MAGAZINE UCONNJAN 2016

GOING,

36 CHOOSING PEACE IN JAPAN GOING, 30 ON THE FRONT LINES IN CHARLESTON

24 GAME-DAY SUPERSTITIONS REVEALED

34 GONE. The animals we know we’re losing ARE YOU TOO HOT TO BE TRUSTED? are just the tip of the iceberg. p.16

JANUARY 2016 SNAP!

UConn Nation’s Class of 2019

The University’s first official class photo took three months to plan, but 3,000 new freshmen obediently filed into a 90-by-35-yard formation on the Great Lawn in just under an hour. “Try that when they’re seniors,” a volunteer quipped. Find out more about the Class of 2019, the University’s most accomplished and diverse to date, on page 14. Watch a drone video of the shoot at s.uconn.edu/freshmen2019.

JONATHAN STOPPED BY!

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 CONTENTS | JANUARY 2016 VOL. 17 NO. 1 JANUARY 2016 | CONTENTS

FROM THE EDITOR

“Expose yourself to noble people.” WEB That is one of the best pieces of advice I was given in my previous life as an editor of EXCLUSIVES parenting magazines. It came from Mary Catherine Bateson, noted writer and cultural anthropologist who also happens to be the daughter of Margaret Mead. Bateson was discussing the best things one can do to raise your children well. VERY SUPERSTITIOUS Her counsel came to mind recently as I sat in the office of UConn History Professor Draw back the curtain to Alexis Dudden, waiting for her to finish explaining to a campus policeman the details observe Huskies indulging in of the most recent menacing threat she’d received as a consequence of her passionate no-longer-secret game-day rituals defense of human rights, in this case on behalf of an accurate historical record concern- at s.uconn.edu/superstition. ing brutal treatment of Japanese “comfort women” in World War II. Dudden writes in these pages about women in modern Japan struggling to maintain the country’s consti- HOT OR tutional pledge of peace (page 36). TRUSTWORTHY Bateson’s advice came to mind again in Jorgensen auditorium when, after watch- Play a game to reveal the ing Bill Clinton receive the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human identities behind the dating- Rights (page 5), a co-winner of the prize, Molly Melching, took the stage. Melching app-style photos on page 34 at received the award on behalf of Tostan, the organization she founded that has, in many s.uconn.edu/hotortrustworthy. African villages, managed to end the centuries-old practices of female genital cutting and child marriage. Melching went to Senegal as an exchange student in the 1970s 4 16 24 30 GOING, GOING, GONE. and, observing human rights abuses, couldn’t bring herself to leave. I had goosebumps Watch Go-Pro footage from listening to her talk about how she made a difference by first spending years just being a not-so-glacial Alaska at with these Senegalese women, hearing them talk about what they needed, and then how FEATURES SECTIONS s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone. she has spent decades helping them get it. And I found myself thinking about Bateson’s guidance a third time in as many weeks when, after interviewing basketball champion Sue Bird, I found myself telling 16 GOING, GOING, GONE. 4 WHAT'S YOUR SIGN? Around the globe, on every continent, UConn professors Ponder your own potential star my husband: She’s the kind of person you want your kids to know. (Find out what she UCONN NOW had to say on page 48 and online at s.uconn.edu/suebird.) are working to prevent species extinction in the face of The many faces of Calliope power while matching celebrities “Possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of escalating climate change. Wong ’16 (CLAS; pictured and their astrological signs at ideals or morals,” reads a Merriam-Webster definition of “noble.” above), Bill Clinton on s.uconn.edu/starpower. VERY SUPERSTITIOUS I think my daughter and I got lucky landing at UConn; clearly, it will not be difficult 24 campus, alum Mo Pleasure Huskies, including Heather Fyfe ’16 (CLAS) who is to surround ourselves with nobility. I’m looking forward to sharing stories of noble ’86 (SFA) on tour with Bette SUE BIRD CONFIDENTIAL pictured above, reveal their favorite good-luck charms people with her, and with you on these pages. The good news is, with this issue, there Midler, a professor’s vow to The NCAA, WNBA, and Team and game-day rituals. will be more pages of UConn Magazine on which to do just that. The magazine has regenerate a human limb by USA basketball star shares her almost doubled in size and will now show up in your mailboxes in January, May, and 2030, and much more. highest/lowest/weirdest UConn THE FIRST DRAFT OF HISTORY September. Please visit magazine.uconn.edu to let us know what you think of this 30 experiences — and much more — Charleston’s Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Glenn re-designed magazine and also, please, share your own stories of nobility in our midst. 40 at s.uconn.edu/suebird. Smith ’87 (CLAS) has had a front-row seat to turmoil and Our kids — all of us — need those stories more than ever. tragedy, from church shootings and police brutality to UCONN NATION record-setting domestic violence. But he has used good A late-night comedy writer TOM'S TRIVIA Find out how your UConn journalism to force political change. who got his start at UConn, an engineering alum who knowledge stacked up against 34 HOT OR TRUSTWORTHY? just won a MacArthur Tom’s at s.uconn.edu/trivia. UConn communications professors made waves with Fellowship, plans for a new a study measuring how users of dating sites evaluate soccer stadium, and more trustworthiness from potential dates’ photos. alumni news from Going, Going, Gone Photo Credits: Connecticut to Kosovo. Alliance française de Wuhan, Dibyendu 36 TAKING IT TO THE STREETS Ash, Sundeep Bhardwaj, Sean Flynn, Alexis Dudden watches an historic, peaceful protest Luca Galuzzi, NPS, Sudan Shrestha, movement take shape in Japan. University of Connecticut Libraries Map and Geographic Information Center (MAGIC), U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USFWS. Vice President For Communications Tysen Kendig Assistant Vice President For Brand Strategy Patricia Fazio ’90 (CLAS), ’92 MA Director of Strategic Marketing Communications John Morawiec Editor Lisa Stiepock Art Director Christa Tubach Photographer Peter Morenus Contributing Writers: Julie Table of Contents Photo/Illustration (Stagis) Bartucca ’10 (BUS, CLAS); Ken Best; Tom Breen ’00 (CLAS); Christine Buckley; Kristen Cole; Sheila Foran ’83 (BGS), ’96 Ph.D; Kim Krieger; Lauren Credits, clockwise from left: Maria Lalancette; Abby Mace ’16 (CLAS); Grace Merritt; Jesse Rifkin ’14 (CLAS) Copy Editors: Kristen Cole; Tina Modzelewski Web Designers: Christine Fabrizio, Peter Morenus, Mark Urban, Ballestrini ’03 (SFA); Yesenia Carrero Peter Morenus, The Post and Courier, Peter Morenus. UConn Magazine is produced three times a year (January, May, and September) by University Communications, University of Connecticut. Email: uconnmagazine@ uconn.edu. Letters to the editor and other comments are welcome. Send address changes to The University of Connecticut Foundation, Records Department, Unit Molly Melching at Jorgensen accepting the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice 3206, 2390 Alumni Drive, Storrs, CT 06269. and Human Rights on behalf of her organization Tostan.

2 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 3 UCONN NOW

ON CAMPUS

Eleanor Roosevelt: “‘Where, BILL CLINTON AND THE DODD after all, do universal human rights begin? In small places, CENTER CELEBRATE 20 YEARS close to home, so close and so small that they cannot “You all have the power to be soldiers for human rights. I urge you to use that power,” former be seen on any maps of the President Bill Clinton told the audience at a packed Jorgensen Center for the Performing Arts world.’ I dedicate this award after receiving the Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and Human Rights. Clinton’s to all those who work for return to UConn on Oct. 15, came 20 years to the day after his visit for the inauguration of the human rights in small places Thomas J. Dodd Research Center, which is named for the late U.S. senator from Connecticut. around the world,” Melching continued. Clinton was a co-winner paralyzed by the fact that we and positive social transfor- along with Tostan, a vital cannot stop every bad thing mation based on respect for The Clinton Foundation human rights organization or solve every problem.” human rights. Clinton was recognized for that has brought significant, Both award recipients Melching explained that the efforts of the foundation sustainable change to Africa, cited examples of individ- Tostan’s innovative approach, he established after leaving notably by putting an end to uals who make a difference called the Com­munity office. The Bill, Hillary, and the centuries-old practices — from women in small Empowerment Program, Chelsea Clinton Foundation of female genital cutting and African villages whose voices is rooted in the belief that works to improve global forced child marriage. Tostan have united behind efforts every human being has a health and wellness, increase founder Molly Melching was to abandon the practice of fundamental right to human opportunity for girls and there to accept the second female genital cutting to stu- dignity. women, reduce childhood Thomas J. Dodd prize. dents who donate to human The program was shaped obesity, create economic During the University­ rights organizations with the by a set of shared beliefs opportunity and growth, and wide celebration, the focus stroke of a computer key. about human rights, includ- help communities address frequently returned to the “You may not want to do ing that everyone has the the effects of climate change. power of all individuals to what Molly [Melching] did,” right to be free from discrimi- University Provost Mun effect change. said Clinton, “but you can nation, the right to be free Choi ended the ceremony “Sometimes the empower- support people who do.” from violence, the right to with the same call to action ment of people to help them- pursue an education and emphasized throughout the selves is the most important Tostan work, and the right not to be night. thing you can do,” said Clin- In 1971, Melching visited Sen- exploited, said Melching. “President Clinton, I ton. Acknowledging that it is egal intending to remain for a Tostan has been recog- thank you for your service a troubling time in the world few months, yet stayed more nized in the past, notably by to the nation and the greater because “there are so many than 40 years. She started Hillary Clinton when she was humanity,” said Choi, before blatant examples of abuses Tostan to empower African First Lady, said Melching, turning to the audience to of human rights,” he urged communities to bring about before citing the words of say, “Go forth and make an audience members to “not be sustainable development another former First Lady, impact.” —KRISTEN COLE

THE WHOLE TRUTH

CANDY COMPANIES PROMISED NOT TO ADVERTISE TO KIDS — NOW THEY ARE DOING IT EVEN MORE

It’s been four years since candy makers in this country made voluntary pledges not to advertise to children age 11 and under. Today, those children are viewing substantially more TV ads for candy, according to a new study by the world-renowned Rudd Center for Food Policy & Obesity at UConn. From 2008 to 2011, children’s exposure to candy ads on U.S. tele- vision increased 74 percent, rising to an average of 485 ads viewed Former President Bill Clinton speaks at the Jorgensen Find out more about the per child in 2011, compared to an average of 279 ads viewed per child Center for the Performing Arts after receiving the ongoing study at Thomas J. Dodd Prize in International Justice and s.uconn.edu/candyads in 2008, according to the study. Most of the ads accounting for the Human Rights from former U.S. Sen. Christopher Dodd. increase were from the very companies that agreed in 2007 to partic- UConn students, faculty, and staff entered a lottery to ipate in the self-regulatory Children’s Food and Beverage Advertising win seats to the event. View all the night's speeches at Initiative. s.uconn.edu/doddspeeches.

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU Morenus Peter JANUARY 2016 5 UCONN NOW

FIELD NOTES UCONN TALKS “IF YOU GET HERE AGAIN, WE MIGHT HAVE WHEN IS THE MEDIA GOING TOO FAR? TO NAME THE WHITE HOUSE BASKETBALL COURT AFTER YOU.” A journalism professor’s blog compares how students from UConn and across Europe view a - President Obama to the UConn women’s basketball team on their “THE FREEDOM number of ethical dilemmas. third White House visit in three years, which followed their third straight TO OFFEND THE Where are national championship. POWERFUL IS NOT EQUIVALENT TO This past spring, Associate Professor Publicizing villains air crash. U.S. journalists swarmed the the women THE FREEDOM of Journalism Gail B. MacDonald ’81 On a post about the controversial Rolling co-pilot’s hometown and published de- “ in late night (CLAS) spent a month as a Fulbright Stone cover of the Boston Marathon tails from his Facebook page, while some “SEE YOU NEXT YEAR.” TO BULLY THE Specialist teaching journalism ethics at bombing suspect, the question posed was German reporters never even published RELATIVELY television? The – GENO AURIEMMA TO PRESIDENT OBAMA, Masaryk University in Brno, which she whether students would have published the co-pilot’s name. DISEMPOWERED. ON LEAVING THE WHITE HOUSE. describes as “the Czech Republic’s funky, the same photo and whether their per- The first interesting thing here is that question is THE ENLIGHTEN- lively second city.” Here’s her report from sonal biases played into the decision. only the Euro students commented and paraded out MENT PRINCIPLES the field. most thought the most ethical practices THE HILL THAT UNDERGIRD did not lie at either extreme, but that every few years I was in a graduate SEPTEMBER 15, 2015 FREE SPEECH Since I also regularly teach journalism what was published needed to be verified ecology class when I first ALSO PRESCRIBED as regularly heard“ about the scientific ethics classes at UConn, I asked both and should have pertinence to the over- tradition of eating the THAT THE NAT- my Connecticut and my European riding goal of the news coverage: “WE ... HAVE as frosted organism you study. Other URAL LIMITS OF students — who hailed from the Czech “It is understandable that they want- SAVED TWENTY students were swapping Republic, Romania, Ukraine, France, and ed to protect their man. But, in the end, if TO TWENTY-FIVE ONE’S LIBERTY LIE lipstick or the stories of friends who had Germany — to share their thoughts about LIVES IN THOSE [14] AT THE PRECISE he did kill those people on purpose, then chomped down on grubs peplum.” STATES IN THE LAST POINT AT WHICH ethical dilemmas facing the media via a there is no excuse for the press to hide and beetles, or illicitly discussion blog. this,” posted a student from Romania. FOUR YEARS.” IT BEGINS TO Gina Barreca, slurped a tadpole. It was “The journalist’s work is to deliver the — DOUGLAS CASA, IMPOSE UPON professor of English hilarious, disgusting and Acceptable behavior on-and off-duty revealing. I was finally COO, UCONN'S KOREY truth, but here the articles are overbur- STRINGER INSTITUTE, THE LIBERTY OF The greatest number of comments came dened by the [American] journalists who The Conversation learning what it meant to ON ITS GUIDELINES TO ANOTHER.” on a post asking whether it is right for want to take benefit of the audience’s vi- September 29, 2015 be a biologist.” PREVENT HEAT STROKE. — Jelani Cobb, associate news outlets to extend codes of ethical cious curiosity,” wrote a French student. “[American] — Jessie Rack, doctoral professor of history and conduct to reporters’ actions on their candidate studying ecology, director of the Institute for journalists ... want The Bleacher Report personal time. Case in point: an ESPN The price of celebrity evolutionary biology, and African American Studies. reporter who was suspended after she to take benefit of Students also pondered appropriate salamanders August 3, 2015 was filmed hurling insulting remarks at a ethical boundaries for journalists The New Yorker National Public Radio clerk at a car-towing business. the audience’s probing the private lives of children of August 12, 2015 November 10, 2015 There were 23 students who com- celebrities and politicians, agreeing that mented and, on both sides of the Atlantic, vicious curiosity.” the press too often is overly intrusive: students concluded that the journalist’s “The media goes too far when it comes punishment was deserved. to covering stories about a celebrity’s The Euro students were the first to Almost all American students who family member. After all, they did not ask OFF CAMPUS offer some specific details, such as commented said they thought the photo to be famous,” wrote one UConn student. noticing that the video appeared to have insulted the bombing victims and would “If you work for serious media, your SIPS OF SCIENCE breaks in it that could indicate it was not have published the photo for this ethical compass should scream, ‘no way, doctored, and also saying that if such a reason, while the Euro students said they this is too much.’ Is [it] really important UConn microbiologist hissy fit were thrown by an elected offi- thought the photo had value and they information that [the] daughter of some- Kenneth Noll expounds on the cial, any journalist would jump all over it: would have published it. one famous is pregnant? Is it a thing topic “Science Fiction Meets “When you become a TV news Many American students acknowl- [t]hat everybody needs to know? NO, it Reality” during a UConn reporter, you automatically become a edged their personal biases impacting is not,” wrote a Czech student. —GAIL B. Science Salon at NIXS bar in public person as well. Therefore, you their decisions here, but claimed that MACDONALD ’81 (CLAS) Hartford. Noll discussed the have to embrace good manners and avoid didn’t sway their opinions. classic story “The Blue Germ,” any disgraceful behavior in public. If this Find more responses and pictures of in which researchers deliber- woman was a mayor or a politician, her Satisfying public curiosity Mac­Donald's trip at s.uconn.edu/Brno ately infect the population of behavior would become a huge scandal A third post asked students whether the an English city with bacteria immediately,” wrote a student from the German or U.S. press acted more ethic­ that confer immortality, while Czech Republic. ally in the aftermath of the Germanwings political science professor Stephen Dyson listens. The salons launched in 2015;  An October 2015 Gallup poll found that 60% of Americans ranked their trust in mass media as ranging from “not very much” to “none at all.” visit s.uconn.edu/salon. — KIM KRIEGER Peter Morenus Peter

