Asad M. Madni

California State University, Northridge will confer an honorary doctor of science degree on Asad M. Madni for his pioneering research and achievements in science, engineering and technology.

Madni, who served as president, chief operating officer and chief technology officer of Sylmar-based BEI Technologies, Inc., will receive his degree on Wednesday, May 22, during the commencement ceremony for CSUN’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.

“The university is proud to recognize Dr. Madni with this honorary degree for his contributions to CSUN and for his professional and technical accomplishments in science, engineering and technology that have had a major impact on the lives of millions of people throughout the world,” said Cal State Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison. “He has been a strong supporter of the university, particularly in engaging with our students and engineering programs. CSUN’s students have benefited greatly from his time, expertise and example through his diverse experiences as an engineer, entrepreneur and engaged member of the community.”

Madni said he was honored to receive the degree.

“Over two decades, my relationship with CSUN in guiding graduate research and mentoring students and faculty has been truly fulfilling and memorable,” Madni said. “I am most grateful and truly humbled by this recognition.”

Madni served as president, chief operating officer and chief technology officer of BEI from 1992 until his retirement in 2006. He led the development and commercialization of intelligent microsensors and systems for aerospace, military, commercial and transportation industries, including the Extremely Slow Motion Servo Control System for the Hubble Space Telescope’s Star Selector System, which provided the Hubble with unprecedented accuracy and stability, resulting in truly remarkable images that have enhanced our understanding of the universe; and the revolutionary MEMS GyroChip® technology, which is used worldwide for Electronic Stability Control and Rollover Protection in passenger vehicles, saving millions of lives every year.

Prior to joining BEI, Madni was with Systron Donner Corporation for 18 years in senior technical and executive positions, eventually becoming chairman, president and chief executive officer. While with Systron, he made seminal and pioneering contributions in the development of radio frequency and microwave systems and instrumentation.

Madni received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical sciences and engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles, his doctorate in engineering from California Coast University, and is a graduate of the senior executive program at the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is also the recipient of an honorary doctor of science degree from Ryerson University and an honorary doctor of engineering degree from the Technical University of Crete.

He is the recipient of numerous national and international awards and honors, including the 2012 Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society Pioneer Award “for seminal and pioneering contributions to the development and commercialization of aerospace and electronic systems,” the 2010 IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society’s Career Excellence Award, the 2010 UCLA Lifetime Contribution Award and the 2004 UCLA Alumnus of the Year Award.

In 2011, Madni was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering (the highest distinction awarded to an engineer in the US) “for contributions to development and commercialization of sensors and systems for aerospace and automotive safety.”

California State University, Northridge has more than 36,000 full- and part-time students and offers undergraduate degrees in 63 disciplines, graduate degrees in 57 fields, doctorates in education and physical therapy and a variety of credential and certificate programs.

Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university is home to dozens of nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, political science, the arts and the social sciences. While regionally focused, the university’s faculty and administrators recognize the important role CSUN students and alumni play in shaping the future of the state and the nation.

2012 authors with thier books. Photo courtesy of Rosa RiVera Furumoto

People have been telling stories dating back to when the medium was cave paintings. It is a basic human desire to share life experiences and tell inspiring tales. California State University, Northridge’s Chicana/o studies students are making sure that every voice has a chance to be heard, especially the little ones.

On Saturday, May 4, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., the Department of Chicana/o Studies will host “Family Authors Fair.” The event which will feature children’s book author René Colato Laínez and books authored by 40 first grade students and their parents.

As part of their class work this year, CSUN students in the Chicano/Latino Children’s Literature in Communities (CHS 480) courses developed and implemented four lessons that engaged children and families from San Fernando, O’Melveny, Dyer Street and Telfair Avenue elementary schools in writing their own books.

“The heart behind the event is watching little first graders grow from shy students too frightened to raise their hands in class to confident students eager to engage in dialogue about the ideas in books and how these ideas connect to their lived experiences,” said Chicano/a Studies professor Rosa RiVera Furumoto. “I’ve watched this transformation and it is magical.

“In all, it is about awakening in the first graders and their families a love of books and reading and the idea that they too can be authors with important and creative ideas to share with others,” RiVera Furmoto continued. “By bringing the children and their families to campus and taking them on a campus tour, we hope to convey the message that CSUN is a place for them and their children to further their dreams. We want them to become more aware of campus life and to picture their children in college.”

