Summer 2008
Features
Soldiers’ Stories
We spoke with alumni in the military about their experiences. They range from infantrymen and aviators to doctors, engineers and chaplains.
A Sound for All Seasons
Student leadership, always at the heart of UVA's band, is helping guide the group to a new level.
The Hair Detective
Through isotopic hair analysis, environmental sciences professor Stephen Macko can tell what his students ate for breakfast and what Oetzi the iceman enjoyed during an ancient repast.
The Continuing Education of Ms. Groves
After a rocky first year in an Atlanta school, Groves decided to put her Harvard master's degree to work in the community that first helped her.
Puzzling Appearance
The author and editor of more than 150 books, founder of the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament and subject of the 2006 documentary Wordplay, Shortz returned to Grounds on April 3 to deliver a lecture and challenge his audience with puzzles.
Thirst for Knowledge
When more than a billion people lack clean drinking water, the efforts of two UVA students might seem like a drop in the bucket.
Three History Amigos
BackStory, a weekly call-in radio show, features UVA historians Peter Onuf and Brian Balogh teamed with Ed Ayers, president of the University of Richmond and a former UVA historian and dean, as the "history guys," and their on-air patter might beg comparisons with Click and Clack of NPR’s Car Talk.
Bookmarked: Digital Collections at UVA
Digital Collections at UVA
Verbatim
"Orbiting the earth, as thrilling as it is, is not exploring space."
Opportunity, Not Poverty
The third-year economics student won a 2008 Truman Scholarship, worth about $30,000, for his leadership potential and commitment to public service. With sufficient credits to receive his bachelor’s degree this spring, he plans to pursue a master’s degree in public policy this fall.
Close Call
The prospect of asteroids smashing into Earth might seem highly unlikely, but for astronomers like UVA research scientist Greg Black, it’s a scenario to be taken seriously. A large asteroid could cause catastrophic damage; asteroids have hit the planet many times in the past and may have caused the extinction of the dinosaurs.
Return on Investment
Gustafson has used her skills in making a living as an investor to give back to the University, and for her contributions the UVA Women’s Center selected her for its 2008 Distinguished Alumna Award.
Overfertilized
Galloway’s work earned him the 2008 Tyler Environmental Prize, which is administered by the University of Southern California and is considered the equivalent of the Nobel Prize in the fields of environmental science, energy and environmental health.
Cartoon Flaps
A cartoon that caused an uproar after its publication in the student newspaper last year was at the center of another wave of controversy this spring.
A Career in Caring
Lancaster will step down in August as dean of the UVA School of Nursing. She has held the position since 1989, making her the longest tenured dean on Grounds.
An Olympic First
Cromer (Col ’02, Grad ’03) was an All-American at UVA, and visions of standing on the winners’ podium at the Olympics bring a smile to her face.
Twenty-five Love
Few things in sports rank up there with an undefeated season. Except, maybe, having hometown fans set an attendance record in the process.
Hoopla for Singletary
He became the fifth Cavalier to score 2,000 points (2,062), and he is the only player in ACC history to have 2,000 career points, 500 career assists, 400 career rebounds and 200 career steals.
Having a Ball
Prum began playing professional paintball—where two teams play capture-the-flag by shooting at each other on a battlefield of inflated bunkers—his second year at UVA. After graduating, he plans to move to San Diego to work for KEE Action Sports, one of his team’s sponsors.
Top of Their Game
They have no coaches. They have little money. And they have no adequate University practice facilities. But the men’s and women’s squash teams at UVA have lots of spunk and talent, judging from national championships they brought home from a tournament at Harvard in February.
Giving Back with Sacks
Patrick Kerney has a job with a simple description—get the quarterback.
Right Place, Right Time
Freed has to play the role of mentor and psychologist, and on occasion she has to trot out to the circle and talk to a Cavalier pitcher, even though she hated when coaches did that to her as a player.
No Balking at Relief
It comes as little surprise that O’Leary would tackle an issue like Katrina relief with such energy. She played volleyball at UVA as a first- and second-year, then joined the softball team. She saw time as a pitcher early in her career before becoming a full-time outfielder.
New & Notable
Nine new books from alumni and faculty.
Required Reading: Michael J. Klarman
A leading authority on the history of civil rights law, UVA law professor Michael J. Klarman won the 2005 Bancroft Prize for his book From Jim Crow to Civil Rights.
Heating Up
Sparky’s Flaw is a classic story of a high school garage band made good, and is as homegrown as they come.
Carnival Atmosphere
Since 2006, John Mason has been using his skills with a camera to capture the spirit and color of Carnival in Cape Town.
Bringing Ideas Together
The center, located on two acres on Maury Avenue, is scheduled for completion by the beginning of the 2009 fall semester.
Windows on the World
The International Media Wall displays news, sports and cultural programs from other countries on four screens in Alderman Library.
Deep-Rooted Politics
Research suggests that political affiliation may be the result of something deeper than conscious identification with an ideology.
What Makes Snakes Scary?
A study by University psychologists suggests that fear of certain animals may be innate in humans.
Hacked
A doctoral student in computer engineering finds security flaws in an RFID chip commonly used in subway passes.
All Aboard the Campaign Trail
College students have historically been dismissed as unreliable by pundits and political advisers. At the polls, their numbers tend to be disappointingly low. But these students are clearly not the fickle supporters that political strategists have assumed.
1957: Faulkner Among the “Snobs”
After Faulkner arrived on Grounds, his "observations on ‘Virginia snobs’ caused somewhat of a sensation," wrote Virginius Dabney in Mr. Jefferson’s University. "He liked the state, he said, ‘because Virginians are all snobs and I like snobs.’"
Surrounded by History
President Casteen discusses the past and future of some of the University's historic buildings.
Body of Work
Athletic trainer Ethan Saliba (Grad '86, '97) discusses advances in sports medicine and how to put together an effective (and safe) exercise program.
Cuba from the Bottom Up
Nowhere has news of what was, by all accounts, one of the most anticipated transitions of power been received with more yawning than in Cuba itself.
