28 feb -

7 march

2005

celebrate asian awareness month at wellesley

March is Asian Awareness Month at Wellesley. Opportunities abound to explore and celebrate Asian and Asian American heritage. The events aim to raise awareness of cultural issues, to explore diversity, to discuss contributions, to honor achievements and to share the history of Asian Americans today. Among the highlights:
Circles of Healing, Circles of Peace is the creation of a sand mandala of compassion at the Davis Museum (go to www.davismuseum.wellesley.edu/exhibitions/exhibitions_mandala.html). The exhibit runs through March 1.

On March 4, David L. Eng will address transnational adoption (see story, page 4) and a kick-off concert, “Revolution,” will offer music and comedy at 8 pm in Schneider Center. The concert features American Idol finalist Vudoo Soul (also known as Chris Vu, MIT student); singer-songwriters Manisha Shahane, Ken Oak and Melissa Li and comedian PK.

On March 14 at 5 pm in Pendleton Atrium, Riffat Hassan, a pioneer of feminist theology in Islamic tradition, will present “Islam and Women.” On March 30 from 6-8 pm in Pendleton Atrium, ikebana, or Japanese flower arranging, will be demonstrated by artist Tomoko Tanaka, who will show how to create seven arrangements.

Events will also take place in early April, including the Pan-Asian Culture Show April 1 at 7 pm in Jewett Auditorium, an evening of dance, music and spoken word. On April 2 at 6 pm in Jewett, an exhibit, Still Present Pasts: Korean Americans and the “Forgotten War,” will include video, installations and performance art by Korean and Korean American artists.

“This year’s Asian Awareness Month events celebrate Asian and Asian American heritage and identity by facilitating discussions, performances, panels, lectures and workshops,” said Karen Shih, director of Multicultural Programs and advisor to Asian students. “These events allow the community to learn more about the diversity of Asian cultures and issues.” For more information, call x2959.

film/discussion on the shattering of innocence

The Wellesley Association for South Asian Cultures (WASAC) will present an independent film, The Day My God Died, followed by a discussion with director Andrew Levine and human-rights activist Anuradha Koirala Sunday, March 6, at 4 pm in Collins Cinema.

The film presents the stories of young girls whose lives by the thousands are shattered by the child sex trade. They describe the day they were abducted from their villages and sold into sexual servitude as “the day my God died.”

“According to a 1994 survey, there are at least 70,000 female sex workers in India’s five major cities alone, and 15% were forced into prostitution under age 12,” said WASAC President Sarmili Saha ’05. “As an institution that prides itself on promoting women’s issues globally, I believe it is extremely important that the Wellesley community acknowledge the bleak opportunities available to some women and find ways to get involved.”

The film provides footage from the brothels of Bombay, captured with hidden cameras. It weaves the stories of girls and their stolen hopes and dreams into an unforgettable examination of the growing plague of child sex slavery.

Levine has spent the past three years working on this film. He also has worked in Hollywood with Norman Lear, Once Upon A Time Film Productions and at the Sundance Film Festival.

Koirala founded the organization Maiti Nepal, which combats the trafficking of girls and women, helps to rescue and rehabilitate victims and fights for female and child welfare. For more, contact sbaig@wellesley.edu.

all about stem cells

Kim O’Donnell, biological sciences, will present a lecture, “The Biology of Stem Cells: Hype, Hope, Hypothesis,” on Wednesday, March 2, from 12:30-1:30 pm in the Science Center, Room 278.

An adult stem cell, collected from human bone marrow, can replace blood cells killed by cancer or by cancer treatments like radiation and chemotherapy. O’Donnell will tackle questions about stem cells such as “what are the differences among neural stem cells, embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells?” and “why are stem cells important?” Lunch will be served. The lecture is sponsored by the Neuroscience Club. For more information, contact gpark@wellesley.edu.

students are honored with three generations prize

Three Wellesley students have been awarded the Three Generations Prize in Writing 125 by the Writing Program. First prize went to Chloe Woodward-Magrane ’08 for her essay, “Identity and the Idea of Home in the Writing of Christ Offutt.” She is a student of a student of Heather Jordan. The judges found Woodward-Magrane’s essay “a sensitive, skilled and original treatment of the works by a complex and lesser-known writer.”

