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November 2009

Inclement weather information Should WUSTL alter normal schedule, announcement would be posted on home page, with media outlets Nov. 20, 2009 -- Should weather conditions create potentially hazardous travel conditions, Washington University will evaluate the situation and take into consideration the safety of the University's faculty, staff and students as well as the services that must be provided despite the inclement weather. In the unlikely event that WUSTL alters the normal work and/or class schedule, an announcement will be posted on theWUSTL home page, and a number of media outlets also will air an announcement.

Transmotion Washington University Dance Theatre to feature original works Dec. 4-6 Nov. 20, 2009 -- David Kilper/WUSTL Photo Services It Sang A Long Time Ago Download Washington University Dance Theatre (WUDT), the annual showcase of professionally choreographed works performed by student dancers, will present Transmotion, its 2009 concert, Dec. 4 to 6 in Edison Theatre. Performances — sponsored by the Performing Arts Department (PAD) in Arts & Sciences — will feature more than three dozen student dancers, selected by audition, in seven original works by faculty and guest choreographers. Pieces range from ballet and contemporary dance to works drawing on Chinese and Native American traditions.

WUSTL flag lowered WUSTL flag at half-staff in honor of Richard Hazelton Nov. 20, 2009 -- Richard M. Hazelton, Ph.D., professor emeritus of English in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died Friday, Nov. 13, 2009. He was 91.

Lunch Break Sharon Lockhart at Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Feb. 5 to April 19, 2010 Nov. 17, 2009 -- Sharon Lockhart, Larry Conklin, Welder, 2008. Los Angeles-based conceptual artist Sharon Lockhart creates films and photographs that are at once rigorously formal and deeply humanistic, meticulously observing the details of everyday life while also probing the limits and intersections between the two mediums. As much as Lockhart's photographs reveal cinematic qualities of staging and casting, so too do her films frequently engage a static camera and angles that recall photographic practices. Next sprint the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum will present Sharon Lockhart: Lunch Break, a one-person exhibition showcasing the artist's most recent series.

Beyond the financial crisis Citi CEO Vikram Pandit offers career advice to Olin MBAs Nov. 13, 2009 -- Download What happens when the CEO of one of the largest financial institutions in the world sits down to talk with MBA students? Olin Business School students had a long list of questions for Citi CEO Vikram Pandit when he visited recently. The discussion ranged from the financial crisis to reform, compensation to career choices. Pandit offered candid advice to the students with concerns about unemployment numbers and the loss of jobs on Wall Street.

Sixth Annual Children's Film Symposium Washington University and Cinema St. Louis host free screenings Nov. 21 Nov. 12, 2009 -- Princess of the Sun (2007) Download Washington University's Center for the Humanities and Program in Film & Media Studies, both in Arts & Sciences, will host their Sixth Annual Children's Film Symposium Saturday, Nov. 21. Titled "An Exploration of Children's Films and Their Audiences," the symposium is presented in conjunction with Cinema St. Louis and will feature five screenings as well as a Q&A with Michael Barrier, an animation and comics historian and author of The Animated Man: A Life of Walt Disney (2007).

Music for Sarah Bernhardt Washington University Symphony Orchestra in concert Nov. 22 Nov. 11, 2009 -- Sarah Bernhardt In a career spanning more than 50 years, the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) emerged as one of the most celebrated women of her day, known for a signature acting style based on grand, theatrical gestures and a famously melodious voice. On Nov. 22 the Washington University Symphony Orchestra will highlight a series of rarely heard works originally composed for "The Divine Sarah," who commissioned and revived dozens of musical scores to accompany her plays.

Brass Tacks Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony in concert Nov. 20 Nov. 10, 2009 -- Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony Download The Trombones of the Saint Louis Symphony are one of the nation's leading brass chamber ensembles, dedicated to elevating the status of the trombone quartet and to expanding the trombone quartet repertoire. At 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20, the group will present a free concert at Washington University, with a program spanning four centuries.

Research boon Washington University awarded $80 million in stimulus grants Nov. 9, 2009 -- Washington University has been awarded nearly $80 million in funding from the 2009 American Recovery and Re-investment Act to support research across a broad range of projects, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, renewable energy, diabetes and climate change.

Grimmer than Grimms Performing Arts Department presents The Pillowman Nov. 19-22 Nov. 6, 2009 -- David Kilper/WUSTL Photo Services The Pillowman Download There are good parents and there are bad parents and then there are the outrageously horrible parents of Katurian K. Katurian, the writer at the center of Martin McDonagh's macabre, pitch-black comedy The Pillowman. This month Washington University's Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences will present The Pillowman — winner of the 2004 Olivier Award for Best New Play — in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre.

WUSTL flag lowered WUSTL flag at half-staff in honor of A. Edward Nussbaum Nov. 6, 2009 -- A. Edward Nussbaum, Ph.D., professor emeritus of mathematics in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died Saturday, Oct. 31, 2009, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital. He was 84.

"Celebrating Our Books" Faculty book colloquium to feature Pulitzer Prize-winner Louis Menand Nov. 17 Nov. 5, 2009 -- Louis Menand Pulitzer Prize-winning essayist and literary critic Louis Menand will present the keynote address for "Celebrating Our Books, Recognizing Our Authors," the university's eighth annual faculty book colloquium, at 4 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Graham Chapel. The event — organized by the Center for the Humanities and University Libraries — also will feature presentations by faculty members William Lowry, Ph.D., professor of political science, and Lori Watt, Ph.D., assistant professor of history and International & Area Studies.

Life in the 'real world' Five women discuss post-graduation experiences in 'Composing a Life' Nov. 17 Nov. 5, 2009 -- Women undergraduate and graduate students at Washington University in St. Louis can discuss post-graduation choices and how to attain a successful, fulfilling life at "Composing a Life" Nov. 17 from 6-8 p.m. in the Whitaker Hall Auditorium. The discussion, hosted by the Women's Society of Washington University, will feature five women with career experience in an array of fields, from graphic design to law to nonprofit.

'A brilliant scholar, an outstanding teacher' St. Louis Public Schools teaching award named for Washington University Professor David Konig Nov. 4, 2009 -- An award for the St. Louis Public Schools' social studies teacher of the year has been named in honor of David T. Konig, Ph.D., professor of history, of African & African American Studies and director of the Legal Studies Program, all in Arts & Sciences, and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis.

Kiernan examines the history of genocide Yale historian examines the history of genocide for the Assembly Series Nov. 3, 2009 -- Yale historian Benedict Kiernan to speak on the history and telltale warning signs of genocide on Nov. 11 for the Holocaust Memorial Lecture.

WUSTL flag lowered WUSTL flag at half-staff in honor of Warren M. Shapleigh Nov. 3, 2009 -- Warren M. Shapleigh, former president of the Ralston Purina Co. and an emeritus trustee of Washington University in St. Louis, died Sunday, Nov. 1, 2009, at McKnight Extended Care. He was 89.

What You Will Tony Award-winner Roger Rees brings one-man show to Edison Theatre Nov. 20 Nov. 3, 2009 -- Roger Rees Download Olivier and Tony Award-winning actor Roger Rees is probably best known to American audiences for his work on the small screen — as the dashing English tycoon Robin Colcord on Cheers, as British Ambassador Lord John Marbury on The West Wing and, most recently, as Dr. Colin Marlow on Grey's Anatomy. But next month Rees, a 22-year veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC), will return to the stage with What You Will, a side-splitting one-man-show that combines the Bard's greatest soliloquies with colorful observations about the acting life and offbeat (and occasionally bawdy) tales of theatrical disaster.

Energy symposium today Architects of the National Research Council's roadmap for the energy future meet with top officers of energy companies in St. Louis today Nov. 2, 2009 -- The architects of the National Research Council's roadmap for the next decade, "America's Energy Future: Technology and Transformation," will meet with top officers of energy companies today to discuss this capstone report that recommends investing in clean energy technologies. The meeting will be held from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, 2009, at Washington University's May Auditorium in Simon Hall.

October 2009

"Chance Encounters" Eminent critic Yve-Alain Bois to speak on John Cage, François Morellet and Ellsworth Kelly Nov. 9 Oct. 29, 2009 -- Yve-Alain Bois Critic and curator Yve-Alain Bois, a widely recognized expert on 20th-century European and American art, will present a lecture titled "Chance Encounters: John Cage, François Morellet, Ellsworth Kelly" at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9, in Steinberg Hall Auditorium. The talk — held in conjunction with the exhibition Chance Aesthetics, on view at the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum through Jan. 4 — is cosponsored by the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts' fall Public Lecture Series and the Department of Art History & Archaeology in Arts & Sciences.

Remember Me Parson Dance and East Village Opera Company bring ambitious rock-opera to Edison Theatre Nov. 14 and 15 Oct. 27, 2009 -- Lois Greenfield Remember Me Download It's a timeless tale: two rivalrous brothers vie for the love of a single woman. But Remember Me, the ambitious new collaboration between Parsons Dance Company and the East Village Opera Company (EVOC), is anything but old-fashioned. Combining contemporary dance with live and recorded music as well as video projections, aerial choreography and special effects, Remember Me is at once rock-opera and opera that really rocks. Next month these two internationally renowned companies will return to Edison Theatre to present Remember Me as part of the 2009-10 OVATIONS Series.

