Newsroom Stories

Listed below are this month’s featured news stories. • Can less protein ward off cancer? (week of Dec. 6) • Clinical Simulation Center (week of Dec. 13) • Malaria drug for metabolic syndrome (week of Dec. 20) • Cutting calories and bone density (week of Dec. 27)

David Kilper/WUSTL Photo ServicesArchitecture students have created a new plaza for visual art in Grand Center.Grand Center has long served as St. Louis’ premiere arts and entertainment district, home to the Fox Theatre, the Sheldon Concert Hall, the Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra and other cultural organizations. This fall, a group of 10 architecture majors from the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts teamed up with the Pulitzer Foundation and Grand Center, Inc. to design and build a new public plaza for visual art. The plaza — located immediately south of the Symphony Orchestra’s Powell Hall, 718 North Grand Blvd. — will host outdoor exhibitions, site-specific installations, performance pieces and video and new-media work by local and nationally known artists. A formal dedication will be held Dec. 15.

I’m writing with exciting news from Washington University in St. Louis. In addition to offering faculty experts for live and taped interviews from our Vvyx/ISDN-equipped in-house broadcast studio, Washington University has launched a free service to provide media with both broadcast- and web-quality video news packages. Our first package, which includes video segments offering expert […]

Parent/child interaction with a toy is key to inciting learning.Many parents around the country will purchase toys for their children this holiday season. While choosing toys that will further a child’s education development is important, it’s also a great idea for parents to remember to play with their children and engage with them in their new gifts. R. Keith Sawyer, Ph.D., associate professor of education in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, offers advice to parents worried about making the right toy choice for their children. Video available.

Photo by Susan SternerFinding comfort while grieving.The parties, family gatherings, gift exchanges and other activities of the holiday season can provide a much-needed distraction from the events of the world. But for those who have lost a loved one, the holidays are often less a distraction and more a reminder of loss. A psychologist at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis says for those who are grieving, a “normal” holiday season may not be possible, but there are strategies that can be used to help things go more smoothly.

Students may come home exhausted from the stress of final exams.When college students return home for their winter break, it can be an adjustment for the entire family. While parents may have preconceived ideas about how the family will spend the holidays, students are anxious to try out their newfound independence. “The winter break is the first extended time at home for most freshmen since they left for college in the summer,” says Karen Levin Coburn, associate vice chancellor for students and dean of the freshman transition at Washington University in St. Louis. “The first semester at college may have been their first glimpse of freedom. They wonder if it is possible to go home and still maintain their newfound independence.” More…

December is the month when most people scramble to find gifts for their friends and family. In the process, many decide to treat themselves to a gift as well — especially when they notice that something they’ve wanted is now on “sale.” According to a business professor at Washington University in St. Louis, most people have an easier time justifying an indulgent purchase when there is the promise of saving money, especially when it is in the form of an unexpected discount or rebate. The catch is that frequently customers aren’t saving as much money as they might think. More…

While it’s known as “the season to be jolly,” the holidays can be a time of stress, conflict, and pressure for many people. Some people feel overwhelmed and become depressed during the holidays. Don’t dismay. There are strategies for coping with the emotional stresses and strains of the holiday season. More…

Broadcast Quality Washington University Office of Public Affairs has broadcast quality versions of many videos available for the news media. These videos are customizable for ease of use and editing. For more information, download, or DVD, please contact: Nick Roth – Multimedia News Producer – (314) 935-8657 Web Browser Download Help Information Internet Explorer, Netscape, […]

At its meeting today, the Board of Trustees of Washington University in St. Louis elected Gordon W. Philpott, M.D., an emeritus professor of surgery at the School of Medicine, as a member, according to Mark S. Wrighton, chancellor. A recipient of the 2006 Distinguished Alumni Award, Philpott graduated in 1961 from the Washington University School of Medicine, after earning his bachelor’s in 1957 from Yale. He joined the University surgery faculty in 1968, focusing his efforts on treating breast cancer, as well as colorectal cancer.