Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</h1> <article> <h1>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:15:56 +0000</p> <span>Five Faculty Honored for Excellence in Teaching</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-03-24T11:15:56-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 24, 2026 - 11:15">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:15</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Five �鶹��Ƶ faculty members have been recognized with Excellence in Teaching Awards for the 2024-25 academic year.</p><p>Presented annually, the awards recognize faculty across the college and conservatory who have demonstrated sustained and distinctive excellence in the classroom and beyond.</p><p>"The awardees represent the very best of undergraduate teaching and are deeply admired by colleagues and students alike for their mastery as pedagogues and their dedication to the learning and growth of their students,” says<a href="/node/4921"> David Kamitsuka</a>, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “Their insights and mentoring will be a lifelong inspiration for their students."</p><p>Three college faculty and two conservatory faculty earn the honor each year.</p><p>“In their steadfast commitment to their students—and to all of our students—and their transformative work in and beyond the classroom and studio, these five individuals represent the highest ideals of the institution,” says Dean of the Conservatory <a href="/william-quillen" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ae2f8811-f23e-458f-87e3-6d455d557536" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="William Quillen">William Quillen</a>. “We are grateful to them for their extraordinary work and fortunate to count them as colleagues.”</p><p>A dinner reception was held March 19 at the home of President Carmen Twillie Ambar. The honorees are as follows:</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/grace-an" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="3b336afb-7a55-45fc-9ebc-8a894957b3c7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Grace An"><strong>Grace An</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of French and Cinema and Media</strong><br>“Grace An is a brilliant innovator in immersive pedagogies, leading our students on transformative experiences in France,” Kamitsuka says of An, a driving force behind the popular �鶹��Ƶ in Paris study-away program, which launched in fall 2025. “Students literally hear, see, touch, smell, and taste French culture through her multidisciplinary advanced courses.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/paul-brehm" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0b425ae3-159b-4795-8db5-22eeb3e6864e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Paul Brehm"><strong>Paul Brehm</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Economics and Environmental Studies</strong><br>“Paul Brehm is masterful in cultivating the virtuous educational circle of celebrated lectures and super-popular individual office hours,” says Kamitsuka. “He makes the study of economics into an adventure of discovery.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b85376d2-ae5a-4e3d-abad-9f105194fa92" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Dmitry Kouzov"><strong>Dmitry Kouzov</strong></a><br><strong>Associate Professor of Cello</strong><br>“Dmitry Kouzov is one of the great cello pedagogues at work in the country today,” says Quillen. “In his time at �鶹��Ƶ, he has not only cultivated an extraordinary studio; he's helped support the flourishing—artistically, personally, and more—of so many of our students through his engaging, inspiring work as a teacher and chamber music coach.” </p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a4ff3436-3ac9-4e9b-968d-9dad71694d40" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Gunnar Kwakye"><strong>Gunnar Kwakye</strong></a><br><strong>Robert W. & Eleanor H. Biggs Associate Professor of Neuroscience</strong><br>Kamitsuka notes that an incredible 33 �鶹��Ƶ students have served as co-authors with Gunnar Kwakye on peer-reviewed scientific publications. “And that is just the tip of the iceberg regarding his integral role in the success of his students,” the dean says. “Professor Kwakye is a living legend as a mentor for our neuroscience students.”</p><div class="image_resized media-embed-resized" style="width:200px;"> </div> <p><a href="/james-oleary"><strong>James O’Leary</strong></a><br><strong>Frederick R. Selch Associate Professor of Musicology</strong><br>“Jamie O’Learly is not only one of the most respected musicologists of his generation,” says Quillen; “he's also an extraordinary pedagogue, consistently transforming students' lives through his extraordinary classroom teaching, his mentorship work directing individualized research, and more.”</p><hr><p>About the Excellence in Teaching Awards: Each year, College of Arts and Sciences faculty are selected for consideration through nominations presented to the College Faculty Council, which are then reviewed by a faculty committee. An award is presented in each division of the college: arts and humanities, social and behavioral sciences, and natural sciences and mathematics. The conservatory dean recommends a number of conservatory faculty to the Conservatory Faculty Council for consideration, and together they review and narrow the recommendations to two recipients.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Annual awards celebrate distinguished and sustained leadership across the college and conservatory.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2026-03-24T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/24/2026 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4303">A&S Faculty</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3341">Conservatory Faculty</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35261">Cello</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25356">French</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25351">Environmental Studies and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25341">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25256">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=28856">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/grace-an" hreflang="und">Grace An</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/dmitry-kouzov" hreflang="und">Dmitry Kouzov</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/james-oleary" hreflang="und">James O’Leary</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/paul-brehm" hreflang="und">Paul Brehm</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/french-and-italian" hreflang="und">French and Italian</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/cinema-studies" hreflang="und">Cinema and Media</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics" hreflang="und">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-studies" hreflang="und">Environmental Studies and Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/musicology" hreflang="und">Musicology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Honorees were celebrated at a March 19 dinner hosted by President Carmen Twillie Ambar. Pictured from left are Dean of the Conservatory William Quillen, Paul Brehm, James O'Leary, Gunnar Kwakye, Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences David Kamitsuka, and President Ambar. Not pictured: Grace An, Dmitry Kouzov.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>�鶹��Ƶ to Offer Bachelor of Science Degree Beginning Fall 2026</h1> <p>mreed — Thu, 16 Oct 2025 19:20:14 +0000</p> <span>�鶹��Ƶ to Offer Bachelor of Science Degree Beginning Fall 2026</span> <span><span>mreed</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-16T15:20:14-04:00" title="Thursday, October 16, 2025 - 15:20">Thu, 10/16/2025 - 15:20</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The new degree gives students pursuing a wide range of eligible majors—from biochemistry and computer science to psychology and economics—the opportunity to graduate with either a Bachelor of Arts (BA) or a Bachelor of Science (BS), depending on the balance of their coursework. Students who complete at least one BS-eligible major and 16 full courses carrying the Natural Science and Mathematics designation may choose to receive the BS degree.