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Faculty Research

School of Education’s C.A.R.E. Symposium Highlights Mental Wellness Practices for the Classroom
Wednesday, September 18, 2024 Point Park University's School of Education hosted its first C.A.R.E. Wellness Mental Health and Well-Being Symposium, inviting local educators to learn about addressing trauma and its impact on student learning, mental health and well-being while exploring the powerful relationship between community connection and the arts.
Pictured from left to right are School of Education faculty members Linda Hippert, Vincenne Revilla Beltrán, Shari Payne, Richard Gutkind, Denise Beverina-Moore, Kamryn York, Christal Edmunds, Marybeth Irvin and Lori Sutton at the school's first C.A.R.E. Symposium.
Pioneers Abroad: School of Education Professors Travel to England to Present Social Emotional Learning Research
Wednesday, August 7, 2024 "As leaders in the field, we are modeling best practices for our students and forging new opportunities for collaboration with mental health professionals and faculty from other universities in the U.S. and in the U.K."
Pictured are Christal Edmunds and Vincenne Revilla Beltrán sharing tea at The Frick. Submitted photo.
Faculty Q&A: Marion Dixon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology
Wednesday, September 27, 2023 "I encourage my students to ask questions about the world. Why are things the way that they are? How did they come to be this way? How could they be different? I want my students to stay curious about the world, near and far!"
Pictured is Marion Dixon. Photo by Nathaniel Holzer.
Point Park University Study Examines How Safer, Cleaner Alleyways Could Positively Impact Quality of Life in Downtown Pittsburgh
Wednesday, August 9, 2023 The latest study out of Point Park University's Department of Community Engagement & Leadership in the Rowland School of Business offers a plan for transforming Downtown Pittsburgh's alleyways into inspiring spaces that add beauty and value to the city. 
Pictured is an alleyway in Pittsburgh. Photo by Heather Starr Fiedler.
Psychology Faculty and Students Publish Research in APA Handbook of Humanistic and Existential Psychology
Tuesday, July 18, 2023 "I hope that our work shows not only the need for community resources and support but also the power of that community and caring connection."
Pictured are Hannah Felix, Tatyana Johnson and Samuel Merhaut. Photo by Nicole Chynoweth
Dance, History Majors Team Up for Archival Research Course
Thursday, May 25, 2023 "The 'Digging Through the Archives' course is a prime example of how Point Park implements an experiential, hands-on approach that allows for passion, diversity and personal expression."
Pictured is a newspaper clipping from Point Park University's dance program archives. Submitted photo.
School of Education Students Gain Classroom Experience Through Faculty's Maker, STEM Research
Wednesday, May 17, 2023 "Point Park's emphasis on non-traditional teaching styles and methods beyond the typical landscape prepared me to serve a wide variety of learners. It made me flexible and understanding of the fact that my students will have different backgrounds, needs and motivations. That student-first ideology sets Point Park apart from everyone else."
Pictured is Kaitlyn Caiarelli, center, working on an activity in the Matt's Makerspace Lab. Photo by Natalie Caine.
Faculty Research Symposium & Finkelhor Lecture 2023
Monday, April 10, 2023 The impact of Styx's hit "Renegade" on the Pittsburgh Steelers, the legacy of Point Park University's founder and the search for extraterrestrial intelligence: The 2023 Faculty Research Symposium & Finkelhor Lecture highlighted the varied research interests and work of professors from the School of Arts & Sciences, Rowland School of Business, School of Communication and Conservatory of Performing Arts.
Students and Faculty from Point Park University to Lead "Chalk Out & Speak Out" Event in Market Square Focused on Street Harassment
Wednesday, March 29, 2023 Point Park University students and faculty in the Department of Psychology will partner with several Pittsburgh organizations to host a “Chalk Out & Speak Out” event in Downtown Pittsburgh's Market Square on Thursday, April 20, 4–7 p.m., to raise awareness of street harassment, how to eradicate it and guidance on what to do when experiencing catcalling or other forms of unwanted comments.
Pictured are students and Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology, from the End Street Harassment Pittsburgh project. Submitted photo.
Faculty Q&A: Shamayeta Bhattacharya, Ph.D.
Thursday, October 13, 2022 "Point Park's Department of Community Engagement & Leadership provides the space to pursue and work on meaningful community engagement with an emphasis on engagement. I see students and faculty working hand in hand with the community."
Pictured is Shamayeta Bhattacharya. Submitted photo.
