Cornell CHRONICLE CHRONICLE ONLINE: www.news.cornell.edu JANUARY 30, 2009
5 INSPIRED BY EDEN 7 THE BUZZ IN MANN 8 INNOVATIVE AND INFLUENTIAL Apparel design senior The library expands Founder of Priceline.com Jay Walker Jessie Fair wins top prize online access to rare ’77 will named Cornell’s Entrepreneur for asymmetrical gown. beekeeping volumes. of the Year. New hardship fund will help Cornell employees affected by the recession
BY SUSAN KELLEY
The university has launched a hardship fund to help employees who are facing fi nancial diffi culties. All faculty and staff – except for those at Weill Cornell Medical College – will be able to apply to the fund for a one-time grant, starting in July, according to Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources. LINDSAY FRANCE/UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY Continued on page 9 Vice President for Human Resources Mary Opperman in her Day Hall offi ce.
Skorton says budget cuts needed to protect Cornell’s ‘strength and character’ President David Skorton reported in a Jan. 25 state- • Reducing expenditures in the operating budget for • Raising tuition for 2009-10 for undergraduate ment to the Cornell community that budget cuts will fi scal year 2010 by 5 percent, or $50 million, at Cornell’s students in Cornell’s endowed colleges by 4 percent be necessary to alleviate a 10 percent budget shortfall Ithaca campus and by 8 percent, or $13 million, at Weill (the smallest increase since 1966) and in the university’s resulting from the current national economic crisis. The Cornell Medical College in New York City; statutory colleges by 7.2 percent; and board of trustees has approved various actions “to pro- • Planning for an additional 5 percent budget cut on • Drawing an additional $35 million from the endow- tect the strength and character of Cornell, while dealing the Ithaca campus for fi scal year 2011; ment for increased student fi nancial aid. with fi nancial challenges that impact all aspects of the • Suspending annual Salary Improvement Program Skorton’s full statement to the Cornell commu- university’s balance sheet,” he said. raises for many faculty and non-bargaining-unit staff nity is online at
Milstein Hall gets fi nal site Page 3: Administrators approval from city of Ithaca respond to fi nancial challenge BY DANIEL ALOI Development Board. The board’s vote was the culmi- • Walsh: Endowment is in good shape for long term Paul Milstein Hall cleared its nation of 15 months of municipal • Golding: Planning for budget cuts for fi scal year 2011 fi nal municipal hurdle Jan. 27 review of the project, fi rst proposed • Phlegar: Annual gifts on pace, new giving down with a unanimous 6-0 vote in 2000 to expand facilities for Cor- on fi nal site plan ap- nell’s College of Architecture, Art • Trustees: Tuition rises, new B.A., named professorship proval from the city of and Planning (AAP). Ithaca’s Planning and Continued on page 8 Four professors named 2008 Weiss Presidential fellows
BY SUSAN S. LANG neurobiology and behavior; Mary Beth Norton, the Mary Donlon Alger Professor Four Cornell faculty members have of American History; and Richard Rand, been chosen for the 2008 Stephen H. Weiss professor in the Sibley School of Mechani- Presidential Fellowships for excellence in cal and Aerospace Engineering. teaching and advising undergraduate stu- The awards – $5,000 a year for fi ve years dents and outstanding efforts to improve for each faculty member – are named for instruction on campus. Stephen H. Weiss ’57, the late emeritus RENDERING BY ESKQ/PROVIDED They are Bruce Ganem, the Franz and chair of the Cornell Board of Trustees, Milstein Hall’s cantilever design was the original preference of the project architect, Rem Kool- Elisabeth Roessler Professor of Chemis- who endowed the program. The awards haas and his fi rm, the Offi ce for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA)-New York. try; Ronald Harris-Warrick, professor of Continued on page 8 2 January 30, 2009 Cornell Chronicle
Frank Sinatra 3
Bolivian constitution 4 Local auto industry 5 Women MBAs 6 Cornellians in the news
“I think the key thing is that it’s critically tied to Big Red Athletics the two major universities in the area. In that sense, some of the employment is fi xed and very strongly Track and Field connected with the universities.”1 Vicki Bogan, assistant professor of applied economics and management, on a new report suggesting that Ithaca’s job market is expected to stay strong partly because more than 15,000 people are employed by either Cornell University or Ithaca College. NEWS 10 NOW, JAN. 20.
“That hit home for me, because I never felt in danger during my entire trip. It was just hard to think if I had still been up there.”
Freshman Adam Fisher on recently returning from an uneventful trip to Israel and reading about a rocket strike from Lebanon in the border region he had 2visited. NY JOURNAL NEWS, JAN. 11. “Sinatra enormously expanded the emotional palette of his art, incorporating shades of self-pity, longing, rage, bitterness, panic and despair that no popular singer had previously touched.”
Roger Gilbert, professor of English, on “Frank Sinatra: the Man, the Music, the Legend,” a collection of scholarly PROVIDED essays about the singer, edited by Jeanne Fuchs and Ruth Prigozy. CHRONICLE OF HIGHER EDUCATION, JAN. 23. 3 Senior Jeomi Maduka broke three long-jump records Jan. 24. Senior Jeomi Maduka continued to shine as she led the Big “The mind-boggling text may have the ratifi cation of Red to a fi rst-place showing at the Upstate Challenge in the majority, but it might not be the recipe for a viable Barton Hall on Jan. 24. The women’s team fi nished with 294 points, with second-place Buffalo earning 115 points. Maduka country.” broke the Barton Hall, Cornell and Ivy records in the long jump, clearing 21-9, only the third collegiate mark of at least Edmundo Paz Soldán, associate professor of Romance studies, on Bolivia’s new that distance dating back to 2001. The Cornell men’s team constitution, which recognizes 36 different indigenous4 groups, some with fewer posted eight wins and six IC4A qualifying marks in claiming than 100 people, in a country where three main indigenous groups wield much a win at the Upstate. The Big Red tallied 226 points, well of the infl uence. THE NEW YORK TIMES, JAN. 25. ahead of second-place Buffalo’s 176-point total. Basketball “I think it says it’s good that they’re taking it slow on the slowdowns.” The Big Red men won their seventh straight contest, defeating Art Wheaton, director of labor studies for the ILR School in Buffalo, on the area’s industrial plants, which are Columbia 83-72 on Jan. 24 at Newman Arena. All fi ve Cornell holding up better than many others around the country during the economic downturn. BUFFALO NEWS, JAN. 21. starters scored in double fi gures, with Alex Tyler matching a career-high 19 points along with seven rebounds. The women’s 5 team snapped a six-game losing streak and earned its fi rst Ivy League win of the season. Rallying from a 12-point fi rst-half “It’s also part of a wider effort to attract more women applicants.” defi cit, the women defeated Columbia 58-53. Camilla Morgan, assistant director of admissions and marketing for the Cornell-Queen’s University Executive Fencing MBA program, on the school’s Web site, which, on its home page, features a photo of a female executive, repre- senting the program’s new, less male-dominated persona. WALL STREET JOURNAL, JAN. 21. The Big Red continued its 2008-09 season Jan. 25 after a 6 seven-week hiatus. Cornell traveled to Princeton, N.J., to take part in the Princeton Duals, winning four of its fi ve matches with eight fencers posting winning records. Cornell was led “We always saw a little bit of this, but it was in people already identifi ed by its foil team as Rebecca Hirschfi eld, Dana Baines and Jes- as having a psychiatric disorder. What doesn’t seem to make much sica Tranquada all had 10 wins for the Big Red. Junior épéeist sense is why we’re seeing it so much in seemingly healthy kids.” Katherine Thompson led Cornell with a 13-2 record.
