Purdue News Digest
Purdue News Digest
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August 27, 1999
Purdue news summary for week of Aug. 22-27This digest contains summaries of the following stories from Purdue News Service and Agricultural Communication Service. All these stories, and more, are available on the World Wide Web(Instructions for retrieving stories and photographs via the Internet are at the end of this document.)
1. New institute to begin research into quiet highways 2. Purdue engineering the next generation of medical devices 3. Study: Benefits for fast-food workers improve bottom line 4. Be aware of kids' Y2K concerns, Purdue expert advises 5. Purdue Research Park dedicates newest business incubator 6. Tours and speakers highlight Purdue's Agronomy Field Day 7. State Fair champion animals test clean 8. Police investigating battery reports 9. Purdue News Roundup
11. Agriculture calendar 12. Best Bets for Journalists 13. Inside Purdue and Perspective
RESEARCH NEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS
1. New institute to begin research into quiet highways Engineers at Purdue have formed the first center in the nation dedicated to understanding the precise physics behind highway noise, a prerequisite for reducing the nuisance. The institute was dedicated today (Friday, 8/27), and research will begin in September. "Traffic noise is a persistent long-term environmental effect of highways," says Bob Bernhard, director of the new Institute of Safe, Quiet and Durable Highways. Bernhard, a professor of mechanical engineering, points out that building barriers to wall out the road racket can cost as much as $1 million per mile. (Color photo available.)
2. Purdue engineering the next generation of medical devices Purdue is launching a new graduate education and research program in biomedical engineering that could help steer Indiana toward its goal of becoming a nationwide leader in the field. The newly created fellowships in therapeutic and diagnostic devices will allow engineering and science students with an interest in biomedical engineering to earn advanced degrees that cross traditional disciplinary boundaries. The program is funded by a $2.7 million Integrated Graduate Education, Research and Training grant from the National Science Foundation. Purdue was one of 21 universities nationwide and the only university in Indiana to receive funds from the NSF's hallmark graduate education program for promoting interdisciplinary training in all fields of science and engineering.
GENERAL INTEREST NEWS
3. Study: Benefits for fast-food workers improve bottom line Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce -- but don't hold back on benefits for part-time employees. That's the message to hamburger chain restaurant owners from a Purdue survey of wages and benefits in the fast-food industry. Restaurants typically have higher employee turnover rates than other industries, yet the Purdue study found those rates were lowest for restaurants that offered part-time workers benefits such as Christmas bonuses, incentive pay and regularly scheduled wage hikes, says Joseph La Lopa, assistant professor of restaurant, hotel, institutional and tourism management and co-author of the study. The study of 209 fast-food chain restaurants in Indiana found annual employee turnover rates of between 133 percent and 238 percent. "Restaurant managers hire part-time workers to keep labor costs down, but if the workers leave, that may cost more than what it would take to offer even simple perks like a Christmas bonus," La Lopa says.
4. Be aware of kids' Y2K concerns, Purdue expert advises Parents making preparations for possible problems surrounding year 2000 computer bugs had better take time to talk with their children about the issue, says a Purdue Extension specialist. Children who watch their parents store up extra food and make copies of financial documents may have questions and concerns, says Aadron Rausch, Cooperative Extension Service specialist and assistant director for outreach with the Purdue Center for Families. Her tips: Find out what they already know; make sure you understand the issues and concerns; and put children at ease by letting them know that you are prepared for any problems.
5. Purdue Research Park dedicates newest business incubator The second business incubator at the Purdue Research Park -- the Purdue Technology Center -- was unveiled Wednesday (8/25) during a dedication ceremony. At maximum capacity, the new 60,000-square-foot facility at 3000 Kent Ave. will act as a business incubator to 40 very-early-stage, high-tech companies by housing them and providing on-site management and a full array of business planning, management and financial services. The new facility brings the Research Park's total incubator space to 100,000 square feet, providing space for up to 70 tenants. (Color photo available.)
AGRICULTURAL NEWS
6. Tours and speakers highlight Purdue's Agronomy Field Day Discussions and demonstrations of Bt corn, control of major soybean diseases, remote sensing and potato leafhopper-resistant alfalfa highlight Purdue's annual Agronomy Field Day on Thursday, Sept. 9. The free event, from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. at the Agronomy Research Center, 4540 U.S. 52 W., also will feature numerous tours, speakers, exhibits and displays. The field day will cover five major areas of concern to Indiana farmers -- corn, soybeans, grain hauling and storage, site-specific farming, and forages -- said Ben Southard, a Purdue agronomist.
7. State Fair champion animals test clean All of the 1999 Indiana State Fair 4-H livestock champions that were tested for foreign substances by the Purdue University Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory got a clean bill of health.
MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
8. Police investigating battery reports Purdue police are continuing an investigation into reports of battery on women students, allegedly by a magazine subscription solicitor. Three women students told police on Friday (8/20) that they were approached by a man selling subscriptions at Purdue West Shopping Plaza. When one of the students went to her residence hall room with the suspect to get a check, she said he fondled her and made suggestive comments. Another woman reported a similar occurrence when she and the suspect went to an automatic teller machine.
9. Purdue News Roundup See summary of headlines at beginning of this document.
10. Purdue calendar This calendar lists entertainment events, lectures, exhibits and meetings involving Purdue people during the next four weeks. An interactive, on-line calendar of Purdue events is at http://www.purdue.edu/calendar/
11. Agriculture calendar
12. Best Bets for Journalists Purdue engineer, Turkish native, surveys quake zone
"Best Bets" also has details about a media availability at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 31, when the university will announce enrollment figures; a Sept. 3 lecture by an Evansville executive; an international computer security seminar Sept. 7-9; a Sept. 9 birthday party for the Memorial Union; a dedication ceremony Sept. 10 for a Boeing 737 aircraft donated by United Airlines; and a Sept. 13 University Senate meeting where the chairman of the Purdue Board of Trustees will discuss the process the board will use to identify candidates for the presidency of the university.
13. Inside Purdue
and Perspective
How to retrieve stories and photographs electronicallyPurdue News Service produces e-mail digests of stories on five topics: agriculture; business, finance and technology; lifestyles, education and careers; science, engineering and health; and weekly Purdue News (that's this digest).
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Problems? Contact Mike Willis, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-0371; mike_willis@purdue.edu
Releases and downloadable photographs also are available at the PurdueNews Web site or the ftp site. The Web site also offers a searchable database of Purdue and Big 10 experts. Faculty and staff may register as experts at the Web site.
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