Return to Celebration of Newly Tenured Faculty
Below are the newly tenured faculty and a brief explanation of the books or materials they hand-picked to be purchased and book plated in their honor.
Olugbenga M. Anubi, Electrical & Computer Engineering
Nonlinear Control of Engineering Systems - A Lyapunov-based Approach By Warren E. Dixon, S. Nagarkatti, Darren Dawson and Aman Behal
This book, as well as the first author, made a significant impact on my development as a control systems engineer.
Chari Arespacochaga, School of Theatre
Fashionable Filipinas By Gino Gonzales and Mark L. Higgins
Gino Gonzales was one of the first of my generation of artists in the Philippines to leave the country to do his MFA in Design. I remember seeing his design for a contemporary ballet upon his return to Manila and understanding the possibility of elevated work. We have since then become great colleagues, collaborators, and true friends. That our students in FSU can see some of his artistry, advocacy and creative commitments through this book is truly precious.
Alyssa R. Atwood, Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science
The Warming Papers: The Scientific Foundation for the Climate Change Forecast Edited by David Archer and Raymond Pierrehumbert
This book contains a collection of classic scientific papers spanning three centuries on the scientific basis of global warming. I was first introduced to this book as a graduate student and I’ve returned to it many times over the years, both for its fundamental scientific concepts as well as its rich historical perspective.
Jessica Bahorski, College of Nursing
Evidence-Based Practice in Nursing & Healthcare By Bernadette Mezurek Melnyk and Ellen Fineout-Overholt
Using the best practices in healthcare has strong evidence to support the best outcomes for patients and families. This book highlights the importance of evidence-based practice (EBP) along with the steps to complete the process. As a clinician, I became aware of EBP and was very passionate about ensuring nurses were following best practices. This work let me to return to school to complete a PhD. I know that research is only valuable if, and when, it’s implemented into practice. As a research and clinician, I am posed to bridge the gap between these areas, and this book offers me guidance in doing so.
Tenley C. Bick, Art History
Torino sperimentale: 1959-1969. Una storia della cronaca: il sistema delle arti come avanguardia By Luca Massimo Barbero
Often eclipsed by Florence, Rome, Venice, and other cultural capitals of Italy, the city of Torino (Turin), located in the northwestern Italian province of Piedmont, was central to histories of Italian art and politics of the 1960s—and, during my doctoral research, it was briefly my home. Long a major industrial center for Italy, Turin in the 1960s became an “experimental laboratory” in art and activism, as well as an international artistic center. It was home to Arte Povera, the “guerrilla” anti-capitalist artistic movement of the late 1960s composed mostly of Turinese and Piedmontese artists such as Michelangelo Pistoletto, whose work I examined in my first book. Including important scholarly essays and an invaluable social and artistic chronology of Turin, this book offers students and scholars alike access to Turin in the 1960s, and a way to imagine what that exciting, tumultuous, and incomparably experimental time was like.
David W. Braithwaite, Psychology
Metamagical Themas By Douglas Hofstadter
I read this fascinating book while working in industry, my plans for graduate school having fallen by the wayside some years after I finished my BA. The book rekindled my interest in research and helped direct that interest towards psychology and cognitive science, eventually leading me back to academia.
Shantel G. Buggs, Sociology
Racism without Racists: Color-Blind Racism and the Persistence of Racial Inequality in America By Eduardo Bonilla-Silva
Professor Bonilla-Silva is the reason I am a sociologist today. He was my Introduction to Sociology professor while I was an undergraduate at Duke. He was the faculty member who not only encouraged me to major in Sociology, but to pursue to a graduate degree in Sociology. This book and his course on race are the reason I became interested in studying racial inequality. Professor Bonilla-Silva modeled for me how to be a mentor and a teacher and a scholar, especially to fellow first-generation students of color.
