New Kensington faculty and staff honored for publications, awards

NEW KENSINGTON, Pa. — Penn State New Kensington honored campus faculty and staff at the 22nd Faculty Research Reception held in the Elizabeth S. Blissell Library on Dec. 4. The annual celebration was organized and led by Jennifer Gilley, interim director of the Penn State Commonwealth Campus Libraries-Western Region and head librarian at the New Kensington campus. In addition to recognizing faculty and staff publication and awards, this year’s event also featured a panel of faculty researchers who offered remarks and answered questions from attendees. See a full listing of reception honorees and more photos at the 2024 Faculty Research Reception webpage. 

Publications 

• Cathi Gerhard, adjunct instructor of English, authored “The Goddess of Execution and Justice,” for the Flash Fiction Challenge by NYC Midnight.

• Craig Hammond, assistant director of academic affairs and associate professor of arts and humanities, co-authored “From the Stacks: Research Center--Columbia Records of Indigenous Enslavement in the Ste. Genevieve Archives” for the Missouri Historical Review. 

• Richard Harnish, professor of psychology, co-authored “Are We Truly Different in Personal Values and Compulsive Buying Proclivity? Cross-Cultural Contrasts Between the United States and East-Central Europe” for the International Journal of Consumer Studies. 

• Joie Marhefka, program coordinator and associate teaching professor of biomedical engineering technology, authored three articles for TechNation: “The Future: VR Works for Biomed Education,” “The Future: Tips for a Great Interview,” and “The Future: HTM Hot Topics going into 2024.” He also co-authored “Coming Full Circle: The 360° Experience for Biomedical Engineering Technology Students” for Biomedical Engineering Education. 

• Robert Mathers, distinguished professor of science, co-authored “A New Life for Nitrile-Butadiene Rubber: Co-Harnessing Metathesis and Condensation for Reincorporation into Bio-Based Materials” for Angewandte Chemie and “Polymer macroligands passivate halide perovskite surfaces” for RSC Applied Polymers. 

• Penelope Morrison, associate professor of biobehavioral health, co-authored “They Are Notoriously Not Very Honest: Provider-Based Stigma and the Challenge of Integrated Care for Women Experiencing IPV and OUD” for the Journal of Family Violence. 

• Kristen Pueschel, associate teaching professor of mathematics, co-authored “Dehn functions of mapping tori of right-angled Artin groups” for the Glasgow Mathematical Journal. 

• Richard Wentling, assistant professor of criminal justice, authored “Striking the Right Balance: Examining the Reinvestment Strategy in Pennsylvania” for The Prison Journal and co-authored two additional articles: “They Are Notoriously Not Very Honest: Provider-Based Stigma and the Challenge of Integrated Care for Women Experiencing IPV and OUD” for the Journal of Family Violence and “Exploring Aftermath Concerns as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Inmate-on-Staff Victimization and Turnover Intent Among Correctional Officers” for Criminal Justice Policy Review (CJPR).   

Awards 

• Joy Krumenacker, Penn State New Kensington Excellence in Teaching Award (Full-Time) 

• Joke Slagle, Penn State New Kensington Excellence in Teaching Award (Part-Time) 

• Joseph Cuiffi, Arlene Hall Service Award 

• Joy Krumenacker, Club Advisor of the Year Award 

• Jim Shields, Penn State New Kensington Service to Campus Award 

• Paula Dove, Penn State New Kensington Service to Students Award