Kathryn Ananda-Owens, Professor of Music
During this sabbatical, I will complete a book project cut short in 2020 when I agreed to become Music chair just as the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic began. An outgrowth of my work in the field of performing arts medicine, Half Life of an Injury chronicles the impact of a performance-related injury on the life, health, and career of an elite classical musician, and delves into what performing artists know and don’t know about the anatomy, function, care and maintenance of the human body. Ranging from explications of medical jargon to performance psychology to recent findings in the study of injury prevention, the book seeks to educate readers about what it takes to keep an instrumental musician in peak performing condition. At the same time, Half Life provides a window for health-care professionals into the unique experiences of musician patients, and for music professionals into the specialized field of music medicine.
Marcus Bansah, Associate Professor of Econonics
The existence of a large shadow economy is one of the developmental challenges in poor and emerging countries. Unlike in the developed world where shadow economic activity is often less than 10 percent of formal output, informal output accounts for approximately 40% of output in the developing world (Schneider 2007; La Porta and Shleifer, 2008). For my sabbatical, I plan to investigate the dynamic relationship between inflation and the shadow economy. Most studies that investigate the relationship between inflation and the shadow economy focus on the optimal rate of inflation in an economy with a large informal sector. These studies assumed that governments pursue high inflation to raise revenue due to their inability to generate sufficient revenue from taxes. But high inflation does not only help in generating seigniorage revenue but also reduces the value of money. My sabbatical project would explore how inflation affects the size of the shadow economy. I plan to conduct this research while visiting Ashesi University in Ghana to help strengthen curriculum for the economics program and their newly established MBA program, and lay the foundation for a study abroad program. My visit may also involve some teaching and collaboration on a book project.
Seth Binder, Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies
My sabbatical will be dedicated to wrapping up one long-running research project and pushing forward another. For several years, I have been engaged in research and writing related to the role of land access rights in promoting just, sustainable economic development. I will use some of my sabbatical time to revise a journal manuscript and complete a book project on the topic. Most of my sabbatical work will focus on an integrated ecological-economic modeling project, which I have developed with students through St. Olaf’s Collaborative Undergraduate Research and Inquiry (CURI) program, and which aims to estimate Earth’s economic carrying capacity. The model will shed light on the existence, nature, and extent of biophysical and technical limitations to the growth of economic prosperity.
Heather Campbell, Professor of Education
During sabbatical, I intend to write a comprehensive history of the TRIO programs at St. Olaf, which currently serve 1200 secondary and college students. St. Olaf is unique among institutions as we host five TRIO programs, which include Student Support Services, Student Support Services for Students with Disabilities, Upward Bound, Educational Talent Search, and McNair. Through a review of historical records and interviews with alumni, staff, and faculty involved with the programs, I will document the 50-year history of the evolution of TRIO nationally and at St. Olaf. This work is particularly important as sustained funding for TRIO is currently threatened, and the very existence of the programs are in question. This project will serve to document the history of TRIO, inform the College and wider communities of the importance of the programs, and hopefully serve as a compelling reason why the programs are necessary for first-generation and low-income students.
David Castro, Professor of Music
I will spend my sabbatical expanding on and refining ideas that I recently presented in invited lectures. The working title of my paper is, “Collective Grieving in the Music of Shostakovich,” and in it I develop a reading of Shostakovich’s Fourteenth String Quartet (1973) that brings it into dialogue both with the composer’s Fifth Symphony (1936) and with the concept of collective grieving presented in Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character, by Jonathan Shay, M.D., Ph.D. (1994). I hope to show that in the closing measures of the 14th String Quartet the aging composer was reflecting in some way on the premiere of his 5th Symphony, in 1937, when Stalin’s terrors were at their hieght, when his music became an uplifting voice of hope and people joined their voices with his in a communalizing event.
Eric Cole, Professor of Biology
Project # 1 “Ciliate Pattern Formation”
This project completes the characterization of a suite of ‘pattern genes’ that orchestrate Circumferential patterning in a single cell. It explores how a ‘simple organism’, a ciliated protozoan, establishes and propagates an extraordinary level of complexity. The goal is to compose a review article covering the field of circumferential patterning in ciliates.
