2. | letter from the dean | intellect | contents |
editors :
Kelly Welsh ’05 (M.A.)
Patricia Allen
E ducation is enhanced when concepts are felt and principles are experienced.
Simply learning that certain fish will group together to protect themselves from
design:
Maria Taffera Lewis Gambling on the Big Game:
prey is not the same as watching it occur. Understanding the differences between
Baroque and Romantic music is not nearly the same as hearing, or even playing,
Bach and Chopin back-to-back.
image editor:
James Brack
photography:
2 The Risk of Concussions
From Kitchen to Classroom,
6
Students at Saint Joseph’s University’s College of Arts and Sciences truly experience New Classes Nourish
Melissa Kelly
their education. They are given many opportunities to investigate, explore, experiment
with, and put into practice the foundational ideas and core principles of their areas contributors:
of study. They benefit from an engaged faculty whose enthusiasm for knowledge and Patricia Allen Water, Water Everywhere — | departments |
learning makes them important contributors to their academic fields through research Thomas Clark ’10 But Not a Drop to Drink
4
Colleen DeFruscio ’11 (M.A.)
and creative explorations. News
Nicole Katze ’11 (M.A.)
Bill Wells ’12 Closing the Gap:
I am proud of the spirit of partnership between students and faculty in the classroom,
Kelly Welsh ’05 (M.A.) Understanding Variables
the lab, and the studio. I am proud, too, of Saint Joseph’s new general education Faculty Books
program, instituted this fall. It is designed to challenge all of our undergraduate in Mathematics Achievement
students to be inquisitive, reflective, imaginative and engaged.
10
Switchgrass and Green Roofs: Newsmakers
Intellect is a publication of
It is my hope that the pages of this premier issue of Intellect will provide readers a
Saint Joseph’s University’s Researching Sustainable Options
taste of the experiences that are the foundation of the many courses of study within
College of Arts and Sciences,
the College of Arts and Sciences. This issue invites you to consider the possibility Journal
showcasing the latest research
Highlights
of reversing the aging process, explore the hidden trauma of concussions, imagine and news. Sleepless Across the Globe:
how switchgrass could power cars, and think about the place that food has not only A Cultural Look
in our kitchens, but in pop culture and ethics. For more information,
please visit our website at
www.sju.edu/academics/cas.
Tying Up the Ends: Investigating the
12
Genetics of Cancer and Aging
William Madges, Ph.D.
Dean
16
On the cover: Barbelin Hall, alight with the
excitement of new programs, research
Calm and Composed:
and opportunities for students and faculty. The Art of Susan Fenton
Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1851, Saint Joseph’s University
spring 2011 | intellect 1
advances the professional and personal ambitions of men and women
by providing a demanding yet supportive educational experience.
3. | psychology |
Gambling on especially those that were cognitive, physical and
sleep-related, than athletes with a history of zero or
According to the
Centers for Disease Control,
approximately 1.6 to
Loss of conscious-
ness is not required
for diagnosis of a
the Big Game:
one previous concussion,” says Schatz. 3 million concussions occur concussion, and
The study, which evaluated over 2,500 high every year in the the majority of
school athletes in three different states, assessed United States, concussions do not
concussion symptom questionnaires that were making it an epidemic. involve a loss
administered during preseason testing. Results of consciousness.
indicate that high school athletes with two or more
The Risk of
concussions had higher ratings on symptoms such as
headaches, difficulty remembering things, dizziness,
and an increase or decrease in sleep, as compared to
athletes with one or no previous concussion.
Concussions Although the study was based on self-report
of concussion history and symptoms during the
preseason screening of healthy teenage athletes,
he does say that the results are congruent with the
An athlete who sustains
a concussion is
4-6 times more likely
to sustain a second
History of multiple
concussions has been
P revious research on ex-NFL players showed
that repeated concussions resulted in greater
incidence of cognitive impairment and
depression. More recent research has revealed that
ex-athletes with a history of multiple concussions
recent studies on long-term concussion-related
symptoms in professional athletes.
“The results suggest that there may be early
indicators of post-concussion syndrome seen in
professional athletes with multiple previous
concussion, and up to
9 times more likely
to experience more
severe symptoms
following subsequent
linked to decreased
scholastic performance,
decreased attention
and concentration,
increased incidence
had neurological brain changes commonly associated concussions,” Schatz says. “These findings do not concussions. of depression
and permanent
with advanced dementia. These findings have resulted reflect any direct causal relationship. For example,
neurological changes.
in increased concern over post-concussion-related it may be that athletes with multiple concussions are
injuries and trauma of athletes. simply more familiar with concussion symptoms and
P HILIP S CHATZ P H .D., professor of psychology, terminology, or more sensitive to physical,
and his associates published a study in Neurosurgery cognitive, and emotional fluctuations.”
that identifies potentially enduring effects of multiple With the popularity of organized sports ever on
previous concussions on high school students. More the rise, Schatz wants people to remember that Concussions and the Brain
specifically, Schatz and his colleagues propose through concussions are a serious hazard. “Concussions are
A concussion is Following concussion, This typically results
their research that teens who have sustained multiple a real risk, and there is no way to prevent them from During this time
considered a there is a decrease in in rapid onset of
concussions may already be demonstrating early signs occurring,” warns Schatz. “But if somebody period, a second
metabolic injury regional cerebral blood flow temporary impairment
of post-concussion syndrome. sustains a concussion, the best practice is to make concussion or impact
and cannot and an increase in need for of neurological function
can have severe or
“Our results show that high school athletes with a sure that they are symptom free, and that they don’t be detected on a glucose demand, creating a that resolves within
catastrophic effects.
history of two or more concussions had significantly return to play or practice until they have been seen CT scan or MRI. metabolic mismatch. 7-10 days.
higher ratings of concussion-related symptoms, by a qualified medical professional for clearance.”
2 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 3
4. | english & philosophy |
[ Food Writing ] “ The class exercises require
thinking beyond the obvious— [ Literature of Food ]
“W genrethe last decade, the food writing
ithin
has become an American
obsession — from best-selling memoirs based
on food to food blogs and food journalism
they can’t just say something
is delicious. You have to think
through flavor and texture
and consider writing for
From W hen asked about the course she would most like to develop, M ELISSA
G OLDTHWAITE , P H .D., professor of English, described the class she
now teaches, Literary Forms and Styles: Books that Cook. Blending the
reading, analysis and enjoyment of literature that focuses on or features food,
an audience.
”
Kitchen to
books,” says T ENAYA DARLINGTON , M.F.A., the course is also a study of the history and
associate professor of English. A food writer herself, Darlington’s most recent foray
into the field is her blog, “Madame Fromage: The Pillow Book of a Cheese Lover.”
sociology of food and foodways in America.
“Students are encouraged to consider their
“ By the end of the class,
they are not only aware of
Things came together for Darlington when she started teaching a popular course own relationship to food, and the literatures how much literature deals
in food writing. of food, through writing,” says Goldthwaite. with food, but they also go
“The class is an opportunity to examine our food culture through different “Class members read a variety of forms and through a transformation
lenses, from political to personal, and to study trends in various food movements,”
says Darlington. “As well, students put their writing chops to the test by developing
their own food blogs, some of which have really taken off.”
To hone their writing and epicurean skills, Darlington devised several ingenious
activities to stimulate palates and imaginations. “The exercises require thinking
Classroom, [ Food Ethics ]
ypically, food isn’t a topic that
“ Tphilosophers consider,” says J ULIE
During the semester, McDonald
divides the moral issues students grapple
with into three broad categories: questions
concerning one’s relationship to oneself —
genres, even analyzing the roles recipes play
both in literature and as literature.”
The co-author of the forthcoming Words
of ‘tastes’ — both literary
and sensory.
