Academic News (News2Note)

News2Note, the academic newsletter of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, is published monthly during the academic year by Debra Stoudt, associate dean for policy and faculty affairs. Academic news can be submitted to her directly at dstoudt@vt.edu.

Amy Allen, Education, published “Pyramid Discussions, Primary Sources, and the OPTIC Strategy: Oh My!” in Social Studies and the Young Learner 38.3 (2026): 10–15, with Dalton Savage.

Barbara Allen, Science, Technology, and Society, and her French research team was awarded a Participatory Research Prize by INRAe, the French agency for Food, Agriculture, and the Environment, for their project Fos EPSEAL – Étude participative en santé environnementale ancrée localement (Fos EPSEAL – Locality-based Participatory Environmental Health Survey), an environmental health study with residents living near one of the largest concentrations of industrial pollutants in France. Allen and the team won Le prix ‘Co-construction’ (the co-construction prize), which highlights approaches to knowledge coproduction involving the engagement of non-academic stakeholders at every stage of the research project. The award ceremony will be held April 11 in Caen, France.

ASPECT doctoral students Onur Karabıçak and M. Furkan Küçükmeral published “The Global IR Revolution Must Start in the Graduate Classroom,” All Azimuth: A Journal of Foreign Policy and Peace 15.2 (2026): 207–30, with Ersel Aydınlı et al.

Amy Price Azano, Education and Director of the Center for Rural Education, coauthored Teaching in Rural Places: Thriving in Classrooms, Schools, and Communities, second edition (New York, New York: Routledge, 2026), with Devon Brenner et al.

Sweta Baniya, English, published “Protesting Locally, Impacting Globally: Rhetorical Narratives of Mountain Valley Pipeline Activists,” Technical Communication Quarterly 35.2 (2026): 190–206, with Marti Wagnon.

Chase Catalano, Education, coedited Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, fifth edition, ed. Maurianne Adams et al. (New York, New York, and Oxon, United Kingdom: Routledge, 2026).

His individual contributions were: “Acknowledgements” and “Readings for Diversity and Social Justice: A General Introduction,” pp. xv–xvi and pp. xvii–xxiv, respectively, and as well as the introduction to Section 5: Sexism, Heterosexism, & Trans Oppression with Heather Hackman et al. and the curation of its readings, pp. 341–448.

School of Education faculty members Amy Allen and Mason Engelhardt published “In-Service Teacher Understanding and Use of Sacrificial Listening During Morning Meeting,” International Journal of Listening 40.1 (2026): 12–23.

School of Education faculty members Amy Allen and David Hicks published “Cultivating Technocuriosity: Building Custom GPTs for K-12 Social Studies,” Social Education 90.2 (March/April 2026): 93–100, with Ilene R. Berson and Michael J. Berson.

Charlene Eska, English, published “Let’s Do It in the Garden: A Tale of Temptation in Edinburgh, National Library of Scotland, Adv. MS 72.1.26,” Peritia – Journal of the Medieval Academy of Ireland 36 (2025): 245–80.

Matthew Fullen, Education, published “An Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis of Counseling Interns’ Experiences Serving Older Adults,” Counselor Education and Supervision 65.1 (March 2026): 63-75, with 2025 Counselor Education alumnus Paul Delaughter and Jonathan D. Wiley.

ASPECT doctoral student Hannah Gignoux and Political Science faculty member Audrey Reeves published “Curating Conflict-Related Sexual Violence: Gender, Politics and Memory at War Museums,” Journal of Gender Studies 35.3 (2026), special issue “The Global Politics of Memory: Feminist Perspectives on the Curation of Violence,” pp. 526–45.

ASPECT doctoral student Elhom Gosink presented “Writing on and in the American Land-Grant University” at the International Studies Association annual convention, which took place March 22–25 in Columbus, Ohio.

Aarnes Gudmestad, Modern and Classical Languages and Literatures, published “Regional Variation in Mood Use in Spanish: A Comparison Among Three Spanish-speaking Regions, Languages 11.3 (2026), Article 60, with 2024 Foreign Languages, Cultures, and Literatures master’s alumna Silvia Tort-Ranson.

