Perspectives

Andrew Flachs, a doctoral student in Arts & Sciences, writes in a blog for National Geographic about the trials of Indian farmers and their rush toward modern farming practices.

Abram Van Engen, PhD, of Arts & Sciences, writes about civil discourse — and what modern politicians could learn from the Puritans. His book, “Sympathetic Puritans,” recently was published by Oxford University Press.

Stuart A. Kornfeld, MD, of the School of Medicine, chats in a video Q&A with The Journal of Clinical Investigation as part of its “Giants in Medicine” series. He discusses his research and the importance of mentors in encouraging future physician-scientists.

Sean Joe, PhD, of the Brown School, speaks about suicide among black youths and the importance of creating safe spaces for children in a Children’s Defense Fund video.

Mary Politi, PhD, associate professor in the Division of Public Health Sciences, writes for The Conversation about the complicated nature of health insurance and how hard it is for the newly insured to figure out the right plan for them.

Arts & Sciences alumni who majored in classics, and Timothy Moore, PhD, department chair, explain in videos the value and practical benefits of studying ancient civilizations.

A number of Washington University faculty offer perspectives on the issues underlying the unrest in Ferguson, where things stand and what work still must be done one year later.

Sam Fox School graduates write on the Palette Scrapings blog about the thought process behind their MFA thesis projects.

Elizabeth Haswell, PhD, associate professor of biology in Arts & Sciences, offers five tips for graduate students and postdocs on how to deal with stress.

German historian Corinna Treitel, PhD, of Arts & Sciences, writes on the Institute for Public Health blog about the movie “Contagion” — and how that term has a rich history but is no longer used in medical discussions.