A path through poetry and history

Range has always wanted to tell stories. She grew up in the mountains of upper East Tennessee in a community of conservative values and low academic expectations. But she always had dreams of writing: If the authors she read in the classroom could do it, she reasoned, why not her?聽

A first-generation student from a workingclass background, Range attended the University of Tennessee. Both her upbringing and college experience gave her an outsider ethos, Range said.听

鈥淚鈥檓 always thinking, feeling, and recognizing the outsider,鈥� she said. 鈥淏ecause that鈥檚 how I felt in academic circles.鈥澛�

Originally interested in fiction, Range enrolled in a poetry workshop because the fiction one was full. Under the instruction of poet Marilyn Kallet, however, she realized she wanted to write poetry.听

Kallet also offered Range a piece of advice she still uses in her classroom today.听

鈥淵ou have to let yourself write shit, because if you don鈥檛, you won鈥檛 ever write any good,鈥� Range said.听

After graduating, Range worked many jobs鈥� with AmeriCorps, with libraries, and even with a record store鈥攂efore returning to academia. She even pursued a theology degree, which, she said, was for fun.听

Enrolling in the M.F.A. program at Old Dominion University, Range said her mentor, scholar Alex Socarides, encouraged her interest in dense religious imagery and archival research. It was here she read activist poets Frances Ellen Watkins Harper and John Greenleaf Whittier, whose work featured in abolitionist newspapers.听

鈥淭hey did all this work that changed the country for the better,鈥� Range said, 鈥渂ut we don鈥檛 know about them.鈥澛�

Inspired by the poetry collection Native Guard by Natasha Trethewey, Range wrote Printer鈥檚 Fist as a monument to the abolitionist movement and the history of American activism. She hopes the collection will empower readers in their own communities to spearhead change.听

鈥淎 lot of problems in this country arise from not looking at our history,鈥� Range said. 鈥淚f we can look at it, we can move forward.鈥澛�

Excerpts from Printer鈥檚 Fist can be found in Ecotone, Poets.org, and The Nation, among other publications.

In the classroom

Range teaches courses in 19th-century literature, creative writing, and contemporary poetry. She came to 杨贵妃传媒视频 because its interdisciplinary departments allow her to teach between analytical and creative fields.听

鈥淚 don鈥檛 want to teach work from one point of view,鈥� she said. 鈥淢y desire is to teach a diversity of authors, in every sense of that word.鈥澛�

Range鈥檚 favorite course to teach is her advanced seminar on elusive poet Emily Dickinson. By diving deep into one poet鈥檚 work, students sharpen their research and close-reading skills鈥攕kills that are beneficial regardless of discipline, she said.听

Another favorite of Range is Introduction to Creative Writing, where she balances the study of craft and activities that push writing to its limits.听

One example is her bonnet activity. Range prints out various writing constraints, such as zany phrases or odd poetic forms, on slips of paper. She then places them in several bonnets for students to draw and include in a piece of writing. The change in their written voices and confidence is rapid.听

As for her colleagues, Range spoke to how much passion 杨贵妃传媒视频鈥檚 Department of English instills in students. The care for teaching among faculty is unlike anywhere else, Range said.听

鈥淧oetry and the humanities teach people how to be more curious, more empathetic, and more attuned to wonder,鈥� Range said. 鈥淚t teaches them how to be better people.鈥�

Ribbons said she has always found great joy in running and the adventure of where a run might take her. She ran on the Wellesley cross country team in her first year of college and felt privileged to be surrounded by so many strong women runners, she said.

Ribbons trained for the marathon with friends, typically running about 60 miles a week, in addition to a healthy dose of cross-training.听

Her goal for the Fox Cities Marathon was two-fold.听

鈥淛oy,鈥� Ribbons said. 鈥淛oy in running through my regular stomping grounds, as well as joy in seeing the crowds of volunteers, spectators, and fellow runners on a glorious day. Another goal was that I wanted to high-five anyone along the course who was willing. Mission success on both counts!鈥澛�

Seeing her friends along the way was a highlight.听

鈥淢argaret Koker and family offered high fives along the Fox River after the halfway mark, and she really inspired me to run strong because she is one of the strongest women I know.鈥澛�

Ribbon始s mental strategy for the marathon was gratitude.

