91ֱ�� Launches Critical AI Studies Minor in Fall 2026</h1> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Launches Critical AI Studies Minor in Fall 2026</h1> <p>azaleski — Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:54:38 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Launches Critical AI Studies Minor in Fall 2026</span> <span><span>azaleski</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-02-19T10:54:38-05:00" title="Thursday, February 19, 2026 - 10:54">Thu, 02/19/2026 - 10:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In recent years, higher ed institutions have been grappling with the best ways to respond to artificial intelligence, a rapidly changing technology that’s becoming increasingly pervasive in our world. As part of a Year of AI Exploration, 91ֱ�� is responding in ways that align with its mission and history. </p><p>91ֱ��’s faculty and staff are leading cross-disciplinary conversations about the opportunities and challenges of AI, especially in light of concerns over environmental impact, job displacement, intellectual property extraction, and cognitive debt. </p><p>91ֱ�� feels a deep responsibility to ensure our students become responsible stewards of AI. And as a liberal arts institution that centers undergraduate learning and responds to challenges with interdisciplinary creativity, 91ֱ�� is uniquely equipped to be a leader in preparing students to navigate and engage with these sophisticated technologies.</p><p>Launching in fall 2026, 91ֱ��’s new critical AI studies minor has a solid foundation in both science and the humanities. As a result, students will understand and be able to analyze the ethical, cultural, environmental, political, economic, technological, and labor effects of AI.</p><p>“We're entering a world where, over the next five to 10 years, AI is going to impact most jobs and careers,” says <a href="/adam-eck">Adam Eck</a>, 91ֱ��’s David H. and Margaret W. Barker Associate Professor of Computer Science and Business and Data Science. “91ֱ��’s minor focuses on helping students be better decision-makers in those spaces and prepares them for the 21st-century-plus world that they’ll inherit.”</p><p>Every student pursuing the minor is required to take two foundational classes: Intro to Critical AI Studies and a course on methods of critique. From there, they’ll take two electives within four broad categories: decision-making and learning, epistemology and the history of science, applications and practice, and societal impacts. </p><p>In practice, the minor complements multiple majors at 91ֱ��; students can choose electives in fields such as philosophy, anthropology, psychology, neuroscience, economics, music, and math. “If you're in STEM, you might take a course in AI applications,” says Assistant Professor of Computer Science <a href="/michael-mccarrin">Michael McCarrin</a>. “If you're on the humanities side, your courses might be more on the history and epistemology of science.”</p><hr><p>By offering this minor, 91ֱ�� is a leader in critical AI studies—an emerging field informed by “a confluence of forces,” McCarrin says.</p><p>“It captures two necessary things,” he explains. “One is a critical theory of technology in general. It's important for computer scientists, but maybe everybody who's going through school right now, to have some sense of this.</p><p>“And the other one is just a response to the moment we’re in right now,” McCarrin continues. “If we did this 10 years ago, maybe it would have been called critical data studies. But AI has become such an overwhelming cultural phenomenon that we want to impress its relevance.”</p><p>The critical AI studies minor is distinguished by its emphasis on the humanities as well as the sciences, positing that these areas of study complement each other. </p><p>“In developing AI technologies, there are all kinds of assumptions at work about what human beings care about and need,” says Professor of Philosophy <a href="/katherine-thomson-jones">Katherine Thomson-Jones</a>. “In the humanities, we can uncover, articulate, and critique these assumptions. In this way, humanists can provide scientists with a clear motivation and direction for the development and implementation of AI.</p><p>“It’s also a matter of having the ability to think clearly and critically about what is appropriate and ethical when it comes to having AI in our lives,” she adds. “More than anything, we want developers and users of AI to make principled, far-sighted, and open-minded decisions about AI, and to feel intellectually empowered to do so. The humanities enables this.”</p><p>Accordingly, 91ֱ��’s minor is deliberately accessible to any student interested in the field; the only prerequisite is an intro class in computer science, data science, or data structures. </p><p>“We want students to have some understanding of technical systems and how AI works,” Eck says. “They should have the ability to distinguish what's actually happening in these systems and understand, mathematically and algorithmically, what's actually going on behind the scenes.”</p><hr><p>The flexibility of the critical AI studies minor means broad career applications for STEM-focused students. For example, computer science majors might guide ethical conversations around building AI systems, while global health majors can use their knowledge when creating policy. </p><p>The same flexibility holds true for humanities grads. “A humanities graduate can use this minor to become the person who can speak clearly about ethics, representation, and accountability in spaces that often want to reduce everything to ‘innovation,’” says Assistant Professor of <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance">Dance</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies">Africana Studies</a> <a href="/talawa-presto">Talawa Presto</a>. “They can help organizations decide what kind of AI is being used—generative, retrieval-based, probabilistic—and what risks and responsibilities come with each.”</p><p>Multiple faculty members note that knowing AI’s technical side makes students better communicators of critiques and analyses, no matter which academic or career path they choose. </p><p>“A lot of large language model interaction is designed around approval,” explains Presto. “Systems like ChatGPT are often optimized to keep you engaged and to give you outputs you’re likely to like—sometimes even more than they’re optimized to be correct or to challenge you toward better thinking. </p><p>“That matters for education, and it matters for democracy,” he adds. “Critical AI studies should equip students to recognize that dynamic: to ask not only ‘Is this persuasive?’ but ‘Is this grounded, accountable, and true enough to act on?’”</p><p>Eck concurs. “Students will have an understanding of how the systems work, what their strengths and weaknesses are. And they’ll be aware of AI’s impacts so that they can factor that into their decision-making: Where should we be using AI? Where is it beneficial or harmful to us? How is it impacting the world?”</p><hr><p><em>Learn more about 91ֱ��'s minor in </em><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/critical-ai-studies" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b3896647-e709-4f10-9973-8860a6585651" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Critical AI Studies"><em>critical AI studies</em></a><em>.