'We must succeed in meeting this challenge' Top officers of energy companies meet in St. Louis Nov. 2 to discuss the National Research Council's roadmap for the energy future Oct. 27, 2009 -- Download America has the potential to solve its energy crisis over the next decade, but doing so will require immediate investment in clean energy technologies, says Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and vice chair of a National Resource Council report on America's energy challenges. The report will be the topic of a symposium to be held from 12:30 to 5:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2, in the May Auditorium in Simon Hall on the Danforth Campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

Pickled in Brine Mars may once have been awash in water but the water was very salty Oct. 26, 2009 -- Andrew H. Knoll, Ph.D., Fisher Professor of Natural History and professor of earth and planetary sciences at Harvard University, will discuss the evidence for life on Mars at 7 p.m. Oct. 30 in Room 300, Laboratory Sciences Building, on the Danforth Campus of Washington University in St. Louis.

Stay informed Follow University News Service on Twitter Oct. 22, 2009 -- University News Service is now on Twitter at http://twitter.com/WUSTLnews. Twitter offers an easy way to keep up with the latest news, research discoveries and events happening at Washington University in St. Louis.

A Conversation with the Mayor Mayor Francis Slay to address urban issues for Assembly Series Oct. 22, 2009 -- Chimes Junior Honorary and the Assembly Series are co-sponsoring an informal discussion with Francis G. Slay, the mayor of the City of St. Louis, at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 29 in the Danforth University Center Tisch Commons. The event is free and open to the public.

Master of Landscape Architecture Dorothée Imbert to chair new Sam Fox School program Oct. 20, 2009 -- Dorothée Imbert Download The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts will launch a new Master of Landscape Architecture program in Fall 2010, announced Bruce Lindsey, dean of the College of Architecture and the Graduate School of Architecture & Urban Design. The program, which will offer both two- and three-year options leading to a professional MLA degree, will be led by Dorothée Imbert, a noted scholar as well as a practicing landscape architect, who is currently associate professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture at Harvard's Graduate School of Design Her appointment in the Sam Fox School will be effective Jan. 1, 2010.

M. Kenton King, dean of the medical school for nearly 25 years, 84 WUSTL Flag at half-staff in honor of M. Kenton King Oct. 16, 2009 -- M. Kenton King, M.D., dean of the Washington University School of Medicine for nearly 25 years, died Wednesday, Oct. 14, 2009, at his home in University City. He was 84.

Renowned poet's third nomination Carl Phillips' 'Speak Low' named National Book Award finalist Oct. 15, 2009 -- Poet Carl Phillips, professor of English and of African and African American Studies, both in Arts & Sciences, at Washington University in St. Louis, has been selected — for the third time — as a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award in poetry. Phillips was nominated for his 10th collection of poetry, "Speak Low," published in April by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

WUSTLAlerts test Emergency notification system to be tested Oct. 21 Oct. 14, 2009 -- Washington University in St. Louis will test its emergency notification system, WUSTLAlerts, at approximately 12:50 p.m. Oct. 21. The test will take place unless there is the potential for severe weather that day or some other emergency is occurring at that time.

Obama and the LGBT movement Vaid will go 'beyond the wedding ring' for Assembly Series Oct. 23 Oct. 14, 2009 -- Urvashi Vaid, a stalwart of the LGBT movement, will deliver the Spencer T. Olin Fellows annual lecture, "Beyond the Wedding Ring: LGBT Activism in the Age of Obama." The event will be held at 4 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 in Graham Chapel and is free and open to the public.

Honor Code Academic integrity is focus of international conference, Oct. 16-18 Oct. 13, 2009 -- Washington University will host The Center for Academic Integrity's 18th Annual International Conference Oct. 16-18, 2009. Several hundred students, faculty and staff from around the world will discuss the practice and philosophy of academic integrity, focusing on issues germane to both college and high school education. The conference theme is "Creating a Culture of Integrity: Research and Best Practices."

French lessons International Creole Corridor tour and symposium Nov. 6 and 7 Oct. 12, 2009 -- Scholars from across the country and Canada will gather at Washington University in St. Louis Nov. 6 and 7 for the inaugural International Creole Corridor Symposium. The public is invited to attend the symposium, sponsored by the University and Les Amis (The Friends), the region's Creole cultural heritage preservationist organization located in St. Louis.

See science in a new way SciFest brings world-class scientists to St. Louis Oct. 9, 2009 -- SciFest 09 is festival where everyone can engage in science. The St. Louis Science Center's SciFest 09, which runs through Oct. 11, brings together world-renowned scientists and experts to help participants see science in a new way. Washington University students and faculty will present sessions exploring everything from the science of baseball and the healing power of puppies to images of a brain at work and the bionics of hip replacements.

Obama shaping a different world Historian finds 'profound' difference between President Obama's Nobel Peace Prize and those awarded to Presidents Wilson and Roosevelt Oct. 9, 2009 -- Download An historian of politics and American institutions at Washington University in St. Louis says that there is a "profound" difference between the awarding of a Nobel Peace Prize to President Barack Obama and ones to Presidents Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson. And it has nothing to do with the fact that President Obama is only eight months into his first term as president and Presidents Roosevelt and Wilson were both near the end of their second terms when they received theirs, says Peter J. Kastor, Ph.D., an associate professor of history and of American culture studies in Arts & Sciences.

Business is good Students gain real-world business experience through StEP program Oct. 8, 2009 -- Historically, the number of new, entrepreneurial ventures rises during periods of recession. If jobs aren't available in the traditional market, the argument goes, why not start your own company? Thanks to a program on campus, WUSTL students are doing just that, creating, purchasing and selling on-campus businesses as undergraduate students. It's called the Student Entrepreneurial Program (StEP) and it helps uniquely position students to get hands-on experience as entrepreneurs while they still are in school. (Video available)

Poet and journalist Washington University Libraries adds Frank Marshall Davis Collection Oct. 8, 2009 -- Washington University Libraries' Film & Media Archive has partnered with the University of Hawaii-West Oahu to preserve and digitize an interview with African-American poet and journalist Frank Marshall Davis. Also preserved were photographs, news clippings and poetry readings by Davis, which along with the interview make up the Frank Marshall Davis Collection, a new addition to the holdings of the Film & Media Archive.

Liederabend Soprano Jennifer Jakob and pianist Maria Sumareva in concert Oct. 18 Oct. 8, 2009 -- Soprano Jennifer Jakob and pianist Maria Sumareva will perform an intimate Liederabend for the Washington University Department of Music in Arts & Sciences at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, in Graham Chapel. Literally translated as "evening of song," Liederabend is a German term referring to a recital given by a singer and pianist, particularly of works by 19th-century Austrian or German composers. The program will include examples by Franz Schubert, Richard Strauss, Arnold Schoenberg and Robert Schumann.

The Provenance of Beauty Poet Claudia Rankine to read for The Writing Program Oct. 20 and 29 Oct. 7, 2009 -- Claudia Rankine Download Poet Claudia Rankine, the Visiting Fannie Hurst Professor of Creative Literature in The Writing Program in Arts & Science, will lead a talk on the craft of poetry at 8 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 20. In addition, she will read from her work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29. Rankine is the author of four poetry collections, including Nothing in Nature is Private (1995), The End of the Alphabet (1998), PLOT (2001) and the experimental Don't Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric (2004), which combines poetry, essays, images and travelogue. Her most recent project is a play, The Provenance of Beauty, A South Bronx Travelogue, for the Foundry Theatre in New York

What spooks the stock market in October? Ripening pumpkins, sunspots and scratching dogs may be best indicators of next crash Oct. 5, 2009 -- What do ripening pumpkins, sunspots and scratching dogs have to do with stock market crashes in the month of October? Just ask Washington University in St. Louis economics professor Stephen Williamson. He proposes three theories on why the stock market might tend to crash in October as it did so famously in 1929, 1987 and 2008.

"Playing with Chance" Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum to explore Duchamp, chess and roulette Oct. 14 Oct. 5, 2009 -- Marcel Duchamp Marcel Duchamp was among the most influential artists of the 20th century. He was also a dedicated chess player who saw strong correlations between his art and the game. On Oct. 14 the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum and the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis will present "Playing with Chance: Duchamp, Chess and Roulette," a gallery talk and exhibition match combining the ultimate game of strategy with the ultimate game of chance.

Theme and Variation Martin Kennedy to present faculty recital Oct. 10 Oct. 5, 2009 -- Pianist Martin Kennedy, assistant professor of composition and theory in the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences, will present a free faculty recital at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in the 560 Music Center's E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall. The program will include five original works by Kennedy, performed by Kennedy and guest musicians from Washington University, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra, Maryville University and the University of Missouri—St. Louis.

Getting Ahead at all Costs? Creating a Culture of Integrity Oct. 2, 2009 -- David Callahan, public policy activist and author of The Cheating Culture: Why Americans Are Doing Wrong to Get Ahead and The Moral Center: How We Can Reclaim Our Country from Die Hard Extremists, Rogue Corporations, Hollywood Hacks and Pretend Patriots, will present "Creating a Culture of Integrity." His talk, at 11 a.m., Thursday October 15 in Graham Chapel, is being hosted by the Center for Academic Integrity Conference, the Assembly Series and the Center for Ethics and Human Values. The event is free and open to the public.

Jobs, from interviews to offers, will be focus of multiple events at Washington University in St. Louis this weekend Career Fair, speed-dating and new strategies for job seekers Oct. 1, 2009 -- Don't let rising unemployment figures get you down. The outlook this weekend at Washington University is positive for job seekers and employers alike. Multiple events focusing on careers, resume writing, interviews and how to clinch a job offer will put a positive spin on employment opportunities during economic recovery.

