ADDRESS INFORMATION
Departments of Physical Sciences, Campus Box 4030, Emporia State
University, Emporia, KS 66801.
620-341-5330, Fax: 620-341-5073,
E-mail: backhusd@esumail.emporia.edu
EDUCATION
- B.S., Emporia State University, 1966.
- M.A., Harvard University, 1967.
- Ph.D., University of Kansas, 1992.
SPECIALTIES
- Earth/Space Sciences (planetary sciences), Energy Resource
Management, and Science Education.
EXPERIENCES
- Chair, Departments of Physical Sciences, ESU, 1989 to present.
- Interim Dean, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, ESU, 1986-87.
- Assistant, Associate and Professor, Physical Sciences, ESU, 1967
to present.
- Planetarium Director, ESU, 1972-1986.
PROPOSALS AND GRANTS
Director, Projects funded by US Office of Education, National Science
Foundation, Department of Energy/Kansas Energy Office, GTE Foundation,
NASA JOVE, and Eisenhower Science and Mathematics Education Act
Program/Professional Development Program; Statewide Executive
Committee, Kansas NASA EPSCoR and Kansas Space Grant Consortium.
HONORS AND AWARDS--SELECTED
- National Science Foundation/Harvard University, Prize Fellowship
to Harvard University, 1966-67 (National, competitive, 25 awardees).
- Selected for membership in Kappa Mu Epsilon (Mathematics), Sigma
Pi Sigma (Physics), Kappa Delta Pi (Education), and Phi Kappa Phi honor
societies.
- Third Roe R. Cross Distinguished Professor, Emporia State
University, 1981-82 (highest honor awarded to ESU faculty, reduced
assignment, cash award, and speaking obligations).
- NASA JOVE Program Awards: (1) Development of Geospatial Analysis
minor (with J. Aber and J. Wolfe), and (2) Introduction to Space
Science course, 1993.
- Xi Phi Outstanding Faculty Award, Emporia State University, 2002.
SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (from 35+)
- Backhus, DeW. A. and Koehler, W. 1979. An Evaluation of Air
Pollution Abatement Relaxation Strategies for Tennessee During Periods
of Pending or Actual Energy Emergencies. University of Tennessee
Energy, Environment and Resources Center, 160 p. [NSF Grant No.
403781800.]
- Backhus, DeW. A., 1981. An Analysis of Energy Usage at Emporia
State University: A Case Study. Conference Proceedings of Society
for College and University Planning (SCUP), July 1981.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1982. Energy: Where Kansas Stands. Conference
Proceedings, Energy Costs: Community Threat or Challenge. Kansas
Corporation Commission. 1-17 to 1-58.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1993. Secondary-Level Physical Science Teachers
and Teaching in Kansas: Survey Results from the Early 1990s. ERIC
Document Reproduction Service No. ED 370 811. 68 p.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1997. Post-JOVE successes at Emporia State
University: A case example. Conference Proceedings 8th Annual
NASA-JOVE Summer Conference. Marshall Space Flight Center,
Huntsville, AL, p. 72-73.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1998. Physical sciences programs at
baccalaureate-degree-granting, independent colleges and universities in
the midwest. Kansas Academy Science, Transactions 101:1-10.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 2002. It's NOT just a theory. The Science
Teacher 69(4):44-47. Also, one of 11 titles in Evolution in Perspective: The
Science Teacher's Compendium. 2004. R. W. Bybee,
Ed. Arlington, VA: National Science Teachers
Association. 37-41.
SELECTED PRESENTATIONS/ABSTRACTS (from 90+)
- "Three Approaches for Providing the Laboratory Experience in a
College Level General Education Physical Science Course." With E.
Crawford. Midwest Regional meeting of National Science Teachers
Association. St. Louis, MO, Oct. 1969.
- "Energy--An Overview of the Crisis and a Game." Western Area
Convention of National Science Teachers Association. Denver, CO, Nov.
1974.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1980. Energy and Pollution Abatement--The Basis
for an Energy Management Option. Transactions of the Kansas Academy
of Science (Abstract) 83(3):120-121.
- "Energy--Where Kansas Stands." Invited general assembly
presentation for "Energy Cost: Community Threat or Challenge,"
statewide syposium sponsored by the Kansas Corporation Commission,
Topeka, KS, Jan. 1982.
- "The Kansas Energy Situation." Invited presentation for Western
Power Company area managers annual meeting, Great Bend, KS, Nov. 1982.
- "Energy, Technology, Environment: The Next Decade--Looking
Through a Glass Darkly." Invited keynote address, Energy Symposium,
Wichita, KS, Jan. 1984.
- "Anticipating Halley's Comet." Midwest Regional Meeting of
National Science Teacher Association. Wichita, KS, Oct. 1985.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1986. The Status of Comet Science in 1910:
Gleanings from the Literature. Kansas Academy of Science, Abstracts
5:3.
