RSU Honors Faculty Excellence

In October, eight Rogers State University faculty members were awarded for their contributions in teaching, scholarship/research and service.

From left: Dr. Frank Elwell, dean of RSU\'s School of Liberal Arts; Dr. Sally Emmons, Herrington Excellence in Teaching Award; Dr. Mary Mackie, Pixley Excellence in Education Award and Herrington Excellence in Service Award; and RSU President Dr. Larry Rice.

Eight Rogers State University faculty members were honored for excellence in teaching, ­scholarship/research and service during a campus ceremony on Tuesday, October 9.

    Dr. Mary Mackie, associate professor of English and humanities, was named the recipient of the Pixley Excellence in Education Award, which is the highest honor bestowed upon an RSU faculty member. The Pixley award is made possible by the Pixley Endowment for Excellence in Education at RSU.

    Mackie has taught more than a dozen courses in the decade she has been with RSU, where she has maintained an active research agenda with numerous publications including book chapters, articles and ­conference presentations/papers. She is the advisor for the campus newspaper, serves as poetry ­editor for “Cooweescoowee” and has chaired the Humanities Forum for seven years. In ­addition to the Pixley Award, Mackie also received the Gladys L. and Carl G. Herrington Excellence in Service Award for the School of Liberal Arts ­during Tuesday’s ceremony.

    Dr. Sally Emmons, professor of English and humanities, received the Herrington Excellence in Teaching Award for the School of Liberal Arts. In addition to her teaching in the School of Liberal Arts, she teaches service classes for other RSU departments and schools, and also serves as managing ­editor of “Cooweescoowee.”

    In the School of Business and Technology, Dr. Dana Gray received the Pfizer Excellence in Teaching Award, Dr. Peter Macpherson received the Pfizer Excellence in Scholarship/Research Award and Dr. MaryRose Hart received the Pfizer Excellence in Service Award.

    Gray is an assistant professor of business, who brings extensive business experience to the classroom. The 2008 Pixley Award winner, she integrates real-world learning opportunities for students to bridge theory to practice, allowing students to build a portfolio documenting professional experiences before they graduate.

    Macpherson is professor and John W. Norman Chair in Business Information Technology. He recently had three papers accepted for ­publication dealing with heart modeling and heart/brain ­interactions, one of which was accepted into the Eighth International Conference on Advances in Fluid Mechanics in Algarve, Portugal in September 2010 and published in the proceedings. In 2011, he had a paper presented at the Modeling in Medicine and Biology Conference in Riga, Latvia.

    Hart, who serves as associate professor of business, has served on the Faculty Senate and as a member of numerous ­university committees including curriculum, academic policies and procedures, strategic planning, and United Way. She was the founding faculty member and faculty advisor for the RSU Sigma Beta Delta International Business Honor Society.

    In the School of Mathematics, Science and Health Sciences, Dr. Jalalidin Jaenbai earned the Pfizer Excellence in Teaching Award, Dr. Jae-Ho Kim received the Pfizer Award in Scholarship/Research and Dr. Kasia Roberts was recognized with the Pfizer Excellence in Service Award.

    Jaenbai, assistant professor of mathematics, has extensively integrated technology into his Linear Algebra, Math Structures II and Calculus II (blended) courses, where he incorporated a collaborative research-platform learning environment where small student groups would conduct related research projects.

    Kim, professor of biology, was awarded an Organized Faculty Research Grant for a project entitled “Analysis of Green Tea Extracts and the Effects of the Extracts on a Murine Cancer Cell Line Proliferation.” He has mentored students in preparing research presentations across the state, including Research Day at the Capital. He continues to ­collaborate with the University of Oklahoma, using their cell culture facilities to facilitate his research, as well as that of his students.

    Roberts, assistant professor in the Department of Mathematics and Physical Sciences, is active in the state and national professional organizations advancing chemistry instruction. She is extensively involved in RSU committees, is sponsor of the RSU Chemistry Club, and she has conducted outreach activities with middle school students at KIPP Tulsa College Preparatory. 

For more information, contact

Rogers State University

www.rsu.edu