What's Inside

Alcohol ads and adolescents
( ) A recent study suggests that adolescents drink more often when their neighborhoods have alcohol advertisements.

Alleviating diabetes complications
( ) The School of Public Health has developed a theory proven to relieve leg pain in patients with diabetes and arterial disease.

The real cost of food
(September 18, 2007) Farm safety expert John Shutske works to reduce farm injuries and deaths.

Clearing the way to collaborate
(Brief, Sept. 19, 2007) Minnesota's largest county and its research university signed a historic agreement that will give Hennepin County easier access to U-wide expertise and students.

What makes them tick
(September 17, 2007) U student creates an ethology major--the study of animal psychology and behavior--by combining courses from psychology and life sciences.

Land of 10,000 steps
(September 17, 2007) The University of Minnesota is encouraging its community to be healthier, and one way its going about achieving that is by giving free pedometers to U employees and touting the benefits of 10,000 steps a day.

O great teacher, where art thou?
(From M, fall 2007) First-rate teaching captivates the imagination and inspires us to think and look beyond ourselves. Two award-winning University professors offer insights into what makes a good teacher at the U.

Teaching the Holocaust
(From M, fall 2007) The University of Minnesota has launched a program called Project Poland to help middle- and high-school teachers learn how to teach the Holocaust to a new generation of Polish children.

A new believer
(From M, fall 2007) PUCKETT SCHOLARSHIP HELPED U GRAD JOURNEY FROM BUSINESS TO BALANCE-- AND FIND HIMSELF ALONG THE WAY

The inside story
(From M, fall 2007) In an interview for the July-August 2007 issue of Minnesota magazine, Steven Miles discusses medical complicity in the torture of prisoners in Iraq and Afghanistan and Guantanamo Bay.

Dinkytown lights up again
(From M, fall 2007) From groovy street scene to purveyor of practical goods to nightlife hot-spot, Dinkytown's latest incarnation fills its streets at night.

Letters to the Editor, fall 2007
(From M, fall 2007) A reader writes in about coverage of students.

Keeping the best
(From M, fall 2007) A new welcoming strategy, a revised tenure code, better salaries, and more attention to diversity and collaboration are changing the climate at the University for new faculty members.

Book reviews fall 2007
(From M, fall 2007) Three books by University faculty and students, an illustrated history of Latino Minnesota, an insider's view of Soviet math, and a novel that inspired a new movie.

How much house can you afford?
(From eNews, September 13, 2007) Before you buy a house, take a homeownership class to learn more about this important purchase, advises University of Minnesota Extension. The class will help you find a home you can afford and avoid being yet another victim of foreclosure.

Curbing gambling addiction with food supplements
(From eNews, September 13, 2007) A new University of Minnesota study has found that health food supplements may curb the addiction of pathological gamblers, and the results are encouraging for other addictions, too.

Value of a new football stadium transcends Xs and Os
(From M, fall 2007) Is this new stadium absolutely crucial in helping the U become one of the top three public research universities in the world? Probably not in any quantifiable sense. But it will play an important part in helping us get there.

Igniting the 'Gopher Nation'
(From M, fall 2007) In a two-month span last winter, U athletics director Joel Maturi changed the tenor of Gopher athletics with the hiring of head coaches Tim Brewster and Tubby Smith. And in the days hence, U students, sportswriters, bloggers, and casual observers have taken to analyzing the moves--with almost uniformly favorable reviews.

In the wake of the bridge collapse
(From M, fall 2007) A month after the August 1 collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, the images linger of twisted steel beams, slanted spans of freeway, and cars standing askew at both ends of the remains. But there is hope beyond the tragedy, and the U will be heavily involved as research and rebuilding efforts continue.

Creating a community
(September 11, 2007) The University is hosting six listening sessions in September to gather ideas and input for a new community being planned at the University of Minnesota Outreach, Research, and Education (UMore) Park in Dakota County, which includes 5,000 acres of land owned by the University.

