Johns Hopkins' JAMI wins Math Society of Japan award

The Johns Hopkins University-based Japan-U.S. Mathematics Institute will be awarded the Mathematical Society of Japan's prestigious Seki-Takakazu Prize during a ceremony to be held in Tokyo on March 27. JAMI is the third recipient in the prize's 11-year history.

"This is a great honor," said Steven Zucker, director of JAMI and a professor in the Krieger School's Department of Mathematics. "It shows the level of esteem with which Japanese mathematicians hold JAMI. We are very proud of the interactions with the Japanese that have developed and the bonds that have been strengthened through JAMI."

The institute was founded in 1988 to further cooperation between the two countries in mathematical research.

Named for a 17th-century Japanese mathematical prodigy, the Seki-Takakazu Prize was established in 1995 to honor people and organizations that have supported and encouraged the development of mathematics in Japan over a long period. The prize consists of a gold medal and a volume of Seki Takakazu's collected works, said Sadayoshi Kojima, president of the Mathematical Institute of Japan.

In addition, officials from Seki's hometown of Fujioka will present JAMI with a bronze statue of the legendary Japanese figure, Kojima said.

Four professors from Johns Hopkins — Jean-Pierre Meyer, Jack Morava, W. Stephen Wilson and Zucker — will travel to Tokyo to receive the award and attend a celebration the following day.

 

Foreign Affairs Symposium panel looks at AIDS crisis in Africa

The Foreign Affairs Symposium will host an exploration of Africa's AIDS crisis on Wednesday, March 15. Titled "AIDS Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa," the event will feature a panel of experts in public health policy, medicine and international aid.

"While most of our events focus on international politics, exploring issues of public health can help us reach a whole new segment of the Johns Hopkins community," said symposium co-chair Carey Polis.

The panel members will be Thomas Quinn, a professor at the schools of Medicine and Public Health and a senior investigator at the National Institutes of Health; Robyn Munford, the U.S. program director for Students Partnership Worldwide; and Janean Martin, a health science specialist in the Office of HIV/AIDS of the U.S. Agency for International Development.

The event is scheduled for 8 p.m. in 110 Hodson Hall on the Homewood campus. A question and answer period and reception will follow the panel discussion.

This is the second of seven symposium events this spring meant to explore recent changes in geopolitics. The next speaker will be Chris Matthews of NBC, who is scheduled for 8 p.m. on April 3 in Shriver Hall. For more information, go to www.jhu.edu/fas or e-mail fas@jhu.edu.

 

Daffodil Days come to Hopkins campuses on March 16 and 17

The daffodil, a symbol of hope for those touched by cancer, makes its spring debut throughout Johns Hopkins facilities and campuses on March 16 and 17. The annual Daffodil Days flower sales, sponsored by the American Cancer Society Mid-Atlantic Division and organized by the Office of Faculty, Staff and Retiree Programs, benefits cancer research, treatment, education and patient advocacy.

JHU volunteers will be selling bouquets and pots for $10 each, of which $5 is tax deductible. Locations are as follows: Bayview, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., FSK pavilion by cafeteria entrance; Bloomberg School of Public Health, noon to 1:30 p.m., outside East Wing auditorium; MSE Library, Homewood, noon to 2 p.m.; Wyman Park Building, Homewood, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; Johns Hopkins at Eastern, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., by cafe; SPSBE, 201 N. Charles St., 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., main lobby.

 

Montgomery County Campus welcomes mental health partner

The JHU Montgomery County Campus will officially welcome today the National Federation of Families for Children's Mental Health. The federation, which leads a nationwide network of family-run organizations supporting children with mental health needs and their parents, will collaborate with the Bloomberg School of Public Health on cutting-edge work on mental health transformation.

 

Christopher Kovalchick elected to join board as young trustee

The university's board of trustees has elected Christopher Kovalchick as its newest young trustee. He will join the board on July 1. Kovalchick is completing a dual degree in engineering mechanics and violin performance, with a math minor. He recently received an honorable mention in USA Today's 2006 All-USA College Academic Team competition.

The trustees each year elect one graduating senior to serve a four-year term. In addition to writing application essays and securing recommendations, candidates must receive endorsement from 5 percent of the junior and senior classes. A selection committee chooses five candidates for the board to consider.

 

'HopkinsOne News' launched to provide timely info by e-mail

To keep up with the latest news and information about the HopkinsOne project, consider subscribing to the HopkinsOne News e-mail newsletter, which is published at least every two weeks. The newsletter will give project updates, document specific technical progress of the project, address user questions and highlight H1 project staff. To subscribe, send an e-mail to h1news@jhu.edu.

 

Theatre Hopkins takes one-woman show into neighborhood

Theatre Hopkins' 84th season continues on Saturday, March 18, with a performance of Mistress of Riversdale at 2 p.m. at St. John's Episcopal Church in the Village, 3009 Greenmount Ave. Adapted from letters in Margaret Callcott's book of the same name, this one-woman dramatization devised by Suzanne Pratt, director of Theatre Hopkins, details the life of wealthy Belgian emigre Rosalie Stier Calvert, wife of George Calvert, at their plantation near Washington during the first two decades of the 19th century. Cherie Weinert performs as Rosalie Calvert.

The text is drawn from letters Calvert sent to her family in Antwerp over 20 years. The correspondence includes her views of presidents Washington, Jefferson and Monroe and details her courtship and marriage to Calvert and their creation of the Riversdale estate, which later became the University of Maryland. Tickets are $10, $5 for students with ID, and may be reserved by calling 410-516-7159 or e-mailing thehop@jhu.edu.

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