Friday, November 20, 2009
To help recognize November as Native American Heritage Month, Penn State Live posed a few questions to A. Gregg Roeber, professor of early modern history and religious studies at Penn State and co-director of the Max Kade German-American Research Institute. In 2008 Roeber edited the book "Ethnographies and Exchanges: Native Americans, Moravians and Catholics in Early North America," published by Penn State Press. It was inspired by an international conference the institute hosted on the occasion of the English translation and publication of the Diaries of David Ziesberger, one of the first Moravian German-speaking missionaries and ethnographic observers of the Lenape.
Roeber's book examines the diaries, letters and journals of early European missionaries settling in America who survived only because of the help of Native American groups. These writings are valuable resources for recovering information about the religions, cultures and political makeup of the "First Peoples." (more)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thanksgiving is right around the corner. All the signs are there: the trees are bare, there's a chill in the air and grocery lists are as long as the crowded checkout lines in the food stores. Turkeys are flying off the shelves -- well, not literally -- frozen or fresh, that is. It's time to get out grandma's china. It's time for family, friends, too much turkey and afternoon naps.
So is it true that naps and turkey go together? It is commonly said that eating too much of it causes drowsiness due to the high levels of tryptophan found in the meat. However, according to Leah Devlin, division head of science and engineering and interim assistant dean of Academic Affairs at Penn State Abington, the "I-can't-do-the-dishes-because-I'm-too-tired" excuse is more myth than truth. (more)
Friday, November 20, 2009
The Nittany Lion Mascot is more than the symbol of Penn State athletics. The Lion is an ambassador who makes more than 250 appearances each year, and only half of them are at sporting events. The rich history of the Lion, and how the mascot is selected, is the focus of "Heart of the Lion," a new documentary produced by Penn State Public Broadcasting.
The show will debut on WPSU-TV at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, as part of the December pledge drive. It will re-air several times throughout the winter months. Check local listings for dates and times. (more)
Friday, November 20, 2009
Penn State's College of the Liberal Arts has launched its centennial video, which can be viewed at http://live.psu.edu/youtube/XjrXdqiLtoU online. The 11-minute video highlights some of the college's well remembered faculty and alumni as well as students and key events from the past 100 years. (more)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
The University Faculty Senate has reopened its search for a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Faculty Athletics Representative and is accepting nominations. The successful nominee will be appointed to a renewable five-year term.
The faculty athletics representative serves under the direction of the president and represents the faculty in all matters related to varsity athletics at University Park. The representative must be a tenured professor at University Park with a full-time faculty appointment. At the end of each five year term, the appointment will be reviewed by the president in consultation with the Senate Committee on Intercollegiate Athletics. (more)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Search engine use is not just part of our daily routines; it also is becoming part of our learning process, according to Penn State researchers. The researchers sought to discover the cognitive processes underlying searching. They examined the search habits of 72 participants while conducting a total of 426 searching tasks. They found that search engines are primarily used for fact checking users' own internal knowledge, meaning that they are part of the learning process rather than simply a source for information. They also found that people's learning styles can affect how they use search engines. (more)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
In an effort to partner with local farms, manufacturers and businesses, Penn State Food Services has developed guidelines that encourage state companies to partner with the University and give Penn State students a taste of the Keystone State.
During the 2008-09 school year, over 16 percent of Food Services' total purchases met its PA/Green standards. Purchasing manager John Mondock said his department met with the Culinary Support Services Office, including corporate chef Bill Laychur and executive chef Mark Kowalski, to develop the food service guidelines for Pennsylvania products. (more)
Thursday, November 19, 2009
NUTRITION PROGRAM OFFERED BY HEALTH MATTERS AND HIGHMARK BLUE SHIELD: Find your perfect fit and reach your nutrition goals with Personal Nutrition Coaching. This one-on-one counseling service with a registered dietitian is designed to help you make healthy lifestyle and nutrition choices for better health or to address specific concerns, such as weight management, heart health and diabetes. Call or e-mail Kim in Health Matters, today to schedule your first of seven sessions per calendar year 814-865-3085 or kae14@psu.edu These sessions are free to Highmark Blue Shield members.
