January 20, 2000 / Volume 19, Number 13
News Bureau | Calendar | II Info | II Archives
- The case of the shrinking iguanas: When weather changes, reptiles shrink to survive on less food
- Measurements showing vertebrate animals getting smaller during the course of a study normally are dismissed as measurement error or not possible. Eighteen years of data from the Galapagos Islands, however, indicate such shrinkage is both occurring and reversible.
- Ice Age clothing more advanced than previously thought
- Archaeologists have discovered what the well-dressed Ice Age woman wore on ritual occasions. Her outfit, however, including accessories, doesn't resemble anything Wilma Flintstone ever wore, or, for that matter, any of our carved-in-stone conceptions of "paleofashion."
- Numerical method optimizes aero-assisted orbital interceptions
- Future spacecraft may use a planet's atmosphere to generate aerodynamic forces that modify the crafts' orbits without using fuel. UI researchers have developed a numerical technique that can optimize the paths of these aero-assisted orbital transfer vehicles.
Lethal experiments stopped until further examination
Rejuvenation of Campustown under way
Demolition of Co-Ed Theater scheduled
'And now, live, from Champaign-Urbana, it's '
New campaign touts benefits of UI
Spring noncredit courses and lecture series announced
Congratulations! We've raised more than $950,000!: A letter from the Chancellor
Activities in observation of MLK day continue through Jan. 23 ... Spring Millercomm/CAS lectures announced ... Piano man ... BMOC (Big Moo On Campus) ... Art and Design Saturday classes begin Jan. 29 ... Campus GradeBook Workshops offered Feb. 3, 4 and 16 ... Free week, 'Big Chill' and more ... University Primary School enrollment ... Poster design deadline is Feb. 4 .... Office Professional of the Year nominations sought ... Rep sought to fill vacancy ... Class offered for visiting scholars ... ACDIS contest ... KAM hosts work by faculty member ... WISE Symposium is Jan. 29
Measurements showing vertebrate animals getting smaller during the course of a study normally are dismissed as measurement error or not possible. Eighteen years of data from the Galapagos Islands, however, indicate such shrinkage is both occurring and reversible.
In the Jan. 6 issue of the journal Nature, scientists studying marine iguanas of two island populations report that the herbivorous reptiles shrank as much as 6.8 centimeters (2.7 inches) -- up to 20 percent of body length -- over two years. The iguanas (Amblyrhynchus cristatus) were shrinking, the scientists report, to increase their survival chances during a change in the weather.
Shrinkage was noted in 1982-83, 1987-88, 1992-93 and 1997-98. The measurements were noted and dismissed, but a pattern was soon discovered: Each of the shrinking periods occurred during years when an oceanic temperature-fluctuation phenomenon known as El Niño affected weather.
"In 1997-98, the animals had shrunk too much to ignore," said Martin Wikelski, a professor of ecology, ethology and evolution at the UI. "We thought that this couldn't be an artifact, so we plotted out the data. It turned out to be very interesting."
The iguanas eat algae along the tidal basins of the rocky shores of the Galapagos archipelago off Ecuador. The islands normally experience cold, nutrient-rich currents from both the west and south. During El Niño years, however, warm currents and heavy rains raise water temperatures. Less digestible brown algae replaces the iguanas' preferred green and red algae.
In years immediately after El Niño events, surviving iguanas ate well and got fat, then started growing longer again, Wikelski said. For instance, 600 iguanas were measured and marked in 1992. Following the subsequent El Niño, they were monitored. The larger iguanas -- those more than 300 millimeters (11.7 inches) from snout to anus -- shrank the most and survived the longest.
"In shrinking, they also get slimmer, and their mouths get smaller, making them more efficient at harvesting the tiny amounts of available algae," Wikelski said. "They shrink to reach a body size where survival is high. If they shrank a centimeter or so, they already increased their survival rate by 10 percent. If they shrink more, they can increase survivability by 35 percent."
Wikelski and co-author Corinna Thom, a biologist at the University of Wurzburg in Germany, theorize that bone absorption accounts for much of the shrinkage, because a reduction of connective tissues between the bones cannot account for it, and that high levels of corticosterone may be involved.
Perhaps as interesting to the bone shrinkage is the renewed growth of bone. Humans suffering from osteoporosis as a result of aging or space flight are unable to recover from the loss of bone length and density, especially losses in long bones.
"We are looking for the mechanism," Wikelski said. "Is it a certain hormone or combination of hormones, or is it some other physiological mechanism that tells bone to regrow and recalcify?"
Wikelski's research on this subject has been cited recently in Nature, The New York Times, Science News (print and Web) and The Observer (London) and on Discovery Online, ABC News.com and the Environmental News Network's Web site.
Amblyrhynchus cristatus
Source: www.life.uiuc.edu/wikelski/iguana.html
Ice Age clothing more advanced than previously thought
Archaeologists have discovered what the well-dressed Ice Age woman wore on ritual occasions. Her outfit, however, including accessories, doesn't resemble anything Wilma Flintstone ever wore, or, for that matter, any of our carved-in-stone conceptions of "paleofashion."
Instead, the threads of at least some Ice Age women included caps or snoods, belts and skirts, bandeaux (banding over the breasts) and bracelets and necklaces -- all constructed of plant fibers in a great variety of cloth, from twined and basket wear to plain weaves. While styling varied across Eurasia, the finest weaves are "comparable to not only Neolithic but even later Bronze and Iron Age products, or, in fact, to thin cotton and linenwear worn today," Olga Soffer, James Adovasio and David Hyland wrote in an article to be published in Current Anthropology.
The new research also provides a new way of thinking about our ancestors, Soffer argues. Up to now we have had "a monotonous image of our deep past," she said, which consists of hide- and fur-wrapped "brave men with lances going after mammoths." But these are the activities of a minority of the population. "Where were the women and children?" Soffer asks. "Where are the old people and the infirm, and what are they doing? Surely a lot more than simply sitting around admiring their brave heroes."
Indeed, the new analysis sheds light on the major role that some women played in late Pleistocene societies. The women who turned out such fine garments, the archaeologists hypothesize, probably enjoyed high status in the society, their wear considered items of great value.
Archaeology is Soffer's second career. Before she was "born again," she said, she "grew up in the fashion industry, doing fashion promotion for the Federated Department Stores. FDS and Abraham & Strauss taught me everything I know," said Soffer, with a wink -- and a hint of a Russian accent.
Soffer's research on this subject has been highlighted recently in The New York Times, The Times (London), The Evening Standard (London), The International Herald Tribune, Discovering Archaeology magazine (and Web site), and on WOR radio (New York City) and Australian and Norwegian state radio.
Numerical method optimizes aero-assisted orbital interceptions
Future spacecraft may use a planet's atmosphere to generate aerodynamic forces that modify the crafts' orbits without using fuel. UI researchers have developed a numerical technique that can optimize the paths of these aero-assisted orbital transfer vehicles.
"Today's spacecraft use propellant-powered thrusters to move from one orbit to another," said Bruce Conway, a professor of aeronautical and astronautical engineering. "But each pound of fuel carried aloft means a corresponding reduction in the weight of the mission payload. A next-generation spacecraft may switch orbits at a substantial fuel savings by dipping into the atmosphere, generating aerodynamic lift and drag on airplane-like control surfaces, and then climbing to a new orbit."
