Meet President Simmons while traveling to Spain and Portugal! Join fellow alumni and Professor Mercedes Vaquero on a unique educational adventure this October. While there, meet President Ruth Simmons as part of her address to the International Institute in Madrid.

Savings Without the Sacrifice The Brown Alumni Association partners with Liberty Mutual Insurance to offer Group Savings Plus - a program that provides an exclusive group discount on your auto, home, or renter’s insurance. For more on this and other offers that could save you money, click here or call 1-800 837-5249.

I begin my two-year term as president of the BAA with much anticipation. The BAA helps to connect Brown alumni worldwide with the excitement and academic excellence of today's Brown at a time when President Ruth Simmons has put the University on an ambitious path. She's inspired alumni worldwide with her vision and message about Brown, its future, and its place in higher education.

The BAA also provides you with numerous opportunities to continue to learn, to celebrate our diverse community, to serve Brown, and to receive valuable services. Through these activities, you can enrich your life while contributing to and fostering the greatness of our university. As stewards of Brown, alumni are critical to the future President Simmons has articulated. As BAA president, I'm energized by the prospect of encouraging alumni to join faculty, students, and staff in this important endeavor.

With best wishes,



Hanna B. Rodriguez-Farrar '87, '90 A.M.
President, Brown Alumni Association

New Resources for the Humanities
Brown has received a five-year, $1.16 million grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to establish a postdoctoral fellowship program in the humanities. Recent Ph.D.s will have an opportunity to gain teaching experience, develop their research, and publish in preparation for seeking permanent positions.

Brown Annual Fund Surpasses 30,000 Donor Threshold, Tops $25 Million
A record-setting 30,230 alumni/ae, parents, and friends participated in the 2004-2005 Brown Annual Fund, donating $25,077,372 to support the Plan for Academic Enrichment. The University is grateful for this extraordinary expression of confidence in and commitment to Brown. Visit the web site for details!

1973 Brown grad is new admission dean
James S. Miller '73, currently dean of admissions and financial aid at Bowdoin College, has been appointed dean of admission at Brown. Miller will begin work August 29. Previously, Miller spent 16 years at Harvard University as director of financial aid.


Scientists seek Vatican clarification on evolution
Recent comments by Roman Catholic cardinals have scientists wondering if the church is changing its position on evolution. For 50 years, the Vatican has said evolution is compatible with Catholic theology. But now that doesn't seem so settled. Professor Kenneth Miller '70 Ph.D. speaks with NPR's Jason DeRose.

Digging up the present
Archaeologists have long studied past cultures and civilizations. The July/August BAM interviews Brown professor Richard Gould, who sifts through contemporary disaster sites to learn how our culture works today.





Being average has its advantages for cell entry
Mid-sized viruses, nanotubes, and other particles are more likely to get through cellular gates than smaller or bigger versions. L. Ben Freund, professor of engineering, and colleagues have published a model of optimal size for cell entry - an important idea in drug design.


Smoking is different for women
Women are more likely than men to become addicted to the psychological habits of smoking, not just the physical addiction to nicotine, according to Bess Marcus, an addiction researcher at the Brown University Center for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.

Otherworldly river
Could life exist on Mars? A team of researchers from Brown led by Associate Professor of Geological Sciences John Mustard says the answers may lie in the otherworldly environment of a river in Spain.

Connect at Homecoming
Saturday, October 15
Continue your Brown experience at Homecoming by reconnecting with friends and faculty. Check out the day's events, including free food, family fun, faculty forums, and of course sporting events. E-mail your friends (find them in the online directory) and make plans now to come back.



The Brown Experience Near and Far
The BAA is a worldwide network, giving alumni opportunities to gather both in the U.S. and abroad. Check out the Brown Club of Hong Kong's upcoming career forum on July 30, or make plans to attend Oktoberfest with the Brown Club of Germany in September.


You're already a member
All Brown alumni automatically receive free lifetime membership in the Brown Alumni Association. What does that mean? Learn more online, or stop in at the BAA's annual meeting, scheduled for Saturday morning, October 22, on campus. E-mail Jessica_Barry@brown.edu for location details.


Take a trip to the Vineyard
Beat the heat and join fellow Brunonians on Martha's Vineyard at a reception at the home of Mary and Jerome Vascellaro '74, P'07 and their son, Matt Vascellaro '07, on August 10. All members of the Brown community are welcome! For more information, e-mail Debra Konicki.

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