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Dan Chambliss, the Eugene M. Tobin Distinguished Professor of Sociology, recently published the third edition of his social science research methods textbook, Making Sense of the Social World: Methods of Investigation. The book, co-authored with Russell K. Schutt of the University of Massachusetts, is used in courses at more than 100 colleges and universities across the United States and United Kingdom, including the University of California, Berkeley, Georgetown University, and Amherst College.

Acting President and Dean of Faculty Joseph Urgo published an essay in the Association of Departments of Foreign Languages (ADFL) Bulletin (fall 2008, vol. 40, no. 1). In "Counting to One is Not Counting," Urgo questions why the Spellings commission did not consider the humanities in its report. "It is not simply that the Spelling commission report fails to mention the humanities as a factor in higher education; the report itself is devoid of a humanities perspective on what it means to be an educated human being."

Hamilton was represented by 26 students at Power Shift 2009, held Feb. 27-March 2, in Washington, D.C. The conference brought 10,000 young people to Washington to mobilize, network, learn, teach, make a statement, and lobby congress to make some real progress on global warming. Students met with members of Congress to discuss rebuilding our economy and reclaiming our future through bold climate and clean energy policy.

Paul Belonick '02 has been named editor-in-chief of the Virginia Law Review, the journal of the University of Virginia Law School and one of the most cited law journals in the country. Belonick was a classical languages and history major at Hamilton and is a graduate student in history as well as a law student at UVA.

One of the goals of Hamilton's Program in Washington is to connect classroom learning with the direct experience of politics and decision-making in the nation's capital. On February 25, participants in the program had an extraordinary opportunity to do just that at the Supreme Court of the United States.

Julie Sze, professor of American studies at the University of California-Davis and environmental justice author, will lecture on "Environmental Justice and Environmental Humanities at the Crossroads" at Hamilton College on Monday, March 2. Sze's talk will take place at 7:30 p.m. in the Kennedy Auditorium of the Science Center, and is free and open to the public.

A group of 36 Hamilton students and faculty travelled to Cornell University on Feb. 24, and enjoyed a performance of the Awaji Puppet Theater from Japan. At Cornell, the students watched three plays about deity, love, demon and devotion, and observed the intricate manipulations of the puppets and beautiful accompaniment by chanters and musicians.

As the April 15 deadline for filing tax returns approaches, students in Econ. 235: Policy, Poverty, and Practice are devoting a few hours a week to preparing taxes through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

Two Hamilton teams competed at the Finger Lakes Regional Mock Trial Tournament on Feb. 14 and 15. Hamilton placed fourth at the competition and will advance to the next round of competition called Opening Round Championship Series in Easton, Pa. The team included Casey Green '09, Stuart Lombardi '09, Larry Allen '09, Teddy McBride '10, Evan Klondar '11, Andrew Quinney, '11, Antonia Farzan '11, Caitlyn Tuten-Rhodes '12, and Julia Goldstein '12.

The BioTour bus made a stop at Hamilton on Feb. 24. BioTour is an educational non-profit comprised of 13 young people who travel the country on two school buses that they've converted to run on waste vegetable oil (WVO) and solar paneled electrical power. Their presentations are aimed at educating listeners about smart policies and realistic practices in renewable energy. Hamilton students toured the bus outside the Science Center and in front of KJ.