Middlebury Magazine » Video

Academe: Science on the Brain

Blair Kloman — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:57:14 +0000

Academe is Middmag’s occasional check-in on what students and faculty are talking about.

Last week President Obama announced an ambitious plan called The Brain Initiative—a $100-million project to study brain function. The goal is for scientists working in the field of brain research to further their understanding and continue to develop resources that will lead to breakthroughs in treating conditions such as Alzheimer’s, autism, and stroke.

That announcement got the attention of some neuroscience faculty and student researchers here on campus. Middmag caught up with Professor Tom Root and Stephen Lammers ’13, Ben Wagner ’13, and Deirdre Sackett ’13 during a break from their studies. Here’s what they had to say about Obama’s plan—and what it might mean for the future.

Solar Decathlon ’13 Team Kicks Off Spring Construction

Stephen Diehl — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:07:30 +0000

Middlebury’s Solar Decathlon ’13 team gave students, faculty, staff, and the community a first look at their solar-powered home this week, and MiddMag was there for the fun.

Drawing On the Wall

Stephen Diehl — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 16:53:05 +0000

The American artist Sol LeWitt was widely known in the 1960s for the temporary wall drawings he devised for others to produce per his instructions as part of a growing Minimalism movement.

In what might be the epitome of hands-on learning, a group of art history students installed LeWitt’s Wall Drawing #394 last week as part of their class, “Minimalism: Art, Objects, and Experience,” with professor Eddie Vazquez.

The drawing came to Middlebury’s Museum of Art with a detailed set of instructions, including specifications for materials used and orientation of lines. Museum designer Ken Pohlman and preparator Chris Murray created the pencil grid guidelines, and each student could choose from a limited selection of lines to draw. The whole process took about 50 hours to complete, and the finished product will be on view in the Overbrook Gallery through April 21.

Comfort for the Lovelorn

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:24:25 +0000

Before the meteoric rise of her second-ever short film, “The Scared is Scared” (which just passed a half million views on Vimeo), Bianca Giaever ’12.5 had already established herself as a multimedia storyteller to watch. Her first film, “Holy Cow Lisa” was a Vimeo staff pick. MiddMag sat down with Bianca and asked about the inspiration for “Holy Cow Lisa,” a short thoughtful and funny reflection on love and heartbreak, narrated by Professor Gregg Humphrey, senior lecturer in education studies. Humphrey’s own story of heartache during his years as a Middlebury student provided the narrative for the film.

More on Bianca’s second film later, but we thought this would be a fitting post for Valentine’s Day.

What Did You Do On Your “Febmester”?

Stephen Diehl — Tue, 12 Feb 2013 16:02:19 +0000

Last week Middlebury welcomed the latest group of Febs to campus, and here’s what some of them had to say about their semester off. From delivering pizzas and teaching children to saving endangered birds and unicycling over mountains, each and every one of them has a great story to share.

Welcome to the Age of Humans

Maria Theresa Stadtmueller — Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:46:22 +0000

Dr. Curt Stager visited Middlebury to talk about a new, long-term view of climate change. His book, Deep Future, examines the surprising shifts—and choices—we face in a human-driven era scientists are calling “the Anthropocene”: the Age of Humans.

Feb Cam!

Stephen Diehl — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 22:17:27 +0000

This year MiddMag wanted to get a Feb’s eye view of the storied ski-down celebration at the Middlebury College Snow Bowl. So we recruited intrepid Feb (and awesome skier) Hanna Howell ’12.5 to be our photographer. Take a look at some of the things she saw today.

To read more about the Feb celebration weekend, click here.

What’s Happening at Old Stone Mill?

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:24:16 +0000

It may boast a stoic and traditional exterior, but behind the doors of Old Stone Mill, all kinds of crazy things are happening. Crickets are a nutritional snack, origami makes great jewelry, and ten strangers get together monthly for a dinner party.

Based on the premise that students need space to explore their ideas, the OSM, as it’s known, is a hub of student-driven activity. Interested students can present their non-academic and self-designed project ideas to the all-student board, who then select tenants for each semester.

