Author: Cheryl Miller

Douglas Emlen, Montana Regents Professor of Biology at the University of Montana, will host a public lecture, “Extreme weapons: A natural history,” at 4 p.m. Monday, Feb. 12 in 231 Hubbard Hall. He will also host a technical lecture, “The evolution of extreme weapons: Lessons from a rhinoceros beetle,” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 13 in 209 Hubbard Hall

Emlen studies how animal structures evolve to extreme proportions. He focuses on weapons of sexual selection, including antlers and especially the outlandish horns of rhinoceros beetles. His research leads to an exploration of the human military arms races and the most powerful weapons on the planet. Emlen is known for making complex scientific information easy to understand and has been featured in the New York Times and National Public Radio’s Science Friday.

The Watkins Visiting Professorship was created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. The grant is now provided through the Watkins fund, a part of the Wichita State Foundation and Alumni Engagement’s endowment. For more information about the lecture series, contact Dr. David Eichhorn, associate dean for faculty development and research, at 316-978-6659.

Imagine a job applicant who speaks five languages with full proficiency. Almost effortlessly, they translate and transcribe even the most complex topics from one language to another. Their linguistic skills would make them an invaluable asset to any company, provided one invisible criterion:

One of these languages must be English.

For many refugees and asylees in the U.S. (a nation without an official language) lacking English proficiency is the unspoken penalty, the barrier preventing them from stabilizing themselves and their families in a new culture, new country and new world.

“Much of the world is Anglocentric,” said Mythili Menon, associate professor of English and linguistics. “We interpret the world through this monolingual point of view, through a language that has hegemony and imperialistic power over other communities.”

Gary Bender, Mona Nemer and M. Lee Pelton exemplify the merits and advantages of a liberal arts and sciences education and will be inducted into the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame at 2 p.m, Feb. 6 in Wiedemann Hall. Induction into the Fairmount College Hall of Fame is the highest recognition of outstanding alumni who have had a significant impact on the region, nation and world. The event is open to the public. 

Andrew Hippisley, dean, Fairmount College, will moderate an audience-involved panel discussion with Bender, Nemer and Pelton about their university experiences and how a liberal arts and sciences education prepared them for their careers. A reception will immediately follow the event in Miller Concert Hall Lobby, Duerksen Fine Arts Center. 

Fairmount College faculty and staff who would like to take students for a short trip abroad should plan to attend the Travel Seminar Panel at 1 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 in 264 Rhatigan Student Center, Spencer Room.

Panelists will discuss how to set up and lead a travel seminar, ways to offer academic content for credit and how these types of experiences can change students’ lives.

Panel participants will include Carolyn Shaw, professor of political science; Fran Connor, associate professor of English; Eric Wilson, senior educator in communication; and Ann Burger, associate director of study abroad and exchange programs.

Shocker Ad Lab students paused, slightly daunted, when a request came in from the Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences dean’s office. The charge: Produce a short commercial to create awareness of the breadth of liberal arts and sciences disciplines within the college.

Sarah Hart is a mathematician, author and professor of geometry at Gresham College, London. She is the third featured speaker in the Watkins Visiting Professor series and will present two public lectures examining the intersections of mathematics, literature and art: 

• “A Mathematical Journey Through Literature,” at 3:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in 211 Hubbard Hall 
• “The Mathematics of Perspective in Art,” 3:30 p.m. Nov. 9 in 211 Hubbard Hall.

The Watkins Visiting Professorship was created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. The grant is now provided through the Watkins fund, a part of the Wichita State Foundation and Alumni Engagement’s endowment. For more information about the lecture series, contact Dr. David Eichhorn at 316-978-6659.

Vamsi Mootha, M.D., professor of systems biology and medicine at Harvard Medical School, is the second featured speaker in the Watkins Visiting Professor series. Join Fairmount College for his public seminar, “Mitochondria and oxygen: from evolutionary origins to human disease,” at 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 26 in 208 Hubbard Hall.

His separate scientific seminar, “Mitochondrial parts, pathways, and pathogenesis” will be presented at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 27 in 224 McKinley Hall.

The Watkins Visiting Professorship was created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. The grant is now provided through the Watkins fund, a part of the Wichita State Foundation and Alumni Engagement’s endowment. For more information about the lecture series, contact Dr. David Eichhorn at 316-978-6659.

Fairmount College faculty and staff are invited to join Dr. Andrew Hippisley, dean, Fairmount College, for the College at the Game during Shocker volleyball’s match against Tulsa at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20.

Fairmount College will be featured and promoted during the match, and the dean invites Fairmount College faculty and staff to sit with him in section 121 (general admission seating). Visit the dean’s office to pick up one ticket at no additional charge, and get a yellow Fairmount College Clash of the Colleges T-shirt and a Become More temporary tattoo.

Gregory D. Fuchs, professor of applied and engineering physics at Cornell University, kicks off the Watkins Visiting Professors schedule with scheduled talks on quantum technologies. Join Fairmount College for his public seminar, “Can we control the quantum state of a magnet?” at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 3 in 231 Hubbard Hall. His technical seminar, “Imaging the switching of antiferromagnetic and multiferroic devices using a single spin microscope,” will be presented at 2 p.m. Wednesday Oct. 4 in 209 Hubbard Hall.

The Watkins Visiting Professorship was created in 1974 by the Watkins Foundation. The grant is now provided through the Watkins fund, a part of the Wichita State Foundation and Alumni Engagement’s endowment. For more information about the lecture series, contact Dr. David Eichhorn at 316-978-6659.

Quantum technology makes everyday life safer and more productive.

It’s used in fields such as health care, communications, national defense and computing. Quantum materials make it possible to develop precise and accurate lasers for use in LASIK surgery. GPS systems can be made more secure and impossible to jam.

These applications and advances rely on scientists to find better, more efficient ways to produce quantum technology.