If second-year physics graduate student John Alison were a few years older, he would have studied at Fermi, a famous physics lab in Chicago. Instead he will head to Switzerland this summer to study particle physics. Geneva, Switzerland boasts the world's premier particle accelerator thanks to a 1990s budget cut that halted construction of a similar model in the U.

For seniors, February marks the start of their last round of midterms, their last Super Bowl to watch at Penn and Feb Club, a month-long celebration for seniors to attend events together across Philadelphia. "It's geared toward giving seniors a better perspective of Philly as a whole in their last few months," College senior and class president Puneet Singh said.

AlliedBarton security guards at Penn and Temple University received significant increases in wages and sick leave last week. The adjustments to the security guards' contracts, effective last month at Penn and today at Temple, provide for up to three days' paid sick leave at both Penn and Temple and a wage increase from $9.

Do you know of the Heavenly Mother? Many students do now, after recent encounters with teams of missionaries on campus. Members of the World Mission Society Church of God have been proselytizing on campus over the past few weeks, approaching students on various street corners and outside University buildings.

Thanks to record-breaking investment and fundraising, Penn's endowment for the 2007 fiscal year reached an all-time high - a high that, for the first time in history, pushed Penn into the top 10 schools with the highest endowments in the country. Penn's $6.

Carbon Trading 101. It isn't listed in the spring course timetable - yet. In a few years, however, that may be a different story. In a speech yesterday presented by Penn's Institute for Environmental Studies, adjunct professor Andrew Huemmler discussed what he believes to be the next frontier in U.

Across the country, 1,100 schools are heating up for Focus the Nation, a teach-in about global warming solutions. The Fox Leadership Program and the student group Campus Progress and the Penn Environmental Group are making an effort to join the discussion with an all-day conference today in Houston Hall.

The ashes of Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro will be interred at Churchill Downs, where the Derby is run every year, his owners, Roy and Gretchen Jackson, announced yesterday, according to The Associated Press. Barbaro, who was injured during the 2006 Preakness Stakes, was treated for over eight months at Penn's New Bolton Center in Kennett Square, Pa.

Sleep. Exercise. Fling. These are all things being recommended to students this year. "Fling: Ask Us Why" was revealed by the Social Planning and Events Committee last Friday to be the theme of this year's Spring Fling, which will take place on Friday, April 11 and Saturday, April 12.

An AlliedBarton security guard has been arrested and charged with theft and receiving stolen property, according to Deputy Chief of Investigations Mike Morrin of the Penn Police. The incident marks the second time since November that an on-campus AlliedBarton guard has been arrested.

In addition to playing Jetman, competing in Food Friendzy to win CampusFood Cash and posting bumper stickers on friends' walls, users of the social-networking site Facebook.com have been improving their vocabulary skills. But the almost 600,000 thousand Facebook users who play Scrabulous - a free, online version of the board game Scrabble-- - every day, may have to find a new hobby.

On Tuesday night, The Lambda Alliance, the umbrella organization for campus groups serving the LGBT community, elected a new board. Wharton sophomore Dennie Zastrow, stepping up as chairperson, will use his term to push for policy changes at the University level and to further collaboration with the LGBT community both on campus and off.

When do Penn students, staff and administration collaborate to promote a cause? Yesterday - at RecycleMania's latest event, the signing of the Recycling Pledge in Houston Hall. Students signed the pledge, which encourages them to take action by learning about recycling and waste reduction and lead by example.

From 50 Cent to Eminem, hip-hop artists have been accused of inciting violence and sexism, but are they also trying to inspire? Last night at Houston Hall, the Race Dialogue Project held the event "Soulja Boys: Hip-hop, Violence, and the New Civil Rights" to address such a question.

One participant's aunt has terminal cancer. She has three more weeks to live. Another participant had leukemia at age three. Together they are working to find a cure for cancer. Colleges Against Cancer at Penn is sponsoring the fifth annual Relay for Life event.

Two years after the implementation of Operation Safe - Penn's $5-million safety initiative spurred after a student was shot on campus in 2006 - officials and students say safety is improving and measures to improve security are continuing. Started after then-Engineering sophomore Mari Oishi was hit in the thigh by a stray bullet near 38th and Walnut streets in January 2006, the security plan has added lighting and cameras, as well as increased the number and visibility of Penn Police and security guards.