Newsroom Stories

Laura Vilines, and Chenyang Lu, Ph.D.

File PhotoHundreds of college dancers from across the Midwest will visit Washington University March 3-6 as part of the American College Dance Festival Association’s (ACDFA) 2005 Central Region Festival. One of 10 regional ACDFA events, the Central Region Festival brings together approximately 300 student and 50 faculty dancers representing 20 colleges and universities from nine states, along with nationally renowned choreographers David Dorfman, Donald McKayle and Trinette Singleton, who will serve as adjudicators.

NulandSherwin Nuland, physician, professor and best selling author, will relay his experiences working with tsunami victims in Sri Lanka for the Washington University Assembly Series at 11 a.m. Wednesday, March 23, in Graham Chapel. His talk is called “Tsunami Medical Diary.”

They are being recognized for their exceptional accomplishments in science, engineering and educational outreach furthering understanding of the sciences.

In his talk, Murray Gell-Mann will look back to 1905 when Albert Einstein, an unknown scientist, published several papers, each with a revolutionary idea. He will examine Einstein’s creative thinking, how current cosmological discoveries relate to his work, and today’s efforts to find a unified theory of everything. Gell-Mann received the Nobel Prize in physics in 1969 for his discovery of the quark – the basic building block of all atomic nuclei throughout the universe.

Joshua Brown of WUSTLA new theory suggests that the brain may subconsciously help us avoid risky situations.While some scientists discount the existence of a sixth sense for danger, new research from Washington University in St. Louis has identified a brain region that clearly acts as an early warning system — one that monitors environmental cues, weighs possible consequences and helps us adjust our behavior to avoid dangerous situations. “Our brains are better at picking up subtle warning signs than we previously thought,” says WUSTL research psychologist Joshua Brown, co-author of a study on these findings in the Feb. 18 issue of the journal Science.

Named for the veteran Missouri congressman, encouraging people to become involved in public service is its goal; Jim Davis will serve as director.

Photo by Robert BostonEmil Unanue helps unveil a portrait of Charles Kilo and thanks him for his years of support of the Department of Pathology.

Thirteen junior and senior fashion design students will off show their latest couture creations at the Feb. 24 event.

Contributions have totaled slightly more than $551,000, and pledges are still coming in; this year’s goal was $525,000.