Arts & Sciences

In his first two books, Predictably Irrational and The Upside of Irrationality, Ariely shows how we often fail to act in our own best interests. With his third book, The (Honest) Truth about Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone – especially Ourselves, Ariely examines dishonesty in American culture and has some surprising findings to share at an Assembly Series presentation at 2 p.m. Wed., March 6 in Graham Chapel.

Two biologists at Washington University in St. Louis were delighted to discover a meticulous dataset on a plant-pollinator network recorded by Illinois naturalist Charles Robertson between 1884 and 1916. Re-collecting part of Robertson’s network, they learned that although the network has compensated for some losses, battered by climate change and habitat loss it is now weaker and less resilient than in Robertson’s time.

The Academy of American Poets has selected Mary Jo Bang’s translation of Dante’s Inferno as one of the Notable Books of 2012. Bang is a professor of English in Arts & Sciences. Her Inferno: A New Translation was one of only 12 books that made the notable list for 2012. The American Library Association also recently selected Bang’s Inferno as one of only two books of poetry to make its Notable Books for Adults 2013 list.

Rodolfo Manuelli, PhD, professor of economics in Arts & Sciences, has been named a James S. McDonnell Distinguished University Professor in Arts & Sciences. A formal installation ceremony was held Feb. 25.

During the installation ceremony of Vincent Sherry, PhD, as the first Howard Nemerov Professor in the Humanities in Arts & Sciences, Sherry delivered an address titled “‘By Degrees’: Howard Nemerov, Poetry, and the English Department.” During his talk, Sherry, chair and professor of English in Arts & Sciences, acknowledged the literary great for whom the professorship is named. To read Sherry’s Jan. 24 talk, visit here. 

Vincent Sherry, PhD, chair and professor of English in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, was installed as the first Howard Nemerov Professor in the Humanities in Arts & Sciences during a Jan. 24 ceremony in Holmes Lounge, Ridgley Hall. Sherry delivered a talk in which he recognized the literary great for whom the professorship is named.

Many WUSTL students will be on hand at the St. Louis Science Center this Saturday from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m. to explain the brain and their brain research to interested visitors. They are participants in NeuroDay, a free brain science expo featuring hands-on activities and demonstrations that provide a rare opportunity to learn about the human brain, the nervous system, neurological disorders and cutting-edge brain research.

Mike Hayes, WUSTL’s executive director of Campus Life, empowers student leaders and helps to foster “light bulb” moments.

A team of researchers at Washington University in St. Louis, headed by Srikanth Singamaneni, PhD, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials science, unexpectedly found the mechanism by which tiny single molecules spontaneously grow into centimeter-long microtubes by leaving a dish for a different experiment in the refrigerator.  This novel approach of making nano- and microstructures and devices is expected to have numerous applications in electronics, optics and biomedical applications.

The ability to access, search, and interact with legal case documents that record the freedom suits of former slaves is now just a browser click away, thanks to a major initiative of the Digital Library Services unit of Washington University Libraries. The Libraries secured funding for the project from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, with the Missouri History Museum as an institutional partner. (VIDEO)