UNLV Magazine UNLV Publications

Spring 1997

UNLV Magazine

Barbara Cloud University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Laurie Fruth University of Nevada, Las Vegas, [email protected]

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Repository Citation Cloud, B., Fruth, L. (1997). UNLV Magazine. In S. DiBella (Ed.),, UNLV Magazine, 5(2), 1-19. Available at: https://digitalscholarship.unlv.edu/unlv_magazine/33

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Editor: Suzan DiBella Although the 1996 S~mtmerOl ywtpic Gt111u s

Assistant Editors: Diane Russell, might be a distant memory fiw most of UJ~ Susie Greene three JJJomen _fr01nU NL V will loole back on Art D irector: john Hobbes those days last s7,mmter with g1·eat cla7'ity for Contributing Writers: Barbara Cloud, 1'rtany years to come. L1urie Fruth BY LA URIE FRUTH IUustrators: John Hobbes, Cindy Johnson Photog.-apher: john Litty Calendar Editor: Gloria Zombro 10 Getting a Line on Evolution Constructing genealogical charts fo1' fish Advertising Cooo·dinator: Becky Watson Mailing List Coordinator: Lou Strand might s01m d a bit esote1'ic to some. But UNLV biology P1'ofesso1' Andrew Martin's nm,wch on the evolution of f ish holds prm'l'tise fin' enlight­ Publications Manager: Donna McAleer enment on subjects far g reater than the lin­ Director, University Publications and eage o!J'0141'g uppy. Reprographics: Les Raschko Director, UNLV News and Public BY BARBARA CLOUD Infcmnation:. Tom Flagg Executive Director, Almnni and 14 Drawing From His Education Community Relations: Fred Albrecht Though UNL V ahmm~tsR o n Husband has a great ti1'1'teas a Disney animato1', he wouldn't Alumni Association Officers want us to thinle his profession is leid st~iff President: Raf.1cl Villanueva Tbe7'e's a whole lot 1'rtore to a Disney l st Vice Pres.: Jim Zeiter nimating

2nd Vice Pres.: Jim Ratigan films than yo~t11'tig ht think, he says. Treasurer: Jim Kirkwood Secretary: Ra)' Tunrland BY SUZAN DIBELLA Member-at-Large: Kevin Page

Alumni Association Board Members 19 Grounds for Learnin g Tony Alamo Diane Dixon For Dennis Swartzell, supervising the land­ Ron Drake Sharlene Flush man Russ Petersen Adam Keith scaping of UNL V's 33.5 acres is no small Bruce Ford Kirk Hendrick endeavor. He 1'/'t~tststri lee a delicate balance 1l11ph Piercy Tina Kunzer Murphy betJJJeen beattty and fknction. Barry Shinchouse Maoy Westbrook BY DIA NE RUSSELL departments UNLV Magaziue is published in March and September by the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, 4505 Mao1dand Pkwy, Box 451012, 2·5 Ne1vs Las Vegas, NV 89154-1012. World Wide 22-24 Calendar Web Address: Imp:/ j www.unlv.edu/ UNLV is an AA/ EEO institution. 26-27 Class Notes

S PRI NG 19 9 7 + 1 Bennett Gift to Fund Professional Development Building r Outstanding Alumnus, Silver State Award Recipients Named UNLV has received a $2.2 million become a model for such programs," Kay Carl, the school district's Regent Shelley Berkley has been donation from William Bennett, owner Harter said. "It is pioneering programs associate superintendent for elementary named this year's Outstanding Alumnus of the Sahara Hotel and Casino, to build like this- built on collaboration and education, said this project will allow d1e and former UNLV President Kenny a professional develop­ benefiting the entire district- in concert with faculty in Guinn has been chosen as the recipient ment building adjacent community- that are UNLV's College of Education - to of the Silver State Award, the UNLV to the planned Paradise enabling UNLV to better serve this special group of students Alumni Association has announced. Elementary School on become a premier urban while learning new methods of teaching The Outstanding Alumnus Award is From left, Silver State the university campus, university. We are most at-risk students. given each year to a UNLV alumnus who Award recipient according to President grateful to Bill Bennett Thanks to Bennett's gift, the has exemplified leadership, service, and Kenny Guinn, UNLV Carol C. Harter. for making this possible." professional development building and dedication to the university, the Alumni President Carol C. The school for at-risk Under the agree­ school will be enhanced by state-of-the­ Association, and the community. Harter, Outstanding elementary school ment, McCarran art computer and audiovisual equipment. Berkley has been a steadfast supporter Alumnus Shelley Berkley, and Alumni children and the International Airport is According to John Amend, UNLV ofUNLV, having served as a member of Association President professional development buying from the school associate vice president for administra­ the UNLV Alumni Association's Board Rafael Villanueva center will be located on district the property on tion, the professional development of Directors and its legal committee. were introduced She has been a donor to both the 8.3 acres on the north­ the south side of building will be approximately 8,000 during halftime at th is to west portion of the Tropicana Avenue at square feet and include a seminar room, association's scholarship fund and the year's Homecoming campus, according to Harter, who said Swenson Street where Paradise Elemen­ computer lab, classroom and office space, fund to build the Richard Tam Alumni game. the school will be moving to the campus tary currendy is located. UNLV will and a control room for high-tech Center. Berkley also served as student in 1998 as part of a unique three-way provide land for the construction of a equipment. body president at UNLV and as voluntary agreement betvveen McCarran Interna­ new school, and the Clark County School The new Paradise Elementary School legal counsel to UNLV's student tional Airport, the Clark County School District will build d1e school, using funds will be about 60,000 square feet and will government. District, and lThTLV. from the sale of the existing property. be based on one of rl1e standard elemen­ She has been an active member of UNLV Receives Law School Gifts "Thanks to Mr. Bennett's generosity, The new elementary school will be a tary school designs created by Domingo many civic organizations in Southern The proposed UNLV law school Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from we will join the professional development professional practice school for educating Cambeiro Corp. for the school district. Nevada, including the Jewish Federation has the solid support and a pledge of UNLV in 1986. He, his family, and Boyd building and the new Paradise Elemen­ at-risk students, training current teachers, The school is expected to open in of Las Vegas, the Democratic Women's $5 million from WilliamS. Boyd, Gan1ing have given UNLV more than tary School in a complex that will likely and developing future teachers. August 1998. 1.1 Club of Clark County, and the Allied chairman and CEO of Boyd Gaming $3 million to support a wide variety of Arts Council. Corp., UNLV President Carol C. Harter academic and athletic programs. The Silver State Award is presented announced recendy. Boyd and Kenny Guinn, UNLV each year to a non-alumnus who has Boyd announced additional pledges Foundation board member and long­ H arter To Serve on NCAA Board, made outstanding contributions to the of support for the law school of some time supporter of higher education, were state, the university, and the Alumni $2 million, bringing the total of private instrumental in securing the additional Council on Educational Exchange Association. pledges for the school to about $7 mil­ gifts for the law school. Guinn, the former superintendent of lion. These pledges came from Sunbelt Current planning calls for the law UNLV President Carol C. Harter to select football teams to participate the Clark County School District, served Broadcasting Co. Channel 3 and James school to enroll its first class in 1998 and was recently elected to two different in bowl games. as interim UNLV president during 1994- E. Rogers, president and chief executive eventually to have a student body in boards - the NCAA's Division I Board "This is a wonderful opportunity 95 and as chair of the UNLV Foundation officer; the Marnell family; Michael excess of 400. The school would seek of Directors and the Board of Directors to take part in the governance of the Board ofTrustees during 1993-94. Gaughan, chairman of the board and provisional and full accreditation at the of the Council on International NCAA at an important time in its Guinn was also chairman of the CEO, Coast Resorts; John D. (Jackie) earliest opportunities, assuring all Educational Exchange. history," said Harter, who also serves board and president of both Southwest Gaughan, president, El Cortez Hotel & graduates of being able to sit for the Harter will be one of 15 university on the NCAA Presidents Commis­ Gas Corp. and Pri.t\ierit Bank and has Casino; Warren Nelson, a member of Nevada Bar exam. chief executive officers and the only sion. "I have very strong feelipgs been an active member of numerous civic Boyd Gaming's board of directors; The school would specialize in issues woowr 'With full voting privileges on about the bmvl sc~OOll; organizations, including the Nevada Sam and Pat Lionel; and Boyd Gaming, of local and regional importance, such as governs Development Authority, the Las Vegas represented by William R. (Willie) gan1ing, mining, water, and environmen­ Chamber of Commerce, and the United Boyd. tallaw. Way of Southern Nevada. WilliamS. Boyd has been a member Last summer the Board of Regents Both Guinn and Berkley were honored of the UNLV Foundation Board of endorsed a detailed implementation plan at this year's Homecoming reception and Trustees since 1983. He received the and directed the chancellor to include the were introduced during halftime at the Distinguished Nevadan Award from the law school in the UCCSN 1997-99 Homecoming game. 1.1 Board ofRegents in 1985 and the budget request to rl1e Legislature. 1.1

