2008 Archived News and Features
college and graduate school of arts and sciences
Barrett named AAAS Fellow Psychology
Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett has been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science "for distinguished contribution to the field of psychology, particularly for theoretical and empirical work on the nature of emotion."
An advocate for all Reflections on the Synod
Theologian Rev. Robert Imbelli's reflection on the Synod of Bishops dedicated to appreciation and affirmation of the Word of God—originally published in the Vatican newspaper L' Osservatore Romano.
Catholics on the new Administration
Monan Prof. of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill was among 'Catholic notables' asked by National Catholic Reporter to comment on the Obama presidency.
The economic challenge
BC economist Robert Murphy offers perspective on the challenges facing the new administration to NECN and the Boston Globe.
United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Catholic Church
As the 60th anniversary of the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights approaches in December, theologian and Center for Human Rights and International Justice Director David Hollenbach, SJ, reflects on how the Catholic Church promotes human dignity in America.
A semester in Cairo
Biology major David Faugno-Fusci '10 offers insights from his semester at the American University in Cairo to the Boston Globe.
New class of catalyst
Vanderslice Millennium Prof. in Chemistry Amir Hoveyda's latest research, published in the journal Nature, has developed a new class of catalyst that promises to expand research in the fields of medicine, biology and materials science. News Release | Science Daily | Chemistry World (UK) | DailyIndia.com | Nanowerk | PhysOrg.com
The comfort of the Resurrection
English Prof. Paul Mariani's biography of Gerard Manley Hopkins provides extraordinary insight into the craft and faith of a great poet, according to a review in Christianity Today.
BC claims two Marshall Scholars
Senior Robert J. Kubala and Kuong Ly '08 are among 40 students awarded this year's coveted George Marshall Scholarships, which support graduate study in the U.K, and recognize students of the highest intellect and character. News Release | BC Chronicle | Boston Herald | Boston Globe | State House News | Houston Chronicle | NECN feature
Five to retire by
Working Longer, by Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell and Associate Director Steven Sass, is cited among 'Five Books to Retire By' by the Wall Street Journal.
Holiday shopping—just don't
Consumer binges such as those on Black Friday and Cyber Monday are unsustainable, financially and environmentally, writes sociologist Juliet Schor in a recent op-ed in the Los Angeles Times.
The new administration
Political scientist Marc Landy discusses the Obama Administration and challenges facing the president-elect. Boston Herald | CNN
A lasting hurrah
Historian Thomas O'Connor remembers Boston Mayor James Michael Curley, 'the most colorful and charismatic Irish politician in Boston's political history,' who died 50 years ago on Nov. 12. Boston Herald
Profs on
the U.S. economy
A recent interview on WBZ radio with BC economist Harold Petersen and historian Patrick Maney on the state of the economy is now available on-line.
An upside to the economic downside
"It seems that even the wealthy are reassessing their priorities—along with their purchases," commented sociologist Juliet Schor in the Boston Globe.
'The Gift to Stalin'
Prof. of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer recently penned an essay on the North American premiere of 'The Gift to Stalin' for the 2008 Boston Jewish Film Festival.
Untold stories
Tales University historian and professor emeritus Thomas O'Connor didn't include in his new book, a concise history of Boston College. Audio from @BC
Newly published book
Psychology Professor Elizabeth Kensinger's new book, "Emotional Memory Across the Adult Lifespan," about how we remember emotional experiences better than unemotional ones, was published December 10th by Psychology Press.
Digital man
For BC senior James Niles-Joyal, memorizing pi is a piece of cake, writes classmate Reeves Wiedeman '08, a correspondent for the Boston Globe.
Thinking mathematically
During a recent workshop at the University of Chile, BC mathematician Solomon Friedberg was interviewed about educating future elementary school teachers in 'math knowledge and thinking.'
