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CAS in the Media Arts and Sciences Media Headlines

Warrior Geronimo inspires WSU book collaboration

Buddy Levy
Buddy Levy

By Kaylee Ray and Kenny Short, WSU News interns

An upcoming book coauthored by Washington State University’s Mike Leach and Buddy Levy about Apache warrior Geronimo will focus on leadership.

Levy, a clinical associate professor who teaches English at WSU, said he originally pitched the idea to his agent who also represents Leach, WSU head football coach. The agent suggested talking to Leach because he knew Leach is fascinated by Geronimo.

Mike Leach
Mike Leach

“It started when my mom would read us books when we were kids, and for some reason I got into Geronimo,” Leach said. “We’d go to the library and grab these historic books about him, and she would read them every night.”

The book, still in the works, will talk about general leadership and problem-solving skills that spill over into all aspects of management and people, Levy said. His strong point is the history, whereas Leach has a profound understanding of leadership, he said.  Continue story →

NBC: Distracted emergency drivers cause crashes

Officer driving while using computer

NBC’s Bay Area Investigative Unit found, on average, there is a crash every other day in California, caused by an emergency driver who is distracted.

Bryan Vila
Bryan Vila

The report features Bryan Vila, a professor of criminal justice and a researcher associated with the WSU Sleep and Performance Research Center at WSU Spokane. The study reviewed more than 2.4 million collision reports recorded by the CHP from 2006-2011. Click the following link to see the NBC video report.

Vila and his team have been examining the impact of fatigue and distractions on law enforcement officer driving performance. They also have been comparing collision risks for those who work day shifts with those who work night shifts.

The work is being done under a two-year contract with the California Commission on Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST).

The study is part of a continuing line of research related to police officer performance, safety, and health spearheaded by Vila, who heads a simulation laboratory that is designed to mimic police officers’ work environments and is located in WSU Spokane’s Sleep and Performance Research Center.

CAS faculty named AAAS fellows

Eight WSU faculty members have been named fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, including six in the College of Arts and Sciences:

  • Sue Clark, regents professor of chemistry
  • Daryll DeWald, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences
  • Herbert Hill Jr., regents professor of chemistry
  • Ursula Mazur, professor of chemistry and materials science
  • Kenneth Nash, professor of chemistry
  • Michael Skinner, professor of biological sciences

Also named a fellow this year is psychology alumnus John Roll, professor of nursing and associate dean for faculty affairs in the WSU College of Nursing.

You may read more details at the WSU News Center.

WSU professor in Ireland thrust into election coverage

Matthew Sutton
Matthew Sutton

By Darin Watkins, WSU News

The U.S. presidential race has captured the attention of people around the world, especially in Europe. As millions of Americans head to the polls, foreign media have ramped up their coverage.

Washington State University’s Matthew Sutton has found himself at the center of this interest in American politics. An associate professor of history, Sutton is on a Fulbright scholarship in Ireland lecturing on American cultural, political, and religious history at the University College Dublin.

What has attracted the media to Sutton is his background in writing about American politics.

In an interview on “RTE Morning Ireland,” Sutton was asked why the two presidential candidates seem to be avoiding the big issues rather than facing up to them in their campaigns.  Continue story →

CAS in the media: November 2, 2012

Elections and politics

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