2 + UNL V MA GA Z I N E SPRI NG 19 9 7 + 3 College of Urban Mfairs Named for Greenspun Family Brendan O'Toole Named 1996 Nevada Professor of the Year The university's new College of "We are very grateful to the assistant professors in the college. UNLV mechanical engineering ment of Teaching sponsors an annual involvement witl1 students; and support Urban Mfairs has been named for the Greenspun fanlliy for their ongoing Harter also announced that kinesiol­ professor Brendan O'Toole has been national competition from which the from colleagues and current and former Greenspun family in recognition of their of our programs," Harter said. ogy professor Bob Rossman, chair of the support named the 1996 Nevada Professor of the state winners are also selected; 585 undergraduate students. recent gift of $1.7 million and their "When our new Greenspun College department of leisure studies and a Year by the Carnegie Foundation for the candidates were nominated for this year's In a personal statement he was asked earlier gifts, pledges, and in-kind of Urban Mfairs was formed during the member of the UNLV faculty since 1992, Advancement of Teaching. U.S. competition. to submit with his entry form, O'Toole donations that bring the family's total reorganization of our academic units last will serve as interim dean of the new O'Toole, who joined Each candidate must be attempted to describe his approach to support of university programs to $5 summer, we grouped together programs college while a national search is con­ the UNLV faculty in nominated for the award by teaching. million, President Carol C. Harter that would contribute to UNLV's ducted for a permanent dean. 1992, has received four his or her institution and "I feel it is my responsibility to announced recently. institutional goal of becoming a premier Barbara Greenspun, publisher of the other teaching awards, receive letters of support motivate my students to ask questions The Greenspun College ofUrban urban university by addressing the needs Sun and wife of the late Hank Greenspun, including the Alex G. and from current or former because we all learn at a different pace," Mfairs, which was created during the of tl1e urban area in which we are located. said, "Hank Greenspun committed his Faye Spanos Teaching students, colleagues, and he wrote. "I listen and respond to any university's recent academic reorganiza­ By supporting this new college, the life to tl1e betterment of a growing Las Award from UNLV and presidents or academic question, no matter how trivial it might tion, contains the Hank Greenspun Greenspuns are helping UNLV fulfill its Vegas community. That is why my family the Ralph R. Teetor deans. Judging of the seem. I don't want to discourage anyone School of Communication, named for mission of meeting the educational, created the Hank Greenspun School of Educational Award from competition takes place in from asking questions because one of the the late founder and publisher of the Las work force, and research needs of Communication, to continue his dream. the Society of Automotive several stages. most effective ways to learn any new Vegas Sun; the School of Social Work; Southern Nevada and beyond." Today, we are fortunate to be able to Engineers. Award recipients were topic is to have a discussion about it with and tl1e departments of counseling, Initial proceeds from the new further his goal of a well-educated He has taught nine UNLV engineering professor selected on the basis of the someone who knows it very well. criminal justice, environmental studies, bequest will be used to fund student community by creating the Greenspun different undergraduate Brendan O'Toole following criteria: service to "I also try to provide students and leisure studies. scholarships and to hire Greenspun College of Urban Affairs." 1'.1 and graduate courses in the students, institutions, the some of the educational opportunities field of engineering and authored some community, and the profession; teaching which I regretted not having as an 20 scholarly publications, many on the informed by scholarship; impact on and undergraduate." 1'.1 subject of applications for composite TWo Longtime Members of the University Faculty Die materials. O'Toole has also served as a faculty Pi. WILBER STEVENS articles, and eight book-length works. his bachelor's degree from Jackson adviser to teams of students who have He also wrote hundreds of theater, State University in 1963 and his master's won regional and national engineering UNLV Professors in Documentaries Retired English protessor and poet music, and book revie\\'s. degree from the University of Notre design competitions. He was one of the A. Wilber Stevens died UNLV English professor Joseph He was widely recognizeq as Dame.in 1968. faculty advisers to a team that set a was published by the University of in September after a McCullough and history professor Hal Georgia Press in 1995. editor and publisher of Interim, In 197J he came to Las Vegas and record- and took first place in the 1995 lo g illness. He ~as 75. Rothman recently appeared as experts a literary magazine, and as a to UNLV, where he became known as a Society for Automotive Engineers West UNLV history professor Hal Steverts, who joined in two different documentaries that Rothman appeared in December in thealer and music critic for the researcher and wr~ter of the history of Coast Supernllieage Competition- by tlie UNLV faculty in aired nationally on the A&E Network. a documentary about the history of Las Vegas Sun and the Las Vegas tlie African-American experience in Las designing and building a vehicle that got 1973, was hlso an ediror, McCullough Las Vegas. ReviCJJJ-journal. Vegas. He directed the university's ethnic 3,470 nllies per gallon. a drama and music criti.,c, appeared in November The documentary, titled Las He held a bachek>r's degree studies program froJU 1971 to 1996. Another of his teams took first an act0r, and a scholar. from Brown University and on the A&E Network's Vegas, had t\vo parts: Las Vegas: In addition to his academic writing, place in the American Society for He held teaching masteJ'"s degrees from both the popular show, Biography, Gamble in the Desert and Las Vegas: Fitzgerald wrote a series of historical Mechanical Engineers Region IX posts ~ a dozt;n colleges talking about American A. Wilber Stevens University of London and Hun1an-Powered Vehicle Design House of Ca1'ds. and univmities during a colunms for the Sentinel- humorist Mark Twain. the University ofWashing­ Competition, also in 1995. Rothman, who has been career that spanned five decades. He Voice newspaper in Las "I was flattered that the ton, where he went on to obtain a O'Toole, who received his a member of the UNLV taught at the. University of Washington, Vegas. people at Biography chose doctorate in 1957. bachelor's, master's, and doctoral faculty for five years, was Idaho State University, Park College, A popular teacher me as one of the two degrees from tl1e University of Delaware, interviewed ~xtensively for a1td Prescott College, in addition to and major force in the Twain experts they wanted R o o sEVELT FITZGERALD is a member of numerous professional the show. Ainong tl1e topics serVing as a Fulbright Professor of development ofUNLV's to interview for the show," and university organizations. He has he discussea we;;re the general English and American Literature at the Longtime member of the ethnic studies progr~m,_ said McCullough, who chairs also served as a consultant to several history of Las 'Vegas, social Univ rsity ofMandalay in Burma, the UNLV anthropology department "Fitz," as he was known UNLV's English department. private companies. issues, the construction of University of Chulalongkorn in Roosevelt Fitzgerald died in Roosevelt Fitzgerald to friends and colleagues, McCullough, along with The Professor of the Year program, · uover Dam, the rise of the Thailand, and the University of Brazil October following a long illness. made numerous_ presen­ Howard Baetzhold of Butler which was started in 1981, salutes the gan1ing industry, and the entrance In Rio e Janeiro. He was 55. tations at a<;ademic conferences. He was University, authored The Bible most outstanding undergraduate of corporations into gaming. Stevens authored, more than 100 Fitzgerald, who was born in also a sought-after speaker at commu­ According to Mark Trvain: Wi-itings instructors in the country. The Rotlm1an is currently working on pubijshed poe)Us, more than 15 Natchez, Miss ., April14, 1941, received nity events. 1'.1 on Heaven, Eden, and the Flood, which Carnegie Foundation for the Advance- two books about Las Vegas. 1'.1

4 + UNLV MAGAZINE SPRING 199 7 + 5 away from their time there sharing a "If you didn't make the National Jolmson, is a musician so he understood certain awe of the experience. And each Team, you had to find a way to work my crazy schedule. But it was still tough. had a different story to tell. yourself back into the loop. It wasn't I only saw John once in four months." impossible, but it was more difficult," Thoughts of home dissipated once LoRI HARRIGAN Harrigan says. the Games began. Harrigan and her Once the Olympic temates played nearly every day of the One of the U.S. champions team had been assembled, two-week event with only one day off was softball player Lori preparations for the before the final game. But the hard work Harrigan, who brought Games began in earnest. paid off when the United States captured home the ultimate prize- Harrigan and her the gold. a gold medal. But for this teammates traveled to "It's hard to describe what it vvas like two-time All-American Colun1bus, Ga., where standing on the podium to receive my softball pitcher, simply . they lived for four medal," Harrigan said. "I felt so many competing in the Games was months prior to the emotions. My fanlliy and I had had a more than she had dared Gan1es. falling out prior to the Games, so they to dream. "We needed to weren't there to see me get my medal. She had already reaped many get adjusted to the That was disappointing. My boyfriend Although the 1996 Summer rewards from her athletic talent, heat and the humidity in couldn't afford to fly to Georgia, and I Olympic Games might be a distant including a full athletic scholar- Georgia," Harrigan explains. "But it was was sad about that. At the san1e time, I ship to UNLV in 1988, national recogni­ tough being away for so long. My had just won a gold medal in the memory fo r most of us, three tion in the 1990 and 1991 College World employer [Rod Yanke, CEO ofEnviro­ Olympics. It was very emotional." women from UNLV will recall Series, and wide acclaim as a member of Tech International] was very supportive. Harrigan's return to Las Vegas the National Women's Softball Team. He continued to pay my salary while I prompted a flurry of media attention. those days last summer with g reat But her Olympic aspirations didn't take was away. And my boyfriend, John "The questions I was asked most hold until1991 when the Olympic often in interviews were about my clarity for the rest of their lives. Organizing Committee decided to hair, my makeup, and my red, include women's softball as a manicured nails. Everyone thought BY LAURIE FRUTH medal event. that I was making a statement The decision heralded the start about female athletes being of an arduous four-year tryout feminine. But dlis is just me. I like period for Harrigan and the 19 HEY WORKED 10-HOUR DAYS IN to wear makeup and have my hair other women who would ulti­ nicely fixed." sticky, intense heat. They f~ught mately comprise the U.S. Women's their way through madderung Statement or not, Harrigan and T Softball Team. her temates have become role crowds of camera-toting tourists. They "The selection committee struggled to overcome the fear instilled models for a generation of young followed us all four years, keeping by a senseless bombing. They gave heart girls who aspire to become elite a book on everything we did. Ifl and soul to jobs they knew would adt!etes. But Harrigan is quick to had a bad day or if my attitude disappear after just a few short weeks . acknowledge the contributions of wasn't good one day, all that went And they wouldn't have missed it for those who went before her. down in their book. It was really the world. "Those who go before pave rl1e stressful. After I made the team, It was, after all, the 1996 Summer way for those who are conling up," most of the stress was gone." Olympic Games. Harrigan says. "I'm just part of that Normally an active person, Several individuals from UNLV process now." Harrigan curtailed all athletic participated in the Games in a variety of In the months following the activities except softball during capacities. UNLV Magazine interviewed Olympics, Harrigan's life returned the tryout period to minimize three of them - alumna and former to normal. She continues to the possibility of injury. Each year student athlete Lori Harrigan, academic coordinate senlinars for motiva­ she tried out for and was selected adviser Vaune Kadlubek, and head tional speakers and is beginning to to play on the National Team, volleyball coach Deitre Collins- to develop her own talents as a which she believes strongly find out about their experiences there. speaker. enhanced her chances of her going "I was recendy asked to speak Though each had different responsi­ UNLV alumna and gold medal to the Olympics. before a group of2,000 people, bilities during the Games, they came winner Lori Harrigan

