Featured Stories Archive – March, 2009
'Go-to man' in electric shop celebrates 50 years at University
By Jennifer Greenstein Altmann · Posted March 30, 2009; 09:52 a.m.
For half a century, Renato (Ronnie) Carazzai has been the "high man" in Princeton's electric shop — climbing heights to change lightbulbs, hang signs and wire tents — and he has no plans to give up the role anytime soon.
Vazquez tunes in to musical performance to sound out new ideas
By Karin Dienst · Posted March 26, 2009; 09:00 a.m.
As a child growing up in Miami, Alexandra Vazquez tuned in to radio stations that flooded her with a versatile range of music. Early on, she discovered that music, and each unique performance, could lead her to a new world of experiences and ideas. Since then, Vazquez has shaped her fascination for musical performance into an intellectual pursuit that dovetails with her other main academic interests, particularly Latina/o studies. She now is cultivating her passions into new educational opportunities at Princeton -- developing courses and collaborations to explore the cultural and historical essence of various musical forms.
High-powered mathematicians take on free will
By Kitta MacPherson · Posted March 23, 2009; 08:00 a.m.
Ten years ago, Princeton mathematician John Conway wowed standing-room-only crowds with a series of public math lectures. Among many things, he spoke about ancient Greek geometers and his modern discovery of surreal numbers. He threw in some math tricks, too. Audiences flocked to hear the joys of math recounted by one of its masters and left enthralled by Conway's intellectual wizardry. On Monday, March 23, Conway -- who has fought his way back to health from a 2006 stroke -- will launch another lecture series that will once again place his mind and legendary personality squarely in the spotlight.
On campus, science comes alive for young students
By Kitta MacPherson · Posted March 19, 2009; 04:25 p.m.
With a turn of her wrist, Mandy Kauffman wafted a test tube containing some clear goop with a pungent odor before the faces of three students and watched to see what they would do next. For the seventh-graders from Gregory Elementary School in Trenton, this close encounter with the substance, benzaldehyde, was their first brush with the concept of chemotaxis. They were touring hands-on science exhibits like this one in the Icahn Laboratory as part of the campus-wide 2009 Science and Engineering Expo.
Olympic air-quality study tests lasers and scientists' political savvy
By Chris Emery · Posted March 16, 2009; 09:00 a.m.
Most people traveled to the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the sporting events and pageantry. Anna Michel went for the smog. Michel traveled to China as part of an interdisciplinary team of researchers from Princeton and Rice universities to study changes in Beijing's air quality during the Olympics, when the Chinese government dramatically cut vehicle and factory emissions.
Exhibition looks at world through students' 'international eye'
By Staff · Posted March 12, 2009; 09:00 a.m.
An exhibition of photographs from around the globe taken by Princeton undergraduates will be on view in three residential colleges this spring. "International Eye" showcases students' participation in international study, internships, service and research.
Moore, a graceful novelist, pushes students to be daring
By Jennifer Greenstein Altmann · Posted March 9, 2009; 01:18 p.m.
When creative writing professor Susanna Moore begins a writing class, she usually starts with this assignment: Write about yourself. "Young writers reasonably say, 'I don't know what to write about,' so writing about yourself is a very literal way to begin," said Moore, who spent 20 years teaching at various institutions before coming to Princeton in 2007. "The point always is to be writing something — it leads to more writing."
Exhibition highlights Chinese contemporary art
By Staff · Posted March 5, 2009; 03:00 p.m.
"Outside In: Chinese x American x Contemporary Art," a new exhibition at the Princeton University Art Museum, will open Saturday, March 7, and run through Sunday, June 7.
Brain science matters: Wang engages public through book, lectures, op-eds, website
By Kitta MacPherson · Posted March 2, 2009; 11:00 a.m.
It's a busy afternoon in the Tap Room at Prospect House, with the buzz of a dozen lunch conversations rising above the filled tables. At a center spot, though, all is quiet. Sam Wang, Princeton neuroscientist, author, Internet geek, politics junkie, op-ed writer and public speaker, is sitting sideways. He is hunched over and looking down, as if he has dropped something. For once, the loquacious associate professor of molecular biology and neuroscience is at a loss for words.