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Editor's Note: Zhang will lead a panel of experts at the AGU annual meeting to discuss global permafrost and climate warming issues Dec. 13 at 9 a.m., room 2012, Moscone Convention Center West, San Francisco, Calif. Engineers constructing a new railroad across the vast, high-altitude Tibetan Plateau are using a surprisingly simple idea to fortify shifting frozen soils affected by climate warming, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder permafrost expert.

Alex Oshmyansky, who graduated from the University of Colorado at Boulder in May 2003 with a 3.9 grade-point-average after only one year of study, has won a prestigious Marshall Scholarship from the British government. An official announcement of all the 2005 scholarship winners is expected this week. Oshmyansky, CU-Boulder's sixth Marshall Scholar, is now in his second year of medical school at Duke University and plans to use the scholarship to pursue a doctoral degree in mathematical biology from Oxford University. He recently celebrated his 20th birthday.

Phil DiStefano, provost of the University of Colorado at Boulder, today announced the formation of a search committee charged with identifying outstanding candidates for the permanent position of Director of Intercollegiate Athletics. Dick Tharp resigned the position, effective Nov. 30, and long-time athletics administrator Jack Lengyel was hired to fill the interim position while a search is conducted. DiStefano also said a consulting firm, Neinas Sports Services, has been selected to assist the committee in its work.

Editors: Photographs of the three professors are available by calling (303) 492-3113. Three University of Colorado at Boulder faculty members were named distinguished professors by the CU Board of Regents at its Dec. 9 meeting. Delbert Elliott, director of the Center for the Study and Prevention of Violence and professor of sociology; Margaret Eisenhart, professor of education; and Allan McMurray, director of bands and professor of music received the prestigious designation. They join only 25 other CU-Boulder faculty members ever to be named distinguished professor.

KUSA-TV news anchor Adele Arakawa is among the speakers at special University of Colorado at Boulder ceremonies to be held for graduating students in addition to the main university commencement on Dec. 17. Following is a schedule of the Dec. 16-17 events to be held by most CU-Boulder schools and colleges to recognize individual graduates. - College of Architecture and Planning recognition ceremony, Thursday, Dec. 16, at 3 p.m. in the Muenzinger Psychology auditorium, room E050.

The way lizards, turtles and people run will be part of the CU Wizards show titled "How Animals Move," presented Dec. 18 by the dean of the University of Colorado at Boulder College of Arts and Sciences. The show by Todd Gleeson, dean and professor of integrative physiology, will be at 9:30 a.m. in the Cristol Chemistry and Biochemistry Building, room 140. It is free and open to the public.

A tiny, hearing aid-like device is revolutionizing speech therapy for some older children and adults who stutter, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder professor. The device, called SpeechEasy, has helped a number of people who have not had satisfying results with traditional stuttering therapy, said Professor Peter Ramig, associate chair of the CU-Boulder department of speech, language and hearing sciences and a specialist in the research and treatment of fluency disorders and stuttering.

Tight restrictions on student visas for foreign graduate students will hasten the erosion of America's global dominance in innovation, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder researcher. In the first study of its kind, economics Professor Keith Maskus found that strict enforcement of restrictions on student visas could wipe out much of the innovative activity sparked by the Bayh-Dole Act of 1980, which allows U.S. universities to commercialize research results.

New evidence in the 1996 JonBenet Ramsey murder case is examined in "Who Killed the Pageant Queen? Suspects" a documentary by Professor Michael Tracey of the University of Colorado at Boulder School of Journalism and Mass Communication. The documentary will air on the CBS show "48 Hours Mystery" on Dec. 18 and on Court Television in January. According to Tracey, a new team of investigators has uncovered dramatic new evidence about the murder, resulting in the identification of a key suspect.

The University of Colorado at Boulder will confer 2,227 degrees on Friday, Dec. 17, during the winter commencement ceremony in the Coors Events/Conference Center. The ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. and last about an hour. Guests are asked to be in their seats by 9 a.m. and early arrival is strongly suggested due to possible traffic delays. The university ceremony is free and open to the public. Guests are asked not to bring large purses or bags to the ceremony, and guests entering the events center may be subject to search.