CSUN computer science professor George (Taehyung) Wang presents research on Big Data during College of Engineering and Computer Science Speakers Series. Photo by Lee Choo.

Big data can have a significant impact on the economy, from reducing wasteful spending and fraud in healthcare to increasing the fuel efficiency of automobiles to job growth in the area of data analysis.

During a special  presentation, “Big Data — Trends and Technologies,” on Dec. 3, computer science professor George (Taehyung) Wang said big data can create significant value for the world economy, enhancing the productivity and competitiveness of companies and the public sector and creating substantial economic surplus for consumers.

“Data is money,” Wang said. “Everything can be connected.”

Big data is the collection of data from traditional and digital sources inside and outside a company that represents a means for ongoing discovery and analysis. Wang said the term refers to datasets whose size is beyond the ability of typical database software tools to capture, store, manage and analyze. It ranges from a few dozen terabytes to multiple petabytes.

Wang said data is collected from nearly every aspect of human life from video streaming services like Netflix to Web search engines like Google to retailers that track the shopping habits of consumers via their smartphones.

He said some cities are using big data to create smarter transportation grids, both public and private, by collecting data on how traffic flows using synchronized signals. Big data is also being used to develop more clean energy projects, and the healthcare industry is looking to provide better treatment plans through studying genomics or personalized medicine.

Wang’s presentation was part of the “Brown Bag” fall series of presentations by faculty in the College of Engineering and Computer Science. The series was launched last year to showcase the work of faculty in the college. Some of the other presentations this fall addressed, “Image Processing Techniques on Reconfigurable Hardware,” “Aspects of Smart Grid for Teaching and Research” and “Development of an Intelligent Wheelchair.”

“We have now made this a regular feature to showcase faculty research activities in our college,” said S.K. Ramesh, dean of the college. “These contemporary projects cover a broad array of important topics, from software engineering, energy, materials engineering, transportation and communications engineering just to name a few. Our students who work on these research projects gain valuable ‘hands-on’ experience that positively impacts their lives and careers.”

For a full list of the series’ topics, visit the College of Engineering and Computer Science’s website.

Students and faculty were challenged to bring in reusable water bottles as part of “Ditch the Water Bottle,” to demonstrate their collective desire to reduce plastic use. The challenge was just one of the exhibits at the eighth annual Freshman Celebration. Photo by Victor Kamont.

Freshman students expressed their concerns about the proliferation of garbage through exhibits that ranged from a trash can constructed with plastic water bottles to a necklace with beads made from junk mail to a city skyline composed of cardboard and trash.

The projects were displayed at California State University, Northridge’s eighth annual Freshman Celebration. Most of the projects were inspired by the 2013 Freshman Common Reading book, “Garbology: Our Dirty Love Affair with Trash.”

Written by Edward Humes, who served as the keynote speaker at this year’s Freshman Convocation, the book follows the journey that trash takes as it makes its way from garbage containers to landfills, sanitation plants, scrap heaps and the oceans of the world. Humes said the book does not provide all the answers, but he hopes it stimulates discussion around how people dispose of materials and encourages consumers to re-purpose and reuse trash.

More than 1,000 students enrolled in University 100, a first-year freshman seminar dedicated to ensuring long-term academic success, participated in the Freshman Celebration on Dec. 4 and 5 in the University Student Union’s Northridge Center. The Academic First Year Experiences program pulls together various freshman-learning programs taught by faculty and staff from across a range of the university’s departments and divisions to enhance the experience of CSUN students. Students are encouraged to submit projects as part of the culmination of their work at the end of the semester, and prizes are given.

“The celebration provides an opportunity for freshmen to demonstrate and appreciate the significant learning they have done since coming to college,” said Cheryl Spector, director of CSUN’s Academic First Year Experiences program. “We celebrate their achievements because we want them to understand the importance of their own work.”

Professor Catherine Givertz (fifth on the right) with students in her University 100 class. Her class won the event’s People’s Choice award for “Trash Fashion 2013.” Photo by Victor Kamont.

Harut Gzlyan, an undecided major, said his class’ project, “Your Garbology: What Do You Throw Away?,” helped him better understand the importance of recycling.

“It’s incredible how much trash we create,” Gzlyan said. “Garbage should really be recycled.”

This year’s grand prize for an on-site project went to Ellyn Gersh Lerner’s University 100 Honors class for their project: “Junk Mail: Out of Sight, Out of Mind,” which explored the “sometimes controversial and often ignored problem” of unsolicited mail and its impact on the environment. The Virtual Celebration grand prize went to Erin Delaney’s University 100 class for their virtual gallery entitled “Garbimagery,” which featured photos, artwork and infographics. The People’s Choice award went to Catherine Givertz’s University 100 class for “Trash Fashion 2013.”

In addition to offering prizes for the projects, Debbi Mercado, a lecturer in the Department of English and University 100, organized a challenge for each class to bring in reusable water bottles as part of “Ditch the Water Bottle,” to demonstrate their collective desire to reduce plastic use. A total of 475 students and faculty brought in a their reusable containers, but Katie Christolear’s U-100 class was the winner with 100 percent participation, bringing in 27 bottles reusable containers.

For more information about the Freshman Celebration, visit the Freshman Celebration website.

Susan Love

A collaborative effort by faculty at California State University, Northridge and The University of Queensland in Australia to develop an online social network to support vulnerable parents in California has won the prestigious Learning Innovation award from the Australian Institute for Training and Development.

The project enhances an evidence-based parenting program, Triple P – Positive Parenting Program, by adding social media features such as gaming technology and discussion boards to engage vulnerable parents. Triple P views the development of a parent’s capacity for self-regulation as central to successful parenting; it teaches parents the skills that enable them to become independent problem solvers.

“This project was a collaborative across three continents—Australia, France and America—and took over a year to develop,” said Susan Love, a professor in CSUN’s Department of Social Work and principal investigator of the project.

Love noted that the project, funded by a $1.18 million grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, would not have happened without “the technology of Skype.”

