Michael LaCombe, PhD, Associate Professor of History

In this Q&A, we sit down with Michael Lacombe, PhD, associate professor in the 糖心破解版 Department of History鈥攁苍诲 superfan鈥攖o leaf through the series鈥� folklore. From the base鈥檚 original purpose to the 鈥淪atanic Panic鈥� of the 1980s, Dr. Lacombe offers his thoughts on how the era鈥檚 paranoia mixed with the eastward explosion of suburban Long Island created an ideal breeding ground for Stranger Things.

He also offers a historian鈥檚-eye critique of the show鈥檚 evolution, the 鈥渕indset鈥� of the 1980s and why the series finale might have played it a little too safe鈥攕poiler alert!

Camp Hero has been called the 鈥淗awkins Lab鈥� of the East End. What can you tell us about the original purpose of this base during WWII and the Cold War and why it became such a fixation of conspiracy theories?

I have no idea what the base was built for and what it may have been used for while it was active. I think that even today and especially during the Cold War, secrecy is kind of a reflex reaction for most of the military: They didn鈥檛 and don鈥檛 really need a good reason to keep things classified, beyond the fact that it makes it harder for us taxpayers to know where our money is going.

Some of the Cold War espionage stories I do know about seem either banal or just bizarre, like planting a booby-trapped seashell for Fidel Castro to find while snorkeling. If someone smuggled news of that plan out of a place like Camp Hero, or got drunk at a local bar on the East End and talked too much, no one would believe that was the real plan. A booby-trapped seashell? There would be all sorts of speculation about what the 鈥渟eashell鈥� is, and the military would encourage the weird stuff to make it even harder to know what was really going on.

is the best example: I鈥檝e read recent articles that claim the military has fostered and even spread weird stories about aliens there to cover up the more unsavory aspects of what they do everywhere. And they may also think it鈥檚 fun, trolling the civilians.

A structure that is one of the many support buildings located at Camp Hero State Park in Montauk, NY, the real-life inspiration for “Hawkins Lab” featured in Netflix’s Stranger Things.

Do you have any thoughts on how Camp Hero influenced the mythology featured in the series?

I鈥檓 sure the base was built when there was nothing much out there and Long Island grew to meet it, so it was surrounded by ordinary people doing ordinary things by the time of the Cold War. That was also (of course) the time of the automobile and the highway and the explosion of population on Long Island, so all of a sudden suburban neighborhoods found themselves next to 鈥渟ecret鈥� bases. I think this is an important part of how this mythology grew, as the American population exploded and expanded in the years after World War II.

You could say the same thing about wolves or mountain lions: They鈥檝e always been there, of course, but now people have moved into their territory and surrounded them and they鈥檙e a thing, a problem鈥攎ilitary bases haven鈥檛 been there that long, but I think it鈥檚 likely that in the 70s and 80s people just started to notice them.

Hawkins鈥檚 status as a kind of Everytown USA, with a mall and a Blockbuster, is very important to the show, and I imagine that 75 years ago Montauk could have thought of itself in the same way (like Amity Island was in the movies). It鈥檚 hard to imagine anyone envisioning the East End as Everytown USA today.

Are there any elements of the Camp Hero project that still remain in Montauk?

I鈥檝e never been out there, but I understand there are some beautiful, rusting relics still standing: a radar tower and gun emplacements (there are lots of these, it turns out鈥擨鈥檓 familiar with a series of bunkers and gun batteries in Casco Bay, Maine). I think responsibility is now New York state鈥檚 and not the Army or the federal government, and that some areas are closed off because they鈥檙e dangerous and/or contaminated. And (as we know from the Hudson River) it takes a lot of time and money to remedy some kinds of environmental contamination. But all this feeds back into the reason why we鈥檙e interested in such places and why being forbidden to go there makes us even more interested and curious鈥攁苍诲 dubious鈥攁bout the boring official explanations (you are likely to be seriously injured and the Army doesn鈥檛 want to get sued).

Think about this comparison: The Army gave Governor鈥檚 Island to New York City and the state, but there are no stories about that: It鈥檚 a beautiful place, largely intact, that鈥檚 now a park with great old brick buildings and astonishing views. But the barbed wire, rusting tower, gloomy bunkers and 鈥淒anger鈥揔eep Out鈥� signs just lend to Camp Hero鈥檚 eerie 80s aura. And there are lots and lots of photo-essays of dead malls with weeds growing in the food court鈥攊t鈥檚 the same vibe of mysterious and evocative places.

And anyway, we鈥檙e still talking about it!