鈥淚 am a mental health running advocate through Bigger Than The Trail,鈥� Ribbons said. 鈥淎nd in that capacity, I鈥檝e come to share stories with runners and learn from other amazing humans who have come through the other side of traumatic events in life. This hits home because I had years where I was unable to run after being struck by a drunk driver while out running, and after additional life events, I found the Bigger Than The Trail group, and it has helped me cultivate self-acceptance and grace, which are really useful for thinking about life broadly.鈥澛�

The hard work and long miles of practice and training paid off when she crossed the finish line.听

鈥淟ucky me, I got to dance across the finish line to Dua Lipa, which is one of the artists whose high-energy vibes I will do treadmill mile repeats to in the depths of winter,鈥� Ribbons said. 鈥淎fter finishing, I looked around for family and friends to share in the joy and just bounced around with happy energy like an Energizer Bunny! I felt like I was in my glittering prime!鈥澛�

Ribbon is looking forward to the Glacial Trial in Greenbush, Wisconsin, for her next running challenge.

He holds a Ph.D. in anthropology from the University of Utah. He earned a master鈥檚 in anthropology and an M.Ed. in higher education at Iowa State University and a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a major in history from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse.

We caught up with Wilson to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

Anthropology is exploration. It is about asking, interrogating, puzzling through, and answering questions. I love questions. Every class I teach is dedicated to helping students explore questions and learn transferable problem-solving and analytical tools to take forward into their future鈥攁ll through better understanding the interconnectedness of humanity and our environment.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

A good colleague of mine and I are currently setting up a salvage archaeology project on the North Coast of Peru to recover scientific information from looted archaeological contexts to explore the everyday lives of everyday people during periods of significant climate and political change. The work combines ethical archaeology, big data analysis, climate reconstruction, ecological theory, student opportunities, and collaboration with local researchers, all the things that get me most excited in research.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

In the past nine years since a career change to become an archaeologist I have horse-backed into the Absaroka mountains to help investigate Indigenous land use of mountain spaces, excavated at 16,000 feet in the high Andes to understand high-elevation herding, surveyed and sampled at one of the most prominent adobe temple sites on the Peruvian north coast to explore emergence of cities and states, hiked canyons in Utah to record rock art and explore hunter-gatherer settlement, and explored many more locales. Every project I have been invited to or undertaken has been a wonderful surprise of culture, people, food, and learning.

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

What I think I would like to do: voice acting. I love the way that voice actors can bring animations, novels, puppets, etc. to life and have always enjoyed trying to emulate their efforts. What I would probably be doing: data science. I do really enjoy exploring data to find the patterns, connections, and meaning that can be extracted to understand the world.听

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

One of the new features on campus that I thoroughly appreciate is the world timeline that has been installed on the second floor of Youngchild. It wonderfully puts into perspective how little time we, as a lineage, have been on the planet and the deep history of the world鈥檚 existence. I also really enjoy Room 326 Briggs, which has the archaeological teaching collections, links to the anthropology collections, and is where I do most of my teaching.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Movie: The Princess Bride. Is it a comedy? An action movie? A romance? A swashbuckler adventure? Something else? Yes, yes, it is. It is campy and it is glorious. I love the way the movie plays with mixing genres (I really like genre mixes of all kinds) and the movie just makes me happy.

Book: Small Gods by Terry Pratchett (really anything by Terry Pratchett). Terry Pratchett鈥檚 ability to mix profound insight into the human condition with comedy and fantasy is incredible. Also, Hidden Figures by Margo Lee Shetterly. The unveiling of hidden history in NASA and space flight was profoundly impactful and I find the stories of those women equal parts humbling and inspiring. A third is a single book chapter titled 鈥淐ompetition, conflict, and the development of social hierarchies鈥� by James L. Boone in the 1992 book Evolutionary Ecology and Human Behavior. It fundamentally underlies my approach to exploring and understanding the emergence of inequality across humanity鈥檚 past.