The concept is similar to aerodynamic braking, a technique that uses a planet's atmosphere to reduce the speed of a space vehicle. Aerodynamic braking was used successfully for the Mars Global Surveyor mission, currently in orbit around the red planet.
"It would have been far too costly to send that spacecraft to Mars with all the necessary fuel to place it in the desired orbit through a prolonged 'burn,' " Conway said. "Instead, the mission planners placed the spacecraft in a more accessible but highly elliptical orbit, and used aerodynamic braking to slowly circularize the orbit. The procedure took several months to complete, but required little fuel."
In much the same fashion, aero-assisted orbital transfer vehicles could use a planet's atmosphere to change the altitude, shape or plane of their orbits. Applications in Earth orbit include atmospheric sampling, satellite repair missions, surveillance and missile interception.
In a paper published in the September-October issue of the Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Conway and graduate student Kazuhiro Horie applied a new numerical method they developed at the university.
"Optimal trajectories were found for the interception of a target in low-Earth orbit by a vehicle initially in a higher orbit, using aero-assist," Conway said. "We obtained solutions for a wide range of target orbit inclinations and constraints, such as maximum allowed heating rates. We also found that our method could solve problems with demanding constraints that conventional methods could not."
Using aero-assist made some interceptions possible that otherwise were infeasible because the spacecraft carried insufficient fuel. But an interesting and non-intuitive result was that in some cases, even if the spacecraft had enough fuel to intercept the target without entering the atmosphere, using a combination of conventional propulsion and aero-assist yielded a quicker interception.
"Unlike other methods, our technique is particularly well-suited for solving problems where many complicated constraints are placed on the trajectory," Conway said. "Our numerical method looks first for any trajectory that starts with the given conditions and satisfies the desired goal, then it optimizes that trajectory for the best possible solution."
Lethal experiments stopped until further examination
Officials in the UI College of Veterinary Medicine have decided to stop the use of lethal animal experiments in first year veterinary classes for the spring semester, according to UI officials.
A committee of faculty members from the college will study the issue in the meantime to decide whether or how the experiments should continue in the future, according to Robin Kaler, spokeswoman for the university.
The decision brings to a halt the use of about 100 animals -- dogs, pigs or rabbits -- for experiments in the first-year physiology classes. The animals were used and then killed as part of class procedure to show the results of physiological experiments.
Students could have declined to do the lethal experiments, but some first-year students said when they asked for alternatives, they felt they weren't adequately informed of what their options were or how to access them in a timely manner, Kaler said.
The decision to halt the lethal experiments was made after some Vet Med students protested the killing of the animals. Kaler said it's good that the students took a stand and asked the UI to look at the practice.
"The university is a place where you should be thinking of new and better ways to do something, so [their protests] definitely played a crucial role in getting us to address this issue," she said.
In a related matter, College Dean Ted Valli issued a memo to faculty members Jan. 14 that said the UI only will purchase dogs through animal dealers that are certified Class A by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Previously the UI purchased animals through Class B dealers, who sell dogs at lower prices. Animal welfare groups have charged that some Class B dealers steal pets or obtain dogs through other improper methods. Kaler said that by only using dogs purchased through Class A dealers it ensures that companion animals will not be used for lethal experiments.
Rejuvenation of Campustown under way
Things are looking up for Campustown. After years of dreariness and commercial decline, the venerable retail zone is about to turn a corner. "The dust-flying era will soon arrive," said Karen L. Stonehouse, a planner for the city of Champaign.
Sidewalk barricades are in place for the demolition of the former Co-Ed theater on the 600 block of East Green Street. Taking its place will be a four-story, atrium-bedecked building with 80,000 square feet of office space and 25,000 square feet of retailing.
The new structure, to be called the 600 Technology Building, "will give us a huge lift," said Jill Guth, president of the non-profit Campustown 2000. Two newly opened coffeehouses have added to the commercial vitality of the block, she added.
Reconstruction of Green Street itself is slated for spring 2001. Not only will the road be resurfaced between Wright and First streets, but the number of traffic lanes is expected to be reduced from four to three. Surveys have found that speeding, turning, honking vehicles are a major source of irritation for people shopping in Campustown.
The sidewalks will be widened and realigned to form a pedestrian-friendly zone with park benches, brick pavers, trees and flower beds. The idea, Guth said, is to give Campustown "a safe, old-timey, Main Street feel." Later this year, sprucing up will begin around the western portal of Campustown, namely the viaduct that takes Green Street under the Illinois Central Railroad tracks.
Plans for a parking garage at Sixth and Green streets are in limbo because of the high projected cost of the deck structure. Efforts are under way to determine whether a private-public partnership could be arranged with retail space on the ground level of the garage, Guth said.
A 1/2-cent boost in the food and beverage sales tax -- plus recent parking-meter-fee increases -- will help to underwrite the Green Street as well as other infrastructure improvements. The Redevelopment Incentive Program (RIP), for example, will pay up to 20 percent of permanent improvements to a private Campustown building, not to exceed $100,000. Private owners also may qualify for grants up to $15,000 for landscaping, awnings or other surface enhancements.
Green Street is among the region's oldest commercial areas. It sprang up between the "twin cities" to service the student population, which began as a trickle with the formation of the Illinois Industrial University in 1867 and turned into a geyser with the expansion of the campus in the 1950s.
During the "land-rush" period, many older residences were cut up into student housing or converted into retail stores. A mishmash of alley properties was thrown into the mix to meet student demand.
The district started changing again 20 years ago. "It was the car that really hastened Campustown's decline," Stonehouse said. Following the lifting of UI restrictions on the use of automobiles by students, parking became the number one problem in Campustown. Then with disinvestment setting in, many students left the district altogether for new housing and "big-box" convenience stores on the outskirts of town.
The erratic nature of the student retail trade -- heavy on weekends, light on weeknights and often nonexistent during university break periods -- in turn led to a high turnover of merchants and the influx of stores peddling posters, T-shirts and fast-food meals.
Today only 19 percent of UI students report that Campustown is their first choice for shopping. A marketing survey concluded that students would shop more in the district if the stores offered greater variety, if parking was more convenient, if trash was picked up and if the area was made more aesthetically pleasing. The absence of a full-service grocery store was cited by many as the reason they went elsewhere to shop.
A longtime source of distress to property owners was Boneyard Creek. Originally the creek drained the wetlands that constituted nearly the whole of Campustown. As the surrounding land was developed, the creek became the epicenter of storm runoff that occasionally put Green Street under water.
A detention pond and underground piping system are designed to quell the creek's proclivity to flood. Champaign recently added a landscaped zone, dubbed Boneyard Parkway, atop the former creekbed. Already, Guth reported, several Green Street restaurants are planning to add outdoor food patios along the reclaimed land.
In an effort to lure students and visitors to Campustown, Guth's group has hired Susan Herman as a part-time marketer. Her mandate is to plan and execute more events such as Decemberfest, a "celebration" of Green Street, held last month.
