What's Inside

Discovering P&A excellence
(Brief, Feb. 14, 2007) The excellence and value of academic professional and administrative (P&A) staff are the focus of three current initiatives of the Council of Academic Professionals and Administrators (CAPA).

The road to financial security
(Feb. 12, 2007) Today, more than ever, it's up to each of us to plan for our financial security in later life. University professor Marlene Stum studies what factors motivate individuals to prepare financially for their retirement and led an Extension team who developed resources for retirement planning.

Search for the soul of the U
(Feb. 13, 2007) Is a university only to prepare students for careers, or is it also to produce educated citizens who look beyond themselves? A free symposium Feb. 19 examines the issue.

Christophe Wall-Romana and cinepoetry
(Feb. 12, 2007; updated March 7, 2007) New McKnight Land-Grant Professor Christophe Wall-Romana has a growing international reputation as the "go to" guy for anyone interested in the intersections between cinema and poetry, and his new study of "cinepoetry" is gaining momentum.

Heart knowledge: more than skin deep?
(From eNews, Feb. 8, 2008) Women in Minnesota are smart--they know that heart disease is a number one killer of women--according to surveys by the U's Deborah E. Powell Center for Women's Health. But they don't know enough about the health issues that contribute to this killer.

Body and soul
(From eNews, Feb. 8, 2007; updated Feb. 20, 2007) The Medical School's new arts and humanities center aims to feed the soul of those who care for the body.

State of the AHC 2007
(Brief, Feb. 7, 2007) In his 2007 State of the AHC speech, senior vice president Frank Cerra outlined initiatives to help the University of Minnesota's Academic Health Center achieve global prominence.

Unmasking our true selves
(Feb. 5, 2007) U professor Cryss Brunner has created an innovative communication method that gives students an unprecedented view of how their perceptions of their own power and character can differ from the way they present themselves.

Were their final answers good enough?
(Feb. 2, 2007; updated Feb. 5) For University students Brian Udelhofen and his fiancé Erin Hanrahan, a chance trip to Chicago to audition for "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" may mean an opportunity to erase their student loans... and plan one heck of a wedding.

Evolving with the climate
(Feb. 2, 2007) Understanding how plants evolve could suggest ways to help them adapt to global climate change.

NBA star earns U degree after a 23-year hiatus
(Feb. 2, 2007) After a Big Ten and an NBA championship, Trent Tucker could have chosen to kick back and enjoy the easy life. Instead, he sought out the challenge of returning to the U and finishing his degree at the College of Continuing Education in 2005.

Climate change is easy; breaking habits is hard
(Jan. 30, 2007) A University-hosted meeting of experts on how to get action on global warming gave a rare peek into the psychology and politics of the issue.

Health Connections expands in 2007
(Brief, Feb. 7, 2007) Now spouses and partners are also eligible to receive rewards for taking the wellness assessment and follow-up programs.

Quality Fair generates big energy
(Brief, Jan. 31, 2007) The U's first Quality Fair attracted more than 800 people and 53 presenters who showcased best practices and improvement projects from every campus.

A national leader in community engagement
(Brief, Jan. 31, 2007) The Twin Cities campus is one of 76 institutions to be recognized for its community engagement efforts as one of the first in a national system of classifying colleges and universities.

Adapted Sports Club rolls out membership drive
(Jan. 29, 2007) About 200 people attended a wheelchair basketball exhibition game at the U's Rec Center featuring the Courage Center's athletes on Friday, Jan. 26. The event was staged to raise awareness and recruit members for the University's newly formed Adapted Sports Club, and also to generate support for an official University of Minnesota wheelchair basketball team.

The rotten truth
(Jan. 26, 2007) For U biologist Sarah Hobbie, decomposition matters. It's the key to growing prize tomatoes and better understanding global change.

The new front door of the U
(Jan. 26, 2007; updated April 23, 2008) To make its expertise more available to local businesses, the University of Minnesota has established the Academic and Corporate Relations Center, complete with relationship managers and a concierge service.

A love of teaching
(Jan. 24, 2007) Despite his on-court commitments and the team's current struggle to win games in the Big Ten, interim men's basketball coach Jim Molinari remains clearly focused on what he views as the most important things his student-athletes can take from the U: a great education ... and a degree.

