophonist Dave Pietro leads a Jazz Camp class in J.C. Penney Building/Conference Center at UMSL. Held June 10-15, it’s one of several precollegiate camps on campus each summer. Others include Girls Leadership Camp, STARS, UMSL Bridge Program Summer Academy, Xtreme IT! Summer Academy and UMSL Boys Basketball Camps. The picture, by campus photographer August Jennewein, is the latest to be featured at Eye on UMSL.
When it comes to presidential race, is it still ‘the economy, stupid?’
Bill Clinton introduced the phrase “It’s the economy, stupid” during his first presidential campaign. And the economy seems to have factored heavily in every major political race since.
Jubilee awards will fund oral history project, alumni concert, more
Believe it or not, giving away $50,000 is not an easy task. Just ask Patricia Zahn, chair of the Jubilee Program Committee at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Student gets hands dirty at Cahokia excavations
Timothy Meyer, a senior majoring in anthropology at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, has been getting his hands dirty this summer, logging real-world experience helping excavation efforts at Cahokia Mounds in Collinsville, Ill., just east of St. Louis.
In defense of the F-word in K-16 education
Recently I received an email from a student unlike any message I have received in 40 years as a college professor. It is worth noting for what it says not so much about this student as about the culture we have now created within K-16 education in America. Commenting on the failing grade the student received in one of my courses, the individual wrote that s/he had “complied” with the paper and tests and that it was I, the instructor, who had failed insofar as I had not done what it took to enable a passing grade and had not given adequate warning of failure. The student concluded that “you should be embarrassed to give a student an F and demanded a refund of the money charged for the course.
Legendary Japanese queen focus of lecture
The legendary and mysterious Japanese queen Himiko will be the focus of a lecture sponsored by the Japan America Society Women’s Association.
Skywatching event of year keeps UMSL astronomers busy
A towheaded infant crawled down the grassy hill, oblivious to the spectacle high above her. An elderly man hobbled slowly along the walkway seemingly pleased to be a part of the same rare wonder.
Social worker to assist students in crisis
The prolonged gloomy economy has forced many Americans to cope with turned-off utilities, eviction notices and wondering where their next meal will come from. College students are not immune.
Watch Venus cross the face of the sun at UMSL
A rare event will transpire in the sky June 5, and astronomers at the University of Missouri–St. Louis are inviting the public to watch.
Political scientist talks St. Louis County population migration
The population of St. Louis County has decreased over the last decade. And it’s not just people leaving the county. About $3.41 billion of resident income went with them, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Game-show dream comes true for alumnus
University of Missouri–St. Louis alumnus Jim Virtel tested his trivia knowledge during a recent “Jeopardy!” appearance. And while he didn’t walk away a champ, he was happy with his third-place performance.
Economist discusses local housing crash
The continuous decline of the housing market is spurring the increase of bargain prices for potential buyers and investors, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
STARS places students with scientists in lab, field
Academically talented high school juniors and seniors will get a chance this summer to research everything from plant responses to environmental stress, to a protein important for nervous system differentiation and cancer, during the 2012 STARS program at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Instructor sheds light on Pentecostalism, tongue-speaking
While it might sound like gibberish to the untrained ear, there are actually two varieties of tongue-speaking among Pentecostals, according to Peter Marina, a visiting assistant professor of sociology at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Biology student overcomes challenges to earn academic success
Nicole “Nikki” Benjamin has never let her hearing impairment slow her down. The University of Missouri–St. Louis biology major sees the challenge as one she knows she has repeatedly overcome.
Crime mapping can lead to more effective law enforcement
The fragmentation of police services is a problem inherent in the organization of many communities across the county. St. Louis is no different, as there are a multitude of jurisdictions—many of which have their own police departments. This fragmentation has the potential to reduce the ability of law enforcement agencies to collectively combat crime and disorder and provide effective community services.
Thinking out loud with the intellectually curious
Why do we think about certain things? Why do we do certain things? A three-day conference for the thinking person gets under way May 20 at the Moonrise Hotel in St. Louis. The St. Louis Annual Conference on Reasons and Rationality or SLACRR is sponsored by the University of Missouri–St. Louis and Washington University in St. Louis. It runs through May 22. The conference provides a forum for new work on practical and theoretical reason.
Instructor receives prestigious honor from French government
The French government has singled out a language instructor at the University of Missouri–St. Louis to receive a prestigious honor it bestows to academics, cultural and educational figures.
