Everything Nac

History can seem like a difficult subject to learn, but Stephen F. Austin State University secondary education students and staff members in the Center for Regional Heritage Research and Steen Library are using 3D printing to help bring history to life.

During the fall semester, students in a sociocultural and historic perspectives in American education course taught by Dr. Amber Wagnon, SFA assistant professor of secondary education and educational leadership, collaborated with staff members from the CRHR and Steen Library to print in 3D bowls from the Caddo Native American tribe and handles from a cannon recovered from wreckage of the La Belle ship of French explorer René-Robert Cavelier, the Sieur de La Salle.

Drs. Robert Selden, research associate, and Mark Barringer, director of college research and associate professor in history, helped with the project. Selden discussed the 3D-printing process with the students who then printed other items.

“At SFA, 3D printing is a relatively new tool and is an asset we have on our campus,” Wagnon said. “It’s important for our teacher candidates to think about meaningful ways to utilize technology in the classroom. Teaching is a field in which collaboration is important, and I was excited the students were able to work collaboratively with other groups.”

After learning the 3D-printing process, education students created lesson plans, which they taught at Woden High School. SFA interdisciplinary studies sophomore Julisa Valdez of Houston said this project taught her patience and how to be flexible in the classroom.

“We had a lot of technology problems at first, which was frustrating, but it happens to teachers every day, so the best you can do is be flexible and patient,” Valdez said. “Prior to this collaboration, I had only worked with kids in elementary or early middle school, but working with high school students had a different atmosphere. Students were ready to learn and asked a lot of great questions. This experience has made me realize what I could do to become a better teacher.”

Not only did this project introduce students to new technology, but it also brought them into the field where they gained experience with classroom management, learning theories, diversity, planning and teaching.

“I believe we learn through doing. My students want to be educators, and I want to give them the opportunity to start that journey as early as possible,” Wagnon said. “I wanted them to have the opportunity to utilize and practice the theoretical tools we spent the semester examining.”

For more information about SFA’s James I. Perkins College of Education, visit coe.sfasu.edu.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

Several commemorative events are planned at Stephen F. Austin State University to honor President George H.W. Bush. Flowers have been placed at the handprints of the former president in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Spirit Lounge. The handprint monument serves as a tribute to five leaders who have made a permanent impression on the university. The university will observe a moment of silence at 9 a.m. Wednesday, and the carillon bells that ring from the Griffith Fine Arts Building will toll each hour on the hour.​ Pictured is Jeffrey Agouna, junior political science major and president of SFA’s Student Government Association.

As a final countdown commenced, attendees at Houston’s 99th annual Mayor’s Holiday Celebration and Tree-Lighting Ceremony at City Hall turned their attention to the event’s centerpiece — a 65-foot-tall white fir tree located in Hermann Square. Although not cloaked in purple lights and Lumberjack regalia, the Christmas tree standing in the heart of Texas’ largest city holds a distinct connection to Stephen F. Austin State University.

Earlier this year, Nacogdoches native and SFA forestry alumnus David Robinson traveled to Southwest Oregon to hand select the towering tree destined to become the cornerstone of Houston’s holiday celebrations.

“It was an honor, and I hope I get to do it again,” said Robinson, field supervisor of urban forestry for the City of Houston. “I got to see a part of the country I’ve never seen before, and it’s just amazing.”

The tree, harvested from private timberland near Medford, Oregon, is one of many large conifers from the region that will be transported across the country and displayed in large city centers.

Robinson said the City of Houston has a relationship with an individual based in the Pacific Northwest who collaborates with industrial timber companies and private landowners to locate potential large-scale Christmas trees.

“The trees are marked with GPS coordinates, and he returns during the next five to six years to fertilize and shape the tree,” Robinson said. “Once ready, the trees are marketed to cities like Houston, shopping malls or anyone in the market for a big Christmas tree.”

While much of the initial correspondence regarding desired tree specifications, such as height, is conducted through phone or email, Robinson said it is necessary to see the tree in person to make the final decision.

“We check things that don’t translate well through email and pictures, such as tree quality and different kinds of potential hazards,” Robinson said.

Following final selection, the tree is felled and transported via helicopter from the forest to a landing site, where it is placed on a flatbed truck for transport.

Robinson explained that after it arrived in Houston, the tree was trimmed and placed in a 5-foot-deep culvert buried in the ground. Due to the sheer size of the tree, guide wires are used, and the culvert is filled with gravel to stabilize it.

“Despite the size, aftercare is not too dissimilar from the way in which families care for their own live Christmas trees at home,” Robinson said.

While aftercare may be similar, decorating a tree that size reaches a whole new level of Christmas spirit.

According to Stella Pereira, office manager for the Mayor’s Office of Special Events, more than 3,000 individual LED lights adorn the tree.

Although the final honor of lighting the tree went to Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Robinson said his own family has a tradition of selecting and decorating a tree to look forward to. He added his family’s Christmas tree will, of course, be a live tree.

Dr. Treba Marsh, Stephen F. Austin State University professor emeritus of accounting, will offer the commencement address during the university’s two fall graduation ceremonies Saturday, Dec. 15.

