The Academic Minute from 07.20 – 07.24
Monday, July 20th
Allison L. Martin – Kennesaw State University
Captive Animals
Dr. Allison Martin is an assistant professor of psychology at Kennesaw State University. She teaches courses in learning and behavior and research methodology, and she conducts research in animal behavior, animal training, and captive animal management and welfare. Dr. Martin received her bachelor’s degree in psychology from Kennesaw State University and her M.S. and Ph.D. in experimental psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Before joining the faculty at KSU, she worked in the fields of applied behavior analysis and primatology.
Tuesday, July 21st
Robert Simon – Kennesaw State University
Fado
Robert Simon, Ph.D., is Professor of Spanish and Portuguese at Kennesaw State University. His publications include: From Post-Mortem to Post-Mystic: Blanca Andreu, Galicia, and the New Iberian Mysticism (2019); To A Nação, with Love: The Politics of Language through Angolan Poetry (2017); The Modern, the Postmodern, and the Fact of Transition: The Paradigm Shift through Peninsular Literatures (2011); and Understanding the Portuguese Poet Joaquim Pessoa, 1942-2007: A Study in Iberian Cultural Hybridity (2008), along with journal articles and book chapters discussing transnational mystical tendencies between Angola, Portugal and Spain. He has also published several collections of poetry.
Wednesday, July 22nd
Jack Labriola – Kennesaw State University
Taking Control of Autonomous Vehicles
The professional mission of Jack Labriola, Ph.D., is to design and create better experiences for users in their day-to-day use of technology. He has over six years of experience working in university usability labs, performing research, and re-designing apps and websites for a variety of small businesses and non-profits. He has participated in several design challenges to develop prototype applications for student education and the FDA. His research interests include usability, user experience (UX), design thinking, and autonomous vehicles. Currently, he is helping to create and build up the Technical Communication and Interactive Design Department’s usability research lab, where he hopes to encourage students and faculty to collaborate with the surrounding community in testing, designing and creating better product experiences.
Thursday, July 23rd
William Thomas Okie – Kennesaw State University
Georgia Peaches
William Thomas Okie, Ph.D., Associate Professor of History Education and History, researches the history of agriculture and the environment, especially in the U.S. South. Dr. Okie has won multiple prizes for his research, including the Georgia Historical Society’s best book award for his book, The Georgia Peach: Culture, Agriculture, and Environment in the American South. His work on the study of the Georgia peach has been featured by numerous media outlets, such as the New York Times, NPR, Smithsonian Magazine, and even a popular YouTube cooking show. Dr. Okie also co-edits the KSU-hosted international journal Agricultural History.
Friday, July 24th
Amber Hutchins – Kennesaw State University
Brand Fans
Amber Hutchins, Ph.D., is the Assistant Director for Digital and New Technologies Education and Associate Professor of Communication. She teaches a variety of graduate and undergraduate courses including Communication and Technology, Social Media for Strategic Communication, and Integrated Global Communication Capstone. Dr. Hutchins’ work extends beyond academia to previous positions in health care, entertainment and corporate public relations in San Diego, Phoenix and Salt Lake City. She has also served as a social media consultant for government and nonprofit organizations. Her research interests include public relations ethics, social/digital media for strategic communication, and fandom. Her co-edited book, Public Relations and Participatory Culture, explores the role of public relations in fandom and online communities.
