New decor welcomes students in Simon Hall

New, books, new professors, new classmates and new decor all signal the start of a new school year. New photographic displays in the Simon Hall alcoves by the main stairway feature news and updates on three Olin Business School initiatives for the 2012-2013 academic year.

PAD to present Dance CloseUp Sept. 6-8

Modern dance solos and duets will share the stage with hip hop, ballet, flamenco, West African and classical Indian dance when Washington University presents Dance CloseUp Sept. 6-8. The intimate, informal concert — which has helped launch St. Louis’ fall performing arts season since 1995 — showcases new and original works by dance faculty in the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences.

Student volunteers, staff ‘go bananas’ to help newest residents

Aug. 23 was move-in day on the South 40 for incoming students. To get things started, a caped Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton led upperclass student volunteers and university staff members in an early-morning pep rally, which included singing the “Go Bananas” song. From there, everyone rapidly disbursed to welcome the more than 1,700 new students — providing directions, carrying belongings and passing out chocolate chip cookies. 

Students conduct summer research through early identification program

Jose Sanchez (right), a senior at the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez, worked in the Laboratory for Magnetic Resonance this summer under the direction of Mark S. Conradi, PhD, professor of physics in Arts & Sciences. Sanchez participated in the Summer Research Early Identification Program, which encourages students from groups traditionally underrepresented in the sciences, social sciences and humanities to consider research careers in academia, business or the public sector.

Rethinking design Sept. 13 and 14

Good design can be many things: a book, a poster, a smart phone. But increasingly, designers are being asked not only to create objects, but to address large-scale social problems, from poverty to sustainability to eating disorders. In September, the Sam Fox School of Design & Visual Arts will launch its fall Public Lecture Series with two speakers, Jon Kolko and Cynthia E. Smith, who are rethinking the role of contemporary design.