Arts & Sciences Magazine Spring 2014

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Un i v e r s i t y o f Miam i

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the ring theatre celebrates its 75th season

2014

dean’smessage IMPACT THAT TRANSCENDS TIME As I walked through the Student Activities Center and saw a group of students ordering their robes for the May 2014 Commencement ceremonies, I thought about how we are preparing our students to fulfill their dreams and to face the challenges ahead.

Leonidas G. Bachas Dean of the UM College of Arts & Sciences

Make a difference Your gift to the College of Arts & Sciences helps us support student scholarships and retain leading fculty.Visit www.miami.edu/giving/ or scan this QR code with your smartphone to find out how your contributions elevate research and faculty development.

cover photo: natalie edgar

A well-rounded and interdisciplinary undergraduate experience – like the one we provide our students in the College of Arts & Sciences – offers our graduates a springboard to success and a distinct advantage in the job market.

More than three-fourths of the CEOs who responded to a recent survey by the Association of American Colleges and Universities believe that a liberal arts education creates a dynamic and valuable work force.

This motivating statistic demonstrates that, although times change, one thing remains the same: the importance of providing present and future generations of students with the best liberal arts education and opportunities for research. This is our goal in the College of Arts & Sciences.

I am proud to say that our students stand on the shoulders of giants – successful alumni who give back, seasoned faculty who carry a wealth of knowledge to the classroom and research laboratories, and donors who leave legacies that thrust forward the realization of past and future students’ dreams.

All across the campus, there are glimpses of history that prove how far we have come as a College. One example is our 1300 Campo Sano building; depending on when you were at the College, you may remember it as the home of the UM central administration, the Art Building, or an active construction site. In any case, you will be impressed by the

results of its painstaking historical rehabilitation. Another new facility is the Neuroscience Annex, where faculty members from the College are conducting vital interdisciplinary research. The new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanner housed there produces detailed, noninvasive images of the brain. These images allow our scientists to learn more about the structure and function of this fascinating and complicated organ.

Furthermore, our long-standing departments and programs are alive with new findings, scholarship, and excellence. Alumni and students recently united for a star-studded celebration of our Theatre Arts program, which celebrates 75 years of the highest-quality performing arts education this year. At the event, we also celebrated the many contributions to musical theatre of our very own Jerry Herman.

You may grow somewhat nostalgic as you read through the stories in this issue, but in the end I am sure you will agree that when the past and present collide, the future looks brighter.

I encourage you to join this lively mix of past, present, and future by renewing your commitment to the College. You will help us bolster our position as a top liberal arts college within a preeminent research university – a combination that is bound to make a lasting impact on our students, long after they don their graduation robes.

spring 2014 Volumefourteen | Issuetwo

College of Arts and Sciences

Editorial

Senior Associate Deans Douglas Fuller Angel Kaifer Maria Galli Stampino

Editor Melissa Peerless m.peerless@miami.edu

Dean Leonidas G. Bachas

Associate Dean Charles Mallery Assistant Deans Jennifer Lewis Athena Sanders Advancement

Assistant Dean Jeanne Luis jluis@miami.edu

Director of Communications Papsy Mileti p.mileti@umiami.edu

Communications Specialist Raymond Mathews r.mathews3@umiami.edu Design and Illustration Christina Ullman and Alix Northrup, Ullman Design Copyeditor Carlos Harrison

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/UMCAS for photos, news, and events from the College

contents features

departments

8 | Staging Success: As it marks its 75th anniversary with a gala event honoring alum Jerry Herman, the Theatre Arts program has never been stronger.

2 | News Briefs

14 | History in the re-Making: The historic preservation

12 | Class Spotlight

of the building at 1300 Campo Sano Avenue showcases the early history of the UM campus.

7 | Comings & Goings

19 | Tracking Hurricanes 24 | CAS Event Calendar

(Cover and above) The Department of Theatre Arts presented Fifty*Four*Forever in November 2011. It was the world premiere of the original musical conceived and directed by nine-time-Tony-winner, Tommy Tune. Tune was a guest artist in the Theatre Arts department.

Arts & Sciences is produced in the fall and spring by the College of Arts & 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 & Sciences, P.O. Box 248004, Coral Gables, FL 33124-4620. Telephone: (305) 284-2485.. All contents Š 2014, University of Miami. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited.

Visit the College of Art & Sciences on the web: http://www.as.miami.edu/.

Past issues of the magazine are available at: http://www.as.miami.edu/news/magazine/

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newsbriefs “My research will help us understand the importance of different mechanisms in driving evolutionary innovation not just in mealybugs, but in all of life.”

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS BIOLOGY STUDENT’S DISSERTATION ON GENE DUPLICATION Rebecca Duncan, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Biology, has received a Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant from the National Science Foundation to support her research on gene duplication in the citrus mealybug.

Duncan explains that the bugs have a symbiotic relationship with thousands of bacteria that live in their bodies and provide them with amino acids missing from their diets. Amino acids are critical for survival because they are the building blocks of proteins, necessary for cellular function in all life forms. She is specifically studying the genes that transport the amino acids – genes that have “copied” themselves many times in the citrus mealybug. She is interested in how these genes evolve after duplication.

Once a gene is duplicated, several outcomes are possible. Generally, one gene copy is lost, and the organism is left with one copy. If both copies are preserved, however, three scenarios could arise. Both gene copies could continue to perform the same function.

The two genes could split the existing gene functions, or one copy could grow to perform a completely separate function.

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Although these outcomes seem simple, how they arise is highly debated. Duncan will examine how the genes evolved from the point of duplication to test different hypotheses on functional evolution in duplicate genes.

Her research may provide useful information on the function of amino acid transporters in citrus mealybugs; the findings could be helpful for future efforts to control the population of these bugs, which are a pest on citrus plants.

However, it may also provide more general clues about how evolution generates novelty through the new genetic material provided by gene duplication.

“The same mechanisms shaping functional evolution in duplicated amino acid transporters in the mealybug are also at play in other organisms," Duncan said.

“So my research will help us understand the importance of different mechanisms in driving evolutionary innovation not just in mealybugs, but in all of life.”

The award of more than $19,000 will fund Duncan’s research for one year. She previously received a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation, which provides a stipend for living expenses.

JUNIOR RECEIVES BENJAMIN A. GILMAN SCHOLARSHIP TO STUDY IN PRAGUE Junior Mary Anne Carabeo, an international studies major with a minor in political science, has received a Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship from the U.S. Department of State to support her study abroad experience in the Czech Republic, with the UPrague program.

In Prague during the Spring 2014 semester, Carabeo is taking four classes: intensive Czech language; Prague: Story of a Central European city; Jewish History in Central and Eastern Europe; and a course focusing on significant events in Central European history.

She said, “Prague is beyond amazing! It is nearly impossible not to fall in love with the city, its history, and its people,” adding that this is her first experience traveling overseas.

Carabeo particularly enjoyed being in Prague during the Winter Olympics, when one of the city’s largest parks was transformed into a mini-arena where citizens could gather to watch the Olympics and cheer for Czech athletes. The facility included an ice-skating rink, a snowboarding hill, and a ski zone – plus scores of fans proudly wearing “Team Czech” gear.

Carabeo, who is Cuban and has lived in Miami almost all her life, said that the diversity of the UM campus led her to discover her passion for learning about different cultures. She said, “When I set foot onto UM’s main campus, it is refreshing to see students from all over the country and from different parts of the world. It has helped me define my goals, because I know for sure that I want to work in a place where I am constantly being introduced to new people and new cultures.”

Her study abroad experience is an important step on her path, which she plans to follow to graduate school, and then into a career with the U.S. Foreign Service.

The Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship program is funded by the U.S. Congress and sponsored by the State Department Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. It is named for retired Congressman Benjamin Gilman of New York, who left the House of Representatives in 2002 after 30 years of service. A former chair of the House Foreign Relations Committee, Gilman said, “Study abroad is a special experience for every student who participates. Living and learning in a vastly different environment of another nation not only exposes our students to alternate views, but also adds an enriching social and cultural experience. It also provides our students with the opportunity to return home with a deeper understanding of their place in the world, encouraging them to be a contributor, rather than a spectator in the international community.”

As part of the Gilman International Scholarship program, Carabeo will carry out a Follow-on Service Project that promotes international education once she returns to UM next fall.

PHI KAPPA PHI FELLOWSHIP WINNER THRIVING AT HARVARD MED SCHOOL Daniela Delgado, a 2013 UM graduate now in her first year at Harvard Medical School, was one of just six students nationwide to receive a 2013 Marcus L. Urann Fellowship from the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi. A double major in neuroscience and international relations, Delgado was involved in community-based research and campus activities during her time at UM. She led the PROGRESA project, which aimed to increase educational attainment of migrant children in Homestead, FL, and her leadership positions with Medical Students in Action and the Latino Medical Student Association allowed her to work in the Dominican Republic on health-care issues. She also served as a patient navigator at the St. John Bosco Clinic, a free healthcare facility in Miami.

