Boston College Chronicle

The Boston College

Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications NOVEMBER 9, 2017 VOL. 25 NO. 6

INSIDE International 2 •Celebrating Education Week •Change of plans enables BC senior to lend hand

3

•BC Law hosts forum on evidence rules •CSON’s Gennaro wins major grant

with Thomas Chiles 4 •Q&A on the Schiller Institute appointments 5 •Faculty strengthen English, African/ African Diaspora Studies

University Announces Creation of Schiller Institute

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Boston College’s new institute for integrated science, which will create a multi-disciplinary, collaborative research process to address critical societal issues in the areas of energy, health and the environment, will be named in honor of BC Trustee Phil Schiller ’82 and his wife, Kim Gassett-Schiller, through a multi-year lead gift totaling $25 million, the University announced last week.

The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society will be the centerpiece of a new 150,000 square-foot science facility scheduled for construction beginning

consumer choices

Additions; 7 •Welcome BC in the Media; Jobs; Nota Bene

•Bunch to serve as assistant in Student Affairs of Dance; Patience 8 •Week Agbabi talk •BC Scenes: Dancing with the Scholars

ciplinary courses in integrated and applied sciences, design thinking, implementation science, computer and data science, global public health and other fields that will combine elements of technology, engineering and entrepreneurship through collaboration with BC’s professional schools and its Shea Center for Entrepreneurship.

The Schiller Institute will be

located in a new science facility adjacent to Higgins Hall, which houses BC’s Biology and Physics departments, and the Merkert Center, home to BC’s Chemistry Department. It will feature office and laboratory space for researchers, including engineering faculty; teaching laboratories that will include computer science robotics Continued on page 4

ITS Remains Vigilant on Campus Computer Security Issues

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Brasel study 6 •Hagtvedt, color’s power to influence

in the spring of 2019 at a cost of roughly $150 million. The new building will represent the largest single investment in the sciences at Boston College. To date, more than $100 million has been raised for the new facility.

The mission of the Schiller Institute will be to create and sustain emerging initiatives in basic and applied science; educate the next generation of science and technology leaders and innovators; develop and deploy new tools and technologies to address important societal problems; and promote partnerships with industry and the public and private sectors, University administrators said.

Through the institute, Boston College will explore new interdis-

University Trustee Phil Schiller ’82 and his wife, Kim Gassett-Schiller, are the namesakes for Boston College’s Institute for Integrated Science and Society.

(Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

There are three billion people on the Internet — and not all of them are law-abiding. That fact is the one of the reasons securing data and computer networks is such an essential component of any organization, including Boston College.

While the responsibility of protecting data and the computer network belongs to all members of the University, the oversight of the University’s computer security is the purview of Information Technology Services.

With nearly 50,000 devices on the Boston College network each day, the task of data and network security may seem daunting, but Vice President for Information Technology Services Michael Bourque cited two factors for the University’s success to date: the unparalleled support from all levels of the University and the proactive, not merely reactive, ap-

proach of ITS’ data security team.

“Security is one our top priorities at ITS,” said Bourque. “We get strong support in our security efforts from the trustees, the president, the executive vice president, the provost, the deans, the Academic Technology Advisory Board, the faculty and the entire The University Wind Ensemble, directed by Sebastian Bonaiuto, performed this past Sunday in Gasson 100. (Photo by Frank Curran)

BC Scholars Contribute to a Global Report on Pollution BC community.

“The support is fantastic. We sense that we get far better backing than our colleagues at most other universities.”

Leading the security efforts in ITS is Director of Computer Security and Policy David Escalante, who also serves as chairman of Continued on page 6

NOTE:

Pollution is linked to an estimated nine million deaths each year worldwide – equivalent to one in six of all deaths – according to the first global analysis of the impact of all forms of pollution measured together, released last month by The Lancet Commission on Pollution and Health, a two-year project that has involved more than 40 international health and environmental authors.

Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning and DeLuca Professor of Biology Thomas

Chiles and Boston College School of Social Work Dean Gautam Yadama are among the influential leaders, researchers and practitioners that comprise the commission, which is backed by the British medical journal The Lancet and Mount Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine, with support from the United Nations and the World Bank. It is co-chaired by Philip Landrigan ’63, MD, dean for Global Health at the Icahn School of Medicine, and Richard Continued on page 5

Due to the Thanksgiving holiday, the next issue of Chronicle will be published on Nov. 30. Go to BC News [www.bc.edu/bcnews] to stay informed on University news and events.

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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A ROUND

C AMPUS

PAYING IT FORWARD It was a weekend that Phat Nguyen ’18 had expected to spend at home with his family, but when his train arrived in Worcester, Mass., he found that life had other plans for him.

Nguyen was waiting at the station when his friend, who offered to pick him up, told him he knew of a group of elders at a retirement home in Florida who were unable to respond, without assistance, to the evacuation order prompted by then-imminent Hurricane Irma. Upon hearing that his friend planned to drive to Boca Raton to help, Nguyen made the split-second decision to join him.

“I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about my job search, school and other obligations,” and looking forward to the time at home, said Nguyen.

“But then I told myself, I have the opportunity to be there for others when they’re in serious need, so I should stop whining and find ways to help.”

Nguyen, a Carroll School of Management student majoring in finance and philosophy, said he and his friend had to act fast to make sure they arrived in time to get the stranded elders to safety in a shelter before the hurricane made landfall.

“We gave ourselves about two to three hours to get ready and also raise some money to head down there,” he said.

Nguyen raised nearly $3,000 for supplies that might be needed (any remaining funds were donated to disaster relief), contacted shelters to find one that could accommodate the group, and, with more than 75 gallons of water in tow, set off with his friend.

The two spent 48 hours with the elders. “The night Irma hit I remember they, my friend, and I literally were singing and dancing together,” said Nguyen. “We received multiple tornado warnings and the power was knocked out, but while all the chaos was taking place, we found our peace by sticking together.”

Nguyen applauds the power of social media and networking during times of crisis.

