Arts & Sciences Magazine Spring 2010

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U N I V E R S I T Y OF MIAMI

CLOSE UP

FINDING THE RIGHT ANSWERS SOMETIMES MEANS STARTING WITH UNCONVENTIONAL QUESTIONS

2010

COVER STORY

KNOWLEDGE QUEST COLLEGE OF ARTS AND SCIENCES Interim Dean Jacqueline E. Dixon Senior Associate Deans Daniel L. Pals Perri Lee Roberts Associate Deans Rita L. Deutsch Charles Mallery

EDITORIAL Managing Editor Ivette M. Yee Contributing Editor Steven J. Marcus Contributing Writers Marie Guma-Diaz Robert C. Jones Photographers Kathryn Wanless Andrew Innerarity Design and Illustration Christina Ullman and Alix Northrup, Ullman Design

ADVANCEMENT Assistant Dean for Development Holly Davis Alumni Relations Linda Scott

Faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences has been imaginative and productive in its research, pursuing a diverse agenda that extends the boundaries of knowledge. In 2008, sponsored research expenditures totaled $21.7 million — a 19% increase over the prior year.

Director of Development Jeanne Luis Administrative Assistant, Development Aaron J. Meridith

“Every great research university in the United States has a strong arts and sciences faculty, and an essential objective at UM is to showcase the stature of our own A&S faculty.”

richard j. bookman UM VICE PROVOST FOR RESEARCH

KEEP TRACK OF HURRICANE CLASSMATES BY VISITING OUR NEW FACEBOOK PAGE.

BECOME OUR FAN BY VISITING THIS LINK: www.facebook.com/UniversityofMiamiCollegeofArtsandSciences/

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Arts & Sciences is produced in the fall and spring by the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Miami. Through the magazine we seek to increase awareness of the College’s activities by telling the stories of faculty, staff, students, and alumni. Send comments, requests for permission to reprint material, requests for extra copies, and change of address notification to: Arts & Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, P.O. Box 248004, Coral Gables, FL 33124-4620; Phone: (305) 284-3874. All contents © 2010, University of Miami. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. Postmaster and others, please send change of address notification to College of Arts and Sciences, P.O. Box 248004, Coral Gables, FL 33124-4620. Telephone (305) 284-3874.

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2010

FEATURES 18 | A&S student athletes excel in and out of the classroom.

In a Q&A with six Hurricanes, we learn how they manage their time, studies, and sports.

DEPARTMENTS 2 | Deanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Message

26 | Tracking Hurricanes

4 | News Briefs

32 | Faculty Profile

U N I V E R S I T Y OF MIAMI

VOLUMETEN | ISSUETWO

DEAN’SMESSAGE n JACQUELINE E. DIXON

n my first draft of this message, written during the luxury of quiet reflection over winter break, I focused on exciting developments at the College of Arts & Sciences that will help secure our long-term educational and research goals. Especially noteworthy is a $14.8-million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to expand the Cox Science Center. The new Neuroscience and Health Annex will allow us to continue the expansion of our research capabilities and establish a sophisticated neurological imaging center encouraging scientists, clinicians, and engineers to work together on fundamental aspects of brain function so that the diagnosis and treatment of myriad neurological diseases may improve. But on January 12, when a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti, life’s more urgent demands came to the fore. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the millions affected, and I would like to use this message to tell you about the College’s time-honored commitment to Haiti—a country rich in culture, history, and challenges—and our response to its crisis. CAS has long nurtured both academic and humanitarian relationships in Haiti. Just days before the earthquake struck, international studies majors Arielle Duperval, Kristina Rosales, and Austin Webbert arrived in Port-au-Prince to work under the guidance of assistant professor of anthropology Louis Herns Marcelin to help develop youth centers and libraries in the Cité Soleil community. For years, Marcelin has mentored UM students on similar projects through the Interuniversity Institute for Research and Development, a group he cofounded with the support of several faculty from the College of Arts and Sciences as well as Haitian and international partners. Just north, in the coastal city of Cap Haitien, Sasha Kramer, an adjunct professor in international studies, was teaching a winter intersession class, “Sustainability Science in Haiti,” to six other UM students. At this writing she remains in Haiti assisting survivors. We are immeasurably grateful that the others returned safely to Miami, where they became part of the relief effort. Our faculty members have longstanding academic engagements with Haiti: • Two of them, both from the Department of History, are completing books about the country. The Spirits and the Law: Vodou and Power in Haiti (University of Chicago Press) by assistant professor Kate Ramsey, examines the history and legacies of penal and ecclesiastical laws against popular religious practices in Haiti. Assistant professor Ashli White’s Encountering Revolution: Haiti and the Making of the Early Republic (Johns Hopkins University Press) examines the impact of the Haitian Revolution on the early United States.

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• The College offers courses about Haiti in a number of disciplines. For example, associate professor of English Patricia Saunders teaches classes, including “Introduction to Caribbean Literature,” that features the writing of Haitian authors and novels about the Haitian revolution by Caribbean and Latin American authors. Every other year during spring break, Marcelin teaches a course on relations between Haiti and the Dominican Republic that includes students from both nations and UM students. After the earthquake, International Studies adjunct professor Sherri Porcelain expanded her graduate seminar “Disasters, War, Complex Emergencies and Global Public Health” to include the Haiti earthquake and opened the course to undergraduates. • The Center for Latin American Studies sponsors the Haitian Research Group, which organizes Haiti-focused lectures, symposia, roundtables, and performances at UM for the University community and the general public. • The English department offers a Caribbean Literary Studies program, which includes an examination of Haitian literature and culture. In March, the program and the Little Haiti Cultural Arts Center cosponsored a symposium “Interrogating the Politics of Location in Caribbean Literature and Culture.” Anthurium, a Caribbean studies peer-reviewed online journal organized by the program’s faculty (http://scholar.library.miami. edu/anthurium/), carries original works by Caribbean writers and scholars.

S R S R S

“CAS has long nurtured both academic and humanitarian relationships in Haiti. … As of this writing the UM community has raised more than $4.4 million for Haiti and we are committed to continue working toward its long-term recovery.” JACQUELINE E. DIXON INTERIM DEAN, COLLEGE OF ARTS & SCIENCES

PHOTO: KATHRYN WANLESS

• The Latin American Studies program is working with the School of Communication to develop an internship program devoted to media writing in translation. Students fluent in Creole, French, and Spanish will translate news, viewpoints and general information for Haitian, Haitian American, and wider audiences. • Faculty from the geology department and the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, including Timothy H. Dixon and Falk Amelung, researched the risk of earthquakes in Haiti over a decade ago and are continuing their work using satellite observations to help assess earthquake hazards in the Caribbean. • In anthropology, department chair J. Bryan Page was the lead

investigator with assistant professor Marcelin in a large-scale NIH-funded study of Haitian adolescents in Miami-Dade County conducted from 1998-2002. Marcelin was lead investigator in a fouryear study with Page about Haitian health risks from 2003-2007. We at the College also recognize the relief efforts of our colleagues, doctors and other medical personnel from the Miller School of Medicine, led by physician Barth Green, who were among the first responders in Haiti and used their gifts to save lives and ease suffering. As of this writing the UM community has raised more than $4.4 million for Haiti and we are committed to continue working toward its long-term recovery.

ARTS | SCIENCES

NEWSBRIEFS

n UM TO MAP PROTEIN INTERACTIONS IN THE BRAIN PROJECT WILL DETERMINE WHEN AND WHERE PROTEINS INTERACT WITHIN THE CELLS OF A LIVING ANIMAL BY MARIE GUMA-DIAZ

Our brain is composed of over one trillion cells called neurons, with each neuron containing millions of proteins, but exactly how individual proteins interact with one another and together form complex signaling networks has never been directly examined in live animals. Now, the University of Miami’s College of Arts & Sciences has been awarded a $2.6-million grant from the National Institutes of Health to launch a systematic survey of protein-protein interaction networks in vivo [within the living body]. The project’s ultimate goal is to reconstruct genome-wide proteinprotein interaction networks at every major step of an organism’s development. Akira Chiba, principal investigator and professor in the Department of Biology, will lead a UM multidisciplinary team to develop this systematic analysis. The project, known as isPin, will employ advanced genetics, sophisticated molecular-imaging technology, and highperformance computation. The study is part of the emerging field of proteonics, says Chiba. “Proteonics has been hailed as ‘the next big thing’ after genomics,” Chiba said. “We envision that our imaging-based surveys will help illuminate the true dynamics of the molecules of life and fundamentally transform today’s proteonics, and that the area most impacted by our project will be neuroscience.” The new grant will also provide invaluable opportunities for the College’s graduate and undergraduate students to work side by side with the research team on a project at the cutting edge of scientific inquiry. While the current project focuses on neurons under normal conditions, future extensions are likely to include disease-affected states as well as nonneuronal cells and to more fully bridge basic biology to advanced medicine. Visit www.miami.edu/ispin for more information about the project and a list of isPin team members from across UM campuses.

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“We envision that our imagingbased surveys will help illuminate the true dynamics of the molecules of life and fundamentally transform today’s proteonics, and that the area most impacted by our project will be neuroscience.” AKIRA CHIBA PHOTO: KATHRYN WANLESS

n NATURE ARTICLE REPORTS ON TAKING THE SURPRISE OUT OF HUMAN INSURGENCY NEIL A. JOHNSON DEVELOPS MATHEMATICAL MODEL TO EXPLORE SCENARIO BY MARIE GUMA-DIAZ

The evening news seems to tell us daily of yet another insurgency incident somewhere in the world that has left death, injury, and destruction in its wake. The element of surprise, their very unpredictability, has long been seen as the distinctive feature of such attacks, but according to a new study led by researchers at the University of Miami, “the sizes and timing of violent events within different insurgent conflicts exhibit remarkable similarities.” In a cover story titled “Common Ecology Quantifies Human Insurgency” in the December 17, 2009, issue of the scientific journal Nature, they reported their results. The UM researchers and their collaborators in Colombia and the United Kingdom analyzed the size and timing of 54,679 violent events reported in Afghanistan, Colombia, Indonesia, Iraq, Israel, Northern Ireland, Peru, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. The findings show that there is a generic way in which humans carry out insurgency and terrorism, when faced by a large powerful state force, that is highly consistent, said principal investigator Neil A. Johnson, a professor of physics at the College of Arts & Sciences. “We have found a unified model of modern insurgent wars that shows a fundamental pattern in the apparent chaos of wars. In practical terms, our analysis can be used to create and explore scenarios, make predictions, and assess risks.“ Despite the many different discussions of various wars, different historical features, tribes, geography, and cause,” he said, “we find that the way humans fight modern (present and probably future) wars is the same—just like traffic patterns in Tokyo, London, and Miami are pretty much the same.” The researchers’ unified model establishes a quantitative connection between insurgency, global terrorism, and ecology, demonstrating that insurgency behaves like a “‘soup of groups’ with no permanent network or leaders but with an ‘ecosystem’ of dynamically evolving decision-making processes,” said Johnson. This “mathematical law of war,” he suggested, challenges traditional ideas of insurgency based on rigid hierarchies. Moreover, the model of human insurgency bears a “striking similarity” to models of crowd behavior in financial markets. Thus in addition to its academic and practical contributions to understanding and ameliorating the effects of war, the model “also suggests a possible link between collective human dynamics in other violent and nonviolent settings,” said Johnson. He and his collaborators now plan to explore what would happen if a third population were added to the analysis: how should, say, a peacekeeping mission be deployed in order to minimize casualties? The researchers also hope to apply this model of conflict to other areas. In the medical field, for example, a virus might be the insurgency while the state army is the immune system and a blocking drug may represent peacekeepers. “We are starting to explore its applications in other ‘wars,’ such as a patient’s personal battle with cancer,” Johnson said.