"An American Diary" Celebrated artist Roger Shimomura to speak for Sam Fox School Oct. 12 Oct. 1, 2009 -- Night Watch #3 (2007) by Roger Shimomura Celebrated artist Roger Shimomura, whose paintings and performances wittily explore issues of culture, discrimination and ethnic stereotypes, will discuss his work for the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts' fall Public Lecture Series at 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12. Shimomura's lecture is held in conjunction with the semester-long series "Ethnic Profiling: A Challenge to Democracy," organized by the Center for the Study of Ethics & Human Values.

Media Advisory Gyo Obata and Michael Adams to discuss Japanese-American internments Oct. 2 Oct. 1, 2009 -- Chiura Obata, Silent Moonlight at Tanforan Relocation Center, 1942. In the 1930s photographer Ansel Adams struck up a friendship with California painter Chiura Obata. Yet the arrival of World War II would set these two celebrated artists on radically divergent paths — paths that would, in very different ways, lead both to the now-infamous "war relocation centers" at which the U.S. government forcibly interred approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans. On Oct. 2 their sons, Michael Adams and Gyo Obata, will explore the impact of internment on their respective families in a public dialog at Washington University in St. Louis.

September 2009

Garden grows on South 40 House New green roof at Washington University promotes sustainability, adds green space for students Sept. 30, 2009 -- Photo by Joe Angeles The green roof on the South 40 House. An environmentally friendly "green roof" — containing grass, native plants and approximately 110,000 pounds of soil — opened last week at the South 40 House on Washington University in St. Louis' Danforth Campus. The new roof helps the university conserve energy and water and provides additional gathering space for students.

Matthew Coles on the state of the LGBT movement Assembly Series Sept. 29, 2009 -- "The State of the LGBT Movement," a presentation by Matthew Coles, will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, in the Anheuser-Busch School of Law Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom. It is free and open to the public.

Cloudy with a chance of pebble showers Simulation suggests rocky exoplanet has bizarre atmosphere Sept. 29, 2009 -- Download Intrigued by the discovery last February of Corot-7b, a rocky exoplanet, Washington University in St. Louis scientists set out to investigate its atmosphere the only way so-far possible: mathematically and by simulation. Tidally locked with its star and orbiting very close to it, the planet is hot enough to melt rock on its star-facing side. Its atmosphere consists of the components of silicate rocks in gaseous form and, the simulation suggests, periodically rains pebbles or grains of sand onto the molten surface below.

Chance Aesthetics Concert Performance to feature avant-garde music Oct. 7 Sept. 29, 2009 -- John Cage Since the early 20th century avant-garde writers, artists and composers have championed the creative possibilities of the arbitrary and the accidental. Next week the Department of Music and the Dance Program in the Performing Arts Department, both in Arts & Sciences, along with the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum will host a concert exploring the use of chance in modern and contemporary music. The performance — held in conjunction with the exhibition Chance Aesthetics, now on view at the Kemper Art Museum — is free and open to the public and begins at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, in the 560 Music Center's E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall.

Ragtime The Black Rep and Performing Arts Department join forces for acclaimed musical Oct. 16 to Nov. 1 Sept. 24, 2009 -- Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo Services Shaun Hudson as Coalhouse Walker, Jr., and Renae Adams as Mother Download Ragtime, Terrence McNally's acclaimed adaptation of the 1975 novel by E.L. Doctorow, is a sweeping and ambitious tale of race, class and the promise of America at the dawn of the 20th century. It is also a tremendously demanding theatrical production, requiring almost 50 actors and at least a dozen musicians. Indeed, Ragtime is so logistically challenging — more than 150 different costumes must be designed and sewn — that it virtually precludes staging by all but the largest of regional theaters. Yet next month, The Black Rep will join forces with the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences to present this Tony Award-winning musical as the fall Mainstage production.

Law & Culture Israeli law scholar Amnon Rubinstein lectures, Oct. 5-6 Sept. 23, 2009 -- Amnon Rubinstein, a leading scholar on constitutional law in Israel, will discuss Western culture and Israeli law in free public lectures Oct. 5 and Oct. 6 at Washington University in St. Louis. Rubinstein, a longtime member of the Israeli parliament and founding dean of the nation's top-ranked law school, is a recipient of the prestigious "Israel Prize" for his work on constitutional law.

Banking expert says Fed's plan to curb compensation is wrong Executive pay is on G-20 agenda this week Sept. 23, 2009 -- World leaders from the Group of 20 industrialized and developing nations gather in Pittsburgh this week and the global banking system is on the top of the agenda. Topics for discussion will include how to strengthen banks and help prevent financial crises like the one that roiled global markets a year ago. U.S. and European regulations of executive compensation at banks will also be scrutinized at the summit. Olin Business School professor and banking expert Stuart Greenbaum's advice: proceed with caution.

Walking, living embodiment of where America ought to go" Harold Ford Jr. to give annual Stein Lecture in Ethics Sept. 23, 2009 -- Harold Ford Jr., once described by President Bill Clinton as "the walking, living embodiment of where America ought to go in the 21st century," will give this year's Elliot Stein Lecture in Ethics for the Assembly Series. His talk will be held at 4 p.m. Wednesday, October 7 in Graham Chapel. The event is free and open to the public.

Student Union reunion to feature Green, other successful alums Assembly Series/Leadership Lecture Series features Jason Green on the road from Washington University to the White House Sept. 23, 2009 -- Alumnus Jason Green, who now serves as Deputy Associate General Counsel to President Barack Obama, will be back on campus to give an Assembly Series/Leadership Lecture Series presentation at 4 p.m. Friday, October 9 in Wilson Hall Room 214. His talk is free and open to the public. Green is returning to Washington University to participate in a Student Union reunion from October 9 - 11

'McDonaldization' of frogs Frog fungus hammering biodiversity of communities Sept. 22, 2009 -- Photo by Roberto Brenes Tiny frog killed by invasive fungus. Everyone knows that frogs are in trouble. But a recent analysis by Washington University in St. Louis researchers of data on Central American frogs collected by a University of Maryland colleague shows the situation is worse than had been thought. Under pressure from an invasive fungus, the frogs in this biodiversity hot spot are undergoing "a vast homogenization" that is leaving behind simpler communities that increasingly resemble one another. "We're witnessing the McDonaldization of the frog communities," comments Kevin G. Smith, Ph.D., the lead author of the analysis and associate director of Washington University's Tyson Research Center, a site the fungus has also reached.

The One Marvelous Thing Author Rikki Ducornet to speak for Writing Program Reading Series Oct. 1 and 8 Sept. 21, 2009 -- Rikki Ducornet Author Rikki Ducornet, the Visiting Fannie Hurst Professor of Creative Literature in The Writing Program in Arts & Science, will read from her work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 1. In addition, she will lead a talk on the craft of fiction at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 8. Ducornet, the is the author of seven novels, including The Fan Maker's Inquisition (2004) — a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year—and The Jade Cabinet (1993), a finalist for the National Book Critics' Circle Award.

The future of news WUSTL joins university research news site, Futurity.org Sept. 21, 2009 -- Washington University in St. Louis has joined a group of leading research universities in launching Futurity (futurity.org), an online research channel covering the latest discoveries in science, engineering, the environment, health, and more.

Achieving a very small carbon footprint Chase and Hellmuth discuss the trials and tribulations of building one of the greenest structures in North America Sept. 17, 2009 -- The new Living Learning Center at Tyson Research Center was designed to be one of the greenest buildings in North America. Jonathan Chase, associate professor of biology in the Department of Biology and Environmental Studies in Arts & Sciences and Tyson's director; and Daniel Hellmuth, principal and co-founder of Hellmuth & Bicknese Architects, L.L.C., will deliver a talk about the Center and its challenges for the Assembly Series at 5 p.m. Thursday, September 24 in Wilson Hall Room 214. The program is free and open to the public.

Media Advisory Kick-off event for annual business competitions at Washington University Sept. 17, 2009 -- Kick-off event for annual business competitions at Washington University features Jessica Jackley, founder of Kiva.org. Kiva is first online micro financing web site that connects individual lenders to aspiring entrepreneurs in developing countries. Olin Cup and YouthBridgeSEIC 2010 competitions for student and community entrepreneurs are accepting applications.

A tale of two artists A Challenge to Democracy explores legacy of Japanese internment camps Sept. 17, 2009 -- Ansel Adams, Smiling Girl (Oriental Type), 1943 In the 1930s, the photographer Ansel Adams struck up a friendship with California painter Chiura Obata. Yet the arrival of World War II would set these two celebrated artists on radically divergent paths — paths that would, in very different ways, lead both to the now-infamous "war relocation centers" at which the U.S. government forcibly interred approximately 120,000 Japanese-Americans. Next month their sons, Michael Adams and Gyo Obata, will explore the impact of internment on their respective families in a public dialog at Washington University.

Sleeping Beauty Wakes GrooveLily returns to Edison Theatre Oct. 2 and 3 Sept. 15, 2009 -- Leslie Lyons GrooveLily Download Fairytales do come true — sort of. Just ask Sleeping Beauty, whose 900 years of enchanted rest finally come to an end in a modern-day sleep disorder clinic, far from the land of far far away. Welcome to Sleeping Beauty Wakes, an artfully twisted take on the classic children's story, by theatrical power-pop trio GrooveLily. In October these acclaimed indie troubadours will return to St. Louis for a pair of performances as part of the Edison Theatre OVATIONS Series.