6 \+ UN LV MA G A Z INE S PRING 1 99 7 + 7 and I was scared to death. I can pitch the head coach for the first women's boy's water polo team. Although she wouldn't have dreamed midnight with just before 10,000 people, and it doesn't water polo team in the history of the "I was a great offensive weapon," she of missing the experience, she admits a short break in bother me a bit. But speaking in front of Olympics. explains. "The boys on the opposing that she was ready to return home to the middle of tl1e an audience terrifies me." "I truly believe that the time has come team didn't know hovv to guard me, so resume her duties as academic adviser to day. Her strong belief in the message for women's water polo to be included, they left me alone." UNLV student athletes. "Having been of her speech - "never give up" - but the decision won't be made until Kadlubek's talents and enthusiasm "I'll always be involved with athlet­ to ilie Olympics as brought her through the experience. "I sometime later this year. I think our for the game eventually led to a position ics. I'm now responsible for advising an athlete and ilien consider that to be my personal motto," chances are good because we're not on the first U.S. Women's Water Polo students in four sports: men and as a paid em­ Harrigan says. asking for a new sport. Men's water polo Team in 1979. Thousands of miles and women's swimming, basketball, and ployee, I can Eventually, Harrigan hopes to open has been a medal event since 1904. three world championships later, she was softball. And I remind all my kids that definitely say iliat a school for girls interested in Women's water named head coach of the Women's they are fortunate to have a talent that it is so much better athletics. But her immediate goal polo is the only National Water Polo Team in 1995. lets them play a gan1e they love. A lot of being an athlete," is to continue playing on the counterpart sport "1996 was my last chance to be opportunities will come their way if they she says wiili a National Team while training for that is not included in the Olympics as an athlete," are willing to work hard." laugh. "Athletes the next Summer Games in the represented. It's Kadlubek says. "But I'm not discour­ are taken care of. year 2000. time to break that aged. I had three goals in life: to play DEITRE COLLINS They don't have to barrier." water polo, to coach water polo and ­ deal wiili ilie Kadlubek when I'm too old to do either of Former Olympian and UNLV head crowds. They have VAUNE KADLUBEK UNLV's head volleyball coach Deitre Colllins worked for the knows all about those - to wheel my chair to the side volleyball coach Deitre Collins under­ people whose organization that provided the television feed for the countries UNLV academic adviser Vaune breaking of the pool to watch water polo." stands well the level of commitment responsibility it is covering the games. She served as a spotter for volleyball events. Kadlubek is also making plans for the barriers. While Watching water polo from the side of needed to succeed as an elite athlete. A to get iliem where • • ••• 0 • 0 • 0 •••• • • 0 0 • Games in the year 2000, but not as in high school in the pool is exactly what Kadlubek got to 1988 Olympian and a leading volleyball they need to be. a player. The former All-American Santa Barbara, Calif., Kadlubek became do at tl1e 1996 Games. Hired as a spotter player both nationally and internation­ All they have to do women's water poloist hopes to become the first girl in the country to play on a for the men's tean1, Kadlubek worked on ally, Collins has traveled the world is show up and perform." at Centennial Park \vas a wake-up call to the pool deck identifYing playing the game she loves. The little free time Collins did have, all involved in the Olympics, as well as to players and clarifying Her experience with the game she spent wiili her friends on the the rest of the country. calls for the television and her knowledge of the players team- a bittersweet "When I played in France, there was production crew. on the 1996 Olympic Volleyball experience for the a lot of violent activity in Saudi Arabia Aside from some Team made her ilie ideal recently retired and that felt close. I remember thinking, cursory instruction on candidate to serve as a spotter Collins. 'I can't wait to get back to the United television jargon and for ilie volleyball events. "It was difficult. States where I'll be safe.' But after the camera positions prior to "My job basically was to These were people bombing, I wondered if it was safe the start of the Games, serve as the eyes and ears for who I had played wiili, anywhere anymore." Kadlubek required little ilie NBC director, camera and they were still on The bombing, the early defeat of tile preparation for the job. people, and producers the team. I didn't make U.S. Volleyball Team, and tile long hours However, she admits she who were covering ilie ilie 1992 Olympic team, all caught up with Collins tile last week was unprepared for the toll volleyball games," Collins but I played wiili these of the Games. the hot, humid weather explains. women from '92 until '94 "I had fun watching the games, and I would take. She was employed by Atlantic when I retired." learned something new, but I was "I must have had five Olympic Broadcasting, the organization Collin's favorite memory of the arnious to get back to UNLV. As much bottles of water a day," she that provided ilie television feed for Olympics was ilie first night iliat ilie as I've been involved with volleyball as a says. "Our venue was countries covering ilie games. women's basketball team played. "The player, to be a head coach and to be outside, so we were in the "Usually, ilie camera people feed off crowd was huge. I got goose bumps just building my own team was more heat every day from nine of what ilie commentators say. However, being there. To hear that crowd roar was in1portant to me tllis past summer than in the morning to 10 in in this case, iliey had to feed off of what very exciting." being at tile Olympics." the evening. But tough as I said. So I did ilie play by play. I had to Aside from that game and the long "When you have done something so it was for those of us on know who was going to jump serve, who hours, what Collins remembers most thrilling for a long period of time and the deck, it was even was going to make tl1e kill [ tl1e shot tl1at about the 1996 games was the security. tllen that comes to an end, you have to harder on our dedicated scores ilie point], which side the serve Because she was housed in the same hotel find what to do next. A head coach fans who sat in the heat was going to be on, and so forth." as tl1e Dream Tean1, she had gotten position is the perfect opportunity for me for hours watching the Collins worked long hours; she was accustomed to the intense security at this time in my life, and I truly believe UNLV academic adviser Vaune Kadlubek, seen here on the diving board above UNLV's pool, matches." often at ilie event from 9 a.m. to served as a spotter for the Men's Water Polo Team in the 1996 Summer Games. surrounding the hotel. But ilie bombing I can make a contribution here." 1.1

8 + U N LV MAGA Z I N E SPRING 19 97 + 9 He had just helped some stranded islanders when they offered him fugu, also called pufferfish, for dinner. He explains that the fish, which contains a deadly toxin, is a unique culinary ing for delight - with a twist. "If prepared correctly, it leaves you euphoric," he says. "If prepared wrong, it leaves you dead." Fortunately for Martin, it was a ~~----"... -.ighfenmenl good night for pufferfish. The dish was prepared correctly, and he lived to tell us about it - and about the work that took him to that neck of the Pacific Ocean, as well as many other distant points on the map. Martin is a marine biologist interested in the evolution of fish, and his research has taken him to such UNLV biologist Andrew Martin uses dye to label the DNA data he collects from various assorted locales as the Amazon Basin, species of fish for his research on evolution, mutation rates, and diversity of life. Puget Sound, and Nevada's Devil's Hole, in addition to the South Pacific. All of these spots offer Martin watery enable some shark to brag about being all species mutated at the san1e rate. This laboratories in which he can study the descended from the finny equivalent of common mutation rate was known as the evolutionary process that has resulted in Charlemagne. Martin's close study of "universal molecular clock." such vast diversity of life on our planet. these DNA family trees has shed new To develop a family tree, Martin says, Referring to what some have called light on me pace of evolution. As one "you count tl1e changes mat are revealed the "last frontier," Martin says that the writer put it, he is helping "calibrate the in a stretch of DNA and divide it by tl1e ·ng genealogical seas are beginning to yield important evolutionary clock." clock." Scientists have used this metl10d, fish might sound clues about evolutionary change that for example, to try to determine when could someday produce more than volution is me result of muta­ humans last shared a common ancestor esoteric to some. But insights into the lives of fish. He believes tion - changes in the with chin1ps and gorillas. these clues could eventually lead to E genetic informa­ Only it turns Andrew breakthroughs in our understanding of tion coded in out mat the 's research on the the human body that might enable us to DNA-andit clock isn't quite better control the aging process. is something so universal, offish holds To this end Martin studies the DNA that goes on in after all. of fish; a few years ago, his work in this living things all the In the 1980s, ~~~~-~~~~!se for enlightenment area led him to a discovery that forced time, Martin explains. researchers began to realize "-trtF:.fithtiectsfar greater than people to take a new look at evolution. "In our bodies, for example, in the that tl1ere is a lot more variation in the Using DNA data collected from course of a single day, mousands of molecular clock tl1an was originally ofyour guppy. various species, Martin constructs family mutations occur, and our bodies have to mought. Among those questioning the trees for fish. Among other things, these deal with them. Our bodies eimer correct conventional wisdom was Martin, men a genealogical charts reveal the the mutations or they don't, and if tl1e University of Hawaii Ph.D. student. point at which mutations aren't corrected, the DNA "I tested the hypomesis [mat there is two individuals or is damaged. The accumulation a universal mutation rate or molecular N INVITATION TO EAT POISONOUS FISH two species last of damage is one of me clock] by comparing mutation rates in have most of us begging for shared a common reasons we age." sharks and primates," Martin says. ancestor and Mutations in DNA Much was known about primates, ~...:::::=:::::::~~But McDonald's cuisine was not an when they also occur from one generation to the such as humans and chimpanzees, and -~~cLkv.~ -·r•cot-v< .'-'-'' biological sciences professor diverged along different branches. next. Martin says it's a regular process, Martin selected sharks for comparison one night several years ago when But the point of his research is not to and until recently scientists mought that because, he says, "Amazingly, we have a -tw~-re· ~t>~.rc h took him to a remote Fijian island.

