Mercury Rising NAU Climate Researchers Work to Make Sense of Soaring Global Temperatures
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THE MAGAZINE OF THE NORTHERN ARIZONA UNIVERSITY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION Mercury Rising NAU climate researchers work to make sense of soaring global temperatures FALL 2006 Two for the Road to Gold Alums Mike Jankowski, ’98 B.S., and Michele Gleich, ’92 B.S., go Olympic in Torino p. 12 Behind the Mike Phoenix radio personality and former class clown Tim Chelgren (attended) gets serious—sort of p. 14 Left to right: associate professors George Koch and Bruce Hungate ALSO: For NAU students who spent spring break rebuilding after Katrina, it was a labor of love. p. 16 FFdPNFA06_cover.indddPNFA06_cover.indd 2244 88/22/06/22/06 88:25:43:25:43 AAMM In this Issue 2 Fall 2006 I naualumni.com FFdPNFA06_02-03_TOC.indddPNFA06_02-03_TOC.indd 2 88/22/06/22/06 88:28:03:28:03 AAMM Feeling the Heat NAU climate researchers 8 help unearth the mysteries of global warming and its effect on the planet. Olympic FEATURES Ringers Mike Jankowski, 12 ’98 B.S., and Michele Gleich, ’92 B.S., carry a torch for NAU—and the Olympic Winter Games in Torino. Top of the Dial Meet Tim Chelgren, 14 aka Tim Hattrick (attended), the NAU half of Phoenix’s famous “Tim & Willy in the Morning” radio show on KNIX. Thoughts What matters 4 most? Sharing old—and making new—memories. Join us for Homecoming and do both. Links Casting calls, new 5 faces, Fulbright Scholars and all the newsletters fit to email. Journeys NAU spring 16 breakers help rebuild Mis- sissippi after Hurricane Katrina. Connections Find out DEPARTMENTS 18 what’s been happening with your NAU classmates. ▲ Lake Powell through the arch. —Photograph by Corbis International Cover Photo NAU was one of four universities selected by the U.S. Department of Energy to par- ticipate in The Climatic Change Research Project to study the effects global warming. NAU associate professors Bruce Hungate and George Koch are leading the charge. —Photograph by Michael Mertz naualumni.com I Fall 2006 3 FFdPNFA06_02-03_TOC.indddPNFA06_02-03_TOC.indd 3 88/22/06/22/06 88:28:42:28:42 AAMM NAUThoughts FALL 2006 What Matters PINE PUBLISHER, Molly Williams MANAGING EDITOR, Krista Perkins, ’98 Most [email protected] It has long been an axiom of mine that the little things EDITOR, Anne Walden [email protected] are infinitely the most important. —Sir Arthur Conan Doyle NAU ALUMNI ASSOCIATION NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS PRESIDENT, Sam Leyvas, ’97, Phoenix t seems that we only realize what is truly important to VICE PRESIDENT, us when we are faced with disaster. With the annual Clifford E. (Kip) Alexander III, ’94, Flagstaff IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT multitude of fires and other devastating weather in Rhian Evans Allvin, ’94, Vail, Ariz. I TREASURER the nation and around the world, I have entered a dialogue John M. Clark, ’77 & ’81, Oracle about what people would take if they had a limited amount PARLIAMENTARIAN Barbara McCloud, ’78, Phoenix of time to gather their most prized possessions. Evacuees Marc Atonna, ’95, Tempe take photos, artwork, childhood remembrances, jewelry, Mike Beatty, ’77, Prescott important papers and the like. It is not the “retail” goods LaTrice Brewster, ’92, Tucson Wayne L. Connelley, ’76, Phoenix that are important to us, but the things that evoke special Joy Gaeraths, ’98, Chandler times, places or people—our memories. Ira Greenspan, ’71, Phoenix José E. Herrera, ’96 & ’01, Gilbert Huddle up. NAU spring We hope you can join us this year for Homecoming, Debra Himes, ’75, Gilbert Gerald P. (Jerry) Marchal, ’60, Fountain Hills breakers aid victims of Katrina. October 21, to solidify and rekindle your memories of Yvette Martin, ’92, Phoenix NAU. We would love to see you, so make plans to join us Dick Nothstein, ’59 & ’63, Palmerton, Pa. Kimberly Ott, ’82, Flagstaff on the mountain campus. A great variety of events and activities are planned (see Marvin Peterson, ’61 & ’70, Redding, Calif. the back cover for listing). Paul J. Peterson, ’00, Phoenix Heidi Shoen, ’72, Flagstaff In this issue of PINE, read about the tremendous role NAU’s faculty play in moni- Daniel Slayton, ’78 & ’91, Flagstaff toring climatic change (page 8). Live vicariously through two alums whose day jobs Gary Tom, ’71 & ’75, Fredonia, Ariz. included the 2006 Olympic Games in Torino (page 12). And learn how the class EX OFFICIO clown became a successful radio personality (page 14). We are humbled to bring you NAU PRESIDENT, Dr. John D. Haeger photos and updates from the amazing work of NAU students in hurricane-ravaged VICE PRESIDENT FOR UNIVERSITY Mississippi in Journeys (page 16). And as always, join us in celebrating your class- ADVANCEMENT, Molly Williams NAU ATHLETICS DIRECTOR, Jim Fallis mates’ successes in Connections (page 18) and remember those whom we have lost LIFETIME MEMBER, Dr. Joseph C. Rolle, ’41 in Memoirs (page 