National Radio Program to Spotlight Faculty Research at Allegheny College

Starting Monday, May 25, the work of six Allegheny professors will be the center of attention on ‘The Academic Minute’

The Academic MinuteSix Allegheny College professors will be featured on “The Academic Minute,” a national radio broadcast and podcast that highlights research from colleges and universities throughout the world, beginning on Monday, May 25.

Starting with Monday’s broadcast, five of the professors will “take over” “The Academic Minute” program for the week. Each day, one Allegheny faculty member will discuss their research and important topics in their fields of study, focusing on what’s new and exciting in academia.

“The Academic Minute” is broadcast by WAMC/Northeast Public Radio on 90.3-FM (1400-AM) in Albany, New York, airing weekdays at 7:30 a.m. and 3:56 p.m. The show, which is carried on 70 stations around the United States and Canada, is hosted by Dr. Lynn Pasquerella, president of the Association of American Colleges and Universities. The program is also streamed via the web at academicminute.org. In addition, “The Academic Minute” research profiles of the professors will be featured in the academic trade publication Inside Higher Ed.

“I am thrilled that through the Allegheny College takeover of ‘The Academic Minute,’ NPR listeners will have the chance to be inspired by some of Allegheny’s impressive scholar-teachers, even for a brief moment,” said Allegheny President Hilary L. Link. “As president, I hear from alumni again and again that it is the opportunity to work alongside, to be guided and mentored by, and to learn from the Allegheny faculty that continues to resonate in life-changing ways with our graduates even decades after they leave campus.”

The five Allegheny professors whose research will be featured the week of May 25–29 include:

  • Brian Harward, the Robert G. Seddig Chair in Political Science, who will address “Congressional Responsiveness to Presidential Unilateralism” on Monday, May 25
  • Janyl Jumadinova, assistant professor of computer science, will present “A Submersible Robot That Tests Water Quality” on Tuesday, May 26
  • Caryl E. Waggett, associate professor of global health studies, will speak on “Links between Lead Poisoning and Food Insecurity” on Wednesday, May 27
  • Eric Pallant, the Christine Nelson Endowed Chair of the Environmental Science and Sustainability Department, will discuss “There is a Lot to Learn from Sourdough Bread” on Thursday, May 28
  • Shannan Mattiace, professor of political science and international studies, will present her research on “Drug Wars and Criminal Violence in Mexico” on Friday, May 29

In addition to the weeklong takeover by Allegheny faculty, Professor Barbara L. Shaw shared her research to provide continued exposure for the College. Shaw, who holds the Brett ’65 and Gwendolyn ’64 Elliott Professorship for Interdisciplinary Studies, spoke on “Transforming Knowledge, Building Reimagined Futures.”

“The creative energy and expertise of our faculty fuels and enlivens the learning experience of our students,” said Allegheny Provost and Dean of the College Ron Cole. “This takeover of the Academic Minute is a wonderful cross section that highlights the breadth and depth of the Allegheny faculty and the interdisciplinary nature of our curriculum.”

Added Link: “These six faculty are merely representative of the rigorous scholars and inspiring teachers who are at the core of an Allegheny education. And in a moment of historic global crisis, the world needs creative, engaged and thought leaders like these faculty, who demonstrate the relevance and applicability toward our current challenges of a strong, liberal arts education in a variety of fields.”