Eleven鈥檚 story is said to be grounded in the CIA project MKUltra. The Hellfire Club is a nod to the 鈥淪atanic Panic鈥� of the 80s. And so much of the series is colored by fears from the Cold War era. Can you delve a little deeper into the American history that influenced the show?

The Hellfire Club was also a big shout-out to the original (D&D) players from that era. A lot of cool people today pretend they were 鈥渞eally into鈥� D&D in the 80s, but they weren鈥檛鈥攊t was a game for outcasts and recluses and misfits like Eddie and Dusty Buns and the gang. D&D changes the equation of the popular fear of satanic influence, too鈥攖here was a lot of fear in those days just as there is today, about mysterious forces preying on American youth. It wasn鈥檛 communism anymore (even the Reagan administration couldn鈥檛 make a credible case that American teenagers in the 80s were closet commies). But the broader conspiracy theories that the show is based on (secret bases, secret experiments, the military/scientific/paranormal) acted at the time against all sorts of things. The destroyed lives, and the just made it impossible for a kid I played Little League with to come over and play D&D with us. But I think the show didn鈥檛 just plant 80s cultural references like Easter eggs: It had a very 80s mindset and sensibility.

So I thought one of the most interesting things about the show was not that it was 鈥渁bout鈥� anti-communist fears of sinister satanic forces infiltrating small-town, authentic American heartland lives. That was all true in the show, right? The Soviets really were training a strike force of interdimensional creatures and all that. It was more the way it inhabited that 80s world of paranoia so fully, the same world that gave us all those classic horror franchises. Subterranean tunnel networks鈥攚hat could be a more obvious symbol of this? A parallel dimension鈥攁ll of that.

So the varsity hoops team beating up the D&D club was part of the way the show inhabited the 80s sensibility, but so was the casual way that our heroes, including Sheriff Hopper (a Vietnam vet鈥攁nother essential element of the 80s anti-government conspiracy mix) shot American soldiers as they invaded the base in the final season. That was right out of , and I found it frankly jarring鈥攖here was another scene where an Army sniper in a helicopter was gunning down scientists fleeing a secret desert lab, laughing as he shot them. The portrayal of soldiers in these ways was really not something we鈥檙e used to seeing much these days.

Stranger Things was rooted in the very real tensions of the Cold War.

Most importantly, what did you think of the ending?

Not enough death. I think the show took on a cultural resonance way bigger than its story and characters, and (let鈥檚 face it) the 鈥渢ension鈥� between Nancy and Jonathan or the bromance between Dustin 鈥淒usty Buns鈥� and Steve 鈥淭he Hair鈥� Harrington was never going to sustain the show. So they added character after character, and only Eddie and Bob ended up dying. I thought both of those characters鈥� deaths were important and gripping, and I thought we鈥檇 see a few more as they wrapped things up. But I think it just became impossible to kill off Mike, or Max, or Robin, or Hopper, etc., etc.

So as the final season wrapped up, we were left with a lot of long conversations to tie up plotlines that took too much time and were kind of implausible. Joyce vanished, and she was not only a great character but also Winona Ryder, which is a very important point to a person my age. But the biggest problem was time: There wasn鈥檛 enough time for the final boss fight, so it was a letdown鈥擭ancy got to blast things, okay, but it was too easy. And no one died!?! Who鈥檇 have thought Hawkins v. Vecna would be a shutout?

These multi-season streaming series are a strange and new phenomenon, almost a new form of storytelling. The show writers try to get renewed, so they open up the conflict the way Stranger Things did in the first couple seasons without resolving it (so they *have* to make a new season and get paid). But this kind of narrative lends itself to just this sort of problem. My daughters would have been very sad to see Max or Robin die in the finale, so why do it? It would have soured the show for them, and the finale served the purpose of the show well enough. Not every series can end perfectly the way did.

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We live in an era of unprecedented access to information and in these moments of extraordinary change, reading books or diving into history seem at best, quaintly out of date, or at worst, an indulgence that cannot create the same opportunity that we see in other growing fields like computer science or marketing. As someone who works in higher education, I can tell you that there is always talk about the demise of the humanities. In moments of technological innovation, these conversations intensify, and yet, these are the points in history that need the humanities the most.

The humanities鈥攖he study of literature, language, history or philosophy鈥攐ffer opportunities to think about why our world is the way it is, and give its students the tools to meet the changes we face. , but not always obvious, even as humanities students find their paths in education, law, business, management and the not-for-profit sector. The humanities invest in processes鈥攄eveloping critical thinking skills, intellectual creativity and flexibility. Put simply, humanities students know how to learn. At 糖心破解版, we have seen our graduates go on to become published authors, teachers, lawyers and technological innovators, finding jobs and building careers in unexpected and thrillingly varied fields. To follow the humanities is to pursue a passion, but that doesn鈥檛 mean that those of us who do so have to choose between that and a satisfying and lucrative career. We consider ourselves the lucky ones鈥攎ore often than not, we can have both.

