Spring social work lecture series begins

Leading experts in the fields of mental health services, civic service and human behavior are part of the George Warren Brown School of Social Work’s spring lecture series. The first lecture, “Community Engagement in Mental Health Services Research: What Happens to Science and Scientists When Partners Come First?” by Kenneth B. Wells, M.D., professor of psychiatry and biobehavioral sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine and professor of health services at the UCLA School of Public Health, is at noon Feb. 5 in Brown Hall Lounge.

Brown bag it with ‘Work, Families and Public Policy’

Faculty and graduate students from St. Louis-area universities with an interest in topics relating to labor, households, health care, law and social welfare are invited to take part in a series of Monday brown-bag luncheon seminars to be held biweekly through April 30. Now in its 11th year, the series is designed to promote interdisciplinary research in areas related to labor, households, health care, law and social welfare.

Friendship spurs world premiere of Schvey’s play

In 1973, while a doctoral student at Indiana University, Henry I. Schvey befriended the eminent Austrian expressionist painter Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980). Now chair of Washington University’s Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences, Schvey has written “Kokoschka: A Love Story,” an original drama about the artist’s torrid affair with Alma Mahler (1879-1964), the beautiful widow of composer Gustav Mahler (1860-1911).

Notables

Dwight Towler, M.D., Ph.D., professor of medicine, has received a one-year, $215,147 grant from the Barnes-Jewish Hospital Foundation for “Bone and Mineral Diseases Research Operations.” … M. Alan Permutt, M.D., professor of medicine, has received a one-year, $165,000 grant from the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International for research titled “Notch Signaling in Beta Cell Development and Regeneration” and a one-year, $92,054 grant from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases for research titled “Metabolic Basis of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: a Genetic Analysis.” … Roberta Faccio, Ph.D., assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, has received a two-year, $150,000 grant from the Arthritis Foundation for research titled “Role of PLC-Gamma2 in Inflammatory Arthritis.” … Audrey McAlinden, Ph.D., research assistant professor of orthopaedic surgery, has received a two-year, $150,000 grant from the Arthritis Foundation for research titled “Regulation of the COL2A1 Alternative Splicing Switch During Chondrogenesis.”

Graphic Standards booklet revised

The Graphic Standards for Licensed Products booklet has been revised to take into account the changes in University graphics over the past few years.

Temporary parking lot closure

The temporary parking lot just west of Graham Chapel on the Danforth Campus will be closed to all parking on Feb. 6 due to an event at the School of Law.

Burning to read

David A. Lawton, Ph.D., professor and chair of English in Arts & Sciences, delivers the first Assembly Series lecture of the spring semester, titled “Burning to Read.” The lecture was held Jan. 24 in Graham Chapel and also served to kick off The Big Read program, spearheaded locally by the University. For more information on The Big Read and events, visit bigread.wustl.edu.

Media Advisory – Olin School of Business students critique the Super Bowl’s commercials

Washington University’s Olin School of Business and the Olin Marketing Association will present the 7th annual Super Advertising Bowl, where Olin marketing students and faculty critique the television commercials that air during the Super Bowl. A “Top Five” list of this year’s most effective Super Bowl ads will be distributed after the game. Olin faculty and students can provide comments about which ads worked and why. Students and faculty will also be available for interviews about commercials that air during the game.

Brain-imaging system to monitor babies brains without harmful radiation

Radiologist and researcher Joe Culver is developing a brain-imaging system to help doctors diagnose and treat premature infants. He’s also helping form a company that could bring it to market. “Within 18 months to two years, we hope to be able to have this product in the marketplace,” he said. “We think it will benefit society once it’s out there.”