VOL. 15,
#, N
NOO.. #,
3, F
DEBRUARY
ATE YEAR
2003
MESSAGE FROM THE DEAN
As we begin a new semester, it is only fitting to turn the spotlight on some
individuals in the college whose vibrancy is felt throughout the campus,
transforming it from a quiet institution into a humming center of energy at the
start of each term: our students.
The annual CAS Research Conference, which will be held this year on Saturday,
April 5, and is also featured in this issue, is the ideal opportunity for students to
present to their professors and colleagues the culmination of their efforts
during the year (or, in some cases, years).
We are extremely proud that 2003 marks the 13th anniversary of the conference,
and we know it will be a rousing success For more information on how to be a
part of CAS’ most prominent event of the year, please see page 2. There are
still many opportunities for students to submit work or volunteer to help out
and for faculty to serve on panels.
continued on page 2
photo by Matthew Lantry
Spotlight on Student Research
CAS students exhibit
their work in the
Battelle-Tompkins
Atrium during the
12th Annual Student
Research Conference.
A large turnout is also
expected for this year’s
conference on
Saturday, April 5.
See story on page 2,
and read about some of
CAS’ most recent
student research
accomplishments
starting on page 3.
In This Issue...
•• here
is whereResearch
we put bulleted
blurbsSix
of top
Student
Stars.
stories and pg #s where story is
exceptional students in CAS graduate and undergraduate programs are
highlighted for their latest achievements in their fields. See page 3.
• The 13th Annual Student
Research Conference is Fast
Approaching. For details on its
history, latest developments, and how
you can take part, see page 2.
• Alumni Participation Grows
with New Chapter Officers and
Arts Initiatives. Increased alumni
involvement means a better CAS.
Page 8.
• Don’t Miss the Career Center’s
Upcoming Events and Deadlines
for Internships and Scholarships.
Page 9.
Plus, Connections’
Regular
Features...
Sections:
1 Dean’s Message
1-2
Dean’s Message
2 Student Spotlight
3,7
Featured This Issue
3
4-6
Department News
4 Department News
8# What’sAlumni
New inUpdate
CAS
911 EventsCareer
Corner
Listing
9-12
Events Listing
CAS Connections
Dean’s Message, Continued from cover
is published twice a semester
during the fall and spring terms.
CAS Dean
Kay Mussell
In addition, this issue highlights some of our student achievers. I encourage
you to read their stories throughout this publication and be inspired by what
they have accomplished.
Kay Mussell
CAS Dean
Writer/Editor/Manager
Alison M. Torrillo
Guidelines for Submission
Submissions to CAS Connections are encouraged
and should be submitted via e-mail to
<alison@american.edu> prior to the stated
deadline. Faculty accomplishments and events
posted into the CAS Master Database will also be
automatically considered for publication (unless
expressly requested otherwise). Please be sure to
include a contact name, phone number, and email address. We also welcome the electronic
submission of photographs. Photos should
preferably be scanned at no less than 260 dpi and
saved in .TIF format.
Deadlines
For Fall issue no. 1 (October) - September 10
For Fall issue no. 2 (December) - November 1
For Spring issue no. 1 (February) - January 15
For Spring issue no. 2 (April) - March 15
Please direct any questions to Alison Torrillo in
the CAS Dean’s Office, 161 Battelle-Tompkins,
202-885-1781.
Deadline for the April issue is
March 15, 2003
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COLLEGE GEARS UP FOR ANNUAL RESEARCH CONFERENCE:
RENEWED EMPHASIS ON STUDENT INVOLVEMENT
IS KEY TO DEAN’S PLAN
by Matthew Lantry, CAS Undergraduate Advisement Specialist
Preparations are underway for the 13th annual CAS Student Research Conference
(SRC), scheduled to take place on Saturday, April 5, 2003. The conference showcases
graduate and undergraduate research in every discipline within the College of Arts
and Sciences. Applications were recently mailed to all members of the CAS faculty
for distribution to students in their courses. Proposals for participation will be
evaluated throughout February and final selections are expected to be made by early
March.
This year’s event brings forth a new era in the planning and organization of the SRC.
In 2000, CAS Dean Kay Mussell appointed James William Mooney as Special
Assistant to the Dean for Academic Affairs, charging him with several areas of
particular concern to the dean, especially the promotion of student involvement in
academic life and interaction with the college’s administration. As part of this
initiative, Mooney conducted a search for student leaders to create an organizing
committee to plan and implement the SRC. Last year’s conference participants were
invited to take part in the planning sessions and project selection groups that will determine the look and feel of this year’s event. A
general call for student volunteers is anticipated in February. CAS is seeking students interested in assisting with Web page design,
publications, event management, photography of the event, and selecting student presentations and organizing them into interesting
panels by topic.
The dean’s special assistant is also responsible for the newly-created advisory committees established for graduate and undergraduate
students within the college. Both groups were founded to create a direct line of communication between Dean Mussell and the students
within CAS. The dean hopes to draw from the college’s immense pool of student talent to assist with the running of the SRC. Kati
McElhinny, acting president of the Graduate Student Council (GSC), has stated that promotion of the research conference is a major
goal of her organization and sees her involvement as a way to enhance the prestige of the event by promoting it to the off-campus
community and the wider audience of the Washington Consortium of Universities. With the assistance of the GSC, the college hopes
to begin publishing those papers presented at the conference that represent the best of student research at American University.