"Besides the new coffeehouses, Campustown has great Indian, Korean, Thai and other international restaurants that students, alumni and even residents of Champaign-Urbana are not aware of," Guth said.
Demolition of Co-Ed Theater scheduled
Once upon a time one could smoke in the upper tier of the Co-Ed Theater. Ashtrays were built into the backs of the seats.
In 1965, when the Beatle's movie "A Hard Day's Night" opened at the Co-Ed, a girl from Urbana High School tiptoed into the projection room and stole a reel of the film. She was caught a few days later when she couldn't resist showing it around school.
And in November 1965, a time capsule to be opened in October 2015, was buried under the sidewalk in front of the theater. The capsule contains pictures of football great Jim Grabowski, a UI student directory, and a list of current movie ticket prices as well as dozens of other items relevant to the times, according to a story in the now-defunct Champaign-Urbana Courier.
Since opening day Sept. 9, 1938, the Co-Ed Theater in the heart of Campustown served up a series of first-run features to students, faculty and staff members, and Champaign-Urbana-area residents. It closed in October for lack of moviegoers. The building is scheduled to be demolished this month. A four-story technology building will go up in its place.
The demolition of the Co-Ed will likely be met with sad eyes from many who have attended films there throughout the years. Perry Morris, who works in the UI's telephone office, is one who regrets the loss of the theater. He's doing historic research on all the theaters in C-U for a book he plans to write.
"It is sad to see it demolished," Morris said. "I understand the business reasons and everything, but I'm sad to see any of the old theaters go."
In 1938, when the Co-Ed's doors first opened, owners Harold and E.E. Alger said it was the culmination of a 25-year dream. The new theater's policy was to run shows continuously from 2 to 11 p.m. every day, and prices were 10 cents for children at all times while adults were charged 25 cents in the afternoon and 35 cents in the evening.
The new theater seated 900 and had an ultra-modern sound system that was so rare it had been used in only two other Illinois theaters, both in Chicago. The Co-Ed also had air conditioning and state-of-the-art projection facilities, according to a story in The Courier. The screen measured 14-by-18-feet.
"In addition, the walls and ceilings of the theater have been painted with special paint to prevent distraction of sound waves," the newspaper reported.
"The theme of decoration throughout is based on the colors of the university, orange and blue," according to the story. "The wall colors and the outside façade all reflect this Illini mood."
Another new feature was the use of neon lighting inside. Three tiers of red, blue and gold neon lights in the theater provided "vari-colored illumination." The lobby featured a fountain with statuary.
"Everything went off without a hitch," Harold Alger said opening night. "I don't think any of the ushers even missed a smile."
In 1943, the theater nearly burned down when a fire broke out in a second-floor tailor's shop. Flames were shooting 40-feet into the air when firemen arrived, but fireproof walls and ceiling prevented the fire from entering the Co-Ed below. The theater had some water damage, but mainly to the furnishings in the lobby, according to the Courier.
In 1965, the Co-Ed Theater became the "twin theaters," the first of its kind in Champaign-Urbana. The Co-Ed 2 was designed to hold 900 seats, bringing total capacity of the two theaters to 1,800. Owners offered smoking in the upper tier, and opened Christmas Day 1965 with the blockbuster "Sound of Music."
Morris said the revenue from the popular, long-running musical was said to have paid for the new building.
Morris, who recalls working across the street from the Co-Ed in the former McBride's drug store, said he saw most of his movies there.
"For several years I didn't have a car, so that's where I went to the movies," he said. "I could walk to it."
The ability of students these days to have cars on campus may have contributed to the demise of the Co-Ed theaters, he speculated, because it is easy for students to drive to the large multiplex theaters.
He attended the sale of furnishings and although he didn't acquire anything for himself personally, he saw people carrying everything from bathroom sinks to projection equipment out of there.
"I guess they had takers for all of the seats too," said Morris.
Though the demolition marks the end of a Campustown cornerstone, Morris sees more than just the sentimental side of the issue.
"I love old buildings and I like to preserve them, but you have to have a viable use for the building, and if the theater can't make a go as a business anymore and there's nothing else that can use the space as it is, I guess it's sad, but you have to pass onto another phase in history," he said.
"It's now midnight and everything is OK here."
That e-mail message, flickering across Andrea Ballinger's computer screen in the pre-dawn hours of Dec. 31, was the first of many communications that presaged the easy rollover of UI computers to the year 2000.
Beginning with the contact in Sydney, Australia, the campus Y2K team headed by Ballinger moved electronically to Russia, Italy, France and Brazil to keep globally abreast of potential computer conversion problems.
"I was most concerned about Russia," Ballinger said. "Not necessarily about the universities there, but about the nuclear power plants, the missile systems and the water supplies." The team happened to have a member visiting Russia, "and we got reports from St. Petersburg that the infrastructure was holding up fine."
Ditto for Italy and France. The only computer "hiccup" was a relatively small number of credit-card users who failed to get authorization for their caviar and champagne around Paris. When midnight arrived in Brazil, "everyone there was partying away," Ballinger said. The international telephone to the country was busy, but the e-mail worked without interruption.
The team then turned to CNN to watch the ball drop in Times Square, New York. Again, there were a few bumps on the wired highway, most humorously the miscue of some horse-track computers in Delaware that recorded overnight bets as having been wagered in 1900.
As the bewitching hour approached Central Illinois, the team reverted to "good ole" two-way radios to monitor campus facilities. Personnel at five checkpoints -- Willard Airport, Cooperative Extension, Operation and Maintenance, the Computing and Communications Services Office (CCSO) and Administrative Information Technology Services (AITS) -- were instructed to report back to the Y2K "command center" set up at the Public Safety Building.
But the radios proved not to be needed. Each reporting station was able to use campus e-mail to send in the status of its unit.
"What we concentrated on was the infrastructure," Ballinger said. "O&M was very quick to go through the key buildings and check if the power, heat, lights and the security doors were all functioning properly."
The problems encountered were scattered and small. For example, the computer used to regulate chlorine in the IMPE swimming pool had shut down. "So we reset the time and the computer got back to work," Ballinger said.
By 1 a.m., it was apparent that the rollover had gone smoothly. Charles C. Colbert, vice chancellor for administration and human resources, toasted the Y2K team with grape juice and people started drifting home.
Campus personnel returned over the long New Year's weekend to review more units. A number of desktop computers displayed the wrong date, a "glitch" easily corrected.
Ballinger expects other Y2K-related matters to come to light as faculty members and students return to their computers and laboratories after the holiday break.
And there is still the risk of more serious disruptions in the business systems run by computers, both on campus and through the providers interacting with the university. Electronic payroll accounts, pensions, taxes and credit-card transactions are all subject to millennial mischief as the wired world marches forward.
The installation of a fiber-optic line between the WILL studios at Campbell Hall and a company in Chicago that can retransmit the signal instantaneously to any network means UI faculty members can participate in live interviews without having to go to Chicago, New York or another site with live-transmission capabilities.
"This system will give our faculty members the chance to showcase their research and to comment on breaking stories and other issues before national and international audiences," said Robin Kaler, the director of communications for the Urbana campus.
