News & Events

Notable & Quotable

• William Wians, Professor of Philosophy, delivered the opening keynote address at the 2018 Fonte Aretusa conference in Siracusa, Sicily, on June 6. His topic was ‘Violence and the Origins of Beauty’. Prof. Wians discussed three figures closely associated with the Greek city of Syracusa on Sicily: Aeschylus, whose play Prometheus Bound was produced in the city’s outdoor theater around 405 BC; the poem of Empedocles, who was born in nearby Acragas; and the philosopher Plato, who spent 13 years in Siracusa in a failed attempt to produce a philosopher king out of the local ruler Dionysius the Second.

• Dan Vlahos, assistant professor of visual and performing arts, was recognized as Designer of the Week by Print Magazine on April 10, 2018. Vlahos shares some of his work in the local community, his favorite and most challenging projects, and his plans for the future. “Three things that inspire me are graphic design history, my students and contemporary design outside of graphic design (especially architecture),” he said. 

• Melissa Zimdars, assistant professor of communication, wrote a fake news “how-to” for the Young African Leadership Initiative as part of the U.S. State Department’s ongoing campaign to counter misinformation in Africa. YALI supports young African leaders as they spur growth and prosperity, strengthen democratic governance and enhance peace and security across Sub-Saharan Africa.

• He Li, professor of political science, published an article, “Chinese Discourse on Constitutionalism and Its Impact on Reforms,” in the September 2017 issue of the Journal of Chinese Political Science, and a book chapter, “China’s Rise in Latin America: Myths and Realities,” in “China, the United States and the Future of Latin America” (New York University Press, 2017).

• Joseph Vogel, assistant professor of English, published an article, “The Confessions of Quentin Tarantino: Whitewashing Slave Rebellion in ‘Django Unchained,’” in the March 2018 issue of the Journal of American Culture.

• Debra Michals, assistant professor and director of women’s and gender studies, was interviewed for a March 9, 2018, segment on WBUR radio about a new study that claims bones found on Nikumaroro Island in 1940 very likely belong to famed aviator Amelia Earhart, who disappeared over the Pacific in 1937 while attempting to circumnavigate the globe. Because the new study, by researcher Richard Jantz, relied on reinterpreting an original analysis of the bones more than four decades ago rather than the bones themselves, which long ago disappeared, Michals said his study is not likely to close the book on the case. “The mystique around the disappearance of Amelia Earhart will lead a lot of people to that conclusion — that without the real bones, how do we know?” she said.

• Debra Michals, assistant professor and director of women’s and gender studies, was quoted in a Feb. 2, 2018, Boston Herald story about inspiring places to visit during Black History Month, which is celebrated nationally in February. Michals suggested Harriet Tubman Historical Park, a national park in Upstate New York, which celebrates the famed leader of the Underground Railroad. “What makes her so incredibly striking is that she went back several times after her own escape to freedom to help others,” Michals said. “I don’t think most people today could comprehend what kind of inner fortitude and dedication to the larger cause of freedom that that must have taken.”

• Michael DeCesare, professor and chair of sociology, was quoted in a Feb. 7, 2018, Boston Globe story about the ongoing search for the next president of Harvard University. DeCesare, who chairs a committee on university governance at the American Association of University Professors, said the school ought to pick an academic, to send a message to faculty that their work is important. “For Harvard to kind of reaffirm the importance of an academically oriented president would go a long way,” he said.

• Michael Mascolo, professor of psychology and academic director of the Compass program, published an opinion column, “Time to Listen to Each Other on the Issue of Guns,” in the Nov. 17, 2017, Salem (Mass.) News. In the article, Mascolo urges advocates on both sides of the gun-control debate to open a genuine dialogue in which they listen to each other with empathy and compassion. “Only when each side feels that their concerns have been heard and respected can there be any chance that both can join forces to find new ways to address old and lingering problems,” he wrote.

• Mary McHugh, adjunct lecturer in political science and director of the Stevens Service Learning Center, was quoted in an Oct. 20, 2017, Daily News of Newburyport, Massachusetts, story about the war chest Gov. Charlie Baker has amassed for a possible reelection bid in 2018. “It’s hard to beat an incumbent,” she said. “Especially a popular one like Charlie Baker.”