Here鈥檚 the thing about the humanities: The path ahead isn鈥檛 always clear. We take a road map, and set out on a path, perhaps stopping to listen to the stories or histories that will guide us on our path, and keep moving forward. As we study the humanities, building vast reserves of intellectual curiosity, empathy and problem-solving skills, we are moving toward jobs that we haven鈥檛 yet realized exist鈥攐r perhaps even jobs that don鈥檛 yet exist. We move with creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit that will serve us well in the world鈥攏ot only as an employee, or (better yet) a boss, but as a human being, navigating the rapidly changing world with a sense of history, a sense of compassion and a sense of purpose. We understand how history and culture have brought us to this point in time, and we have the ability to imagine what comes next. We are, as Shakespeare put it, makers of manners.

In a world where technology insists that answers can be given instantly, and the world can feel increasingly unsettled, it can be hard to invest in a long-term strategy that can only promise to take you to places you are willing to go. But the outcomes are always worth it.

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This summer, undergraduate research is heating up on and off campus, thanks to support from the Scholars Pursuing Arts, Research and Knowledge (SPARK) Center, the Honors College and other funding sources. These program offerings ensure that every undergraduate has the tools to spark their curiosity鈥攁苍诲 immerse themselves in the University鈥檚 culture of research, creativity and innovation.

Honors College Students Explore the Past, the Future and Everything in Between

Vincent Calvagno, a history major and rising senior in the Honors College, is spending the summer doing research supported by two fellowships鈥攁n Honors College Summer Research Fellowship and a . Remarkably, he is the lone undergraduate in the group of 48 scholars from around the nation who received MHS fellowships this year.

History major Vincent Calvagno is researching water and property in the colonial era for his Honors thesis. He is one of just 48 research scholars selected by the Massachusetts Historical Society.

Calvagno is using the fellowships to comb through the archives of MHS, the , and for his Honors thesis project, 鈥淎quatic Appropriation: Water and Property in Colonial New England.鈥� Much of what he鈥檚 paging through hasn鈥檛 been unearthed in decades, sometimes even centuries. 鈥淚t鈥檚 made me more thoughtful about how I bring the distant past to life,鈥� he said.

With guidance from his research adviser, associate professor of history Michael Lacombe, PhD, Calvagno is working to discover the role that access to fresh water played in relations between colonists and the Indigenous population and to place it in the context of larger geopolitical trends of the colonial era. His findings may even shed light on current issues. 鈥淥ur world is experiencing a rising water scarcity crisis right now,鈥� he explained, 鈥渟o in looking back into the history of water possession, I hope to potentially gain insight into some of the root causes of this problem.鈥�

Calvagno isn鈥檛 the only Honors College student to receive two fellowships. Troy Cofie, a rising senior majoring in economics and minoring in mathematics and political science, won an award to do research with the University of Pittsburgh’s National Science Foundation-funded Mobilization and Political Economy Summer Research Program. He was one of only eight students chosen nationwide for this program.

Cofie is using the National Science Foundation and Honors College fellowships to conduct research for his Honors thesis, 鈥淪ocial Embeddedness and Legal Institutionalism: Alternative Frameworks for Economic Policymaking.鈥� Mariano Torras, PhD, professor and chair of the finance and economics department, is the adviser for Cofie鈥檚 Honors College summer research project.

“A Diverse Group of Thinkers” Tackles Research Topics from Energy to Neuroscience

Honors College students Aruzhan Bissenbay, Nadirah Peakes and Mickeylia Walker are working with Professor Brian Stockman, PhD, who last year won a $311,000 National Science Foundation grant to explore the origins of life on Earth. Now, Dr. Stockman is supervising the three students as they tackle separate pieces of his . The impact of their findings could reach well beyond the scholarly community, generating real-world value for projects such as .

Much like other research partnerships at the University, Dr. Stockman鈥檚 student team exemplifies the richness of the 糖心破解版 community. 鈥淚 wanted a diverse group of thinkers,鈥� he told 糖心破解版 in 2024. Since then, he鈥檚 staffed his lab with students who bring a variety of disciplinary perspectives to their work. Bissenbay, an international student from Kazakhstan, is a mathematics major. Peakes is a computer science major, while Walker is majoring in biology and minoring in African, Black and Caribbean studies.

