The EMU Trumpet Sextet — under the direction of Dr. Anderson Romero, Assistant Professor of Music — has been selected to compete as quarter-finalists in the small ensemble division at the National Trumpet Competition. In addition, Master's student Adriano Estraiotto was chosen as a quarter-finalist to compete in the Graduate Solo Division. This is the first time an EMU ensemble has been invited to compete at NTC after a rigorous selection process through video recordings. The competition will be held at the University of Colorado - Boulder, March 24-27.

Ian Tomashik, a second-semester student in the graduate program in Historic Preservation, is a founder and board member of Preservation Dearborn. His decision to pursue graduate study and his work with Preservation Dearborn both grew out of an experience three years ago, when he and several neighbors attempted to found a new historic district to protect Dearborn’s built heritage. Concerned by threats from new luxury developments, they asked the City Council to renew the city’s Historic District Ordinance, which offers protections for historic buildings and landscapes. The city was reluctant to do so, and overall, Dearborn's residents seemed unaware of which historic treasures needed protection. (Dearborn includes sites as diverse as Henry Ford’s Fair Lane Estate and the nation’s second oldest mosque.) Ian, who has an architecture degree from the University of Michigan, believes his coursework and hands-on projects will guide his work in realizing and preserving Dearborn’s heritage.

"I feel like most people don't know this, but Dearborn doesn't have any historic buildings that are really protected from demolition," Tomashik told Metromode. "Local historic districts are the only way to protect a building from being demolished or altered. And it's especially important not only for preserving the character of the built legacy and telling Dearborn’s story, but along with historic designation comes tax credits and grant programs, all kinds of support from the state of Michigan and federal government."

Ian and his neighbors remain devoted to raising awareness of Dearborn’s local stories. In 2021, they founded Preservation Dearborn to make citizens aware of the city’s built heritage. PD launched a social media page that pairs photos of historic sites with their rich stories, and has since authored 152 posts, 9 lectures, a book, and 3 walking tours. Ian hopes to inspire the greater Dearborn community to explore, understand and protect its historic sites, creating an inclusive preservation practice as diverse as its residents. 

Rosie Friend, a Physics Research major, presented a poster at the 2022 Fall Meeting of the of the American Geophysical Union, the most influential event in the world dedicated to the advancement of Earth and space sciences. The meeting was held in Chicago, Illinois, Dec. 12 - 16. Rosie started working with Physics and Astronomy faculty member Dr. David Pawlowski to computationally model features of the Martian ionosphere that are observed in measurements made by the Mars Express orbiter.

Rosie's work aims at developing a better understanding of the origin of echoes seen in radar signals scattered by the Martian ionosphere. One idea is that the echoes occur where there are local increases ("bumps") in the magnetic field of Mars. To test this idea, Rosie worked with Dr. Pawlowski to modify the Mars Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (M-GITM) to allow them to deposit energy into the model ionosphere and better understand the exchange of energy from the sun, through the solar wind and into the Martian atmosphere.

Rosie said that "going to the AGU Fall meeting was an amazing opportunity. I started doing research my freshman year and it's really exciting to see the progress I've made from when I first started to now presenting at my first big conference."

Dr. Pawlowski commented, "Rosie’s research allows us to probe the ionosphere in a way that isn’t possible by examining observations alone. Through this work, we can obtain a better understanding of the energetics of Mars’s atmosphere and ultimately be better prepared for future missions to the red planet."

Two CAS students are lending their voices to support students' mental health through uplifting music. Jessica Turner, a Marketing major with a minor in African American Studies, and her sister Jaida Turner, a major in Art Education, are using their musical talents to help those experiencing difficult times.

In their most recent song release, 'Black Diamond,' Jaida and Jessica crafted lyrics to address mental health and self-worth and reassure millennials and Generation Z they are not alone through their journey. The song is their third extended play (EP) release as new artists.

"Black Diamond is one of the many songs we created to help people understand that no matter what you go through, there is always someone there for support and there’s always tomorrow," said Jessica. "We want to create music with a contemporary gospel sound where it gives a positive message but isn't traditional gospel because we are trying to connect to our generation in a way that allows them to enjoy and understand the music," Jaida added. 

