This Month in CAS: February 2020
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This Month in CAS
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Wednesday, February 19, 2020
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- A Message from Dean Greg Budzban
- Student Spotlight: Ethan Hill
- Faculty Spotlight: Kathryn Bentley
- Alumni Spotlight: Stephen Wilke
- Professor Emeritus Discovers Close Connection to Einstein
- Art Exhibit Installation Becomes Learning Opportunity for Students
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A Message from Dean Greg Budzban
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Dear Colleagues,
The days are getting a bit longer. The morning frost lingers less. The magic of Spring is in the air. Pitchers and catchers have reported.
I must admit, I am a huge baseball fan. I grew up playing the game and later coached my sons when they started playing Little League. Growing up in Florida, Spring Training was such a great time of the year. In terms of access to professional athletes in a relaxed setting, there is really nothing else like it in sports. The monetization of athletes’ signatures has ruined that atmosphere somewhat, with players less apt to casually interact with the fans, but it’s still pretty special.
Read Dean Budzban's full letter.
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Student Spotlight: Ethan Hill
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Taking advantage of the SIUE study abroad program is worthwhile for any student, but particularly for one triple majoring in Spanish Language and Literature, French Language and Literature, and International Business. That’s why senior Ethan Hill has elected to study abroad not once, but twice during his college career. His time in Québec City, Canada, for the summer 2017 term and Angers, France, for the fall 2018 term has been the source of valuable learning opportunities – and some of his favorite college memories.
“While my study abroad experiences have had an immeasurable impact on my language skills, they have also given me a firsthand insight into the cultures of the countries I have lived in,” said Hill. “It is one thing to learn about how particular the French are about their wine, but it is very different thing to take a wine marketing course with a French winemaker as a professor.” Read the article.
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Faculty Spotlight: Kathryn Bentley
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February has been a busy month for Kathryn Bentley. The associate professor in the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Department of Theater and Dance and director of the Black Studies program has been actively involved in planning and hosting many of the University’s Black Heritage Month events. Additionally, Bentley, who is the artistic director of SIUE’s Black Theatre Workshop (BTW), is gearing up for the opening of “XTIGONE,” a collaborative production by BTW and the SIUE theater program with shows on Feb. 19-23.
“’XTIGONE’ is a very contemporary look at gun violence, which is something I think is important for us to talk about because it is still so relevant in the world and in our country,” said Bentley. Read the article.
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Alumni Spotlight: Stephen Wilke
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SIUE is a place where Stephen Wilke (’16) gained valuable knowledge and skills and built lasting friendships. Today, he is drawing upon his college experiences to recruit new students to the SIUE campus through his role as an admissions counselor.
Wilke joined the staff at SIUE in October 2019, serving the Office of Admissions as a representative for the Chicago Region. Wilke meets with high school students at college fairs and during school visits, and he also acts as a liaison between incoming students and the University during the application and admissions process. Read the article.
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Professor Emeritus Discovers Close Connection to Einstein
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What’s your Einstein number? For retired faculty member and chair of the SIUE Department of Mathematics and Statistics Chung Wu Ho, PhD, it’s four. That means only three collaborators separate him from Albert Einstein according to the American Mathematical Society (AMS).
The AMS has developed a tool that shows the collaboration distance between two researchers, including famous mathematicians such as Einstein. Researchers who have collaborated directly with Einstein have an Einstein number of one; anyone who has collaborated with that researcher then has an Einstein number of two, and so on. This tool led Ho to discover his connection to Einstein was closer than expected. Read the article.
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Art Exhibit Installation Becomes Learning Opportunity for Students
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When SIUE Assistant Professor of Ceramics Joe Page began the installation of his current art exhibit, “Flow Chart,” at the William and Florence Schmidt Art Center on Southwestern Illinois College’s Belleville campus, he turned the installation process into a learning opportunity for his students. Not only did his student assistants have the opportunity to install a professional art exhibit, but they also had the autonomy to decide how specific aspects of Page’s work should be displayed.
“The most rewarding part of the experience is getting to see assistants make choices within the aesthetic of the work: the contour of a cloud on the wall, the direction of a blue line migrating across the floor,” said Page. “They become teachers themselves, showing other assistants how to engage with the process of making the work.” Read the article.
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College of Arts and Sciences
Peck Hall, Room 3409
Edwardsville, IL 62026
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