Newsroom Stories

Tabatha Heet, a junior earth and planetary sciences major and Pathfinder student, shows Ray Arvidson, earth and planetary sciences department chair, a potential landing site for the Phoenix mission to Mars.Earth and planetary scientists at Washington University in St. Louis are paving the way for a smooth landing on Mars for the Phoenix Mission scheduled to launch in August this year by making sure the set-down literally is not a rocky one. A team led by Raymond E. Arvidson, Ph.D., James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Arts & Sciences, has been analyzing images taken from a NASA instrument to make sure that the Phoenix spacecraft lands in a spot on the Red planet’s northern plains that is relatively rock-free. Video included.

National Public Radio’s Mandalit del Barco, right, records a conversation with senior Alejandra Ponce de Leon after her final performance with Mariachi Cuicacalli during Footsteps Across the Americas April 12 in Whitaker Hall. Sponsored by WUSTL’s Annika Rodriguez Scholars Program, the event was the third annual symposium on Latino contributions and featured 25 student exhibitions, in addition to del Barco’s keynote address.

Wayne Yokoyama, M.D., the Sam J. Levin and Audrey Loew Levin Chair for Research of Arthritis, professor of Medicine and chief of the Division of Rheumatology, has received a one-year, $30,000 grant from the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation for a Rheumatology Research Fund. … Ramaswamy Govindan, M.D., associate professor of medicine, has received a one-year, $25,496 subcontract from the University of Wisconsin-Madison for “Cancer Communications Systems-Expanded Use/Understanding.” … Diane Damiano, Ph.D., research associate professor of neurology, has received a one-year, $25,000 grant from the American Academy for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Medicine for research titled “Evaluating Outcomes Associated with Multidisciplinary Care for Children with Cerebral Palsy Using Clinical Practice Improvement (CPI) Methodology.”

Senior Jonathan Garst Orozco, biology major in Arts & Sciences, gets his hair cut by Tara McCarthy of Paramount Salon during the Locks of Love event April 9 in Mallinckrodt Student Center. For a video of the day’s events, visit http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/9224.html.

Joe Angeles/WUSTL Photo ServicesBall gown by Lauren EdelsteinThe Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts at Washington University in St. Louis will present The 78th Annual Fashion Design Show at Saint Louis Galleria Sunday, May 6. The fully choreographed, Paris-style extravaganza will feature more than 50 professional and volunteer models wearing more than 150 outfits created by 19 seniors and 12 juniors from the school’s fashion design program.

The spring U-Pass, allowing WUSTL community members free use of Metro, the region’s public transportation system, expires May 21. Eligible employees may now request a summer 2007 U-Pass; eligible students beginning April 30.

Courtesy PhotoUniversity privacy officer Joan M. Podleski loves a good challenge

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Rwandan hero Paul Rusesabagina will speak on his experiences, his ongoing support of Rwanda, the genocide in Darfur and current issues involving international humanitarian aid at 11 a.m. April 18 in Graham Chapel for the final Assembly Series lecture of the spring semester.

Arts & Sciences undergraduates made another impressive showing in their annual quest for prestigious national scholarships and fellowships, including three students receiving the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and three receiving the Morris K. Udall Scholarship for the 2007-08 academic year. Last week, two WUSTL students also were named recipients of the prestigious Harry S. Truman Scholarship.