Newsroom Stories

James E. McLeod, vice chancellor for students and dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, was presented with the Search Award at the university’s 43rd annual William Greenleaf Eliot gala May 11. McLeod was honored for 35 years of invaluable contributions, inspiration, devotion and guidance to the Washington University community.

The International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES) has awarded 11 faculty members — university professors undertaking innovative and collaborative research in the broad areas of bioenergy and sustainability — grants totaling nearly $300,000.

Victor T. Le Vine, PhD, emeritus professor of political science in Arts & Sciences at Washington University and internationally known expert on terrorism, hostage situations, guerrilla warfare and political problems of the Middle East and Africa, died May 7, 2010, at his home in University City. He was 81.

Sally Elgin wins award for her commitment to finding new, more powerful ways to teach science and to support teachers in the biological sciences.

Scientists regularly discard up to 90 percent of the signals from monitoring of brain waves, one of the oldest techniques for observing changes in brain activity. Now, though, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found evidence that this data may contain significant information about how the brain works.

Jaimie McFarlin is a leader, motivator and NCAA national champion in women’s basketball. On May 21 McFarlin, chosen by the Record as an Outstanding Graduate from the Olin Business School, will pick up one more well-deserved honor: A master’s of business administration.

Timothy J. Eberlein, MD, head of the Department of Surgery and director of the Siteman Cancer Center at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine, has been elected to the top leadership post in the American Surgical Association. He is president-elect for the 2010-11 year and will serve as president in 2011-12. 

Senior Daniel DuGoff (left) surrounds senior Eleanor Ryburn with his book at the Nancy Spirtas Kranzberg Studio for the Illustrated Book Open House May 4. The studio — where students learn hand-sewn bookbinding, traditional letterpress and alternative print processes, and publication design — is a collaboration between the College of Art and University Libraries.

Which companies get the biggest bang for their buck when it comes to R&D? Olin Business School professor of strategy Anne Marie Knott believes there is a strong correlation between certain characteristics of companies and their R&D practices.  Effective R&D is a sign of firm with high IQ.  But just what makes a company smart?  Professor Knott is on a mission to measure firms’ IQ and how to improve it.  Video included.

Researchers at Washington University in St. Louis are seeking older volunteers to learn how physical and mental exercise influences brain function and performance of daily activities. For the exercise-training component of the study, researchers will compare aerobic exercise on treadmills or exercise bikes to flexibility training. In the cognitive portion of the study, a specialized brain-training regimen will be compared with a more general health-education program.