Faculty Notes, Aug. 20, 2012

Fred Caporaso, Ph.D., professor, School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, presented an invited paper at the 35th International Herpetological Symposium in Baltimore, Md. sponsored by the Smithsonian National Zoological Park (7-26-12).  The presentation entitled “Galápagos Tortoises (Chelonoidis spp.): Going, Going Gone! Making a Huge Comeback” detailed the significant steps being made in helping this iconic animal recover from centuries of human plunder.  Dr. Caporaso highlighted the role of sound science (DNA analysis), and detailed the extraordinary conservation programs being put in place to bring the tortoise dynasty back to the Galápagos Islands.

Donald Guy, assistant professor, Department of Theatre, College of Performing Arts, recently served as the lighting designer/director for Masters of Illusion – Live! He designed to sold-out performances at the MAX Pavilion Expo in Singapore and the Newport Performing Arts Theater in Manila, Philippines. The production featured a cast of award-winning magicians including Joaquin Ayala and Tanya, Mark Kalin and Jinger Leigh, Farrell Dillon, Daren Romeo and Kevin James. The 2012-2013 World Tour is currently in development for a September 2012 opening.

Daniel Kovenock, Ph.D., professor, Economic Science Institute, Argyros School of Business and Economics, has recently co-published several papers, including:

• Baye, M., D. Kovenock and C. de Vries, “The Herodotus Paradox,” Games and Economic Behavior 74, (2012), 399-406.

• Kovenock, D. and B. Roberson, “Conflicts with Multiple Battlefields,” in Michelle R. Garfinkel and Stergios Skaperdas (eds.), Oxford Handbook of the Economics of Peace and Conflict, Oxford University Press, New York, 2012.

• Konrad, K. A. and D. Kovenock, “The Lifeboat Problem,” European Economic Review 56, (2012), 552-559.

• Kovenock, D.  and B. Roberson, “Coalitional Colonel Blotto Games with Application to the Economics of Alliances,” Journal of Public Economic Theory 14, (2012), pp. 653-676.

• Arce, D. G., D. Kovenock, and B Roberson, “Weakest-Link Attacker-Defender Games with Multiple Attack Technologies” CESifo Working Paper No. 2753, August, 2009. (forthcoming Naval Research Logistics.)

Eric A. Minassian, Ph.D., and Roman Buniy, Ph.D., assistant professors, School of Computational Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, recently took the Chapman University Physics Club to Jet Propulsion Labs for a special tour and behind-the-scenes visit with NASA scientists. They toured the Mars mission facilities, as well as the control room and some of the labs and facilities. They were also able to see the twin working replica of Curiosity. The group also had a private tour of spacecraft in development for future NASA Mars missions.

Alicia Okouchi-Guy, assistant professor, Department of Dance, College of Performing Arts, taught a master class for the American College Dance Festival Association at California State University, Dominguez Hills. She taught a commercial jazz cabaret heels class for college professors and students from California and Nevada.

In addition, Okouchi-Guy, who was elected to the Baja region board of directors for ACDFA, and also attended the national board meeting and conference at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

Lawrence Rosenthal, professor, School of Law, addressed the annual State Solicitor Generals and Appellate Chiefs Conference of the National Association of Attorneys General, held in Washington, D.C. on July 11. Rosenthal presented a discussion entitled, “Litigating the Second Amendment.” He also participated in a debate on July 12 at the State Solicitors General and Appellate Chiefs Conference on how courts should address challenges to state and local gun laws.

Justin Walsh, Ph.D., assistant professor, Department of Art, Wilkinson College, gave a talk on Thursday, Aug. 9 titled,  “ ‘Giant Leaps for Mankind’ and the Future of the Past,” at the Machine Project in Los Angeles. Walsh’s talk explored how the expanding reach of humanity off our planet and into the universe can be integrated into our sense of history — and where some critical obstacles to achieving that goal still remain.