Redeem Brown’s Honor in GoCrossCampus
Last fall, Ivy alumni and students got better acquainted while plotting their moves in a new kind of competition: GoCrossCampus, a Web-based territorial-conquest game resembling Risk. Brown lost to Yale at Newport in turn #10. Never again! Read a New York Times article or a recent BDH article, join the Brown Team Facebook group, or sign up with your @alumni.brown.edu address.

Get Political Insights from Brown Faculty
Feeling a little rusty on the issues? Deciding between red or blue? Get educated with these new BAA podcasts: Darrell West and Jennifer Lawless look back on and forecast the 2008 elections, James Morone examines religion and morality in American politics, Matt Garcia discusses immigration reform, and Corey Brettschneider explores democratic rights.

Strengthening the College Experience at Brown
After nearly 18 months of study and discussion, the Task Force on Undergraduate Education’s report was released today. Recommendations include specific goals to guide undergraduate study, expanded and better-integrated academic advising, and an e-portfolio system to capture students work. Download the report. (Image: John Abromowski / Brown University)

Birth Control Medication Alters Women’s Sense of Smell
Psychology professor Rachel Herz appeared on CBS News to discuss a new study that suggests that women taking birth control pills are likely to be drawn to the odor of the “wrong” men for them – those with genes similar to their own. (Video, 3 min.)

Convocation Kicks Off 245th Academic Year
After the procession through the Van Wickle Gates, distinguished economist and social critic Glenn Loury and President Simmons addressed the Class of 2012. A total of 2,186 new undergraduate, graduate, and medical students have begun their studies at Brown. See also: video of President Simmons’ welcome to entering undergraduates, with short greetings from Katherine Bergeron and Brian Becker. (Image: John Abromowski / Brown University)

Bears in Beijing
Gymnast Alicia Sacramone ’10, runner Anna Willard ’06, assistant track and field coach Jerome Romain, and rowers Portia Johnson McGee ’01, Nikola Stojic ’93, and Igor Boraska ’94 are back from the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.

Destination Iceland: Where Was the Water on Mars?
Iceland, an island nation that may share traits with ancient Mars, is a perfect place to test remote-sensing equipment for Martian missions. View the reports and photographs that a team of Brown researchers filed from the field. (Image: NASA)

Anthropology Museum’s Bristol Facility to Close*
Fire code and environmental issues are forcing Brown to close the Haffenreffer Museum of Anthropology in Bristol. The museum will be relocated closer to campus to make it more accessible and to better protect the collections.
(*Free registration required.)

Advocating for a Safe Place to Live
Sociology Professor Phil Brown has spent much of his career investigating environmental contamination in low-income communities, coining the term “popular epidemiology” to explain the work.

Summer Renovations Total $45 Million
A flurry of summer construction has changed the face of the campus. The projects ranged from updated utilities to new furniture to relocating 13 campus offices in one week. Find out what student services departments are now in the renovated J. Walter Wilson Hall.

Health Grant to Send Students Abroad
About $400,000 in new grant money from NIH’s John E. Fogarty International Center will fund travel awards and a revamped educational program for students interested in global public health. (Image: John Abromowski / Brown University)

Salomon 101 Gets a Makeover
In recognition of the generosity of Donald R. De Ciccio ’55 and Sandra L. De Ciccio, President Simmons recently dedicated the De Ciccio Family Auditorium in the Richard and Edna Salomon Center for Teaching.

Brown Ranked 16th in Academics; Students 2nd Happiest
In U.S. News and World Report’s annual survey, Brown took 16th place among 262 American universities. The Princeton Review placed Brown second place happiest student body, and gave high marks for radio and theater. See also: BDH article