Archive – October, 2011
Savannas, forests in a battle of the biomes, Princeton researchers find
Posted October 31, 2011; 02:25 p.m.
Climate change, land use and other human-driven factors could pit savannas and forests against each other by altering the elements found by Princeton University researchers to stabilize the two. Without this harmony, the habitats, or biomes, could increasingly encroach on one other to the detriment of the people and animals that rely on them.
University implementing open-access policy for faculty publications
Posted October 31, 2011; 01:41 p.m.
University administrators have begun implementing the new "open-access" policy approved this fall by Princeton faculty members to expand the public's access to their research.
Borneman to discuss political crime and accountability
Posted October 31, 2011; 12:18 p.m.
John Borneman, a Princeton professor of anthropology, will give a talk about his book "Political Crime and the Memory of Loss" at noon Monday, Dec. 12, in Burr Hall, Room 213. Lunch is provided and registration is required; to register, contact Carole Frantzen at frantzen@princeton.edu or 609-258-7497.
Exploring the science and nuance of facial perception
Posted October 31, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
Alexander Todorov, an associate professor of psychology and public affairs at Princeton University, uses a wide array of visual aids in his course "The Face: The Forces That Shape How We Perceive Others," which is being offered for the first time this fall. His 15 students are learning about humans' specialized mechanisms for processing, recognizing and socially assessing faces — as well as the biases that lead to errors in perception.
Glee Clubs of Princeton and Yale to perform
Posted October 31, 2011; 10:57 a.m.
The Glee Clubs of Princeton and Yale universities will perform at 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, at Richardson Auditorium in Alexander Hall.
'Fuente Ovejuna: A Disloyal Adaptation' to be performed
Posted October 31, 2011; 10:51 a.m.
The play "Fuente Ovejuna: A Disloyal Adaptation," with original music composed by Princeton senior Clayton Raithel, will be performed in English at 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Nov. 11-12, and Thursday through Saturday, Nov. 17-19, at the Berlind Theatre at the McCarter Theatre Center.
1:45 P.M. Oct. 31 UPDATE - Roads reopened, power restored after storm
Posted October 30, 2011; 07:25 p.m.
Individuals traveling to the Princeton University campus may experience delays Monday, Oct. 31, because of road closures caused by the storm that moved trough the area over the weekend. The Stanworth Apartments graduate housing complex also is experiencing power failures.
Campus computing network outage set for 5 to 11 a.m. Oct. 29
Posted October 28, 2011; 05:15 p.m.
An outage of the Princeton University campus computing network is scheduled for 5 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, as the Office of Information Technology (OIT) performs maintenance on the network infrastructure.
Economist Bernstein to discuss job creation
Posted October 28, 2011; 02:57 p.m.
Jared Bernstein, a senior fellow at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities and former chief economist and economic policy adviser to Vice President Joseph Biden, will present a lecture titled "The Jobs Dilemma: Moving From Talk to Action" at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 7, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Jerusalem mayor Barkat to speak
Posted October 28, 2011; 12:31 p.m.
Nir Barkat, the mayor of Jerusalem, will present a talk at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall. Admission is free and open to the public, but tickets are required; detailed ticketing information is provided on the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs website.
Video feature: Princeton Freshman Parents Weekend
Posted October 27, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
After Shelley Slaughter delivered her 17-year-old daughter, Ebony Slaughter-Johnson, to Princeton in early September, it was the first time they had spent more than a week apart. Six weeks later, they were happily reunited at Freshman Parents Weekend.
Video: Freshman Parents Weekend
Posted October 27, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
The Princeton campus welcomed hundreds of the freshman class's family members, so that they could see where the students live, learn and socialize.
Map shows campus polling stations
Posted October 25, 2011; 12:21 p.m.
Residents of the Princeton University campus can find the location of their polling stations for Election Day through an online chart and map.
Prenatal health is subject of film screening and discussion
Posted October 24, 2011; 03:27 p.m.
