Arts & Sciences

Abram Van Engen, chair of the Department of English in Arts & Sciences, was recently installed as the Stanley Elkin Professor in the Humanities.

Researchers at Washington University are identifying behavioral, environmental and neural factors through which genetic risk for mental health problems is expressed in youth.

How do we reason? When do we apply value judgments? Over the last year, WashU’s Civil Society Initiative has sponsored a range of classes, guest speakers and public events exploring the nature of responsible democratic citizenship.

WashU officially will launch the Program in Public Health & Society — including a major and minor —  at a celebratory event Monday, Oct. 21. The program, in Arts & Sciences, offers a distinctive interdisciplinary approach to public health.

Mary Jo Bang, a professor of English in Arts & Sciences, will receive the 2024 Tradition of Literary Excellence Award from the University City Municipal Commission on Arts & Letters.

Europa Clipper will conduct a detailed survey of Jupiter’s moon Europa to determine whether there are places below the moon’s surface that could support life. WashU’s William B. McKinnon, a member of the Europa Clipper science team, has studied Europa for more than 40 years.

Arts & Sciences’ undergraduate Spanish course “Not a Piece of Cake,” provides a taste of Latin American literature and history.

Alumna Leslye Lyons founded the nonprofit Words Alive to help children and teens find joy in reading.

This fall, WashU will launch The Engaged City. Building on the long-running Divided City initiative, and funded in part by a $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation, The Engaged City aims to highlight St. Louis’ cultural resources.

A remembrance of poet and WashU English professor Howard Nemerov has been named to the Notable Essays list in “Best American Essays 2024.” The piece, by Nemerov’s son Alexander, was first published by The Common Reader, the journal of essays and ideas housed at WashU.