Boston College Chronicle

SEPTEMBER 16, 2021 VOL. 29 NO. 2

PUBLISHED BY THE BOSTON COLLEGE OFFICE OF UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

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Enrollment Up Among Grad Programs

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BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Spirit of a New Year

INSIDE 2x New Headline Residents at St. Mary’s Six statues of iconic Jesuits xxxxx. installed in building hallway. xxx.

xxxxx.

5 Back Again

Pops on the Heights gala returns to Conte Forum on September 24.

8 BC Research

Projects funded by Schiller Institute show breadth of ideas and interests.

University President William P. Leahy, S.J., celebrated the annual Mass of the Holy Spirit—a tradition among Jesuit institutions for the start of the academic year—last week in Conte Forum. More photos on page 2. photo by caitlin cunningham

Moore and Fr. Kalscheur to Lead Forum on Racial Justice in America

BY JACK DUNN ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

University President William P. Leahy, S.J., has named Vice President and Executive Director of the Pine Manor Institute for Student Success Joy Moore and Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., co-directors of Boston College’s Forum on Racial Justice in America, a University-wide initiative designed to provide a meeting place for listening, dialogue, and greater understanding about race and racism in America.

They succeed inaugural director Vincent Rougeau, the former dean of Boston College Law School, who assumed the presidency of the College of the Holy Cross in

Continued on page 3

Overall enrollment in Boston College graduate schools for the 2021-2022 academic year rose 11 percent over the previous year, overcoming numerous recruiting challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.

This fall, BC welcomed 2,542 new graduate students, exceeding the 2,290 enrolled last academic year. Furthermore, the yield rate—the number of accepted applicants to all BC grad schools who actually enrolled—increased to 45 percent versus 39 percent in 2020-2021, according

Continued on page 4

Collaboration Focuses on Early Childhood Lynch School, BC School of Social Work to launch cross-disciplinary institute

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

A cross-disciplinary endeavor between the Lynch School of Education and Human Development and the Boston College School of Social Work was awarded a twoyear grant from the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, setting the stage for the fall launch of BC’s Institute for Early Childhood Policy (IECP), one of just five such institutes in the United States.

Led by Lynch School Professor Rebekah Levine Coley and a leadership team of Lynch School and BCSSW faculty, this cross-disciplinary institute will expand research, training, and interdisciplinary collaboration between the two schools, and operate as a hub for a new Certificate in Early Childhood Policy and Leadership (ECPL).

“Boston College has an exceptionally rich base of scholarship; active local, national, and international community partnerships, and quality training opportunities in early childhood arenas,” said

Coley, professor of counseling, developmental, and educational psychology. “The new IECP will amplify and expand these efforts, allowing us to increase our impact on the early childhood policy field.”

Lynch School Associate Professor Mari-

The institute will increase “the availability of early childhood policy leaders with robust scientific training” in key areas, according to director Rebekah Levine Coley. ela Páez will serve as assistant director; helming the BCSSW team are Kirsten Davison, Donahue and DiFelice Endowed Chair and associate dean for research, and Professor Catherine Taylor.

“Central to our mission is increasing the availability of early childhood policy lead-

ers with robust scientific training in early childhood development, policy analysis, research methods, advocacy, and leadership,” said Coley. “This will occur through a cohort-based training model of ECPL fellows, drawn from graduate programs across the Lynch School and School of Social Work. Establishment of the BC IECP will bolster our capabilities toward this aim, centering goals of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and creating a shared vision and set of strategies for expansion in the early childhood policy field.”

Evidence on the science of early childhood has grown exponentially in recent years. New insights highlight the central role of family and early education contexts in supporting young children’s healthy development in their earliest years, Coley said. Coupled with enhanced policies and practices expanding access to early education and integrated services approaches, this research-practice-policy synergy has led to the need for an expanded corps of leaders in the field of early childhood

Continued on page 4

We’re excited to explore the intersection between cancer epidemiology and cancer ethics to benefit from expertise in different fields, a global perspective on cancer control, and cancer ethics.

– kurt straif, co-organizer of oct. 2 conference on global cancer, page 3

Chronicle

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September 16, 2021

Around Campus

Well Worth the Wait More than one hundred years after it was built, St. Mary’s Hall—home to the Boston College Jesuit community—finally feels complete.

Last fall, six custom statues depicting Jesuit saints were installed in the main, first-floor hallway of the building, placed in elaborately carved wooden alcoves designed by architect Charles Donagh Maginnis in 1908. The six-foot-high niches, part of the building’s original construction, have remained empty for more than a century.

“The spaces were made for this,” said Cyril Opeil, S.J., who serves as the superior of the BC Jesuit community. “It was time for them to be filled.”

Spaced out along the entirety of the hall, the statues sit atop custom-milled pedestals adorned with brass nameplates. New LED spotlights illuminate the intricate details of each carving—from the soft folds of Saint Ignatius of Loyola’s cape to the pointed leaves of the palm frond held by St. Paul Miki of Japan.

Plans for the statues have been loosely in the works for decades, but got serious during a major renovation of St. Mary’s in 2013, according to Senior Construction Manager Tom Runyon. Whenever administrators stopped by for updates on the project—which involved modernizing the Jesuit residences, converting the south wing for academic purposes, and restoring

BC Scenes

Getting acquainted

the building’s Gothic details—the empty niches would inevitably come up.

“We’d walk down the hallway and say, ‘We should really do something with those,’” recalled Runyon. “We’d joke about who would be in them, but then towards the end of the project we thought, we should really do something.”

What followed was a years-long partnership between a group of BC Jesuits, Runyon, and renowned local sculptor Bob Shure, whose work includes the Boston Irish Famine Memorial in downtown Boston. The three parties exchanged feedback on sketches and clay models of each figure, meeting periodically at Shure’s studio in Woburn for critiques. Last fall, the final versions were cast in fiberglass resin and brought home to the Heights.

With St. Mary’s Hall reopened to visitors, Fr. Opeil hopes the public will stop by to enjoy the newly installed pieces, which represent diverse aspects of the Society of Jesus’ work, as well as different time periods and locations.

For those familiar with Jesuit history, some of the statues will be immediately recognizable. Flanking the hall’s central entryway are St. Ignatius, founder of the Society and author of Spiritual Exercises, and his contemporary St. Francis Xavier, co-founder of the Jesuits and renowned missionary. Further down the hall are St.

