Washington University in St.Louis senior Victoria“Tori”Harwell has been selected as aRhodes Scholar,the 30th winner in university history.Harwell was among the 32 students nationwide selected Saturday,Nov.11,to receive the prestigious honor that provides scholars the opportunity to earn an advanced degree at Oxford University.Harwell plans to pursue sequential degrees in nature,society and environmental governance and in African studies at Oxford.Harwell,who uses both they/them and she/her pronouns,wants to use her education to empower grassroots leaders to address climate change in their local communities.Harwell,of Denver,is majoring in African and African American studies and in environmental analysis,both in Arts&Sciences,at WashU and is both aUdall and aMellon Mays scholar.They also are amember of the esteemed John B.Ervin Scholars Program,which has produced four university Rhodes Scholars since 2013.Chancellor Andrew D.Martin praised Harwell for her intellectual curiosity and global commitment to amore sustainable future.“Tori is an exceptional scholar who believes in lifting up the voices of the marginalized,”Martin said.“I’m proud of all Tori has already accomplished at Washington University,and Iam confident that she will thrive at Oxford.”To address today’s climate crisis,Harwell studies its roots.“We talk alot about carbon footprints and our own individual behaviors like the cars we drive or using plastic straws,but the problem is amuch deeper one,one that has been forming over the course of 500 years,”Harwell said.“My research looks at how colonization has dramatically changed the landscape and how we interacted with the land.Decisions made by colonial administrators hundreds of years ago continue to impact political and geographical landscapes today.”During their years at WashU,Harwell has studied sustainable design in South Africa,supported Black farmers as aGephardt Institute St.Louis Fellow and served as avolunteer teacher for the Organization for Black Struggle.She also has become an expert in the unlikely but illustrative subject of the Cadbury chocolate company,traveling to both Birmingham,England,where the company is based,and Ghana,where its cocoa has been harvested for more than acentury.Harwell recently discovered an early Cadbury document by employee E.J.Organ that captures the prevailing attitude that colonized lands are there to be exploited.“Organ dehumanized the people and conceptualized land as this virgin body that had never been touched.He was just one man,but he informed an entire company,”Harwell said.“We can’t have the E.J.Organs of the world telling communities how to work.It’s not right and it’s not ethical.So,to me,the best way to make sure people don’t get left behind is to create agrassroots movement that is bottom up and not top down.”Harwell’s profound empathy coupled with their courage to upend entrenched systems makes Harwell achangemaker,said Jodi Allemeier,one of Harwell’s instructors in Cape Town,South Africa.“Tori stands out not just for her academic prowess,but also for her authentic character,”Allemeier wrote in her recommendation.“Her ability to comprehend and untangle the complexities of unfamiliar urban landscapes demonstrated her unique intellectual and social curiosity and ability to derive meaningful insight from classroom and field experiences.”Ultimately,Harwell wants to help nongovernmental organizations(NGOs)leverage local wisdom to develop effective policies,whether that be in Africa,South America or Asia.They also plan to earn alaw degree to help local people protect their lands.Harwell believes the cumulative effect of local efforts will lead to global change.“There is so much to learn by understanding how people—not just Black people—are engaging with the land and reacting to climate change,”Harwell said.“I’m just one person,but Iwant to be part of anetwork of people that shifts how we think about land and our future.” 查看详细>>

Washington University in St.Louis has been selected to join the First Scholars Network by the Center for First-generation Student Success,an initiative of NASPA(the National Association of Student Personnel Administrators)and The Suder Foundation.Serving more than 350 institutions,the network shares best practices,offers professional development and helps schools improve the student experience,set goals and measure success.Washington University was chosen for its demonstrated commitment to advancing success for first-generation college students.Fifteen percent of last year’s incoming class are first-generation students,meaning the first in their families to attend college.The university also has launched anumber of new initiatives to support first-generation students such as the Taylor Family Center for Student Success,the Student Success Fund and the Kessler Scholars Program.To learn more,visit the First Scholars Network website. 查看详细>>

In imaging applications used for everything from astronomy to medical imaging,scientists aim to extract maximum information from each tiny bit of light they capture.However,current approaches lose information during data processing,necessitating new imaging methods to make each photon count.Abhinav Jha,an assistant professor of biomedical engineering at the McKelvey School of Engineering and of radiology at the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at the School of Medicine,both at Washington University in St.Louis,will develop one such method with afive-year$500,000 CAREER award from the National Science Foundation.Jha’s CAREER project focuses on developing new approaches to process data from list-mode imaging systems.These systems collect and store data for every photon they detect,rather than producing asingle image from acontinuous stream of data as traditional imaging systems do.The goal with the data acquired from list-mode imaging systems typically is to perform some task,such as detection of agamma-ray burst in astronomy or estimation of tumor volume in medical imaging. 查看详细>>