Ireland's Magdalen Laundries
English Associate Professor James M. Smith needed the distance of living abroad to write his new book about the Irish women who suffered incarceration in the Magdalen laundries. Irish Times
Nanotech fuels thermoelectric breakthrough
A team of BC and MIT researchers led by BC physicist Zhifeng Ren report in the journal Science they have found a way to achieve a boost in thermoelectric performance—a milestone that paves the way for a new generation of products that run cleaner. Boston Globe | New Scientist | Reuters | CNET News | PhysOrg.com | Nanowerk | Popular Science
BC among top 'wired' campuses
Boston College has been ranked No. 6 among the nation's "Top 20 Wired Colleges" in a survey published this month by PC Magazine, a popular resource for tech news, reviews and analysis.
BC moves up in US News rankings
The annual US News & World Report survey of American colleges and universities has ranked Boston College 34th among the nation's 228 national universities in its August 22 issue.
Science shines at BC
Citing achievements in research, enhanced facilities and increased external recognition, The Heights applauds BC's advancements in the hard sciences.
Distinguished first book
The American Conference for Irish Studies (ACIS) awarded James M. Smith, Associate Professor of English, the "2007 Donald Murphy Prize for a Distinguished First Book" for Ireland's Magdalen Laundries and the Nation's Architecture of Containment.
DNA data project
BC biologist Gabor Marth is developing data analysis software that could lead to better understanding of how DNA affects disease. Boston Business Journal | Release
In search of one world
Communication's Michael Keith adds another chapter to the life story of legendary CBS radio writer, director and broadcaster Norman Corwin. BC Chronicle
Real money, real success
The machinations of Wall Street are on many minds these days - including nearly 100 undergraduates in the high-performance Boston College Investment Club. Its president, Scott Atha '08, and faculty advisor, Economics Assoc. Professor Harold Petersen, discuss the group's longevity and success in the latest BC Chronicle.
Ireland international
Ireland has gone global and will never be the same - for better or worse, writes Seelig Professor in Philosophy Richard Kearney, in a St. Patrick's Day op-ed in the Irish Times.
Honors for Ecopledge
Seniors Katherine Walsh, Peggy Fox, Jessica Young, Katie Cava and Merril Putnam of the campus sustainability group Ecopledge have collectively been named 'Person of the Year' by The Heights. Ecopledge also won BC's 'Ever to Excel' award, while co-president Walsh was honored for leadership.
'Some enchanted quagmire'?
Is the musical 'South Pacific'—now a hit revival on Broadway—also a geopolitical allegory? That intriguing question is posed in a book by English Assoc. Professor Tina Klein, according to the New York Times' editorial blog The Board.
Risky business for Hollywood
American films are being exported to billions of people around the globe who both welcome and resent them, writes A&S Honors Program faculty member Martha Bayles in the Boston Globe.
Advanced study leads to op-ed
An Advance Study Grant project has led political science major Cullen Nutt '09 to write a perspective piece on a new counterinsurgency field manual. His essay was published this month by New Jersey's Star-Ledger.
Fultonian of the Year
Barbara Viechnicki, Associate Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, will be honored as Fultonian of the Year at the 116th annual Fulton Prize Debate on April 15.
Eye on giving
Sociologist Paul Schervish, director of BC's Center on Wealth and Philanthropy and one of the nation's leading experts on the charitable inclinations of the very wealthy, is featured by the New York Times Magazine.
'Hoppy ending'
With just six months of home brewing under his belt, senior Adam Walsh's IPA has won a nod from Sam Adams, taking the top prize in the company's Patriot Homebrew Contest. Boston Herald
Calligraphy in the world of Islam
The Arabic script displayed in the new exhibition 'Kufic Korans' at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts is impressive, especially considering it was curated by BC senior and Presidential Scholar M. Emily Neumeier. BC Chronicle
New light from Biblical scholarship
Theology Professor Pheme Perkins' 'Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels' is among books by distinguished senior scholars highlighted in the latest America magazine.
The Faithful
Clough Professor of History James O'Toole, author of the book The Faithful: A History of Catholics in America, is interviewed on WBUR-FM's 'Here and Now'.
Late-night comics sock it to democracy
Professor of English Paul Lewis was quoted in a Chicago Tribune story about the impact of late-night comedy on American politics.
Giving in Ireland
Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish was invited to speak at a new symposium exploring philanthropy in Ireland, organized by U.S. Ambassador Thomas C. Foley.
