The Boston College
Chronicle Published by the Boston College Office of University Communications january 19, 2017 VOL. 24 no. 9
alumni aid Wreaths 2 •BC Across America •Unusual citation for Ctr. for Work and Family •Photos: Holiday visit to the BCDS Bakery
assess 3 •Researchers bacteria resistance •Reaccreditation team set for BC visit •Second Diversity and Inclusion Summit planned •Faculty involved in workplace safety research impact of ’agent ani5 •The mation’ logos •Hockey alumna Trivigno on the ice – as a ref
Connell School to Mark 70th Anniversary Jan. 27
Photo: Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons
INSIDE
By Kathleen Sullivan Staff Writer
care. This birthday celebration gives us a chance to stop and pause and see the path we have taken while we take a deep breath, pause, then plunge into the next exciting challenges.” The school was founded at the request of Cardinal Richard Cushing, archbishop of Boston, who asked that BC establish a baccalaureate nursing program since no Catholic institution in the Archdiocese of Boston at the time offered such a program. It was the first full-time undergraduate program at Boston College to accept women. In 1988, it launched its nursing doctoral program, the first to be offered at a Jesuit university. Since 1947, hundreds of faculty members have educated more than 10,000 nurses. Today, CSON has the highest-ranked graduate nursing program in Massachusetts. Undergraduate students have the opportunity to practice clinical care not only in Boston but around in world via CSON’s international programs in Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, Chile and Switzerland.
Seventy years ago this month, the Boston College School of Nursing Tomorrow at noon, Donald J. Trump will officially become opened its doors with a class of 35 the 45th President of the United States. Chronicle asked Bos- students. To mark its 70th anniversary, the Connell School of Nursing ton College faculty what we’re likely to see happen during the first 100 days of the Trump presidency and the potential is hosting an open house for the Uniimpact on immigration, health care, fiscal policy, trade, the versity community on Jan. 27 from 3 environment, criminal justice, economics and other areas. to 6 p.m. at the Conference Center at 2101 Commonwealth Avenue on the Some responses below have been edited for space. Brighton Campus. The open house Read the full text at http://bit.ly/trump-100-days will feature an exhibition of nursLee Pellegrini ing objects from University archives, Kari Hong, Law The selection of US Sen. Jefferson including uniforms, yearbooks, and Sessions to be attorney general sigphotographs. Clough Professor of nals that the Trump administration History James O’Toole will present a will realize the campaign’s rhetoric to history of the nursing school. increase enforcement efforts on immi“This birthday celebration is a gration. Even President-elect Trump time to pause and reflect on what has recognized that the United States needs immigrants to avoid problems the school has brought to nursing that European countries face when an over the past 70 years,” said Connell aging population is unable to fill necesSchool Dean Susan Gennaro. “BC sary jobs and provide a tax base for sonurses truly are different. They are cial support systems. Those moments truly skilled, compassionate, well preof pragmatism are at odds with what pared critical thinkers who ensure that appears to be his intent to spend biltheir patients receive stellar care. But lions of dollars on building a wall along the southern border and increasing the even more than that they are leaders use of immigration detention (and To register for the open house, go to whose values make them essential at increasing the profits of private corpothis time of rapidly changing health bc.edu/cson70. rations who house the non-citizens in “We will most likely see what imconditions that the federal government migration policy is like under an has deemed too unsafe for the housing administration that seeks to focus of prisoners). Twenty years ago, Congress only on enforcement and ignore changed immigration law to make it policies that seek to unify families, the most restrictive it has been in over a Gary Gilbert century. Under Trump, we will most support employers who need qualiUniversity President William P. likely see what immigration policy fied workers, and provide protection Leahy, SJ, has named Kevin Shea, is like under an administration that executive assistant to the president to asylum seekers and refugees.” seeks to focus only on enforcement since 2006, as vice president and and ignore policies that seek to unify families, support employers who need has been one of the few senators to executive assistant to the president. qualified workers, and provide protec- reject these efforts. Among his duties, Shea has tion to asylum seekers and refugees. served as liaison to the Board of In criminal law, in the past couple Dennis Hale, Political Science Trustees, coordinator of staff in the of years, a remarkable bipartisan moveFive initiatives seem most likely ment has emerged in recognition that to take priority, for both the White President’s Office, and the presithe costs of mass incarceration – most House and the Congress, assuming dent’s representative to various innotably the financial cost that numbers they can cooperate effectively. ternal and external constituencies. in the billions and the loss of human •Repealing and replacing the AfIn announcing the appointcapital that has scarred families and fordable Care Act will begin. What communities – have exposed the rhet- Republican leaders have aired in public ment, Fr. Leahy cited Shea’s dedioric of the “Tough on Crime” move- is a combination of changes: incentives cated service to Boston College. ment to be lacking. Most prisoners are rather than penalties; more choice; “Kevin is committed to the mis- Kevin Shea convicted and sentenced at the state severing the link between employment sion of Boston College and re- forward to his continued service to level, but beginning with Attorney and insurance; tax breaks for those General Holder, the federal govern- who do not get insurance through sponds effectively to a wide range Boston College. “I am humbled and excited ment has been a leader on “Smart on their employer; and perhaps making of requests and issues,” said Fr. Crime” initiatives that seek to end it possible for insurance companies to Leahy. “I value his advice and care by this appointment,” said Shea. recidivism with alternative sentencing compete across state lines. for the BC community, and rely “Boston College is truly a special programs, shorter sentences, and sup •Immigration control and en- greatly on him.” community and I look forward port for offenders when they return to forcement: tougher enforcement at the Shea said he was honored to be their communities. Senator Sessions Continued on page 3 Continued on page 4 named vice president, and looked
Shea Is Appointed VP, Executive Asst. to President
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•Photo: Frozen Fenway •Lowell Humanities Series spring schedule •’What Every Girl Should Know’ at Robsham •Obituaries: William Richardson, SJ; George Madaus
Additions; BC 7 •Welcome in the Media; Nota Bene; Jobs
exhibition on 8 •McMullen Rafael Soriano •Photos: “Endeavor”
QUOTE:
“We’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of positive press over the years from many major media outlets. But when your work starts appearing in comic strips, you know your message is having an impact.” –Center for Work and Family Executive Director Brad Harrington, page 2
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A ROUND
C AMPUS
‘THE RIGHT THING’ A band of alumni, joined by family and friends, braved an ice storm on Dec. 17 to lay wreaths at the graves of 33 Boston College alumni at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, DC. Organized by the BC Veterans Alumni Network, the group has been going to the cemetery at Christmas time since 2009, as part of the national initiative Wreaths Across America.