WORLD OF EDUCATION

Boston College’s celebration Hope; Emily Gannam ’11, Vio- must register and will be given of International Education Week lence Against Women in Central guidelines on appropriate topics (Nov. 13-17) will include a talk Africa & the Global Consulting and questions; the refugees who on global health by Edesia Nutri- Project for Fletcher School; and take part will follow a similar tion founder and CEO Navyn Sa- Chris Reynolds ’18, Mount Si- preparation process. lem ’94 H’12, a panel discussion nai Division of Women’s Global “Certainly, we want there to be on international careers, and a Health. discussion on aspects of migration unique opportunity to teleconfer•A centerpiece of the week will experiences – some people on the ence with refugees in Iraq, Jordan be the Refugee Portal, a ship- BC portal will have a chance to and Berlin. ping container transformed into a share theirs – but we also encourIEW, created in 2000 by the studio with a wall-sized videocon- age everyone to talk about eleUS departments of State and Ed- ferencing screen that connects to ments of everyday life that we all ucation, emphasizes the impor- other “portals” worldwide to cre- value, like family, culture, sports, tance of increasing knowledge and ate conversational and educational work,” said Owens. awareness of the world’s cultures, opportunities. From Nov. 13-16, These portal engagements can Phat Nguyen ’18 peoples and languages, and af- the Boisi Center for Religion and go beyond talk, he added: He “Never underestimate your firms the critical role international American Public Life will host is working to schedule jam sesability to raise money from education plays at Boston College a series of 25-minute conversa- sions between musicians, even a your personal network and nev- and elsewhere. tions in the portal – which will soccer skills workshop led by BC er doubt the kindness of your This year’s IEW theme student athletes. friends and family members,” at BC is “Being a Change“It’s an experiment,” said Nguyen. “I picked up the maker: The Heights and said Owens. “We don’t exphone for 30 minutes and raised Beyond,” which invites pect the people who enter about $1,000.” members of the University the portal to be best budNguyen’s spur-of-the-mo- community to reflect on dies by the end of a short ment decision to assist is consis- how one can make a posiconversation. But we hope tent with his attitude toward ser- tive difference at BC, as there will be a human convice to others. He and his family well as on a local, national nection made that inspires arrived in the US from Vietnam and global level. Events people here to see the issue in 2005 with next to nothing, he during the week will focus differently, to learn more, said, knowing no English, not on the work of BC alumni and act on what they learn.” understanding American culture, and other notable leaders The Refugee Portal is and having no idea how they who have found ways of part of a Boisi Center iniwould overcome those obstacles. bringing about meaningful tiative on the global refugee Thanks to the Southeast Asian change in a variety of setcrisis [www.bc.edu/centers/ Coalition of Central Massachu- tings. boisi/f17/refugee-project.

The Refugee Portal will enable members of the BC setts, he said, he and his family Among the highlights of community to teleconference with refugees. (Photo html] that includes a Nov. were able to get on their feet. this year’s IEW [full sched- from Shared Studios website) 13 dinner-and-conversaToday, Nguyen volunteers with ule at www.bc.edu/offices/inter- be located on the Plaza at O’Neill tion event with refugees who have SEACMA to spread awareness national/events/iew.html]: Library – between small groups resettled in the Boston area, and of Asian culture throughout the •Salem, whose non-profit Ede- of members of the BC commu- remarks by Owens and BC facstate, and raises funds to host an- sia seeks to treat and prevent mal- nity and Syrian and Iraqi refugees ulty members Westy Egmont and nual festivals, dinners, and classes nutrition in developing countries and displaced persons in refugee Kristin Heyer. for youth, such as Vietnamese as worldwide, will present “Address- camps or other locations.

“The Monday event is anotha Second Language. ing Global Health Challenges, “This is an opportunity to er opportunity to bring people “I am grateful for all of the One Child at a Time” on Mon- humanize the worldwide refugee face-to-face with refugees for real opportunities that allowed me to day from 4-6 p.m. in the Heights situation, to put a face on what conversations,” said Owens. “We pay it forward and help build a Room of Corcoran Commons. to many of us might seem dis- want to raise awareness among the stronger and much more loving Since 2010, Edesia has reached tant and abstract,” said Boisi BC community and beyond in a community,” said Nguyen. “My nearly six million children in 50 Center Associate Director Erik way that inspires action, whether family would not have overcome countries, including Somalia, Owens. “The refugee situation sponsoring a family, donating to what we had to face and I would Nigeria, Guatemala, Yemen and is too often framed in political an organization, or to learn more not be here today if it wasn’t for Syria, and next year will launch its or security terms, rather than as a about the plight of refugees.”

SEACMA.” first commercial line of products human issue that calls for a huIEW 2017 is a collaborative The elders Nguyen assisted in in the US. mane response. It is not a ‘for- effort organized by a wide array of Florida are doing well, so he and •On Nov. 15 at 6:30 p.m. in eign problem’ absent from the Boston College departments and his friends are now raising funds McGuinn 121, a panel of alumni, US, but something that calls us offices, under the direction of the to help victims of Hurricane Ma- along with a BC senior, will dis- here, where we live, to meet the Office of International Students ria victims in Puerto Rico. For cuss working in international moral and ethical obligations we and Scholars and the Office of information about assisting this ef- careers: Moriah Bauman ’15, have for others.”

International Programs. fort, email Nguyen at nguyenpm@ World Education; Jesse Carbone Owens said the Refugee Portal –Sean Smith bc.edu. ’14, Partners in Health; Katie conversations will be organized –Siobhan Sullivan Remy ’11, Glorious and Mama carefully. Participants from BC

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Jack Dunn DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS Patricia Delaney EDITOR Sean Smith

CONTRIBUTING STAFF Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan PHOTOGRAPHERS Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini

The Boston College

Chronicle www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu

The Boston College Chronicle (USPS 009491), the internal newspaper for faculty and staff, is published biweekly from September to May by Boston College, with editorial offices at the Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135 (617)5523350. Distributed free to faculty and staff offices and other locations on campus. Periodicals postage paid at Boston, MA and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: send address changes to The Boston College Chronicle, Office of University Communications, 3 Lake Street, Brighton, MA 02135.

A flipbook edition of Chronicle is available via e-mail. Send requests to chronicle@bc.edu.

T he B oston C ollege

Chronicle NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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A Timely Gathering Court decision loomed over Law School forum on forensics and expert testimony

Even as Boston College Law School prepared to host a major forum to discuss forensics and expert testimony, events many miles away promised to influence the conversation.

On Oct. 26, the first day of the two-day conference, the Mississippi Supreme Court vacated the conviction of a man on death row for three murders, citing exculpatory DNA testing results and false forensic testimony. Although forensic odonatologists had testified that a bite mark on the man’s wrist matched the bite pattern of one victim, her saliva sample did not reveal his DNA. Similarly, the DNA found in blood on the man’s shoe was male, but all three victims were female.

Popular crime drama television shows like “CSI” and “Law and Order” depict the forensic scientists who connect a serial killer to a fingerprint, or a bullet fragment to a gun used in a murder, as seemingly infallible heroes. But in reality, the scientific methods underpinning forensic investigations, and the experts who testify, are under greater scrutiny as defendants challenge convictions based on evidence that was later determined to be erroneous.

Underscoring the issue, a recent Associated Press story remarked on the “faltering confidence in forensic science and how its experts describe their findings in court.”

US Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein was quoted in the article as saying, “We must use forensic analysis carefully, but we must continue to use it.”

The Judicial Conference Advisory Committee on Evidence

Rules, composed of judges, academics, and attorneys from around the country, convened at BC Law to grapple with Rule 702, which establishes the federal standards for forensic expert testimony. The committee forwards its advice to the Standing Committee on Rules and to the Judicial Conference of the US courts, which in turn refers new rules to the US Supreme Court.

“The meeting at BC Law was of the greatest importance in recon-

ference Advisory Committee on the Federal Rules of Evidence, the event featured presentations on issues and concerns surrounding forensic science, and how these can be addressed.

Reflecting on the symposium, Capra said the Advisory Committee “heard from distinguished scientists, judges, academics and practitioners on the role that rulemaking could have in improving the quality of forensic evidence and in minimizing the costs of chal-

CSON Dean Is Awarded $3.3 Million NIH Grant

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

An event at last month’s Judicial Conference Committee on Evidence Rules, held at Boston College Law School. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

ciling the latest scientific theories with the needs of the US justice system,” said Monan Professor of Law Daniel Coquillette, reporter to the Committee on Rules of Practice and Procedure of the Judicial Conference of the US. “It was a great honor that we were selected to host this major judicial event.”

The Symposium on Forensic Expert Testimony on Oct. 27 featured panels on forensic evidence and on Rule 702 and Daubert – the latter refers to the standard for the admissibility of expert witnesses’ testimony during federal legal proceedings.

Moderated by Daniel Capra, the Reed Professor of Law at Fordham University School of Law, and reporter to the Judicial Con-

lenges to expert testimony. The views expressed at the symposium will help to shape the committee’s agenda for the next several years.”

“This session was an extraordinary opportunity for our faculty and students to engage with members of the judiciary from around the nation, and with world-renowned experts in a number of scientific fields related to forensic evidence,” said BC Law Dean Vincent D. Rougeau. “We cannot sufficiently thank our colleague, Dan Coquillette, for all that he did to bring this important meeting, and the symposium that followed, to Boston College.”

Contact Phil Gloudemans at philip.gloudemans@bc.edu

BC Board of Regents Holds First Meeting Boston College has formed a Board of Regents to advise and support the University President and Board of Trustees on strategic priorities and matters essential to the University’s future.

The 82-member board held its first meeting last week, and will convene each November.

The Board of Regents provides opportunities for alumni, current and former BC parents and friends of BC to serve as University ambassadors and thought leaders, according to Vice President for Development Beth McDermott. Regents – who are from the US and abroad – are selected on the basis of their professional, charitable and civic pursuits, and for their capacity

The Oct. 27 BC-Florida State game at Alumni Stadium included a special visit from ALS activist Pete Frates ’07 and members of his family – (L-R) his parents John ’80 and Nancy ’80, brother Andrew and wife Julie ’12 – who were recognized during the first quarter. (Photo by John Quackenbos)

“to bring diverse and unique perspectives” to the work of the University.

Members provide consultation to the Board of Trustees and the University’s senior leadership to strengthen and advance institutional priorities, serve on advisory committees that examine issues of primary importance to the University, and participate in periodic conference calls and off-campus experiences that enrich their learning and demonstrate the vibrancy of the Boston College community around the world.

Regents are expected to experience and model practices of reflection and discernment “that are hallmarks of student forma-

tion at Boston College,” according to McDermott, and to prioritize philanthropic support of the University’s current-use needs as well as significant longer-term commitments.

“I am thrilled to join a group of accomplished alumni and BC parents from around the globe who have agreed to lend their wisdom and experience in service to Boston College,” said University Trustee John Fish P’18, P’13, who is the board’s inaugural chair. “The Board of Regents will expand our scope of influence and input and will be a critical factor to Boston College achieving its strategic goals.”

–University Communications

A $3.3 million grant will enable Connell School of Nursing Dean and Professor Susan Gennaro to study a prenatal care intervention for pregnant minority women experiencing emotional distress. Through the grant, awarded by the National Institutes of Health/National Institute for Minority Health and Health Disparities, the study will evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness in improving outcomes for mothers and babies.

Gennaro’s co-principal investigator on the grant is Bernadette Mazurek Melnyk, vice president for health promotion, university chief wellness officer, dean and professor of The Ohio State University College of Nursing.

Melnyk is also a professor of pediatrics and psychiatry in Ohio State’s College of Medicine and executive director of the Helene Fuld Health Trust National Institute for Evidence-Based Practice.

The US Department of Health and Human Services has issued a public health mandate to decrease disparities in birth outcomes based on race and ethnicity. According to Gennaro and Melnyk, developing scalable prenatal interventions to improve birth outcomes as well as maternal physical and psychosocial health is essential to decreasing health disparities in pregnant minority women.

“I am so excited to be able to test this intervention which has the potential to improve the health of mothers, babies and families,” said Gennaro. “We mandate screening for emotional distress during pregnancy, but don’t know what to do for women who are depressed, or anxious or extremely stressed. We are hopeful that this study will pro-

Caitlin Cunningham

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Susan Gennaro

vide the answers.”

Their study, titled “Healthy Lifestyle Intervention for HighRisk Minority Pregnant Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial,” will be conducted in Ohio and New York City. It is the first clinical trial to test a cognitive behavioral skills building (CBSB) health promotion intervention embedded into prenatal care for emotionally distressed pregnant minority women.

The researchers are looking to determine if the intervention can improve lifestyle behaviors (nutrition and exercise) and lessen anxiety, stress and depressive symptoms.

This study builds upon Gennaro’s research on the consequences of stress and health behaviors in pregnant minority women and Melnyk’s research on cognitive behavioral interventions to promote healthy lifestyle behaviors, physical health, and psychosocial wellness.

“Given the well-established link between emotional distress, poor health and birth outcomes, and the prevalence of emotional distress in minority women, prenatal care interventions designed to improve mental and physical health outcomes for these women are vital,” said Melnyk.

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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Schillers’ $25 Million Gift Supports Creation of Institute

Continued from page 1 and data visualization space; maker spaces to give students handson experiences in prototyping research; a clean room, and a collaboration commons for faculty and students.

The new facility will also include space for BC’s Computer Science Department and Shea Center, as well as classrooms for its core courses, all of which will foster faculty and student cooperation across departments and schools, strengthen teaching and research in the sciences, and enhance the University’s ability to advance the common

president of worldwide marketing at Apple and a member of its executive team, described the new Institute of Integrated Science as a dream come true.

“Boston College students are so vibrant, energetic and eager to take on the world and solve big, complex problems, which is just what we want from the next generation of leaders,” he said.

“The integrated science program will build on the talents that are here at Boston College, including our great students and their desire to do things in a new way — with meaning and

ing health; create novel technologies to diagnose and treat human diseases in resource-poor areas around the globe; and work in areas such as remote sensing and clean water supply development to address the impact of environmental degradation.

