Boston College Graduate School of Arts & Sciences

He aims to balance people with nature: The words "university professor" and "motorcycle mechanic" don't often appear in the same resume. Clearly, Eric Strauss, Director of BC's Environmental Studies Program, took a roundabout path to climbing the ivory tower. Boston Globe

Biologist awarded research funding: The Smith Family Foundation has awarded funding to Assistant Professor of Biology Marc-Jan Gubbels for his research on Toxoplasma cell division.

Meanwhile: Laughing all the way to the war: English Professor Paul Lewis' op-ed in the International Herald Tribune looks at pro-war satire and ridicule during the crucial run-up to the invasion of Iraq in March of 2003.

Physicist wins Alpha Sigma Nu Book Award: A new book by Physics Professor Baldassare Di Bartolo was selected as a winner in the 2006 Alpha Sigma Nu National Book Awards, administered by the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities. BC Chronicle

HEAR NOW: A holiday poem written by English faculty member and published author Elizabeth Kirschner.

A cleaner, greener Christmas: When Santa Claus squeezes down the chimney in a few weeks, he won't be the only one leaving sooty footprints in the living room, writes Sociology Professor Juliet Schor. Boston Globe

Gramaticakis-Neumann Prize recipient: Professor of Chemistry Torsten Fiebig is co-recipient of the Gramaticakis-Neumann Prize of the Swiss Chemical Society. more

How to stay married: Research data by Assistant Professor of Sociology Natalia Sarkisian is discussed in Times of London. more

Tunney keeps biographer at arm's length: Carlo Rotella reviews a biography of Gene Tunney, brainy former heavyweight boxing champ who upset the legendary Jack Dempsey. Chicago Tribune

Research recognition: Steven D. Bruner, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, has received a Career grant from the National Science Foundation.

Distinguished faculty: Professors Mary Roberts and Udayan Mohanty are Chemistry’s newest American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows. They join their distinguished Chemistry colleagues Paul Davidovits and Lawrence Scott.

Researchers decode sea urchin genome:

Biology Professor David Burgess and other BC researchers are co-authors of a major genome sequencing paper published as the lead article in the November 10 issue of the journal Science. more

Scientist receives prestigious grant: The National Science Foundation has awarded Assistant Professor of Physics Vidya Madhavan a Career Grant.

Politics and humor: Professor of English Paul Lewis discussed his book and the current state of political humor in the U.S. on WBUR's "On Point."

Speak freely: On the topic of Israel, as on every topic, an open debate is in the best interest of international peace, stability and security, writes Professor of Political Science Alan Wolfe, in The Chronicle of Higher Education Review.

The New Muslim-Liberal Coalition: The victory of Minnesota’s Keith Ellison, the first Muslim elected to the Congress, shows the changing alliances that were set in motion by 9/11, writes Professor of Political Science Peter Skerry in Time.

Self-Financed Candidates in Congressional Elections by Jennifer Steen

Political investments: Author of a new book on self-financed campaigns, Assistant Professor of Political Science Jennifer Steen, discusses their effectiveness with Forbes magazine.

Tattooed America: Sociology Professor Sharlene Hesse-Biber discusses the age-old history behind America’s growing fascination with tattoos on CBS ‘Sunday Morning’.

Does American Democracy Still Work by Alan Wolfe

Does American democracy still work? Professor of Political Science and Director of Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, Alan Wolfe, whose latest book focuses on American democracy, discusses where we’re headed and what to do about it on NPR’s On Point.

Wealth transfer on track?: US fundraising experts vet nationally-utilized wealth transfer projections by BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy in light of the economic downtown early in the decade. More. CWP researchers Paul Schervish and John Havens add their assessment in the Journal of Gift Planning. [pdfs]

Global ethics: Two Boston College theologians write on issues of Catholic moral ethics in the current issue of America magazine—“Human Rights, Justice and the World Church” by David Hollenbach, S.J., and “Hard Questions About Just War” by Kenneth Himes, O.F.M.. Read Hollenbach’s article | Himes’ article. [pdfs]

Or a skeptical sensibility—Liberal bias in late-night comedy? English Professor Paul Lewis dissects late night comedy for The Providence Journal.