placed the wreath on the grave marker, along with cards written by the youngsters. Though empty-handed, Cummins, Harrington and the other BC visitors nonetheless walked on to the remaining BC alumnus’ grave – and found that someone had already placed a wreath there. The group attached a Boston College pin to it. Reflecting on the experience,
A merry band from the Boston College Children’s Center visited BC Dining Services’ in-house bakery at McElroy Commons last month for a “Daycare Adventure” that included a behind-the-scenes peek at the making of holiday delights — and a little tasting, too. Executive Pastry Chef Tim Fonseca – former executive pastry chef at Boston’s Four Seasons Hotel – and BC Bakery staff welcomed their young guests and showed them how the bakery supplies the BC community with a range of desserts, from brownies, cupcakes, cookies and cakes to specialty items. Meagan Flint, associate director of the Boston College Alumni Association, displayed the Sub Turri portrait of Army First Lt. John T. Coll '66, as George J. Harrington '80 (left) and Brian Cummins '82 prepared Coll’s wreath during last month’s Wreaths Across America observance. (Photos by Mark Finkenstaedt)
An encounter near the end of the day made the 2016 event particularly memorable, according to retired Army Lieutenant Colonel Brian Cummins ’82. As he and the rest of the group walked across Arlington en route to lay their final wreath, they encountered a Gold Star widow and her two young children at the grave of her husband, Pinned to the wreath of Army Captain Joseph a Navy SEAL who had died Xavier Grant ‘61 were the insignia of BC alumin 2014. The woman was ni veterans (left) and the “Golden Dragons” distraught, Cummins said, 14th Infantry Regiment, in which he served. because the inclement weather Cummins said it was impossible had delayed her arrival at the cem- to think that the “hand of Provietery, and the supply of wreaths dence” hadn’t played a role in provided through Wreaths Across what had happened. “If we had America had run out. visited that grave at any time earBut then BC Veterans Alum- lier, we would have missed that ni Network co-chair Colonel woman and her children. George J. Harrington ’80 of the “In our BC Jesuit tradition Army Reserves National Guard of ‘service to others,’ we accom“did the right thing,” recounted plished that very thing today Cummins, “and gave her our last without a fathom of a notion of wreath.” The woman, overcome what lay ahead of us.” by emotion, and her children –University Communications ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT of UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONs Jack Dunn Deputy Director of NEWS & Public AFFAIRS Patricia Delaney Editor Sean Smith
Contributing Staff Melissa Beecher Ed Hayward Sean Hennessey Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan Siobhan Sullivan Photographers Gary Gilbert Lee Pellegrini
IN THE FUNNY PAGES A place like the Boston College Center for Work and Family would usually expect its research to be cited in academic and professional journals, blogs, or print, broadcast and online media. But probably not a daily newspaper comic strip. The CWF was recently mentioned in Terri Libenson’s “The Pajama Diaries,” a strip that examines the challenges, frustrations, absurdities and – yes – joys of contemporary work and family life through the character of Jill Kaplan, a web designer who is married with two teenage daughters. “The Pajama Diaries” [www.pajamadiaries.com] runs in The Boston Globe, among other newspapers. In the Dec. 29, 2016, installment, Jill is browsing a magazine when she comes across a reference to a study that found working fathers valued “flex time” higher than “career advancement.” At the bottom of the panel is a citation for the CWF, which has published a
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Chronicle www.bc.edu/bcnews chronicle@bc.edu
number of studies on fathers and their views on work-family issues.
from 2016.” For the CWF, getting a mention
The strip goes on to muse that since both men and women value a family-friendly workplace, “perhaps it’s time to sync our interests,” while depicting a male employee whose boss tells him that family leave “falls under our ‘women’s initiatives.’” Libenson hadn’t been familiar with the CWF until fairly recently, she explained in an e-mail. “I happened to find the study online when I was researching articles about family leave and flex time, a subject I like to bring up occasionally in the strip since it portrays two full-time working parents. “I’m glad I found it – this happens to be one of my favorite strips
in such an unlikely context was a pleasant surprise. “In addition to publishing research, sometimes in prestigious journals, our center’s goal has always been to educate and influence employers and the public at-large about work-family issues,” said center executive director Brad Harrington. “We’ve been fortunate to receive a lot of positive press over the years from many major media outlets. “But when your work starts appearing in comic strips, you know your message is having an impact.” –Sean Smith
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Deadly Strains BC scientists profile antibiotic resistance in two strains of pneumonia
Lee Pellegrini
Using a novel gene-sequencing technique, Boston College researchers Tim van Opijnen and Jose Bento found that two strains of the same bacteria combat a common antibiotic with mostly different sets of genes and their underlying genetic networks, pointing to the need to develop antibiotic-sensitivity profiles for different bacterial species and the strains within them. The study of two strains of Streptococcus pneumoniae found each withstands the common antibiotic daptomycin using different genes, including those that support the membrane, potassium uptake, and protein turnover in the bacteria, the researchers recently reported in the leading microbiology journal PLOS Pathogens. More than half of the sensitivity-profile genes that inhibited one strain’s sensitivity to the antibiotic had no effect in the other strain, the team reported. “Contrary to generally held beliefs and expectations, we show that different strains of the same bacteria may respond to the same antibiotic in completely different ways,” said van Opijnen, an assistant professor of biology and the main author of the report. “These varied responses contribute to what makes it problematic to predict how resistance evolves in bacteria.” S. pneumoniae causes diseases that each year kill millions of people around the world, particularly the young and old. While antibiotics remain a crucial treatment option, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant strains of streptococcus leaves millions more people vulnerable to potentially lethal infection. With funding from a five-year, $10-million National Institutes of Health grant, van Opijnen, Bento – an assistant professor of com-
Gary Gilbert
By Ed Hayward Staff Writer
Asst. Prof. Tim van Opijnen (Biology) and Asst. Prof. Jose Bento (Computer Science)
puter science – and their colleagues undertook a “genome-wide” study to determine where drugs produce stress in the S. pneumoniae genome. The researchers used transposon sequencing, or Tn-Seq, a technique developed by van Opijnen that quickly combs through millions of genetic sequences and singles-out gene functions in bacteria. In addition, the project used analytical tools to untangle the underlying genomic networks to reveal further differences between the two strains in genetic-interactions and transcriptional regulation of genetic activity, according to the report “Strain Dependent Genetic Networks for Antibiotic-Sensitivity in a Bacterial Pathogen with a Large Pan-Genome.” Furthermore, the study confirmed that developing the antibiotic-sensitivity profile effectively shed new light on the influence of genetic background on the emergence of drug resistance, as well as on how bacteria react to the environmental stressors that influence how they evolve. S. pneumoniae’s core-genome is a pool of 1,600 genes shared by all of its strains. Its pan-genome totals 4,000 genes – some shared, some unshared – found across all of the strains within the species. Tn-Seq was used to create six
transposon “libraries,” each containing 10,000 genetic mutations designed to pinpoint gene functions in response to the antibiotic. Van Opijnen’s earlier research established that creating a transposon library can generate a Genetic Interaction Map that allows researchers to partially reconstruct underlying genetic networks bacteria employ in the response to antibiotics. The two strains of S. pneumoniae may differ by 300 genes in their genomic content. Yet the core-genome retains its primary function despite variation, while networks support the emergence of specific organismal properties, according to the report. So no two strain-specific genomes may function in exactly the same manner, affecting traits such as drug tolerance, virulence and the ability to evolve. The researchers were surprised to find that both strains employ different genome network architectures, van Opijnen said. “This is highly unexpected, especially for genes that are present in many different species,” he added. “You would expect that such genes work together and interact with the same genes, independent of the strains or species you look at. However, here we show this is not true.” Contact Ed Hayward at ed.hayward@bc.edu
