FRIDAY, APRIL 10, 2009 THE EXPONENT VOL. 123 - NO. 59 www.purdueexponent.org PURDUE’S INDEPENDENT DAILY STUDENT NEWSPAPER TALENT WNBA DRAFT Lindsey Wisdom-Hylton and Student guitarist to audition with ‘Idol’ star Danielle Campbell sign on to the By Ben Colbrese the first time in about six years he WNBA. Assistant Features Editor hasn’t been in a band. See SPORTS, Page 14 Although Lombardo still has to When one Purdue student posted audition April 24, Overmyer said she his information on a musician net- hasn’t looked at many other musicians. working Web site, he never expected a “Around here, you can’t be a QuickREAD recent “American Idol” star to answer. professional musician in Indiana. I “I was definitely surprised, and I mean you can, I am, but there Your minute read for what is important to Purdue and the world. felt a bit honored,” said David aren’t that many around,” she said. Lombardo, a junior in the College Lombardo said he’s excited about of Technology. the possible opportunity to work Finance committee Amanda Overmyer, a local musi- with Overmyer, and if he is picked approves $2 increase in cian from Mulberry, Ind., and 11th- he plans on touring with them and men’s basketball prices place finalist in season seven of playing as much music as he can. On Thursday afternoon, the “American Idol”, said she was looking “It’s a real experience and, to me, University Finance Committee for a young musician out of Purdue to it’ll be a real honor to play with approved a $2 increase in general replace the lead guitarist in her cur- such an artist,” he said. admission men’s basketball tickets rent band. When she came across He also said although he is happy for the 2009-2010 season. Lombardo’s posting, Overmyer said to make some new connections in No increases were proposed for she contacted him via e-mail. the music industry, what’s most student fees. John Shipley, interim “I saw that he was looking for a job important to him is the music itself. vice president for business services as a guitar player, and he has a pretty “Everyone in music has their own Photo provided by Dave Lombardo Pictured here with his guitar, David Lombardo, a junior in the College of and assistant treasurer, said the price impressive resume,” said Overmeyer. dreams and goals and, for me, I Technology, will audition to join “American Idol” finalist Amanda for faculty and staff tickets will Lombardo, who has been playing never wanted to be a big rock star; I Overmyer in her band. Overmyer contacted Lombardo after seeing his increase but will remain less than guitar for seven years, said this is just wanted to play music,” he said. information on a musician networking Web site. general admission tickets. Shipley said the move will help recoup about 45 percent of the TRANSITION BLINDNESS RESEARCH $570,000 loss resulting from having 17 games in the 2009-2010 season as opposed to the 20 the team played Professor Professor this season. For this season, National Invitation Tournament offered Purdue the option of having three more takes dean looks for link games, a move Shipley said does not happen every year. position in The Board of Trustees will vote on between the increase Friday. Colorado Senator may drop state By Liz Rushmore human, fish alcohol tax hike proposal Staff Reporter INDIANAPOLIS – A top state sena- tor says he’ll likely drop his proposal Purdue proves to be an effective edu- retinal to double Indiana’s alcohol tax cational breeding ground for collegiate statewide to help fund the struggling faculty. agency that runs the major After attending Indianapolis sports stadiums. graduate school at diseases Republican Sen. Luke Kenley of

Purdue and returning Jason Kracji | Graphic Artist Noblesville tells The Associated as a faculty member Press he’s probably going to amend for eight years, By Tiffany Teeguarden genetic architecture underlying all “He carried out all of the his proposal to instead give Marion department head of Assistant Campus Editor these problems,” Leung said. “So I experiments, and I provided County an array of options, including agronomy Craig decided to study the genetic net- comments along the way, but the possibly a local option alcohol tax. Beyrouty Beyrouty has accepted One Purdue professor’s research works that control eye develop- research was very much his,” Kenley says he suggested the a position at Colorado State University. with zebrafish eyes could help solve ment, which I believe is the basis Dowling said. “I think his work is statewide alcohol tax hike thinking it There, he will serve as the dean of the the problem of blindness in for studying diseases.” outstanding, that it breaks new might help the funding plan win sup- College of Agricultural Sciences. humans. For the basis of his collaborative ground.” port. The tax would have funneled “This is a high-octane environment,” Yuk Fai Leung, research, Leung used an interesting Dowling said he believes Leung’s money to cities and towns around the said Beyrouty. “The autonomy of the an assistant pro- subject. research will lead to new insights. state, and Indianapolis would have department made for a level of experi- fessor of biologi- “I used zebrafish, a great verte- “In my view, it provides an put its $8 million share toward its ence and opportunity that allowed me cal sciences, does brate model system that has eyes approach that will eventually tell us cash-strapped Capital Improvement to grow professionally.” research which more similar to humans than mice much about how a piece of the Board. In his time at Purdue, Beyrouty dras- involves studying or rats,” he