Category Archives: News & Achievements Archive

News & Achievements Archive

Drake faculty receive more than $83,000 in external funding

Principal Investigator: Matthew Zwier
Project Title: High-Performance Weighted Ensemble Software for Simulation of Complex Bio-Events
Project Summary: Matthew Zwier is a primary developer of the WESTPA software package, whose continued development this grant is intended to support. WESTPA is a tool for controlling other software tools: It orchestrates up to thousands of trajectories run natively by other software at any scale (e.g., Gromacs, Amber, BioNetGen, MCell) using a “weighted ensemble” strategy. He will be doing computer programming related to WESTPA. This programming will include implementing new features for the software, improving the performance (e.g. speed) of the software, and validating the software (ensuring that it produces the correct results). His particular focus will be ensuring that the WESTPA software package can run effectively on large supercomputers and interface smoothly with a number of chemical and biological simulation software packages.
Funding Agency: National Institutes of Health thru University of Pittsburgh
Award Amount: $28,000

 

Principal Investigator: Tom Rosburg
Project Title: Remnant Prairie Inventory in the Grand River Grassland CCS Landscape in Northwestern Harrison County, Missouri
Project Summary: The objective of this project is to intensively survey the recently expanded southern portion of The Grand River Grasslands Conservation Landscape in northwestern Harrison County for native prairie remnants. When complete, such an inventory will enable partner agencies working in this Conservation Landscape to better target grassland conservation efforts on both public and private lands.
Funding Agency: Missouri Department of Conservation
Award Amount: $20,000

 

Principal Investigator: Neil Hamilton
Project Title: Iowa Landowner’s Legal Guide
Project Summary: Drake staff will utilize project infrastructure funding to research and write educational materials relating to the Iowa Landowner’s Legal Guide, to be used to help educate Iowa land owners and their advisors and to enhance partnerships with other organizations using Sustainable Agricultural Land Tenure (SALT) resources.
Funding Agency: Leopold Center for Sustainable Agriculture
Award Amount: $9,736

 

Principal Investigator: Keith Summerville
Project Title: Targeted Reptile Assessment at Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt
Project Summary: This project will conduct an assessment of reptiles of Chichaqua Bottoms Greenbelt with an emphasis on poorly documented species such as smooth green snakes, Graham’s crayfish snake, and six-lined racerunner. The project will also assess whether hay management increases mortality in snakes that are considered declining in the state.
Funding Agency: Polk County Conservation Board
Award Amount: $1,500 (total funding for this project is $6,250)

 

Principal Investigator: Jerrid Kruse
Project Title: K-12 Energy Education Pilot Project
Project Summary: The Drake School of Education will work with AEA PD Online to develop effective e-curriculum that is uniquely tied to Iowa schools including those schools in rural locations. All students in our state will be provided access to STEM curricular materials through the development of a modular e-curriculum. This curriculum will be delivered online via a learning and management system geared specifically for personalized learning. Teachers will have the ability to create individualized units, mini-courses, or full courses for student use during or outside the normal school day.
Funding Agency: Iowa Energy Center
Award Amount: $24,000

News & Achievements Archive

Shelley Fairbairn publishes new book

Shelley Fairbairn, associate professor of education, recently co-authored Engaging English Learners Through Access to Standards: A Team-Based Approach to Schoolwide Student Achievement. She wrote the book with alumna Stephaney Jones-Vo, LA’73, who is also an adjunct professor in the School of Education.

Fairbairn’s teaching foci include preparing pre-service teachers to design effective lesson plans and assessments for K-12 students and empowering both pre- and in-service teachers to meet the needs of English language learners through linguistically and culturally responsive practice. She also directs on- and off-campus English as a Second Language (ESL) teaching endorsement programs. Prior to joining the Drake University School of Education faculty, Shelley concurrently taught ESL courses for the Drake University International Center and served as a K-12 ESL teacher in two Des Moines area school districts. She has recently conducted teacher professional development sessions and workshops in China, Canada, and across the U.S.

