Alumni – Page 24

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/…

Alumni—especially those whose class years ended in 3 or 8—joined the families of graduating seniors of Wesleyan's Class of 2018 for a campus-wide series of celebrations, WESeminars, thesis exhibitions, and festivities. Wesleyan's Class of 1968, celebrating their 50th Reunion, began with a dinner on Thursday to gather the group and kick off the weekend. Other highlights included academic open houses, the annual parade of classes, the All-Campus Party featuring DJs Ben Resnick ’13 and Clément Guerner ’13, and Commencement speaker Anita Hill. To see the Reunion photo gallery, click here. To see the Commencement gallery, click here. (more…)

Ready to step outside your comfort zone? We recently spoke to Jonah Sachs ’97, who explores what empowers some people to respond to change with creative breakthroughs while the rest of us spend our lives clinging to the safety of “the way it’s always been done,” in his new book, Unsafe Thinking: How to Be Nimble & Bold When You Need It Most (Da Capo Press, 2018). Filled with ideas and tips on everything from embracing risk and inspiring unsafe thinking in conservative business cultures to bouncing back from failure, as well as a mix of brainteasers, experiments, and puzzles,…

On May 9, a group of students, faculty, and Middletown friends joined Jumoke McDuffie-Thurmond ’19 and Chief Ayanda Clarke ’99 in a spiritual commemoration ceremony to honor a woman, Silva Storms, who died in 1820 and was buried in the cemetery on Vine Street, across from the Beman Triangle. Research indicates she had been born in Africa and was brought to Middletown as an enslaved person. The event was part of McDuffie-Thurmond's research project for Black Middletown Lives, the service-learning course taught by Jesse Nasta ’07, visiting assistant professor of African American studies. Nasta notes that McDuffie-Thurmond, who had been documenting…

Did you ever wonder how we arrived in a post-truth era, where "alternative facts" are substituted for actual facts and feelings are given more weight than evidence? In Post-Truth (MIT Press, 2018), Lee McIntyre '84—a research fellow at the Center for Philosophy and History of Science at Boston University and an instructor in ethics at Harvard Extension School—explores the long history of the phenomenon . . . and what's different this time around. Q: Many people think that post-truth is a new idea, borne of Brexit and the 2016 U.S. presidential election, but in your book, you explore the history behind the…

“This is the history of right here,” said Visiting Assistant Professor of African American Studies Jesse Nasta ’07, speaking of his work with Black Middletown Lives, his service-learning class. “We venture deep, but no farther than two blocks.” He and his class of 13 students are doing firsthand archival research on individual projects, documenting the lives of those African Americans who lived in the area now called “The Beman Triangle,” after the most prominent black property owner in that five-acre patch of land bordered on one side by Knowles Avenue to the corner where Neon Deli now stands at…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News Variety: "Entertainment Education Report: The Best Film Schools in 2018" Wesleyan is highlighted as one of the best schools to study film. An exceptional group of filmmakers, including Joss Whedon '87 and Michael Bay '86, have cited Jeanine Basinger, the Corwin-Fuller Professor of Film Studies, as a major influence on their understanding of film. 2. Hartford Courant: "New Bike Share at Wesleyan Offers Speedy Transport for Students" Sustainability Director Jennifer Kleindienst discusses Wesleyan's new partnership with San Francisco–based start-up Spin to…

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

Alumni Celebrate a Festive Reunion, Commencement 2018

New Book by Sachs ’97 Inspires Readers to Push Thought Boundaries

Formerly Enslaved Woman Honored at 1820 Gravesite

New Book by McIntyre ’84 Explores How We Arrived at a Post-Truth Era

Nasta ’07 Presents Beman Triangle Research at CAAS

Wesleyan in the News