Delgado plans to combine her medical degree with her commitment to helping others, and work to increase access to health care for underserved populations.

She took time from her rigorous schedule to update Arts & Sciences on her first year of medical school at Harvard, and how her UM experience helped her find her path and her passion.

A&S: How is it going in medical school?

Delgado: Medical school is a challenging but wonderful experience. It is a privilege to be training as a future physician, to be treated as a colleague by my professors, to have every class taught by experts in the field and share my days with the most interesting and smart people I have met, my classmates.

A&S: How did your undergraduate experience at UM prepare you for this next step in your education?

Delgado: UM provided me with a rigorous education to prepare myself mentally and emotionally for the demands of medical school, while giving me the liberty to pursue my interests in different areas as I majored in both international studies and neuroscience.

My experience at UM allowed me to explore my interests and define my passion. As a student highly interested in the well-being of immigrant and minority communities, I worked closely with the Community and Educational Well-Being Research Center at the School of Education, completing a research project related to the educational needs of farmworker youth. Working with a research team of Ph.D. candidates and under the supervision of my wonderful mentor, (Associate Dean for Research) Etiony Aldarondo, I learned to

think critically and grounded myself in the community, understanding my medical career was a means to advocating for those who needed it most.

As a student employee, I found my UM family in the Office of Student Employment, a family that encouraged me through every new task I decided to undertake. At UM, I had motivating professors, who believed in my potential and challenged me to take it one step further by publishing my first writing.

Working with the Latino Medical Student Association and the Miller School of Medicine, I found incredible mentors, Dr. Onelia Lage and Dr. Elizabeth Homan Sandoval, two female physicians who guided me through the premedical track, showed me the beauty in the medical profession and inspired me to dream big.

My experience at UM allowed me to define my goals and gave me the tools to reach them.

A&S: Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

In 10 years?

Delgado: In 5 years I see myself having recently graduated from Harvard Medical School, completing a residency program. At this time, I will have grown intellectually as I learn the art of caring for patients. In 10 years, I see myself potentially as a primary care physician who works part time in academia and also dedicates time to work with the community.

Leading By Example Bachas Chemistry Lab Named “Lab of the Year” on Coral Gables Campus College of Arts & Sciences Dean Leonidas Bachas is leading by example.

His chemistry research lab was recognized as a 2013 “Lab of the Year” by the UM Office of Environmental Health and Safety (EHS).

“The Bachas Lab was selected for exceptional cooperation and compliance with local, state and federal regulations regarding laboratory safety,” said Jairo Betancourt, EHS biosafety manager. Betancourt cited the lab’s long history of excellent reviews, and also noted that the lab paperwork is submitted well in advance of every deadline.

In both scheduled and surprise visits to the lab – where Dean Bachas works with two post-doctoral associates and two doctoral students – Betancourt’s team found meticulously labeled bottles, and researchers wearing proper safety gear.

“I am honored to share this award with an exceptional team who works hard every day to ensure the lab environment meets the highest standards of safety,” said Dean Bachas.

Dean Bachas holds a Ph.D. in bioanalytical chemistry and a M.S. in engineering, both from the University of Michigan. He came to UM from the University of Kentucky, where, as the A Frank J. Derbyshire Professor of Chemistry, he held highlevel administrative positions as associate dean of research and academic programs and chair of the Department of

Chemistry. His research is at the interface of chemistry and biology, with a focus on the environment, nanotechnology, and new biomaterials.

The Bachas Group at UM is working to create microscopic nanoparticles that can break down environmental pollutants and “clean” contaminated water.

The Office of Environmental Health and Safety helps the University improve its compliance with health, safety and environmental regulations. Each year, it recognizes one facility on each of the three main UM campuses (Coral Gables, Medical, and Rosenstiel School), which include a total of more than 1,000 labs.

(Left to right) Doctoral students Ed Miller and Jeramy Baum, Dean Leonidas Bachas, and Post-Doctoral Associate Dr. Elsayed Zahran receive their Lab of the Year Award.

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newsbriefs

E n g l i s h | P s y c h o l o g y | b i o l o g y | i n t e r n at i o n a l s t u d i e s | a r t h i s t o r y

ON THE CUTTING EDGE OF NEUROSCIENCE AND INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH The first scanner on the Coral Gables campus dedicated solely to human brain imaging expands the possibilities for faculty and student research

Using an incredibly powerful magnet to perform breathtakingly detailed scans at high speeds, the College of Arts & Sciences’ new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) machine is a commanding research tool.

The 26,000-pound instrument is the first scanner on the University of Miami Coral Gables campus dedicated solely to human brain imaging for research purposes.

It is housed in the Neuroscience Imaging facility, located in the recently completed Neuroscience Annex, a high-tech hub for interdisciplinary brain research within the Department of Psychology.

Located adjacent to the Cox Science Center, the Neuroscience Annex offers collaborative workspaces for researchers from psychology, biology, physics, and more. The building also has a state-of-the-art biological lab and areas to host visiting researchers, collaborative meetings, and seminars. Its construction was funded by a $14.8-million grant from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, awarded by the National Institutes of Health.

The mission of the Neuroscience Imaging facility is “to acquire, advance and disseminate knowledge of neuroscience and psychology.” It is dedicated to informing research using imaging techniques, improving imaging technology, and educating the academic and public communities.

Assistant Professor of Psychology Jennifer Britton is using the fMRI scanner to conduct her research on anxiety disorders in children and adults. In her studies, research participants view images while experimenters monitor their physiological responses (such as sweating) and brain activity.

The goal is to “capture how people determine what is threatening and what is safe,” Britton said.

“Anxiety has long been conceptualized as being rooted in fear learning,” she added, “but the absence of perceived safety may play a stronger role in anxiety.” She uses the neuroimaging technology to investigate how threat-safety discrimination changes as the brain develops, particularly in individuals with anxiety disorders.

The GE 750 3T functional magnetic resonance imaging scanner was delivered to the Coral Gables campus in May of 2013. It is now located in a specially shielded room on the first floor of the Neuroscience Annex.

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Britton has found that when children without anxiety disorders view images they previously learned were “scary,” their fear response decreases with more exposure. Children with anxiety issues, however, have difficulties learning that the images are no longer threatening.

She describes a “competition within the brain” to retrieve the neutral memories rather than the negative associations.

She is also looking at new ways to treat children with anxiety disorders, such as teaching them to refocus their attention away from perceived threats in order to reduce anxiety – and trying to understand the underlying neural mechanisms of such novel behavioral treatments.

Britton came to the University of Miami in 2012 from the National Institute of Mental Health, where she was a post-doctoral fellow.

Another new faculty member in the Department of Psychology, Assistant Professor Lucina Uddin, also is using the fMRI scanner for groundbreaking research. Uddin’s work examines what brain structure can tell us about Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD).

In Uddin’s words, her research investigates “how the brain organizes in ways that allow maturation of skills,” such as focusing attention and making decisions. She examines functional and structural brain scans of adults, typically developing children, and those with atypical development.

“I am really excited about the neuroscience initiative at UM and working with people who are pushing the envelope in neuroscience research.”

— lucina uddin, Assistant Professor of Psychology

Looking across the three populations, she analyzes large-scale brain cell networks that allow people to gain and hone high-level cognitive abilities. Uddin looks for patterns to determine when brain interconnections are disrupted in neurodevelopmental disorders.

She wants to learn what is happening at different stages of brain development. Where and how are typical and atypically developing brains different? When do they become different? Are they developing along the same trajectory, or differently?

Her ultimate goal is to create a biomarker and establish “brain signatures” that can confirm autism spectrum disorders in patients.

Uddin said, “We want to find out: can we tell if a person has autism by looking at these brain images?” If the answer is yes, doctors will be able to diagnose ASD at an earlier age – even before children exhibit the associated behavioral and social traits.

Uddin, who previously served as an instructor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University, just joined the College of Arts & Sciences faculty in January, 2014. As her first semester at UM draws to a close, Uddin is impressed with the support she has received here.

“I am really excited about the neuroscience initiative at UM and working with people who are pushing the envelope in neuroscience research,” she said, adding, “The new building is really evidence of the University of Miami’s and the Department of Psychology’s commitment to neuroscience. I think the facility will pique interests of other researchers and afford many opportunities for collaboration.”

Uddin also is looking forward to fruitful collaboration with the Center for Autism and Related Disabilities, also part of the Department of Psychology. “It is very rare to have a full-service autism-focused clinic right on campus,” she said.

Both Britton and Uddin offer undergraduate students the opportunity to work in their labs. Undergraduate assistants in Uddin’s lab “are involved with the whole range of duties associated with the research process,” she said. This includes analyzing neuroimaging data, entering participant data, and a host of other activities.

For more information on the fMRI facility, please visit http://www.psy.miami.edu/nis/.

Author Oonya Kempadoo speaks at the reception celebrating the 10th anniversary issue of Anthurium.