The system ideally will work like this:
Ted Koppel's producer sends out an urgent note to the university News Bureau or Office of Public Affairs that he's seeking someone today to appear on "Nightline" to talk about antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The bureau contacts the campus expert(s) on the topic, makes sure they're available and willing to appear on the program, and then makes two calls: one to the campus Communications and Computing Services Office to open the line to VYVX, the company in Chicago; the second to WILL to set up a studio and get a production crew together. Then it's just a matter of making sure everyone's in the studio at the right time.
If a faculty member or department gets a call from a syndicated TV program or network urgently seeking an expert, that inquiry should be forwarded immediately to the News Bureau, 333-1085, which will make the arrangements with CCSO and WILL.
The broadcast video link was created with funding from the Chancellor's Office. G. David Frye, CCSO communications engineer, led the efforts in setting up the equipment and now acts as service manager for its use. WILL staff members also helped establish the service.
Starting this month, the UI is launching a statewide campaign to emphasize how Illinois residents benefit from university activities. From advances in surgical techniques to new discoveries in farm-insect pest reproduction -- the UI's research has touched millions of lives and continues to do so as more discoveries are made each day. The campaign aims to heighten the university's visibility by increasing knowledge of these contributions and thus enhance statewide support.
"Public perceptions of the university are generally positive, but the level of understanding of the university and its multiple missions is quite limited," said Susan Trebach, the university's executive director for public affairs. "Our main message is that research and service contributions of the university are of great value and affect the way we live," she said.
The campaign has been developed and is being managed by the university's central public affairs office and public affairs staff members from the three campuses. It is supported largely with private funds from the UI Foundation.
The first phase of the campaign will describe how the UI, through the creation, development or use of technology, benefits the people of Illinois. Each communication clearly identifies the campus at which the specific work or program is taking place. "We are talking about high-tech innovations, but we also are talking about libraries being online, surgeons improving their ability to perform surgery through virtual reality, enhanced airline pilot training, cutting-edge diagnostic tools for ill pets, and a new way to wrap hay," Trebach said. "There are many exciting examples of the use of technology in our lives and we want to emphasize the university's contributions and connections to the newest technologies."
The campaign involves efforts to attract media coverage of technology-related breakthroughs as well as print and radio advertising. Two half-page ads highlighting the UI's leadership in technology are scheduled for the News-Gazette. The first appeared Jan. 17. Ads also will appear in the Springfield State Journal-Register, the Chicago suburban Daily Herald and Crain's Chicago Business. Ads will appear in the Illinois editions of national publications such as Time, Newsweek and Business Week, Trebach said.
Underwriting spots already have begun to air on 11 public radio stations statewide.
In addition, a brochure, "Dividends of Technology: Fifteen Ways That the University of Illinois Benefits the People of Illinois," will appear in the upcoming alumni magazines and then be mailed to an additional audience of 20,000.
"A distinguished speakers program that involves sending UI representatives throughout the state to talk to service organizations is being planned," said Trebach, who started the project almost a year ago. "The idea is that through personal contact we can offer our most compelling examples of what the university is contributing to Illinois."
The campaign is strongly supported by President James J. Stukel and the UI Board of Trustees, Trebach said. This is the first time the university has made a concerted strategic effort involving all three campuses to highlight its accomplishments and the timing should be favorable because state support for higher education -- and particularly the UI -- is critical, she said.
"It is important for the people of Illinois to know what their investment in the university is all about, and that their support of the university is an excellent investment today and for the future."
Spring noncredit courses and lecture series announced
The basics of using the Internet, insights into local nature, and music from opera to Sousa to beginning piano. All are among the choices this spring in noncredit courses and lecture series sponsored by the UI.
Sponsored by the UI's Office of Continuing Education, the personal and professional enrichment programs are presented in a noncompetitive, informal atmosphere with no exams or grades. Classes are taught primarily by university faculty members.
Early enrollment is encouraged since some classes may fill quickly. Enrollment is limited to people 18 years or older. Fees vary. Some courses offer discounts to people 60 or older.
Among the courses:
Additional courses are being offered for individuals age 55 and older, including seven UI Elderhostel programs and eight Senior Scholar programs.
For more information, to register or receive a comprehensive spring 2000 course catalog -- listing both personal and professional enrichment programs and programs for older adults -- call 333-7369.
I want to thank those who contributed to the fund drive for their generosity and also to acknowledge all of the contributions campus members make throughout the year to organizations they care about. Michael Aiken, Chancellor
Trustees discuss chief issue, approve new computer science building and review designs for research park anchor, Motorola
At its Jan. 13 meeting in Chicago, the UI Board of Trustees restated its support for open discussion about Urbana-Champaign's athletic symbol, Chief Illiniwek.
Trustees did not discuss the resolution that stated the board "reaffirms its commitment to a civil process of debate" about Chief Illiniwek.
The trustees have not formally addressed the controversy since passing a resolution 10 years ago retaining the use of the chief as the athletic symbol.
The resolution that opens discussion also states that university administration will "devise and maintain appropriate strategies so that this issue can continue to be discussed in an open and respectful manner."
In other business, the trustees approved the construction of a new computer science building.
The $74 million building will be financed through private gifts and matching state funds and will be located east of Newmark Laboratory.
Officials said the building is needed because the department of computer science is "poised on the verge of a tremendous growth spurt."
Designs for the Motorola PCS Design Center also were unveiled. The new Motorola center will anchor the proposed UI Research Park on the South Campus. Motorola plans to build on three acres at the southwest corner of First Street and St. Mary's Road.
Brick will be used for the exterior of the three-story Motorola building, which will have a pitched roof. The design is sensitive to other university buildings that will surround the design center.
The first phase of the project has two stories of the building being built with space for future expansion. The first floor contains space for a library, training rooms, shipping and storage. The second floor will have office space and central testing and computer support rooms. Computer labs will be located on both floors.
Also, trustees approved a $79,000 contract with a Maryland consulting firm to help the UI negotiate a master development agreement for the proposed Science and Engineering Technology Commercialization Initiative Research Park. The firm of Hammer, Siler, George Associates of Silver Spring, Md., will help UI officials get financing for the park, as well help in the marketing, organization, implementation and negotiations with selected firms.
Other business
Urbana employees have been asking the university to provide more daycare. Officials propose that increasing childcare capacity to include infants and toddlers will help with recruitment and retention of faculty members. And expanding the Child Development Laboratory is consistent with the goal of establishing a family-friendly work environment for employees.
William Engelbrecht, a Republican elected to the board in 1994, will serve as chairman for a one-year term. He received his bachelor's and master's degrees from Urbana.
Engelbrecht replaces trustee Jeffrey Gindorf, a Crystal Lake physician, who served as chairman for the past year.
Changes in chancellor's office announced
Several staff changes will be taking place later this spring in the Office of the Chancellor on the UI campus.
Lawrence Mann, associate vice chancellor for research, will become an associate chancellor, focusing mainly on policy planning and serving as liaison to the Division of Intercollegiate Athletics. He will assume his new duties April 21, replacing Judith Rowan, who is retiring after 33 years with the university.
