navigate: home: magazine: fall 2002: article

Recognizing exemplary outreach teaching, research and service
These Penn State faculty members are sharing research with individuals, organizations and communities to make life better
Dr. Arthur C. Miller
Dr. Arthur C. Miller
Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering
College of Engineering

Dr. Arthur C. Miller, an expert hydrologic and hydraulic engineer, has been involved in engineering outreach activities in every state. At Penn State, he has been involved with the Continuing Education program since 1973. During that time, he has developed 13 different water resources engineering courses to enhance the technical abilities of practicing professional engineers. He was honored for his commitment to continuing education for engineers with the 1992 Faculty Service Award of the Conferences and Institutes Division of the National Education Association. Under contract with the National Highway Institute, he has been developing and teaching courses to state engineers and consultants throughout the country since 1984. During his tenure at Penn State, he has served as principle investigator and co-principle investigator for research funding totaling more than $4 million. In addition, he was invited to join a team of scientists from around the world to provide expertise to the Encyclopedia of Life Science Systems. He served as a member of the Independent Review Board for the City of Colorado Springs and was selected by the city’s Utilities Water Authority to review and make recommendations on the site selection for the Meza Water Supply. For more than 20 years, Miller has served as an expert to the Maryland State Highway Administration. He also consults with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation on hydraulics issues and state policies, as well as the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, where he reviews legal documents, prepares reports and serves as an expert witness.

Dr. Rob Berghage
Dr. Rob Berghage
Associate Professor of Horticulture
Director, Penn State Horticulture Trial Gardens
College of Agricultural Sciences
Dr. Rob Berghage’s outreach and extension programs are directed to three Pennsylvania groups: county-based Cooperative Extension personnel, commercial producers of ornamental and greenhouse crops and supporting industries, and consumers of ornamental horticulture products. As an extension specialist, he supports county and multicounty agents in the field by participating in programs throughout the state. He also visits commercial producers with each of the regional multicounty extension specialists and assists in solving problems. He conducts in-service training and provides leadership in developing innovative programming in cooperation with county agents. Programs include exercises in soil testing, integrated crop management, specialized programs for Amish and Mennonites and master gardener demonstration gardens. He and multicounty agents were instrumental in starting the first greenhouse crop management associations in Pennsylvania. Berghage and Alan Michael, multicounty extension agent in the Capital Region of Cooperative Extension and Outreach, provided leadership in developing a greenhouse crop management association in central Pennsylvania, the first such association in the nation. It is being used as a model for the development of other associations in the state. As director of the Horticulture Trial Gardens since 1995, Berghage has initiated multiyear perennial plant variety trials, integrated the University Park campus and Landisville trials, developed a newsletter and a public support program and increased the open houses and field days to include programs for the gardening public. The Penn State cultivar performance trials from the Trial Gardens were the first to be made available on the Web.

Dr. Mark T. Greenberg
Dr. Mark T. Greenberg
Edna Peterson Bennett Chair in Prevention Research
Professor of Human Development and Family Studies
College of Health and Human Development

Dr. Mark T. Greenberg is the first holder of the Bennett Chair in Prevention Research and the founding director of the Prevention Research Center for the Promotion of Human Development in the College of Health and Human Development. Using the methodological tools of prevention science and years of practical experience gained in program design and implementation, he has been addressing the health and well-being of children and families in Pennsylvania. In addition, he serves as associate director of Penn State’s Children, Youth and Families Consortium. He has helped to form University-community partnerships to address issues facing children, youth and families. These partnerships are providing opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students to have internships and participate in activities in community settings. His outreach efforts also include extending the Prevention Research Center’s evaluation expertise to community agencies delivering services to children and families, organizing community-wide efforts in Pennsylvania to develop comprehensive plans for building healthy communities and establishing the community-based Capital Area Early Childhood Training Institute in the greater Harrisburg area. This institute serves as a nexus for information and expertise on issues relating to early child development and care. Greenberg also founded the Harrisburg Center for Healthy Child Development and works closely with the Capital Area Funders Group to provide training and information to child-care providers and parents in the Harrisburg area. During the last 15 years, he has also developed and evaluated a school-based curriculum titled Promoting Alternative Thinking Skills that promotes emotional understanding, self-control and positive peer relations among elementary students. The program is used in more than 500 schools around the world.