Recording: I am an absolute sucker for British radio comedies, especially science fiction. The 2018-20 show Quanderhorn Xperimentations by Rob Grant and Andrew Marshall takes wonderfully over-the-top voice acting, science fiction ideas, comedy, and sets it all in the 1950s to make full use of the radio medium. It鈥檚 joyous, absurd, and quirky. Old Harry鈥檚 Game by Andy Hamilton is another that comes to mind as a socially insightful, absurd comedy that can only exist through the medium of radio. I really adore how radio can make use of simple sound effects and the magic of voice to bring vibrant worlds alive and comedy鈥檚 ability to interrogate the human condition. Finally, and this might be cheating a little bit as it also is visual, but Vincent Price鈥檚 An Evening of Edgar Allan Poe. Price鈥檚 unique voice, flair, and presentation brings to life the darker side of the human condition of multiple Poe stories.

Gravelle holds a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa, a Master of Music from California State University Long Beach, and a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a major in music from Luther College.

We caught up with Gravelle to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info: What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I truly believe your voice matters. That is not a gimmick. What each person contributes to our community is important, and since I teach primarily collaborative learning courses (choir), it matters that every voice is uplifted. Everyone鈥檚 contribution has an impact.

Getting energized: What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

I鈥檓 very excited to create more access to choir for all students across campus. The choral program has a rich and beautiful history of amazing music-making鈥攁 tradition that has been celebrated nationally鈥攁nd I look forward to continuing that tradition with a wider community.

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I always anticipated that I would move all over the country for graduate school and to find jobs that would be good fits. I grew up in Minnesota, and have lived in Arizona, Iowa, Nebraska, and North Carolina. Imagine my surprise when I was offered the position at 杨贵妃传媒视频 and realized I would land back in the upper Midwest at a school whose choirs I have seen perform for years at national and regional conventions. What a joyful surprise.

Out of the classroom

This or that: If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

If I weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, I鈥檇 love to either be a barista at an independent coffee shop鈥攕uch beautiful places of community鈥攐r an advocate of some kind to empower others.

Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I鈥檓 new, so I am still discovering all the places on campus. I will look forward to my new office in Fall 2025, but besides that, I love all of the rehearsal spaces. Those spaces are engaging and active. I鈥檓 open to recommendations for spaces to check out.

One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

The book I鈥檝e recommended to a lot of friends recently is Better Faster Farther: How Running Changed Everything We Know 杨贵妃传媒视频 Women. In addition to being a runner, I have a passion for understanding how barriers within systems came to exist. I鈥檓 not really a person who watches many films. And I can鈥檛 pick one recording. I recommend live performances for truly formative experiences. Come to a choir concert on campus.

Before joining the Conservatory faculty,聽Noordhuis spent time as an instructor at Berklee College of Music, Manhattan School of Music, and Hunter College. She holds a Master of Music in Jazz Trumpet from Manhattan School of Music and bachelor鈥檚 degrees from Victorian College of the Arts and Southern Cross University, both in Australia.听

We caught up with Noordhuis to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.听

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

That I鈥檓 not expecting perfection, that I鈥檓 just wanting an open mind. Most of my lessons are about discovering new ways to play the trumpet with a greater sense of ease, and it makes the process so much easier if the student is willing to step outside their comfort zone.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

Teaching lessons is what makes me super happy鈥攍ittle discoveries and breakthroughs in playing are what I鈥檓 aiming for, and I try to make that happen every lesson. For some reason, it usually happens about 50 minutes into the lesson鈥攊t takes a while. Playing music with other faculty members is also lots of fun.听

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

Playing a concert in a converted bullfighting ring in the Azores (the islands off the coast of Portugal) was certainly a moment that I鈥檒l remember. Climbing down into an extinct volcano covered in moss during the day, eating a delicious seafood lunch with my friends and jazz luminaries like Bill Frisell, playing the gig, and then going for a night swim in the ocean was certainly one of those moments that I realized that playing trumpet for a living certainly takes me to unexpected and wonderful places.

