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1999-2000 Centennial Scholars

Katherine Aaron's project asks the question "What is the good life?" Neither a philosophical treatise nor a sociological survey, her investigation was based on interviews conducted throughout the United States, photographs of people and places seen, and eclectic reading. Her presentation will take the form of connected story essays. As an Economics major, Kat has also explored the discrepancy between how economists measure quality of life and how individuals define "the good life" for themselves. Katherine's mentor is Leslie Lessinger, Co-director of the Centennial Scholars Program.

Bethany Ayers is writing an essay explaining and illustrating how empire and imperial notions were reflected in the 19th century cityscapes of both London and Berlin. She traveled to both cities to compare and contrast their characteristic styles. She will also use photographs in her presentation. Bethany is a Political Science major. Her mentor is Barry Bergdoll of the Art History department at Columbia.

Umbreen Bhatti is making a video and writing an essay about the influence and inspiration of Malcolm X and his Muslim religion. In addition to studying Malcolm's life, his political ideas and their evolution, and his skill as a leader, Umbreen conducted a series of interviews for her project. A Political Science major, Umbreen is working with Dennis Dalton of Barnard's Political Science Department.

Rachel Furst undertook an examination of a 14th century medieval Hebrew manuscript, a compilation of several dozen historical, pseudo-historical, and legendary works. For training in the specialized technical and interpretive aspects of this study, she was ably mentored by Menachem Schmeltzer of the Jewish Theological Seminary. Rachel is interested in using this manuscript as a historical document, especially to explore aspects of the lives of Jewish women in medieval Europe. Rachel is a Medieval and Renaissance Studies major.

Susan Helft's project is an in-depth analysis of the architectural qualities and designs of synagogues, both ancient and modern. After examining some ancient synagogues in the field, Suzie also looked at how synagogues have been reinterpreted in more recent times. Her project includes her own design for a synagogue, one that incorporates some of the sense of the ancient with the sensibilities and social needs of the modern. Suzie is an Ancient Studies major. Her mentor is Madeline Schwartzman of Barnard's Architecture department.

Katrin Kark is examining the concept of image as memoir through an installation of family photographs. These were printed from recently discovered negatives her Latvian grandfather took, to document life in European refugee camps and later his experience as a new immigrant in Canada in the 1940s and 1950s. Along with the photo exhibit, her project includes a creative non-fiction component. Katrin is an Urban Studies major with a concentration in Political Science. Her mentor is Phyllis Raphael of Columbia's School of the Arts.

Mallika Keister carried out a project combining scholarly investigation with a mime performance. She examines the fictional character of Pierrot in 19th century French pantomimes, and is particularly interested in exploring and comparing pierrotic renditions by Jean-Gaspard Deburau, the legendary mime of the first half of the century, with those of Paul Margueritte, a late 19th century mime and writer. Mallika is a French major. Her mentor is Peter Connor of Barnard's French department.

Christina Martinez-Smith has carried out biochemical research in several laboratories as an undergraduate, and is now working on a project studying a protein involved in growth arrest of cells. This research is specifically aimed at a new approach to understanding and treating cancer. Christina's mentor is Brian Morton of the Barnard Biology Department. She also worked in Dr. Paul Fisher's lab at Columbia's College of Physicians and Surgeons. Christina's presentation gives a lively overview of the nature of cancer, with historical embellishments, the current treatment strategies, and her own work on a new approach. Christina is a Biology major.

Meredith Messer's project is the creation of a professionally composed and edited educational video on acquantance rape, drugs, and alcohol, intended for distribution to college freshman orientations nationwide. An English and Film Studies combined major, Meredith had as a mentor on her project Bruce Stater of Barnard's Women's Studies department.

Jessica Otey is creating an Italian opera libretto, entitled La Principessa di Clèves, based on the French novel The Princess of Clèves. She is searching to enlist a composer to set her libretto to music. Her project presentation, called A Night at the Opera, included a performance of one of her arias for tenor voice, a discussion of how her libretto is being created, and a brief history of opera and opera styles. Jessica is a Comparative Literature major with a concentration in Italian and Latin. She worked with Wendy Allanbrook, Chair of the Music Department at the University of California in Berkeley, as well as with Roger Brunayte and Franca Gorraz at the Peabody Institute at Johns Hopkins University.

Maia Sevilla-Sharon traveled to the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region of China to conduct research on the Uighur separatist movement under way since the late 1980's. Her project looks at the factors contributing to the resurgence of Uighur nationalism since the collapse of the Soviet Union, focusing on the role of Islam in the movement. A Political Science and Asian and Middle Eastern Cultures double major, Maia is working with Andrew Nathan at Columbia's Political Science department.

Johanna Shipman is writing a novel, entitled Paradise Alley, a semi-autobiographical exploration of love and drugs, among other things. A key section of her work is a retelling of the Persephone myth. She is also interested in exploring the writing process itself. A Comparative Literature major with a concentration in English and Latin, Johanna had Margaret Vandenburg of Barnard's English department as a mentor.

Catharine Slack's project is an analysis Columbia University's money management policies, specifically the disjunction between the ethics that the university espouses and its investment decisions. The political action group she is working with has in fact succeeded in getting Columbia to agree to major changes, including open disclosure of investments and a University-wide investment review board. An English major, Catharine is working with Dennis Dalton of Barnard's Political Science department.

Jennifer Tavis's project, a study of the 12th century troubadour poet Arnaut Daniel, included a summer in Paris where she worked in the Bibliotheque Nationale. Her project is a paper on her extensive research into Daniel's life and times, interpretations of his poetry, as well as a reading in the original Provençal of selections from his poems. Jennifer is a Comparative Literature major with a concentration in French and Spanish. Her mentor is Joan Ferrante of Columbia's English and Comparative Literature department.

Sarah Tully's project is part of a detailed investigation of the molecule rhodopsin, the light receptor in the eye. Her project is in organic chemistry: to synthesize specific analogs of retinal, the molecule in the rhodopsin complex that actually absorbs light. These analogs are designed to have known conformations, and characterizing their properties will help answer questions about the detailed mechanisms of light absorption and signal transmission in rhodopsin. A Biochemistry major, Sarah is working in the laboratory of Koji Nakanishi, a bio-organic chemist in Columbia's Chemistry department.