Sabbath, Hashimoto Aiding Safety Study Boston College School of Social Work Assistant Professor Erika Sabbath and Law School Associate Professor Dean Hashimoto are taking lead roles in a project that will examine the impact of work-related stress and physical hazards – as well as workplace policies and practices – on workplace health and safety. The BC faculty members are working with The Partners Employee Research Database & Study (PERDS), a collaboration between BC, Harvard University, Boston University, Partners Healthcare, and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Sabbath is co-principal investigator of PERDS’ $1.6 million study of how work is organized in acute care hospital settings and how these organizational factors lead to adverse
outcomes for workers, employers and patients. To do this, they are analyzing a uniquely comprehensive longitudinal database of Partners Healthcare workers that has been in place since 2009. Hashimoto, who is chief of occupational safety and health for Partners HealthCare, is leading the Partners team. The team’s long-term goal is to craft interventions that improve outcomes for multiple stakeholders — workers, patients and employers — by addressing and improving organizational policies and practices. Before this can happen, said Sabbath, “we need to have a deeper understanding of the changeable policies and practices that lead to the existing adverse outcomes; the project will permit us to do this. “We also aim to disseminate
our methods for building the database so that other researchers can construct something similar. And, down the road, we plan to engage with policymakers and practitioners to translate our findings to real-life public health practice.” The project is housed within the Harvard Center for Work, Health, and Wellbeing, a consortium based at Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Harvard Center was recently funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (CDC/NIOSH) for $6 million from 2016-2021. [Read more at http://bit.ly/workplacehealthstudy] –School of Social Work
Reaccreditation Visiting Team Members Announced The delegation of educators that will evaluate Boston College for reaccreditation – and will visit campus in March as part of the process – was announced recently by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of Higher Education (CIHE). Leading the team is former University of Miami President Donna Shalala, who in preparation for the site visit met this past November with University President William P. Leahy, SJ, other senior administrators and BC committees involved in reaccreditation. Last month, CIHE announced the other reaccreditation team members: •Depaul University Executive Vice President Jeffrey Bethke •Jenny Bergeron, director of educational research for Harvard University’s Derek Bok Center for Teaching and Learning •Yale University Secretary and Vice President for Student Life
Kimberly Goff-Crews •College of William and Mary Provost Michael Halleran •University of Notre Dame History Professor John McGreevy •Jeannie Pinto, university assessment officer, Fordham University •Trinity College Associate Professor of Mathematics Paula Russo •Dartmouth College Vice Provost for Research Martin Wybourne Prior to visiting campus March 12-15, the team will review a selfstudy conducted by BC. While at BC, the committee will interview members of the BC community and examine supporting documents. Both the self-study and visiting committee report will be integral to the CIHE decision on BC’s accreditation status. Good standing in a regional accreditation association is a requirement for participation in federal programs that support higher education. –University Communications
Diversity/Inclusion Summit The Office for Institutional Diversity has announced the second Boston College Diversity & Inclusion Summit, an all-day event to be held May 24 in Gasson Hall. Where last year’s summit focused on building awareness within the University community about BC’s diversity and inclusion programs and initiatives, the 2017 edition – titled “Learn, Reflect, Engage” – will examine practices that promote a diverse, welcoming and inclusive community “that respects all and fosters dialogue within our Catholic and Jesuit tradition,” according to the OID. The keynote speaker will be Daryl G. Smith, senior research fellow and professor emerita of ed-
ucation and psychology at the Claremont Graduate University. Her research, teaching and publications have consistently explored subjects such as the organizational implications of diversity, assessment and evaluation, leadership and change, diversity in STEM fields, and faculty diversity. The OID also has issued a call for programs, workshops, posters and exhibits that relate to the “Learn, Reflect, Engage” theme. Proposal submissions are due tomorrow, Jan. 20. For more about the summit, see www.bc.edu/offices/diversity/ diversityresources/2017summit. html. –University Communications
Shea Is Named Vice President
Continued from page 1 to continuing to work alongside a dedicated group of administrators, faculty and staff in service to the University.” Prior to joining Boston College, Shea – a graduate of the College of the Holy Cross and Milton Academy – served as the communications director for the Archdiocese of Boston, where
he worked closely with Cardinal Seán O’Malley. Previously, he served as the Boston Red Sox director of public relations, internal and external communications and media relations. He originally joined the department after college as a member of the team’s marketing department. –University Communications
CHRONICLE MOVES Boston College Chronicle has a new address. With the formal opening this month of the Office of University Communications, Chronicle staff and operations are now located at 3 Lake Street on Brighton Campus. Our phone number (ext.2-3350) and e-mail (chronicle@bc.edu) remained unchanged.
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Continued from page 1 border and at job sites; deportation of illegal immigrants with criminal charges; pushback against “sanctuary” cities. I do not expect “dreamers” to be rounded up. •The president-elect and Republicans have agreed to reduce corporate taxes so that they resemble tax rates in other major economies. •The “Iran deal” will be undone,
What Will Trump’s First 100 Days Be Like? Boston College Faculty Experts Weigh In
Photos by Lee Pellegrini
David Hopkins, Political Science There is still a great deal of uncertainty about how the Trump administration will operate in practice. Compared to previous administrations, the incoming president’s policy priorities are not well defined and the lines of decision-making authority within the White House remain unclear. Because the new president and
“We’re due to come up against the federal debt limit again in March. And spending cuts were on the horizon regardless. Where will they be? We’re unlikely to roll back corporate or middle-class tax relief. But President-elect Trump has criticized federal programs like the very successful Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.” –Tiziana Dearing to the extent that it can be. But since the deal was done through executive action, it can also be undone in the same way. This should be a salutary lesson for future presidents. •The president will send to the Senate his nominee to fill the empty seat on the Supreme Court. This will provoke a donnybrook in the Senate, and perhaps a suspension of the filibuster rules, but it will almost certainly get done. Tiziana Dearing, Social Work The first 100 days of the new Trump administration have the potential to be hard on low-income and vulnerable people. This is especially true if you combine Trump’s policy platform – to the extent that it’s clear at this point – with an aggressive congressional agenda around health care and social spending. For example, rolling back the Affordable Care Act without a suitable alternative would mean defunding its Medicaid expansion for the poor. While the president-elect has said he will not roll back health care reform without a replacement, Congress has already started doing it. That could affect up to 15 million people living in poverty or near-poverty who gained Medicaid coverage with the Affordable Care
vice president, most senior presidential advisors (including the new White House chief of staff), and much of the cabinet all lack substantial experience in the executive branch, the early months of the Trump administration will produce an elevated risk of ineffectiveness, substantive and procedural confusion, and potentially serious errors in governing. It is already clear from both the 2016 campaign and the post-election transition period that the new president places great importance on receiving positive press coverage, identifying and citing indicators of personal popularity, and exacting revenge against perceived enemies. These are likely to be the major day-to-day objectives of his administration – absent an immediate crisis that directs attention elsewhere – and presidential decisions about policy and personnel may well be viewed primarily through their ability to further one or more of these goals. Westy Egmont, Social Work The appointment of harsh critics of current US immigration law and those who favor a more limited admission policy bodes poorly for the current refugee program, which ac-
“Negative impact on the growing Mexican economy by cajoling US firms not to expand business there is likely to continue... and cutting off global business development by Ford or GM is likely to slow the Mexican economy. This may result in more migration pressure on the border while slowing job growth in the 22 states that have Mexico as their leading trade partner.” –Westy Egmont Act. As another example, we’re due to come up against the federal debt limit again in March. And spending cuts were on the horizon regardless. Where will they be? We’re unlikely to roll back corporate or middle-class tax relief. But President-elect Trump has criticized federal programs like the very successful Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps).
