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FSC faculty pursue academic projects 

LAKELAND, Fla. (April 7, 2003) - Florida Southern College faculty members have engaged in extracurricular academic pursuits during the current semester, giving presentations, publishing articles, and attending conferences. Following is a summary of their endeavors.

Dr. Susan P. Conner, dean of the college and professor of history, has written 14 biographical essays on women soldiers during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic era, as well as two major essays on the "French Revolution and Napoleonic Era" and "French Women Supply/Support Roles." The essays were published in "Amazons to Fighter Pilots: A Biographical Dictionary of Military Women," 2 Vols., edited by Reina Pennington (Greenwood Press, 2003). Conner attended the Consortium on Revolutionary Europe in Lafayette, La., Feb. 19-23, and spoke on "Women and Politics in the French Revolutionary Era." She was elected to the Governing Council of the consortium, a national organization for historians of Europe (1750-1850). 

Dr. James M. Denham, professor of history, participated as a judge in the 4th Annual Polk County History Fair March 19. He has written a book review on "Somebody's Darling: Essays on the Civil War," by Kent Gramm, in the Society of Civil War Historians Newsletter 15 (Winter 2003). Denham presented speeches for North Lakeland Rotary Feb. 12 about the Center for Florida History; Orange County Social Studies Teachers Forum Feb. 15 on "The Florida Frontier in the Nineteenth Century;" Warner Southern College Feb. 23 on his book, "A Rogue's Paradise: Crime and Punishment in Antebellum Florida, 1821-1861;" and the Regional Conference of Phi Alpha Theta at Stetson University March 29 on "Cast Your Bucket Down Where You Are: Research Opportunities in Florida History." The Ledger and Tampa Tribune published his article on Gov. Bush and the State of Florida Library on Feb. 21 and Feb. 22, respectively. In addition, Denham offered comments for the Ledger's article titled "Time Reveals Flaws: 75-Year-Old Polk History has Shortcomings, but Still Useful," Feb. 24. 

Dr. Carmen V. Gauthier, chair of the chemistry and physics department, and chemistry student Houda Darwiche, a junior from Winter Haven, presented a poster display at the 225th American Chemical Society (ACS) National Meeting. The poster, a result of last summer's faculty mentorship program at FSC, depicts the self-assembly of one-dimensional supramolecular arrays using transition metal salts and hexamethylenetetramine. Gauthier, a member of the International Activities Committee of the Chemical Education Committee of the ACS, was asked to organize a session for an international symposium in Bahia-Brazil in summer 2004. 

Dr. Barbara M. Giles, political science professor, attended the Florida Political Science Association conference on March 20-21. She was reelected to the Executive Council of the national organization for a three-year term. 

Dr. Mavra E. Kear, nursing professor, published an article in The Florida Nurse (March 2003) titled, "Moving Toward a Tobacco-Free Florida." 

Dr. Susan Opt, communication professor, participated in the International Academy of Business Disciplines Conference in Orlando April 3-6. She presented a paper entitled, "Organizations and Attention Switching: A Rhetorical View." In addition, her article, "Organizational Change: An Attention-Switching View," was published in the "Business Research Yearbook: Global Business Perspectives," Vol. X, edited by J. Biberman and A. Alkhafaji (McNaughton & Gunn, Inc., 2003). 

Dr. Benjamin H. Reuter, physical education professor, wrote a chapter on "Cardiovascular Fitness and Training." The chapter has been accepted by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) for two documents being developed by the NSCA for the U.S. Marine Corps: "Basic USMC Semper Fit Fitness Training Correspondence Course" and "Advanced USMC Semper Fit Fitness Training Correspondence Course." 

Dr. Lawrence E. Ross, business professor, attended the Club Managers Association of America World Conference Jan. 31-Feb. 4. He spoke on "Implementing Effective Member-Survey Programs." In addition, Ross offered comments for The Ledger's March 3 article on foodservice at the Cleveland Heights Golf Club.

Dr. Claudia S. Slate, English professor, heads the first Harriet Jacobs Symposium April 4-5 in Edenton, N.C., where Jacobs, a writer, abolitionist and reformer, was born a slave in 1813. Slate has spent two years planning the symposium and applied for and received funding through a grant from the North Carolina Humanities Council. In conjunction with this symposium, Slate interviewed with WITN, Greenville, N.C., March 4. The Baltimore Sun, Virginia Pilot, and North Carolina History and Archives publications have written about her involvement with the symposium. 

Katherine G. Straw, physical education professor, attended the Eighth Annual Educational Forum of the American Foundation for Greek Language and Culture at the University of South Florida in March. The Foundation's mission is "Enlightening the Young with the Olympic Torch of Hellenism." Two sessions, "Ancient Greek Olympics: Progress, Decline or Democratization" and "The Reality of Female Participation in Ancient Greek Sport," relate to her forthcoming sabbatical. 

About Florida Southern College
Florida Southern is a four-year, private, co-educational liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church. The college offers more than 40 undergraduate majors and a master of business administration degree accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Located in Lakeland, Fla., the college is home to the largest, single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in the world. 

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