Second prize has been awarded to Kathryn Lynch’s student, Tonia Wu ’08, for her essay, “Gearwe: Capturing the Essence of an Old English Word,” which the judges deemed “a creative and unusual exploration of the myriad meanings of one word.”

An Honorable Mention award went to Susan Downer ’08, a student of Lynne Viti, for her essay, “The Effects of Brown v. Board of Education on DeKalb County Schools and My Education.” The judges described Susan’s essay as “a provocative and thoughtful use of incisive research combined with personal exploration.”

Each semester the Writing Program awards the Three Generations Prize to students whose work demonstrates the qualities of the best writing: clarity, eloquence and a deep feeling of engagement with the subject matter.

Students’ essays are nominated for the Prize by their Writing 125 instructors, and winners are selected by a panel of judges from the Writing Program faculty.

The Prize is supported by the Three Generations Fund, named in honor of the three generations of Wellesley alumnae whose gift has contributed much to the growth of the Writing Program: Judith Stern Randal; her daughter, Judith Randal Hines, and her mother, Sybil Cohen Stern.

collective memoir describes women’s history

On Tuesday, March 1, at 4:30 pm in the Library Lecture Room, Bettina Aptheker, an activist, writer and professor of women’s studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, will talk about “Autobiography as Witness: The Collective Reconstruction of Women’s History.”

“She is one of the leading figures in women’s studies in the country,” said Professor Marjorie Agosin, Spanish.

Aptheker is known for her work on women’s history, culture and social movements. She is the author of Tapestries of Life: Women’s Work, Women’s Consciousness and the Meaning of Daily Experience (1989), Women’s Legacy: Essays on Race, Sex and Class in American History (1986) and The Morning Breaks: The Trial of Angela Davis (1976/1999). Her presentation on “Autobiography as Witness” is based on her latest book, which examines the late 20th-century women’s movement from the vantage point of Aptheker’s lifelong work as an activist in the Berkeley Free Speech movement and the American women’s movement. For more information, call x2199.

colleagues in the news

The following research grants were announced at the Feb. 9 Academic Council meeting: martin brody, music, Fromm Music Foundation, “Commission for an Orchestral Composition for the Boston Modern Orchestra Project”; nolan flynn, chemistry, National Science Foundation, (subcontract from Brandeis University), three years of research support, “Designing Viruses for Studies of Liquid-Crystals and Self-Assembly”; david haines, chemistry, National Science Foundation, (subcontract from University of Florida), “REU Leadership Group: Developing an Active and Diverse Undergraduate Chemistry Research Program”; alejandra osorio, history, National Endowment for the Humanities, fellowship in support of early leave, “Inventing Lima: The Making of an Early Modern Colonial Capital, 1535-1720”; glenn stark, physics, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, three years of research support, “Laboratory Measurements of Molecular Photoabsorption Cross Sections in the Ultraviolet for Planetary Atmospheres Applications”; laura wagner, psychology, National Institutes of Health, Small Grant Program, two years of research support, “Cues to Event Individuation Used by Pre-Schoolers.”

christopher candland, political science, and his wife, Nurjanah, were interviewed by radio station Suara Surabaya for a 90-minute program about U.S. and Indonesian media coverage of the tsunami disaster. “We mentioned that colleagues at Wellesley are assisting survivors in Aceh with cash donations and that Nurjanah and I will be going to Aceh to see how Wellesley might help further,” he reported. Surabaya is Indonesia’s second largest city, and this, its most popular radio station, has more than 800,000 listeners. “We even had callers from Europe, who listen from the Web,” he noted.

calendar

monday february 28

italian table. 12:30-1:30 pm, Tower Court private dining hall. Info: x2616.

