Newsletter Volume 12 Issue 1 - September 3, 2025 | | |
Please be aware that our next annual direct mail campaign will move from the usual October/November time-frame to March 2026. This is necessary due to the implementation of the new university-wide records software program.
If you prefer to donate before the end of this year, you may use the university general donation link (https://together.emory.edu/give/to/general-university) and designate it to the Emory University Emeritus College, and then please let us know if you want your name deferred from the Spring 2026 campaign list.
| | Fall Semester 2025 Lunch Colloquium Schedule | | |
All sessions are 11:30am-1:00pm unless otherwise noted
Additional information be found on our website by clicking here.
September 8, 2025
Stephen Crist, Professor of Music History and Chair of the Department of Music
“Bach and Jazz: Strange Bedfellows”
This talk will consider the relationship between the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and jazz. It might seem that these two repertoires would have nothing to do with each other, since Bach worked in Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century and the origins of jazz date to around the beginning of the twentieth century in the US. But through a series of vignettes—including music by Dave Brubeck, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Oscar Peterson, and Nina Simone—I will unfold a taxonomy of the various ways in which jazz musicians have responded to the music of Bach and demonstrate that they aren’t strange bedfellows at all.
September 22, 2025
Jacobus de Roode, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Biology
“Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and Other Animals Heal Themselves”
Drawing on illuminating interviews with leading scientists from around the globe as well as his own pioneering research on monarch butterflies, de Roode demonstrates how animals of all kinds—from ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars—use various forms of medicine to treat their own ailments and those of their relatives. We meet apes that swallow leaves to dislodge worms, sparrows that use cigarette butts to repel parasites, and bees that incorporate sticky resin into their hives to combat pathogens. De Roode asks whether these astonishing behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals—it can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits.
October 6, 2025
Vernon Robbins, Professor Emeritus of Religion, Winship Distinguished Research Professor in the Humanities
“Bible People in the Qur’an”
The story lines of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, John the Baptist, and Jesus in the Bible reverberate throughout the Qur’an. These story lines, retold by Muslims five hundred years after the advent of Christianity and Rabbinic Judaism, give Islamic belief and practice a deep, rich relationship to both Jewish and Christian belief and practice. This presentation will explain the overall presence of biblical people in the Qur’an and give major glimpses of special aspects of the Qur’anic presentation of people like Noah, Abraham, Jacob and his son Joseph, and Jesus and Mary. It is Vernon Robbins’ pleasure to present this with support of a Heilbrunn Fellowship sponsored by Emory Emeritus College and Emory College of the Liberal Arts.
October 20, 2025
Carla Freeman, Director of the Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry and Goodrich C. White Professor of Women's, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Emory
“Fox Center – New Directions”
With higher education facing potentially transformational change, there has never been a better time to intensify recognition of the humanities and their important role in scholarly and public life. For the last two years Emory’s Fox Center for Humanistic Inquiry, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this fall, has been engaged in not only “amplifying the crucial importance of humanistic inquiry and scholarship” but also giving Emory students, faculty, and community members new opportunities to coalesce around common themes and together explore imaginative questions, such as, “What does it mean to study democracy?”
November 3, 2025
Mel Konner, Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor Emeritus
“Myth and Science in the ‘Paleo’ Diet”
Konner, who together with Boyd Eaton helped originate the so-called 'Paleo Diet' in the 1980s, has not been especially enthusiastic about all the things that have gone by that name more recently. Based on his fieldwork with the San (Bushmen) of Botswana in the 1970s and much research and debate since, he'll discuss what can believably said about our remote ancestors' diets (plural) and how that knowledge can help keep us healthier. Hint: It has more to do with what we should eat less of than what we should, specifically, eat.
November 17, 2025
Lois Overbeck
Director, The Letters of Samuel Beckett Project, Department of English, Emory
Curator: Chercher, an open-access website
“The End is in the Beginning. And yet you go on."
Lois will present a brief overview of the Editorial Project, begun in 1985 by Samuel Beckett, that became affiliated with the Laney Graduate School at Emory in 1990. With the assistance of Emory graduate and undergraduate students from many disciplines, as well as the support of many faculty colleagues at Emory, the four volumes of Beckett's selected letters were published by Cambridge University Press (2009-2016).
December 1, 2025
BookFest
Read any good books lately? Might you be willing to recommend one (or more) of those good books to those of us wondering what to read next? We are looking for volunteers to describe books they have enjoyed that others might enjoy, as well. If you’ve got one to discuss, we’ll be happy to allot you five minutes of our BookFest time. If you’ve got two or three, we can schedule you for ten minutes. And of course, you can choose a book or books of any kind at all.
December 15, 2025
Emeritus College Holiday Party
Please join us for a special holiday version of our lunch colloquium. No lecture/speaker, just food, music, and spending time with friends before the holiday break.
NOTE: This will be an in-person only event.
| | Lunch Colloquium with Stephen Crist -- September 8, 2025 | | |
Stephen Crist
Professor of Music History and Chair of the Department of Music
MONDAY, September 8, 2025
The Luce Center
825 Houston Mill Road -- Room 130
11:30am-1:00pm
“Bach and Jazz: Strange Bedfellows”
This talk will consider the relationship between the music of Johann Sebastian Bach and jazz. It might seem that these two repertoires would have nothing to do with each other, since Bach worked in Germany in the first half of the eighteenth century and the origins of jazz date to around the beginning of the twentieth century in the US. But through a series of vignettes—including music by Dave Brubeck, The Modern Jazz Quartet, Oscar Peterson, and Nina Simone—I will unfold a taxonomy of the various ways in which jazz musicians have responded to the music of Bach and demonstrate that they aren’t strange bedfellows at all.
About Stephen Crist:
Stephen A. Crist is Professor of Music History and Chair of the Department of Music at Emory University. He works largely in European music of the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries, with additional interests in jazz and hymnody. Crist has authored Dave Brubeck’s Time Out (Oxford University Press). His edition of the complete vocal works of one of Johann Sebastian Bach’s most eminent students, the organist Johann Ludwig Krebs, will appear in two volumes in November 2025 (A-R Editions). He is contributing coeditor for The Cambridge Companion to the Bach Cantatas (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming, 2026) and contributing coeditor for The Cambridge History of Christian Sacred Music since 1500 (Cambridge University Press, forthcoming). In 2023, he was the Derek Brewer Visiting Research Fellow at Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge.
| | Lunch Colloquium with Jacobus de Roode -- September 22, 2025 | | |
Jacobus de Roode
Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor of Biology
MONDAY, September 22, 2025
The Luce Center
825 Houston Mill Road -- Room 130
11:30am-1:00pm
“Doctors by Nature: How Ants, Apes, and
Other Animals Heal Themselves”
Drawing on illuminating interviews with leading scientists from around the globe as well as his own pioneering research on monarch butterflies, de Roode demonstrates how animals of all kinds—from ants to apes, from bees to bears, and from cats to caterpillars—use various forms of medicine to treat their own ailments and those of their relatives. We meet apes that swallow leaves to dislodge worms, sparrows that use cigarette butts to repel parasites, and bees that incorporate sticky resin into their hives to combat pathogens. De Roode asks whether these astonishing behaviors are learned or innate and explains why, now more than ever, we need to apply the lessons from medicating animals—it can pave the way for healthier livestock, more sustainable habitats for wild pollinators, and a host of other benefits.
About Jacobus de Roode:
Jaap de Roode studied biology at the Wageningen University in the Netherlands, and obtained his PhD in evolutionary biology from the University of Edinburgh. He is currently the Samuel Candler Dobbs Professor at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where he studies parasites of monarch butterflies and honey bees. He teaches introductory biology to undergraduate students, and directs the Infectious Diseases Across Scales Training Program. He is also on the board of directors of the Rosalynn Carter Butterfly Trail, a non-profit organization that focuses on recreating native habitat for pollinators.
| | University Senate and Faculty Council News | | |
Minutes of Combined University Senate and Faculty Council Special Meeting - June 24, 2025
Chaired by Senate President Noëlle McAfee, the University Senate and Faculty Council held a combined meeting to discuss leadership changes, political interference in higher education, and a motion supporting academic freedom. Committee reports were presented on various topics, including campus security cameras and research funding challenges. The conversation ended with discussions on research portfolio changes, funding cuts, and potential modifications to indirect cost recovery models, as well as a presentation on immune response research affected by recent funding reductions.
