Dyson College of Arts and Sciences News

In USA Today’s story on actor Hudson Williams, Melvin Williams, associate professor of communication and media studies at Pace University, noted that while celebrity journalism often seeks intimate details, “celebrities and non-celebrities do not owe the public a confirmation or explanation about their sexual orientations.”

Dyson Professor Melvin Williams speaks to USA Today discussing emerging Gen Z slang like “aura farming” and “clip farming,” explaining how coded language reflects younger generations’ deep reliance on digital platforms to shape identity and social life.

Dyson Professor Marcella Szablewicz pens an op-ed for MS NOW applying moral panic theory to the public reaction surrounding the Epstein files. She argues that moral panics historically target marginalized “folk devils” and hinge on exaggerated threats—conditions that do not apply to scrutiny of powerful elites.

In Newsday, Dyson Philosophy Professor James Brusseau, who researches AI in higher education, weighs in on a closely watched case involving an Adelphi University student who successfully challenged an AI-related plagiarism accusation. Professor Brusseau underscores the broader implications for academic integrity policies, highlighting the need for transparent standards and due process as institutions grapple with artificial intelligence in student work.

Dyson Professor Seong Jae Min writes a piece in The Korea Times comparing recent pro-democracy protests in South Korea with demonstrations in the United States over immigration enforcement. He examines how polarization, geography, and social cohesion influence the scale and impact of civic mobilization, emphasizing that democratic systems endure only when citizens step forward to defend them.

At the intersection of art and technology, Olivia Vella ’26 is building a career through visual storytelling. With support from Pace faculty and immersive coursework, the dual major landed a motion graphics internship at Madison Square Garden—where her work electrifies game-day experiences.

Pace University Art Gallery is pleased to present Summer Remembers Winter, a solo exhibition by painter Siobhan McBride. The exhibition explores disjointed spaces, memory, and experiences shaped by dislocation and opens for viewing on Saturday, February 14 with a free public reception on Thursday, February 19, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Dyson Professor Matthew Bolton, co-director of Pace’s International Disarmament Institute, contributed several chapters to a major new report from Norwegian People’s Aid examining the enduring global impacts of nuclear weapons testing. The landmark study warns that decades-old atmospheric nuclear tests are projected to cause at least two million additional cancer deaths worldwide, underscoring that the human and environmental consequences remain ongoing.