The Leading Edge

Events

Tuesday, Jan. 15

The OSU Album Club — Hosted by Bob Santelli. 7 p.m., Bexell Hall Lounge. It’s like a book club, but some of the greatest albums of all time will be assigned and discussed. Tonight: Nirvana’s “Nevermind.”

Wednesday, Jan. 16

Songwriters in the Round —  This informal evening of sharing songs and learning about songwritinggreats is free and open to the public. Hosted by Bob Santelli. Bring your songs, your instrument and your enthusiasm. 7 p.m., Bexell Hall Lounge. 

Thursday, Jan. 17

What Transpires Now: Transgender Histories & Futures — In this talk drawn from her work in progress, “What Transpires Now,” Susan Stryker explores the relationship between the transgender past and present, and how history can inspire us to reimagine the future. The talk will focus on the story of Frances Thompson, whose life became the focus of a national scandal in the 1870s. She is founding co-editor of the journal “TSQ: Transgender Studies Quarterly,” author of “Transgender History: The Roots of Today’s Revolution,” and co-director of the Emmy-winning documentary film “Screaming Queens: The Riot at Compton’s Cafeteria.” 5 p.m. LaSells Stewart Center, C&E Auditorium.

Friday, Jan. 18

Music à la Carte — Doug Detrick (trumpet), Michael Gamble (guitar) and Ryan Biesack (drums), 12 p.m., Memorial Union Lounge. 

Literary Northwest – Peter Nathaniel Malae, author of “Son of Amity” (Oregon State University Press, 2018), and Clem Starck, author of “Cathedrals & Parking Lots: Collected Poems,” will be reading at The Valley Library Rotunda at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday, Jan. 19

SAC Presents — An Evening with Angélique Kidjo. 7:30 p.m., The LaSells Stewart Center. As a three-time Grammy Award-winning singer, “Africa’s premier diva,” and one of the greatest artists in international music today, Angélique Kidjo is committed to using her voice and influence as a philanthropist and human rights activist. In this talk interjected with live music performance and ending with a Q&A facilitated by CLA Dean Larry Rodgers, Kidjo discusses the responsibility of artists to use their platform for social justice, the many ways we can all give back, and the enormous impact each of us can make in the world.  The event is part of OSU’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration. Note: Childcare is available (pre-registration and fee required) through OSU KidSpirit’s Adult Nite Out program. Lumos wine and light food are available for purchase starting at 6:30 p.m. Tickets available here. 

Upcoming Events

African Americans Against the Bomb  —  As part of OSU’s Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr Celebration, Dr. Linda Marie Richards will review some of the historical arguments to “ban the bomb” made by Indigenous and African American leaders and then facilitate a discussion about social justice and the current nuclear arms race. Primary documents will be available for viewing at the Special Collections and Archives Research Center (SCARC) during the event. Richards teaches for the School of History, Philosophy and Religion and is currently working on her book “Human Rights and Nuclear Wrongs.” She is co-PI on the National Science Foundation grant, “Reconstructing Nuclear Environments and the Downwinders’ Case.” Thursday, January 24, 4 p.m. SCARC.

The Oregon Symphony  — SAC Presents the Oregon Symphony in Corvallis on Friday, January 25 at 8 p.m. in The LaSells Stewart Center. Markus Stenz conducts the Beethoven Symphony No. 1, Arvo Part’s “Fratres” and Schumann’s Symphony No. 3, “Rhenish.” Note: Childcare is available (pre-registration and fee required) through OSU KidSpirit’s Adult Nite Out program. Lumos wine and light food are available for purchase at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are available here. 

Current Research, Publications and Creative Activity

Associate Professor of Latinx Studies & Ethnic Studies Daniel López-Cevallos recently published the following: López-Cevallos DF, Harvey SM (2019). Psychometric Properties of a Healthcare Discrimination Scale Among Young-Adult Latinos. “Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities,” doi: 10.1007/s40615-018-00560-x. He also co-authored a paper featured in the US Government Accountability Office report, “Food Insecurity: Better Information Could Help Eligible College Students Access Federal Food Assistance Benefits.”

Associate Professor of English Rebecca Olson presented two papers at the Modern Language Association Annual Convention in Chicago (January 3-6, 2029): “Choose Your Own Adventure: Increasing Student Engagement in Gen Ed Shakespeare” and “‘Our toil shall strive to mend’: What Student Editors Teach Us About Scholarly Editing”.

