After years of negotiation with college officials and associations, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a proposed rule that would ease the waste-management burden in academe. Colleges have long complained that the hazardous-waste law is an awkward fit for academe. Written with industry in mind, the law was tailored to large-scale producers of hazardous waste. Colleges, by contrast, tend to produce smaller quantities, but larger varieties, of hazardous wastes. The proposed rule refers to that as a “beakerful vs. barrelful” distinction.

History Professor Gordon Wood, author of the recently published “Revolutionary Characters: What Made the Founders Different,” discusses the Founding Fathers extremism, elitism, and their feelings about the outcome of their efforts.

Scientists from around the world gathered in Providence to present their research at the June 5-9 meeting of the Acoustical Society of America. Among the three scientists interviewed for this piece on “All Things Considered” was Philip Lieberman, professor of cognitive and linguistic studies. He discussed his research on Neanderthal speech.

Wendy Schiller, associate professor of political science, discussed the Senate race in Rhode Island and Congressional primaries in Ohio and Montana. Her live interview aired at about 9:45 a.m. EDT from Brown University’s new remote television studio.

The Boston Globe’s science section (page C-3) includes the image that accompanied the Brown University press release about the enhanced nutritional environment created for certain algae colonies by their flagella. Thomas Powers, an assistant professor of engineering who studies microorganisms in motion, was a member of the research team that published its findings in Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Well-meaning American university students regularly campaign against sweatshops, writes op-ed columnist Nicholas Kristof. But instead, anyone who cares about fighting poverty should campaign in favor of sweatshops, demanding that companies set up factories in Africa. If Africa could establish a clothing export industry, that would fight poverty far more effectively than any foreign aid program.