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- Info
Faculty Profiles
Steve Winters, mathematics
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Steve Winters enjoys teaching undergraduate students to do mathematics
research; he is great at choosing problems that are both accessible and
interesting to students. He also serves as the mathematics liaison for
the Cooperative Academic Partnership Program (CAPP), which allows able
high school students to earn credit for college courses. This means that
he regularly visits regional high schools to work with both teachers
and students. Winters brings a thoughtful, unpretentious manner to all
he does, and I can think of few colleagues better suited to this work.
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Eli Kalman, music
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Eli Kalman, Ph.D., is a distinguished pianist and professor of music. Kalman was recently honored by having a chance to perform in concert with a cellist at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. in January 2011. He is from Romania and is an inspiration in performance. Kalman honors the work of composers by graceful and delicate expression. He is an accomplished musician and cultural asset to the Oshkosh community.
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Donald Hones, curriculum and instruction
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Don Hones has been an important member of the Curriculum and Instruction department at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh since 1997. Hones, along with Kathryn Henn-Reinke, Ph.D., launched the graduate level English as a Second Language (ESL) and bilingual alternative program for educators desiring to obtain this license, but who live some distance away from campus. The program has allowed approximately 170 teachers to gain this license, meeting the growing need for ESL and bilingual teachers in schools in the Fox Valley, Green Bay and beyond.
Hones also wrote, obtained and co-directed three major federal grants totaling $4.15 million for the preparation of ESL and bilingual teachers and personnel during 2000-2012. These grants give student teachers financial support as they become ESL teachers, bilingual teachers and counselors, and licensed reading teachers.
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Michelle Kuhl, history
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Michelle Kuhl joined the history department with a passionate
interest in history, race and gender that intersected her teaching and
her research. At the center of her research agenda is a book nearing
completion on lynching in the deep South. Since she arrived in Oshkosh,
Michelle has also proven herself as a tremendously dedicated teacher of
19th century America, U.S. women’s history and African American studies.
She holds her students to very high standards but challenges them with
ever-changing, creative assignments.
Last
summer, she won a National Endowment for the Humanities grant to
incorporate more regional history into her introductory courses.
Michelle is a strong and dedicated part of both the women’s studies
program and the African American studies program. Michelle also
co-founded a group that spent two summers analyzing the challenges of
balancing work and parenting. The group built bridges across the
disciplines and has helped to raise awareness of the difficulties
parents face.
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Larry Carlin, philosophy
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Larry Carlin's teaching ability is certainly remarkable. Students are drawn to
his classes by both his expertise and his enthusiastic approach to the
subject matter. He can explain the most difficult material in ways
students can understand. He also regularly leads groups of UW Oshkosh
students to Cambridge, England, enabling them to study British
philosophy in its historical and cultural setting.
Larry’s area of research is the history of modern philosophy and
science, which covers mainly the 17th and 18th centuries, an incredibly
fertile time in intellectual history. He has published many articles as
well as a recent book, “The Empiricists: A Guide for the Perplexed,”
which discusses the philosophical underpinnings of modern science in a
highly accessible way.
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Lori Carrell, communication
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Dr. Lori Carrell’s vision is “to educate, inspire, and equip others
to maximize the transformative power of the spoken word.” At UW Oshkosh,
she has given shape to that vision in a myriad of ways. Students with a
reputation for being reserved or silent always seem to “come out of
their shell” in Dr. Carrell’s classes. I believe this is because of Dr.
Carrell’s enthusiasm, ability to empathize with all students and role
modeling of excellence in communication.
Dr. Carrell’s rigorous scholarship also brings much positive
attention to the UW Oshkosh Department of Communication. Dr. Carrell
presents her scholarship to audiences in a manner that is engaging and,
like her teaching, transformative. When I see her name in the program of
a professional association, I know that UW Oshkosh and my department
will be well represented!
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more …
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Edna ‘Fredi’ Giesler, social work
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Fredi Giesler is coordinator of the Masters of Social Work program,
which is a unique program because it is fully collaborative with
University of Wisconsin-Green Bay. The program itself has met with
enormous success, just as was expected since previously professional
social workers in the northern part of the state had to travel to
Madison or Milwaukee to complete advanced degrees. Fredi is interested
in the common good of the program and is always willing to go the extra
mile for it. She is fun to work with, a true team player, and just
different enough to enjoy the hectic pace of keeping this relatively new
program up and running.
