Olivia DrakeIn order for animals to detect food sources, avoid predators and find mates, they rely on their olfactory system, or sense of smell. The ability to detect and distinguish among thousands of environmental odorants is based on a combinatorial recognition system. A specific smell is coded in the brain by a specific combination of receptor proteins that get stimulated by the unique combination of odorant chemicals elicited by that scent. "The smell of 'lemons,' for example, would result from a specific combination of odorant receptor proteins that become stimulated upon binding the specific set of inhaled chemicals emitted from a…
Brooklyn, N.Y. native Angus McCullough ’10 envisions the thriving community living on Bronx's Grand Concourse connected with a web of speakers, microphones, projectors and cameras. As one of seven finalists, who placed third out of 400 entrants, in the Intersections: Grand Concourse Beyond 100 urban planning project, McCullough designed an audio-visual nervous system for the Grand Concourse, using nodes to weave the long, thin boulevard into a tight-knit web of interaction. His project, titled "Live Wired," landed him a $1,000 cash stipend to further develop his proposal for inclusion in the exhibition Intersections: Grand Concourse at 100 — Future at…
For six weeks, Jeff Katzin ’10 studied with museum curators and art faculty, took behind-the-scenes tours of museums and helped execute an exhibition. Katzin was one of 15 students who participated in the Summer Institute in Art Museum Studies (SIAMS) at Smith College from June 15 to July 24. He received a Certificate in Art Museum Studies upon completion of the highly-selective program. "At SIAMS, I met with current professionals, I learned about issues and debates regarding museums and their collections from the program's directors and visiting speakers, and I visited many museums and saw a lot of great art,"…
An injured woman lays limp on the floor of Woodhead Lounge. She’s conscious, but immobile. “Can you squeeze my fingers?" asks Barb Spalding, associate director of campus fire safety. "Oh, yes, you still have good strength. It appears all your pain is on the left side.” Spalding, who was giving a “head-to-toe assessment” on acting accident victim Christine Cruz, safety coordinator, was training for Wesleyan’s Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program. In the event of a real disaster, crisis or common emergency, Spalding will be prepared to assist first responders, provide immediate assistance to victims, and organize spontaneous volunteers at…
Tadd Gero ’08 died Aug. 17 from a resistant strain of pneumonia. Gero graduated as a theater major after transferring from Simon's Rock College. While on campus he was involved in campus activities including reporting for The Wesleyan Argus. Upon graduation, Gero worked as a reporter for The Independent Newspaper in Hudson, N.Y. and continued his involvement with theater. A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. Oct. 3 at Time & Space Limited, 434 Columbia Street, in Hudson, N.Y. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to TSL, P.O. Box 343, Hudson, NY…
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, one out of every three black men between the ages 20 and 29 is in prison, on probation or on parole. Of these men, 94 percent are fathers. English and African American Studies major CaVar Reid '11 is curious to discover how prison affects a man's ability to be a father. "I want to ask them, 'What were your expectations about your relationships with your children when you were incarcerated? How do you think your incarceration has affected your children? How did you stay involved with your children?'" Reid says. As a 2009-11…
Corrina KerrAnna Shusterman, assistant professor of psychology, recently received a five-year, $716,227 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study "The role of language in children’s acquisition of number concepts." Shusterman will be evaluating 3-to-5-year-old hearing children in her Cognitive Development Laboratory at Wesleyan. She also will be studying deaf and hard-of-hearing children of the same ages who are learning English to try to determine how language delays affect children's learning of number concepts. The grant, which begins this year, comes from the National Science Foundation's Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) program. The program is only available to non-tenured faculty. Researchers…
For 10 weeks, Eve Mayberger ’10 removed harmful matting of two Everett Shinn illustrations, conserved a William de Leftwich Dodge oil painting from 1916, X-rayed a basket made entirely of burrs and cleaned and documented an outdoor statue made of earthenware. As a recipient of a Wesleyan University Summer Experience Grant, Mayberger had the opportunity to get hands-on experience at the Smithsonian American Art Museum-Lunder Conservation Center where she worked 40 hours a week, unpaid, as an art conservation intern. The Summer Experience Grants are available to undergraduates who have completed their sophomore year. Awards are made up to $4,000…
With a boost from National Endowment for the Arts, Angel Gil-Ordóñez's Washington DC-based orchestra will continue making music for seasons to come. Gil-Ordóñez, music director of the Wesleyan Orchestra, adjunct professor of music, director of private lessons, chamber music and ensembles, learned that his Post-Classical Ensemble received a $50,000 grant from The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). The award is made possible through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. "We are still jumping for joy," Gil-Ordóñez says. "It is such an honor, and reassurance that the NEA and the Recovery Act consider that our work must be…
Next fall, Wesleyan will welcome two students of color who graduated high school "capable of assuming positions of responsibility and leadership." Malik Ben-Salahuddin '13 and Dorisol Inoa '13 are both recent alumni of A Better Chance (ABC), the oldest national organization of its kind. ABC aims to change the life trajectory in a positive way for academically-talented youth of color through access to rigorous and prestigious educational opportunities for students in grades 6-12. "This is wonderful recognition for these two top students, two in a long line of ABC students at Wesleyan," says Nancy Meislahn, dean of admission and financial…
David PesciStanley Lebergott, the Chester D. Hubbard Professor of Economics and Social Sciences, Emeritus, died July 24 after a long illness. He was 91 years old. Lebergott began his career as a public servant, working for 20 years in the U.S. Department of Labor, the International Labor Office, and the U.S. Bureau of the Budget. He joined the Wesleyan faculty in 1962 as a professor of economics, becoming University Professor in 1970. He was a pivotal scholar in his field, and a prolific author. In addition to more than 50 articles, his books include: Manpower in Economic Growth: The American Record…
Ann Burke, associate professor of biology, recently received a three-year, $395,000 grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to study the development and evolution of the shoulder girdle using transgenic mice, frog and salamander. The mice will be generated in collaboration with a lab at the University of Michigan and will allow Burke and her associates to turn off Hox genes, which are specific patterning genes, in specific sub populations of the embryonic mesoderm that make the musculoskeletal tissues. "Comparing the dynamics of gene expression and cell interactions during the formation of the pectoral region in a variety of embryos…