oUR 2021sPEAKERS

Havva Malone – ‘#1 Math Photo Album’

Havva Malone, a teacher working with special education students at Rolla High School, says she takes great pleasure in integrating science and mathematics into everyday life to understand life better and make sense of the world. To ease her students’ frustration in mathematics, Havva started showing students hands-on math experiments and turned the experiments into mathematics photos and posters. That was the beginning of the first “#1 Math Photo Album.”

She lives for the a-ha realization moments of students. Malone was born in Turkey and grew up in Istanbul. She worked at several universities in Turkey as a research assistant and earned a master of science degree in physics from Missouri S&T in 1996.

Forrest Rackham - ‘Fruits of Integrated Care’

Forrest Rackham, a clinical psychologist practicing with Phelps Health, is presenting on the importance of integrating behavioral health services into rural, primary care clinics. He believes that the key to positive outcomes, patient access and empowerment is a comprehensive treatment team that includes providers, nurses, and most importantly, the patient.

Rackham received a BA in psychology from Bowling Green State University and PsyD in Clinical Psychology from Georgia Southern University. He was trained to work in rural communities and received further training in integrated health. Outside of the clinic, he enjoys hiking and playing games with his wife and their 8 children; listening to hip hop; and learning new languages.

Jossalyn Larson – ‘How a Farm Saved my Life’

Dr. Jossalyn Larson, an assistant teaching professor of English and technical communication at S&T, is a breast cancer survivor and self-taught hobby farmer. In her talk, she continues to advocate for breast cancer research and awarenes.s, and for wellness behaviors that support the mind and body during times of health and illness. Larson was a member of the American Cancer Society's 2019 Portraits of Hope

Sean Robert Johnson – ‘Responsible Flushing’

Sean Robert Johnson tackles a taboo subject that impacts our health and environment, and affects every culture regardless of location, climate or custom. Society can make progress to flush responsibly, and he wants to shed light on this seemingly embarrassing topic that has made widespread education difficult. Johnson studied mechanical engineering at Kansas State University and at Missouri University of Science and Technology. Since 2013, he has worked as a machinist and woodworker, running a small business building squatting stools for a healthier bathroom experience. He lives in Saint James, Missouri with his wife, two daughters, a dog, a cat, and a snake.

Bill Stack – ‘Moving Forward Requires the Power to Start’

Dr. William A. Stack is the co-founder and executive director of the Lifeway Center Inc., a charity staffed and led by volunteers that operates the Shepherd’s Nook Food Pantry, Project Win Cancer Support Group and the American Volunteers Veterans Organization. Over the last two decades, Shepherd’s Nook has provided over $1.2 million in food and other assistance yearly to rural Missouri residents in need. Stack hopes to inspire faith-based community leaders by imparting principles he has found useful in obtaining the personnel and resources necessary to help meet community needs.

Larry Gragg – ‘Hell, I Saved the School”: The Saga of George E. Ladd’

Dr. Larry Gragg, Distinguished Teaching Professor emeritus at Missouri S&T, has taught at S&T since 1977. He served as chair of the history and political science department for 17 years and served one year as vice-provost for undergraduate studies. Gragg’s talk will focus on his past five years of researching and writing a new history of the campus as S&T celebrates its 150th anniversary. He will share the remarkable contributions George E. Ladd made to the development and the continued success of campus when he served as its director between 1897 and 1907.

Ashley-Ann Davis

Ashley-Ann Davis is a Kummer Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellow pursuing her PhD in engineering management. She completed her bachelor’s degree and hopes to pursue a career in entrepreneurship upon the completion of graduate school. In 2020, she authored the book, “Partying with a 4.0: Finding Balance in College” during the pandemic and her senior year of undergrad.

Davis was born and raised in Jamaica and moved to the US at the age of 16 to pursue better college opportunities. As an immigrant she faced many adjustments and centered her TEDx talk on how she transitioned to a new a country and environment while redefining herself in this new space.