Arts & Sciences

Last week, the university dedicated the Grossman Family SIMS Laboratory in Rudolph Hall. The build-out of the lab was funded by a gift from the family of WUSTL alumnus Matthew Grossman. The space houses a state-of-the-art secondary-ion mass spectrometer that will be used primarily for the analysis of geological samples but also will be available to members of the newly founded Institute of Materials Science and Engineering to study problems in the analysis and design of materials.

Students from Eureka High School prepare their plane for launch during the Boeing Design Challenge at the Washington University Field House April 29. They were among 110 area high school students from six school districts on 26 teams who designed and hand-launched balsa wood gliders in different competitions, learning concepts of physics and engineering. The teams were assisted by engineers from Boeing Co.

The International Center for Advanced Renewable Energy and Sustainability (I-CARES) has announced the award winners from its 2014 call for proposals.

One of the first U.S. artists to hold an academic appointment in a scientific unit, Patricia Olynyk has collaborated with particle physicists and biologists; investigated anatomical models and medical devices; and displayed at the National Academy of Sciences. We sat down to discuss Washington University in St. Louis’ new Art|Sci Initiative and Fellows Program, which she launched earlier this spring.

Kevin Crouch, a senior in Arts & Sciences, reads to a Holman Elementary class during “On the Move: Encouraging Literacy,” a service project by Washington University in St. Louis’ Kappa Delta Pi chapter. Students in KDP, the international honor society in education, recently donated and delivered more than 330 books to Holman students and teachers.

Jean Allman, PhD, and Tabea Linhard, PhD, both in Arts & Sciences, each have been awarded a 2014 American Council of Learned Societies Fellowship. It provides salary replacement for scholars who are embarking on six to 12 months of full-time research and writing.

More than 170 Washington University in St. Louis undergraduates showcased their research projects through poster, visual and oral presentations during the 2014 Spring Undergraduate Research Symposium, held April 28 in Bauer and Knight halls.

David Balota, PhD, a leader in the study of cognitive breakdowns that occur in Alzheimer’s, and Steven L. Teitelbaum, MD, a world-renowned bone biologist, will receive Washington University in St. Louis’ 2014 faculty achievement awards, Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton announced.

Arts & Sciences recognized a beloved faculty member, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a driving force in continuing education, a devoted advocate, and entrepreneurs in energy and public relations during its 16th Annual Arts & Sciences Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony, held April 24 at the Hilton Frontenac Hotel.

Washington University in St. Louis is moving forward with a bold and impactful plan to increase solar output on all campuses by 1,150 percent over current levels by this fall. The project demonstrates the university’s commitment to sustainable operations and to reducing its environmental impact in the St. Louis region and beyond.