Fredi sets the bar appropriately high for others in the department
and for her students. She inspires those around her, takes her work very
seriously and does it in an outstanding fashion.
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more …
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Robert Kunkel, finance
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Bob joined the University in 1999 with several years of practical
experience in commercial lending and five degrees, including a Ph.D. in
finance. He is a dedicated teacher who is enthusiastic about sharing his
expertise with students as well as with the community, including
offering seminars and providing advice to local organizations on
investment.
Bob is a tireless researcher as well. He has written extensive
studies on the financial impacts of government regulations on
businesses and on the performance of stock markets in the U.S., Ukraine
and other countries.
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Druscilla Scribner, political science
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Dru is a dedicated teacher, always challenging her students with
innovative assignments and contriving new ways to assess their
learning. Her research has recently earned her a three-year National
Science Foundation grant to study constitutions and gender in Africa
and Latin America, and this is only one example of a research agenda
full of investigations into judicial and women’s politics.
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Troy Perkins, radio/TV/film
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Troy is an ambitious, industrious and sensitive filmmaker. His short
film, “Brothers,” demonstrates a careful artistry, especially in
framing and composition. The film evinces the texture, feel and
atmosphere surrounding the possible loss of a farm and the way of life
that the farm represents.
Troy is a respected teacher of film who instills in his students a
love for story — the stories inside the great films he teaches. The
University and community are fortunate to have Troy on campus,
practicing and teaching the creation of film.
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Bill Mode, geology
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Bill is a well-respected researcher in glacial mapping and the use of pollen
records to document climate change. Committed to excellent teaching, Bill revises and improves his
courses each semester. These efforts have earned him both a UW Oshkosh
Distinguished Teaching Award and the University Honor’s Program
Outstanding Teaching Award.
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Gail Panske, art
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Gail is an artist of integrity and striking originality with a distinguished record of national and international exhibitions and residencies. She is a consummate teacher, the leader of our printmaking area and a tireless organizer of local artistic events. Gail is someone who, through her attentiveness to and concern for her colleagues both within and beyond her home department, holds our campus together.
For many years, she has played a lead role in galvanizing our local art community, while continuing to develop as an artist and achieve growing professional success.
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Stephanie Spehar, anthropology
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Since joining the anthropology program in 2007, Dr. Stephanie Spehar
has brought exciting new perspectives and possibilities for students.
Before coming to UW Oshkosh, she worked with zoos (Los Angeles, New
York) and conservation organizations (Nature Conservancy, Wildlife
Conservation Society) and in a variety of other settings.
Dr. Spehar’s research focuses on primates — monkeys and apes. She
travels the world — including such places as Ecuador, Costa Rica and
Borneo — to better understand their behavior and ecology. Engaging and
enthusiastic, she shares her experiences with colleagues and students
alike. If you want to hear a story of scientific adventure, read on.
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Robert Stelzer, biology
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UW Oshkosh's biologists and microbiologists are an accomplished group. A few years ago, they were recognized with the
UW System Award for Excellence in Teaching, which is no mean feat. The
award is a testament to their dedication to both teaching and research
because they so frequently involve students in the latter activity.
One of the faculty most active in teaching students by engaging them in
a research program is Bob Stelzer. Bob is a caring mentor to his
students and an avid fisherman. His passion for knowing
more about biology is driven by his connection to the real world
through fishing and other outdoor activities, and that’s exactly the
kind of biologist who can make a positive difference for our students
and for Wisconsin.
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Suzanne Marnocha, nursing
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A respected nurse researcher who regularly presents and publishes her
work, Dr. Marnocha directs Wisconsin’s largest Bachelor of Science
degree program in nursing. She is also an advanced cardiac life support
instructor who teaches classes for nurses and physicians in the
clinical area. In addition, she maintains her authenticity with
students by working a part-time clinical practice as a certified
registered nurse in an intensive care unit. Dr. Marnocha is a valued
role model at UW Oshkosh and a recognized leader in the nursing
profession.
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Nadia Kaltcheva, physics/astronomy
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Dr. Kaltcheva’s scholarly work in astronomy has taken her around the
world to professional positions in Bulgaria, Chile, Denmark, Germany,
India, Scotland and South Africa. She shares her love of science
through teaching and has directed 10 student conference presentations
in the past two years alone.