This investment in the sciences will further BC’s momentum in scientific research, which was underscored by the University’s designation in 2016 as an “R1” institution by the Carnegie Foundation, a classification for doctoral universities with the highest levels of research activity. Boston College is one of only 115 universities nationally to achieve this

distinction.

“One of the things that I admire most about Boston College is its commitment to liberal arts education,” said Phil Schiller.

“And looking back, what attracted me to Apple was its commitment to combining technology with humanities to really make a difference. What is important is when we stop to ask, ‘Why does this matter?’ ‘How does it help to make someone’s life better?’

When we consider things from the perspective of the humanities, we start to create things in a different way — with purpose.

“The institute’s focus on combining technology and the hu-

manities and its commitment to collaboration and innovation as a defining principle is very exciting. This is where the best work comes from, as diverse minds with different experiences try to understand a problem together and solve things as a team. That is where big leaps forward happen, and it is a major reason why we have chosen to support this important initiative.”

Learn more at www.bc.edu/ bc-web/schools/mcas/sites/schillerinstitute.html.

Contact Jack Dunn at jack.dunn@bc.edu

Q&A: Thomas Chiles

‘A Model for Interdisciplinary Collaboration’

good through research focused on pressing global problems.

University President William P. Leahy, SJ, praised the Schillers for their generosity, which enabled this intersection of their philanthropic goals with Boston College’s strategic priorities.

“I am deeply grateful to Phil and Kim for their longstanding commitment to Boston College and its mission. Their generous gift will benefit not only generations of BC students but also wider society in coming decades. I am confident that the Schiller Institute will play a key role in helping the University address pressing needs of our day in such areas as health, environment, and energy through quality teaching and research.”

Added Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley, “The Schiller Institute will serve as a University crossroad for science and innovation that will integrate our existing strengths in the sciences with longstanding research strengths in the humanities, social sciences and the professional schools. The institute will advance Boston College’s distinction as a natural leader in integrated science, and a university that directs its research efforts to addressing the most challenging societal problems.”

Phil Schiller, the senior vice

purpose — to advance the scientific process in a multidisciplinary approach that Boston College is uniquely positioned to accomplish within American higher education. To us, it makes perfect sense to create an Institute for Integrated Science and Society that enables our students to achieve their goals by providing them with the resources they need to do so.”

Kim Gassett-Schiller, who serves as a trustee at Rhode Island School of Design and is a member of the Salem State University Foundation, offered a similar perspective. “Phil and I have always supported universities because we believe that it is important to invest in our students and in their future,” she said. “Science is really important, because it not only answers questions, but asks questions, which lead to other avenues for exploration.

“The Institute for Integrated Science and Society is committed to using scientific research to provide answers to the difficult questions facing the world today.

That is why I am excited to support this institute, particularly at this crucial time.”

In fulfillment of its mission to address global needs, the Schiller Institute will aim to develop clean energy technologies that are vital to alleviating poverty and protect-

Gary Gilbert

Phil Schiller ’82 speaks with a student at last Friday’s announcement of the Schiller Institute. (Photo by Gary Wayne Gilbert)

Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning and DeLuca Professor of Biology Thomas Chiles has played a central role in the work of faculty and administrators to take the idea of an institute dedicated to integrated science and make it a reality. With the public announcement of the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society, Chiles spoke about the role of the new institute at Boston College and shifting approaches to solving complex problems in science and society.

Describe the Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and the role it will play in teaching and research at BC. The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society will strengthen teaching and research in the sciences, expand cross-school collaboration, and enhance Boston College’s ability to address critical global problems in targeted areas such as energy, health, and the environment. The University will explore new interdisciplinary courses in the integrated and applied sciences, data science, global public health, and other divisions that will combine elements of engineering and entrepreneurial approaches through collaboration with the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship and the professional schools.

The institute’s distinctive programs will be marked by deep and ongoing engagement with the University’s long-standing strengths in the humanities, social sciences, and the professions. The foundation for this effort will be the University’s commitment to innovative liberal arts education grounded in the Jesuit, Catholic heritage of rigorous scholarship in service of the common good. This initiative will serve as a model for interdisciplinary collaboration and creativity as the University expands its commitment to

teaching and research focused on pressing global problems.

How will the Schiller Institute help BC navigate new approaches to research?

Recent years have brought radical shifts in the manner in which scientists conduct research at universities around the world. Most strikingly, the traditional boundaries that once separated the natural sciences (e.g., chemistry, physics, biology) into independent disciplines have become less rigid, as have the divisions between basic and applied research.

Solving important scientific problems at universities is no longer the exclusive domain of individual faculty members and students, confined by the traditions and jargon of their respective disciplines. Today, interdisciplinary teams are collaborating to solve complex problems in ways and at a pace that were unimaginable a decade ago.

Describe how the Schiller Institute will differ from BC’s traditional research initiatives.

A critical element of the institute will be the creation of a first-of-itskind physical space on campus. The new space will anchor faculty and student research and foster transdisciplinary collaboration among faculty and students from across schools and departments.

Housed within the new facility will be state-of-the-art laboratories supporting integrated natural and applied science research; the Shea Center for Entrepreneurship; dynamic student maker spaces; classrooms serving students in the Core Curriculum and from across the University’s academic programs; teaching and research areas for computer science; and the new Engineering Department. A variety of

course offerings bringing together students from a range of different majors will provide students with the skills and knowledge necessary to put their innovative ideas into practice for the good of society.

Will the Schiller Institute support new courses of study?

The signature program within the institute will be a new undergraduate major in Integrated and Applied Science. This major will prepare students who are fluent in multiple natural science disciplines and applied science approaches, while shaping the next generation of scientists in the art of collaboration across science disciplines. The curriculum will allow students to explore inter-relationships between the natural sciences in ways that extend beyond traditional disciplinary course pedagogy. Laboratory experiences will challenge teams of students to tackle problem-oriented exercises. Students will acquire skills through new courses in implementation science and human-centered design thinking that will allow them to prototype solutions and field test their ideas.

What kind of impact do you hope the Schiller Institute will have on BC’s overarching academic mission?

The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society and its associated academic programs will enable Boston College to attract talented and innovative undergraduate and graduate students, allow the University to recruit and retain outstanding faculty members, and connect the sciences with other programs from across the University.

Establishing an institute dedicated to solving critical problems of the 21st century will secure and advance Boston College’s hard-won and deserved standing among the top tier of American research universities.

–Ed Hayward

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Chronicle NOVEMBER 9, 2017

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Fresh Perspectives

Appointments seen as strenghtening English, African/African Diaspora Studies

BY SEAN SMITH CHRONICLE EDITOR

The arrival of Allison Curseen and Jonathan Howard to the Boston College faculty this academic year reflects the University’s commitment to strengthening its African American literature teaching and research.