</em></p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The course of study offers a humanities-grounded approach to the transformative technology</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-02-20T12:00:00Z">Fri, 02/20/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=769638">Critical AI Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/critical-ai-studies" hreflang="en">Critical AI Studies</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Bob Handelman</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Friday Afternoon with Lab Crawl</h1> <p>jstrauss — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:08:42 +0000</p> <span>Friday Afternoon with Lab Crawl</span> <span><span>jstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-30T11:08:42-04:00" title="Monday, October 30, 2023 - 11:08">Mon, 10/30/2023 - 11:08</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Every fall at 91ֱ��, <a href="/node/463463">Lab Crawl</a> shines a spotlight on research happening all over campus: across the sciences, but also in the humanities, the arts, the conservatory, and elsewhere. This year, Lab Crawl drew what may be the largest crowd in the event’s illustrious history, with some 500 students and dozens of faculty taking part. Missed out on the excitement? It looked something like this (click to expand any images below)...</p> <p>Explore more scenes from Lab Crawl on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB1NRn">91ֱ��’s Flickr page</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">91ֱ��'s annual research open house celebrates the sciences—and much more.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-30T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/30/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3948">Lab Crawl</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25411">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gabriel-moore" hreflang="und">Gabriel (Gaybe) Moore</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/michelle-johnson" hreflang="und">Michelle Johnson</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/mike-miller" hreflang="und">Mike Miller</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy" hreflang="und">Physics and Astronomy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Lab Crawlers get an insider's look at a science lab on campus.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37913" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31747" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29961" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-016.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29963" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-014_0.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29962" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-008_0.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Neuroscience professor <a href="/node/463859">Michelle Johnson</a> (seated, far left) helps students sign in and secure their passports, which get stamped at each Lab Crawl station they visit. Far right: The Mad Scientist—aka Biology Department Manager <a href="/forrest-rose">Forrest Rose</a>—welcomes students beginning their journey.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37914" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31748" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29970" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-067.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29971" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-030.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29972" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawlventuri.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="1800" data-pswp-height="1200"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Students tour a biochemistry lab with a student guide (left); biology professor <a href="/node/459641">Gaybe Moore</a> leads a demonstration on infection in wax moths (center); photography students experiment with technique in the Venturi Art Building (right).</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97, Reyna Berry </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37915" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31749" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29973" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-088.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29974" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-076.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29975" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-152.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Machinist <a href="/node/322066">Mike Miller</a> (left) leads a demonstration in the machine shop. Center and right: Lab Crawl stations offer plenty of interesting specimens to examine.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Lab Crawl: It’s Not Just for Scientists</h1> <p>tapplega — Wed, 11 Oct 2023 18:29:09 +0000</p> <span>Lab Crawl: It’s Not Just for Scientists</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-11T14:29:09-04:00" title="Wednesday, October 11, 2023 - 14:29">Wed, 10/11/2023 - 14:29</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Have you ever peeked through a lab’s open door on your way to class and wondered about the research happening inside? Maybe you've heard students talk in passionate terms about the work they’re taking on with their faculty mentors? 91ֱ��’s <a href="/undergraduate-research/lab-crawl">Lab Crawl</a>, which happens in buildings throughout campus on Friday, October 27, is where your curiosity turns into opportunity.</p><p>Initially fashioned as a celebration of 91ֱ�� science, Lab Crawl is an annual autumn open house that welcomes informal drop-ins on labs and other research spaces, with faculty at the ready to share their ongoing work with students.</p><p>This year, Lab Crawl is broadening its horizons. While still retaining its strong roots in STEM, there’s a focus on highlighting research in the humanities (think <a href="/node/318461">art history</a> and <a href="/node/3226">cinema studies</a>), social sciences (<a href="/node/3366">psychology</a> and <a href="/node/3381">archaeology</a>, among others), and conservatory departments (<a href="/node/51641">TIMARA</a> and <a href="/node/3331">musicology</a>). Numerous campus offices are also onboard, among them <a href="/node/4236">Undergraduate Research</a>—the office that organizes the Crawl—<a href="/node/4416">Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching and Research</a>; <a href="/node/4521">Career Exploration and Development</a>; and <a href="/node/395516">Entrepreneurship</a>.</p><p>It all happens from noon to 1:30 p.m.</p><p><a href="/node/459641">Gaybe Moore</a> fondly remembers Lab Crawl from his days as an 91ֱ�� biology student. Now the 2015 grad is back on campus, in his first year as an assistant professor of biology, and he’s back in line for Lab Crawl—this time as a faculty presenter.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Oct. 27 open house highlights research across the sciences—and just about everywhere else.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-24T12:00:00Z">Tue, 10/24/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2390">Events</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2764">Science Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gabriel-moore" hreflang="und">Gabriel (Gaybe) Moore</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Participants in 91ֱ��'s 2022 Lab Crawl gather around neuroscience professor Gunnar Kwakye (second from right).