cepts 85,000 refugees each year. His “extreme vetting” is likely to be put in place early as a new dampening of legal admissions. Denial and delay of visas are likely to be on the basis of national origin, focused on predominantly Muslim nations. DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is in the new president’s focus, but Republican leadership in Congress appears to be creating an alternative
protection for those already registered. This executive order is expected to be cancelled. Building a wall and further militarizing the southern border appears an early move. With a general to head the Department of Homeland Security, the government will move quickly to expand the already well-developed wall and return to air surveillance Negative impact on the growing Mexican economy by cajoling US firms not to expand business there is likely to continue past the inauguration, and cutting off global business development by Ford or GM is likely to slow the Mexican economy. This may result in more migration pressure on the border while slowing job growth in the 22 states that have Mexico as their leading trade partner.
Kent Greenfield, Law In the first few months of a Trump presidency, very little will be certain except this: Merrick Garland will not be a Supreme Court justice. Garland, the moderate, eminently qualified, chief judge of the second-most powerful court in America, fell victim to unprecedented GOP obstructionism after President Obama nominated him to the Supreme Court in March 2016. Instead of replacing Antonin Scalia — one of the most conservative justices in the modern history of the court — with a moderate, Trump will be able to name a younger version of Scalia to the high bench. The confirmation battle will be good television but the ultimate outcome will not be in doubt. While the court will get younger, it will likely stay about where it is ideologically. That is to say the conservatives will win more than they lose, but they won’t win every case. Anthony Kennedy will remain the pivot point. And it will matter that the new president’s lawyers will now be arguing the conservative side of the coming cases on abortion, race, gay rights, campaign finance, and the religious rights of corporations. Elections matter. A real shift on the court would come if for some reason Kennedy (who is 80) or one of the senior liberal justices – Ruth Bader Ginsburg (83) or Stephen Breyer (78) – steps down and Trump nominates a conservative as a replacement. With the GOP’s tactics on Garland fresh in their minds, Democrats will have little reason to play nice. That could be a battle for the ages. David Wirth, Law The Paris Agreement – the first truly global treaty to combat looming climate disruption – took effect on Nov. 4, a mere four days before the election of Donald J. Trump to the US presidency. Trump was a vocal climate denier during the campaign, and threatened to “cancel” the Paris Agreement if elected. Since then, he has said he has an “open mind” about withdrawal and, as he has on other topics, may change his mind. If the incoming president doesn’t recognize the value and importance of the Paris Agreement, that may set off a precarious domino effect. Cumulative greenhouse gas emissions from the United States are the
largest of any country, and currently second only to China. For the US to turn its back on its binding commitments in the Paris Agreement could trigger massive defections from less wealthy countries concerned about economic competitiveness. As a nation, we have already decreased greenhouse gas emissions and are on track to continue to do so. The Paris Agreement was specifically crafted to accommodate US interests, and to pull out will only convince the world that the US is an unreliable international partner, with no concrete benefits in return. Human-induced climate disruption has already been documented, and the global ecosystem won’t necessarily tolerate much more stress while the world waits for the US to sort out its domestic political dynamics.
as an area for an early win for the president. Obamacare reform is also clearly going to be under way in the first 100 days. Third, trade policy will likely center on trying to renegotiate trade agreements and some idea of a border tax. Finally, the president will attempt to do something regarding the wall at the Mexican border and infrastructure in general. However, I do not see much appetite for new infrastructure spending for many conservative members of Congress, so this last one might be the least likely to move forward. Kay Schlozman, Political Science Suppose I had received a request from the Chronicle just after the Republican victories in the 2014 elections, asking me to make a prediction
“I would expect progress on a tax reform bill, including lower statutory corporate tax rates and incentives for repatriation of cash from corporate overseas balance sheets. I think this type of legislation has the chance for bipartisan support and would spur economic growth, so I would see this as an area for an early win for the president.” –Darren Kisgen
Darren Kisgen, Finance Predicting what President-elect Trump will do has been a fool’s errand. Further, major new programs are typically not completed in the first 100 days: Obamacare, as an example, was not signed into law until 14 months after President Obama was sworn in, and that was only with a legislative loophole. However, I think we have a reasonable idea of what some of the new president’s top priorities will be to begin his administration. To start, I think the new president will reverse some executive actions taken by the former president (for example, on regulations and immigration), and nominate a new
about the 2016 presidential contest. And suppose that I had written the following in reply: “The next president will be a businessman and self-described billionaire with no previous experience in government office. Contrary to the practice of all major-party candidates in recent history, he will refuse to release his tax returns. He will also make no promises about making suitable financial arrangements so to avoid conflicts of interests should he be elected. A leading ‘birther,’ he will accuse an Indiana-born federal judge as being unable to render fair judgment because he is ‘Mexican.’ He will describe Senator John McCain as being ‘not a war hero.’ A tape will emerge in which he brags about grop-
“Donald Trump often upends expectations. Under the circumstances it seems prudent to invoke a bit of wisdom often (but probably erroneously) attributed to Yogi Berra: ‘It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.’” –Kay Schlozman
Supreme Court justice within the first couple of weeks. I also would expect significant efforts on the following four domestic policy areas. First, I would expect progress on a tax reform bill, including lower statutory corporate tax rates and incentives for repatriation of cash from corporate overseas balance sheets. I think this type of legislation has the chance for bipartisan support and would spur economic growth, so I would see this
ing women. He will pronounce his comfortable victory in the Electoral College – and loss in the popular vote – a ‘massive landslide.’” Donald Trump often upends expectations. Under the circumstances it seems prudent to invoke a bit of wisdom often (but probably erroneously) attributed to Yogi Berra: “It’s tough to make predictions, especially about the future.”
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Animated logos may be cool and trendy, say BC researchers – but that doesn’t mean every company should use one By Sean Hennessey Staff Writer
Animated logos are nothing new in the world of company brands, but two Carroll School of Management researchers say there are important differences among the type of animations used – and these can significantly influence consumers’ perceptions of companies. In a recent study, S. Adam Brasel and Henrik Hagtvedt, associate professors of marketing in the Carroll School, found that “agent animation” logos – those that appear to move on their own in a lifelike fashion – encourage more favorable attitudes toward firms seen as dynamic and vibrant, such as entertainment companies like Pixar [see http://bit.ly/2iIT1Jm]. Object-animated logos – those that move in predictable, almost mechanical patterns – are aligned with more businesses that rely on an image of stability, such as life insurance and financial services. The lesson? Don’t assume that punching up your company logo will be good for your business, say Brasel and Hagvedt, who recently published their research in an article, “Living Brands: Consumer Responses to Animated Brand Logos,” that appeared in the Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. “Animation is a channel that brands can use to express their brand personality,” explains Brasel, “but that channel needs to fit with the message that brand wants to send.” “As with the design of logo graphics, companies should take great care when designing logo animation,” says Hagtvedt. “The logo is in many ways the centerpiece of a brand’s persona, and logo animation can help mold a brand’s image. It is therefore important that this is done strategically, to fit with the brand’s overall identity.” The researchers conducted five studies with 638 adults who looked at animated and stationary logos, along with exciting and sophisticated products. Among the study’s key findings was that agent animation is associated with dynamism, and can thus be tailored to signal sophisticated or exciting character traits, to fit with firms that have or seek those brand personalities. Brasel and Hagtvedt also looked at more than 400 30-second commercials broadcast on television and the web and found an astonishingly low usage rate. For the television commercials, 62 percent featured static logos, 35 percent featured object animation (a logo being moved around the screen in a mechanical fashion), while only 3 percent utilized agent animation. Online ad-
vertisements featured even less logo movement: 93 percent featured static logos, and 7 percent object animation. “Low marketplace utilization suggests such animation could potentially provide early adopters with a competitive advantage,” according to the report. While there are advantages with being a first-mover, companies need to be careful of strategic miscues. “Given that the market for TV
brand equity as a result, that can also be difficult to win back. And that could be a reason to consider animation.” The favorable effects documented in the studies suggest opportunities for agent animation within retail and shopping environments as well, according to the researchers, who say animation on in-store signage could draw attention to specials, deals, or items that are in oversupply.
Carroll School of Management associate professors Henrik Hagtvedt, left, and S. Adam Brasel studied the impact of “agent animation” company brand logos on consumers. (Photo by Lee Pellegrini)
and online advertising is so competitive, marketers want to make sure they don’t waste any dollars,” says Brasel. “We know consumers aren’t paying much attention to commercials to begin with, so we want to make sure that every moment of the commercial has the maximum impact for the messages that it’s trying to tell. It’s surprising that more companies aren’t utilizing logo animation, because it’s a very low-cost, low-effort way to convey extra brand information. It’s just not currently being used.” “Some brands go out and change their logo when they should not have, and it can cost them millions of dollars,” says Hagtvedt. “If consumers respond badly to the change, you have additional losses. On the other hand, if a brand becomes old and stodgy and loses
“You see more electronic signage in stores now, so there are a lot of possibilities for animation in stores,” says Hagtvedt. “You can have little helpers for the customers at the end of a shelf, or you can have larger signs along the walls. There are also future opportunities on the horizon. For instance, perhaps one day we’ll see animated packaging.” “Given that so few companies are doing it, there is a chance to gain a very inexpensive competitive advantage in the marketplace,” says Brasel. “It’s a low-cost, relatively low-risk way to increase advertising effectiveness, as long as they do a little research first to make sure it fits their brand and makes sense.”
Ex-Eagle Hockey Star Seeing the Game in a New Way Former Boston College women’s hockey star Dana Trivigno ’16 now experiences her passion for the sport from a new perspective. Known for her excellence in the classroom as well as on the ice, Trivigno was the center last year on a 40-1 BC team that went undefeated all the way up to the NCAA Women’s National Championship. But rather than let that be the end of her relationship with the game, Trivigno decided to dig deeper into her love of hockey. This fall, she became the first former women’s Hockey East player to work as a Hockey East referee, officiating games across New England from the University of Maine in Orono to the University of Connecticut in Storrs, as well as in the Boston area. The transition from player to referee did not come about without some nervousness, she says, but it was easily overcome by her desire to succeed – the same desire that fueled her success as a player. Her unconditional pursuit of victory has now been replaced by an obligation to fairness and objectivity. “Being an official has allowed me to see the game from a different perspective,” Trivigno said. “It has shown me how much time and space the player with the puck actually has. In reality, the puck carrier actually has a lot more time and space than they think to make a play. Being an official has enabled me to use this to my advantage while playing by being able to better utilize the open ice available to make a pass, or skate the puck into the open space myself. “It has also given me a heightened appreciation for all that goes into refereeing hockey. They are the third team on the ice, and the
Dana Trivigno, left, has traded in her BC hockey jersey for a Hockey East referee’s uniform.
hard work and camaraderie that exists among officials is something that I did not understand until I put on a referee’s jersey.” Trivigno’s former coach, Katie Crowley, is pleased and proud to see Trivigno stay in the game. “Dana is a great player and person,” she said, noting that not many women choose to referee in the league – or, for that matter, anywhere else in college hockey. “I’m sure she’ll be a terrific official for Hockey East.” A graduate of the Carroll School of Management with a degree in finance, Trivigno says her long-term career plans could take her just about anywhere, including graduate studies in law or business. But while her focus is on officiating for now, she hasn’t entirely given up on playing hockey, either. She’s staying in shape for the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea, hoping to win a spot on the US women’s hockey team. “The transition has helped me grow as a player and allowed me to think more analytically about the game.” –Alex Rougeau
Contact Sean Hennessey at sean.hennessey@bc.edu
Boston College has been named to the College Honor Roll published by ScholarMatch, a San Francisco-based nonprofit founded by author Dave Eggers that helps to make higher education possible for low-income youth by providing free college counseling services. Each year ScholarMatch analyzes college data to determine which schools are offering excellent opportunities for low-income and first-generation students, from which it publishes a College Honor Roll of the 301 schools making a difference in this area. ScholarMatch works with the White House and its college database to analyze 1,400 US colleges and universities, including metrics that are specifically relevant for students from households earning less than $50k—such as loan default rates and average debt load at graduation for this income bracket—to determine the “institutions that are truly offering robust student support and achieving excellent outcomes with this population,” according to ScholarMatch. Read the full Honor Roll at http://bit.ly/SM-honor-roll2016; for more about ScholarMatch, see http://bit.ly/eggers-scholarmatch. –University Communications
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The BC men’s hockey team took to the ice at Fenway Park against Providence on Jan. 8 as part of a “Frozen Fenway” Hockey East doubleheader, along with a BU-UMass match-up. The Eagles won 3-1. The women’s team won by an identical score against Harvard at Fenway two days later. (Photo by John Quackenbos)
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Lowell Humanities Series Begins Spring Schedule Jan. 24
Feb. 8, Candlemas Lecture with Bernard McGinn: “Poetry, Prose and the Bible in John of the Cross” is the title of the lecture by McGinn, the Naomi Shenstone Donnelley Professor Emeritus of Historical Theology
Peter Beck
Jan. 24, Krista Tippett: The Peabody Award-winning broadcaster and New York Times bestselling author, also recipient of a National Humanities Medal, presents “The Adventure of Civility.” Her radio show “On Being” – broadcast on more than 360 public radio stations with millions of podcast downloads – focuses on questions at the center of human life, such as: What does it mean to be human? What matters in life? “On Being” is the home of the Civil Conversations Project, an emergent approach to new conversation and relationships across the differences of our age. (Co-sponsored with the Winston Center for Leadership and Ethics)
and of the History of Christianity at the University of Chicago Divinity School. McGinn’s focus is on the history of Christianity and Christian thought, primarily in the medieval period. He has written extensively in the areas of the history of apocalyptic thought and of spirituality and mysticism. The lecture will be held in Devlin 101.
