Faculty News

Governor Davis appoints Kamieniecki to IMRC
Gov. Gray Davis appointed Sheldon Kamieniecki, chair of the political science department, as one of seven members of the state’s Inspection and Maintenance Review Committee (IMRC), which was created to analyze the effect of the improved inspection and maintenance program on motor vehicle emissions and air quality. Kamieniecki is founding director of USC’s environmental studies program and a member of the American Political Science Association and the Coalition for Clean Air.

Troy examines culture of couture
Nancy J. Troy, professor and chair of art history, has written a new book titled “Couture Culture: A Study in Modern Art and Fashion” (MIT Press). The book focuses on the relationship between art and fashion in early 20th-century France and America, and explores the contradictory issues of originality and reproduction in modern fashion. Instead of dismissing fashion as superficial, Troy demonstrates the parallels between modern art and fashion.

Wong awarded grant to study Asian-American voters
Janelle Wong, assistant professor of political science, has been awarded a research grant from the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement (CIRCLE) for her project Getting Out the Vote Among Asian Pacific American Young People and Adults in Los Angeles County: A Field Experiment. The purpose of the study is to examine the effectiveness of different mobilization strategies, such as phone canvassing and direct mail, on voter turnout among Asian Americans.

Kaplan reveals Hurston through letters
In October 2002, Carla Kaplan, professor of English, celebrated the release of her new book, “Zora Neale Hurston: A Life in Letters.” Through the edited collection of previously unpublished letters by Hurston—an anthropologist, novelist and icon of the Harlem Renaissance, and author of “Their Eyes Were Watching God”—Kaplan explores the life of one of the most enigmatic literary figures of the 20th century. Readers experience the exuberance and trials of Hurston’s life through letters she wrote to Harlem Renaissance friends Langston Hughes, Alain Locke, Dorothy West and Carl Van Vechten, and to best-selling authors Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings and Fannie Hurst, among others. The book has been nominated for a National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Image Award, alongside Maya Angelou, in the nonfiction literature category. In other accomplishments, Kaplan was recently elected chair of the American literature section of the Modern Language Association, and was selected as a delegate to the American Studies Association/Japanese Association for American Studies Globalization Project.

Bitel authors book on medieval European women
“Women in Early Medieval Europe, 400-1100,” by Lisa Bitel, was recently published by Cambridge University Press. Bitel, a professor of history, says the book is a history of the early European Middle Ages through the eyes of women. It uses the few documents produced by women themselves, along with archaeological evidence, art and written records of medieval men, to tell of women, their experiences and ideas. The book covers the continent and its edges, such as Iceland, Ireland and Iberia.

Nealson receives microbiology award
Kenneth H. Nealson, professor of earth sciences, was selected to receive the 2003 Proctor & Gamble Award in Applied and Environmental Microbiology. The award—consisting of a $2,000 cash prize, a commemorative piece, and up to $2,000 in travel expenses incidental to receiving the award—will be presented dually to Nealson and Eugene Rosenberg of Tel Aviv University at a dinner reception in Washington, D.C., on May 19. Made possible by the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) and Proctor & Gamble, the award is presented by the ASM and the American Academy of Microbiology.

Crossley discusses Pledge of Allegiance in article
In October 2002, John P. Crossley, director of the School of Religion, published electronically an article in Sightings called “Under God.” It focused on the confusion and controversy surrounding the recent decision of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals to drop the phrase “under God” from the salute to the flag. Sightings is a biweekly publication of the Martin E. Marty Center of the University of Chicago.

Tickner to participate in globalization seminar
The Center for the Study of Globalization and Regionalization at the University of Warwick has invited Ann Tickner, professor of international relations, to participate in its two-day seminar titled “Globalization Studies: Past and Present” in February. This is welcome news for the center and USC College as it parallels one of the three initiatives—enhancing urban studies and internationalization—identified in the College’s strategic plan.

Bottjer selected as president of Paleontological Society
Professor of earth sciences David Bottjer has been elected as president of the Paleontological Society. The society is the largest and most prestigious paleontological society in the world and publishes two journals, Paleobiology and the Journal of Paleontology.

Everett’s ‘Erasure’ wins top prize for fiction
Percival Everett, professor of English, won a 2002 Hurston/Wright Legacy Award. His novel “Erasure” (University Press of New England), which combines a touching story of a man coming to terms with his family heritage and a satiric indictment of race and publishing in America, earned him the top prize for fiction. The Hurston/Wright Legacy Award is the first national award presented to published writers of African descent by the National Community of Black Writers.

Brand becomes president of Middle East organization
Laurie Brand, professor of international relations, won the 2002 election for president of the Middle East Studies Association (MESA). The organization is a private nonprofit, nonpolitical organization of scholars and other persons interested in the study of the Middle East, North Africa and the Islamic world. MESA has more than 2,600 members and has become a leading international organization for those involved in the study of the Middle East.

Earleywine speaks out about marijuana at conference
Mitch Earleywine, psychology professor and author of “Understanding Marijuana” (Oxford University Press), was one of several noted physicians and medical researchers who spoke at the Marijuana Policy Project (MPP)/Students for Sensible Drug Policy (SSDP) National Conference, held in Anaheim last fall.

Handley brings Western Literature to Southern California
Bill Handley, associate professor of English, was recently elected vice president of the Western Literature Association. As a result, he will automatically assume the position of president of the association in two years. One of his responsibilities will be organizing and hosting the association’s 2005 conference. It will be the first time in the organization’s 45-year history that the conference will be held in Southern California.

Hamilton receives notable awards for authoring book
Nora Hamilton, professor of political science, has been awarded the prize for Best Book Published in the Area of Race/Ethnicity and Foreign Policy/Globalization by the Section on Race, Ethnicity and Politics of the American Political Science Association. She also has received the Historian of the Lion Award from the Center for the Study of Political Graphics for her recent book “Seeking Community in a Global City: Guatemalans and Salvadorans in Los Angeles,” co-authored by Norma Chinchilla.

Cartier explores Chinese diaspora
Carolyn Cartier, assistant professor of geography, co-edited the newly released book “The Chinese Diaspora: Space, Place, Mobility and Identity,” along with Laurence J.C. Ma. It is the first book to explore the Chinese diaspora from geographical perspectives, where contributors analyze the sharp differences between sojourning Chinese prior to the 1960s and the transnational Chinese of the current era, especially in terms of spatial distribution, mobility, economic status, occupational structure and identity formation. The book was published by Rowman & Littlefield of Lanham, Md.

Arnheim team study featured in Nature
A news article in the Nov. 28, 2002 issue of the journal Nature focused on recent work by USC College’s Norman Arnheim—holder of the Ester Dornsife Chair in Biological Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Biological Sciences, Molecular Biology and Biochemistry—and graduate student Irene Tiemann-Boege. The USC study into why older fathers are more likely to produce offspring with a genetic mutation associated with dwarfism contradicts the prevailing explanation, posing new questions in understanding the origins of many human genetic mutations. Describing the USC team’s study, the Nature article discussed the finding in the broader context of human genetics and disease, emphasizing the remaining mystery of the “male age effect.”