Posted 08/07/ 07 Last year, Suzanne O’Connell, associate professor of earth and environmental sciences, attended a meeting with scientists from around the world. Out of the 40 participants, she was the only female. “This was 2006, not 1973, and with an organization that had had a pretty good track record for involving women,” she recalls. “It’s amazing to me that I was the only woman.” It is this type of disparity that inspired O’Connell, pictured at left, to undertake an initiative designed to retain more women in the geosciences. With support from a recent National Science Foundation award, O’Connell co-created…

Posted 07/11/ 07 All-American track and cross country runner Ellen Davis graduated in May, but more honors just caught up to her. Davis, pictured in the lead at right, was honored by the College Sports Information Directors Association of America (CoSIDA) in June as she was named a CoSIDA/ESPN the Magazine third-team Academic All-American after gaining first-team District I laurels in cross-country/track. The 10 first-team picks from each of the eight districts (80 total athletes voted upon by all the Sports Information Directors (SIDs) in their respective district) appeared on the national ballot with three squads of 15 named Academic…

Marcello Simonetta, assistant professor of medieval studies, romance languages and literatures, is the curator of a recent exhibit “Federico da Montefeltro and His Library,” in New York through September. Pictured in Simonetta's hand, and below, are portraits of the Italian Duke da Montefeltro. Posted 07/11/ 07 In 1475, the fully-armored Italian Duke of Urbino posed for a self-portrait in the ductal library with his son at his side. This famous oil painting, pictured at right, containing a 500-year-old mystery, is the centerpiece of a current exhibit, curated by Marcello Simonetta, assistant professor of medieval studies, romance languages and literatures. Titled,…

At left, cross country runners Owen Kiely '06 and Ellen Davis '07 were named NESCAC All-Academics. Kiley and Davis are among 64 athletes to receive the honor. Posted 07/06/07 Sixty-four Wesleyan student-athletes from 28 sports were named 2005-06 New England Small College All-Academic (NESCAC) honorees. To become an All-Academic, student-athletes must have met qualifying criteria, including holding at least junior status academically with one year's residence on campus; being a starter or significant reserve on a varsity team; and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.35 or higher. Founded in 1971, the NESCAC is a group of 11 highly selective liberal…

Ellen Thomas, research professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,  gathered evidence that Long Island Sound has been impacted by human activities. Posted 07/11/ 07 A Wesleyan researcher has discovered that nitrogen pollution may have altered the food chain in Long Island Sound. This can threaten habitats that support large commercial and recreational fisheries. Ellen Thomas, research professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has, together with Wesleyan undergraduate students, gathered evidence that Long Island Sound has been impacted by human activities, including effluents from wastewater treatment plants, waste disposal and urban and agricultural runoff. These…

Seven students, including Zoe Holder '08 (top, center) and Consuelo Gonzales ’08 (center), traveled to Chuso, Peru this summer to volunteer at a local elementary school. Posted 07/11/ 07 Zoe Holder ’08 returned from a Peruvian trip this summer with knowledge of a new culture, and well-callused hands from jabbing rocky ground with a pick-ax.She and six other Wesleyan students volunteered to go to Chuso, Peru June 1-17 to help the small village with a community identified need. They are members of Wesleyan Without Borders, a group dedicated to doing volunteer work in developing countries, and keeping the Wesleyan community…

Posted 07/11/ 07 Chris Summers, textbook coordinator at Broad Street Books, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 6. He was a resident of Middletown. Chris joined the team at Broad Street Books in January 2006. He was an enormous asset to our store. He was extremely diligent and detail-oriented, and he thrived on the ability to help both students and faculty with their needs. For his co-workers at the store, this is a tremendous blow personally. Everyone who interacted with Chris was aware of his quick wit, intelligence and humanity. Chris is survived by his mother, Helen Morris Summers, three…

Andrea Roberts, visiting instructor of chemistry, has introduced "green" techniques into her organic chemistry laboratory sections. Students use fewer chemicals, producing less waste. Posted 06/20/07 At first glance, Wesleyan’s Organic Chemistry Laboratory doesn’t appear much different to the naked eye. But a closer look shows that virtually everything in the lab has changed. “We’re going green,” says Andrea Roberts, visiting instructor of chemistry and Ph.D candidate. “We’re promoting sustainability and teaching the leaders of tomorrow better ways to do chemistry.” Roberts started teaching the organic chemistry lab in Spring 2004, using a routine syllabus. The class had nine weeks of…

Posted 06/20/07 Magdalena Teter, assistant professor of history, will study religious groups of premodern Poland as a Radcliffe Institute Fellow in 2007-08. Teter was one of 32 women and 19 men selected by the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Teter will work individually and across disciplines on projects chosen for both quality and long-term impact. Her project is titled “An Anatomy of Religious Violence: Jews and Christians in Premodern Poland.” She will research the close social interaction between Jews and Christians; the role of lay and religious instigators in exploiting religious sentiments; position of the accused Jews…

Bob Shaeffner of Payette Architects explains a proposal for Wesleyan's new Molecular and Life Sciences building during an open house and design review June 12. At left, Ben Winslow, a biology Ph.D candidate, listens to Robert Schmidt, project manager, explain a proposed design plan for the Molecular and Life Sciences building.   Posted 06/20/07 Physical Plant-Facilities held an open house and design review for Wesleyan's new Molecular and Life Sciences building June 12. The open house allowed Wesleyan staff and faculty, and members of the local community to comment on the proposed plans. The goal of the building is to…

The Eclectic Society house, located at 200 High Street, is 100 years old this year. Posted 06/04/07 “Our reputation was one of respect from most everyone,” recalls Bill Moody ’59, P ’91.” We did not come across as rich or preppy or jock-filled or hyper-social or racist or nerdy. We did not dominate a given group or project or sport.” Moody, author of the recently-published book, A History of the Eclectic Society of Phi Nu Theta, 1837-1970, shared memories with current and past Eclectic members during the 100th anniversary celebration of the completion of the Eclectic Society House May 26.…

David Wagner, associate professor of ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Connecticut, talks to Wesleyan faculty and Wesleyan Hughes and Mellon Fellows about the 2007 BioBlitz, to be held in Middletown June 8-9. Posted 06/04/07 BioBlitz 2007 is coming to Middletown and Wesleyan faculty and students are playing key roles. For those unaware, BioBlitz is a 24-hour environmental diversity survey that was originated in the state by the University of Connecticut and several partners. During BioBlitz, scientific specialists are partnered up with grade school students and others for field surveys and other activities. The idea is to get…