Janis Whitlock, human development faculty member, on the growing number of teenagers and young adults who Polo deliberately embed needles, paper clips or staples in their skin. FORT LAUDERDALE (FLA.) SUN-SENTINEL, JAN. 7. The men’s team opened its winter season with a 27-1 victory 7 over Skidmore on Jan. 24. Cornell improves to 8-2 for the Collected by Erik Bjarnar, Cornell Press Relations Offi ce. For information contact pressoffi [email protected]. season. The Big Red will play host to Virginia on Jan. 31. www.news.cornell.edu Cornell Chronicle January 30, 2009 3 Senior administrators respond to fi nancial challenges
ALL STORIES BY SUSAN KELLEY Walsh: Despite economic downturn, Cornell’s endowment is in ‘very good place’ for the long term
Despite the economy’s downturn, Cor- Skorton noted “the loss of 27 percent in nell’s endowment is in relatively good our endowment over the past six months.” health, according to James Walsh, the However, he said, “in order to maintain our university’s chief investment offi cer. historic commitment to student fi nancial While the endowment has decreased by aid and to fund the two fi nancial aid initia- 27.3 percent in the past six months, on av- tives announced last year, there will be an erage it has increased by 6.7 percent each additional endowment draw of $35 million year over the past fi ve years, he said. for undergraduate fi nancial aid in 2009-10.” “We are a long-term investor with a Walsh noted that Cornell is less vul- perpetual timeframe, compared to those nerable to the market’s vicissitudes than investors who need their money today,” peer universities, because it doesn’t rely Walsh said. “In the long term, we’re actually on its endowment as heavily as others to ROBERT BARKER/UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY in a very good place. The endowment is cover the operating budget. The endow- James Walsh meets with students in his offi ce in this photo from 2007. structurally strong. We’ve got a lot of cash ment pays for about 11 percent of the on the balance sheet, which gives us the op- university’s day-to-day expenses, accord- guard assets and leverage market oppor- credit and in distress debt managers. portunity to invest going forward, and we ing to Joanne DeStefano, vice president tunities. As the fi nancial markets began “While no one can deny that there don’t have to sell if we don’t want to. Plus, for fi nancial affairs. That’s less than half to weaken in the fall, they signifi cantly is a lot of uncertainty concerning the we’ve got a very engaged investment com- of what some other universities draw reduced the endowment’s exposure to outlook going forward, assets appear mittee working alongside the investment from their endowments. “Such schools equities and commodities, resulting in a much better valued today than they have offi ce to identify the best opportunities.” as Harvard and Yale have relied up to cash position of around 10 percent at the been in some time,” Walsh said. “And In his Jan. 25 message to the Cornell 30 percent to 40 percent on their endow- start of 2009. This not only slowed the when we’re looking to get returns to the community on the best ways to manage ment for several years,” Walsh says. decline of the endowment’s value as the university over the next fi ve to 10 years, the university’s fi nances in the face of the Cornell’s endowment managers have market weakened, it also provided mon- we think we’re in a good position to do national economic crisis, President David been taking several measures to safe- ey to increase investments in specialist that.”
Golding: Planning to begin for 2011 budget cuts
Beginning early February, Executive Vice be thoughtful and engage the broader to stay the course and maintain suffi cient President Stephen Golding and Provost community to ensure we are successful,” fl exibility such that as the situation chang- Kent Fuchs will begin a strategic planning said Golding, the Samuel W. Bodman es we can adapt and adjust to it,” he said. process with the goal of looking ahead Executive Vice President for Finance and In his statement, Skorton also said that nearly a year-and-a-half to the start of fi scal Administration. the campus construction pause has been year 2010-11. The cuts will fol- extended through June 30. That pause Their goal is to ‘Cornell is a strong institution, low a 5 percent ($50 represents well over $500 million in create a second and it has lots of resources at million) budget cut construction spending, Golding said, in- 5 percent budget its disposal. We need to in Ithaca and an 8 cluding a new university health services cut on the Ithaca percent ($13 million) facility, scheduled to begin in 2010. Proj- campus from remember that even while we spending reduction ects have also been deferred in the areas organizational make some tough decisions to at Weill Cornell of utilities infrastructure and planned effi ciencies and try to weather this storm.’ Medical College, ef- maintenance. In addition, the creation revenue enhance- — Stephen Golding, executive vice president fective this coming of a fi nancial management system that ments. They will July 1, as announced manages construction cash fl ow has been launch cross-campus teams to assess by President David Skorton in his Jan. 25 put on hold, Golding said. such functional areas as facilities, infor- message to the Cornell community. “What we’re trying to do collectively mation technology, fi nancial adminis- But as the university seeks to deal with is chart a middle course,” he said. “We tration, and environmental health and a 10 percent budget shortfall, the spending recognize that the currents could change. ROBERT BARKER/UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY safety to fi nd more effi cient, effective reductions over the next two years will fol- And hopefully we’ve left enough fl exibili- Executive Vice President Stephen Golding in his Day Hall offi ce. ways to provide those services across the low a reasonable approach, said Golding. ty that we’ll be able to change with them.” campus, Golding said. “Our challenge is to focus on a set of He added, “Cornell is a strong institu- “It takes time to do these functional realistic parameters – not overly optimis- tion, and it has lots of resources at its while we make some tough decisions to revues correctly, because we need to tic, not overly pessimistic – that allow us disposal. We need to remember that even try to weather this storm.”