He put twins on the map
(September 11, 2007) A tribute to Irving Gottesman on the occasion of his lifetime achievement award from the American Psychological Association

Hooray for the red, white and bleu
(September 11, 2007) The University's Bell Museum hosts a wine and cheese tasting September 29

Why so many survived
(September 7, 2007) Physics explains why many people lived through the fall of the I-35W bridge.

Bridge stories
(From M, fall 2007) A number of people connected with the University--students, faculty, and staff--were among the first on the scene following the collapse of the Interstate 35W bridge. Here are some of their stories.

Diversity rules
(September 5, 2007) Catherine Squires is the U's first professor of journalism, diversity, and equality. The new position at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication reflects the University of Minnesota's commitment to diversity.

A contemporary view of history
(September 4, 2007) University professor Elaine Tyler May grew up in the political ferment of the 1960s and, as an exchange student in Japan in 1968, developed a thirst for understanding American history. This summer she was named one of five new regents professors at the University, its highest faculty honor.

Fallen bridge prompts contemplative class
(August 31, 2007; updated September 12, 2007) When the I-35W bridge fell, a piece of the Twin Cities community fell with it. As we pick up the pieces, a new University class grapples with issues of transportation and community.

Big Ten Network kicks off coverage
(Aug. 30, 2007; updated Sept. 4, 2007) The Big Ten Network (BTN)-a first-of-its-kind partnership between the 11 Big Ten universities and a major television provider--launched on August 30, giving conference supporters unprecedented access to Big Ten sporting events.

Monitoring drug interactions
(From eNews, August 30, 2007) If you take several different medicines, see more than one doctor, or have certain health conditions, you'll need to monitor for drug interactions. You can reduce the risk of potentially harmful side effects with a little bit of knowledge and common sense.

Unusual suspects in Medical School class
(From eNews, August 30, 2007) The University of Minnesota Medical School is welcoming a rabbi and an Olympic biathlete into one of its biggest and best classes this year. The class comes in at 241 students, about 10 percent more than usual. The national average increase is about 5 percent.

Researchers find absolutely nothing
(August 28, 2007) Three University researchers have set the astronomical world abuzz by discovering nothing--a billion billion billion cubic light-years of it.

Light on the subject
(Brief, Aug. 29, 2007) The Twin Cities campus will save more than $1.5 million over the next five years by changing light bulbs building by building instead of bulb by bulb, and by using a more energy-efficient bulb.

Summit addresses rural health issues
(August 24, 2007) The Upper Midwest Rural Health Policy Summit, held on Friday, August 17, 2007, on the Crookston campus, looked ateh myriad health care issues facing rural communities.

From Iraq to the classroom
(From M, fall 2007) Hundreds of veterans are currently enrolled at the University of Minnesota, and more are returning from the war and re-enrolling every semester. Jeremiah Peterson is one such example. He is enrolled in the Inter-College Program at the College of Continuing Education.

Warm words in a phone call
(August 21, 2008) For hundreds of elders, the School of Nursing's new "Warm Health" automated telephone program helps to keep ill health at bay. Prerecordings offer tips on wellness and spirituality.

Hercules: University artist and blood donor
(August 21, 2007; updated August 24, 2007) "Moneighs" by Hercules, the Belgian gelding blood donor for University equine patients, will be auctioned off at the Equine Center opening October 15.

Morris student aids in bridge rescue
(August 17, 2007) When asked what he'll remember from August 1, Isaiah Brokenleg says: "the children." The University of Minnesota, Morris senior was near the I-35W bridge when the semi-truck cab next to the school bus caught fire.

U grad composes tribute song
(August 16, 2007) Two days after the I-35W bridge collapsed, U grad Phil Thompson made a trip to the Mississippi River for a view of the scene. That evening, the acclaimed pianist composed "Final Ride Home," a compelling tribute to the victims of the tragedy, their families, and volunteers.

Connecting the silos
(August 15, 2007) U professor Barbara Frey founded Minnesota Advocates for Human Rights, the largest human rights organization in the Midwest, and more recently, she explored the link between human rights and small firearms.

