DUBOIS – Three Penn State DuBois faculty members have been recognized for 25 years of service at Penn State DuBois. Professor of Physics Brian Weiner, Assistant Professor of Education Pam Hufnagel, and Associate Professor of Communications Mary Mino have all reached the milestone this year.
Weiner came to DuBois in July of 1986. Before that, he was a member of the Quantum Theory Group at the University of Florida, and part of the Quantum Chemistry Group at Uppsala University, in Sweden. He began his career in the Department of Mathematics at Queens University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada. Weiner received his Ph.D. at Leicester University, England, in 1970.
Weiner’s central research focus is on the study of the philosophic and mathematical foundations of quantum mechanics and its applications to small and large chemical systems. He has published more than 75 papers in international scientific journals.
Hufnagel started teaching at Penn State Shenango, then moved to Penn State DuBois. She has taught courses in human development and family studies (HDFS), educational psychology, educational theory and policy, curriculum and instruction, and psychology. Hufnagel serves on the Commonwealth College Senate. She also helped to develop a bachelor’s degree program in HDFS that is now offered at all Penn State campuses.
Prior to teaching at Penn State, Hufnagel taught fifth and sixth grade in Delaware. She then enrolled in the University of Delaware, and earned a M.S. in human growth and Development and a Ph.D. in cognition.
Mino teaches communication arts and sciences, the basic public speaking course, as well as courses focused on small group communication, and on gender communication. Mino has also taught honors courses in public speaking, small group communication, and oral interpretation of literature.
Mino designed an undergraduate course for Penn State, “Personal and Interpersonal Skills,” that she has taught for HDFS both at Penn State DuBois and at University Park since 1989. For over 20 years, she has been certified in relationship enhancement (RE) and a relationship enhancement program leader, and is listed in the National Institute of Relationship Enhancement’s Directory. She is an active member of the Pennsylvania Communication Association, the Speech Communication Association of Puerto Rico, the Eastern Communication Association, and the National Communication Association. Her publications and research interests focus primarily on communication education. Specifically, she is committed to improving oral communication skills training.
Mino received her bachelors of arts degree in theatre arts and her master of arts and doctoral degrees in speech communication from Penn State. She serves as an advisor in the College of Liberal Arts and the College of Communications.