100 countries, Sachs – director of The Earth Institute at Columbia University – is the co-recipient of the 2015 Blue Planet Prize, the leading global prize for environmental leadership, and has twice been named among Time magazine’s 100 most influential world leaders. This event will take place in the Murray Function Room of Yawkey Center.
March 1, Laila Lalami: The title of Lalami’s talk, “The Moor’s Account,” is also the title of her widely acclaimed book, which won the American Book Award, the Arab American Book Award, the Hurston/Wright Legacy Award, and was on the Man Booker Prize longlist and also a finalist for the 2015 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction. The Moroccanborn and raised Lalami has published essays and opinion pieces in prominent media outlets. She has received several awards and is a creative writing professor at the University of California at Riverside. Her BC visit is made possible by the Gerson Family Lecture Fund, established by John A. and Jean N. Gerson, P’14.
March 29, Fiction Days with Anne Enright: The inaugural Laureate for Irish Fiction in 2015, Enright – whose most recent work is The Green Road – has written numerous award-winning novels and short story collections. Among her honors are the Encore Award, the Man Booker
March 23, Jeffrey Sachs: The world-renowned professor of economics will speak on “Economics and Ethics for the Anthropocene.” A leader in sustainable development, senior UN advisor, bestselling author and syndicated columnist whose pieces appear in more than
Hugh Chaloner
Two annual events, the Candlemas Lecture and Fiction Days, are among the highlights of spring semester Lowell Humanities Series events, which begin next week and, as always, feature a slate of notable authors and scholars. All Lowell Humanities Series events take place at 7 p.m. in Gasson 100 unless otherwise noted.
Prize for Fiction, the Hughes and Hughes Irish Novel of the Year Award, and the Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Fiction. Enright’s appearance is co-sponsored with the Irish Studies Program. April 5, Taylor Branch: The National Humanities Medal-winning American author and public speaker presents “Know Thyself: Socrates and Sports at the Corporate University.” Branch is known for his landmark narrative history of the civil rights era, America in the King Years. The trilogy’s first book won the Pulitzer Prize and other awards. He returned to civil rights history in his most recent book, The King Years: His-
toric Moments in the Civil Rights Movement. Branch’s influential Atlantic 2011 cover story, “The Shame of College Sports,” was published in expanded form as The Cartel: Inside the Rise and Imminent Fall of the NCAA. His BC talk, which will be held in the Yawkey Center Murray Function Room, is part of the three-day conference, “Towards a Culture of University Ethics.” For complete details on speakers, and online resources for teachers and students, see www.bc.edu/lowellhs. Lowell Humanities Series events are free and open to the public. The series is sponsored by the Lowell Institute, BC’s Institute for the Liberal Arts and the Office of the Provost. –Rosanne Pellegrini Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
‘What Every Girl Should Know’ at Robsham A compelling play – which amplifies female voices and emphasizes themes of camaraderie and empowerment – will be presented next week at the Robsham Theater Arts Center. Monica Byrne’s “What Every Girl Should Know” will run Jan. 26-28 at 7:30 p.m., and Jan. 29 at 2 p.m. Set in 1914, it follows four teenage girls in a Catholic reformatory as they build a communal fantasy life and reveal their abusive pasts. “What Every Girl Should Know” has drawn praise from
the Daily Beast (“historical but vibrant, full of [young women’s] mischievous energy”) and NYTheatre.com (“an excellent piece of theater”), among others. “This has been an incredibly rewarding experience for me because this show is unlike anything I’ve ever seen at BC,” said director Cassie Chapados ’17. “It touches on critically important issues, for women particularly, that are not often discussed and for that reason I am so proud to have been a part of this process.” Chapados, a theater major with a minor in general educa-
tion, worked with a production team comprised primarily of fellow undergraduates, including stage manager Cindy Moon ’17, set designer Kathryn Sullivan ’19, costume designer Julia James ’17 and sound designer Ted Kearnan ’17. Russ Swift is lighting designer. For ticket information and reservations, see www.bc.edu/ offices/robsham/tickets. [More on the spring semester Theatre Department/Robsham Theater Arts Center productions will be highlighted in the Feb. 2 issue of Chronicle.] –Rosanne Pellegrini
o b i t u a r ies
Fr. Richardson, Heidegger Scholar, 96; George Madaus, Educational Testing Expert, 82 Professor of Philosophy Emeritus William Richardson, SJ, author of a groundbreaking study on renowned philosopher Martin Heidegger and a faculty member at Boston College for more than a quarter-century, died on Dec. 10 at the age of 96. Fr. Richardson joined BC in 1981 as arguably the foremost American expert on Heidegger, a seminal thinker in the Continental tradition and philosophical hermeneutics whose Being and Time was regarded as a central philosophical work of the 20th century. In 1963, Fr. Richardson had published his nearly 800-page opus Heidegger: Through Phenomenology to Thought, which contradicted prevailing attitudes about Heidegger. Fr. Richardson had not come to his assessment of Heidegger simply
by reading the philosopher’s works or analyses by other scholars: He had once spoken with Heidegger for four hours at Heidegger’s home in Freiburg, Germany. At BC, Fr. Richardson continued to teach, write and speak about Heidegger, as well as pioneering psychoanalyst and psychiatrist Jacques Lacan, whom he met on a couple of occasions. In 1982, Fr. Richardson – who in the 1970s had become a certified psychoanalyst – co-authored Lacan and Language: A Reader’s Guide to the Ecrits. Colleagues and friends remembered Fr. Richardson as a deeply thoughtful scholar who, while ever engaged in intellectual pursuits, never neglected his role as teacher and mentor. Read the full obituary at http://bit. ly/richardson-obit.
Boisi Professor of Education and Public Policy Emeritus George F. Madaus, an internationally renowned expert on – and frequent critic of – educational testing and measurement, died on Dec. 18. He was 82. Dr. Madaus joined the School of Education faculty in 1966, after finishing postdoctoral work at the University of Chicago. In 1980, he cofounded Boston College’s Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy (CSTEEP), a hub of scholarly activity for Dr. Madaus – who for a time served as the center’s
director – and colleagues to study, write about and speak on highstakes testing and its impact on children, schools and society. “There is more oversight for pet food than there is for tests,” said Dr. Madaus, interviewed by the Boston College Chronicle in 1998. While he and his colleagues believed that testing served “a very useful function,” Dr. Madaus said, they felt the American public and its leaders should know not only the strengths of testing, but the limitations as well. CSTEEP became one of BC’s leading recipients of external fund-
ing, and launched such successful initiatives as the National Board on Educational Testing and Public Policy, and the Third International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which eventually spun off to form the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center and 20 years on remains the world’s longest running, largescale assessment of mathematics and science education. Dr. Madaus is survived by his wife, Anne; sons George and Joseph and daughters Mary C. Corcoran, Sarah A. Tierney, Martha M. Gowetski and Eileen P. Keane; his brothers William and Edward; and 15 grandchildren. Read the full obituary at http:// bit.ly/madaus-obit.
