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March 20, 1998 JOURNALISTS: Here are ideas about upcoming news stories and a list of Purdue events during the next two weeks. Humans vs. robots in space exploration: You decide Should future space explorers be man or metal? That will be the topic for discussion at a public forum titled "Astronauts or Astrobots? What Is the Future of Space Exploration?" at 7 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, in Loeb Playhouse in Stewart Center. Presenting the case for human exploration of space will be Robert Zubrin, author of the book "The Case for Mars: The Plan to Settle the Red Planet and Why We Must." Arguing for the use of robots in space will be Louis Friedman, director of the Planetary Society, the largest space-interest organization in the world. After the speakers' brief presentations, a panel of Purdue professors and the audience will join the discussion in a Q & A session. Vernard Foley, professor of history at Purdue, will moderate the forum. CONTACT: Michael Burke, president, Purdue chapter of Students for the Exploration and Development of Space, (765) 494-5143. Events Tuesday-Wednesday, March 24-25. 1998 Purdue Road School. Annual highway conference for local, county and state highway officials. Some highlights: -- Tuesday. 9:30 a.m. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. U.S. Rep. Ed Pease, a member of the House Transportation Committee, talks about the reauthorization of the highway bill. -- Tuesday. 10 a.m. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Anthony Kane, executive director, Federal Highway Administration, discusses federal highway programs. -- Wednesday. 8 a.m. Loeb Playhouse, Stewart Center. Discussion of Indiana's national achievement award for best highway project in the United States, a stretch of Interstate 65 through downtown Indianapolis, completed 60 days ahead of schedule. -- Wednesday. 1:30 p.m. Room 210, Stewart Center. An update on the state's efforts and use of technology to clean "brownfields" -- lands that have been lightly polluted or contaminated. CONTACT: Kumares Sinha, professor of transportation and infrastructure systems engineering, (765) 494-2211; e-mail, sinha@ecn.purdue.edu Friday, March 27. Board of Trustees meeting. 1:30 p.m. Room 304 (Anniversary Drawing Room), Purdue Memorial Union. President Steven C. Beering and members of the Purdue Board of Trustees will be available in Purdue Memorial Union Room 256 immediately following the meeting to answer questions from journalists. CONTACTS: Jeanne V. Norberg, director, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2084; e-mail, jeanne_norberg@purdue.edu, or Joseph L. Bennett, vice president for University Relations, (765) 494-2082; e-mail, joe_bennett@purdue.edu Tuesday, March 31. School of Liberal Arts celebrates 25 years of the Learning Center. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. East Foyer, Stewart Center. The celebration will consist of speakers, various booths and workshops with handouts and folders for students, and presentation of awards/certificates. The Learning Center has a staff of seven instructors who provide academic assistance to more than 7,000 students each year. The free services, available to all students campuswide, include workshops, classes, drop-in counseling and one-on-one tutorials. CONTACT: Kathleen Thayer, director, (765) 494-5569. Saturday, April 4. Investing in Your Tomorrow. 8:30 a.m. Room 214, Stewart Center. A conference for all women students and faculty in Purdue's Schools of Science, Engineering and Technology. The day will be filled with motivational speeches and breakout sessions on a variety of topics. Sponsored by Women in Science and Women in Engineering programs. CONTACT: Barb Clark, (765) 494-1771; e-mail, clark@science.purdue.edu Saturday, April 4. National Rube Goldberg contest. 11:30 a.m. Elliott Hall of Music. National contest sponsored by Theta Tau Fraternity and Amoco. Seven student teams from around the nation compete to see who has built the most complicated and humorous machine to turn off an alarm clock. Teams will be from Purdue; Hofstra University, Hempstead, N.Y.; the University of Texas at Austin; Oakland University, Rochester, Mich.; the University of South Dakota at Vermillion; Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn.; and Lawrence Institute of Technology, Southfield, Mich. Video and photographs of past contests are available. Journalists will not be allowed on the stage with the machines during the competition, but they are welcome on stage before and after the contest. Purdue will provide video and photo pool coverage and direct audio and video feeds. Video b-roll, photos and a news release will be available the afternoon of the event. Satellite assistance is available. Student organizers maintain a World Wide Web page at http://expert.cc.purdue.edu/~thetatau/RUBE/ CONTACT: Grady Jones, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2079; e-mail, grady_jones@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page