Olivia DrakeAt left, cross country runners Owen Kiely '06 and Ellen Davis '07 were named NESCAC All-Academics. Kiley and Davis are among 64 athletes to receive the honor. Posted 07/06/07 Sixty-four Wesleyan student-athletes from 28 sports were named 2005-06 New England Small College All-Academic (NESCAC) honorees. To become an All-Academic, student-athletes must have met qualifying criteria, including holding at least junior status academically with one year's residence on campus; being a starter or significant reserve on a varsity team; and maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.35 or higher. Founded in 1971, the NESCAC is a group of 11 highly selective liberal…
Posted 07/11/ 07 Chris Summers, textbook coordinator at Broad Street Books, passed away unexpectedly on Friday, July 6. He was a resident of Middletown. Chris joined the team at Broad Street Books in January 2006. He was an enormous asset to our store. He was extremely diligent and detail-oriented, and he thrived on the ability to help both students and faculty with their needs. For his co-workers at the store, this is a tremendous blow personally. Everyone who interacted with Chris was aware of his quick wit, intelligence and humanity. Chris is survived by his mother, Helen Morris Summers, three…
Seven students, including Zoe Holder '08 (top, center) and Consuelo Gonzales 08 (center), traveled to Chuso, Peru this summer to volunteer at a local elementary school. Posted 07/11/ 07 Zoe Holder 08 returned from a Peruvian trip this summer with knowledge of a new culture, and well-callused hands from jabbing rocky ground with a pick-ax.She and six other Wesleyan students volunteered to go to Chuso, Peru June 1-17 to help the small village with a community identified need. They are members of Wesleyan Without Borders, a group dedicated to doing volunteer work in developing countries, and keeping the Wesleyan community…
Ellen Thomas, research professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, gathered evidence that Long Island Sound has been impacted by human activities. Posted 07/11/ 07 A Wesleyan researcher has discovered that nitrogen pollution may have altered the food chain in Long Island Sound. This can threaten habitats that support large commercial and recreational fisheries. Ellen Thomas, research professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, has, together with Wesleyan undergraduate students, gathered evidence that Long Island Sound has been impacted by human activities, including effluents from wastewater treatment plants, waste disposal and urban and agricultural runoff. These…
BIO BLITZING: Scientific specialists teamed up with area students and teachers for BioBlitz 2007, held in Middletown June 8-9. The idea was get a snapshot of the biodiversity of a specific area in a 24-hour period. Wesleyan was a major sponsor of the event. BioBlitz participant Brian Stewart, associate professor of physics, collects beetles during the BioBlitz. He and Michael Oliver, co-author of The Ground Beetles of Connecticut, found several beetles in the bark of a downed tree. Wilbert Snow School in Middletown served as the BioBlitz laboratory, where species were identified and recorded. Crabs, snakes, toads and turtles were…
Cathy-Lee Rizza, WesCard coordinator, creates and programs all student, faculty, staff and special-occasion identification cards for the university. Posted 06/20/07 Smile for the camera. Thats a phrase Cathy-Lee Rizza may say a dozen times a day in Wesleyans WesCard Office. As WesCard coordinator, she creates Wesleyans faculty, staff and student ID cards and manages the information provided by ID holders. This card gives students access to their dorms, provides them with meals on campus, it also serves as a library and gym card. If the student is part of the Middletown Cash Program, they can purchase meals off campus…
Valerie Marinelli, administrative assistant for the Environmental Studies Certificate Program, recently helped plan and coordinate the local BioBlitz science event in Middletown. Posted 06/20/07 Q: Valerie, when did you come to Wesleyan and what brought you here?A: I started as a temporary employee in August 2006 in the Environmental Studies Certificate Program. In late October 2006, I became the departments full time administrative assistant. Q: Broadly, what is the Environmental Studies Certificate Program, and who is able to receive this certificate?A: The Environmental Studies Certificate Program, known as ESCP, is an interdisciplinary certificate program for undergraduate students that includes…
Bob Shaeffner of Payette Architects explains a proposal for Wesleyan's new Molecular and Life Sciences building during an open house and design review June 12. At left, Ben Winslow, a biology Ph.D candidate, listens to Robert Schmidt, project manager, explain a proposed design plan for the Molecular and Life Sciences building. Posted 06/20/07 Physical Plant-Facilities held an open house and design review for Wesleyan's new Molecular and Life Sciences building June 12. The open house allowed Wesleyan staff and faculty, and members of the local community to comment on the proposed plans. The goal of the building is to…
Posted 06/20/07 Magdalena Teter, assistant professor of history, will study religious groups of premodern Poland as a Radcliffe Institute Fellow in 2007-08. Teter was one of 32 women and 19 men selected by the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study at Harvard University. Teter will work individually and across disciplines on projects chosen for both quality and long-term impact. Her project is titled An Anatomy of Religious Violence: Jews and Christians in Premodern Poland. She will research the close social interaction between Jews and Christians; the role of lay and religious instigators in exploiting religious sentiments; position of the accused Jews…
Andrea Roberts, visiting instructor of chemistry, has introduced "green" techniques into her organic chemistry laboratory sections. Students use fewer chemicals, producing less waste. Posted 06/20/07 At first glance, Wesleyans Organic Chemistry Laboratory doesnt appear much different to the naked eye. But a closer look shows that virtually everything in the lab has changed. Were going green, says Andrea Roberts, visiting instructor of chemistry and Ph.D candidate. Were promoting sustainability and teaching the leaders of tomorrow better ways to do chemistry. Roberts started teaching the organic chemistry lab in Spring 2004, using a routine syllabus. The class had nine weeks of…
Patti Miller, assistant director of programs, grants and marketing for the Project to Increase Mastery of Mathematics and Science (PIMMS). Posted 06/04/07 Q: Patti, when did you start working at Wesleyan and what were you hired in as?A: I started in Fall 2000 and I was hired on a part-time/temporary basis to assist a wonderful woman who was diagnosed with a terminal illness to help her manage PIMMS workshop registrations and promotion.Q: You are the assistant director of programs, grants and marketing for the PIMMS. What is the overall purpose of the program?A: PIMMS mission is to provide high-quality…
Posted 06/04/07 About 30 years ago, unnatural and excessive biological growth started occurring in the small, man-made Beseck Lake six miles southeast of Wesleyan's campus. Septic systems from lakeside homes deposited nutrients into the water, altering the biogeological cycles of carbon, sulfur, nitrogen and phosphorus in the aquatic ecosystem. By 2002, the problem was remedied by connecting the homes to a city sewer system and the quality of the lake water improved. However, excess algae growth continued to form, proving that some unwanted nutrients continued to exist. What was still polluting the lake? asked Tim Ku, assistant professor of earth…