Quaking in Boston
Weston Observatory director John Ebel discusses the probability—and ramifications—of an earthquake in the city with the Boston Phoenix.
Distinguished scholar award
Communication's Michael C. Keith, one of the nation's leading scholars on electronic media, has been selected to receive the 2008 Distinguished Scholar Award from the Broadcast Education Association, considered the highest honor in the field.
Waiting for America
The latest book by Professor of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer—'Waiting for America: A Story of Emigration'—is featured in the Boston Globe's 'Off the Shelf' blog.
A virtuoso performer
Stephanie Fernandes '11, a piccolo player in the Screaming Eagles Marching Band, can hit a pitch-perfect double B-flat, but that's not the only amazing thing about this musical virtuoso who happens to be blind. Boston Globe
To bee or not to bee
Observers say Moakley Professor of Political Science Kay Schlozman—aka 'The Wordmeister'—has turned the task of choosing words for an adult spelling bee benefit 'into an art form.
Religion in America
Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Director Alan Wolfe discusses the results of a major Pew survey on religion in America on WGBH-TV's 'Greater Boston.'
Focus on Asian-American film
A new Asian-American film series organized by English Assoc. Prof. Tina Klein brings New York filmmakers to campus to discuss their work. The first presentation and screening is tonight. Boston Globe
Cancer research first
BC researchers led by biologist Thomas Seyfried have developed the first laboratory mouse model that mimics cancer's spread through the human body. Science Daily
Driven to succeed
The scholarly productivity and drive to succeed that characterize Professor of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer—author of the new memoir 'Waiting for America'—are highlighted by the Boston Globe.
Music builds bridges in the brain
Taking music lessons can strengthen connections between the two hemispheres of the brain in children, according to a study co-authored by Psychology Professor Ellen Winner. Science Magazine
Editing humor
Professor of English Paul Lewis edited "The Muhammad Cartoons and Humor Research: A Collection of Essays," in HUMOR: International Journal of Humor Research 21-1 (2008), 1-46. About the Journal
Israel at 60
Sociologist Eve Spangler's op-ed, "We Should Not Celebrate Dis-Possession," was published by Counterpunch.
Guidance toward a life path
Dedicated to vocational discernment, Boston College's Manresa House provides guidance for students considering religious ministries. Read Nathaniel Hibner's story in the Boston Globe.
Carbon in the clouds
The testing of new tools to study the role of tiny airborne particles of carbon-laden soot in global climate change brought nearly 20 U.S. researchers to the lab of BC chemist Paul Davidovits. Science Daily | PhysOrg.com | Malaysia Sun
Down at the dump, townies mine for treasure
BC sociologist Juliet Schor told the Boston Globe that consumer environmental awareness is making it fashionable to shop for secondhand items.
Social Security strategy
Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell discussed strategies for claiming Social Security on PBS 'Nightly Business Report.' Transcript
A 'perfect' first
Physicist Willie J. Padilla and colleagues have designed the first metamaterial to demonstrate perfect absorption of all the light that strikes it. Science Daily
Theologian honored
The Catholic Theological Society of America this month presented its 2008 John Courtney Murray Award to BC's Monan Professor of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill.
Consumer diet
Sociologist Juliet Schor contends that global consumers must go on a 'diet' to help reduce carbon emissions and safeguard the environment.
Crime story
After 15 books about a city torn by mob shootouts, gang wars, serial killers and street vengeance, Washington, DC crime novelist George Pelecanos may be ready for a little peace, writes American Studies Director Carlo Rotella in a cover story for the Washington Post Magazine. Q&A
Scientists concerned for Georgia colleagues
BC geoscientist Emanuel Bombolakis and alumni have been helping colleagues in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, monitor earthquakes in a region now rocked by conflict with Russia. Project background
Targeting anti-cancer agents
An enzyme within a powerful anti-cancer agent may prove useful in better targeting cancer cells and producing new drugs that are more stable, chemist Steven D. Bruner and colleagues report. Science Daily
Partial recall
Psychologist Elizabeth Kensinger explores how age and emotion affect what we remember. Audio from @BC
Texas custody case
Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Director Alan Wolfe discussed a Texas court decision to return children who had been removed from a polygamous sect on WGBH-TV's "Greater Boston."
Remembering Bobby Kennedy
J. Joseph Moakley Professor of Politics Kay Schlozman is interviewed by NECN on the life and times of Robert F. Kennedy, forty years after his assassination.
Seismology at Sea Lab
Local fifth-graders are attending a class on seismology at New Bedford's Sea Lab taught by BC geophysicist Alan Kafka—a partnership designed to help improve the quality of science education in U.S. schools.
Rage in South Africa
Sociology Assoc. Professor Zine Magubane recently discussed growing racial tension at South Africa's University of the Free State on NPR's 'News and Notes.'
Near perfect 'black'
Physicist Willie J. Padilla and colleagues working with metamaterials say they are near to achieving a surface that can absorb every photon that hits it.
An action intellectual
An editorial in America, the national Jesuit weekly, deems Center for Human Rights and International Justice Director David Hollenbach, S.J. to be an 'action intellectual' whose work exemplifies Catholic higher learning in service to the poor.
Americans and religion
BC faculty members comment on a survey by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life, which found that most Americans consider themselves religious, yet non-dogmatic in their approach to faith.
A look at Shanghai
Shanghai is very much a paradox of a city, writes Jay Jin '11, who has lived there for five years and currently is interning at Shanghai Daily.
Art of Advocacy Award
Associate Dean Clare Dunsford has won the Art of Advocacy Award, to be presented at the Genetic Alliance Awards Dinner on July 12, 2008. Clare's book, a memoir entitled Spelling Love With an X: A Mother, A Son, and the Gene That Binds Them, explores her life as a mother of a boy with fragile X syndrome, a genetic form of mental retardation caused by a mutation that is carried by several members of her family.
Noted website
Photographer and BC faculty Karl Baden's website, Covering Photography, was reported to be a great web resource, one of great quality and merit, in the current edition of the Scout Report. Baden's site has also become part of the Internet Public Library and Intute.Org.
Campaign trail
Political Science Professor Marc Landy discussed the results of a recent poll on Americans' views of Barack Obama, and was interviewed about the candidate's overseas trip, in two reports on NECN. Video 1 | Video 2
Rocking the vote
As part of her summer internship with a national, student-run non-profit, Noelle Petrillo '10 organized a panel of high-profile print and broadcast personalities to discuss the media's portrayal of young voters. More
The art of global PR
BC's Martha Bayles reviews a book on the Cold War and the U.S. Information Agency for the Wall Street Journal.
Feast of St. Ignatius
July 31 is the feast of St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus. BC theologian Rev. Robert Imbelli offers some reflections on the day and other subjects on Commonweal.com.
Body talk
During a televised "60 Minutes" interview with Mike Wallace, Roger Clemens denied having used performance-enhancing steroids, but his body language said otherwise, reports BC Psychologist Joseph Tecce.
Chemist awarded Sloan Fellowship
BC physical chemist Torsten Fiebig has been awarded a highly prestigious Sloan Research Fellowship, intended to enhance the careers of outstanding young faculty.
Speeding up the consumerism treadmill
Sociologist Juliet Schor was interviewed on NPR about society's fashion consumption and the toll it's taking on the Earth.
Sociologist honored
The International Association of Advisors in Philanthropy will present its highest recognition to Sociology Professor and Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish this month.
On capital punishment, a message for all
Capital punishment and a commitment to due process are not compatible, writes History Professor Alan Rogers as Massachusetts approaches the 30th anniversary of its abolition of the death penalty.
Psychologist named Searle Scholar
Assistant Professor of Psychology Elizabeth Kensinger has been named a 2008 Searle Scholar, an honor that recognizes young faculty conducting important and innovative research.
Chasing utopia, family imagines no possessions
Juliet Schor, BC sociologist and author of "The Overspent American," was interviewed in the New York Times on families giving up their possessions.
The forgotten philosopher
Academe's specialization has left John Stuart Mill out in the cold, writes Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Director Alan Wolfe in the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.
