U.Va. Podcast

Clinical psychologist, researcher and author Peter Sheras talks about the challenges and opportunities of parenting adolescent children. He explains to alumni how the tasks of parenting change as children grow into adolescence.

Reunions Weekend 2008 was the most well-attended event of its kind to date. In this podcast from the opening reception, officials brief alumni on the state of our University. Tom Faulders, President of the U.Va Alumni Association, profiles he demographics of its members. Vice President Bob Sweeney talks about the ascendancy of Reunions. President John Casteen III addresses critical issues facing the University and takes question from alumni.

Thomas Jefferson was not simply a classically educated gentleman of his time. He had far exceptionally far-ranging interests, was a dedicated amateur musician, and drew up plans to build an ambitious art collection at Monticello while still in his twenties. In the spirit of our founder, the arts are moving to center stage at U.Va. Alumni at Reunions Weekend 2008 received an update on the University's ambitious arts campaign, and the panel includes: Tom Bloom, chair of the drama department; Larry Goedde, chair of the art department; Bruce Holsinger, chair of the music department; and Elizabeth Turner, vice provost for the arts. The panel is introduced by Andrea Douglas, Curator of the University of Virginia Art Museum.

Thomas Jefferson was not simply a classically educated gentleman of his time. He had far exceptionally far-ranging interests, was a dedicated amateur musician, and drew up plans to build an ambitious art collection at Monticello while still in his twenties. In the spirit of our founder, the arts are moving to center stage at U.Va. Alumni at Reunions Weekend 2008 received an update on the University's ambitious arts campaign, and the panel includes: Tom Bloom, chair of the drama department; Larry Goedde, chair of the art department; Bruce Holsinger, chair of the music department; and Elizabeth Turner, vice provost for the arts. The panel is introduced by Andrea Douglas, Curator of the University of Virginia Art Museum.

Globalization refers to the rapid integration of low-income countries into the world economy, and the ever accelerating flow of goods and services, workers and investment across national boundaries. There's a great deal of debate over whether these contries benefit from globalization, or are injured by it. In this podcast from Reunions Weekend 2008, two of the University's top professors present their thoughts on the growing global economy. Economic professor Bruce Reynolds will explore China's experience with globalization. Ray Blumberg, the William R. Kenan Jr. Professor of Sociology will discuss why women's economic empowerment may be the magic potion to achieving Millenium Development Goals.

Where did the atoms in our bodies come from? How did they get here to Earth? Associate Professor of Astronomy Edward Murphy traces the history of your atoms from the Big Bang to the present day, and gives preview of what will happen to them in the long-distant future.

U.Va is consistently recognized for its outstanding community service programs. Every year the University serves more than one million people through more than 450 public service and outreach programs. This panel features a discussion about the volunteer experience at U.Va, and the participants are: Dr. Marcus Martin, immediate past chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine; Dr. Ross Isaacs, assistant professor of clinical internal medicine; and Dr. Audrey Snyder of the School of Nursing. The moderator is Kelly Eplee, the executive director of Madison House.

A panel of Virginia's most reknowned foreign policy experts talk about some of the world's most pressing issues. The conversation begins with a discussion of the role Iran is playing in the Middle East and the foreign policy of the United States. The panelists are Professor of Public Affairs Nathaniel Howell, John Norton Moore of the Center for National Security Law, Middle East expert R.K. Ramazani, and George Rodrigue of the Dallas Morning News. The moderator is U.Va History Professor Phyllis Leffler.

Biomedical engineering is one of the fastest growing disciplines of the new millenium. Assistant Professor Jason Papin, one of the newest members of U.Va's growing biomedical department, explains the basic science involved, and how the field is reshaping medical imaging, regenerative medicine and systems bioengineering. This event was recorded as part of Reunions Weekend 2008.

During the presidential election in 1980, candidate Ronald Reagan made news headlines by proclaiming that trees caused pollution. Though the comment was met with derision, there is strong evidence that plans can and do afect the chemistry of the atmosphere. Manuel Lerdau, professor of Environmental Sciences and Director of Blandy Farm, discusses how in this lecture to alumni during Reunions Weekend 2008.

Susan Carkeek, vice president and chief human resources offers, discusses the recommendations for a new human resources system during a Town Hall Meeting on May 22.

Helena Cobban is a veteran writer, researcher, and program organizer on global affairs. She is a contributing editor of Boston Review, where her recent articles have included essays on Lebanese and Palestinian issues as well as Rwanda. She has also written for the Christian Science Monitor, the New York Times, The Economist, and Salon.com, and she maintains the blog "Just World News." Cobban has published six books, including Amnesty after Atrocity? Healing Nations after Genocide and War Crimes and The Moral Architecture of World Peace: Nobel Laureates Discuss Our Global Future. She has worked as a journalist in the Middle East for the Christian Science Monitor and the Sunday Times of London and has led various non-governmental bodies. In addition to holding research fellowships at Harvard, Georgetown, and the Brookings Institution, she has taught at the Institut des Etudes Politiques and Eastern Mennonite University.

The University of Virginia observed its 179th Final Exercises on Sunday, May 18. In addition to the awarding of degrees and remarks by President John T. Casteen III, the event included an address by Hunter R. Rawlings III, president emeritus of Cornell University.

Valedictory Exercises for U.Va.'s Class of 2008 were held on Saturday, May 17, 2008, on the Lawn. In addition to the presentation of class awards, the announcement of the class gift and remarks by members of the class, the Valedictory Address was given by Sheila Johnson, CEO of Salamander Hospitality, LLC, and a global ambassador for CARE.

Frederick P. Hitz is a senior fellow at the Center for National Security Law at the U.Va. School of Law. He has been lecturing at the Woodrow Wilson School of Princeton University and at the U.Va. School of Law since 1998. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Hitz entered the Career Training Program at the CIA and served in the clandestine service in Africa. In 1974, he returned to law practice but re-entered government service in congressional liaison capacities with the State, Defense, and Energy departments before resuming his CIA career as Legislative Counsel to the Director of Central Intelligence. In 1980, he became Deputy Director for Europe in the Directorate of Operations. Hitz was appointed the first statutory Inspector General of the CIA by President George H.W. Bush. Among the many investigations he led at the CIA was the Aldrich Ames betrayal.