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A Guide to Arts and Sciences' News, Events and People | February 2011 |
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Contents Geographers Research the Arctic Practice, Practice, Practice! Dean's Seminars: Nowhere to Hide Lotto Winners Give Back Cure the Winter Blues Now Playing: Microwaves Bridging the Past From Virtual to Real World Free Hearing Services Alumni Award Nominations In Memoriam Kudos
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Geography Students Bring Arctic Adventure Back to the Lab 
From fieldwork in Alaska to lab work in Foggy Bottom, Assistant Professor of Geography Nikolay Shiklomanov is keeping his students engaged in the long-term effects of climate change on the active and near-surface permafrost layers of the Arctic Circle. Through a five-year, $1.7 million grant from the National Science Foundation, post-doctoral scientist Dmitriy Steletskiy and three geography students-master's candidate Ellen Hatleberg and undergraduates Kelsey Nyland
and Elliot Upin-traveled to Alaska in August to conduct field research for the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring (CALM) project. The students are now back on campus, busy analyzing their measurements and preparing for a presentation in April. Read more.
Practice, Practice, Practice! Advice from an Artist and Department Chair 
Dean Kessmann approaches his profession and work as an artist with relentless dedication. His day as chair of the Department of Fine Arts and Art History and father of three stretches well into the evening hours, often working at his kitchen table as his daughter creates her own artistic pieces. We talked to him recently about how he bridges the disciplines of art with art history and about his ambition to make the department one of the premier programs in the country. Read more.
Nowhere to Hide: Students Expected to Drive Discussion in Dean's Seminar 
For freshman looking for a break from the anonymity of large lectures, History Professor Eric Arnesen has some advice for you: Pull up a chair and dive into the discussion. In his Dean's Seminar "Race, Employment, and Public Policy," twelve freshman students surround a long table engaged in an active debate over historical events and their implications on the future. There's no lecture, but rather a student-driven discussion of articles, interpretations, and implications related to the events that led up to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and employment equality. "The students have to do the heavy lifting," said Arnesen. "We talk about what they're interested in and I expect everyone to participate." Read more. Lotto Winner and Columbian College Alumnus Gives Back 
Last May, Gilbert Cisnero, BA '94, and his wife, Jacki, beat incredible odds by winning $266 million in the Mega Millions lottery. Now, they're giving back with a $1 million gift to establish a scholarship endowment to support qualified Columbian College students, and an additional $100,000 to GW's Yellow Ribbon Program."[Gilbert] and his wife, Jacki, have translated their good fortune into a gift that will help generations of students to achieve their academic dreams," said Columbian College Dean Peg Barratt. "On behalf of our students who will benefit, I applaud their thoughtful philanthropy." Read more. Cure the Winter Blues: Plan Your Summer Abroad 
For students experiencing mid-winter cabin fever, turn your thoughts toward the summer season and start planning your summer abroad adventure. Do you have a penchant for the creative? Journey to Quebec for a writing conference or dive into the Paris art scene. Are you more left-brained? Head to China for a survey of international economics or join an expedition of politics, culture, and religion in Israel. There are lots of ways to satisfy your wanderlust and immerse yourself in faraway cultures while gaining college credit. Read more.
Now Playing: Chemistry Professor Talks Microwaves 
Do you really know how a microwave pops your popcorn? Many of us chock it up to the magic of technology, but in a recent video podcast for the award-winning, high school magazine ChemMatters, Professor of Chemistry Martín G. Zysmilich demystified the physical and chemical processes that take place to produce the puffy snack. View the video and watch Professor Zysmilich explain just how microwaves work and use electromagnetic radiation to cook food.
Bridging the Past: Professor Explores Ancient Incense Route 
Andrew Smith, assistant professor of classics and history, has spent more than 15 years excavating and surveying parts of Wadi Araba in southern Jordan. In recent years, he has focused his energies on the archaeological site at Bir Madhkur, once a major Roman caravan location along the ancient incense route that stretched from modern-day Oman to the Mediterranean Sea. Smith was recently interviewed by Alex Boodrookas of the Jordan Newsletter Information Bureau for an article appearing in Jordan's Embassy Newsletter (see page 6). The article describes his efforts to bridge the past with the future. Read more.
From Virtual to Real World 
In the award-winning film The King's Speech, Colin Firth, as the future King George VI, painfully stutters and stumbles on almost every word. The movie has sparked renewed interest on stuttering and how debilitating the condition can be. Associate Professor of Speech and Hearing Science Shelley Brundage-a specialist in fluency disorder-has made it her life's work to help people manage their speech impediments. She and her research team are developing virtual reality environments for people who stutter. Read more.