Last year saw two other improvements to the Student Research Conference, including the debut of CAS’s new home in the BattelleTompkins building as the site of the SRC. It was also the first year the conference was held in April rather than February, in an effort to
accommodate students in their senior capstone courses who were researching papers throughout the year but were not ready to present
their findings in February. This change paid off as more than 120 students from all over campus presented their work at sixteen separate
panels and two display showcases last year, sharing in a combined celebration of student work that is the heart of the College of Arts
and Sciences. The modern facility of the Battelle Memorial offered classroom space to the various discussions and presentations at the
conference and the Battelle Atrium was perfect as a meeting place for friends and colleagues between sessions and as a gallery to present
the best in recent student work in visual displays and posters.
continued on page 8
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 2
FEATURED THIS ISSUE:
CAS STUDENT RESEARCH “STARS”
CAS students have achieved great success in their many diverse fields of study. In this issue,
Connections highlights just a few of our top achievers, as nominated by their professors. - Compiled by Alison Torrillo
FLUCTUATING ASYMMETRY:
ERICA JOY ADAMS, BS BIOLOGY
Erica Joy Adams, a senior majoring in biology,
studies sexual selection and fluctuating
asymmetry (FA) in fruit flies. She is comparing the FA in two sets of flies. The females in
the first set of flies, called the promiscuous
lines, were allowed to choose among several
male flies, while the females in the second set,
called the monogamous lines, were forced to
mate with a single randomly chosen male. The
theory of sexual selection predicts that FA should be greater in
the monogamous lines, and Adams’ work will provide a rigorous
test of that hypothesis.
Outside the lab, Adams was awarded the CAS Dean’s Undergraduate Research Award and also received a scholarship from the
National Italian American Foundation, both in 2002. Says Adams,
“I think my research is most significant to me because with the
guidance of enthusiastic mentors, I was able to design my own
novel study from start to finish—an opportunity not always
available to undergraduates. The project really allowed me to learn
more about the research process—from gathering and analyzing
data, to turning my results into meaningful and unique information for the scientific community.”
GUIDED BY VISION:
C.J. SCRAPPER, BS COMPUTER SCIENCE/APPLIED MATH
Winner of the 2001 Open Door Education
Foundation Scholarship as well as a 2002
scholarship from Microsoft, Chris “C.J.”
Scrapper, a senior computer science and
applied mathematics major, is literally making
“inroads” in his field. The goal of his project,
as he has described it, is to create a visionguided autonomous vehicle that can recognize
predefined landmarks within its environment and intelligently
navigate any obstacles that may obstruct it from its ultimate goal.
The vehicle is equipped with a black and white wireless camera
that streams video information to a computer that will process the
data though the various software modules in order to obtain
appropriate control information for the vehicle in real time. This
project also entails the creation of an external peripheral circuit
that converts parallel data received from the processing computer
into analog voltages. These voltages are used to operate the two
potentiometers inside the car’s remote control, hence driving the
vehicle.
Scrapper is also working on a project using statistical methods,
such as a Kalman Filter, to recognize patterns and predict the
movements of robotic vehicles. This requires both theoretical and
applied knowledge about the vehicles in order to develop the
various models needed to properly represent the vehicles movements. The fundamental concepts for this project were sparked by
the paper, “Distributed Heterogeneous Outdoor Multi-robot
Localization,” from the Center for Engineering Science Advanced
Research in the Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
Says Scrapper, “This project has made me realize that we take a
lot of the things for granted and that even the most basic concept,
such as electronic handshaking, entails a lot of work and research
in order to make it happen. However, hard work does pay off.”
MONUMENTAL MEMORIES:
JEFFREY COX, BA HISTORY
Senior history major Jeffrey Cox is working in a
very intellectually “hot” area, studying the way in
which monuments and memorials embody public
memory. “The way a society remembers its past
reveals much about its culture and values,” he
writes, “[and] monuments and memorials serve as
a record of a society’s achievement and victories and, less
frequently, its failures and defeats...Memorials are statements
about how a society views a historical event...In sum, monuments
and memorials are as much a product of the society that builds
them as the historical occurrence they are created to represent.”
Having read widely in the field, Cox is applying his findings to
the study of the inception, design and construction of the United
States Navy War Memorial on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, DC. His research, which has included analysis of primary
documents housed at the Navy War Memorial Foundation and
the National Archives, explores alternative designs that were
proposed for the memorial, why they were rejected, and why the
final design was chosen. His expectation is to show that there
were multiple designs for the Navy Memorial and that there were
disagreements between the Navy and the Planning Commission
over which design to pick. Cox intends to submit his work as an
entry at the regional Phi Alpha Theta conference on April 12.
continued on page 7
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 3
Department News
American Studies
term on the VRA Executive Board, she has served the organization in several capacities, including chair of the Intellectual
Property Rights Committee, the Membership Committee, and the
Mid-Atlantic Chapter. Most recently, she co-chaired the VRA
Strategic Planning Task Force, which created and developed the
strategic plan adopted by the VRA in 2002.
Edward Smith’s work in placing a tribute statue of Abraham
Lincoln in Richmond, Va., has generated a great deal of media
buzz this winter. In December, he was quoted in the Washington
Times article, “Lincoln statue angers Rebel ancestors,” and on
January 9, his work was featured in the Washington Post (“Another
Rebel Stand: Lincoln Statue Causes Richmond Uproar”)
as well as mentioned on WTOP radio.
Anthropology
Rhoda Kanaaneh’s book, Birthing the Nation: Strategies of
Palestinian Women in Israel, was selected as book of the
week for UPI, November 19, 2002.
Biology
This past year
proved to be a
busy one for
Karen BushawNewton. In
June, she gave an
oral presentation
entitled “Leaf
litter decomposition in three streams with small dams in the Brandywine River
Watershed” at the annual meeting of the North American
Benthological Society in Pittsburgh, PA. In the August issue of
BioScience, she published “Dam removal: challenges and opportunities for ecological research and river restoration.” And her latest
effort, “An integrative approach towards understanding ecological
responses to dam removal: the Manatawny Creek Study,” will be
published in the December issue of Journal of the American
Water Resources Association, currently in press.
...The work of Ed Smith, American
studies, in placing a tribute statue of
Abraham Lincoln in Richmond, VA,
has generated major media buzz...
