Meet the winter UMAPS cohort! ASC requested that they introduce themselves to the community by asking questions about their work, research, and initial thoughts about their experiences at U-M and in Ann Arbor. Here’s the first group of the series:
Phuti Sepuru (South Africa)
Phuti Sepuru is a Doctor of Music in musicology. She is a lecturer in classical music and jazz studies in the School of the Arts, at the University of Pretoria. A jazz pianist and a board member for the South African Association for Jazz Education.
Could you describe your UMAPS research project in layman’s terms or in a non-complex way?
My research is primarily focused on exploring the conceptual and philosophical processes embodied in the expression of a South African musical style, through interrogating the lives, works, and processes of ten South African pianists. During the UMAPS fellowship, I will be working on publishing two articles stemming from this research, and exploring ways to turn the thesis or interviews into a book.
What were you doing for work (or in life) before your UMAPS fellowship?
I am a full-time lecturer at the University of Pretoria, in the School of the Arts: Music. I am also a professional musician (pianist) and bandleader.
What do you miss from your country?
I definitely miss the culture and customs - how we greet and interact with others.
What’s your first impression of Ann Arbor and U-M?
The University of Michigan has a beautiful campus, with stunning architecture and world-class facilities. It is an honor to have been accepted into a program at a public ivy league institution. Ann Arbor: The cold weather was a shock, but I am slowly becoming used to it.
What is the one thing you hope to do while in the US?
To grow professionally and personally. As I said, I am a young researcher, so this fellowship means that much more to me. I hope to grow my output, knowledge, and expertise within my field, but to also work on building my confidence, as I tend to doubt myself.
Who are you working with at U-M?
My mentor is Mrs. Marion Hayden, an internationally-recognized leading bass player, bandleader, and teacher, who hails from Detroit, Michigan. Recently, I have been introduced to faculty members from the School of Music, Theater and Dance, and the Department of African and American Studies. I am encouraged by their warmth, humility, and willingness to share knowledge, especially as a young researcher. I will present my research in the coming months.
Sevias Guvuriro (South Africa)
Sevias Guvuriro dreams to be a behavioral development economist with an impact. He holds a PhD in economics and a senior lecturer at the University of the Free State in South Africa.
Could you describe your UMAPS research project in layman’s terms or in a non-complex way?
My project seeks to understand how the intention and willingness to engage in risky health-related behaviors, specifically alcohol use, among adolescents can be influenced by economic (risk, time) and social preferences. The study focuses on the youth residing in a poor and informal settlement in South Africa. In the process, I intend to test the prototype/willingness model for alcohol use in this developing country setting.
What were you doing for work (or in life) before your UMAPS fellowship?
I am a senior lecturer at the University of the Free State in South Africa
What do you miss from your country?
My favorite food, Pap (Sadza in Shona). I can't prepare it the way it is done back home.
What’s your first impression of Ann Arbor and U-M?
My first impression was "How am I gonna survive this snow?"
What is the one thing you hope to do while in the US?
Skiing. I will never get to do that back home.
Who are you working with at U-M?
My host at U-M is Prof Erin Krupka. She has introduced me to the U-M community of Behavioral and Experimental Economists, and I have the opportunity to interact with them regularly during lab meetings and seminars. I also had the opportunity to meet Prof Dean Yang, a development economist in the Department of Economics. Prof Dean has invited me to participate in the Development Economics group at U-M.
Peter Ozaveshe Oviroh (South Africa)
Peter Ozaveshe Oviroh received his PhD in 2021 from The University of Johannesburg in South Africa. He earned his MA from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria; and his BA in electrical/electronic engineering from Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi, Nigeria. Prior to pursuing his doctorate degree, he was working in Huawei/Rutotech Technologies in Lagos, Nigeria.
Could you describe your UMAPS research project in layman’s terms or in a non-complex way?
My project is an integrated natural resource conservation and development (INRCD) project. The project entails the creation of a system-level agricultural and energy model, which includes engineering and economic models for crops, irrigation, and energy subsystem designs for African communities. Modifications for different system setups and project locations will be possible using the model architecture, which will be modular. Furthermore, the project aims to expand to a formal framework for identifying and quantifying “social benefit” objective functions.
What were you doing for work (or in life) before your UMAPS fellowship?
I completed my PhD last year, and I am currently a lecturer at the University of Johannesburg.
What do you miss from your country?
My family.
What’s your first impression of Ann Arbor and U-M?
Ann Arbor is a cold but beautiful and serene environment with many gorgeous buildings. The people are friendly and receptive. It is a great place for academic research.
What is the one thing you hope to do while in the US?
I hope to get my research to a level with publications. I hope to prepare some publications based on my research, and to build my research networks.
Who are you working with at U-M?
I am working with Professor Panos Papalambros (my UMAPS host) and also Professor Jesse Austin-Breneman.
John-Doe Dordzro (Ghana)
John-Doe Dordzro is a fellow of the American Council of Learned Societies. He is a lecturer in music education, instructor for brass and woodwinds, director of the University of Cape Coast Wind Ensemble, and many Brass and Choral groups across Ghana. His research interests lie in the intersections between music and such variables as education, gender, COVID-19, and community.
Could you describe your UMAPS research project in layman’s terms or in a non-complex way?
My study is on a declining European colonial musical tradition of Ghanaian indigenous brass bands. As part of my masters' thesis and doctoral dissertation, I have made many field recordings and worked extensively on this unique tradition which highlights the ability of the indigenous people to both create and manipulate new expressive codes to their own end. My findings from the initial studies and review of extensive literature have pointed me to the realization that a wider interdisciplinary approach to the study of brass band music in Ghana will be much more worthwhile than another descriptive quasi-ethnographic account of a musical tradition. For example, my preliminary findings show that the introduction of brass bands in Ghana (formerly the Gold Coast) provides a view of the complexity surrounding a cultural change in both colonial and postcolonial eras. The Ghanaian context is especially rich for many reasons including, the “re-interpretation” or “Africanization” of the brass band style by the indigenous musicians. Also, Ghana's ethnic diversity allows one to observe many localized strategies in the refashioning of European band music. My current preoccupation is to convert my doctoral dissertation into a book manuscript. I do this by going a step further to examine how the transformation of European brass band music and performance practice provides the opportunity for understanding the resilience and adaptability of deeply rooted cultural and musical values within dynamically shifting political, social, and economic conditions.
What were you doing for work (or in life) before your UMAPS fellowship?
I am a lecturer in Music Education at the University of Cape Coast, Ghana
What do you miss from your country?
Family
What’s your first impression of Ann Arbor and U-M?
It has a perfect environment for academic work
What is the one thing you hope to do while in the US?
To get my book manuscript complete by the end of my residency at U-M
Who are you working with at U-M?
Professor Kwasi Ampere of the Department of Afro-American Studies is my academic host. I had the opportunity to interact with the Chair of the Music Education unit, Prof. Michael Hopkins, and other members of the Music Education section at the School of Music, Theater & Dance. I was invited by Prof. Marie McCarthy to be a guest lecturer last week in (MUSED 210), a course intended to introduce students to classroom instruments for teaching in the elementary and secondary ‘general music’ classrooms, where I took students through techniques in African traditional drumming. I will also be interacting with Prof. Carlos Rodriguez's graduate class in MUSED 501 "Psychology of Music Teaching and Learning" on the 4th of April. Prof. Kate Fitzpatrick, the Associate Dean of Undergraduate Affairs has also contacted me to be a guest lecturer in her course "Introduction to Music Education" when students return from the spring break.
