Steve Schmidt, professor of Economics, and Therese McCarty, professor of Economics, dean of the faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs, have authored a paper, “Estimating Permanent and Transitory Income Elasticities of Education Spending from Panel Data,” which has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Public Economics. The paper develops a methodology for correctly estimating the effect that household income has on education spending in states when several years of data are used. This methodology can be used for understanding the relationship between changes in income and changes in other types of government spending in states and localities.
Gretchel Hathaway Tyson, senior director for Campus Diversity and Affirmative Action and former director of the Kenney Community Center, recently received a plaque from the Union College Science and Technology Entry Program (STEP) for her 10 years of distinguished service. Tyson also was honored at the annual STEP competition in Albany in March. Union STEP participants from Schenectady and Shaker high schools, and Central Park, Iroquois, Mont Pleasant and Schalmont middle schools performed at the anniversary competition. STEP helps prepare students for pre-professional degree programs in scientific, technical and health-related fields.
Daniel Mosquera, associate professor of Spanish and Latin American Studies, was invited to attend the Conference on Afro-Romance Film and Culture earlier this month at the University of Missouri, Columbia, where he read a paper titled “Privatizing Popular Culture: The Feast of San Pacho Goes to Town (under the auspices of the BAT Foundation).” The paper examines corporate approaches to – and complicities with – popular culture and the latter’s subsequent privatization. His documentary, “Sanpachando,” was screened as part of the conference.
Nic Zarrelli ’97, director of Purchasing, has been appointed associate dean for Academic Affairs, Zarelli, who graduated Summa Cum Laude from Union with a major in Economics and a minor in Mathematics, spent two years in General Electric’s Financial Management Program, followed by finance and budget work for GE Energy, ICG Commerce in Philadelphia and PricewaterhouseCoopers. His new position is effective April 28.
Samuel Amanuel, assistant professor of Physics, and Sanford Sternstein of RPI presented their paper, “Enthalpic Relaxation of Silica-Polyvinyl Acetate Nanocomposites,” at the American Physical Society meeting in New Orleans in March. Their thermal measurements on glassy polyvinyl acetate revealed that nano silica particles reduced the extent of relaxations in the polymer. This could imply that nano particles can alter the aging mechanism of polymers and improve their shelf life.