For his work developing implants that connect the brain to a prosthetic limb, Professor of Neuroscience John Donoghue has been named a runner-up in the magazine’s first Scientist of the Year award.
Paid subscriptions: www.discover.com/issues/dec-06/features/scientist-of-the-year-2006-runners-up/

The Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center is working with Professor of Neuroscience John Donoghue to develop a new technology that will drive a paralyzed arm and hand using a brain implant that detects the intent to move. The researchers plan to test the concept in 2007 by having a paralyzed patient use a brain implant to operate the computerized virtual arm. If that's successful, they'll try out the system on an actual limb.
www.cleveland.com/search/index.ssf?/base/news/116332431898560.xml

Brown University’s efforts to be an environmentally responsible campus are mentioned in this opinion piece about how institutions of higher education can play an active and leading role in in addressing environmental issues.
www.insidehighered.com/views/2006/11/14/marthers

In an article about the election of the first female councilwoman in the history of Murrieta, Calif., Jennifer Lawless, assistant professor of political science, notes that women historically signal a time of change in politics, and voters often elect female candidates when they are looking for open-minded leadership. "Part of the reason women candidates are desirable is that they are seen as outsiders," Lawless said. "It's still an anomaly, for better or worse, that women hold office."
www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_R_swoman14.3b6e7e8.html

Dissident poet Huang Xiang discusses freedom of expression as part of a week-long series of events to raise awareness of human-rights abuses in China. The series is sponsored by Brown Amnesty International.
www.projo.com/education/content/china14_11-14-06_H72RR4E.3382183.html

Turkish writer Orhan Pamuk, winner of the 2006 Nobel Prize in literature, spoke at Brown as part of the University’s International Writers Project festival. Before discussing his craft during a question-and-answer session with the audience, Pamuk participated in a panel discussion titled “Warning: Writing May Be Hazardous to Your Health.”
www.projo.com/news/content/PAMUK15_11-15-06_D92SDG0.85fac29.html
See news release: www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2006-07/06-050.html

Professor of Medicine David Williams comments on new evidence emerging at the annual meeting of the American Heart Association (AHA), in Chicago suggesting that drug-eluting stents may not be completely safe over the long term.
www.statesman.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/cora/536082.html

In the current issue of Nature, Professor of Geological Sciences Peter H. Schultz and colleagues describe a lunar feature that they say shows signs of a relatively recent release of gas from deep beneath the surface of the moon.
www.nytimes.com/2006/11/14/science/14observ.html

Problems within the Seattle school district have prompted some people to propose that the mayor, City Council, or state governor take over management of the district. Professor of Education Kenneth Wong discusses his research on urban school districts, noting that on the whole, districts with appointed boards seem to be doing well. His findings: “Districts with appointed boards produced fewer management problems, labor disputes, and financial improprieties; they bring ‘a broader set of expertise’ among managers that allowed them to better access state and federal grants; and they showed more academic progress as measured by test scores.”
www.seattleweekly.com/news/0646/schoolboard.php

Sean Ling, associate professor of physics, discusses his research team’s latest findings on nanopore formation in a plastics system. The team also developed a lithography-free technique for fabricating nanopores with biomolecular sensing capabilities.
www.nanowerk.com/spotlight/spotid=1030.php