Evolutionary biorobic research at Vassar

Prospective students considering careers in science often hear about the importance of research during college. Research experience is key to admission to the most selective M.A., Ph.D and M.D. programs. Your undergraduate work really matters.

So, some ask, why choose a small liberal arts college rather than a humongous research university? Surely bigger labs must translate to better opportunities for research, right? Nope. As I wrote last month, Vassar is a national leader in producing science and engineering Ph.Ds. Our alumni gain admission to the most selective graduate programs in the country. Why? Simple: Access to faculty, both in the classroom and in the laboratory. Vassar science students are able to become research assistants to their professors, participating in cutting-edge projects and often getting co-published in national scientific journals.

To give just one example of this type of work, consider Professor of Biology John Long's evolutionary biorotics lab. Long is an internationally recognized researcher for his work on vertebrates, evolution, and robotics. Essentially, his lab consists of elaborate robotic fish that use sophisticated microprocessors to imitate the physical movement of real fish. With grants from the National Science Foundation and Office of Naval Research, Long studies the evolution of motion in current and prehistoric species. He also has extensive research collaborations with Duke University and the University of California.

Vassar science students are full participants in his world-changing research. Read some of the many projects and papers published by Long's laboratory that carry the names of his students. Not only is this an incredible résumé item for graduate school, but it's incredible hands-on experience. You would be hard-pressed to gain this kind of access to a faculty member at any large research university.

Interested? Come to Vassar, and take one of Long's many classes. In the Biology Department, he teaches courses on animal physiology, biomechanics, and evolutionary theory. In the Cognitive Science Program, he teaches brain architecture and perception. He also teaches an introduction to Neuroscience and Behavior.

Paul Volcker, former Chairman of the Federal Reserve, will speak at Vassar

Paul Volcker, internationally acclaimed economist and Chairman of the Federal Reserve under presidents Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagan, will speak at Vassar on September 28. Since February 2009, Volcker has served as Chairman of the Economic Recovery Advisory Board under President Barack Obama.

Volcker served as Fed Chair during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Known as the "inflation fighter," he helped lower double-digit inflation rates in the early 1980s and is widely credited with ushering in an era of economic prosperity. He graduated summa cum laude from Princeton in 1949, and then earned a graduate degree in political economy from Harvard. In 1952, he joined the staff of the Federal Reserve Bank in New York.

I took many courses in Vassar's Economics Department, and I'm so jealous that current students will have the opportunity to speak with this leader in American macroeconomic policy. Hope they'll record the event for the Vassar YouTube Channel!

Volcker's discussion will take place on September 28 at 5 p.m. on the second floor of the Students' Building. Vassar Economics professor Robert Rebelein, who served for the last two years on the Council of Economic Advisors, will moderate. Jeffrey Goldstein (Vassar class of 1977) and current Under Secretary of the Treasury for Domestic Finance, will introduce the speakers. Read more about Volcker in a fascinating recent profile in The New Yorker.

Vassar English professor makes headlines

Amitava Kumar, professor of English at Vassar, has emerged as one of the preeminent cultural critics of the decade. Kumar has received plenty of press recently for his two recently published books, Nobody Does the Right Thing and A Foreigner Carrying in the Crook of His Arm a Tiny Bomb. In a lengthy and gushing review in August, The New York Times called Kumar's work "perceptive and soulful."

This summer, Kumar also wrote extensively about the toxic debate over the so-called "Ground Zero Mosque," publishing an incisive piece in Vanity Fair. Learn more about Kumar by reading his blog and by checking out his recent interview with The Chronicle of Higher Education. The Miscellany News also profiled his work this week.

Prospective students considering writing, English, or International Studies at Vassar should keep a close eye on Professor Kumar. His courses include Narrative Writing, Journalism, Transnational Literature, and Literary Nonfiction. He also teaches Freshmen Writing Seminars.