NSF Funds LIGO Public Education All the World's a Stage
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1- Ll. en 1- 1- Ll. en en The campus community biweekly June 17, 2004, vol. 4, no. 12 NSF funds All the world's a stage ... LIGO public education The National Science Foundation has Noted Caltech announced a $5 million, five-year coop geologist dies erative agreement with Caltech and its partners in educational outreach to estab lish an Educational Outreach Center as an Robert Phillip Sharp, a leading authority on integral part of the NSF-funded Laser the surfaces of Earth and Mars, the long Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Obser time head of Caltech's geological sciences vatory (LIGO) in Livingston, Louisiana. division, and an alum, died May 25 at his The center will support programs home in Santa Barbara. He was 92. that communicate LIGO-related science Though Sharp was a renowned geolo concepts to the public, strengthen re gist in his own right, his most significant gional science teaching, and reach a role was arguably his modernization of broad audience of students in Louisiana Caltech's earth-science programs during and beyond. a time of unparalleled progress in human The project brings together research kind's knowledge of its own planet and of scientists from the LIGO Livingston Ob other worlds. Known for hiring top people, servatory, Caltech, and MIT as well as he had a strong interest in creating new educators from Southern University in interdisciplinary approaches to take advan Baton Rouge, the Louisiana Systemic tage of-the dawning age of manned and Initiatives, and the Exploratorium of San unmanned planetary exploration. Francisco. These partners provide exper Particularly noteworthy were Sharp's tise specific to LIGO science, experience support of planetary science as a vehicle in exhibit development, connections to for extending geological research to teacher development, and access to a other planets, and his contributions to statewide community of public schools. ward creating the field of geochemistry The five-year project plan includes a especially important in the interpretation series of 38 Exploratorium interactive With Beckman Auditorium's white facade rising behind him, Ben Rosen '54, chairman of the Caltech see Sharp, page 6 exhibits designed to engage a broad Board of Trustees, presides over the Institute's 110th Commencement, held on June 11 . Carly Fiorina, spectrum of learners by demonstrating chairman and CEO of HP, delivered the commencement address to the more than 530 students who physical-science principles related to received their degrees that day. For more graduation photos, see page 5. LIGO science. The project will draw upon Family fun at Caltech the Exploratorium's expertise in using exhibits as an engaging curriculum for Staff will feel the JPL Dodger Day students and visitors. Direct detection of gravitational radia love at gala Dust off those baseball caps, polish those tion, the ripples in space-time produced Louisville Sluggers, and head for Dodger by distant cosmic cataclysms, is one of Delectable vittles hot off the grill, games, Stadium, because Caltech-JPL Dodger the most exciting pursuits under way in great prizes, and the chance to be served Day is almost upon us! Caltech commu experimental physics, says Barry Barish, by apron-clad professors and administra nity members, along with their friends LIGO director and Linde Professor of tors-all this and more awaits at" A Fair Revel returns to and family, are invited to go out to the Physics at Caltech. "The potential payoffs to Remember," the Institute's first-ever ball game on Saturday, August 21, to are magnificent. Messenger gravitational gala in celebration of staff. deanship watch as the Dodgers face off against the waves may reveal secrets central to On Tuesday, June 29, from 11 a.m. to Atlanta Braves. many questions of great interest to astro 1:30 p.m., all staff members are invited to Jean-Paul Revel, the Ruddock Professor of This is the third year that the Institute physicists, such as mechanisms describ the Beckman Mall and Beckman Institute Biology at Caltech, has announced that he has sponsored a day at the ball park, and ing the coalescence of binary neutron courtyard for food and fun. According to will continue in his post as dean of stu it's also the best value. In addition to the stars, the collision of black holes, and the Dlorah Gonzales of Human Resources, a dents, abandoning earlier stated plans to discounted tickets ($4 per person, down remnant gravitational wave signals from number of faculty and administration step down at the end of the spring term. from $8 last year), the day at the stadium the early universe." members have already signed up to "Because of the serious illness of my will offer a kid-friendly carnival beginning The Educational Outreach Center will serve barbecue lunches and ice cream wife, I had decided to retire in June, so I at 11 a.m., and the match between two of reinforce public understanding of basic bars-turning