Elias Nauth, a junior psychology major and political science minor, is working with Michael Moore, PhD, associate professor of psychology, on 鈥淭rauma in the First Responder Population,鈥� a project inspired by his work as an EMT on a volunteer ambulance squad. By identifying where trauma comes from and how it manifests, Nauth hopes to provide data that can guide future therapeutic treatments for first responders.

The other Honors College summer fellows are drawing on their studies in neuroscience, public health, physics and other fields to produce equally impactful work. Read more about their projects on the Undergraduate Summer Research and Fellowships page.

SPARKing Students鈥� Passion for Research

The SPARK Center is foundational to the 糖心破解版 undergraduate experience. SPARK Summer Research Fellowships are designed to encourage important inquiry in fields outside the lab sciences, empowering 糖心破解版 students to follow their passions wherever they lead鈥攆rom the archives to the rehearsal room to the community center.

This summer, SPARK fellows are unlocking the brain鈥檚 secrets with projects focused on the relationship between socio-cognitive impairment and mental illness and how gaming can help older adults maintain cognition. They鈥檙e also exploring theme development in dance choreography, examining the role of AI in employee retention strategies, translating their coming of age into a story collection, and more.

There are many other fellowships available for 糖心破解版 students interested in specific areas of research: the Landesberg Family Summer Research Fellowship for chemistry students, the Mary Klement Fellowship for physics students, and a Bhis茅 Center Field Research Travel Grant for global research. The 2025 Bhis茅 grant was awarded to Clara Ossand贸n Melo, a dual dance and psychology major, who is exploring dance and women鈥檚 empowerment in Butoh, a form of Japanese dance theater.

Maintaining 糖心破解版鈥檚 Global Reach Throughout the Summer

糖心破解版鈥檚 commitment to global engagement is also evident in a Poland-based summer research program led by Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, PhD, professor of chemistry. Every year since 2014, Dr. Widera-Kalinowska has taken a group of 糖心破解版 students to Poland to conduct research on nanotechnologies with top scientists at the University of Warsaw. The program is funded by International Research Experiences for Students grants from the

This summer鈥檚 participants are posting about their experiences in and outside the lab鈥攊ncluding seminars, educational workshops, and trips around Europe, along with cutting-edge projects on green energy and sustainability鈥攐n the . Visit that page for more direct reports from 糖心破解版 students on their research efforts.

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Provost and Executive Vice President Christopher Storm, PhD, remembered Dr. Starkey as 鈥渁 valued member of the 糖心破解版 family. He was a respected historian, dedicated educator and cherished colleague whose contributions to our academic community were profound and lasting.鈥�

Dr. Starkey鈥檚 糖心破解版 career began in 1968 when he joined the history department and spanned his service as a professor, Department of History chair, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, provost of the University, and chair of the Faculty Senate. Dr. Starkey retired in 2009.

A historian of the British and Scottish Enlightenment, he was also the author of seminal histories鈥�European and Native American Warfare, 1675-1815 and War in the Age of the Enlightenment, 1700-1789.

A Man of Reason

Martin Haas, PhD, associate professor of history, characterized War in the Age of Enlightenment as Dr. Starkey鈥檚 鈥渃ulminating work, in which he examined the potential strategic and practical influence of enlightenment ideas on the military in the 18th century.鈥�

According to Dr. Haas, his former colleague personified the great values of Enlightenment thought. 鈥淗e was a man of reason based on empirical evidence and exemplified the value of civic virtue鈥攚hich is why he served the department and University so ably,鈥� he recalled.

A Belief in the Rule of Law

鈥淟astly, he believed in the rule of law and not the rule of men.鈥� This principle guided him in 1997 when 糖心破解版 made history by removing its president and board of trustees for not meeting their responsibilities, and during his subsequent service as University provost from 1997 to 1999.

Lester Baltimore, PhD, professor emeritus of history, who joined the Department of History faculty alongside Dr. Starkey, remembered his colleague as a person of great integrity, whose many contributions to 糖心破解版 were, in his words, 鈥渉uge.鈥�

Yet despite the many academic and administrative roles he so ably filled at 糖心破解版, Dr. Starkey鈥檚 first love was sharing his love of history in the classroom. 鈥淗is students appreciated that,鈥� Dr. Haas recalled.

A Good Friend

Dr. Haas also noted that his friend, as well as being a loving father and grandfather, was a 鈥済reat conversationalist who would have been comfortable in a Paris salon or Edinburgh coffeehouse. He personified some of the best aspects of the style of the Enlightenment鈥攂y that I mean the wit and sense of humor of Voltaire, Jonathan Swift and Samuel Johnson.鈥�

Simply put, Dr. Baltimore said, 鈥淗e was a very close friend, and I miss him a lot.鈥�

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When history major Thea Crouch came to 糖心破解版, she knew she wanted to do original research alongside a faculty member.