”
Rising: AnAnthologyofAmericanFoodWriting (University of Nebraska Press),
Goldthwaite says that course work is not confined to rhetorical analysis.
beyond the obvious — they can't just say that something is ‘delicious,’ ” says Darlington.
“They have to think through flavor and texture, and consider writing for an audience.
Being a food writer requires understanding the plate on many levels, not just as
cuisine, but also as a series of interconnected stories between food producers,
politicians, flavorists, chefs, writers, diners, pilots and truckers. ”
New M C D ONALD , P H .D., assistant professor
and chair of philosophy. But McDonald’s
course, Food and Justice, exposes
students to the 21st century’s complex
moral issues related to food.
healthy eating and gluttony — questions
concerning one’s relationship to other
people — food security, food rights,
marketing and labeling, the safety of food
workers — and questions concerning one’s
“Though I don’t require it, I invite students to make something for their
classmates to eat,” she says. “They might use a recipe from one of
the books we are reading – like Nora Ephron’s Heartburn or
Laura Esquivel’s LikeWaterforChocolate. Or they can
bring in foods that are important to them. One
McDonald believes the course’s focus relationship to animals and the environ- student talked about her family’s blueberry farm, and
Courses is unique for a philosophy curriculum.
Among other issues, students wrestle
with the ethics associated with global
hunger, malnourishment, starvation,
biotechnology and food production,
ment — ethics, genetically modified foods,
vegetarianism, veganism, animal rights.
McDonald says one of her goals for
her students, who are often senior food
marketing majors or minors in faith-justice
discussed how it defined her, how her family in the
abundant summer months created recipes. She
brought in blueberry pizza, following a dessert recipe
created by her aunt.”
Throughout the semester, students confront our
Nourish
and the effects our current agricultural studies, is for them to learn to question culture’s complicated relationships to food, notes
practices will have on future generations. prevailing systems of thought that Goldthwaite. “At the same time, they are consuming
“I’m aware of philosophy courses contribute to our culture’s failure to the literature,” she says. “By the end of the class,
that look at food through the prism of pay attention to these issues. “We are they are not only aware of how much literature
aesthetics,” she notes, “but this course educating the leaders of the future who deals with food, but they also
is quite different. It was developed will be challenged by the problems — go through a transformation
through the University’s Faith-Justice such as hunger and food insecurity — of ‘tastes’ — both literary
Institute, and it makes students aware that they have encountered in class. and sensory.”
of the people who face hunger and It’s crucial they recognize them and learn
starvation globally, and in our own to think effectively about how to solve
backyard.” them,” she says.
4 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 5
5. | institute of catholic bioethics |
Water, Water, Water that is fit to drink without risk of immediate
or long-term harm is fundamental to human well-being.
Everywhere – Without food we can survive weeks. But without water,
we can die of dehydration in as little as two days.
—UN-Water, United Nations
But Not a Drop to Drink
Over 1.1 billion people, mostly in low- and middle-income countries, lack access to safe water sources
within a reasonable distance (1 kilometer) and reasonable quantities (20 L/day) from their homes.
E
Even after the United Nations voted to recognize water as a
human right, the World Health Organization reports that 1.1 billion
people lack access to a safe and adequate water supply. To address
this public health crisis, a team of 10 graduate and undergraduate
students — led by medical bioethicist P ETER C LARK , S.J. ’75,
professor of theology and director of the Institute of Catholic
Bioethics, and four Institute Fellows — are developing an
parishes, clinics or schools in Guatemala, Tanzania and the
Dominican Republic.
