NATIONAL BOARD OF ADVISORS

Niels Birbaumer

Prof. Niels Birbaumer, born 1945, Ph.D. 1969, University of Vienna, Austria: Ph.D. in Biological Psychology. 1975-1993 Full Professor of Clinical and Physiological Psychology, University of Tübingen, Germany. 1986-1988 Full Professor of Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, USA. Since 1993 Professor of Medical Psychology and Behavioral Neurobiology at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Tübingen. 1989-2001 Professor of Clinical Psychophysiology, University of Padova, Italy. 2001-2006 Director of the Center of Cognitive Neuroscience, University of Trento, Italy. 2005-2007 Visiting Professor at the National Institute of Health (NIH), Cortical Physiology Unit, USA.

Research topics: Neuronal basis of learning and plasticity. Neurophysiology & Neuroprosthetics, Neurorehabilitation. Psychophysiology of pain. More than 600 publications in peer-reviewed journals. 12 books.

Among many awards: Leibniz-Award of the German Research Society (DFG), Full member of the German Academy of Science and Literature, President of the European Association of Behavior Therapy, Fellow of the American Psychological Association, Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine and the American Association of Applied Psychophysiology. Award for Research in Neuromuscular Diseases, Wilhelm-Wundt-Medal of the German Society of Psychology, Einstein World Award of Science, 2004-2005 President of the Society for Psychophysiological Research (SPR).

Barry R. Dworkin, Ph.D.
Dr. Dworkin is a Professor of Neural and Behavioral Sciences at Penn State University. His main focus is Learning and Physiological Regulation. Within the cardiovascular system the baroreflexes of the carotid sinus and aortic arch are crucial to blood pressure stabilization. His research focuses on the question of whether a mechanism of neural plasticity, known as classical conditioning, which is involved in drug tolerance, digestive secretion, and adjustment of critical visual tracking reflexes, is also involved in activation and calibration of the baroreflexes. Classical conditioning itself is simply a repeating sequence of a weak (conditioned) stimulus followed by a stronger (unconditioned) stimulus. It has been known since Pavlov that eventually, the weaker stimulus produces reflex effects closely resembling those of the stronger stimulus. Mathematical models that we have developed predict that classical conditioning can significantly augment the effectiveness of innate regulatory reflexes, and in various ways tailor their action to the needs of an individual's anatomy, constitution and life experience. His recent research has established that the vascular sympathoinhibitory and cardiac depressor effects of the baroreflex can be conditioned, and that the conditioned responses satisfy the assumptions of the models. Our experiments all use a unique highly instrumented, CNS intact long-term rat model. He is able to monitor blood pressure, EKG, regional blood flow, brain electrical activity, electrical activity of individual skeletal and autonomic nerves, and many other physiological variables simulataneouly and accurately. At the same time we can present various visual and auditory stimuli, and activate selected autonomic afferent nerves repeatedly. Ongoing studies will extend the empirical mechanisms and theoretical concepts of traditional physiology to include classical conditioning, and will specifically determine whether there is a fundamental and implicit role of conditioning in normal blood pressure regulation.

Select publications include:
Dworkin BR. Dworkin S. Tang X. Carotid and aortic baroreflexes of the rat: I. Open-loop steady-state properties and blood pressure variability. 2000 Nov. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 279(5):R1910-21.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Dworkin BR. Tang X. Snyder AJ. Dworkin S. Carotid and aortic baroreflexes of the rat: II. Open-loop frequency response and the blood pressure spectrum. 2000 Nov. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol. 279(5):R1922-33.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Dworkin BR. Dworkin S. Heterotopic and homotopic classical conditioning of the baroreflex. 1999 Jul-Sep. Integr Physiol Behav Sci. 34(3):158-76.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute
Dworkin BR. Dworkin S. Learning of physiological responses: II. Classical conditioning of the baroreflex. 1995 Dec. Behav Neurosci. 109(6):1119-36.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

Dr. Francis Q. Eberle
Dr. Francis Q. Eberle is the executive director of the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA), the world's largest professional organization representing science educators of all grade levels.

Before joining the association’s staff in September 2008, Dr. Eberle served as executive director of the Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance (MMSA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to improving mathematics and science education in that state. During his time there, he worked to develop state curriculum frameworks and provide professional development and resources to schools and teachers throughout Maine.

Prior to joining MMSA in 1993, Dr. Eberle was an adjunct faculty member of the University of Southern Maine, where he taught prospective elementary teachers. Eberle also founded and was executive director of the STAR Foundation, a nonprofit organization that produced science education materials and offered informal science experiences for students.