Aging & work: Co-Director of BC’s Center on Aging & Work, and Dean of The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Michael A. Smyer is interviewed by Investor’s Business Daily about the Center’s research on the benefits of bridge jobs for older workers.

Rants and raves: BC linguist Michael Connolly is quoted by New York Times columnist William Safire in his look at the evolving use of the term ‘rant’.

Skerry: American Muslims more assimilated: BC political scientist Peter Skerry, author of a new book on American Muslims, tells the Boston Globe that America’s religious traditions and the diverse strains of Islam that Muslims here follow are powerful motors for assimilation. more

Bedell takes newly created research post: Rourke Professor of Physics Kevin Bedell has been named Vice Provost for Research. “Professor Bedell brings the ideal combination of skilled researcher, experienced academic administrator, wonderful teacher and mentor, and unquestionable commitment to Boston College,” Provost and Dean of Faculties Bert Garza said. “I have every confidence that he'll be great for BC’s research programs.” BC Chronicle

NSF awards BC Scientists and Educators Grant in Urban Ecology and Environmental Science: The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a three-year, $2.1 million grant to an interdisciplinary group of BC faculty members to develop an urban environmental science curriculum, text book and multimedia system for use in America’s urban high schools. Among the interdisciplinary group are Environmental Studies Director and the Urban Ecology Institute Science Director, Professor Eric Strauss, Executive Director Charles Lord, and Lynch School of Education faculty members Michael Barnett and Katherine McNeill. BC announcement | IMD announcement

Act 2/Retirement: BC economist and Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences Joseph F. Quinn was quoted in Newsday regarding retirement patterns, along with co-author Kevin Cahill, a graduate of BC’s doctoral program in Economics. Co-director of Center on Aging and Work and Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Michael A. Smyer, along with Alicia H. Munnell, Director of Center for Retirement Research, were cited in a companion Newsday piece.

New appointment: Michael A. Smyer, Dean of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, has been appointed to the Advisory Committee on Graduate Education and American Competitiveness of the Council of Graduate Schools. The committee, composed of university presidents, graduate deans, and business leaders, will assist in developing a policy paper that focuses on the specific roles of universities, government, and business in ensuring that the nation's graduate education capacity is nurtured and advanced in the next decades. The committee will participate in a legislative conference in Washington, D.C., in April, 2007.

Second new NSF grant awarded to Economics faculty: The National Science Foundation has awarded a new grant to Economics Professor Uzi Segal for support of his project entitled “Are Universal Preferences Possible? Calibration Results for Non-Expected Utility Theories.” Economics Professor Tayfun Sönmez was also a recent recipient.

BC chemists’ discovery promises faster, less expensive drug discovery: A team led by Amir Hoveyda (Patricia and Joseph T. Vanderslice Professor of Chemistry) and Chemistry Professor Marc Snapper have discovered a substance that will make it possible for scientists to produce scores of pharmaceuticals and other chemicals in a faster, less expensive way. more [.pdf]. | Nature | UPI | Chemistry World

Study: 401(k)s, IRAs underperform pensions: Private 401(k) retirement-savings plans have underperformed traditional company pension plans by one percentage point a year, according to a report co-authored by Alicia H. Munnell (Director, Center for Retirement Research at Boston College) that found individual retirement accounts fared even worse. Boston Globe | Read the report.

Religion as weapon: When religions become exclusive clubs, dire consequences are sure to follow, writes BC theologian Raymond G. Helmick, S.J., in Science & Theology News.

Defending the Ph.D.'s: Professor of Political Science and Director of Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, Alan Wolfe, reviews Michael Berube's "What's Liberal About the Liberal Arts? Classroom Politics and 'Bias' in Higher Education" in the New York Times' Sunday Book Review.

Funny thing about elections: "In the three-card Monte world of contemporary campaigning, joking has become a technique of misdirection deployed by candidates and their consultants on both offense and defense. If this seems like a game and therefore harmless, remember that your mind is their playing field, your vote their walk-off home run," writes English Professor Paul Lewis in The Philadelphia Inquirer.

Autumnal Raptures: A poem written by English faculty member and published author Elizabeth Kirschner, to help usher in the changing seasons.

