Tennessee State University is continuing its efforts to help create a greener Nashville with a new series of sustainable living community workshops presented by the College of Agricultural, Human and Natural Sciences.

The workshops are designed to assist area residents in saving energy and money by going green. Funded by a United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Capacity Building Grant, the workshops educate local residents on water conservation, indoor air quality, and reducing waste.

“All of our workshops take a holistic approach to environmental issues. Most residents want to find ways to cut their monthly utility bills so we feature presentations on how to conserve energy and water, recycle waste, reduce storm water runoff, and more topics,” said workshop coordinator Sue Ballard de Ruiz, an assistant professor in the
College’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences.

The most recent workshop held at Hartman Park Community Center, an area that was heavily affected by the floods of May 2010, featured guest representatives from Mayor Karl Dean’s Office of Flood Recovery and Office of Environmental Sustainability along with Quantum Environmental Services and the State of Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation. With the assistance of the local Home Depot store in Madison, participants received household items that help reduce energy consumption and improve indoor air quality such as power strips, compact fluorescent lights, and environmentally friendly cleaners.

Ballard de Ruiz, who conducts the workshops alongside fellow TSU professor Dr. Margaret Machara, said the grant funding helps the University achieve a greater mission of saving the environment.

“We know how important sustainability has become to our city, our nation, and even our world. Hosting the workshops is an active part to help sustain our communities by equipping them to go green and stay there,” she added,

The next sustainable living community workshop is scheduled for September 15, 5:30-7 p.m., at the Nashville Area Habitat Humanity Headquarters located at 1006 Eighth Avenue South. All workshops are free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Sue Ballard de Ruiz at 615-963-5623 or aballard@tnstate.edu.

Pictured: (L-R) Machara and Ballard de Ruiz display presentation tools used to explain sustainability tips to workshop participants.

Tennessee State University College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science is preparing graduate students to protect the nation against cybercrimes and intrusions with a recent grant from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The DHS Scientific Leadership Award for Minority Serving Institutions Granting Graduate Degrees in the amount of $301,679 will fund the University’s initiative to develop a joint research and education initiative for interdisciplinary research and education aimed protecting the United States critical infrastructure and key assets.

The project will highlight two DHS-STEM disciplines: Advanced Data Analysis and Visualization and Command Control and Interoperability.

“It is becoming increasingly important that policies are developed to deter the growing threat of cybercrime and state-sponsored intrusions throughout the nation. Through this initiative, we hope to determine which components are likely to be targeted in a potential cyber attack, investigate the intelligence of an attacker’s motivations, and determine how the intelligence improves policies,” explained Dr. Sachin Shetty, assistant professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department and principal investigator of the grant.

“The research we conduct at Tennessee State University will be carried out through video analytics, machine learning, and risk analysis research, as well as with resources and facilities that we currently have available at the institution,” said Shetty.

The research will address three inter-connected thrusts (planning, countermeasures and assessment) in the area of cyber security. The planning thrust will focus on models of effective surveillance and allocation of resources under uncertainty. Countermeasures will be responsible for proactive and defensive policies to help deter an attack and identify potential threats. Finally, assessment will be used to develop risk analysis and strategies to create defensive resources that protect critical infrastructure and key assets.

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove, dean of the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science, hopes the initiative will develop students’ competency in homeland security in data mining, risk analysis and visual analytics research.

“By the incorporation of new courses and research seminars in the areas of visual analytics, cyber-security, and risk analysis and assessment, we believe this initiative will provide our students with an thorough understanding of the complexities associated with the protection of our nation’s critical infrastructure and key assets. Additionally, the curriculum enhancement and collaborative relationships with the Department of Homeland Security, federal labs, and related industries will help enhance our graduate program at the Ph.D. level,” said Hargrove.

The funding will also support and leverage a previous infrastructure grant received by the National Science Foundation to establish the TSU Interdisciplinary Graduate Engineering Research Institute (TIGER) and help promote research activity in one of four thrust areas.