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

I鈥檇 be restoring wood furniture or designing my own. I did woodwork in high school instead of music.

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation, or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I spent a lot of time setting my office to make it feel like a tranquil and restful place for my students as well as myself. There are lots of plants, a kettle to make tea, a great stereo, and piano. I could spend all day here. In fact, I often do.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

I鈥檓 currently reading The Heaven and Earth Grocery 厂迟辞谤别,听by James McBride. It鈥檚 absolutely brilliant. He paints the most vivid picture of each character, and the town itself seems like the protagonist. I can鈥檛 get enough of the album Roses, by The Paper Kites. Whenever I would listen to an acoustic music playlist, and I鈥檇 wonder who鈥檚 tune I was listening to, it was always by The Paper Kites. I haven鈥檛 watched many films lately, but the one I remember is Tampopo from 1985, which the publicity team described as a 鈥渞amen Western.鈥� What鈥檚 not to love about that?

Hitch received his master鈥檚 degree and Ph.D. from Brown University. As an undergraduate, he studied history, environmental studies, and American Indian studies at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

We caught up with him to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom聽

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I want students to know that my love of teaching is really a love of learning. So, when a student enters a classroom of mine, it is my hope that they will bring their own unique experiential and intellectual knowledge of the world and share it with all of us. In other words, true learning flows from the dynamic conversations we have and an exchange of knowledge and ways of understanding the world that help us collectively form a more thorough and nuanced understanding.听

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

The work I have continued with the Menominee Nation here at 杨贵妃传媒视频 energizes me every day. I am so grateful for the opportunity to combine my love of teaching with my community-engaged scholarship. I was lucky enough to begin my work with the Menominee over a decade ago, and to continue to develop relationships of mutual trust and reciprocity as we work toward building a more just and regenerative world. In this work, I am not only researching and writing about the Menominee Nation, but also partnering with them on successfully opposing the proposed Back Forty Mine, volunteering with community nonprofits, and assisting in building out a regenerative economic system based in renewable energy and organic food sovereignty on the reservation.听

This work has resulted in not only my current book project, Regenerative Power: The Menominee Nation鈥檚 Long Fight to Save an Old-Growth Forest, but, more impactfully I think, in developing a community-engaged course here at 杨贵妃传媒视频. Indigenous Ecology: Ancestral Knowledges and Science in Action聽essentially builds on the engaged scholarship I have pursued. The idea is that I might share my experience with students to learn how to ethically conduct research with Indigenous communities, study Indigenous knowledge ways, and get hands-on experience by working on environmental justice and sustainability projects with partners at the College of Menominee Nation (CMN) and community nonprofits. I am thrilled to be able to magnify this good work with our newly awarded Mellon Foundation Environmental Justice grant to partner with CMN on addressing environmental injustices in our shared Fox-Wolf watershed. With the $500,000 awarded, we are able to hire an Indigenous scholar-in-residence, expand community-engaged course offerings, along with hiring student workers to engage in research, advocacy, public history, and ecological restoration. I see this as only the beginning, however, as we continue to build better relations between our higher-education communities as well as better relations with the land and water.听

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I would say spending so much time within the Menominee community really changed the way I see the world. It was in all the conversations with Menominee friends and colleagues while pulling weeds in the garden, boiling maple syrup, hiking through the old-growth forest, or just sitting around a fire that I started to see the world from not just a science-based worldview, but more of a holistic understanding of the interconnection of various more-than-human beings and energies. This really surprised me because it encouraged me to actually lean into interdisciplinarity, which is the opposite of what most doctoral education results in.听

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

If I weren鈥檛 teaching, I would likely be doing much the same in terms of working with local communities on building out regenerative economic systems that produce increased biodiversity, carbon storage, and human flourishing, but with much more down time! That downtime would mean more hiking, swimming, snowshoeing, and the arts鈥擨 would likely join community theater, relearn piano, and start a punk-rock band.听

