Front Page News at Indiana University

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Educators from around the world convene on IU Bloomington campus
Two Indiana University schools collaborate through music and entrepreneurship
IU centers and SPEA sponsor lecture, conference on European Union
IU, Penn, MIT researchers seek creativity with new tech, old crafts
'Research & Creative Activity' magazine takes a look at beauty
IUPUI chemistry professor receives prestigious NIH grant
Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference returns to Cook Inc. for Nov. 13 event
Eye safety begins at home: Safeguard your home during eye injury prevention month
Upton Sinclair satirized, promoted healthful living
Indiana University physician receives national award for use of technology in pediatrics
Distinguished panel to discuss future of nuclear weapons at IU Bloomington Oct. 29
IU Bloomington Scoreboard

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Educators from around the world convene on IU Bloomington campus -- Six hundred college and university educators from 15 countries will converge on Indiana University Bloomington this week to share research and insights on what makes for effective teaching and learning. The International Society for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (ISSOTL) will have its annual conference Oct. 22-25 (Thursday-Sunday) on the IU Bloomington campus -- the same campus where the society had its launch five years ago. Scholars from Canada, China, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Taiwan, United Kingdom, Sweden, Norway, Poland, Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt and Ethiopia, as well as from hundreds of campuses throughout the U.S., will be in attendance to focus on how to enhance the understanding of student learning and guide teaching practices. Read the complete story.

Two Indiana University schools collaborate through music and entrepreneurship -- The Jacobs School of Music and the Kelley School of Business' Johnson Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at Indiana University are working in partnership to develop an entrepreneurial perspective for the next generation of musical leaders. The Jacobs School and the Johnson Center will present a symposium series this fall to IU music students focusing on "Embracing Entrepreneurship: Transforming Your Music Career." The first program on Oct. 24 will feature IU Jacobs School of Music graduate David Cutler. Cutler's presentation, "Embracing Entrepreneurship: How an Entrepreneurial Mindset Can Transform Your Career in Music," will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room 040 of the Musical Arts Center. A networking reception will be held immediately after the program. Read the complete story.

IU centers and SPEA sponsor lecture, conference on European Union -- The European Union Center and other academic units at Indiana University will sponsor a lecture and a day-long conference this week aimed at strengthening ties and communication between Indiana and the 27-nation European Union. On Thursday (Oct. 22), Mattias Sundholm, deputy spokesman for the European Commission Delegation to the United States, will speak at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs Atrium at IU Bloomington. The lecture, "The U.S. and the EU and the Global Economic Crisis," will take place from 2:30-3:30 p.m. and is open to the public. Read the complete story.

IU, Penn, MIT researchers seek creativity with new tech, old crafts -- A presentation on Saturday (Oct. 24) will examine how combining traditional arts and crafts such as embroidery with new technologies can spark creativity and learning for students. Leah Buechley, the "High-Low Tech Group" director at the Media Lab of Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), will give a free program called "How Will Technological Artifacts Impact Society?" from 10-11 a.m. in room 102 of the School of Fine Arts, 1201 E. Seventh St., in Bloomington. The presentation is provided by a three-year grant from the National Science Foundation that is bringing together learning scientists, computer scientists and art educators from Indiana University, MIT and the University of Pennsylvania to study "computational textiles" and how they can creatively engage youth in afterschool and school settings. Read the complete story.

'Research & Creative Activity' magazine takes a look at beauty -- What is beauty? Is it really only in the eye of the beholder? How do we decide what is beautiful, and what is not? The fall 2009 issue of Indiana University's award-winning Research & Creative Activity magazine reflects on the art and artifice of beauty, from makeover shows to music to what makes Cindy Crawford attractive. In an opening story, cultural studies expert Brenda Weber, an assistant professor in the Department of Gender Studies in the College of Arts and Sciences at IU Bloomington, looks at America's obsession with appearance, as manifested in makeover shows on television. Having viewed more than 2,500 hours of makeover TV, Weber says these 21st century shows are really versions of the oldest stories we know. Read the complete story.

IUPUI chemistry professor receives prestigious NIH grant -- The National Institute of Environmental Health Science at the National Institutes of Health recently awarded Dr. Lei Li, a tenure-track assistant professor in bioinorganic chemistry at the School of Science at IUPUI, a three year R00 grant for $750,000 exploring DNA damage and repair related to Ultraviolet (UV) light in endospore-forming bacteria. New to the School of Science this year, Li will engage undergraduates, graduates and post doctorate researchers in investigations focused on the DNA repair enzyme named spore photoproduct lyase (SPL). Understanding how the SPL enzyme repairs DNA UV damage will help scientists develop inhibitors to prevent the damage repair process. The goal of this research is the discovery of mechanisms leading to the death of the spores which cause diseases such as anthrax, botulism (food poising), and tetanus -- diseases that harm and even kill humans every day. Read the complete story.

Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference returns to Cook Inc. for Nov. 13 event -- The successful Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference Series will return to the Bloomington headquarters of one of the state's oldest and most successful companies, Cook Medical, for the second of its 2009-10 seminars on Friday, Nov. 13. The conference will focus on the topic of comparative effectiveness research, which provides and disseminates information on the relative strengths and weaknesses of various medical therapies. As part of the nearly $800 billion federal program created through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, $1.1 billion has been allocated for comparative effectiveness research. Read the complete story.

Eye safety begins at home: Safeguard your home during eye injury prevention month -- More than half of all eye injuries occur in the home - so take time to safeguard your home to prevent injuries that could result in the loss of sight. "Much of what we advise is common sense, but it bears repeating if it will save one individual from potential vision loss or damage to his or her eyes," says Louis B. Cantor, M.D., chairman of the Department of Ophthalmology at the Indiana University School of Medicine. "It's a good idea to secure loose railings, soften sharp edges and eliminate slippery stairs in the home. The presence of any one of these can lead to falls and injuries for senior citizens - and other members of the household." The American Academy of Ophthalmology has proclaimed October as Eye Injury Prevention Month. Nearly half of the country's annual 2.5 million eye injuries take place in the home, and 11 percent of those are caused by slips and falls. AAO's Eye Injury Prevention Month serves as a reminder to seniors and adults of all ages to make certain their homes are safe and that injuries, particularly those to the eyes, are prevented. Read the complete story.

Upton Sinclair satirized, promoted healthful living -- Literary giant Upton Sinclair, best known for his social and economic commentary, is introduced as a Progressive Era health reformer in Unseen Sinclair, Nine Unpublished Stories, Essays and Other Works, edited by Indiana University health historian Ruth Clifford Engs. The Jungle, Sinclair's exposé of the meatpacking industry in the early 20th century, marked the tipping point that led to the Pure Food and Drug Act in the U.S. But there was more. While researching the people and personalities of the Progressive Era, Engs frequently came across Sinclair's imprint, in the form of writings, letters to the editor of newspapers and correspondence with other reformers. "What I found was that he was involved with all sorts of reforms, from personal diet and exercise to eugenics and sexually transmitted disease prevention," said Engs, author of several books that explore Progressive Era movements and reformers. Read the complete story.

Indiana University physician receives national award for use of technology in pediatrics -- Stephen M. Downs, M.D., M.S., Indiana University School of Medicine associate professor of pediatrics and a Regenstrief Institute affiliated scientist, will receive the Byron B. Oberst Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics at its Oct. 17- 20 annual meeting in Washington, D.C. Each year, the Oberst Award recognizes a pediatrician who has made outstanding contributions to the use of health information technology in pediatrics. Dr. Downs is director of Children's Health Services Research at IU School of Medicine. He directs Regenstrief's Informatics Research Training Program and is a Riley Hospital for Children physician. Read the complete story.

Distinguished panel to discuss future of nuclear weapons at IU Bloomington Oct. 29 -- The Center on American and Global Security and the India Studies Program at Indiana University have invited a distinguished panel of experts to present a symposium on "The Future of Nuclear Weapons." The symposium will take place from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 29, in the Dogwood Room of the Indiana Memorial Union, 900 E. Seventh St., Bloomington. This event is free and open to the public. Participating in the symposium will be Robert Jervis, John J. Mearsheimer, Gideon Rose and Stephen Schwartz. Read the complete story.

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Indiana University Bloomington Scoreboard

Results from Friday, Oct. 16:
Women's Volleyball: IU Volleyball put a charge into Friday night's Hoosier Hysteria festivities, jump-starting the evening with a 3-0 sweep over the Iowa Hawkeyes. Read the match notes.
Men's Tennis: The Indiana men's tennis team had a good day on day one of the Louisville Winter Invitational. All four Hoosiers advanced through the first round of singles action, and Stephen Vogl and Isade Juneau advanced in doubles action. Read the tournament notes.

Results from Saturday, Oct. 17:
Men's and Women's Cross Country: It was a clean sweep for the Hoosiers at the Sam Bell Invitational, as the men recorded a perfect score of 15 and the women won with four runners in the top ten. Read the day's notes.
Field Hockey: Redshirt freshman Morgan Fleetwood and senior Haley Funk each netted a goal as the Indiana field hockey team knocked off No. 16 Northwestern, 2-1. Read the game notes.
Men's Tennis: Freshman Isade Juneau advanced to the final of his first collegiate tournament. Juneau won two singles matches to advance to the Sunday semifinal at the Louisville Winter Invitational. Read the tournament notes.
Football: The Hoosiers defeated the Fighting Illini 27-14 in the Homecoming game. Read the game notes.