Faculty Spotlight: Vincenne Revilla Beltrán, Ph.D.
Tuesday, October 11, 2022 A professor in Point Park University's School of Education, Vincenne Revilla Beltrán, Ph.D., has spent the last couple of years researching the powerful connection between mental health and meditative hand-stitching, and now she is sharing her findings with the broader Pittsburgh community to encourage self-care and mental wellness.
Pictured is Vincenne Revilla Beltrán. Photo by Nicole Chynoweth.
Point Park University Professor Earns Teaching Excellence Award
Wednesday, October 5, 2022 School of Communication Professor Tatyana Dumova, Ph.D., received the Harvey Kelly Excellence in Teaching Award at the 2022 Pennsylvania Communication Association (PCA) Convention, held this fall at East Stroudsburg University.
Tatyana Dumova with Dr. Janie Harden Fritz, Duquesne University, PCA interim executive director. Submitted photo.
Faculty Q&A: Tahirah Walker, Ph.D.
Wednesday, September 28, 2022 "I want students to know that if you take my class or come to an event I'm putting on, my number one goal is to make you laugh. I absolutely believe in the power of joy."
Pictured is Tahirah Walker. Photo by Randall Coleman.
"Where Can We Go?" Public Restroom Study Provides Community Engagement Students with Hands-On Research Experience
Tuesday, September 13, 2022 Students researched the lack of access to public restrooms in the Golden Triangle of Downtown Pittsburgh that outlined potential solutions and benefits of installing public restrooms in the city.
Pictured from left to right are Ashley Malachi, Heather Starr Fiedler and Judy Riegelnegg. Photo by Nicole Chynoweth.
Faculty Spotlight: Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Electrical Engineering
Tuesday, September 6, 2022 Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi, Ph.D., an assistant professor of electrical engineering at Point Park University, spent his summer working on impactful research related to sustainable energy and transportation at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) at the U.S. Department of Energy through its visiting faculty program.
Pictured is Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi giving a presentation. Submitted photo.
Department of Community Engagement & Leadership Welcomes New Cohort with Symposium and a Service Project
Tuesday, September 6, 2022 Point Park University's Department of Community Engagement & Leadership welcomed its fall 2022 cohort for the Ph.D. in Community Engagement program with a welcome weekend of volunteer service and real-world research presentations.
Criminal Justice Alumnus Gets Assist from Point Park University in Helping Improve Legal Outcomes for People in Need
Wednesday, July 20, 2022 The JASON Project, a nonprofit that supports people in need of assistance navigating the court system, is preparing – with support from Point Park University – to make its services more widely available to Pittsburgh-area residents.
Pictured is Mark Thompson. Submitted photo.
Faculty Spotlight: Britney Brinkman, Ph.D.
Tuesday, May 17, 2022 Following 15 years of research on young girls' experiences in schools, Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology at Point Park University, has published "Girls’ Identities and Experiences of Oppression in Schools: Resilience, Resistance, and Transformation," a book that explores "the ways in which girls and adults in school systems hold multiple realities, negotiate tensions, cultivate hope and resilience, resist oppression and envision transformation."
Pictured is Britney Brinkman.
School of Education Students Gain Classroom and Research Experience with Open the Joy Program
Monday, May 2, 2022 "This experience equipped me with some of the most valuable hands-on experience I've had as a pre-service teacher. It allowed us to have genuine fun with our students while implementing fundamental knowledge into a real classroom."
Point Park University Professor Marion Dixon Wins $20,000 Tiny Beam Fund Fellowship
Monday, February 21, 2022 Point Park University sociology professor Marion W. Dixon, Ph.D., has won a $20,000 fellowship from the Tiny Beam Fund, an organization devoted to understanding and addressing the complex problem of industrial animal production around the world.
Pictured is Marion Dixon. Photo by Nathaniel Holzer.
Mobile Thriving Respite Connects Theory to Practice for Psychology Students
Tuesday, November 9, 2021 "The Mobile Thriving Respite adds immense value to the education I am receiving at Point Park. My involvement allows me to see what I am learning and problematizing in classes represented in real-world scenarios. This extends my education far beyond the classroom and aids in preparing me for the professional world."
Pictured from left to right are Department of Psychology students Samuel Merhaut, Arin Shatto, Hallie Abbott, Nanina Grund and Robert McInerney, Ph.D., professor of psychology and coordinator of the undergraduate psychology program. Photo by Nicole Chynoweth.
