Washington University Record, September 16, 1982
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Washington University School of Medicine Digital Commons@Becker Washington University Record Washington University Publications 9-16-1982 Washington University Record, September 16, 1982 Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record Recommended Citation "Washington University Record, September 16, 1982" (1982). Washington University Record. Book 243. http://digitalcommons.wustl.edu/record/243 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Washington University Publications at Digital Commons@Becker. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Record by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons@Becker. For more information, please contact [email protected]. WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY IN ST LOUIS Western physicists gather for workshop on matter theories Scientists from Latin America, North America and Europe will meet for two weeks at WU beginning Sept. 20 to discuss recent progress in the theoretical description of many-particle systems and superdense matter. The meeting, the Sixth Pan-American Workshop on Con- densed Matter Theories — Feenberg Me- morial Symposium, is expected to pro- mote collaboration among physicists of the western hemisphere. A highlight of the workshop will be WU's annual Eugene Feenberg Memorial Lecture, to be delivered by David Pines at 4 p.m. Sept. 22 at 201 Crow Hall. Pines, a leading figure in many-body theory, is professor of physics and elec- trical engineering at the University of Illinois-Urbana, a member of the Na- tional Academy of Sciences, and the edi- tor of Review of Modern Physics. He will The first TGIF party of the school year, Sept. 3 in Bowles Plaza, attracted a crowd of relaxed students, pizza lovers and energetic dan- speak on "Elementary Excitations in the cers. One of those into some serious swinging was senior fine arts major Susanne Nagel. Alas, her hoofing partner we could not iden- Helium Liquids." tify, beyond that he is sometimes called the Dancing Bear. The conference will focus on the ap- plication of quantum mechanics (as op- posed to Newtonian mechanics) to the study of a variety of objects ranging from 'Biology of Memory' conference draws neutron stars to the nuclei of atoms. In- cluded will be talks on liquid helium, world-class scientists to McDonnell Center solid-state physics, electron systems, A world-class group of scientists will spin-aligned quantum systems, and the Department of Biology; Eric R. Kandel, M.D., professor of meet at WU Sept. 23-24 to discuss re- physiology and psychiatry and director, quark structure of nucleons. Douglas R. Hofstadter, Ph.D., asso- cent discoveries related to the nature of Center for Neurobiology and Behavior, First held in Brazil m 1977, the ciate professor of computer science, In- memory. The meeting is the First Pan-American Workshop is this year's diana University; Columbia University College of Physi- McDonnell Conference on Higher Brain cians and Surgeons, and the New York major meeting in the field. David H. Hubel, M.D.John Function and is titled "Biology of The Feenberg Memorial Lecture was Franklin Enders University Professor, State Psychiatric Institute; Memory." It is sponsored by the established in honor of the late WU pro- Harvard University; Brenda A. Milner, Ph.D., professor McDonnell Center for Studies of Higher of neurology and neurological surgery, fessor who retired as Wayman Crow Pro- David H. Ingvar, M.D., professor Brain Function, WU School of Medicine. McGill University; fessor of Physics in 1975 after teaching and head, department of Clinical Neuro- David H. Hubel is the conference's nearly 30 years in the WU Department physiology, University of Lund, Sweden; continued on p. 2 featured speaker. He will deliver the first of Physics. A pioneer in the application James S. McDonnell Lecture in Graham of quantum mechanics to complex sys- Chapel at 8 p.m., Sept. 23. Hubel, a Nobelist David Hubel will present tems, Feenberg was noted for his con- Harvard neuroscientist, is a co-recipient tributions to nuclear theory, approxima- of the 1981 Nobel Prize in Medicine or first James S. McDonnell Lecture tion methods and the theory of quantum Physiology for studies on the visual sys- fluids. He was a member of the National WU will host one of the world's anisms operating in the visual cortex are tem, which have provided new insights Academy of Sciences and a collaborator leading neuroscientists on Sept. 23-24 employed by those parts of the cortex on how the brain receives and processes of Eugene Wigner of Princeton Univer- when David H. Hubel visits the campus that process other types of sensory sensory information. sity, who won the 1963 Nobel Prize in to deliver the first James S. McDonnell continued on p. 2 In addition to Hubel, 11 other