Xin nian kuai le! Or “Happy New Year” to our Chinese friends and those around the world who celebrate on a lunar calendar! We asked KU’s Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS) to tell us a little more about the history and celebrations of the Lunar New Year.
Looking back, it’s amazing to see what our students, professors and alumni have accomplished in the past year. They made ground-breaking discoveries, received national and international recognition for their work and experienced exclusive learning opportunities. Here are just a few highlights from 2015.
Helping students overcome anxieties about math, Bozenna Pasik-Duncan, professor of mathematics and courtesy professor of electrical engineering and computer science, has been awarded the 2015-16 Chancellors Club Professorship by KU Endowment. These professorships are held by outstanding faculty who are chosen by students and colleagues. Teaching professors retain the title as long as they teach at KU.
Carl Lejuez has been named as the next dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences at KU. Lejuez comes to KU from the University of Maryland. He currently serves there as a professor of psychology and associate dean of research for the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences. Lejuez will start as the 14th dean of the College in February. To get to know him before his arrival, we asked him to tell us more about himself.
Two College of Liberal Arts & Sciences professors were honored with teaching awards during the 2015 KU Teaching Summit in August. Associate Professor of Theatre Nicole Hodges Persley received the Byron T. Shutz Award for Excellence in Teaching, and Associate Professor of Communication Studies Jeffrey A. Hall received the Ned N. Fleming Trust Teaching Award. We caught up with both winners to find out a little more about their teaching style and favorite KU memories.
Nicole Hodges Persley, associate professor of theatre
Hometown: Born in Detroit Michigan,
The Department of Visual Art debuted a new, innovative lab that has greatly enriched the studio curriculum this year. The Visual Art Studio Technology (VAST) Lab contains a laser system, 3-D scanner and 3-D desktop printer systems. It is also staffed by VAST Lab coordinator, Garrett Brown. “These technologies have enriched the studio curriculum by providing new methods and materials for creative output,” Brown said. “The lab also has fostered opportunities to explore how these methods can be incorporated into existing handmade studio practices.” Although the laser system has been the major focus in the lab so far, students use it for a variety of applications.
John Nalbandian gives back to the University that became his home
Thursday afternoon, this photo began circulating around the internet, creating controversy and blowing minds.
“The Dress” has been confirmed by the manufacturer to be Royal blue and black but the original photo is quite a polarizing optical illusion. What color do you think the dress is? Are you #TeamWhiteGold, #TeamBlueBlack or a flip-flopper? To help explain the science behind “The Dress” controversy, we asked some of our professors to weigh in.
Matt Jacobson is an associate professor of film and science fiction modeler.
When did you start building these models and why?
Katie Conrad is an associate professor of English and a member of the Lawrence band, MAW 
The Lawrence band MAW is a group with deep KU connections. Fiddle player Kit Cole works at KU on course content accessibility. Three other band members Tracy Floreani (guitar, vocals), Julie Schwarting (bass,vocals)and Jeanie Wells (guitar, banjo, vocals) are KU alumnae and mandolin player and vocalist Katie Conrad is an associate professor of English. MAW plays fiddle tunes and story songs, "about things like murder, mining, lost love, murder. Did I mention murder?" Conrad said. We caught up with Conrad and asked her a few questions about the band and her passion for music.
Kathleen McCluskey-Fawcett and Steve Fawcett fund scholarship to ease burden on families
For the past four semesters, more than 50 visual art students, faculty and staff have been working on a commissioned work for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. The sculpture, “An Abounding Asset: A Diligent Reserve,” became a permanent display Nov. 15 as the Reserve celebrates its 100th anniversary.
This educational partnership began with students being tasked to develop 400 ideas that would be narrowed down to just three to present to the client.