Faculty and Staff Accomplishments

Claudia Setzer, professor of religious studies, gave the Nostra Aetate lecture, "Jesus the Jew and Paul the 'Christian': Jewish Views of Christianity's Heroes," at St. Edward's University in Austin, Texas.

Vladimir Akulov, an adjunct professor at Manhattan and an adjunct professor of physics at City Tech since 2005, accepted the Ukrainian State Prize from then President Viktor Yuschenko in late December. The Ukraine leader thanked the team of ten laureates for their  “selfless creative and scientific work, their contribution to Ukranian science and the strengthening of the technical capacities of the state.” The honor was bestowed on Dr. Akulov and his former colleagues for research work on  supersymmetry and supergravity and their applications to the unified theory of fundamental interactions of elementary particles. Akulov was the only American to be named a laureate. He began his research while teaching at Kharkov’s Institute of Physics and Technology (Kharkov, Ukraine) from 1968 until he emigrated to the U.S. in 1997.

Pamela Chasek, associate professor of government and director of international studies, was interviewed for the Council on Foreign Relations recently. You can see the article and podcast Here.

Shawn R. Ladda,  associate professor of physical education and chair of the department, recently published athlete profiles for April Heinrichs and Abby Wambach in Great Athletes:  Boxing & Soccer (pp. 213-214, 299-300).  Published by Salem Press in Pasadena, CA, it was edited by R. Johnson and Salem Press. She was also selected by the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD) to receive the Honor Award at the 2010 National Convention in Indianapolis this past March.

Brennan O’Donnell, president, was invited to present a lecture at Iona College in their Catholic Intellectual Tradition Series:  "Hiring and Hospitality: Inviting New Members into the Catholic Intellectual Tradition," in early April. 

Nicholas J. DeLillo, professor of mathematics and computer science, was recently honored by Dr. Stephen J. Friedman, president of Pace University, for having completed 30 years of continuous and distinguished service as a member of the Pace University faculty and the Ivan G. Seidenberg School of Computer Science. He was also cited by Prof. David Hennerdinger of the department of computer science at Union College for the high quality of the review of scholarly papers recently submitted for inclusion at the CCSCNE10 Conference to be held at the University of Hartford in April.

Robert M. Geraci, assistant professor of religious studies, has published the book Apocalyptic AI: Visions of Heaven in Robotics, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Reality (Oxford University Press). The book is a study of how the belief that we might upload our minds into computers affects robotics research, virtual world occupancy, and contemporary debates in philosophy and theology.

Peter B. Heller, professor of government, delivered a paper, “The Downside of Technology,” at the Sixth International Conference on Technology, Knowledge
and Society in Berlin, Germany, on January 16, 2010.

Lawrence Hough, director of the radiological & health professions programs, was elected to the board of directors of the Methodist Home for Nursing and Rehabilitation (formerly known as the Methodist Church Home for the Aged) this past fall. He will serve through March 2013. Hough is embarking on enhancing learning experiences for Manhattan College students, and providing activities for the residents at the Methodist Home.

Zella Kahn-Jetter, professor of mechanical engineering, and her mechanical engineering students were featured in a story in The Legislative Gazette on March 2. The story highlights the cooperation between the College and the Methodist Home in Riverdale, NY, and features several of the newest creations the students have created to make the lives of seniors at the home easier.

Shawn Ladda, associate professor of physical education and chair of the department, was elected chair of the National Council for Active Girls and Women (NCAGW).

Christoph Lienert, associate professor of physical education, was recently appointed associate editor of Adapted Phyiscal Activity Quarterly (APAQ). The publication is an international, multidisciplinary journal designed to stimulate and communicate high scholarly inquiry related to physical activity for special needs populations. Articles appearing in APAQ include a range of disciplines such as corrective therapy, gerontology, health care, occupational therapy, pediatrics, physical education, dance, sports medicine, physical therapy, recreation and rehabilitiation. It is the official journal of the International Federation of Adapted Physical Activity.