Student graduates with more than degree
Travis Abbott graduated from the University of Missouri–St. Louis Saturday with more than just a degree; he also took with him the title of published author. Abbott, a double major in computer science and mathematics, has co-authored three papers along with Uday Chakraborty, professor of computer science at UMSL. The most recent paper was published in the prestigious journal Energy, an international, multi-disciplinary journal in energy engineering and research.
Children’s advocacy services director talks victimization
As director of the Children’s Advocacy Services of Greater St. Louis at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, Jerry Dunn is all too familiar with the ways that perpetrators attempt to shame their victims.
3 honorary degree recipients devote lives to service
Dr. Patricia Wolff, a St. Louis pediatrician who left her private practice last year to devote her time to providing food and medicine to malnourished children in Haiti, is one of three individuals receiving honorary degrees at five commencement ceremonies at the University of Missouri–St. Louis May 12 and 13.
2 sides of the same coin: Political Science alumni from opposing parties bond over radio show
John Hancock and Michael Kelley have a lot in common. They come from similar working-class backgrounds. Each has experienced a successful career in political consulting, and both hold bachelor’s degrees in political science from the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Earl Swift recounts a love affair with UMSL that led to his journalism career
Earl Swift’s original plan for college called for a brief stay at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, followed by a transfer to the University of Missouri–Columbia to enroll in its famed Missouri School of Journalism.
Jennifer Tappenden introduces poetry to the public one poem at a time
Poetry is a hard sell. It has the rap of being difficult, of being inaccessible, of being something only other poets...
Beyond the classroom: Grant program opens doors for undergraduate researchers
Jason Adair never saw himself as the Indiana Jones type. But after learning about uncovered remnants of stone tools and other artifacts that were found in Chesterfield, Mo., the University of Missouri–St. Louis anthropology major got hooked on archaeology.
Getting through college on the fast track: 20-year-olds graduate from UMSL
Among the more than 1,500 students graduating from the University of Missouri–St. Louis Saturday, four of them stand out for what they have in common. They’ve all earned high honors, entered college at the sophomore level and are 20 years old. (Since 1974, only 217 of more than 60,000 UMSL graduates were 20 years old or younger.) Not surprisingly, they’re highly focused individuals with grand plans.
Creative writers to give one last reading as students
A day before they graduate from the University of Missouri–St. Louis with an MFA in creative writing, eight students will read their original works. The semiannual MFA Graduate Reading will begin at 7 p.m. Friday (May 11) in the E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Theater at the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center. The reading is free and open to the public.
Social work professor, grad student examine drug court’s effectiveness
Drug and alcohol addictions wreck many lives each year, and the staggering numbers of families who are effected in Jefferson County, Mo., continues to grow.
Students Greece-bound for summer excavation project
A lack of experience turned out to be a boon for two University of Missouri–St. Louis anthropology students. Seniors Amanda Anderson and Timothy Meyer will take part in a Greek excavation project this summer courtesy of a grant from the National Science Foundation program called “Research Experience for Undergraduates.” The grant is specifically targeted at undergrads who’ve never done archaeological field work. They’ll head to Greece in mid-June, and be there for several weeks.
Mercantile to host Civil War series
Missouri’s pivotal role in the Civil War will be explored at 7 p.m. every Thursday in May at the St. Louis Mercantile Library at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
UMSL’s first poet laureate: Jennifer Tappenden
Jennifer Tappenden works by day making small databases for researchers to track study data. By night, the 42-year-old New York native hones her poetry skills while in pursuit of her master’s of fine arts in creative writing at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. She’s scheduled to graduate in December, but before then she’s spending her final year at UMSL as the university’s first poet laureate.
The Challenge
“Educate and inform the whole mass of the people … They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty.” “Enlighten the people generally, and tyranny and oppressions of body and mind will vanish like evil spirits at the dawn of day.” –Thomas Jefferson
Symposium to explore Japanese female cartoon icons
Since her introduction to Japanese consumers nearly 40 years ago, Hello Kitty has exploded into a global pop culture phenomenon. Her cute cartoon cat face is adored by throngs of teens and adults.
UMSL inventors honored at induction ceremony
For James Bashkin, one of the driving forces behind his inventions is saving people’s lives. Bashkin, a professor of chemistry at the University of Missouri–St. Louis is the co-founder of NanoVir, a company that is working to develop antiviral drugs for the human papillomavirus or HPV, the chief cause of cervical cancer.
Must there be an inevitable conflict with robots?
Teachers, children, parents, scientists and an artist or two showed up at the Missouri History Museum last Wednesday to play with robots and hear about a coming war we humans might have with them.