AAC&U Statement: Dr. Sean Meighoo, Associate Professor of Comparative Literature, introduced a revised motion expressing support for the American Association of Colleges and Universities' statement calling for constructive engagement and opposing government overreach in higher education, which no one from the Emory administration has signed:
"WHEREAS the AAC&U’s statement has been signed by 659 leaders of colleges, universities, and scholarly societies as of June 17, 2025, including many presidents and chancellors from leading universities across the country as well as Emory’s peer institutions; "WHEREAS the AAC&U’s statement has not been signed by President Fenves or any other member of the Emory administration; "BE IT RESOLVED THAT the University Senate declares its full support for the AAC&U’s public."
The motion passed with 16 votes in favor, 5 against, and 5 abstentions.
Campus Camera Proposal Discussion: Senate Committee on Policy Review, led by Past-president George Shepherd, reported on a committee discussion about a proposal for installing cameras across campus. The committee generally supports cameras for safety reasons, citing potential deterrence of incidents like racist graffiti. However, members expressed concerns about privacy, access to data, and potential chilling effects on speech. The committee recommends more details be added to the proposal regarding these issues.
Emory Research Portfolio Update: Deborah Bruner, Senior Vice President for Research provided an update on Emory's research portfolio and grant terminations. The research portfolio is down 7% year-to-date, with $731 million compared to $787 million previously. Additionally, 99 grants have been terminated, 56 with Emory as the prime and 43 as subawards, primarily affecting the School of Medicine and Rollins School of Public Health. The terminations, focusing on LGBTQ issues, environment, foreign associations, and health disparities, account for another 5% loss in the portfolio. Despite these setbacks, Emory continues to receive new awards and conduct research, albeit at a lower level than the previous year.
University Research Funding Adaptations: Bruner also discussed the university's response to recent changes in research funding and regulations. The university has implemented mitigation strategies, including pilot seed funds for investigators who have lost their portfolios. The Office of the SVPR provides regular federal updates, manages compliance with changing regulations, and offers various support services like the Resubmit Program and Mega Grants office. A new grants management system is being implemented, with a go-live date of August 29th, requiring all users to complete training. She also mentioned challenges in complying with new federal requirements, such as submitting raw data for federally funded publications, and introduced new resources like Grant Forward and the PURSUE pilot program to support faculty in seeking funding opportunities.
LGBTQ Research Funding Challenges: Bruner addressed questions about funding cuts for LGBTQ and HIV research. She explained that Emory has appealed terminations but has not been successful so far, with only one response received, which was a denial. Dr. Bruner mentions that while there have been some legal rulings against these cuts, Emory has not seen a significant turnaround in federal awards. She also clarifies that Emory does not have a policy against this research but rather faces the reality of current funding limitations.
University Research Funding Diversification: Bruner explained that universities do not typically fund entire research programs, as their role is to provide infrastructure for faculty to secure external funding. She emphasized that there is no single source that can replace federal government funding, including private foundations. Bruner mentioned university efforts to diversify funding sources, such as the Diversify Fund and resources like Grants Forward, to help faculty find alternative funding opportunities. She suggested that faculty should explore foundations, organizations, and potential pivots in their research, and offered support in these efforts.
Research Funding Indirect Cost Changes: Bruner also discussed potential changes to indirect cost recovery models for research funding. The proposed rates are lower than initially expected, ranging from 5% to 15%. She anticipates that any new model will likely result in a cut to the current negotiated rate, which, combined with fewer awards and portfolio terminations, could lead to significant reductions in research administration funding. She also addressed a 30% decrease in corporate funding, attributing it to changes in clinical research infrastructure and corporate uncertainty about executive orders and funding allocation.
Challenges in Research Funding: Dr. Cheryl Day, an associate professor in microbiology and immunology, presented her research on immune responses in infectious diseases and clinical trials. She explained that her lab's funding has been reduced, leading to staff termination and the pausing of clinical trials. Dr. Day also noted that NIH has issued a notice stating they will not award grants with international components, which impacts all of her work.
--Jeffrey Lichtman, Emeritus College representative to the Emory Senate and Faculty Council
| | MedShare Volunteer Opportunity | | |
If you’d like to join this group, we are volunteering the second Thursday afternoon of each month. Upcoming sessions: September 11 and October 9. Registration on the MedShare web site is required.