</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-cte-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes (Individual Images)</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Phillips</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div class="body-centered-layout"> <div id="obj-30157" data-direction="up" data-order="backward" data-count="2" class="stack pull"> <div class="stack__images"> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Gaybe Moore ’15 as a student in Maureen Peters’ biology lab (left)...and Moore today, as an assistant professor of biology.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27832" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>“Lab Crawl is an 91ֱ�� tradition has stayed with me since my time as a student,” says Moore, who will lead a demonstration on infection in <em>Galleria mellonella</em>—aka the greater wax moth. “It was one of the first times I saw the many ways scientific research is accomplished. It’s a full-circle moment to show my research during Lab Crawl this year, and I hope to add to the breadth and diversity of laboratory experiences.”</p><p>The format is simple: Pick up a Lab Crawl passport in any participating building (<a href="/node/4041">Science Center Atrium</a>, <a href="/node/3846">King Building</a>, <a href="/node/3536">Carnegie Geology Lounge</a>, <a href="/node/396216">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts</a>, <a href="/node/4061">Severance Hall</a>, <a href="/node/3976">Peters Hall</a>, and the <a href="/node/3566">Ward</a> and <a href="/node/4151">Venturi</a> art buildings) and make your way through buildings and stations, collecting stickers for your passport along the way. Each sticker is also an entry to win prizes in the raffle that concludes the Crawl.</p><p>Learn more about Lab Crawl 2023—including a list of participating labs and tips for earning a free T-shirt and unlocking your pizza bonus—on the Office of Undergraduate Research’s <a href="/undergraduate-research/lab-crawl">Lab Crawl page.</a></p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>In the Path of Disaster</h1> <p>tapplega — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 20:01:31 +0000</p> <span>In the Path of Disaster</span> <span><span>tapplega</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-08-28T16:01:31-04:00" title="Monday, August 28, 2023 - 16:01">Mon, 08/28/2023 - 16:01</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>“My goals have always been to find how to pursue public service through science,” says Monica Dix ’20, whose 91ֱ�� majors in <a href="/node/3361">geology</a> and <a href="/node/3391">politics</a> set the stage for exactly such a career path.</p> <p>Dix’s journey has been marked by a keen interest in the intersections of natural disasters, governance, and societal resilience. Her quest to understand these complex dynamics led her to the doors of the Environmental Protection Agency in Chicago, where she’s been putting her degree to use on environmental enforcement issues under the Safe Drinking Water Act.</p> <p>Now she’s on the verge of being transported from her midwestern home to the verdant landscapes of New Zealand, a nation prone to natural disasters in part because of its position between two tectonic plates. In early 2024, she’ll begin studies related to New Zealand’s disaster preparedness at the University of Canterbury in Christchurch with support from a <a href="https://us.fulbrightonline.org/">Fulbright Study and Research Award</a>.</p> <p>We caught up with Dix to learn more about her work at the EPA and her upcoming journey.</p> <p><strong>What inspired you to apply for the Fulbright?</strong></p> <p>In wanting to pursue a degree in disaster risk and resilience, I found that a lot of U.S. programs approached the field through single disciplines that focus on security frameworks that prioritize the needs of those who hold power and resources over community needs. After receiving the <a href="/node/167421">Truman Scholarship in 2019</a> and <a href="/node/252671">Nexial Prize in 2020</a>, I knew I had the resources to support going abroad to study in an environment that was more interdisciplinary and focused on participatory governance and transforming communities and institutions in positive ways to prepare for and respond to disaster. </p> <p>Aotearoa [the Māori term for New Zealand] sits at the intersection of nearly every possible natural hazard and therefore has sophisticated disaster resilience strategies, while also politically valuing indigenous representation and community participation in governance in ways that are incredibly exciting to research.</p> <p>Researching the way Aotearoa navigates creating substantial new water regulations will give me a banquet of new ideas to bring to my current professional role and long-term goal of resilient water quality and quantity for Midwestern communities.</p> <p><strong>How did you land with the EPA?</strong></p> <p>After graduating from 91ֱ��, I received funding through the Truman Foundation’s Summer Institute Program to work with the U.S. Geological Survey’s Natural Hazards Mission Area on some of their national and international work related to disaster resilience, data, and mapping. I transitioned in August 2020 to my current role at the EPA. It’s a combination of field work investigations, oversight, and collaboration with our legal team to pursue cases under environmental laws, incorporating administration initiatives related to climate change adaptation and environmental justice. It means so much to me to work on these issues in a region that I care so deeply about, and I love traveling to communities all over the Great Lakes and taking time to appreciate our unique history—including bizarre roadside stops courtesy of Atlas Obscura and Roadside America!</p> <p>I’m also grateful to be an active member of my union at EPA, working to lobby for federal workers and environmental issues, and I also serve as the current chair on the Geological Society of America’s Geology and Public Policy Committee, developing policy position statements on key geological issues. </p> <p><strong>How did 91ֱ�� help shape your career path?</strong></p> <p>I’m so grateful to many mentors in both the geology and politics department and beyond, but especially [geology professor] <a href="/node/5781">Amanda Schmidt</a> for her support as a long-term research and academic mentor and Fulbright recipient herself. I’m grateful for the way that members of the 91ֱ�� community so unquestioningly supported my desire to pursue interdisciplinary work, and I have always been able to rely on them for support, advice, and letters of recommendation, even after graduating. </p> <p>In many ways, I think that taking a politics seminar titled Action in the Anthropocene during my second year was a major catalyst carving a path for understanding the way that politics and geology come together in contemplating disaster and climate resilience. I’m also really grateful for the kindness of folks in the <a href="/node/4526">Fellowships and Awards office</a> for helping me decide what scholarships best supported my graduate school ambitions and all their patience is guiding me and so many other students through application processes.