Hitesh J. Changlani, Physics
Men of Mathematics By E.T. Bell
A friend in junior college (high school) in India introduced me to the book “Men of Mathematics” by E.T. Bell. Learning about the lives of famous mathematicians (some of whom were also great physicists), and their motivations for pursuing what they did, was perhaps my first experience with the “human side” of science. The resilience these people showed in the face of adversity, while still being able to leave a lasting impact on mathematics and physics, was deeply inspiring. This book greatly influenced my decision to pursue a scientific career.
Juyeong Choim, Civil & Environmental Engineering
Infrastructure Planning, Engineering and Economics By Alvin S. Goodman and Makarand Hastak
This book has been a significant source of inspiration for me, encouraging me to explore a diverse range of challenges associated with infrastructure planning and to pursue innovative solutions. I chose this book primarily because it serves as the cornerstone of the knowledge base for both my previous and current research endeavors. Furthermore, it holds personal significance as it was authored by my mentor, Dr. Makarand Hastak, who has played a pivotal role in guiding me throughout my career.
Elizabeth Coggeshall, Modern Languages & Linguistics
The Divine Comedy By Dante Alighieri translated by Robin Kirkpatrick
When I was an undergraduate at the University of Notre Dame, I remember visiting the library and seeing the stunning collection of beautiful art books and rare editions of Dante’s Divine Comedy. I was entranced by the wide variety of illustration styles, translations, and interpretations, and the presentation of the books themselves made them appear like mystical objects and not mere texts. I hope that this edition will find itself in the hands of some other young student who is equally as entranced by the poem, by its beauty, its solemnity, its mystery, and its magic.
Katherine R. Dale, School of Communications
Sheep in a Jeep By Nancy E. Shaw
Sheep in a Jeep is a household favorite. As a result, I’ve read it more than almost any other book. It reminds me of the love and support of my family who have helped me every step of the way in my career.
David Detweiler, College of Music
Composing and Arranging for the Contemporary Big Band By Bill Dobbins
Bill Dobbins, now Professor Emeritus, spent a long career teaching at the Eastman School of Music. I studied out of his small group arranging book as an undergraduate. As a doctoral student at Eastman, I took arranging classes and composition lessons from Bill, which were very influential. This is his only book on big band arranging and it is the result of a project that he was working on while I was at Eastman.
James Du, Sports Management
Sport Consumer Behavior: Marketing Strategies By Daniel C. Funk, Kostas Alexandris and Heath McDonald
I am thrilled to spotlight this book that holds significant personal and professional importance for me. Placing this book in honor of my doctoral advisor Dr. Daniel C. Funk is a testament to the profound impact his work has had on shaping my scholarly trajectory. This book stands as a cornerstone in the field of sport consumer behavior. It is widely regarded as a seminal text for researchers and practitioners alike. For me, this book has been nothing short of inspirational. It has provided the intellectual foundation upon which I have built my passion for studying the intersection of sport, consumer behavior, and data science. Beyond its scholarly contributions, this book holds a special place in my heart. It has not only shaped my academic pursuits but has also served as a valuable resource in my teaching endeavors and professional practice. The inclusion of this book is a token of gratitude for the guidance, wisdom, and inspiration Dr. Funk has bestowed upon me and countless others.
Arienne M. Ferchaud, School of Communications
Motown Greatest Hits Set Various Artists
From riding to school in the mornings with my late father, to holidays jamming with my family at my Grandmo’s house in the Louisiana countryside, the songs from this set are the soundtrack of my childhood, my adolescence, and my now. Every time I hear songs from this era, I am reminded of the ferocity of the love and support given to me by my family. Without them all, I could not have made it this far. So, it feels only right to dedicate my selection to them.
Matthew A. Goldmark, Modern Languages & Linguistics
The Rain God By Arturo Islas
My undergraduate advisor, Ana Patricia Rodríguez, led me to this book. The Rain God is a powerful meditation on family and loss. I return to the book often, and I hope that others will be drawn to it as well.
Shannon Hall-Mills, School of Communication Science & Disorders
Handbook of Language and Literacy Development and Disorders Edited by Addison Stone, Elaine R. Silliman, Barbara J. Ehren, and Geraldine P. Wallach (Eds.)
The first edition of this text was published the year I began my doctoral program at FSU as a Leadership in Language and Literacy Fellow initially under the direction of Dr. Howard Goldstein. Through that experience I met Dr. Kenn Apel, one of the editors of the first edition, whose expertise in written language development was a close match to my research interests. Dr. Apel served as my major professor for the majority of my doctoral training. This book is a good representation of the major issues facing this specialty. I have been mentored by many people along the way, several of whom are authors in one or both editions of this text. Theirs, and others, are the giant shoulders upon which my current work stands and I am grateful to them for sharing their work. This book is also a mirror of my career long experiences as a speech-language pathologist, language diagnostician, educator, advocate, and literacy expert. This book has an interdisciplinary arch, and my hope is that future versions will be even more so, and perhaps reflect the research and advocacy my career is focused on for school-age children and adolescents, their SLPs and educators who support their communication development across childhood.
Marcela Herdova, Philosophy
The Talisman By Peter Straub and Stephen King
This novel, co-written by Peter Straub and Stephen King, is one of my favorites in the genre. I picked it up as a teenager and I loved it since. Despite their richness, the horror and fantasy genres tend to be unfairly underrated. The Talisman has some masterful storytelling and an abundance of philosophical themes I have come to appreciate even more over the years. The opening paragraphs of The Talisman made me feel like I have visited New England before I ever did (and King’s novels, in general, inspired me to explore this beautiful part of the country).
Christian M. Hubicki, Mechanical Engineering
Reinforcement Learning: An Introduction By Richard S. Sutton and Andrew G. Barto
I’ll never forget the spring break of 2009, when I devoured the first edition of this seminal text on reinforcement learning. I felt inspired and armed with cutting-edge learning methods, powering my master’s thesis on robot control to completion. Five years later came the deep learning revolution, rendering this classic a bit musty. May this new and updated second edition similarly inspire the next generation of roboticists, shortly prior to the next big thing.
Amel Ibourk, School of Teacher Education
Narrative inquiry: Experience and story in qualitative research By Jean Clandinin and F. Michael Connelly
This book has been significant to me because narrative inquiry methodology, which draws on narratives and stories, has been the methodology that has guided much of my work. Stories are powerful in that they tell the “specifics” behind the history of the lives of people such as teachers and students and what shaped and shapes their ongoing learning and/or teaching journey.
Young-An Kim, College of Criminology & Criminal Justice
The Criminology of Place: Street Segments and Our Understanding of the Crime Problem By David Weisburd, Elizabeth R. Groff, and Sue-Ming Yang
I first found this book on my former PhD adviser’s book shelf. I rented it from him and finished reading it within a day. This book gave me many intellectual insights, which eventually led to the theoretical and methodological core of my doctoral dissertation work.
Karen M. Large, College of Music
Sternbilder-Suite Op. 21 By Gotthard Odermatt
The hallmark of the flute world is its strong sense of community, most often found in the thousands of flute choirs around the globe. Odermatt’s Sternbilder-Suite, Op. 21 is my favorite flute choir work because of its fourteen independent parts, emphasis on low flutes, and stunningly beautiful music. I hope future generations of FSU flutists will explore this work and continue to strengthen the flute communities here and in the places they’ll travel throughout their lives.
Laura R. Marks, Educational Psychology & Learning Systems
Caribbean Psychology Indigenous Contributions to a Global Discipline By Jaipaul L. Roopnarine and Derek Chadee
As a Jamaican immigrant and U.S. trained psychologist, I found this book on Caribbean Psychology inspiring and validating. For me, the book highlights the importance of cross-cultural psychology and studying the lived experiences of people within their contexts.
Let’s be intentional in focusing on context and its power to shape lives!
