UW News and Information Web     |     UW News     University Week UW News+Community     VOLUME 26, NUMBER 30   |   6/4/2009  –  6/24/2009  |   UWEEK.ORG 'University Week' comes out next on June 25 This is the last edition of University Week for the 2008-2009 school year. Our next issue, the first of summer, will be June 25. We’ll publish every other week through the summer — on June 25, July 9 and 23, and Aug. 6 and 20. Commencement weekend June 12-14 at UW’s three campuses Mark A. Emmert, UW president, will officiate at Commencement ceremonies in Seattle on June 13, as well as Commencement ceremonies at UW Tacoma June 12 and UW Bothell June 14. Secretary of defense, Yakama tribal elder to receive honorary degrees Robert Gates, a career intelligence officer who became secretary of defense; and Virginia Beavert, a Yakama tribal elder who has played a pivotal role in the preservation and documentation of the Sahaptin language, will receive honorary degrees at Commencement June 13. University of Maryland professor to chair Urban Design & Planning Qing Shen has been named chairman and professor in the Department of Urban Design & Planning, pending approval by UW President Mark Emmert and the Board of Regents. Expect congestion during Commencement June 13 Transportation Services advises motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians to avoid Husky Stadium on Saturday, June 13, due to the graduation ceremony beginning at 1:30 p.m. Music of Schubert in spotlight for UW Symphony concert Doctoral students Mena Hwang and Julia Tai will conduct the UW Symphony in an all-Schubert concert on Friday, June 5. Vocal jazz ensembles to perform The UW Vocal Jazz 1 and UW Diva Vocal Jazz ensembles perform standards by Horace Silver, Stephen Sondheim, Keith Jarrett, Bobby Sharp, Madeline Peyroux, and others in a concert at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, June 6 in Brechemin Auditorium. Invisibility research has led to discovery of 'wormholes' From studies on invisibility comes another futuristic notion: the discovery of electromagnetic wormholes. "The idea is to create a tunnel of invisibility, a secret connection between two different points in space," the researcher said. More costly private model of foster care could save $6.3 billion in long term In these times of trillion-dollar budgets and deficits, $6.3 billion may not seem like much money, but that’s what the United States potentially could save on each group of adolescents who enter foster care every year. Common autism medication is ineffective for repetitive behaviors, study finds New information may change treatment protocols for children with autism spectrum disorders. Etc.: Campus news & notes Joseph Felsenstein honored as a distinguished scientist; Janice DeCosmo renews councilor status for the Council for Undergraduate Research; Walton Fangman an election monitor in El Salvador; and the College of Forest Resources gives its annual awards. Another photo of Suzzallo takes prize in photo contest David Hogan wins the third and final week of our photo contest with a beautiful shot of the Suzzallo grand stairway. Organization of the week: Toastmasters at the UW Since its beginnings in 1924, Toastmasters International says it has helped more than 4 million people improve their public speaking skills and confidence. Read more about four Toastmasters groups that serve the University community. Official Notices New Fleet Services rates, a Board of Regents meeting and a blood drive. Cauce goes ‘home’ to country she left 50 years ago Ana Mari Cauce, dean of the College of Arts & Sciences, recently visited Cuba, the country she left when she was just 3 years old. She boarded a flight to Havana exactly 50 years to the day that she had left. But in reality, she has carried Cuba with her all her life. New director of Environmental Health & Safety no stranger to UW Jude Van Buren has experience as a nurse, a Peace Corps volunteer and a sanitarian, among other things. Now she returns to her alma mater at the helm of Environmental Health & Safety, the department that is responsible for workplace safety and health at the UW. Facilities Services staffer is a loser, and proud of it They’re a bunch of losers over at Facilities Services, but in a good way. They’re weight-losers, and held a weight-loss competition inspired by the TV show The Biggest Loser. Painter Rick Parfitt was named the biggest loser, but he’s a little more than 20 pounds less big than before. Rivara to receive UW Public Health Distinguished Alumni Award Dr. Frederick Rivara, UW professor of pediatrics, will be honored for his leadership in the field of injury prevention. For pharmacy students, breaking down complex drug has its rewards UW pharmacy students win the Academy of Managed Care Pharmacy's student drug-review competition. AYPE remembered: Self-guided tours of campus exposition sites now available Forward, into the past! All summer long you’ll be able to tour key sites from the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exposition. You can tour with a guide, or on your own, led by signs and a brochure pointing the way. The Tree Salvage Program would give new life to reclaimed wood Wood from an elm tree that stood outside the playhouse on University Way is being reused for benches in the lobby. More such recycling is possible through the new Tree Salvage Program. Project Runway: Business students combine marketing, management, fashion It’s no TV show, but this intense operations management and marketing class in the Foster School of Business gives students a big dose of reality from the design and business world. Global health pioneer Paul Farmer to speak on June 18 Dr. Paul Farmer, founding director of Partners in Health, and Dr. Chris Elias, president and chief executive officer of Path, will take part in the Washington Global Health Alliance Discovery Lecture Series. Educators gather for UW Early Learning Conference June 5-6 Educators, counselors, lawmakers, advocacy groups and parents will meet at the UW Friday and Saturday for the UW Conference on Early Learning, to be held at UW Tower. ‘Spring Sing.’ The University Singers, the Women's Choir and the UW Men's Glee Club share the spotlight with a variety of music from classical to pop and everything in between. (7:30 p.m., Meany Theater.) Political math. Columbia University political scientist Andrew Gelman speaks on Coalitions, Voting Power, and Political Instability as part of the MathAcrossCampus Colloquium. (3:30-4:30 p.m., 210 Kane.) University Symphony. Graduate instrumental conducting students Meena Hwang and Julia Tai lead the University Symphony in an all-Schubert concert. (7:30 p.m., Meany Theater.) ‘Dialoguing Difference.’ The Women of Color Collective's first conference, "Dialoguing Difference" is an intellectual exchange among faculty members and students from throughout the community. (9 a.m.-5 p.m., Ethnic Cultural Center.) Vocal jazz. An evening of stylings by the Vocal Jazz I and Vocal Jazz II ensembles, under the direction of Dave Cross. (7:30 p.m., Brechemin Auditorium.) Student art. Opening reception for the School of Art's Design '09, a juried show of work by graduating BFA and MFA students in the Division of Design. Additional work by graduating BFA students will be on display in the second floor hallways. Exhibit runs through June 20. (5-8 p.m., 132 Art.) AYP symposium. The Museum of History and Industry holds a two-day weekend symposium on the Alaska-Yukon-Pacific Exhibition. Includes lectures by five area experts. (9 a.m.-4 p.m., also Sunday, June 21.) Can you guess where this photo was taken? Guess correctly, and you might win a gift certificate to the University Book Store!