For more than a dozen years, Dr. Eberle taught middle and high school science in Maine. He served as president of the Maine Science Teachers Association (MSTA), as well as on several boards, advisory groups, and committees for various state and national organizations, including the National Alliance of State Science and Mathematics Coalitions (NASSMC), the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence (COSEE), and the Maine Space Grant Consortium (MSGC).

A renowned researcher in the science education community, Dr. Eberle is the lead or co-lead on numerous research projects underwritten by the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education on a host of collaborative science and math education reform initiatives. Eberle’s research has focused on integrating engineering into the high school curriculum, training inservice teachers, mentoring new teachers, involving parents in science and math, and integrating technology into the science and math classroom.

Dr. Eberle has also published extensively for the science and mathematics communities. He coauthored the popular NSTA Press book series Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, and he has contributed extensively to many scholarly journals on key aspects of science teaching and learning. He has also served as keynote speaker at numerous NSTA area and national conferences.

Eberle has been honored for his service to science education. He has received MSTA’s Philip Marcoux Memorial Award for outstanding service to science education and was recognized by the Maine Department of Education with its Alan M. Argondizza Award for outstanding service to elementary science education. Before he joined NSTA, Maine’s House of Representatives and Senate issued a proclamation recognizing him for his 20 years of dedication to science and math, and he also received a commendation from Maine Governor John E. Baldacci.

Eberle holds a doctorate in educational studies from Lesley University, a master’s degree in educational psychology from the University of Connecticut, and a bachelor’s degree in science education from Boston University. He lives in McLean, Virginia, with his wife Diane and daughter Charlotte.

Robert J. Johnson
Mr. Robert J. Johnson is the President of the NABGG (National Association of Black Geologists and Geophysicists) entering his second term (2007-2008). He has previously served on the NABGG Executive Team as National Vice President (2003-2004), and National Treasurer (2001-2002). Johnson has over twenty years of experience in the geoscience industry and holds Texas certification as a Professional Geoscientist, P.G. He currently represents NABGG as a member of the National Petroleum Council, which advises the Secretary of Energy and the President of the United States on U.S. energy policy. He also serves as the American Geological Institute (AGI) Member Society Representative for NABGG.

He is a graduate of Grambling State University (Physics) and Louisiana Tech University (Geology), and the University of Houston – Clear Lake. He began his career with Mobil Oil (Dallas) and after numerous transfers; he began his work in geoscience software applications, while working in the Mobil Oil Geophysical Technology Applications Group (Houston). After Mobil, he entered into the software technology sector of the geoscience industry at CogniSeis Development (Houston). Mr. Johnson was promoted to Manager of Client Support, Western Hemisphere, with responsibility for managing a multimillion dollar client base. After acquisition and integration into Paradigm GeoTechnology, BV, he later became the Manager of Training for the North American division of Paradigm. He currently works in the R&D division of Paradigm Geotechnology, as a Sr. Research Geoscientist, in Houston, Texas.

Johnson continues to be an active volunteer with other community volunteer activities, outreach in his local church, and privately funded philanthropic mission trips to Africa. He is an active supporter of many organizations including: UNYP–Houston (United Nations Young Professionals), Junior Achievement, Geomodeling Society of Houston, The Rafiki Foundation, Christian Children’s Fund, AABE (American Association of Blacks in Energy) and Bible Study Fellowship.

He has targeted much of his personal energy to highlighting the needs for connecting to the African continent and beginning the work of technology transfer.

Lawrence Krauss
Prof. Lawrence M. Krauss is an internationally known theoretical physicist with wide research interests, including the interface between elementary particle physics and cosmology, where his studies include the early universe, the nature of dark matter, general relativity and neutrino astrophysics. He has investigated questions ranging from the nature of exploding stars to issues of the origin of all mass in the universe. He was born in New York City and moved shortly thereafter to Toronto, Canada, where he grew up. He received undergraduate degrees in both Mathematics and Physics at Carleton University. He received his Ph.D. in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1982), then joined the Harvard Society of Fellows (1982-85). He joined the faculty of the departments of Physics and Astronomy at Yale University as assistant professor in 1985, and associate professor in 1988. In 1993 he was named the Ambrose Swasey Professor of Physics, Professor of Astronomy, and Chairman of the department of Physics at Case Western Reserve University. He served in the latter position for 12 years, until 2005. During this period he built up the department, which was ranked among the top 20 Physics Graduate Research Programs in the country in a 2005 national ranking. Among the major new initiatives he spearheaded are included the creation of one of the top particle astrophysics experimental and theoretical programs in the US, and the creation of a groundbreaking Masters Program in Physics Entrepreneurship. In 2002, he was named Director of the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics at Case.