Fashion aims young: Today’s aggressive marketing is teaching kids, “they need this product—whether it’s a sugared cereal or the latest fashion trend—to be O.K., to be cool,” states Sociology Professor Juliet Schor in the New York Times.

How Not to Build a Fence: The United States may soon fortify its border with Mexico. But what about the fence that is already there? A close look at the disjointed, makeshift barrier reveals America's ambivalent and conflicted attitudes toward immigration, writes Professor of Political Science Peter Skerry in Foreign Policy [.pdf].

BC researchers eye spinout of new yeast-based drug discovery system: BC biologist Charles Hoffman and senior scientist F. Douglas Ivey plan to spin a method of drug discovery out of the University lab and into the market. Mass High Tech

Boston: a hotspot for chemical biology: As the home of three important facilities and several of the nation's experts in chemical biology, such as Professor Charles Hoffman, Boston makes it easy for biologists to try out the tools of industrial chemistry. Nature

Lord is a Barr Foundation Fellow: BC’s Urban Ecology Institute Director Charles Lord has been named a Barr Foundation Fellow for 2007. Learn more about the Urban Ecology Institute.

Award-winning poem: “My Father as a Schoolboy,” written by Andrew Sofer, Associate Professor of English, has been awarded an International Publication Prize in Atlanta Review’s 2006 International Poetry Competition.

Oliver Stone and Sept. 11: “Courage as a virtue is increasingly misunderstood in our society, especially among the keyboard class. As our lives become more comfortable and protected, we forget who does the protecting. A better understanding of this might bring solace to those family members whose lost loved ones are not explicitly mentioned in this film,” writes Philosophy Adjunct Professor Paul McNellis, S.J. in Real Clear Politics.

Distinguished appointment: Professor of Psychology Lisa Feldman Barrett has joined the Editorial Board of Psychological Review.
Understanding emotion: BC psychologist Lisa Feldman Barrett's quest to understand emotion, and her theories about the science of the subject, are featured by the Boston Globe.

This panic won't create air safety: “Terrorists are out there; don’t get me wrong. But what happens in airport security lines has little to do with protecting innocent people against them,” writes Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science and Director of Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, in a Boston Globe op-ed.

Solving the kidney shortage: The National Science Foundation has awarded a grant to Economics Professor Tayfun Sönmez to support his project “Collaborative Research: Kidney Exchange.”

Mother of Invention: The Statue of Liberty stood for decades in New York harbor before it became a symbol of welcome to newcomers. In forgetting that fact, Americans reveal their taste for myths about immigration, writes BC’s Peter Skerry in The Wilson Quarterly [.pdf].
The American Exception: “How concerned should Americans be about homegrown terrorism in the U.S.?” Professor of Political Science Peter Skerry writes about the vast differences between the United States’ Muslim community and those in Britain and the rest of Europe. Time magazine | See Skerry’s op-ed on illegal immigration in the LA Times.

International conference of Catholic ethicists: National Catholic Reporter calls a recent first-of-its-kind international conference of Catholic ethicists in Padua, Italy—which was organized by Theology Professor James Keenan, S.J., and included several other BC theologians—the ‘beginning of a discussion long overdue.’

Work longer, not forever: Working longer before retirement is beneficial, according to a new report from BC’s Center for Retirement Research, but that doesn’t mean working forever. Center Director Alicia Munnell discusses the report with the Wall Street Journal and Baltimore Sun.

A clear-eyed guide: BC historian James O'Toole is deemed the foremost academic authority on the history of the Catholic Church in America by the Boston Irish Reporter in a feature from its August issue. more

Tales of a totalitarian state: Maxim D. Shrayer, co-director of BC’s Jewish Studies Program and Professor of Slavic & Eastern Languages, and his father, author and scientist David Shrayer-Petrov, discuss their latest collaborative book with the Boston Globe.

Advancing the welfare of senior citizens: The Gerontological Society of America has elected Sociology Professor John Williamson, Chair of the Social Research, Policy and Practice (SRPP) section.

Promoting the field of theatre: Andrew Sofer, Associate Professor of English, has been elected to the Executive Committee of the American Society for Theatre Research (ASTR) for a three-year term.

