Faculty 2012-13
Wellesley Faculty in the News
Wellesley Professor of Religion Sharon Elkins on Pope Francis
Monday, March 18, 2013
Last week, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina was chosen as the new leader of the Catholic Church, becoming Pope Francis. Wellesley's Sharon Elkins reflects on issues he might address as pope.
Press Talks to Wellesley's Nina Tumarkin on Hugo Chavez Death
Thursday, March 14, 2013 Professor of History Nina Tumarkin has lent her expertise to the analysis of Venezuela's next steps in the wake of its president's death—including what will be done with his body.
Barbara Beatty on Universal Preschool Education
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Barbara Beatty, professor of education, spoke with WBUR's Radio Boston yesterday about calls by President Barack Obama and Governor Deval Patrick for universal preschool education.
Wellesley Faculty on the 2013 State of the Union
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Wellesley College professors from different disciplines (including sociology, political science, and environmental studies) weigh in on various topics discussed in this year's Address.
Wellesley Economist Phillip Levine Featured in NY Times
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
A study by Phillip B. Levine, Courtney Coile, and Robin McKnight examined effects of job loss on older workers. Last week, New York Times featured Levine answering reader questions about job loss and life expectancy among older workers. See also: Phil Levine Talks with The Atlantic About the Impact of Roe v. Wade
New History Books Look at Social Changes in Different Eras, Geographies
Thursday, January 31, 2013
New books by history faculty members Guy Rogers, Lidwien Kapteijns, and Quinn Slobodian provide new perspectives on social changes in diverse periods and geographical areas with topics ranging from cults in antiquity to European social protests to Somalian genocide.
Jeffries on the Cultural Significance of President Obama
Friday, January 18, 2013
Paint the White House Black: Barack Obama and the Meaning of Race in America by Knafel Assistant Professor of Social Sciences and Assistant Professor of American Studies Michael Jeffries explores themes like biracialism, the notion of "post-racial society," and portrayals of Michelle Obama. See Spotlight on Teaching and Obama's Chicago Speech Can't Address Gun Violence Unless It Takes on Race.
Melinda Lopez Selected for Theatre Residency
Monday, January 14, 2013
Wellesley’s Melinda Lopez, lecturer in theatre studies, is one of 14 playwrights around the country to receive a three-year residency funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Boston Globe reports. Her residency at Boston's Huntington Theater begins July 1.
Wellesley Welcomes First Engineering Faculty Member
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Visiting Lecturer Amy Banzaert joins Wellesley in Spring 2013 as the College’s first engineering faculty member; she is also a member of the 2013 Madeleine K. Albright Institute for Global Affairs Wintersession faculty.
Book Edited by Wellesley Professor Unites Scholars and Theatre Professionals
Thursday, January 3, 2013
Wellesley Professor of English Yu Jin Ko recently co-edited Shakespeare’s Sense of Character: On the Page and from the Stage, with an introduction by Ko and essays from scholars and dramatists.
Professor Stephen Marini Discusses Nativity Symbols
Wednesday, December 19, 2012
New book by Pope Benedict says some commonly held beliefs about the Nativity story are false. Elisabeth Luce Moore Professor of Christian Studies Stephen Marini explored the use of symbols important to the Christian tradition with the Metrowest Daily News.
Wellesley Econ Professors' New Books Cover Global Crises and International Development
Thursday, December 13, 2012
Stanford Calderwood Professor of Economics David Lindauer and Professor of Economics Joseph Joyce each published key works in November, reflecting the department's impressive scope.
Spotlight on Teaching: Grimms' Fairy Tales and Beyond
Thursday, November 29, 2012
In Assistant Professor of German Anjeana Hans' first year seminar (GER 130), students explore cultural history, children's literature, and critical techniques, expressing their learning in varied, creative ways.
Wellesley Professor Emeritus Wins National Book Award for Poetry
Friday, November 16, 2012
David Ferry, the Sophie Chantal Hart Professor Emeritus of English at Wellesley College, has authored eight collections of translation and poetry; his latest, Bewilderment, has won the National Book Award.
Wellesley College Hosts 31st Annual Conference for Interdisciplinary French 17th-Century Studies
Thursday, November 8, 2012
The conference, organized by Hélène Bilis, assistant professor of French at Wellesley, brings scholars from 55 academic institutions across the United States, Canada, France, and the United Kingdom.
Kopf Professor of Art Emeritus James Wilson Rayen Exhibits Paintings
Friday, November 2, 2012
James Wilson Rayen has been painting for more than six decades. The beloved professor's work is on display through November 4 at the Fountain Street Fine Art Gallery in Framingham, Mass., with a gallery talk scheduled for November 3 at 3:00 p.m.
