Featured Stories

Image of a forest with birds flying

‘Safety Net’ Required to Slow Biodiversity Decline

November 11, 2020
Biology’s Amy Zanne worked with an international research team to analyze new global biodiversity goals after decade-long environmental targets for 2020 fell short.
Photo of bare tree trunks in field

Ghosts of the Coast: Artists and Scientists Bring ‘Ghost Forests’ to Life

November 11, 2020
Biology’s Keryn Gedan and her student researchers joined artists and scientists on Virginia’s Eastern Shore to draw attention to “ghost forests,” eerie indicators of climate change along the Chesapeake Bay.
Mourners gather wearing masks and holding "Mourning into Unity" flags, with the Washington Monument visible in the background

New Mourning: How COVID Is Altering the Way We Grieve

November 11, 2020
From Zoom funerals to socially distanced memorials, the coronavirus has transformed end-of-life rituals. Anthropology professors and students are examining the new ways we say goodbye.
canaanite archaeological site

Earthquake May Have Destroyed Ancient Canaanite Palace

October 06, 2020
Flourishing Canaanite palatial site suddenly abandoned 3,700 years ago; new evidence points to earthquake as probable culprit.
TSPPPA student Omar Negron-Ocasio demonstrates a water quality test for a community leader in Corozal.

Troubled Water: A Student’s Crusade to Solve Puerto Rico’s Crisis

October 06, 2020
From Hurricane Maria to the COVID crisis, Puerto Rico’s tragedies have been compounded by widespread lack of access to clean water. TSPPPA student Omar Negron-Ocasio has a business plan to change that.
Firooz Zahedi photographing Jennifer Lopez

Glamour Shot: Alumnus Photographer Snaps the Stars

October 06, 2020
From Elizabeth Taylor to Jennifer Lopez, photographer Firooz Zahedi, BFA ’76, is renowned for his portraits of the world’s most glamorous celebrities. In a new book, he reflects on making Hollywood’s brightest lights shine.
Joshua Douglas sits at a table speaking to a group of people

Election Outlook: Alumnus Highlights ‘Good News’

September 03, 2020
A contentious presidential contest has voters anxious about going to the polls and trusting the results. But election law expert Joshua Douglas, BA ’02, JD ’07, says the voting horizon is not all “doom and gloom.”
Zinhle sitting at a table speaking

Alumna Journalist Spotlights Cries For Racial Justice

September 03, 2020
As a journalism and mass communications major, Zinhle Essamuah, BA ’15, MA ’17, documented protestors in Ferguson, Mo. Now, as a national news correspondent, she is again highlighting calls for change.
Eugenie Pflieger in front of a computer

Adapting to a Different Kind of Fall Semester

September 03, 2020
From remote learning to virtual club meetings, Columbian College students are approaching an unprecedented semester with optimism, determination and a commitment to making the most of new experiences.
Casts of two key specimens: Paranthropus aethiopicus (left) and P. boisei (right)

Changing Landscapes, Changing Diets: How Fossilized Teeth Reveal Dietary Shifts

September 03, 2020
Using fossilized teeth uncovered in Ethiopia, a team led by CCAS postdoctoral researcher Enquye Negash traced how an ecological change nearly 3 million years ago forced a dietary shift among ancient herbivores like antelopes and pigs.
Senior biology major Alison Pagalilauan (left) and senior physics major Ujwal Kumar

Getting Creative: Student Research in the Virtual Learning Environment

August 10, 2020
For undergraduate students working on faculty-mentored research, the COVID pandemic threatened ongoing projects. But while spending the summer in quarantine, they found remote solutions to keep their science dreams alive.
Paul Wahlbeck, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

Managing a Transformed Educational Landscape

August 10, 2020
When Paul Wahlbeck was named permanent CCAS dean in July, he faced an educational landscape transformed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He’s now focused on delivering a high-quality, engaged-learning experience.
Professors Gate half-covered by golden fall leaves

New Faculty Bolsters Columbian College Ranks

August 07, 2020
Columbian College will welcome 18 new faculty members this fall, bringing the total number of full-time academics to 534, and adding new skills and expertise to disciplines across the sciences, social sciences and humanities.
Paul Wahlbeck, dean of the Columbian College of Arts and Sciences

Paul Wahlbeck to Serve as Permanent CCAS Dean

July 15, 2020
The former chair of the Political Science Department and CCAS vice dean of programs and research has been interim dean of Columbian College since 2018, championing student opportunities, innovative programs and world-changing faculty research.
Michael King

Teacher, Scientist, Leader: Chemistry’s King Retires

June 11, 2020
A beloved professor, college marshal and long-time department chair, Michael King was instrumental in the creation of Science & Engineering Hall.

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