Faculty Experts Roundup
A selection of recent news from OHIO faculty members includes publications, leadership appointments, awards and a Top-10 breakthrough in physics.
February 7, 2024
Share:
(Left) An image of a ring shaped supramolecule where only one Fe atom is present in the entire ring. (Right) X-ray signature of just one Fe atom. The single-atom X-ray was named one of the top 10 scientific breakthroughs of 2023 by the publication Physics World.
Atomic X-ray makes top-10 list
The research work of Saw Wai Hla, physics and astronomy professor and director of the Nanoscale and Quantum Phenomena Institute, has been selected as one of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2023 by Physics World. Hla and his team took the world’s first X-ray signal, or signature, of just one atom. The work was published in the scientific journal Nature in June.
"The technique could lead to applications in material design as well as in environmental science through the ability to trace toxic materials down to extremely low levels," according to the publication's entry.
Read more about the research.
Harlem Renaissance recognition
Gary Edward Holcomb, professor and chair of the Department of African-American Studies, founded and was elected president of the Claude McKay Society (CMKS) at the May 2023 American Literature Association meeting in Boston. Holcomb’s essay “Zeal, Wit, and Fury: the Queer Black Modernism of Claude McKay” was published in the September 11 issue of the Los Angeles Review of Books. Dr. Holcomb's research into McKay, a significant figure in the Harlem Renaissance, helped resurface the novelist's work and led to the publication in 2020 (almost 90 years after it was written) of McKay's novel "Romance in Marseilles," for which Dr. Holcomb wrote the introduction.
Patton advancements and publications
Dianne Güt-Zippert, professor of teacher education (special education) in the Patton College of Education, was named to the Athens County Board of Developmental Disabilities. The Athens County commissioners made the appointment, citing her tenure in teaching special education, statewide impact on the field of special education, and strong advocacy for people with intellectual/developmental disabilities. Dr. Güt teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in Special Education and Curriculum and Instruction. Her major research interests include social and academic interventions for students with disabilities in low resource schools, transition planning, mentoring for preservice and inservice teachers, and integrating 21st century skills into curriculum in the content areas.
Sara Lohrman Hartman, associate professor of teacher education in the Patton College, was a member of the team who recently released "Why Rural Matters 2023."
"This is the 10th in a series of reports that provides an analysis of rural education in the 50 states," Lohrman Hartman said. "I’ve been fortunate to work on the last three versions of Why Rural Matters and feel grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with this year’s coauthors."
This year's report includes the addition of special topic sections on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and new indicators related to well-being and equity.
Jen Newton, associate professor of teacher education (special education) in the Patton College, was honored by the Council for Exceptional Children with the 2023 Merle B. Karnes Service to DEC Award. The award recognizes "notable and significant contributions to the Division for Early Childhood (DEC) and its members in the areas of leadership, service, research, advocacy, and dissemination." Dr. Newton teaches courses in special education teacher education in assessment, behavior, and interventions. Her research interests include strengths-based approaches to families, early childhood inclusion and equity, and inclusive teacher preparation.