CLAS WEEKLY NEWSLETTER, February 6, 2020

CLAS/UCIS@Pitt Faculty news:

Congratulations/Felicitaciones:

Dr. Áurea María Sotomayor, Professor,
Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures, University of Pittsburgh
 

Ganadora del Premio Literario Casa 2020–ENSAYO DE TEMA ARTÍSTICO-LITERARIO

Premio: Apalabrarse en la desposesión. Literatura, arte y multitud en el Caribe insular de Áurea María Sotomayor (Puerto Rico)

UCIS@Pitt News:

Op-Ed: Republicans have a clear message on immigration. Why don’t the Democrats?

By
Dr. Ariel C. Armony, Vice Provost for Global Affairs;
Director, University Center for International Studies, University of Pittsburgh

January 31, 2020

https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/grad_field_research
 
Deadlines:

• Graduate Student Progress Report Form approved, dated and signed by Friday, January 31, 2020. To set up an appointment for the graduate student progress report, please visit:  http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/grad_field_research

• The deadline for submission of ALL application materials is Monday, February 10, 2020.  http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/gsfrg_application_form

for questions, email: Luz Amanda Hank at lavst12@pitt.edu 

https://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/grad_field_research
 
Deadlines:

• Graduate Student Progress Report Form approved, dated and signed by Friday, January 31, 2020. To set up an appointment for the graduate student progress report, please visit:  http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/grad_field_research

• The deadline for submission of ALL application materials is Monday, February 10, 2020.  http://www.ucis.pitt.edu/clas/gsfrg_application_form

for questions, email: Luz Amanda Hank at lavst12@pitt.edu 

Currently at the Pitt Global Hub:

Ramón Gómez de la Serna Exhibit 

Featuring a sample of items from this remarkable collection of one of the most innovative literary figures in Spanish literature of the 20th century. A prolific Spanish-Argentinian poet, novelist, and essayist, Gómez de la Serna is especially known for creating a new literary genre he named the “greguería.” Ramón himself defined the greguería as a mathematical equation:  Greguería = Humor + Metaphor. Others have characterized it as a brief, humorous insight expressed in metaphoric language.

It was a pleasure and a challenge for me to dig-into the Ramón Gómez de la Serna papers to select 16 items from the approximately 60,000 pieces that compose the collection. The ones selected for the exhibit are intended to present a glimpse of the scope of the collection, the range of topics, the physical formats (handwritten notes, drawings, caricatures, manuscripts) and Ramon’s untraditional approach to express his views on the subject matters. Numerous cross-outs and colorful marks can be found throughout his work.

Kari Johnston, Communications Support Specialist for the ULS, printed the images and designed the artistic display. Many thanks to Kari for her valuable contribution.

Edward Galloway, Associate University Librarian for Archives & Special Collections, provided valuable advice and support. Many thanks to Ed. 

The exhibit will be on display throughout the spring and a talk about the collection will be scheduled later in the semester. 

I will welcome questions and comments about the exhibit.

Please send them to:  Martha E. Mantilla martham@pitt.edu

Librarian, Latin American Studies and Eduardo Lozano Collection

For more information about the Collection, visit:

https://digital.library.pitt.edu/collection/ramon-gomez-serna-papers

Three Minute Thesis (3MT®) Pitt Competition

What is a 3MT competition?

The 3MT competition celebrates the exciting research conducted by Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) students. Developed by The University of Queensland (UQ), 3MT cultivates students’ academic, presentation, and research communication skills. The competition supports their capacity to effectively explain their research in three minutes, in a language appropriate to a non-specialist audience. The 3rd Annual Pitt 3MT competition will be held on April 6, 2020.

Read about the 2019 3MT Pitt Competition.

Read about the 2018 3MT Pitt Competition.

Who is eligible to enter?

PhD students who have successfully completed the dissertation proposal defense (PhD candidate status) and are actively in the dissertation stage of training are eligible.