William Berry, a professor of advertising, journalism and media studies, and associate director of the Institute of Communications Research, also will become an associate chancellor. In his new duties, which he will assume May 21, Berry's primary responsibility will be to advise the chancellor on issues and policy related to the diversity of campus faculty and staff members and student body. He also will be responsible for oversight of the campus Office of Equal Opportunity and Access (formerly the Office of Affirmative Action).
Berry will replace William Trent, a professor of educational policy studies and of sociology, who left the associate chancellor position last August to return full-time to teaching. Rowan has assumed his duties in the interim. Berry, whose appointment to the associate chancellor position will be half-time, as was Trent's, will continue in his faculty appointment.
Prior to his appointment as associate vice chancellor for research in 1996, Mann held a variety of campus administrative positions. He earned his bachelor's degree from Illinois State University, and master's and doctoral degrees from the UI. He also is an adjunct professor in the department of educational organization and leadership.
Berry joined the university faculty in 1991 after 10 years with Ameritech and Illinois Bell in Chicago, during which time he also taught courses at Roosevelt University and Columbia College. Prior to that, he was managing editor of Jet Magazine and a senior staff editor with Ebony Magazine. He earned his bachelor's degree from Morehouse College in Atlanta, and his master's and doctoral degrees from the UI.
Engineering receives funding for endowed fellowships
The College of Engineering has received a $2 million gift for endowed fellowships from the Roy J. Carver Charitable Trust of Muscatine, Iowa.
The first Carver Fellows are expected to be named next fall. A committee, being formed, will establish criteria for awarding the fellowships, which are stipends awarded to graduate students.
"The Carver Fellowships will become a prominent feature in our recruiting efforts, and the awarding of the fellowships, along with the ongoing recognition of Roy J. Carver, will become an annual celebration in the life of the college," said William Schowalter, the dean of the college.
Carver, who died in 1981, was an Illinois native and graduated from the Urbana campus in 1934 with a bachelor's degree in engineering. He founded Carver Pump Co. and moved to Muscatine in 1942. There, he established Carver Foundry Products.
While visiting Europe in 1956, Carver saw unusual-looking retreaded tires on a car. The next year, he purchased the North American rights to a method of topcapping tires and founded Bandag Inc., which now is the world's largest producer of tire-retread materials and equipment.
Carver won a UI Alumni Achievement Award in 1974, and in 1977, the College of Engineering gave him its Alumni Honor Award for Distinguished Service. After his death, a foundation was established to honor his name.
The Carver Trust has invested more than $1.6 million in research funds for pioneering initiatives in medical and scientific research on the Urbana campus. The most recent support focuses on promising young investigators with the potential to become leading biomedical scientists.
The UI researchers recently awarded Carver grants are James Slauch, microbiology and College of Medicine, and Paul Selvin, physics and biophysics. Slauch received a grant to continue his work on salmonella typhimurium, the leading cause of death among food-borne bacterial pathogens. The work has future applications in the development of vaccines and antimicrobial drugs to prevent infections. Selvin's work focuses on nerve-cell proteins called ion channels. The malfunctioning of the channels causes epilepsy and cardiac disorders; Selvin's work may lead to a better understanding of why the channels malfunction.
Klaus Schulten, physics, also has been a recipient of Carver grant funds. His current work centers on the structure and function of supramolecular systems in the living cell, and on the development of algorithms and efficient computing tools for structural biology.
UI researchers recently awarded Carver grants:
Activities in observance of MLK day continue through Jan. 23
Study circles, hate groups and zero-tolerance policies aimed at curbing school violence are just a few of the topics that are being explored during the UI's third annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Symposium.
"Living the Dream in the New Millennium" is the theme of the expanded, weeklong symposium, scheduled to take place through Jan. 23 on campus and at various community locations. This year's event is hosted by the university's African-American Cultural Program and co-sponsored by the Afro-American Studies and Research Program, the George A. Miller Committee and about 30 other campus units.
"This year our committee's goal is to bring the campus and community together in collaborative ways to address Dr. King's vision of a 'Beloved Community,' " said AACP director Nathaniel Banks, who also is chair of the campuswide committee that organized this year's activities. "The King symposium should be a way for the academic community to apply its knowledge in the larger community for the betterment of all."
The symposium began Jan. 17 with a student panel discussion on a timely topic that has generated great debate and media attention locally and nationally: the Decatur, Ill., school board's expulsion of six teens involved in a brawl at a high school football game.
In addition to the keynote speakers, talks and panel presentations on a range of topics related to civil-rights issues, other symposium activities planned include film showings, a community-service project involving UI students and area high school students, a march and candlelight vigil, and a community forum.
Two displays also will be on view through Jan. 23:
All symposium events are free and open to the public. Remaining scheduled activities include:
Spring Millercomm/CAS lectures announced
Gender, genetics and aging are just a few of the general topics that will provide a springboard for more focused discussions by speakers participating in the Center for Advanced Study/MillerComm lecture series at the University of Illinois this spring.
An established campus forum for sharing scholarship and ideas from a range of disciplines, the series is supported with funds from the George A. Miller Endowment and various campus co-sponsors.
Upcoming lectures include:
More information about the events listed and the schedule for the rest of the semesterwill be available on the Web at www.cas.uiuc.edu or by calling the Miller Events Line, 333-1118.
The design on the Vet Med cow offers several windows into the veterinary profession. Art partners H. Kellner, an award-winning artist with a BFA and MFA from UI who has exhibited across the country, and K. Ford, an artist from Cleveland, Ohio, decorated the cow.
Check out the cows on the Web at www.cowsonparade.net. If you have questions about the Vet Med cow, e-mail cow@cvm.uiuc.edu.
Students in preschool (minimum age 4 1/2) through 12th grade may participate in the 11-session Saturday art class that begins Jan. 29 and ends with an open house April 30. The registration fee is $65 per student; course offerings vary.
The Studio Spectrum for college-age adults and older is offering two noncredit courses. "Ceramics" will be offered on Tuesdays beginning Jan. 25; "Introductory to Watercolor" will be offered on Thursdays beginning Jan. 27. All classes meet from 6:30 to 9 p.m. The registration fee is $90.
Classes for both programs will be at the School of Art and Design. No classes will be held over spring break. Registration will be accepted through Jan. 26. You may register in person from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with Carole Smith in 142 Art and Design Building.
For further information, registration forms, or required and recommended material lists for the Studio Spectrum classes, contact Smith at 333-1652 or cssmith2@illinois.edu.
Workshops are being offered for faculty members, teaching assistants and staff members who want to use the computerized GradeBook. The first workshop will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Feb. 3 in 146 Everitt Lab. The workshop will be repeated Feb. 4 from noon to 1:30 p.m. in the Undergraduate Library upper level computer classroom, and again from noon to 1:30 p.m. Feb. 16 in 70 Commerce West.
To register for the free workshop, e-mail t-keith1@illinois.edu with your name, department and network ID or phone Toni Wendler at 333-3490. Your network ID is needed to set up a practice gradebook for participants.
"The Big Chill" will feature refreshments, live music by a jazz quintet, free group-exercise classes including circuit step and cardioboxing, as well as information booths about campus rec offerings such as aquatics, SportWell Center, the Ice Arena and others. Several sport clubs also will host demonstrations including Illini Tae Kwon Do and Illini Dance team.
