[InFocus] In Focus 1/11/08

[su-infocus at southwestern.edu]

 IN FOCUS: January 11, 2008
 
* TOP NEWS *
	  	*CALENDAR*
SOUTHWESTERN RESEARCHER PARTICIPATING IN PROJECT THAT WILL HELP LEARN 
MORE ABOUT EARLY HISTORY OF THE UNIVERSE
	  	*CAMPUS CALENDAR *

To view upcoming events at Southwestern by day, week or month, click 
here <http://www.southwestern.edu/sucalendar/main.php>.

A Southwestern University astronomy professor is participating in a 
project that could add to our knowledge about the early history of the 
universe.

The project involves the study of "intergalactic medium" -- clouds of 
gas that are located between the galaxies in the universe. Because these 
clouds contain primordial material from the beginning of the universe, 
studying them can provide important clues about the early history of the 
universe, including galaxy formation.

But it is not easy to study the intergalactic medium. Although the 
clouds may be hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of light years 
across, they are of such low density that they cannot be observed 
directly. The only way to "see" them is to study how light from more 
distant galaxies is absorbed as it passes through them. The absorption 
is revealed in the spectrum, or "light signature," of the more distant 
galaxy. By studying spectra, astronomers can deduce information about 
the physical properties of clouds, such as density, thickness, 
temperature, composition and motion.

"Studying these clouds requires sophisticated computer models of how 
light interacts with the gas in intergalactic space," says Mark 
Bottorff, an assistant professor of physics at Southwestern.

Bottorff is working on a project to develop these sophisticated computer 
models.
The project is funded by the Space Telescope Science Institute (STSI), 
which is operated for NASA and headquartered at Johns Hopkins University 
in Baltimore. The institute oversees all programming related to the 
Hubble Space Telescope.

Read the rest of the story here 
<http://www.southwestern.edu/cgi-bin/newsroom/article.cgi?id=57>.


EVENTS
AUSTIN CIVIC ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM AT SOUTHWESTERN JAN. 19

The Sarofim School of Fine Arts is presenting a performance by the 
Austin Civic Orchestra on Saturday, Jan. 19. The orchestra will perform 
its Winter Concert, titled "Fifth Avenue." Internationally renowned 
pianist Anton Nel will perform Ludwig van Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 
5, "Emperor," on a program that also includes the 5th Symphony of Dmitri 
Shostakovich and Johannes Brahms' Hungarian Dance No. 5. The concert 
starts at 7:30 p.m. in the Alma Thomas Theater. Tickets are $10 at the door.

MEDIA COVERAGE

The December issue of /University Business/ featured Southwestern's 
staff mentor program as one of "30 Smart Business Ideas." That same 
edition of /University Business/ also featured Southwestern's master 
plan in a story about campus architecture. Read the issue online here 
<http://www.universitybusiness.com/viewpage.aspx?pagename=/toc_200712.htm&folder=pagecachefolder>.

The /Houston Chronicle/ ran a feature story on Romi Burks' chocolate 
class. The story was picked up by the Associated Press and later ran in 
several other papers across the state, including the /Austin 
American-Statesman/, the/ San Antonio Express News/, the /Laredo Morning 
Times/ and the /Midland Reporter Telegram/. Read the story here 
<http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/headline/metro/5410714.html>.

Following Benazir Bhutto's assassination, several local media outlets 
noted the fact that she had spoken at Southwestern in 2005. Read the 
story from the /Austin American-Statesman/ here 
<http://www.statesman.com/news/content/news/stories/local/12/28/1228austinpakistan.html>.

The /Williamson County Sun/ ran a story about auditions for the upcoming 
production of "Fiddler on the Roof."

NOTABLES

*Fay Guarraci*, assistant professor of psychology, has had a paper 
accepted for publication in Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Behavior. The 
paper is titled "Intracranial Infusions of Amphetamine into the Medial 
Preoptic Area but not the Nucleus Accumbens Affect Paced Mating Behavior 
in Female Rats." Several students from Southwestern and St. Edward's 
University collaborated with her on the paper, along with a faculty 
member from St. Edward's.

*Ben Pierce*, professor of biology and holder of the Lillian Nelson 
Pratt Chair, authored a new 3rd edition of Genetics: A Conceptual 
Approach, a college-level textbook in genetics published in December by 
W. H. Freeman and Company. Previous editions of the book have been used 
at more than 270 colleges and universities and have been translated into 
Spanish, Portuguese and Italian.

/Have a submission for "Notables"? Send it to infocus at southwestern.edu. /

-- 
Katy Boose
Editorial Coordinator
Southwestern University
1001 E. University Ave.
Georgetown, TX 78626
512-863-1487
boosek at southwestern.edu
www.southwestern.edu

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