O'Ceallaigh Medal winner Cowsik receives award for 'outstanding contributions to cosmic ray physics' Sept. 14, 2009 -- Cowsik Ramanath Cowsik, Ph.D., professor of physics and director of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, received the 2009 O'Ceallaigh Medal for his "outstanding contributions to cosmic ray physics." Cowsik, whose scientific contributions span over four decades, received the award during the opening ceremony of the 31st biennial International Cosmic Ray Conference, held in Lodz, Poland.

'An accomplished professor, experienced leader' WUSTL's new Arts & Sciences dean to be installed as the Lewin Distinguished Professor in the Humanities Sept. 11, 2009 -- Gary S. Wihl, Ph.D., who joined Washington University in St. Louis July 1 as dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences, will be installed as the Hortense and Tobias Lewin Distinguished Professor in the Humanities during a 4:30 p.m. ceremony Sept. 16, announced Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. Wihl, who also is a professor in the Department of English in Arts & Sciences, came to WUSTL from Rice University, where he was dean of its School of Humanities and the Francis Moody Newman Professor of the Humanities.

20,000 neurons keep steady time when working together WUSTL research finds individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time, but are unreliable Sept. 9, 2009 -- An isolated nerve cell busy keeping time. Download Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis have shown that individual cells isolated from the biological clock can keep daily time all by themselves. However, by themselves, they are unreliable. The neurons get out of synch and capriciously quit or start oscillating again. The biological clock, a one-square millimeter area of the brain just above the roof of the mouth and atop the crossing of the optic nerves, comprises about 20,000 neurons. These cells, remarkably, contain the machinery to generate daily, or circadian, rhythms in gene expression and electrical activity. But the individual cells are sloppy and must communicate with one another to establish a coherent 24-hour rhythm.

underground David Dorfman Dance at Edison Theatre Sept. 25 and 26 Sept. 8, 2009 -- Gary Noel David Dorfman Dance Download "Does what you do make a difference?" "Is violence ever justified?" "When can activism become terrorism, or vice versa?" Such provocative questions lie at the heart of underground, an ambitious evening-length multimedia dance piece by acclaimed choreographer David Dorfman. On Sept. 25 and 26 Dorfman — a Washington University alumnus — will return to Edison Theatre with his company, David Dorfman Dance, to launch the 2009-10 OVATIONS Series.

My Happy Life Author Lydia Millet to speak for Writing Program Reading Series Sept. 17 Sept. 8, 2009 -- Lydia Millet Fiction writer Lydia Millet will read from her work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 17, for Washington University's Writing Program in Arts & Sciences Millet is the author of six novels, beginning with the subversive coming-of-age tale Omnivores (1996), which centers on a young woman whose megalomaniac father turns their home into an armed camp after seceding from the United States. Her third novel, My Happy Life (2002), won the 2003 PEN-USA Award for Fiction. Her latest book is the forthcoming story collection Love in Infant Monkeys.

Tools of the trade Chimpanzees develop specialized tool kits to catch army ants, finds WUSTL expert Sept. 4, 2009 -- Juvenile male chimpanzee in the Goualougo Triangle, Republic of Congo. Download Chimpanzees in the Congo have developed specialized "tool kits" to forage for army ants, reveals new research published Sept. 3 in the American Journal of Primatology. This not only provides the first direct evidence of multiple tool use in this context, but suggests that chimpanzees have developed a sustainable way of harvesting food. A team from the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project, led by Crickette Sanz, Ph.D., assistant professor of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences, studied several communities of chimpanzee throughout the Nouabalé-Ndoki national park in the Republic of Congo.

Entrepreneurs changing lives Kiva microfinancer Jessica Jackley to deliver talk on entrepreneurship; kick off competitions Sept. 4, 2009 -- Jessica Jackley, co-founder of Kiva, the Internet-driven microfinance organization that connects lenders with budding entrepreneurs, will deliver the Assembly Series/Skandalaris Lecture at 5 p.m. Thursday, September 17 in Simon Hall's May Auditorium. The event is free and open to the public. This is the kickoff event for the Skandalaris Center's annual business plan competitions: the Olin Cup, and the YouthBridge Social Entrepreneur and Innovation Competition.

Serving others WUSTL students give back during Service First Sept. 4, 2009 -- The 11th annual Service First will be held Saturday, Sept. 5, at 12 St. Louis area schools. Approximately 90 students will head to each school, helping paint indoor and outdoor murals and activities and maps on the playground and creating bulletin boards and preparing classrooms.

Dancing Who I Am Concert/panel discussion to examine dance and ethnic identity Sept. 12; film screening Sept. 13 Sept. 3, 2009 -- Rulan Tangen Around the world dance is often quite literally the physical embodiment of cultural identity and practice. Yet for individual dancers, the power of such traditions can give rise to certain expectations and even stereotypes based on perceived identity. On Sept. 12 the Dance Program in the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences will explore the role of ethnicity in contemporary dance with "Dancing Who I Am," a panel discussion and informal concert featuring faculty members as well as leading critics and choreographers from around the country. The event comes as part of the semester-long series "Ethnic Profiling: A Challenge to Democracy," organized by the Center for the Study of Ethics and Human Values. Also as part of the series, the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies will screen Ancestor Eyes, an award-winning Native American short film, Sept. 13.

Census Bureau to release health insurance numbers Sept. 10 Discrediting official uninsured estimates only minimizes the real health care problem, says health economist Sept. 3, 2009 -- McBride The health reform debate to date has been characterized by a lot of confusion and misinformation. "The conclusion that most of the uninsured either are voluntarily uninsured or do not need assistance is erroneous," says Timothy McBride, Ph.D., leading health economist and associate dean of public health at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. The Census Bureau will announce the official health insurance estimates on Thursday, Sept. 10. According to McBride, because of the economic downturn, the number of uninsured may top 50 million.

"When the Emporer Was Divine" author visits campus Freshman Reading Program selected author to speak for Assembly Series Sept. 3, 2009 -- Julie Otsuka will present the Assembly Series and Neureuther Library lecture at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, September 15 in Graham Chapel. Otsuka's debut novel, "When the Emperor Was Divine" is this year's Freshman Reading Program selection.

Future for aspiring non-profit entrepreneurs is bright in St. Louis Social enterprise competition gets renewed funding; changes name Sept. 2, 2009 -- The Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC) enters its fifth year with a new name in recognition of a St. Louis community foundation. The competition offers mentoring, business advice and workshops for social enterprise start-ups. Contestants in the seven month-long competition must pass several hurdles before investment awards, totaling thousands of dollars, are announced next spring for the most promising ventures.

Scholarship drive will 'Open Doors to the Future' Washington University announces scholarship initiative Sept. 2, 2009 -- Washington University's Board of Trustees has authorized a fundraising initiative designed to increase support for student scholarships. "Opening Doors to the Future: The Scholarship Initiative for Washington University," has a goal of raising $150 million to support scholarships and fellowships. A formal kickoff for the initiative will take place on November 7, and the effort will continue through June 30, 2014.

Assembly Series Fall 2009 lecture program begins with a comic touch by alum Ramis Sept. 1, 2009 -- The fall 2009 Assembly Series will start off on a light note with comedic filmmaker and Washington University alumnus Harold Ramis. The series continues through mid-November covering topics on entrepreneurship, equal rights, human rights, government and the environment.

August 2009

After the hurricanes New Orleans still needs a water plan Aug. 31, 2009 -- Courtesy photo Derek Hoeferlin Download Four years after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita led to devastating floods, the city of New Orleans still lacks a comprehensive plan for dealing with water, argues Derek Hoeferlin, a senior lecturer in the College and Graduate School of Architecture in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Hoeferlin has led a series of Post-hurricane architecture and urban design studios, including most recently Gutter to Gulf, which explores spatial strategies for a potential water plan. He outlined his views in an Aug. 30 commentary for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and is available for further discussion of planning and recovery issues.

Summer of Love Jazz at Holmes opens Sept. 10 with an outdoor jazz tribute to Woodstock Aug. 31, 2009 -- William Lenihan Jazz at Holmes will open its fall series of free Thursday night jazz concerts Sept. 10 with an outdoor jazz tribute to the 40th anniversary of Woodstock. The concert will feature a six-person jazz ensemble led by William Lenihan, director of jazz performance in the Department of Music in Arts & Sciences. "The connections between rock music and jazz of the era of Woodstock are many," Lenihan explained, "and not just that which the sonic possibilities of electric and electronic musical instruments brought to the stage."

Economies: Art + Architecture Sam Fox School to host first ACSA and the NCAA joint conference Nov. 4-7 Aug. 28, 2009 -- John Maeda World-renowned artist and computer scientist John Maeda will serve as opening speaker for "Economies: Art Architecture," the first joint conference of the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture and the National Council of Art Administrators. The conference, which takes place Nov. 4-7, will be hosted by the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. In conjunction with the event, the Sam Fox School and the Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies are collaborating to present three Skandalaris Awards in art and design.

On the corner Washington University's Corner Building at Delmar and Skinker opens Aug. 27, 2009 -- Washington University in St. Louis' newly renovated Corner Building on Skinker and Delmar boulevards opened Aug. 14. The building is located on the eastern side of the Loop area in the City of St. Louis and contains apartments and spaces for retail shops.

