Fall 2017

No forgetting: Poet and performer dissolves trouble in sea of words

The power and musicality of Duriel E. Harris’ poetry can strike an audience dumb. The violence in the words reveals real trauma she transforms into a transcendent experience for her readers and listeners.

EL VISTA scholar Jennifer Duncan worked with Heavenly Nwakamma during a home visit. The toddler had cataracts, and surgery was performed to remove her lenses. Her mother’s goal is for her to become more independent and be ready for preschool. Duncan, a vision teacher and orientation and mobility specialist for individuals ages 3 to 21, became interested in EL VISTA after learning there was a critical shortage of providers for children from birth to age 3.

Seeing the need: ISU trains providers for young children with blindness

Parents of children who were visually impaired used to be on their own until the child was ready for preschool.

Deborah MacPhee has designed a collaborative model of teacher education targeted at bridging the theory and practice gap, in order to better prepare aspiring teachers and improve instructors already in the classroom.

Bridging the gap: Professor’s teaching model brings research into classroom

Round-robin reading just does not work. A body of research has shown that having grade school students take turns reading from a book is an ineffective way to develop literacy.

Ronnie Jia, associate professor in the School of Information Technology

Q&A with Ronnie Jia: Autism, IT, and technology’s dark side

Ronnie Jia, a professor in the School of Information Technology, talks about autism, IT, and technology’s dark side in this Q&A.

Professor Eric Peterson and graduate student Joe Miller set up a collection device near a tributary of Lake Evergreen to determine nitrate levels in the groundwater.

Aspiring hydrogeologist offers a fresh take on water quality

In the late 1980s, a lengthy drought across Central Illinois left lake levels dangerously low.

Craig Gatto and Kevin Stanley looking at a computer screen

Student’s biology research recognized as ‘new and notable’

Three years of experiments at Illinois State University, combined with over a dozen trips to collaborating laboratories at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, led the research of student Kevin Stanley, Ph.D. ’17, to be featured as “new and notable” in Biophysical Journal.

Normal Editions Workshop celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2016. Printmaking Professor Morgan Price (left) and workshop Interim Director Veda Rives are working together in this photograph.

Research center spotlight: Normal Editions Workshop

Since 1976, Normal Editions Workshop has served as an incubator for hundreds of printmaking projects created through collaborations between professional artists and Illinois State faculty and students.

This is a closeup from green and red oil painting on linen canvas made with high quality artist paints and tools. Showing paintbrush strokes and traces from palette knives. Photographed in daylight with Canon 5D Mark II and Sigma 50mm macro lens. Suitable as backgrounds, wallpaper or decorative art. Created by me.

Ask a Redbird Scholar: Why is abstract art relevant?

Why is abstract art important and relevant? My kids could do that. I don’t get it

Ask a Redbird Scholar: What does ‘naturally flavored with natural flavors’ mean?

Why do some products carry the line “Naturally flavored with natural flavors”? Also, what qualifies as a natural flavor?

Ask a Redbird Scholar: Why do gas prices bounce up and down weekly?

Gasoline prices change at the local level because the contracted price for delivery of gasoline changes between the gasoline retailer and wholesaler in response to the change in crude oil prices.

Grant news: Vets in justice system, circus history, Taiwan conference

Here is a roundup of some grants received by Illinois State faculty and staff.

Redbird media: New books by ISU scholars

Here are some recent books published by Illinois State University faculty.

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