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Dean Manderscheid with a Japanese delegation from Nagoya University

A Message from Dean Manderscheid

Should there remain any doubt about the value, the power and the necessity of an arts and sciences education, our latest issue of ASCENT should put it to rest. Now more than ever, the College of Arts and Sciences is a powerful engine that drives meaningful change across the world.

President’s Prize

KayMesha Knox, a fourth-year student majoring in English, is the product of Columbus City Schools. When she graduates in August, she will dedicate her next year to working with students from the same school system to transform their dreams of college into reality.

Contando Su Cuento

For Daniel Rodriguez, his dream became a reality when he became a published author with the support of a grant from Ohio State’s Second-year Transformational Experience Program (STEP). Inspired to write by his grandfather, Rodriguez used the grant to self-publish his book The Peregrine Muse, a collection of poems and short stories.

Making Science Accessible

Anna Voelker has embarked on a lifelong quest to make science accessible to everyone. Pursuing a new, custom degree program in science communication and accessibility, Voelker is redesigning a planetarium show for visually impaired audiences.

Creating Magic to Ease Pain

Voxel Bay, a first-of-its-kind virtual reality experience, was created by the Comprehensive Hemophilia Team and design experts at Nationwide Children’s Hospital (NCH) alongside graduate students at the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD).

Exploring ACCAD

At home in the newly renovated and historic Sullivant Hall, the Advanced Computing Center for the Arts and Design (ACCAD) is a creative hub for scholars and practitioners of digital arts and sciences.

The Buckeye Ale Trail

Columbus is thirsty. In under a decade, the Columbus metro area has become home to 30 craft breweries and taprooms. Meet the Arts and Sciences alumni who are part of this local entrepreneurial boom.

Honoring Excellence

Held on April 21, the College of Arts and Sciences 2017 Honoring Excellence Dinner and Ceremony provided an opportunity to recognize alumni who have demonstrated extraordinary achievements and service.

J.D. Vance Comes Home to Ohio

Alumnus J.D. Vance, a former marine and Yale Law School graduate, can now add bestselling author to his list of accomplishments. Vance’s book, Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, published in the summer of 2016, took the nation by storm as its subject matter — the struggles of America’s white working class — dovetailed with a contentious presidential election.

Lost Boys Give Back

At six years old, Bol Aweng (BA, art, 2009) was forced to flee his village in South Sudan. Through art and Buckeye pride, Aweng has been able to tell his story as a Lost Boy of Sudan and to return to his home village, where he and his cousin established the Buckeye Clinic.

No Stranger to Film

Ohio State alumnus Charles Newirth (BA, photography and cinema, 1977) knows that it's no small feat to bring a film to the big screen. With experience executive producing on films such as Doctor Strange and Iron Man 3, Newirth served as a consult of the college as it shaped the new moving image production major.

Speaking the Same Language

Litsa Kozyris (BS, elementary education, 1985; MA, history, 1994) is passionate about enabling study-abroad experiences for students in Greece, which inspired her to create the Phaedon John Kozyris and Litsa Kozyris Travel Award, named for herself and her late husband, Ohio State Law Professor John Kozyris.

Bursting at the Seams

Ohio State alumni have Columbus dressed from head to toe. Amanda Sima founded Alma Mater clothing company in 2008 at just 26 years old. Since graduating from Ohio State in 2015 with a degree in actuarial science, Paul Hopler has become co-founder and self-described “numbers aficionado” of Keep It Simple Socks, a local Columbus brand dedicated to creating unique socks for both work and play.

Don’t Worry

After the attack on the Ohio State campus, Patrick Callicotte’s (BA, MA, art education) art class wanted to know, "Can art be medicine?" In a time of uncertainty, the fourth-grade students decided take action to send love and hope to the Ohio State community.

Women in STEM

From uncovering how illnesses work to studying the births and deaths of massive stars, the women in STEM in the College of Arts and Sciences continue to be an influential presence in the Ohio State community. Despite the many obstacles and pitfalls, these six women have made a tremendous impact in their fields and will stop at nothing to achieve their goals.

Machine Morality

Self-driving cars for the average citizen will be a reality in the not-too-distant future. Justin D'Arms, chair, Department of Philosophy, however, is wondering how these vehicles will make ethical decisions once they hit the road.

Lantern students Active Shooter simulation

On Deadline

Students who sign up for one of Nicole Kraft’s four public affairs journalism courses will spend only some of the time in the classroom. For three years, students in Kraft’s Media Writing and Editing class have participated in Ohio State’s National Security Simulation, a two-day event that models a national security issue in the federal government.

From Field to Flight

Creating viable biofuels to alleviate the world’s energy crisis has been an elusive dream, but an interdisciplinary “dream team” at Ohio State, equipped with federal grant funding, is actively working to transform a common weed into aviation fuel.

Each One, Teach One

Anthony Stanco, School of Music lecturer in jazz studies, has toured the globe with the U.S. State Department as the lead of The Crucial Elements. The nationally recognized five-piece jazz ensemble has traveled to countries such as South Africa and Kyrgyzstan, promoting cultural exchange.

From NASA to Newark

Michael Stamatikos, assistant professor of physics at Ohio State’s Newark campus, is a member of NASA’s Swift satellite mission science team. Recently, NASA ranked the Swift mission number one in terms of science output among similar-class ongoing missions.

Bang, Pow!

Two permanently endowed named chairs are being created in the College of Arts and Sciences as a result of a $6 million gift from the Board of the Roy Lichtenstein Foundation and Dorothy Lichtenstein.

Dance Department Founder’s Legacy Lives On

For Helen Alkire, dance was her passion. She once said, “I loved dancing, and thought it should be the center of the whole university.” Now, a generous gift to the Department of Dance from the estate of Helen P. Alkire will add substantially to the scholarship in her name and continue her legacy at Ohio State.

Catalyzing Collaboration

A generous gift from Gary and Carolyn Koch is going to give Cockins Hall a upgrade. The home to the Department of Statistics is set to be transformed into a collaborative and creative space, one that will keep up with the needs of faculty, students and staff.

Their Cup of Tea

Mari Noda, professor of Japanese, developed a new General Education course, Tea Culture in East Asia, a multidisciplinary experience. Inspired by her class, Columbus physicians Jonathan and Olivia Wilkin have made a generous gift to fund an endowed scholarship.

Breaking Barriers with Shakespeare

The words and works of William Shakespeare have inspired people for centuries. Now, the Department of Theatre is using Shakespeare to break down barriers, helping children with autism improve their social and communication skills. The department is also embarking on a new program to help military personnel find new ways to express and understand their experiences.

Episodic Education

Through podcasts, departments across the College of Arts and Sciences are opening their research and scholarship to the public — for free. By producing media grounded in current events, looking toward the future while being mindful of the past, these departments transport an Ohio State education beyond campus to communities, classrooms and mobile devices around the world.

Connecting Farmers to Real-Time Weather

Who keeps track of the changing weather and climate? The new State Climate Office of Ohio (SCOO), a team of researchers, educators, climatologists and meteorologists with more than 25 years of experience and expertise from Ohio State’s Department of Geography and the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center (BPCRC), now serves as the steward of climate data and education, research and outreach for the people of Ohio.

The Legacy of Imperial Beijing

Over the winter, the Arts Initiative’s Urban Arts Space, Ohio State’s 10,000-square-foot gallery downtown, hosted the exhibition The Legacy of Imperial Beijing: Selections from the Bliss M. and Mildred A. Wiant Collection of Chinese Art.

Research & Scholarship

Arts and Sciences faculty members perform at the highest levels in teaching, research and service — the three tenets of the great land-grant institutions.