Results from Sunday, Oct. 18:
Women's Volleyball: The Hoosiers fell short in a five-set defeat by the hands of the Wisconsin Badgers. Read the match notes.
Women's Soccer: The Indiana women's soccer team earned a 0-0 tie at the University of Michgan on Sunday afternoon in Big Ten Conference play. Read the match notes.
Men's Soccer: The Indiana men's soccer team fell 0-1 to Michigan State. Read the match notes.
Men's Tennis: Isade Juneau advanced to his second singles final in as many collegiate tournaments. He won his semifinal matchup in straight sets before falling to Alex Das of Eastern Kentucky. The Hoosiers also advanced doubles tandem Will Kendall and Tommy Aliber to a consolation final on the day. Read the tournament notes.

Schedule for Wednesday, Oct. 21:
Men's Soccer: Louisville, 7 p.m., Louisville, Ky.

Schedule for Thursday, Oct. 22:
Women's Tennis: ITA Regional, Cincinnati, Ohio
Men's Tennis: ITA Region 8, Bloomington, Ind.

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IU in the news

Treating Dementia, but Overlooking Its Physical Toll
New York Times, Oct. 19 -- Dementia is often viewed as a disease of the mind, an illness that erases treasured memories but leaves the body intact. But dementia is a physical illness, too -- a progressive, terminal disease that shuts down the body as it attacks the brain. Although the early stages can last for years, the life expectancy of a patient with advanced dementia is similar to that of a patient with advanced cancer. The lack of understanding about the physical toll of dementia means that many patients near the end of life are subjected to aggressive treatments that would never be considered with another terminal illness. People with advanced dementia are often given dialysis and put on ventilators; they may even get preventive care that cannot possibly help them, like colonoscopies and drugs for osteoporosis or high cholesterol. "You can go to an intensive-care unit in most places," said Dr. Greg A. Sachs, chief of general internal medicine and geriatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine, "and you'll find people with dementia getting very aggressive treatment." Full story.

Study ranks Indiana U. among top Tweeting schools
Associated Press, Oct. 18 -- Indiana University is living the tweet life. A new survey puts IU among the top 7 percent of collegiate users of the social networking site Twitter. The September survey by UniversitiesandColleges.org ranked IU sixth for its number of university-affiliated Twitter accounts, fourth for number of Twitter followers and eighth for total "tweets," or text-based messages, sent per day. IU had 16 Twitter accounts, compared with seven at Purdue University. The University of Notre Dame had eight accounts. Filippo Menczer, a professor of informatics and computing at IU, said the next step for social networking could be for university departments to have social media communicators who post on Twitter and Facebook. He said many students say they'd rather see class information posted on Facebook instead of a Web site. Full story.

Experts doubt effectiveness of US sanctions on Iran
AFP, Oct. 18 -- A flurry of congressional measures aimed at toughening US sanctions on Iran to pressure the Islamic republic to abandon its suspect nuclear program will likely have little to no impact, experts say. Congress sent President Barack Obama legislation on Thursday that bars foreign firms that sell petroleum products to Iran from winning US government deals. "In general, we have seen that sanctions against Iran have not been effective. What they do is they drive up the cost of Iranians doing business," said Indiana University professor Jamsheed Choksy. "The current sanctions that have just been passed by Congress and the future ones that they are also contemplating are also likewise not to be effective." Full story.

Field Study: Just How Relevant Is Political Science?
New York Times, Oct. 19 -- After Senator Tom Coburn, Republican of Oklahoma, this month proposed prohibiting the National Science Foundation from "wasting any federal research funding on political science projects," political scientists rallied in opposition, pointing out that one of this year's Nobel winners had been a frequent recipient of the very program now under attack. Yet even some of the most vehement critics of the Coburn proposal acknowledge that political scientists themselves vigorously debate the field's direction, what sort of questions it pursues, even how useful the research is. Much of the political science work financed by the National Science Foundation is both rigorous and valuable, said Jeffrey C. Isaac, a professor at Indiana University in Bloomington, where one new winner of the Nobel in economic science, the political scientist Elinor Ostrom, teaches. "But we're kidding ourselves if we think this research typically has the obvious public benefit we claim for it," he said. "We political scientists can and should do a better job of making the public relevance of our work clearer and of doing more relevant work." Full story.

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