Kwame Harrison, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Sociology, was one of six Virginia Tech faculty members inducted into the university’s Academy of Faculty Service in 2026. He was recognized “for bringing curiosity and compassion to every role, creating a career of meaningful service through programs that support student belonging and faculty success.” Faculty nominated for membership in the Academy of Faculty Service must have successfully completed an elected or appointed term of office in university governance or completed the assignment or set of responsibilities associated with a university-level project, or made commendable service contributions at the university level outside of usual responsibilities and ongoing formal governance roles, and made a notable, demonstrable, positive impact on the university.

Jennifer Hart, Professor and Chair of the Department of History, published “Steering the Nation? Drivers, Nationalism, and the Writing of History,” History in Africa 52 (2025): 84–104.

Cana Itchuaqiyaq, English and Director of the Center for Sustainable Engagement in the Arctic, co-led and coauthored “The Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Priority Team 7 Final Report: Technology, Infrastructure, Logistics, and Services,” part of the Fourth International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP IV) Final Outcomes Report (Akureyri, Iceland: International Arctic Science Committee, 2026). In addition,  Itchuaqiyaq published “How Working Across Indigenous Knowledges and Academic Scientific Systems Strengthens Research Quality and Societal Relevance” (Aarhus, Denmark: Arctic Observing Summit, 2026) with Claudine Hauri et al.

Marcus Johnson, Education, published “Virtual Spaces for Critical Dialogue: Promoting Social Interaction and Cognitive Engagement in Higher Education Courses,” Improving Your College Courses: A Guide for Engaging in Digital Learning, ed. Carol Mullen and Daniel W. Eadens (Gorham, Maine: Myers Education Press, 2026), pp. 103–21.

ASPECT doctoral student Andreza Jorge and the Coletivo Mulheres ao Vento, which she co-founded, received the 2026 Otros Saberes Award from the Latin American Studies Association (LASA). The award recognizes collaborative projects that bridge academic and community-based knowledge, especially initiatives that advance social justice and challenge traditional boundaries of knowledge production. The collective uses dance, music, and theater to promote the empowerment of Afro-Brazilian women in favelas. The recognition highlights Jorge’s work as a scholar in connection with the collective and the collective itself as a space of knowledge production beyond the university. The award will be presented at the LASA 2026 Pre-Congress, which will take place May 26–30 in Paris, France.

A $5 million Mellon Foundation grant was awarded to Virginia Tech to support “Monuments Across Appalachian Virginia (MAAV),” an initiative to document, reinterpret, display, and amplify histories and experiences that highlight collective struggles in Appalachian communities, especially those stories that have been hidden, silenced, denied, or excluded. MAAV is led by Emily Satterwhite, Religion and Culture, Edward S. Diggs Professor in Humanities, and Director of the Appalachian Studies Program, and Katrina Powell, Alumni Distinguished Professor of English. It received initial funding with a $3 million grant from the Mellon Foundation in 2022 for nine projects. The renewal grant enables additional community engagement and partnership and funding of the creation of 10 to 12 new monuments. The grant is part of the Mellon Foundation’s Monuments Project. The nine initial projects will be highlighted in a culminating celebration anchored by a series of short films to be shown April 29 at the Lyric Theatre.

Deborah Mayo, Professor Emerita of Philosophy, was one of five Virginia Tech faculty members named to the 2025 class of American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Fellows. She was recognized “for contributions to the foundations of statistical inference, which engages both philosophers and statisticians and advances cross-cutting debates concerning evidence, inference, and scientific experiment.” During her career at Virginia Tech Mayo brought international visibility to the university through her scholarship in the philosophy of statistics, principles of inference, and the philosophy of science. She held leadership positions in professional organizations and served as a visiting professor at the Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science at the London School of Economics and Political Science. She has written several books and authored or coauthored more than 80 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, and reviews. Mayo joined the Virginia Tech community in 1979 and was recognized with emerita status in 2016. The AAAS is one of the world’s largest general scientific societies;   AAAS Fellows are individuals who have been a continuous AAAS member for at least four years leading up to the year of nomination. Mayo was one of 449 Fellows elected for 2025.

