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Editor's Note: Bilham will take part in a 1 p.m. panel discussion Tuesday, Dec. 14, in the press office at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco. Hundreds of thousands of earthquake fatalities could be averted if building contractors and homeowners were alerted to elementary construction principles, especially in the world's six deadliest earthquake countries led by Iran, according to a University of Colorado at Boulder seismologist.

The University of Colorado at Boulder's Office of Diversity and Equity has awarded 16 grants to support gender, ethnic and cultural diversity in scholarly work and teaching. This year's projects include the study of Inca ruins and national identity in Peru and campus workshops on primate conservation in Vietnam. The Implementation of Multicultural Perspectives and Approaches in Research and Teaching grants were announced by Christine Yoshinaga-Itano, vice provost and associate vice chancellor of diversity and equity.

Dr. Richard L. Byyny, chancellor of the University of Colorado at Boulder since 1997, today announced that he has accepted a position as executive director of a new health policy center at the University of Colorado Hospital at Fitzsimons in Aurora, effective March 1. He will continue in his current post until an interim chancellor is named.

An estimated 9,000 people are expected to attend the winter commencement ceremony at the University of Colorado at Boulder on Dec. 17 and those planning to drive should arrive early. Commencement begins at 9:30 a.m. in the Coors Events/Conference Center. It is recommended that guests arrive well before 9 a.m. Early arrival will give all guests time to be in their seats by 9:10 a.m. and will avoid delaying the ceremony.

Editors: A photograph of a rock glacier at the Niwot Ridge Long-Term Ecological Research site west of Boulder, Colo., is available by calling (303) 492-3114. A University of Colorado at Boulder research team has discovered evidence of microbial activity in a rock glacier high above tree line in the Rocky Mountains, a barren environment previously thought to be devoid of life.

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.