Yolany Martínez Hyde, Behavioral Science & Social Medicine
Obras Completas By Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz
Sor Juana Inés de la Cruz’s writings are a referent in Spanish Colonial literature. Through her writings, she showcases her exceptional talent and intellect, especially considering the societal constraints placed on women during the colonial period. Above all, her poetry reflects themes of love, faith, and intellectual inquiry, challenging traditional gender roles and advocating for women’s rights. To me, she is an intellectual role model and a poet that I can look up and enjoy.
Yelena McLane, Interior Architecture & Design
Jacques Tati: The Complete Works Edited by Allison Castle
My first published academic article focused on cinematic representations of architectural modernism in the films of Jacques Tati. Tati used humor to expose the sleek, glass and chrome manifestations of high modernist theory as woefully ill-suited to the messier, earthier lifestyles of actual people. Tati reminds us that good design must respond to our needs and not force us to conform our habits to the dubious ideals of self-important theorists.
Laura McTighe, Religion
Born in Flames By Lizzie Borden
Fire means something in the South. That truth forever changed the course of my research. On May 24, 2012, just two months after my organizing family at Women With A Vision won a major victory for Black feminist liberation, our New Orleans offices were firebombed and destroyed in a still-uninvestigated arson attack. After the fire, research became a form of survival. We not only had to rebuild the archive that was lost; we also had to fight narratives from city officials who tried to treat this as a singular attack on a single organization at a single moment in time, rather than part of a history of violence against southern Black women’s work. “Born in Flames” was the slogan our community used to connect our work with that of generations past, and also to claim our future. With it, we invoked the transformational spirit of the phoenix rising from the ashes — and also Lizzie Borden’s classic 1983 film. I am grateful to be able to share the “Born in Flames” film with you, and also encourage you to visit WWAV’s living archive online at BornInFlames.com. Forward Ever.
Jayur M. Mehta, Anthropology
Superman: Year One By Frank Miller and John Romita Jr.
Superman is the ultimate immigrant story. One person gifted with power and a responsibility to use it for the benefit of humanity. His story resonates across time, space, and nation, and it is one that has excited me since I was a young boy. The bad guys are really bad and the good guys are few and far between - in an instant, Superman can save the day. Yet he lives in secret and still works tirelessly to help those who need it the most. I can’t think of a more relevant and inspirational message - use your talents to help society and to make a better world. I look forward to reading this Superman story again and I hope all who read it, find a message for how to build a more just, equitable, and kind planet.
Matthew S. Mewhinney, Modern Languages & Linguistics
Cotton Candy: Poems Dipped Out of the Air By Ted Kooser
Cotton Candy is the latest collection of poems by American poet Ted Kooser—one of my favorite poets of all time. In a review, poet Judith Harris wrote: “His work transforms the world we are given into a world that we create.” Kooser has a gift for metaphor and his poems show us how to see the world anew. He writes with the common reader in mind, assembling clear and simple words into short, beautiful poems that reveal the hidden wonders of the everyday and of the human imagination. In his poem “One Cloud,” the image of a cloud becomes a metaphor for a thought, a dream, or possibly even someone we happen to meet in life. After watching the same cloud over the course of six haiku-like stanzas, the speaker makes a final observation: “that cloud, / which had for a few seconds floated over / just one of my mornings, gently rippling / the glass of my windows, was gone.” (41) The fleeting image of the cloud in Kooser’s poem surely rings bells for me as a scholar of Japanese literature, calling to mind the Buddhist concept of impermanence that informs the Japanese tradition; but the way Kooser makes that cloud ripple into absence is his own creation. It’s that kind of magic in poetry that keeps me reading, thinking, and imagining.
Lea Nienhaus, Chemistry & Biochemistry
Masters RAAM: A Winning Strategy By Martin Gruebele
This book as written by my Ph.D. advisor Dr. Martin Gruebele, aka ‘the Honey Badger’ and Dr. Gregory Scott, a former lab mate. In addition to being a highly accomplished scientist, Dr. Gruebele is an endurance athlete, specializing in the ultra-distances. This book describes his scientific strategy to winning the Master’s title in the 2016 Race Across America (RAAM), a 3000-mile bike race from California to Maryland. The perseverance and dedication required to accomplish these crazy endurance races is not unlike the endurance required to achieve tenure. I hope this book is an inspiration to others when they find themselves struggling in the tenure journey.