As part of the event, Campus Rec is soliciting photos of wintertime fun for its "Freeze Frame" Web photo contest. Winning entries will be announced at "The Big Chill" and winners, who must be UI students or campus rec members, must be present to win.
In addition to this event, Campus Recreation is offering one free week of facility use -- Jan. 24 through Jan. 30 -- to all UI employees presenting valid i-Cards. Guests also are welcome but must be accompanied by a UI employee. For more information about any of these events, call 333-3806 or visit www.campusrec.uiuc.edu.
University Primary School is an early-childhood gifted education program that serves preschool, kindergarten and first-grade children in a project-based curriculum. Children must be 3 years old on or before July 1 for the preschool classroom and 5 before Sept. 1 to be considered for the kindergarten enrollment.
For more information, contact Nancy B. Hertzog, director, at 333-4892 or pick up an information packet after at either of the school sites: Colonel Wolfe School, 403 E. Healey, Champaign, or the Children's Research Center.
The poster abstract form is available on the Environmental Council's Web site at www.environ.uiuc.edu. Abstract submission deadline is Feb. 4.
To be eligible for nomination, each nominee must have attended two Secretariat luncheons between July 1, 1999, and April 1, 2000. Forms will be sent to supervisors of eligible Secretariat members. Completed nomination forms should be sent to Ramona Simpson, 2015 Materials Research Lab, MC-230, and must be received by 3 p.m. March 17. The winner will be announced at the April 19 Secretariat luncheon.
Class activities emphasize discussion of topics determined in part by the participants, but usually include holidays and customs, political and social organization, historical events and figures, current affairs, sports and entertainment, underlying values and ways to improve English. Class trips, holiday parties and outside lectures are arranged. In addition, scholars may give short talks on their fields of research.
Although the course began Jan. 19, scholars may join any time during the year. The course meets Mondays and Wednesdays from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in 313 Davenport Hall.
For more information, contact the Division of English as an International Language, 333-1506, or Mary Temperley, 344-1451.
ACDIS director Clifford E. Singer said the contest is being organized "to stimulate thought and academic discussion on the most significant challenges confronting our world as we enter a new century and the third millennium."
According to entry requirements, "Submissions should pose a single question expected to provide a major intellectual and practical challenge through a significant part of the 21st century. Submitted questions may focus on the humanities or social or natural sciences or be multidisciplinary in nature."
Further, "each submission must be accompanied by a brief (one-page) abstract placing the question in its historical context and explaining its importance and relevance to the destiny of man." The abstract also must indicate "why the question is potentially answerable over the coming century but the answer is not yet known."
Entries must be typed, and must include the contestant's name, status (faculty member, student, community member, etc.), as well as contact information.
Successful entrants will be asked to present their ideas at one of ACDIS' upcoming Millennium series seminars and prepare a draft suitable for publication in the ACDIS bulletin "Swords and Ploughshares." An award of $100 will be paid upon submission of a revised manuscript.
Entries should be submitted by e-mail to acdis@illinois.edu, or mailed to ACDIS, 359 Armory Building, MC-533 by Feb. 29.
UI units co-sponsoring the contest include the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences; Center for Advanced Study; Center for African Studies; European Union Center; Russian and East European Center; International Programs and Studies; and South Asia and Middle Eastern Studies, as well as the departments of electrical and computer engineering; geography; history; physics; nuclear, plasma and radiological engineering; and political science.
For more information about the contest, contact Singer at c-singer@illinois.edu, or 333-7086.
The installation will be exhibited Jan. 21 through March 19 with a reception for members from 5:30 to 6:30 Jan. 21. The public opening is from 6:30 to 8 p.m. that same evening.
Related events include two scheduled open forums with Choi and members of the Exhibitions Working Group at 7 p.m. Feb. 2 and March 1 at Krannert Art Museum.
"Voices in Ruins" is a prototype of a sensory information retrieval system that focuses on excerpts from a number of historical speeches. Using computer vision and sound synthesis technology, Choi explores the possibility of a new archaeology that critically examines digital information and layers of noise can be separated in the search for meaningful signals. Voices from the past, speaking words that sometimes challenge our complacent acceptance of history's verdicts, can be manipulated by visitors to the installation in ways that allow new understanding. The voices or sounds form what Choi refers to as "oceans of artifacts." Choi writes that "this information offers in-depth access to the thought processes of the historical speakers and the context in which they exercised their voices."
Tobias has written extensively in the areas of math and science (with a special emphasis on young women) and women's studies. Among her books are "Overcoming Math Anxiety," "Succeed with Math," and "Revitalizing Undergraduate Science: Why Some Things Work and Most Don't." More information about Tobias is available at her Web site at www.sheila.tobias.net.
The WISE Symposium will offer information throughout the day critical to engineering students for entering and succeeding in science and engineering disciplines. Workshop titles include: "Leadership Styles," "Negotiating Your First Position in Industry," "Writing Fundable Grant Proposals," and "Mentoring," The WISE Symposium will also provide a forum for discussion of issues relevant to women studying and practicing in technical disciplines.
The symposium is sponsored by Cargill Inc. and Abbott Laboratories. The public is welcome to attend. To register, go to www.engr.uiuc.edu/wie or contact the Women in Engineering Program at 244-3517. Registration is $10 for students and $65 for others. Those wanting to attend the Saturday lunch and hear only the keynote speaker may register for $15. Registration deadline is Jan. 24.
The list of languages appearing in the Dec. 18 issue of Inside Illinois was not intended to be a comprehensive list of languages taught at the UI, although it does represent the most commonly taught courses. Among those missing that readers were quick to tell us about were Swedish and Quechua (a native language in the Andes Mountains).
The Office of Academic Human Resources, Suite 420, 807 S. Wright St., maintains listings for faculty positions. More complete descriptions are available in that office during regular business hours. The Employment Center lists the academic professional positions available on all UI campuses at www.uihr.uillinois.edu/jobs. Faculty job opportunity information is updated weekly and can be found on the AHR Web site at: http://webster.uihr.uiuc.edu/ahr/jobs/index.asp. More information about the listings below may be obtained from the person in the listing.
faculty
Biophysics. Faculty (rank open). PhD or equivalent required. Experience and strong record in independent research and scholarship, as well as an ability to supervise and teach at both undergraduate and graduate levels desired. Available: August. Contact head, department of physics, 333-3760. Closing date: April 15.
Business Administration. Faculty, operations management and/or management science (rank open/one or more positions). PhD in operations management, management science or related field and a strong commitment to research and teaching required. Available: August. Contact Susan Cohen, 333-1337. Closing date: Feb. 16.
Curriculum and Instruction. Faculty, early childhood education (rank open). PhD in early childhood education or related field. Experience working with teachers and/or children in preschool, primary or elementary schools required. Available August. Contact Rosalinda Barrera, 333-6497 or rbarrera@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 15.
Curriculum and Instruction. Assistant professor, science education. PhD in science education. Experience working with teachers and/or students in K-12 required. Available August. Contact Margery D. Osborne, 244-1271 or m-osbor@illinois.edu. Closing date: Jan. 31.