Supporting military families
(From eNews, Jan. 25, 2007) A recent announcement by President George W. Bush will impact the lives of more than 3,000 Minnesota National Guard soldiers and their families by extending the soldiers' stay in Iraq an additional four months. Learn how you can support military families in your community through the University of Minnesota Extension Service.

U introduces new ticketing system
(Jan. 23, 2007) The U is phasing in a new ticketing system that will help it provide better service and features for customers--students, faculty and staff, and the general public. The new system features state-of-the-art technology and can be customized to fit the University's needs.

U works to improve health care in northwestern Minnesota
(Jan. 23, 2007) Crookston will host the state's fourth Area Health Education Center (AHEC), which will bring the power of University of Minnesota health care education system to the region.

American Indians on center stage
(Jan. 19, 2007) This spring, a visiting University of Minnesota professor is helping to bring to life the written words and experiences of American Indian playwrights. Vibrina Coronado's course, "American Indian Theatre," has students examining topics such as stereotypes, Indian culture and colonialism.

Spreading the word about HPV and cervical cancer
(Jan. 19, 2007; updated Feb. 14, 2007) Cervical cancer is the second most common form of cancer found in women, yet many women don't know the disease develops from a virus. Vaccines being tested at the University of Minnesota could help prevent HPV infections that cause 70 percent of cervical cancers.

The times of your life
(Jan. 19, 2007) Some people are tone deaf, but we all got rhythm. So have plants and bacteria. In a recent book, University biologists reveal the hidden patterns of biological timekeeping.

First flight for fledgling institute
(Jan. 18, 2006) A contract from the Legislative and Citizen's Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR) to develop a comprehensive Conservation and Preservation Plan for the state of Minnesota will help the University's new Institute on the Environment put its ideas into practice.

U names Brewster new head football coach
(Jan. 17, 2007) The University of Minnesota named Tim Brewster as its new head football coach at a special press conference Jan. 17 at the McNamara Alumni Center on the Twin Cities campus in Minneapolis.

U makes push for increased state funding
(From Brief, Jan. 17, 2007) University officials are turning to the Minnesota State Legislature for the funding support necessary to both sustain the U's current quality and competitiveness and invest in the University's plan to become one of the top public research universities in the world.

Adult stem cells clear a hurdle
(Jan. 16, 2007) University researchers find that a certain type of adult stem cell can replace bone marrow in mice.

Apprentice to civic engagement
(Brief, Jan. 17, 2007) A UMD marketing professor put principles from a popular TV show to work in his class. Now students can compete to create marketing campaigns for non-profits and on public issues like meth awareness.

Recognize a U staff member
(Brief, Jan. 17, 2007) Debra Haessly, administrative director of the School of Kinesiology and winner of the 2006 Civil Service and Bargaining Unit (CSBU) Staff Award, was nominated for the award by professor and director Mary Jo Kane.

The science of longevity
(Jan. 12, 2007) Is there an upper limit to human life span? U biologist James Curtsinger met the oldest man in the world and was inspired to investigate a commonly held belief about life expectancy--that a person's risk of dying increases exponentially with increasing age.

shooting for a penta-peat
(Jan. 11, 2007) The University of Minnesota Dance Team--four-time defending national champs--will be dancing their way to gold at the 2007 Universal Dance Association's collegiate championship Jan. 14-17.

Radon in your home?
(From eNews, Jan. 11, 2007) Radon, along with smoking and secondhand smoke, are the leading causes of lung cancer in the United States. According to recent studies, the danger of lung cancer from high radon levels in homes is higher than previously thought. U indoor air quality expert Bill Angell offers some tips on testing your home for this radioactive gas.

Healthy young hearts
(From M, winter 2007) Donald Dengel of the College of Education and Human Development studies cardiovascular health in overweight children--looking for promising early interventions that might give them a healthy future.

The forest of the future
(Jan. 9, 2007) A perfect storm--the combination of climate change and tree-munching invaders--could be heading for the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. And what we may end up with, says University forest ecologist Lee Frelich, is vanishing pine trees and moose within 50 years.

Higher power
(Jan. 9, 2007) Carlson School of Management junior Nila Khan has taken an energetic approach to her college experience and her burgeoning career.

Fear of physics? Go see these guys.
(Jan. 8, 2007) They fall from 20-foot garrets, they throw eggs at each other, they find new uses for fire extinguishers and leaf blowers. Yes, it's another public show by the Physics Force, a bunch of wild and woolly physicists out to demonstrate the wonders of their favorite science.

