Campus & Community

Kevin Hays, a junior at Washington University in St. Louis and a Rubik’s Cube champion, will attempt to break a Guinness World Record at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 19, at the annual Thurtene Carnival, the nation’s oldest and largest student-run carnival. Hays, from the bottom of a see-through dunk tank, will attempt to break the world record for most Rubik’s Cubes solved underwater. Thurtene Carnival runs from April 17-19 on Brookings Drive on the Danforth Campus.

The 13th Relay For Life, the annual fundraiser for the American Cancer Society at Washington University in St. Louis, begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, April 11 and runs through 6 a.m. Sunday, April 12. Highlights include performances from Mama’s Pot Roast, WU Sauce and the Stereotypes, and games such as tug of war, Twister and dodgeball. In the past 12 years, Relay For Life has raised $2 million for cancer research and support. 

Roger J. Phillips, PhD, a scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., and director emeritus of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences, will deliver the McDonnell Distinguished Lecture on Wednesday, April 15, at Washington University in St. Louis. The lecture, titled “No Denying Climate Change on Mars,” will begin at 7 p.m. in Room 100 of Whitaker Hall.

Students on the Medical Campus will present their 10th annual musical, “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying,” at 8 p.m April 16, 17 and 18 in the Olin Residence Hall Gym on the Medical Campus.

As part of her series of Senior Listening Sessions across Missouri, Sen. Claire McCaskill held a roundtable discussion with experts on retirement security, elder justice and healthy aging March 31 at the Brown School’s Goldfarb Hall. Among the roundtable participants were seven from Washington University in St. Louis.


Author and veteran journalist Carla Power will deliver the Rabbi Ferdinand Isserman/Phi Beta Kappa Lecture for the Washington University in St. Louis Assembly Series at 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 14, in Umrath Lounge on the Danforth Campus.

Beatriz Carreno, PhD, was featured Friday, April 3, on the syndicated radio show “Science Friday,” where she talked about School of Medicine research involving personalized melanoma vaccines. Carreno is the fourth faculty member in recent months to appear on the show.

​Washington University in St. Louis students, faculty and staff are invited to learn more about the work of the Ferguson Commission and to share their perspectives about St. Louis’ challenges at “The Future of Our Region,” a town hall meeting at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 8, at the Emerson Auditorium in Knight Hall. The event will feature four Ferguson Commission members, including Rose Windmiller, assistant vice chancellor for government and community relations.

Ken Burns, director and producer of some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made, has been selected to give the 2015 Commencement address at Washington University in St. Louis, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. Wrighton made the announcement to the Class of 2015 during the annual senior class toast Thursday, April 2, in the Danforth University Center. Commencement is Friday, May 15.

Louis W. Sullivan, MD, president emeritus of Morehouse School of Medicine, and former secretary of the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS), will speak about healthy equity and diversity in the health professions in two talks April 9 at Washington University.