</p><aside class="pull obj-right"><div class="basic-box basic-box--light"><h2 class="small-headline">Majors Eligible for</h2><h2 class="small-headline">the Bachelor of Science:</h2><ul class="list--clean"><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5124b507-99df-4595-9104-bdb9c6a22310" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Chemistry and Biochemistry">Biochemistry</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5954f263-77c8-4106-80db-2cb993408d8a" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Biology">Biology</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/business/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8ad7fc7e-532c-4cd8-9b35-8391defc685b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Business">Business</a></li><li><a href="/biochemistry" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="755c73bb-f2ba-4bbe-bfb4-8fc57b94dd7c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Biochemistry">Chemistry</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/computer-science" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b1e2c8e5-2a8b-4967-8a6d-f8ce5cea4476" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Computer Science">Computer Science</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/data-science/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fe3d12fe-2a64-4438-b738-5fe696675b00" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Data Science">Data Science</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="30752c27-cce4-4efa-9ba3-c310d98b61a7" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Economics">Economics</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-science/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="66900a61-06bd-4aa7-9555-e85efa26654b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Environmental Science">Environmental Science</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/finance/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6911f8f3-bb76-4a72-a710-9869a094b462" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Financial Economics">Financial Economics</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/geosciences/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0a12379d-58d4-489b-a75d-68d46edd4214" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Geosciences">Geosciences</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="cf90288b-047f-4d2f-ac3a-91691901fde1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Global Health">Global Health</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="50eb3820-b9e6-4a08-b060-92ebf3b1a4eb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Mathematics">Mathematics</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8e28996c-7931-4f76-912f-28f4ec621121" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Neuroscience">Neuroscience</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d36e1693-1165-4e42-ac58-9f9bfb1b9a0d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Physics and Astronomy">Physics</a></li><li><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology/curriculum" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2655a549-4d67-4820-a808-9a7fb471e11f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Academic Program in Psychology">Psychology</a></li></ul></div></aside><p>“This is an important evolution for �鶹��Ƶ,” says David Kamitsuka, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. “The Bachelor of Science degree reflects the strength of our existing programs and the multidisciplinary nature of scientific work today. It gives our students new ways to signal the depth of their scientific training. For example, in all of the eligible majors, undergraduates routinely co-author with their faculty mentors in scholarly peer-reviewed scientific journals.”</p><p>Kamitsuka noted that several programs outside traditional STEM areas—such as economics, business, and psychology—also qualify for the BS. “That reflects how today’s problems are solved,” he says. “Understanding markets, managing complex organizations, and studying human behavior all require the same analytical and evidence-based thinking we teach in the natural sciences. The BS degree captures that spirit of interdisciplinary inquiry grounded in the liberal arts tradition that is at the heart of an �鶹��Ƶ education.</p><p>The new degree will also broaden �鶹��Ƶ’s appeal to prospective students. Across U.S. higher education, more than half of all international students pursue <a href="/arts-and-sciences/sciences-at-oberlin" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="6b83b150-0f8e-435b-9594-08382bdb4e2f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Sciences at �鶹��Ƶ">degrees in STEM or science-related fields</a>—a trend that makes �鶹��Ƶ’s new BS degree especially attractive to global applicants.</p><p>For people like Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Jason Belitsky, the degree represents a way to better acknowledge the work many students already do.</p><p>“Our students in chemistry, physics, biology, and related disciplines already engage in extensive lab work, data analysis, and scientific problem-solving that meet the expectations of a Bachelor of Science education,” Belitsky says. “This new degree formally recognizes that rigor and affirms the quality and breadth of scientific preparation our students bring to graduate study and professional work.”</p><p>Belitsky emphasizes that the BS option doesn’t change �鶹��Ƶ’s approach to teaching—it enhances it. “What’s exciting is that students will be able to show both sides of their education: deep technical and analytical expertise, and the creativity and communication skills that come from a liberal arts environment.”</p><p>The degree was endorsed by the college’s Educational Plans and Policies Committee earlier this year and approved by the College Faculty. The Bachelor of Science will be available to students beginning in fall 2026.</p><hr><h3>How to Qualify for the BS Degree</h3><p><em>To earn a Bachelor of Science at �鶹��Ƶ, students must:</em></p><ol><li>Declare at least one major from the list of BS-eligible programs.</li><li>Notify the Office of the Registrar of their intention to convert their Bachelor of Arts degree to a Bachelor of Science.</li><li>Complete at least 16 full courses designated as Natural Science and Mathematics.</li></ol><p><em>Students who meet the criteria may choose to graduate with either a Bachelor of Arts or a Bachelor of Science—but not both.</em></p><hr></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The new degree option expands academic pathways in the sciences, social sciences, and interdisciplinary fields. </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-10-16T12:00:00Z">Thu, 10/16/2025 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ will begin offering a <a href="/arts-and-sciences/bachelor-of-science" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="122754f5-47f5-4c43-a02d-0fce89dcb008" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="Bachelor of Science (BS) at �鶹��Ƶ">Bachelor of Science</a> degree option to students in the<a href="/arts-and-sciences" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c6983a98-0d9e-4cc8-b7f9-ba6f11fa4cbb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" title="College of Arts and Sciences"> College of Arts and Sciences</a>, expanding pathways in the natural sciences, social sciences, and emerging interdisciplinary fields. Students may elect to pursue the BS program beginning in fall 2026.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=4112">New Programs</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25246">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=187731">Business</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25306">Chemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25321">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=415031">Data Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25341">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=468171">Financial Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25366">Geosciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25401">Mathematics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25411">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25286">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/business" hreflang="und">Business</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/computer-science" hreflang="und">Computer Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/data-science" hreflang="und">Data Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/economics" hreflang="und">Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/environmental-science" hreflang="und">Environmental Science</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/finance" hreflang="und">Financial Economics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/geosciences" hreflang="und">Geosciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/global-health" hreflang="und">Global Health</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/mathematics" hreflang="und">Mathematics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy" hreflang="und">Physics and Astronomy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/psychology" hreflang="und">Psychology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mike Crupi</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-article-header field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">0</div> </article> <article> <h1>Friday Afternoon with Lab Crawl</h1> <p>jstrauss — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 15:08:42 +0000</p> <span>Friday Afternoon with Lab Crawl</span> <span><span>jstrauss</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-10-30T11:08:42-04:00" title="Monday, October 30, 2023 - 11:08">Mon, 10/30/2023 - 11:08</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Every fall at �鶹��Ƶ, <a href="/node/463463">Lab Crawl</a> shines a spotlight on research happening all over campus: across the sciences, but also in the humanities, the arts, the conservatory, and elsewhere. This year, Lab Crawl drew what may be the largest crowd in the event’s illustrious history, with some 500 students and dozens of faculty taking part. Missed out on the excitement? It looked something like this (click to expand any images below)...</p> <p>Explore more scenes from Lab Crawl on <a href="https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjB1NRn">�鶹��Ƶ’s Flickr page</a>.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">�鶹��Ƶ's annual research open house celebrates the sciences—and much more.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-10-30T12:00:00Z">Mon, 10/30/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Communications Staff</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3948">Lab Crawl</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25411">Physics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gabriel-moore" hreflang="und">Gabriel (Gaybe) Moore</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/michelle-johnson" hreflang="und">Michelle Johnson</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/mike-miller" hreflang="und">Mike Miller</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/physics-and-astronomy" hreflang="und">Physics and Astronomy</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Lab Crawlers get an insider's look at a science lab on campus.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37913" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31747" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29961" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-016.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29963" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-014_0.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29962" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-008_0.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Neuroscience professor <a href="/node/463859">Michelle Johnson</a> (seated, far left) helps students sign in and secure their passports, which get stamped at each Lab Crawl station they visit. Far right: The Mad Scientist—aka Biology Department Manager <a href="/forrest-rose">Forrest Rose</a>—welcomes students beginning their journey.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37914" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31748" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29970" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-067.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29971" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-030.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29972" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawlventuri.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="1800" data-pswp-height="1200"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Students tour a biochemistry lab with a student guide (left); biology professor <a href="/node/459641">Gaybe Moore</a> leads a demonstration on infection in wax moths (center); photography students experiment with technique in the Venturi Art Building (right).</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97, Reyna Berry </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="field__item"> <div id="obj-37915" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-cont-img-section paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images photoswipe-gallery"> <div class="o-flex--basic-copy basic-copy"> <div class="image-grid image-grid--single-caption pull"> <div id="obj-31749" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-image-row paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <div class="image-row"> <div class="image-row__images" data-cols="3"> <div id="obj-29973" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-088.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29974" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-076.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> <div id="obj-29975" class="paragraph paragraph--type--para-el-figure paragraph--view-mode--photoswipe-images"> <figure> <a href="/sites/default/files/content/figure/labcrawl2023-152.jpg" class="photoswipe" data-pswp-width="3600" data-pswp-height="2400"> </a> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="figcaption"> <div class="figure__caption"> <p>Machinist <a href="/node/322066">Mike Miller</a> (left) leads a demonstration in the machine shop. Center and right: Lab Crawl stations offer plenty of interesting specimens to examine.</p> </div> <div class="figure__credit"> Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97 </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Paintbrush Empowerment</h1> <p>eburnett — Mon, 15 May 2023 22:56:45 +0000</p> <span>Paintbrush Empowerment</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2023-05-15T18:56:45-04:00" title="Monday, May 15, 2023 - 18:56">Mon, 05/15/2023 - 18:56</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Mufalo Mufalo speaks to his homeland with a paintbrush instead of a megaphone.</p> <p>The first-year �鶹��Ƶ student learned to paint from his late father back in their homeland of Zambia, a landlocked nation in southern Africa. Before long, Mufalo was painting at a nationally recognized art school, winning awards at festivals, participating in a national exhibition—even presenting an oil portrait to Zambia’s first president, Kenneth Kaunda. </p> <p>He has painted murals promoting public safety messages during the pandemic. He even fashioned his passion into a homegrown initiative: In 2019—<em>at age 15</em>—he founded Our Art Africa, a nonprofit that focuses on community outreach through art.</p> <p>“I started Our Art Africa to help inspire young people in my community to use art to express themselves,” Mufalo said in 2020. “Through the initiative, I provide art supplies to schools and orphanages and conduct painting workshops. In these workshops, I encourage participants to follow their own individuality.”</p> <p>Beginning this summer, Mufalo will do more of the same—this time with the support of a Projects for Peace grant secured with help from �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/4526">Office of Fellowships and Awards</a>, part of the <a href="/node/396216">Center for Engaged Liberal Arts</a>, or CELA.</p> <p>“A simple mural that highlights a social issue in a society can have more impact than a protest,” Mufalo wrote in his successful application for the highly competitive grant, which provides $10,000 for innovative community projects pursued mostly during the summer.</p> <p></p> <p>Mufalo headlined his application “African Graffiti as a Driver for Change.” He recounted the way news of his pandemic mural quickly spread on social media, and how many people photographed it. “I realized that, for some people, it was more than just about the subject; it was about bringing aesthetics into the neighborhood.”