Humanities & Society

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon met with Washington University in St. Louis’ McDonnell scholars earlier this month. During a spring break trip to New York, McDonnell Academy scholars also met a former Federal Reserve chairman and other leaders in media, politics and finance.​

Placing a bet with a few friends on the NCAA basketball tournament this year? You might not enjoy the experience as much as if you hadn’t laid down any money. “Predictions have a negative effect on enjoyment when the outcome is relatively uncertain,” as in the upcoming basketball tournament, says Stephen M. Nowlis, PhD, the August A. Busch, Jr. Distinguished Professor in Marketing at Olin Business School.

Graduate and professional students presented their research during the 19th Annual Graduate Student Research Symposium, held Feb. 22 in Whitaker Hall. Suthatip Jullamon, a law student, explains her research comparing class-action law in Thailand with the U.S.

Part memoir, part legal analysis, the First Year Reading Program book “Covering” explores how we all “cover” to fit into the American mainstream.

Getting Congress to pass the Affordable Care Act, the landmark health insurance legislation, in 2010, was challenging — but not nearly as challenging as implementing it. With the deadline for first-time enrollment looming March 31, research from Matthew W. Kreuter, PhD, and the Brown School’s Health Communications Research Laboratory is helping. 

Growing up in rural Alaska, Chukwuma is caught between American friends and traditional Nigerian parents. So begins “Alaskaland,” one of eight films to be screened March 28-30 as part of Washington University’s annual African Film Festival. Other highlights will include “Tey,” an impressionistic celebration of life and death, and “Aya of Yop City,” adapted from the graphic novels of Marguerite Abouet.

Jon Huntsman Jr., a former Republican presidential candidate and ambassador to China, visited WUSTL recently and discussed challenges facing America. Read more to check out his Feb. 25 speech for the Assembly Series.

Hank Webber, executive vice chancellor for administration, sits down with the Record to talk about Washington University’s major role in the growth of St. Louis’ central corridor. An expert in urban planning, Webber knows faculty and students want to be part of a thriving community, so he focuses on projects that are winners for both WUSTL and the region.

Researchers at the School of Medicine have shown that providing women with free contraception does not increase the likelihood that they will have sex with multiple partners, as critics of the practice have suggested. Shown is the study’s first author, Gina Secura, PhD.

Civil rights champion and Equal Employment Opportunity Commission member Chai Feldblum, JD, will visit Washington University in St. Louis on March 17 and 18 to participate in programs commemorating the passing of Title VII, a key piece of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as well as to celebrate International Women’s Day.