Busy TAA People

We want to hear from you!

Have you published a new book? Revised an existing one? Published a journal article? Changed jobs? Share your news with fellow TAA members in The Academic Author's Busy People section. Send entries, along with your name, title, affiliation, field, e-mail and phone number to kim.pawlak@taaonline.net or click here to share your news using our secure online form.

Featured Busy TAA Member Profiles

Here's what your fellow authors have been up to:

2/9/10 — Dr. Daniel Botkin has published a new environmental science book Powering the Future, published by FT Press, a division of Pearson Education. The book represents Botkin's findings of more than 40 years of independent, objective environmental research--sans the politics. It delivers the unfiltered, non-biased truth about energy--the world's growing need and demand for it and the prospects, limitations, risks and costs associated with leading and newly emerging sources of energy. Botkin is one of the world's most published and highly acclaimed naturalists and scientists regarding topics surrounding environmental issues. He is the author of several other books on environmental science, including the textbooks, Discordant Harmonies: A New Ecology for the 21st Century, and Environmental Science: Earth as a Living Planet, which won a Textbook Excellence Award from TAA in 2004.

11/16/09 — Communications author Mary Kay Switzer published new editions of her Conflict Resolution workbook and Nonverbal Communication workbook. She was also named to "Who's Who in Arts and Entertainment".

11/12/09 — TAA member Jane Karwoski’s eLetter to the Journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics in response to the article “When Should Children Be Tested for Genetic Diseases” (Pediatrics 2009; 124: e807-e808) by Amanda A. Trott and Reuben Matalon, was published November 7, 2009. Eletters is an online forum for ongoing peer review. Submission of eLetters are open to all health care professionals and experts in related fields. Karwoski is an adjunct professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Read Karwoski’s eLetter, “Should children be tested to determine carrier status?”: Click here

10/23/09 — Dr. Kathleen P. King, president of Transformation Education LLC, presented a two-hour training session on "Podcasting Basics and Educational Applications" in San Antonio, TX, October 26, 2009.

10/23/09 — Dr. Kathleen P. King, president of Transformation Education LLC, was interviewed by WLC Cincinnati Radio's Scott Sloan about unemployed workers, the benefits of education and training, how to identify careers, and how to select a program of study. King, an adult development and learning expert, is a TAA member. Listen to the recording of this interview at http://transformationed.com/info/#radio

10/20/09 — Frank Christ: The Journal of Developmental Education published "Learning Center Issues, Then and Now: An Interview with Frank Christ" in the Spring 2009 issue (pp. 24-27). The JDE had published an interview with Christ 30 years ago and this interview attempted to show the changes in the field of learning assistance at the college level.

9/30/09 — TAA member, Dr. Kathleen P. King, an award-winning author, professional and faculty coach, keynote speaker, and president of Transformation Education LLC, will deliver two keynote speeches at the Western New York Educational Service Council on Oct. 1, 2009 at the Hilton Garden Inn in Cheektowaga, NY. The speeches will follow the theme: Unleashing the Power of Web-Based Tools for Every School Leader: Using Digital Tools for Instruction, Communication, Community Building, and Professional Development. The event is being sponsored by McGraw-Hill Education (www.mheducation.com).

9/24/09 — TAA member, Dr. Kathleen P. King, an award-winning author, professional and faculty coach, keynote speaker, and president of Transformation Education LLC, was interviewed by radio station KEX 1190 AM, Portland, OR about how adults might best evaluate online learning options for their college and graduate studies. She answered questions and provided information about what to look for in selecting an online program or school, how to evaluate online degrees of study, and how to be successful in online courses. Listen to a recording of the show at King's website: http://www.TransformationEducation.com.

King was also interviewed by Channel 11 WPIX (NYC) on September 17, 2009 on how parents can help their children during school closures related to H1N1 flu virus. To watch the news clip of the show visit http://www.TransformationEducation.com.

