Two professors interviewed in national media for expertise
Two Coastal Carolina University humanities and fine arts faculty members were interviewed by prominent national publications recently, offering expertise in their respective areas of scholarship.
Steven Bleicher, professor of visual arts and an expert on color and the psychology of color, was asked by Sports Illustrated to be part of its “The Narrative” podcast on the topic of color in sports.
Bleicher describes how prominent color is in the world of sports through brand identity (Red Socks, White Socks). He explains the psychology involved in the use of color in sports and the prevalence of intense, saturated colors. He also talks about how black is viewed as an aggressive color, and how the Pittsburgh Penguins had more penalties when their uniforms were predominately black, as well as other interesting information about color in the world of sports. The link to the podcast is http://bit.ly/2oYxNMq.
Bleicher, who joined the CCU faculty in 2005, is author of the book “Contemporary Color: Theory and Use.” He worked as the color specialist on the international public art installation “Man and Nature in Rhapsody of Light at the Water Cube” in Beijing, China, a color illumination that covers the exterior of a five-story building in the city. Bleicher has also served as an expert witness on color in court cases, including one in New York City in the past month.
Aneilya Barnes, associate professor of history at CCU, was quoted in a story in the March edition of National Geographic Magazine Online titled “Who Was the Most Powerful Woman in Ancient History?”
Barnes, who is an expert on ancient Rome and the roles of women in the early Christian church, was contacted in February by National Geographic reporter Rachel Brown, who asked her thoughts on how women wielded power in the ancient world.
Barnes suggested a number of notable women, including Helena, the Roman empress dowager and mother of Constantine; Livia, the wife of Augustus; Octavia, the wife of Mark Antony and sister to Augustus; and Faustina, the wife of Antoninus Pius. These figures all demonstrate the influence women could have even though their husbands held the throne.
The winning choice for National Geographic was the famous Cleopatra of Egypt. In the article, Barnes expresses her view that popular culture has over-emphasized Cleopatra's reputation as a seductress, undervaluing her power as a ruler.
To view the entire article, visit
https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2018/03/powerful-women-ancient-history-cleopatra-artemisia-enheduanna-egypt-greece-mesopotamia/.
The National Geographic online article was released to coincide with International Women’s Day. Barnes says her colleagues have congratulated her on the article and that the Society for Classical Studies reposted it.