</p> <p>Mufalo dedicated his first Winter Term at �鶹��Ƶ to painting yet another mural near his hometown of Mongu, Zambia. He was encouraged to apply for the Projects for Peace grant by <a href="/node/175641">Deanna Bergdorf</a>, director of �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/winter-term">Office of Winter Term</a>, which is also part of CELA.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Paintings by Mufalo Mufalo</figcaption> </figure> <p>Projects for Peace grants were endowed in 2007 at Middlebury College by the late investor, artist, and activist Kathryn Wasserman Davis, who challenged recipients “to bring about a mind-set of preparing for peace instead of preparing for war.”</p> <p>Mufalo’s project will involve collaboration with other artists to paint murals in three Zambian towns: Lusaka, Mongu, and Livingstone, featuring subjects yet to be determined. He also plans to distribute more supplies. “I hope to inspire young people who want to make a difference in their communities,” he says. He expects to complete his project from June through August, finishing in time for fall semester of his sophomore year.</p> <p>Prior to attending �鶹��Ƶ, Mufalo was invited to take up high school studies at the African Leadership Academy in South Africa, many hundreds of miles from his home. His education there revolved around the school’s mission to prepare young people from throughout Africa for lives of ethical and entrepreneurial leadership.</p> <p>Although he had never left Africa before coming to �鶹��Ƶ, Mufalo met many American students at the academy, and they prepared him for life in Ohio—even the weather. “It gets a bit too cold sometimes compared to where I’m from,” he says, “but I prefer cold to hot.”</p> <p>With plans to pursue studies in both art and neuroscience, Mufalo currently takes two drawing classes, an introduction to narrative art, an introduction to Africana studies, and a neuroscience lab. In only his first year on campus, he quickly fell into a role that deftly combines his two passions: designing covers for the campus neuroscience publication <a href="https://synapsemagazine.org/"><em>The Synapse</em></a>.</p> <p>He is also a Bonner Scholar, a program of <a href="/node/4416">�鶹��Ƶ’s Bonner Center for Community-Engaged Learning, Teaching, and Research</a>. Bonner Scholars engage in community-service initiatives throughout their �鶹��Ƶ experience; Mufalo volunteers as an assistant at the Firelands Association for the Visual Arts in downtown �鶹��Ƶ.</p> <p>He credits neuroscience professor <a href="/node/50471">Chris Howard</a> and Bonner Scholars director <a href="/node/29791">Brittnei Sherrod</a> for helping him map out his future. After graduation, he hopes to pursue animation and create works with African characters.</p> <p>A self-described introvert who tends to stick to his easel, Mufalo likes �鶹��Ƶ’s small size. But he has gotten involved in numerous ways: He plays club soccer on campus and designs advertisements for African Student Association events.</p> <p>“It’s the right place for me,” he says. “�鶹��Ƶ has provided me with financial support and exposure to other opportunities as an artist.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Mufalo Mufalo inspires expression through art across his native Africa.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2023-05-15T12:00:00Z">Mon, 05/15/2023 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Grant Segall</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2377">Arts & Humanities</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25436">Studio Art</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/christopher-howard" hreflang="und">Christopher Howard</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/art" hreflang="und">Studio Art</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy of Mufalo Mufalo</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Marwan Ghanem '22 Receives Nexial Prize</h1> <p>anagy — Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:49:18 +0000</p> <span>Marwan Ghanem '22 Receives Nexial Prize</span> <span><span>anagy</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-07-18T12:49:18-04:00" title="Monday, July 18, 2022 - 12:49">Mon, 07/18/2022 - 12:49</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Marwan Ghanem came to �鶹��Ƶ College from a STEM-centered high school in Egypt, where he worked in teams to design and test solutions for Egypt’s challenges. While he considers himself fortunate to have an early foundation in interdisciplinary research, it was through �鶹��Ƶ’s liberal arts courses in anthropology, history, and sociology that Ghanem began to rethink approaches to problem solving. </p> <p>A resident of El Mahalla El Kobra, Egypt, Ghanem proudly holds the distinction of being the first African, Arab, and international Muslim student to receive �鶹��Ƶ’s 2022 Nexial Prize, a $50,000 award made annually to a member of the graduating class whose science studies are complemented by a profound interest in the study of culture. With majors in biology and neuroscience and a minor in Middle Eastern and North African studies, Ghanem will use the Nexial Prize to study how cultural upbringing might influence the development of neuropsychiatric disorders among Arab youth.</p> <p>“I feel honored that �鶹��Ƶ believes in my potential as a next-generation leader and scientist,” Ghanem says. “The Nexial Prize will advance my goal of understanding neuropsychiatric disorders.”</p> <p>The Nexial Prize was launched in 2017 with support from an alumnus who wanted to recognize the contribution that �鶹��Ƶ’s liberal arts education made to his successful career as a scientist and manager, as well as his growth intellectually and culturally. </p> <figure class="captioned-image"> <figcaption>Marwan Ghanem and his faculty mentors, Biggs Professor of Neuroscience Gunnar Kwakye, left, and Assistant Professor of Neuroscience Christopher Howard. Photo credit: Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</figcaption> </figure> <p>During his academic and experiential learning journey at �鶹��Ƶ, Ghanem received the <a href="/undergraduate-research/programs/ocrf">�鶹��Ƶ College Research Fellowship</a> award through the <a href="/undergraduate-research">Office of Undergraduate Research</a> and studied the neural mechanisms behind drug addiction and learning with Assistant Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/christopher-howard">Christopher Howard</a>, where he was a contributing author on three papers.</p> <p>Under the mentorship of Biggs Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/gunnar-kwakye">Gunnar Kwakye</a>, he developed his understanding of genetic and environmental influences in neurodegeneration. Specifically, Ghanem and Kwakye are co-authors on a paper in preparation that examines how the huntingtin gene and heavy metals cooperatively alter cellular and biochemical processes to promote Huntington’s disease. He also studied Middle Eastern cinema history in a private reading with Professor of History <a href="/zeinab-abul-magd">Zeinab Abul-Magd</a>.</p> <p>“I was attracted to �鶹��Ƶ’s liberal arts education, which widened my horizons to non-STEM fields like the study of cultures in anthropology, history, and sociology, in addition to the exceptional training in neuroscience research,” Ghanem says. </p> <p>Through �鶹��Ƶ’s Winter Term and summer research grants, he conducted research at Zewail City of Science and Technology in Egypt to develop a portable water filtration system for arid areas in Africa. </p> <p>“�鶹��Ƶ reshaped the way I approach the world and its challenges. I came to discover the key to solving problems is vulnerability—being vulnerable to admit lacking the knowledge and to find humility is what a scientist needs to solve big problems.”</p> <p>Kwakye, whose research team studies the impact of environmental pollutants on the development and progression of various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and multiple system atrophy diseases, says he admires Ghanem’s positive attitude, work ethic, and growth mindset.</p> <p>“I have been impressed with his humility and cross-disciplinary knowledge. He perseveres through challenges, loves to learn, and supports the younger generation of students,” Kwakye says. “His dedication to research and ability to work independently and collaboratively are outstanding. I am optimistic that these qualities will propel him to success in graduate school and beyond, and I am delighted that he has received this well-deserved recognition.”