Caribbean Studies Journal, Showcasing UM Scholarly Repository, Celebrates 10 th Anniversary The Caribbean Literary and Cultural Studies Program celebrated the 10th anniversary issue of its groundbreaking online journal this fall.

Anthurium: A Caribbean Studies Journal publishes original works and critical studies of Caribbean literature, theatre, film, art and culture – and it is a showpiece for UM’s Scholarly Repository. This unique institutional database allows researchers to easily submit faculty papers, conference proceedings, and works of fiction and non-fiction, and to make them permanently accessible online for free.

The 10th anniversary edition of Anthurium, titled “Intellectual Formations: Locating a Caribbean Critical Tradition,” features plenary contributions from the 31st West Indian Literature Conference, held at UM in 2012, along with works from College of Arts & Sciences faculty members Patricia Saunders and Gerard Aching, and other scholars such as Sandra Pouchet Paquet, the journal’s founder.

The issue was released at a reception featuring noted author Oonya Kempadoo. Born in England to Guyanese parents (father, Peter, is a writer and broadcaster), Kempadoo has published three novels to international acclaim. She was named a Great Talent for the Twenty-First Century by the Orange Prize judges and is a winner of the Casa de las Americas Prize for Caribbean literature. Kempadoo presented her new novel, All Decent Animals, at the event.

With a built-in editorial procedure, the repository maintains the scholarly rigor associated with the peer review process. However, its streamlined submission system is extremely quick and efficient.

Bryanna Herzog, educational technology specialist at the Richter Library, said contributors to Anthurium are able focus on their research and writing, rather than the submission process.

“Before we implemented the Scholarly Repository, faculty, staff and graduate students who contributed to Anthurium were spending more time on the technology than on the scholarly content,” Herzog said.

Over its 10-year history, Anthurium has published more than 200 original works. Its fifth anniversary issue in 2008 drew almost 59,000 visitors. Since its content was migrated to the Scholarly Repository in 2011, its articles have been downloaded more than 31,000 times. To view the current issue, please visit http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu/anthurium/.

The Scholarly Repository aims to publicize, freely disseminate, and preserve the work of UM scholars, in keeping with the mission to educate students, create knowledge, and provide service to the campus community and beyond. You can visit it at http://scholarlyrepository.miami.edu.

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BOOKMARKS American Jewish Year Book 2013: The Annual Record of the North American Jewish Communities

Ira Sheskin and Arnold Dashefsky (editors) Judaic Studies Provides insight into major trends in the North American Jewish community, examining Jewish education, national and Jewish communal affairs, and the U.S. and world Jewish population.

Book M: A London Widow’s Life Writings

Pamela Hammons (editor) English

Early Modern Habsburg Women: “Women and Gender in Early Modern Europe”

Leaving Little Havana: A Memoir of Miami’s Cuban Ghetto

Anne Cruz and Maria Galli Stampino (editors) Modern Languages and Literatures Examines the impact of Habsburg royal women in the broader historical, political, and cultural contexts of early modern Europe.

Cecilia Fernandez English The first refugee memoir to focus on a Cuban girl growing up in America, rising above the obstacles and clearing a path to her dream.

Reconcilable Differences, 2nd Edition

Insula: Neuroanatomy, Functions and Clinical Disorders

Brian D. Doss, Andrew Christensen, Neil S. Jacobson Psychology

Lucina Uddin (editor) Psychology

Provides a lively and revealing first-hand account of how a clever, self-aware, upwardly mobile woman successfully navigated the perilous patriarchal world of 17th-century London.

Summarizes current literature on the insular cortex, a region of the brain that supports multiple diverse functions.

Offers clear-cut steps and thought-provoking exercises for couples frustrated by continual attempts to make each other change.

Community-based Interventions: Philosophy and Action

Intuition

A Sentimentalist Theory of the Mind

John W. Murphy Sociology

Elijah Chudnoff Philosophy

Michael Slote Philosophy

Offers practical advice for designing, implementing, and evaluating community projects.

Focuses on the experience of having an intuition, on the justification for beliefs that derive from intuition, and on contact with abstract reality via intuition.

Argues that Western philosophical views of the mind have erred in failing to recognize that emotion and feeling are intrinsically involved in all its basic functions.

The Social Value of Drug Addicts: Uses of the Useless

J. Bryan Page and Merrill Singer Anthropology Analyzes media representations, drug policy, and underlying social structures to show what industries and social sectors benefit from the criminalization, demonization, and glamorization of drug addicts.

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n e w fa cu lt y i n t h e c o l l e g e o f a r t s & s c i e n c e s

NewFaculty

comings goings

The College of Arts & Sciences welcomes our new faculty.

Gerard A ching

Mona El-Sherif

Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures

Assistant Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures

Hometown: Cairo, Egypt Education: Ph.D., Near Eastern studies, University of California, Berkeley; M.A., Islamic, Jewish, and Near Eastern studies, Washington University in St. Louis; B.A., English and American literatures, Alexandria University (Egypt) Research and teaching interests: Arabic language, Arabic literature, Arabic culture Hobbies: Running and exercise

Education: Ph.D., Cornell University, 1992; B.A., University of California, Berkeley, 1982 Research and teaching interests: Caribbean colonial literatures, slavery and philosophy, 19th and 20th century Caribbean literatures and intellectual history, Caribbean postcolonial theories

Bonnie Kirkpat rick Assistant Professor of Computer Science

Education: Ph.D., computer science, University of California, Berkeley, 2011; M.S., computer science, University of California, Berkeley, 2007; B.S., computer science, Montana State University, 2004 Research and teaching interests: Computational biology, machine learning, combinatorial algorithms “With teaching, I try to bring the excitement of practical problems into the classroom and help the students make connections between the things they have learned and practical problem solving.”

Santiago Oli vella

St efan Wuchty

Assistant Professor of Political Science

Associate Professor of Computer Science

Hometown: Bogotà, Colombia

Hometown: Vienna, Austria

Education: Ph.D., political science, Washington University in St. Louis, 2013; M.A., political science, Washington University in St. Louis, 2010; B.A., political science, Universidad de los Andes (Colombia), 2006

Education: Ph.D., theoretical biochemistry and bioinformatics, University of Vienna, 2002; M.S., biochemistry, University of Vienna, 1988

Research and teaching interests: Electoral and legislative institutions, use of computer simulations and applied quantitative methods to study electoral geography

Research and teaching interests: Bioinformatics and computational biochemistry, team science Hobbies: Playing basketball, reading, music, movies, traveling

V ISITING F AC U LT Y P RO F ILE Richard Stanley Arts & Sciences Distinguished Scholar, Department of Mathematics

Hometown: New York, NY Education: Ph.D., mathematics, Harvard University, 1971; B.S., mathematics, California Institute of Technology, 1966 Research and teaching interests: Enumerative combinatorics and commutative algebra Hobbies: Photography

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Celebrating its 75th anniversary, the Theatre Arts program has never been stronger

ve prospecti m o fr d e n st retur o, Los onte has ju k, Chicag F r o y r Y n e w H e r st so inter in N of the mo w rts Profes e A h m e c o a tr s e a d e e h T – held e watch ce. His uditions , and dan – where h g i in m s ia t, student a c M a in e nation and here ents in th d Angeles, tu s l o o rstars. igh sch ntial supe te o p h talented h it teeming w notepad is

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onte’s paper is divided into columns, where he notes each applicant’s grade point average and SAT score, and rates their audition performance. The talent level is remarkable. Everyone has earned an “8” or higher, with a significant number of “10”s and the occasional “10+++.”

Along with Dance Area Head and Assistant Professor of Theatre Arts Christine Kellogg, and Music Director NDavid Williams, Fonte has the daunting task of selecting just 20 of these accomplished young people to join the incoming class of the Bachelor of Fine Arts (B.F.A.) conservatory programs.

Fortunately, Fonte said, the three faculty members generally agree – and a new conservatory class is born.

Once they arrive at UM, these students take an intensive schedule of classes aimed at preparing them for the professional theatre world and honing their performance skills.

Each semester includes two acting classes, weekly private voice lessons, and dance/ movement courses – among other College of Arts & Sciences requirements.

Celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, the UM Theatre Arts program has never been stronger.

Fonte, Director of Conservatory Programs and Producing Artistic Director for the Jerry

Herman Ring Theatre, said UM’s program is well known and respected as one of the nation’s finest undergraduate theatre arts programs.

After students receive a B.F.A., Fonte said, they are ready to “go out and start working,” adding, “We have been wildly successful in placing students immediately after graduation.” The vast majority of graduates find work in the theatre after leaving UM, some go to graduate school, and some work for a period of time before pursuing further studies.

In addition to “performance” B.F.A.s in Acting and Musical Theatre, the Department offers three options for students looking to work behind the curtain: Theatre Management, Stage Management, and Design/Production.

In all five programs, the faculty members are working professionals who provide both academic guidance and hands-on experience to their students. For example, James Birder, who heads the Stage Management program, has had students backstage during performances at professional venues in Miami and beyond, watching the stage managers “call the show.” This provides an informative learning opportunity, and also allows the students to make new connections in their field.