Shetty, along with senior faculty in the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science, will work collaboratively with graduate students to carry out the research.

(Pictured are Hargrove and Shetty, L-R)

Tennessee State University’s College of Public Service and Urban Affairs (CPSUA) Professor Arie Halachmi Ph.D., will have a previously published article included in the Emerald Reading ListAssist, a service that brings together top quality journal and book articles/chapters from a range of subject disciplines in one comprehensive reading list package.

Halachmi is also a 2010-11 Fulbright Distinguished Chair in International Business – the University’s first scholar to receive such an honor. In his role as Distinguished Chair, he recently finished a semester in Linz, Austria, where he taught a graduate course on performance management and program evaluation, as well as lectured on public accountability and governance in and around Austria.

Halachmi’s article “Governance and Risk Management: Challenges and Public Productivity” was initially published in International Journal of Public Sector Management in 2005.After exploring some case studies, the article examines leading resources on the shift from “governing” to “governance.”

Additionally, it presents an alternative approach for managing public risks, namely the use of market forces and non-governmental entities to replace government agencies and regulations that cannot assure the public safety. Furthermore, the article advocates substitution of “management by exception” by a “management by risk” approach and the fostering of an administrative culture that is more mindful of the need to recognize and address possible risks.

Founded in 1967 as an offshoot of the University of Bradford, Emerald Group Publishing has become the world’s leading scholarly publisher of journals and books in business and management with a strong and growing presence in disciplines including LIS, social sciences, engineering, linguistics and audiology.

All of the world’s top 100 business schools (listed by the Financial Times Global MBA Rankings 2011 – FT 100) have Emerald authors. All of Emerald research journals are peer-reviewed to ensure the highest quality. In 2009, more than 21 million Emerald articles were downloaded and read in research and study. This equates to more than 50,000 a day, every day of the year.

In addition to his post at TSU, Halachmi holds the rank of research professor at the Center for Public Administration Research at Sun Yat Sen University in China. The center is China’s top research facility in public management.

This summer, the School of Agriculture and Consumer Sciences at Tennessee State University will recruit 400 African-American youth who are at risk for adult obesity to attend a summer camp program promoting healthy lifestyles.

The program, Building Capacity to Promote Youth Active and Media Savvy (YAMS), targets efforts toward empowering children ages 8 to 14 to improve their dietary behaviors and practices.

Dr. Veronica Oates, assistant professor in the School of Family and Consumer Sciences at TSU, will spearhead the YAMS program with a $563,992 grant from the United States Department of Agriculture’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture.

“African Americans disproportionately have higher rates of obesity and reportedly watch more television than other Americans. It is important that with this program we raise the awareness of how media may contribute to unhealthy dietary behaviors and sedentary lifestyles,” said Oates, who organized a symposium at the University last spring to discuss the media’s influence on childhood and adolescent obesity.

The YAMS program is designed for children to increase their media literacy, healthy cooking and food preparation skills, food safety knowledge and daily physical activity. Oates and her team will also explore culturally acceptable methods to counteract negative media influences and work to improve the food choices, dietary intake, and nutrition related attitudes among African-American youth.

Oates hopes to include media outlets and community organizations as partners in the YAMS program – ultimately making a lasting impact on the children enrolled. “We believe that by raising an appreciation of the African-American experience and African traditions we will mediate positive lifestyle behaviors and counteract the harmful effects of negative cultural values and media,” she said.

The USDA grant funding for YAMS is part of the 1890 Institution Teaching, Research and Extension Capacity Building Grants (CBG) program which supports projects that strengthen teaching programs in the food and agricultural sciences at 1890 land-grant institutions.

Parents and caregivers of children living in Davidson County ages 8 to 14 who are at risk for adult obesity are encouraged to enroll them for participation.  The camp is tentatively scheduled to begin summer 2011.  For more information, call Dr. Veronica Oates at 615-963-5625.

