Date: 08/20/2007

Professor Karen English published her book, Notes of Conversations, 1848-1875. The book "is a volume of transcripts of conversations conducted by the nineteenth-century American philosopher and educator A. Bronson Alcott at various locations in New England and the Midwest," according to the publisher's Web site. Read more.

SJSU Professor Claire Komives and University of Virginia Professor Erik Fernandez brought chemical engineering faculty from 19 universities nationwide to the Davidson College of Engineering for a workshop sponsored by the National Science Foundation. Participants learned how to apply chemical engineering principles to bioengineering applications.

Professor Joe Pesek traveled to Sydney, Australia, to present the opening lecture at the Australian Association of Clinical Biochemists. He also gave a presentation entitled "Aqueous Normal Phase Chromatography and Other Unique Capabilities of Silica Hydride Stationary Phases" at the Agilent LCMS symposium in Santa Clara.

Professor Rosalinda Quintanar, who chairs the CSU's International Teacher Education Council, said a new grant will support students seeking credentials to instruct English language learners. The grant will provide prospective teachers with $5,000 annual stipends to participate in a CSU/Mexico consortium.

Professor Maureen Scharberg helped run a nanoscale workshop for 17 Bay Area instructors at SJSU's College of Science, the region's top training ground for math and science school teachers. The workshop was part of the National Science Foundation's Nanosense project, which aims to reach high school students by helping teachers explore unique phenomena at the nanoscale. Learn more.

Professor Patrick Timmons hit Madrid and London to research an 1856 international crisis that nearly brought Mexico and Spain to blows, partially due to a meddling British diplomat. The incident involved the murder of five Spaniards in Mexico, followed by the public execution of five Mexican suspects. Timmons, a death penalty expert, received a grant from the Spanish Embassy in Washington, D.C., for the project.