Purdue Story Ideas

March 18, 2002 JOURNALISTS: Here are story ideas and a list of selected Purdue events during the next two weeks. Spring marks tornado season in Indiana Spring marks the start of tornado season in Indiana and many other parts of the United Sates. Ernest M. Agee, a Purdue professor of atmospheric sciences who has studied tornadoes for 30 years, says the tornado "season" typically runs from March to July in most areas, with April and May usually producing the most tornadoes. "Spring is a prime time for tornadoes because the contrast in weather systems can be so great," Agee says. The highest number of tornadoes recorded for Indiana is 48 in 1973, and the annual average is 21. CONTACT: Ernest Agee, (765) 494-3282, eagee@purdue.edu. Holocaust Conference focuses on terrorism The Greater Lafayette Holocaust Remembrance Conference entitled "Post-Holocaust Global Terrorism," will take place Saturday and Sunday, March 23 and 24, in the Class of 1950 Lecture Hall. at Purdue. It will feature three speakers from Washington, D.C., who will share their expertise on terrorism. The speakers include Hillel Fradkin, president of the Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., who will open the conference at 1:30 p.m. with a lecture on Islam. Lt. Col. Joseph Corrigan, a former West Lafayette resident who serves as the Pentagon liaison to Congress, will discuss current efforts to eradicate terrorism at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, March 24. The third speaker from Washington, D.C., is Todd Rosenblum, senior foreign affairs and national security adviser to Indiana Sen. Evan Bayh. He will speak at 3:20 p.m. Sunday, March 24. Holocaust survivors will make presentations at 8 p.m. Saturday, March 23. Holocaust survivors and their children also will kindle the Memorial Flame of Remembrance and the Candle of Hope, which will offer compelling photo and video. The media are welcome to cover any and all events. A complete conference itinerary is available on the Web at https://www.purdue.edu/uns/uns/html3month/020308.Engel.itinerary.html. CONTACT: Rabbi Gadalyah Engel, conference coordinator, (765) 743-1716, mkengel@juno.com. All roads lead to 88th Purdue Road School The 88th Purdue Road School, an annual event that draws more than 1,000 Indiana city and county highway officials and politicians, will drive home issues regarding the state of the state's roads and related concerns. The conference takes place March 26-27 in Stewart Center on the university's West Lafayette campus. Some of the topics include planning utilities in the right-of-way, strategies for reducing pavement noise, violence in the workplace, conflict resolution in organizations and an array of environmental issues, economic concerns and traffic safety matters. This conference, the oldest of its kind in the nation, includes a presentation on the problems associated with salt truck wash discharge as well as the reuse of these waters. A state legislative panel and other experts also will discuss public involvement in highway funding and how to create long-term dedicated funding for roads and bridges. R.H. (Bob) Harrell will be attending his 67th Road School. Harrell began his career in highway transportation in 1924, and he is currently involved in the development of a transportation history of Indiana. On Wednesday, March 27, he will be a presenter during the transportation heritage session. A small part of his history project will be displayed in Stewart Center, Room 206. On Monday, March 25, the Road School will introduce a new feature. The latest road equipment and related products will be on display at the Cumberland Place Exhibition Center at University Inn, 3100 Northwestern Ave. Programs begin Tuesday and continue through Wednesday. The school is free and open to the public. CONTACT: Karen Hatke, (765) 494-9310, kshatke@purdue.edu. Events ° Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19-20. Advanced Manufacturing Summit. Manufacturers, government officials and union representatives from all over Indiana will be on Purdue's West Lafayette campus to discuss the latest thinking in advanced manufacturing. The idea is to keep Indiana manufacturing globally competitive and Indiana workers in high-wage jobs. The Advanced Manufacturing Summit is sponsored by Purdue and the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership. CONTACT: John Schneider, Purdue assistant vice president for industry research/outreach, (765) 494-5532, jas@purdue.edu; Lee Lewellen, vice president of the Central Indiana Corporate Partnership, (317) 638-2440, llewellen@cincorp.com. ° Saturday, April 6. 11 a.m. National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest. Cumberland Place Exhibition Center, 3100 Northwestern Ave., West Lafayette. Teams winning regional competitions will compete to see which machine can secure, raise and wave the national flag in at least 20 steps. CONTACT: Grant Flora, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2073, gflora@purdue.edu. ° Friday, April 12. Board of Trustees meeting. Room 326, Stewart Center. Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page