—Submitted by Shelley Fairbairn

News & Achievements Archive

Discounted faculty/staff football season tickets

Football season tickets are still available! All Drake University faculty and staff can take advantage of discounted pricing—$35 (regular $50)—with a valid Drake Card (ID). To purchase your season tickets, contact the Drake Athletics Ticket Office at 515-271-3647 or tickets@drake.edu.

—Submitted by Thomas Florian, Assistant Director, Ticket Operations and Donor Management

News & Achievements Archive

Rock out, show off your spelling skills, or volunteer to support the Adult Literacy Center

Three upcoming events highlight the Drake Adult Literacy Center and ways you can support adult literacy.

Benefit Concert
Friday, Sept. 18, 5–9 p.m.
Lefties, 2307 University Ave. in Dogtown

Walk to Lefty’s after work to enjoy Drake faculty and student ensembles in a benefit for the Drake Adult Literacy Center. Enjoy One Hundred Mondays, comprising School of Education faculty Tom Buckmiller, Michael Couvillon, Jerrid Kruse, and Matt Hayden, followed by a second faculty ensemble featuring Tim Knepper, Charlie Nelson, and Kirk Martin. Drake student Charlie Jaschek leads the student band.

All proceeds from the $5 cover will go to the Adult Literacy Center, which relies on community donations to support its vital services in the community. More than 70 volunteer tutors from Drake and Greater Des Moines give 1–2 hours a week to assist adults learning to read. This is also the kickoff event for National Adult Education Family Literacy Week, Sept. 20–25.


Volunteer Tutor Training
Friday, Sept. 25, 5–8 p.m., and Saturday, Sept. 26, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Volunteers work one-on-one for 1–2 hours a week as a tutor/mentor with an adult who needs to improve his or her reading, writing, and comprehension skills. Tutoring is an opportunity to have a direct and positive impact in another person’s life. Learn how to structure lessons that teach reading basics and beyond.


2nd Annual Adult Spelling Bee
Friday, Nov. 13
Olmsted Center

Teams of five compete in a friendly spelling competition to raise dollars and awareness about adult literacy in central Iowa.

For more information, contact anne.murr@drake.edu

—Submitted by Anne Murr, Coordinator, Adult Literacy Center

News & Achievements Archive

Love to sing?

All members of the Drake community (students, faculty, staff) are invited to sing in the Drake University/Community Chorus, a non-auditioned ensemble that rehearses weekly on Tuesday evenings from 6:30 to 8.

The first rehearsal will take place on Sept. 1 in Monroe Hall (lower level of the Harmon Fine Arts Center). The ensemble will be preparing for Nov. 21–22 performances of Morten Lauridsen’s “Lux Aeterna” and the Rutter “Gloria.” Participants should purchase the music at University Bookstore in advance of the first rehearsal and bring it and a pencil to the rehearsal.

Questions? Contact Aimee Beckmann-Collier at aimee.beckmann-collier@drake.edu or x2841.

—Submitted by Aimee Beckmann-Collier, the Ellis and Nelle Levitt Distinguished Professor of Conducting

News & Achievements Archive

Drake welcomes Chris Nickell to campus

Today we welcome to campus Chris Nickell as Drake’s director, environmental health and safety (EHS). Chris has more than 15 years’ experience in the field of emergency planning and environmental health and safety. He is certified Hazardous Material Manager, Safety Professional, and Red Cross Instructor for First Aid, CPR, AED, and Blood Borne Pathogens. Chris is well versed in all aspects of emergency planning and response, with numerous Homeland Security certifications.

Chris, along with Environmental Specialist Josh Haines, will continue the work of EHS at Drake through collaborative partnerships with faculty and staff.

