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A Guide to Arts and Sciences' News, Events and People | March 2011 |
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Contents Sparking Spanish Mastery Notes From a Music Man New MA Examines Legal Institutions and Theory Scaling-Up the Student Experience Dance Faculty Take a Turn as Cultural Ambassadors Bringing Literature to Life Autism's Testosterone Question Psychology Clinics Offer Critical Services A Gift of Historic Significance Anthropologists Question Claims for Human Ancestry Irene Foster Named 2010 Student Athlete Professor A Columbian Fashion Statement Alumni Association Accepting Board Nominations In Memoriam: Lavine and Isom Kudos
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Summer Institute to Spark Spanish Mastery
¿Habla español? After eight weeks in the Intensive Spanish Summer Institute-one of Columbian College's seven Summer Institutes-you certainly will. This intensive language program combines rigorous in-classroom coursework with field trips, film viewings, experiential cultural activities, and one mandatory rule: Students must pledge to speak only Spanish. The classes pack nine credits in just eight weeks, ideal for anyone who wants to improve their Spanish and get a jumpstart on their language requirements. "Our classes are small, so students who take them can expect lots of practice, individual attention, and targeting of specific problems and needs," said Beatriz Cobeta, co-director of the institute. "By the end, we expect our students to communicate in Spanish and become more knowledgeable of the Spanish and Latin cultures." Read more. Notes from a Music Man: A Conversation with Dean Roy Guenther 
What's the first piece of advice given by a multi-faceted musician, professor, dean, and die-hard college basketball fan? Be well-rounded, of course! Executive Associate Dean of Columbian College Roy Guenther has worn many hats since coming to Columbian College in 1974-including music professor, department chair, trombonist, and author-but his jack-of-all-trades abilities and downright genial demeanor serve him well as Dean Peg Barratt's right-hand man and the College's go-to guy. This month, he took a break from his busy day to talk about his musical and scholarly passions. Read more.
New MA Examines Legal Institutions and Theory 
How does the Supreme Court deliberate? What is the rationale behind the mechanisms of the judicial process? Beginning fall 2010, Columbian College's top-ranked Political Science Department will delve into those questions and others through the new Master of Arts in Legal Institutions and Theory. The program will reach across multiple disciplines-including history, philosophy, and social policy-to examine the philosophical foundation of the law, the processes of judicial decision-making, the institutional structures of the U.S. court system, and the diversity of legal institutions throughout the world. "There are dozens of theories about how Supreme Court justices make their decisions," said Program Director Steven Kelts. "Our faculty-ranked #1 in the country by the Law and Courts section of the American Political Science Association-will help students study and comprehend that legal reasoning isn't all that holds sway in America's courts." Read more. Scaling-Up the Student Experience 
Bridging the gap between the classroom and the lab-in relation to both time and space-is a key component of the planned Science and Engineering Complex. Among the building's innovative features: a set of specialized classrooms that would offer the complete integration of lecture and lab elements, embracing a more engaging, hands-on teaching format."That's the whole new wave of pedagogy: that you don't have lectures where students sit and just listen to you," said Physics Professor Gerald Feldman. "They have to do stuff." Read more. Dance Faculty Take a Turn as Cultural Ambassadors 
On March 11, an ensemble led by Dana Tai Soon Burgess, MFA '94, chair of the Department of Theatre and Dance, will be traveling to the Mongolian capital, Ulaanbaatar, to choreograph, perform and teach American contemporary dance to the local population. Among those accompanying Burgess on the 10-day international excursion are faculty members Connie Lin Fink and Kelly Moss Southall and alumna Sarah Halzack, BA '06. The trip is being funded by the U.S. Embassy in Mongolia and the Department of State."Contemporary dance has the capacity to bring different cultures together in the shared language of movement," said Burgess. "The distance and impact of this program will resonate through the region on a multitude of levels." Read more. Bringing Literature to Life Jewish Literature Live, a unique course that brings prominent Jewish American authors to the classroom to study and interact with students, has snagged another award-winning writer: Pulitzer Prize finalist E.L. Doctorow, who will lead class discussion April 7. "I am thrilled by the prospect of such a visit and the opportunity to teach The Book of Daniel, one of my longtime, all-time favorites," said Professor of English Faye Moskowitz, MA '79, a prominent author in her own right. Established in 2009 through the generosity of English alumnus David Bruce Smith, BA '79, Jewish Literature Live is also hosing visits this year by literary critic Adam Kirsch and novelist Steve Stern, among others. "One of the beauties of the course is that each author's visit brings an entirely new experience to everyone involved," said Moskowitz. Read more. Autism's Testosterone Question 
Did you know that autism affects males at four times the rate of females? According to a new study led by Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Valerie Hu, a gene that is suppressed in some people with autism may explain evidence of high testosterone levels, and could shed light on the reasons why males are more affected by the developmental disorder. Some researchers have suggested there may be a link between autism and exposure of a fetus to elevated levels of testosterone, however according to Hu, "there's been no explanation for why or how fetal testosterone gets elevated." Read more.
