Weekly Bulletin

Stanford professor presents Fay Lecture in Physiology

Richard W. Tsien, the George D. Smith Professor in molecular and cellular physiology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, will give the Physiology Department's fourth Fred Fay Lecture on Monday, Oct. 21 at 3 p.m. in Amphitheater I at the Medical School in Worcester.

Tsien will speak on "Autoregulation of Excitable Cell Function and Gene Expression."

Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology candidate seminar

Renhao Li of the University of Pennsylvania, a faculty candidate in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at the Medical School, will present a special seminar on Thursday, Oct. 24 at noon in the 8th floor seminar room of the Lazare Research Building.

Li will discuss "A Structural and Functional Study on the Transmembrane and Cytoplasmic Domains of Intregrin aIIbß3."

Advisory issued on 'W' deadline

All faculty and advisors are asked to remind undergraduates in their classes and departments that they have until Monday, Oct. 28 to drop a class with a "W." Doing so will have no adverse impact on their cumulative average. A "W" on one's transcript is nearly always preferable to an "F," according to Pamela Marsh-Williams associate dean and director of the Undergraduate Advising and Academic Support Center.

For more information, students should contact the office of their academic dean.

"If you have not already done so, I urge you to provide some feedback to students on their performance in advance of this date," says Marsh-Williams. "Such information would encourage those who need it to get additional help in time to make a difference in their performance as well as enable students to make a more informed decision on whether to continue in a course beyond the Oct. 28 deadline."

Barstow to sign copies of new book

The University Store is hosting a book-signing with Cynthia Barstow, author of "The Eco-Food Guide: What's Good for the Earth is Good for You," on Thursday, Oct. 24 from noon-2 p.m.

Barstow is a former UMass Extension staff member.

Koch, Whipple top program at Weekly Sports Luncheon

The Weekly Sports Luncheon on Wednesday, Oct. 23 will feature remarks by men's soccer coach Sam Koch and football coach Mark Whipple. The lunch takes place at noon in the Student Union Ballroom.

The buffet lunch costs $6.50. Call 5-4289 for reservations.

Contaminated soils conference scheduled for Oct. 21-24

The Northeast Regions Environmental Public Health Center is sponsoring the 18th Annual International Conference on Contaminated Soils, Sediments and Water on Oct 21-24 on the lower level of the Lincoln Campus Center.

The conference will include platform and poster presentations and workshops on related subjects of analysis, site assessment, fate, environmental and human risk assessment, remediation and regulation.

For information, visit the conference Web site (www.UMassSoils.com) or call Paul Kostecki at 5-4610.

Molecular Genetics and Microbiology seminar

Christopher Sassetti, of the department of immunology and infectious diseases at the Harvard School of Public Health, will present a faculty candidate seminar at the Medical School in Worcester on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at 11 a.m. Sassetti's talk is entitled "Mining the TB genome: Treasures from TraSH."

The talk takes place in the MGM Seminar Room, S5-310 at the Worcester campus.

Nominations for Distinguished Teaching Awards due Oct. 25

Current students and alumni are invited to nominate faculty members or teaching assistants and associates for the Distinguished Teaching Awards, to be presented next spring.

The most prestigious honor for teaching bestowed by the campus, the award was established in 1962.

To nominate a faculty member, TA or TO, students and alumni should a submit a brief letter describing why the nominee should receive a Distinguished Teaching Award. All nominations must be signed and include the nominator's name and address. Nominations are also accepted via
e-mail.

Faculty members may nominate up to two TAs or TOs.

All nominations should be submitted by Friday, Oct. 25 to the Distinguished Teaching Award Committee, Office of the Provost, 362 Whitmore Administration Building (dta@provost.umass.edu). The fax number is 7-3980.

Phi Beta Kappa dues

Members of Nu Chapter of Phi Beta Kappa are reminded to pay their annual dues by sending a check for $10 to treasurer Susan Whitbourne, Office of National Scholarship Advisement, Commonwealth College, Goodell. Checks should be made payable to Phi Beta Kappa.

Life memberships can be obtained for $60.

Nu Chapter invites all new faculty who were elected to Phi Beta Kappa as undergraduates to join the chapter by contacting either secretary Joseph Bartolomeo, English Department, Bartlett Hall, or president David Grose, Classics Department, Herter Hall.

Faculty Senate meeting canceled

The Faculty Senate meeting scheduled for Thursday, Oct. 17, has been canceled. The next meeting will be Thursday, Oct. 31 at 3:30 p.m. in 227 Herter Hall.

Stonewall Center extends hours

The Stonewall Center has added extra hours two days per week. Located in Crampton House in Southwest, the center is now open Tuesday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. and Wednesday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Regular hours on Monday, Thursday and Friday are 9 a.m.-5 p.m.

The center also hosts movie night on Tuesdays at 9 p.m.

Molecular Genetics and Microbiology seminar

The Molecular Genetics and Microbiology Department at the Medical School is hosting a seminar with Michael Sherman of the department of biochemistry, Boston University Medical School on Friday, Oct. 18 at 12:15 p.m. in the MGM Seminar Room, S5-310.

Sherman will speak on "Cellular components involved in aggregation and toxicity of huntingtin."

Want to start an exercise program?

The Exercise Science Department is seeking women for a research study to examine the relationship between insulin and exercise.

Eligible volunteers should be non-physically active women ages 18-45, not diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes and not on birth control pills.

Participants will receive a bone density scan, body fat analysis, blood sugar profile and five days of personalized, supervised exercise.

More information can be obtained by calling 5-8211 or 5-4959 or by e-mail (csharoff@excsci.umass.edu).

Reception for Eileen Sullivan

Controller's Office clerk Eileen Sullivan, who is retiring at the end of the month after 26 years of University service, will be honored at a reception on Tuesday, Oct. 29, from 1-3 p.m. in the 5th floor lounge area of Goodell.
Friends and colleagues are invited to stop by and wish her the best.