Karen Kasmauski isn’t new to the Mason Nation. She has taught videography for the Department of Communication, she participated in events, spoke on panels and also happens to be a proud Mason Mom of Katherine Douthitt (BA 2016). Kasmauski will happily return to the Fairfax campus this spring, teaching a new course called, “Science in the News.” Kasmauski and her husband, William Douthitt, the senior photo editor at Science Magazine, will bring their combined decades of experience in photojournalism and storytelling to the topics course on how our thoughts and impressions of science are influenced by various types of media.
Kasmauski’s career with National Geographic Magazine and her independent projects have repeatedly brought her face to face with the human side of global health crises and inequalities. National Geographic published her first book on the topic in 2003. Impact: From the Frontlines of Global Health is a collection of visual stories Kasmauski photographed for National Geographic over 15 years and in as many countries covering global health issues. It won the prestigious Communication Arts award for books.
Her largest work on science and health was her Pulitzer Prize nominated book of photo essays, Nurse: A World of Care, published in collaboration with Emory University. Through this project and others, Kasmauski has developed a keen interest in how society views and forms opinions about science and medicine, which often drives collective health outcomes for better or for worse. It’s this connection that has her most excited about teaching “Science in the News” this coming semester.
Kasmauski is returning to Mason since finishing her first documentary film, "Fall Seven Times, Get Up Eight," which she co-produced with two long time friends and colleagues. The film tells the personal stories of Japanese War Brides who came to the United States in the 1950’s with their G.I. husbands in the wake of World War II. Kasmauski, herself the eldest daughter of a Japanese War Bride, has been hoping to tell this story for decades and was ecstatic when the film was picked up by the BBC earlier this year.
NCC is very pleased Kasmauski will bring her personal and professional experience gained all over the world and with so many different media formats to this unique course in spring 2016.
“Science in the News”, NCLC 301-001, will be offered on Monday evenings from 7:20 to 10:00 this spring. The course is open to students in all majors.
November 06, 2015
