Adrian Melott, professor of physics and astronomy, presented the Frontiers of Astrophysics Lecture and a seminar on “Gamma Ray Burst Extinction” March 1 at the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City.

Van Kelly, associate professor of French, made an invited presentation, “René Char et le Parcours Initiatique des Arts de L’espace, du Tombeau des Secrets à Eloge d’une Soupçonnée,” at the international colloquium “La Bibliothèque Littéraire Jacques Doucet: Archives de la Modernité,” Feb. 6 through 8 at the Université de Paris III-Sorbonne Nouvelle. He also presented a paper, “The Modernist Essay as Quest for Utopian Community: Georges Bataille, Roger Caillois and René Char,” Dec. 28 at the Modern Language Association convention in San Diego. A related article, “Passages Beyond the Resistance: René Char’s Seuls Demeurent and Its Harmonics in Jorge Semprun and Michel Foucault,” appeared in the most recent issue of the review Substance.

Jeffrey Moran, associate professor of history, recently published “The Scopes Trial and Southern Fundamentalism in Black and White: Race, Region and Religion” in the February issue of The Journal of Southern History, vol. 70, no. 1. The article is part of a larger book-length project on the history of the anti-evolution movement and American popular belief.

Jack E. Fincham, dean of pharmacy, has received the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy Distinguished Alumnus Award for 2004. He graduated from NU in 1975.

Town Peterson, associate professor of biological sciences, recently had his work on the origins and reservoir of the Ebola virus featured in Science and learned that he will receive a grant from ORNIS in excess of $1 million for his research.

Mary Beth Gentry, associate director of external affairs at the KU School of Medicine, and Sharon Bass, professor of journalism, are editors of the book Medicine on the Kansas Prairie, a history celebrating 50 years of the KU School of Medicine Rural Preceptorship Program. The book was published by the KU School of Medicine.

“Stereotypes and Admonitions,” a collection of paintings by Roger Shimomura, distinguished professor of art, will be displayed this month at the Greg Kucera Gallery in Seattle. The show opened March 4 and will continue through March 27.

Tamara Falicov, assistant professor of theatre and film, published the book review “Emile De Antonio: Radical Filmmaker in Cold War America” in a recent issue of Quarterly Review of Film and Video. She also will publish “U.S.-Argentine Co-productions 1982-1990: Roger Corman, Aries Productions, ‘Schlockbuster’ Movies and the International Market” this month in the journal Film and History. Falicov presented a lecture on Argentine film history and industry studies Feb. 25 at the Kellogg Business School at Northwestern University and will present papers in March at the Society for Cinema and Media Studies and the Rocky Mountain Council of Latin American Studies.

Jerry Dobson, research professor in geography, presented “The Priceless Message of a $1,000,000 Globe” Feb. 24 for the Lawrence Technology Association’s annual meeting at the Hereford House in Lawrence.

Mary Catherine Davidson, assistant professor of English, presented “Resisting Translation: Multilingual Writing in Late Medieval England” at the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies Conference, Feb. 12 through 14 at Arizona State University in Tempe.

Dawn Shew, Student Union Activities program adviser at the KU Memorial Unions, recently received the C. Shaw Smith New Professional Award from the National Association for Campus Activities at the association’s national convention, Feb. 14 through 18 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She received a plaque and a $400 voucher for future professional development within the organization.

Andrea Norris, director of the Spencer Museum of Art, was elected vice president in charge of the annual conference of the College Art Association by its board of directors on Feb. 22. With more than 14,000 members, the CAA is the largest visual arts association in the country. Norris will be responsible for organizing the 2006 CAA conference in Boston, as well as completing details for the 2005 conference in Atlanta. Currently Norris is completing two years as CAA’s vice president in charge of committees.