Many students in my classes have worked with Dr. Kaltcheva. They speak
very highly of their experiences completing research projects with
her. It is encouraging to see fellow faculty making a difference in
the professional lives of our students.
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B.S. Sridhar, business administration
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How does one describe Dr. Sridhar? An exceptional teacher? An
eloquent speaker? A great community organizer? Or a reservoir of
boundless knowledge in fields as varied as strategic planning,
literature, Indian classical music and social/political issues?
All these apply equally well. But what he does in his “spare” time
gives a better picture: volunteering himself and organizing others to
serve lunch at the Salvation Army; raising money for charitable causes;
packing medical supplies for developing countries; organizing concerts
by world-renowned musicians from India; directing, acting and singing
in plays; conducting or emceeing wedding receptions; or cooking dinner
for his numerous friends and relatives.
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Marianne Johnson, economics
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Marianne exemplifies what a professor should be: someone who cares
deeply about students and does excellent and enlightening research in
her field and who is willing to do her share to make this public asset,
the state university, work.
Despite still being relatively new to the University, Marianne’s
excellence has been acknowledged by the awarding of an Oshkosh Truck
Corporation endowed professorship. In these tough budgetary times, I
worry that it is our best professors like Marianne who will be most
likely to leave Oshkosh for a higher-paying job.
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Ron Rindo, English
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A sensitive and evocative fiction writer, Ron has won the Wisconsin
Arts Board Creative Writing Fellowship twice. His published short
stories uncover the drama in domestic life, and despite his many
responsibilities as a colleague, father and husband, Ron always finds
time to write. UW Oshkosh is fortunate to have Ron Rindo helping to
foster a supportive and collegial environment in a growing institution.
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Merlaine Angwall, theatre
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Merlaine, a native of Wisconsin, is a gregarious and charming woman,
always available to her students and forever bantering with them.
She brings to her work as a director an unusual comic vitality, and
she finds moments of humor and glee in even the most moribund of plays.
UW Oshkosh is fortunate indeed to have a person of Merlaine’s
exceptional gifts. And her students are the glad recipients of those
gifts.
Read more …
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Leigh Ann Mrotek, kinesiology
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Since her arrival on campus in 2005, Dr. Mrotek has been diligent in
her efforts to improve the Kinesiology department at UW Oshkosh. She
organized the department’s admissions process, added efficiency and
structure to kinesiology student advising and led the effort to
establish a new major. She currently serves as director of the
Kinesiology program.
On a personal level, Leigh Ann seems to have a way of bringing out the
best in all of us. She epitomizes the term “team player.” As a former
college athlete and an avid exerciser, Leigh Ann has credibility with
our kinesiology students, many of whom have extensive athletic
backgrounds. Her healthy lifestyle, work ethic and professional
successes set an excellent example.
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Chad Cotti, economics
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Last fall, one of the nation’s top experts on the impact of smoking
bans — an expert who was quoted in the Economist, the Atlantic Monthly
and even Wikipedia — left balmy South Carolina to start a teaching job
here in snowy Oshkosh, Wis. What was he, nuts? No, just returning to
his roots.
Chad Cotti got his undergraduate degree at UW Oshkosh, and when a
faculty position in the economics department opened up … well, here he
is.
Read more …
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Jennifer Szydlik, mathematics
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Jennifer Earles Szydlik is a tireless supporter of elementary school
teacher preparation at UW Oshkosh. She unifies her belief that anyone
can learn to love mathematics with her scholarship in mathematics
education.
Thanks to Jen’s devotion to teaching, our exemplary math courses for
future elementary school math teachers offer deep mathematical content
using activities-based instruction that includes technology and
history. Her past work also includes supporting the improvement of
instruction for new mathematics faculty throughout Wisconsin by
planning and coordinating meetings and workshops on issues related to
college teaching.
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Bill Wacholtz, chemistry
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Originally from Montana, Bill Wacholtz received his Ph.D. in chemistry at Tulane University in 1987. In 1989, the chemistry department was looking for an inorganic
chemist with a strong physics background who was interested in research
and teaching. He applied and was offered the position out of
approximately 70 candidates.
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