SPRING 1997 + 1 1 1 0 + UNLV MAGAZ I NE lot in common. The light helps the megamouth keep will show up in his analysis. pool and ensure survival of d1e species, "Sharks mature at a late age, and we food on the table. "If you put a flashlight Martin also applies this technique to tl1e U .S. Fish and Wildlife Service has mature late. They are live bearers, so are under water, you'll attract shrimp and the tiny Devil 's Hole pupfish, an created a new refuge and divided the we. They are basically a lot like us in ways other food. That's what these things are endangered species tl1at lives in Ash population. that potentially affect how fast mutations like - giant flashlights slowly moving Meadows between Las Vegas and Deatll "They are reproducing," Martin says occur, but they are very different in through tl1e water, sucking in whatever Valley. of the pup fish in the new location, "but physiology. In particular, they are cold­ comes near and filtering the water out The entire pupfish population we don't know if the gene pools are the blooded." through their gills ." consists of about 200 individuals. "It's same because mutations are constantly Sharks have another attribute that The megamouth studies and the happening. They may actually be made them good subjects for this study: comparisons between deep- and creating another species, not lots of teeth. Martin says a single shark shallow-water fish are aimed at preserving the species we want to may grow and lose as many as 10,000 detern1ining what makes the cells preserve." teeth in a lifetime. These teeth fall into mutate at a particular rate. When he exanlines the DNA sedimentary layers of shoreline where "If we can figure out what patterns in the pupfish, he looks they become part of the fossil record. controls mutation rates in a cell, we for "molecular markers," which Using this fossil record, Martin and can potentially learn to control it are "highly variable pieces of colleagues Stephen Palumbi of the ourselves and stop aging and some DNA tllat allow you to identifY University of Hawaii and Gavin Naylor of cancers," Martin speculates. individual fish, like fingerprints. the American Museum of Natural Martin examines the skeletal remains of a fish. He adds that interest in shark By exan1ining where these History were able to estimate the mutation rates is heightened by tl1e markers turn up in the DNA mutation or evolutionary rate of several fact that "there's never been pattern, we can tell whether species of sharks. When they compared recorded a naturally occurring individuals in one place are more the shark DNA mutation rates with the to that of metabolism. worms, octopus, fish, and, yes, even cancer in sharks. A lot of other fish like each other than individuals in carefully calibrated data that exists for "But it makes perfect sense," Martin monsters. get all kinds of cancer." Since another place, and whether the primates, they discovered that sharks says, "that the cells that govern what Monsters? Really? mutation rates have a direct bearing preservation effort is succeeding." mutate much more slowly. happens in us every day also influence the Yes, says Martin. on the development of cancer, tl1e The pupfish work has just Sharks accumulate mutations, the DNA and, thus, the mutation rate." "There are some really bizarre focus is once again on the issue of begun so it is too early to know raw material of evolution, at a rate about The discovery drew worldwide creatures down there, including some mutation, Martin says. what is happening to one of the l 0 times slower than primates, they attention and opened new lines of species that have changed little in the So the question becomes, "Is it few fish species unique to the calculated. Naturally, they wanted to thinking about evolution. past 700 million years." just metabolism that affects the desert. know why. "It was neat," Martin modestly says Martin is particularly intrigued by a mutation rate or are there other of the reaction to tl1e article they shark he calls the "megamouth." "The only thing that could really factors involved?" ronically, it was the explain it was the fact that they are living published in 1992 in the Proceedings of "This is a cool fish," Martin says. "It Martin works with bits of tissue variability of desert - not the National Academy of Sciences. basically lives deep during the day and life at a slower rate," Martin says. "They taken from the sharks and otl1er fish I aquatic -life that first respire [breathe] at a lower rate, and their But like most scientific discoveries, moves to the shallows at night. It's like a to continue analyzing the subject. attracted Martin's attention to tlus one raised as many questions as it lot of ocean dwellers that go up and metabolisms are much repressed in The tissues he uses can be as small as the study of evolution. Growing answered, and led Martin deeper into the down with the light levels, following comparison with ours. We're really a clipping of the fin or a piece of tl1e up in the desert around Tucson problem - as well as deeper into the food sources." cranked up. Our cells process information gill. he collected snakes, lizards, ocean. He is now working with both The megamouth shark is related to really fast ." "You extract the DNA from the spiders, scorpions, and other Martin explains that it is well deep- and shallow-water fishes; he white sharks and may get as big as 15 tissue basically by just dissolving it in critters. feet. It's fat, too. "Enormous," Martin established that metabolism is related to compares the mutation rates of fish tl1at a detergent which makes the "I had tanks all over the calls it, "a really flabby fish ." A particu­ the size of a creature and whether it is dwell tl1ousands of feet under the sea membranes fall apart. You're left house," he recalls, "and every warm-blooded or cold-blooded. Among and tl1ose tl1at live at around the 600- larly distinguishing characteristic is its with the DNA." once in a while something would warm-blooded animals, whales have a huge lips that glow in the dark. foot level. Then, says Martin, a process called a pretty much on the verge of extinction, escape, and my parents would get upset." Scientists have obtained only a few much slower metabolism than mice, and "polymerase chain reaction" creates but it has been that way probably for These experiences led to a "nagging cold-blooded animals are slower than megamouths for study, so they aren't is studies into the deeper regions billions of copies of a gene in a test tube 50,000 years," Martin says. desire to find out why there is so much warm-blooded. sure what makes the lips glow. of the sea have brought him in two or three hours. Until recently all the pupfish were variability in nature," which in turn led to "It's either got its own way of So, as Martin explains, "If you are Hmore than insight into his "You need large numbers of copies of together. "If you have all one species in an interest in DNA. Martin wanted to making light or it harbors bacteria that cold-blooded and big, you are going research. He has also developed a kind of DNA in order to determine its se­ one place, something is going to happen continue his education after completing make light," says Martin. "It also has a really slowly." astonishment at the diversity of life way quence," Martin explains. Using and eventually they will be wiped out," his bachelor of science degree at tl1e structure in the back of its mouth that is o one had really considered that down there. Far beneath tl1e surface, he radioactivity or dye, he then "labels" the he adds. University of Arizona, but he also wanted mutations might follow a pattern similar says, live all kinds of marine creatures - a reflective surface, like a mirror." DNA so that changes- mutations- In an attempt to maintain tl1e gene continued on page 28

12 + UNLV MA G AZI NE SPRI NG 1997 + 13 Going to such great lengths is not movements, and the tear-jerking story who design the characters, and those who uncommon for the animators at Disney, lines. But what does it take to make it all sketch out the storyboards of the script. nor is it considered ridiculous in any way, happen? Then there are those who create back­ Husband reports, adding that they will Some 600 people are responsible for grounds and special effects and those do whatever it takes to get the job done. a finished animated feature film, accord­ who color in all of the scenes. But what exactly does the job entail? ing to Husband, and naturally, each has But at the heart of all of this creative Though UNLV alumnus Ron Husband has We've all seen the end product of Disney his or her own part in the process. There activity is the work of Husband and his g reat fun in his career as a Disney animator, animation - the rich colors, the flowing are those who develop the story, those fellow animators; they are charged with the task of taking the established he wouldn:>t want us to believe his work is kid characters and bringing them to life stuff. There:>s a whole lot more to animating through their drawings. In a word, they do exactly what their title indicates: they Disney films than one might think, he says. animate their characters. For Husband, that means making BY SUZAN DI BEL LA the characters give an acting perfor­ mance, complete with facial expressions, gestures, and movement. What's more, HERE AREN'T MA.tW JOBS OUT ture," Husband recalls with a seriousness the animators must make those characters there that would require you to that lets you know he was oblivious to move with a fluidity and authenticity know how a goat walks. Or how what others might have thought about unparalleled by any other animation a goat would look "~th a pipe in its mouth. his intense focus on the animals. "You studio in the world. But for Ul\TLV alumnus Ron Husband, know, goats don't move like dogs or cats. Their goal, he says, is simply to make it's all in a day's work. He is a supervising They're more similar to cows or other their audiences forget that they are animator \'"~th Walt Disney Feature hoofed animals." watching a series of drawings. Animation, and his most recent creation And his research dido 't stop there. "Our primary purpose as animators is for the big screen was a goat named Later, back at the studio, he asked one of to tell a story. And we want to tell it to "Djali" in The Hunchback of Notre his colleagues to imitate a goat head­ the extent that the Dame. butting someone else from behind so he audience gets so To bring Djali to life, Husband had could analyze the movement. involved in following to find out everything he could about the story that they goats - from information on their forget that it's an UNLV alumnus Ron Husband, who has been skeletal structure and their musculature aninuted picture," says animating characters for WaH Disney to the colors and textures of their coats. Husband, who gradu­ Feature Animation for more than 20 years, ated from Ul\TLV in His research for that particular character spends a great deal of time researching his 1973 with an art degree. took him, an1ong other places, to the subjects before going to the drawing board. petting zoo at Disneyland. "It's the intent of the "I spent the whole afternoon Inset, at right: Husband was supervising aninutor to let the watching the goats, taking home movies animator for Djali, the four-legged friend of audience get lost in the of them, and even feeling their muscula- Esmeralda, in The Hunchback of Notre Dame. drawn lines and just

SPRI NG 1 99 7 15 14 + UN L V MAGA Z I NE + follow the story." ing gypsy Esmeralda. Djali, like all of the part was minor- he had not quite 300 pencil, the willing suspension of disbelief special classes for advanced art students at receiver. I was too small to be much of For that to happen, he points out, other characters Husband has animated feet of animation. But then when the will disappear like so much fairy dust. the Los Angeles Art Center College of numing back, so they put me out on the each animated character must have life during his 20-plus years at Disney, began producers saw footage of him, they And then the audience will notice the Design and took first prize in a national flank where I would have a better chance and depth and feeling. And it is his job to take on a personality during the year- would say, 'Djali's looking pretty good. medium and revert back to seeing just a pen-and-ink drawing contest. Although of survival," he laughs. not only to make his Let's write him some more clever series of drawings. he had hoped to go to the Art Center Although Husband gravitated toward characters look real, but parts.' It was like The Fonz While Husband recognizes that after high school, he simply didn't have art in the classroom, he took a wide also to make them act in Happy Days. He was a drawing the characters is obviously the money to attend. variety of courses, many of which he calls like real people - even minor character, and then integral to his job, he maintains that it's Somewhat disillusioned but deter­ upon in his work currently. when one of them people started liking him, so less important than other aspects. mined to go to college, Husband "One of the unique things about happens to be, for his part expanded. "The basic drawing skills have to be emolled at Citrus Community College in animation is that I've been able to call instance, a goat. "And Djali sort of took there. If they're not, you can't get into Azusa, Calif. In addition to taking classes upon every class I've ever taken, literally. the edge off the story in the animation at Disney. When you join the there, he played football, garnering the From psychology to matl1 to history to sense that he was a light, team, it's understood that those basics notice of UNLV recruiters during his drawing, I've used them all. When you're e seriousness comical character," Husband have to be there. Then, once you're in, sophomore year. He was soon offered a putting on an acting performance, you're With which says, adding that the goat you begin to build on the basics. And UNLV football scholarship and took his concerned with the motivation of the us band was able to lend a little that building involves learning acting first classes at the university in 1971 in character, so you're using psychology. approaches his work paid lightness to a very heavy skills, timing, what it takes to pull over a his junior year. When you're figuring out camera angles off for him in The story - one that included gag, what's funny, what's not. We take "I was a running back and wide and rate of camera movement, you have Hunchback, tl1e first film such themes as lust, murder, classes on all of those things to better on which he served as a and a man tormented by ourselves as storytellers. Then there are supervising animator. He loneliness and unrequited ongoing classes to help us hone our beams like a proud parent love. "That's pretty serious drawing skills." Frequently Asked Questions when he notes that the storytelling." Disney provides classes two or three amount of screen time But exploring deep times a week for its animators, Husband About Animation Djali received in the emotions is an integral part says. They cover a whole host of disci­ How many drawings does an animated feature film contain? finished film was double of any storytelling, Husband plines, including acting, human and Each second of film contains 24 individual drawings. There are roughly 144,000 of what it was originally. says, noting that, even animal anatomy, and sculpture, just to drawings in the average 70-minute Disney animated film. In previous films though Disney characters name a few. Additionally, various drawing Husband served as an are frequently animals, they classes, such as life and figure drawing How much of the animation is done on computers? animator, bringing to life often end up in very trying and quick sketching, are offered. Animators still use largely the same process to create their characters that was such characters as the human situations. Presenters have ranged from caricature used in 1937 on Snow White. They still draw their characters by hand using dastardly villains Jafar in "For example, in The artists and mimes to college professors to pencil and paper. Computers are sometimes used to create scenes containing Aladdin and Scar in The Lion King, tl1e lion becomes animal handlers from nearby zoos . large numbers of people or animals - when detail is not critical. One example is Lion King. He animated a little boy who just lost his "They even brought in Jane Goodall the wildebeest stampede scene in The Lion King, for which animators drew one the playful Pumbaa and Husband says telling a story through his characters is the most dad. So, the animator had to within the last six months to do a lecture of the animals and then had it replicated many times on the computer. Timon, also in The Lion communicate that loss on primates," says Husband. "It's serious important part of his job; drawing is secondary. How many people work on each character? King, as well as the through the character. As business." A team, ranging in size from one to a dozen or more people and led by the arrogant, beefy Gaston in animators, we deal with supervising animator, is usually assigned one character per film. The specific size Beauty and the Beast. And universal emotions. There usband arrived at Disney by he drew the chiseled features of the long animation process. are certain things in life tl1at convey all of a somewhat circuitous of the team depends on how much screen time the character has. The supervis­ heroic John Smith in Pocahantas and "I tried to have him convey the the world -laughter, love, hate. These route - but witl1 the ing animator develops thumbnail sketches of the character for each scene and K discusses them with the director of the film. The next step is the actual anima­ captured the innocence of Cody in The attitudes and actions of a 10-year-old are deep emotions in every culture and in requisite arsenal of drawing skills. tion of the character. The animator is responsible for the key drawings in a Rescuers Down Under. brother trying to protect his older sister. every civilization. We capitalize on those "I was always blessed with the ability But it was with Djali that Husband He's there to offer moral support. When basic emotions and try to bring them out to draw," says Husband, who grew up in scene- the ones that convey the character's most important emotion or action. Then, assistants, called "in-betweeners," fill in the other drawings. moved into a supervisory role, interacting she thinks she doesn't have a friend in the in our animation." Southern California. "My earliest with the director on every scene that world, Djali's there. He's her all-around He compares his job to that of an memory of dra>ving was when I was Which comes first- the recording of the character's voice or the involved his character and becoming, in a buddy and protector." actor interpreting lines in a play: he must about 3 or 4 years old, and I would take drawing of the character? way, that character's advocate. Given the The goat also brought a lightness to a bring expression to the words in the wax paper and put it over comic book Despite what you might have seen in the movies, the voice characterization is intensity of his involvement with Djali, story that is perhaps one of the darkest script and meaning to all of the covers and trace the images. We didn't done first. The voice is necessary for the animator to know how to shape the it's easy to see how a small animated goat tl1at Disney has ever tack.Ied. character's movements- and he must have a television, so I spent a lot of time character's mouth. Animators sometimes observe the actor or actress doing the could became more to Husband than just "When I first worked on Djali, he was do it all through the use of a pencil. He is at it." voice characterization during the recording session to gain insight into the the four-legged sidekick of the mesmeriz- a secondary character in the picture. His mindful that with one false stroke of that In high school he was allowed to take interpretation of the script. r;J