Strangers in a foreign land
Martha Bayles of the College of Arts and Sciences Honors Program writes on American colleges setting up shop in the Middle East, citing comments from Center on International Higher Education Director Philip Altbach. Wall Street Journal
Congressional Hearing on steroids
Psychologist Joseph Tecce was interviewed by the New York Daily News on whether there were any indications of lying in the Congressional hearing on steroid use in professional baseball.
Useful anger
Angry outbursts often are considered bad for any sort of situation - but such emotions are potentially useful in confrontational tasks, report BC psychologist Maya Tamir and colleagues. UPI | Science Daily
Praise for 'The Faithful'
A new chronicle of American Catholic laity by Clough Millennium Prof. in History James O'Toole is 'distinguished by its attentiveness to devotional life,' according to a review in America magazine.
Profs weigh in on financial turmoil
Comments on the turbulent financial scene by Murray and Monti Prof. of Economics Peter Ireland and College of Arts & Sciences Dean Patrick Maney are featured on the Boston Globe's Business Update.
Work now, play later
Working Longer, the latest book by Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell and Associate Director Steven Sass, is featured by the Boston Herald.
Congressional testimony
Psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett was called to testify before Congress to explain the role of social science, behavioral, and economic research in improving the nation's health and reducing the economic burden of health care.
Sowing the word
Scriptural understanding has flourished since Vatican II, but challenges remain, writes theologian Pheme Perkins in America magazine.
Cellular symmetry
Scientists including biologist David Burgess are placing sea urchin eggs in snug, microscopic chambers shaped like triangles, stars and ice cream cones to learn what cues tell a cell to divide at the center. Science Daily
'He loved BC'
An open letter to the Boston College community from the mother of A&S senior Michael Christopher Ruscito. Boston Herald: Friends, faculty mourn promising Boston College student
1918 flu epidemic
University Historian Tom O'Connor recalls the devastating worldwide influenza epidemic ninety years after it first hit Boston. Boston Herald
Sediment study
A team led by BC geologist Noah Snyder will monitor changes along a 14-mile stretch of New Hampshire's Souhegan River following the removal of the century-old Merrimack Village Dam.
New gene expression findings
Biologist Charles Hoffman and an international team of researchers report new findings about gene expression yielded from their study of a gene found in yeast. News Release | Science Daily | Biology News Net | PhysOrg
'The Given Day'
Author Dennis Lehane, a native son of Boston, paints a surprising and affectionate portrait of that staid burg as a snake pit of cutting-edge trouble, writes American Studies Director Carlo Rotella in a review of Lehane's latest book 'The Given Day.' Chicago Tribune
The election ed gap
Each presidential election, pundits say, hangs on a crucial variable that divides one party from the other. This year's big dividing point, if a new Washington Post/ABC poll is to be believed, is education, writes political scientist Alan Wolfe for TNR's 'The Plank'.
On religion and politics
When the Church is perceived to be a cheerleader for one political party, a rich faith tradition is badly damaged and loses its prophetic voice, writes Monan Prof. of Theology Lisa Sowle Cahill in National Catholic Reporter.
Humor in the presidential race
Professor of English Paul Lewis discussed Sarah Palin's SNL appearance and the role of humor in the presidential race live on the CNN International Sunday World News program.
Birthday presents get a timeout from parents
Sociology Professor Juliet Schor was quoted in a Boston Globe article about parents planning birthday party themes to teach their children the spirit of giving.
The duality of Sarah Palin
Sociologist Sharlene Hesse-Biber comments on public reaction to the 'beauty queen politician' duality of the GOP vice-presidential nominee in The Hill, the newspaper for and about the U.S. Congress.
Render unto Caesar
In the Holy newspaper L'Osservatore Romano, BC theologian Rev. Robert Imbelli reviews a timely book on the intersection of faith and politics. Catholic News Agency
An 'amazing' anthology
Prof. of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer's anthology of Jewish-Russian literature is deemed 'amazing' and 'a fascinating cultural phenomenon in itself' by a review in the London's East European Jewish Affairs journal.
