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THE AHONORS COLLEGE 2012

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Back to the Future 2 Dean’s List Architects have designed a new home for the Honors College 3 On Campus in historic Ozark Hall. See interview pp. 4-5. Save the Date: Jane Goodall

11 Pop Quiz

Field Notes 12 Class Notes Our students are shooting film, taking leadership roles, tackling Impact of 25K big issues and being honored at the White House. See pp. 16-23 for snapshots of discovery, creativity and service across campus and beyond. 23 Honor Roll

24 Alumni Profile Honors & Arias Alumna Sarah Mesko found her voice and made the grades in the Honors 28 Alumni Updates College. Now she’s winning success in a tough field: opera. See p.24. 35 Road Trip

On the cover Animal myths from Aesop to Disney inspired Luke Knox’ Honors College thesis – a multimedia art installation featuring his original work and found objects. View the video: Dean’sDean’s ListList

The First 10 Years, and the Next s we prepare to celebrate + Our new home in Ozark Hall the 10th anniversary of the is under construction and slated for AHonors College, I’d like to completion next summer. At long share with you an unconventional last, honors students from across dean’s list—not a roster of students campus will have an elegant and who make all A’s, but a short list of spacious place of their own in which what makes me very proud about to study, socialize and meet with how the Honors College has taken Honors College faculty and staff. shape in its first decade and what For more on the design thinking makes me look forward with great that has shaped our new home, see anticipation to the next one. “Back to the Future,” pp. 4-5. Looking back over the first ten Looking ahead to the next ten years I’m especially proud that… years I’m confident that… + More than 500 of our top + The Honors College faculty members teach, mentor community will grow even stronger, and help honors students. They do both as a physical neighborhood, this not as a job requirement, but thanks to the new honors wing because they enjoy working with of Ozark Hall and to upcoming students who are up for a challenge, changes in on-campus housing, and and they also enjoy collaborating as a social network bringing together with each other to create rich students from all majors to focus interdisciplinary experiences for their talents, expertise and passions honors students. (See pp. 14-15 for on big and important issues. the latest round of interdisciplinary + Student- and faculty-led service courses being developed by our learning initiatives like those you faculty; you may wish, as I do, that can read about in this magazine will you could sit in on every one of inspire honors students, alumni, these classes). Our outstanding faculty and staff to make service Honors College and honors learning ubiquitous among the program staff members also go the honors community. extra mile to help students get the + During the university’s most out of their honors experience. upcoming capital campaign the + Our students and alumni are strategic initiatives put forth by the not only bright and hardworking but Honors College will translate into also creative and open to challenges expanded and enriched experiences of all kinds, in school and beyond. for the next generation of honors They are truly amazing, and you can students. see for yourself why we are so proud of them by reading about their research, creative work and service Bob McMath in Field Notes, pp. 16-23 and Alumni Dean of the Honors College and Updates, pp. 28-34. Professor of History

2 + University of Arkansas Honors College OnOn CampusCampus

save The daTe THe HONORS COLLeGe iS TURNiNG 10 lumni, join us for a birth- Aday celebration October 4-5, 2012.

+ Festivities will begin Thursday, October 4, at 5 p.m. with an alumni reception where we will announce the first recipients of our new Young Alumni Awards.

+ On Friday, October 5, enjoy a private tour and lunch at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, heralded by The New York Times as “the first major institution dedicated to American art- ists in 50 years … [one that] seeks to bring high art to middle America.” Connect with old friends, professors and Honors College staff at our barbeque and help us blow out the candles on a really big birthday cake. We’ll wrap up with the Jane e are partnering with the Goodall lecture and book Distinguished Lectures Committee W signing. to bring legendary primatologist and conservationist Dr. Jane Goodall to campus. Dr. Goodall will speak at 7 p.m. on Friday, October 5, at Barnhill arena. For more information, visit Her lecture, “Making a Difference: An honorscollege.uark.edu/ evening with Jane Goodall,” is free and all alumni.php. are invited. No tickets are required, but come early to get a good seat! A book sale and signing will follow her remarks. Photo: Jane Goodall. © Michael Neugebauer. Note: Dr. Goodall does not Space for the Crystal Bridges tour is limited; handle wild chimpanzees. This orphan sign up early to reserve your spot! Top: chimpanzee lives at a sanctuary. interior gallery; below: view of upper pond from gallery bridge. Photography by Timothy Hursley.

University of Arkansas Honors College + 3 OnOn CampusCampus

Back to the Future: Updating Ozark Hall magine a spacious, oak-paneled room bathed in natural light Ifrom a series of bay windows. A group of H2P students gather by the fireplace to work on a class project while nearby, assistant dean Maribeth Lynes meets with a prospective honors student and her father. Down the hall Kelly Carter, the college’s fellowships, grants & awards budget officer, chats with a freshman fellow in a sunny office, and upstairs, Dean Bob McMath leads a meeting with honors faculty in a well-appointed conference room. In the courtyard, more students blow off steam with a quick round of Frisbee. Beginning next fall, Honors generations to come – and enable claw – it was missing the wing that College students, faculty and the Honors College and its new would complete the courtyard,” staff will be able to work, study neighbors, the Graduate School and Brewer said. Heating, cooling and and kick back in their new home Department of Geosciences, to do electrical systems also needed to be – a 21,000-square-foot addition their work better. updated to bring the structure up to historic Ozark Hall. The “What is rewarding about a to 21st century standards. renovation and expansion project project like this is that it will bring One benefit of age: Ozark Hall will breathe new life into the something from the past back to features materials throughout Collegiate Gothic structure and life again – and this facility needed that are rarely found in modern provide a much-needed signature help and work,” Brewer said. Ozark construction. Two types of space for the Honors College in Hall has welcomed many tenants limestone grace the exterior: blue- the heart of campus. Robert A. over the years and has morphed gray Batesville limestone laid in M. Stern Architects of New York significantly since the first phase, parallel random ashlar courses and City, a leading architecture firm then known as the Classroom buff-colored Indiana limestone renowned for designing buildings Building, was completed in 1940. that is used for “trim” stone at for the nation’s most prestigious The second phase of construction the windows, building details and and beautiful college and university in 1947 added a second full wing to quoins. “The masonry is a beautiful campuses, designed the addition the planned quadrangle, and part building material, an incredible in collaboration with Arkansas firm of another, stopping short of the asset that we inherited,” Brewer Wittenberg, Delony & Davidson full build-out because the existing enthused. “Inside, the hallways Architects. Gary Brewer, a principal Commerce Building was in the way. have beautiful terrazzo floors and with Stern, believes the completed When the Commerce Building was solid oak doors with oak casings.” project will help to define the removed in the early 90s, Ozark The design team is taking great character and identity of campus for Hall resembled “a lobster with one care to preserve what is there and

4 + University of Arkansas Honors College A 21,000-square-foot addition to Ozark Hall will provide a permanent home for the Honors College. Opposite page: Student lounge. Renderings by Tom Schaller/Robert A.M. Stern Architects and WD&D Architects.

match the original masonry and provide a visual anchor to that end nice middle ground.” woodwork in the new addition. of the student promenade.” Inside, the design team has The new Honors College wing Eric Silinsh, a design associate focused on creating spaces filled will feature some design flourishes with Stern who researched with natural light that invite flexible – a grand entrance, ranks of original plans and studied vintage use. Finishes are classic, timeless beautifully detailed bay windows photographs of Ozark Hall, noted neutrals that impart warmth and – that build upon the design that this design approach was also comfort: honey-colored oak, rough- vocabulary of the existing building. informed by the campus’ 1925 cut bluestone, leather upholstery, “We considered the obvious, to Plan. and geometric carpets in muted mirror the north wing, which “All of these buildings were greens, golds and the occasional consists of classrooms,” Brewer said. intended to have a punctuation pop of persimmon. “But to use that window rhythm in piece – a part that was different,” “Oscar Wilde said, ‘It is only the honors wing, with its lounge Silinsh said. “Sometimes it was in the modern that ever becomes and meeting spaces, would be the middle, sometimes the end. We old-fashioned,’” Brewer observed. illogical. We decided as a team to felt it was appropriate to have that “Hopefully this will be a quiet create a distinct identity for the punctuation, but not go too far building that stands the test of Honors College, which will also with it – we seem to have found a time.”

Robert A.M. Stern Architects, LLP What is rewarding about a project like this is that it will bring something from the past back to life again – and this facility needed help and work.

