Olivia DrakeDecember 19, 20114min
Does participating in combat sports (like martial arts and wrestling) or playing contact sports (like football and hockey) influence aggression outside of the sport? According to a study by Zander Parkinson '13, the answer might be, yes. "I found that among male adolescents there was a significant association between activity level and increased likelihood of getting into a physical fight," Parkinson explained during the Quantitative Analysis Center's Fall Poster Session Dec. 9. "Adolescents who played an active sport three or more times a week were significantly more likely to get into a physical fight than non-active adolescents who played an…

David PesciDecember 19, 20113min
Wesleyan's Center for Film Studies Cinema Archives has long been acknowledged as one of the most vital collections and educational resources of its kind in the world. The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) has approved a $425,000 challenge grant to the archives. Support from NEH, which requires a three to one match with private gifts, will ensure that the archives continue to grow and flourish. The four-year NEH grant will help endow a full-time curatorial position for the Cinema Archives, a collection which includes the personal papers and other materials of such seminal film icons as Frank Capra, Elia…

David PesciDecember 19, 20112min
Three faculty members from Earth and Environmental Sciences, as well as two graduate students and two undergraduate students, presented their research at the annual conference of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco, Calif., Dec. 5-7. The conference drew more than 20,000 scientists and policy makers from around the world. Associate Professors Suzanne O’Connell and Dana Royer, Assistant Professor Phillip Resor, and Austin Reed MA-candidate, Rosemary Ostfeld BA ‘10/MA ‘12, and Julia Mulhern ’12 all attended. In addition, a poster by Katherine Shervais ’13, was also presented. “Our research in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences is so…

Olivia DrakeDecember 19, 20113min
Thirteen seniors joined the U.S.'s ninth oldest Phi Beta Kappa chapter during an induction ceremony Dec. 7. Election to the society is based on fulfillment of eligibility requirements. For students elected in the fall, admittance is based on a student’s performance at Wesleyan only through their junior year. A student first must have been nominated by his or her major department. He or she also must have demonstrated curricular breadth by having met the General Education Expectations, and have achieved a grade point average of 93.00 or above. Phi Beta Kappa was founded in 1776, during the American Revolution. The organization’s…

Olivia DrakeDecember 19, 20112min
Wesleyan students, employees and their families can ring in the new year with a night of music, dancing, fireworks, crafts and entertainment close to campus. Starting at 3 p.m. Dec. 31, the City of Middletown will host Middnight on Main 2012, an alcohol-free celebration with unique activities for revelers of all ages, centered in the city's historic downtown. Events conclude at midnight with a participatory event. Since Wesleyan is a sponsor of the activity-rich festival, employees are eligible for discounted admission buttons: $6 for kids (usually $10) and $12 for adults (usually $16-$20). To get the discount, use code "Wesleyan…

David PesciDecember 19, 20112min
This issue, 5 Questions talks about the connections between the Moneyball and biology with Fredrick Cohan, professor of biology. Q: Fred, you’ve been talking about how the data mining revolution in baseball, championed by the Michael Lewis book Moneyball and the recent movie of the same name starring Brad Pitt, can change science in general and biology, specifically. Really? A: Absolutely! On the surface, Moneyball is the story of Billy Beane, the general manager of the Oakland A’s, who found a way to lead his poverty-stricken team to success against teams with many times the payroll of Oakland. But Moneyball is…

Olivia DrakeDecember 19, 20112min
The GOVT/EAST/ENVS 304 “Environmental Politics and Democratization” class is presenting its eco-art project in Usdan University Center’s Huss Courtyard this month. The class is taught by Mary Alice Haddad, associate professor of government, environmental studies and East Asian studies.