Art
The biggest news from the Art History program this
semester is its first-ever totally digital course in Modern Art,
which features high-resolution images projected directly into the
classroom. This achievement is due to the hard work of the staff
and students and the support from CAS through a Mellon grant.
Norma Broude’s most recent essay, “Le origini
dell’impressionismo: la pittura in Italia ed in
Francia negli anni ’60 del diciannovesimo secolo” (“The Origins
of Impressionism: Painting in Italy and France in the 1860s”),
appeared in the catalogue of an exhibition of works by the
Macchiaioli in Italy, entitled I Macchiaioli: Opere e Protagonisti di una
rivoluzione artistica 1861/1869.
In October, Helen Langa presented “Deep Tunnels and Burning
Flues: The Unexpected Drama of Industrial Production in 1930s
Leftist Prints” at
the Southeastern
College Art
Conference in
Mobile, Ala.
...The biggest news from the
Stephen MacAvoy published the peer reviewed paper “Fatty acid
carbon isotope signatures in chemosynthetic mussels and tube
worms from Gulf of Mexico hydrocarbon seep communities” in
Chemical Geology 185:1-8. He also presented the paper “Anadromous fish are marine nutrient vectors to the tidal freshwater fish
communities of Virginia: Evidence from bulk and
compound specific isotope analysis” at the American
Fisheries Society Annual Meeting this August in
Baltimore, MD.
Art
History program this semester is its
first-ever totally digital course in
Modern Art...
Kathe Hicks
Albrecht, visual
resources curator
for the department, was recently
elected president
of the premier international organization for visual media
specialists, the Visual Resources Association (VRA). Albrecht
has been active in VRA for twelve years, since beginning her
career in visual resources. Although this will be Albrecht’s first
CAP
On November 16, two student teams from Computer
Science, Audio Technology, and Physics participated in
the 2002-03 ACM International Collegiate Programming Contest. The teams were the American Alpha
Squad (Prof. Angela Wu, Coach): Christian Ehret,
Hauyu Wu, and Michael Huber; and the American
Omega Squad (Prof. Angela Wu, Coach): Chris Scrapper,
Mark Mathis, and Timothy Otten. The students competed at
the George Washington University site of the Mid-Atlantic
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 4
Department News
Region, with the American Omega Squad placing 23rd among 146
teams from 70 colleges/universities.
Angela Wu also co-authored the paper “Incremental Motion and
k-Means Clustering” for the DIMACS (Discrete Mathematics and
Theoretical Computer Science) Workshop on Algorithmic Issues
in Modeling Motion on November 19, and was co-editor for
“Vision Geometry XI,” proceedings of the SPIE annual conference, published in November. Dr. Wu started this conference 11
years ago, and she has chaired it and edited its proceedings for the
last 11 years. Finally, Dr. Wu was recognized by AU as Internship
Faculty of the Month for January 2003.
Retired professor Tim Bergin appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington
Journal for 45 minutes on Saturday, November 30. He discussed
the history of computers and took viewer calls.
Economics
Robert Blecker and Peter Whitney co-authored, along with
Stephen Cohen, SIS, Fundamentals of U.S. Trade Policy: Economics,
Politics, Laws, and Issues.
...Angela Wu, CAP,
George Ayittey discussed
terrorist attacks in Kenya on the
NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, Friday,
November 29.
Health and Fitness
Eating properly during the holidays was the topic of Stacey
Snelling’s interview for the November 26 Washington Times article
“Give thanks, eat wisely.”
Robert Karch, executive director of AU’s National Center for
Health Fitness (NCHF), and AU President Benjamin Ladner
signed an agreement at the Chilean embassy November 13 with
Eduardo Frei Ruiz-Tagle, former president of Chile and current
president of the Fundación Nacional del Deporte (Vidadeporte).
The agreement states that AU’s Institutional Institute of Health
Promotion (a program of NCHF) and the Fundación Vidadeporte
will work together on global health promotion through the
exchange of information, development of curricula, standards,
research, and policies in the field of health promotion, and the
organization of global seminars, conferences, and training
programs.
History
was recognized
by AU as Internship Faculty of the
Month for January 2003. ...
In October, Thomas Hertz presented his paper, “Forecasting the
Effects of Pending Minimum Wage Legislation on Poverty in
South Africa,” at the DPRU/FES Conference on Labour Markets
and Poverty in Johannesburg. The following month, his research
on the question of intergenerational mobility and equality of
economic opportunity in the United States was cited in a New
York Times article, “The apple falls close to the tree.” Hertz was
interviewed on the same topic on the radio show The Dolans, also
in November.
Education
Sally Smith was featured in the article “Stepping Out of the
Mainstream” in the October issue of Teacher magazine.
Environmental Studies
David Culver has been appointed by Governor Mark Warner to
the Virginia Cave Board. His appointment was mentioned in an
article appearing November 11 in the Richmond Times Dispatch.
Anna Nelson participated in a conference on
the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Missile
Crisis, held in Havana, Cuba, this past
October. Her participation was based upon an
article published in Cuban Studies 32, 2001, on
Operation Northwoods.
Allan Lichtman’s prediction success for
House/Senate races in Florida was discussed in the December 1
Miami Herald. Lichtman was also interviewed January 14 by
WTOP radio on “Polls and Popularity,” or how President Bush’s
popularity ratings have fared in recent polls.
Language & Foreign Studies
A paper entitled “Whatever. : A New Language Model?” was
presented by Naomi Baron at the Annual Convention of the
Modern Language Association in New York December 30.
Baron’s piece, “Who Sets E-mail Style? Prescriptivism, Coping
Strategies, and Democratizing Communication Access,” was
published in the October-December 2002 issue of Information
Society (v 18). Finally, Baron was interviewed about e-mail issues
on Tuesday, January 7 by I.J. Hudson for his program “The Digital
Edge” on Channel 4 TV.