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BOSTON COLLEGE IN THE MEDIA An introduction to new faculty members at Boston College Sammy Chong, SJ
Assistant Professor of the Practice, Art, Art History and Film Studies Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Tufts University/School of the Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Weston Jesuit School of Theology (STL, MDiv), Massachusetts College of Art (continuing education), Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Bachillerato) WHAT HE PRACTICES: Drawing, painting, installation. Background in theology and philosophy; his studio practice builds on the notion of individual identity and transcendental meaning in contemporary society. WHAT HE’S TEACHING: The Art of Portraiture; Making Art through a Spiritual Lens; Painting 1 Foundations; Drawing 1 Foundations. A recent series of your paintings place the life of St. Ignatius Loyola in the 21st century. How does your Jesuit vocation inspire and influence your artwork? “Because of my Jesuit formation, which entails theological training and personal spiritual growth, I am deeply invested in issues related to humanity’s well-being. This necessarily leads to a consideration of human’s relationship with God, the neighbor, the environment, and the self. My artwork is instinctually driven by these concerns. Far from creating art for art’s sake, my work functions as a catalyst for social examination when it builds bridges where they have been severed or nonexistent.”
Pablo A. Guerron-Quintana
Associate Professor of Economics Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Escuela Politecnica Nacional, Ecuador (BS); Centro de Investigacion y Docencia Economicas, Mexico (MSc); Northwestern University (MA, PhD) WHAT HE STUDIES: Macroeconomics and international finance, with recent research on interest rates and prices, labor mobility, fiscal volatility, and the impact of near-zero interest rates on monetary policy WHAT HE’S TEACHING: International Macroeconomics and Quantitative Methods for Macroeconomics How did your experience as a senior economist with the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia influence your teaching and research? “Working at the Philadelphia Fed gave me a very practical and critical view of macroeconomics. Every time I start a new project, I ask myself questions like: ‘Why do we care about this? What is the impact on society? Does it have any macroeconomic policy implications?’ My teaching philosophy was heavily influenced by my work. I stress in class that the economics students learn must be applied to the real world.”
Conevery Bolton Valencius
Professor of History Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences DEGREES: Stanford University (BA); Harvard University (PhD) WHAT SHE STUDIES: US environmental history; history of the earth sciences; history of medicine and health; energy history; history of seismology; Civil War history. WHAT SHE’S TEACHING: Leeches to Lasers: US Health and Medicine; This Land Is Your Land: US Environmental History. You refer to yourself as an “environmental historian.” What does that mean? “It basically means that I get to ask how places have shaped American history. In my teaching, I talk about the US Civil War as a struggle over political freedom, race and nationhood, but also about manufacturing and industrialized farming versus labor-intensive single-crop agriculture. In my research, I ask why people in past times talked about environments so differently than we do now. Right now, I’m asking about some very recent and surprising environmental events: How is it that we are experiencing significant earthquakes in places like Oklahoma and north Texas, right near the places where we dump wastewater left over from fracking into the ground? I’m a writer and a reader, not a scientist, but my job as a historian also means paying attention to what the evidence of the sciences tells us about the environments we help create.”
–Rosanne Pellegrini, Ed Hayward, Sean Smith Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Neil Wolfman, who began teaching part-time in the Chemistry Department in 2000, joined the department this academic year as a full-time visiting assistant professor. In 2015, Wolfman was chosen by the Boston College chapter of Phi Beta Kappa for its Teaching Award, which honors an outstanding teacher who has positively influenced students’ experiences at BC [read about his award at http:// bit.ly/wolfman-pbk]. A former professional Lee Pellegrini in the biotechnology/pharmaceutical industry, Wolfman teaches General Chemistry.
Appearing on New England Cable News’ “The Take,” Assoc. Prof. Devin Pendas (History) discussed the United Nations General Assembly vote to establish an independent panel to assist in the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for war crimes or crimes against humanity in Syria.
The US tried to change other countries’ governments 72 times during the Cold War, wrote Asst. Prof. Lindsey O’Rourke (Political Science) in a piece for the WashingtonPost.com that examined how past US covert operations shed light on the 2016 Russian hacking.
Stories that gain popularity by presenting readers’ fantasies and nightmares as current events are hardly new, according to Asst. Prof. Eric Weiskott (English), who explored the effect of false prophecies in medieval Britain in an essay for The Atlantic.
In the period leading up to his inauguration, Donald Trump tried to soften his approach to immigration by saying he will focus on deporting those with criminal records – but that approach won’t work, said Asst. Prof. Kari Hong (Law), in an interview with the Washington Post.
Assoc. Prof. Andrea Vicini, SJ bating Antisemitism, “Protecting (STM), presented the following the Future,” in Moscow, where he lectures: “Bioethical Care for also moderated a panel on “AnOur Planet,” Mary A. Dooley tisemitism and Jewish Identity.” Lecture Series, College of Our While in Moscow, Shrayer preLady of the Elms, Chicopee, sented “Letters to a Jewish Muse: Mass.; “Attentive care and chal- The Life of Vladimir and Véra lenging emotions at Nabokov as Literathe end of life,” First ture and History” at RIEFING Friday Gatherthe Jewish Museum ing, Stuart Counand Tolerance Centry Day School of the Sacred ter and gave a book reading at Heart, Princeton, NJ; “End of Biblio-Globus Bookstore. Life Care: A Focus on Emo- In addition, Shrayer published: tions,” Third Faith and Healing “Picking Mushrooms in America: Speaker Series, Mercy College A Jewish Immigrant Tradition” of Health Sciences, Des Moines, and “A Former Soviet Jew’s PoIowa. litical Journey: How I went from a Reagan supporter to feeling Prof. Maxim D. Shrayer (Slavic despondent over Trump and my and Eastern Languages; English) children’s future” in Tablet Magadelivered “Antisemitism and the zine; and “Aesthetic Catastrophe: Decline of Russian Village Prose: A Former Refusenik Reflects on A View from 2016” at the Inter- the US Election” in Moscow’s national Conference on Com- Lekhaim magazine.
BC B
NOTA BENE Cristiano Casalini, a research scholar at Boston College’s Institute for Advanced Jesuit Studies, received the Joaquim de Carvalho Award from the University of Coimbra in Portugal for his book Aristotle in Coimbra: Cursus Conimbricensis and Education at the Collegium Artium. Casalini’s publication is the first book to cover the history of both the College of Arts in Coimbra and the seminal work, Cursus Conimbricensis, the philosophical textbook published by the Jesuits of Coimbra at the end of the 16th century. [Read more at http://bit.ly/casalini-award] The Quantitative Research Group at PanAgora Asset Management selected Carroll School of Management Professor and Chair of Finance Ronnie Sadka for the 2016 Crowell Second Prize for his paper “Real-time Corporate Sales and its Effects on Earnings Management, Surprises, and Drift.” Oriana Bandera, who earned her doctorate in economics from Boston College in 2000, was elected a fellow of the Econometric Society. She is a professor at the London School of Economics and director of the LSE’s Suntory and Toyota Centre for Economics and Related Disciplines.
