Page 182 – The Source | Washington University in St. Louis

African American Studies Teachers Summer Institute connects high school teachers to WashU experts, resources

Washington University faculty hosted a one-week seminar designed to connect high school teachers to experts and resources in local Black history and culture.

Medicine

Scientists develop breath test that rapidly detects COVID-19 virus

Scientists at Washington University have developed a breath test that quickly identifies those who are infected with the virus that causes COVID-19. The device requires only one or two breaths and provides results in less than a minute.

Engineering

A low-cost potential therapy for spinal cord injuries

Ismael Seáñez at the McKelvey School of Engineering is developing a new method to treat spinal cord injuries that uses a low-tech electrode array that effectively stimulates muscles in the legs in people with spinal cord injuries.

Engineering

Analyzing generative AI’s copyright crisis

Artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT and Copilot offer helpful assistance to programmers, but computer scientists at the McKelvey School of Engineering have shown that both open-source and commercial AI platforms frequently generate copyright-infringing content.

Performing Arts

Himes wins Visionary Trailblazer Award

Ron Himes, in Arts & Sciences, will receive the Visionary Trailblazer Award from the Association for Theatre in Higher Education during the group’s 2023 national conference.

Biology

Fossil skulls alone cannot predict if animal was warm blooded

Biologist Stan Braude in Arts & Sciences was part of a team that analyzed CT scans of the heads of more than 300 mammals to determine whether certain structures in the nasal cavity play a pivotal role in body temperature maintenance.

Awards & Notables

Caldwell elected president of ASWAD

Kia Lilly Caldwell, vice provost for faculty affairs and diversity, has been elected president of the Association for the Study of the Worldwide African Diaspora.

St. Louis Region

High school students introduced to campus life at Rural Scholars Academy

Talented high school students from rural communities in Missouri and southern Illinois lived and learned at Washington University in St. Louis, where they discovered more about life on campus and in St. Louis. The cohort took a class with Sam Fox School faculty, learned the ins and outs of the college application and explored local attractions.

Campus & Facilities

Applications open for med school’s Executive Management Fellowship

Beginning Wednesday, Aug. 2, applications will be open for the School of Medicine’s Executive Management Fellowship, a two-year program designed to provide participants with exposure to the operation and governance of a nationally ranked, research-based medical school and academic medical center.

Engineering

Brain movement measured for clues to prevent, reduce injury

Philip Bayly and Jordan Escarcega at the McKelvey School of Engineering led a multi-institutional team to compare how the human brain deforms in response to movement using two types of magnetic resonance imaging. Such deformations are key to understanding traumatic brain injury but are challenging to study since the brain is hidden inside the skull.