When lightning strikes your tree
(From eNews, August 16, 2007) Lightning storms with 70- to 80-mile-per-hour winds rocked Minnesota and west central Wisconsin this past weekend and Monday night, causing power outages and uprooting dozens of trees. A University tree care expert has tips on what to do when lightning strikes your tree.

Future innovation: listen to the CEO
(From eNews, August 16, 2007) When the chief executive officer speaks, it may pay to listen. University of Minnesota researchers have found that the words of a CEO can foretell a company's future innovation.

Adolescents and alcohol ads
(From eNews, August 16, 2007) A University of Minnesota study has found a link between exposure to alcohol advertisements and an adolescent's intention to drink.

Early-childhood intervention offers long-term benefits
(August 15, 2007) School-based, early-childhood intervention programs can improve the general health and well-being of minority children through young adulthood, according to a recent report by two University professors.

Going the distance
(August 10, 2007) Duluth Pharmacy grads choose the good life in rural Minnesota--and ease a critical pharmacist shortage.

U responds to I-35W bridge collapse
(Aug. 6, 2007) The University of Minnesota response to the collapse of the I-35W bridge over the Mississippi River in Minneapolis Aug. 1 involved countless employees and students living in the surrounding neighborhoods.

For U professor, bridge collapse hits close to home
(August 7, 2007) Ross Macmillan, an associate professor in the U's Department of Sociology, was one of the first on the scene and one of the first to help when the I-35W bridge collapsed August 1.

The next generation of U students
(August 10, 2007; updated August 16 ) The U's College of Liberal Arts is reaching out to Minnesota communities that are traditionally underrepresented in college classrooms, engaging students as young as five years old, with student-driven documentaries and new summer research programs.

Expanding horizons
(Aug. 7, 2007) New regents professor Richard Leppert is one of the most important intellectuals now working in the humanities at the overlapping boundaries of fields including musicology and art history.

University medical, dental students help victims after bridge collapse
(From eNews, August 16, 2007) After the 35W bridge collapse, University medical and dental students rushed to offer their help--administering first aid, flagging down trucks to use as makeshift ambulances, and comforting the victims of the disaster.

The next generation on the star track
(August 3, 2007) Eleven Minnesota college students, including nine from the U, spend a summer interning with NASA

Hot enough to fry an egg?
(From eNews, August 2, 2007) When the mercury rises, keeping yourself cool is one thing you have to worry about. The other is keeping your groceries safe. But a University Extension expert has tips on reducing your risk of food-borne illnesses.

New release
(From eNews, August 2, 2007; updated (with video link) August 7) Rachel Raimist, a University of Minnesota Ph.D. candidate, spent eight months filming incarcerated men who meet weekly to read, write, and respond to poetry. Her documentary would challenge society's view of prison as a place where time stops.

Faces of Beijing in Quarter Gallery
(July 31, 2007) This summer, Chinese film directors, photographers, scenic artists, and instructors are exhibiting their work at the Regis Center for Art thanks to a growing creative exchange between the U's Department of Art and the Beijing Film Academy.

Early exposure
(July 31, 2007) A new program is offering high school students of color and current first-generation college students the opportunity to conduct research alongside University of Minnesota graduate students and faculty.

Not a dead end
(July 27, 2007) The new Minnesota Landscape Arboretum Maze Garden, lined with junipers, azaleas, lattice, bamboo, and fabric walls, promises nooks and crannies and pockets of personality. A visit through September 30 could also include the Art To A-Maze, a juried collection of 15 larger-than-life sculptures.

A bug-eat-bug world
(July 24, 2007) University of Minnesota researchers are field testing good insects--in this case, stingless wasp--as a safe, environmentally friendly method of controlling soybean aphids.

Dying on the streets
(July 24, 2007) In a study by the Center for Bioethics, researchers John Song, Edward R. Ratner, and Dianne M. Bartels combined their experience in ethics, clinical work, and end of life issues to answer questions such as, "What do homeless people think about the end of life?" and "What barriers to a dignified death do they face?"

Cool country, warm ties
(July 11, 2007) The universities of Iceland and Minnesota celebrated 25 years of collaboration when a U of M delegation visited the island nation in May, conferring an honorary degree on the prime minister, a U alumnus.

