Robert F. Byrnes
Russian and East European Institute

On September 14th, REEI hosted its annual fall reception in the University Club President’s Room at the Indiana Memorial Union. Students, faculty, international scholars, and members of the greater REEI community gathered to commemorate the beginning of a new academic year, sharing academic passions over various snacks and libations. Slavica Publishers co-sponsored the event, displaying recent publications and providing free coasters. REEI Director Sarah Phillips presided over the event, recognizing academic honors, introducing new REEI-affiliated faculty members, and welcoming visiting scholars.

Anne Armstrong was present as Phillips presented the Daniel Armstrong Memorial Research Paper Awards for 2016-17 and introduced recipients of the Daniel Armstrong Memorial Scholarship for 2017-18. These academic recognitions commemorate Anne’s late husband, Daniel Armstrong (1942-1972), a beloved IU Slavic Department alumnus, scholar, teacher, and administrator. Winners of the Daniel Armstrong Memorial Research Paper Award include Rebecca Mueller, winner in the Master’s Thesis/Essay Division for “Mental Health Reform and Postsocialism in Albania,” and Szabolcs László, winner in the Graduate Division for “Reclaiming the Hearts and Minds-Thick Description of Cold War Encounters at the Iowa International Writing Program.” Multiple scholarship and fellowship recipients were additionally recognized. Recipients of the Daniel Armstrong Memorial Scholarship include Clara Fridman, Jacob Gilley, and Sydney Way. Recipients of the Robert F. Byrnes Memorial Fellowship were presented: Alyse Camus, Kayleigh Fischietto, and Madeline McCann. Camus and Fischietto are returning students and McCann is an incoming REEI M.A. student. McCann and fellow incoming REEI M.A. Megan Burnham were also announced as the inaugural Russian Studies Workshop M.A. Fellows. Another inaugural scholarship recipient, incoming REEI M.A. Nikola Parlic, was presented as recipient of the Erne Fellowship for Serbian Studies. Sharon Miller, recipient of the Robert C. Tucker and Stephen F. Cohen Fellowship, was also presented. Twelve REEI students were presented as recipients of Foreign Language Area Studies (FLAS) fellowship: Meghan Burnham; Alyse Camus; Brett Donohoe; Samuel Fajerstein; Jacob Gilley; Amanda Lawnicki; Madeline McCann; Erin Patterson; Morgan Richardson; Michelle Schulte; Jordan Summers; and Jeremy Taluzek.

After presentation of REEI’s senior staff and graduate assistants, Phillips welcomed new REEI-affiliate faculty: Kathleen Evans (Director, Summer Language Workshop); Lee John Florea (Assistant Director, Indiana Geological Survey); Marianne Kamp (Assistant Professor, Central Eurasian Studies); Francesca Silano (Postdoctoral Fellow; Russian Studies Workshop); Jayne-Leigh Thomas (Director, Office of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act); and Meagan Todd (Postdoctoral Fellow, Russian Studies Workshop). Phillips also welcomed visiting scholar Nikolay Scherbina (University of Wuppertal [Germany]), a visiting professor in Mathematics. On behalf of all of us in REEI community, we wish the best of luck to all students, faculty, and staff during the upcoming academic year!