An alumnus of both The University of Toledo and its LaunchPad Incubation program, whose invention called the Grypmat is on the cover of Time magazine’s “Best Inventions of 2018” issue, is returning to his alma mater to inspire future entrepreneurs.

Tom Burden, who graduated in 2014 with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering technology, will speak at a free, public event 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 in the Brady Engineering Innovation Center, located in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex at 1510 N. Westwood Ave. Networking starts at 5:30 p.m.

The UT Engineering Leadership Institute is hosting the discussion titled “Idea to Invention of the Year.”

“Tom’s success with the Grypmat is incredible,” UT Vice President for Research Frank Calzonetti said. “We are proud of what he has accomplished as an entrepreneur, but not surprised. He won UT’s Pitch & Pour competition while he was a student here, and he also returned last year to serve as a judge for the annual business pitch contest.”

Burden was recently listed as Forbes magazine’s 30 Under 30, and the Grypmat was named one of Time magazine’s Best Inventions of the Year.

He plans to discuss his experience taking his product idea to market, including how he landed a deal on ABC’s Shark Tank and built a team.

“The University of Toledo and the city of Toledo have many opportunities that I used to make my way to where I am now,” Burden said. “I am passionate about education, helping future generations of entrepreneurs and giving back to the people who supported me.”

The Grypmat, which Burden designed as a solution to mechanics frustrated by their tools sliding off aircraft while they work, is a flexible, non-slip tool mat made of a unique polymer-silicone blend that helps grip tools and keep them in place at extreme angles of up to 70 degrees.

The product is popular with aircraft, boat and car mechanics. Burden also said he is working with NASA for its use on spaceships.

The University of Toledo is one of 130 public universities and systems selected to participate in an ambitious national effort to increase college access, close the achievement gap and award hundreds of thousands more degrees by 2025.

The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities, or APLU, recently announced the collaborators in the initiative, known as Powered by Publics: Scaling Student Success, who will work together within 16 clusters to implement innovative and effective practices to advance student success on their campuses.

UT, which will be part of what is called the urban cluster, pledged along with all participants to join forces, share progress and refine, implement and scale innovative practices to help spur lasting change in higher education.

Powered by Publics represents the largest ever collaborative effort to improve college access; advance equity for low-income, minority and first-generation students; and increase college degrees awarded.

“The University of Toledo is proud to mobilize in this unprecedented effort to advance student success,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “Improving student and academic success is our top strategic priority and we are committed to working with our colleagues at public universities across the country to develop the best initiatives to support students to achieve their goals and also meet the economic and workforce needs of Ohio and the country.”

“Over the past few years, we’ve witnessed a real and growing enthusiasm among public university leaders to advance college completion nationally,” said APLU President Peter McPherson. “We have to seize the moment and mobilize institutions to improve not just college access, but also equity in student outcomes and the number of students who earn degrees. That’s what Powered by Publics is all about and why we’re thrilled to work with our member institutions toward such an important national goal.”

Participating institutions reflect a wide variety of institutional characteristics, such as enrollment, student demographics, regional workforce needs and selectivity. The diversity is intended to help create reforms that can be adopted and scaled across the board.

Clusters will focus on different areas, such as financial aid and student financial literacy; data collection systems that monitor student progress; and career advising.

The effort will be overseen by APLU’s Center for Public University Transformation, which was created this year and will regularly disseminate lessons learned from the participating institutions to the broader public higher education community.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety certified The University of Toledo Police Department for meeting the third and latest group of new state standards for bias-free policing and investigation of employee misconduct.

The new standards comprise the first of their kind in Ohio developed by the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board in 2015 to strengthen community and police relations.

In the last two years, the state certified the UTPD for adopting two previous groups of new standards for the use of deadly force; agency recruitment and hiring; community engagement; and body-worn cameras.

The UT Police Department joins more than 500 other law enforcement agencies that are implementing Ohio’s first standards and public expectations. The UTPD is one of about 35 law enforcement agencies in Ohio who have currently achieved all three groups of standards.

“We are pleased the University meets or exceeds the state standards,” UT Police Chief Jeff Newton said. “Building trust begins with assuring our community The University of Toledo Police Department is using best practices. I am grateful to my dedicated staff for this notable accomplishment.”

For more information on the Ohio Collaborative Community-Police Advisory Board, the certification process and a list of certified agencies, go to ocjs.ohio.gov/ohiocollaborative.

The Independent Collegian and Zeta Phi Eta at The University of Toledo are hosting an event titled “Fake News: An Interdisciplinary Approach” from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 15 in the Thompson Student Union Auditorium.

The free, public symposium features professionals in the fields of law, journalism and political science on the nature of “fake news,” how to distinguish between fact and fiction, and the effect it has on society.

