It’s October 25.

Final exams are 48 days away.

And this is what’s in focus.

Spotlight: Culver Conversations

Remember the beginning of the Fall 2020 semester? The River Campus was reopening after being completely shut down, and COVID-19 policies (and fears) had created a rather cold and distant in-person experience. Dean Gloria Culver was concerned about how it was effecting new and returning students. So, she set up an impromptu check-in meeting, which was actually a walk through campus with students who signed up, to see how they were handling the surreal conditions. The conversation had the general air of anxiety you would expect, but it offered an invaluable opportunity for answers and discussion.

Dean Culver is bringing that forum back—and it’s going to be super casual.

Next month will mark the start of “Culver Conversations.” These gatherings will be for both students and staff on an alternating basis, beginning with a session for students. Each session will be about an hour long with no set agenda. The time can be used to ask questions, raise pressing concerns, or chat about the new season of Succession. No topic is too great or small.

The conversations are also an opportunity for students and staff to develop a closer relationship with Dean Culver.

“I never want students or staff members to feel like they don’t have a way to be heard,” says Dean Culver. “I also see this as a chance for them to get to know me better. I remember when I was a student, I had no idea what deans did. There may even be some staff who have no idea what I do. Now, they can ask about my work or how I feel about what’s happening on campus—whatever they’re interested in.

This is also a chace for me to learn. I value the opportunity to get direct feedback on current initiatives or opinions that help me make decisions on future projects. But I mainly see this as a chance to meet more people from the School of Arts and Sciences community.”

Be on the lookout for next month’s issue of In Focus, in which Dean Culver will provide more detailed information about the place, time, and type of engagement (remote/hybrid/outdoor, etc.) for the inaugural Culver Conversations.

Zooming In

Taking a closer look at some news we think you might be interested in reading.

On stress. The pandemic has so warped our lives, that reading “stress” probably took you into a dark corner. Remember normal stress and anxiety? Before we were worried about the health risks involved with simply being around people, we got flop sweat and heart palpitations for normal things, like first dates, tests, and interviews. Rochester psychologists have looked into “classic” stress and found that how you perceive your stress can make a big difference in your mental health. It’s all about perspective. For example, thinking of it as a tool rather than a hinderance. In other words stress can be good. Check it out.

On chemistry. Not the kind that between two people. (Talk about stress!) We’re talking about the field of study that deal with the composition and properties of matter. And like other natural sciences, chemistry has a foundation that consists of what we know and understand about it. Rochester chemist Todd Krauss is leading an effort that changes the basic rules. Chemists have long understood what they can do to create new molecules, and using light as a catalyst isn’t in the manual­—yet. Krauss and his fellow researchers want to use light to facilitate previously impossible chemical reactions. Here’s what they’re thinking.

Quick View

There’s a lot of University news and information being sent your way. Here’s a glance at some other noteworthy School of Arts and Sciences stories you might have missed.

History. Funded by an NEH grant, a digital history project will give virtual tours of a 1632 English slave fort on the coast of Ghana.

Interdisiciplinary. A prestigious grant from the Mellon Foundation allows humanities and social sciences scholars to study human migration.

Amelioration. Fifty years after a tragic uprising, the Rochester Education Justice Initiatve starts a new semester at at Attica Correctional Facility.

On the Horizon

Looking for something to do? Consider attending one of the upcoming events below. For all other School of Arts and Sciences events, check the University Calendar.

10/28…Religion and Classics: Memorial for Emil Homerin

10/30…Music: Spooktacular Brass Choir Concert

11/3…Chemistry: Inorganic Colloquium—Julie Kovacs

11/5…Art: “in the absence of treatment”

11/9…Philosophy: “The Rise and Fall of the Death Penalty”

11/15…English: Plutzik Reading Series (60th anniversary)—Catherine Lacey

11/17…Humanities Center: Sawyer Seminar—Panel Discussion

11/18…Biochemistry and Biophysics: Graduate Women in Science

12/2…Theater: Aaron Posner’s Stupid Fucking Bird