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Spotlight on IAS

Larry Knopp Has Appropriately Humble Ambitions

Gorbman Earns 2009 Distinguished Research Award

IAS Students Make Global Impact

Larry Knopp Has Appropriately Humble Ambitions

Dr. Larry Knopp joined IAS in July of 2009 as the new director. One year later, Larry talks with UWT alum Galen Annest about his thoughts on the university, challenges facing IAS and his hopes for the future.

by Galen Annest

Larry and dog

IAS Director Larry Knopp with dog Nash on the shore of Boardman Lake

GALEN ANNEST: Now that you have had some time to settle in at UWT, do you still feel that taking this position was a good career move?

LARRY KNOPP: Oh, yes. Absolutely. It has been great for me personally, but I hope, more importantly, that it has been great for the program. I feel like it is a good match between me and my background and the program and its current needs. I am hoping to lead the program where it needs to go.

GA: You have worked at other universities, specifically University of Minnesota, Duluth. What are some of the strengths of UWT in comparison to the other universities you are familiar with?

LK: I think one of the greatest strengths of UWT is that is was founded as a very interdisciplinary campus with a community engagement mission, which is huge. It is very innovative in my mind because it is less burdened by the baggage of decades of precedent and tradition. We have a progressive edge to our programs. One area where this is especially true, which is not only in IAS, is how we are working to integrate lower division students into the core curriculum. It is difficult for a campus that was not originally set up for lower division classes to reorient and still hold onto the integrity of the original vision for the university. It is a difficult process, but it is still a state of the art, wonderful program. The small size helps as well.

GA: Have you noticed any issues with the expansion of the campus to a four-year program? Are there any growing pains?

LK: Sure, and there are several sides to that. One is that it is a very different student population than the faculty are used to serving. That means that we constantly have to calibrate the level and manner in which we are pitching things to the students. And, also the campus mission at UWT is different from that of Seattle. We have a more open access mission, so we deal with students from a much wider range of backgrounds and abilities than Seattle does. There are also mechanical challenges in terms of enrollment management. It is difficult to track and target enrollment, as well as manage admissions and advising. We can’t just use Seattle’s model because of the uniqueness of UWT’s programs.

GA: You mentioned in a previous interview that enrollment management was a huge issue. Is that something you are still working on?

LK: Yes. Last time I was interviewed, we were in the throes of doing that. We were all of the sudden directed to add more classes and find people to teach them. We had to hire part-time lecturers with temporary money that comes from tuition revenues, and all on short notice. It has gotten better this year. It is still an issue, but it is less of one because we are prepared for it this time. So, yes, it is still a problem, but it is not a crisis.

GA: How about some of the other issues you mentioned, such as the conversion from concentrations to majors, and becoming a school or college as opposed to an undefined program?

LK: Those are both areas, particularly the conversion from concentrations to majors, that I am a little frustrated we haven’t been able to make more progress in. We have made some, but not as much as I would like. The process is very bureaucratic in that it involves getting reviews of your majors from outside sources, and then has to go through the Higher Education Coordinating Board. We have got about 90 percent of the paperwork done, but that last 10 percent is difficult and time consuming. Our plan is to have the paperwork done and submitted by the end of the summer. Once it is accepted, we will sort out the best time for us to implement the change.

GA: Is there any word as to when you might start teaching?

LK: Yes. I am teaching my first course at UWT during the second summer session. It is called Gender, Space, and Culture, and it is one of my favorite courses to teach. I also will be teaching a course during winter quarter called Political Geography.

GA: That is great. I read that you were eager to teach again. So, to switch gears a bit, you spoke about some of your collaborative and individual research in the previous interview, have you been making progress?

LK: Yes. My Seattle based research with Michael Brown on the history and politics of public health in the King County area, particularly as it pertains to gay men in the post World War two pre-HIV AIDS era, is progressing. We have a paper that has been revised and resubmitted to a journal. I presented it here last fall to the campus following an IAS meeting. It got very good reviews and, after making only minor changes, we resubmitted it and are hoping to hear back any day now. We also have plans for a book in the future. As for my Montana research, I am going to spend the last two weeks of June there. I am interested in how a small county’s experience with Left-Wing Radicalism in the 1920s and ’30s influences the county’s political culture today.

GA: I read that you were heavily influenced in college by critical social theories. Do you think that UWT adheres to a specific theory for their curriculum?

LK: I was influenced by critical theory but that was because it was what I chose to study, not because it was the only option available. UWT does a great job of being an interdisciplinary program. Although there are certain professors that associate with a particular school of thought, the students here are able to choose the area that they want to study and have access to instructors and courses in that discipline.

GA: Do you think that the expansion of UWT will potentially diminish some of that diversity?

LK: Great question. I cannot predict the future of the university, but it is a valid concern when you are growing at such a rapid place. Although I have only been here a year, it is my impression that the faculty and staff here are extremely dedicated to maintaining a diverse set of disciplines, and the curriculum is designed to allow future growth while still preserving our mission. Most of the staff in the IAS program are here in part because of the interdisciplinary approach to teaching. My hope is that we continue to hold to these principles and values.