the tables and waiting on could stay home more," Revel said. "But the hottest National League teams at 1:10 scientific principles. According to LIGO their employees for the day. she got worse much faster than antici p.m. Free rally towels will be passed out deputy director Stan Whitcomb, it will "And that's as it should be," she says, pated." Revel's wife, Galina, who had at the event to every ticket holder, cour help people understand how they can "because this occasion is all about staff been battling cancer, passed away on tesy of the Caltech Credit Union, a co easily explore fundamental science con and showing how much Caltech appreci April 24. sponsor of the event. cepts. "People who visit the center will ates them." He said he received much needed sup Tickets will be available at the Public learn how these concepts relate to and Lunch will be available throughout the port from the campus community during Events ticket office, the Tech Express, the lead to cutting-edge scientific research event, and live bands will provide a fes this time of crisis, and this was one of the Caltech Bookstore, and Human Resources; endeavors. The center will help us reach tive backdrop for the various activities. factors that prompted his return. at the JPL store and the Credit Union office and inspire educators and families who Individuals and teams will be able to "I appreciate the expressions of sym at JPL; and at the main Caltech Credit are teaching the nation's future scientists compete in a balloon toss, sack race, and pathy that I received," he said. "It was Union office, 528 Foothill Boulevard, in La and engineers." other contests. Those blessed with the really wonderful to hear from so many Canada Flintridge. For more information, NSF program director Beverly Berger Betty Crocker touch can bring their best friends, colleagues, and students, even call Human Resources customer service at says this educational collaboration is pies, cakes, or cookies to be judged by though it was a terrible way to come to (626) 395-3300. distinctive. "We are pleased to see this chefs Andre Mallie of Dining Services realize all these feelings were there. • see LIGO, page 6 see Staff gala, page 6 see Revel, page 6 2 Caltech 336, June 17, 2004 Honors and awards Sunney Chan, Hoag Professor of Biophysical NewsBriefs Chemistry, Emeritus, has received the William C. Rose Award, presented during the annual meet ing of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology / International Union of Bio Student Tamara Becher '04 chemistry and Molecular Biology, in Boston, June and Hubert the skeleton 12-16. The award recognizes " his outstanding watch as James Boyk, contributions to biochemical and molecular Gender equity lecturer in electrical biological research and his demonstrated com engineering/ music, listens mitment to the training of younger scientists." A and Caltech's to a sample recording on member of the Caltech faculty since 1963, Chan Becher's website from the has served as executive officer for chemistry and academic climate "Projects in Music and as master of student houses. He received his BS Science" course. Her and PhD from UC Berkeley, in 1957 and 1961, project was to develop a respectively. David Baltimore microphone for recording In January 2001, I signed on behalf of binaural sound, which is Mory Gharib, Liepmann Professor of Aeronau sound intended to be heard tics and Bioengineering, has been selected by the Caltech a Statement on Gender Equity in via headphones instead of Technion, the Israel Institute of Technology, for its Academic Science and Engineering, along speakers. Boyk uses Hubert 2004-05 Pollak distinguished lecturer award. Two with the presidents of eight of our peer to help piano students Pollak Lecturers are chosen each year for the institutions: MIT, the University of Michi improve mental Israel Pollak Distinguished Lecture Series, from gan, Princeton, Stanford, Yale, UC Berkeley, conceptualization and all areas of science and engineering. Gharib physical use of their bodies. received his BS from Teheran University in 1976, Harvard, and the University of Pennsylva his MS from Syracuse University in 1978, and his nia. The pledge calls for all our institutions PhD from Caltech in 1983. He joined Caltech as to meet the challenge of increasing the professor of aeronautics in 1992, becoming proportion of women in science and engi Liepmann Professor in 2002. neering in the United States, and to remove Peter Goldreich, DuBridge Professor of Astro the barriers that still exist to the full partici physics and Planetary Physics, Emeritus, has pation of women in these fields. The focus been elected a Foreign Member by the Royal is on faculty issues because everyone Society, which cited him and his close collabora agreed that dealing with gender discrepan tors for " several seminal contributions to an cies at the faculty level will help the situa New positions unparalleled range of topics in planetary science Personals and theoretical astrophysics, including spiral tion at all levels.