Statues of St. Ignatius, left, and St. Bellarmine are among those installed in St. Mary’s Hall. photos by lee pellegrini

Robert Bellarmine, noted for his brilliance as a teacher and theologian, and St. Alberto Hurtado, remembered for his service to the poor as a social worker in modern-day Chile.

The two remaining saints are less well known, said Fr. Opeil. St. Joseph Pignatelli is credited with re-founding the Society after its suppression in the late 18th century.

St. Miki, born in Japan in 1562, was part of the first generation of converts to the Society in the Far East, and became a martyr for his faith.

In addition to their stories, the statues

bring meaning and beauty to the hallway that Fr. Opeil and the other 35 Jesuits who reside in St. Mary’s traverse every day, whether on their way to Mass in the chapel or to their University classrooms and offices. After observing the empty niches for so many years, seeing them filled has brought joy during a difficult time.

“They fit and fulfill this part of the house,” said Fr. Opeil. “These saints have done their work and now other Jesuits are laboring here to serve God for his greater glory.”

—Alix Hackett, senior digital content writer, Office of University Communications

PHOTOS BY LEE PELLEGRINI AND CAITLIN CUNNINGHAM

Early September provided several opportunities for the University community to gather, including last Thursday’s Mass of the Holy Spirit (above) and First Year Convocation (top right), which were both held in Conte Forum. On September 3, BC’s student clubs and organizations were out in force to recruit new members on Student Involvement Day (at right), held inside and outside the Connell Recreation Center; among the organizations was Females Incorporating Sisterhood Through Step (FISTS).

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

Jack Dunn SENIOR DIRECTOR FOR UNIVERSITY COMMUNICATIONS

CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Christine Balquist Phil Gloudemans Ed Hayward Rosanne Pellegrini Kathleen Sullivan

Chronicle

PHOTOGRAPHERS

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

Patricia Delaney EDITOR

Sean Smith

Lee Pellegrini

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)552-3350.

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Chronicle

September 16, 2021

“This is how the mission of the University expands from teaching and research and aims to reach out to people living their daily lives and the urgencies of the planet.”

—Andrea Vicini, S.J.

BC to Host Interdisciplinary Forum on Global Cancer Oct. 2

BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER

While the world has been consumed by the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, the ongoing epidemic of sickness and death wrought by cancer will be the focus of an international group of scholars gathering at Boston College for the October 2 conference “The Rising Global Cancer Pandemic: Health, Ethics, and Social Justice.”

The daylong series of scholarly presentations and panel discussions in the Corcoran Commons Heights Room, which can also be viewed online, will feature Boston College researchers, experts from the United States, and international scholars in areas including medicine, scientific research, public health, law, and ethics.

“We’re excited to explore the intersection between cancer epidemiology and cancer ethics to benefit from expertise in different fields, a global perspective on cancer control, and cancer ethics,” said Visiting Professor of Epidemiology Kurt Straif, an organizer of the program. “The ethical aspect of the cancer pandemic is the specific topic of this conference. This program will look at a global public health issue and investigate this from an ethical perspective and see what can be done to improve global public health and what BC can contribute to those efforts.”

Cancer is the first or second leading cause of death in 134 countries, with nearly 20 million new cases diagnosed each year. Diagnoses are predicted to rise to 24 million annually by 2035, Straif said.

As life expectancy increases, more people will have a cancer diagnosis during their lifetime. Yet there remain wide disparities in prevention, diagnoses, treatment, and survival between the citizens of wealthy, industrialized countries and those living in nations of the Global South, according to Michael P. Walsh Professor of Bioethics Andrea Vicini, S.J., another organizer of the event along with Professor of Biology Philip Landrigan, M.D. “We are interested in an ethical approach that is interdisciplinary where we can engage in dialogue and collaboration with scholars from different disciplines,” said Fr. Vicini, who, like Straif, trained as a physician. “As an ethicist, I want to learn what affects the lives of people today, how we can address these challenges, and how can we help our society to be more just in our response to the needs of people, particularly those on the margins.

“This is how the mission of the University expands from teaching and research and aims to reach out to people living their daily lives and the urgencies of the planet and the ways we can be part of this process

of transformation in this world,” Fr. Vicini added.

By bringing together experts in a range of fields, Straif said, the goal is to begin to create models for a holistic approach to prevention strategies, effective treatments, and research into a disease linked to multiple causal factors, from exposure to pollutants, to genetic predisposition, to viral and parasitic infections.

Additional Boston College faculty participants include School of Theology and Ministry Associate Professor Daniel Daly, Associate Professor of Communication Ashley Duggan, Professor of Engineering Glenn Gaudette, Connell School of Nursing Associate Professor Joyce Edmonds, BC School of Social Work Associate Professor Summer Sherburne Hawkins, Libby Professor of Law and Theology Cathleen Kaveny and BC Law Professor David Wirth, and Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society Seidner Family Executive Director Laura Steinberg.

DeLuca Professor in Biology and Vice Provost for Research and Academic Planning Tom Chiles will deliver opening remarks and Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences Dean Gregory Kalscheur, S.J., will moderate a discussion between Straif and Vicini.

International participants will be coming from Chile, India, Italy, Rwanda, and Spain.

Straif and Vicini said it is important to incorporate as many perspectives as possible into efforts to combat the far-reaching toll taken by cancer around the world. The participants will also hear from cancer survivors, including two BC alumni, and University employees including a staff member, and Vice Provost for Global Engagement James Keenan, S.J. In addition, undergraduates have been invited to present posters as part of the program.

Conference sponsors include the Program for Global Public Health and the Common Good and the Department of Theology, as well as support from the Institute for the Liberal Arts.

Fr. Vicini said the research and discussions from the conference will be incorporated into a publication. In 2019, the University held a conference that examined global public health and the content from that event has just been published in an open-access book Ethical Challenges in Global Public Health: Climate Change, Pollution, and the Health of the Poor.

The conference can be attended inperson or online. A website for the event, which includes a link for registration, will go live shortly; for updates, check the conference sponsors’ websites.

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BC Is 36th in 2022 US News Survey Boston College placed 36th in the 2022 survey of national universities released Monday by US News & World Report.

The University’s peer assessment score retained its highest-to-date ranking of 3.8, but BC continued to be negatively affected by the 2019 change in US News’ methodology that rewards state universities with a high volume of Pell Granteligible students.

