First Post!

January 2016 - Monica is Highlighted as Professor of the Month for Learning Abroad Center at the University of Minnesota.
Congratulations!

The interview about leading a Global Seminar titled Japanese Design and Aesthetics included:

Why did you choose Japan as the site for this seminar? 
Japanese design and aesthetics feed the soul. While visiting, we witness and experience both inner and outer aspects of culture, the meditative and the visual. Within these contrasts, there is deep respect for historical reference and ritual as well as a rich pop culture. In both, there is pattern, passion, and design.  

What do you think will be the highlights of this Global Seminar? 
The beat in Tokyo is intense and invigorating: a beautiful blend of past and future. The rhythm in Kyoto is softer—rich with ritual design. And the "hidden treasure" is our visit to Naoshima, an island further south, in the Inland Sea.