Psychology Programs' Clinics Offer Critical Mental Health Services 
Tucked in Foggy Bottom's Old Main Building is one of the largest community mental health centers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area: the Center Clinic. Staffed by 50 doctoral students, two post-doctoral fellows, and faculty from the American Psychological Association-accredited Professional Psychology Program, the Center is providing critical and affordable mental health services to the community . . . and invaluable evidence-based training for the next generation of psychologists. Read more.
A Gift of Historic Significance 
Albert H. Small, a 2009 recipient of the Presidential Humanities Medal, is donating his unparalleled collection on the history of Washington, D.C., to GW. Small's Washingtoniana collection will be permanently displayed in the 156-year-old Woodhull House and a to-be-constructed adjacent museum on campus. The museum will include galleries and space for academic and scholarly activity. An additional $5 million gift from Small will support the renovation of the Woodhull House and construction of the new museum."We are privileged to provide stewardship for these important materials," said Columbian College Dean Peg Barratt. "Not only will our faculty and students involved in the study of history, geography, and American studies benefit, scholars from throughout the world will appreciate the significance of this historic collection." Read more. Biological Anthropologists Question Claims for Human Ancestry 
"Too simple" and "not so fast" suggest biological anthropologists from GW's Columbian College of Arts and Sciences and the New York University about the origins of human ancestry. In the February issue of the journal Nature, the anthropologists question the claims that several prominent fossil discoveries made in the last decade are our human ancestors. Instead, the authors offer a more nuanced explanation of the fossils' place in the Tree of Life. They conclude that instead of being our ancestors the fossils more likely belong to extinct distant cousins."Don't get me wrong, these are all important finds," said co-author Bernard Wood, University Professor of Human Origins and professor of Human Evolution Anatomy and director of its Center for the Advanced Study of Hominid Paleobiology. "But to simply assume that anything found in that time range has to be a human ancestor is naïve." Read more. Irene Foster Named 2010 Student Athlete Professor of the Year! 
Congratulations to Irene Foster, assistant professor of economics, who was named the 2010 Professor of the Year by GW's student-athletes! Foster received the award during the February 9th men's basketball game special halftime ceremony attended by GW President Steven Knapp and Provost Steven Lerman . Foster was selected among 25 professors nominated for the award, which recognizes those who have made a difference both in and out of the classroom.
A Columbian Fashion Statement 
Columbian College never looked so good! Swing by the GW Bookstore or visit www.gwu.bkstr.com for your very own Columbian College of Arts and Sciences T-shirt in the stunning GW navy. For a limited time, you can get 10% off, so get yours today!
Alumni Association Accepting Nominations for Board Positions The GW Alumni Association Nominations Committee is currently accepting nominations for vice president for financial affairs & treasurer, secretary, and several member-at-large positions. The deadline for submission is April 11. To submit a nomination or learn more about the open positions, the election process, and Alumni Association's board member responsibilities click here. In Memoriam: Lavine and Isom We note with regret the passing of Thelma Z. Lavine, the Elton Professor of Philosophy at Columbian College from the mid 1960s to 1985. Described as "an evangelist for philosophy" in a Washington Post profile, she specialized in 19th century German philosophy, the sociology of knowledge, and American philosophy. Legions of former students will remember the excitement Lavine brought to the classroom: always dramatic in manner and always patient and generous with her students. Lavine's best known work, "From Socrates to Sarte," began as a 30-part series of her lectures that were initially broadcast by Maryland Public Television and later shown on PBS stations across the country. Read the full tribute. We also note the passing of Columbian College alumnus James Isom, BA '75, who worked for the GW Police Department for the past 39 years. After graduating with a degree in political science and international relations, Isom served in the military police before arriving at GW in 1972 as a patrol officer. He rose in the ranks to become executive assistant chief of police, serving as second in command under Chief Kevin Hay. Isom attended GW thanks to a scholarship to play varsity football-he was one of the University's first black athletes. Read the full tribute. Kudos NEW BOOKS Professor of English Jonathan Gil Harris authored the book, Shakespeare and Literary Theory. Murray Lee, BA '51, penned In Search of Gold Mountain: A History of the Chinese in San Diego, California. Jarol Manheim, professor of media