The fair will include a workshop with Laínez, books authored by the children and their parents, lunch and a tour of the campus. Each author will stand near his or her book and discuss their book with others.

“In this way, the children begin to see themselves as authors and the families can take pride in their children’s efforts,” said RiVera Furmoto.

The fair will be held at Cal State Northridge’s Chicana/o House located on Plummer Street east of Etiwanda Avenue.

For more information contact the Chicana/o Studies department at (818) 677-2734 or visit their website at www.csun.edu/chicanostudies.

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison accepts award from New Horizons Chairman Gene Siciliano. Photo by Tom Pascucci.

California State University, Northridge was honored by New Horizons, one of the region’s oldest and most respected providers of services to adults with developmental disabilities, at the nonprofit’s celebratory and fundraising gala on April 19.

The organization recognized Cal State Northridge for its excellent and distinctive academic programs that prepare graduates for careers of service to those with disabilities and special needs. The event, which was themed, “Fulfilling Dreams,” celebrated CSUN from the beginning to the end from a performance of CSUN’s Northridge Singers to the evening’s emcee Josh Rubenstein M.A. ’12  (Public Administration) and chief meteorologist for CBS2 and KCAL9 news to the recognition of the many faculty, staff and alumni who serve on the organization’s board of directors.

“We have been working with CSUN for decades. Together we have devised programs to enrich our achievement center and our workshop,” said Cynthia Sewell, chief executive officer of New Horizons. “We are very proud to honor CSUN for all they do for people with special needs at New Horizons, across the region and beyond.”

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison accepted the award on behalf of the university.

“This truly has been a mutually rewarding partnership and relationship through decades of passion and commitment and true authentic caring for and wanting to make a difference in our community,” Harrison said. “The fact that you are recognizing us tonight is truly an honor.”

Harrison also applauded the CSUN faculty, staff and alumni who have served as officers and on the board of New Horizons for their dedication including Mary Ann Cummins-Prager, associate vice president of student access and support; Colin Donahue, associate vice president of facilities development and operations; and Joyce Feucht-Haviar, dean of the Tseng College of Extended Learning.

“We are grateful to the university for their many years of being our partner,” said Gene Siciliano, chairman of New Horizon’s board of directors.

Among the CSUN programs lauded as exceptional are the university’s degree programs in fields such as communications disorders and sciences, physical therapy, exercise therapy, assistive technologies human services, assistive technologies engineering, special education and behavioral clinical psychology. Some of CSUN’s outstanding clinical and support centers that serve the community include the Abbott and Linda Brown Western Center for Adaptive Aquatic Therapy; Berke Assessment Clinic and Library; Center of Achievement Through Adapted Physical Activity; Family Focus Resource and Empowerment Center; Language, Speech and Hearing Center; Los Angeles Times Literacy Center; and Music Therapy Wellness Clinic.

In addition, CSUN has further distinguished itself as a model for providing support to its own students with special needs. Established in 1964, the National Center on Deafness was the first postsecondary program in the nation to provide paid language interpreters for deaf students and remains the largest of its type in the United States. The university’s Disability Resources and Educational Services office provides support services to help CSUN students achieve and maintain independence throughout their university studies, and the Universal Design Center enables people with disabilities and special needs to access CSUN web content.

Cal State Northridge also hosts the International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference, the world’s largest and only university-sponsored technology event dedicated to exploring new ways technology can help persons with disabilities.

Children at CHIME Institute’s Schwarzenegger Community School. Photo by Lee Choo.

CHIME Institute’s Schwarzenegger Community School, which has extensive ties to California State University, Northridge, has been awarded the 2013 Grazer Outstanding Achievement in award by state officials.

The award, funded by Hollywood producer Brian Grazer’s family, recognizes exemplary practices in special education and celebrates programs that serve California youth with disabilities. CHIME officials received the award earlier this month at a meeting of the California Advisory Commission on Special Education at the California Department of Education.

“We have a responsibility to provide all of our students in California with the education, support and tools necessary to realize their dreams,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson when he announced the award. “I commend CHIME for its exceptional work educating our youth and hope others can learn from its academic and social achievement in educating students of all abilities.”

CHIME Executive Director Erin Studer said school officials were honored to receive the award.

“This award validates our work and shines a light on the power of inclusive education for all children,” Studer said. “I hope this recognition draws attention to the fact that schools really can be places in which all children, regardless of ability or background, can be welcomed and honored; that schools really can become communities in which each child has the chance to realize their full potential.”