A screening of the documentary "No Woman, No Cry" and a panel discussion on the film will be held at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 16, in Dodds Auditorium in Robertson Hall. Participants will include model Christy Turlington Burns, the film’s director and producer; Elizabeth Armstrong, an associate professor of sociology and public affairs; Anne Case, the Alexander Stewart 1886 Professor of Economics and Public Affairs; and moderator Stephanie Hauck, a Ph.D. candidate in Princeton's Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
PPPL scientists bring mysterious magnetic process down to earth
Posted October 24, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are recreating magnetic reconnection, one of the most common but least understood phenomena in the universe. The experiments seek to unravel the secrets of magnetic reconnection and ultimately provide benefits including improved prediction of solar outbursts and dangerous geomagnetic storms; increased understanding of the formation of the sun and stars; and greater control of the nuclear fusion reactions that PPPL researchers are studying as a clean fuel for generating electric power.
Cartwright to discuss cyber warfare and special ops
Posted October 21, 2011; 02:24 p.m.
Retired Marine Corps General James E. Cartwright, a four-star general and former vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, will present a lecture titled "Cyber Warfare and Special Ops: A General Weighs In" at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Defense expert Lynn to discuss changing nature of war
Posted October 21, 2011; 02:13 p.m.
William J. Lynn III, former deputy secretary of defense at the U.S. Department of Defense and a 1982 Princeton graduate alumnus, will present a lecture titled "The Future of War" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Obama to nominate Princeton's Bassler for National Science Board
Posted October 21, 2011; 12:18 a.m.
President Barack Obama will nominate Princeton University molecular biologist Bonnie Bassler to serve as a member of the National Science Board, which oversees the National Science Foundation, the major source of federal funding for scientific research.
Video feature: Princeton at 265
Posted October 20, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
This year marks the 265th anniversary of the signing of Princeton University's charter, which was granted on Oct. 22, 1746. Known as Charter Day, the date is celebrated as the University's birthday. In an era known as "the Great Awakening," the seven founders and early leaders of what was then known as the College of New Jersey believed in challenging orthodoxy and being open to all sources of knowledge. "Princeton at 265," a video documenting celebrations of Charter Day, looks at how this spirit of dissent infuses and informs the University to this day.
Video: Princeton at 265
Posted October 20, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
The independent spirit of Princeton's charter -- granted, Oct. 22, 1746 -- continues to infuse the University today.
Impact study: Princeton model shows fallout of a giant meteorite strike
Posted October 19, 2011; 01:00 p.m.
Princeton University researchers have developed a new model that can not only more accurately simulate the seismic fallout from a large meteorite striking the Earth, but also help reveal new information about the surface and interior of planets based on past collisions.
Choreographer William Forsythe to discuss his work
Posted October 19, 2011; 11:42 a.m.
Choreographer William Forsythe will discuss his work and artistic process at 5 p.m. Monday, October 24 at the Hagen Dance Studio at the Lewis Center for the Arts at 185 Nassau St.
Symposium on Sufism and Islam in Central Asia to be held
Posted October 19, 2011; 11:29 a.m.
The Princeton University Symposium on Sufism and Islam in Central Asia will be held at 9 a.m. Friday and Saturday, Oct. 21-22, in Robertson Hall, Room 1.
Princeton University Orchestra to perform
Posted October 18, 2011; 10:18 a.m.
A concert by the Princeton University Orchestra, which will feature senior Kevin Laskey as soloist on the marimba, will be performed at 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21 and Saturday, Oct. 22, at Richardson Auditorium, Alexander Hall.
Gift from Ford family to support Princeton athletics program
Posted October 18, 2011; 10:00 a.m.
A gift from William Clay Ford Jr., a member of Princeton's Class of 1979, and Lisa Vanderzee Ford, of the Class of 1982, will create the Bill and Lisa Ford Family Directorship of Athletics at Princeton University. In addition to endowing the directorship, the gift will provide funding for Princeton's athletic director to invest in programs to enhance the student-athlete experience.
Emergency notification system test scheduled for Oct. 21
Posted October 17, 2011; 06:00 p.m.
The University will conduct a campuswide test of its emergency notification system beginning at 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 21, to ensure that members of the University community can be contacted during a campus crisis or emergency.
Employee spotlight: Sorat Tungkasiri
Posted October 17, 2011; 01:00 p.m.
Employee spotlight: Sorat Tungkasiri, coordinator of the New Media Center.
Board approves four promotions
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:33 p.m.
The Board of Trustees has approved the promotions of four faculty members.
Four chosen for endowed professorships
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:30 p.m.
Four faculty members have been named to endowed professorships.
Employee retirements: June-October 2011
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:12 p.m.