“The whole point is to provide parents with the tools they need to make the right decisions for their families so that their children grow up in loving, supportive and healthy environments; the developmental context for a positive social, emotional, behavioral and health trajectory,” Love said. “Furthermore, parents need to be able to learn to make good decisions for them, and not to be dependent on others.”

A prototype of the project has just been completed with parents in Compton and Hollywood.

“These families are very poor,” said Karen Turner, deputy director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre at The University of Queensland. “Three-quarters of the parents are on an income of less than $15,000 per year and most are relying on food stamps. A quarter of them have children placed in foster care, more than half are single parents and 40 percent have been in jail.”

Despite some technical issues with getting broadband connections in the community agencies that serve the families, Turner said the parents involved in the project “loved it.”

The Triple P – Positive Parenting Program has been tested in more than 100 scientifically rigorous trials (16,500 parents), multiple meta-analyses and a few population-level studies. The program has been hailed by child-rearing experts around the world and is currently implemented in 26 countries, including the United States. Triple P is not designed to work with parents during a long period of time, but rather provide them with information, practice strategies and support over the course of a few weeks to lay a foundation for positive parenting practices that last a lifetime.

Love said the online community has a similar structure. It is available in a 12-week cohort model. Skilled moderators facilitate parents moving through eight modules that cover 17 core parenting principles. The network uses gaming mechanics to encourage participation and mastery of positive parenting skills.

“What we learn from the present study will help to design an online Triple P option for implementation into the Affordable Care Act as an indicated prevention model,” Love said. “This is an exciting opportunity to explore a new way of delivering much needed resources to families, in a format that parents want.”

Linda Lingle

Former Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle is returning to her alma mater this spring to teach an upper-division course on public policy in California State University, Northridge’s Department of Political Science.

Lingle said she hopes to tap into her contacts and experience from more than 30 years as a public servant, including eight as Hawaii’s governor, and give the more than 20 students in the senior seminar, Political Science 471A, a taste of what it truly means to create public policy, whether at the local, state or federal level.

“There is so much cynicism today,” she said. “And, there are people, including some who go into politics, who seem to feel ‘if you disagree with me, you’re a bad person and your motives are bad.’ That’s not the way it should be.

“There are so many people who enter public service because they believe they can make a positive difference in people’s lives, but we forget that,” she continued. “ If you are entering the public policy arena, you need to be able to communicate and put aside differences when necessary.

“I want my students to be effective public policy makers,” Lingle said.

Harry Hellenbrand, CSUN’s provost and vice president for academic affairs, said university officials were “tremendously pleased” that Lingle agreed to teach at Northridge this spring.

“It is a great chance to learn the craft of governance from someone who has governed well and fairly in an incredibly diverse state,” Hellenbrand said.

Lawrence Becker, chair of CSUN’s Department of Political Science, said Lingle’s presence will be a unique opportunity for students.

“Not only is she bringing her own career experiences, which are invaluable in and of themselves, but she is also bringing in a number of different speakers from across policy and political arenas to share their knowledge and experiences,” Becker said. “Gov. Lingle is very interested in working with our students and providing them with opportunities beyond the classroom, opportunities that could truly impact their lives. She is going to be a positive presence, not just in her class, but on this campus.”

Lingle graduated from CSUN with a degree in journalism in 1975, and she credits that education for her success as a public servant.

Upon graduation, she moved to Hawaii and began publishing a community newspaper, The Molokai Free Press. In 1980, she decided to run for a seat on the Maui County Council because she felt the concerns of the public were not being heard. She went on to serve five two-year terms on the council, three representing the island of Molokai. In 1990, she was elected mayor of Maui County and served two full four-year terms. She was elected Hawaii’s governor in 2002 and again in 2006, despite being a Republican in a mostly Democratic state.

“I loved my time at CSUN,” she said, adding that she started out as a political science major, but switched to journalism when she couldn’t figure out how she would put a political science degree to use in the job market. She was also inspired by the way journalists impacted national events during Watergate.

“How to zero in on the essence of what is important, how to listen to all sides of an issue objectively — those are things that came from my journalism training at CSUN, and those are some of the most valuable skills I have used during my career in public service,” Lingle said.

“Listening to Henry Kissinger speak for 45 minutes and then being told you only have 12 inches to write a story about it, you learn really quickly how to get to the essence of something,” she said, laughing at one class assignment. “Those lessons I learned at CSUN I hope to impart to my students.”

Spring semester classes don’t start until Jan. 21, but Lingle has already been in touch with her students via email, laying out her expectations for the course, including bringing in as many speakers as she can from the worlds of politics and public policy. She also let her students know there will be no tests.

Instead, the former governor said grades will hinge on how the students do on three class projects. They will be asked to make written and oral presentations on public policy issues. The students will be able to choose their perspective. They can be lobbyists trying to persuade an elected official to support something, a cabinet member hoping to get the president of the United States to include an issue in the State of the Union address or even members of a community group trying to push forward a project before a city council.

Regardless of the role they choose, the students will have to write a two- to three-page memo, no longer, on an issue, outlining the various positions on the subject and their solution to the problem. They will then make a presentation to the class and field questions from the class and Lingle. As the course progresses, the criteria for assessing the projects will get tougher.

“I am basing my class on my real-world experiences in the public sector,” Lingle said. “I want my students to be able to leave my class with the skills that will make them effective advocates, whether they choose to make careers of working in the public sector or just as active, engaged citizens.”

Twins Tyler (left) and Hunter Gordon (right) with their kindergarten teacher Kimberly Jones. Photo courtesy of Lynn Gordon.

Separating twins in kindergarten — a common practice in schools across the country — can be traumatic for children and is often against the wishes of both the children and their parents, according to a new study by California State University, Northridge education professor Lynn Melby Gordon.

Gordon’s study, “Twins and Kindergarten Separation: Divergent Beliefs of Principals, Teachers, Parents, and Twins,” was published last week in the journal Educational Policy and is the first to explore the separation of twins in kindergarten by directly comparing and examining the beliefs of elementary school principals, kindergarten teachers, parents and twins.