A CAS high-altitude weather balloon (HAB) program has recently been selected to participate in the NASA-funded and Montana State University-led Nationwide Eclipse Balloon Project (NEBP). This effort will broaden the participation of STEM learners by immersing teams from a wide range of higher education institutions in an innovative NASA-mission-like adventure in data acquisition and analysis through scientific ballooning during the 2023 annular and 2024 total solar eclipses.

The HAB program, known as EMU Atmospheric Physics Exploration (EMU APEX), was created by Physics Professor Dave Pawlowski and Professor of Meteorology Tom Kovacs. The program was created as an opportunity to build a sense of community amongst EMU students who share a diverse set of backgrounds and identities and provide hands-on and interdisciplinary learning opportunities to EMU students. 

"This is an exciting and valuable opportunity for our students," said Pawlowski. "Not only are they going to be gaining real-life, hands-on experience that will be incredibly helpful in their studies and future careers, they will have the opportunity to connect and collaborate with students and researchers from a variety of institutions around the country and not only be exposed to different ways of thinking but gain access to a number of training opportunities and resources that are being provided as part of the program."

Biology graduate student Rachel Koski and Professor Cara Shillington recently talked with WEMU about a new research program engaging Biology students in the study of freshwater jellyfish.

"I guess, mostly after COVID, I just wanted more opportunities to get students out in the field," Shillington explained. "I am a field biologist, and I really love the invertebrates. I teach also invertebrate classes. And I knew about these jellyfish and just thought this would be a great way to get students out and actually working as scientists. So, you know, coming up with their own ideas, getting them out there, so that they can see the organism and then coming up with their own ideas of where they wanted to go with the organisms and what we could study and things along those lines. So, it was really fun just to be out with a whole bunch of students and see the ideas and their excitement working with these organisms."

Koski told how she became involved in this project. "I've always really enjoyed marine biology. I took a course in high school that really piqued my interest. While at EMU, I was taking marine classes, the invertebrate class that Dr. Shillington had mentioned, where we did talk about the freshwater jellyfish. And then, I was getting my SCUBA certification for the invertebrate class, and I saw them in real life. And I was like, 'Oh my gosh! These are just the coolest, neatest things ever.' And now, I get to work with them. So, it's really cool."

As a fan of parody music and sketch comedy, Physics and Astronomy Interim Department Head Ernest Behringer thought it would be fun to invite Physics students to create a music video on coding in physics.

Behringer connected with Shelby Smith, a Communication major, who was able to work on the production of the music video as a project for her capstone course. Smith directed the whole video while working with the student cast. Behringer also worked with Avital Keely, a Physics Research major and the president of the EMU chapter of the Society of Physics Students, who coordinated the choreography for the other students in the video.

"In my experience, music is something you feel, and it seems easier to remember feelings than particular processes or facts," Behringer said. "I hope that the main idea that comes across is that it is important– and valuable – for Physics majors to know how to code and that we should work together to develop models and simulations to gain physics understanding. These days, coding is an essential and authentic part of discovery, and the practice of physics."

Biology Professor Aaron Liepman's LEGO mural 'Selma to Montgomery' is on exhibit through February 16 at the downtown branch of the Ann Arbor District Library. Constructed with more than 16,000 LEGO bricks, the mosaic depicts the march that led to passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Liepman explains the brain interprets LEGO mosaics in interesting ways, offering different viewpoints when viewed up close and from afar. "As an artist, I create mosaics using purely rectangular pieces that can fool someone into believing they are seeing smooth contours and arcs," said Liepman. "The illusion that happens when people get close or step away from the piece is fascinating."

Liepman’s desire to give people something to think about grew more profound in the summer of 2020 when the country was experiencing civil unrest.

"I wanted to learn more about civil rights due to the racial injustices of the time," said Liepman. "I figured learning about the civil rights struggle is a good way to begin, and what better way to start than to look at some of the things that were happening."

