In recognizing of her influential work in science, values, and public trust, Heather Douglas, a prominent philosopher of science and Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Michigan State University, was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Universite Catholique de Louvain (UCLouvain), one of the oldest universities in Europe, located in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
Four College of Arts & Letters faculty have been selected as this year’s recipients of the Fintz Award for Teaching Excellence in the Arts and Humanities in recognition of their exemplary Integrative Arts and Humanities (IAH) instruction. Presented each spring by the Center for Integrative Studies in the Arts and Humanities (CISAH), the Fintz Award, which is student nominated, recognizes outstanding faculty who engage students in arts and humanities ways of knowing while helping them develop critical thinking and effective communication skills.
Four College of Arts & Letters faculty members are part of the third cohort of the Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) Faculty Fellows Program-Africa, pairing them with faculty from an…
From national research ethics to global scientific freedom, Heather Douglas, Professor in the Department of Philosophy at Michigan State University, has been appointed to two high-profile committees: one at the…
Technology is changing how decisions are made. Trust in public institutions is shifting. And many of the choices shaping daily life — across education, health care, government, and business — raise fundamental questions about values, responsibility, and the common good. For scholars in Michigan State University’s College of Arts & Letters, asking those kinds of questions has long been central to their work.
This week, Feb. 16-20, 2026, Michigan State University celebrates Ethics Week, a week-long series of events designed to engage students, faculty, staff, and the community in meaningful discussions about ethics…
During the 2025-2026 academic year, 24 faculty members within the College of Arts & Letters received promotions. The success of these individuals was celebrated at special ceremonies hosted by the Office of the Provost. “On behalf of the College of Arts & Letters, I want to congratulate our faculty members who have earned promotions this year,” said Thomas Stubblefield, Dean of the College of Arts & Letters.
Scot Yoder has been named the next leader of the Residential College in the Arts and Humanities (RCAH) at Michigan State University. A longtime RCAH faculty member who has been…
The College of Arts & Letters is thrilled to welcome 28 new faculty and staff members whose diverse expertise will enrich our community, strengthen collaboration, and expand opportunities for students. New colleagues will be recognized during the 2025 Faculty and Staff Welcome Reception on Sept. 29 at the Kellogg Hotel and Conference Center.
Kathleen Fitzpatrick has been appointed Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Studies for Michigan State University's College of Arts & Letters, effective July 1, 2025, following a year serving in…
The Toolbox Dialogue Initiative Center (TDIC) has been traveling: first to Sydney, Australia, and then Utrecht in the Netherlands, where the 2024 Global Alliance for Inter- and Transdisciplinarity Conference (ITD) took place.
Technical sweetness. Scientists and engineers use this phrase when a puzzle’s solution presents itself, when all the pieces fit beautifully and functionally together, when success at the particular endeavor presents itself in a neat package. Technical sweetness is alluring, consuming, and, as we can see in the story of Victor Frankenstein, potentially blinding to what might follow from the solution being sought. Scientists who are driven by technical sweetness can fail to see what might be obvious to those with a bit more distance — that despite some projects’ allure, sometimes completing the project is not desirable.