Don Cunningham
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Don Cunningham, PhD |
Don Cunningham is an Associate
Professor in the Department of English at Radford University where
he teaches courses in Professional Writing, Business Writing, and
Advanced Technical Writing. As an Adjunct Professor at Virginia
Tech’s Language and Cultural Institute, he also teaches a Scientific
and Technical Writing course for international graduate students. Prior to joining the faculty at
Radford University, Dr. Cunningham taught graduate and undergraduate
courses in Technical Writing, Technical Editing, Academic Writing,
and Freshman Composition. He has also lectured on Japanese feudal
era history.
Dr. Cunningham has a PhD in
Technical Communication from Illinois Institute of Technology in
Chicago (2005). He is an alumnus of Texas A&M University-Commerce
(formerly East Texas State University), with a Master of Science
(1984) and a Bachelor of Science (1978), both in Journalism.
As a professional journalist, Dr.
Cunningham was an award-winning reporter, photographer, and news
editor for several daily newspapers in his home state of Texas and
in Florida. For twenty years, Dr. Cunningham worked in the
telecommunications industry as an editor, technical writer,
documentation manager, and applications engineer for central office
switching system manufacturers specializing in the international
(Pacific Rim) markets. His former employers include NEC Corporation,
Fujitsu, Nortel, Tellabs, and Lucent (Bell Laboratories).
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2012
Faculty Row SuperProfessor |
Dr. Cunningham has given many
presentations to industry leaders and served on international
standards committees. In addition to numerous journal and magazine
articles, he is also the author of three books on Japanese feudal
era history, two of which have been translated for Dutch, Polish, and
Czech language editions.A senior member of the Society for
Technical Communication (STC), Dr. Cunningham served terms as the
Chicago regional chapter's vice-president and president. He is also
a member of Association for Teachers of Technical Writing (ATTW),
Council for Programs in Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC),
and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE). |
Continuing Education Seminars
for Engineers and Architects
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Since 2006, Dr. Cunningham has
developed and presented specialized continuing education
programs in technical communication for licensed
professional engineers and architects. The one-day
presentations meet the continuing education requirements
for most state licensure boards.
The seminars include the
following:
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Technical Writing for
Engineers
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Grammar and Writing Workshop
for Engineers
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Writing Construction
Specifications
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Product Liability Law
Click here for more details.
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Academic Publications
This
following is a list of recent academic publications.
Please refer to my
Curriculum Vitae
for a complete list of academic publications and
presentations. |
Science and Technology
Journalism Education: Curricular Trends
Paperback:
248 pages
Publisher: VDM Verlag (June 10, 2009)
ISBN-10: 3639166698
ISBN-13: 978-3639166699
Click here
for more information. |
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“Perceptions and
Practices: A Survey of Professional Engineers and
Architects.” ISRN Education (International
Scholarly Research Network), Volume 2012, Article ID
617137, doi:10.5402/2012/617137, March 29, 2012.
Click here
for a copy.
"Perceptions and
Practices: A Survey of Professional Engineers and
Architects." Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) International Professional
Communication Conference 2011 (IPCC 2011),
“Communicating Sustainability,” Conference Proceedings,
Cincinnati, Ohio, Oct. 17-19, 2011.
Click here
for a copy.
"Perceptions of Professional Engineers and Architects Regarding Effective Technical Communication." Association of Business Communication (ABC) 75th annual conference, Conference Proceedings, Chicago, Illinois, Oct. 26-30, 2010.
Click here
for a copy.
"Using ill-structured
problems to develop metacognitive strategies.” 2009
Annual Conference of the International Society for
Exploring Teaching and Learning. Conference Proceedings,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Oct. 8-10, 2009.
Click here
for a copy.
"Teaching Technical Communication to Professional
Engineers and Architects in the U.S." Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
International Professional Communication Conference 2009
(IPCC 2009), “Commitment to Excellence,” Conference
Proceedings, Honolulu, Hawaii, July 19-22, 2009.
Click
here
for a copy.
"Applying Game Theory
Applications for Quantifying Quality and Value-Added
Aspects of Information Products." International
Journal of Technology, Knowledge, and Society 5.1
(2009): 55-64.
Click
here
for a copy.
"Core Competency Skills
for Technical Communicators." Institute of Electrical
and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) International
Professional Communication Conference 2008 (IPCC 2008),
“Opening the Information Economy,” Conference
Proceedings, Concordia University, Montréal, Canada,
July 13-16, 2008.
Click
here
for a copy.
"Quantifying Quality and
Core Competency Skills." Council for Programs in
Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) 34th
annual conference, “Sustainable Growth in Technical and
Scientific Communication: Principles, Personal, and
Programmatic,” Conference Proceedings, East Carolina
University, Greenville, North Carolina, Oct. 11-13,
2007.
"Cross-disciplinary Team
Approach to Technology Transfer." Computers and Writing
2007 Conference, “Virtual Urbanism,” Wayne State
University, Detroit, Michigan, May 17-20, 2007.
"Trends in Curricular
Matters for Science and Technology Journalism."
Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)
International Professional Communication Conference 2006
(IPCC 2006), “Racing into the Future,” Conference
Proceedings, Saratoga Springs, New York, Oct. 23-25,
2006.
"Transitioning from
Service Providers to Information Managers and Product
Innovators: Evolving Roles for Professional Technical
Communicators." Institute of Electrical and Electronics
Engineers (IEEE) International Professional
Communication Conference 2005 (IPCC 2005), “Making
Connections,” Conference Proceedings, University of
Limerick, Limerick, Ireland, July 10-13, 2005. |
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(Click on the icon above for more information.) |
RU English professor Don
Cunningham journeyed to Japan to deliver an intensive
three-day seminar to professors and students at Aichi
Prefectural University in Nagoya. RUN 2008 (Radford
University in Nagoya) was designed by Cunningham to help
engineering and information technology professionals
improve technical writing clarity and organization.