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I have a circuit I love to walk when I need to clear my head. It starts at the big oak next to the library, goes down the hill to the wooded trail behind Warch, then loops back around over the old train-track bridge, and back up the hill. The combination of the old oak that has witnessed so much, alongside the wooded trail that calms me, to being above such a beautiful and powerful river that inspires鈥攁ll of these places just seem to center me.听

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Can I choose two books? If so, nonfiction would be Robin Wall Kimmerer鈥檚 Braiding Sweetgrass, which is one of those books that can change the trajectory of your life鈥檚 work鈥攁t least it did for me. Kimmerer so elegantly weaves ecology and Indigenous knowledge ways into a narrative that offers a different modality of thinking from which we might build a more just and resilient world. As for fiction, I would have to say The Ministry for the Future by Kim Stanley Robinson, which is one of the best speculative fiction/CliFi novels I have read. Robinson not only poignantly tells of the impacts of climate change, but weaves in potential solutions that open up a wide array of regenerative possibilities for our global community and future generations.听

Gesinski holds a Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of California, Irvine, and a Bachelor of Science in chemistry from Rice University.

We caught up with him to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info: What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I want all my students to know that I am dedicated to their success, both inside and outside the classroom. Organic chemistry can be a very challenging and intimidating class and it is very important to me that all students know that I am rooting for them and here to support them in any way I can. College can be a time of transition, both academically and personally, and it is my honor to act as an advocate for my students as they continue to grow.听

Getting energized:What work have you done, or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

One of my favorite parts of the job is mentoring undergraduates through original research projects. It is incredibly exciting to watch students who have never set foot in the lab become proficient and enthusiastic chemists. When they attend national conferences, I am so fulfilled to observe them confidently explain their work to preeminent chemists, including several Nobel Prize winners. I am honored that these students allow me to be part of their lives even after graduation. I provide support as they take on the challenges of graduate school, medical school, or a completely unexpected career path.听

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

Honestly, my entire career has taken me by surprise. While I was always academically motivated, becoming a college professor was never an option growing up. I always followed my opportunities but never had my life planned out. As a result, every step in my career has been a surprise and I have been able to maintain a level of flexibility as I continue to develop professionally and intellectually.

Out of the classroom

This or that: If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽 聽

I would probably be a baker. I love working in the kitchen to make new and exciting baked goods. I suppose this is consistent with my love of chemistry. Even when my 鈥渆xperiments鈥� do not turn out the way I was hoping, I have still learned from my failure.听

Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

It is sort of lame, but my favorite place on campus is my office. I am very lucky to be located on the first floor of Steitz Hall in a pod of offices with some of the kindest, brightest, and most enthusiastic people I have ever met. There is a continuous stream of students stopping by to study, ask questions, or just chat. My rescue dog, Maeby, comes to work with me and the amount of love that is exchanged makes my days bright.

One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Black Leopard, Red Wolf, by Marlon James: Recently, I have really enjoyed fantasy novels, and Marlon James creates a world rooted in African mythology. This is the first book in a trilogy and each book tells the same story from a different perspective: a queer outcast, a feminist witch, and kidnapped boy.

鈥淪hit Talk鈥� from Javelin, by Sufjan Stevens: Sufjan Stevens dedicated his 2023 album, Javelin, to his partner, Evan Robinson, who passed away at 43 earlier that year. With the release of the album, he also publicly came out. The song, 鈥淪hit Talk,鈥� is intensely emotional both in vocals and instrumentals; he has made something truly beautiful out of his pain and grief.

The Royal Tennenbaums,聽directed by Wes Anderson: This has been my favorite movie since high school. I am fascinated by this off-beat family of overachievers and their strained relationships.听

Ratnoff also taught First-Year Studies聽in the fall and is teaching in the Gender Studies program. Her research interests have focused on questions of identity, feminist writing, and narrative theory.听

She came to 杨贵妃传媒视频 after a year as a visiting assistant professor of French at Kenyon College. She holds a Ph.D. in French from Harvard University. She earned a master鈥檚 degree in French from Middlebury College in Paris and a bachelor鈥檚 degree with a double major in French and cognitive and linguistic sciences from Wellesley College.