Consuelo Hernández was an invited speaker at the symposium
“Earth as Witness,” held in 2002 at the University of Wisconsin,
Milwaukee. The topic was “The Presence of the Jungle in Alvaro
Mutis Novels.” Hernandez also gave a poetry reading at the 55th
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 5
Department News
Annual Kentucky Foreign Language Conference held at the
University of Kentucky, and was included in the poetry anthology,
Cruzando puentes: Antología de literatura latina, Ed. Luis Leal y Víctor
Fuentes, University of California at Santa Barbara, 2002.
Alina Israeli published “Russian Verbs of Motion: Focus, Deixis,
and Viewpoint” in Cahiers Chronos 10, Rodopi Publishers.
Literature
paper, “Commentary, Translation, and Intertextuality: A Note on
Wonhyo’s Commentary on Posal Yongnak Ponopkyong.” Then, at
the annual conference of the American Academy of Religion in
Toronto, Park organized and chaired a seminar on “Zen and the
Politics of Difference.”
Ellen Feder presented “How Parents Experience Atypical
Genitalia” at the Hastings Center Meetings on “Surgically Shaping
Children,” in Garretson, NY.
The Johns Hopkins University Press issued a statement in January
Making numerous appearances on the conference circuit this fall
regarding the 2003 celebration of its 125th anniversary of
was Lucinda Joy Peach. Her recent presentations have included
publishing Literature and Languages, the oldest University Press in
“The Influence of Buddhism in the Trafficking of Women and
America. Since 1878, the Press has a particularly distinguished
Girl Children for Sex-Trade in Thailand,” at the Conference on
record in the field of literature and languages, and among the
The Human Rights Challenge of Globalization in Asia-Pacific-US:
publications it lists as “Landmarks in
The Trafficking in Persons, Especially
the Study of Literature and Languages”
Women and Children in Honolulu,
is the 1980-88 edition of The Letters of
Hawaii, November 13-15; “Are
Mary Shelley, edited by Betty T.
Women Human? Feminist Reflections
Bennett.
on ‘Women’s Rights as Human
...The Johns Hopkins University
Rights’,” at the American International
Press recognized the work of Betty
In October, Richard McCann gave
Association of Philosophy and Law
T. Bennett, literature, as among its
readings and lectures at the Columbia
Meeting, held at American University
“Landmarks in the Study of
College of Physicians and Surgeons and
November 21-24; “Globalization and
Literature and Languages”...
Yeshiva University in New York City, as
Corporate Social Responsibility for
well as at the Fine Arts Work Center in
Human Rights” and “The Case of
Provincetown. This month, he will be
Myanmar,” during the American
reading new work at Smith College and
Academy of Religion Annual Meeting
at the Associated Writing Program annual national convention. All
in Toronto November 23-26; and “Corporate Social Responsibilreadings have been selections from his current work-in-progress, a
ity: A Case of the Cat Chasing the Mouse?” to the Political
memoir of his 1996 liver transplant.
Theory Colloquium at Columbia University on December 19.
Henry Taylor was quoted in the October Washington Post article
“Finishing Each Other’s Sentences, And Seminars; In the Brothers
Bausch, A Fraternity of Two Writers.”
Also in October, David Pike presented his paper, “The Disney
Underground,” at the Society for Utopian Studies annual meeting
in Orlando, Florida.
Philosophy/Religion
Jin Y. Park’s article, “Zen and Zen Philosophy of Language,”
appeared in Tao: The Journal of Comparative Philosophy (vol. 1, no. 2,
Summer 2002) and her book review of Chenyang Li’s The Sage and
the Second Sex appeared in the Journal of Chinese Philosophy (vol. 29,
no 2, 2002). Park also presented to the International Conference
on Wonhyo Studies at Dongguk University, in Seoul, Korea, her
Peach also received the American Academy of Religion Research
Award for “The Impact of Religious Influence on Public Law for
Women’s Status in India and The United States: A Comparative
Analysis” in December.
David Rodier was quoted in the November 15 New York Post
article, “‘Pharaoh’s Clue Links Saddam and Osama,” which
compared language used by Saddam Hussein and Osama bin
Laden.
An article by Jeffrey Reiman, “Postmodern Argumentation and
Post-Postmodern Liberalism,” appeared in the anthology, Justice:
Alternative Political Perspectives, 4th edition, 2003, edited by James
Sterba. This article was originally published in Reiman’s Critical
Moral Liberalism.
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 6
CAS “Stars” (continued from page 3)
BORROWING LIGHT:
LISA SCHAMESS, MFA CREATIVE WRITING
Lisa Schamess entered the MFA in
Creative Writing program in Fall 2002.
Her first novel, Borrowed Light, was
published by Southern Methodist University Press in October, making Schamess
CAS’ first MFA grad to publish a first
novel while still a graduate student. Also a
columnist for Beliefnet, she is currently at
work on her second novel and a volume
of memoir.
Schamess began writing in her early 20s and published only a few
short stories until she was 35 years old, when Glimmer Train
accepted her first nationally published short story, “The Essential
Thing, Forgotten.” Schamess found her life and her work took a
dramatic turn during the 1980s with the juxtaposed onset of
AIDS and the sudden loss of her mother in 1992. The next 10
years saw an extraordinary level of personal loss for Schamess,
culminating in her husband’s death of cancer at age 34, just one
year after their daughter was born. “I guess you could say I
became a better person in spite of myself,” she says. “And it
definitely caused me to carve out my territory as a writer. My
work will always speak to loss and grief, which at some level I
believe is the basic human condition anyway. As one friend told
me, ‘we are born to grieve, and we all know how to do it because
we have to.’ Increasingly that’s where my work is going: an
exploration of the natural ways in which we all cope, every day,
with losses small and large.”