The Kingdom and the Power: With real estate savvy and sermons mixing demagoguery and finance tips, Gilbert Thompson has built a megachurch 7,000 souls strong. It’s all for the glory of God, says the bishop, whose success has created a lot of earthly clout, writes BC’s Professor of English Carlo Rotella in Boston Magazine.

The territory of belief: How can secularist intellectuals—particularly if they are Jewish—analyze predominantly Christian America? Very well, thank you, writes Alan Wolfe, Professor of Political Science and Director of Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life, in the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.

Wealth transfer report: A new study by BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy finds Washington, DC-area residents will bequeath $2.4 trillion over the next 50 years to heirs, charities, and estate taxes, reports Center Director Paul Schervish in the Washington Post.

A DNA-powered first: A research team, including Chemistry Professor Shana Kelley, has for the first time used the coding power of DNA to create nanowires on top of carbon nanotube tips. more

Russia and the U.S.: Professor of Russian and English Maxim D. Shrayer joins a discussion of the new and growing distance between the United States and Russia on NPR’s On Point.

“War requires some degree of compromising of ethics, no matter what”: Associate Professor of Theology Rabbi Ruth Langer, Associate Director of BC’s Center for Christian-Jewish Learning, recently participated in an e-mail exchange on the “just war” theory and its relationship to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict. The discussion is available through the CJL web site.

Distinguished award: Assistant Professor of Sociology C. Shawn McGuffey has received the Sally Hacker award given by the Sex & Gender section of the ASA for his article, “Engendering Trauma: Race, Class and Gender Reaffirmation after Child Sexual Abuse.” The article appeared in Gender & Society in 2005, and is from his dissertation research.

Kidney exchange: The New York Times Magazine Freakonomics column brings awareness to the kidney exchange efforts by Economics Professor Tayfun Sönmez and collaborators. Kidney Exchange (collaborative paper)

A scholar gives back: Physics Professor Zhifeng Ren’s efforts to assist China’s Daqiao Middle School, which serves more than 2,000 students from the poor eastern region of Sichuan Province, are featured by Catholic News Service.

Outstanding dissertation: The American Political Science Association (APSA) has selected Assistant Professor of Political Science Jonathan Laurence for the Harold D. Lasswell prize.

Catholic ethics: More than 400 Catholic moral theologians from 63 countries gathered in Padua for the first international conference on Catholic ethics, organized by Theology Professor James Keenan, S.J. Catholic News Service reports.

Exemplar of service: J. Joseph Moakley Endowed Professor of Political Science Kay Schlozman is the recipient of the 10th annual Frank J. Goodnow Distinguished Service Award.

Gold standard philanthropy: Paul Schervish, Director of BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy, was quoted in The Boston Globe Opinion op-ed.
Gates aims for major philanthropic impact: Schervish participated in the commentary on Warren Buffet’s philanthropy on NPR Morning Edition.

Forgiveness heart of reconciliation, BC theologian says: It is forgiveness, not justice, that brings repentance and reconciliation, Theology Professor Roberto Goizueta said in a Catholic Common Ground Initiative lecture. Catholic Online

Conducting research in Canada: A team of scientists led by Associate Professor of Geology and Geophysics Gail Kineke, visited Canada’s Petitcodiac River to study fluid mud, a rare occurance that develops in river systems with an unusually high concentration of sediment. Grad students Kristy Heath and Michelle Lermon were part of the team.

Autumn in Yalta: The latest collaborative work by Jewish Studies Program Co-Director/Professor of Slavic & Eastern Languages Maxim D. Shrayer and his father, David Shrayer-Petrov, are deemed haunting, ‘beautifully honed fictions of foreign lands in starker times’ in a Providence Journal review.

Getting back to roots: A massive project by a coalition of groups including BC’s Urban Ecology Institute will involve cataloguing every tree on Boston public streets, in an effort to help the city manage its tree population and bolster the case for more plantings in poor neighborhoods. Research Associate Professor of Biology Eric Strauss is the Institute’s Director of Science. Boston Globe

Faculty honor: Dubbed “a leading thinker on retirement and Social Security issues” Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell, Director of BC’s Center for Retirement Research, has been named among the “100 Most Influential People in Finance” by Treasury and Risk Management Magazine.

