Geologist decries floodplain development

Photo courtesy of USGSLevees are not infalliable.Midwesterners have to be wondering: Will April be the cruelest month? Patterns in the Midwest this spring are eerily reminiscent of 1993 and 1994, back-to-back years of serious flooding. Parallels this year include abnormally high levels of precipitation in late winter and early spring, early flooding in various regions, and record amounts of snow in states upstream. One thing Midwesterners have not learned is “geologic reality,” says Robert E. Criss, Ph.D., professor of earth and planetary sciences in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis.

Put on a happy face

Josiah Gerdts and Isabelle Chumfong, both first-year students in the School of Medicine, play the leads in “Bye Bye Birdie,” the spring musical production by School of Medicine students.

Viagra celebrated for fixing more than one problem

Viagra, the breakthrough drug for battling male sexual dysfunction, hit the market 10 years ago. Now, physicians have now found an additional benefit for this type of drug. Many men are reluctant to visit the doctor but are eager to get the benefits of “the little blue pill.” Their trips to the doctor to get a prescription may reveal underlying conditions including high blood pressure, undiagnosed or poorly controlled diabetes, heart disease or high cholesterol.

MSNBC’s Chris Matthews to deliver Washington University’s Commencement address May 16

Chris MatthewsChris Matthews — host of “Hardball with Chris Matthews” on MSNBC and of “The Chris Matthews Show,” a syndicated weekly news program produced by NBC News, and regular commentator on NBC’s “Today” show — has been selected to give Washington University in St. Louis’ 2008 Commencement address, according to Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton. The university’s 147th Commencement will begin at 8:30 a.m. May 16 in Brookings Quadrangle on the Danforth Campus.

U.S. News: School of Medicine ranks among nation’s top

Washington University School of Medicine is rated No. 3 in the nation among research-based medical schools, according to the newly released U.S. News & World Report rankings of graduate and professional programs. Individual programs at the School of Medicine also received top rankings: The Program in Occupational Therapy tied for the No. 1 rating, the Program in Physical Therapy tied for the No. 2 spot, and the Program in Audiology and Communication Sciences ranked No. 5.

Graduate and Professional Rankings of WUSTL by News Media

Below is a link to the Washington University news release about the U.S. News & World Report undergraduate rankings for 2004-05: http://news-info.wustl.edu/news/page/normal/3627.html To view a full listing of U.S. News magazine, book and Web-only rankings for 2004-05, please visit the U.S. News & World Report site: http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/college/rankings/rankindex_brief.php

Civic minded

Photo by David KilperAmanda Moore McBride studies structures for engaging citizens