and public affairs, wrote Strategy in Information and Influence Campaigns. Assistant Professor of American Studies Suleiman Osman authored his first book, The Invention of Brownstone Brooklyn: Gentrification and the Search for Authenticity in Postwar New York. It was reviewed in the New York Times and the New York Post. Shapiro Professor of Media and Public Affairs Steven V. Roberts and his wife Cokie Roberts of NPR co-wrote Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families. Assistant Professor of Political Science and International Affairs Elizabeth Saunders authored Leaders at War: How Presidents Shape Military Interventions and guest-blogged about how the book relates to the Obama administration's handling of the Egypt crisis at the Monkey Cage, a blog run partly by GW political scientists. Irina Carlota Sibler, BA '91, penned Everyday Revolutionaries: Gender, Violence, and Disillusionment in Postwar El Salvador. Assistant Professor of Classics and of History Andrew Smith authored his first book Wadi Araba in Classical and Late Antiquity: An Historical Geography. ARTICLES Dan Demers, BA '70, wrote "Gertrude Atherton's Russians," published in Russian Life Magazine in January 2011 and "What Goes Up...", published in Naval History. "Blogs and Bullets: New Media in Contentious Politics," co-authored by Associate Professor of Political Science Henry Farrell and Associate Professor of Media and Public Affairs and International Affairs Sean Aday, was cited in the Inside Higher Ed article "The Revolution Will Not Be Tweeted." Professor of Statistics and Economics Joseph L. Gastwirth authored the article "Statistics can Help us Avoid Counterfeit Goods on the Internet, Study Shows" in Significance magazine. Professor of Media and Public Affairs and International Relations Steven Livingston, who did extensive field work in several African countries, wrote "Africa's Emerging Infosystems: A Pathway to Security and Development," published on AfricaCenter.org. Harris Mylonas, assistant professor of political science and international affairs, published an op-ed with graduate student, Wilder Bullard in the English newspaper The Guardian. Sociology Chair Gregory D. Squires, authored the article "Social Forces, More than Bad Actors, Led to Crisis," in American Banker and the article "Here's Why We Still Need to Finger Culprits in the Financial Crisis" on the CBS Business Network. Katherine Tiedemann, a graduate student in political science, coauthored "Assessing the Jihadist Terrorist Threat to America and American Interests," in the February issue of Studies in Conflict & Terrorism. AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS Kate Baasch, MA '09, received the 2010 Miriam Kitchen's Excellence Award for her work with the organization's art therapy program. Anthropology students Amy L. Bauernfeind, Katherine E. Schroer, and Andrew M. Zipkin received Cosmos Club Young Scholar Awards. At the 2011 annual meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, Jordan Brough, MFS '10, received the Academy's Emerging Forensic Scientist Award. Brough is now a document examiner trainee in the Washington laboratory of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Professor of English and Director of the Medieval and Early Modern Studies Institute Jeffrey Cohen was awarded the American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship for the 2011-12 academic year. He was selected among 1,160 scholars competing for the fellowship at the level of full professor. Associate Director of the Global Media Institute Heather Date, BA '98, won the Gracie Award in "Outstanding Producer in the News/Non-Fiction" for her work on The Kalb Report. American Academy of Forensic Sciences awarded the Paul L. Kirk Award to Professor of Forensic Sciences Harold Deadman. Kerric Harvey, associate professor of media and public affairs, was elected as a fellow of the United Kingdom's Royal Anthropological Institute for her work on the anthropology of the Internet. Director of the Language Center and Professor of Japanese and International Affairs Shoko Hamano and Professor of Japanese Wakana Kikuchi-Cavanaugh, won the MERLOT Award for Exemplary Online Learning Resources for their "Visualizing Japanese Grammar" learning materials. Journalism and Mass Communications major Haley Lesavoy won the Gracie Award in "Outstanding Investigative Program or Feature" for the story she did for GWTV's The Source. Academy for Classical Acting Student Monica Parks was offered the sole female role in the U.S. premiere of The Real McCoy, by Canadian playwright Andrew Moodie, at The Black Repertory Company of St. Louis debuting March 16. Tara Scully, a biological sciences doctoral student, was awarded a Cosmos grant for her proposed research on the role of serotonin in early embryo development. Chemistry Research Professor John (Jack) Tossell will receive the prestigious Geochemistry Division Medal of the American Chemical Society for his pioneering work in using the techniques of computational geochemistry to understand and predict the structure, chemical bonding and properties of a wide range of Earth materials.
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