Spring 2017

Gere studied music, dance, and Tamil in Madurai, Tamilnadu from 1980-82, and returned to India in 2004 on a Fulbright grant to study how artists worked to stop the AIDS epidemic there. He earned his bachelor’s degree in religion from Oberlin College, his master’s degree in ethnomusicology from the University of Hawaii, and his doctorate in dance history and theory from the University of California, Riverside.

McCune is an associate professor of African & African American Studies, and of Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Washington University. After earning his bachelor’s degree from Cornell College and his doctorate from Northwestern University, McCune joined the faculty at the University of Maryland-College Park.

It’s become commonplace to hear reports on new research study findings, especially if they may apply to large groups of people. The majority of study results that are produced by researchers throughout the sciences and the social sciences and enter the media stream are conducted by distinguished academics and published in prestigious scholarly journals. The resultant findings become part of the core knowledge base by which we as a society advance our understanding of the world.

Washington University alumna Sara Taksler is a senior producer at The Daily Show with Jon Stewart, where she has pitched stories and jokes, and researched footage for the iconic funnyman for more than a decade.

Easterling, chief of the Scientific Services Division of the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration’s (NOAA) will deliver a presentation on “A Scientific View of Climate Change.”

Sands, the British international human rights lawyer, scholar, and prolific author, now brings this story to life in his 16th book, “East West Street: On the Origins of Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity.” 

Distinguished lawyer and civil rights champion Chai Feldblum will deliver a keynote address for the Midwest LGBTQ+ Law Conference at 1 p.m. Friday, March 3 in Anheuser-Busch Hall Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom.

Washington University’s School of Law will host a visit by former Republican presidential candidate, Mitt Romney, on Monday, Feb. 27 that includes an Assembly Series presentation at 3 p.m. in Graham Chapel.

Widely published in both professional journals as well as general media, McArthur’s work has appeared in publications as varied as The Lancet and The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition to The Economist, The Globe and Mail and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

The internationally-renowned pianist Jonathan Biss explores these questions of “late style” creativity in a panel discussion with Washington University faculty on February 8 at 5 pm in Danforth University Center’s Goldberg Formal Lounge.

Psychologist and behavioral economist Dan Ariely wants to understand the forces that influence human behavior. His research proves that, despite our intentions, we often fail to act in our own best interests. For example, why do we promise ourselves to skip the chocolate cake, then change course once the dessert tray rolls around? Why do we overvalue things that we’ve worked to put together?