WPI This Week
Vol. 13, No. 35, May 13, 1999

In this issue:

WPITW Summer Schedule

The May 28 issue of WPI This Week will be the last weekly issue for the current academic year. WPI This Week will be published in June, July and August on the first Thursday of the month to keep the campus community informed of events during the summer. Weekly publication will resume at the beginning of A-Term, Aug. 26.

Human Resources Office Deadlines

Noted below are the scheduled Human Resorces and Payroll Office deadlines:

Friday, May 14, by 10 a.m.
Monthly Flexcomp claim

Tuesday, May 18, by 10 a.m.
Monthly payroll authorizations
(Monthly payroll paid Monday, May 28)

Thursday, May 20, by 10 a.m.
Biweekly student payroll authorizations
(Student payroll paid Thursday, May 27)

Wednesday, May 26, by 10 a.m.
Biweekly staff payroll authorizations and Flexcomp claim forms
(Staff payroll paid Wednesday, June 2)

All forms submitted to Human Resources and Payroll must be complete and have all of the appropriate approvals in order to be processed. Forms submitted after these dates will be processed in the following payroll.

Cabinet Meeting of May 4

Admissions: Kevin Kelly reported that our numbers were close to last year's, running about a day behind. The budgeted class of 685 is expected, and we have a very strong group academically. It is too early to provide specifics on demographics of the class.

Retreat: The Cabinet will be going to Bowdoin College's Breckinridge House in York, Maine for its June 7-8 retreat. Ideas for the agenda included processes for implementing the Strategic Plan, thrust areas, and space.

Commencement: Steve Hebert reported that everything is in place for Commencement. We will have seating for about 5500 people on the Quad.

FIRST: Bill Durgin reported on the FIRST competition, saying that the Mass Academy/WPI team was eighth overall out of over 200 teams. The WPI FIRST scholarship was awarded to a student from Plymouth North High School. Discussion ensued about this and other competitions that students enter, such as the SAE car, or the concrete canoe, and how we decide which to enter as well as how we organize our teams. Bill also reported that FIRST has asked WPI to host a regional event on campus next year in late February or early March. We are exploring the feasibility of this idea.

New Dean and Associate Dean of Interdisciplinary and Global Studies

Provost John F. Carney III has announced the appointment of Professor Paul W. Davis as dean of Interdisciplinary and Global Studies, and the appointment of Professor Richard F. Vaz as associate dean, effective July 1. Davis replaces Professor Hossein Hakim who will return to teaching and research in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

Student Affairs Announces Promotions

Bernie Brown, vice president for Student Affairs, has announced the following promotions:

Dawn Johnson, who has served as associate director of Minority Affairs for two years, has been promoted to Director of Minority Affairs.

Dawn will be responsible for the Office of Minority Affairs and its related services and programs, including the EMSEP Program, academic and personal counseling, the Frontiers/Strive Summer Pre-College Programs, outreach programs, minority student retention initiatives and collaboration with the Admissions Office in the recruitment of students of color.

Geoff Hassard, a member of the Physical Education & Athletics Department, has been officially appointed as sports information director.

Mass Academy Graduation Tomorrow

Thirty-three seniors are expected to graduate from the Massachusetts Academy of Mathematics and Science at a ceremony starting at 5 p.m. tomorrow in Alden Memorial. State Representative Barbara Gardner (D., Holliston), majority whip, will be the graduation speaker. Student speakers will be Zachery LaValley, Andrea Martin and Elizabeth Walsh. Members of the community are invited to attend graduation and the reception that will follow.

Here is a list of the graduating students and the colleges they will attend:

Rae Azorandia of Clinton (Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology); John Brewer of Worcester (WPI); Yuriy Brun of Hopkinton (MIT); William Buckley of N. Uxbridge (University of Rochester); Alexander Dunfey of Marlboro (Cornell University); Rachael Falcon of Worcester (Clark University); Grace Fong of Westborough (University of Rochester); Caroline Foulkes of Worcester (Boston University); Jacob Gagnon of Shrewsbury (MIT); Victor Hung of Milford (University of Pennsylvania); Adam Kalafarski of North Andover (Brandeis University); Michelle Kozlov of Worcester (Boston College); Shawn Kuo of Westborough (University of Illinois/Urbana); Brian LaPlume of Leicester (WPI); Zachery LaValley of Leominster (MIT); Maggie Lee of Shrewsbury (University of Massachusetts); Christopher Martensen of Bellingham (University of Massachusetts); Andrea Martin of Sutton (Columbia University); Alexander McAuley of Spencer (Youth for Understanding program in Germany); Scott McKenzie of Upton (Brown University); Karen Mendelson of Worcester (Princeton University); Timothy Nguyen of Hudson (University of Massachusetts); Michael Nkakue of Worcester (Brown University); Virginia Platt of Phillipston (Tufts University); Sumati Ram-Mohan of Northboro (MIT); Lissa Rudnick of Worcester (Washington University); Jonathan Shea of Princeton (RPI); Amanda Stachelek of Dudley (University of Massachusetts); Thomas Traina of Auburn (WPI); Norman Tubman of Worcester (Carnegie Mellon University); Michael Twarog of Auburn (Brandeis University); Elizabeth Walsh of Uxbridge (Brown University); and Anton Yakovlev of Worcester (Harvard University).