Curriculum and Instruction. Assistant professor, social studies education. PhD in social studies education or related field. Experience working with teachers and/or students in K-12 required. Available August. Contact Susan Noffke, 333-1670 or s-noffke@illinois.edu. Closing date: Jan. 31.
Educational Psychology. Assistant professor, development and socialization processes. PhD specializing in child or adolescent social development is preferred, but other research areas will be considered. Available: August. Send statement of research, teaching interests, a vita, publications and three letters of recommendation to DASP Search Committee Chair, department of educational psychology, 226 Education Bldg. MC-708. Closing date: Feb. 21.
Food Science and Human Nutrition. Assistant professor, sensory science. PhD in sensory science, food science, chemistry or closely related field with demonstrated research and teaching experience required. Available: Aug. 21. Contact Susan Brewer, 244-2867 or msbrewer@illinois.edu. Closing date: April 1.
Geology. Faculty (Ralph E. Grim Professorship in Geology). PhD and expertise in the areas of mineral science or sedimentary geology required. Available: Aug. 21. Contact Stephen Marshak, 333-3542, smarshak@illinois.edu. Closing date: March 21.
Human and Community Development. Faculty (rank open)/Extension specialist (Community Development) and Director (Laboratory for Community and Economic Development). PhD in rural sociology, community psychology, community development or related field with emphasis on community development or leadership development required. Must have experience working with diverse community groups. Available: August. Contact Dale Montanelli, 333-6366, montanel@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 15.
Human Resource Education. Assistant professor, human resource education. PhD with emphasis in technologies for learning and experience in applications of learning technologies in community college, business or industrial settings required. Available: Aug. 21. Contact HRE Technology Search Committee, 333-0807, hre@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 15.
Library. Commerce librarian. Master's in library science and five years' experience in business library in an academic, research or special library setting required. Availability: May 1. Contact Allen Dries, 333-5494. Closing date: April 1.
Nuclear, Plasma and Radiological Engineering. Faculty (open rank). PhD in imaging applications across the electromagnetic spectrum or radiological imaging, therapy, instrumentation or related area required. Available: August. Contact James Stubbins, 333-2295. Closing date: Feb. 29.
Spanish, Italian and Portuguese. Instructor (Spanish)/Assistant to the director (Spanish basic language instruction). Master's degree in Spanish, educational technologies or other appropriate areas, with strong background in applied linguistics, second language acquisition, or foreign language education required. Supervisory experience also required. Available: Aug. 15. Contact Diane Musumeci, 244-3250, kats@staff.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Feb. 18.
Veterinary Clinical Medicine. Faculty (rank open). DVM degree or equivalent and ACVIM diplomat status or board eligible required; PhD desired. Must have experience in clinical and didactic teaching. Available immediately. Contact Barbara Kitchell, 244-7976. Closing date: Feb. 29.
academic professional
Admissions and Records, Office of (Chicago). Assistant to the director/Transfer coordinator. Bachelor's degree and one year's relevant experience required. Commitment to affirmative action, public speaking skills, concern for people, and a strong public service orientation desired. Available: Feb. 1. Contact Alicia Gilmore, (312) 575-7810. Closing date: Jan. 31.
Beckman Institute. System administrator. Bachelor's degree and work experience in system administration are required; master's preferred. Must have experience in administration of UNIX platforms, preferably HP-UX, IRIS, Solaris and/or Linux. Working knowledge and experience with Cold Fusion, HTML, Java Script, MS Access, SQL, PhotoShop and data backup strategies preferred. Available immediately. Contact Gila Budescu, 244-6914, gila@ks.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Jan. 31.
Chemical Science, School of. Project coordinator. Bachelor's required with relevant experience in university facility or capital project management preferred. Available immediately. Contact Thomas B. Rauchfuss, 333-5070. Closing date: Jan. 21.
Civil and Environmental Engineering. Coordinator, corporate and government programs at Mid-America Earthquake Center. Bachelor's degree and office software literacy required. Advanced degree in earthquake-related discipline or MBA, including experience with program development and marketing preferred. Available immediately. Contact Dave Daniel, 1114 Newmark Laboratory, MC-250. Closing date: Feb. 19.
Computer Science. Research programmer (one or more positions). Bachelor's degree in computer science, computer engineering or a related scientific field and two years' experience required in C (prefer C++), UNIX and Windows. Available immediately. Contact Barbara Armstrong, 333-6454, barb@cs.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Feb. 9.
Continuing Education. Assistant head, academic outreach. Master's with minimum of three years' related work experience in increasing administrative environment required. Must have knowledge of business functions, including budget and database systems. Knowledge of Access, FileMaker Pro and SQL desired. Available: March 15. Contact Marlene Wentworth, 333-3061, wentwrth@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 4.
Environmental Health and Safety, Division of. Biological safety professional. Bachelor's in microbiology, cellular biology, biochemistry, genetics, botany, molecular biology or related field with relevant professional experience in the field of biosafety required; advanced degree preferred. Available immediately. Contact Irene Cooke, 244-7801, j-cooke@illinois.edu. Closing date: Jan. 28.
Foundation. Trainer/user support specialist, university alumni and development. Bachelor's degree in addition to two years' experience with database applications development and providing user application support and training required. Available immediately. Contact Ron Hermann, 244-0471, hr@uif.uillinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 21.
Housing Division. Associate director of housing for residential services. Bachelor's in facilities, construction management or related field (bachelor's in mechanical engineering or related field is preferred) and five years' experience as a plant manager or engineer preferably at a college or university. Also required are knowledge in building construction, including mechanical and electrical systems; knowledge in maintenance of buildings, equipment and grounds; knowledge of engineering principles, building codes, safety requirements, ADA requirements. Available immediately. Contact Jack Collins, 333-7283. Closing date: Feb. 25.
Information Technology and Communications Services. Media/Communications specialist (publications). Bachelor's degree in communications-related area with two years' professional editorial and project experience required. Knowledge of printing and Web publishing procedures as well as desktop publishing tools preferred. Available immediately. Contact Molly Bentsen, 333-3134, bentsen@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 1.
Illini Union. Program manager. Bachelor's degree plus two years' experience in student activities and programming as a student or professional as well as commitment to multiculturalism required. Ability to relate to and work with diverse students essential. Available: Feb. 1. Contact search committee chair, 333-3660. Closing date: Jan. 21.
Intercollegiate Athletics, Division of. Sports information director/director of communications. Bachelor's degree in communications or related field required. Minimum of five years' athletic media relations, supervisory experience in athletic media relations preferred. Available immediately. Contact Dave Johnson, 333-8221. Closing date: Jan. 26.
Liberal Arts and Sciences, College of. Director, alumni relations. Bachelor's, preferably in liberal arts, humanities or science discipline and at least three years' experience in alumni relations or related field required; master's preferred. Available immediately. Contact Pamela Christman, 333-7108. Closing date: Jan. 21.
Library and Information Science, Graduate School of. Workstation administrator specialist. Bachelor's degree in any field with one year's relevant experience required. Experience preferred includes administration experience working with DOS/Windows, ability to troubleshoot hardware and software problems, and management experience. Available: March 1. Contact Dorlene Clark, 333-3281, dorlene@illinois.edu. Closing date: Feb. 11.