Patrick goes on high-tech offensive: Political Science Professor Marc Landy discusses the public’s view on campaign spending in the upcoming gubernatorial race. Boston Globe

Stories of faith: BC theology graduate student Brian Flanagan '07 is among four believers who share their views with USA Today.

Teacher of the year: Associate Professor of History Seth Jacobs has won the 2006 Phi Beta Kappa Teaching Award. Nominated by students initiated into Phi Beta Kappa, Jacobs was described as “lively, entertaining and a joy to watch during lectures.” BC Chronicle

Growing pains of a child prodigy: During an interview with BBC News, Psychology Professor and author of ‘Gifted Children: Myths and Realities’ Ellen Winner advised parents of gifted children to “listen to your child and enable them to do what they want to do.”

A strong debut: Professor of English Carlo Rotella reviews “Now You See It ...: Stories From Cokesville, PA” by Bathsheba Monk in the Chicago Tribune.

A wonderful achievement: Hidden Power, by Sociology Professor Charles Derber, became a top finalist for the 2006 Independent Publisher Book Awards (IPPY) in the category of “Current Events.”

Boston Wealth Study: A new report, based on research by BC’s Center on Wealth and Philanthropy Director Paul Schervish and Senior Research Associate John Havens, for the Boston Foundation examines wealth, wealth transfer and philanthropy for the Metro Boston region. more

Scientist makes case for coyotes: Many Cape Codders view coyotes with a mixture of wonder and anxiety, while graduate student Jonathan Way sees the wild canines as a fascinating, if recent, part of the local ecosystem. Cape Cod Times | Environmental Studies Program | Urban Ecology Insitute

Can you afford to retire? Drucker Professor Alicia Munnell (Ctr for Retirement Research) and A&S Dean Joseph Quinn are featured in a PBS special on retirement.

Controversial topic: Professor of Theology Harvey D. Egan, S.J. was interviewed on Channel 5 Chronicle Thursday, May 18 concerning the Da Vinci Code.

Associate Professor of sociology Eva Garroutte

Assistant Professor of sociology Natasha Sarkisian

Model research: An editorial in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has declared that a recently published study by Associate Professor of Sociology Eva Garroutte and Assistant Professor of Sociology Natasha Sarkisian on disparities in health perceptions between Indian patients and their doctors “represents a significant advance and should serve as a model for future research.”

Selected for distinguished honor: The New England Psychological Association (NEPA) has chosen Psychology Professor Lisa Feldman Barrett to deliver a William James Distinguished Lecture, an event which brings nationally-acclaimed scientists to regional psychology events.

Line in the sand: “President Bush has tried to find a middle ground where many political groups can join an effort to do something about illegal immigration. But the country is so divided that it is not clear that much consensus is possible,” writes Political Science Professor Peter Skerry in a Wall Street Journal op-ed.

A well-deserved honor: The Global Development and Environment Institute at Tufts University has awarded Professor, Chairperson of Sociology Juliet Schor the “2006 Leontief Prize for Expanding the Frontiers of Economic Thought”. more

Grad student earns award: Ph.D. Sociology student Christopher Kelly has been awarded a U.S. Department of State Critical Language Scholarship for participation in the Beginning Level Arabic program in Amman, Jordan this summer.

Graduate Student Association Award Recipients: M. Kevin Brown, Academic Achievement; Thaddeus Ostrowski, Contribution to Community; Kristen Lindquist, School Award; Eliza Bliss-Moreau, Set the World Aflame Award, presented to the student who has demonstrated exceptional commitment and leadership to the BC community; Tracy Tiemeier, Mentoring Excellence Award, presented to the student who has committed his or herself to advancing intellectual dialogue and inquiry through mentorship of other BC students.

One of the best experts in his field: The National Science Foundation has awarded a three-year grant to Professor of Biology Peter Clote and his research team for their project titled, “RNA-Parafold: Algorithms and Web Server for Parametric Aspects of RNA Secondary Structure.” more

Stellar research team awarded grant: Professor of Biology Daniel Kirschner is part of a research team to be awarded a multi-million dollar grant from the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Disease (MJFF).