The following is an updated list of University employee retirements.
Open enrollment lets employees evaluate coverage
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:05 p.m.
The annual benefits open enrollment period for the University's health and welfare plans will run from Monday, Oct. 17, through Friday, Nov. 18. Open enrollment offers faculty and staff an opportunity to review their current benefits and consider changes to their coverage that will become effective Jan. 1, 2012.
Runk named director of communications at the Lewis Center
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:03 p.m.
Steve Runk, the former executive director of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, has been named director of communications for Princeton University's Lewis Center for the Arts.
Concussion research aims to help athletes, study of the brain
Posted October 17, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
It's called an invisible injury, yet it affects hundreds of thousands of athletes each year. From professional boxers, college football stars, high school soccer players and kids competing in schoolyard baseball games, concussions can be a significant injury for anyone playing sports. To address the problem, Princeton researchers Annegret Dettwiler-Danspeckgruber and Margot Putukian have spent the past four years studying sports-related concussions, aiming to improve diagnostic tools and help better determine when it's safe for athletes to return to play. Their work is ongoing, but by bridging neuroscience and sports medicine, they are seeking not only to support athletes, but also to illuminate the study of both brain structure and function following concussion.
Digital Print Center open house set
Posted October 17, 2011; 11:56 a.m.
Print and Mail Services' Digital Print Center will host an open house for faculty, staff and students from 3 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, on the ground floor of 201 Nassau St.
Steve Carell selected as Class Day speaker
Posted October 16, 2011; 10:00 p.m.
Actor and comedian Steve Carell will deliver the keynote address at the University's Class Day ceremony on Monday, June 4. Leaders of the senior class selected Carell from numerous nominees suggested by their classmates.
Documentary filmmaker Drinker presents new work
Posted October 14, 2011; 04:50 p.m.
Documentary filmmaker Will Drinker will present and discuss his new film about his brother, Daniel Drinker, who has Down syndrome, at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in the Julian Street Library and Media Center in Wilcox Hall of Wilson College.
Irish musicians to perform
Posted October 13, 2011; 03:29 p.m.
Irish musicians Caoimhin O Raghallaigh and Brendan Begley will perform at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, at Taplin Auditorium in Fine Hall.
Research at Princeton
Posted October 13, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
From the advancement of mathematical theory and sociological understanding to the development of cleaner-burning fuels and novel electronic devices, research at Princeton aims to expand the frontiers of human knowledge and improve societal well-being.
Tromp to give first talk in President's Lecture Series
Posted October 12, 2011; 06:48 p.m.
Princeton geoscientist Jeroen Tromp will deliver the first talk in this year's President's Lecture Series at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Friend Center, Room 101. Tromp's lecture, titled "Earthquakes, Impacts and Seismic Imaging," will discuss his work in using information contained in seismic waves from earthquakes to develop better maps of the Earth's interior.
Memorial service to be held for Stuart Schwartz
Posted October 12, 2011; 06:27 p.m.
A memorial service for Stuart Schwartz, a professor of electrical engineering emeritus who died Aug. 27, will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Fields Center, 58 Prospect Ave. The service is open to members of the campus community.
Bodine to assess impact of Arab Spring
Posted October 12, 2011; 06:00 p.m.
Barbara Bodine, a former U.S. ambassador to Yemen and a current lecturer in Princeton's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, will deliver a talk titled "A Time for Every Season: Assessing the Arab Spring" at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 12, in Jadwin Hall, Room A10, as part of the Alumni Association's Fall Football Lecture series.
Smith to speak on relationship between words and music
Posted October 12, 2011; 05:54 p.m.
"Words vs. Music: The Song From Plato to Bono" is the title of a talk to be delivered by Princeton Professor of English Nigel Smith at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 29, in Jadwin Hall, Room A10, as part of the Alumni Association's Fall Football Lecture series.
Levy to discuss 'Essence of Entrepreneurship'
Posted October 12, 2011; 05:52 p.m.
Princeton graduate alumnus Ricardo Levy, an executive, entrepreneur and author, will present a talk on "The Essence of Entrepreneurship" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 26, in the Friend Center Convocation Room.
Biological Weapons Convention is subject of Millett talk
Posted October 12, 2011; 02:31 p.m.