“We have found a unified model of modern insurgent wars that shows a fundamental pattern in the apparent chaos of wars. In practical terms, our analysis can be used to create and explore scenarios, make predictions, and assess risks.“ NEIL A. JOHNSON COVER IMAGE: COURTESY OF NATURE; PHOTO: KATHRYN WANLESS

ARTS | SCIENCES

NEWSBRIEFS

n ARTWORK FEATURED AT HIGH-PROFILE FAIRS WORK SHOWN AT ART MIAMI AND RED DOT ART FAIRS

(above) The Emergence of Clairvoyance, an 18x24 inch silkscreen print by Jessica Murciano, B.F.A. ’09. (left) Visitors browse UM work at Art Miami 2009. It was the first time UM art students had their own exhibition space at the fair. PHOTO AT LEFT: KATHRYN WANLESS

Showcasing our students and graduates to culture lovers from around the world, the Department of Art & Art History was invited to participate in several high-profile art fairs this winter, including the Red Dot Fair in New York City, the Miami International Art Fair, and Art Miami during the blockbuster 2009 Art Basel Miami Beach. This is the first time students majoring in art had their own exhibition space at Art Miami that took place near the Miami Design District. Sculptor Ryan Farrell, a M.F.A. student, went from installing artwork for others at Art Miami 2008 to displaying his own artwork at the 2009 fair. “We are very fortunate as students to be able to participate in these kinds of events, whereas on our own without the support of our professors and the College it would be quite difficult to get notice at this international level,” Farrell noted. Approximately 100 galleries from the U.S. and abroad exhibited at Art Miami. During Art Basel, the department hosted an exhibit at its Wynwood Project Space featuring large-scale photography, printmaking, painting, and mixed-media pieces by students, graduates, and faculty, including Joe Abbatti, Ashley Ford, Brian Gefen, Kaylee Hull, Jeff Larson, Lucinda Linderman, Bianca Londono, David Marsh, Ralph Provisero, Sean Smith, and Jeffrey Stern. “It felt wonderful and very encouraging to have my work exhibited among other professional artists,” said Jessica Marie Murciano, B.F.A, ’09, who displayed an 18x24’’ silkscreen print “The Emergence of Clairvoyance” at Art Miami. “Not only was I able to show my work to a very large crowd, I also had the opportunity to meet different artists and look at their artwork.” Lise Drost chair of the University’s Department of Art & Art History and the head of printmaking said the department continues to play a vibrant role in art education, providing students with continued opportunities to participate with the larger creative community. “Exposure at the major art fairs is so important to emerging artists, because it can lead to many things for example: sales of their work, gallery representation, and the possibility of being curated into shows at other galleries and museums,” Drost added. “I am pleased to say that all of these things did happen for the young artists we showed.”

UMHEADLINERS CHARLES S. CARVER | CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION

“[Positive psychology] is a faddish social keyword. Of course, the financial support it has received is one important reason for the existence of the label.” Professor Charles S. Carver, director of the Adult Division of the Department of Psychology’s graduate program who has studied both optimism and pessimism, in a story about the ambivalence toward the area of positive or “happiness” psychology.

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GREGORY KOGER | THE WASHINGTON POST

KRYSIA N. MOSSAKOWSKI | REUTERS HEALTH

Gregory Koger, assistant professor of political science, in a Q&A about filibustering, responding to the question could the Senate majority use the tactic to talk, also?

Krysia N. Mossakowski, assistant professor of sociology, commenting on a study confirming that long stints of unemployment can lead to depression.

“The benefit to the majority can be that public attention focuses. They know the bill is there and they know the Republicans are blocking it. That becomes the basis for news coverage. When will the bill be done? What’s going on today? In that sense, you can win. The point is not that you exhaust the Republicans, but that you embarrass them. X number of people died today. I hope that whatever you had to say was more important.”

“What we’re getting at is psychological distress. When young people are unemployed and they can’t find work over long periods of time it can damage their mental health. There really needs to be interventions to help young people navigate between school and work. Such efforts could save money down the road given the long-term toll depression and stress can take on physical as well as mental health.”

CLASS SPOTLIGHT AN OCCASIONAL FEATURE HIGHLIGHTING INNOVATIVE COURSES IN THE COLLEGE

In his class, ArtScience, Professor Keith Waddington reveals how processes in art and the sciences overlap. Here students use Legos to build islands. They measured the density of the island’s plants and animals.

ARTSCIENCE

rt and science meet and reinforce each other in Professor of Biology Keith Waddington’s new class, “ArtScience.” In the fall Waddington introduced the course to a group of students with majors from both disciplines—to explore ways of creating art, to survey scientific techniques, and to underscore opportunities for cross-fertilization. “I want to engage students both from the humanities and the sciences and then bring them together, with the hope that they each come to appreciate the other’s work—that they see where their approaches are different and where they overlap,” said Waddington. “When you unite students doing different kinds of things, it’s possible that something new could come out of it.” One common activity in the class involves readings and discussions based on books such as David Edwards’ Artscience: Creativity in the Post-Google Generation, which extols the virtues of interdisciplinary work. Other assignments have students learning about the scientific method’s ability to help solve unconventional problems in the arts—often using Legos, blocks of wood, or other physical forms to embody ideas. Mark Oates, a Marine Science major, said a favorite class project involved taking a survey of the most common nightmares that people have and then representing the results in clay. “This class introduced us to another way of thinking about science and how to make it visually appealing,” Oates said. “There were no restricted materials, only a lot of freedom.” PHOTOS: KATHRYN WANLESS

Architecture major Michael O’Neil noted that the course was engaging because the projects clearly showed how art and science processes are complementary. He recalled a week when students built islands from creative materials and then measured density of pseudo-plants and animals on the islands. “We learned how important art and science are to each other. Students in the class came from many different majors, and it was interesting to contrast the collaborative outcomes with how we solved problems initially.” Waddington, who also teaches “Introduction to Animal Behavior” and “Critiques in Science Writing,” joined the University of Miami in 1977. He has since acquired an interest in the arts, taken a variety of studio courses, and become an artist in his own right, renowned for expressing creativity in his own living spaces. This past summer, North Miami’s Museum of Contemporary Art moved Waddington’s foyer and living-room furniture to one of its galleries for a group exhibition. During that time he and his wife, Mindy Nelson, held creativity-based salons in their home. Ideas for the ArtScience course were developed during salons that involved joint work by artists and scientists. Waddington says that science has helped him become a better artist by “giving me ways to break down perceptions that don’t seem to fit,” and he hopes that both art and science will similarly benefit his students in whatever fields of endeavor they choose. In pursuit of that goal, he tries to provide a foundation for them. “In this class I give students unique topics and get them to think—and think really creatively—using art and science alike.” ARTS | SCIENCES

NEWSBRIEFS

n STUDENTS STEP UP TO THE MIC CREATIVE WRITING PROGRAM DEBUTS USPEAK, A PERFORMANCE SERIES FOR PEOPLE TO SHARE THEIR WORKS AND IDEAS. For eight Friday evenings this year, a diverse group of students packed The Oasis, UM’s new kosher deli, to attend USpeak, a free “open mic” event for University students and the public. As UM students stepped up to the mic, they read their works, sang their songs, and played their instruments. Each program featured a 20 minute reading by a noted author or poet and provided opportunities for the audience to share their poetry or works. Featured artists included UM alumni authors Crissa-Jean Chappell, ’97, English, whose first young-adult novel, Total Constant Order, won the Florida Book Award in 2007; Matt Gajewski, ’06, music engineering, host of Pure Imagination on 90. 5 WVUM radio; and Neil de la Flor, ’05, M.F.A., creative writing, author of Almost Dorothy and winner of the 2009 Marsh Hawk Press Poetry Prize. Adrian Castro, wellknown poet and author of Wise Fish: Tales in 6/8 Time (a New York Times Book Review selection) was featured. “Students have something to say, and they want to hear what other students are saying,” noted Melanie Jones, a performer, creative writing major, and student host of the series. “We vibe off each other and find inspiration within each others’ work. You leave USpeak wanting to write something that will change the world.” Evelina M. Galang, associate professor of English and director of the Creative Writing Program, is delighted by USpeak’s success in attracting and motivating students. “I think we are all looking for a way to be heard, for our stories to matter, for someone to sit down and listen to us and engage us,” Galang said. “And this is what open mic provides the everyday person with—a place where he or she can stand up and be heard and respected.” USpeak was broadcast by UM’s 90.5 WVUM-FM. Podcasts are available at www.as.miami.edu/podcasts. The series was sponsored in part by the University of Miami Citizen’s Board and University of Miami’s Auxiliary Services. Galang hopes to obtain funding to continue the program next year. 8 SPRING 2010

PHOTO ABOVE AND AT RIGHT: KATHRYN WANLESS

BOOKMARKS ITALIAN COMEDY WITH A KISS

In Lelia’s Kiss: Imagining Gender, Sex, and Marriage in Italian Renaissance Comedy (University of Toronto Press) the topics of sexuality, gender roles, and marriage during a period of great cultural change in Europe are analyzed through the lens of several comedies. Focusing on the social and cultural scripts found within these comedies, Laura Giannetti, an associate professor of Italian in the Department of Modern Languages & Literature, offers a fresh perspective on the way gender and marriage were portrayed, imagined, and critiqued on stage. Giannetti notes that these plays created an often humorous dialogue with the presuppositions of their day, engaging with contemporary social norms, expectations and desires. They not only reflected and commented on everyday life of the time, but also interacted with it, exercising playful humor and revealing insight.

n HUMANITIES CENTER OPENS BY ROBERT C. JONES

The University of Miami’s new Center for Humanities was officially dedicated this past fall at Storer Auditorium with a lecture by Marjorie Garber, the renowned professor of English and of visual and environmental studies at Harvard University to an audience of 300. With an inaugural group of Faculty Fellows, a full slate of events throughout the academic year, and other dynamic programming, the center seeks to enrich UM’s intellectual environment and to become a resource not only for the University but also for the entire South Florida community. The first director is English professor Mihoko Suzuki, a Renaissance scholar. The center’s lecture series features a wide range of topics, including “The Rise of a Superpower China,” “Animal Passions and Wild Justice: The Emotional Lives of Animals and Why They Matter,” and “All in the Cuban-American/Sit-Com Family: ¿Que Pasa USA? (1975-80).” In its inaugural year more than 25 events were held under the auspices of the center. The center’s programs include the Henry King Stanford Distinguished Professors in the Humanities who will visit from other universities to lecture throughout the academic year. An inaugural group of UM Faculty and Dissertation Fellows—scholars in disciplines that include anthropology, English, history, and philosophy—presented their work during a year-long research colloquium. Interdisciplinary Research Groups—scholarly collaborations between faculty and graduate students—will increase opportunities to pursue joint projects. And a collaboration with Books & Books in Coral Gables enables UM faculty members to present their recently published books to the public. The center provides what Patricia Saunders, a Faculty Fellow and associate professor of English, describes as “a shared intellectual space,” bringing together faculty, students, and members of the greater Miami community “who might not otherwise have the time, the resources, or simply a reason to interact with one another.”