1 6 UNL V MA G AZI NE + S PRI NG 1 997 + 1 7 to use math. Working on period pieces, I've thought of my history classes. You name the class, and I've used it." In addition to his academic subjects, he learned discipline at UNLV, both in the classroom and on the football field. _r-_.- "I graduated right on the nose," / Husband says proudly. "I took 18 credits the first semester of my senior year and 19 the next. I was really hustling. I had two part-time jobs, and I was married by then." . , . / Yes, you heard right. He married r#' /,For Dennis S~artzell, supervis{1J_gihejp.ntiscaping of the his high school sweetheart, LaVonne, when he was 21 years old during his univers'ity)s 335 acres is no small]t;fi:t. I;Ie mlt# fi_nd a:wqy to junior year at UNLV. They honey­ / ~ strike a delicate balance ·be(,vit;_,n~ j~tfitfJ/~ntl function. mooned in his dorm room in Tonopah ~ . 1" / /./ 7. . . ·:r J -~ - ..;_ Hall. ' . · / >// " jJ,, ; BY . DI ' AN _p~USSELL "She came up on the bus on a Friday f ./ ··, / -;;-· _,• . evening. I asked a friend with a car to drive us downtown so we could get Husband animated (clockwise, from top) Scar in The Lion King, John Smith in married. We were in a hurry because we Pocahontas, Jatar in Aladdin, and Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. wanted to get there before the weekend rates kicked in. At the time, I was living on a $15-a-week football stipend, so we were trying to save money. Well, we mostly block drawings and flow charts. getting ready to retire, so Disney wanted ~ ., didn't make it in time, so we had to pay After a year and half, he made a decision to capitalize on their experience and have .ORDERED BY CONCRETE in the campus' xeric garden near the sidewalks that bake in the full rate, and then we found out we that changed the course of his career. them pass on their knowledge to the next Majorie Barrick Museum ofNatural the afternoon sun, acres would have to pay extra if they provided "I decided that if I wanted to do generation." B History. of velvety lawn carpet much of a second witness. So we went down the something more creative, I had to be Excited by the prospect of working in As one might imagine, none of this the UNLV campus. hall and asked a complete stranger to be around creative people," he recalls. "So I a more creative field, Husband presented landscaping - not the soft, green lawns People flock to these lush our second witness." He smiles as he took a class called Sketching for illustra­ his portfolio at Disney. or the abundant desert flora- occurs by expanses. Students lounge on reports that he and his wife, who have tion two nights a week at the Art Center "Basically, I was rejected," he recalls, chance. them between classes or play three grown children, were married 25 with the hope that I'd see some opportu­ smiling. "My portfolio contained finished Maintaining and improving the years in January. nity on a bulletin board or make a drawings, illustrations mostly. It turns out impromptu games of Frisbee. landscaping at UNLV is the job of Dennis Joggers and walkers come contact." that what they wanted to see were quick Swartzell, director of landscape, grounds, out on weekends to enjoy It turned out that his instructor sketches, life drawing, and figure drawing and arboretum, and his crew of 40 the ambiance created by the in ding a job out of college was worked for a Disney subsidiary that to make sure I could handle perspective grounds maintenance workers. They cool grass and tree-lined a bit more complicated than designed rides for Disneyland. He and anatomy. When I found out what spend countless hours each year planting, walkways. UNLV's aca­ finding a witness for his wedding. suggested Husband apply to the Disney they wanted, I thought, 'Gee whiz, I've mowing, and maintaining the 335-acre f demic malls provide, in campus. "After graduating, I returned to animation training program. been carrying around a sketchbook since their own way, a quiet, Southern California thinking that with a Husband explains that the training I was in high school.' So, I just went While maintaining and improving verdant respite in the midst degree in art and the portfolio I had program had been created only a few home and over the weekend cranked out UNLV's grounds are two important parts of a busy urban area. pulled together, I could find a job as a years earlier with the goal of bringing some new sketchbooks and dropped of Swartzell's job, he also seeks to Others visit the commercial artist. That wasn't the case. new blood to the animation studio. them off Monday at the studio guard educate, in keeping with the academic Now I know that most of the commer­ "At that time, some of the same gate. And they called me about a week campus with a mission in environment in which he operates. mind: to research water­ cial art jobs are in Chicago and the New people who worked on Snow White in later and told me I could start whenever I He's excited about what the campus efficient plants for use in York area," he says . 1937- they call them 'the nine old wanted." has to show the Southern Nevada home landscaping. He reluctantly took a job with men' -were still animating Disney films In the following months, Husband community about plant and landscape Examples of these plants Honeywell doing technical illustrations, in 1970," Husband says. "They were continued on page 25 possibilities in a desert environment, and abound on the UNLV he wants to share that information. grounds, most notably "We have so much to offer the public

