Grain & Chaff

Star power

New images of the center of the Milky Way by assistant professor of Astronomy Daniel Q. Wang captured worldwide media attention after he shared the research at this month's meeting of the American Astronomical Society. Wang's research was noted in U.S. News & World Report, The New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Baltimore Sun, Newsday, USA Today, Richmond Times-Dispatch, Seattle Times, Vancouver Sun, Christian Science Monitor, MSNBC Online, CNN Online, Agence France Press, Scripps-Howard News Service, Los Angeles Times, AP World-stream and the Ottawa Citizen. ... Postdoctoral research fellow Daniel McIntosh, also of Astronomy, also attracted some ink for his work on the evolution of galaxies, which he presented to the AAS. His study was reported in the Chicago Tribune, Orlando Sentinel, Newsday and the Baltimore Sun.

Universal appeal

Not to be outdone in the media spotlight, Microbiology professor Derek Lovley also drew widespread notice for his Nature article on microbial life in Martian-like geological conditions in Idaho. Lovley's work was noted in reports by the Associated Press, BBC Radio, Reuters, UPI, Boston Herald, San Francisco Chronicle, Dallas Morning News, Calgary Herald, Investor's Business Daily and The Times of London. ... Lovley, by the way, was interviewed on National Public Radio's "All Things Considered" (Jan. 20) for the unusual achievement of having two separate projects published in the journals Science and Nature during the same week.

All the world's a stage

The efforts of Theater graduate student Lucinda Kidder to organize a festival of plays by women influenced by Muslim cultures also generated some press interest. The event was written up in the New York Times (Jan. 9) and Newsday (Jan. 16).

Leading role

Marty Smith, manager of Planning and Architecture at Facilities Planning, has been elected president of the AIA Massachusetts, the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects that includes the Boston Society of Architects and the central and western Massachusetts chapters of AIA. She is also the new president of the Western Massachusetts Chapter of AIA.

Follow the money

Keith McKittrick, leadership gift officer in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, has been named director of development at Framingham State College. McKittrick joined the fund-raising staff here in 1999.

Sweet charity

The campus' leadership in the statewide Commonwealth of Massachusetts Employees Charitable Campaign (COMECC) was recognized Dec. 11 by representatives of Community Health Charities during ceremonies at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield. Accepting the award for the campus were English professor John Nelson, assistant vice chancellor for State Government and Community Relations Richard Conner, COMECC coordinator Gloria Fox and Reynolds Winslow, Sarah Melady and Doug Adler of University Advancement.

Making the grade

Senior defender J.R Pouncey and sophomore defender Michelle Luttati have been named to the Division I Soccer Verizon Academic All-District Second Team by the College Sports Information Directors of America.