Musica Ebraica Israeli musicologist and pianist Assaf Shelleg to lecture at Washington University, Sept. 2 Aug. 25, 2009 -- "Embattled Israeliness, Embedded Jewishness: Jewish Influences on Israeli Music" is the focus of a lecture by visiting Israeli scholar Assaf Shelleg at 8 p.m., Sept. 2, in the Whitaker Hall Auditorium at Washington University.

Visionary architecture Metabolic City at Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Sept. 18 to Jan. 4, 2010 Aug. 21, 2009 -- Warren Chalk and David Greene, *Electronic Tomato — Collage," 1969. Amidst the cultural and political ferment of the 1960s, avant-garde artists and architects began embracing biological and scientific models as well as the potentials of emerging technologies to explore radical new directions in urban design, developing projects that were at once fanciful, complex and conceptually serious. This fall the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum will present Metabolic City, an exhibition surveying work by the British collective Archigram; the Japanese Metabolists (whose members include Fumihiko Maki, architect of the Kemper Art Museum); and the Dutch painter Constant Nieuwenhuys, an early member of the Situationist International.

Killing Fields revisited Cambodians unsure tribunals will heal wounds of mass killings, JAMA study suggests Aug. 21, 2009 -- Lessons learned from research into the societal effects of post-Apartheid "truth and reconciliation" hearings in South Africa are now being applied to a U.S. National Institute of Peace-sponsored study of the long-term mental health impact on Cambodians from human rights tribunals targeting the killing of millions by the nation's former Khmer Rouge regime, says James L. Gibson, a professor of political science at Washington University in St. Louis and co-author of a study published Aug. 6 in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).

MO Budget Project press conference Aug. 20 Business, faith and health care leaders to speak in support of health care reform Aug. 19, 2009 -- On Thursday, August 20th, business, faith and health care leaders from across the region will come together at the Family Care Health Center in St. Louis to give their perspective on why federal health care reform is important for Missouri. The speakers, including health care providers, educators, business owners and faith leaders, will each speak for several minutes and then make themselves available to answer media questions following the presentations.

Kouvelis to assume new senior associate deanship Olin Business School names new head of exec Aug. 17, 2009 -- Kouvelis Download Panos Kouvelis, a professor of operations and manufacturing management at the Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis, has been named to the new position of senior associate dean and director of executive programs. From St. Louis to Shanghai, Olin offers a wide variety of executive education programs including the Executive MBA degree, topic-focused seminars and custom corporate learning programs. Kouvelis brings a rich background of teaching, research and consulting to this new position which is part of a larger strategic plan for continued growth and innovation in executive education.

Youth with autism coming of age Brown School study will focus on transitions in service use and coverage for teens with autism spectrum disorders Aug. 17, 2009 -- For teens with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their families, the transition to young adulthood may be especially difficult. To better understand this issue and how best to address it, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has awarded a five-year grant to Paul T. Shattuck, Ph.D., assistant professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. "This study will help us one day answer one of the most pressing issues in treating ASD," said NIMH Director Thomas R. Insel, M.D. "Bridging the gap in health care, service use, and insurance coverage as these young people leave the school systems and enter adulthood may help prevent lapses in behavioral, social, and occupational skills that they and their families have worked so hard to achieve."

Media Advisory New students move in Aug. 14, 2009 -- More than 1,400 Washington University freshmen will move into the South 40 residence halls on Thursday, Aug. 20. With help from family, friends and upperclassmen, the students will be hauling everything from refrigerators and microwaves to carpets, bicycles and stereo systems into their new homes away from home. Trucks, vans, U-Hauls and station wagons will line the South 40 driveways.

"A Challenge to Democracy" Fall series to explore past and present of ethnic profiling Aug. 12, 2009 -- Passing Poston: An American Story (2008) Ethnic profiling is illegal in the United States, prohibited by the Fourth Amendment, which requires probable cause for searches and seizures, and by the Fourteenth Amendment, which calls for equal protection under the law. And yet as the recent arrest of Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates demonstrates, the issue remains far from settled. This fall Washington University in St. Louis will present "Ethnic Profiling: A Challenge to Democracy," a semester-long series exploring the history, impact and ethical issues surrounding ethnic profiling through lectures, readings, performances, panel discussions and other events. .

This will only hurt a little Updated vaccinations are key to good college health Aug. 12, 2009 -- While purchasing all the necessary back to school supplies in the coming weeks, incoming college students may also want to update their vaccination records. Being vaccinated is a simple way to prevent several controllable infectious illnesses, says an expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

Obituary Margaret Bush Wilson, WUSTL trustee emerita, civil rights attorney, 90 Aug. 12, 2009 -- Margaret Bush Wilson Download Margaret Bush Wilson, WUSTL trustee emerita, prominent civil rights attorney in the 1960s and the first woman of color to chair the board of directors of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), died Tuesday, Aug. 11, after a short illness. She was 90.

Transformations Performing Arts Department announces 2009-10 season Aug. 7, 2009 -- David Marchant Young Choreographers Showcase Download Live performance has always been a multidisciplinary event, its three great streams — theater, music and dance — forever shifting and combining in new and unpredictable ways. For its 2009-10 season, the Performing Arts Department (PAD) in Arts & Sciences will present a handful of works that together highlight both the boundless possibility and transformational power of the stage.

Chance, randomness and probability Chance Aesthetics at Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum Sept. 18 to Jan. 4, 2010 Aug. 5, 2009 -- Jean Tinguely, Metamatic No. 9 Dripping or flinging paint; flipping coins to compose musical scores; letting the progressive decay of organic materials determine a composition — since the early 20th century avant-garde artists have used these processes and many others to explore the creative possibilities of chance and its attendant release of authorial intent. This fall the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum will present Chance Aesthetics, a major loan exhibition investigating the use of chance as a key compositional principle in modern art.

Double-edged Sword Historical movies help students learn, but separating fact from fiction can be challenge Aug. 4, 2009 -- Students who learn history by watching historically based blockbuster movies may be doomed to repeat the historical mistakes portrayed within them, suggests a new study from Washington University in St. Louis. Findings suggest showing popular history movies in a classroom setting can be a double-edged sword when it comes to helping students learn and retain factual information in associated textbooks.

New Injury Control Research Center Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention Will Provide Research Expertise on Child Maltreatment, Intimate Partner Violence, Sexual Violence and Suicide Aug. 4, 2009 -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has designated the Center for Violence and Injury Prevention (CVIP) at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis as one of its newest Injury Control Research Centers (ICRC). Preventing child maltreatment, intimate partner violence, sexual violence, suicide and related injuries through community-based research and educational outreach is the goal of the Brown Center for Violence and Injury Prevention. The center is led by Melissa Jonson-Reid, Ph.D., associate professor at the Brown School. John Constantino, M.D., the Blanche F. Ittleson Professor of Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the Washington University School of Medicine, serves as co-director.

July 2009

Award-winning intergenerational research Morrow-Howell and McCrary win Generations United Award for evaluation of Experience Corps tutoring program July 31, 2009 -- Nancy Morrow-Howell, Ph.D. the Ralph and Muriel Pumphrey Professor of Social Work and Stacey McCrary, project manager, both at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, are winners of the prestigious Generations United 2009 Brabazon Award for Evaluation Research. Morrow-Howell and McCrary are being honored for their work evaluating Experience Corps, an award-winning organization that trains thousands of people over 55 to tutor children in urban public schools across the country.

'Digital natives' Constant contact between college students and parents could hinder development July 30, 2009 -- Coburn Whether your child is going away to college this fall across town or across the country, there are more ways to keep in touch than ever before. With today's ubiquitous cell phones and access to Twitter, Facebook and texting, it may seem as though your child has never left the house. For students, there is the ever-present possibility of an available parent at the end of a cordless tether, which has the potential to hinder the letting go process, claims an expert on the college transition at Washington University in St. Louis.

America's Energy Future U.S. energy future hinges on rapid rollout of emerging clean energy technologies July 30, 2009 -- Download America has the potential to solve its energy crisis over the next decade, but doing so requires a substantial immediate investment in the development and deployment of emerging clean energy technologies, says Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor of Washington University in St. Louis and vice chair of a new National Resource Council report on America's energy challenges.

Warhol Foundation Grant Kemper Art Museum wins $50,000 grant for Sharon Lockhart—Lunch Break July 30, 2009 -- Sharon Lockhart, still from LUNCH BREAK (Assembly Hall, Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine), 2008. The Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum at Washington University in St. Louis has received a $50,000 grant from the Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc., to support the exhibition Sharon Lockhart—Lunch Break. Organized by Sabine Eckmann, Ph.D., the museum's director and chief curator, the exhibition will open Feb. 10, 2010, and remain on view through April 19.

New members Six join Washington University in St. Louis board of trustees July 30, 2009 -- Six new members joined the board of trustees at Washington University in St. Louis, according to Washington University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. Gregory H. Boyce, John F. Dains, Steven F. Leer, George Paz and Harry Seigle began their terms July 1. George P. Bauer began his term in December.

U.S. health care reform Employer-based insurance is less extensive than believed, says health insurance expert July 29, 2009 -- Bernstein "Private employment provides less health insurance than believed," says Merton C. Bernstein, a founding board member of the National Academy of Social Insurance and the Coles Professor of Law Emeritus at Washington University in St. Louis. Bernstein is available to discuss health insurance in the U.S.