6 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 7 UCONN NOW

What’s it like touring with Bette You have your own music business What type of artists are you What do you remember about your Midler? called WaterSign Media. What kind of working with? UConn experience? Her gig is so eclectic, we do a lot of things do you do? It’s all over the place but generally soul, I was doing a lot of playing. Back then different kinds of music. Everybody in We’ve got artists and music. We’ve also funk with a twist. It’s been some time, there were a lot of places to play. The the band is capable of playing anything got apps for teaching. I do a lot of master but that music is coming back again. For Shaboo, the Balloon Saloon, all the frat from jazz and classical to country, even classes, a lot of teaching in the U.K. a while it was pushed out by the electron- party weekends. Then I’d be playing cartoon music and sound effects. To do it ic thing. I work with a lot of Amy Wine- with the gospel choir or jazz band. One on this level, packing 15,000-seat arenas house’s band members. She really did set of the best things about UConn is that it with one of the biggest stars of our time, it up — girls playing guitar. A lot of the was a microcosm of everything, a lot of it’s been incredible. artists I work with are female guitarists. different musical situations. Some were The young people really have it together. at UConn, some I created myself. I just Her show has a lot of theatricality They are thinking about every aspect of saw a couple of my friends from UConn because of her acting. Were there any their career — video, audio, their look. recently. We’re still in touch.—KEN BEST unexpected moments? We have a section where she gets dressed up and re-enacts the witch character she played in the Disney film “Hocus Pocus.” She puts spells on people in the middle of Food For Thought is one of two trucks tooling the act. Once, her witch teeth fell out and around campus. Its specialty is healthy but she immediately turned it into a schtick. intensely flavorful tacos, including the Thai Chicken (pictured). And the other truck? It Your skill and experience allow you serves ice cream from the Dairy Bar, of course! to play with anyone. How much of that Place first ten ingredients (through the comes from your time at UConn and oil) in a blender or food processor and how much from life on the road? blend on high until smooth. Add salt and It’s definitely a hybrid. UConn had great Sriracha to taste. Blend in water and you have a Thai Peanut Dressing. Place Kale teachers when I was there like [pianist, Vegetable Blend in a bowl with the Thai composer-arranger] Ellen Rowe and Peanut Dressing, mix together, and chill [pianist] Neal Larrabee. I was playing for about 30 minutes. jazz gigs at the Bushnell in Hartford with Ellen. I played in rock bands when I was To make the Pickled Red Onions: in college, in the clubs. Then I went into ½ lb. red onion, sliced paper thin ¾ cup apple cider vinegar Courtesy of Mo Pleasure Courtesy real-world touring. Of course, everything 10 oz. granulated sugar I learned, all the mistakes I made have 2 Tbls. fresh ginger, sliced thin CHECKING IN WITH... brought me to this place. Thirty years ½ tsp. kosher salt now. It’s been amazing. 1 tsp. celery seeds 1 tsp. mustard seeds You’ve played a wide variety of music (2) Morenus Peter MO PLEASURE ’86, ON TOUR Place the thinly sliced onion in a small, over the years, from classical to jazz TASTE OF STORRS heat-proof container with a lid. Place the and R&B. What kind is at your core? remaining ingredients in a small sauce- WITH BETTE MIDLER Music that stirs my soul, James Barber Makes 12 tacos pan over high heat and bring to a rolling to James Brown. Pop music today feels a THAI CHICKEN TACO | boil. Remove from heat and pour over the onions, so they are covered. Cover and The versatile artist, known in the business as a musician’s musician, says little redundant to me, but every now and For those of you who cannot get to Storrs for a food truck fix, our friends at Dining Services refrigerate for a minimum of 24 hours. being on the road with The Divine Miss M. was every bit as unpredictable — then there might be a chord or the way a were kind enough to create and share a make-at-home version of their Thai Chicken Taco, and stellar — as one might expect. a crowd favorite. Note that the pickled onions need to marinate for a full day. groove is put together that moves me. In To assemble: general, I’m about what music feels like. I To make the Chicken Filling: To make the Thai Peanut Slaw: 12 (6-inch) flour or corn tortillas Multi-instrumentalist and producer Morris Pleasure ’86 (SFA) got an early start to his think that’s why I get hired; because I can 2 lbs. chicken thigh meat, bone-in ½ cup peanut butter 1.5 lbs. Thai Peanut Slaw professional career after chatting with a member of the Ray Charles Orchestra when make it feel good. 2 tsp. kosher salt 1 lime, juiced and zested 6 oz. Pickled Red Onions the legendary High Priest of Soul performed at UConn. A year later, he hit the road as a 1 tsp. ground black pepper 2 ½ tsp. sesame oil 3 oz. fresh whole cilantro 1 Tbls. seasoned rice wine vinegar 12 tsp. scallions member of the Orchestra. You and the Midler tour band decided Over the past three decades, Pleasure has established himself as an in-demand Fill a medium saucepan halfway with 2 Tbls. soy sauce to use a night off to drive from New water and bring to a rolling boil. Reduce 3 Tbls. honey Quickly sauté shredded chicken with a performer working with prominent acts, such as Earth, Wind & Fire; Michael Jackson; York City to Hartford to do a show at heat to a slow simmer, add chicken, 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped little salt and pepper until warm. George Duke; Chaka Khan; Mary J. Blige; Natalie Cole; Christina Aguilera; and Frankie Infinity Hall. Why? and cook to an internal temperature 1 Tbls. ginger, minced Meanwhile, warm the tortilla shells on a very hot grill or flat top or in the oven. Beverly, among others. Because all of us in the band are artists of 165 degrees. (Do not let the water ½ cup cilantro, roughly chopped Last summer he served as the music director for Bette Midler’s “Divine Intervention” come back to a rolling boil.) Strain ½ cup vegetable oil Place 2 ounces of pulled chicken meat and need to express ourselves. We do and let cool. Once cool, pull the chicken ¼ tsp. kosher salt world tour. After a tour stop at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut, he played a gig with other into each tortilla, top with 1 ounce or a show that’s got a format. We’re doing from the bones into shreds and discard 2-3 tsp. Sriracha chili sauce more of slaw, followed by a large pinch of tour musicians at Infinity Hall in Hartford, where he spoke with UConn Magazine. sound checks, we’re always playing. We the bones. Refrigerate until needed. Or 4 Tbls. water pickled onions. Finish each taco off with just thought about it, and said, ‘Let’s find simply shred meat from a store-bought 1 lb. Kale Vegetable Blend (found chopped fresh cilantro (stems and all) rotisserie chicken! at most supermarkets) a place to play that lets us express these and scallions. To hear Mo play, go to s.uconn.edu/mopleasure other ideas we have.’

8 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 9 UCONN NOW

med student in the Honors program who You’ve gotten a lot of media complicated; I came out to my parents won a coveted IDEA grant to record an attention for someone your age. that year. I stopped piano lessons. It album of piano music. We asked Wong What has been the most daunting turned out that not having piano was a about each of these facets of Calliope. media experience? quiet and lonely feeling, so I listened to While I was still in high school, MSNBC a lot of instrumental music and started So, has Smith made you an honorary rolled up into my driveway after school teaching myself to improvise and com- member of the 2017 class? one day. Unannounced? Yes! And I had a pose by listening to movie soundtracks. No, they’ve not responded in any way. bio test the next day. In some ways it’s like learning to speak, you learn different phrases to say the How did it make you feel to have Has the Caitlyn Jenner media jambo- same thing by listening to others. The New York Times advocate for that ree affected your day-to-day life? I applied for the grant so I could create in a piece by its Editorial Board? If you mean her presence in reality TV, something for others to enjoy and find It was affirming and definitely a nice it really hasn’t. She doesn’t define the a way to give back to the transgender feeling. Having The New York Times typical trans narrative, and she honestly community. I used it to make an album write about you is good for your cause. doesn’t have much in common with me. of instrumental music titled “Hyaline I’m very glad she’s given a voice to the Songs,” that, with a booklet of liner notes, We know why not Smith, but community, but I hope that she realizes tells my story of growing up as a Chinese why UConn? there have been a lot of voices in this American trans woman. Fifty percent of There are a lot of resources at UConn community belonging to people who the proceeds will go to two nonprofits that I couldn’t find at other schools. have been around the block for a lot that work with trans people. [Learn more Other schools wouldn’t allow me to be a longer. It’s sort of a risky thing to at s.uconn.edu/calliope.] pre-med English major, putting the hard put a young person in a spotlight —and sciences and humanities together. I get that’s sort of what she is, in trans years. What’s one thing you want non trans to do that here. In the morning I might Awareness of trans people itself doesn’t — or cisgender — people to know and be synthesizing aspirin in my Organic change things. appreciate about trans people? Chem lab and in the afternoon I’ll be I am many other things besides trans. I dissecting lines from Beowulf. “I am many other also happen to be Chinese American, an activist, a gamer, a writer, a sci-fi geek, Why pre-med? things besides trans.” among other things. I’m only 20; I have a I’d like to be an endocrinologist, a doctor lot of room to grow. As people grow they who works with people with hormonal What do you mean? accumulate more and more parts of their disorders. This includes transgender There are so many socioeconomic personalities and it’s our job to integrate people, so I’d be able to help my own issues that trans people face. Lack of these parts, and to give other people the community as well. That’s one of the medical access and insurance coverage, chance to integrate, too. I guess what I’m main reasons I’ve decided on this path: I lack of employment protections, and so trying to say is that we have a lot to learn want to be useful to the trans kids who’ll many other issues. Okay, sure, we have from one another. come in the generations after me, as a marriage equality, but look at the rate way of giving back to the community that of trans youth expelled from homes and What are you fighting for right now? raised me. I’m training to be a doctor to in poverty. Forget the “trans” label for a Education is one priority. I’m part of fill a need, to figure out, ‘How do we help minute — do you want this for your child­ TSER (Trans Student Educational

Peter Morenus Peter people survive?’ I want to be a culturally ren? We really must make our politics Resources), which was started by trans competent doctor who can do just that. about human beings and their survival. activist Eli Erlick of California. There are STUDENT PERSPECTIVE a lot of issues in educational inequality — And why English? You work so hard and do so much. Do students being discriminated against or I had a high school English teacher who you ever stop and tell yourself, ‘Good not feeling safe. That’s not okay. People CALLIOPE WONG ’16 encouraged me to write. I was good Job, Calliope?’ need to be going to school in safe envi- at hiding behind words and she saw Things have changed. This is good, this is ronments, yet there are a lot of students A woman of many talents, Wong told us about recording an album, crusading for through the vocabulary and competent what we’ve been working for. Of course who can’t feel comfortable just going to transgender equality, and deciding to graduate a full year early — with honors. writing and challenged me to write I sleep in sometimes like everyone else. the bathroom. Renaissance Woman Calliope Wong honestly. After that, my writing helped But I do try to remind myself, ‘Now let’s But I’m only one person. I’m in my posed for us at the piano in von der If the name Calliope Wong is familiar to you, it’s most likely because, since not being me explain who I am to myself. keep moving.’ third and last year in college. At the Mehden Recital Hall. accepted to Smith College in 2013, Wong ’16 (CLAS) has been making headlines fighting Calliope is the Muse of Poetry. I picked end of a day, I’ve only had 24 hours like for the rights of gender-transitioning women to gain acceptance to women’s colleges. my own name from the main character Speaking of pats on the back, everyone else. To listen to the album Calliope A number of colleges have changed their policies in the past few years, including this in Jeffrey Eugenides’ Middlesex. Gender congratulations on being one of the recorded courtesy of an IDEA fall, Smith. When that happened The New York Times ran an editorial asking Smith to identity and life in general weren’t simple 26 recipients of the UConn 2014 IDEA A note to leave us on? grant, go to s.uconn.edu/calliope. make Wong an honorary member of their Class of 2017 saying, “Smith didn’t give Ms. for that character, and the story made grants. Tell us about your project. You’re going to get a lot more than Wong an education. But the student’s courage and tenacity taught her dream school a a big impact on me in high school. The Well, it’s important to get some back- one story from a person if you stick great deal.” short version is, I picked English because ground. I studied classical piano until my around. We are all much more capable While that bravery and activism is what she’s most known for, since enrolling at I want to become someone useful, but I freshman year of high school. Then, from of connecting than we imagine. — LISA UConn in 2013, Wong’s been tackling a number of arenas. She’s an English major pre- also want to become someone genuine. freshman to sophomore year, life got STIEPOCK

10 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 11 UCONN NOW

GOING UP Skidmore, Owings & Merrill Skidmore, SOME OF THE MANY PROJECTS MAKING UCONN BIGGER AND BETTER:

TECHNOLOGY PARK UConn broke ground this fall for the Technology Park’s inaugu- ral structure, a 113,000-square-foot, multilevel facility known as the Innovation Partnership Building or IPB (rendered above). On the North Campus, it should be ready for occupancy in 2017.

DOWNTOWN HARTFORD CAMPUS The former Hartford Times building is the centerpiece of a cam- pus with courtyards, an interior atrium, and ground-floor shops. By fall 2017, it could be home to 2,300 students and 250 faculty.