With the help of microbiologists J OHN T UDOR P H .D., professor
of biology, and C ATALINA A RANGO, P H .D., assistant professor of
biology, the team is testing the filter with E-coli — a bacterium
similar in size and shape to Salmonellatyphi, which causes typhoid —
using a water supply from Guatemala.
inexpensive and sustainable slow-sand water filter for use by Third “There are many elements that go into the testing process, and
World nations. we must continuously repeat the procedure,” says senior Institute
“We witnessed the need for clean water while working in Fellow Danielle Lucchesi. “Taking any setbacks into consideration,
medical clinics in the Third World, where children are dying need- as well as the duration of the testing, I hope the filter will be ready
lessly from water-borne illnesses like typhoid, malaria and bacterial for use in the next year.”
diarrhea,” says Fr. Clark. “A low-cost, effective water filter could When testing is completed, the group plans to set up filters in
help lessen mortality from these diseases.” 35 homes in one of the targeted countries and teach residents
In 2008, Fr. Clark and his students began developing the filter, how to maintain them. They will also determine the filter’s
aided by faculty members in several disciplines. Through trial and effectiveness in decreasing the number of typhoid cases and other
error, the group has designed a model filter that is now being tested. related water-borne diseases.
Costing only $20, each slow-sand filtration system is According to junior Institute Fellow Matthew Fadus, the main goal
constructed from easily accessible materials: two six-gallon plastic is to develop a filter that is sustainable and easily maintained. “There
buckets, 50 pounds of sand and gravel, cheesecloth and plastic are many Tanzanian, Dominican and Guatemalan people who spend
spigots. Research has shown that similar filters can remove up to hours a day procuring water,” says Fadus. “Education and employ-
99 percent of bacterial pathogens and produce between 20 and ment lag behind in terms of priorities, hindering economic growth
30 liters of clean water daily. The group hopes that the filter will and development. If families don’t have to worry about foraging for
someday be used in communities that are connected with Jesuit clean water, they will be able to focus on other priorities.”
Costing only $20, the filter may remove up to 99 percent of bacterial pathogens and produce
between 20 and 30 liters of clean water daily.
6 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 7
6. | education |
If progress in improving the mathematics
proficiency of Americans is to continue,
Math Lessons
Closing the much greater attention must be given
to early mathematics experiences.
– The National Association for Education of Young Children
1 Although 70% of U.S.
children attend preschool 2 The number
of low-income
or daycare at 4 years of age, children in the
Gap:
and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
very little is known about United States
the nature and relationship continues to rise.
the type of instruction may not have learn research skills and understand between the frequency This group
been the most effective. Wang discov- how educational research can translate of mathematics learning is particularly
ered that teachers of African-American into classroom success, that’s where opportunities and later at risk of failing
kindergartners used math manipula- the difference will come,” she says. mathematics achievement. in school.
tives, math worksheets and real-life Wang has presented her initial
math more often than teachers of findings on how the opportunity to
low-income Caucasian children, who
taught higher-order math. Ultimately,
Wang found that, despite more
learn mathematics intersects with
student diversity at the Fifth Annual
IES Research Conference in Maryland,
3 Low-income
African-American
and Caucasian
4 A greater exposure to higher-
level mathematics such as:
counting by 2s, 5s and 10s,
instruction time, African-American at the 2011 biennial meeting of the children started
knowing the value of coins and
kindergartners did not score as high as Society for Research in Child pre-kindergarten with
Understanding Variables in cash, adding and subtracting
Mathematics Achievement A s a child and a first-generation
Chinese American, A U B R E Y
WANG , P H .D., assistant professor
of education, knew she was different from
others in the classroom. As an adult, her work
special limited license from the federal
government. With this license, Wang has
access to two data sets that comprise the
Early Childhood Longitudinal Study. Currently,
there are approximately only 350 individuals
their Caucasian peers.
“The findings suggest that kinder-
garten teachers need to balance their
math curriculum with more emphasis
on higher-order mathematics content
Development in Montreal, Canada,
and at a meeting of the Chinese
American Educational Research and
Development Association.
