Anne's Arts & Activities Blog

Dr. Tony Gaskew, associate professor of criminal justice at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, understands the concept of social justice from both a personal and academic perspective. In his new book, “Rethinking Prison Reentry: Transforming Humiliation into Humility,” Gaskew uses his experiences as young black man in inner-city Chicago, a major crimes police detective, a federal prison volunteer and a scholar to examine the role higher education and the criminal justice system could play in expanding the definition of social justice. Gaskew spent 10 years assigned as a member of the Department of Justice’s Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force, investigating and arresting thousands of violent criminal offenders. Throughout his professional career, there is very little that he has not seen or experienced. This includes how the institutionalized oppressive nature of the criminal justice system and its by-product of mass incarceration have negatively impacted the lives of ...

Dr. Mark Kelley, assistant professor of sports medicine, and alumnus Joe Colosimo ’94 will be honored by the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association during Alumni and Family Weekend at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford. Kelley, director of the sports medicine program, will accept the PBAA Teaching Excellence Award. Kelley has taught at Pitt-Bradford for nine years, directing the sports medicine program and serving as director of freshman seminar for several years. Before coming to Pitt-Bradford, he was a graduate teaching assistant in the anatomy lab at Slippery Rock University. He has worked with the Bradford Family YMCA developing a diabetes program through a grant from the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Kelley holds a doctoral degree from Capella University in leadership for higher education, a master’s degree in exercise and wellness promotion from Slippery Rock University and a Bachelor of Science in sports medicine from Pit...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has added new state-of-the art electronic equipment to its criminal justice forensics lab, exposing students to the top-notch tools and giving Pitt-Bradford more opportunities to provide training for professional law enforcement. “This lab will advance the criminal justice program to heights that have never been seen,” said Dr. Tony Gaskew, associate professor of criminal justice and director of the program. Several new pieces of advanced forensic equipment have been added to the lab: a Deployable Device Seizure, a Police Body Camera with GPS, a CYCLOPS Imager, a Forensic Digital Optical Video Magnifier, a Video-Based Optical Comparator, a CSI Metal Detector, a Forensic Alternative Light Source Detection Kit, and a new KRIMESITE Imager. The Deployable Device Seizure can access all information kept on a mobile phone, tablet or laptop. A...

Faculty from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford spent the fall semester not only teaching, but also conducting and presenting research. Dr. Wayne Brinda, assistant professor of education, presented a session titled “Teasing Your Students to Read: Create Teasers to Engage and Motivate Students to Read” at the 2012 Annual Convention of the National Council of Teachers of English in Las Vegas. The presentation discussed the use of a “teaser” like those given on the nightly news to present students with a context for a story and get them interested before they began reading. Brinda also had a paper, “Engaging Students in Inquiry through Field Trips in Your Classroom,” accepted for publication by the Middle School Journal. Dr. Donna Dombek, associate professor of education, participated in a panel discussion titled “Building Bridges between Theory and Practice: Strategies to Forge Connections between Foundations Courses and Clinical ...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has introduced two new minors in the field of criminal justice, criminal forensic studies and legal studies. The criminal forensic studies minor codifies work students have been doing in the campus’s Crime Scene Investigation House. Having the minor on their transcripts will highlight students’ experience and expertise in criminal forensics, said Dr. Tony Gaskew, director of the criminal justice program and associate professor of criminal justice who will serve as the program coordinator for both new minors. Gaskew added that students have requested the minor. In addition to existing courses in the CSI lab, the minor also includes a computer information systems and technology course designed to give students a basic understanding of computer forensics. “We have a good variety of courses,” Gaskew said. A total of 20 credits are required for the minor, which also includes Introducti...

