News from Chicago

* Islamic Religious Studies Gets New Prof, New Push
Michael Sells, AM'77, PhD'82, one of the world's leading experts on Islam, joins the Divinity School faculty July 1. Sells will work with another Chicago scholar, Malika Zeghal, to revive the School's program in Islamic religious studies:
http://chronicle.uchicago.edu/050428/sells.shtml

* Garcia: At the Forefront of the Department of Medicine
A leading authority on lung biology and disease, Joe G. N. "Skip" Garcia is the new chair of the department of medicine, the University's largest department. Garcia comes from Johns Hopkins, bringing his research team and $30 million in federal grants:
http://www.uchospitals.edu/news/2005/20050501-joe-garcia.php

Research at Chicago

* "Skill Gap" Still There
The achievement gulf between blacks and whites--charted in test scores, years of school attendance, and graduation rates--has stayed the same since the 1990s, says Chicago economist Derek Neal. In his report, to be published this fall in the Handbook of Economics of Education, Neal warns that the gap may persist:
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/citations/05/050428.neal-suntimes.html

* Sumoylation: Not Just for Nuclei Anymore
Chicago researchers have discovered that sumoylation--a biological process thought to be active only in the nucleus--also occurs near the cell's surface, regulating at least one and perhaps many kinds of proteins:
http://www-news.uchicago.edu/citations/05/050425.protein.html

Today @ UChiBLOGo

* $1.25 Billion and Counting
The Magazine attends Chicago Convenes--and gets an update on the Chicago Initiative:
http://uchiblogo.uchicago.edu

From the University of Chicago Alumni Association

* Alumni Weekend is for You
June 2 - 5 all alumni are invited back to campus for the annual celebration of the Chicago experience:

The UnCommon Core offers your choice of faculty-led lecture/discussion classes. To see this year's schedule:
http://alumniweekend.uchicago.edu/uncommon.shtml

David Broder, AB'47, AM'51, the nation's foremost political columnist, will give the address at Alumni Convocation, where the annual alumni awards will be presented. Read about Broder and the other honorees:
http://www.alumni.uchicago.edu/awards-winners05.html

Family-friendly events include the Young Maroon Procession across campus, led by the University's bagpipe band; storytelling; parties; and a talk by dinosaur-discovering paleontologist Paul Sereno. For the Young Maroon program of events visit
http://alumniweekend.uchicago.edu/family.shtml

On Saturday, June 4, special reunion gatherings include house and hall tours, a multicultural reception, Human Rights Program reception, and a panel discussion and evening party hosted by LGBTQ. Check the schedule:
http://alumniweekend.uchicago.edu/events.shtml

Most events are free; all are popular. So don't miss out--register now:
http://alumniservices.uchicago.edu/Events/EventView.asp?ID=217&Private=N

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