MOBILIZING IMMIGRANTS:
MARIA EUGENIA VERDAGUER, PHD SOCIOLOGY
Latino immigrant mobilization strategies in the
United States were the focus of study for Maria
Eugenia “Jenny” Verdaguer, PhD Sociology.
Through a case study on Washington Salvadorans
and Peruvians, Verdaguer explored how immigrant class, ethnic, and gender-based networks
interact with local opportunity structure to
mediate Latino entrepreneurial outcomes. Her
research, recognized as outstanding by her
department, included ethnic entrepreneurship and
congregationally-based community-building activities.
their access to entrepreneurial opportunities. Yet, she reports,
her findings also suggest that it is participants’ agency, manifested
through their mobilization and participation in localized social
networks, that ultimately allows Salvadoran and Peruvian men
and women to enhance the terms of their opportunity structure.
Verdaguer’s extensive list of awards includes fellowships for both
her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, a CAS International Fellowship (1989-90), an Outstanding Young Americans Award (1998),
Honorable Mention for the ESS Coser Award for dissertation
proposals (2001), and Honorable Mention in the CAS Dissertation
Competition (2000). She sits on the Social Science Research
Council, has participated in the International Migration Scholars
Minority Workshop summer program, and continues to teach
courses in the sociology department here in CAS.
ALTERNATIVE VOICES:
BRYNA CAMPBELL, MA ART HISTORY
Last fall, art history master’s student Bryna
Campbell presented her paper, “Alternative Voices, Alternative Functions: A ReExamination of the Presumed Wedding
Chest Panel, ‘The Vestal Virgin Tuccia’,”
at the Southeast College Art Conference
(SECAC). Tuscan quattrocento cassoni, given
to brides at the time of their wedding, are
generally understood as objects commissioned for newly married women, but a
cassone panel ascribed to the workshop of Francesco di Giorgio
stands apart as a departure from the traditional due to the artist’s
depiction of the Vestal Virgins in the guise of nuns, raising
numerous questions about its imagery. This April, Campbell has
been selected to present a developed version of that paper,
entitled “A Renaissance Cassone in Richmond Reconsidered:
Chastity in a Different Voice,”at the Middle Atlantic Symposium
in the History of Art, to be held at the National Gallery of Art.
This second paper takes a closer look at this problematic cassone
presumed to be a wedding chest and seeks alternative possibilities
for its origin in convent patronage in central Italy. By looking at
this cassone without presuming that marital associations accrue to
all domestic images, Campbell hopes to contribute to a growing
understanding that female cultural identity in the Renaissance
was, despite the period’s socially constructed ideals, richly
textured.
Using Census data to contextualize a primarily qualitative study,
including more than 170 interviews, Verdaguer’s research
confirmed that Washington Salvadoran and Peruvian immigrant
entrepreneurs are differentiated social and economic actors; that
their business practices and social networks are indeed gendered;
and that their unique location in the stratification system shape
Says Campbell, “I see art as the expression of the culture and an
assertion of voices within that culture. As a Renaissance art
historian who specifically uses feminist methodologies, I have
examined the presence of the female creative voice through art
and patronage in my research. It is continually exciting to
discover that even in the most repressive periods in art history,
women have found creative, intelligent, and original ways to let
their voices be heard.”
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 7
CAS ALUMNI AND CAREER CORNER
CHAPTER OFFICERS, PARTICIPATION, ARTS
FOSTER MOMENTUM FOR DEVELOPMENT
by Shernita Rochelle, CAS Director of Development
and Christal Cherry, Assistant Director of Development
As another calendar year begins, the energy level in the CAS
Office of Development and Alumni Programs is high and plans
for increased alumni outreach and involvement are taking shape.
On December 10, fellow alumni elected officers Ted Ringelheim
’68, president; Carol Sorgen ’71, vice president; Jessica Bowers,
’99, secretary; Jane Ann Glass, ’72, treasurer; and Ousman Jobe
’00, committee chair. This inaugural executive committee is
excited to build on current efforts to engage alumni. Ringelheim
has stated his interest in involving current students by connecting
them with alumni for both mentoring and networking purposes,
as well as cultivating them to be active alumni in the future. And,
in an effort to attract the involvement of young alumni, the
chapter is launching a focused campaign to recruit anyone who
has graduated in the last 10 years.
The DC chapter’s event calendar is filling up quickly with a
variety of social, cultural, and networking events for all CAS
alumni, including another tour with American Studies Professor
Ed Smith, a night at the Phillips Collection, and an AU basketball
game. Be sure to check out the upcoming events listed in this
issue of Connections.
On the fundraising side, there is also good news to share. With
$584,134 dollars raised as of December 31, the college is well on
its way to meeting its FY03 goal of $750,000. Just as important
is the growth in the number of donors, up to 1,656 as of
December 31, and continuing to grow as more alumni, friends,
faculty, and staff respond to student phonathon callers, direct
mail, and staff solicitations. With its increased rate of alumni
participation, the college is able to make a stronger case for the
support of foundations and corporations, which may use the
participation rate to determine whether they will support an
institution. Our office continues to work to identify potential
donors, cultivate relationships with these prospects, and solicit
major gifts. If you know of an individual who has the capacity
to make a major gift, please contact us at 202-885-2515.
Support for the arts continues to be a focus as well. With the
groundbreaking for the Katzen Arts Center on November 14, the
center’s opening in spring 2005 seems more imminent. The
excitement doesn’t stop there, however. In December, Catharina
Baart Biddle, who received an MFA in Painting from CAS in
1981, established an endowed art prize for Department of Art
students. Her affinity for the department, its faculty, and the arts
spurred her to make this gift. Wanting to encourage a student’s
artistic ability, she established the Catharina Baart Biddle Art
Award, which will begin being awarded this spring. And, on
March 27, the Department of Performing Arts will open the
Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre, a 300-seat state-of-the-art
performance space worthy of the talented students who will
utilize it.
