Photos from China

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Théo Storella is studying abroad in Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in China, and has these photos to share.

These two images were both taken at a small city called XiZhou a few hours from Kunming. They show the entrances to two tie-die clothing factories, tie-die clothing is a traditional cultural characteristic unique to the Bai ethnic group of China which is the main ethnic group of XiZhou village.

CangShan Mountain which is close to the city of Dali. The mountain overlooks the city and is full of awe-inspiring views and narrow passes with petrifying stone overhangs that look like they could easily collapse on top of you.

A photo from XiShan Mountain which is just outside of Kunming. Théo and a few friends climbed the mountain in the early morning just in time to see the sun rise. Théo took this photo of a friend as he gazed meditatively at the city below. Climbing that mountain in the morning as well as the night before were both unforgettable experiences because of the beautiful views as well as the treacherous trek up an unmarked path to the summit which was intensely slippery since it had just rained.

This photo is from the summit of XiShan at night, we climbed after night had fallen and the rain had stopped, using our phones for flashlights and doing our best not to fall into the mud or onto the sharp rocks near the summit. We met a few fellow hikers who helped us hike safely, and we shared celebratory snacks and cigarettes once we reached the top.

These photos are from a recent trip to the Stone Forest just outside of Kunming. The Stone Forest is one of UNESCO’s World Heritage Sites and is something that needs to be seen to be believed. The stone forest was formed millions of years ago through the erosion of limestone, leaving building-sized, tooth-shaped formations of rock that form a maze of paths which tourists can walk through. The two first pictures are of Théo looking in disbelief at the sheer size of the formations, the third is of a particularly cool mushroom-looking one, the fourth is from a point where the expanse of the Stone Forest can be seen, and the last photo is of a narrow pass formed by rock formations colliding with each other leaving a tight road to one can pass through.

Junior Class Dinner with Professor Richard Adelstein

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The Dean’s Office will be hosting a Typhoon-catered dinner for members of the Class of 2020 with Professor Richard Adelstein (Economics and the College of Social Studies) on Thursday, November 8, from 7:00-8:30 p.m. in the Daniel Family Commons.  As Professor Adelstein writes in his faculty bio:

My teaching and scholarly interests lie at the intersection of economics, law, history and philosophy. More particularly, I’m interested in the historical development of social institutions like markets, firms and common law and the problem of how social order is created and maintained in various environments and changes as those environments change.

I was not a successful undergraduate, and left MIT in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in history and engineering. I earned a master’s degree in teaching and, in 1970-71, taught junior-high level history at two Massachusetts state prisons. This drew me to a career in corrections, and I set out to become a lawyer, so I could become a prison warden. But upon entering law school, I was given a chance to get a PhD in economics as well, and began study of both these subjects for the first time. So I was an interdisciplinarian from the start, and received both a JD and a PhD from the University of Pennsylvania in 1975. A one-year job at Wesleyan was the only offer I received, and I’ve been here ever since. Teaching only very talented and critically minded undergraduates, I’ve been able to develop these interdisciplinary interests across a range of fields and in pursuit of a more or less constant fascination with the evolution of similar or cognate social institutions across different environments, time and cultures.

If you would like to attend this dinner with Professor Adelstein, please RSVP through this link.  Seating is limited to the first 30 students who RSVP.  You will be notified if there will not be enough room for you to attend.

Photo from the Netherlands

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Eugene Smith is studying in the Amsterdam and shares this photo of his fellow Wesleyan students in the program, taken at Castle Assumburg, a 13th-century castle that was home to Duthc nobility for almost six centuries.

Photos from Europe

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Lexie Pendergast is studying in France this semester and shares these photos from her travels.

A view of St. Emilion in Bordeaux, France.

The vineyards of Bordeaux, France–Bordeaux is the wine-making capital of France.

A canal in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Theater Career Meetup 10/12

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Friday, October 12,  11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Theater Studio

Interested in a career in theater? Join us for a career meet-up with advisors from the Gordon Career Center. They will lead a discussion about building a career in theater, exploring different opportunities, internship and job search strategies, leveraging the Wesleyan network, how to apply for a Wesleyan summer grant, and more. Connect and meet others who have experience working in theater. Don’t miss this special opportunity!

All students welcome!

Co-sponsored by the Wesleyan Theater Department and the Gordon Career Center

Lunch provided (vegan option)

Facebook Event Page:https://www.facebook.com/events/1966654066729758/
Handshake Event Page:https://wesleyan.joinhandshake.com/events/217558/share_preview

McNair Program Information Session for STEM Students 10/16

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Info Session Tuesday, October 16, 6-7pm, Usdan 110

Eligibility Requirements

  • 2nd and 3rd-Year STEM majors who are interested in pursuing a PhD
  • US citizen or Permanent Resident
  • First-generation to attend college & low income and/or
  • Groups underrepresented in STEM fields (Hispanic/Latino, American Indian or Alaska Native, African American, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; females not considered underrepresented)

Alternative Career Paths for STEM Majors 10/12

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Alumni Panelist Bios

Robin LeWinter ’94, Senior Director, Medical Affairs at Keryx Biopharmaceuticals Wesleyan Major: Physics and Astronomy

Robin has 15+ years of experience in medical affairs and communications. Most recently, she worked in the nephrology space, and prior to that she focused on rare disease at Keryx Biopharmaceuticals. She obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from the University of California, San Francisco and conducted post-doctoral work at SRI International before moving to industry. When not in the office, Robin spends way too much time watching her daughter Meredith play soccer and her son Liam act in plays. She also enjoys hiking and doing crosswords.

