News

AAAS elects 8 from ASU as Fellows

Eight ASU faculty members, including seven from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, are among the 486 newly elected Fellows of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), a prestigious international scientific society. AAAS is the world’s largest general scientific society. Brad Allenby, Richard Creath, James Elser, Patricia Gober, Nancy Grimm, Sudhir Kumar, Thomas Moore and John Spence will be recognized Feb. 14 at the Fellows forum, during the 2009 AAAS annual meeting in Chicago. 

College to celebrate fall graduates

Some 1,215 ASU students are scheduled to graduate with degrees from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dec. 18. They will earn 1,053 bachelor’s degrees, 112 master’s degrees and 87 doctoral or terminal degrees.

Noel Stowe leaves his mark on Arizona history

Noel Stowe, an ASU professor who founded the university’s Public History Program and is recognized for his work in helping Arizona preserve its heritage, died Dec. 13 at the age of 66. A memorial ceremony to celebrate his life will be held in late January.

Center broadens scope of demography in Phoenix and internationally

ASU is constantly moving past traditional boundaries and redefining research perspectives. The Center for Population Dynamics is doing just that by changing the way we think about demography and creating an inclusive and multi-discipline approach to its research. The center, based in the School of Social and Family Dynamics in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, offers research assistance for all ASU faculty members. Its affiliates come from the school, as well as from other academic units across the university, including geographical sciences, history and anthropology.

Seminar to explore the humanities through history of medicine

Health, and how human beings treat and react to diseases and disabilities, can influence a historian’s analysis of the death of a monarch or a literary critic’s examination of a poetic passage about a sickness thought to be leprosy. Exploring the humanities through the lens of medicine will be the focus of a summer seminar designed by scholars from Arizona State University and the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

Earth and Space Exploration community to present at American Geophysical Union meeting

Earthquakes. Volcanoes. Sand dunes on Mars. And much more. Fifteen faculty members from the School of Earth and Space Exploration in the college will be presenting the results of their research about these and other topics at the Fall Meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco, Dec. 15-19. The presenters include Amanda Clarke showcasing research on vulcanian eruptions, J Ramón Arrowsmith discussing slip along the San Andreas Fault in the great 1857 Earthquake, and Ron Greeley speaking on Mars aeolian features and processes.

Mission trip illustrates power of women

In the past few years, ASU creative writing faculty member and English Professor Melissa Pritchard has written magazine and journal articles on the sex trafficking of women and children in Asia, poetry projects in the brothel districts of Calcutta, and the journey of the Lost Boys of Sudan from Africa to Arizona. So when she was invited to accompany the first all-female team of plastic surgeons, nurses and volunteers on a medical mission to Cuenca, Ecuador, sponsored by Women for World Health (W4WH), she didn't hesitate.

Ancient oceans reveal secrets on survival of life

In the search for life beyond Earth, scientists ‘follow the water’ to find places that might be hospitable. However, every home gardener knows that plants need more than water, or even sunshine. They also need fertilizer – a mixture of chemical elements that are the building blocks of the molecules of life. Scientists at ASU are studying how the distribution of these elements on Earth – or beyond – shapes the distribution of life, the state of the environment and the course of evolution. Ariel Anbar, a professor in ASU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the School of Earth and Space Exploration in the college weaves together threads from geoscience, chemistry, biochemistry and biology in his article published in the Dec. 5 issue of Science.

Senior with passion for physics wins Marshall Scholarship

Andrew Gamalski, a senior majoring in physics and mathematics, has won a 2009 Marshall Scholarship, among the most prestigious awards for graduate study in the world. Gamalski is one of about 40 college seniors nationwide chosen to receive the award, which provides full funding for up to three years of graduate study in the United Kingdom, worth more than $60,000. 

 

ASU students create camp experience for children dealing with family illness

Swimming, archery, cooking over an open fire, and sleeping out under the stars at camp are a part of growing up for many children. But for some, these childhood experiences are out of reach because of a serious family illness. Through efforts of a group of ASU students, Arizona children whose parents have or had cancer are able to experience a week of fun at Camp Kesem, held this year at the YMCA's Chauncey Ranch located in Mayer, Ariz.