9/3/09 — TAA member Dr. Kathleen King, an award-winning author, digital media/instructional technology expert, and co-host of "The Teachers' Podcast," will serve as keynote speaker on the opening day of the "Creative Pursuits: Integrating Technology into 21st Century Classrooms" conference, which will be held October 8-9, 2009 at The Langley School's McLean, Virginia campus. King will discuss how to prepare teachers to function inside a brave new world filled with technological possibilities.

8/10/09 — At right is a photo of Former TAA Council Secretary Mary Kay Switzer (far left) taken in 1999 at a PBS sponsored event that paid tribute to broadcasters who have made an impact on broadcasting---namely Walter Cronkite. Switzer was invited to head up a panel with Kronkite (second from left), Grace Fredricks (second from right) and Roone Arledge (far right) since she had done a number of reference works on broadcasting--including articles and books. Switzer was also one of the first women to anchor a newscast in the U.S. with a national sponsor.

5/27/09 — TAA Council member Mary Kay Switzer, an associate professor in the communications department at California Polytechnical State University in Pomona, directed her adaption of "Harvey" for the Pass Area Performing Artists (PAPA) in April 2009.

4/30/09 — Nick Sciullo published "Atlantean Prose and the Search for Democracy" in the crit: a critical legal studies journal run by the University of Idaho School of Law. Sciullo also spoke at a conference entitled "The Evolution of Street Knowledge: Hip Hop's Influence on Law and Culture" at the West Virginia University College of Law. The keynote speakers for the two-day conference were Dr. Cornel West and hip hop artist Talib Kweli. The conference proceedings are being submitted as a book proposal.

1/23/09 — Terry Bazzett won a 2009 New England Book Show award from Bookbuilders of Boston (www.bbboston.org) for his college textbook, An Introduction to Behavior Genetics, published by Sinauer Associates.

1/8/09 — The sixth edition of Robert Christopherson's Elemental Geosystems (® 2010) will be published in February 2009.

1/5/09 — Matt Stevens, author of Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day, and a consultant with Stevens Construction Institute, has been hired to run a program to help newly formed Minority Business Enterprise firms understand the essentials of running a construction company. The program, The Contractors Book Camp, is being funded by a Workforce ONE Maryland project grant awarded to Associated Builders and Contractors (ABC) for Base Realignment and Closure-related workforce development efforts done at Ft. Meade, Maryland.

12/18/08 — Jan Lyons, adjunct assistant professor of engineering management, information and systems, at Southern Methodist University, recently published the revised edition of her text, Risk Management for Technical Professionals (2008, currently available at Lulu.com). She also recently published an article in Leadership and Management in Engineering, entitled, "Objectively Assessing Risk in a Complex World." (October, 2008).

12/16/08 — Mary Kay Switzer. Two original plays and a folk opera written by Mary Kay Switzer, an associate professor of communication at California Polytechnical State University in Pomona, California, will be performed by the Cultural Alliance of the Pass Area Performing Artists in March, April, and May. Kate DiCamillo has also agreed to allow Switzer to adapt her Mercy Watson series for the stage. DiCamillo is the author of Winn Dixie.

10/18/08 — Mary Kay Switzer, a professor of communication at California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, was selected to develop a theatre arts initiative in her county. She serves on the board of the Pass Area Performing Artists, and directed the premiere performance of "Our Town" which got rave reviews. She is also a member of the Cultural Alliance in her county. Mary Kay has been a TAA member for 12 years, and served two terms as TAA Council Secretary. She now serves as a TAA Council member.

10/18/08 — Clifton K. Meador, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine and Meharry Medical College and director of the Meharry Vanderbilt Alliance, recently published Symptoms of Unknown Origin, Vanderbilt University Press (2006) and Puzzling Symptoms, Cable Publishing (2008). He was also honored with the National Vanderbilt Alumni Achievement Award for 2008.

