* Students in Kansas State University's food writing course have published the Kansas Food Journal, a new Webzine devoted to food production, preparation and consumption in the state. According to course instructor Jane P. Marshall, the Webzine is the only one of its kind in Kansas and one of the first class-produced Webzines at K-State. Content at the Webzine includes features, restaurant listings, recipes, book reviews and food memoirs, all written by students. The food journal is available at http://www.KansasFoodJournal.com June 2008
* David Kozar, a program assistant in the Division of Continuing Education and a student in K-State's graduate certificate program in conflict resolution, has been named a World Peace Fellow by Rotary International. Seventy fellows from 33 countries were selected for their leadership potential in government, business, education, media and other professional areas. Each fellow has the opportunity to pursue a master's degree in conflict resolution, peace studies, international relations and related disciplines. The fellowship will fund Kozar's studies toward a master's in international studies in peace and conflict resolution at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia. May 2008
* K-State's Tony Jurich, professor of family studies and human services and a family therapist, has written the new book "Family Therapy with Suicidal Adolescents" published by Routledge. The book outlines the therapeutic style Jurich has developed through research, theory, ideas and counseling with thousands of suicidal adolescents and their families in his effort to treat the individuals and understand the nature of suicide and its special fascination for youth. April 2008
* K-State's Katie Hamm, a senior in dietetics from Shawnee, was elected to the American Dietetic Association's Student Advisory Committee by student members of the dietetic association. As part of her duties, she will help plan the student workshop that is part of the Food and Nutrition Conference and Exhibit at the American Dietetic Association's annual meeting. April 2008
* Mary Molt, assistant director of K-State housing and dining services and an assistant professor of hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics, has been honored by the Midwest Region of the National Association of College and University Food Services with a scholarship created in her name. Her volunteer work for the association includes participation in a recent Visioning Summit, service on its national board of directors and chairing the Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship board of trustees. She also has received the association's highest honor, the Theodore W. Minah Award for service to the food service industry, and the Richard Lichtenfeld Award for outstanding service to the association on a national level. March 2008
* Denis M. Medeiros, head of K-State's department of human nutrition, has been appointed to a prestigious and powerful grant reviewing section of the National Institutes of Health. Medeiros' selection to the Integrative Nutrition and Metabolic Processes Study Section means he will review grant proposals in human nutrition for potential funding. The study section influences where government funds are spent for nutrition research. Medeiros is also associate dean for scholarship and research in K-State's College of Human Ecology. His chief area of research is with trace elements and disease, specifically on the role of copper in heart disease, and the role that iron plays in bone integrity. March 2008
* Papers presented by K-State's Migette Kaup, associate professor of interior design, and Barbara Anderson, assistant professor of interior design, were selected as among the best presented at the 2008 international conference of the Interior Design Educators Council. Kaup's paper was "Exploring Strategies for Optimizing the Design of Therapeutic Environments for People with Dementia: Opportunities for Changing the Culture of Care"; and Anderson's paper was "Redefining Beauty in Interior Design." Their papers were among the nine out of the 101 presented at the conference that were identified as outstanding based on scores earned through a blind-review process. March 2008
* Mary Molt, assistant director of K-State housing and dining services and an assistant professor of hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics, has been honored by the Midwest Region of the National Association of College and University Food Services with a scholarship created in her name. Her volunteer work for the association includes participation in a recent Visioning Summit, service on its national board of directors and chairing the Clark E. DeHaven Scholarship board of trustees. She also has received the association's highest honor, the Theodore W. Minah Award for service to the food service industry, and the Richard Lichtenfeld Award for outstanding service to the association on a national level. March 2008
* Two K-State faculty members have earned awards from the University Continuing Education Association, which also has recognized two K-State marketing and publication efforts with honors. Virginia Moxley, dean of the College of Human Ecology, is the recipient of the 2008 Faculty Service Award, while Ann Murray, associate professor of family studies and human services, has received the 2008 Excellence in Teaching Award. Moxley is a founding member of the Great Plains Interactive Distance Education Alliance and co-founder of K-State's Institute for Academic Alliances. Murray teaches assessment of young children and infant behavior and development, both online courses. She was an early adopter of distance learning technologies on campus. March 2008
* A team of K-State interior design students won an international student design competition, dealing with affordable housing that was sponsored by the Interior Design Educators Council. Members of the winning team, all seniors, were Alexandra Sumpter, Leawood; Alison Hecht, Seneca; and Haley Van Wagenen, Orange Park, Fla. Their faculty adviser was Peggy Honey, assistant professor of interior design. The K-State team advanced to the finals of the competition by being among the top three finalists at the council's Midwest regional competition. K-State had two of the top three teams at the regional contest. March 2008
* Denis Medeiros, professor and head of K-State's department of human nutrition and associate dean for scholarship and research at the College of Human Ecology, is the co-author of a new textbook on nutrition that comes with many special extras. "Nutrition: Real People, Real Choices," published by Prentice Hall, a division of Pearson, offers students practical information they can apply to their lives, Medeiros said. The textbook, co-authored with Susan Hewlings, also offers information in an accessible way through further readings, Web sites, video clips, animations, Q-and-A's to help students prepare for exams and more. March 2008
