Notables
Achievements, accolades, and other items of note from the Clark University community.
November 22, 2022
‘COVID Posse’ research published in PLOS Global Public Health
A study conducted by biology professors Nathan Ahlgren and Philip Bergmann and sociology professor Rosalie Torres Stone about the impact of COVID-19 on marginalized groups has been published in PLOS Global Public Health.
For “County-level societal predictors of COVID-19 cases and deaths changed through time in the United States: A longitudinal ecological study,” the professors mined information from vast amounts of publicly available data to explore the progress of the pandemic over time and how it has affected different demographic groups. The Clark researchers determined that relationships between racial/ethnic, demographic, health, and socio-economic factors and COVID-19 case and death rates changed over time in the U.S.
November 10, 2022
Faculty honored for achievements as teachers, advisers, and scholars
Clark University faculty members have been recognized for their outstanding work as teachers, advisers, and researchers. The annual awards were presented during an Oct. 19 ceremony at Harrington House.
“Exceptional work is taking place across the University in our classrooms, labs, offices, and departments,” Provost Sebastián Royo said in a message to the community, “and it is essential that we pause to acknowledge and celebrate it.”
“All of the nominees were incredibly worthy, and their amazing achievements should be celebrated as well,” he added.
The ceremony also honored faculty members who received promotions during the 2021–22 academic year.
Read more and view the complete list of honorees »
Clarkies explore link between psychology and business success
Three Clark alums returned to campus to share how an educational background in psychology has helped them manage teams in a wide range of industries and areas, from public health and pharmaceuticals development to fashion retail to corporate-level management and human resources. They joined the Career Connections Center and the School of Management on an Oct. 19 panel that was part of the CCC’s Business, Marketing, Finance, and Consulting Career Exploration Week.
The participating alumni included Zach Walsh ’16, MBA ’17, human resources manager at NIC+ZOE; Sehar Mahmood ’08, senior manager, solutions squad lead, and project manager at Pfizer; and Jacklyn Mellen ’04, executive development/learning and development manager/marketing at The TJX Companies.
October 27, 2022
Williams to deliver keynote at symposium on climate resilience in Central Appalachian Forests
Professor Christopher A. Williams, director of environmental sciences at Clark, will deliver a keynote address, at the Natural Areas Association’s virtual symposium, “Nature’s Front Line: The Role of Natural Areas in Climate Resilience in Central Appalachian Forests,” on Oct. 28.
Williams’ presentation, “Conservation of Forest Carbon as Climate Protection: Assessing Opportunities and Limitations,” will address what we know about baseline carbon uptake in forests of the U.S., provide insights into the underlying science, and spotlight some tools available for practitioners. In addition, Williams will discuss the value of forest conservation for climate protection, and what can be claimed as a nature-based climate solution.
Bhachu presents at Royal Society
Parminder Bhachu, professor of sociology, recently spoke at a dinner of the Fellows of the Royal Society in London. In attendance were scientists and physicists who worked on CERN’s Large Hadron Collider and the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) experiment that discovered the Higgs boson, sometimes referred to as “the God particle.”
Bhachu was seated with Sir Tejinder Virdee, best known for originating the concept and overseeing the construction of the CMS experiment, about whom she wrote in her book “Movers and Makers.”
October 13, 2022
Huang authors essay for new collection on American horror
English Professor Betsy Huang has contributed a chapter to The Cambridge Companion to American Horror. Her essay, “SF and the Weird,” examines the way two related genres, science fiction (SF) and the weird, deploy horror to critique the sources and expressions of “American horror” – namely, the dark side of American exceptionalism and the social and environmental consequences of its imperialist projects. Taking horror seriously, the book surveys America’s bloody and haunted history through its most terrifying cultural expressions.
The collection of essays opens up the body of American Horror — through literature, film, TV, music, video games, and a host of other mediums — and gathers the leading scholars in the field to dissect the gruesome histories and shocking forms of American life.
Through a series of accessible and informed essays, moving from the seventeenth century to the present day, explores one of the liveliest and most progressive areas of contemporary culture. From slavery to censorship, from occult forces to monstrous beings, this book is essential reading for anyone interested in America’s most terrifying cultural expressions.
September 29, 2022
BCMB student earns top honor at Protein Society event
Emma Kane, a doctoral candidate in the biochemistry and molecular biology program, won the poster contest at the Protein Society 36th Annual Symposium recently held in San Francisco.
Kane, who works in Professor Donald Spratt’s lab, presented the collaboration between Aaron Muth’s lab at St. John’s University and Spratt’s lab in which they are optimizing the therapeutic targeting of a protein called gankyrin to address its overexpression in various cancers.