Dr. Tony Gaskew, director of the criminal justice program at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will speak on “360-Degree Crime Investigation” this month at Pitt-Bradford. The program, which is a part of the Alumni Lecture Series presented by the Pitt Alumni Association, will take place at 6:30 p.m. on June 14 in the University Room of the Frame-Westerberg Commons. The presentation, which is free and open to the public, is being made in partnership with the Pitt-Bradford Alumni Association and Liberty Mutual. Gaskew will speak about the criminal justice system, how crimes are solved, and demonstrate how Pitt-Bradford’s Crime Scene Investigation House and Lab are used to teach modern criminal forensic science techniques for investigating crimes. The CSI House features some of the most advanced criminal forensics equipment in the country. Tours of the CSI House as well as complimentary refreshments will be offered immediately following the lecture. In addit...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford has announced new directors for its international studies and criminal justice programs. Kristin Asinger, visiting instructor of sports medicine, has been named the new director for international studies, taking the place of Isabelle Champlin, who retired last spring. Dr. Steven Hardin, vice president and dean of academic affairs, said, “Kristin brings a wealth of experience to her new position as director of international studies. She has had a long-standing interest in multicultural experiences, as evidenced by her international travel and the fact that she has hosted several international exchange students. I know she’ll do a great job in this new role.” In her new position, Asinger will help students who want to study abroad to fulfill their goals by finding a program that is right for them, providing scholarship information and advising them through the process. She also welcomes and orientates internatio...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford at a dinner last week recognized faculty members who are celebrating milestone service anniversaries. Dr. Michael Klausner, associate professor of sociology, and Dr. Richard Melka, professor of mathematics, were both honored for 35 years. Klausner teaches a variety of sociology courses, including Introduction to Sociology, Socialization, Organizational Behavior, Small Groups and Sociological Theory. In 2005, he was inducted into the Pitt-Bradford Athletic Hall of Fame for his support of Pitt-Bradford athletic teams. While spending summers in New York City, he volunteers tutoring homeless children through the group New York Cares and with the group VISIONS/Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired. Melka teaches Mathematical Modeling, Differential Equations, Advanced Differential Equations and Writing in the History of Mathematics. When he’s not on campus, he writes articles with Biblical themes, and he pre...

The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford criminal justice program will sponsor a presentation by McKean County Children and Youth Services forensic investigators next week. The program, “Children Advocacy Issues in McKean County,” will take place from 8:30 to 9:45 a.m. Nov. 15 in the Harriett B. Wick Chapel. It is free and open to the public. Presenters will be Mikele Bay and Ronda Skoken. Dr. Tony Gaskew, associate professor of criminal justice, said the presenters were chosen because “issues of child advocacy must become a priority in McKean County.” McKean County CYS has 32 employees who investigate reports of child abuse and neglect and children who are beyond the control of their parents. The agency also provides oversight of ongoing cases, including home visits, court hearings, contact with service providers, licensing foster care homes and providing independent living services.

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing Students from the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences had the chance to meet with their counterparts in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday in a video dialogue. The designated topic for the hour-long discussion with students from American University in Cairo was whether U.S. foreign policy favors Israel over Arab countries. First, however, the American students had a chance to ask questions about the ongoing revolution in Egypt that ousted its autocratic president, Hosni Mubarak. “I was really impressed with their candor,” said Jude Harter, a social studies education major from Clarendon. “We’re reading the headlines; they’re living the headlines.” Harter found the Egyptian students very willing to discuss the situation and clearly used to doing so. “This is the air they breathe,” he said. Students in Bradford bega...

Bart Barton (left) of the McKean County Historical Society talked about "Murders in Our Valley" Saturday at the Bradford Area Public Library, while Dr. Tony Gaskew talked about modern sleuthing techniques. The talks were a One Book Bradford event attended by nearly 80 people. The next One Book Bradford event is the "Three Pines Mystery Tea" scheduled for April 10 at the First Presbyterian Church. Tickets are available at Gramdma's House Tea & Gifts and the library. This year's One Book Bradford book is "Still Life" by Louise Penny. She'll be speaking at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford on May 3 about "Three Pines and Beyond." For more information about Penny and her books, go to LouisePenny.com . And, remember, to check out the Bradford Area Public Library . Photos courtesy of Sandra Rhodes

By SANDRA RHODES \Murders of the past and how they are solved now will be the topic of the next One Book Bradford event. One Book Bradford — Murders in Our Valley — is a two-part event set for 2 p.m. Saturday, March 19, in the community room at the Bradford Area Public Library. A representative from the McKean County Historical Society will give a presentation on local murders titled Tales of Murders in the Bradford Area. Dr. Tony Gaskew, a professor of criminal justice at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, will talk of Insights to Modern Day Sleuthing Techniques, drawing inspiration from “Still Life.” Gaskew gave a preview of his presentation on today's LiveLine at 12:35 on 1490 WESB. Listen here . “Still Life” by Louise Penny of Quebec, Canada, was chosen for this year’s One Book Bradford season. In its fourth year, One Book Bradford is a community-wide reading initiative in which a book is picked and the community is encouraged to read it. Several activities are held thro...