“Our purpose is to inform students and community members about the importance of news coverage, how to identify reliable sources and debunk myths regarding journalism,” Areeba Shah, editor-in-chief of the Independent Collegian, said. “We hope this event educates individuals and allows them to understand journalism in a more in-depth capacity.”

Speakers include Nolan Rosenkrans, reporter for The Blade; Dr. Sam Nelson, chair of the UT Department of Political Science and Public Administration; Dee Drummond, associate lecturer in the UT Department of Communication; Brigette Burnett, host and producer of the “Daily Downtown” on Buckeye Broadband; and Kristen Schnerer, social studies teacher at Start High School who pioneered a class on Media and Politics.

The University of Toledo appointed new leadership to the Catharine S. Eberly Center for Women, which promotes the personal and professional advancement of women at UT and in the surrounding community and offers scholarships to UT students.

Dr. Kim Nielsen, professor of disability studies, history and women’s and gender studies, will serve as interim director through August 2019.

Danielle Stamper, program coordinator for the UT Office of Multicultural Student Success, was named interim program manager during that same period.

Nielsen and Stamper take over day-to-day administrative operations as UT launches a search for a new executive director to replace Dr. Shanda Gore, who continues to serve as the executive director of the Minority Business Development Center.

“We thank Dr. Shanda Gore for her leadership and service to the Eberly Center,” Dr. Phillip “Flapp” Cockrell, vice president for student affairs, said. “I welcome Dr. Kim Nielsen and Danielle Stamper to the center. They bring a wealth of proven leadership and experience reflective of the core mission and values of the Eberly Center.”

The Eberly Center reports to both the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and the Division of Student Affairs.

“The new leaders are responsible for implementing high-impact programs, engaging internal and external stakeholders, promoting student success and student well-being, and strategically increasing the visibility of the Eberly Center,” Dr. Willie McKether, vice president for diversity and inclusion, said.

The Eberly Center hosts programming and services to empower women and guide them on their careers and community engagement to enable them to reach their highest potential. The Eberly Center offers personal and professional development classes and is home to Kate’s Closet, a professional women’s clothing closet providing complimentary professional attire to UT students and clients of the center.

“This responsibility and opportunity is an honor,” Nielsen said. “Since its founding in 1977, the Eberly Center has always been an important resource for both the UT community and the greater Toledo community. The Eberly Center seeks to bring hope and growth to women, provide resources for all who seek to support women, and welcome those committed to gender justice and equality. I invite all to stop by to say hello and use the space to study, have an organizational meeting, ask questions, use Kate’s Closet, learn about our scholarships, try the computer lab, or just relax.”

“Women’s centers have a rich history of not only empowering women, but also working toward gender equity and inclusion within the institution,” Stamper said. “I look forward to connecting my baccalaureate and professional experiences to continue growing as a student affairs practitioner.”

The Eberly Center is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The 14^th Annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Resource Fair will be held 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12 in Savage Arena at The University of Toledo.

Through the collaborative efforts of UT, the American Red Cross, and the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission, this breakfast and resource fair gives the community an opportunity to honor area veterans and active service members for the sacrifices they have made for the United States.

“The men and women who have served our country or who are actively serving our country are honored, respected and welcomed at The University of Toledo,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “These dedicated individuals are valued members of our community, and this event is one way we show our support.”

“Freedom is not free; it requires service and sacrifice,” said Lee Armstrong, executive director of the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission. “Today is about celebrating those brave men and woman who answered that call.”

Along with a free breakfast, the event offers all local veterans, members of the military and their families access to more than 30 military-focused community resources and a drive-through car care clinic offered by Tireman Auto Service Centers.

There will be historical military vehicles and women’s military uniforms on display from the Neff Military Museum in Findlay, Ohio, recognizing more than 100 years of service by females in the armed forces.

Retired Cmdr. Meghan Michael, former commanding officer of the Navy Operational Support Center, will give the keynote address at the event.

Michael served as mission commander and tactical coordinator in the P-3C Orion, deploying to the Middle East and Asia. The pinnacle of her career was flying missions in support of ground troops in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11.

She currently serves as the co-chair of the Northwest Ohio Military Affairs Committee and is the owner of HR Navigator, a company whose mission is educating small businesses on attracting, hiring and retaining veteran employees.

The program also will include some younger community members who will pay tribute to the veterans with entertainment and support. Members of the Rossford High School S.O.S. (Serving Our Soldiers) Club will greet participants and assist veterans through the breakfast line. Musical entertainment will be provided by fourth-grade students from Waterville Primary School and the UT Jazz Ensemble.

