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Brian Catlos isn’t a big believer in the “clash of civilizations” view of Western history, which posits that Muslim culture and values are fundamentally at odds with those of the so-called West. But neither does he have much truck with the rather nostalgic the idea that peace and harmony prevailed between the three religions during the Middle Ages. He is working on a book-length exploration of this research.

Aristotle may be the most influential philosopher in history, a cornerstone of Western philosophy. But at a time when many see the pursuit of money as a virtue in itself, some might dismiss him as an old Greek hippie. Mitzi Lee, associate professor of philosophy, has developed “creative and persuasive” ideas about understanding Aristotle, and she’s won a National Endowment for the Humanities fellowship to complete a book about justice as it relates to Aristotle’s ideas on ethics—and how to live a good life.

Receiving the honor of being named the inaugural Timmerhaus Teaching Ambassador is Noah Finkelstein, President’s Teaching Scholar and professor of physics at CU-�鶹ӰԺ. “I’m profoundly honored by this award, and the explicit recognition and attention to education as a core enterprise of the University of Colorado,” Finkelstein said.

Myron Gutmann, a prominent historical demographer, has taken the helm of the Institute of Behavioral Science (IBS) at the �鶹ӰԺ. Gutmann, who became the institute’s director on Jan. 1, succeeds Jane Menken, a distinguished professor of sociology, who has led IBS since 2001. One of his key objectives is to spread the word, to “show the people of Colorado that we are making an important investment in things that have value for them.”

In a national project designed to help communities cope with extreme events, Liesel Ritchie, associate director for research at the Natural Hazards Center in the Institute of Behavioral Science at the �鶹ӰԺ, has been chosen by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) to serve as a Disaster Resilience Fellow.

A �鶹ӰԺ alumnus who found a previously undiscovered population of critically endangered monkeys in Vietnam has won the 2014 Sabin Prize for Excellence in Primate Conservation.

The Department of Ethnic Studies this year celebrates the 20th anniversary of its genesis. After a tumultuous beginning, it has grown into a prominent and respected department that has great support from the university administration.

For more than 40 years, the Child Learning Center (CLC) CU-�鶹ӰԺ’s Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences has been helping �鶹ӰԺ County children get the most out of their education. That work will continue thanks in part to a $25,000 grant from the Millennium Trust.

Today, �鶹ӰԺ English professor Ruth Ellen Kocher is a celebrated poet and professor, but she didn’t get to this point before clearing several obstacles.

A CU-�鶹ӰԺ astrophysicist who aims to probe the origins of the universe from the far side of the moon has been elected vice president of the American Astronomical Society, the group has announced.Jack O. Burns, a �鶹ӰԺ