GARY BReWeR Robert A. M. Stern Architects of New York City

University of Arkansas Honors College + 5 OnOn CampusCampus

Making the Honors Medallion culptor Hank Kaminsky leans forward and peers through a Smagnifying visor pulled over his gray ponytail. His 6’3” frame hunches over a clay disk 12” in diameter – a new medallion in the making. The words “Honors College” curve across the top in a flourish of Celtic-inspired script, while the outlines of the new addition to Ozark Hall – future home of the Honors College – are roughed in below. Kaminsky, himself a proud alumnus of the Fulbright College Honors Program, has been laboring on the clay model for more than a month. The lettering looks more or less complete, but he emphasizes that he’s spent many more hours on the building that’s barely begun to emerge from the commissioned to create a new, included honors faculty, a student, picture plane. three-inch-diameter Honors and staff. Discussions about the “The lettering’s in my head, and College medallion to be awarded history, role and mission of the the building is not,” he explains. to outstanding faculty, alumni and Honors College prompted a broad “There are a lot of decisions to staff. A smaller medal of the same range of design ideas; the group be made. How far should I go in design will also be available to eventually reached consensus on a rendering little bits of architectural honors programs across campus to bold, simple scheme emphasizing detail? The building is complex, and recognize students graduating with the Honors College name, new I’ve got to simplify it so that it still Latin honors. The design process home and “mantra” – the words reads and it’s interesting.” began with a series of meetings with “Discover,” “Create” and “Serve.” Last fall Hank Kaminsky was the medallion committee, which “It’s an opportunity to address

“It’s a sculpture of 10,000 touches. You just have to keep putting clay in places where it seems to belong; it’s a very fluid process.”

HANK KAMiNSKY sculptor

6 + University of Arkansas Honors College Honors alumnus Hank Kaminsky painstakingly carves the outlines of Ozark Hall on a clay disk. Plaster, plastic and steel models followed in the development of the final bronze medallion. THe MeDALLiON GOeS TO ... the tradition – but I love onors faculty work hard to sup- to experiment with form,” Hport honors students! They write Kaminsky said. The design countless letters of recommendation, prepare honors courses and mentor innovations appear in honors students one-on-one. Some subtle details, such as the might spend a day putting nervous way certain letters curve prospective fellows at ease in a series into oak leaves (a reference of interviews, while others review grant to the oak leaves in the applications. University of Arkansas seal). To recognize faculty member’s hard Originally from New work and dedication, the Honors Col- York State, Hank Kaminsky lege has developed the Distinguished began his studies in fluid process.” Faculty Award and the Distinguished electrical engineering but switched Last May, the ten professors Leadership Award. each recipient re- majors to art after a friend gave him who received Honors College ceives a bronze medallion and $1,000 to support undergraduate research. some clay. He subsequently studied Distinguished Faculty and The inaugural group of honorees: at the Art Students League, the Distinguished Leadership Awards + distinguished Faculty award Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine in fall 2011 were the first to Kathleen Condray Arts and the New School before receive the finished medallion, Jamie Hestekin earning his bachelor’s degree in art delivered in time to wear with their T.K.S. Kumar with high honors at the University of commencement regalia. “How Timothy G. Nutt Arkansas. He studied medal making many grams is this?” marveled Gretchen Oliver under Walker Hancock, designer chemistry professor T.K.S. Kumar, Jennie Popp of the original Olympic medal, and as he cradled the medallion in his Molly Rapert credits Italian Renaissance sculptors hand. Korydon Smith such as Pisanello, Ghiberti and Hold Kaminsky’s work in + distinguished Leadership award Nan Smith-Blair Donatello as inspiration for the your hand, and you too will be Duane C. Wolf painstaking process of making a hooked. The finely carved details For links to more information on major statement in miniature. invite study, while the solid heft these faculty members, please visit “It’s a sculpture of 10,000 of 170 grams of bronze embodies honorscollege.uark.edu/543.php. The touches,” Kaminsky said. “You just the achievement that the medal 2012 honorees will be announced at have to keep putting clay in places represents. the Honors College faculty reception where it seems to belong; it’s a very this fall.

University of Arkansas Honors College + 7 OnOn CampusCampus

Bright Lights, Big City ... But Where Are the Stars? tart with one bright student who’s passionate about a Slittle-known environmental issue. Add a little bit of support and encouragement. Fasten your seat belt and hold on. Last March, the Honors College brought documentary filmmaker Ian Cheney and dark sky advocate Connie Walker to campus, sparking two days of town and gown discussions and the largest-ever audience for a screening of Cheney’s award-winning new documentary, The City Dark. These events were the first in a new series, Honors College Invites, which grew out of a lunchtime discussion on honors student Ameé J. Salois’ first day on so thankful that the Honors College box with holes punched through it. the job as Honors College editorial made it possible for me to share my No “stars” appeared on the ceiling. assistant. passion with the university and the Then, when Walker shielded the Salois, who graduated with a community.” flashlight “city light” with a cap, double major in physics and English Events began with a Sunday pricks of light appeared on the last May, has been passionate about night discussion on downtown ceiling above, demonstrating that the night sky since her first sight of Dickson Street that drew a diverse streets could be safely lit while the Milky Way at age seven. Research group of faculty, students and keeping stars visible. experiences at observatories in community members from all walks “You save energy, save money, West Texas and Chile introduced of life, including farmers, artists, direct light when and where you her to the splendor of starry skies campus planners and developers. need it for safety and keep the skies in places far from city lights. She’s Astronomer Connie Walker, a dark enough to enjoy the stars,” she been working since then to raise science education specialist at told the group. “It’s a win win win awareness of light pollution. the National Optical Astronomy win situation!” “It’s not just about light blocking Observatory and director of GLOBE Documentary filmmaker Ian out the beauty of the night sky, at Night, a citizen-science campaign Cheney shared his own journey to although that’s a huge loss,” Salois to track light pollution around the awareness, which began with his said. “Light pollution also causes world, launched the discussion with move from rural Maine to New York a number of other problems. a demonstration. She positioned City. Confronted with the glare It’s about baby sea turtles losing a flashlight at the center of a of city lights in the Big Apple, he their way, birds circling lights to miniature mockup of a cityscape, embarked on what he thought would exhaustion, and even cancer cells then beamed a second flashlight multiplying in our own bodies. I am through an ad hoc planetarium – a Bright Lights continued on page 10

8 + University of Arkansas Honors College Honors international business student Michael iseman uses a sky quality meter to measure light pollution in downtown Fayetteville while professor Steve Boss looks on; (opposite page) astronomer Connie Walker demon- strates the power of shielding city lights. OnOn CampusCampus SAVe THe NiGHT SKY! HeRe’S HOW + Select outdoor lights that direct be a modest six-month project. light down, not up. “I started with the astronomers, + Light only where and when but almost immediately it became needed (timers and motion clear that this is a much more sensors can help preserve the interdisciplinary topic,” Cheney night sky, save energy and money said. “For millions of years there was and are readily available.) + don’t over light outdoor areas. a regular cycle of light and dark. + Use energy-efficient light sources. In the last 40 years or so, artificial + Participate in GLOBe at Night light has dramatically disrupted that campaigns to raise awareness. cycle. It’s as if mankind switched on For more information visit a giant light – and human beings www.globeatnight.org. and wildlife are being affected by + Work to enact lighting ordinances this habitat shift in ways we’re only in your community and watch to beginning to understand now.” make sure that they are enforced. A lively discussion of ongoing For more information visit efforts to preserve the night sky in www.darksky.org. Northwest Arkansas ensued, and the evening concluded outdoors. Filmmaker ian Cheney discussed light pollution and documentary filmmaking at a Although cloudy skies cancelled the town and gown event on downtown Dickson St. star party that had been planned, Walker demonstrated how to participate in GLOBE at Night using beings seeing a starry night sky Northwest Arkansas streets, roads, a smart phone app, and participants directly?” and highways that his students and measured light pollution in Cheney responded: “You can’t other members of the community downtown Fayetteville. swap a Google view of the earth for could adopt and take light readings On Monday, Cheney and the visceral, one-on-one experience for during GLOBE at Night Walker discussed light pollution of seeing the night sky. The value of campaigns. There were 187 light with more than 200 students in a kid lying on the lawn and seeing readings taken this year, providing the Fundamentals of Sustainability the Milky Way – how do you put a data that will support future research course led by professors Steve price tag on that?” on the impact of outdoor lights on Boss, Tahar Messadi, Jennie Popp Events were capped by the Northwest Arkansas’ wildlife, health, and Zola Moon. Walker coupled screening of The City Dark, which was energy consumption and cost. discussion with a number of actions selected as a New York Times Critics’ “In the past it was just me taking students could take to address the Pick and won the Grand Jury Prize readings in Fayetteville,” Salois said. issue (see sidebar). “It’s a global at the Environmental Film Fest at “There was so much more activity issue with a local solution,” she Yale and the Jury Prize for Best this year! It’s so exciting to see real emphasized. Student questions Score/Music at the 2011 South by change coming out of these events.” ranged from the pragmatic to the Southwest Film Festival. More than The Honors College plans to philosophical. One student, noting 500 attended the screening and the continue bringing thinkers and that he can see pictures from the discussion that followed. doers to campus for the Honors Hubble Space Telescope on the web, As a follow up to these events, College Invites series. Suggestions asked: “Is there a value in human Boss identified a grid of 25 are welcome.

It’s about baby sea turtles losing their way, birds circling lights to exhaustion, and even cancer cells multiplying in our own bodies.

