11:10 a.m., Oct. 3, 2008----A roundup of recent news items about UD, its faculty, students, staff and alumni.

Lawrence (Larry) F. Probst III, a 1972 graduate of the University of Delaware with a bachelor's degree in business administration, was featured in stories in the Oct. 3 issues of The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and USA Today after being named chairman of the board of directors of the U.S. Olympic Committee.

Ralph Begleiter, Edward F. and Elizabeth Goodman Rosenberg Professor of Communication and distinguished journalist in residence at UD, was quoted in an Oct. 3 News Journal story about the vice presidential debate between University of Delaware alumnus Democrat Joe Biden and Republican Sarah Palin.

Breck Robinson, associate professor of urban affairs, was quoted in an Oct. 2 News Journal column by Rhonda Graham on the mortgage crisis and the need for accessible mortgages.

Joseph Pika, James R. Soles Professor of Political Science, was quoted in an Oct. 1 story in The New York Times about Joe Biden and his tendency to be tripped up by spontaneous remarks during debates. “He likes to hold forth,” Pika told the Times. “Being an effective debater will require him to be disciplined and focused and to make his points punchier than is customarily his style.”

Charles Elson, Edgar S. Woolard Jr. Chair and director of the John L. Weinberg Center for Corporate Governance, was quoted in Oct. 1 MSNBC and CFO magazine stories about executive pay. He also was quoted in stories about the Wall Street bailout in the Sept. 29 New York Times and the Sept. 28 Financial Week.

James Butkiewicz, professor and associate chairperson of the Department of Economics, was quoted in a Sept. 29 Barron's story about the bailout. He discussed the history and impact of the Reconstruction Finance Corp.

Martin Swany, assistant professor of computer and information sciences, was featured in the Sept. 29 issue of Government Computer News for his work with Phoebus, a new technology deployed by Internet2 that is expected to play a critical role in supporting major scientific projects that require high-performance networks to connect researchers from around the world.

Jeff Rivell, deputy director of admissions, was quoted in a Sept. 29 Press of Atlantic City story about the large number of New Jersey high school graduates who choose out-of-state universities, with UD among the top choices.

Lou Hirsh, director of admissions, was quoted in a Sept. 28 story in The New York Times concerning interest in a report on standardized admissions tests presented during the National Association for College Admission Counseling conference in Seattle.

Lynn Snyder-Mackler, Alumni Distinguished Professor of Physical Therapy, was featured in a Sept. 28 USA Today story about osteoarthritis and knee surgery. She discussed the benefits of physical therapy for people with knee problems.

David Weir, director of UD's Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships, was quoted in a Sept. 28 News Journal story about moving research from the laboratory to the marketplace. Also quoted in the story were Mahendra Jain, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, Kelvin Lee, Gore Professor of Chemical Engineering and director of the Delaware Biotechnology Institute, Eric Kmiec, professor of biological sciences, Dan Carson, chairperson of the Department of Biological Sciences, and Mary Farach-Carson, professor of biological sciences.

Sharon Merriman-Nai, co-manager of the National Center on Elder Abuse at the University of Delaware, appeared Sept. 24 on WHYY-TV's Delaware Tonight program to discuss the consequences of elder abuse. Merriman-Nai also was quoted in the Sept. 9 Seattle Times on the subject of elder abuse legislation and research. The National Center on Elder Abuse is based at UD's Center for Community Research and Service in the School of Urban Affairs and Public Policy.