Winter 2011/2012 - Tiffin University

22 | WINTER 2011 / 12 | CHALLENGEFaculty NewsChristianity & LiteratureTU Professor James Rovira presentedhis paper, “Knowing Love and Peace bytheir Opposites: the Demonic in Blakeand Kierkegaard,” at the Mideast Conferenceon Christianity and Literature inOctober.“This paper applied the conceptof the demonic in Kierkegaard’s TheConcept of Anxiety to Blake’s characterUrizen in The [First] Book of Urizen,” Dr.Rovira explains. “By illuminating eachauthor’s consideration of the demonic,the paper then illustrates their considerationof the demonic’s opposite – loveand peace.”James RoviraRovira noted that both Blake andKierkegaard gave the demonic characteristicsof darkness, fire, silence, andboredom, which Kierkegaard sums upwith the terms “inclosing reserve” and“unfreely disclosed.”“The good, in contrast, is comprisedof light rather than darkness andfire, with communication rather thansilence, and activity rather than boredom,”he said.His paper also explored Kierkegaard’sconcept of love as further developedin his Works of Love.“My research explains how love – beingan antidote not only to evil but to anxiety– is both a cancellation of the demonicand an active and continuing source ofpeace,” Rovira says. “This explanationalso sheds light on the final redemption ofUrizen in Blake’s Jerusalem.”Mike HerdlickHerdlick Presents at OhioWater EnvironmentalAssociationFaculty member Mike Herdlick recentlypresented a paper at the Ohio WaterEnvironmental Association Lab AnalystCommittee Meeting on “Applicationsin Green Technology.” The talk focusedon the current state of energy use in ourcountry and how sustainability conceptscontinue to grow and be applied toall aspects of business, education, andgovernment. At the meeting, it was alsodiscussed how Tiffin University has establisheda minor in Green Technologies andhas been the recipient of two substantialgrants for recycling. The Ohio WaterEnvironment Association is a not-forprofitassociation that provides technicaleducation and training for Ohio waterquality professionals who clean water andreturn it safely to the environment.Dr. Law Publishes PaperTiffin University Professor Dr. Fang-Mei Law, together with her husbandDr. Gwo-Jen Guo, published a paperentitled “Factors Influencing Interestin Research among Criminal JusticeStudents” in the September issue ofJournal of Criminal Justice Education.Dr. Fang-MeiLawAs the lead author of the paper,Dr. Law emphasized that, as the criminaljustice system moves towards beinga scientifically-oriented field, researchmethodology is a valuable tool enablingcriminal justice professionals to assessthe needs of the developing directionof the field; it is essential that criminaljustice students receive effective trainingin research to gain sufficient knowledgeand acquire adequate skills in researchmethodology throughout their professionaldevelopment. Thus, the aim ofthis study was to explore factors influencingresearch interest among criminaljustice students.Based on the findings, the authorshave proposed several implications foreducators in the criminal justice field inregards to enhancing students’ researchinterest.“This study helps us to understandthe factors influencing research interest forstudents in criminal justice majors. Our findingswill contribute evidence for this line ofresearch in the field,” Dr. Law remarked.How ‘Hope Theory’Can Enhance IndividualDevelopmentTU Professor Dr.Fang-Mei Law isexploring ways inwhich a step-bystep“Hope Theory”can enhance aperson’s developmentfrom infancyto adulthood.Dr. Law and her husband, Dr.Gwo-Jen Guo, describe their researchfindings in a new book entitled FindingHope: Applied Hope Theories in Counseling,published in October.In connection with her new book,Law presented the paper “I Believe ICan: The Study of Involvement, CopingAbility, Hope in Predicting AcademicSelf Efficacy for First-Generation College