Ernest Roos IV ’99, Associate Director, Global Clinical Development at Otsuka Pharmaceutical Wesleyan Major: Neuroscience and Behavior

Dr. Roos received his MD from the UAG School of Medicine and is actively completing his thesis for a
Master of Public Health from Mt. Sinai Icahn School of Medicine. At Otsuka, he is currently the project lead for both early phase R&D in Digital Medicine and the Pediatric Tourette’s Team. Dr. Roos initially explored opportunities in the healthcare technology sector at two Wall Street startups to refine his perspective and execution of health industry transformative strategies. He implements these broad interpersonal, academic and professional tools in his current activities in clinical development to create groundbreaking therapy and technological innovations that transcend the limits of medical treatment.

Rebecca Schofield ’11, Project Manager at Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc. Wesleyan Major: E&ES and Environmental Studies

Rebecca earned her MA in Urban and Environmental Policy and Planning and a certificate in Community
and Environmental Studies from Tufts University. At Homeowner’s Rehab, Inc. (HRI), she works to preserve
and create new affordable housing in the City of Boston through coordinating financing applications and project construction, as well as advocating for key policies and innovative technologies that better support sustainable development. To date, she has supported the refinancing and redevelopment of Auburn Court, the acquisition and financing of the 98-unit new construction Concord Highlands project (expected completion 2020), and the acquisition of Matheson Apartments (an existing 70-unit development in Worcester, rehab planned for 2019), as well as shorter-term refinancing and rehab projects within HRI’s portfolio.

Abigail Wheeler ’17, Consultant at IBM BlockChain.  Wesleyan Major: Psychology and Hispanic Literature and Culture

At IBM Blockchain, Abigail consults clients across industries in blockchain strategy and to deliver end-to- end blockchain implementations. Her team engages new clients in discovery workshops to explain both
the technology and IBM’s proven consortium-led methodology for building networks, while helping clients refine and select best-fit business problems for a blockchain solution. She is also an active blockchain writer and editor for the IBM Institute for Business Value. In her free time, Abigail enjoys soaking up the vibrant restaurant scene in NYC, and is currently training for the 2018 NYC Marathon.

3rd Annual Wes in the World Photo Contest

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3rd Annual Wes in the World Photo Contest
Hosted by the Fries Center for Global Studies

Every year the Fries Center for Global Studies asks Wesleyan students who have had any global experience over the summer and/or previous semester to submit photographs to the annual Wes in the World Photo Contest, which usually takes place in the fall semester. This group includes, but is not limited to, study abroad returnees, international students, exchange students, fellowship recipients, and foreign language teaching assistants.

The purpose of the Wes in the World Photo Contest is to share stories about humanity across the globe through photographs within these five categories: contemporary issues, daily life, landscape, people, and sports. Our hope with these categories is to allow students to reflect on ways in which their global experience transcends borders by working towards peace and human rights, recognizing different realities of daily living, appreciating the wonderful landscapes of the earth, raising awareness about peoples and cultures outside of their ethnocentric lens, and connecting with others universally through sports and play. Students are not required to be professional photographers to participate. In fact, we are more interested in the stories behind the photographs than the photo-editing software they use. This year’s contestants shared global experiences from 51 cities across 24 countries.

We encourage the Wesleyan community to VOTE for the top 3 photos that speaks to you about transcending borders and boundaries.

Official Photo Contest Rules: 

  1. We encourage you to “Like” & “Share” as many of the photos as you wish on the FCGS Facebook Page, however official voting will take place online on http://bit.ly/wesintheworld.
  2. Photo voting is open to all Wesleyan students, staff, faculty, and alumni only (valid @wesleyan.eduemail address required).
  3. You may only vote once.
  4. Voting ends Saturday, October 20th, 2018 at 11:59 PM (EST)

How to cast a vote:

Voting will take place online on http://bit.ly/wesintheworld.

Step 1. Each photo has a number (#), which is required to vote.
Step 2. Click on the photo to read description and view photo number.
Step 3. Scroll down to the bottom of the page to cast your vote.
Step 4. You may vote up to 3 photos. Type in photo numbers of your top 3 choices. Click SUBMIT.

Encourage your friends and professors to vote for your photo! Voting ends Saturday, October 20th, 2018 at 11:59 PM (EST).

How to win:

Photos with the highest number of votes WINS a $50 gift card to the Wesleyan R. J. Julia Bookstore! A total of 5 Winners will be selected, one in each of the five categories:

  1. Best Photo of Contemporary Issues
  2. Best Photo of Daily Life
  3. Best Photo of Landscape
  4. Best Photo of People
  5. Best Photo of Sport

Photos from Europe

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Erin Hussey is studying abroad in Europe this semester and has these photos to share from her travels.

Bloemenmarkt, Amsterdam

Chateau de Versailles, Versailles

St. Émilion, Bordeaux, France