</p> <p>At �鶹��Ƶ, Ghanem was a <a href="/bcsl/programs/bonner-scholars">Bonner Scholar</a>, and he was involved in the <a href="http://msa@oberlin.edu">Muslim Students Association</a>, the <a href="http://asa@oberlin.edu">African Students Association</a>, and the Middle Eastern and North African Students Association. He also participated in the Interfaith Student Council and Barefoot Dialogue.</p> <p>Ghanem plans to enroll in the neuroscience PhD program at the Scripps Research Institute. </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">The award is given annually to a student who demonstrates excellence in the pursuit of interdisciplinary research.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-07-18T12:00:00Z">Mon, 07/18/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Amanda Nagy</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2396">International Students</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2367">Science & Math</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2358">Undergraduate Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2583">College of Arts and Sciences</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2381">Bonner Center</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25446">Middle East and North Africa Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/christopher-howard" hreflang="und">Christopher Howard</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/zeinab-abul-magd" hreflang="und">Zeinab Abul-Magd</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Marwan Ghanem '22, a graduate in biology and neuroscience, is the recipient of the 2022 �鶹��Ƶ College Nexial Prize.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Paul Kamitsuka Earns Goldwater Scholarship</h1> <p>ygay — Mon, 13 Jun 2022 18:47:38 +0000</p> <span>Paul Kamitsuka Earns Goldwater Scholarship</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-06-13T14:47:38-04:00" title="Monday, June 13, 2022 - 14:47">Mon, 06/13/2022 - 14:47</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Now the fourth-year student from Avon Lake, Ohio, is the recipient of a 2022 <a href="https://goldwaterscholarship.gov/">Barry Goldwater Scholarship</a>, which will support his final year of undergraduate studies at �鶹��Ƶ.</p> <p>Established by the U.S. Congress in 1986, the Goldwater Scholarship is a highly competitive, merit-based award offered to college sophomores and juniors preparing for careers in the natural sciences, engineering, and math. Many winners have gone on to earn prestigious postgraduate honors, including <a href="https://www.nsfgrfp.org/">National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowships</a>, <a href="https://www.rhodeshouse.ox.ac.uk/scholarships/the-rhodes-scholarship/">Rhodes Scholarships</a>, and <a href="https://www.marshallscholarship.org/">Marshall Scholarships</a>.</p> <p>Kamitsuka, who paired his neuroscience major with a minor in <a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry">chemistry</a>, is interested in further studying what can go wrong with cellular and molecular mechanisms that regulate nerve cell function in the brain, as well as the ways disruption in energy production affects other seemingly separate biological processes to cause diseases.</p> <p>“Although neurodegeneration is the progressive loss of nerve cells, and cancer is the uncontrolled growth of cells, the metabolic characteristics between the two diseases are strikingly similar,” he explains. “Brain cancer is particularly fascinating because of the strict metabolic regulation that is needed to provide sufficient energy for the brain, the practical challenge of dealing with this balance, and the challenge of drug delivery to the brain.</p> <p>“These factors, the lack of a cure or efficacious treatment options, and my interests in studying cellular metabolism have led me to want to pursue a career as a medical scientist in neuro-oncology.”</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>Paul Kamitsuka with neuroscience professor Gunnar Kwakye. (photo by Tanya Rosen-Jones'97)</figcaption> </figure> <p>At �鶹��Ƶ, Kamitsuka works in the lab of Biggs Professor of Neuroscience <a href="/node/6061">Gunnar Kwakye</a>, whose research team studies the impact of environmental pollutants on the development and progression of various neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s, and multiple system atrophy diseases, which are characterized by selective loss of nerve cells, motor incoordination, and altered involuntary functions such as breathing and blood pressure.</p> <p>Ongoing research conducted by Kamitsuka and other members of Kwakye’s lab examines the effects of the heavy metal cadmium—which is abundant in our environment and in tobacco plants—on the development and severity of Huntington’s disease. The lab also undertakes ongoing collaborative research projects aimed at using innovative drug discovery through computer-aided drug design, genetic editing, and chemical synthesis of small molecule probes to interrogate human biology processes and disease states in neurodegenerative diseases and breast cancer, toward the goal of developing new therapeutics.</p> <p>Kamitsuka and Kwakye are coauthors on a collaborative research paper under review that demonstrates the efficacy of a novel small molecule in altering energy function in triple-negative breast cancer cells and mice.</p> <p>In addition to his studies, Kamitsuka serves as a student coordinator for �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/4406">Center for Learning, Education, and Research in the Sciences</a> (CLEAR) and is a member of the American Medical Student Association. He is involved with �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/node/322681">Pre-Medicine and Health Careers</a> program, which offers the support of a collaborative community and specialized guidance from advisors dedicated to careers in health care. He has also volunteered for the local retirement community Kendal at �鶹��Ƶ, engaging with residents—even during the height of the pandemic—through the creation of intellectually stimulating videos and through phone conversations with those experiencing dementia.</p> <p>“The immense support of my research mentor, Professor Kwakye, and other mentors within the department of chemistry, neuroscience, and CLEAR have made my academic and experiential learning here at �鶹��Ƶ exceptional,” he says.</p> <p>Kwakye extends gratitude to <a href="/node/31851">Nick Petzak</a>, �鶹��Ƶ’s director of fellowships and awards, for his guidance in promoting Kamitsuka’s candidacy for the Goldwater honor. “Paul’s dedication and enthusiasm for science and medicine is inspiring and commendable,” he says. “I am elated by the news that he has received this well-deserved award.”</p> <p>In addition to the Goldwater Scholarship, Kamitsuka is a 2022 recipient of the <a href="https://www.toxicology.org/">Society of Toxicology Undergraduate Research Award</a>, which fosters interest in graduate studies in the field of toxicology and adjacent scientific fields.</p> <p>“I am incredibly excited to continue my academic and professional journey and explore the many paths within medicine and science,” he says. “Specifically, I look forward to meeting many like-minded individuals and growing as a learner, researcher, and medical provider.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Fourth-year neuroscience major eyes graduate school and advanced research in neuro-oncology.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-06-13T12:00:00Z">Mon, 06/13/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>In his first three years at �鶹��Ƶ, neuroscience major Paul Kamitsuka conducted research aimed at establishing and understanding nature-nurture interactions in brain disorders—studies that illuminated a path toward graduate research of brain cancer and other diseases.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2363">Academics & Research</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3830">Pre-Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/pre-medicine-and-health-careers" hreflang="und">Pre-Medicine and Health Careers</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Tanya Rosen-Jones '97</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>2022 Winter Term Recap</h1> <p>ygay — Fri, 11 Mar 2022 20:25:19 +0000</p> <span>2022 Winter Term Recap</span> <span><span>ygay</span></span> <span><time datetime="2022-03-11T15:25:19-05:00" title="Friday, March 11, 2022 - 15:25">Fri, 03/11/2022 - 15:25</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>�鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/winter-term/about" target="_blank">Winter Term</a> allows students to participate in on- or off-campus intensive group projects offered by faculty and staff. Students may develop independent study or research projects, complete internships, or undertake rigorous personal development projects. This year, from January 25 to February 17, group projects included such offerings as Practicum in Museum Education to Exploring Marginalized Music to Congressional and hospital internships.