ASU biogeochemist joins national science board

Susanne Neuer, an oceanographer who studies carbon flux and planktonic diversity at ASU, will serve on the Association for Women in Science national executive board as councilor. Neuer, an associate professor in the School of Life Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, will begin her term Jan. 1.

Academic champs take to the gridiron

The ASU 2008 Academic Bowl championship team from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences receives the President’s Cup during halftime at the Nov. 28 ASU-UCLA football game. The team retains bragging rights for the second year in a row.

Winter session classes can help students catch up, get ahead

Students from all colleges, majors and schools at ASU can register for winter session classes offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. There are more than 100 options – online and on campus – for students to complete general education requirements, take courses in their major, complete a minor, or retake a class and improve their GPA. Winter session begins Dec. 30 and continues through Jan. 16.

College fills Thanksgiving baskets for St. Mary’s families

Twenty large laundry baskets and bins stuffed with the ingredients for a Thanksgiving meal were assembled by staff and faculty in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences for the St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance. News of the community service project in the dean’s office, which had a goal of filling five baskets, quickly spread to other units in the college. In three weeks 20 baskets weighting 818 pounds, were collected and delivered to the food bank.

College faculty committees to assist with structure, curricula for 3 new schools

Designed to re-think how scholars can be brought together on issues emerging in a changing world, founding directors and faculty steering committees will begin implementing a reorganization plan that establishes three new schools in the college. The three new academic units are a School of Government, Politics and Global Studies; a School of Social Transformation; and a School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies.

Jewish Studies professor to sign Uppsala Manifesto at Interfaith Summit on Climate Change

ASU Professor Hava Tirosh-Samuelson, director of the Jewish Studies program, will be one of 30 representatives of different major faith traditions discussing the world’s climate issues at the Interfaith Summit on Climate Change in Uppsala, Sweden. Hosted by the Church of Sweden, the summit will act as an example of how the humanities and religion can make a difference with urgent worldwide contemporary issues. The summit will take place Nov. 28-29 and is open to the public.

Report highlights Asian Americans, Pacific Islanders

Not all Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Arizona feel invisible, but according to a new report, released Nov. 13 by the Asian Pacific Arizona Initiative, many of them do. The report, “The State of Asian Americans & Pacific Islanders in Arizona,” is the result of a year’s collaboration by ASU’s Asian Pacific American Studies program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, and the ASU for Arizona in the Office of Public Affairs. “This report arose from recognition that policymakers lack adequate information on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Arizona,” says says Kathryn Nakagawa, interim director of the Asian Pacific American Studies program, who worked with former director Karen Leong on the project.

ASU researcher nets HHMI Collaborative Innovation Award: Fountain of Youth to be found in the anthill?

Aging – we are all doing it. It is relentless and terminal. Auguries and alchemists, mendicants and magicians, philosophers and science fiction writers, researchers and plastic surgeons have employed all their various arts in the pursuits of “turning back the clock.” Yet, we stand in modern times with a span of a century to our name, at most. ASU researcher Juergen Liebig points to his favorite study animal, the ant, to provide answers. Liebig is one of a trio of scientists who are taking an audacious approach to studying gene regulation, using the ant to model human aging, with support from a Howard Hughes Medical Institute $40 million pilot program, The Collaborative Innovation Awards.

College honors Elser with Distinguished Faculty Award

James J. Elser, a professor in the School of Life Sciences, is this year’s recipient of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Faculty Award. The award recognizes faculty members who exemplify the college’s mission of instructional excellence, special dedication to students and performance that makes an impact in the greater community or a professional field.

