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Empire on Blood, a new seven-part serialized podcast from Panoply, is produced by Mia Lobel ’97. The series investigates a 1992 double homicide in the Bronx, exploring the judicial process that led to a conviction. That conviction has now been overturned after Calvin Buari spent more than two decades in prison for these murders, which he did not commit. The show, says Lobel, is the result of veteran journalist Steve Fishman’s six-year quest to determine the facts of the case. “Steve brought us this incredibly complicated story he’d been working on,” recalls Lobel. “He had courtroom papers and 80 hours of…

On April 6–7, the Fries Center for Global Studies hosted "The Power of Language" symposium showcasing original performances and student/faculty presentations on the intersections of language, culture, and identity. At the event, more than 20 panelists spoke on the topics of Shaping Identity Through Language, Moving Across Language, Power Dynamics of Multilingualism, Life in Translation, Ways of Teaching Language, Language and Politics, and Building Community Ties Through Language Learning. Several panelists were Wesleyan faculty and students. (more…)

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On April 12, Wesleyan launched a new bikeshare pilot program for the campus community. Spin, Wesleyan's partnering company, has placed 100 orange dockless bikes at multiple locations throughout campus. Anyone with a wesleyan.edu email can borrow a bike for 50 cents for 30 minutes or receive unlimited rides for $14 per month. All new users get two hours of free riding. Anyone without a wesleyan.edu email address can rent a bike for $1 for 30 minutes or $29 per month. To get started, riders can download the app by searching “Spin Bikes” in the app store and signing up with an @wesleyan.edu email.…

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Seventy students from six universities participated in the annual DataFest April 6-8 at Wesleyan. Under the auspices of the American Statistical Association, the event is organized by Wesleyan's Quantitative Analysis Center. During the event, teams from Wesleyan, Trinity College, Connecticut College, the University of Connecticut, Yale University, and Bentley University were presented with a large, complex data set and worked over the weekend—and around the clock—to explore, analyze, and present their findings to a panel of judges. Judges included Agbon Edomwonyi '16, data scientist for the City of Newark, N.J.; Rich Anziano, global head of statistics for Pfizer; Melissa Mischell '17,…

Melanie Khamis, assistant professor of economics and of Latin American studies, was named a fellow of the Women and Public Policy Program (WAPPP) at Harvard Kennedy School for the 2018–2019 academic year. In this fellowship, she hopes to continue and expand her research on “Gender in the Labor Market,” with a particular focus on the gender wage gap and occupational choices of women. “I am excited to have this opportunity to join and work with a community of leading researchers in this field,” said Khamis. According to its website, WAPPP is dedicated to closing "gender gaps in economic opportunity, political participation,…

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On April 3, the Center for Jewish Studies honored Talia Cohen '19 with the Best Student Paper in Jewish Studies award. Cohen’s paper, which she wrote for her Romantic Poetry class during the fall semester, examines a work by Jewish composer Isaac Nathan as a powerful response to anti-Semitism. Specifically, she considers his decision to set Byron's “She Walks in Beauty” to a Sephardic Portuguese tune for Solomon ha-Levi Alkabez’s 16th-century mystical Sabbath poem, “Lecha Dodi.” According to the abstract, "While Hebrew Melodies (1815), the songbook to which the musicalized version of Lord Byron’s 'She Walks in Beauty' belongs, was widely…

Nationally known leaders and distinguished Wesleyan alumni and faculty presented short, powerful talks during the inaugural TEDxWesleyanU event April 7 in the Ring Family Performing Arts Hall. Launched in 2009, TEDx is a program of locally organized events that bring the community together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TED Talks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection. Some of the best talks from TEDx events have gone on to be featured on TED.com and garnered millions of views from audiences across the globe. Speakers included Maria Santana ’98, a correspondent for CNN…

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…

Lobel ’97 Produces Empire on Blood Podcast

Language Symposium Topics Intersect Language, Culture, Identity

Art Studio Majors Exhibit Senior Theses in Zilkha Gallery

Wesleyan Introduces Spin Bikeshare Program

Finn Addresses “Alt-Constitution” at the 27th Annual Hugo Black Lecture

PhD Candidate Case Speaks on DNA Repair

Wesleyan Team Wins Prize for “Best User Insight” at DataFest

Khamis Named a Harvard Kennedy School WAPPP Fellow

Alumnae, Faculty Address Visibility, Belonging at Inclusive Equity Conference

Paper by Cohen ’19 Honored by Center for Jewish Studies

Students Organize TEDxWesleyanU, Host Distinguished Speakers

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