The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

George Belokas began his journey at Arizona State University over 20 years ago, transitioning from engineering to his true passion: actuarial science. Now as President of GPW and Associates (GPWA), he’s giving back by endowing a scholarship to support ASU’s actuarial students. With a 94% average employment rate, ASU’s actuarial science program prepares students for a thriving career.

“The demand for young actuaries is at an all-time high. GPWA anticipates this scholarship will help ASU continue to attract and retain the best talent in its actuarial programs,” Belokas shared.

Read more about this scholarship and the future of actuarial sciences here:

GPWA strengthens ASU partnership with actuarial science scholarship | ASU News When George Belokas began his studies as a first generation college student more than twenty years ago, he declared engineering as his major. It didn’t take long for him to realize his passion was with math and business. After transitioning his major to mathematics, he set his sights on becoming a...

The Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement at Arizona State University has announced that five students have been awarded Boren Awards for immersive study of foreign languages critical to U.S. national security. Sponsored by the National Security Education Program, these awards support undergraduate and graduate students in studying abroad in countries where they can enhance their language proficiency and global awareness.

“Our continued strong performance in this program is only possible because of our committed partnerships with The Melikian Center, the Chinese Language Flagship program, the Pat Tillman Veterans Center and the School of International Letters and Cultures,” Kyle Mox said.

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5 ASU students receive Boren Awards for critical foreign language study | ASU News The Lorraine W. Frank Office of National Scholarships Advisement (ONSA) has announced that five Arizona State University students have received Boren Awards for immersive study of foreign languages critical to United States foreign interests.

Arizona State University is solidifying its position in the commercial space sector through partnerships with industry leaders. As part of the Lunar Outpost team, ASU is a key player in NASA’s Lunar Terrain Vehicle Services contract competition, which aims to revolutionize lunar exploration and science.

Collaborating through the NewSpace Initiative, Milo Space Science Institute and Digital Discovery Initiative, ASU brings its expertise in science, technology and data visualization to advance capabilities for lunar surface exploration.

Professor Jim Bell from the School of Earth and Space Exploration chairs an international Science Council and is helping guide the Lunar Dawn rover concept with diverse scientific insights from around the globe.

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ASU teams up with industry for moon rover project to advance lunar exploration for NASA Artemis missions | ASU News Arizona State University continues to advance its presence in the commercial space sector, building strategic partnerships with industry leaders to drive innovation and discovery.

This summer, Arizona State University students from the School of Human Evolution and Social Change took their studies beyond the classroom, participating in the first Preservation Archaeology field school led by Archaeology Southwest. Students were selected from a competitive pool of applicants across the country. These students engaged in nondestructive archaeological practices, collaborated with Indigenous and local communities and explored a range of activities.

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Anthropology students get hands-on experience at summer field school | ASU News Hands-on experience, learning about different cultures and engaging in nondestructive archaeological excavations – students at Arizona State University participate in summer field school.

Arizona State University researchers were awarded a $1 million Institutional Impact Grant by the Program for Leadership and Character at Wake Forest University, funded by Lilly Endowment Inc., to support the “Cultivating Civic Virtues Through Action” project.

This initiative seeks to cultivate civic virtues and character among undergraduates at Arizona’s public universities by fostering communities of faculty and student leaders engaged in social learning and meaningful dialogue. The project is spearheaded by Joan McGregor, director of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics, alongside a distinguished team of researchers from ASU.

Faculty members interested in co-teaching a Humanities Lab course as part of this initiative are encouraged to learn more about participation opportunities here:

ASU researchers awarded $1M grant to cultivate civic virtues in Arizona public universities | ASU News Principled Innovation is the backbone behind a recent $1 million dollar grant award to a team of Arizona State University researchers for their project, Cultivating Civic Virtues Through Action.Seeking to cultivate civic character and virtue among undergraduates at Arizona's public universities, the...

Arizona State University’s Interplanetary Initiative is advancing the frontiers of space exploration with its seed funding program, supporting projects that address critical challenges for humanity’s interplanetary future. This year’s 2024-25 cohort introduces innovative pilots that unite ASU faculty, industry leaders, government professionals and students to explore groundbreaking questions.

In addition to new pilots, the Interplanetary Initiative is renewing seven impactful projects that focus on inclusive and sustainable space futures. This collaborative effort fosters an environment where students, faculty and experts from diverse fields work together, driving both innovation and learning.

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ASU's Interplanetary Initiative adds three new pilot projects that will champion innovative concepts for societal impact | ASU News Arizona State University's Interplanetary Initiative continues to drive innovation with its seed funding program by advancing positive space futures for all. Seed funded pilot projects are designed to address humanity’s interplanetary future while delivering tangible outcomes that benefit us today...