Helios expands investment in ASU history teaching programs

A $1 million gift from the Helios Education Foundation will benefit the ASU Department of History. Helios will establish two endowments at the ASU Foundation, providing permanent funding for fellowships for students in the master’s of teaching history program, as well as a mentoring program for history teachers in Arizona. The new endowment funds will be named for William C. “Bill” Jenkins, a founding director of the Helios Education Foundation and this year's recipient of the college's Hall of Fame Award.

College welcomes Homecoming royalty

This year’s Homecoming king and queen are students in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences: James Randall and Amanda Badali.

Space rock collection lands at Homecoming

The Center for Meteorite Studies in the School of Earth and Space Exploration at ASU houses around 10,000 specimens representing more than 1,600 separate meteorite falls, making it not only the largest university-based collection but also placing it in the top 10 in the world. Homecoming visitors will have the chance to stop by the center’s booth and touch meteorites and test their knowledge.

Sedimentary records point to evolution of Himalaya

Throughout history, the changing fortunes of human societies in Asia have been linked to variations in the precipitation resulting from seasonal monsoons. A new paper published in the British journal Nature Geoscience suggests that variations in monsoon climate over longer time scales also influenced the evolution of the world's highest mountain chain, the Himalaya. Co-authored by Kip Hodges, director of the School of Earth and Space Exploration, the new study uses geochemical data from an Ocean Drilling Project sediment core extracted from the seafloor of the South China Sea to establish a record of the East Asian monsoon climate over that time interval.

Snakes Alive! Visit ASU's 'Living Collection'

While winding down Homecoming’s memory lane be sure to include a visit to a certain hallway in Life Sciences A-wing – the one that houses the Living Collection. “Living” is not the only feature that distinguishes this reptilian collection from other natural history exhibits that are normally pickled, dried or stuffed. The reptiles are special because they are all of known origin, making them valuable for education, outreach and study. The 18 species of rattlesnakes along the north wall cover all of the species and subspecies found in Arizona.

Liberal Arts and Sciences honors 5 for their support of the college

ASU alumnus William C. “Bill” Jenkins, a former Scottsdale mayor, now deceased, and Sue Jenkins, a former community relations liaison for Arizona Public Service, are this year’s recipients of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Hall of Fame Award. The college is also honoring Melinda Sue Gordon, Alonzo Jones, Patricia Kimball and James Elser. Gordon, Jones and Kimball will receive the college's Distinguished Achievement Award. Elser, a professor in the School of Life Sciences, will receive the Distinguished Faculty Award.

Glassblowers heat up university’s Block Party

Christine Roeger and Janice Kyle are two of six women working as scientific glassblowers in a university setting in the country and will be on hand during the Nov. 15 Homecoming Block Party to demonstrate their art.

Student-led conference to look at Africa’s challenges

Nubert Boubeka and Michael B. Ayodele, graduate students in the Master of Liberal Studies formed the Africa initiative Project (TAIP), an interdisciplinary endeavor that will sponsor its first international symposium on Africa Nov. 21 at Manzanita Hall on ASU's Tempe campus.

Jewell Parker Rhodes publishes 2nd voodoo book

Kind Dog is back, as is Dr. Marie Laveau. But an unwelcome character joins them in Jewell Parker Rhodes’s newest book, “Yellow Moon,” the second book in a trilogy about voodoo, set in contemporary New Orleans. Wazimamoto – a vampire who drains the blood out of innocent people – is the sinister presence in “Yellow Moon.” The murder-mystery series actually is a spin-off of Rhodes’ first New Orleans book, “Voodoo Dreams: A Novel of Marie Laveau.” which was historical fiction. Rhodes, who is currently artistic director for global engagement for the Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, will read from “Yellow Moon” at 7 p.m., Nov. 20 at Barnes & Noble, Desert Ridge.

ASU’s English Department welcomes its alumni home

From art exhibits documenting history to honoring literary giants in costume, the ASU Department of English is bound with spirit this Homecoming. The “Come Home to English” celebration will take place Nov. 10 and Nov. 12-15 on the ASU Tempe campus. The annual Homecoming festivity showcases the artistic talent and spirit of the department with an art gallery, book debut and alumni picnic. This year’s ASU Homecoming will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the passage of Proposition 200, the ballot initiative that renamed Arizona State College into Arizona State University. All events are free and open to the public.

College takes home top prize in Academic Bowl

The college won again! Defending champions, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, took home the President's Cup Thursday night beating the team from the Herberger College of the Arts 495 to 120.

 

Sick flies shed light on human immunity

A Salmonella infection is not a positive experience. However, by infecting the common laboratory fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster with a Salmonella strain known for causing humans intestinal grief, researchers in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University have shed light on some key cell regulatory processes – with broad implications for understanding embryonic development, immune function and congenital diseases in humans. Associate professor Stuart Newfeld and laboratory coordinator Joel Frandsen, along with colleagues in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Biodesign Institute at ASU, released their findings online on Sept. 24 in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. 

ASU history students issue warning: Beware of flying pumpkins during Homecoming

ASU History Peer Mentors have found an explosive way to show school spirit during Homecoming by building a mangonel – a medieval siege weapon – to hurl pumpkins at a model of Sparky’s rival mascot.

Can it be done? Physicist Kaku to bring ‘mind-sizzling’ lecture to ASU

Michio Kaku, renowned theoretical physicist and author, will discuss the turning point from fantasy to reality in the annual “Sci-fi Meets Sci-fact” lecture presented by BEYOND, the Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at ASU.

College team wins 2nd Academic Bowl match

Returning Academic Bowl champions from ASU's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences played a solid second match Wednesday night beating the team from the W.P. Carey School of Business 355 to 235.

Art exhibit, book celebrate collaboration spanning centuries

Words from Chinese poet Du Fu evolved into a modern work of art involving nationally recognized Arizona artist Beth Ames Swartz, four poets from Arizona State University and a delegation from Sichuan University in Chengdu, China. The creative results will be on display in "The Word in Paint," an exhibition celebrating the collaboration between the visual artist and the poet, that opens Nov. 21. A public reception kicks off the opening from 7 to 9 that night at ASU's University Center, 411 N. Central Ave., Phoenix. The free exhibition will run through mid-February, in conjunction with the publication by ASU of a book with the same name.

Founding father of gene-culture theory to speak at ASU

The “Origins of Human Uniqueness” lecture series launches this month with a special presentation by Robert Boyd. Sponsored by ASU’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change, the Center for Social Dynamics and Complexity and the Institute of Human Origins, Boyd will discuss “How Culture Transformed Human Evolution” at 4 p.m. Oct. 20, in room 60 of the College of Design North.

College team wins Academic Bowl match

ASU’s returning Academic Bowl champions from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences played a strong first match Tuesday night beating the team from the Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication 485 to 145.

Blasingame to head young adult literature group

James Blasingame, associate professor of English education in ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, was recently elected president of the Assembly on Literature for Adolescents

Student film contest to focus on sustainability and the humanities

The study of the humanities – how human beings behave toward and interpret themselves and the world – is as important to the issue of sustainability as recycling, alternative energy sources or biodiversity. Using digital filmmaking to examine the connection between the humanities and sustainability is the challenge presented by a student documentary film contest sponsored by ASU’s Institute for Humanities Research and the Film and Media Studies program.

Researchers document world's mammals in crisis

One in four mammal species on Earth is being pushed to extinction according to an assessment of the world's mammals, created by a team that includes ASU researchers.

NASA picks ASU research team to guide study of search for life

As one of the new NASA Astrobiology Institute teams, researchers in the college's School of Earth and Space Exploration intend to boost extraterrestrial exploration to the next stage by refining the criteria that guide the search for life.

Deep biosphere research points to new methods for recovering petroleum

ASU researchers are using a novel approach that integrates physical organic chemistry with organic geochemistry and biogeochemistry to uncover the source of organic compounds deep within Earth’s crust.