In August 2008 Krauss took up his new post as Foundation Professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration and Physics Department, and Inaugural Director of the Origins Initiative at Arizona State University. As planned, Origins will become a national center for research and outreach on origins issues, from the origins of the universe, to human origins, to the origins of consciousness and culture. It will also form a cross-cutting educational theme at ASU. In April of 2009, it will host an Origins Symposium, bringing together some of the most well known figures in the world in these areas for public presentations, and professional workshops.

Prof. Krauss is the author of over 250 scientific publications, as well as numerous popular articles on physics and astronomy. He is the recipient of numerous awards for his research and writing, including the Gravity Research Foundation First Prize Award (1984), and the Presidential Investigator Award (1986). In February 2000, in Washington D.C., Krauss was awarded the American Association for the Advancement of Science's 1999-2000 Award for the Public Understanding of Science and Technology . Previous awardees include Carl Sagan (1995) and E.O. Wilson (1994). In 2001 he was awarded the Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize of the American Physical Society . The citation reads "For outstanding contributions to the understanding of the early universe, and extraordinary achievement in communicating the essence of physical science to the general public". Previous awardees include Stephen W. Hawking (1999), and Kip S. Thorne (1996). In 2001 the American Institute of Physics awarded Krauss the Andrew Gemant Award , given annually to "a person who has made significant contributions to the cultural, artistic, or humanistic dimensions of physics". Previous awardees include Freeman Dyson, Steven Weinberg, and Stephen Hawking. He was also awarded the American Institute of Physics Science Writing Award in 2002 for his book "Atom". In August of 2003 it was announced that Krauss had been awarded the Oersted Medal , the highest award of the American Association of Physics Teachers, for his contributions to the teaching of physics. Previous awardees include Richard Feynman, I.I. Rabi, Edward Purcell, and Hans Bethe. With this award, he becomes the first physicist to have been awarded these three most prestigious awards from the APS, the AIP, and the AAPT. In 2005 he was also awarded the Joseph P. Burton Forum Award from the American Physical Society for his work on issues of science and society.

Krauss has been elected a Fellow of the American Physical Society and of the American Association for the Advancement of Science , and in June 2003 was awarded an honorary D.Sc degree from Carleton University in recognition of his scientific contributions, and his efforts at public understanding of science.

He has been involved for some time in issues of science and society and has helped spearhead national efforts to educate the public about science, ensure sound public policy , and defend science against attacks at a variety of levels. He has helped lead a national effort to defend the teaching of evolution in the public schools. His piece in the New York Times followed by a public letter to Pope Benedict helped to prompt a reevaluation of the Catholic Church's position on evolution. He led the creation of an organization in Ohio which recruited and supported pro-science candidates to run for State School Board against creationist candidates, and spoke out and wrote extensively during the election campaign. All candidates recruited by this group, Help Ohio Public Education, were elected, sometimes defeated candidates who outspent them by huge margins. In Dec 2007, he wrote in the Wall St. Journal proposing a Presidential Debate on Science, and serves on the steering committee of ScienceDebate2008. Their call for such a debate has now been cosponsored by the American Assoc. for the Advancement of Science and the Council on Competitiveness, as well as being endorsed by 20 Nobel Laureates, various Congresspeople, business leaders, and 12,000 scientists. In March 2008, Krauss and Richard Dawkins engaged in a public conversation at Stanford University on science and science education, and the video of their conversation has become one of most watched on Youtube since it appeared in April.

Prof. Krauss is an acclaimed teacher and lecturer with vast experience in reaching out to popular audiences. He was named a Sigma-Xi national lecturer in 1990 and an American Physical Society Centennial Lecturer in 1998. University named Lectureships he has held include the Nesbitt Lectureship at Carleton University, the Glover Lectureship at Dickenson College, the Chesley Lectureship at Carleton College, the Herzfeld Lectureship at Catholic University, the Hendrik de Waard Lecture at the University of Groningen, the Kallen Lectureship in Lund Sweden, the Lawrence Centenary Lectureship at Berkeley, the Milton Freshman Lectureship at Syracuse, the Chancellor's Lectureship at Vanderbilt, the Hamilton Lectureship at Princeton, and the Terry Lectuership at Yale. In addition, he has lectured to popular audiences at such places as the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum, the National Museum of Natural History, and the Museum of Natural History in New York and appears frequently on radio and television around the world, as well as being a regular contributor to various newspapers and magazines including the New York Times. He has also lectured to both high school and elementary school students and their teachers as well as teaching courses at all university levels. He also works with various science museums and has served on advisory boards and boards of trustees of the Great Lakes Science Center, the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and the newly created Science Fiction Experience in Seattle.