AMeé J. SALOiS honors physics and english student

10 + University of Arkansas Honors College PopPop QuizQuiz

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University of Arkansas Honors College + 11 ClassClass NotesNotes

Grants Teryl Hampton SURF grant, 2007, work on decorations in reception areas of Courses Roman houses Carly Squyres Visualizing the Roman City SURF grant, 2008, digital recreation Impact Jackson Cothran, geosciences; Tim de Noble, architecture; David Fredrick, classical of the House of Menander in studies; Fred Limp, anthropology. Pompeii Offered 2007-2008 of 25K Using laser scans taken on Tyler Johnson site in Italy, students mastered Honors College research grant, In 2006 the Honors College 3-D software such as AutoCad 2012, digital recreation of the house provided seed funding and SketchUp to reconstruct of Octavius Quartio for 12 interdisciplinary portions of Ostia Antica, an courses, many of which ancient Roman port city. Tyler Johnson Honors College research travel are still flourishing today. Digital Pompeii grant, 2012, travel to Pompeii for A $25,000 grant to fund David Fredrick, classical studies. on-site investigation Visualizing the Roman City Begun 2009, ongoing tapped into cross-campus Using existing plans and Tiffany Montgomery interest in game design, elevations, students recreate Honors College research travel houses in the ancient city grant, 2012, travel to Pompeii for enabling honors students to buried by the eruption of on-site investigation use gaming technology to Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. virtually recreate, experience “Pompeii, in spite of being Tiffany Montgomery and better understand studied forever, is very opaque Honors College research grant, ancient cultures. Drawing in terms of what was where and 2012, digital recreation of the house together students and faculty how people experienced the of Ara Massima spaces,” Fredrick said. The from fields ranging from goal? Provide an experiential Juan Rios computer science to math, space tied to a database of Honors College research travel art and architecture, this artworks – a new kind of 3-D grant, 2012, travel to game grant has been a gift that catalog for art historians. developers conference in San keeps on giving…. Francisco Introduction to Game Design David Fredrick, classical studies. Greg Rogers Begun Fall 2010, ongoing Honors College research travel In this course, students grant, 2012, travel to game learn to build computer developers conference in San games, drawing on classical Francisco texts as inspiration: Ovid’s Metamorphosis, Homer’s David Fredrick and Alyson Gill Odyssey and the Mahabharata, a (Gill at Arkansas State University) Sanskrit epic of ancient India. National Endowment for the Humanities grant, 2012, to explore use of game engines for visualization in the humanities.

12 + University of Arkansas Honors College Honors Theses Teryl Hampton, Conferences with faculty mentor David Fredrick Computer Assisted Archeology A Systematic Analysis of Conference, Granada, Spain, 2010 Mythological Frescoes in Tablina Fredrick and two graduate students, and Alae of the Pompeian Keenan Cole and Jasmine Merced, Domus, 2008 demonstrated that you could use game engines to tie 3-D recreations Tyler Johnson, of space to databases. with faculty mentor David Fredrick Visualizing Space Syntax in the House of Octavius Quartio at What’s next Pompeii, 2012 Fredrick, Cothren and several graduate students are preparing a grant proposal to fund development of a fully immersive environment Awards using an omnidirectional treadmill. Grand prize, Unity Mobile They also want to analyze how Generation Great Education people move on site at Pompeii, Giveaway using Google glasses to create an David Fredrick, classical studies; augmented reality. “We want to see Russell Deaton, computer science how the space works, how art and and computer engineering; Nilanjan color provide cues for movement,” Game Developers Conference, San Banerjee, computer science and Fredrick said. “The Romans are Francisco, Calif., 2012 computer engineering; Keenan long gone, so the idea is to study Several students, including honors Cole, graduate student, Center for how people today navigate online engineering student Juan Rios and Advanced Spatial Technologies and on the actual site.” honors history student Greg Rogers, Spring 2011 traveled to San Francisco to take Digital Antiquity in the latest trends in game design. The U of A was one of three grand Jesse Casana, anthropology; Jackson Describing his ride down the prizewinners in an international Cothren, Center for Advanced Spatial hotel escalator to the convention contest sponsored by Unity, a Technologies, forthcoming floor, Rios said: “It was awesome, cutting-edge game engine. The get: it was overwhelming, it was crazy. I The grant cycle comes full circle 20 professional licenses of Unity and thought, this is the greatest thing with Honors College funding for 20 Google phones, in total worth I’ve ever seen in my life!” a new course. Digital Antiquity about $65,000. will expand beyond ancient Rome, offering honors students an opportunity to participate in Publication research ranging from an effort to map ancient roadways in New Rachel Newberry, “Is Jove a Rock Mexico’s Chaco Canyon to city or a Leaner? Interpreting the planning informed by data from an Central Paintings of Pompeii’s Iron Age site in Turkey. House of the Tragic Poet,” Inquiry: The Undergraduate Research Journal of the University of Arkansas, vol. 10, 2009.

Univers + 13 CampusCampus NotesNotes

Funding Future Learning onors students can look Hforward to some terrific new interdisciplinary courses thanks to $160,000 in grants awarded by the Honors College last year. Many of the courses that received Honors College seed funding in 2006 are still flourishing today (on pp. 12-13 we show how these grants keep on giving). The courses and faculty teams selected for funding include the following:

Childhood Obesity: Context and Prevention Faculty: Mardi Crandall, Cindy Moore, Vernoice Baldwin, human environmental sciences; Michael Thomsen and Rodolfo M. Nayga Jr., agricultural economics and agribusiness. Childhood obesity, which affects almost one-fifth of all children in the Honors students pursuing research in nanotechnology may use the molecular beam United States, will be addressed from epitaxy machine to grow nanostructures one atom at a time. multiple perspectives, including child development, nutrition, health behavior, economics and marketing. Advanced Spatial Technologies. a critically important issue in This course will offer honors public policy, and among the Computational Craft: The students the chance to explore most contentious. This course will Algorithmic Generation of Form advanced problems in archaeology introduce honors students to a wide Faculty: Santiago Perez, architecture; while learning sophisticated range of perspectives and proposed and Tyler Moore, computer science and methods in three-dimensional solutions, and will expand beyond computer engineering. modeling and visualization. the classroom through a service Honors students will learn to learning experience in an area code computer software to generate Educational Equity: A Cross- school that has increased social and forms or patterns, and will then Disciplinary Approach educational equity. fabricate tangible works of art and Faculty: Robert Maranto, education sculpture featuring these forms. reform; Luis Fernando Restrepo, world Foreign Trade and International languages, literatures and cultures; and Order: History, Policy, and Theory Digital Antiquity Patrick Stewart, political science. Faculty: Liang Cai, history; Jingping Faculty: Jesse Casana, anthropology; The gap in equality of learning Gu, economics; and Ka Zeng, political and Jackson Cothren, Center for across ethnic and class lines is science.

14 + University of Arkansas Honors College Students in the Computational Craft course will have the opportunity to create computer-generated designs using a custom-made five-axis mill.

Kim, biological engineering. will combine critical reading and Nanotechnology holds discussion and creative project-based tremendous promise for new learning to train honors students applications in a wide range of to think rigorously and analytically industries, from consumer goods about such humanistic topics as and electronics to medicine. music, poetry and human nature. The professors collaborating on this project will engage honors Social, Economic, and Computer undergraduates at all levels, from Networks This honors course will explore nanotechnology modules for Faculty: Jingxian Wu, electrical the relationship between China’s freshmen and sophomore classes to engineering, and Kathy Fogel, finance. foreign trade and the world order, hands-on research opportunities for This course will introduce beginning with China’s dominant juniors and seniors. honors students to the science, position in world trade before technology and theory guiding European hegemony and extending Music, Language, and Thought the evolution and operations of through the Cold War and into our Faculty: Elizabeth Hellmuth networks ranging from international own time. Margulis, music; Jack C. Lyons, economic networks to Facebook and philosophy, and Douglas A. Behrend, LinkedIn. Interdisciplinary teams Integrating Nanotechnology into psychology. will envision business applications Honors Education Music and language are two of networks, some of which just Faculty: Min Zou, Steve Tung, and distinctively human capacities, both might turn into real entrepreneurial Adam Huang, mechanical engineering; of which seem to be closely linked to opportunities. Gregory Salamo, physics; Donald Roper, our capacity for thought; the exact Faculty members plan to begin chemical engineering; Jingyi Chen, nature of this link, however, is still offering these courses in the 2012-13 chemistry and biochemistry; and Jin-Woo somewhat uncertain. The course academic year.

