People

Vokbus honored on retirement from International Programs

Pat Vokbus of the International Programs Office, who is retiring after more than 38 years of service, was honored Jan. 14 by colleagues from across the campus, state and region.
 
“As an international student advisor and dean for international exchange students, Pat’s years advising international students set an example for the entire community on the importance of service to our international students,” said Jack Ahern, vice provost for International Programs.

Nieto, McDermott cited by American Enterprise Institute for promoting public dialogue on education policy

The American Enterprise Institute’s Frederick M. Hess has recognized two scholars from the School of Education for contributions to the national public dialogue on education policy.

 
Professor emerita Sonia Nieto of the Department of Teacher Education and Curriculum Studies and associate professor Kathryn A. McDermott of the Department of Educational Policy, Research and Administration were among 168 education scholars nationwide named to Hess’s “Edu-Scholar Public Presence Rankings,” which recognizes “university-based scholars for their contributions to the public square.”
 
That impact is

Schweik addresses Technology, Knowledge and Society conference

Charles Schweik, associate professor of Environmental Conservation and Public Policy, gave a plenary address on Jan. 14 during the annual International Technology, Knowledge and Society conference in Vancouver, British Columbia.
 
His talk, “Internet-based Collaboration in Open Source Software,” described some of the history of open-source software, as well as some selected results from a five-year National Science Foundation-funded study on the topic.

Downey joins Emergency Management staff

Thomas S. Downey Jr. has been named emergency management and business continuity coordinator at Environmental Health and Safety.
 
Downey most recently worked as a disaster recovery/business continuity manager for Plymouth Rock Assurance in Boston. From 2007-11, he was assistant vice president for global continuity services for State Street Corporations in Quincy. He also held several positions at Fidelity Investments, including contingency risk operations manager.
 
“The hiring of Tom Downey as emergency management and business continuity coordinator clearly demonstrates the continuing

Obituary: William Bramlage, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences

William Joseph (Bill) Bramlage, 75, professor emeritus of Plant and Soil Sciences, Jan. 6 in Roanoke, Va., from complications of a congenital form of muscular dystrophy.
 
Born in Dayton, Ohio, he attended Chaminade High School. He earned a B.S. from Ohio State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in horticulture from the University of Maryland.
 
He joined the faculty in 1964 as an assistant professor of Horticulture. He also taught in the Stockbridge School of Agriculture.

Sorcinelli leads student-centered learning institute in Saudi Arabia

Mary Deane Sorcinelli, associate provost for Faculty Development, director of the Center for Teaching and Faculty Development, and professor of Educational Policy, Research and Administration, last month led a four-day institute on student-centered learning for faculty at King Faisal University in Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia.

She was invited by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Education and King Faisal University's dean of faculty affairs.

Mednicoff addresses global law and policy workshop in Qatar

David Mednicoff, assistant professor of Public Policy and director of Middle Eastern Studies, presented at the plenary session of the Harvard Law School Institute for Global Law and Policy (IGLP) 2013 Workshop on Jan. 8 in Doha, Qatar. 

Mednicoff discussed his research on the Arab politics of the rule of law in comparative perspective, and received commentary from Hani Sayed, assistant professor of law at the American University of Cairo.

Obituary: Jahmal Nelson, former maintainer with Grounds Management

Jahmal N. Nelson, 41, of Amherst, a former mainainer for Grounds Management, died Dec. 26 of complications due to a long-term illness.

Born in Garberville, Calif., he was educated in local schools and lived most of his life in the Amherst area.
 
He joined the staff as a temporary hire in 2005 and worked several stints until gaining a permanent appointment in 2007. He left campus service in July 2012.

He leaves his parents, Donald and Suzanne, and his brothers, Paul Nelson and T.J. Nelson, all of Cambria, Calif., his sister, Alanna Nelson of Baltimore, and several cousins.
 
The family

Obituary: Stephen A. Resnick, professor emeritus of Economics

Stephen A. Resnick, 74, of Newton Center, professor emeritus of Economics and Helen Sheridan Memorial Scholar, died Jan. 2 of leukemia.
 
Born in New Bedford, he was a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he received his Ph.D. in economics in 1963.
 
As a graduate student, Resnick was a Woodrow Wilson Fellow in 1960-62 and held a Brookings Institution fellowship from 1962-63.
 
After completing his doctorate, he was a visiting assistant professor at the University of the Philippines from 1964-65.
 
He joined the faculty of Yale

Obituary: Jacqueline W. Mellen, former staff member and alumna

Jacqueline Wyman Mellen, of Hadley, a former campus staff member and lecturer, died Jan. 1 at Hospice of the Fisher Home in North Amherst.

Born in Bennington, Vt., she moved at the age of 2 to Guilford, Vt., where she lived with her parents. She attended Brattleboro High School where she met William J. Mellen, whom she married in 1943.

After World War II, the couple moved to Amherst, where he continued his studies at the University on the GI Bill, and she worked for the Music Department. She played trombone in the UMass Marching Band and Orchestra, and sang in the chorus.

Pages