Minding your meds A silly pat on the head helps seniors remember daily med, study suggests July 28, 2009 -- Doing something unusual, like knocking on wood or patting yourself on the head, while taking a daily dose of medicine may be an effective strategy to help seniors remember whether they've already taken their daily medications, suggests new research from Washington University in St. Louis.

Doing rice right Traditional Thai hill farmers help preserve genetic diversity of rice July 27, 2009 -- National Science Foundation Traditional rice cultivation methods practiced in the isolated hillside farms of Thailand are helping preserve the genetic diversity of rice, one of the world's most important food crops, according to a new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis and Chiang Mai University in Thailand.

Lynn Imergoot, 60 Washington University's Lynn Imergoot passes away in New York July 27, 2009 -- Washington University in St. Louis associate director of intramurals and club sports and former women's tennis coach Lynn Imergoot passed away on Friday, July 24, from injuries sustained in a car accident in New York. Imergoot, 60, retired from coaching in 2005 and spent a total of 37 years on the Danforth Campus.

'Holy grail for icy volcanism' Saturnian moon shows evidence of ammonia July 24, 2009 -- NASA/JPL/Space Science Institute Saturn's moon Enceladus, seen by the Cassini spacecraft. Data collected during two close flybys of Saturn's moon Enceladus by NASA's Cassini spacecraft add more fuel to the fire about the Saturnian ice world containing sub-surface liquid water, according to a report in the July 23 issue of the journal Nature that is co-authored by a planetary researcher from Washington University in St. Louis.

New leadership Kharasch named interim vice chancellor for research July 21, 2009 -- Evan Kharasch has been named interim vice chancellor for research at Washington University in St. Louis. The appointment is effective July 20. University Provost Edward Macias made the announcement.

'Absolutely irreplaceable' Apollo 11 moon rocks still crucial 40 years later, say WUSTL researchers July 17, 2009 -- Photo by Randy Korotev Moon rocks from the Apollo 11 mission. Download A lunar geochemist at Washington University in St. Louis says that there are still many answers to be gleaned from the moon rocks collected by the Apollo 11 astronauts on their historic moonwalk 40 years ago July 20. And he credits another WUSTL professor for the fact that the astronauts even collected the moon rocks in the first place. "Bringing samples back from the moon wasn't the point of the mission," says Randy Korotev, a research professor in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences in Arts & Sciences. "It was really about politics. It took scientists like Bob Walker to bring these samples back — to show the value of them for research."

'Wonderful citizen of Washington University' Shimabukuro named director of admissions at WUSTL July 16, 2009 -- Julie Shimabukuro Download Julie Shimabukuro, formerly director of international recruitment, has been named director of admissions at Washington University in St. Louis.

'Another major step' Washington University's Village East apartments certified LEED Silver July 16, 2009 -- David Kilper Village East student apartment building Washington University in St. Louis' Village East student apartment building has received a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver rating from the U.S. Green Building Council. The Village East is the first LEED-certified residence hall and third LEED-certified building on the university's Danforth Campus.

Economic racial divide in the U.S. — Are we over race? Widening gap exists in key factors for economic well-being, according to new study July 15, 2009 -- "With President Obama now approaching six months in office, some have suggested that we have gone beyond race as a major dividing line in society. Yet nothing could be further from the truth," says Mark R. Rank, Ph.D., professor of social work at Washington University in St. Louis. "One of the fundamental fault lines in American society continues to be the ongoing racial disparities in economic well-being." Using 30 years of data, Rank examined three key factors in attaining economic well-being: owning a home and building equity; attaining affluence and avoiding poverty; and possessing enough assets to survive economic turmoil, or a "rainy day fund." "The results indicate that within each area, the economic racial divide across the American life course is immense," Rank says.

A competitive edge New master of engineering in computer science and engineering offered July 10, 2009 -- The School of Engineering & Applied Science at Washington University in St. Louis has developed a highly personalized one-year master of engineering in computer science and engineering designed to provide students computing skills and a competitive edge to meet the demands of modern industry. The program is specially tailored for individuals who plan to change careers and enter the computer science and engineering (CSE) profession, for international students seeking to establish U.S. credentials in computing, and for current CSE professionals who wish to advance their skills and education.

Fishy science First direct evidence of substantial fish consumption by early modern humans in China July 9, 2009 -- Freshwater fish are an important part of the diet of many peoples around the world, but it has been unclear when fish became an essential part of the year-round diet for early humans. A new study by an international team of researchers, including Erik Trinkaus, Ph.D., the Mary Tileston Hemenway Professor of Anthropology in Arts & Sciences, shows it may have happened in China as far back as 40,000 years ago.

Step in the right direction Obama's Russian meeting may have opened a new chapter in U.S./Russian relations July 8, 2009 -- President Barack Obama met this week with Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and President Dmitri Medvedev. While the two sides did not see eye-to-eye on all topics, they did mutually agree to dispose of 34 tons each of weapons-grade plutonium, an initiative started in the 1990s and never completed. It's a step in the right direction, says an expert on Russian identity at Washington University in St. Louis.

Extremely high energy Pinpointing origin of gamma rays from a supermassive black hole July 2, 2009 -- Download An international collaboration of 390 scientists reports the discovery of an outburst of very-high-energy gamma radiation from the giant radio galaxy Messier 87 (M 87), accompanied by a strong rise of the radio flux measured from the direct vicinity of its supermassive black hole. The combined results give first experimental evidence that particles are accelerated to extremely high energies in the immediate vicinity of a supermassive black hole and then emit the observed gamma rays. The gamma rays have energies a trillion times higher than the energy of visible light. Washington University in St. Louis physicists helped coordinate this cooperative project, the results of which appear in the July 2 Science Express, the advance online publication of the journal Science.

June 2009

Chance, play, and nature Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum announces 2009-10 schedule June 30, 2009 -- Ellsworth Kelly, Spectrum Colors Arranged by Chance V, 1951. In an unstable world chance events can seem to threaten our claims to self-determination. Yet in the early 20th century avant-garde artists embraced chance as a primary compositional principle. This fall the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum will present Chance Aesthetics, a major loan exhibition examining the use of chance in modern art. The exhibition is the first of four major shows slated for the 2009-10 academic year.

Iran's Joan of Arc? Reactions to Neda Agha-Soltan shooting reveal how we make sense of history June 25, 2009 -- Julie Singer The shooting death last Saturday of Neda Agha-Soltan has emerged, thanks to video widely circulated on the Internet, as a potent symbol of Iran's antigovernment movement. In the news media and in private postings across the Web, Agha-Soltan has been memorialized as a victim, a martyr and — perhaps most hauntingly to Western ears — as "Iran's Joan of Arc." Yet while fitting in some ways, that comparison says less about either Agha-Soltan or the 15th-century French saint than it does about our own need to make sense of the present through comparison with the past, says Julie Singer, Ph.D., assistant professor of French in the Department of Romance Languages & Literatures at Washington University in St. Louis.

Disputed election Iranian administration losing legitimacy, says expert June 23, 2009 -- Robert Canfield Download As the Iranian government continues to crack down on citizens protesting against the recent disputed re-election of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, an expert on Iran at Washington University in St. Louis says the Iranian administration wants the legitimacy of having won an election without actually having allowed a true election to take place.

Future of U.S. health care Health economist and leading policy expert believes health reform legislation will pass in '09 June 23, 2009 -- The United States has attempted to pass major health reform legislation eight times in the last century, starting in the mid 1910s up through 1993-94 with the failed Clinton health reform effort. "Only once in that period was any legislation passed — in 1964-65 when Medicare and Medicaid were passed," says Timothy McBride, Ph.D., associate dean of public health at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. "Yet, for many reasons, I feel that it is much more likely that legislation will pass this year." At this point, McBride believes that President Obama has the political support necessary to make health reform happen, and he has made it his top domestic priority. McBride has been active in testifying before Congress and consulting with important policy constituencies on Medicare, insurance and health policy issues. He is a member of the Rural Policy Research Institute Health Panel that provides expert advice on rural health issues to the U.S. Congress and other policymakers.

Windows on Iran Iranian-American scholar posts daily updates on election-related turmoil in Iran June 22, 2009 -- Windows on Iran An Iranian-American scholar at Washington University in St. Louis has been posting daily updates on election-related turmoil in Iran as part of her long-running electronic newsletter on cultural, political and social issues in Iran. Fatemeh Keshavarz, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Asian and Near Eastern Languages and Literatures in Arts & Sciences, posts news, filled with cell phone videos and firsthand anecdotes from friends and academic contacts within Iran, at Windows on Iran Web site. She is available for media interviews on the day-to-day news reports she's receiving from contacts within Iran and for broader discussions of the cultural context of these events, including the role of women and the unique ways that this protest is being shaped by the use of cell phones, instant messaging and other online social media.

Gender Discrimination has a new metaphor: the labyrinth Glass ceiling may be shattered, but women still face obstacles on path to leadership June 17, 2009 -- WHEN: Thursday, June 18, 2009 WHAT: Program on "The truth about how women become leaders" Presented by the Healthcare Businesswomen's Assoc.; hosted by Olin Business School WHO: Linda L. Carli, co-author of Through the Labyrinth: The Truth About How Women Become Leaders. WHERE: Charles F. Knight Center, Washington University in St. Louis, Forrest Park Parkway and Troop Drive.

