Faculty’s newest works perfect for summer


Left to right: Stephen Thomson Moore, Jose Gabilondo, Ajeet Kaushik, David Kramer, Madhavan Nair, Tim Goddard, Arti Vashist, Representing Lilia Arkelyan, Provost Kenneth Furton, Suman Kakar, David Dolata, Abuzar Kabir, Philip Lazarus, James Burns, Thomas Pliske, Alpesh Patel, Hardik Gohel, Kalyani Robbins, Douglas Wartzok, Bianca Premo, Maria Reid, Jessica Adler, Walter Carballosa, Juan Acuna.

South Florida summers are made for reading. With the scorching heat and humidity outside, it’s the perfect time to find a spot near an A/C vent and get lost in a new album, a good story or expand your mind by learning about a new subject.

This past year, FIU faculty members have been hard at work researching, writing and composing more than 50 works, which were celebrated at the seventh annual Faculty Book Authors Reception at Barnes & Noble at FIU March 22. 

At the annual event, which recognized faculty who published CDs for the first time as well, Provost Kenneth G. Furton commended the faculty for their achievements.

“The Faculty authors we are honoring this evening show us that it is possible to balance our commitment to teaching with our scholarly endeavors,” he said.

Furton also highlighted the importance of published works. “It helps us to establish our reputation as scholars and inspires our colleagues and students to pursue their own research,” he added.

Here are three works by FIU faculty we think will inspire you and be a nice addition to your summer reading and album list. All are available at the bookstore and in the Green Library.

  1. Sensation and Perception

In his book, Sensation and Perception, psychology professor Bennett Schwartz explores our senses. He says readers may find it surprising to learn that although we are all equal in our sensory abilities, there is one sense that sets men and women apart: smell.

“Women really do have, on average, better senses of smell than men,” Schwartz says.

  1.  The Hidden Secrets of Leadership Found in Movie Quotes

Like many of us, Chris Eddy, a professor in the  Steven J. Green School of International and Public Affairs, is passionate about movies. His book, The Hidden Secrets of Leadership Found in Movie Quotes, marries his love for cinema with his studies of leadership.

“I would read all these books on the philosophies and theories of leadership but not too many that were entertaining or captured my interest,” Eddy says.

The book uses the American Film Institute’s Top 100 Movie Quotes of All Time, as well as Eddy’s personal life experiences, to ascribe a valuable lesson to each quote.

His personal favorite is “you can’t handle the truth” from A Few Good Men because it ties into leadership.

“Many leaders are afraid to hear the truth and are usually the last ones to hear bad news”, he says. “Leaders in all positions need to not only speak the truth but to actively seek it out from their teams.”

  1. Handel: The Complete ‘Amen, Alleluia’ Arias

David Dolata, professor of Musicology, co-directed Handel: The Complete ‘Amen, Alleluia’ Arias, the first recordings of a series of virtuoso arias by Handel, featuring only the words Hallelujah and Amen.

You can find the full list of works published by FIU faculty here.