Rice University’s Friends of Fondren Library gathered the campus community Jan. 29 to celebrate a year of creative and scholarly achievement, honoring faculty, staff, alumni and supporters whose books, journals, musical compositions and artistic works were published or presented in 2025.
Held in the Farnsworth Pavilion at the Ley Student Center, the annual event recognized authors, editors, composers and artists across disciplines while underscoring the library’s role in sustaining research, intellectual exchange and academic freedom.
A featured panel brought together three Rice scholars whose recent work explores moments of transformation across different parts of the world: Shani Evans, Sidney Lu and Nana Osei-Opare. Their research spans periods of change in various regions, and each emphasized the importance of documenting the lived experiences of everyday people during times of upheaval.
Panelists also discussed the responsibility of scholars to make their work accessible beyond academia, ensuring that the communities they study — and the broader public — can engage with their findings.
Beyond the panel, the event showcased an expansive list of publications and creative works produced by the Rice community over the past year, highlighting the breadth of scholarship and artistry across campus.
The celebration was co-hosted by Julie Fette, associate professor in the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and Margaret Beier, professor and chair of psychological sciences, who welcomed honorees and guests and helped recognize the importance of Fondren Library as a hub for connection and collaboration.
For Beier, the evening also offered a chance to explore work beyond her own field.
“This event gave me a great excuse to take the time to familiarize myself with the excellent work going on at Rice outside of my main research area,” she said. “What an amazing opportunity to expand my worldview.”
Organized annually by the Friends of Fondren Library, the event brings together creators from across fields and reflects the university’s commitment to both rigorous scholarship and creative expression — and the library’s central role in supporting both.
To learn more about Friends of Fondren, click here.