Among them are three new Royden B. Davis, S.J. visiting professors: in the Department of History, Danielle Purifoy in the and Mary Roberts in the and the Department of Art and Art History. The positions are funded through an endowment named for Davis, a former dean of the 海角论坛, and focus on enhancing undergraduate and graduate instruction and mentoring in the 海角论坛.

Gustafson鈥檚 expertise is in Persian and Iranian history, Purifoy is teaching a course on Black geographies and Roberts, an art historian, is teaching a class on the exchange and cultural contact between Europe and the Ottoman world during the 19th century.

鈥淲e are thrilled to bring these distinguished visiting scholars to campus,鈥� said , the 海角论坛鈥檚 vice dean for faculty affairs. 鈥淭his will enrich offerings for our students and the intellectual life of campus, more generally. These are the kinds of interdisciplinary connections and opportunities we hope to encourage.鈥�

Learn more about what inspired the professors to enter the world of academia and share their passion for the humanities.

James Gustafson, History 

Gustafson is teaching two courses this semester: History of Iran and Environmental History of Iran.

The first course covers Iran鈥檚 social and cultural history from the Persian Empires of antiquity to the modern Islamic Republic. The second is a seminar that explores how climate change and environmental hazards have shaped modern Iran鈥檚 history. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to have the opportunity to come in and help build some momentum for developing a really strong program in Iranian studies,鈥� Gustafson said.

He hopes his courses will reveal to students the 鈥渞emarkable similarities鈥� between Americans and Iranians.

鈥淚 think the United States and Iran have had a very difficult relationship for a long time,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淎nd I think the only way that you start to build bridges is through understanding. Having a depth of understanding of the rich history of Iran is a great starting point for building a little bit of empathy, a little bit of cross-cultural dialogue.鈥�

Gustafson is visiting from , where he is a professor of history. He started learning Persian on his own as an undergraduate student at the University of Massachusetts. At the time, he was working at an evening pharmacy job, and his coworker, a woman who had fled Iran after the Iranian Revolution, taught him Persian.

鈥淚 just got hooked on it,鈥� Gustafson said. 鈥淎nd then ended up getting deep into Persian language and literature and never really looked back.鈥�

He would go to earn an M.A. in Middle Eastern studies at the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in history at the University of Washington. Within six weeks of finishing his Ph.D. program, Gustafson received a visiting professorship position teaching Islamic studies at Western Washington University. He has been a professor of Middle East history at Indiana State University since 2012 and has served on the executive committee of the Association for Iranian Studies since 2019.

鈥淚 love when you can really see that you鈥檝e introduced someone to a new idea that they hadn鈥檛 considered before,鈥� Gustafson said of why he enjoys teaching. 鈥淥r a new perspective that they hadn鈥檛 taken in before.鈥�

Danielle Purifoy, Black Studies

For Purifoy, who is teaching the seminar Black Geographies, the field of geography covers much more than maps.

鈥淢aps are a very fascinating, very interesting element to the discipline, but the real scope of geography is pretty boundless,鈥� they said. 鈥淵ou are always situated in a place, and there are so many different ways to think about how your life is shaped by place.鈥�

Purifoy鈥檚 course examines how peoples of the African diaspora have shaped spaces in and around the West. 

鈥淭he course is intended to give folks a very different perspective on how they might think about geography traditionally,鈥� they said.

Purifoy鈥檚 origin story in academia began her senior year of college during Hurricane Katrina. She was a budding journalist interested in writing about race and politics but didn鈥檛 have a specific topic to think through that lens. 

But working on hurricane recovery in Baton Rouge and New Orleans for three years inspired her interest in environmental justice. Purifoy eventually earned a J.D. from Harvard Law School and a Ph.D. in environmental policy from Duke University.

While at Duke, she collaborated with students from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, who encouraged Purifoy to explore geography as a discipline. She has been an assistant professor of geography and environment at UNC-Chapel Hill since 2020.

Human society and geography help explain the world around us and highlight the importance of learning the humanities, Purifoy said.

鈥淲e absolutely need all of the ways to understand ourselves and our place in this world if we鈥檙e going to do anything to change it for the better,鈥� they said.

Mary Roberts, Georgetown Humanities Initiative and Art and Art History

At Georgetown, Roberts is teaching Ottomans and Orientalists, a course that explores the role of visual culture in forms of exchange and cultural contact between Europe and the Ottoman world between 1798 and 1910.

The class, which includes master鈥檚 and undergraduate students, encompasses the study of diverse forms of visual culture 鈥� from architecture and city planning to illustrated news images, panoramas, caricature and high art, Roberts said. 

鈥淥ne of the many topics we are addressing is the history of exhibitions and the kinds of stories that can be told about cultural relations between Europe and the Islamic world through museum displays,鈥� she said.

Roberts is a specialist in 19th-century modernism, orientalism and Ottoman art and has written several books examining those topics. Her appointment at Georgetown is between the Department of Art and Art History and the Georgetown Humanities Initiative.