Archaeologist fuses anthropological approaches

ASU doctoral student Scott Ortman, a rising star in the field of Southwest archaeology, is helping to close the gap between theory and data with his training in quantitative and qualitative work and his skillful way of linking the two. Centering on the migration of people from the Mesa Verde region in the 13th century A.D., the project tackles a classic archaeological problem: Is recent human diversity the result of correlated or independent change in genes, language and culture? Ortman, in the college's School of Human Evolution and Social Change, addresses this research from a broad perspective that crosscuts the traditional subfields of anthropology and combines it with powerful quantitative approaches.

Native American activist to speak on challenges facing Indigenous people

Wilma Mankiller, former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation and internationally known Native American rights activist will talk about “Challenges Facing 21st Century Indigenous People” at 7 p.m. Oct. 2 at the Heard Museum, Steele Auditorium. Her talk is the second Arizona State University Simon Ortiz and Labriola Center Lecture on Indigenous Land, Culture, and Community. The lecture is free and open to the public. Seating is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. 

Six outstanding ASU faculty recognized as rising stars

Four of this year's six exemplars named by President Michael Crow are from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. They are: John “Marty” Anderies, School of Human Evolution and Social Change; Jennifer Fewell, School of Life Sciences; Jason Robert, School of Life Sciences; and Hao Yan, department of chemistry and biochemistry.

 

Center merges creative mediums and research to narrate Hispanic culture in the U.S.

For more than 80 years one Hispanic fictional character has sparked films and television shows, playing an intricate role in influencing mainstream American culture with Hispanic culture. That character - the Cisco Kid - first appeared in the 1907 short story “The Caballero’s Way” by American writer O. Henry. In the new book “The Cisco Kid: American Hero, Hispanic Roots,” co-authors Gary D. Keller and Francis M. Nevins explore how the Cisco Kid, through American film and television, emerges with a new persona, what Keller refers to as a “noble bandit.”

Jane Fonda to speak about ‘Journey to Wholeness’ at ASU

Award-winning actress, author and activist Jane Fonda will be at ASU Oct. 17 to give this year’s Feldt/Barbanell Women of the World Lecture, offering her insights on “Sex, Gender and the Journey to Wholeness.” This annual lecture is presented by ASU’s Women and Gender Studies program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. It is free and open to the public.

Altheide brings expertise to 'Fearless' summit in Rome

David Altheide, Regents’ Professor in the School of Justice and Social Inquiry is a featured speaker at the World Social Summit in Rome, Sept. 24-26. An authority on the mass media and fear, Altheide will discuss the role of the media in “Creating, Framing, and Amplifying Fear.”

Professor emeritus elevates peace studies at ASU

ASU professor emeritus Annanelle (Ann) Hardt, along with her late husband, Anthony (Tony) Nickachos, has created a named faculty chair at ASU’s Center for the Study of Religion and Conflict. The holder of the Hardt-Nickachos Chair in Peace Studies will lead research and teaching on the ideas, resources and practices that contribute to a sustainable peace; will regularly teach courses in peace studies; provide ongoing leadership and direction in advancing peace studies; and collaborate with other concerned faculty.

Artificial water systems create unintended consequences

Tempe Town Lake is just one of a multitude of lakes, small ponds, canals and dams combining flood control, water delivery, recreational opportunities and aesthetics, and altering perception of water availability and economics in the area. What are the consequences of such human-made tinkering with land cover and hydrology on surrounding native ecosystems and biodiversity? This question is answered by an ASU research team and published in the journal BioScience, which found that one of the most profound impacts of urbanization is the “reconfiguration of surface hydrology.”

‘EUREKA’ program funds innovative ASU research projects

Fueled by a new initiative at the National Institutes of Health called the EUREKA program, two ASU teams have received million-dollar grants to pursue the next frontiers in biomedical research. EUREKA, an acronym for Exceptional, Unconventional Research Enabling Knowledge Acceleration, is intended to boost exceptionally innovative research. John Chaput, assistant professor in the department of chemistry and biochemistry, and Rudy Diaz, associate professor in the Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, each have received $1.2 million research grants from the new, high-impact NIH program. 

