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Lawrence University Molecular Biologist Awarded Fulbright Fellowship

APPLETON, WIS. — A Lawrence University molecular biologist has been awarded a $25,000 grant by the Fulbright Scholar Program to conduct research at the Karolinska Institutet outside Stockholm, Sweden.

Elizabeth De Stasio, associate professor of biology and Raymond H. Herzog Professor in Science at Lawrence, conducts research on muscle function, deftly manipulating pieces of DNA in C. elegans — tiny worms about as long as the thickness of a dime. She will spend six months beginning next January investigating the role a protein called DAF-19 plays in regulating the function of various genes that in turn affect nerve function and maintenance.

The loss of connections between nerves — synapses — is believed to be a contributing factor in cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer’s disease. De Stasio’s research at the Karolinska Institutet will focus on the effects of mutant DAF-19 on synaptic protein expression. The study will determine if C. elegans could be successfully used as a model system for studying Alzheimer’s disease-like decline.

“While a great deal has been learned from studying Alzheimer’s disease in humans, much of the evidence is necessarily correlative in nature,” said De Stasio, who conducted research in Uppsula, Sweden as a graduate student. “Only by also using model organisms for research can causation be determined fully.

“It was recently discovered that, just like human Alzheimer’s patients, DAF-19 mutant animals that reach advanced stages of adulthood also have strongly reduced levels of synaptic proteins. It remains to be seen whether these worms have problems similar to those of Alzheimer’s patients. One goal of my fellowship research will be to determine whether animals missing the DAF-19 protein have age-related defects in learning and memory relative to normal animals.”

A 1983 summa cum laude graduate of Lawrence, De Stasio has previously collaborated with 2002 Nobel Prize winner H. Robert Horvitz on research into the ways nerves and muscles communicate.

She joined the Lawrence biology department in 1992 under the auspices of a $700,000 grant from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute to establish the college’s first program in molecular biology. A recipient of Lawrence’s Outstanding Young Teacher award in 1996, she earned her Ph.D. from Brown University.

De Stasio was awarded her Fulbright Fellowship through the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), which administers the Fulbright Scholar Program for U.S. faculty and professionals. She was selected from research proposals submitted in disciplines ranging from the sciences to the fine arts.

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Scholar Program provides grants for teaching and research positions in more than 120 countries worldwide. Fulbright grants are generally awarded for six-month periods.

Lawrence University Quizbowl Team Places 8th at National Championships

APPLETON — Considering Lawrence University’s quizbowl team didn’t even exist six months ago, reaching the finals of the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ (NAQT) Intercollegiate Championship, was cause for celebration.

Competing April 11-12 in the nation’s largest, most prestigious quizbowl event for college students at Washington University in St. Louis, Lawrence’s four-person team finished eighth out of 32 teams.

“Everyone contributed and we reached our goal,” said freshman Greg Peterson, Park Ridge, Ill., who organized the team late last fall and led the team to the tournament hoping to reach the eight-team championship bracket. “For a school that hasn’t competed in a national quizbowl tournament before, to place eighth out of 32 is something to be proud of.”

Lawrence cruised through the eight-team preliminary bracket, posting a 6-1 record, suffering its only loss to eventual overall champion Carleton College. Swarthmore College and Brandeis University were among the teams Lawrence defeated in advancing to the championship bracket.

In the finals, Lawrence lost to Western Ontario (240-190), Dartmouth (250-245), Truman State (285-230) and MIT (225-210) before rallying from an 85-point deficit to stun Cornell University 260-220. The team closed the championship round with a 245-190 loss to Princeton to finish 1-5 in the playoffs, 7-6 overall and eighth for the tournament.

“We just couldn’t seem to keep firing on all cylinders for a full match,” said Peterson of the finals. “The Cornell match was great, though. At one point, we were down -5 to 80.”

Sophomore Michael Schreiber and freshmen Richard Wanerman and Emily Koenig joined Peterson in representing Lawrence, which finished the tournament ahead of teams from Carnegie Mellon, Grinnell, Harvard, Stanford and Washington University, among others. Peterson finished the tournament first individually among 134 Division II players with an average of 66.67 points per game.

Narrative, Ideological Conventions of French Opera Examined in Lawrence Address

APPLETON, WIS. — Music historian Susan McClary presents “The Dragon Cart: The Femme-Fatale in 17th-Century French Opera” Wednesday, April 16 at 6 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Harper Hall. A reception with the speaker will follow the presentation, which is free and open to the public.