鈥淭he research strengths in art history and in Ottoman and Turkish studies at the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences appealed to me,鈥� said Roberts, who is a professor of art history and 19th-century studies at . 鈥淲hat also appeals to me is the rich culture of free inquiry and open debate that is encouraged at Georgetown.鈥�

Roberts grew up in Brisbane, Australia, and was always passionate about making art. In high school, her art history teacher opened up a new world to her, and she discovered that writing about art felt just as creative as making it. 

鈥淎t the same time I was making art, I was actually seeing that one could be completely inspired by artworks from another time,鈥� Roberts said.

When her parents took her to a local art museum, a curator there encouraged Roberts to study art history in Sydney or Melbourne. Roberts moved from Brisbane to Sydney and graduated with a double major in art history and political economy at the University of Sydney. She completed her Ph.D. in art history at the University of Melbourne.

鈥淚 was really interested in that crossover between the social and economic function of art within and between cultures,鈥� Roberts said.

As part of my research, I analyzed Viveros Hermanos, or Sister Nurseries, a regional reforestation project that supports communities to create nurseries for the endangered trees native to each ecosystem. I conducted an analysis on the impact of their project on the communities that they work with to understand how environmental organizations can empower communities to accomplish their goals through environmental conservation. 

The three parts of my analysis were interviews, observation and personal experience. I traveled to different communities in the region to interview community members that were part of the Viveros Hermanos project. 

Alongside this investigation, I was a volunteer at their nature reserve, Reserva Jaguar del Carrizal, where I worked with other international volunteers to support FEBB鈥檚 projects.

FEBB purchased the land for the reserve in 2019 and it was completely deforested. In only five years, the entire ecosystem has transformed. The trees they planted now reach between 10 and 30 feet high, the insects came back, there are squirrels, birds, monkeys and butterflies of all colors that flutter around this enchanted forest. 

I like to think of the reserve as a forgiving forest, the newborn forest in the heart of the world. The heart is always the first to forgive and love again. With just a little love, care, dedication and sacrifice, the magic came back. The earth, like I, like us, began to heal. 

Working with FEBB for six weeks, I was able to observe the influence of their work on the environments and communities they worked in firsthand. My personal experience from this research was nothing short of a loving metamorphosis to be better in tune with my environment, myself and my community.  

At the reserve, everyone worked three hours a day, five days a week on projects like bioconstruction, caring for the tree nursery, planting trees, deep cleaning and brainstorming sessions for their new project: a cultural community center. Each person was also responsible for cooking the three daily meals for the group once or twice a week with a partner. 

My decision to research in Colombia was not purely academic 鈥� it was also ancestral. My father and our ancestors have indigenous roots to the Caribbean coast of Colombia, specifically to Barranquilla, the sister city to Santa Marta. So this trip was also about reuniting with my ancestral land and connecting with the culture my family lost in migration to more profitable opportunities. 

Exploring the research opportunities at Georgetown turned out to be a bigger vehicle for my long-term career goals. Throughout the whole process of this investigation, I fell in love with participatory research and decided that my goal is to be a research professor who works with communities that are organizing around environmental conservation. This project felt like the first step in this process.

This trip has forever changed the way that I experience the world. I have learned that peace is not the absence of conflict but the presence of care, love and collaboration. We heal ourselves as we heal the earth. 

Cover photo by Phil Humnicky.

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鈥淲e are delighted that Ms. Hazard will be joining us on the Hilltop,鈥� said , incoming chair of the . 鈥淪he brings a deep knowledge of both the regional and global arts landscape, and an impressive record of fostering timely, impactful exhibitions. She arrives on campus at a moment when her vision will contribute in exciting ways to our collective conversations around contemporary culture and politics.鈥�

Georgetown University Art Galleries, which is housed with the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences, encompasses both the Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery and the Lucille M. & Richard F.X. Spagnuolo Art Gallery. 

“University galleries are centers for teaching, learning and scholarship,鈥� Jaynelle Hazard said. 鈥淚 look forward to working with Georgetown University students, faculty and departments to collectively present and explore opportunities to deepen understanding of contemporary art, artistic practice and critical thinking through academic courses, lectures, workshops and programs.”

During the academic year, each gallery presents two exhibitions featuring works by acclaimed professional artists in addition to one student or faculty show. The Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery, which opened in 2018, has received critical acclaim with recent monographic shows featuring artists such as Glenn Ligon, Kara Walker, Teresita Fern谩ndez and Jeffrey Gibson, who is currently representing the United States at the Venice Biennale, an international cultural exhibition hosted by the Biennale Foundation in Italy..

“I have followed the new de la Cruz Art Gallery and renovated Spagnuolo Gallery since their opening in 2018 and I believe that in just a few short years they have demonstrated how art can powerfully address contemporary conversations,鈥� Hazard said. 鈥淚 look forward to thinking deeply and broadly about how the important work and contributions of Georgetown University Art Galleries get out into the world and connect with audiences.”

