Arts & Sciences

As immigration reform once again heads to the front-burner of American politics, the nation’s politicians and voters have an opportunity to decide whether a fringe coalition of racist groups will once again be allowed to sabotage serious efforts to reach a rational compromise on critical immigration issues, suggests Robert W. Sussman, author of a new book on enduring scientific myths behind modern racism.

L. Lewis Wall, MD, DPhil (right), has received a gold medal for his “meritorius contributions” to medical education at Mekelle University College of Medical and Health Sciences in Mekelle, Ethiopia. He is a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the Washington University School of Medicine and of anthropology in Arts & Sciences.

Paul Steinbeck, PhD, assistant professor of music theory and composition in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, recently attended the Mizzou Improvisation Festival at the University of Missouri-Columbia and — and even had one of his works performed.

Alexander Stefaniak, PhD, assistant professor of musicology in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, was invited to present his paper, “Brilliant, Transcendent Virtuosity in Clara Wieck Schumann’s 1830s Concerts” at the American Musicological Society Annual Meeting (held jointly with the Society for Music Theory), in Milwaukee in early November.

Scientists have mostly ignored mRNA, the molecule that ferries information from DNA to the cellular machines that make proteins, because these DNA transcripts are ephemeral and soon destroyed. But mRNA can be just as important as DNA scientists at Washington University in St. Louis say. They found that oxidized messenger RNA jams the cellular machines that make protein. The failure to clear the jams and chew up bad messengers is associated with neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

St. Louis Symphony trombonist Jonathan Reycraft will join the Washington University Wind Ensemble Nov. 20 for a free concert in the E. Desmond Lee Concert Hall. Presented as part of the symphony’s Community Partnership program, the performance will feature music of Bert Appermont, Steven Bryant, Robert Jager and Darius Milhaud.

​A bubble volcano? A bubble roller coaster? A bubble cannon and bubble trumpet? In “Bubble Trouble,” Jeff Boyer takes bubble art and bubble science to illogical extremes — sculpting, juggling and building with the most ephemeral, effervescent material imaginable.

Planetary scientists at Washington University in St. Louis have received a $279,639, three-year grant from the NASA Mars Fundamental Research Program for a project that seeks to determine how clay minerals formed on Mars and ways they have been altered since then.

Washington University in St. Louis has been awarded a grant from the Amgen Foundation that will provide hands-on laboratory experience to undergraduate students through the Amgen Scholars Program. This marks the fifth year that Washington University is participating in the program.

Guest conductor André de Quadros will join the Washington University Choirs for “This Too Shall Pass,” a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, at the 560 Music Center. The concert will feature both composed and improvised works, with a special emphasis on the musical practices of Muslim communities.