Kai Ou, Political Science
Experimental political science and the study of causality: from nature to the lab By Rebbeca B. Morton
Authored by my esteemed Ph.D. dissertation advisor, this book holds profound personal significance for me, symbolizing the guidance and mentorship that shaped my academic journey. Beyond its sentimental value, this work is a beacon of knowledge, offering invaluable insights into the application of experimental methods in political science. It is my fervent belief that this book will not only enrich our library but also inspire future generations of scholars to explore the complexities of political economy with rigor and passion.
Rhys Parfitt, Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science
Winne-the-Pooh By A. A. Milne
“Yes,” said Winnie-the-Pooh.
“I see now,” said Winnie-the-Pooh.
“I have been Foolish and Deluded,” said he, “and I am a Bear of No Brain at All.”
“You’re the Best Bear in All the World,” said Christopher Robin soothingly.
“Am I?” said Pooh hopefully. And then he brightened up suddenly.
“Anyhow,” he said, “it is nearly Luncheon Time.”
So he went home for it.
When celebrating a milestone, it is important to acknowledge the support of those around us that pick us back up when in moments of doubt. Without them, of course, we may not be at the milestone at all. I am choosing the children’s book Winnie-the-Pooh, which imparted this understanding to me at a very young age.
Elissa Gentry, College of Law
Pricing Lives: Guideposts for a Safer Society By W. Kip Viscusi
My research focuses on assessing, managing, and valuing risk in the context of health. Pricing Lives is a thoughtful exploration of risk valuation (specifically, the value of a statistical life), how the government and courts have used such concepts, and the challenges and opportunities (past and future) in estimating and applying these measures. The book is written by the leading voice in the field, W. Kip Viscusi, whom I am lucky to consider a mentor.
Eric Rieger, College of Music
Britten, Voice and Piano: Lectures on the Vocal Music of Benjamin Britten By Graham Johnson
The music of Benjamin Britten has had a profound impact on my career as a singer, both as a vehicle for public performance and source of artistic inspiration. Britten’s art songs in particular encompass that which is at the core of my artistic values: the synthesis of high-quality poetry and music in works for voice and piano that allows us to experience words intimately in a new and insightful way. This book delves deeply into the nature of Britten’s creativity that is especially apparent in his setting of poetry in song. The author’s insight has helped to shape and change my perspective on these works as I have performed and recorded them throughout my career.
Miles A. Romney, Accounting
Les Miserables By Victor Hugo
This timeless redemption story is my favorite novel of all time. Reading it cover to cover brought the story to life for me after seeing multiple motion picture versions.
Sourabh Singh, Sociology
Manet: A Symbolic Revolution By Pierre Bourdieu
This book is one of the most important contributions to the sociological appreciation of arts. By analyzing Manet’s role in revolutionizing the art world, Bourdieu challenges our commonsensical comprehension of the possibility of change in our social world. This book is a must-read for all those who take the logic of the social world seriously. This book is one of the most important contributions to the sociological appreciation of arts. By analyzing Manet’s role in revolutionizing the art world, Bourdieu challenges our commonsensical comprehension of the possibility of change in our social world. This book is a must-read for all those who take the logic of the social world seriously.
Clinton Sleeper, Art
The Utopia of Rules: On Technology, Stupidity, and the Secret Joys of Bureaucracy By David Graeber
In this deceivingly simple collection of essays, Graeber investigates a number of systems that govern our everyday lives and reveals the various ways that our technologies undermine our relationships and our fundamental human experiences. The essays were influential for me as I entered higher education and began thinking about how my creative practice reflected my teaching.
George M. Speed, College of Music
Vivaldi 6 Cello Sonatas, Christophe Coin, cello By Christophe Coin
This 1989 album was enormously inspiring to me as a student and led to my own study, exploration, and recording of these beautiful sonatas on the double bass. I continue to find inspiration in Christophe Coin’s beautiful playing to this day.