1 8 + UNLV MAGAZINE about plants and landscaping," Swartzell prodigious production of allergens. That beneficial, he says. From a practical have included Kleinfelder earned their title through a says. "People can come out here to learn is tl1e kind of information he shares with standpoint, eliminating small areas of turf Engineering, Nevada Power Co., cooperative extension about desert landscaping, to take a look campus visitors during his landscaping is a good idea because small areas are Kinko's, the Community Action program. Swartzell works with at what kinds of plants work well in our education sessions. typically difficult to water and maintain Recycling Program (CARP), the master gardeners on a arid environment." "We offer programs on Saturday anyway, he says. UNLV's student government, regular basis. The UNLV campus, all 335 acres of mornings about once a montl1 that are To begin the turf reduction project, SCOPE, and Sigma Gma One day during the it, is a state arboretum - a designation open to the public," he says, continuing Swartzell sought the help ofUNLV Epsilon, the national geoscience expansion project, Swartzell bestowed by the 1985 Legislature. By his list ofUNLV's outreach activities for architecture professor Mark Hoversten honor society. stopped to show a visitor some definition, an arboretum is a place where home gardeners. Topics vary, but tl1ey and his landscape architecture students. Swartzell predicts that the of the new plants. "Smell that. trees, shrubs, and other plants are usually include such favorites as new "We asked if we could make the turf majority of the targeted grass can Isn't that great?" he asked cultivated for educational and scientific plants, transplanting, and pruning. reduction master plan a class project," be removed and replaced with after snapping off a sprig of purposes. Swartzell takes UNLV's role as One subject that is discussed almost Swartzell says, adding that Hovers ten plants or groundcover without Mt. Lemon marigold. "And an arboretum very seriously. always, regardless of tl1e announced eagerly agreed. Eight students worked on most people even noticing. Yet, tl1is one is called a licorice "We have self-guided tours that allow topic, is water conservation, according to the project two years ago, dividing the the change will save water, marigold," he added, proffer­ people to walk arow1d the campus and Swartzell. "It's almost a given now. We campus into eight segments. money, and maintenance time, he ing a piece of another aromatic take a look at our mature plants. All the just incorporate it into tl1e various "As a result of the project, we were says. plant. trees and plants on the tour are labeled, programs that we provide." able to target approximately 18 acres of When the conversion to Swartzell remembers well which allows people to write down the Water conservation is also a concern turf that we felt we could live without for perennial flowering plants was the creation of the garden in names so they can ask for the plants at on campus. It's one of the reasons that one reason or another: tl1ey were done outside the geoscience 1988- particularly the their nurseries. inefficient, too small, too building, Swartzell's workers activity that took place one "Sometimes people water-consuming, what­ installed a water meter so that the cold February day when forget that a lot of our ever. So that's our goal: to difference could be measured. members of the two local neighbors aren't from take 18 acres of that total The result, he says, has been a cactus and succulent societies Las Vegas and aren't 60 and put in other things. reduction of thousands of gallons came out to help plant the aware of the plants "So we just chew off a week. drought-tolerant shrubs. commonly grown little pieces each year­ Swartzell's crew had dug the here," says Swartzell, whatever we can afford to holes in advance, but all the who was recently do - and try to make hile desert planting remained to be done. honored as tl1e co­ those conversions," he says. landscaping was a Swartzell notes that UNLV's xeric garden, seen here, offers a "It was 30 degrees with 40 recipient of tl1e doesn't have to be .. :' The first conversion hard sell for multitude of examples of drought-tolerant plants and trees nllie-per-hour winds. We W for those interested in exploring their landscaping options. President's Outstanding project tackled was the Southern Nevada homeowners planted 700 shrubs in one Professional Staff -Dennis Swartzell removal of a small piece of for many years, it's finally day." Member of the Year turf located just east of the catching on, Swartzell says. The Today, the desert demon­ Award for 1996 at UNLV. Swartzell is trying to reduce the amount Lilly Fang Geoscience Building. The major reason, he believes, is increased type of landscaping that often consists of stration garden provides home gardeners "So if somebody comes in from of grass. Currently, UNLV has a sizable campus' recycling coordinator, Tara Pike, water costs. "a rock and maybe a cactus and a wagon a chance to get ideas of what n1ight work <::leveland or Florida or Washington state, 60 acres or so of turf. who as a UNLV student founded SCOPE Why was there a reluctance to begin wheel." in their yards. Swartzell suggests visiting they can take our tour and see some of For tl10se who value tl1e campus' (Students Conscious of Protecting the with? People interested in seeing a good the garden at different times of the year the plants that are a little bit more lush, green look, there's no need to Environment), suggested tl1at students "I think most people have a n1iscon­ sampling of the variety of water-efficient so that the plants can be seen in all their common to the area that they may have worry, Swartzell assures. The acaden1ic be included in the project. ception about water-efficient landscap­ plants available in Soutl1ern Nevada, various stages. never seen before." malls will always be green, as will the "She proposed tl1at we do sometlung ing," he says . "People tl1ink everything is should stop by UNLV's xeric garden, Swartzell, who frequently writes for Swartzelll1in1self is a transplant to the athletic practice and playing fields. called 'stomp the grass' where the students gray, thorny, and boring. Well, it doesn't Swartzell suggests. trade journals, recommends that every area. He came to Las Vegas in 1982 fi·om Swartzell is focusing his turf reduc­ could come out and participate in the have to be gray or thorny. It doesn't have "It's kind of our prize," Swartzell yard have a plan rather than being a his native Georgia, where he earned a tion efforts on the small patches of lawn actual turf removal," Swartzell says. to be boring. A lot of times water says of the small garden located on 1.5 haphazard arrangement of plants. For degree in agriculture with a major in that can be found scattered around That successful project was the efficient landscaping can be very lush, acres just east of the Marjorie Barrick people who want grass in their yards, the floriculture at the University of Georgia. campus. He says it used to be tl1e rule of subject of a video produced by communi­ very green, very colorful. It's just more Museum ofNatural History. Filled with best placement of it typically is in the He recalls that before he arrived here, thun1b that if you had a small patch of cation studies students; Pike then used water-efficient. more than 150 species of trees, shrubs, high-use areas. Swartzell's own backyard, he had never seen some of area's most ground, you planted grass because it was tl1e video as a fund-raising tool to promote "Xeriscaping is a very pleasing type of flowers , and groundcovers, the garden for instance, features turf near the living ubiquitous varieties of flora, such as the tl1e easy thing to do. donations for further turf reductions. landscaping that utilizes drought-tolerant is popular with students and campus area so that his dog has somewhere to European olive tree. Swartzell points out Now, however, with increased Two otl1er areas have been tackled as plants," he says. "Xeriscaping embraces visitors alike. play. Beyond the turf are water-efficient that that particular tree, tl10ugh widely emphasis on water conservation, it's best a result of the donations - one near the the concept of an oasis around the It was recently expanded toward the plants, with the lushest plants located planted on the campus years ago, is now to save the grass for areas where enough Beam Engineering Complex and another immediate living area." It should not, he north with the help of the master nearest the house. The farther from the banned in Southern Nevada, due to its can be planted to make it visually nortl1 ofWright Hall. The donors so far warns, be confused with "xeroscaping," a gardeners, a group of citizens who have continued on page 28

20 + UNLV MAGAZINE SPRING 199 7 + 2 1 II Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Cleveland. 28 Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Utah. 7:05pm. 18 Music Department: UNLV Chamber Chorale 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Center. 895-3900. Thomas & Mack Center. 895-3900. Home Concert. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert MARCH1 Hall. 895-3801. 13 Music Department: UNLV Wind Symphony. 29 Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Milwaukee. I Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Houston. 7:05pm. 7:30pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Center. 18&19 Dance Department: Dance Performance. Thomas & Mack Center. 895-3900. 895-3801. 895-3900. Aprill8, 8pm; Aprill9, 2pm & 8pm. Black Box I-2 Performing Arts Center: Alvin Ailey Dance Co. 13-23 University Theatre: Ah, Wilderness! March 13- Thearre. 895-3801. March 1, 8pm; March 2, 2pm. Artemus Ham 15 & 19-22, 8pm; March 16 & 23, 2pm. APRIL 1 Concert Hall. 895-3801. Judy Bayley Theatre. 895-3801. 19 Music Department: Desert Winds Invitarional Band 1-21 Art Exhibit: "Women's History Monrh." I4 Family Affair: National Traditional Orchestra of 1 Art Exhibit: "Beyond Serving." Weekdays, 8am- 5pm. Jessie Metcalf Gallery. (rhru May 2) Fesrival. All day. Arremus Weekdays, 8am-5pm. Jessie Metcalf Gallery. China. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 3-8 Basketball: Western Athletic Conference 3-5 Bull Riders: Wrangler Bull-Riders-Only World 895-3801. Championship. April 3 & 4, 7:30pm; Championship. Details TBA. Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Long Beach. 20 Music Department: UNLV 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Center. 895-3900. April 5, time TBA. Thomas & Mack Cenrer. 3-2I Art Exhibit: MFA Thesis Exhibits. 9am-5prn. 895-3900. Orchestra. 7:30pm. Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. 895-3893. I5 Music Department: Invitational Choral Festival. Artemus Ham Concerr 8am-6pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 3-13 Universiry Theatre: The Art ofForgiving Hall. 895-3801. 5 University Forum: 'The Black Book and the 895-3801. Robert McNamara. April3-5 & 9-12, 8pm; Mob." 7:30pm. Classroom Building April6 & 13, 2pm. Black Box Thearre. 21&22 Theatreworks U.S.A.: Complex AllO. 895-3401. Chamber Music Sourhwest: Music of Elliot 895-3801. Charlotte's Web. lOam. Schwartz. 8pm. Black Box Theaue. Artemus Ham Concerr 5-9 University Theatre: Ten-Minure Play Festival. 895-3801. 4 Univerity Forum: "Animal Righrs for rhe Twenry­ Hall. 895-3801. March 5-8, 8pm; March 9, 2 pm. Paul Harris Firsr Cenrury." 7:30pm. Classroom Building Theatre. 895-3801. Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Cleveland. ComplexA106. 895-3401. 24 Clark County School District: 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Center. 895-3900. Las Vegas Youth 7-9 Music Department Opera Theatre: The Magic 5 Chamber Music Southwesr: Emerson Srring Mummenschanz Orchesrra. 7pm. Arremus Flute. March 7 & 8, 7:30pm; March 9, 2pm. I6 Music Department: UNLV Orchestra. 7:30pm. Quarret. 8pm. Arremus Ham Concert Hall. Mask and Mime Co. Ham Concert Hall. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 895-3801. March 11 895-3801. I7 University Forum: "The Role of Money in 10 Univerity Forum: "WeAre Wesrerners: The 24-27 University Theatre: Into American Elections." 7:30pm. Frank & English ofWesrern America in rhe 20rh The Woods. April24-26 & Estella Beam Hall242. 895-3401. Cenrury." 7:30pm. Frank & Esrella Beam April 30-May 3, 8pm; 18 Master Series: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. Hall 241. 895-3401. April 27 & May 4, 2pm. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 12 Wme Tasting: UNLVino. 2-7pm. Bally's. Judy Bayley Thearre. 895-3801. UNLV Orchestra I9 Alumni Event: Board Meeting. 6pm. Richard Clark County School District: "Orff' March 16 & April 20 Tam Alumni Center. 895-3621. Festival. 7pm. Artemus Ham Concert 25 Chamber Music Southwest: Andrew Smirh. 8pm. Black Variety Show: Paddy Noonan's Irish Variery Hall. 895-3801. Box Theatre. 895-3801. Show. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 12&13 Hockey: Las Vegas Thunder vs. Phoenix. 895-3801. 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Cenrer. 27 Music Department: UNLV Wind Symphony. 7:30pm. Arremus Ham Concert Hall. 23 Musical Arts Society: St. fohn's Passion. 3pm. 895-3900. 895-3801. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 13 Community Concert: Moscow Balalaikas. 28 Music Department: Elementary Choral Fesrival. 24 Family Affair: Mazowsze Polish Folk Ensemble. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 9am-l pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 8pm. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 895-3801. 895-3801. Art Department: National Conference on I4 Univerity Forum: "The Secularist." 7:30pm. Univerity Forum: "Female Icons: From Education for the Ceramic Arts Regional Frank & Estella Beam Hall242. Marilyn Monroe ro Susan Sonrag (The Juried Student Competition. Weekdays, 895-3401. Biographer's Challenge)." 7:30pm. Class­ 9am-5pm. Donna Beam Fine Art Gallery. I6 Alumni Event: Recognition Luncheon. room Building Complex AllO. 895-3401. 895-3893. (rhru April 5) Noon. Richard Tam Alumni Center. 29 Music Department: 25 Hockey: Vegas Thunder vs. Manitoba. 895-3621. Las Madrigal Choral 7:05pm. Thomas & Mack Center. Alumni Event: Board Meeting. 6pm. Festival. 7pm. Black FOR MORE INFORMATION ON UNLV 895-3900. Richard Tam Alumni Cenrer. 895-3621. 11 University Forum: "The Language ofTears. " Box Theatre. EVENTS AND PUBLICATIONS, V I SIT UNLV' S 7:30pm. Classroom Building ComplexAllO. 25&26 Choral Festival: National Black College Clark County School District: Dance 895-3801. WORLD WIDE WEB HOME PAGE AT HTTP://WWW.UNLV.EDU/. 895-3401. Choral Festival. Times TBA. Artemus Ham Festival. 7pm. Artemus Ham Concerr Hall. 30 Music Department: Concert Hall. 895-3801. 895-3801. Performing Arts Center: Mummenschanz Communiry Concert Mask And Mime Co. 8pm. Artemus Ham 27-30 Nevada Dance Theatre: Swan Lake. March 27 17 Ceremony: UNLV Honors Convocation. Band. 7:30pm. Artemus Concert Hall. 895-3801. & 28, 8pm; March 29, 2 & 8pm; March 30, 1Oam. Artemus Han1 Concert Hall. Ham Concert Hall. 895-3801. 2 & 7pm. Judy Bayley Theatre. 895-3801.