Management Information, Division of. Information systems management specialist. Bachelor's degree with three years' experience, including responsibility in programming and application and relational database development required. Full description available at www.dmi.uiuc.edu. Available immediately. Contact Carol Livingstone, livgnstn@illinois.edu Closing date: Feb. 10.
Measurement and Evaluation, Division of. Measurement specialist. PhD, training and primary expertise in educational measurement, statistics and research design required. Available: May 1. Contact Cheryl Davis Bullock, 333-3490. Closing date: Feb. 15.
Natural History Survey, Illinois State. Assistant research scientist, wetland plant ecologist (2 positions). Bachelor's degree with professional experience required, master's preferred. Must have scientific skills and ability necessary to collect and analyze field data for the completion of ecological studies. Available: May 15. Contact Allen Plocher 333-6292, a-ploch@mail.inhs.uiuc.edu. Closing date: March 3.
Natural History Survey, Illinois State. Assistant research scientist (database/GIS analyst). Master's degree in natural resources, ecology, geography or related required. Must have practical work experience in geographic information systems, Arc/Info and ArcView software. Available immediately. Contact Jocelyn Aycrigg, 244-2111 or 244-2160. Closing date: Jan. 31.
Natural History Survey, Illinois State. Wildlife ecologist (urban wildlife and wildlife-human conflict management). PhD required by date of hire in wildlife ecology, natural resource management or closely related field. Prior experience with a wildlife management agency is preferred, including experience with the design, interpretation and publication of research. Available immediately. Contact Tim Van Deelen, 333-6856 or deelen@mail.inhs.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Jan. 30.
Public Affairs, University Office of (Chicago). Marketing director. Bachelor's in English, journalism, communications, advertising or related field and a minimum of 2 years' experience in advertising, marketing communications or related field required. Must have computer skills. Proficiency in writing styles such as news releases, promos and PSAs, ad copy, direct mail and speeches desired. Available: Feb. 2. Contact Karen Devlin, (312) 996-3772, Kdevlin@uillinois.edu.Closing date: Jan. 24.
Supercomputing Applications, National Center for. Research scientist (one or more positions). PhD required with postdoctoral research in relevant scientific field. Experience in supervising student research. Available immediately. Contact NCSA Human Resources, Search #6884, 333-6085 or career@ncsa.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Jan.1, 2001.
Supercomputing Applications, National Center for. Software developer (one or more positions). Bachelor's degree in computer science or related field with two years relevant experience required. Must have working knowledge of object-oriented programming languages such as C++, Java, Eiffel or Smalltalk and experience with a variety of applications. For more information: www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SRC/employ.html. Available immediately. Contact NCSA Human Resources, 333-6085, career@ncsa.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Dec. 31.
Supercomputing Applications, National Center for. System engineer (one or more positions). Bachelor's degree in computer science, electrical engineering or related field with two years' relevant experience required. Experience in networked environments including knowledge of a variety of related software and hardware also required. For more information: www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SRC/employ.html. Available immediately. Contact NCSA Human Resources, 333-6085, career@ncsa.uiuc.edu. Closing date: Dec. 31, 2000.
staff
Personnel Services Office is located at 52 E. Gregory Drive, Champaign. For information about PSO's Employment Information Program, which provides information to those seeking staff employment at the university, visit the Personnel Services Office Web site at www.pso.uiuc.edu. To complete an online employment application and to submit an exam request, visit the online Employment Center at www.uihr.uillinois.edu/jobs.
Interview by: Becky Mabry
JOB: crime prevention coordinator with the UI Police Department. She is one of nine women on the force of 51 sworn officers. She was Officer of the Year in 1997.
NEXT CHALLENGE: She'll soon become a mother. She is only the second officer in the history of the UIPD to work while pregnant, and she is the first officer to be pregnant with twins. A boy and girl are due Feb. 22.
HOMETOWN: The 33-year-old Lauher is a native of Kansas, near Charleston. She and her husband, Ralph Hamlin, a UI police investigator, live in Sidney.
And then after that I was assigned to Crime Prevention and I've been doing that for a little over three years now. There are two Crime Prevention Coordinators, and we've split the responsibilities of the campus in half. I take everything west of Wright Street.
And it's very well accepted among the officers too. I think this is a very family-oriented police department. We've had a lot of officers and civilian staff who have had babies within the last two or three years.
Charles Alcorn Jr., 63, died Jan. 9 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. He retired from the UI as an electrician in 1988.
Murray Babcock, 75, died Dec. 28 at his Champaign home. Babcock had been an associate professor of electrical engineering at the UI since 1968 and was the author of publications on speech research and cybernetics. Memorials: Carle Hospice.
Joann Black, 71, died Jan. 11 at her Urbana home. Black was a retired food service worker for the UI, where she worked for 30 years. Memorials: Covenant Hospice.
Allen C. Blair, 89, died Dec. 16 at Hinsdale Hospital. He retired from the horticulture department at the UI after many years of service. Memorials: Chaddock Children's Foundation in Quincy or Fisher United Methodist Church.
Bernice McKinley Chambers, 92, died Jan. 2 at ManorCare Nursing Home, Champaign. Chambers retired as a cook after 25 years at the UI.
Herbert Gutowsky, 80, died Jan. 13 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. A pioneer of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, Gutowsky was head of the UI chemistry (1967-83) and of the chemical engineering (1967-70) departments, and was director of the School of Chemical Sciences from 1970-83. He was elected to the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Physical Society.
William Jackson, 76, died Jan. 6 at Provena Covenant Medical Center, Urbana. Jackson retired in 1979 from the UI animal sciences department. Memorials: American Cancer Society.
Betty Livingston, 69, died Dec. 28 at Barnes Hospital, St. Louis. Livingston retired from the UI Library System. Memorials: Champaign area Doula program, which provides nursing and other support for pregnancy and childbirth. Send contributions to Sister Beverly Ann Wilson, 301 N. Wright St., Champaign, IL 61820.
Vella Jane Logan, 79, died Jan. 11 at the Champaign County Nursing Home. She was retired from the UI Film Services. Memorials: Carle Hospice Program, Alzheimer's Association or the Prairieland Anti-Cruelty Spay-Neuter Program for Animals at Risk.
Samuel Lee Pettigrew, 48, died Dec. 20 at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana. Pettigrew was a kitchen laborer in the Housing Division and had worked at the UI since 1979.
Arnold McLean Tibbetts, 72, died Jan. 5 at his Urbana home. Tibbetts was an English professor at the UI for 27 years before retiring in May 1991.
Charlene Tibbetts, 78, died Dec. 16 at her Urbana home. Tibbetts taught English at University High School for 25 years and later was a professor of English Education at the UI College of Education before retiring in 1993. Memorials: International Paraneoplastic Association, 3450 Jamul Highlands, Jamul, CA 91935.
Harold L. Walker, 77, died Jan. 3 at the Carle Arbours, Savoy. Walker retired in 1983 from the Operation and Maintenance Division at the UI. Memorials: Food for Seniors in care of the Stevick Senior Citizen Center, 48 E. Main St., Champaign.