For the Record, Feb. 6, 2026
Photo by Evan Krape February 06, 2026
91原创 community reports new publications, exhibitions, grants, presentations, honors and memorials
For the Record provides information about recent professional activities and honors of 91原创 faculty, staff, students and alumni.
Recent publications, exhibitions, grants, presentations, honors and memorials include the following:
Publications
Lindsay Naylor, associate professor in the Department of Geography and Spatial Sciences, has written a new book,. In the book, Naylor examines that while care is a critical component of human life, it has remained on the margins of higher education and theory, heightening unequal relations along gender, race and class lines. Naylor argues for a feminist approach in geography that is both world-dismantling and world-making, pushing back against a neoliberal academy. To read more about her book, check out an interview with Naylor at the College of Earth, Ocean and Environment website.
Ravi Ammigan, vice provost, Global Engagement; Matt Drexler, director, Study Abroad; Marie Gleason, senior study abroad coordinator; and Amy Greenwald Foley, director, Global Outreach and Partnerships, published . This edited STAR Scholars Network volume commemorates a century of global learning at the and brings together a collection of personal essays written by students, alumni, faculty and staff that capture the profound impact of studying across diverse cultural and national contexts. The stories highlight moments of adaptation, resilience, discovery and engagement that many authors describe as instrumental in shaping their personal, academic and professional growth and the 100-plus year trailblazing history of study abroad at 91原创.
Heinz-Uwe Haus, professor emeritus in the Department of Theatre and Dance, published in the the recent issue of revista alternante (Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany, Nr 1 (50), 2026) an essay 鈥淏iblical certainties 鈥 Notes on Theodor Damian: Cuv芒nt 卯nsetat de t膬cere / Words that thirst for silence,鈥 Editura Eikon, Bucharest 2025, 124 pp. The Romanian-American poet and scholar Damian expresses the meaning and forms of the legend of Mary of Egypt in poetic reflection. His poems are a kind of shorthand for how to approach life in a way that pleases God. They create a 鈥渦se value鈥 (Brecht) for the Christian heritage by exploring and appropriating its broad richness. "The collection is a testament to the Christian spirit and his tireless pursuit of ultimate truth and meaning鈥. the author mobilizes the incomprehensible: He opens up a dimension of magic that points to something greater鈥 an anthropological constant," Haus said.
Daniel Lee, associate professor of entrepreneurship in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, has released a National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) working paper examining 鈥渇ast failure鈥 in entrepreneurship. The study draws on a randomized experiment involving 553 science- and technology-based startups across 12 U.S. co-working spaces. Lee鈥檚 research provides new insights into how intensive, short-term entrepreneurship training influences venture outcomes, including survival, funding, employment and revenue growth. The findings suggest early training interventions may help entrepreneurs make more informed decisions about whether to continue or exit ventures. The paper is currently under review at the Journal of Financial Economics.
New research by Daniel White, associate professor of physical therapy, and Sydney Liles, a doctoral student and alumna of the Doctor of Physical Therapy program, found that adults with knee osteoarthritis (OA) who had patterns that included little activity in the morning and evening had roughly double the risk of death from any cause over eight years. The secondary analysis examined hip accelerometer data from nearly 2,000 participants to identify daily activity patterns linked to mortality. Their findings, in the journal Arthritis Care and Research on Dec. 22, 2025, highlight how patterns of activity throughout the day may provide important insight into health risks for adults with knee OA.
Exhibitions
Greg Shelnutt, professor of art, will have his sculpture on display as a part of the national group exhibition, 鈥淎nnotated Forms: Craft in Conversation with the Archive,鈥 at the Craft Alliance, St. Louis, Missouri, March 6- April 26, 2026. The exhibition was juried by Craft Alliance's 2026 Visiting Artist, Kimberly Winkle. Winkle is a maker and educator based in Cookeville, Tennessee, known for her distinctive work in furniture, objects and woodturning, which combine refined form with color and surface pattern. She serves as professor and director of the School of Art, Craft & Design at Tennessee Tech University and holds a BFA in ceramics from the University of Oklahoma and an MFA in fFurniture design from San Diego State University. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally and featured in publications such as Fine Woodworking and 500 Chairs.