The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education has awarded EMU a Bronze STARS rating for its sustainability efforts. Fewer than 5% of all U.S. colleges receive this rating. 

Tom Kovacs, Professor of Meteorology and Environmental Science, chairs the EMU President’s Commission on Sustainability. "Sustainability can be defined as the principles and practices that promote and maintain the responsible use of natural resources by current generations to ensure the availability and well-being of those resources for our future generations," Kovacs said. 

Other CAS faculty members contributed to these sustainability certification efforts:

• Chris Gellasch, Associate Professor of Hydrogeology, Hydrology, and Environmental Science, tracks contaminants in the groundwater at Fish Lake. Gellasch’s research combines aspects of hydrogeology and environmental engineering to asses pathways contaminants could migrate through the subsurface and impact public supply wells or surface water bodies.

• Katy Greenwald, Professor of Biology, coordinates the Environmental Science and Society (ENVI) program. The ENVI program promotes academic engagement concerning human-environment interactions and sustainability through teaching, research, and service.

• John Oswald, Associate Professor of Political and Urban Geography, uses the co-generation energy source to examine EMU's energy production and our on-campus recycling and trash usage.

• Ronald Rich, Lecturer in Anthropology, used parking permit information to examine the percentage of staff and students that use sustainable transportation to commute to campus.

• Anke Wolbert, Lecturer in Communication, gathered data on sustainable immersive experiences and helped survey the faculty to determine how campus is used as a living laboratory and which faculty engage in sustainable research.

EMU recently partnered with online marketplace EnergySage to provide educational resources and calculators for EMU employees, faculty, students, and alumni who are looking for solar options at home. "There are dozens of solar options and installers but it’s difficult to sift through the noise when it comes to understanding the pros and cons of going solar," said Kovacs. "As a higher education institution, we are committed to helping educate the EMU community on what clean energy options are available to our community beyond the campus and feel EnergySage is the perfect partner to help them begin their personal solar journey and live more sustainably."

Dr. Joel Schoenhals, Professor of Piano in the School of Music and Dance, has released two albums of piano music by Navajo composer Connor Chee with the support of the Brickley Award. The Navajo Piano is a collection of 15 works for solo piano based on Navajo chants. With support from private fundraising, Schoenhals commissioned Chee to compose another set of works for solo piano for the second album. Sandpaintings for Piano is a collection of 16 works for solo piano that take inspiration from Navajo culture, art, and philosophy. Schoenhals is the first pianist other than the composer to record The Navajo Piano. Sandpaintings for Piano is a world premiere recording. Both are widely available on all music streaming services.

To help improve police-community relations, the National Science Foundation awarded a national team of researchers led by Kevin Karpiak, Professor of Anthropology and Criminology, with a grant totaling more than $600,000 to study civilian-led police oversight boards in Washtenaw County, San Diego County, and Milwaukee County.

Karpiak and his team will investigate local oversight practices and collect and analyze data on what the team can learn from civilian oversight boards. These boards enhance the transparency and accountability of policing and help strengthen relationships between the police and the community.

The research entails selecting locations with distinct racial dynamics and varying structures of civilian-led police oversight commissions. "The project focuses on the varied histories, forms, practices, and successes and failures of civilian oversight," Karpiak said. "Investigators and student researchers analyze the variations in communication and practices to understand the specific implementations of civilian oversight of police and to gauge the potential value of civilian oversight commissions on a broader scale." 

Dr. Karpiak also recently shared with WEMU his expertise on unarmed crisis response teams.

Dr. Mehmet Yaya, Professor and Department Head of Economics, has joined with three other EMU faculty members to raise funds to aid victims of the earthquake that devastated areas of Turkey and Syria on February 6. 

"We have recently launched a rescue and relief campaign to help support the search and rescue," Yaya said. Donations are being collected by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan. "We collect all these donations, and the entire amount that we raise during his campaign, will be donated to the search and rescue, and humanitarian efforts," he added.

Visit the Turkish-American Cultural Association of Michigan (TACAM) website for current advice on how to help.

