Arts & Sciences

Donald Finkel, poet-in-residence emeritus of English in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, died Saturday, Nov. 15, 2008, of complications from Alzheimer’s disease at the Schuetz Manor in St. Louis County. He was 79. Finkel joined the Washington University community in 1960 with his wife, the late poet Constance Urdang. He was the author of more than a dozen books of poetry. An obituary will appear in the Dec. 4 issue of the Record.

Celebrated food writer Michael Pollan will receive the Washington University Humanities Medal as part of “Celebrating Our Books, Recognizing Our Authors,” WUSTL’s seventh annual faculty book colloquium. The biannual award is given to a distinguished scholar, writer or artist whose career merits special recognition for excellence and courage. The inaugural recipient was Turkish novelist and […]

Biologists at Washington University in St. Louis have made major headway in explaining a mechanism by which plant cells silence potentially harmful genes. A team led by Craig Pikaard, Ph.D., WUSTL professor of biology in Arts & Sciences, has published a paper this month in Cell, that explains how RNA polymerases work together to use the non-coding region of DNA to prevent destructive, virus-derived genes from being activated.

Photo by David KilperThe Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences showcases another side of David Mamet with “Boston Marriage,” a sharp and sometimes shocking drawing room comedy centered on a pair of genteel Victorian women. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre at 8 p.m. Nov. 20, 21 and 22; and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 and 23.

To most, the Bible is a somber work, full of such serious melodramas as Abraham intent on carving up his son at God’s demand, Job enduring his many burdensome troubles, and powerful, piercing language, such as the immortal line: Jesus wept. To David A. Peters, Ph.D., McDonnell Douglas Professor of Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis, the Bible indeed is a beautiful work that is sprinkled liberally with, at times, rollicking humor. Peters, whose academic expertise is aeronautics, particularly helicopter mechanics, has written a book, The Many Faces of Biblical Humor (Hamilton Books, 2008) that overwhelmingly backs his claim.

Acclaimed author Steve Stern, the Visiting Fannie Hurst Professor of Creative Literature in the Writing Program in Arts & Sciences, will read from his work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. In addition, Stern will host a talk on the craft of fiction at 8 p.m. Nov. 20.

Acclaimed author Steve Stern, the Visiting Fannie Hurst Professor of Creative Literature in the Writing Program in Arts & Sciences, will read from his work at 8 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 13. In addition, Stern will host a talk on the craft of fiction at 8 p.m. Nov. 20. Both events — part of The Writing […]

Celebrated food writer Michael Pollan will receive the Washington University Humanities Medal as part of “Celebrating Our Books, Recognizing Our Authors,” WUSTL’s seventh annual faculty book colloquium.

Photo by David KilperThe Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences showcases another side of David Mamet with “Boston Marriage,” a sharp and sometimes shocking drawing room comedy centered on a pair of genteel Victorian women. Performances take place in the A.E. Hotchner Studio Theatre at 8 p.m. Nov. 20, 21 and 22; and at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 22 and 23.

The profitability of corn ethanol processing, the costs and benefits of ethanol as a fuel source, the impact of the ethanol boom on rural America and the future of the biofuel industry will be among topics explored at a free public forum on the economics of ethanol to be held on campus from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Nov. 14.