Project #2 “The Anchialine Archipelago”
This involves assembling a career-spanning portfolio of natural history observations from the Lucayan Archipelago, Islands of the West Atlantic, including The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCI). This will involve research expeditions to survey wildlife inhabiting blue holes on East Caicos Island, and a week-long retreat to the islands of Eleuthera and San Salvador in The Bahamas. The goal is to publish a monograph, rich with underwater photography, highlighting a career of natural history discoveries from dozens of marine ponds on these West Atlantic Islands.
Jaime Davila, Associate Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, & Computer Science
During my academic year sabbatical, I propose to work on two projects. The first one is related to my ongoing research, which is centered around the development of computational methods to analyze genomics data. Within cancer genomics, I am interested in the detection of mutational signatures, which are the patterns observed in DNA changes. During my sabbatical, I will continue my ongoing collaboration with Chen Wang (Mayo Clinic, Computational Biology) to develop and test faster tools for the detection of known mutational signatures in genomics data. The second project will involve the creation and dissemination of online materials for teaching statistical learning at undergraduate institutions, which is an ongoing collaboration with Adam Loy (Carleton College, Statistics). Our materials use an active learning approach, encourages the use of critical thinking, and leverages a framework in R (tidymodels) that fosters the use of sound statistical principles with a common standard syntax.
Steve Freedberg, Professor of Biology
My sabbatical work will focus on two research projects. My first project uses computer simulations to explore how social behavior evolves under interspecific competition. Preliminary results suggest that both altruistic and selfish behavior influence species success and may ultimately be selectively favored over nonsocial behaviors. During my sabbatical I will refine existing models by identifying and testing realistic parameters and complete the corresponding manuscript for publication. My second project investigates whether freshwater turtles use polarized light to navigate from nests to water. Using a novel methodology for tracking turtles’ movements using AirTags, it examines turtles’ ability to detect polarized light cues as they move to water from land. Results will clarify sensory mechanisms underlying turtle orientation, with implications for ecology, conservation, and the evolution of nesting behavior of reptiles. Both projects will contribute to my and my students’ scholarship and can be incorporated as student-led projects in my courses.
Leigh Ann Garner, Associate Professor of Music
My scholarly work is centered on the philosophy of Kodály-Inspired teaching practices. This philosophy, developed by Hungarian composer and educator Zoltán Kodály, is grounded in the conviction that all children possess the potential to become active music makers through singing, movement, and play, and is widely adopted by music educators worldwide. During my sabbatical, I will travel to the Kodály Institute of the Liszt Ferenc Academy of Music in Kecskemét, Hungary. While in Hungary, I will observe undergraduate methodology courses and also observe the students teaching in their field experiences in Hungarian schools. Furthermore, a core pedagogical principle of Kodály-inspired teaching practices is the use of folk songs in the music classroom. My personal folk song collection, which was curated during my previous graduate work, will be updated, digitized, and diversified to serve as a model for our music education students at St. Olaf as well as students studying the Kodály philosophy in training programs throughout the United States.
Tina Garrett, Professor of Mathematics, Statistics, & Computer Science
In 2023, Killpatrick defined the Super FiboCatalan numbers, S(n,m)F, as a generalization of the Super Catalan numbers. These numbers, which Killpatrick proved to be integers in special cases, have a closed formula but no combinatorial interpretation. This project is devoted to finding a combinatorial interpretation for the newly defined Super FiboCatalan numbers and using that to establish identities satisfied by those numbers. A combinatorial interpretation will prove that the Super FiboCatalans are integers in all cases answering an open question posed by Killpartick.
Charles Gray, Professor of Music
During my sabbatical (Jan-May 2027) my main activities will be attending the NCAA and ASTA national conventions, touring with the St. Olaf Choir (during Jan-Feb and May-June), and visiting as artist in residence at Wheaton College, The University of Oklahoma and in El Paso TX in several HS orchestra programs. I will continue my work at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in Mahtomedi (9000 member congregation) as orchestral director and as artist in residence at the Southeast MN Youth Orchestra in Rochester. As director of the St. Olaf Summer Music Academy, I will be planning for hiring and logistics throughout the sabbatical. I will also adjudicate competitions and auditions for the Schubert Club in Mpls, MacPhail School in Mpls, Rochester Music Guild, and the MN All State Orchestra and Mid Level Honors Orchestra. Other responsibilities I cannot neglect and must maintain even while on Sabbatical are recruiting, recital adjudication, and long standing commitments with the RPAC and my Faculty Athletic position.
