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Uninsured face hurdles choosing health insurance

The new federal health-care law gives millions of Americans access to medical insurance. However, choosing the right coverage — a daunting task for most people — could be even more difficult for those who have never had health insurance, according to a new study at the School of Medicine.

Humanities & Society

Closing the gap: How one school district went about fixing standardized science test scores

A unique, long-term partnership between Washington University and the Hazelwood School District is showing eye-popping, unprecedented success in elementary and middle school science test scores — and in the process providing a roadmap for other districts to follow. The district saw scores on the Missouri Assessment Program (MAP) tests increase 22.4 percentage points for fifth graders, and 12 percentage points for 8th graders over a five-year period beginning in 2008, the year it began a collaboration with WUSTL’s Institute for School Partnership.

Science & Technology

WUSTL recognized for its leadership in the Sustainable Land Lab

Washington University, recognized for its leadership in the Sustainable Land Lab, a partnership with the City of St. Louis, and for furthering sustainability efforts on campus, was one of six entities to receive a sustainability award from the City of St. Louis Nov. 6 during the Mayor’s Sustainability Summit.

Medicine & Health

School of Medicine students to host conference focused on public health Nov. 15-16

Health-care disparities will be among the topics discussed at the Midwest region’s Student National Medical Association (SNMA) annual conference this weekend on the Washington University Medical Campus. School of Medicine students Lawrence Benjamin and Lauren Martin, the university’s SNMA co-presidents, were leaders in organizing the conference for medical and premedical students.

Medicine & Health

Investigational cancer drugs unintentionally may result in tumor growth

School of Medicine researchers studying how cancer spreads into bone have made a surprising discovery that suggests several investigational anti-cancer therapies just entering the drug-development pipeline may not have the desired effect. The study indicates that the drugs inadvertently may promote cancer.

Humanities & Society

Student veterans continue to serve their country by helping their community

Veteran Ian Smith barely graduated from high school. Today, he is earning his degree in global leadership and management in University College in Arts & Sciences and is leading a team of engineers to develop low-cost prosthetics using 3D printers.

Nominations open for Gephardt Institute’s Civic Scholars Program

Nominations are now open for the Gephardt Institute for Public Service’s Civic Scholars Program. The program now consists of both a classic and a study abroad cohort. Faculty, staff and administrators can nominate sophomores for either group here. The nomination deadline is Dec. 2.

Religion & Politics wins reporting award

Religion & Politics, the online news journal of the John C. Danforth Center on Religion & Politics at Washington University in St. Louis, won the Gerald A. Renner Enterprise Religion Report of the Year Award at the Religion Newswriters Association’s annual awards ceremony in Austin, Texas.

Recycle holiday lights at WUSTL

This holiday season, the Washington University in St. Louis community can bring burned-out or unwanted light strings to campus to be recycled. WUSTL’s Office of Sustainability and the Sustainability Action Team at the School of Medicine are partnering with StLouisGreen.com and Operation Food Search on the initiative, which runs Nov. 16-Jan. 12.

Business & Entrepreneurship

‘Privacy and Surveillance’ roundtable discussion to address history, meaning of privacy

Is privacy a “right”? What are we willing to sacrifice for privacy? How consistent are our beliefs about privacy and how consistently do we “practice” it? In response to these types of questions, Washington University in St. Louis experts on privacy issues, ranging from the history of privacy to privacy law, will participate in a roundtable discussion, titled “Privacy and Surveillance,” from noon to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 20, in Anheuser-Busch Hall, Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom.