We would like to welcome Dr. Heidi Diefes-Dux to BSE! Dr. Diefes-Dux is a newly hired Professor in BSE and began on August 13. Her position is in support of COE’s Discipline Based Education Research (DBER) initiative. Her office is Chase 251. Heidi comes to us from Purdue University where she has been a faculty member since 1997, residing within their School of Engineering Education since 1998.
Robert Vavala has joined BSE part-time in collaboration with Innovative Instructional Design as support for Instructional Design and Technology needs of the BSE faculty. Robert is ABD in Grassland Ecology, and his previous position was as a Distance Education Specialist for the UNL Dept. of Agronomy and Horticulture. Robert will be located in Chase 221 on Fridays.
Christel Burgason started duties on August 1 as BSE's front desk office associate. Christel comes to us from Lincoln Public Schools where she was an elementary school teacher. Christel will serve as the departmental point of contact maintaining continuity and consistency with our major department functions (including mail, key/building access, building maintenance, reimbursement support). She will be available to assist faculty and staff with many of the daily tasks that need to be completed.
We were saddened to hear of the passing of two BSE family members. LeRoy Thom, a BSE Hall of Fame inductee and long-time supporter of our department, passed on July 29. Tom Franti’s mother, Evelyn Franti, passed away on August 9. Our condolences go out to their family and friends.
Postdoctoral Research Associate Jian (Jim) Li has left IAPC and started a new position with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality. Best wishes, Jian!
Asmaa Abdel Rahman began a post-doctoral position with the IAPC starting August 1.