Student grows GreenSummit

When he organized last year's first GreenSummit on ASU's Tempe campus, undergraduate student Chris Samila never imagined that anyone but students would come, and perhaps residents of Tempe and Phoenix. But they did come, and the summit was so successful that Samila, a student majoring in global studies and political science in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, has planned a second summit, set for Sept. 5-6 at the Phoenix Convention Center.

American journalist Trillin to discuss ‘The Writing Game’ at ASU

Calvin Trillin, the versatile and best-selling author, journalist and humorist known for his clever “Deadline Poet” features in The Nation and “U.S. Journal” series in The New Yorker, will deliver the Jonathan and Maxine Marshall Distinguished Lecture at 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at ASU. Titled “The Writing Game,” the lecture will be presented at Gammage Auditorium. The lecture is free and open to the public, though tickets are required.

Two ASU professors receive outstanding graduate mentor award

Douglas Kenrick and Duane Roen have been named ASU Outstanding Graduate Mentors for 2008 - 2009. The two ASU professors are the 26th and 27th recipients of this award. The Graduate College will host a reception in their honor Sept. 18, inviting current and former students to participate in the celebration. Kenrick's tenure, a professor in the department of psychology, spans 28 years.

Young biochemist seeks to discover medical breakthrough

Conor Cox, a biochemistry major in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, came to ASU for its numerous research opportunities and immense resources. The undergraduate research Cox is conducting involves discovering ways to bind peptides selectively to proteins. Peptides are small chains of amino acids, and proteins are large folded chains of peptides that make up much of our bodies. Cox and his mentor, graduate research associate Matt Greving in the Biodesign Institute, hope to discover why peptides bind where they do on proteins and how this can be improved by less difficult methods than guess and check. If successful, the research could also allow for a big change in medical diagnostics, drug design or medical treatment regimens.

Rhetoric book looks at 'second coming'

In the fall of 2003, Sharon Crowley, now a professor emerita of English, was browsing in her local library to find an audiotape to listen to on her commute to ASU. For no particular reason, she picked up a tape of the novel “Left Behind,” by Tim LaHay and Jerry B. Jenkins. “What I heard stunned me,” she wrote in her book “Toward a Civil Discourse: Rhetoric and Fundamentalism.”  She studied this rhetoric and what she found frightened her on several levels, enough so to compel her to write her “swan song” book about rhetoric and Christian fundamentalism. The book has won four major awards, and no one is as surprised as Crowley at its recognition.

Top materials science and engineering society honors 3 at ASU

ASM International, the premier materials science and engineering society, has honored Nikhilesh Chawla, Urusa Alaan and Subhash Mahajan from ASU’s School of Materials. Chawla, a professor in the school, has been elected an ASM International Fellow. The award recognizes members for distinguished contributions to materials science and engineering. Alaan, a senior in materials science and engineering, has been elected to a one-year appointment in a student post on the ASM International Board of Trustees. Mahajan has been appointed Alaan’s ASM International board mentor.

Stanford center taps ASU professor for visiting scholar spot

Pat Lauderdale, a professor in the School of Justice and Social Inquiry, was recently appointed a visiting scholar at the Center for Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity at Stanford University. His teaching and research interests include indigenous jurisprudence, racialization, diversity, global indigenous struggles, law and the social science, and international terrorism. In the 1980s he helped create the Herbert Blumer Institute in Costa Rica with the goal of discovering and describing alternatives to violence and criminal law.

Student seeks to advance neurological injury treatments

For Brian Brown, the interest in attending ASU can be summed up into one word: opportunity. Devin Jindrich, a kinesiology professor with ties to UC Berkeley and UCLA, mentors Brown through his undergraduate research. Brown received a National Achievement Scholarship, an ASU merit-based scholarship awarded to students who have earned nationwide recognition for their academic achievements. He also was named to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Dean’s List by maintaining a GPA of 3.5 or higher.

