UCSD Praised for Peace Corps Work
UCSD was recently ranked 24th nationally among universities of 15,000 or more students for the number of Peace Corps volunteers placed over the last year. There are currently 45 Peace Corps volunteers on assignment who have received undergraduate degrees from UCSD, while six have received graduate degrees.
In the Southern California and Arizona region, UCSD is first in the nation for its number of volunteers.
“”Although there are many avenues UCSD graduates may take upon graduation, it is reassuring to know that so many choose to promote world peace by volunteering to be ambassadors of the U.S. through the Peace Corps,”” said Andrew Ceperley, director of the UCSD Career Services Center.
The UCSD Peace Corps office is located in the Career Services Center, and served 1,531 students during the October 2005 to June 2006 recruiting period.
Study Finds Genetic Links to Autism
A scan of the world’s largest collection of DNA samples from families affected by autism has revealed two genetic links that may predispose people to the condition.
The five-year study was conducted by the Autism Genome Project, an international group of scientists from 50 institutions in 19 countries.
Groundbreaking gene-chip technology was used to find genetic commonalities in autistic subjects from approximately 1,200 families. Subjects were also tested for variations in gene copy numbers — genomic gaps and insertions that are potentially linked to autism.
“”We hope that identifying these genes will provide new insights into what underlies autism,”” Daniel Geschwind, director of the Center for Autism Research and Treatment at the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior at UCLA, stated in a press release. “”We are optimistic that this approach will lead to improved interventions for autistic children and better quality of life for their families.””
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention cite autism as a national public health crisis, with one in 150 American children diagnosed with some form of the disorder.
Media Damages Girls’ Self-Image
The American Psychological Association found evidence to suggest that the sexualized images of women in the media and in advertising is harmful to girls’ development and self-esteem.
Virtually every form of media influence was analyzed in the APA report, with “”sexualization”” defined as occurring when a person’s value is solely based on sex appeal, or when a person is objectified.
“”The consequences of the sexualization of girls in media today are very real and are likely to be a negative influence on girls’ healthy development,”” Eileen L. Zurbriggen, chair of the APA Task Force and an associate professor of psychology at UC Santa Cruz, stated in a press release.
The APA research shows that objectification of women in the media is a source of negative consequences, such as eating disorders, depression and anxiety.
