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Acting Chair
It has been my pleasure to temporarily step out of my role as Associate Chair of the Department into Acting Chair while Dr. Bonnie Moradi takes a well-deserved sabbatical this semester. Although I’ve long observed Bonnie hard at work, this semester has taught me the many, and varied, areas in which she has developed expertise over the past decade. I am even more grateful than usual for her sustained leadership of the Department as I attempt to fill her shoes.
The Fall semester has brought other personnel changes as well. Dr. Joanna Neville has transitioned from being an adjunct faculty member to a full-time position as Assistant Instructional Professor; Dr. Trysh Travis has returned from a three-year term as Associate Dean of the College; and Amanda Bouquet has taken over as our administrator. You can read more about Joanna and Amanda in the pages ahead.
Another exciting development this Fall is that we launched three new undergraduate certificates in our Department: Community Engagement; Data, Science, and Technology in Sociocultural Contexts; and Violence Against Women. These 9- credit certificates will allow students who do not have the time to complete a minor or major with us the opportunity for focused study in these areas, which can help prepare them for a variety of careers.
We have hosted many wonderful events this semester. With our Mellon grant, we brought Dr. Kristie Soares (UF Women’s Studies BA ‘06) for the presentation: Building a Community Engaged Career through Gender, Sexuality, and Women’s Studies. Dr. Soares, a professor of Women’s and Gender Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder, spoke to a packed house in the Ustler Atrium. Students were rapt as Dr. Soares generously shared their story and provided advice on developing one’s career as a Women’s Studies major. We also brought Dr. Suha Kudsieh from the National Endowment for the Humanities to speak to faculty and students across the University about external funding opportunities related to gender. Finally, we were delighted to co-sponsor several events with colleagues in African American Studies and Imagining Climate Change.
I am pleased that we are a vibrant hub for research, teaching, and collaboration. Please stop by for a visit if you are local. For those both near and far, feel free to follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook to continue to build networks and learn about our amazing faculty, students, alums, and events. All our social media handles are available here: https://linktr.ee/wst.ufl