Hazard, an established presence in the mid-Atlantic art scene, previously served as the executive director and chief curator of Tephra Institute of Contemporary Art (Tephra ICA) in Reston, Virginia. There, she oversaw a pivotal organizational rebranding, re-establishing its position in the field to better engage with artists, audiences and the wider community.  

鈥淛aynelle Hazard has emerged as a truly innovative leader in the arts, managing a broad array of exhibitions, programs, fundraising and professional development initiatives,” said , who has served as interim director of the Georgetown University Art Galleries. “In addition to her curatorial and administrative work, one of her distinctive accomplishments has been being part of the great success of the Tephra ICA Art Festival, a nationally-renowned gathering that convenes more than 200 artists and 20,000 visitors annually.”

“Like all of her projects at Tephra ICA and elsewhere, this reflects Jaynelle’s deep commitment to interdisciplinary exploration of contemporary art and ideas that engage a wide spectrum of communities.”

Hazard鈥檚 curatorial projects have sought to showcase innovation, conceptual rigor and diverse voices and practices in the region. Her Quantum Shift exhibit featuring Latinx light and space artist, Gisela Col贸n, which included both in-gallery and outdoor components, featured a public sculpture in James Monroe Park, just steps away from the White House. Her exhibit What Makes the Earth Shake, taking its title from James Baldwin鈥檚 1962 鈥淎 Letter to My Nephew鈥�, featured fast-rising Black figurative painter Dominic Chambers, who was featured in the Forbes 30 Under 30 List, identifying him as one of the most exciting emerging artists of his generation.

Hazard also served as the director of exhibitions at Workhouse Art Center in Lorton, Virginia, where she developed, implemented and oversaw contemporary art programming initiatives. In previous roles, she has supported various art programs and worked with celebrated artists through her experience in supporting the corporate contemporary art collection at UBS and in her work at blank projects gallery in Cape Town, South Africa.

鈥淚 am thrilled to have a part in the ongoing work of Georgetown University Art Galleries,鈥� Hazard said. 鈥淭hese are spaces focused on contemporary art inquiry and exploration where art looks outward and extends across disciplines, throughout the campus, the city and far beyond. The future of the Galleries is incredibly exciting.”

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With graduation just around the corner, she鈥檚 thankful for the space and time over the past four years to explore the ways her disparate interests overlap and complement one another. 

鈥淚鈥檝e come to the realization that there is no limit to education,鈥� said Douglas, a neurobiology major and fine arts minor. 鈥淕eorgetown鈥檚 liberal arts education encouraged interdisciplinary action in whatever way I found fit. There were many moments when I felt like my arts education at Georgetown supported my neurobiology pursuits, whether that was tackling a lab issue from a new angle or creating out-of-the-box graphics for papers.鈥�

Connecting the Academic to the Personal

The road to Douglas鈥� course of study began long before she arrived at Georgetown. After witnessing the effect that neurological disorders had on close friends and family, she began investigating the mechanics of the brain in high school.  

鈥淚 became consumed with reading textbooks and research articles to try to understand exactly what was happening to me and my family鈥攚here exactly had the magical electrician who wires our synapses together gone wrong? But I was frustrated by the answer: the electrician hadn鈥檛 left any instructions about what they had done,鈥� Douglas said. 

An introductory neuroscience course in high school opened the door for Douglas to begin thinking systematically about the structure of the brain and mental health. 

鈥淚 was enamored with how the brain works but realized that we鈥檇 only scratched the surface of the electrician鈥檚 work in that class,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淭he only option to learn more about this elusive electrical goop was to dive headfirst into understanding its very mechanics by majoring in neurobiology.鈥�

At Georgetown, Douglas was able to explore the questions that had been nagging her, both in the classroom and in the laboratory. Since 2022, she has worked in , which studies the mechanisms of neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders in rodents using molecular, physiological and behavioral techniques. 

鈥淚 loved getting to be hands-on with research, especially as I missed out on bench work during my freshman year because of the pandemic,鈥� said Douglas. 鈥淚 began research just as I entered my neurobiology gateway course and it was neat to be able to see what I learned in the classroom enhance my work in the lab.鈥�

In the Ostroumov Lab, Douglas has collaborated with researchers examining the symptoms and treatment of Parkinson鈥檚 disease, the topic of her senior thesis. She has also worked in the Vanmeter/Raven Lab in the Center for Functional MRI, where she investigated the connection between brain iron levels and different psychiatric disorders.

鈥淎nna is exceptionally dedicated to her research, she spends several hours in the lab every day, and she has helped to move our new Parkinson鈥檚 disease-related study forward to the point where federal NIH funding and publications can be obtained,鈥� said , an assistant professor in the . 鈥淎nna possesses the motivation, curiosity and problem approaching skills that mark her as an exceptionally promising researcher.鈥�

Pursuing Poignant Questions

In the classroom, Douglas found ample opportunities to pursue interesting research and ask poignant questions. 