Curseen and Howard were jointly appointed to the English Department and African and African Diaspora Studies Program, each bringing an interdisciplinary approach with fresh perspectives to examine African American fiction and non-fiction – and the African American experience – in larger contexts.

Curseen – who will formally

Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Jonathan Howard

begin teaching at BC next fall after her Woodrow Wilson Fellowship at Princeton University this academic year – said she was drawn to BC because the University had shown commitment to growing African and African Diaspora Studies and diversity in the faculty.

BC’s Jesuit tradition was another plus, she added.

Specializing in African American and 19th-century American literature and culture, Curseen has a particular interest in performance and performance studies, child studies, and theories of fugitivity and unruliness.

“African American literature from the 19th century is my first love,” said Curseen, whose most recent work appears in the collection Saving the World: Girlhood and Evangelicalism in the Nineteenth Century. “I love the way language works in that period, where words are still the primary communicator for both the individual and public imagination.”

Curseen likes to encourage students to be attuned to nuances and details in literature – such as the way a character’s movements are depicted – that might not ordinarily capture one’s attention. This means sometimes being less focused on linear plot development,

she said.

“Reading a text is like entering a conversation; you can join in at various points and in various ways and for various reasons, but that doesn’t mean that the whole conversation conforms to your point and manner of entry. You still have to find a way to discover, understand, and address what you missed and how that affects the way you view things.”

Curseen earned an MFA from American University, a bachelor’s degree from Oberlin College and her doctorate from Duke University. Her honors include two Professional Staff Congress-City University of New York awards, a Berggren Enrichment Fund Grant from Baruch College, a Duke Summer Research Fellowship and the American University Thesis Award.

“Allison Curseen’s current research on movement and constraint of the black child’s body in 19th-century American literature, along with her future project on truancy in political and social movements, are smartly conceptualized and theoretically sophisticated,” said Associate Professor of History Martin Summers, who directs African and African Diaspora Studies. “They are poised to make important contributions to African American literary studies, childhood studies, and performance studies.”

Howard holds a doctorate and master’s degree from Duke, and a bachelor’s degree from the University of Pennsylvania. He has earned several noteworthy academic awards, including a Fulbright Research Grant to Brazil, a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Fellowship and a DeWitt Wallace-Reader’s Digest Graduate Fellowship.

“Coming to BC enabled me to pursue two areas – literature and African American studies – that have been a big part of my training,” said Howard. “I liked the fact that there is institutional support for and commitment to this kind of scholarship.”

Howard’s scholarly interests center on environmental humanities as related to African Diaspora literatures, as reflected in his current book project, The Blueness of Blackness – a study of the trope of water in African Diaspora literature – and in his undergraduate course Black Nature: Race and Ecology.

“The idea is to consider fully the black experience in the natural environment,” he said. “If race is a social construct, nature is as well – how do these two feed into another? For example, elements of nature might be commonly associated with serenity and peacefulness, but in African American

history, nature can be hostile, traumatic: We think of slaves thrown into the ocean from the ships, or trees used in lynchings.

“My class addresses the myth that African Americans ‘don’t care’ about nature or pastoral writing.

We look at how blackness creates a window for imagining how we exist within nature, from oppression to consent to resistance.”

Howard notes that the interdisciplinary dimension to Black Nature could be of interest to undergraduates majoring in natural sciences, especially environmental studies.

“I have found BC students to be thoughtful, and very open to exploring connections between subjects that may seem unlikely but which can tell us a lot about the human condition.”

Summers praised Howard’s work. “His use of water as a trope to reimagine the age-old questions of ‘What does it mean to be black?’ and ‘What does it mean to be “a problem?”’ is bold and innovative.

His research – as well as his current course, Black Nature: Race and Ecology – speaks to the broader question of black people’s ethical relationship to the land.

“Both Curseen’s and Howard’s

Allison Curseen

arrival nicely complements our current core faculty, Rhonda Frederick and Regine Jean-Charles, who teach and do research in African Caribbean literature.”

Professor of English Min Song, who chaired the search committee that interviewed Howard and Curseen, said that in reviewing applications, “I was thoroughly impressed by how accomplished the candidates were – it’s clear to me that the study of African American literature is an exciting, vital field full of accomplished scholars and brilliant scholarship. Both Jonathan and Allison rose quickly to the top of this very competitive pool of applicants, and I couldn’t be happier that they are now members of the English Department.”

Contact Sean Smith at sean.smith@bc.edu

Faculty members (L-R) Julian Bourg, Marilynn Johnson and Yonder Gillihan, along with Eric Weiskott and Min Song, were panelists at the forum “Whiteness: A Faculty-Student Dialogue about Race,” held Monday in McGuinn Hall – one of several recent campus events exploring race issues. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

Global Pollution Report Continued from page 1 Fuller, president of Pure Earth, formerly known as the Blacksmith Institute.

“Pollution is a tax on the poor – their health, livelihoods, and life chances,” said Yadama. “It is also a complex environmental, health, and social problem that requires a concerted, transdisciplinary approach to finding interventions that create positive change for the large number of people who are living in poverty worldwide.

“We must reframe pollution as a problem of the common good. We must reframe the fight against pollution as a collective action problem. We must reimagine ways to rely less on fossil fuels and more on renewables.

And we must envision ways to leapfrog the poor to clean energy solutions.”

Chiles added that in identifying pollution’s contribution to the global burden of disease, the commission hopes to “use the information to inform key decision-makers around the world about the burden that pollution places on human health, economic development, and about pollution control solutions.”

The Lancet study offers recommendations about how to begin to solve the problem of pollution on a global scale and provides case studies of projects underway that have successfully controlled pollution levels. By engaging the perspective of policymakers, and other political and academic leaders alike, the report aims to speak to a broad audience in order to elevate pollution to an issue of global scale.

The commission was designed to connect the issue of pollution directly with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals and, already, the preparation of the report has seeded significant results. UN Environment’s next global conference will focus exclusively on pollution, and the

World Health Organization has increased its focus on pollutionrelated disease.

“I am hopeful that, in delineating the pathways of pollution’s wide-ranging impact,” said Yadama, “the commission might influence policy, behavioral, and technology responses to reduce pollution.”

Both Yadama and Chiles noted that environmental pollution is one of the largest causes of disease and death in low- and middle-income countries. Recent data from the World Health Organization and other sources suggest that exposure to polluted water, air, and soil contributed to an estimated 8.9 million deaths worldwide in 2012.

By comparison, deaths from HIV/AIDS, malaria, and tuberculosis totaled 2.5 million that year.

“Pollution is strongly linked to poverty; it disproportionately affects countries that are not equipped to deal with the problem and vulnerable peoples without resources to protect themselves,” Chiles said.

“It is a problem for science, but also an economic and political problem – it is in many ways a human and an environmental justice problem.”

