UW News and Information Web     |     UW News     University Week UW News+Community     This is the time of year that the University of Washington honors its outstanding teachers, staff, mentors and those engaged in public service. In our "Best and Brightest" supplement, University Week introduces you to the people behind the accomplishments. Click on any of the icons above to read a profile of the pictured person. You may also visit our special Web site and read about this year's award recipients. VOLUME 24, NUMBER 30   |   5/31/2007  –  6/20/2007  |   UWEEK.ORG Commencements slated June 8-10 President Emmert will officiate at Commencement ceremonies in Seattle June 9, as well as the ceremonies at UW Tacoma June 8 and UW Bothell June 10. The ceremonies at Husky Stadium start at 2 p.m. Giving back: Faculty, staff and retirees contribute to the UW out of their values Each faculty, staff or retiree gift to the UW is a story of relationships — of how people choose to work at the UW because it reflects their values, and how those values are carried out not just in their working days but in the gifts they choose to make. Here are a few such stories. Time flies as UW artist has fun with pig "Time flies, have fun now" is the message on the big, watch-covered pig Jennifer Carroll, a program coordinator for the Department of Economics, created for Pike Place Market’s "Pigs on Parade" event. Are babies like birds -- learning by listening in? UW researchers exploring how male song sparrows acquire their song repertoires have found the first evidence that young birds choose many of their songs by eavesdropping on the tuneful interactions between other sparrows. Kevin Desouza: Small office, big impact Kevin Desouza is an assistant professor in the Information School, adjunct faculty in electrical engineering and the director of the Institute for National Security Education and Research, a constant, a blogger and the author of seven books. Oh, and he’s 27 years old. Etc: campus news and notes Two million plastic bottles for art, a grant for poetry, College of Forest Resources awards faculty and staff, prof a distinguished alumna of Washington University. Faculty Senate: Planning, budgeting panel takes on big issues The job of the Faculty Senate’s Senate Committee on Planning and Budgeting is to provide advice on long-range planning, budget preparation and the distribution of funds with particular reference to faculty concerns. A look at the work of this group. Official notices She helps students reach their dreams Mona Pitre-Collins once swore she would never be a teacher like most of the members of her family -- but life had other ideas. She taught for several years, and every job since then has been centered around students. These days Pitre-Collins is the director of the UW's Undergraduate Scholarship Office, where she works with students to connect them to educational opportunities. A long way from recovery: Staffer working on Gulf Coast finds continuing devastation from hurricane News & Information writer Vince Stricherz traveled to the Gulf Coast last week to work with Habitat for Humanity and this is his first-person account. "If someone tells you the Gulf Coast has recovered from Hurricane Katrina," he begins, "don't believe it. It's not even close." Concrete floats at annual races Don't tell these paddlers that concrete isn't the best material for building boats. In a couple of weeks, hundreds of civil engineering students from around the country will gather at the UW for the national concrete canoe championships. Known as the "America's Cup of Civil Engineering," it's a test of strength, skill and engineering savvy -- now in its 20th year. White Center Heights: UW landscape architecture team creates gathering space for neighborhood Landscape architecture and urban planning students and faculty team up to help a community redesign a local park, with a little help from their friends. Home Improvement Fair set Has spring cleaning got you thinking of making changes to your home? Maybe a bit of remodeling, or some new landscaping? If so, the Home Improvement Fair, presented by UW Benefits & Work/Life on Thursday, June 21, might be for you. UW Police launch night walk The UW Police Department will now provide uniformed escorts for faculty, staff and students to and from buildings, from parking lots, and within close proximity of the campus. It’s called Husky NightWalk, and will be available from 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night of the week except holidays. Rotary-UW 'Saving Lives' Partnership: Creative collaboration to address rural poverty The UW has entered into a partnership with Rotary International to fast-track dissemination of interventions and technologies to improve quality of life to those in greatest need throughout the world. UWMC wins national environmental award UWMC won a 2007 Hospitals for a Healthy Environment (H2E) award at the leadership level. Shingles pain is subject of lecture June 19 Dr. Robert Dworkin, professor of anesthesiology, neurology, oncology and psychiatry and director of the Anesthesiology Clinical Research Center at the University of Rochester, will present the Gunn-Loke Lecture at 5 p.m. Tuesday, June 19 in T-746, HSC. 2007-08 Magnuson Scholars announced: Current scholars at work on array of projects Six graduate students, one from each UW health sciences school, have been named as Magnuson Scholars for the 2007-08 academic year. Lipsky honored for amputation prevention efforts Dr. Benjamin A. Lipsky, UW professor of medicine, will receive the Edward James Olmos Award for Advocacy in Amputation Prevention at DFCon 08, the Global Diabetic Foot Conference, set for March 13-15. Scientists to catalog differences in human genome A major new effort to uncover the medium- and large-scale genetic differences within the human species may soon reveal DNA sequences that contribute to a wide range of diseases, according to a paper by Evan Eichler, UW associate professor of genome sciences, and colleagues. Integrative health program application deadline is June 7 The UW’s Faculty Integrative Health Program is accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Alzheimer's disease Public Forum set for June 13 The UW 22nd Annual Alzheimer’s disease Public Forum takes place Wednesday, June 13. June features Foege, life sciences, biostatistics, and brain injury Health Sciences June event highlights Can you guess where this photo was taken? Guess correctly, and you might win a gift certificate to the University Book Store!