Chinese Language Classes Experiment with iPads
Although it’s too early to be definitive about the benefits of using iPads, students and instructors agreed that it was a positive supplement to the standard course material.
AFAM Conference Concludes
“A Beautiful Struggle: Transformative Black Studies in Shifting Political Landscapes," held April 12-14, explored the past contributions, current questions, and future directions of African American Studies and the state of doctoral education in the field.
National Geographic Recognizes Two Professors for World-Changing Discoveries
The discoveries of Chad Mirkin and Mark Ratner, both world-renowned pioneers in nanoscience, are featured in a special issue of National Geographic titled “100 Scientific Discoveries That Changed the World.”
Weinberg Alums Figure Prominently Among Honorees at Annual Awards Event
Thomas Z. Hayward, Jr. ('62) was awarded the Alumni Medal, Terry A. O'Neill ('74) and Teresa K. Woodruff (G'89) received an Alumni Merit Award, Donald S. Wilson ('65) received the Alumni Service to Society Award, Karla Saxon Stone ('68) received an Alumni Service Award, and Alexandra Levit ('98) received the Emerging Leader Award.
Other Weinberg News
Four Weinberg Faculty Awarded for Teaching Excellence
Northwestern University has recognized seven faculty members for teaching excellence, four of them from Weinberg: Brodwyn Fischer (History), Jinah Kim (Asian American Studies), Robert Orsi (Religious Studies/History) and Eric Zaslow (Mathematics).
Two Weinberg Professors Named Guggenheim Fellows
Political scientist James Druckman and sociologist Steven Epstein received the prestigious fellowship, granted for exceptional scholarship or creative ability in the arts.
Teaching in the Streets
For most of the last 30 years, David Van Zanten has been taking students from his “History of Modern Architecture” class on field trips around Chicago to get a firsthand look at what they are studying.
Six Weinberg Faculty Elected to AAAS
Six Weinberg faculty have been elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences: Ken Alder (History), James Brown (emeritus in Anthropology), James Druckman (Political Science), Alice Eagly (Psychology), Sir Fraser Stoddart (Chemistry), and David Van Zanten (Art History).
Multimedia
3-D Imaging Tool Puts Research on the Big Screen
CAMI, the state-of-the-art imaging facility that opened last year in Silverman Hall, brings all biological molecular imaging at Northwestern under one roof. [Large size video | Related story]
Mayan Prophecy a Popular Culture Myth
Anthropologist Cynthia Robin says 2012 will mark the end of a cycle in the Mayan calendar.
Honors and Achievements
Physics and Astronomy professor Jim Sauls has been awarded the Bardeen Prize for his work on superconductivity.
Art Theory & Practice MFA candidate Rachel Niffenegger has been accepted into the two-year, De Ateliers residency program in Amsterdam.
Sarah Jacoby, assistant professor of Religious Studies, has been awarded an ACLS Grant for 2012-2013.
The History Department's Dyan Elliott and Melissa Macauley were offered fellowships at the National Humanities Center for 2012-2013.
Krista Thompson, associate professor of Art History, has been awarded an ACLS fellowship for 2012-2013.
Chemistry professor Tobin Marks received the 2012 National Academy of Sciences Award in Chemical Sciences.
Mentions in the Media
Michelle Obama, Paradox
"Michelle Obama is a genuine paradox," said Darlene Clark Hine, a professor of African American studies and history at Northwestern University. Hine's lecture, part of a black studies conference at the university last week, argued that the first lady is a "transformative, liberationist" figure -- despite her interest in domestic issues and the long list of magazine cover stories focused on topics such as Obama's approach to motherhood or the importance of healthful eating. washingtonpost.com April 16, 2012 Full story
Seismic hazards: Japan earthquake and other tectonic surprises challenge scientific assumptions
"It's almost impossible to make a sensible earthquake hazard map," argues Northwestern University geophysicist Seth Stein.... "We call this the 'whack-a-mole model' of earthquake hazard mapping. The mole will come up the same hole that it went down," Stein said. And that's rarely the case. washingtonpost.com March 9, 2012 Full story