鈥淭he professors in the neurobiology department truly want you to think like a proper scientist,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淚n 鈥� class on synaptic transmission, she asked us to complete a large literature review on any topic we liked that was related to synaptic transmission and my group chose to do a review on psilocybin and depression.鈥�

Douglas鈥� research group developed a hypothesis about how psilocybin could correct depression and initiate neurogenesis, which ultimately led to multiple presentations and a peer-reviewed publication. That research was recognized by the Provost Undergraduate Research Presentation Award and Douglas presented the team鈥檚 findings at the National Collegiate Research Conference at Harvard University in 2023.

While studying mental health through a scientific lens, Douglas found time to investigate similar themes through her artwork. Under the guidance of , a photographer and installation artist, Douglas explored ideas that sprouted while investigating neurobiology.

鈥淎part from focusing across disciplines, I also focused my undergraduate art work across mediums,鈥� said Douglas. 鈥淭his past semester, I had the chance to take an independent study with Professor Bocci in photography and I focused my theme on judgment, perception and collective memory, partially as a nod to my neurobiology studies but also to reflect on the support that I have had at Georgetown from friends, professors and mentors.鈥� 

Douglas realized that the unique community of faculty and friends on the Hilltop had empowered her at every step of her academic journey. Her independent study with Bocci gave Douglas the time and space to reflect and thank all of those people in her life. She worked to take portraits of as many Hoyas as possible, printing those images onto transparent film and then manufacturing sculptures and installations using those images. 

鈥淚 am very grateful for my time at Georgetown and for those who have supported me along the way,鈥� said Douglas. 鈥淚 wanted to emphasize that thankfulness in my work while questioning what makes up our identity.鈥�

For Douglas, her experiences in both fine art and neurobiology gave her an appreciation for the work that arises from individual passions. 

鈥淕eorgetown lets you take a hold of your education and form the path that you want to take, even if others may not initially see how it makes sense,鈥� said Douglas. This has been immensely helpful in making me a more confident and empowered student.鈥�

Fitting Everything In 

An accomplished academic, Douglas embodies Georgetown鈥檚 value of education for the whole person. She is a member of the United States Pony Club, receiving her 鈥淎鈥� rating in 2020 鈥� just one of four individuals across the country to do so that year. 

During her sophomore year, Douglas founded I Sex Ed, Unfiltered, a free sex education program for high school students. 

鈥淲e were a small group that initiated and led a free sex education program for high school students offering a direct point of communication between young people to freely discuss complex issues with a focus on intersectionality,鈥� said Douglas. 鈥淲e also built a custom, comprehensive and freely accessible curriculum while working with schools to implement permanent programs via virtual and in person formats.鈥�

Douglas founded Hot Hoyas Walk, an athletic club that boasted 400 members in its first semester, and has also volunteered as a counselor with the Crisis Text Line. 

Emboldened by her time on the Hilltop, Douglas is excited to continue blending the arts and the sciences to better understand mental health. 

鈥淓ducating the whole person is something that I have come to embrace during my time at Georgetown,鈥� Douglas said. 鈥淎ll of my professors have embodied and encouraged me to cross-pollinate my personal interests and academic studies. In my future educational endeavors, I will continue to do the same 鈥� this approach makes all forms of inquiry more rich and fruitful.鈥�

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Learning by doing. Famed pedagogist John Dewey touted the now well-known concept in 1938, arguing that concrete experiences following actively engaged learning allow us to better act upon our understanding. It鈥檚 a best practice embedded in everything at the 海角论坛 of Arts and Sciences, from lab experiences and field trips completed as part of coursework to research projects and internships completed beyond. Here are just a few recent examples of how Hoyas are benefitting from it.

On the Campaign Trail

When Pratik Jacob (C鈥�25) enrolled in Hans Noel鈥檚 Presidential Nominations Lab, he wanted a firsthand look at the process of politics. And right from the start, that鈥檚 what he got. 

Instead of gathering in a classroom, the students met for the first time in an airport, where they boarded a plane to Iowa to brave subzero temperatures and observe democracy in action.

鈥淚鈥檓 fascinated by how different electoral systems impact the prevalence/success of specific types of politicians, policies and politics,鈥� said Jacob. 鈥淭his class is a rare opportunity to experience firsthand how our politics and policy are shaped by the uniquely American system of presidential nominations.鈥�

鈥淎t home, you don鈥檛 get the opportunity to feel the energy and buzz of a campaign as it goes through its ups and downs,鈥� said Jacob. 鈥淪ome candidates clearly inspired a lot more energy and buzz from their crowd than others, sometimes in unexpected ways. For example, I was surprised by how much more engaged Nikki Haley and Vivek Ramaswamy鈥檚 supporters were than Ron DeSantis鈥�.鈥�

Jacob recognizes that the energy in a room in Iowa doesn鈥檛 always result in better election turnout, but meeting voters in person, especially those showing up for a primary, was an invaluable addition to his understanding of American politics 鈥� one that gave him hope.