Gregory Springer, College of Music
Experimental Research in Music By Clifford K. Madsen and Charles H. Madsen
Experimental Research in Music is the seminal introductory text on experimental research in music. It was the first published textbook on the subject and remains the primary resource people use when first teaching graduate students about experimental research. I selected this book because it was influential in my own development as a researcher. I also want to honor my mentor and former colleague Clifford K. Madsen (Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of Music, Coordinator of Music Education and Music Therapy at FSU).
Jeffrey A. Springer, College of Music
The Inner Game of Music By Green, Barry, and W. Timothy Gallwey
The Inner Game of Music played a significant role in my life and career by teaching me how to acknowledge and overcome internal obstacles such as nervousness, self-doubt, and fear of success. These techniques ultimately led me to reach new heights in my artistic journey.
Margaret A. Sullivan, School of Information
Nanette’s Baguette By Mo Willems
This happens to be the first book I bought for my kids after getting my job as a professor at the University of Iowa. It is our favorite and over the two institutions and six years it took me to achieve tenure at Florida State University, I have read it so many times that I have it memorized. When things are difficult and the day is dark, there is always an option: “Let’s reset!” Thank you for making my life magical every day Aaron, Cora, and Sam.
Yanshuo Sun, Industrial & Manufacturing Engineering
Supply Chain Scheduling By Zhi-Long Chen and Nicholas G. Hall
I would like to choose a book recently published by my research collaborator Dr. Zhi-Long Chen to celebrate another major milestone in my academic journey. I have been working with Dr. Chen on multiple research papers since 2017, soon after I received my PhD degree from the University of Maryland. I am inspired by him to conduct research of the highest caliber in a meticulous and rigorous way. I am determined to develop novel optimization methods to solve conventional and emerging problems in transportation systems and logistics. I also hope that this book can attract more students at Florida State University to this exciting and promising research field.
Aaron C. Thomas, School of Theatre
Myth and Menagerie: Seeing Lions in the Nineteenth Century By Katie Hornstein
I became friends with the author at my very first job after graduate school, and I have been present for many of Dr. Hornstein’s discussions of lions, our ideas of wildness, and “the animal”. In fall of 2023 I directed a play at the Florida State School of Theatre titled “Imogen Says Nothing” about a bear passing as a human in the England of Shakespeare and Elizabeth, and this book influenced my thinking a great deal.
Qiong J. Wu, Human Development & Family Science
Handbook of Child Psychology and Developmental Science Edited by Richard M. Lerner and Michael E. Lamb
This book has impacted my career researching child development.
Xiaobing Zhan, Psychology
Principles of Neural Science By Eric R. Kandel
This is a very important textbook for graduate students in neuroscience. I knew and borrowed this book for my graduate study about 20 years ago. With this opportunity, I hope to have one in hand for memorizing my graduate life and also for my future career as an neuroscience educator.
Ally Zimmerman, Accounting
Introductory Econometrics: A Modern Approach By Woolridge
Econometrics is important for my research.
Heidi Gazelle, Human Development & Family Science
Social Withdrawal, Inhibition, and Shyness in Childhood By Kenneth H. Rubin and Jens B. Asendorpf
I read this book the summer before entering graduate school and it helped me to understand that the developmental phenomena that I had long found fascinating was the subject of scientific study. Since that time, Ken Rubin has become my collaborator and friend.
Gregory R. Jones, College of Music
Developing Expression in Brass Performance and Teaching By Gregory R. Jones
This book encapsulates philosophies that developed in me over a 40-year career. As my prominent teachers and mentors are performers rather than authors, it was my great honor to write down some of these important ideas and concepts so they could be passed on to our profession.
Kohsaku Tobioka, Physics
The Story of Spin By Shinichiro Tomokoga
The book written by a Nobel awardee explores the meaning of spin of quantum mechanics. The book inspired me as a student of physics.