NEXTGEN RESIDENCE HALL This living and learning facility will house hundreds of Storrs COLLECTIONS STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) Scholars. Construction began in November 2014 and completion is Inside the Biology/Physics Building in Storrs lies a Biodiversity Research Collections targeted for fall 2016. Michael Fiedler Room where nearly a million specimens are preserved, from polar bear skins to specks of bugs that make a flea look mighty. All are lovingly overseen by Scientific ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE BUILDING MAKING GOOD Collections Manager Jane O’Donnell ’76 (CLAS), ’79 MS, ’86 Ph.D, who shared with A new high-performance building and laboratory in Storrs us these iridescent beetles. Pinpointed labels tell the story of each researcher who will host interdisciplinary research in fields, such as bio-nano has attempted a bug identification, along with the date and place the specimen was MUSIC ON A MISSION collected. Watch illustrator Virge Kask ’79 (CLAS), ’84 MA, making art from bugs like engineering and cyber-physical systems engineering. Con­ these at s.uconn/edu/beetles. struction began in June 2015 and should be done summer 2017. The New Orleans-style Funky Dawgz Brass Band is made up AND JUST OPENED... of alums and current students who say they are on a mission ...the UConn Health Outpatient Pavilion and the Jackson to “rejuvenate music.” The group teaches master classes and Laboratory for Genomic Medicine in Farmington. makes music at inner-city elementary, middle, and high schools ...the Werth Family Champions Basketball Center in Storrs throughout Connecticut. On occasion, they also can be found (tour the center at s.uconn.edu/championstour). rocking Storrs Center (above). Listen in at s.uconn.edu/dawgz.

IN DEVELOPMENT

PROFESSOR VOWS TO REGENERATE HUMAN LIMBS BY 2030

On Veteran’s Day the University of Connecticut announced the launch of its new grand research challenge: regeneration of a human knee within 7 years, and an entire limb within 15 years. This major international research undertaking is called The HEAL Project, which stands for Hartford Engineering a Limb. It is the brainchild of UConn Health’s Cato T. Laurencin, a leading surgeon-scientist in orthopaedic surgery, engineering, and the new field of regenerative engineering, whose laboratory research successes include the growth of bone and knee ligaments. “This research initiative will be a game-changer for regenerative therapies,” says Laurencin.

Find more at s.uconn.edu/limbs

12 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU Morenus and Right: Peter Left Bottom JANUARY 2016 UCONN NOW

BY THE NUMBERS CLASS OF 2019

DEBUNKED

THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS FRESHMEN MAKING WHO APPLIED TO THE STORRS THE STARS MAY IN FACT DICTATE YOUR 5,200 UP THE UCONN CLASS OF 2019 CAMPUS, A NEW RECORD HIGH POTENTIAL STAR POWER

In academia, professors study one the zodiac effect, with children who were more likely to become famous, perhaps another’s research and often do their born earlier in the year, and who were because they have more early success own research to disprove, or debunk, comparatively more mature, having and so have better self-esteem into adult­ THE NUMBER OF FRESHMEN 32% that prior research. Sometimes they more positive experiences overall. hood. But Hamilton found that the rela- 3,800 ENROLLED AT STORRS will even debunk the debunkers, tive age effect was dwarfed by the effect PERCENTAGE OF 2019 which is what UConn researcher Is Too: of being born under a wet astrological CLASS THAT IS FROM Mark Hamilton recently did. He con- UConn’s Hamilton, a social scientist sign such as Aquarius or Pisces. Being MINORITY GROUPS firmed prior research stating that the in the Department of Communication, born under a fixed sign, such as Aquarius, astrological signs we are born under was unconvinced. He had reviewed the Taurus, Leo, or Scorpio, also increased a may in fact hint at the futures we original paper for the Journal of Social person’s chances of finding fame. will lead. Here’s how the proving/dis- Sciences, and considered the data and Hamilton is working on an analysis of proving/re-proving, or in playground analysis to be sound. So he set out to 85,000 celebrities dating from 3000 B.C. terms the is/is not/is too, transpired. debunk the debunking, examine some of to the present. He says the seasonality the traditional astrological explanations, effect appears to hold true even in this THE AVERAGE SAT SCORE OF THE CLASS OF 2019 AT STORRS Is: and see if they could be aligned with large data set that stretches across mil- 1233 A 2013 paper in the Journal of Social known psychological findings. lennia and cultures. — KIM KRIEGER Sciences linked one’s birth month with Traditional Western astrology uses the likelihood of becoming a celebrity. elements (water, earth, air, and fire), sign Match the celebrity to the astrological sign at s.uconn.edu/starpower. This in itself was not surprising, as duality (bright/dark), and sign qualities 535 psychologists have long known that (cardinal, mutable, and fixed) to describe 145 certain personality traits tend to be and categorize seasonal effects on STUDENTS ENROLLING IN THE THE NUMBER OF associated with certain birth months. personality. It considers late December IN GOOD HEALTH HIGHLY SELECTIVE HONORS VALEDICTORIANS For example, people born in January and through early March as a “wet” time of PROGRAM & SALUTATORIANS February often are more creative, and year, and connects wetness with creativi- IN THE FRESHMAN PREFER EGGS TO have a higher chance of being diagnosed ty, for example. 1405 THOSE HONORS’ STUDENTS AVERAGE SAT SCORE CLASS THIS YEAR OATMEAL? GO FOR IT! with schizophrenia, than people born Hamilton looked at the same data at any other time of year. And people from the original paper, a set of 300 What if eating an egg for breakfast is just born in odd-numbered months tend to celebrities from the fields of politics, sci- as good as a bowl of oatmeal for people­ THE TOTAL NUMBER OF STUDENTS, INCLUDING NEW be more extroverted than those born in ence, public service, literature, the arts, with diabetes? Maybe even better? even-numbered months. and sports. He found that celebrities’ 12,700 FRESHMEN, WHO ARE LIVING ON CAMPUS AT STORRS Maria-Luz Fernandez, a professor of What was unusual about the ­Journal birth dates tended to cluster at certain nutritional sciences in the College paper, though, was that one of the times of the year. Wet signs were associ- of Agriculture, Health, and Natural authors was an astrophysicist, and the ated with a larger number of celebrities, ­Resources, says that this may be the case. paper’s introduction included an expla- as were signs classified as bright or fixed. Most diabetics learn that eating eggs, nation of the physics behind the astrolog- “Psychologists want to dismiss these TRADITIONS because of their cholesterol content, is ical calendar. The authors argued that astrological correlations,” says Hamilton, bad for their diet. But Fernandez and her although astrological or zodiac signs are “but there are seasonality effects that colleagues found evidence that an egg a ENGINEERING CENTENNIAL merely an accident of the sun’s location we have yet to explain.” Hamilton is not day may not only be an acceptable part In 1916 UConn (then called Connecticut in the cosmos, analysis shows that cer- arguing that heavenly bodies are the of a diabetic’s diet, it may prove to offer Agricultural College) enrolled 20 students tain signs do have a curious correlation true source of these effects; rather that unexpected protection against the un- in mechanical engineering. Today, 3,363 with fame. astrological aspects are just useful tools derlying inflammatory process that often undergrads are enrolled in twelve engi- that help people remember the timing leads to heart disease. Because eggs are neering majors and “we are partnering Is Not: and patterns of nature. filled with high-quality protein and other with industry and placing graduates with The next year, a psychologist published Hamilton found that relative age of valuable nutrients, are readily available the makers of America’s best fighter jets, a paper in Comprehensive Psychology children in a school cohort did have some in most of the world, are easy to prepare, submarines, computer defense technol- purporting to debunk the first paper’s effect on one’s propensity to become and taste good to most palates, Fernan- ogy, and biomedical devices. As a result, astrological findings. The author claimed a celebrity. Children who spend their dez says she will continue her testing. engineering is being reborn in Connecti- that relative age among all the children school years slightly older than the cut,” says Dean Kazem Kazerounian. in the same school grade could explain average among their peers are somewhat Learn more at s.uconn.edu/oatmeal. Universtiy of Connecticut Archives, 1940-1949. Archives, of Connecticut Universtiy 1916–2016 14 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 15 GOING, GOING,

GONE. By Sheila Foran ’83 (BGS), ’96 Ph.D. Around the globe, on every continent, UConn professors Photo Illustrations by are working to prevent species extinction in the face of Christa Tubach escalating climate change.

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 For every degree that global temperatures rise, more species will become extinct, says Mark Urban, a Mackenzie, a colleague from the Marine Biological Laboratory He points out, however, that Golden has discovered that the fish UConn professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. If current climate policies are not modified, warns at Woods Hole, Mass., were able to wrangle a one-day travel do have microscale genetic variations, and that this leads to ques- Urban, rising global temperatures will threaten up to one in six species. exception from the Alaska Department of Natural Resources. tions that will be answered only by further research. Overall, his study, which was originally published in the journal Science, predicts a nearly 3 percent This allowed them to make their trek to their base camp with a “We don’t know yet whether this genetic variation is related mountain of fish traps, antennas, tagging equipment, and sup- to specific traits or whether there are just genes differentiating species extinction rate based on current conditions. If the Earth warms another 3°C, the extinction risk plies, not to mention all the camping gear and food needed for an randomly on a really localized scale,” he says. “But if we do find rises to 8.5 percent. And if climate change continues on that trajectory, the world will experience a 4.3°C extended stay in the headwaters. genetic differences that are related to different traits, it may be rise in temperature by the year 2100 — resulting in a 16 percent extinction rate. Golden and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology Professor that there are fish that are becoming adapted to being lake fish To make matters worse, the species we know are threatened by climate change, polar and grizzly Mark Urban have travelled to Alaska the past two summers to and others that are adapting to being stream fish; ones that bears for instance, may be just the tip of the iceberg. Urban found that the risk of species loss is most study the Arctic grayling, a fish that is considered a keystone are voyagers that go far downstream, while others stay localized. acute for those continents that have unique climate ranges, with native species that can survive only in a species in the far northern streams it inhabits. Their goal has “Since fragmentation of a species can lead to loss of resil- limited range. Yet those regions are the ones researchers have studied the least. Nearly 60 percent been to evaluate the relationship between climate change and ience in the population as a whole, this is something that we will of studies about the effects of climate change have centered on North America and Europe. But South the movement, plasticity (the ability of an organism to change in continue to study into the future as we make repeated trips back America, Australia, and New Zealand are at greatest risk for species loss, says Urban. Urban is one of response to the environment), and adaptability of the grayling. to the Arctic.” dozens of UConn researchers at work around the globe studying the effect of climate change on species of all shapes and sizes. Read on for six reports from the field (and Check out GoPro video from Urban and Golden in Alaska at s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone. Fstream and ocean and mountain...). “This was the warmest May on record on the North Slope, going back to when records were first kept in 1925.”

This is part of Urban’s larger quest to determine how evolu- tionary and community dynamics shape species distributions and how habitat fragmentation, reflected by changes in an organism’s preferred environment, can cause changes in them that might make them more or less susceptible to extinction. “The climate in the Arctic is changing more rapidly than A FISH TALE virtually anywhere else in the world. If we can study these WHO NEEDS HAWAII? changes and learn from them, we may be able to better under- PROFESSOR: Mark Urban & stand what is happening elsewhere,” says Urban. PROFESSOR: Peter Auster Ph.D candidate Heidi Golden In order to understand the population dynamics of the graylings, the fish are caught in nets and fitted with passive SUBJECT: Coral and sponges SUBJECT: Arctic grayling integrative transponder (PIT) tags. Their movements are then PLACE: Gulf of Maine PLACE: Alaska tracked using antennas strategically placed along the rivers they populate. Brilliantly colored gardens of red tree coral, fan coral, When Ecology and But this year was somewhat problematic. “We thought and multiple species of sponge grow on underwater Evolutionary ­Biology we’d arrived early enough in the season so that overland travel ridges and along the walls of box canyons deep in Ph.D student Heidi wouldn’t be an issue, but this was the warmest May on record on the cold waters of the Gulf of Maine off the northeast Golden arrived in Fairbanks, the North Slope, going back to when records were first kept in coast of the United States. Alaska, last May, one of her 1925,” says Golden. The ground was thawing and Alaskans were The question is, “Who knew?” missions was to deliver fish- experiencing what they believe is T-shirt weather, but this isn’t BThere are stories dating back to the 1800s of fishermen in the Wmonitoring gear to locations what springtime in the fiftieth state used to mean!” Gulf recovering pieces of coral that had snagged on their gear, but along the rivers and head­ In addition to the transportation difficulties caused by the until recently there were only educated guesses as to the actual waters of three watersheds in snowmelt, there were fewer adult fish for the research team to extent of the coral, and where it might be located. the Brooks Mountain Range catch. While there were a lot of juveniles and fish that looked like Peter Auster and his colleagues from the University of Maine on Alaska’s North Slope. they might become capable of spawning, not many were actually and the National Marine Fisheries Service spent part of the past However, when she doing so. The true indication that something was different, three summers aboard UConn’s Research Vessel RV Connecticut walked off the plane she Golden explains, was how early the young of the year (YOY) came searching for these deep sea coral communities. Using remotely was greeted by 60-degree out from under the gravel in the streambeds. “They were about controlled underwater vehicles and sophisticated data teleme- temperatures and a rapidly three weeks earlier than average, and that’s really, really early.” try and video technologies, they literally ‘walked’ their cameras disappearing snowpack. This And, she says, “With weather this warm, there are repercus- along the ocean floor in search of their elusive quarry. unseemly weather had sions for both the YOY and the adults. A warm year is good for Auster is Research Professor Emeritus of Marine Sciences at resulted in a ban on the use the young because it helps them grow rapidly, but the effect is UConn’s Avery Point Campus, Science Director of the Northeast­ of snow machines and other just the opposite for the adults. They are territorial by nature and Underwater Research Technology & Education Center off-road vehicles on the exact don’t like to be crowded, so they are under considerable stress. (NURTEC), and a Senior Research Scientist at Mystic Aquarium.­ overland routes she needed to There’s also a heightened risk of predation, as they get eaten by He explains that marine scientists believe that the deep sea travel to get critical supplies gulls and other birds and animals that find them vulnerable when corals that remain today are vestiges of communities that were to the research sites. they became stranded in shallow pools.” much more widely distributed in the past. They are particularly But field biologists are According to Urban, the Arctic grayling is not in danger of susceptible to things like climate change. nothing if not resource- extinction because of their circumpolar distribution, even with “Deep sea coral communities are sensitive to environmental ful, and she and Cameron the lower numbers counted by the research team this summer. changes and vulnerable to human activities, such as commercial The snow-less scene that greeted researchers in Alaska last spring. UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 fishing and oil and gas exploration,” says Auster. “Federal legis- lation acknowledges these problems and the need for conserva- tion. In fact, the United Nations General Assembly has passed several resolutions that are focused on this deep sea coral and other ecologically fragile communities because of their vulnera- bility to outside forces. That’s why we set out to find what might be hidden in the Gulf of Maine.”

