Humanities News, Features, and Other Updates

Brown Bag Talk: Deconstructing Writing Pedagogy with LEGO: Exploring Methods of Engaging STEM Students Further in Writing Pedagogy Spaces with Tucker Nielsen

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What:

Abstract:

Writing centers and writing classrooms have tendencies to focus on a pure linguitic approach to teaching composition. This presentation will explore alternative methods for engaging with students of different disciplines outside of the humanities, including the use of Lego bricks to practice critical thinking, creative writing, and composing rhetoric effectively. Pulling from the concepts of metonymy and deconstruction, using Lego bricks enables students to translate familiar objects to subjects otherwise foreign or barely practiced. We will briefly examine a few exercises instructors or writing coaches can do with their students to see these principles in effect.

Who:

Presented by RTC Masters Student Tucker Nielsen

All are welcome to attend!

When:

Friday, October 6, 2023

Where:

Petersen Library, Walker Arts & Humanities Center

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Academic Job Market Roundtable Discussion, Humanities Brown Bag Series

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Richard Canevez, Jennifer Nish, Jason Archer, James Hammond, and Holly Hassell participated in a panel discussion on the academic job market.

What:

A panel discussion featuring new tenure-track faculty hired in 2022/2023 to discuss the academic job market within the humanities, and their individual experiences with the academic job search that led them to Michigan Tech. Featuring Jason Archer, Richard Canevez, James Hammond, Holly Hassell, and Jennifer Nish.

Who:

Recent tenure-track faculty Jason Archer, Richard Canevez, James Hammond, Holly Hassell, and Jennifer Nish.

All are welcome to attend!

When:

Friday, September 22, 2023

Where:

Petersen Library, Walker Arts & Humanities Center

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Jennifer Nish Awarded Honorable Mention for Winifred Bryan Horner Outstanding Book Award

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Dr. Jennifer Nish was awarded honorable mention for her book, Activist Literacies: Transnational Feminisms and Social Media Rhetorics.

Humanities faculty Jennifer Nish has been awarded an honorable mention for the Winifred Bryan Horner Outstanding Book Award by the Coalition of Feminist Scholars in the History of Rhetoric and Composition for her 2022 book, Activist Literacies: Transnational Feminisms and Social Media Rhetorics.

From the CFSHRC web site, “The Winifred Bryan Horner Outstanding Book Award is presented biennially in even years for work in the field of composition and rhetoric to recognize outstanding scholarship and research in the areas of feminist pedagogy, practice, history, and theory.”

Dr. Nish joined the humanities department at Michigan Tech last fall (2023) as an associate professor of rhetoric and composition, and was quickly nominated for the Distinguished Teaching Award. She was inducted into the Academy of Teaching Excellence this spring. Her research topics include transnational feminism, activist rhetoric, disability studies, and digital media.

Activist Literacies

“What does it mean when we call a movement “global”? How can we engage with digital activism without being “slacktivists”? In Activist Literacies, Jennifer Nish responds to these questions and a larger problem in contemporary public discourse: many discussions and analyses of digital and transnational activism rely on inaccurate language and inadequate frameworks. Drawing on transnational feminist theory and rhetorical analysis, Nish formulates a robust set of tools for nuanced engagement with activist rhetorics.”

Find Activist Literacies on Amazon.

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Stephanie Carpenter Awarded Summit Series Annual Prize for Moral Treatment

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English faculty Stephanie Carpenter has been awarded the 2024 Summit Series annual prize for her recent novel, Moral Treatment, from publisher Central Michigan University Press.

The 2024 submission guidelines called for previously unpublished, manuscript-length works, such as novels, novellas, or anthologies, written by current or former residents of Michigan. Included in the prize is publication of the completed work.

Moral Treatment takes place in a psychiatric hospital inspired by the State Hospital in Traverse City, MI, where Stephanie grew up. It follows the parallel stories of Amy Underwood, a troubled 17-year-old patient at the hospital, and “the doctor,” the 65-year old superintendent whose grip on the institution is starting to slip.

Says the Summit Series award page, “Both a coming-of-age story and a story about the challenges of aging, Moral Treatment vividly imagines an era of idealism, crisis, and transition in mental health care in the United States.”

Stephanie Carpenter is an assistant professor of creative writing at Michigan Tech. She teaches courses in reading, writing, and literature in the humanities department.

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Distinguished Speaker Lisa Guenther Presents on Social Justice, Prison Work

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Dr. Guenther led a seminar that centered around the concept of “Wiindigo Infrastructure,” or the idea that certain infrastructures can be harmful to disadvantaged groups.

Distinguished speaker Lisa Guenther was on campus Tuesday and Wednesday, where she led a social justice seminar based on the article “Beyond Wiindigo Infrastructure” by Winona LaDuke and Deborah Cowen, and gave a public lecture on her work with the P4W Memorial Collective titled “Collective Memory at Canada’s Prison for Women.”