Unearthing Antarctica
(July 20, 2007) In addition to penguins, UMD economic geologist Dean Peterson came face-to-face with ancient layers of mineral deposits--up to 10,000 feet high--in Antarctica.

A material success
(July 20, 2007) Frank Bates has gone from truck driver to the top rank of the world's chemical engineers--and now, as a new Regents Professor, the U faculty.

Eating fish: being healthy and safe
(From eNews July 19, 2007) High in heart-healthy omega 3 fatty acids, fish is a low-fat source of protein and nutrients. However, it's a balancing act: to be both healthy and safe, you should eat fish, but avoid unlimited consumption, and follow government recommendations.

Sherlock and Watson on the Showboat
(July 18, 2007) What's better than eating ice cream on a hot sunny day? Elementary, dear reader: watching a fiendishly clever whodunit on the Mississippi River in the air-conditioned Minnesota Centennial Showboat. "Sherlock's Last Case," performed by U theater students, runs through August 25. (Discounts now available on select performances.)

Salamanders of Appalachia
(July 17, 2007) For Kenneth Kozak, the Appalachian forests are salamander heaven. The University of Minnesota herpetologist is trying to find out what it is about this environment that enables the more than 15 salamander species to flourish there.

From bridges to bones
(July 17, 2007) Civil engineering professor Roberto Ballarini uses his knowledge of structures to find out how bones work, but especially how they don't. He hopes his work will lead to better ways to predict and treat fractures.

The St. Paul campus shows off its research on July 19
(July 13, 2007) The St. Paul campus will open its doors to its neighors on July 19 to show what research and discoveries come out of it labs and fields.

Neither standard nor poor
(July 13, 2007) An unprecedented infusion of 10 new faculty members will transform and rejuvenate the University of Minnesota's economics department. The department ranks as one of the top five worldwide in macroeconomics.

Brighter biking ahead near U
(July 10, 2007) The number of bike trails and designated lanes will soon increase dramatically near the Twin Cities campus, making two-wheeled commuting that much more pleasant.

Getting at the root of human behavior
(July 10, 2007) Matthew McGue has devoted his career to exploring how genes and the environment work together to explain our differences. McGue, a behavioral geneticist, was one of five University faculty recently named regents professors.

Mulch through hot, dry spells
(From eNews, July 5, 2007) One of the best things you can do for your plants through dry summer spells is apply mulch, advises U Extension educator Nancy Rose. Soil moisture can evaporate rapidly on hot, sunny days, but an inch or two of mulch can significantly reduce the water loss.

HBO actor returns to UMD
(July 3, 2007) UMD alum Joel McKinnon Miller, now a regular on HBO's new hit show "Big Love," will be teaching a workshop on acting for television at his alma mater.

The rat thing to do
(July 9, 2007) Rats take center stage at the Bell Museum's Rat Fest, the opening event in the museum's "Animals Behaving Badly" summer series.

Tapping a new pool of doctors
(July 3, 2007) For rural dwellers and minorities, finding a regular doctor can be tough. So two U medical students decided to tap a new pool of doctors for the pipeline.

Growing greener
(June 29, 2007) Want the walleye to disappear someday? Neither do we. The U's Sustainability Initiative is out to help the state preserve and conserve its natural resources.

Gardens of Eastcliff
(June 29, 2007) At the height of summer beauty, gardens of the historic University president's home were the site of the annual Friends of Eastcliff garden party, complete with gardening tips from horticulturist Deb Brown.

Putting a face on dementia
(June 26, 2007) At a weekly gathering hosted by a University of Minnesota professor, caregivers are learning from those with Alzheimer's disease--and vice versa.

The Coca-Cola kids
(June 24, 2007) The National Student Advertising Competition is the "World Series" of advertising and a team from the School of Journalism took home the title.

Clean Hub travels to New Orleans
(June 22, 2007; updated July 5) The Clean Hub is a portable, self-sustained structure designed by U students that provides basic sanitation services. In June, the Clean Hub prototype was sent off to its destination--a community park in New Orleans's Lower Ninth Ward, an area ravaged by Hurricane Katrina.