Inclusive education at CHIME means that children who reflect the demographics of the surrounding region—including children who develop typically, children with special needs and children who are gifted—learn side by side. CHIME’s model allows for the individual needs of each child to be addressed in a manner that enhances his or her strengths, while also providing educational progress.

“The CHIME Institute’s Schwarzenegger Community School is quite deserving of the recognition and exemplifies the kind of powerful partnership that exists between CSUN and the community that ensures that all students receive a high quality education,” said Michael Spagna, dean of CSUN’s Michael D. Eisner College of Education.

The CHIME Institute’s Schwarzenegger Community School, located in Woodland Hills, is an independent school that provides free public education for children in kindergarten through eighth grade through affiliation with the Los Angeles Unified School District. The school serves as a demonstration and teacher-training site for the Eisner College of Education.

The school is part of the CHIME Institute, a national leader in developing and implementing model educational programs and dynamic research and training environments to disseminate best practices in inclusive education. The institute’s research and training center is housed in the Eisner College of Education. The CHIME Institute also offers an infant/toddler program and preschool/kindergarten program that is located at CSUN. CHIME has been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education as a national model for full inclusion of students with disabilities and for providing a blueprint for local schools across the country.

A student from last year’s algebra camp completes a mathematics problem on the board. Photo by Lee Choo.

Looking for a summer program that will not only keep your child busy but also enhance his or her math skills and cultural awareness? The Culturally Based Algebra Camp may be the answer.

The six-week summer program returns to California State University, Northridge from June 17 through July 26. The camp will meet from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, at The Black House, located on the northwest side of campus at 14348 Halsted St.

The program is primarily geared to African-American students in grades 1 through 12 who reside in the San Fernando Valley. It offers a range of math courses and culturally based curriculum designed to enhance student skills and success, at no cost to the participant.

“This program has eliminated math phobia, motivated students to exceed minimum expectations and provided students necessary tools to excel in mathematics,” said Pastor James Thomas, one of the program founders and its cultural teacher.

Thomas said the goal of the program is to offer math curriculum that will foster high academic achievement and improve college readiness among African-American students.

The program is being held at CSUN for the second year in conjunction with Living Word Church, the Departments of Pan African Studies and Mathematics. It is partially funded by a grant from the CSU Summer Algebra Institute and has received support from the Educational Opportunity Program.

“As a co-sponsor of the camp, the Pan African studies department helps students tackle what can sometimes be a difficult subject while at the same time we are able to expose them to the richness of the black community,” said Karin Stanford, chair of the department. “The algebra camp is a culturally based program, which is a wonderful opportunity for African-Americans to learn about math in an environment that also respects their culture and heritage.”

Werner Horn, chair of the Department of Mathematics, said his department is providing support to help ready students to enroll at CSUN and encourage an interest in the fields of math and science.

“African-Americans have been traditionally underrepresented in all STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields, and they still are underrepresented,” Horn said. He said STEM careers offer some of the most attractive and rewarding careers.

Horn said pre-tests and post-tests of students have shown “significant improvement for the mathematics achievement due to this program.”

Students who wish to participate are required to submit a personal statement, a letter of recommendation from a teacher (preferably a mathematics instructor) or community member, and his/her report card from the previous semester. Enrollment is expected to increase to more than 150 students, and early registration is recommended. For more information about the Culturally Based Algebra Camp and to apply, email lwccofla@yahoo.com or contact James Thomas at (323) 459-7636.

2013 graduating students. Photo by Nestor Garcia.

California State University, Northridge ranks among the top 10 universities in the country that award undergraduate and graduate degrees to Hispanic students, according to Hispanic Outlook in Higher Education.

The magazine’s annual ranking of the “Top 100” institutions for Hispanics appears in its May 13 issue.

“I am pleased to see the university maintain its high ranking on this list,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison. “The recognition underscores our standing as one of the most diverse university campuses in the nation, as well as our commitment to success and in providing opportunity and access to students from traditionally underrepresented communities.”

Northridge ranked 10th in the nation among colleges and universities that award undergraduate and graduate degrees. Miami Dade College in Florida ranked first, followed by Florida International University and the University of Texas-Pan American. Cal State Fullerton, which ranked eighth, and CSUN were the only California institutions of higher education to break the top 10 based on 2011 data from the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics’ Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System.

