University of New England

• Dennis Leighton, assistant professor, Physical Therapy Program, and University of New England faculty athletic representative (FAR) has been elected president of the Faculty Athletic Representative Association (FARA).
• Lisa A. Dufour, professor, Dental Hygiene Program, had a paper accepted in the Journal of Practical Hygiene.
• Nancy MacRae, associate professor, Occupational Therapy Program, recently co-authored a publication in Occupational Therapy in Health Care: A Journal of Contemporary Practice.
• Kirsten Potter, associate professor, Physical Therapy Program, had a paper published in the Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy.
• Karen T. Pardue,  associate professor and interim director, Nursing Program, has been nominated for Maine Campus Compact’s the Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service-Learning Excellence and has been reappointed by NLN to chair their Task Group Initiative on Innovation in Nursing Education.
• Charles W. Ford, professor, Health Sciences Program, taught in our Israel program during the spring semester in Tel Aviv and Haifa.
• Jane O'Brien, assistant professor, Occupational Therapy Program, received a faculty mini grant from UNE and co-edited the textbook, Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants.
• Marji Harmer-Beem, assistant professor, Dental Hygiene Program; Bernice Mills, associate professor and director of Dental Hygiene; and  David Baker (former faculty member in DH) had an abstract printed in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, Vol. 80, Jan. 2006. The title of the abstract was "Herbal Medicine Use In An Urban Dental Hygiene Clinic".
• Betsy DeBrakeleer, clinical fieldwork coordinator, Occupational Therapy Program, presented at the Youth at Risk Conference in Savannah, Ga.
• Jeffrey Handler, M.D., medical director, and Erich Fogg, assistant professor and program director of the Physician Assistant Program, spoke at the Down East Association of Physician Assistants' winter conference.
• Stephen Rose, professor, School of Social Work, made numerous presentations this academic year, as well as writing a chapter for inclusion in Mental Disorders in the Social Environment. 
• Shelley Cohen Konrad, assistant professor, School of Social Work, had a manuscript accepted for the publication, Work: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, & Rehabilitation.

Dennis Leighton

University of New England Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) Dennis Leighton has been elected president of the Faculty Athletic Representative Association (FARA). Leighton was voted into the position earlier this month at the NCAA Convention in Indianapolis, Ind. The FARA is an affiliate organization of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Leighton, an assistant professor of UNE's Physical Therapy Program, has served as the institution's FAR since 1996. He will serve a 3-year term for FARA, as president-elect this year, president in 2007, and past president in 2008. Division III vice president of FARA this past year, Leighton will lead more than 1,200 faculty athletic representatives from NCAA I, NCAA II and NCAA III institutions.

The position of faculty athletic representative is mandated by the NCAA to help ensure that athletics departments maintain academic integrity, that there is institutional oversight of the athletics department, and that student welfare is a core value for the institution and department.

Leighton has been a faculty member at UNE since 1992 and was awarded a doctor of physical therapy degree in 2004.

"I am looking forward to the opportunity to lead this association," says Leighton. "Academics plays a critical role in the overall experience of the student-athlete. We as FAR's exist to help promote student-athlete welfare."

UNE Director of Athletics Kim Allen notes that Leighton's position is an honor for both him, as well as the University. "FARA is an association that represents all divisions within the NCAA," says Allen. "It is truly an achievement for Dennis to be representing our institution, our conference, and Division I, II, and III. This is a great honor for Dennis and for the University of New England. We are very fortunate to have an individual of his caliber as a member of our University."

Kirsten Potter

Professor Kirsten Potter, associate professor of the Physical Therapy Program, recently had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Neurological Physical Therapy, the peer-reviewed journal of the Neurology Section of the American Physical Therapy Association. The paper is entitled “Physical therapy for in-patient rehabilitation for a patient with Stiff-Person Syndrome” and is a result of work that Professor Potter completed during her sabbatical leave.

Karen Pardue

Professor Karen Pardue, associate professor and interim director of the Nursing Program has been nominated for Maine Campus Compact’s most prestigious award, the Donald Harward Faculty Award for Service- Learning Excellence. Maine Campus Compact (MCC) is a statewide coalition of 18 colleges and universities established to encourage and enhance campus engagement in the community.

