Milestones

UPDATES

Lt. Col. Michael Anderson, '81, was buried in Arlington Cemetery with full military honors on March 7, following his death with six other astronauts in the Columbia space shuttle tragedy Feb. 1 [see "UW Mourns the Loss of Columbia Astronaut," March 2003]. In his honor, the UW has established the Michael P. Anderson Memorial Diversity Scholarship to provide support for underrepresented minority students majoring in engineering or the sciences. For more information, call (206) 685-4445 or visit www.supportuw.washington.edu/michaelanderson.

U.S. Attorney John McKay announced April 23 that the criminal investigation of illegal Medicare billing practices by non-profit physician groups affiliated with the UW has ended. On March 26 UW kidney specialist William Couser pleaded guilty to one felony charge of submitting a fraudulent bill. Former UW neurosurgeon H. Richard Winn, another probe target who resigned July 16, 2002, has taken a position with a New York hospital, relieving the UW of further financial obligations under a separation agreement (see "Former Neurosurgery Chair Resigns, Pleads Guilty in Billing Probe," Sept. 2002). In his letter, McKay wrote, "I believe that the vast majority of attending physicians at the University of Washington take their compliance obligations seriously and serve their profession and our community extremely well." A civil investigation of billing practices for Medicare, Medicare and other government programs continues.

UW Genome Sciences Chair Robert Waterston announced April 14 that an international consortium has completed the map of the human genetic code to an accuracy of 99.99 percent. After three billion years of evolution, we have before us the instruction set that carries each of us from one cell egg to adulthood to the grave,'' said Waterston, a leader in the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium, an organization of 18 institutions that participated in the project. For a profile of Waterston, see "Prize Catch," March 2003.

APPOINTMENTS

Gov. Gary Locke named Bellingham businessman Craig W. Cole to the UW Board of Regents on March 18, replacing Cindy Zehnder, '72, '74, whose term had expired. Cole is the President/CEO of Brown & Cole Stores, the oldest grocery company in the Pacific Northwest, and a 1977 graduate of Western Washington University. Cole served on Western's Board of Trustees for 11 years and is on the board of directors of the Washington Roundtable, an organization of 40 CEOs of top state companies. Named Western's 2002 Distinguished Alumnus, Cole has served as a local elected official and has received several assignments from past governors, including serving on the precursor to the Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Governor's Commission on Early Learning. His term expires in September 2007.

HONORS

Astronomy Professor Emeritus Erica Bohm-Vitense has been awarded the 2003 Karl Schwarzschild Medal by the Astronomische Gesellschaft for her career contributions to research in astronomy. One award is made annually to the top astronomer from around the world.

Earth and Space Sciences Chair J. Michael Brown, '75, was awarded the Louis Neel Medal of the European Geophysical Society for 2002 for his outstanding contributions to mineral physics and the physics of the Earth's core.

Columns Magazine won two awards in the 2003 CASE District 8 competition, the organization announced Feb. 24. Art Director Ken Shafer won a silver award for overall publication design for the September 2002 issue, which had Suzzallo Library on the cover. Free-lance photographers Stewart Hopkins and Loyd Heath won a bronze award in photo essays for three photos in the Suzzallo Library article in that same issue. CASE, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, is a non-profit group for development, alumni relations and communications professionals in secondary and higher education. CASE District 8 includes five states and six Canadian provinces.

UW Regent Dan Evans, '48, '49, and his wife, Nancy, received the 2003 First Citizen Award on May 22, presented annually by the Seattle-King County Association of Realtors and Puget Sound Business Journal to those who have demonstrated outstanding public service. Dan Evans is a three-term governor, former U.S. senator, former college president, and chair or member of a number of local corporate and non-profit boards who has provided a life-long definition of citizenship and community involvement. As the state's First Lady, Nancy Evans helped oversee restoration of the Governor's Mansion and has since created her own significant list of contributions including serving as a member of the board of the Whitman College trustees, the Seattle Symphony, KCTS, Seattle's public television station, Friends of Cancer Lifeline and Northwest Parkinson's Foundation.

President Emeritus William P. Gerberding received the 2003 Robert Waldo Award March 26 in Olympia. Since 1998, this award has recognized outstanding service to higher education in the state of Washington. With his 16-year tenure from 1979 to 1995, Gerberding is the longest serving UW president. During this time, he saw UW faculty receive their first Nobel Prizes, coordinated a $250 million fund-raising campaign and preserved the core of the UW despite severe budget cuts. Past Waldo Award recipients have included Seattle Times Columnist Richard Larsen, '52; Higher Education Coordinating Board President Chuck Collins; and Washington State University Vice President Warren Bishop, '50. The award honors the late Robert Waldo, '46, who was government relations director and university relations vice president during his 30 years at the UW.

Drama Professor Emeritus Geraldine Brain Siks was recently given the Medallion of Honor by the Children's Theater Foundation of America "for her lifetime work in creative dramatics for children."

The Suzzallo Library Renovation Project has won a 2003 AIA/ALA Library Building Award for its historic preservation and facility upgrade. The architects replaced the mechanical, electrical and conveyance systems; upgraded the communications system; wrote the functional and technical programs; and prepared a feasibility study to help the University raise money for the project. Much of the interior was demolished to make way for new structural elements and building systems, so the architects needed to take extra pains to preserve the building's historic features, notably the entry lobby, grand stair, octagon and reading room. The award went to primary architect, Mahlun Architects, and the associate architect, Cardwell Architects, and was presented by the American Institute of Architects and the American Library Association.

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