Sylvia Mathews-Burwell (West Virginia & Worcester 1987) appointed as the next United States Secretary of Health and Human Services

"Sylvia is from a small town -- Hinton, West Virginia.  So she brings the common sense that you see in small towns.  She brings the values of caring about your neighbor and ordinary folks to some of the biggest and most complex challenges of her time.  She’s a proven manager who’s demonstrated her ability to field great teams, forge strong relationships, and deliver excellent results at the highest levels.  And she’s done it both in the public and private sectors." 

- President Obama on his nomination of Sylvia Mathews-Burwell (April 11, 2014)

Read the full press release on her nomination here. 

Jennifer Welsh (Prairies & St Anne's 1987) is tonight presenting a Trudeau lecture entitled 'The Individualization of War: Protection, Liability and Accountability'

Jennifer Welsh, professor of international relations at the University of Oxford, will present her lecture, at 5 p.m. March 25 in Conron Hall, University College 224. 

Welsh, a Fellow of Somerville College and a special adviser to the secretary-general of the United Nations, will examine the dramatic ways in which war has changed since the beginning of the First World War in 1914.

To read more about this fantastic lecture, please click here.

Dr Pardis Sabeti (Florida & New 1999) conducting groundbreaking research into Iranian genetics

Dr. Pardis Sabeti MD/Ph.D., professor at Harvard University and MIT’s Broad Institute, has had the opportunity to study the genetics of many different populations throughout her storied career. But one population missing from the genetics research done by Dr. Sabeti and others is her own - the Iranian population.

Genetics research has advanced medicine in many ways - from identifying new drug targets to allowing scientists to identify the cause of some cancers. Understanding the genetics of the Iranian population would be the first step to ensuring Iranians are a part of the personalized medicine that has resulted from genetics research. “We are in the midst of a revolution in the fields of genomics and medicine, and it is thrilling to bring this to bear for my own heritage,” said Dr. Sabeti.

Read the full article about Dr Sabeti's new research here. 

Sylvia Mathews Burwell (West Virginia & Worcester 1987) to be presented with a service award from the Youth Leadership Association

"The recipient demonstrates a lifelong commitment to helping others, hard work, education, responsible citizenship, and building better futures for all -- especially youth... Sylvia embodies these traits"

To read more about Sylvia's award, click here. 

Dr Sara Sewall (Maine & New 1984) appointed as US Special Coordinator For Tibetan Issues

US Secretary of State John Kerry on Friday designated the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights, Dr. Sarah Sewall, to serve concurrently as United States Special Coordinator for Tibetan Issues.

As Special Coordinator, Under Secretary Sewall will coordinate the U.S. Government's policies, programs, and projects on Tibetan issues globally, and particularly within the context of the United States' bilateral relationships with China, India, and Nepal, where there are significant populations of Tibetans.

Read more about Dr Sewall's recent appointment here. 

Naomi Wolf (Connecticut & New 1985) 2012 book "Vagina: A new biography" to be adapted for a screenplay in conjunction with the Irish Film Board

NAOMI WOLF, the American author of The Beauty Myth, is to work with the Irish Film Board (IFB) on a screen adaptation of her controversial book Vagina: A New Biography.

Read more at http://www.thesundaytimes.co.uk/sto/news/ireland/article1376515.ece?CMP=OTH-gnws-standard-2014_02_15