A large group of Westminster College’s faculty discussed their research and creative works at the day-long Faculty Scholarship Celebration on Wednesday, Oct. 16, in the McKelvey Campus Center.

“Westminster’s annual Faculty Scholarship Celebration offers students the opportunity to learn more about their professors’ professional lives as scholars,” said Westminster College Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the College Dr. Jamie McMinn. “Scholarship contributes to great teaching and great teaching gives us new ideas to explore in our scholarship.”

“The 26 faculty members from across the liberal arts who shared their scholarship recognize the value of including students in our research projects. Undergraduate research is a signature strength of Westminster's path to success, and our nationally and internationally renowned faculty members lead and walk with students in the pursuit of knowledge and success,” said McMinn.

Faculty scholars who participated were:

Dr. Michael Aleprete, professor of political science, presented “Russia’s Great Power Ambition and its Relative Position in the Material Distribution of Power.” Aleprete joined the Westminster faculty in 2007. He earned his B.A. from Duquesne University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Andy Bain, assistant professor of criminal justice studies, presented “Independent Research—Students Ask the Right Questions.” Bain joined the Westminster faculty in 2023. He earned his undergraduate degree from Southampton University and M.Sc. and Ph.D. from the University of Portsmouth.

Keith Bittel, assistant professor of business, discussed “Protecting the Public Interest: The Search for a New Generation of Accountants.” Bittel, who joined the faculty in 2015, earned his undergraduate degree from Westminster College and his M.S. and MBA from Duquesne University.

Dr. Jeffrey Bersett, professor of Spanish, presented “Being Invisible: Scholarship and Translation in the 21st Century.” Bersett earned his undergraduate degree at Washington University and his Ph.D. at the University of Virginia. He has been a member of the Westminster faculty since 2002.

Dr. Helen Boylan, professor of environmental science, and Alexandra Bender, a sophomore biology major, presented “The Effects of Nature Therapy on Stress, a Summer Drinko Research Fellowship.” Boylan joined the Westminster faculty in 2001. She earned her undergraduate degree from Westminster College and her Ph.D. from Duquesne University.

Dr. Deanne Buffalari and Dr. Jessica Rhodes, associate professors of psychology, presented “Studying How Nicotine and ADHD-like Behaviors Interact in Human Subjects and Rodents: The Benefits of Dual Perspectives.” Buffalari, who joined the faculty in 2014,  holds a B.S. from Allegheny College and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. Rhodes joined the faculty in 2016. She earned her B.A. from D’Youville College and her M.A. and Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo.

Dr. Jamie Chapman, associate professor of sociology, presented “How Do High Achieving Students Place Value on Aspects of their Educational Experiences?” Chapman, who joined the faculty in 2014, earned her undergraduate degree at Edinboro University and Ph.D. from the University of Akron.

Dr. Joshua Corrette-Bennett, associate professor of biology, presented “Using Mexican Salamanders as a Model for Studying Wound Healing and Tissue Regeneration.” Corrette-Bennett joined the Westminster faculty in 2001. He earned his undergraduate degree from Bates College and his Ph.D. from Brandeis University.

Dr. Katherine Ellis, visiting assistant professor of French, discussed “Rethinking the ‘Pathology’ of Emotion through World War I French Medicine.” Ellis, who joined the faculty in 2024, earned a B.A. and B.S. from Central Michigan University and a M.A. and Ph.D. at Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Eric Fields, assistant professor of cognitive neuroscience, presented “The Negativity Bias and the Positivity Effect: Changes in the Processing of Emotional Information as We Age.” Fields joined the faculty in 2021. He earned a B.A. and B.S. from Middle Tennessee State University and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Tufts University.

Eric Gaber, lecturer of business and the Scheller-Edwards Entrepreneur in Residence, presented “Small Business Project Opportunities.” Gaber has been a member of the faculty since 2018. He earned a B.S. from Clarion University and his MBA and EMBA from Indiana University.

