2024

Bel Olid has been regularly active as a translator into Catalan and, to a lesser extent, into Spanish, mainly of feminist and queer literature and children's books, from English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish.

Jessica Kirzane teaches all levels of Yiddish language and enjoys introducing students to a wide range of texts from Yiddish culture, including Yiddish literature written in and about Chicago.

Kimberly Kenny teaches beginning and intermediate Norwegian language, and Norwegian literature. Trained as a literary comparatist, she teaches courses that seek to integrate Germanic literatures such as "Reconnecting Two Germanic Literatures," which examines connections between Knut Hamsun and Franz Kafka, Thomas Mann and Alexander Kielland, and Henrik Ibsen and Gerhart Hauptmann; “Comparative Fairy Tale,” which encompasses Norwegian, Danish (H.C.

Erik Houle’s academic interests include historical and comparative Slavic morphology and syntax, language contact, language and culture, foreign language pedagogy, and second language acquisition. He is Assistant Senior Instructional Professor in the Department of Slavic Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago.

Ariane Echenique Calleja’s research includes bilingualism, code-switching, and the role of culture in language teaching. Deeply passionate about the Basque language and culture, she is dedicated to bringing these elements to life in her classroom, helping students connect with the rich heritage of the Basque Country. Echenique Calleja is Assistant Instructional Professor in the Department of Romance Languages and Literatures at the University of Chicago.

Derek Kennet’s research areas include the rise of Islam, economic responses to arid environments, and the interactions between the Arabian Peninsula and nearby societies. He has coauthored several books, the most recent of which—"Southeast Arabia at the dawn of the second millennium: The Bronze Age communal graves of Qarn al-Harf, Ras al-Khaimah (UAE): Southeast Arabia at the dawn of the second millennium”—is forthcoming from Oxbow Books in 2024. Kennet is the Howard E.

Julia Rhoads is the founding Artistic Director of Lucky Plush Productions, a MacArthur Award-winning ensemble recognized for its unique blend of dance, theater, comedy, and socially relevant themes. Her work for Lucky Plush has toured to more than 80 venues worldwide, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Joyce Theater, Institute of Contemporary Art in Boston, ODC, Wellesley Center, and Teatro Las Carolinas.

David J. Levin’s work focuses on the aesthetics and politics of performance in opera, theater, and cinema. From 2011to 2016, he served as the founding Director of the Gray Center for Arts and Inquiry and from 2018 to 2023, he served as Senior Advisor to the Provost for Arts. In addition to his scholarship and teaching, Levin has worked extensively as a dramaturg and collaborator for opera, theater, and dance productions in Germany and the United States.

Amber Ginsburg is a Chicago-based artist and educator. Her site-generated projects and social sculptures blend historical scenarios with contemporary issues, envisioning alternative futures. Ginsburg explores the continuities and disruptions in material and social histories. Collaborating with communities and experts in fields like botany, political activism, and science fiction, she focuses on human survival and feminist strategies. Her large-scale sculptures invite audience participation, examining the blurred boundaries between human and nonhuman agency.

Marc Downie’s pioneering approach to digital art combines three signature elements: non-photorealistic computational imagery; the incorporation of body movement by motion-capture; and the autonomy of artworks directed by artificial intelligence. His collaborative works have responded to an ever-expanding range of materials—drawing, film, dance, photography, music, architecture—and his work has been exhibited, commissioned, and collected by film festivals, museums, and performance venues worldwide.