Nobel Peace Laureate Shirin Ebadi Speaks on Bin Laden’s Death and Critical Issues

Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts hosted exiled Iranian human rights advocate, Shirin Ebadi, on campus May 2 for a program that elicited the Nobel Peace Prize winner’s views on issues including the killing of Osama bin Laden, the movements for regime changes in the Middle East, U.S. policy in the Middle East and Iran, Islam and secularity and feminism, cultural relativism, social media, and world human rights standards.

The recipient of the 2003 Nobel Peace Prize for efforts to promote human rights in Iran, Dr. Ebadi told program organizers that she is living under threat from the Iranian government which has pledged to seek her out and kill her wherever she is in the world.   Despite this, Ebadi stated clear positions on issues as she responded to questions posed by the program conversants and audience. 

On the U.S. approach to the war on terror and the killing of Osama bin Laden by the U. S. military, Ebadi said, “I have always been against things such as the Guantanamo Bay prison, but I believe they carried out justice when they raided the residence of Osama bin Laden and killed him.”  Ebadi asked the audience to remember that the U.S. has, for many years, called for bin Laden to come to trial and during these 10 years, he has trained more terrorists so, she said, there was no other option.

On the current movements for regime changes in the Middle East:  “In my opinion, the Islamic countries are almost obtaining democracy… Iran will get there.  It may be sooner or it may be later, but they will get there.”

On whether or not the U.S. government should intervene to promote democracy in Middle East:  “The promotion of democracy in each country is mostly the responsibility, the duty of the people of each country and the United States does not have the right to meddle in the internal affairs of countries, even Iran.” Ebadi said, “Fortunately, decisions have been made by the U.S. [that can advantage democracy], such as naming and distributing the names of people whom sanctions have been imposed upon… but we are wrong if we think that we can just bomb for democracy like the U.S. did in Iraq.”

On Iran’s nuclear development program and Western governments’ policies toward Iran:  “Iran needs to stop its nuclear program… For international peace, the non-democratic regimes are more dangerous than nuclear bombs and that’s why I say that the West needs to pay more attention to human rights in  Iran.”  Ebadi said that people in Iran are dissatisfied with the Iranian regime because of the lack of human rights and the bad economic situation.  Though people who object are repressed harshly, she said, they do not forget and victory is at hand.

On how Islam should be interpreted:  “Islam is a religion just like any other religion and has a place in our hearts.  Islam, just like any other religion, if they obtain political power, it can abuse that power and that is why I believe in secularism and at the same time, am Muslim.  And I believe in freedom of religion… What is important is that we should not allow someone to use religion against people. “

On Islam and the rights of women: “If we interpret Islam correctly, we can come to equality for men and women.”

Ebadi said that she believes that human rights are universal and that cultural relativism regarding human rights is wrong.  She said she believes that human rights can be implemented in Islamic countries, but that education is needed to pave the way.  “Education is really important to promote human rights, but the issue is that the non-democratic regimes do not allow such education and that’s where we say that human rights go hand in hand with democracy… We were teaching human rights in Iran and whoever cooperated with us was sentenced [by the Iranian regime] to five years’ incarceration so human rights and democracy are like twins brothers.”

On why she identifies herself as Muslim instead of an Iranian:   Ebadi said that she wants to show that she knows what she is talking about, that she speaks from inside the Islamic religion even though it has been used as a method of oppression: "I introduce myself as a Muslim because I want people to know that Islam is not just Osama bin Laden.  I am Muslim.  I am not ashamed of it.”

On what young Iranians in the U.S. can do to help human rights in Iran:  “Study hard, and then go back to Iran.”

Dr. Ebadi thanked the many American universities who accept Iranian students and give them the opportunity to be educated here.  “Long live the relationship and friendship between the American and Iranian nations," she said.

Dr. Ebadi spoke in Farsi with an interpreter relaying her words to an audience of nearly 170 people.  Her appearance at Georgia Tech was co-sponsored by Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, Georgia Tech’s Office of the Provost, the Office of International Initiatives, The Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, and the School of Modern Languages. 

Conversants for the event were Laura Bier, Assistant Professor, School of History, Technology, and Society and Molly Cochran, Associate Professor, Sam Nunn School of International Affairs.  Dean Jacqueline J. Royster, who moderated, announced the initiation of courses in Farsi in the College’s School of Modern Languages.

Shirin Ebadi is a lawyer and former judge in Iran.  She is the first Muslim woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.  She was in Atlanta to witness the graduation of her daughter and son-in-law from Georgia Tech's Electrical Engineering graduate program.

