Office: Sprau 714

Work Phone: 616-387-2596 ext. 1

Home/FAX:616-353-8312

E-mail: karen.kavana@wmich.edu

 

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE SUMMARY

COURSES TAUGHT:

Creative Writing Fiction and Poetry

Methods of Written Communication

Academic Writing for Literature

General Chemistry Lab Coordinator:

Laboratory Instruction for Teaching Assistants

Physical Chemistry

Nuclear Chemistry/Radiochemistry

Molecular Structure

Fundamentals of Chemistry

Introduction to Physical Chemistry (General Chemistry III)

Biochemistry, Organic, Instrumental and Physical Chemistry laboratories

Methods of Written Composition (English 111)

Academic Writing about Literature (English 211)

 

Education

MFA in Creative Writing, University of Alaska Anchorage

PhD Nuclear Chemistry, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville

MA in Theoretical Chemistry, University of Texas at Austin

BS in Chemistry, University of Bridgeport

 

Recent Employment:

8/00-present, Doctoral Associate, Western Michigan University, Department of English.

8/98-5/00, Graduate Assistant, University of Alaska Department of English

7/98-8/98, Managing Editor, The Alaskan Moderator, Internet newspaper

8/88-5/95, Assistant Professor Chemistry at Purdue University Calumet

Summer 1989 through Summer 1990, Summer Faculty and Guest Scientist 1989-90 at Argonne National

Laboratory, High Energy Physics.

6/88-8/88, Quality Assurance Officer at Federal Environmental Protection Agency, Area V

6/85-6/88, Assistant Professor Chemistry at Mississippi State University

 

PUBLICATIONS

1. Karen Kavana. “Refashioning My Life to Please.” Explorations 2000. (July 2000):26.

2. Karen Kavana. “Texas Two-Step.” We Alaskans 8 June 1998.

3. Karen Kavana. “The Blues Boy.” Illya’s Honey 3.4 (Winter 1997-98): 26.

4. Karen Kavana. “The Blues Boy” and “Shaken, not Stirred.” Anchorage Press 17-23 Oct. 1996: 14.

5. Karen Kavana. “the tree.” Skylark 24 (1995): 228.

6. Karen Kavana. “The Sequel.” Skylark 17 (1991): 27.

7. Svein Saebo and Karen Kavana. Molecular Structures and Conformations of Fluoromethy-substituted cyclopropane and oxirane MP4(SDQ)/6-311G**** J. Mol. Struc. Theochem. 235 (1991): 447.

8. Karen Kavana, Axel Steinhof, Walter Kutschera, Michael Paul and Barry Davids, " Estimates of ⁴¹Ca Production on Earth.” International Accelerator Mass Spectrometer Journal. 5 (April 1990).9. K. K. Saebo and P. K. Kuroda. “Anomalous Xenon Isotopes in Carbonaceous Chondrites” Geochem.  J. 19 (1986): 251-257.

10. K. K. Saebo and P. K. Kuroda. “Origin of Xenon-124 and-126 in Carbonaceous Chondrites.” Geochem. J. 20(1986):105-110.

11. Karen Kavana-Saebo, Svein Saebo, and James E.Boggs. “Geometries and Rotation Barriers of 2-methyl-1,3-butadiene and of 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-Butadiene by Ab Initio Gradient Calculation.” J. Mol. Struc. 106 (1984): 259-269.

12.D. L. Powell, P. Klaeboe, K. Saebo, and G. A. Crowder. “Vibrational Spectra and Conformation Behaviour of 1,2,2,3-Tetrachloropropane and 1,3-dichloro-2,2-dimethylpropane.” J. Mol. Struc.. 98 (1983): 55-75.

 

BOOKS/CHAPTERS

Karen Kavana.  Dunescapes~heart, sea, and shore. Portage, IN: SciArt Creations, 1994.

K. Kavana-Saebo. "Xenon Anomalies - Which Side of the Solar Fence." Essays in Nuclear, Geo- and Cosmochemisty  Ed. M. W. Rowe.  np: Burgess Press, 1988.

K. Kavana-Saebo, Mohamad Zainal-Abidin, and Mohammad Al-Sayrafi. (1988).  "Extinct Natural Nuclear Reactor: Do We Have an Oklo in Colorado?” Essays in Nuclear, Geo- and Cosmochemistry.  Ed. M. W. Rowe. np: Burgess Press, 1988.K. Kavana-Saebo.