Arizona State University is harnessing the power of generative AI to create immersive learning experiences through its AI Innovation Challenge. Following ASU’s collaboration with Open AI, the challenge has started over 250 projects that utilize AI across academic, research and work environments.

Projects include David McElhoes’s Introduction to the Philosophy of Science course, where students complete three assignments using ChatGPT, and Language Buddy, a custom AI to help online students practice their language skills.

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AI-powered educational experiences underway at ASU | ASU News An AI-generated patient on which to practice behavioral health techniques.An on-demand study buddy to help with language learning.An AI simulation that allows you to debate with some of the world’s most influential philosophers.These are a few of the projects in development at Arizona State Univer...

"If you can find those things that drive you, that’s the key. Explore and try to find what sparks that passion and meaning in your life."

Aditya Khuller earned a master’s degree and PhD in geological sciences from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University after completing his bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering. He is currently working for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he studies planetary ices, surfaces and atmospheres.

Listen to Khuller talk about how he found his passion and how he pursued a career that aligned with his interests.

Subscribe to Learning From Experience wherever you listen to podcasts.

(https://ow.ly/io4250TfUXU)

Chasing Mars with Aditya Khuller "If you can find those things that drive you, that’s the key. Explore and try to find what sparks that passion and meaning in your life." Aditya Khuller earned a master’s degree and PhD in geological sciences from The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University after complet...

Arizona State University’s Hayden Library is redefining the academic library experience with its innovative Open Stack Collections. With offerings that range from contemporary fiction and nonfiction to scholarly works authored by Department of English faculty, these collections are designed to support both academic inquiry and personal exploration.

Visit Hayden Library to explore these curated collections that promote a deeper connection to the ASU community.

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A (re)source of Sun Devil pride | ASU News Editor’s note: This is part of a monthly series spotlighting ASU Library’s special collections throughout 2024.They’re not the types of books that your average reader might expect to find on the shelves of an academic library — but Arizona State University faculty, staff and students aren’...

Pulitzer Prize-winner Nathan Thrall will discuss "A Day in the Life of Abed Salama," his "gut-wrenching" (The Guardian) human portrait of the struggle over Israel/Palestine. All welcome at this virtual ASU event Sep. 9. ASU School of Politics and Global Studies professor Victor Peskin facilitates.

Register: https://ow.ly/QACa50TePgw

Our partners: Macmillan Publishers, Macmillan Academic and The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

📸: A copy of Nathan Thrall's book sits on the branch of an olive tree on ASU's Tempe campus.

ASU Online is launching two new online programs for students interested in our natural environment this fall: a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, both in earth and environmental studies.

These programs focus on practical skills and critical thinking, with the aim of giving students a comprehensive understanding of Earth as a complex system as well as tools on how to tackle real-world environmental challenges. Students are encouraged to explore different facets of earth and environmental studies through an interdisciplinary approach.

Read more about these new degree programs here:

ASU Online earth and environmental sciences programs allow students to forge unique academic paths | ASU News This fall, ASU Online is launching two new online programs that will open new horizons for students interested in our natural environment: a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science, both in earth and environmental sciences.

Joan McGregor, a professor for the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, is the new director of Arizona State University’s Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics.

McGregor’s research centers on bioethics, environmental ethics and sustainability. Her current research focused on food justice, health and the unintended consequences of practices and technologies in our food systems.

“I am excited to take leadership of the Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics,” McGregor said. “I intend to build our center into a premiere ethics center in the United States.”

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ASU Professor Joan McGregor named new director of Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics | ASU News Arizona State University’s Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics welcomed Joan McGregor, a professor for the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, as its new director on Aug. 15.

Happy Labor Day, Sun Devils! 🔱

From developing empathy and communication skills to preparing students for a dynamic job market, humanities training is essential in every field.

“Why do they need humanities? Being able to connect with people is a humanities-based skill,” said Jeffrey Cohen, dean of humanities for The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

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How the humanities can prepare students for jobs in any field | ASU News As the dean of humanities in The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University, Jeffrey Cohen knows better than most the value of humanities training.How it helps prepare students for a variety of careers.How it teaches students to have empathy and to be good listeners. How it giv...

A scientific breakthrough led by a team of scientists, including the School of Earth and Space Exploration’s Tom Sharp, has traced the origins of Martian meteorites to specific impact craters on Mars, located within the Tharsis and Elysium volcanic regions.

This discovery, published in Science Advances, not only solves a long-standing mystery about where these meteorites come from, but also provides a new framework for understanding the geological history of Mars.