Theatre Faculty Feature: Yan Pang, Composer, Performer and Scholar
Friday, October 15, 2021 "I envision myself as a stepping stone for the groundbreaking artists in the theatre department in the Conservatory of Performing Arts. I believe that my initiative, energy for innovation and enthusiasm will aid in students’ learning of music."
Pictured is Yan Pang. Submitted photo.
Faculty Spotlight: Helena Knörr, Ph.D.
Monday, October 4, 2021 "The collaborative nature of this work allows me to connect business, community engagement, education and social justice under the same umbrella and bring back to Point Park and its students in the various programs the lessons learned internationally."
Pictured is Helena Knörr. File photo.
Psychology Professor Britney Brinkman and Doctoral Students Publish Research in Women & Therapy Journal
Friday, October 1, 2021 Britney Brinkman, associate professor of psychology and director of the Psy.D. program, along with doctoral students Shacoya L. Bates '23 and Orlandria Smith '23, recently published their research project, "Centering Black Girls in Sexual Harassment Research: A Community-Based Participatory Action Research Approach" in Taylor & Francis Online's Women & Therapy Journal.
Pictured is Britney Brinkman. File photo.
Faculty Spotlight: Jehnie Burns, Ph.D.
Thursday, September 30, 2021 Jehnie Burns' new book, "Mixtape Nostalgia: Culture, Memory, and Representation," is a chronological look at the history of the mixtape from when it dethroned vinyl records as the format of choice in the 1970s to its resurgence as an icon of nostalgic analog technology today. 
Pictured is Jehnie Burns. Photo by Nathaniel Holzer.
Faculty Q&A: Amanda B. Lowe, Ph.D.
Friday, September 24, 2021 New to the Department of Psychology this semester is Amanda B. Lowe, Ph.D., an assistant professor of psychology with experience in clinical practice, entrepreneurship and research. In this Q&A, learn about Lowe's teaching style and the real-world experience she brings to the classroom.
Pictured is Amanda B. Lowe. Photo by Nathaniel Holzer.
Faculty Feature: Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi, Ph.D.
Friday, February 5, 2021 Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi, Ph.D., is a new assistant professor of electrical engineering in the Natural Sciences, Engineering and Technology department.
Pictured is Oleksandr Dobzhanskyi. Submitted photo.
Biology Professor’s Research on Hyperlipidemia Onset in Multiple Sclerosis Patients Featured in Neurology Advisor Publication
Tuesday, June 2, 2020 For her research findings on hyperlipidemia onset occurring earlier in patients with multiple sclerosis, Diane Krill, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at Point Park University, was featured as a top three breaking news highlight in the online health care publication, Neurology Advisor.
Pictured is Diane Krill, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at Point Park University.
Point Park Physics Professor Named a 2020 Science as Story Fellowship Recipient
Wednesday, May 6, 2020 Assistant Professor Brendan Mullan, Ph.D., who teaches physics and astronomy at Point Park University, was named a 2020 Science as Story Fellowship Recipient by The Creative Nonfiction Foundation.
Pictured is Brendan Mullan, Ph.D., speaking at National Geographic's headquarters.
Associate Professor Published in Scholarly Journal for Article on Social Justice in Psychology Training
Monday, May 4, 2020 Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., was published in a special issue of Training and Education in Professional Psychology for her scholarly research article "Doing Intersectionality in Social Justice Oriented Clinical Training."
Pictured is Britney Brinkman, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology.
Professor Helena Knörr Presents Her Research at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain
Friday, March 6, 2020 Helena Knörr, Ph.D., professor of organizational leadership for the Rowland School of Business and Department of Literary Arts and Social Justice, recently presented her research at the University of Deusto in Bilbao, Spain.
Women's Studies Journal Publishes Essay By Point Park Literary Arts Professor
Friday, November 22, 2019 Jessica McCort, Ph.D., assistant professor of composition and rhetoric for the Department of Literary Arts and Social Justice at Point Park University, recently had her article titled "The 'Interrupted Story': Elizabeth Bishop’s Fairy–Tale Aesthetics," published in the interdisciplinary journal, Women's Studies.
Pictured is Assistant Professor Jessica McCort, Ph.D. Photo by Lexie Mikula.