Dr. Eric Fulcomer (BA, English Language and Literature) has been named president and CEO of the Wisconsin Association of Independent Colleges and Universities, a 23-member consortium of private colleges and universities.

"WAICU is working together with Wisconsin’s private colleges to support Wisconsin’s economic future. WAICU-member schools add a total of $7.1 billion in economic impact to Wisconsin, create more than 13,400 graduates annually, and support and sustain 62,825 jobs in the state," Fulconer told WisPolitics.

From 2016 to 2022 Fulcomer served as the president of Rockford University in Illinois.

Dr. Oluwatobi (Tobi) Odeleye (BS, Chemistry; MS, Chemistry) recently authored a chapter in and co-edited an American Chemical Society eBook, Chemistry Student Success: A Field-Tested, Evidence-Based Guide. Dr. Oluwatobi started her career as an assistant professor and director of general chemistry at the University of Oklahoma. She is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at West Virginia University. Her research area is chemical education, where she studies how students learn chemistry.

Dr. Odeleye was born and grew up in Nigeria, coming to the U.S. to pursue her education. After a couple years of community college, she earned both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in chemistry from Eastern Michigan University. She then went on to earn her Ph.D. at South Dakota State University with a focus on chemistry education research. 

When asked about her career path, Tobi explained, "I initially thought I wanted to be a medical doctor, and my first major was biochemistry/pre-med, but I quickly realized I didn't enjoy biology and wanted to focus on chemistry because I enjoyed it a lot! I tutored quite a bit in college, and that was fun for me. So, after college, I decided I wanted to teach chemistry at the college level, and to do that, I needed a Ph.D. in chemistry. I picked chemistry education as my area of research because I wanted to look at factors that influenced students' attitudes towards chemistry specifically, but also towards science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in general."

One of Tobi’s main goals is to "make chemistry (and other STEM fields) more accessible and less intimidating to people." She hopes to inspire students with her love for chemistry and its intricate workings so that they are encouraged to pursue the exciting fields in STEM.

Communication alumna Brittni Brown has created the Brittni L. Brown Book Scholarship with EMU’s Black Alumni Association (EMUBA) to support African American public relations and undergraduate journalism students. 

"I felt so much gratitude after receiving the Brittni L. Brown scholarship because it really made a difference to my time here at EMU," said senior Erin Flynn, the first recipient of the new award. "I was able to use the money towards school which helped me become one step closer to graduation. I couldn't be more thankful and am honored that Brittni chose me as her scholarship recipient."

Brown is the founder and principal publicist at The Bee Agency Public Relations, an award-winning, internationally recognized public relations agency. She was named "One of the Top 25 African American PR Millennials to Watch" by HuffPost through her work and commitment to redefining the communication industry. In addition, she is responsible for encouraging and aiding in developing emergent public relations professionals looking to excel in their careers.

"Over the years, Brittni has demonstrated her support of our public relations and journalism students in numerous ways," said Lolita Cummings, Professor of Public Relations. "She has served as a guest classroom lecturer, a speaker at EMU's Eleanor Wright Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America meetings, and hired students as interns at her agency. When I heard about her scholarship, I was pleased but not surprised. Brittni is genuine and committed." 

EMU Theatre's production of Stick Fly opened last weekend, and will continue with shows February 17 and 18 at 7 p.m. and February 19 at 2 p.m. in the Legacy Theatre. 

Stick Fly portrays a weekend gathering of the LeVay family at their summer home on Martha's Vineyard. The two sons have brought their current love interests to meet the parents with a plan to relax and reconnect. Instead, innocent discussions test family ties and spill secrets as issues of race, privilege and responsibility come to a head. Packed with humor, heart and witty banter, this award-winning play by Detroit native Lydia R. Diamond reveals the deep complexities of family.

The performance is directed by EMU alumnus & returning graduate student Randy Stewart and features EMU Professor Wallace Bridges in the role of patriarch, Joe LeVay. Stick Fly is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. Recommended for mature audiences.