Semi-Micro Freshman Chemistry Lab Manual. Starkville,MS: Mississippi State UP, 1987.

 

PROCEEDINGS

Karen Kavana. “Who Laughs Last : A One Act Play. Prince William Sound Community College Valdez Play Contest. June 1998.

Karen Kavana. ”The Gist of it All.” Pacific Rim Literary Conference. Anchorage, Alaska 18-19 February 2000.

Karen Kavana. “Victorian Women Who Write Themselves: The Masks of Mary Kingsley and Elizabeth Robins.” Pacific Rim Literary Conference. Anchorage, Alaska 20-21 February 1997.

Karen Kavana. “Shaken, not Stirred.” Pacific Rim Literary Conference. Anchorage, Alaska 21-22 February 1997.

Karen Kavana, Axel Steinhof, Walter Kutschera, Michael Paul and David Barry,"Estimates of Natural and Artificial ⁴¹Ca Production on Earth, Fifth International Accelerator Mass Spectrometer Conference. Paris, France 23-27 April 1990.

Karen Kavana and Svein Saebo, "Conformations of 1,3-Butadiene," 13th Austin Symposium on Molecular Structure. Austin, Texas 12-14 March 1990.Karen Kavana and Svein Saebo, "Theoretical Study of the Internal Rotational Potential Surface of 1,3-Butadiene." EUCHEM-Conference. Tromso, Norway 20-22 June 1989.

K. Kavana-Saebo, "Similar Origins Implied for Differently-Sited Xenon Isotopes." 193rd ACS National Meeting. Denver, CO 5-10 April 1987.

K. Kavana-Saebo, "Kuroda's Anomalies: Not Yet Retired." 43rd Southwest Regional ACS meeting. Memphis, TN December 1987.

K. Kavana-Saebo, Svein Saebo, and R. W. Tierce, "Torsional Potential Function of 1,2-butadiene Reinvestigated." Eleventh Austin Symposium of Molecular Structure. Austin, TX 3-5 March 1986.

K. Kavana-Saebo and P. K. Kuroda, "A New Solution To The Xenon Isotope Anomaly Problem." 33^rd Southwest/37th Southeast Regional ACS meeting. New Orleans, LA October 1985.

N. Bakhtiar, W. E. Brandon, R. K. Guimon, B. D. Keck, K. K.Saebo, K. S. Weeks, and D. W. G. Sears, "Annealing Studies of the Thermoluminescence Sensitivity of Chondrites: Relevance to the Metamorphic and Shock/Reheating History of Meterorites." Proceedings of the 15th Lun. Planet. Sci. Conf. Houston, TX. (12-16 March 1984) 27.

   

AWARDS and GRANTS

Grants:

Argonne National Labs Visiting Scientist 1989-1991. Argonne Illinois.

Argonne National Labs Summer Faculty Fellowship 1989, 1990,Argonne, Illinois.

NASA Summer Faculty Fellowship 1988, Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland.

President's Special Project Grant, "Chemistry in action: Classroom/Laboratory", 1987, $1,990.

in radiochemistry", June 1986-1988, research contract.

Mississippi State University Chemistry Department Grant, "Uranium disequilibria - The Implications", 1986 $2,500.

Research Contract, Oak Ridge Associated Universities, "Collaborative research at the University of Oslo, Norway, 1979, $500.

Mississippi State University Research Initiation Grant. "Uranium disequilibria and natural nuclear reactors--are they related?" 1986, $6,000.

Robert Welch Fellowship, University of Austin Texas, 1978-1980.

University of Texas Graduate School Grant. Research in theoretical chemistry

Awards:

16^th Annual Anchorage Daily News Creative Writing Contest. Third Place in college poetry section. June 1997.

17th Annual Anchorage Daily News Creative Writing Contest. First prize winner $100 in college poetry section. June 1998. 

Martin Luther King student appreciation citatation for tutoring chemistry, University of Alaska Anchorage, 1998.

Nominated for Teacher of the Year, Purdue University Calumet, 1994.

Nominated for Teacher of the Year, Purdue University Calumet, 1994.

Teaching award, University of Arkansas, 1985.

Tutoring Award for tutoring chemistry, University of Alaska Anchorage, 1998.

Alliance Francaise Award, Eastern US Region, 1974.