Olivia Drake – Page 28

In celebration of Olin Library's recent acquisition of virtuoso Jin Hi Kim's scores for Living Tones, the Music Library and Music Department hosted a day of musical and sonic exploration on Feb. 1 titled Hidden Volumes and Living Tones. Jin Hi Kim, adjunct assistant professor of music, is known for introducing the kŏmungo (a six-stringed Korean zither) into the American contemporary music scene. The Guggenheim Fellow composed a series of compositions for chamber ensemble and orchestra using her "Living Tones" philosophy, which holds that each tone generated is treated with abiding respect. Wesleyan currently owns 16 of her scores, written…

On Jan. 31, the Wesleyan community celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a commemoration and program. This year, artist, writer, producer, and activist Bree Newsome delivered the event's keynote address. Newsome drew national attention in 2015 when she climbed the flagpole in front of the South Carolina Capitol building and removed a confederate battle flag. She was arrested for her actions. The flag was originally raised in 1961 as a racist statement of opposition to the Civil Rights movement and lunch counter sit-ins occurring at the time. Newsome’s act of defiance against the culture of white…

Rosemary Ostfeld '10, visiting assistant professor of environmental studies, is developing a smartphone app to re-energize the connection between communities and local farms so people can purchase healthy and sustainable food options. Called "Healthy PlanEat," the app will allow patrons to order food from local organic farms. Ostfeld launched her Kickstarter in January, and she's hoping to raise $40,000 by Feb. 15. The idea has also appeared in The Hartford Courant, The Day, and The Middletown Press.

On Jan. 28, Wesleyan's Olin Library acquired a rare collage created by 20th-century American artist Romare Bearden. Bearden (1911-1988) is best known for his abstract, Cubist-style paintings and photomontage compositions which often make social statements. Bearden also is remembered for supporting young, emerging artists. Titled MR. PICASSO and measuring 27 by 20 centimeters, the piece was gifted to Olin by Barry and JoAnne Scott, antiquarian and rare booksellers from Rhode Island. The Scotts made the donation in honor of Suzy Taraba, director of special collections and archives, with whom they've worked for many years. Bearden himself originally gifted the collage…

Gil Skillman, professor of economics, is the author of “Moseley’s ‘Macro-Monetary’ Reading of Marx’s Capital: Rejoinder and Further Discussion,” published in the Review of Radical Political Economics on Dec. 17, 2019. According to the abstract: Moseley (2018) offers a partial reply to Skillman's review of his Money and Totality, addressing one comment at length while mentioning a second in passing and ignoring the third. In this rejoinder, Skillman responds to his replies and develops the three main arguments of his review in greater detail, with particular focus on the logical consistency of Moseley’s “algebraic summary” of his macro-monetary reading of…

Several Wesleyan undergraduate and graduate students, faculty, and alumni attended the 235th American Astronomical Society meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, Jan. 4–8, 2020. "The meeting was a huge success, and we were thrilled to have such a large contingent of Wesleyan students able to attend and present their research," said Seth Redfield, associate professor and chair of astronomy. Wesleyan McNair Fellow Rachel Marino presented a poster titled “HD106906 Debris Disk Morphology and Origin of an External Perturber." Her advisor is Meredith Hughes, associate professor of astronomy. Hunter Vannier '20 shared his research titled “Mapping the Local Interstellar Medium: Using Hubble to…

Two Wesleyan faculty received a $492,410 Academic Research Enhancement Award (R15) from the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) to support their study titled “Comparing Cognitive Remediation Approaches for Schizophrenia.” R15 awards provide funding for small-scale, new, or ongoing health-related meritorious research projects, enhancing the research environment at eligible institutions and exposing students to research opportunities. The R15 principal investigator Matthew Kurtz, professor of psychology, professor of neuroscience and behavior, and R15 co-investigator Jennifer Rose, professor of the practice and director of the Center for Pedagogical Innovation, will work with a group of Wesleyan undergraduates for the duration of the…

On Jan. 25, Wesleyan Athletics held its fifth annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day Clinic. More than 130 local girls—from kindergarten to sixth grade—participated in this free event. Several coaches from women's teams and student-athletes taught the clinic and introduced the girls to softball, soccer, field hockey, rowing, track, tennis, and more. "Our female student-athletes did a fantastic job in being role models for our local youths," said Christine Kemp, head field hockey coach and assistant strength and conditioning coach. "The girls had a blast and had the opportunity to try out a number of sports all morning."…

On Jan. 26, the Athletics Department welcomed 25 alumnae back to campus for its annual Women's Athletics Mentoring Workshop. The alumnae met with female student-athletes to network and offer career advice. The workshop was held in conjunction with the Annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day. This celebration inspires girls and women to play and be active, build confidence and character, and become strong leaders in sports and life. Photos of the Athletic Mentoring Workshop are below: (Photos courtesy of Wesleyan Athletics) (more…)

Wesleyan's men's basketball team recently learned what it's like to dribble, pass, guard, and shoot baskets without ever setting foot on the court. On Jan. 21, the team traveled to New Britain, Conn., to meet members of the Connecticut Spokebenders Wheelchair Basketball Team. The Spokebenders are one of the longest-running competitive wheelchair basketball teams registered with the National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA). After watching the team practice, the Spokebenders welcomed the Cardinals to participate in a few drills via wheelchair, and eventually challenged the Wesleyan athletes to a scrimmage. "Thankfully they took it easy on us," said Wesleyan Assistant Coach…

On Jan. 12, several creatives gathered in Mumbai, India, to share valuable insights on liberal arts and the impact of Indian cinema on global entertainment. The event, Liberal Arts + Film and Storytelling: A Wesleyan University Forum, brought together Wesleyan faculty, distinguished alumni, aspiring students and their parents, and the wider Wesleyan community across the globe. Speakers included Wesleyan President Michael Roth '78; Scott Higgins, Charles W. Fries Professor of Film Studies and director of Wesleyan’s College of Film and the Moving Image; and acclaimed global film- and entertainment-industry personalities Matthew Weiner '87, P '18, and Navdeep Singh. Weiner is…

Three Wesleyan faculty recently received Academic Research Enhancement Awards (R15) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). R15 grants stimulate research at educational institutions that provide baccalaureate training for a significant number of the nation's research scientists, but that have not been major recipients of NIH support. Awards provide funding for small-scale, new, or ongoing health-related meritorious research projects, enhancing the research environment at eligible institutions and exposing students to research opportunities. Amy MacQueen, associate professor of molecular biology and biochemistry, received a $492,900 award on Aug. 7 for her research titled "How do Synaptonemal Complex Proteins Mediate the Coordinated?" MacQueen…

Hidden Volumes Explored in Olin Library’s Stacks (with videos)

Bree Newsome Leads Wesleyan’s Martin Luther King Celebration

Ostfeld ’10 Fundraising for Organic Farm Food Ordering App via Kickstarter

Olin Library Receives Romare Bearden Donation in Honor of Director of Special Collections

Skillman’s Article Published in the Review of Radical Political Economics

Students, Alumni Attend Meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Hawaii

Kurtz, Rose Receive NIMH Award for Schizophrenia Study

Athletics Hosts 5th Annual Women in Sports Clinic for Area Girls

Alumnae Lead Women’s Athletics Mentoring Workshop for Wesleyan Athletes

Men’s Basketball Scrimmages, Learns from Local Wheelchair Team

Alumni Gather at Liberal Arts + Film and Storytelling Forum in Mumbai

MacQueen, Coolon, Mukerji Receive NIH Academic Research Enhancement Awards