Humanities & Society

KIPP students are working hard to get into college. And yet, many have never visited a campus before. Organized by sorority and fraternity members, Greek Serve 2013: The KIPP College Experience gave KIPP seventh-graders a look at life on campus.

Close to 3 billion people in the developing world rely on biomass combustion — burning fires in rudimentary stoves — for cooking and heating needs. As a result, 4 million people die each year, and the large amount of black soot created has a staggering negative impact on the poor. This fall, Gautam N. Yadama, PhD, professor and director of international programs at the Brown School and photographer Mark Katzman are taking that issue to a broader audience with the publication of Fires, Fuel and the Fate of 3 Billion: The State of the Energy Impoverished (Oxford University Press 2013), a 152-page collection of photos and essays that tell an eye-opening, insightful story about energy access in the rural villages of India, where the hunt for safe, affordable energy is often a matter of life or death.

The controversy and legal battles surrounding the contraception mandate in the Affordable Care Act have led to a new – and worrisome – legal concept: the idea of a “corporate conscience,” warns Elizabeth Sepper, who teaches at Washington University School of Law in St. Louis.

Legal scholar, author and political activist Lawrence Lessig, JD, is such a popular speaker that it’s challenging to get him for one lecture, so Washington University is doubly fortunate to present an Assembly Series talk by Lessig twice in one day – Thursday, Oct. 10 — on two different subjects.

As America’s longest war comes to an end, faculty and alumni experts share perspectives on the future of Afghanistan. Topics range from human rights to economic development, from the status of U.S. involvement to the lives of returning soldiers.

New alternative Transportation Coordinator Andrew Heaslet is meeting with departments and individuals to help commuters find workable options. A new website also helps commuters discover easy ways to get from there to here.

George Pepe, PhD, professor of classics in Arts & Sciences, received the David Hadas Teaching Award for his commitment to and excellence in teaching first-year undergraduates. On the WUSTL faculty for nearly 50 years, Pepe received the award Sept. 9 during the annual Arts & Sciences reception, held to celebrate the start of a new academic year, introduce new faculty and recognize the Hadas award winner.

Student Johnny Lee is bringing a taste of Washington University to his native Daejeon, South Korea. Lee just opened Johnny’s Pub, a place for pizza and pint. Beers on tap include Olin, Danforth, Wydown and Brookings. Lee studied business as a freshman, but returned home fulfill his military service obligation. He plans to come back (hopefully with a few growlers of the Brookings) once his service is complete.

Debra Haire-Joshu, PhD, associate dean for research in the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, is looking for mothers between the ages of 18-45 with a child 2-4 years old to participate in a study. She wants to investigate whether new Parents as Teachers family wellness information encourages families to lead more active lifestyles and lose weight.

A newly launched digital archive offers a fresh look at the poetry and writing process of Pulitzer Prize winner James Merrill.