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Monica Dix travels to a hub of natural calamity to probe its risks and resilience.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-08-28T12:00:00Z">Mon, 08/28/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tyler Applegate</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After 91ֱ��</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3831">Fulbright</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2368">Alumni</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25366">Geosciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25416">Politics</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/amanda-schmidt" hreflang="und">Amanda Schmidt</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/geosciences" hreflang="und">Geosciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/politics" hreflang="und">Politics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" hreflang="und">Global Health</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Monica Dix</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32101" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class="blockquote--quotemark" data-text-color-red data-text-size-large> <p>I have 91ֱ�� to thank for immersing me in a community culture where I built the initiative to try new things, organize workshops, and bring people together. That skill set has helped me so much in post-grad life.”</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27775" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p><strong>What sparked your passion for cultural exchange?</strong></p> <p>Since leaving 91ֱ��, one of the ways I’ve continued to learn outside my professional work is through folk school education, even taking some of these skills and experiences back to my local community through workshops I organized with neighbors in Chicago. I’m really excited to transpose my experiences with midwestern folk schools into a new community and always enjoy seeing the way that the community-building practices reflect back on the holistic goals of my research. I absolutely have 91ֱ�� to thank for immersing me in a community culture where I built the initiative to try new things, organize workshops, and bring people together—I’m sure I’m not the only Obie who has found themselves in more organizations than they could count on one hand! But the flipside is that skill set has helped me so much in post-grad life.</p> <p><strong>What are you looking forward to most in your Fulbright experience?</strong></p> <p>One of the things I miss most about 91ֱ�� is the opportunity to continually learn and indulge my curiosity. I’m excited to have an entire year set aside to dig into the many questions that witnessing the state of disaster resilience and water regulations have raised for me, especially with the healthy work-life balance that Kiwis are known for.</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>91ֱ�� Researchers Part of Breakthrough Study on Gravitational Waves</h1> <p>eburnett — Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:36:20 +0000</p> <span>91ֱ�� Researchers Part of Breakthrough Study on Gravitational Waves</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-06-29T11:36:20-04:00" title="Thursday, June 29, 2023 - 11:36">Thu, 06/29/2023 - 11:36</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� physics and astronomy students over the past 15 years—a roster of nearly 50 undergraduate researchers and their faculty mentors—played roles in a study on gravitational waves that has resulted in the publishing of significant findings that offer galaxy-sized evidence of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity in action.</p> <p>The research, conducted by the <a href="https://nanograv.org/">North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves</a> and supported by the National Science Foundation, focuses on the use of radio telescopes that effectively transform an array of exotic stars into a gravitational-wave detector that can be likened to the size of an entire galaxy. Scientists believe that the waves detected may be caused by the movement of massive black holes—bodies as large as the distance between the earth and sun.</p> <p>The NANOGrav research team, whose membership includes some 190 scientists across the U.S. and Canada, published its findings this week in the <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.3847/2041-8213/acdac6"><em>Astrophysical Journal Letters</em></a>. <a href="/node/6191">Dan Stinebring</a>, an emeritus professor of physics at 91ֱ�� and a founding member of NANOGrav, is a senior researcher on the team and continues to work with current 91ֱ�� students, often in tandem with Associate Professor of Physics <a href="/node/6176">Robert Owen</a>, who is an expert in gravitation and a member of the <a href="https://www.black-holes.org/">Simulating Extreme Spacetime collaboration</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Fifteen-year NSF-funded project involves dozens of students past and present, provides evidence of Einstein’s theory of relativity.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-06-29T12:00:00Z">Thu, 06/29/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/robert-owen" hreflang="und">Robert Owen</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy" hreflang="und">Physics and Astronomy</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">NANOGrav's pulsar timing array, made up of 68 pulsars, detects gravitational waves believed to be caused by the movement of supermassive black holes.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of NANOGrav</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-32096" class="paragraph paragraph--type--pb-el-bq paragraph--view-mode--default"> <blockquote class data-text-color-red data-text-size-giant> <p>Within hours of the June 28 release of NANOGRav’s findings, reports of the research were published in the <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/science/astronomy-gravitational-waves-nanograv.html">New York Times</a></em>, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/06/28/gravitational-wave-background-nanograv/"><em>Washington Post</em></a>, the <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jun/29/astronomers-detect-cosmic-bass-note-gravitational-waves">Guardian</a></em>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1183878163/new-gravitational-wave-supermassive-black-hole">NPR</a>, and <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/long-sought-hum-of-gravitational-waves-from-giant-black-holes-heard-for-first-time"><em>Science</em></a>, among other outlets.</p> </blockquote> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-27743" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-copy paragraph--view-mode--default o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <p>The team’s research offers the first evidence of gravitational waves at very low frequencies. The newly detected waves, unlike high-frequency waves that have been observed by ground-based instruments, stand out because they can be perceived only by a detector that is much larger than Earth. NANOGrav’s detector, referred to as a “pulsar timing array”—literally a set of 68 pulsars, or remnants of previously massive stars—effectively functions as a galaxy-scale gravitational wave antenna. Pulsars are deemed a reliable tool for such study because they emit radio beams that are seen as highly regular pulses, rivaling in their timing stability the best collections of human-made atomic clocks.</p> <p>As Einstein theorized, gravitational waves expand and contract space and time in a predictable pattern, causing changes in the intervals between pulses that can be detected across all 68 pulsars in the array. The gravitational waves observed in NANOGrav’s research are believed to result from orbiting pairs of supermassive black holes—each of them likely billions of times more massive than the Sun.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Dan Stinebring (second from left) with 91ֱ�� students Christopher Haddad ’12, Alex Spatzier ’12, and Karen Ressler ’11 at the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico in January 2010. The Winter Term project involved inspecting equipment underneath the main reflecting dish, one of three telescopes used by NANOGrav for data collection.</figcaption> </figure> <p>The array’s immense size has afforded researchers what is believed to be the first real-life glimpse of Einstein’s predicted correlation pattern between gravitational waves and the timing of pulses.</p> <p>Within hours of the release of NANOGRav’s findings, reports of the research were published in the <em><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/06/28/science/astronomy-gravitational-waves-nanograv.html">New York Times</a></em>, the <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2023/06/28/gravitational-wave-background-nanograv/"><em>Washington Post</em></a>, the <em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jun/29/astronomers-detect-cosmic-bass-note-gravitational-waves">Guardian</a></em>, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/06/28/1183878163/new-gravitational-wave-supermassive-black-hole">NPR</a>, and <a href="https://www.science.org/content/article/long-sought-hum-of-gravitational-waves-from-giant-black-holes-heard-for-first-time"><em>Science</em></a>, among other outlets.</p> <p>“For the first time, we will be able to see evidence of the formation process of galaxies at a great distance,” says Stinebring, who notes that previous explorations of the universe have been made possible primarily through use of electromagnetic radiation. “That’s one channel,” he says. “But gravitational waves are a completely new channel. By using gravitational waves, we’re able to answer some questions we weren’t able to answer before.</p> <p>“Based on what we know about each pulsar, we are able to predict far into the future when a particular pulse will arrive at our radio telescope,” says Stinebring, who retired from 91ֱ�� in 2019 but remains active with the study and 91ֱ��’s student researchers. “Unbelievable as it sounds, we’re typically able to predict 10 years into the future to within a few millionths of a second. Then we actually measure the pulse arrival at that appointed time. The difference between when the pulse does arrive and when we predict it will arrive is called the residual. This is our main measurement.” These measurements are recorded every two weeks for each of the 68 pulsars that make up the array.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-left"> <figcaption>Physics professor Robert Owen (center) with 91ֱ�� students Terrence Pierre-Jacques ’18 and Hengrui Zhu ’21 at a meeting of the American Physical Society.</figcaption> </figure> <p>91ֱ�� is one of 66 U.S.-based member institutions in NANOGrav and one of only two Ohio colleges. Among most colleges and universities, Stinebring notes, student participation is limited to graduate- and postgraduate-level researchers.</p> <p>Stinebring and his undergraduate researchers focus their efforts on “detector characterization,” which he likens to the work of a precision watchmaker, who would examine potential factors—such as temperature, humidity, or altitude—that could affect a watch’s accuracy over time.</p> <p>“We need to do the same thing with every pulsar in our array,” he says.</p> <p>With unsurprising precision, Stinebring readily produces a list of the 91ֱ�� students, past and present, who have collaborated on the NANOGrav project. It numbers some 48 researchers, ranging from 2007 graduates to rising second-year student Lucilla Rubio Fernandez.</p> <p>“I am very happy to look over that group of 91ֱ�� students and see a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and aspirations represented,” Stinebring says. “Many, of course, have gone on to further work in the physical sciences, an 91ֱ�� tradition that I am proud to have contributed to.”</p> <p>Learn more about the research and the implications of the team’s findings at the <a href="https://nanograv.org/news/15yrRelease">NANOGrav website</a>.</p> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Russian Evolution</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 01 Jun 2023 20:45:15 +0000</p> <span>Russian Evolution</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-06-01T16:45:15-04:00" title="Thursday, June 1, 2023 - 16:45">Thu, 06/01/2023 - 16:45</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>When 91ֱ�� native Emma Kim started taking Russian courses at 91ֱ�� College as a high school student, she never dreamed that she’d grow to love the language so much that she would eventually double major in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian/curriculum">Russian and East European Studies</a> (REES) and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history">history</a>.</p> <p>“I enrolled in Russian classes out of pure curiosity, having no experience with the language, culture, or history,” says Kim, a second-year student. “It was very difficult at first, but I think the most important part of language learning is perseverance.”</p> <p>Her hard work has paid off: This summer, Kim will spend two months in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as a recipient of the prestigious <a href="https://clscholarship.org/">Critical Language Scholarship</a>. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of State, this initiative supports and expands the number of Americans mastering foreign languages considered critical to national security and economic prosperity. </p> <p>In the Kyrgyz capital, Kim will live with a host family and immerse herself in local culture while taking formal Russian language classes at the American University of Central Asia. Her eight weeks of studies there will amount to the equivalent of one academic year of university-level coursework.<br> <br> This won’t be Kim’s first experience with an international language scholarship program. In 2020, the <a href="https://www.nsliforyouth.org/">National Security Language Institute for Youth</a> offered her the opportunity to study abroad in Moldova; when the pandemic forced the program to go digital, Kim spent her gap year studying virtually from her home. </p> <p>By 2022, Kim lived in Armenia as part of a two-month summer program. “I had no previous introduction to Caucasus culture, and being there profoundly impacted my experience with learning Russian,” she says. “Apart from pure language growth, I was finally able to form real, intimate relationships, and I became so much more aware of the post-Soviet space in general.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Russian lecturer Maia Solovieva, left, meets with Emma Kim.