Dr. Anita Herbet talks about, and leads a discussion on, this year's One Book Bradford selection 'Still Life' by Louise Penny at the Bradford Area Public Library. Today's event was the first of four activities being held by One Book Bradford. On March 19 at the library the McKean Historical Society will present "Tales of Murders in the Bradford Area" and Dr. Tony Gaskew, professor of Criminal Justice at Pitt-Bradford, will present "Insights into Modern Day Sleuthing Techniques." Admission is free. Author Louise Penny will be in Bradford May 3 for a talk and book signing. That's also free and open to the public. http://www.louisepenny.com/

Dr. Tony Gaskew, assistant professor of criminal justice at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and author of a forthcoming book on the Muslim Brotherhood, will speak Thursday night on the current situation in Egypt. Gaskew’s presentation, “Egypt: The New Islamic Revolution,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3 in Harriett B. Wick Chapel. The presentation, which is being sponsored by the Division of Behavioral and Social Sciences, is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be provided. The presentation will provide a discussion on the dramatic and fluid political reform movement currently taking place in the largest Arab nation in the world, as well as its long-term ramifications on U.S. foreign policy in the Middle East, including the state of Israel. Gaskew is a Fulbright-Hays Fellow, an FDD Terrorism Fellow, a Human Dignity and Humiliation Studies Research Fellow, and a University of Pittsburgh Faculty Diversity Fellow. He has conducte...

Dr. Tony Gaskew, assistant professor of crimininal justic at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford, and an author of a forthcoming book on the Muslim Brotherhood, answered those questions and many more on today's LiveLine. Gaskew has conducted ethnographic research in several locations throughout the Middle East, including Egypt and Israel, examining issues of terrorism, social justice and structural violence. If you missed today's show, or you want to listen again, you can find it here .

A University of Pittsburgh at Bradford criminal justice professor is taking part in a two-year research project to create a database to help law enforcement handle hostage situations. Assistant professor Dr. Tony Gaskew is working on the FBI-coordinated project, which pairs law enforcement officials with academic researchers who have experience with hostage situations. Gaskew’s own experience in hostage situations and negotiations as a law enforcement officer dealing with drug trafficking in South Florida led to his involvement with the project. The Global Hostage-Taking and Analysis Project (GHosT-RAP) is now in its second phase. During the first phase, researchers compiled information on hostage situations that arose from drug-trafficking. The research protocol involves interviewing actual hostage takers. The current phase is focused on domestic and school violence. The final result will be a database that law enforcement officials can access to help them know what is likely to occur...

By Alex Davis University of Pittsburgh ’11 Jazmine Kunes has become acquainted with death. From May through July, the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford criminal justice senior interned at the Allegheny County Medical Examiner's Office in Pittsburgh. That included tasks like pulling prints from corpses and watching autopsies. “One thing that was shocking to me was the first violent death I had seen,” the 21-year-old Ridgway student said. “A body had come in that was a suicide, and, up until that point, I had never seen a violent death. Until I went to this internship, I had never even seen a dead person.” Much of the work included spending time in the latent print lab, using a chemical called ninhydrin to pull prints. Kunes also used automated fingerprint identification systems to try to find a match of an unknown print through state or country databases. She also learned about dusting and lifting prints. “The scientists...

By Kimberly Marcott Weinberg Assistant Director of Communications and Marketing University of Pittsburgh at Bradford A new scholarship at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will benefit students pursuing careers in criminal justice. The Jack and Grace Knapp Fund for Forensic Education was endowed with a $5,000 gift from the Knapps’ daughter, Kathleen Knapp Holt of Victor, N.Y. The gift will be matched by funds from the Agnes L. and Lewis Lyle Scholarship Challenge as well as the Xerox Corp. Although she now lives in Victor, Holt grew up on Pleasant Street in Bradford, playing war with a little boy who would grow up to be the president of Pitt-Bradford – Dr. Richard McDowell, president emeritus – and hanging out with her brother’s best friend, Dennis Lowery, who would enroll in Pitt-Bradford’s first class and become an ardent supporter of the university. In the intervening years, she left Bradford and eventually married Charles P. “Chip” Holt, architect and implementer of Xerox’s ...

The final event in the Martin Luther King Jr. celebration at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford will be “Ain’t Got Long to Stay Here,” a one-man play written and acted by Barry Scott and based on the life of King. The show will take place at 7:30 p.m. Jan. 22 in the Bromeley Family Theater. Tickets are $10 for the public and free for all students, faculty and staff. During the 90-minute presentation, Scott recreates numerous figures from the Civil Rights era, presenting differing opinions and personalities. The performance is followed by a question-and-answer session. Scott is the founder and producing artistic director of the American Negro Playwright Theater at Tennessee State University and has acting credits nationwide, including on television’s “I’ll Fly Away” and “In the Heat of the Night.” Scott is so convincing in his portrayal of King that Coretta Scott King once complimented him on his realistic and honest depiction of her late husband. He has performed excerpts of King...