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President: Tuajuanda C. Jordan, PhD
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2018 SURF Cohort and Directors Ready for Summer May 2018 Getting ready to SURF! Nine students were chosen during a competitive selection process to participate in the St. Mary’s Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program this summer. The program partners students from intentionally varied disciplines with faculty mentors to engage in directed research or creative work. While working full-time for eight weeks on their individual projects, students also participate in workshops and group meetings to sharpen their professional skills. The SURF program culminates in a symposium in July, where students showcase their finished projects to the campus and local community. Here is a glimpse at what some of the SURFers will be working on this summer: Justyce Bennett ’19, a DeSousaBrent Scholar studying anthropology, is working on a project under the guidance of Emily Casey (asst. prof. of art history). Bennett will research the methodology of archaeologists and art historians to establish an interdisciplinary approach to the interpretation of artifacts found on sites that relate to slavery. The project’s purpose is to develop a critical method for approaching these artifacts that connects them to larger visual cultures and provides insight into the culture and lives of enslaved people, while also allowing room for personal agency and creativity. Nick D’Antona ’20 is conducting the project “Printing Perovskite Solar Cells: A Low-cost Production Method for Renewable Energy”. D’Antona and Troy Townsend (asst. prof. of chemistry) will layer inks with an automated printing process so that they consistently produce stable and efficient solar cells. James Judlick ’19 is a junior studying psychology. His project is a study of possible discrimination against LGBTQ men as they apply to administrative, clerical, and management positions. The project will be mentored by Ayse Ikizler (asst. prof. of psychology). Bethany Laffan ’20 is an English major working with Jeffrey Coleman (prof. of English) on the project of analyzing the novels “Norwegian Wood” and “The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle” through various psychoanalytical theories, Laffan hopes her research will reveal intercultural connections between readers in Japan and the
A newsletter for the community, faculty, staff and students.
The 2018 cohort of SURF students with program co-directors (top left) Mark Rhoda (visiting assoc. prof. of TFMS) and (top right) Kevin Emerson (asst. prof. of biology).
United States. Lily Pohlenz ’21 is working on a biology-focused project, conducting research under the guidance of Kevin Emerson (asst. prof. of biology). Since somatic Wolbachia infection limits disease transmission among mosquitoes, Pohlenz, a biology major, and Emerson are attempting to learn its method of growth as a potential mechanism for preventing the spread of vector transmitted diseases. Stephanie Schoch ’19, computer science and psychology double major, will investigate the role of domain-specific knowledge in health data visualizations under the mentorship of Amanda VerMeulen (research and instruction librarian). This research specifically focuses on how healthcare domain knowledge affects comprehension of data visualizations with varying properties and attributes. Kelly Healy ’19 will work with Shanen Sherrer (asst. prof. of biochemistry) on her project titled “Cutting a Pathway: Locating Binding Site of Environmental Contaminant Cadmium in Metal-binding Protein”. Kelly is a junior, double majoring in biology and biochemistry with a minor in music. Elizabeth “Izzy” Peterson ’19 is working with Barry Muchnick (asst. prof. of environmental studies) on a project titled “A Call to Animate: A Study and Subversion of Propaganda’s Power.” A studio arts major with a minor in film & media studies, Peterson’s research is focused on analyzing propaganda films of the early 20th century, such as Disney war bond shorts, Charlie Chaplin’s “The Great Dictator,” and the films of Leni Riefenstahl. Patrick Martin ’18 contributed to this article as a PFP fellow in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
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Twain Lecture Series Welcomes Tig Notaro On Friday, April 20, comedian, actor, writer Tig Notaro headlined the 12th annual Twain Lecture Series on American Humor and Culture, founded and directed by Professor of English Ben Click. Notaro, originally of Mississippi, writes, produces and stars in the Amazon series, “One Mississippi.” Season 1 yielded several nominations including WGA, GLAAD and The Critic’s Choice Awards. Notaro was also nominated for an Emmy as well as a Grammy for her 2016 HBO special “Boyish Girl Interrupted,” a GLAAD Award nomination for the Netflix Original Documentary “Tig,” and her memoir “I’m Just a Person” is a New York Times Bestseller. Rolling Stone named Notaro one of the 50 best stand-up comics of all time. Pictured: Tig Notaro with SMCM President Tuajuanda C. Jordan at a reception held for Notaro prior to her lecture.
