University of Richmond Commencement Speaker is Richmond Fed President and CEO Tom Barkin
Barkin will address University of Richmond graduates during the main Commencement ceremony in May.
School of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Annual Report
2023-24 Now Available!
Department of English Writers Series
Megan Fernandes
Thursday, March 20, 6 p.m. | Humanities Building Commons, 2nd Floor
Megan Fernandes is the author of three books of poetry: The Kingdom and After (Tightrope Books, 2015), Good Boys (Tin House, 2020), and I Do Everything I’m Told (Tin House, 2023). She has published her work in The New Yorker, Chicago Review, Boston Review, and McSweeney’s, among other places. A South Asian American writer living in New York City, she was born in Canada and raised in the Philadelphia area. Her family are East African Goans. Fernandes is an associate professor of English and the Writer-in-Residence at Lafayette College. She holds a Ph.D. in English from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.F.A. in poetry from Boston University.
Richmond Italian Film Festival
Film Screenings + Special Guest Roundtables
Friday-Monday, March 21-24, 2025
This inaugural festival will showcase some of the best Italian films of the last two years and one restored film from the heyday of Italian cinema. Our aim is to bring the finest Italian films each year to Richmond, to revive an important international film tradition, to involve students in the curatorial process and presentation of the films, and to connect with the local community and Italian institutions in the region. UR Campus will host screenings on campus with culminating film feature showing at Byrd Theater on Monday, March 24.
Friday, Mar. 21: 5:30 p.m. Opening Reception + 6:30 p.m. Screening, Jepson 118
Saturday, Mar. 22: 1:30 p.m. Screening + Roundtable, Ukrop Auditorium
Sunday, Mar. 23: 1:30 1st screening, 3:30 Roundtable, 6 p.m. 2nd screening; Jepson 118
Monday, Mar. 24: 7 p.m. screening, Byrd Theater, 2908 W Cary St., Richmond
A&S Student Symposium
Each April, we celebrate our diverse community of learners at the A&S Student Symposium, a showcase of student-led research projects from nearly 30 disciplines in the arts, humanities, sciences, and social sciences. Student researchers share their scholarly work with the campus community and the public through oral presentations, poster sessions, performances, and art exhibits.
FRIDAY, APRIL 18, 2025, 1 TO 6 P.M.
A&S Books & Roses
FRIDAY, APRIL 24, 2025, 4:30-6 p.m. | HUMANITIES COMMONS
Join the A&S Dean’s Office for the third annual Books & Roses Celebration showcasing A&S faculty and staff books published between April 20, 2024 and April 20, 2025.
Books & Roses is inspired by two annual international celebrations: 1) Saint George’s Day (“Sant Jordi”) in Catalonia, where literature and love are distinctly intertwined in a massive display and exchange of books and roses, and 2) UNESCO World Book and Copyright Day. Both are typically celebrated on April 23, which also happens to be the birthdate of Cervantes and Shakespeare.
The festivities will include cupcakes, refreshments, music, and roses.
Meet the 2024-25 Beckman Scholars
A&S students Marcos Hendler, of Rye, New York, and Aine MacDermott, of Lexington, Virginia, have each been awarded a prestigious Beckman Foundation Scholarship to support faculty-mentored student research in the sciences.
Beckman Scholars are selected among undergraduate biology and chemistry students based on commitment to research, strong academics, and potential to become scientific leaders. UR has had 26 Beckman Scholars since 2006.
Hendler, a chemistry major, is studying computational chemistry focused on molecules related to anticancer, which has implications in possible treatments. Hendler’s faculty mentor is chemistry professor Carol Parish. MacDermott, a biochemistry & molecular biology major, is researching ancient DNA under the mentorship of biology professor Melinda Yang. MacDermott is focused on the evolution of the alcohol metabolism gene ADH1B in present-day and ancient East Asian humans.
Humanities Center
2024-2025: How (And Why) Do We Represent Nature?
This question invites us to consider “representation” in both its political and aesthetic meaning. “Nature” is represented in paintings, poems, scripture, music, dancing, novels, laws, regulations, equations, activisms, advertising campaigns. This question asks how environments — and often their relations to human concerns — are represented across media, geographic and cultural contexts, and different historical moments.
A&S Feature Stories
University of Richmond Professor Julietta Singh’s ‘The Nest’ to Premiere at Hot Docs Film Festival in Toronto
The Nest, a feature-length documentary by University of Richmond professor Julietta Singh and filmmaker Chase Joynt, will make its world premiere at the upcoming Hot Docs Festival in Toronto, Canada.
Investing in sustainability
A summer internship introduced senior Courtney Simpson to a career in sustainable investing. A return offer ensured she can continue to pursue her newfound interest.
University News
UR's Harnett Museum supports classroom curriculum with a new gallery exhibit
Faculty members from various departments are helping students learn lessons through the work of artists.
A&S Faculty in the News
Imaginary Numbers Are an Important Tool For Technology And Engineering
Mathematics professor Bill Ross authored this piece, originally published in The Conversation.
March 14, 2025
History professor Eric Yellin discusses the federal workforce.
Research News
A Timeline of Art and Artifacts Repatriated in 2025
The University of Richmond is highlighted.
University of Richmond to Host Inaugural Richmond Italian Film Festival
Italian and film studies professor Luca Peretti is quoted.
Events
Faculty Expertise
Do you envision college as a place where your professor’s office hours are spent in deep conversation about topics beyond this week’s assignment? Where you can work side-by-side with a faculty member on cutting-edge research that is published in a professional journal?
In A&S, our faculty are experts on the cutting edge of their fields. While they could work in some of the top research institutions in the world, our faculty chose Richmond because they believe in educating tomorrow's leaders and are passionate about mentoring and sharing their knowledge with students.
A&S Faculty Highlights
Peters received NSF award for neuroscience research
John Peters, a biology professor at the University of Richmond, has received a $502,981 National Science Foundation award to support his neuroscience research on the mechanisms of learning and memory.
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Wu published on impact of global warming on floral traits
Carrie Wu, professor of biology, published "Effects of experimental warming on floral scent, display, and rewards in two subalpine herbs" in Annals of Botany.
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Drummond's film featured in 2025 festivals
Art professor of experimental film, video art, and alternative media, Jeremy Drummond’s film, Monument, was selected to be featured at several film festivals including Bethesda Film Fest, Albany Film Festival, 2025 New Jersey International Film Festival, 33rd Arizona International Film Festival and Spatiotemporal Symposium: Experimental Film & Architecture.
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Bowie promoted to professor
Jennifer Bowie was promoted to professor of political science. Bowie specializes in judicial decision-making in federal, state, and comparative court, and is the former editor of the Law and Politics Book Review.
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