Preparation workshops are being conducted on February 4, 2020 and March 5, 2020 to both review the rules and eligibility requirements and to provide helpful tips to prepare a 3-minute oration and an presentation slide. Registration is required.

How do I enter the 2020 Pitt 3MT Competition?

• Win your school-level competition. Each school will run a competition. (Check back as schools announce their competitions.)
• If no competition in your school is held, place in the online competition. (Details for the online competition will be announced soon.)

3MT Rules for the Pitt and Online Competitions

We are following the 3MT rules suggested by the University of Queensland, which founded the event.  

Noted are a couple variations for the online competition.

• A single static PowerPoint slide is permitted. No slide transitions, animations, or ‘movement’ of any description are allowed. The slide is to be presented from the beginning of the oration. (For the online competition, simply attach a file to your email submission.)
• No additional electronic media (e.g., sound and video files) are permitted.
• No additional props (e.g., costumes, musical instruments, laboratory equipment) are permitted.
• Presentations are limited to three minutes maximum, and competitors exceeding three minutes are disqualified.
• Presentations are to be spoken word (e.g., no poems, raps, or songs).
• Presentations are to commence from the stage. (Not relevant for the online competition.)
• Presentations are considered to have commenced when a presenter starts their presentation through either movement or speech.
• The decision of the adjudicating panel is final.

Prizes for the University Competition

First place prize:                 $1,000 travel grant

Two runner-up prizes:        $500 travel grant

People's Choice prize:        $1,000 travel grant

Judging Criteria

Check back to see who our celebrity judges will be—and who will hear our competitors talk about their research.

At every level of the competition each competitor will be assessed on the judging criteria listed below. Each criterion is equally weighted and has an emphasis on audience.

Comprehension and Content

• Did the presentation provide an understanding of the background and significance to the research question being addressed while explaining terminology and avoiding jargon?
• Did the presentation clearly describe the impact and/or results of the research, including conclusions and outcomes?
• Did the presentation follow a clear and logical sequence?
• Was the thesis topic, research significance, results/impact, and outcomes communicated in language appropriate to a non-specialist audience?
• Did the presenter spend adequate time on each element of their presentation—or did they elaborate for too long on one aspect or was the presentation rushed?

Engagement and Communication 

• Did the oration make the audience want to know more?
• Was the presenter careful not to trivialize or generalize their research?
• Did the presenter convey enthusiasm for their research?
• Did the presenter capture and maintain their audience’s attention?
• Did the speaker have sufficient stage presence, eye contact, and vocal range; maintain a steady pace; and have a confident stance?
• Did the PowerPoint slide enhance the presentation—was it clear, legible, and concise?

Presentation Resources

To learn more about the competition history, rules, and to gain valuable preparation tips, visit the 3MT Web site.

Preparation Workshop

Pitt Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition: Speaking to Non-specialists Workshops

February 4, 2020, 4–5 p.m.
Alumni Hall 528

March 5, 2020, 12-1 p.m.
B26, Alumni Hall

Come and learn all you need to know in order to compete in the 3rd annual Pitt Three Minute Thesis (3MT), to be held on April 6, 2020. In this workshop, Meghan Culpepper (Office of the Provost) will review the rules and eligibility requirements for the 3MT Competition, and Dr. Joel Brady (Center for Teaching and Learning) will provide students with helpful hints and tips to prepare a three minute oration and an accompanying presentation slide of their research. Registration is required.

Note that participation in the workshop is not required to enter a school or online competition.

Questions?

Email: VPGraduate-Urban@pitt.edu

Contact Us: Social.Moments.Student.Journal@gmail.com
https://www.socialmomentsjournal.com/

Call for Faculty Papers:
Transformation and Continuity in Cuba

International Conference

March 20-21, 2020

The main theme in our Year of Cuba Conference invites interdisciplinary approaches to the multiple, enriching, and conflicting intersections taking place in this country. This forum, in partnership with CIFAL Atlanta, serves as a platform to engage in scholarly conversations that will contribute to understanding the complexities of Cuba, generating new forms of engagement and learning, and appreciating the many forms of Cuban’s resiliency and contributions to the world. 

