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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, APRIL 10, 2014
PAGE 7A
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CAMPUS
Film festival shows complexity of human condition
CASSIDY RITTER news@kansan.com
The African Film Festival, happening Thursday through Saturday at a different campus location each day, is a collection of 18 films from all around the world — each about human perspective and condition. While not all of the films were filmed in Africa, they all relate to the continent.
The films "express the human condition in one way or another," said Daniel Atkinson, assistant director of the Kansas African Studies Center. Atkinson also helped coordinate the event.
There are films made in
China, Bolivia, Argentina, the U.S. and many other countries, each expressing a variety of perspectives. The films range in length, from 13 minutes to 90 minutes, and cover a variety of topics, such as music, religion, culture and sports.
"They express varying points of view...the things we are trying to address are inter tribal, political, gender issues as well," Atkinson said. "They're from a wide range of perspectives which is what we are trying to go for."
subject to violence in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria. This film is 59 minutes and will show Friday at 5 p.m. in the Spencer Museum Auditorium
African Film Festival because he believes the African narrative is underrepresented in American society.
One film, "Just to Let You Know I'm Alive," shares the testimonies and history of Sahrawi women who were
"I like learning about new places and new ways of
Mugabi Byenkya, a senior
"It gives students cause to pause, to think a little more about their fellow human beings, people who they may not normally come across or even interact with."
DANIEL ATKINSON Kansas African Studies Center assistant director
from Kampala, Uganda, is a member of the African Students Association. Byenkya will be attending the
thinking about things which stepping into another culture always does," Byenkya said. "Also, attending the festival
will, in a sense, take me back home for a bit."
The film festival is intended to open the eyes of students in the Lawrence community — to put a "seed of critical thought" in people's mind, Atkinson said.
"It gives students cause to pause, to think a little more about their fellow human beings, people who they may not normally come across or even interact with," Atkinson said.
The films show that we share more similarities than we do differences. The differences we see are fictional differences of class, race and gender and these differences create
barriers, says Atkinson.
Atkinson added that, there is at least one movie that he thinks people will be touched by. He also says to come with an open mind and to have a good time.
This is the third year the African Film Festival has been shown at the University. The film festival is a free event for the Lawrence community and will be shown in Wescoe on Thursday, in the Spencer Museum Auditorium on Friday and in the Kansas Union on Saturday. For a list of films playing and a complete schedule of times and locations', visit afs.ku.edu
Edited by Blair Sheade
ACADEMICS
Graduate student receives prestigious fellowship
MCKENNA HARFORD news@kansan.com
When graduate student Alex Erwin found out she had received a National Science Foundation Fellowship, she tried not to get her hopes too high as she went through denial, excitement and finally acceptance.
"There were some thoughts like 'oh this has to be a mistake,' so I sent my adviser an email and it wasn't. And then I mostly just danced around my kitchen," Erwin said.
In early April, the NSF announced Fellowship
recipients, which included six KU students: Stephen Baca, Jeremy Ims, Kevin Song, Jason Stevens, William VanSkike and Erwin. These students will receive a yearly stipend to conduct research. Erwin was one of 29 in the country to get a fellowship for genetics.
She received the award for her proposal to study the effects of changes in genes that are inherited outside of DNA during the aging process of cells that always replicate and pass on DNA.
"I think she will be able to craft a very unique project that isn't just driven by genetic
analysis, but is motivated by theory of aging," said Justin Blumenstiel, Erwin's faculty advisor and assistant professor.
Erwin's study would also focus on whether the disturbance in the changes affect future generations, using fruit flies. She hopes that this research will be used to answer questions like why there is aging.
"Obviously everyone hopes to find something novel," Erwin said. "But either way, whether the result is positive or it ends up being negative, it is still going to be informative
to the general question."
Blumenstiel has strong hopes for Erwin's research because of her "dedication to pushing the envelope" and her innovative approach.
"She's here before I am every day," Blumenstiel said. "This is something that came from her and I think it's really exciting."
Epigenetics first interested Erwin as an undergrad, when she was doing research for a lab at Missouri State University in her hometown of Springfield, Mo. She was fascinated by how her love for science and linguistics could be partnered in the study of
genetics.
She developed her proposal idea as a first-year graduate and applied for the NSF Fellowship then,but was turned down. Now she is looking forward to spending most of her time researching and doing community outreach.
"It's really rewarding to go out and talk to students who are interested in science and do various activities with the community, so I'm really excited that now I will have more time to participate in outreach events," Erwin said.
in June and she is looking forward to the opportunities that the Fellowship will offer her, especially spending more time doing outreach to students who are interested in science. Her advice to these students is to not be too proud to ask questions.
"You find that even professors that you think so highly of are willing to ask questions and they don't know everything in their field, so definitely don't be afraid of asking questions because it will benefit you," Erwin said.
Erwin's research will start
— Edited by Alec Weaver
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THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS UNIVERSITY THEATRE PRESENTS
By Gao Xingjian Translated by Gilbert C. Fong
April 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 2014 at 7:30 p.m.
April 13, 2014 at 2:30 p.m.
William Inge Memorial Theatre
General admission tickets are on sale in the KU ticket offices: University Theatre, 864-3982; Lied Center, 864-ARTS; and online at www.KUTheatre.com. Tickets are $15 for adults, $14 for senior citizens and faculty and staff, and $10 for all students and children. All major credit cards are accepted. The University Theatre is partially funded by the KU Student Senate Activity Fee. The University Theatre's 2013-14 season is sponsored by Truity Credit Union.
KU THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS University Theatre
STUDENT SENATE
TRUITY CREDIT UNION
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