University of Arkansas Honors College + 15 FieldFiled NotesNotes

Garden Grows Fresh Produce, Community on Campus he sweet-spicy scent of Thai basil wafts across the sun- Twarmed garden. Honors pre- med student Emmy Crossfield peers down into the cucumber patch. “Holy cow, look at this one Jonathan!” she exclaims. “Whoa, that one’s ready to go,” responds Jonathan McArthur, a horticulture major who is managing volunteer labor in the garden over the summer. Crossfield triumphantly plucks the large, curved cucumber and places it in a wicker basket. The first harvest of the new campus community garden is officially on and the yield, reported down to the last gram by Crossfield in an email sent later that day, was respectable by any measure: 1.2 kg of broccoli, 8.82 Jonathan McArthur and emmy Crossfield harvest sweet basil from the new campus kg of cucumbers, 41 g of jalapeños, community garden. The fresh herbs were donated to the Full Circle Food Pantry. 540 g. of sage, 400 g of Thai basil and 327 g of sweet basil. That first harvest, so proudly and Rom said. “Given that an earlier The first and perhaps most precisely measured, was about two effort proved not to be sustainable, formidable task was finding a site for years in the making, and represents a we decided it was important to the new garden. Crossfield and Rom cross-campus, interdisciplinary effort define what works first,” he added. worked closely with the department led by Honors College students and Jones surveyed 86 universities with of facilities management, eventually Curt Rom, horticulture professor community gardens and visited six of selecting a site nestled within the and honors program director them, then outlined best practices in courtyard of Maple Hill dorm and for the Dale Bumpers College of her honors thesis. close to the North Quad and Hotz Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences. Armed with Jones’ dorms. Rom recalled that Samantha Jones, recommendations, Emily Crossfield, “You need the garden to be then an honors environmental, soil, an honors pre-med student and visible, where people pass by it, and water sciences major, got the director of sustainability for the notice it and can easily take care of ball rolling. Associated Student Government, led it,” Crossfield said. She also secured “Sammi visited community the effort to get the garden in the support from the Associated Student gardens while studying in ground. That year-long effort served Government, the Residents’ Interhall Edinburgh, Scotland, and she was as the capstone project for her eager to do something similar here,” minor in sustainability. Community Garden continued on next page

16 + University of Arkansas Honors College Congress and two registered student the Full Circle Campus Food Pantry, annual meeting of the American organizations, GroGreen and the which serves students and staff Society for Horticultural Sciences Horticulture Club. More than 50 facing food insecurity. last summer. students from multiple disciplines “I love the idea that they’ll have “There are a lot of community worked together to design and plant fresh herbs for their soup, and some gardens on campuses, but the the garden, fostering connections fresh cut flowers for the table,” link to a campus across campus. Crossfield said. food pantry is still Crossfield is especially proud that Rom and Crossfield presented relatively rare,” garden harvests will be shared with their work on the garden at the Crossfield said.

Want to Fight Fat? Look to the Fly he tiny fruit fly may offer insight Another surprising finding in Drosophila. She found that in Tinto a big – and ever growing – showed that a decrease in dLipin flies subjected to starvation, dLipin problem. in starved flies caused dramatically increased in the nuclei of fat cells, “There are more than a billion increased flight activity. Prajapati where mammalian Lipin is known overweight people worldwide, hypothesized that starvation prompts to activate genes that promote and half of them are obese,” said an increase in dLipin in flight oxidation of fatty acids for energy. Meenakshi Prajapati, a biology musculature, which allows starving At the same time, dLipin decreased student and Sturgis Fellow from flies to conserve energy by flying less. in the cytoplasm, where it promotes Trinidad and Tobago. “Given this To better understand dLipin’s fat storage. She also found that pandemic, it’s imperative that we role in fat regulation, Prajapati spent starvation leads to an increase study fat metabolism to help find four semesters in the lab, dissecting of dLipin in the thorax (flight newer and better treatments for larval and adult fruit flies, both fed musculature) and abdomen of adult obesity.” and starved. She then used Western male flies. Working under the direction blot techniques to analyze changes “This suggests that increased of Michael Lehmann, an associate in dLipin levels in different tissues of dLipin in the flight musculature professor of biological sciences Drosophila. may play a role in reducing physical in Fulbright College, Prajapati “There was a lot of activity under food deprivation. We focused on dLipin, an enzyme that troubleshooting involved,” she don’t understand the function of promotes fat storage and metabolism recalled. “For every fly I got results dLipin in the abdomen – that needs in Drosophila melanogaster, on, there were 50 dissected that I more research,” Prajapati said. the common fruit fly. She was couldn’t use. The solution I was We’re still far from popping a intrigued by a study that showed using to preserve the flies was too pill to fool the body into burning fat that Drosophila dLipin promotes fat dilute, and at one point I had to start instead of storing it, though. storage, and a conflicting finding all over. I’ve learned to do analysis “We start by understanding how that starved flies, especially males, along the way, and not to assume dLipin works in fruit flies,” Prajapati had increased levels of dLipin. Why that my procedure works.” said. “Once we have a Drosophila would a starved fly have an increased Prajapati’s hard work eventually model, then we can work to figure amount of the enzyme that promotes did pan out with data on where and out human Lipins. We still have a fat storage? how dLipin regulates fat metabolism long way to go!”

Given this pandemic, it’s imperative that we study fat metabolism to help find newer and better treatments for obesity.

MeeNAKSHi PRAJAPATi biology student

University of Arkansas Honors College + 17 FieldField NotesNotes

H2P On Screen 12-minute film turned in as the final project for an honors course was screened at the sixth annual ALittle Rock Film Festival. The Children of the Mother Beaver, a grainy, sometimes-bloody meditation on the frontier justice meted out by 19th century Regulators, follows a pair of siblings through the wilderness as they hunt for their father’s killer. The film was inspired by Friedrich Gerstäcker’s first novel,Die Regulatoren in Arkansas (The Regulators [Vigilantes] in Arkansas), an 1846 description of Arkansas’ Wild West days. “The Gerstäcker book was the most fun thing we read in class – a Western. It’s genre fiction, but it has bigger themes,” said John Erwin, an honors English major/ Japanese minor in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences. Erwin and honors classmates Zach Harrod and Lindsay Strong spent eight days shooting the film, largely in Elkins, using a Canon XF 100 video camera. The budget? Next to nothing. “We bought costumes at thrift stores and blanks for shotguns – it was like $10,” Erwin said. Erwin and Harrod wrote and produced the film and all three students acted in it. Erwin, who has made about 30 short films since age six, handled the cinematography and months of editing. He purposely degraded the film to achieve grainy, highly saturated color. “I was going for the look of low budget art films from the ’70s, shot on cheap film,” he said. The team screened a three-minute excerpt for their classmates in the honors humanities course led by Kathleen Condray, an associate professor of German, and Fiona Davidson, an associate professor of geology. A scene in which Harrod casually skinned and beheaded a squirrel sparked criticism from classmates but is key to the film, Erwin said. “It reflects the hypocrisy of Zach’s character, skinning a squirrel while talking about his father’s act of mercy to a beaver,” Erwin said. “Students read excerpts from Friedrich Gerstäcker’s novel as part of a larger discussion on the rights and obligations of governments (and an individual’s rights and obligations within that framework),” Condray noted. “And John has nicely captured the tension inherent in a society in which government is not performing as it should and some citizens feel they must act out of self-protection, which was a situation not uncommon in frontier Arkansas.” Drawing as Architecture/Architecture as Drawing wasp’s nest, rock, hollowed out boundary between drawing and it upside down and continued Alog, and armadillo skull inspired architecture during a summer of working. He identified media used architecture student Andrew Arkell’s architectural studies in Mexico. as “watercolor, graphite, conté, honors thesis. But those natural “[Painter] Tom Mills joined us gouache, some blood sweat and forms are unrecognizable in the on the tour of northern Mexico. He tears, and a lot of sand paper!” 12 ½-foot-wide by 6 ½-foot-high taught me how to draw this way, and Terry described the finished abstract drawing that he produced I liked it enough to turn it into my project as “just what an honors thesis to satisfy the thesis requirement. thesis project,” Arkell said. Upon should be - it pushes the limits on Ghost traces of Arkell’s preliminary returning to campus, he worked with what architecture is.” The drawing studies may be teased out, but the Laura Terry, an associate professor alone is impressive, but Terry primary impact is spatial. The mural- of architecture and award-winning emphasized the amount of work sized drawing presents openings, painter, to produce the four studies that went into the piece: “There are chambers, and edges that hint at and the final project. about 40 drawings that have been architectural space without defining The final drawing took shape sanded into the carpet,” she said, them – and that is just what Arkell over the course of 12 weeks. Arkell pointing to the floor in front of hoped to accomplish. pieced together the drawings, cut the drawing. Arkell plans to enter “My thesis blurs the line between out sections, and then patched in the work in a competition once it’s art and architecture,” he said. “The new sheets of paper and continued finished, but that may be a while. drawing is 2-D, but I’m interested in drawing, applying sandpaper as “I don’t know what it’s going to be, creating a 3-D experience.” Indeed, needed to erase marks. At some even still,” he said. “If I could occupy Arkell has taped “X”s on the studio point, concluding that the piece the whole wall of the Field House, I floor to shape different viewing was too “object-centric,” he turned would.” experiences, from an up-close vantage point that invites detailed My thesis blurs the line between art and architecture. The inspection to a distant view that allows one to take in the overall drawing is 2-D, but I’m interested in creating a 3-D experience. impact of the piece. ANDReW ARKeLL Arkell began to explore the architecture student