"Connecting samples of well-known crystallization ages to specific regions of the Martian surface is the key to dating volcanic stratigraphy,” said Sharp.

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Mapping the red planet's geologic timeline through impact craters | ASU News Roughly 140 million miles. That's the distance traveled by chunks of the Red Planet by the time they reach Earth.But exactly where on Mars those chunks came from was a mystery. Until now.A team of scientists, including Arizona State University's Tom Sharp, have determined specific locations on Mars....

The Humanities Institute at Arizona State University, in collaboration with the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, the School of International Letters and Cultures and the Department of English, is launching its latest Writing Studio to support faculty and graduate students in their scholarly writing projects.

The Writing Studio is not just about writing. It’s also about building community, overcoming challenges and achieving milestones together.

PhD candidate Farah Najar Arevalo shared, “I learned how to set writing habits and that some writing challenges are shared, and we are not alone. Now that I am working on my doctoral dissertation, I am grateful to Dr. Chris Jones and the Humanities Institute team who make this space possible.”

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Humanities Institute hosts Writing Studio to foster community, craft | ASU News The myth of the solitary scholar is just that: a myth.

This fall, the School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University welcomes two distinguished anthropologists.

Mariam Abazeri, an environmental anthropologist, joins us from the University of Miami, with research focused on climate change and environmental crises in Iran. Abazeri’s upcoming research will explore groundwater governance in arid and tropical regions, with an emphasis on how community-based institutions manage water resources.

Méadhbh McIvor, a social anthropologist from the University of Manchester, brings her expertise in law and religion. Her research includes studying how religious communities use human rights law to pursue sometimes conflicting goals.

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Anthropologists with expertise in human rights law, the environment join ASU faculty | ASU News This fall, two notable anthropologists are joining the School of Human Evolution and Social Change and bringing with them extensive experience and knowledge about social and environmental anthropology.Mariam Abazeri is an environmental anthropologist and is joining Arizona State University from the....

For 20 years, the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University has been at the forefront of scientific breakthroughs, from developing Arizona’s first saliva-based COVID-19 test to creating plant-based vaccines. Under visionary leadership, the institute continues to push the boundaries of bioscience, improving lives and paving the way for a healthier, more sustainable future.

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'20 Years of Discovery' at ASU's Biodesign Institute: Diagnostics, DNA research and plant-based therapies | ASU News Editor’s note: The Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University is celebrating its landmark 20th anniversary. This is the fourth installment in a series called “20 Years of Discovery.” Each story reflects on groundbreaking scientific discoveries and impactful innovations made since the inst...

Christina Birkel in the School of Molecular Sciences and Seth Ariel Tongay in the School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy have been appointed as Navrotsky Professors of Materials Research for their significant contributions in the broadly defined field of materials research.

"The Center for Materials of the Universe brings together some of the brightest minds in materials research,” said Ferran Garcia-Pichel, ASU’s interim dean of natural sciences at The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

“The Navrotsky Professorships will enable these professors to explore and expand upon important research topics. I am excited to see what Professor Tongay and Associate Professor Birkel are able to accomplish and work on over these next two years."

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Advancing super materials: 2 ASU professors honored as Navrotsky Professors of Materials Research | ASU News Imagine a material as tough as steel but as flexible as rubber, and another that can conduct electricity and respond to light in remarkable ways.

Throughlines is a free video and multimedia website designed to help college educators bring discussions of race into premodern (pre-1500 A.D.) history, literature and culture classrooms.

The project was inspired by a lecture class on early British literature taught by Executive Director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Ayanna Thompson when she realized that her students had never been in a space where they could talk about race openly.

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New Throughlines website a resource for premodern studies educators | ASU News A few years ago, Ayanna Thompson, executive director of the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies, was teaching a lecture class on early British literature. The class was unusually animated and engaged, excited to talk about the most challenging topics. But when they got to "Othello,"....

Regents Professor of History and Director of Jewish Studies Hava Tirosh-Samuelson is this year's recipient of the Gary Krahenbuhl Difference Maker Award.

“I am very grateful for the formal recognition of my contribution to the vision and mission of ASU,” Tirosh-Samuelson said. “As director of Jewish studies, I seek to bring understanding of the richness and complexity of the Jewish experience through the ages; as an intellectual historian, I aspire to shed light on the interdependence of religious traditions, intellectual schools and scientific projects.”

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Jewish studies director recognized for offering leadership in difficult times | ASU News The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Arizona State University has announced Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, Regents Professor of history, Irving and Miriam Lowe Professor of Modern Judaism and director of Jewish studies, as this year's recipient of the Gary Krahenbuhl Difference Maker Award.The annual...

