Iowa State University

The Iowa Stater
May 1996

A successful venture

Iowa State's partners in the International Institute of Theoretical and Applied Physics (IITAP) are pleased with the young institute's progress, President Martin Jischke reports.

Jischke led a delegation to Paris several months ago for the 50th anniversary celebration of the creation of UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization). IITAP, a joint venture between Iowa State and UNESCO, is intended to foster peace through the sharing of scientific advances and collaborations among U.S. scientists and colleagues in developing countries.

In its first year and a half of operation, IITAP has drawn several hundred international scientists to campus for workshops and collaborative research projects. The institute also sponsored a symposium in El Salvador and spawned a number of cooperative projects among international and U.S. scientists. In one project, ISU astronomers helped University of Honduras officials establish an astronomy observatory, one of the first in Central America.

"UNESCO officials and ambassadors indicated our efforts in IITAP are viewed as extremely important to UNESCO and a very successful venture," Jischke said. "They are exceedingly pleased with the institute's accomplishments to date and enthusiastic about its future."

IITAP efforts also enhance Iowa State's international stature, Jischke added. He pointed out that at any given time, there are eight to 10 international scientists on campus for IITAP projects.



Dye job

After April Fools' Day pranksters dyed Lake LaVerne green, alumnus Roger Underwood helped turn the lake a more aesthetic blue-green.

Underwood's firm, Becker-Underwood, manufactures products that color ponds, rivers, grass and other objects. The colorants have been used to green up the grass for the Field of Dreams movie, the Super Bowl and the Masters Golf Tournament and to color the Chicago River for St. Patrick's Day.

The blue product not only is used to make ponds and lakes bluer, but to block sunlight in water, thus reducing algae growth. The colorants don't harm fish, waterfowl or animals, said Underwood, who spent about an hour April 2 tossing water-soluble bags of blue into Lake LaVerne.



New food court

It's still at ground level, but that "basement" feel was noticeably absent from the new Memorial Union food court and dining room when it opened in mid-May, after 5 1/2 months of construction. Walls were removed or moved to make use of natural light and the kitchen was reconfigured to accommodate name-brand food outlets. Diners have their choice of Subway sandwiches, Casa Ortega Mexican entrees, Chick fil A (grilled chicken), Tomassito's pizza and salads, Panda Express Chinese entrees, Freshens ice cream, Burgie's Espresso Cafe and a burger franchise, in addition to a homestyle cafeteria service and bakery operated by the Union.

Visitors to campus this summer will recognize architectural details from other parts of the Memorial Union in the new commons. A grand opening is planned for August, when students return to campus for fall classes.



The doctors are in

Diagnosing politics

You're a political reporter on deadline in need of an expert to provide pithy insights into the 1996 presidential race and the Iowa caucuses. Who ya' gonna call? Well, if you were like most reporters during the weeks leading up to the Feb. 12 Iowa caucuses, you called Steffen Schmidt, ISU professor of political science.

Schmidt, who does a weekly WOI-AM radio program called Dr. Politics, was sought out by regional, national and international media. He also served as the Fox News Network's political analyst on caucus night.

If you didn't catch Schmidt in U.S. News and World Report, the New York Times, the Christian Science Monitor or on CNN or NPR's Marketplace, here's a taste of what you missed.

And ponds

You spend a small fortune putting an ornamental pond in your backyard and stocking it with pricey koi carp. Now there's green scum floating on the surface.

What do you do? Try Joe Morris, ISU Extension's "pond doc."

A few years ago, calls to Morris about ponds were almost exclusively from farmers or acreage owners.

"Now, a growing number come from urban residents with backyard or garden ponds, and city govern-ments or companies with decorative fountains or pools," he said.

Morris, a fisheries biologist and aquaculture specialist in the department of animal ecology, fields questions, offers remedies for water-quality and fish-management problems, and identifies plants or creepy-crawlies in the water. He even makes pond calls.

Morris said his goal is to help his new clientele better understand water quality, fish biology and watershed issues.

"And although I'm not an expert on exotic fish, I often can find answers to those questions too," he said.

Green scum is almost guaranteed to raise an alarm.

"People want great-looking pools with clear water and brightly colored fish, so they get distressed when they see algae," he said. "Often the problem is their great-looking lawns, which come at a price -- fertilizer runoff. That and the fact that most ornamental ponds are shallow, create perfect conditions for algae growth."



Sutherlands return to campus

Iowa State alumni Tom and Jean Sutherland returned to campus in March to read excerpts from their recently published book, At Your Own Risk. Tom Sutherland (M.S. '56, Ph.D. '58) gained international attention as a hostage for 61/2 years in Beirut, Lebanon. The Scottish-born Sutherland was serving a three-year term as dean of the School of Agriculture and Food Sciences at the American Univer-sity in Beirut when he was abducted June 9, 1985, by the Islamic Jihad. Jean Murray Sutherland ('56) remained in Beirut during Tom's captivity, teaching at the American University and working tirelessly for his release.

At Your Own Risk tells both their stories during that time and provides a rare portrait of the Middle East. The book is published by Fulcrum Publishing, Fort Collins, Colo.



Blackwelder named VP for external affairs

Murray Blackwelder has been named Iowa State vice president for external affairs. Blackwelder has been associate vice presi-dent for external affairs and president of the ISU Foundation since 1991, and has been serving as interim vice president since September 1995.

The vice president for external affairs oversees the Alumni Association, Athletics, the Iowa State Center, the ISU Foundation, University Museums, University Relations and WOI Radio.

As president of the ISU Foundation, Blackwelder led the university's largest-ever capital campaign, which generated $214.5 million. In the five years he has led the Foundation, annual private fund raising has more than doubled.

Freshman class moving to the right

This year's Iowa State freshman class includes more self-defined "conservatives" than classes 10 and 20 years ago. Today's freshmen also are more likely to feel they can make a difference in society than their counterparts of earlier generations.

Iowa State was one of 473 colleges and universities to participate last fall in the 30th annual survey conducted by the Higher Education Research Institute at the University of California, Los Angeles. Here's how three classes of Iowa Staters viewed their political leanings and their ability to change society.

                      View of political orientation  

			         1995    1985    1975

Far left                          1.0     0.8     0.9

Liberal                          19.3    19.0    28.0

Middle of the road               51.8    57.3    55.7

Conservative                     26.3    21.9    15.1

Far right                         1.5     1.1     0.3

Believe an individual can 

do little to change society:     29.5    36.6    44.1


Help is available

Need to find MacKay Hall and a place to park your car? Visitors to Iowa State now have a little help finding their destinations. What used to be an outdoor campus map kiosk south of campus, near Cyclone Stadium, has been converted to a walk-up and drive-up information booth.

Iowa State retirees assist travelers with route and parking options and have maps and other campus brochures. The booth is staffed from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Other hours may be added as needed.

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URL: http://www.iastate.edu//IaStater/1996/may/shorts.html
Revi sed 5/16/96