As a corporate trainer and executive coach for a variety of organizations, Dr. Shawn Wahl, head of the department of communication at Missouri State University, trained individuals how to listen, communicate their needs, persuade co-workers and bosses, motivate teams and navigate through difficult situations with customers and clients. With this knowledge, he’s written five … [Read more...] about Communicating across an ever changing landscape
When a Missouri vineyard manager contacted Dr. Wenping Qiu in 2004 to express concerns about a disease plaguing his vineyard, Qiu speculated the decline was caused by a virus. Unable to find the link with known viruses after two years of testing, Qiu and his research team began utilizing a relatively new technology called RNA (Ribonucleic Acids) sequencing to decipher the … [Read more...] about Getting the juicy details
“There might be images or moods or characters that are suggested by the poetry, and I try to reflect that in the music I write,” said Murray. His piece “Tempest Fantasy,” on the CD “Spellbound” which was released by Navona in 2013 was recorded by the Moravian Philharmonic Orchestra based in Olomouc, Czech Republic. But its original iteration was vocal music Murray composed for … [Read more...] about Making music in his mind
“People with intellectual disabilities often stick to the same things because they’re familiar; it’s part of their routine. TRAIN helps them to identify sports that they might be good at in Special Olympics, something new to try, based on their skill sets and abilities,” said Natalie Allen, dietetics instructor and dietitian for Missouri State athletics. “I think that’s one of … [Read more...] about Training the next Olympians
Growing up, Sobel enjoyed learning about history and the natural environment. “I have always been interested in the human past,” she said. “The field of anthropology, specifically the sub-field of archaeology, brought all my interests together. Archaeologists investigate the human past by studying the material remains of past human activity.” Sobel, who recently co-authored … [Read more...] about Looking beyond the surface to reveal our hidden past
INT. PIXAR FILM Cast of Characters: Large, masculine, athletic hero Various others who admire the hero On the one hand, the Pixar films are quite progressive and portray men as warm and fatherly, but they often vacillate between this family-man persona and a hyper-masculine male representing a “boys don’t cry” attitude. Having two little boys has given Wooden and … [Read more...] about Couple joins forces to reveal Pixar’s hidden messages
You don’t have to pay conscious attention for minutes to identify each and every vehicle. This is because of past experiences: With repetition of events, such as observing types of automobiles you see frequently, there is an increase in familiarity. As a result, there is a decrease in neural activity regarding these automobiles and your conscious attention is directed … [Read more...] about Psychology study takes unique look at visual learning
“The Athenians had quite a list of statutes written down on everything from business deals to prosecuting a killer. The really interesting thing is these rules sort of shaped the rules of rhetoric or the art of argument – the way you persuade people to take your side in a case,” Carawan said. While the inscribed laws list the do’s and don’ts of Greek society, Carawan focuses … [Read more...] about Ancient Greece leaves legacy of drama, democracy and argument
Dr. Wes Scroggins, associate professor of management at Missouri State University, has been researching different ways for employers to approach both hiring new employees and managing overall employee performance. “One of the big focuses of my research has been the area of person-job and person-organization fit,” said Scroggins. “Person-job fit means fitting a person to a … [Read more...] about “Fitting” in at work
“This is one of maybe three or four volcanoes in the whole world that when you go up to the crater you can see lava. This one you get to the top and you look down, and yep, there’s a lava lake down there – you can see it bubbling,” Mickus said. “Recently, the floor of the crater has risen 90 feet and there has been stuff shooting out of the volcano.” Mount Erebus is … [Read more...] about Flying south to study the heat in a very cold spot
“How do we harvest and store energy so that it’s done in a benign manner to the environment?” Mayanovic asked. “One of the things we’re aiming to do is to make energy conversion more efficient. One way to do that is to go with higher temperatures and pressures for the exchange and mediating fluids in energy-conversion reactors.” Although hydrogen is the simplest element – … [Read more...] about Hydrogen drives the future of energy
A perfect storm: It can erupt at any time if a variety of factors interact just right. Maybe it all starts with a stressful day at work. Although you’re relieved to go home and get work off your mind, you can’t, leaving you with a fitful night of sleep. When you wake, you have a kink in your neck. The morning rolls on, and you juggle your schedule as well as the needs of your … [Read more...] about Seeking treatment for brain’s ‘perfect storm’
“Dr. Barnhart can be considered the godfather of mussel-rearing,” Pletta said. Pletta worked for a year and a half in Minnesota on a field-survey team studying mussels in the Mississippi River, then graduate school beckoned. The opportunity to work with someone like Barnhart drew her to Missouri State. Students see full life cycle of mussels The Missouri State lab is a … [Read more...] about Student examines effect of new pesticide on mussels
Dr. Wafaa Kaf, a professor of audiology from Al Sharqia, Egypt, has spent many of her 10 years at Missouri State researching ways to evaluate the hearing of these challenging populations. Kaf is most interested in detecting mild degrees of hearing loss using “electrophysiological measures” — ways to assess hearing that don’t rely on patient response, but instead objectively … [Read more...] about Did you hear? Students offer free screenings
But it is. And that’s one of the things that attracted Buddhist studies scholar Dr. Stephen Berkwitz to Sri Lanka in the first place. Although Berkwitz, professor of religious studies and current department head, originally hails from Minnesota, he has long harbored an interest in Asia. “I became interested in studying Buddhism, particularly Buddhism in Sri Lanka, which … [Read more...] about Scholar explores one of world’s oldest Buddhist Cultures