We caught up with Ratnoff to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I say this at the start of each term, but I really view our class discussions as a long, ongoing conversation. A good conversation is never one-sided, mixes humor with seriousness, and sometimes goes off on a tangent. Conversations require generous listening, which means engaging sincerely with other people and remembering that we all share the goal of communicating something. Thinking about the work we do together with this framework seems to me to support many of the harder aspects of learning: admitting that we don鈥檛 know everything already, making the mistakes that force us to grow, situating our knowledge within the bigger picture of the world beyond ourselves.听

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

I recently experienced Bj枚rklunden for the first time during the annual Language Immersion Weekend in January, and I can鈥檛 believe how lucky we are to have this Door County campus. In Spring 2026, I鈥檒l teach a class called Nature and the New Novel (FREN 425). This course includes a number of guided and independent local fieldtrips to help us concentrate on depictions of the background and the environment in experimental novels. And I鈥檓 working to make Bj枚rklunden one of the sites of our fieldtrips.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

First, a confession: I love mysteries. And while I currently can鈥檛 stop listening to Agatha Christie audiobooks, which have very satisfying resolutions, I am even more excited to read a book where the mystery can鈥檛 be solved. This was the origin of FREN/GEST 475: Is It Utopia? Feminist Francophone Fictions (offered alternately in French and in translation). Each novel we read in this class involves mystery and murder(s), but the murder is 苍辞迟听the mystery. Instead, it鈥檚 the protagonist who resists identification. As the story unfolds, the reader gets caught in a web of suspense, which is both frustrating and exhilarating. The ultimate focus of this course鈥攖he no-place of utopia鈥攃ame out of discussions with students, who picked up on this keyword in the course description and ran with it. One of the things I love most about teaching is being surprised by what captures the attention of each group of students鈥攊t is always something new and different, which makes the mysterious texts we read together feel thrilling each and every time.

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

When I was little, I wanted to be a paleontologist鈥擜tlanta鈥檚 Fernbank Museum of Natural History made a big impression on me as a 3-year-old. But in this hypothetical world where I am not teaching or writing, I think I would like to make things with my hands. I recently started dabbling in ceramics, which has been strongly encouraged by my friend Meghan Sullivan (assistant professor of ceramics and expanded media). There is something incredibly therapeutic about building something out of clay: your mind stays focused on the task literally at hand, and you have to let go of the idea of making something 鈥減erfect.鈥� There鈥檚 an obvious and tangible transformation from the beginning to the end. The process is unpredictable, and sometimes mistakes you made (like when you didn鈥檛 thin out the glaze properly鈥�) turn into happy, beautiful accidents. I have to say, this description also maps onto how I feel about my scholarly writing and creative side projects. So, I guess I鈥檓 saying, if I weren鈥檛 doing what I am doing now, I would still seek out ways to channel my creativity and to constantly keep learning.

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I really like the John G. Strange Commons聽on the first floor of Main Hall. It鈥檚 a quiet and serene counterpoint to the foot traffic between classes and has lovely natural light for reading.听

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

Book: The Villain鈥檚 Dance, Fiston Mwanza Mujila, translated from the French by Roland Glasser (2020/2024). This was a 2024 finalist for the National Book Award for translation, and it follows a dizzying cast of characters from 1990s Zaire (present-day Democratic Republic of the Congo) into the diamond mines of Angola. It鈥檚 raucous, it鈥檚 a labyrinth, and I couldn鈥檛 put it down.听

Recording: Erykah Badu, 鈥淲indow Seat鈥� on New Amerykah Part 2. I鈥檝e had this song on repeat since high school.听

Film: India Song,聽Marguerite Duras (1975). This film made such an impression on me as an undergrad. My professor told us that every time she went back to Paris, she would go see this film at the same tiny cinema every Friday at noon. The story is sentimental and lyrical, strange and haunting. The visuals are stunning.听

The Dominican Republic native is the co-founder of the Hermanos Ure帽a Music Academy in his homeland and serves as the interim president of the Percussive Arts Society鈥檚 Dominican Republic chapter.