University of Arkansas Honors College + 19 FieldField NotesNotes

Board Launches Future Leaders t’s 5 p.m. on a balmy Friday in The freshman initiatives committee IMay, and 18 honors students are organized an ice cream social, dressed in their business best: silk inviting professors throughout the ties, crisp button downs, nicely cut college to chat with new students. jackets and day dresses. Welcome to The alumni relations committee the last meeting of the year for the hosted a tailgate party before a Walton College of Business Honors baseball game; next year, they Student Executive Board – and take hope to tap honors alumni to a good look at tomorrow’s business mentor current students. The social leaders. No Friday afternoon cut-offs committee, building on the success and hacky sack games for this group: of that first information session, they’re summing up this year’s plans to organize a homecoming activities and making plans – lots of brunch and possibly, a formal them – for next year. Honors business students Rohit Mittal and dinner. The meeting is co-chaired by Kristen zachary led development of the “The craziest thing for me Kristen Zachary and Rohit Mittal, new Walton College of Business Student personally is what I thought it would executive Board. They will document the who formed the group a year ago at results in their honors theses. look like, and what it looks like now; the suggestion of Javier Reyes, then it’s nothing alike,” Mittal said. “You the Walton College honors program learn so much from going through director, and assistant honors “We ran out of chicken – that was this process.” director Jason Adams. a good sign for us,” Mittal said. The student board and other “We started with the idea of “It was the first event we ever put honors program initiatives have improving the Walton honors on, and we thought, this is going to received generous support thanks program – we knew we had the be okay,” Zachary added. to the leadership of former Walton resources and students to do it,” Ably led by Zachary and College dean Dan Worrell. That Zachary said. Last fall she and Mittal Mittal, with four subcommittees support will continue under the made a fact-finding trip to Boston regularly meeting, the group has new dean, Eli Jones; the group will College, which has one of the best accomplished a lot in just one year. manage a dedicated budget next honors business programs in the The marketing committee worked year. They are also excited about country, then offered their first closely with Walton staff to overhaul the opportunity to work with new event, an honors thesis information the honors program website honors program director Molly session that attracted more than 100 and started work on recruiting Rapert on the Walton College students. pamphlets, a newsletter and a video. Honors Council.

FULL CiRCLe

Honors pre-med student Julia Lyon led the effort to address food insecurity on campus as the first president of the U of A’s Full Circle Food Pantry. Last March she and several other honors students won a trip to the White House to receive a Campus Champions of Change Award from President Barack Obama.

20 + University of Arkansas Honors College engineering students designed an inexpensive water filtration system for a Kenyan orphanage founded and run by Fayetteville native Sarah Fennell. Engineering H2Ope hirsty? Turn on faucet, fill up drinking water more readily available to a filtration unit outside of the Tglass. Americans take clean for the orphanage, founded and run orphanage kitchen, and design a running water for granted, but by Fayetteville native Sarah Fennell. separate filtration system so that gray slaking one’s thirst or starting a pot of Using 55-gallon plastic barrels, PVC water may be used for irrigation. soup is a major task in other parts of pipe and sand – all readily available “In the long run, maybe future the world. At the James Christopher in Kenya, a key design constraint – teams can do this type of work and Opot Children’s Centre, an they built a prototype water filtration scale it up – helping out a whole orphanage in rural Nyanza, Kenya, system for $473.72. The system uses a village, for example,” Mojica said. well water must be hauled up a hill biologically active sand filter and an “This is a good first step.” and dosed with chlorine before it is elevated tank to filter the water (there The project served as the senior drinkable. is no electricity at the orphanage). design project for all four students. “I can’t imagine anyone here The next steps include testing the Mojica credits honors faculty mentor would drink that water,” said water for bacteria count, turbidity Tom Costello, associate professor of Ismael Mojica, an honors student (how clear water is) and taste, biological engineering, in helping the from Berryville, Ark., who recently and then possibly, sending a team students identify realistic goals for the earned his B.S. degree in biological of students to build the system at project. engineering. Mojica and teammates the orphanage. Mojica also hopes “We have high ambitions, but it Iain Bailey, Samantha Puckett that future students will develop a takes a little bit of work to get there,” and Jessica Hart resolved to make system to pump water from the well Mojica said.

FinaL digiTaL cOncePT OF sysTem (POTaBLe waTer TreaTmenT)

Consumption Biosand filters Other uses requiring similar water quality to consumption Well Pump

Potential electrical Rain Cistern Power Pre-treatment* Grey Water

Remaining uses (i.e. washing Solar Battery from Secondary water clothes, washing dishes, Panel(s) playground filter** flushing toilets, etc.)

Rain Cistern Black water Waste

*Pre-treatment includes both a separator for removing the majority of the oils, soaps, and solid organic matter, and a gravel filter. **Secondary water filter is a duplicate of the biosand filter. †One, both, or neither of the power supply options may be chosen depending on the electricity needs. Contents of dashed box and dashed arrow processes are optional.

In the long run, maybe future teams can do this type of work and scale it up – helping out a whole village, for example.

iSMAeL MOJiCA biological engineering student

University of Arkansas Honors College + 21 FieldField NotesNotes

Can Multiple Choice Spark Creativity? ubbling the correct answer on a looking for a specific answer. This children need to be given more Bmultiple-choice test can confirm really limits the student’s options. choice assignments so they can pick a student’s grasp of long division, but Just changing the way you teach a how they want to demonstrate their it doesn’t measure a more intangible little bit can help, so that lessons learning and have more opportunity quality – creativity. To cultivate becomes more student-centered to do their own thinking.” independent thinkers who can and less teacher-directed,” said Roy, who hopes to work with creatively problem solve, teachers Jessica Roy, an honors student who gifted and talented children in must move beyond “teaching to the is currently working towards her the future, wondered, how does a test” and expand the concept of Master of Arts in teaching in the teacher spark creativity? She set out multiple choice. College of Education and Health to determine if there were tangible “So often we ask direct questions, Professions. “To increase creativity, differences between teachers’

To increase creativity, children need to be given more choice assignments so they can pick how they want to demonstrate their learning and have more opportunity to do their own thinking.

JeSSiCA ROY honors education student

Presenting open-ended assignments encourages creative responses from students. iStockphoto.

22 + University of Arkansas Honors College HonorHonor RollRoll

perceptions of creativity and their practices to promote creativity in students. his year Honors College students continued to excel in winning nationally With the help of faculty Tcompetitive awards. Congratulations to the following honors students and to mentor Vinson Carter M.A.T., the professors and staff who mentor them: Roy surveyed 32 teachers in Northwest Arkansas. She gave the Pickering FeLLOw J. wiLLiam FuLBrighT teachers three different surveys: he Pickering Undergraduate schOLarshiPs the first two surveys provided the TForeign Affairs Fellowship his program awards grants teachers with statements that did provides financial support for Tfor research and teaching or did not promote creativity, undergraduate and graduate study; assistantships in foreign countries. such as “Grades in my class are only 20 undergraduates were selected + John Jolly mostly based on the student nationwide. english - Susan Marren having the correct answer, not + clint shoemake Germany the correct process.” The first Anthropology and Political Science - + carl monson survey asked the teachers to rank Sidney Burris and Patrick Conge German - Kathleen Condray Germany the statements by how often Truman schOLar + cameron word they occurred in the classroom his award recognizes students who international Relations - and the second survey asked elizabeth Markham and Hoyt Purvis Taspire to careers in government Japan them to rank how well the and public service; only 54 students teachers believed the statements were selected nationwide. naTiOnaL science FOundaTiOn encouraged creativity. The third + mike norton graduaTe FeLLOws questionnaire surveyed the Agricultural economics and Poultry ecipients are awarded three years teacher’s individual classroom Science - Lanier Nalley Honorable mentions Rof support for graduate studies in practices and beliefs about all scientific disciplines. teaching. + matthew seubert Business economics and Political Science - + Troy Long Roy found that teachers know Andrew Horowitz Chemical engineering - Scott Mason exactly what fosters creativity. + grant hodges + alex Lopez “Using ungraded assignments Political Science - Janine Parry Chemical engineering - Jamie Hestekin that take the pressure off + ali mcatee students to get the right answer, gOLdwaTer schOLar Chemical engineering - Jamie Hestekin presenting brainteasers that his award recognizes outstanding + Thomas rembert have multiple solutions instead Tmathematics, science and Physics - Greg Salamo Honorable mentions of a problem that has one engineering students planning careers + danielle Frechette answer, and giving feedback that in scientific research. + Jimmy vo Biological engineering - Jamie Hestekin prompts students to think are all Biomedical engineering - David zaharoff + morgan race proven ways to foster creativity Honorable mentions Civil engineering - Richard Coffman in students, and teachers know + raven Bough + derrek wilson Physics - Surendra Singh this,” she said. Horticulture - Curt Rom Roy attributes the gap + katelin cherry between understanding Biological engineering - Jeff Wolchok and implementation to a + christopher Peterson scarcity of time and training, Biological Sciences - Steven Beaupre and the expectation of giLman schOLar meeting standardized testing he Gilman Scholarship provides requirements. “There’s not Tfunds for study abroad. enough time in school to teach + rachel calandro thinking skills – it’s all content Jordan based. That’s why I wanted to study it. We aren’t necessarily teaching problem-solving skills, and that’s something you’re going to need in everyday life.”

