Arizona Summer
June 20-26, 2012
WILDCAT Tucson, Arizona
For live, in-game updates of Arizona’s games at the College World Series, head to DailyWildcat.com
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BioMath conference promotes collaboration between programs By Isaac Cox Arizona Summer Wildcat
Professors and researchers from educational institutions across the globe met at the Thomas W. Keating BioResearch building for the “Making BioMath Happen” conference last week. The two-and-a-half-day conference brought together professors of biology, mathematics and interdisciplinary studies to discuss the current curricula for students in the fields, and how to overcome their challenges. Biologists and mathematicians work within incredibly different subject matter, but as their fields begin to grow and rely on each other for information, a certain level of understanding is needed, according to Joe Watkins, a UA mathematics professor. During the 11th century, professors from Oxford and Cambridge taught mathematics in a particular way with the use of slate tablets, Watkins said. When biology was first established and taught, it was either observation in a field in terms of natural history or test tube experiments. As these fields of study became reliant on each other, the institutional way of mastering the subjects needed to be discussed, Watkins added. “The lectures you see in the mathematics classes take time in an experimental setup in a biology class,” he said. “If
By Alex Williams Arizona Summer Wildcat
Robert Alcaraz / Arizona Summer Wildcat
Joanna Masel, Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology at the UA, presents her project on medicine at the BioMath conference last Thursday. The conference was held over the course of two and a half days and featured works from biologists and math professors.
you’re interested in how they come together, then the institution has to rethink the way it educates youth to do that.” Some programs at educational institutions have a hard time finding the money or collaborators for making the necessary changes in their field. The conference’s keynote speaker, Bill Velez, associate head
of Undergraduate Programs and Department of Mathematics at the UA, said he faced a similar challenge. In the 2003-2004 school year, the number of math majors at the UA was around 307. Velez said he was able to nearly
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Posner’s to set up shop at new Main Gate store By Kyle Mittan Arizona Summer Wildcat
Come July, frequent visitors of Posner’s Art Store may have to walk just a few blocks farther than before, but are optimistic that the store is not closing permanently or moving to a more inaccessible location. The store, which will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year, moved to 1025 N. Park Ave., in 1977 when it was purchased by Richard and Emily Brown. Since then, it
Baseball one win from CWS best-of-three championship
has been a primary supplier of art materials for many UA students and departments, especially studio art majors, who benefit from its close proximity. Now the Browns will be relocating their store into a new, permanent spot at 944 E. University Blvd., just a few feet west of the Park Avenue intersection. After hearing about the store’s closing in March to make way for a 14-story studenthousing complex being constructed by Chicago-based company Campus Acquisitions, many were doubtful about the stores
success in a new location. With a lease signed and moving plans in the works, Emily Brown called the new location “a blessing in disguise.” “We’re going to have so much more traffic down there,” she said. “Really, here, we don’t get walk-ins. We get all kinds of students who come from the university … but I don’t have anybody who just walks by the store. I think that’ll be really good for us.” Additionally, Brown said the new store
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Three years ago, a group of freshmen leading the Arizona baseball team stumbled their way to a losing Pacific 10 Conference record and early exit from the postseason. Now, that group is three wins away from the school’s fourth national championship and first since 1986. The Wildcats will play Florida State on Thursday at 2 p.m. in Omaha, Neb., needing a win to get them into the best-of-three championship series of the College World Series. Should the UA lose, it would play a rematch in a win-or-go-home game Friday at 5 p.m. Arizona has stormed through the postseason, winning all seven of its games — two of which took extra innings. The Wildcats beat Florida State 4-3 in 12 innings in their CWS opener before beating UCLA 4-0 on Sunday. Wildcat head coach Andy Lopez said he’s “leaning heavily” toward starting ace Kurt Heyer in Thursday’s game. That would leave sophomore Konner Wade to start either Friday’s elimination game or Sunday’s opening game of the championship series. Wade tossed a shutout and allowed just five hits in the 4-0 win over UCLA. Heyer didn’t factor into the decision against Florida State despite tossing 7.2 innings and allowing one earned run while striking out eight. The UA’s move to Hi Corbett Field gave the Wildcats an opportunity to host postseason games for the first time since 1992. Arizona has won 15 of its last 17 games en route to Omaha, the school’s first trip to the CWS since 2004.
For more CWS coverage: turn to SPORTS — 10