People in the news - January 10, 2014

Publication Date

Dozens of colleagues gathered in Old Chapel this week to say goodbye to David Hayes, who is retiring after 37 years at Union. Hayes was hired in 1976 as a professor in the Chemistry Department, and over the course of his career, also served as interim dean of Arts and Sciences, dean of Academic Departments and acting vice president for Academic Affairs and dean of the faculty. Remarks were given by President Stephen C. Ainlay, Therese McCarty, the Stephen J. and Diane K. Ciesinski Dean of the Faculty and Vice President for Academic Affairs and Michael Hagerman, professor and chair of the Chemistry Department.

Bradley Hays, associate professor of political science, was a guest several times on WAMC’s show “Congressional Corner.” Along with WAMC’s Alan Chartock, Hays discussed Congressional spending, the upcoming presidential election and what’s on the docket for the U.S. Supreme Court.

Therese McCarty had an article published on the Hechinger Report discussing the impact of a liberal arts education. McCarty was the College’s as acting president when the story was published.

An essay by Jeffrey Corbin, associate professor of biology, appeared in a recent edition of the Times Union in Albany. The op-ed detailed the state’s forestland being in crisis due to the explosive growth of the white-tailed deer population. Read his essay here.

Judith Lewin, associate professor and chair of the English Department, led a discussion during the Schenectady Jewish Community Center’s Jewish Film Festival. She led a talk on “The Camera Obscura,” a 2008 Argentinian film in Spanish and Yiddish with English subtitles, about Jewish people immigrating to Argentina in the late 1800s.

An essay co-authored by Christopher Chabris was featured in the Wall Street Journal. The piece detailed how computer opponents have pushed the ability of human competitors to new heights. Chabris, a chess master, co-authored the piece with David Goodman, an international chess master and author based in New York City. Chabris was also mentioned in an article for Deadline Detroit about the selection of author Malcolm Gladwell to speak at the Detroit Regional Chamber’s conference. Chabris has been a vocal critic of Gladwell’s books and has published several articles on it.

National Public Radio interviewed Chad Orzel, associate professor and chair of the Physics Department, while attending a conference in San Diego, Calif., hosted by BioToasters, a public speaking organization geared toward scientists. Orzel spoke about the importance for scientists to be effective and interesting public speakers. See the story here.