From the Chair

Dear Friends of Women and Gender Studies,

It has been a busy fall at the Cottage! The department is in the write-up stage of our seven-year Program Review—a process that continues to consume much of my semester-long term as interim chair. And I’m very much looking forward to handing things back over to our chair, Lorraine Bayard de Volo, when she returns from sabbatical in January.

Bureaucratic chores aside, WGST has a number of things to celebrate this fall: We welcomed our newest faculty member, Samira Mehta, who brings her expertise on the intersections of religion, culture, and gender to WGST and Jewish Studies. Two WGST faculty achieved career milestones this past year: Lorraine Bayard de Volo was promoted to full professor and Emmanuel David was tenured and promoted to associate professor. Two WGST faculty were recognized with major awards: Celeste Montoya received the Craig L. Brians Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Mentorship from the political science education section of the American Political Science Association and Emmanuel David won CU 鶹ӰԺ’s Best Should Teach Gold Award. Last but not least, our program assistant Alicia Turchette won the first ever Social Sciences Employee of the Month Award this past September.

More details on these impressive accomplishments appear on the pages that follow, along with more of the latest faculty, staff, students, and alumni achievements.

Thank you for your continued support of Women and Gender Studies. As always, we’d love to hear from you.

Sincerely,
Robert Buffington
Interim Chair & Professor, Women and Gender Studies


Samira Mehta

New Faculty Profile: Samira Mehta

Nov. 1, 2019

Meet the newest addition to our faculty, Samira K. Mehta, assistant professor of Jewish Studies and Women and Gender Studies. Mehta received her PhD from Emory University in American Religious Cultures, and an MDiv from Harvard Divinity School specializing in Christianity and Culture. Her research and teaching focus on the intersections of religion, culture, and gender, including the politics of family life and reproduction in the United States.

Kris De Welde

Alumna Profile: Kris De Welde

Oct. 31, 2019

Learn more about this accomplished CU alum, named "2019 Outstanding Faculty of the Year" at the College of Charleston School of Humanities and Social Sciences, where she is professor and the director of Women's and Gender Studies. Dr. Kris De Welde (PhD Sociology '03; WGST Graduate Certificate '02; BA Psychology '98) offers a look back at her time at CU, and how her academic work in women’s studies contributed to her career path.

Emmanuel David

David receives Best Should Teach Gold Award

Oct. 23, 2019

Associate professor Emmanuel David has been awarded the 2019 Best Should Teach Gold Award from CU’s Graduate Teaching Program, which celebrates excellence in teaching, and is given in coordination with the School of Education, the College of Arts and Sciences and the Graduate School.

Montoya

Montoya receives Craig L. Brians Award

Oct. 22, 2019

Celeste Montoya, associate professor of WGST and director or the Miramontes Arts & Sciences Program (MASP), was recently awarded the Craig L. Brians Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research and Mentorship, by the political science education section of the American Political Science Association.

WMST 2003

Alumnae/i Updates

Oct. 21, 2019

We celebrate the accomplishments of our alumnae/i, including Dr. K. Eliza Williamson's new postdoctoral position, Dr. Meryleen Mena's recently published article, Ann Price's work to promote education in the wake of the opioid epidemic, and the new commemorative Los Seis de 鶹ӰԺ sculpture that is now on campus thanks to Jasmine Baetz's initiative.

10 years

WGST Faculty Updates

Sept. 26, 2019

News on recent publications, promotions and awards from our WGST faculty and staff, including the celebration of our program assistant, Alicia Turchette, in receiving the inaugural Social Sciences Employee of the Month award, and her 10 years of service to our department.