Regional Blood Shortage Persists -- Thanks in part to September's Homewood blood drive, regional blood supplies rallied slightly that month. In October, however, the American Red Cross reported that donations in the Washington suburbs decreased by about 30 percent during the sniper's rampage, contributing to another regional slump. According to the Red Cross, this shortage is particularly troubling as the fall months are historically a stable time for blood collections. The Chesapeake and Potomac region must collect at least 1,100 units of blood a day to meet patients' needs in our community. Hopkins' Homewood drives typically net between 175 and 200 units of blood per day in a two-day drive.

Students, faculty and staff can donate blood on the Homewood campus from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 20, and Thursday, Nov. 21, in the Glass Pavilion. For faster service, appointments are recommended, but walk-ins are also welcome. To make an appointment, go to www.jhu.edu/~outreach/blooddrive.

Send an e-mail to hmwdblooddrive@jhu.edu or call 410-516-0138.

To expedite the process, individuals who have traveled extensively outside the United States should make a list of the places and dates of their travels before arriving at the drive. Those who have never given blood or have not given recently should check the Web site for current eligibility guidelines, or call the Red Cross at 800-GIVE-LIFE.

Alumni Association Student Grants -- The Johns Hopkins University Alumni Association has grant money available for community service and student services projects. The Community Service Grant Program was created to provide volunteer experiences for students and foster relationships between the university and surrounding communities. The Student Services Grants Program was derived from the Alumni Association's commitment to promoting the overall student experience on campus. Undergraduate and graduate students are encouraged to apply. The maximum funding amount for community service grants is $1,200 for undergraduate and $1,600 for graduate student projects. Student services grants have a maximum funding amount of $1,500.

For more information, contact Bill Bollinger, alumni coordinator, at 410-516-0363 or bollinger@jhu.edu. Grant applications can also be found online at alumni.jhu .edu/students.html.

Spring 2003 applications must be submitted by Dec. 1.

Urban Health Grants -- The Johns Hopkins NIEHS Center in Urban Environmental Health is offering pilot project grants of up to $20,000 for April 1, 2003, through March 31, 2004, to stimulate new lines of research. Deadline for submission is Jan. 15, 2003. Application guidelines are available in Room E7527 of the Bloomberg School of Public Health or can be requested by calling Kay Castleberry at 410-955-3720 or by e-mail to kcastleb@jhsph.edu.

Mathematical Sciences Grants -- The Acheson J. Duncan Fund for the Advancement of Research in Statistics is requesting proposals for small grants to support research projects in statistics, probability and stochastic processes.

Faculty and students throughout Hopkins are eligible to apply for funding for collaborative projects with a member of the faculty in the Mathematical Sciences Department. Most grants from the fund will be smaller than $5,000. Proposals should be brief, no more than three single-sided pages, provide itemized expense estimates and be signed by each investigator. Proposals may be submitted at any time to the committee chair, John Wierman, Mathematical Sciences Department, 104 Whitehead Hall.