All News – Page 131

Tsampikos Kottos, professor of physics, and Wesleyan University will lead a complex, multi-institution initiative to research and develop the next generation of national instrumentation technology thanks to a four-year, $2,794,606 grant from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). Awarded this August, the grant is the culmination of at least eight years of photonics research by Kottos and his fellow collaborators, and will have significant implications for the future of a variety of technologies employed by the federal government and the private sector. An agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, DARPA funds research and development projects that push the…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News 1. Inside Higher Ed: "Voting Is Good, but Higher Ed Must Do More" In this op-ed, President Michael S. Roth writes: "In a year when inducements to political violence have become normalized at the highest level, colleges and universities must do more than just encourage our students to vote." It is crucial that colleges actively work to protect free expression, free inquiry, and fact-based discussion, Roth argues. (more…)

Alumni who have met with success in the midterm elections include: Democrat Alex Bergstein '88, who won a Connecticut State Senate race; Democrat Brian Frosh ’68, who won re-election as Maryland Attorney general; Democrat Matt Lesser ’10, who prevailed in Connecticut's State Senate race for the 9th district, which includes Middletown; Democrat Amy Martin ’99 is judge-elect for the Texas District Court 263; and Democrat Max Rose ’08, who won a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives from New York's 11th Congressional District. An article in the Greenwich Time quoted Bergstein, post-victory, as saying, "'I am elated. I am humbled. I…

Wesleyan Freeman Asian Scholars gathered for group photos and dinner on Oct. 27. The Freeman Asian Scholarship Program, now in its 24th year, provides expenses for a four-year course of study toward a bachelor’s degree for up to 11 exceptional students annually, one each from the People’s Republic of China, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam. The Freeman Program was established in 1995 and supported scholars for 20 years through the generosity of the Freeman family—Mansfield Freeman '16, P'43, Hon. '79; Houghton Freeman ’43, P’77, Hon. ’93; Doreen Freeman P’77, Hon. ’03;…

Melanie Khamis, associate professor of economics and associate professor, Latin American studies, recently presented her paper, “Reversed Migration Trends and Local Labor Markets” at two meetings. She spoke at the North East Universities Development Consortium (NEUDC) at Cornell University on Oct. 27, and at the Kiessling Presentation, Economic Studies Division at The Brookings Institution on Oct. 16. Khamis coauthored the paper with Emily Conover of Hamilton College and Sarah Pearlman of Vassar College. According to the abstract, the paper estimates the effects of the unprecedented decline in Mexican net migration from 2006 to 2012 on labor markets in Mexico, and…

Jeffrey Stein ’08 had only one thing on his mind when he registered for the 43rd Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C.—redemption. After a wrong turn off-course a quarter mile into the race in 2017 landed him an 8th place finish and a trip to the hospital for heat stroke, Stein registered for the 2018 race with one overriding goal: “to reclaim a little bit of dignity.” He achieved his goal and more, surging ahead in the last 2 miles to finish first with an official time of 2 hours 22 minutes 49 seconds. (more…)

Wesleyan faculty frequently publish articles based on their scholarship in The Conversation US, a nonprofit news organization with the tagline, “Academic rigor, journalistic flair.” In a new article, Professor of Government Mary Alice Haddad writes that the recent election of many pro-environment mayors was a promising sign for our country's response to climate change. She describes the progress that cities in the U.S.—and around the world—have made in this area in recent years, at a time when the federal government is moving backwards. Haddad is also professor, environmental studies, and professor, East Asian studies. Americans elected mayors who care about climate change…

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This year, students shared global stories about humanity in 51 cities across 24 countries through the third annual Wes in the World photo contest. Sponsored by the Fries Center for Global Studies, the contest is open to Wesleyan students who have had any global experience over the previous summer and/or previous semester. This includes study abroad returnees, international students, exchange students, fellowship recipients, and foreign language teaching assistants. More than 200 students, staff, faculty, and alumni voted on the submissions within five categories: Contemporary Issues, Daily Life, Landscape, People, and Sport and Play. "Our hope with these categories is to allow students to…

Helen Poulos, adjunct assistant professor of environmental studies, is the coauthor of two papers published Oct. 22 in the journals Fire and Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, respectively. Poulos lead-authored a paper on fire and plant evolutionary ecology titled, "Do Mixed Fire Regimes Shape Plant Flammability and Post-Fire Recovery Strategies?" Contrary to a new model assuming that plant species have evolved three divergent flammability strategies, Poulos and her fellow researchers present three case studies that indicate plant species have evolved "bet-hedging strategies" that mix a variety of flammability and post-fire recovery strategies. Poulos also co-authored a paper led by ecologist Christopher Johnson of…

As an inaugural Onassis Foundation Teaching Fellow in Culture and Humanities, Andrew Szegedy-Maszak, the Jane A. Seney Professor of Greek, will have the opportunity to teach Greek history to incarcerated students through Wesleyan's Center for Prison Education (CPE). Starting during the spring 2019 semester, Szegedy-Maszak will teach an adapted version of his Wesleyan course CCIV 231: Greek History to men at the Cheshire Correctional Institution. "I was surprised and very honored when I heard that I was awarded the fellowship," said Szegedy-Maszak. "This class will be a survey of ancient Greek civilization over about 1,000 years, from the Bronze Age to the…

Children from Wesleyan's Neighborhood Preschool (NPS) trick-or-treated on Wesleyan's campus Oct. 31. The children, accompanied by their families and teachers, stopped at Exley Science Center, Olin Library, South College, and North College to trick-or-treat, sing songs, and show off their Halloween costumes. Many trick-or-treaters are the children of Wesleyan faculty and staff. Wesleyan President Michael Roth and staff from University Communications offered candy to the children during the campus parade. Photos of the NPS parade are below: (Photos by Olivia Drake) (more…)

Kottos Awarded $2.8M DARPA Grant for High-Level Photonic Research

Wesleyan in the News

Bergstein ’88, Frosh ’68, Lesser ’10, Martin ’99, Rose ’08 Enjoy Election Success

Freeman Scholarship Supports up to 11 Exceptional East Asian Students Annually

Khamis Presents Paper at 2 Meetings

Stein ’08 Wins 2018 Marine Corps Marathon

Haddad in The Conversation: Americans Elected Mayors Who Care About Climate Change

PhD Candidate DeAngelis Speaks on Development of Fruit Fly Retinas

Students Share Global Experiences through Photography

Poulos Authors Papers on Managing Ecological Fire Risks, Recovery Strategies

Szegedy-Maszak Receives Onassis Fellowship to Teach Greek History to Incarcerated Students

Neighborhood Preschoolers Trick-or-Treat on Campus