CAS CONNECT 2013

27 Knottnerus studies collaborations — and practices what he researches Working Together A former student, Jason Ulsperger, now an asso- ciate professor of sociol- ogy at Arkansas Tech, has known Knottnerus for more than 15 years. Together they have published one book, co-authored nine articles and book chapters and teamed to present papers at regional, national and international conferences. “Dr. Knottnerus was the first person to help me real- ize how important schol- arly activity is if I want to be a successful educator,” Ulsperger says. “He also taught me the value of encour- agement and mentorship.” Knottnerus mentored Ulsperger on several papers, including one based on his dissertation, The Social Dynamics of Elder Care . The paper won the Mid-South Sociological Association’s Research Article of the Year in 2008. “He mentored me on how to structure the paper, express my ideas and in general enhance the quality of my writing,” Ulsperger says. “I couldn’t have done this with- out Dr. Knottnerus.” Jennifer Edwards, now an associate professor in soci- ology at Northeastern State University in Tahlequah, Okla., also sings Knottnerus’ praises. “If he’s mentoring you, he’s putting in 100 percent,” she says. “He mentored me for six years, and he was a fantastic teacher. He was very instru- mental in building my career. We still work, publish and present together. I was very fortunate to have the opportu- nity to have Dr. Knottnerus as a professor and mentor.” Basudhara Sen, another graduate student of Knottnerus’ who recently received her doctorate, chimes in: “Dr. Knottnerus has proven himself excep- tional in both his gradu- ate student advising and his scholarly work. He has been a friend, a guide, a colleague and a mentor. … His inspir- ing comments and positive attitude helped me to grow as a scholar. He instilled confi- dence in me to carry on with my professional goals as a future sociologist and an academician. He maintains his friendly, caring ways and scholarly knowledge within the classroom as well. He is OSU sociology and Regents Professor David Knottnerus first saw his stud- ies come to life during the Vietnam War. He was drafted in 1969, just weeks after earning a bache- lor’s degree in sociology. The Army assigned him to a medi- cal evacuation unit outside of Tokyo, where he saw his fellow soldiers — all from diverse backgrounds — over- look their differences and work together to save the wounded. And he found the living examples of his studies fascinating. “We worked, ate and lived together 24/7,” Knottnerus says. “So obviously, conflicts and tensions arose. But I was struck by how well we worked together as a team.” More than 40 years later, Knottnerus continues to be part of a team, motivated by his work with others. Today, he gives his college students a lot of credit for his success. “I make a big point of trying to pull students in and to work with and collabo- rate with them on research,” Knottnerus says. story by Ryan Tomlinson continues