Boston College placed highly in several specialty rankings among national universities this year, including “Service Learning” (5th); “Commitment to Undergraduate Teaching” (8th); “Best Learning Communities” (12th); “First Year Experience” (16th); “Study Abroad Programs” (27th); “Most Innovative Schools” (40th); and “Undergraduate Research” (43rd). The University also placed 39th in the “Best Value Colleges” listing, due to its commitment to need-blind admission and meeting the full demonstrated need of all accepted

Joy Moore and Gregory Kalscheur, S.J.

students.

In a new ranking of “Best Undergraduate Nursing Programs,” Boston College ranked 19th out of 694 schools, based on a high peer assessment score.

In addition, Boston College ranked 30th out of 514 schools in the “Best Undergraduate Business Programs,” and placed 7th overall in Finance; 12th in Accounting; 17th in Marketing; and 23rd in Management.

Overall, Princeton University ranked first among national universities in the 2022 rankings, followed by Columbia, Harvard, and MIT tied for second, and Yale, which ranked fifth. Among Massachusetts universities, BC placed fourth behind Harvard, MIT, and Tufts (28th), and ahead of Boston University and Brandeis (tied at 42nd) and Northeastern (49th).

The US News rankings of all colleges and universities can be accessed at usnews. com.

—Jack Dunn

photos by gary wayne gilbert and lee pellegrini

New Leadership for Forum on Racial Justice Continued from page 1

July.

In its first year, the Forum on Racial Justice sponsored multiple speakers, panels, and seminars to address topical issues regarding race, including scholarly exploration of conditions that result in racism and racist behavior.

Moore and Fr. Kalscheur said they were honored to accept Fr. Leahy’s invitation to lead the forum, and looked forward to collaborating with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to host a range of events in the coming year.

“I am excited to serve as co-director of the Forum on Racial Justice in America, given how vitally important the topic is to all of us within the BC community,” said Moore. “I look forward to working with faculty, staff, and students to create programming to address issues regarding race and racial justice and to using my alumni connections to help form a national board of advisors to assist in guiding forum activities in the coming years.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as co-director of the Boston College Forum on Racial Justice in America along with Joy Moore,” said Fr. Kalscheur. “Promoting justice and reconciliation are at the heart of the Jesuit mission, and Boston

College can provide valuable insights into the issues of racism and racial injustice in our country through the academic contributions of its faculty members and the resources available to us in the Catholic social thought tradition. I look forward to engaging with the University community on the important work of the forum in the year to come.”

The forum kicked off the fall semester with a September 8 event titled “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents,” featuring Pulitzer Prize-winning author Isabel Wilkerson, held in conjunction with the Lowell Humanities Series.

On Tuesday, the Boston College School of Social Work and the Forum on Racial Justice co-hosted a panel discussion on the documentary “White Noise,” featuring film director and co-producer Daniel Lombroso, Center on Extremism Investigative Researcher Emily Kaufman, and Lynch School of Education and Human Development Professor Usha Tummala-Narra; BCSSW Associate Professor Samuel Bradley served as the host.

Additional semester events, once finalized, will be posted on the Forum on Racial Justice in America website [bc.edu/ forum].

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September 16, 2021

Schools to Launch Institute for Early Childhood Policy Continued from page 1

policy.

The grant, Coley explained, is funneled through the Early Childhood Policy in Institutions of Higher Education (ECPIHE) group at Teachers College of Columbia University.

“BC was selected for a partnership with Columbia University’s ECPIHE initiative after a rigorous, competitive national application process,” she said. “BC IECP is one of five centers funded through this initiative, which also includes hubs at the University of California at Berkeley, University of Colorado at Denver, University of Florida, and University of Washington. This growing consortium of ECP centers across the country will be supported through an online network, with the goal of partnering with additional universities in future years.”

The initiative is initially funded by the Heising-Simons Foundation, with additional support from the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, the Bezos Family Foundation, and the Stranahan Foundation.

Additional fundraising efforts will assure the longevity and sustainability of the BC IECP, Coley said.

“The BC IECP will serve as the base for our new interdisciplinary ECPL Certificate, delivered through an inclusive 1.5-year cohort training model designed to develop a synergistic learning community that brings together students from multiple master’s and doctoral programs with shared interests in early childhood.

“We envision the IECP and the ECPL training program as initiatives that will grow over time to create a strong interconnected web of faculty leaders, community partners, and an alumni network of ECP leaders and professionals who will make significant scientific, educational, and policy advancements to support children, families, and communities.”

Representing the BCSSW on the IECP leadership team are Salem Professor in Global Practice Theresa S. Betancourt, Associate Professor Summer Sherburne Hawkins, and Assistant Professor Vincent Fusaro. Lynch School members include Adjunct Professor Carmela J. DeCandia, Professor Eric Dearing, Assistant Professor Daphne A. Henry, Associate Professor Betty Lai, and Assistant Professor Raquel

Rebekah Levine Coley, left, is the director and Kirsten Davison part of the leadership team for the Institute for Early Childhood Policy, which will be launched this fall. photos by lee pellegrini and amara cohen

Muñiz.

Current BC master’s and doctoral students with a demonstrated interest in research, leadership, and policy related to the early childhood field are encouraged to

apply for the ECPL training program. The institute website is to be launched shortly; in the interim, contact the Lynch School or BCSSW for information.

Despite COVID, BC Graduate Enrollment on the Rise Continued from page 1

to Adam Poluzzi, assistant vice provost for graduate enrollment management.

“All of the schools worked very hard during a year when the pandemic dictated that only virtual recruitment was possible,” said Poluzzi. “It’s truly a remarkable achievement across the board, given what was essentially a two-year disruption.”

BC graduate programs also saw advances in diversity, reported Poluzzi.

Twenty-four percent of the incoming graduate school class are individuals of African, Hispanic, Asian and Native American (AHANA) descent—a five-percent increase—and the yield rose to 49 percent, a four-percent increase over last year’s total.

International students comprise 19 percent of the incoming class, approximately the same as 2020-2021.

“A key factor in generating increased enrollments and greater diversity are the partnerships forged with key offices across campus, such as International Students and Scholars, Financial Aid, Student Affairs, and University Communications,” said Poluzzi. “This collaboration is key to successful recruitment.”