With increased support and involvement from alumni, CAS is
able to enjoy the benefits resulting from a more committed,
active alumni body. Likewise, alumni are finding out it is a good
idea to stay connected and invested in their alma mater.
To stay connected, visit us on the Web at <www.american.edu/cas/alumni>,
e-mail <cas_alumni@american.edu>, or call us at 202-885-2515.
Student Research Conference
(continued from page 2)
Popularity of the SRC continues to grow, but faculty involvement in the conference is still necessary to encourage student
participation. Department of Chemistry Professor Monika
Konaklieva, who sponsored 23 students in last year’s conference, and moderated a panel entitled “Applications in Chemistry,” states, “Presenting at conferences in general teaches
students the etiquette of presenting….[It] is a great opportunity
to develop skills which will be very important in their future
careers.” In her own field, Dr. Konaklieva says the Student
Research Conference offers support to her teaching in the
classroom. “It is often difficult to make the connection between
principles and practical application. One way of ‘making the
connection’ is through a research conference presentation.”
Spring semester is when the work on the SRC picks up pace.
As students put the finishing touches on a year’s worth of
academic work, their projects become much more focused.
The selection of participants, creation of panels and selection
of moderators, and dozens of other details are still to be
determined.
The Student Research Conference serves as a way for students
to reap enormous personal and professional benefits by
demonstrating what they have learned and displaying the
results of their efforts. The renewed commitment of the
talented CAS community toward improving the quality and
scope of the SRC ensures that the conference has a bright
future indeed.
The 13th annual SRC will be held Saturday, April 5, from 9 am - 5 pm
in the Battelle-Tompkins Building. For further information, contact
Matthew Lantry at 202-885-2436 or via e-mail to
<mlantry@american.edu>.
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 8
NATIONALLY COMPETITIVE SCHOLARSHIPS:
UPCOMING INFORMATION SESSIONS
AND DEADLINES
Fulbright Grant (<www.iie.org/fulbright>)
UNIVERSITY INFORMATION SESSION: MARCH
26, 5 PM; MARCH 28, 3:30 PM (LOCATION TBA)
The campus deadline for this award will be Friday, Sept. 26,
2003, at 4 pm; applicants should plan to work with the
Office of Merit Awards throughout the summer of 2003.
Provides 9-13 months’ of study in a country of the
applicant’s choice. More than 140 countries participate in
the Fulbright program. Fulbright is an umbrella term for
several different awards. The most common of these are:
* Full Grant: enables students to pursue independent
research abroad. Ideal for undergraduates who will
receive a BA no later than August, 2004, or master’s
degree and PhD candidates interested in funding their
dissertation field research.
* English Language Teaching Assistantships: recipients
teach English conversation in a middle school, high
school, or university. Available to nine countries only.
Harry S. Truman Scholarship (<www.truman.gov>)
**University Nomination Required**
CAMPUS INFORMATION SESSION: FEB. 25, 6 PM
(LOCATION TBA)
CAMPUS DEADLINE FOR STUDENTS WISHING
TO BECOME A UNIVERSITY NOMINEE: MAR. 21
Provides $30,000 to pursue a graduate degree leading to a
career in public service (defined broadly as careers in the
government at any level, public school teaching, advocacy
work, and military service).
Eligibility:
The university selects its nominees as second-semester
sophomores (freshmen with AP credits are considered
ineligible). Nominees will develop their applications
for the national competition during the first semester
of their junior year. US citizens or nationals only
Other selection criteria include academic excellence,
leadership record, and history of community service.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, CONTACT
WARRICK@AMERICAN.EDU
Upcoming Career Center Events and Deadlines
2/10 Etiquette Dining- Do You Know All The Rules? 6-8
pm, Chef Geoff ’s. Registration Required.
2/14 Economists Incorporated Resume Deadline
2/17, 19, 24, 26 Whose Life Is It Anyway?-Series A 3:30-5 pm
2/18, 20, 25, 27 Whose Life Is It Anyway?-Series B 3:30-5 pm
3/01 Carney, Sandoe & Associates Resume Deadline
3/05 Cambridge Associates Employer Presentation, 7-8 pm,
Butler Conference Room
3/18 Resume Critiques, 12-2 pm, MGC Lobby
3/19 Resume Critiques, 12- 2 pm, MGC Lobby
3/19 Resume Critiques, 5-7 pm, MGC Lobby.
3/18 U.S. Census Bureau Employer Presentation, 5-7 p.m.,
MGC 200 (Gianni Lounge).
3/20 Spring 2003 Job & Internship Fair, 1-5 pm, Bender
Arena.
3/24 – 3/28 Mock Interview Week, Career Center. Call (202)
885-1804 to schedule an appointment.
3/25 How to Find a Job, 6-7 pm, MGC 200.
For more details on these events and more, visit the Career
Center on 5th Floor Butler Pavilion or the Career Center
Web site at <www.american.edu/careercenter>.
EVENTS LISTING
February 1 - Using Comprehension Strategies to
Engage the ESOL Reader
9:30 am - 12:30 pm, SIS Lounge
A joint AU TESOL/WATESOL professional development
Workshop, “Using Comprehension Strategies to Engage the
ESOL Reader,” led by Mary Amico, Fairfax County Public
Schools. Lunch and breakfast provided, breakfast begins at 9:00
am. Contact Christina at 202-885-2582 or via e-mail to
<tesol@american.edu> for details or registration. <www.
american.edu/tesol/2-1-03WATESOL-UProfDevWrkshop.pdf.>
February 5 - Music in the Atrium: Faculty Recital
12:45-1:45 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Performing Arts
Department invite all faculty, staff, and students to the biweekly
Atrium Concert, which will showcase the talents of our performing arts faculty.
