Special Collections Librarian Paige Harris and Library Systems Technologist John Macdonald co-authored a paper published in the Visual Resources Association Bulletin in June 2026. Their work contributes to the field of visual resources and special collections, highlighting the important role libraries and archives play in preserving and providing access to cultural and historical materials.
Senior Lecturer of English Language and Literature Joseph Donnelly published a creative nonfiction essay in the literary magazine ZYZZYVA. The piece reflects on his experience as a New Jersey transplant living in Dublin, Ireland, including his childhood years at Willow Park Primary School. Through personal narrative, Donnelly explores themes of place, memory, and identity.
Associate Professor of Environmental Science Cinzia Fissore, faculty director of the Whittier Works Initiative, continues to expand interdisciplinary research and experiential learning opportunities through the Whittier College coffee orchard. Recent partnerships involving the research coffee orchard include collaborations with researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, UC Davis, and the Smithsonian Institution's Bird Friendly program. These initiatives provide students with hands-on research experiences, including internships focused on native plant cultivation and participation in coffee sustainability research projects. In fall 2026, Whittier students will also take part in a multi-institutional challenge to develop solutions to environmental and social issues affecting the global coffee supply chain.
Kinesiology Professor Masahiro Yamada continues to mentor students in research and professional development. In April 2025, Yamada and Haley Kivett ’25, a kinesiology major and biology minor, published a peer-reviewed article in the Journal of Motor Learning and Development. Kivett also received a YYZ Undergraduate Research Fellowship, completed an additional research project under Yamada's supervision, and presented her findings at the Undergraduate Research, Scholarship, and Creative Activities Symposium. She was later admitted to Columbia University's Doctor of Physical Therapy program. Yamada reports that numerous kinesiology graduates have also gained admission to competitive graduate programs in physical therapy, occupational therapy, nursing, and related fields, while others have launched careers in education, coaching, and sports performance.
Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry Peter Peterson contributed to several recent publications in atmospheric and environmental chemistry. He co-authored a paper in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics with Lisa Hernandez ’21 and Leslie Tanaka ’21. Peterson also contributed to a study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres examining emissions of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrogen oxides from oil and gas extraction activities on Alaska's North Slope. In addition, he co-authored an overview paper in the Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society on the 2022 Chemistry in the Arctic: Clouds, Halogens, and Aerosols (CHACHA) field campaign, which examined the effects of oil and gas emissions on atmospheric chemical processes in northern Alaska.
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