The Lynch School of Education and Human Development, which welcomed 602 new graduate students this year versus 467 last year—a 29-percent increase— boosted its yield rate from 39 to 44 percent. Master’s degree enrollments alone increased by 20 percent (428 students versus 355 last year), and two doctoral programs, including the Professional School Administrator Program and a new Ed.D. in Higher Education, experienced 100-percent yields.

The BC School of Social Work enrolled 343 new graduate students this year, a 33-percent increase, while its yield climbed from 42 to 48. In particular, the full-time

Asst. Vice Provost for Graduate Enrollment Management Adam Poluzzi lauds the hard work of BC’s graduate schools for the rise in enrollment. “It’s truly a remarkable achievement across the board, given what was essentially a two-year disruption.” photo by lee pellegrini

Master’s in Social Work program experienced strong growth, drawing 226 students this year versus 183 last year.

New certificate programs at BCSSW— Leaders for Equity and Justice in the Workplace, the Black Leadership Initiative, and the Latinx Leadership Initiative—also significantly contributed to the higher enrollment and an increase in diversity among the entering class as 93 new AHANA students registered this year in contrast to 55 last year.

Graduate student enrollment at the Woods College of Advancing Studies saw a 25-percent jump during the height of the pandemic in 2020, and it maintained that enrollment growth into 2021. Woods also increased its yield to 55 percent, up from 48 percent. Both in-person and programs designed to be online or hybrid remained

robust.

The M.S. in Leadership & Administration program increased enrollment by 38 percent—40 new students this autumn versus 29 in fall 2020—a development partially attributable to the launch of an online certificate in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion this past spring. The M.S. in Applied Economics also grew by 12.6 percent (89 new students versus 79 last year), a program enhanced by a new online Certificate in Data Analytics.

Woods has also invested in programs that saw strong growth during the pandemic such as the M.S. in Sports Administration, which has grown 45 percent since 2019, and recently hired a new faculty program director.

The Carroll School of Management reported a 23-percent increase in its the full-time MBA program enrollment this year (97 new students; 79 last year), and improved its yield rate to 44 percent, a 10-percent increase over the previous year.

The master’s program enrollment at the

School of Theology and Ministry increased 11 percent (83 new students versus 75 last year), and its yield rate rose five points to 65 percent.

Programs not offered during the pandemic generated a strong return, including the summer post-master’s Certificate in Spiritual Formation, which enrolled 16 new students versus six in 2019.

Despite the severity of the pandemic, applicants to the Connell School of Nursing continued to share their desire to serve on the healthcare front lines as the number of applicants and enrollments throughout 2020-2021 remained steady.

Law schools nationwide saw an increase in interest and applications over the past year, and BC Law’s incoming class reflected this trend, as 352 new J.D. students enrolled versus 255 last year.

Graduate programs within the Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences saw a 23-percent enrollment increase, as 255 students entered this fall versus 208 last year.

SEED Award for Physicist Wang Professor of Physics Ziqiang Wang is among five physics and astronomy researchers to receive one of this year’s Research Corporation for Science Advancement’s competitive Cottrell Plus SEED (Singular Exceptional Endeavors of Discovery) Awards.

SEED Awards offer Cottrell Scholars the opportunity to start creative new research or educational activities, granting $50,000 for research projects.

Research Corporation for Science Advancement was founded in 1912 and funds

basic research in the physical sciences—astronomy, chemistry, physics, and related fields—at colleges and universities in the United States and Canada.

A theoretical physicist, Wang explores topics such as high temperature superconductors and other complex materials in an effort to better understand a range of phenomena. Some of his most recent work may help advance the science behind quantum computing.

—Ed Hayward

Chronicle

September 16, 2021

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Back ‘Live,’ Pops on the Heights Is Set for Sept. 24 Through another groundswell of Boston College community support, the annual Pops on the Heights Barbara and Jim Cleary Scholarship Gala—an important and beloved tradition which helps shape the future for deserving students—is once again a sold-out event. When they went on sale this summer, individual tickets were snapped up in a record-setting 24 hours.

A cornerstone event of Family Weekend that is now in its 29th year, Pops on the Heights stands strong in its mission of uniting BC families for a magical evening in support of financial aid. Co-chaired this year

by Patti and Jonathan Kraft P’24, the gala will be held at Conte Forum on September 24 and once again features live performances to benefit Eagles.

“Thanks to the outstanding leadership of first-time Pops on the Heights Co-Chairs Patti and Jonathan Kraft and their incredible committee, we are on track this year to have one of our strongest fundraising results ever,” said BC Senior Vice President for University Advancement Jim Husson.

“I am so grateful for their efforts and for

Pat Monahan, lead singer for Train, which will be the special guest at this year’s Pops on the Heights. photo by sara kiesling

the generosity of all of our table benefactors.

Meanwhile, we look forward to welcoming students, their families, alumni, and friends back to the Heights as we mark the return of this cherished BC tradition,” he added.

Last year’s virtual gala, “Pops off the Heights,” offered a creative twist on the favorite tradition. Popular with attendees, the event also won a prestigious Gold Circle of Excellence Award for execution and engagement from the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education [see https://bit.ly/pops-case-award].

Appearing as special guest is the multiGrammy and Billboard award-winning band Train. Based in San Francisco, the group has had 14 songs on Billboard’s Hot 100 list since the release of their debut selftitled album in 1998. Train has sold more than 10 million albums worldwide and more than 30 million tracks, with multiple platinum/gold citations, including three Grammy awards, two Billboard Music Awards, and dozens of other honors.

Train frontman Pat Monahan’s ventures outside of music include his newly launched Drops of Jupiter wine portfolio. Proceeds support Family House, a San Francisco charity that assists families of children with cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.

All proceeds from Train’s 2016 “Does Led

Zeppelin II,” a cover album in tribute of their favorite band, also went to Family House.

Also taking the stage once again is acclaimed conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra, in addition to the University Chorale of Boston College, “Screaming Eagles” Marching Band, and student soloist Grace Collins ’22.

Audience members at Pops on the Heights experience the transformative power of student scholarship support, according to organizers. Founded by the late Barbara and James F. Cleary ’50, H’93, a BC trustee, the gala has raised more than $100 million for scholarships, and made a BC education a reality for more than 2,900 students over the past 28 years. The Clearys’ children—Kara ’84, MA’91; Kristin ’89, JD’93; and Jim Jr.—continue their family legacy as Pops benefactors.