10/8/08 — A. Jane Birch, Brigham Young University, and Tara Gray, New Mexico State University, will be presenting two sessions at the Professional and Organizational Development Network (POD Network) Conference, October 22-25 in Reno, Nevada. "Ten Ways to Let Your Database Do Your Work For You", will demonstrate the ten ways a database can be used by faculty developers -- and will help participants identify and clarify the data needs and solutions of their own centers. "Facilitating Scholarly Writing Circles That Work," will present proven strategies that help scholars improve their writing and increase their productivity by a factor of four. http://www.podnetwork.org/conferences/2008/index.htm

6/30/08 — Kenneth Henson, distinguished professor of education at The Citadel's School of Education, received the 2008 Franklin Silverman Lifetime Achievement Award from the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA). The award is named after Frank Silverman, a former TAA president and founder of the TAA workshop program who died from brain cancer in 2004. Click for more

6/30/08 — Molefi Kete Asante, professor of African American Studies at Temple University, received the 2008 Mike Keedy Award from TAA. The award is named after TAA Founder Mike Keedy. Asante serves on the TAA Foundation Board. The Mike Keedy Award honors recipients for dedicated service on behalf of authors. It was presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21. Click for more

6/30/08 — Kim Pawlak, associate executive director for the Text and Academic Authors Association (TAA), received the association's 2008 Paul Anderson Award.
The Award, named after TAA's very first member, Paul Anderson, honors recipients for extraordinary service to the association in recruiting new members. It was presented at the 2008 TAA Conference on Text and Academic Authoring in Las Vegas, June 21. Click for more

6/17/08 — Kevin Patton was awarded the Human Anatomy & Physiology Society's President's Medal on May 26, 2008 for exceptional services to HAPS and its mission of promoting excellence in teaching and learning of human anatomy and physiology.

Patton was the sole recipient this year. The medal has been awarded only three times since its inception. Patton has served in many roles during his 20 years as a member of HAPS, including annual conference coordinator, Secretary-Treasurer, and President. He currently serves as HAPS President Emeritus, a position in which he acts as an ambassador of the organization and adviser to the current Board of Directors. Patton is also the founding director of HAPS Institute, a professional continuing education program that offers short graduate biology courses directed specifically at professors of human anatomy and physiology.

6/16/08 — Andrew Johnson (North Mankato, MN) recently published an article in Gifted Child Today (2008, 31, 41-29) entitled, "Internet Strategies for gifted students." His latest book, Teaching and writing: Research-based strategies for teachers, tutors, parents, and paraprofessionals, Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, will be out in September 2009. He is also under contract to write a second edition of his social studies textbook, Making connections in elementary and middle school social studies, Thousand Oaks, CA, Sages.

5/23/08 — Guesna Dohrman, a professor of mathematics at Tallahassee Community College, recently started a non-profit organization called SOMETHINGPOSITIVE. Based in Tampa, Florida, it's mission is to encourage and promote physical activity for people with MS in the Tallahassee and Tampa, Florida areas.

5/23/08 — William Koenecke received tenure from the Murray State Univeristy Board of Regents on Friday, May 16, 2008. He has also signed a contract with Kendall Hunt for a book to be published in December 2008. It has the working title: "Improving the Writing Skills of Tomorrow's Teacher."

5/23/08 — Jean A. Lukesh received her doctorate in education (Ed.D.) from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on May 9, 2008. Lukesh is the author of the award-winning history textbook, The Nebraska Adventure.

5/12/08 — Judith Haynes retired from Linfield College at the end of fall semester 2007, and started her own business, Haylo Education Solutions, LLC (http://www.hayloes.com) in January 2008. Haylo assists students and teachers with their education issues. They help teachers catch up with the twenty-first century by modifying or preparing their curriculum to be presented on-line in an inter-active, easy to use format. They also help people who teach or make presentations as part of their work, but haven't been trained in teaching techniques. Consultations are done on-line or in person, in classroom or workshop settings, or on a one-to-one basis.

4/9/08 — TAA Executive Director Richard Hull published the second edition of Ethical Issues in the New Reproductive Technologies by Prometheus Books in 2005, as a revised, updated, and expanded version of the first edition, published in 1990 by Wadsworth. An electronic edition of the book, self-published by Hull, is available through his website, http://www.richard-t-hull.com.

