PURDUE NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF APRIL 9-13 This 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 at http://news.uns.purdue.edu/html3month/3month.html (Instructions for retrieving stories and photographs via the Internet are at the end of this document.) 1. Ag genomics may bring benefits faster than human genomics 2. Designer molecules link together to make nanotubes a snap 3. Purdue Rube Goldberg team shows national 'a-peel' 4. Spring Fest, Bug Bowl draws record crowd of more than 20,000 5. Purdue School of Education students make the grade 6. Fence construction around campus fountains to begin 7. Boys needed for this summer's Camp Calcium 8. Federal grant will support gerontology research 9. Reamers Club sing-along ceremony rededicates Lions' fountain 10. Biotechnology seminar to explore GMO safety 11. Second year of Biblical Hebrew to be offered this fall 12. Student team wins $6,000 in Internet Olympiad 13. Dogs needed for behavior modification course 14. Purdue experts propose ideas to deal with foot-and-mouth disease 15. Early soybean planting means risk, not better yields 16. Ideal weather could put soybean prices back 30 years, expert says 17. Purdue Agriculture to honor eight distinguished alums 18. Seminar slated to discuss germplasm as natural resource 19. Plaque to recognize Purdue's contributions to grain aeration 20. Purdue honors nine as Distinguished Science Alumni 21. Purdue students to perform with SNL comic Darrell Hammond 22. Musical treats abound in debut of Purdue Bands Showcase 23. Easy listening jazz fills traditional outdoor event Jazz on the Hill 24. Chalmers man arrested for setting fires, Purdue expels 1, suspends another 25. Purdue calendar 26. Agriculture calendar 27. Best Bets for Journalists 28. Corporate Finance Experts 29. National Agriculture Package 30. Inside Purdue and Perspective ------------------------------------- RESEARCH NEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS ------------------------------------- 1. AG GENOMICS MAY BRING BENEFITS FASTER THAN HUMAN GENOMICS Although the Human Genome Project grabs headlines, perhaps the bigger story in biology will be in plant and animal genomics: the first benefits to society are likely to come from these areas, where it is generally easier and less controversial to utilize genetic information. ''Agricultural genomics is well behind human genomics,'' says Randy Woodson, director of Purdue's Office of Agricultural Research Programs. ''But we can adapt the tools used in the Human Genome Project to find solutions for problems in food much faster than drugs for human problems can be brought to the market.'' http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/0104.Woodson.genomicsrdp.html 2. DESIGNER MOLECULES LINK TOGETHER TO MAKE NANOTUBES A SNAP Inspired by nature's own building blocks, Purdue researchers are using the same principle that makes DNA strands link together to create tiny structures that may someday be used to manufacture molecular wires and other components for use in nanometer-sized electronic devices. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/010413.Fenniri.naotube.html ------------------------ GENERAL INTEREST NEWS ------------------------ 3. PURDUE RUBE GOLDBERG TEAM SHOWS NATIONAL 'A-PEEL' Despite one restart and one human intervention, the Purdue student chapter of the Society of Manufacturing Engineers won the 13th annual National Rube Goldberg Machine Contest Saturday (4/7). ''We all feel an indescribable sense of accomplishment,'' said Eric Gossman, member of the winning team and a senior mechanical engineering technology major from Elkhart, Ind. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010407.RubeNational.2001.html 4. SPRING FEST, BUG BOWL DRAWS RECORD CROWD OF MORE THAN 20,000 More than an estimated 20,000 people on Saturday (4/7) visited Purdue's Spring Fest, featuring the crowd-pleasing Bug Bowl. Activities, the most ever offered during the annual Spring Fest, attracted a record-setting crowd. In past years the largest number of people visiting the campus during the two-day event was 15,000. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010407.BugBowl.2001.html 5. PURDUE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION STUDENTS MAKE THE GRADE Purdue's School of Education announced Monday (4/9) that 430 of 444 teacher education students passed the Indiana-required teaching proficiency exams last school year. ''When you consider the number of students who complete our teacher education programs each year, we are very pleased,'' said Marilyn Haring, dean of the School of Education. ''Each student must pass each section of the tests, and our students always are prepared very well for these exams.'' http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010409.Haring.titleII.html 6. FENCE CONSTRUCTION AROUND CAMPUS FOUNTAINS TO BEGIN Purdue officials announced Monday (4/9) that fencing will be installed around the Class of '39 water sculpture on the Purdue Mall and Loeb Fountain at Founders Park. Construction will begin within the next two weeks. The fencing is designed to prevent possible injuries to children who might be tempted to play in the fountains. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010409.Collier.fence.html 7. BOYS NEEDED FOR THIS SUMMER'S CAMP CALCIUM For the first time, boys are welcome at this year's Camp Calcium on the Purdue campus. Before this year the camp has been girls only, as researchers tried to calculate the amount of calcium young women need to prevent osteoporosis later in life. Recent concerns about osteoporosis in men has prompted the first boys-only camp. The camp is being funded by the National Institutes of Health. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Weaver.boys.html 8. FEDERAL GRANT WILL SUPPORT GERONTOLOGY RESEARCH A team of interdisciplinary researchers at Purdue will receive $540,000 over the next five years for research and graduate student training in gerontology-related studies. The grant will provide research development opportunities for faculty in the social and behavioral sciences, and also will be used to strengthen Purdue's interdisciplinary initiatives. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Wilmoth.gerontology.html 9. REAMERS CLUB SING-ALONG CEREMONY REDEDICATES LIONS' FOUNTAIN Steeped in lore, serenaded by song and a symbol of Purdue University school spirit and tradition, the Stone Lions' Fountain roars back to life Sunday, April 22, with a rededication ceremony. The restored drinking fountain's waters will flow again thanks to the Reamer Club, whose members raised $48,500 from 203 club alumni, friends, corporations and other Purdue enthusiasts to complete the project. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/01**.*****.*******.html 10. BIOTECHNOLOGY SEMINAR TO EXPLORE GMO SAFETY Purdue's School of Agriculture will host a biotechnology seminar titled ''Should we be worried about GMOs in our foods?'' The discussion is open to the public and will be at 3:30 p.m. May 10 in the Krannert Auditorium. The safety of genetically modified foods will be discussed. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Martin.gmo.html 11. SECOND YEAR OF BIBLICAL HEBREW TO BE OFFERED THIS FALL Starting with the 2001 school year, Purdue students will have a new option for satisfying the foreign language component required in some areas of study. The Jewish Studies Program in the School of Liberal Arts is sponsoring a second year of Biblical Hebrew. The courses are open to degree-seeking students as well as members of the community. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Robertson.hebrew.html 12. STUDENT TEAM WINS $6,000 IN INTERNET OLYMPIAD Two surviving teams completed the first Internet Olympiad to claim cash and prizes totaling more than $10,000. The winners were announced at Purdue's Computer Science banquet Monday (4/9) after the final round was completed that day. For the final round the two teams were given three months to design an application that makes creative use of Internet technology and has commercial value. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Mathur.Olympiad3.html 13. DOGS NEEDED FOR BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION COURSE The Purdue School of Veterinary Medicine is seeking dogs with and without behavior problems for participation in ''DOGS! Principles and Techniques of Behavior Modification'' The course is directed toward dog trainers, veterinary technicians and veterinarians. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Shaw.dogs.html -------------------- AGRICULTURAL NEWS -------------------- 14. PURDUE EXPERTS PROPOSE IDEAS TO DEAL WITH FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE Should foot-and-mouth disease come to the United States, Purdue agricultural economists advocate local testing to quickly respond to the disease and a strong message from the government that would encourage producers to report the problem. ''It would be essential that we pinpoint the disease immediately and encourage efforts that would help officials do that,'' said Otto Doering, professor of agricultural economics. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Doering.fmd.html 15. EARLY SOYBEAN PLANTING MEANS RISK, NOT BETTER YIELDS Planting soybeans early this spring will not produce better yields and could cause disease problems later this summer, says a Purdue expert. ''Soybeans planted early are at greater risk of sudden death syndrome than soybeans planted later,'' says Greg Shaner, Purdue professor of botany and plant pathology. ''The majority of severe sudden death syndrome samples submitted to Purdue by soybean growers have come from early-planted fields.'' http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Shaner.soybean.html 16. IDEAL WEATHER COULD PUT SOYBEAN PRICES BACK 30 YEARS, EXPERT SAYS Soybean farmers might not want the weather to be too nice this summer if they crave higher prices, said Chris Hurt, Purdue Cooperative Extension Service agricultural economist. Ideal meteorological conditions could produce a bumper crop, sending soybean prices tumbling. ''If favorable weather develops this summer, soybean prices will likely reach their lowest prices since the early 1970s,'' he said. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Hurt.soybean.html 17. PURDUE AGRICULTURE TO HONOR EIGHT DISTINGUISHED ALUMS A husband and wife from western Africa are the first couple to receive Purdue's prestigious Distinguished Agricultural Alumni Award. Simeon K. Ehui and his wife, Mamou K. Ehui, join six other honorees: Eric A. Brown, John S. Castrale, McArthur Floyd, Larry R. Rueff, Henry L. Shands and Robert W. Wotzak. They will receive their awards from Vic Lechtenberg, dean of the School of Agriculture, during April 20 ceremonies on campus. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.AgAlumni.2001.html 18. SEMINAR SLATED TO DISCUSS GERMPLASM AS NATURAL RESOURCE The Purdue departments of Agronomy and Botany and Plant Pathology will sponsor the seminar ''Germplasm as a Natural Resource.'' The event is open to the public and will be at 1:30 p.m. April 19 in Room 2-425, Lilly Hall of Life Sciences. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.McFee.germ.html 19. PLAQUE TO RECOGNIZE PURDUE'S CONTRIBUTIONS TO GRAIN AERATION The Purdue Department of Agricultural and Biological Engineering will honor pioneering accomplishments in the agricultural engineering profession with a plaque recognizing the significance of grain aeration. The plaque, which designates grain aeration as an historic landmark, recognizes the efforts of United States Department of Agriculture engineers George H. Foster and Robert N. Robinson. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Mair.plaque.html --------------------------- NEWS ABOUT PURDUE PEOPLE --------------------------- 20. PURDUE HONORS NINE AS DISTINGUISHED SCIENCE ALUMNI Nine outstanding graduates will receive Distinguished Alumni Awards from Purdue's School of Science at an annual awards banquet on Friday, April 20. ''A university and its programs are ultimately evaluated by the quality of their alumni,'' said Harry Morrison, dean of Purdue's School of Science. ''The School of Science is proud of these individuals, who by their accomplishments provide the most compelling evidence of Purdue's tradition of graduating outstanding scientists and mathematicians.'' http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.ScienceAlumni.2001.html ------------------------------- ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS ------------------------------- 21. PURDUE STUDENTS TO PERFORM WITH SNL COMIC DARRELL HAMMOND Purdue students will open for Saturday Night Live comedian Darrell Hammond during the ComedyLab's College Comic Attack Tour, featuring the College Comedy Bake-Off, at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 19, in Loeb Playhouse. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010410.Solloway.SNL.html 22. MUSICAL TREATS ABOUND IN DEBUT OF PURDUE BANDS SHOWCASE >From tunes that conjure up images of slithering snakes to booming Broadway marches, and from the classical majesty of organ to a marimba, the Purdue Bands Showcase on April 21-22 offers something for a variety of musical tastes. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Matter.Weekend.html 23. EASY LISTENING JAZZ FILLS TRADITIONAL OUTDOOR EVENT JAZZ ON THE HILL Jazz standards and tunes with a rock flavor will be featured at Jazz on the Hill Friday, April 20. For decades, the traditional outdoor concert has ushered in Gala Weekend on campus. The informal event runs from 5-8 p.m. at Slayter Center. Concert-goers are encouraged to bring picnics and lawn chairs to Slayter¹s grassy hill. Admission is free. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Matter.hill.html ---------------------- MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ---------------------- 24. CHALMERS MAN ARRESTED FOR SETTING FIRES, PURDUE EXPELS 1, SUSPENDS ANOTHER Police have arrested a Chalmers man, and Purdue officials expelled a second student and suspended another for allegedly starting or helping set trash fires in disturbances on campus April 1. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010410.Dietrich.99.html 25. PURDUE CALENDAR http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Calendar.html This calendar lists entertainment events, lectures and meetings involving Purdue people during the next month. An online calendar of Purdue events is at http://www.purdue.edu/calendar/ 26. AGRICULTURE CALENDAR This calendar lists Purdue Agriculture events during the next four weeks. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Ag.cal.html 27. BEST BETS FOR JOURNALISTS -- Senior engineers design mission to Mars -- Gala Week begins April 20 -- Battle of the Bands takes place April 20 -- Go karts rev up for 44th Purdue Grand Prix -- Golden Taps ceremony slated for April 23 -- EMC chief to speak -- Animal well-being conference April 27 http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010413.Best.bets.html 28. CORPORATE FINANCE EXPERTS http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/htmlexpertlists/Corporate.finance.experts.html 29. NATIONAL AGRICULTURE PACKAGE http://www.purdue.edu/paks/agpak.digest.0104.html These stories were distributed nationally and internationally this week. 1. Purdue team fires up with soy-based oil 2. To Bt or not to Bt, that is the question farmers must ask 3. Fruits, vegetables require kitchen care to prevent food illnesses 4. Read between the lines of contract farming bill, economist says 5. Milk glut means farm, retail prices moooving downward 6. Ag genomics may bring benefits faster than human genomics 7. Zebrafish could become genetics 'lab rat' of choice 8. Foot and mouth disease backgrounder 9. Livestock disease experts list 30. INSIDE PURDUE AND PERSPECTIVE Check the online versions of Inside Purdue, the faculty/staff newspaper, and Perspective, a quarterly publication for alumni, parents of students, faculty and staff, for other news about Purdue, at http://www.purdue.edu/PER/Periodicals.html. HOW TO RETRIEVE STORIES AND PHOTOGRAPHS ELECTRONICALLY Releases, publication-quality photographs, and a searchable database of Purdue and Big 10 experts are available at the PurdueNews Web site at http://news.uns.purdue.edu. Faculty and staff may register as experts at the Web site. Publication-quality photos also are available at the PurdueNews ftp site at ftp://ftp.purdue.edu/pub/uns/. NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The Purdue News Service also distributes full-text of news releases to the media. 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