September 15, 2022
BCMB students meet 2021 Nobel Prize winner
Doctoral student Ariane Borges and Kim Nguyen ’22, who both work in Professor Arundhati Nag’s lab in the Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, recently attended the LEADS Conference in Washington, D.C., where they met David MacMillan, the 2021 Nobel Laureate in Chemistry, and other Nobel laureates.
September 1, 2022
Professor Mark Turnbull honored by American Chemical Society
Chemistry Professor Mark Turnbull has been named at 2022 Fellow of the American Chemical Society. This designation is awarded to ACS members who have made exceptional contributions to the science and profession and have provided excellent volunteer service to the ACS community.
August 18, 2022
APA–Clark Workshop returns to campus
For the first time in three years, Clark welcomed psychology teachers from across the country to campus for the American Psychological Association–Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers. During the conference, 25 educators heard from master teachers, enhanced their teaching skills, learned about groundbreaking research by Clark faculty, and networked with their peers.
This year’s presenters included Clark Psychology Professors Alena Esposito and Andrew Stewart; Jeanne Turner of Linn-Mar High School in Marion, Iowa; and Michael Sandler of Arlington High School, Arlington, Massachusetts. Onarae Rice, professor of psychology and neuroscience at Furman University, delivered the keynote address.
August 4, 2022
Juan Pablo Rivera honored for recent publications
Spanish Professor Juan Pablo Rivera has received honorable mention from the International Latino Book Awards for two books published in Spain last year: “La hermosa carne: El cuerpo en la poesía puertorriqueña actual,” a collection of essays, and “En Invierno la Batalla,” a book of poetry.
The international Latino Book Awards honor authors, translators, and illustrators for their books written either in English, Spanish, or Portuguese.
Clark alumna named distinguished scholar at premier research university in Canada
Jacqueline Sullivan ’95 has been named the 2022 Graham and Gale Wright Distinguished Scholar at Western University in London, Ontario. An associate professor of philosophy, she is a philosopher of science with training in history and philosophy of science and neuroscience. A primary aim of her current research is to understand the processes by which cognitive neuroscientists seek to establish facts about the neural underpinnings of human cognition and behavior using rodent models of health and disease. She is the principal investigator on “The Philosophy of Neuroscience in Practice,” funded by an Insight Grant from Canada’s Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council, and is currently working on a book and series of articles based on this project.
After graduating from Clark, Sullivan earned her master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Pittsburgh.
July 21, 2022
Busson-Hall hosts podcast on finding the ‘silver lining’
Clark University Trustee Ingrid Busson-Hall ’96 has launched “This Is My Silver Lining,” a podcast that shines a light on ordinary people doing extraordinary things. Her co-host is Kathleen Merrigan. In each episode, guests share their stories of resilience, courage, optimism, and gratitude.
You can listen to episodes on the “This Is My Silver Lining” website or find them wherever you get your podcasts.
Florencia Sangermano named a TRELIS fellow
Florencia Sangermano, assistant professor of geography, has been named a Training and Retaining Leaders in STEM-Geospatial Sciences (TRELIS) Fellow. The TRELIS Program, funded through the National Science Foundation, is designed to provide professional development for academic women in the geospatial sciences.
Sangermano was one of almost 50 applicants for the fellowship, which is a program of the University Consortium for Geographic Information Science.
July 7, 2022
DiIorio’s new play to be performed in September
Theatre Arts Director Gino DiIorio’s new play “Scab” will be produced by Premiere Stages at Kean University in Union, N.J., from September 8 to 25.
“Scab” tells the story of Gilda, a middle-aged woman, who has to train Eduardo, a young Mexican man, how to be a shop foreman when her factory plant moves to Mexico. Over the course of a week, they discover that their assumptions regarding personal expectations and cultural differences are not always correct.
Visit the Premiere Stages website for more information.
Cynthia Enloe appointed visiting professor at the University of Cambridge
Professor Cynthia Enloe has been appointed the Diane Middleton and Carl Djerassi Visiting Professor in Gender Studies at the University of Cambridge for the university’s Michaelmas Term, mid-October through early December.
The appointment involves giving a public lecture at Cambridge, and also supports Enloe’s current research, which is a book project — “Twelve Feminist Lessons of War” — inspired in part by her efforts to make feminist sense of the Ukraine war.
Mira Ormsby named assistant director of Office of Sponsored Programs and Research
Mira Ormsby has joined the Office of Sponsored Programs and Research (OSPR) as assistant director.
She first joined Clark in 2016 as the grants coordinator and clinical program assistant in the Department of Psychology. She also has experience as a consultant working with various federal agencies (Energy and Defense departments, and NASA) to redesign their business processes, and has conducted policy implementations and inspections for FEMA-funded projects.
