Hello research scholars,

Just wanted to follow up on some of the issues we've been talking
about, and to give you some preliminary information about the brown
bag schedule for the year.

First, only a couple people replied on scheduling preferences for the
"monthly drop in" sessions for the research scholars.  We're going to
look into the first Wednesday of the month from about 10-2 (or 11 to
1) as a possibility, see if the room's available on those days.
Please reply to the listserv if you have any thoughts about that.
Once I've heard back from April, we'll let you know.

Second, the brown bag series for 2008-09 is taking shape.  We have
some exciting topics tentatively scheduled, and a wonderful tour of
the L.A. river to kick off the series.  Our own research scholar Jenny
Price, an expert on the environmental history and present of Los
Angeles, has generously offered to lead the tour on October 12 from
9:30 - 1:30.  I hope many of us can attend.  I will be sending out a
separate e-mail on this with all the particulars.  Please RSVP to her
directly if you'd like to attend.

Also, Brenda Johnson-Grau, the editor of the CSW newsletter, asked if
someone might be willing to write up an article and/or take pictures
for the newsletter on the LA River Tour.  Any volunteers?  You can
contact Brenda directly about this: [log in to unmask]

So here's how the Brown Bag series is shaping up:

Fall:  Oct 12: LA River Tour, led by Jenny Price

Winter (late January):  Ursula Lindqvist (a new RS) will present on
her research on Anna Hergaard, the "mixed race" mistress of Governor
Peter Von Scholten in the Danish West Indies (now the U.S. Virgin
Islands) in the mid-19th C.  Ursula will be exploring what
representations of Hergaard in recent Danish cultural texts reveal
about the politics of race and gender in today's Denmark.

Spring: tentatively Julie Nack Ngue (another new RS!) is interested in
presenting on her research which focuses on representations of illness
and disability in Francophone African and Caribbean literature and
cinema.  Julie is interested in pairing up with any other RS working
on Africa and/or health issues.  Anyone interested?  You can contact
Julie directly at [log in to unmask]  You may remember Julie
from the lunch -- the
one who was due to deliver her baby in about a week...  so if she
doesn't reply to your e-mail immediately, you will know why.  We wish
her all the best.

If anyone else would like to get on the schedule, please let me know
soon.  Also, to Julie and Ursula, please let me know specific
times/dates that you prefer, so we can firm up the schedule, reserve
rooms, etc.

On another note...  Don't forget to drop a line to the listserv if
you're interested in setting up an informal "satellite coffee."

Hope everyone is well.

best,
Becky
your RS Liaison