The interdisciplinary and applied approach of the commission represents a new paradigm being used to target some of the world’s toughest problems, Chiles said. “The work the commission is doing highlights the type of complex problems facing the world today. These are problems that science alone cannot solve.”

For additional information see the Global Commission on Pollution, Health and Development website [www.commissiononpollution.org].

—University Communications, with Nate Herpich, Boston College School of Social Work

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Behind the Scenes, ITS Works to Keep Safe Computing Environment Continued from page 1 REN-ISAC (Research and Education Networking Information Sharing and Analysis Center), a computer security incident response team for higher education.

Escalante stressed the importance of being vigilant about the emerging threats on the technology landscape as well as being aware of new technologies appearing on campus, such as smart TVs and wireless smart speakers, like Amazon’s Alexa.

He pores over a multi-page report on known software vulnerabilities he receives every week from the US Computer Emergency Readiness Team. He is also connected to colleagues through an annual security camp he hosts for nearly 200 computer security practitioners representing universities throughout the US as well as their partners in government and business.

All this information gathering and networking helps Escalante stay ahead of issues, such as the faulty software that recently led to the Equifax data breach.

Said Bourque: “Dave and his team are experts and are in tune with what’s going on and that is a huge advantage. They work closely with the Data Security Working Group, which represents the security needs of departments throughout the University.”

Much of the work the data security team does is behind-thescenes and invisible to faculty, staff, and students.

For example, Escalante says the

level of “junk” email coming into BC is unprecedented, noting that the University rejects 90 percent of its incoming email.

“It isn’t even scanned for spam; it’s just not accepted,” said Escalante, who teaches in the Woods College’s Master of Science in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance program. “Then, the remaining email goes through two

sharing their credentials, and viruses that track users’ keystrokes.

In addition, if people use their BC credentials on other websites, and those sites get hacked, the hackers then have a way to access BC’s network.

To combat that threat, ITS instituted a policy in 2013 where users must annually change their BC password – a task some may

(L-R) Scott Cann, Michael Bourque and David Escalante are among the administrators overseeing Boston College’s computer security. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)

different spam filtering systems before it gets to users.”

Each day ITS blocks computers on campus from accessing tens of thousands of known bad websites and uses firewalls to discard 150 million undesired attempts to access BC. High on the list of current threats, according to Escalante, is credential theft – stealing a username and password combination. These credentials are vulnerable to theft through phishing schemes, which trick users into

find irritating, Escalante acknowledged, but the policy has resulted in a more secure BC network.

“We have gone from forced resets of hundreds of compromised passwords a year to only a handful,” he said.

Additionally, ITS has initiated multi-factor authentication (MFA), a two-step verification process for systems such as PeopleSoft HR, PeopleSoft Financials, and eventually, the virtual private network (VPN).

Other threats are malware,

such as a virus that damages a computer or network, or ransomware where hackers threaten to withhold data or publicly release data unless they are paid money.

These occurrences are relatively rare on campus, according to ITS, thanks to the network protections already in place.

If Escalante’s team is the behind-the-scenes player in the security efforts, the team led by Technology Director of Support Services Scott Cann is on the front lines. Cann oversees the technology consultants and the HELP Desk, typically the first ones contacted by faculty, staff or students dealing with a possible issue. His group is also responsible for training and communications, raising and maintaining the University community’s awareness and engagement in security issues.

Both Cann and Escalante said one noticeable change in the threat landscape is the increased sophistication of the phishing attacks. Instead of blasting a phishing email to a million users, hackers now will customize their attacks to as few as 10 people.

“That’s why it’s called spear phishing,” said Escalante. “They are targeting very small groups with tailored emails. And because it is such a small sample, it is hard for any security system to detect them and stop them.”

“The criminals are taking information about the targeted enterprise, such as when a company announces it is changing its bene-

fits provider, to craft messages that make it more likely that someone will click on them,” added Cann.

Escalante says a rising threat is scams. Today’s scams are no different those of the past, he says, but now technology is the instrument, with scammers spoofing caller ID systems and emails to separate unsuspecting people from their money.

Last month, as part of National Cyber Security Awareness Month, ITS and Woods College’s Cybersecurity program co-sponsored a well-attended event where Escalante talked about new twists on old scams and FBI Special Agent Doug Domin presented information on FBI cyber investigations.

Because security protocols are not flawless, Escalante said, there are steps members of the BC community should take to help keep their data and BC data safe.

Escalante urged people to opt in for MFA where possible, such as with online banking. When accessing WiFi off campus, even for tasks unrelated to BC, people can use BC’s VPN. This will add a layer of encryption and protections, such as blocking bad websites.

The simplest and best tactic, Escalante added, is to be a skeptic when online and slow down and think before reacting to emails.

Members of the BC community who receive an email they deem suspicious should contact their TC or forward the email to security@bc.edu.

Contact Kathleen Sullivan at kathleen.sullivan@bc.edu

BC Study Proves the Power of Color in Consumer Persuasion The psychology of color — and its power of persuasion — are critical aspects in marketing, where competition is steep and both consumer attention and product cycles are short. Recent research by Carroll School of Management marketing professors on color theory and persuasion offers important insights and implications for both consumers and the marketplace.

Henrik Hagtvedt and S. Adam Brasel reveal a striking visual phenomenon: the perceived size of products depends on the saturation of their color. A series of studies support their hypothesis that highly saturated color increases the perceived size of objects.

Theirs is the first research to demonstrate the positive relationship between color saturation and size perceptions.

Hagvedt and Brasel’s report, “Color Saturation Increases Per-

Lee Pellegrini

BY ROSANNE PELLEGRINI STAFF WRITER

more recently — in marketing has documented some of those influences, but much remains to be done. For example, painters rely on numerous color effects that marketers are not necessarily familiar with but that may alter how consumers view products. This effect of saturation is one such example.”

Said Brasel, “Saturation — which refers to a color’s purity Henrik Hagtvedt, left, and S. Adam Brasel — is an important but underceived Product Size,” published in investigated dimension of colthe August issue of the Journal of or. Our results have implications Consumer Research, illustrates that for aesthetics, design, and sensory highly saturated color elicits arous- marketing — research areas that al, thereby capturing attention and emphasize the importance of color encouraging increased size percep- and the need to explicate its role in tions. consumer behavior.”

“Color is ubiquitous, and it inThe results of six experiments fluences consumers in a variety of — using objects and products with ways, many of which they may various shapes and color hues, with not even be aware,” said Hagtvedt, Boston College students as study whose background as a visual artist participants — revealed the effect informs his interest in the topic. of color saturation on size percep“Research in psychology and — tions, as well as other downstream

consequences. One experiment, for instance, demonstrated that people who wanted a large suitcase evaluated it more favorably if its color was more rather than less saturated, and vice versa for people who wanted a small suitcase.

