2006 2005 2004 2003 2002
The territory of belief:
How can secularist intellectuals—particularly if they are Jewish—analyze predominantly Christian America? Very well, thank you, writes Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science and Director of Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, in the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.
A DNA-powered first:
A research team, including Chemistry Professor Shana Kelley, has for the first time used the coding power of DNA to create nanowires on top of carbon nanotube tips. more
Wealth transfer report:
A new study by BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy finds Washington, DC-area residents will bequeath $2.4 trillion over the next 50 years to heirs, charities, and estate taxes, reports Center Director Paul Schervish in the Washington Post.
Distinguished award:
Assistant Professor of Sociology C. Shawn McGuffey has received the Sally Hacker award given by the Sex & Gender section of the ASA for his article, “Engendering Trauma: Race, Class and Gender Reaffirmation after Child Sexual Abuse”.
Russia and the U.S.:
Professor of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer joins a discussion of the new and growing distance between the United States and Russia on NPR’s On Point.
“War requires some degree of compromising of ethics, no matter what”:
Associate Professor of Theology Rabbi Ruth Langer recently participated in an e-mail exchange on the “just war” theory and its relationship to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. CJL web site.
Kidney exchange:
The New York Times Magazine Freakonomics column brings awareness to the kidney exchange efforts by Economics Professor Tayfun Sönmez and collaborators. Kidney Exchange
Teacher of the year:
Associate Professor of History Seth Jacobs has won the 2006 Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Award. Nominated by students initiated into Phi Beta Kappa, Jacobs was described as “lively, entertaining and a joy to watch during lectures.” BC Chronicle
A scholar gives back:
Physics Professor Zhifeng Ren’s efforts to assist China’s Daqiao Middle School, which serves more than 2,000 students from the poor eastern region of Sichuan Province, are featured by Catholic News Service
Exemplar of service:
J. Joseph Moakley Endowed Professor of Political Science Kay Schlozman is the recipient of the 10th annual Frank J. Goodnow Distinguished Service Award.
Outstanding dissertation:
The American Political Science Association (APSA) has selected Assistant Professor of Political Science Jonathan Laurence for the Harold D. Lasswell prize.
Catholic ethics:
More than 400 Catholic moral theologians from 63 countries gathered in Padua for the first international conference on Catholic ethics, organized by Theology Professor James Keenan, S.J. Catholic News Service reports.
Retirement’s risky for many Americans:
Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell, Director of BC’s Center for Retirement Research, discusses the latest news and trends concerning retirement in the U.S. with Boston Globe reporter Robert Gavin.
An honor to end all honors:
The Finnegan Award, presented to the senior who best exemplifies BC’s motto, “Ever to Excel”, was presented to biochemistry major Elizabeth O’Day, who spearheaded “Women in Science & Technology”, a program aimed at spurring high school girls’ interest in science. BC Chronicle
Conducting research in Canada:
A team of scientists led by Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics Gail Kineke visited Canada’s Petitcodiac River to study fluid mud, a rare occurance that develops in river systems with an unusually high concentration of sediment.
Gold standard philanthropy:
Paul Schervish, Director of BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, was quoted in The Boston Globe Opinion op-ed. Gates aims for major philanthropic impact: Schervish participated in the commentary on Warren Buffet’s philanthropy on NPR Morning Edition.
Forgiveness heart of reconciliation, BC theologian says:
It is forgiveness, not justice, that brings repentance and reconciliation, Theology Professor Roberto Goizueta said in a Catholic Common Ground Initiative lecture. Catholic Online
Getting back to roots:
A massive project by a coalition of groups including BC’s Urban Ecology Institute will involve cataloguing every tree on Boston public streets, in an effort to help the city manage its tree population and bolster the case for more plantings in poor neighborhoods. Research Associate Professor of Biology Eric Strauss is the Institute’s Director of Science. Boston Globe
Autumn in Yalta:
The latest collaborative work by Jewish Studies Program Co-Director/Professor of Slavic & Eastern Languages Maxim D. Shrayer and his father, David Shrayer-Petrov, are deemed haunting, ‘beautifully honed fictions of foreign lands in starker times’ in a Providence Journal review.
Famous fiddler:
BC’s Séamus Connolly, world renowned master Irish musician, was on the cover of The Boston Globe Calendar.
Faculty honor:
Dubbed “a leading thinker on retirement and Social Security issues” Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell, Director of BC’s Center for Retirement Research, has been named among the “100 Most Influential People in Finance” by Treasury and Risk Management Magazine.
