Through his work with ant societies in the rainforest, associate professor of biology Dr. Terry McGlynn has been able to show students the benefits of altruism within a species, in the hopes of teaching them about more than just insect behavior. “In a way, social insects are the pinnacle of evolution,” says McGlynn, who is this year's winner of the Excellence in Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activity Award. “There's this popular image that in insect colonies, individuals sacrifice themselves for the whole. But social insects are animals, just like we are. It is more often that it is in their [individual] interest to work for the benefit of the group. “In social insect ... Read More
Research
Emily Magruder: Giving Students the Tools to Think
Although one of Dr. Emily Magruder's students described her teaching technique as animated and “dance-like,” the humanities lecturer–who holds a certificate in theatre and dance, as well as a bachelor's degree in English, from Princeton–doesn't let her classes waltz by with subpar work. “The perception is that I have high expectations, but that I will help students meet them,” says Magruder, who is this year's winner of the Lyle E. Gibson Dominguez Hills Distinguished Teacher Award. Magruder, whose research interests includes women and inheritance, children's literature, and law and literature, says that what she enjoys most about teaching humanities is that she is not confined to ... Read More
Africana Studies Students and Faculty Present at National Black Studies Conference
Faculty and students from the Department of Africana Studies at California State University, Dominguez Hills attended the 35th Annual National Council for Black Studies (NCBS) Conference held in Cincinnati, Ohio, in March. Through a variety of forums and presentations, the conference provided opportunities to exchange ideas, network and learn the latest scholarship in the field. For undergraduate students from CSU Dominguez Hills, the NCBS conference afforded an opportunity to do graduate-level research on major issues in the African and African Diasporic communities and present it to a world-class audience of peers and academics. Ricco Garrett (senior, Africana studies), presented ... Read More
Herman J. Loether (1930-2011): Sociologist Established Tradition and Campus Research
Dr. Herman J. Loether, emeritus professor and founding faculty member of the sociology department at California State University, Dominguez Hills, died of cancer on March 25. During his 30 years at the university, Loether established the Social Systems Research Center (now known as the Urban Community Research Center) and is the only CSU faculty member to be honored as a CSU Outstanding Professor Award nominee at two different campuses; at CSU Los Angeles in 1965, and at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1973 and 1984. Upon arriving at CSU Dominguez Hills in 1967, Loether established the campus's Alpha Kappa Delta (AKD) chapter. He had served as advisor for the AKD chapter at CSU Los Angeles, and ... Read More
Clare Weber: Sociologist Elected to Editorial Board of Latin American Perspectives
Clare Weber, associate professor and chair of sociology, was recently elected as a member of the editorial collective of Latin American Perspectives . The internationally recognized journal, which was established in 1974, features research by Latin American scholars as well as scholars from around the globe. Her responsibilities as a member of the board include making decisions on article submissions, proposals for themed issues, and the general operations of the journal. “Feminist scholars in Latin America face similar challenges to feminist scholars in the U.S., but often with less institutional resources at their disposal,” says Weber, who chairs the international committee of ... Read More