Three juniors at Washington University in St.Louis—John Georgiades,Shelei Pan and Kaung“Ken”Soe—have received the Barry Goldwater Scholarship,a prestigious award that honors students who conduct research in the natural sciences,mathematics and engineering.John Georgiades,a chemistry major with aconcentration in biochemistry in Arts&Sciences,plans to use organic synthesis,biochemistry and structure-based drug design to develop new drug candidates.Georgiades is aresearch assistant in the lab of Timothy Wencewicz,associate professor of chemistry.In addition,Georgiades is co-director of the Washington University STEM Education Association,vice president of the Washington University Cancer Research Club,an organic chemistry learning assistant and aviolinist with the Washington University Symphony Orchestra.Shelei Pan,who is majoring in biology,on the neuroscience track,and Spanish in Arts&Sciences,plans to research cerebrospinal fluid handling in the developing brain to better understand and develop treatments for pediatric hydrocephalus.Pan is aresearch assistant in the lab of Jennifer Strahle,MD,an associate professor of neurosurgery,orthopedic surgery and pediatrics?at the School of Medicine.Pan published research that characterized cerebrospinal fluid circulation to specific functional areas of the neonatal brain and spinal cord.Pan also launched Made to Model,which designs clothes for children with disabilities.Kaung“Ken”Soe,a chemistry major,with aconcentration in biochemistry,in Arts&Sciences,plans to research the mechanics of protein condensation and to identify better therapeutic targets to prevent neurodegeneration.Soe is aresearcher in the lab of Meredith Jackrel,an assistant professor of chemistry.Soe has published and presented his research at multiple national and regional conferences.In addition,Soe is also aMARC uSTAR fellow,a general chemistry peer tutor and avolunteer at the Siteman Cancer Center. 查看详细>>

Members of the Washington University in St.Louis community are invited to nominate honorary degree candidates for the May 2024 Commencement.The Honorary Degree Task Force of the Board of Trustees is accepting nominations until Friday,Jan.27.To nominate distinguished individuals,visit the Board of Trustees website.The task force is made up of students,faculty,administrators and trustees.The university has along tradition,dating to 1859,of awarding honorary degrees to individuals who have made significant contributions.The impressive and diverse list of past recipients includes pioneers and leaders in their respective fields,including NASA astronaut Mae Jamison,Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor,NBA Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and politicians Madeleine Albright and Cory Booker.When considering nominees,the task force will be looking for individuals who have made significant contributions through their scholarly accomplishments,professional achievements and/or humanitarian service and impact on society.Other criteria for strong candidates include individuals who have provided outstanding service to Washington University and the St.Louis community as well as those who would bring aheightened level of interest and excitement to the Commencement exercises.The task force is particularly interested in nominations of individuals from diverse backgrounds.Nominations for the Commencement speaker also are considered through this honorary degree selection process.The task force will meet in March to consider nominations before submitting apotential list of recipients to the full board.The Board of Trustees will select the final candidates for honorary degrees by vote at its meeting later in the spring. 查看详细>>

To some people,an airplane symbolizes getting away,maybe even escape,but Miles Petersen has adifferent perspective.“I think flying is pretty incredible.Seeing aplane flying above me is just magical,”he said.But he doesn’t imagine getting away from it all.“Planes play apositive role in today’s world,”he said.“They connect people.They bring families together.”Petersen expects to graduate this spring with abachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the McKelvey School of Engineering and—no surprises here—a minor in aerospace engineering.For Petersen,planes connect him to fellow aerospace enthusiasts;they connect his life in St.Louis to his friends and family back in his native Delaware;and planes connect his past to his future,a future working at aerospace giant Boeing Co.in Seattle.Petersen cannot recall atime when he wasn’t crazy about planes.“I’ve always loved the window seat,”he said.In high school,he asked for an aerospace engineering textbook for his birthday—a book he still has within arm’s reach.When he came to WashU,Petersen didn’t waste any time,joining aDesign Build Fly(DBF)team freshman year.Hosted by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics,DBF is an annual competition,each year with different themes but always the same goal:“We come together to figure out an approach,design an airplane,and then we fly it.”The plane briefly flew…and then crashed.Still,Petersen recalled it as one of his most exciting WashU memories.“One of the most rewarding experiences was when Isaw our plane freshman year and the tail of the airplane was the shape Ihad designed it to be.It was amazing to see my work as part of alarger piece.”Despite the crash,he kept with it,even becoming administrative president of DBF.In the meantime,he also won the Linda Kral Prize for Outstanding Accomplishments in Aerospace Engineering and was elected into the Pi Tau Sigma Honorary Mechanical Engineering Society.This year,Petersen said,the first iteration of their plane didn’t fly.“But we rallied together,rebuilt it to gather data,and we had one of the most successful days in the club’s history,”he said,with 10 successful flights and landings. 查看详细>>