“To put it simply, my research does not support the mandatory school-separation policies for all twins that are so prevalent in school districts across the country,” said Gordon, a professor in CSUN’s Department of Elementary Education and parent of twins herself. “School leaders should know that when a pair of twins has a genuine preference to stay together in school, it does not necessarily indicate a pathological co-dependence, a lack of individuality or an inability to make friends with other children. It is, more likely, simply indicative of a healthy, supportive relationship.”

As part of her research, Gordon surveyed principals, kindergarten teachers and preschool- and kindergarten-age twins and their parents about separating twins when they begin their formal educational experience in kindergarten.

She found that principals are much more likely to believe that twins should be separated in kindergarten than the young twins themselves, their parents and even kindergarten teachers. While a majority, 71 percent, of the principals she surveyed said they felt twins should be separated in kindergarten, only 49 percent of the teachers, 38 percent of the parents and 19 percent of the preschool and kindergarten twins agreed.

“A troubling finding from the group of principals surveyed is that over half of separation-favoring principals believe that twins do better academically when they are placed in separate classes, and almost one quarter erroneously believe that twins do better academically when they are placed in separate classes,” Gordon said. “The presumptions are not supported by the existing body of twin research. Instead, studies tend to show either no difference in the academic achievement of twins placed together versus apart or that academic achievement tends to be better when the twins are placed together.”

She found that 81 percent of preschool and kindergarten twins want to stay together in kindergarten, but about 58 percent of twins are separated into different classes. Female identical twins are most likely to report wanting to stay together in the same class in kindergarten.

Gordon said that most parents favor joint placement of twins in kindergarten.

“Perhaps not surprisingly, 95 percent of parents believe they know their kids best, and believe that schools should try to honor their class placement requests for twins,” she said.

She noted that kindergarten teachers would not mind having a set of twins in their class.

Three percent of all twins who are placed in separate classes are very traumatized by kindergarten separation, and an additional 17 percent are somewhat traumatized, according to parents. In the meantime, 69 percent of principals believe that separation is probably a little traumatic, and six percent believe that separating twins is very traumatic.

Gordon said there are instances when twins are likely to benefit from class separation.

“For example, when twins display pronounced behavior problems with one another at home or in preschool, parents recognize this to be a clear and practical reason to separate those individuals at least for a few hours a day while they are in school,” she said. “But the study’s primary conclusion is that, unless there is a compelling reason to separate twins, it is often best to keep them together, at least in kindergarten.”

California State University, Northridge hosted the San Fernando Valley Joint Higher Education Legislative Reception on Thursday. Feb. 6, at the Valley Performing Arts Center. It brought state and area legislators together to discuss issues that involve the Valley.

The reception was co-hosted and sponsored with UCLA, and presented in partnership with Los Angeles Valley College, Pierce College, Los Angeles Mission College and College of the Canyons.

The evening began with remarks from CSUN Director of Government and Community Relations Francesca M. Vega, who introduced CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison. President Harrison noted the change in leadership in the UC, CSU and community college systems, and touted CSUN’s successes.

“I would like to take this opportunity to encourage all of you to utilize the university as the great resource it is, and will continue to be, for the San Fernando Valley and the greater Los Angeles region as a whole,” Harrison said. “I hope you will return to campus for a tour or for one of our performances in this outstanding facility.”

Harrison then introduced Keith S. Parker, UCLA’s assistant vice chancellor for government and community relations, who introduced the group of elected officials who attended the event. They included state Assemblymen Adrin Nazarian and Scott Wilk; Los Angeles City Councilmembers Bob Blumenfield, Mitch Englander, Felipe Fuentes and Paul Krekorian and Nury Martinez; state Senator Fran Pavley and Los Angeles County Supervisor Zev Yaroslavsky.

Parker moderated a discussion that included such topics as job creation, the quality of public safety, the city’s infrastructure, technology growth, runaway film production and, especially, higher education.

Nazarian noted how 48 percent of the state’s current budget is diverted toward education, but that figure wasn’t enough. A theme forPavley was a shorter route for students to receive a diploma, four years rather than six or eight that are commonplace now. The group as a whole also lamented the lack of cooperation between cities and their schools system to better prepare their students for advanced learning, and life in general. Martinez said her area’s top school had 88 percent of its students fail their English and math standardized tests.

The night ended with Parker asking Yaroslavsky his thoughts about the supervisor’s upcoming retirement and who should replace him. He focused on the electorate’s need to find someone who will fight for them, and, in particular, the need to help to the area’s K-12 school and colleges and universities.

“Both my parents were teachers, and I owe everything to the upbringing they gave me and the educational opportunities I’ve had,” Yaroslovsky told CSUN Today. “I’ve always believed that’s the key to future success, and I’ve been proud that my district is home to so many universities, colleges and community colleges. As institutions of learning, as test-beds for innovative new thinking, as intellectual and cultural centers for the community, they are an integral part of what makes our region great.”

One of the bridges in the 2013 competition. Photo courtesy of Bolynet Sieng.

Just how strong is a bridge built out of popsicle sticks?

Approximately 250 high school students from throughout Southern California will find out Saturday, Feb. 15, when they take part in the American Society of Civil Engineers’ 20th Annual Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition at California State University, Northridge.

Seventy teams will face off during the daylong event designed to expose high school students to the civil engineering profession, and introduce them to some of the challenges and triumphs that civil engineers face in their careers.

“Our goal is to get the kids interested in structural and civil engineering,” said CSUN civil engineering senior Bolynet Sieng, a member of CSUN’s chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers and one of the event’s coordinators. “The day is going to be a lot of fun as the kids discover how the bridges they built function during the competition and get to make presentations on their work.”

The teams of two to four students and one sponsoring teacher were tasked with designing and constructing a model bridge made solely from common wooden craft sticks and all-purpose white school glue. The objective: build the strongest bridge — one that will hold the largest applied load before failure.