McClary, professor of musicology at UCLA, will discuss two operas — Jean-Baptiste Lully’s “Armide” and Marc-Antoine Charpentier’s “Medee” — in which sorceresses literally fly away at the end of the work, rather than be held accountable by society for their crimes. The talk will examine the conditions that allowed those works to defy the usual narrative and ideological conventions of the time, where plot tensions typically were resolved and the social order was restored.

A scholar of cultural criticism and critical theory of music, McClary has written widely on feminism and gender issues. In her 1991 book “Feminine Endings,” she examines cultural constructions of gender, sexuality and the body in musical works ranging from early 17th-century opera to the songs of Madonna. She also is the author of “Conventional Wisdom,” an exploration of the ways shared musical practices transmit social knowledge.

McClary, who earned her Ph.D. at Harvard University, was a 1995 recipient of the prestigious $500,000 MacArthur Fellowship, the so-called “genius grant” and is a former chair of the board of directors for the American Council of Learned Societies.

Her appearance is supported by the William A. Chaney Lectureship in the Humanities.

Lawrence University Student Musical Productions Presents “Cabaret”

APPLETON, WIS. — In an edgy portrayal of blossoming romance in the seedy nightlife of late-1920s Berlin, Lawrence University Student Musical Productions presents the Tony award-winning musical “Cabaret.”

The musical will be performed April 17-19 at 8 p.m. in Cloak Theatre of the Lawrence Music-Drama Center, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton. Tickets, at $10 for adults and $5 for students and senior citizens, are available at the Lawrence University Box Office, 920-832-6749.

Set at the dawn of Hitler’s rise to power, the musical reveals a tumultuous political atmosphere and the decadence of Berlin’s Kit Kat Klub cabaret. The growing influence of the Nazi regime is viewed through the eyes of a young American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, whose love affair with one of the show’s dancers, Sally Bowles, becomes increasingly threatened.

Directed by senior David Hanzal, the production features sophomore Chad Bay as Bradshaw, senior Danielle Cartun as Bowles and sophomore Nikko Benson as the emcee, the Kit Kat Klub’s master of ceremonies of the Kit Kat Klub.

The original 1966 version of “Carabet” was honored with 10 Tony Awards, including best musical and best composer and lyricist.

Lawrence University Science Presentation Takes 3-D Look at the Solar System

APPLETON, WIS. — With the help of special 3-D glasses, planetary scientist Nick Schneider offers a unique look at the solar system in a slide-illustrated address at Lawrence University.

Schneider, associate professor of astrophysical and planetary sciences at the University of Colorado, presents “The Solar System in 3-D and the Latest News from Saturn” Monday, April 14 at 7 p.m. in Youngchild Hall 121. The event is free and open to the public.

Through a special collection of three-dimensional images, Schneider will reveal the inner workings of the major planets and most of their moons in our solar system, providing the sensation of actually visiting these distant objects. Schneider also will discuss the latest discoveries of Saturn, its rings and moons made by the Cassini spacecraft, which is currently orbiting the planet.

Schneider, whose research focuses on the escaping atmospheres of planets and moons, is a member of Colorado’s Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and the author of the astronomy textbook “The Cosmic Perspective.” A native of Appleton, he is the son of Lawrence professor emeritus of English Ben Schneider.

His visit is sponsored by the Shapley Lectureship program of the American Astronomical Society. The lecture series honors Harlow Shapley, a pioneering American astronomer whose research helped place our solar system within the context of the galaxy and the universe.

Lawrence University Artist Series Presents American Brass Quintet

APPLETON, WIS. — The American Brass Quintet, one of the country’s oldest and most distinguished brass chamber ensembles, brings its breathtaking sound to the stage of the Lawrence Memorial Chapel, 510 E. College Ave., Appleton, Saturday, April 19 at 8 p.m. in the final concert of the 2007-08 Lawrence University Artist Series.

Tickets, at $20-22 for adults, $17-19 for seniors, and $15-17 for students, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749.

In addition to their concert, members of the quintet will conduct a pair of master classes on Saturday from 12:30 -1:40 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. – 12 noon. Both will be held in the Chapel and are free and open to the public.