Hull also published an article in Free Inquiry (vol 28, nos 2&3), entitled, "Can We Survive? The Changes Required to Deal Effectively With Global Warming," with co-authors Stephen Paley and George K. Oister. He is also completing, with coauthors Paley and Oister, an academic version of the two-part article, that will appear in a volume edited by Paul Kries and Randall Osborne, Global Community, Global Security, which will be published in 2008 by Editions Rodopi.

4/4/08 — Matt Stevens was interviewed by the journal of the Design-Build Institute of America, Design-Build Dateline, about his book, Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day. Read the interview: Click here

1/11/08 — Jerry D. Wilson, the author of nine physics or physical science textbooks, recently published a trade book, Best of the Curiosity Corner, a compilation articles from newspaper columns he wrote for 26 years. Visit the book's website: Click here

11/1/07 — TAA member Kimberly Davies recently published her first textbook, "The Murder Book: Examining Homicide," with Prentice Hall.

9/11/07 — At the Hollywood Book Festival 2007, TAA member Helen Gordon earned an award for best book in the category of historical fiction for her novel, Voice of the Vanquished: The Story of the Slave Marina and Hernan Cortes. The contest was judged on the basis of the author's story-telling ability plus the potential for the novel to translate into other media such as a movie or television series.

9/11/07 — TAA member Matt Stevens will speak on a panel on project profitability at the 2007 Engineering News-Record's Construction Business Forum to be held in Washington, D.C. October 23-24, 2007. Stevens is the author of "Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day," published by McGraw-Hill.

8/1/07 — TAA member Matt Stevens' book, Managing a Construction Firm on Just 24 Hours a Day, published by McGraw-Hill, was reviewed by ENR.com (Engineering News-Record): Click here

4/3/07 — TAA member Nick J. Sciullo's article, "Conversations with the Law: Irony, Hyperbole and Identity Politics or Sake Pase? Wyclef Jean, Shottas, and Haitian Jack: A Hip-Hop Creole Fusion of Rhetorical Resistance to the Law," will be the lead article in the summer issue of "Seton Hall Journal of Sports and Entertainment Law."

12/10/06 — Mara D. Neusel recently published a new textbook, Invariant Theory, Student Mathematical Library, Vol 36, American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI.

11/29/06 — Nick J. Sciullo, President & CEO of Nick J. Sciullo Consulting, LLC, had his article entitled, "'This Woman's Work' in a 'Man's World'" A Feminist Analysis of the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002, recently selected for publication in the Winter Edition of the Whitter Law Review.

9/26/06 — Jean Lukesh's history textbook, The Nebraska Adventure, has been selected as the 2006 Nebraska Book Award winner for the Children/Young Adult category. The Nebraska Book Awards will be presented at the Nebraska Book Festival on Saturday, October 7, at Nebraska Wesleyan University in Lincoln. Lukesh's book won a Textbook Excellence Award (Texty) from TAA in 2005. "This textbook has really been a winner for me, and winning the TAA Texty Award started this whole domino effect," said Lukesh, in an e-mail to TAA. "I can't thank TAA enough."

7/31/06 — Christopher R. Harris, a visual journalism author, was just accepted as a member of the advisory committee of the usePlus organization (www.useplus.org) which has been set-up to standardize usage definitions for photographers worldwide. The terms "one-time" use, "exclusive" use and others often vary on a worldwide basis. Fees are often determined by the types of "usage" in publication.

4/26/06 — Frank C. Wilson, a mathematics instructor at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, recently published "Finite Mathematics" (Houghton Mifflin, 2006) and "Finite Mathematics and Applied Calculus" (Houghton Mifflin, 2006). The books are written in easy-to-read language and focus on teaching mathematics in the context of real-life applications. The series' innovative Make It Real projects motivate students to model data from their personal lives and to use the models to better understand the world. Wilson's "Brief Applied Calculus" will be published in 2007 and "Applied Calculus" in 2008. Wilson's picture book, "Measure Up! A Bug Contest", was published by Innovative Kids in 2003.