Phlegar: Annual gifts on pace as Board actions include tuition rise, new campaign giving dips new B.A. and named professorship
In the face of a weakening economy, there the fund raised At its meeting in New York City Jan. in 2008-09. is a seeming paradox to giving to Cornell’s $21.5 million. 22-24, the Cornell Board of Trustees In addition, the board approved the $4 billion capital campaign. On the one Cash gifts to unanimously approved a number of creation of a bachelor of arts degree in hand, fi scal year 2009 donations to the Cor- the campaign actions, primarily an increase in tuition statistical science in the Faculty of Com- nell Annual Fund, which is included in the in fi scal 2009 and a package of budget cuts described puting and Information Science. campaign, are on pace with those for fi scal are higher than by President David Skorton in his The trustees also approved the creation year 2008 – Cornell’s best year ever for fund- a year earlier message to the campus community as of the Burton M. Sack ’61 Professorship in raising – and cash gifts to the campaign because donors protecting the university’s “strength and Food and Beverage Management in the are higher than a year ago. On the other are making good character.” School of Hotel Administration. Sack, who hand, says Charles Phlegar, vice president on pledges they The board approved a 4 percent tuition pledged $3 million to fund the professor- for alumni affairs and development (AAD), made in previous increase for undergraduate students in ship, got his fi rst job at 13 washing dishes new commitments to the campaign are years. And alum- Phlegar Cornell’s endowed colleges for 2009-10 at Howard Johnson’s. He worked his way down by 50 percent compared with this ni who are 70 and older – many of whom – the lowest endowed tuition percent- up at the company from advertising assis- time last year, and gifts of stock were down have shifted their wealth into more stable age increase at the university since 1966. tant to senior vice president and developed by 85 percent in December, compared with investments – are also giving generously. Tuition for undergraduate students in the the Ground Round restaurant chain. the month a year ago. Even so, said Phlegar, giving to the university’s statutory colleges will rise In 2001 he established the Burton M. “People are continuing to make their campaign is down overall as the nation’s by 7.2 percent, refl ecting comparable dol- Sack Restaurant Education Endowment, annual gifts at all levels, which is a real economic woes worsen. “When we ask lar increases in endowed and statutory- which has supported the work of Alex sign of support for Cornell,” Phlegar people for money,” he noted, “people resident tuition, and establishing a Susskind, associate professor of food and said. The Annual Fund, which receives aren’t saying ‘no’ as much as ‘I just can’t contract non-resident tuition identical to beverage management and director for unrestricted support given to meet do it right now.’” the endowed. (See tuition tables at http:// the Hotel School’s concentration in hospi- Cornell’s greatest needs, stands at $11.1 But this decline must be seen in the www.cornell.edu/president/docs/tu- tality facilities and operations. In 2003 he million for fi scal year 2009. That pace is context of a very high level of giving. ition-fees-fy2009.pdf.) Graduate research named the Sack Family Hospitality Suite in keeping with fi scal year 2008, when Continued on page 8 tuition will remain at the same levels as in the Beck Center. 4 January 30, 2009 Cornell Chronicle
Chronicle Online Web site invaded by Leader in plasma physics Ravi Sudan dies at 77 BY ANNE JU the “whistler instability,” the physical ate the best kind of work from the people hackers Jan. 26 mechanism causing low-frequency radio who worked with him.” Cornellians who visited the Chronicle Ravi Sudan, the emissions from the magnetosphere. His Sudan fi rst came to the School of Online Web site early in the morning of IBM Professor Emeri- later research included contributions Electrical Engineering in 1958, joining Jan. 26 would have discovered that the tus of Engineering at to the theory of plasma instability and professor Simpson “Sam” Linke’s lab as front page had been invaded by hack- Cornell and a leader turbulence, as well as pioneering work on a research associate in the fi eld of electric ers, who replaced the usual front page in the fi eld of plasma the generation and propagation of intense power and machinery. with one of their own. The defaced page physics, died Jan. 22 ion beams. Sudan’s initial research with Linke in remained up for about an hour. in St. Petersburg, Fla. Sudan in 1989 Sudan was born in 1931 in Chinani, power circuit breakers and the physics of Because there are several links from He was 77 years old. India. After earning his B.A. from the Uni- electrical breakdown in vacuum was what the Cornell University front page to the Sudan, who became an emeritus faculty versity of Punjab in 1948 and his D.I.I.Sci. stimulated his interested in the then-emerg- Chronicle Online, some visitors mistaken- member in 2001, served as director of the from Bangalore in 1952, he moved to ing fi eld of plasma physics. In the early ly reported that the university front page Laboratory of Plasma Studies from 1975- England on a Tata Fellowship to work on 1960s, Sudan developed and introduced two had been hacked. Apparently the hackers 85, in the School of Electrical Engineering his Ph.D. at Imperial College, University senior- and graduate-level plasma-physics thought so, too, since their message read (now the School of Electrical and Com- of London, which he completed in 1955. courses in electrical engineering and ap- “Cornell University HacKed!!!” puter Engineering). He co-founded, with He came to Cornell in 1958 as a research plied and engineering physics. The hackers claimed to be from Iran, Kenneth G. Wilson, the Cornell Theory associate, was appointed to full professor Among Sudan’s many accolades and their substitute page included the Center in 1984, serving as that facility’s in 1968 and in 1975 was named the IBM throughout his career was his 1989 receipt words “Persian Gulf For Ever” (sic). The IP deputy director from 1985-87. Sudan also Professor of Engineering. of the James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plas- address from which they connected to the served as head of theoretical plasma phys- Sudan was “a very focused person and ma Physics from the American Physical Chronicle Online site appears to be locat- ics at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory scientist,” said David Hammer, the J. Car- Society. In 1994 the Academy of Science ed in Iran. However, it is possible that the from1970-71. lton Ward Jr. Professor of Nuclear Energy of the Czech Republic awarded Sudan the IP address simply belonged to a machine Sudan made many contributions to Engineering, who worked with Sudan in Gold Medal for Physical Sciences. used as a remote jumping-off point. the fi eld of plasma physics, beginning developing intense ion beams. “He was a He is survived by his wife, Dipali, and The Chronicle Web server computer with his 1963 independent discovery of very strong leader [who] tried to gener- extended family. contained no confi dential or personal information. Chronicle staff members are working with the Cornell Information Technologies Security Offi ce to determine exactly how the University editor Jo Ann Wimer dies at 66 break-in was effected and to prevent future attacks. The Security Offi ce offers a scanning Jo Ann Wimer, retired university editor, qualities – and a tenac- A member of Phi Beta Kappa, Wimer service to detect potential vulnerabilities in died at Cayuga Medical Center Jan. 22 after ity in correcting errors graduated summa cum laude from the Web servers and can assist administrators in a long bout with cancer. She was 66. – to everything she University of North Carolina, Chapel setting up fi rewalls to keep servers and other Wimer worked in Cornell’s Offi ce of worked on, from short Hill, with a B.S. in zoology. In the 1960s, critical computers safe. For more information Publications and Marketing (formerly the pamphlets to large, she worked for the United Nations and see
Writers: Daniel Aloi
BY CATALINA LUPU Cries of “abracadabra!” fi lled the Statler Atrium Jan. 24 as wandering magicians Mike Stanley and Mickey Mars delighted scores of families and community members with their card, coin, rubber band and puzzle tricks. As children laughed in disbelief, Stan- creating this synergy of art and science.” ley asserted, “That’s what happens when At one table in Statler Hall, children magic and science combine.” learned to make origami in the shape of That was the general theme in the “Hall rockets and cars. Nearby, a model steam- of Wonders,” a presentation of interactive boat ran on candlepower to demonstrate displays of science, art and music in Statler the mechanics of steam power. Meanwhile, Hall, Jan. 24. The exhibit was part of the an- complex audio-kinetic sculptures by local BETH SPERGEL/UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY nual Light in Winter Festival of Science and artist George Rhoads ticked and swayed Noel Yap, a researcher in plant breeding, teaches origami to Sean Norton, left, and Maura Mc- the Arts, which some 6,000 people attended, gently as families gathered to watch. Cavley in the Light in Winter festival’s Hall of Wonders in Statler Hall Jan. 24. Jan. 23-25, at venues in Ithaca, including Children were also invited by Fam- Cornell, which has been one of its sponsors ily Math, a local group that organizes Math instructor and a local graphic designer. Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s exhibit al- since the festival began six years ago. weekly club meetings, to try out Scratch, Farther down the hall, Kevin Ernste, lowed children to paint and decorate tiles Barbara Mink, founder and artistic direc- a programming language that is used by Cornell assistant professor of music and celebrating urban birds. tor of the festival and a senior lecturer in the students in public school math clubs. director of the Cornell Electroacoustic Johnson School, noted that “Cornell faculty “Part of learning is fi guring out why it Music Center, revealed his digital music- Catalina Lupu ’10 is a writer intern at the and performers have been mainstays in doesn’t work,” said Larry Clarkberg, a Family composing and recording software, and Cornell Chronicle.