VIDEO: POULTRY SCIENCE PROFESSOR SHARES TURKEY NEWS: It's Mike Hulet's job to talk turkeys, whether to students at Penn State's Poultry Education and Research Center or to poultry growers across Pennsylvania, one of the nation's top poultry-producing states. The associate professor of poultry science shared insights into emerging research and answers to frequently asked questions about what was almost America's national bird, and still is a central part of our nation's Thanksgiving traditions. Watch the videoat http://live.psu.edu/youtube/g1CqIHfkDVU online.
HOLOCAUST DOCUMENTARY TO AIR ON WPSU-TV: Penn State Public Broadcasting will air "No. 4 Street of Our Lady," a documentary film about the Holocaust, at 9 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, on WPSU-TV. The film was produced and directed by three Penn State faculty members and debuted in March of 2009. Following the film, WPSU host Patty Satalia sits down with filmmaker and Penn State faculty member, Judy Maltz, as part of a special edition of "Conversations from Penn State." For the full story, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/42971 online.
CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK MIRACLE BALL TO TAKE PLACE NOV. 21: Everyone is invited to celebrate 25 years of miracles at Children's Miracle Network and Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital at the annual Miracle Ball on Saturday, Nov. 21 at The HERSHEY Lodge. The silver anniversary-themed event begins at 6 p.m., with a reception, silent auction and entertainment provided by The Kelly Meashey Band. For the full story, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/43017 online.
BECOME A FAN OF PENN STATE CAREER SERVICES: Penn State Career Services recently created a Facebook fan page that will inform students, faculty, and staff of upcoming events and the various services and resources available to them. The fan page will feature photos from workshops, article postings, NACE statistics, and various tips of the day from Career Services. For the full story, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/42992 online.
NEW WEB SITE COMBINES PAPER AND ONLINE SRTE INFORMATION: Faculty, staff and administrators across Penn State are invited to visit a new Web site, at http://www.srte.psu.edu/ online, devoted to the Student Rating of Teaching Effectiveness (SRTEs) system. The site is a compilation of information previously found in two different locations, one for paper-administered SRTEs and another for online-administered SRTEs. For the full story, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/43045 online.
SCHREYER INSTITUTE TO HOLD BROWN BAG WORKSHOP ON THE FLU: Instructors who are concerned about the potential effect of the flu in the classroom, on their personal health or on their ability to teach are invited to attend a workshop from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Dec. 3. Sponsored by the Schreyer Institute for Teaching Excellence, the brown-bag workshop as part of the Noontime Roundtable Discussion series. It will originate from 315 Rider Building on Penn State's University Park campus. Polycom locations are Berks, Erie, Fayette and Hazleton. To register, visit http://www.schreyerinstitute.psu.edu/register/Multi-item-Registration.aspx?ID=10239 online.
UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES SEEKS COMMENT ON WEB DESIGN: The University Libraries will launch redesigned Web pages in 2010, and want faculty, students and others to comment on two possible design choices to create a product suited to user needs. They want to know which design is the most appealing, best represents the Libraries, and most importantly, makes information easier to find. For the full story, visit http://live.psu.edu/story/43056 online.
PALMER MUSEUM OF ART ANNOUNCES SHORTENED HOLIDAY HOURS: During the Thanksgiving holiday, the Palmer Museum of Art on Penn State's University Park campus will be open from noon to 4 p.m. on Nov. 21, 22, 24, 25, and 27 to 29. The museum will be closed on Nov. 23 and 26. For more information on the Palmer Museum of Art, visit http://www.palmermuseum.psu.edu/ or call 814-865-7672. (more)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Penn State Public Broadcasting will join the acclaimed oral history project StoryCorps in celebrating the second annual National Day of Listening on Friday, Nov. 27. The National Day of Listening is an effort to encourage all Americans to honor a friend, a loved one, or a member of the community by interviewing them about their lives. (more)
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Penn State's undergraduate architecture and landscape architecture programs have once again been recognized in the annual DesignIntelligence rankings, in which leading practitioners across the country rank the best schools for preparing students for practice in architecture, landscape architecture, interior design and industrial design.
The landscape architecture program was ranked fifth out of 49 accredited programs and the architecture program was ranked 11th out of 53 accredited programs. Brian Orland, former head of landscape architecture and current director of Penn State's H. Campbell and Eleanor R. Stuckeman School of Architecture and Landscape Architecture, was named one of DesignIntelligence's Most Admired Educators of 2010. (more)