Watch the video of the program 

Senator Chambliss Encourages Tech Students to Pursue Careers in Public Service

Georgia’s senior U. S. senator, Saxby Chambliss, encouraged Georgia Tech students to consider careers in public service during a visit on campus April 22^nd.

Senator Chambliss spoke to the U. S. Government 1101 class taught in the School of Public Policy by Visiting Associate Professor B. J. Davis Rowe.  The class fulfills general education coursework requirements and so attracts students from across Georgia Tech.

A four term U. S. House Representative from Georgia’s 8^th Congressional District (1995-2003) and a U. S. senator since 2003, Chambliss shared with the class how he became engaged in public service in Georgia and urged them to consider that career path.

Chambliss also talked about political issues including the need to move beyond the raging debate about partisan politics in order to address the tough issues facing America.  Chambliss outlined the intent and work of the bipartisan “Gang of 6” which is promoting findings and recommendations of the President's Deficit Reduction Commission.  He also highlighted his support for alternative sources of energy and the need for continued work on patent reform to keep the United States at the forefront of technological innovation.

During Q & A, a number of students expressed their appreciation for Chambliss’ years of public service.  They took advantage of the senator’s wide-ranging experience on senate committees (including Armed Services, Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry, Senate Rules, Aging, and Intelligence) by asking about issues ranging from the national budget and nuclear energy to Georgia agriculture and bipartisan efforts.

Professor Rowe is a long-time public servant with experience at every level of government.  Hosting Senator Chambliss was part of her effort to expose her students to “real world players in a host of arenas” and “to showcase the applicability of their interests, majors, and degree programs to public service.”

"I don't think students today fully understand how much their country needs them -- their knowledge, skills and abilities, beyond military service," said Professor Rowe. "My goal while here at Tech is to show them whenever and however I can, how their engineering, mathematical, computing, and other scientific interests are applicable to the public as well as the private sector."

Photo: Senator Saxby Chambliss (on right) with a student in Visiting Professor B. J. Davis Rowe's U. S. Government 1101 class on April 22. 

IAC Honors Faculty and Staff

The Office of the Dean recognized Ivan Allen College faculty and staff through newly established awards that were presented at a college-wide meeting April 26^th.

Dean Jacqueline J. Royster said, “The work being done by our faculty and staff is truly remarkable and places this College and Georgia Tech at the leading edge of 21^st century liberal arts education and research agendas.  These awards celebrate the innovation and enterprise of our faculty and staff and, I hope, serve as a nod of encouragement for the future.”

Gold Star Research Awards were presented to twenty faculty members (see list below).  Four awards recognized faculty who have received prestigious national awards in the past year; 16 awards were presented to faculty who have secured major sponsor funding during the past year -  grants ranging from $100,000 to more than $800,000.

“Our success in sponsored research may be modest relative to those in engineering, but Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts is a pacesetter nationally among our peers in the humanities and social sciences,” said Dean Royster.  With National Science Foundation grants, for example, only Cal Tech and MIT garner more support in these disciplines than Ivan Allen College. In research expenditures per faculty member, Ivan Allen College ranks 34% higher than the national average for the social sciences and 846% higher for the humanities. 

“These comparators demonstrate that we are a research leader in the liberal arts arena,” said Dean Royster.  “Such achievements are amplified by the success of our faculty in receiving prestigious national awards.  I am thrilled to offer these Gold Star Research Awards for these path breaking achievements.”

College staff members (see list below) were recognized through the new “Buzz Awards” which carry a $1000 check for each recipient.  Ten Buzz Awards were presented recognizing extraordinary professional contributions and service by staff in advancing the mission of the College and Georgia Tech.  Awards were given in the categories of Administrative Services and Student Services.  Recipients were selected from college-wide nominations submitted to a committee headed by Judy Collier, Administrative Assistant to the Dean.  The committee chose eight recipients, and two additional recipients were chosen by Dean Royster. 

2010-2011 Faculty Gold Star Research Awards Recipients

For Prestigious National Awards:

Mikulas Fabry (INTA) – Woodrow Wilson Center Fellowship (2011/12)

Hanchao Lu – (HTS) - 2010 Honor for Academic Excellence by the Association of Chinese Historians in the United States, an affiliate of the American Historical Association (AHA)

Nancy Nersessian (SPP) - inaugural Patrick Suppes Prize in Philosophy of Science presented by the American Philosophical Society (APS).