21). I leave you with a message from our PINE editor: LIFETIME MEMBER, Robert E. Crozier Jr., ’53 & ’71 Whenever we offer a reader’s survey, there’s some nail biting as we wait for STUDENT BODY PRESIDENT, Eric Norgard results. We want you to like us, really like us. Because so much of our work life is NAU OFFICE OF ALUMNI & CONSTITUENT RELATIONS dedicated to creating the magazine, it’s wonderful to hear that you appreciate its ASSISTANT TO THE DIRECTOR, subjects, style, and institutional message. We also hope your answers will convert Krista Perkins, ’98 COMMUNICATIONS AND RECORDS, into metrics that encourage continued funding for PINE and other related pro- Anne Walden grams. Most of all, your response means your relationship with NAU is reciprocal, VOLUNTEER AND STUDENT PROGRAMS, Julie Ward and that by keeping connected you remain a dynamic participant in the university’s REUNIONS AND EVENTS COORDINATOR, evolution (see results, page 7). Beth Martin ADMINISTRATIVE ASSOCIATE, Judith Burk Please remember that you are always welcome to weigh in on PINE, alumni EVENTS COORDINATOR, SENIOR, Toni Fox events, the Alumni Association in general, and the university’s present and future. REUNION AND EVENTS COORDINATOR, SENIOR, Erin Bertelsen, ’01 Just email me at [email protected], or send your comments via our website, PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS naualumni.com/feedback. We look forward to hearing your side of the story. EDITOR, Allison Thomas ART DIRECTOR, Lisa Altomare Until next time, PREP SPECIALIST, Julie S. Fong PRODUCTION MANAGER, Laura Marlowe NAME AND ADDRESS CHANGES V.P./CREATIVE SERVICES, Beth Tomkiw To submit address and name/marital status ACCOUNT SUPERVISOR, Robyn LaMont ’96 Krista Perkins, ’98 MCMURRY CEO, Chris McMurry, ’87 changes, call the NAU Office of Alumni Relations Managing Editor PINE is published twice annually by McMurry, toll-free at 888-628-2586 (888-NAU-ALUM), 1010 E. Missouri Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85014. For more information about custom publishing, call McMurry at 888-626-8779. All editorial content © 2006 NAU Alumni or email [email protected]. Association. All rights reserved. PINE is a registered trademark of NAU Alumni Association. Anne Walden Vol. 7, No. 4. Editor Send your letters to the editor to: PINE Box 6034 Flagstaff, AZ 86011-6034 4 Fall 2006 I naualumni.com Or email [email protected] FFdPNFA06_04-07_Links.indddPNFA06_04-07_Links.indd 4 88/22/06/22/06 88:44:28:44:28 AAMM LinksNAU Corrections • In the spring 2006 PINE, we printed the wrong grad year for Dorothy Jean “Dee” Strickland Johnson. The correct year is 1956. • The AIS article on page 6 misidentified graduate students Shawn Kelley and Fulbright Scholars, Pharaohs Ferrell Secakuku’s funding, which was actually from and Far Away Stars Hooper Environmental Research awards. ong ago and far away. This phrase aptly Cruz-Uribe will teach ancient history at • In response to our recap of describes the research targets of NAU’s Egypt’s South Valley University, while recording the 1965 Blue and Gold Class 2006-2007 Fulbright scholars, Professors and translating Egyptian graffiti from historic sites L Reunion, ’64 grad Paul Dodds Kathy DeGioia Eastwood and Eugene Cruz-Uribe. dating back from 600 B.C. until A.D. 300. Written and several others reminded us Eastwood’s telescopic sights will take her to in demotic, the vernacular of the day, these writ- the University of La Serena in Chile, where she’ll ings reveal Egypt’s reaction to its loss of internal that NAU wasn’t Arizona State teach a stellar astronomy course for the fall semes- control and suppression by the Persians and later Teachers College back then, but ter and continue her work: measuring massive the Greeks and Romans. “The discovered texts rather Arizona State College. stars only visible from the Southern Hemisphere. provide the framework for analysis of social struc- For the record, the university’s Eastwood’s research determines the mass of tures and change over time,” Cruz-Uribe says. name changes are as follows: stars by measuring their orbit around one another. Popularly known as “The Egypt Guy,” Cruz- Northern Arizona University, Theoretical models are then compared to her Uribe integrates the results of his research into May 1, 1966 research, which determines whether or not the the courses to bring the concepts to life for stu- Arizona State College, theories were modeled correctly. dents. His ability to vivify history has brought July 1, 1945 Phil Massey of Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff him international acclaim; he was recently quoted Arizona State Teachers College collaborates with Eastwood in her research. “A in a Discovery News article on the recovery of the at Flagstaff, July 1, 1929 theoretical understanding Tut mummy’s sex organ. Northern Arizona State Teachers of these unusual stars is While in Egypt, Cruz-Uribe also hopes to host important to under- a study tour as part of NAUAA’s Travel Program.