Southwestern Magazine | Spring 2019

But beyond amusing memories, some of my greatest professional achievementswere inspired by my travels. Just before the 2000 Olympics, I was a visiting scholar at the Centre for Number Theory Research outside of Sydney, Australia. Of course I climbed the 134 meters to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge (see the photo for evidence of this ascent), but while not scaling iconic bridges, I was engaged in mathematical research and proved several new theorems. During that seemingly endless plane ride back to the U.S., I wondered if I could present these original results in a more lively manner than the traditional cryptic tone of a mathematical research article. By the time the plane touched down, I hadafirst draftwithbothcomedicelements and complete proofs of my theorems. Thearticle,titled"DiophantineOlympicsandWorld Champions: Polynomials andPrimesDownUnder," was published in The American Mathematical Monthly , and the editors asked that I include that Sydney Harbour Bridge picture. In 2004, the articlewas awarded theMathematical Association of America’s Chauvenet Prize, their award for mathematical expository writing. Travel takes us out of our comfort zones and invites us to see ourworld innewwayswith fresh eyes, and through those new perspectives, we are inspired to make new discoveries. These high-impact experiences foster not only personal but also scholarly growth as well. Within these pages, you’ll findmany stories—some comedic, some inspiring, but all Southwestern—of thosewhohave traveled, studied, orworked abroad. Given the wonderful transformations we see in our students, I remain grateful for the generous philanthropy that has made possible the high- impact experiences recounted throughout this issue. I hope that you, too, will soon find time to journey away and intellectually grow through that adventure. In that spirit, I leave you with some sage words to live by: Never check a bag; always carry on! I also hope that you will carry all your new discoveries with you for all of your life. Your companion on an intellectual journey, Edward Burger President and Professor Dear reader, Welcome to the spring issue of Southwestern ! This edition’s theme is journeys. It’s our invitation to you to be transported across time and space—to memories of your own experiences on campus or abroad, to distant places you’ve visited or dream of visiting, to areas of thought that can best be accessed through reading and imagination.We think having a broad theme for the issue reflects SU’s approach to education: Each section provides different but interconnectedperspectives ona single topic,which we hope will inspire you, in turn, to make connections—with the stories, with the University, and with your fellow readers. Our two alumni spotlights take us toChina andUganda, where BradReynolds ’98 andShaunaDavidson ’08 are seeing theworld but alsomaking a difference in it. Our features focus on howSU fosters global citizenship; how travel often entails humorous misadventures; and howstudents, faculty, and staff experience personal and intellectual growth while studying or teaching abroad. These stories are complemented by a parent’s reflections on his daughter’s recent sojourn in London. Our cover photo and some of the other hauntingly inscrutable images in this issue were created by London photographer Joshua K. Jackson. His pictures make you pause, compelling you to lean inbecause you can’t quite decipherwhat you’re seeing at first glance. Jackson refers to his method as “the curiosity gap,” which we think is a perfect analogy for the learning that takes place both at Southwestern and abroad: Just as Jackson creates mystery and subverts expectations by photographing an individual obscured by an umbrella or capturing shadows that mask reflections in a window, education challenges us to look at things differently andmore deeply, to confront the unfa- miliar, and to drawon ourwells of patience to arrive at answers and interpretations. We hope that through the contributions by ourwonderful artists and the stories by ourwordsmiths, youwill allowus to transport you, if only for awhile, and feel compelled to stickwith us to the end of the journey. Then, we hope you’ll visit with us again. It’s a trip we think is worth taking. Bon voyage, Meilee D. Bridges, Ph.D. Writer and Editor Southwestern University E D I T O R ' S L E T T E R Minding the Curiosity Gap 7 SOUTHWESTERN