Author: Susan Killenberg McGinn

David L. Straight, 57, who worked for Washington University Libraries for more than 30 years, died Saturday, Oct. 13, after suffering a stroke. Straight began working for University Libraries in 1978 as an audiovisual assistant and retired in 2010 as West Campus librarian, managing that facility.

Two executives of a publicly traded venture capital firm that invests in nanotechnology companies will discuss “The Changing Face of Venture Capital and the Potential Impact to St. Louis” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Preston M. Green Hall Collaboration Space.

Four Arts & Sciences faculty at Washington University in St. Louis will explore the “politics, issues and theatrics” of this year’s presidential election during a 6 p.m. panel discussion
 Thursday, Oct. 18, in the Laboratory Sciences Building, Room 300. The event, which is part of the Arts & Sciences Connections Series, is free and open to the Washington University community. A
 5:30 p.m. reception in Lab Sciences’ Rettner Gallery will precede the discussion, titled “Decision 2012.” 



Students are invited to submit proposals for grant money from the Women’s Society of Washington University (WSWU) to support projects or activities that benefit the university community. Each fall semester, WSWU awards grants that range from $300 to $2,000. The goal is to advance students’ educational and cultural experiences as well as to encourage service projects. The deadline for submission of project proposals is Wednesday, Oct. 31.

Jennifer R. Smith, PhD, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, is one of eight U.S. citizens selected to go abroad in 2013 as an Eisenhower USA Fellow. Retired Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of Eisenhower Fellowships, announced the eight fellowship winners, who were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants. As part of her fellowship, Smith will spend a month in India next summer on an intensive individualized professional program.

Apollo astronaut Rusty Schweickart will present Lindsey Steinberg, a senior majoring in chemistry in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, with a $10,000 scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation during a public ceremony at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 10, in Brookings Hall, Room 300. Schweickart will also share his experience orbiting the Earth as Lunar Module Pilot of Apollo 9.

The director of the women, gender and sexuality studies program at Washington University in St. Louis identifies some key issues of importance to women and non-heterosexual American voters in this year’s elections. Among the key issues are women’s reproductive rights, access to health care, equal rights for non-heterosexual Americans and equal pay for equal work.

Deep research into sustainability, memory and other compelling topics becomes clearer with the debut of Hold That Thought, a new podcast series from Arts & Sciences. The Hold That Thought website debuted Oct. 1 as a way to make in-depth faculty research and overarching ideas  more accessible to the general public.

Clara McLeod (right) greets Jane Ervin, the widow of John B. Ervin, after Ervin spoke at the Ervin Scholars Program 25th Anniversary Celebration Banquet, held Sept. 15 at St. Louis Union Station Marriott. McLeod’s husband, the late James E. McLeod, founded the Ervin Scholars Program in 1987 to pay tribute to WUSTL’s first African-American dean, John B. Ervin, PhD.

Richard A. Loomis, PhD, associate professor of chemistry in Arts & Sciences, received the David Hadas Teaching Award during the Arts & Sciences’ annual faculty reception, held Sept. 6 in Holmes Lounge. The Hadas award recognizes an outstanding tenured faculty member in Arts & Sciences who demonstrates commitment and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduates.