President's Column

Fall 2009

At the core of Hofstra’s growing reputation as a leading institution of higher education is our faculty. We are honored to have faculty committed to innovation and to pioneering new methods within their fields using multidisciplinary approaches. The collection of articles in this issue demonstrates their dedication not only to research, but to teaching as well.

Keith Shafritz, assistant professor of psychology, describes his studies with colleagues on the cognitive control mechanisms of the brain with a focus on ADHD and autism, while Adjunct Assistant Professor of Music Benjamin Wolff discusses his performance project centered around the early life of renowned physicist Galileo, offering a novel interdisciplinary approach to problem solving. Political Science Professor Meena Bose gives a keen analysis of the first 100 days of the presidencies of Barack Obama and Franklin D. Roosevelt, comparing the challenges and objectives of each administration, and Adjunct Assistant Professor of Anthropology Ann Feuerbach embarks on a project that supports technological innovation while preserving cultural diversity, and offers exploratory learning experiences for students. Assistant Professor of Curriculum and Teaching Blidi Stemn, a mathematics teacher educator, details his work in the Hempstead School District aimed at improving students’ achievements by implementing new methods in professional teacher development. Lastly, Senior Research Associate-in-Residence and Adjunct Professor of Religion Phyllis Zagano probes the question of Catholic women deacons during her 2009 Fulbright Fellowship at Mary Immaculate College of the University of Limerick in Ireland.

I am pleased to introduce yet another issue of Hofstra Horizons and showcase the quality of scholarship evident in our faculty. It is also exciting and gratifying to note that Blidi Stemn and many other professors at Hofstra have been recognized by the National Science Foundation as well as other regional and national sponsors. I congratulate the authors on their achievements and thank them for their contributions to Hofstra and our neighboring communities.

Sincerely,
Stuart Rabinowitz
President