EPA Recognizes SMCM as Top Green Power User in CAC The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized SMCM as the Capital Athletic Conference Champion in the 2017-18 College and University Green Power Challenge. Since April 2006, EPA’s Green Power Partnership has tracked and recognized the collegiate athletic conferences with the highest combined green power use within the program. The Conference Champion Award recognizes the school that uses the most green power in a qualifying conference. St. Mary’s College of Maryland beat its conference rivals by using more than 22 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of green power, representing 117 percent of the school’s annual electricity use. SMCM procures renewable energy certificates from 3Degrees, and
also generates green power using on-site solar resources. This commitment to green power demonstrates a sustainable choice that helps to reduce the negative health impacts of air emissions including those related to ozone, fine particles, acid rain, and regional haze.
Cognard-Black: Food Writing for Social Justice
Three Students Present Research at NCUR in Oklahoma
Professor of English Jennifer Cognard-Black served up a tasty seminar during the spring semester titled “Just Food: Food Writing for Social Justice.”
After a competitive review, three St. Mary’s College students were awarded the opportunity to share their research at the National Conference on Undergraduate Research (NCUR) held at the Univ. of Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Okla.
In this new seminar, Cognard-Black and students have been studying how food writing is used both to promote and undermine social justice, especially in terms of gender, class, race, and ethnicity.
Hannah Murphy ’18 (ILCSpanish) presented her research with middle school students who speak English as a second language on blended language methods to increase their retention of critical thinking skills.
Melinda “Mindy” Grant ’19 thinks the class is relevant to everyone. “We all eat and we all have to make choices — what we eat, how we get it, how we prepare (or don’t prepare) our food, and the choices we make have consequences we often don’t think about, and I think literature is a great way to investigate those questions about how food interacts with justice,” she said.
The class at one of its Sustainable Storytelling dinners this spring.
Grant said every book, story or article read in the class shares the subjects of food and justice. “I think that’s part of what makes our readings and discussions feel so relevant. We all have strong opinions on the subjects whether we hated or loved the piece,” she said. Throughout the seminar, students wrote a personal ethical eating essay, a piece of food justice journalism, and a short just food fiction piece. Grant said she explored two struggles in her own life when crafting some of her writing pieces. As a Japanese American born in the United States, Grant said there is, at times, a disconnect with her family since she does not speak Japanese. So she wrote about how food, instead of words, has acted as a connection to her family.
A portion of the seminar known as “Farm, Food and Field” provided an opportunity for students to have two Sustainable Table storytelling dinners at the homes of two local chefs; a trip to neighboring Historic St. Mary’s City to learn about colonial foodways, including the use of slave labor as part of our country’s early agricultural economy; and a day trip to Washington. D.C. to tour a farmto-bar organic chocolate factory (Harper-Macaw) and see the Smithsonian’s Food exhibition. The most recent trip was to Even Star Organic Farm, where Cognard-Black said the class was prompted “to think about both the dilemmas and delights of organic farming within the industrialized food landscape that dominates our nation’s agricultural practices.”
“The first essay I wrote also balanced that idea against a more recent development in my own life which is that I’ve gone vegetarian. [But being a vegetarian] severs me in some ways from the one way I’ve had of connecting to others, like my family,” she said. In addition to class work, CognardBlack said the seminar has a strong service-learning component. For example, students volunteered at St. Mary’s Caring soup kitchen, where they served food and also helped with producing a collaborative St. Mary’s Caring Community Cookbook aimed at helping low-income families combine fresh, seasonal ingredients with food pantry items. They also helped coordinate a Writers’ Harvest event as part of the VOICES Reading Series. The event
raised money for Share Our Strength, which fights against child hunger in D.C.; and helped facilitate Story Circles with under-represented groups in St. Mary’s County to record people’s everyday experiences with food. The recordings will be used as part of a statewide grant aimed to improve Maryland’s food systems.