“This event is all about honoring our local heroes. We are grateful for the involvement of students from area schools to help us in this effort,” said Rachel Hepner-Zawodny, executive director of the American Red Cross Northwest Ohio Chapter.

Free parking will be available in lots 3, 5 and 6 near Savage Arena.

The University of Toledo College of Law is hosting a panel of experts for a conversation about the legal, practical and emotional consequences of sexual assault at noon Tuesday, Nov. 13 in the Law Center McQuade Auditorium.

Using a question-and-answer format, the panel of experts in sexual assault investigation and victim support will address common questions and attempt to debunk many of the myths surrounding sexual assault.

The three panelists are Shahrazad Hamdah, sexual assault and domestic violence advocate at the UT Center for Student Advocacy and Wellness; Jennifer Reed, a 2012 UT law alumna and assistant prosecutor in the Ohio Attorney General’s Office with numerous years of experience prosecuting sexual assault and other violent felonies; and Elizabeth Seney, a 2011 UT law graduate and assistant director and deputy Title IX coordinator at the University of Michigan, responsible for university investigation of sexual assault cases.

Nicole Buonocore Porter, professor of law and associate dean for faculty research and development at the UT College of Law, will moderate the panel. Porter is the faculty advisor for the Women’s Law Student Association at UT and teaches relevant courses such as criminal law, feminist legal theory and employment discrimination.

“Sexual assault has obviously been in the news quite a bit because of both the #MeToo movement and the Kavanaugh confirmation,” Porter said. “The purpose of this panel is to provide a safe place for students and other audience members to have a conversation with our panelists about sexual assault. Although these conversations are difficult, they are vitally important. In addition to discussing perspectives and experiences of those who have been sexual assault victims, we hope to dispel common myths about sexual assault.”

The free, public event is sponsored by the UT College of Law.

Not only did World War I reshape how modern wars would be fought, the conflict had an enormous effect on society as a whole across the globe.

“World War I was seen at the time as the ‘war to end all wars.’ It was the first global war and the first that was fought with weapons of mass destruction. It was historically important in its own right,” said Dr. Mysoon Rizk, professor of art history and director of the Roger Ray Institute for the Humanities at The University of Toledo. “But the lead up to the World War I, the absurdities on the battlefield and the war’s aftermath all brought major changes in arts, politics and culture as the world tried to make sense of the bloodshed.”

Rizk is co-organizing a UT symposium titled “Memories of World War I,” which will be held from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, Nov. 9 in Carlson Library Room 1005.

The symposium, one of several upcoming events at UT commemorating the 100th anniversary of the Nov. 11 armistice that effectively ended the war, will bring together a diverse collection of University and community scholars to discuss the effects of the war and its cultural representations in the United States and elsewhere.

Topics to be examined include the war’s effects and consequences on Northwest Ohio and U.S. politics, the cultural memory of the war in the U.S. and abroad, how the war shaped national identities, and the innovations in art, music, literature and theater that were triggered by World War I.

Of particular note is the focus on the experiences of women during World War I.

Dr. Friederike Emonds, associate professor of German and a symposium co-organizer, said much of our contemporary understanding of the war comes from the well-known male writers of the so-called Lost Generation, while women’s war literature of the time has been overlooked.

“As women were not allowed to join the military and fight at the front, women’s war experiences offer a different perspective on the war, allowing us new insights and perceptions that significantly contribute to our efforts to gain a more comprehensive understanding of World War I today,” Emonds said.

UT has a number of other upcoming events tied to the centennial of the end of World War I, including:

• The University of Toledo Department of Theatre and Film will present an adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s novel “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Written and directed by Dr. Matt Foss, assistant professor of theatre at UT, the play will be performed Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, Nov. 9-11, in the Center Theatre of UT’s Center for Performing Arts.
• The University of Toledo Carlson Library will host a free screening of an English film adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front” from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 14, in Room 1005.
• Through Dec. 14, the Carlson Library also is displaying World War I artifacts and photographs from the collections of Richard Oliver and the Ward M. Canaday Center for Special Collections. The exhibit is located in the library’s main lobby.

For more information on the University’s Word War I centennial events, to register for the symposium or to purchase tickets for the theater adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front,” visit the Roger Ray Institute for the Humanities website.

The University of Toledo chapter of the Student Veterans of America is hosting a flag retirement ceremony 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 8 by the steps of the Thompson Student Union.

“Every part of the ceremony is very meaningful, and we want the Toledo area to see the respect the flag deserves in its retirement,” said Brandon Kalbfliesh, president of the UT Chapter of the Student Veterans of America. “That flag means everything to those of us who serve our country.”

The 14^th Annual Veterans Appreciation Breakfast and Resource Fair will be held at 8 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12 in Savage Arena at UT.

