As part of Weill Cornell Medical College in Qatar’s (WCMC-Q) outreach program to the community, the Medical College this month holds a series of presentations for the public on a variety of literary themes. They take place every Monday at 7:00 p.m. in Lecture Hall 4, WCMC-Q, Education City.
Each week, a member of the English faculty will deliver an informal talk in an area of their expertise. Topics range from poetry to the history of women in medicine, and include a mixed media presentation about the American state of Nevada, and an exploration of the legacy of James Joyce.
The first lecture, ‘Expat Sketchbook and other New Poems’ on April 7, features a reading of poetry composed in Doha and addressing expatriate life in Qatar, by prize-winning poet Peter Fortunato.
The seven-member English faculty at WCMC-Q teach academic writing skills to foundation and pre-medical students – demonstrating that studying at the Medical College isn’t all medicine and science. Students are exposed to a kind of teaching that is designed not just to inform, but also to inspire their journey into the medical profession.
With these public talks, which follow the successful first series in 2007, faculty members are taking time out to present their work or areas of interest to an outside audience.
“We all write and publish in relation to literature, either creatively or critically, or both, and we are keen to share what we are doing,” said assistant professor of English, Dr. Rodney Sharkey, who is organizing the series and is to give the final talk on April 28.
Dean of WCMC-Q, Dr. Daniel R. Alonso said: “We are delighted to hold these lectures to present to the public a different side of our activities at WCMC-Q. The First-Year Writing Seminars taken by our pre-med students are part of the very strong program of writing across the disciplines that Cornell University offers to all first years. We recognize that it is important to feed not just the intellect of our students, but also their imagination and capacity for growth, sensitivity and understanding.”
Program for the month:
Monday, April 7th 2008: Expat Sketchbook & Other New Poems. A reading and discussion by prize-winning poet, Peter Fortunato.
Monday, April 14th 2008: A Brief History of Women in Medicine, by Alan Weber.
Monday, April 21st 2008: "Nevada Is A Great Wide ___": A Mixed-Media Exploration, by Autumn Watts.
Monday April 28th 2008: “It’s a James Joyceous Life!” Articulating the Legacy of an Immodest Irish Novelist, by Rodney Sharkey.
Lectures begin at 7:00PM
Established by Cornell University in partnership with Qatar Foundation, WCMC-Q is part of Weill Cornell Medical College. A member of the Ivy League, Cornell is the first American university to offer its M.D. degree overseas. WCMC-Q offers a complete and integrated educational program, comprising the two-year Pre-medical Program, followed by the four-year Medical Program, with teaching by Cornell faculty. There is a separate admissions process for each Program, guided by the standards of admission in use at Cornell University in Ithaca and its Medical College in New York City.
Website: www.qatar-med.cornell.edu
About Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development
Founded in 1995 by His Highness Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani, Emir of Qatar, and chaired by Her Highness Sheikha Mozah Bint Nasser Al Missned, Qatar Foundation is a private, non-profit organization committed to the principle that a nation’s greatest natural resource is its people.
The headquarters of Qatar Foundation are located within its flagship project, Education City, a fourteen million square-meter campus which hosts numerous progressive learning institutions and centers of research, including branch campuses of five of the world’s leading universities, plus a cutting-edge research and development center. Qatar Foundation also works to enhance the quality of life in Qatar by investing in community health and development.
For more information please visit: http://www.qf.org.qa/
