It’s June 20, the national observance of Juneteenth, which commemorates the end of slavery in the United States.

Today, we recognize and celebrate the contributions our Black and African American communities have made to our nation’s growth.

Here’s what else is in focus.

Spotlight: Peter Christensen

An internationally recognized scholar of architectural history and design, Christensen is a professor of art and art history, specializing in modern architectural and the environmental history Europe and the Middle East. He’s also the author of Germany and the Ottoman Railways: Art, Empire, and Infrastructure and Precious Metal: German Steel, Modernity, and Ecology. (The former was awarded the Alice Davis Hitchcock Award from the Society of Architectural Historians for the the most distinguished work of scholarship in the history of the built environment by a North American scholar.)

Christensen’s work in the humanities has led to a leadership role at Rochester. On July 1, 2022, he will officially begin his tenure as the Ani and Mark Gabrellian Director of the Humanities Center.

“I am interested in transforming the center from a place that supports research into one that generates research,” Christensen says. “This will entail strategic new collaborations with publishers and other media.”

Christensen succeeds Joan Shelley Rubin, the Dexter Perkins Professor of History, becoming the second person to lead the Humanities Center since its inception in 2015.

Rubin praised Christensen’s vision and how he stands to advance the center’s mission. So, what is his vision?

Learn more about Christensen’s goals and background.

Zooming In

Giving you a closer look at some news you might be interested in reading.

On living longer. For anyone who’s interested in living well beyond 100 years, there’s news. Vera Gorbunova, the Doris Johns Cherry professor of biology and medicine; Andrei Seluanov, professor of biology and medicine; and Jinlong Lu, a postdoctoral research associate in Gorbunova’s lab, have found the “fountain of youth” in the mechanisms that regulate gene expression. Looking at genes connected to lifespan, they uncovered specific characteristics and two regulatory systems that are critical to longevity. It’s a step that provides further understanding about how longevity evolves and how we combat aging. The forefront of immortality.

On motion. When a lioness in the Serengeti is waiting for the right moment to attack a herd of gazelles, it’s easy for her to pick up their movements. But when she makes her move and fear activates her prey’s flight response, her eyes begin taking in motion everywhere. New research provides insight into how the brain interprets this sensory information, which may have implications for how we treat brain disorders and design artificial intelligence. In a recent paper, Greg DeAngelis, the George Eastman Professor of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, and his colleagues at Sungkyunkwan University and New York University, identify a novel neural mechanism involved in causal inference that helps the brain detect object motion during self-motion. A moving study.

News Flash

It’s common for our faculty members to have their perspectives published in national media. Here are some recent examples:

“Is your mind just a parasite on your physical body?” by Adam Frank, Helen F. & Fred H. Gowen Professor of Physics and Astronomy (Big Think)

“Some observers mistakenly blame Putin’s invasion on an old doctrine,” by Matthew Lenoe, associate professor of history (The Washington Post)

Quick View

Here’s a glance at some other noteworthy School of Arts & Sciences stories you might have missed.

English. James Longenbach, the Joseph Henry Gilmore Professor of English, offered some insight into a 100-year-old James Joyce classic.

Lasers. Rochester is part of a research team who has opened the door to information processing that’s a million times faster than today’s computers.

Awards. Student across the School of Arts & Sciences had their academic prowess recognized with prestigious merit-based awards and fellowships.

Politics. Randall Stone, professor of political science and expert on Eastern and Central Europe, gave his opinion on the direction of the war in Ukraine.