鈥淭he highlight of the course so far has been the conversations I was able to have with Iowans in the lead-up to the Iowa caucuses,鈥� said Jacob. 鈥淐ampaigns, intrinsically, are acts of hope 鈥� manifestations of the belief that, with the right leaders and policies, America and the world have brighter days ahead. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 often difficult to preserve that optimism when I鈥檓 flooded with information from my classes, the media or my classmates about how broken the world is. It certainly is, but being around so many people, whose voices blazed with passion and vision for this country, reinvigorated my spirit.鈥�

Tracking Art History Around the Globe

In the waning days of the 19th century, a cult-like group of post-impressionist painters formed a secretive brotherhood in Paris known as Les Nabis, which means 鈥減rophets鈥� in Hebrew and Arabic. The artists were drawn together by a shared disdain for representational art and a communal longing to unlock mystic secrets.  

Nami Bolat (C鈥�25) spent the summer before her senior year studying the Nabis in the United States, Japan and France. 

鈥淚 have always been abstractly interested in the interplay between the East and West, especially when it comes to spirituality and religion,鈥� explained Bolat. 鈥淭ime and time again, it seems like the West has looked to the East for inspiration that they can鈥檛 seem to find in their own religions.鈥�

Many of the artists who considered themselves part of the Nabis were adherents to Theosophy, an occult movement that sought to unlock core truths through a synthesis of world religions. 

鈥淢y research has uncovered that Theosophy seems to have been the most prominent religious influence on the group while the Japanese influence was mostly an aesthetic one,鈥� said Bolat. 鈥淭heosophy鈥檚 attempts to amalgamate or find commonalities between all religions and world views are fascinating, a bit frightening and another example of how the West interacted and continues to interact with the East, both positively and negatively, on the spiritual and religious plane.

Bolat鈥檚 travels and research were funded through a Royden B. Davis Research Fellowship. Every year, the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences awards undergraduate students fellowships between $1,000 and $5,000 to explore 鈥渢ransformative educational experiences.鈥� 

Given in honor of Fr. Davis, Dean of the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences from 1966 to 1989, the fellowship empowers students to pursue avenues of interest that extend beyond the boundaries of the classroom, encouraging the curiosity that is at the heart of a liberal arts education. 

For Bolat, her summer experience not only expanded her horizons, but allowed her to connect her personal identity, interests and area of study. Bolat, who has relatives in France and Japan, was able to reconnect with family while studying the Nabis. 

鈥淚 began my travels afraid I was about to face a tremendously lonely journey, worried that my subpar Japanese wouldn鈥檛 be enough to feel close to the family I鈥檝e left behind there, worried to be all alone wandering around Paris,鈥� said Bolat. 鈥淚 was proven completely and utterly wrong.鈥�

Researching Biology on the Hilltop and Beyond

Naomi Greenberg (C鈥�24) was one of five Hoyas to be named a 2024 Marshall Scholar. Greenberg, a biology major and journalism minor, spent her time as an undergraduate unifying her love for research and her passion for writing. 

Greenberg not only conducted research into molecular biology, molecular genetics and evolutionary genetics, but explored other passions both on the Hilltop and beyond. She spent all four years involved with The Hoya, working as a copy assistant, copy deputy and copy chief. She then founded and led the publication鈥檚 Science section. 

Her research interests now, however, focus on genetic engineering, when humans alter an organism鈥檚 DNA. That interest began during an internship at the National Institutes of Health, where she worked in a lab studying chromosome dynamics and evolution. Greenberg observed the phenomenon of natural gene drives鈥攐r the ability for some genetic traits to be passed on more rapidly鈥攊n mice. According to Mendel鈥檚 Law of Segregation, that ability shouldn鈥檛 be possible 鈥� two alleles of any gene should have an equal chance of being transmitted.   

鈥淭he experience of seeing a real gene drive system in action at the NIH was pivotal for me,鈥� said Greenberg. 鈥淲itnessing firsthand an exception to the so-called 鈥榣aws鈥� of genetics turned my theoretical interest into a practical one, and ignited my motivation to become a gene drive researcher.鈥�

In Greenberg鈥檚 eyes, genetic engineering is likely here to stay and that means creating scientific consensus around the morals of the issue and communicating to the public what it means and why it is important. 

