A sample of virtually everything that distinguishes the BSD can be found in this issue: Novel technology bubbling up in labs and bridging out into commercial development. Prestigious awards being made to our faculty. A long list of new grant awards funded by an impressive variety of sponsors. Seminal discoveries in the laboratory and in the field creating new knowledge and charting new research directions. Surgical techniques and treatments that are being performed one place in the world -- here. A new Dean of Medical Education who plans to create an office unique in American medical eduation. A one-of-a-kind joint training program led by a mentor who has received a one-of-a-kind award. A member of the National Academy of Sciences taking the time to teach virology to a cohort of 12 undergraduate freshmen and winning a Quantrell Award. Not bad for an issue covering just 6 months, January through June 2003.

And in the midst of all this, the Aims for BSD. As a faculty member, I deeply understand how burdensome committee service can be on already overtaxed faculty. But I also recognize how important it is to involve the faculty deeply in assessing our challenges and in being directly involved in bringing about not just change, but change that matters. This is, after all, our shared institution, and the quality of its future is our shared responsibility.

I have made much of the idea that our culture must be overtly appreciative of its faculty as well as measurable and accountable for its actions. This assertion extends to the Dean?fs Office as well. To this end you will find, in the Updates section below and on the Aims web site (http://aims.bsd.uchicago.edu), a list of the Division?fs progress in implementing the Aims. We must be aware that, due to resource limitations, we cannot accomplish everything recommended by the Committees. What we can do is prioritize and implement those critical recommendations that must go forward immediately, think a bit deeper about others that require more study, and table others until such time that we have sufficient resources to tackle them. If we?fve done this right, and I believe we have, implementing the first and second tier of recommendations should position us to successfully implement the rest.

I am confident that we have the right people, the right place, and the right plan. It?fs time now to move forward.

The BSD aims Action Planning Process Concludes
The aims for BSD Action Planning Committees concluded deliberations and submitted their final report to Dean Madara on June 9th, 2003....

BSD Teams Sparkle in New Venture Challenge
Sixty teams began this year's Edward L. Kaplan New Venture Challenge, a business plan competition sponsored by the University of Chicago's Graduate School of Business...

Discoveries
A 161 million-year-old Mongolian fossil not only reveals a new species of salamanders, but also provides proof that much of the evolution of salamanders occurred in Asia...

Aims Updates
Removal of Public Distinction of Title, Modest Expansion of the Research Faculty, Academic Affairs, Cost Reduction...

EDUCATION
Holly Humphrey, M.D., Professor in the Department of Medicine, Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program, and Associate Dean of Students in the Pritzker School of Medicine, was named the new Dean of Medical Education...

FOREFRONT
Emile Bacha, M.D., Assistant Professor in the Department of Surgery and Director of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, has performed two remarkable surgical firsts in the last 6 months...

DEVELOPMENT
The BSD and the Hospitals are major partners in The Chicago Initiative, the University's current campaign to raise $2 billion. Within the Initiative, $550 million is set as the target for Spark Discovery, Illuminate Life, the combined BSD/UCH effort...

ACCOLADES
Recent Awards and Grants Information for Biological Sciences Division Faculty

ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
Recent Recruitemnts and Appointments of Biological Sciences Division Faculty

Dollars & Sense
BSD met its financial targets for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2003. Preliminary results indicate...

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