CAPA 2006-07 communications survey begins
(Brief, Jan. 10, 2007) Academic professional and administrative staff members are invited to take the 2006-07 CAPA communications survey.

Regents approve stadium design, new price tag
(Jan. 3, 2007) The University's Board of Regents saw schematic designs for the new TCF Bank Stadium in a special meeting Jan. 3. And after hearing details of the design from University officials and a representative of the architectural team, the regents approved the design as well as the stadium's revised budget, which is now $288.5 million.

Crystal clear
(Jan. 3, 2007) At the University of Minnesota, Carrie Wilmot uses X-ray crystallography to "see" the structure of proteins that affect human health.

From test tubes to treatments
(Jan. 3, 2007) The Career Advancement Program for Clinical Research Scholars program at the University of Minnesota gives young researchers time and resources to translate basic research into helpful treatments and medicines.

The past in the present
(Dec. 29, 2006) University Archives, with miles of underground storage, is keeper of all things University of Minnesota: yearbooks, masters theses, presidents' reports, sporting event programs, faculty papers... many dating to the University's beginnings.

Sending out an SOS
(From M winter 2007) Sending out an SOS

Sugar in your gas tank?
(From M, winter 2007 ) Sugar in your gas tank?

Longtime student discovers a world of opportunities
(Dec. 28, 2006) With a University of Minnesota degree already in hand, what more could Jose Gomez want? Eight more degrees--from the U.

Connecting alumni: winter 2007
(From M, winter 2007) A digest of events and opportunities to keep alumni and friends connected to the University of Minnesota.

Bringing it all back home
(From M, winter 2007) The Weisman Art Museum on the Twin Cities campus is offering a Bob Dylan retrospective from February 3-April 29.

They're in the dark - and they love it
(Dec. 22, 2006) Telescopes at the University of Minnesota, Crookston and the University of North Dakota are combining their power to help put both institutions on the astronomical map

An inside view
(From Dec. 22, 2006) U researchers are using imaging technology to uncover subtle brain differences in adolescents who develop normally and those who develop psychotic illnesses.

Capital gains
(From M, winter 2007) A scholarship from the U sent Jeff Will to Washington, where the experience he gained led to a career in politics.

Into Africa
(From M, winter 2007) Wayne and Carol Pletcher got an up-close view of a research project this past summer when they visited a student they helped support at her site in Tanzania.

U study shows heavy smokers compensate for fewer cigarettes
(Dec. 21, 2006) University of Minnesota tobacco researchers have found that heavy smokers who reduce their number of daily cigarettes still take in two to three times more total toxins per cigarette than light smokers.

Book reviews winter 2007
(M, winter 2007) Three books with connections to the U, a memoir of art by Patricia Hampl, a biography of Ralph Ellison by John Wright, and a birding book by Robert Janssen and others.

Design in your future
(From M, winter 2007) More and more, design is being recognized as a way to improve lives and make the world a healthier place. The newly formed College of Design educates students to be leaders in the field of social change and visionaries for a better future.

Mapping a little-known culture
(From M, Winter 2007) As part of her master's degree program in creative writing, University of Minnesota student Erin Altemus recorded the stories of the First Nation communities near the Canadian Artic.

Literacy empowers
(From M, Winter 2007) The women in Turkey are becoming more literate and self-sufficient, thanks in part to the efforts of Aydin Durgunoglu. The University of Minnesota, Duluth, psychology professor created a literacy program for the Turkish Mother-Child Education Foundation.

A holiday fashion challenge
(Dec. 19, 2006) This holiday season 51 University of Minnesota students had a hand in decorating the Bachman's stores. Bachman's, one of the oldest and most established florists in the Twin Cities, gave teams of students a $250 budget and a box of items from the store.

The hidden history of words
(From eNews, Feb. 8, 2007) Anatoly Liberman had an unusual start for a man who would eventually write the most ambitious etymological dictionary ever produced in the English language. A Q&A reveals his love of philology and etymology.

Taking aim at polluted produce
(Dec. 19, 2006) Working with food companies, a University researcher is testing an apparatus to kill bacteria and viruses on fresh produce.

Local hero
(From M, winter 2007) Gary Davis, a licensed psychologist at the University of Minnesota Medical School in Duluth, is helping to bring an urban care system to rural Minnesota through telemedicine.