CSUN ranked fifth in the nation in the total number of Hispanic undergraduate and graduate students enrolled full time. First was Miami Dade College, followed by Florida International University, the University of Texas-Pan American and the University of Texas at El Paso. CSUN ranked 19th in total enrollment, both full- and part-time, of Hispanic undergraduate and graduate students.

The magazine also ranked CSUN first in the nation for bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanic students in journalism and in liberal arts and sciences; second in bachelor’s degrees awarded in general psychology; fourth in degrees awarded in the social sciences; ninth in degrees awarded in ethnic, cultural, minority or gender studies; and 10th in health and physical education or fitness.

California State University, Northridge has more than 36,000 full- and part-time students—34 percent of whom are Hispanic—and offers 69 bachelor’s and 57 master’s degrees, 28 teaching credential programs and two applied doctoral degree programs. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest single-campus universities in the nation and the only four-year public university in the San Fernando Valley. The university is home to dozens of nationally recognized programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, political science, the arts and the social sciences. While regionally focused, the university’s faculty and administrators recognize the important role its students and alumni play in shaping the future of the state and the nation.

How can colleges and universities help prepare students for the jobs of the future, and, in turn, justify the high cost of attendance? William Jennings, emeritus dean of the College of Business and Economics and interim vice president of University Advancement, believes that they are already doing it. In a rapidly evolving economy, the interdisciplinary, critical thinking skills that higher education emphasizes will be even more vital for real-world success, according to Jennings.

Produced by University Advancement, the “Think CSUN” video series features faculty experts at Cal State Northridge. We asked these campus thought leaders to speak clearly, candidly and off-the-cuff on contemporary issues in their fields of expertise.

Harmanpreet Panesar will conduct DNA research during her year as a Presidential Scholar.

Harmanpreet Panesar—a California State University, Northridge senior—isn’t only going to class and planning her life after graduation like many undergraduates. She’s also working on DNA research that could someday save a life.

Panesar is one of the eight recently announced 2013-2014 Presidential Scholarship recipients. Each year, a handful of CSUN undergraduate students are selected to receive this prestigious award, which includes a $5,000 scholarship, recognition at the fall convocation, a reception at the university president’s residence and, perhaps most importantly, the opportunity to conduct a year-long, faculty-mentored research project. Each year, the scholars present their work to the university president, administrators, faculty and fellow students at the annual Northridge Scholars Program Exhibit in May.

Ram Wolman will study how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

Panesar’s research will focus on identifying and synthesizing a compound that binds tightly to DNA.

“A good DNA binder may be used to repair damaged DNA sequences,” Panesar said. “One or more of these compounds may be used to treat life-threatening diseases such as cancer and other genetic disorders.”

Several of the other Presidential Scholar recipients will also conduct health-related research. Ram Wolman, a fourth-year molecular and cell biology major, will be studying promoter regions of bacterial genes to determine how bacteria become resistant to antibiotics.

Molecular and cell biology major Tania Benyamin will be synthesizing a catalyst for the element ruthenium.

Fellow molecular and cell biology major Tania Benyamin will be synthesizing a catalyst for the metallic element ruthenium, which as applications in producing in several commercial materials, including pharmaceuticals.

Psychology major Alina Valdez will be exploring a different aspect of health: stress. She will be validating quicker methods for measuring stress to determine if they are as effective at predicting stress-related complications like anxiety and depression as traditional, longer tests for depression.

Computer science major Matthew Newbill will spend the year testing the design of a new digital microfluidic biochip, a device used to mix fluids to precise concentrations at a sub-millimeter scale.

Computer science major Matthew Newbill will spend the year testing the design of a new digital microfluidic biochip.

The experience of conducting a research project from initial design to final presentation is invaluable for the students.

“I will be able to gain experience designing and running a study from beginning to end on my own,” said Valdez, “and will also gain the experience of writing up my results and, hopefully, sending them out for publication. This project gives me some preparation, experience and guidance on what I may expect in a Ph.D. program.”

“I am very excited to have the opportunity to present my data analysis to President Harrison, the faculty and the scholars,” said Panesar. “It has reinforced my desire to excel as a scientist-in-training and as a student.”

The Presidential Scholarships are funded by generous donations from the Associated Students, the Bayramian Family Scholarship Endowment, the Blenda Wilson Scholarship, the Diane Ryan Scholarship Endowment and the Medtronic Minimed Endowment.