Dr. Guenther is Queen’s National Scholar in Political Philosophy and Critical Prison Studies at Queen’s University in Canada, and has worked and written extensively in the field of prison studies. We thank her so much for joining us and sharing her work!

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CinOptic Media Enterprise Competes at Design Expo

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Cole Risko (CCM ’24) and Charlotte Haanela (English ’24) in front of the multimedia display of their work with the Cinoptic Media Enterprise Team

The CinOptic communication and media enterprise team presented their work on Tuesday at Michigan Tech’s 24th annual Design Expo. The team, which develops film and multimedia projects for a range of clients, developed a video discussing their work on two recent projects, one for the National Park Service, and the Enterprise Podcast.

The video, presented in a podcast-like format, featured host Lyndsay Lagreid (CCM ’24) interviewing team leads Cole Risko (CCM ’24) and Vanessa Dulong (Sound Design ’25) about their respective projects.

The Isle Royal National Park project, commissioned by the National Park Service, includes a flagship promotional video, as well as orientation materials all written, filmed, and edited by CinOptic team members. The footage for these videos was taken by team members on a trip to Isle Royal in 2021.

The Enterprise Podcast develops episodes centered around interviewing and presenting the work of other Michigan Tech enterprise teams, and is available to listen to on Spotify.

In addition to presenting their work, the team won an award for their image submission, which featured the process of filming their video.

See below to watch the video in full, and don’t forget to checkout the Enterprise Podcast on Spotify! If you’d like to read more about the CinOptic enterprise team and the work that they’ve done, check out their web site!

Play 106: CinOptic Enterprise video
Preview image for 106: CinOptic Enterprise video

106: CinOptic Enterprise

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Brilynn Janckila Awarded Finishing Fellowship

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A hearty congratulations to RTC PhD candidate Brilynn Janckila, who has been awarded a finishing fellowship for the summer of 2024!

Finishing fellowships are awarded by the graduate school to outstanding PhD students in their final semester. During that time, the student’s work is fully funded as they finish and defend their dissertation.

Brilynn’s research topics include girlhood studies, Barbie and Barbie media, feminist research methods, fan culture, writing studies, and writing program/writing center administration, usability and social justice in technical communication.

Great work, Brilynn!

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Humanities Names 2024 Departmental and Program Scholars

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A hearty congratulations to our humanities departmental and program scholars! These awards recognize outstanding performance of one undergraduate student in each of our three programs, as well as the department as a whole.

Congratulations to Griffin Six, our English program scholar, Alli Churchwell, our communication, culture, and media program scholar, and Aracely Hernandez-Ramos, our scientific and technical communication program scholar! Each program scholar receives $100 from the department in recognition of their achievements.

Griffin Six has also been named our humanities departmental scholar! Griffin will receive an additional $200 from the department, as well as eligibility for the Provost’s Award for Scholarship, which awards an additional $800 to recipients.

Congratulations and excellent work to all of our amazing humanities scholars!

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Humanities Alumni Social in Germany

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Last summer’s study abroad students come together for a memorable reunion in Dresden.

Calling all alumni of Michigan Tech University! Are you ready to embark on a journey down memory lane in one of Germany’s most enchanting cities? We’re thrilled to announce an exclusive Alumni Student event hosted by our very own Stephanie Rowe, Associate Teaching Professor at MTU. Get ready for an unforgettable evening of reconnecting, reminiscing, and exploring the vibrant city of Dresden. It’s our first Humanities alumni social in Germany!

Savoring German Cuisine

Our exploration continues with a mouthwatering dinner at the historic Sophienkeller. As we indulge in traditional German cuisine and raise a glass to old memories and new experiences, laughter and camaraderie will fill the air. It’s the perfect opportunity to reminisce about our time at MTU and share stories of our adventures abroad.

A Scenic Evening Walk

After dinner, we’ll take a scenic walk past the famous Fürstenzug to Neumarkt, soaking in the beauty of Dresden’s historic landmarks along the way. As we wander through the cobblestone streets and admire the architecture that has stood the test of time, we’ll be reminded of the rich history and culture that make Dresden truly unique.

Concert in the Frauenkirche

Our evening concludes with a breathtaking concert in the awe-inspiring Frauenkirche. Surrounded by the timeless beauty of this iconic venue, we’ll let the music wash over us and create memories that will last a lifetime. It’s the perfect way to end our reunion on a high note, with hearts full of gratitude and spirits lifted by the magic of music.

Join Us for an Unforgettable Humanities Alumni Social in GermanExperience

Whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned alum, we invite you to join us for this special Alumni Student event in Dresden. It’s a chance to reconnect with your MTU family, rediscover the beauty of Germany, and create memories that will last a lifetime. RSVP today and get ready for an evening you won’t soon forget!

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