Chris comes to us from the Mittera Group where he served as the environmental health and safety manager. In this position he developed and implemented EHS programs for 10 locations and 750 employees. Prior to that engagement, Chris worked as an environmental safety and health technician for Monsanto at the Ankeny and Huxley sites, which facilitated a full wet chemistry and genetics lab. Chris also has 12 years of experience with the Iowa Air National Guard, where his duties included developing and implementing installation of all hazardous emergency plans and readiness exercises for his unit.

The Environmental Health and Safety Office will be located at 1418 27th St., next to Facility Services. Please feel free to stop by in the coming weeks and welcome Chris to Drake.

—Submitted by Venessa Macro, Chief Administration Officer, Title IX Coordinator

News & Achievements Archive

Office of Alumni Relations welcomes Chelsea Ochylski

I am pleased to announce that Chelsea Ochylski has been hired to serve as our new assistant director of alumni relations. In her role, Chelsea will manage our regional engagement programs and provide counsel to our six Regional Advisory Boards across the country (Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Chicago, Kansas City, Washington, D.C., and Phoenix). She starts Sept. 8.

In addition, Chelsea will serve as a staff liaison to our college and school faculty and administrators to ensure we are engaging our alumni through their strongest affinity and interests. As part of her responsibilities, Chelsea will also manage an affinity reunion annually (the Drake Choir Reunion this year).

She is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa with a bachelor’s degree in Leisure, Youth and Human Services: Nonprofit Administration. Since that time, she has continued to advance her education with certificates in the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance, Principles and Practices of Nonprofit Excellence, as well as being certified in Fund Raising Management through the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Over the past three years, Chelsea has worked at Make-A-Wish® Iowa as the manager of philanthropy. In this role, she worked with all individual and corporate donors in the Des Moines area as well as the western half of the state of Iowa. She managed a portfolio of donors ranging from annual donors to major gift donors giving $10,000 and up, as well as managing more than 50 corporate accounts throughout the state. She oversaw regional boards and committees across Iowa and executed dozens of events each year with those volunteers and fellow staff.
Chelsea’s combination of fundraising knowledge and experience; strong communication skills with donors, board members, colleagues and wish families; and energetic personality will be a huge asset to our team as we move forward in building and maintaining relationships with our alumni across the globe.

—Submitted by Blake Campbell, Director, Office of Alumni Relations

News & Achievements Archive

Winner of the inaugural Principal Financial Group Global Citizenship Award announced

During Fall Convocation, Ellen Liang Yee, professor of law, was announced as the winner of the inaugural Principal Financial Group Global Citizenship Award.

In addition to Ellen, four nominees with outstanding qualifications submitted application packets: Mahmoud Hamad, associate professor of politics; Matthew C. Mitchell, assistant professor of management and international business; Michael Renner, professor of biology and psychology; and John Rovers, professor of pharmacy practice. Each nominee has been diligently working toward global engagement and internationalization of the campus and curriculum, as aligned with the three main goals of the International and Global Engagement Strategic Plan. All nominees are doing inspirational work.

Members of the selection committee acknowledged that Ellen is immersed in addressing pressing global issues and approaches these issues with creativity, persistence, and a positive outlook to find ways to work around obstacles.
Ellen is director of Drake Law School’s International Programs. While remaining attentive to her work in criminal law and trial advocacy, Ellen’s dedication and passion for internationalization at Drake is evident.

For seven summers, Ellen has taught in Drake’s law program in Nantes, France. In 2014 she organized celebrations in both locations for the 20th anniversary of the collaboration. She also taught in Chongqing, China, with Drake’s Chinese Cultural Exchange Program, and has undertaken professional or research work in Cambodia and The Hague, Netherlands. Ellen continues to develop new University relationships in locations ranging from Cuba to South Africa.

In addition, Ellen fosters internationalization on campus through coordinating Drake International Law Week, working with the International Law Society, and advising international students at the Law School. Ellen also created the “Next Course” program, which allows students across the University also learn about global and local food waste and hunger through service-learning and academic study.

—Submitted by Drake International