UW News and Information Web     |     UW News     University Week UW News+Community     Kathy Sauber Larger than life at the Henry Artist George Rodriguez finishes his entry in the School of Art’s 2009 MFA Thesis Exhibition at the Henry Art Gallery, called “Instrumental Divide.” It consists of nine figures made of clay, each about 7 feet tall. He’s one of a dozen MFA students showing their thesis work in the exhibit. There is an artists' reception from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 22, and the show runs through June 21. “They look singularly strong, every one of them,” said Jim Rittimann, Henry head exhibit preparator. VOLUME 26, NUMBER 28   |   5/21/2009  –  5/27/2009  |   UWEEK.ORG Provost to hold town hall meeting June 2 Provost Phyllis Wise invites UW faculty, staff and students to join her to discuss the accomplishments and budgetary challenges of the current academic year and to look forward to the University’s future. The Provost’s town hall will be held at 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, in 102 Johnson. Broad strategies, student input key to new UW Climate Action Plan After four months’ work by teams of faculty, staff and students from all three campuses, the first draft of the UW's Climate Action Plan, which charts a strategic vision for the UW's commitment in achieving climate neutrality, is now available for comment. Board of Regents to hold special Meeting May 28 The Board of Regents will hold a special meeting from 1 to 3 p.m. Thursday, May 28, in 110 Kane to receive public comment on the 2009-2011 budget. Written communication is encouraged as a means of providing opinions to the board. Anti-abortion Genocide Awareness Group to visit Red Square The anti-abortion group Genocide Awareness Project will bring its public exhbit to campus May 26 and 27. The exhibit consists of large panels with graphic photos of genocidal events in history such as the Holocaust and the Cambodian killing fields, as well as aborted fetuses. The group will be at Red Square, one of the UW’s free speech areas. In-house and less costly: Consider the Scientific Instruments Department for certain repairs Got a piece of scientific equipment that needs repair? An off-campus repair shop might charge anywhere from $90 to $390 an hour to get it fixed. Or you could go to the University’s Scientific Instruments Department and get the same service for $78.40 an hour. College of Education’s Brad Portin to head UW Bothell’s Education Program Brad Portin, associate professor of Educational Leadership & Policy Studies, has been named the new director of the Education Program at UW Bothell. He will begin the new position July 1. Investment art: Vehicle artist lectures at the Henry May 28 Artist Seth Kinmont, whose handmade electric cars are featured in an exhibition, Vehicle, at Bellevue's Open Satellite exhibition hall through July 3, will give a lecture about his artistic concept of investing at the Henry Art Gallery Auditorium May 28. First-year MFA directors show their work in one-act plays at the School of Drama Two MFA directing students in the UW School of Drama will present one-act plays May 27-June 7 in the Penthouse Theater. The two pieces — The American Century, written by Murphy Guyer and directed by Paula Bennett; and The Apollo of Bellac, written by Jean Giraudoux and directed by Alyson Roux — feature MFA and undergraduate actors. Ancient basketry, Seattle’s changing shorelines featured in two new online Burke exhibits The Burke Museum has announced the launch of two new online exhibits that explore Seattle history: Waterlines and Rediscovering Ancient Basketry From the Biderbost Site. Sounds of gospel and student compositions coming from School of Music The School of Music will present its 100-voice Gospel Choir on May 26 and works by student composers on May 27 and 29. New book suggests Earth perhaps not such a benevolent mother after all In the past 50 years the Gaia hypothesis has prevailed, arguing that Earth is a nurturing place, straining mightily to maintain equilibrium so that life might continue and flourish. But in a new book, UW Professor Peter Ward suggests the planet ultimately is inhospitable to life, and that life itself might be the primary reason. Rather than Gaia, he invokes the darker Medea from Greek mythology. Researchers gain insights into genomic patterns of human population structures Through advanced computer simulations, researchers are learning more about genomic patterns of human population structures around the world. Endocrinology expert to give Edwin G. Krebs Lecture, June 2 Per-Olof Berggren, head of Cell Biology & Experimental Endocrinology at the Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm, will give the annual Edwin G. Krebs Lecture in Molecular