Gonzalez #1

11/12/08 Black / PMS 348C

George A. Gonzalez

Urban Sprawl, Global Warming,

and the

Empire of Capital

THE AMERICAN PROBLEM?

The center will have a strong virtual presence as well with content and commentary available for online audiences at www.humanities.miami.edu. The center’s online video series features scholars of Latin American and American Studies discussing the significance and challenges of a performance project—a collaboration between Cuban and U.S. artists—with two of its creators. The College of Arts and Sciences provided initial funding to establish the Center for Humanities through contributions from the late Kenneth M. Myers, a UM Board of Trustee member, and other College resources. “Our inaugural year has been a great success. We look forward to the high caliber events we have planned in the future including a lecture by Martha Nussbaum, recently profiled in The New York Times,” Suzuki said. “We will continue to provide programs and events that enrich the intellectual culture of the University and community.”

Uncontrolled development in the United States and the demand for products such as automobiles and appliances has led to massive energy consumption and pollution, according to Urban Sprawl, Global Warming, and the Empire of Capital (State University of New York Press) by associate professor George A Gonzalez, political science. Presenting a penetrating study that outlines the detrimental role of the U.S. in global warming, Gonzalez opines that although the country is presently the largest per capita emitter of carbon dioxide, its culpability in global warming is frequently sidestepped due to the enormous political and economic influence of wealthy individuals and corporations. The book reveals both the alarming global consequences of urban sprawl at home and the entrenched political and economic forces working against a solution to the problem.

Dr. Majorie Garber of Harvard University delivers the inaugural lecture. The new center will enhance the culture of the University and the South Florida community. (right) English professor Mihoko Suzuiki, director of the center.

PHILOSOPHY: PAST TO PRESENT

Essays on the History of Ethics (Oxford University Press) is a collection of philosophy professor Michael Slote’s most thought-provoking papers that seek to point out important conceptual and philosophical connections between both ancient and modern ethical views. Slote touches on various topics including human well-being and virtue, and reductionism, while analyzing the theories of the great philosophers of the centuries, Aristotle, Plato and Kant. With a critical eye, Slote also focuses on ethical thought during the last half of the twentieth century. Through his rich and methodical essays, the professor highlights some important ways in which contemporary moral thinking can benefit from history.

ARTS | SCIENCES

NEWSBRIEFS

NEW FACULTY JOIN A&S COMMUNITY During the 2009 academic year 10 scholars joined the College of Arts & Sciences. Here we offer a brief introduction to the new faculty members of the College.

Drew Armstrong, associate professor, Department of Mathematics Hometown: Richards Landing, Ontario Education: B.Sc., mathematics, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario; Ph.D., mathematics, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York Postdoctoral work: National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Teaching interests: I love to teach undergraduates, and I have a strong interest in the history of mathematics. How does what you research affect society? As a researcher in pure mathematics—much of my research is related to the symmetries of crystal structures—I create new tools that could potentially be used in any area of applied science.

Suzanne Braswell, assistant professor of French, Department of Modern Languages and Literatures Hometown: Claremont, California Education: B.A., psychology, Ph.D., philosophy and French, University of California, Santa Barbara; M.A., French, San José State University Postdoctoral work: Lecturer at the University of California, Santa Barbara, where I taught courses in the French and Italian Department, the Comparative Literature Program, and the College of Creative Studies. In addition, I have taught French literature and culture at the University of Utah. Research interests: French literature of the Nineteenth and early Twentieth Centuries, the confluence of literature and the arts (especially dance and painting), poetry and poetics, literature of the fantastic, and women’s studies. When I am not teaching or researching: I enjoy playing the Celtic harp, the recorder, and the flute.

William E. Browne, assistant professor, Department of Biology Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Education: B.A., biological sciences, and Ph.D., molecular genetics and cell biology, University of Chicago. Postdoctoral work: University of Hawaii, Kewalo Marine Lab Research and teaching interests: Research in my lab is focused on investigating the patterns of change that underlie organismal diversity. I use a number of experimental approaches—from fluorescence imaging in developing embryos to massively parallel next-generation sequencing—in order to explore relationships between genotype

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and phenotype both from developmental and evolutionary perspectives. My current teaching is focused on evolutionary genomics and evolution and development. How does what you research affect society? Our current understanding of the diversity of life and how organisms change over time scales, both short and long, is still in its infancy. Basic knowledge of how evolution has influenced and shaped organismal phenotypes will play an increasingly important role in understanding some of the complex and rapid transformations we are imposing on the planet. What do you like best about the University of Miami? The sense of community. When I am not teaching or researching: I am playing with my kids!

Brian D. Doss, assistant professor, Child Division, Department of Psychology Hometown: Annapolis, Maryland Education: B.A., psychology, St. Mary’s College of Maryland; M.A. and Ph.D., clinical psychology, University of California, Los Angeles. Postdoctoral work: Clinical internship in Charleston, South Carolina; assistant professor at Texas A&M University. Research and teaching interests: Interventions to prevent and treat relationship problems. I am especially interested in finding novel and effective ways to intervene with couples that can be more readily utilized (e.g., through Web-based resources and add-ons to childbirth classes). What do you like best about the University of Miami? The rigorous (yet friendly) atmosphere in my department. Plus I get to watch the football team practice from my office window.

Jennifer Ferriss-Hill, assistant professor, Department of Classics Hometown: London, England Education: A.B., classics, Princeton University; Ph.D., classics philology, Harvard University. Postdoctoral work: I was a visiting assistant professor of Classics and Comparative Literature at Hofstra University (Hempstead, New York) for one year before joining the faculty at UM. Research and teaching interests: My area of specialization is Latin poetry, specifically Catullus (which I’m teaching this semester), Virgil, and Horace. My dissertation was on the connections between Horace’s Roman satire (Latin, First Century BCE) and Attic old comedy—that is, the plays of Aristophanes (Ancient Greek, Fifth Century

BCE). I am also interested in, and would love to teach a course on Roman religion. How does what you research affect society? The Romans invented the literary genre of verse satire, and although they liked to claim that it was native to Italy and unpolluted by Greek influences, it is quite clear that verse satire is really a mishmash of various Greek and Latin genres. Since satire remains such an important mode of expression in our societies today, I think it is important to study its origins and development so that we can understand its mechanisms and power to do good. When I am not teaching or researching: I play tennis, spend time at home with my husband and our dog, enjoy cooking, and read mystery novels.

Stephen R. Halsey, assistant professor, Department of History Hometown: I grew up in western Pennsylvania, but I consider Chicago, Illinois, my adoptive hometown. Education: B.A. history, Grove City College; M.A., diplomacy, Tufts University, Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy; M.A. and Ph.D., Chinese history, University of Chicago. Postdoctoral work: Alice Kaplan Postdoctoral Fellowship in the Humanities at Northwestern University. Research: My research examines the evolution of statecraft in modern China, with a particular focus on issues of political economy. In addition, it develops transnational comparisons with the process of European colonization in regions such as South Asia. How does what you research affect society? It is impossible to peruse a newspaper or magazine today without reading about the “rise of China.” My work examines Beijing’s efforts to build the sinews of power during the past century, and it offers important clues about the future direction of the Chinese government’s foreign and economic policies. During the past several years, I have also participated in the policy world by conducting seminars for visiting delegations of Chinese party cadres, in Mandarin, on American political institutions. What do you like best about the University of Miami? I have found it to be a very stimulating intellectual environment, which for me is the true measure of any institution’s worth. I also enjoy the opportunities for dialogue and interaction in the humanities beyond the narrow disciplinary boundaries of my own field. When I am not teaching or researching: I travel in Asia and Europe, listen to operas and symphonies, and enjoy fine dining.

Amanda Jensen-Doss, assistant professor, Child Division, Department of Psychology Hometown: Tucson, Arizona Education: B.A., Spanish, and B.S., psychology, Drake University; M.A. and Ph.D., psychology, University of California, Los Angeles. Postdoctoral work: Assistant professor, Texas A&M University.

STUDENT ACHIEVERS ALSO SERVE THE COMMUNITY AT UM AND BEYOND, AND DEMONSTRATE LEADERSHIP. The Iron Arrow Society honors individuals who best exemplify character, leadership, scholarship, humility, and love of alma mater. Iron Arrow inducted for membership three students from the College of Arts & Sciences: Marissa Orenstein, ’10, neuroscience and Spanish; Michelle Peña, ’10, biology; and Brittany Tedeschi, ’10, psychology. Orenstein serves on student government, is a member of the Alpha Epsilon Delta Pre-Health Professional Honor Society, and was one of the UM students invited to the William J. Clinton Foundation’s 2007 Global Initiative University. Peña, a member of the Student Government Senate, serves as vice chair of the University Affairs committee and as its student representative to UM’s Board of Trustees. She also is president of Omicron Delta Kappa and publicity chair of Canes International Outreach.

(From left to right: New members Michelle Peña and Marissa Orenstein. Not pictured: Brittany Tedeschi)

Tedeschi is a community assistant at the University’s Butler Center for Volunteer Service and Leadership Development. She designed the “Tunnel of Oppression” program, a multisensory learning experiment to teach participants about oppression in the world.

PHOTO: KATHRYN WANLESS

Research interests: Characterizing and improving outcomes for youths seeking services in community mental health clinics. Teaching interests: I build on my research by training students in the identification and treatment of child and adult psychopathologies. For example, I supervise student therapists in the Psychology Department’s Psychological Services Center. When I am not teaching or researching: I chase around my two-year-old daughter while wishing I had more time to travel.

David Maimon, assistant professor, Department of Sociology Hometown: Haifa, Israel Education: B.A., sociology and human services, M.A., sociology, University of Haifa; Ph.D., Ohio State University. Research and teaching interests: Criminology, homicide, suicide, juvenile delinquency, and multilevel statistical models. How does what you research affect society? My research promotes our understanding of deviance and its underlying causes. What do you like best about the University of Miami? The freedom that the university gives me to explore and understand our social worlds. I also enjoy the beautiful campus. When I am not teaching or researching: I love to listen to music and watch soccer.

Christopher Mann, assistant professor, Department of Political Science Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Education: B.A., politics, Pomona College; Ph.D.,

political science, Yale University. Postgraduate work: Between college and graduate school, I worked for a decade as a political campaign manager and campaign consultant for local, state, and federal offices around the United States. Research and teaching interests: I study U.S. campaigns and elections from multiple perspectives: what makes people decide to vote, how campaigns try to influence voters, the effectiveness of such attempts, how well our elections are run by public officials, and how we could improve the administration of elections. How does what you research affect society? My hope is that my research enhances the quality of democracy in the United States and other countries by increasing participation, making campaigns more effective at communicating information to voters, and improving election administration in order to reduce problems. What do you like best about the University of Miami? Engaging colleagues and students. When I am not teaching or researching: I spend time with my family and training for triathlons.