4/10/06 — Stan Gibilisco, who writes nonfiction books about science, mathematics and technology, recently published the 4th edition of "Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics" (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006), and the first edition of "Technical Math Demystified" (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2006). Gibilisco has authored several titles for the McGraw-Hill "Demystified" library of home-schooling and self-teaching volumes, along with more than 20 other books and dozens of magazine articles. Learn more about his work at http://www.sciencewriter.net

4/10/06 — Jean A. Lukesh, author of "The Nebraska Adventure" (the second edition of which came out in February 2005, and is going into its fourth printing), will receive the Moonshell Literary Award, given by the Moonshell Arts and Humanities Council, and an honorary Admiralty in the Nebraska Navy (to be given at the Nebraska state capital during a banquet at the 75th anniversary ceremony of the Nebraska Navy) this month. She is considering retiring from full-time teaching to spend more time writing. She has been asked to co-write a 150th anniversary book for her city and county (Grand Island, Nebraska), and some newspaper articles. She also has several more books she wants to write.

4/10/06 — Marilyn "Winkie" Fordney, recently published the 9th edition of "Insurance Handbook for the Medical Office." The book also has a workbook, instructor's manual, CD for student, CD for instructor, Evolve website, and TEACH for the instructor with CD. She lectured in March 2006 at a professional meeting of the American Association of Medical Assistants in Ventura, California. An article about her Fordney Foundation for dance sport for ages 6 to 25, appeared in the January-February 2006 issue of "CMA Today" (Certified Medical Assistant Today), a national professional journal.

3/06 — Mary Kay Switzer, a communication author and associate professor of communication at Cal Poly Pomona, was elected vice president of the Matrix Foundation, which is dedicated to promoting education through its affiliation with the accreditation assessment via AEJMC, and to upholding/promoting the First Amendment. Other news regarding Switzer:

• She received a special Service Award from Cal Poly Pomona in recognition of her service as a faculty member.The students in her advanced course in Nonverbal Communication took top awards in the Division for Communication and Behavorial Science in the Annual Student Research Competition at Cal Poly Pomona, the 5th year that her students have won the top honors in this competition. For the first time, two of her students tied for First Place. For this senior level course, she is using the first version of a textbook she is writing. She is writing another textbook that is being used as a pilot study in another one of her courses in Conflict Negotiation and Resolution.She is hosting an exchange student from China who is taking courses in Communication.
• She is Director of the Edith Wortman Matrix Foundation Award, granted to those who have contributed to upholding and promoting the First Amendment. TAA member Joy Hakim was the first recipient because of her history series for middle school students, The History of U. S., which Christopher Reeve developed into a PBS documentary series because his brother used the book series in his middle school classes.

2/13/06 — Helen Heightsman Gordon, Ed. D., a professor of English at Bakersfield College, wrote The Secret Love Story in Shakespeare's Sonnets, a ground-breaking re-interpretation of Shakespeare's sonnets presuming they were written by Edward De Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, using the pen name of William Shake-speare. The book is available from Xlibris Corporation: www.xlibris.com/bookstore

1/08/06 — Christopher R. Harris, a professor of electronic media communication at Middle Tennessee State University, started a blog for digital journalists (photo and print journalists) at http://www.digitalprof.wordpress.com

12/06/05 — Richard Hull has recently published the second edition of his textbook reader, Ethical Issues in the New Reproductive Technologies, with Prometheus Books. He also has published the work as an e-book under his own copyright that he markets directly to those wanting a downloadable version: see it at www.richard-t-hull.com . Hull has also just published volume 6 of his Presidential Addresses of the American Philosophical Association 1901-2000 series, covering the 1950s and containing biographies and photos, as well as the addresses, of the 30 individuals that served as presidents of the three divisions of APA during this decade. He was Contributing Editor to John R. Shook, ed., Dictionary of Modern American Philosophy (four volumes), just published by Thommes Continuum, and he contributed the chapter on Reproductive Technology in Alan R. Soble, ed., Sex from Plato to Paglia, two volumes just being published by Westwood Press in late November.