Wang is also researching the
the same level of
mathematics achieve-
ment that developed
into a gap favoring
single-digits, and recognizing
fractions, predicted higher
mathematics achievement in
kindergarten for both African-
Caucasian children
in education brought to her attention the with access to the data. and less on manipulatives and math influence of student background on by the end American and Caucasian children
achievement gap in the United States related Wang’s research has shown that games,” she says. motivation to learn and acquire a of kindergarten. from low-income families.
to students’ backgrounds. As a researcher, she opportunity to learn is influenced by four Wang plans to continue this line of language, specifically Chinese. She
wants to do something about it. major factors: the time spent learning the research to build upon the evidence won a secondary data analysis grant
A specialist in educational leadership, curriculum, the content of the curriculum, that early mathematics exposure totaling $34,076 from the American Source: 1. U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics,
Wang is researching students’ opportunity to how the curriculum is delivered and students’ contributes to later academic success, Educational Research Association 2000. 2. U. S. Census Bureau, Poverty: 2007 and 2008 American Community
Surveys (ACSRB/08-11), 2009. 3. 4. Wang, A. H. Offenberg, R. Pre-
learn mathematics in preschool, kindergarten individual and diverse learning needs. and to help close the achievement gap Grants Program for a two-year kindergarten math content exposure: Does it predict higher level math content
and early grades and how student background In one study, published in the Early related to student background. project titled “Factors Predicting Early exposure and mathematics achievement in kindergarten? Presentation at the
(gender, age, ethnicity and socioeconomic Childhood Education Journal, Wang found that “My experience was that practi- Mathematics Skills for Low-Income biennial meeting of the Society for Research in Child Development, Montreal,
status) intersects with that opportunity. low-income African-American kindergartners tioners do not always know how to African-American, Hispanic-American, Canada, 2011.
The project involves performing analyses of had greater opportunities to learn mathemat- apply the research provided for them, and Caucasian-American Preschool
National Center for Education Statistics ics than their low-income Caucasian peers. and often research-based strategies and Kindergarten Children.” The
(NCES) data, and required Wang to obtain a But while their instruction time was greater, were not implemented. If educators award spans 2011 to 2013.
8 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 9
7. | biology |
O n the face of it, switchgrass
(Panicum virgatum), one of the
native grasses of the tallgrass
prairie identified as a potential biofuel
source, and green roofs, tight eco-systems
of succulent plants engineered to thrive on
the tops of buildings, have little in common.
dioxide on the potential yield of varieties of
switchgrass,” says MICHAEL MCCANN,
PH.D. ’89, associate dean, College of Arts
and Sciences and professor of biology.
The study will also examine the physiological
and structural mechanisms that lead to
changes in yield.
G
of the plant and the attributes that allow it
to be used as a biofuel.”
reen roof systems provide a
wide range of benefits including
reduced energy use and
increased energy efficiency. Basic green
Switchgrass
and Green Roofs:
But at Saint Joseph’s, a $1 million grant “Understanding the effects of global roofs usually involve a structure built on an
from the Department of Energy’s (DOE) change on switchgrass is critical because we existing roof that includes a waterproofing
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy don’t want to be caught off guard if we are membrane and additional layers of root
Program is funding key research and public relying on this crop for fuel,” says C LINT barrier and drainage systems. Growing
education projects focused on these two S PRINGER , P H .D., assistant professor of medium and specialized plant vegetation is
different entities that will impact the biology and principal investigator of the then added to that structure.
sustainability movement. Both initiatives study. “Future changes in climate could have “There is a variety of commercial green
are being conducted on Saint Joseph’s cam- negative consequences on both the yield roof systems available, precipitating a need
pus, but field studies of switchgrass
are being carried out at the Konza
for research focused on direct com-
parisons of different systems and
Researching Sustainable Options
Prairie, near Manhattan, Kan., a Why Switchgrass? plant communities,” says McCann.
National Science Foundation Long “Our system, which is installed on
Term Ecological Research site. Perennial, Sequesters the Science Center roof deck, per-
producing carbon, helps
While switchgrass is a potential high yields to offset CO2, mits the direct, side-by-side compari-
alternative energy source for biofuel for a decade emissions to son of four green roofs.This novel,
or more atmosphere.
production, very little research has once ‘many roofs on one building’ ap-
focused on how its yields, and the established.