Ure帽a Gonz谩lez holds a Bachelor of Music from the Hartt School of Music and a Master of Music Performance, Master of Chamber Music Performance, and a Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of Michigan. During his DMA program, he worked on a first-of-its-kind commission project developing works for solos for percussion by Dominican composers.

We caught up with Ure帽a Gonz谩lez to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info: What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

One of the things that I love so much about teaching is seeing students grow as individuals and musicians. I love figuring out their individual method of learning, what works and what does not work for them. Everyone comes to my office at a different level and has a different skill set, and I enjoy seeing them develop their craft in their own unique ways. When we find their flow and fix things in lessons, rehearsals, or coaching, I get chills and am amazed by their ability to adapt and change on the spot.

Getting energized: What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

LU for decades has been a place that fosters creativity and exploration; because of that, the student response when learning new things is so quick; I am always impressed by that. This is my second year here at LU, and I am so excited to continue sharing the music from my country, the Dominican Republic, with my students. I believe we are one of the only schools in the States with actual traditional instruments from DR. I am particularly excited about two traditions I am teaching this term: Guloya and Gaga.

Going places: Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

I have two older brothers who play in the National Symphony of Santo Domingo. We all started our collegiate careers as engineers, but our connection with music was so strong growing up that it drew us to make the switch. I always knew my brothers and I had a unique bond, but the very first time we all shared the stage as professional musicians was very surprising to me to feel our brotherly bond and musical bond on a stage with so many other musicians. It made me feel like we were kids again serenading our family members playing the happy birthday song for them at 7 in the morning. It was also the first time I got to play the snare drum part for Ravel鈥檚 Bolero, and if you are a percussionist, you will know why that performance was extra special!

聽Out of the classroom

This or that: If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

I would have probably been an industrial engineer in the Dominican Republic. Or a baker; I love following recipes and making flans, tres leches, arroz con leches, habichuelas con dulces, anything. Next on the list is dulce de leche cortada.

Right at home: Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

Esch Hurvis. I have come to appreciate that space so much. We have a Ghanaian drumming ensemble called Kinkaviwo, and I love looking outside and seeing the seasonal changes happening as we go through the school year, while everyone in the class grows.

One book, one recording, one film: Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

The Inner Game of Tennis was one of the first books that, as I was reading it, inspired me to work on mindfulness and how to utilize that to improve yourself as a person, musician, or teacher.听

惭补丑濒别谤鈥檚 Symphony No. 2 was the first and only time I have cried while watching a live orchestra performance. When I heard the Dallas Symphony play it, I was inspired to be more present in life, and I felt like I finally fully understood the meaning of the phrase, 鈥淵ou had to be there鈥︹�澛�

The Pursuit of Happyness聽was the first movie I cried at (the sleeping in the bathroom scene!). I was in my early teens, and the movie gave me a different perspective and made me even more appreciative, aware, and understanding of all the things that happened 鈥渂ehind the scenes鈥� in my parents鈥� lives.

Knudsen, whose academic interests include environmental mineralogy and low-temperature geochemistry, has been on the 杨贵妃传媒视频 faculty since 2003. He received a bachelor鈥檚 degree from Hamilton College and earned his Ph.D. from the University of Idaho.

We caught up with him to talk about interests in and out of the classroom.

In the classroom

Inside info:聽What鈥檚 one thing you want every student coming into your classes to know about you?

I am in constant awe of this incredible planet that we call home. Not only do we reside on, but we are also a fundamental part of Earth. I consider myself incredibly lucky to spend my career striving to better understand Earth and our relationship with it. That I get to share this passion with my students is just awesome.

