The Wisconsin Week Wire — April 9, 2008
Top News
Campus reacts to student’s death
The Offices of the Dean of Students led a vigorous response to last week’s tragic death of senior Brittany Zimmermann, stressing safety, reaching out to the community and leading the remembrance of her life and time at the university.
UW–Madison student scores in NBA debut
Matt Beyer’s first job as a UW–Madison student involved preparing hamburgers at Union South. His final one brought him shoulder-to-shoulder with stars of the National Basketball Association.
Research
Money doesn’t grow on trees, but gasoline might
Researchers have recently discovered the new processes to create fuel using a “green gasoline” approach.
Negligent, attentive mouse mothers show biological differences
UW–Madison researchers describe a strain of mice that exhibit unusually high rates of maternal neglect, with approximately one out of every five females failing to care for her offspring.
Features
Director cultivates a mile-high appreciation of Wisconsin
Sam Batzli looks at Madison and the rest of the state from high altitudes.
Using street theater to channel lessons of molecules
A novel project by a collaboration of scientists and educators from UW–Madison and the Madison Area Technical College is making molecules and atoms the stars of a project to use theater to teach children the basics of science.
Professor blends ecology, history
As a University of Washington graduate student in the late 1980s, Nancy Langston traveled to a national park in Zimbabwe to study an endangered bird. She came back with a resolve to know more about people.
On Campus
Events calendar
Employee Matters
Forums set for Administrative Process Redesign project
A pair of forums designed to update the campus community about the Administrative Process Redesign project and how it is working to improve business practices and customer satisfaction will be held this month.
World Languages Day to draw 700-plus students from across Wisconsin
The seventh World Languages Day will take place on Tuesday, April 22, with 700 students from 25 high schools.
Libraries to assist faculty with new federal law
A requirement to provide public online access to research findings funded by the National Institutes of Health took effect on April 7.
Tornado drill scheduled for April 24
Gov. Jim Doyle has declared April 21–25 as Tornado and Severe Weather Awareness Week in Wisconsin, and a statewide tornado drill will be held on Thursday, April 24.
MSNBC science editor is visiting writer
Alan Boyle, science editor for msnbc.com, has been named the Science Writer in Residence for this spring.
Sexual assault awareness event to address rape, racism, healing
A visit from documentary filmmaker Aishah Shahida Simmons is a highlight of April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month activities.
Annual symposium celebrates undergraduate achievements
The 10th annual Undergraduate Symposium will be held on Wednesday, April 16.
UW–Madison focuses on safety post-Va. Tech
It’s been almost a year since Seung Hui Cho went on an April 16, 2007, rampage on the Virginia Tech campus in Blackburg, Va., killing 33 students and staff and wounding 26 others. UW–Madison officials have placed the focus of the last 12 months on safety and security.
UW–Madison senior to compete on ‘Jeopardy!’
“Jeopardy!” producers announced April 4 that Suchita Shah, a 20-year-old senior in neurobiology, will represent UW–Madison in the “Jeopardy!” 2008 College Championship. The tournament will be taped at the Kohl Center on Friday and Saturday, April 11 and 12.
Questions answered, stories told at Wisconsin Oral History Day
Compelling stories from natural disaster survivors, discussions about digital technology for capturing oral history and instruction in the theory and practice of collecting oral histories highlight Wisconsin’s first Oral History Day on Monday, April 14.
Getty Library head to keynote annual Friends meeting
Susan Allen, associate director and chief librarian of the Getty Research Institute in Los Angeles will give the 2008 Douglas Schewe Annual Lecture on Wednesday, April 16, for the Friends of the UW–Madison Libraries.
Milestones
Ten faculty receive Distinguished Teaching Awards
Ten faculty have been honored with this year’s Distinguished Teaching Awards.
Four faculty chosen as Guggenheim Fellows
Four UW–Madison professors have received 2008 Guggenheim Fellowship Awards, which recognize artists, scholars and scientists based on distinguished past achievement and exceptional future promise.
Five communicators honored for accomplishments, leadership
The School of Journalism and Mass Communication will honor five professionals at a banquet on Friday, April 11.
Arts Institute faculty, staff honored for contributions
The Arts Institute has selected the recipients of its 2008 awards in the arts.