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Zoology 61: Teaching eugenics at WSU
Eugenics was the dark side of our understanding of human evolution. American eugenicists were united by the idea that the human race was degenerating because inferior people were breeding more quickly than those who were "well born." Zoology 61, Genetics and Eugenics, was finally dropped from the course catalog at Washington State College in 1950.
» More ...With Eyes Wide Open
Rob Barnard: An uplifting endeavor
When Rob Barnard ’84 was earning degrees in architecture and construction management, his professors scheduled project deadlines and tests on the same day.
“What that was teaching you was time management, how to work with a small amount of sleep and under pressure,” says Barnard, who brought that work ethic home to Portland. During the next two decades, the once-sleepy Rose City gained acclaim for innovatively solving urban problems, including transportation woes that vex most cities. Barnard’s blueprints are all over that reputation.
In magazine rankings last year, Men’s Journal deemed Portland the best place to live in the United States, praising its “nearly flawless” … » More …
Marissa Lemargie—Busy providing humanitarian assistance in Africa, South America
Marissa Lemargie tends to take things in on a global scale. An interest in other cultures and societies led to an anthropology degree at Washington State University in 1999. A master’s degree in international development from the London School of Economics and Political Science followed.
Lemargie is now employed by USAID as an international cooperation specialist for Colombia and Paraguay in Washington, D.C. Already, the 26-year-old Ephrata native has traveled to Africa and South America on humanitarian missions. Recent plans called for her to visit Paraguay in August 2004, and Colombia in September.
Like her older brother, Kyle (’98 Polit. Sci.), who works for the … » More …
Hops & beer
Raising the raw ingredients for beer can be just as complex and interesting as growing grapes for wine, says Jason Perrault '97, '01. Like grapes, hops have different varieties and characteristics. Perrault, fourth-generation heir to a hops-farming legacy, runs a hops breeding program for Yakima Valley growers, helping to ensure that Washington continues to provide three-quarters of the hops grown in this country.
» More ...World health care: “Many countries have their priorities wrong”
“Evidence shows that the family medicine model is the most cost effective and provides the best care for most people.”—Dr. Robert Higgins
If you are sick enough and have enough money, you can get very good medical care in most countries. Sadly, however, many nations fail to meet even the basic health needs of their people.
These are the observations of Washington State University pharmacy graduate and retired U.S. Navy physician, Robert Higgins. The former president of the World Organization of Family Doctors (WONCA) has visited 53 countries and witnessed health care practices firsthand in many of them.
“Many countries have their priorities wrong. They … » More …
Working toward a common goal
Maybe I can’t save the world. But I can try to make a difference somewhere. But how?
I researched several volunteer organizations, but most of them required a three-month to two-year commitment, which was not possible for me. After weeks of extensive research, I found Cross Cultural Solutions, a non-profit organization that places volunteers in different countries to gain new understanding through sharing ideas and working together toward a common goal. They offer programs from three weeks to six months in duration for those who want to help but can’t afford to take a lot of time away from their jobs.
My assignment was to … » More …
Foundation honors Creighton
John W. “Jack” Creighton, Jr., Bellevue, received the Weldon B. Gibson Distinguished Volunteer Award at the Washington State University Foundation Dinner Gala in the Beasley Performing Arts Coliseum last fall.
The annual award, established in 1981, recognizes an individual who has demonstrated sustained, exemplary service and achievement on behalf of Washington State University and the WSU Foundation.
Cited for his leadership and unselfish devotion to WSU, Creighton earned praise from nominators for his work as co-chair of the national steering committee for Campaign WSU. The multi-year effort raised a record $275 million in private gifts to the University. The successful campaign led to Creighton’s further … » More …
In search of a tougher honey bee
WASHINGTON STATE apple growers have a problem. The honey bees that pollinate their trees can be a little wimpy when it comes to temperature.
Apple growers prefer to have the king, or primary, blooms pollinated, because they produce the biggest apples. But all too often, the trees bloom during cool weather. And the resident honey bees, being mostly of Italian descent and therefore partial to Mediterranean weather, hole up when the temperature dips below 55 degrees F.
Other bees do better in cool weather but often have quirks of their own that limit their usefulness as pollinators.
So Steve Sheppard—associate professor of entomology at Washington … » More …