The School of Art and Design is offering a special look into "King Kong at Ninety: Visualization in the Art of Stop Motion Animation," one of the largest exhibitions of original artworks featuring the art of Willis O’Brien. The exhibition is showcased at the University Gallery in Eastern’s Student Center. The show, which runs until Feb. 23, celebrates the 90th anniversary of King Kong and its legacy by showcasing original film production and concept art.

"The 1933 original version of King Kong represents a milestone in cinematic history both in technical and artistic terms," said Tom Suchan, Professor of Art History and co-curator of the exhibit. "Our exhibit tells a story encompassing some of the key figures involved in the making of King Kong and those influenced by it, such as the late great Ray Harryhausen, and tells the story of the transition from hand and mechanically manipulated stop-motion animation to computer-generated imagery."

The next installment in EMU's Civil Rights Forum — "A Conversation on Race, Policing, & Social Justice: Where Do We Go From Here?" — will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 15, 2023, at 5 p.m. The panel discussion, which will feature EMU alumnus Marques Banks (BS, Political Science, 2012), will be held in the Student Center, Ballroom B.

Marques Banks helped create the Black Movement Law Project, an organization providing legal support to the activists and organizations of the Movement for Black Lives. A 2012 graduate in Political Science, Banks went on to earn his Juris Doctor at the Catholic University of America’s Columbus School of Law. He will be joined on the panel by:

• Dr. Aaron Rollins, Peace, Justice, & Conflict Transformation Program, University of Louisville

• Natalie Holbrook, Michigan Criminal Justice Program

• Eleanore Ablan-Owens, Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice

• Rai Lanier, Michigan Liberation

Ypsilanti Mayor and CAS alumna Nicole Brown (BS, Communication and Social Work, 2011; MSW, 2022) will speak on "My Journey to City Hall: Lessons for Aspiring Young Politicians." The Department of Africology and African American Studies will present this Black History Month event at noon on Wednesday, February 15 in the Student Center, room 320.

The 2023 JNT Dialogue will explore the theme, "Video Games and Narrative: How Virtual Worlds Move Us." Video game scholars Aubrey Anable and Soraya Murray will discuss the political and affective significance of dwelling in the complex virtual spaces created by video games. Taking on normative assumptions about video games and play cultures, the speakers will also discuss how they can be reclaimed for feminist and queer futures. This event will take place at 6.30 pm on March 16 in the Student Center Auditorium. 

Despite imagining complex virtual worlds that inspire a range of player identifications and affects, video games are often analyzed as computational rather than narrative artifacts. As narratives, video games offer playable representations of our cultures, where we encounter real world fears, conflicts, and dreams in imaginary landscapes. Video games move us, as we move through them: they enable new relationships, structures of feeling, and political meanings. 

The JNT Dialogue is presented by JNT: Journal of Narrative Theory, an international literary journal housed in the English Department since 1971. JNT uses its proceeds each year to bring two prominent scholars, intellectuals, or artists to present their current work in conversation with each other. This year's event is the 20th consecutive dialogue that JNT has hosted at EMU. This event is LBC approved.

Professor Elisabeth Däumer will speak about "Body of Waking: Muriel Rukeyser's 'Coming Out' Poems," at 5:00-6:30 P.M. on Wednesday, February 15 on Zoom. This talk will be part of the 2022-2023 Women’s and Gender Studies Lecture Series.

In her 1958 book of poems Body of Waking Muriel Rukeyser sought to "speak to myself at last." Inspired by her work with Jungian analyst Frances G. Wickes, Rukeyser's poems explore the fears and desires of a non-conforming woman poet and single mother, whose body, sexuality, and poetry insistently shattered the mold. But who or what did she 'come out' as in a decade marked by political surveillance, the witch hunt against communists and homosexuals, and the formation of more stratified lesbian communities? While exploring this question, the talk will also address the unique provocations of feminist archival research and invite audience members to offer their own responses to Rukeyser's poems. 

Elisabeth Däumer, PhD is Professor of English Language and Literature and a longtime Department Member of Women’s and Gender Studies. Her scholarly interests include women's writing; modern poetry and poetics; theories of gesture and embodiment; ecotheory and criticism. With the help of EMU students, she developed and maintains The Muriel Rukeyser Living Archive website. She has researched and taught Muriel Rukeyser's writings for many years and enjoys any opportunity to discuss the poet's works. 

