50 CAS graduate students presented their research and creative activity at the 2024 Graduate Research and Creative Activity Conference, held Friday, March 15, in the Student Center.

CMTA alum and University of Michigan Professor Shavonne Coleman (MFA, Applied Drama / Theatre for the Young, 2015) gave the keynote address.

Students in Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology swept the Three Minute Thesis competition. Jane Venezia won first place with a presentation of her thesis research on breeding interactions between unisexual Ambystoma salamanders and sexual males, mentored by Dr. Katy Greenwald. Bradley Allendorfer took second place summarizing his study of the emergence and natal dispersal patterns of Colorado brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) spiderlings, mentored by Dr. Cara Shillington. 

CAS students were also well-represented among the winners of the Best Abstract contest, taking three of five places. The winning CAS abstracts were:

• Brieanna Hurley, Ecology, Evolution and Organismal Biology, "Spatial Familial Relationships of California Condors (Gymnogyps californianus)," faculty mentor: Dr. Jonathan Hall

• Chris Baker, History, "Reassessing King John: An In-depth Analysis of his Reign and Legacy," faculty mentor: Dr. John McCurdy

• Emmanuel D. Ogundare, Urban and Regional Planning, "Understanding the Mediating Role of Artificial Intelligence in Urban Smart City Development and Implications for the United States," faculty mentor: Dr. Heather Khan Welsh

By Marie White for the Eastern Echo

The Eastern Echo received the 2023 College Newspaper of the Year award in the 2023 College Better Newspaper contest.

The Echo was presented with the honor at the Michigan Press Association's Salute to Journalism dinner March 14, 2024, at Saint John's Resort in Plymouth, Michigan. The award dinner was the first in-person ceremony hosted by the press association since 2019.

The award is presented to the top college in three divisions based on publication size. The overall award is given to the publication that earns the most accumulated points in all editorial categories of the newspaper contest.

The press association was established in 1868 to promote press freedom through its various works. Some of the association's main objectives include promoting the usefulness of newspapers, defending free speech, and maintaining a high standard of ethics in the newspaper industry. The association includes more than 320 members across Michigan.

The College of Arts and Sciences is pleased to announce that the following students have been awarded College scholarships for the 2024-25 academic year. We congratulate these students on their records of academic achievement and community leadership.

Stephanie Abbe

Alyssa Adam

Treasure Affia

Taleen Avakian

Joe Brown

Ambrose Cook

Julez DeShetler

Chloe Gates

Kayla Grace

Juliette Harrison

Erika Holmberg

Alyssa Kowalski

Justin McClellan

Trinity Perkins

Amayah Price

Sara Reder

Grant Saba

The recipients of Undergraduate Symposium Scholarships will be announced later this spring.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, the Office of the Dean awards more than $75,000 in scholarships annually, and CAS departments and schools award more than $625,000 in scholarships. Please visit our Scholarships page in late fall 2024 to apply for 2025-26 scholarships.

In December Mathematics Professor Ovidiu Calin published Stochastic Geometric Analysis with Applications (World Scientific, 2023). This 550-page volume is the thirteenth book Dr. Calin has published since he joined EMU's Department of Mathematics and Statistics in 2002. He has also authored 45 articles.

Dr. Calin's most recent book attempts to solve a persistent problem in mathematics and physics known as the quartic oscillator. "The quartic oscillator deals with a problem in quantum mechanics called tunneling effect (a peculiar property of particles to penetrate a potential wall)," Calin explains. "An exact formula would be desirable, but without such a formula, physicists are using just short time approximations of it."

Professor Calin relates that this new book project grew out of a long-term research agenda.

For many years, my late Ph.D. advisor at the University of Toronto struggled to solve the quartic oscillator by trying to find a trackable mathematical formula, without success. We developed several theories that could solve simpler problems, such as the harmonic oscillator. After graduating, I began organizing and developing these ideas into four volumes, successively published in 2004, 2007, 2009, and 2011 by reputable publishers such as Birkhauser, AMS, and Cambridge University Press. However, despite their generality, these theories still could not solve the quantum mechanics problem when the particle is a quartic oscillator (i.e., when the potential is a polynomial of degree 4). Clearly, we needed to explore new approaches.

Dr. Calin decided to take another go at the problem in 2020, when a publisher invited him to write a book about stochastic geometric analysis. "This was the book I had plans to write for years and I had neglected doing so."

Did this line of research finally solve the quartic oscillator problem? Calin answers, "Well, unfortunately, it did not. However, it has shed light on the transcendental nature of this problem for the current methods we have in mathematics. This realization indicates the need to shift our research horizons and explore new avenues of inquiry."

CAS alumna TaQuinda Johnson (BA, Public Relations, 2005; MS, Integrated Marketing and Communications, 2019), was recently elected president of the Public Relations Society of America – Detroit Chapter. The first Black woman to hold this office, Johnson assumed her leadership role in January and is already making meaningful strides for the organization. 

As one of her first initiatives, Johnson reinstated a long-dormant, student-focused program that was created by an EMU faculty member when Johnson was an undergraduate. The Protégé program links public relations professionals with university students for mentoring opportunities. The program was originally created in 2005 by Melissa Motschall, EMU Professor of Public Relations professor who died in 2010. 

"My two role models within PRSA would be longtime professors at Eastern Michigan University, Lolita Cummings, APR, and the late Melissa Motschall," said Johnson. "They served as my mentors and advisors at EMU. They introduced me to PRSA as a student and continued to be pillars in my journey as a professional."

Looking ahead, Johnson, who also works full-time as Oakland University’s Assistant Director of Communications, said she plans to use her one-year presidency to focus on numerous different areas to transform PRSA Detroit.

"This year, some of the topics that are at the forefront for the Detroit Chapter have been the use of AI within our profession, the effect on the profession, and the change we want to see when it comes to DEI and mental health within the profession."

Alum Jay Hero, (BFA, Fine Arts, 2014), also known as Jermaine Dickerson, has created a large exterior mural entitled "Power" for the Anton Art Center in Mount Clemens. The Anton commissioned the mural to symbolize its commitment to inclusion and equity in the arts for underrepresented communities. 

In a recent talk, Hero explained that the mural's central figure, a girl named Kiyana, "represents the future and the idea of legacy. She is smiling at her future and her future potential. A lot of change is going to come in the future, and the future is with the children."

Four additional figures foregrounded in the mural are activists Martha P. Johnson and Waunetta McClellan Dominic and authors Toni Morrison and Andrew J. Blackbird. Blackbird studied at the Michigan State Normal School (now EMU) in the late 1850s, and was EMU's first student of color. "Andrew J. Blackbird emerged as a symbol for the indigenous movement, shedding light on the lives and stories of the Ottawa people and all Native American communities," said Hero. "His writings and advocacy for reparations resonate as crucial contributions to the often underreported history of indigenous Americans. In the context of my mural, which aims to uplift indigenous voices, including him was imperative."

An illustrator and graphic designer, Hero has created work for clients including Image Comics, DC Comics, Milestone, Netflix, EMU, and the University of Michigan. Hero remarks, "I have had the privilege of serving in diverse roles as a professional designer and artist, with my most notable projects stemming from my freelance work within my studio, Jay Hero Studio. In my current position, my mission is to craft impactful, vivid, and colorful visual stories that ignite meaningful conversations, particularly by uplifting Black people and other underrepresented groups. Inspired by the dynamic realms of comics, anime, manga, and video games, I am dedicated to cultivating a distinctive visual voice that resonates and stimulates dialogue around stories."

At EMU, Hero studied graphic design with professors Ryan Molloy and Andrew Maniotes. Dickerson relates, "Studying at EMU offered me invaluable opportunities to discover and nurture my creative voice. The dedicated faculty and supportive environment allowed me to explore my talents, whether through the guidance of dance instructors emphasizing persistence and individuality or art faculty members encouraging the freedom to delve into my imagination."

Alum Robin Terry (BA, Telecommunications and Film, 1994) has served as Chief Executive Officer of the Motown Museum since 2015. Under her leadership the museum has grown its staff from 17 to 50 and launched a $65 million expansion. "We went from being a very beloved but small, historic home attraction to a full-blown business with various revenue centers," Terry told the Detroit Free Press. Construction on the final phase of the museum's expansion is slated to begin this summer.

Last month the museum initiated a national search for a new CEO, but Terry will continue as chair of the board, a position she's held since 2002. The separation of these roles is part of a strategic plan adopted by the Museum in 2017. The Free Press' Brian McCollum reports that Board member Vivian Pickard "'applauded what she called 'transformational leadership' by Terry and emphasized that the popular Motown Museum chief is 'stepping up, not stepping down' as she continues to chair the board."

Before taking on the CEO role at the Museum, Terry worked in public relations for General Motors and the College for Creative Studies. In a 2021 profile, Crain's Detroit reported that as a student at EMU Terry realized through her internship experiences that she wanted to work in public relations. 