Camille Labrador is a first-year student in the B.F.A. in Theatre Management program.

Theatre has been an important part of her life since she saw her first show, at age 2. Sixteen years later, she is thrilled to be taking the first steps toward making her passion her career.

Labrador’s first semester at UM has been an exciting whirlwind of unforgettable theatre opportunities.

She and the four other Theatre Management students were integral in the planning and execution of the recent 75th Anniversary Concert honoring Jerry Herman, A.B. ’53. Labrador said students worked with the artists, and served as stage managers and in other behind-the-scenes roles. (Please see companion story on this memorable event.)

The work was challenging, but the experience was invaluable. “There is something so special in seeing how a show comes together,” she said. “The act of planning something and bringing it about from a management perspective was really amazing.”

The head of the Theatre Management B.F.A. program is Lisa Dozier King, who also serves as the General Manager of the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre. She joined the UM faculty in June 2013. In addition to these duties, Dozier King works as a commercial off-Broadway theatrical general manager; she currently has two shows running in New York, and she travels back and forth as needed. She is also involved with several New York-based organizations, including the National Alliance for Musical Theatre.

UM Theatre Arts students take the stage! (Top, left to right) Carrying Water in a Sieve (September 2012), Stage Door (February 2012), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (April 2012). (Bottom) Boeing Boeing (October 2012).

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When the Alliance hosted a conference during UM’s fall break, Dozier King invited her students to travel to New York and volunteer for the event. Labrador participated, serving as the assistant to the event’s general manager.

“It was a really cool experience – to see Lisa outside of school, seeing the things she taught us in action, and putting the skills we’re learning in class to use,” Labrador said.

Dozier King said teaching is “tremendously rewarding. Mentoring students has made me a better manager and member of the theatre community.”

“The students rise to every occasion.

They are so ambitious and so smart. They care so much,” she said.

Labrador added that the program “gives students who have talent the opportunity to showcase it.” She said, “The faculty has confidence that we can do it, and this gives us confidence in ourselves.”

Dozier King said undergraduates in the UM program have the opportunity to do things that are reserved for Masters of Fine Arts students at many schools.

Fonte stresses that the B.F.A. program provides students with both a pre-professional training experience and an intensive scholarly study of the discipline of theatre.

He said the academic standards for the program are high. “No matter which classroom, these are all smart kids.”

When he came to the Department as Chair in 2010 (a role he held through 2013), Fonte implemented three principal goals for Theatre Arts at UM. The first is producing new plays.

(Above) Students perform in an October 2012 production of Boeing Boeing. (Inset) Night Train to Bolina (September 2011).

“Developing new works for the American theatre is the ‘research’ of our discipline,” he said, adding that students are involved in every aspect of these performances, which include both musical and non-musical works.

The second goal is bringing guest artists to UM to work with students. Fonte likened this to a “modern apprentice program.” Past guests have included nine-time Tony-award-winning Broadway legend Tommy Tune, and noted actor and acting coach Dennis Krausnick, co-founder of Shakespeare & Company in the Berkshire Mountains.

Finally, Fonte has reached out to professional theatre companies, in Miami and across the nation, for unique collaborative projects. A key partner has been the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, Miami’s premier professional arts and cultural organization, and the second largest performance center

The 2013-2014 season marks the 75th year of the Ring Theatre at the University of Miami. Created in 1946, the Ring has performed at three different sites — including a circus tent and a round building used to train Allied navigators during WWII. The name for the Ring grew out of the company’s first in-the-round performance which placed the audience in a “ring” around the stage. The current building was constructed in 1951.

In the 1970s, the Ring permanently changed its seating configuration to three-sided thrust. After a complete renovation of the theatre house in 1996, the Ring has now returned to total flexibility and offers three different kinds of staging as well as three seating arrangements. The newly remodeled theatre has been renamed for UM alumnus Jerry Herman. The new stage has been named the Alvin Sherman Family Stage in honor of Mr. Sherman’s generous support of our renovation project.

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in America. The Theatre Arts Department has worked with the Arsht Center on three shows, most recently a performance of the play Metamorphoses, which took place almost entirely in a large on-stage swimming pool.

It was a complicated performance – from the technical skills required to build the pool, to incorporating projection images into the show, to the challenge of acting on a professional stage with a very discerning audience. The show was a resounding success, and it demonstrated why such collaborations are so valuable to UM Theatre Arts students.

“There’s a risk that the show or a student could get a bad review,” Fonte said, “but that’s called life in the theatre. We make sure our students are going into this with the right perspective.”

The Department of Theatre Arts has been helping students develop this perspective for 75 years – with many more successful years ahead.

History of the Ring Theatre

photo: Courtesy of University Archives

For more information on the Department of Theatre Arts, please visit http://www.as.miami.edu/theatrearts/.

An enchanting evening of music and memories

“Your melodies are unforgettable, your words inspiring. In your tunes, love is eternal and the heart an open book. Your music is a tribute not only to your creativity, but to your humanity.”

Donna Shalala, UM President

Theatre arts program celebrates its 75th anniversary with a concert honoring alum Jerry Herman A standing-room-only crowd packed the Jerry Herman Ring Theatre for an enchanting evening of music and memories, in celebration of the Department of Theatre Arts’ 75th anniversary – and in honor of College of Arts & Sciences alum, and legendary Broadway composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, A.B. ’53. Herman’s melodies and words have indelibly shaped musical theatre in America. His works Hello, Dolly!, Mack & Mabel, Mame, and La Cage aux Folles are among the most important musicals ever to grace the stage.

This special concert brought UM Theatre Arts students onstage with three esteemed professional performers, all personally chosen by Herman to participate in the show. Klea Blackhurst, an actress and singer best known for her award-winning tribute to Ethel Merman, has portrayed Dolly Levi (the title role in Hello, Dolly!) in various productions. She lent her comedian’s wit and soulful voice to a special song that Herman wrote for Merman when she starred in Hello, Dolly!

Jason Graae has been working with Herman since the early 1980s, when he first auditioned for one of the icon’s shows; Graae didn’t get the part, but a special friendship was born. A talented singer and actor who has starred both on and off-Broadway, Graae performed “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles. He called the powerful song of self-acceptance “an anthem for the ages.” Graae said it has been an honor to collaborate with Herman for more than 30 years. “He’s been the greatest gift of my life and career,” he said, “I hold on to him for dear life.”

The third performer was Valerie Perri, B.F.A. ’76, who talked about going to her first audition at UM with her new friend and fellow first-year student Ray Liotta. She said, “Music is all about love and loss; no one combines them better than Jerry Herman.”

The event allowed talented Theatre Arts students to showcase their skills both in front of and behind the curtain. Highlights included a performance of “Nelson” from A Day in Hollywood/A Night in the Ukraine by junior theatre student Schyler Rice, senior Amandina Altomare singing “Gooch’s Song” from Mame, and a rendition of “Hello, Jerry!” – adapted from “Hello, Dolly!” – by a dashing group of 12 young men in the B.F.A. Conservatory Program. Students were also involved as stage managers and in other production roles.

Jerry Herman, ’53

Broadway composer and lyricist

University of Miami President Donna Shalala said Herman “left a trail of stardust” at UM, adding, “Your melodies are unforgettable, your words inspiring. In your tunes, love is eternal and the heart an open book. Your music is a tribute not only to your creativity, but to your humanity.”

Donna Arbide, MBA ’95, Associate Vice President of Alumni Relations and Individual Giving, presented Herman with a Distinguished Alumni Award.

Herman was visibly touched by the tremendous admiration in the room.

He said, “It’s been a thrilling life and it all really started in the drama department at the University of Miami.”

Rick and Margarita Tonkinson provided generous support for the 75th Anniversary Concert. Tonkinson, a self-described “Broadway junkie,” said he has enjoyed attending performances at the Ring Theatre for many years. “The students are outstanding, and it is important to support their careers. The theatre is also a great way for the University to interact with the community.”

Tonkinson added that he was honored to support “a special night, where Jerry can be surrounded by his friends from New York and here in Miami”.

Sandy Warshaw is one such friend. She shared the spotlight with Herman during his first-ever performance at UM. She played Susan the Silent to his Og the Leprechaun in Finian’s Rainbow. “He had to carry me across the stage,” she said.

Warshaw – who has acted and danced professionally in venues across America – also recalled the cast pitching in to put the finishing touches on the Ring Theatre, which had just been completed in time for the show.

Directed by Professor of Theatre Arts Henry Fonte – and with University of Miami Music Director NDavid Williams and Ring Theatre General Manager Lisa Dozier King doing “the lion’s share of the work” – the 75th Anniversary Concert was a fitting tribute to Herman’s long and distinguished career.