Professor Takashi Okuda with APU's Department of Applied
Information Science and Technology hosted the program. |
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Popular Interest Publications
Popular books on Japanese
feudal history by Don Cunningham.
(Click on the cover icons below for more information.)
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"Professor takes a slice of Japanese Culture"
New River Valley Current
The Roanoke Times,
Sunday, June 8, 2008,
page 14, Roanoke, VA.
(Click on image
to read article.)
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 "Author lays
down the law on historical Japanese weapons"
The Leader-Telegram, Thursday, Jan. 12, 2006,
page 1C, Eau Claire, WI.
(Click on image
to read article.)
“Iron Fan: The Samurai’s Self-Defense
Weapon.” Black Belt Magazine (April 2009): 104-105. Click
here for
copy of the article. |
  "English professor loves
writing and judo"
The Stoutonia, student newspaper, University of
Wisconsin-Stout, Thursday, April 27, 2006, page 11, Menomonie,
WI.
(Click on image
to read article.) |
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Amateur Radio (Ham)
License
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FCC Registration Number
(FRN): 0002496008
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Operator Priviledges:
General
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Station Priviledges:
PRIMARY
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Call Sign/Number: KB9SDH
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Radio Interviews
Interview with
Katherine Greiner, host of With Good
Reason, produced for the Virginia Higher Education
Broadcasting Consortium by the Virginia Foundation for
the Humanities and broadcast in partnership with public
radio stations in Virginia and Washington, D.C. The
Lost Patrol of Guadalcanal (Sept. 6-12, 2008)
features a Virginia forensics team discussing their
search for the remains of a Marine patrol killed on
Guadalcanal during WWII. The second part includes an
interview with Don Cunningham about his recently
released book, Samurai Weapons: Tools of a Warrior.
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MP3 File |
Interviews with
Kathy Stahl, host of Spectrum West, a Wisconsin
Public Radio arts and humanities program on WHWC 88.3 in Eau
Claire, WI.
Border's Book Signing
5 - 6 p.m. Thursday,
Jan. 5, 2006 |
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Japanese Film Series
5 - 6 p.m. Thursday,
Nov. 3, 2006 |
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MP3 File |
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MP3 File |
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Public Appearances
Judo Demonstration
Japan Night at Radford University
6-8 p.m. Thursday, April 10, 2008,
in McGuffey 206
(Click
on images for more photos.)
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Military Service
Dr. Cunningham waiting to ride in
Rolling Thunder on Memorial Day 2009 in
Washington, D.C. |
From 1971 to
1975, Dr. Cunningham served as a
Hospital Corpsman Second Class (Fleet Marine
Force) in
the U.S. Navy and as a Field Medical Service
Technician with the U.S. Marine Corps.
 
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Dr. Cunningham graduating from Hospital
Corps School at Balboa Naval Hospital in 1971 in
San Diego, California. |
  Hospital
Corpsman (HM) serve as enlisted medical
specialists for the U.S. Navy and the U.S.
Marine Corps. After completing special training
to render emergency medical treatment in combat
environments, they earn a rating of HM-8404,
Field Medical Service Technician. The colloquial
form of address for a Hospital Corpsman is
"Doc." In the U.S. Marine Corps, this term is
generally used as a sign of respect.
 After
serving four years as a HM-8404, Dr. Cunningham was honorably
discharged at the noncommissioned officer rank
of Hospital Corpsman Second Class (Fleet Marine
Force).
He was awarded Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star, Humanitarian Service Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Fleet Marine Force Insignia, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross with Palm and Frame), and Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit Citation (Civil Action with Palm and Frame). |
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Military
Medals (from
left):
- Navy Good Conduct Medal
- National Defense
Service Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal
with Bronze Star
- Humanitarian Service
Medal
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Top: Combat Action
Ribbon, Navy Good Conduct Ribbon
Middle: Fleet Marine
Force Ribbon, National Defense Service Ribbon,
Vietnam Service Ribbon with Bronze Star
Bottom: Humanitarian
Service Ribbon, Republic of Vietnam Meritorious
Unit Citation (Gallantry Cross with Palm and
Frame), Republic of Vietnam Meritorious Unit
Citation (Civil Action with Palm and Frame) |
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  As
a member of the Radford Veterans Memorial Committee, Dr.
Cunningham was one of the primary organizers for a
tribute to Col. John Walter Ripley, USMC (Ret.), a
hometown hero. The "John Ripley Day" included the first
ever Veteran's Day parade Nov. 11, 2008, through
downtown Radford. Members of Veterans of Foreign Wars
Post 776, American Legion Post 30, and Marine Corps
League New River Valley Det. #1190 raised funds and
dedicated a permanent marker recognizing Col. Ripley in
Bissett Park.A
1957 graduate of Radford High School, Col. Ripley
received the Navy Cross, the second highest award given
for valor, for his actions April 2, 1972, near Dong Ha
in Vietnam. On April 2, 1972, the 32-year-old was a U.S.
Marine Corps captain serving as senior advisor to the
3rd Vietnamese Marine Battalion. Col. Ripley endured
more than three hours of direct enemy fire while
hand-walking exposed beams to singlehandedly rig
explosives and destroy a strategic bridge over the Cua
Vet River. His actions blocked more than 30,000 North
Vietnamese troops and 200 tanks and saved his comrades
from certain death. |
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