Tuesday Newsday
It’s Tuesday Newsday, where I bring you some of the new and noteworthy things that cross my inbox.
Since yesterday was FDOC (First Day of Class), I thought it might be nice to share a snippet from an interview with physics professor Oana Jurchescu, who became the first Wake Forest University faculty member to receive an NSF Special Creativity Award. While her research interests (organic and hybrid electronic materials and devices) are well outside my area of expertise, I do know that awards from the NSF (National Science Foundation) are a huge deal. Dr. Jurchescu was interviewed in the International Society for Optics and Photonics, and I love what she had to say about how she approaches teaching:
“What are some of your responsibilities as the Baker Professor of Physics at Wake Forest University?
At Wake we truly value the teacher-scholar ideal, with excellence being sought in research, teaching, and mentoring. Alongside teaching undergraduate and graduate physics classes and being one of the founding members of the Center for Functional Materials at Wake Forest University, I strive to build a research group that creates, innovates, and delivers solid scientific output that stands the test of time. I mentor undergraduate, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, and guide them in shaping long-term career plans. I am a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in science, and I have established a strong tradition of mentoring women and underrepresented students. Such efforts benefit all group members since they have the opportunity to work in a team with a broad perspective and which represents more accurately the workforce they will join after leaving my lab.”
Dr. Jurchescu is a star in her field, and on top of her spectacular professional record, she has also won both our WF research and mentoring awards, which is no small feat in a sea of outstanding faculty here. For families with students interested in physics, I hope your Deacs get the chance to take her classes or work in her lab.
In other news, the Office of Wellbeing is now enrolling for our Wellbeing Coaching program, which is free for students, staff, and faculty! Clients will work one-on-one with a certified coach to identify their individual health and wellbeing goals, and then co-create a plan to achieve those goals and make them stick. Sessions are bi-weekly for the semester, or on a drop-in basis, and a variety of times are available. Goals can vary widely and can include anything from increasing sleep or managing stress, to developing a mindfulness practice or pursuing financial goals. Students can find out more and register at go.wfu.edu/wellbeingcoaching.
Our local paper, The Winston-Salem Journal, has a column called Ask Sam, where local readers can ask questions and “Sam” answers them. This edition of Ask Sam was about our history of rolling the Quad. A good primer on this particular WFU tradition.
And if you want to relive the magic of New Deac Week, our wonderful photographer Ken Bennett has assembled the best of the photos here. For our P’26s especially, take some time and dig in to these pictures – you may even see your Deac!
–– by Betsy Chapman, Ph.D. (’92, MA ’94)
August 23, 2022