College of Humanities & Earth and Social Sciences

The soldier’s face has faded in the World War II photograph, falling victim to the ravages of time. Yet, even as the picture has turned cloudy, the image of her father has grown sharper in Barbara Presnell’s mind. Presnell, an award-winning documentary poet and essayist, has captured the story of her father William G. Presnell in her Blue Star collection, published earlier this year by Press 53 in Winston-Salem.

The sounds that fill hospital rooms can take on a discordant tone, as life-sustaining equipment beeps, hisses and blares. Chapel Hill non-profit DooR to DooR breaks through the noise, bringing to health care settings the sounds of a different healing sort, as documented in the new film “The Acoustics of Care.”

When streetlights burn out in the Enderly Park neighborhood, the darkness closes in, causing residents to worry about safety. UNC Charlotte geography undergraduate students Jamal Covington and Devin Martin have created a way for residents to use mobile devices to easily report issues such as burned-out lights.

They are born all over the planet, some 3.5 million of them a year, beginning life as tiny flickers in the grass. They grow fast; feeding on forests, devouring ground, turning landscapes into ash. As these fires burn, atmospheric scientist Brian Magi is watching, researching the connections between fire, land, atmosphere and climate – and the role humans play in that mix.

History professor Gregory Mixon’s new book analyzes one state’s process of freedom, citizenship and the incorporation of African Americans within the political and economic structure of the United States after the Civil War. “Show Thyself a Man: Georgia State Troops, Colored, 1865-1905” explores how both independent militias and state-sponsored militias defined freedom and citizenship for African Americans.

Two on-campus entities have conducted research to improve student experiences and outcomes related to career readiness, with the added benefit of providing Communications Studies students hands-on research experience.

In the contemporary world, natural sciences and philosophy may seem to be worlds apart. Yet, these disciplines are not always estranged. Trevor Pearce, a UNC Charlotte philosophy assistant professor, currently is researching the historical connections between philosophy and biology, and he has found that the innovative method of thought utilized by pragmatists can prove relevant to contemporary education.

Loy H. Witherspoon, professor emeritus of philosophy and religious studies at UNC Charlotte and a longtime confidant to University founder Bonnie Cone, passed away on Sunday, Jan. 15, in Charlotte. The founding chair of the Department of Religious Studies, Witherspoon retired in 1994 after 30 years of distinguished service at the University. “Loy Witherspoon embodied the values and aspirations of UNC Charlotte,” said Nancy Gutierrez, dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences.

Common sense suggests that dangerous prison conditions will deter released prisoners from committing more crimes and returning to prison. However, studies by UNC Charlotte researcher Shelley Listwan have found that harsh prison conditions may actually push prisoners the opposite direction.

Surrounded by the sprawl of a modern city, the dense forest grove of Osun-Osogbo in southwestern Nigeria has long stood as a silent sentry guarding the mysteries of the ancient past. Those secrets are now revealed by UNC Charlotte researcher Akin Ogundiran, whose work has upended long-held views of how West Africa became a global economic player.