A newsletter for friends of RAGS

A newsletter for friends of RAGS

Division of Research, Graduate Studies and Technology Transfer

Our NEWCOMERS, some with new faces and some familiar at KentState but new to RAGS include:   

Dr. John L. West, Vice President for Research and Dean of Graduate Studies   

John West is indeed a familiar face at the University, one that appeared first at KentStateUniversity in 1984 as a senior research fellow and associate director in the Liquid Crystal Institute (LCI).  He holds a bachelor's degree in chemistry from the College of William and Mary, and a master's degree in chemistry and Ph.D. in physical chemistry from CarnegieMellonUniversity.  After earning his doctorate, he moved west for postdoctoral work at the University of Utah; he then joined a small research and development firm involved in optical recording before coming to LCI. 

Since coming to KentState, John West has directed research of many students at the graduate level, many of whom are engaged in science and technology in industrial and governmental positions now around the world.  His scholarly accomplishments are impressive and recognized internationally, evidenced in part by more than 100 articles published from his research and over a dozen patents for his inventions.  He has had broad experience in brokering collaborative relationships among universities.  He and his colleagues across campus established a variety of public-private ventures, both nationally and internationally.  One such venture involved KentStateUniversity and two sister universities and more than 30 North American companies, through the Advanced Liquid Crystalline Optical Materials (ALCOM) Center's Partnership Program. 

John West has attracted millions of dollars in external grants to the university over the past 20 years, in support of his research and the students on his research teams.  He has participated extensively in economic development efforts to benefit this region, as well as Ohio and our nation.  In addition, he has had considerable administrative and leadership experience at LCI as its director, plus the past year's experience as the interim vice president for research and graduate dean.  As vice president and dean, he will head not only Graduate Studies, the Sponsored Programs Office, and Office of Technology Transfer, but also provide administrative oversight for the University Press, compliance offices, and interdisciplinary research centers and institutes within KentState. 

His outside interests are as many and varied as his research and administrative undertakings.  He dabbles in carpentry and woodworking, is an avid swimmer and serves as both master and slave to his beloved trio of dogs.

  As he assumes this position on a permanent basis, the staff of RAGS is most pleased to acknowledge John L. West as its accomplished and enthusiastic leader.  

Dr. Daniele Finotello, Associate Dean of Graduate Studies

Dr. Dan Finotello joined RAGS this year as the associate dean of graduate studies, with broad responsibilities in graduate studies administration, including: graduate program review;  graduate program development; general graduate studies administration; university fellowships/ assistantships program; and the Graduate Schools Catalog.  Dan Finotello is also a familiar face to many at KentState.  He received his Ph.D. from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo in 1985 in physics. He came to KentStateUniversity in 1988 as a member of the Department of Physics and holds rank now of full professor.  He is a widely-recognized scholar and researcher.  His scholarly interests focus primarily on low temperature and liquid crystal physics, phase transitions and superconductivity.  With expertise in liquid crystal physics, Dr. Finotello remains a member of the Liquid Crystal Institute.  He has been an active researcher in the ALCOMCenter, funded by the National Science Foundation and industrial partners.  In addition to his substantial research accomplishments, he remains a committed teacher and experienced higher education administrator.  He has served on the Faculty Senate and in recent years, most ably, as associate dean in the College of Arts and Sciences.

By his own report, Dan has been an avid soccer aficionado since before birth, highlighted by his attendance at the Soccer World Cup final in Mexico in 1970.  He has coached kids’  traveling teams and has coached/managed a Kent-based adult soccer team for the last 10 years.  Dan also loves to play racquetball.  He likes to read fiction novels from authors like Brown, Cronwell, Grisham or Kellerman.  He loves movies like Cinema Paradiso and Like Water for Chocolate and listening to pop music.  He plays a little guitar too. 

RAGS is delighted to welcome Dan Finotello as its newest Associate Dean.

Cynthia Case, Associate Director, Sponsored Programs

Cynthia (Cindy) Case joined the Division of Research and Graduate Studies this summer as the associate director of sponsored programs.  A 1993 graduate of the University of Georgia (UGA) with a B.S. in family and consumer sciences, Cindy spent 11 years in research administration at UGA.  As Assistant Director of Sponsored Programs there, she managed both pre- and post-award (non-financial) operations for UGA, that received over $240 million in external funding in fiscal year 04.  She directed efforts there to support the research enterprise, including proposal development and submission, contract negotiation and acceptance, award administration and closeout, and training for faculty and staff.  She says that she is thrilled to be a part of the KentState sponsored programs team and looks forward to supporting faculty efforts. Cindy’s greatest personal interests outside of work at present are her three lovely young daughters, boating with her husband and cooking.  You may contact her at extension 20711 or cynthia@rags.kent.edu.

Laura (Sanborn) Cessna, Program Assistant, McNair Scholars Program

Laura Cessna received a B.S. in family and community studies from KentStateUniversity and began her career working in the health care field.  She was born and raised in Amherst, Ohio.  Over two years ago she started working in the university's College of Education, and in this past year Laura accepted this position as program assistant with the McNair Scholars Program.   She provides a wide range of clerical and administrative support services to the McNair staff and scholars.  Newly married, her e-mail has now been changed to lcessna@kent.edu.