said. “I studied a genetic brain develops, something we still But Kenley says the statewide tically increased faculty, restructured and finding treat- mutant of zebrafish in which the know too little about,” he said. alcohol tax increase raised contro- the undergraduate curriculum and Leung ments for retinal retina is not developing properly.” Leung’s research will benefit versy instead of support. Kenley says added new programs as well as degenerative dis- He then compared the mutant every human being and current eye the bill could be changed as early as research areas. He was part of the eases that cause blindness in retinas with normal retinas in disease research that is being done. Monday. department of agronomy’s largest hir- humans. The National Eye terms of gene expression, and used “Our work is laying down the Source: Staff Reports and Associated Press ing scheme ever. Research in the areas Institute said that blindness or low a tool that allowed him to measure framework of normal development of climatology, spatial technology and vision affects 3.3 million more than 15,000 gene expres- for interpreting what goes wrong biotechnology is now being pursued as Americans age 40 and older. Poor sions. in disease,” Leung said. “My group CORRECTIONS a direct result of his leadership. His eyesight can sometimes be attrib- “From there we identified 731 at Purdue will continue to build advances have all led to better educa- uted to retinal degenerative dis- genes that were not expressing nor- tools to study global gene net- In a story in tion for students and a better depart- eases, such as diabetic retinopathy mally in the mutant retina,” he said. work.” Wednesday’s edition of the ment of agronomy for Purdue. and age-related macular degenera- “We have been trying to put these His research requires many dif- Exponent, titled “Purdue “The position at Colorado State is a tion. genes together in regulatory net- ferent academic fields and an array student competes on great opportunity for Craig,” said Leung said it is hard to under- works, which is one of the research of different researchers who are ‘Wheel of Fortune,’” the air George Van Scoyoc, professor of stand the problems with the disease focuses of my laboratory at willing to help. date of the episode was agronomy. “He’s been a very good or cure it unless a person has a deep Purdue.” “I think this is only possible in a incorrect. The segment will department head.” understanding and appreciation of John Dowling, the Gund Professor school like Purdue University, that air at 7 p.m. Wednesday, As for what he will miss the most, its development. of Neuroscience at Harvard and we have many different schools April 15. Beyrouty said, “I’m going to miss the “I was studying genetics for vari- Leung’s supervisor/mentor during with different talents,” he said. people. I would be absolutely remiss if I ous human eye diseases as a gradu- his research at Harvard, wrote in an “This was indeed one of the original In a story in the didn’t say this: I am going to miss the ate student and became strongly e-mail that Leung was a motivated reasons that drew me here to con- Thursday edition of the students, they are like a family to me.” aware of the complexity of the worker. tinue my research program.” Exponent, titled “Engineering Fountain G-20 flags reflect crisis in the Middle East,” Yaseen Kadura was misquoted. Experts: Obama impresses world leaders during trip The 1,389 flags represented those who have died in the By Jeff Berglund watched by political scientists cate that he will be less com- ing on a lot of issues. I think he Gaza conflict between Dec. Staff Reporter back home, and the reviews mitted to imposing the United gets points for ambition. He 27, 2008, and Jan. 18, 2009. have begun to come in. States’ market vision on the was well received by many President Barack Obama “President Obama, who is world and will re-commit the countries with differing politi- The Exponent regrets has given the United States’ very popular in Europe and in United States to the use of cal views.” these errors. foreign policy a facelift. most places around the world, diplomacy as a tool of interna- While Clark said Obama Obama arrived in the was a big hit in Europe,” said tional relations.” made a good impression, she nation’s capital early Harry Targ, a professor of Ann Marie Clark, an associ- explained he did not get every- Weather Wednesday morning, conclud- political science. ate professor of political sci- thing he wanted out of his trip. Today Saturday ing an eight-day overseas trip. “For almost 30 years, diplo- ence, said Obama was success- One of the goals on which T-storms Partly His travels spanned six differ- macy was replaced by threats, ful in part because he was able Clark said Obama fell short cloudy ent countries, beginning with demands and military inter- to give other world leaders the was getting more ally countries 47/32 56/31 the G-20 economic summit in ventions,” Targ said. “The sense that he was listening to to send troops to Afghanistan. Index London and ending with a sur- agreements (Obama) reached them. “It doesn’t seem like he has prise visit to the troops in Iraq. with the other G-20 countries “The first impression is very been able to get many concrete Express 3 Comics 8 AP Photo Opinions 6 Sports 14 President Obama smiles in The president’s debut on the and his comments on the important. I think he did pret- promises for help from the Classifieds 7 Turkey on Tuesday. world stage was closely U.S.’s role in the world indi- ty well,” Clark said. “He’s tak- NATO countries,” Clark said.