For more: You can help other students by contributing to CSUN student scholarships.

Former Construction Management Program student Jose Sanchez. Photo by L.A. Daily News.

The housing market in the U.S. is bouncing back, and a select group of students from California State University, Northridge are ready to take advantage of the upswing thanks to the university’s Construction Management Program, a program of CSUN’s College of Engineering and Computer Science.

According to realestateabc.com, national sales of homes are up 9.7 percent over last year’s number, and former program students like Jose Sanchez ’12 (Construction Management) are immediately ready to work as building project managers. To get the Bachelor of Science in Construction Management, which is accredited by the American Council for Construction Education, students take a variety of classes that will reflect their workdays in the real world, from calculus to soil mechanics to business and real estate law.

“We teach them to solve problems and come up with innovative solutions,” Mohamed Hegab, a construction management professor and industry consultant who designed CSUN’s program curriculum, told the L.A. Daily News. “The construction economy is up. People are working. Salaries are good. For students, it’s a very good time to be in the Construction Management Program.”

For Sanchez, it allowed him to enter a workforce at a place where he feels he belongs.

“I enjoy it — love it,” he told the Daily News about his job at Bernards builders and management services offices in San Fernando. “Every day, I’m learning. In my head, this is where I wanted to be: at a company where I can definitely grow.”

To read more about the CSUN Construction Management Program, visit their site.

For more: Builders Team with CSUN to Train Graduates Savvy in Construction [L.A. Daily News]

Note: To activate closed captions on this video, press the “CC” button on the bottom of the  video player. (Some mobile devices may not support the “CC” button on embedded videos. For best results, view on a desktop browser or use this link to view the video directly in YouTube.)

Deaf children have the same potential for academic and professional success as hearing children, if they are given equal access to information and opportunities, argues Roz Rosen of California State University, Northridge. Drawing upon her experience as director of CSUN’s highly acclaimed  National Center on Deafness, Rosen discusses the educational rights that should be afforded to deaf children.

Produced by University Advancement, the “Think CSUN” video series features faculty experts at Cal State Northridge. We asked these campus thought leaders to speak clearly, candidly and off-the-cuff on contemporary issues in their fields of expertise.

CSUN student Katelyn Fields purchases her iPad as part of the myCSUNtablet initiative.

When Katelyn Fields walked into the Matador bookstore on July 11, she had no idea her purchase would be a milestone in CSUN’s ongoing mission to reduce the cost and increase the quality of learning materials for students. Fields, an athletic training major who plans on graduating in 2015, was the first student to buy an Apple iPad as a part of the myCSUNtablet initiative, a new program that allows students to gain immediate access to e-books and other online learning tools for selected classes. As a result, students will enjoy more cost-efficient access to their course materials through a portable, creative and easy-to-use device, available right at their fingertips.

As a part of her purchase, Fields also received a free AppleCare+ extended warranty, made available by a $50,000 grant from the Joseph Drown Foundation, whose partnership with the university spans 25 years. The grant will allow the first 500 students who are enrolled in a myCSUNtablet course and who purchase their iPad at the Matador bookstore to receive AppleCare+ at no charge.

The Drown Foundation seeks to break down the barriers that prevent people from continuing to grow and learn, such as the high costs of books and other resources in higher education. Not only does the grant serve as a good incentive for students to purchase an iPad for the new myCSUNtablet initiative, but it also gives students like Fields the peace of mind of knowing that if they accidentally drop or damage their iPad over the next two years, they will quickly receive repair or replacement of their iPad. “It is going to be amazing to have AppleCare+,” said Fields after buying her new iPad. “I know that if something happens to my iPad, it will get fixed.”

“The Drown Foundation support of Apple Care+ coverage is a wonderful benefit for 500 of our CSUN students as they purchase their iPads for the launch of the myCSUNtablet courses this fall,” shared Hilary Baker, CSUN’s vice president for information technology.

Fields is also looking forward to using her new iPad in three myCSUNtablet courses. “It is going to make learning about the body so much easier,” she said. “I will be able to look at anatomy from a 360 degree angle! Plus, it’s going to be nice using e-books to have all my books in one place.”

California State University, Northridge is accepting applications for the first award of the Jolene Koester Presidential Scholarship.