University of Arkansas Honors College + 23 AlumniAlumni ProfileProfile

Honors & Arias he sweeps onto stage in a sequin-studded strapless gown, Sbows, and calmly takes her place in the curve of the Steinway grand piano. You expect a big voice, and Sarah Mesko does not disappoint. Her warm, rich mezzo- soprano moves fluidly from the Baroque opening aria composed by Giacomo Perti to the dreamy lyricism of Gustav Mahler, from a suite of bluesy cabaret songs by Benjamin Britten to the nimble vocal fireworks of Gioachino Rossini. The surprise comes in the way Mesko fully inhabits the world of each song. In Britten’s Johnny, to take just one example, she is by turns flirtatious, enraptured, crestfallen and petulant, at one “You saw that on stage when she was vanilla latte. “I’m three or four, point letting fly a small shriek of here – at the age of 27 she did what in my pajamas, singing this little rage at her recalcitrant lover. Her a seasoned artist does. She takes church song, and there was a lot small sigh of release after some time with the phrasing, to bring out of sound pouring out of my body numbers, audible in the intimate the beauty of the musical score, and – every note was there!” With space of the Stella Boyle Smith each character has a dramatic inner her mother teaching piano to 40 concert hall, is the only clue that life from beginning to end.” Yoes students a week, and her father what Sarah Mesko is doing is allowed that she worked on dramatic leading music in church on Sundays, actually quite hard. Perhaps most delivery with Mesko, but was quick Mesko was steeped in classical remarkably, she is 27 years old, to emphasize that the singer has music from an early age. She sang returning to campus as a seasoned benefitted from many teachers, occasionally in church, but her focus professional just four years after and added that the poise is all her was on the flute, which she began earning degrees in both voice and own: “Maybe she learned it at three, studying at age 10. In high school, flute,summa cum laude, from the J. maybe she was born with it,” she said she played flute in the Arkansas William Fulbright College of Arts with a chuckle. Youth Orchestra for four years and and Sciences. One of Mesko’s earliest was proud to be a “three-peat,” “The poise is what I always memories suggests that her flair for making first chair flute in the All- think about, when I think of performance was in place at a very State Band three years in a row. Sarah Mesko,” said Janice Yoes, an young age. At age 16, determined associate professor of music who led “There’s a home video of my to audition for top music Mesko’s vocal training during her sister Emily playing piano,” she recalled over a steaming cup of years at the University of Arkansas. Mesko continued on page 26

24 + University of Arkansas Honors College

AlumniAlumni ProfileProfile

Mesko performs in an emerging artist production of Cosi fan tutte at the Washington National Opera. Photos by Scott Suchman courtesy Washington National Opera.

There was music, movement, dancing – it was a more holistic artistic experience. Plus, the flutist has to stay in the pit, and I’m such a ham! I love to perform.

SARAH MeSKO singer and honors alumna conservatories around the country, so Sarah had a ‘pants’ role,” Janice and performers from around the she turned for help to Richard and Yoes recalled. “It was very difficult, country. Laura Rosenberg, who led the Hot and she had to learn to sing better “I can’t thank Dr. B enough for Springs Music Festival at that time. to make it through. Every year, she saving me from student debt – that’s They listened to her perform on the got better.” such a weight on young people,” flute and gave her some pointers. In addition to meeting these Mesko said. Beyond the academic On the way to her car afterwards, musical challenges, Mesko thrived and financial support she received, Mesko began singing a Debussy on the academic riches offered Mesko credits her faculty mentors, song, and a secretary with the music up by the Honors College. She Yoes and Mains, for helping her find festival overheard her through an reeled off a number of memorable her way as she struggled to choose open window. courses, from a “physics for non- between voice and flute. “When I got home, there math majors” class to an honors “When I first came here, it was a was a message waiting from the colloquium on the Byronic hero. complete toss up. I wanted to delay Rosenbergs, to come back and sing “Now I know I would have been the decision as long as possible,” for them. I sang Misty, and a French miserable at a conservatory,” she Mesko said. Sometimes she focused art song, and they ended up offering said. “That level of focus would’ve on the flute, and sometimes she was me a role as Third Lady in The Magic burned me out.” Sarah’s mother, excited about the vocal repertoire. Flute,” Mesko recalled. She loved Kathy Mesko, who traveled from Hot Over time, she began to lean her first experience singing opera, Springs to attend the homecoming towards a career in opera. and expanded her musical studies recital, concurred. “There was music, movement, to include voice. After auditioning “The Honors College was dancing – it was a more holistic in both flute and voice at several top great for Sarah. She’s so diverse artistic experience,” she mused. programs, she chose the University in her interests, and here, she was “Plus, the flutist has to stay in the of Arkansas. challenged both academically and pit, and I’m such a ham! I love to Talented faculty members, musically.” perform.” including Yoes and flutist Ronda Mesko’s Bodenhamer Fellowship In her sophomore year, she sat Mains, were the main draw, and and an Arkansas Governor’s down with some trepidation to talk upon arrival on campus Mesko Scholarship were also helpful, with Ronda Mains, who advised her stepped into a lead role, with fully covering her tuition, room student to “‘give it some time, be extensive recitatives – musical and board, as well as study abroad courageous, see what happens,’” dialogue, sung in Italian – in in Paris and three summers at Mesko recalled. “She gave me Handel’s opera Rinaldo. the Aspen Music Festival, where permission to practice the flute “We were short on male singers, she studied with top students less, to have voice be my primary

26 + University of Arkansas Honors College instrument.” Mesko ended up degree in vocal performance. She Mesko has learned that lesson well. completing a degree in both flute has performed with the Santa Fe After the concert, meeting the and voice, and is glad she did. Opera, the Baltimore Symphony applause of the audience waiting Though she’s pursuing a career as a Orchestra, and made her European for her in the lobby, Mesko sought singer, she still pulls out the flute to debut. She recently completed her out Yoes and introduced her to play for her own pleasure, and uses it second season with the Washington the crowd. Then, turning to her to learn music that’s really difficult. National Opera Domingo-Cafritz teacher, she gestured from her “Ultimately, the choice had to be Young Artist Program, where she mouth outward – “Open and go,” hers; she could have done either,” won praise from The Washington she said with a smile for the woman Mains said. “She has a natural stage Post for her “consistently beautiful who taught her to sing without self- presence that is compelling, and her sound.” consciousness. innate sense of timing and phrasing Throughout the journey, Mesko “You did that today,” Yoes said, is just exquisite. This is apparent on has carried with her the lessons giving her a hug. the flute, but even more apparent learned on the University when she sings.” of Arkansas campus. Yoes concurs: “The timbre of While singing with the her voice was so unusual – lush and Santa Fe Opera, she dark and Slavic; I think it may come recalled, “the things from her Slavic roots. Her range Ms. Yoes told me finally and agility were really unusual, too; clicked: emotional things I thought she would have more about not getting in success as a singer. That’s the case my own way, and not with so many of these honors kids listening to myself while – they have so many talents in so I’m singing.” Mesko many directions, the hardest thing began recording her is to decide what talent they want to rehearsals, with the idea develop.” that she could listen Her decision made, and the critically afterwards, and degree in flute completed, Mesko noticed a big difference blossomed in her fifth year at the after she gave herself university. She won first place in the permission to just sing. National Society of Arts and Letters “I can hear myself Vocal Competition and the Franco- being so careful in the American Vocal Academy Grand early recordings, and Concours de Chant, the first of that’s not what thrills many national honors she has won people! They want to in vocal performance. hear people express joy Mesko’s career has been on the through the music, pain fast track in the four years since through the music.” she left campus. The first stop Based on the Mesko performs with Jegyung Yang and Plácido Do- was Rice University in Houston, performance she mingo in Gluck’s Iphigénie en Tauride. Photo by Scott where she earned a master’s presented on campus, Suchman courtesy Washington National Opera.

That’s the case with so many of these honors kids – they have so many talents in so many directions, the hardest thing is to decide what talent they want to develop.

JANiCe YOeS associate professor of music

University of Arkansas Honors College + 27 AlumniAlumni UpdatesUpdates

racen Armendariz earned University of Pennsylvania and lark Donat (B.A. in history, Ga B.S. in education, magna is studying for the bar exam. He C magna cum laude, 2007) earned cum laude, in 2010 and completed will begin work as an associate his J.D. from the University of her Master of Arts in Teaching with Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver, Arkansas School of Law and is now in 2011. She is now working as Jacobsen, LLP, in Washington, an attorney at Bracewell & Giuliani a pre-kindergarten teacher for D.C. this fall. LLP in Dallas, Texas. Fayetteville Public Schools. than Carter (B.S. in chemical fter earning her B.S. in eth Barlow (B.A. in Eengineering with minor in A business administration, cum Sinternational relations and environmental, soil, and water laude, 2010 and a master’s degree Russian, with minors in political science, cum laude, 2011) is in accounting, 2011, from the science and business management, working on a sustainable business University of Arkansas, Cassaundra cum laude, 2010) recently MBA online through Marylhurst Drake is working as an audit completed a master’s degree in University and working as a associate for Deloitte & Touche, tourism administration in sports health, safety and environmental LLP in Dallas, Texas. management from the George coordinator for Southwestern Washington University. Energy in Conway, Ark. kihiro Eguchi (B.S. in A computer science, 2011, fter earning B.A. degrees fter earning his B.Arch. and B.A. in psychology, 2012, A in political science and A degree, summa cum laude, in both summa cum laude), will communication and minors in 2006, Zack Cooley went on to earn continue to explore his interest in Spanish, gender studies and his master’s degree in architecture programming artificial intelligence legal studies, cum laude, 2007, from Princeton University. He’s this fall, when he will begin Dwayne Bensing spent two years now a junior architect at Diller doctoral studies in the field of teaching science and social Scofidio + Renfro, the MacArthur- computational neuroscience at studies to middle school students Prize-winning New York City firm. Oxford University. in Philadelphia as a Teach for His projects there have included America corps member. He design work on the new Broad renton Ellis (B.S. in civil recently completed his J.D. at the Museum in downtown Los Angeles. T engineering with minor in

DanieL aLLen completed B.S. (cum laude, 2008) and M.S. (2010) degrees in geology at the U of A, and is now a senior geologist with Core Laboratories in Houston. He’s excited about the Honors College’s new home: “As a geology major and then a graduate student in geology, i spent A LOT of time in historic Ozark Hall. it was like a second home to me in grad school! i’m sure it will be a pleasure for the geosciences department to soon share the building with the Honors College when the extensive renovation and expansion are complete.” image left: Daniel Allen on a field trip to the Guadalupe Mountains in West Texas last summer.