- "A NASA JOVE Administrator's Perspective" (one of 3 invited,
non-NASA presenters). USRA-NASA Fall 1993 JOVE Program Orientation
Conference. Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, Nov. 1993.
- "NASA JOVE at Emporia State University: Three Years of
Accomplishment." Poster presentation at NASA JOVE conference. Kennedy
Space Center, FL, July 1994.
- Backhus, DeW. A. 1995. Survey of Selected Institutions Regarding
Undergraduate Physical Science Programs. Kansas Academy of Science,
Abstracts 14:9.
- "The Kansas Acid-Rain Monitoring Project: An overview of
findings." With D. Schroeder. National meeting of National Science
Teachers Assoc. St. Louis, MO, Mar. 1996.
- "A JOVE alumni success story." Invited presentation, 8th Annual
NASA-JOVE Conference. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA, July
1997.
- "Outcomes assessment program for the earth sciences at
Emporia State University." ED12A-07. American Geophysical Union, fall
2000 meeting, San Francisco, CA, Dec. 2000.
- "Addressing the 'Nature of Science' in preservice science
education programs: Results from a national survey. Kansas Academy
Science, Abstracts 21:26.
- "The Astronomical Prints of E. L. Trouvelot at Emporia State
University." Annual Meeting of Kansas Academy of Science.
JCCC, Overland Park, KS 2005.
CONSULTING AND PEER PROPOSAL REVIEW--SELECTED
- Consultant to Silver-Burdett Publishing Company (Intermediate
Science Curriculum Study, ISCS), 1973.
- Consultant to Wichita public schools (ISCS curriculum
implementation), 1974-75.
- Consultant to Southwestern Bell Company (energy resource
management), Topeka, Kansas City, and Wichita, KS, 1977.
- Proposal Reader/Reviewer: Kansas State Department of Education,
Title IV ESEA funds for energy-related innovations; Department of
Energy (DOE) Office of University Programs, 1977, 1978, and 1979;
Department of Energy Appropriate Technology Grants Progrm, 1981;
National Science Foundation, 1984, 1985, 1986, and 1990; and Eisenhower
Program, 1990 to present.
- Consultant to University of Tennessee-Knoxville Energy,
Environment, and Resource Center (energy emergency planning). In
conjunction with sabbatical leave, Spring 1979. Officed with Tennessee
Energy Authority, Nashville, TN.
- Consultant to Energy Adventure Center, a Wichita public-school
directed, three-year, $700,000 pilot program funded by Title IV ESEA
funds (energy education), late 1970's, early 1980's.
- Special Agent for Kansas Corporation Commission (Kansas energy
resource-consumption balance), 1981.
- Consultant, Shawnee Heights USD 450 (planetarium education),
Topeka, 1986.
OTHER SELECTED PROFESSIONAL AND SCHOLARLY ACTIVITES
- Produced eleven public planetarium programs for Peterson
Planetarium, ESU, while director from 1972 to 1987. (Titles available
on request.)
- Produced fully automated, four-projector slide presentation
titled "ENERGY: An Unappreciated Commodity" presented at local and
state-wide meetings, but first at a regional meeting of the National
Science Teachers Association, Denver, CO, Oct. 1974.
- Co-Developed [with Jim Calvert] an energy simulation game used
widely in-state and out-of-state for various energy education and
energy management purposes, early 1970s to early 1980s.
- ESU Community Television, produced and recorded twenty-four,
30-minute color television programs which were adapted from PS 520,
Energy in Transition, for Channel 8, Spring 1978. (Program titles
available on request.)
- Travel to study comparative energy usage, London, England and
vicinity, Mar. 1982.
- Produced slide presentation for Kansas Energy Education Program
titled "The Energy Dilemma." Included sixty-three slides with narrative
script; twelve sets prepared for use across the state, Spring 1982.
SELECTED PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
- Kansas Association of Teachers of Science, Charter Member; Board
Member, 1974-75; Program Chairman and President-Elect, 1974-75; and
President 1975-76.
- Kansas Energy Education Program, 1980-83; Eastern Kansas
Coordinator, 1982-83.
- Kansas Academy of Science, elected Council Member, 1983-86;
Secretary, 1983-84; Program Coordinator, 118th Annual Meeting, ESU,
Spring 1984; Nominating Committee, 1986.
- Eisenhower Science and Mathematics Education Act Program Advisory
Committee to Kansas Board of Regents, 1990-present.
- Kansas State Board of Education Science Teacher Licensure
Redesign Committee, Member, 1994-97.
- National Academy of Sciences Symposium on Improving Teacher
Preparation and Credentialing Consistent with National Science
Education Standards. Washington, D.C., Feb. 1996.
- Executive Committee, Kansas NASA EPSCoR and Kansas Space Grant
Consortium, 1993 to present.
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Last update: Jan. 2004.