Campuswide blood drive set for Jan. 31

Washington University’s next campuswide blood drive will take place Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2012, at eight locations throughout all WUSTL campuses and at a variety of times to accommodate busy schedules. Collection also is taking place Jan. 30 on the Medical Campus.

Moving Brian Brooks dance piece Motor makes ‘spirit soar’

With the delicacy of a spider web and the rigorous logic of a chain reaction, three miles of sky blue cord stretch outward from the stage and into the seats, enveloping dancers and audience alike. Choreographer Brian Brooks is known for creating works defined by their cheeky wit, audacious visuals and superhuman endurance. In January, the Brian Brooks Moving Company will present Motor, a major new piece exploring notions of time, entropy and perpetual movement, as part of the Edison Ovations Series.

Making the most of winter break

Sleep may be priority No. 1 for many college students who are finishing finals and returning home for winter break. Advisers from the Career Center at Washington University in St. Louis suggest students use the time, not only to recharge, but to reflect and self-evaluate. The extended break is an ideal time to think about options, update resumes, network and put career plans into action.

Students get up-close view of Israeli high-tech innovation

With a concentration of high-tech startups second only to America, Israel — which has the second-most number of companies on the NASDAQ stock exchange — is considered the world’s next Silicon Valley. Twelve students from Olin Business School at Washington University in St. Louis will get a chance to view that innovation up close when they travel to Israel Jan. 5-12, 2012 as part of a venture advising course aimed at exploring the country’s venture capital market.

Richard Stang, professor emeritus of English, 86

Richard Stang, PhD, professor emeritus of English in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died Dec. 14, 2011, of pancreatic cancer. He was 86. Stang specialized in 19th-century English literature, particularly the Victorian period.

Marketing trends in 2012: viral promotion, product placement, crowdsourcing

Traditional product advertising — full-page magazine ads and 30-second television commercials — may be going the way of the rotary phone. Emerging concepts such as crowdsourcing, viral Internet campaigns, product placements and guerilla promotions will dominate the marketing and advertising landscape in 2012 and beyond, says a marketing expert at Washington University in St. Louis.

Toys for Tots 2011

Students, faculty and staff at the Brown School at Washington University in St. Louis assist the Marine Corps with their annual Toys for Tots drive to help families in the St. Louis area. Monica Matthieu, PhD, research assistant professor at the Brown School, and SSgt. Scott Hogle, USMC, comment on the school’s successful effort.

Sign up for ‘Sustainability @ WUSTL’ weekly e-newsletter

WUSTL community members interested in topics of sustainability can sign up for the Office of Sustainability’s weekly email newsletter, “Sustainability @ WUSTL”, by following the link on the right-hand side of the page at sustain.wustl.edu. The e-newsletter serves as a compilation of sustainability-related news, updates, events and jobs on-campus and in the region.

Lead levels in drinking water spike when copper and lead pipes joined

Lead pipes once used routinely in municipal water distribution systems are a well-recognized source of dangerous lead contamination, but new research from Washington University in St. Louis suggests that the partial replacement of these pipes can make the problem worse. The research shows that joining old lead pipes with new copper lines using brass fittings spurs galvanic corrosion that can dramatically increase the amount of lead released into drinking water supplies.