Prof. Krauss is the author of several acclaimed popular books, including, The Fifth Essence: The Search for Dark Matter in the Universe (Basic Books, 1989), which was named Astronomy Book of the Year by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, and Fear of Physics (Basic Books, 1993), now translated into 12 languages. For this book, he was a finalist for the American Institute of Physics 1994 Science Writing Award. His next book, The Physics of Star Trek, was released in November of 1995 and sold over 250,000 copies in the U.S. It was a national bestseller, a selection of 5 major book clubs, including Book of the Month Club, and was serialized in the November 1995 issue of Wired. It was widely praised, reviewed by the major media, and has been translated into 14 languages,and was the basis of TV productions in the United States and Britain. His book, Beyond Star Trek, appeared in November 1997 and has appeared in 5 foreign editions. Quintessence: The Mystery of the Missing Mass, a revision and update of The Fifth Essence, appeared in February 2000. In 2001, his award winning book, Atom: An Odyssey from the Big Bang to Life on Earth...and Beyond, published by Little Brown and Company appeared. Public Television is currently undertaking to produce a 5-part TV series, hosted by Krauss, to be based on this book. Prof. Krauss is also preparing a new Introductory Physics text for non-science majors in association with Prentice Hall. His most recent popular book, entitled Hiding in the Mirror, The Mysterious Allure of Extra Dimensions from Plato to String Theory and Beyond, an exploration of our fascination with the idea of extra dimensions, in art, literature, and science, appeared in Oct 2005, and the paperback edition appeared in Nov 2006.

Krauss is one of the few prominent scientists today to have actively crossed the chasm between science and popular culture. For example, besides his radio and television work, Krauss has performed with the Cleveland Orchestra, narrating Gustav Holst's The Planets at the Blossom Music Center in the most highly attended concert at that venue, and was nominated for a Grammy award for his liner notes for a Telarc CD of music from Star Trek. In 2005 he also served as a jury member at the Sundance Film Festival.

In his spare time, when he is not writing, lecturing etc, he enjoys scuba diving, fly fishing, and mountain biking.

Claudia C. Pharis

Claudia Pharis is a 30 year veteran of service to government and industry. Her experience in politics and public policy is broad and deep. She served for seven years as Chief of Staff and then Senior Policy Advisor to Congressman Chaka Fattah. She has served at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Congress on both the House and the Senate Budget Committees, and as Deputy Managing Director of the City of Philadelphia with primary responsibility for capital budgeting. Ms Pharis holds a BS in Physics from Trinity College, an MBA from the Harvard University School of Business Administration, and is now completing her Ph.D in Public Policy at George Mason University. She served a stint on Wall Street, ran a small business in New York City which, under her direction, grew from $6 million in revenue to $10 million in three years, and founded Mentor Systems International, a company which designed, produced, and marketed an award winning multi-media educational product for families with children.

Currently Ms. Pharis is Founder and CEO of the Catalyst Institute for Applied Policy www.catalystdc.org, a think tank engaged in problem solving in large complex systems. Catalyst’s flagship project is the Benjamin Banneker Institute for Science and Technology, www.thebannekerinstitute.org, whose mission is to increase the number of African Americans involved in STEM fields. The Banneker Institute’s key innovation is the Network of Networks, a collaboration of STEM educators and science membership organizations designed to improve the quality of STEM education available in under-resourced schools across the nation.

Ms. Pharis specializes in the kind of behind-the-scenes strategic management that leads to large-scale institutional change. She was HUD’s representative to the Congressional Committee that developed the Community Development Block Grant Program participating in the design of the grant distribution formula. She conceived and managed the Federal response to the lead based paint challenges which led to the elimination of this menace and the creation of the lead poisoning prevention industry. She drafted the initial GEAR UP legislation and managed that legislation through to enactment such that millions of children for whom this might not otherwise have been the case, not have the real and present opportunity to go to college. She laid the groundwork for the introduction of Project GRAD to Philadelphia, and is now focused on increasing the number of African Americans involved in STEM.

Ms. Pharis is a 21st Century boundary crosser who understands the inner workings of American society. She is thoroughly familiar with the requirements, the possibilities, and the limitations of the American social, political and economic systems. Her areas of expertise encompass strategic policy design, housing, economic and community development, education, institution building, and science and technology policy. Ms. Pharis is a development professional and a policy entrepreneur who has organized her life to apply her considerable skills to the design, implementation, and retrofit of large scale human systems in a manner that promotes equity and frees the human spirit.