To register:
Visit the MedShare event registration page at: https://www.cervistech.com/acts/console.php?console_id=0319&console_type=event&ht=1&res_code=EmoryEmeritus
Click the "Sign Up" button for your event and enter your email and first name. If you don't have a MedShare volunteer account, you'll be prompted to create one.
Select the listed event and click “Register."
For registration issues, questions or information about carpooling, please contact Marianne Skeen, marskeen@comcast.net.
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Ann E. Rogers
Professor Emerita of Nursing
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing
Ann recently presented a webinar entitled "A Good Night's Sleep," for DeKalb County School District employees.
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New members are the lifeblood of any organization.
Please make a special effort to welcome them to the EUEC!
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Lisa Mack
Assistant Professor Emerita of Emergency Medicine
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Bhagirath Majmudar
Professor Emeritus of Pathology
Bhagirath "Maj" Majmudar passed away on August 15, 2025.
Maj joined the Emory faculty in 1971 and over the years he received many "Outstanding Teacher" awards from medical students and residents in Pathology and Obstetrics/Gynecology. In 2005, Maj received the Evangeline Papageorge Award, the Medical School's highest teaching honor.
As an Emeritus College member, Maj was a major contributor to our Pre-Med Mock Interview program. He was always available for all requests, and as a result, numerous students benefited from his wisdom and advice.
Please click the link below to read more about Maj.
Atlanta Mourns the Passing of Dr. Bhagirath Majmudar, Professor, Priest, and Community Leader | NRI Pulse
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Striking Characters: Typewriters, Literary Worlds, and the Art of Tim Youd (Exhibition)
Schatten Gallery, Woodruff Library, 540 S. Asbury Cir.
Wednesday, September 3, 2025, 8am – 8pm EDT
**Weekend hours vary; closed on holidays, for details, see visitor hours at https://libraries.emory.edu/hours
Striking Characters: Typewriters, Literary Worlds, and the Art of Tim Youd explores how the typewriter has radically transformed storytelling, literature, and visual art over nearly two centuries. The exhibition takes seemingly disparate works created on a typewriter – a typescript draft of The Wiz, a retyped diptych of An American Marriage, Vietnam-era protest flyers made by Emory students, the first edition of Bram Stoker’s Dracula – and puts them in conversation with one another.
This exhibition demonstrates that the typewriter is not only a tool for efficient writing, but a technology that heralded a new age of storytelling, imaginative expression, and political resistance. Featuring literary archives from Emory University’s Rose Library and Tim Youd’s distinctive typed diptychs and ribbon-inspired art, Striking Characters traces how the typewriter was used to create works that defined the cultural landscape of the 20th century and beyond.
Exhibitions dates: Aug. 27 – Dec. 20, 2025
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Sunday Public Tours at the Michael C. Carlos Museum
Rotunda
Sunday, September 7, 2025, 2 – 3pm EDT
Explore the Carlos Museum with a drop-in docent-led tour! Sunday Public Tours are free with museum admission and no prior registration is required. Public Tours do have a limited capacity, and are first come, first served.
To join, simply meet your docent in the Rotunda on Level One at 2 p.m.
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Details and other information, as well as additional campus events, can be found on the Emory Events Calendar.
If you'd like to share an event/program of interest before the next newsletter
please contact Dianne Becht Dianne.becht@emory.edu
| | Exploring the Campus with Dianne | |
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Welcome back to a new semester at Emory!
Let's find something interesting...
While biking through the main campus, a few weekends ago, I spotted some unusual shapes. Upon closer inspection, I realized they were actually chairs! They are far from conventional seating, but I found them to be quite comfortable despite being made of plastic and looking more like toys than a place to sit.
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Where will you find these on the Emory Campus?
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Emory University Emeritus College
The Luce Center
825 Houston Mill Road NE Room 206
Atlanta, GA 30329
http://www.emory.edu/emeritus
Emory is an equal opportunity employer, and qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law. Inquiries should be directed to the Department of Equity and Civil Rights Compliance, 201 Dowman Drive, Administration Bldg, Atlanta, GA 30322.
Telephone: 404-727-9867 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD).
Should you need this document in an alternate format, or require a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Department of Accessibility Services at 404-727-9877 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD).
Please note that one week's advance notice is preferred.
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