News briefs: people and programs at UAF

Submitted by Marmian Grimes
Phone: 907-474-7902
08/19/08

Professor wins Golden Key award
The Golden Key International Honour Society has recognized UAF researcher and professor Gary Laursen with its 2008 Regional Advisor of the Year award. Laursen is one of 13 regional advisors worldwide chosen by the society to reward outstanding service and leadership. The society has more than 1.7 million student or alumni members in more than 360 campus-based chapters worldwide.

Associate vice chancellor renews fundraising certification
Judyth Wier, associate vice chancellor for development at UAF, has been recertified as a Certified Fund Raising Executive. In order to earn the credential, individuals must meet a series of qualifications, including tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement and a commitment of service to nonprofit organizations.

Grant awarded to study women in sciences
The UAF Provost’s Office has been awarded a two-year, $140,000 National Science Foundation grant to conduct a study about female faculty members in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The study’s goal is to give an accurate picture of the current situation of female faculty members and may lead to NSF intervention, if deemed necessary. Lead researchers are Joy Morrison, director of the Office of Faculty Development, and Sine Anahita, chair of the sociology department and Women’s Studies program.

Shalvoy named human resource manager at Geophysical Institute
Julie Shalvoy has accepted the position of human resource manager for the Geophysical Institute at UAF. She is responsible for the institute’s human resource matters and will serve as a consultant on research HR issues at UAF. Shalvoy was formerly an HR consultant to UAF Human Resources and an HR coordinator for the Agricultural and Forestry Station, Cooperative Extension Service and the School of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences.

Supercomputing Center seeks volunteers to participate in study
The Arctic Region Supercomputing Center is seeking volunteers to participate in an avatar user study at its Discovery Lab in the UAF Rasmuson Library. ARSC high-performance computer specialists are trying to determine how well people accomplish tasks in a virtual reality environment with and without an avatar to represent the user in the virtual space. Data from this study is expected to help advance and improve user interface design in virtual reality. During testing, subjects will fill in a cube with BLUISculpt, a VR drawing program, using different types of avatars. Following the test, the subject will complete a questionnaire. Total time commitment is about 30 to 45 minutes and participants must be 18 or older. Send an e-mail to webb@arsc.edu to schedule a time to participate.

CONTACT: Marmian Grimes, UAF public information officer, at 907-474-7902 or via e-mail at marmian.grimes@uaf.edu.

MLG/8-19-08/018brfs-09