Rick Snyder

Rick Snyder studied at the University of Michigan, earning a Bachelor’s degree with high distinction in 1977, an MBA with distinction in 1979, and a JD in 1982—all by the age of 23. From 1982 to 1984, Rick served as an adjunct assistant professor of tax and accounting at the University of Michigan.

After graduation, Rick joined the tax department of Coopers & Lybrand, now PricewaterhouseCoopers, in Detroit, as a CPA and became a Partner within five years. From 1991 to 1997, Rick served as Executive Vice President—and then President and COO—of Gateway, Inc. During his tenure at Gateway, the company grew from a privately-held $600 million company with less than 1,000 employees, to a publicly-traded (NYSE) Fortune 500 company with revenues in excess of $6 billion and over 10,000 employees.

In 1997, Rick left Gateway and returned home to Michigan so that he could utilize his experience to reinvigorate the Michigan economy and raise his family here. He invested back into his home state by founding Avalon Investments, Inc., a venture-capital firm focused on new technology. Over three years, Avalon invested in 24 companies in Michigan and around the United States.

After a successful capital raise of $103 million, Rick co-founded Ardesta in 2000, becoming Chairman and CEO of one of the nation’s largest investment firms focused on micro and nanotechnology. Ardesta has eight companies spread across Michigan and the United States developing small technology products in fields ranging from life-science to clean technology and communications.

In order to give back to his community, Rick served as founding Chairman of Ann Arbor SPARK, the economic development organization for the Ann Arbor region. In addition, Rick is currently active on the board of directors or advisory boards of several privately held companies and community and educational organizations, including The Henry Ford, The Nature Conservancy–Michigan Chapter, the New Economy Initiative, the Bank of Ann Arbor, and The University of Michigan. Previous boards included the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (Chair), and the Sphinx Organization. Rick is also a member of the Michigan Bar Association.

Dr. Anne Taylor

Anne L. Taylor, M.D., is currently Vice Dean for Academic Affairs at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. She received her medical degree from the University of Chicago’s Pritzker School of Medicine and completed her internship, residency, and a two year clinical cardiology fellowship at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Her research training was conducted at Johns Hopkins Hospital and the University of Iowa. She was Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine/Cardiology at the University of Texas, Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, where she also served as Director of Echocardiography at Parkland Memorial Hospital. From 1990 to 1997, Dr. Taylor was an Associate Professor of Internal Medicine/Cardiology at Case Western Reserve University and Chief of Cardiology at the Cleveland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In 1997, she was appointed Vice Chair for Women’s Health Programs in the Department of Medicine at Case Western Reserve University. From 2000 to 2007, Dr. Taylor was Professor of Medicine/Cardiology and Associate Dean for Faculty Affairs at the University of Minnesota Medical School. She joined the faculty at Columbia University in November, 2007.

Dr. Taylor’s interests include cardiovascular disease in African-Americans and women, and the transfer of principles of cardiovascular disease prevention from academia to the community.

Dr. Taylor was Chair of the Steering Committee for the African-American Heart Failure Trial, a national, multi-center trial of nitric oxide enhancing therapy in congestive heart failure. This is the first clinical heart failure trial to address the less favorable heart failure outcomes in African Americans. From 2001 to 2004, she was Director of the Association of Black Cardiologists Center for Women’s Health whose mission is the reduction in cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in women of color. In 2003, Dr. Taylor became Co-Director of the University of Minnesota’s National Center of Excellence in Women’s Health. Dr. Taylor has authored numerous manuscripts, editorials, book chapters, and abstracts and has conducted research programs funded by the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, the Veterans Administration, and the Department of Education, as well as industry. She has served on numerous committees of the American Heart Association, the National Medical Association and the Association of Black Cardiologists.

In addition to her professional activities, Dr. Taylor is the mother of a lovely daughter, is an enthusiastic amateur musician, and gardener.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Grady Burnett
Grady Burnett is the Director of Global Online Sales & Operations for Facebook. Previously he was Director of Online Sales and Operations for the Google office in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He was responsible for hiring, customer service, account management and sales efforts supporting the Google AdWords advertising program. Prior to building this office, Grady managed the national agency team at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California, which oversees Google's relationships with advertising agencies, search engine marketing consultancies and resellers. For five years prior to joining Google, Grady worked at DoubleClick, Inc., where he became Vice President of Agency Sales. In addition to his career in advertising and management, Grady was a professional tennis player for 3 years. He is a graduate of the University of Michigan and has an MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Letitia Byrd
Letitia Byrd is a former educator having served the Ann Arbor public schools as a teacher, counselor, director of guidance services, director of information services and as Secretary to the Board of Education. Since her retirement several years ago, she has served on a wide variety of community boards, committes and organizations. Because of her involvement with many helping groups and agencies, she was named The Ann Arbor News FIRST “Citizen of the Year”, an honor of which she is extremely proud. Letitia is the mother of one son, Kip Lightfoot, and together they administer The David R.Byrd Center, a restored 1830’s historical house in southwest Ann Arbor. The Center is dedicated to the memory, community service and architectural legacy of her late husband, David. It also serves as a community center and meeting place. Letitia very much enjoys people, traveling and almost all forms of musical performances.