Social Justice Studies Professor Earns Grant from Institute for Human Geography to Continue His Research
Wednesday, November 20, 2019 Robert Ross, Ph.D., associate professor for the Department of Literary Arts and Social Justice and coordinator of the social justice studies program, recently received a grant for $4,977 from the Institute for Human Geography, publisher of the journal Human Geography, to continue his research on the role of American Christians in the South African anti-apartheid movement.
Pictured is Associate Professor Robert Ross, Ph.D. Photo by Chris Rolinson
Students’ Research Work With Project Bee Watch Showcased at Ecological Science of America Conference
Monday, September 16, 2019 At the Ecological Science of America 2019 conference in Louisville, Ky., Environmental Science Professor Matthew Opdyke, Ph.D., presented the work he and his students Paula Ambrose ’20, and Keri Rouse ’14, 19, did with Project Bee Watch, a local citizen project to assess the status of pollinators in the region.
Education, Business and Community Engagement Faculty Member Presents to 200 Kiski Area Teachers and Administrators
Tuesday, September 3, 2019 Mitchel Nickols, Ph.D., part-time faculty member for the School of Education, Rowland School of Business and Department of Community Engagement at Point Park University, recently conducted a professional development session on the topic of implicit bias to more than 200 teachers and administrators in the Kiski Area School District.
Pictured is Point Park Instructor Mitchel Nickols, Ph.D. Photo submitted by Nickols.
Professor Talbott Continues Her Research on Women at Mid-Life Experiencing Eating Disorders
Thursday, August 29, 2019 Building on her research in cultivating care for older women living with eating disorders, Jamesena Talbott, Ph.D., DM, NCC, Point Park University professor of leadership and community engagement, is serving as a research fellow for the Institute for Social Innovation in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Pictured is Jamesena Talbott, Ph.D., DM, NCC.
Professor Serves as Wellness Instructor in Colombia, Gives Global Entrepreneurship Lecture to Universidad del Valle de México Students
Thursday, March 21, 2019 Point Park University Organizational Leadership Professor Helena Knorr, Ph.D., recently traveled to Medellín, Colombia, to teach yoga and mindfulness as part of a wellness retreat.
Pictured is Helena Knorr, Ph.D., organizational leadership professor, presenting in Colombia.
Biological Sciences Professor Presents Research in Paris
Monday, February 4, 2019 Diane Krill, Ph.D., professor of biological sciences at Point Park University, presented research focused on the electrical stimulation of small flowering plants (Arabidopsis thaliana) at the International Conference on Plant Science in Paris, France.
Pictured is Diane Krill, Ph.D.
Organizational Leadership Professor Presents at Portuguese BioEntrepreneurship Conference
Tuesday, January 29, 2019 Helena Knörr, Ph.D., organizational leadership professor, presented remotely as a panelist for the Portuguese BioEntrepreneurship conference in Peso da Régua, Portugal. 
Pictured is Helena Knorr, Ph.D., organizational leadership professor.
Rowland School of Business Instructor Presents Digital Marketing Research in New York City
Tuesday, October 23, 2018 Chris Lovett, digital product manager/team lead for PNC and part-time marketing instructor for the Rowland School of Business, presented his research titled “Convenience Store Study Group Digital Deep Dive,” in the Times Square section of New York City.   
Pictured is Digital Marketing Instructor Chris Lovett. Photo submitted by Lovett.
Business, Community Engagement Professor Presents Research
Friday, October 19, 2018 Professor Jamesena Talbott, D.M., presented her research on “Cultivating an Interprofessional Collaborative Ecology of Care” Oct. 9 to faculty in the areas of human development, human and organizational development and clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University, located in Santa Barbara, Calif.
Pictured is Jamesena Talbott, D.M. Photo by Martha Rial.
Business Professor and MBA Graduate Are Among Authors of New Book About Pittsburgh’s Engineering Triumphs
Friday, September 28, 2018 Patrick Mulvihill, D.Ed., and 2017 on-site MBA alumnus Todd Wilson, P.E., are among the authors of the new book, Engineering Pittsburgh: A History of Roads, Rails, Canals, Bridges & More.  
Pictured are the authors of Engineering Pittsburgh. Photo submitted by Patrick Mulvihill, D.Ed.
University in Ecuador Welcomes Back Organizational Leadership Professor Helena Knörr as Presenter
Wednesday, September 19, 2018 Helena Knörr, Ph.D., associate professor of organizational leadership in the Rowland School of Business, was invited back to Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral (ESPOL), a university in Guayaquil, Ecuador, to present on social innovation and entrepreneurship.