Middmag went to OSM’s fall showcase and met up with some of the current tenants, including an app developer, a clothes designer, a group opening a beauty salon for women of color, and many other creative and ambitious young folks.

Professor Pundits: VICTORY…for Political Scientists

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 17:37:58 +0000

It’s all about the data. Wrapping up their year-long series of commentaries about the presidential election, Middlebury’s Professor Pundits Matt Dickinson and Bert Johnson note that scientific forecasting models really do work to predict election results. Hear what the pundits have to say in their final commentary on the 2012 election.

Previous Professor Pundit commentaries

Professor Pundits: The Expectations Game

Stephen Diehl — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 19:07:10 +0000

We’re almost to election day. What could happen in the last few days to significantly change the trajectory of the race? Well, historically, not much. But then again, the unexpected doesn’t usually give much notice. Middlebury “Professor Pundits” Bert Johnson and Matt Dickinson fill us in on expectations, the electoral college, and what to look for on election night in their final pre-election installment.

Matt and Bert will host an election-night gathering at the Grille in McCullough Student Center. Please join them if you’re in town, or follow their live-blogging and tweets. On Twitter, Matt is @Mattdickinson44 and Bert is @bnjohns.

Previous Professor Pundit commentaries

Capturing Creativity

Sara Marshall — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 20:34:58 +0000

Erik Greenberg Anjou ’83 always knew he wanted to be a writer. But it wasn’t until senior year at Middlebury when he took an American film genres course with Prof. Ted Perry that he began to realize his career path would be in filmmaking. The producer and director of several documentaries, he recently talked to MiddMag about the making of his latest endeavor, a full-length documentary entitled The Klezmatics: On Holy Ground. For over three years he and his crew traveled alongside this klezmer band, invading their private lives, filming their band tours, and documenting their conflicts and joys during the creative process. It was a journey of ups and downs with a fascinating group of people who have kept alive a klezmer and Yiddish heritage and who make what he calls “heavenly music.”

Professor Pundits: Will Women Decide the Presidential Race?

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 18:24:46 +0000

According to the latest polls, the presidential race is tightening and the gender gap is closing. Obama has held a strong lead among women voters, but that lead seems to be vanishing, and the reasons might surprise you. Middlebury professors Matt Dickinson and Bert Johnson discuss these issues, the electoral map and advertising strategy in the final weeks of the campaign. If you have questions about the presidential campaign, email Matt and Bert at pundits@middlebury.edu.

Previous Professor Pundit commentaries

Riding the Rails Through Small-Town America

Stephen Diehl — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 21:57:36 +0000

Throughout the summer, we posted Dispatches from Ryan Kim’s remarkable cross-country rail tour of small towns in the U.S. Now that he’s back at Middlebury, we caught up with Ryan and asked him a few questions about what prompted him to make such an ambitious journey. Here’s what he had to tell us:

Parents: What Did You Learn in School Today?

Stephen Diehl — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:45:42 +0000

Fall Family Weekend is always a great time for families to get a glimpse of what their kids are up to here on campus, and many faculty members often open up their Friday classes as well. In our latest “Tell Us One Thing” video, Middmag caught up with a handful of parents who learned a thing or two while they were here.

Professor Pundits: Who’s Ahead? It’s Debatable.

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:29:56 +0000

After weeks of build up, the first of three presidential debates is behind us. Who won? Both sides seem to think Mitt Romney clinched the debate. Will that give his campaign a boost? And why is it that the polls have showed Obama steadily inching ahead of Romney, yet political scientists consider the race a dead heat? Professor Pundits Matt Dickinson and Bert Johnson talk debates, ad strategy, and many other factors that will impact the election in these final weeks. If you have questions about the presidential campaign for the pundits, email them to pundits@middlebury.edu.

Previous Professor Pundits commentaries

Wired for Creativity

Stephen Diehl — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 18:26:37 +0000

Thursday September 27th marked the opening of this year’s Clifford Symposium, celebrating “Creativity and Collaboration.” With more than 30 events across multiple academic and artistic disciplines, the weekend offered everything from music and dance performances to panels on peacekeeping and entrepreneurship.