lecture. “A Reading with Darin Strauss.” 5:45 pm, Library Lecture Room. Sponsor: English. Info: x2591.

meeting. College Government Senate. 6 pm, Academic Council Room. Info: x1181.

esl tutoring. 6-8 pm, PLTC small conference room. Info: x2480.

cws workshop. “Alumnae/Student Mock Interviews.” 6:30-8:30 pm, GRH 441. Info: x2352.

meditation. 7-8:15 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

apt workshop. “Do You Have Too Much Reading?” 7:30 pm, Munger. Info: x2641.

tuesday march 1

panel discussion. “The Gray Areas of Plagiarism.” Speakers: Mary Lefkowitz, classical studies; Chailee Mann-Stadt ’05; Lynne Viti, writing program. 12:20-1:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. Sponsors: PLTC and Writing Program. Info/RSVP: bburck@wellesley.edu.

dismantling ceremony. “Circles of Light, Circles of Joy.” 4-5 pm, DMCC. Info: x2793.

lecture. “Truth and Autobiography.” Speaker: Bettina Aptheker, women’s studies, UCLA-Santa Cruz. 4:30-6:30 pm, Library Lecture Room. (See story) Sponsor: Spanish. Info: x2402.

celebration. “Circles of Light, Circles of Joy.” 5 pm, Slater. Info: x2793.

sharing circle. 7-8 pm, Little Chapel. Sponsor: Unitarian Universalist. Info: x3484.

apt workshop. “Time Is on My Side.” 7:30 pm, Beebe. Info: x2641.

german table. 7:30-8:30 pm, Schneider loft. Info: x2584.

apt workshop. “Test Well, Feel Swell.” 8 pm, Tower Great Hall. Info: x2641.

wednesday march 2

19-day fast begins. Baha’i tradition.

lecture. “Biology of Stem Cells: Hype, Hope, Hypothesis.” Speaker: Kim O’Donnell, biological sciences. 12:30 pm, SCI 278. (See story) Sponsor: Neuroscience. Info: x3078.

cws workshop. “Job Search Strategies and Networking.” 12:30 pm, GRH 428. Info: x2352.

meditation. 12:30-1 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

open house. Computer Science department. 12:30-1:30 pm, SCI 155. Info: x3147.

lecture. “Celebrating 65: Making Sense of Social Security.” 12:30-1:30, Library Lecture Room. WC employees only. Sponsor: HR. Info: x2212.

french table. 12:30-1:30 pm, Bates private dining hall. Info: x2403.

spanish table. 12:30-1:30 pm, Tower Court small dining room. Info: x3571.

panel discussion. “Exploring Prospects for Peace Between Israel and Palestine.” 12:30-2 pm, PNE 225A. Info: CPLAmail@wellesley.edu.

russian table. 1-2 pm, FND 416. Info: x3584.

anime film. Beautiful Dreamer, Oshii Mamoru. 4:50 and 7:30 pm, FND 207. Sponsor: East Asian Languages and Literatures. Info: x3226.

meeting. Good Book Club. 6:30 pm, BIL 202. Sponsor: Protestant Christian Chaplaincy. Info: x2655.

lecture. “Globalization Personalized: Transnational Adoption and Racial Transference.” Speaker: David Eng, English, Rutgers. PNW 212, 6:30-8:30 pm. (See story) Sponsor: Asian Awareness Month. Info: x2959.

apt workshop. “Be Prepared for That Test!” 7 pm, Cazenove living room. Info: x2641.

apt workshop. “Speak Up: Public Speaking.” 9 pm, Freeman. Info: x2641.

thursday march 3

meditation. 12:30-1 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

panel discussion. “Human Rights in the Americas.” Speakers: Peter Komblauh, John Dinges, Odette Magnette, June Erlick. 4:30, Library Lecture Room. Sponsor: Spanish. Info: x2402.

esl tutoring. 6-8 pm, PLTC small conference room. Info: x2480.

