Walk with Wente Archive

For the final episode of Walk with Wente, the tables are turned: MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle walks and talks with President Wente, who shares why she chose Wake Forest and her call to lead a university where she felt she could have an impact. “When I looked at Wake Forest and all of its potential, I could see where I could bring my background and experience, and we could do great things together.”

President Susan R. Wente walks and talks with art history professor Jay Curley about how the study of art is at the center of many different disciplines. From how the brain makes meaning of art to sustained looking to visual literacy skills to art analysis, his students learn how art is integrated into the human experience.

President Wente walks and talks with Professor of Spanish José Luis Venegas about how history inhabits the present, who gets to tell stories, what those stories mean and who gets left out. He encourages students to look at the big questions and think about those questions across cultures and languages.

President Wente walks and talks with Dr. Tao Ma, professor of internal medicine, about his neuroscience research on the molecular mechanisms underlying Alzheimer’s disease and Down Syndrome. His goal: finding a cure. “The future is exciting and bright,” Ma said. Students – graduate students and undergraduates – are a key part of his research. “Many times, people think of science as just one person doing it alone…These days, especially for biomedical research, it’s really teamwork.”

President Wente walks and talks with Professor of Chemistry Patricia Dos Santos about biochemistry, enzymes and current research that could help develop better technologies for natural fertilizers to mitigate the environmental damage caused by artificial fertilizers. “Enzymes are present in all aspects of metabolism and can help us understand human disease and nitrogen fixation in plants,” Dos Santos said. She has seen many of her students go on to graduate school and successful research careers. “As faculty, we are forever learners,” she said. “It is a privilege to be a mentor to undergraduate and graduate students.”

President Wente walks and talks with Errin Fulp, professor of computer science, about his research on computer network systems and what ant colonies can teach us about cybersecurity. “We’d like to have that same sort of resilience, adaptiveness and self-healing in networks,” Fulp said. He encourages his students to take courses outside of computer science and think about how they can integrate ideas from other disciplines to solve complex problems. “Computer science is a field that really touches every aspect of our lives.”

President Wente walks and talks with Mark Curtis, Reynolds Professor of Economics and Chair of the Economics Department, about the challenges of designing policies that both address environmental outcomes and promote economic growth. He shares how his experience working with a non-profit providing microcredit in Peru shaped his career and why he is so passionate about engaging students in current issues. Curtis said, “The biggest impact we have is on the students we are teaching and motivating [them] to go on and make a difference in the world.”

President Wente walks and talks with associate professor Kyana Young about engineering research, hands-on learning and how her students are making meaningful contributions to community projects focused on water quality. Dr. Young said: “As engineers, it is our responsibility not just to provide the technical solution, but also to consider the ethical components.”

President Wente walks and talks with Lina Benabdallah about China’s rise as a superpower, its influence in Africa and what that means for international relations. Dr. Benabdallah challenges her students to think beyond stereotypes about Africa and says she likes to keep an “open door between research and teaching.”

President Wente walks and talks with Dr. Kishida about how the brain works and his research focused on big questions about consciousness and choice. They discuss his collaborations with both neurosurgeons and humanities faculty… and his love for the movie The Matrix.