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Stauffer-Flint Hall to be home of Kansas Media Hall of Fame
LAWRENCE — Stauffer-Flint Hall at the University of Kansas will serve as the new home for the Kansas Media Hall of Fame, featuring inductees in the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame, effective May 19. Portraits of the recent inductees will be displayed throughout the year along with an interactive touchscreen featuring the previous inductees. Each January, portraits of the new induction class will be installed, and the previous year’s class will transition to the digital display.
Understanding what democracy means proves key to supporting it, study finds
LAWRENCE — A new article from a University of Kansas professor, titled “Under the Veil of Democracy: What Do People Mean When They Say They Support Democracy?,” uses global cross-national survey data that demonstrates individual variation in the understanding of democracy is linked to democratic support across countries and regime contexts. The results suggest one must consider divergent conceptualizations when analyzing opinions of democracy.
Tsvetan Tsvetanov to give Shutz Lecture May 4
LAWRENCE — A decorated University of Kansas economics professor will offer an inside look into his energy and environmental economics research and how it influences his teaching goals and approach in the classroom. Tsvetan Tsvetanov will deliver “Understanding and Teaching the Fundamentals of Decision-Making” for the annual Shutz Lecture series at 3:30 p.m. May 4.
School of Social Welfare center will host 2023 LGBTQ Research Symposium
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy will host its annual LGBTQ Research Symposium as a virtual event June 1-2. This year’s program will build on traditions established over the past 10 years, providing researchers and advocates opportunities to present their work, discuss challenges and opportunities, and network with others conducting LGBTQ+ research across disciplines.
Six students receive Kansas Biological Survey Student Research Awards for 2023
LAWRENCE — The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at the University of Kansas has awarded $6,500 in funding this spring for graduate student research to be conducted this year. Their work covers subjects such as the effect of microbes on native plant adaptation and drought tolerance, the effect of wildflower seeding density in a prairie restoration and the effect of roots on the structure of deep soil. Recipients include Annalise Guthrie, of Kansas City, Missouri.
Full stories below.
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Contact: Steve Rottinghaus, School of Journalism, 785-864-7644, [email protected], @KUJournalism
Stauffer-Flint Hall to be home of Kansas Media Hall of Fame
LAWRENCE — Stauffer-Flint Hall at the University of Kansas will serve as the new home for the Kansas Media Hall of Fame, featuring inductees in the Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame, Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame and Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame, effective May 19.
Portraits of the recent inductees will be displayed throughout the year along with an interactive touchscreen featuring the previous inductees. Each January, portraits of the new induction class will be installed, and the previous year’s class will transition to the digital display.
“The William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications is honored to showcase the rich legacy of Kansas media,” said Ann Brill, dean of the journalism school. “We look forward to partnering with Kansas Press Association and Kansas Association of Broadcasters throughout the years to celebrate the individuals who have excelled in their careers. We hope this inspires the next generation of storytellers.”
Inductees from the Class of 2022, their family members and former inductees are invited to the dedication and ribbon cutting May 19, on the KU Lawrence campus. Festivities will begin with a social and remarks at 3 p.m. at the Jayhawk Welcome Center and Adams Alumni Center before the ribbon cutting at Stauffer-Flint.
The KAB, which has been honoring outstanding broadcasters for more than 50 years, currently has 103 inductees in its hall.
“The Kansas Association of Broadcasters is thrilled to have created the Kansas Media Hall of Fame along with our great partners at the Kansas Press Association,” said Allison Mazzei, KAB president. “The KAB has been honoring outstanding broadcasters since 1969 with our Distinguished Service Award and in the year 2000 created the Hall of Fame — our highest distinction. Each year we induct one to three legacy broadcasters who have made significant contributions to the industry into these prestigious categories. We are incredibly grateful to the William Allen White School of Journalism & Mass Communications for providing this physical space to honor our members and inspire the next generation of broadcasters.”
Since 1931, the KPA has inducted 142 journalists who have made outstanding contributions to their profession.
