Thomas College adds 3 to faculty of Center for Innovation in Education

Thomas College in Waterville has announced the hiring of three new education faculty members as part of its Center for Innovation in Education, which opened in the fall of 2015. Ted Prawat, Kate Cook Whitt, and Katie Rybakova will join the faculty in September.

Prawat will be an assistant professor for education and educational design center director for the Center for Innovation in Education.

Prawat was a curriculum specialist at Michigan State University from 2012 to 2015, and he served as artist in residence at the 3e International School in Beijing, China, from 2005 to 2009. He has a Bachelor of Arts degree in art education and a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting from Miami University, in Ohio; and his Master of Fine Arts degree in painting from Indiana University. He is the owner and founder of Time for Art Studio, a game and media/fine arts consulting company in East Lansing, Michigan, and he was a 3-D game design and science curriculum consultant for the University of Montana at Missoula.

Rybakova will join Thomas as assistant professor of education. Her work will include proficiency-based learning as part of the Center for Innovation in Education at Thomas. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in English, her Master of Science in English education, and her doctorate in curriculum and instruction, all from Florida State University. Before joining Thomas, she was the program coordinator for the undergraduate and graduate English education program at Florida State University. Rybakova holds a professional license to teach grades six through 12 English language arts as well as a K-12 Exceptional Student Education license.

Cook Whitt will be joining Thomas College as an assistant professor of education with a focus on STEAM education. Her background and professional work revolves around her commitment to supporting teachers and schools in employing innovative teaching and learning strategies. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in neuroscience and music history/theory from Oberlin College and a master’s degree in secondary science education from Northwestern University, and she is completing the doctor of organizational studies program at Wright State University. Her doctoral dissertation deals with elementary teachers’ innovative teaching practices in science. Before joining Thomas, Cook Whitt taught biology at the Dayton Regional STEM School in Kettering, Ohio, and was an educational consultant for a variety of organizations.

Franklin Memorial pharmacists complete advance training

Two pharmacists at Franklin Memorial Hospital in Farmington recently completed advanced training in anticoagulation and antithrombotic therapy, medications that prevent the blood from clotting as quickly or as effectively as normal. Both pharmacists now are certified in anticoagulation therapy management.

Bruce Williamson completed the six-week anticoagulation therapy management certificate program offered by the University of Southern Indiana College of Nursing and Health Professions. The program required modules in the physiology of the clotting system, the pharmacology of antithrombotic agents, patient education, and administrative and reimbursement procedures.

Williamson has been a pharmacist at FMH since April 2008.

Maria-Ausilia Evans completed the antithrombotic traineeship from the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists, a focused five-month postgraduate program for pharmacists. The program required a pre-program assessment, distance education, a skills-based five-day experiential program, and demonstrated practice outcomes.

Evans has been a pharmacist at FMH since May 2014.

KV Family Dentistry adds Karagiorgos to team of dentists, expands hours

Kennebec Valley Family Dentistry, a nonprofit dental clinic at 269 Water St. in Augusta, has hired a new dentist, Antonios Karagiorgos, D.M.D. Karagiorgos brings with him education, experience, and training that has enabled KVFD to expand its hours to 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Karagiorgos has been an associate dentist at Caring Hands of Maine in Ellsworth and at C.S. Maller, D.M.D., in Bar Harbor. He earned his doctoral degree in dentistry from Tufts University School of Dental Medicine and is licensed in Maine and Alaska. He was president of the Tufts University Orthodontics Club; a volunteer for Give Kids a Smile, which provides free oral health services for those in need; and a volunteer for Bridge over Troubled Waters, which supports homeless and high-risk youth.

Founded in 2008, KVFD makes affordable, high-quality oral health care services available to limited income, underinsured, and uninsured children and adults in southern Kennebec County. In the last 12 months, KVFD has provided dental care to about 2,400 patients, the vast majority of whom were children.

Huard, of Century 21 Surette Real Estate, named KV board Realtor of the Year

Jill Huard, an associate broker with Century 21 Surette Real Estate in Waterville, was named Kennebec Valley Board of Realtors 2016 Realtor of the Year.

The announcement was made in a news release by Michael Byrne, president of Century 21 Surette Real Estate, and Courtney Blood, vice president.

The award recognizes the efforts, accomplishments, professionalism, service and contributions to the local board of Realtors, the Maine Association of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors, according to the release.

