Wilcove blends science, policy to advance conservation
by Hilary Parker
Ask Princeton ecologist David Wilcove about the largest threat to the greatest number of species in the next 25 years, and he’ll give you a two-word answer. Global warming? No, oil palm. Grown in tropical forests around the world, most abundantly in Southeast Asia, oil palm trees are the source of fats used in myriad food products, including baked goods, nondairy creamer, margarine and shortening.
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Princeton scientists create a ‘cauldron of brainstorming’
by Kitta MacPherson
A group assembled in a new, modern seminar room in Princeton’s Jadwin Hall and waited for the talk to begin. Silence fell as Lisa Manning, a postdoctoral fellow interested in materials science, stood at the front and explained the mysteries of disordered, noncrystalline solids. ... The gathering of scientists from so many differing disciplines to hear a common topic is a hallmark of the Princeton Center for Theoretical Science, which staged the event in September. The center, which formally opened its new quarters on the fourth floor of Jadwin Hall in September, serves as a meeting place for scientists of disparate backgrounds.
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Campus holiday outreach initiatives planned
Members of the University community will have the opportunity to share the holiday spirit through a series of community service initiatives and special events planned for December and January. A holiday “A Cappella Jam and Toy Drive” performance featuring the Tigressions, Katzenjammers, Tigerlillies, Nassoons, Shere Khan, Roaring 20, Koleinu, Kindred Spirit and Wildcats student groups will be held at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 9, on the Palmer Square Green.
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Nominations for staff awards due by Jan. 12
Nominations for the 2008-09 President’s Achievement Award and the Donald Griffin ’23 Management Award will be accepted through Monday, Jan. 12. Award winners will be recognized at the Staff Recognition Luncheon on Thursday, March 26. The President’s Achievement Award was established in 1997 to annually recognize five individuals with five or more years of service whose dedication, excellent work and special efforts have contributed significantly to the success of their departments and the University. ... The Donald Griffin ’23 Management Award was established last year to provide an opportunity for professional development for managers and administrators whose experience and current responsibilities indicate potential for leadership and continuing contribution to the University.
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Alcohol coalition workshop focuses on enforcement
The University’s Alcohol Policy and Enforcement: What Works and What Doesn’t” is the topic for a workshop sponsored by the Princeton Alcohol Coalition Committee (ACC) on Friday, Dec. 5.
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Researchers reconnect fragments of ancient civilization
by Chandra Shekhar
For several decades, archaeologists in Greece have been painstakingly attempting to reconstruct wall paintings that hold valuable clues to the ancient culture of Thera, an island civilization that was buried under volcanic ash more than 3,500 years ago. This Herculean task — more than a century of further work at the current rate — soon may get much easier, thanks to an automated system developed by a team of Princeton computer scientists working in collaboration with archaeologists in Greece.
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Managing editor: Eric Quiñones
Assistant editor: Jennifer Greenstein Altmann
Lead designer: Maggie Westergaard
Designer: Shani Hilton
Calendar editor: Shani Hilton
Contributing writers: Kitta MacPherson, Hilary Parker, Chandra Shekhar, Ruth Stevens
Photographers: Denise Applewhite, Brian Wilson
Web edition: Mahlon Lovett
Subscription manager: Elizabeth Patten
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