James W. Nickel, professor, Department of Philosophy Hometowns: Dinuba, California, Boulder, Colorado Education: B.A., English and philosophy, Tabor College, Ph.D., philosophy, University of Kansas Research and teaching interests: Ethics, political philosophy, philosophy of law, human rights law, and theory When I am not teaching or researching: I sail, paint, and photograph. How does what you research impact society?

By preserving and transmitting philosophical thought, by promoting respect for human rights What do you like best about the University of Miami? The philosophy department!

Frank Samson, assistant professor, Department of Sociology Hometown: Los Angeles, California Education: B.Sc., cybernetics, University of California, Los Angeles; Master of Theological Studies, Harvard University; M.A. and Ph.D., sociology, Stanford University. Research and teaching interests: Race and ethnic relations, inequality, social psychology, and political sociology. How does what you research affect society? My research provides a clearer understanding of why ethno-racial inequality continues to persist in the United States, despite the substantial gains of the civil rights movement. My research also provides clues about how ethno-racial relations and inequality will evolve in the years ahead, with the United States projected to become a “majorityminority” nation in a little over 30 years from now. What do you like best about the University of Miami? UM’s swagger. The opportunity to research and teach at an educational institution (and in a city) that is selfconsciously and proudly capitalizing on the distinct advantage of being a prototype for our soon-to-be majority-minority nation. When I am not teaching or researching: I study and train in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at the Rilion Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Miami.

ARTS | SCIENCES

story by ivette m. yee and steven j. marcus

Knowlege The faculty of the College of Arts & Sciences is pursuing a diverse research agenda that extends the boundaries of knowledge.

The University of Miami is gaining distinction as a research university. In 2008, sponsored research expenditures totaled $21.7 million â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a 19% increase from the prior year. Faculty in the College has been imaginative and productive in its research, as the following four examples illustrate.

12 SPRING 2010

ANALYZING THE SPREAD OF DISEASE ive to 10 percent of U.S. hospital patients develop an infection unrelated to the cause of their hospitalization, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and more than 90,000 deaths a year result. Contributing to this toll is the fact that some 70 percent of the pathogens responsible for these infections are resistant to one or more antimicrobials. UM mathematics professor Shigui Ruan is not a physician, but he is addressing the problem with the aid of mathematics in a study called “Mathematical modeling of the superspreaders of antibioticresistant bacteria.” Supported by a $1.4-million grant from the National Institutes of Health, Ruan collaborates with a team of clinicians and researchers from Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (Boston) and Vanderbilt University (Nashville) to better understand the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria between patients and health care workers. They use mathematical models to identify the factors contributing to the endemicity of antibioticresistant bacteria (such as MRSA) in hospital settings and to quantify the effectiveness of various control measures and interventions, including screening, hand hygiene, cleaning and deinfection. Thus, instead of focusing solely on creating new antibiotics, researchers can also pursue preventive strategies that avoid the factors contributing to the spread of the bacteria. “We have to understand the disease’s dynamics in order to stop its spread,” said Ruan, adding that his research enhances the partnerships between medicine, public

“From a research viewpoint, it is difficult to solve problems in just one way. Many of them need to be looked at in different ways, and mathematics is just one of those ways.” SHIGUI RUAN PROFESSOR OF MATHEMATICS

health, and mathematics. “Though it may seem that this is mainly a medical problem, we are making it a mathematical problem as well,” said Ruan. “From a research viewpoint, it is difficult to solve problems in just one way. Many of them need to be looked at in different ways, and mathematics is just one of those ways.” Ruan notes that mathematical models have become very important tools in studying the spread and control of infectious diseases and have been used in designing and optimizing various prevention and control programs. Some vaccines, including those responsible for polio eradication, were based on mathematical modeling and analysis of the diseases. “You use math to determine the percentage of a population to administer a vaccine to in order to protect the rest of the population, and the percentage you have to reach to eventually eradicate it,” he said. Ruan, an expert in differential equations and mathematical biology, is also working with Professor John Beier, of the Department of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Miller School of Medicine and Professor Douglas Fuller, of the Department of Geography and Regional Studies, on climate-based models that predict the potential for deadly dengue fever in the Americas. ARTS | SCIENCES

“Disgust is an emotion that is elicited in response to a variety of objects and behaviors.” DEBRA LIEBERMAN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY

14 SPRING 2010

WHEN DISGUSTING IS GOOD ssistant professor of psychology Debra Lieberman also examines germs, together with other factors, that trigger the emotion of disgust. She came to study disgust as a result of her specialization in human kin detection, kindirected altruism, and inbreeding avoidance. “Disgust is an emotion that is elicited in response to a variety of objects and behaviors,” Lieberman said. Through her research, Lieberman has found three domains of disgust—pathogen (or disease) disgust, sexual disgust, and moral disgust. Each domain addresses a different facet of life. For instance, pathogen disgust prevents us from choosing inappropriate food; sexual disgust prevents us from choosing inappropriate mates; and moral disgust prevents us from choosing inappropriate social associates. Lieberman has shown that these three aspects of disgust are unique, both behaviorally and neurally. Working with colleagues at the University of New Mexico, she is now applying for a grant to continue studying the neural foundations of disgust. In one study, she plans to focus on clinical populations predicted to show deficits in one or more domains of disgust, including sexual offenders, psychopaths, and individuals diagnosed with obsessivecompulsive disorder. “The idea is that studying disgust and understanding the impairments of disgust, we can now talk about a wide spectrum of disorders,” Lieberman said. “And because disgust is related to morality, it is going to factor into how we make our moral judgments. It affects so many things.”

UNFORSEEN CONNECTIONS ometimes research can lead to unexpected findings, as was the case in a highly publicized study of the relationship between alcohol consumption and exercise led by sociology professor Michael T. French and Ioana Popovici, a senior research associate.

MICHAEL T. FRENCH

By analyzing survey data on 230,000 Americans collected by the CDC’s Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, French and Popovici found that heavy drinkers exercised more than moderate drinkers, light drinkers, and teetotalers. The surprising results, published in the September/October 2009 issue of the American Journal of Health Promotion, held true for men and women alike. “Among all groups, heavy drinkers were the most committed to exercising, and we did not expect that,” said French, a professor of health economics in the Department of Sociology. The study on alcohol consumption and exercise was prompted by research conducted by French in the mid-1990s on the association between drinking and earnings. In that earlier work, French found that moderate drinkers, all else being equal, out-earned heavy drinkers, light drinkers, and abstainers. Regarding the results of his more recent research, partially funded by an NIH grant, French cautions that “it is not necessarily a causal relationship.” “We certainly can’t tell people that they should drink more alcohol to get motivated to exercise.” He theorizes that the relationship

“If most individuals can understand the scientific research we do and then connect the findings to their own experiences, we’ve accomplished at least one of our goals.” MICHAEL T. FRENCH PROFESSOR OF SOCIOLOGY

exists because those who imbibe the most may have a personality trait that seeks the adrenaline rush, or “high,” that frequent and vigorous sports can provide. Alternatively, heavy drinkers may understand that they are consuming empty calories and therefore have to counteract the potential weight gain through maximum exercise. “In general, there is not a lot of well designed and rigorous research on the behavioral outcomes associated with alcohol consumption,” French said, “though the general view in society is that most alcohol use is bad.” French tends to favor research on offbeat and controversial subjects. Some of his recent publications have also garnered considerable media attention, including the effects of beauty, grooming, and personality on students’ grades and the impact of public policies on motorcycle injuries and fatalities in the United States. He is currently working with colleagues at UM to determine how personality, grooming, and physical attractiveness influence the probability of cohabitation and marriage. “I think it’s important to conduct timely and interesting research that has direct relevance for people in society and gets them thinking about their choices,” French said. “If most individuals can understand the scientific research we do and then connect the findings to their own experiences, we’ve accomplished at least one of our goals. In my opinion, applied economics research that resonates with many different audiences is more rewarding than publishing a highly technical study that will only appeal to a small group of experts.” ARTS | SCIENCES

“If we can learn how they grow and regenerate hair cells, we can combat human hearing loss.” DEBRA LIEBERMAN ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY Dorsal view of a transgenic zebrafish larva with motor neurons expressing green fluorescent protein. The inner ears indicated by the arrows are innervated by some of the neurons. IMAGE: BRYAN OLSON

16 SPRING 2010

FISH THAT COULD IMPROVE OUR HEARING hat may appear unconventional to people outside the science community often is not. For example, Zhongmin “John” Lu, an associate professor of biology, studies the development of hearing in the 3-centimeter-long zebrafish—a seemingly unlikely organism—to assess human hearing disorders. But zebrafish are a commonly used model in human-health research. And in particular, while zebrafish lack an outer and middle ear they have an inner-ear structure similar to that of humans. They also are excellent species for experimentation because bodies of larval zebrafish are practically transparent. Thus in studying mutated zebrafish, researchers may readily determine when something goes wrong during auditory development. “We are all born with a fixed number of sensory receptor cells called hair cells. When you lose these cells, we have hearing loss,” said Lu, who began studying hearing in fish for his master’s thesis in neurophysiology during the late 1980s at Capital Normal University in China. “Fish are constantly adding sensory receptor cells throughout their lifetime, so we have to ask, ‘How do they do this?’ If we can learn how they grow and regenerate hair cells, we can combat human hearing loss.”

In his studies, which are funded in part by a new grant from the National Institute of Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, Lu can induce hearing loss in a fish by removing certain structures in its ear. Yet this process also presents challenges. “Because zebrafish larvae we test are so tiny, we have to use specialized devices and develop new hearing tests,” Lu said. “Traditional ways of testing are not available, and the fish are not going to tell us whether they can hear or not. My lab is currently developing a behavioral method to train them to respond to a sound when they hear it.”

Zhongmin “John” Lu, an associate professor of biology shares a lighter moment with graduate students Lilliann Zamora (center) and Alexandra DeSmidt (right).

A WIN-WIN SITUATION part from the value of such A&S research to society at large, UM Vice Provost of Research Richard J. Bookman notes that it directly helps students, both graduate and undergraduate, as well as faculty. Research programs based in the College provide an abundance of opportunities for students at all levels to work with outstanding mentors in creating new knowledge while receiving distinctive training. Moreover, research stimulates the professional and intellectual growth of the mentors themselves. “Every great research university in the United States has a strong arts and sciences faculty,” said Bookman, “and an essential objective at UM is to showcase the stature of our own A&S faculty.”

