Newsroom Stories

Scientists regularly discard up to 90 percent of the signals from monitoring of brain waves, one of the oldest techniques for observing changes in brain activity. Now, though, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found evidence that this data may contain significant information about how the brain works.

Jaimie McFarlin is a leader, motivator and NCAA national champion in women’s basketball. On May 21 McFarlin, chosen by the Record as an Outstanding Graduate from the Olin Business School, will pick up one more well-deserved honor: A master’s of business administration.

Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, head of the Department of Surgery and director of the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, has been elected to the top leadership post in the American Surgical Association. He is president-elect for the 2010-11 year and will serve as president in 2011-12. 

Senior Daniel DuGoff (left) surrounds senior Eleanor Ryburn with his book at the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Studio for the Illustrated Book Open House May 4. The studio — where students learn hand-sewn bookbinding, traditional letterpress and alternative print processes, and publication design — is a collaboration between the College of Art and University Libraries.

Which companies get the biggest bang for their buck when it comes to R&D? Olin Business School professor of strategy Anne Marie Knott believes there is a strong correlation between certain characteristics of companies and their R&D practices.  Effective R&D is a sign of firm with high IQ.  But just what makes a company smart?  Professor Knott is on a mission to measure firms’ IQ and how to improve it.  Video included.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are seeking older volunteers to learn how physical and mental exercise influences brain function and performance of daily activities. For the exercise-training component of the study, researchers will compare aerobic exercise on treadmills or exercise bikes to flexibility training. In the cognitive portion of the study, a specialized brain-training regimen will be compared with a more general health-education program. 

There’s not much Jerome Levy, MD, 75, who graduates May 21 with a Master of Liberal Arts degree in Arts & Sciences, isn’t interested in knowing — and doing. That’s why Levy, emeritus professor of surgery, has been chosen by the Record as an Outstanding Graduate in University College.

The American Academy of Social Work and Social Welfare recently inducted four Brown School faculty members as fellows, recognizing their accomplishments as scholars and practitioners who have achieved excellence for work that advances social good.

The Class of 2010 hopes to leave a lasting impression by setting a Guinness World Record for the longest human massage chain in history.

Sitting on a long national or international flight may may actually improve your creative thinking, suggests an expert on human creativity from Washington University in St. Louis. While reading a book or watching a movie may help fill up time on the plane, idle time can be a key ingredient to becoming more creative in your personal and professional lives, says R. Keith Sawyer, PhD, an associate professor of education and of psychology, both in Arts & Sciences.