Sleep and memory
A study by BC psychologist Elizabeth Kensinger and colleagues suggests that sleep plays a key role in determining what we remember - and what we forget. Science Daily
Faith and Campaign 2008
Walsh Professor of Bioethics John Paris, S.J. discussed with CNN's Lou Dobbs the appearances of John McCain and Barack Obama at the Saddleback Church faith forum hosted by Pastor Rick Warren. Read the program transcript (segment begins about halfway through).
Counting blinks and gaze aversions
Psychologist Joseph Tecce recently presented a paper "Eye Movements and U.S. Presidential Elections" at the 14th World Congress of Psychophysiology in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Party peer pressure
From wild weddings to 'super sweet 16' bashes, over-the-top celebrations abound. Sociologist Juliet Schor and doctoral candidate Patricia Arend discuss the trend with the New York Times.
Campaign trail
Political Science Professor Marc Landy discusses California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's endorsement of John McCain for president with NECN.
A matter of honor
Political scientist Robert Faulkner discusses his recent book on the unsung virtues of political ambition. Video from Boston College Libraries
How will America change?
Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Director Alan Wolfe was among leaders asked how America will change as a result of the economic downturn by The New Republic's blog 'The Plank'.
Targeting anti-cancer agents
An enzyme within a powerful anti-cancer agent may prove useful in better targeting cancer cells and producing new drugs that are more stable, chemist Steven D. Bruner and colleagues report. Science Daily
Works on display
Studio Arts faculty member Karl Baden's work is currently in two exhibitions in Boston: 'PRC Portfolios: Then and Now' (Photographic Resource Center), and 'Artists Speak Out' (Miller-Block Gallery). Also on display at the Miller-Block Gallery, is work by Studio Arts faculty member Shiela Gallagher.
Outstanding production
Luke Jorgensen, Adjunct Associate Professor of Theatre, has won the Outstanding Creative Ensemble Award in recognition of his innovative staging and overall unity and high level of excellence in the BC production of Metamorphoses.
The art of global PR
BC's Martha Bayles reviews a book on the Cold War and the U.S. Information Agency for the Wall Street Journal.
Distinguished award
Sociologist Natalia Sarkisian has won the 2008 Distinguished Contribution to Scholarship Article Award from the ASA's Race, Gender, and Class section for her article, "Extended Family Integration among Euro and Mexican Americans: Ethnicity, Gender, and Class."
The papal visit
BC theologian Thomas Groome discusses Pope Benedict's historic visit to the United States with NECN. View video
Era of 
cheap goods ends
The era of cheap goods is over, write History Associate Professor Prasannan Parthasarathi and Sociology Professor Juliet Schor, and broad-based reforms are needed to cushion higher prices for basic needs. Boston Globe
Waiting for America
Professor of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer recently discussed his new memoir 'Waiting for America' on WBZ-AM's 'Jordan Rich Show.'
Scientists concerned for Georgia colleagues
BC geoscientist Emanuel Bombolakis and alumni have been helping colleagues in the former Soviet republic of Georgia, monitor earthquakes in a region now rocked by conflict with Russia. Project background
Judge for yourself
Psychologist Joseph Tecce elaborates on each candidate's "own personal style in the expression of body language."
Voter prudence, prioritization
Voters in the 2008 election should weigh the 'two p's' - prudence and prioritization, says BC theologian Kenneth Himes. BC Chronicle
Markets stall but spoiled always sells
Even in our declining market, "Consumers still focus on the media's message; success depends on the right clothing, right friends, and right decor," commented sociologist Juliet Schor in the NY Times.
Award for energy-efficiency innovation
A pioneering thermoelectric material developed by GMZ Energy, a start-up founded by physicist Zhifeng Ren and colleagues, was among the Top 100 tech innovations of 2008.
Relay for life
Some 900 participants recently gathered at the 'Plex for the University's first time hosting an all-night Relay for Life, raising more than $100,000 for the American Cancer Society and joining in a community effort that co-chair Shannon Sullivan '08 called 'a celebration of BC.'
