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Douglas Weldon, the Stone Professor of Psychology, published an article in the journal Behavioural Brain Research (vol. 177, 2007). The co-authors are Jennifer DiNieri '03, Aliscia Thomas '04, Matthew Silver '04, and Rebecca Wright '08. DiNieri contributed data as part of her senior project in neuroscience, and Thomas and Wright participated in summer research supported by the General Electric Fund and a STEP-NSF grant, respectively. The paper, titled "Reward-Related Neuronal Activity in the Rat Superior Colliculus," documents neural correlates of attention to significant environmental stimuli.

Associate Professor of Theatre Craig Latrell served as editor for modern Southeast Asian theatre for the Encyclopedia of Asian Theatre, recently published by Greenwood Press, as well as a contributor to the project. The two volume work totals 400,000 words, covering all aspects of Asian theatre. The general editor was Samuel L. Leiter, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Theatre, Brooklyn College and the Graduate Center, CUNY, noted specialist in Japanese theatre. Other Editorial Advisory Board members with Latrell were Colin MacKerras, Sreenath K. Nair, Richard Nichols and Richard Frasca, presenting specialties in other regions of Asia.

American high school students do not understand climate change issues well, according to a poll of 900 teenagers conducted by Hamilton College and Zogby International. The average high school student fails a quiz on the causes and consequences of climate change and believes climate change has no consequences for them in their lifetime. The poll demonstrates that those students who know the most about climate change have used TV and other media outlets as effectively to gain an understanding of the phenomenon as those who have taken classes on the subject.

Debra Boutin, associate professor of mathematics, has published "Using determining sets to distinguish Kneser graphs," co-authored with Michael Albertson, in the Electronic Journal of Combinatorics. This paper establishes the distinguishing number of each graph in a well-known family called Kneser graphs. The paper proves that (with only one notable exception) every Kneser graph can have its vertices colored with one of two colors in such a way that the resulting colored graph has no symmetry. The  proof was accomplished using the determining sets that Boutin defined and studied in a previous research article.

Professor of Biology Ernest Williams contributed an article to American Butterflies 14(2):4-13. The article, "Baltimore Checkerspots: Butterflies of Privilege" uses the scientific literature to summarize and describe the biology of the Baltimore checkerspot, a butterfly well known to watchers in the East. Megan Malone '06 and Heather Michael '07 were summer research students who worked with Williams in studying egg laying in Baltimore checkerspots. American Butterflies is the main publication of the North American Butterfly Association (NABA).

Professor of Classics and Africana Studies Shelley Haley presided over her final meeting (Feb. 2-4) as chair of the Advanced Placement Latin Exam Development Committee.  The group met at the Chauncey Conference Center in Princeton. She has been chair of the committee since 2003 and was the first African American woman to hold that position. 

Professor of Biology Patrick Reynolds was a guest of the Sea Education Association on a cruise of the Society Islands in January. He was invited to experience the program as students do and assess it as a possible study away program. He was also a visiting researcher at the University of Berkeley's Richard B. Gump South Pacific Research Station in Moorea. Reynolds is an expert on marine invertebrate biology, particularly the evolution of Mollusca -- the phylum that includes snails, clams and squid.

The Art Department will hold a reception for the exhibition titled “Out of the Classroom” on Thursday, Feb. 8 on the second floor of the List Art Building. The exhibition features art work from classes such Ceramics, Critical Theory & Studio Practice, Design, Drawing, Photography, Painting, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Video. The reception will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. and refreshments will be served. The exhibition will remain on view until March 9.

On Monday, Feb. 5, LinkedIn appointed Hamilton alumnus and former Advent Software Inc. executive Dan Nye '88 to the position of chief executive officer. Nye will succeed LinkedIn’s founder and CEO Reid Hoffman, who will remain chairman and president of products. Hoffman is confident that Nye is among “the best organizational builders and leaders there is” and is very “excited to work with Dan, both because he is an amazing executive and because (they) share the vision that LinkedIn will be essential for every professional in the world.” Under Nye’s leadership, LinkedIn intends to double its staff by December.

Alternative Spring Break is asking for donations to fund this year’s trips to Katrina-affected areas of Louisiana and Mississippi, as well as trips to Kentucky, West Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee in March. Because of the nature of the still ubiquitous hurricane damage, expenses for the 14th annual Alternative Spring Break trips are running extraordinarily high. Sixty-six students are signed up for the six trips. Hamilton Action Volunteer Outreach Coalition (HAVOC) is asking alumni, students, parents and staff to donate gifts for its March 1 auction or to make cash donations to defray expenses.