Judges will score the teams on the strength of their structure, its workmanship, presentation and a technical report that describes the design and construction phases of their project. The students also will take part in an impromptu design competition that will test their ability to perform an assigned task on the day of event without any prior knowledge of the materials to be used or the objective.

Sieng said the annual competition is a fun way for high school students to develop engineering skills through critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork and creativity.

The day is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. with registration, followed by a welcome from university officials in the University Student Union on the west side of the campus at 18111 Nordhoff St. in Northridge. The first round of the bridge competition begins at 10 a.m. and will continue throughout the day until 5 p.m. Bridge testing and the impromptu contest will take place in Jacaranda Hall, near the center of the campus.

The event’s organizers hope the competition sparks students’ interest in civil engineering and opens the doors for their pursuit of math, science and engineering-related careers, Sieng said.

For more information about the Popsicle Stick Bridge Competition, visit the American Society of Civil Engineers’ website http://mlab-ymf.org/events/popsicle-stick-bridge-competition.

California State University, Northridge President Dianne F. Harrison speaking at H.O.P.E.’s House in Granada Hills during last year’s CSU Super Sunday event. Photo by Lee Choo.

California State University, Northridge will join CSU campuses from throughout the state at Super Sunday, an annual event where campus leaders visit predominately African-American churches to boost access, achievement and completion of historically underserved populations.

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison and Vice President of Student Affairs William Watkins ’74 (Urban Studies) will be speaking on Feb. 23 at two local churches. Harrison will speak at the 10:45 a.m. service at H.O.P.E.’s House Christian Ministries (10654 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills, CA 91344), and Watkins will speak at the 10:45 service at the Living Praise Christian Center (9200 Owensmouth Ave., Chatsworth, CA 91311).

“CSUN is committed to continuing to attract, retain and graduate students from all backgrounds,” Harrison said. “Super Sunday is just one of the many initiatives that support access and provide a pathway to a university education. Working together with the African-American community and their churches and congregations served results in better informed and better prepared students ready to take charge of their future.”

Launched in 2005, CSU Super Sunday is an annual event where leaders throughout the 23 CSU campuses work together in a united effort to give underrepresented students the tools needed to successfully enter college. To date, nearly 500,000 churchgoers have received information about financial aid, been introduced to the 23 CSU campuses and learned how to achieve academic success at the university.

After the service, parents and students have the opportunity to engage with CSU representatives, obtain posters on How to Get to College and learn how to navigate CSUMentor.edu — a website that helps students explore campuses and majors, as well as apply to the CSU.

CSU Chancellor Timothy P. White will speak during the 10:45 a.m. service at Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Fresno on Feb. 16. On Feb. 23, he will take the pulpit during the 10:30 a.m. service at Trinity Baptist Church in Los Angeles.

CSU trustees, presidents, alumni and students will speak at a total of 113 churches this year, reaching nearly 100,000 youth and their families.

For more information about CSUN student outreach programs, visit the campus’ Office of Student Outreach and Recruitment Services (SOARS).

Linda Darling-Hammond

California is on the cusp of great educational change as new Common Core standards are implemented in schools across the state, while efforts are being made to strengthen its teaching workforce.

Noted education scholar Linda Darling-Hammond, chair of California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing, will discuss these and other changes on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at the next Education on the Edge lecture series presented by California State University, Northridge’s Center for Teaching and Learning.

“Dr. Darling-Hammond is a well-known researcher and prominent figure in the area of education reform,” said Wendy Murawski, executive director and Eisner Endowed Chair at the Center for Teaching and Learning. “Dr. Darling-Hammond has been named one of the most influential people in education reform and has served as a consultant to President Obama. As the current chair of the state’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing, she has a unique insight into what she terms ‘California on the edge.’”

Rebecca Mieliwocki, 2012 National Teacher of the Year and a Cal State Northridge alumna, will introduce Darling-Hammond at the event, which is scheduled to take place from 7 to 8 p.m. in the Northridge Center of the University Student Union, located on the east side of campus off Zelzah Avenue.

Darling-Hammond is the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education, where she launched the School Redesign Network, the Stanford Educational Leadership Institute and the Stanford Center for Opportunity Policy in Education. She is the author and editor of more than a dozen books and more than 300 articles on education policy and practice.

Her work focuses on school restructuring, teacher education and educational equity. She has served as an education advisor to President Barack Obama and was reportedly among the candidates for Secretary of Education in the Obama administration. In 2012, she received the Grawemeyer Award for Education from the University of Louisville.

Murawski said she expects Darling-Hammond’s presentation will get people thinking about the changes ahead in education.

“At the Center for Teaching and Learning, our focus is on what really works in education,” she said. “We know that the only way we can truly identify what really works is to have individuals who are willing to look at what is going on out there, question if it really works and then share what they’ve learned.”

The Education on the Edge speaker series is free and open to the public. However, reservations are required. To reserve a seat, register at http://ctlhammond.eventbrite.com.

CSUN’s Center for Teaching and Learning is the research, collaboration and professional development arm of the Michael D. Eisner College of Education. Faculty from departments across the college are conducting cutting-edge research and professional development to address the needs of schools in collaboration with K-12 teachers, administrators and community members.

The center was established in the summer of 2002, thanks to a generous gift from the Eisner Foundation, the family foundation of Michael and Jane Eisner. The center initially focused on neurodevelopment and how knowledge of those constructs can be taught to teachers and ultimately impact the way they teach and the way students learn. During the past few years, the center has broadened its scope. Faculty and affiliates are researching and analyzing multiple innovative approaches to teaching, counseling, educational therapy, administration and professional development.

Attendees at a past CSUN Conference. Photo courtesy of the Center on Disabilities.

Thousands of people from around the globe are expected to gather in San Diego next month for the world’s largest event dedicated to exploring new ways technology can help persons with disabilities.

California State University, Northridge’s 29th annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities Conference is scheduled to take place from March 17 to 22 at the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel.

