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February 25, 2000 JOURNALISTS: Here are some story ideas and a list of selected Purdue events during the next two weeks. Expert can explain food irradiation Meat packers intend to begin using irradiation in select markets, a process that zaps and kills deadly bacteria – a growing threat to consumers. April Mason, professor of foods and nutrition and associate dean in Purdue's School of Consumer and Family Sciences, is an expert on food irradiation. She has been working to educate consumers about what food irradiation is and how it works, and she also has information about where it is currently being used and the public's response to it. CONTACT Mason at (765) 494-8252 or e-mail to masona@cfs.purdue.edu Here comes the bus What's red, white and blue and is sent by the U.S. government to make sure everyone is accounted for? The census bus, of course. Purdue has partnered with the federal government to boost efforts to make sure that students are counted on the campus where they attend school and reside most of the year – not in their hometowns. As part of the "Census 2000 Road Tour: How America Knows What America Needs," the federal government has dispatched the census bus to select destinations across the country to generate excitement and increase student participation. The bus will roll up to the west side of Stewart Center at 3 p.m. March 1. The bus contains exhibits, displays and give-aways for those who stop by. Visitors can learn how to fill out their census forms and what the census data is used for. CONTACT: Sandy Monroe, interim assistant vice president for student services, (765) 494-5779, skmonroe@purdue.edu Virtual classroom becomes reality at showcase Teaching in a virtual classroom is just one of many events slated for the Teaching, Learning and Technology Showcase at Purdue. The program features more than 60 innovations in the fields of education and technology Featured speaker Peter E. Dunn, Purdue's assistant vice president for research administration, presents "Intellectual Property – Who Owns It?" to kick off the two-day event at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday (Feb. 29). Showcase runs Tuesday and Wednesday on the third floor of Stewart Center. CONTACT: John Campbell, director of the Multimedia Instructional Development Center, (765) 494-5100, jpcampbe@purdue.edu Improving mobile electronics Top engineers and researchers from major corporations will meet March 9 and 10 at Purdue's Stewart Center to discuss their most recent findings and give overviews about improvements in mobile information systems, such as computers and cell phones. The work aims to increase the performance of portable devices such as cell phones, laptop computers and hearing aids, enable the devices to run longer on a single battery charge and to operate on more light-weight batteries. The annual workshop, "Mobile Information Systems: Networking and Computing," will attract experts from companies such as IBM, Intel Corp. and Texas Instruments. Ambuj Goyal, IBM's head of computer science, will give a keynote address at 8 p.m. March 9. CONTACT: Mary Moyars-Johnson, manager of industrial and alumni relations for the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, (765) 494-3441, moyars@ecn.purdue.edu. Events • Through May 5.  "Treasures From the Tombs: Egyptian Antiquities From the Charles Pankow Collection," is on display from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily in the Union Gallery, Purdue Memorial Union Room 110. The exhibit features 75 pieces of artwork dating back 4,000 years from the private collection of Purdue alum Charles J. Pankow. CONTACT: Michael Atwell, Purdue Galleries interim director, (765) 494-7777, matwell@purdue.edu • Tuesday, Feb. 29.  "Fighting Against the New Sweatshops," a lecture by Edna Bonacich, professor of sociology and ethnic studies, University of California at Riverside, begins at 8 p.m. in the North Ballroom, Purdue Memorial Union. It's part of the Sears Lecture Series. CONTACT: Mark Tilton, associate professor of political science, (765) 494-4176, tilton@polysci.purdue.edu • Friday, March 3.  "Internet America Inc. — A Business Angel's Story," a lecture by William O. Hunt, president, Hunt Group LTD, Dallas, begins at 11:30 a.m. at the Krannert Auditorium. It's part of the Krannert Executive Forum. Reporters are asked to refrain from asking questions, videotaping or taking photographs during the lecture, but all are allowed during the student question-and-answer sessions. CONTACT: Tim Newton, director of external relations, School of Management, (765) 496-7271, tnewton@mgmt.purdue.edu • Saturday, March 4.  13th Annual Burton D. Morgan Entrepreneurial Competition finals. 1-5 p.m. Krannert Auditorium. Banquet and awards follow at 6:30 p.m. Students compete with their business plans for $30,000 in prizes and a chance to launch their ideas commercially. Sponsored by Purdue alumnus Burton Morgan, the Krannert School of Management, the Schools of Engineering and the School of Science. CONTACTS: Tim Newton, director of external relations for the Krannert School, (765) 496-7271, tnewton@mgmt.purdue.edu; Shailendra Mehta, Krannert director of entrepreneurship and business outreach, (765) 494-2073; mehta@mgmt.purdue.edu • Tuesday, March 7.  Glen S. Fukushima, president of Arthur D. Little, Japan, and former president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Japan, talks about "Japan's Response to Globalization: Avoiding the Wimbledon Effect." The talk, part of the Sears Lecture Series, begins at 8 p.m. in the West Faculty Lounge, Purdue Memorial Union. CONTACT: Mark Tilton, associate professor of political science, (765) 494-4176, tilton@polysci.purdue.edu • Tuesday-Wednesday, March 21-22.  86th Annual Purdue Road School. More than 1,200 people, from street commissioners to mayors to highway engineers, will gather at Stewart Center to explore ways to make Indiana's roads and highways more reliable, enjoyable and efficient. CONTACT: Karen Hatke, program coordinator, Joint Transportation Research Program, School of Civil Engineering, (765) 494-9310; kshatke@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page