EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs)

David N. Rahni, Ph.D.    Ann# 03-02-0332 Academic Dean ES-1701

KSA # 1 Skill in written and oral communications in order to oversee instruction in a graduate level, professional law enforcement, or equivalent.

I have been steadily recognized by my peers as  a prolific writer and speaker, not only in terms of my broad range of research publications and presentations —spanning analytical chemistry; biosensors for clinical, forensic and environmental methods; nanoengineering; organic synthesis, and neuro-psycho-electro-analytical pharmacology—but also in the areas of science, society, and policy. In fact, in addition to several dozen traditional publications in peer-reviewed periodicals, I have written several hundred articles on immigration, assimilation, civil and constitutional rights—all of which can be viewed on the Internet under my name. For instance, after the anthrax incident of 2001, I immediately took it upon myself to develop and publish several articles on this microorganism for the Journal of Forensic Identifications and American Society for Justice through Science (ASJS), in support of law enforcement. I also wrote review articles on biological and chemical warfare, concerning deterrence, detection and identification technologies that are being developed. This has in turn bestowed upon me an honorary fellowship in the ASJS and my appointment by Dr. Dwight Adams, the FBI Assistant Director for the Laboratory Division, to serve on the Editorial Board of the Forensic Science Communications published by the FBI. In fact, at one recent juncture, I was recognized as a finalist for a certain key leadership position in the FBI Laboratory Division.

Over the years, I have striven to maintain a respectable degree of teaching, research and service activities across various curriculums. My adjunct professorship with the Pace Law School since the late 80’s involves teaching a course entitled, “Scientific and Technological Issues in Environmental Law.”  My adjunct professorships with New York Medical College and CUNY Medical School in Harlem involves collaborating with colleagues on research topics and interacting with medical students, interns and residents. All these positions are testimonials to my commitment to teaching, sharing and facilitating education in a broad sense. In fact, my environmental law students are required to write a comprehensive paper concerning the interface of law and environmental forensics, and some of their papers have gone on to publication in peer-reviewed journals.

In addition to utilizing effective public speaking and oral communication skills as a teacher, I have also had many opportunities to speak at numerous institutions and conferences. An integral component of my community-based activities lie  in the realm of conveying rather intricate and sophisticated scientific concepts to lay audiences. In such scenarios, I immediately assess the level of understanding of the audience and their expectations from my presentation. I then promptly adjust my presentation to make it comprehensible to the audience without compromising the integrity of the scientific message. 

 

 

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs)

David N. Rahni, Ph.D.    Ann# 03-02-0332 Academic Dean ES-1701

KSA #2 Knowledge the application of educational principles, methods, practices, techniques of instruction, the case study method, seminar leading, etc. suitable for teaching law enforcement professionals.

Teaching, sharing and integrating knowledge with my students at the undergraduate and graduate sciences, environmental law majors and non-science majors, including criminal justice students, is one of the most gratifying components of my professional endeavors.  While attending various in-house and educational conferences and workshops, and by keeping abreast of recent development s through literature and the Internet, I regularly investigate the most up-to-date pedagogical approaches, and the appropriate use of innovative and technologically based instructional aids for possible incorporation into my courses. My philosophy for teaching effectiveness is based on a contextual, learner-based, and student-centered approach that perpetually strives to incorporate appropriate technologies, instrumentation, experimentation and simulations as aids to the process of team-based interaction.  Through the use of computers since the late 70’s (PDP-11), and the application of databanks offered by the Chemical Abstract Service and Index Medicos, I have remained an avid user of technology, computation and instrumentation as an integral component of teaching pedagogy. In fact, I was among the pioneers in setting web-based topical and power point lecture notes and other pertinent resources for my students since the early 90’s.  I have regularly utilized publishing, presenting, data warehousing, statistical and assessment (SAS, SPSS), data acquisition, and graphical software packages for nearly twenty years. I am well versed with the appropriate use of CD/DVD-based teaching and distance-learning technologies. Throughout my career, I have been instrumental in offering dozens of short courses and worktops to professional industry peers for continuing education purposes. Therefore, my teaching-track records with science, non-science and environmental law students, when combined with my skills acquired through the appropriate use of technology, should enable me to work closely with faculty to implement an optimized level of instruction conducive to learning by law professionals. My vast experience across science, technology, and medicine, in academia, industry, government and community, serve as the backbone of my oral and written teaching and communication to diverse student and community audiences.

 

EXECUTIVE CORE QUALIFICATIONS (ECQs)

David N. Rahni, Ph.D.    Ann# 03-02-0332 Academic Dean ES-1701

KSA #3. Knowledge of faculty development programs.

I always boast my love for learning to the point of having stayed in college for the rest of my life! This has necessitated the need and merit for continuous refinement in the contents and pedagogy for my teaching, none of which would have been possible if I had not made a commitment to faculty development. Attending national conferences as presenter and presider, or for self-enrichment purposes, has also been another component of faculty development that I have advocated for others while personally benefiting from it immensely.  As the director of the graduate environmental science program—the equivalent of a departmental chair position, at the minimum—I devised a faculty development plan for our junior faculty members and facilitated their growth. Pace has a renowned Pfortzheimer Center for Faculty Development that has provided regular workshops and continuing education; I am a periodical participant, but more importantly, I am cognizant of is strategic approach to faculty development.  Another component of faculty development is intercollaborative endeavors with peers at other institutions including sabbatical leaves. As active member of the ACS Education and Professional Relations Divisions, I remain abreast of the latest development and technological aid in support of chemistry and science instructions. I have again maintained an on going dialogue on this issue and have benefited from two very productive sabbatical leaves: in 1993-94 when I served as J. William Fulbright Senior Research Scholar at the Technical University of Denmark, and visiting professor at the University of Oxford, and my current 2002 sabbatical leave serving as a senior Medical Research Assoc. at CUNY Medical School in Harlem, New York. Lastly, I have regularly attended workshops, short courses, conference symposia on teaching methods and relevant scholarly topics as an integral component of my faculty development portfolio.

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