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Honoring their own
Another highlight of day one at AEIRS 2008 was the Fellows ceremony and honors lecture. Martha Jo Edwards, EdD, FAEIRS, delivered this year's honors lecture. A member of AEIRS since 1973, she has served on the organization's education committee and board of directors and has functioned as a liaison for AEIRS for the Academy of Radiology Research for 10 years. Dr. Edwards, who continues to serve as a member of the AEIRS editorial review board, was visibly moved by being chosen as this year's honors speaker.
"It is my distinct privilege" to deliver the 2008 honors lecture, Dr. Edwards told the audience, adding that "you are the future of this organization and the profession."
Dr. Edwards' talk centered on medical imaging and health diplomacy. She urged the audience to get involved in improving healthcare abroad, singling out AEIRS members such as Eugene Frank, MA,RT(R), FASRT, FAEIRS, Neta McKnight, BA, RT(R), FASRT, FAEIRS, and Dianne George-Hawkins, BA RT(R)(M), for their work with patients and radiologic science programs in countries such as Argentina, China, Kuwait and Thailand.
Following Dr. Edwards' talk, AEIRS inducted two new Fellows this year, LaVerne Tolley-Gurley, PhD, FASRT; and Richard Terrass, MEd, RT(R).
Dr. Gurley, whose career in radiologic technology began at the University of Tennessee and continued there for 30 years, has authored numerous publications and served several years on the editorial board of the Journal of Medical Imaging and Therapy. A life member of ASRT, TSRT and AEIRS, Dr. Gurley also directed the radiologic technology program at Southwest Tennessee State Community College, where she retired with Professor Emeritus status. Her contributions to AEIRS and the radiologic profession have been invaluable, said Carole South-Winter, MEd., CNMT, RT, FAEIRS, radiation oncology manager at Medical X-Ray Center, and AEIRS Fellow.
"Dr. Gurley is one of the few active members in the organization who was also a charter member 41 years ago," South-Winter said. "I always feel blessed and honored to be in her presence. She is truly a remarkable woman who has made numerous contributions to our profession."
Terrass has filled many roles with AEIRS throughout the past 12 years, including director-at-large, president-elect, president and chair of the board. He has also presented at the local, state and national levels on medical imaging, hybrid education models, information literacy and chemical, biological and radiological disaster response.
Named radiology education coordinator at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in 1997, Terrass brought together a team from Cambridge College and MGH Radiology that jointly designed an in-house master's in healthcare management program that admitted its first students in 1998. Terrass took a one-year leave from his coordinator position in 2000, to focus on an external consulting assignment for MGH in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he served as administrative director of radiology for the UAE's military healthcare system.
"He is committed to the profession, his students, faculty and family," South-Winter said of Terrass. "He has managed to balance these aspects of his life with an enviable grace in the midst of some changing and turbulent times. His contribution to AEIRS is notable and respected."
Exciting new strategies
Day two featured another handful of informative sessions, offering educators ways to integrate new and creative teaching methods into their curriculum.
Thursday's sessions include presentations on "Integrating Critical Thinking into Your Curriculum," "Grant Writing for Equipment Grants," and "Adding Cultural Diversity to the Curriculum," among others.
Jay Hicks, MSRS, RT(R), accreditation specialist with the Chicago-based Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT), found Tracy Hermann's presentation on "Concept Mapping for the Medical Imaging and Radiologic Sciences" especially interesting. In her talk, Hermann shared the theories of Joseph Novak, the creator of concept mapping, which are graphic tools for organizing and representing knowledge.
Concept maps typically include concepts enclosed in circles or boxes of some type, and relationships between concepts indicated by a connecting line linking two concepts. Words on the line, referred to as linking words or linking phrases, specify the relationship between the two concepts. Mapping tools can be applied to the classroom, Hermann said, using a concept map of a pizza-with links to different crust types, toppings, sauce, etc.-to demonstrate her point.
"After attending [the session on concept mapping], I would love to be able to introduce this learning method into a classroom setting," Hicks said. "I was truly able to see the benefit of this style."
This year's conference marked the 4th consecutive AEIRS annual meeting that Hicks has attended. The annual AEIRS meeting offers educators and organizations such as JRCERT an avenue to network and communicate with their peers, he said.
"As a former educator, I have met many wonderful individuals and had the opportunity to talk shop [at the conference]," Hicks said. "Every time I leave AEIRS, I have always been able to bring back to the classroom some type of new strategy or component. This year's conference was no different."
Mark McGraw is associate editor at ADVANCE. He can be reached at mmcgraw@advanceweb.com.
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