Newsroom Stories

The Presolar Grain Workshop that gathers scientists who study tiny bits of stars that were born and died billions of years ago — before the formation of the solar system — is returning to Washington University in St. Louis this year. Sessions begins at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, and continue through the weekend in Crow and Compton halls. Attendees will include 45 astrophysicists from WUSTL’s Laboratory for Space Sciences and other research institutions in the United States as well as from Australia, Brazil and Italy.

Last year’s hit Super Bowl ad, a Volkswagen spot featuring a boy dressed as Darth Vader, was unique in that it was actually released before the game. This year, nearly all ad agencies are expected to run previews of their commercials before the Feb. 5 Super Bowl on YouTube and other sites, leading a marketing expert at Washington University in St. Louis to question the wisdom of running a television ad at all.

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) tend to be preoccupied with screen-based media. A new study by Paul Shattuck, PhD, assistant professor at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis, looks at how children with ASDs spend their screen time. “We found a very high rate of use of solitary screen-based media such as video games and television with a markedly lower rate of use of social interactive media, including email,” Shattuck says.

Washington University Libraries has joined HathiTrust, a partnership of major academic and research libraries to preserve and provide access to the published record in a digital form. WUSTL now is partnering with more than 60 other major academic and research libraries from across the United States and the world in an effort to preserve and share the record of human knowledge.

Research by asthma specialists nationwide, including Leonard B. Bacharier, MD, and Mario Castro, MD, at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, find that adding prescription acid controllers to standard inhaled steroid treatment does not improve asthma symptoms or control of the condition in children. The results are considered to be the most comprehensive evaluation to date of the effectiveness of prescription acid controllers to improve asthma symptoms and control among children.

Talent contests are abundant these days. Whether it’s singing, dancing or cooking, it seems someone is always on the lookout for the next “super star.” WalMart Stores, Inc., have even entered the fray, announcing a reality-show like plan to find the next “it” product, a move an innovation expert at Washington University in St. Louis applauds.

Three Republican primaries or caucuses have ended with three different winners. Upcoming state contests may make the Republican candidate picture clearer, but if division remains, the GOP could end up with a brokered convention. “If the process of voting based on delegates’ commitments does not produce a nominee, then something has to break the logjam,” says Gregory P. Magarian, JD, election law expert and professor of law at Washington University in St. Louis. Magarian discusses the potential for a surprise candidate and the impact of superdelegates.

As another presidential election year gets under way, defining and determining what makes a great leader is on the minds of many voters and politicians. A new and innovative course at Olin Business School, “Defining Moments: Lessons in Leadership and Character from the Top,” examines this question by allowing students to interact with top leaders in the corporate world who exemplify both integrity and excellence.

WUSTL ushered in the Lunar New Year with a fireworks show Jan. 22 in Mudd Field. The Lunar New Year — observed this year Jan. 23 — is one of the most important traditional Asian holidays. Prior to the fireworks show, students enjoyed food, origami, calligraphy, information booths and performances in Tisch Commons. The celebration continues this weekend with two high-spirited performances at 7 p.m. Jan. 27 and 28 in Edison Theatre.

The United States is slowly climbing out of one of the worst economic recessions in its history. As the economy slowly begins to turn a corner, Stephen M. Fazzari, PhD, professor of economics in Arts & Sciences, will examine how we got here and where we are headed in a series of three lectures beginning Jan. 30.