</figcaption> </figure> <p>At 91ֱ��, Kim has continued expanding her Russian skills—even serving as a teaching assistant for a 300-level class. Ever aware of her deepening connection to the language during a time of Russian diplomatic turmoil, she greatly values 91ֱ��’s approach to the <a href="/campus-resources/bulletins/russian-invasion-ukraine">Russian invasion of Ukraine</a>.<br> <br> “Right now, teaching and learning Russian has a lot of political and imperial connotations, and as a student of the language, it's important to be aware of it and to acknowledge it,” she says. “91ֱ��’s Russian Department has done a good job of dealing with this dilemma. We do a lot of Russian cultural events together, but we’re also constantly discussing the current political situation.”<br> <br> Kim is especially grateful to Professor of Russian <a href="/tom-newlin">Tom Newlin</a>, who introduced her to the language, and Russian lecturer <a href="/maia-solovieva">Maia Vladimirovna Solovieva</a>, with whom she meets every week. “<a href="/nicholas-bujalski">Nicholas Bujalski</a>, who teaches Russian history, has also helped me to expand out of the strictly linguistic and curate my sense of the region,” she adds.</p> <p>Upon arriving in Bishkek, Kim will be paired with local language partners who will engage her in conversational Russian and introduce her to everything the city has to offer. </p> <p>“I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and completely immersing myself,” she says. “I’m excited to learn more about central Asia and Kyrgyz culture, but my ultimate goal is to get to know the city well, make local friends, and find a place for myself.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Curiosity led Emma Kim to study Eastern Europe at 91ֱ��. Now a state department scholarship has her curious about living and studying there.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-06-01T12:00:00Z">Thu, 06/01/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kate Bigam Kaput</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25426">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25456">Russian</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/maia-solovieva" hreflang="und">Maia Solovieva</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/russian" hreflang="und">Russian, East European, and Eurasian Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/history" hreflang="und">History</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pull-images field--type-list-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yes</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Summer of Justice</h1> <p>anagy — Fri, 26 May 2023 15:57:30 +0000</p> <span>Summer of Justice</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-26T11:57:30-04:00" title="Friday, May 26, 2023 - 11:57">Fri, 05/26/2023 - 11:57</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Darius Butler will devote four weeks this summer traveling between Washington, D.C.; Cape Town, South Africa; and Dublin, Ireland, to learn from the legacies of social justice giants who made global footprints. Now completing his third year at 91ֱ��, Butler is one of 12 U.S. college students selected to take part in the <a href="https://apnews.com/press-release/pr-newswire/colleges-and-universities-pr-newswire-b05008b7606183cac68b178365825993">Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship</a>.</p> <p>“To be selected as a Frederick Douglass Global Fellow is an incredible honor and something I am blessed to be a part of,” says Butler, originally from Lewis Center, Ohio, near Columbus. “Ultimately, this fellowship will help me heighten my sense of how to advance effective and tangible social change within my community.”</p> <p>The fellowship, co-sponsored by the government of Ireland, recognizes the <a href="https://www.irishtimes.com/opinion/when-emancipated-slave-frederick-douglass-met-daniel-o-connell-in-dublin-1.4685990">historic convening</a> of abolitionists Frederick Douglass of the U.S. and Daniel O’Connell of Ireland in 1845. Their meeting was a notable marker for international solidarity between movements and fueled a practice of education and exchange between movement leaders that continues today. Douglass Fellows will examine the impact of the Emancipation Proclamation in the U.S. and the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. </p> <p>Butler, an <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies">Africana studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society">law and society</a> double major, is driven by his desire to make an impact in the lives of others. In his first three years on campus, he has assumed leadership roles in the <a href="/ahh">Lord-Saunders Afrikan Heritage House</a>, <a href="/religious-and-spiritual-life/communities">Voices for Christ</a>, and the <a href="/arts-and-sciences/resources-and-support/wap">Writing Center</a>. Away from campus, he led an annual toy drive for local children in collaboration with Mt. Zion Baptist Church. He has supported advocacy efforts as a legal intern for Columbus judge <a href="https://municipalcourt.franklincountyohio.gov/Judiciary/Judges/Judges-List/Stephanie-Mingo">Stephanie Mingo</a> and as a racial justice research fellow with the advocacy nonprofit <a href="https://www.asyousow.org/">As You Sow</a>. He plans to attend law school, continuing his passion for advancing racial equity through legal advocacy in the nonprofit sector.</p> <p>“The need for Black representation in the legal profession in the U.S. is imperative, because Black people have a lifetime of experience and perspective on what it’s like to be systematically excluded and discriminated against by institutional systems and structures,” says Butler. </p> <p>He credits 91ֱ��’s Africana Studies Department for supporting his growth as a scholar and advocate, and he is particularly grateful for the mentorship of professors Candice Raynor, <a href="/charles-peterson">Charles Peterson</a>, and <a href="/yveline-alexis">Yveline Alexis</a>—just a few of the many faculty and staff advocates he has leaned on during his time on campus. Their support, he says, is critical to his success thus far and in shaping his perspectives and ambitions moving forward. His appreciation for their leadership reflects his admiration of historical organizers, journalists, and movement leaders—figures such as James Baldwin, Ida B. Wells, Angela Davis, and Fred Hampton—whom he has long viewed as titans in the quest for racial justice. </p> <p>Butler is especially moved by the life and legacy of Hampton, the late civil rights activist who was a leader of the Black Panther Party and founder of the Rainbow Coalition before being killed in 1969. “I’m in awe when I listen to his speeches or interviews because of the power of his words,” he says. “The fact that he was the same age as me, yet could do such remarkable and impactful work, is incredible.” </p> <p>Butler’s fellowship will include opportunities to learn from human rights leaders of today. One of them is Mpho Tutu van Furth, an Anglican priest and activist who is the daughter of the late Bishop Desmond Tutu. </p> <p>“This will be my first time traveling outside the U.S.,” he says, “and I know the knowledge and relationships I will build during my time in Ireland and South Africa will last for a lifetime.