Seven new researchers have been at added to the Million Dollar Club of the Tennessee State University Division of Research and Sponsored Programs. The exclusive club, populated by 21 existing scholars, is designated for  researchers who are on the cutting edge in research, teaching, and service receiving $1 million or more in an awarded grant.

“The steady increase in sponsored research and program support is a direct result of the million dollar projects awarded to these 28 distinguished scientists, engineers, and educators. Their efforts, although measurable in dollars, are immeasurable in terms of the positive impact their work has had on the University’s ability to achieve its mission,” said Dr. Maria Thompson, vice president of research and sponsored programs.

The seven researchers inducted into the Million Dollar Club for 2011 include:

Dr. S. Keith Hargrove

Award: $1,666,469

Unit: College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science

Project: Naval Education Engineering Center

Funded by: United States Navy

Duration: May 6, 2010—September 30, 2015

Dr. Jennifer Stewart-Wright and Mrs. Katari Coleman

Award: $1,750,000.00

Unit: Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences

Project: Tennessee Early Childhood Training Alliance

Funded by: Tennessee Department of Health and Human Service

Duration: July 1, 2010—June 30, 2011

Dr. Maria Thompson, Mr. Ronnie Brooks and Dr. S. Keith Hargrove

Award: $1,287,206

Unit: College of Engineering, Technology, and Computer Science

Project: Research and Facility Renovation for the College of Engineering, Technology and Computer Science at Tennessee State University

Funded by: United States Navy

Duration: May 6, 2010—September 30, 2015

Dr. Peter Millet

Award: $8,000,000

Unit: College of Education

Project: Strengthening Instruction in Tennessee Elementary Schools—Focus on Mathematics

Duration: Tennessee Department of Education

Dr. Pamela Hull

Unit: Center for Health Research

Award: $4,683,561

Project: Nashville Children Eating Well for Health

Funded by: United States Department of Agriculture

Duration: February 14, 2011—February 13, 2015

The 2010-2011 President’s Fellowship Program at Tennessee State University includes a new class of seven outstanding campus leaders interested in learning, service, and mentorship. An initiative designed to provide participants with an in-depth exposure to University administration and policy-making, the President’s Fellowship Program provides mentoring, networking, research opportunities, university service, and guidance in preparation for career advancement for emerging leaders.

Each fellow completes a service project that will improve Tennessee State University or the surrounding community and collaborates with a TSU administrator as a mentor on the suitability of a service project. At the culmination of the program, fellows make a presentation about their projects.

Dr. Tracey Carter, director of equity, diversity and compliance, leads the President’s Fellowship Program. “One of the University’s goals is to prepare our students to navigate the global marketplace. In order to facilitate this goal, it is essential that we cultivate our employees to bring innovative ideas, services,  and programs to our students. It is also important that TSU have a structured professional development and mentoring program to reward high achieving employees who want to serve and learn more about the University. The President’s Fellowship Program equips outstanding employees with more tools and knowledge to better serve TSU and the surrounding community,” said Carter.

The President’s Fellowship Program is open to all full-time employees who have been employed at the University at least  two years. Applicants may nominate themselves or be nominated by another TSU employee, including the applicant’s supervisor. An advisory committee selects program participants. The Fellowship Program lasts seven months, from October to April.

The 2010-2011 President’s Fellows are:

Dr. Thomas P. Bukoskey, associate professor of physical therapy.

Katari Coleman, TECTA program director, Center of Excellence for Learning Sciences.

Dr. Todd Gary, director of undergraduate and creative activities program, Division of Research and Sponsored Programs

Dr. Kiesa Kelly, assistant professor of psychology.

Nanette Carter Martin, resource management specialist, Division of Research and Sponsored Programs.

K. Dawn Rutledge, director of university publications.

Tiffany Bellafant Steward, director of new student orientation and first-year students.