Piers Millett, the deputy head of the Implementation Support Unit for the Biological Weapons Convention (BWC), housed in the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs, will give a lunch talk titled "The BWC: The Next Generation" at 12:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4, in Icahn Laboratory, Room 280.
Postdoctoral scholars join interdisciplinary community
Posted October 12, 2011; 01:24 p.m.
Five new postdoctoral scholars have joined Princeton's Society of Fellows in the Liberal Arts for the 2011-12 academic year.
Economist Naishul to discuss Russian reforms
Posted October 12, 2011; 10:57 a.m.
Vitali Naishul, an institutional economist and president of the Institute for the Study of the Russian Economy and the Center for the Study of Russian Socio-Political Language, will give a talk titled "Modernizing Russia and Its Institutions: Twenty Years of Reforms" at 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 18, in Burr Hall, Room 219.
Seminar on the King James Bible to be held
Posted October 11, 2011; 09:46 a.m.
A daylong seminar on "The King James Bible from 1611 to 2011: A Conference on its Champions, Critics and Continuing Legacy" will be held at 9 a.m. Friday, Oct. 14, at the Computer Science building, room 104.
Authors Rita Dove and James Salter to read from their work
Posted October 11, 2011; 09:42 a.m.
Poet Rita Dove and novelist James Salter will read from their work at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, at the Berlind Theatre at McCarter Theatre Center.
Ruth Stevens named director of development communications
Posted October 11, 2011; 09:00 a.m.
Ruth Stevens, a member of Princeton University's Office of Communications staff since 2000, will join the University's fundraising staff in the Office of Development later this month. She has been promoted to director of development communications and will begin her new position Monday, Oct. 31.
Former Justice John Paul Stevens describes Supreme Court from the inside
Posted October 10, 2011; 08:30 p.m.
Former Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens discussed his stance on several hot-button issues, the personal rapport justices have with one another and what drew him to the legal profession in a well-attended public discussion at Princeton University with Provost Christopher Eisgruber, Monday, Oct. 10.
Princeton's Sims wins Nobel in economics with visiting professor Sargent
Posted October 10, 2011; 08:15 p.m.
A 40-year path of friendly arguments and groundbreaking studies of how governments weigh policies to deal with economic troubles has led a pair of prominent economists to share the 2011 Nobel Prize in their field. Princeton University professor Christopher Sims was honored along with Thomas Sargent, a New York University economist and visiting professor this semester at Princeton, for developing tools to analyze the economic causes and effects of monetary policy. Their work has revolutionized the field of macroeconomics and how it is applied by central banks and governments around the world.
Nobel Prize reception highlights
Posted October 10, 2011; 07:33 p.m.
Princeton Professor Christopher Sims is honored for winning the 2011 Nobel Prize in economics with visiting professor Thomas Sargent.
Video: Student Work: 'Science Plays'
Posted October 10, 2011; 07:08 p.m.
Jeffrey Kuperman '12 goes behind the scenes of a staged reading of winning entries from the Princeton science playwriting competition. It will take place 8 p.m., Oct. 17 in Taplin Auditorium.
Additional quotes from Nobel winners' colleagues and students
Posted October 10, 2011; 04:00 p.m.
Additional quotes from the colleagues and students of 2011 Nobel Prize in economics winners Christopher Sims and Thomas Sargent.
1:10 P.M. OCT. 10 UPDATE - Princeton's Sims wins Nobel in economics with visiting professor Sargent
Posted October 10, 2011; 01:10 p.m.
Princeton University professor Christopher Sims has been awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in economics along with Thomas Sargent, a New York University economist who is a visiting professor at Princeton, for developing tools to analyze the effect of monetary policy on the economy.
Princeton's Sims wins Nobel in economics along with visiting professor Sargent
Posted October 10, 2011; 07:23 a.m.
Princeton University professor Christopher Sims has been awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize in economics along with Thomas Sargent, a New York University economist who is a visiting professor at Princeton, for "empirical research on cause and effect in th...
Princeton endowment earns 21.9 percent return
Posted October 7, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
Princeton University's endowment earned a 21.9 percent annual return on its investments and was valued at $17.1 billion in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2011. The Princeton University Investment Co. (PRINCO), the University office that manages the University's endowment, will certify the results at its directors meeting on Oct. 20, 2011.
At fifth anniversary, SINSI marks success in fostering future policymakers
Posted October 6, 2011; 01:15 p.m.
