Louise Wilson spoke at a Dubai conference for teachers and professors of learning disabilities.

Dick Daniels (adjunct, CAPS/GS) spoke at the National Forum on Character in Washington, D.C., on the topic "Character Development and Civic Engagement." This is his third year speaking at the event, which is sponsored by the Character Education Partnership.

At the 2009 Collaboration for the Advancement of Teaching & Learning Conference titled Bridging the Generational Divide: Working Together to Teach Millenial Students, Chris Gehrz (history) and Sam Mulberry (Academic Enrichment and Support Center) presented "Exploring Academic Podcasting" and Katherine Nevins (psychology, and academic affairs) and Joel Frederickson (psychology and institutional assessment) presented "Five Teaching Methods that Predict Millennial Student 'Excellent Course' Ratings." Fifteen Bethel faculty attended the event.

James Lewis (religious studies) presented "Christianity and Human Rights in Vietnam: The Case of the Ethnic Minorities (1975-2009)" at Payap University in Thailand in January 2010. Lewis was in Thailand for the January interim course he led titled Religious Traditions in Asia.

Vincent Peters (off-campus programs) was one of 12 finalists selected to participate in the EducationUSA delegation to Indonesia sponsored by the U.S. State Department and administered by the College Board. "I feel very honored to be chosen to be part of this select group representing Bethel University and the United States of America," says Peters, whose task on the delegation was to speak on service-learning as part of academic study and on best practices in studying abroad in the United States.

Dick Peterson (physics) served as principal investigator for a $9,940 SPIE LaserFest Grant for laser demonstrations at four St . Paul public high schools. (SPIE is an international society advancing light-based research.) 2010 is the 50th anniversary of the invention of the laser, and Bethel’s physics program is one of a few chosen internationally to help the public be more aware of the impact of lasers on science, engineering, and our daily lives. The presentations will be done by Peterson, Associate Professor of Physics Chad Hoyt, and very experienced Bethel undergraduate laser researchers. In addition, part of the grant pays for laser supplies that the team will leave with the high schools for ongoing curriculum enrichment. The grant also supports a featured LaserFest tutorial by Peterson and Hoyt for high school and university level physics teachers at the national American Association of Physics Teachers July 2010 conference.

Peterson was also recently elected to a three-year, at-large position on the American Physical Society (APS) Forum on Education Executive Committee (FEd). The FEd is the primary physics educational body within APS, known as the premier physics research organization in the world. In February he begins a three-year position on the Editorial Board of the Resource Letters of the American Journal of Physics. He also is serving on the NSF (National Science Foundation) proposal review team for their CCLI (Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Initiatives) program in 2010.

Dan Ritchie (English) received a $12,300 grant from the Apgar Foundation for faculty development related to Bethel's Humanities program. The funds will enable the Humanities teaching team to participate in a summer workshop on theology, visit a similar program at St. Olaf, and upgrade its communication with incoming students.

Steve Sandage (marriage and family therapy, Bethel Seminary St. Paul) gave a lecture titled "Psychology of Empathy and Forgiveness" at Stiftelsen Arkivet in Kristiansand, Norway, the foundation that memorializes the site where the Gestapo imprisoned and tortured hundreds of Norwegians from 1942-1945. The foundation sponsors historical reflection as well as humanitarian efforts aimed at facilitating human rights, peace-building, and compassion. Sandage noted, "Compassion and forgiveness are complex topics, but we reach the apex of complexity when we honestly face the realities of human evil. I am moved by the courage and humanity of the Norwegian people who, like many others in Europe, survived the Nazi occupation and insist on an integration of remembrance and compassionate involvement in the world."

Karen H. Tangen (business and economics) published and presented "Purposeful International Business Travel: Faith-Learning Integration Through the Global Business Classroom" at the Christian Business Faculty Association annual conference. At the same conference she was selected to present and publish a Best Practices paper titled "Chronicles of Connecting." Tangen also published and presented "Outbound Travel of Business Students in China and India: Enriching the Experience Not Only for Students But Also for the International Community" at the Center of Excellence in International Business conference.

Lex Thompson (art) has been selected for a 2009-10 McKnight Artist Fellowship for Photographers. Four fellows were chosen from a field of 117 applicants by a distinguished jury of national photographers and curators.

Louise Wilson (education) was invited to present at a conference in Dubai for teachers and professors of learning disabilities in the Persian Gulf Region. "It was a fascinating experience to interact with teachers and other professionals who are working to improve the language and cognitive development of children with learning disabilities in this part of the world," says Wilson. "It’s a place very culturally different from where we live and work, yet is progressive and working very hard to bring the lives of its people into the 21st century. Part of that effort is opening educational opportunities to all, including women and children with disabilities."