PURDUE NEWS SUMMARY FOR WEEK OF MARCH 26-30 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. Board of Trustees agenda 2. Purdue engineer goes back to class to put Einstein to the test 3. U.S. News ranks Krannert School MBA among nation's best 4. U.S. News ranks Purdue engineering among top grad programs 5. Purdue speech, audiology programs rank nationally 6. Purdue team fires up with soy-based oil 7. Purdue Calumet professor helping forge the 'Dragonslayer' 8. Graduate school receives $1.9 million to encourage minorities 9. Engineering team has designs on competition 'three-peat' 10. Black caucus to recognize student achievements, service 11. Foot and mouth disease education part of Purdue Spring Fest 12. Purdue Vet School opens its doors for April 7 event 13. In weed wars, some unwanted vegetation never says die 14. Read between the lines of contract farming bill, economist says 15. Purdue banks on Iowa State exec for its new advancement office 16. Jischke names research foundation interim vice president 17. Students celebrate Grand Prix week substance free 18. Convocations presents lively family musical 19. Story of jazz and family takes stage at Purdue Theatre 20. Union Board sponsors third annual arts and crafts show 21. New Directional Players perform 'The Mojo and the Sayso' 22. Jahari spring revue "Versa-Stylity" set for April 7 23. Percussion rules change when 'In-Pulse!' takes the stage 24. Purdue police investigating possible rape, battery incidents 25. Police seek information on 26 stolen license plates 26. Purdue calendar 27. Agriculture calendar 28. Best Bets for Journalists 29. News tips sent the week of March 26-30 30. Livestock Disease Experts 31. National Business, Finance & Technology Package 32. Inside Purdue and Perspective 1. BOARD OF TRUSTEES AGENDA The board will meet at 10:30 a.m. Friday, April 6, in Room 326, Stewart Center. The agenda will be available on the News Service Web site on Monday, April 2. ------------------------------------- RESEARCH NEWS AND SPECIAL REPORTS ------------------------------------- 2. PURDUE ENGINEER GOES BACK TO CLASS TO PUT EINSTEIN TO THE TEST An engineering professor who sat in on a physics course to pursue his lifelong dream of understanding the general theory of relativity, not only reached that goal but came up with a new way of testing Einstein's masterwork. "For me, it all started as a dream to understand general relativity," said James Longuski, an aerospace engineer and professor of aeronautics and astronautics at Purdue. "To actually make a contribution to general relativity was beyond my wildest dreams." http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/010330.Longuski.relativity.html ------------------------ GENERAL INTEREST NEWS ------------------------ 3. U.S. NEWS RANKS KRANNERT SCHOOL MBA AMONG NATION'S BEST U.S. News and World Report ranks Purdue's Krannert Graduate School of Management's MBA program second nationally in production/operations management and seventh in quantitative analysis. Krannert ranked 23rd overall among the nation's 325 accredited MBA programs in business and management. The rankings, published in the magazine's 2001 guide to the best graduate schools, were released today (Friday, 3/30). http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Cosier.usnews.html 4. U.S. NEWS RANKS PURDUE ENGINEERING AMONG TOP GRAD PROGRAMS Purdue's graduate engineering programs were ranked third in the country by employers ‹ and among the best in the nation overall ‹ in a U.S. News and World Report survey released today (Friday, 3/30). In a specialty ranking, several of Purdue's individual Schools of Engineering were rated in the top 10 by deans of prominent engineering schools across the nation. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Huggins.usnews.html 5. PURDUE SPEECH, AUDIOLOGY PROGRAMS RANK NATIONALLY For the second consecutive year U.S. News and World Report has ranked two programs in Purdue's Department of Audiology and Speech Sciences among the best in the country. The survey released today (Friday, 3/30) ranks the Purdue master's and doctoral degree programs in speech-language pathology tied for fourth nationally, while the master's and doctoral degree programs in audiology tied for 13th. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Smith.usnews.html 6. PURDUE TEAM FIRES UP WITH SOY-BASED OIL A team of Purdue students devised a home heating fuel oil that is cheaper and burns cleaner than regular fuel oil, earning first place Tuesday (3/27) in the seventh annual New Uses for Soybeans Student Contest. Their soy heating oil mixes 20 percent soybean oil with regular fuel oil and can be used without making any changes to existing heating systems. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/010327.Soycontest.2001.html 7. PURDUE CALUMET PROFESSOR HELPING FORGE THE 'DRAGONSLAYER' Slaying dragons by sword may be the stuff of Dark Ages folklore. But in 21st century America, a Purdue Calumet engineering professor is doing his part to take the art of "dragon slaying" to a new level. Sometime this spring, Harvey Abramowitz intends to draw from the world of outer space to contribute to the creation of the strongest, toughest broadsword ever made: "The Dragonslayer." http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html4ever/010327.Abramowitz.dragon.html 8. GRADUATE SCHOOL RECEIVES $1.9 MILLION TO ENCOURAGE MINORITIES A $1.9 million grant for minority initiatives will fund an outreach program aimed at potential researchers, plus support 10 doctoral students and a formal mentoring program. The National Institutes of Health, National Institute of General Medical Sciences Award, given to the Purdue Graduate School's Office of Minority Affairs, is the second four-year grant the school has received. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Lewis.nihgrant.html 9. ENGINEERING TEAM HAS DESIGNS ON COMPETITION 'THREE-PEAT' A Purdue team is preparing to defend its national title for the third time ‹ in environmental design. Civil engineering senior design class students will trek to the annual International Environmental Design Contest April 9-12 on the New Mexico State University, Las Cruces campus. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Nies.designteam.html 10. BLACK CAUCUS TO RECOGNIZE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENTS, SERVICE The Purdue Black Caucus of Faculty and Staff will conduct its 26th annual Academic and Service Awards Program at 1 p.m. Saturday, April 21, in Fowler Hall, Stewart Center. Carolyn E. Johnson, senior research associate in the Purdue African-American Studies and Research Center will be the keynote speaker. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Brown.blackcaucus.html -------------------- AGRICULTURAL NEWS -------------------- 11. FOOT AND MOUTH DISEASE EDUCATION PART OF PURDUE SPRING FEST Purdue will offer public lectures on foot and mouth disease and also will take some precautions to protect animals from the disease as part of the annual Spring Fest April 7-8. "There appears to be some confusion in the general public over foot and mouth disease," said Simon Kenyon, Extension veterinarian who will give the presentation. "For example, some people are not aware that foot and mouth disease and mad cow disease are different." http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Kenyon.ftmouthed.html 12. PURDUE VET SCHOOL OPENS ITS DOORS FOR APRIL 7 EVENT Live animal demonstrations, educational lectures and a celebrity appearance are features of the 38th annual School of Veterinary Medicine Open House on Saturday, April 7, on the Purdue campus. The open house is part of Spring Fest activities. The open house will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in and around Lynn Hall of Veterinary Medicine. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.VanVleet.openhouse.html 13. IN WEED WARS, SOME UNWANTED VEGETATION NEVER SAYS DIE Farmers still hold the upper hand in the annual war against weeds, but weeds are winning more battles. Several troublesome weeds are refusing to surrender to herbicides. In recent years, Purdue weed experts have identified herbicide-resistant populations of pigweed, lambsquarters, jimsonweed and giant ragweed in Indiana. Now they've found herbicide-resistant shattercane. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Medlin.weeds.html 14. READ BETWEEN THE LINES OF CONTRACT FARMING BILL, ECONOMIST SAYS Legislation protecting farmers from confusing grain and livestock contracts is being bandied about in Congress and state capitals across the country. While well-intentioned, the proposals may not help producers understand contracts and their implications, said Michael Boehlje, a Purdue agricultural economist. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Boehlje.protection.html --------------------------- NEWS ABOUT PURDUE PEOPLE --------------------------- 15. PURDUE BANKS ON IOWA STATE EXEC FOR ITS NEW ADVANCEMENT OFFICE Murray Blackwelder, vice president for external affairs at Iowa State University, will be the new senior vice president for advancement at Purdue, effective July 1. "This appointment is an important key to Purdue's future," said President Martin C. Jischke. "Murray will oversee our efforts to tell the Purdue story and seek the private financial support Purdue needs to become an even greater university." http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Blackwelder.appoint.html 16. JISCHKE NAMES RESEARCH FOUNDATION INTERIM VICE PRESIDENT Michelle L. White has been appointed interim senior vice president and treasurer of the Purdue Research Foundation, effective July 1. White, who serves as the foundation's assistant treasurer and assistant secretary, will replace Jeffrey H. Wilson, who is retiring after 36 years with the university and the foundation. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010327.White.appointment.html ------------------------------- ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT ITEMS ------------------------------- 17. STUDENTS CELEBRATE GRAND PRIX WEEK SUBSTANCE FREE Purdue's Grand Alternative is teaming up with the Grand Prix Foundation and 34 student organizations and campus offices to sponsor substance-free events during Grand Prix Week. Grand Alternative 2001 will be composed of 33 substance-free events, on April 10-22, surrounding the April 21 Grand Prix race. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Carter.GrandPrixAlt.html 18. CONVOCATIONS PRESENTS LIVELY FAMILY MUSICAL ³Gold Rush!² a new musical from Theatreworks/USA, will be presented at 2 p.m. Saturday, April 7, at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. In 1848 gold was discovered at Sutter¹s Mill in California. ³Gold Rush!