
Acclaimed author’s new novel steeped in family mystery
As a child, professor and noted author Joanna Scott played with figurines collected by her great-grandfather, Armand de Potter. After unearthing a trunk filled with diaries and documents, Scott realized her great-grandfather wasn’t the man he seemed. This disquieting discovery became the basis for her new novel, De Potter’s Grand Tour.

Comparative literature professor explores concept of ‘the sublime’
Robert Doran looks at the intense interest in the “sublime” as an aesthetic concept — distinct from and even surpassing “beauty” — in his forthcoming book The Theory of the Sublime from Longinus to Kant.

Institute for Popular Music celebrates Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones
Institute for Popular Music kicks off its 2014-2015 performance and lecture series with a tribute to the iconic 70s rock band, Led Zeppelin. In the spring, lectures and a concert will focus on the music of the Rolling Stones and the 50th anniversary of the group’s career-making hit “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction.”

International celebration honors work of scholar, activist Douglas Crimp
Leading scholars, artists, and critics from around the world will gather at the Arsenal Institute for Film and Video Art in Berlin on August 28 to celebrate the work of Douglas Crimp, who turned 70 this month. Known for his work as an art critic, theorist, curator, and activist, his work was instrumental in the development of the field of queer studies.

College freshmen meet Rochester on #WilsonDay14
The incoming freshmen class will discover what Rochester has to offer and explore the many ways to get involved in their surrounding neighborhood during the 26th annual Wilson Day on Thursday, Aug. 28. Over 1,350 students will garden, paint, meet with senior citizens, help organize school supplies, and learn more about their new community.

Political science researchers earn top awards
Lynda Powell, Gerald Gamm, G. Bingham Powell, Jr., and Hein Goemans will be recognized for their award-winning research during the annual meeting of the American Political Science Association in August.

Rochester top college destination for African leadership students
The University ranks as the number one destination for graduates of the African Leadership Academy (ALA), a selective college preparatory program in South Africa. Last week the University hosted the academy’s 4th annual indaba, meaning “gathering” in Zulu – the largest conference in North America for students who have graduated from ALA.

Alternate mechanism of species formation picks up support, thanks to a South American ant
A newly-discovered species of ant supports a controversial theory of species formation. “Most new species come about in geographic isolation,” said Christian Rabeling, assistant professor of biology at the University of Rochester. “We now have evidence that speciation can take place within a single colony.”

Debut novel explores betrayal, brotherhood in the South
Tough economic times can bring out the worst in people, especially when you mix in family, desperation, and the drive to get ahead in business. This is one of the messages in Bluff City Pawn by professor Stephen Schottenfeld.

Mapping the optimal route between two quantum states
As a quantum state collapses, it will follow a path known as a quantum trajectory. In a new paper featured this week on the cover of Nature, scientists have shown that it is possible to track these quantum trajectories and compare them to a theory, recently developed by University of Rochester physicists, for predicting the most likely path a system will take.