The Butler Brown Bag Research Seminar

Schedule of Speakers from Fall 2006

September 14, 2006
Michael Zimmerman, Dean of LAS,
"The Clergy Letter Project: Mobilizing the Clergy in Support of Evolution"
For far too long, the dominant religious voices "discussing" evolution have been those from the fundamentalist end of the spectrum. Proponents have stridently claimed that people must choose between their religion and modern science. More than 10,000 Christian clergy members from across the country have now come together to demonstrate that those voices are not speaking for all Christians and that religion and science can comfortably coexist. The origin and goals of The Clergy Letter Project, and its national event entitled "Evolution Sunday," will be discussed as will the importance of creating such a national movement.
September 21, 2006
Geoffrey Hoops, Chemistry,
"Getting Leaner and Meaner? Proteins on the Surface and Across the Ocean"
After a brief and relatively painless lesson on studying the dynamics of proteins on surfaces, the pedagogical value of collaborative research involving undergraduate students in complex projects will be discussed.
September 28, 2006
Gautam Rao, Media Arts,
"Artist Online: Painting in the Digital Age"
I will talk about my recent paintings and the ways that posting them online has allowed me to connect with a global audience. (link: http://playfulpainter.blogspot.com)
October 5, 2006
Christine Buck, Media Arts,
"Television is not just for Living Rooms Anymore"
The Television industry is changing. Content is available from more sources than ever before. Live streaming of audio and video and video-on-demand will change the way media works for both producers and consumers.
October 19, 2006
Carolyn Richie, Communication Disorders,
"The effects of lipreading training on speech recognition for adults with hearing loss"
Benefit from hearing aids is limited for many adults with hearing loss, and the number one complaint is difficulty understanding speech. Lipreading, the use of visual cues to speech, may provide benefit for listeners with hearing loss in everyday communication beyond that achieved with hearing aids alone. This study examined the effects of a computer-based lipreading training program on speech recognition, for adults with hearing loss.
October 26, 2006
Chad Bauman, Religion,
"Does the Divine Physician Have an Unfair Advantage? The Politics of Conversion in Central India (1900-1960)"
Conversion to Christianity has become one of the most politically-charged acts in contemporary India. This presentation will explore the underlying issues from a "safe" historical vantage point (the early twentieth century). Drawing upon the Madhya Pradesh state government-sponsored Niyogi Committee report on Christian missionary activities (1956) and my own archival and field research in the region, the presentation will shed light on and discuss the range of attitudes and opinions, Hindu and Christian, regarding this most controversial of topics.
November 2, 2006
Robert Holm, University Research Programs and the Butler Summer Institute,
Bob will introduce several BSI students from this past summer, who will each talk briefly about their research.
  • Patrick Weigand, Theater,
    "Something Completely Different... (An Exploration in the Art of Puppetry)"
  • Samreen Khatri, Pharmacy,
    "Characterization of Methotrexate-Dendritic Nanodevices"
November 9, 2006
Sue Kenyon, Anthropology,
"Light On The Shadow: The Business of Healing in Central Sudan"
In Sudan, as in much of Africa, people enjoy a variety of therapeutic options when they get sick, ranging from Islamic healing to spirit possession to “hospital medicine.” This presentation looks at the pivotal role played by the town herbalist and examines, from a cultural perspective, some of his key remedies and the beliefs and practices associated with them.
November 16, 2006
Cynthia Pratt, Dance
"Dancing in Taiwan"
Over the last two years, the Butler Dance Department has been cultivating a relationship with National Taiwan University of the Arts. Beginning with a faculty exchange in 2004, this exchange culminated in a three week visit by Butler Students last summer. My Brown Bag talk will detail professional and cultural activities that we participated in and will include footage of our classes and performances.
November 30, 2006
Matt Maurer, Education Technology
"Listening to Learners Who Are Blind"
I will present a slice of the work I have done on my sabbatical. The presentation will cover what students around the country say about their learning -- what works well for them.
December 7, 2006
Canceled