Media advisory Media Day at camp where middle schoolers explore math and science June 16, 2009 -- Washington University in St. Louis is hosting its third ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp June 14-26 for 48 middle schoolers from traditionally underrepresented populations who are genuinely interested in math and science. An "ExxonMobil Media Day" will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 17, in the lower level of the Mallinckrodt Center, 6445 Forsyth Blvd. Campers will work side by side with scientists to complete an engineering challenge. The free residential camp gives students a first-hand experience with experiments, role models and innovative programs to encourage their continued participation in math and science courses in school.

Freund Visiting Artist Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts and Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum announce new residency June 15, 2009 -- Notion Nanny (2007) Installation artist Allison Smith will serve as the inaugural Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Visiting Artist in the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts. Smith is known for creating large-scale works that critically engage popular forms of historical reenactment along with crafts and other traditional cultural conventions to redo, restage and refigure historical memories. Launched in partnership with Washington University's Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum, the Freund Visiting Artist program joins a similar collaboration between the Sam Fox School and the Saint Louis Art Museum, which was initiated in 1995.

Can baby boomers work with Gen X and Y employees? Managing multiple generations is topic at Olin Business School seminar June 15, 2009 -- Managers face new challenges with multiple generations working together as baby boomers delay retirement and members of Gen X and Gen Y enter the workforce. A seminar at the Olin Business School is designed to help executives juggle the needs and talents of employees in the 20 to 60 year-old age range.

Developing 'next generation of creative thinkers' Free science camp for middle schoolers from traditionally underrepresented populations June 12, 2009 -- WUSTL Photo Services WUSTL's ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp Download Washington University in St. Louis will host its third ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp June 14-26. The Danforth Campus will welcome 48 middle schoolers from traditionally underrepresented populations who are academically qualified, recommended by their teachers and genuinely interested in math and science. The free residential camp gives students a first-hand experience with experiments, role models and innovative programs to encourage their continued participation in math and science courses in school. A special "ExxonMobil Media Day" will be held from 9:30-11:30 a.m. June 17 at the Mallinckrodt Center, lower level. Campers will work side by side with scientists to complete an engineering challenge.

Freund Fellows Bruce Yonemoto and Ian Monroe win Freund Fellowships from Saint Louis Art Museum and Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts June 12, 2009 -- Courtesy photo Ian Monroe, The Tesseract The Saint Louis Art Museum and the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis jointly announce the selection of artists Bruce Yonemoto and Ian Monroe as the Henry L. and Natalie E. Freund Teaching Fellows for the academic years 2009-10 and 2010-11, respectively. The Freund Fellowship consists of two month-long residencies in the Sam Fox School's Graduate School of Art and a Currents exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum. The collaboration was established in 1995.

'Deeply saddened by this event' WUSTL statement on incident at Holocaust Museum June 10, 2009 -- Washington University is dismayed and shocked to learn that an attack was made today at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. The university has a long-standing commitment to human rights and religious studies, including the Holocaust and Jewish studies, as well as being a sponsor of Holocaust lectures by experts from around the world.

'Big Ideas' What everyone should know about Earth sciences summarized in free NSF-funded e-booklet June 5, 2009 -- If you're clueless about petrology, paleobiology and plate tectonics, the National Science Foundation and the Earth Science Literacy Initiative (ESLI) have just released a free pamphlet offering a concise primer on what all Americans should know about the Earth sciences. "The Earth Science Literacy framework document of 'Big Ideas' and supporting concepts was a community effort representing the current state-of-the-art research in Earth sciences," said Michael E. Wysession, Ph.D., chair of ESLI and associate professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Summer Sunday concerts Gateway Festival Orchestra to perform at Washington University throughout July June 4, 2009 -- James Richards Download The Gateway Festival Orchestra will begin its 46th season of free Sunday-evening performances July 12 with a concert celebrating American music. The program will include orchestral excerpts from Wicked and other popular musicals as well as the Armed Forces Salute, a medley of official songs representing each branch of the armed forces, and The Stars and Stripes Forever. Subsequent concerts, on July 19 and 26, will highlight Vienna's classical era with music of Haydn, Mozart and Beethoven; and works by "Old World" and "New World" composers, including Bach, Beethoven, Adler and Dvořák.

Living Building Challenge What could be one of North America's greenest buildings opened May 29 June 2, 2009 -- Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo The Living Learning Center Download An opening ceremony for what could be one of North America's greenest buildings — a flagship building on the cutting edge of sustainable design and energy efficiency — was held May 29 at Washington University in St. Louis' new Living Learning Center at the university's Tyson Research Center. The Living Learning Center is a 2,900-square-foot facility built to meet the Living Building Challenge — designed to be the most stringent green building rating system in the world — of the Cascadia Region Green Building Council (CRGBC). No building has met its standard yet, but the Living Learning Center is in the running to be the first in North America.

Jazz at Holmes Linda Presgrave Quintet launches summer concert series June 11 June 1, 2009 -- Linda Presgrave The Linda Presgrave Quintet will launch Washington University's summer Jazz at Holmes Series from 8 to 10 p.m. Thursday, June 11. The series will feature six free concerts — in a relaxed, coffeehouse-style setting — by professional jazz musicians from around St. Louis and abroad. Presgrave, a pianist and former St. Louisan, lives and performs in New York City, where she recently released In Your Eyes, her debut CD.

May 2009

Strategies for turbulent times to be focus of conference Supply chain managers examine recession's impact on global business May 28, 2009 -- Recession-related pressures on supply chain management will be the topic of the first industry conference sponsored by the Boeing Center for Technology, Information and Management (BCTIM) at the Olin Business School, Washington University in St. Louis, Wednesday, June 3, 2009.

Media Advisory Media tours of what could be one of North America's greenest buildings on May 29 May 28, 2009 -- Media tours of what could be certified as one of the greenest buildings in North America will be held from 2:30 to 4 p.m. Friday, May 29, 2009, at Washington University's newly built Living Learning Center. The center, at the university's Tyson Research Center near Eureka, Mo., is designed to be a zero net energy and zero wastewater building — both requirements to earn "living building" recognition. An opening ceremony for the Living Learning Center featuring WUSTL admininstrators and faculty will be held after the media tours at 4 p.m.

Missing link 47-million-year-old fossil could shed light on primate family tree May 21, 2009 -- A 47-million-year-old primate fossil, a purported "missing link" between primates and humans, was unveiled this week in New York. The fossil, formally called Darwinius masillae but nicknamed Ida, could, due to it being an essentially whole skeleton, shed light on the construction of the primate family tree, says an expert on primate evolution at Washington University in St. Louis.

College Savings Initiative aims to advance college success for all families The New America Foundation and Washington University in St. Louis will examine innovative ways to create more inclusive 529 college savings plans May 21, 2009 -- The New America Foundation and Center for Social Development (CSD) at Washington University in St. Louis announce a new College Savings Initiative to examine and improve 529 college savings plans so more people have the opportunity to attend and complete college. "Saving money is not easy, but research shows many people can save when they have incentives and a way to do so. More low-income families may save with well-designed 529s and incentives," said Margaret Clancy, Policy Director at CSD. "We will study 529 innovations to see which ones are effective. This will inform 529 policy so that it can benefit families of all income levels."

Realizing change Kopp: inequity in education 'a solvable problem' May 15, 2009 -- Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo Trustee Maxine Clark (L) presents Wendy Kopp with an honorary degree from WUSTL. Inexperience and time give recent college graduates an advantage in solving the problems of inequity in education in the United States, said Wendy Kopp to the Class of 2009 during the 148th Commencement ceremony at Washington University in St. Louis.

'Educational inequity: We can solve it' Wendy Kopp's Washington University 2009 Commencement Address May 15, 2009 -- Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo Wendy Kopp addresses the Class of 2009 Download Wendy Kopp, founder and CEO of Teach For America, delivered Washington University's 148th Commencement address May 15 before a standing-room only audience of more than 15,000 in Brookings Quadrangle. Of the 2,642 graduating students in the Class of 2009, 25 are entering Teach For America — the national corps of outstanding college graduates who commit to teach for at least two years in some of the country's highest-need schools and become lifelong leaders in pursuit of educational excellence and equity.

Going platinum New catalyst could boost cleaner fuel use May 14, 2009 -- Younan Xia Download Material scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have developed a technique for a bimetallic fuel cell catalyst that is efficient, robust and two-to-five times more effective than commercial catalysts. The novel technique eventually will enable a cost effective fuel cell technology, which has been waiting in the wings for decades and should give a boost for cleaner use of fuels worldwide.

Media Advisory Washington University Commencement is 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 15 May 14, 2009 -- Washington University's 148th Commencement will be held at 8:30 a.m. Friday, May 15, in Brookings Quadrangle. The university will bestow 2,765 degrees on 2,642 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. The university also will bestow honorary degrees on four individuals. Wendy Kopp, chief executive officer and founder of Teach For America, will deliver the 2009 Commencement address. During the ceremony, Kopp also will receive an honorary doctor of humanities degree. Washington University's three other honorary degree recipients are Robert L. Virgil Jr., Ph.D.; Robert H. Waterston, M.D., Ph.D.; and Patty Jo Watson, Ph.D.

MPH scholarship opportunity for communicators Washington University in St. Louis to offer new, full tuition scholarship for graduate students interested in health communications May 13, 2009 -- The new Master of Public Health program at Washington University's George Warren Brown School of Social Work is offering a new, full-tuition, merit-based scholarship to support students interested in using their skills and interests in communications, journalism, marketing, public policy, psychology, sociology, and related fields to improve the health of communities and populations locally, nationally and internationally.