Jonathan Schneer (HTS) - Jewish Book Council’s 2010 National Jewish Book Award

For Sponsored Research:

Paul Baker (PubPol) - more than $100k

Ian Bogost (LCC) - nearly $400k

Jay Bolter (LCC) - more than $200k

Dan Breznitz (INTA/PubPol) - more than $700k

Marilyn Brown (PubPol) - nearly $600k

Carl DiSalvo (LCC) - nearly $300k

Ute Fischer (LCC) - more than $100k

Mary Frank Fox (PubPol) - $300k

Stuart Goldberg (ModLangs) - nearly $200k

Michael Hoffmann (PubPol) - more than $100k

Gordon Kingsley (PubPol) - more than $100k

Brian Magerko (LCC) - more than $100k

Phillip McKnight (ModLangs) - more than $400k

Julia Melkers (PubPol) - more than $800k

Celia Pearce (LCC) - more than $100k

Philip Shapira (PubPol) - more than $400k
 

2010-2011 Staff “Buzz Award” Recipients

For Administration:

Ed Able (ModLangs)
Greg Abrams (Dean's Office)
Kenya Devalia (LCC)
Chris Fehrenbach (Dean's Office)
Jyldyz Hughes (ECON)
Karen Jett (PubPol)
Wanda Moore (INTA)
Kari White (ECON)

For Student Administration:

LaDonna Bowen (HTS)
Stephanie Jackson (INTA)

Experimental Salon Explores New Boundaries for 21st Century Technological Research University

How is what we design and engineer guided by what we can imagine? How are our imagination and understanding inspired by our ability to visualize? 

The two-week Salon for Vision: I IMAGINE, I SEE, I MAKE is an experimental platform that engages the campus around those themes and their role at Georgia Tech as the premier 21^st century technological university.  The exhibit closes Thursday, May 12 with a panel discussion at 5pm in the College of Architecture Reinisch-Pierce Auditorium.

Hosted in the Hinman Research Building, the physical exhibit showcases work from students and faculty in the Colleges of Liberal Arts, Architecture, Computing, and Engineering.  There are both 3-dimensional and digital works that range from attempts to understand the multiple facets of traffic modeling and management, to exploring the connection between visualization and music; from architectural projects that explore sustainable waste, to virtual game worlds; and from discussions of how innovation is expressed in patents, to discussions of the role of computational models in the making of new forms of ornament.  The salon also offered three discussion panels.

The salon was initiated by Barbara Maria Stafford, visualization scholar and Distinguished Visiting Professor in the School of Literature, Communication, and Culture and supported in part by the H. Bruce McEver Program for Engineering and the Liberal Arts.  Stafford views the salon as a point of departure for advancing the horizons of trans-disciplinary education.

“The Salon for Vision is a response to the strategic plan,” Stafford told those gathered for the May 3 opening reception.  “This is an opportunity to think of Georgia Tech as a place for possibilities, of experiment across art, humanities, engineering, and computing.” 

What could/should be the role of the Arts at Tech and of Tech on the Arts? That is the subject for the salon’s closing discussion.  Aaron Bobick, Chair and Professor in the School of Interactive Computing, who will moderate, said that the strategic goal is to “create a culture where art is used to reflect technology” and that Tech Arts are “an interesting way to frame technology and technical problems, a visceral way to connect to them.”  Bobick highlighted that new industries are emerging at the boundaries of art technology and that Tech is already innovating in emerging disciplines such as music technology, computational media, and digital media. Interestingly, just this week, video games like those created in the Digital Media program, crossed the technology/art boundary by becoming recognized as art as defined by new submission guidelines for The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) which are included a new section called "Arts in Media," which includes video games. 

Panelists for the closing program are Joe Bankoff, CEO of Woodruff Arts Center; Ian Bogost, Associate Professor and Director of the Graduate Program in Digital Media, School of Literature, Communication, and Culture; Gil Weinberg, Associate Professor of Music Technology, College of Architecture, and Alan Balfour, Dean of the College of Architecture.  

Learn more about the exhibit

Woodall Examines Japan's Energy Plan and Impact of Nuclear Disaster

Brian Woodall has examined the feasibility of Japan's 2010 plan for energy independence concluding that it is quite ambitious and has become even more so since the earthquake-tsunami-nuclear catastrophe.  His research paper entitled "Japan’s New Basic Energy Plan" has been published in the April edition of Energy Policy, a leading journal in the field. 