28 + University of Arkansas Honors College emiLy Baker (B.Arch., summa cum laude, 2004) recently completed her master’s degree in architecture at Cranbrook Academy in Bloomfield Hills, Mich. She writes: “i spent my time at Cranbrook experimenting with innovative structural and construction techniques, and i developed a system called Spin-Valence that uses digital fabrication techniques to turn a sheet of steel into a light-diffusing space frame. i am moving to the United Arab emirates at the end of August to teach architecture and digital design at the American University of Sharjah.” emily Baker’s thesis installation, Study in Spin-Valence (shown at left and above), was purchased by the Cranbrook Art Museum as the second piece of architecture in the permanent collection along with eliel Saarinen’s Saarinen House. The same research will be on display at ACADiA’s Synthetic Digital ecologies Conference in October.

mathematics, magna cum laude, physics, magna cum laude, 2009), studies, summa cum laude, 2008) is currently pursuing a Ph.D. is pursuing a Ph.D. in mechanical 2011) is completing a Master in engineering at the University engineering at the University of Theological Studies in New of Texas at Austin. He focuses of Arkansas, funded by an NSF Testament and Early Christianity on geotechnical engineering Graduate Research Fellowship. at Harvard University. She plans with emphases on reliability- to obtain a Ph.D. in religion and based design, risk analysis and fter earning a bachelor of teach at a research university. earthquake engineering. He A social work degree with a hopes to return to Arkansas after combined major in African and meé (Salois) Hennig (B.S. in completing his degree: “The New African-American studies and A physics and English, summa Madrid Seismic Zone [a major a minor in Spanish, summa cum cum laude, 2012) raised awareness fault system that threatens seven laude, 2011, Elena (Hampton- of light pollution while on campus states] contains uncertainties Stover) Froelich completed an (pp. 8-10) and continues her work on so many levels … it makes M.S.W. degree at the University of to preserve our connection with the design of infrastructure very Kansas. She is now a therapeutic the night sky as a program manager difficult in northeast Arkansas. I case manager with KVC, a contract with the International Dark-Sky would enjoy spending my career foster care provider in Kansas City, Association in Tucson, Ariz. helping with that.” Kan. illiam Hogan (B.A. in rew Fleming (B.S. in arah Griffis(B.A. in classical W political science/European Dmechanical engineering S studies and English literature with minors in mathematics and with a minor in religious Alumni continued on page 30

University of Arkansas Honors College + 29 AlumniAlumni UpdatesUpdates

sheLLy BuFFingTOn (B.S. in biophysical chemistry with minor in biology, summa cum laude, 2007) is currently a Ph.D. candidate in the department of neuroscience at Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) and a National institutes of Health predoctoral fellow. Her research focuses on the structural plasticity and molecular diversity of the axon initial segment, a part of the neuron that plays a central role in cell-to-cell communication. Following her defense in early September, she will begin postdoctoral work at BCM, studying molecular mechanisms of learning and memory. The image to the left is an immunostaining of a cultured hippocampal neuron that reveals proteins specifically enriched at the axon initial segment (yellow) that are excluded from dendrites (blue). The image, taken by Shelly Buffington during her research, was featured on the cover of the November 2011 European Journal of Neuroscience in which Buffington published a review on the axon initial segment in nervous system disease and injury.

studies with minors in Spanish next May, followed by a nine-month ethany Larson (B.A. in history, and Latin American studies, cum clinical fellowship. She hopes to Bcum laude, 2009) completed a laude, 2011) continues to explore promote literacy by working in master’s degree in journalism at his interest in the Basque region public schools. the Newhouse School of Public of Spain, the subject of his honors Communications at Syracuse thesis. Now pursuing a master’s awn Koltes (B.S. in University, and is now assistant degree in geography with an Dagricultural, food and life editor for Newmarket Press & emphasis in political geography, sciences, cum laude, 2006) is It Books, part of HarperCollins he will be conducting fieldwork in pursuing a doctoral degree in Publishers. Bilbao, Spain this fall. genetics at Iowa State University. ydia Lawless earned dual imee Jones (B.S. in biology evin Lammers (B.A. in Lundergraduate degrees (B.S. in A with minor in music, magna K psychology and drama, cum food science and B.A. in Spanish, cum laude, 2007) plans to complete laude, 2010) is pursuing a J.D. with a minor in global studies a master’s degree in speech- degree at the University of Illinois in agricultural, food, and life language pathology at the U of A College of Law. sciences, summa cum laude, 2008)

After completing a bachelors of fine art degree in studio art (ceramics) with a second major in German, cum laude, in 2008, mary eLkins earned a master’s degree in craft/ material studies - ceramics at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va. She is now teaching ceramics at the Visual Arts Center of Richmond. The image at the right is a detail of Mary elkins’ M.F.A. thesis work, Based on a True Story, 2 ½’ x 6’ x 9’, low fire clay, glaze, slip, paste wax, gouache, 2011.

30 + University of Arkansas Honors College and recently completed a Ph.D. in ussell Moore (B.S. in finance- Office of the Comptroller of the food science from the University of R financial management/ Currency in Oklahoma City, Okla. Arkansas. She is currently seeking a investments, with a minor in job as a sensory science consultant. economics, magna cum laude, 2008) is a national bank examiner in the Alumni continued on page 32 achel Lee (B.S. degrees R in physics and chemical engineering with a minor in mathematics, summa cum laude, 2010) is now a doctoral student in the physics program at the University of Maryland-College Park. She writes: “I have started working with Dr. Wolfgang Losert at the University of Maryland in collaboration with Dr. Carole Parent at the National Institutes of Health on a project to determine the forces that are responsible for the motion of cells. It is a very interesting project and has applications in fields such as wound healing and cancer treatment.”

amila Maldonado (B.S. in C civil engineering, magna cum laude, 2011) is an intern at the Department of Transportation (CALTRANS) in San Diego, Calif. This fall she will begin work on a megan garner (B.A. in graphic design, magna cum laude, 2008) earned a master’s degree in engineering master’s degree in multimedia journalism from the University of Miami and is and project management at the now an online news producer with Education Week. Past projects have sent her to University of California, Berkeley. Kenya, Greece and ecuador. image above: Megan Garner traveled to Athens in 2011 as part of the Special Olympics Documentary Team. Here, she is filming with members of team ecuador.

BLanca ceciLia gOnzaLez (B.S. in agricultural, food and life sciences, cum laude, 2005) and her husband Nate Tarter recently returned from a year in Haiti, where they worked with World Relief Haiti and partner churches to serve the most vulnerable. As a project manager in the agriculture livelihoods program, she helped to establish a demonstration farm, produce grafted fruit trees and distribute goats, all “with the purpose of helping rural communities and farmer groups increase their production and income.” Gonzalez continues to support socio-economic development programs in Haiti as a liaison between the field office and World Relief’s headquarters in Baltimore, Md. The image at left shows Gonzalez and her husband in Haiti, with Port-au-Prince in the background.

University of Arkansas Honors College + 31 AlumniAlumni UpdatesUpdates

kaTherine shreves (B.A. in international relations, French and european studies with a minor in economics, summa cum laude, 2010) is team-teaching english classes to elementary and junior high school students in Ogawa, a scenic village of 3,000 people in the foothills of the Japanese Northern Alps. This opportunity came through the Japanese exchange and Teaching Program. She writes: “i intended to stay in Japan for only one year, but i’ve enjoyed the experience so much that i’ll be starting my third year this August. i owe a debt of gratitude to several of my former Honors College professors for helping me successfully apply to the program, but Dr. Hoyt Purvis was especially important in the process.“ At right, Shreves addresses students at an assembly.

avid Norris (B.S. in physics, ultra-cold atomic gases and fter serving two years in Dsumma cum laude, 2003) quantum computing. Prior to this, A Cameroon with the Peace recently completed his Ph.D. I spent a brief stint in the corporate Corps, Jessica Rogers (B.A. in physics at the University of world at a Facebook partner in history and French, magna Maryland and is now a National company, applying math skills to cum laude, 2006) has worked in Research Council postdoctoral social media data mining problems; administration and finance at research associate at the National but soon realized that my heart the Peace Corps’ headquarters Institute of Standards and was really still in the lab. Turns out in Washington, D.C. Currently a Technology in Gaithersburg, Md. that once you do science for long budget analyst in the Office of the He writes: “I work in the research enough, you will never want to do CFO, she writes: “I support Peace group of Nobel Prize winner Bill anything else...” Corps Response (a short-term, Phillips on experiments involving high-impact program for returned

Since earning his B.A. in Spanish and B.S. in business administration-economics, magna cum laude, 2009, BLake sTrOde has pursued a career in professional tennis that took him to more than ten countries on five different continents. He writes: “One of my proudest accomplishments is having played in the U.S. Open in New York for the last three years in a row.” Strode begins studies at Harvard Law School this fall. At left, Blake Strode competes in the 2010 U.S. Open. Photo courtesy U.S. Tennis Association.