Freeways and politics
(Dec. 15, 2006) A recent book-length report from the U, Politics and Freeways: Building the Twin Cities Interstate System, captures the memories and perspectives of people involved with planning the metro area's interstate system.

Blending tradition and science
(Dec. 15, 2006) In a world full of traditional remedies, University researchers are out to find those that confer real benefits to patients. The goal is expanded treatment options and better care.

Keep homes, cabins safe during heating season
(From eNews, Dec. 14, 2006) When the temperature drops, we reach quickly for the dials of our furnaces or portable heaters. But did you know that heating equipment is the leading cause of home fires in December, January and February? The University of Minnesota Extension Service has some tips to help you stay safe--and warm--during these frosty months.

Powered by purpose
(From eNews, Dec. 14, 2006) A new initiative between the U's Center for Spirituality and Healing and life coach Richard Leider is focused on helping people grow old--with purpose.

Engineering students display novel creations
(Dec. 12, 2006) Hundreds of friends, faculty and curious spectators jammed the McNamara Alumni Center on the Twin Cities campus Dec. 11 to check out more than 200 robots created by U mechanical engineering students.

We can all see dead people
(Dec. 12, 2006) It's a little-known fact, but the University of Minnesota owns a fantastic collection of books on the subject of the dead human body.

Peacemaking in the time of hostility
(Brief, Dec. 13, 2006) In 1994, professor Mark Umbreit founded the Center for Restorative Justice and Peacemaking, the first such center in the United States. In 2005, he established the Muslim Restorative Justice Outreach project.

Strong rebound
(Dec. 12, 2006) Six years ago, the NCAA cited the U for "significant, widespread and intentional" violations of intercollegiate athletic policy. Today, its athletic compliance program is a national model.

Cumulative effect
(Brief, Dec. 13, 2006) The December 2006 Board of Regents meetings illustrated that "Transforming the U" has become the way the University of Minnesota does business.

Putting the U in urban affairs
(Brief, Dec. 13, 2006) Professors John Adams and Judith Martin have been tapped to co-direct the new University Metropolitan Consortium, part of a larger Urban Agenda that will serve to coordinate and enhance U engagement in urban affairs.

Laughing and learning
( ) First a dressmaker, then an accountant, Swedish lecturer Lena Norrman was looking for her place in life when the Vikings stormed into her heart.

Meeting of the minds
(Sept. 22, 2006 (Updated Dec. 8, 2006)) Now in its second year, the Institute for Advanced Study is part of a system-wide push toward broad-based interdisciplinary research, teaching and learning.

Research without borders
(From M, winter 2007 (Updated Dec. 8, 2006)) A new institute at the University of Minnesota promises to break down barriers between academic disciplines--and between the U and the public--in order to find comprehensive and practical solutions to global environmental issues.

Prairie grasses emerge as rich energy source
(Dec. 8, 2006) Diverse mixtures of prairie grasses yield the biggest bang for the buck as renewable energy sources, beating out corn grain ethanol, soy biodiesel and switchgrass

Access Minnesota
(From M, fall 2006) The Twin Cities campus is among the top public institutions in the Big Ten in providing grant assistance to students with family incomes below $30,000.

Closer and closer to a cure?
(Dec. 5, 2006) The U's pancreas transplant program, which is now the oldest and largest in the world. U surgeons have performed more than 1,500 pancreas transplants and that number continues to grow at a rate of 150 each year.

Tackling TB
(Dec. 5, 2006) Tuberculosis has reemerged as the second leading cause of infectious disease mortality in the world. But medicinal chemist Courtney Aldrich hopes to foil the old enemy by developing a novel class of antibiotics.

A party for all
(From Brief, Dec. 6, 2006; updated Dec. 5, 2007) Often, people are uncertain about the best way to celebrate the holidays in the office, and this leads to two different types of mistakes. The first is to plan holiday celebrations that resemble Christmas parties in disguise; the other is to do nothing at all.

Mr. Perseverance
(Dec. 5, 2006) Jamal Abu-Shamala has not let the naysayers squelch his dream of playing for the University of Minnesota. This season the sophomore guard is expected to be a key contributor on the Gopher team after having scrapped his way to a starting position and a scholarship last year.

Combating the scourge
(Dec. 1, 2006) Four graduate students from the Morris community have taken a creative and tangible step in the fight against methamphetamine by producing an educational DVD about the drug, Meth in the Heartland: A Community's Response.

