Faculty and Staff Notes

Professor of Mathematics Jim Walsh gave a talk at the International Conference on Advances in Nonsmooth Dynamics, from June 13-15, 2018 in Bristol, England. Jim spoke about his research in conceptual climate modeling, in which nonsmooth dynamical systems theory plays a major role.

Afia Ofori-Mensa, assistant dean in the College of Arts and Sciences and assistant professor of comparative American studies and Africana studies, was a guest on NPR’s On Point where she discussed the “makeover” of the Miss America pageant.

Gina Perez, professor of comparative American studies, wrote an op-ed about immigration reform that was published in the Morning Journal.

Professor of East Asian Studies Sheila Miyoshi Jager was quoted in a USA Today story on June 4, 2018 about the significance of major changes in North Korean top defense and military leadership as reported by various press in early June, fewer than two weeks before the unprecedented summit between the U.S. and North Korea in Singapore.

Megan Kaes Long, assistant professor of music theory, published "Cadential Syntax and Tonal Expectation in Late Sixteenth-Century Homophony" in the May 2018 issue of Music Theory Spectrum.

Sebastiaan Faber, professor of Hispanic studies, co-authored an article in the Nation about governmental developments in Spain. Read the article, “As Spain’s Government Is Voted Out, Catalonia Continues Its Roller-Coaster Ride.”

Kristina Mani, associate professor of politics, was interviewed for the Bloomberg opinion piece, “Stakes are High in Columbia’s Presidential Election.”

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Patrick Simen spent three weeks in Australia supported by a Powers Travel Grant. There, he visited labs and gave talks at University of Tasmania in Hobart, University of Melbourne, University of New South Wales in Sydney, and University of Newcastle. Simen’s talks focused on the mathematical modeling of perceptual decision making by humans and understanding how the brain incorporates reward information and timing information into simple perceptual decisions.

Assistant Professor of Physics Jillian Scudder’s book, Astroquizzical, was reviewed in E&T Magazine and Times Higher Education.

Alexia Hudson-Ward, Azariah Smith Root director of libraries, was elected to a three-year term as vice-chair/chair-elect of the College Libraries Section (CLS) of the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL). The purpose of ACRL-CLS is "... to advance college librarianship and encourage the development of library services in baccalaureate degree-granting institutions. CLS is a nimble, responsive section that engages in conversation, connection, collaboration, and celebration for librarians who serve primarily undergraduate and teaching-focused institutions."