Ides of August
The annual Ides of August gives Wabash faculty the opportunity to share their research with the community.
Nolan Eller presented Amazing Discoveries! in the collections of the Robert T. Ramsay Jr. Archival Center
Nolan Eller presented Amazing Discoveries! in the collections of the Robert T. Ramsay Jr. Archival Center
Ann Taylor discussed the DACI Model of Group Project Management
Ann Taylor discussed the DACI Model of Group Project Management
Shamira Gelbmen talked about impressions she had taken from Mid-Twentieth-Century Faculty Meeting Minutes
Shamira Gelbmen talked about impressions she had taken from Mid-Twentieth-Century Faculty Meeting Minutes
Nicholas Snow discussed The Impartial Wally, relating the Gentleman's Rule to Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments
Nicholas Snow discussed The Impartial Wally, relating the Gentleman's Rule to Adam Smith's Theory of Moral Sentiments
New faculty member Emily T. Smith presented "Conscious Conception" about Pro-life Feminism at the Close of the Twentieth Century
New faculty member Emily T. Smith presented "Conscious Conception" about Pro-life Feminism at the Close of the Twentieth Century
Professor Joyce Burnette's recent research was studying historical documentation of women's work and whether or not the amount of work has changed for women or if it was not documented and categorized in the same way as it is now.
Professor Joyce Burnette's recent research was studying historical documentation of women's work and whether or not the amount of work has changed for women or if it was not documented and categorized in the same way as it is now.
Members of the Wabash community were eager to hear about the research of faculty colleagues.
Professor Derek Nelson shared information about the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program and its role in helping pastors in Indiana understand the communities in which they lead.
Members of the Wabash community were eager to hear about the research of faculty colleagues.
Professor Derek Nelson shared information about the Wabash Pastoral Leadership Program and its role in helping pastors in Indiana understand the communities in which they lead.
Professor Heidi Walsh's research focuses on quantifying intracellular calcium with genetically-encoded calcium sensors for optical imaging.
Professor Heidi Walsh's research focuses on quantifying intracellular calcium with genetically-encoded calcium sensors for optical imaging.
Professor Agata Szczeszak-Brewer's summer project in 2022 was titled 'States of Emergency and Individual Rights in Ireland and South Africa.'
Professor Agata Szczeszak-Brewer's summer project in 2022 was titled 'States of Emergency and Individual Rights in Ireland and South Africa.'
Professor Ethan Hollander discussed the politics of pediatric heart transplants.
Professor Ethan Hollander discussed the politics of pediatric heart transplants.
Assistant Professor of English Julian Whitney opened the afternoon session with his presentation, "An Ode to Rock Music: Chronicles of an Electric Guitarist.
He started by playing five classic rock selection, which he said reflected the personalitites of the professors in the English department.
Colleagues paid close attention.
When speaking of a guitar camp he attended this summer in Tennessee, Whitney thought to listen to the ensemble performance to see where you fit in. Listen to the conversation with your musical partners. He then asked, "how can I use this in the classroom."
"How do we translate what we are hearing into what we want to write about?" Whitney asked.
Associate Professor of Biology Brad Carlson presented, "Muddy Boots and Sterile Technique: Ecoimmunology in Wild Turtles."
The presentation centered on his research of box turtles.
Ecoimmunology is thinking about immune defenses in an ecological context.
Some of his research was supported by a number of student summer interns.
Assistant Professor of Chinese and Asian Studies Cara Healey presented, "Generic Collisions and Environmental Destruction in Wu Ming-yi's 'The Man With the Compound Eyes.'"
Healey said one issue with futuristic fiction is that eventually it collides with the present day.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Spanish and French Donato Fhunsu presented, "Kimpa Vita and the Kongo Kingdom: A Risky Meditation on How We Think."
Fhunsu's research centers on the African diaspora
Kimpa Vita (1684-1706) was a prophet and leader of her own Christian movement in the Kongo Empire.
According to Fhunsu, "No one culture can understand the mystery of God. You have to have conversations to work through the subtleties."
Several faculty members in attendance, including History Professor Rick Warner, take notes during their colleagues’ presentations.
Assistant Professor of History Noe Pliego Campos presented “1980’s Mexico City Youth and Archives: Chavos Banda and Queer Youth in and outside of the Traditional Archive.”
Pliego Campos’ research focuses on the divergent expressions of youth with attention to youth affiliated with the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), chavos banda, (a Mexico City subculture composed of marginalized poor), and queer youth in the 1980s.
“Chavos banda was a subculture composed of punk-like, marginalized people in Mexico City, who appear as criminalized youth in traditional archives. By criminalized, I mean they were youth who were seen as criminals and treated as such by officials, police, and neighbors. Queer youth also appear criminalized. How can historians work inside and outside the archives to study them? This presentation answers that question as it tangles with silences within traditional archives, the value of street markets as archives, and the importance of oral history to create archives of testimonies that detail experiences not found elsewhere.”
Colleagues enjoyed Pliego Campos’ presentation and asked more questions about his research.
Chemistry Professor Paul Schmitt presented “Guided Inquiry-Style Activities for the Physical Chemistry Classroom,” which highlighted the research work he conducted while on sabbatical.
“Guided inquiry is a set of leading questions to introduce a new idea to students. It’s not just practice problems about something they learned in the past. It’s actually a way of introducing them to a new idea in the classroom, and works as a way to replace a lecture of that topic. Historically, it is part of the flipped classroom model,” Schmitt said. “I feel this is a really high risk, high reward activity. … The thing I think that is really important for instructors to hear is that you really need to be supportive of your students’ learning. Don’t just give them the activity and go away. Be present, let them know that you care about their learning. That will go a long way.”
Chemistry Professor Joe Scanlon listens to a question from the audience.
The Ides of August is the College’s traditional forum for faculty and staff members to discuss their recent projects.
PPE and Economics Professor Nick Snow participates in discussion.
Athletic Director Matt Tanney ’05 presented “Liberal Arts at Play: Designing a New Summer Camp Curriculum.”
Tanney discussed the success of this year’s summer program. The Liberal Arts at Play: Sports, Society, and Careers is a week-long immersive college-like experience for 15- to 16-year-old young men who are interest in careers in sports.
The Ides of August is the College’s traditional forum for faculty and staff members to discuss their recent projects.
President Scott Feller is curious about a presentation.