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Mrinal Mugdh

NEW AVP FOR ACADEMIC AFFAIRS NAMED Mrinal Mugdh, former director of institutional research and planning for the University of Texas at Brownsville, joined UHCL as associate vice president for academic affairs. Mugdh earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a doctorate, all with a focus on anthropology, from University of Delhi in India. He also received his Master of Business Administration from University of Wisconsin-Whitewater.

INNOVATIVE LIBRARY TRAINING FUNDED The Institute of Museum and Library Services awarded a $906,104 Laura Bush 21st Century Library Program grant to Jane Claes, assistant professor of school library and information science, for her proposal “School Librarians and Administrators Working Together: A Key to Student Success, Collaborative School Librarian Training (CSLT II).”

GRANT GOES TO ERGONOMICS PROJECT Assistant Professor of Psychology Camille Peres received a Schlumberger Collaborative one-year award in the amount of $66,700 for her project titled, “Software Ergonomics Assessment Tools.” Peres will work with Assistant Professor of Industrial Hygiene and Safety Magdy Akladios and their students to identify time requirements and muscular strain associated with different methods of working in Microsoft Word.

EXTERNAL FUNDING ASSISTS MANY INITIATIVES Anne Coppenhaver, director of Center for Educational Programs and lecturer in educational leadership, received a $16,569 award from the Texas Workforce Commission for her proposal, “Summer Merit Program at UHCL.” Assistant Professor of Economics Valery Lazarev received a $12,888 award from a UH Subcontract/National Science Foundation project, “The Political Economy of Repression: Stalin and His Organs of State Security.” A $4,950 grant from the Kinder Morgan Foundation went to Director of The Art School for Children and Young Adults and Lecturer in Applied Design and Visual Arts Ann Waltz to support students and teachers.