* Apparel design students at K-State have taken top honors or placed highly in two recent competitions. The events included the Kansas City Fashion Group International competition and the Alpaca Owners and Breeders Association's student design competition. In the Kansas City competition, Juan Garcia, senior, Herington, took first place in the original design category, while Molly Shannon, senior, Shawnee, earned second place in the personal shopper board category. In the Alpaca competition, K-State students earned five of six national awards. Winners include Jessica Ponnath, senior, Kansas City, Kan., second place; Elizabeth Kuzila, December 2007 bachelor's graduate, Kansas City, Kan., third place; Jennifer Swander, senior, De Soto, fourth place; Amanda Razlaff, senior, Manhattan, fifth place; and Ashley Snyder, junior, Lyndon, sixth place. March 2008
* Katie Hamm, a senior in dietetics, has been selected as the alternate student representative on the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education. The commission is the association's accrediting agency for education programs preparing students for careers as registered dietitians or registered dietetic technicians. It serves the public by establishing and enforcing eligibility requirements and accreditation standards that ensure the quality and continued improvement of nutrition and dietetics education programs. As the student alternate, Hamm will attend any meetings that the student delegate is unable to attend. Only one dietetics student in the nation is selected each year to serve on the commission. February 2008
* With the help of K-State experts Edgar Chambers IV and Delores Chambers, a university in Thailand is establishing that country's first sensory and consumer research center. The Chambers previously helped form the Thailand Sensory Network, an organization for sensory professionals in Thailand. Edgar Chambers, a professor of human nutrition, is a pioneer in sensory analysis and a professor of human nutrition at K-State. He and Delores Chambers, assistant professor of human nutrition, are co-directors of K-State's Sensory Analysis Center. The Chambers are helping to establish Kasetsart University Sensory and Consumer Research Center. Kasetsart is the country's leading university for food and agriculture. The K-State professors are providing expertise on training the panel and sending staff one week a month for the four months of training. The panel should be ready for its first project in May. The goal is to be as similar as possible to the panel at K-State to allow for collaborative projects. February 2008
* K-State and Fort Riley are strengthening their commitments to assisting soldiers and their families by creating a Cooperative Extension program tailored to the needs of military personnel. A new memorandum of understanding will allow K-State Extension family and consumer science programs, affiliated with the College of Human Ecology, to give military families information on diverse family-related issues. Topics could include parenting, family communication, child and youth development, nutrition and food preparation, physical activity and health, and money management. K-State also will be contracting with the Department of Defense and Fort Riley to deliver education based on their specific needs. In a related effort, the College of Human Ecology is working to increase the clinical services it provides to Fort Riley families through K-State's Speech and Hearing Center and the Family Center. January 2008
* Two research papers co-authored by K-State graduate students and faculty members received best paper awards at the 13th annual Graduate Education and Research Conference in Hospitality and Tourism. It's the fourth consecutive year that K-State has received best paper awards at the conference, and K-State had three of the eight research papers nominated for best paper awards at the conference. "Antecedents of Service Employees Organizational Citizenship Behaviors in Foodservice Businesses" by Wan Soo Kim, doctoral student in institutional management; Chihyung Ok, K-State assistant professor of hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics; and Myong Jae Lee, K-State doctoral graduate in institutional management, received the best paper award sponsored by the International Journal of Hospitality Management. Receiving the best paper award from the International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management for "Application of Protection Motivation Theory to Assess Foodservice Operators' Intention to Implement a Food Defense Management Plan" were Eunju Yoon, a December 2007 doctoral graduate in institutional management, Manhattan, and Carol Shanklin, interim dean of the K-State Graduate School and professor of hotel, restaurant, institutional management and dietetics. Also nominated for a best paper award was "Consumption Emotions and Switching Behaviors in the Full-Service Restaurant Industry" by Hee Sup Han, December 2007 doctoral graduate in institution management, Manhattan; Betsy Barrett, K-State associate professor of hotel, restaurant, institution management and dietetics; and Ki-Joon Back, a former K-State faculty member. January 2008
* A nationwide survey rates academic programs offered in K-State's College of Architecture, Planning and Design as among the tops in the nation, as well as the interior design program offered through K-State's College of Human Ecology. According to the 2008 survey of leading design firms across the nation, conducted by the journal DesignIntelligence and the Design Futures Council in conjunction with the Almanac of Architecture and Design, K-State ranks first among bachelor of landscape architecture programs; fourth among master of interior architecture/design programs; sixth among master of landscape architecture programs; eighth among bachelor of architecture programs; eighth among bachelor of interior architecture/design programs; and13th among master of architecture programs. K-State offers programs in both interior architecture and product design, through the College of Architecture, Planning and Design, and in interior design through the College of Human Ecology; for survey purposes, the programs are combined. The annual survey is conducted to determine the top 15 colleges and universities for architecture and design in the U.S. A cross-section of firms with a disbursed geographic profile -- including firms that are leaders in their market sector and that have won major national, state, local and market-sector awards -- were surveyed. January 2008