Marsh served SFA from 1991 through 2018 in various roles, including as the interim director and director of the Schlief School of Accountancy and as the Temple Inland Endowed Professor. Her close relationship with SFA accounting alumni and accounting firm partners has resulted in the contribution of thousands of scholarship dollars for accounting students, as well as a growing number of internship placements and job offers.

Dr. Kelly Noe, associate professor and director of SFA’s Schlief School of Accountancy, said Marsh has been a major influence within the Rusche College of Business and the Schlief School of Accountancy.

“Dr. Marsh not only changed my life, but also changed the lives of many students. She was like my work mom,” Noe said. “She was and still is an amazing mentor, and her work in the Schlief School of Accountancy has helped make our program what it is today.”

Marsh is a two-time SFA alumna, receiving a Bachelor of Business Administration in accounting and a Master of Business Administration in management. She received her doctoral degree from Louisiana Tech University.

She has served as president of the Southwest Region of the American Accounting Association, Chapter Advocate for the Southwest Region of Beta Alpha Psi, chair of the Texas Society of Public Accountants Educators’ Conference, Historian of the Federation of Business Disciplines, and in other positions with national and regional organizations.

“Dr. Marsh has had a profound impact on students. There are many certified public accountants out there today because Dr. Marsh identified their potential and gave them guidance to change their career path for the better,” Noe said. “She was the most student-friendly professor I know. She always did what was the best for students. Nobody will be able to fill her shoes.”

Marsh was named an outstanding accounting educator by the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants and the Southwestern American Accounting Association, and she was awarded outstanding faculty advisor for Beta Alpha Psi numerous times. She received the 2013 National Author Award from the Association of Government Accountants.

Marsh has published more than 70 research papers and presented at professional meetings, including the American Accounting Association, Decision Science Institute, Clute Institute, and other regional and national conferences.

SFA’s fall commencement ceremonies will begin at 9:30 a.m. at Johnson Coliseum with candidates from the James I. Perkins College of Education and the College of Fine Arts. Candidates from the colleges of business, liberal and applied arts, forestry and agriculture, and sciences and mathematics will participate in a 2 p.m. ceremony.

Approximately 1,070 degrees are expected to be awarded, including 864 bachelor’s, 200 master’s and six doctoral degrees. Almost 270 students are expected to graduate with honors, including 87 cum laude, 74 magna cum laude, 103 summa cum laude and 60 university scholars.

By Kasi Dickerson, senior marketing communications specialist at Stephen F. Austin State University.

The Rockin’ Axes at Stephen F. Austin State University will present a concert of rock subgenres ranging from classic rock to metal when the student ensemble performs at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 7, in Cole Concert Hall on the SFA campus.

An ensemble within the Sound Recording Technology program in the SFA School of Music, the Rockin’ Axes will perform works by The Strokes, White Stripes, Fit for a King, The Doors, Pink Floyd, The Beatles and a protest song by Rage Against the Machine, which contains some explicit lyrics.

Rockin’ Axes Director Nick Lambson, instructor in the Sound Recording Technology program, chose works based on the student performers’ abilities and interests and that “provided the most opportunity for growth,” he said.

“In addition to enabling students to pursue what inspires them and work on their favorite styles of rock, many songs were selected to expose them to new music and develop particular technical and musical skills,” Lambson said.

The students will use music technology to recreate some works, including songs from The Doors and Pink Floyd, and the students did most of that work themselves, Lambson said.

“We are a technology and music degree path, so I have been encouraging students to use all of our resources, where appropriate, and they did a great job, he said. “‘Hey Jude,’ played on our concert Steinway and featuring every member of the Rockin’ Axes, will end the program.

The concert is a joint presentation of the College of Fine Arts and School of Music. Admission is free. For more information, call the SFA Fine Arts Box Office at (936) 468-6407 or visit www.finearts.sfasu.edu.

Two outstanding Stephen F. Austin State University faculty members will be honored during the 30th annual SFA Gala Saturday, Dec. 8, in the Baker Pattillo Student Center Grand Ballroom.

Faculty achievement awards presented during the Gala recognize innovation and excellence in teaching and research. Dr. Sheryll Jerez, associate professor of environmental science in the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, is the recipient of the 2018 Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching. Dr. Kevin W. Stafford, associate professor in SFA’s Department of Geology in the College of Sciences and Mathematics, is the recipient of the 2018 Faculty Achievement Award for Research.

Dr. Sheryll Jerez

Jerez received her doctoral degree in agricultural engineering in 2007 from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and began teaching at SFA as an assistant professor of environmental science. She was awarded Faculty Mentor of the Year in 2014, the Kenneth Watterston Teaching Excellence Award in 2016 and was a finalist for the SFASU Foundation Faculty Achievement Award for Teaching in 2016 and 2017.

“SFA’s environmental science program is rated among the top 50 in the nation,” said Dr. Hans Williams, dean of the Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture. “Our philosophy is to produce graduates who are problem-solvers. Dr. Jerez’s quality teaching and breadth of course offerings are solid contributors to the success of our program.”

