Viewing entries tagged
germanic and slavic studies

The 'AI' Panic in Perspective

The 'AI' Panic in Perspective

UC Santa Barbara Germanic and Slavic Studies professor Fabian Offert teaches a course called “Critical AI.“ Offered through the Comparative Literature department, he explores and critiques artificial intelligence’s current abilities with his students, which puts potential threats in perspective.

Weaving Protest: The Rise of Belarusian Craftivism

Weaving Protest: The Rise of Belarusian Craftivism

Sasha Razor, a Belarus native and international activist, presented an afternoon colloquium at UCSB last week discussing the rise of feminist craftivism and her latest exhibition, “The Code Of Presence: Belarusian Protest Embroideries and Textile Patterns.”

Seeking Knowledge in an Era of Information Overload

Seeking Knowledge in an Era of Information Overload

Wolf D. Kittler, a professor in UCSB’s department of Germanic and Slavic Studies, delivered the inaugural lecture for Interdisciplinary Humanities Center’s new series: Too Much Information, which explores the implications of our access to abundant information.

Artificial Intelligence: Thinking Beyond the Technology

Artificial Intelligence: Thinking Beyond the Technology

Nowadays, machines are so technologically advanced that they can handle problems humans are ordinarily responsible for. But, we should view artificial intelligence in cultural rather than technological terms, French AI researcher Alexandre Gefen recently told a UC Santa Barbara audience at an event sponsored by the Comparative Literature Program and the English Department’s Transcriptions Center.

From Student to Teacher: Russian Tutor Victoria Korotchenko

From Student to Teacher: Russian Tutor Victoria Korotchenko

Victoria Korotchenko, the child of Russian immigrants, is combining her knowledge of Russian with a passion for teaching. As a peer tutor at the Campus Learning Assistance Services (CLAS), the third-year UC Santa Barbara student helps teach anything related to Russian to fellow students - from the alphabet to grammar to speaking, or writing.

FOCUS ON FACULTY:  Susan Derwin's Writing Workshop for Veterans

FOCUS ON FACULTY: Susan Derwin's Writing Workshop for Veterans

Having the ability to tell your story can change your life – at least according to Susan Derwin, a specialist on trauma studies and a professor in UC Santa Barbara’s Comparative Literature and Germanic and Slavic Studies departments. Derwin has created a space for student veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars – as well as their loved ones  — to employ storytelling in order to both recover from personal trauma and to share their experiences with the public.

As director of the Interdisciplinary Humanities Center (IHC) on campus, Derwin created the course seven years ago and continues to teach it today. The class is titled “Writing Workshop for Student Veterans and Their Loved Ones,” and during the summer there is an opportunity for student veterans from across the entire UC system to participate in a similar workshop.

In a recent interview, Derwin discusses the power of narrative today, a time when many voices continue to go unheard.

ALUMNI ALL-STARS: Julia Marsh

ALUMNI ALL-STARS: Julia Marsh

For many undergraduate students nearing the end of their fourth year, graduating college and entering the real world feels daunting and uncertain. For others, the future after college is clear. UC Santa Barbara alumna Julia Marsh is one of those grads who was ready to forge her way to professional success after building the necessary skills while completing her undergraduate degree. Today, she is a successful graphic designer and graduate student in New York, preparing for a future in a field she loves.

Marsh is a 24-year-old from Carmel, a small town on the coast of Northern California. Her college journey started in 2011. While she loved art, she thought it was too impractical a field to pursue as a career so she chose to study writing. In her freshman year, Marsh decided to apply for a job at The Daily Nexus, the student run newspaper on campus. She became fast friends with the design director at the paper, who convinced her to take an available position working in layout. Within a few short months, she took over the role of design director.