University staff and administrators have until 9 p.m., Aug. 5 to submit an application for the Jolene Koester Presidential Scholarship. The applicant must be a CSUN staff member or a management personnel plan administrator I or II; must be an employee in good standing and submit a letter of recommendation from his or her current supervisor; must be pursuing a degree at CSUN; must be using the CSUN Fee Waiver program for self or a dependent; must have a 2.0 GPA or higher; and must have filed a 2013-14 FAFSA.

“President Koester wanted to establish a way to help employees who are pursuing a degree,” said Barbara Gross, chief of staff and selection committee chair. “She wanted to do something that benefits CSUN employees.”

CSUN’s Financial Aid and Scholarship Department said up to 10 individuals could receive a scholarship of $1,000 this year. In addition to completing an application, an applicant must write an essay and provide a copy of his or her transcript.

In honor of former president Koester’s 11-year legacy of leadership, donors established the Jolene Koester Presidential Scholarship Endowment in 2011. The scholarship will be awarded annually to a member, or members, of the university staff or administration pursuing a degree in any field of study.

For additional questions about the scholarship visit the Jolene Koester Scholarship FAQ.  Contributions to the fund now exceed $214,000, including a $100,000 match by the CSUN Foundation. To make donations to the endowment, visit https://givenow.csun.edu/.

CSUN student Wynnona Loredo recently received the $8,000 Mary Bayramian Arts Scholarship.

California State University, Northridge student Wynnona Loredo didn’t know her life was about to change when she opened a letter from CSUN’s Valley Performing Arts Center. Loredo expected the envelope to contain routine correspondence about her former job at the VPAC. Instead, she learned that she had received the $8,000 Mary Bayramian Arts Scholarship.

“It’s life-changing,” Loredo, a junior ambitiously pursuing three majors—photojournalism, economics and business honors—said of the scholarship. Loredo had been working up to 35 hours a week at three jobs to cover her cost of living and tuition. She worked during shows at the VPAC, as a clerical assistant in the CSUN Foundation and as a sushi chef at a local sushi restaurant. The scholarship will allow her now to focus on classes, rather than making California rolls.

“Last semester, I was working a lot, and [worrying about] money was my primary focus,” said Loredo. She didn’t have enough time to complete all the required reading for her courses, and the Dean’s List student saw her grades beginning to slide.

Then, Jerry De Felice, CSUN’s director of development for student affairs and athletics, encouraged Loredo to apply for scholarships, which she previously believed would be too competitive for her to benefit from. With De Felice’s support, Loredo applied to several scholarships and received the $8,000 Bayramian Arts award.

Loredo’s Mary Bayramian Arts Scholarship is just one of the many scholarships funded by a $7.3 million bequest left by CSUN neighbors Mary and Jack Bayramian. After years as a homemaker, Mary returned to college in her late 30s, earning a bachelor’s degree in art from San Fernando Valley State College (now CSUN) in 1963. She then taught art at San Fernando High School. In 1971, Mary and Jack, a telephone company technician, retired to Laguna Beach and began renovating and managing real estate. Their retirement venture proved very fruitful, allowing them to make their bequest, one of the largest gifts in the university’s history.

Loredo wishes that the Bayramians could experience the effect their gift had on her and fellow scholarship recipients. “I wish they were alive so that they could see us and they could personally see the impact they make in people’s lives,” she said.

The other eight scholarship recipients this year were Melissa Del Pino (Communicative Disorders-Speech Pathology), Eli Falk (Music), Alexandra Fung (Broadcast Journalism), Matthew Lengyl (Film), Arsalan Nami (Music Therapy), Andrew Porteous (Cinema and Television Arts), Zachary Torres (Environmental & Occupational Health), and Mark Winterlin (Cinema and Television Arts).

For more: You can help other students by contributing to CSUN student scholarships.

With the stroke of her pen, President Dianne F. Harrison made California State University, Northridge the first CSU campus to officially encourage the free and open dissemination of research and scholarship.

Harrison signed the Berlin Declaration on Open Access last month. The Berlin Declaration calls for open access to knowledge in the humanities and sciences, recognizing that the Internet has changed the way knowledge and information is disseminated.

“One of the fundamental cornerstones of higher education and our work at CSUN as a regional university is to ensure that the fruits of our scholarship and research benefit our community and society at large,” Harrison said. “The declaration is already closely aligned with our commitment and efforts to broadly share knowledge and information, so I was pleased to sign the declaration.”