12/06/05 — Robert Martinengo (Ventura, CA) has published an article in the new issue of Accessible Content magazine about textbooks and students with disabilities. View the article at: http://www.accessiblecontent.com/samples/atpc/

Sheila Gibbons published an editorial on the Womens E-News.org website entitled, "Hurricane Coverage Blew Open Image of Women." Gibbons is co-author of "Taking Their Place: A Documentary History of Women and Journalism," which received a Textbook Excellence Award from TAA. Read it at http://www.womensenews.org/article.cfm/dyn/aid/2477/context/archive

Frederic H. Martini (anatomy & physiology) Human anatomy and physiology author Frederic Martini wrote the seventh edition of "Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology" and the second edition of "Martini's Atlas of the Human Body". He also co-wrote "A&P Applications Manual", the fifth edition of "Human Anatomy", and the first edition of "Clinical Issues in Anatomy". All have March release dates. The fourth edition of "Fundamentals of A&P" is currently in production.

Frank Wang. Former Saxon Publisher president Frank Wang's essay, "Reflections on 10 Years in Educational Publishing" was published in the March 23, 2005 issue of "Education Week" in its Commentary section. Read the essay at http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2005/03/23/28wang.h24.html

Dr. Arthur J. Deikman, a clinical professor of psychiatry at the University of California San Francisco, wrote Them and Us: Cult Thinking and the Terrorist Threat, published by Bay Tree Publishing, 2003. The book expands on his 1990 study, The Wrong Way Home, a landmark analysis of cult behavior in American society.

Mary Ellen Lepionka has founded Atlantic Path Publishing (Gloucester, MA) a publishing house specializing in reference and trade books for academic authors on textbook writing, editing, and publishing. Its new title for 2003 is Writing and Developing Your College Textbook. Forthcoming in 2004 is Writing and Developing College Textbook Supplements.

Mary Kay Switzer (communications), received an "Everyday Hero" award from the Riverside County, California YWCA. The award is presented to someone who demonstrates a commitment to rejecting bigotry and promoting tolerance and respect.

Frederic H. Martini (anatomy & physiology) University of Hawaii, Michael J. Timmons (anatomy & physiology) Morraine Valley Community College, and Robert Tallitsch (anatomy & physiology) Augustana College (with illustrations by Wm. Ober MD and Claire Garrison RN), wrote the fourth edition of Human Anatomy, (Prentice Hall) May 2002. Packaged with an Atlas of the Human Body, by the same authors, with photographs by Ralph Hutchings.

Frederic H. Martini (anatomy & physiology) University of Hawaii, and Edwin Bartholomew, (with illustrations by Wm. Ober MD and Claire Garrison RN) wrote the third edition of Essentials of Anatomy and Physiology, (Prentice Hall) late July 2002. Packaged with an Applications Manual by Martini, Bartholomew and Kathleen Welch, MD.

Frederic H. Martini (anatomy & physiology) University of Hawaii, Michael J. Timmons (anatomy & physiology) Morraine Valley Community College, and Robert Tallitsch's (anatomy & physiology) Augustana College (with illustrations by Wm. Ober MD and Claire Garrison RN) Human Anatomy 4e textbook won two awards at the NY Book Fair for cover design and interior design. The book also won a William Henry Fox Talbot award (Talby) for excellence in visuals from the Society of Academic Authors.

Dale Layman (biology) was selected as Man of the Year for 2003 by the American Biographical Institute; International Scientist of the Year 2003 by the International Biographical Centre, in Cambridge, England; and was recently admitted as a Cavalier-Knight in the World Order of Science, Education and Culture, headquartered in Brussels, Belgium, and sponsored by the European Academy of Informatization (EAI).

Robert Christopherson (physical geography), wrote the fourth edition of Elemental Geosytems, coming out May 9, the fifth edition of Geosystems (2003), and the fifth edition of his lab manual Applied Physical Geography (2003) (Prentice Hall). The new book includes a unique set of 30 student animations, satellite loops, field trip notebooks, and content tutorials on CD, with a supporting web site.

Current TAA Notes