Morse Fellows
Morse College is a vibrant community. We would love to count you among us. The Fellows meet a few times per semester at the Head of College’s house, to interact with friends from all parts of the University and from the broader community. Many play the role of Advisor for a student or two. We extend invitations to student functions such as performances and college-wide social events, welcome participation at intramural sports, provide dining privileges in the college at lunch or dinner, all so you can meet with students, faculty and friends. Please join us - we welcome you!
Beth Anne Bennett
Senior Lecturer of Mechanical Engineering & Materials Science
Biography
Beth Bennett graduated from Yale (Morse Class of 1991) with a double major in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Math. She has stayed at Yale ever since, earning her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering in 1997 and subsequently rising through the research ranks and the non-ladder teaching ranks to her current position of Senior Lecturer. Dr. Bennett teaches various courses in Engineering & Applied Science and Mechanical Engineering. She enjoys meeting students (and other people as well!) and chatting about academic and non-academic pursuits.
Interests:
In her spare time, Dr. Bennett reads mysteries and spy novels, and she and her husband enjoy renovating their home, which is a never-ending source of interesting DIY projects.
Dr. Bennett would be happy to discuss Yale’s engineering and applied math programs, what engineering research involves (i.e., what to expect if you are doing a semester or a summer of research), and what to expect when applying to and attending engineering grad school. Conversations about what Morse was like 35 years ago are also welcome!
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Attilio Bernasconi
Lecturer in Ethics, Politics and Economics
Biography
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Hannah Black
Assistant Director of Leadership and Communications, Berkeley Divinity School; Research Fellow, Jonathan Edwards Center
Biography
Hannah grew up in Southern California and had a first career as a dancer at Disneyland. She went on to earn an M.Phil. and a Ph.D. in theology at the University of Cambridge. Now, she is the Assistant Director of Leadership and Communications at Berkeley Divinity School, the Episcopal seminary at Yale. She is also a Research Fellow at Yale Divinity School’s Jonathan Edwards Center, where she is collaborating on a book project.
Interests:
Hiking with my dog, traveling, crafting.
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Frederick Bland
Architect, Partner Emeritus (former Managing Partner), Beyer Blinder Belle, NYC
Biography
Frederick Bland is a 1968 graduate of Yale (Morse College) and 1972 Yale School of Architecture graduate. Got married in the chapel at base of Harkness 54 years ago! (still married… to the same Barnard grad). Have lived in New York (Brooklyn Heights) for 50 years with a weekend house in nearby Stony Creek where I have an extensive collector’s garden. Highly involved in New York civic affairs: Vice Chair of the NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission, former Chair of the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, etc. For 30 years Professor Adj in the NYU Art History Department, teaching about the future of cities. A current Cultural Companion at IRIS, New Haven. Advisory Committee of the Marsh Botanical Garden at Yale.
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Henry Bolanos
Retired Lecturer- SEAS
Biography
Henry Bolanos, retired VP of R&D for US Surgical Corporation, is named on Over 120 US patents in the Surgical and other Fields. He was responsible for the creation of state of the art surgical instruments: Endoscopic Clip Appliers and Endoscopic GIA devices used in Laparoscopic Surgery. He has a BSME from CCNY, and a Masters in Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.
His career has spanned both National and International corporate assignments. He is currently a Consultant on Creativity and New Product Development, and is a Lecturer at Yale University and a Visiting Professor at The University of Virginia and The University of Auckland, in New Zealand.
Mr. Bolanos has also serves as an Expert Witness in Patent and Product Liability litigation and he is the author of 5 books on Creativity and New Product Development.
Mr. Bolanos also conducts Seminars in Creativity and New Product Development for both Groups and Corporations.. He currently serves on the Board of an on-line Computer Company and is Chairman of a company in New Zealand, EverEdge IP, Ltd.
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Alexandria Brackett
Clinical Librarian at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library
Biography
Alexandria Brackett is a clinical research and Education librarian at the Cushing/Whitney Medical Library. She provides in-depth reference, information, research, and consultation services for clinical professionals and users in the health sciences community, including literature searches in support of systematic reviews, research, grants, and clinical practice. She received her MLIS from the University of Oklahoma and her MA in English from Oklahoma State University. See her profile page for a detailed biography: https://medicine.yale.edu/profile/alexandria-brackett/?tab=bio
Interests:
Alexandria enjoys reading books, doing puzzles, and playing with her dog, Monty.
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Michael Brenes
Biography
Interests:
Cold War foreign policy, American political history, archives and archival research. He is also a runner, musician, and enjoys travel and good food.
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William (Will) Cafferty
Associate Professor of Neurology and of Neuroscience; Morse Resident Fellow
Biography
Will Cafferty was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1975. His family moved to England when he was 5 years old and settled in South London, Wimbledon. He graduated from Wimbledon College in 1994 and then completed a Bachelor’s degree at Bristol University. He attended graduate school at King’s College London, and received a PhD in Neuroscience studying sensory and motor dysfunction in the damaged peripheral nervous system.
Wimbledon, more specifically, tennis, and the nervous system have been constants in his life from an early age. Growing up in Wimbledon he attended the ‘the Championships’ yearly, and was elated to serve as a ball boy at the 1991 tournament. While his playing days have slowed somewhat, he still enjoys attending tournaments and playing recreationally. If not playing tennis, he can be found at the gym, or running, his father is a sub 3:30 marathoner and a friendly head to head is looming!
Will’s passion, however, is studying the central nervous system (CNS). After his PhD studies, he moved to Yale in the autumn of 2004 to begin a postdoctoral fellowship in Dr. Stephen Strittmatter’s laboratory to explore how and why damaged neurons fail to re-grow after spinal cord injury (SCI). Quiescence of these damaged pathways results in permanent dysfunction and therefore, clinical interventions that repair the damaged CNS are urgently required. After 4 years of studying with Dr. Strittmatter, Will received a transition award from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and began setting up his own independent research laboratory. The Cafferty lab opened in the summer of 2010 and continues to study the cellular and molecular mechanisms that restrict axonal repair after spinal cord injury.
Shulamith Chernoff
Prof Emerita, SCSU
Biography
Shulamith Chernoff received her joint Masters’ in Child Development and Early Childhood Education from the Jewish Theological Seminary. For thirty years she has taught and mentored teachers, and taught and directed in early childhood centers. Now retired, she has published a book of poetry, and has also translated Holocaust survivors’ memoirs.
Interests:
Prof. Chernoff is interested in speaking with minority students and students who come from less affluent neighborhoods. She would like to connect with students from those backgrounds, and those who are first generation college students who seek advice and support.
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John Clark-Ginnetti
Restaurateur
Biography
I grew up in Connecticut and California. I went to college at Quinnipiac University and put myself through school as a bartender. After graduation I kept tending bar, and eventually opened Connecticut’s first cocktail bar, 116 Crown in 2007. 116 Crown has twice been rated Excellent in the New Your Times My son Jack was born in 2009. I opened a sandwich shop, Meat & Co. in 2013 that is located in East Rock Market. Meat & Co. was awarded one of the 50 best sandwiches in the country by Big 7 Travel. I founded and taught the first Mixology Course in the country at University of New Haven. I continue to work as a restaurant consultant. This is my fifth semester at Yale.
Interests:
Skiing, Tennis, Travel, Family