Native to proach will provide valuable data on
characteristics that make it a biofuel United States, the various systems in use in South-
Low water grows well
candidate, will be altered by the and nutrient across wide
eastern Pennsylvania,” says McCann.
predicted changes in climate specific requirements. geographical “Moreover both of these studies
to the Great Plains, where much of areas of the are meaningful to the sustainability
country.
its cultivation is slated to occur. Grows well movement and to students who are
in soils not
“We will initiate a multi-year, suitable for Provides interested in environmental science
basic research project examining the other crop habitat for careers.”
production. animals and
effects of changes in precipitation, birds. Right: Plants growing through Sedum rupestre Phlox subulata Nepeta x faassenii Achillea x
temperature, nitrogen deposition Increases coconut fiber wind blankets on
and elevated atmospheric carbon soil organic Large root “Angelina” “Candy Stripes” “Walker’s Low” “Terra Cotta”
SJU’s green roofs.
matter system that
through reduces
root- nutrient losses
turnover. from fields.
10 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 11
8. | psychology |
Hours
of Sleep
Total Sleep by Country 13.5
for Infants and Toddlers
O ne of the toughest adjustments for parents is 13.0
Sleepless Across The Globe matching the erratic sleep patterns of their infants and
toddlers. Some newborns sleep so little their parents feel
almost nocturnal, while others will snooze for up to six hours
at a time just days after birth. J ODI A. M INDELL P H .D.,
professor of psychology and director of graduate psychology,
12.5
found dramatic discrepancies in nighttime sleep of children
in a published global study in Sleep Medicine. 12.0
This first-of-its-kind study collected data on day and
nighttime sleep patterns, and sleep-related behaviors,
in almost 30,000 infants and toddlers from 17 different
countries and regions.The study focused on two distinctly 11.5
different regions of the world: countries and regions that
are predominantly Caucasian and countries and regions
that are predominantly Asian.
11.0
“We found differences in bedtimes of almost three hours,
Japan
Korea
Taiwan
Hong Kong
Singapore
Malaysia
China
Indonesia
Philippines
Thailand
Canada
United
States
Vietnam
United
Kingdom
Australia
New
Zealand
India
with children from New Zealand and Australia going to bed
at approximately 7:30 p.m. compared with children in Korea,
A Cultural Look
who were going to bed almost three hours later,” says
Mindell. “Interestingly, we found that the time children
wake up in the morning is just about the same and that
naps are almost identical around the globe. You end up
with a difference of two to three hours in total sleep children had sleep problems. The factors that predicted
times, with children in Australia and New Zealand getting sleep problems in all the countries included going to bed
dramatically more sleep than children in places such as after 9 p.m., falling asleep with a parent present and
Japan and Korea.” watching television at bedtime.
It is not clear whether these vast differences in sleep One thing is certain:This study will be the baseline for
times are biologically or culturally driven, although future studies.
according to Mindell, they appear to be culturally based. “We need to take the next step and look at the
Other interesting differences were also found. For consequences of these differences in sleep,” says Mindell.
example, parents of children living in predominantly Asian “We also need to learn more about why there are such
countries were much more likely to report that their differences.”
spring 2011 | intellect 13
9. | biology |
W
hen Harvard released a study in the fall of 2010 revealing that Researchers believe that
researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute had successfully
Tying Up the Ends: reversed many effects of aging degeneration in mice, the news garnered
significant media attention. For most readers, the idea of slowing the
aging process was revolutionary, if not surreal. But for JULIA LEE-SOETY, PH.D.,
extending a cell’s telomeres
helps extend the life
of the cell and, therefore,
Investigating
assistant professor of biology, it harkens back to her research. Awarded a grant
the organism to which
by the National Institutes of Health to investigate the science of cancer and
aging, Lee-Soety has long been interested in the maintenance of chromosome it belongs.
ends — called telomeres — and their function in the aging process.