Students, administrators, performers and supporters closed the evening with a cast-audience sing-along of one of Herman’s most-loved works, “The Best of Times is Now” from La Cage aux Folles. The crowd took the lyrics to heart, singing together to “make this moment last – because the best of times is now.” arts | sciences

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THIS FEAT U RE HIGHLIGHTS C O U RSES THAT ARE C REATING SO M E C A M P U S B U Z Z .

LIVING HISTORY An innovative program allows UM students to Connect to Holocaust Survivors

One sunny Friday – with no classes all day, and midterms still a few weeks away – two UM students headed to Miami Beach.

They didn’t spend the day swimming in the ocean, or playing beach volleyball. They didn’t hit any of the well-known clubs in South Beach.

They went to visit the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial – and to take a special, two-hour tour from David Mermelstein, a Holocaust survivor and volunteer at the Memorial who had spoken to their class the day before.

Left: The Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, designed

by Kenneth Treister, was dedicated on February 4, 1990.

It is estimated that more than 15,000 Holocaust survivors live in South Florida.

“See the Holocaust as a living present, with consequences and repercussions that extend into our time, rather than simply a past history.”

Markus Zisselsberger UM Assistant Professor of German 12 SPRING 2014

Mermelstein shared his story with the students during “The Holocaust in History, Film and Memorial Culture,” an advanced German Studies class.

David Cooper, a sophomore history major, said, “It was an amazing experience to be able to speak with someone who experienced the horrors of the Holocaust first hand.” He added that all members of the class have seen movies, read personal accounts, and done significant research on this topic. “None of that compared to simply sitting and listening to Mr. Merlmelstein speak about his experience. For the entire 75-minute class, it was completely silent. Nobody looked at their phone, opened their laptop, or even glanced at their watches.”

Assistant Professor of German and Director of the German Language Program Markus Zisselsberger – who teaches the course every other year – wants his students to “see the Holocaust as a living present, with consequences and repercussions that extend into our time, rather than simply a past history.”

Zisselsberger said Mermelstein’s visit is valuable for his students in many ways. “The encounter with someone who has lived through the Holocaust helps students see it as an event that affected individuals of diverse backgrounds in different ways,” he said, adding that oral testimony offers “a tangible and affective dimension that the reading of texts or viewing of films alone could not convey.”

Mermelstein, in particular, has a gift for making students comfortable, even while discussing very difficult topics.

He begins his lectures with the facts. World War II took place between 1939 and 1945. Six million Jews died, more than two-thirds of the Jewish population of Europe.

He then folds his notes, and tells what happened to his family – his grandparents, parents, five brothers and a sister – during the war. Soldiers arrived at their home in a small town in Czechoslovakia one day in 1944 and gave them two hours to pack, but did not tell them where they were going.

After six weeks living in a ghetto near the train station, they were crammed into a crowded cattle car and traveled two days and one night.

“We knew we were in Poland, but we didn’t know where. The men went to the right, and the women and children went to the left,” Mermelstein said. Although he was only 14 years old, he continued, “an angel pushed me to the right,” along with his two older brothers – while the rest of the family went left. He and his brothers never saw the others again.

In line, he “stood on (his) brother’s feet to look taller, and pinched (his) cheeks to look healthy.” Thus began his experience at the Auschwitz concentration camp, where he worked and lived for more than a year.

He told the rapt students how he survived the horrific day-to-day experiences, a “death march,” and an injury to his hand leading to a stay in a makeshift field hospital. He had been left to die in this facility when the camp was liberated.

After the liberation, Mermelstein had to make his way back to his hometown in then Russian-occupied Czechoslovakia, and deal with significant health challenges – including circulation and knee problems, which he still experiences. Zisselsberger said students are often surprised to learn how much Mermelstein and other Holocaust survivors still had to go through after being liberated from Auschwitz.

Senior Erin Pelletier, who is double majoring in German and political science, said, “I learned that the Holocaust did not end with liberation.

The survivors often had no family and no home to return to, and were stranded in a foreign country with no money and no job.” She added that Mermelstein “shared the profoundly human moments of the Holocaust” with the class.

“Meeting David Mermelstein was my first personal experience with a Holocaust survivor, after years of reading Holocaust memoirs and historical fiction throughout my childhood. Hearing about his experiences made me realize how permanent a role the Holocaust had on his life,” said senior Alexa Fernandez, a German and psychology major. “What he didn’t say was equally or more powerful than his words, because it made it even more clear to me just how difficult it is to be a survivor, even after the war.”

Zisselsberger came into contact with Mermelstein through the Holocaust Survivors Support Internship Program (HSSIP), a unique, two-semester learning opportunity that pairs each participating student with a Holocaust survivor living in South Florida. HSSIP is administered through the Sue and Leonard Miller Center for Contemporary Jewish Studies, and the George Feldenkreis Program in Judaic Studies.

The students and their partners meet weekly for a full school year, and the students also attend twice-monthly enrichment programs at the Miller Center led by psychologist Dr. Mindy Hersh, a daughter of Holocaust survivors. These sessions are intended to make connections between information the students learn in their classes and their experiences working with their partners.

All participating students keep a journal, where they record their activities with their partners, and note their feelings and any questions that arise. They also write letters to their partners; their sentiments in these notes show how deeply the experience touches them.

Past participants have written: “I hope that my words have conveyed my immense gratitude to you, Aranka. I thank you for teaching me more than I will ever learn in any class, textbook or movie.”

“I value the knowledge and insight you blessed me with and pledge to you never to let your story or your resilient spirit be forgotten.”

The program culminates with the annual Legacy Luncheon, when participating students and survivors (along with faculty and staff) celebrate their work together. Each pair creates a Legacy Project to present at the event; these can include research projects, photo albums, cookbooks, works of art, etc.

Students enrolled in HSSIP are required to take a course on the Holocaust. Professor Zisselsberger’s class is one example, along with other options from several departments in the College.

Miller Center Associate Director for Academic Development and Senior Fellow Eugene Rothman coordinates HSSIP. He said, “For many, if not most, of the student participants, this is the most significant experience of their college years. They develop a sense of understanding, empathy, and commitment as a result of their involvement in the program.”

He added, “For the survivors, it is tremendously supportive. They love being involved with young people and feel that it is important to tell their stories to such a receptive audience. It is a win-win situation for all involved.”

Since HSSIP was launched in 2003, more than 500 students have participated in this life-changing experience.

Rothman said that the next steps will be to develop post-internship activities that allow the students to remain involved.

“The greatest challenge that the program faces is the sad but inevitable passing of the survivors,” he said. “What happens when the last survivor is gone? How will we recreate the educational impact that results from the connection between knowledge and living history once those who lived in those terrible times are gone?”

GER 370 students Jacobo Minski (center) and Jakob Wimmer (right) speak with Holocaust survivor David Mermelstein (left), after he addressed their class. The next day, the students visited Mermelstein at the Miami Beach Holocaust Memorial, where he volunteers as a tour guide. arts | sciences

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Historic preservation connects past to present renovation photos by d a n f o r e r

1 3 0 0 campo sano ave

history

re making in the

The 2013-14 school year brought a beautiful new home for the Departments of Geography & Regional Studies, International Studies, and Political Science. These three units are now located in the building at 1300 Campo Sano Avenue. Once the home to the Office of the President and other key administrative offices – and later known as the Art Building – the facility fell into disrepair in the early 2000s. By spring 2010, it had not been used for nearly a decade. geography d e pa r t m e n t lobby

The reception area for the Department of Geography is open, airy, and saturated with natural light.

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However, when Arva Parks McCabe – a Senior Member of the UM Board of Trustees and a noted historian, author and preservationist – looked at the crumbling walls, she saw much more than a decaying eyesore. “(This building) marks the beginning of the university on the current campus,” she said, adding, “You could say it was the most important building of the new era.”

The building’s historic significance is remarkable, and goes back to 1946, when World War II had just ended. The 1944 Servicemen’s Readjustment Act (known as the “G.I. Bill”) opened the doors to higher education for every veteran who had been on active duty for at least 90 days during the war, some 2.2 million young men.

The G.I. Bill created great opportunity for both the soldiers returning from war and the universities where they would study.

Associate Vice President for Campus Planning Janet Gavarrete said, “World War II was the spark that helped UM become the ‘great university for a great city’ envisioned by (Coral Gables and UM founder) George Merrick.”

In the fall of 1945, total enrollment at the 20-year-old University of Miami was 1,923.

For the spring semester, it had increased to 3,075. By the beginning of the 1946-47 academic year, more than 5,800 students had matriculated. Then-President Bowman Ashe was determined to accept all qualified applicants, but he did not have sufficient facilities to accommodate the influx of new students.

Enter the U.S. Army, which had built a significant number of temporary structures to serve as training centers and other facilities during the war. The Army donated these wartime relics to several universities, including the University of Miami.

When the simple wooden structures arrived on campus, South Florida architects Robert Law Weed and Marion Manley – the first woman architect in Miami and a pioneer in her field – re-designed the buildings to fit in with their plans for an “avant-garde, internationalstyle” campus for the University of Miami.