Scholarship opportunities in public health Washington University in St. Louis to offer full-tuition scholarship for new Master of Public Health students with backgrounds in medicine and pre-professional health disciplines May 13, 2009 -- The new Master of Public Health program at Washington University's George Warren Brown School of Social Work is offering a full-tuition, merit-based scholarship to students who improve the health of communities and populations locally, nationally, and internationally. Undergraduate pre-medicine majors, medical students, and physicians are encouraged to apply.

MPH scholarship opportunity for nurses Washington University in St. Louis to offer full-tuition scholarship for registered nurses interested in pursuing a Master of Public Health degree May 13, 2009 -- The new Master of Public Health program at Washington University's George Warren Brown School of Social Work is offering a full-tuition, merit-based scholarship to registered nurses who want to advance their interest in public health, specifically community health and wellness. The scholarship is available to prospective students who have at least a Bachelor of Science in Nursing.

MEDIA ADVISORY Traffic congestion should be anticipated near the University on May 15 May 12, 2009 -- Traffic around the university will be very heavy the morning of Friday, May 15, due to the university's annual Commencement ceremony. Drivers may want to consider an alternate route.

OVATIONS Edison Theatre announces 2009-10 line-up May 12, 2009 -- Lois Greenfield. Aquila Theatre Company Download Theater is challenging, educational and inspiring. It is also, lest we forget, fun! For its 2009-10 season, Washington University's Edison Theatre will present more than a dozen events by nationally and internationally renowned performing artists. The flagship OVATIONS Series will range from provocative dance and multimedia rock opera to funk-infused klezmer (or is that klezmer-infused funk?) and whimsical twists on literary classics. Meanwhile the popular ovations for young people series will offer specially priced Saturday matinees for audiences of all ages.

MEDIA ADVISORY Flynn Park Elementary students learn nanotechnology at Washington University May 11, 2009 -- Flynn Park Elementary 4th graders of University City and Washington University Outreach faculty will perform "hands-on" nanotechnology experiments.

Public health tuition assistance opportunities Washington University in St. Louis to offer four new full-tuition scholarships for its new Master of Public Health program May 11, 2009 -- The new Master of Public Health program (MPH) at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work is offering four new full-tuition, merit-based scholarships to support students interested in improving community health locally, nationally and internationally. The scholarships are available to prospective MPH students who have professional interests or experience in a range of areas, including health communications, nursing and community or public service as well as to prospective students completing health and preprofessional health majors who seek career opportunities in public health. Additional tuition assistance also is available to students entering the program, which debuts with the fall 2009 class.

Farrell "goes the extra mile" for WUSTL David Farrell receives the "Search" award at the 42nd annual Eliot Society event May 11, 2009 -- The "Search" Award — the William Greenleaf Eliot Society's highest honor — was given to David C. Farrell at the Society's 42nd annual dinner on April 16 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. The award is presented each year to a person who has made enduring contributions to Washington University in St. Louis.

'Nurture, sustain a culture of scientific innovation' Obama names WUSTL biologist to his science advisory council May 7, 2009 -- Schaal Download President Obama has appointed Barbara A. Schaal, Ph.D., the Mary-Dell Chilton Distinguished Professor of biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis and vice president of the National Academy of Sciences, to the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology.

MFA Thesis Exhibition at Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum May 8 to July 27 May 1, 2009 -- Hye Young Kim, Awakening Moment I Download The Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts will present its annual MFA Thesis Exhibition in the Mildred Lane Kemper Art Museum May 8 to July 27. The exhibition will feature thesis projects by 27 master of fine arts candidates in the Sam Fox School's Graduate School of Art. Works will explore a wide range of thematic territory, from formal concerns to social issues, ecological simulations and scientific research. Media include painting, printmaking and sculpture as well as photography, video and site-specific installation.

April 2009

Media Advisory Social entrepreneurs vie for largest prize in U.S. April 23, 2009 -- Five finalists are vying for $150,000 — the largest social entrepreneurship award pool in the U.S. — tonight at Washington University in St. Louis. Winners of the Social Entrepreneurship and Innovation Competition (SEIC) will be announced at 5p.m. in May Auditorium, Simon Hall, on the Danforth Campus. More than 40 non-profit ventures entered the competition last fall — all are dedicated to creating social enterprises that boost the regional economy by creating jobs and in many cases reducing government costs for social programs. A Q & A session with reknowned Pittsburgh-based social entrepreneur BIll Strickland will kick-off the event.

Media Advisory USA Today CEO Forum Featuring Barry Diller at Washington University April 17, 2009 -- The Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis has been selected to host USA TODAY's 10th CEO Forum. The Forum will feature an interview with IAC CEO and media veteran, Barry Diller. USA TODAY's senior media reporter David Lieberman will moderate the event. The Forum, which will take place on campus before an audience of 300 select guests, will be followed by a question and answer period, allowing attendees direct interaction with Mr. Diller and Mr. Lieberman.

MEDIA ADVISORY — Photo and interview opportunity International justice leaders gather at law school to begin work on a treaty requiring punishment of crimes against humanity; event celebrates link to 1904 meeting in St. Louis April 9, 2009 -- International law experts will meet at WUSTL's Ridgley Hall from 6-7 p.m. on April 14 to celebrate St. Louis' continuing role in shaping international law. Ridgley Hall is the site of the 1904 meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), an international organization of national parliaments. The IPU met in St. Louis to issue its appeal for world peace and to adopt a resolution which ultimately led to the 1907 Hague Convention Respecting the Laws and Customs of War on Land, one of the most important humanitarian law treaties of the past century. This commemorative event is part of the Crimes Against Humanity Initiative meeting at the law school April 13-15.

March 2009

MEDIA ADVISORY - Photo and interview opportunity WUSTL School of Social Work to host 19th annual Pow Wow Saturday, March 28 March 25, 2009 -- The Pow Wow draws crowds from all over the Midwest to experience American Indian dancing, singing, drumming, arts, crafts and food. This event is free.

Slumdog activists: Haba na Haba perform "Co-existence" Friday, March 20 March 17, 2009 -- Haba na Haba (Swahili for "step by step") is an internationally renowned Kenyan performance group that first formed in the slums of Nairobi, using acrobatics, music, dance and drama to raise awareness and educate their communities on topics such as HIV/AIDS, drug abuse, reproductive health, women's issues and violence. They are visiting St. Louis through March 23.

February 2009

Start-ups offer high-tech solutions for sore ears and students Entrepreneurs awarded $75,000 in annual Olin Cup competition Feb. 9, 2009 -- An on-line tutoring service and a device designed to make custom-fit earphones are the winners of the 2008 Olin Cup competition for entrepreneurs presented by the Olin Business School and Skandalaris Center at Washington University in St. Louis. The two winning companies, Virtual Nerd and Verto, emerged from an original field of 38 entrants to earn a $70,000 investment award and a $5000 cash prize respectively.

Happy Birthday Dear George George Washington Panel Discussion Feb. 6, 2009 -- To commemorate the 277th anniversary of George Washington's birth, Washington University in St. Louis scholars will examine the legend versus the real man, and consider whether the philosophical and moral ambiguities he wrestled with during his lifetime have modern connotations.

Entrepreneurs vie for $75,000 tonight at Washington University in St. Louis Five finalists in running for annual Olin Cup Feb. 5, 2009 -- Seed money for a start-up company totaling $70,000 will be awarded tonight when the winner of the annual Olin Cup investment prize is announced at 6 p.m. in Graham Chapel on the Washington University campus.

December 2008

MLK Day 2009: Navigating tough economic times "Financial Freedom Seminar" Jan. 17 at the School of Social Work Dec. 31, 2008 -- To honor the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., the Society of Black Student Social Workers (SBSSW) at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work will host "Financial Freedom Seminar: Achieving Economic Independence Through Education," from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Jan. 17 in Brown Hall, Room 100. The seminar is designed for St. Louis community youth and adults interested in building wealth, repairing and maintaining good credit, purchasing a home or starting and expanding a business. The event is free.

GM ends contributions to 401(k)s -- will others follow? Experts available to discuss retirement fund cuts Nov. 24, 2008 -- When General Motors announced it would end matching contributions to 401(k) accounts for salaried workers, it was a sign of the automaker's dire financial situation. "They are attempting to avoid bankruptcy," says Todd R. Zenger, Ph.D., professor at Washington University's Olin Business School. "In an environment where corporate borrowing is exceptionally costly or impossible, conserving cash is a high priority for companies." Slashing benefits is risky and "taken only by companies in dire financial circumstances," according to Peter Wiedenbeck, J.D., employee benefits expert and WUSTL professor of law. "Cutting back on retirement contributions and health benefits of active workers is an invitation to lose your best people to competing employers."

Flag lowered WUSTL Flag at half-staff in honor of Merle Kling April 8, 2008 -- Merle Kling, former provost, executive vice chancellor, dean of the faculty of Arts & Sciences and professor of political science, died April 8 of esophageal cancer in St. Louis. He was 89.

Losing inches in the name of love Washington University students hold benefit for Locks of Love April 9, 2007 -- Everyone likes to lose a couple of inches now and then, but 10? Every semester the student run, local chapter of Locks of Love at Washington University asks people to donate 10 inches of hair to help make wigs for financially disadvantaged children with disease-related hair loss.