鈥淣aomi is a special scholar 鈥� some are good at generating questions and others at working toward their answers. And then there is Naomi, who is unusually good at both,鈥� said Manus Patten, a teaching professor of biology who mentored much of Greenberg鈥檚 research. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be fun over the next few years to watch as she makes the most of these opportunities. I feel like we鈥檙e at Cape Canaveral here, watching a scholar launch.鈥� 

Applying Disability Studies in the Computer Lab

The summer before graduating from the 海角论坛 of Arts & Sciences, Kwabena Sekyere-Boateng (C鈥�23) completed a 10-week research fellowship with the MIT Institute of Data, Systems and Society. His research examined the complex ways in which technology can both reinforce and tear down systems of hierarchy and oppression.

Sekyere-Boateng鈥檚 work was fully funded through a Station1 Frontiers Fellowship, a selective program that empowers undergraduates in STEM to gain real-world research experience in socially-directed projects. 

鈥淩eceiving the fellowship was exhilarating; it not only felt validating and affirming but also gave me a sense of belonging,鈥� said Sekyere-Boateng, a computer science major and disability studies minor. 鈥淚t underscored the reality that there鈥檚 a longstanding tradition of socially-directed science, and a vibrant community supporting it.鈥�

Sekyere-Boateng conducted research as part of a group whose objective was to investigate how transformative, technology-based educational experiences can empower marginalized communities. They relied on the Critical Participatory Action Research, or CPAR, a research framework suited for 鈥渄ocumenting, challenging and transforming conditions of social injustice.鈥� 

鈥淢y research stemmed from interrogating how computer science as a discipline is often presented as neutral; however, it is a tool that perpetuates and reifies structural oppression,鈥� said Sekyere-Boateng. 鈥淲e focused on addressing this issue, particularly how computer science can also be used as a tool to combat structural oppression and empower marginalized communities.鈥�

The group worked out of a computer lab at Camfield Estates, a federally funded voucher co-op in Boston, which has been described as 鈥渁n oasis in a desert of affordable housing.鈥� The community has a long-standing collaboration with MIT.

鈥淭he initial phase involved developing a curriculum tailored for participants aged 10 to 15, which was both accessible and enriching, guided by liberatory computing principles,鈥� explained Sekyere-Boateng. 鈥淟iberatory computing illuminates how computing curricula can empower African-American students with skills to address societal racism.鈥�

For Sekyere-Boateng, his Station1 Fellowship felt like the culmination of an educational transformation that started when he first set foot on the Hilltop. 

鈥淲hat truly excited me was that it was the first space where my interests really intersected. Often, being the only, or one of the very few, Black students in a classroom can be isolating,鈥� said Sekyere-Boateng. 鈥淗owever, this fellowship afforded me the opportunity to scrutinize computer science through the lenses I acquired from my other academic pursuits.鈥�

Today, teaching computer science through a liberatory computing framework in Ghana, Sekyere-Boateng is following through on the ambitions and skills he honed as an undergraduate.

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This spring, Zheng, a double major in art history and history, presented his paper on the depiction of ethnic minorities in Tang Dynasty (618-907) pottery at the SUNY New Paltz Undergraduate Art History Symposium. Zheng began his research in a course on Chinese art taught by , a professor in the . 

From Classroom to Colloquium 

Zheng analyzed the artwork adorning tri-color glazed pottery, or sancai, to understand cultural attitudes around those depicted in the ceramics. 

鈥淐hinese pottery has always captivated both foreign and domestic audiences,鈥� Zheng says. 鈥淲ith the inclusion of foreign dancers, musicians, and animals in the design of sancai wares, one is left with the impression that foreigners were quite welcomed during the Tang dynasty.鈥�

During the 6th and 7th centuries, foreigners were an established part of Chinese life 鈥� with some living and working in cities like Chang’an and Luoyang. Foreign goods were sold in marketplaces and foreign fashion was worn. While their presence could be understood as acceptance, Zheng argues that their depiction in sancai was anything but a celebration. 

鈥淲e know that a lot of foreigners went to China as doctors, military advisors, lawyers and scholars,鈥� Zheng says. 鈥淏ut they were not included in sancai. Instead, the depictions of outsiders emphasize their inferiority. You see foreign figures that are bare-chested, drunk or dancing. You don鈥檛 see any officials or military personnel included in the ceramic design鈥� 

Art as an Educator 

The sancai adorning tombs are more than a treasure trove of objects, the breadth of samples that have survived offer a fantastic lens through which to view Tang China. These wares don鈥檛 just represent first-hand accounts for an art historian, they are a phenomenal entrypoint for a fledgling researcher. 

鈥淲orks of art and architectural sites both shape, and are shaped by, the historical moment in which they were created,鈥� Wang says. 鈥淟ike historians, art historians too are interested in questions of chronological succession and historical periodization. What sets art history apart is that art historians treat works of art and architectural sites as primary sources in their own right.鈥�

For Wang, empowering undergraduates to engage in independent research is crucial to building a lasting love of scholarship. 