Gavarette said, “They integrated modernist elements: repeated large windows, a wide breezeway joining the building, and a very graphic design.” The many windows served a practical purpose as well, allowing air to circulate through the building in the hot summer months.

The campus leadership – including the Office of the President, Director of Admissions, Dean of the Graduate School, and more – quickly settled into the new space, which was the undisputed center of campus while more permanent buildings were designed and constructed. (Many of these, such as the Dooley Memorial Building, share features with 1300 Campo Sano.)

Parks McCabe said, “Every new student came through this building.”

By the late 1950s, the administrators had moved on, and the Art Department moved in.

For half a century, 1300 Campo Sano was a hub of creativity for student artists. Eventually, age took its toll and the building was closed due to safety concerns.

Fast forward to spring 2010, when the City of Coral Gables designated 1300 Campo Sano for historic preservation. According to the Gables Historical Resources Department, to earn that designation “individual properties must have significant character interest or value as part of the historical, cultural, archaeological, aesthetic, or architectural heritage of the City.”

1300 Campo Sano meets many of these criteria. It is associated with a “major historical event” – World War II – and “a past or continuing institution, which has contributed substantially to the life of the City” – UM. It is the work of prominent architect Marion Manley and is an example of design innovation.

After the city granted the designation, the University launched a major restoration of 1300 Campo Sano, hiring R.J. Heisenbottle Architects, P.A. – one of Miami’s best-known preservation architects – to lead the project.

Its scale was significant.

According to Heisenbottle, “the building was in such a dire state of disrepair that it was no longer safe for occupancy.”

Extensive roof leaks had destroyed all of the interior finishes, and mold covered most surfaces. Termite damage and wood rot had left the structure so fragile that it had to be supported by metal braces. The mechanical, electrical, plumbing and life safety systems were no longer working.

g e o g r a p h y LAB

1300 Campo Sano contains a state-of-the art Geography Lab, where students can use computers for research, computation, and analysis.

Heisenbottle’s goal was to rehabilitate the building in a way that preserved its historic integrity, while bringing it up to modern standards for materials, construction, and environmental friendliness.

It involved a painstaking process to ensure minimum impact on the historic elements of the building. The contracting team from Turnkey Construction installed new impact-resistant windows and doors that matched the original designs, utilized salvaged wood for the flooring, and stripped and reinstalled the original siding.

They even integrated new air-conditioning technology to minimize necessary ductwork and allow individual temperature control in each room.

The results are remarkable. Today, the new 1300 Campo Sano is a peaceful, yet dynamic, light-filled oasis for the Departments of Geography and Regional Studies, International Studies, and Political Science. It is home to a state-of-the-art Geography Lab, where faculty and students can work with the newest software for their research and studies.

Parks McCabe said, “Richard Heisenbottle did a masterful job returning the building to its original appearance while updating it for current use.”

The Florida Trust for Historic Preservation agreed, selecting the project to receive an award for Outstanding Restoration/ Rehabilitation.

Heisenbottle added, “The restoration was like a glimpse into a time capsule of the University’s history.”

1300 Campo Sano is the first project in a campus-wide historic preservation plan, which will include studying university buildings to assess their historic and architectural qualities.

Parks McCabe said, “Historic preservation provides a sense of place to an institution and connects past to present and faculty and students to each other.”

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THIS FEAT U RE HIGHLIGHTS C O U RSES THAT ARE C REATING SO M E C A M P U S B U Z Z .

“This class challenges me to dramatically reframe things that affect my daily life – like U.S. laws, my private university education, medical care, and planning for my future – in a historical context that I didn’t actively consider before.”

Alice Woods, first-year student in the da Vinci Program

Race MATTERS Da Vinci scholars examine the connections among science, race, and racism

Although it has no biological basis, the concept of “race” remains very real.

Race Matters – the Spring 2014 da Vinci Scholars class for students interested in pursuing a rigorous, interdisciplinary undergraduate experience – challenges students to examine the connections among science, race, and racism.

Assistant Professor of Anthropology Pamela Geller said the class title is intended to address both meanings of the word ”matter.“ Race “matters” because it is important socially. But looking at bodies as “matter,” or scientifically, is also a key element of the class.

Geller said, “When ‘othering’ comes from scientific endeavors, it is harder to refute,” but it is important that students carefully examine their beliefs about this very complicated topic.

“Some things that we have naturalized can be insidious if we do not reflect upon them critically,” she said.

Geller has designed the class to first track the development of race as a concept. Students investigate areas such as skin color and intelligence testing, in order to determine how race constructs have been defined over time. Geller said, “Skin color is biological, but it is arbitrary.” For example, in the 1800s in America, Irish immigrants and Jewish people were not considered “white.”

The class then moves on to a chronological examination of different racial themes, allowing students to “see things that we retain, and things that change over time,” Geller said.

She added that advances in technology can complicate these issues.

“Sometimes the technology is available before the bioethics are there.”

Texts for the class include The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, a non-fiction book that tells the story of a poor African-American woman whose cells were taken without her knowledge and later became one of the most important tools in medicine. Known as HeLa, cell lines grown from her original cells have been bought and sold by the billions – and

have been instrumental in the development of vaccines, gene mapping, and other medical advances. This New York Times bestseller examines the racial politics of medicine.

Alice Woods, a first-year student in the da Vinci Program, said, “This class challenges me to dramatically reframe things that affect my daily life – like U.S. laws, my private university education, medical care, and planning for my future – in a historical context that I didn’t actively consider before.”

She added, “We have talked a lot about the danger and power of attaching the idea of science to any concept, like human difference.”

The da Vinci Scholars Program is a new initiative in the College that aims to enhance opportunities for students to explore the interdisciplinary connections among the sciences, social sciences, and humanities. The Program is open, by invitation only, to students entering the University with top high-school grades and test scores who have indicated an interest in taking such a multi-faceted approach to their studies.

Woods said the da Vinci Program has allowed her to draw such links within her own class schedule this semester. “I have found a lot of crossover, for example, between this anthropology class and my feminist inquiries class – and I use readings and discussions from each class to inform the other.”

First-year da Vinci scholar Morgan Owens said that the program gives “students who are not social science majors an opportunity to think critically about social themes.”

Each semester, da Vinci Program participants take one class as a group, which addresses topics across the sciences and the humanities.

Only 40 students per year are accepted to this program.

Geller said teaching the daVinci students is “a pleasure and a challenge,” adding that the students are very smart and always willing to discuss the class materials in great depth.

“It’s a very diverse group,” Geller said. “The students are able to ground concepts from the class in their personal experiences.”

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Neil Johnson Professor of Physics

Complexity Theory: Expecting the Unexpected

T

he study of algebra traces its roots to the ancient Babylonians, Greek scholars in the third century, and a French mathematician in the 16th century. So, it is likely that for nearly 4,000 years, algebra students have lamented that they would never use the complicated equations and abstract concepts.

In the College of Arts & Sciences, however, an interdisciplinary research group in Complexity – led by Professor of Physics Neil Johnson – is employing such mathematical formulas in unexpected ways, using them to explain everything from the growth of cancer tumors to group dynamics in online games.

“A complex system is one in which unexpected phenomena emerge spontaneously at the macro-level through the micro-level interactions of many objects over time,” Johnson said.

He cited traffic jams as an example of complexity theory. Understanding what a single car can do provides little information about the traffic jam; the interactions among the cars are more important. Complexity theory can be applied to medicine, molecular biology, neurology, economics, sociology, and more.

Any system that contains many interacting objects that are not in equilibrium, and which receive strong feedback from both within and outside the system, is likely “complex.” Extreme behavior often results.

“Everyone is connected to everyone else via an intricate web,” Johnson said. “They’re all hungry for information and trying to make sense of what is happening in the world to guess how everyone else is likely to react.”

That, he said, could lead to significant fluctuations in world financial markets. Working with the largest international banking group, HSBC, Johnson is trying to develop an indicator that would alert traders to potential adverse events.

Johnson’s research on complex systems has helped him forge collaborations with experts from a variety of fields.

He is working with researchers from the Sylvester Comprehensive

18 SPRING 2014

Cancer Center on a study of tumor growth and acceleration. He is also collaborating with epidemiologists and math ecologists to figure out how rapidly infections can spread to different communities.

Complexity can also be applied to interpersonal and inter-societal conflicts.

A “power law” is a pervasive mathematical relationship that is found in many seemingly unrelated conflicts. Johnson and his colleagues have used power laws to compare the manner in which a baby’s cries escalate to the way riots in Poland escalated in the lead-up to the collapse of the Soviet Union.

It comes down to the fact that the “perpetrator” in both cases – the baby, and the rioters – adapts more quickly than the larger but less flexible entity – the parent, or the government. The perpetrator is left unsatisfied by the inability or unwillingness of the other to respond.

The Complexity team has also found more remarkable applications for the power law:

• The escalation of violent attacks in remote Magdalena, Colombia, exhibits the same patterns as all modern wars. Meanwhile, recent conflict in Sierra Leone, Africa, has exactly the same dynamics as the narco-guerilla war in Antioquia, Colombia.