</p> <p>In this video we recap some of the projects students explored. Visit <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/oberlin/collections/72157720412304151/" target="_blank">�鶹��Ƶ’s Flickr page</a> for more photos and videos.</p> <hr> <p> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2022-03-11T12:00:00Z">Fri, 03/11/2022 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Office of Communications</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>More than 2,290 students explored projects and research opportunities outside of their normal course of study during Winter Term. In this wrap-up gallery we look back at some of the group projects students performed.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2402">Winter Term</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3515">Dance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3797">Sonny Rollins Jazz Ensemble</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2391">Languages & Literatures</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25246">Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=32971">Opera Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25441">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=34691">Jazz Performance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/matt-elrod" hreflang="und">Matthew (Matt) Elrod</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/maureen-peters" hreflang="und">Maureen Peters</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/nancy-darling" hreflang="und">Nancy Darling</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/caroline-jackson-smith" hreflang="und">Caroline Jackson Smith</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/mike-moore" hreflang="und">Michael (Mike) Moore</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/rebecca-landell" hreflang="und">Rebecca Landell</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/kj-cerankowski" hreflang="und">KJ Cerankowski</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/ann-cooper-albright" hreflang="und">Ann Cooper Albright</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/chemistry-biochemistry" hreflang="und">Chemistry and Biochemistry</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/jazz-studies" hreflang="und">Jazz Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/theater" hreflang="und">Theater</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/dance" hreflang="und">Dance</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Students in biology professor Mike More’s lab undertake a plant systematics project during Winter Term.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Yvonne Gay</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-flex-content field--type-entity-reference-revisions field--label-hidden vertical-spacing--basic field__items"> <div class="field__item"> <div id class="o-flex--video-embed"> <h2>Winter Term 2022</h2> <div class="video-embed-field-provider-vimeo video-embed-field-responsive-video"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>A Well-Rounded Med Student: Mia Bates ’18</h1> <p>swargo — Fri, 22 Oct 2021 13:22:38 +0000</p> <span>A Well-Rounded Med Student: Mia Bates ’18</span> <span><span>swargo</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-10-22T09:22:38-04:00" title="Friday, October 22, 2021 - 09:22">Fri, 10/22/2021 - 09:22</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p> </p> <hr> <p><strong>What inspired your interest in the medical field? </strong></p> <p>I grew up in a small town called Corning, New York, in a restaurant family—my parents own restaurants and I'm the second youngest of six kids. I was raised in the service industry and didn't want to do that, but really liked public service. I also really liked science, so when I started developing an idea of what I wanted to do with my life, medicine seemed like an interesting option to combine science with being a public servant, activism, and humanitarianism. It also involves problem solving which frankly ended up being what I was good at.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>How did your time at �鶹��Ƶ impact your post-grad experiences? </strong></p> <p>�鶹��Ƶ was very important in the path I chose to take. I majored in neuroscience and did honors in psychology. The small, liberal arts atmosphere was fantastic for me. I like to talk and am not a big fan of lectures, so the smaller class sizes allowed me to get into the sciences and complete my pre-med track, but I wasn’t interested in only doing that. I think the best physicians are well-rounded people and �鶹��Ƶ really supports that. Also, the faculty were phenomenal—Lynne Bianchi, Gunnar Kwakye, and Al Porterfield were big mentors for me. Because it’s such a small school, the faculty really want you to succeed. Professor Kwakye got a research job for me during my gap year after I graduated. I also ran cross country and track, which I loved. At �鶹��Ƶ, I got to be a well-rounded individual and see new things. Meeting people with different viewpoints and different backgrounds from myself was really important. I had a lot of success in my application process to med school and I attribute that to �鶹��Ƶ.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>What has your experience in med school been like so far? </strong></p> <p>After a long application process, I ended up at Albert Einstein in the Bronx. The Bronx has the worst access to healthcare of any New York state counties. It’s a very in-need and diverse population. It’s been a tough experience because of the pandemic. My first year, I got six months of a “normal” semester, getting to meet new people. The first two years at Einstein are mostly in-class work in basic sciences and medicine. When the pandemic hit, we had to go home, and learning at home is tough, especially in medicine. My third year started this past June, and I’m now in the hospital treating patients. I’ve always been a very hands-on learner, so it’s been really great. I’ve done my obstetrics/gynecology services and pediatrics rotations, and I’m on family medicine now.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Do you have a particular area of interest? </strong></p> <p>I’m starting to settle on adolescent medicine. I like reproductive health, abortion care, and teaching people about their bodies. That’s a big part of it: teaching about consent, asking them about their sex practices, and making sure they’re being safe. I like the idea of being a trusted adult for kids in that age group to ask questions. I really love the stimulation of in-patient work.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>What advice would you give to students planning to attend med school and pursue a career in the medical field? </strong></p> <p>I think connections are really important. �鶹��Ƶ professors are at a small liberal arts school to connect with students, they're not there to teach 500-person lectures. If you’re interested in medicine, get as involved as you can. It’s difficult in COVID times, but you have to enjoy it, too. You don’t want to just be checking off boxes because you might get to medical school and realize you don’t actually like this career. Keep doing the things you love because those will be the things that get you through med school, prevent burnout, and ultimately become a better doctor.</p> <p><br> </p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-10-22T12:00:00Z">Fri, 10/22/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Kyra McConnell ’22</div> <div class="text-content field field--name-field-intro-text field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Neuroscience major and cross-country team alum Mia Bates ’18 is studying at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine in Bronx, New York. She reflects on her time at �鶹��Ƶ, and how the liberal arts model allowed her to become a well-rounded student and explore her passions.