Aaron Dworkin
Read Aaron's full bio

E. Royster Harper
Royster Harper possess over 23 years of progressive administrative experience culminating in currently serving as the Interim Vice President for student affairs at the University of Michigan. In this role, she works to translate the academic mission of the institution to the co-curricular setting and ensure student well-being of a diverse campus of 36,000 undergraduate and graduate students. Her functional areas of responsibility include: auxiliary services, university health service, counseling services, services for students with disabilities; multi-ethnic student services, and student legal services, among others. Her noteworthy accomplishments include oversight of a budget of approximately $120 Million, as well as the development of a systematic, division-wide model for coordinating future budget priorities and expenditures. Ms. Harper also oversees the development of new academic collaborations. She is further responsible for creating a University-wide task team charged with “transforming communities,” an institution-wide effort designed to intentionally address social identity development and multicultural issues on campus. Ms. Harper has created numerous innovative academic support interventions for academically inexperienced students, such as summer study abroad for mastering foreign language requirements. She has and continues to serve on various university committees, including the Executive Committee for the Ginsberg Center for Community Service and Learning, The Commission on Undergraduate Education, President’s Advisory Commission on Minority Affairs, and the Council for Religious and Ethical Dialogue, among many others.

James S. Jackson
James S. Jackson is the Daniel Katz Distinguished University Professor of Psychology, Professor of Health Behavior and Health Education, School of Public Health, and Director of the Institute for Social Research, all at the University of Michigan. His research focuses on issues of racial and ethnic influences on life course development, attitude change, reciprocity, social support, and coping and health among blacks in the Diaspora. He is past Director of the Center for Afroamerican and African Studies and past national president of the Black Students Psychological Association and Association of Black Psychologists. He is the recipient of the Distinguished Career Contributions to Research Award, Society for the Psychological Study of Ethnic Minority Issues, American Psychological Association, and recently received the James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award for Distinguished Career Contributions in Applied Psychology from the Association for Psychological Sciences. He is an elected a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academies of Sciences.

He is currently directing the most extensive social, political behavior, and mental and physical health surveys on the African American and Black Caribbean populations ever conducted, “The National Survey of American Life” and the “The Family Survey across Generations and Nations”, and the National Science Foundation and Carnegie Corporation supported “National Study of Ethnic Pluralism and Politics”. Recent publications include "African Americans in a Diversifying Nation," and "Age cohort, ancestry, and immigration status influences on family relations and psychological well-being among three generation Caribbean black families”. Journal of Social Issues, 63 (4), 729-743, 2007. He serves on several Boards for the National Research Council and the National Academies of Science and is a founding member of the new “Aging Society Research Network” of the MacArthur Foundation.

Marta Manildi
Marta Manildi counsels individuals regarding their estate and family business succession planning, and serves as a trustee and estate executor.  For businesses Marta negotiates and writes contracts, including intellectual property licenses and joint development agreements.  She has more than 25 years of litigation experience representing large and small businesses and individuals in a wide variety of contexts.

Al McDonough
Al McDonough is a professional in the accounting field where his experience includes several years in the financial management field, including nineteen years as a self-employed accountant/ financial planner in Ann Arbor, MI. His certifications include Certified Financial Planner (CFP), Accreditation of Certified Accountants (ACAT), Securities-Series 7 License and an Enrolled Agent to Practice Law before the Internal Revenue Service (EA).

Joetta Mial
Joetta Mial served as Principal of Huron High School, Ann Arbor, Michigan from l986-94, Assistant Principal of Huron High School from l974-1986, and prior to that taught Journalism, English and Speech Communication classes at Pioneer High School from l971-74. Upon retirement, Joetta became an educational consultant with the North Central Association and the James Comer School Development Program, which are both school improvement programs to help students achieve. Joetta is active with a number of public service organizations including The Ann Arbor Chapter of The Links, Inc., Ann Arbor Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, served on the SOS Community Services Board for 12 years, three years as its president. She continues to work with SOS’ Fund Development and Consumer Advisory Board. She serves on the Board of the David Byrd Center, the Ann Arbor African American and Historical Museum, the University Musical Society (UMS), and UMS NETWORK (African-American Arts Advocacy Committee). She received a Bachelors, Masters, and PhD all from the University of Michigan. Her PhD dissertation was the study of “Pathways to a Higher Education: An Investigation of Black High School Seniors From l971-1982.