People with disabilities make up the largest group of attendees and “are the reason we all gather to push the research and challenge industry professionals to keep moving technology forward and tackle new challenges,” said Sandy Plotin, managing director of CSUN’s Center on Disabilities, which organizes the conference.

The “CSUN Conference,” as it is known in the industry, is the only one of its kind sponsored by a university. It provides an unique opportunity for persons with disabilities to have direct input in the creation of or modifications to assistive technology — from wheelchairs and interactive software to apps.

“Our conference brings together thousands of people from around the world — including scientists, practitioners, educators, government officials, tech executives and entrepreneurs — all committed to driving innovation in assistive technology to promote inclusiveness for people with disabilities,” Plotin said.

The conference explores all aspects of technology and disabilities. It features a faculty of internationally recognized speakers, more than 350 general session workshops and more than 130 exhibitors displaying the latest technologies for persons with disabilities. This year’s speakers include Kathy Martinez, assistant secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor.

The keynote address will be given by Tommy Edison, who has gained national acclaim for his blog, “Blind Film Critic.” Edison, blind since birth, also produces online videos that offer glimpses into his life and the often humorous challenges he faces every day. He also has been a radio personality for nearly 25 years, spending the past 19 as the traffic reporter for a Connecticut station.

Conference organizers are working once again with WebAble TV, an Internet TV channel for people with disabilities on the TV Worldwide Network, to serve as the conference’s official webcaster.

“In past years, we have been able to provide some coverage of the conference to non-attending participants through WebAble TV’s live interviews with sponsors, exhibitors, VIPs and through a recording of the keynote address,” Plotin said. “This year, we’re excited that we’ll be selecting five sessions each from our science and research track and the web accessibility track, for a small fee to download post conference. We’re hoping that this helps expand the conference experience for people who are unable to attend.”

For more information about the conference or how to register, visit CSUN’s Center on Disabilities website, http://www.csun.edu/cod/conference/index.php, or call (818) 677-2578 V/TTY.

California State University, Northridge has a long history of involvement in many aspects of assisting persons with disabilities dating back to 1961, when the university was known as San Fernando Valley State College. This precedes Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. In 1983, university officials created the Center on Disabilities to assist students in realizing their academic and career goals. To that end, the technology and persons with disabilities conference was launched.

The conference has grown to about 5,000 participants, with presenters and exhibitors sharing technology devices, services and programs. Participants travel from all 50 states, numerous territories and more than 35 countries. It has an international reputation for expanding the knowledge base of professionals and introducing newcomers to the field.

California State University, Northridge is a regionally focused, nationally recognized university serving nearly 39,000 full- and part-time students in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Founded in 1958, Cal State Northridge is among the largest universities in the nation and is ranked among the top universities for bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students.

It has nine colleges and more than 2,000 faculty members who teach courses leading to bachelor’s degrees in 69 disciplines, master’s degrees in 58 fields and doctorates in education and physical therapy, as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Continuously evolving and changing to meet the needs of California and the nation at large, the university is home to dozens of acclaimed programs where students gain hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, the arts and social sciences.

Linda Darling-Hammond

The Education on the Edge lecture by noted education scholar Linda Darling-Hammond, chair of California’s Commission on Teacher Credentialing, scheduled to take place on Wednesday, Feb. 26, at California State University, Northridge has been cancelled.

Darling-Hammond, the Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education at the Stanford University Graduate School of Education and an education advisor to President Barack Obama, was scheduled to talk about the changes happening in California’s educational systems, from the implementation of new Common Core standards in school to efforts being made to strengthen its teaching workforce.

Darling-Hammond’s presentation was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances,. University officials said they are planning to reschedule the lecture.

The Education on the Edge speaker series is presented by CSUN’s Center for Teaching and Learning.

The Center for Teaching and Learning is the research, collaboration and professional development arm of the Michael D. Eisner College of Education. Faculty from departments across the college are conducting cutting-edge research and professional development to address the needs of schools in collaboration with K-12 teachers, administrators and community members.

The center was established in the summer of 2002, thanks to a generous gift from the Eisner Foundation, the family foundation of Michael and Jane Eisner. The center initially focused on neurodevelopment and how knowledge of those constructs can be taught to teachers and ultimately impact the way they teach and students learn. During the past few years, the center has broadened its scope. Faculty and affiliates are researching and analyzing multiple innovative approaches to teaching, counseling, educational therapy, administration and professional development.

CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison

Officials from California State University, Northridge and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), one of the oldest and highest-ranked academic institutions in Latin America, are partnering to create a Los Angeles-based center that will focus on scholarship and research on Mexico and Latin America.

Given Southern California’s rich Mexican and Latin American heritage and CSUN’s reputation for ethnic diversity, officials with both universities said the partnership — which will include shared research projects and multi-cultural studies as well as opportunities for student and faculty exchanges and collaborations — was “a natural.”

“This is an incredible opportunity for both our institutions,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison. “UNAM and CSUN have very similar missions: providing a quality education that is accessible by people from broadly diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds, with faculty who are respected scholars in their fields dedicated to teaching, service and research.

“This partnership will not only benefit scholarship at our respective universities,” Harrison said, “but it also will provide an opportunity for business and civic leaders in the region an opportunity to learn more about Mexico and Latin America and their people.”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who is expected to join Harrison in Mexico City for the signing of the agreement between CSUN and UNAM, hailed the partnership.

“Los Angeles has rich cultural and economic ties with Mexico,” Garcetti said. “This new center will help build relationships and pave the way for CSUN, UNAM and the city of Los Angeles to work collaboratively on projects that will benefit both regions.”

This is the fifth collaboration between the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and a foreign institution of higher education, and the only one with a university in the United States. UNAM currently has centers at the Sorbonne in Paris, France; the Institute Cervantes in Madrid, Spain; the National University of Costa Rica and Beijing’s University of Foreign Studies.

