Published March 26, 2024
Dear Alumni and Friends of the College of Arts & Sciences,
Please enjoy the March 2024 edition of the College of Arts & Sciences Monthly Newsletter.
In this issue of the newsletter, you'll learn about a new book published by an A&S English professor, the Psychology Department featured in a new PBS special on mental health, World Languages Day, student achievements, and much more.
This semester has been a time of great achievement and progress for our community. Your ongoing engagement and dedication to excellence have been instrumental in our success. Thank you for your commitment to the College of Arts & Sciences.
Most Sincerely,
J. Scott Turpen
UW Modern & Classical Languages Hosts 285 Students for World Languages Day
UW's Modern and Classical Languages Department hosted 285 visiting secondary students
and 30 teachers representing 14 junior high and high schools from across the state
for the annual World Languages Day competition March 1 - March 2. This year’s theme
was “History.” Director Bénédicte Sohier, a Senior Lecturer in Modern and Classical
Languages, led this year’s event alongside 52 volunteers, including 16 UW interns,
13 UW student volunteers, and 23 UW faculty and staff members.
UW English Professor Publishes Autoethnography
University of Wyoming English Professor Tracey Owens Patton published a new book titled
“A Nation’s Undesirables: Mixed-Race Children and Whiteness in the Post-Nazi Era”
with The Ohio State University Press. Her book is currently on pre-sale and will
be on shelves Monday, April 15.
While blending family history and scholarship, Patton’s new book synthesizes work in rhetorical postmemory studies, critical adoption studies, Afrofuturism and more to tell the story of her mother and aunt, Lore and Lilli. To learn more about her book, contact Patton at topatton@uwyo.edu.
UW Psychology Faculty Featured in New PBS Special
Last September, a PBS show on suicide in the Mountain West was filmed, featuring UW
Psychology faculty. This documentary focused on uncovering the mystery and research
surrounding suicides at high elevations. To watch the trailer or learn more, visit
https://to.pbs.org/3TR14bO.
UW Photojournalism to Present on Award-Winning Photo Essay
In March, UW Photojournalism Professor Shane Epping received a bronze medal for a
photo essay about his weekly commute between Colorado and Wyoming. It was submitted
to the Visual & Interactive Media (VIM) Fest, an international contest sponsored by
the Visual Communication Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and
Mass Communication (AEJMC). It will be presented in Philadelphia at the 107th annual
AEJMC conference in August 2024.
UW Music Department Hosts 150 Secondary Students
During the "Cowboys, Sing On!" event in early March, the UW Choirs hosted 150 middle
school and high school singers from schools across Wyoming. The two-day event featured
rehearsals, a Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts tour & scavenger hunt, a showcase
performance, and lots of food! The festival culminated with the combined guest singers
and UW choristers performing Laura Farnell’s “Rest Not.”
UW Philosophy Professor Leads Talk at Rutgers University
In mid-March, UW Associate Professor of Philosophy Bradley Rettler gave a talk at
a conference at Rutgers University in New Jersey. The talk was entitled “Four Arguments
from Divine Hiddenness.”
UW Music Professor's Book Nominated for Two Awards
UW Department of Music Associate Professor Ben Markley’s new book, titled Cedar: The
Life and Music of Cedar Walton, has been nominated for two awards. Published in May
2023, his book was nominated for a Best Biography/Autobiography Award by the Jazz
Journalists Association, as well as 2024 Association for Recorded Sound Collections
Award for Excellence in Historical Recorded Sound Research.
Haub School and A&S Professors Publish Book on Reef Protection
Kelly Dunning, Associate Professor of Sustainable Tourism and Outdoor Recreation in
the Haub School, published a book about democratic methods to protect coral reefs
titled Democratic Management of an Ecosystem Under Threat. Her book was coauthored
with her graduate students, as well as Ryan Williamson, assistant professor of political
sciences at UW. The book explores ways that people can collaborate and participate
in reef protection.
Guest Lecture with American University Professor Perry Zurn
Please join the School of Culture, Gender, and Social Justice for a lecture with Professor Perry Zurn on transgender politics and the University on March 28 at 5 p.m. in Coe 506.
Zurn is Provost Associate Professor of Philosophy at American University in Washington, D.C. He researches primarily in political philosophy, critical theory, and transgender studies and collaborates in psychology and network neuroscience. Zurn has produced seven books and is currently writing two others.
Into the Woods (Multiple Showings)
Sondheim’s ever-popular musical seamlessly fuses fairytale characters with what happens after the “happily ever after.” A Baker, his wife, Cinderella, Jack, Little Red Riding Hood, and the Witch all wish for something, but soon learn that there are consequences to getting what you want. There are many showings of this performance, but it opens on April 4. Find tickets here.
Wyoming Institute of Humanities Research presents Distinguished Guest Lecturer Red Pine
Bill Porter, who works under the pen name Red Pine, is one of the most famous translators of classical Chinese Buddhist and Daoist poetry. He has published over twenty books of translations in English and written nine books in Chinese, and is known for his direct yet playful renderings of classical Chinese.
The Wyoming Institute of Humanities Research will host Porter on April 5 for two talks - one entitled "The Heart Sutra: Buddhism in a Nutshell" in Classroom Building 222 from 11-11:50 a.m. and the other entitled "China's Hermit Tradition: The Importance of Solitude" in Berry Center 138 from 4:10-5:30 p.m. Both talks will be aimed at a general audience, and so can be enjoyed by anyone with an interest in Buddhism, translation, or the joys of solitude among the mountains.
Buchanan Center Special Events Presents: Aída Cuevas - "The Queen of Mariachi"
Aída Cuevas has created one of the most important careers in traditional Mexican music. With a 46-year career and 41 album releases to her credit, Cuevas, dubbed “The Queen of Mariachi”, is an esteemed figure in Mexico, beloved for her unswerving devotion to traditional mariachi music and for her mastery of its demanding vocal forms. Learn more about this April 17 performance and find tickets here.
On April 17, The UW Music Department and Buchanan Center will welcome 120 students from Billings West High School, who will also attend this performance.
A&S Has a New Calendar!
The College of Arts & Sciences has a new calendar where all A&S events are now located! Whether you're interested in attending a play, concert, artist talk, or something else, there's sure to be something that interest everyone. You can find our new calendar at uwyo.edu/as.