Dr. William James Lamont Jr.
Dr. William James Lamont Jr.
Associate Professor of Vegetable Crops
College of Agricultural Sciences

Dr. Michael D. Orzolek
Dr. Michael D. Orzolek
Professor of Vegetable Crops
College of Agricultural Sciences

In 1999, Dr. William James Lamont Jr. and Dr. Michael D. Orzolek began development of the Penn State High Tunnel Program, the largest program in the United States dedicated to conducting applied research and outreach activities centered on the development and use of these structures for crop production. The program is designed to give owners of small- and medium-sized family farms an opportunity to keep their farms, increase cash flow and profitability, decrease dependence on off-farm jobs and produce high-quality added-value horticultural crops. The outreach program includes meetings, in-service training for Cooperative Extension agents, personal and group tours of the High Tunnel Research and Education Facility at the Horticulture Research Farm at Rock Springs, a newsletter, Web site, educational materials, extension publications and interaction with state and local governments. High tunnels are used worldwide to extend the growing season of horticultural crops, such as vegetables, small fruits, flowers and fruit trees. High tunnels are Quonset-shaped and constructed of metal bows attached to metal posts that have been driven into the ground. High tunnels are covered with one layer of 6-mil greenhouse-grade plastic sheeting and are ventilated by manually rolling up the sides. They do not have a permanent heating system, but portable propane heaters can be used to protect crops, when necessary. There are no electrical connections, but water can be supplied for irrigation. Lamont and Orzolek have constructed high tunnels at 13 locations around the state, in partnership with county agents and cooperating growers.

Dr. John T. Neisworth Dr. Kathryn D. R. Drager Dr. Charles A. Hughes Dr. Richard M. Kubina Jr.
Dr. John T. Neisworth
Professor of Special Education
College of Education
Dr. Kathryn D. R. Drager
Assistant Professor
Communication Sciences and Disorders
College of Health and Human Development
Dr. Charles A. Hughes
Professor of Special Education
College of Education
Dr. Richard M. Kubina Jr.
Assistant Professor of Education
College of Education

Dr. David L. Lee Dr. James K. McAfee
no
photo
available
Dr. Pamela S. Wolfe
Dr. David L. Lee
Assistant Professor of Special Education
Penn State Great Valley School of Graduate Professional Studies

Sarah S. Bones Photography
Dr. James K. McAfee
Associate Professor of Special Education
College of Education
Dr. Kathy L. Ruhl
Professor of Special Education
College of Education
Dr. Pamela S. Wolfe
Associate Professor of Special Education
College of Education

Top of Page
Previous Article Next Article
Table of Contents
Search Outreach News
Outreach Magazine Homepage
Outreach News Homepage
Eight faculty members comprise the faculty team for the Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) program. This graduate certificate program prepares professionals for credentialing examinations of the Behavior Analyst Certification Board. The ABA program is offered by the College of Education, Outreach Office of Statewide Programs, Continuing Education’s State College Office and the Pennsylvania Department of Education’s Bureau of Special Education. The Department of Education asked the University to develop the program for professionals who work with autistic children and children with severe behavioral disorders. Penn State launched the pilot program in 1998. Since then, more than 300 special education teachers, counselors and psychologists from seven states have enrolled in the program. Dr. John T. Neisworth is the academic coordinator for the ABA program and lead instructor for the final course in the program, Extended Applications II, conducted at University Park campus as part of the Summer Autism Institute. Dr. James K. McAfee is lead instructor for the first course, Applied Behavior Analysis for Special Education: Basic Principles I, and is responsible for orienting students to the ABA program. Dr. Pamela S. Wolfe is lead instructor for Applied Behavior Analysis for Special Education: Basic Principles II and heads a new partnership initiative with the Bureau of Special Education to develop a certificate in autism. Dr. Charles A. Hughes is lead instructor for Extended Applications I. ABA team member Dr. Kathryn D. R. Drager brings more than eight years of experience as a communications disorders specialist to the program. Dr. Richard M. Kubina Jr. has extensive experience as a consultant to families and schools for children with autism. Dr. David L. Lee conducts research on low-incidence disabilities, behavior disorders and applied behavior analysis. Dr. Kathy L. Ruhl is the lead instructor for the Pennsylvania State Improvement Grant on behavior management for teacher training.

© 2002 Outreach Communications,   Outreach & Cooperative Extension,   The Pennsylvania State University
phone: (814) 865-8108,   fax: (814) 863-2765,   e-mail: outreachnews@outreach.psu.edu