Harrison and other CSUN officials are flying to Mexico City this weekend to sign an agreement formalizing the partnership, paving the way for the creation of the Center for Mexico and Latin American Studies. The center will be housed in CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and open to faculty and students in all disciplines across the campus interested in the study of Mexico and Latin America.

“Eventually, we would like to see the center open its doors to scholarship beyond our two campuses,” said Stella Theodoulou, dean of CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

The center, which opens this fall, will be housed at CSUN and accommodate scholars from both institutions, in addition to serving as a base for academics from UNAM doing research in the region.

Theodoulou said she is hoping the Center for Mexico and Latin American Studies will provide a catalyst for academic networking and exchanges with UNAM’s other centers around the globe.

The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is one of the most recognized universities in Latin America, and one of the largest and most artistically detailed. Its main campus in Mexico City is a World Heritage site that was designed by some of Mexico’s best-known architects of the 20th century. Murals at the main campus were painted by acclaimed artists, including Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

UNAM is internationally recognized for its publications and journals on a variety of topics, including mathematics, physics, history and Latin American studies. It is also the only university in Mexico with Nobel laureates among its alumni, including Alfonso García Robles for peace, Octavio Paz for literature and Mario Molina for chemistry.

California State University, Northridge is a regionally focused, nationally recognized university serving more than 38,000 full- and part-time students in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest universities in the nation and is ranked among the top universities for bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students.

The university has nine colleges and more than 2,000 faculty members who teach courses leading to bachelor’s degrees in 69 disciplines, master’s degrees in 58 fields and doctorates in education and physical therapy, as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Continuously evolving and changing to meet the needs of California and the nation at large, CSUN is home to dozens of acclaimed programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, the arts and social sciences.

The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM)

Officials from California State University, Northridge and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), one of the oldest and highest-ranked academic institutions in Latin America, have signed an agreement to partner in the creation of a Los Angeles-based center that will focus on scholarship and research on Mexico and Latin America.

Given Southern California’s rich Mexican and Latin American heritage and CSUN’s reputation for ethnic diversity, officials with both universities said the partnership — which will include shared research projects and multi-cultural studies as well as opportunities for student and faculty exchanges and collaborations — was “a natural.”

“This is an incredible opportunity for both our institutions,” said CSUN President Dianne F. Harrison. “UNAM and CSUN have very similar missions: providing a quality education that is accessible by people from broadly diverse ethnic, social and economic backgrounds, with faculty who are respected scholars in their fields dedicated to teaching, service and research.

“This partnership will not only benefit scholarship at our respective universities,” Harrison said, “but it also will provide an opportunity for business and civic leaders in the region an opportunity to learn more about Mexico and Latin America and their people.”

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, who joined Harrison in Mexico City on March 3 for the signing of the agreement between CSUN and UNAM, hailed the partnership.

“Los Angeles has rich cultural and economic ties with Mexico,” Garcetti said. “This new center will help build relationships and pave the way for CSUN, UNAM and the city of Los Angeles to work collaboratively on projects that will benefit both regions.”

This is the fifth collaboration between the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México and a foreign institution of higher education, and the only one with a university in the United States. UNAM currently has centers at the Sorbonne in Paris, France; the Institute Cervantes in Madrid, Spain; the National University of Costa Rica and Beijing’s University of Foreign Studies.

Harrison and other CSUN officials flew to Mexico City this past weekend to meet with UNAM Rector José Narro Robles and sign the agreement formalizing the partnership, which paves the way for the creation of the Center for Mexico and Latin American Studies. Garcetti and Carlos Sada, Counsel General of Mexico in Los Angeles, attended the ceremony.

The center will be housed in CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences and open to faculty and students in all disciplines across the campus interested in the study of Mexico and Latin America.

“Eventually, we would like to see the center open its doors to scholarship beyond our two campuses,” said Stella Theodoulou, dean of CSUN’s College of Social and Behavioral Sciences.

The center, which is expected to open this fall, will be housed at CSUN and accommodate scholars from both institutions, in addition to serving as a base for academics from UNAM doing research in the region.

Theodoulou said she is hoping the Center for Mexico and Latin American Studies will provide a catalyst for academic networking and exchanges with UNAM’s other centers around the globe.

The Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México is one of the most recognized universities in Latin America, and one of the largest and most artistically detailed. Its main campus in Mexico City is a World Heritage site that was designed by some of Mexico’s best-known architects of the 20^th century. Murals at the main campus were painted by acclaimed artists, including Diego Rivera and David Alfaro Siqueiros.

UNAM is internationally recognized for its publications and journals on a variety of topics, including mathematics, physics, history and Latin American studies. It is also the only university in Mexico with Nobel laureates among its alumni, including Alfonso García Robles for peace, Octavio Paz for literature and Mario Molina for chemistry.

California State University, Northridge is a regionally focused, nationally recognized university serving more than 38,000 full- and part-time students in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. Founded in 1958, CSUN is among the largest universities in the nation and is ranked among the top universities for bachelor’s degrees awarded to minority students.

The university has nine colleges and more than 2,000 faculty members who teach courses leading to bachelor’s degrees in 69 disciplines, master’s degrees in 58 fields and doctorates in education and physical therapy, as well as 28 teaching credential programs. Continuously evolving and changing to meet the needs of California and the nation at large, CSUN is home to dozens of acclaimed programs where students gain valuable hands-on experience working alongside faculty and industry professionals, whether in the sciences, health care and engineering or education, the arts and social sciences.

For more information about the center, click here.

Juana Mora

Juana Mora, a professor of Chicana/o studies at California State University, Northridge, has been elected to a national education board dedicated to ensuring Latino students have the support they need to succeed in college.

Mora, who serves as assistant to the provost on Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSI) and Diversity Initiatives, was elected last month to the Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators (AHSIE) Council. She will attend her first meeting of the council later this month.

“The AHSIE is identifying best practices at Hispanic Serving Institutions across the country on such topics as what is best for retaining Latino students and how to help them graduate in a timely manner,” Mora said. “I want to be part of that discussion and in assisting in identifying best practices.”