Salisbury Prizes Awarded To Meritorious Seniors

Twelve members of the Class of 1999 were awarded the Salisbury Prize at a luncheon, May 3, in Higgins House. The awards, given to the university's most meritorious seniors, were established by Stephen Salisbury II, a WPI founder and first president of the Board of Trustees.

Those honored include:

Derek P. Bond, mechanical engineering; Harish Chawla, electrical and computer engineering; Man Ching Cheung, chemistry and biochemistry; Laura Jean Cooper, biomedical engineering; Adam El-Khishin, biology and biotechnology; John M. Markow, electrical and computer engineering; Pavel V. Murnikov, computer science Michael T. Pockoski, civil and environmental engineering; Barry T. Posterro, mathematical sciences; Isaac B. Rutel, physics; Jessica T. Sands, humanities and arts; and Jeffrey T. Webster, chemical engineering.

Two Towers Prize

The Two Towers Prize was awarded to Erica L. Tworog, a junior with a double major in biology and biotechnology and humanites and arts.

The Two Towers Prize was established by the late Mildred M. Tymeson Petrie, author of Two Towers, WPI's centennial history. It is awarded to a student who, through general academic competence, campus leadership, regular course work, and special work in research and projects, best exemplifies a combined proficiency in the theoretical and practical union that is the heart of the WPI educational tradition.

ROTC Award Recipients

At the Army and Air Force ROTC Joint Awards Ceremony April 26, cadets from the Army ROTC Bay State Battalion and the Air Force ROTC Detachment 340 were recognized for their achievements during the 1998-99 academic year. The following WPI students received Air Force (AF) or Army (AR) awards:

Steven J. Duso Memorial Award: John Stevens '99 (AF).
Air Force American Legion Award for General Military Excellence: Peter Gonzalves '02 and Matthew Hanson '01.
American Legion Award for Scholarship Excellence: Kelly Jaramillo '02, Nancy Baccheschi '01 and Marjorie Winemiller '00 (AF).
Sons of Confederate Veterans: Tristan Ainsworth '01 (AF).
Society of Military Engineers Award: Christina Watson '99 (AR) and Grant Leeds '99 (AF).
Society of Military Engineers, Narragansett Post: Jennifer Cooper '01 (AR).
Kenneth J. Kublins Memorial Award: Kelly Jaramillo '02 (AF).
Department of the Army Superior Cadet Award: James Hart '02 and Vanessa Melanson '01.
Brigadier General John E. Murray Award: Sarah Scharff '02 (AF).
Reserve Officer Associations Award: Tristan Ainsworth '01 and Michelle Lutz '00.
American Veterans of WWII, Korea and Vietnam Award: Christopher Greene '02 (AF).
Lexington-Concord Chapter of the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association Award: Brian Zifcak '01 (AF).
General Society of the War of 1812: Nancy Baccheschi '01 (AF).
Stacy J. Cotton Silver Star: Stephen Sacovitch '00 (AF).
Military Order of the World Wars: David Chevrier '02 (AR), Kelly Jaramillo '02 (AF), Paul Muller '01 (AF) and Michael Sankey '00 (AF).
USAA Spirit Award: Kelly Jaramillo '02 (AF).
Arthur Hardy Memorial Award: William McLaughlin '01 (AF)
Sons of the American Revolution Award: James Kalinowski '02 (AR) and Christine Rojko '02 (AF).
General Hoyt Vandenberg Award: Nancy Baccheschi '01 (AF)
Worcester Veteran's Council Award: Christopher Cammack '02 (AR) and Peter Gonzalves '02 (AF).
Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association ROTC Honor Certificate: Ian MacGregor '00 (AF).
Daughters of Founders and Patriots of America Award: Paul Muller '01(AF).
Association of Old Crows Scholarship Award: James Hart '02 (AR).
Daughters of the American Revolution Award: Matthew Poisson '99 (AF).
Air Force Association Award: Stephen Sacovitch '00.
Archibald R Lemieux Award: Matthew Poisson '99 (AF).
Veterans of Foreign Wars Award: David Lenhardt '02.
Commanders Award for Public Service: Lance Schachterle and Father Peter Scanlon

EMSEP Recognizes Its Best

EMSEP (Excellence in Mathematics, Science and Engineering Program) hosted an awards ceremony to recognize members of its Class of 1999 Tuesday, April 25, in the Lower Wedge. Awards were presented for academic excellence, leadership, community service and other contributions to the program and the university to the following recipients: Administrator of the Year: Janet Richardson; Faculty Member of the Year: John Goulet; Organization of the Year: Black Student Union; Community Service Award: Fernando Ayala '01; Scholar of the Year: Michael Sao Pedro '01; Academic Excellence Awards: Vrinda Nargund '00, Lauren Collazo-Davila '00, Michael Sao Pedro '01 and Jason Brown '02.