Hailed as the “Rolls Royce of brass quintets” by the Baltimore Sun, the American Brass Quintet has commissioned a prolific number of chamber brass works, premiered more than 100 pieces and recorded more than 50 albums since its founding in 1960. Their latest CD, “Jewels,” is a compilation of the ensemble’s favorite repertoire from earlier decades to more recent compositions.

“For nearly five decades, the American Brass Quintet has been famous for their unparalleled virtuosity and incredible musicianship,” said Jeff Stannard, associate dean of the Lawrence conservatory of music and trumpet player with the Lawrence Brass. “They have commissioned, performed and recorded more music than any brass quintet in the world. This concert is sure to showcase their immense talents and range.”

Internationally recognized as one of the premiere chamber music ensembles of this generation, the American Brass Quintet has performed in all 50 states as well as throughout the world, filling concert halls in Europe, Central and South America, the Middle East, Asia, and Australia. The ensemble maintains a residency at both The Julliard School and the Aspen Music Festival and School.

Lawrence University Hosts Poets Lyn Hejinian, Ilya Kutik for Reading, Q & A

APPLETON, WIS. — Award winning American poet Lyn Hejinian and Russian poet Ilya Kutik will give a reading of their respective works Tuesday, April 15 at 7:30 p.m. in Lawrence University’s Wriston Art Center auditorium. A reception and book signing will follow the reading.

Prior to their reading, Hejinian and Kutik will conduct a question-and-answer session Monday, April 14 at 4:30 p.m. in Main Hall 216. Both events are free and open to the public.

Hejinian is the author of more than a dozen books of poetry, including her autobiographical collection “My Life,” “The Fatalist,” “A Border Comedy” and “The Cold of Poetry” as well as numerous books of essays and two volumes of translations of works by Russian poet Arkadii Dragomoshchenko.

A professor of English at the University of California-Berkeley, Hejinian is a fellow of the Academy of American Poets and was elected a chancellor of the academy in 2006. Her numerous honors and awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Translation Fellowship.

Kutik, one of the founders of the Russian poetic movement known as “meta-realism,” teaches Russian literature at Northwestern University. He has published five volumes of poetry and translations, including “The Death of Tragedy,” “Odysseus’ Bow” and the “Pentathlon of the Senses.” He also has written three books of essays and criticism. His most recent book, “Epic,” is scheduled for publication this spring in Moscow.

Hejinian’s and Kutik’s appearance are supported by the Mia T. Paul Poetry Fund and the Stevens Lectureship Fund.

Revived Quizbowl Team Earns Lawrence University Ticket to National Championships

APPLETON, WIS. — Lawrence University freshman Greg Peterson knows his history. And his literature, science and fine arts.

Peterson has put all that knowledge to good use as the driving force behind a revival of Lawrence’s once-dominant college quizbowl team.

Looking to return Lawrence to national prominence in the world of questions-and-answers competition, Peterson is off to a great start. After organizing a team last fall, he already has Lawrence heading to the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ (NAQT) Intercollegiate Championship, the nation’s largest, most prestigious quizbowl event for college students.

Lawrence will be among 32 teams from around the country competing April 11-12 at the national tournament hosted by Washington University in St. Louis. Lawrence’s four-person team will match wits against teams from such Ivy League powerhouses as Harvard, Cornell, Princeton and Dartmouth universities, as well as brainiacs from Swarthmore and MIT.

As a fledgling program, Peterson and his teammates will participate in NAQT’s Division II tournament, which is reserved for undergraduate students on teams in either their first or second year of existence and who have not previously qualified for the national tournament.

“We won’t be considered ‘national champions’ if we win because we’re competing in Division II,” said Peterson of Park Ridge, Ill. “But we could say we’re the best ‘new’ quizbowl team in the country.”

The current NAQT competition is a stepchild of the once-popular television program known as the “GE College Bowl,” which was sponsored by General Electric and ran on national television from 1959-70. Originally hosted by Allen Ludden, the show was televised weekly on Saturdays and Sundays, pitting college teams from around the country. During the 1964-65 season, Lawrence was a five-time winner on the program — the maximum number of appearances allowed — returning to campus from New York City to a hero’s welcome after earning a silver trophy, $10,500 in scholarship money and national recognition.

“I knew that Lawrence had done well on the old GE College Bowl program, but I couldn’t figure out why no one had competed since then,” said Peterson. “There was a buzzer system in place to practice and there was talent available on campus, but for some reason they just weren’t being put together. Liberal arts colleges like Lawrence are perfect for quizbowl. The game covers so many different categories that you need well-rounded players who can answer questions on everything from biochemistry to Russian literature to prime-time TV.”