GA: What would you like to see happen during your time here at UWT?

LK: My ambitions in the job are appropriately humble. I think you want leaders to have a vision, but not to ram them through at any cost. My vision is really collaborative and consultative and open. That isn’t to say that it is not strategic, nor am I so naïve to think that everything can be accomplished through consensus. The way to lead any organization towards any goal is to lead by example, model the ethos that you want people to buy in to, and by demonstrating good faith and going the extra mile. This means that I can’t have grand ambitions of radical change in a short period of time. I want to see things like concentrations to majors happen, and see the IAS program become more manageable as an organization, but I don’t want to push people in a direction to be destructive. On a grander scheme, I would like to see UWT and IAS be recognized as a place with a learning environment that offers students something unique. I also would like to see UWT build stronger ties to the community and bring that back to what we are and what we do here.

GA: Is there anything else that you would like to add?

LK: Yes, because of my goal for the integration of the university to the community, I would like to specify that most of our students are from the area and remain in the area. I want to remind the alumni that continuing to take part in the university is essential to us building more ties with the community.

Gorbman Earns 2009 Distinguished Research Award

By Song Jordan

Dr. Claudia Gorbman, film studies professor at UWT, has learned how to combine many of her passions in her research -- love of music, movies, and the French language.

Studying things she loves has not been a solitary process. Her studies have been recognized by her colleagues. Gorbman is the UWT 2009 Distinguished Research Award recipient.

“I’m just extremely pleased and honored to receive this award as a validation of what I do and that our campus values our work outside of the class,” she said.

Gorbman believes passion is an essential part of research and sympathizes for others who may struggle with their research.

“It’s unfortunate that they haven’t found what excites them,” she said. “The easiest way to do it is if you’re excited by it.”

Gorbman translated books by Michele Chion, a French composer, film critic, and scholar. His published works focuses on film studies.

In 1987, her book, “Unheard Melodies: Narrative Film Music,” was published. Reviewers have said the book is a scholarly tool for people who take music’s role in movies seriously.

The book is out of print, rare to find, and sells for a high price. On December 18, 2009, Amazon.com offered a paperback copy of Gorbman’s book for $191.

Each winner of the Distinguished Research Award gives a presentation. Gorbman's presentation, “Listening to Movies,” gave her an opportunity to share her passion with a room filled with students, fellow professors, and faculty.

She said that she threw out most of the jargon she and her colleagues are familiar with. Digital media made it easy for her to manipulate clips and show the different meanings through music and images.

“I wanted to give a few perspectives of the research I do in a very presentable way,” Gorbman said.
She opened the presentation by inviting viewers to watch an image of a car driving along a long, winding, hilly road accompanied with a few distinct types of music and speak about the way they regarded it. Each time, it produced different responses.

“I think that she did a great job involving the audience,” said Kimberly A. Wynn, a Spring 2010 IAS graduate. “She tried to incorporate the audience so we could get a better understanding of her research. Very effective.”

If you would like to watch to Gorbman’s presentation, you can check it out online.

Keep you eyes peeled in the next Junctions edition for an interview with the 2010 Distinguished Research Award recipient, IAS faculty member Dr. Michael Honey.

IAS Students Make Global Impacts

By Melissa Dodge

University of Washington Tacoma's Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences program offers numerous study abroad destinations, including locations within the United States, and is continuing to expand them. Each year, new opportunities are presented to students, and more and more are accepting them. From Beijing to Moscow, there are a multitude of experiences out there for students and faculty alike.

All of the students who have ventured to the following destinations have increased their knowledge through the IAS travel programs. The options for travel include places such as, Turkey, England, Italy, Costa Rica, Kenya, Mexico, China, Japan, Germany, Russia, Cuba, and the Southwest. Following is a glimpse at just a few of those programs. For more information about these locations please visit http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/travel.

SOUTHWEST

Canyon Hike

Students hike through a canyon pass during their Southwest excursion in Summer 2009

In June 2009, six students from UWT accompanied Tyler Budge, professor of 3-D art, and Anne Beaufort, professor of writing, for a trip through the southwest. Throughout the course of their trip, they visited Chaco Canyon, Shiprock, Moab, Salt Lake City and Horseshoe Canyon.

The course load that went along with this experience was hefty, but necessary. Three books and poems were assigned in addition to the art portfolio that each student had to put together. The Students received 10 credits for their work.

GERMANY

Philosophy professor Amos Nascimento and history professor Johann Reusch set up a partnership with the University of Frankfurt and, subsequently, accompanied students to Germany in order to educate the students about Germany’s culture. They held the classes in museums, at parks, and on the streets to give the students a new perspective on the German way of life.

Although there were 28 inquiries and 19 applicants, only 12 undergraduate students and two graduate students were selected. The itinerary for this trip included the Main Cultural Festival, the Museum Festival, tours of the Rhein River, Darmstadt, Wiesbaden, Aschaffenburg, and city tours in Frankfurt. Because the program went so well, Nascimento and Reusch offered it again for summer quarter 2010.