Claire Coseno, Business Manager

Claire Coseno came to KentState in late 2003 from Twinsburg City Schools, where she taught computer technology for the preceding year in K-1, middle school and high school.  Previous to this, she was the Area Administrative Coordinator for Sonoco Products Company for its 14   manufacturing plants throughout the United States.  She also performed contract work in developing, testing and maintaining database computer programs for special projects for corporate offices of Sonoco, First Merit Bank, and FirstEnergy Systems.  As RAGS business manager she oversees RAGS budgets and accounts, including start-up funding, research support, cost-sharing and human resource management.  She also serves as curator of the AuditoriumBuilding.  Her degrees are in business management and computer programming. Claire is active outside the workplace in family caregiving and enjoys needlework, caring for her rescued cats, swimming, and pursuing a KentState program in liberal studies with an interest in comparative religion.

Katherine Light, Research Subjects Administrator

Katherine Light came to RAGS during the last year as research subjects administrator.  She provides administrative duties and federal/institutional regulatory guidance to the KentStateUniversity Institutional Review Board for Protection of Human Subjects and to the Animal Care and Use Committee.  She also coordinates annual report activities and lends support to the Committee on Hazardous and Radioactive Materials (CHARM) administration.  Katherine came to RAGS from the Department of Physics and is currently enrolled as a computer science major at KentState.  She lives in Shalersville; coaches youth wrestling for Mantua; is active in Crestwood High School Sports Booster activities; pursues individual interests in sports, cooking, and wine-tasting; and claims considerable expertise in laundry after years of intense experience (perhaps linked to those sports interests…)  

Margaret Nagella, Senior Secretary, Technology Transfer

Margaret (Maggie) Nagella came to RAGS this past year from the administrative offices at MetroHealthMedicalCenter in Cleveland.  There Maggie had spent four years working with a group of internist researchers and three years with a neurology group.  She graduated from Bohecker's BusinessCollege and attended KentState.  A native of PortageCounty, she lived near Dallas for about 10 years, returning home to Kent in 1987.  As the oldest sibling of 9, and now with her three sons, she says that she has come to appreciate "the joys of boys."  She has broad interests beyond work including creative arts, outdoor recreation, one-tank road trips, organizing family gatherings, singing in church choir and activist efforts on community mental health issues.

Christine Spear, Records Technician, Graduate Studies

Christine (Chris) Spear is a life-long resident of Kent and came to RAGS last year from the  university HealthCenter.  Chris worked there for nine years as a medical records technician and then supervisor; and previous to that she had worked for two years in the Bursar's Office.  Our keeper-of-the-records Chris has one son, who is an athletic trainer and teacher in Massillon.  Both he and his wife are KentState alumni; and she is enjoying her two grandsons "to the fullest" (noting two more future KentState students to recruit).     

Donna Warner, Secretary to Associate Dean and CHARM

Donna Warner came to RAGS with experience she acquired from her five years at the Liquid Crystal Institute.  Donna is a graduate of Bohecker’s BusinessCollege and worked in the legal field for many years.  She now serves as secretary to the associate dean and to the Committee on Hazardous and Radioactive Materials (CHARM).  The scope of her duties includes graduate program review, ONTAP, GSAAC and university fellowships.  She and her family reside in Charlestown.  Outside of KentState, she describes herself as a “soccer mom,” with both a daughter and son.

AND DEPARTURES…: 

Significant retirements, transfers, and departures have taken or are taking place in RAGS.  Sharon McWhorter of Sponsored Programs departed in 2003 to take a position in The University of Akron's Research and Sponsored Programs Office; we will still enjoy working with her on occasion on collaborative KSU/UA proposals.  We bade Associate Dean William Anderson farewell as Associate Dean as he retired this summer.  We wish him sweet music in his retirement and will be happy to welcome him back soon on a part-time basis to assist with graduate program reviews.  Associate Vice President Greg Wilson departed RAGS after eight  years to join the University's newly-created Office of the Vice President for Regional Development.  RAGS personnel and units will continue to work closely with Greg in KentState’s new economic development configuration.  Director of Technology Transfer Bill Fuller left at the end of the calendar year 2004 to take a position with a Hudson consulting firm, and we are happy to know that his talents will remain here in northeast Ohio. Staff member Shannon Walker's position has ended with RAGS, and we wish her great success in the future.  Judi Jaggerretired from RAGS in the spring after long years, and we hear from her that she enjoys retirement, although she and her husband feel that they have traded five-day jobs for seven-day work!  She sends word to friends here that they may winter on Sanibel Island, Florida.  She has been pursuing hobbies of gardening and genealogy, has been catching up on her reading, is starting a bookclub with a few friends, and is enjoying the movie matinee prices.  We wish her and all other university retirees their well-earned leisure, as we struggle on without them.