Pharmacology June 2. Thomas Hawn wins Burroughs Wellcome Award Thomas Hawn, assistant professor of medicine, has been awarded the 2009 Clinical Scientist Award in Translational Research by the Burroughs Wellcome Fund. Education researcher: Stimulus dollars will impact states differently A new analysis by the UW’s Center on Reinventing Public Education looks at how states will use federal stimulus money. The University Week photo contest has its first winner, two more to come A clever family photo titled Higher, Daddy by Graduate School staffer Sophia Agtarap is the first winner of University Week’s photo contest. Etc.: Campus news & notes King County honors Transportation Services with Diamond Ring Award; UW alum Dominic "Tony" Antonelli a pilot to the International Space Station; activism by Nancy Amidei; Lynn Thomas edits Love in Africa, and UW faculty recruit Kenneth Zeichner named to the Academy of Education. Organization of the week: Cheerful Givers of Washington The Cheerful Givers provide toy-filled birthday gift bags to food pantries and homeless shelters so parents living in poverty can give their child a birthday gift. Disaster tip of the month: Remember important documents Plan ahead — in a major disaster you’ll need your important papers collected, stored safely and readily available. Official Notices A Board of Regents meeting and campus blood drives. UW staffer pivotal in passing law for retail bathroom access A UW staffer has learned that one person really can make a difference in this world. Lois Fink, an administrative assistant in the UW College of Forest Resources, watched recently when Gov. Christine Gregoire signed into law a bill that she had urged her representative to propose. Walls and ground broken for new children's oral health facility Internal demolition has commenced on the Washington Dental Service Building for Early Childhood Oral Health at Magnuson Park. Garden to memorialize Griego is in the works In a corner outside Gould Hall now largely forgotten, a garden will memorialize Rebecca Griego, who was shot to death inside Gould two years ago by a former boyfriend. Dentistry trio to give last lecture to benefit new School of Dentistry teaching endowment UW-trained dentists Vincent Kokich, David Mathews and Frank Spear will deliver a joint lecture June 12 at Seattle's Benaroya Hall to raise funds for a new School of Dentistry teaching endowment. Three award-winning profs provide a taste of their teaching in showcase Talk of sonnets, spacecraft and crowing roosters? It’s the Distinguished Teaching Awards Showcase, where three profs show a sample of their classroom technique. Graduate School compiles professional development activities The Graduate School has produced a compendium of departmental professional development activities in what it hopes will be the beginning of a program to improve professional development for graduate students and post-docs. UW medical students head back to middle school UW medical students provide free sports physical exams to middle school students as part of the Community Health Advancement Program. UW School of Law conference addresses climate change and human rights The UW School of Law will host Three Degrees: The Law of Climate Change and Human Rights Conference on May 28 and 29. The conference is a UW law student-led effort to develop a legal system addressing the impacts of climate change on human rights. UW CareLink offers special workshops for continuing employees after a layoff With the UW facing a severe budget crisis and layoffs becoming a sobering reality, employees who remain often have intense feelings of guilt. UW CareLink, the faculty and staff assistance program, is providing special workshops for those remaining after a layoff. Piano series. UW music students perform works for piano. (7:30 p.m., Brechemin Auditorium.) UWB sustainability. An exploratory symposium intended to expand dialogue and prompt new collaborations around the concept of sustainability. (1-4 p.m., UW2 005.) Gospel choir. Phyllis Byrdwell leads the 100-voice Gospel Choir in songs of praise and revelation, hymns, call-and-response numbers and other expressions of the gospel tradition. (7:30 p.m., Meany Theater.) About Hong Kong. Donald Tong, Hong Kong commissioner for economic and trade affairs, speaks on "Riding out the Economic Doldrums: The Hong Kong Story." Sponsored by the Office of Global Affairs. (4-5 p.m., 317 Thomson.) ‘Three Degrees.’ A student-led effort aimed at challenging legal scholars, NGO leaders, and policy makers to confront the humanitarian crisis at the heart of climate change. Also on May 29. (8 a.m.-5:30 p.m., 133 William Gates Hall.) Can you guess where this photo was taken? Guess correctly, and you might win a gift certificate to the University Book Store!