Purdue News Roundup

April 17, 1998 Operation Arborflight coming to Celery Bog WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- At 9 a.m. Saturday, May 2, a chopper will bring Indiana State Forester Burnie Fischer to the Celery Bog off Lindberg Road, where he and Smokey Bear will plant a tree. Helicopters are carrying tree-planters to nine Indiana cities that day as part of Arborflight, a celebration of trees. The brainchild of Fort Wayne nursery owner and landscaper Mark Ringenberg, Arborflight combines efforts of Purdue University, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, environmental groups and Indiana businesses. PSI, a Cinergy company, and Northern Indiana Public Service Co. are supplying the helicopters. "I wanted to find a fun and exciting way to teach the benefits of trees from the ground up and to promote trees as an important renewable resource," said Ringenberg, president of the Hoosier chapter of Global Releaf, an organization dedicated to planting 20 million trees by the year 2000. The Celery Bog celebration combines Arborflight with activities coordinated by the local Sierra Club and Audubon Society. The program at the nature preserve will run from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. "We'll focus on teaching the public about wetlands and forested upland areas, explaining their importance in water quality, flood control and habitat preservation," said Marcia Daehler, chairwoman of the Wildcat Group of the Sierra Club. Three other Arborflight trees donated by a nursery will be planted later in the Greater Lafayette area, thanks to Purdue University urban forestry specialist Rita McKenzie. She coordinated the Celery Bog chopper operation with the help of Brian Tunis, West Lafayette beautification coordinator. "Urban trees can cut heating and cooling costs, store carbon, reduce pollution and improve the quality of life," McKenzie said. She and Purdue forestry Professor Harvey Holt developed a model to help predict urban tree survival and growth. During the course of their work, McKenzie found that vandalism to newly planted trees in urban parks dropped by 90 percent when community residents helped with the planting. CONTACT: McKenzie (765) 494-3625; e-mail, ritam@fnr.purdue.edu/ Job seekers encouraged to attend Purdue Employment Expo WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University -- the largest employer in Tippecanoe County -- is targeting potential employees from the Greater Lafayette area in an effort to fill more than 100 jobs available on the West Lafayette campus. The first-ever Purdue Employment Expo will be from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 9, at the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility next to Mackey Arena. Purdue will move its entire personnel services office on site to give potential employees a "one-stop-shopping" approach to the university's employment process. Interested job seekers will learn how to respond to various job listings, find out more about Purdue's benefits package, and, where appropriate, undergo on-site clerical testing and screening interviews. "We understand that our employment process can be confusing. Because of that, we have streamlined the application process for the Expo to attract quality applicants to Purdue's wide selection of available positions," said Dana Werner, recruitment specialist. "We hope the Expo brings in many residents from Tippecanoe and the surrounding counties." The Purdue Employment Expo is the first universitywide job fair encompassing every job except faculty and teaching positions. Hiring supervisors from various departments will answer questions one-on-one regarding the following types of jobs: entry-level service/unskilled positions, clerical positions, skilled trades, computer occupations, business administration positions and laboratory technicians. Attendees may dress casually and bring their families for entertainment and refreshments; however, child care will not be provided. A Web site at https://www.adpc.purdue.edu/Personnel/job-expo.htm provides more information about the event. CONTACT: Werner, (765) 494-6239 Black caucus to honor student achievement, service WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff will conduct its 23rd annual Academic and Service Awards Program at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 25, in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. The keynote speaker will be Mamon Powers, president of Powers and Sons Construction Co. in Gary and a member of the Purdue Board of Trustees. The business, founded in 1967 by his father, is listed as one of the top 100 black-owned companies in the United States by Black Enterprise magazine. The Powers Family Foundation in February donated $110,000 toward the construction of the new Black Cultural Center. Each year, the Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff recognizes more than 100 African-American undergraduate students for their academic achievements. Students with noteworthy service and leadership talents