Social Media Manipulation Can Affect Voter Decision Making
Thursday, November 1, 2012
A new paper in the journal Science by Wellesley computer scientists Panagiotis T. Metaxas and Eni Mustafaraj looks at how manipulation of social media can affect perceptions of a candidate and compromise decision-making abilities among voters.
WCW Presents “Do Tell: Reclaiming LGBT History for the LGBT Movement”
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
In recognition of LGBT History Month, Wellesley Centers for Women researcher Amy Hoffman discusses her book, An Army of Ex Lovers, about the lesbian and gay movement of the late 1970s, October 23 at 4:30 in Collins Cinema.
Wellesley Track Coach Featured in Running Times
Friday, October 19, 2012
In "Beyond the Scream Tunnel" Running Times magazine talks about competitive running at Wellesley—its successful varsity programs and its much-admired head coach, John Babington.
All Things Considered: Wellesley Geoscientist on Urban Agriculture
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
The City of Boston stopped providing free compost to gardeners due to rising lead levels. Wellesley Geosciences Associate Professor Dan Brabander and his students are researching the origins of the lead. Brabander spoke with NPR’s All Things Considered about it.
Professor Jens Kruse Publishes Third eNotated Kafka Novel
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Professor of German Jens Kruse just completed his third eNotation of a work by Franz Kafka. eNotations provide digital readers with important biographical, cultural, historical, or linguistic context not available when a work is merely a digitized version of the paper text.
Marion Just's Proposed Presidential Debate Change in New York Times
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Wellesley's William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Political Science Marion Just wrote "A Better Approach to Presidential Debates" for a New York Times series on current affairs called Room for Debate.
Spotlight on Teaching: Sports Medicine
Monday, October 1, 2012
PERA Associate Professor of the Practice Connie Bauman's sports medicine class gives students scientific knowledge, and handy skills for managing injuries. An outreach component gives them experience mentoring and teaching children what they have learned.
Scientist's Study Sheds Light on Early Language Acquisition
Thursday, September 20, 2012
A recent study co-authored by Sharon Gobes, assistant professor of neuroscience, published this week in Nature Neuroscience, reveals new information about regions of the brain used in early language acquisition in song birds. See also Like human speech, birdsong is governed by left-brain activity.
Wellesley Economists’ Study Shows Recessions’ Adverse Health Effects
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
A new study by Wellesley economists Phillip Levine, Courtney Coile, and Robin McKnight—subject of a recent U.S. News & World Report story—shows recession’s toll on older workers’ health, and that Social Security and Medicare go far beyond protecting current retirees.
Wellesley Faculty Seen as Part of "Brain Trust"
Thursday, September 6, 2012
President H. Kim Bottomly, Katharine Coman and A. Barton Hepburn Professor of Economics Phillip Levine, and Associate Professor of Neuroscience Marc Tetel (shown, with students), add to the region's concentration of intellectual firepower.
Spotlight on Teaching: Living the Language
Thursday, August 23, 2012
When Flavia Laviosa teaches elementary and intermediate Italian, the class is a hyper-active lab—with drama, song, news, film, and play—where Italian acquires a physical form and becomes a living experience.
Robert Paarlberg's Expertise Sought on California GMO Issue
Monday, August 20, 2012
Wellesley's Robert Paarlberg, the Betty Freyhof Johnson ’44 Professor of Political Science, spoke to Reuters about a ballot initiative to require labeling of foods containing genetically modified ingredients.
Thursday, August 16, 2012
New fossils found in northern Kenya have rekindled debate over early human diversity. Wellesley’s Adam Van Arsdale told Scientific American the discovery offers more evidence for single lineage.
Psychology Department Takes Research on the Road
Wednesday, August 15, 2012
Jennie Pyers, associate professor of psychology, and former and current students presented work on the relationship between language and cognition, bilingualism, and the psycholinguistics of sign languages.
Love, Marriage, and Politics in North Korea
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Kathy Moon, Edith Stix Wasserman Professor of Asian Studies and director of East Asian Studies at Wellesley, explains why recent news that leader Kim Jong-un is married should not have come as a surprise.
Q&A with Professor Selwyn Cudjoe
Friday, August 10, 2012
On topics from Usain Bolt to 19th-century literature, Wellesley's Selwyn Cudjoe, the Margaret E. Deffenbaugh and LeRoy T. Carlson Professor in Comparative Literature and Professor of Africana Studies, contributes regularly to public discourse about the Caribbean and the larger world.