The Gulf stretches from the western tip of Nova Scotia all Mejias David the way to Cape Cod, Mass., and spans 36,000 square miles. It is home to more than 2,200 species of marine life and birds, and en- compasses Georges Bank, an immense shoal that for generations IN GOOD SHAPE was one of the world’s richest commercial fishing grounds. Auster's scientific team has identified five distinct high- PROFESSOR: Morgan Tingley density patches of coral widely spaced across the Gulf and Mountain species boasting formations that extend anywhere from about 25 to SUBJECT: 40 feet high at depths of more than 600 feet. They are not only PLACE: Global surprising in their size, according to Auster, but are unbelievably DIAMOND— complex and beautiful. Close your eyes and ROCKY MOUNTAINS “It’s amazing we have been able to make these types of dis- imagine a mountain. coveries in one of the most well studied parts of the global ocean, What does it look like? and after a bit more than half a century of people diving with What shape is it? submersibles in this region. I’ve been doing this kind of work Most likely you imagined for over 30 years and I was stunned when we first found these A research station in Greenland. something pyramid shaped: canyon walls covered in coral.” Cbroad on the bottom, pointy on top, and tapering in For more about the coral, including stunning between. If that’s what you photographs, go to s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone. envisioned, you’re not alone. “These [Arctic] whales may be among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.” Scientists have been describ- ing mountains this way for decades, especially in the context of climate change and “Most of my work involves looking at the top of the food web specialized eaters, but these findings raise the issue of whether, its effect on living things. PYRAMID— at things like polar bears and other marine mammals. They tend under rapidly changing conditions, such as ocean warming, they But a study co-authored to have high levels of PCBs, DDT, and other toxins in their sys- might actually be much more opportunistic,” says McKinney. by Assistant Professor of ALPS & GREAT DIVIDING RANGE tems. Even though these contaminants, called organochlorines, “They are voracious eaters and it doesn’t take many of them to Ecology and Evolutionary haven’t been used in the Arctic to any extent, they are able to consume a large number of a smaller species, such as seals and Biology Morgan Tingley make their way long distances through atmospheric and aquatic other whales. This leads us to wonder if the killer whales every- and published in the journal pathways. Eventually, they get into Arctic food systems. Tissue where in Arctic waters are beginning to feed on marine mammals Nature Climate Change, samples taken from polar bears across their circumpolar range and what the potential impact on those populations may be.” shows that when you look clearly showed elevated levels of these contaminants and that is Every puzzle has large and small pieces and, on the smaller at entire mountain ranges, definitely cause for concern,” says McKinney. end of the size scale, are the prey fish that have traditionally such as the Rockies or the The Beaufort Sea polar bears McKinney studies have tradi- formed a large part of the diets of seals, whales, larger fish, and Himalayas, their shapes are tionally dined on ringed seals found on the ice. However, there sea birds. “Changes in prey fish populations have been observed more accurately portrayed has been noticeable erosion of the sea ice in that region and an in regions like the Hudson Bay over the past thirty years,” says as diamonds, hourglasses, or increasing number of bears are eating whales that have been McKinney. “Arctic prey fish have largely been replaced by sub- even upside-down pyramids. PUZZLING hunted by indigenous peoples and whose carcasses remain arctic species and this has led to diet changes in sea birds and This mind-twisting real­ on shore. marine mammals. We’re looking at the contaminant differences ity, say the authors, could be PROFESSOR: Melissa McKinney “Lately,” says McKinney, “we have been finding a strong among various types of fish and what that might mean in terms of a boon for some species but relationship between sea ice change and how much of this food quality.” more serious peril for others, INVERSE PYRAMID— SUBJECT: Polar bears, ringed seals, orcas, and their prey on-shore food they eat. We think these dietary changes may be So the puzzle continues to evolve. All along the food chain, as the Earth’s climate contin- PLACE: Greenland important mechanisms that relate to the health of the bears.” species are exposed to what has been consumed before. And, ues to change. KUNLUN MOUNTAINS Another species of particular interest to McKinney is the although McKinney’s research doesn’t extend to the individual Conventional mountain Melissa McKinney is assembling a giant jigsaw puzzle. orca or killer whale. This is a species that doesn’t traditionally at the very top of that chain, there are others who are exploring wisdom goes like this: As you But instead of using pieces of colored cardboard, she inhabit Arctic waters, although there is anecdotal evidence that the diets of the indigenous peoples who inhabit the far north and climb up in elevation, tem- gets to use whales, polar bears, seals, and fish. On top there are more of them spending time in the far north than ever who hunt and fish for their food. perature decreases. As the of that, she doesn’t have an already completed picture to tell her before, and that they are staying for longer periods of time. McKinney says it is her hope that some of her research can Earth warms, species adapted what the end result will look like, although she has her suspi- McKinney says that, based on evidence from biopsies of their be used to support international agreements regarding the use to their current climate must cions. blubber, these whales may be among the most contaminated of chemicals worldwide.“If contaminants can reach the Arctic, move higher and higher in MMcKinney is an assistant professor in the Department of Nat- marine mammals in the world. The orcas that McKinney has it means they are present throughout the global food web. It’s elevation to stay in those ural Resources and the Environment and she also holds a joint her eyes on now are those that are showing up off the coast of really important to me that there is awareness of how human best-adapted conditions. appointment in UConn’s Center for Environmental Sciences­ and Greenland. “The killer whales of the North Atlantic have not activities in one location can potentially affect other species, Climate change acts like an Engineering. Her background in ecotoxicology involves the study been studied as much as those on the west coast, but in the past even in remote regions of the planet. Saying that we need to be escalator, taking species fur- of how toxic chemicals affect biological organisms. This expertise few years more and more of them have been sighted off Green- stewards of the Earth isn’t just an idle thought. It’s something we ther and further up. At the top has led her to an exploration of how global climate changes may land,” she says. really have to take seriously.” of a mountain, then, species be playing a role in how various species that call the northern These giant predators may be primarily fish eaters, but recent would get crowded, and be, in latitudes home are affected by synthetic, or manmade, organic evidence suggests that at least some of the whales are consum- For more on McKinney and her work, go to s.uconn.edu/ effect, pushed off the escala- HOURGLASS— compounds. ing seals and other whales. “Killer whales are thought to be very goinggoinggone. tor into extinction. HIMALAYAS

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 levels — plants, caterpillars, and the wasps and flies that para- sitize them — change across latitudes as a function of climate differences. For the uninitiated, parasitism plays a vital role in population control of insects. A parasite is an organism that spends a signif- icant portion of its life in or on the living tissue of a host species. In this case, wasps and flies are the parasites and caterpillars play the role of host. Many different species of wasps and flies lay their eggs in or on caterpillars and their larval stages feed in the inside of their host. Nearly always, the caterpillar doesn’t survive, but the insect assassins do, making this unique relationship one of nature’s most delicate balancing acts. JURASSIC FLOWER

PROFESSOR: Carl Schlichting A Himalayan monal and a Himalayan mountain range. SUBJECT: Pelargonium and Protea plants Not necessarily, according to Tingley and co-author Paul PLACE: South Africa Elsen, an ecologist who studies the birds of the Himalayas. Tra- have to be asking: What is the species? Where is it? What is versing mountains in the Himalayan range, Elsen had observed the topography? And, importantly, where is that “Humans may be changing the climate faster than that natural features like steep slopes, plateaus, and deep ravines species likely to go?” — CHRISTINE BUCKLEY at any other time in the past,” says Carl Schlichting, can increase or decrease a mountain’s habitable area. professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and “In the Himalayas, you can hike up a really steep slope to a Read the study and a more in-depth lead investigator on a study of how plant communities high elevation, at about 15,000 feet, and reach vast expanses of article at s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone. in South Africa are adapting to climate change. habitat,” says Tingley. Using the most comprehensive public data Wagner describes what he has observed this way. “We have Schlichting’s group’s research is taking place in the Greater set available on mountain ranges, Tingley and Elsen analyzed the found that as climate becomes more dynamic and less predict- Cape Floristic Region of South Africa, which is home to two surface area across elevations for 182 distinct mountain ranges H able, as in the arid lands of the American Southwest, parasitism worldwide biodiversity hotspots: the shrub-filled fynbos and the on all six inhabited continents. rates by natural enemies declines. Lower parasitism translates to desert karoo biomes. These biomes are among the most biolog- What they found has turned their idea of mountains literally more caterpillars and that leads to more defoliation and greater ically diverse regions on Earth, says Schlichting, containing as inside-out: More than two-thirds of all the mountain ranges did loss of fruits, vegetables, flowers, and other vegetation. much plant diversity as the Amazon rainforest in South America. not conform to a pyramid shape. Instead, 39 percent had a major- “As we destabilize the climate and heat up the atmosphere, Two groups of flowering shrubs native to this area have been ity of their area at mid-elevation (a diamond shape), 23 percent it becomes harder for natural enemies to control the numbers undergoing rapid diversification for the past 15 million years or had dips in available area at mid-elevation (an hourglass), and of caterpillars. This, in turn, makes it harder to avoid defoliating so: Pelargonium, which includes garden-variety geraniums, and 6 percent had most of their area at high elevations (an inverted plants that may play important environmental and economic Protea, which includes the national flower of South Africa. The pyramid). roles.” habitats in which these plants occur have historically experi- Tingley says these findings throw a big wrench into theories More herbivory — the eating of plant matter — can mean enced significant and rapid warming and drying events, yet these that depend on an assumed escalator effect. The Rocky Moun- significantly lower crop yields and loss of income for farmers plants have survived and even diversified. tains, for example, are a diamond-shaped range, so animals and ranchers. The data Wagner and his colleagues are collecting To understand the key to these plants’ success, Schlichting and plants living in the foothills may actually see an increase in across continents will allow them to model the potential impacts and his colleagues have been measuring many of the shrubs’ available space as they move up these mountains. THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR of changing climates, both as a function of increasing mean tem- physical features, such as leaf characteristics and rates of photo- Similarly, species that live at mid-elevation in hourglass peratures and greater climate fluctuations. synthesis. They are also sequencing most of the genomes of 200 -shaped ranges also might find more space at higher elevations. PROFESSOR: Dave Wagner In addition to his teaching and research for UConn, Wagner of the 260 species across the two groups. “No studies of plants The Himalayan monal, a rooster-sized, rainbow-colored, mys- takes part in what he calls ‘science boot camps’ with Earthwatch, have ever sequenced so much of the genome in so many related SUBJECT: Caterpillars terious pheasant — famous as the inspiration for the character a non-profit organization that supports scientific research while species,” says Schlichting. Kevin in the Disney/Pixar movie “Up” — currently lives in the PLACE: American Southwest engaging citizen scientists in actual field work. The scientists will combine this genetic information with the middle of the hourglass-shaped Himalayas. A species like this The research teams are composed of both business execu- plants’ physical traits to find genes that are likely to be responsi- could benefit from shifting up, says Tingley. By far, the caterpillar must be considered one tives and scientists working together on equal footing. Wagner ble for different traits, which Schlichting says is key to estimating But for other species, such as animals in the foothills of the of nature’s most intriguing, colorful, and bizarre explains that what he finds especially gratifying about this expe- how fast evolution has occurred. Himalayas, there may be far less space to move to at the middle of manifestations of life on earth. rience is that a few attendees who’ve been sent by their corpo- “We want to reconstruct what these leaves looked like in the the mountain than there is higher up, says Tingley. He calls these Caterpillars are the larval stage of Lepidoptera, the order of rations to learn something about the climate and sustainability past,” he says. “What did they look like fifteen million years ago?” areas “bottlenecks.” insects that includes moths and butterflies, and they hold partic- may show up being skeptical about whether climate change is By connecting historical climate changes to these models “Some species that are at low elevation on hourglass moun- ular fascination for David Wagner, a professor in the Department real or not, and others wonder why they should care. of past plant characteristics, the scientists can determine what tain ranges could go through a mid-elevation bottleneck where Bof Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. In part, this is because of “But after they listen to our lectures and become full partic- effect previous climate change has had on plant species diver- there’s not as much space,” he says. “If you can make it through the role that caterpillars and their enemies play as bellwethers ipants in the science,” he says, “they discover how complex and sification. They can then use this information to predict what the bottleneck, that’s great, but if you’re a species that’s narrowly for climate change across continents and in dramatically differ- delicate our ecosystems are, and how important it is for corpo- the plants will look like under different climate scenarios in the restricted in its elevation range, you could go extinct before you ent environments. rations to take part in efforts to control climate and promote future. expand into that higher-elevation space.” “My research on caterpillars and their association with biodiversity. For example, if past warming events led to smaller leaves in a And in the case of inverted pyramid ranges, where most of the plants and with their natural enemies involves collaborating “They drink the Kool Aid,” he says with a laugh, “and it’s particular group of plants, the leaves may continue to get smaller area is toward the top, there would be more area for animals and with colleagues from more than a dozen institutions in regions probably the most important thing I do because we reach a novel as the planet warms in the future. However, smaller leaves may plants as they move upward — until the very top, of course, where extending from New England to the rain forests of South Amer­ audience, often filled with skeptics, and we turn them into believ- limit the ability of the species to collect the sun’s energy, and may all mountains end. ica to the deserts of the American Southwest, and back to Storrs,” ers and advocates for a sustainable world.” lead to its eventual extinction. — CHRISTINE BUCKLEY Tingley says he hopes conservationists will take mountain says Wagner. topography into account when creating species conservation He and his fellow entomologists are particularly interested For more on Wagner’s studies and startling photos of the To learn the latest on the team's genome mapping, go to plans. “When it comes to conserving species on mountains, we in documenting how the interrelationships across three tropic caterpillars he stalks, go to s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone. s.uconn.edu/goinggoinggone.

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016

We’ve all crossed our fingers as the ball leaves the point guard’s Goalie Rob Nichols ’17 (BUS) hands, or as the kicker’s cleat meets the pigskin. We’ve watched has a few lucky things he does as baseball greats — and their fans — grow “playoff beards” and before he plays — taping his flip on their rally caps. Some of us have probably been unlucky stick up, as most goalies do; enough to be in smelling range of a hockey goalie’s lucky socks. eating a meal of steak and pasta the night before home Whether it’s to gain some control or out of simple superstition, games; drinking a coffee athletes will do interesting things for a little extra luck, and before taking the ice. But it’s UConn Huskies are no exception. Read on to learn about what playing with a racquetball that some UConn student-athletes do to get their heads in the game. sets his head straight.

Watch these athletes and their teammates get game-ready at “I bounce it around, dribble it, s.uconn.edu/superstition. throw it off the wall,” he says. “I’d feel pretty different if I didn’t do that. It gets my mind in the right place. It helps me get comfortable.”

24 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016

This squad’s infield and out- field groups have pre-game traditions they say are more for fun than superstition. Roisin Upton ’16 (CLAS), a team captain from Limerick, The infield players stack Third baseman Willy Ireland, likes to wear some- their gloves on the foul line Yahn ’18 (ACES) wears a thing that reminds her of To get the crowd fired up at before every game and, after long-sleeved undershirt to home every time she plays: UConn home meets, the team the team huddle breaks every game, regardless of an Ireland wristband. But has used the same tried-and- up, the third baseman or temperature, because he has she says her most important true routine for years: They shortstop tosses the gloves been doing it since he was good-karma ritual is some- enter single file to the sounds to each player as they take 11 years old. He says it’s his thing Coach Nancy Stevens of Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy their positions. Meanwhile, good-luck charm. “I haven’t encouraged her to do. “At the Train,” and do a cheer at the the outfield players have a practiced or played a game start of each season, I write middle of the pool. Then secret handshake that ends without long sleeves in about the initials of who I play for one of the swimmers, such with them shouting a pump- nine years.” on my stick,” she says. as Greg Baliko ’16 (CLAS) up word or phrase, such as leads a “U-C-O-N-N, UConn! “Together!” or “Dog House!” Other than that, though, The initials of her mom, dad, UConn! UConn!” shout-out Each new team adds its own you’d be hard-pressed to get and two brothers, who always from the 3-meter diving twist. a Husky baseball player to cheered her on back home, board. Insanity ensues. admit to any talisman, says are most important. “We do all of it to create Coach Jim Penders. Baseball a sense of unity and to players are the kings and “It is important for me to add a little bit of extra fun queens of ritual and super- have them on my stick,” to our warm-ups,” says stition, which is underscored says Upton, “to remember Heather Fyfe ’16 (CLAS). by the bit of baseball lore that how lucky I am to have their “When you come off the field claims revealing any super- support and to do my best from warm-ups feeling loose, stition is sure to jinx it! to make them proud while there is a pretty good chance I am here on this amazing you are going to take it into adventure.” the game.” (Find a picture of Heather on page 2.)