also will be honored. The program is supported through contributions. The Purdue Black Alumni Association provides a small monetary award to students with the highest grade point average in each class. The Black Caucus also presents the Clara E. Bell Award to the senior majoring in nursing or health sciences with the highest grade point average. Bell, professor emerita and former director of continuing education in nursing, died in 1996. She had been active in the Purdue Black Caucus and co-chaired the National Congress of the Association of Black Nursing Faculty in Higher Education in 1992 and 1993. CONTACT: Johnny E. Brown, professor of mathematics, (765) 494-1967; e-mail, jeb@math.purdue.edu Purdue student government leaders elected WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue Student Government has two new students at the helm -- juniors David Varca as president and Griffin Dunham as vice president. They took office Wednesday (4/15). Varca is an economics and communications major from Woodbridge, Va. , and Dunham is from Lafayette and is majoring in history and political science. They defeated three other slates of candidates during a campuswide student election April 6-7. Varca and Dunham campaigned on promises that they would lobby for discounts on new and used textbooks at West Lafayette bookstores. They also suggested that classes should be canceled on the Thursday and Friday of dead week to allow students to prepare for finals. And they promised to start a campus outreach program to educate female students about protecting themselves against sexual assault. During future Grand Prix weekends, Varca and Dunham said, they plan to expand the student government-sponsored concert to a "Battle of the Bands" involving well-known Lafayette-area bands. Varca is a Garfield High School graduate. Dunham is a Lafayette Jefferson High School graduate. CONTACTS: Varca, (765) 743-4691 ext. 3163 (home); Dunham, (765) 743-4671 ext. 138 (home); Purdue Student Government office, (765) 494-7201. Span Plan director wins Violet Haas Award WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University's Council on the Status of Women has named Peggy E. Sullivan, assistant dean of students and director of the Span Plan program, winner of the 1998 Violet Haas Award. Sullivan will be recognized during an open reception at 4 p.m. Friday, May 1, in Room 116 of the Whistler Agriculture Research Building. The award recognizes a department, program or individual for demonstrated efforts in promoting the advancement of women in the university. "Sullivan is being recognized as an outstanding role model, mentor, academic counselor and advocate for women students of all ages -- undergraduates, graduate students, alumni and prospective women students," said Judy Ware, council convenor. As director of the Span Plan program for adult learners, Sullivan teaches orientation and life-career planning courses for older students. Ninety percent of the students taking these courses are women. Sullivan also has conducted many workshops at the university and in the community on assertiveness, educational opportunities and career planning for women. The Violet Haas Award was established eight years ago to honor Haas, a faculty member in Purdue's School of Electrical Engineering from 1962 until her death in 1986, who promoted women's issues and provided a positive role model for the university's faculty, staff and students. CONTACTS: Ware, (765) 494-3743; e-mail: jware@purdue.edu; Sullivan, (765) 494-1257 Noted director joins local screening of 'Moon over Broadway' NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: Publicity photos are available, and interviews with Tom Moore may be arranged by contacting Lori Sparger at Purdue Theatre, (765) 494-3084. WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Stage, screen and film director Tom Moore will attend the Purdue University screening of the documentary film "Moon Over Broadway" when it's presented at 3 p.m. Thursday, April 23, in Fowler Hall in Stewart Center. The screening is free and open to the public. Moore, a 1965 graduate of Purdue's Theatre Division, was the director for "Moon Over Buffalo," the Broadway production documented in the film "Moon Over Broadway." The film is a behind-the-curtain look at the trials, tribulations and ultimate triumphs on the perilous and funny road to Broadway. Following the film, Moore will participate in a question-and-answer session with audience members. "Moon Over Broadway" opened in New York and Los Angeles in February. The documentary includes the play's cast members Carol Burnett and Phil Bosco, along with author Ken Ludwig, producers Heidi Ettinger, Rocco Landesman and Elizabeth Williams as well as director Moore. Moore received an honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree from Purdue in 1995. He is best known as director of "'night Mother" -- both the play and movie version -- and for the original production of "Grease," which ran on Broadway for eight years. His television credits include Emmy