Most recent community service awards:
2002 Huron Valley Girl Scouts “Women of Distinction”
2004 Ann Arbor News Citizen of the Year Finalist
2005 Celebration of Women Community Service Award
2006 Inducted into Huron High School’s River Rat Hall of Fame
2009 Leadership award from UMS/UMS Advisory Board

Joetta was married to Harry Mial (deceased) for 49 years, and has three sons: Harry, Jr., Ricki and Scott, and three grandchildren: Harry Mial III, Paige Autumn and Blake Aaron.

Gilbert Omenn
Gilbert Omenn is Professor of Internal Medicine, Human Genetics, and Public Health and director of the UM Center for Computational Medicine & Biology at the University of Michigan. He served as Executive Vice President for Medical Affairs and as Chief Executive Officer of the UM Health System from 1997 to 2002. He was Dean of the School of Public Health, and Professor of Medicine and Environmental Health, University of Washington, Seattle, 1982-1997. His research interests include cancer proteomics, cancer prevention, public health genetics, computational biology, science-based risk analysis, health policy, and biomedical ethics. Omenn is the author of 439 research papers and reviews and author/editor of 18 books. He served as Associate Director, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and Associate Director, Office of Management and Budget, in the Executive Office of the President in the Carter Administration. He is a director of Amgen Inc. and Rohm & Haas Company. He was president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2006. He is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Association of American Physicians, and the American College of Physicians. He chaired the Presidential/Congressional Commission on Risk Assessment and Risk Management in the 1990s. He received the John W. Gardner Legacy of Leadership Award from the White House Fellows Association in 2004 and the Walsh McDermott Medal from the National Academies in 2008. Omenn received his B.A. from Princeton, M.D. from Harvard Medical School, and Ph.D. in genetics from the University of Washington.

Glenda Price
Dr. Price assumed the presidency of Marygrove College on July 1, 1998. She was the College’s seventh president and the first African-American to hold this position, having retired from the position in June 2006. She has served as Professor of clinical laboratory science at Temple University, as well as assistant dean of College of Allied Health, Temple University, Provost of Spelman College, and authored numerous scholarly articles.During her tenure at Marygrove College, Glenda Price made her mark almost immediately. Harrison Blackmond, a member of the school's board of trustees, remarked to the Detroit Free Press that Price " has brought a new level of excitement to this campus. She has this can-do spirit." That spirit had already provided the underpinnings for a distinguished academic career, and promised great things for an urban university whose sense of mission had been renewed by Price's leadership. Dr. Price graduated from Temple University with a bachelor of science degree in 1961. Her field of study was medical technology and, after receiving her master's degree at Temple, she worked there for ten years as a professor of clinical laboratory science. Her master's and doctoral degrees were in education, and her dual background in science and education made her a natural for an administrative career. She authored or co-authored over twenty articles in academic publications, served as president of the American Society for Clinical Laboratory Sciences, and received many professional awards. In 1999 Michigan's Republican governor, John Engler, took action to remove Detroit’s elected school board from office. He asked Detroit mayor Dennis Archer to name a replacement "reform" board, and Price was one of the nine members selected. Dr. Price became a true educational leader in her adopted city of Detroit. In addition to her career as an educational administrator, she enjoys reading, cooking, and international travel. Among numerous awards, she is a recipient of the following: Pennsylvania Society for Medical Technology, Member of the Year, 1979; SUNY-Buffalo Warren Perry Allied Health Leadership Award, 1982; Temple University Alumni Fellow, 1992 ; University of Connecticut Medallion Award, 1992.

John Psarouthakis
Dr. John Psarouthakis is the Founder and President of JP Management Center, llc, a Business Advisory and Executive Management Education and Coaching Services Center, also he founded BizVida.com, an Internet business research service portal in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Until his recent retirement, he was Professor of Business Administration at the University of Michigan and Senior Lecturer at MIT for several years. He recently co-founded the MBA degree program at the American College of Thessaloniki, Greece. He advised two governors of the State of Michigan on technology and economic development, appointed Chairman of the Strategic Fund of Michigan (an economic development agency) and elected Vice Chairman for two terms of the Industrial Technology Institute (now the Manufacturing Science Institute). During the early nineties he was a personal advisor to the Prime Mister of Greece on Privatization and other economic policies. Dr. Psarouthakis has authored / co-authored seven books and has presented and / or published over 100 articles in science, engineering, management, and economic development topics. He has received numerous awards, among them the MIT Corporate Leadership Award, the Entrepreneur of the Year Award from the Harvard Business School Alumni Club of Detroit, the Distinguished Young Scientist Award from the Maryland Academy of Science, and the Entrepreneur of the Year Award-Michigan in 1988 and 1995 from INC Magazine. Also he was honored by the Association of Deans of Schools of Business with the Medallion for Entrepreneurship. Several state governors have recognized his contributions to their state's economy and employment. JP Industries was selected by a panel of judges as the best company of the year in Michigan in 1988. On the 100th anniversary of the Engineering School of the University of Maryland, he was honored with the School's Medallion for a Distinguished Graduate, and more recently he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor for outstanding contributions to this country and to his Greek Culture.