Schedule of Speakers for Spring 2007

January 31, 2007
Mary Andritz, Dean of COPHS
"If you can get $25M in grant money in 4 months, how much can you generate in 12 months?"
Early in her first semester at Butler University, Dr. Mary Andritz, Dean of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, had the opportunity to submit a grant to Lilly Endowment, Inc. for a potential gift of $25M. After the endorsement of a proposed concept, the full proposal was needed in a matter of weeks. Hear about preparation of the successful grant and the expectations that it has created.
Kent Van Tyle, longtime faculty member of the College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, with introduce Dean Andritz.
February 7, 2007
Peter B. Henderson, Computer Science and Software Engineering,
"Mathematics in Computing Education"
The early developers of the concepts underlying computing were primarily mathematicians, as were the many of the programmers of the early computers. Programs are abstractions of thoughts about how to achieve a task, they are not physical entities. Mathematics is one of the major disciplines developed by mankind to deal with abstraction. Therefore, it seems there is a natural synergism between mathematics and computing. Indeed, there is even a view that computer programs are simply abstract mathematical entities, to be studied and analyzed using mathematics.
However, current computing curricula primarily focus on “how to program” rather than the underlying mathematical based concepts fundamental to understanding computing. In 1999 I co-founded the math thinking discussion group to promote the importance of mathematics and mathematical thinking in computer science education.
At Butler, these ideas are embodied in CS151 (Foundations of Computing I) and CS252 (Foundations of Computing II). Indeed, CS151 is the first course for our computer science and software engineering majors.
This presentation will be interactive and problem solving based. This will introduce some of the important concepts fundamental to the study of computing.
February 21, 2007
Brian Murphy, Physics and Astronomy
"Heart of Darkness: What Lies Hidden at the Center of Our Galaxy?"
During the past decade new technology has opened a window to the center of our Galaxy. We have found that it is a very dynamic place harboring a supermassive black hole. My presentation will focus on our current view of the Galactic center and how this supermassive black hole came to be.
February 28, 2007
John Turner, Art History,
"Michelangelo’s Interiority"
Brief introduction to a critical reassessment of Michelangelo’s sculpture, and their consistent pattern of "the quality or state of being interior or inward." It is to that specific meaning that the word interiority refers, and because it has come into regular usage in literary theory and art history, I will present a clear definition of Michelangelo’s interiority in visual terms. I will also have some thoughts about the further development of my thesis.
March 21, 2007
Terri Carney, Spanish
"Why I study the novels of Luis Goytisolo"
I will talk about my work in contemporary Spanish fiction. More specifically, I'll talk about why I study the novels of Luis Goytisolo, and how his recent novels satirize the figure of the intellectual.
March 28, 2007
Monte Broaded, International Programs, Bob Bennett, Business Law, Terri Friel, Operations Management, Roberto Curci, Finance, Bela Floranthal, Marketing, Craig Caldwell, Management, and Bill Rieber, Economics
"China: Land of Opportunities"
This past semester break (January 2 - 13) seven faculty members from Butler University (Monte Broaded, Terri Friel, Bela Florenthal, Robert Bennett, Roberto Curci, Craig Caldwell and Bill Rieber) visited China. The trip was financed by the Department of Education under a grant received by the College of Business Administration to support its internationalization efforts. The discussion at the Brown Bag Seminar will focus on the group's activities in Shanghai, Tianjin and Beijing, including visits to two partner universities, meetings with government officials, and tours of the Shanghai Stock Exchange and other facilities. There will, also, be a slideshow of pictures taken during the trip.
April 4, 2007
No seminar due to the Men's Basketball Team Celebration.
April 11, 2007
Anne Wilson and Lisa Markus, Honors Program,
Anne and Lisa will introduce the following students, who will present their thesis work:
  • Kelsey Davenport, International Studies and Political Science,
    "From Guest Workers to Citizens: The Development of Turkish Political Identity in Germany"
  • Paul Mongillo, Finance,
    "Central Indiana Residents' Perceptions of the Tangible and Intangible Benefits Generated by Lucas Oil Stadium"
  • David Phillips, Economics,
    "Will the World Cut Poverty in Half? A Public Choice Model of the Volume and Distribution of Foreign Aid"
  • Laura White, Biology,
    "Transformations of Kalanchoe Pinnatum Leaf Embryoes"
April 18, 2007
Antonio Menendez and Kate Novak, Sociology,
We will talk about our recent research on Spanish perceptions of the US.
April 25, 2007
Elizabeth Mix, Art History
"Evil by Design: the Creation and Marketing of the Femme-Fatale"
Dr. Mix will be speaking about her recently published book. (Elizabeth changed her name from Menon after the book went to press.)

Organizers

Carol Reeves, English creeves@butler.edu, 9858, and
Jon Sorenson, Computer Science & Software Engineering, jsorenso@butler.edu, 9765.