Spectrum - Volume 18 Issue 32 May 30, 1996 - Incentive Award Programs third-round awards approved

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Incentive Award Programs third-round awards approved

Spectrum Volume 18 Issue 32 - May 30, 1996

Peggy Meszaros, senior vice president and provost, has approved the awards for the third round of the Incentive Award Programs.

The Incentive Award Programs, sponsored by the Division of Continuing Education with primary funding from the Center for Organizational Technological Advancement (COTA), is designed to stimulate the development of new continuing education programs and to help the faculty and staff to host international, national, regional, and state professional association meetings at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center.

The funded projects include funding in two areas, program-development fund and professional association meetings.

Program Development Fund

Biological Wastewater Treatment Fundamentals and Modeling Symposium. This three-and-a-half day conference will provide participants with information about the most recent developments in the area of biological waste treatment. The conference addresses critical real-world issues that have assumed greater significance in recent years because of public awareness of environmental matters. This conference is being proposed as the first in a series of water quality conferences. Faculty contact: Gregory D. Boardman, associate professor, Department of Civil Engineering. Award: $10,000.

Virginia Association of Planning District Commissions (VAPDC) . During this three-day course, participants will attend lectures and presentations on concepts and theories followed by extensive hands-on use of the ARC/VIEW GIS software from the Environmental Systems Research Institute. The purpose of this course is to provide continuing education to practitioners in a spatial field who have not been exposed to GIS techniques. Faculty contact: Laurence W. Carstensen Jr., associate professor, Department of Geography. Award: $10,000.

Teaching Inquiry with the Latest Technology (TILT): An Annual Train-The-Trainer Program. This 10-day, non-consecutive Annual Train-the-Trainer Program is designed to provide staff development for public school teachers in using the latest inquiry technologies with science and mathematics students. The program also will update teacher-leaders from Virginia's Governor's Schools for Science, Mathematics, and Technology who are responsible for staff development workshops and provide peer coaching for teachers in their regions. Faculty contact: Joy Colbert, director of innovative programs, College of Education. Award: $8,500.

Enhancing Instruction in Science, Mathematics and Technology in Classrooms 9-14. This annual conference and planning meeting will serve as the first state-wide announcement for the Institute for Connecting Science Research to the Classroom (ICSRC). Participants will attend sessions from NSF and NASA research projects, Virginia Tech laboratories and specialized centers with classroom application for students in grades 9-14. The conference will also provide a forum for teachers and key instructional leaders to meet with Institute organizers to discuss their views concerning their participation in further defining and operationalizing the mission of the new Institute. Faculty contact: Joy Colbert, director of innovative programs, College of Education. Award: $10,000.

Combating Workplace Violence. This program is designed to address all facets of workplace violence, prevention, preparation, resources, procedures, communication, behavior training, pattern recognition, warning signs, etc. Faculty contact: Michael L. Jones, chief of police, Virginia Tech Police Department. Award: $1,050.

Advanced Technology Series. The Advanced Technology Series is a curriculum of computer-related courses which will be offered in the Monroe Room at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. The two-day courses respond to significant market demand for Internet and technology-related instruction and will be offered in public and contract formats to professionals and managers in corporations and non-profit organizations. Faculty contact: D. Michael Moore, professor, Department of Instructional Technology. Award: $10,000.

Conference on Preparation and Professional Development of Mathematics Graduate Teaching Assistants. This two-day conference will provide a forum for universities in this region of the country to gather and share ideas, problems and current activities pertinent to the preparation and professional development of mathematics graduate teaching assistants. Plans for long-range collaboration will be explored. Thus far, the University of Tennessee, Duke University, Georgia Tech, Johns Hopkins University, University of Virginia, University of North Carolina, and the University of Kentucky have agreed to participate. Faculty contact: Robert F. Olin, head and professor, Department of Mathematics. Award: $10,000.

Conference on Coal Taxation. The two-day conference will include coverage of the practical problems of complying with the tax laws relevant to coal, as well as the policy implications of the laws. Faculty contact: W. Eugene Seago, R.B Pamplin professor of accounting, Department of Accounting. Award: $6,000.

Pre MBA Survey or Mini & Post MBA Refresher. The multidisciplinary nature of this series of programs presents a strong format to "showcase" a broad array of distinguished faculty members. The Pamplin College of Business will utilize a number of its distinguished, senior, tenure-track faculty members to develop the Pre-MBA ("Mini-Program") and the Post MBA ("Update and Refresher Program") to attract post graduate/professional students. Faculty contact: Richard Sorensen, dean, Pamplin College of Business. Award: $10,000.

Preceptor Training for Primary Care Providers . A one-day, intensive workshop for primary care practitioners (family physicians, general internists, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants) will be offered at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. The workshop's focus will be the training of clinical preceptors for students enrolled in the College of Health Science's new physician's assistant program. Faculty contact: Douglas Southard, associate professor, Department of Human Nutrition and Foods and Clinical Psychology. Award: $10,000.

Program Development. These funds will be used to facilitate the development of programs at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Faculty members within the Division of Continuing Education will have the flexibility to invest these funds without additional Academic Council deliberations, thereby accelerating the decision process for potential Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center customers. Faculty contact: J.C. Gordon, Roy Jones, and Jack Lilly, associate directors for program development, Division of Continuing Education. Award: $15,000.

Professional Association Meetings

Professional Associations . These funds will be used to encourage professional associations to hold their meeting functions at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center. Faculty members within the Division of Continuing Education will have the flexibility to invest these funds without additional Academic Council decision-making, thereby accelerating the decision process for potential Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center customers. Faculty contact: J.C. Gordon, Roy Jones, and Jack Lilly, associate directors for program development, Division of Continuing Education. Award: $15,000.

VA-MD-DC Region of the National Association of Educational Buyers (NAEB) Annual Meeting. During this two-day meeting, participants will attend sessions discussing the emergent purchasing issues and practices. Training will be certified by the national organization, and a vendor fair will run concurrently. Faculty contact: Tom Kaloupek, director of materials management, Purchasing Department. Award: $4,000.

Southern Section of the American Society of Plant Physiologists. This two-and-one-half-day conference is student-oriented and features a student paper competition for both graduate and undergraduate students. The conference ends with a symposium which includes three scientists of renowned reputation. Faculty contact: David M. Orcutt, professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Physiology and Weed Science. Award: $4,200.

Annual Meeting of USDA Research Project W-168 "Seed Biology Investigations." This meeting will showcase seed biology research at Virginia Tech to leading scientists in the field. The meetings will allow graduate students to make presentations and network with scientists with similar interests. Faculty contact: Gregory E. Welbaum, assistant professor, Department of Horticulture. Award: $1,250.

CAUSE/CNI Southeast Regional Conference. This two-day regional conference is co-sponsored by the Coalition for Networked Information and College and University System Exchange, a national professional organization of university-based information technology specialists. Faculty contact: Wayne Donald, Information Systems, and Eileen Hitchingham, dean of libraries. Award: $5,000.

Virginia Aviation Conference (23rd Annual). This two-and-one-half day Virginia Aviation Conference is sponsored by the Virginia Department of Aviation, Virginia Aviation Board, Virginia Airport Operators Council, Virginia Aviation Trades Association, and the Virginia Tech Airport. Participants attend meetings, panel discussions, and presentations on issues relevant to the aviation community in the Commonwealth of Virginia. Faculty contact: Gene Reed, director, University Transportation. Award: $4,000.