Purdue News Best Bets
April 18, 1997
JOURNALISTS: Here are Purdue news ideas and events for the next two weeks.
Students, alumni to race at 40th Purdue Grand Prix
Thirty-three Purdue University students will try to win the "Greatest Spectacle in
College Racing" April 26. Two races are scheduled this year, with alumni taking the
track about 1:20 p.m. and the featured event starting about 2:30 p.m. This year's
50-mile go-kart race is expecting the return of last year's winner, Dustin Smith, and last
year's pole sitter, Kyle Smith, both of Frankfort. Lyn St. James, 1992 Indianapolis
500 "Rookie of the Year," will be grand marshal for Grand Prix activities. St. James
drove for Team Scandia in the Indy Racing League last season and finished 12th in the
points standing. This season she has started her own team, and she plans to compete
in her sixth Indianapolis 500. CONTACT: Aaron Whitesell, Grand Prix promotions director,
(765) 494-2708.
Society of Black Engineers returns to Purdue roots
About 200 members of the National Society of Black Engineers will parade down Northwestern
Ave. from Mackey Arena to the Engineering Mall on Sunday, April 27 to dedicate a
monument called the Founders Key, located on the west side of the Engineering Mall.
The monument honors the Purdue students who founded the National Society of Black
Engineers in 1975. The Purdue graduates who started the organization will be on hand,
as well as officers of the national organization and members of Purdue's student
chapter. The national organization's membership is more than 10,000 worldwide, and Purdue's
chapter is the largest in the country. The parade starts at noon, and the ribbon-cutting
ceremony at the monument starts at 1 p.m. CONTACT: Patrice Petty, president-elect, Purdue chapter of the Society of Black Engineers, (765) 495-9320.
Events
Tuesday, April 22.
Astronaut and Purdue alumnus John Blaha will give a free public talk at 8 p.m. in
Fowler Hall about the space program and his four-month experience on the orbiting
Russian space station Mir. Blaha also will visit Burtsfield Elementary School, West
Lafayette, for a 10:30 a.m. assembly; he will be available to journalists only at 3:45 p.m.
at Lafayette's Imagination Station. CONTACTS: Robert Foerster, principal, Burtsfield
Elementary, (765) 775-1450; Nan Ross, School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, (765)
494-9124; e-mail, ross@ecn.purdue.edu
Thursday, April 24.
Indiana Council for Economic Education report luncheon at 11:45 a.m. at the Capitol
Rotunda, Indianapolis. The ICEE will be discussing programs being put into place
for Indiana school children including voluntary national and state standards in economics, distance learning initiatives and three new programs being incorporated into economics
curriculum. CONTACT: Peter Harrington, director, Indiana Council for Economic Education,
(765) 494-8545.
Saturday, April 26.
Expanding Your Horizons in Science and Mathematics Conference for 350 sixth- through
ninth-grade girls. 8 a.m.-3 p.m. beginning at the Purdue Armory. CONTACT: Kay Conner,
conference coordinator, (765) 494-7128.
Saturday, April 26.
The 1997 class parade and memorial service at John Purdue's grave, including unveiling
of a plaque commemorating the Class of 1946 for their part in redesigning the gravesite.
11 a.m. CONTACT: Nikki Horner, Purdue Alumni Association associate director, (765) 494-5181; e-mail, nhhorner@paa.purdue.edu
Saturday, April 26.
Academy Park Dedication, 11:30 a.m. Academy Park is Purdue's newest green space,
in honor of all Purdue faculty. It will be used as an outdoor teaching arena and
leisure area. The new park is north of Stewart Center and the Purdue Memorial Union.
CONTACT: Greg Zawisza, University Relations, (765) 494-2086.
Monday, April 28.
Public lecture on the history, construction and architectural and engineering aspects
of the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, the seat of China's Congress. 7-9 p.m.,
Fowler Hall. Featured speaker is Wu De Sheng, president of the Beijing Institute
of Architectural Design and Research. Wu will be available to journalists from 2 p.m.
to 3 p.m. Monday in Room 101 of the Mechanical Engineering Building. Sponsored by
Purdue's student chapter of Pi Tau Sigma, the mechanical engineering honor society.
CONTACT: Todd Flounders, Pi Tau Sigma, (765) 743-7593; e-mail, flounders@tools.ecn.purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu
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