Graduation is still years away,but Washington University in St.Louis first-year student Caroline Foshee said it’s never too early to prepare for life after college.She’s not alone.A growing number of first-year students are seeking career advice and resources early in their college careers.“Being interested in economics and anthropology,I get alot of,‘Well,what are you going to do with that?,’”Foshee said after attending aCareer Early Action workshop with Mark Smith,associate vice chancellor and dean of career services.“So Iwant to expose myself to as many options as possible as early as possible.”To meet growing demand,the Career Center has launched anumber of new career readiness programs specifically for first-year students.At last semester’s 10 Career Early Action workshops,Smith offered practical how-to advice(open aLinkedIn account,tap your parents’friends and your friends’parents for informational interviews)to about 400 first-year and sophomore students.And at this week’s First-Year Exploration Week,the Career Center will host casual drop-in advising sessions,where students can learn how to make the most of summer break. 查看详细>>

Washington University is launching grants to help low-income students transition to college.(Photo:James Byard/Washington University)As part of an ongoing effort to provide every student the true Washington University in St.Louis experience,Chancellor-elect Andrew D.Martin has launched two new pilot grants that will help low-income first-year students transition to college.The one-time grants are:a$500 grant to cover or offset the cost of acomputer;and a$1,500 startup grant to cover necessities such as books,winter clothing and housing supplies.“At Washington University,we have made great strides recruiting and supporting lower-income students and creating aculture where everyone is welcomed,”Martin said.“But there is more work to do.By removing everyday obstacles like the cost of awinter coat or computer software,we are easing that transition to college and putting our students on the path to success.”The grants are for first-year students entering in fall 2019 from families with less than$75,000 in family income or who are receiving afederal Pell Grant. 查看详细>>

Jesse Herman had been in the U.S.Army for 19 years when doctors discovered clusters of tumors in his thorax.After surgeries,chemotherapy,six months in awheelchair and countless trips to specialists at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota,the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston and Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St.Louis,Herman was able to walk again.But his Army career was over.“My doctor said,‘Looks like you’re not going to be shooting cannons anymore.Have you thought about what you are going to do next?’”Herman recalled.“When Itold him that Ihad no idea,he said to me,‘Smart people don’t have ahard time finding things to do.’I recognized right then that Ineeded to get my butt back in school.”Herman is now working toward adegree at the Brown School at Washington University in St.Louis and advocating for student veterans along the way.Growing up in New Orleans,Herman dreamed of being adoctor.But he could see no path to college.His grades were OK,but not great.His parents had some money,but not enough to send him to school.So at 17,he enlisted.“Some people join that Army because their parents were soldiers;others claim to be patriots.I’m neither,”Herman said.“I was akid from New Orleans who didn’t want to work as ahotel custodian or parking lot attendant.The Army was my way out.” 查看详细>>

Mickey and Debbie Stern,longtime supporters of Washington University in St.Louis,have made a$1 million commitment to the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement.The gift will support the Civic Scholars Program,a key Gephardt initiative that prepares undergraduate students to be civic leaders.“For more than two decades,Mickey and Debbie Stern have been tremendous volunteers and benefactors of Washington University,”said Chancellor Mark S.Wrighton.“I am deeply grateful for their ongoing commitment to the university and for their recent gift.This support will have alasting impact upon the program—expanding the number of students who have an opportunity to participate and enhancing the experience for all Civic Scholars.”Stephanie Kurtzman,the Peter G.Sortino Director of the Gephardt Institute for Civic and Community Engagement,said the gift will enable the program to expand experiential and immersive opportunities at the local,state and national level.The gift also will fund four Civic Scholars annually,building upon aprevious commitment from the couple that has supported six Stern Family Civic Scholars to date.“The Civic Scholars Program prepares the kind of civic leaders we need to address the complex and entrenched challenges facing society,”Kurtzman said.“This generous gift will allow the Gephardt Institute to take Civic Scholars further out of the traditional classroom and into civic and community settings where they will be challenged to engage in discourse across the political spectrum and with the nuances of the urban,rural,state and federal contexts that shape our nation.”The Civic Scholars Program launched in 2011.Scholars apply as sophomores and participate in intensive academic coursework and leadership training their junior and senior years and complete asubstantial civic project.Past projects include the establishment of aprescription drug recycling program,the delivery of support services to individuals re-entering the community from prison and research into health disparities among immigrant populations.The Sterns’gift provides both annual and endowment support,enabling the program to make immediate use of their gift while also ensuring support for the long term. 查看详细>>