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 27

Annie Belanger ’18 (BUS) has a few good-luck habits — she only re-tapes her hockey stick if she loses, and has separate sticks for practice and play. But it’s her pre-game ritual that takes things to the extreme. She swears she follows this exact routine each and every game day:

 10 a.m.: Wake up. Put on track suit. Get breakfast with the team.

After breakfast: Sleep for 45 minutes.

Wake up.

 Put headphones on; listen to pre-game play­­list #1 while walking in circles dribbling a tennis ball.

“If anyone tries to talk to me at that point, I probably won’t even notice,” says Belanger. “I do that until I’m in a good mindset to play. It usually takes 40 to 50 minutes.”

 Get dressed.

 Go to the rink.

 Change into warm-up clothes. Wear a hat, only when away from the net.

 Head into an empty locker room and listen to pre-game playlist #2, while dribbling the tennis ball until 1:23.

 1:25 p.m.: Team meeting. Team warm-up. Play soccer to de-stress and have fun.

 Get dressed in official gear. Everything goes on the left first — skate, knee pad — For these student-athletes, accessories are about more than looking good for a meet — these women believe the right studs then the right. Before the could make or break their performance. helmet, put on the purple bathing cap. [That cap is the same one she’s worn for Megan Chapman ’16 (CLAS), who throws Odrine Belot ’16 (CLAS), a conference Alana Pearl ’18 (CLAS), a distance runner, every game since she began the discus and hammer for outdoor track champion jumper, claims she has to wear buys a new pair of socks each year and then playing at 9 years old.] and the weight for indoor, must be ready pink laces on the shoe of her dominant wears them to every race. Nope, she doesn’t from head to toe. She always wears mis- jump leg (the right one). She also says she wash them — ever.  Game time. matched Disney socks and braids her hair “won’t feel comfortable” unless she eats into a bun set to one side of her head for luck. Welch’s fruit snacks and fruit belts before she jumps — she believes they fend off her nervousness and keep her alert. 28 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 29

June heat radiated from the nighttime arriving truck with four of her deputies. pavement as Glenn Smith ’87 (CLAS) Smith questioned, scribbled, tweeted, sprinted past the palmettos and live snapped cellphone photos, and finally oaks swaying anxiously in the beam of hur­ried to his office by 11 p.m. By 1 a.m., Charleston, S. C., streetlights. His flip- the stories by him and his colleagues were flops smacked the soles of his feet, their written and the paper went to press only harried slapping sound bouncing off the about an hour late; by 7 a.m., it was on city’s single-style houses and rapidly Charleston doorsteps. The headline read: replacing the rhythm of acoustic guitars Church shooting kills 9 — Manhunt on and beer-fortified singing that had so for suspect after ‘hate crime’ shooting at recently surrounded him. Emanuel AME. Glenn’s wife, Kitty, pulling clothes out What began as an evening of music of the dryer upstairs, heard his urgent and microbrews with neighborhood words as he burst in — “Lock the doors friends capped a long year colored by and stay inside, the shooter’s still out violence for the special projects editor at there.” — and he was gone again, running, South Carolina’s largest newspaper, The as always, toward the danger. Post and Courier. Smith’s state had seen Around the block, people clogged unparalleled domestic abuse, fatal police the street before the tall white church, brutality, and now a mass racist killing. milling, wailing, falling over one another. Smith’s deter­mination to run toward Police passed, perched with M16s cocked scenes of heartbreak such as this is on the hoods of slow-moving cruisers, nothing new. What is new is the fact combing the surrounding streets. A that he has recently been recognized for church member said he’d seen Reverend doing so, for pushing his state to enact

Pinckney rushed down the steps on a reform, and in the process earning a and Courier Post Beahm/ The Grace stretcher. The coroner emerged from an Pulitzer Prize.

Glenn Smith ’87 (CLAS ) believes in the power of good community journalism to effect lasting change. It’s what drives him toward scenes of violence — including the killings at the Emanuel AME church, which he helped cover for The Post and Courier in Charleston, South Carolina. 30 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 man was shot dead by a police officer, strengthened sentences for offenses. force in the past 15 years, and dozens who claimed self-defense, in North “It was such a moment,” Smith said of of newspapers have shut their doors. In September 2013, for the third year Charleston. Three days later, an hearing that news some 20 minutes after Croteau comments, though, that the running, the Violence Policy Center of ­anonymous tipper handed Smith a being handed the nation’s highest jour- internet has opened up a renaissance in Washington, D.C. named South Carolina video depicting Officer Michael Slager nalism award. “Absolutely gratifying.” long-form, investigative work. first in the nation for the rate of women shooting Walter Scott in the back as he “Done right, done the way Mr. Smith killed by men. A domestic violence coali- fled a routine traffic stop. The ensuing has done it, it is a noble profession,” she tion held a conference call and invited all national outrage redoubled the already says. state news media. massive media presence camped out Three weeks later, Smith was strumming Smith is grateful to have landed “a good Smith was the only reporter who outside North Charleston City Hall. those old classic rock tunes in a friend’s gig” at a family-owned newspaper that called. “I wondered, has the state gotten Smith and his colleagues didn’t sleep living room when his phone buzzed. values telling human stories. The amount so numb to this that it’s no longer a much. Times like these, says Smith, are “Get to that church near your house,” his of respect Smith commands in the com- ­story?” he recalls. a major reason hometown newspapers co-worker said. “Nine people are dead.” munity is “awesome,” says Pardue. Now an editor for a team of reporters, exist. Throughout his career, Smith’s focus “The kind of dogged, relentless, prying Smith says he wanted “to tell this story “We’re the local guys, so we needed to has been simple: Get it right. Find the reporting that Glenn is known for has in a way it hadn’t been told before.” His get it right,” he says. “We’re the only ones facts and tell accurate stories, and do it made a substantial difference, time and team spent eight months interviewing who can tell these stories with the right with sensitivity, humanism, context and time again.” context, because we live here.” Photos courtesy of Glenn Smith courtesy Photos domestic abuse survivors, lawmakers, meaning. Post-Pulitzer, Smith’s objective is to police, and social workers; building data- In the week following the murder of convince people that he and his team ar- bases using police reports, court records nine black people at a church prayer en’t a “one-trick pony.” Their August 2015 and interviews; and plotting details of circle, many national news organizations series on the harmful consequences of As a boy in Wethersfield, Conn., Smith “To look like that and be a cop reporter, it abusers and their histories on maps. Smith’s team was immersed in a series focused on the white gunman and his school choice has evoked controversy in spent mornings at the kitchen table, really takes something,” said Smith’s first The investigation, published the that would reveal 235 South Carolina racist manifesto. But on Sunday, June the state’s Department of Education, and boss at Charleston's The Post and Courier. sipping coffee and trading sections of the following August, revealed that more police-involved shootings in the previous 21, The Post and Courier’s front page had during the devastating fall flood, Smith Hartford Courant with his father. Teen- than 300 women had died at the hands six years when they paused for an after- only an image of nine palmetto leaves interviewed locals navigating downtown age Smith played classic rock in garage his first job as a crime reporter. Smith of abusive men in the previous decade, noon. twisted into roses, with a poem individu- on boats and paddleboards. bands, frequented Hartford used-music learned omnivorously about his beats: and while a person could serve up to five The newsroom was filled with flat- ally memorializing the nine victims. Pardue says that because Smith “can’t stores, and drew makeshift graphic the Capitol, City Hall, education, police, years for cruelty to a dog, first-offense screen TVs, and the chairman of their “These were our neighbors, these were shake being a cop reporter,” he’ll be novels. He was considering a career in art and minority affairs, and eventually domestic violence carried a maximum board and the company president joined our friends,” says Smith. “They were so running toward danger until old age stops until his father intervened. published a few feature stories. penalty of just 30 days in jail. the staff around the warren of desks. much more important than the shooter.” him. He’s probably right. According to “He said, ‘Glenn, you should go into He met Kitty at a Pogues cover band The multi-part series, titled “Til Death Nervously eyeing several bottles of By some estimates, the trade of jour­­ Smith, “There are so many stories left journalism. That’s where the money is.’” show, and they married in 1996 in a Do Us Part,” revealed poorly trained champagne, they tuned in to the Pulitzer nalism has cut 20 percent of its work- to do.” Smith chuckles. “He didn’t know a lot ceremony featuring raucous blues-rock police, inadequate punishment, little Prize’s YouTube channel. “Til Death Do about journalism.” and Cajun bands. Sick of New England funding for support programs, and Us Part” was nominated in the Public Smith declared a Journalism major as winters, and feeling a sense of wander- entrenched religious beliefs about mar- Service category: the most prestigious a freshman at UConn in 1983. The first lust, the couple moved two years later to riage, all adding up to a “corrosive stew,” Pulitzer and the only one that comes article he wrote came back with a failing Charleston, where The Post and Courier according to Mitch Pugh, The Post and with a gold medal. grade, with big marks off for style. But his hired Smith as a crime reporter. Courier’s editor-in-chief. Dozens of bills “I’d put it out of my mind,” says Smith second draft earned a B+. The first thing special projects had failed in committees in the preced- about the possibility that they might win Department Head Maureen Croteau ­reporter Doug Pardue noticed about ing decade. a Pulitzer. “What hubris it was to think saw potential when he began stopping by Smith when he arrived at The Post “On one side, you have someone being that we had a shot.” the Journalism office to say hello. and Courier was Smith’s waist-length, bludgeoned with an axe, and on the oth- Three minutes into the streaming “He had this way of speaking and ­braided ponytail. Pardue was impressed er, the legislature is declaring barbecue video, the room erupted. listening that made you think that you not by its fashion, but by its symbolism. the state food,” Smith says. “It’s one thing to win a Pulitzer at a were the most important thing he’d “To look like that, and to be a cop The attorney general pledged that place where they win them all the time,” done all day,” she says. “You trusted reporter, it really takes something,” he 2014 would be the year for comprehen- says Croteau, alluding to The New York him ­implicitly. That’s a great gift for a says. He watched Smith staunchly take sive domestic violence reform. The legis- Times and The Washington Post. “This journalist.” his liberal-looking ponytail with him on lature cobbled together reform bills, each was a Pulitzer won by people at a good In his coursework Smith learned to the daily crime beat in deeply conserva- stalling periodically over controversial newspaper doing a good job because it’s play with words, to employ description, tive South Carolina with a measure of provisions, such as gun bans and tiered the right thing to do.” to look beyond the obvious. He grew quiet curiosity and conviction, building systems of punishment. The next month at Columbia Univer- interested in people, in culture, and a trustworthy reputation with police and “We were at every remote subcommit- sity, surrounded by marble and pillars, remembers a Hartford Courant series on other law enforcement officials. tee hearing meeting,” says Smith. “We let the Pulitzer committee called the series heroin-addicted prostitutes. Vivid scenes Pardue would read Smith’s stories and them know we were watching, and were “riveting” and presented the gold medal Smith, center, and his colleagues to Smith, Pardue, Jennifer Berry Hawes, of women shooting up in front of the fine-tune them with a feature writer’s going to see this to the finish line.” at the Courier moments after Capitol dome still linger in his memory. eye. Despite an occasionally over-the-top Over the next six months, he and his and Natalie Caula Hauff. Walking out hearing about their Pulitzer win. “It was the greatest thing I had ever “Dashiell Hammett quality,” says Pardue, colleagues wrote more than 60 follow-up of the luncheon, Mitch Pugh checked read,” he says. “It exposed this incredibly Smith had a knack for storytelling, writ- stories, keeping a running tally of the Twitter and learned that the General human story that was right before your ing “the way people speak.” Before long, number of people, reportedly 30 by April, Assembly had finally passed a domestic What's Glenn been up to lately? Find out where he was during the epic flooding in October (it eyes, but you’d never seen.” the paper realized Smith was wasted on who died at the hands of partners while violence reform bill. Signed into law by involves falling into a manhole) at s.uconn.edu/glennsmith. You also will find a copy of the thank Croteau guided him to an internship crime reporting, says Pardue, and pro- lawmakers debated the details of reform. Governor Nikki Haley, the bill stripped you letter Smith wrote to his UConn journalism professor upon hearing of his Pulitzer win, as at the New Britain Herald that led to moted him to investigative reporter. Then, on April 4, an unarmed black abuse offenders of gun rights and well as links to the team's Pulitzer-winning series.

32 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 33 HOT OR TRUSTWORTHY? By Kim Krieger

UConn Communication professors Amanda Denes and Rory McGloin made waves recently with a study that measured how users of dating sites perceive trustworthiness in the people whose photos they peruse. Before we tell you what they found, try evaluating, on looks alone, the subjects in the photos at left the way one might on a dating site — with a simple for “Yes, has date potential,” or for “No, does not have date potential.” Head to the web at + + + s.uconn.edu/hotortrustworthy to find out more about those you chose to date and those you rejected.

According to research by UConn Communication two photos taken of them: one in a “natural” state, professors Amanda Denes and Rory McGloin and and the other “beautified” — dressed up and more student Olivia Kamisher, men judge very attractive well-groomed, with makeup and/or hair styling, for women as less trustworthy than average women instance. Study participants saw just one photo, and when they view them in photographs. But they’re still had to rate the person on attractiveness, trustworthi- willing to date them. ness and dateability. The research was inspired by online dating apps, The researchers focused on 305 participants who such as Tinder, in which you merely look at a photo identified as heterosexual and ranged in age from and swipe “yes” or “no.” From this briefest of judg- 17 to 36. Participants were randomly assigned to ments, Tinder matches you up. It would seem that view one of the four profile pictures of the male and the more attractive you can make yourself look in a female in “natural” or “beautified” state. photo, the more dates you can potentially get. And Participants were then asked a series of questions this does seem to be the case for both men and to determine the profile subject’s physical attractive- women, according to Denes and McGloin. But for ness, similarity (to the participant), trustworthiness, women posting pictures, it comes with a caveat. and, ultimately, their date-ability. + + + “You don’t want to portray yourself as so attractive In the future, the researchers hope to do a more you can’t be real,” says Denes. In other words: If you nuanced study that looks at several in-between really look like that, why do you need online dating? points to suss out how much smart clothing and On the other hand, men did not seem to suffer better grooming really matter, and whether there’s a from this perception problem. Women who saw an perfect point of enhancement. enhanced male subject’s picture rated him more Additionally, because this study was done with trustworthy and date-able than the same male sub- photographs, it’s not yet clear how far these results ject in a natural-state or dressed-down picture. Denes can be trusted off-line in the real world. and ­McGloin speculate that perhaps men have fewer options for self-enhancement than women. To play an interactive Hot or Trustworthy game that The researchers used pictures of just two people in ­reveals who those folks pictured at left are, go to the study, one man and one woman. Each person had ­s.uconn.edu/hotortrustworthy.