Students Recognized At City Council Meeting

Students Jeff Bayko, a senior mechanical engineering major, and Christine Biscotti, a sophomore chemical engineering major, represented WPI at a recent Worcester City Council meeting. They and representatives of the other colleges in Worcester received recognition for their city-wide cleanup efforts from Mayor Raymond Mariano and the City Council. The Colleges of Worcester Consortium cleanup, conducted April 10, involved more than 700 college students and collected 30 tons of refuse. WPI Student Life was in charge of organizing the efforts this year. The responsibility rotates among the colleges.

Athletes Honored

WPI's varsity athletes were honored May 2 at the Physical Education and Athletics Department's annual Athletic Awards Banquet.

The outstanding male and female senior athletes are honored each year with the Varsity Club Award for outstanding achievement during their four years at WPI. This year's recipients were Michael Pockoski and Lara Currie.

Winning the Charles R. McNulty Award and Coaches Award for outstanding male and female freshman athletes were Justin Lutz and Rachel Zimet.

The two outstanding sophomore athletes were honored with the Leo S. Jansson Award and the Carolyn McCabe Award. The Jansson Award went to Nicholas Fluet and the McCabe Award went to Amy Matter.

The outstanding junior athletes are rewarded with the Poly Club Award which not only recognizes outstanding athletic achievement, but also the athlete who excels in the classroom and is active in campus activities. This year's recipients were John Riccio and Marissa Mertzic.

The Patricia A. Graham Award and the Percy Carpenter Award go to two senior athletes who have made the most of their athletic ability while also displaying sportsmanship. This year's recipients were Susan Shorrock and Daniel Nashold.

WPI also recognizes the outstanding varsity team manager with the John P. Coughlin Award. For the third straight year, Dawn Campanelli is the recipient.

New England Regional AIChE Winners

A team of WPI students has been awarded first prize at the 1999 competition of the New England Regional American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the chemical engineering professional society. Congratulations go to Jony Laplante, Jeffrey Nawrocki and Andrea Sturtevant. The project was titled "NASA Genesis: High Purity Diamonds for Solar Wind Collection." Assistant Professor Karen McNamara was the faculty advisor.

The award includes the traditional "Fish Trophy," which is now on display permanently in WPI's Goddard Hall. Laplante will compete in the national competition in Dallas, Texas, at the end of October.

Gordon Library Hours

Gordon Library will be open in May according to the following schedule: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m., and closed Sundays and Memorial Day.

Workshop on Reading the Landscape

The EcoTarium, a center for environmental exploration, will host a workshop Saturday, May 22, from 8:30 a.m.- 12:30 p.m., with registration and refreshments at 8. The workshop, to explore the processes that shape the local landscape, is offered in conjunction with the Massachusetts Audubon Society.

Tom Wessels, author of "Reading the Forested Landscape" and director of the environmental biology program at Antioch New England Graduate School, will present a slide program and lead participants on a guided field investigation around the EcoTarium's new lower pond trail and other trails. He will explain the types and signs of disruption to a forest caused by blight, fire, logging, abandonment of pasture land and more.

The workshop, appropriate for those aged 15 and older, costs $18 per person and $15 for EcoTarium or Audubon Society members. Visitors may attend the 90-minute slide program only for $12, or $10 for members. Reservations are required and space is limited. For information or reservations, call (508) 929-2700.

1999 President's IQP Award Competition - December 8

Applications for the 1999 President's IQP Awards Competition are available in the Interdisciplinary and Global Studies Division Office in the Project Center. The deadline for applications is Oct. 5.

Don't wait until October. If you have an outstanding IQP, complete the application and submit it with a copy of the project to Betty Jolie in the IGSD office. For more information e-mail efjolie@wpi.edu.

Colloquia/Conferences/Meetings

Chemistry And Biochemistry Conference
On Saturday, May 15, in Salisbury Labs, from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., "Forensic Science: Beyond Quincy and O. J. Simpson," speakers include Det. Lt. Richard D. Lauria, commander of the Crime Scene Services Section of the Massachusetts State Police Crime Laboratory and Lt. Dan O'Hara, also of the Crime Scene Services Section. For more information, call Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Ladislav Berka at ext. 5444.

Metal Processing Institute Symposium
Wednesday, May 19, in Perreault Hall, Fuller Labs, 8:15 a.m., "Technological Challenges and Opportunities for Net Shape Manufacturing in the 21st Century," speakers include Diran Apelian, director, MPI, Richard Lester, director, MIT Industrial Performance Center; Denise Swink, deputy assistant secretary for Industrial Technologies, U.S. Department of Energy; Seifi Ghasemi, president and CEO, GKN Sintered Metals, and Firoze Katrak, vice president, Charles River Associates Inc. For more information, call MPI at ext. 5992.

Presentations and Publications

Ljungquist, Kent, "Nature and Landscape," "Richard Henry Dana," "Stanley Kunitz," Encyclopedia of American Literature (New York: Continuum, 1999), 250-51, 641, 809-812.

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Last modified: Dec 14, 1999, 19:22 EST