James Hanson, Associate Professor of Religion
This sabbatical will afford an opportunity to bring attention to the oral dimensions of the Gospel of Mark. I will do this, first, by studying the latest research on the oral nature of ancient texts like the Bible. Though the orality of ancient literature has been acknowledged by scholars for some time, only in relatively recent years have the full implications of this insight, for both the origins and experience of the text, been brought to bear on biblical texts. Second, I will apply these insights to the Gospel of Mark by crafting, in cooperation with the Theater Department, a performance of the entire text, and offering this performance to the St. Olaf community and other audiences. In so doing, I hope to illustrate the original power of Mark’s story of Jesus, as well as to foster greater understanding of its meaning and significance.
Susan Huehn, Professor of Nursing
Nursing has a long history of emphasizing the holistic care of patients and working within an interprofessional framework to attain optimal patient outcomes. Within this framework of holistic care, nursing has emphasized that spiritual care, as well as care of the mind and body, is an integral part of our discipline and an important aspect in attaining optimal patient outcomes. Conversely, neglecting to deal with spiritual issues may expose patients to additional suffering. The scholarly project, which will contribute to a book manuscript, is provisionally titled A Critical Examination of Spirituality and Nursing. This book addresses a critical gap in current nursing literature by synthesizing existing research, exploring historical perspectives, and proposing a theoretical framework for integrating spiritual care into patient-centered practice as well as into the self-care of nurses. It will be a definitive resource that elevates the discourse on spirituality in nursing from an abstract concept to an evidence-based, clinically relevant competency.
Paul Jackson, Professor of Chemistry
People, prosperity, planet, peace, and partnerships give context to the proposed work, and the plan showcases how research and inquiry respond to community needs, lift up stories from work with community partners, and set the stage for broader collective action on the challenging opportunities facing Higher Education and the global community. Major dissemination work, via stories in peer reviewed journals and public interest outlets, will be generated from the cover cropping project in the Rice Creek watershed, and a journal article highlighting plastics and microplastics work in the analytical chemistry lab curriculum will be submitted. Revision to chapter two about the Pragmatic Utopians in Japan involves the creation of a suite of geospatially connected activities that aim to illuminate the context and traditions that provide pathways toward community resilience and sustainability. In addition, further training in sustainability and resilience enables lessons learned to be brought back to the local community.
Cassandra Joiner, Associate Professor of Chemistry
Nucleocytoplasmic O-glycosylation is an essential post-translational modification is humans required for cellular development and survival. Aberrant O-glycosylation levels have been implicated in a wide array of diseases, however, there is no current treatment for these glycosylation-related diseases. The modification is performed by a single enzyme called O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) that modifies over 4,000 different proteins. How OGT chooses those substrates is still unclear, limiting the field’s ability to develop strategies to target a specific substrate of interest. This sabbatical leave project aims to elucidate how protein-protein interactions regulate OGT’s activity towards individual substrates to establish a foundation for manipulating these interactions, enabling the development of therapeutic strategies for targeting individual glycosylation events. This would will include planning, writing, and submitting two manuscripts for publication and one grant application to the NIH, as well as attending and presenting at national conferences.
Jenny Miller, Associate Professor of Kinesiology
Background: The global population is rapidly aging, with projections indicating that one in six individuals will be 60 years or older by 2030. This demographic shift necessitates a heightened focus on optimizing healthcare and mitigating significant well-being risks in older adults, most notably falls. Falls are a major public health concern, with high associated mortality rates: 9.6% within 30 days and 33% after one year. Furthermore, initial fall incidents often precipitate a move to care facilities, where the reported mortality rate for nursing home residents in the US is 53% within six months of admission. These alarming statistics underscore an urgent need for research dedicated to fall prevention, increased independence, and enhanced quality of life in this vulnerable population.