22 + UNLV MAGAZINE SPR I NG 1997 + 2 3 8 Nevada Dance Theatre: Youth Ballet. 2 & 7pm. Drawing and rolled over and went back to sleep." able to take a few steps, then being able Artemus Ham Concert Hall. S95-3S01. Finally, after seeing a long line of to walk down the street the length of one MAY1997 conti nued fro m pa ge 18 15 Dance Recitals: Backstage II. 2 & 7pm. Artemus doctors who offered little insight, house and back, and ilien around the 1 Music Department: Universiry Chorus. Spm. Ham Concert Hall. S95-3SO 1. Husband saw a neurologist who diag­ block." Artemus Ham Concert Hall. S95-3SOl. learned the ins and outs of animation, nosed hin1 quickly: he had a growth When he returned to work, he was 20 Dance Concert: Merluzzi Dance Reciral. 6pm. 4 Nevada Symphony Orchestra: Classical Concerr. Artemus Ham Concert Hall. S95-3SO I. including timing, perspective, and located at the base of his brain, and greeted by overwhelming support - and 5pm. Artemus Ham Concert "squash and stretch," a term used to surgery was required immediately. his new position as animator. Hall. S95-3SO l. 22-29 Universiry Theatre: Rigging Workshop. Cali describe how animated characters move. "He hospitalized me right away, and "There was a lot of support there," for derails. Judy Bayley Theatre & Black Box "Animators have to squash or stretch they performed eight hours of surgery," Husband says, adding that there still is . 6 Music Department: Jazz Theatre. S95-3SO 1. Ensemble I. Spm. Judy some part of their characters' bodies to he says, pointing out the three-inch scar "Everybody wants everyone else to do Bayley Theatre. S95-3SO l. make them move," Husband explains, on the back of his neck. "The doctor told well. There's such a cooperative effort at 10 Commencement: JUI.Y 1997 adding that, for example, when we talk, my wife - but not me - that I was Disney to get the job done that everyone Graduation Ceremonies. our mouths are constantly squashing and probably going to die on the operating builds on the quality of the work that 2-4 National Dance Competition: Dance Olympus. 9:30am & 1:30pm. Thomas stretching. "But knowing how much to table. He said even if the operation was a others have already accomplished." All day. Artemus Ham Concerr Hall & Judy & Mack Center. success, I was probably going to be Bayley Thearre. S95-3S01. squash or stretch is tl1e key, and that is 17 Concert: Las Vegas based on the character's skeletal and paralyzed from the neck down." 4 Holiday: Independence Day recess. Gamble-Aires. 2 & 7:30pm. muscle structure and on how 'cartoony' Fortunately, the grovvth was a benign oday, Husband is grateful, for Artemus Ham Concert Hall. Figure Skating: Tour ofWorld Figure it is . For instance, if the character drops cyst, and Husband was not paralyzed by his health, his job, his family, S95-3S01. Skaring Championships. Time TBA. Thomas its arm, and then the arm stretches all the the operation. But they weren't so sure and his art. The next film he is & Mack Center. S95-3900. 22 Greenspun Lecture: way to tl1e ground and then pops working on is Hercules, due out this "Rabin: Our Lives, H is 5-9 National Dance Competition: New Rainbow right back up , tl1at's cartoony. summer. After that, he will Legacy." Lea Rabin. 7:30pm. Connection. All day. Artemus Ham Concert That works if tl1e character help create new segments Artemus Ham Concert Hall. Hall. S95-3S01. is Goofy. But if it's Snow for the updated version Mazowsze Polish Folk Ensemble S95-3S01. 7-12 University Theatre: Pre-Fighr Mini Workshop. White, no. There's a of ilie Disney classic, March 24 26 Holiday: Memorial Day Begins Sam daily. Judy Bayley Theatre. difference in how Fantasia. Mean­ recess. S95-3S01. much you can while, he finds time 31 Nevada Opera Theatre: Maggio Fiorentino. 11&12 Body Building: NPC-USA Body Building exaggerate the motion. to do freelance May 31, Spm; June 1, 2pm. Judy Bayley Championships. Times TBA. Artemus Ham These are the kinds of illustration jobs, Theatre. S95-3S01. Concert Hall. S95-3SOI. things we learned in the and he's willing to 14-31 University Theatre: Narional Srage Combat training program." lecture about anima­ JUNE 1997 Workshop. Begins Sam daily. Artemus Ham Husband passed the tion to just about any Concert Hall, Black Box Theatre & Judy trial period and soon found group that asks, from Bayley Theatre. S95-3S01. 1-13 Art Exhibit: BFA Exhibir. Weekdays, hin1self working his way up tl1e elementary school classes to the 9am-5pm. Donna Beam Fine Art Disney animation ladder. He first served Black FilmMakers Hall of Fame, Gallery. S95-3S93. as an "in-betweener" (the person who about how his motor skills would fare. which he has addressed each of the draws the character in between the key "After the surgery, they were very past five years. drawings that are provided by the concerned that I might have lost my During a recent visit to UNLV aninlator) for Frank Thomas, one of"the drawing skills. So my wife and brother for his interview with UNL V Magazine, nine old men." Husband went on to take kept pushing a sketch pad and pencil into Husband found time to speak to a Changes for Commencement 1997 higher positions, each requiring him to my hands to see if they were still there. I, group of university art students, accept increasing responsibility for the of course, had no idea what they were up providing them an overview of ilie Commencement 1997 has been set for a.m. with graduates and faculty from the characters he drew. to." aninlation process. He talked , May 10 in the Thomas and Mack Center. Col leges of Hotel, Liberal Arts, Urban Affairs, But then, in May 1978, a setback He did lose many motor skills about requirements of the job, including The ceremony will be somewhat different and Science. The afternoon ceremony, came. Husband found himself losing initially; he could hold a pencil, but he ilie ability to tell a story through a \ from past commencements, according to Don beginning at 1:30 p.m., will include the weight and feeling extremely fatigued couldn't control it. But over the course character, an aptitude for analyzing 1 Schmiedel, chair of the commencement Colleges of Business, Education, Engineering, with no idea of what was causing it. of the summer, he slowly recovered. action in order to capture it on paper, committee. Fine Arts, and Health Sciences. ) 11 "I took some time off to try and "I had to learn to walk again. I had and, of course, the essential drawing / In an effort to enhance the event and Each of the ceremonies is expected to catch up on my rest," Husband says. "I to learn to brush my teeth again," he skills. focus attention on the graduates, the com- last approximately 90 minutes. In remember lying in bed and getting a call says. "I was very aware of my balance and But, surprisingly, he left off his list mittee is implementing a plan to hold two each ceremony, graduates will proceed from Disney telling me that I had been trying to get tl1at back. That came back one characteristic he ought not have complete ceremonies on May 10. across the stage while their names are promoted to aninutor. I was so pleased, slowly. I remember taking little baby forgotten: the willingness to spend The morning ceremony will begin at 9:30 read. r;J but I just sort of whispered, 'thank you,' steps with a walker and eventually being some real, quality time with goats. r;J