ARTS | SCIENCES

at the Talk about a winning spirit, these Canes have itâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;and then some. Student athletes at UM show great dedication both to sports and academics.

of their Game

18 SPRING 2010

Some 400 UM students, including many in the College of Arts & Sciences, participate in competitive sports. No matter where the challenge is—on the field, on the court, or in the classroom— student athletes are in it to win it. “The Hurricane student-athletes are special because they have great confidence in themselves and possess a wonderful attitude not only toward wanting to win but also in learning how to win and become successful,” said David Wyman, assistant athletic director for academic services at the University of Miami. In these pages we interview six A&S student athletes, exploring how they balance academics and sports and what puts them at the top of their game in both domains. A&S athletes achieve both in and out of the classroom. (clockwise) Laura Valverdu, LeRon Byrd, Jason Santana, Brittney Macdonald, DeQuan Jones and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Hale.

PHOTOGRAPHY BY: ANDRE W I N N E R A R I T Y

ARTS | SCIENCES

Forward POSITION:

BASKETBALL

DeQuan Jones Political Science major HOMETOWN

YEAR

Stone Mountain, Georgia Sophomore

How is your academic regimen different in-season and off-season? There really isn’t a difference. It’s kind of hard in-season, with all the traveling, but that’s just something you have to stay on. What are some of your favorite classes? My favorite is American literature, which I enjoy because I like reading. I always enjoyed reading books as a kid, and I still find myself getting wrapped up in a story. In that particular class, we read a story or an excerpt from a book and we discuss it in groups. It’s an ideal class for me. How does your sports experience influence your classroom experience? Growing up, I was taught that they were a reflection of the other. The kind of effort you put into a sport, like working hard and spending countless hours in the gym, you also put into a class, spending countless hours studying a subject or preparing for a test. There’s really no difference to me.

20 SPRING 2010

Are the qualities that make a good coach the same as those that make a good teacher? Yes, I really do believe that there is a direct correlation between the two. They each must have a talent to be able to relate to the student, as well as a player, on a certain level, and they have to know what it takes to bring the best out of that student or player. How do sports skills such as leadership, practice, and teamwork apply off the court? There’s a direct correlation there too. Even in business, you have to work with a team and develop leadership skills, and a sport teaches you all of that. A sport teaches you discipline, how to hold yourself accountable—and hold others accountable—to reach a goal. What special contribution or point of view do athletes bring that enriches the classroom experience for all students? You utilize your talents in bringing to light that everyone contributes and brings something different to the table. The same thing is true in sports, where there are different positions that have different goals and objectives, but you work together to accomplish a common goal. Being a student athlete, you can bring that out in your group or whoever you are working with.

Biology major HOMETOWN

YEAR

Littleton, Colorado

Junior

How would you describe the difference between the rewards/ satisfaction you get on the playing field and those you get in the classroom? I take pride in everything I do. As a team, we work so hard on the field, and when I am in class I also give 100 percent. It is all in what you put in. If you work hard, you will be satisfied when you get the results.

How do sports skills such as leadership, practice, and teamwork apply off the field? In soccer you are always interacting with your teammates, learning how to communicate with them and work with them effectively to make the play, score, and win. As a biology major, I’m in labs most of the time and I have to work with people. Soccer has taught me how to do that.

What have you learned from your academic experiences at the College of Arts & Sciences—lectures, seminars, study groups, research, reading—that has influenced how you think about or train for your sport? I took an anatomy class and so much of it applied to soccer. When I would be in practice, I would stop and think about the way I was using a certain joint I had just learned about. When I would have a test, I would recognize the ACL and NCL ligaments and lower limbs because we worked out our knees so much during games. And after a practical, where I would learn about certain muscles, the next day I was fascinated because I would notice how I used those muscles on the field.

How does your sports experience influence your classroom experience? In soccer, we are always setting small goals for ourselves. So too with class work, I’ve learned how to break goals up into little pieces and manage them. I have so many classes and so little time, it won’t all get done in a day. After your UM athletic career is completed, what parts of your academic experience at the College will be most useful to you? I plan on going to med school, so I will be using everything I learn.

ARTS | SCIENCES

POSITION:

SOCCER

Brittney MacDonald

Defender

4 “It is all in what you put in. If you work hard, you will be satisfied when you get the results.”

22 SPRING 2010

YEAR

Hahnville, Louisiana

Sophomore

POSITION:

HOMETOWN

Wide receiver

Undecided major

FOOTBALL

LaRon Byrd

TE N N I S

3 “Education and sports go hand in hand, but an education is the most important thing you need.”

What special contribution or point of view do athletes bring that enriches the classroom experience for all students? I think we bring leadership through example. People see us and say, “If this person goes to practice, trains, competes, does homework, studies, and then goes to class, then I can too.” How is your academic regimen different in-season and off-season? Off-season is much easier, since there is no practice—just training. In-season I have a 5 a.m. practice, classes from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m., a 2:30 p.m. team meeting, and more practice from 4 to 5 p.m. During the season, the days are much longer, but I usually try to get my homework and studying all knocked out in my free time. I am on athletic scholarship, so maintaining my grades is a priority for me. What have been some of your favorite classes? Definitely African-American history. In high school, you learn just the basic facts, but in this class you get a greater understanding of where you came from and of all the struggles and achievements of African-Americans. I also took a speech class that was a favorite. I’m from Louisiana, so I speak really fast, but this class helped me. I have an undeclared major because my interests change constantly. I love to learn new material and am still growing as a student.

Laura Vallverdu Psychology major HOMETOWN

YEAR

Valencia, Venezula

Senior

How does your sports experience influence your classroom experience? Tennis has given me the discipline to manage my time well, and that helps in the classroom. As a student athlete, you have to be accountable for all you do. My studies represent not only me but also the University. How do sports skills such as leadership, practice, and teamwork apply off the court? You use all of these skills all the time in the classroom. I’m not a student who comes to class and sits in the back. I try to do what I can to get involved. I want to learn all that I can from the class. What special contribution or point of view do athletes bring that enriches the classroom experience for all students? We are respected at UM and we are an example that you can do well at the University and still have a life outside of it, like participating in other activities such as sports. Sports give you a sense of confidence. You feel like you can do anything, and you bring that feeling into the classroom. After your UM athletic career is completed, what parts of your academic experience at the College will be most useful to you? All of it. I am planning on getting a master’s in sports psychology. How would you describe the difference between the rewards/ satisfaction you get on the playing field and those you get in the classroom? I get the same smiles when I win a match as when I get an A.

Are the qualities that make a good coach the same as those that make a good teacher? Both coaches and teachers are leaders. A teacher has to be a leader in the class and a coach has to be a leader on the field. They also share other qualities, like how they encourage you. I look at Coach [Randy] Shannon as a father figure. He is like a good parent, and a good parent wants you to succeed. How would you describe the difference between the rewards/ satisfaction you get on the playing field and those you get in the classroom? For me, classroom success is more fulfilling. At the games you are excited and pumped, but fans come to the game and they expect you to score a touchdown. But when I get an A on a test, people are not expecting that. I will brag to my friends and they’ll tease me, saying, “Man! You are a nerd!” I am a student athlete and I’m defining what that means. Any advice for other student athletes? Take every moment in as if it was your last. Don’t think just because you are playing football at the U you are going to play in the NFL. Education and sports go hand in hand, but an education is the most important thing you need. ARTS | SCIENCES

Hitter POSITION:

VOLLEYBALL

Elizabeth “Lizzie” Hale Neuroscience major HOMETOWN

YEAR

Menlo Park, California

Freshman

4 “We are people with time devoted elsewhere but also trying to keep up with our class work. …We have to meet the same standards as everyone else. ”

What have you learned from your academic experiences at the College of Arts & Sciences—lectures, seminars, study groups, research, reading— that has influenced how you think about or train for your sport? In psychology I learned about personality and motivation. Both have helped me to see that, biologically, we are all different. It’s one thing to say she thinks differently than everyone else and another thing to know that different neural processes are actually involved. That makes me a lot more appreciative of other people when approaching a project. How would you describe the difference between the rewards/ satisfaction you get on the court and those you get in the classroom? They are very similar. Everyone has days when you put a lot of effort into a paper or a project, you work out extra hard or put in an extra day of practice, and you see good results. On the flip side, there are those days when you put in that energy and you don’t see the results you expected. The successes and the failures are similar across the board. What special contribution or point of view do athletes bring that enriches the classroom experience for all students? It’s similar to our students who are working full-time and trying to take difficult classes. We are people with time devoted elsewhere but also trying to keep up with our class work. This makes other students 24 SPRING 2010

see that student athletes have to attend class just like they do, and we don’t get any special breaks from the professors. We do have game schedules, and they do accommodate our schedules, but we don’t get cut any breaks. We have to meet the same standards as everyone else. After your UM athletic career is completed, what parts of your academic experience at the College will be most useful to you? I want to get into research and to go to med school. Right now, I’m trying to find the time to do sports, school, and research—it’s like solving a puzzle, but good preparation for meeting my goals. Did your teammates give you any words of wisdom when you joined the team about being a student athlete? All of my teammates told me that when you first get to class, find a good “note buddy.” How does your sports experience influence your classroom experience? Volleyball helps me focus on academics because I know that a lot of my time off the court has to be dedicated to class work. So it’s much easier to manage my time. It sounds backwards, but I know that I must get my work done in the time that I have. I’m a lot more efficient.

Are the qualities that make a good coach the same as those that make a good teacher? A good coach/good teacher is not someone who just goes to practice or class and gives orders. They work with their players/students and are there to help, and that’s what the coaches and teachers at UM do. How does your sports experience influence your classroom experience? Sports build drive and determination to succeed. So if you choose a difficult class you are not going to drop it just “because.” You are going to want to learn, just like you learn from mistakes on the baseball field. It is tough to balance school and sports, but you get it done. I’ve played baseball since I was four years old, so I’ve always had to devote time both to playing baseball and going to school.

3 “Sports build drive and determination to succeed. ”

How do sports skills such as leadership, practice, and teamwork apply off the field? Leadership skills on the field help in the classroom, especially with group presentations, because you want to make sure that everybody is participating to get the work done. And with homework, as with practice, you simply have to do the work to understand it. It’s much the same on the baseball field.

Pitcher POSITION:

BA S EBA L L

After your UM athletic career is completed, what parts of your academic experience at the College will be most useful to you? I will take everything I’ve learned with me. I’ve enjoyed so many different classes here that will be useful to me once baseball is over. Some of my favorites have been psychology and criminology.

Jason Santana Master in Liberal Studies major HOMETOWN

Miami, Florida

ARTS | SCIENCES

TRACKINGHURRICANES

CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI PROFILES

50s THOMAS GRAHAM BRODIE, A.B. ‘55, history, a native Miamian, passed away on August 13, 2009. After serving in the United States Air Force and the Florida National Guard, he attended the University of Miami before joining his brother in the Dade County Sheriff’s Road Patrol. He founded Brodie’s Gym in 1975 and retired from the MiamiDade Police Department in 1983 after 28 years of service. In 1969, Brodie was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his “outstanding contribution for Anglo-American relations.” MARSHALL S. SHAPO, A.B. ’58, summa cum laude, history, L.L.B.’ 64, published a new book, Experimenting With the Consumer: The Mass Testing of Risky Products on the American Public. Shapo, a professor at Northwestern University School of Law for 30 years, has written more than 25 books on how society deals with injuries. A life member of the American Law Institute, he served as an adviser to the Institute’s Restatement of Products Liability. Shapo has been a visiting fellow at Oxford and Cambridge Universities and lectured internationally. His scholarship focus is on how American law regulates risky behavior, and on how law and science relate. Shapo resides in Evanston, Illinois.