“We are grateful to Dean Ann Brill and many others that helped bring the new Kansas Media Hall of Fame to the University of Kansas,” said Emily Bradbury, KPA executive director. “The William Allen White School of Journalism has played such a pivotal role in the journalism industry in Kansas that it is fitting that the Hall of Fame would find a permanent home here. Working with Allison and the Kansas Association of Broadcasters is always a pleasure, and we are proud to partner with them on this project.”
The inaugural Photojournalism Hall of Fame was announced last fall.
The Kansas Press Association and Kansas Association of Broadcasters will announce their 2023 Hall of Fame classes in October.
Here are the 2022 HOF inductees:
Kansas Newspaper Hall of Fame
Murrel Bland, Jean Hays, John Marshall and Bill Roy
Kansas Broadcasters Hall of Fame
Don Free, Jack Oliver and Wyatt Thompson
Kansas Photojournalism Hall of Fame
Rich Clarkson, Carl Davaz, Jeff Jacobsen, Chris Johns, Brian Lanker, Sandra Milburn, Gordon Parks, Jim Richardson, Charlie Riedel, Gary Settle, Bill Snead and Pete Souza.
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Contact: Jon Niccum, KU News Service, 785-864-7633, [email protected]
Understanding what democracy means proves key to supporting it, study finds
LAWRENCE — Winston Churchill famously said, “Democracy is the worst form of government — except for all those other forms that have been tried.”
However, that presumes people agree on what the term actually means.
“Not everybody understands what democracy is, and understanding of democracy is tied to support for it,” said Valery Dzutsati, visiting assistant professor of political science at the University of Kansas.
“Moreover, misunderstanding is also tied to not supporting it.”
His new article, titled “Under the Veil of Democracy: What Do People Mean When They Say They Support Democracy?,” uses global cross-national survey data that demonstrates individual variation in the understanding of democracy is linked to democratic support across countries and regime contexts. The results suggest one must consider divergent conceptualizations when analyzing opinions of democracy. It’s published in Perspectives on Politics.
Co-written by Hannah Chapman of the University of Oklahoma, Margaret Hanson of Arizona State University and Paul DeBell of Fort Lewis College, the article notes there is no such thing as a perfect democracy.
“There cannot be because we as humans are not perfect,” Dzutsati said.
So what country is closest to the textbook definition of this system of government?
“That’s a controversial question because specialists also have very different views on what is a democracy, how to define it and how to rank it,” he said.
Dzutsati points out, for example, how some of the most celebrated democracies (the U.S. included) often end up with a two-party system. And, theoretically, these should be less effective since they feature limited choices.
“But at the same time, we do see multiparty systems in Europe which are so multiparty that they become dysfunctional,” he said.
“Coalitions are hard to build because there are so many parties and each of them holds a small share of votes, so it is easy to block decisions. It is perhaps a ‘better’ democracy in a way, but it’s not functional. You want to live in a functional society because roads need to be built and things need to be kept in order.”
The researchers based their findings on the last three waves of the World Values Survey, including the most recent one from 2017-2022. The analyzed data encompasses 85 countries. According to their conclusions, an individual’s knowledge of democracy is fairly low on average.
“A significant proportion of respondents conflate things like army rule or religious cleric rule with manifestations of democracy,” Dzutsati said.
“What it means for us as educators is we need better education so that people understand what a democratic political system is. And, by the way, the U.S. is not an exception. A lot of Americans who say they support democracy also say they support a strong man’s rule — a strong man who is a man of action who does things no matter what, disregarding the legislature and elections if needed.”
Then should America still be deemed a democracy?
“With a fair amount of confidence, I would say yes. Why? Because voting still matters,” he said. “You can disagree with a variety of things, but you cannot disagree with the fact that this country can change very significantly through voting.”
Dzutsati was raised in North Ossetia (in the southwest of European Russia). As part of the former Soviet Union, his country’s official system of government described itself as “democratic centralism.” Interestingly, he said the Soviet Union had voting but didn’t actually have elections.
“That was because for every electable position there was only one candidate,” he said.
“You did go to voting booths, and it was made like a public holiday held usually on Sundays. There would be events and food. People would come and cast their ballot, which didn’t mean anything. It was simply a confirmation of the existing order.”