‘Evil’ fungig are beauteous and benefi cial, Cornell mycologist says BY JENNIFER PHILLIPS ute fungi that infect people and eye, she concluded she would and inside of these microscopic With more than 70,000 identi- animals, so-called evil fungi. For either need to “shrink herself to species, as well as time-lapse fi ed species, the fungi kingdom example, one species, Massopora a size of about 5 millimeters” or photographs of fungal growth is one of the most diverse, ac- cicadina, inhabits and proliferates employ the help of someone or on strawberries that cause the cording to Kathie Hodge, Cornell in cicadas, causing damage at the something else. familiar f uzzy white mold on t he associate professor of mycology. most inconvenient of times: “While When she asked Kent Loeffl er, fruit, a rancid smell and the straw- But 95 percent of the fungi in the they are fl ying around looking for a photographer with the Depart- berries’ eventual shriveling.
a mate, their butts fall off,” Hodge ment of Plant Pathology, to look Hodge also noted how un-
world are yet to be discovered.
said. Despite the title of her talk, into it, his research uncovered a derappreciated her fi eld is and
That is why the study of fungi
Hodge resisted putting the organ- borescope – an instrument that r efer r e d her aud ie nc e to t he Cor nel l
is still evolving, said Hodge in
isms into good and evil categories, has since opened a new frontier Mushroom Blog K as fungi perform a symbiotic role of mycology by fi nding a way of cornell.edu/mushroom_blog/> E Fungi for Good and Evil,” Jan. 25, N T L with many plants and are highly “capturing a bug’s eye view” of and to the second fl oor of Mann O i n Cor nel l’s Ma n n Libra r y a s pa r t EF FL of the Light in Winter Festival of adaptable, she said. fungus and “letting us look into Library, where some of Loeffl er’s ER Sciences and the Arts. Hodge said that when she plac e s we h ave n’t lo ok e d b efor e,” fungi photos are on exhibit. Kent LoefflerLoeffl er’s’sphotoofthefungus photo of the fungus Mi- Jokingly dubbing herself an realized she preferred to study Hodge said. crostoma fl occosum was taken with the “evil mycologist,” Hodge said microscopic fungi, rather than Hodge incorporated in her Jennifer Phillips ’09 is a writer tiny camera lens of a borescope. she investigates primarilyprim min- those that be seen with the naked lecture images of the underside intern with the Cornell Chronicle. Architecture programgram Apparel design senior wins top prize at reclaims top rankingnking international event with ‘Eden’ gown BY DANIEL ALOI BY SHERI HALL Cornell’s bachelor’s program in architecture received the It was imagery of the Garden of Eden that inspired top ranking in the annual survey conducted by DesignIntel- apparel design student Jessie Fair ’09 to create a fl owing, ligence (DI) magazine. The 2009 list marks the fourth time in asymmetrical gown of silk duppioni and organza that fi ve years that Cornell’s undergraduate architecture program evokes a lush garden. has ranked fi rst in the top 20 architecture programs in the The piece was awarded the top design prize at the annual United States. In 2008, the program was ranked second. meeting of the International Textile and Apparel Associa- The M.Arch. program was ranked sixth; the fi ve-year- tion Nov. 5-8 in Schaumburg, Ill. The award for Fair will be old graduate architecture program has placed in the top a two-week internship in London with renowned British 20 for the past three years. Both programs are in the designer Zandra Rhodes. College of Architecture, Art and Planning. “Jessie is an extremely talented designer who has pro- The rankings were based on a survey conducted at duced outstanding work,” said Ann Lemley, chair of the more than 200 U.S. architecture fi rms and organizations. Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design. “She is Leading fi rms were asked about which academic pro- a great example of the synergy that occurs when someone grams best prepare students for professional practice. with such talent joins our program and has the opportunity Those surveyed have direct experience hiring and to work with our extraordinary faculty.” evaluating the performance of recent architect graduates. Fair’s garment was selected from 138 entries submitted by More than 900 architecture students were also surveyed colleges around the world. Her prize-winning design, “Eden,” about their satisfaction with their educational programs. feat u res a da rk tea l si l k duppion i u nder-layer w it h a n over-layer The dress, Eden, by The publication also lists the best schools for interior of a light green silk and shimmering metallic organza. The fi nal Jessie Fair ’09 won design and landscape architecture. Cornell’s interior outer layer is a slub-textured silk in a subtle shade of green. top design prize at design program, in the College of Human Ecology’s “I wa s i n spi red by t he bibl ica l Ga rden of Eden i n t he Book the annual meeting of Department of Design and Environmental Analysis, of G e ne si s,” Fa i r ex pla i ne d. “I lo ok e d at s evera l pa i nt i ng s t h at the International Tex- received high marks, ranking fourth out of 10 for the referenced Eden, but the main inspiration was the written tile and Apparel As- undergraduate program and third for the graduate literature. I wanted to capture a lush, green landscape.” sociation Nov. 5-8 in program. Cornell’s landscape architecture program in the She used a variety of intricate construction techniques Schaumburg, Ill. The dress is modeled by College of Agriculture and Life Sciences ranked fi fth for to create the gown, including free-motion machine embroi- Sara Cahill ’10. both the undergraduate and graduate programs. dery, thread collage and beading. The motifs of vines and DI also introduced The Cramer Report: America’s World leaves were made with silk and wool and hand-sewn to the Class Schools of Architecture. This report notes architec- dress. The top layer uses fused Angelina fi bers to create a ture programs that have distinguished themselves, based shimmering grass effect. on specifi c criteria, including ranking by professional practices, rankings by deans and chairs, student evalua- Sheri Hall is assistant communications director for the Col- tions and program accreditation. lege of Human Ecology. SHAI EYNAV 6 January 30, 2009 Cornell Chronicle science & research Researchers uncover how protein receptors on cells switch on and off for growth and health BY SUSAN S. LANG that form by budding out of the cyto- plasm and into the interior of the MVB. ornell researchers have provided new insight into The ESCRT machinery, Emr’s team the molecular mechanism underlying an essen- found, deforms the cell membrane to Ctial cellular system. They have discovered how generate these internal vesicles. receptors on cell surfaces turn off signals from the cell’s The team’s fi ndings also suggest environment, a function that is vital for cell functions that the machinery assembles by such as growth, division and death. forming a ringlike fi lament that The fi ndings, reported in the Jan. 9 issue of the journal Cell encircles receptors that need to be (136:1), have important implications for better understanding packaged in the MVBs. cancer, AIDS, neurodegenerative disorders and other illnesses, “This ESCRT ring also serves because such diseases can result when receptors go awry by as a scaffold to direct the topology failing to turn off, a function known as down-regulation. of membrane deformation,” Emr A wide variety of receptors, which are composed of pro- said. The ESCRT ring helps viruses teins, at the cell surface control interactions between cells and like HIV deform the membrane and their environment. The machinery responsible for down-regu- thereby bud out of the cell, forming the lating the cell surface receptors is called ESCRT (for endosomal free virus that can then go on to infect sorting complex required for transport). This machinery healthy cells in AIDS patients. packages receptors into temporary transport structures called “Diverse biological processes – MVB forma- multivesicular bodies (MVBs) that control the down-regulation tion, cell division and viral budding – share the PROVIDED and, ultimately, the degradation of the receptors. same budding topology,” Emr explained. “Interest- Cornell research- Using baker’s yeast as a model genetic system, researchers ingly, these seemingly unrelated processes all require the ers report on how so- working with Scott Emr, director of Cornell’s Weill Institute function of the ESCRT machinery.” called ESCRT machinery on a for Cell and Molecular Biology and professor of molecular “In addition, Suraj Sakena and David Teis, postdoctor- cell’s surface uses a