For more on Pops on the Heights, visit bc.edu/pops. For information on COVID-19 protocols for both the gala and Family Weekend, go to bcgroups.org/bcevents/ family-weekend-2021-faq/#alert.

—Rosanne Pellegrini

Connell School’s Lee Is Honored for Mentoring

BY KATHLEEN SULLIVAN STAFF WRITER

Connell School of Nursing Professor and Associate Dean for Research Christopher S. Lee, a cardiovascular nurse scientist, will be honored this fall by the American Heart Association in recognition of his mentoring of early-career scientists.

Lee is the recipient of the 2021 Kathleen A. Dracup Distinguished Lecture and Exemplary Career in Mentoring Award, sponsored by the American Heart Association’s Council on Cardiovascular and Stroke Nursing. He will be presented with the award at the American Heart Association Scientific Sessions in Boston in November, where he will deliver a lecture titled “Coach, Colleague, Counsel, Friend: A New Era of Scientific Mentoring.”

Lee, who joined the Connell School in 2018, was nominated for the award by several nurse scientists he has mentored.

“I am humbled and honored,” said Lee, who helped to establish the award eight years ago in honor of world-renowned cardiovascular nurse scientist Kathleen Dracup. “Although I have been fortunate enough to receive many honors from the American Heart Association, this one is the most important to me because of the focus on early-career mentoring.”

Lee has mentored a number of researchers who have subsequently secured National Institutes of Health National Research Service Awards, Research Career Development Awards, and Research Project Grants.

“I was thrilled, but not surprised, to learn that Dr. Christopher Lee was chosen for the Dracup Distinguished Lecture and Exemplary Career in Mentoring Award,” said CSON Dean Katherine Gregory.

“Dr. Lee has made an impact in the field

of nursing not only as a scientist who has developed new knowledge to guide the care of patients with heart failure, but also as a mentor, training the next generation of scientists who will improve human health.

I extend my congratulations to Dr. Lee!” A fellow of the American Heart Association, the Heart Failure Society of America, and the American Academy of Nursing, Lee dedicated his career to improving outcomes for patients with heart disease. He has published more than 150 papers.

His research—which has been supported by NIH and other funders—has focused on heart failure self-care and symp-

Christopher Lee photo by lee pellegrini

tom science, and patient and care-partner dyadic relationships in chronic conditions.

He also serves on the National Advisory Council for Nursing Research, which makes recommendations to the U.S Secretary of Health and Human Services and to the director of the National Institute for Nursing Research regarding NINR-related activities and policy matters.

Lee’s previous honors include the Mathy Mezey Excellence in Aging Award, Martha N. Hill New Investigator Award, Marie Cowan Promising Young Investigator Award, and the Heart Failure Society of America Nursing Leadership Award.

Tang Awarded an American Fellowship by AAUW The American Association of University Women, a highly competitive source of funding for academic research, has awarded Assistant Professor of Romance Languages and Literatures Wan Tang a prestigious American Fellowship.

Via the fellowship, Tang will pursue full-time research during the 2021-2022 academic year. She will complete her book project, titled Specters, Monsters, and the Cursed: Fantastic Formulations of Class, Gender and Race in 19th-Century Spain.

“Winning a fellowship from the AAUW is an enormous honor,” she said. “At BC, I am deeply committed to advancing the work of women in everything that I do.

From teaching courses like Warrior Women of Spain to inviting female filmmakers to campus or speaking at BC’s Women’s Summit, I have constantly worked to support and encourage women, including my students, mentees, and colleagues. I am thrilled to have the upcoming year to

produce scholarship that will likewise dismantle sexist stereotypes and problematize patriarchal assumptions.”

Tang’s book “explores how the language of the supernatural exposes the classist, sexist, and racist or xenophobic fears of societies beset by dizzying change and perceived decline,” she said. “I hope the book will enrich our understanding of the dynamics of social inclusion and exclusion in complicated times much like our own.”

The American Fellowship program began in 1888, a time when women were discouraged from pursuing an education.

It is AAUW’s largest fellowship program and the oldest non-institutional source of graduate funding for women in the United States. The fellowships support women scholars who are pursuing full-time study to complete dissertations, conducting fulltime postdoctoral research, or preparing research for publication for eight consecutive weeks.

Wan Tang

photo by lee pellegrini

A Hispanic Studies faculty member, Tang’s research interests include 19th-21st century Spanish literature and visual culture, realism and the fantastic, the short story, Benito Pérez Galdós, gender studies, and women in the Spanish Civil War. —University Communications

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Q&A

Julia Spiegel ’22: “It’s clear that the current system leaves both patient and provider unsatisfied, so my hope is to create an initiative that is desirable and convenient for all parties.” photo by lee pellegrini

Internship Bridges Passions Senior blends her interests in medicine and Hispanic Studies at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital With medical school in her sights post-graduation, Morrissey College of Arts and Sciences senior Julia Spiegel—a neuroscience major and Hispanic Studies minor—gained invaluable experience this summer as a research assistant at Boston’s world-renowned Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

Through an internship facilitated by a Boston College Advanced Study Grant, Spiegel analyzed hospital data on ovarian cancer looking for trends in race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. In particular, she used her Spanish language skills to study data related to Hispanic cancer patients—seeking to determine if, as she hypothesizes, cultural and linguistic factors are at least partially responsible for Latinas being 20 percent more likely to die of gynecological cancers than other population groups.

Interviewed midway through her internship, the New York City native described her experience as “busy but rewarding.” Spiegel’s work will not only advance her professional formation, but also will benefit the research team in the hospital’s Gynecologic Oncology Division.

Q: Talk about the opportunity afforded you by the BC Advanced Study Grant. How did you determine your area of focus, and what are the potential health care applications for your research findings?

Spiegel: Earlier this year, my Hispanic Studies professor, Elizabeth Rhodes, nominated me to apply for an Advanced Study Grant. I was incredibly honored and grateful, but also overwhelmed by the prospect of proposing a project of my own making.

At the same time, I had committed to a pre-med summer internship working as a research assistant at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, investigating ovarian cancer. This prompted me to identify a bridge between my two passions of medicine and Hispanic Studies, and expand upon my internship

work through a Hispanic Studies lens.

After doing independent research, I found that there are countless unaddressed health disparities when it comes to gynecologic malignancies like ovarian cancer between Latina and non-Latina woman.

