

the ampersand
The latest news and updates from Arts & Sciences

'Does compassion exist?'
News is for fools. Kindness is a lie. Killing, to our animal nature, is simply enjoyable. Wallace Shawn’s “Aunt Dan and Lemon,” which the Performing Arts Department in Arts & Sciences will stage April 13-22, explores the fragility of civilized society, and how easily cultured masks slip before the face of power.
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Heil awarded Guggenheim Fellowship
Heil awarded Guggenheim Fellowship
John Heil, a professor of philosophy in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, was selected for the prestigious John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation Fellowship based on his prior achievement and exceptional promise.
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Great Artists Series presents Calidore String Quartet April 22
Great Artists Series presents Calidore String Quartet April 22
The Calidore String Quartet, one of the most acclaimed chamber ensembles of its generation, will perform music of Mendelssohn, Shostakovich and Beethoven April 22 as part of the Great Artists Series at Washington University in St. Louis.
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Frankenstein 200 years later
Frankenstein 200 years later
What can we learn from Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein 200 years after it was published? A lot, insofar as the book’s central conflicts — between science and ethics, society and the other — still resonate today.
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Sustaining life on earth
Sustaining life on earth
In the midst of what scientists consider to be a sixth mass extinction event, Washington University is joining forces with the Missouri Botanical Garden and the Saint Louis Zoo to collaborate on life-saving research and conservation efforts.
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On an animated journey
On an animated journey
One of the many skilled artisans behind the enchanting visuals in Pixar movies is alumnus Chris Bernardi. On the Oscar Award–winning “Coco,” Bernardi served as set supervisor, leading a team of designers who beautifully bring to life a boy’s dream against the backdrop of Mexico’s Day of the Dead.
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Practicing generosity
Practicing generosity
Alumna Jane Hardesty Poole learned from her physician-father the importance of giving. Today, she continues to support the university in honor of his lifetime of service.
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Battling cancer on two wheels
Battling cancer on two wheels
With a PhD in business, you might not expect Chris Boerner, AB ’93, to be fighting cancer. Yet as head of international markets at Bristol-Myers Squibb, he works to bring life-saving immuno-oncology cancer drugs to international markets. In his free time, Boerner participates in two bike rides that raise more than $1 million annually for cancer research.
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A Start for Startups
A Start for Startups
In Chicago, Steven Collens, AB ’93, was instrumental in starting 1871 and MATTER, co-working spaces for tech and health-care startups, respectively.
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