Newsroom Stories

The spring 2012 Assembly Series begins Friday, Feb. 10, with acclaimed author and educator Parker Palmer, PhD. An underlying theme for many of the speakers this semester is the inherent human need to connect mind and body with heart and soul, whether it be through music, humor, creativity or fun.

Nine finalists were selected Jan. 26 to compete for more than $125,000 in grants in April at the 2011-12 YouthBridge Social Enterprise and Innovation Competition (SEIC) at Washington University in St. Louis. The competition is a joint partnership between the YouthBridge Community Foundation and WUSTL’s Skandalaris Center for Entrepreneurial Studies.

Consumer goods giant Procter & Gamble’s move to lay off some 1,600 employees globally, many in the marketing area, foretells a trend in which more companies will move their advertising dollars from traditional to digital media, says a marketing expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

Help the university recognize a staff member who goes above and beyond to help students, faculty or others in the WUSTL community by nominating him or her for the Gloria W. White Distinguished Service Award. The Gloria White award recognizes a staff member for his or her exceptional effort and contributions that result in the betterment of the university. Nominations must be submitted by Friday, Feb. 24.

School-age children whose mothers nurtured them early in life have brains with a larger hippocampus, a key structure important to learning, memory and response to stress. The new research, by child psychiatrists and neuroscientists at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, is the first to show that changes in this key region of children’s brain anatomy are linked to a mother’s nurturing.

Men’s basketball picked up two big wins over the University of Rochester and Emory University and gained first place in University Athletic Association standings. Updates also included on women’s basketball, track and field, and women’s soccer team fundraiser.

Public health in St. Louis is the first social issue to be explored during “St. Louis Up Close,” a new series featuring casual conversations with local nonprofit leaders. Five more discussions are planned for the series, which is sponsored by the Gephardt Institute for Public Service and the Community Service Office. All talks are free and open to the public.

Aubrey Morrison, MBBS, professor of medicine and of developmental biology, has been named a Master of the American College of Physicians. In addition, he received the American College of Physicians Award for Outstanding Work in Science as Related to Medicine. He is the first person from Washington University School of Medicine to receive this award. p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {margin:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Cambria;} .MsoChpDefault {font-family:Cambria;} @page WordSection1 {size:8.5in 11.0in;margin:1.0in 1.25in 1.0in 1.25in;} div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

Washington University in St. Louis’ Center for New Institutional Social Sciences (CNISS) Spring 2012 Seminar Series kicks off Monday, Jan. 30, with a lecture by social advocate Rabbi Tsvi Blanchard. Blanchard is a longtime social advocate, psychologist, teacher and rabbi who has been in the forefront of promoting inclusive, vital Jewish communities in the 21st century.

A giant experiment is under way at the Tyson Research Center, Washington University in St. Louis’ 2,000-acre outdoor laboratory for ecosystem studies. The experiment, led by Tiffany Knight, PhD, associate professor of biology, will test three different variables in 32 glades with the goal of establishing best practices for restoring not just degraded glade habitats but degraded ecosystems in general. The experiment is expected to draw collaborating scientists locally and around the world.