Category: FEATURED NEWS

Vialogues at Columbia Teachers College Features Pavlakis’ Research on Homelessness

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Assistant Professor Alexandra Pavlakis was interviewed for Vialogues, a video platform designed for Q&A’s, at Columbia Teachers College. The highlighted research was an article published in Teachers College Record, Contextualizing the Impacts of Homelessness on Academic Growth.

She also looks at local implementation of the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento), which aims to reduce barriers to school success for students experiencing homelessness. She believes scholars often overlook this implementation but may play an important role in explaining inconsistencies between single-site studies.

Click here for her interview.

Feuerbacher Helps Organize Prosper Town Hall to Help With Suicide Prevention

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Dr. Sarah Feuerbacher, director of Simmons’ Center for Family Counseling, helped Prosper residents organize a town hall after two people killed themselves during a 24 hour period. Her concern hit close to home since of one of them was her neighbor.

According to comments she made to NBC5, she said, “We need to be able to learn, we need to be able to do something for the families who are hurting right now and to help those who are hurting out there.”

Feuerbacher asked student interns to participate and provide counseling services to attendees who requested assistance.

 

 

 

 

Bing Takes Virtual Reality Surgery Simulator to the World Cancer Congress

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Professor Eric Bing traveled to the World Cancer Congress in Kuala Lumpur to present how virtual reality for surgical training can positively impact health care in underdeveloped countries.

By discussing the Virtual Reality Surgery Simulator, which is a project created by SMU’s Simmons School and Guildhall, Bing shows that the technology reduces costs and is easily accessible. This is particularly important for locations with poor access to training facilities and staff.

For his video interview with ecancer.org, click here.

Pathways to Success Podcast Highlights Dean Knight’s Mission for Simmons

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In an interview for Pathways to Success, a podcast hosted by Julian Placino, Dean Stephanie Knight discusses her passion for education and what led her to the top administration post at SMU Simmons.

For her, investing in public schools is important, and her commitment to urban schools made her explore what could be possible in Dallas.

During her first year on the job, she was able to forge a partnership with the Dallas Independent School District and Toyota USA Foundation to develop a K-8th grade STEM-focused school  in West Dallas. Listen to her story here.

 

Series on Integrating Berkeley Schools Features Richards’ Expertise

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Meredith Richards, assistant professor of Education Policy and Leadership, provides her expertise in public school segregation for a new, three-part series, Beyond the Buses, by published Berkeleyside.

Her  2012 study and reflections about Berkeley’s integration plans are highlighted in the first article. Read here.

Richards Offers Cautionary Note on Districts of Innovation

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Districts of innovation, which give public school systems more flexibility with policies, don’t require the public’s approval. Consequently, Assistant Professor Meredith Richards says community members may be not be aware of potential changes, such as waivers to teacher certification and class sizes.

For more on her study and observations, read her commentary in the Texas Tribune.

Forbes Article Outlines Walkington’s Approach to Algebra Research in NSF Grant

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For Associate Professor Candace Walkington in Simmons, it is important to connect algebra to 21st-century jobs so students can develop an affinity for math. A $1 million grant from the National Science Foundation supports her approach. To read Forbes’ coverage of her inquiry, click here.

Associate Professor Candace Walkington

Pavlakis Featured in Podcast About Policies Affecting Education of Homeless Students

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Assistant Professor Alexandra Pavlakis looks at how education and social policies impact homeless students in a podcast conversation, We Talk Different, produced by Ashley Irons, Ryan Holmes, and Elijah Misigaro in Dallas. The full episode can be heard here.

Celebrating Upward Bound’s Success on Campus for Half a Century

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Upward Bound, the federally funded college access program created in 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson, has had significant impact on high school students aspiring to go to college. SMU and Simmons have hosted the program for 50 years, and now 98 percent of its students move on to earn their higher education degrees.  See media coverage.

Harris Provides Expertise on Tenure to Chronicle of Higher Ed

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The Chronicle of Higher Education asked Associate Professor Michael Harris to review tenure policies of Concord University for firing a tenured professor.

Harris, who studies tenure, concluded that the university’s policies undermine faculty power to make decisions. Read more.