People
September 1, 2007
Commendations flow
Shortly before 1 a.m. on March 15, 2006, Edward Marsette woke to a loud crash outside his Auburn home. Within minutes, he was pulling people from a fiery, overturned car.
Genetics prize winner
According to the Gruber Foundation, the human genome would have been “an impossible jigsaw puzzle” without the work of UW Medicine and Genome Sciences Professor Maynard Olson.
Out of time
UW communication professors pried open a 51-year-old time capsule on April 26, revealing both its original contents and some more, um, revealing contents.
Split on Commencement
For the Columns Alumni Vote in June, we asked if alumni attended the main graduation ceremony when they completed their UW degree. The 952 responses broke down to 59 percent “yes” and 41 percent “no.”
'Science on Tap'
“Science on Tap” is a monthly opportunity for folks from the community to get together on a Monday evening and listen to a distinguished scientist while sipping beer.
June 1, 2007
Ruthanna Boris, 1919-2007
When Ruthanna Boris began her 18-year stint as dance professor at the UW in 1965, she taught ballet on the top floor of the old Armory building, often competing with the erratic noise of ROTC practices.
Herman Brix, 1906-2007
Herman Brix, ’28, also known under the screen name of Bruce Bennett, died Feb. 24 after living an eventful 100 years.
'True Guts'
Taylor Barton, ’03, thought he had a solid plan for his future in the NFL, but between the ages of 20–30, his life shifted from worrying about successfully completing a pass to fighting to stay alive.
Hollywood honoree
W. Jay McGarrigle earned a Technical Achievement Award from the same people who hand out the Oscars.
Extra credit
A great university has great teachers. This year, the UW honors seven instructors from three campuses who have touched the lives of thousands.
Memorial scholarship
Rebecca Griego, a 26-year-old program coordinator in the Department of Urban Design and Planning and a UW alumna, was murdered in her fourth-floor office in Gould Hall early April 2.
Direct approach
The new dean of the UW College of Engineering doesn’t have an engineering degree. But that’s not the only surprising aspect of Matt O’Donnell.
$100,000 for memorial
Students, alumni and friends of the UW have raised more than $100,000 for a memorial to former UW students who have received the Medal of Honor, ASUW President Cullen White announced April 9.
March 1, 2007
Strong signals
Thirty-five years ago, John Kean, ’72, helped launch the UW’s first student radio station by installing a 10-watt transmitter in McMahon Hall.
‘Fil’ Leanderson, 1931-2006
Matthew Fillip “Fil” Leanderson, '53, had a dedicated work ethic and an innate sense of leadership that carried him to a stellar career as rower and coach for the UW crew team.
Mark McDermott, 1930-2006
Mark McDermott, a UW physics professor for 43 years, passed away Nov. 4 from complications related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
Top teacher
The state Teacher of the Year award is a landmark in a short but illustrious career. Andrea Peterson, 33, has been teaching for 10 years, most of those at Monte Cristo Elementary School in Granite Falls.
New head of UWAA
Charles R. "Chuck" Blumenfeld, '66, '69, is a life-long Husky with deep ties to the UW going back six decades.
Memorial moves ahead
Last April the Student Senate passed a resolution urging the creation of a Medal of Honor memorial and now ASUW leaders are launching a $100,000 fund drive to make it happen.
Climbing fast
At age 19, Nodira Khoussainova already has her bachelor’s degree from the University of Auckland in New Zealand and is a year into the Ph.D. program in computer science and engineering at the UW.