February 5 - Visiting Writers’ Series: Fiction Reading
with Thomas Glave
8 pm, Board Room (Sixth Floor), Butler Pavilion
For more information, contact Nicki Miller in the Literature
department at 202-885-2973 or at <nmiller@american.edu>.
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 9
February 6 - The Communicative Approach in a Nutshell
4:30-5:30 pm, 6th Floor Butler Conference Room
Free to all, no pre-registration required. Talk led by Brock Brady, Coordinator, AU TESOL Program.
February 10 through March 7 - Tim Doud Exhibit
M-F 10am - 5pm, Sat 1-5pm, Watkins Art Gallery
Professor Tim Doud will exhibit paintings and drawings. For more information contact Jonathan Bucci at 202-885-1064 or <bucci@american.edu>.
February 11 - CAS Alumni Chapter Meeting
6-8 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
CAS alumni meet to plan events for spring 2003. For more information contact Christal Cherry at 202-885-2435 or <ccherry@american.edu>.
February 12 - FRONTIERS OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES: The Global Water Crisis: A New Path
7:30 pm, SIS Lounge
Lecture by Peter H. Gleick, President, Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment and Security, Oakland, California; sponsored by
American University College of Arts and Sciences and the Environmental Studies Program. Dr. Peter H. Gleick is co-founder and president of the
Pacific Institute for Studies in Development, Environment, and Security. Dr. Gleick is an internationally recognized expert on global freshwater
resources, including the impacts of climate change, sustainable water use, privatization and globalization, and international conflicts over water
resources. Dr. Gleick received a BS from Yale University and an MS and PhD from the University of California, Berkeley. In 1988 he received a
MacArthur Foundation Research and Writing Fellowship for research on global climate change, water, and international security. In 2001 he was
appointed to the Water Science and Technology Board of the National Academy of Sciences, Washington, D.C. Dr. Gleick is the author of
numerous scientific papers and four books, including the biennial report, The World’s Water, published by Island Press. Call 202-885-2176.
February 12 - Nice Work if You Can Get It: DPA Alumni Lecture with Vladimir Anguelov
4-5 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The Department of Performing Arts presents a unique lecture series featuring the insights of distinctive alumni from theatre, music, dance, and arts
management, who will discuss their career paths as well as the challenges faced in their fields. Each guest will also give a demonstration and leave
time for Q&A. This week, we welcome Vladimir Anguelov, MA-dance 1996, an accomplished dancer and choreographer whose works have been
commissioned by the Kirov and San Francisco Ballets. Washington’s City Dance Company has performed his pieces and he is currently working on
a commission from the Indiana Ballet. For more information, call Jen Morris at 202-248-6897 or e-mail <jmmorris81@yahoo.com>.
February 14-16 - 10th Annual Lavender Languages and Linguistics Conference
6th floor Butler Pavilion and Mary Graydon Center
Cutting edge papers, panels and workshops explore queer French, lavender presence in public media, communities of practice theory, lavender
semiotics and language, (homo)sexuality and political economy. Help us celebrate the conference’s 10th anniversary! Call for papers, program
announcements, etc., at <www.american.edu/lavenderlanguages> or contact Bill Leap at 202-885-1831 or <wlm@american.edu>.
February 15 - American Studies Thematic Walking Tour: Art Treasures of Washington
1:15-4:30 pm, buses depart promptly at 1:15 from in front of Clark Hall/behind Bender Library
Guided tour by American Studies professor Ed Smith. Please RSVP to 202-885-2453 by 5pm on Thursday, February 13.
February 16-18 - International Institute of Health Promotion Meeting
American University Department of Health and Fitness
For details, contact Anastasia Snelling at (202) 885-6278.
February 19 - Music in the Atrium: Student Recital
12:45-1:45 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Performing Arts Department invite all faculty, staff, and students to the biweekly Atrium Concert, which
will showcase the talents of our performing arts students.
February 20 - “Cogito clara voce; ergo, sum”*: Metacognition and Mental Action in L2 Reading
4:30-5:30 pm, 6th Floor Butler Conference Room
*Roughly translated: “Thinking aloud; therefore I am.” Presented by Karen Schraum, PhD (SLA and Foreign Language Teaching, University of
Hamburg, Germany; Adjunct Professor, AU TESOL Program). How do L2 readers plan, regulate and control their reading processes? Previous
research efforts using think-aloud studies to determine L2 reading strategies have been numerous, but few have examined when and why readers
employ certain reading strategies. Based on results from an interpretative analysis of 16 hours of think-aloud data gathered from German psychology students reading an American textbook, the presenter takes a functional-pragmatic perspective and argues for an analysis of L2 reading as
mental action. Examples of how the mental acts and actions of L2 readers fit into this theoretical framework are provided. No registration fee is
required. To register or for details, contact either Christina or Monica at 202-885-2582 or e-mail to <tesol@american.edu>. URL: <http://
www.american.edu/tesol/Cogito.pdf>
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 10
February 22 - Washington Consortium for Comparative and International Education and Training
9:30-4:30 pm, location TBA
The ITEP program will be collaborating with other area universities to sponsor the Washington Consortium for Comparative and International
Education and Training. The conference theme is “Rethinking Theories & Practices in International and Comparative Education,” and abstracts will
be accepted through February 10 by students in any discipline. For additional information or to submit a proposal, contact Christine Burns,
<itep@american.edu> or 202-885-3725.
February 26 - Visiting Writers’ Series: Creative Nonfiction Reading with Beverly Lowry
8 pm, Board Room (Sixth Floor), Butler Pavilion
For more information, contact Nicki Miller in the Literature department at 202-885-2973 or at <nmiller@american.edu>.