lecture. “Iran: Next Hot Topic in U.S. Foreign Policy.” Speaker: Phil Kohl, anthropology. 7-9 pm, PNE 225A. Info: Slatermail@wellesley.edu.

friday march 4

prayer/discussion. Muslim communal (Jummah). 12:45-1:30 pm, lower chapel. Info: x2025.

kick-off concert. “Revolution!” 8 pm, Schneider. Sponsor: Asian Awareness Month Committee. (See story) Info: x2959.

saturday march 5

sunday march 6

worship service. 11:15 am, Houghton Chapel. Sponsor: Protestant Christian Chaplaincy. Info: x2655.

catholic mass. 4 pm, Houghton Chapel. Sponsor: Newman Catholic Ministry. Info: x2688.

film/discussion. The Day My God Died. Speaker: Andrew Levine, director; Anuradha Koirala, human rights activist. 4 pm, Collins Cinema. (See story) Sponsor: WASAC. Info: WASACmail@wellesley.edu.

meeting. Darshana. 5 pm, meditation room, Houghton Chapel. Sponsor: Hindu Community. Info: x2794.

monday march 7

lecture. “Synthetic Quests: Metalloenzyme Models and Unusual Organometallic Complexes.” Speaker: Rebecca Conry, Chemistry, Colby College. 12:30-1:20 pm, SCI 278. Sponsor: Chemistry. Info: x3149.

italian table. 12:30-1:30 pm, Tower Court private dining hall. Info: x2616.

cws workshop. “Job Search Correspondence.” 4:30 pm, FND 120. Info: x2352.

cws workshop. “Self-Assessment.” 4:30-6:30 pm, GRH 338. Pre-registration required. Info: x2352.

cws panel discussion. “Classical Studies Majors.” 4:30-6:30 pm, Jewett Sculpture Court. Info: x2352.

meeting. College Government Senate. 6 pm, Academic Council Room. Info: x1181.

esl tutoring. 6-8 pm, PLTC small conference room. Info: x2480.

meditation. 7-8:15 pm, meditation room, lower chapel. Sponsor: Buddhist Community. Info: x2793.

lecture. “The Intersections of Race and Sexual Orientation.” Speaker: Ava de Leon, playwright and poet. 7:30-9 pm, PNW 212. Sponsor: WLBTF. Info: WLBTFmail@wellesley.edu.

apt workshop. “Aha! I Remember!” 8 pm, Dower. Info: x2641.

ongoing

exhibit. Dedicated to the Class of 2005: A Look at the Class of 1905. Archives, Clapp Library, through March. Info: x2127.

exhibit. Vegetables from the Garden: Watercolors by Nan Rumpf. Greenhouses Visitor Center, through March 14. Info: x3094.

exhibit. Circles of Healing, Circles of Peace: Creation of the Mandala. Through March 1, DMCC. Info: x2793.

don't miss...exploring the growing trend of transnational adoption

On Wednesday, March 2, at 6:30 pm in Pendleton West 212, a lecture, “Globalization Personalized: Transnational Adoption and Racial Transference,” will address the complicated issue of transnational adoption. It is one of the events celebrating Asian Awareness Month at Wellesley.

The speaker, David L. Eng, is an English professor at Rutgers University who specializes in Asian American studies, psychoanalysis, critical race and queer theory. His current project, “Queer Diasporas/Psychic Diasporas,” explores the impact of Asian transnational and queer social movements on structures of family and kinship.

“Today, transnational movements of capital and labor is identified as one of the greatest challenges to traditional orderings of family and kinship,” said Karen Shih, director of Multicultural Programs and advisor to Asian students. “The lecture will examine the historical conditions and contradictions of transnational adoption that make new social formations of family and kinship thinkable. Eng will explore the political and psychic economy of transnational adoption.”

Shih notes that the number of transnational adoptees in America, overwhelmingly from Asian countries, continues to increase. “It is important to learn about this growing population and its role, as well as the role of its adopters, in shaping Asian American identity and in challenging cultural and societal norms,” she said. For more information, call x2859.

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