In March of 2026, Assistant Professor of Social Psychology Xiang Ao, Ph.D., and Professor of Psychology Rena Kirkland, Ph.D., and School of Humanities and Social Sciences Colleen Schaffner, Ph.D., gave a poster presentation titled “The Effects of a Yoga Research Project on College Students’ Self-Esteem and Well-being” at the virtual Neuroscience and Yoga Conference. The presentation summarized the impact of a three-year place-based research project embedded into the Research Methods course in the psychology department.
Dr. Ao, Dr. Kirkland, Assistant Professor of Psychology Chris Kam, Ph.D., Professor of Psychology Gina Mitchell, Ph.D., and Professor of Psychology Jeff Elison, Ph.D., attended the Rocky Mountain Psychological Association’s annual conference with five undergraduate students. Dr. Kam and student Travis McKinzie delivered an oral presentation titled “Exploring Unconscious Integrative Complexity and Affective Polarization in American Politics: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study,” and Dr. Kam gave a presentation titled “Exploring the US-Canada Relationship with Social Identity Theory & Terror Management Theory.”
Dr. Ao presented “How Population Shifts Affect Chinese Urban Residents’ Prejudice Toward Migrant Workers: The Mediating Roles of Threats to Urban Identity.” Faculty mentored and supported the students in their research projects, culminating in five poster presentations and two oral presentations delivered by students at the conference.
Travis McKinzie’s oral presentation, “Intellectual Humility and Need for Closure as Predictors of Affective Polarization in U.S. College Students,” mentored by Dr. Kam, received a Psi Chi award.
Associate Professor of Biology David Bertolatus, Ph.D., attended the Rocky Mountain Society for Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Annual Conference in Denver, Colo., on April 15-16. He was joined by 14 Adams students in the Mighty Chondria biology club. Maggie Mccleskey, Nick Pieper, Augustine Pacheco, Adriana Vigil-Gardea, Gabby Castillo, and Kassandra Barber presented posters of their research projects at the conference. Day two of the conference involved a field trip to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, where they learned about the conversion of the chemical weapons manufacturing facility into a wildlife refuge and the ongoing environmental remediation and habitat restoration projects on this site.
Professor of Counselor Education Laura Bruneau, Ph.D., and Assistant Professor of Counselor Education Krissy Treviranus, Ph.D., presented at the annual American Counseling Association conference on, “Grounded Voices: Counseling Insights from Transgender Adults’ Experiences.”
Assistant Professor of Counselor Education Maddy Stevens, Ph.D., Professor of Counselor Education Courtney Allen-Pavlak, Ph.D., and Dr. Bruneau also presented at the American Counseling Association conference on, “Cover, Uncover, Discover: Altered Book Making With Clients.”
Director of First-Year Seminar Jess Gagliardi, Ph.D., was recently elected Colorado Faculty Advisory Council (CFAC) Chair, along with Dr. Joe Horan, Colorado School of Mines, as vice-chair. This is the first time the leadership is from two of the smaller state schools.
Director, Salazar Rio Grande del Norte Center Paul Formisano, Ph.D., organized the 2026 Rio Grande State of the Basin Symposium, which was held on March 28. Over 175 people registered for the event that included presentations by natural resource professionals, Adams State staff, community members, and award-winning journalist and author Ben Goldfarb. Recordings of the presentations can be found in the Salazar Center’s video library.
Dr. Formisano has partnered with the Colorado Water Center to secure a $80,175 grant from the Colorado Water Conservation Board to bring the Colorado Water Fellows Program to Adams State. This program, initiated by the Colorado Water Center at Colorado State University, was extended to Colorado Mesa University, the University of Colorado Boulder, the University of Denver, Fort Lewis College, and Metro State University in 2024. Over the last year, Dr. Formisano worked with the Colorado Water Center to extend this program to Adams State as well as to Colorado School of Mines, CSU Pueblo, Northern Colorado University, and Western Colorado University. Adams State’s grant will support twelve students over three years who will each receive a $1000 stipend, the opportunity to participate in monthly training events, travel to three water conferences per year throughout the state, and networking opportunities with water professionals. The grant will also support a student program assistant who will help direct the local chapter.
