http://newscenter.berkeley.edu/ News headlines from the University of California, Berkeley Steve McConnell - smcconnell@berkeley.edu en-US http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/07/02_greencorridor.shtml Representatives of UC Berkeley and other members of a public-private East Bay consortium designed to solve environmental challenges while creating jobs gathered in Oakland June 26 for the partnership's second annual summit. http://research.chance.berkeley.edu/main.cfm?id=3 Skinning a knee, swallowing habanero salsa, and installing snow chains bare-handed have one thing in common -- they hurt. In her lab, biologist Diana Bautista investigates the molecular mechanisms behind 'noxious stimuli,' otherwise known as pain. http://www.alumni.berkeley.edu/California/200905/finz.asp Good-bye Pop-Tarts and cheese-flavored Doritos; hello chard and spinach. The Center for Weight and Health at UC Berkeley is looking at whether an ambitious city school-lunch program is changing the way kids eat, their overall fitness, or their academic performance. Here's what they've discovered so far. http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/budget/?p=454 UC President Mark Yudof, in a written update, reports on concerns raised by thousands of staff and faculty on proposed means of reducing UC payrolls to meet a huge budget shortfall. http://ls.berkeley.edu/?q=arts-ideas/archive/no%C3%AB-takes-novel-philosphical-view-consciousness Most scientists would say that the brain houses all our capacity to think, feel and perceive -- while others believe that the seat of consciousness is a mind or soul; it isn't physical at all. Berkeley faculty member Alva Noë argues in his 2009 book Out of Our Heads that this debate, between neurons and the immaterial soul, misses a third possibility. http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/budget/ In a six--minute online talk, President Mark Yudof says he hopes to protect employee benefits to the "absolute greatest extent possible" as payroll-reduction decisions are made. He will recommend that "if there are furlough days or salary reductions," employees' "original" (unreduced) salaries will used for calculating pension benefits. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/25_shortellqa.shtml Without reform, President Obama has warned, the U.S. health care system may "go the way of GM -- paying more, getting less, and going broke." In a Q&A with the NewsCenter, Dean of Public Health Stephen Shortell, an adviser to the Obama administration, speaks about needed changes -- from a center for comparing effectiveness of various treatment options to better incentives for doctors and hospitals to reduce costs. http://www.gigatonthrowdown.org/press.php A new report by industry CEOs, venture capitalists and academics, including Berkeley's Dan Kammen, shows that tech innovations in seven industries -- biofuel, nuclear, solar, geothermal, wind, building efficiency and construction materials -- could reduce the country's carbon dioxide emissions by 5 to 7 billion tons by 2020 AND create 5 million new jobs. Their message to Congress: Don't stand in the way! http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/22_pathfinders.shtml UC Berkeley Chancellor Robert Birgeneau, California's First Lady Maria Shriver, and Minnesota public school teacher Nan Peterson were honored for their contributions to bringing about a more peaceful world at a June 22 ceremony in San Francisco. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/22_pesticide.shtml It's known that infants are more susceptible than adults to the toxic effects of pesticides. But this increased vulnerability may extend much longer into childhood than expected, according to a new study by Berkeley researchers. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/22_sautter.shtml The University of California has recognized Berkeley’s GradLink-on-the-Web and its developers with the Larry L. Sautter Award for Innovation in Information Technology. The team was honored for its 'agile, lean approach' to putting businesses processes online. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/19_canoe.shtml A team of Berkeley civil engineering students captured the championship in the 22nd annual Concrete Canoe Competition, held in Tuscaloosa, Ala. June 11-13. Known as the America's Cup of civil engineering, the contest requires students to design and construct a boat, present a technical design paper, and race their craft in sprint and endurance races. http://coe.berkeley.edu/news-center/publications/forefront/forefront-spring-2009/in-the-news/where-in-the-world-is-berkeley-engineering/student-design-embraced-by-pinoleville-pomo-nation A yurt-style house conceived by freshmen studying engineering design and analysis has become the basis for culturally sensitive, energy-efficient homes for members of a small Indian tribe in northern California. http://www.berkeley.edu/news/media/releases/2009/06/18_threeoptions.shtml Members of the UC community are invited to comment on three draft plans.