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New Books Published by French and Italian Scholars Three faculty members in the Department of French and Italian at UC Santa Barbara have published new books ranging in subject from deadly medieval theater to Scheherazade’s Lovers to the culture of secrecy in early modern Europe. They include "Murder By Accident: Theater, Medievalism, and Critical Intentions" by Jody Enders, professor of French and Theater; "Les Amoureuz de Schéhérazade: Variations Modernes Sur les Mille et Une Nuits," which translates to "Scheherazade’s Lovers: Modern Variations on the Thousand and One Nights," by Dominique Jullien, professor of French and comparative literature; and "Dissimulation and the Culture of Secrecy in Early Modern Europe" by Jon R. Snyder, professor of Italian Studies and comparative literature, chair of the Department of French and Italian, and chair of UCSB’s Consortium on Literature, Theory, and Culture. 11/12/09 PRESS RELEASE
Fulbright Scholars From Canada, Europe, and the Middle East to Study at UCSB The Fulbright Scholar Program has awarded grants to seven researchers from Korea, Spain, Canada, and the Middle East to study at UC Santa Barbara during the 2009-10 academic year. They include Monica-Gabriela Cojocaru of Canada; Guillermo Rico Camps, Carlos Miguel Tamarit Degenhardt, and Javier Vidal Hurtado of Spain; Kyu Hyun Kim of Korea, Ruben Mirakyan of Armenia; and Kyung Hee Suh, also of Korea.
While at UCSB, the scholars will be affiliated with the Departments of Statistics and Applied Probability; Political Science; the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics; Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology; Religious Studies; and Linguistics. 11/10/09 PRESS RELEASE

New UC Santa Barbara Police Chief Takes Up Duties Dustin Olson has taken up his duties as the new Chief of Police at UC Santa Barbara. Olson, formerly the Assistant Chief of Police at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, was appointed to his UCSB post after a nationwide search. His appointment took effect Monday, November 4. He succeeds former Chief Bill Bean, who retired in June after 34 years of service to the UCSB Police Department, the last four years as chief 11/3/09 PRESS RELEASE

UCSB Scientists Say Size of Area Lagoons Can Be Predicted The size of Santa Barbara area lagoons can be predicted, according to a new study by UC Santa Barbara scientists, who say that their research could help protect the endangered steelhead trout. Concern for the survival of the steelhead prompted Andrew Rich, a doctoral student in earth science at UCSB, to study lagoons in the Santa Barbara area with his advisor, Edward Keller, professor of Earth Science. Their analysis of 23 small coastal lagoons near Santa Barbara indicates that the variability of lagoon area, length, volume, and average width can be explained by the variability of the slope of streams above the lagoon, and total annual rainfall. 11/2/09 PRESS RELEASE
UCSB Joins in $20 Million Grant for Vision Research Using Stem Cells UCSB will receive $2.5 million of a $20 million, multi-institution grant for vision research. The research will focus on macular degeneration, the major cause of visual impairment in the elderly. The grant, from the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and the UK Medical Research Council (MRC), will cover preclinical tests utilizing human embryonic stem cells, as part of an effort to get federal approval for clinical trials. CIRM will provide $15.9 million for work in California, and the MRC will add $4.1 million to fund collaborative work in London. 10/28/09 PRESS RELEASE

UCSB Announces First-Ever Sustainability Champions Food and energy — two of the world’s most important resources — are what fuel the research and fervor of UC Santa Barbara’s first-ever Sustainability Champions. For David Cleveland, a professor of environmental studies, and Eric Matthys, a professor of environmental studies and mechanical engineering, the chance to be UCSB faculty leaders on campus sustainability issues is exciting and brimming with opportunity. Cleveland has been named the champion for 2009-10, while Matthys will assume the role for 2010-11. 10/22/09 PRESS RELEASE

Geologist Analyzes Earliest Shell-Covered Fossil Animals The fossil remains of some of the first animals with shells, ocean-dwelling creatures that measure a few centimeters in length and date to about 520 million years ago, provide a window on evolution at this time, according to scientists. The research, led by John Moore, a graduate student in the Department of Earth Science at UCSB, indicates that these animals were larger than previously thought. 10/21/09 PRESS RELEASE

UCSB Anthropologist Studies Human Life Span, Evolution of Physiology A remote Amazonian tribe in central Bolivia may offer proof that heart attack and stroke — the leading causes of death in the United States and other developed countries — were rare occurrences throughout most of human history. According to Michael Gurven, professor of anthropology at UCSB, the tribe, known as the Tsimane, may also prove that chronic inflammation, a condition currently associated with cardiovascular disease, may not play as great a role as medical research has suggested. 10/19/09 PRESS RELEASE
UCSB Joins with Leading Asian Institute to Develop Green Electronics UC Santa Barbara and the Institute of Microelectronics (IME) of Singapore have entered into a "green electronics" research collaboration agreement focused on developing ultra-efficient nanoscale transistors and exploring their circuit-level functionality. The collaboration will be led by Kaustav Banerjee, professor of electrical and computer engineering and an affiliated faculty member of the Institute for Energy Efficiency (IEE) at UCSB, and by Navab Singh at IME. 10/14/09 PRESS RELEASE
UCSB Alumna Carol Greider Awarded 2009 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine Carol W. Greider, a 1983 graduate of the University of California, Santa Barbara, has been awarded the 2009 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Greider shares the Nobel with Elizabeth H. Blackburn and Jack W. Szostak. The three were honored for the discovery of "how chromosomes are protected by telomeres and the enzyme telomerase." 10/5/09 PRESS RELEASE
Federal Stimulus Grants Support Diverse Research at UCSB With funds made available through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA), more than 40 grants already have been awarded to research projects at UC Santa Barbara. In addition, 79 proposals are currently under review by their respective federal granting agencies. Also known as the economic stimulus package, the ARRA was passed by Congress in February. The grants, many of which come from the National Science Foundation, the National Institutes of Health, and the Department of Energy, support a broad range of research at UCSB. 9/28/09 PRESS RELEASE

UCSB Unveils New Education, Social Sciences, Media Studies Complex The newest addition to UC Santa Barbara is an impressive three-building complex that adds 209,750 square feet of high-tech classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, and much more to the west side of the campus. The long-planned complex includes the Social Sciences & Media Studies building, which houses various departments of the College of Letters & Science. Next door is the Education Building, home of the Gevirtz Graduate School of Education, the Koegel Autism Center, and the Hosford Counseling Clinic. The third structure is the Pollock Theater, part of the Carsey-Wolf Center for Film, Television and New Media. 9/22/09 PRESS RELEASE
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