As part of the Rio Grande Basin Water Education Mural Project grant, Dr. Formisano visited Alamosa and Del Norte high schools to teach students about the history of water development in the Rio Grande Basin. Subsequent field trips to the Zapata Ranch Preserve and Corset Ranch helped immerse students more deeply in local water management and natural resource conservation practices. They also had the opportunity to work with a local artist to prepare for community mural painting days this summer, June 27 in Del Norte and July 11 in Alamosa.
Dr. Formisano has also served as a manuscript referee for Western American Literature.
Migrant Education Program Educational Advocate Diana Gonzalez was recognized by Colorado State Migrant Education for her dedication to students in the program, as well as for the coordination of the STEAM Academy and other student programs.
Assistant Professor of History David Johnson Lee, Ph.D., published his essay Ri ubix ri ulew in Volume 126, Issue 1 of the journal Translation Review. His translations were also featured in the Sant Jordi poetry festival held in New York City. Dr. Lee also reached an agreement with Bloomsbury Publishing to publish his translation of Maya poet Humberto Ak’abal’s memoir, Testimonio de un indio k’iche’. This book is scheduled to be released in 2027.
In February, Bethany Martinez was promoted Director of Prison Education Program. Bethany previously served as Co-Director (PEP Director of Operations). “Through her immense dedication and passion, Bethany Martinez brought the Prison Education Program to new heights in just one year,” said Rocio De Lira, Prison Education Program senior advisor.
Instructional Designer/Trainer (AITC) Chelsea Oden, Ph.D., composed a new work premiered by the Adams State Woodwind Chamber Ensemble on April 25. The composition, The Alligator Farm (Colorado Gators: The Reptile Park), is a humorous, jazzy piece for solo voice, flute, clarinets, and bass clarinet. The song addressed some critical questions about the Gator Farm, such as how alligators survive the San Luis Valley’s harsh winters, if any of the brave souls who work there have ever lost any fingers, whether emus are actually dinosaurs, and, most importantly, what Steve Irwin would likely pick out from the gift shop. The premiere coincided with a weekend of complimentary admission at Colorado Gators Reptile Park.
Professor of Kinesiology Tracey Robinson, Ph.D., and Instructors of Kinesiology Kris Mugrage and Maria Martinez accompanied a group of undergraduate and graduate students to the Rocky Mountain American College of Sports Medicine (RMACSM) Conference in April, in Fort Collins, on the campus of Colorado State University. Students included exercise science graduate students Abigail (Abby) Adiong, Ronan Melani, Keirryse Simpson and exercise science undergraduate students Ryley Martinez, Rachel Allred, Sergio Zaragoza, and Makylee Wilson.
Abby presented a posted entitled “Effects of resistance and increased or equal cardiorespiratory training in cancer survivors,” mentored by Dr. Robinson.
Students and faculty participated in networking opportunities, listened to guest speakers, and heard about the latest research in presentations, posters and oral.
The undergraduate team of Ryley, Rachel and Makylee took second place in the Student Bowl competition, similar to jeopardy but all about exercise science and related topics.
Visiting Assistant Professor in Biology Chenchen Shen’s, Ph.D., article, “New actinopterygians taxa from the Garrard Quarry and their implications in early ray-finned fish evolution during Late Paleozoic era,” was accepted for publication in the journal, “Canadian Journal of Zoology, Special Issue: Recent Advances in Palaeoichthyology in Honour of Mark V.H. Wilson.”
Prison Education Program Instructor of Distance Education Sara Willox co-authored an article. Willox, S., & Margondai, A. (2026). Human and AI facilitation in business simulations: blended support for organizational training. Development and Learning in Organizations: An International Journal, 1-3.
Personal Accomplishments
Richardson Hall, early morning March 3, during the total lunar eclipse.