Another study investigated the amount of jellybeans that participants served themselves. Half of participants were given a cup with highly saturated color into which to pour the jellybeans; the other half were given a cup with lesssaturated color. Participants with high-saturation cups served themselves on average 27 percent more than those with low-saturation cups.

A third experiment showed that the saturation of an object’s color affected the perceived size of its surroundings as well: When an ottoman with highly saturated color was used as a benchmark, the ceiling height of the room in which it was pictured was perceived to be comparatively lower.

Because these findings highlight both perceptual and behavioral influences that may arise from a mere adjustment of saturation, they have broad practical relevance. For example, the researchers explain, color saturation is a low-cost but effective way to influence attention and size perceptions in retail stores.

And it may be even more critical in online contexts, where visual impressions tend to be the only sensory gauge available to consumers.

“From a theoretical perspective, our findings provide new insights into fundamental effects of color on perception and judgment,” said Hagtvedt. “From a practical perspective, they showcase a broadly applicable device that can influence consumer responses to products, environments, and marketing materials.”

“The findings are relevant in contexts ranging from retail interiors to automobile exteriors and from packaging to screen displays,” added Brasel.

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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College

Praveen Kumar

Assistant Professor Boston College School of Social Work DEGREES: University of Mumbai (BT); Tata Institute of Social Sciences (MA); Washington University in St. Louis (PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Environmental inequities; global health; energy-poverty-development nexus; implementation science; technology and science; social innovation.

WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Social Innovation (spring 2018) Your research in India has focused on such topics as household air pollution, the impact of climate change on low-lying areas of coastal megacities, and the benefits of village grain banks to communities and households: How does a social work perspective contribute to the investigation of these and similar issues? “Addressing challenges of vulnerable communities is central to social work. It is increasingly becoming apparent that the most economically and socially fragile communities are worst impacted due to environmental inequities. My research at the interface of poverty and environmental justice, thus, necessitates a social work approach to usher a sustainable and a socially conscious transformation. I frequently leverage social work competencies of community organizing, program evaluation, or building evidence base through rigorous intervention research. Adoption of a social work perspective is well suited for addressing environmental injustice, and consequently for sustaining human-ecology relationship.”

Britt Frisk Pados

Assistant Professor Connell School of Nursing DEGREES: Boston College (BS); University of Pennsylvania (MS); University of North CarolinaChapel Hill (PhD).

WHAT SHE STUDIES: Feeding difficulty in infants and young children with medical complexity, particularly those born pre-term and with congenital heart disease; biobehavioral methodologies, including physiologic, biochemical, and behavioral measures; heart rate variability.

WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Nursing Health Assessment/Life Span/Clinical Lab; Advanced Clinical Decision-making in Pediatric PC. What are the feeding challenges for an infant with congenital heart disease? “Feeding is one of the most taxing activities of early life. It is essentially exercise for the young infant. When an infant’s heart is not functioning properly, the infant may not be able to meet the physiologic demands of feeding. They tire quickly and stop feeding. For those infants who require surgical intervention, there are additional factors. Many of these infants require prolonged respiratory support through a breathing tube that is placed in their mouth. In many cases, that breathing tube is placed shortly after birth and remains in place for a week or more until after surgery. The healthy infant in the first few weeks of life spends the majority of their waking time eating (sometimes 12 times per day or more); this is typically a positive experience that is important for bonding. The infant with congenital heart disease misses out on these early experiences with feeding and instead is subjected to the noxious stimuli of having a hard tube in the mouth. Surgical incisions in the middle of the chest also risk damage to the nerves that innervate the structures involved in swallowing, making swallowing difficult and placing them at risk for aspiration (i.e., fluid going into the lungs).”

David H. Solomon

Assistant Professor of Finance Carroll School of Management DEGREES: University of Western Australia (B.Com.); University of Chicago (MBA, PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Behavioral finance; intersection of psychology and financial markets; how information gets incorporated into asset prices, including aspects such as the effects of media coverage and private meetings between firms and investors; psychology of investors’ evaluation of their portfolio performance, and its impact on prices and trades.

WHAT HE’S TEACHING: Investments

–Ed Hayward, Kathleen Sullivan, Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini

Asst. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science) discussed the response to the terror attack in New York as a guest on WGBH “Greater Boston.”

Children’s quirky art isn’t just cute, said Prof. Ellen Winner (Psychology) in an interview with The Atlantic – it contains clues as to how they’re making sense of the world

and their place in it.

In a commentary for Reuters, Prof.

Jonathan Laurence (Political Science) warned against expecting the competition for leadership from the Persian Gulf to be resolved anytime soon: “The defeat of IS in Raqqa has bought time for North African governments to consolidate their religious communities.

Bunch Named Special Asst. to Student Affairs Vice President Vice President for Student Affairs Barb Jones has named Dan Bunch, former director of Learning to Learn, to be a special assistant to the VP for Student Affairs.

Bunch will serve as a resource for the division of Student Affairs, assisting staff in their ongoing efforts to provide assistance and support for AHANA students.

He also will work with the Office of the Provost, division of Mission and Ministry and Office of Human Resources to foster student formation and inclusive excellence at Boston College.

Bunch had worked closely with BC students, faculty, and administrators for more than 30 years before retiring from Boston College last June.

—University Communications

NOTA BENE Connell School of Nursing Associate Professor Jane Flanagan has been inducted into the American Academy of Nursing, a prestigious organization of nursing’s most accomplished leaders in education, management, practice, and research.

Flanagan directs CSON’s Adult Gerontology Graduate Program and maintains a nurse practitioner practice at Bournewood Hospital. She holds appointments as a nurse scientist at the Massachusetts General Hospital’s Yvonne Munn Center and as an associate clinical scientist at the Phyllis Cantor Center at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

She has several grants supporting research projects, including exploring the post hospital disposition of older adults; the efficacy of holistic, complementary interventions for women with breast cancer; and the feasibility and efficacy of implementing a physical activity program for caregivers of older adults.

Selection as an AAN Fellow is based, in part, on the extent the nominee’s nursing career has influenced health policies and the health and well-being of all.

–Kathleen Sullivan Boston College Libraries have been awarded a $30,775 Recordings at Risk grant by the Council on Library and Information Resources (CLIR) to digitally reformat a selection of unique audio collections.

Titled “Sounds of mid-20th century Irish America: preserving historic music field recordings for research access,” the proposed work focuses on two internationally-known collections supporting the study of lrish traditional music: the James W. Smith Irish Music Collection and Joe Lamont Irish Music Collection. Both include open-reel tapes of unpublished music that are deemed to be of high research value and at risk of loss.

Experts from across the BC Libraries contributed to the application, which exemplified core library values to preserve and make accessible heritage and research collections for the long term.