Grants
Jiniya Chakradhar and S M Rakib Uz Zaman 鈥 both doctoral students in the Department of Biological Sciences 鈥 were awarded grants from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society, during the fall cycle of its program. Chakradhar鈥檚 research project is titled 鈥淔unctional Characterization of the Cataract-Linked RNA-Binding Proteins Celf1 and Elavl1 in Lens Development and Cataract.鈥 Her adviser is Professor Salil Lachke. Rakib Uz Zaman鈥檚 research project focuses on 鈥淚nvestigating the Mechanisms by Which Gremlin 1 Regulates Fibrotic Lens Disease.鈥 His adviser is Melinda Duncan, associate vice president for research and director of the Delaware INBRE program. 91原创鈥檚 awardees were among 48 selected from hundreds of applications submitted nationwide, with funding ranging from $300 to $5,000.聽
Presentations
Matthew Trevett-Smith, director of CTAL and assistant professor of anthropology, organized a multi-institutional panel, 鈥淒riving Impact Together: Collaborative Success Stories from CTLs and Undergraduate Vice Provosts,鈥 featuring Teresa Focarile (Boise State University), Stephanie Laggini Fiore (Temple University), Megan L. Mittelstadt (University of Georgia), Emily Moerer (Temple University), Marisa Anne Pagnattaro (University of Georgia), and Susan Shadle (Boise State University) for the 2026 UERU National Conference. He also organized and participated in a multi-institutional roundtable, 鈥淏uilding Bridges: A Roundtable on Fostering CTL and UVP Partnerships鈥 collaborating with Molly Hatcher (University of Texas at Austin), Michael Palmer (University of Virginia), and Cassandra Volpe Horii (Stanford University) for the same conference. Also at the conference, Trevett-Smith worked with Meghan Biery, FYS program manager, Nathan Elton, executive director, postgraduate and student success integration, Sally Healy, director, academic coaching and tutoring, Rose Muravchick, associate director, CTAL, and Charissa Powell,department head, student success and curriculum partnerships, 91原创 Library, Museums and Press, to co-organize two sessions, 鈥淒igitally Integrated and On Demand: Bridging Student Success Through the LMS鈥 and 鈥淩eshaping Foundations: Optimizing Physical Spaces for Seamless Student Support.鈥 In addition at the conference, Trevett-Smith joined a multi-institutional panel, 鈥淪cholarship Reconsidered: A Panel Discussion of 鈥淏oyer-ness鈥 in Contemporary U.S. Higher Education鈥 organized by Scott Greenberger (Grand Canyon University) and also featuring Laura Cruz (Penn State University Park), Will Miller (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University) and Michael Reder (Connecticut College).聽
Adam Foley, director of diversity education, assessment and outreach, presented a poster, 鈥淎I as an Equity Enabler: Developing Student-Centered, Data-Driven Approaches to Inclusive Excellence Under Evolving Policy Landscapes鈥 for the 2026 UERU National Conference.
Honors
Duygu Phillips, assistant professor of entrepreneurship in the Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics, has received a 2024鈥25 Schulze Publication Award in the Research Insight category. The award recognizes her article, 鈥淯sing Humble Language Can Drive Market Success,鈥 published on the Entrepreneur & Innovation Exchange (EIX), a peer-reviewed platform for entrepreneurship research. Named for Best Buy founder Richard M. Schulze, the Schulze Awards honor the most impactful EIX and FamilyBusiness.org contributions. Phillips鈥 work was recognized for its clarity, practical insight and relevance to entrepreneurs worldwide.
In Memoriam
, who conducted benefits orientations for new University employees from 1973-1992 eventually becoming assistant benefits manager, passed away Jan. 27, 2026.
To submit information for inclusion in For the Record, write to ocm@udel.edu and include 鈥淔or the Record鈥 in the subject line.
Contact Us
Have a 91原创aily story idea?
Contact us at ocm@udel.edu
Members of the press
Contact us at mediarelations@udel.edu or visit the Media Relations website
