Anthony Baker, English, presented a paper titled "Recognizing Jake: Contending with Spectacularized Representations of Autism in Popular Culture" at the Autism and Representation: Writing, Cognition, Disability conference, sponsored by the Society for Critical Exchange and held Oct. 28-30 at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio.

W. Calvin Dickinson, History, has been appointed to the Tennessee Historical Commission by Gov. Phil Bredesen. The commission, a division of the state Department of Environment and Conservation, encourages the study of Tennessee history for the benefit of future generations and works to preserve historic sites, assist in worthy publication projects and review projects that could impact historic properties.

Glen Johnson, Engineering, has been appointed to the state's Board of Boiler Rules by Gov. Phil Bredesen. The board works with the Boiler Inspection Division of the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development and is responsible for formulating definitions, rules and regulations for the safe and proper construction, installation, repair, use and operation of boilers in Tennessee.

Terry Lashley, center, with several other members of the East Tennessee Science Partnership at Supercomputing 2005

As a member of the East Tennessee Science Partnership, Terry Lashley, Curriculum and Instruction, took part in the Supercomputing 2005 Conference, held Nov. 11-16 in Seattle, Wash. Participants learned about a new pedagogical model for high performance computing at the conference, which featured a keynote address by Bill Gates of Microsoft. Undergraduate Jillian Evenson, who studies in our 2+2 program, also attended the conference. The East Tennessee Science Partnership is a three-year Tennessee Department of Education grant focused on improved teaching and learning of science in five rural middle schools.