Contemporary Russia is in a very similar situation absent the Communist ideology, he said. Many Russians do not see a better alternative to Vladimir Putin’s regime, which vigorously promotes the belief of Putin’s indispensability along with the idea that no true democracy exists anywhere. Incidentally, support for democracy is among the lowest in Russia according to World Values Survey data.
Dzutsati earned his doctorate in political science from Arizona State University. He is an expert in politics and conflict of Eurasia and Eastern Europe, and his past work includes “Secessionist conflict as diversion from inequality: The missing link between grievance and repression” and “Russia’s Syria War: A Strategic Trap?” (co-written with Emil Souleimanov).
He said the last decade has been quite insightful when researching the ebbs and flows of democracies, particularly in the U.S.
“One big error we had a few years ago is we had this kind of linear view of development. The world and this country are becoming more and more democratic. Everything is fine. You don’t have to do anything. Sit and relax. That’s not the case,” Dzutsati said. “I hope we have learned this lesson.”
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Tsvetan Tsvetanov to give Shutz Lecture May 4
LAWRENCE — A decorated University of Kansas economics professor will offer an inside look into his energy and environmental economics research and how it influences his teaching goals and approach in the classroom.
Tsvetan Tsvetanov, De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Associate Professor of Economics in the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, will deliver the annual Shutz Lecture at 3:30 p.m. May 4. A reception in his honor will immediately follow. The lecture, “Understanding and Teaching the Fundamentals of Decision-Making,” will take place in the Beren Petroleum Conference Center, Slawson Hall G192.
Tsvetanov was recently honored with the Byron T. Shutz Award for Excellence in Teaching and is KU’s 36th recipient of the award. In his research, Tsvetanov has explored topics related to renewable energy adoption, energy efficiency investments, resource conservation and climate change effects.
“My research is in the area of energy and environmental economics,” Tsvetanov said. “I aim to gain a better understanding of the factors that drive individuals in their energy-related decisions and utilize my findings to derive recommendations for policies that can be used to influence these individuals’ decisions.”
At KU, he teaches courses in microeconomics, energy economics and environmental economics. He has taught at various levels, ranging from introductory undergraduate courses to the doctoral level.
The environmental and energy economist joined KU in 2015 and held the distinction of Oswald Scholar for the first six years after his arrival. Tsvetanov received the Charles W. Oswald Teaching Award from the Department of Economics in 2018 and served a one-year term as the director of graduate programs and associate chair in the department that ended in the spring of 2022. He received the De-Min and Chin-Sha Wu Award in 2022. The award honors excellence among associate professors in the Department of Economics.
Tsvetanov has a courtesy appointment with the KU Environmental Studies Program and is an affiliated faculty member for the Institute for Policy & Social Research, the Center for Environmental Policy and the Center for Russian, East European & Eurasian Studies. Before joining KU, he was a postdoctoral associate at Yale University.
Tsvetanov has published more than a dozen scholarly articles in various peer-reviewed journals, including the top field journals Journal of Environmental Economics and Management and Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists.
Tsvetanov obtained his bachelor’s degree at Vassar College in New York with a double major in economics and German studies. He obtained his master’s degree from Columbia University and a doctorate in agricultural and resource economics from the University of Connecticut.
KU established the Byron T. Shutz Award in 1978 to recognize distinguished teaching by a KU faculty member. Each year the award alternates between honoring outstanding teaching in any discipline and teaching in the fields of economics and business. The award’s namesake received the Distinguished Service Citation in 1963, KU’s highest recognition.
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Contact: Elizabeth Barton, School of Social Welfare, [email protected], @KUSocialWelfare
School of Social Welfare center will host 2023 LGBTQ Research Symposium
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas School of Social Welfare Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy will host its annual LGBTQ Research Symposium next month. This virtual event will take place June 1-2, offering live sessions from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“I’m so excited to continue offering this symposium through the CLRA at KU,” said Meg Paceley, associate professor and co-director of the Center for LGBTQ+ Research and Advocacy. “Providing this resource in an accessible online format allows us to collaborate and network with more queer scholars and reach practitioners and advocates who need research to promote equity and justice in their work.”
This year’s program builds on traditions established over the past 10 years, providing researchers and advocates opportunities to present their work, discuss challenges and opportunities, and network with others conducting LGBTQ+ research across disciplines. This year’s theme of “Queering Community & Kinship” emphasizes constructing and maintaining queer connections through the continuation of LGBTQ+ narratives and research.