This was shocking to me, considering that Hispanics are the largest and most rapidly growing ethnic minority group in the United States. This led to my hypothesis that these under-researched discrepancies are due to an interplay of factors including economic class, cultural dynamics, language barriers, level of health literacy, as well as such influences as environmental racism. I knew I could not address all of these over the course of one summer, and decided to focus my efforts on how language barriers impact the incidence and outcome of ovarian cancer in the Hispanic population. If I am able to prove my hypothesis, the ultimate goal is that it would spark the development of a culturally sensitive communication initiative between patient and provider, based on the specific preferences and needs of the Latino community. If these communication initiatives prove to be successful, this research could help to provide a model for tackling other barriers, illnesses, and other minority groups.

Q: How do cultural and linguistic factors impact the Hispanic cancer patients you’re studying? Is the pandemic factored into their health care, and if so, how?

Spiegel: The basic obstacle facing Spanish-speaking Latino Americans—aside from the issue of lack of access to health care—is that they usually do not speak the same language as their provider. Even with an interpreter, patients are often unable to gain a full understanding of their diagnoses or do not feel comfortable asking necessary clarifying questions. If this level of discomfort is associated with the most

September 16, 2021

basic patient-provider interactions, how are Hispanic women expected to receive the preventative care required for ovarian and breast cancer? This was the main question that inspired me to pursue this research project. Not only is the language barrier detrimental to the patient’s experience and quality of care, but the use of interpreters is both expensive and time consuming for providers, which deters their use by health care professionals. It’s clear that the current system leaves both patient and provider unsatisfied, so my hope is to create an initiative that is desirable and convenient for all parties.

The COVID-19 pandemic has magnified these health care inequities and the social, cultural, and economic factors that contribute to them. Statistics show that minority populations, specifically Blacks and Latinos, have been disproportionally affected by the pandemic and are at increased risk for COVID-related deaths and other resulting illnesses. Perhaps one positive thing to come out of the pandemic is that it has raised awareness of the inequities in our health care system—and served as a catalyst for addressing them. My research project is important and timely, and I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute in some small way.

Q: What kind of activity does the internship entail?

Spiegel: The majority of my work is

done remotely, but I go to Brigham and Women’s Hospital’s campus once a week to meet with the lab team. My role is to analyze and annotate patients’ medical records, identifying a specific set of variables including demographic information, personal gynecologic histories, family histories, genetic testing, and more. The aggregate data produced from my annotations will reveal any trends in the presentation of ovarian cancer or related conditions across various races, ethnicities, and age groups. I have access to all of the resources that any other BWH staff would have, so I have the privilege to attend virtual lectures, panels, and presentations through the hospital, and Harvard Medical School, as my schedule permits. This is all resulting in an extremely busy but rewarding summer.

Q: What have you found most interesting, and challenging, about the internship?

Spiegel: In searching for a specific list of variables, I sift through a patient’s entire medical history, leading me to discover and learn a wide variety of terms across many fields. This has been both interesting and challenging because, as an undergraduate student, I have had limited exposure to the terms and medical jargon in these records.

I am constantly stumbling across new diseases or conditions that I have never heard about, which I find incredibly interesting as it allows me to get a glimpse into other medical specialties outside of obstetrics and gynecology. At the same time, it can be challenging to consume all of this new information while remaining focused on my important job at hand.

I am really enjoying and benefitting from getting a true behind-the-scenes look into many aspects of the medical field, which is really important as I consider medical school and what lies ahead for me.

—Rosanne Pellegrini Read more of this Q&A at bit.ly/spiegeladvanced-study

Salerno Heads Up Ctr. for Digital Innovation in Learning Brian Salerno has been appointed the executive director of the University’s Center for Digital Innovation in Learning (CDIL), after serving as interim executive director.

Salerno succeeds Brian Blakely, the center’s inaugural executive director, who left Boston College earlier this year to become the assistant vice provost for digital learning innovation at the University of Washington Continuum College.

The CDIL—which opened in 2019— is a centralized service center for all facets of online education support at BC and an innovation space for new digital teaching and learning initiatives. Its online education support responsibilities include planning, course development, budgeting, technology support, and student and faculty support.

Prior to becoming interim executive

Brian Salerno

photo by lee pellegrini

director, Salerno served as the director of learning design in CDIL, leading the learning design and instructional media teams responsible for partnering with BC faculty on the design and development of innovative and engaging online courses and programs.

“Brian Salerno was a key member of the CDIL team that helped lead the University’s faculty and students through the pandemic and its myriad technological and pedagogical challenges,” said Provost and Dean of Faculties David Quigley.

“In the six months that he has served as interim director, Brian has impressed many of us across campus. I very much look forward to collaborating with him over the next few years as we strengthen the supports we have in place for faculty as they explore the possibilities of today’s technology.”

Before joining BC, Salerno was the director of online learning and instructional design at Brandeis University, where he established and led the Master of Science in Learning Experience Design program in the Rabb School of Continuing Studies. He built an instructional design team that was recognized for its expertise in innovative teaching and learning practices and supported the development of new programs and partnerships across the institution. He has held similar leadership roles in digital learning at Quinnipiac University, University of New Haven, and Hesser College in Manchester, N.H. Salerno earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in interactive media from Quinnipiac and is currently completing a doctoral dissertation at the Northeastern University Graduate School of Education.

—University Communications

Chronicle

September 16, 2021

AERA Recognizes Two Lynch School Faculty

BY PHIL GLOUDEMANS STAFF WRITER

Henry Braun, Boisi Professor of Education and Public Policy and Education Research at the Lynch School of Education and Human Development, was selected for the 2021 E.F. Lindquist Award by the American Education Research Association (AERA).

Braun, a BC professor since 2007 and director of the Center for the Study of Testing, Evaluation, and Educational Policy, is the second Lynch School faculty member to be recognized by AERA in recent months. This past summer, Monan Professor of Education Matthias von Da-

and mathematics, von Davier—who also is executive director of the TIMSS & PIRLS International Study Center at Boston College—joins 19 other exemplary scholars in the 2021 AERA cohort and 676 current AERA Fellows.

AERA Fellows are selected on the basis of their distinguished and sustained research achievements. The 2021 Fellows were nominated by their peers, selected by the Fellows Committee, and approved by the AERA Council, the association’s elected governing body.

Von Davier’s research focuses on developing psychometric models for analyzing data from complex item and respondent samples and on integrating diagnostic pro-

BC in the Media The TRUST Act sounds like a benign piece of bipartisan legislation, but it could lead to major Social Security and Medicare cuts, wrote Boston College Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell, the Drucker Professor in the Carroll School of Management, in a piece for Marketwatch.

