Professional ServiceCali Biaggi, MLIS, was elected Vice-Chair of the Nebraska Library Association's College & University Section in October 2021. She will serve in this role during 2022, and will move into the role of Chair in 2023.
Professional ServiceDr. Doug Christensen was elected to the Board of Directors of the Children's Respite Care Center in Omaha, serving children birth to 21 in need of respite care. He was also selected as one of the five Trailblazers in Early Childhood by First Five Nebraska for contributions to the work of early childhood care and education. Dr. Christensen was also re-elected to the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Children's and Families Foundation.
Professional ServiceDr. Blake Colclasure, with assistance from Doane students Kalen Dockweiler and Nicholas Gray, designed and delivered the workshop "What's Next? Leading Sustainability in Agricultural and Natural Resource Systems" to high school students attending the 94th Nebraska FFA State Convention in Lincoln.
Dr. Tessa Durham Brooks will participate in a one-year equity training starting this June. The training will be facilitated by Movement Consulting as part of an NSF Research Coordination Network grant funded through the LEAPS [LEAding cultural change through Professional Societies (LEAPS) of Biology] program. The project, ROOT&SHOOT (Rooting Out Oppression Together & SHaring Our Outcomes Transparently), is a collaboration between seven plant science organizations. One hundred individuals across these seven societies will undergo intensive training and will put that training into action in order to facilitate positive cultural changes within the plant sciences broadly as well as impact the institutions and industries that support community members.
Dr. Durham Brooks has been invited to join the Action Team of a new Faith & Health Campus grant awarded by the Interfaith Youth Core.
Dr. Durham-Brooks was nominated for and won a one-year at-large position on the Nebraska Academy of Sciences board from Oct 2021-Oct 2022.
Dr. Durham-Brooks joined Doane's Ethics and Interfaith Studies Advisory Team led by Dan Clanton in January 2021, as well as the Institute for Computing Board of Directors in the Fall 2021.
Dr. Durham-Brooks began a one-year term as a member of the Maize Genetics Cooperative Editorial Board. In her role as a subcommittee chair of the Committee on Outreach, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Education she facilitates the submission of one 'hot new paper' each month on issues related to DE&I in the sciences. She also served as a discussion facilitator for a two-day DE&I workshop held in January 2021 by the Maize Genetic Cooperative's Committee on Outreach, Diversity, Inclusion, Education called Building Better Together: Strategies for a Healthy and Inclusive Community.
Professional ServiceDr. Brad Elder Helped burn approximately 1,500 acres in Kansas and Nebraska this spring (typically it is 5,000 and last year was over 8,000 acres). Background: My direct teaching goal is to help teach landowners and habitat managers how to maintain their native prairies. The goal is habitat restoration and maintenance. Our Ecosystems/environments need scientists to help conserve and maintain them in the face of human impacts. Not only are we looking to preserve species and ecosystems, but we also must do it safely and minimize impact to the community particularly in the form of smoke. This probably falls under teaching and professional service.
Dr. Brad Elder - Volunteer fire fighter EMT. This is a little different in terms of service. It is service to our community. For privacy I will not list anything that happened this month. Over the last few years, I have been directly part of a team that has delivered one baby, brought 3 people back from the dead, saved about 5 homes from fire and responded to more than 1,000 calls.
Dr. Brad Elder was asked by The Nature Conservancy, government agencies of Canada as well as property owners and NGOs to hold fire workshop in Canada this coming fall.
Professional ServiceDr. Tim Hill was elected vice president of the Nebraska state conference of the American Association of University Professors (AAUP) for 2022. Dr. Hill also serves as the president of Doane's local AAUP chapter.
Professional ServiceNikki Piper and Dr. Tiffany Young co-chaired the 2022 Nebraska State Literacy Association Conference. The conference served teachers and leaders across the state of Nebraska with an expressed focus on engaging teachers in the work of equitable literacy practices.
Professional ServicePete Poppert was elected to serve on the Doane University Faculty Council, representing the College of Business.
Professional ServiceDr. Deb Sepich was named board president for the Ollie Webb Center of Nebraska. Ollie Webb is an organization that supports adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities in Nebraska.
Professional ServiceDr. Russ Souchek, Professor of Environmental Science, has been accepted into the En-ROADS Climate Ambassador international training program. This eight-week program trains leaders who can create meaningful conversations about cross-sector climate solutions, and drive impactful climate action, using the En-ROADS Climate Solutions Simulator co-developed with MIT.
Dr. Russ Souchek, Professor of Environmental Science, is a grant reviewer for the Public Information and Education Mini-Grant Awards that are funded through the Nebraska Environmental Trust.
Dr. Russ Souchek, Professor of Environmental Science, continues to serve on the Board of Directors of the Nebraska Wildlife Federation and has recently been appointed Vice-President for Administration.
Nathaniel Wilson and Jennifer Torres ran Nebraska’s first in-person forensics tournament in two years on Doane’s campus Saturday, March 5. In addition to the regular logistics of running a tournament, Nathaniel and Jennifer had to research and pilot many new Covid-related safety precautions and also ran the first hybrid round (some people competed in person and others via Zoom) which was the first such round in the nation.
Professional ServiceDr. William Whipple was elected Vice-President of The Nebraska Music Teachers Association on 3/20/2022.
Dr. Whipple is also serving as the chapter advisor for the newly established Doane University Collegiate Chapter of the MTNA (Music Teachers National Association)!
Doane University MTNA Collegiate Chapter Officers:
President: Maddy Hickok
Vice President: Drew Pennington
Secretary: Kaydi Daudt
Treasurer: Isaac Ebke
Chapter Advisor: Dr. William Whipple