Campus News & Events

J. Kēhaulani Kauanui, chair and professor of American studies, professor of anthropology, and director of the Center for the Americas, delivered one of two keynotes at a conference on “Archipelagos and Aquapelagos—Conceptualizing Islands and Marine Spaces.” The gathering, hosted by the Global South Center at The Pratt Institute on March 30—April 1, focused on the need to reinvestigate and reconceptualize the nature of the aggregations of islands commonly referred to as "archipelagos" in order to produce more sophisticated understandings of them, along with the environmental, social, and transnational issues and impacts involved. As the organizers of the conference, May Joseph, Luka…

Chemistry and environmental studies major Kate Sundberg ’20, one of 20 students nationwide who are part of the Friends Committee on National Legislation Advocacy Corps, attended the Spring Lobby Weekend on March 17–20 advocating for immigration policy with Congress. The Advocacy Corps is a yearlong program where young adults between the ages of 19–30 organize their local communities around federal legislation. As an organizer, Sundberg connects local activists and leaders with Congress to affect meaningful, bipartisan climate action. (more…)

Wesleyan has received a $1 million, four-year grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to support operations at the Center for Prison Education (CPE). The grant will allow CPE to expand its advanced course offerings, recruit new faculty, and bolster its partnership with Middlesex Community College (MxCC) and the Connecticut Department of Corrections. Since 2009, CPE has offered accredited Wesleyan courses to students at the Cheshire Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison for men. In 2013, the program expanded to offer the same coursework to students at York Correctional Institution for women. Courses range from English to biology to philosophy,…

The scent of ancient perfumes evaporated eons ago, but scientists are able to reconstruct their ingredients by analysis of the residues left on their containers. Up until now, however, such studies have largely been isolated in the scientific literature, disconnected from the textual and archaeological data that place these perfumes back into the hands of their ancient users. Kate Birney, assistant professor of classical studies, archaeology, and art history, is hoping to change that as co-architect of the OpenARCHEM project, which seeks to assemble the largest set of organic residue samples ever collected from archaeological artifacts around the Mediterranean. Built…

On March 28, the Archaeology Program and the Department of Classical Studies invited Ian Roy of Brandeis University to Wesleyan to discuss ways new technologies are used to study the past. Roy is the founding head of Brandeis MakerLab and director for research technology and innovation at Brandeis University's library. Roy first visited the Archaeometry: How to Science the Heck out of Archaeology class taught by Andrew Koh, visiting assistant professor of archaeology. There, he demonstrated how to scan objects in 3-D using an Artec Space Spyder, a tool that uses structured light to capture incredibly high-resolution scans of objects. The class produced multiple models of artifacts, including a…

In this recurring feature in The Wesleyan Connection, we highlight some of the latest news stories about Wesleyan and our alumni. Recent Wesleyan News Hartford Courant: "Extraordinary Life: He Had an Outsized Influence on Wesleyan, and Math" This article celebrates the life and accomplishments of Bob Rosenbaum, who has been called "the most influential and constructive faculty member at Wesleyan in the second half of the 20th century." In addition to teaching mathematics, he served as dean of students, provost, vice-president of academic affairs, and acting president. 2. WNPR's Where We Live: "Election Security, Prison Education, and an Explanation for 'Hyped' Winter Storms" Kristen Inglis, Wesleyan…

Brendan McGlone '18, who's on track to graduate in May with a triple major in classics, medieval studies and the College of Letters, will continue his post-Wesleyan education in Rome as a Paideia Institute for Humanistic Study Fellow. The Paideia Institute is a nonprofit educational organization dedicated to promoting the study and appreciation of the classical humanities, with a focus on Latin and Ancient Greek languages and literature. Paideia Fellows are selected on the basis of academic merit, personality, and potential as a future teacher of classics. Fellows teach American high school students Latin, and lead them on classics-themed tours around…

In the Language of My Captor, a much-lauded book of poetry by Shane McCrae published by Wesleyan University Press, is the recipient of the 83rd Annual Anisfield-Wolf Book Award in the category of poetry. This is the only national juried prize for literature that confronts racism and explores diversity. According to the Cleveland Foundation, which presents the award, McCrae "interrogates history and perspective" with In the Language of My Captor, "including the connections between racism and love." "He uses historic persona poems and prose memoir to address the illusory freedom between both black and white Americans," according to the foundation's press release. "These…

On March 27, Professor Ethan Kleinberg, director of the Center for the Humanities, presented a lecture to the École Doctorale on "The Specters of the Past," as a distinguished visiting professor at University of Bordeaux Montaigne in Pessac, France. Kleinberg also is professor of history, professor of letters, and editor-in-chief of History and Theory. He is an expert on the intellectual history of Europe in the 20th century, the history of philosophy, as well as the philosophy and theory of history. Kleinberg's lecture focused on the theme of his latest book, Haunting History: for a deconstructive approach to the past…

Zhaoyu Sun '20 received an award for his essay in the Eighth Annual Consulate General of Japan in Boston Japanese Language Contest. Sun took the second place win in the College Intermediate Division. Sun, who is from Beijing, China, is majoring in East Asian studies and government. His essay focused on the ideal U.S.-Japanese relationship. "I discussed how military cooperation, establishing a strong relationship with other countries in East Asia, and establishing equality between the two nations will build a strong U.S.-Japanese relationship and subsequently benefit the world," he explained. The essay contest is open to students who are currently enrolled…

Graduate student Suhail Yusuf Khan recently performed at two international music festivals with his group Yorkston / Thorne / Khan. The band comprises James Yorkston, a folk singer and guitarist; Jon Thorne, a jazz bassist; and eighth-generation musician Khan, a sarangi violinist and a vocalist of Indian classical music. The sarangi is a short-necked bowed string instrument from northern India, regarded as sounding similar to the human voice. On March 19, Yorkston / Thorne / Khan performed at the International Sacred Art Festival in Madrid, Spain. The festival included 39 concerts held over five weeks. And on March 23, Yorkston / Thorne / Khan dazzled…

Faculty, graduate students, and alumni attended the 49th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference March 19–23 in The Woodlands, Texas. Three graduate students were awarded funds from the NASA Connecticut Space Grant that allowed them to travel to this meeting. Earth and environmental sciences graduate student Reid Perkins presented a research poster titled "Where Are the Missing Tessera Craters on Venus?" Perkins's advisor is Martha Gilmore, the George I. Seney Professor of Geology, professor of earth and environmental sciences. Earth and environmental sciences graduate student Melissa Luna presented a poster titled "Multivariate Spectral Analysis of CRISM Data to Characterize the Composition of Mawrth…

Kauanui Delivers Keynote Focused on U.S. Militarism and Hawaiian Decolonization

Sundberg ’20 Lobbies for Immigration Policy as National Legislation Advocacy Corps Organizer

Wesleyan Center for Prison Education Awarded $1M Mellon Grant

Birney Receives Mellon Fellowship to Pursue Role of Scents in Antiquity

Students Learn about New Technologies Being Used to Study the Past

Wesleyan in the News

McGlone ’18 to Study, Teach Latin in Rome with Paideia Fellowship

Wes Press Poet Wins Anisfield-Wolf Book Award

Kleinberg Lectures in France, Elected to Historiography Commission

Sun ’20 Wins Japanese Language Contest Prize for Essay

Graduate Student Khan Performs at 2 International Music Festivals

Alumni, Faculty, Graduate Students Make Presentations at Planetary Science Conference