Academic Minute from 02.18 – 02.22
Monday, February 18th
Alicia Simmons – Colgate University
Politicians and Dissent
I’m a social psychologist focused on the intersections of media, race, and politics. I study how the American news media shapes audience members’ racial attitudes and public policy preferences, and how public opinion ultimately shapes the direction of the nation. My research uses quantitative and qualitative methods, including surveys, experiments, and content analysis.
I teach the following courses at Colgate University: Introduction to Sociology, Media Effects, Media and Politics, Black Communities, Race and Crime, and Social Deviance.
Tuesday, February 19th
Kurt Amsler – New York Institute of Technology
Averting the Imminent Physician-Scientist Shortage
Throughout his career, Kurt Amsler has focused his research on epithelial physiology, with a particular emphasis on renal physiology. His research has covered multiple areas including basic epithelial transport physiology, cystic fibrosis, polycystic kidney disease and, most recently, acute kidney injury. He has received research funding from the NIH, the American Heart Association, the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, and other organizations to support his research activities. His teaching areas of expertise include physiology and renal pathophysiology. Amsler is also a member of several national societies including the American Society of Cell Biology, the American Physiological Society, and the American Society of Nephrology. He has served on multiple national committees for these societies, and has served as a grant reviewer for the NIH, the NSF, the American Heart Association, and other philanthropic foundations. He has reviewed submitted manuscripts for a wide range of peer-reviewed scientific journals.
Wednesday, February 20th
Jennifer Harman – Colorado State University
Parental Alienation
Jennifer Jill Harman, Ph.D. received her doctorate in Social Psychology from the University of Connecticut in 2005, and specializes in the study of intimate relationships. She also has two masters degrees from Teacher’s College, Columbia University in psychological counseling, and served as a family and substance abuse counselor for several years prior to her entry into academia. She is currently an associate professor of psychology at Colorado State University.
Thursday, February 21st
Frans Von Der Dunk – University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Rights To The Moon
Prof. Von der Dunk was awarded the Distinguished Service Award of the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) of the International Astronautical Federation (IAF) in Vancouver, in October 2004, the Social Science Award of the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA) in Valencia, in October 2006, and the 2015 Social Science Book Award, International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), for the Handbook of Space Law, Jerusalem, October 2015. In the summer of 2008, he was nominated, as the first lawyer ever, Member of the European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) of the European Space Foundation (ESF). Also, he was the sole lawyer on the Panel on Asteroid Threat Mitigation established by the Association of Space Explorers (ASE) in 2007.
Friday, February 22nd
David Olson – University of California Davis
Psychedelics as Treatment for Depression
David studied chemistry and biology at Union College under the guidance of Joanne Kehlbeck, and received his Ph.D. in chemistry from Stanford University working in the lab of Justin Du Bois. After his graduate work, he completed postdoctoral training in neuroscience at the Stanley Center for Psychiatric Research at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. David joined the faculty at UC Davis in 2015, where he established a research program at the interface of chemistry and neuroscience.