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Darius Butler explores human rights across three continents through a Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-26T12:00:00Z">Fri, 05/26/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Henry Hicks IV</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2392">Social Justice</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4821">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25396">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/africana-studies" hreflang="und">Africana Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/law-and-society" hreflang="und">Law and Society</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Rising senior Darius Butler is one of 12 students in the United States selected to participate the in Frederick Douglass Global Fellowship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Jacob Strauss</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Fins to the Left (and Right)</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 25 May 2023 16:54:03 +0000</p> <span>Fins to the Left (and Right)</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:54:03-04:00" title="Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 12:54">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:54</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Jules Lieberman wants to pursue a career in marine science, with the goal of doing research to understand migratory patterns of at-risk and endangered sharks and rays. A recipient of the <a href="https://www.noaa.gov/office-education/hollings-scholarship">Ernest F. Hollings Scholarship</a> from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Lieberman will benefit from tuition support, paid research and professional opportunities, and mentorship in the field of marine biology.</p> <p>A rising junior majoring in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology">biology</a>, Lieberman applied for the scholarship with the intent of getting their feet wet in marine biology (pun intended). </p> <p>“I want to understand how the migratory patterns of large, pelagic fishes are currently being affected by climate change and create a model to predict how they will change in the future,” says Lieberman. This work is relevant to the conservation side of NOAA’s Fisheries department and is especially pertinent in our era of mass biodiversity loss,” explains Lieberman, who is from Philadelphia and expects to graduate early.</p> <p>The Hollings Scholarship provides tuition assistance up to $9,500 per year for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. The internship provides scholars with hands-on, practical experience in NOAA-related science.</p> <p>At 91ֱ��, Lieberman has been doing computational and evolutionary biology research in the lab of Associate Professor of Biology <a href="/aaron-goldman">Aaron Goldman</a>, where the main goal is to identify protein presence, function, and evolution in the Last Universal Common Ancestor (LUCA).</p> <p>“Over the last year, I have developed a computational biology research pipeline to determine phospholipid membrane protein evolution in LUCA. I used the pipeline to identify proteins present across all domains of life. Moving forward, I will use this pipeline to track ancient proteins’ evolution and reassemble them into metabolic and physiological systems,” Lieberman says. As they move forward in their career, Lieberman intends to pursue a PhD in marine science with a broad focus on pelagic fish migratory dynamics or fish systematics.</p> <p>“I eventually want to become a professor. I have been so privileged to be able to attend 91ֱ�� College, and I have so many incredible mentors. I want to pay that forward.”</p> <p>Lieberman already has shown their commitment to giving back to the community. In summer 2021, they worked as a STEM facilitator at Eureka!, an intensive, five-year, STEM-based program for rising eighth grade girls who come from racially, economically, or otherwise marginalized communities. The program builds confidence and skills through hands-on STEM activities.</p> <p>“For my senior project, I spent months writing lessons about climate justice and the scientific process, and I later led these to two cohorts of 20 girls. This summer, I will be leading these campers’ capstone projects as they design an exhibit for the Academy of Natural Sciences on a sustainable topic. I am so thankful to have worked with these girls, and watching them blossom into young scientists, engineers, and people has been one of the most meaningful experiences I have had the pleasure of being a part of.”</p> <p>In their free time, Lieberman is a member of Nothing But Treble, 91ֱ��’s all-treble a cappella group, and serves as a hiring representative for the biology majors committee.</p> <p>“I also love cooking for friends, especially making pasta from scratch. When I’m not cooking, you can find me reading (or writing!) fantasy fiction, playing Dungeons & Dragons, hiking, or swimming.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Biology major Jules Lieberman to study shark and ray migratory patterns through NOAA Hollings Scholarship.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/aaron-goldman" hreflang="und">Aaron Goldman</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Biology major Jules Lieberman is a NOAA Hollings Scholar.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Found in Translation</h1> <p>anagy — Thu, 25 May 2023 15:41:27 +0000</p> <span>Found in Translation</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-25T11:41:27-04:00" title="Thursday, May 25, 2023 - 11:41">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 11:41</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Theo Canter will enrich his Greek identity while strengthening his language skills with a Fulbright teaching fellowship based in Athens, Greece. </p> <p>On top of his desire to teach and live abroad, Canter was drawn to this particular Fulbright program because of his personal connection to Athens. His grandfather was born and raised in Athens, and in 1956 graduated as valedictorian of his class at Athens College—the same high school where Canter will teach English. </p> <p>“Such a full-circle moment is incredibly meaningful,” says Canter, a May 2023 91ֱ�� graduate with majors in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies">cinema studies</a> and <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature">comparative literature</a> and a minor in <a href="/middle-east-and-north-africa-studies">Middle East and North African studies</a>. A native of New York City, Canter feels a great level of familiarity with Greece and its people. “Here in 91ֱ��, I've been proud to connect with other Greek students. There is something strong and unifying in our shared culture, food, and language.” </p> <p>Canter’s fellowship begins in September, and he will remain there through July 2024 to help with a school-run English-language summer camp. In addition to classroom responsibilities, the fellowship includes supplementary work teaching debate, theater, and public speaking in both Greek and English. “This combination of disciplines, as well as the chance to spend extended time in a city I love but have only ever visited for brief intervals, all led me nicely to this Fulbright opportunity.”