Several Hope College students and professors led sessions or presented research during the annual meetings of the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts and Letters, held at the Oakland Center at Oakland University in Rochester Hills on Friday, March 3.
Dr. Edward Hansen, professor of geology and environmental science, is currently serving a one-year term as president of the statewide organization.
A professor and three students played roles in the section on French and Italian Language and Literature. Dr. Isabelle Chapuis-Alvarez, assistant professor of French, organized and chaired the session on "Les ecrivains voyageurs du XXeme siecle" ("Traveling authors of the 20th century"), during which the three students made presentations. Senior Daniela Banu of Bucharest, Romania, presented "Un regard croise franco-americain sur la France et l'Amerique contemporaines" ("A study of France by American authors and a study of America by French authors"). Senior Anne Bast of Grand Rapids presented "L'amour et la ville: la perception de Simone de Beauvoir de la ville americaine dans 'L'Amerique au jour le jour' et 'Lettres a Nelson Algren" ("Love and the City: Simone de Beauvoir's perception of the city and America in 'America day by day' and 'Letters to Nelson Algren: A Transatlantic Love Affair'"). Sophomore Stelios Alvarez of Grand Rapids presented "Les themes lies au voyage dans 'Courrier Sud,' 'Vol de nuit' et 'Terre des hommes' d'Antoine de Saint-Exupery" ("Themes centered around travel in Antoine de Saint-Exupery's 'Southern Mail,' 'Night Flight,' "Wind, Sand and Stars'"). Chapuis-Alvarez also made a presentation, "L'adhesion de la Turquie a l'Europe: atout ou handicap?" ("Turkey's candidacy to the European Union: benefit or drawback?") during the session on "Current Issues in Culture and Linguistics."
Hope researchers made six presentations in the Geological Sciences section. Hansen presented "Mineralogy of Sand from Glacial Deposits of the Lake Michigan Lobe, Southwestern Michigan," which he co-authored with senior Keiko Kito of Kanagawa, Japan. Junior Anna Davis of Holland presented "Origin of Pinstripes in Lake Michigan Coastal Dunes," which she co-authored with senior Kristen McPhee of Mason. Senior Sean Derby of Cadillac presented "The Chronology of Dune Growth and Migration in the Grand Marais Embayment, Southeastern Shore of Lake Michigan." Junior Elliot Eisaman of Fredonia, N.Y., presented "Origin of Small Lakes in a Coastal Dune Complex Southwest of Holland, Michigan." Sophomore Theresa O'Meara of Chicago, Ill., presented "Experimental Investigation of Antibiotic Absorption in Sand-Iron Systems," which she co-authored with Dr. Jonathan W. Peterson, who is an associate professor of environmental science and chairperson of the department, and Dr. Michael Seymour, who is a professor of chemistry and chairperson of the department. Junior Eric M. Johnson of Grand Rapids presented "Arthropod Occurrence in a Shallow Coastal Michigan Aquifer," which he co-authored with junior Carrie J. Thomason of Boyne City, junior Jennifer L. Cencer of Washington, Mich., and Peterson.
In the Political Science section, senior Kurt Pyle of Zeeland presented "Cycles of the Future: A Quantitative Analysis of the Study of Foreign Policy Mood."
In the Psychology section, senior Cathy Martyn of Wheaton, Ill., presented "The Role of Stories in Building More Inclusive Communities."
Founded in 1894, the Michigan Academy of Science, Arts, and Letters is a regional professional organization that facilitates scholarly exchange through its annual meetings and a quarterly journal featuring papers and news about research at Michigan colleges and universities. The academy encompasses a broad spectrum of scholarly disciplines, grouped in 27 sections ranging from administration; to biochemistry/molecular biology; to cinema studies; to health and human services; to medieval studies; to psychology; to Spanish language, literature and culture; to zoology.
More than half of the academy's current members are faculty and graduate students of supporting Michigan colleges and universities. Other members include independent scholars, scholars from other states, and people engaged in relevant research in business and government. A total of 27 colleges and universities are institutional members of the Michigan Academy, which is based at Alma College.
In addition to Hope, the institutional members of the academy are: Adrian College, Albion College, Alma College, Andrews University, Calvin College, Central Michigan University, Concordia University, Cornerstone University, Cranbrook Institute of Science, Davenport University, Eastern Michigan University, Ferris State University, Grand Valley State University, Henry Ford Community College, Kalamazoo College, Lake Superior State University, Madonna University, Marygrove College, Michigan State University, Northern Michigan University, Oakland University, Saginaw Valley State University, the University of Detroit Mercy, the University of Michigan, Wayne State University and Western Michigan University.