From international student to world leader
(Dec. 1, 2006) Often, international students use their experience at the University of Minnesota to change the countries from which they come. Several alums today lead nations or hold top positions in their governments.

Morris on the move
(Dec. 1, 2006) Chancellor Jacqueline Johnson discusses the future of University of Minnesota, Morris and its role in the U's push to become a top-three public research university.

Prepare teenage drivers for winter conditions
(From eNew, Nov. 30, 2006) The snow hasn't fallen yet, but it will. And icy roads are sure to follow. The University of Minnesota Extension Service has some tips for drivers new to winter driving.

Extreme makeover: neighborhood theater edition
(Nov. 28, 2006) Reclaiming a classic was the assignment for students in Interior Design Studio 7. The seventy-five-year-old Parkway Theater in Minneapolis is in need of an overhaul to make it a flexible performing arts venue that can accommodate film, live entertainment and private events, and the students had some ideas on how to make that happen.

Making connections with Minnesota charities
(From Brief, Nov. 29, 2006) This year, faculty and staff on the University's Twin Cities campus gave almost $1.8 million to the Community Fund Drive--the second highest amount ever.

Partnering with small towns
(Brief, Nov. 29, 2006) UMM's Center for Small Towns partners with Minnesota's rural communities on revitalization projects.

U study uses PDAs to examine anorexia nervosa
(Nov. 28, 2006) Researchers from the University of Minnesota Medical School's Department of Psychiatry are using an innovative measurement technique involving personal digital assistants (PDAs) to study the behaviors of people with anorexia nervosa.

Truth telling
(Nov. 22, 2006) Visiting professor of history Taner Akçam explores the Armenian Genocide in his new book, A Shameful Act: The Armenian Genocide and the Question of Turkish Responsibility.

A long way from Lake Wobegon
(Nov. 22, 2006) "While A Prairie Home Companion is a brilliant show and much of it remains true, it casts a net of nostalgia over Minnesotan identity that I believe has the potential to be a bit dangerous," says Allison Adrian. The U student uses the Lutheran Church to discuss Minnesota identity and the Twin Cities' increasingly global landscape.

Ascending U
(Nov. 22, 2006) Two years into an aggressive strategic positioning campaign, the University of Minnesota is already on its way to becoming a top-three public research university.

The root of all effort?
(Nov. 21, 2006) In recent experiments, people exposed to words and images related to money were more likely to behave in ways consistent with self-sufficiency.

U student named Rhodes Scholar
(Nov. 20, 2006; also published in M, winter 2007) Katie N. Lee, an honors senior at the University of Minnesota majoring in biochemistry and chemistry, has been named one of 32 U.S. Rhodes Scholars for 2007. The scholarships, which are the oldest and best known awards for international study, cover two to three years of degree courses at Oxford University in England.

Africa calling
(Nov. 17, 2006; updated Nov. 29) For University of Minnesota student Mark Foster, his yearlong study abroad in Tanzania won't just be about studying chimps. It will also involve learning Swahili, sharing his knowledge of theatre performances with African actors and helping a community learn more about sustainable waste-disposal habits.

Sedimental journey
( ) Lake Pepin is a tough test case for the state's ability to control the influx of sediment and nutrients into waterways

U announces enhancements in Rochester
(Nov. 16, 2006) The University of Minnesota has announced significant enhancements to its presence in Rochester, including new and expanded academic programs and research partnerships, additional Rochester faculty and the designation of the University of Minnesota Rochester as an official campus of the U.

Technology matchmaker
(Nov. 15, 2006) Holder of more than 30 patents, mechanical engineering professor Art Erdman has applied his expertise to areas as disparate as the mechanics of high-performance sports, the design of dental crowns and the development of remedies for macular degeneration--a leading cause of age-related blindness.

Eastcliff book club tradition continues
(Nov. 14, 2006) Since 2004 Susan Hagstrum and Bob Bruininks have been opening their home to the University community and the public for the Friends of Eastcliff Book Club. The events showcase authors with a U connection and promote the sharing of literature in a cozy, casual atmosphere.

Community envisioned for UMore Park
(Brief, Nov. 15, 2006) The UMore Park steering committee made recommendations for the future of the 12-square-mile parcel--including the development of a vibrant new community--to the Board of Regents.

Global imperative
(Nov. 14, 2006 (updated April 3, 2007)) The U is on a mission to enhance its international programs with initiatives focused on research, professional education and deepened partnerships with peer institutions overseas.