February Faculty and Staff Features

Jeffrey S. Legg, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Chairman, Department of Radiation Sciences

Legg was selected this year by the American Society of Radiologic Technologists to participate in the International Speakers Exchange Award program. He will present “Patient Safety and Culture Among U.S. Radiation Therapists” at the 2012 Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists Annual Conference in Toronto June 7-10.

“I am thrilled to represent the U.S., VCU and the American Society of Radiologic Technologists at the World Congress in Toronto,” Legg said. “While it appears research in the radiation sciences is more advanced in other countries, especially the United Kingdom, I believe the work of my research team will demonstrate the quality and originality of research in the U.S.”

“VCU's Department of Radiation Sciences is recognized as a leader in the radiation sciences profession,” he added. “We believe this award will continue to highlight our quality educational programs and commitment to advancing research in the radiation sciences profession.”

Legg has more than 20 years of experience in radiology as a clinician and supervisor. He has spent his entire career affiliated with VCU and the VCU Medical Center.

Colin A. Banas, M.D., Chief Medical Information Officer

Banas recently was elected to the Board of Directors for the Virginia Health Quality Center (VHQC) of Richmond. As a member of the VHQC Board of Directors, Banas will serve a three-year term.

Banas has been with VCU for nearly 10 years and serves as an assistant professor in internal medicine. He has also held positions in utilization management and care coordination.

VHQC serves as the quality improvement organization for Virginia and leads Virginia HIT, the statewide health information technology regional extension center.

 

 

R. Andrew Chesnut, Ph.D, Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies and professor of religious studies

Chesnut will present his book, “Devoted to Death: ‘Santa Muerte,’ The Skeleton Saint,” on Wednesday, Feb. 22 at the Library of Congress.

The book, published early in 2012 by Oxford University Press, examines the rising popularity of this folk saint in both Mexico and the United States. Additional details on the book may be found here.

Chesnut was invited to present by the Hispanic Division and the Hispanic Cultural Society of the Library of Congress.

Chesnut is an internationally recognized expert on Latin American religious history and was selected as the inaugural recipient of the Bishop Walter Sullivan Chair in Catholic Studies at VCU in 2008.

 

 

Kenneth Kahn, Ph.D., professor of marketing and director of the VCU da Vinci Center for Innovation in Product Design and Development in Product Design and Development

Kahn was ranked ninth among the World’s Top Innovation Management Scholars in the March 2012 Issue of the Journal of Product Innovation Management. Virginia Commonwealth University was also rated No. 46 in the World‘s Top Innovation Management Universities.
The journal’s analysis identifies and ranks the most productive scholars and universities by computing the number of articles from two leading academic innovation management journals and eight top management and marketing journals.

Kahn is a nationally recognized scholar and consultant in the field of product development. He was previously at Purdue University, where he was a professor and director of Purdue’s Burton D. Morgan Center for Entrepreneurship.

A collaboration of VCU’s schools of the Arts, Business and Engineering, the da Vinci Center for Innovation is a unique collegiate model that advances interdisciplinary innovation and technology-based entrepreneurship. Through academic and other program offerings, it prepares students to enter a product innovation career and supports learning initiatives by partner organizations.