“Men judge very attractive women as less trustworthy than average women... But they're still + + + willing to date them.” Photos courtesy of participants courtesy Photos

34 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 35

BY ALEXIS DUDDEN, UCONN HISTORY PROFESSOR AND FULBRIGHT SCHOLAR

his past summer I was meetings of senior lawmakers that age of the Japanese population was indicated a wide majority of Japanese realizing that their current government lucky to be in Tokyo citizens opposed the legislation. The was poised to change all that. For a host during a major moment in moment is forever recorded in photo- of reasons — not in the least the way modern Japanese history. For graphs on front pages around the world parliamentary voting works in Japan of a fist-fighting melee inside parliament — opposition politicians failed and the the first time in more than 50 and tens of thousands outside in the rain ruling party was able to ram through years, Japanese citizens poured shouting, “No way! No war!” special legislation that would forever onto the streets in regular It was important to me as a histor­ian, redirect the nation’s peaceful interna- if nothing else, to observe and mingle tional posture. protest, beginning in groups of among the protestors on several The truly rich and diverse cross- several hundred last June and occasions in order to better grasp the section of people on the streets made growing to demonstrations of significance of what will be missed in clear a broad refusal to accept this new books of the future that might simply policy for Japan. Opinion poll after more than 100,000 people by state, “New security legislation was opinion poll revealed and continues to the end of September. enacted in September 2015.” reveal that a majority of Japanese agrees with the protestors and, as of this typing

Protestors were seeking to preserve Keeping the Peace in late fall, tens of thousands — even the law of their land, specifically the hundreds of thousands — continue to war-renouncing Article 9 of the ince its devastating defeat demonstrate, and remain committed to country’s constitution. In the wee hours in World War II, Japan’s self- preserving a decidedly anti-war stance of Sept. 19, the administration and its definition has rested powerfully for Japan. supporters had moved ahead to enact on Article 9, which forfeits war as a Different from many mass protest new security legislation known as sovereign right and for many equals movements around the world, whose “collective self-defense,” despite opinion national identity. participants seek sweeping changes polls, demonstrations, and emer­gency By early summer, a growing percent- to the structure of their societies, the

UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU ILLUSTRATIONS BY MARIA FABRIZIO JANUARY 2016 37

protesters in Japan continue to clamor as such, is something that undermines the age of the demonstrators grew to maintain the central law of their land: the “honor” of Japan. younger, and the actions spread through- Article 9. Significantly, this point of view out the country. It is important to keep in mind that incorporates not only the constitution’s rovisions in the bills include the One group calling itself “SEALDs” even with its war-renouncing clause, anti-war clause, but also its removal of ability for the Japanese govern- (Students’ Emergency Action for Liberal the Japanese constitution provides for the Japanese emperor from the center of ment to deploy troops abroad in Democracy) captured the nation’s atten- the right of self-defense. In addition and political power, its separation of religion combat settings to aid an ally such as the tion through its refreshing hipster style almost since its inception, some of the and state, its provisions for secular United States. For many, this amounts to and pacifist spin on French revolution country’s legislators with critical education, and the status of women — nothing less than a palace revolution on language and images. The bayonets of American backing have gradually among other things. the constitution itself. centuries past became megaphones, with transformed the nation’s forces into a On the other side of the debate is Arguably, what touched off this rallying cries like: Tell Me What Democ- world-class military. the majority of Japanese people who far broader consciousness and what racy Looks Like! This is What Democra- Dudden of Alexis Courtesy “Aspiring sincerely to an In other words, what’s at stake is not want to maintain Article 9, and who certainly surprised many Japanese was cy Looks Like! international peace based whether Japan will have a military, but support the protestors’ central demand, a live television appearance on June 4, This photo is from the Women in Red on justice and order, the rather when, where, why, and how Japa- even if they do not join them on the 2015, by three prominent constitutional protest. I am standing with Yokoyu Japanese people forever nese troops will fire their state-of-the-art streets. law scholars. Sonoko, one of Japan’s leading feminists. renounce war as a sovereign weapons. This standpoint concurs, more- The three testified unanimously ne moment that will always She is a sensation. For me, it was like right of the nation and the threat over, with that of most constitutional that the bills were unconstitutional, stand out for me came on June standing next to Mick Jagger. or use of force as means of law scholars in Japan, including my including the scholar who was specially 20. Together with a colleague settling international disputes. colleague, Keigo Komamura of Keio chosen to represent the administration’s who teaches in Chicago, I participated in To accomplish the aim of the apan’s constitution went into University. Professor Komamura argues viewpoint. They maintained that a peace action called, “Women in Red.” preceding paragraph, land, sea, effect in 1947 under the Amer- that, sure, we Japanese know that the the Abe administration’s notion of With abundant police permission, and air forces, as well as other ican occupation, which lasted “collective self-defense” exceeds the Americans imposed our constitution roughly 15,000 Japanese women, girls, History Professor and war potential, will never be from 1945 to 1952. It has never been constitutionally-permitted limits of during the occupation, but that doesn’t and a few men who had been invited Fulbright Scholar Alexis maintained. The right of amended, and for the first time in its safeguarding Japan. They argued that make the constitution a “loser.” Like the along, stood out from the customary Dudden writes and researches belligerency of the state will nearly 70-year history a divergence has the bills also exceed the definition of women’s right to vote, which it includes, Tokyo chic of beige, black, and navy by extensively about Japan and not be recognized.” emerged publicly over the nature of its peacekeeping efforts under United the constitution defines Japanese society wearing all sorts of bright red clothes Northeast Asia. She spearhead- legitimacy. Nations command and humanitarian today and thus is a “legitimate imposi- and hats and held hands with strangers ed the “Open Letter in Support In one camp is Japan’s current relief work, which a majority of Japanese tion,” very much including Article 9. to encircle the Japanese parliament of Historians in Japan,” an Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, and his also supports. Remarkably, thousands of law building (called “The Diet”). attempt to receive an official supporters. Abe, who is the grandson of Although the professors would only scholars like Professor Komamura, Speakers spoke, chanters chanted and apology on behalf of the “com- a man charged as a Class A war criminal, temporarily halt the legislative process, together with faculty in political science, danced in a chorus to save what they see fort women,” Japanese women is himself well known as a hawk with their collective moment in the spotlight history, economics, and others such as Japan’s gift to humanity: Article 9. and girls forced into sexual a rather strong determination to use taught the nation that something was as box office movie stars and popular Later on, I learned from a friend that her slavery by the Imperial Army history as a weapon to define himself and awry and provided a strong boost of legit- singers, regularly joined in with the 90-year-old mother wore red pa­ja­­­mas on during World War II. To date it Japan. imacy to the claims that the then-small protests throughout the day and night of her futon all day to mark the moment. In has been signed by 350, mostly Less well known, however, is Abe’s numbers of protesters were making on Sept. 19, making clear to many Japanese still immeasurable ways, the effect of this English-speaking, belief that the Japanese constitution is the streets. that what’s at stake on the streets is day would spark others to remember the Japan scholars. a masochistic symbol of the country’s neither radical nor extreme; rather it is Within days, “Preserve the Constitu- privilege of living in an open society and defeat by the Allies in World War II and, the very meaning of “Japan.” tion” became a rallying cry. Noticeably of the need to work to preserve it.

38 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 39 UCONN NATION | ALUMNI UCONN NATION | ALUMNI

CLASS NOTES ➼ Patricia M. Poli ’77 the transformation of the Welcome to UConn Nation! 1970s (BUS), CPA, of Newtown, garden into a model of cultural an associate professor of expression and sustainable accounting at Fairfield design. Dear Alumni and Friends, 1950s University will represent ➼ Edward Nusbaum ➼ Miriam Erick ’70 the CTCPA on the Advisory ’80 (CLAS) and Thomas Everywhere you go, everywhere you look, you can feel the (CLAS) has published an Council. ➼ Patricia C, Parrino ’83 (CLAS), enthusiasm for everything Husky. I am truly honored to be a ➼ Fred W. Chesson e-book, Take Two Crackers Bouffard ’79 (NUR), MS. co-founders and principals member of UConn Nation at a time when there is so much to ’52 (CLAS) has published and Call Me in the Morning! A was given the Vera Keane of the Westport-based family two short story collections, Real-Life Guide to Surviving Award for Outstanding law firm, Nusbaum & Parrino celebrate. From excellence in the classrooms, laboratories, Winter Tales and Twilight Morning Sickness. She is Service to the Connecticut P.C., have been named to the and athletic venues to the amazing stories of our alumni, Tales, and is working on a registered dietician at Nurses Association. 2015 list of Connecticut Super faculty, staff and students, there is no ceiling on where we are a Cold War novel and a Brigham and Women’s ➼ Robert J. Card ’79 Lawyers. Rick Mastracchio headed. historic study of Civil War Hospital Boston. ➼ Nancy (ENG) is the 2015 recipient ’82 (ENG), a NASA We are well aware that these successes would not be communications. ➼ Richard Glazer ’72 (CLAS), ’74 of the Stephen D. Bechtel astronaut and veteran of four G. Fisher ’55 MD was (NEAG), was given the Pipeline Engineering Award spaceflights, visited military ­possible without a strong, supportive and engaged alumni appointed Distinguished 2015 Educational Testing from the American Society of troops at bases in Greenland, community. We are indebted to all of you. As we look ahead, Professor Emeritus at Baylor Service (ETS) Assessment Civil Engineers. Card is chief Guantanamo Bay, and Puerto we have set a new goal: to improve how we connect and College of Medicine in Development and Design pipe engineer with Lockwood, Rico this fall. ➼ Tom Laffey ­reconnect our alumni — all 241,000 — back to UConn. Houston, Texas. He retired Award for her outstanding Andrews & Newnam. ’83 (CLAS) recently retired Through the leadership of President Susan Herbst and the after serving 43 years in contributions in assessment as a colonel from the U.S. Air radiology and interventional development. Nancy lives in Force, having completed a University Board of Trustees, we are exploring a new model radiology. ➼ Bruce Highland Park, N.J. with her successful 30-year career. 1980s of interacting with our friends and graduates. We want to Thompson ’55 (ENG) and husband, William Swift ’72 ➼ James “Tim” Shearin connect with you, wrap you back into the UConn community, Patsy Thompson celebrated (CLAS), ’75 (NEAG). ’83 (CLAS), ’86 JD, and we want to be strategic about how we communicate with their 60th wedding ➼ Col. Raymond recently received the Lifetime ➼ you. Among the changes we hope will make a difference: anniversary on June 18. They Willcocks ’73 (ENG), Alan Codkind ’80 Achievement award from the live in Wethersfield, Conn. USAF (Ret), has been elected (BUS) recently relocated Connecticut Law Tribune. ➼ Lewis Turco ’59 to the Society of American his marketing consultancy ➼ Emily Stauffer ’83 • The new alumni office is no longer a dues-charging (CLAS) published a new Military Engineers’ (SAME) to Mazatlan, Mexico, where Ph.D, a professor of English at membership organization. With the dissolution of book, The Hero Enkidu, National Board of Directors. he works on U.S. start-ups, Franklin College, received the the former Alumni Association — thanks to an through Bordighera Press. He retired in 2012 and lives spin-offs and turn-arounds. Faculty Steering Committee ➼ overwhelming vote of confidence earlier this summer in Peachtree City, Ga. ➼ Paul Mark S. DeFrancesco Distinguished Service Award. H. Glotzer ’73 (BUS) CPA, ’80 MD is the 66th Stauffer, who also received the by our alumni — we are moving forward to involve you in of Newington, an instructor- president of the American award in 1997, retired at the 60s your alma mater. We appreciate the 13,000 alumni who 19 in-residence at UConn, will College of Obstetricians end of the 2014-15 academic paid membership dues in the past; however, we feel represent the CTCPA on its and Gynecologists (ACOG), year after 32 years at Franklin. Roger Castonguay for UConn for Castonguay Roger without dues, the entire alumni community will find Advisory Council ➼ Robert based in Washington, DC. ➼ Michael Paul ’84 (BUS) more reasons to stay linked to UConn Nation. ➼ Stephen Ellerin T. Egan ’74 (CLAS) was DeFrancesco is managing recently accepted a position at ’67 (CLAS) has been named chair of the business partner at Westwood Women’s Timex Group in Middlebury, named national director of litigation group of Archer & Health, a division of Women’s Conn., as corporate controller. • An alumni services platform is in place to benefit Mo Cotton Kelly, associate Recreational Boating Safety Greiner PC law firm. Health Connecticut, in ➼ Richard Stoelzel ’89 UConn alumni, including enhanced networking (RBS) Outreach of the U.S. ➼ William Kohlhepp ’74 Waterbury, Conn. ➼ Colleen (SFA) joined the faculty vice president of ­Alumni programs for career and admissions assistance. Coast Guard Auxiliary. He (CLAS) of North Haven has Delaney ’80 (NUR), ’98 at the Schulich School of Relations, at Huskies taught in the Department of been promoted to Dean of MS, ’03 Ph.D, associate Music at McGill University Forever Weekend this past English at UConn Stamford. the School of Health Sciences professor at UConn School in Montreal, Quebec, as • With alumni relations activities now a part of the October. He founded and remains at Quinnipiac University. of Nursing, received the chair of the brass area and UConn Foundation, operations are more streamlined director of The Great ➼ Frank P. Longobardi Virginia Henderson Award for tenured associate professor and cost effective. That means more coordinated and American Publishing Society. ’77 (BUS) was elected CEO Outstanding Contributions of trumpet. ➼ David meaningful communications, including the updated ➼ Don LaCasse ’68 (SFA) of CohnReznick, one of the to Nursing Research from Schejbal ’84 MA (CLAS) Alumni Insider e-newsletter that enables alumni to retired in May after 24 years top accounting, tax, and the Connecticut Nurses ’91 Ph.D is the 2015-2016 at the School of Theatre advisory firms in the U.S. Association. ➼ Steve president of the University register for nearby events, and this newly designed UConn and Dance at Illinois State He is currently a member Kemper ’80 Ph.D Professional and Continuing Magazine, with plenty of information about the latest University where he served of the Executive Board published his third book Education Association campus activities and news of your fellow Huskies. as head of the MFA directing and Regional Managing of nonfiction, A Splendid (UPCEA). Schejbal is the dean program and was co-founder Partner – New England. Savage: the Restless Life of of Continuing Education, All of this is possible because of our new structure. of the Illinois Shakespeare Prior to that, Longobardi Frederick Russell Burnham Outreach, and E-Learning Festival. He is a chair and was responsible for all of (W. W. Norton). ➼ Susan J. at University of Wisconsin- I welcome your feedback and look forward to working professor emeritus at Ball J.H. Cohn’s industry groups, Lacerte ’80 (CAHNR), of Extension. ➼ Harold with you as, together, we strengthen and grow our State University. A stage bringing standardization to New Rochelle, N.Y., was given Robinson ’85 (CLAS), ’89 UConn Nation! director for nearly 50 years, the marketing, leadership the Ram’s Horn Award by the MS, ’90 Ph.D, a physicist his students have included development, and continuing Farmingdale State College at the Naval Undersea John Malkovich, Gary Cole, education efforts of each in N.Y. on Sept. 27 for her Warfare Center (NUWC) in Terry Kinney, Laurie Metcalf practice. Longboardi is leadership in horticulture. Newport, R.I., is a winner of and numerous professional a member of the UConn Lacerte, executive director of the 2014 Assistant Secretary directors, including Gary Foundation Board of Queens Botanical Garden in of the Navy (ASN) Top Griffin and Janet Allen. Directors. Flushing, is noted for leading Scientists and Engineers