Raising awareness of domestic homicide in Missouri
Two people meet, fall in love and then live happily ever after. The ideal ending, right? Or wrong? Since the beginning of 2012, at least five Missouri women have had their happily-ever-afters cut tragically short by violence. These women have been killed, not by strangers, but allegedly by men they once loved. The deaths of Jamie L. Fields-Arrington, 33; Sarah Billingsley-Walker, 18; Kristie Steed, 43; Gwendolyn E. Pahmeyer, 51; and Alyshia Alexander, 24 are startling reminders of the seriousness of domestic homicide in our own community.
Lecture to explore impact of classical Greece on modern times
A Greek professor of classical archaeology will explore the impact of classical Greece on modern society in a lecture at 7 p.m. April 25 at the University of Missouri–St. Louis.
Engineering students Ethiopia bound
Two University of Missouri–St. Louis engineering students will clock nearly 16,000 miles round trip this summer to work on a construction project in Africa.
Domestic violence fair to give voice to Missouri victims
Normandy (Mo.) police Officer Amanda Cates was shot to death in August 2006 at the hands of her boyfriend. Since then, the number of Missouri residents that have been the victims of domestic homicide continued to grow.
Irish poet talks Yeats
Native Irish poet Eamonn Wall holds a special place in his heart for William Butler Yeats. “I think in some ways, W.B. Yeats’ poetry is kind of the soundtrack of childhood and adolescence in Ireland,” Wall said on a recent episode of “Cityscape” on St. Louis Public Radio | 90.7 KWMU.
Grad School Research Fair: From school bus routes to new solar systems
Jeremy North and William Ellegood have applied business college logistics to school bus routes for their doctoral research in logistics and supply chain management. Logan Brown, a doctoral candidate in physics, asks the question: “Where is the water?” in her research on the possibility of finding water in solar systems still unformed and light years away from our own.
Computer scientist to explore battlefield for future wars: cyberspace
As the 21st century progresses, world powers have begun to acknowledge a new battlefield for future wars: cyberspace. The New York Times, for example, revealed that the U.S. debated using cyber warfare in its initial strikes against Libya, before giving way to conventional military means.
Effective interventions critical in child abuse prevention
Although April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month, the School of Social Work at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, with its emphasis on child welfare, is involved with child abuse prevention all year. Graduates learn effective interventions with abusive parents and their children. This is critical if we are going to prevent further abuse.
Criminology student receives 3-year NSF fellowship
Shytierra Gaston has always been fascinated by the corrections systems. Now, thanks to a National Science Foundation program Gaston, a PhD student in criminology and criminal justice at the University of Missouri–St. Louis, will have an opportunity to take a closer look at the effect prison has on family members.
Workshops focus on teaching women to work smart, get paid more
Over her working life, the average woman will get paid more than $1,000,000 less than a man in a similar position. There is still a wage gap between the earnings of women and men.
Eye on UMSL: Philosophy under the shade tree
UMSL Adjunct Instructor in Philosophy Isaac Wiegman (center, facing camera) lectures his class of 16 students on April 9. The course is Philosophy 2280: Minds, Brains and Machines, and the Millennium Student Center is in the background. “I love teaching outside,” Wiegman said. “It’s so fun.” The picture, by campus photographer August Jennewein, is the latest to be featured at Eye on UMSL.
Children’s Advocacy Services launches take action campaign
“A child’s safety is an adult’s responsibility – what can you do?” are the words that stare back at you along with the big brown eyes of an innocent little boy. The question and image are part of a new campaign urging people to report potential child abuse and neglect.
LATEST NEWS
- Jalene LaMontagne, colleagues win Robert P. McIntosh Award from the Vegetation Section of the Ecological Society of America for research on community synchrony in seed production
- Eye on UMSL: A global welcome
- Dean Marius Boboc brings leadership, research experience to the College of Education
- Fontbonne University archives find new home on UMSL’s campus
- UMSL’s Supply Chain Analytics Center of Excellence set to open for fall semester
- UMSL receives new $1.3 million grant from US Department of Education to continue delivering TRIO Student Support Services
- Fall semester kicks off at UMSL with new student convocation and other Weeks of Welcome events
- 2023 graphic design alum Nicole DuFour builds on passion for illustration with children’s book, ‘The Star Dweller’
- DNP graduate Victoria Cobb works with BSN students to treat loneliness in older adults
- Assistant Clinical Professor Dr. Tareq Nabhan named president of the St. Louis Optometric Society