re- Physics. Lecture. The lecture, which will be de- nowned scientists will make presentations The workshop sessions will be held livered in Graham Chapel on Thursday, at the conference. These scientists repre- •>f"*i2^~ in 204 Crow Hall. A physics department Sept. 23, at 8 p.m., will be the high- sent specialties ranging from artificial colloquium associated with the workshop point of the two-day conference on the intelligence, to genetic influences on will be held in 201 Crow Hall on Sept. Biology of Memory, sponsored by the memory, to non-invasive studies of the 29. For information about the sessions, McDonnell Center for Studies of Higher human brain. Brain Function of the University's School contact John W. Clark, professor of The McDonnell Center for Studies physics, at 889-6208. of Medicine. of Higher Brain Function was established Hubel, the John Franklin Enders at WU in June 1980 through a gift of University Professor at Harvard Univer- $5.5 million from the McDonnell Foun- sity, was awarded the 1981 Nobel Prize dation. The Center provides the re- in Physiology or Medicine for his re- sources for a focused interdisciplinary ef- search regarding the visual system's abil- fort toward increasing our knowledge of ity to process sensory information. Work- brain function. This conference is the ing with Nobel Prize co-recipient Tor- first of a series which will periodically sten N. Wiesel, also of Harvard, Hubel bring together the world's premiere scien- discovered that sight is controlled by a tists for the purpose of sharing advances hierarchy of brain cells which are organ- and contributions made in various fields ized into very distinct units, with each of brain research. unit responding to a specific type of The 11 participants in the con- visual stimulus. ference are: This discovery has already shed new Viktor Hamburger, Ph.D., Edward light on the general understanding of Mallinckrodt Distinguished University how the brain processes information. It Professor Emeritus and Lecturer, WU has been shown that the basic mech- David H. Hubel John M. Olin, library benefactor, WU life trustee, dead at 89 Services were held Sept. 13 in St. Louis for John Merrill Olin, renowned philanthropist and longtime patron of WU. Olin, 89, died Sept. 8 at his sum- mer residence in East Hampton, N.Y. Olin was a major contributor to a number of charities and institutions and was closely associated with WU. Among his donations was a $1 million gift in 1956 that was used to build the $3.5 million John M. Olin Library. He was a life trustee of the University. A well-known industrialist, Olin held 24 product patents and was perhaps best recognized in his field for adapting progressive-burning smokeless powder to shotgun ammunition. He graduated from Cornell Univer- sity in 1913 and became a chemist with the Western Cartridge Co. of East Alton, 111., a forerunner of the Olin Corp., now Ernst Zinner, senior research associate in the Department of Physics, explains how WU's new ion probe focuses with headquarters in Stamford, Conn. a beam of charged particles on moon rocks to erode the surface and reveal cosmic dust imbedded within — a process called "sputrering." A mass spectromerer then picks out the dust according to mass. Zinner used a During both world wars, Olin's firm was similar instrument while on a recent two-year leave at the Technical University of Vienna, Austria a major supplier of guns and ammuni- tion for the nation's military, later di- John M. Olin versifying into manufacturing brass, Gentle "sputter" of new ion probe chemicals, paper, cellophane, sporting goods and homebuilding products. forth. "His intellect was first-rate. He reveals cosmic dust in moon rocks Besides his management of the Olin had an immense curiosity that contin-. "Who has seen the wind?" begins tering. The other major component, a firm, he was a well-known sportsman ued throughout the almost 90 years of a children's nursery rhyme. "Neither mass spectrometer, includes a magnet and conservationist who raised the na- his life. One of his beliefs was that you nor I. ." which separates the eroded bits of sam- tional champion black Labrador retriever 'when one learns why something occurs, But a wind that never penetrates ple according to mass. of 1952-53, King Buck. He donated the remedy suggests itself.' He had a the earth's atmosphere can in fact be The ion probe will be particularly large sums to educational and charitable strong set of convictions from which he seen on the moon. There, charged par- crucial for analyzing the results of a proj- institutions through the John M. Olin challenged others. He was always inter- ticles known as the solar wind — mostly ect being designed for a 1984 space shut- Foundation, including land for wildlife ested in the response and the responder; the centers of hydrogen and helium tle launch. At that time, the shuttle will areas.