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of the Year Award for his in West Hartford, will Service Award. ➼ Michael global user experience design SCHOLAR SPOTLIGHT groundbreaking work on the represent the CTCPA on its Carlon ’96 (CLAS) has and strategy consultancy, as its 2000s use of piezoelectric single Advisory Council. ➼ Daniel published his second novel, first director of engagement. crystals for innovative sonar Blanchard ’93 (CLAS), a Return to Casa Grande. ➼ Mary Wallace ’05 “My parents don’t make enough transducers and transducer social studies teacher at New ➼ Z. James Chen ’96 (CAHNR), a veterinarian at to pay for my education, so array applications. ➼ Corliss Britain High School in New Ph.D has been appointed a ➼ Katie Love ’00 (NUR), Torrington Animal Hospital there were worries that I would J. Montesi ’86 (BUS) CPA, Britain, Conn., is the author new independent director at ’04 MS, ’09 Ph.D received in Torrington, Conn., was be working while studying, and of Wallingford, vice president of the Granddaddy’s Secrets China Finance Online Co., the Josephine A. Dolan Award recently promoted to Chief of that would be a huge distrac- and corporate controller teen leadership book series Limited. ➼ Ronit Shemtov for Outstanding Contributions Staff. ➼ Jennifer (Mitrano) tion. Having scholarships didn’t with Stanley Black & Decker and was chosen as the subject ’97 Ph.D has been promoted to Nursing Education from Huntington ’05, ’07 and just take a financial weight off in New Britain, was named of chapter 6 of January Jones’ to full professor of sociology The Connecticut Nurses Daniel Huntington ’04 my shoulders, it also helped me Advisory Council Member of book Priceless Personalities. at Northampton Community Association. ➼ Mary K. are proud to announce the decide where I was going to go ➼ ➼ the CTCPA. Robert Norton ’94 College. Brian Schulz Wisenski ’02 MS, CPA, birth of a baby girl, Avery to school.” (CLAS) is now a partner in ’97 (CLAS) produced the of Manchester, was named Grace, on April 6, 2015. Avery Fox Rothschild’s intellectual movie Brooklyn Castle, which CTCPA Board of Directors was welcomed home by her Amy Hernandez, ’16, Materials Science 1990s property practice group in was recently released by member-at-large and advisory 2-year-old big sister, Ella Mae. and Engineering major the firm’s New York office. FilmBuff pictures. council chair. She is a senior ➼ Michael G. Maksymiw ➼ Renee Fournier ’95 ➼ Robin Carr ’98 MFA, manager with Fiondella, Jr. ’05 (MS), CPA, of Foundation of UConn Courtesy ➼ James M. Czapiga ’90 (CLAS) joined Chelsea associate professor of voice Milone & LaSaracina LLP Plainville, was named honor, and a generous group announce their marriage on Institute of Mathematical (BUS) has been appointed Groton Bank as assistant and acting in the Department in Glastonbury, Conn. Advisory Council Member of UConn alumni, including Sept. 13, 2014, in Hampton, Sciences. ➼ Katherine M. as president and chief vice president/marketing of Theatre at the University ➼ Johanna Rincon of CTCPA. He is a tax several from the men’s and N.H. They live in Manchester, McNair ’12 MA, CPA, a executive officer of CATIC. manager. ➼ Norm of Southern Mississippi, Fernandez ’03 (CLAS) manager with Filomeno women’s track and field teams, Conn. ➼ Annie Straus ’09 supervisor with O’Connor ➼ The LaurelRock Company, Schriever ’95 (CLAS) has recieved the Mississippi accepted a position as & Company, P.C. in West attended. ➼ Grant Welker (CLAS) and Eric Simpson Davies, LLP in Wethersfield, owned and operated by Burt published South of Normal, Higher Education Award Day: assistant director of the Civil Hartford. ➼ Stephanie ’06 (CLAS) and Daniel ’05 (CLAS) were married on Conn., is an Advisory Council DeMarche ’90 (CAHNR) his second book. His first Working Towards Academic Liberties and Public Policy Bealing ’06 MS made Korschun authored We Are May 30, 2015, in Ghent, N.Y. member at the CTCPA. has been awarded a 2015 Top was Pushups in the Prayer Excellence Award and the Program in Amherst, Mass. the Hartford Business Market Basket: The Story ➼ Katherine A. Donovan ➼ Kristy Belton ’14 Ph.D Workplaces honor by Hearst Room. ➼ Karen (Wilken) College of Arts and Letters ➼ Laura (Molnar) Catino Journal’s “40 Under Forty” of the Unlikely Grassroots ’09 (BUS), CPA, of Suffield, was awarded an international Media Services. Braun ’96 Ph.D, associate Teacher of the Year Award. ’04 (NEAG) and Robert 2015 list. Bealing founded Movement that Saved a was named Advisory Council prize for best dissertation ➼ Douglas Rozman professor of accountancy and ➼ Mark Dynder ’99 Catino ’03 (CLAS) are Replacement Lens Express Beloved Company, published Member at the CTCPA. She is on statelessness from the ’90 (CLAS), senior vice undergraduate accounting (BUS), a financial advisor proud to announce the birth of (RLE), a prescription eyeglass by Amacom. ➼ Mitchell a senior audit associate with UN High Commissioner for president and head of program director at Case with Ameriprise Financial in a baby boy, Joseph Robert. He lens replacement company. Jackson ’07 (BUS) was Whittlesey & Hadley, P.C. in Refugees (UNHCR). communication at HSBC Bank Western University in Milldale, Conn., has earned was born in November 2014. ➼ Mandy Dollar ’06 appointed Chair Elect of Hartford. ➼ Justis Lopez ’14 USA, N.A., has been appointed Cleveland, Ohio, was given the the designation Chartered ➼ Andrew Kaufteil ’04 (SFA) was named Director Hartford Young Professionals (CLAS) ’15 MA of to the board of directors of 2015 Luther Distinguished Financial Consultant. JD recently joined Cooper, a of Marketing & Community and Entrepreneurs (HYPE). Manchester, has been Junior Achievement of New Relations at the Women’s Jackson is an associate project 2010s honored by the Alma Exley York. ➼ Brian Koberlein Humane Society, which was manager at UnitedHealth Scholarship Program, which ’91 (CLAS), ’92 MS, ’94 the first animal shelter in Group and managing partner promotes greater diversity in Ph.D, a senior lecturer in the U. S., near Philadelphia. of Northeast Payments, ➼ Mitchell R. Insero ’10 the teaching profession. He the Rochester Institute ➼ John Albanese ’06 LLC. ➼ Rob Kreager (BUS), CPA, senior auditor was a familiar figure at UConn of Technology School of (BUS) accepted a position ’07 (CLAS) was recently with CohnReznick LLP in sports events, performing as Physics and Astronomy, at Voya Financial located named the 2014 Rookie Hartford, will represent Jonathan the Husky. Lopez was chosen by the National in Windsor, Conn., as vice Sales Executive of the Year the CTCPA on the Advisory has worked in an inter- Science Foundation as one president of corporate special at CS STARS, a business unit Council. ➼ Lauren Kodiak university initiative with of nine ambassadors in the investigations. ➼ Jean of the Marsh & McLennan ’10 (CLAS) and Andrew the American Association Astronomy in Chile Educator Coffey ’06 Ph.D was Companies.➼ Jacquelynn Sottile ’08 (CLAS) were of Colleges for Teacher Ambassadors Program. named director of Nursing Garofano ’09 MS, ’12 married on Aug. 15, 2015, in Education to broaden the ➼ Debra Baer Fiske ’92 Research and Innovation at Ph.D, is on the Hartford Ridgefield, Conn. demographic makeup of the (CAHNR), associate athletic Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Business Journal’s “40 Under ➼ Mindyleigh Dols Vail ’10 teacher workforce. director at the University of Center as part of the Center Forty” 2015 list. Garofano, a (BUS), CPA, was promoted to Saint Joseph in West Hartford, for Nursing Excellence. senior research scientist at manager at the Hartford-area has been named athletic She is a member of the United Technologies Research accounting firm, Nicola Yester. SHARE YOUR NEWS director at Kingswood Oxford UConn School of Nursing’s Center, solves technical ➼ Meredith Fichman WITH UCONN NATION! School. The starting point Alumni Board and owner challenges and develops new ’11, ’13 MS earned a degree guard on the UConn women’s of Anam Cara Siberians, a technologies for the aerospace from the American Museum Your classmates want to basketball team from 1988 to husky kennel dedicated to and building industries. of Natural History’s Richard know about the milestones in your life. Send news about 1992, Fiske has worked at St. recreational mushing, breed ➼ Lauryn Wendus ’09 Gilder Graduate School Richard Termine '78 MFA '78 Termine Richard weddings, births, new jobs, new Joseph’s for 22 years. conformation, and rescue. (BUS) recently published Masters of Arts in Teaching publications, and more to: ➼ Michael Sears ’92 NATIONAL PUPPETRY FESTIVAL COMES TO UCONN ➼ Niamh (Cunningham) her first children’s book, Program. ➼ The Connecticut

(ENG), a senior associate Nearly 50 alumni and current students participated in the 2015 National Puppetry Festival, Emerson ’06 (CLAS) Oliver Poons and the Bright Nurses Association honored ➼ alumni-news@ at Dewberry Engineers, and Paul Emerson ’08 Yellow Hat, while recovering uconnalumni.com which was held in Storrs last August to kick off the 50th year of UConn’s internationally Abby Baecker ’12 (NUR) was recently elected branch (BUS), both of Branford, from Lyme disease. The book and Mallory Mangan ’12 renowned Puppet Arts Program. About 600 puppeteers from 12 nations on five continents and or via snail mail to president of the American Conn., were married on Oct. was inspired by her rescue (NUR) with its Excellence in from 40 U.S. states ­attended the festival presented by the Puppeteers of America, which was Alumni News & Notes Society of Civil Engineers’ 3, 2015, at St. Mary Church in cat, Oliver. ➼ Alexandra the Workplace Award. UConn Foundation North Jersey Branch. highlighted by a whirlwind week of puppet-related activities including workshops, master classes Branford. Charlie Emerson (Cavanagh) Hartman ➼ Yanyue Ning ’12 2384 Alumni Drive Unit 3053 ➼ Leslie A. Zoll ’93 and performances. The last time UConn hosted the festival was in 1970, when it was chaired by the ’06 (NEAG) was the best ’09 (CLAS), ’15 MA, ’16 (CLAS) received a master of Storrs, CT 06269 man, (BUS), CPA, of Newington, legendary founder of the Puppet Arts Program, Frank W. Ballard. This year the festival director was Orlaith Cunningham MS and Robert Hartman science in Data Science from Submissions may be edited for a director with BlumShapiro Bart P. Roccoberton Jr. ’90 MFA, center of the photo, who succeeded Ballard as program director. ’08 (NUR) was the maid of ’08 (CLAS) are happy to New York University Courant clarity and/or length.

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involved in the program. He visits the “In the course of a day I’d students in London and then keeps tabs write twenty-five or thirty on their acting progress after they return jokes. In twenty-two years I to Storrs. IN MEMORIAM wrote him literally a hundred McDonald says he decided to become a thousand jokes and he told major benefactor of the program in part Below is a list of deaths ten thousand of them on the because he wanted to expose students to reported to us since the last air,” Jann says. “And three of the rigors of trying to make it as profes- issue of UConn Magazine. them were funny.” sional actor living in a major city. Fuller obituaries for many can “Lots of our students come from small be found at s.uconn.edu/obits. Brushes With Fame towns in eastern or western Connecticut Please share news of alumni During his time with Leno, or Massachusetts and they really have deaths and obituaries with Jann saw most of the biggest UConn Magazine by sending had no experience with a metropoli- names in the country: presi- an email to: alumni-news@ tan city,” says McDonald. “A lot of our dents, movie stars, athletes, uconnalumni.com or writing to students get worn out by trying to make musicians.“I can never go to Alumni News & Notes, UConn it in New York. I wanted them to have an a concert again, because I got SCHOLAR SPOTLIGHT Foundation, 2384 Alumni experience of living in a foreign country Drive Unit 3053, Storrs, CT to see everybody from a dis- RYAN SHEA ’17 in a capital city. 06269. tance of ten feet,” says Jann. “They, just about to a person, start cry- “I think the best guest we Ah, London. What better place to learn ing when they tell me how life-changing ever had was Jim Carrey, who Faculty & Staff about Shakespearean acting? UConn this experience is,” he says. in his prime was just the fun- ➼ Donald I. Tepas drama student Ryan Shea ’17 (SFA) did —GRACE MERRITT Jan. 9, 2015 niest guy in the world.” And Michael Jann ’80 with the boss just that, spending the fall semester at ➼ Evarist Giné who would his UConn-era the Theatre Academy London learning March 13, 2015 of Michael Jann Courtesy self have been most excited to to wield a sword in stage combat, among ➼ Catherine Havens ’74 MA see? “Cindy Crawford was on other things. March 27, 2015 ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT the show and she happened Shea was one of 10 juniors who made ➼ Philmore B. Wass to be walking down the hall- the trip, which was funded through a April 6, 2015 way straight toward me. She scholarship from Robert A. McDonald, ➼ Carl Schaefer ’64 Ph.D had been my ‘It Girl.’ She was April 29, 2015 COMEDY WRITER FOR LENO & a retired dramatic arts professor who wearing a red dress and high ➼ Donald Crosby taught at UConn for 34 years. The fund heels,” says Jann. “It was like May 16, 2015 FALLON STARTED AT UCONN offsets the cost of studying abroad so Godzilla was walking towards ➼ George F. Cole that all juniors in the acting program can June 10, 2015 “I would say your wildest that always typed the letter ing it would be a temporary me. I think I fell down and spend a semester in London. ➼ Richard Dempsey dreams can come true,” says “T” in uppercase. Uncle Bart gig that would allow him passed out.” Shea says his favorite London class June 12 , 2015 Michael Jann ’80 (CLAS), replied, “You’ve said iT all. to pursue comedy writing Following Leno’s finale, was Intro to Physical Theatre and Com- ➼ Gail A. Harkness “because mine did.” IT’s a sad world we live in in his free time. Ten years Jann began contributing edy, which explored dynamics among July 19, 2015 Thirty-five years ago, when when privaTe properTy isn’T later, despite credits with jokes to successor Jimmy actors and why certain actors are more ➼ Sam Witryol the Fairfield, Conn., native respecTed.” National Lampoon and “Nick Fallon. He was one of the watchable than others. August 3, 2015 started penning a regular Yet even his college path at Nite,” he remained stuck writers named in the show’s ➼ “Professor Mick Barnfather remind- Janina (Czajkowski) Esselen column in UConn’s humor to humor and writing was a in advertising. “I was fired in nomination for Outstanding October 2, 2015 ed me to always start with joy, which is newspaper The Forum, circuitous one. Jann entered four different cities by four Writing for a Variety Series something easily forgotten when digging Jann says he could not have UConn in the pre-veterinary different agencies, because at the 2014 Emmy Awards, deeper into actor training,” says Shea, Alumni imagined the foray would program, but changed his I was always distracted with though they lost to “The ➼ who hails from Westport, Conn. John F. Gadja ’65 lead to a 22-year career as a major after getting a D in trying to be a comedy writer.” Colbert Report.” March 18, 2015 Shea says he found Barbara House- monologue writer for “The a required freshman year Jann, who still roots for ➼ Robert C. Ryan ’58 MA man’s voice class both physically and April 15, 2015 Tonight Show.” course. He says he wanted Big Break Husky basketball, gives this conceptually transformative. Houseman, ➼ Cynthia (Clarke) Tribelhorn The column was a Dear to create an individualized Then his lucky break arrived. advice to those wishing to