60s

Lieutenant (Junior Grade) PETER MAKI (left), A.B. ’06, 2005-06 UM Student Government president, and CAPTAIN CAREY “MAC” MCINTYRE (right), A.B. ’06, are both serving in Iraq. McIntyre is in the United States Army, 541st Combat Sustainment Support Battalion. He and Maki, his college and fraternity friend who is in the United States Navy, Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, were spotlighted during the College’s 2006 commencement ceremony. Three and a half years later, they found themselves on duty in the Middle East. Captain McIntyre made his way to Baghdad by helicopter for Christmas, where a photograph was taken of them on a roof in downtown Baghdad. Their message: “We’ve got some ‘Canes over here!… even in Iraq.”

PHIL SILLS, A.B. ’62, has settled down, after a roller-coaster professional life, to enjoy the simple pleasures of family and friends and is now a writer, lecturer, and producer of biographical video documentaries for “The Legacy Project.” His novel, Ghosts of Sackett Lake, received favorable reviews that included the descriptions “reminiscent of J.D. Salinger’s Catcher in the Rye,” “a classic crime mystery,” “an enjoyable read,” and “a chilling thriller.” Sills and wife Jackie CrossenSills live in Norwell, Massachusetts.

– Historical Documentation and the Influence of the International Women’s Brass Conference on the Profession.” Reinhart, who had an international solo career, has been a professor of trumpet at the University in Vienna since 1983. She and her husband reside in Vienna.

CAROLE DAWN REINHART, A.B. ’63, cum laude, music, earned her bachelor of music in 1965 and master of science in 1966 from The Juilliard School in New York City. She earned her Ph.D. in 2009 in sociology from the University of Music and performing Arts in Vienna, Austria, where her dissertation subject was “Women Brass Players

JOHN PENICK, B.S. ’66, M.A. ’69, biology, earned his Ph.D. in 1973 at Florida State University. Following a rewarding career in education, he retired as professor and head of the Department of Math, Science, and Technology Education at North Carolina State University. Penick has taken on a new challenge as vice president for

26 SPRING 2010

RONALD PANTELLO, A.B. ’66, history, received a Lifetime Achievement Award and was inducted into the Medical Advertising Hall of Fame in February 2009. He lives in Park Ridge, New Jersey.

research and development for Sangari Brasil (Sangari.com), a large-scale developer of elementary science curriculum, materials, teacher professional development, and teacher supervision, with more than 550,000 students using their materials. His new career has brought him back to Miami.

70s

DIANNE LEVENSHON COLLINS, A.B. ’70, philosophy, is creator-author of QuantumThink, an audio program that teaches the art of thinking from a new world view. She and her husband/ partner and master QuantumThink coach, Alan K. Collins, have been presenting QuantumThink to major corporations and to the general public since 1997. Her first book, Do You Quantum-

UM scientist is Assistant Secretary of Energy

she praises the efforts of her boss Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, a Nobel laureate in physics. “Dr. Chu is an amazing visionary who, like the president, wants to concentrate on energy independence and what we must do—from the small things, like turning off the lights and replacing our light bulbs with energy-efficient ones; to bigger things, like establishing a new energy portfolio for the United States.”

Heads Environmental Management at the DOE. UM alumna Inés R. Triay has become one of the top environmental officials in the United States. Appointed by President Obama in May 2009 as Assistant Secretary of Energy for Environmental Management in the Department of Energy (DOE), she leads one of the largest and most technically complex cleanup programs in the world. In that position Triay is responsible for an annual budget of $6 billion and 30,000 federal and contractor employees at the DOE. Her education at the College of Arts & Sciences — where she was awarded a B.S. in chemistry magna cum laude in 1980 and a Ph.D. in physical chemistry in 1985— helped shape her career. “My years at UM were spectacular from every possible perspective,” said Triay, who was born in Cuba and fled the communist island with her parents at the age of three. “The faculty in the chemistry department initiated a love affair with science that has been dominant in my life. They showed me how science could change the world. “UM is also one of those places that are so diverse,” she added. “It was an eye-opener not just academically but also from a cultural

Think? New Thinking That Will Rock Your World, is being released this spring by SelectBooks, New York City. The Collinses live in Sunny Isles Beach, Florida. MORTON LAITNER, A.B. ’71, politics and public affairs, is the chief legal counsel for the MiamiDade County Health Department. He also is the Editor-in-Chief of Healthy Stories, a collection of short stories and poems dealing with the subject of health. To read or submit a story for the fourth edition, visit www.healthystories.net. Laitner resides in Cooper City, Florida. THOMAS R. UNGLEICH, M.A. ’74, history, J.D. ‘81, accepted a position as Administrative Law Attorney with the U.S. Army at the office of the staff judge advocate in Camp Zama, Japan. His previous position was with the U.S. Air Force at Hickam Air

Inés R. Triay, B.S. ’80; Ph.D. ’85

standpoint. Working with people from so many different countries, who spoke just about every language you could think of, helped me appreciate that everyone has something to contribute.” Los Alamos National Laboratory recruited Triay when she received her doctorate. In 1999, she joined the DOE, where among other things she led a national effort to accelerate the cleanup of waste sites that were legacies of the Cold War—enough radioactive waste to completely fill the Louisiana Superdome. Triay stresses the importance of the environment as a key issue on the national agenda, and

Force Base, Hawaii. He expects to retire to his home in Hollywood, Florida, after this assignment. RAYMOND A. BELLIOTTI, M.A. ’76, philosophy, Ph.D. ’77, philosophy, distinguished teaching professor of philosophy, SUNY Fredonia, has published his tenth book, Roman Philosophy and The Good Life (Lexington Books, 2009). Belliotti resides in Buffalo, New York. GEORGE PRATSINAK, M.S. ’76; Ph.D. ’78, psychology, adjunct professor of psychology at Virginia State University, was named director of psychology at Southside Virginia Training Center in Petersburg, Virginia. The Center’s mission is to provide quality, client-centered health, habilitation, and educational services for persons with mental retardation. Pratsinak resides in Petersburg, Virginia.

That Triay is qualified to help Chu realize such visions is shown in some of the honors that pepper her career. They include the Presidential Rank Award, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers’ Dixy Lee Ray Award for Environmental Protection, and numerous awards from the DOE and Los Alamos National Laboratory that recognized her excellent performance. “The only person who can limit you is yourself; as long as you have a dream, pursue it with courage,” she said. “And education is extremely important. My parents’ [emigration] experience taught me that all your possessions can go away instantly and the only thing you will have to press forward with is your education.” When she visits her alma mater, the caliber of students at UM always makes her proud, Triay says. Her advice to the next generation of achievers: “Study hard, understand your field, and aim to accomplish goals much bigger than yourself to leave the world better than you found it.”

80s ALEX MANUEL CASIMIRO, B.S. ’85, computer science, died on September 25, 2009, from injuries suffered in a car accident. Upon graduation from UM and marriage to wife Carmen, he joined the United States Navy and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade. Casimiro worked for Texas Instruments in Sherman, Texas, where he most recently was Manufaturing Operations World Wide Information Technology manager. DAVE GOLDMAN, B.S. ’88, marine science biology, M.S. ’94, marine biology and fisheries, has been a full-time independent artist for 11 years. He lives in the mountains of western North Carolina in Mills River. ARTS | SCIENCES

TRACKINGHURRICANES

90s HOWARD P. WADE, D.A. ’90, history, associate professor of history at Bluefield State, was appointed associate dean of the School of Arts & Sciences at Bluefield State College in Bluefield, West Virginia. Wade lives in Maybeury, West Virginia. LYNDON J. AGUIAR, A.B. ’91, psychology/biology, earned his doctorate in counseling psychology from New York University and is working toward licensure as a clinical psychologist in Virginia at Virginia Commonwealth University. He resides in Midlothian with his wife and two children. TRENT HERSHENSON, A.B. ‘94, cum laude, English, minored in business administration and was recently named Director of Marketing for Wake Nation. Based in Cincinnati, Ohio, Wake Nation is one of eight water parks in the country where visitors can wakeboard, water ski, and kneeboard without a boat. Hershenson resides in Cincinnati. LYMARI CASTA, A.B. ’96, with honors, psychology/criminology, earned her master’s degree in forensic psychology in 2000 from the John Jay College of Criminal Justice and her juris doctor degree in 2003 from Fordham University School of Law. Casta has opened her law practice, The Casta Law Office, in New York City, an immigration law firm specializing in deportation matters and providing services in all 50 United States and Puerto Rico. CINDY (KIRKCONNELL) KRAUSS, A.B. ’96, anthropology, an associate with the Houston business law firm Porter & Hedges, was promoted to partner in the firm. Krauss practices in the areas of commercial, industrial, residential, and energy-related real estate. She lives in Altamonte Springs, Florida. SHARI WASSERSTEIN ELICE, Ph.D. ’97, psychology, is a clinical psychologist in Providence, Rhode Island. She and her family now make their home in Rehoboth, Massachusetts. ORLANDO HIDALGO, B.F.A. ’97, art and art history-graphic design, worked for The Miami Herald for 10 years as their senior web designer. Hidalgo has taken on a larger role with Jumba Media Group in Miami, Florida, as production director. He lives in Miami. 28 SPRING 2010

CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI PROFILES

GISELA M. MUNOZ, A. B. ’97, international studies, was nominated for the American Bar Association (ABA) National Outstanding Young Lawyer Award. The board of directors of the Dade County Bar Association Young Lawyers Section nominated Munoz for the award after her term as its president ended this past June. Munoz continues her practice as a corporate and real estate transactional attorney at Hughes Hubbard & Reed LLP in Miami. She and husband Dan Baker (B.S. ’95, biology) reside in Coral Gables. JACK BURKHALTER, Ph.D. ’98, psychology, was appointed chair of the New York State Tobacco Use, Prevention, and Control Advisory Board. Burkhalter is assistant attending psychologist at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, where he also resides with significant other Lawrence H. Chanen. C. READ SAWCZYN, B.S. ’98, marine science, an attorney with GrayRobinson, P.A., was designated a Florida Super Lawyers “Florida Rising Star” in 2009. No more than 2.5 percent of Florida attorneys are selected for the exclusive list of outstanding young lawyers in more than 70 practice areas. Sawczyn specializes in business litigation and works in the firm’s office in Tampa, where he also lives. HAL SKINNER, M.P.H. ’98, epidemiology, was named lead consultant to Kevin Kennedy Associates, an engineering and scientific consulting firm based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Skinner resides in Middleton, Wisconsin.