Media Note:
Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish will discuss Bill Gates’ decision to step back at Microsoft and step up in philanthropy on Tuesday’s edition of NPR ‘On Point’. Listen on-line.
Patrick goes on high-tech offensive:
Political Science Professor Marc Landy discusses the public’s view on campaign spending in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Boston Globe
Postscript to Fulbright success:
Kelly McClure ´06 recently became the 14th Boston College student to earn a Fulbright award, tying the school record. more
Many households at risk in retirement finances:
A new measurement of Americans’ finances by the Center for Retirement Research shows that almost half of working-age households are at risk of being unable to maintain their standard of living in retirement. Drucker Professor/Director of the Center Alicia Munnell is interviewed by Wall Street Journal • USA Today • LA Times • Newsday • CNN/Money
Boston Wealth Study:
A report based on research by BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish and Senior Research Associate John Havens for the Boston Foundation examines wealth, wealth transfer, and philanthropy.
A strong debut:
Professor of English Carlo Rotella reviews “Now You See It ...: Stories From Cokesville, PA” by Bathsheba Monk in the Chicago Tribune.
Can you afford to retire?
Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell (Center for Retirement Research) and A&S Dean Joseph Quinn are featured in a PBS special on retirement. more
Fulbright winner to study in his family's homeland:
Justin Pine ´06, the first in his family to attend college, will travel to his family’s homeland of Portgual to study organic chemistry next fall. Standard-Times • BC Chronicle
Researcher wins summer scholarship:
Kerry Heinzelmann, a sophomore in the Honors Chemistry Track, has received a Norris-Richards Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship. Kerry worked in Chemistry Professor Evan Kantrowitz’s lab during the Spring semester as part of the second semester sophomore honors lab. A&S Dean Joseph Quinn stated, “This is great news for both Kerry and Evan, the department and the University—another example of the successful integration of cutting-edge research and undergraduate education!”
Growing pains of a child prodigy:
During an interview with BBC News, Ellen Winner, Psychology Professor and author of ‘Gifted Children: Myths and Realities’, advised parents of gifted children to “listen to your child and enable them to do what they want to do.”
A wonderful achievement:
Hidden Power, written by Sociology Professor Charles Derber, was selected as a top finalist for the 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) in the category of “Current Events.”
Enzymes and ambitions:
As she wraps up an impressive undergrad career at BC, Elizabeth O’Day is looking ahead to a year of study at Cambridge University in England where she will research possible cures for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, “a lofty one-year goal,” she acknowledges. Boston Globe • Patriot Ledger
A well-deserved honor:
The Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University has awarded Professor, Chairperson of Sociology Juliet Schor the “2006 Leontief Prize for Expanding the Frontiers of Economic Thought”. more
Controversial topic:
Professor of Theology Harvey D. Egan, S.J. was interviewed on Channel 5 Chronicle Thursday, May 18 concerning the Da Vinci Code.
Line in the sand:
“President Bush has tried to find a middle ground where many political groups can join an effort to do something about illegal immigration. But the country is so divided that it is not clear that much consensus is possible,” writes Political Science Professor Peter Skerry in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.
Making the most of his opportunities:
New Bedford native Justin Pine ´06 will be the first person in his family to receive a college degree, before he departs to Portugal to study chemistry on a Fulbright scholarship. BC Chronicle
Artifacts of church and state:
Medieval wonders unscroll at BC’s McMullen Museum of Art, writes the Boston Globe. Nancy Netzer is a Professor in the Fine Arts Department and the Director of BC’s McMullen Museum of Art.
“Innocents Abroad”—a new guidebook offers Americans advice on how to behave overseas:
An article written by A&S Honors faculty member Martha Bayles was published in the Editorial Wall Street Journal.
Model research:
An editorial in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has declared that a study by Associate Professor of Sociology Eva Garroutte and Assistant Professor of Sociology Natasha Sarkisian on disparities in health perceptions between Indian patients and their doctors “represents a significant advance and should serve as a model for future research.”
Teaching recognition:
The Eastern Communication Association has awarded the 2006 Donald and Caroline Ecroyd Teaching Award to Adjunct Associate Professor of Communication Bonnie Jefferson.
Selected for distinguished honor:
The New England Psychological Association (NEPA) has chosen Psychology Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett to deliver a William James Distinguished Lecture.
The things we carry:
Clare Dunsford, Associate Dean in Arts & Sciences, published an essay in the Winter 2006 issue of The Kenyon Review: “Base Pairs,” a chapter from a book she is writing about raising a son with Fragile X Syndrome.
One of the best experts in his field:
The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to Professor of Biology Peter Clote and his research team for their project titled, “RNA-Parafold: Algorithms and Web Server for Parametric Aspects of RNA Secondary Structure.” more
Citizen Pain:
Political Science Professor Peter Skerry discusses the immigration debate in this week's New Republic, while Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science and Director of The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, looks at the politics of the situation.
Stellar research team awarded grant:
Professor of Biology Daniel Kirschner is part of a research team to be awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease (MJFF).
Scientist makes case for coyotes:
Many Cape Codders view coyotes with a mixture of wonder and anxiety, while graduate student Jonathan Way sees the wild canines as a fascinating, if recent, part of the local ecosystem. Cape Cod Times | Environmental Studies Program | Urban Ecology Insitute
Four in four years:
BC sophomores Amanda Buescher and Kuong Ly have been awarded Institute for International Public Policy Fellowships, making them the third and fourth BC recipients within the past four years.
BC senior wins national directing fellowship:
Anthony Nunziata ´06 has won a National Directing Kennedy Center Fellowship at the Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) held in April. more
Three students are recipients of prestigious awards:
Truman Scholarship recipient Nicholas Salter ´07, Harriman Service Fellowship recipient Kelly McClure ´06, and National Science Foundation Research Fellowship recipient Elizabeth O’Day ´06. more
Great victory for BC’s Russian program:
Kristina Conroy ´09 has won first place in the Seventh Annual American Council of Teachers of Russian (ACTR) National Post-Secondary Russian Essay Contest.
It’s all about having choices:
Saheba Sahni, a BC junior from New Delhi, India, is interviewed about her decision to study in the U.S. with Voice of America.
Rah! Rah! Dada!:
Martha Bayles, who teaches in the A&S Honors program at Boston College, pens the cover story in the latest Weekly Standard. Weekly Standard
The Whale Road:
A poetry manuscript by Andrew Sofer, Assoc. Professor of English, was named a semifinalist for the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize.
Boston Marathon 2006:
For the 2nd year in a row Math Professor Mark Reeder finished in 104th place. Also completing the marathon was Professor of Economics Fabio Schiantarelli.
Rotella wins Guggenheim Fellowship:
The Guggenheim Foundation has awarded a 2006 Fellowship to Professor of English Carlo Rotella, who will make use of the award to complete a new book on the place of music in the lives of various musicians.
From bad to good:
Professor of Political Science, Director of The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Alan Wolfe considers ‘How Bush’s Bad Ideas May Lead to Good Ones’ in the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.
Papal anniversary:
Writing in the Boston Globe, Associate Professor of Theology James Weiss considers Pope Benedict XVI’s first year. more
A secret and a mystery:
Professor of Theology Harvey Egan, S.J. was interviewed by Greg Wayland of New England Cable News (NECN) regarding the Gospel of Judas. video clip
Historian’s book triumphs:
America’s Miracle Man in Vietnam, written by Assistant Professor of History Seth Jacobs, has been awarded the Stuart Bernath Book Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations. In 2001 Jacobs won the Bernath Article Prize.
BC marks 6th Truman Scholar since 1998:
Economics major Nicholas Salter ´07 has been selected as a Truman Scholar. Professor of Political Science Donald Hafner stated, “Nick’s success helps sustain BC’s reputation as a place that fosters a commitment to public service among its students." more
Keynote Speaker:
Associate Professor of Communication Ann Marie Barry will lecture on “Meeting of Minds Through Art: The Neurology Of Creativity and Aesthetic Appreciation” at the Rochester Institute of Technology Kern Conference on Visual Communication and the Creative Mind.
A career in public service:
Kelly McClure ´06, a member of the A&S Honors program and an International Studies major concentrating in Political Science, has been awarded a Pamela Harriman Foreign Service Fellowship, a 1st for BC.
O’Day receives prestigious fellowship:
Elizabeth O’Day ´06 has been awarded a 2006 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. Liz, already a winner of a Winston Churchill Scholarship to study at Cambridge University, has aspired to be a biochemist since the seventh grade. “Liz’s NSF Fellowship is a fine tribute to her accomplishments,” stated Professor of Political Science Donald Hafner.
President elect:
Associate Professor of Slavic/Eastern Languages Margaret Thomas has been elected Vice-President of the North American Association for the History of the Language Sciences, through 2007, to be followed by a two-year term as President.
Idea of simple life takes hold:
Surveys conducted by Professor, Chairperson of Sociology Juliet Schor have found that the majority of Americans feel the United States is too materialistic. USA TODAY
The Catholic Church and gay adoption:
The WCVB-TV program Chronicle discusses gay adoption and the Catholic Church with Theology Professor Lisa Cahill and offers a segment on Associate Professor of Theology John McDargh and his family, including an interview with his adopted son. See the video (Broadband or 56K).
Senior citizens in the workforce:
Michael Smyer, Dean/Graduate Arts and Sciences, and Director/Center for Aging & Work, is interviewed on Retirement and Work on “CNN In The Money.” transcript excerpt.
St. Patrick in U.S. history:
An op-ed by History Professor Emeritus Thomas O’Connor probes the connection between St. Patrick and Evacuation Day in the Boston Herald.
Novel mixes romance and environmentalism:
In its roundup of new books about the Northwest, The Statesman-Journal (Salem, Oregon) includes The Tree-Sitter, by English Professor Suzanne Matson . BC Chronicle
The Pope and the poet:
If his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est is any indication, it seems Pope Benedict XVI has not only been reading St. Augustine but Dante Alighieri as well, writes Associate Professor of Theology Rev. Robert Imbelli in America.
Lord of the games:
Long before the founding of Rotisserie League Baseball, Sociology Professor Emeritus William Gamson dreamed up a primitive forebear of the addictive fantasy game in 1960. Author Sam Walker describes Gamson’s role as the ‘God Father of Fantasy Baseball’ in his book Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball’s Lunatic Fringe. [.pdf] excerpt from Walker’s book. Boston Globe
Award winning program:
BC’s Global Proficiency Program, created by Adrienne Nussbaum, Assistant Dean/Director, Office of International Students and Scholars, has won the NASPA Award for Best Practices in International Education and Learning in the Campus Based International Programming Category.
Inside the minds of shoppers:
The Dartmouth College Tuck School of Business has invited Associate Professor of Communication Ann Marie Barry to lecture on “Neuromarketing: Selling Through Mind.”
Women in science and technology:
BC’s month-long program to inspire high school girls to consider a career in science, designed by multi-award winner Elizabeth O'Day ´06, was a big hit with participants, and is an NECN cover story (video player required). NECN
The Nattering Nabobs of... Patriotism?
English Professor Paul Lewis offers a satirical op-ed in the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Mainstream surrealism:
Magritte’s impact on book cover design: Studio Art Adjunct Professor Karl Baden's recent book exhibition was described as an intelligent exhibit, requiring the viewer to actively make connections while absorbing the art. wbur.org
Artists remember the ‘Forgotten War’:
Thanks to the efforts of BC Psychology Professor Ramsay Liem, an art exhibit allows Korean Americans to unearth and share stories from the conflict that tore their homeland apart. Almeda Times-Star
Mississippi Blues:
English faculty member Susana Roberts is a finalist for The 2006 Mississippi Review Prize for her poem “Blues: ‘Bars’ work-clothes quilt”, to be published in the journal’s Spring issue. Poem
This research paper worked:
Jamie Lee ´06, nominated a Junior Fellow to the American Academy of Political and Social Sciences (AAPSS) by BC’s Economics dept., has been chosen by the Academy to receive an Undergraduate Research Award based on his paper, “Did It Work? A Look at the Effects of Welfare Reform Nearly a Decade Later.” Lee’s award-winning paper is part of his honors thesis. Associate Professor of Operations & Strategic Management Richard McGowan, S.J. is his faculty advisor.
Through a lens darkly:
Two stints in India give budding documentarian, Elayne McCabe ´06, some tough lessons about filmmaking, and life. BC Chronicle
Not quite ready to retire:
The number of older workers opting “bridge jobs” over full retirement is growing at a fast pace. “Why go from 100 m.p.h. to zero?” asks A&S Dean Joseph Quinn . “You wouldn’t do that in your car.” Time
She aims at getting girls hooked on science:
After hearing that many girls thought studying science was “lame, boring, too hard, and just plain uncool” Elizabeth O’Day ´06, recruited 20 of her fellow women science majors at BC to help push more girls into science. Boston Globe • BC Chronicle | BC Heights
Computer analysis suggests paintings are not Pollocks:
Pollock scholar and BC art historian Claude Cernuschi was quoted in the New York Times regarding the authenticity of 24 newly found paintings believed to be the works of Jackson Pollock.
