All News

Although the “Midwest” is a generally understood term, a definitive list of Midwestern states does not exist, which calls into question exactly where this region lies. Kevin Welsh ’15, who’s pursuing an Emerson Project with the supervision of Professor Peter Rabinowitz, was faced with this dilemma when he started his research. His project, “Uncovering the 'Quality of Distortion': Investigating the Cultural Divide Between the Midwest and the East Using Midwestern Literature from the 1920’s and 30’s,” requires an understanding of what “the Midwest” means.

Blasé, concierge, and faux pas, among many other words, have become so integrated into the English lexicon that we often forget their French origin. The process of adopting words from other languages has been common practice for centuries, and, in fact, English has more borrowed words than any other language. This stands in stark contrast with French, which prides itself on being a “pure” language. Brendon Kaufman ‘15 was awarded an Emerson Grant to research the use of Anglicisms in everyday French in Paris this summer.

Recipients of the 2014 Emerson Summer Grants were recently announced. Created in 1997, the  program was designed to provide students with significant opportunities to work collaboratively with faculty members, researching an area of interest. The recipients, covering a range of topics, are exploring fieldwork, laboratory and library research, and the development of teaching materials. The students will make public presentations of their research throughout the academic year.

Professor of Music Samuel Pellman presented his composition of digital music “Selected Galaxies: Peculiar” on March 22 at the Society of Composers, Inc. (SCI) National Conference at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. The performance included a video created by Ben Salzman ’14 as part of an Emerson Project collaboration with Pellman.

In history books, the accomplishments of black women are among those most underrepresented. Through her Emerson Foundation project this summer, Jorett Joseph ’15 aims to research and recognize the efforts of black women who have promoted justice within their communities.

An abandoned building can hold many memories, and Utica’s Theodore Roosevelt Elementary School may hold more than most. Since closing in 1992, the school has stood in disrepair, but people in the surrounding area still have strong memories of its role in the community.  With funding from the Emerson Foundation, Nathaniel Lanman ’15 is compiling a collection of creative writing about the school, which a group of students will later use in writing a script for a theater performance.

The legacy of Kirkland College at Hamilton includes a strong tradition of creativity, feminism and a penchant for the arts. Katherine Bickmore ’15 seems to embody that legacy. An aspiring artist, Bickmore is using this summer to further develop her artistic skills and examine the portrayal of women in art from the mid-19th century to present day. In her Emerson Foundation Project, “The Degeneration, Deterioration, and Decay of Society: A Critique of the Femme Fatale in Art,” she is creating a series of paintings that examine the depiction of women in art as dark and seductive beings.

Mathematical logarithms and history might seem unrelated to one another, but this summer Turner Trapp ’15 is conducting interdisciplinary research into the role mathematical developments have in history. In his Emerson Foundation project, “The Discovery of Logarithms, Their Application to Ballistics, and Their Role in the Royal Navy’s Rise to Dominance in the Age of Sail,” he is working with Professor of History Kevin Grant to examine how the development of logarithms relates to England’s rise to naval dominance.

In speeches and debates, contemporary politicians often relate their values back to the principles of America’s founding fathers. However, how well they actually represent those ideals is disputable. In her Emerson Foundation project, “What Would Jefferson Do? The Jeffersonian Ideal and Modern Day Environmental Policy,” Claire Zurlo ’14 is examining how Thomas Jefferson’s political philosophy relates to today’s environmentalism.

If you’ve been on Hamilton’s campus this summer, you may have heard the sound of bagpipes drifting over Minor Field. Nathaniel Livingston ’14 has been playing them as part of his Emerson Foundation project, “Performing the Poetics of Music.” Through his project, he is researching the ancient instruments and epics of Scotland and Finland and exploring a long-standing interest in the intersection of music and poetry.