Pictured is Helena Knorr, Ph.D. presenting at ESPOL university in Ecuador. Photo submitted by Knorr.
Psychology Professor and Chair Launches Book Examining the Loss of Empathy in Modern Medicine for the Human Body
Tuesday, September 18, 2018 For more than a decade, Brent Robbins, Ph.D., has studied the way people experience their bodies and emotions. As part of his research, Robbins explored how medical professionals in training come to learn about the body and how it impacts their clinical practices. This research inspired him to write the book, The Medicalized Body and Anesthetic Culture: The Cadaver, the Memorial Body, and the Recovery of Lived Experience. 
Pictured is Brent Robbins, Ph.D., professor and chair of psychology. Photo by Emilee Fails
Organizational Leadership Professor Leads Innovation and Social Entrepreneurship Workshop in Ecuador
Wednesday, April 25, 2018 Rowland School of Business Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership Helena Knörr, Ph.D., taught a full-day workshop April 16 to more than 40 faculty members in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities at Escuela Superior Politécnica del Litoral in Guayaquil, Ecuador.
Pictured is Helena Knorr in Ecuador. Photo submitted by Knorr.
Professor Presents to Environmental Community Organizers About Lichens
Tuesday, February 6, 2018 Matthew Opydke, Ph.D., discussed his research on lichens and how they can be used to monitor air quality.
Matthew Opdyke and his botany students assess forest health and carbon sequestration at Lowries Run Slopes in Pittsburgh. | Photo by Vania Arthur
Psychology Professor Appointed to Pittsburgh's Gender Equity Commission
Tuesday, January 30, 2018 Sarah Schulz, Ph.D., LSW, was one of 13 individuals selected to be part of a new effort to study gender bias within the city.
Point Park Professor Presenting on YouTube for Celebrating Space Week
Tuesday, November 14, 2017
Professor Presents on Student Engagement, Accreditation Challenges
Monday, October 9, 2017 Tatyana Dumova presented at the Pennsylvania Communication Association conference.
SAEM Professor Co-Chairs Marketing Management Association Conference
Wednesday, September 27, 2017 Paige Beal, M.B.A., assistant professor and chair of the sports, arts and entertainment management department at Point Park University, co-chaired the Marketing Management Association Fall Educators' Conference, Sept. 20-22 at the Omni William Penn Hotel in Downtown Pittsburgh.
Professor is Guest Editor for Journal of Humanistic Psychology Special Issue
Wednesday, March 29, 2017 Brent Dean Robbins, Ph.D., associate professor of psychology and chair of the Department of Humanities and Human Sciences, served as co-author and guest editor of the March 2017 special issue of the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, which focused on alternatives to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) approach to psychiatric diagnosis.
Point Park to Host 2017 Conference of the Society for Humanistic Psychology
Wednesday, February 15, 2017
Business Faculty Present Scholarly Research at NABET Conference
Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Professor Presents to Science Teachers, Featured in National Geographic Videos
Monday, December 5, 2016
Faculty Profile: Jill Thomas, Ph.D., Discusses Her Passion For Clinical Psychology
Tuesday, November 15, 2016 Licensed psychologist Jill C. Thomas, Ph.D., recently joined Point Park University as an associate professor of psychology and director of clinical training in the M.A. in clinical-community psychology program.
Professor Publishes Book on the Benefits of Horror in Children's Literature
Friday, July 15, 2016 Jessica McCort, Ph.D., assistant professor of composition and rhetoric and coordinator of the writing intensive program at Point Park University, served as editor of the recently published book "Reading in the Dark: Horror in Children's Literature and Culture."
Professor in National Publications Psychology Today and Mad in America
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Faculty Profile: Meet Patrick Mulvihill, D.Ed., Visiting Assistant Professor of Business
Monday, January 25, 2016
Professor Mulvihill Serves as Panelist at Pittsburgh Leadership Conference
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
Business Faculty Present International, Health Care Research at Conference
Monday, October 26, 2015
Graduate students and faculty present research at Penn State York
Thursday, October 22, 2015 "The conference was a great experience to take something I did in class and present it in a real-world academic setting," said Carey McKelvey.
Professor Weighs in on Technology in University-Community Partnerships
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Professor co-authors letter about America's mental health manual
Monday, December 12, 2011 Associate Professor Brent Robbins, Ph.D., co-authored a national letter by the Society for Humanistic Psychology that has brought thousands into the public debate about revisions to the "bible" of American psychiatry.
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