Campus news:
For the record

Winning Economics
Former U of C professor Robert Mundell earned the 1999 Nobel Memorial Prize in economic sciences. Now a professor at Columbia University, Mundell was recognized for work done at Chicago, showing how international capital movement can affect an individual country's ability to manage its own economy. The award marks Chicago's 71st Nobel Prize, its 19th prize in economics.

Twice lucky
J. M. Coetzee, a visiting professor in the Committee on Social Thought, received the 1999 Booker Prize, Britain's top fiction award, for his novel Disgrace. Coetzee--who also won in 1983 for his novel Life & Times of Michael K--is the first author to win the Booker twice.

Solid work
The Geological Society of America honored Frank M. Richter, SM'71, PhD'72, the Sewell Avery distinguished service professor in geophysical sciences, with its George Wollard Award. The annual award recognizes outstanding contributions to geology. The GSA cited Richter's work using fluid dynamics to discuss the driving mechanism of plate tectonics.

Medical dedication
The City Council of Chicago renamed the 5800 block of Maryland Avenue to honor gastroenterologist Joseph B. Kirsner, PhD'42, the Louis Block distinguished service professor in medicine. The sign unveiling--along with a dinner and a lecture--marked Kirsner's 90th birthday.

Who's at Weiss?
In November, Edward A. Cucci became president and chief operating officer of Louis A. Weiss Memorial Hospital, the U of C Hospitals's north--side facility. Cucci, who also serves as a vice president of the University of Chicago Hospitals and Health System, succeeds Greg Cierlik, president of Weiss since 1995.

Double the awards
The David and Lucille Packard Foundation named Ka Yee Lee, assistant professor of chemistry, a 1999 Packard fellow. Lee will use the $625,000 grant for her research on lung surfactant, a mixture of lipids and proteins that assists the breathing process. Lee was also named a 1999 Searle scholar, an honor that brings an additional $180,000 grant.

Distinguished quartet
Four University faculty members have been named to distinguished service professorships: Homi Bhabha, English; Sheila Fitzpatrick, history; Mark Strand, Committee on Social Thought; and John Cacioppo, psychology.

Named to named posts
Michael Camille is the first Mary L. Block professor in art history, and Anne Robertson is the first Claire Dux Swift professor in music. In the Graduate School of Business, Pradeep Chintagunta is now the Robert Law Jr. professor, Steven Kaplan is the Neubauer Family professor of entrepreneurship and finance, Abbie Smith is the Irene and Boris Stern professor, Ruey Tsay is the H. G. B. Alexander professor, and Mark Zmijewski is the Leon Carroll Marshall professor. John Mark Hansen was named the William R. Kenan Jr. professor in political science.

Joining the fold
Twelve scholars recently joined Chicago's faculty as full professors: Bennett Bertenthal and John Cacioppo, psychology; John Brewer, English; James Conant and John Haugeland, philosophy; Donald Harper, East Asian languages & civilizations; Michael Hopkins and Richard Jordan, chemistry; Steven Lalley, statistics; Mark Lilla, the Committee on Social Thought; Philip Reny, economics; and George Triantis, the Law School.

High--energy honored
The American Philosophical Society elected James W. Cronin, SM'53, PhD'55, University professor emeritus in physics and astronomy & astrophysics, to its membership.