Michael Moehler, Political Science and Director of the David H. Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics, was one of six Virginia Tech faculty members inducted into the university’s Academy of Faculty Leadership in 2026. He was recognized “for successfully establishing a visionary, multidisciplinary program with an endowed lecture series, demonstrating his commitment to leadership and relationship building.” Faculty nominated for membership in the Academy of Faculty Leadership must have modeled exemplary leadership (in formal or informal roles within the university) through activities and approaches that significantly advance a culture of collaborative leadership, promote faculty, staff, and/or student development, and/or advance program or curricular transformation, and made a notable, demonstrable, positive impact within the university community.

Carol Mullen, Education, received the 2026 Excellence in Research Award, Division A: Administration, Organization, and Leadership, from the American Educational Research Association (AERA). The award is given by the division in recognition of outstanding contributions to the field of administration, organizational theory, or leadership. The award ceremony will take place April 9 at the AERA Division A business meeting during the organization’s conference in Los Angeles, California. Mullen also coedited Improving Your College Courses: A Guide for Engaging in Digital Learning (Gorham, Maine: Myers Education Press, 2026), with Daniel W. Eadens. Her individual contributions were: “Introduction: Guidebook in a Snap,” pp. xv–xxviii, with Eadens and Köksal Banoğlu; and “Quality Course Enhancements Impacting Executive-Level Student Learning and Outcomes” and “Conclusion,” pp. 3–26 and 123–26, respectively, both with Eadens. In addition, Mullen published “Participant Takeaways on Mentoring for Wellbeing Across Professions, Organizations, and Disciplines,” The Chronicle of Mentoring & Coaching 10.1 (2026): 9–19, with Ellen H. Reames.

Su Fang Ng, Clifford A. Cutchins III Professor of English, is the invited 2026 Charles S. Singleton Center Distinguished Lecturer at the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. Ng will present “Spenser’s Map of Fairyland,” “Milton, Marlowe, and Imperial Cartography,” and “Margaret Cavendish’s Speculative Worlds” on April 21, 22, and 23, respectively.

The 2026 volume of The Philosophy, Politics, and Economics Review was published in association with Virginia Tech Publishing and Press; the journal publishes work by current and recent undergraduate students worldwide and is housed in the Kellogg Center for Philosophy, Politics, and Economics (PPE). The editor in chief of this year’s volume is Chloe Ebert, PPE and Philosophy. Associate editors are Henry Davenport, PPE; Annie Frietsch, PPE; Diya Reddy, PPE; and Frances Smalera, PPE and Philosophy. The contents of the volume are available here.

Two projects involving participation by three Planning, Governance, and Globalization doctoral students were presented at the Transportation Research Board annual meeting, the largest transportation research conference in the U.S.: “Enhancing Bikeshare Systems With E-bikes in Semi-hilly Cities: Insights from Washington, D.C.” with doctoral students Vahid Bakhshi and Kuldeep Dixit as well as School of Public and International Affairs faculty members Ralph Buehler and Steven Hankey; and “Application of Correction Factors Improves Count Data Accuracy: Evidence From a Large Network of Bicycle and Pedestrian Counters” with doctoral students Bakhshi and Md Shazalal Tushar as well as faculty members Buehler and Hankey. The conference took place January 11–15 in Washington, D.C.

Audrey Reeves, Political Science, published “The Global Politics of Memory: Feminist Perspectives on the Curation of Violence,” Journal of Gender Studies 35.3 (2026), special issue “The Global Politics of Memory: Feminist Perspectives on the Curation of Violence,” pp. 443–54, with Harriet Gray and Phoebe Martin.

The College notes with sadness the death of Mark Sanders, Professor Emeritus of Technology Education, on December 26, 2025. A trailblazer in the evolution of industrial arts to technology education and later to integrative STEM education, Sanders codirected the first technology, science, and math integration project funded by the National Science Foundation and helped develop Virginia Tech’s Integrative STEM graduate program. He created a resource-sharing graphic communications website in the early days of the internet and cofounded the Journal of Technology Education. The recipient of 18 national and state awards during his career, Sanders was inducted in 2012 into the International Technology and Engineering Education Association’s Academy of Fellows, his field’s highest honor. Sanders joined the Virginia Tech community in 1980 and was awarded emeritus status in 2010. Additional information can be found in the funeral home obituary and the Virginia Tech In Memoriam.