Telomeres serve as protective caps for chromosomal ends, allowing cells to retain their
the Telomeres serve as protective biological information — much like the plastic aglet at the end of a shoelace that protects the
Genetics
caps for chromosomal ends, end from fraying. As a cell divides, the telomeres shorten, limiting the cell’s life span. When the
telomere can no longer protect the end of the chromosome, the cell ages and dies.
allowing cells to retain
Researchers believe that extending a cell’s telomeres helps extend the life of the cell and there-
their biological information —
fore, the organism to which it belongs. But when it comes to cancer, maintaining telomeres
much like the plastic aglet could allow cancer cells to live indefinitely. “It’s a Catch-22,” says Lee-Soety. “How do you
at the end of a shoelace shorten the telomeres of bad cells while prolonging them in good cells?” The Harvard study
of protects the end from fraying. produced results that suggest mice with elongated telomeres experienced a reversal of the aging
process when telomerase, the enzyme that maintains telomeres, was reintroduced to their cells.
Artist’s representation
Cancer
In humans, this could lead to treatments for medical conditions that cause premature aging. of chromosomes.
Lee-Soety’s research focuses on the maintenance of telomeres by telomerase and other
proteins. By using baker’s yeast as a comparative model system and manipulating it to resemble
aging mammalian cells, Lee-Soety and graduate student Erin Remaly have isolated an important
protein and shown that it aids in telomere maintenance. They have further observed that one
Aging
critical component of the protein was necessary for the maintenance.
“It’s like having a machine with several major parts and testing to see which part is the most
important,” says Lee. “By removing one part at a time and seeing the effects, we are able to
understand how the protein works to maintain telomeres.”
The protein of interest in Lee-Soety’s study, called Npl3, has a mammalian homologue despite
being found in single-celled yeast. According to Lee-Soety, this means that the mechanisms for
maintaining telomeres in both yeast and in mammals are similar enough that the results of her
study can, eventually, translate to understanding mammalian telomere maintenance.
14 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 15
10. ART
| fine and performing arts |
Calm and Composed
White Sleeve
and Snake Gypsy Mask
In her third-floor office in Boland Hall, hand-painted with photographic oil pigments.
The White Dress Red Headband
of
S U S A N F E N TO N , M . F. A . , associate
professor of fine and performing arts, has
few moments to herself. Whenever she’s in
the building, the constant flow of photogra-
phy students working just outside her door
She begins by planning tight, formal compo-
sitions, even when the subject of the photo
is a model. Called directorial photography,
this technique requires the image to be
built by the photographer, not simply found.
Susan
find her to ask questions about composition, “I work exclusively in the studio, which
lighting, development … anything. means I construct the image I want, while
“When I’m here,” she says, “you can bet many other photographers will explore until
Red Top Tattoo I’m working with students.” they find a subject for their photographs,”
It’s no surprise that her students seek Fenton says. “You might say that I treat
her expertise. Fenton’s own photography has figurative models like objects, and objects
been shown in nearly 30 solo exhibitions like figures. There’s not much distinction for
domestically and internationally, and is me — everything is carefully controlled and
featured in 19 permanent collections, includ- composed.”
Fenton
ing both the Philadelphia Museum of Art and Fenton’s most well-known works feature
the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. models dressed in reconstructed clothing
She has been the recipient of 12 grants and or found objects, allowing her to visually
fellowships, some of which have taken her as explore ethnicity, gender and body image —
far as Ireland and France. Most recently, she themes influenced by her extensive time
earned a spot in a group exhibition in spent abroad. Recently, she has turned to
Guatemala. more traditional still-life images, prompting
Her work, which at first glance resembles The Artblog (www.theartblog.org) to review
color photographs of single figures, is in her new work as having an “aesthetic … of
reality black-and-white silver photographs aching beauty and calm.”
16 intellect | spring 2011 spring 2011 | intellect 17
Black Gloves and Headband Red Hat Back