March 1 - Alumni Day with the Eagles
12 noon, Palmer-Kettler Lounge
Reception for CAS and all AU alumni preceding the men’s basketball game. For more information contact Christal Cherry at 202-885-2435 or
<ccherry@american.edu>.
March 1 - American Studies Thematic Walking Tour: African-American Presence in Washington
1:15-4:30 pm, buses depart promptly at 1:15 from in front of Clark Hall/behind Bender Library
Guided tour by American Studies professor Ed Smith. Please RSVP to 202-885-2453 by 5pm on Thursday, February 27.
March 1 - Ninth Annual AU TESOL Program Spring Conference: There and Back Again
9:30 am-3:15 pm, 6th Floor Board and Conference Rooms, Butler Pavilion
Concurrent sessions featuring current students and alumni of the AU TESOL Program. Registration: $15.00. Breakfast and lunch provided
(breakfast begins at 9:00 am). Contact Christina at 202-885-2582 or e-mail to <tesol@american.edu> for details or registration.
March 5 - Music in the Atrium: Student Recital
12:45-1:45 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Performing Arts Department invite all faculty, staff, and students to the biweekly Atrium Concert, which
will showcase the talents of our performing arts students.
March 11 - CAS Alumni Chapter Meeting
6-8 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
CAS alumni meet to plan events for spring 2003. For more information contact Christal Cherry at 202-885-2435 or <ccherry@american.edu>.
March 19 - Music in the Atrium: Student Recital
12:45-1:45 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Performing Arts Department invite all faculty, staff, and students to the biweekly Atrium Concert, which
will showcase the talents of our performing arts students.
March 26 - Visiting Writers’ Series: Creative Nonfiction Reading with Lauren Slater
8 pm, Board Room (Sixth Floor), Butler Pavilion
For more information, contact Nicki Miller in the Literature department at 202-885-2973 or at <nmiller@american.edu>.
March 27-29 - Curtain Up! Greenberg Theatre Inaugural Student Gala
8 pm (Student Preview Night 3/27), Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre, 4200 Wisconsin Ave.
Gail Humphries Mardirosian, producer; Jeff Davis, director. Our new theatre opens with dance, song, orchestral music, and drama as over 200
students in the Department of Performing Arts showcase the range of their talents. This evening celebrates tradition and innovation in the arts, and
there’s something for every arts lover, from an original piece composed for our chorus and orchestra by Dr. Haig Mardirosian and a musical montage
that presents a panorama of 25 years of musicals at American University, to an original piece by Prof. Caleen Sinnette Jennings and a dance
choreographed by our celebrated guest artist Peter diMuro. Our legacy of accomplished alumni will also be honored as we inaugurate the Department of Performing Arts Alumni Hall of Fame. Do not miss this once-in-a-lifetime evening of celebration! Call 202-885-2587 for ticket information
or visit <www.american.edu/perf_arts>.
April 2 - Music in the Atrium: Faculty Recital (featuring Osman Kivrik, viola)
12:45-1:45 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The College of Arts and Sciences and the Performing Arts Department invite all faculty, staff, and students to the biweekly Atrium Concert, which
will showcase the talents of our performing arts faculty.
April 5 - American Studies Thematic Walking Tour: The Civil War in Washington
1:15-4:30 pm, buses depart promptly at 1:15 from in front of Clark Hall/behind Bender Library
Guided tour by American Studies professor Ed Smith. Please RSVP to 202-885-2453 by 5pm on Thursday, April 3.
February ‘03 - CAS Connections - 11
April 5 - 13th Annual CAS Student Research Conference
9 am-5 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Building
Join the excitement of our 13th annual student-run research conference. As in years past, more than 140 graduate and undergraduate CAS
students are expected to present their original research in the arts, humanities, sciences, social sciences, and education. All panels and exhibits are
open to the public. For further information on student opportunities to volunteer or submit research, contact Matthew Lantry at 202-885-2436
or via e-mail at <mlantry@american.edu>.
April 8 - CAS Alumni Chapter Meeting
6-8 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
CAS alumni meet to plan events for spring 2003. For more information contact Christal Cherry at 202-885-2435 or <ccherry@american.edu>.
April 9 - Nice Work if You Can Get It: DPA Alumni Lecture with Marta de la Torre
4-5 pm, Battelle-Tompkins Atrium
The Department of Performing Arts presents a unique lecture series featuring the insights of distinctive alumni from theatre, music, dance, and
arts management, who will discuss their career paths as well as the challenges faced in their fields. Each guest will also give a demonstration and
leave time for Q&A. This week, we welcome Marta de la Torre, MA-arts management 1983, the first director of special projects of the
International Council of Museums (ICOM) in Paris, where she worked on projects including the renovation of the Egyptian Museum and
creation of the Nubia Museum in Aswan. Later, she joined the Getty Conservation Institute, where she developed a program that integrated a
managerial component in archaeological conservation. For more information, call Jen Morris at 202-248-6897 or <jmmorris81@yahoo.com>.
April 9 - Visiting Writers’ Series: Alumni Poetry Reading with J.L. Conrad
8 pm, Board Room (Sixth Floor), Butler Pavilion
For more information, contact Nicki Miller in the Literature department at 202-885-2973 or at <nmiller@american.edu>.
April 11-13 - Lights Up! Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9/ Grand Opening of Greenberg Theatre
8 pm Friday & Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, Harold and Sylvia Greenberg Theatre, 4200 Wisconsin Avenue
Bring up the lights to a concert featuring the universal joy of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 plus the premiere performance of AU faculty member
Haig Mardirosian’s Celebration!, a festive setting of texts from Whitman to Epictetus that speak to being artists. This concert will surely be a
grand performance befitting a grand space. $12 General Admission; $7 Students. For reservations, call 202-885-2587. For more information, call
202-885-ARTS or visit <www.american.edu/perf_arts>.
College of Arts and Sciences
4400 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20016
www.american.edu/cas
eeo/aa