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February 2012
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February 29, 2012
Paper trail
U-M’s Papyrology Collection, the largest in the United States and fifth largest in the world, is becoming more accessible due to a bequest by the late Gardner and Ann Parsons. The Hatcher Graduate Library recently installed the Parsons Papyrology Exhibit Case to serve as a permanent exhibit area for the collection’s ancient documents known as papyrus.
Photo: Photo: Austin Thomason, U-M Photo Services
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February 28, 2012
Life at A&D
The U-M School of Art and Design has created a series of videos for prospective students to explore what’s unique about being an artist/designer at Michigan. For instance, A&D students don’t have to declare a major, they have access to the resources of a major research university, and international study is required to offer context and perspective to their work.
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February 27, 2012
A mighty wind
Using NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory, a team of astronomers that included a U-M doctoral student observed the fastest wind ever discovered around a stellar-mass black hole. The "super wind" clocked in at a record-breaking 20 million mph—about 3 percent of the speed of light, and nearly 10 times faster than any previously observed.
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February 24, 2012
A mother's loss
A new U-M study indicates that pregnant female geladas (Old World monkeys closely related to baboons) show an unusually high rate of miscarriage when the dominant male in their group is replaced by a new male. The "Bruce effect," as it's known, has been found repeatedly in laboratory rodents, but this was the first time it had been seen in a wild population.
Photo: Clay Wilton
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February 23, 2012
M Go (Fast) Blue!
The Wolverines will compete in the Big Ten Indoor Championships, hosted by the University of Nebraska, this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 24-25). Action will begin at 10 a.m. CST both days at the Devaney Center Indoor Track.
Photo: Lon Horwedel, U-M Photo Services
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February 22, 2012
A Flowery Anniversary
The Matthaei Botanical Gardens celebrates its 50th year at the Dixboro Road location, with a special exhibit and display that runs Feb. 25 through April 8. A jewel in the U-M crown, the Gardens fulfills Regent Frederick Matthaei's dream of a university botanical garden "second to none in this country."
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February 21, 2012
New Peace Corps program for Nursing
Nursing students pursuing a master's degree with an International Health Concentration (IHC) can now join the Peace Corps’ Master’s International program. The four-year MS program includes a 27-month term of service in the Peace Corps. U-M's School of Nursing is the first school of nursing to partner with the Peace Corps' program.
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February 20, 2012
Advancing stem cell research
U-M’s first human embryonic stem cell line is being placed on the U.S. National Institutes of Health’s registry, making the cells available for federally funded research that could lead to treatments and cures for serious, life-altering diseases. Only a handful of U.S. universities are currently producing human embryonic stem cell lines.
Photo: Maria Morell, University of Michigan
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February 17, 2012
Get onboard!
A new U-M hybrid bus video featuring the Student Athletes for Sustainability gives a behind-the-scenes look at how the maize graphics were applied on the 40-foot blue buses that use roof-mounted battery systems to supplement their diesel engines. By the end of 2012, one in six buses on campus will be a hybrid.
Photo: Keith Johnson, Parking and Transportation Services
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February 16, 2012
Putting physics in focus
At a recent Saturday Morning Physics lecture, Professor Roberto Merlin demonstrated the transmission of electromagnetic energy using a “Tesla coil.” Sponsored by the U-M Department of Physics, this series provides an opportunity for the general public to hear physicists discuss their work. There are also Saturday Morning Physics videos available of the lectures.
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February 15, 2012
Green gallery opens
On Feb. 16, the U-M School of Natural Resources and Environment is opening an Art & Environment Gallery inside the Dana Building to showcase art that explores how people interact with and understand the environment. Its inaugural exhibition, “Watershed Moment,” features U-M alumnus and Ann Arbor artist Leslie Sobel’s landscapes in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
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February 14, 2012
Spreading the love
Members of the Health Behavior Health Education Student Association hosted a three-day crafting event for School of Public Health students to create homemade Valentine’s Day cards for adult patients at the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center. The 125 cards that were made are being distributed through the Bags of Cheer program on Valentine’s Day.
Photo: Colleen Davis, School of Public Health
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February 13, 2012
Top physics discovery
U-M physics researcher Franco Nori was involved in one of the top 10 breakthroughs of 2011 named by Physics World. He was part of a group of physicists that directly observed light particles that flicker in and out of existence in the vacuum of space — a long-predicted quantum mechanical phenomenon known as the dynamical Casimir effect.
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February 10, 2012
After the checkered flag
First-year graduate students from U-M’s Tauber Institute for Global Operations race to perform their assigned tasks during the Stock Car Pit Crew Challenge. This unique exercise emphasizes teamwork and understanding roles and responsibilities in accomplishing goals, and prepares students for their global operations summer projects.
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February 9, 2012
Voices of hope
The University Musical Society brings Sweet Honey In The Rock to Hill Auditorium on Feb 17. For over three decades, this a cappella group has been addressing the challenging issues of racism; social, economic, and environmental injustice; and equal rights through sound journeys that span centuries of African-American history and culture.
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February 8, 2012
"Racing With the Sun"
A new documentary called “Racing With the Sun” offers a vivid and up-close look at the 2011 U-M Solar Car Team’s third-place finish in the World Solar Challenge in Australia. It premieres Feb. 8 at the Michigan Theater Screening Room and will also be broadcast on the Big Ten Network on Feb. 10.
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February 7, 2012
Creating a smarter Power House
U-M’s SmartSurfaces class brings together material science and engineering, architecture, and art students to build and design surfaces that that can change and adapt to environments and information. This year, the group studied the problems of and prototyped solutions for the Power House, an off-the-grid artist house in Detroit.
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February 6, 2012
Possible pancreatic cancer treatment
Researchers from the U-M Comprehensive Cancer Center have discovered that the mutant protein, Kras, plays a role not only in pancreatic cancer's development but also in its continued growth. They found when it was inactivated, cancerous tumors disappeared and showed no signs of returning. There are hopes that this finding will help develop future treatments.
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February 3, 2012
Campus character
An interesting feature of U-M’s Law Quad are the 22 architectural figures, or corbels, that inhabit its east, west and central walkways. Each one is unique and represents a specific theme from the seasons to sports to the professions. Corbels of the first six U-M presidents including Erastus O. Haven (pictured) hold court in the central passage.
Photo: Photo: Philip Dattilo Photography
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February 2, 2012
Understanding addiction
The College of Literature, Science and the Arts’ winter 2012 research theme semester, “Hooked: Addiction, Society & Culture,” explores the complex nexus of addiction and society. Activities include a seminar series and panel discussions highlighting addiction research, new curricula related to substance use and abuse, a film series and an art exhibit.
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February 1, 2012
Dancelucent 2012
The U-M School of Music, Theatre & Dance, Department of Dance presents “Dancelucent 2012,” an evening of modern dance featuring three works by faculty members Bill DeYoung, Peter Sparling and Robin Wilson, and a restaging of “Dance #1” from choreographer Lucinda Childs’ groundbreaking 1979 work “Dance.” The show runs Feb. 2-5 at the Power Center.
Photo: Peter Smith Photography