Faculty and Staff Notes

Allegra Hyde's forthcoming story collection, The Last Catastrophe, has been named a most anticipated book of 2023 by The Millions and Our Culture. Additionally, Polygon named the collection a most anticipated science fiction and fantasy book, noting that "Allegra Hyde wrote one of 2022’s best novels, Eleutheria, and her second story collection, The Last Catastrophe, contains more optimistic visions of the future... despite the specter of climate change." The Last Catastrophe will launch in March.

Assistant Professor of Writing and Communication Cortney Smith recently published an article, "Communicating Felt Knowledge to Decolonize #MeToo: A Native Feminist Approach to the Sherman Alexie Allegations," in Feminist Formations.

The String Room Gallery at Wells College is pleased to present RE_MOVE, a transatlantic dialogue in image and text from 2019-2020 between visual artist Kasia Ozga, visiting professor of sculpture at Oberlin College and poet Dan Rosenberg, associate professor of English at Wells. The exhibition will be on display from January 24 - February 16, 2023.

Professor Kirk Ormand and David Halperin (OC ’73) have recently edited and published John J. ("Jack") Winkler's last book: Rehearsals of Manhood: Athenian Drama in Social Practice.

Professor Winkler delivered the book in progress as part of Oberlin's Martin Lectures Series in 1988 and was in the process of completing it for publication in 1990 when he passed away from complications arising from HIV infection. Ormand and Halperin have now updated that nearly-complete manuscript with references to scholarship from the last thirty years, edited the argument, and secured permissions for the 50+ images that Winkler wished included in the volume. The book will be available this February from Princeton University Press, the latest volume in the Martin Lectures series.

Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Rachel Saylor recently published an article, "Optimized derivatization of primary amines with the fluorogenic reagent naphthalene‐2,3‐dicarboxaldehyde toward reproducible quantitative analysis in biological systems," in Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry. Coauthors are Paola Gonzalez Quevedo ’21, Elizabeth Rigby ’22, and Samuel Kearney ’22.

Assistant Professor of Creative Writing Allegra Hyde published a short story in The Sun. The story, titled "Frights", considers climate change from the perspective of ghosts. It will be included in her forthcoming story collection, The Last Catastrophe.

Professor of Classics Christopher Trinacty recently published a chapter in the volume, C.H. Sisson Reconsidered. The chapter, “Sisson in Exile, or, Versions and Perversions of Ovid’s Tristia”, considers the way that the 20th C. English poet C.H. Sisson utilized Ovid's poetry in his poetic self-representation. Prof. Trinacty also has written the entry for Seneca in the revised Oxford Classical Dictionary.

Emily Barton reviews Vigdis Hjorth's new novel, "Is Mother Dead," for the Times of London.

Francis W. and Lydia L. Davis Professor Emeritus of Religion Margaret Kamitsuka announces the publication of the T & T Clark Reader in Abortion and Religion: Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Perspectives (Bloomsbury, 2023), which she coedited with Rebecca Todd Peters (Elon University). This project was supported by an Oberlin Senior Research Scholar grant.

Professor of Theater and Department Chair Matthew Wright was awarded "Best Actor - Musical" by the Cleveland Critics Circle for his role as Nostradamus in Something Rotten at Beck Center for the Arts and is featured in the Cleveland Scene article announcing the 2022 winners.