But that same defeat also removes an obstacle to Iranian influence – not unlike the fall of Baghdad almost 15 years ago.”

Millennials, now the biggest generation of workers, want a different kind of workplace than their elders. Center for Work and Family Assistant Director Jennifer Sabatini Fraone weighed in on aspects of employment that millennials value for a piece that ran in Boston Globe Magazine.

Jerome Powell, President Trump’s candidate for Federal Reserve Chair, is not expected to dramatically change the agencies policies, Murray and Monti Professor of Economics Peter Ireland told the Boston Herald.

Ireland seems no closer to the truth of what happened to children born to the nation’s institutional care system during the 20th century, wrote Prof. James Smith (English) in an op-ed for IrishCentral.

Prof. Patrick Maney (History) spoke with the Associated Press and WCVB-TV about what details might be found among the newly released government files on the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

JOBS The following are among the most recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources.

For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/offices/hr: Academic Advisor, Woods College of Advancing Studies Director of Development, Law School Assistant Director, Classes, University Advancement Campus Minister, University Mission and Ministry Associate Vice President, Principal Gifts, University Advancement Director, Boston College Campus School Public Safety Dispatcher Senior Philanthropic Advisor, University Advancement General Service Worker, Dining & Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Grant Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost Fiscal and Operations Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost Utility Worker, Dining and Catering/Auxiliary/Public Safety Senior Grant and Fiscal Administrator, Academic Affairs/Provost

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Agbabi to Bring Her Distinctive Voice and Vision to Campus

Week of Dance Returns Nov. 27-Dec. 2 Boston College’s annual Week of Dance – which takes place this year Nov. 27-Dec. 2 – features workshops in a variety of genres offered by student dance organization members and culminates with a collaborative showcase at Robsham Theater Arts Center.

“Dance has been exploding on our campus over the past few years,” said Theatre Department Chair and Associate Professor Crystal Tiala, who chairs the Art Council, which presents the event with Robsham.

With nine workshops, some 30 dance groups and approximately 300 dancers, Week of Dance “demonstrates how important dance and all arts are for Boston College,” she said.

Dance groups presenting workshops at the Brighton Dance Studio include Fuego del Corazon (Nov. 28, 5 p.m.); Masti (Nov. 28, 6 p.m.); Boston College Dance Ensemble (Nov. 28, 7 p.m.); AeroK (Nov. 29, 5 p.m.) and PATU, or Presenting Africa To U (Nov. 30, 4:30 p.m.). Workshops at the Robsham main stage include On Tap (Nov. 27, 5 p.m.); BC Full Swing (Nov. 27, 7 p.m.) and Phaymus Dance Entertainment (Nov. 27, 8 p.m.).

Other troupes taking part in Week of Dance include FISTS (Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step), Sexual Chocolate, Uprising Dance Crew, Boston College Irish Dance, VIP, Synergy Hip Hop Dance Company, Dance Organization of Boston College, Conspiracy Theory, BC Pom Squad

BC SCENES

“Performing with other dance groups inspires us to improve and come up with more creative choreography. We enjoy holding workshops for other students because it allows our friends to come to get an inside look at what we do every week.”

–Kristen Brandenburg ’18, director, Boston College Dance Ensemble “It’s great to get the whole dance community together. We grow and develop by watching the other groups. They push us to raise the bar and in turn it creates a richer dancing culture and community.”

–Full Swing co-captains, seniors Jenie Rowland and Dave Huffman “Week of Dance creates a sense of unity among the BC dance community in which we support each other and appreciate the diversity within the dance scene.”

–Luis Cardenas ’18, Synergy Hip Hop Dance Company “Week of Dance gives us more exposure. The Afrodiasporic dance style is not common on BC’s campus so this is a way to showcase the beauty and diversity of the style. Having workshops helps garner more attention and give people a little taste of what it’s like to be on the team. Performing with other teams strengthens the dance community.”

“Week of Dance is important because it –Eseosa Osagie ’18, maintains an emphasis on art: it upholds PATU dance as a form of expression that is crucial to spreading culture and sharing Photos provided by emotion.”

Boston College dance groups –Liam Cotter ‘18, president and captain, Sexual Chocolate

and Golden Eagles Dance Team.

Assistant Professor of the Practice of Theatre Sun Ho Kim, a dancer and choreographer, will present a workshop on Nov. 29 at 2 p.m. in the Brighton Dance Studio.

Workshops welcome all stu-

dents, regardless of dance experience. For information, contact the Arts Council at ext.2-4935.

Performances will held Dec. 1 and 2 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10; see www.bc.edu/offices/robsham. html.

–Rosanne Pellegrini

A dynamic presentation by acclaimed poet and performer Patience Agbabi (right) – whose 2014 work, Telling Tales, is a compelling, contemporary retelling of Chaucer’s famous Canterbury Tales – concludes the fall Lowell Humanities Series events, on Nov. 15 at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100. The event is open to the public, free of charge.

“Agbabi is an accomplished poet with an exceptional skill for translating between the page and the stage,” said Assistant Professor of English Eric Weiskott, who suggested her invitation to the University. “Her work is notable for connecting the past and the present, as in her book Telling Tales, a modernized version of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales complete with a rapping Cook, a Nigerian Wife of Bath, and a Monk who writes in textmessage abbreviations. We hope that the audience will respond to the astounding range of Agbabi’s poetics and her dynamic performance style.”

Telling Tales, according to the event organizers, is a stunning example of Agbabi’s distinct voice and vision as an artist, which combines classic takes with urgent themes of today’s socially and politically complex world.

Agbabi discussed her inspiration in a 2014 interview with The Telegraph: “Chaucer’s original is brilliant. It’s probably some of the best work of English literature, in my opinion.”

It stands the test of time, she maintains, due to the distinct

individuality and agency of its characters — a quality that has for the most part maintained its relevance in contemporary academia.

“I was amazed, when I reread Chaucer’s original, at just how varied the voices and styles were.

I thought, if I’m taking this on, I can’t just repeat what’s already been done, because I can’t hope to be anywhere near this.”

Instead, she explained, she took an interesting angle, played around with form, sound and character, and brought the story to a different dimension. In the contemporary United Kingdom, 500 years removed from Chaucer’s England, “there are massive gender and race differences, so I had to update all that,” she added.

Agbabi, who has been featured worldwide on television and radio, has garnered numerous honors and accolades. For more on her other works of poetry, professional affiliations and many distinctions in her field, see www.bc.edu/offices/ lowellhs/calendar.html –University Communications

SOLID FOOTING The Cape Verde Students Association hosted its annual “Dancing with the Scholars” event last month, for which pairs of Boston College students – including members of campus dance groups – work together on a dance routine. The performance incorporates representative material from the dance group as well as Cape Verdean dance moves.

Photos by Christopher Huang