Brief Biography: Other activities while at UW-Stout include serving on several committees, Webmaster for the department, and Chair, Department of Communication Studies, Foreign Languages, and Performing Arts from 2008-2014.
Teaching Interests: Designer of stiX, a computer application for point-of-purchase ticket sales, 1991 Abstract The purpose of this sabbatical is to further develop my expertise in video/audio editing by use of a “professional” video editing program, Final Cut Pro. Secondly, I wish to expand my knowledge of data-driven Web content, which I currently have running on my two servers. The ability to serve materials to students loaded on databases that are continually updated by instructors and served via the Web is central to educating our laptop initiative students. The ability to use Final Cut Pro software will allow me to stream custom “movies” with edited fades, blends, wipes, textual effects, etc. During the sabbatical, I will develop at least 2 class modules of 20-30 minutes each, with at least 1 module dedicated to parts of a persuasive speech and techniques/strategies of persuasion. Speech faculty will be recruited and taped. It is my intention to develop these modules that can be used by any SPCOM-100 instructor; students will be directed to a WWW link to view the completed movie presentations.
Research Interests: • Conducted historical/reflective interviews with Professor Harold Hansen on the history of the Mabel Tainter Theater. The tapes are part of the University Archives holdings, 1993-95 • Edited Professor Hansen's reflections and placed them on lorenzo.uwstout.edu, along with his pictorial archive.
Professional Interests:
- Fall 2005: Acquired Database, CGI language software (via the generosity of the CAS Dean’s Office) to increase speed and capability of present data-driven WWW server.
- Spring 2004: SPCOM-100 Fundamentals of Speech, SPCOM-308/508 Speaking Skills for Business & Industry, and SPCOM-414 Interviewing have all classroom presentations digitized for individual student critique
- Fall 2003: Awarded the Mabel Rainey Price-named professorship to create streaming server and upgrade software to begin the migration to the Unix operating system
- Fall 2001: Taught SPCOM-308 for the first time. This course I created from scratch. It was inactive for a number of years and is now required for Technical Communication Majors. The course incorporates video streaming, student presentations of online sites, and use of technology such as Blue Tooth to assist presentations.
- Fall 1992 – Spring 1996: Computer Liaison for CAS Dean’s Office. Created WWW pages, recommended hardware & software, acted as a troubleshooter for CAS Dean’ s Office; was paid a stipend of 1k annually.
- Fall 1983–Spring 1985; Fall 1987–Spring 1999: University Theatre Designer & Technical Director at Stout for 16 years. Designed and supervised scenery construction. Taught an average of 11 credits per semester in speech and theatre. Created software for computerized ticketing & logging of student hours for SPCOM-338 Theatre Practicum. Students can now track their hours completed (through the use of a bar code scanner) from my WWW server via login to the database.
- Summer 1985 – Summer 1987, Technical Communications Supervisor for MiJack Products, Hazel Crest, IL. Responsibilities included: Creation and supervision of all user manuals (all phases), desktop publishing, technical writing, industrial photography video, exhibit design, ad copy, and layout art