In this new role as assistant director, Ormsby will be assisting OSPR Director Lisa Gaudette in federal grant and contract review and submission, grant database management and reporting, and federal grants prospecting.
Professor Jing Zhang voted president-elect of Digital Government Society
Professor Jing Zhang, associate dean of the School of Management, was elected president-elect of the Digital Government Society this spring. She will remain in this role for the 2022–23 year, and then serve two years as president.
The Digital Government Society serves the interests of a community of scholars and managers interested in the development and impacts of digital government. Its mission is to “foster the use of information and technology to support and improve public policies and government operations, engage citizens, and provide comprehensive and timely government services.” The group includes members from all industry sectors.
Hamid Dolatsara facilitates first NFT for sale by Clark students
Professor Hamid Ahady Dolatsara of the School of Management has facilitated the first non-fungible token (NFT) put up for sale by Clark University students. As part of his 2022 summer Blockchain and Cryptocurrency course, Dolatsara taught students how to create and sell NFTs. They were tasked with creating a simple — but interesting and unique — NFT submission. Dolatsara then selected the first one to sell, which was partially created by Python codes.
Dolatsara works to provide hands-on experiences for students that focus on the design and development of blockchain through programming, which can then be applied to business applications. He also teaches topics such as hash functions, cryptocurrency, transactions, marketing, and trading.
View Clark’s first NFT submission »
June 23, 2022
Betsy Huang reappointed as Dean of the College
Provost Sebastián Royo recently announced that Betsy Huang has been reappointed as associate provost and dean of the college. Her second three-year term began on June 1, following a review coordinated by the Undergraduate Academic Board, with input from faculty, administration, and staff.
“Dean Huang’s accomplishments in her first term are impressive,” Royo said. “She has achieved this while continuing to foster her own academic and research passions. As dean of the college, Betsy is a model of empathetic leadership and support for students and faculty, serving Clark with deep care and abiding professionalism. I look forward to continuing to work with her in this capacity.”
Clark to host 2025 Economic Geography conference
Clark University has been selected to host the 7th Global Conference on Economic Geography, organizers announced at the close of the 2022 conference in Dublin this month.
The Graduate School of Geography at Clark is one of the only geography programs in North America to publish an international, peer-reviewed journal, Economic Geography, which was established in 1925 by then-president Wallace Atwood and is currently edited by Professor Jim Murphy. Economic Geography ranked No. 2 among geography and economic journals in the 2020 ISI Social Sciences Citation Index, which ranks the prestige of peer-reviewed journals globally.
Clark alum awarded a Princeton in Africa fellowship
Heran Abiy ’21, M.A. ’22, has been awarded a 2022–23 Princeton in Africa fellowship with the Kucetekela Foundation in Lusaka, Zambia.
Abiy majored in sociology as an undergraduate, with a minor in global environmental studies and a concentration in comparative race and ethnic studies. She earned her master’s degree in community development and planning through Clark’s Accelerated Degree Program.
Abiy is one of 27 Princeton Fellows working with 17 organizations in 13 African countries. Princeton in Africa is an independent, non-profit organization affiliated with Princeton University. Our mission is to develop future leaders dedicated to African affairs and create a network of alumni that are connected to the continent personally and professionally.
June 8, 2022
Clark selected to participate in AAC&U’s Curriculum-to-Career Innovations Institute
Clark University is among 54 institutions selected by the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U) to attend the 2022 Curriculum-to-Career Innovations Institute, Aug. 11 through Dec. 16. Co-directed by AAC&U and IBM, this virtual institute will focus on supporting campus efforts to strengthen connections between college learning and workforce preparation and to develop productive campus-industry partnerships.
School of Professional Studies announces student and faculty awards
School of Professional Studies students and faculty were honored for their accomplishments at a May 20 awards ceremony held at the AC Hotel in Worcester.
“It is fitting that the School of Professional Studies recognizes and celebrates faculty and students together since the school is distinguished by deep and ongoing collaborations between teachers and learners,” said John G. Labrie, dean of the SPS and associate provost for professional education.
New trustees bring investment, business expertise to the board
Clark University has announced the addition of Donella Brockington ’73 and Arlene Morris ’92 to its Board of Trustees.
Lee Plave ’80 has also been reappointed to the Board.
Chair-elect Gary D. Labovich ’81 notes that in addition to their deep commitment to Clark, Brockington and Morris bring with them valuable business and governmental experience that will help inform the Board’s decision-making.
More Accolades
Faculty Books and Creative Works
Clark scholars publish books on a wide range of topics and produce creative works for stage, screen, and exhibition.
Faculty Grants and Contracts
Interested in faculty grants and contracts? The Office of Sponsored Programs and Research keeps an updated list.
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