When Sally A. Nuamah, BA ’11, first traveled to Ghana to study abroad during her sophomore year at Columbian College, the political science major expected to find herself in a completely different world. The child of Ghanaian immigrants, Nuamah grew up in inner-city Chicago, where her single mother stood out for her accent and her West African cooking. Nuamah, however, identified more with her working class African American neighborhood than her mother’s native country. Continue reading “Alumna’s Global Mission”
A Century of Suffrage
To mark the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which barred sex-based discrimination in voting rights, we spoke to Associate Professor of Political Science Corrine McConnaughy, an expert on gender in American politics and the author of the book The Woman Suffrage Movement in America: A Reassessment. McConnaughy discussed the history of the suffrage movement, the myths behind the 19th Amendment and how the lessons of the voting rights landmark still impact lives a century later. Continue reading “A Century of Suffrage”
Can a Computer Code Catch Killers
Thomas Hargrove, Grad Cert ’07, hunts serial killers. He’s tracked some of the most vicious murderers at large today, analyzing their crimes to predict when and where they might strike next. But the statistics alumnus isn’t a detective. He’s a former journalist and an expert at computer coding. Using an algorithm of his own invention, Hargrove taps a few keys on his laptop and casts a web of data to ensnare criminals. Continue reading “Can a Computer Code Catch Serial Killers?”
Fins and Limbs Tell Evolutionary Tale
About 400 million years ago, our early ancestors took their first hesitant steps out of the primordial seas on to land. But did they really step? Or did they crawl? Or wiggle? Those are some of the questions Assistant Professor of Biology Sandy Kawano asks in her Fins and Limbs lab, a new addition to Science and Engineering Hall that explores the biodiversity of animals through their anatomy and movements. Using high-speed digital cameras, 3D modeling and even robots, Kawano studies how animals move in different environments—their steps, strokes and slithers. Continue Reading “Fins and Limbs”
Cisneros Inspires New Generation of Student Leaders
When philanthropist and U.S. Congressman Gil Cisneros, BA ’94, celebrated the GW Cisneros Scholars at a Foggy Bottom event in March, he called on each of the students within the leadership development program to use their education as a springboard for uplifting others in their communities through service and support. “It’s about helping others. . . . When you do, you’re making your community, the country and the world a better place,” said Cisneros, who, with his wife, Jacki, endowed the Cisneros Hispanic Leadership Institute in 2015. Continue reading “Cisneros Inspires New Generation”
‘Ghetto’: Scholar Chronicles a Word’s Tortured History
History’s Daniel Schwartz has examined the centuries-old past of the word “ghetto,” from its 16th century origins to its echoes in Nazi Germany. He traces how the term has come to symbolize both pain and pride.
The Post-Pandemic Economy: Is There a Road to Recovery?
COVID-19 has decimated the global economy. Is there a blueprint for restoring fiscal sanity? Economics’ Tara Sinclair discussed where the economy goes from here—and how to prepare for a new normal.
On COVID-19
Alumni Physicians on the Frontlines
As the coronavirus turned New York hospitals into crisis zones, Doctors Luke Fey, BS ’13, and Alexandra Cummings, BS ’14, confronted a global medical emergency.
Researchers Chart Social Distancing
Geography’s Michael
Mann is constructing a distancing data map while, in a separate research project, Psychology’s Gabriela
Rosenblau is linking COVID beliefs and behavior.
Lending a Helping Hand
In the midst of the coronavirus outbreak, Columbian College alumni are finding ways to impact lives and inspire hope in their hometowns, across the country and around the world.
Stepping Up for Communities
Meet a Columbian College student and a recent graduate who are coming to the aid of hard-hit communities by volunteering at a foodbank and making masks.
A Message from the Dean
Research
From understanding autism to battling climate change, read about Columbian College researchers who are making discoveries that impact our daily lives.
News
Learn more about members of the Columbian College community who are celebrating milestones and making a difference through their talent and philanthropy.