Book covers on exhibit
'Imitation, Influence... and Coincidence', a book exhibition conceived of and curated by Karl Baden, is on display at the Boston Public Library.
Nothing to fear but fear itself
Psychologist Joseph Tecce discusses the pros and cons of fear in an interview with the Star-Ledger.
USA Today All-Star
Senior Kuong Ly—whose passion for helping the displaced earned a Truman award last year—has won a place on the 2008 All-USA College Academic First Team, USA Today's recognition program for outstanding students.
The endless pursuit of unnecessary things
BC Sociologist Juliet Schor's research was discussed in this NYTimes.com blog.
True secularist
Secularism doesn't necessarily rebuff religion in public life, but protects it, argues Alan Wolfe, director of BC's Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, in a Q&A with Newsweek.
Name that emotion
Psychology Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett's groundbreaking research on the neuroscience of emotion, supported by a $2.5 million NIH Pioneer Award, is featured Psychology Today.
Distinguished honor
Associate Professor of Design, Theatre, Crystal Tiala was honored by the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival for "Outstanding Service to Region 1."
'The Root'
Cynthia Young, director of BC's African and African Diaspora Studies Program, discusses 'The Root' - a new Washington Post online magazine designed for a black audience - on WGBH-TV's 'Greater Boston.'
On Lent and Easter
As Lent begins, writings by BC theologian Rev. Bruce Morrill, S.J., for Pauline Books' Growing in Faith site offer timely insights; one essay focuses on entering the Easter cycle, another on Lent as a liturgical season.
In the blink of an eye
According to psychologist Joseph Tecce, analyzing how rapidly (or slowly) candidates blink has proven to be a fairly accurate tool in predicting who is most likely to capture the White House. Wellesley Townsman
Easy as pi
Some people have trouble memorizing a zip code or password. And then there's James Niles-Joyal '08, bidding to become North America's pre-eminent memorizer of pi. Read his story and other campus news in the latest BC Chronicle.
Outstanding contributions to mechanism design
Economics Professor Tayfun Sonmez has been selected as the 4th recipient of the Social Choice and Welfare Prize, to be officially awarded at the 2008 International Meeting of the Society for Social Choice and Welfare in Montreal.
Diversity in Middle East studies
Writing in FrontPage Magazine, Assistant Professor Franck Salameh writes on the need to present the 'diverse and richly textured Middle East, in all its complexities, gore, and glory.'
'The forgotten truth'
An act of kindness by a family in Morocco led to a journey of spiritual discovery for BC theologian and noted scholar of mystic Islam James Morris, who is featured by Malaysia's New Straits Times.
Desert river erosion
Geologist Noah Snyder's study in Death Valley, CA of the effects of a river diverted in 1941 to protect a nearby village provides new insights into the interaction of changes in climate and erosion. His findings are published in the February issue of the journal Geology.
Economic outlook
Murray and Monti Professor of Economics Peter Ireland was interviewed on the outlook for a U.S. recession this year by Reuters news service. Read the piece in the Montreal Gazette.
'Rich kid syndrome'
America's burgeoning money culture is producing a record number of heirs, along with questions about how this treasury will be used. Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish discusses the subject with New York Magazine.
Before you go
What goes unsaid during life stays unsaid when you're dead—prompting Philosophy Professor Peter Kreeft to reflect on the need to express love 'before you go.' His latest book, which bears that title, is featured by the Boston Globe.
National Jewish Book Award
BC's Maxim D. Shrayer has won a National Jewish Book Award for his anthology of Jewish Russian-Literature, the Jewish Book Council has announced.
Undergrad research spurs book
For Katherine Adam '07, what started as research for her senior sociology thesis has evolved into a new book, already on store shelves across the country.
Nanonets
Chemist Dunwei Wang and colleagues have conquered a longstanding engineering challenge in nanotechnology by creating nanonets, a flexible webbing of nano-scale wires that has potential applications in microelectronics and clean energy. UPI | Science Daily | Cellular News (UK) | Daily India | Nanotechwire
Working longer
As headlines warn Americans that their retirement years may be far from golden, Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell discusses their options with US News & World Report and on WBUR-FM's 'Here and Now'.
Overflow crowd for an open-air chamber
A first in metamaterials A team led by BC physicist Willie Padilla report in Nature Photonics engineering a new metamaterial composite to bridge the electromagnetic spectrum's 'terahertz gap,' a phenomenon that has defied researchers until now. More | Science Daily
A 'war hero' candidate
Sociology Professor Charles Derber reflects on use of the term 'war hero' in campaign rhetoric as co-author of an op-ed in the Christian Science Monitor.
Wadlebury
Andrew Sofer's poem, "Wandlebury Ring," that was set to music by award-winning composer Kevin Beavers, was performed at the Washington Square Music Festival in NYC. Sofer's piece was praised by classical music critic Allan Kozinn in his NY Times review.
'Last lectures'
German Studies Professor Michael Resler reflects on what he would try to convey to his students in a last lecture. Boston Globe
Working longer
The new book 'Working Longer: The Solution to the Retirement Income Challenge' by Alicia Munnell and Steven Sass of the Center for Retirement Research is featured by the New York Times.
Census shift
In an interview on NECN, Sociologist Sharlene Hesse-Biber discusses a new government projection showing whites will no longer make up the majority of Americans by 2042. Video
Six months in South Africa
BC junior Luke Hughes, drawn to South Africa to study the country's history of dealing with apartheid, is interviewed about his time at the University of Cape Town by the Boston Globe.
NBC taps Russert for convention coverage
Luke Russert '08 will take the reins as a correspondent for NBC News by covering youth issues at the upcoming Democratic and Republican national conventions. Boston Herald | MSNBC
Fame game
American Studies Director Carlo Rotella writes on boxing great Floyd Mayweather Jr.'s pursuit of 'mainstream fame and money a la Paris Hilton' for the New York Times.
A legacy of beauty
Calderwood Professor of Islamic and Asian Art Sheila Blair discusses the place of calligraphy in Islam's rich tradition of decorative arts. US News & World Report
Newly published book
Psychology Professor Elizabeth Kensinger's new book, "Emotional Memory Across the Adult Lifespan," about how we remember emotional experiences better than unemotional ones, was published December 10th by Psychology Press.
'Working Longer'
A new book co-authored by Center for Retirement Research Director Alicia Munnell and Associate Director Steven Sass - is highlighted in the Wall Street Journal.
Teaching award
Professor of History Kevin Kenny is the recipient of the 2008 Boston College Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Doctoral Faculty Teaching Award, for significant contribution to the teaching of students pursuing doctorates.
'Wicked good' Bostonisms
Linguistics Professor Michael J. Connolly offers insights into the comings and goings of singularly Bostonian expressions. Boston Globe
BC 'raven-ous' for Poe
Two hundred years after Edgar Allan Poe was born in Boston, a band of BC scholars and students led by English Prof. Paul Lewis are working to help the city reclaim the master of the macabre. Boston Globe | BC's Poe Celebration
Eye on the candidates
Psychologist Joseph Tecce shared insight into the presidential candidates' stress levels during debates live on Fox TV Boston. Chronicle of Higher Ed | YouTube
Lifetime Achievement Award
Sociologist David Karp has been awarded the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award, for a career of outstanding contributions to the sociology of emotions.
Labor of love
BC theologian Reverend Robert Imbelli offers reflections on a milestone lecture delivered by Cardinal Avery Dulles earlier this month. America
Small change, big changes
Lauren Galinsky '09 is at the forefront of Small Change, Big Changes, a project that will teach middle and high school students about development efforts in poor countries and the use of microlending. Boston Globe
Murphy's Law
Brighton native Kathleen Murphy '09, a member of the BC field hockey team, is battling multiple sclerosis. But as the Boston Herald's Steve Buckley writes, Murphy has a lot of fight in her—and a lot of friends to help: "I'm going to keep going on and living my life until it does hit, and even if it does, I'm not going to let it slow me down."
Judging presidential greatness
Political scientist Marc Landy is among scholars asked to assess the financial rescue initiative's effect on how the Bush presidency will be viewed. Wall Street Journal