Page 10 – The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

Performing Arts

‘The Tongue and The Lash’

In their acclaimed chamber opera “The Tongue and The Lash,” composer Damien Sneed and librettist Karen Chilton imagine a conversation between James Baldwin and William F. Buckley Jr. following their iconic 1965 debate. WashU will present a performance at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 19, in Graham Chapel.

St. Louis Region

Gephardt Institute names Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service honorees

Headshots of Gepardt Service of Ethic

Now in its 23rd year, the Gerry and Bob Virgil Ethic of Service Award has recognized a new cohort of WashU leaders who are committed to a healthier, safer and stronger region. The awards collectively have honored 160 educators, staff members, students and alumni.

Nearly half of young adults report loneliness in eight-country study

A multinational survey led by WashU public health researchers reveals strong links between social isolation and depression and anxiety, underscoring growing global mental health concerns.

Health & Society

Index provides flu risk for each state

Researchers at WashU have developed vulnerability maps highlighting regions across the United States with varying levels of socioeconomic vulnerability to influenza-like illness.

Enhanced brain cells clear away dementia-related proteins

WashU Medicine researchers engineered a new cellular immunotherapy that turns brain cells called astrocytes into super cleaners, efficiently removing amyloid beta plaques from the brains of mice.

Steensma installed as E. Desmond and Mary Ann Lee Professor

Colorful bird signs lift above the crowd at Steensma’s installation ceremony, honoring the scholar who has authored three field guides on avian life.

Public health scholar and entrepreneur Joseph T. Steensma bridges research and real-world impact, translating science into scalable solutions that address environmental and population health challenges.

Awards & Notables

Drum Major Awards recognize faculty, staff, students at WashU Medicine

During WashU Medicine’s 2026 Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Week, 22 faculty, staff and students were recognized with Drum Major Awards for embodying King’s work and words.

Appointments & Promotions

Center for Teaching and Learning seeks new leader

Center for Teaching and Learning

A search committee has been appointed to identify a new executive director of WashU’s Center for Teaching and Learning. The role, currently held by Michael Wysession, a professor in Arts & Sciences, will now be a full-time staff position.

Medicine

Students’ cross-disciplinary collaboration addresses real-life needs

The annual Assistive Tech Make-a-Thon brings together WashU OT and engineering students to enhance the lives of St. Louisans who have disabilities.

Medicine

GLP-1 medications get at the heart of addiction: study

WashU Medicine researchers have shown in a new study that GLP-1 medications, typically used for diabetes and weight loss, may be effective at treating and preventing substance use disorders, from alcohol to cigarettes to opioids.