Arizona State University archaeologist and Assistant Professor at the School of Human Evolution and Social Change Matthew Kroot details physical evidence proving the existence of private farmland ownership in ancient Jordan in his article “Accommodating agriculture at al-Khayran: Economic relations and settlement practices in the earliest agricultural communities of the southern Levant,” published in Journal of Anthropological Archaeology.

“This happens during a period called the neolithic, when people started farming for the first time instead of getting wild food through gathering, fishing, hunting and the like,” said Kroot.

The site is nearly 10,000 years old. Kroot was able to determine by the size and architecture of the field house that it was owned by one family and that it was seasonally used. Analysis of the plants at the site showed that people living during this time period were growing wheat or barley.

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10,000-year-old house reveals history of farmland ownership in neolithic Middle East | ASU News On the edge of the Jordanian plateau, overlooking the Dead Sea basin, there is an archaeological site that is nearly 10,000 years old. That is more than 5,000 years older than the oldest pyramid in Egypt, and about 1,700 years removed from the end of the last ice age.

Jillian Coronato, a senior in Arizona State University’s Barrett, the Honors College, has transformed her childhood love for medieval literature into an academic pursuit. With a focus on Chaucer and the “loathly lady” trope, Jillian is working on an honors thesis that explores themes of feminine identity and magical knowledge.

Supported by the Barrett Honors Project funding, she recently attended the New Chaucer Society Congress, where she engaged with scholars and advanced her research. After earning a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the Department of English, Coronato plans to study English literature at the graduate level and pursue a career in academia.

Read the story here: https://ow.ly/bpg950SV1nE

Jane Maienschein, a decorated professor in the School of Life Sciences and Center for Biology and Society, earned the Sarton Medal from the History of Science Society for her lifetime achievement and dedication to the history and philosophy of biology. Maienschein specializes in the history and philosophy of biology, and the way biology, bioethics and bio-policy play out in society.

Maienschein says that because of her interdisciplinary focus on a variety of topics, receiving this award is “especially meaningful because it shows that we ‘ASU-type’ of people are being recognized in our disciplines as well as for cross-cutting interdisciplinary work.”

Read the story here: https://news.asu.edu/20240731-science-and-technology-passion-interdisciplinary-work-earns-asu-professor-prestigious

After serving in the U.S. Marine Corps and facing challenges transitioning to civilian life, Austin Sowers rediscovered his passion for learning through philosophy and stumbled across Peter Singer’s work on effective altruism.

This led Sowers back to Arizona State University, where he not only earned his bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies, but also secured a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant Award in Honduras.

After the Fulbright program, his tentative plan is to pursue a master’s degree in international affairs and leadership through ASU’s School of Politics and Global Studies.

Read the story here: https://ow.ly/9UxW50SV0ne

The School of Human Evolution and Social Change at Arizona State University is launching a revitalized Master of Arts in museum studies. This program emphasizes ethical and socially aware collection management, community partnerships and preparing students for impactful careers in museums.

Read the story here:
https://ow.ly/5Eqz50SV03x

The ASU Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics recently partnered with the Chautauqua Institution to address the rapid advancement of AI. A student advisory board traveled to New York to participate in lectures and lead classes.

Read the story here: https://ow.ly/EizO50SV34A

Lincoln Scholars explore AI, humanities at Chautauqua lecture series | ASU News In response to the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence and its ensuing proliferation in our everyday lives, the ASU Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics and the Chautauqua Institution recently hosted a program focused on the technology.

Arizona State University is launching an online American studies graduate certificate through the School of Social Transformation. This certificate allows students to delve into the diverse experiences that shape the United States, its global impact and how communities drive social change.

It prepares students to address today’s complex societal challenges with interdisciplinary education, perfect for those pursuing careers in policy, education, urban planning, sustainability, advocacy and more.

Learn more about the online certificate here:

New online certificate prepares grad students for complex challenges of US democracy | ASU News If United States politics in the 2020s have revealed anything so far, it’s that the U.S. has a complex history with ramifications that still powerfully resound today. In order to help students explore these complexities, Arizona State University is now offering an American studies program through ...

Professor Hao Yan from the School of Molecular Sciences and Biodesign Institute has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to advance his pioneering research in programmable, targeted therapeutics.

Funded by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences, this grant will support Yan’s innovative approach to targeted protein degradation, which aims to address the limitations of traditional drug methods.

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ASU researcher awarded $1.25M to develop programmable, targeted drugs | ASU News In a significant stride for medical research, Hao Yan, a professor in Arizona State University’s School of Molecular Sciences and the Biodesign Center for Molecular Design and Biomimetics, has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).