The Wisconsin Week Wire — January 17, 2007
Top News
Study uncovers lethal secret of 1918 influenza virus
In a study of nonhuman primates infected with the influenza virus that killed 50 million people in 1918, an international team of scientists led by UW–Madison virologist Yoshihiro Kawaoka has found a critical clue to how the virus killed so quickly and efficiently.
Dean of students finalists to visit
Three finalists aiming to become the next dean of students will visit campus during the next month to meet and interview with students, administrators, faculty and staff.
Director teaches real-world applications of stage conflict
Tony Simotes, an associate professor of theater and drama, is a sort of pioneer in the field of fight direction. He’s a master fight choreographer, using swords, knives, rapiers, clubs and the human body to create realistic battle scenes on stage.
Research
Bringing together Earth and sky imagery
A plant that once co-existed with dinosaurs has taken up residence in the botany greenhouses.
UW–Madison acquires rare plant from dinosaur age
Integrating studies of the Earth with those of the atmosphere and beyond, the Environmental Remote Sensing Center recently joined the Space Science and Engineering Center in the Graduate School.
A hot idea for insulating tiny batteries
UW–Madison physics researchers are devising a unique “blanket” that will enable them to squeeze as much electricity as possible from nuclear-powered batteries the size of a grain of coarse salt.
Study: Tobacco quitlines make fiscal sense
An article published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine finds that tobacco quitlines provide tobacco-cessation treatment at a remarkably modest cost, according to study author Paul Keller of the School of Medicine and Public Health.
Record speed for thin-film transistors could open door for flexible electronics
A pair of researchers have developed a method of making flexible, thin-film transistors that are not only inexpensive to produce, but also capable of high speeds — even microwave frequency, impossible before now.
On Campus
Events calendar
Employee Matters
Dean reviews under way
Several deans are in the midst of their five-year reviews, intended to assess their academic and administrative leadership.
Campus urged to guard against norovirus
Several outbreaks of norovirus infection have been documented in Dane County, and University Health Services is advising everyone on campus to be aware of the virus’s impact.
Event organizers welcome campus participation
Organizers of Science Expeditions and the Undergraduate Symposium are seeking campus participation for this semester’s events.
Segment of Walnut Street gets new name
The city of Madison has approved a name change for the segment of Walnut Street that runs east/west between Marsh Lane and Highland Avenue. It will now be called Marsh Drive; signs have been changed.
Paper dresses from swinging ’60s show off planned obsolescence
A new exhibition in the School of Human Ecology’s Gallery of Design focuses on disposable dresses, a fashion fad of the 1960s.
Lighten Up Wisconsin open to faculty, staff
UW–Madison is encouraging faculty, staff and students to participate in Lighten Up Wisconsin, a four-month challenge that supports teams in making “small, realistic and permanent changes” in members’ lifestyles to encourage healthier living.
Student rescues missing hiker in New Mexico
UW–Madison junior Peter Kottke and his brother, Albert, were hiking in Gila National Forest when they heard the faint call from a hiker who had been missing for more than a month. The rescue has made national headlines.