Cartoon of many flowers

The ‘abominable mystery’ of flowers

Dec. 1, 2009

Charles Darwin called the relatively sudden rise of flowering plants an “abominable mystery.” William (Ned) Friedman, a professor of evolutionary biology at the University of Colorado, calls it his life’s work.

Sign for meeting

Worlds apart but on common ground

Dec. 1, 2009

When CU’s immigrant workers and students sit down in class to discuss their varying perspectives on the topic of their studies, students gain broader insight and workers feel “seen” to a much greater degree than previously.

Illustration of the NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, or GRACE. Image courtesy of NASA.

India’s big gulp raising sea level and concern

Dec. 1, 2009

Illustration of the NASA Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment, or GRACE. Image courtesy of NASA. Northern India’s groundwater is being pumped onto farm fields faster than it can be replenished by monsoons, and the rate of loss is accelerating, a recent study co-authored by a University of Colorado researcher has...

Cartoon of man hugging giant tail titled "Social Media"

All the news that’s fit to Twitter

Dec. 1, 2009

Cartoon courtesy of Natural Hazards Observer - http://www.colorado.edu/hazards/o/ During major events and crises, social media’s importance is rising The alleged plot to “hide the homeless” during the 2008 Democratic National Convention in Denver foreshadowed Tweets and blog posts to come. A month before the convention, the blogosphere was atwitter because...

Flags of China and Taiwan

Posturing aside, Taiwan clasps hands with China

Dec. 1, 2009

Politicians may talk tough about rival nations, but business people’s actions may be a better barometer of international relations. That’s one conclusion of Steve Chan, a political science professor at the University of Colorado who says conventional political theories don’t explain why China has become Taiwan’s most important trading partner,...

Elissa Guralnick, a University of Colorado professor of English

As composer converses with poet, students are ‘awesomed out’

Dec. 1, 2009

Harold Bloom, the noted literary critic, Yale professor and author of “The Western Canon,” has said that teaching Emily Dickinson’s poems leaves him with fierce headaches, “since the difficulties force me past my limits.” How, then, are undergraduate students supposed to appreciate Dickinson? Elissa Guralnick, a University of Colorado professor...

Mildred "Mims" Buck

Centenarian still sowing seeds of scholarship

Dec. 1, 2009

When Mildred Buck came to the University of Colorado, the roaring ‘20s were yet to crash. A “kindly professor of Greek,” George Norlin, was president, and his words were yet to be carved into the façade of the then-unbuilt library that now bears his name. Since then, pivotal events of...

Daniel Singer

Economics enriches, helps explain life, alum finds

Dec. 1, 2009

For Daniel Singer, studying economics at the University of Colorado became a lifelong line of demarcation. He was one person before coming here. After earning his doctorate, he became another person: more focused, more dedicated, better prepared to succeed. “Prior to the program, my intellectual life was implicit in my...

Breaking chains

Invisible Citizens: new views of slaves, society

Dec. 1, 2009

Today, there are more slaves than ever; yesterday, captives and slaves had more social and cultural impact than many think To those who think slavery is history, E. Benjamin Skinner has a few rejoinders. First, he notes, there are more slaves now than at any time in history. On four...

Rachael L. Ticho Zacks, outstanding graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, speaks with Dean Todd Gleeson.

Studying mice infections, with an eye toward humans

Dec. 1, 2009

Rachael L. Ticho Zacks comes from a family of attorneys, but she steps to the beat of a different drum. She is graduating from the University of Colorado this December with a bachelor’s degree in ecology and environmental biology. The choice suits her. Not only is she is graduating Summa...

Pages