鈥淚 find that students really enjoy engaging in independent research because they appreciate having the freedom to follow their own interests and they gain confidence by mastering a certain topic,鈥� Wang says. 鈥淚’ve helped students develop their research by emphasizing interdisciplinary research methods, encouraging the use of non-English language scholarly literature, introducing scaffolded paper assignments, unessays, peer review activities, and looking out for opportunities for students to present or publish their research.鈥�

After graduating next year, Zheng plans to pursue a Ph.D. in Art History in either Chinese or European art. 

A political cartoonist, commentator, illustrator and fine artist, Bowman seemingly hasn’t paused to take a breath since stepping foot on the Hilltop. She is perhaps best known for her political cartoons, which skewer American politicians and current events.   

鈥淚 criticize those in power and illustrate the human impact of their misdeeds,鈥� Bowman says. 鈥淭o illustrate my points, I use humor and express compassionate empathy for those abused by demagogues who exploit their power.鈥�

Digital Tools for the Digital World

Her coursework at Georgetown has shaped, informed and honed her skill as an artist and critic. Bowman credits a graphic design course with for broadening her familiarity with the essential digital tools of her trade. Today, Bowman works largely in the digital medium, relying on the programs she learned the ropes of with Sangastiano. 

鈥淚 learned to wrap my head around new technology and media for creating art, including Adobe Illustrator and InDesign,鈥� reflects Bowman. 鈥淚 learned how to translate my artistic instinct into new digital programs, which were challenging to learn but necessary for helping me develop hard skills that will make my artistic ability even more palatable for the professional world, especially that of television and public entertainment.鈥�

For a full-time student, Bowman has been a prolific artist. Since 2019, she has worked as an editorial political cartoonist and contributing news writer for Our Daily Planet, an environmental newsletter which merged with World War Zero, an environmental organization founded by John Kerry, last year. During that time, she spent a year working with The Lincoln Project as a cartoonist, satirist and video editor. Her cartoons have been published by BBC News, BBC Books, the satirical presidential candidate Vermin Supreme, the National Wildlife Federation and the political action committee Meidas Touch. 

On campus, she founded the Hilltop Show in 2019, a political comedy web series that featured recorded sketches, interviews with prominent figures and humorous punditry. Her work has been published by The Hoya, and Georgetown鈥檚 Office of Communications. 

In short, Bowman shows no signs of slowing down. 

鈥淓xpressive, inviting and confidently-designed characters bursting with personality distinguish my work,鈥� Bowman says. 鈥淢y illustrations employ touches of realism and classical techniques 鈥� natural anatomy, weight, form, texture, caricature cognizant of formal portraiture 鈥� that give my work a traditional, elegant flair.鈥� 

Art to Set the World on Fire

As a thoughtful creator, Bowman wants her art to exist in and engage with the wider world. Her time at Georgetown has given her the tools to do just that. 

“I came to Georgetown hoping to find ways to use entertainment and media to help educate children and wide audiences about political issues and social responsibility,鈥� Bowman says. 鈥淚 got exactly what I was hoping for and more.鈥� 

The apparatus around Bowman鈥檚 artwork, which brings it into the world and in front of a wider audience, was an indelible part of her education. 

鈥淚 have learned specific rhetorical methods and means of persuasion, research procedures, modern outreach strategies and even visual marketing approaches, sometimes through trial and error,鈥� reflects Bowman. 鈥淭hese lessons have been fundamental in helping me understand practical, real-world methods that I can use when developing creative work for social good.鈥� 

Bowman has been accepted into Georgetown鈥檚 dual AB/MA English Program. After attaining her undergraduate degree this spring, she will finish her master鈥檚 in May 2023. 

鈥淚 can’t wait to continue studying how I can use artwork to inform wider audiences and create social good for years to come,鈥� Bowman says. 鈥淕eorgetown has given me the best foundation that I could ask for.鈥�

Bowman is one of three graduating seniors whose work is currently on display in the Maria and Alberto de la Cruz Gallery. To stay up-to-date on Bowman鈥檚 artwork, follow her on and . 

Samples of Alex’s Work

Unexpected Materials on Exhibit

Over 40 works are being presented in the and the . From the detritus of the pineapple industry, a metallic fabric has been created called Pi帽atex out of which Dutch fashion designer Liselore Frowijn and Italian designer Laura Strambi made striking fashions. Waste from coconut crops finds form in a line of stylish purses designed by Malai in India. Compressed smog particles fill Dutch Daan Roosegaarde鈥檚 renowned Smog Free Ring. Sim贸n Ballen Botero extricates pollutants from the ground water sullied by the gold mining industry in Colombia to create gleaming patinas on glass vessels. Dutch Nienke Hoogvliet harvests toilet paper from the sewage system that she reworks into furniture. Japanese Kosuke Araki couples historic methods of lacquering with new technologies to make dishes from food waste. Hair is the main material for the United Kingdom鈥檚 Oksana Bondar and Swine Studio when making furniture and accessories.

