@UB, March 2005

UB has more than 182,000 alumni around the world, many of whom I am fortunate to meet throughout the course of the year, whether by e-mail, phone or in person. With all this privileged interaction, nothing has struck me as much as two recent incidents. The first was an e-mail I received from a gentleman whose mother, a 1938 alumna, had recently died. He was writing to let me know how valuable the university, this newsletter and the UB Today magazine were to her, in his words “right up until the end.” Shortly after I received his note, alumni reaction began pouring in regarding the campus unrest cover story from the winter issue of UB Today. No matter which side of the issue one fell on, each response was passionate and appreciative of our efforts to mark this important and historical anniversary. These examples show me that we are making a difference in the lives of our alumni, which is not only satisfying but motivating. On behalf of UB and the UB Alumni association, I would like to thank you for reading @UB and UB Today, and for your feedback. 

  -- Robert O. Davies, Associate Vice President for Alumni Relations

University News

Back to the Future: The American Studies Department in UB’s College of Arts and Science, one of the oldest in the United States, has experienced a 256 percent increase in undergraduate majors since 2003, and maintains an international reputation for leadership in the field.

The Marketers: A new undergraduate marketing class in the School of Management based on the popular reality-TV show The Apprentice, pits teams against one another as they undergo various marketing challenges for real-life clients.

UB People

Tourism Exhibit: Excerpts from a book by Mark Gottdiener, UB professor and chair of sociology, are included in an anthology of writing about travel, tourism and globalism that accompanies a major exhibition mounted by Chicago’s Museum of Contemporary Art.

First Prize: UB English student Meghan Fadel has received first prize in the 2004 international essay competition sponsored by Early English Books Online, a major digital research collection published by Chadwick-Healey and ProQuest Information.

Association Leader: Stephen C. Dunnett, vice provost for international education, assumed the position of president of the Association of International Education Administrators.

Prestigious Prize: Philip Coppens, Ph.D., SUNY Distinguished Professor and Henry M. Woodburn Chair of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry in the College of Arts and Sciences, has been awarded the prestigious Ewald Prize by the International Union of Crystallography.

Breaking Research

Historic Surgery: UB surgeons have carried out the first minimally invasive spinal surgery in the U.S., using a new technique to stabilize the lumbar spine called axial lumbar interbody fusion that requires only a tiny incision in the back and can have patients up and walking without pain within hours of leaving the operating room.

Limiting X-Rays: A new study by researchers in the School of Dental Medicine has shown that one type of X-ray that dental patients receive routinely – the panoramic X-ray – could be used selectively in some cases instead of as a routine diagnostic tool.

Pet Option: Using positron emission tomography scanning rather than other types of imaging as the first tool to diagnose heart-vessel blockages is more accurate, less invasive and saves dollars, a study by UB researchers has shown.

Heard on Campus

“Bush’s position was that we were attacked, and we’ve got to respond, but liberals decided he was the enemy. I don’t know that being united should be an end objective in and of itself. I notice that liberals – because they’re always wrong on the end result – they become fixated with the process.”
--Ann Coulter, conservative commentator and best-selling author, at the March 10 Distinguished Speakers Series, answering a question from an audience member about how the U.S. might better unite.

In My Opinion...

Erin go bragh! As we celebrate the wearing of the green today, we think of four-leaf clovers and lucky moments. Click Here and tell us about some of your luckiest moments for you at UB.

To see which the favorite outdoor wintertime activities were for your fellow alumni (last month’s “In My Opinion” question), Click Here.

"Hot" Links

Eleven distinguished alumni will be honored at the 2005 Celebration of Excellence awards dinner, April 15:
Awards Dinner

Baldy Center for Law and Social Policy spring events:
Spring Events

The College of Arts & Sciences’ Cutting Edge Lecture Series features free seminars from top UB scholars:
Free Seminars

Forever Free: Abraham Lincoln’s Journey to Emancipation exhibit:
Lincoln Exhibit

About @UB

The Division of External Affairs publishes @UB monthly. We thank you for your continued interest in and support of the University at Buffalo and the UB Alumni Association. If you have any comments on an issue, please send them to Barbara Byers, associate director, alumni relations at ub-alumni-news@buffalo.edu.

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