Sarah Dermody, assistant professor, School of Psychological Science, published “Changes in Nicotine Metabolite Ratio among Daily Smokers receiving Treatment for Alcohol Use Disorder” in Nicotine & Tobacco Research highlighting that reducing drinking may reduce one’s nicotine metabolism as indexed by the nicotine metabolite ratio with collaborators Hendershot, Andrade, Novalen, & Tyndale at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health and University of Toronto.

Instructor of Guitar Cameron O’Connor will perform on a pop-up concert with Classical Up Close, a chamber music organization directed by the musicians of the Oregon Symphony. The pop-up concerts are monthly outreach performances for underserved communities throughout the Portland area. O’Connor will appear with violinist Ryan Lee on January 23.

Instructor of Music Ryan Biesack (drums) performed on January 4 at the Jazz Station in Eugene with awarding winning saxophonist Joe Manis and bassist Phil Baker, a member of Pink Martini. In addition, Biesack’s recent album “Trio Untold” released by his trio made the top jazz records of 2018 list (#36) at the Bird is the Worm jazz blog, where it also received a favorable review.

Director of Bands Chris Chapman was an invited guest conductor and clinician at the Sichuan Conservatory of Music in Chengdu, China in late-December. During the residency, Chapman worked with collegiate-level ensembles, a conservatory middle school band and the conservatory elementary school band in concerts and rehearsals. Shortly after returning home, Chapman conducted the Clock Tower Wind Orchestra in a concert at The LaSells Stewart Center. The ensemble is a professional concert band with musicians from the Oregon Symphony, Eugene Symphony, Portland Opera, Eugene Opera, faculty from Oregon State University, the University of Oregon and George Fox University, and active freelance musicians from around the state.

Instructor of Music Isaac Andrew performed on December 21 at the Majestic Theatre with the Chintimini Brass. Andrew is a founding member of the Corvallis-based ensemble. The performance also included several guest performers, including the Willamette Valley Flute Quartet, Melange and harpist Cherie Gullerud.

Coordinator of Music Education Wesley Brewer published a paper in the most recent issue of Research and Issues in Music Education, a peer-review journal. The paper titled “A Content Analysis of Recommended Composers in Repertoire Lists for Band” examines over 32,000 composition entries to explore which composers are most highly regarded in the wind band genre.

Anna Fidler, art instructor, has paintings included in a new book, “APEX: 10 Years” released by the Portland Art Museum this month. The book celebrates ten years of exhibitions at the museum’s APEX Gallery, and is a project of Grace Kook-Anderson, Curator of Northwest Art. It includes the work of thirty Northwest artists and essays by former curators, Bonnie Laing-Malcomson, Jennifer Gately, and Kook-Anerson. It is available for purchase at the Portland Art Museum and elsewhere.

Kirsi Peltomäki, associate professor of contemporary art history, gave a keynote lecture, titled “When Ideas Aren’t Enough: The Historical Record in Contemporary Art History,” in the conference “Connoisseurship in Contemporary Art Research.” This conference was organized by the Academy of Fine Arts/University of the Fine Arts, in Helsinki, Finland, Nov. 29-30, 2018. Collaborators for the conference included the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma in Helsinki, the University of Helsinki, and the University of Turku in Finland.

Instructor of Art Andrew Myers will give a talk on Friday, Jan. 25 at 2:30 p.m. at the Rose Villa Senior Living Center, 13505 SE River Road, Portland. Myers explores the preservation of endangered species and wild places through the creation of large-scale drawing constructions, performances and collaborations that include elements of printmaking, sculpture and installation. His talk is free and open to the public.

Igor Ristic, instructor of speech communication will give a talk, “International Students’ Adaptation: How Communication, Friendships and Identity Influence Attitudes About Americans,” on the Speech Communication Colloquium Series on Jan. 25 at 4 p.m. in Stag 113. The talk is free and open to all.

Assistant Professor of Photography Kerry Skarbakka, will exhibit a solo body of new work at the Torrance Art Museum in South Bay Los Angeles. “White Noise” opens on January 19 and runs through March 9, 2019. http://www.torranceartmuseum.com/upcoming-exhibitions/