Award-nominated episodes of the series "E.R.," "Mad About You," and "L.A. Law." He also has directed episodes of "Cheers," "Picket Fences," "Northern Exposure" and "Suddenly Susan." CONTACT: Lori Sparger at Purdue Theatre, (765) 494-3084 CFS presents awards to 5 outstanding seniors WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The School of Consumer and Family Sciences at Purdue University has named five outstanding senior award recipients. The awards, presented by the school's alumni association, are given to senior students based on academics, leadership and potential for future professional contributions. Each award winner receives $100 and an engraved pen set. The 1998 recipients are: Stacy Feutz of Princeton, Ind. , majoring in consumer and family sciences education. Laura L. Bonner of Dimondale, Mich., majoring in child development and family studies. Kelly A. Tiede of Francesville, Ind. , majoring in consumer sciences and retailing. Rachel A. Geik of Culver, Ind. , majoring in foods and nutrition. Will Glass of Centerville, Ohio, majoring in restaurant, hotel, institutional and tourism management. Purdue Notebook Appointments and promotions: -- Arden Bement Jr., the Basil S. Turner Distinguished Professor of Engineering at Purdue, has been appointed head of the School of Nuclear Engineering, effective July 1. Bement holds a joint appointment in the Schools of Materials Engineering and Electrical and Computer Engineering. In addition, he directs the Midwest Superconductivity Consortium, a group of six universities that develops new technologies based on high-temperature superconductors. His career in science and engineering includes positions as the vice president for science and technology at TRW Inc., the U.S. deputy undersecretary of defense for research and engineering, and professor of nuclear material at MIT. In 1983, Bement was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering. Victor Ransom, who has been head of the school since 1990, will return to teaching and research after a year's sabbatical. Purdue's School of Nuclear Engineering was founded in 1960 and is ranked among the top 10 nuclear engineering departments in the country. * * * * * Alumni honors: -- Five Purdue University graduates have received 1998 Distinguished Alumni Awards from Purdue's School of Pharmacy. The recipients were honored March 27 during a ceremony at Purdue. The awards are given each year to honor graduates for their outstanding achievements in professional and scientific endeavors. This year's award winners are: David C. Hsia, executive vice president for research and development at Watson Laboratories Inc., Corona, Calif. Jack A. Klee, manager of Temple Pharmacy within the Hammond Clinics, Munster, Ind. Rachel Mata, professor and head of the pharmacognosy department in the School of Chemistry at Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico. R. Craig Schnell, vice president for academic affairs at North Dakota State University at Fargo. Arthur C. Solomon, vice president of business development and marketing at SP Pharmaceuticals LLC, Albuquerque, N.M. -- Eleven graduates of Purdue's Schools of Engineering will receive Distinguished Engineering Alumnus Awards on April 24. The awards were established in 1964 and are conferred each year by the faculty of the Schools of Engineering to recognize a graduate's contributions to engineering and related fields. Including this year's honorees, 351 of the more than 60,000 living Purdue engineering alumni have won the award. The 1998 recipients are: Roy D. Bridges Jr., Cocoa Beach, Fla., director of the Kennedy Space Center, National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Christopher B. Burke, Naperville, Ill., president of Christopher B. Burke Engineering Ltd., Rosemont, Ill. W. Michael Clevy, Brentwood, Tenn., president and chief executive officer of International Comfort Products Corp., Nashville. Vincennes, Ind. , native Michael L. Eskew of Atlanta, senior vice president of engineering for United Parcel Service. Charles R. Kline, president and chief executive officer of Equate Petrochemicals Co., Kuwait. Michael J. McCulley, Friendswood, Texas, vice president and deputy program manager for United Space Alliance, Johnson Space Center, Houston. Michael T. Riordan, Long Grove, Ill., president and chief operating officer for Fort James Corp., Deerfield, Ill. Thomas J. Sheehan Jr., retired general director of operations for Delco Electronics Corp., Kokomo, Ind. William E. Smith, Brownsburg, Ind. , executive director of global manufacturing services for Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis. Suwat Liptapanlop, Bangkok, Thailand, member of Thailand's parliament. Highland, Ind. , native Stephen J. Zelencik of Woodside, Calif., senior vice president and chief marketing executive for Advanced Micro Devices, Sunnyvale, Calif. Compiled by J. Michael Willis, (765) 494-0371; e-mail, mike_willis@purdue.edu Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; e-mail, purduenews@purdue.edu To the Purdue News and Photos Page