ring-like fi lament as part of its transport biology and genetics, have discovered how the ESCRT ma- al fellows in my lab, have used an elegant fl uorescence- function. This illustration shows HIV budding from the surface chinery directs the formation of the MVB transport structure. based approach to defi ne the sequence of this process, of a host cell. The ESCRT ring helps HIV deform the membrane “The ESCRT machinery catalyzes a transport reaction as well as the assembly and disassembly of the ESCRT and thereby bud out of the cell forming the free virus that can that is topologically opposite to most other intercellular machinery,” Emr said. then go on to infect healthy cells in AIDS patients. transport reactions in the cell,” said Emr. “Considering the role of the ESCRT proteins in dev- In other words, rather than forming small membrane astating human diseases like AIDS (see illustration), a new drugs for the treatment of these diseases,” Emr said. vesicles that bud into the cytoplasm of the cell, like those that detailed biochemical understanding of how ESCRT pro- The research was funded in part by the National Insti- deliver secreted insulin to the cell surface, the MVB mem- teins function will certainly enhance future biotechno- tutes of Health, the Robert A. Welch Foundation and the brane compartment contains membrane vesicles within it logical developments that could result in the discovery of Weill Institute for Cell and Molecular Biology. Language evolution theory Mosquitoes create harmonic chooses culture over biology love song before mating BY SUSAN KELLEY language would have had to start out as BY SUSAN S. LANG a product of culture,” said Christiansen. Language is “However, because cultural evolution is That pesky buzz of a nearby mosquito is a hallmark of orders of magnitude faster than biologi- the sound of love, scientists have known humans, a species cal evolution, language would have been for some time. But a new Cornell study unique in the ani- subject to rapid change similar to other reports that males and females fl ap their mal kingdom for its cultural products. So the fast-changing lan- wings and change their tune to create a linguistic complex- guage is a moving target with which the harmonic duet just before mating. ity and fl exibility slow-changing genes can never catch up.” Cornell entomologists have discovered and unbounded The authors conclude that a language-spe- that male and female mosquitoes (Aedes capacity for expres- cifi c, genetically encoded universal grammar aegypti), which can spread such diseases PROVIDED sion. But Cornell Christiansen as yellow and dengue fevers, “interact can be ruled out on evolutionary grounds. Graduate student and co-fi rst author Lauren psychology professor Morten H. Christians- The paper is co-authored by Nick Chater at acoustically with each other when the two Cator records mosquito sound to study how en challenges the idea that human language University College London and Florencia are within earshot – a few centimeters of mosquitoes that carry yellow and dengue fe- stems from a genetic blueprint – an idea that Reali at the University of California-Berkeley. each other,” said Ron Hoy, professor of vers use sound in mating. has dominated language sciences theory In a second paper published in Behavioral neurobiology and behavior. for more than 40 years. Instead, he says, the and Brain Sciences (Vol. 2008, No. 31) (ac- The study is available online and will To study mosquito mating calls, the neural machinery used for language likely companied by 28 peer commentaries and the be published in a February issue of Sci- researchers tethered mosquitoes and fl ew predates the emergence of language itself. authors’ responses), Christiansen and Chater ence, said Cornell associate professor of them past each other while recording the “We’re arguing argue that language entomology and mosquito expert Laura fl ight tones with a special microphone. that language has is a culturally evolved Harrington, a co-senior author on the Co-fi rst author Benjamin Arthur, a post- changed over time to ‘As Darwin suggested, the system, not a product study with Hoy. doctoral researcher in Hoy’s laboratory, fi t the human brain, evolution of human language of biological adaption. “The frequency at which males and fe- placed electrodes in the mosquitoes’ not the reverse,” said may be best understood in This is consistent with males converge is a harmonic or multiple auditory organ in their antennae dur- Christiansen, co- terms of cultural evolution, not the other recent pro- of their wing-beat frequencies, which is ing playback to measure physiological director of Cornell’s biological adaptation.’ posals that language approximately 400 hertz [vibrations per responses of the mosquitoes to the sounds Cognitive Science — Morten H. Christiansen, psychology professor arose from humans’ second] for the female and 600 hertz for of potential mates. Program and exter- unique capacity for the male,” said Hoy. The researchers hope that their work will nal professor at the social intelligence. The mating duet, generated just before provide new ways to better control of mos- Santa Fe Institute in New Mexico. He is the “As Darwin suggested, the evolution of the couple mates on the fl y, settles at quito populations in places where yellow senior author of a study published online in human language may be best understood around 1,200 hertz – roughly an octave and and dengue fevers are signifi cant problems. the Proceedings of the National Academy of in terms of cultural evolution, not biologi- a half above concert A (the pitch to which “By studying these fl ight tone signals, Sciences (PNAS, 106:3). cal adaptation,” Christiansen said. Thus, instruments are tuned – the A that has a we may be able to determine what kind of The research presents new evolutionary although this year’s celebrations of the frequency of 440 hertz and is above middle information males and females consider im- evidence that undermines the theory of bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth and C). “That is signifi cantly higher than what portant when choosing a mate,” said co-fi rst “universal grammar,” championed most the 150th anniversary of the publication of was previously thought to be mosquitoes’ author Lauren Cator, a Cornell graduate famously by linguist Noam Chomsky. More “On the Origin of Species” primarily focus upper hearing limit,” he added. student who works with Harrington. “This recently, this theory has been popularized on biological evolution, the two papers Interestingly, the mosquitoes adjust the will allow us to release ‘sexy’ transgenic or by Steven Pinker, author of “The Language by Christiansen and colleagues highlight harmonic resonance of their thoracic box sterilized males that will be able to success- Instinct,” who argued that all world lan- Darwin’s additional important contribution to produce a harmonic frequency that con- fully compete with wild populations.” guages tend to have similar structures and to the study of cultural evolution. verges at a frequency that is the female’s The study was funded by the U.S. De- uses because humans have evolved through The research was supported in part by the third harmonic (three times her funda- partment of Agriculture and by a $19.7 mil- natural selection to become “hard-wired” Human Frontier Sciences Program, a Charles mental frequency) and the male’s second lion Foundation for the National Institutes with genes uniquely adapted for language. A. Ryskamp Fellowship from the American harmonic (two times his fundamental of Health grant awarded to Harrington Christiansen and his colleagues used Council of Learned Societies (to Christians- frequency). The study also is the fi rst to and a global team of scientists to cure den- computer simulations to show that genes en), and a Major Research Fellowship from defi nitively show that contrary to previous gue fever and control the mosquitoes that specifi c for language could evolve only if the Leverhulme Trust as well as grants from thought, female mosquitoes are not deaf. transmit the viruses that cause it. language does not change. the Economic and Social Research Council in “There’s a general consensus that the United Kingdom (to Chater). Hear mosquitoes duet online at www.news.cornell.edu. www.news.cornell.edu Cornell Chronicle January 30, 2009 7 Edited by Susan Lang [email protected] FOCUS ON learning & teaching PROVIDED/MARK VORREUTER Hotel and Johnson schools team to offer real-world sustainability course BY GEORGE LOWERY Global poverty, climate change, ecosystem degradation and other issues are being tackled in a new course offered by the School of Hotel Administration and the Johnson School. The four-credit Sustainable Global