University, where she teaches “Death and Dying.” She has published a book, Transform your Loss: Your Guide for Strength and Hope. Houben and her husband live in Coral Gables. TIM O. JAMES, B.L.A. ’99, liberal arts, former Hurricane and the Miami Heat’s first-round draft pick in 1999, joined the United States Army in September 2008. He is now stationed in Iraq at Camp Speicher, the massive base near Tikrit, 85 miles north of Baghdad, near Saddam Hussein’s hometown and where insurgents are still a problem. He is part of the unit charged with watching and catching insurgents before they plant bombs. James expressed his sentiment this way, “…I wanted to give back to a country that gave so much to me.” DAVID SERRANO, B.S. ’99, biology, earned his Ph.D. and became assistant professor in fall 2009 at Broward College in Davie, Florida. Serrano works with the United States Department of Agriculture developing electronic pest and disease identification tools to help protect American agriculture. Serrano is also adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University’s Oceanographic Center and research associate for the Florida State Collection of Arthropods. He lives in Plantation, Florida.

00s

KEN B. CAPPS, Ph.D. ’99, chemistry, was awarded a Fulbright grant to lecture and assist with curriculum development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa. During his sabbatical, he lectured in general chemistry courses and assisted with curriculum development at the university. Capps is associate professor of chemistry at Central Florida Community College in Ocala, Florida.

SUZETTE L. RUSSOMANNO, A.B. ’01, history, an attorney with the Miami law firm Abadin Cook, was named a “Rising Star” by the publication Super Lawyers, an honor reserved for a highly select, elite group of Florida attorneys who are under the age of 40 or who have been in practice for less than 10 years. Russomanno specializes in commercial litigation and tort litigation defense in state, federal, and appellate courts. She is a member of the Cuban American Bar Association and is active with the Young Lawyers Section of the Dade County Bar Association. Russomanno lives in Miami.

LIGIA M. HOUBEN, A.B. ’99, cum laude, psychology, is certified as a grief counselor and also a life coach. She specializes in life transitions and working with people going through loss. Following her undergraduate degree at UM, she earned a master of arts degree in religious studies and gerontology in a graduate program on loss and healing. Houben is a professional speaker, author, and fellow of the American Academy of Grief Counseling, as well as an adjunct professor at Florida International

MARYANN ELIZABETH TATUM, A.B. ‘01, English-creative writing, M.F.A ‘04, motion picture screenwriting, Ph.D. ‘09, teaching and learning, is a professor at Nova Southeastern University, where she currently is conducting research on language arts and technology in secondary education. In November, she will marry Nathaniel David Tobin (J.D. ‘06), a local attorney and graduate of Franklin & Marshall College in Pennsylvania. Tatum lives in Miami.

YOURNEWS Let your classmates know what is going on in your life. Share news about yourself in a future issue of Arts & Sciences magazine. Send your information — including the year you graduated, degree, and major —to Linda Scott, Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 248004, Coral Gables, Florida 33124-4620 or via email to lscott@miami.edu.

ALEXANDRA GRACE, B.S. ‘05, psychobiology, earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine and Master of Public Health degrees from Nova Southeastern University in May 2009 and is completing her internal medicine residency at Mt. Sinai Medical Center in Miami Beach, Florida. Grace lives in Boca Raton, Florida. DANIEL ANDRES PALUGYAI, A.B. ’05, cum laude, international studies/political science, is working as a Legislative Assistant for Congressman Jared Polis, focusing on immigration policy. He lives in Washington, D.C. NICOLE L. ADENAUER, A.B. ’06, international studies, is a graduate student at American University where her academic work has focused on prevention efforts working toward eradicating human trafficking and child labor exploitation. She completed a 10-week Internship in the U.S. Department of State and was highlighted as a “Hometown Diplomat” by the department. The State Department created the Hometown Diplomat Program to highlight in local communities in America the diplomatic work of its employees and associates around the world. Adenauer resides in Bethesda, Maryland. CAROLYN ALICIA EAST, A.B. ’06, psychology, is in graduate school at Mercy College, where she is working toward a master’s degree in speech language pathology. East lives in New York City. OLIVER HARRIEHAUSEN, A.B. ’06, magna cum laude, economics/international studies, is working in Washington, D.C., where he also resides. VYJAYANTHI NEHA VADREVU, A.B. ’06, cum laude, international studies/anthropology, lives in Washington, D.C., and is pursuing graduate studies and employment opportunities. KRYSTINA BORJA, A.B. ’07, criminology, is working in the Washington, D.C. area. She lives in Arlington, Virginia. ANCA DOMNITANU, A.B. ’07, international studies, is completing an internship in Washington, D.C. ADAM GREENBERG, B.S. 07, psychology, was awarded an internship at the White House for fall 2009 with the Council on Environmental Quality. After graduating UM, Greenberg served

Graduate has high-tech career in Washington, D.C. & private sector Frank Jimenez works as high-level counsel both in the public and private sectors. Frank Jimenez’s professional experience at the upper echelons of public service and private enterprise began at the University of Miami, where he initially hoped to become a doctor. But his experiences in the classroom, with faculty that included religious studies professor Stephen Sapp, and outside the classroom—particularly in student government—led him away from medicine and toward a career in law. Jimenez credits his academic experience at the College of Arts & Sciences with “fostering discipline and providing exposure to a wide range of subjects in the classroom,” while extracurricular activities on campus engaged him in service to the greater good and taught him how to accommodate multiple constituencies. Among other leadership positions, he was a CAS senator in the undergraduate student government, vice president of the student body, and president both of Omicron Delta Kappa and Mortar Board, leading eventually to induction into Iron Arrow. After receiving his Bachelor of Science degree in biology from UM in 1987, Jimenez earned a J.D. from Yale Law School in 1991, an M.B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School in 2005, and an M.A. in national security and strategic studies from the U.S. Naval War College in 2009. Today Jimenez is the general counsel of ITT Corp. in New York, one of the world’s largest high technology engineering and manufacturing companies, having left his previous position as general counsel of the Navy in April 2009. Jimenez also did stints with the U.S. Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and Florida Governor Jeb Bush. Along the way,

Frank Jimenez’s career epitomizes service in both private and public sectors.

he clerked for a federal appellate judge and worked as a litigation partner at one of Miami’s premier law firms. When asked what the government gains from private-sector executives spending time in public service, Jimenez explains that while “the backbone of government continuity” is the career civil service, the government also benefits when “new blood brings fresh perspective” to federal or state agencies. When, as in his own career, these officials return to industry, they bring to the job the perspectives of leaders who define objectives more broadly than in just dollars and cents. “After serving in my home state’s capital and in the Pentagon, the aperture on my ‘lens’—the way in which I view the world and others in it— has opened much more widely,” he said. Given Jimenez’s diverse academic and professional achievements, what career advice would he give to current undergraduates at the College of Arts & Sciences? “Follow your heart,” he said. “Do what you love.”

ARTS | SCIENCES

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CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI PROFILES

with AmeriCorps*NCCC and spent 10 months building homes in New Orleans and New Mexico, as well as several months teaching sixth grade math in Biloxi, Mississippi. Greenberg joined BioTour on the Campaign Trail in 2008 and traveled the U.S. in a school bus that he and others converted to run on recycled waste vegetable oil and solar-paneled electrical power. He visited colleges and high schools, giving demonstrations and presentations on the potential of renewable energy and the importance of active democracy. Following BioTour, Greenberg interned with TOMS Shoes, a company that, for every pair of shoes sold, donates another pair of new shoes to a child in need. Last summer, Greenberg worked as a community organizer with PolitiCorps, in Portland, Oregon.

Fostering the Art of Printmaking Knight award helps UM alumna create a communal print shop in Miami. Kathleen Hudspeth is a talented artist, but these days she is playing the role of entrepreneur. The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation awarded Hudspeth, M.F.A. ’09, a $150,000 matching grant this past fall to create Turn-Based Press, a communal print shop to promote a culture of printmaking in the South Florida community. The new printmaking shop, planned for downtown Miami, will offer expertise, tools, and materials to artists so that they may produce book arts and prints while learning more about the art form. “Prints are one of the most difficult kinds of artwork to create because of the materials involved, such as large presses and chemicals,” Hudspeth said. “They are hard to do by yourself, so printmakers are often collaborating with each other. But there aren’t many public spaces to access unless you are a student at a university.” Hudspeth received the grant as part of the Foundation’s Knight Arts Challenge, a five-year $40-million initiative to bring South Florida’s diverse community together through the arts. The challenge includes endowment grants to leading arts institutions and a community-wide contest to fund the best ideas for the arts. Hudspeth’s attraction to printmaking derived partly from an interest in science, having been a geology major for two years as an undergraduate. Hudspeth says she enjoys the balance of the art and science of creating prints, as in precisely manipulating machinery and substances to get the job done with distinction. Her work has been exhibited at local and national venues, including the Fredric Snitzer Gallery, the Bass Museum of Art, and the Museum of Contemporary Art in Washington, D.C. Hudspeth also teaches

30 SPRING 2010

M.F.A. Kathleen Hudspeth is a winner of a 2009 Knight Foundation grant to promote the arts. (top) A print Hudspeth created in 2008, Swarm Melange.

printmaking at the New World School of the Arts in downtown Miami. “I could not be more pleased about Kathleen’s winning the Knight Foundation grant,” said Lise Drost, chair of the College’s Department of Art & Art History and its head printmaker. “She has the background to make this project work, and her connections to the arts community will assist her as well.” Hudspeth plans to open Turn-Based Press within the year.

DAN OVANDO, B.S. ’07, ecosystem science and policy, is a second-year master’s student at the Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was awarded a Doris Duke Conservation Fellowship for 2009-2010. Ovando has held a position with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, where he studied the connectivity of larval fish populations in order to advance tools used in marine conservation. He was recently elected by his fellow classmates to be on the Bren School Group Project Committee and will work with faculty to select “real-world” research projects for Bren students. Ovando lives in Santa Barbara, California. BETHANY QUINN, A.B. ’07, fellows in Latin American studies, is a campaign field coordinator, private equity project, for Service Employees International Union in Washington, D. C. Quinn resides in McLean, Virginia. JAMIE LEWIS SMITH, Ph.D. ‘07, psychology, is working for the Veterans Administration system as an organizational psychologist and travels countrywide much of the time. She and her husband, Curtis, reside in Cincinnati, Ohio. NOELLE VAN EE, B.S. ‘07, summa cum laude, marine science geology, is working toward her doctorate in geology and geophysics at UM’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science. In January 2009, Van Ee traveled with her advisor and two fellow graduate students to Glover’s Reef, an atoll off the coast of southern Belize, to drill a rotary core transect, a project partially funded by a grant from ExxonMobil

Frank Jimenez’s career epitomizes service in both private and public sectors.

ARTS | SCIENCES

TRACKINGHURRICANES

CLASS NOTES | ALUMNI PROFILES

30 SPRING 2010

M.F.A. Kathleen Hudspeth is a winner of a 2009 Knight Foundation grant to promote the arts. (top) A print Hudspeth created in 2008, Swarm Melange.

