Faculty Research

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

John All

Geography & Geology

All of my research looks at sustainability – usually in the context of climate change.  I mainly look at how environmental decision making (such as resource management) impacts both the local ecosystem and those that are dependent upon it.

Sustainability, Climate change, Resource management, Environmental decision-making

 Alexander Barzilov

 Physics& Astronomy

 (1) Online cross-belt coal analysis system for fossil fuel power plants. (2) "Optimal use of electric energy in restaurant industry, hospitals, and smart buildings." (3) "Safe energy production and transmutation of radioactive waste in subcritical hybrid reactors". 

 Coal analysis, fossil fuel power plants, electric energy optimization, nuclear energy , radioactive waste

 Chris Groves, Jason Polk, and Leslie North

Geography & Geology

 Access to sufficient, safe water supplies constitutes one of earth's most critical sustainability issues.  Students, faculty, and staff of WKU's Hoffman Environmental Research Institute implement local, regional, national and international research and training programs, and have developed numerous effective partnerships, focused on solutions to water and other environmental sustainability challenges.

 Clean water, critical resources, environmental sustainabiltiy

 Steve Huskey

 Biology

 I'm a fish biologist with passion for sustainable fisheries, especially in the oceans. I've done some recent research on pelagic (open ocean) fish species that was recently featured as a one-hour Nat. Geo. TV show. I examine fishes from a functional perspective and looking at the impact humans are having by overfishing them and their prey.

 sustainable fisheries, functional biology of fish

 Albert Meier

 Biology

 Biodiversity, forest growth and disturbances, conservation, natural heritage

 Matthew Nee

 Chemistry

 The Lab studies photochemical reactions in the natural environment. One project involves changes in molecular structure as a means of monitoring compounds that lead to NO, NO2 and ozone gases; a second seeks to understand the processes by which complex industrial and agricultural pollutants can be easily neutralized; a third project involves live field monitoring to correlate production of toxic gases with environmental and climate variables.

 photochemical reactions, ozone, NO and NO2, pollution, climate

 Hemali Rathnayake

 Chemistry

 Research is focused on new energy sources, with the goal to develop new materials for converting solar energy to electricy.  Our research focus is on developing organic‐based energy harvesting materials to enhance power conversion efficiency of existing solar cells by replacing hard semiconducting materials (eg: silicon based) and produce low cost energy storage devices.

 solar energy, organic-based solar sells, low cost energy storage

 Bruce Schulte

 Biology, Dept. Head

 Michael Stokes

 Biology

 Research is in wildlife ecology and conservation, primarily in Africa.  NSF funding for developing non-lethal means for mitigating wildlife incursions onto smallholder farms in Africa.  I am also active in developing social-psychological theory for successful implementation of indigenous conservation projects.

 wildlife ecology, conservation, indigenous populations, sustainabiltiy

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

Emmanuel Iyiegbuniwe

Public Health

Research interest is in Green Building/LEED: indoor air quality impact, lighting and sustainability, assessment of physical and chemical parameters of public health importance, thus ensuring that building occupants are healthier and more productive.

Green building, LEED, Indoor air quality, lighting, sustainability factors in public health

Larry Owens

Social Work

 In response to increasing global changes, this article proposes that social work education add "meta"-practice to traditional micro, mezzo, and macro practice curriculum areas.  Drawing on pertinent literature, the authors conceptualize "meta"-practice as a necessary paradigm shift for competent and relevant social work practice. Further, the authors articulate how meta-practice uniquely addresses interdependent global concerns, particularly in the frame of sustainability.

 Global sustainability, sustainability curriculum

 Tammie Lynn Stenger-Ramsey

 Kinesiology, Recreation & Sport

 Sustainable transportation (especially related to parks and recreation to include: creating bicycle friendly cities –  personal vehicle usage in national parks – transportation carbon footprint of wilderness and backcountry expeditions)  Sustainable facility design (especially in parks and recreation facilities to include: trail design, eco-friendly structures, alternative energy production, and green rooftops)

 Sustainable transortation, bicycle friendly cities, sustainable facility design, trail design, green roofs

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

Cynthia Houston

Teacher Education

Reducing waste and developing a university-wide approach to electronic student records management

Waste; electronic records

Jeanine Huss

Teacher Education

School gardens; waste reduction

School gardens; waste reduction

Roxanne Spencer

Library Services

history of sustainability; education for sustainability K-12 resources

history of sustainability; EfS K-12 resources

Nancy Givens

Center for Envir Educ & Sustainability

Research on history of, defining competencies, future directions of) Education for Sustainability (ESD), Transformative/Values Education, and ESD in Teacher Education. Collaborative research interests for Durbin statewide demonstration project, e.g., green infrastructure (low impact development), green affordable housing – high performance or passive homes, to native plants, community building, community scale renewable energy.  It is a perfect laboratory for research in each of these areas.

history of ESD, ESD competencies; transformative/values education; low impact development (green infrastructure); sustainable energy; high performance homes; community building.

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

Afzal Rahim

Management

Relationship between managers' social intelligence and attitudes toward sustainability

Social intelligence; attitudes toward sustainability

Patricia Todd

Marketing & Sales

Marketing influences consumption; consumers influence marketing.  Consumption is a major factor in the successful implementation of sustainable practices. My research focuses on the identification of the perceptual issues surrounding sustainability across stakeholders. Individual mindsets impact strategy.  Once recognized, an understanding of these differences may lead to improving the understanding of sustainability and its complexity, ultimately leading to integrated marketing strategy development.

Marketing; consumption; integrated marketing strategy

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

Ann Ferrell

Folk Studies and Anthropology

Isabel Mykonyora

Philosophy & Religion

I plan to start a course covered under on "the history of sustainability in religious studies." Besides acting as one of two key members of the planning group for the Interfaith Dialogue on Earth Care (Feb 19/20/2010, I created a 400 level course, now approved to start teaching next Fall. I  am on sabbatical doing research on sustainability in the history of African religions.

History of sustainability; sustainability and religion; Africa

Michael Ann Williams

Folk Studies and Anthropology

Faculty Member

Department

Research Description

Keywords

Jane Olmsted

Gender & Women's Studies, Director

I am interested in healing and sustainability; rethinking the land ethic: Sustainability and the humanities; building social stability as part of sustainability efforts; ongoing study abroad research and service opportunities in the Peruvian Amazon.

healing and sustainability; land ethic; social stability and sustainability; Peruvian Amazon

Molly Kerby

Gender & Women's Studies, Director

Sustainable food production; local food systems; local green business management

Leah Ashwill and Nadia DeLeon

ALIVE Center

The ALIVE Center has a role in funding and providing faculty and staff support for applied/community-based research projects conducted by WKU faculty and graduate and undergraduate students, and some of these projects fall under the umbrella of environmental and/or social sustainability.

environmental sustainability, social sustainability, community-based research

Geoffrey Wigner and Daniel Stone

Facilities and Energy Management, Glasgow Campus

My team has initiated recycling of cardboard, mixed paper, plastics, and steel.  We are currently testing LED lighting among other lighting technologies as well as a number of sustainable initiatives.  I would be interested in getting involved with Western in the drive for a more sustainable campus.