who has worked with Daniel Radcliffe KOSOVO CAMPUS? ­ ’52 (NEAG) Abby spoof called Dear major in Natural Resources Jay Leno began guest hosting emulate his path in the enter­ and Jude Law, among others, taught him Air National Guard alums stationed in May 6, 2015 Uncle Bart, “in which I tried Conservation and English, for Johnny Carson on “The tainment industry: “Never that actors can make a conscious choice Kosovo raised the Husky flag just before ➼ Reino Manninen ’59 (BUS) to come up with the worst but needed the administra- Tonight Show” and he solic- give up, never give up, never to feel relaxed, to release tension, ner- Veterans' Day. From left: Capt. Chris June 15, 2015 advice I could think of,” says tion’s permission. ited jokes from freelancers give up. I could have given vousness, and self-consciousness. Barker, a graduate of Norwich Univer- ➼ Frank L. Rainaldi ’60 (BUS) Jann from his home in West- “I went up to them and via fax. Jann’s first successful up. I went into advertising Professor of Shakespearean acting sity, who was a Senior Military Science June 30, 2015 lake Village, Calif., outside of said, ‘I want to combine submission came in August thinking it would be tempo- ➼ Ben Naylor helped counter “the notion Instructor at UConn from May 2012 to Lewis Rome, ’54 (CLAS) Los Angeles. “And that’s what Wildlife Biology and English, 1990, right after the first Gulf rary, like maybe it would take July 1, 2015 students have of Shakespeare being July 2014, and says he considers himself changed my life.” because I might have a TV War started: “Did you hear a year before SNL discovered ➼ Robert A. Fischer Jr. impossible, difficult or hard to make a “Husky at heart;” 1st LT. Brian Cole’ what a genius I am. Ten years ’51 (NEAG), ’64 MA, ’72 Ph.D His first installment for show like Marlin Perkins’ about Saddam Hussein’s new sense of by inundating us with informa- 07 (CLAS); Maj. Stephan Nowakowski, Aug. 19, 2015 the now-defunct publication Wild Kingdom,’” Jann recalls. secret weapon? The stealth later and I’m still banging tion about Shakespeare, his time period, ’98 (CLAS); 1st Lt. Krista Yaglowsli, ’09 ➼ Abraham Krayn ’63 (CLAS) began with a fictional student “They said, ‘That makes camel.” After Leno’s pro- away. When it happened, it his influences, and why he wrote what he (BUS); Capt. Christopher Gibb ’11 (BUS); Aug. 21, 2015 asking for his reaction after sense.’ I said, ‘It does?’” motion to permanent host, surprised a lot of people … wrote when he wrote it,” says Shea. Capt. Matthew Marcella ’08 (CLAS); and somebody stole her type- After graduation he Jann was hired as a full-time but not me.”—JESSE RIFKIN Though retired, McDonald remains Lt. Col. Jeffrey LaPierre ’96 (CLAS). writer, a defective machine entered advertising think- ­writer and moved to L.A. '14 (CLAS) Left: Courtesy of Ryan Shea, Center: Courtesy of Krista Yaglowski of Krista Courtesy Shea, Center: of Ryan Courtesy Left:

44 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 45 UCONN NATION | ALUMNI

KUDOS BIG IDEA

HUNGRY FOR MORE

Mario Leite ’98 (CLAS) never imagined he’d combine his undergraduate Molecu- lar and Cell Biology degree with his MBA to become an award-winning ice cream maker. But that’s exactly what the UConn grad did A rendering of the proposed soccer stadium. For an after he lost his banking job interactive tour of the new Werth Family Champions in August 2011. Basketball Center, visit s.uconn.edu/championstour. IT'S GENIUS Newfound leisure time reconnected Leite to a long- Teariffic Ice Cream is created by Plans for the Rizza Family Soccer Complex consist of a prac- husband and wife alums Mario An environmental engineer time passion for ice cream- tice field and a four-sided stadium with a strength and training and Souvannee Leite ’98. who earned his Ph.D at room, a film room, coaches’ offices, locker rooms, a media room, making. He added fresh- UConn has been named a a trophy room, a hospitality suite, and improved seating with the brewed Earl Grey tea to 2015 MacArthur Fellow. capacity to expand seating for tournaments. a childhood recipe and Kartik Chandran ’99 “First and foremost, the field will be completely redone,” says everyone who tried it loved it. Ph.D received the no-strings Rizza. “The current field is good and well maintained, but the Leite kept making more and ‘genius grant’ for his work to drainage is poor. And the fan experience should be improved increasing the circle of family transform wastewater not significantly, with better accessibility and improved concession and friends who sampled just into clean water, but also areas and ticket kiosks.” it. And then he had his “aha into useful resources, such “The stadium will be the best in all of college soccer,” says moment.” as fertilizers, chemicals, and Men’s Head Coach Ray Reid. “It will help us with recruiting. “In October 2011, I saw an ­energy sources. It will be a professional stadium that will be able to get bigger article in Family Circle about Traditional facilities crowds with better seating, and better sightlines. The whole sta- increasing trends in tea-in- for ­biologically treating dium will improve the program ten-fold.” Women’s Head Coach fused foods and it all came wastewater use decades-old together,” he says.

Len Tsantiris agrees, adding that the new stadium would help of Mario Leite Courtesy technology that requires preserve UConn’s legacy as a soccer powerhouse. Making the first pint of

vast amounts of energy and The stadium would keep the name Joseph J. Morrone Tearrific Ice Cream, however, ­Souvannee launched their resources, releases harmful Stadium. As an all-state athlete at Newington High School, Rizza proved difficult. The original- brand into retail, placing the gases into the atmosphere, remembers dreaming of coming to UConn to play soccer under ity of Leite’s concept meant Earl Grey and vanilla flavor and leaves behind material Rizza playing for UConn Coach Morrone. During his Husky career from 1983 to 1986, he not many professionals in the called London Mist, Chunky during the late eighties that must be discarded. went to three NCAA tournaments and was part of two Big East industry knew how to infuse London Mist with chocolate The key insight of Conference teams. Now senior managing director of Columbus premium, all-natural ice flakes and pecans, and two ­Chandran’s research is that Circle Investors, a Stamford-based investment management cream with fresh-brewed tea. more flavors into 20 indepen- certain combinations of WHAT’S NEW firm, Rizza says his experience on the men’s soccer team gave Leite turned to the UConn dent specialty stores. mixed microbial commu- him life skills that have helped him in his career. Dairy Bar, where they helped Three years later, Tearrific nities, similar to those that “Coach Morrone was a very significant figure in my life,” says him concoct a sweet cream Ice Cream is in more than occur naturally, can be used Rizza. “He demanded excellence. He required you to be pre- base using natural dairy in- 200 stores, including Whole to mitigate the harmful TONY RIZZA ’87 HELPS FUND pared, to be disciplined, and to have a winning mentality. Those gredients, sugar, and eggs. Foods. The brand has won environmental impacts of are things you take with you everywhere.” —GRACE MERRITT At Tearrific’s Bridge- national awards, is on the wastewater and extract use- A NEW SOCCER STADIUM port facility, Leite and his brink of entering the inter- ful products. For more information or to make a donation to the soccer stadium, wife, Souvannee Leite ’98 national market, and is about “My years at UConn When Tony Rizza ’87 (BUS) came to UConn and joined the men’s soccer team, Morrone Stadium contact Mike Morrison at (860)486-9618 or mmorrison@ (BUS), learned how to make to add Matcha Green Tea to created the foundation for was a premiere location to play soccer. “It held eight thousand fans and, during the late seventies foundation.uconn.edu. cold-pressed ginger juice, its list of flavors that includes a lot of work that I do now,” and eighties, we would, on average, fill that place,” recalls Rizza. blue­berry puree, and fresh- both London Mists as well as wrote Chandran, who is now It was the era of Coach Joseph Morrone who put UConn soccer in the national spotlight, win- IN MEMORIAM brewed teas to add with Ginger Matcha, Masala Chai, at Columbia University, in ning the team’s first NCAA championship in 1981 and transforming the program during his UConn spices to the sweet cream Lavender’s Blueberry, and ➼ , an article for the School of career from 1969 to 1996, creating the legacy that has seen both men’s and women’s teams rank Joseph J. Morrone base manufactured at Buck’s Chamomile. But Leite says he the legendary UConn men’s Engineering’s newsletter in the top 20 for the past 30 years. Today the stadium still draws crowds, but high-quality soccer Ice Cream in Milford, Conn. is hungry for more. soccer coach who led UConn Momentum in 2012, “and The plant there is overseen programs with bigger and better facilities are springing up across the country. To stay competitive, to the NCAA Men’s Soccer “We want to be the global the concepts, ideologies, and Rizza believes it’s time for an upgrade. National Championship in by another alum, Chris Buck leader of tea-infused ice work ethic that I learned To make it happen, he has pledged $8 million toward building a state-of-the-art soccer stadium 1981, died Sept. 16, 2015 at ’02 (BUS). cream, and to have a space in while at UConn permeate my on the Storrs campus in the footprint of the existing Morrone Stadium. His pledge is contingent age 79. Find a full obituary Just over a year after most people’s freezers.” activities even today.” upon the UConn Foundation raising $5 million in matching funds. at s.uconn.edu/joemorrone. he was laid off, Mario and —ABBY MACE '16 (CLAS) Hartford Courant Hartford Left: Courtesy of John D. & Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Center: Courtesy of Tony Rizza of Tony Courtesy Center: MacArthur Foundation, T. & Catherine of John D. Courtesy Left:

46 UCONN MAGAZINE | MAGAZINE.UCONN.EDU JANUARY 2016 47 UCONN NATION | ALUMNI

FOUR QUESTIONS FOR... SUE BIRD ’02

Before she turned 30, Sue Bird ’02 (CLAS) had won two high school state championships (in New York), two NCAA titles (at UConn of course), two WNBA titles (with the Seattle Storm) and two Olympic gold medals (for Team USA coached by UConn women’s basketball coach Geno Auriemma). At age 35, Bird is in her fifteenth season with the Storm and is expected to head to Rio in 2016 to lead Team USA on a quest for a sixth consecutive gold medal. She stays tight with her alma mater, too, having just been appointed to the UConn Foundation Board of Directors. She spoke with UConn Magazine from her home in Greenwich, Conn.

You’ve stood on a lot of podiums and been presented with a lot of medals and trophies. Which has made you feel the most emotional? When you’re at the Olympics and they start playing the anthem, it’s such a tearjerker. You’ve seen it since you were a kid and now you’re there, it’s a defining moment. But visibly crying, people seeing the emotion? I think it was my senior year, hugging Coach Auriemma after that last game. I was young. I’d been through a lot. I tore my ACL freshman year — and then to have everything finish the way it did, essentially perfect.

How does that ’02 Huskies Geno compare to Team USA Geno? UConn Geno is always gonna be UConn Geno. He’s dealing with kids — I was one of those kids. He’s trying to groom you, to set a foundation not just for those four years, but for life. So he’s hard on you and he’s nitpicky and sometimes it comes across as harsh but he’s setting that foundation. You feel much more equal when he’s in his national team role. He treats us as adults because we are. He’s as open to learning from us as we are to learning from him. We were just talking about that. According to him, he sees that at our level there are a lot of tough teams, A Planned Bequest tough games. We’re constantly playing against good players and we know you need to stay on an even keel — you can’t get too high when it’s going From former UConn President, Harry Hartley good or too low when it’s going bad. He sees that and says he’s more calm because of it. Of course I see him on the sidelines at UConn games and he’s still very verbal!

You’ve recently become an ESPN commentator. In that role, if you could ask Geno one question he had to answer absolutely honestly what would it be? Investing in our future I’ve been in this position and I’m not going to ask the one I did ask [which was the best UConn team] because he made fun of me. After the 2012 Olympics he came out and was adamant about not ever coaching the Raised in a steel town near Pittsburgh, Harry Hartley Olympic team again. I want to know what made him say that in the first “We’re investing place and what made him change his tune. I know what he says in the media was aware from a young age of how financial but he has to answer this honestly, right? constraints could limit one’s options. “I saw a in people...and great need for financial assistance way back then Give us a highest/lowest/weirdest when it comes to Geno? Highest: We played at St. John’s my senior year. I’m from New York and my for students who couldn’t afford to go to college.” I think it has family really wanted to have the team over for dinner. Coach moved everything That’s why Hartley, former UConn president and around to make it happen. Lowest: That would be like every other day. Laughs. a great return.” Cause he was so hard on me. But, no, a low would be: I’m at practice at Gampel his wife, Dianne, are giving $250,000 for need- and you know how people are always walking through that concourse? Well based scholarships through a planned bequest. – Harry Hartley some football player or something is walking through and I’m throwing a no-look pass and Coach is yelling at me: ‘Whats the matter with you? What are you looking at? Are you looking at him?’ Then he yells at this guy: ‘You can’t come through here To learn more about giving scholarships through your estate, call 860.486.6135 or visit . anymore — Sue Bird can’t stop looking at you.’ Everybody was laughing, except me. foundation.uconn.edu I was embarrassed. Weirdest: Every time he tries to dance. — LISA STIEPOCK

For more of our interview with Sue Bird, go to s.uconn.edu/suebird. Unleash opportunities.

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CHALLENGE YOURSELF TO TOM’S TRIVIA! Go to s.uconn.edu/trivia to see if you know as much as our King of UConn Trivia and university spokesperson Tom Breen ’00 (CLAS). 1. When it snows at Storrs, no one works harder than the Facilities TOM’S staff, which has to clear 25 miles of road, 63 miles of sidewalks, and 139 acres of parking lot. During the last TRIVIA winter, how much snow did they remove from campus? A: 5,000 tons B: 10,000 tons C: 15,000 tons D: 20,000 tons

2. Many people believe the Husky was chosen as UConn’s mascot because “UConn” sounds like the arctic “Yukon.” The name was actually chosen in 1934, when the school was known as Connecticut State College, because students liked to joke that campus was as cold as the aforementioned Canadian territory. Prior to 1934, the school’s athletic teams had several nicknames. Which of these was not one of them? A: The Aggies B: The Nathan Hales C: The Orangemen D: The Statesmen

3. From 1948 to 1979, springtime at UConn meant the Campus Community Carnival. One of the most distinctive features of the carnival was the WHUS marathon, in which disc jockeys would play an irritating song until students called in to pledge money and have their requests played instead. What was the name of the annoying ditty that prompted so many thousands of dollars to go to charity? A: The Gong-Gong Song B: Tiptoe Through the Tulips 4. Hawley Armory currently serves as a fitness and wellness center. But when it opened for the C: The UConn Husky Polka first time on May 28, 1915, what activity was held there? D: The Chipmunk Song A: A basketball game B: Military training C: Commencement ceremonies D: A dance