Speech and Hearing Center Offers Free Services to GW Community 
On March 11, the Speech and Hearing Center will offer free services-including consultations in voice skills, fluency, articulation, hearing aid candidacy, aural rehabilitation, and cognitive-linguistic disorders-to GW students, faculty, staff, and family members. The center, which is part of Columbian College's Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, is also providing free screenings in pediatric speech and language and early literacy skills. To take advantage of the free services on March 11, and the 50% discount offered to GW employees and students year round, please call 202-994-7360. For more information, visit
www.gwu.edu/~sphr/center. Read more.
Nominate Fellow Graduates for 2011 GWAA Alumni Achievement Awards GW's Alumni Association Awards Committee is accepting open nominations of individuals who merit consideration for the Distinguished and Recent Alumni Achievement Awards. If you would like to nominate someone for either of these awards, click here for more information. Nominations are due on or before Friday April 1, 2011. In Memoriam: Eva Jospe We note with regret the passing of Eva Jospe, who taught in the Department of Religion from the 1970s through the 1990s. She died on January 3 in Jerusalem at the age of 97. A most effective and beloved teacher with a warm, caring approach to her students as well as a most esteemed colleague, Jospe was renowned for her work as an editor and translator of the works of Martin Buber, Franz Rosenzweig, and Hermann Cohen. Kudos NPR interviewed Ramsey Andrawis, BA '12, about the uprisings in Egypt. Professor of Anthropology and International Affairs Alison Brooks appeared on NPR's Morning Edition to discuss primitive tools found in the United Arab Emirants. Chinese Professors Jonathan Chaves and Dong Hongyuan appeared on All Things Considered and discussed current student interest in the Chinese language. Chair of Dept of Classical & Near Eastern Lang & Civilizations and Associate Professor of Classics Eric Cline co-authored the children's book Digging for Troy. Professor of Public Policy and Public Administration Susan Dudley was cited in The Economist article "Regulation and the Obama Administration". Director of Graduate Studies for Sociology Ivy Ken authored the book Digesting Race, Class, and Gender: Sugar as a Metaphor. Director of the Arabic Program Mohssen Esseesy's training of teachers selected for the participation in the State Department-sponsored Critical Languages Program was praised by the American Councils for International Education. SMPA student and WRGW radio host Andrew Feldman's interview with Arizona Senator Linda Gray received national attention. Elissa Froman, BA '06, wrote a letter to the editor in The Washington Post, "Tucson rampage: An act of cowardice fomented by harsh rhetoric". Anthropology graduate student Amanda Henry'swork on Neandertal teeth was featured in Science magazine. Distinguished Research Professor Peter Hotez's work was mentioned in "Apoyan a Yucatán a encontrar vacuna contra Chagas y Leishmaniasis Mérida". Richard Kagan, BA '73, wrote the sports article "Lavin Keeps Mentor at his Side at St. John's" which appeared in AM/New York and an article "High School Swimmer Overcomes Cancer with Courage," which appeared in Education Update. Marc Lynch, associate professor of political science and international affairs and media and public affairs, commented in the Politico blog about the Obama administration grappling with Egypt unrest. Derek Malone-France, interim director of writing in the disciplines, moderated the debate between former Governor and presidential candidate Howard Dean and former Speaker of the House of Representatives Newt Gingrich in Lisner on Feb. 1. Professor of Political Communication Jarol Manheim authored the book Strategy in Information and Influence Campaigns. Doctoral candidate in pharmacology and physiology Pravin Mishra won a $1000 travel award at the NIH-GPP Research Symposium. Creative Writing Professor Lisa Page discussed the book, The Imperfectionists, on the Diane Rehm Show. The Washington Post wrote an article about Dolen Perkins-Valdez, PhD '03, and her novel Wench. Carl Ring, BA '66, authored the book Pals: Three Guys from Another Time and Place. Erika Rydberg, MA '11, was recently published in the National Public Radio blog, All Tech Considered. Director of the School of Media and Public Affairs Frank Sesno appeared on CNN's Reliable Sources. David Shambaugh, professor of political science and international affairs, was interviewed on PBS Newshour. CNBC interviewed Clay Siegall, PhD '88, president of Seattle Genetics, about his work in the area of genetics research. "Near a Small Island, a Gigantic Naval Clash," written by Professor of History and International Affairs Ronald Spector, appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Fulbright Scholar and Sociology Professor Steven Tuch gave a lecture on January 25 to Krakow students at the Tischner European University.
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