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, we see family differently.
For many of us, the greatest holiday gift is time with family and loved ones. As we celebrate the season, our USC Dornsife scholars offer perspective on family from a variety of angles. I hope their insights pique your curiosity and remind you of the enduring traditions that define our Trojan Family. Sending warm wishes for a happy and healthy new year! Amber D. Miller Dean, USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences Anna H. Bing Dean’s Chair
NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI, KL AUS PONTOPPIDAN (STSCI)
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n “Astronomy 100: The Universe,” our students learn that ‘family’ refers to groups of stars bound together by gravitational forces, in much the same way that familial bonds tie people together. Just as families on Earth share common traits and histories, celestial families such as star clusters or planet systems share common origins and characteristics.
PHOTO: ISTOCK
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uch like families, coral reefs thrive on intricate relationships and shared histories. Carly Kenkel, Wilford and Daris Zinsmeyer Early Career Chair in Marine Studies, delves deep into the world of coral. Her pioneering research to protect reefs reveals that their survival hinges on genetic diversity.
W I N T E R L A N D S C A P E B Y W A S S I LY K A N D I N S K Y ( 1 9 1 1)
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amilies serve as foundational pillars, guiding our connections, contributions and reflections on life. Richard Flory, executive director of USC Dornsife’s Center for Religion and Civic Culture, notes, “Families instill in us our earliest perceptions of identity and values. They teach us the importance of giving, caring and looking beyond our own needs. This spirit of selflessness should be our focus during the holidays — and indeed throughout the year.”
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ur families have a profound impact on our health and well-being. Considering the unique challenges to families today — and that “family” itself is a continuously evolving term — the research conducted by USC Dornsife’s Center for the Changing Family has never been more important or relevant. Representing 19 academic disciplines, the center’s scholars and students study family systems, close relationships, and mental and physical health across the lifespan.
TA B L E O F T H E E L E M E N T S I N I R R EG U L A R S P I R A L C O U R T E S Y O F S C I E N C E H I S T O RY I N S T I T U T E
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he periodic table is more than simply a chart; it’s a tapestry of elemental relationships. Each column showcases a family of elements, united by shared properties such as chemical reactivity. For Megan Fieser, Gabilan Assistant Professor of Chemistry, it’s a treasure trove. She says, “the periodic table is my toolbox to solve global challenges, with each elemental family offering distinct solutions.”
I M AG E S O U R C E: I S T O C K ; D R A M E D I E S C O M P O S I T E L E T T Y AV I L A . I M AG E S O U R C E: I S T O C K , R O N B AT Z D O R F F/N B C
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or novelist Amy Meyerson, associate professor (teaching) of writing, family is a wellspring of narrative intrigue. In The Bookshop of Yesterdays, family secrets come to light in a bookstore. In The Imperfects, a mysterious inheritance helps uncover a family’s forgotten past. “I’m drawn to the ways people are their truest selves with their families,” she says. “Our families expose our best and worst sides, as well as our capacity to forgive.”
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opular dramedies, from Thirtysomething to This is Us, offer more than entertainment; they serve as cultural mirrors that reflect the evolution of the American family. Drawing from her extensive research, USC Dornsife culture critic and Chair of Gender and Sexuality Studies Karen Tongson observes, “These socially transformative shows highlight a shift over the past 30 years from a ‘nuclear’ family focus to one that embraces friends and tight-knit communities as integral family units.”
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ix centuries after Flemish artist Jan van Eyck created the intriguing Arnolfini Portrait, the painting remains shrouded in mystery. Is this a scene of marriage? Does it portray a real event? Who are the couple? There is complex symbolism here, but what is clearly expressed is the importance of family, according to Hector Reyes, associate professor of art history. “More than reflecting specific familial relations, art can serve as a broader symbol for the institution of family, revealing societal values and beliefs,” he says.
ARNOLFINI P ORTR AIT BY JAN VAN E YCK
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mbodying the spirit of family, the USC Dornsife Institute of Armenian Studies enables community members to capture and archive the stories and cherished memories of generations of Armenians. The institute’s “My Armenian Story” project seeks to preserve and share the oral histories that weave the community’s shared legacy.
CENTENNIAL CELEBRATIONS
PHOTO: MIKE GLIER
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s we mark the 100th anniversary of the USC Alumni Association, we celebrate the special bond that unites nearly half a million USC alumni as honored members of the Trojan Family.
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