Woodall, Associate Professor, Associate Chair, and Director of Graduate Programs in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, co-authored the article with John Duffield, professor of political science at Georgia State University.  The abstract is as follows:

In June 2010, the Japanese cabinet adopted a new Basic Energy Plan (BEP). This was the third such plan that the government has approved since the passage of the Basic Act on Energy Policy in 2002, and it represents the most significant statement of Japanese energy policy in more than four years, since the publication of the New National Energy Strategy (NNES) in 2006. Perhaps more than its predecessors, moreover, the new plan establishes a number of ambitious targets as well as more detailed measures for achieving those targets. Among the targets are a doubling of Japan's “energy independence ratio,” a doubling of the percentage of electricity generated by renewable sources and nuclear power, and a 30 percent reduction in energy-related CO2 emissions, all by 2030. This paper explains the origins of the 2010 BEP and why it was adopted. It then describes the content of the plan and how it differs from the NNES. A third section analyzes the appropriateness of the new goals and targets contained in the BEP and their feasibility, finding that achievement of many of the targets was likely to be quite challenging even before the March 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear crisis.

Fabry Awarded Woodrow Wilson Fellowship

Mikulas Fabry, Assistant Professor in the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs, has been awarded a Woodrow Wilson Center Fellowship. 

Fabry will reside in Washington, D.C. during the 2011/2012 academic year concentrating on work for his second book which will examine the historical evolution and contemporary dilemmas of the norm of territorial integrity in international relations and law.

Fabry holds a Ph.D. in Political Science, at the University of British Columbia. Before coming to Georgia Tech, he was Andrew W. Mellon Postdoctoral Fellow and Lecturer at Smith College. His major research focus has been on questions of state and governmental legitimacy in international relations. His first book, published in 2010, was Recognizing States: International Society and the Establishment of New States since 1776 (Oxford University Press).

HTS Grad Retracing 1961 Freedom Rides

Kaitlyn Whiteside is retracing a historic journey this week, following the routes of the 1961 Freedom Rides across the south that proved to be a violent test of the U.S. Supreme Court decision outlawing segregation in interstate transportation.

Whiteside is one of 40 students who were chosen for the 2011 Student Freedom Ride by PBS' venerable documentary program, American Experience, which is marking the 50th anniversary of those seminal bus trips.  The students are traveling with some of the original 1961 Freedom Riders on a 10-day route from Washington, D. C. to New Orleans facilitating an intergenerational conversation about civic engagement, what it means, what has changed since 1961, and what inspires young people to “get on the bus.” 

Whiteside developed an interest in the civil rights movement during her college career, starting a research project during her second year on the desegregation of Chattanooga with Ronald Bayor, professor and chair for the School of History, Technology, and Society.

“I stumbled on quite the gold mine of primary documents from a 26-year legal battle to desegregate Chattanooga Public Schools,” Whiteside said. “The man who filed the original lawsuit in the 1960s is still living in the area, and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview him for my paper.” Whiteside is still in the process of completing and publishing what she called the “ever-lengthening” paper, and credits the experience with sparking her interest in the historical movement.

The public can share the journey through live blogs, tweets, and videos posted on the PBS website. The 2011 Ride anticipates the premiere of the American Experience documentary Freedom Riders that will air May 16 at 9 pm. 

A Georgia Tech President’s Scholar, Whiteside earned her B.S. degree this year from the School of History, Technology, and Society with a minor in law.  She was the recipient of the School’s 2010-2011 Bellon Prize which recognizes distinguished academic achievement, student leadership, and personal integrity. She served on Georgia Tech's student government association for three years. Whiteside anticipates attending law school.

Whiteside and her fellow student riders appeared on The Oprah Winfrey Show on May 4 promoting the Freedom Rider 2011 event. Read more about the event, and see Whiteside’s video and online posts at http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/freedomriders/2011/meet-the-riders/#kaitlyn

eDemocracy "Project Redistrict" Wins CASE Grant

The Campus Community Partnership Foundation (CCPF) has awarded a Community Academic Service Entrepreneur (CASE) grant to Project Redistrict, a proposal developed by a group of Tech students including Public Policy's Stephanie Noble.

The project’s objective is to generate public awareness of political issues related to voting districts.  The students proposed a mathematical algorithm to automatically redistrict regions using census data. A project of Georgia Tech eDemocracy, Project Redistrict, has the long-term goal of constructing an intuitive website that redistricts areas based on parameters such as population equality, density and contiguity.

“The team worked very hard throughout the term and is very excited to be awarded this grant,” said Sheetul Hassan, a third-year materials science and engineering student and team leader for the project. “The grant money will be used primarily for improvement of our innovation through community outreach programs and in much-needed software. This is a great honor and we look forward to the future success of this project.”

Other team members include industrial and systems engineering students Charlotte Huang, Swetha Krishnakumar and Xiaotong Yang; and computer science student Himani Manglani. Rich DeMillo, distinguished professor in the College of Computing, served as faculty advisor. The honor includes $1,000 for project implementation, $500 in student scholarships and a $1,000 stipend to DeMillo. The team was presented with certificates of merit by Georgia Tech President G. P. “Bud” Peterson on May 5.