Faculty

KENT IN ASIA - STUDENTS TRAVEL TO TAIWAN AND KOREA!

This summer 15 students from Kent State University traveled and studied in Asia. Some students went to National Taichung University in Taiwan and others studied at Hanyang University in Korea. KSU students studied subjects such as Asian philosophy, Chinese and Korean languages, communications, and business, all in English. Their trip took them from ancient temples and historical monuments all the way to modern department stores and meeting the famous B-Boy dance group.

The Taiwan trip was established through the efforts of Dr. Ken Cushner, Executive Director of International Affairs. Dr. Cushner hopes to run this program again next summer as well. I will keep you posted as soon as final decisions are made. The study program to Hanyang University was arranged by Dr. Dennis Hart, who also taught a course as part of the international program at Hanyang University.

A webpage featuring a number of pictures and stories is now up and running. If you want to see and read about the adventures students had in Taiwan and Korea, go to the new Kent In Asia webpage at: http://www.kent.edu/Academics/Asian/KIA.cfm
 

*Introduction to Asian Studies will be offered for the first time in Kent State’s history! This is a sophomore level course in Arts & Sciences and will be taught by Professor Dennis Hart. This course will be offered on Tuesdays and Thursday from 11 AM to 12:15 PM on the Stark Campus and is worth 3 credit hours. The course will provide an introduction to East Asian society, history, culture, and even food! For more information contact Professor Dennis Hart. (dhart@kent.edu)

* History of Southeast Asia (ST: HIST 49195) will be offered by Professor Leslie Heaphy on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:55 PM to 8:10 PM on the Stark Campus. The course is worth 3 credit hours. For more information contact Professor Leslie Heaphy. (lheaphy@kent.edu)

* History of Japan (HIST 41116) - A general survey of the development of Japan from a loose confederation of clans to a modern industrial state. (3) (Kent Campus) Mondays and Wednesdays. For more information contact Professor Patti Kameya. (pkameya@kent.edu)

* Japanese language will be offered at the Stark campus! (Spring 2008) Professor Tonya Bamberger will be offering introductory Japanese language on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:30 to 1:45 PM. This is the first time Japanese has been offered at the Stark campus. Please contact Professor Tonya Bamberger for more information. (tonya.bamberger@gmail.com)

* Japanese Languages (Spring 2008) will be offered at a variety of levels. Japanese classes are as follows:

15102-001 Elementary II TR 2:15-3:55

15102-002 Elementary II MW 11-12:40

15102-003 Elementary II TR 11-12:40

25202-001 Intermediate II TR 3:45-5

25202-002 Intermediate II MW 12:30-1:45

35102-001 Advanced Intermediate II TR 2:15-3:55

65240-001 Lit/Cult Translation W 4:25-7:05

65250-001 Comm/Legl/Dipl Translation M 2:05-5

For more details on Japanese language course, please email Professor Judy Wakabayashi (jwakabay@kent.edu) or see http://www.personal.kent.edu/~dhart/Asia/courses.htm

* Independent Investigations are always possible in Political Science, Geography, History, and Anthropology. Remember to contact an Asian Studies Minor Coordinator before registering for these courses. Email either Professor Dennis Hart or Professor Jim Tyner.

For more info go to:  http://www.personal.kent.edu/~dhart/Asia/courses.htm
 

* Congratulations to Jonathan Smith for completing all the requirements for the Asian Studies Minor. Jonathan Smith was also one of the students who traveled to Taiwan this summer and has traveled to Japan as well.

*Congratulations to Dr. James Tyner for his new books: America's Strategy in Southeast Asia: From Cold War to Terror War, with Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, and, The Business of War.

* Congratulations to Dr. Shawn Banasick, winner of the Distinguished Teacher Award from the College of Arts and Sciences.
 

Once again, KSU will host the NCTA (National Consortium for Teaching about Asia). The seminar to be held in Akron, Ohio this spring 2008 semester. The seminar is being co-organized with Ohio State University. The NCTA is funded by the Freeman Foundation and offers annual Teaching About Asia Seminars for teachers, grades 6-12. Hundreds of teachers have taken the seminar and remain committed to incorporating East Asia into their curriculum.

Kent State University's participation in this program opens up significant opportunities for our Asian Studies faculty to participate in a national program dedicated to teaching about Asia.

School teachers who participate in the seminar receive a $500 stipend, $200 in books on Asia, their home school receives $300 in materials related to Asia, and the teacher is then eligible to join a study tour to Asia at a very reduced price ($500). Seminar participants can also take receive graduate credit from Kent State University. So if you know a teacher would be interested in the program have them contact Dennis Hart. (dhart@kent.edu)

To learn more about this national program you email me or visit the website at: http://ncta.osu.edu/
 

Please welcome two new faculty to KSU. Junghyun Kim and Hyangsook Lee have recently joined the College of Communication and Information.

* Junghyun Kim is in Communication Sciences and conducts research on computer-mediated communications. Her BA and MA are from Seoul National University and her Ph.D. is from Michigan State University.

* Hyangsook Lee is in the school of Journalism and Mass Communicaitons and teaches infomation design and graphics. Her BA is from Hongik University in Seoul and her MA is from Ohio University. She was business designer of the Louisville Courier-Journal from 2004-2006, graphic designer of the Nashville Tennessean from 1998-2003.

To learn more about Asian Studies faculty members at KSU, got to:
http://www.kent.edu/Academics/Asian/faculty.cfm