Faculty and Staff Activities

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Robert Ponterio

Robert Ponterio, Modern Languages Department, presented a session titled “Make Web Materials Work on Student Smart Phones” at the New York State Association of Foreign Language Teachers’ NYSAFLT Annual Convention on Oct. 11 in Buffalo, N.Y. The session examined the basic techniques of Responsive Design for adjusting Web page text size, images, columns and video to display on desktop, tablet and smartphone media. Templates were provided to simplify converting existing class materials to an HTML5 format with built-in responsive style elements to make the process easier for teachers with limited Web development skills. All presentation materials and templates are available online at web.cortland.edu/flteach/wksp/nysaflt2013.html.

Robert Spitzer and Brian Williams

Robert Spitzer and Brian Williams, Political Science Department, participated in activities at the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association, held Aug. 30 to Sept. 2 in Boston, Mass. Williams presented a paper titled, “Democratization and Polarization in Belgium” for a panel on “The Historical Development of Legislatures.” Spitzer served as a discussant for a panel on “Executive Power and Democratic Functioning in the Trump Era.” He also participated in the governing board meeting of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honors society. He has served on the board for the last three years.

Terrence Fitzgerald and Frank Rossi and alumni Mike Kelly ’14 and Tyler Potter ’14

Terrence Fitzgerald, Biological Sciences Department, Frank Rossi, Chemistry Department, and alumni Mike Kelly ’14, and Tyler Potter ’14, are coauthors of an article titled “Trail Following Response of Larval Cactoblastis cactorum to 2-Acyl-1,3 Cyclohexane Diones” appearing in the current issue of the Journal of Chemical Ecology. The paper reports the isolation and identification of a pheromone that might serve as a bio-rational substitute for a chemical pesticide in the management of the caterpillar.  The caterpillar is an invasive species originally from Argentina that attacks prickly pear cactuses in the Gulf Coast states.  Kelly is currently a graduate student at SUNY Cortland and Potter is in the Chemistry Ph.D. program at Yale University.  Both students worked on the study as Cortland undergraduates. The United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service supported the study.

Robert Spitzer

Robert Spitzer, Political Science Department, spoke on “The Mass Media and Presidential Elections” at OASIS in Syracuse, N.Y., on Oct. 22. 

Jim Hokanson

Jim Hokanson, Kinesiology Department, was senior author on a presentation at the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) regional meeting held Nov. 3 and 4 in Harrisburg, Pa. The research, titled “Elevated Temperature Inside a Lower Body Positive Pressure Treadmill During Exercise: A Possible Environmental Constraint,” was presented by Casey Austin ’14, who is currently working on his master’s thesis in exercise science.  

Chris Manaseri

Chris Manaseri, Foundations and Social Advocacy Department, presented at the Country School Association of America’s annual conference this June in New London, N.H.  The group, devoted to the restoration and interpretation of one-room schools across the country, heard Manaseri’s dissertation presentation called “Keeping School: One-room Schoolhouse Preservation Projects in the Greater Finger Lakes Region.” Manaseri visited, photographed and catalogued more than three dozen projects, and interviewed 60 informants for the study.

David Kilpatrick

David Kilpatrick, Psychology Department, made an all-day presentation to 180 school psychologists and teachers at the New Hampshire Association of School Psychologists Conference on March 25. His topic was effective approaches to preventing and correcting reading problems.

Mark Dodds

Mark Dodds, Sport Management Department, taught two courses on sport marketing and sport law at the International Winter School in Sport Sciences at the University of Jyväskylä, Finland, during SUNY Cortland’s winter break. This program attracted approximately 40 undergraduate and graduate students from more than 25 countries.

Zachary Wilson

Zachary Wilson, Advisement and Transition, was awarded the New York State Transfer and Articulation Association’s (NYSTAA) New Professional Award at their annual conference on May 24 in Rochester, N.Y. The New Professional Award was established to recognize the service of new members to NYSTAA. It recognizes the enthusiasm of new members to become involved with the organization and promotes continued service. Wilson, who is the university’s transfer mobility advisor, is the co-chair of the NYSTAA Scholarship Committee and has assisted in raising thousands of dollars in scholarships for students at member schools.

Christiana Papaleo, Robert Binnall and Jonah Reardon

Christiana Papaleo and Robert Binnall, both from the Residence Life and Housing Office, and Jonah Reardon, Alumni Engagement Office, volunteered for the planning and organization committees for the College Student Personnel Association – New York State 50th Annual Conference, held Oct. 15 to 17 in Corning, N.Y. Papaleo assisted with the programming committee, while Binnall and Reardon volunteered for the marketing committee. Additionally, Papaleo presented a program titled “Redefining Disability – How to be a True Advocate,” and received positive feedback from multiple program participants.