Will Akers, the chair of Belmont’s new Motion Pictures major, lectured last summer at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China as part of a screenwriting conference. His attendance came as a result of the strong sales success of the 2011 Chinese release of his book, Your Screenplay Sucks!  100 Ways To Make It Great.

In the copy below, Akers summarizes his trip, and the connections he made with film students and other screenwriters while overseas.

Assistant Professors of Pharmacy Practice Dr. Hope E. Campbell and Dr. Mark J. Chirico  recently received  a certificate in the American College of Clinical Pharmacy’s (ACCP) Teaching and Learning Certificate Program.  The ACCP Academy was established in 2006, to provide high-quality, flexible and accessible professional development opportunities for members of the College. These programs are designed to provide professional and personal growth in one’s selected area of study.  They were both engaged in a two-year study with full-day, prerequisite primer; three half-day modules and five elective courses chosen at the participants’ discretion.  Each participant is required to develop online portfolios, complete a series of required readings and be evaluated by one or more mentors. Dr. Cathy Ficzere, assistant professor of pharmaceutical, social and administrative sciences and director of Belmont’s Drug Information Center, has previously completed the program.

Dr. Leigh Ann Bynum, assistant professor of pharmaceutical, social and administrative sciences, recently published her manuscript “Limitations and Potential Misinterpretation of the National Disease and Therapeutic Index”  in the International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing.

Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy Teresa Plummer recently traveled to Singapore where she was one of 11 presenters at the country’s inaugural Abilities Expo. The event attracted nearly 1,500 people including those with disabilities, their families and caregivers from countries throughout the Far East. The three-day event featured workshops, a sports carnival and exhibits dedicated to providing solutions to enhance quality of life for the disabled.

Plummer presented three scheduled workshops during the Expo, including a session on aging, another on the U.S. model of occupational therapy and a third on wheelchair seating assessment and prescription that was presented in collaboration with Singapore Association of Occupational Therapists. Plummer also was asked to conduct a workshop for occupational therapy professionals in attendance.

“Persons with disabilities in Far Eastern counties are isolated because of cultural norms, so for many this was their first opportunity to attend such a public gathering of the disabled community,” she said. “It was a privilege to be part an event which provided such new and unique experiences for those who participated.”

Plummer has over 35 years of occupational therapy experience. She practices at the Monroe Carrel Children’s Hospital of Vanderbilt Hospital and Vanderbilt Medical Center in the pediatric and adult wheelchair clinics. She has presented nationally and internationally and is a renowned presenter in assistive technology, vision and posture and rehabilitation. Plummer teaches in the School of Occupational Therapy’s doctoral and master’s programs.