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Rhythms for Rebuilding is an a cappella benefit concert for Gulf Coast rebuilding, sponsored by Project SOS, the Office of Community Service and the WUSTL a cappella community. The concert will be held at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 12 in Graham Chapel. All proceeds will benefit Common Ground, a New Orleans organization working to rebuild minority and disadvantaged neighborhoods.

The Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis met Oct. 6 to discuss strategic planning, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. Three topics were considered: 1.) societal challenges that the University should address in the future, 2.) University constituencies and how well they are being served, and 3.) undergraduate enrollment issues.

School of Medicine research has found that if the brain could make the right connections, we all might be smarter.

Photo by Bill StoverChancellor Mark S. Wrighton accepts an award from Citizens for Modern Transit.

Ralph G. Dacey Jr., M.D., the Henry G. and Edith R. Schwartz Professor and chair of the Department of Neurological Surgery, was appointed to the advisory council of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, a division of the National Institutes of Health. The advisory council advises the institute on policy and procedures affecting the extramural research programs and provides a second level of review for all grant and cooperative agreement applications considered by the institute for funding. … Kejie Yin, M.D., Ph.D., research instructor in neurology, has received a four-year, $260,000 grant from the American Heart Association for research titled “The Role of Bim in Vascular Degeneration in Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy.” … Leila Nadya Sadat, J.D., the Henry H. Oberschelp Professor of Law, recently received the 2006 Article of the Year Award from the International Association of Penal Law (American Branch) for her paper, “Exile, Amnesty and International Law.” The annual award recognizes the “best scholarly contribution to the field.” Sadat’s article was published in volume 81 of the Notre Dame Law Review. The award’s committee described it as “a careful, thoughtful, thorough examination of current state and international practice on exile and amnesty.” Sadat’s article considers state and international practices regarding amnesties for jus cogens crimes, including genocide and crimes against humanity. … Vladimir J. Kefalov, Ph.D., assistant professor of ophthalmology and visual sciences, has received a four-year, $200,000 grant from Research to Prevent Blindness for that organization’s Career Development Award. … Dwight Towler, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of medicine, has received a one-year, $174,600 grant from the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation for research titled “Bone and Mineral Diseases Clinical Research Unit Bridge Funding.” … Steven M. Strasberg, M.D., the Pruett Professor of Surgery, chief of the section of hepatobiliary pancreatic surgery and associate professor of cell biology and physiology, was recently named a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, Scotland, at the 7th World Congress of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association. He was honored as part of the 500th anniversary of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. … David L. Brody, M.D., Ph.D., instructor in the Department of Neurology, has received a three-year, $158,680 grant from the Thrasher Research Fund for research titled “Amyloid-B and Traumatic Brain Injury in Children.” … Samuel W. Buell, associate professor of law, recently received the U.S. Attorney General’s Award for Exceptional Service for his work on the Enron Task Force. Buell shared the distinction, the U.S. Department of Justice’s highest award, with other members of the investigative and trial team that successfully prosecuted individuals most responsible for the Enron fraud. Buell served as a special attorney on the Enron Task Force from January 2002 to March 2004. At the time, he was serving as assistant U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts.

Photo by Robert BostonStephen J. Benkovic, Ph.D., Arthur Horwich, M.D., and Carl Frieden, Ph.D., talk at the “Symposium at 77” held in honor of Frieden Sept. 21.

Sept. 26-Oct. 2 Sept. 28 10:39 a.m. — A staff member reported that four computers were stolen from a storage area in Simon Hall sometime over the summer, possibly in July. During that time, the building was being painted and staff members found the doors insecure on several occasions. The theft was not discovered until an inventory was taken. Total loss is estimated at $3,200. 8:32 p.m. — An unattended book bag was reported as missing from the dining area of The Village No. 3. The time of the disappearance was between 7-7:45 p.m. The bag also contained the owner’s wallet. Sept. 30 7:43 p.m. — Admissions reported four tables had been delivered to the basketball courts in the Swamp on the South 40 for an event at noon. Upon their arrival at 4 p.m., one table was missing. Oct. 1 10:07 p.m. — A graduate student reported the theft of credit card information and that fraudulent purchases had been made with the information at Wohl Student Center. Additionally, University Police responded to two parking violations and one report each of auto accident, drug offense, recovered property, larceny, false fire alarm and lost or stolen property.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006. At the request of the Missouri Secretary of State’s office, Washington University is encouraging interested faculty, staff and students to consider becoming volunteer poll workers.

A WUSTL initiative is bringing Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) technology to students, faculty and staff and is responsible for offering the first formal introductory and follow-up GIS courses open to any major.

Photo by Mary ButkusM. Cherif Bassiouni (left), a world-renowned authority on international criminal justice, discusses the legacy of the Nuremberg trials with second-year law students.