Why are you laughing?
Studio 360, a national radio talk show that encourages listeners to view the world in a different way, interviewed English Professor Paul Lewis on humor and violence in the media. Studio 360
Outstanding research acknowledged:
The Swiss Chemical Society has selected Assistant Professor of Chemistry Torsten Fiebig and his former collaborator, Achim Wagenknecht, to share the 2006 Grammaticakis-Neumann Award.
Appointed editor of math book series:
The Executive Committee of the Conference Board of Mathematical Sciences (CBMS) has appointed Mathematics Professor Solomon Friedberg an editor of the book series Issues in Mathematics Education.
Successful research on solar energy harvesting:
Physics Professor Krzysztof Kempa has won a Technology Assessment Award from The Massachusetts Technology Transfer Center.
History and language:
English Professor Paul Marian offers a review of Lawrence Joseph’s poetry dealing with the effects of 9/11 at Ground Zero. America
Too much of a good thing:
Researchers are finding that the pursuit of “nice things” harms your emotional well-being, causing damage to relationships and self-esteem, as well as a higher risk of depression and anxiety. During a Boston Globe interview Professor/Chairperson of Sociology Juliet Schor reminds us that our children are also being harmed. In her latest book, Born to Buy, Schor describes how “This New Consumerism Era has had a devastating impact on our lifestyles and priorities.”
Bracing for the baby boom:
The White House Conference on Aging, attended by Grad A&S Dean Michael A. Smyer, listed a mental health resolution as a key priority that will be included in the conference’s final report. Monitor on Psychology
Islamic rage: sometimes, it hurts to laugh:
The free-press arguments offered by defenders of controversial political cartoons miss a key point: The question is not whether papers have the right to print any cartoons they choose, but whether they should have chosen to print these cartoons, writes Professor Paul Lewis in the Hartford Courant.
Recognized for original and significant contribution:
A new book by Associate Professor of History Stephen Schloesser, S.J. won the John Gilmary Shea Prize and is reviewed in this week’s New Republic. | The Catholic Register article ‘Catholicism in the key of jazz’.
BC Scientists Stretch Carbon Nanotubes:
Physicists at BC have for the first time shown that carbon nanotubes can be stretched at high temperature to nearly four times their original length, a finding that could have implications for future semiconductor design as well as in the development of new nanocomposites. The BC Physics faculty include: Research Associate Professor Jianyu Huang, Professor Krzysztof Kempa, Professor Zhifeng Ren, and Professor Ziqiang Wang. Nature | Physorg.com
Scientific American features Numans' Findings:
Professor Michael Numan and Researcher Marilyn Numan (Psychology) have shown that the action of pregnancy hormones on a part of the hypothalamus in the female mammal’s brain is largely responsible for maternal responsiveness, thus enabling mothers to be more attentive and caring toward their young. Scientific American: The Maternal Brain [NEUROBIOLOGY] | Numans’ lab website
Outstanding student receives award:
The American Academy of Political and Social Science has named Sarah Carmody ´06 a Junior Fellow. Professor Alan Rogers commented, “I’m thrilled, but not at all surprised, that Sarah won this very prestigious award. She is an outstanding student of multiple talents and interests.”
Encountering John Adams:
This summer Political Science Professor Marc Landy will be sharing his knowledge on John Adams, while conducting an American History and Culture workshop to community college faculty. more
Becoming Jane Addams:
Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science; Director of The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, reviewed Louise W. Knight’s book Citizen: Jane Addams and the Struggle for Democracy in Sunday’s NY Times.
The Dynamic Duo:
Boston Marathon legends Rick and Dick Hoyt star in John Michalczyk’s (Professor, Chairperson of Fine Arts) latest film, “Rick’s Eyes on the Prize: Running with Team Hoyt”. The Hoyt story, filmed over a three-year period, is a segment of “I’m Here”, a documentary series about people living with disabilities. Michalczyk directed the Hoyt movie, Philip DiMattia (Director of BC’s Campus School) served as executive producer, and Ronald Marsh (circulation assistant at the O’Neill Library) served as co-producer and co-director. MetroWest
“Cavaliere” Mormando:
The President of the Republic of Italy has inducted Franco Mormando into the honorary “Ordine della Stella della Solidarietà Italiana” with the title of “Cavaliere” (Knight). Mormando is an Associate Professor of Italian, and Chairperson of the Romance Languages and Literatures Department.