• The pattern of attacks by predatory traders against General Electric stock is equivalent to the pattern of cyber-attacks against the U.S. high-tech electronics sector by foreign groups.

The findings show that this mathematical formula is a valuable tool that can be applied to make quantitative predictions concerning future attacks in any given confrontation. It can also be used to create an intervention strategy against the perpetrators and, more broadly, as a quantitative starting point for cross-disciplinary theorizing about human aggression, at the individual and group levels, in both real and online worlds.

The study, titled “Simple mathematical law benchmarks human confrontations,” was published this fall in the online open access scientific journal, Scientific Reports, published by the Nature Publishing Group.

Johnson also is the author of an authoritative book on complexity, Simply Complexity: A Clear Guide to Complexity Theory (Oneworld Publishing, 2009).

He notes that complexity science is a growing focus for his discipline: “It always struck me that this was an area in which physics could move and would probably be able to say something at least different and hopefully interesting and new.”

The College is expanding its commitment to Complexity science by hiring four new professors across the science departments. Stay tuned to meet these new professors in our Fall edition.

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50s

_______________________________ LARRY WILDE, A.B. ’52, drama, has been a multi-faceted practitioner of comedy for more than 50 years. He’s also a leading motivational humorist, the founder of National Humor Month, and Director of the Carmel Institute of Humor to promote humor as a tool for wellness, productivity and creativity.

Among his 53 books are two serious works: The Great Comedians Talk About Comedy, and How the Great Comedy Writers Create Laughter, featuring interviews with 28 comedy luminaries discussing their craft, including Johnny Carson, Woody Allen, and Mel Brooks.

He currently lives in Carmel, CA, with his wife, author Mary Poulos Wilde.

Class notes | alumni profiles

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 Cristina Mas, College of Arts & Sciences, University of Miami, P.O. Box 248004, Coral Gables, Florida 33124-4620 or via email to c.mas1@miami.edu.

CHRISTOPHER FELVER, A.B. ’69, history,

has published five books of photography, most recently American Jukebox and Beat.

Contributing to the visual archives of American culture, he has been a part of the American photography and videography scene for over 20 years. Felver’s work has been featured in over 35 exhibits around the world, including the New York Public Library, the Fahey/Klein Gallery of LA, the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Centre Pompidou in Paris. He recently directed and produced the documentary Ferlinghetti: A Rebirth of Wonder.

70s

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60s

_______________________________ LEON J. HOFFMAN, A.B. ’61, psychology, has continued the lifelong career as a chambermusic cellist that he started playing in the Miami Symphony while at UM. He has a Clinical Psychology practice in Chicago, specializing in individual, group and couples therapy, and consultation to organizations.

GORDON GILBERT, B.ARCH. ’68, M.A. ’75, art history, is currently practicing architecture in New York City. Two of his projects in the Catskill Region of Upstate New York have been published in the recent Taschen book Wood Architecture Now 2, edited by Philip Jodidio. He is also the author of the forthcoming book Transparent Architecture, to be released in Fall 2014.

LARRY ZEIGER, A.B. ’70, psychology and film, recently published what is likely the first-ever memoir collection where every story is paired with a specific bottle of wine. Nice Legs! A Pairing of Wine and Words, was co-authored by fellow educator Jack Beddows. Two of the stories in the book were honored by the San Diego Book Awards, including the Short Story of the Year, “Fade In, Fade Out.” Larry also co-authored and composed the score to a

new musical production, Sweating Palms- A Steamy Tale of Passion with a Coffee Aroma.

He is currently working on a third album of original music and is also on the Board of Directors of the San Diego Children’s Discovery Museum; he was recently honored for his community service by the San Diego North County Philanthropic Council.

PAUL EVANS, D.O., B.S. ’72 biology, was one of

the first students to live in the then-new “1968 Complex” and was the first-ever occupant of Room 501. It is now Pentland Tower. He was also the co-captain of the UM Varsity Cheerleaders, and as an Army ROTC graduate, Paul earned honors as a Distinguished Military Graduate. Upon graduation, he became a family physician and started a 26-year military medicine career in the US Army Medical Department, mostly teaching in family medicine residency programs. Evans retired in 1998 and started a follow-on medical education career in osteopathic medicine. He was a founding dean at a medical school in the Atlanta area in 2005 (Georgia Campus-Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine), and this year founded another medical school in Indianapolis at the Marian University College of Osteopathic Medicine.

WILLIAM H. WALKER, ESQ., A.B. ’68, politics and public affairs, is an age group diving coach in St. Petersburg, FL. Walker is very active in the sport of diving, and he recently took a photo with some of his students “All Caned Up.” Way to show your school spirit!

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Class notes | alumni profiles

ANTHONY C. MUSTO, B.G.S. ’72, general

studies, was elected Chair of the Florida Bar Public Interest Law Section, and elected to the American Bar Association Criminal Justice Section Council. He has also been appointed to the American Bar Association Youth At-Risk Advisory Committee. Musto is currently an Associate Professor of Professional Skills at St. Thomas University School of Law in Miami Gardens, FL.

80s

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KAREN JOHNSON (nee MACPHERSON), B.S. ’84, Biology Pre Med, is the Practice Manager of the medical practice of her husband, Dr. Mark Johnson, ’84, in Venice, FL. They have three children and have been married for 30 years.

MIRIAM SINGER, M.P.A. ’85, A.B. ’82,

public administration, is currently the Chief Procurement Officer and Assistant Director of the Internal Services Department for MiamiDade County. She is responsible for the countywide purchase of goods and services, as well as architectural/engineering contracting, and certain construction programs for Miami-Dade County government.

DAVID JONES, B.S. ’83, chemistry and

mathematics, was recently promoted to Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of Vermont. He was also selected as Commander of the 158 Medical Group in the Vermont Air National Guard.

GARY E. ROBERTS, M.S. ’79, environmental health and occupational safety, B.B.A. ’72, is an independent consultant to the Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) program for research and development. After graduating from UM in the first group of Environmental Health and Occupational Safety Master’s students and retiring from his career, Roberts received a certificate in the new UAS program offered by Sinclair Community College in Dayton, OH.

DR. DAVID B. MILLER, M.S. ’72, Ph.D. ’73, psychology, was invited to speak on “Presentation Design in Education” at a TEDx conference in September 2013. He was also an invited speaker at a Sakler Symposium on “Communicating Developmental Psychobiology” at the meeting of the International Society for Developmental Psychobiology in San Diego, CA in November 2013. David is currently a Professor and UConn Teaching Fellow at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, CT.

20 SPRING 2014

SANTIAGO J. BLANCO, B.S. ’84, Chemistry, has recently returned home to Miami, to serve as Innovation and Technical Service Director for Andes Chemical Corporation.

He has worked for 29 years at Rohm and Haas and Dow Chemical in Miami, Philadelphia and Charlotte.

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90s

_______________________________ SANDI BUCHANAN VISSCHER, B.S. ’91,

microbiology, attended the University of Florida College of Medicine and completed residency training at Halifax Hospital in Daytona Beach, where she has lived since 1995. She is an independent Family Practitioner caring for numerous families in the community. Sandi is also President of the Medical Staff at Halifax Health Medical Center and is active in the supervision of Children’s Education at the Port Orange Presbyterian Church. She is married with two children and a wonderful husband who supports all of her crazy activities.

00s

_______________________________ SCOTT GARDNER, A.B. ’03, political science, is

working in Washington, D.C., for InterMedia, where he manages surveys throughout developing countries.

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AVANTHI KOPURI, A.B. ’99, psychology, graduated from

her Orthodontics residency at the University of Colorado with her Masters of Science and Orthodontics Certificate.

She is now working as an Orthodontist at Central Florida Orthodontic Specialists, which has eight locations throughout Central Florida. Although she enjoyed her time in Colorado, she was happy to return to sunny Florida.

DR. JENNIFER JURADO, Ph.D. ’03, B.S. ’98,

marine biology, is a member of the staff for President Obama’s Task Force on Climate Resilience and Preparedness. The Task Force is charged with developing recommendations that can be taken to remove barriers to resilient investments, modernize grant and loan programs, and develop information and tools to better serve communities. Jurado provides support for the Built Systems Work Group and serves as a lead organizer for recommendations specific to coastal infrastructure.

RICK TILELLI, B.S. ’03, computer science, is

currently managing software development efforts for several enterprise-level projects at ADP. This includes an integration between ADP’s clients and large OEMs to transfer inventory and financial data. He is also working on a data warehouse solution across disparate data centers and platforms, for another large client. Tilelli is always learning something new, which keeps his job exciting and allows him to grow in his career.

CATHERINE COTTRELL, M.A. ’06, international

studies, was awarded her Ph.D. in geography by the University of South Carolina in December 2013. Cottrell specializes in political and cultural geography, as well as European studies. Her future research will expand upon her doctoral dissertation, focusing on youth geographies of citizenship, identity, and belonging in divided societies.

