The Wisconsin Week Wire — April 18, 2007
Top News
Virginia Tech shooting victims to be memorialized
The UW–Madison campus community will gather tonight (April 18) in a memorial to the victims of this week’s shooting rampage at Virginia Tech University. The nondenominational gathering will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Room 272 of Bascom Hall.
Research
Scientist finds gene that governs toxic production in deadly mold
Scientists led by a UW–Madison biologist may have found a master switch that seems to control a specific mold’s ability to make poison.
On Campus
Events calendar
University launches new high-speed research network
UW–Madison has launched a new research network that doubles its previous Internet access up to 20,000 times faster and 1 million times the capacity of a typical home broadband connection.
Session on administrative process redesign planned for Tuesday
A campuswide brown-bag session to explain how employees can help build the future for how the university does business will be held Tuesday, April 24, at the Red Gym. The session will be held at 11:45 a.m.in the On Wisconsin Room and will feature presentations by Vice Chancellor Darrell Bazzell and Alice Gustafson, leader of the Administrative Process Redesign Project. The collaborative, campuswide project brings together faculty, classified staff and academic staff to create new, streamlined systems. Teams will develop new ways to administer functions such as human resources, information technology, grants administration, other business functions and possibly facilities issues in academic units. More information on the project and the brown-bag session is available from Gustafson at 890-1699 or at agustafson@vc.wisc.edu and at http://www.vc.wisc.edu
Longtime Registrar’s Office employee dies at 58
Sharon Pero, assistant registrar for Timetable and classroom scheduling, died suddenly in her home during the weekend of April 14–15. She was 58.
Libraries receive $1 million bequest for Friends
A Madison bibliophile has left a large share of his estate to the UW–Madison Libraries to benefit its Friends organization.
Many activities planned for CALS Week
The College of Agricultural and Life Sciences will again hold its CALS Week, a program of activities that celebrates the college’s connection to Wisconsin agriculture and life sciences. The year’s events begin Sunday, April 22.
Regents approve new compensation package for Ryan
The Board of Regents on April 13 approved an amended contract with men’s basketball coach Bo Ryan that increases his next year’s salary by $250,000, providing him a total compensation package of $1.25 million.
Biomedical engineering competition stresses real-world challenges
The Tong Biomedical Engineering Student Design Awards, to be held Friday, May 4, will reward undergraduate teams that design innovative solutions and develop outstanding prototypes.
Languages Day brings the world to Wisconsin
On Thursday, April 19, the Language Institute will host more than 700 high-school students and their teachers for World Languages Day, an all-day event that aims to raise awareness of diverse languages and culture in Wisconsin and around the world.
Speaker discusses scientific challenges of solar energy
If photosynthesis could be duplicated artificially outside the leaf, the sun’s energy could provide a limitless supply of clean, renewable fuel to meet the planet’s growing energy demands. At 3:30 p.m. on Friday, April 20, Daniel Nocera, W. M. Keck Professor of Energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, will discuss the fundamental discoveries in biology, chemistry and physics needed to enable this type of sunlight-based energy conversion. Nocera is widely recognized as a leading researcher in renewable energy at the molecular level. His talk, “On the Global Energy Future and Science’s Challenge to Power the Planet,” will take place in Room 1315 Chemistry as part of the Irving Shain Chemistry Colloquium Series.
Beethoven piano competition winners perform Sunday
Three piano students in the School of Music will perform in a recital Sunday, April 22, in recognition of their achievements as winners of the school’s annual Beethoven Piano Competition. Natalie McKechnie, Olivia Musat and Erik Saunders will perform one sonata each at 3 p.m. in Morphy Hall of the Mosse Humanities Building. Admission is free. For more information, visit http://www.music.wisc.edu
Milestones
Chemistry professor receives National Science Board Award
Chemistry professor Bassam Shakhashiri will receive the 2007 National Science Board Public Service Award.
UW–Madison geographer honored with achievement award
James Knox, Evjue-Bascom Professor of Geography and Environmental Studies, was awarded the Presidential Achievement Award by the Association of American Geographers.
UW Hospital CEO named one of top 25 women in health care
Donna Sollenberger, president and chief executive officer of UW Hospital and Clinics, was named one of the top 25 women in health care for 2007 by Modern Healthcare magazine. Sollenberger, a native of Illinois, joined UW Hospital and Clinics in December 1999. In the last year alone, the hospital has received significant national attention. In 2006, the Leapfrog Group named UW Hospital and Clinics one of the nation’s top hospitals for quality and safety; in both 2005 and 2006, the University Healthsystem Consortium named UW Hospital one of the 10 top-performing hospitals in the U.S.; and Solucient Corp. chose UW Hospital’s heart and vascular care program as one of the top 100 cardiovascular hospitals in the nation for three consecutive years and as one of the top 100 hospitals in America three times in the last five years.
Community
Farm Fresh Atlas makes it easy to find locally grown food
The free, 40-page Southern Wisconsin Farm Fresh Atlas lists more than 150 farms, farmers’ markets and food-related businesses that sell locally grown food.
Nonviolent communication expert to offer training in May
Marshall Rosenberg, founder of the Center for Nonviolent Communication, will offer two days of training in Madison on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 1 and 2.