鈥淚 wanted to assist a professor since the prospect of discovering historic information and sharing it with others is so exciting,鈥� said Crouch, who is entering her senior year this fall.

She鈥檚 been able to do that in her three years at the University. Now she is working on her own in-depth research project, with the help of associate professor and chair of the history department Edward Reno, PhD, as one of six students to receive an Undergraduate Research and Creative Works Summer Fellowship from 糖心破解版.

Supporting Projects by Students of History, English, Psychology, Neuroscience, Computer Science and Dance

The summer fellowship program, which was launched last year as one of the first programs established by 糖心破解版鈥檚 new Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, was made for students like Crouch.

鈥淭he new fellowships were created to show that research can be done not only in the lab, but outside the lab,鈥� said Justyna Widera-Kalinowska, PhD, professor of chemistry and director of the office. 鈥淭he fellowships support all of 糖心破解版鈥檚 Core Four areas of study and join the fellowships offered to students in the lab sciences.鈥� (糖心破解版’s Core Four include arts and humanities, STEM and social sciences, the business and education professions, and health and wellness.)

Fellowship winners were selected out of around 20 students who submitted in-depth proposals. Fellows receive a $4,000 stipend; their faculty advisers receive $1,000.

Crouch is using her fellowship to conduct research into the history of the , a soaring landmark in Garden City, New York, that serves as the seat of the Episcopal Diocese of Long Island. Opened in 1885, the cathedral was built by the family of Alexander T. Stewart, a department store magnate and one of America鈥檚 richest men at the time of his death, to honor his memory. 糖心破解版 stands on grounds formerly owned by the cathedral.

The goals of Crouch鈥檚 project are to learn more about the cathedral鈥檚 history by examining its archives and to create a digital catalog of cathedral documents for use by future researchers.

Meet Our Other 2024 Summer Research Fellows

The five other undergraduates joining Crouch as summer fellows have projects that are equally ambitious.

• Sarah Marino, a dance major entering her senior year, is attending workshops held by a major dance company to explore new styles and techniques that she can incorporate in her own choreography. Her faculty adviser is Orion Duckstein, associate professor and chair of the Department of Dance.
• Brienna Connor, a rising junior who is majoring in English with a minor in African, Black and Caribbean Studies, is conducting research into the myths and legends of Black Americans from the time of the slave trade and onward. She is being advised by Patricia Lespinasse, PhD, associate professor of African, Black and Caribbean Studies.
• Katelyn Schwab, a psychology major set to enter her senior year, is conducting an experiment to compare the effects of a range of political and legal issues on the well-being of LGBTQ+ individuals. She is being advised by Chana Etengoff, PhD, associate professor in the Gordon F. Derner School of Psychology.

• Heather Gittelson, an Honors College student and rising senior majoring in neuroscience, is conducting an experiment to assess how taking the perspective of a family member in the future impacts their perception of climate change risks. Her adviser is Karolina Lempert, PhD, assistant professor in the Derner School.
• Vaishnavi Dixit, a statistics major who is also an Honors College student and rising senior, is continuing her work on developing a k-nearest neighbor algorithm that can improve decision-making in finance, security and other areas. Her adviser is Josh Hiller, PhD, associate professor of mathematics and computer science.

Expanding 糖心破解版鈥檚 Commitment to Undergraduate Research

The new summer fellowships join a robust program of offerings overseen by the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, which was created in response to the increased emphasis the University’s Momentum 2 strategic plan placed on undergraduate research. They include Honors College Summer Research Fellowships for honors students in any field; Landesberg Family Summer Research Fellowships for students in chemistry; and McDonell Summer Research Fellowships for biology, chemistry and physics students.

Dr. Widera-Kalinowska leads her own summer program, taking a group of students to Poland each summer since 2014 to conduct research on nanotechnologies with top scientists at the University of Warsaw. The program is funded by International Research Experiences for Students grants from the National Science Foundation.

As director of the Office of Undergraduate Research and Creative Works, she is now working to make research a part of every undergraduate鈥檚 experience.

鈥淭he new summer fellowships were created not only to support students who want to do research, but as a way to encourage even more students to do research,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e also want the fellowships to advertise research, to attract students who aren鈥檛 yet involved in research projects. ”

Undergraduate Research Benefits Both Faculty and Students

The office is busily doing that over the summer, posting frequent updates on its about the work that fellows are doing and the experiences they鈥檙e having. This fall, the office will host a series of research workshops for students on a wide range of topics, including how to use different search engines, how to find a faculty mentor and how to apply for student research funding. Dr. Widera-Kalinowska would also like to start a student salon on Zoom that would give students who are doing research an opportunity to share their work.

