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Newly hired Assistant Professor of Chemistry Adam Van Wynsberghe became acquainted with Hamilton College before he even arrived. This summer, he and Hamilton student Sam Cho ’10 participated in biophysical chemistry research at the University of California at San Diego (UCSD), where Van Wynsberghe was an NIH Kirschstein post-doctoral fellow. He says the experience was “good for both parties” in that while Cho familiarized himself with the sort of research that could consume his career after Hamilton, Van Wynsberghe became acclimated to the Hamilton community through Cho. 

A recent print by Professor of Art William Salzillo is included in Susquehanna University’s Lore Degenstein Gallery’s current exhibition opening Saturday, Sept. 5. An opening reception will be held on Saturday from 7 to 9 p.m.

The biennial meeting of the Rousseau Association, held this year in Los Angeles, June 25-28, had as its theme "Rousseau's Legacies." In his paper for this conference, "Saint-Preux Becomes a Woman: Gender-Bending in Rousseau’s La Nouvelle Héloïse" Professor of French John C. O'Neal argues against the depiction of Rousseau as a misogynist by illustrating the profoundly transgendered qualities of the male protagonist in Rousseau's best-selling novel.

Highlighting Hamilton’s commitment to eating locally, Bon Appetit, the College’s food service provider, will prepare a variety of dishes that feature vegetables grown on campus and by local organic farmers on Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 7. The organizations involved include Bon Appetit, the Hamilton College Community Farm and the Food For Thought seminar and its 1812 Garden.

Following pregnancy, women sometimes have a high concentration of what is known as alpha-fetoprotein, a protein found in blood plasma and produced in the yolk sac and liver during the fetal stage of development. Previous studies have shown that the alpha-fetoprotein has pronounced affects against breast cancer, and therefore women who have had multiple births might be less at risk. This summer Nathaniel Taylor ’11 looked at two sub-derivatives (small pieces) of alpha-fetoprotein, Peptides TPVNP and STPNVP to see if the properties they possess could be extracted for pharmaceutical purposes. He worked on the research with Silas D. Childs Professor of Chemistry Robin Kinnel.

It’s no surprise that 2009 college graduates are having a tough time finding jobs in the current economy. Surveys by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) found that fewer than 20 percent of 2009 graduates who had applied for a job actually had one by the time of graduation, down from 26 percent in 2008, and more than 50 percent in 2007.

Hamilton students Ashley Chang ’10, Chelsea Stone ’10 and John Garrison ’10, along with 13 other students selected nationally, were awarded grants to participate in Associated Colleges in China (ACC) Field Studies program this summer. The program’s purpose was to help students who have previously studied abroad in a language-intensive program in China retain their high level of Chinese ability. It also aimed to help American students develop a better understanding of rural China and the China that is situated “outside of study-abroad programs.” For seniors Chang, Stone and Garrison, this seemed like a deal too good to be true. 

China has long been criticized as a haven for piracy. The degree to which it exists there is so alarming that it would shiver ye timbers and condemn you straight to the depths of Davy Jones’ locker. At least, it would in the United States. But the kind of piracy that goes on in China is not usually discouraged, and is treated as a normal part of life. More than 90 percent of the Chinese population takes part in the search for the treasures of digital media culture, not gold. While citizens get much of their business software and electronic entertainment for free, their laid-back attitude has made piracy the number one issue for digital media companies that wish to make a profit. This summer Jiong Chen ’10 worked on a research project on the subject with Professor of Economics Elizabeth Jensen.

Hamilton College Professor of Music, composer and bassist Michael “Doc” Woods brings together some of the area’s best jazz and gospel artists for the annual Jazz Kick-Off event on Tuesday, Sept. 8, at 8 p.m. in the Fillius Events Barn at Hamilton College.

Visiting Assistant Professor of Government David W. Rivera and Associate Professor of Government Sharon Werning Rivera have published a paper titled “Yeltsin, Putin, and Clinton: Presidential Leadership and Russian Democratization in Comparative Perspective” in the September issue of Perspectives on Politics, one of the core journals of the American Political Science Association.