Miriam Monges, Multicultural and Gender Studies, authored Kush: The Jewel of Nubia, based on her research on female leadership patterns in classical Africa. Monges recently presented “Candace Rites of Passage Program: The Cultural Contest as an Empowerment Tool” at the Association of Baccalaureate Social Work Program Directors Conference.

James Pushnik, Biology, was named CSU, Chico’s Outstanding Professor of 1997-98 for his work as a teacher and molecular biologist. Pushnik’s research specialty is plant biodiversity and the effects of environmental stresses on forest production. Pushnik is a grant reviewer for both the National Science Foundation and the National Institute for Global Environmental Change.