</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2360">After �鶹��Ƶ</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3830">Pre-Medicine</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2771">Athletics</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/gunnar-kwakye" hreflang="und">Gunnar Kwakye</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/pre-medicine-and-health-careers" hreflang="und">Pre-Medicine and Health Careers</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Mia Bates ’18 and her husband, John McCarthy, are students at the Albert Einstein School of Medicine.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Courtesy of Bates</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Janet Wu ’21 Earns �鶹��Ƶ’s Nexial Prize for 2021</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 25 May 2021 20:07:04 +0000</p> <span>Janet Wu ’21 Earns �鶹��Ƶ’s Nexial Prize for 2021</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-05-25T16:07:04-04:00" title="Tuesday, May 25, 2021 - 16:07">Tue, 05/25/2021 - 16:07</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Janet Wu credits a piano mentor in high school for opening her eyes to �鶹��Ƶ. Five years later, �鶹��Ƶ has had its eyes opened to Janet Wu.</p> <p>In May, Wu was named the winner of �鶹��Ƶ’s 2021 Nexial Prize, a $50,000 award made annually to a member of the graduating class whose science studies are complemented by a profound interest in the study of culture. Wu, with majors in neuroscience, biology, and piano performance, is the first double-degree student to be honored in the prize’s five-year history, and also the first student of color and the first Asian American student.</p> <p>She is also one of two winners of the Pi Kappa Lambda Prize for Musicianship, one of the conservatory’s highest honors.</p> <p>During her time at �鶹��Ƶ, Wu has shown a profound interest in just about every corner of campus. A pianist since age 3, with a fascination for science that dates back almost as far, she was perhaps an ideal candidate to pursue a double degree, even if her ultimate goal involves oncologic surgery rather than performance.</p> <p>“I hadn’t planned on going into piano after high school because my focus was on science,” says Wu, who grew up in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. “But I had an unease in not continuing music in college in a more formal way. I knew that if I didn’t even try it, I would regret it.” In her time at �鶹��Ƶ, she has found the practice rooms of Robertson Hall to be the perfect antidote to the occasional stress of her science studies—and at other times, science is her calming escape from the keyboard. To her, the twin passions are not so unalike.</p> <p>“In music and in science, we’re trying to understand things by breaking them down into very small blocks and building them back up to either create a performance or create an understanding of how things are all interrelated,” she says. “That sort of big-picture mentality has informed my learning here at �鶹��Ƶ, and I think that comes from music and how we learn music.”</p> <p>She considers her conservatory education crucial to developing a necessary sense of vulnerability—the kind that comes from sharing music with others in a classroom or on a stage, as she did as a piano accompanist with the �鶹��Ƶ College Choir for its 2019 performance at Carnegie Hall. Experiencing vulnerability, she believes, is essential to developing meaningful relationships, especially among people with significantly different life experiences. It’s a notion she also developed as a student leader of Barefoot Dialogues, a program of the <a href="/religious-and-spiritual-life/staff">Office of Religious and Spiritual Life</a>, through which students engage in extended conversations on any and all topics, including sharing deeply personal life experiences, to fully connect with each other.</p> <p>Wu was one of three students appointed to �鶹��Ƶ’s <a href="/about-oberlin/leadership-and-administration/aapr">Academic and Administrative Program Review</a> steering committee, the 31-member body charged with examining the institution’s programs and practices, with an eye toward developing recommendations for a sustainable path forward. She was also active as treasurer of the �鶹��Ƶ Student Cooperative Association, which operates �鶹��Ƶ’s popular food and housing co-ops.</p> <p>In the margins between her majors, Wu relished her liberal arts courses—from Asian American Literature, to Ethics in Early China, to Global Indigenous Health, and more. Over time, she became attuned to a cultural history that her pre-college education had overlooked, and she was increasingly aware of the ways in which ethnic factors can influence health and healthcare.</p> <p>“I would describe Janet as fearless, highly motivated, and dependable,” says Professor of Piano <a href="/node/6726">Angela Cheng</a>, her musical mentor at �鶹��Ƶ. “She is fearless in that she is never afraid to study and perform some of the most demanding pieces in our repertoire. She is highly motivated in that she is not going to shy away from something difficult and choose something less challenging, just to make her life easier. And she is dependable: No matter how hard a situation is, she always comes through.”</p> <p>In August, Wu will begin the <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/pstp.html">Physician-Scientist Training Program</a> at Stanford Medicine. It’s a next step facilitated by five years of �鶹��Ƶ rigor, not to mention numerous undergraduate fellowships and shadowing experiences, through which she has experienced countless hours of surgeries and conducted research on the resistance of brain tumor cells to chemotherapy. (Her work, conducted as a summer fellow at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was published in the February 26, 2020, edition of <a href="https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/12/532/eaay7522"><em>Science Translational Medicine</em></a>.) At Stanford, she will continue her cancer research, seeking new biomarkers for early detection and approaches to treatment.</p> <p>“The bulk of my experience so far has been in brain cancer research, and specifically why and how glioblastoma is so resistant to chemotherapies,” she says. “But I’m sort of at a crossroads because I love that research and I love that topic, but more recently I’ve developed another interest—in liver cancer, and especially those types that are derived from hepatitis B infections and that health disparity for Asian Americans, in particular.</p> <p>“I actually learned about it through my liberal arts classes at �鶹��Ƶ, which inspired further self-directed research,” she adds. “They made me curious about health disparities. We’ll see if these interests deepen, or if they evolve into something else. There are so many fields I have not explored yet.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Double-degree pianist to pursue medicine at Stanford University.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-05-25T12:00:00Z">Tue, 05/25/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2373">Awards and Honors</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2357">Double Degree Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=3846">Engaged Liberal Arts</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=29541">Piano</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=39981">Piano and Vocal Accompanying</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=25251">Biology</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/angela-cheng" hreflang="und">Angela Cheng</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/biology" hreflang="und">Biology</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/keyboard-studies" hreflang="und">Keyboard Studies</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/pre-medicine-and-health-careers" hreflang="und">Pre-Medicine and Health Careers</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy Janet Wu</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Where Heart and Mind Meet</h1> <p>eburnett — Tue, 23 Mar 2021 14:03:18 +0000</p> <span>Where Heart and Mind Meet</span> <span><span>eburnett</span></span> <span><time datetime="2021-03-23T10:03:18-04:00" title="Tuesday, March 23, 2021 - 10:03">Tue, 03/23/2021 - 10:03</time> </span> <div class="text-content field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Looking back on it now, Annemarie Schubert can’t believe it took so long to gravitate toward historical performance.