Eastern Illinois University is home to a great deal of innovative research and creative activity, and a new WEIU-TV program returns for a second program to highlight the work being done by EIU's talented faculty.
The newest installment of Connect premieres Sunday, May 3, at 9 p.m.; the hour-long program focuses on four Eastern faculty members from a variety of academic areas and will re-air a number of times over the next couple weeks. According to the program's website, "Connect is a program special focused on telling stories of inspired ideas and creative thinking of the faculty at Eastern Illinois University."
For example, Connect will feature the research of Department of Psychology faculty member Susan Longley, who saw the need for mental health services in rural areas and worked with Sarah Bush Lincoln Health System on a pilot project to deliver needed services via Skype:
The project allows patients to visit their local primary care clinic for therapy that is provided from EIU, by Dr. Longley and her graduate assistant. The long-range goals of this pilot are the following: a) to address the chronic shortage of rural mental services where they are most needed and b) to train master-level clinical psychology students in rural mental health services.
After the premiere episode of Connect finishes its run -- the program website also lists these additional air times -- you can come back to this page to watch it or visit WEIU's YouTube channel to catch it again. To see how you can watch it over the airwaves, take a look at the station's TV coverage area map and cable listing. In the meantime, here are synopses of the other three segments from the second offering:
Isaac Slaven, School of Technology
Dr. Slaven's research interest comes from working high off the ground on towers and wind turbines. He wondered about the safety and life expectancy of the ropes he was hanging from. Along with his students, ropes and knots are put to the test in the materials testing lab. This data is shared with rope manufacturers as well as engineering publications.
John Bickford III, School of Education and Professional Studies
Mention the course "social studies" and it may bring back memories of memorizing historical dates and people, Dr. Bickford's research is helping middle school teachers turn their students into historical thinkers. Through analysis of textbooks, primary sources and trade books, historical subject matter is assessed for representations and misrepresentations, in turn providing teachers and students a richer and well rounded approach to the subject.
Jamie Ryan, Department of Music
Mr. Ryan comes from a family of percussionists. As a professor of percussion, Mr. Ryan and his students practice and perform on a wide range of percussion instruments, everything from drums, xylophones, tambourines and even wine glasses. When he?s not teaching Mr. Ryan composes and performs music with Africa>West Percussion Trio, a group he founded with his brother in 1999.
