Newsroom Stories

Sean B. Carroll, PhD, is an evolutionary biologist, popular author, educator and Washington University alumnus (LA ’79) who discovered the beauty of the humanities while studying biology as a student here. His embrace of both worlds informs his most recent book, “Brave Genius: A Scientist’s Journey from the French Resistance to the Nobel Prize,” and is the title of his Assembly Series lecture at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 6, in Graham Chapel.

Philip Skemer, PhD, assistant professor in the department of earth and planetary science in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has won a prestigious Faculty Early Career Development Award (CAREER award) from the National Science Foundation. He will use the award for a series of experiments in which rock samples will be deformed at the extreme temperatures and pressures they encounter along the boundaries where plates collide.

The Supreme Court is expected to rule this spring on whether prayers before town hall meetings violate the First Amendment clause that prohibits the establishment of religion. John Inazu, a First Amendment expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis, highlights one dimension of the litigation often unaddressed by commentators: what he calls the “mistakes of the past, present and future” adopted by proponents of legislative prayer.

Open Streets initiatives — the opening of streets normally reserved for vehicle traffic to temporarily allow cycling, walking, dancing and socializing — are growing in the United States. Now, thanks to researchers at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, a toolkit is in place to help communities and organizers measure their positive impact.

Leading Together: The Campaign for Washington University has raised a total of $1.459 billion, as of Jan. 31, from alumni, parents, faculty, staff, corporations, foundations and friends. The campaign was publicly announced Oct. 6, 2012. Its overarching goal is “to enhance our leadership today to benefit America and the world tomorrow.”

University archivist Sonya Rooney spotlights a Science Center event that looks into St. Louis’ future.

Seven current and former Washington University in St. Louis students, collectively known as “The Force,” took home the top prize of $50,000 during the GlobalHack event held Jan. 31-Feb. 2 at Union Station in St. Louis.

Dancer and WUSTL alumna Elinor Harrison, a member of acclaimed New York troupe Jane Comfort and Company, returned to campus last week as the 2014 Marcus Residency Dance Artist.

Several School of Medicine faculty members were honored by the school Jan. 29 at the 2014 Faculty Recognition Event at the Eric P. Newman Education Center. Faculty members were honored at the event with Distinguished Faculty and Samuel R. Goldstein Leadership awards.

An innovative new initiative will bring 20 rising high school sophomores to the Washington University in St. Louis campus for three summers. The students will live on the South 40, take classes for credit and craft their college essays.