Rotella wins Guggenheim Fellowship: The Guggenheim Foundation has awarded a 2006 fellowship to Professor of English Carlo Rotella, who will make use of the award to complete a new book on the place of music in the lives of various musicians. more

Boston Marathon 2006: For the 2nd year in a row Math Professor Mark Reeder finished in 104th place—time 2:37:32. Economics Professor Fabio Schiantarelli also participated—time 3:45:26.

A wonderful and fitting honor: Michelle Gawerc, Ph.D. candidate and Presidential Fellow in Sociology, has been selected as a 2006 Graduate Student Fellow of the Peace, War and Social Conflict Section of the American Sociological Association.

The Whale Road, a poetry manuscript by Andrew Sofer, Associate Professor of English, was chosen as a semifinalist for the Anthony Hecht Poetry Prize.

From bad to good: Professor of Political Science, Director of The Boisi Center for Religion and American Public Life Alan Wolfe considers ‘How Bush’s Bad Ideas May Lead to Good Ones’ in the Chronicle of Higher Education Review.

A secret and a mystery: Professor of Theology Harvey Egan, S.J. was interviewed by Greg Wayland of New England Cable News (NECN) regarding the Gospel of Judas. video clip

Historian’s book triumphs: America’s Miracle Man in Vietnam, written by Assistant Professor of History Seth Jacobs, has been awarded the Stuart Bernath Book Prize from the Society for Historians of American Foreign Relations. In 2001 Jacobs won the Bernath Article Prize. Jacobs is the second historian in SHAFR history to have won both the article and book awards.

Using sports for research and teaching: Sociology grad student Christian Gilde and Associate Professor Michael Malec presented their research paper, “Ranking Corporate Money: College Basketball and Corporate Giving”, as part of a symposium on Sports & Organizational Dynamics. Academy of Management Annual Meeting.

Outstanding accomplishments are recognized: Yang Wang, Ph.D. doctoral student in Physics, has won a “Chinese Government Award for Outstanding Self-financed Students Abroad.”

President elect: Associate Professor of Slavic/Eastern Languages Margaret Thomas has been elected Vice-President of the North American Association for the History of the Language Sciences, through 2007, to be followed by a two-year term as President.

Catholic Church and gay adoption: The WCVB-TV program Chronicle discusses gay adoption and the Catholic Church with Theology Professor Lisa Cahill and offers a segment on Associate Prof of Theology John McDargh and family, including interview with adopted son. video - Broadband or 56K

Idea of simple life takes hold: Surveys conducted by Professor, Chairperson of Sociology Juliet Schor have found that the majority of Americans feel the United States is too materialistic. USA TODAY

Senior Citizens in the Workforce: Michael Smyer, Dean of the Graduate School Arts & Sciences, and Director of the Center for Aging & Work, is interviewed on Retirement and Work on “CNN In The Money.” transcript excerpt

St. Patrick in US History: An op-ed by History Professor Emeritus Thomas O’Connor probes the connection between St. Patrick and Evacuation Day in the Boston Herald.

Novel mixes romance and environmentalism: In its roundup of new books about the Northwest, The Statesman-Journal (Salem, Oregon) includes The Tree-Sitter, by English Professor Suzanne Matson. BC Chronicle

The Pope and the Poet: If his first encyclical Deus Caritas Est is any indication, it seems Pope Benedict XVI has not only been reading St. Augustine but Dante Alighieri as well, writes Associate Professor of Theology Rev. Robert Imbelli in America [.pdf].

BC’s Global Proficiency Program, created by Adrienne Nussbaum, Assistant Dean/Director, Office of International Students and Scholars, has won the NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Award for Best Practices in International Education and Learning in the Campus Based International Programming Category.

Lord of the games: Long before the founding of Rotisserie League Baseball, Sociology Professor Emeritus William Gamson dreamed up a primitive forebear of the addictive fantasy game in 1960. Author Sam Walker describes Gamson’s role as the ‘God Father of Fantasy Baseball’ in his book Fantasyland: A Season on Baseball’s Lunatic Fringe. [.pdf] excerpt from Walker’s book. Boston Globe