By becoming a signatory of the declaration, CSUN aligns itself with a growing number of North American institutions of higher education committed to a vision of globally interactive and accessible scholarly communication. Among the other American universities and colleges whose presidents and provosts have signed the declaration are Harvard University, Dartmouth College, UCLA, University of Maryland, University of Florida, Pursue University and Oregon State University.

“The open-access movement has made great strides in institutions of higher education,” said Mark Stover, dean of CSUN’s Oviatt Library. “Many academic senates in the U.S. and abroad have passed open-access resolutions encouraging their faculty to publish in open-access journals or repositories. Several federal granting agencies actually require that any research funding needs to culminate in an article available in an open-access journal or repository.”

At CSUN, Stover said, faculty, students and staff are encouraged to share their scholarly work through ScholarWorks, the university’s open-access institutional repository for capturing, organizing, preserving and disseminating intellectual output.

“Basically, in the past, any work our faculty did was ‘locked down’ behind firewalls,” Stover said. “Faculty do research and give it away to journals, and the journals charge an arm and a leg for libraries to subscribe to them. This idea of open access is that the research faculty do will always be available to anyone in the world, whether in the first world or the third world, to access and benefit by it. There are tremendous social benefits in giving everybody open access to scholarly literature.”

California State University, Northridge has always strived to be on the cutting edge of education, and now, with the university-wide roll out of several computing initiatives, the campus is on the cutting edge of technology.

The New Media Consortium has been charting the landscape of emerging technologies in teaching, learning and creative inquiry on a global scale for the past decade. Recently, the NMC highlighted CSUN in two reports (the NMC Horizon Report: 2013 K-12 Edition and the NMC Horizon Report: 2013 Higher Education Edition), noting CSUN’s excellence in helping “high-need” students across Los Angeles learn using cloud computing technology with the Computer Supported Collaborative Science initiative.

The CSCS initiative is an ongoing effort to help science teachers in Los Angeles schools engage students in authentic research experiences through the use of cloud-based computing tools. Rolled out in 29 middle schools, the initiative training included a clinical teaching experience designed to use tools like Google Docs and Google Sites to enhance student learning.

The NMC reports covered 10 emerging technologies that will impact education over the next five years: cloud computing, mobile learning, learning analytics, open content, 3D printing, MOOCs, virtual and remote laboratories, games and gamification, tablet computing and wearable technology. CSUN was singled out in the science section of the cloud computing division of the report.

For more: 10 Emerging Educational Technologies & How They Are Being Used Across the Globe

CSUN kinesiology professor Paula Thomson accepts resolution from Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander. From left: Carole Oglesby, former chair of the Department of Kinesiology; Thomson’s husband, Maurice Godin; Thomson and Councilman Englander.

Paula Thomson has been a dedicated educator, psychologist, choreographer, dancer and movement coach for 25 years. The California State University, Northridge kinesiology professor has impacted her discipline through her research and changed her students’ lives.

That dedication was rewarded Aug. 20 by Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander, who honored Thomson with a resolution for being named one of the top female professors in California by StateStas.org.

“It is an honor to recognize not only a great educator, but a true community advocate,” said Englander, who presented the resolution to Thomson. “In addition to her academic achievements, she is a member of Give an Hour and has provided pro bono psychological services to veterans and homeless patients in Los Angeles since 1997.”

Thomson, who has been at CSUN for seven years, has taught and/or choreographed at the Julliard School of Music, Stratford Shakespearean Festival and Canadian Opera Company. She is an active researcher in the field of psychophysiology. Her research has focused on the field of creativity and the relationship to dissociation, trauma, attachment and psychophysiology in performing artists, athletes and patients.

“This (CSUN) is where my love for the arts converged with my scientific curiosity,” said Thomson, a resident of Studio City. Thomson said kinesiology professor Victoria Jaque, her research colleague, has guided her “into the world of scientific research.”

“Together we tackle the questions of stress and resilience, in particular, how do performing artists, athletes and individuals with functional disorders handle stress, both psychologically and physiologically,” Thomson said.

She said she was “deeply honored and grateful” to receive the recognition from the city council.

StateStats.org is a nonprofit organization that builds free, open source tools with the goal of increasing accessibility to education and information through the use of new technologies.

StateStats.org representatives said the list is designed to highlight post-secondary educators who have been recognized recently for excellence in the classroom, on campus, and/or in the community.