Newsroom Stories

Novelist John Brandon, a 2001 MFA graduate of Washington University’s Writing Program in Arts & Sciences, will read from his work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16. Brandon is the author of Arkansas, a darkly comic novel about rural drug-distribution, which was published last spring by McSweeney’s Rectangulars imprint.

Who can ignore this 500-pound gorilla?It’s a 500-pound gorilla that Robert Criss, Ph.D., professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, sees standing on the speaker’s dais at political rallies, debates and campaigns. Its name is population growth. “Population growth is driving all of our resource problems, including water and energy. The three are intertwined,” Criss says. “The United States has over 305 million people of the 6.7 billion on the planet. We are dividing a finite resource pie among a growing number of people on Earth. We cannot expect to sustain exponential population growth matched by increased per capita use of water and energy. It’s troubling. But politicians and religious leaders totally ignore the topic.”

In a first for the St. Louis region, surgeons at the School of Medicine are removing patients’ gallbladders using a single small incision in the bellybutton that leaves only a barely visible scar. Surgery to remove the gallbladder is one of the most common operations performed in the United States. More than 750,000 patients undergo the procedure each year, often due to the formation of gallstones that cause intense pain.

SciFest 08, a new annual event at the St. Louis Science Center, brings together world-renowned scientists and experts – including those from Washington University – to help participants see science in a new way. There are hundreds of science experiences, including presentations and hands-on exhibits.

The WUSTL 2008 Vice Presidential Debate Steering Committee, led by Rob Wild, assistant to the chanceller, was comprised of 50 key administrators and support staff from across the university.

When the red, red robin comes bob, bob bobbin’ along, think West Nile Virus (WNV).This one’s for the birds. A study by biologists at Washington University in St. Louis shows that the more diverse a bird population is in an area, the less chance humans have of exposure to West Nile Virus (WNV). Now, let’s hear it for the birds. “The bottom line is that where there are more bird species in your backyard, you have much lower risk of contracting West Nile fever,” said Brian Allan, doctoral candidate in biology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Scientists report in this week’s Nature that they have linked the health of specialized gut immune cells to a gene associated with Crohn’s disease, an often debilitating and increasingly prevalent inflammatory bowel disorder. The link to immune cells intrigued researchers at the School of Medicine because they and others believe Crohn’s disease is caused by misdirected immune responses in the intestine that damage gut tissue.

The Gephardt Institute for Public Service invites University faculty to apply for grants to support community-based teaching and learning, also known as service-learning. Service-learning is an effective pedagogy that is used across campus. Employing a broad conception, the distinguishing features of service-learning include targeted, applied learning activities in service to an organization or community, faculty […]

The eyes of the world were on WUSTL Oct. 2 as it hosted the most anticipated vice presidential debate in U.S. history. Millions in the United States and around the world watched as Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska and Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware squared off at the Field House in the Athletic Complex.

Human Resources and TIAA-CREF are offering two investment seminars for active faculty and staff Oct. 17 titled “What Is an Investor To Do?”