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Geoscience to answer questions concerning subsidence and reef development. In June 2009, Van Ee presented the research findings at the annual convention of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists in Denver, Colorado. Van Ee lives in Key Biscayne, Florida. SARAH (WIMBERLY) KINSINGER, M.S. ’03, psychology, Ph.D. ’07, psychology, is now assistant professor of medicine and psychiatry at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. Kinsinger is a health psychologist in the division of gastroenterology. She and alumnus husband, David Kinsinger, Ph.D. ’07, reside in Chicago. COURTNEY GEORGE, A.B. ’09, criminology/psychology, is pursuing graduate studies in Washington, D. C., where she lives. MICHAELA SACHS, A.B. ’08, cum laude, fellows in Latin American studies, M.A. ’08, Latin American studies, is a case manager in the Gaithersburg and Wheaton offices of Identity, a nonprofit organization that serves the Latino community in Montgomery County, Maryland, by providing programs for Latino youth to help them achieve a sense of confidence, connection, and control over their lives. Sachs lives in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Resources Management, an environmental consulting firm. She lives in Washington, D.C.

to apply to the University of Vienna’s graduate program in psychology.

DEBRA CHANNER, B.S. ’09, biology, from Cooper City, Florida, is attending Florida A & M College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences in Tallahassee.

MICHAEL HURTADO, B.S. ’09, magna cum laude, biology, is a first-year student at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine.

CHRISTOPHER COOK, A.B. ’09, cum laude, political science/psychology, is pursuing his law degree at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder, Colorado. SHAJENA ERAZO, A.B. ’09, English/psychology, works for an Americorp program called City Year, a nonprofit organization that unites diverse 17-24 year olds to a year of full-time national service as tutors, mentors, and role models. Erazo currently serves at Malcolm X Elementary with K-5th grade on improving literacy scores. She lives in Washington, D.C. MAXIMILIAN HAGEN, A.B. ’09, cum laude, English-creative writing, was chosen by poet John Hoppenthaler, curator of special features poetry, as the current new year’s undergraduate feature in the online journal, Connotation Press. The web site is: http://www.connotationpress.com/index. php/featured-undergrads/270-maximilian-hagenjanuary-2010. Hagen lives in Coral Gables.

YVONNE STEWARD, A.B. ’08, psychology, is a residential counselor with paranoid schizophrenics for St. Luke’s House, Inc., in Bethesda, Maryland. She hopes to enter the marriage and family counseling program at UM for the fall. Her goal is to own her own practice as a licensed family and marriage therapist. In her free time, Steward enjoys creating ceramics. She resides in Upper Marlboro, Maryland.

AMARIS MICHELLE HESS, A.B. ’09, history, joined the Petsmart team in September 2009 as an accredited pet trainer specializing in puppy and beginner education. She trains in group and private class settings and works with a variety of dogs and their owners. During her senior year at UM, she adopted and trained a rescued dog who now volunteers as a certified therapy dog in the South Miami area. Hess lives in Pinecrest, Florida.

ELYSE ACETO, A.B. ’09, psychology/criminology, is pursuing a master’s degree in forensic psychology at the University of Denver, Colorado, where she also resides.

MEGAN HUDSON, B. S. ’09, neuroscience / psychobiology, was awarded a research intern position at the Medical University of Vienna, where she assists in research related to the standardization of a neuropsychological test, including a specific focus on children with autism. The test, called the Rey Complex Figure Test, measures memory as well as visual-motor organization. She also will be working with a researcher whose focus is on the original patients of Hans Asperger and how they have developed through their adulthood. Her work is expected to take 12-18 months, after which she will co-author a paper. This position affords Hudson the opportunity to merge both her neuroscience and German majors. She plans

RICHINA BICETTE, B.S. ’09, biology, is in Atlanta, Georgia, attending Emory University School of Medicine. ELIZABETH BUNNEN, A.B. ’09, summa cum laude, ecosystem science and policy, traveled to Israel after graduation and then to the Ecuadorian Amazon, where she spent four months conducting research on amphibians. Bunnen is now working in Washington, D.C., for Environmental

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MARICE IVA MARIANO, B.S. ’09, biology, is serving with City Year, an organization that leverages the talent, energy, and idealism of corps members who serve for 10 months as tutors, mentors, and role models to help students stay on track – and get back on track – to graduate. City Year’s goal is to help students and schools succeed, build stronger communities, break down social barriers, develop young leaders, and foster active citizenship. CLAIRE PETERS, B.F.A. ’09, theatre management, is the marketing apprentice at Steppenwolf Theatre in Chicago. She lives in Naperville, Illinois. TRACY L. ROBINSON, A. B. ‘09, magna cum laude, international studies/geography and regional studies, is a research assistant for the National Preparedness Group in the Washington, D. C., metro area office of ICF International. Robinson resides in Arlington, Virginia. ALEXANDRA SUAREZ-MONDSHEIN, A.B. ’09, summa cum laude, sociology, is now working as a campaign executive at the United Way of Broward County, where she educates companies in South Florida on the importance of supporting their community. Suarez-Mondshein also is president of Words to Live By, a company dedicated to helping people celebrate life’s most important milestones (www.wordstoliveby.cc). In her spare time, she enjoys learning about the Bible, gourmet baking, and dancing. SuarezMondshein lives in Weston, Florida. TREMAYNE WOODWARD, A.B. ’09, psychology, is a legal assistant with the Department of Justice in Washington, D.C., where she also resides. LORALYN WRIGHT, A.B. ’09, English, teaches 6th, 7th, and 8th grade English and 7th grade Social Studies at Somerset Academy South Homestead (SoHo) in Homestead, Florida. A new pre-K through 8 charter school, Somerset Academy, opened this school year. Wright is an avid ‘Cane fan and native of Miami, where she resides. ARTS | SCIENCES

FACULTYPROFILE

This series profiles Arts & Sciences newly-promoted full professors and senior faculty.

VIVIANA DÍAZ-BALSERA | MODERN LANGUATES AND LITERATURES

n WORKING HER MAGIC UM SCHOLAR BRINGS TO LIFE THE SPANISH COLONIAL ERA IN THE NEW WORLD.

Like the spirits that shamans conjured up to protect and provide for the indigenous people in colonial Latin America, the era’s literature has always cast a magical spell over Viviana Díaz-Balsera, a UM professor of modern languages and literatures. “The momentous encounter between worlds in 1492 and beyond produced a powerful literature in Spain and colonial Latin America that recorded testimonies of deep human crises, limit experiences of self and other, and radical questionings of received authority,” she said. “I am drawn to texts from this period because of the immensity of the cultural and historical challenges with which they struggle.” Díaz-Balsera is an internationally known scholar whose interests include the Spanish Golden Age and the colonial period in Latin America. Her first book, published by Purdue University Press in 1997, was a close reading of five autos sacramentales (dramatic representations of the mystery of the Eucharist) by Spanish playwright Pedro Calderón de la Barca (1600–1681), whose influence extended throughout Europe well into the Romantic period. In her second book, published by the University of Arizona Press in 2005 and titled The Pyramid Under the Cross: Franciscan Discourses of Evangelization and the Nahua Christian Subject in Sixteenth-Century Mexico, Díaz-Balsera examined zones of cultural dialogue and differences between the Spanish colonizers and the Nahua indigenous population in Mexico they sought to convert to Christianity. Her steady stream of articles have appeared in the Colonial Latin American Review, Journal of Spanish Cultural Studies, Revista de Estudios Hispánicos, Neophilologus, Hispanófila, and other journals. She is now working on her third book, tentatively titled Guardians of Idolatry: Conserving Mesoamerican Preternatural Knowledge in Seventeenth-Century Colonial Mexico, in which she studies magical incantations collected near Central Mexico at the height of Spanish colonial power. “These spells reveal a model of the world in which entities are linked to supernatural powers that are responsive to human invocation,” Díaz-Balsera said, and “the shaman is the man or woman believed to know how to solicit these powers in order to obtain their favorable intervention in human affairs.” Even today, this model continues to underlie magical practices in many cultures, she adds.

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BIOGRAPHY

Viviana Díaz-Balsera is a professor of modern languages and literatures and an internationally known scholar whose interests include the Spanish Golden Age and the colonial period in Latin America.

Díaz-Balsera was born in Cuba and raised in Puerto Rico. She received her Ph.D. in Hispanic Studies from Yale University in 1989 and joined the University of Miami in 1993. Attracted by the interdisciplinarity of the field, she soon began to specialize in Spanish colonial literature. “What I seek is to make a connection with the critical legacy of the Spanish colonial era, to bring that controversial history to life for students and readers,” she said, and her quest appears to be successful.“ Díaz-Balsera’s broad research interests translate into challenging and dynamic classes at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. She teaches with passion and with great enthusiasm,” said David R. Ellison, chair of the Department of Modern Languages and Literatures. Díaz-Balsera currently teaches “Advanced Spanish Grammar for Heritage Speakers” and “The Occidentalization of the Amerindians during the Spanish Colonial Period,” and she has served as director of undergraduate studies and as a freshman advisor for the department. But what she most enjoys at UM is teaching students. “Every year the student body becomes more advanced here. They are excited and interested in a higher level of study.” For their part, students very much appreciate her courses, which “are among the most praised by students for their intellectual rigor and originality,” said Anne J. Cruz, professor of early modern Spanish literature and culture and of gender studies. Moreover, “she is an ideal colleague— warm, generous, and always willing to collaborate.” Ellison has a similar assessment: “Dr. Díaz-Balsera is engaged, receptive, and lively, and I have always personally enjoyed my conversations with her. She is an excellent partner in dialogue and someone who cares deeply about the topics she studies and teaches while always remaining open to new ideas and perspectives. She is a highly respected member of our department whose commitment to intellectual inquiry is admirable.” In turn, Díaz-Balsera praises the department for its support. “The department’s commitment to the College and its mission to continue to develop both the faculty and the students’ intellectual trajectory is what I like best.”

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C ollege

A rts & S ciences

Brittany Tedeschi, Natasha Stone, and Jordan Eckardt are You can support the College by making a gift three of the 4,000 College of Arts & Sciencesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; students; a at www.as.miami.edu/donate Supporting priorities the College's vitality, diversity, and quality, group of talented young people engagedtop in studying thethat advanceonline or by mailing gift to: philanthropy. thethe University of MiamiThe Annual Fund is an essential component your of University sciences, social sciences and humanities. Annual From state-of-the-art classrooms,The graduate fellowships to semesters Fund supports our students andscholarships the manytoprograms which College of Arts and Sciences abroad, the Annual Fund provides the financial resourcesUniversity to meet urgent needs and maximize enable the College to provide an outstanding education. of Miami exciting opportunities. With your regular supportPost of the Annual the College will Office BoxFund 248004

soar. Your gift to the College iscontinue critical.toIfhelp youyoung have minds already made a contribution this year, thank you for making a difference.

Coral Gables, Florida 33124-9965.

Learn more about the College of Arts & Sciences at the University of Miami, visit www.as.miami.edu. Any gift to the University of Miami is fully tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law. For more information about giving to the University of Miami Annual Fund, call 305.284.3874 or visit www.as.miami.edu/donate.

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STUDY BREAK Cramming for tests has come a long way. In the 1950s, students schlepped to the campus library â&#x20AC;&#x201D; in the Solomon G. Merrick Building â&#x20AC;&#x201D; to pull an all-nighter. Today, the University sets up hammocks near the library for studying or relaxing before that big exam.