Vid Smooke is a professor of Music Theory at the Peabody Institute. In an interview with The News-Letter, they describe their experience in academia, their educational philosophy and the arts scene in Baltimore.
The University is mourning the death of Sharleen Argamaso-Hernan, assistant director of academic support, who passed away on Dec. 25, 2022. Argamaso-Hernan was assistant director for the Study Consulting Program and oversaw the first-year course Introduction to Hopkins: Arrive & Thrive.
The University is mourning the death of Saeeda Osei Frimpong, who passed away on Jan. 11. Frimpong was a sophomore majoring in Neuroscience in the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. She was a member of the African Students Association, the American Red Cross Corps and the Black Student Union.
The University announced plans to hire 13 new faculty members in three areas of study as part of the Fannie Gaston-Johansson Faculty of Excellence Program (FGJFEP) on Nov. 16. Named after the University’s first Black woman to become a tenured professor at Hopkins, Fannie Gaston-Johansson, the FGJFEP has resulted in the recruitment of 35 tenure-track professors over a six-year period. The program is part of the Faculty Diversity Initiative (FDI), recently revived under the University’s Second Roadmap on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
In an interview with The News-Letter on Dec. 12, University President Ronald J. Daniels discussed the function of higher education in American democracy, the importance of accountability in the University’s decision making and the creation of democratic spaces on campus.
CurveAssure, a student startup creating a spine monitor device to identify the best treatment and pathways for the patient, won the grand prize at the FastForward U (FFU) Fall 2022 Fuel Demo Day. The Fuel Accelerator track is a non-dilutive, extracurricular accelerator that runs each semester to fund Hopkins student startups. This fall, nine student startups were selected through a written application and an interview.
Hopkins alumnus James Anderson and his spouse, Morag Anderson, donated $100 million to the University’s School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) Europe. In recognition of the donation, which is the largest private contribution to a university in Italy, the Bologna Center campus will now bear the name “The Johns Hopkins SAIS Europe Bologna Center James and Morag Anderson Campus.”
Andrea Jenkins and Myrl Beam shared their work with The Tretter Transgender Oral History Project (TTOHP) and the ways storytelling can foster trans justice and empowerment on Dec. 6 at Bird in Hand cafe. The Winston Tabb Special Collections Research Center organized the event as part of a project that will create a group to record and spread trans oral histories in Baltimore.
According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) 2021 report on household food security in the U.S., 13.5 million households are food insecure. Bloomberg School of Public Health’s Center for a Livable Future conducted a study in 2018, which reported that one in four Baltimore residents live in areas that lack accessible options for healthy and affordable food.
Steven David is a tenured professor of International Relations at Hopkins. During his 40 years at the University, he has taught classes on nuclear weapons and political violence as well as on peace and war. He is currently writing two books, the first focused on Sino-American competition in developing countries and the second on threats to Israel's existence. In an interview with The News-Letter, David discussed his journey into academia, his current projects and advice for students.
Vice President for Public Safety Branville Bard sent an email to the Hopkins community on Dec. 2 announcing the final draft of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Baltimore Police Department (BPD) and the University for the implementation of the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD).
Celebrating its 50th anniversary this past year, the Johns Hopkins Outdoors Club (JHOC) resumed normal activities after a pause during the pandemic. JHOC returned to hosting a variety of outdoor trips every weekend for any interested Hopkins students to join. These activities include hiking, mountain biking, caving, canoeing, climbing and backpacking.
The University’s IDEAL chapter hosted a discussion titled “The Johns Hopkins Police Department: It’s Approval and Consequences” on Nov 30. The seminar provided students with the opportunity to address their concerns about the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD) and public safety with fellow students.
The Stavros Niarchos Foundation (SNF) Agora Institute hosted a debate on Nov. 29 between two legal experts over the most effective way to hold former President Donald Trump accountable for his role in the Jan. 6 insurrection.
The Student Government Association (SGA) held its weekly general body meeting (GBM) on Nov. 29 to discuss the judiciary nominations, the Beta X SGA: Reindeer Games Bill, the SGA Communications and Marketing Committee (CMC) Funding Bill and the SGA x Mindfulness Event Funding Bill.
Hopkins affiliates and community members gathered outside Brody Learning Commons on Nov. 28 to hold a candlelight vigil for victims of the Urumqi fire in Xinjiang, China. Distributed leaflets described the fire as one of the many tragedies resulting from the Chinese government’s COVID-19 policy. Due to lockdown-related blockages, the fire department was unable to reach the building in time.
Hopkins affiliates and community members engaged in a series of events to protest against the Johns Hopkins Police Department (JHPD) on Nov. 29. The event started with a walk-out at 12:30 p.m., followed by a protest march from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. and ended with a vigil at 5 p.m at the Homewood Museum.
Robbie Shilliam is an International Relations professor at the University who studies racism in politics and the legacies of Anglo empires. In an interview with The News-Letter, he discussed how he arrived into the world of political science and his contributions to the field.
The University sent a broadcast email to students on Nov. 21 announcing the closure of asymptomatic testing sites for COVID-19 on all campuses on Dec. 2 at 11 a.m. The University will continue to provide symptomatic testing for students.
In the Milton S. Eisenhower (MSE) Symposium’s final event on Nov. 16, Len Necefer discussed his current efforts to advocate for the protection of land and the cultural empowerment of Indigeneous people. Necefer, a member of the Navajo Nation, is a climate activist, former University of Arizona Public Policy professor and the CEO and founder of NativesOutdoors.