24 + UNLV MAGAZINE SPRING 199 7 + 25 outstanding community service by Anthony V. Tamaccio Jr., '86 BS plants. She wrote to say she enjoyed charter member of the Las Vegas LisaK. Yao, '92 BS Chemistry, development in tl1e residential life Christopher K. Mitchell, '95 BA tbe Chamber of Commerce. The H otel Administration, is president of UNL V Magazine's recent story on alwnni chapter of the National Soci­ received her medical degree from the department at California Polytechnic Communication Srudies, is the week­ chamber also recognized her as an Tamaccio Brothers Inc. construction the Komodo dragon (Winter '96) ety of Black Engineers. He is also \~ce University of Nevada School of State University, San Luis O bispo. end sports anchor and a reporter "Outstancling YOLmg Woman of company .in New Jersey. He recently since they now "live" 11~th the chair of the professional development Meclicine in 1996. She is currently She received a master's degree in for KTVA-II, the CBS affiliate in '70s America." moved to Florida to continue his Komodos. committee for UNLV's Minority working as a family practice resident college student personnel from Mi­ Anchorage, Alaska. Willie attending career. He lives in Boca Raton. Engineering Program. in Las Vegas. anli University in Ohio in 1995. UNLV, he worked forKLAS TV-8 Chris Meyer, '84 BS Business Ad­ Stefanie Shields, '89 BA English, a as a sports producer. Brenda Judd Leake, '71 AA Nurs­ ministration, has been promoted to graduate ofUNLV's Honors Pro­ Michael Koester, '92 BS Athletic Sk-ye Campbell, '94 MEd Counsel­ ing, '86 BS Nursing, just completed' the position of director of sales at the gram, earned a law degree from Training, graduated from the Univer­ ing and Educational Psychology, is Albert Munoz, '95 BS Athletic 25 years of employment as a nurse at Sands Expo. He had been serving as Gonzaga School of Law in 1994. She sity of Nevada School of lvleclicine in the primary therapist and case man­ Training, is a cenified athletic trainer Swuise Hospital. In 1975, she be­ national sales manager and was the is currently an attorney with the law 1996. H e is now in his residency ager for the adolescent unit at and is currently working as the head came the first enterosromal therapist sales leader at the facility for five years firm of H. Roger McPike Ltd. in Las training in pediatrics at tl1e University Monrevista Hospital. She has written athletic trainer at Trevor Browne in Nevada. She is an avid traveler and in a row. Previously, he had worked Vegas. She practices in the areas of of Washington School of Medicine in and illustrated a children's book High School. He lives in Phoenix. made a trip around the world in at the Tropicana Reson & Casino, corporate and business transactions Seattle. dealing with the sudden deatl1 of a 1985. the Flamingo Hotel, and at tbe and construction. loved one and is hoping to have it David L. Vu, '96 BS Business Ad­ Marina Hotel & Casino. Stacy Ogletree-Sweeney, '92 BA published. ministration, is a supen,isor for Debra Croce Cameron, '78 BS Anthropology, is me research and Heakin Research, a marketing re­ Hotel Administration, has been a Anthony Tamaccio Jr. '86 development anal)'St for tl1e forensic lisa Yao '92 Beverly Campbell, '95 BA Social search firm. He will be tracking partner in tbe Incredible Graphics toxicology department at Associated Work, is a case manager for the state trends and opinions in tl1e computer company for 14 years. She oversees Pathologist Laboratories. She is of Nevada's Meclicaid section. She industry . He lives in San Jose, Calif. aU the computer systems of the John E. Avery, '87 BS Business responsible for the meiliod develop­ DeEtte Rashid, '93 BS iVlechan.ical assists high-risk pregnant women with design firm. After graduating from Administration, is the business man­ '90s ment of hair and urine drug testing, Engineering, has worked at Caterpil­ the M.O.M.S. (Maternal Obstetric UNLV, she worked in management ager oftbe Nevada clivision ofTRW utilizing both immunoassay technol­ lar Inc. in Peoria, Ill., as a design Management Sen>ices) Program. In of fine dining establishments in San Environmental Safety Systems Inc. ogy and gas chromatography/ mass engineer since 1994. She specializes 1993, she earned a certificate in Diego and in Rochester, N.Y. She TRW is the management and operat­ Darrin Brightman, '90 BA Sociol­ spectrometry. in three-dimensional modeling and gerontology from Ul\TL V. lives in Pirtsford, N.Y., ~~~th her ing contractor for tl1e U.S. Depart­ ogy, .is a communication officer witb design. She lives in Kewanee. husband, Jim, and sons Alex and ment of Energy for tl1e Yucca Moun­ the U.S. Marine Corps at Camp Christine Wagner, '92 BA Commu­ Michael W. Kopanski, '95 BA Max. Chris Meyer '84 tain Site Characterization Project. He Lejew1e in Nortl1 Carolina. He is nication Srudies, is producer of a Cheryl L. Sawyer, '93 BA Sociol­ Communication Sruclies, is a flight earned an MBA from Golden Gate plarm.ing to attend law school. He tele~sion program for KVVU TV-5, ogy, is a coordinator of student crew coordinator for United Airlines University in 1990. lives in Jacksonville, N.C. called NeJV Homes Las Vegas. at its headquarters in Chicago. Dona R. Brekke, '86 BS Biological Sciences, '89 MS Biological Sciences, William A. "Wick" Cannon, '90 BS graduated from the U n.iversity of Business Administration, earned an Osteopathic Medicine and Health MBA in finance and international '80s Sciences and Surgery in Des Moines, business from the University of St. Iowa, in 199 3. More recently, she Thomas in 199 5. He is a senior fm.ished a pecliatric residency at the programmer and analyst witb The Leticia Rivera, '83 BS Business University of California Irvine Medi­ Variable Annuity Life Insurance Administration, is principal of Sebeh cal Center. She currently is a traveling Company (VALIC). He lives in Elmentary School in the Harlandale doctor, crisscrossing the nation to fill Houston. Independent School District in San in for otl1er doctors. In July, she will Antonio. She received a governor's begin a pediatric carcliology fellow­ John Avery '87 Donna Dockery, '90 BS Hotel ______T~ofOeg~sl ______award for commitment to education ship at Denver Children's Hospital. Administration, '95 MBA, currently and also was given an award for is tbe food and beverage controller at Kenneth J. Erlanger, '86 BS Engi­ Kim Young-Kuy, '87 BS Hotel Treasure Island Hotel & Casino. She I neering, '94 MBA, is tbe president of Administration, .is tbe front office and her husband, John, had their I KJE Consulting Engineers Inc. The manager at tbe Hyatt RegenC)' Pusan second child, Mary Katherine, on corporation provides civil engineering in Pusan, Korea. Jan. 25, 1996. services. Sharon Diamond, '89 BA Commu­ Clark Gabriel McCarrell Jr., '91 BS D avid Pokorny, '86 BS Computer nication Stuclies, is tbe marketing Engineering, is an engineer at South­ Science, '93 MBA, is a senior pro­ research clirector at television station west Gas Corp. H e designs transmis­ ducer with Hashro Interactive in KLAS TV-8. sion md clistribution gas lines. He is Beverly, Mass. Hasbro Interactive president of the Southern Nevada creates interactive CD-ROM video Regina L. Steckel Neale, '89 BA chapter of tl1e American Society of games. Crin1inal Justice, .is living in Indonesia Heating, Refrigerating, and Air Leticia Rivera '83 where her husband is building power Conclition.ing Engineers and is a Entries should be mailed to: UNLV Class Notes, UNLV News and Public Information, 4505 Maryland Parkway, Box 451012, Las Vegas, NV 89154-1012 ...... , .~...... , ......

26 + U N LV MAGAZINE SPRING 199 7 + 2 7 Fishing For example, he explains, five million problem unless you have a sore, and years or so ago the world was cold with a then tl1ey clean it very nicely - maybe continued from page 13 lot of water tied up in glaciers. The too nicely," he says. Amazon Basin was then relatively dry, As if to suggest turnabout is fair play, a change of scenery. and evolutionary connections were he notes that his expeditions have He decided Hawaii would be a "nice broken. New species evolved, creating provided him with enough fish stories to place" for graduate study, and the new branches on the evolutionary tree, fill a book- a cookbook, tl1at is. He University of Hawaii fortunately had and Martin has been tracking those loves to eat fish and has sampled some . . scientists doing path-breaking work with changes. urugue spectes. DNA. For his Ph.D. in biology he did He returns to the Amazon periodi­ "Like a good biologist, I've sampled the aforementioned study that led to the cally to continue his studies of diversity, considerable diversity," he says. rethinking of the calibration of the and there, of course, he encounters He has tasted most types of coral-reef molecular clock. the Amazon's most infamous fish, the fish, and says the "weirdest looking has to Obtaining a post-doctoral fellowship piranha. be the bird wrasse," a small, blue tlsh from the Smithsonian Institution, Martin The first time he went to the Amazon with an elongated, bealc-like snout, next found himself on and in the Basin, Martin recalls, he didn't know whose flesh is also bright blue. waterways of the Amazon Basin in his piranhas could be found everywhere. Catfish abound in the Amazon, and continuing guest to understand "So I'm out there in the river, seining Martin has sampled about two dozen diversity. away, and the Venezuelan ichthyologists I varieties, including one specimen that was "We are interested in why there are so was with didn't say anything. Then, we "as big as a boat and another that had many species in the Amazon Basin," he pulled in tl1e net, and it was full of whiskers at least five feet long," he says, says. "It looks like there were brief piranhas." swearing he isn't exaggerating. periods of time when the creation of new Once he recovered from his initial Besides, as "fish stories" go, it would species was rampant, then everything shock, Martin found he could largely be hard to top the tale of the potentially pretty much stayed the same for awhile." ignore tl1e fierce fish. "They're no poisonous pufferfish. 1.1

Grounds look to one of the desert models - heavily on trees or plants such as either our own Mojave Desert, or the eucalyptus and cassia. Australian species continued from page 21 Sonoran, Chihuahuan, or Australian had become quite popular in Las Vegas Deserts. until one winter when many were lost in house one goes, the more drought­ He suggests tl1at from tl1e Mojave, a free ze. Homeowners who had gone tolerant the plants should become. they might pick a creosote bush or a too heavily in that direction found One common pitfall that Swartzell barrel, beavertail, or hedgehog cactus. If themselves having to replace many plants urges home gardeners to resist is the Sonoran Desert is their model, they at significant expense. making their yards in Las Vegas look might choose an ocotillo or a teddybear "You can mix and match. There's just like their previous yards did in cactus. The Chihuahuan Desert offers nothing wrong with that," he says. "The Baltimore, Seattle, Des Moines, or such ideas as the yucca, some native important tl1ing is that the homeowner San Antonio. grasses, or the Texas sage. have a yard that is unique to him or her. "That's a real common problem here. "Native grasses fit into the landscape Homeowners shouldn't be afraid to try For example, people bring in and want to very well and are low maintenance. And sometl1ing different as long as tl1e plants use weeping willow. And weeping willows many of them can be quite colorful. For are suitable for tllis climate. The UNLV are just the worst trees for Las Vegas. example, we've been leaning toward the Arboretum can help them in making tl1at They're just the pits when it comes to use of deer grass as of late," he says. determination. root problems, water consumption, "We're kind of excited about grasses, "Also, homeowners should bear in susceptibility to disease, and insect which seem to be the new trend in mind that Las Vegas is perhaps one of problems." water-efficient landscaping. They add tl1e toughest locations in the country to Swartzell says that instead of looking that soft touch." grow plants," Swartzell says. "They to the areas where they lived before Flora from the Australian desert should just think of it as a challenge moving to Southern Nevada for land­ can add variety to a yard as well, but and know that any success should be scaping ideas, Las Vegas gardeners should Swartzell warns against relying too savored." 1.1

28 + UNLV MAGAZ I NE Heir Apparent Heirs Unapparent

our child. Your spouse. during your lifetime. And that gift will If you haven't yet made a bequest y;elatives. Close friends. Your have far-reaching ramifications, to the University of Nevada, estate plan should provide for affirming UNLV'smi ssion of educa­ Las Vegas, please consider it. all the obvious beneficiaries. tion, touching the lives of students for If you have already included a gift to years - even generations - to come. But what about the heirs who are less UNLVas part of your estate plan, apparent? What about, for example, Your bequest will literally form the please let us know. We want to thank the students of the University of bedrock of our programs, providing you now by including you in our Nevada, Las Vegas? much needed dollars for faculty UNLVHeritage Circle. The UNLV support, curriculum initiatives, and Heritage Circle is a special group of A growing number of people are scholarships for our future leaders. donors and friends who, through their including UNLVin their bequests. planned gifts, will make a tremendous Clearly, they understand that they impact on UNLV's future. have both the privilege and the responsibility of assisting future enerationsBuilding If you're interested in making a generations of students. And they're ~ Nevada's provision for UNLVin your estate using their estate plans as a vehicle. Future plan, you can call the UNLVFounda ­ tion at (702) 895-3641 and ask about A bequest to the University of Nevada, Generations. It's our program to Las Vegas is a rare opportunity to inform people about the benefits of make a life-transcending gift - one charitable gift planning. that will perpetuate your ideals, your hopes, your values. Ask for our free brochure on estate UNLV planning. We'll send you information F 0 U N D A T I 0 N By providing for UNLVin your estate about the numerous giving options as plan, you can often make a much 4505 Maryland Parkway well as preferred bequest language for larger gift than would be possible Las Vegas, Nevada 89154-1006 review by your lawyer. Construction is underway on the university's new $8.25 million, on the south side of the campus near the Houssels House, was ' 75,000-square-foot Architecture Building, which is expected to designed by Swisher Hall Architects and is being built by Tibesar be completed in July 1997. The building, which will be located Construction. The rendering above shows its north elevation.

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