New London, Conn. — A new National Science Foundation (NSF) grant will support a major effort to synthesize decades of research on protists—microscopic organisms that play a vital role in aquatic ecosystems but remain largely understudied. Connecticut College botany professor Peter Siver will lead the project, which aims to consolidate his extensive research on these organisms, making it more accessible for future scientists studying microbial ecology, climate change, and evolutionary biology.

Funded through NSF’s Opportunities for Promoting Understanding through Synthesis (OPUS) program, the project will integrate findings from Siver’s lifelong study of silica-scaled chrysophytes, a group of protists found in freshwater environments. His work has provided critical insights into how these microorganisms contribute to nutrient cycling, ecosystem stability, and species migration over geological time.

“This research will help us better understand how microscopic life influences and responds to environmental change,” Siver said. “By synthesizing decades of data, we can provide a clearer picture of how these organisms have shaped aquatic ecosystems and what their role might be in future climate scenarios.”

Siver, recent research includes two landmark studies: one identifying an exceptionally preserved fossil of microscopic algae, reshaping the understanding of algal evolution (Scientific Reports), and another documenting fossilized palm phytoliths in Arctic Canada, offering new insights into ancient climate conditions (Annals of Botany).

“This project provides an opportunity to integrate decades of work on protists and highlight their vital role in shaping aquatic ecosystems over millions of years,” Siver said. “By making these findings accessible, we can better understand how microorganisms influence climate history and biodiversity.”

The NSF grant, totaling $204,499, will allow Siver to integrate these and other findings into a comprehensive resource for future research, ensuring that critical data on protists remains accessible to scientists studying Earth’s environmental history.

New London, Conn. — Connecticut College, in collaboration with the Center for Housing Equity and Opportunity Eastern Connecticut (CHEO), invites the public to the first event in the College’s (Un)Freedom Colloquium series: From the Grassroots: (Un)Freedom and Community Advocacy. This discussion will bring together local housing, healthcare and education organizers to reflect on the meanings of “unfreedom” in their work.

WHAT:
From the Grassroots: (Un)Freedom and Community Advocacy

WHEN:
Monday, Feb. 10, 4:15–5:45 p.m.

WHERE:
Ernst Common Room, Blaustein Humanities Center, Connecticut College

DETAILS:
This event, supported by Connecticut College and CHEO through the Right to Housing: Case Study Connecticut initiative, is part of the larger (Un)Freedom Colloquium, which explores freedom, inequality and resistance in New London’s past and present. It will provide a platform for local advocates to share and discuss their insights on the intersections of political, social and material freedoms in communities.

The series continues with additional events in February and March:

• Monday, Feb. 24, 4:15–5:45 p.m.
  Fighting for Home: Housing Policy and Segregation (Film screening and discussion)
  Oliva Hall, Cummings Art Center
• Monday, March 3, 4:15–5:45 p.m.
  (Un)Freedom in Tribal Nations: The Politics of Food and Housing Security
  Oliva Hall, Cummings Art Center
• Saturday, March 29, 1–5 p.m.
  Local Histories of (Un)Freedom: Student and Community Historian Conference
  Evans Hall, Cummings Art Center

New London, Conn. — Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping how people work, learn and conduct research. To prepare students for an increasingly AI-driven world, Connecticut College has launched a three-year initiative, “AI@Conn: Empowering Liberal Arts Education with AI,” to integrate AI tools and topics into academic programs and enhance teaching, research and engagement with technology across campus. This transformative program is funded by a substantial bequest to the Diane Y. Williams ’59 Instructional Technology Fund from Ad Astra and Rosemary Park Society member Harold F. Wiley, who passed away in 2023.

“AI@Conn adds a new dimension to our signature academic program, Connections, and prepares students for successful careers in a modern world,” said Dean of the College and Interim Dean of Equity and Inclusion Erika J. Smith. “This multidimensional initiative will position Conn as a leader in innovative technology education across disciplines.”

Wiley’s gift, designated for academic technology, inspired Vice President for Information Services and Librarian of the College Matt Gardzina to develop an AI focus shaped by input from faculty, the Generative AI for Teaching & Learning Community and discussions with Library & Information Technology staff.

“We led with the idea that AI won’t replace your job, but the person who knows how to use it might,” said Gardzina.