“Hispanic Serving Institution” is a designation the federal government bestows on those universities and colleges that have a full-time undergraduate student populations that is at least 25 percent Hispanic. The designation makes them eligible for Title V funding through the U.S. Department of Education. The Alliance of Hispanic Serving Institution Educators was created to support the work of Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) across the nation as they seek to provide quality educational opportunities to their students and communities.

Mora was born in Jalisco, Mexico, and immigrated to the United States with her parents and seven siblings in 1960. She is the first member of her family to attend college. She worked after school to help her family and received financial support to attend the University of California at Santa Cruz, where she received bachelor’s degree in linguistics. She was awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship to attend Stanford University, where she earned her doctorate in education.

Mora, who has taught at CSUN for the past 23 years, is a nationally recognized expert on Latina/o culturally focused substance-abuse treatment and prevention, and has developed and taught courses on Latino families and women. Her most recent research has focused on the development of community-based research partnerships for the improvement of Latino community health. She co-edited the book “Latino Social Policy: A Participatory Research Model,” which highlights lessons learned and best practices in Chicano community-based health research.

Dwayne Cantrell, director of student outreach and recruitment services at CSUN, speaks to a group of students at the Harambee High School Conference. Photo by Nestor Garcia.

Nearly 400 mostly African-American high school students visited California State University, Northridge on Feb. 28 as part of the Harambee High School Conference’s efforts to expose and encourage young people to attend college.

The students — from 16 high schools from throughout California including Northridge Academy, Van Nuys, Antelope Valley, Bakersfield and Inglewood — were invited to campus by the Harambee Student Association and the CSUN Office of Student Outreach and Recruitment Services.

“This program came into existence because we wanted to make sure students like you were supported and encouraged,” said William Watkins ’74 (Urban Studies), CSUN’s vice president of student affairs, who welcomed those in attendance. “We want you to be successful and provide the tools to make that possible.”

James Henry ’91 (Afro-American Studies), M.A. ’94 (Educational Policy/Leadership and African-American Studies) an academic advisor in CSUN’s resource center and vice president of the Black Alumni Association facilitates a student panel discussion. Photo by Nestor Garcia.

After the welcome, the students took part in workshops where they were able to ask a panel of current students and alumni about their college experiences. Among the questions posed: Why did you choose to attend CSUN? How are you able to pay for college? What challenges have you faced and how did you overcome them?

“CSUN was not my first choice, but after I got here I realized it was the best choice,” said Tabitha Sanchez, a communications studies major and student panelists. “I love the diversity and all of the activities on campus.”

Sanchez, who is in her second year at CSUN and a resident adviser in the dorms, said the Harambee event is “great” because it helps high school students connect to CSUN “ethnically, culturally and scholastically” through meeting current students and alumni.

Teri Owen, a college counselor at Taft Charter High School who has brought students to the conference for the last three years, said the event is “great exposure to CSUN” and to the students.

“It gives students motivation,” Owen said. “ It makes them look at themselves differently.”

Jane Small dedicated her life to championing the rights of people with disabilities. Her work earned accolades from elected officials and civil rights activists across the country, including a declaration by then California Gov. Gray Davis of a “Jane Small Memorial Day” when she died in 1999.

Hoping to inspire a new generation of advocates, California State University, Northridge officials award CSUN’s first scholarships to students working on behalf of people with disabilities in Small’s honor next month.

The Jane Small Scholarship for Advocates for People with Disabilities was created by Small’s son, Jack Goetz, an educator and mediator, and his wife, Jennifer Kalfsbeek-Goetz, assistant dean of CSUN’s Tseng College. The pair said it was only “natural” to create such a scholarship at CSUN given the university’s international reputation for meeting the needs of students with disabilities and creating programs to serve people with disabilities in the community.

“I’m surprised that someone hadn’t done something like this before us,” Kalfsbeek-Goetz said. “Jane Small was such an inspiration, and she still is. Her mission to create access for disenfranchised groups is being recognized in this scholarship. There is no other place in this country, maybe even the world, more about disabilities access — relevant disabilities access — than CSUN. It’s part of our culture. It’s who we are.

“It’s only right that we honor those students — in their classroom work, their research or in their personal lives — who are making that idea of accessibility a reality,” she said.

Kalfsbeek-Goetz and her husband established the endowment for the scholarship with a $10,000 gift. University officials are accepting applications this spring for one to two $1,000 scholarships, which will be awarded to students attending the university this fall. The scholarships are open to all students, from entering freshmen to graduate, credential and non-credit enrolled students, who are using their studies and/or volunteer work to advocate for people with disabilities.

Small spent much of her life working on behalf of the disenfranchised, particularly those with disabilities. She served as vice chair of the city of Los Angeles’ Advisory Council on Disability, legislative chair of the California Association of Persons with Handicaps, director of program development of the Los Angeles Comprehensive Rehabilitative Center, director of the Westside Center for Independent Living and was a member of the UCLA’s Chancellor’s Committee on Disability and the Los Angeles Olympic Committee Advisory Board on Disability. She also was active with the housing task force of the California Department of Rehabilitation, the Select Committee on Consumer Involvement of the State Council on Developmental Disabilities and the Los Angeles County Commission on Disabilities. Small founded the Disabilities Awareness Month observance in Santa Monica and initiated that city’s creation of the Office of the Disabled.

In 1990, at the age of 59, Small enrolled in law school, determined to give more power to her advocacy efforts, Kalfsbeek-Goetz said.

“She was always trying to find ways that she could do more,” Kalfsbeek-Goetz said.

Small died in October 1999. A month later, then Gov. Davis proclaimed Nov. 20, 1999 as “Jane Small Memorial Day,” to honor her work advocating on behalf of people with disabilities.

“The scholarship is another way to honor her legacy,” Kalfsbeek-Goetz said. “It will hopefully inspire future advocates to follow in her footsteps.”

Those interested in contributing to the Jane Small Scholarship can contact Jerry De Felice in CSUN’s Division of Student Affairs at (818) 677-3935 or jd@csun.edu.