At a historic news conference in Havana back in 2016, former President Barack Obama reflected on the nuevo día dawning for Cuba and the United States: “Cuba’s destiny will not be decided by the United States or any other nation. Cuba is sovereign and rightly has great pride. And the future of Cuba will be decided by Cubans, not by anybody else.” This speech marked the reaffirmation of a transitional period that started in 2014 called the Cuban Thaw, an overture to reestablish relations between both countries after a period of estrangement that began back in 1959 with Fidel Castro’s Revolución. The end of this 60-year hostility could become a reality with the lift of the trade embargo; the culmination of the Castrista dynasty; the ease of American travel to Cuba; the long-awaited release of political prisoners; and the development of dozens of bilateral projects that would foment the performing arts, culture, sports, the ecological landscape, and medicine. Undertaking drastic economic reforms and striking a balance between rupture and tradition, however, have proven in a post-Castro era to come with promises and shortcomings. 

We invite proposals for academic papers across the disciplines that think critically about Cuba related topics, not limited to the following:

Social Issues – Same-Sex Marriage, Journalism, Social Justice, and Community Development
Economic Issues – Equity, Mobility, Tourism, Remittances, Investment and Healthcare
Cultural Studies - Race, Class and Gender; Cuisine, Sports, Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Artivism
Historic Preservation – Architecture, Memory, Storytelling, Museum Studies
Religious Studies - Cuban Santería, Jewish Heritage, Christianity, and Secularism
Cuban History –Slave Trade, Colonialism, Revolución, Post-Castro Cuba
Environmental Studies- Climate Change, Disaster Response, and Sustainability
Cuba-U.S. Relations - Spanish American War, the Embargo, the Cuban Thaw, and the Role of Baseball
Cuban Americans & Transnational Cuba – Cuban Communities Across the Globe
Technology & Science –Internet, Youth Activism, Advances in Medicine and Emergency Response 

For additional context on the Year of Cuba and the conference visit https://dga.kennesaw.edu/yearof/cuba/)

Guidelines for Submission of Abstracts: To participate, please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words describing the focus of your proposed paper or panel, the methodology employed, and the general argument. At the top of the abstract, type your name, institutional affiliation, position or title, contact phone number, and e-mail. If you wish to propose a panel, please submit the title and abstract for each paper, along with the names and institutional affiliation of all panelists. Save in one Word or RTF document and attach the document to an email message. Type “Year of Cuba Conference” in the subject line and send it to Dr. Dan Paracka at dparacka@kennesaw.edu.

New book from Dr. Pilar M. Herr - an assistant professor of history and the coordinator for the Vira I. Heinz Program for Women in Global Leadership at the University of Pittsburgh at Greensburg

Contested Nation: The Mapuche, Bandits, and State Formation in Nineteenth-Century Chile. 

Throughout the colonial period the Spanish crown made numerous unsuccessful attempts to conquer Araucanía, Chile’s southern borderlands region. Contested Nation argues that with Chilean independence, Araucanía—because of its status as a separate nation-state—became essential to the territorial integrity of the new Chilean Republic. This book studies how Araucanía’s indigenous inhabitants, the Mapuche, played a central role in the new Chilean state’s pursuit of an expansionist policy that simultaneously exalted indigenous bravery while relegating the Mapuche to second-class citizenship. It also examines other subaltern groups, particularly bandits, who challenged the nation-state’s monopoly on force and were thus regarded as criminals and enemies unfit for citizenship in Chilean society.

Pilar M. Herr’s work advances our understanding of early state formation in Chile by viewing this process through the lens of Chilean-Mapuche relations. She provides a thorough historical context and suggests that Araucanía was central to the process of post-independence nation building and territorial expansion in Chile.