Getting energized:聽What work have you done or will you be doing at 杨贵妃传媒视频 that gets you the most excited?

Easy! My study of banded iron formations (BIF) gets me really excited. To start, these are eye-catchingly beautiful rocks with their stripes of steely grays and deep reds. In studying these ancient rocks, I have focused on the stories they tell about the evolution of our atmosphere as oxygen became more prevalent in the air some 2 billion years ago as photosynthetic organisms reshaped our planet. Not only that, but here in Wisconsin, these rocks are preserved as the backbone of the Penokee Hills, remnants of an ancient, massive mountain range that stood as tall as the Alps billions of years ago. To make it even more exciting, these mountains formed as plates collided in an important step in the assembly of our continent. Finally, these rocks, forming a long and tough ridgeline running east-west across northern Wisconsin, impacted the flow of the glaciers more recently (geologically speaking), playing a part in the giant sheets of ice carving out Lake Superior and the landscape of Wisconsin. So, the BIF in Wisconsin connects to the air we breathe, the land below our feet, and the shape of the water in our region. Amazing!聽I carry a small piece of BIF in my pocket to remind me of the amazing stories the rocks can share with us. Perhaps the best part of all, is that I get to take a group of students up to the Penokee Hills each fall to share these incredible stories with them.

Going places:聽Is there an example of somewhere your career has taken you (either a physical space or something more intellectual, emotional, or spiritual) that took you by surprise?

Yes! That place is a sandy beach on the shores of Lake Superior at the mouth of the Bad River, sitting with my class by a fire of driftwood collected on the beach, listening to the stories of Mike Wiggins Jr., a tribal elder and leader of the Bad River Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe. The Bad River (or Mashkiiziibii-Medicine River, in Ojibwe) has its headwaters in the Penokee Hills, then flows to Lake Superior. My students and I visit with Mike the day after we visit the incredible rocks of the Penokee Hills. Mike鈥檚 stories help weave humans into the rich geological and ecological story of this incredible place.

Out of the classroom

This or that:聽If you weren鈥檛 teaching for a living, what would you be doing?聽聽

I would probably be spending as much time in my canoe on some lake up north. But I鈥檇 still be looking at rocks and talking about geology until my family and my dog couldn鈥檛 take it anymore. So, it鈥檚 probably best that I get to teach at 杨贵妃传媒视频!

Right at home:聽Whether for work, relaxation or reflection, what鈥檚 your favorite spot on campus?

I really enjoy spending time by the river. The flow of the water is calming and centering for me.

One book, one recording, one film:聽Name one of each that speaks to your soul? Or you would recommend to a friend? Or both?

There are so many incredible books. I am going to go with Gathering Moss by Robin Wall-Kimmerer. It is a simply wonderful book about moss, the beautiful and humble places that moss grows, and also her incredible story of being a scientist, indigenous woman, and a mother. Moss, not unlike rocks, is quite beautiful and amazing, but often overlooked, and it asks that you be willing to get down on your hands and knees with a hand lens to your eye to fully appreciate their beauty. Her writing is truly incredible!

Greg Brown is a singer-songwriter from southern Iowa. I love all his works, but he has a live album, The Live One, that is incredible. This recording captures his humor, story-telling, and incredible poetry. His deep and gravely baritone voice paints images of beautiful yet humble landscapes: a trout stream in the U.P., a small, wooded farm in southern Iowa, or the hills of the Driftless region. His lyrics and storytelling get at what it means to be a human in relation with other humans and the land around us. He sings about his grandmother鈥檚 canned goods still having the taste of summer in them, asking her to pass 鈥渟ome more potatoes and a thunderstorm.鈥� I love that imagery.听

The Rise and Fall of the Great Lakes is a wonderfully campy short film produced by the National Film Board of Canada from 1969. It follows a bearded, flannel-clad traveler as he paddles his wood-canvas canoe through geologic history, comically experiencing the formation of the Great Lakes. What could be more riveting. Add in a delightful square dance tune summarizing the geologic history of the Great Lakes and you have a true classic.