The Year in Review: Stories of CAS
2022 has been a time of big news and new beginnings. The American University community came together once again, committed to working towards a more equitable and peaceful future on campus, across the nation, and beyond. College of Arts and Sciences, faculty, students, departments, and centers are working on research and activism with real-life implications for democracy, equity, human rights, and more. The creativity on campus has been inspirational: books published, music and theatre performed, grants received, and breakthroughs across the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences.
Below, we share just a few notable CAS events of the year. We also hope you’ll find inspiration in a book written by one of your favorite faculty members, or in a free artistic performance, or in the incredible work our community is doing to make the world a better place.
Creativity at Work
Professor Elizabeth Rule Creates Award-Winning Guide to Indigenous DC
App showcases Native American history in nation’s capital
Kyle Dargan Teams Up with Janelle Monáe and Wondaland
Dargan edited award-winning “The Memory Librarian” book with Monáe for Harper Collins
The Written Word: Latest Books Written by CAS Faculty
College of Arts and Sciences faculty are publishing across disciplines and genres
World Events
Russia Invades Ukraine: AU Historians Weigh In
Read what AU historians think about Putin’s invasion and how history brought us to this place
Roe v Wade Overturned: What It Means, What’s Next
An interview with Professor of Sociology Tracy Weitz, national expert on abortion care and policy
AU Welcomes Afghan Exile Scholar Postdoc Fellow M. Bashir Mobasher
Appointment follows university tradition of sponsoring displaced scholars
China Walking Fine Line in Reacting to Ukraine War
Historian Justin M. Jacobs answers our questions about China’s position on the Russian invasion of Ukraine
Groundbreaking Research
Study Shows Hope for Veterans Suffering from Gulf War Illness
AU’s Kathleen Holton receives $6.4 million grant to study connection between diet and Gulf War Illness symptoms
Going Green: AU Environmental Scientists Work to Save Our Planet
Research with implications for our planet’s lands, oceans, and wildlife
Scientific Research and Discovery Flourishing in AU’s Biology Department
Hall of Science’s advanced equipment and collaborative opportunities spurring new research breakthroughs
Professor Stefano Costanzi Attends CSP-27 at The Hague
Advocating for a world free of chemical weapons: the 27th Conference of States Parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention
Changemaking Work
AU Community Focused on a More Equitable and Peaceful World
Faculty and students hard at work on research and action with real-world implications
“Slavery and Its Legacies” Fellow Mia Owens Develops Antiracist Research Tool
Owens (CAS/MA ’22) developed key resource to help students research racial histories of AU and DC
AU’s Immigration Lab: Researching “All Things Migration”
Lab established to conduct research, inform policymakers, and correct misperceptions about immigrants and immigration
Pride Month 2022: Celebration, Honor, Activism, and Justice
At a time when LGBTQI+ rights are at risk, CAS faculty share what we need to know about Pride
People of CAS
In this Instagram video, Dean Linda Aldoory talks about her first 100 days in the job and her five favorite things about AU and CAS
New College of Arts and Sciences Faculty!
This fall, CAS welcomes a cohort of new professors across the arts, sciences, social sciences, and humanities
AU’s Detective of Chemistry: Professor Raychelle Burks
Chemistry Professor Raychelle Burks talks forensics, pop culture, and analytical chemistry
From the Subatomic to the Cosmological: AU’s Professor Nathan Harshman
Physics Professor talks theoretical quantum physics, NASA missions, and self-replicating stardust