Dutch Invertuals, an innovative design studio, based in Eindhoven, Netherlands and known internationally for their creative work in the realms of architecture, design, and curatorial projects have designed the exhibition. The exhibition platforms, pedestals, and seating are being fabricated from an innovative building material sourced from textile industry waste and manufactured in Denmark by REALLY; REALLY Solid Textile Board was developed by exhibiting designer, Christien Meindertsma. That so many of the included designers are recent graduates or faculty of design academies and universities is evidence of a shift in the world of design and design education, from function at the service of aesthetic considerations to socially responsible, environmental amelioration. Designers who partner with material scientists and chemists, steered by ethical concerns, created the exciting, inventive works that comprise this groundbreaking exhibition.

Guest Curators Collaborate with Director Al Miner

The exhibition is organized by Georgetown University Art Galleries, and guest curated by Ginger Gregg Duggan and Judith Hoos Fox of c²-curatorsquared, an award-winning team known for their provocative curatorial work in contemporary art and design. According to , Founding Director/Chief Curator of Georgetown University Art Galleries, 鈥渨e are incredibly proud to present this innovative exhibition that supports Georgetown University鈥檚 long-standing commitment to advancing social justice and global initiatives, and inspiring change. The surprising works on view will challenge preconceived notions of the artist/designer鈥檚 role in society and their ability to impact our world. The show will also be a springboard for interdisciplinary exchange bringing many of the University鈥檚 intellectual assets to a new audience through a related public engagement series wedding the arts with environmental studies, literature, theology and other themes.鈥�

Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined marks the first time a Georgetown University Art Galleries exhibition will go on tour; the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art, Arizona will host the show February 1 – May 17, 2020. Funding is generously supported by organizations including the Georgetown University 2019 Laudato Si鈥� Fund, Creative Industries Fund NL, and the Netherland-America Foundation; additionally, this program is supported as part of the Dutch Culture USA program by the Consulate General of the Netherlands in New York.

Special Panel Discussion Moderated by Marra

Design Transfigured/Waste Reimagined will open with a on October 2 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.  A series of free, multidisciplinary programs ranging from film screenings to public dialogues will expand upon themes of the exhibition. The first program on October 3 at 6:00 PM will be a including exhibition designers, a curator, and moderated by the director of the Georgetown Environmental Initiative and Laudato Si鈥� Professor of Biology and the Environment, . Details on further programs are listed on the gallery鈥檚 website.

Roland spent nearly one year in a D.C. prison for a crime he did not commit before being exonerated of all charges in 2015. He returned to art school and developed The Jumpsuit Project in response to his experience. He is currently completing a Post-MFA Fellowship as part of the Documentary Diversity Project at Duke University’s Center for Documentary Studies.

During his performances, which will be captured by a Duke documentary filmmaking team, Roland interacts with the public in an orange jumpsuit, encouraging viewers to address their own prejudices towards those who have been incarcerated. The Jumpsuit Project and Georgetown 海角论坛鈥檚 de la Cruz Art Gallery aim to provide a safe space for the public to question, process, and challenge the crisis of mass incarceration.

The two-day event will begin on Wednesday, April 10 at 10:30 a.m. in the de la Cruz Art Gallery. Until 3:30 that afternoon, Roland will occupy a space the size of his D.C. prison cell inside the Gallery while wearing an orange jumpsuit. Roland invites the public to listen and converse with him as he shares personal stories to heighten awareness and challenge assumptions about incarcerated people.

The following morning, Roland will introduce a new element of the performance created for this occasion: The Jumpsuit Walk. Roland will walk six miles in his orange jumpsuit from DC鈥檚 Central Detention Facility, where he was incarcerated, to the de la Cruz Art Gallery on Georgetown University鈥檚 campus. Roland invites the public to join him for the middle leg of the walk, which will take place along the south side of the National Mall between the U.S. Capitol reflecting pool and the Lincoln Memorial, from approximately 9 to 10 a.m.

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Roland will perform The Jumpsuit Project in the de la Cruz Gallery. Immediately following his performance, Roland will have a public dialogue with Dr. Marc Morj茅 Howard, Professor of Government and Law at Georgetown University and the founding Director of the Prisons and Justice Initiative (PJI).

鈥淲e are incredibly proud to be collaborating with Sherrill Roland 鈥� a talented young artist who possesses the ability to create much needed change 鈥� on the first DC iteration of The Jumpsuit Project,鈥� said Al Miner, Founding Director/Chief Curator of Georgetown University Art Galleries. 鈥淪herrill鈥檚 performance is the perfect fit for our new Galleries program, which highlights the link between contemporary art and social justice through engaging exhibitions and public programs.鈥�

The Jumpsuit Project
First performance:  April 10, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
National Mall walk: April 11, 9 to 10 a.m.
Second performance and dialogue: April 11, 6 to 8 p.m.

Maria & Alberto de la Cruz Art Gallery
3535 Prospect St. NW
Washington, DC 20007
Contact: GUartgalleries@georgetown.edu, or visit bit.ly/delacruzartgu

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