Dr. Timothy Grieve-Carlson, assistant professor of interfaith studies, presented “Contact Zone: Supernature and Culture in the Big Thicket.” Grieve-Carlson, who joined the faculty in 2022, earned his undergraduate degree from Drew University and his M.A. and Ph.D. from Rice University.

Aaron Himes, instructor of music and director of bands, discussed “Major is Minor! Ongoing Challenges of Measuring Musicality.” Himes joined the Westminster faculty in 2024. He earned a B.M. from Susquehanna University and a M.M. from the University of North Texas.

Dr. Patrick Lackey, associate professor of chemistry, presented “Using Computational and Experimental Chemistry to Understand Histone mRNA Degradation.” Lackey has been a member of the faculty since 2016. He earned a B.S. from Duquesne University and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina.

Dr. David Horst Lehman, assistant professor of history, discussed “Telling Western Pennsylvania History through Slavery and Abolition.” A member of the faculty since 2023, he earned a B.A. from Goshen College and a Ph.D. from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.

Dr. Emily Mazzant, assistant professor of education, presented “Re-Envisioning Course Delivery and Instruction: Supporting the Development of Higher Education Students through Consideration of the Hierarchical Order of Needs.” Mazzant joined the Westminster faculty this fall. She earned her undergraduate degree, master’s and Ph.D. from Slippery Rock University.

Martha McGrath-Brown, instructor of sports management, presented “Navigating Barriers and Gender Performance: Exploring the Experiences of Women in Leadership within Men’s Professional Sports.” McGrath-Brown joined the faculty in 2023. She earned her undergraduate degree from Taylor University and a M.S. from Slippery Rock University.

Dr. Diana Ortiz, associate professor of biology, discussed “Vector Biology Research at Westminster College.” Ortiz joined the Westminster faculty in 2014. She earned her B.S. from the Universidad del Turabo, a M.S. from Jackson State University and a Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina.

Dr. Kristin Park, professor of sociology, presented “Including the Old Order Amish in Higher Education Diversity Curricula.” Park joined the faculty in 1993. She earned an A.B. from Colgate University, a M.A. Certificate in Latin America Studies, a M.A. and a Ph.D. from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill.

Dr. James Rhoads, professor of political science, presented “‘Barbie’: Examining the Subjectivity of a Sociopolitical Film.” A member of the faculty since 1992, Rhoads earned his B.A., M.A. and Ph.D. from Kent State University.

Dr. Pamela Richardson, professor of mathematics, presented “Not Everything is ‘Easy’: Improving Mathematics Textbooks.” Richardson joined the Westminster faculty in 2006. She earned a B.S. from Bowling Green State University and a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Brittany Rowe-Cernevicius, assistant professor of public relations, presented “Brand Placement: Reviving a Research Agenda with a New Look at an Old Topic.” A member of the faculty since 2010, she earned a B.A. and M.A. from Edinboro University and a Ph.D. from Bowling Green State University.

Dr. Pete Smith, professor of chemistry, presented “Recovering Critical Minerals from Waste Streams.” Smith, who joined the Westminster faculty in 2002, earned his undergraduate degree and Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee.

Dr. Jessica Sarver, associate professor of chemistry, along with Gabbie Garza, senior biochemistry major, presented “Spilling the Tea: Fermentation Effects on Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Activity of Kombucha.”  Sarver joined the faculty in 2016. She earned her undergraduate degree from Penn State Behrend and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.

Bradley Weaver, lecturer of broadcast communications, presented with Reid Sanderson, a senior broadcasting and sports communication major, “Westminster’s Green Team: Communication at the Intersection of Science, Sustainability, and Social Media.” Weaver joined the Westminster faculty in 2000. He earned his B.A. from Alderson-Broaddus College and a M.S. from the University of Kansas.

Dr. Jennifer Waldo, assistant professor of business, discussed “Antecedents Influencing Persistence of Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).” Waldo, who joined the faculty in 2022, earned her undergraduate from Westminster, an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh, an M.Ed. from Seton Hill University, and a DBA from Grand Canyon University.

For more information about the Faculty Scholarship Celebration, please contact McMinn at mcminnjg@westminster.edu.    

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