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April 27th, 2013
STO Talks 2013 Video Archive:
April 21st, 2012
STO Talks 2012 Video Archive:
STO Talks 2012 Individual Speakers:
An undergraduate Math major slightly repulsed by an introductory course in economics, Soderlind gravitated toward two economists at Minnesota, Walter Heller and George Perry. Heller had served as economic advisor to JFK; Perry had risen in policy circles, soon to become President of the Brookings Institution; both were storytellers. Soderlind took their courses when possible and assembled a second major. During his doctoral work at UMass-Amherst, Soderlind focused on economic theory and taught at UMass and Smith while completing coursework, then moved to Norway. Soderlind began teaching at Carleton in 1978, and then migrated by fits and starts to St. Olaf, where he has taught full-time since 1982. His specialty is regional economics, which he has yet to teach.
Elliot Robia is the Director of Business Development at Fischer Edit, a visual and audio production company known for its work on Super Bowl commercials, music videos, hundreds of national TV ads and web trailers. After graduating from St Olaf College in 2010, Elliot went to work for a healthcare tech start up in St Paul, where he focused primarily on digital marketing and web analytics. His interest in video production and visual effects eventually led him to his current position at Fischer Edit, where he coordinates the company’s marketing and strategic growth. Elliot is a Co-Producer of the Z-Fest Film Festival and a Programming Coordinator for the American Marketing Association. He has a particular interest in economic markets, technology, tetris and science fiction.
Sherry Saterstrom is a dancer, an inventor of things physical, and a passionate teacher. She has a BA in Norwegian, an MA in Dance/Humanities, and is a certified Body-Mind Centering practitioner. She has worked as a clothing designer, has created and directed a modern dance company, and has developed Dance in the Rainforest in Costa Rica. As an Artist-in-Residence she has brought dance and physical creativity to thousands of students from pre-school to college. She has helped shape the St. Olaf dance department since she was a student here in the late 1960’s. Two of her best course inventions have been The Body Moveable and Power Play.
Ibtesam AlAtiyat teaches The Arab World, Introduction to Sociology, Sociological Theory and Global Interdependence. She started teaching at St. Olaf late in 2009 after teaching at the German Jordanian University and the UN International Leadership Institute in Amman, Jordan; the Freie Universitaet Berlin in Germany and the University of Wisconsin Green Bay. AlAtiyat is a native of Jordan, and has received her BA and MA degrees in Sociology from the University of Jordan. She received her PhD from the Freie Universitaet Berlin Germany.
Charlotte Sivanich ‘12 is an aspiring teacher who will graduate this spring with a B.A. in Mathematics. She was born and raised in Mequon, WI, and is constantly inspired by her father, who is a dedicated and energetic high school physics teacher. As a junior, Charlotte traveled abroad with Bill Sonnega and a large group of Ole explorers on St. Olaf’s Global Semester abroad, an experience that continues to influence her life in surprising ways. She has spent the last two summers with eager middle school students and looks forward to a third summer teaching at Breakthrough Saint Paul. This coming fall, Charlotte hopes to complete her student teaching at a high school in St. Paul.
Greg Carlson, who earned his BA in Economics at St. Olaf, and his brother, Jeff (’83), founded an integrated wealth management firm 25 years ago. The firm, Carlson Capital Management, has since grown to serve more than 500 clients, manage $850 million in assets, and employ 25 team members in four Minnesota locations. Greg’s entrepreneurial spirit, grounded vision, and passion for helping others, has helped build one of the country’s most successful RIA (Registered Investment Advisory) firms. Greg co-founded the American Center for Philanthropy, 5th Bridge, and the SEEDS farm. He enjoys applying his entrepreneurial experience in business to entrepreneurial ideas in volunteerism. Greg and his wife, Nancy ’82, enjoy supporting St. Olaf students as they explore community involvement.
Richard Aviles is a young dancer and movement creator. His journey into dance began at a young age through Latin Social Dance; his dancing training comes from his family and the community that gathered through social dancing. Richard constantly seeks ways to find movement that is authentic to all of his identities and skins. His work and movement qualities are influenced by his family’s history, queer club culture, and social justice. Richard’s goal as a movement artist is to create work that inspires and empowers others to become activists in their lives. Such a desire stems from his background of community organizing against transit racism with the Community Strategy Center and in his fight for marriage equality in his hometown of Los Angeles.