Cognard-Black said this course ties in with the College’s commitment to IDEs based classes. “My students have been doing a great deal — and a great job,” she said.
The class takes in the food exhibition at the Smithsonian.
What’s Happening in Sports The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee hosted its annual Special Olympics Field Day in Seahawk Stadium on April 8. For the event, which culminated NCAA Division III Week, SMCM student-athletes hosted different athletic stations and worked with children and adults with intellectual and physical disabilities throughout the day. A pizza picnic preceded the day’s conclusion – a big game of kickball.
A game of kickball concluded the Field Day for Special Olympics on April 8.
Chiko Kulemeka ’18 (psychology and ILC-French) presented “Beyond the Veil: Exploring the Many Layers of Muslim Women’s Identity in Nice, France.” Kulemeka researched the daily life of Muslim women in France amidst rising Islamophobia in Europe.
Hannah Murphy, Chiko Kulemeka, and Sidi Chleuh presented at the NCUR.
Sidi Chleuh ’18 (ILC-French/ Spanish) presented his research on Fulbe oral literature. The Fulbe are an ethno-linguistic group located in West Africa and have had their linguistic culture influenced by the spread of Islam and colonization. Through his research, Chleuh hopes to revive the importance of the Fulbe language and show how Fulbe proverbs impact culture throughout time.
Faculty Research Connects Entrepreneurship & Deregulation Ridesharing Legislation” found that states with less economic freedom take longer to pass ridesharing legislation. Her research was supported by a grant from the Charles Koch Foundation. Economists Amanda Deerfield (asst. prof.) and Sriparna Ghosh (visiting asst. prof.) presented research at the Association of Private Enterprise Education in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 3. Deerfield’s research in “Examining the Relationship Between Economic Freedom and
A second paper, co-authored by Deerfield and Ghosh, found that states with greater occupational licensing requirements have lower rates of entrepreneurship. Both research papers have implications for policy-makers concerning how to encourage entrepreneurship by improving regulatory conditions.
Kudos to... David Froom (prof. of music) composed three works for the semi-finalists of the 2018 Irving M. Klein International String Competition to be held June 2-3 in San Francisco, Calif. At the conclusion of the competition, Froom’s three works will be published by American Composers Edition. Gina Gaebl ’19 (philosophy) won the “Best Undergraduate Paper” at the 2018 Great Lakes Philosophy Conference, held April 6-8, at Siena Heights University in Adrian, Mich. The conference was open to undergraduates, graduate students, and professional philosophers. Don Stabile (prof. of economics) was interviewed about his work on a living wage by Phil Mariage for the show, “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow.” The show is produced by KUAR, the national public radio station at the University of Arkansas, Little Rock, Ark. Nathan Foster (asst. prof. of psychology) has published “Self-Regulated Learning of Principle-based Concepts: Do Students Prefer Worked Examples, Faded Examples, or Problem Solving?” in the journal, Learning and Instruction.
Todd Eberly (assoc. prof. of political science) was on MPT’s State Circle” April 20 to discuss the 2018 election in Maryland. He was joined by SMCM’s Melissa Deckman ’93, now political science chair at Washington College. Kristi Tredway (visiting asst. prof. of WGSX) has a book contract with Lexington Books. The book, currently titled “Intersectionality and Articulation: Epistemological Overlaps,” is expected to be released in 2020. Colman Welles ’20 (chemistry) earned the Earnest F. Hollings Scholarship from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The Hollings Scholarship Program provides academic assistance for two years of full-time study and a 10-week, full-time paid internship at a NOAA facility during the summer. Welles will do his internship next summer. Jeffrey Silberschlag (prof. of music), will lead a group of more than 50 professional musicians and students this year to the 15th anniversary season of the 2018 Alba Music Festival in Northern Italy. Silberschlag also serves as co-director of the festival. Silberschlag is also music director of the Maryland Youth Symphony Orchestra and the Chesapeake Orchestra, whose 20th River Concert Season begins June 22.