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Northwestern University

Weinberg College programs win support from Alumnae of Northwestern

The Alumnae of Northwestern University has awarded funding for five programs that will bring guest artists and distinguished scholars and speakers to campus to enhance the undergraduate experience.

The awardees include two Weinberg College programs — the annual public lecture presented by the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), and the Northwestern Prison Education Program.

These intriguing programs also will be of interest to faculty, graduate students, other Northwestern community members, and, in some cases, the general public.

The grants, totaling more than $24,000, are funded with earnings from the Academic Enrichment Endowment, established in 1991 as one of The Alumnae’s 75th Anniversary gifts to the University.

These grants will provide seed money for faculty-sponsored projects that address important and timely issues related to astronomy and planetary science, criminal justice, theatre, music, sustainability, the environment and climate change.

“During these challenging times, the programs that the Academic Enrichment Committee partially funded this spring, in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, will give Northwestern students, faculty, The Alumnae and others something positive to look forward to next year,’’ said Judy Moore, chair of The Alumnae’s Academic Enrichment Committee.

The following projects are slated for Northwestern University’s 2020-2021 academic year.

Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences

CIERA annual public lecture                                             

CIERA’s annual public lecture series brings the campus and Chicago-area community together to hear a prominent astronomer speak on a fascinating and timely topic. Past speakers have included Nobel laureates and others of great renown. The lectures are aimed at audiences of all ages interested in astronomy, but special efforts are made to promote these talks among undergraduates.

The event is organized by Vicky Kalogera, the Daniel I. Linzer Distinguished Professor and director of CIERA, and Shane Larson, research associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and associate director of CIERA.

“Transforming the Criminal Justice System” workshop series

During the 2020-2021 academic year, this series of three workshops will present cutting-edge research on incarceration, trauma-informed interventions and the criminal justice system, and cultivate a community of civic and social engagement. Students and faculty on the Evanston and Chicago campuses will engage in discussion with distinguished keynote speakers on “The History of Mass Incarceration,” “Trauma and Trauma-informed Interventions in the Criminal Justice Systems,” and “Moving Beyond Punishment and Prisons.”

The series is organized by Jennifer Lackey, the Wayne and Elizabeth Jones Professor of Philosophy and director of the Northwestern Prison Education Program, and Sophia Ruark, Undergraduate Prison Education Program.

School of Communication

Guest Director Rory Pelsue                                                

The Wirtz Center will bring Rory Pelsue, a New York-based music theater director and Sondheim translator, to the Evanston campus to direct and choreograph a popular Sondheim production during its 2020-2021 mainstage season. Pelsue will be involved in design and production meetings, auditions, rehearsals, and the show’s opening during his February 2021 residency. The title of the production will be announced later this spring.

Bienen School of Music

“Listening in Dark Times: Arendt, Aesthetics, and Politics”     

The May 18-23, 2021 workshop will bring together an international group of scholars and artists from Northwestern and beyond for a series of events focused on the role of music, art and political judgment in resilient democracies, in dialogue with the political philosophy of the late German-born humanist thinker Hannah Arendt. In addition to the scholarly presentations, Dutch composer, flutist and music publisher Antoine Beuger will be featured in a conversation on the impact of Arendt’s political thought on his music. Beuger also will offer a public composition colloquium on May 18, 2021, and a public concert of his works the following day.

McCormick School of Engineering

Northwestern Sustainability Lecture Series                                 

The April 7, 2021 summit will gather world-renowned experts for a daylong discussion on “Earth-Human Interactions: Sustainability and Development.” The summit will address the analysis of questions, problems and solutions that result from human interactions with the Earth, both above and below the surface, with a focus on energy, climate and the environment, and urban transformations. The program primarily aims at expanding the educational and cultural experience of a large audience within the Northwestern community, including undergraduate and graduate students and faculty, while also being open to the industry and other stakeholders.

The Alumnae of Northwestern University

The Alumnae of Northwestern University is an all-volunteer organization of women that raises funds for a wide range of projects to benefit Northwestern, while sharing the University’s academic resources with the community through its Continuing Education program. Founded in 1916 and celebrating the 51st year of its Continuing Education program, The Alumnae have given $9 million to the University in the form of grants, fellowships, scholarships, an endowed professorship and summer internships. For more information, visit The Alumnae website at www.nualumnae.org.

 

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