Thanks to a recent $7.5 million grant from the National Cancer Institute, a Northwestern University professor will literally shine a light on colon cancer. Over the next five years, McCormick School of Engineering Professor Vadim Backman will be conducting further research and clinical trials on an optical technology that he hopes will eventually be used in the medical mainstream as a routine colon pre-screen for patients.… Post the First Comment

After two years of designing and building, Northwestern's Solar Car Team has taken its fifth completed solar car to the North American Solar Challenge to compete in a 2,400 mile race from Plano, Texas, to Calgary, Alberta. "It's doing pretty well," said Michael Awadalla, a Northwestern senior and the Solar Car Team's Research and Development Chair.… Post the First Comment

For his contributions in molecular nanotechnology and nanoelectromechanical systems, Sir Fraser Stoddart, the Board of Trustees Professor of Chemistry, has been awarded the 2008 Davy Medal from the Royal Society of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth. The Davy Medal recognizes an outstandingly important recent discovery in any branch of chemistry.… Post the First Comment

The Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project will return from Aug. 9-16 for the third consecutive year. Part of NU's Summer Music Theatre Festival 2008, the project is cosponsored by the Johnny Mercer Foundation and NU's American Music Theatre Project. The project consists of a weeklong educational project for 18 to 30 year old songwriters and songwriting teams from all popular music genres.… Post the First Comment