Through the collaborative efforts of UT, the American Red Cross, and the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission, this breakfast and resource fair gives the community an opportunity to honor area veterans and active service members for the sacrifices they have made for the United States.

“The men and women who have served our country or who are actively serving our country are honored, respected and welcomed at The University of Toledo,” UT President Sharon L. Gaber said. “These dedicated individuals are valued members of our community, and this event is one way we show our support.”

“Freedom is not free; it requires service and sacrifice,” said Lee Armstrong, executive director of the Lucas County Veterans Service Commission. “Today is about celebrating those brave men and woman who answered that call.”

Along with a free breakfast, the event offers all local veterans, members of the military and their families access to more than 30 military-focused community resources and a drive-through car care clinic offered by Tireman Auto Service Centers.

There will be historical military vehicles and women’s military uniforms on display from the Neff Military Museum in Findlay, Ohio, recognizing more than 100 years of service by females in the armed forces.

Retired Cmdr. Meghan Michael, former commanding officer of the Navy Operational Support Center, will give the keynote address at the event.

Michael served as mission commander and tactical coordinator in the P-3C Orion, deploying to the Middle East and Asia. The pinnacle of her career was flying missions in support of ground troops in Afghanistan shortly after 9/11.

She currently serves as the co-chair of the Northwest Ohio Military Affairs Committee and is the owner of HR Navigator, a company whose mission is educating small businesses on attracting, hiring and retaining veteran employees.

The program also will include some younger community members who will pay tribute to the veterans with entertainment and support. Members of the Rossford High School S.O.S. (Serving Our Soldiers) Club will greet participants and assist veterans through the breakfast line. Musical entertainment will be provided by fourth-grade students from Waterville Primary School and the UT Jazz Ensemble.

“This event is all about honoring our local heroes. We are grateful for the involvement of students from area schools to help us in this effort,” said Rachel Hepner-Zawodny, executive director of the American Red Cross Northwest Ohio Chapter.

Free parking will be available for the breakfast and resource fair in lots 3, 5 and 6 near Savage Arena.

It’s difficult to mask the clinical nature of exam rooms, even in the cheeriest of pediatrician’s offices. But a doctor’s simple gesture of handing out a storybook at every visit can make a big difference in keeping a child comfortable while providing a window into that child’s development.

During the last two decades, Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio — a grant-funded program of The University of Toledo Department of Pediatrics — has provided more than 258,000 books to children across the region from birth to age 5.

In honor of the initiative’s 20th anniversary, the group is in the midst of a book drive with a goal of collecting 20,000 children’s books.

“We rely on grants and donations for our entire program budget. One of our main expenses is buying books. Reach Out and Read is an important program and having community support ensures we can continue providing books that help make the experience of a doctor’s visit more child friendly, while at the same time educating parents on the importance of literacy and helping medical providers monitor development,” program director Lori LeGendre said.

UT Pediatrics residents Dr. DeAnna McGarity, left, and Dr. Rami Abdel Aziz, center, sort books with Lori LeGendre, program director of Reach Out and Read. The grant-funded program provides 28,000 books annually to area children at their pediatric wellness checks.

Reach Out and Read is an evidence-based medical model using literacy guidance as a stepping-stone to school readiness and to enhance parent-child relationships. It also serves as a literacy program, modeling the importance of reading to parents, and as a tool for pediatricians.

“Reach Out and Read is a great way for us to gauge a child’s development,” said Dr. Valarie Stricklen, a pediatrician with The University of Toledo Medical Center’s Rocket Pediatrics. “Can they point, can they name colors, can they turn pages, can they sound out words? There are many developmental milestones that we can glean from just handing them the book.”

Currently the program is at 25 sites across the region, including the Rocket Pediatrics locations in Waterville and at the Ruppert Health Center on UT’s Health Science Campus.

Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio serves about 14,000 children, handing out about 28,000 books a year. In some cases, the books families receive through Reach Out and Read are the only books in the home, LeGendre said.

Nationally, more than 32,000 doctors and nurses across all 50 states patriciate in the program, reaching 4.7 million children annually.

“Books are more than just reading the story and looking at the pictures. Reading is the cornerstone for language development,” Stricklen said. “That is why we give the books at six months of age before they can even talk. It teaches them the rhythm of language and speech patterns. It’s also a great way to start a bedtime routine and a way for the parent and child to connect and make reading a routine that can be fun and exciting.”

Monetary donations to the Reach Out and Read of Northwest Ohio book drive can be made by visiting Books by the Bushel. The program also is accepting donations of new and gently used books. For more information, contact Lori LeGendre at 419.291.0038 or lori.legendre@utoledo.edu. The book drive runs through Nov. 15.