And students aren鈥檛 the only audience Dr. Widera-Kalinowska hopes to reach. The office will also begin offering workshops to faculty members encouraging them to include undergraduates in their research.

鈥淲e want faculty members to see that there is a mutual benefit to involving students in their research,鈥� she said. 鈥淪tudents are so motivated and can learn quickly from faculty members and provide real support. I don鈥檛 have the time to do all the measurements, but my students can do them quickly. Because of that help, I鈥檝e been able to publish things I couldn鈥檛 have done without their help. I can鈥檛 clone myself, after all.鈥�

And, she said, there are other pleasures in working with students.

鈥淵ou give them new responsibilities and they thrive. They come back from the research experience and they鈥檙e so mature. They鈥檝e spread their wings, become independent. It is very gratifying.鈥�

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鈥淭heir presentations received more attention than mine did,鈥� said Dr. Torres. 鈥淚 was with them at the beginning and helped them to practice their presentations. But soon, they attracted constant attention from the public.鈥�

It Started as a Classroom Exercise

Dr. Torres鈥� spring semester course, Spain Today, covered topics such as contemporary cinema, literature and nationalism. But he also dedicated class time for students to choose their own topics of interest, then prepare and submit research abstracts to NeMLA.

鈥淲ith the help of AI, we practiced how to create prompts to produce a satisfactory abstract,鈥� he explained. 鈥淲e worked on editing those abstracts to be ready for submission鈥攁苍诲 every student in the class sent in their proposals. Several students鈥� proposals were selected to present at the conference.鈥�

For Dr. Torres鈥� students, the opportunity to present at a major conference was a win-win in terms of r茅sum茅 building and crafting graduate school or job applications. 鈥淵ou need to convince. You need ideas, you need examples, you need to show your potential. And the best indicator for future results is always your past work,鈥� he said.

Showcasing a Refuge for Chinese Comfort Women and Children

Gawrinauth, a history major, elected to showcase her advanced research on how Minnie Vautrin, an American missionary and head of Ginling College in Nanjing, China, during the 1937鈥�1938 Nanjing Massacre, made the college a refuge for women and children escaping Japanese brutality. Many of these women, according to Gawrinauth, were thought to be former comfort women鈥攚omen who had been forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese.

It’s a topic that invites parallels to contemporary sex trafficking. 鈥淯nderstanding these past atrocities can shed light on the enduring patterns of abuse, exploitation and resilience. By learning from history, we can better advocate for and protect victims of sex trafficking today,鈥� Gawrinauth insisted.

History professor Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD鈥檚 Gender in Modern China course 鈥渋gnited my passion to learn more about these resilient women and share their stories with others,鈥� Gawrinauth recalled.

For Gawrinauth, presenting her research at the NeMLA conference 鈥渘ot only allowed me to share my findings, but also served as a valuable learning opportunity to enhance my speaking skills.鈥�

In addition to her NeMLA poster presentation, her paper, 鈥淏ound by Love: Uncovering Familial Love and Sisterhood Among Chinese Comfort Women During WWII,鈥� received two other accolades: It was published in the and earned her the undergraduate .

Exploring the Portuguese Tradition of the 鈥淢elancholy Portuguese鈥� in Spanish Literature

Goncalves鈥� presentation was 鈥渞elated to things we talked about in class, and that appealed to her Portuguese cultural heritage,鈥� Dr. Torres reported. 鈥淪he is an accomplished student who explored how Portuguese people were depicted in Spanish literature.鈥�

Her focus was on the portrayal of the melancholic Portuguese鈥攁 characterization closely linked to Portuguese saudade, an emotional, nostalgic鈥攁苍诲 often bittersweet and sorrowful鈥攍onging for the past.

Miguel de Cervantes鈥� final, masterful novel, The Trials of Persiles and Sigismunda: A Northern Story, recounts the adventures of lovers鈥� two-year journey to Rome. Along the way, they encountered a Portuguese man who was melancholic because he鈥檇 canceled his marriage at the last minute as he said he was married to God.

Goncalves, according to Dr. Torres, connected Cervantes鈥� classic tale to Portuguese fado鈥攁 traditional music genre that embodies the melancholy, soulful yearning known as saudade.

A Validating Experience

For both students, Dr. Torres said, 鈥渢he experience talks about their excellence, initiative, motivation, professionalism and healthy ambition. It mainly shows that they can be successful in producing results.鈥�

His students鈥� posters are displayed in Alumnae Hall, for all to see and enjoy.

