Notables

Of note

Enola Proctor, Ph.D., the Frank J. Bruno Professor of Social Work Research and director of the Center for Mental Health Services Research at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, was named editor in chief of the premier social work journal, Social Work Research.

Ron Cytron, Ph.D., associate professor of computer science, has been named editor in chief of Transactions on Programming Languages and Systems, a peer-reviewed journal published six times a year by the Association of Computing Machinery.

To press

Wendy Auslander, Ph.D., associate professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work, published an article on "The Short-Term Impact of a Health Promotion Program for Low-Income African-American Women" with James Herbert Williams, Ph.D., assistant dean for academic affairs and associate professor, and Hope M. Krebill, project coordinator, in the journal Research on Social Work Practice.

Speaking of

Letha Ann Chadiha, Ph.D., associate professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work and the Hartford Geriatric Social Work Faculty Scholar, presented "Beyond Coping: An Empowerment Intervention with African-American Women Caregivers of Dependent Low Income Elders," at the Gerontological Society of America's 53rd Annual Scientific Meeting, in Washington, D.C.

Click to see entire article

Task force creates information policy for University

The Information Security Task Force, made up of members from throughout the University Community and chaired by Shirley Baker, vice chancellor for information technology and dean of University Libraries, has crafted an information security policy to help maintain the security of University information. The policy has been approved by the Faculty Senate Council and the University Council.

The University's policy identifies key concerns and issues faced by the University community. It strives for a balance between the University's desire to promote and enhance the free exchange of ideas and its need for security of critical information and systems.

For more information, visit www.wustl.edu/policies/infosecurity.html.

Click to see entire article

Campus Authors

When Science Offers Salvation: Patient Advocacy and Research Ethics

Rebecca Dresser, J.D., professor of law and ethics in medicine

When Science Offers Salvation: Patient Advocacy and Research Ethics

(Oxford University Press, 2001)

Biomedical research today has a high public profile, largely because of patient advocacy. Following in the footsteps of HIV/AIDS activists, advocates representing an array of patient groups are now vocal partners in the research enterprise. Advocates want research practices and policies to be more responsive to the people who must live with the burdens of illness. This book shows how advocates have transformed health research, often --but not always --for the better.

Dresser is the first to examine patient advocacy through the lens of research ethics. She reveals the many ways in which a quest for cures and improved therapies shapes advocacy work. She exposes the bright and dark sides of patients' expanded opportunities to enroll in clinical trials and join researchers in planning and evaluating studies. She considers the virtues and drawbacks of giving patients more influence over how the government invests its research dollars. She argues that advocates should do more to promote ethical human studies and responsible media reporting about research.

Patient advocates can help make research more ethical, but advocacy raises ethical issues of its own. This book clearly and vividly recounts the advocacy contribution to research and explores the thorny ethical issues facing research advocates.

International programs seek volunteers

Interested in other cultures? Can you make a small commitment of time once a week or once a month?

The University's Office for International Students and Scholars is currently seeking volunteers to help with the Speak English With Us and the Host Family programs.

The Host Family program is designed to promote cultural exchange between international students and local volunteers. As part of the program, volunteers invite students to share in family celebrations, as well as sports or cultural events, at least once a month.

Volunteers may be from single or multigenerational households. Host Families do not provide living accommodations for the students.

The Speak English With Us program matches community volunteers with international students, faculty and researchers from both the Hilltop and Medical campuses who want to improve their understanding of English culture. Volunteers meet with participants once a week at a mutually convenient location. Volunteers are not required to be trained teachers or have any special language skills.

For more information, call the Office for International Students and Scholars at 935-5910 or e-mail stix@aismail.wustl.edu.

Orientation for volunteers will be from 10-11:30 a.m. Sept. 22 at the Alumni House.