ASPECT doctoral students Elhom Gosink and Chris Thorne co-edited Volume 12, Issue 1 of SPECTRA: The ASPECT Journal (2026). Their individual contributions to the issue were “Letter from the Editors” and “After the End of the World: Killing Myths With Dr. Thomas Stanley,” pp. 1–3 and 44–54, respectively. The issue includes articles, book review, and artwork by the following ASPECT students: Rebekah Mui Pei Ern, “Decolonial Medievalism: Exploring the Endurance of Modernity´s Founding Fiction,” pp. 19–29; Muhammed Shah Shajahan and Maria Siddiqui, “On Limits: The Critiques of Homogeneity and the Disclosure of Traditions in Secularism Studies,” pp. 6–18; Aline de Souza, “Academia Hanging by a Thread,” pp. 4–5; and Hannah Steinhauer, “Colonial Innovations or Collective Futures? Jennifer Denbow’s Reproductive Labor and Innovation,” pp. 30–34.

Sophia Terazawa, English, published Oracular Maladies (Tucson, Arizona: Noemi Press, 2026).

The annual Virginia Tech Authors Recognition Event took place March 31 in Newman Library. The event honored authors’ academic contributions to the University. The list of CLAHS faculty and students who authored, coauthored, and edited monographs can be found here. The list included 52 books by faculty from the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, which constituted 55% of the total number of books listed. Among the featured speakers at the recognition event was Dean Laura Belmonte.

Peter Wallenstein, History, published In Search of America: A New History of the United States, 1860–2025 (Floyd, Virginia: Pocahontas Press, 2026).

John Wells, Education, published “Promoting Elementary Student Graphical Device Comprehension: Efficacy of Technological and Engineering Design Based Learning,” International Journal of Technology and Design Education 36.1 (2026): 63-81, with Cheryl E. Morgan.

Four CLAHS faculty were awarded a Whole Health Consortium seed grant for a research project for which they serve as a leader or member of a research team. Amy Price Azano, Education and Director of the Center for Rural Education, and Katrina Powell, Alumni Distinguished Professor of English, received support for “A Qualitative Study on the Integration of Holistic Healthcare Services in Small, Rural, Independent Schools.” Mary Beth Dunkenberger, Institute for Policy and Governance, is part of the research team for “Data-Driven Analytical Frameworks for Uncovering Systemic Determinants of Mental-Health Access in Rural Populations in Virginia” and “Walking on Eggshells: The Mental Health Consequences of Immediate Rule Adjustment for Domestic Violence Shelter Residents.” Katalin Parti, Sociology, leads the research team for “Anti-scam Conversational Helper for On-call Resilience (ANCHOR) for Older People.” 

The following CLAHS students participated in the Working Symposium on Refugee and Migrant Education. Shahed Alhadyan, a Planning, Governance, and Globalization doctoral student, presented “Urban Governance and the Right to Education: Syrian Refugees’ Stay or Return Decisions in Jordan” with Max Stephenson, Jr., Professor of Public and International Affairs and Director of the Institute for Policy and Governance. Zoe Fenner, an Arabic, National Security and Foreign Affairs, and Spanish major, presented “A University-Public School Partnership to Assist English Language Learners: Virginia Tech and Montgomery County Public Schools” with Emily Altizer et al. Adriana Mariscal Guzman, a Political Science major, presented “Primeros Pasos: A Latine, Appalachian Mentorship Program” with Deirdre Hand et al. Muhammad Awfa Islam, a doctoral student in Public Administration and Public Affairs, presented “Rethinking Educational Arrangements in Refugee Camps: A Case Study on Rohingya Crisis.” The symposium, which was presented by the Center for Refugee, Migrant, and Displacement Studies, took place February 26–28 virtually and in Hillcrest Hall.

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