A Sampling of Clips for December 1^st, 2009

* UCSD faculty and staff may obtain a copy of an article by e-mailing the University Communications Office

Like Happiness, Loneliness is Contagious
USA Today, Nov. 30 -- Loneliness, like happiness, can be contagious, says research out today that shows how feeling lonely can make others lonely, too. The study by John Cacioppo, a psychologist at the University of Chicago, builds on recent research showing that happiness is contagious and spreads through social networks. Cacioppo worked with the two researchers who did the earlier happiness research: Nicholas Christakis, a professor of medical sociology at Harvard Medical School, and James Fowler, associate professor of political science at  UCSD. More

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Study: Autism Therapy Lessens Symptoms
CBS News, Dec. 1 -- The first rigorous study of behavior treatment in autistic children as young as 18 months found two years of therapy can vastly improve symptoms, often resulting in a milder diagnosis.  The study was small - just 48 children evaluated at the University of Washington - but the results were so encouraging it has been expanded to several other sites, said Geraldine Dawson, chief science officer of the advocacy group Autism Speaks. Dawson, a former University of Washington professor, led the research team.  (Quotes Laura Schreibman, an autism researcher at UCSD) More

When Scientists Behave Like Bullies
San Francisco Chronicle, Dec. 1 -- This just in from the Times of London: After the leak of highly embarrassing e-mail messages from the University of East Anglia's influential Climatic Research Unit, CRU has been forced to admit that it dumped "the original raw" climate data used to bolster the case for human-caused global warming, while retaining only the "value-added" - read: massaged - data. Of course, global warming skeptics see Climategate as vindication. (Mentions UCSD science historian Naomi Oreskes) More

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Dillon: Philomela: Komsi/Narucki/Peintre/Remix Ensemble, Porto/Hempel
Guardian UK, Nov. 27 -- Even by the standards of Greek tragedy, the story of Philomela is particularly gruesome. Philomela, sister of Procne, was raped by her brother-in-law Tereus, who then cut out her tongue to prevent her revealing his crime. When Philomela eventually managed to tell her sister what had happened, the two took ­revenge on Tereus by killing his son Itys and serving the flesh for him to eat, at which point the gods decided that enough was enough, and turned all three of them into birds. (Mentions Susan Narucki, professor in UCSD’s Department of Music) More

Center of Attention:
Jacobses Give $500K to UCSD Program
San Diego Business Journal, Nov. 30 -- Joan and Irwin Jacobs gifted the Center on Pacific Economies and the Pacific Leadership Fellows program at UCSD with a $500,000 grant. Since its founding in 2006, the center has helped to establish UCSD as a hub for scholarship and ideas on international affairs in the Pacific region. Irwin Jacobs, founder and former chairman and CEO of Qualcomm Inc., said, “The center and the Pacific Leadership Fellows program have continued to grow and prosper, bringing in outstanding fellows to work with faculty and students to address a broad range of issues within the Pacific region.” More

New UCSD Med Center
CEO to Lead Ambitious Agenda
San Diego Business Journal, Nov. 30 -- Amid the challenges facing the health care community, and with an eye on continued growth and institutional reputation building, a veteran UCSD administrator has stepped into the role of CEO of the UCSD Medical Center.  In the face of this ambitious agenda, Thomas Jackiewicz says he sees “tremendous opportunities” in the mix. More

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