Assoc. Prof. Peter Krause (Political Science) discussed the conclusion of the war in Afghanistan in interviews with NBC 10 Boston and a WTIC News podcast.

One way to address the wealth gap is to stop “MacGyvering” Social Security, according an op-ed in The Hill by BC Center for Retirement Research fellow Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Geoffrey Sanzenbacher (Economics), who also talked about retirement issues on the Motley Fool podcast.

Both liberal and conservative legal scholars say it’s urgently important to pull the Supreme Court’s shadow docket into the light, said Prof. Heather Cox Richardson (History) in an appearance on WBUR’s “On Point.”

As Allbirds files to go public, what does the footwear company’s status as a public benefit corporation really mean? Assoc.

Prof. Brian Quinn (Law) shared his insights on the matter with Fashion Law.

Henry Braun, left, and Matthias von Davier

vier was named a 2021 AERA Fellow.

One of just 14 honors presented annually for excellence in education research, the Lindquist Award is bestowed jointly by AERA and ACT (formerly American College Testing) in recognition of outstanding applied or theoretical research in the field of testing and measurement, and acknowledges a body of research of an empirical, theoretical, or integrative nature rather than a single study.

“We are excited to recognize this extraordinary group of award winners,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine.

“These highly accomplished and passionate individuals are producing cutting-edge scholarship, working tirelessly to support the research enterprise, and translating findings meaningfully into the lives of students, educators, and others. We are proud to honor their outstanding scholarship and service to the education research field.”

AERA will honor the recipients at a virtual awards celebration on December 7.

Everett Franklin (E.F.) Lindquist (19011978), a professor of education at the University of Iowa College of Education and a celebrated inventor, is best known as the creator of the ACT and other standardized tests. The ACT was introduced as a competitor to the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) in 1959.

An expert in psychology, psychometrics,

photos by lee pellegrini

cedures into these methods. His areas of focus include topics such as item response theory, latent class analysis, classification and mixture distribution models, diagnostic models, computational statistics, person-fit, item-fit, and model checking, as well as hierarchical extension of models for categorical data analysis, and the analytical methodologies used in large-scale educational surveys.

Using these methodologies, von Davier analyzes data from educational testing, large-scale survey assessments of student skills and adult literacy, computer-based assessment of skills, and questionnaire data.

“We are delighted to honor these highly accomplished scholars for their contributions to education research and their commitment to the field,” said Levine. “AERA Fellows demonstrate the highest standards of excellence. We welcome the class of 2021 to these prestigious ranks.”

The Washington, D.C.-based American Educational Research Association is the largest national interdisciplinary research association devoted to the scientific study of education and learning. Founded in 1916, AERA advances knowledge about education, encourages scholarly inquiry related to education, and promotes the use of research to improve education and serve the public good.

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World use of leaded gasoline officially ended when Algerian service stations stopped selling it in July. Global Public Health Program Director Philip Landrigan, M.D., who worked on research that resulted in the U.S. banning the fuel, was interviewed about this milestone by BBC News and CNN Business. In an op-ed for the Albany Times-Union, he advocated for passage of a toxic pesticides act in New York.

U.S. “opportunity zones” use tax breaks for developers to help poor neighborhoods.

But are they choosing wisely? Asst. Prof.

Dmitry Mitrofanov (CSOM) addressed that question and others in a co-authored essay for The Conversation.

Rising life expectancy and falling birth rates mean the world’s average person is getting older—and likely to be working longer, which offers an opportunity to rethink the future of work. Assoc. Prof.

Christina Matz (BCSSW) discussed the topic with Bloomberg News.

The pandemic has fueled the growth of “Buy Nothing” groups, formed in response to the wastefulness of consumer culture.

Prof. Juliet Schor (Sociology) who studies consumption, and doctoral candidate Gaëlle Bargain-Darrigues, who has researched the groups, shared their insights with Fortune.

After a “swarm” of earthquakes rattled Peabody, Mass., recently, officials turned to Weston Observatory geophysicist Prof. John Ebel (Earth and Environmental Sciences) for some answers. He spoke with The Boston Globe and CBS Boston.

Jobs The following are among the recent positions posted by the Department of Human Resources. For more information on employment opportunities at Boston College, see www.bc.edu/jobs.

Strategic Sourcing Specialist, Procurement Assistant Director, Advancement Talent Program Director, Ever to Excel Director, Annual and Leadership Giving Assistant Director, Financial Aid

A recent survey shows that nearly one in three Americans worry about job security. Prof. Pablo Guerron (Economics) discussed this and other findings about workers’ attitudes on the impact of the pandemic with WalletHub.

Program Director, Carroll School of Management

A tiny fish once at the center of an Endangered Species Act controversy has been removed from the imperiled list. Prof.

Zygmunt Plater (Law), who originally petitioned the government in the 1970s to declare the snail darter endangered, spoke with The Washington Post about this development.

Fiscal & Grant Administrator, Morrissey College Service Center

The Massachusetts House has approved sports gambling but the state senate is lukewarm on it. Assoc. Prof. of the Practice Richard McGowan, S.J. (CSOM), discussed the struggles of sports betting and casinos in the state with CBS Boston.

Asst. Prof. Wen Fan (Sociology) weighed in with MarketPlace on varying attitudes toward remote work among employees and their managers.

Research Associate, Center for Retirement Research Custodial Supervisor Senior Financial Administrator

Senior Network Systems Engineer Case Manager, Student Affairs Assistant Director, Digital Marketing Recovery House Manager Associate Director, Graduate Student Services Liaison Librarian Associate Law School Technology Consultant Lead Teacher, Pine Manor College Assistant Director, Residential Life Administrative Assistant, Sponsored Programs Post-doctoral Research Fellow (multiple positions)

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September 16, 2021

BC Research

Schiller Grants Fund ‘Breadth of Applicants and Ideas’ 15 inventive projects involve faculty and research from across the disciplines

BY ED HAYWARD STAFF WRITER

The Schiller Institute for Integrated Science and Society at Boston College has awarded 15 grants totaling $410,000 for research projects proposed by faculty and researchers from across the University as part of its inaugural Schiller Institute Grants for Exploratory Collaborative Scholarship (SIGECS) program.