 

Genes and nutrition influence caste in unusual species of harvester ant

Is nature or nurture more important in determining an ant’s status in the colony? That is the question researchers posed in a new study of the Florida harvester ant, Pogonomyrmex badius, a resilient creature found in many parts of the southeastern United States. The answer? Both nature (i.e. the ant’s genetic makeup) and nurture (what it eats, for example) play a role in determining its fate. The research team included Christopher R. Smith from ASU's School of Life Sciences, and scientists from the University of Illinois, the University of Arizona and Linfield College. The findings were published Aug. 14 in American Naturalist.

ASU announces budget reduction plan

The university has announced a plan that will reduce $6 million a year in academic administrative costs as part of its ongoing effort to respond to state funding reductions. In this plan, three additional larger and more academically powerful schools would be created to further transform the academic landscape in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

ASU professor contributes to Antislavery Literature Project’s Web site

ASU Associate Professor Joe Lockard's Antislavery Literature Project site has been selected in a national contest as “one of the best online resources for education in the humanities" by the National Endowment for the Humanities. Lockard's site is listed on the EDSITEment Web site maintained by the endowment. People can learn about antislavery literature as well as view dozens of Web sites covering art and culture, literature and language arts, and history and social studies.

Forward step in forecasting global warming

ASU researchers have made a breakthrough in understanding the effect on climate change of a key component of urban pollution. The discovery could lead to more accurate forecasting of possible global-warming activity, say Peter Crozier and James Anderson.

Professor earns national ecology award

The Ecological Society of America has chosen Professor Stuart Fisher to receive the Eugene P. Odum Education Award for 2008. This award recognizes extraordinary individuals for “outstanding work in ecology education, teaching, outreach and mentoring activities.” Fisher, a researcher in ASU’s School of Life Sciences, studies the relationship between ecosystem structure and function using stream ecosystems as a model. Fisher was one of the authors of the highly collaborative report created by the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC), which was honored with the Nobel Peace Prize, shared with Al Gore, in 2007.

Students discover career paths in nation’s capital

It started out as a summer internship program in Washington, D.C., to bring ASU students from biology and political science together to learn about public policy, and to stay connected to alumni and Arizona’s congressional delegation. Ten years later, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences program – Capital Scholars – has built a reputation for mentoring future leaders and providing students an opportunity to learn about policymaking up close. During those 10 years, more than 165 ASU students have spent their summers working in or visiting places in the center of Washington, D.C., action – places like Congress, the CIA and the U.S. Department of State.

ASU alumni debut book at art gallery

Meet Henry, a man deeply afflicted by a midlife malaise and not certain of how to fix it. He tries to remember if he ever felt loved or accomplished. He is convinced that crows flutter inside his head all day long, and he can’t help but wonder if the crows are all he has. Although a fictional character, Henry’s struggles to find his own truth and satisfaction in life are very real, say ASU alumni Zachary Cook and Neil Gillingham, the creators of “Henry” – a picture book for grown-ups.

ASU research team working to decode TB

Among those trying to decipher the origins and trajectory of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the bacteria responsible for TB, are three researchers in ASU’s College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Graduate student Luz-Andrea “Lucha” Pfister and associate professor Anne Stone in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, and Michael Rosenberg, an assistant professor in the School of Life Sciences, are trying to establish a credible evolutionary timeline for TB. Their research suggests that the disease migrated from humans to cattle – not the reverse, as has long been assumed.

Mercury's surface dominated by volcanism and iron-deficiency, says ASU planetary scientist

Volcanism has played a more extensive role in shaping the surface of Mercury than scientists had thought. This result comes from multispectral imaging data gathered this past January by MESSENGER, the latest spacecraft to visit the sun's innermost planet. "We have now imaged half of the part of Mercury that was never seen by Mariner 10," says Mark Robinson, a professor of geology in ASU's School of Earth and Space Exploration. Robinson is the lead author for a paper in the July 4, issue of the scientific journal Science, which spotlights data on composition variations in Mercury's surface rocks using their multispectral colors.