The assistive technology developed by Carroll School of Management Egan Professor James Gips, which has exceeded three million downloads, was featured by the Boston Globe. School of Social Work Ahearn Professor James Lubben spoke about the growing health threat of social isolation with Next Avenue and the Columbus Dispatch. Young women are disproportionately locked up for misdemeanors in Maryland’s juvenile justice system, noted Clinical Prof. Francine Sherman (Law) in the Baltimore Sun. Assoc. Prof. Henrik Hagtvedt (CSOM) was among researchers invited by CNBC to offer tips for kicking bad habits. The perennial question of whether it’s possible to die from a broken heart arose in the aftermath of the deaths of celebrities Carrie Fisher and her mother, Debbie Reynolds, within a day of one another. Connell School of Nursing Dean Susan Gennaro gave her perspective on the matter for Voice of America.
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: Assistant Director of Field Education, Academic Affairs/Provost Associate Dean, School of Social Work Senior Associate Director, Alumni Chapters, University Advancement Research Associate, Academic Affairs/Provost Staff Nurse, Students Affairs/ Residential Life Manager, Data Center Operations, Information Technology Teacher Assistant, Academic Affairs/Provost Senior/Prospect Management Analyst, University Advancement Program and Health and Safety Manager, Academic Affairs/Provost Assistant Director, Undergraduate Student Services, Academic Affairs/Provost Communication and Events Administrator, Academic Affairs/ Provost
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ALSO IN CAMPUS ARTS: •Lowell Humanities Series schedule •“What Every Girl Should Know” at Robsham see page 6
‘Where the Intimate and the Cosmic Converge’
Upcoming McMullen Museum exhibition offers a look at the multi-faceted styles of Cuban-born Rafael Soriano By Rosanne Pellegrini Staff Writer
The work of Cuban-born painter Rafael Soriano (1920– 2015), one of the major Latin American artists of his generation, is the focus of an upcoming McMullen Museum of Art exhibition showcasing the multiple influences that nurtured a style where, in his words, “the intimate and the cosmic converge.” The groundbreaking retrospective, “Rafael Soriano: The Artist as Mystic,” will be on display Jan. 30 to June 4. [A Preview Day will be held for members of the BC community and museum members on Jan. 29 from noon to 5 p.m.] An unprecedented examination of his life’s work, the exhibition comprises more than 90 paintings, pastels, and drawings by the acclaimed master of geometric abstraction, who immigrated to the United States in 1962 as a result of the Cuban Revolution. “The McMullen is pleased to present the most comprehensive retrospective of the work of one of the last century’s major artists of Cuban origin,” said McMullen Museum of Art Director and Professor of Art History Nancy Netzer. “Accompanied by a bilingual catalogue of essays written by established scholars, the exhibition brings together and examines from various perspectives more than 90 of Rafael Soriano’s finest paintings.
“Galaxia (Galaxy),” above, and “Flor a contraluz (Flower Against the Light)” are two of the works to be displayed at the McMullen Museum of Art’s exhibition on Rafael Soriano.
“We are delighted that the exhibition will travel to the Long Beach Museum of Art and the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum at Florida International University in Miami, thereby increasing opportunities for dialogue about this important, though lesserknown artist.” “The Artist as Mystic” begins with Soriano’s works in the Cuban geometric abstract style. It then moves to his transitional, experimental paintings from the 1960s and 1970s, reminiscent of surrealist biomorphism. The exhibition concludes with luminous, mystical imagery in paintings from Soriano’s mature period. The works on display are from the Rafael Soriano Family Collection, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Art Museum of the Americas, and Long Beach Museum of Art
as well as other institutions and private collections. “Soriano was a global figure in 20th-century art whose work resonated with European and Latin American surrealism,” said curator Elizabeth Thompson Goizueta, a faculty member in the Romance Languages and Literatures Department. “Soriano’s early work in the geometric abstract movement met with great acclaim in Cuba in the 1950s but it was his later, biomorphic and organic imagery that launched him on an international path. ‘The Artist as Mystic’ seeks to reveal the complete trajectory of his œuvre, both the physical in his early geometrics as well as the metaphysical in his later search for the universal.” An English-Spanish catalogue edited by Goizueta includes con-
tributions from American, CubanAmerican, and Cuban scholars, and examines the effect of the Cuban Revolution on Soriano’s art as well as his aesthetics in general. It begins with a contextual analysis of Soriano’s relationship to the Cuban avant-garde and his position within the emerging midcentury modernists. Essays trace his evolving styles, examining his work through the lens of surrealism and European and Latin American transnational aesthetics. The idea of exile and struggle is a leitmotif, framed within questions of transcendence and spirituality. The contributions suggest both Soriano’s rootedness in Latin America and his striving for universality. The exhibition is organized by the McMullen Museum in conjunction with the Rafael Soriano Foundation. Major support has been provided by Boston College
and the Patrons of the McMullen Museum. Public programming – including a lecture series, the Second Saturdays children’s program, and a poetry reading and Q&A with Juana Rosa Pita, a friend of Soriano – is planned for families and the general public this semester. For more information, and to register for those events requiring advance registration, go to www. bc.edu/sites/artmuseum/about/ events.html. Admission to the museum, which is handicapped accessible, is free and open to the public. Beginning on Feb. 12, docent tours will be held on Sundays from 2-3 p.m.; no prior registration is required. For hours, directions, parking, and program information, see www. bc.edu/artmuseum. Contact Rosanne Pellegrini at rosanne.pellegrini@bc.edu
Gaelic Roots Concert with Katie McNally Jan. 26, 6:30 p.m. Theology and Ministry Library, Brighton Campus
Kicking off its spring schedule, Boston College’s Gaelic Roots series will host Katie McNally, a Boston-area native who has established herself as one of the finest young Scottish/Cape Bretonstyle fiddlers in the New England Celtic music scene, on Jan. 26. McNally has performed and taught throughout the US as well as in Canada, France, Spain and Scotland, appeared numerous times with the fiddle ensemble Childsplay, and recently released “The Boston States,” an album on which she collaborated with pianist Neil Pearlman – who will accompany her for this concert – and violist Shauncey Ali. The event is free and open to the public. See www.bc.edu/gaelicroots.
BC SCENES
THINKING AHEAD
Last week, Boston College sophomores attended a three-day program, “Endeavor: The Liberal Arts Advantage,” aimed at helping undergraduates who are pursuing degrees in the liberal arts to reflect and act on their career interests while connecting the value of their liberal arts education to their future. Students – who were paired with alumni “career coaches” – participated in conversations, hands-on activities and career treks into Boston, and also heard a keynote address from Arivee Vargas RozierByrd ’05, JD ’08 (in photo at left). [For more information on “Endeavor,” see www. bc.edu/endeavor.]
Sophomores Felix Lee, left, and Alexandre Poleretzky.
Photos by Lee Pellegrini
Alumni session leaders Patrick Knight ’08, left, and Phil Jutras ’76.
Office of Student Involvement Assistant Director Karl Bell.