Astronomy Professor Wes Watters Uses Mars Rover Data in Classes and Research
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Earlier this week, NASA scientists celebrated the landing of the Mars rover Curiosity. The data it collects may play a role in some Wellesley College astronomy classrooms and labs this school year.
Tech Press Cites Wellesley's CIO on Sustainability
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Wellesley’s chief information officer, Ravi Ravishanker, is among leaders in his field positioning technology divisions as drivers of sustainability for enterprises of all kinds.
USA Today Talks to Eni Mustafaraj on Twitter's Political Index
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Eni Mustafaraj, Norma Wilentz Hess Fellow in Computer Science at Wellesley, explained problems in relying on tools such as the "Twindex" to analyze human behavior.
Wellesley's Peggy Levitt Holds Bunting Fellowship in Santa Fe
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Sociology Professor Peggy Levitt was awarded an Ethel-Jane Westfeldt Bunting Fellowship, and is a Summer Scholar at the School for Advanced Research in New Mexico.
Understanding Global Environmental Politics
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
Professor Beth DeSombre joined a panel of experts on WNPR's Where We Live to discuss environmental policies pertaining to sustainable fisheries.
"Influential Bostonians on Influential Books" Includes Wellesley Professor
Monday, July 9, 2012
Soo Hong, assistant professor of education, was among 12 Bostonians selected for a special section of the Boston Globe to discuss a book that changed how they think about the world around them.
Researcher's Study Finds Shoes Tell Much about Us
Monday, June 18, 2012
Angela Bahns, assistant professor of psychology at Wellesley, studied how accurately subjects match shoes with traits of the shoes' owners. Shoes can clearly reveal wearers' age, sex and, more surprisingly, level of attachment anxiety.
2012 Pinanski Prize Winners Announced
Monday, June 4, 2012
The Pinanski Teaching Prize is awarded annually to members of the Wellesley College faculty to honor fine teaching. This year's recipients: Alex Diesl, mathematics; Koichi Hagimoto, Spanish; and Maggie Keane, psychology.
Professor Emeritus Marshall Goldman Endows Economics Professorship
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
With a generous gift, Professor Goldman and his wife, Merle, established The Marshall I. Goldman Endowed Professorship Fund this year. Kristin Butcher ’86 has been named the first Marshall I. Goldman Professor.
The Cultural Value of Munch's $120M “Scream”
Thursday, May 3, 2012
Patricia Berman, Theodora L. and Stanley H. Feldberg Professor of Art, examines what may be the most significant value of The Scream—its lasting cultural impact.
Research by Assistant Professor Angela Bahns Cited in The Wall Street Journal
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Research by Angela Bahns, assistant professor of psychology, was cited in a Wall Street Journal article about "groupthink" and a concept social scientists call the "similarity-attraction effect."
Econ Professor in Princeton Review's Best 300 Professors List
Monday, April 9, 2012
With teaching talents long known to Wellesley students, faculty, and leadership, economics professor Akila Weerapana is highlighted by The Princeton Review.
Music by Professor Martin Brody in Its World Premiere in Rome
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
A piece composed by Martin Brody, Wellesley’s Catherine Mills Davis Professor of Music, was presented in its world premiere at the American Academy in Rome in March.
Heather Mattila in Times: A Key to Healthier Bee Colonies
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
The New York Times reports on research by Wellesley's Heather Mattila, assistant professor of biological sciences. Her research showed that honey bee queens who mate with many males have more “good” bacteria in their bodies, and that their promiscuity leads to healthier hives. Why do promiscuous queens produce healthier honey bee colonies? Study reveals surprising clues
Linda Carli in The Atlantic on Women's Leadership
Friday, March 16, 2012
Linda Carli, senior lecturer in psychology, who coauthored a recent book titled Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders , spoke with The Atlantic for an article on why women don't act more like men in the workplace.
Bonnie Dix Named NEWMAC Swimming Coach of the Year
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Bonnie Dix, Wellesley's varsity swimming coach, led the team to a great season and was named league coach of the year in the process.
Professor Receives Prestigious Award from French Ministry of Education
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Frances Malino, Sophia Moses Robison Professor of Jewish Studies and History at Wellesley College, has been named a Chevalier (Knight) of the Ordre des Palmes Académiques in recognition of her outstanding academic research and teaching in French history.
Professor Examines "Truthiness in Digital Media" at Harvard Symposium
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Panagiotis Metaxas, computer science professor and founder of Wellesley’s Media Arts and Sciences Program, presents at Harvard's Berkman Center for Internet & Society symposium, Truthiness in Digital Media. The event addresses propaganda and misinformation in new media.