She has been re-appointed by the National League of Nursing (NLN) to chair their national Task Group Initiative on Innovation in Nursing Education. This appointment as chair is for 2006-2008.

Karen has also presented a paper on “Creative Teaching: Readers Theater” at Ohio League for Nursing’s Nursing Education Summit, Ohio 2006.

Karen and, first-year UNE nursing student, Kyla Baker were interviewed for a Feb. 21st WMTW Channel 8 news story on the state and national nursing shortages. Also featured in the story was footage of the College of Health Professions skills lab and Feb. 8th Health Professions Career Fair. Pardue explained that nursing education is dependent upon three things: enough faculty to teach the curriculum, classroom space, and clinical placements. Because Maine's 13 nursing schools were coming up short in all of those areas, nursing educators were going to have to start thinking "outside of the box."

Charles W. Ford

Charles W. Ford, professor of the Health Sciences Program, is teaching in our Israel program this semester in Tel Aviv and Haifa. He is teaching UNE Israeli students “Law and Ethics in Health Care.”

Jane O’Brien

Jane O’Brien, assistant professor of the Occupational Therapy Program, received a faculty mini-grant from the University of New England for research on “Physiological Effects of Purposeful Activity in Children and Adults.” She also secured $600 in motor control equipment for the OT Program from Southpaw Enterprises, Inc. (Andy Roussey, President) of Dayton, Ohio. This equipment will be used primarily in the pediatric courses applying principles of motor control.

O'Brien has co-edited the recently published textbook, Pediatric Skills for Occupational Therapy Assistants (2nd Ed.). St. Louis: Mosby and presented a paper “Application of Motor Control and Motor Learning Concepts in Pediatric OT practice” at Maine Occupational Therapy Association, Portland, Maine.

Professor O'Brien and Julie Savoyski, M.S., OTR/L, UNE graduate, presented a workshop, titled "The Application of Motor Control/Motor Learning Concepts to Pediatric OT Practice" at the April 27th National American Occupational Therapy Conference in Charlotte, N.C.

Additionally, Professor O’Brien was a participant in the spring 2006 UNE Authors and Notes Series.  The series of talks and readings by University of New England faculty highlights faculty writings and books.

Marji Harmer-Beem and Bernice Mills

Professor Marji Harmer-Beem, assistant professor of the Dental Hygiene Program; Professor Mills, associate professor and director of Dental Hygiene, and Professor David Baker (former faculty member in DH) had an abstract printed in the Journal of Dental Hygiene, Vol. 80, January 2006. The title of the abstract was "Herbal Medicine Use In An Urban Dental Hygiene Clinic".

Stephen Rose

Stephen M. Rose, Ph.D., professor, School of Social Work, has written the following chapter:  “Empowerment-The Foundation for Social Work Practice in Mental Health” to be included in Mental Disorders in the Social Environment, SA Kirk (ed)

Professor Rose has also been invited to make the following presentations:

"The Social Determinants of Health."  Lectures to UNE/CHP PA and OT Courses.  Fall & Spring 2005/2006.

 "Embodying Inequalities : A Social Work Perspective on Class and Health."  Council on Social Work Education, Annual Program Meeting.  Feb. 2006

"The Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences on Child Development and Health."  Maine Task Force on Early Childhood Development:   Hallowell, Maine.  March 6, 2006.

"Developing Collaborative Research/Intervention on Impact of Adverse Childhood Experiences."  Research Group convened by Maine Bureau of Health, Division of Maternal & Child Health, Augusta, Maine.  March 9, 2006

"Using Social Epidemiology to Shape Social Work Research & Practice in Health/Mental Health: A Report on a Demonstration Effort." Social Work and Health Inequalities Research Seminar, Coventry University, Coventry UK.  March 28, 2006 

"Adverse Childhood Experiences: Research Outcomes and Implications."  Maine Child Abuse Action Network (CAAN), Annual Conference, Augusta, Maine.  May 25, 2006

Shelley Cohen Konrad

Assistant Professor Shelley Cohen Konrad, School of Social Work,  has had her manuscript, "Hard Stories in the Workplace," accepted for publication in WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment, & Rehabilitation.