Marking its fifth anniversary this year, Princeton University's Scholars in the Nation's Service Initiative (SINSI) is living up to its mission of fostering the next generation of public policymakers.
Student-athletes balance life on and off the field
Posted October 6, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
For the nearly 1,000 students, or about 20 percent of the University's undergraduates, who suit up for Princeton's 38 varsity sports teams, life as a student-athlete poses both opportunities and challenges.
International affairs expert Slaughter to give talk on power
Posted October 6, 2011; 11:26 a.m.
Anne-Marie Slaughter, Princeton's Bert G. Kerstetter '66 University Professor of Politics and International Affairs, former director of policy planning for the United States Department of State, and a 1980 Princeton alumna, will give the inaugural Joseph S. Nye Jr. lecture with a talk titled "The Faces of Power" at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 24, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Mankiw to speak on monetary, fiscal policy
Posted October 6, 2011; 11:14 a.m.
Gregory Mankiw -- the Robert M. Beren Professor of Economics at Harvard University, economic adviser to 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney, former chairman of President Bush's Council of Economic Advisers, and a 1980 Princeton alumnus -- will present a talk titled, "The Challenges Facing Monetary and Fiscal Policy," at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 20, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Energy expert to discuss clean energy and economy
Posted October 6, 2011; 11:08 a.m.
Kristina Johnson, CEO of Enduring Energy, LLC, and former under secretary of energy at the U.S. Department of Energy, will present a talk titled, "Why Clean Energy Won't Take Our Economy to the Cleaners" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Federal personnel director Berry to discuss public service
Posted October 6, 2011; 10:57 a.m.
John Berry, director of the United States Office of Personnel Management, will deliver a talk titled, "Public Service in the 21st Century" at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Infectious disease expert Dye to discuss health policy
Posted October 5, 2011; 04:43 p.m.
Christopher Dye, director of health information in the Office of HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis, Malaria and Neglected Tropical Diseases at the World Health Organization, will give a talk titled "Plagues, Pandemics and Policies for Health" at 4:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
Former bank exec Weber to discuss the Euro
Posted October 5, 2011; 04:11 p.m.
Axel Weber, the former president of Deutsche Bundesbank and a visiting professor of economics at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, will give a talk titled "The Euro: Chances and Opportunities of a Crisis" at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12, in Dodds Auditorium, Robertson Hall.
'Art of Science' competition, opening reception set
Posted October 5, 2011; 09:28 a.m.
Digital image submissions for Princeton University's fifth "Art of Science" competition, which is open to the University community, are being accepted until 11:59 p.m., Monday, Oct. 17. Awards will be announced at the exhibition's opening reception, which is scheduled for 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 11, in the Friend Center. The exhibition will remain on view in the Friend Center for a year.
Looted antiquities trade is subject of journalists' talk
Posted October 4, 2011; 05:18 p.m.
Jason Felch and Ralph Frammolino, two Los Angeles Times journalists and co-authors of a new book titled "Chasing Aphrodite: The Hunt for Looted Antiquities at the World's Richest Museum," will give a talk on their investigation into the trade of looted antiquities at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 19, in Robertson Hall, Room 2.
Committee formed to implement policy on fraternity, sorority freshman rush ban
Posted October 4, 2011; 01:40 p.m.
An 11-member committee of Princeton students, faculty and staff has been formed to implement the new University policy that will prohibit freshmen from affiliating with a fraternity or sorority or engaging in any form of "rush" during freshman year. The committee is one of six groups being established to help enhance the undergraduate experience by implementing recommendations made to President Shirley M. Tilghman by students, faculty and staff who participated in two recent initiatives to examine social and residential life and undergraduate women's leadership.
Charge: Policy implementation committee on fraternity, sorority freshman rush ban
Posted October 4, 2011; 01:40 p.m.
The charge from President Shirley M. Tilghman to the policy implementation committee on the fraternity and sorority freshman rush ban.
Featured blog: The Graphic Arts Collection
Posted October 3, 2011; 12:00 p.m.
The Graphic Arts Collection of the Princeton University Library includes more than 22,000 examples from the history of graphic design, printing and binding. Selections are regularly featured in the Milberg Gallery for the Graphic Arts in Firestone Library and on the Graphic Arts blog.