"I love storytelling. I love problem-solving. Through my career as a PR professional, I was helping people tell their stories." 

The EMU Orchestra Festival welcomed over 300 students from seven high school orchestras to campus on February 23rd.  Orchestras played in historic Pease Auditorium, received a clinic with guest artist Dr. Ernesto Estigarribia from Vanderbilt University and Dr. Chad Hutchinson (Assistant Professor of Music and Director of the EMUSO), as well as getting instrument specific clinics with EMU string faculty Professors Dan Foster and Derek Weller.  

The Michigan Crossroads Council of the Boy Scouts of America and the Eastern Michigan University chapter of Alpha Phi Omega fraternity hosted Merit Badge Day on Saturday, March 9. The event welcomed more than 200 boy and girl scouts aged 11 to 17 and was a platform for skill-building and exploration.

The Boy Scouts, now known as Scouts BSA and inclusive of boys and girls, have more than 130 merit badges. Event attendees enriched their knowledge by participating in a diverse range of 20 merit badges, from art to weather. These badges are important for advancing in rank,  with some being prerequisites for achieving the esteemed Eagle Scout rank. Five CAS faculty worked with the scouts on badges in Chemistry (Dr. Steven Backues), Geology (Drs. Hannah Blatchford and Chris Gellasch), Oceanography (Dr. Serena Poli), and Weather (Dr. Tom Kovacs). Additionally, a number of CAS students worked on merit badges in Chemistry, Geology, Weather, Art, and Programming.

"The EMU Merit Badge Day has a long history, and I am glad that after the pandemic, we were once again able to bring hundreds of Scouts to campus to earn merit badges that will teach them valuable life skills and give them knowledge that will help them become well-rounded adults and leaders," said Chris Gellasch, EMU associate professor and adult leader in Boy Scout Troop 1 in Ann Arbor. "As an Eagle Scout myself and the father of an Eagle Scout, I am proud to bring together EMU and Scouting at this event."

The event delved into various industries, emphasizing science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Through engaging activities and workshops led by dedicated student and faculty volunteers, Scouts were empowered to earn up to two merit badges.

Gellasch, who participated in the event last year with Hannah Blatchford and ran the geology merit badge workshop, recruited more professors because he believes it provides great exposure to EMU and hopes to get more faculty involved in teaching merit badges to scouts.

"It is a great way to give back to the community and our great EMU people, programs, and facilities," said Gellasch. "In a few years, many of these scouts will be applying to colleges, giving them a unique way to experience EMU."

EMU Dance attended the American College Dance Association Conference (East Central Region) held at the University of Michigan, February 28 to March 2. Two faculty members and 16 students participated. Students performed in two adjudicated concert pieces, one informal piece, and took four master classes a day in every dance genre. EMU Dance faculty members Sherry Wilkinson and Phil Simmons both oversaw all performance aspects of the pieces presented and taught master classes presenting their own pedagogical research. The adjudicators praised EMU Dance's "dynamic articulation," "skillful use of space," and "excellent use of canon, repetition, and abstraction."

The North American Solar Eclipse of 2024 will take place on the afternoon of Monday, April 8! A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is between the Sun and the Earth and the Moon casts its shadow onto the Earth. The shadow will make landfall in Mazatlan, Mexico and then travel generally northeast, and locally through Ohio. Unfortunately, in Ypsilanti we will not experience "totality" – when the Moon completely blocks the Sun. Although 99% of the Sun will be covered from our viewpoint on campus, you must protect your eyes with special "eclipse glasses" (ordinary sunglasses will not work). If you travel down to Toledo, OH, you can experience about a minute and a half of totality (and if you travel further south to Bowling Green, three minutes). There will not be another total eclipse in the contiguous United States until 2045.

Experiencing totality is unforgettable, and if you can manage to travel to the path of totality, you will not be disappointed. However, if you'll be on campus during the eclipse, the Department of Physics and Astronomy plans to open Sherzer Observatory from 2:00 to 4:00 pm for viewing the solar eclipse through sun-safe telescopes, with the maximum partial eclipse occurring at 3:13 pm EDT. If it is overcast or raining, then we'll show a livestream in the EMU Planetarium in 402 Mark Jefferson. Please check the department website for updates.

Student members of EMU APEX (Atmospheric Physics EXploration) will travel to Ohio to launch a high-altitude weather balloon during the total eclipse as part of NASA's Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project (NEBP). The students, from the Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Geography and Geology, have been refining the balloon payload since their October 2023 launch during the recent annular solar eclipse.