Edward D. Rothman
Edward D. Rothman, Professor, Department of Statistics, and Director, Center for Statistical Consultation and Research, The University of Michigan. Education: B.Sc., McGill University (Montreal, Canada), 1965 major: mathematics; Ph.D, Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, MD, USA), 1969 major: statistics. Employment: 1965-69 Research Assistant, Department of Statistics, Johns Hopkins University; 1966-69 Consultant at Jack Faucett Associates, Silver Spring, Maryland; 1969-73 Assistant Professor, Department of Statistics, The University of Michigan; 1974-79 Associate Professor, Department of Statistics, The University of Michigan; 1979 - present Professor, Department of Statistics, The University of Michigan; 1983-89 Chair, Department of Statistics, The University of Michigan; 1991-present Director, Center for Statistical Consultation and Research, The University of Michigan. Honors: 1974 Distinguished Service Award, The University of Michigan; 1991, 1992, 1994 Distinguished Teaching Award, L.S. &A., The University of Michigan. Professor Rothman has authored or co-authored over 60 scientific publications and two textbooks. His interests include design of experiments, spatial analysis, and modeling. His areas of application include statistics issues in the management of a system and in a legal setting.

Afa Sadykhly
Afa Sadykhly is Music Director of the Sphinx Organization. She has appeared as a speaker and presenter at national conferences, including the National Association for Schools of Music, the American Symphony Orchestra League, Americans for the Arts, and others. Ms. Sadykhly has also participated as an orchestra grant review panelist for the Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs. Most recently, she participated in the discussion panel hosted by Surdna Foundation on the topic of alumni tracking in educational institutions. She graduated with High Honors from the University of Michigan with Bachelor's and Master's Degrees in Violin Performance. She has previously served on the faculty of Clarkston Community Conservatory in Southeast Michigan and was a member of the Ann Arbor Symphony Orchestra. In addition to extensive teaching experience, she has performed with several symphony orchestras and chamber groups in Russia, Azerbaijan, Switzerland, Austria and the United States. She also has international corporate experience, having previously served as an Executive Assistant at ARCO, The International Oil and Gas Company in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Bev Willis
After graduating from the University of Michigan’s Art School, Bev Willis worked for several regional agencies, designing publications and overseeing a variety of marketing and public relations responsibilities.She is a freelance graphic designer for various businesses and organizations, including the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor Public Schools. She is a current board member of the African American Cultural and Historical Museum in Washtenaw County and produces the newsletter and other marketing materials for the organization.

Thomas H. Zurbuchen
Thomas Zurbuchen, director of the Center for Entrepreneurship, is a professor of Space Science and Aerospace Engineering at the University of Michigan College of Engineering. He has been at the University of Michigan for over 10 years. Zurbuchen holds a PhD in Astrophysics from the University of Bern, Switzerland and was a recipient of a Swiss National Science Foundation award before coming to the University of Michigan in 1998. Since then, he has received numerous awards, including the prestigious U.S. Presidential Early Career Award, which represents the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. A specialist in the robotic exploration of space, Zurbuchen served as team leader for the development of NASA’s Fast Imaging Plasma Spectrometer, an instrument aboard the Messenger spacecraft, which made its first Mercury flyby in 2008. Professor Zurbuchen is also part of several committees of the National Academy of Sciences and NASA. Professor Zurbuchen is passionate about teaching his students to apply their deep engineering and science knowledge toward the solution of problems and toward taking advantage of opportunities. His teaching focuses on Space Engineering, Entrepreneurship, and his students’ hands-on involvement in research. Zurbuchen is the founding director of the Center for Entrepreneurship. Under his direction, the Center has rapidly grown in visibility and in impact across the entire student body. Key Center activities include strengthening academic curricula in entrepreneurship, venture acceleration, and outreach to the broader entrepreneurial community. All key Center activities are performed in partnership with students and, in particular, by the student organization MPowered Entrepreneurship.

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