32 + University of Arkansas Honors College casey wOrreLL (B.Arch., cum laude, 2010) is an architectural designer in the Los Angeles office of Gensler, a global architecture, design, planning and consulting firm. He writes: “i am in the mixed use/entertainment studio, and have worked mostly on large-scale shopping centers. Right now, a lot of our work is in Asia.” image above: Worrell helped to design the Yongsan World Cross zone, an underground retail area linking four major office towers located in Seoul, South Korea. Image courtesy Gensler.

Peace Corps Volunteers and reactor aboard a Virginia-class fast- two years. Following her internship, qualified professionals) and the attack submarine. she plans to work as a nurse and programming and training office.” possibly earn a master’s degree in ummer Scott (B.S. in chemical public health, then work overseas. oel Runyan (B.A. in history Sengineering, cum laude, “I would love to be a refugee camp Nand classical studies, with 2008) heads a Freeport, Texas nurse someday,” she writes. minor in medieval and renaissance plant for Dow Chemical that is studies, magna cum laude, 2010) the world’s largest producer of ach Wagner (B.A. in history, is currently attending the U.S. epichlorohydrin, a key ingredient Zsumma cum laude, 2007) Navy Nuclear Power Training in epoxy resins that are used completed his J.D. at the University Command in Goose Creek, S.C., in adhesives, paints and other of Colorado and is now an attorney where he is studying to become materials. with the Bendinelli Law Firm, P.C. a nuclear propulsion electronics in Denver, Colo. technician. Upon completion elly Toner, who graduated in of his curriculum and receiving K May with a B.S. in nursing, orders to the fleet, Runyan will be summa cum laude, will participate Alumni continued on page 34 responsible for the maintenance in college ministry mission work in and safe operation of a nuclear Addis Ababa, Ethiopia for one to

University of Arkansas Honors College + 33 AlumniAlumni UpdatesUpdates

aniel Weatherall (B. S. Din biology, summa cum laude, 2010) will begin his third year at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical School this fall. He’s considering practice in the fields of emergency medicine, internal medicine or general surgery.

ndrew Wehrman (B.A. A in history with minor in education, magna cum laude, 2003) earned an M.A.T. at the U of A, then master’s and doctoral degrees in history at Northwestern University. He is now an assistant professor A LiTTLe ROMANCe ... of early American history at Marietta College in Marietta, eLizaBeTh sT. JOhn and chris serven first met in Pomfret Honors Quarters Ohio. as freshmen, but lost touch as they pursued degrees (hers: B.A. in journalism, magna cum laude, 2007; his: B.S. in business administration-finance, cum laude, 2007). When she moved to Charlotte, N.C. to work in the marketing department for the largest fter earning a B.S. in independent Coca-Cola bottler, she contacted the local chapter of the Arkansas A chemistry with a minor in Alumni Association to make some new friends – and made a lasting connection. She mathematics, magna cum laude, writes: in 2008, Blake Williams earned a “Within a few days, one of the members of the chapter emailed me telling me that medical degree at the University he remembered me from freshman year when we both lived in the honors quarters in of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. Pomfret Hall. We got together for coffee to catch up, which turned into dinner, drinks, He is now a resident physician in and a romantic dessert at the Melting Pot. Within eight months, we were engaged, and we got married last July in Charleston, S.C. Since we re-met, we’ve enjoyed dermatology at UAMS. traveling together to fantastic places, as well as making our home in North Carolina. it’s such a small world that 1,000 miles from Stadium Drive, two Razorbacks can get reg Ziser (B.A. in political reacquainted talking about their college days and start new lives together.” Gscience with minors in legal image above: St. John and Serven were married in Charleston, S.C. in “low country studies and Spanish, summa cum style,” complete with a horse and carriage, reception in a historic building, and shrimp laude, 2007) recently completed and grits. his J.D. at Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Wash. He began work as an assistant attorney general for the Washington State Attorney General’s office in August.

34 + University of Arkansas Honors College RoadRoad TripTrip

Postcard from Mexico n this excerpt from the Honors College Iblog, honors architecture student A summer of study and sketching throughout Lucky McMahon shares her take on the Mexico inspired Lucky McMahon’s thesis topic, architectural riches of Mexico, which which will focus on Mexico City’s first church she is exploring further in her honors as a site of embodied memory. thesis under the direction of Kim Sexton, honors program director for the Fay Jones School of Architecture. McMahon’s thesis will focus on the ways in which Mexico City’s Church of San Francisco, the first built by missionary Franciscans, functions as a site of memory and myth.

Mexico City was founded by Cortes atop the razed Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán and much of the valley lay beneath the waters of Lake Texcoco, a system of interconnected saline and freshwater lakes. As a result, many of the oldest structures are warped and unstable, which adds to the perceptual surreality in which Baroque curvilinearity, Generally we would spend at least for the upper-class Spanish, while indigenous craftsmanship, and two days in a city; one day for a the simplified cathedral of the multiple spiritualties collide walking tour that covered the large other square was for the indigenous and paradoxically coexist. This urban landmarks like plazas and citizens. metaphorical and literal layering cathedrals and one day for focused Our first pre-Hispanic site, of histories, from pre-Hispanic to and layered on-site drawing of Uxmal, is probably my favorite. Built colonial to the Revolution and to urban lacunas (small-scale urban of a little tan-pink stone, the Mayan modern, creates a sense of halting interventions for pedestrian traffic site is amazingly well-preserved, continuity in which the desire and small community gathering). with grand plazas and open corner for progress and the recognition After our first few days in the city, we conditions in which the forest and of the significance of history are departed for the Yucatán Peninsula mountains leak into the space, inextricably linked. in the south of Mexico, near the directing views and creating axial Without a doubt, the most Guatemala border. The first stop alignments. Mérida, a much larger exhilarating aspect of this summer was Tlacotalpan, a tiny port town town in the Yucatán Peninsula, has was the relentless travel and intense with brightly-painted, porticoed varied and intimate urban plazas drawing. I have never felt as alive houses as far as the eye could see. and some of the most emotionally as when I was scaling a pyramid at Organized around two squares that charged cathedrals I’ve ever Uxmal or riding a horse through touched at a corner, the town’s main the mountains of San Cristóbal. Baroque cathedral was intended Road Trip continued on page 36

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McMahon’s sketches of Uxmal; (below) the temple at Uxmal.

This is something that I only noticed for the first time in Mexico: the contradiction and coexistence of the most painful sadness and the most exhilarating beauty.

LUCKY MCMAHON honors architecture student

experienced; the elderly women contradiction and coexistence of the crumpled by the entrance to the most painful sadness and the most door with cups for change and the exhilarating beauty. infinitely benevolent light in the To hear more from McMahon, space brought me to tears. This and read other student accounts is something that I only noticed of research and study abroad, visit for the first time in Mexico: the honorsblog.uark.edu.

36 + University of Arkansas Honors College

Nonprofit Org. U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 278 The Honors College FAYETTEVILLE, AR 418 Administration Building 1 University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701-1201 honorscollege.uark.edu

Last look: Honors students traveled the globe to study, research, help out and kick back. Top row, l to r: Michael Ludolph and friends scuba diving near Belize; Douglas Wolf at Oatridge College, Scotland; Casey O’Grady next to the Lennon Wall, Prague; Russell Reynerson shopping in downtown Amman. Middle row, l to r: Jordan Burns studies Costa Rican cloud forest; Devon Hill-Larson and friends visit an archeological site in Belize; Mike Norton at the London School of Economics; Lydia Thompson and friend enjoy the fall leaves in Cambridge. Bottom row, l to r: Bryan Loyd and friends in Shanghai; Taylor Gohman and a fellow euphonium player, Stockholm.

A+ magazine Editor: Kendall Curlee + Designer: Leigh Caruthers Prassel + Contributors: Steve Boss, Shelby Gill, Chaim Goodman- Strauss, Salar Jahedi, Daniel Levine + Photography: Russell Cothren, Clint Fullen, Shelby Gill, Timothy Hursley, Stephen Ironside, Tiffany Montgomery, Michael Neugebauer, Santiago Perez, Greg Rogers, Steve Swayne, Scott Suchman ++ Contact: [email protected], p. 479/575-2024