</p> <p>After all, she was raised on the masses of Bach in her native Leipzig, Germany, before relocating with her family to Nebraska at age 10, already three years into her violin studies.</p> <p>“It was beautiful, but I don’t think I appreciated it as a 6-year-old so much,” she says of her earliest exposure to early music.</p> <p>Like many �鶹��Ƶ violinists, Schubert was a sophomore when her teacher, Professor of Violin <a href="/node/6986">Marilyn McDonald</a>, encouraged her to explore sounds of the 17th and 18th centuries.</p> <figure class="captioned-image obj-right"> <figcaption>“�鶹��Ƶ was absolutely the best fit for me,” says Annemarie Schubert. “It’s a small campus where you can quickly move between the college and conservatory. I definitely got to experience both sides fully.”</figcaption> </figure> <p>“It felt like a completely different language,” she remembers thinking. “But I really like the soundscape the instruments give, with the gut strings and narrower bows. It’s warmer and much more resonant than our modern strings are.” Plus, as Schubert puts it, “You can’t get away with all the bad technical things you can get away with on a modern violin.”</p> <p>“I kind of fell into the HP community here—which is a little dorky! They love to discuss <em>treatises</em>. They love to discuss trills and ornaments! But it isn’t dorky in a negative way. It has always been very warm and welcoming. We debate trills for a half-hour, and it’s fun. At �鶹��Ƶ, everybody is really passionate about actually playing in historically informed ways, and that’s really unique. I feel very lucky to have experienced that so early on.”</p> <p>Schubert’s cross-training proved especially useful in a spring 2021 performance of Ellen Taaffe Zwilich’s <em>Concerto Grosso 1985</em>, an homage to Handel based on thematic material from his D major violin sonata that requires its musicians to alternate between Baroque and modern playing styles. Schubert was concertmaster for the �鶹��Ƶ Chamber Orchestra performance that is slated to appear on <a href="/node/189976">�鶹��Ƶ Stage Left</a>, the conservatory’s broadcast platform, on <a href="https://calendar.oberlin.edu/event/oberlin_stage_left_oberlin_conservatory_large_ensembles_592">Saturday, April 3</a>.</p> <p>“We are in a privileged position to be a conservatory with a very strong new music program and to have students who are very well informed in historical performance,” says Professor <a href="/node/6636">Raphael Jiménez</a>, who conducted the Zwilich concerto. “We have players who know exactly what to do when we switch between Baroque and modern styles.”</p> <p>“Many Baroque players are also attracted to contemporary music,” says McDonald. “It’s kind of fascinating: There tend to be experimental aspects to contemporary music, and you could say that the 18th century was also quite experimental in terms of the development of instruments and the development of high-flying virtuosic technique. To play that way, you not only need to musically appreciate it, but you have to give yourself over to how things operate physically—and Annemarie is very, very good at that.”</p> <p>McDonald attributes that flexibility, in part, to Schubert’s double-degree path. “Our double-degree students, no matter whatever else they do, develop a sense of discipline that is amazing.”</p> <p>When it came time for her college search, Schubert knew she wanted a place where she could immerse herself equally in music and science.</p> <p>“�鶹��Ƶ was absolutely the best fit for me,” she says. “It’s a small campus where you can quickly move between the college and conservatory. I definitely got to experience both sides fully.”</p> <p>She transitioned into the <a href="/node/24686">Double Degree Program</a> in her second year, when her growing love of psychology swayed her toward neuroscience. Since then, she has engaged in research on tone deafness and the use of music therapy to treat cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease. Her study of neuroscience has also informed her approach to music-making.</p> <p>“I’m constantly talking about the brain in rehearsal,” she says. “I’ll say things like <em>Our speech-processing paths and our music-processing paths are complete polar opposites, but they’re in communication all the time</em>. I’m sure it’s so annoying!”</p> <p>(�鶹��Ƶ students interested in blending conservatory studies with neuroscience can pursue an interdisciplinary minor in <a href="/interdivisional-programs/music-and-cognition-minor">Music and Cognition</a>, one of <a href="/interdivisional-programs">five new minor courses of study</a> that unite coursework in the College of Arts and Sciences and the Conservatory of Music.)</p> <p>Schubert has also found herself fascinated by the ways in which music seems to permeate every corner of �鶹��Ƶ’s campus. She has served as a teaching assistant for conductor <a href="/node/121916">Tiffany Chang</a> and the <a href="https://sites.google.com/prod/view/oaso">Arts and Sciences Orchestra</a>, the �鶹��Ƶ ensemble made up of college musicians.</p> <p>“Working with people for whom music is not the most important thing on this campus is so enlightening,” she says. “They’re playing simply because they love it. The musical community here, and the way they think and talk about music, is something that I will treasure for the rest of my life.”</p> <p>After graduating in May, Schubert intends to continue her violin studies, either at the San Francisco Conservatory or in Europe, where graduate school auditions don’t happen until June—much later than in the U.S.</p> <p>Her love of science remains, but her musical aspirations earn top billing for now.</p> <p>“My theory is that science is something that you can come back to. You can take time off and read papers on your own time and stay informed. But to come back to the conservatory after spending a couple of years in a research lab or going to medical school is not as feasible. So I’m looking to pursue performance for now. And then, if my path eventually takes me to music therapy and music cognition, then that’s how life goes.”</p></div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-subhead field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Annemarie Schubert ’21 chose �鶹��Ƶ for violin and neuroscience. Then early music chose her.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-type field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item">News Story</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2021-03-23T12:00:00Z">Tue, 03/23/2021 - 12:00</time> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-author field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">Erich Burnett</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2356">Conservatory</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2357">Double Degree Program</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?tag=2370">Ensembles & Orchestras</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-programs field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=35116">Violin</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=33036">Baroque Violin</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/news?program=4861">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-faculty field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/raphael-jimenez" hreflang="und">Raphael Jiménez</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-departments field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/strings" hreflang="und">Strings</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/conservatory/divisions/historical-performance" hreflang="und">Historical Performance</a></div> <div class="field__item"><a href="/arts-and-sciences/departments/neuroscience" hreflang="und">Neuroscience</a></div> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-caption field--type-string-long field--label-hidden field__item">Annemarie Schubert performs with the �鶹��Ƶ Baroque Orchestra early in spring semester 2021.</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-pin-school-page field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">Off</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-photo-gallery-top field--type-boolean field--label-hidden field__item">false</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-image-credit field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">courtesy �鶹��Ƶ Stage Left</div> <div class="field field--name-field-news-media field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__item"> </div> </article> </main></body></html>