Eight “Type 1” grants of up to $15,000 and seven “Type 2” grants of up to $50,000 were awarded following a review of 27 proposals, said Seidner Family Executive Director Laura J. Steinberg. The awards fund a range of research costs, with Type 2 funding covering the salary of a graduate student for up to one year.

“These grants were made to catalyze the kind of research that the Schiller Institute was created to advance,” said Steinberg.

“They are ‘in the world’ and ‘of the world’ types of projects. In addition to a broad representation of the faculty, most involve undergraduate or graduate student participation. They are all reflective of faculty passions for deep societal problem solving.”

The SIGECS program supports collaborative research projects and creative activities in the Schiller Institute’s principal research focus areas of energy, the natural environment, and health. The grant program recognizes that collaborative efforts of faculty and researchers who have different knowledge, perspectives, and expertise can make significant contributions to addressing inherently interdisciplinary societal issues like these.

The program was created to support projects that are exploratory in nature: either fostering collaborative conversation within the context of a particular project, or helping faculty identify shared interests, or providing a mechanism for testing hypotheses or driving collaborative scholarship.

During the past year, Steinberg conducted discussions with more than 200 faculty and researchers—both in person and virtually—in order to outline the institute’s research interests, build awareness about the grants program, and emphasize the desire to bring together researchers from all schools and colleges and the many academic disciplines faculty address.

“We worked really hard on bringing faculty into the fold,” said Steinberg. “We explained the breadth of ideas that are welcome to the Schiller Institute. We wanted to assure faculty that everyone is welcome in the Schiller Institute. I think that is a driving reason we had such success in the breadth of applicants and ideas.”

In addition to spurring cross-disciplinary collaboration and applied, problemfocused research, some projects are intended to lay the groundwork to leverage additional funding from external sources,

Steinberg said.

Faculty participated in a virtual kickoff event this summer, providing short presentations about the projects to their colleagues. Outcomes will be highlighted at a showcase of awardee research slated for next April in the Schiller Institute offices and the Integrated Sciences building, scheduled for completion later this year.

Teams will report on their outcomes for up to two years following project comple-

tion, noting additional subsequent projects, external grant funding, or papers published as a result of the initial grant.

In their proposals, faculty were asked to address an area of critical concern in the areas of energy, the natural environment, or health through research or creative expression. The projects were expected to be new to the proposing teams. A project could advance earlier research by a team member, but the new proposal had to take that work in a new direction, apply new perspectives, draw on data from other disciplines, or show a likelihood to benefit from the perspectives of faculty members with different expertise.

One grant will fund The Boston College Multidisciplinary Faculty Research Seminar on Climate Change, bringing together 24 faculty from across the University. The team will present a multi-year faculty research seminar highlighting climate change, and related energy and environmental issues. The first, pilot year, includes monthly research presentations by eight to 10 BC faculty. Selected senior Ph.D. students will be invited to participate in the seminar in year one. In subsequent years research presentations by outside speakers and selected graduate students will be folded into the programs.

Steinberg called the proposal a unique opportunity to expand the “capacity to collaborate” on a central issue confronting society.

“This is about looking at climate change, coming up with questions faculty want to address, identifying interested researchers, and going forward on the

research,” she said. “This is a terrifically varied group of faculty. In spite of the fact that they dealt with restrictions on meeting and working together due to COVID, they were still motivated to put this proposal together and do work virtually.”

Another project, Engaging Elementary Students in Science Through the Stories of The Earth: Broadening Participation in Earth and Environmental Science brings together Professor of Earth and

sion for Meta-Learning of Molecular Geometry Optimization, proposed by Assistant Professor of Chemistry Junwei Lucas Bao and Associate Professor of Computer Science Jean-Baptiste Tristan.

The team plans to develop machine learning methods to quickly evaluate unusual molecular structures that could ultimately advance the analysis of materials that may have applications in pharmaceutical development, renewable energy, and quantum computing.

Another grant will support collabora“These grants were made to tion among School of Social Work faculty members Cal Halvorsen and Christina catalyze the kind of research Matz, Connell School of Nursing’s Elizathat the Schiller Institute was beth Howard and Karen Lyons, and Sociology’s Sara Moorman in a pilot project created to advance. They titled An Interdisciplinary Evaluation of are ‘in the world’ and ‘of the the Health Benefits of Participating in a Federally Funded Community-Service world’ types of projects. They Employment Program for Low-Income Older Adults. are all reflective of faculty The team will assess the influence of the passions for deep societal federal Senior Community Service Employment Program on participant health problem solving.” across multiple domains, including physi—Laura J. Steinberg cal, psychological, social, financial, and photo by marilyn hesler interpersonal health and well-being. This project builds on a 2020 study by HalvorsEnvironmental Sciences Ethan Baxter and en that revealed how program participation Lynch School of Education and Human led to increased knowledge and use of food Development Professor of Teaching, Curand housing security programs, decreased riculum, and Society Kate McNeill. social isolation and financial stress, and inExpanding on a series of YouTube vidcreased confidence, among other findings. eos produced by Baxter, the grant aims to “To the best of our knowledge, this will increase the awareness and inspiration for be the first evaluation of the health and EES in diverse communities, focusing on well-being outcomes from SCSEP particiK-5 children by providing an interactive pation,” the team said. storytelling platform to inspire wonder, cuOther projects awarded Schiller Institute riosity, and responsibility for the earth. grants include studies of the environmen“We will create new episodes and new tal, socioeconomic, and political implicainstructional resources to assist educators tions of hydropower; child well-being in reand families in using the resources with sponse to COVID-19 in light of critical sochildren,” the team proposed. “A critical el- cietal issues; development and maintenance ement of the new episodes will be a diverse of patient-clinician trust in virtual primary group of co-hosts to promote gender and care; whether fossil fuel-related extraction racial diversity in EES. We will use survey techniques from efforts to produce fossil data and best pedagogical practices in defuels in earlier eras also produced tremors; veloping new content. Our goal is to spark and using human-centered approaches to the curiosity of the next generation of earth make cloud computing green. and environmental scientists and thinkers.”

Read more at bit.ly/schiller-instituteAmong the Type 2 awards is the project grants.

Hierarchical Gaussian Process Regres-

Ethan Baxter (Earth and Environmental Sciences) and Kate McNeill (Lynch School of Education and Human Development) were among the recipients of SIGECS grants. photo by lee pellegrini