Enterprise Practicum in the Hospitality Industry, open to Cornell undergraduate and graduate students, began in October with an enrollment of 15. “Students get cutting-edge theory with on- leaders in the sustainability movement.” the-ground experience,” said Mark Milstein, Students are examining the effi ciency of Students in the course Textiles, Apparel and Innovation worked with senior citizens to de- director of the Center for Sustainable Global HEI operations; green building and design velop concepts for clothing products that would make life easier for the elderly. Here, the Enterprise and lecturer of Strategy, Innova- of HEI properties; and a long-range project students explain their fi nal concepts to the seniors who collaborated with them. tion and Sustainable Global Enterprise at the on sustainability trends in hospitality do- Johnson School. Milstein teaches the course, mestically and internationally and how they which he developed with Tom Ward, manag- may affect HEI. “We’re building a model ing director of the Hotel School’s Leland C. for the course that incorporates fl exibility and Mary M. Pillsbury Institute for Hospital- and freedom to prepare our students well ity Entrepreneurship. by giving industry what it needs to move “The hospitality industry must take forward more effectively,” said Milstein. Students create new concepts to the lead in confronting social and envi- “The class has been a great learning ronmental issues, such as global poverty, experience,” said David Shapiro, a Hotel help elderly in everyday life climate change and ecosystem degrada- School graduate student. “Professor Mil- tion. Through this partnership, we aim to stein has given us an opportunity to discuss BY SHERI HALL “Easy Pants,” a machine that allows the user help students fully appreciate the need for global sustainability trends and apply them to thread their pants onto a set of metal sustainable business practices,” said Ward. to the hospitality space, an industry that o improve the lives of senior citi- clamps. The user then lowers the pants, The course ran the last seven weeks of has been slow to adapt. Interacting with zens, Cornell students have devel- steps onto a footpad, and then presses a the fall semester and continues the fi rst HEI gives us real-world exposure to the oped concepts for a portable button that raises the pants to waist level. seven weeks of the spring term. Students hospitality industry and makes our educa- T machine that allows seniors to put on their Another team applying for a patent created do fi eld work – collecting data, conducting tion and recommendations even more rel- pants without bending over, a winter coat “Assis Manteau: The Wheelchair Jacket.” A interviews – during winter break. They are evant. There is a great opportunity to help that provides protection from the impact brainstorming session with local seniors in- working in teams on three projects with facilitate positive change in the industry.” of a fall and a jacket that is easy to put on spired the idea, said Kara Brass, a junior ma- HEI Hotels and Resorts, a hotel investment Across campus, courses are emerging and take off while sitting in a wheelchair. joring in fi ber science and apparel design. and operating group led by Hotel School that teach students to apply sustainabil- The projects were part of the course Tex- “Many of them had talked about having alumni Gary Mendell ’79 and Stephen ity principles in the age of globalization, tiles, Apparel and Innovation this past fall, loved ones who were in wheelchairs, and Mendell ’82, who also contributed funding and Milstein’s and Ward’s centers plan to taught by Juan Hinestroza, assistant profes- how so many different activities were hard for the fi rst fi ve years of the course. foster further collaboration. Their fi rst sor of fi ber science and apparel design in the when assisting someone in a wheelchair,” “We believe this course will benefi t joint effort, which will be offered again College of Human Ecology. The course is one she said. “The seniors talked about how the students, sponsoring companies and next year, is promising. of a series of intergenerational courses spon- hard it was to put a jacket on someone in a environment,” said Gary Mendell. “Stu- “I think it’s going very well,” Milstein sored by the Living Environments Aging wheelchair and to take it off.” dents will develop and refi ne their critical said. “We’ve got students who are en- Partnership, which is funded by the Founda- Her group couldn’t have developed the analysis and decision-making skills, while gaged, we have interesting projects, we’ve tion for Long Term Care and the Corporation concept without the senior citizens’ input, executives will gain new perspectives on got this company that is involved and for National and Community Services. she said. “The specifi c elders that my group what they might do to become innovative committed. We are where we want to be.” This is the third year that the class worked with were very enthusiastic, had worked with local senior citizens to de- so much knowledge to bring to the table, velop their concepts. The collaboration not and tons of ideas of their own,” she said. only gives senior citizens the opportunity Working with seniors also provided in- to voice their ideas but also helps students spiration to make their product the best it What’s happening apply their knowledge to real-world prob- could be, Brass said. lems, says Hinestroza. “Their enthusiasm made this project that “They’re three generations apart, and yet much more important to my group,” she Visual computing expert Tsuhan they work together very well,” he said. “It’s said. “We realized that people really were such an interesting dynamic.” in need of the product we were designing Chen leads School of Electrical And, Hinestroza said, the project ideas and would defi nitely buy it if it were on the “keep getting better and better.” market one day.” and Computer Engineering This is the second year that several of the Chen project teams are applying for patents. Sheri Hall is assistant communications BY LAURA MCGRATH the administrative point of view while Among them is the team that developed also attracting a research star who can director for the College of Human Ecology. Tsuhan Chen, an expert in visual com- take the department in new directions,” puting from Carnegie Mellon University, said Chris Ober, interim dean of the Col- joined the Cornell faculty earlier this lege of Engineering. month as director of the School of Elec- Chen earned his B.S. from National Tai- trical and Computer Engineering. wan University and M.S. and Ph.D. from Chen succeeds Clifford Pollock, the Ilda the California Institute of Technology, all spotlight: ON MANN AND BEES and Charles Lee Professor of Engineer- in electrical engineering. He worked at ing, who served as director since 2001. Bell Labs before Carnegie Mellon. Cornell’s Albert R. Mann Library has added the fi rst 20 volumes of The American “[Cornell’s] depth and history immedi- In 2007 Chen was elected a fellow of the Bee Journal, a key American beekeeping publication, to its Hive and the Honeybee ately got my attention,” Chen said. “But Institute of Electrical and Electronics En- online library of historical beekeeping materials, thanks to support from beekeep- what really impressed me is how the gineers (IEEE), which recognized Chen’s ers across the country. contributions in the area of multidisci- faculty have stayed so dynamic over the The American Bee Journal (ABJ), the fi rst English-language journal devoted to the years, constantly fi nding new ways to do plinary multimedia signal processing. beekeeping fi eld, has been in print since 1861 and has featured contributions by such things – staying out in front.” Recognized as an outstanding educator major apiculturists as L.L. Langstroth, Henry Alley, Moses Quinby and A.I. Root. Chen joined Carnegie Mellon’s engineer- as well as researcher, Chen received the ing faculty in 1997 where he served as Benjamin Richard Teare Teaching Award The ABJ’s fi rst 20 volumes, now available at BY KATHY HOVIS Walker is best known as founder of Internet pioneers most responsible for “chang- to Cornell graduates who exemplify entre- Priceline.com, the billion-dollar travel ing the competitive landscape of almost every preneurial achievement, community service ay Walker ’77, company. He also co-founded Synapse, a industry in the world.” Newsweek cited him and high ethical standards. Recipients chairman of company that used the credit card process- as one of three executives at the forefront of include Sandy Weill ’55, former chairman JWalker Digital ing network to revolutionize the magazine the Internet commerce revolution. of Citigroup; Howard Milstein ’73, co-chair- and founder of Priceline. subscription business. For his work as Syn- Walker graduated from Cornell in 1977 man, president and chief executive offi cer of com, has been named apse’s marketing leader, Walker won the with a B.S. degree in industrial and labor Emigrant Savings Bank; Kevin McGovern the 2009 Cornell En- Direct Marketer of the Year award in 1999. relations. He serves on the board of World ’70, chairman and CEO of McGovern Capi- trepreneur of the Year. Currently, Walker leads a team that Information Transfer, a United Nations tal LLC; and Robert Toll ’63, chairman and He will be honored on Walker launched the world’s leading Web site for nongovernmental organization, is a chief executive offi cer of Toll Brothers Inc. campus during the En- English-language learning, yappr.com. frequent speaker on college campuses and A committee of Cornell alumni, faculty and trepreneurship@Cornell Celebration April 16-17. A prolifi c inventor, Walker is named on appears often on TV and radio shows. students select recipients. Walker has founded a number of success- more than 800 issued and pending U.S. As the Cornell Entrepreneur of the For more information visit the Entrepre- ful startup companies, including Walker and international patents. Year, Walker will give a public address on neurship@Cornell Web site Rand Hall will have necessary access through its connec- site plan application (for both Milstein Hall and the park- continued from page 1 Milstein tion to Milstein Hall. “Milstein Hall will go all the way ing garage) were approved by the planning board on Jan. toward addressing those space and accessibility issues that 6. The Ithaca Landmarks Preservation Commission also Groundbreaking is possible by early spring, project are long-standing and immediate,” said Department of approved the project at its Jan. 14 meeting. manager and associate university architect Andrew Architecture chair Mark Cruvellier, one of many faculty “From a design standpoint, new projects on central Magre ’90 said, although no date has been set. members who have spoken in favor of the Milstein project campus can be very challenging,” Magre said. “This The proposed building, designed by Rem Koolhaas and the over the course of the approvals process. “Going forward, project is an elegant solution that transforms an under- Offi ce for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), will add 43,000 it will help ensure that the department and the college utilized area of campus into a vibrant landscape while square feet of program space to existing AAP facilities. It will remain at the forefront of design education.” simultaneously providing much-needed space for the house new studio, gallery and meeting spaces and a 275-seat The project also includes the Central Avenue Parking College of Architecture, Art and Planning.” auditorium. The cantilevered building will extend over Uni- Garage, a three-level structure (two underground, one The Milstein Hall project was initially funded in 2000 versity Avenue and connect to Sibley and Rand halls. aboveground) adjacent to Milstein Hall and providing 199 by a $10 million gift from New York City real estate de- “Architecture is always a cultural and civic act,” said parking spaces – a net gain of 91 spaces over the existing veloper and philanthropist Paul Milstein and his family. Kent Kleinman, the Gale and Ira Drukier Dean of Architec- parking lot north of Sibley and Tjaden halls, said land- OMA was chosen to design the building in January 2006 ture, Art and Planning. “With Milstein Hall, we’re building scape architect Kim Michaels of Trowbridge and Wolf, after two other designs were considered and abandoned in a fashion that respects the architectural legacy of the LLP. The surface level will be accessible from University – a $25 million, seven-story glass cube overlooking Fall setting while advancing the standards of excellence and Avenue and the underground levels from Central Avenue. Creek, proposed by Steven Holl Architects of New York inquiry that Cornell embodies. I am convinced that we have Before the Ithaca planning board vote, Magre pre- in 2000; and a long, narrow building designed in 2002 by a design that delivers both the pedagogical instrument we sented samples of the building materials to be used in Barkow Leibinger Architects of Berlin. need and one that contributes in a very substantial way to Milstein Hall – window glass, extruded aluminum, stone OMA unveiled its original design in September 2006 and the quality and renown of the institution.” and a striated marble intended to complement the grey revised it in 2007 to a cantilever plan that did away with a row of The new facility is needed to help the college meet both and white exterior of Sibley Hall. supporting columns along the north side of University Avenue. accessibility and academic accreditation standards. Recent The fi nal site plan vote was the third municipal ap- “My opinion of this project totally turned around when construction work to comply with the Americans with proval given to the project in the past month. A fi ndings you got rid of those columns,” Ithaca planning board Disabilities Act has been completed in Sibley Hall, and statement on environmental impact and the preliminary chairman John Schroeder ’74 said after Tuesday’s vote. Phlegar continued from page 3 Weiss continued from page 1 “We have to remember that our fundrais- honor excellence in teaching, ing totals are not that far off from what we advising and outstanding were doing three years ago,” Phlegar said. contributions to undergraduate “We have just increased [our fundraising] education. To date, 50 faculty so radically over the last three years that members have been named we’re benchmarking from a very high Weiss fellows. number.” The 2008 recipients will But many are continuing to respond to be honored at a ceremony in the campaign’s stronger emphasis on rais- May by the Cornell Board of ing funds for undergraduate scholarships. Trustees. Ganem Harris-Warrick Norton Rand “Without a doubt, fi nancial aid is really a Ganem, who has been on passion for Cornell alums. We’ll be spend- the Cornell faculty since 1974, ing a lot of time on that in the years to has developed a wide range of Cor- committee was unanimous in their sup- horizons and to keep exceeding her own come,” said Phlegar. nell courses and has been consistently port of him, citing his record of “sus- high teaching standards,” the committee The emphasis refl ects President David praised, said the Weiss committee, for tained excellence as an inspirational and observed. Skorton’s commitment to the univer- being “stimulating, clear and well orga- dedicated teacher, educational innovator, Norton is the recipient of four honorary sity’s undergraduate population and to nized. His fl exibility in teaching style is mentor and scholar.” degrees and a Woodrow Wilson fellow- economic diversity. The campaign aims remarkable.” His mastery of the class- His teaching excellence has been recog- ship and has been a Pulitzer Prize fi nalist, to raise $350 million for undergraduate room is best captured by a student in one nized with the 2007 SUNY Chancellor’s a Guggenheim fellow and the recipient of scholarships, as well as additional funds of his courses with almost 1,000 students: Award in Teaching and the College of Ag- awards from the National Endowment for for graduate fellowships. “What was most striking ... was that [he] riculture and Life Sciences’ 2008 Edgerton the Humanities. Despite the downturn, the campaign’s had the undivided attention of nearly Career Teaching Award. Rand, a member of the Cornell faculty scope and timeframe remain the same: every student for 50 minutes a day, three to raise $4 billion over fi ve years, Phlegar Norton, on the faculty since 1971, “has since 1967, “has gained a reputation as an days a week, over the course of the entire been an extraordinarily effective and inspiring, enthusiastic and brilliant lec- said. “Those needs are clearly defi ned, semester.” and we’ll continue to work toward them. committed teacher of Cornell undergrad- turer and a dedicated and patient adviser Described as “extremely infl uential uates for almost 37 years,” said the Weiss to students. By any measure, he is one of We’re at about $2.5 billion, with three in advising and mentoring,” Ganem is years remaining in the campaign.” committee. Described by a colleague the best teachers in the College of Engi- the recipient of the Clark Distinguished as “a dynamic, highly organized and neering,” the Weiss committee noted. A Until the economic tides turn, AAD Teaching Award, the Catalyst Award of staff members are hard at work, and demanding lecturer,” Norton has devel- former student wrote that he was “easily the Chemical