Portland State associate professor of sociology Heather Hartley died on Oct. 4. According to the Portland State Web site, a private memorial service is planned for Hartley. Hartley, who is survived by her daughter Maya and husband, Jeff Gersh, began working as a member of the Portland State faculty in 1999. During her nine-year stint at PSU, she introduced six new courses, and specialized in gender, health and medicine.
In brief
Associate sociology professor passes awayPortland State associate professor of sociology Heather Hartley died on Oct. 4. According to the Portland State Web site, a private memorial service is planned for Hartley.
Hartley, who is survived by her daughter Maya and husband, Jeff Gersh, began working as a member of the Portland State faculty in 1999. During her nine-year stint at PSU, she introduced six new courses, and specialized in gender, health and medicine.
Dr. Cynthia Lou Coleman, chair of the communication department, worked closely with Hartley on a few projects while at Portland State.
Coleman said Hartley was in her 30s, and when they met back in 2001, an instant friendship developed.”Right away we connected through mutual friends,” Coleman said.
Before coming to Portland State, Coleman obtained her doctorate at the University of Wisconsin, and at the same time Hartley was taking classes at the university. Although Coleman and Hartley never knew one another at Wisconsin, they took classes from the same faculty members.
“It’s really a small world with academics,” Coleman said.
At Portland State, Coleman and Hartley often got together over coffee to discuss research and catch up, but some of their most significant time together came while working on a project that examined the news media’s coverage of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising.
Coleman and Hartley’s research culminated in a 21-page article, which will be in the January 2008 edition of the journal Health, a publication devoted to the social study of health, illness and medicine.
“I thought she approached things with a good sense of humor and professionalism,” Coleman said of Hartley.
Coleman said she was shocked to find out Hartley had passed away.
“I thought Heather had a rich life,” Coleman said.
The cause of Hartley’s death was not released.
Designing sustainability conferenceBeginning this evening, the Center for Design and Innovation for the School of Business Administration at Portland State will kick off a three-day conference centered on sustainability design.
The conference is the second annual International Conference of Business and Sustainability, which will be held Oct. 15-17 in several locations in downtown Portland.
Designing sustainability, this year’s chief theme, “Embraces the philosophy that design is the primary determinant of the social, environmental and financial impact of products, services, processes and business strategies,” according to the conference’s Web site.
The conference will be comprised of academic and practitioner forums featuring guests from sustainability-conscious businesses such as Intel Corporation, New Seasons Markets and Portland Roasting Company, among others.
Conference scheduleDay OneWhen: Today, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. What: Welcome reception Where: Vintage Plaza Hotel, 422 S.W. Broadway
Day TwoWhen: Thursday, Oct. 16, 7:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. What: Keynote address and industry panels, including lunch and dinnerWhere: Jean Vollium Natural Capital Center, 721 N.W. Ninth Avenue, suite 200
Day ThreeWhen: Friday, Oct. 17, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. What: Keynote address at breakfast Where: Vintage Plaza Hotel, 422 S.W. BroadwayFrom more information visit www.bizandsustainability.org.
ASPSU debate partyFor the final presidential debate this evening, the Associated Students of Portland Students are planning to hold a watch party in Parkway North from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
According to ASPSU, the goal of the watch party is to ensure students are aware of the political agendas of both the Republican and Democratic parties. In addition to watching the debate, ASPSU plans to hold a Q-and-A session to help ensure students are prepared to vote.
ASPSU stated in a recent press release that, “Students have a large amount of electoral power. As members of student government, we have the responsibility and resources to not only register a staggering number of students to vote, but to facilitate a forum to actively inform PSU students of their rights and voting power.”Both the College Republicans and College Democrats have been invited to the debate watch party, according to ASPSU, as well as other political organizations from on and off-campus.
