May 2021, Vol 2, Issue 6

MacricostA&S
News

Western Connecticut State University

Department of History News

Publications and Presentations

Clio, a student-authored and edited journal of essays written mainly by History majors and students enrolled in History classes, has e-published their 2021 edition via the Library's Digital Collections. The print edition will be coming out in early May.

Read the electronic edition here.

Dr. Katherine Allocco will be presenting her conference paper: “Disinterring Giants: Kings, Men, Monsters and the Brut in Kazuo Ishiguro’s The Buried Giant (2015)” at the Brut in New Troy Conference this June, which will be hosted virtually by the University of Notre Dame.

Department of English News

Congratulations on their Presentations

Five BA in English and BS Secondary Education-English students were selected to present their research during the 2021 Western Research Week (Faculty mentor: Dr. Shouhua Qi).

Sophia Caselnova "‘I am too much i' the sun’: Five Stages of Grief and the Tragedy of Hamlet.”

Caselnova was a recipient of the Provost’s Awards for Best Student Poster.

Alyssa Anderson “Alcoholism and Addiction as Tropes in the Works of Edgar Allan Poe and Ernest Hemingway”

Asantewaa Gordon “Shades of Darkness in Joseph Conrad’s The Heart of Darkness”

Kanalla Hay “Gender, Race, and the Portrait of a Woman in Henry James' Daisy Miller and Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes were Watching God”

Allison Montague “Chastity and the Catholic Church: Satire in Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales”

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry News

Congratulations to all the Graduates, Including:

Hannah Sexton (’20) will attend Dartmouth College Chemistry PhD Program (organic chemistry).

"During my time at WCSU, I earned a B.S. in Chemistry, Biochemistry ACS approved option, and I fell in love with Organic Chemistry. I performed undergraduate research in Dr. Robertson’s research group where I performed the synthesis of 5-substituted-1,3-oxathiolanes."

Henry Valle-Ayala (’21) will attend CU Boulder PhD Chemistry Program (biochemistry).

"Graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry (Biochemistry option), my senior thesis and research, mentored by Dr. Nicholas Greco, focused on synthesizing and characterizing fluorescent DNA aptamers to treat diseases such as psoriasis and asthma. I not only found a course of study I was passionate about, but the relationships I have made throughout my four years here have motivated me to continue my education."

Brody Lennon (’21) will attend Colorado State University Chemistry PhD Program.

Brody Lennon will be graduating in May with a BS in Chemistry. During his time at WCSU, he conducted an SIS in organic chemistry under Dr. Forest Robertson and then a senior research project in inorganic chemistry under Dr. Paula Secondo. He also worked as a teaching assistant for various chemistry courses and as a tutor in the tutoring resource center. He was a member of the chemistry club and enjoyed participating in the club's visits to Ellsworth Elementary to teach the kindergarteners about science.

Emma Dolan (’21) will attend Boston University Chemistry PhD Program.

Emma Dolan is graduating in May 2021 with her BS in Chemistry with a Biochemistry option. She spent a year and a half in Dr. Robertson’s research group working on the synthesis of sulfur-containing heterocycles, and will be attending Boston University in the Fall of 2021 to begin the PhD program in Chemistry.

Department of Social Sciences News

Congratulations to...

Congratulations to all the students who participated in Western Research Day this year. Social Sciences students included:

Rina Hernandez won a Provost award at WCSU’s Research Day for her paper, “DACA: It’s Impact on Undocumented Youth and Recommendations for Reform.” Faculty advisor: Carina Bandhauer, Sociology

Mitch Kindred, Scott Newdick, and Daniel Ryer presented their SS 300 research project on the short-term and long-term impact of Covid-19 on the economy.

Bianca Pasqualone, Nora Swift, Isis Lowhar, and Jonathan Barney presented their SS 300 research project on using gas prices to evaluate economic trends.

Taylor Green presented her thesis research on the effects of competency-based education on undergraduate students at WCSU.

Joao Caetano de Sa presented his research project on U.S. immigration law and its impact on the “pursuit of happiness” (a comparative analysis).

Lukasz Zbroszczyk presented his thesis research on stakeholder incentives and land use regulation in Fairfield County.

On April 21, WCSU inducted six students into the Alpha Eta Tau chapter of Pi Sigma Alpha, the national political science honor society. The Department of Social Sciences wishes to congratulate the following newly inducted members: Micah Cardamone, Riley Gardner, Bakhtawar Izzat, Laiba Qureshi, Tiffany Saviano, Joselyn Vargas. Pi Sigma Alpha hosts annual conferences, provides support for student research, and connects inductees to a network of over 300,000 members.

Upcoming Events

Saturday, August 21st, Social Justice Institute hosted by the Department of Social Sciences, and welcoming High School students and incoming freshmen. For more information or to apply, please email hegelcantarellac@wcsu.edu

Social Sciences Book Club (Student Run): Contact Luke (BA Economics Class of 2021 (zbroszczyk002@wcsu.edu) to get involved.

Department of Psychology News

Faculty and Alumni News

Dr. Maya Aloni, Associate Professor in the Psychology Department received the Board of Regents System-Wide and Campus-Based Teaching Awards.

Dr. Aloni has been a faculty at WCSU since 2013. She regularly teaches courses such as Introductory Psychology, Social Psychology and Orientation to the Psychology Major. She also enjoys involving students in her research in her Relationships Research Lab.

Congratulations to William (Bill) Silvia, WCSU alumnus (2020 graduate) and currently a doctoral student at Ohio University, for being a runner-up for the graduate student poster award from the Society of Personality and Social Psychology. His presentation was titled "Are vegans stereotyped to be gay? Examining the role of femininity in attributions of sexual orientation." This presentation was of Bill's independent research project he conducted at WCSU with Dr. Maya Aloni.

For more information about Bill's award

Department of Communication and Media Arts News

Film Festivals and Awards

The Media Arts Film Festival (MAFF '21) showcased the best student works from Digital & Interactive Media Arts, Media Production, and Art. Over 60 attendees including family members and friends safely gathered on Friday, May 7th from 7:00-9:00 pm outside on the midtown Quad to view short films, animations, and interactive media.

Election Connection won the 2021 Student Production Award Honorable Mention at the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, ranking second in New England in the category of "College/University Public Affairs/Community Service" for its live coverage of CT's 5th Congressional Debate, October 5, 2020.

Send submissions for the newsletter to msasdean@wcsu.edu