Elaine Hall, the author of “Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles in the Classroom,” served as guest lecturer this spring in the Department of Special Education’s Accelerated Collaborative Training Residency (ACT-R) program. Photo by Lee Choo.

On a recent evening at California State University, Northridge, Elaine Hall guided nearly 30 special education teachers through a lesson on what it’s like to be autistic.

“Now, close your eyes. Take a deep breath in and out and now explore your senses,” Hall instructed. “First touch. … Listen. What do you hear? … Taste … Smell … Open your eyes … Now, explore them all at once.

“Imagine feeling like this and being asked to pay attention and connect,” said Hall, scanning the faces and reactions of the disoriented students in the class. “The senses are all colliding. It’s really challenging.”

Hall, the author of “Seven Keys to Unlock Autism: Creating Miracles in the Classroom” and creator of The Miracle Project, a theatre and film social skills program profiled in the Emmy Award-winning HBO documentary “Autism: The Musical,” used the exercise as a way to illustrate the challenges faced by many children with autism. Autism is a spectrum disorder, meaning that there is a wide range of variation in the way it affects people. Some children with autism may be nonverbal; others highly verbal. Some children on the autism spectrum may have challenges with social skills, communication skills, language development and anxiety.

She explained to the students that many children with autism spectrum disorders have sensory processing issues and underreact or overreact to sensory stimuli.

For a child who is very sound sensitive, sudden noises, such as a ringing telephone, can be upsetting — and they may respond by covering their ears and making repetitive noises to drown out the offending sound. Some children on the autism spectrum may be highly sensitive to touch and texture. They may cringe at a pat on the back or the feel of certain fabric against their skin. A child may “act out” because of feeling overwhelmed by the sensory stimulation in their environment. It is important to recognize that all behavior is communication.

Hall served as guest lecturer this spring in the Department of Special Education’s Accelerated Collaborative Training Residency (ACT-R) program. She agreed to speak after hearing positive information about the university from her husband, Jeff Frymer, M.A. ’05 (Family Therapy). The ACT-R program is a combined 24-month credential/master’s degree program offered collaboratively by CSUN and the Los Angeles Unified School District. The program prepares teachers to serve students with disabilities in high-need schools. Candidates obtain a credential in one year through full-time study as a teacher-in-residence. In the second year of the program, graduates are employed in the LAUSD and complete their master’s degree while on the job. With an additional semester of study, candidates may obtain an education specialist clear credential.

“We do this to show teachers that it’s not just about the intervention,” said Ivor Weiner, coordinator of the department’s autism certificate program and the professor who invited Hall to speak as part of the four-part lecture series. “It’s important that students understand the kids they are working with.”

Jennifer Flowers, one of the students in the class who is currently working with special-needs children at a Pacoima elementary school, said the lecture series has added “life, a face and humanity” to the textbook.

“She (Hall) has really brought so much passion and knowledge,” Flowers said. “I have a better understanding and appreciation for working with children with autism.”

Hall, nicknamed “Coach E!” and called “the child whisperer” by The New York Times, was a top Hollywood children’s acting coach whose life changed dramatically after her son Neal, adopted from a Russian orphanage, was diagnosed with autism. When traditional behavioral therapies did not work for him, she sought the help of child psychiatrist Dr. Stanley Greenspan, who encouraged her to rally creative people to join Neal’s world.

“I had to find a way for me to connect to Neal and for him to connect as well,” Hall said. She founded The Miracle Project, a socialization program that enables children and teens with autism and other special needs to express themselves through music, dance, acting, story and writing. During her lecture, Hall told the class that in her book, she lists “acceptance” as an important key to helping autistic children.

“It’s important to notice their abilities instead of disabilities,” Hall said. She asked the class how they would feel if someone focused on their weaknesses, rather than their strengths.

“We need to train ourselves to be the happy detectives,” Hall said.

California State University, Northridge is taking its commitment to sustainability to the next level this fall with the launch of a new residence hall community dedicated to preserving the environment through living and learning together.

The new community focused on sustainability will open in CSUN’s student housing with the start of the  fall semester in August.

“Student housing provides an ideal incubator to promote sustainable living principles and habits,” said Timothy Trevan, director of student housing and conference services.

Last year, a team of CSUN faculty and staff was charged with improving current sustainability practices in student housing and implementing best practices, though a program of education training.

“Sustainable practices are very near and dear to President Harrison’s heart, so with her initiative, our cohort wanted to take what we had learned and apply it to a project on campus,” said Trevan. “What better way to do that than with our students living on campus.”

The sustainable-living themed learning community, will occupy a floor in one of CSUN’s student housing structures. About 50 students will live together while learning about, sharing and practicing sustainability. Education about sustainability will be threaded throughout a program of discussion groups, lectures, off-campus experiences and other activities that the students will participate in during the course of the year.

“What we’re really hoping for is a multiplying affect,” said Trevan. “We intend that these students will take what they learn to become leaders in sustainable practices across different positions at CSUN, spreading their knowledge to fellow students and staff.”

Trevan said the goal is that the knowledge these students gain doesn’t end at CSUN.

“Ideally, we hope that these students will seek out jobs in sustainable practices, and that even if their careers are not focused on generating new green ideas, they will still use what they have learned to have sustainable practices in their chosen career field,” he said.

CSUN currently offers ten unique theme-living communities and living-learning communities for students living in the university’s residence halls. The communities are comprised of groups with 30 to 150 students living together and pursuing the common goal of expanding their education through shared learning experiences that go beyond the classroom. Each community is supported by a resident advisor who is a member of the community and a steering committee that draws from students, faculty, student housing staff and other campus staff. In this highly collaborative structure, students set priorities, plan activities, and identify opportunities to improve academic and personal growth.

“In the long term, successful sustainability practices used in the learning community can be integrated and scaled to CSUN housing as a whole, Trevan said.

For more information please call CSUN’s student housing at 818-677-2160.