As for the students, now alumnae, both will continue to pursue their master鈥檚 degrees in education at the 糖心破解版 School of Education in the Ruth S. Ammon College of Education and Health Sciences.

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Sarah Eltabib, associate teaching professor in the College of Arts and Sciences, presented the workshop “Global Human Rights Defenders in Action.”

This collaboration began in 2007 with the 糖心破解版 College of Education and Health Sciences and was held every year until it was discontinued due to the pandemic. After five years, the conference has returned, with the College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) stepping up, in partnership with the (NCCHR), the first conference the College has co-sponsored. In addition to attending the conference, students could explore the Garden City campus and learn about 糖心破解版 programs, such as Levermore Global Scholars and Artivism.

鈥溙切钠平獍� has been a staple in the community for a long time,鈥� said Rodney McRae, executive director of the NCCHR. He explained that the conference gives students a place to get off their phones and meet in person to discuss important issues.

The conference attracted about 300 students from about 20 high schools, along with their teachers.

Maria Rivera, human relations representative of the NCCHR, said the conference 鈥渆xposes the children to college life, and we share the same vision to try to help the community.鈥�

Argie Agelarakis, adjunct faculty, introduced attendees to the Artivism initiative.

The conference began with a continental breakfast and a welcome speech by Susan Briziarelli, PhD, associate provost for faculty support and global affairs and interim director of Levermore Global Scholars. Her remarks were followed by Artivism: The Power of Art for Social Transformation, presented by Stephanie Lake, PhD, associate teaching professor and interim chair of sociology, Argie Agelarakis, MA 鈥�00, adjunct faculty member, and student leader River Gorman.

Artivism is about activism through art, and how art can be used for self-expression or to fight for human rights. 鈥淚 think that high school students are at an age where they can start thinking about human rights and fighting for injustices in the world, and that can be a good starting point for their activism through the rest of their lives,鈥� said Gorman.

High School Students Speak

The students were able to attend three out of the nine workshops offered, so every student had the opportunity to learn something different and share with their fellow classmates. During the LGS workshop 鈥淕lobal Human Rights Defenders in Action,鈥� presented by Sarah Eltabib, associate teaching professor, high school students gave examples of important qualities that leaders should have. 鈥淟GS creates those leaders of change to be the human rights defenders at the University and beyond the University,鈥� Professor Eltabib said. And while it is extremely important for high school students to be learning the roots of human rights, she believes that it should be taught to kids even younger.

Through this workshop and others like it, high school students connected with students from other schools and shared ideas.

Ariel Boodhram, an 11th-grader from Mepham High School, said, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important that everybody learns inclusivity because it鈥檚 taught in high schools, but to learn about it in this big group atmosphere, and learning about (inclusivity) from different perspectives, it helps us to relate to it more and be more aware of what鈥檚 going on in the world.鈥�

Danya Zaidi, another 11th-grader from Mepham High School, said that some schools may be less diverse than others, and the conference gave students the opportunity to share perspectives. She said, 鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important [for high school students to attend] because although past generations have built the platform for us, we need to grow that platform more and be able to have more diversity and inclusivity in our schools and in our own community.鈥�

The day ended with a special performance by two students, ninth-grader Liam O鈥橣arrell and 10th-grader Sierra McDaniel, as Walt Whitman and Bell Boyd meeting in the afterlife. Maria Cristina Zaccarini, PhD, professor of history, said, 鈥淭he performance shows the way that 糖心破解版 helps students make their course content 鈥� in this case, the life of Walt Whitman 鈥� meaningful to their own lives. The character of the student expresses frustration with thinking that there is no value in studying a person who lived over 100 years ago, but the dialogue suggests that there is a human connection that persists despite the passage of time.鈥�

Due to the success of this year鈥檚 conference, the College of Arts and Sciences is looking forward to co-sponsoring the conference next year as well.

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As I wrote in my we can’t give Native Americans back what they lost, but we can give them back their voice. History can’t be changed but we can at least look at the situation in the most human way possible, on both sides.

As a history major focusing on U.S. history, I know the value and importance of giving all individuals and groups a voice and learning about the experiences and contributions of Native Americans. Without hearing from all perspectives, we can never gain a complete understanding of why people have thought and behaved in certain ways throughout history.

University Libraries Holds 鈥淚ndigenous Lands of Long Island” Event

That’s why I attended the 糖心破解版 Libraries 鈥淚ndigenous Lands of Long Island” event on October 10 in the Swirbul Library. James Cho, associate professor, and Sheila Sincinito, administrative assistant, who both work in the University Libraries Cataloging and Metadata Strategies unit, as well as Dana Sinclair ’08, assistant professor, a collections and open strategies librarian, discussed precolonial Long Island history and geography, giving attendees insights into the indigenous ancestral homelands that became the present-day towns and villages of Long Island.

