Susan Bell
Susan Bell is USC Dornsife’s senior writer. She covers a wide variety of USC Dornsife-related news from research to the humanities and is a contributing features writer for USC Dornsife Magazine. An internationally published journalist, she has written extensively on French politics and culture for The Times of London, The Sunday Telegraph and The Sunday Times. Her articles have also been published in Wallpaper, Marie-Claire and The Los Angeles Times. Interests include architecture, design, history and photography.
Stories by Susan Bell:
It’s Friday the 13th: Are you feeling unlucky?
From numbers to colors, superstitions vary dramatically from culture to culture. For this Friday the 13th, USC Dornsife faculty trace what we share and how we differ in what we believe brings us good luck — and bad.
Biojet fuel developed by alumnus reduces airlines’ carbon footprint
Derived from a mustard-like oilseed, the fuel also increases food production and helps farmers make a profit.
Premodern life and the tough old days of dyeing, weaving and smelting
USC Dornsife offers an offbeat course giving Trojans hands-on experience in age-old skills — and no matches are allowed.
Disease detective tracks bats — and possible rabies or Ebola — in a cave
Globetrotting doctor has trekked through the Nigerian rainforest and scaled 40-foot-high boulders to combat infectious diseases.
Rocket science, aerospace attract kids to USC’s young scientists workshop
Vermont Elementary School students test their designs of straw rockets and build models of hover boards.
Learning yoga helps kids overcome stress
With an alumna’s gift, USC Dornsife’s Joint Educational Project is expanding its Little Yoginis program for neighborhood students, helping them find tranquility in the midst of chaos.
Short USC courses take students to New Orleans, Paris and beyond
The short, intense courses give students a chance to explore a new subject — and perhaps do some traveling. Paris or Shanghai, anyone?
USC’s latest Fulbright Student Grant recipients take their educations global
USC is regularly among the top producers of students in the Fulbright Program, the U.S. government’s flagship international educational exchange effort.
Graduating senior Sierra Drummond’s USC radio show reflected her diverse scholarship
During her time at USC Dornsife, she also worked with the homeless, served as a camp counselor and spent a semester in Scotland.
Research into undocumented child immigrants takes a twist: Their story is her parents’ story
When Stephanie Canizales chose to do her doctoral research on child migrants without parents, she had no idea she was starting out on a remarkable personal journey.
In memoriam: former USC professor John Wesley Robb, 98
The charismatic professor of religion who was instrumental in bringing Martin Luther King Jr. to speak at USC was fondly nicknamed “J. Wesley God” by generations of students who clamored to take his popular “Human Values” course.
Pink for boys and blue for girls: the colorful history of things designed for kids
Whether it’s clothes, toys, books or schools, the designs tell students a lot about marketing and childhood.
Does technology fuel polarization in the current political climate?
Experts gather at USC to talk fake news, the regulation of social media and more.
Can a nuclear war with North Korea be avoided?
Amid escalating bilateral tensions, USC Dornsife experts discuss the risk of nuclear war with North Korea and evaluate deterrents.
Monsters on our minds: What our fascination with frightful creatures says about us
USC’s Leo Braudy looks at the current obsession with vampires, zombies and more in shows like The Walking Dead and Game of Thrones.
Viet Nguyen wins prestigious MacArthur Foundation award
The “genius grant” honors the Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist and professor, whose groundbreaking work has enabled Americans and others to view the Vietnam War from more balanced perspectives.
In memoriam: Alfred Fischer, 96, prominent geologist
Professor emeritus became a world leader in sedimentary geology and a devoted teacher whose 1952 book on paleontology endured for more than six decades.
Alumnus turns to photography amid the peace and beauty of Buddhist culture in Bhutan
Dentist Barry Shaffer shoots striking pictures in the Himalayas — a land of ancient monasteries and sweeping vistas.
Lessons from afar help alum gain international business expertise — to share
Julian Leuthold credits his success to an open-minded approach when first visiting India, the country that has become a second home.
Artist Enrique Martínez Celaya named first Provost Professor of Humanities and Arts at USC
The poet, philosopher and scholar will lead conversations with students on artistic expression.
Young minds meet new technology at STEM-focused after-school program
USC’s Joint Educational Project introduces fourth- and fifth-graders to virtual reality, 3-D printing and drones.
From quesadillas to pupusas: Students eat up Latino culture
USC Dornsife’s Sarah Portnoy teaches the Spanish language by tracing the culinary history of L.A.’s Grand Central Market.
Three USC professors honored as 2017 Guggenheim Fellows
Daniel Lidar, Cheryl Mattingly and Viet Thanh Nguyen receive prestigious fellowships to pursue research and literary projects.
USC poet’s work conveys a passion for the macabre
Anna Journey takes a walk on the dark side in poems and essays about graveyards, infidelities and tattoos.