The annual occasion, which falls near the start of each academic year, is named for Nicholas R. Clifford, who taught history at the College from 1966 to 1993 and is a champion of critical inquiry. This year’s symposium was hosted by the Kevin P. Mahaney ’84 Center for the Arts in honor of its 20th anniversary.

Middmag caught the kick-off energy of the evening’s keynote speaker, Julie Burstein, and opening wire-walking event with the following video Dispatch:

More Clifford Symposium coverage:

Welcoming the Carbon-Neutral Class

Stephen Diehl — Mon, 17 Sep 2012 19:27:37 +0000

How do you explain carbon neutrality to a group of first-years? Cue the carbon-shredding sharks, of course! Director of Sustainability Integration Jack Byrne did just that during an orientation barbecue hosted by President Ron Liebowitz and his wife Jessica for the class of 2016. He wanted to get their attention in a new way—and also get them excited to help the college reach its goal of carbon neutrality by the time they graduate. Take a look at how he and his group of Campus Sustainability Coordinators made it happen.

Professor Pundits: Things That Go Bump…Or Not

Stephen Diehl — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 19:01:32 +0000

As political convention season comes to a close, presidential debate season begins. So, did either candidate get a “bump” from the conventions? In their newest installment, professor pundits Matt Dickinson and Bert Johnson say the whole idea of a bounce in the polls from the conventions may be a thing of the past. According to the pundits, several factors, including fragmented media coverage, are responsible for this trend. See what Matt and Bert have to say in the video below, and please send any presidential election-related questions to pundits@middlebury.edu.

Previous Professor Pundits commentaries

MiddCORE Stretches into Summer

Blair Kloman — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 20:38:43 +0000

This year marked the launch of MiddCOREplus, MiddCORE’s project-based summer program. Each week throughout the summer, students spent four days interning at Vermont-based organizations followed by all-day workshops each Friday to build skills such as problem-solving and persuasive communication. Led by established and experienced mentors, students were tasked to complete specific challenges—from researching Smart Grid technology and its implementation to building the social media presence for the Better Middlebury Partnership.

To wrap up the program, students presented a summation of their experiences to faculty, staff, and mentors. MiddMag’s Brendan Mahoney ‘11 was there to capture their presentations.

“Summer Games” at Middlebury Language Schools

Stephen Diehl — Tue, 14 Aug 2012 14:07:19 +0000

Sports and activities have always been a big part of life at the Language Schools. They give students a language-specific cultural experience that truly augments the intensive immersive approach to mastering a language.

This summer, with the international flair of the London Olympics on our minds, MiddMag decided to see just what these language students were up to. From ardent competition on the fields and strategic moves at the table to athletic artistry in the dance studios, here’s a brief sampling of what we saw.

Professor Pundits: What Do You Get for $400 Million?

Stephen Diehl — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 13:56:53 +0000

In their latest video commentary, Middlebury political science professors Matt Dickinson and Bert Johnson look at the Obama campaign’s early massive spending spree — $400 million to date — mostly in battleground states. But despite the big spending, polls show a statistical dead heat between the two candidates. The pundits discuss this and more in their newest chat. And, as always, if you have a question about this presidential campaign for Bert Johnson or Matt Dickinson, please leave a comment below or email: pundits@middlebury.edu.

Previous Professor Pundits commentaries.

How did you get here, Sydney Alfonso ’12

Matthew Jennings — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:44:48 +0000

“How Did You Get Here?” An annual series produced by the Middlebury Fellows in Narrative Journalism

How did you get here, Felix Klos ’14

Matthew Jennings — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:44:35 +0000

“How Did You Get Here?” An annual series produced by the Middlebury Fellows in Narrative Journalism

How did you get here, Alexandria Jackman ’14?

Matthew Jennings — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:44:21 +0000

“How Did You Get Here?” An annual series produced by the Middlebury Fellows in Narrative Journalism

How did you get here, Leo Moses ’14

Matthew Jennings — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 22:44:06 +0000

“How Did You Get Here?” An annual series produced by the Middlebury Fellows in Narrative Journalism