² is the story of how that discovery changed the lives of people from around the world. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Sommers.goldrush.html 19. STORY OF JAZZ AND FAMILY TAKES STAGE AT PURDUE THEATRE A tale of the turmoil in the life of a jazz musician and his family takes the stage when Purdue Theatre presents "Side Man," April 12-22 in the Experimental Theatre, Stewart Center. The story tells of the lives shaped by the triumphant, and later declining, fortunes of jazz musicians. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Sparger.SideMan.html 20. UNION BOARD SPONSORS THIRD ANNUAL ARTS AND CRAFTS SHOW The Purdue Student Union Board is sponsoring its third annual arts and crafts show from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 7, in the Memorial Union. The show, with artists and craftspeople from throughout the Indiana and the Midwest, will be on the union's main floor. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Owen.crafts.html 21. NEW DIRECTIONAL PLAYERS PERFORM 'THE MOJO AND THE SAYSO' The Black Cultural Center's New Directional Players will present its spring production, Aishah Rahman's "The Mojo and Sayso," at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 14. "The Mojo and the Sayso is a surrealistic black comedy about a mother, father and son coping with the death of the youngest child in the family," said Carl Barnett, production director and the Player's artist in residence. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Omoludun.sayso.html 22. JAHARI SPRING REVUE "VERSA-STYLITY" SET FOR APRIL 7 The Black Cultural Center's Jahari Dance Troupe will present its spring concert, "Versa-Stylity," at 7 p.m. Saturday, April 7, in Loeb Playhouse. "This year's spring revue will showcase the variety of experience, abilities and disciplines of Jahari dancers," said Keith Anthony Clark Jr., artist is residence. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Omoludun.dance.html 23. PERCUSSION RULES CHANGE WHEN 'IN-PULSE!' TAKES THE STAGE Percussion players don't usually blow into their instruments, but all the rules change when members of the Purdue Percussion Ensemble use balloons to make music. The ensemble and Winter Drum Line presents "In-Pulse!" a concert which juxtaposes classical pieces with more off-the-wall works at 7 p.m. Sunday, April 8, in Loeb Playhouse. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Matter.balloons.html ---------------------- MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS ---------------------- 24. PURDUE POLICE INVESTIGATING POSSIBLE RAPE, BATTERY INCIDENTS Purdue police are investigating unrelated reports of a rape and two battery incidents on the West Lafayette campus over the weekend. All three investigations continue. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010326.Fosnaugh.rapeinvest.html 25. POLICE SEEK INFORMATION ON 26 STOLEN LICENSE PLATES Purdue police are investigating the theft of 26 license plates over the weekend from cars on the West Lafayette campus. Purdue police Capt. Ronald J. Fosnaugh said the plates, representing 23 different states, were discovered at approximately 6 p.m. Sunday (3/25) in a stairwell of the McCutcheon Parking Garage on Third Street. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010327.Fosnaugh.plates.html 26. PURDUE CALENDAR http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.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/ 27. AGRICULTURE CALENDAR This calendar lists Purdue Agriculture events during the next four weeks. http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Ag.cal.html 28. BEST BETS FOR JOURNALISTS -- President to give Hawkins Memorial Lecture -- Engineering team has designs on 'three-peat' -- Career Day set for female students http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010330.Best.bets.html 29. NEWS TIPS SENT THE WEEK OF MARCH 26-30 -- Habitat for Humanity opens the 'Greek House' http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/html3month/010329.T.Greek.dedication.html 30. LIVESTOCK DISEASE EXPERTS http://www.purdue.edu/UNS/expertlists/Livestock.diseases.experts.html 31. NATIONAL BUSINESS, FINANCE & TECHNOLOGY PACKAGE These stories were distributed nationally and internationally this week to writers, reporters, editors and other interested parties. A Web site with links to all the stories and photos in this package is at this URL: http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/paks/bizpak.digest.0104.html 1. Griffin takes Burton Morgan Competition's $20,000 top prize 2. The American family circa 2020 ‹ It's a business enterprise 3. Student investors ride January effect to whopping returns 4. Business, Finance & Technology Briefs 5. Corporate Finance, Merger and Acquisition, and Stock Market Experts 32. 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. To subscribe to full-text deliveries, just respond to this e-mail and let us know which of these topics interests you: -- Business -- Agriculture -- Lifestyles -- Education -- Science -- Health -- Indiana General Assembly -- Veterinary Medicine Problems? Contact Mike Willis, Purdue News Service, (765) 494-0371, [EMAIL PROTECTED] -- Jeanne Norberg, director Purdue University News Service 1132 Engineering Admin. Bldg. West Lafayette, IN 47907-1132 Phone: 765-494-2096 E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