In her courses, Jerez designs and implements student projects based on real-world environmental issues that are presented during the Undergraduate Research Conference at SFA and at professional meetings throughout the United States.

One student shared the following about Jerez in a course evaluation, “Dr. Jerez was by far the most prepared, organized, knowledgeable and enthusiastic professor. She is excellent in sharing her knowledge and helping her students understand the principles.”

According to colleague Dr. David Kulhavy, Laurence C. Walker Distinguished Professor, Jerez’s ability to translate the academic material into everyday life prepares the students she mentors for the rigorous environmental science profession.

“Dr. Jerez is known as ‘the professor with the cool toys’ because she uses them not only for demonstrations but also, and more importantly, to help her students understand science,” Kulhavy said. “Students leave her courses with the skills they will use in their careers.”

Jerez is an effective researcher, as well, conducting externally funded research on improving air quality in the poultry industry. Much of her research has been published in peer-reviewed journals. Additionally, she has supervised dozens of Master of Science thesis projects, including several completed by university scholars, and she has served on numerous graduate committees. In 2016, one of her graduate students received the Best Graduate Student Presentation Award at the SFA Bright Ideas Conference.

“Dr. Jerez is extremely active in professional societies, especially the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, where she served in many capacities, including associate editor and reviewer for publications,” said Dr. Kenneth W. Farrish, director of SFA’s Division of Environmental Science.

“I firmly believe her contributions to SFA’s environmental science program have been major factors in achieving the great reputation our programs have with employers, which has led to a nearly 100-percent employment rate for our graduates,” Farrish said.

Colleagues recognize her as one of the most innovative faculty members in the college.

“Dr. Jerez is constantly staying ahead of industry changes and improving the environmental science program curriculum to stay current and relevant in this rapidly evolving field,” said Dr. Matthew McBroom, associate dean and professor of forestry. “She effectively trains her students both academically and professionally. Her remarkable enthusiasm, diligence and pursuit of academic excellence have helped to grow SFA’s environmental science program to national recognition.”

Dr. Kevin W. Stafford

Stafford began teaching geology at SFA in 2008, after receiving his doctoral degree from New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology. According to Dr. Wesley Brown, chair of SFA’s Department of Geology, Stafford is recognized as the foremost authority on evaporite karst hydrogeology within West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, and he is one of the lead authorities on hypogene karst development within the Western hemisphere.

“Dr. Stafford is routinely invited to prepare scholarly papers and book chapters related to these topics at both the national and international levels. He also is often requested to give presentations at regional, national and international meetings,” Brown said.

Stafford is an accomplished researcher with approximately 66 publications and 114 conference abstracts. He has advised 17 thesis students through their respective research experiences to completion. Stafford has been the recipient of 14 research grant awards totaling approximately $950,000.

Currently, Stafford is working with the Texas Department of Transportation on a new grant proposal that is expected to total between $850,000 and $1.4 million in additional funding.

Furthermore, Stafford has authored 20 and co-authored 13 peer-reviewed scholarly journals and book chapters. He has written one book on karst resources of Central Texas and edited three additional books related to karst hydrogeology. He also has authored or co-authored more than 50 conference presentations while affiliated with SFA and four technical reports. In the past academic year alone, Stafford was senior author on five peer-reviewed articles and senior editor for a scholarly book titled “Hypogene Karst of Texas,” which was published by the Texas Speleological Survey.

“Dr. Stafford masterfully combines his broad-based understanding of geology with his research interests, engaging students in the discipline and supporting their research interests while maintaining a stellar research agenda himself,” said Dr. Kimberly Childs, dean of the College of Sciences and Mathematics at SFA. “He has been an important catalyst and defining voice within the Department of Geology and the College of Sciences and Mathematics in the area of research. He consistently maintains strong ethical standards.”

Stafford shares his love for research with his students, pushing them to stretch and advance beyond what they thought they could. He has effectively mentored his students by encouraging them to be lead author on his publications and presentations.

“Dr. Stafford is convinced that his reputation as an educator-researcher is enhanced when his students are able to not only get the job done in the field but also are able to analyze and write these results for technical audiences,” said McBroom, who has worked alongside Stafford on numerous research projects and graduate student theses.

“His excellence in research is demonstrated by the fact that he was awarded SFA’s Senior Faculty Research Distinguished Grant Award in 2017 in addition to the Silver Level Distinguished Grant Award that same year. He also has been recognized outside SFA by the National Cave and Karst Research Institute with a Meritorious Service Award in 2011,” McBroom said.

The Gala cocktail reception begins at 6 p.m. and will be followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by Hot Sauce of Austin, featuring music from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s, and ranging from pop and rock to rhythm and blues.

Tickets are $175 for orchestra seating and $125 for ballroom seating. Proceeds from the Gala help build a permanent endowment created by the SFASU Foundation to honor faculty member achievement. For more information or to purchase tickets, call April Smith, associate director of development, at (936) 468-5406.