Showing their gratitude
(June 22, 2007) Gail Summers, who codirects the U's International Albinism Center, is using part of a grateful family's monetary gift to study driving performance in people with albinism.

Staff by day, artist by night
(June 20, 2007) You'll find giant paper cuts and a fish tricycle at the current Katherine E. Nash Gallery exhibit. "After Hours" is a multimedia exhibit by seven Department of Art staff through July 13, 2007.

What to do with fresh berries?
(June 21, 2007) Summer is here, and so is berry season! Strawberries, blackberries, raspberries... . University of Minnesota Extension has some tips to help you make yummy jams and jellies from fresh berries.

The whole world in his hands
(June 19, 2007) As issues of climate change become more urgent, the work of Peter Reich takes on added importance. Reich, a professor of forest resources, was one of five University faculty recently named regents professors.

School is in for the summer
(June 19, 2007) School's out for the summer, but for students at the Circle of Life School in White Earth, Minnesota, school is still the place to be. For the past nine years, The White Earth Academy of Math and Science has welcomed students seeking advancement in these two crucial areas.

Long live the peregrine falcons
(June 15, 2007) The U's Raptor Center is a mover and shaker when it comes to safeguarding the once-almost extinct peregrine falcon. On June 14, volunteers from the center banded three chicks at their nesting site in downtown Minneapolis.

Good-looking and affordable
(June 15, 2007) Twofer exhibit at the Goldstein Museum of Design offers historical look at innovative and eye-catching homes in the United States for low and moderate incomes.

A strike against stroke
(June 12, 2007) In the United States, stroke causes more longterm disability than any other condition and is the third leading cause of death. Stroke specialists at the University are out to change those statistics.

Goldstein museum is 30
(June 12, 2007; updated June 20, 2007) At the Goldstein Museum of Design's research center, students can get up close to everything from Roman glass to 21st century designer clothing. This year, the museum turns 30.

No dissing these dissertations
(June 12, 2007) Idyllic images of Vietnam helped sell the idea of an American military presence there, according to a winner of the U's 2007 Best Dissertation award.

Brand aids
(June 15, 2007) Successful brands can create an aura about things. But a few years ago, U professor Mary Vavrus noticed a new kind of branding: one that targets people.

Teachers who reach
(From M, summer 2007) The Distinguished Teaching Awards honor the best of the best.

Bruininks unveils tuition reform plan
(June 8, 2007; updated for Brief, June 13, 2007) The University of Minnesota is taking concrete steps to soften the burden of tuition for students on all of its campuses. On June 7 President Bob Bruininks discussed with the Board of Regents a multifaceted plan for tuition reform systemwide.

Umbilical cord blood is as good as bone marrow in treating leukemia
(June 8, 2008) The outcomes for childhood leukemia patients were as good with mismatched umbilical cord blood as with the best matched bone marrow. The difficulty of finding a match between donor and recipient has long hindered treatment of many patients, especially those from underrepresented racial groups.

Access your U
(From M, summer 2007) Learn about the benefits of a UMAA membership.

The U comes to you
(From M, summer 2007) This past winter, faculty and UMAA representatives visited towns across the state to stress the importance of the U.

A joint effort
(From M, summer 2007) Two hotbeds of creativity come together to inspire tomorrow's innovators

Wired about science
(From M, summer 2007) The Institute of Technology Alumni Society helps introduce children to science through TechFest

Goodall research more accessible
(From M, summer 2007) Private gifts spur digitization of Jane Goodalls' research, and software provides better access to data

On exhibit: a lasting gift
(From M, summer 2007) Three-dimensional painted aluminum constructions are among a vast collection bequeathed to the Weisman by modern artist Charles Biederman

The young and the generous
(From M, summer 2007) Recent grad jump-starts her philanthropy (even if it means going without caffeine)

Helping the next generation
(From M, summer 2007) Two multimillion-dollar gifts help U students embark on entrepreneurial pursuits

Whether man
( From M, summer 2007) One of the world's top market researchers, Lynn Lin often returns to his alma mater to meet with students.