</p> <p>Last fall at 91ֱ��, Canter taught poetry to Langston Middle School students as part of creative writing professor Lynne Powell’s Writers in the Schools residency program. His final semester, he taught an introductory Hebrew course through 91ֱ��’s Experimental College (<a href="https://exco.oberlincollege.net/">ExCo</a>) program. “I've enjoyed both of these opportunities as a chance to share things I'm passionate about—namely writing, language, and music,” he says. “I find that teaching pairs nicely with my experiences of performance: putting that level of commitment to the 'act' and sharing how much I love what I'm teaching.”</p> <p>Canter has enjoyed several study-away experiences since his gap year between high school and college, when he studied Hebrew, Arabic, and history on Kivunim, a program based in Jerusalem with travels around the Balkans and Middle East. For his first Winter Term, he lived in Warsaw and worked for a magazine called <em>Culture-PL</em>—likened to the '<em>New York Magazine</em>' of Warsaw—where he led a production team for a history podcast and contributed articles to the site's English section. </p> <p>For the months he was home during the pandemic in 2020, Canter participated in an online artist symposium through the Onassis Center, a visual and performing arts center based in Athens, where he produced Nostos, a short performance art piece featuring music, poetry, and family history. </p> <p>This year, he returned to Jerusalem to produce an audio documentary for the podcast Israel Story, which has been compared to This American Life. For his capstone in comparative literature, he translated the novel <em>Kastoria</em> by Benjamin Shvili from Hebrew. “This book is of particular relevance to me as it is a poetic reflection on the author's journey to Greece. Both the author and I come from the small Jewish community of Greece, and so I relished this challenge to translate a work that draws on multiple cultural maps I've been raised in.”</p> <p>Canter says 91ֱ�� has provided many opportunities to learn and grow. A variety of rigorous courses have “challenged me and pushed me to produce some of my best work.” </p> <p>“I wrote some of my best songs in the class Song and Book with [English professor] <a href="/desales-harrison">DeSales Harrison</a> and wrote my first short story in <a href="/claire-solomon">Claire Solomon</a>'s comparative literature course Love and Death. And the classroom is just part of it,” Canter says. “For me, what makes 91ֱ�� special is the chance to be around so many creative and kind people just looking to collaborate. I'm quite excited for my adventures in Athens to come, carrying with me the memories and bonds with friends and teachers.”</p> <p>Outside of the classroom, Canter spent four years on the leadership board of Chabad, the Jewish student group; was a resident of Keep Cottage co-op as a head cook, granola maker, bread maker, and historian; and hosted several radio shows on <a href="https://wobc-fm.org/">WOBC</a>. He also played bouzouki and accordion in the klezmer band Shtick & Poke with friends from the college and the conservatory. </p> <p>Canter plans to pursue a career in creative storytelling and media production, which may include documentary filmmaking, screenwriting, and radio journalism.</p> <p>“As a musician, I am also interested in the way music tells stories,” he says. Building on the music shows I’ve hosted on 91ֱ�� radio and independently, and the articles I’ve written, I’d like to eventually have my own dedicated presence on the radio or film, to be something like NPR’s Rough Translation, conveying simple stories from faraway places. In a similar vein, I’d hope to be able to both perform and educate. It is my goal that I can pursue a career combining my talent for languages and passion for music.</p> <p>“Whenever I look around in Greece, I laugh to myself how everyone looks like they could be my cousins—and many in fact are! It's one thing to be Greek in the diaspora, something else to be in the center of it all.” </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter’s deep ties to Greece get a boost through a Fulbright teaching assistantship in Athens.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-25T12:00:00Z">Thu, 05/25/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25446">Middle East and North Africa Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25316">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/comparative-literature" hreflang="und">Comparative Literature</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Theo Canter '23</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Students Present Research at Chemical Society Conference</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 11 Apr 2023 13:11:34 +0000</p> <span>Students Present Research at Chemical Society Conference</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-04-11T09:11:34-04:00" title="Tuesday, April 11, 2023 - 09:11">Tue, 04/11/2023 - 09:11</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>91ֱ�� chemistry and biochemistry students and faculty traveled to the American Chemical Society’s National Meeting in Indianapolis in late March to present posters on their research and learn about cutting-edge science.</p> <p>Seven students took part in the conference, along with professors <a href="/node/52501">Will Parsons</a> and <a href="/node/5261">Lisa Ryno</a>.</p> <p>“We are proud to be 91ֱ�� chemists!” says Ryno (pictured far right; Parsons far left).</p> <p>Following are the students who participated and the subjects of their research:</p> <p><strong>Cassie Davies ’24:</strong> Competitive activity-based protein profiling of RHBDL2 and RHBDL4 for inhibitor discovery</p> <p><strong>Anna Francis ’23:</strong> <a href="/undergraduate-research/our-featured-researchers/anna-francis-23">Transcriptomic analysis of rhamnose treatment on E. coli planktonic and biofilm cells</a></p> <p><strong>Jenna Frizzell ’23:</strong> Influence of RpoH and RpoF overexpression on quinolone, macrolide, and glycopeptide antibiotic tolerance and biofilm growth in E. coli</p> <p><strong>Ellie Ko ’25:</strong> Influence of overexpression of the phosphodiesterase YhjH on E. coli biofilm formation and composition</p> <p><strong>Allison Lupatkin ’24:</strong> Development of whole-cell sensors for low concentration antibiotic detection</p> <p><strong>Kyogo Nagashima ’24:</strong> Exploring the influence of environmental lactose on Biofilm formation and composition in E. coli</p> <p><strong>Ryan Taylor ’23:</strong> Changes in tolerance of amphenicol and tetracycline antibiotics with stress-responsive transcription factor overexpression in E. coli</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Areas of focus include antibiotic resistence and protein profiling.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-04-11T12:00:00Z">Tue, 04/11/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25246">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25306">Chemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/lisa-ryno" hreflang="und">Lisa Ryno</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/will-parsons" hreflang="und">William (Will) Parsons</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Seven students, joined by professors Will Parsons (far left) and Lisa Ryno (far right), presented research at the American Chemical Society's March conference.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Lisa Ryno</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>