A cornerstone of the initiative is the creation of a two-year fellowship. The Harold F. Wiley Fellow in Artificial Intelligence will bring specialized knowledge to the College to support faculty in AI-related projects, assist in course development and lead summer workshops.

“The idea is that this dedicated position will help oversee academic AI interests and support various departments. This will allow Computer Science faculty and other campus experts to focus on the research and creation of AI, whereas the AI fellow will help with faculty development and address issues like ethical concerns and safety,” Gardzina explained.

AI@Conn will provide faculty with professional development workshops, course development support and new technologies to incorporate AI into teaching and research practices. Stipends will be available for faculty interested in modifying existing courses, creating new assignments or developing AI-focused courses. Students will also benefit from stipends and resources for AI-focused summer research projects.

Connecticut College plans to share its AI@Conn resources and expertise with other institutions through workshops, conferences and symposia in 2025 and 2026. Director of Gift Planning Laura Becker, who helped facilitate Wiley’s bequest, noted, “This gift is a testament to the power of planned giving and its transformative impact on liberal arts education.”

For more information about AIConn and its impact on Connecticut College’s academic offerings, visit www.conncoll.edu/ai-conn.

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New London, Conn. — In a world where headlines fade, one exhibition at Connecticut College stands as a testament to enduring cultural strength. "Posters from the Odesa City Letters Project" opens on Jan. 21, 2025, transforming the Cummings Arts Center Galleries into a vibrant showcase of Ukrainian resilience through graphic design. This isn't just an art display — it's a visual narrative of a nation's soul. Hundreds of posters from the Odesa City Letters Project tell stories of courage, humor and defiance in the face of ongoing conflict. Each piece serves as a powerful reminder of art's role in preserving cultural identity under threat.

Exhibition Highlights

• Curated Experience: Co-curated by Andrea Wollensak, professor of Art at Connecticut College, and Alexander Tochilovsky, director of the Herb Lubalin Study Center of Design and Typography at The Cooper Union, New York City
• Global Journey: Following acclaimed showings at The Cooper Union and Maryland Institute College of Art, these posters now make their mark in New London.
• Student Engagement: Connecticut College students will create typographic responses to the exhibition, which will be displayed in the Atrium Gallery.

Beyond the Gallery Walls

The exhibition extends its impact through:

• Tochilovsky will deliver a lecture on "Decolonizing Ukrainian Design" on Feb. 24 at 4:30 p.m., exploring efforts to reclaim Ukrainian graphic design from Soviet influences. Following the lecture, a public reception will be held in the galleries from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Workshops led by Weismann Visiting Artist Lee Davis '88 inspire the next generation of designers.

"This exhibition is more than art — it's a cultural lifeline," says Wollensak. "It offers a unique lens into how a nation uses creativity to assert its identity in the face of aggression." 

The exhibition runs at Connecticut College's Cummings Arts Center Galleries from Jan. 21 to Mar. 7, 2025. The Cummings Arts Center Galleries are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

New London, Conn. — The distant celestial wonders will soon be closer to home, thanks to a $100,000 donation from an anonymous Connecticut College alum. The gift will fund a new telescope and upgrades to the observatory atop the F.W. Olin Science Center, enhancing astronomical research and education opportunities.

The new telescope, a 14-inch CDK350 Observatory System from PlaneWave Instruments, is more efficient and easier to use than the current 20-inch scope installed in 1996, said Assistant Teaching Professor of Astronomy Alex Gianninas. Gianninas, who joined Connecticut College in 2023 and is also the campus director for the Connecticut Space Grant Consortium, said the new telescope will allow students to gain valuable hands-on experience that mechanical and electronic issues with the existing scope prevented in recent years.

“Using publicly available data has been helpful, but this new equipment will finally let us train students on-site,” Gianninas said. The telescope’s ease of operation will also open it up to students in introductory courses, and the department plans to invite the public to experience it at an April open house event featuring guided observations, activities, talks, and videos.

Associate Professor Emeritus of Physics Leslie Brown, who taught at Connecticut College from 1992 to 2022, spoke to the lasting significance of the donation. “This most generous gift of a new telescope and dome upgrades ensures that students and the local community can continue sharing in the wonders of the night sky, as they have in the past. I cannot thank the donor enough for ensuring this vibrant future for astronomy at Conn,” Brown said.

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