THERESA CROWLEY, A.B. ’08, international studies, is the Midwest Regional Director of College Admissions Assistance, a private educational company that helps young people make good decisions and earn financial aid throughout the college planning process.

Every weekend she speaks publicly to groups of up to 1,000 high school students and their families about going to college. Her jurisdiction covers 12 states.

10s

_______________________________ CHRISTOPHER PINA, M.B.A. ’13, A.B. ’09,

BRAD JOHNSON, A.B. ’99, M.F.A. ’01, creative

writing, recently published his first full-length poetry collection The Happiness Theory with Main Street Rag. Johnson’s poetry is forthcoming in Atlanta Review, Columbia Poetry Review, Cottonwood, Epicenter, PANK, Permafrost, Poet Lore, The South Carolina Review, Yemassee, and others. He is currently an associate professor at Palm Beach State College in Lake Worth, FL.

business, graduated from UM’s M.B.A. program with a Real Estate concentration.

Over the summer, Pina worked with Master Development Inc., a real estate development company. In August of 2013, he began law school at FIU in hopes of furthering his knowledge of real estate and preparation for social entrepreneurship.

arts | sciences

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facultyobituaries

“A great soul serves everyone all the time. A great soul never dies. It brings us together again and again.” Maya Angelou

Don ald L. C a po n e

T om H e r b e r t

M i g u e l B a l s a Marín

Professor Emeritus of Geography

Professor Emeritus of Biology

Assistant Professor of Spanish

Capone joined the Department of Geography in 1969. Awestruck with Africa since he first saw Mount Kilimanjaro as a graduate student, his work focused on the effects of human population growth on wild animal migration patterns. Capone taught classes on cartography and East African geography, and led several student research trips to Kenya before retiring in 1999. He passed away in December 2013 in Mombasa, Kenya.

An avid photographer with a passion for plants, lasers, and computers, Herbert was a faculty member in the Department of Biology from 1974-2012. Herbert taught thousands of students, to whom he was extremely devoted. An insatiable adventurer, he circumnavigated the globe by air and land twice, and traveled throughout six continents. Herbert passed away near Irkutsk, Siberia, in November 2013.

Balsa Marín passed away suddenly in December 2013, just one semester after joining the Department of Modern Languages & Literatures. A Spanish national who earned his Ph.D. in comparative literature from Princeton University, Balsa Marín worked as a journalist and a theatre designer before beginning his career in academia. He taught courses on Spanish language and Spanish cinema.

22 SPRING 2014

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Lester Goran Professor of Creative Writing A talented writer, inspirational teacher, and the founder of the UM Creative Writing Program, Goran passed away in February 2014 at age 85. During a career in the College of Arts & Sciences that spanned over half a century, he helped more than 20,000 students find their voices and tell their stories. Goran joined the English Department faculty in 1960, and worked to establish the first creative writing curriculum five years later.

Professor M. Evelina Galang, director of the Creative Writing Program, said, “Lester Goran was a writer who practiced his craft to the end. In doing so, he was a master who, by example, lecture and encouragement, ushered several important writers into this world.

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He was a bright light who made the University of Miami’s Creative Writing Program what it is today.”

Throughout his long teaching career, Professor Goran wrote prolifically, penning eight novels, a memoir, and three short story collections. His work has been compared to Charles Dickens and Thomas Wolfe, and noted literary critic Chauncey Mabe called him “one of the greatest American novelists and short story writers you’ve probably never heard of.”

In a 2010 interview, Goran said he was drawn to writing to explain his life. “I couldn’t understand myself unless I partially fictionalized myself into a drama. Produced, directed and written by myself.” He added that he loved teaching, “dealing with many young people that are on the edge of self-discovery.”

The Goran Scholarship in Creative Writing allows the Creative Writing Program to enhance its academic offerings and provide scholarships for graduate and undergraduate students. To make an online donation to the Goran Scholarship Fund, please visit www.as.miami.edu/english/creativewriting/givetogoran/

Theo d ore Mill o n

Be ry l M ur r ay

Professor Emeritus of Psychology

Retired Administrator, Department of Psychology

A noted psychologist who developed a widely used measure to analyze character traits and personality disorders, Millon served as director of clinical training for the Department of Psychology from 1977 to 1987. In this capacity, he mentored many students. Millon wrote more than 25 books, and was awarded the American Psychological Association Gold Medal for Lifetime Achievement in 2008. He passed away in January 2014.

A skilled administrator who kept the Department of Psychology running smoothly for 12 years, Murray was a key member of the staff from 1978 to 1990. She passed away at 91 years old in February 2014.

“We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.” Winston Churchill

arts | sciences

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calendar

2014

CASevents May the intercontinental miami

CARD Tropical Nights Gala Event: May 10, 2014 The annual “Tropical Nights” event to support the UM Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) offers a funfilled evening of dining, dancing and art.

The 2014 featured artist is Justin Canha, a high-school student with autism and a gift for drawing, whose work is shown at the Ricco Maresca Gallery in New York. CARD will also honor Dr. Rod Wellens, chair of the UM Department of Psychology, for over 20 years of support and commitment to CARD and the South Florida autism community. More than 7,000 families access services through CARD each year.

june

september

lowe art museum

um wynwood gallery

China’s Last Empire: The Art and Culture of the Qing Dynasty Exhibition Dates: June 21-October 19, 2014 Featuring more than 100 objects drawn from the Lowe’s extensive collection of Asian art, China’s Last Empire will examine the art, culture, and religion of China’s last Imperial dynasty, the Qing (1644-1912). The exhibition will examine themes such as artistic production for the Imperial court and the literati (scholar-official) class; art and the Qing belief structure, including Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism; and China’s cultural impact on Europe and East Asia through international trade.

Organized by the Lowe Art Museum and curated by Brian A. Dursum, Director and Chief Curator.

For more information about this special soirée, visit www.cardtropicalnights.org/home.php.

October-November college of arts and sciences

Alumni Weekend and Homecoming 2014

Homecoming 2014 Email alumniweekend@miami.edu for more information.

Event: October 30-November 2, 2014 Plans are underway to help alums come back home and commemorate their place in the history of the U. Alumni Weekend and Homecoming will feature special milestone reunions for the classes of 1964 (50th), 1989 (25th) and 2004 (10th). Events include the Audrey R. Finkelstein UM Experience, Alumni Avenue, and – of course – the Homecoming Game versus the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Alums who want to give back to the U, and help create opportunities for their classmates and friends to reconnect, should join the reunion committee.

52014 Alumni Weekend and Homecoming festivities are scheduled for the weekend of October 30-November 2.

24 SPRING 2014

Here to There Exhibition Dates: September 9-26, 2014 The Department of Art & Art History presents Here to There, an exhibition featuring the works of four MFA students from the Ceramics program. The exhibition will take place at UM’s two-year-old gallery space in the art-friendly Wynwood area. Preview is Thursday evening, September 11, and the opening reception will be held on Saturday, September 13, from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m.

October center for the humanities

Inaugural Edith Bleich Lecture: Carol Berkin, Presidential Professor of History Emerita, Baruch College, CUNY Event: October 30, 2014 at 4:30 p.m.

A nationally known expert on early American and women’s history, Berkin has written extensively about women in the formative years of our country. Her publications include First Generations: Women of Colonial America (1996) and Revolutionary Mothers: Women in the Struggle for America’s Independence (2004).

She has consulted on several PBS and History Channel documentaries, including the Academy-Award nominated Scottsboro Boys.

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“ T o g et her,

”i am the sciences“

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Colle g e ”

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an annual gift to the College or a department/program of your choice.

Brian Austin Day, Class of 2016 and Shirin Razdan, Class of 2014: Brian is learning new skills in his Glass Blowing class, and likes to spear fish in his free time. Shirin entered the College with a perfect SAT score!

She loves to dance, and is looking forward to starting at the Miller School of Medicine in the fall.

Support our future Artists, Scientists, Scholars and Leaders today.

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ILLUMINATING AUTHORS

photo: Courtesy University Archives, © Michael Carlebach

In 1978 – with a mixture of hero worship and academic responsibility as founder and director of the Creative Writing Program – Professor Lester Goran invited his good friend Isaac Bashevis Singer to Coral Gables as a visiting professor. The influential Yiddish writer was then 74 years old, and just months from receiving his Nobel Prize in Literature. The two prolific and talented authors taught advanced writing classes together for 10 years and maintained an extraordinary friendship until Singer’s death in 1991. Goran was still an active faculty member at UM when he passed

away in February 2014. The Creative Writing Program continues Goran’s legacy of bringing acclaimed authors to campus, and most recently hosted Haitian-American writer Edwidge Danticat through the Ibis Literary Reading & Performance Series. Danticat received a MacArthur “genius grant” in 2009; her books include Breath, Eyes, Memory and Brother, I’m Dying. Across the years, writing students in the College of Arts & Sciences have the opportunity to work with the era’s most brilliant literary minds.