Huard is an active member of the KVBR Board of Directors, where she is president and state board director. She is also a member of the Maine Children’s Home Board of Directors, the release said.

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust to host customer appreciation events

Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is hosting Customer Appreciation Day events at many of its branch locations during the summer.

At each event, food will be served from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and there will be gifts. The public is invited. In central Maine, an event is set for July 22 in South China.

This year’s parties will celebrate the 100th birthday of Acadia National Park. Bar Harbor Bank & Trust is a sponsor of the centennial celebration.

Viles Arboretum in Augusta adds longtime arborist Pulsifer to staff

Svenson Pulsifer, of Harpswell, has joined the staff at Viles Arboretum in Augusta.

Pulsifer studied forest ecosystem science with a minor in agriculture at the University of Maine, in Orono. He has extensive experience as an arborist and is well-versed in the care and feeding of botanical collections.

Support from the Betterment Foundation and from the arboretum’s late benefactor Elsie Viles makes the staffing of this position possible.

Manchester business gets NASA funding for canopy control development

Wizbe Innovations in Manchester has been awarded a $114,000 Small Business Innovative Research Phase I program from NASA for the development of airfoil controlled glide and directional control in ram air canopies.

During the Phase I effort, Wizbe will collect data from small-scale prototype air drops to demonstrate the ability to steer the canopy through the use of in-canopy controls and evaluate the use of air valves within the canopy to provide increased lift.

The NASA program has potential in recovery systems, unmanned aerial vehicles and return flights. There is a growing desire for recovery systems that provide extended cross-range capability and are steerable to enable precision landing of payloads. Using a recovery system that enables landings to specific coordinates can dramatically reduce suborbital flight recovery costs and future space return flight costs in the Earth’s atmosphere. It also has potential in Mars’ atmosphere, where a lightweight, low-volume flight system such as a parafoil can increase the range of motion across the planet with increased lift or reduced drag.

A fabric ram air canopy can be dramatically lighter weight than a foldable composite system while still being able to provide long-range glide and descent rate control. Wizbe Innovations has developed a unique, lightweight fabric system to control airflow in textile based ram air canopies. Controlling the airflow provides glide and directional control to improve steering, potentially increase lift, and potentially reduce opening shock. Another potential advantage to moving the controls into the canopy is that it reduces field logistics by reducing retrieval to only the parachute canopy itself. Wizbe’s controls are located within the parachute and have no winches, pulleys and wires outside the canopy.

Bryant promoted to loan officer at Maine State Credit Union

The Maine State Credit Union has promoted Erika Bryant to loan officer.

Bryant will be working with the loan department and the indirect lending team, based at the credit union’s Capitol Street location in Augusta.

Bryant is active in the social responsibility crew at the credit union. She volunteers for the annual Ending Hunger walk and helps to organize other events throughout the year.

She has worked at the credit union for 11 years. She has been a teller, receptionist and loan servicing clerk; and she worked most recently in card services. She is a graduate of Gardiner Area High School and lives in Randolph with her daughter, Ellie.

Camden National Bank employees raise nearly $20,000 for charity

More than 170 Camden National Bank employees joined efforts to support Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine at Bowl For Kids’ Sake events across the state this year. In total, the bank formed 43 teams and raised a combined total of close to $20,000 to support local Big Brothers Big Sisters programs and one-to-one youth mentoring in central, midcoastal and eastern Maine.

According to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Mid-Maine, Bowl For Kids’ Sake provides about 40 percent of the agency’s annual operating budget. Last year, the nonprofit served 787 children through Big/Little matches in Knox, Lincoln, Waldo, Penobscot, Kennebec and Somerset Counties. With a cost of around $1,000 per year to create and professionally support each match, fundraising events such as this and support from the community are integral to their continued success, according to the agency.

Ball to benefit Colonial Theater, Augusta Downtown Alliance

A benefit to raise money for the Augusta Downtown Alliance and Colonial Theater is scheduled for Friday at Le Club Calumet, at 334 West River Road in Augusta, according to a news release from the alliance.

Dangerous Liaisons, a Franco-American Masquerade Ball with a local-celebrity auction, will be held from 7 p.m. to midnight. Business attire and a mask are required. There will be heavy hors d’oeuvres and a cash bar.

Tickets cost $25 per person or $50 per couple and are available at Le Club Calumet, Betsy’s home decor at 295 Water St., and other local merchants.

Compiled from contributed releases