December 2019

Events
The following are Obermann and Obermann co-sponsored events:
Deadlines
News & Achievements 
Celebrating the work of current & past Obermann scholars and friends 
Lost Language Found
Jean Gordon develops tool to improve aphasia diagnosis

Over two million Americans suffer from aphasia--the inability to speak, write, and/or understand language as a result of brain damage. Aphasia can be devastating to a person's social connections, emotional well-being, and overall quality of life. It has also proven difficult to correctly diagnose what kind of aphasia a person has, even though the different types necessitate different kinds of treatment, which can dramatically affect a person's ability to cope. Rather than accepting the unreliability of current testing,  Jean Gordon (Communication Sciences & Disorders), is developing a new test to make sure that people are accurately diagnosed as the focus of her Fall 2019 Obermann Fellow-in-Residence appointment. 
Summer 2020 Humanities for the Public Good Internships Announced
8-week opportunities for humanities PhDs

Working with partners outside the academy is one of the best ways for graduate students to expand the kinds of careers and workplaces they are considering. For the second year, in collaboration with the Graduate College, the Andrew W. Mellon-funded Humanities for the Public Good initiative is offering internships with area organizations: Public Space One,  National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library, African American Museum of Iowa, Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development, Hancher Auditorium, and the University of Iowa Labor Center.

In addition to working on specific projects within an organization for 30 hours per week during June and July, participating students will also meet as a cohort to reflect on the applicability of their scholarly work to various workplaces and to discuss the kinds of knowledge required to translate the methods and questions of the humanities into a range of workplaces. 

As one example of what an internship can involve, read about Paul Schmitt (PHD candidate in English) and his work with the community of Vinton and Iowa Valley Resource Conservation and Development. 

Interested in participating? Attend one of the following informational sessions: Wednesday, December 18, 4:00-5:00 p.m. OR Friday, January 31, 12:00-1:00 pm - both at the Obermann Center, 111 Church Street.
Celebrating Our Interdisciplinary Research Grant Recipients
Summer 2020 welcomes 3 projects

One of our longest-running programs, 
Obermann Interdisciplinary Research Grants (IDRG) foster collaborative scholarship and creative work by offering recipients time and space to exchange new ideas leading to invention, creation, and publication. 

The following scholars, artists, and projects have been selected for Summer 2020:
  • Dental Visits Cost More Than Money: Conceptualizing Links Between Financial Uncertainty and Oral Health with Aislinn Conrad, School of Social Work; Susan McKernan, Preventive & Community Dentistry; and Tessa Heeren, UI Public Policy Center
  • Imagining Latinidades: Articulations of National Belonging with Darrel Wanzer-Serrano, Communication Studies and Latina/o Studies; Rene Rocha, Political Science and Latina/o Studies; and Ariana Ruiz, Spanish & Portuguese and Latina/o Studies
  • New Grammars for Reproductive Justice with Natalie Fixmer-Oraiz, Communication Studies and GWSS; and Shui-yin Sharon Yam, Writing, Rhetoric, & Digital Studies, University of Kentucky
Mangum Co-authors Report
Humanities PHD and Public Humanities Working Group Recommendations from Working Group Sessions 2016-2019

Between 2016-19, Mona Frederick (then Director of the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University) and Teresa Mangum (Professor and Director of the Obermann Center for Advanced Studies at the University of Iowa) convened the Humanities PHD and Public Humanities Working Group at the annual National Humanities Conference. The conference, cosponsored by the National Humanities Alliance and the Federation of State Humanities Councils, brings together humanists from a wide range of organizations, including colleges and universities, state humanities councils, scholarly societies, and humanities funders--all of whom weighed in on the report. To learn about the issues discussed and the outcomes for each of the three years the Working Group met, see their website. They welcome you to share the report widely. 
Faculty Institute Meets in January 
Participants will plan publicly engaged curriculum 

From January 13 through 16, 2020, the following University of Iowa faculty and teaching staff, in addition to one visitor from Grinnell College, will participate in an institute to learn more about best practices and ethics of working collaboratively with a public partner to create lessons and courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. The 2020 Faculty Institute on Engagement and the Academy is co-directed by Darryl Heller (Indiana University, South Bend); Teresa Mangum (GWSS, English, and the Obermann Center); and Jennifer New (Obermann Center). 
  • Ana M. Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Spanish & Portuguese
  • Anita Jung, Art & Art History
  • Christopher-Rasheem McMillan, Dance and GWSS
  • Consuelo Guayara Sánchez, Rhetoric
  • Douglas Hess, Political Science, Grinnell College
  • Eric Gidal, English
  • Heather Parrish, Art & Art History
  • Kimberly Datchuk, Stanley Museum of Art
  • Kirsten Kumpf Baele, German
  • Lisa Heineman, History and GWSS
  • Lori Adams, Biology
  • Loyce Arthur, Theatre Arts
  • Michaela Hoenicke-Moore, History
  • Naomi Greyser, English, American Studies, and GWSS
  • Nathan Platte, Music and Cinematic Arts
  • Sujatha Sosale, Journalism & Mass Communication
  • Vero Smith, Stanley Museum of Art
  • Ashley Cheyemi McNeil, Postdoctoral Fellow, Obermann Center
Vogler Wins UI 3MT
3 humanities PhD students in campus-wide finals

Christie Vogler (Anthropology) took top prize in the Graduate College's annual 3MT Showcase on Friday, November 15, for her presentation of her research at an excavation site in Sicily. Enrico Bruno  (English) was awarded an Honorable Mention, and Hadley Galbraith ( French & Francophone World Studies) was distinguished as one of the 13 overall finalists. All three participated in the Obermann Center's Humanities 3MT in October. We look forward to offering this competition again next fall and helping to bring more humanists' voices to this important campus event. Warm thanks to the Graduate College for working with us on the Obermann Humanities 3MT event!
Honoring Our Work with a Donation
Connectivity matters!
 
As our recently published report, CONNECT THE DOTS, illustrates, the Obermann Center is an invaluable site on our campus for connecting people, ideas, organizations, and opportunities. We provide space for scholars to focus on discipline-changing work, host major conferences, and serve as the epicenter for some of the most important humanities grant-funded projects on campus.

Please consider recognizing the value of our work in a year-end donation. 
Give to Local Food Bank
Donations accepted at the Obermann Center through end of the semester
 
We are happy to support the work of our friend Pete Damiano, who is organizing a food drive for CommUnity Crisis Services and Food Bank. The top ten needs are f inancial donations, c anned fruit in juice, p eanut butter, c anned meat, b aby diapers, b aby formula, r ice and pasta, canned  soups and stews, t oilet paper, and l aundry detergent. The food collection bin is located just inside the Obermann Center's main entrance.