Peterson was an obvious choice to restart Lawrence’s efforts on the college quizbowl circuit. He participated in Illinois’ “Scholastic Bowl” for two years in high school and last summer reached the finals of the teen tournament on the popular television show “Jeopardy!.” Despite racking up an impressive two-day total of $38,600, he missed winning the teen tournament title by an agonizing $1.

Shortly after arriving on campus last September, he went searching for fellow students who shared his passion for the game. In October, Peterson represented Lawrence as a team of one at a tournament in Chicago, placing sixth all by himself out of 24 teams.

With the subsequent additions of fellow freshmen Richard Wanerman, Emily Koenig and Catherine Albright, Lawrence competed in four more tournaments between November and early March, finishing first in three of them. A five-way tie for first among 14 teams at a sectional tournament in early February at the University of Chicago earned Lawrence a ticket to the nationals in St. Louis.

Due to a conflict, Albright won’t be able to participate at the national tournament. Sophomore Michael Schreiber will join Peterson, Wanerman and Koenig in representing Lawrence.

At nationals, the 32-team field will be divided into four pools of eight teams. The top two finishing teams in each pool will advance to the championship bracket.

“Some of the really strong schools from our region you would expect to be there, like Northwestern and the University of Chicago, won’t be there because Lawrence took their spot,” Peterson said with just a hint of gloating.

Quizbowl tournaments typically feature head-to-head competitions between two teams of four members each. “A 10-point “toss-up” question opens play, with the first team to answer correctly given the opportunity to answer a 30-point, multiple-part bonus question. A total of 20 toss-up questions are asked per game.

“My goal for the national tournament is to get into the championship bracket,” said Peterson. “Knowing that we’ll be competing against teams from Stanford, Cornell and Dartmouth, it will be tough, but I think we can do it.”

Criminal Justice Professor Discusses Radical Islam in Address at Lawrence University

APPLETON, WIS. — Harvey Kushner, professor of criminal justice and security administration at Long Island University, delivers the address “Radical Islam and What To Do About It” Wednesday, April 9 at 7:30 p.m. in Youngchild Hall, 121. The event is free and open to the public.

An internationally recognized authority on terrorism and security matters, Kushner has lectured throughout the world, addressing governmental agencies, corporate entities and university think tanks, among them the FBI Academy’s Behavioral Science Unit, the United Nations Congress in Vienna, Austria, and the U.S. Naval War College. He also has served as an trainer and advisor to the FBI, the Federal Aviation Administration and the U.S. Customs and Borders agency.

During a 30-year career, Kushner has served as an expert witness in several high-profile court cases involving international terrorism, including a civil litigation suit arising from the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. He is the author of the 2004 book “Holy War on the Home Front: The Secret Islamist Terrorist Network in the United States” and the “Encyclopedia of Terrorism,” which was recognized with the American Library Association’s Best Reference Award.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Queens College and a Ph.D. in political science from New York University.

Kushner’s appearance is sponsored by the Viking Conservatives student organization.

Mosaic of Cultures: Lawrence University Hosts 13th Annual International Cabaret

APPLETON, WIS. — For the first time in its history, members of Lawrence International will stage two performances of its annual cabaret show celebrating music, dance and cuisine from around the world.

“Mosaic of Cultures,” the theme for this year’s event, will be performed Saturday, April 12 at 6:30 p.m. with an encore performance Sunday, April 13 at 3 p.m. Both will be staged in Stansbury Theatre, 420 E. College Ave., Appleton. Following Sunday’s performance, a dinner featuring native dishes from Africa and the sub-continent will be served in Lucinda’s in Colman Hall.

Tickets, at $10 for the performance and $15 for the performance and dinner, are available through the Lawrence Box Office, 920-832-6749. Children six and under are free.

“The cabaret is a wonderful opportunity for our international students to share a piece of their native culture with the Lawrence and Fox Valley communities. They always perform with great passion and enthusiasm,” said Tim Schmidt, coordinator of international student services.

More than 80 students from nearly 50 countries will entertain with a variety of performances. Cabaret favorites such as traditional African dances, the Dominican Republic’s merengue and the Middle East’s belly dance return. Also scheduled are two violin performances, Chinese singing and dancing, steel pan percussion from Jamaica and a fashion show showcasing traditional dress from around the world.