Dean's Dispatch Issue 14
May 2025, Issue 14
Dear Alumni and Friends,
The College of Arts and Sciences is fortunate to work with many wonderful partners, supporters, funders, employers, and engaged community members, both in 木瓜直播 and across the globe. This issue of the Dean鈥檚 Dispatch explores the breadth and the depth of our partnerships, showcases how they support our students and faculty and make the work that we do possible.
We highlight CAS Excellence Scholar Ted Tedrick, who is blending his studies in psychology and philosophy on his journey to become a lawyer and public defender. The CAS Excellence Scholarships are made possible through donations to the Departmental or College Excellence Funds, primarily on UA鈥檚 Giving Day.
We also highlight donor Jan Gehler; she and her husband, Bill, give back to UAA in many ways. They鈥檝e established an emergency fund for students, and they support the Friends of the Arts program which helps to ensure a thriving arts ecosystem at UAA and across 木瓜直播. Asked why she supports the arts at UAA, Jan says: 鈥渢he arts are not just entertainment鈥攖hey鈥檙e transformative.鈥� We agree! We are grateful to Jan and Bill Gehler and the many others who support CAS students and programs.
In addition to individual and corporate donations, CAS faculty benefit from state and federal grants. These grants support faculty research and provide rich intellectual experiences for students. According to Dr. Erin Hicks, a Professor of Astronomy: 鈥淢uch of the work I do depends on access to cutting-edge observatories, such as the James Webb Space Telescope, which are funded and operated through federal programs. Without these facilities, we simply wouldn鈥檛 be able to tackle the most important and exciting questions about our universe.鈥� Dr. Hicks explains how data from the Webb Telescope affords her and her students a better understanding of black holes and distant galaxies.
The 2024-25 CAS Community Lecture Series was a huge success. The word 鈥渃ommunity鈥� in the title is a reminder that our goal is to engage with the community and provide thought-provoking events that promote dialogue. The word 鈥渃ommunity鈥� has also taken on another meaning; the series could not have happened without the support of our community. We are grateful for the partnerships we formed, as well as financial support from the Carr Foundation and many individual donors. We are looking forward to the 2025-26 Community Lecture Series and its theme, The Art and Science of Our World: The Wonder of Nature. Renowned science educator, Bill Nye, kicks off the series on August 21 at the Atwood Concert Hall. Read on for more details.
We are grateful to everyone who has supported the college, from individuals who鈥檝e attended a CAS event or given financially to large foundations, corporate sponsors, and federal agencies who support the arts, scientific research or the CAS Community Lecture Series. We believe in the transformative power of education and strive to educate students for the jobs of today and tomorrow. Support from our community helps us do this. Read on to learn more about the CAS community.
Best,
Dr. Jenny McNulty, Dean
Ted Tedrick
Psychology (major) and Philosophy (minor)
Faculty Spotlight:
Dr. Erin K. S. Hicks
Physics and Astronomy
鈥淲hile research with immediate, real-world applications is often the most obvious in its impact, those breakthroughs are only possible because of the basic science that uncovered the fundamental principles that underlie them.鈥�
Dr. Hicks discusses how supermassive black holes actively shape galaxies and highlights
the importance of federal funding to research opportunities for faculty and students.
Philanthropy:
Jan & Bill Gehler
Jan Gehler has a long history at UAA, which has included service as the Dean of the
Community and Technical College (CTC) and Interim Provost. Jan and her husband, Bill,
have also supported UAA in many ways. They endowed an emergency fund to support students
who鈥檝e encountered financial hardship and support the arts.
We sat down with Jan to talk about the impact of philanthropy.
The CAS Community Lecture Series has brought diverse perspectives and thought-provoking discussions to 木瓜直播. We recap the 2024-25 CAS Community Lecture Series and look ahead to an exciting series that begins on August 21 at the Atwood Concert Hall with a conversation featuring Bill Nye, the 19-time Emmy Award winning host and creator of Bill Nye the Science Guy.
