Page 146 – The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

March Madness has less luck than you might think

This month marks the culmination of the college basketball season, when 68 teams vie to become national champion in the annual March Madness tournament. It must take a lot of luck to come out on top, right? Not as much as you might think, says a sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

Space

Finding new physics in debris from colliding neutron stars

Artist’s illustration of two merging neutron stars

Neutron star mergers are a treasure trove for new physics signals, with implications for determining the true nature of dark matter, according to research from physicist Bhupal Dev in Arts & Sciences.

Students

A conversation with Career Engagement’s Norma Guerra Gaier

Norma Guerra Gaier, leader of the new Washington University in St. Louis Center for Career Engagement, has assembled a talented team of career coaches, strategists and employer engagement specialists. Equally important, she is enlisting partners from every corner of campus to help prepare students for lifelong success. Here, Gaier shares her goals for the center.

Public Health

Social determinants of health increase Alzheimer’s risk

Social determinants of health are increasing Alzheimer’s disease and related dementia risk, finds a recent study from the Brown School and the School of Medicine at Washington University in St. Louis.

Mental Health

Capturing the power of ‘Black Girl Magic’

In a new study, Seanna Leath, an assistant professor of psychological and brain sciences in Arts & Sciences, explores the benefits of the Black Girl Magic Crew, an after-school program designed by Black women and girls to help girls feel encouraged and supported.

Biology

How bias shows up in maps made with citizen science data

When biologist Elizabeth Carlen in Arts & Sciences saw that squirrels were not being reported in north St. Louis, she wanted to know why. Her new paper in People & Nature illustrates how social and ecological factors can create bias in contributory science data.

Mental Health

Preschoolers with depression at greater risk of suicide during adolescence

Children ages 3 to 6 who have had clinical depression are more likely than their peers to have attempted suicide or to have had thoughts of killing themselves by age 12, according to a new study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis.

St. Louis Region

Gephardt Institute awards $30,000 in grants to meet local needs

The Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement at Washington University in St. Louis has awarded $30,000 in Transform Grants to five student projects that will advance regional priorities.

Cultural Studies

‘The Souls of the Game’

Gerald Early, the Merle Kling Professor of Modern Letters in Arts & Sciences, is one of five curatorial consultants working with the National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown to organize “The Souls of the Game: Voices of Black Baseball.” The new exhibit will open May 25.

St. Louis Region

WashU’s economic impact totals $8.8 billion

Washington University in St. Louis continues to play a vital role in the local economy, providing jobs, supporting local businesses and drawing millions in research dollars to the region. During fiscal year 2023, the university’s direct and indirect contributions to the St. Louis economy were $8.8 billion. WashU also supported 54,380 jobs in the region.