Legacies Project Oral History: Former U.S. Congressman John Dingell

Fri, 02/08/2019 - 10:57am

John Dingell Jr. (D) served in the U.S. House of Representatives as part of the Michigan delegation from 1955-2015.  His 60 years in office make him the longest serving member in the history of the House.  A long-time member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, including 16 years as Chairman,  Dingell was an advocate for environmental issues and a supporter of the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Environmental Protection Agency.  Dingell was also the longest serving Dean of the House of Representatives.  He passed away on February 7, 2019.

John Dingell was interviewed by students from Skyline High School in Ann Arbor in 2015-2016 as part of the Legacies Project.

Nerd Nite #57 - Stand Back, We’re All Going To Do Science!

Wed, 01/30/2019 - 12:59pm

Learn about the many ways you can join people across the world in addressing some of the biggest social and scientific challenges in the world today through community and citizen science apps, websites, hikes, photos, and more!

About Justin: 

Justin Schell directs the Shapiro Design Lab at the University of Michigan Library, where he facilitates, among other things, a variety of citizen and community science projects. In addition to this work, he has a background as a documentary filmmaker, community archivist, and reformed trombonist.

Exploring the Mind | The Psychology of Germs, Disease, and Disgust

Wed, 01/30/2019 - 11:51am

Infectious diseases and the pathogens that cause them have been a serious problem throughout human history, with millions sickened and killed each year. In the modern world, hygiene and vaccinations help us manage this threat, but we also possess mental and physical defenses against germs. In this talk, Joshua Ackerman, Associate Professor of Psychology at U-M, discusses the emerging thinking on a set of defensive strategies grounded in our psychology – emotions, thought processes, and actions collectively called the “behavioral immune system.”

Feeling grossed out or avoidant when seeing spoiled food or sick people can help prevent infection, but these reactions also negatively affect our interactions with people, groups, and environments that in reality pose no danger. Disease-related thinking also spills over into how we see the world more generally, influencing aspects of our lives from cultural taboos to the products we buy. The psychology of germs, disease, and disgust may help us understand why.

This program was part of the "Exploring the Mind" series, a partnership with The University of Michigan Department of Psychology.

Nerd Nite #55: The Future Is Non-human: Examples of the Comic Book Mutant, Cyborg, and Alien

Mon, 01/28/2019 - 11:14am

Hanah Stiverson — The Future Is Non-human: Examples of the Comic Book Mutant, Cyborg, and Alien
American comics have historically been used as a way of imagining other modes of being. Since the creation of Superman humanity has been allowed an imagined space of greater power, ability, and capability. In recent years comics have transformed to include a wider range of experiences and bodies, and to allow for fuller beyond-human experience. In this talk I will be looking at examples of recent comic books that imagine fantastical ways of being, which allow readers to explore their humanity from new perspectives.

About Hanah:
Hanah Stiverson is currently a PhD student at the University of Michigan in the department of American Culture. Her current research focuses broadly on comics as a mode through which race, gender, sexuality and power can be articulated. Hanah works primarily with Image Comics texts to consider the ways in which access to a profitable creator-owned market has allowed traditionally marginalized voices new space to create dynamic works. Hanah is the co-coordinator of the Transnational Comics Workshop, which brings together scholars from many fields to encourage an interdisciplinary approach to reading and engaging with comics as a medium.

AADL Board of Trustees Meeting - January 22nd, 2019

Tue, 01/15/2019 - 2:04pm

This is where you will be able to watch the January 22, 2019 Meeting of the AADL Board of Trustees.

Nerd Nite #58 - Startup Ecosystems: What Michigan Needs

Mon, 01/07/2019 - 1:03pm

When you hear the word startup, what do you think about? Do you think tech? Retail? Duo Security? Regardless of what you envision, we know one thing for sure: startups are what drive economic growth and development. This talk goes over what Michigan needs to continue growth as a startup ecosystem.

About Leann – Director of Content, Argonomo; Founder, ASHE Media; Host of the Impact Michigan and Generation [I] podcasts. Passionate about entrepreneurship, digital media, and building the Michigan startup ecosystem. Follow him @leann_abad.

Exploring the Mind | Do the Roots of Psychopathy Lie in Early Childhood?

Mon, 01/07/2019 - 12:55pm

The cold and calculating psychopath captures our imagination in movies and books, but what do we know about psychopathy and its development? In this talk, Luke W. Hyde briefly describes what we know about psychopathy in adults and examine an early risk factor for psychopathy in children and teens. The lecture includes a description of recent findings which aid our understanding of the development of psychopathic traits via “nature” and “nurture", and presents research identifying potentially malleable and preventable risk factors for this dangerous outcome.

Luke W. Hyde, PhD is an Associate Professor in the Clinical and Developmental areas of the Department of Psychology. He received BA from Williams College and PhD in Clinical and Developmental Psychology from the University of Pittsburgh with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience. He research focuses on the development of antisocial behavior (e.g., aggression, rule breaking) in youth and the impacts of adversity on youth and families. Much of this research has focused on how experiences like parenting and living in a dangerous neighborhood impact children’s brain and behavior leading to psychopathology.

Dr. Hyde’s research has been funded by the National Institute of Mental Health, the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, the Brain and Behavior Foundation, and the Avielle Foundation. This research has been recognized by early career awards from the Society for Research in Psychopathology, the Association for Psychological Science, and Division 7 (Developmental Psychology) of the American Psychological Association.

Author Event | Katherine Reynolds Lewis Discusses Her Book "The Good News About Bad Behavior"

Mon, 01/07/2019 - 12:17pm

A new and surprising problem has quietly been developing in the current generation of children: they are out of control. A recent study of first-graders found they could sit still for no more than three minutes, only a quarter of the time that their peers could in 1948. Government statistics show that half of all children will develop a mood or behavioral disorder or a substance addiction by age 18.

In the era of the helicopter parent, children seem to have lost the ability to regulate their behavior and emotions. Our time-honored methods of punishments and rewards haven't taught discipline -- they've undermined it.

Journalist Katherine Reynolds Lewis spent five years investigating this crisis: observing families at the dinner table, meeting educators who are transforming the school experience for kids with attention and mood disorders, studying psychological research, and looking introspectively at her own parenting habits.

Bright Nights Community Forum | Postpartum Depression: What You Don't Expect When You're Expecting

Mon, 01/07/2019 - 12:34am

Women frequently experience mild mood changes during or after pregnancy, but if these symptoms become severe, they require treatment. Often misunderstood and conflated with the “baby blues,” postpartum depression occurs in nearly 15 percent of women and can interfere with their ability to care for or bond with their babies. Although highly treatable, many women are reluctant to seek care for a variety of reasons including lack of information about the illness, misconceptions about its treatment, and shame due to stigma and societal pressures.

Samantha Shaw, MD, Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry at Michigan Medicine, gives a brief overview presentation reviewing the signs and symptoms of postpartum depression; treatment options; and strategies to avoid common “traps” of postpartum depression. The presentation is followed by questions and discussion with a panel of experts including Lisa Anderson, MSW, Social Worker, Michigan Medicine; Monica Starkman, MD, Associate Professor Emerita of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School.

This event was a partnership with the U-M Depression Center. For more information on the Center, visit their website or contact Stephanie Salazar, 232-0330, or sawaters@umich.edu

Graduate Students of Color | Panel on Life in S.T.E.M. at U-M

Wed, 12/12/2018 - 11:45am

Graduate and professional students of color at the University of Michigan host a panel to discuss their challenges, victories, and strategies behind their ascension into the realm of S.T.E.M (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics).