Faculty and Staff Achievements for Jan. 2019

Each month, the work of California State University, Northridge faculty and staff is recognized in a variety of ways, including:

  • Funding from outside organizations to support unique programs and cutting-edge research facilitated on campus.
  • Publications of books or articles.
  • Professional awards.
  • Presentations at conferences.
  • Appointments and elections to governing boards.

Please use this link to announce your achievements for publication in CSUN Today. 

Below is a list of the individuals whose work was recognized in January 2019:

Publications: 

Michael Johnson Jr. (Department of Cinema and Television Arts) published a book through Wayne State University Press, “Theres No Place Like HBO? The Political Economics of Race and Sexuality on American Television.” He also published two articles, “Teaching While Ugly: A Story of Racial Pulchritude, Privilege, and Pedagogy,” and “Interracial Fetish and Exoticized Latinidad on HBO’s ‘Looking.'”

Joanne Scillitoe (David Nazarian College of Business and Economics) published an article in WalletHub, “Business Credit Cards – Ask the Experts.”


Awards and Honors:

Hillel 818, which serves CSUN, and college students throughout the San Fernando Valley, was presented with the Philip H. and Susan Rudd Cohen Outstanding Campus Award at this year’s Hillel International Global Assembly. In addition to nurturing the second largest Jewish student population in North America, Hillel 818 has revolutionized the ways campus Hillels can help their students find a warm, comforting space where their diversity and Judaism interplay and guide their college careers. Our Hillel’s response to the wildfires, Borderlines Bar and Grill Shooting and the threats experienced on campus last semester was particularly admirable and sets an example of true partnership with a University which serves as a model for Hillels across the country.  During these times of duress Hillel students leapt into action holding a Challah baking fundraiser, and taking extra care to make sure that every student on campus felt safe and cared for.

Michael Johnson Jr. (Department of Cinema and Television Arts) served as a judge for the 39th College Television Awards through the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Foundation.


Research and Sponsored Projects:

Robert Carpenter and Peter Edmunds (Department of Biology) received $257,323 from UC Santa Barbara in support of their project “LTER: MCR III: Long-Term Dynamics of a Coral Reef Ecosystem.”

Damian Christian (Department of Physics and Astronomy) received $21,999 from the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in support of his project “Close Encounter with Comet 46P/Wirtanen: X-ray Tomography of the Coma.”

Michael Johnson Jr. (Department of Cinema and Television Arts) was awarded a CSUN Faculty Success Grant. He also received a $1,000 Faculty Learning Community Grant from the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication.

Jonathan A. Kelber (Department of Biology) received $362,500 from the National Institutes of Health in support of the project “Non-Transcriptional Mechanisms of PEAK1 Action During TGFbeta-Induced EMT.”

Scott Kleinman (Department of English) received $82,155 from the Regents of the University of California in continuing support of the project “WhatEvery1Says.”

Mingsung Kwon, (Department of Elementary Education Department), received a TeachingWorks-CSU methods course fellowship in the amount of $10,500 for elementary math methods course instructors to develop practice-based, justice-oriented teacher education. TeachingWorks is an organization at the University of Michigan led by Deborah Ball, dedicated to ensuring that all children have skillful teachers who are committed to and able to support their growth, with a particular focus on promoting equity and the advancement of justice through teaching. The fellowship is sponsored by the S.D. Bechtel, Jr. Foundation and the California State University (CSU) system.

Amy Levin (Office of Research and Graduate Studies) received $1,734,645 from the Regents of the University of California in support of the project “California Social Work Education Center (CalSWEC).”

Kathleen Rowlands (Department of Secondary Education) received $32,185 from the Regents of the University of California in support of the Cal State Northridge Writing Project.

Sally Spencer, Sue Sears and Vanessa Goodwin (Department of Special Education) received $400,000 from the U.S. Department of Education in continuing support of the “Literate Adolescents (LA) Intervention Model Demonstration Project.”

Sha​ri Tarver-Behring (Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling) received four grants from the LA County Department of Children and Family Services: She received $520,000 in support of the project “Adoption Promotion and Support Services (APSS) – SPA 2”; $62,611 in support of “Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, Intervention and Treatment (CAPIT) – San Fernando Valley”; $61,810 in support of “Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, Intervention and Treatment (CAPIT) – West San Fernando Valley”; and $72,418 in support of “Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention, Intervention and Treatment (CAPIT) – Santa Clarita Valley.” Tarver-Behring also received $12,492 from the Los Angeles Unified School District in support of the project “Professional Development Services in Support of Private Schools.”

Claudia Toledo-Corral (Department of Health Sciences) received two grants from the University of Southern California: She received $16,520 in support of “Lifecourse Approach to Developmental Repercussions of Environmental Agents on Metabolic and Respiratory health (LA DREAMERs),” and $39,273 in support of the project “Maternal and Developmental Risks from Environmental and Social Stressors (MADRES).”