The fully online, digital format of the 2023 symposium presents unique and creative opportunities to enhance accessibility and integrate digital humanities ideas and concepts. The format of presentations will include live presentations, panel discussions, roundtables, workshops and innovative technological presentations. Pre-recorded presentations, posters and creative submissions will also be available on demand during the conference. The opportunity to earn continuing education units (CEUs) is available for many of these sessions.
“While this conference has its roots in the Midwest, it is wonderful to be able to virtually convene such an incredible group of scholars, advocates and community partners from across the country,” said Briana McGeough, assistant professor and center co-director. “I’m continually inspired by the ways that LGBTQ individuals show up to support each other, and it’s an honor to witness a microcosm of that support during the symposium.”
The conference will feature three awards for Outstanding Community Organization, Outstanding Emerging Scholar Paper and Outstanding Student Paper. Awardees will be announced during the keynote session June 1. Award nomination materials should be emailed to [email protected] by May 12 to be considered. Find more event, registration and award details visit the 2023 LBGTQ Research Symposium website.
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Contact: Kirsten Bosnak, KU Field Station, 785-864-6267, [email protected], @KUFieldStation
Six students receive Kansas Biological Survey Student Research Awards for 2023
LAWRENCE — The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research at the University of Kansas has awarded $6,500 in funding this spring for student research to be conducted this year. The research center’s 2023 Student Research Awards are providing six graduate students with funding in support of their ecological research.
Their work covers subjects such as the effect of microbes on native plant adaptation and drought tolerance, the effect of wildflower seeding density in a prairie restoration and the effect of roots on the structure of deep soil. During the 2023–2024 academic year, each student will present their research during one of the center’s Friday Ecology Seminars, which went online in 2020.
The research center houses a diverse group of ecological research and remote sensing/GIS programs. It also manages the 3,300-acre KU Field Station, a resource for study across the university.
“We’re excited about the important work these students are doing in various areas of terrestrial ecology and are glad to be in a position to provide support,” said Bryan Foster, who chairs the awards committee. Foster is a KU professor of ecology & evolutionary biology, a senior scientist at the research center and director of the KU Field Station.
The Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research has presented several different named awards, listed below. Each is funded through KU Endowment, the independent, nonprofit organization serving as the official fundraising and fund-management organization for KU.
The Director’s Award provides support for research conducted by a graduate student. Ceyda Kural, Houston doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, was awarded $1,500 in funding for her project, “Tripsacum dactyloides: a native plant model to study microbial contributions to local adaptation and drought tolerance.” Her adviser is Maggie Wagner, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and assistant scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
The Kenneth B. Armitage Award provides support for research conducted by an undergraduate or graduate student at the KU Field Station. Brooke Bernhardt, Minneapolis, Minnesota, graduate student in ecology & evolutionary biology, was awarded $1,000 in funding for her project, “The role of species identity and species richness on physiological responses to precipitation.” Her adviser is Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
In addition, four students received funding through the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research Awards, which provide support for research conducted by either undergraduate or graduate students. In 2023, four students were awarded $1,000 each.
1. Naomi Betson, Nashville, Indiana, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for her project, “Effects of forb seeding density on community structure and development over the first eight years of a prairie restoration.” Her adviser is Bryan Foster, professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
2. Reb Bryant, Shreveport, Louisiana, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for their project, “Native arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and prairie restoration success at Nachusa Grasslands.” Their adviser is Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
3. Annalise Guthrie, Kansas City, Missouri, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, received the award for her project, “Evidence for rapid and wide-spread root-induced soil structural changes in deep soils.” Her adviser is Sharon Billings, University Distinguished Professor, Dean’s Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
4. Yufan Zhou, doctoral student in ecology & evolutionary biology, from Urumqi, Xinjiang province, China, received the award for his project, “Comparing plant-soil feedback between perennial and annual species.” His advisers are Maggie Wagner, assistant professor of ecology & evolutionary biology and assistant scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research, and Jim Bever, Foundation Distinguished Professor of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and senior scientist at the Kansas Biological Survey & Center for Ecological Research.
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