Objective: The object of this study is to develop a novel Falls Prevention Intervention. The core goal is to mitigate the accelerated aging processes, adverse health outcomes, and reduced quality of life stemming from factors like fear of falling and decreased strength. The purpose of the proposed work is to develop and pilot the design, usability, safety, and feasibility of an updated, structured, multifactorial intervention for older adults at risk of falling. This study will analyze an at-risk group using a generalized fall prevention protocol, aiming to standardize a potential training program suitable for clinical adaptation. The ultimate vision is for this standardized intervention to be implemented by Mayo Clinic and other healthcare facilities, clinics, retirement communities, and fitness centers across SE Minnesota, thereby making a significant impact on public health and promoting sustained independence.
Peter Nelson, Professor of Art and Art History
I will direct and produce a short film in collaboration with Gwen Kirby, award-winning author and Assistant Professor of English at Carleton College. We are currently writing a screenplay adaptation of Gwen’s short story “Casper,” recently reviewed by Michael Schaub of National Public Radio:
“Casper” follows three girls who work at the Unclaimed Baggage Depot… It’s a fairly miserable job, with the only benefit being the chance to root through suitcases, sometimes discovering little, abandoned treasures. It’s generally never anything too exciting, but that changes when one of the girls makes a special find: “It … was the greatest thing to ever happen to the Depot, until it was the end of everything.”
… [“Casper” delves] into the psyches of the teenage girls as they navigate their post-adolescence; it’s a gorgeous story that treats its characters with real humanity that finds them — as conflicted and imperfect as they are — enough.”
Timothy Rainey, Associate Professor of Religion
As a scholar of African American religious history, I focus broadly on the intersections of race, religion, and capitalism. During my sabbatical, I will complete my current manuscript, “Goin to see the Companey: The Spirit of African American Business in the 19th Century Black Atlantic World.” I read the audacious acts of the Black Nova Scotians who dared to challenge the authority of the British Sierra Leone Company as a model for social and economic criticism. While the company imagined the production of surplus capital as moral work sufficient for generating freedom, black people deprived of capital declared Freetown to be more like a town of slaves. Using the letters and petitions written by black repatriates in Sierra Leone, this book narrates how black business can be read as a revolutionary and sacred practice. Editors at Duke University Press proposed a review schedule that will culminate in Spring 2027, with the final submission being made that summer.
Jamie Schillinger, Associate Professor of Religion
I propose to use my sabbatical to research and write an article that examines and compares how exemplary Christian and Muslim thinkers cultivate the intellectual virtue of “proportioning one’s beliefs to the evidence.” The specific exemplars of Islamic and Christian thought I examine are Thomas Aquinas and Ibn Rushd. This project complements my earlier work on humility and virtuous polemics.
Carlo Veltri, Professor of Psychology
I view my sabbatical as an opportunity to achieve three broad goals: (1) My co-author and I will draft the seventh edition of a graduate level textbook on the MMPI-3 family of instruments. The book is widely used in clinical and counseling psychology programs as part of both the psychological assessment coursework and during applied clinical training. (2) I will develop concrete plans to relaunch my research team after a hiatus during my stint as department chair. (3) I will hone my professional clinical skills by conducting therapy part-time as well as completing forensic psychological evaluations.
Ka Wong, Professor of Asian Studies
This project proposes a work of historical metafiction centered on Liang May Seen (c. 1871–1946), the first Chinese woman to settle in Minnesota. Her remarkable journey began when she left her home in Kaiping, China, during the restrictive late nineteenth-century immigration era. After being sold into prostitution in San Francisco, she later became a respected member of Minneapolis’s early Chinese American community through Westminster Presbyterian Church and her marriage to Woo Yee Sing (c. 1864-1925), who opened the first Chinese restaurant in the city. Liang’s story illuminates the intersections of race, gender, religion, and class, while highlighting themes of agency, resilience, and assimilation. At the same time, it complicates the dominant narrative of the American dream. Through a metafictional lens, this project both reimagines Liang’s life and interrogates the fragmented records, recovering the complexity of a woman often relegated to the margins of American historical memory.