Alumni – Page 23

(by Christine Foster) James Ricci PhD '14 was awarded a 2018-2019 Congressional Fellowship. The program is administered by the American Association for the Advancement of Science in conjunction with The American Mathematical Society. During this year-long fellowship, Ricci will be paired with either a member of Congress or a congressional committee. Fellows work as special legislative assistants learning about policy creation and contributing their own technical and academic expertise. “They are looking for people who are able to speak clearly and be advocates for STEM education,” says Ricci, who spoke by phone from a salmon fishing boat in Ketchikan, Alaska, where…

William Tyner ’13 was awarded a Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling Fellowship —one of only five of such grants awarded each year. The fellowship is made possible through a partnership between the U.S. Department of State and the National Geographic Society and is a component of the Fulbright U.S. Student Program. It provides opportunities for U.S. citizens to participate in an academic year of overseas travel and storytelling on a globally significant theme. Tyner, who majored in anthropology at Wesleyan and enjoyed courses in the College of Film and the Moving Image, will be working with Code for Romania. He’ll be creating a…

Artistic creations by four Wesleyan alumni are displayed as part of the National Portrait Gallery’s landmark exhibit, Michael Jackson on the Wall. The contemporary art exhibition, which closes on Oct. 21, explores the influence of pop-music icon Michael Jackson and spans several generations of artists across all media. The exhibition opened to coincide with what would have been Jackson’s 60th birthday, on Aug. 29, 2018. The exhibit occupies 14 rooms and includes the works of Glenn Ligon ’82, Jonathan Horowitz ’87, Michael Gittes '10, and Lyle Ashton Harris ’88. The Wesleyan alumni are among 48 artists who have their work displayed,…

In The Comeback: Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France (Atlantic Monthly Press, June 2018), journalist Daniel De Visé ’89 has written "a sprint through a big swatch of cycling history, focusing on racer Greg LeMond's triumphant return from disaster," according to Kirkus Review. In this Q&A below, he traces his path from a childhood love of the sport to Wesleyan, and through the journey of this book. Read an excerpt from his book online. Q: Tell us about your time at Wesleyan. What was your major? A: It was as much fun as I’ve…

Ellen Paik ’16, an analyst at Goldman Sachs, teamed up with three colleagues to pitch New Story, an organization working on developing low-cost housing solutions via 3D printing technology, to Goldman Sachs’ CEO and Partnership Committee as part of the Analyst Impact Fund, a global firmwide competition. The prize: a grant to the finalist teams’ selected nonprofits. The event was broadcasted live online on Yahoo Finance (see Paik's team come in around 38 minutes). Paik’s group placed second in the global finals and earned New Story $75,000 in support of the organization’s 3D printing initiative. The grant will go towards building…

Forty-three Wesleyan alumni, students, parents, and friends gathered in London on July 3 for a reception featuring artist Michael Gittes ’10. Gittes, an American studies major, discussed his work, which is being displayed as part of the National Portrait Gallery’s exhibit, Michael Jackson on the Wall. For the exhibit, Gittes created an experimental video. In addition, alumni Glenn Ligon ’82, Jonathan Horowitz ’87, and Lyle Ashton Harris ’88 also have works exhibited in the gallery. (more…)

In recognition of his exemplary research at Wesleyan, astronomy major Girish Duvvuri ’17 has been awarded a Chambliss medal from the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Duvvuri, who majored in astronomy, physics, and English, received the award during the 232nd AAS Meeting June 3–7 in Denver, Colo. There, he presented a study that formed much of his senior thesis at Wesleyan. Seth Redfield, associate professor and chair of astronomy, associate professor of integrative sciences, and co-coordinator of planetary science, served as Duvvuri's advisor. To be eligible for an award, work featured on a poster must have been done within the past year and while the presenter was an…

Melissa Leung '16 is 1 of 75 Americans selected to participate in the 2018–2019 Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX) for Young Professionals, a yearlong fellowship for study and work in Germany. CBYX for Young Professionals provides opportunities for youth to collaborate, interact with new people and new ideas, and, ultimately, to become better global citizens and better leaders. The program annually provides scholarships to 350 Americans and also brings 360 Germans to the United States. While in Germany, Leung will attend a two-month intensive German language course, study at a German university or professional school for four months, and complete a…

Amy Meyerson '04 teaches in the writing department at the University of Southern California, where she completed her graduate work in creative writing. While she has been published in numerous literary magazines, The Bookshop of Yesterdays is her first novel. The book has received coverage in both the Washington Post and Philadelphia Inquirer. (more…)

On May 26, a Wesleyan Argus 150th Anniversary Celebration was held at Russell House during Reunion & Commencement Weekend. Current students and alumni, who contributed to the Argus from the 1970s through the present day, shared memories, caught up with old friends, and discussed the state of journalism today. (Photos by Tom Dzimian and Olivia Drake.) (more…)

In this Q&A, Margot Guralnick '83, coauthor of Remodelista: The Organized Home, speaks about her new book. The website, The Organized Home, features daily tips and ideas on discovering the art of order. Q: The current organizing philosophies are all about order over beauty. You believe order doesn’t have to be artless. Tell us about how you developed your philosophy. A: This idea is part of the core philosophy at Remodelista. We’re a 10-year-old website that Julie Carlson, my coauthor, founded to demystify the home design process and celebrate pared-back living. So we, of course, took an interest in Marie Kondo and the…

MGMT, a musical group formed in 2002 by Andrew VanWyngarden ’05 and Ben Goldwasser '05, is back on the scene with their fourth album Little Dark Age, released in 2018. This recent release is their first in half a decade and it represents a fresh, but familiar, musical direction. Unlike their last two albums, which veered towards the eccentric, Little Dark Age exhibits a clear pop influence and psychedelic retro synths with haunting, serious, and dark undertones. In their eponymous song, "Little Dark Age," for instance, they hint at a quotidian melancholy in the first verse: “The ruins of the day/ Painted with a scar/…

Ricci PhD ’14 Awarded Congressional Fellowship

Tyner ’13 Named Fulbright National Geographic Storytelling Fellow

Art by 4 Alumni Featured in Popular Michael Jackson Exhibit

De Visé ’89 on the Tour de France, Greg LeMond, and Heroes (Addendum 10/02/2019)

Paik ’16 Wins Goldman Sachs Funds for 3D-Printed Housing Nonprofit

Alumni Gather in London for Artists Reception, Honoring Gittes ’10

Duvvuri ’17 Awarded Chambliss Award for Astronomy Research

Leung ’16 Awarded Prestigious Congress-Bundestag Fellowship

Debut Novel from Meyerson ’04 Is a Book-Lover’s Delight

Alumni, Students Celebrate 150 Years of Argus

Guralnick ’83 Explores the Art of Order in Remodelista: The Organized Home

MGMT’s Goldwasser ’05, VanWyngarden ’05 Release 4th Album