November 2016 – Page 4

As an undergraduate film studies major in the early 2000s, Michael Slowik admired how Wesleyan's film faculty emphasized "their unabashed enthusiasm for movies," the history of film and ways films impacted the audience. "These were things I closely connected with," Slowik said. Slowik, who graduated from Wesleyan in 2003 with a BA in film studies, was appointed assistant professor of film at Wesleyan this fall. His research interests include U.S. film history, film sound, film authorship and film's relationship to music and theater. "Nearly all of the film professors who were so influential to me are still at Wesleyan, so when…

WESU 88.1FM, one of the oldest non-commercial radio stations in the United States, is currently hosting its Annual Fall Pledge Drive through Nov. 24. "WESU is a unique radio station with a mix of talk and free form music programming, and we depend on your support to keep it this way," said WESU General Manager Ben Michael. "If you value media that encourages listeners and broadcasters to dig deep, ask critical questions, and appreciate diversity, support our pledge drive today!" In addition to Michael, the service WESU provides is made possible by more than 150 student and community volunteer broadcasters and two…

Graduate student Suhail Yusuf Khan recently gave a lecture and demonstration at the Department of Ethnomusicology at the University of California, Los Angeles. Khan’s lecture focused on the sarangi and its use in popular music contexts. Khan was invited to UCLA to lecture to a global pop music class. "The idea was to show students some of my experimental and pop music," Khan said. During his demonstration, Khan spoke about the the sarangi’s role in Hindustani music and the relationship to the voice. He also showed different playing techniques, and shared his own musical story, including the challenges he faces as a classically…

Amy Baltzell ’87, of Boston, Mass., has been named President-Elect of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP), an international professional organization that promotes the field of sport and exercise psychology. She assumed the role at the 2016 annual conference in Phoenix, Ariz., where members from around the world convened to network and share the latest presentations and research in the field. Baltzell has been a member of the AASP for 12 years. Baltzell is a clinical associate professor and director of Sport Psychology Specialization (of Counseling) at Boston University, with research focuses on mindfulness and compassion in sports. She…

Wesleyan, along with Connecticut Students for a Dream, presented "Moving From Knowledge to Action: An Educators Conference on Undocumented Students" Nov. 4 in Beckham Hall. Undocumented students in Connecticut and nationwide face a broad range of challenges, many of those specifically related to education. These issues directly stem from a student's undocumented status as well as being disproportionately affected by other education equity issues. Wesleyan staff joined high school teachers, counselors, parent liaisons, community organization staff, future educators, and others from around the state to discuss ways educational institutions can better support and advocate for undocumented students. Attendees learned about the history and current…

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Tsampikos Kottos, professor of physics, professor of integrative sciences, professor of mathematics, was awarded a $400,000 Emerging Frontiers in Research and Innovation (EFRI) engineering grant from the National Science Foundation in October. This $2 million grant is equally split among a consortium of universities, including Stanford University, University of Minnesota, and University-Wisconsin-Madison, and will last for a period of four years. The grant is associated with “New Light and Acoustic Wave Propagation: Breaking Reciprocity and Time-Reversal Symmetry” (NewLaw) and supports “engineering-led interdisciplinary research that challenges the notions of reciprocity, time-reversal symmetry and sensitivity to defects in wave propagation and field transport,"…

This fall, the African American Studies Program welcomed two new faculty members: Kali Nicole Gross, professor of African American studies, and Khalil Anthony Johnson Jr., assistant professor of African American studies. Kali Gross is the author of Colored Amazons: Crime, Violence, and Black Women in the City of Brotherly Love, 1880-1910 (2006) and the newly released, Hannah Mary Tabbs and the Disembodied Torso: A Tale of Race, Sex, and Violence in America (2016). She has been featured on NPR, C-SPAN2 and other television programs, and has consulted for the PBS show “History Detectives.” Gross's op-ed pieces have appeared in The Washington…

On Saturday, Oct. 29, members of the Wesleyan community gathered at the Goldsmith Family Cinema during Family Weekend 2016 to watch a screening of Hamilton’s America, directed by Alex Horwitz ’02. While Horwitz was not able to attend the screening, we were able to catch up with him for an exclusive Q&A. If you missed the screening, Hamilton's America is streaming on PBS through Nov. 18. Hamilton’s America was several years in the making. When did you approach Lin-Manuel Miranda ’02 and Thomas Kail ’99 with the idea to document the making of what became Hamilton: An American Musical—and what prompted…

On Nov. 1, Wesleyan celebrated the installation of a 750 kW-AC ground-mounted solar photovoltaic system, or solar farm, located near Physical Plant, at the corner of Long Lane and Wadsworth Street. (more…)

As the football teams readied for play on Corwin Stadium on Saturday of Family Weekend, alumni parents joined their first-year students—along with President Michael Roth ’78 and the Wesleyan Cardinal—for the annual Legacy Photograph on Denison Terrace. This year, the gathering included: Bottom row, from left: Alfredo Viegas ’90, P’20, Alessandra Viegas ’20, and Dora Viegas P’20; Sarafina Fabris-Green ’20 and Laurie Green ’80 P’20; Miranda Nestor ’20 and Matthew Nestor ’87 P’20; Elizabeth Eagles ’19 and Kate Homrighausen Eagles ’82, P’19; Gillian Lubin ’20 and Brad Lubin ’87, P’20; Tom Policelli ’89, P’20 and Katherine Policelli ’20; Simone Roberts-Payne ’20, Jackie Roberts ’82 P’20.…

Athletic contests, tailgating, WESeminars, an A Cappella concert, Assembly for Parents and Families and multiple performances by faculty, artists and students were among the highlights of the 2016 Family Weekend held Oct. 28-30 on campus. Family Weekend included a 39-10 football victory against Bowdoin! More than 1,300 families attended the three-day event. Wesleyan offered more than 15 WesSeminar presentations by scholars, pundits, and other experts on topics in the arts, current affairs, history, science, and more. Major events included the 24th Annual Dwight L. Greene Symposium: “Opportunities and Challenges in Higher Ed;” the 40th Annual Navaratri Festival celebrating traditional Indian music…

Alumnus Slowik ’03 Returns to Wesleyan, Joins Film Studies Faculty

WESU 88.1FM Radio Hosts Fall Pledge Drive

Graduate Student Khan Gives Sarangi Demonstration at UCLA

Baltzell ’87 Named President-Elect of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology

Wesleyan Hosts Undocumented Students Conference

Redfield Speaks to Wesleyan Staff about Discovering Exoplanets

Kottos Awarded Engineering Grant from the National Science Foundation

AFAM Program Welcomes 2 New Faculty

Horwitz ’02 Documents Hamilton for PBS

Wesleyan Celebrates Installation of Its New Solar Photovoltaic System

Alumni Parents Join Their First-Year Students for Legacy Photo

More Than 1,300 Families Attend Family Weekend Activities at Wesleyan