Olivia Drake – Page 100

Twenty Wesleyan students spent the first week of spring break volunteering in New Orleans to help with rebuilding and repairing homes in the community. The students, who were accompanied by Justin Marks, visiting assistant professor of mathematics, bused as a group to to New Orleans as part of ServeUp, a project organized by InterVarsity New England. Wesleyan's group joined volunteers from Boston College, Boston University, Clark University, Fairfield University, Northeastern, Rhode Island College, University of Vermont, among others. Wesleyan's group stayed at an old elementary school site and partnered with two organizations, Rebuilding Together New Orleans and Greenlight New Orleans. Students worked on priming, painting and screening a local home and…

A PhD candidate in chemistry will spend two years in Germany working on microwave spectroscopy research. As a recipient of the prestigious Alexander von Humboldt Research Fellowship, Dan Obenchain will continue his studies at the University of Hanover. He will start his fellowship in August 2016 after taking two months of intensive German language classes. The Alexander von Humboldt Foundation brings young and senior scientists from around the world to Germany to conduct research in many different fields of science. "Thankfully, working at Wesleyan has given me many great opportunities to publish my work. The faculty of both the chemistry and physics departments have been very supportive throughout…

Two visiting faculty members from Wesleyan visited the Green Street Teaching and Learning Center in March to teach AfterSchool Program children about dance. (more…)

A poetry collection published by Wesleyan University Press was named a Tufts Poetry Awards 2016 Finalist. The Little Edges, written by Fred Moten, was published by WesPress in 2014. The Little Edges is a collection of poems that extends Moten’s experiments in what he calls “shaped prose”—a way of arranging prose in rhythmic blocks, or sometimes shards, in the interest of audio-visual patterning. Shaped prose is a form that works the “little edges” of lyric and discourse, and radiates out into the space between them. As occasional pieces, many of the poems in the book are the result of a…

Four Wesleyan academic departments, from psychology to dance to chemistry to biology, are competing for grant funds through a new crowdfunding site specifically designed for research project fundraising. Experiment.com's Challenge Grant for Liberal Arts Colleges asked scientists to define a scientific research question for the crowd with a prize for the project with the most backers. The pilot launched on Feb. 24 and concludes March 25.During this 31-day period, the goal is to reach $4,000 in funding. If so, the team is granted the money. If not, they receive nothing and no one's pledges are charged. By backing a project, participants will receive updates, results and data from project creators. Wesleyan research include how the…

The following employees received Cardinal Achievement Awards during the last few months for their efforts in demonstrating extraordinary initiative in performing a specific task associated with their work at Wesleyan University. This special honor comes with a $250 award and reflects the university’s gratitude for their extra efforts: Dawn Alger, administrative assistant, Theater Department Mike Conte, associate director, Physical Plant - Facilities Steven Jacaruso, art director, University Communications Darrell Lawrence, analyst programmer, Information Technology Services Kathleen Logsdon, library assistant, Olin Library Anne Marcotty, senior designer, University Communications Liz Tinker, administrative assistant, English Department Maureen Zimmer, coordinator, Academic Affairs

Students who are enrolled in the E&ES 397/398 Senior Seminar and Senior Field Research Project Capstone spent eight days conducting research in Hawaii. Pictured, the students gather on a lava tree field.

The Office of Human Resources reported the following new hires, transitions and departures for the month of February 2016: Newly hired Laura Paul was hired as interim director, Center of the Arts on Feb. 1 Robert Perdo was hired as plumber in Physical Plant on Feb. 1 Marla Zubel was hired as acquisitions editor at Wesleyan University Press on Feb. 1 Kelly Miller was hired as dispatcher in Public Safety on Feb. 6 Transitions Amy Bello was hired as administrative assistant in AFAM-CAAS/Mellon Mays on Feb. 1 Mary-Ann Matthews was hired as officer in Public Safety on Feb.15 Departures Robin Bogda, medical billing specialist in the Davison…

On Feb. 17, the Allbritton Center hosted a panel discussion on "The Refugee Experience," the second in a three-part series titled, "The Refugee Crisis: The Development of the Crisis and the Response in Europe." Moderated by Victoria Smolkin-Rothrock, assistant professor of history, assistant professor of Russian, Eastern European and Eurasian Studies, it featured discussion between Steve Poellot, legal director at the International Refugee Assistance Project (IRAP); Mohammed Kadalah of the University of Connecticut Department of Literature, Cultures and Languages, who was recently granted asylum after fleeing Syria in 2011; and Baselieus Zeno, a PhD candidate in political science at the…

All photos by Ryan Heffernan '16.

A high school student from New York, who is mentored by a faculty member and a graduate student in Wesleyan's Neuroscience and Behavior Program, is one of the top four finalists for the Neuroscience Research Prize, awarded by the American Academy of Neurology and the Child Neurology Society. As a recipient of the prize, Armonk, N.Y. resident Ryan Infante will receive a $1,000 cash prize and per diem for expenses at the 45th Annual Meeting of the Child Neurology Society in Vancouver, B.C. in October 2016. He will present his stem cell transplantation research during the Child Neurology Society meeting. Infante,…

“Bubbletrapper” is the goddess of bubblegum and is always nice — except to bad guys. “Bubblegum is her weapon,” said Marrisaana, a fifth grader at MacDonough Elementary School in Middletown. “When she’s mad, she traps bad guys in a bubble.” On Feb. 19, Marrisaana and four other classmates participated in Wesleyan’s WesMyth program, which provides fifth graders at McDonough with an introduction to Greek mythology. The program, taught by Wesleyan student volunteers, is held for one hour every week throughout the academic year. On this particular day, the WesMyth participants created their own Greek gods and goddesses based on mythical creatures they’ve studied in…

Students Volunteer to Improve Community Conditions in New Orleans

PhD Candidate Obenchain Recipient of Humboldt Research Fellowship

Faculty Teach Dance, Creative Movements to Local Children

WesPress Publications Win 2 Poetry Awards in 2016

Support Wesleyan Researchers in Crowdfunding Pilot

8 Employees Receive Cardinal Achievement Awards

Seniors Improve Scientific Research Skills with Studies in Hawaii

Staff on the Move, February 2016

Panel Moderated by Smolkin-Rothrock Discusses the Refugee Experience

Urban Historian Koeppel ’79 Speaks on New York City’s Grid

High School Student, Mentored by Wesleyan Neuroscience Program, Finalist for Research Prize

Children Learn about Greek Mythology through Student-Led WesMyth Program