ITALY

Students pose in Rome

IAS Professors Michael Kucher and Julie Nicoletta, both history professors, offered the summer program in Rome twice. The first excursion took place in 2002, when Kucher and Nicoletta accompanied 25 students for three weeks in Rome. It was a 10-credit course and spanned from mid-June to early July. For the second trip in 2005, they took 18 students and stayed for the entire summer. In order to benefit students who applied for and obtained financial aid, this became a 12-credit course. The students were required to give a research presentation after the trip.

“We have thought about doing the course again, but with the low dollar, we are not sure we could make the program affordable for students,” Nicoletta said.

JAPAN

In June 2008, Dr. Mary Hanneman, professor of Japanese history, and Pierce College's Japanese instructor Kazuko Howard teamed up to offer a study abroad excursion to Tokyo, Japan. The program was made available to students from both colleges.

Each student that took advantage of this opportunity earned 12 to 15 credits, but was expected to complete classes in Japanese language and Japanese history in addition to their research projects. The study tour was based on the campus of Tamagawa University, and an optional excursion to Kyoto was offered.

ENGLAND

England1 England2

Students visited the Corfe Castle and the ancient Roman baths while visiting the English countryside

During the summer of 2006, IAS Professors Cheryl Greengrove and Sian Davies-Vollum, both of whom specialize in environmental science, accompanied eight UWT students to the Jurassic Coast of Southwest England. While on this trip, the students studied geology and landscape while learning firsthand about England’s culture.

The students that took advantage of this opportunity provided to them through UWT were involved in preparatory classes prior to the trip, experimental field exercises and field journaling throughout the trip, and research and presentation following the trip.

CHINA
During the summer of 2009, Hanneman, along with Dr. Yi Li of Tacoma Community College, led a group of students to China. The students spent three weeks studying Mandarin Chinese at Peking University located in Beijing.
In addition to their language studies, they spent one week traveling to various places throughout China, including Inner Mongolia. Each student that took advantage of this eye-opening opportunity earned 15 credits for the work and effort that they poured into this experience.

COSTA RICA

2008 Costa Rica travelers

Students pose in a Costa Rican jungle during the 2008 UW Exploration Seminar

Dr. John Banks, a professor in the environmental science program, has been in charge of the study abroad program in Costa Rica since 2004. Banks has taken enthusiastic students to this amazing country four times. Three of those times, he led a UWT tropical ecology course in Costa Rica and in this past year he introduced an Exploration Seminar course.

Along with running these classes, Banks takes students to research biological diversity of arthropods in the rainforest and agricultural fields of Costa Rica. In the summer of 2007, Banks led UWT and UW Seattle students on an 18-day trip on which students conducted independent research projects as part of the course requirements throughout their stay in Costa Rica.

Most recently, Banks has been offering his work to coffee farms around Costa Rica in attempt to establish a link between farmers’ practices with environmental health and coffee yields.

TURKEY
In the summer of 2006, Dr. Turan Kayaoglu, professor of political science, accompanied 19 UW Seattle and Tacoma students to Turkey. That was the only time that this program has been offered through UW’s exploration seminars thus far. Although Kayaoglu found the experience fascinating and rewarding, he found it demanding as well.
“I may think about offering it again in the future, but have no immediate plans for that,” he said.

KENYA

IAS students dance in Kenya

Students perform a farewell dance with Green Belt Movement members

In April and May of 2009, Banks accompanied two undergraduate students to East Africa to inspect the declining bird population. The purpose of the trip was to see if the decline was linked to the local arthropods they eat. They spent three and a half weeks studying in Kenya, and Professor Banks, along with Dr. Jim Gawel, a professor in the environmental sciences program, returned there with a UWT class in February 2010.

The 2010 trip required the students to take a 10-week course on the UWT campus before they spent three and a half weeks traveling throughout Kenya. It was a 12-credit class that provided students with opportunities such as home stays and hands-on lectures via site visits. Following the trip, students were expected to create and present a final project.

MEXICO

Dr. Cynthia Duncan, whose specialties include Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American studies, has offered summer programs for students in order to improve their Spanish language skills, as well as to increase their knowledge of the Mexican culture. Both three-week and five-week programs to the city of Kukulcan are available, but students also have the option of spending an entire quarter in Mexico. Internship programs and independent studies are a possibility for students looking to travel during the academic year.

“Mexico continues to be one of the best bargains in international travel. The U.S. dollar is still strong there, and prices are relatively low,” Duncan said.

She added, "I would love to plan a trip for UWT alumni and their families and friends, if they're interested in going to Mexico for a short travel study program." If you are interested, please contact Duncan: cyduncan@u.washington.edu.

RUSSIA

students working on project

UWT and MSU students plan the page layout for a one-shot news magazine, "The Journalist"

Since the spring of 2003, communication professor Chris Demaske has taken select groups of students to Moscow to participate in a competitive internship project that currently includes the joint production of a web publication between UWT students and students from Moscow State University School of Journalism. Students from across the UWT campus may apply to travel to Moscow to participate in the project but no more than four are chosen in any given year to travel abroad with the project.

In addition to going to Moscow once a year, students and faculty from MSU travel to Tacoma to reproduce a similar web publication. All UWT students are welcome to participate in the project when it takes place on the Tacoma campus.