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December 2020
A newsletter highlighting faculty research & scholarship
from the Office of Research
Faculty Spotlight
Julie Fain Lawrence-Edsell is an actress, director, audiobook narrator and an Associate Professor and Co-Head of the BFA Acting Program at the Pace School of Performing Arts, Pace University, NYC. She received her MFA from the Yale School of Drama and her BA from the UCLA Dept. of Theatre, Film and Television. Film and TV credits include The Last, Concussion (Sundance 2013, 2014 GLAAD Media Award), Happy Yummy Chicken, Chosen (short), Madam Secretary, Law & Order–SVU, Law & Order–CI, All My Children, Kidnapped, Six Degrees, Third Watch, and Bull (pilot). Directing credits include Eurydice, As You Like It and The Importance of Being Earnest (Pace), The Seagull, As You Like It, Pretty Theft, and The Vagina Monologues (Montclair State U). Ms. Edsell has appeared Off and Off-Off Broadway with En Garde Arts, at La Mama E.T.C., HB Playwrights Studio, the Vineyard Theatre, the Ontological Theater, Soho Repertory Theatre, HERE. Regionally she has worked at the Yale Repertory Theatre, Denver Center Theater Co., Old Globe Theatre, City Theater Co., Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival, The Hollywood Bowl and Royce Hall UCLA. Ms. Edsell hosted her own podcast called FainTalk available on SoundCloud and produced by Shrink Wrap Media. One-Hour Shakespeare is her first publication. Ms. Edsell's personal website and blog are available here.
Scene from The Importance of Being Earnest
Elmer Mojica, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Chemistry. He leads a research group at Pace that analyzes small molecules and biomolecules using instrument-based analytical methods. He also specializes in Chemical Education trying to find alternative ways to improve teaching Chemistry courses. Some of Professor Mojica’s recent publications include “CHEMTERTAINMENT: Use of video clips from movies, television series and YouTube in enhancing the teaching and learning experience of an introductory chemistry lecture class,” and “Videotaping experiments in an Analytical Chemistry laboratory course at Pace University. Videos in Chemistry Education: Applications of Interactive Tools” (co-authored with Rita K. Upmacis) in Videos in Chemistry Education: Applications of Interactive Tools, ACS Symposium Series, Vol. 1325; four book chapters co-authored with Pace students and faculty published in Raman Spectroscopy in Undergraduate Curriculum, ACS Symposium Series, Vol. 1305, and “Antibiotics pollution in soil and water: Potential ecological and human health issues” (co-authored with Hilary Jufer and Lauren Reily) in Encyclopedia of Environmental Health (2nd edition).
 Professor Mojica also runs Project Chemunity, whereby he serves as a speaker for a webinar/talk in various institutions and organizations, and provides resources for distance and blended learning.
Faculty News

Anthony Mancini, PhD (Psychology, PLV) has authored a commentary in a special COVID-19 issue of Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, published by the American Psychological Association.  Professor Mancini’s commentary addresses the mental health impact of the pandemic and discusses how individual responses to the pandemic vary.
Breena Hassinger-Das, PhD (Psychology, NYC) co-authored “Children’s Reality Status Judgments of Digital Media: Implications for a COVID-19 World and Beyond”, in Frontiers in Psychology. The article indicates that very young children prefer to watch YouTube more than phone video and examines You Tube’s potential value for learning.
Darren R. Hayes, PhD (Information Technology, NYC) in collaboration with researchers from Italy and Ireland, has published a peer-reviewed article “An effective approach to mobile device management: Security and privacy issues associated with mobile applications" in Digital Business, a new academic journal from Elsevier.
Aging Welfare and Social Policy: China and the Nordic Countries in Comparative Perspective, co-authored by Sheying Chen, PhD (Public Administration, NYC) with scholars in Europe and at Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), has been selected for the Springer Nature: China New Development Awards, an annual event that promotes and celebrates the most impactful research works published by Springer Nature in the areas of sustainable research.
Anne Toomey (Environmental Studies and Science, NYC) and Monica Palta (Environmental Studies and Science, NYC) have been selected as AVDF Periclean Faculty Leadership Award (PFLs) in STEM and Social Sciences. Periclean Faculty Leaders are a community of scholars dedicated to incorporating civic engagement into the curriculum while empowering students to use their academic knowledge to tackle real-world problems.
Stephanie Hsu, PhD (English, NYC) was selected for the 2020-21 cohort of the Mellon Periclean Faculty Leadership Program in the Humanities. In partnership with Bowery Residents’ Committee (BRC), Professor Hsu will develop a special section of Book Club, an introductory English course allowing Pace students to explore the values of civic engagement alongside young adults who have experienced housing instability.
Change in Indirect Costs Rates
Facilities and Administrative costs (indirect costs/overhead) cover the university’s expenses incurred for projects. These costs are incurred for common or joint objectives and, therefore, cannot be readily and specifically identified with a particular project or activity. They are expenses that benefit more than one activity. Common examples of indirect costs include utilities, local telephone charges, shared office supplies, administrative or secretarial salaries, etc. Pace’s federally approved indirect rate has recently changed. It is 71.5% (30% for off-site rate), which is calculated ONLY on salary and wages (and not on other expenses, such as equipment, participant incentives, travel, etc.). Some foundations or specific funding opportunities do not allow indirect costs to be included, or only allow indirect costs up to a specified percentage. Unless it is explicitly stated that indirect costs are limited or not allowed, the full indirect rate should always be included in grant proposals. Please see the Facilities and Administrative Cost Policy (PDF) for more information. Download the Pace University Department of Health & Human Services Indirect Cost Agreement (PDF).
COVID-19 Resources and Guidance
from Funding Agencies
Undergraduate Research
NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Application Webinar

Tuesday, January 12, 2021 at 1:00 pm for students and faculty.

The session will provide an overview of this competitive summer undergraduate research program, and address how to write a personal statement and select references.
 

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the webinar.
 The Society of Fellows of Dyson College Virtual Weekend Seminar


noon to 6 pm on both Friday, January 15, 2021 and Saturday, January 16, 2021.

The title of this two-day seminar is “The Psychology of Stress: Research and Applications"

See more information here
Student Academic Conference Travel Fund for Virtual Undergraduate Presentations 2020-2021

For the 2020-2021 Academic Year, virtual conference fees for student presenters at External conferences are eligible for funding. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis subject to funding availability. Learn more and apply
Opportunities for Students
The Udall Foundation awards scholarships to college sophomores and juniors for leadership, public service, and commitment to issues related to the environment or to Native American nations. The Udall Scholarship provides up to $7,000 for eligible academic expenses, as well as access to the Udall Alumni Network, an association of change-makers, working in Indian country and environmental fields, sharing innovative ideas, professional advice, and job and internship opportunities. 
This is a wonderful opportunity for Pace students, particularly for those interested in environmental issues. If you know of one or more students who would be great candidates for the Udall Scholarship, please reach out to, Jenny Irwin, at jirwin@pace.edu.
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Have a very Happy Holiday Season! 
We look forward to sharing more news and updates in 2021!
Share your research news here.
Questions? email Elina at ebloch@pace.edu