By Gonzalo Lamana

SALUD PARA NIÑOS
 

For more information about event sponsored by LACU please CLICK HERE

For more information about events and information by LFC please CLICK HERE

Description:  Penn State New Kensington is seeking a candidate for a Research Coordinator position who will be responsible for recruitment and data collection for an innovative study on housing stock and psychosocial health and well-being. The position will require approximately 25 - 35 hours a week. The successful candidate must be a graduate student (public health, social work, medicine or a health-related field) or recent graduate of a health-related Master’s program, who has demonstrable experience in research using qualitative methods. An interest in environmental and psychosocial health preferred. This is a short-term temporary assignment with an anticipated end date of July 31, 2020. Must be willing to work some nights and weekends. Must be willing to work onsite at Penn State New Kensington.

Campus/Location: Penn State New Kensington
Campus City: Upper Burrell, PA
Date Announced: 01/29/2020
Date Closing: open until filled
Job Number: 93281
Work Unit: Penn State New Kensington
Department: Academic Affairs

Apply here!
 

CAMPUS SECURITY CRIME STATISTICS: Pursuant to the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act and the Pennsylvania Act of 1988, Penn State publishes a combined Annual Security and Annual Fire Safety Report (ASR). The ASR includes crime statistics and institutional policies concerning campus security, such as those concerning alcohol and drug use, crime prevention, the reporting of crimes, sexual assault, and other matters. The ASR is available for review at https://police.psu.edu/annual-security-reports.

EEO Is The Law

Penn State is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer, and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or protected veteran status.

Jewish Family and Community Services (JFCS) Job Postings

Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree and experience in program administration and/or database management. Informational systems/data collection program skills needed. Excellent organizational and communication skills. Ability to work collaboratively with and follow direction of management team and staff required. Experience with non-English speakers a plus. Cultural sensitivity a must. Maintaining a valid PA driver’s license and insurance is a requirement.

Duties and Responsibilities

Application

Please email cover letter and resume to jobs@jfcspgh.org with “ISAC Administrative Coordinator” in the subject

REFUGEE & IMMIGRANT INTENSIVE CASE MANAGER

JFCS Refugee & Immigrant Services leads Immigrant Services & Connections (ISAC), a five agency partnership helping newcomers build their lives in the Greater Pittsburgh area by connecting immigrants to important resources, services and communities in Allegheny County and offering information & referrals, service coordination to assess needs and connect clients to a full range of community connections, and bilingual navigation.

Position Description
Make an impact on the lives of new immigrants in our region. As Intensive Case Manager, you will be responsible for providing case management to high-needs clients referred by ISAC partners and help the most vulnerable of our community meet their life goals.

Work together with clients, complete intakes and individual assessments, and develop and implement individualized plans.

Connect clients with resources spanning social services, medical, and government agencies, as well as to interpretation assistance and English classes to promote long-term self-sufficiency.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in social work, psychology or related field (MSW preferred)
• Minimum of three years case management experience
• Experience with immigrant services, case management, service coordination or other social services
• Alert to cross-cultural differences in dealing with vulnerable immigrant clients and to their unique needs
• Excellent team player with organizational and communication skills
• Comfort working together with interpreters
• Comfort with inputting data into data management systems
• Proficiency in a second language a plus
• Maintaining valid PA driver’s license and insurance (requirement)

Duties and Responsibilities

• Identify clients in partnership with ISAC staff
• Screen clients to determine and assess gaps in service, English proficiency level, medical needs, social service and other needs, provide referrals, develop case management plans and track progress on a regular basis. Assure proper documentation
• Develop individual plans, both short-term and long-term, to include, whenever possible, development of English proficiency as well as building competence in accessing services independently
• Case management to support connection to services and referrals with partner agencies, county human service providers, schools, healthcare and government entities, etc.
• Work, at times, in ISAC neighborhood drop-in sites around the Greater Pittsburgh area
• Work closely with navigators (bilingual community helpers) and interpreters.
• Take part in staff development and training opportunities
• Collect and record program data both electronically and in paper files
• Participate in delivery of training to external service providers and outreach to client/immigrant communities
• Other duties as needed

Application
Please email cover letter and resume to jobs@jfcspgh.org with “Intensive Case Manager” in the subject line.