For more information contact Beth Currans at ecurrans@emich.edu.

On Saturday, April 1, from 9am - 4pm, the Department of Mathematics and Statistics will host the 2023 EMU Machine Learning Conference in Pray-Harrold 201. Please register by March 1, 2023. Registration is free. In addition to academics, AI startups are welcome to share their knowledge and insights in this exciting field. For inquiries, contact Ovidiu Calin at ocalin@emich.edu.

Machine learning is a subfield of artificial intelligence that uses algorithms to enable computers to learn from data and make predictions or decisions without being explicitly programmed. It involves finding patterns in large amounts of data and using these patterns to make informed decisions. Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broader term that refers to the development of computer systems that can perform tasks that typically require human intelligence, such as visual perception, speech recognition, and decision-making. Machine learning is one of the ways AI is being developed. Improvements in AI have the potential to bring many benefits, such as increased efficiency, improved healthcare outcomes, and better decision-making. However, there are also concerns about the potential consequences of AI, such as job loss and the possibility of biased decision-making.

"Machine learning has the great potential to revolutionize the way we’ll live and work in the future," observes conference organizer and Professor of Mathematics Dr. Ovidiu Calin. "As we gather more and more data, it is becoming increasingly important to develop algorithms that can make sense of this data and extract meaningful insights. The field of machine learning is at the forefront of this effort." 

On March 13th, Professor Michal Raucher of Rutgers University will present a talk titled "Jews for Choice: How are Jews Advocating for Abortion Rights?" This talk will explore abortion advocacy among Jews and Jewish groups in the US. The dominant cultural discourse in the US is that religion is anti-abortion. Yet, the majority of religious people support the legalization of abortion, and 62% of abortion patients are affiliated with a religious tradition. 

This talk will take place 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. in the Student Center Auditorium, and is presented by the Center for Jewish Studies and the Department of Women's and Gender Studies.

Hosted by the College of Arts and Sciences, the 43rd Undergraduate Symposium will welcome students, staff, and the general public from 9 a.m. until 4:15 p.m. on Friday, March 31. This annual event's mission is to celebrate and display undergraduate research and creative projects at the EMU Student Center.

Nicole Brown, Mayor of Ypsilanti, a three-time Symposium presenter and Symposium Undergraduate Research Fellow (SURF), will serve as the Dennis M. Beagen Keynote Speaker at this year’s celebratory luncheon which will be open to students, faculty mentors, and invited guests. 

The research and creative projects will encompass topics from a variety of disciplines and colleges, and will be presented by undergraduate students who have been nominated by a faculty mentor and recommended by the respective school or department. 

The School of Art and Design's degree in Simulation, Animation and Gaming has been ranked in the top 25 in the country by Animation Career Review, an online resource for the animation, design and gaming industries. Eastern's program was ranked 20th in the Top 25 Animation Bachelor of Science (BS) Degree Programs category. 

"The Art and Design faculty are excited to have achieved another ranking with Animation Career Review," said Ryan English, Assistant Professor of Simulation, Animation and Gaming. "Our students work to gain exposure to both the creative and technical aspects of simulation, animation, and gaming concepts quickly becoming ingrained into the world around us. We instill in our students the ability to apply these skills and knowledge to succeed in their chosen career paths in simulation, animation, gaming, and adjacent technologies."

As part of its ongoing effort to foster strong alumni relations, the History Section will award two alumni awards at the History Honors Reception in April 2023. The alumni awards are the first initiative of the History Community Board, which was organized in early 2022 and which consists of EMU History alumni, current and emeritus History professors, and the department head. There will be two awards: a Young Alumni Award for an accomplished alumna/us who graduated less than ten years ago, and a Distinguished Alumni Award for an accomplished alumna/us who graduated more than ten years ago. The Young Alumni Award will be a cash prize, and the Distinguished Alumni Award will be an item of value. The awards will be provided by members of the Community Board and other friends of History.