For example, for 糖心破解版:

• The Garden City campus is on the ancestral lands of the original homelands of the Merrick and Munsee tribal nations.
• The Hauppauge Center is on Secatogue land.
• The New York City鈥揃rooklyn Center was originally Munsee Lenape land.
• The Hudson Valley Center Poughkeepsie location was the home of the Schaghticoke, Munsee Lenape and Mohicans.
• The Hudson Valley Center Middletown location is on Munsee Lenape and Mohican land.

Including Native Americans in the Curriculum

Michael Lacombe, PhD, associate professor of history

Michael Lacombe, PhD, is an associate professor of history at 糖心破解版 and the author of . He specializes in early American history, both the native and colonial populations. As a student in his Early America: 1492-1680 course, I am gaining a better understanding of what it meant to be a Native American during the tumultuous time when Europeans arrived in North America. Dr. Lacombe encourages taking a look at history through the words of those with firsthand experience. The use of primary sources provides an even more impactful and comprehensive look at other communities and cultures.

鈥淵ou can’t really understand early American history without putting native people in the center of the story,” Dr. Lacombe said. 鈥淚 hope students come away from my classes in early America [understanding] that Native Americans played a major role and were involved in all of the subjects that we learn about鈥攁苍诲 not as passive victims who were acted on by Europeans but as actors in the story as well.”

He said that teaching early American history has changed over the years, from being 鈥渧ery much a European history of North America” to a more decolonizing approach. 鈥淚 would say that this ‘decolonize the curriculum’ statement is trying to say: Let’s not make the mistake of saying that English Puritans brought to the New World their love of liberty and their desire for freedom and everything else, as if somehow we can tell that story in a way where the only people that matter are the New England Puritans.”

Dr. Lacombe suggests that all Americans can celebrate National Native American Heritage Month by learning some aspect of Native American history or culture. 鈥淩ead one book, look at the work of one artist 鈥� study some aspects of Native American history and culture and then try to think about what light that sheds on the big story and how it changes the picture.”

Native Americans in the 糖心破解版 Community

Our past stories about Native American students and alumni include:

• Shinnecok Tribal Leader Lance Gumbs ’93: “糖心破解版 Made Me the Tribal Leader I am Today”鈥擜n alum revived his family business and became the tribal ambassador/representative of the Shinnecock Indian Nation, co-chair of the annual Shinnecock Indian Powwow and vice president of the National Congress of American Indians for the Northeast region.
• Students Create 糖心破解版’s First-Ever Event Series in Honor of Native American Heritage Month鈥擨n 2021, then-students Powless and Maybee formed the Indigenous Peoples Awareness Coalition (IPAC) and organized the first events honoring National Native American Heritage Month at 糖心破解版.
• A Force of Nature鈥擯owless came to 糖心破解版 to major in environmental studies and play volleyball.

Books and Films by and About Native Americans

• An American Sunrise: Poems (2019), by Joy Harj
• Atanarjuat: The Fast Runner (2001), Apple TV or ask a local library
• Ceremony (1977), by Leslie Marmon Silko
• Gather (2020), Netflix and Kanopy
• Killers of the Flower Moon (2023), currently in theaters
• The Last of the Line (1914), Internet Archive and YouTube
• Reservation Dogs, Hulu
• Smoke Signals (1998), Showtime
• Songs My Brothers Taught Me (2015), Kanopy
• There There (2018), by Tommy Orange
• Where the Spirit Lives (1989), Internet Archive

Resources in Swirbul Library

• American Indian History Day by Day: A Reference Guide to Events, Roger M. Carpenter
• American Indian History, Vol. 1 and 2, Carole A. Barrett
• Distinguished Native American Spiritual Practitioners and Healers, Troy R. Johnson
• Encyclopedia of American Indian History, Bruce E. Johansen and Barry Pritzker, editors
• Encyclopedia Britannica
• The First Americans: Race, Evolution and the Origin of Native Americans, Joseph F. Powell
• The Gale Encyclopedia of Native American Tribes, Sharon Malinowski
• Historical Dictionary of Native American Movements (e-book), Todd Leahy and Nathan Wilson
• Native American Arts & Cultures, Anne D’Alleva
• NAIS (Journal of the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association), Jean M. O’Brien and Robert AllenWarrior, editors
• Native Studies Review (Journal)
• Speak Like Singing: Classics of Native American Literature, Kenneth Lincoln

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