Manufacturers Associa- oped and taught very successful courses the most lucid and compelling instructor traveling more, to stay engaged with tion and the Camille and Henry Dreyfus potential donors. The staff is also working on American constitutional law and on I have had to date.” The committee wrote, Teacher-Scholar Grant. on a new online social networking system colonial American history. “Her mas- “Letters from undergraduates empha- for all Cornellians and new programming Harris-Warrick, a member of the tery of the material was breathtaking,” size his kindness and patience and his for current students and young alumni. Cornell faculty since 1980, is described said a former student, now a professor willingness to meet with them outside of Campaign-related events are selling out as “a superb teacher, cherished mentor, himself. Recognized as playing a central regular offi ce hours.” across the country. innovator of courses and a top scientist.” role in establishing and developing the Rand is the recipient of numerous “We’re seeing more activity and more One student wrote that he is “one of those Cornell Women’s Studies Program (now teaching awards, including eight citations interaction with donors and prospects than rare teachers who can make his students Feminist, Gender and Sexuality Studies), for excellent teaching by the engineering we’ve ever seen,” Phlegar said. “But we come to class because they truly want to, Norton is described as “a natural” who honor society, two dean’s prizes for in- realize that people’s fi nancial situations not because they feel they must.” Another “continues to inspire current generations, novation in undergraduate teaching, and have changed drastically, and we have to student noted that “his accessibility to never resting on past laurels but always two College of Engineering Excellence in be thoughtful about approaching them.” students was extraordinary.” The Weiss seeking both to expand her students’ Teaching Awards. www.news.cornell.edu Cornell Chronicle January 30, 2009 9 DIVISION OF HUMAN RESOURCES ONLINE: www.ohr.cornell.edu Cornell families giving care WDELQ is offering the following events this spring to Cornell faculty, staff and students who are taking care of elderly or ill adults. All take place in 304 Duffi eld Hall from noon to 1:00 p.m. unless otherwise noted: Feb. 5: “Share the Care - Creating a Network for Those in Need” After their own experience with the major illness and expanding needs of a close friend, two women share an informal model they have developed for organizing a care group that meets the individual’s needs and doesn’t burn out the caregiver. Visit Dutcher says the group is helping her learn “how to com- partmentalize,” so that she can see her caregiver role as only one part of her life, “so that it doesn’t become all-consuming.” Participating in the network, she says, is helpful because the people “are safe and welcoming. You feel that you are not the only person in the world facing these challenges.” Cornell also offers referrals to local resources in Tomp- JASON KOSKI/UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY kins County, such as to the Offi ce for the Aging, which Andrea Dutcher, director of the Helen Newman Recreational Facility, left, talks to dependent care consultant Eileen McCoy Whang Whang rates as “excellent.” Whang also helps Cornell about the Caregivers Support Network that allows Cornellians to share their experiences caring for elderly or ill relatives. families fi nd resources outside of Ithaca. “I will fi nd out what is available in another location and, if the family wants, will do some of the legwork for them,” she says. Through a series of e-mails to established e-mail lists, CU provides resources for staff WDELQ updates Cornell caregivers on such useful in- formation as the many workshops Cornell offers. Cornell also helps provide child care for visiting faculty and who care for elderly, sick relatives conference attendees. Whang noted that her WDELQ colleague, associate director Michelle Artibee, works with supervisors and BY MARGUERITE SPENCER help faculty members, staff and students share stories and employees to tailor a fl exible work schedule to accommo- advice about looking after elderly parents or spouses. The date the demands of both caregiving and the workplace. f employees who are taking care of elderly group, which meets once a month, is aided by counselor “Many people have said they’re so pleased that Cornell relatives feel they have the support of their Cindy Glanville of the Employee Assistance Program, who has this commitment to helping employees and students “Iemployer, they will be more productive, more addresses the emotional concerns of network members. balance their work/life needs and that the university cares loyal. With some fl exibility, there could be less absentee- Andrea Dutcher, for example, director of the Helen A. enough to make these services available,” says Whang. ism and greater retention of staff,” says dependent care Newman Recreational Facility, is the primary caregiver She urges Cornell faculty, staff and students who need consultant Eileen McCoy Whang of Cornell’s Offi ce of for her elderly parents who live more than three hours help caring for family members to visit Cornell’s Hu- Workforce Diversity, Equity and Life Quality (WDELQ). away in Canton, N.Y. Dutcher’s 91-year-old father suf- man Resources Web site to learn about Cornell’s wide For the past year and a half, this area of the Division of fered a major stoke in 2004 and her 85-year-old mother range of services at: can expect a pro-rated bonus, Opperman Opperman continued from page 1 said. “It’s hard for everyone to go without a Empire Plan changes for Cayuga salary increase. But some fi xed costs hit the The new fund is being established to lower paid among us even harder. It’s an Medical Center psychiatric services ease the impact of the suspension of raises attempt on our part to ease that a little.” for many employees under the Salary Im- Although Skorton noted in his message Effective Jan. 1, psychiatric services re- or your designee must call within 48 hours provement Program for fi scal year 2009- the budget cuts will result in additional ceived at Cayuga Medical Center are consid- or as soon as reasonably possible. 10. President David J. Skorton announced job losses, the priority, he said, is to avoid ered out-of-network for Empire Plan If you do not call to obtain pre-admis- the suspension in his Jan. 25 message to layoffs whenever possible. Opperman participants. The Empire Plan is one of the sion certifi cation, a $200 in-patient penalty the Cornell commu- emphasized that health-care plans offered to Cornell’s contract will be applied, if it is determined your nity, while noting layoffs are a last ‘We will work through these college staff and faculty. Medical care and hospitalization is medically necessary. that the university resort and only a diffi cult times together and substance abuse treatment services received is “committed” to small percentage Substance abuse care and medical health emerge a stronger community.’ at Cayuga Medical Center are still considered resuming salary in- of the university’s care at Cayuga Medical Center continue to be — Mary Opperman, vice president for human resources in-network under the Empire Plan. creases for 2010-11. 8,000 nonacademic covered on an in-network basis for Empire Plan “We’re trying to employees will lose Mental health services are reimbursed participants. The reimbursement is as follows: acknowledge that we know that asking their jobs, although some job loss is inevi- out-of-network in the following way: No deductible or out-of-pocket maxi- people to do without a raise for a year will table. Employees losing their jobs will have 90 percent of billed charges are covered mum applies for in-network care. have consequences for our employees and up to six months of job placement services by the plan after a $363 deductible; 100 100 percent of medical care and substance their families,” Opperman said. from an external outplacement service and percent after the $1,000 coinsurance maxi- abuse care is covered after a $60 copayment Guidelines are still being worked out, a Cornell case manager, and support in mum per enrollee is met. per visit. The copayment is waived if you are and more information will be available obtaining severance pay and benefi ts. Note: The $363 non-network mental admitted to the hospital as an inpatient di- in June. Offi cials have not yet determined “These are challenging times on the cam- health deductible and $1,000 out-of-pocket rectly from the hospital emergency room. the size of the fund or the application pus,” said Opperman. “Staff and faculty maximum do not count toward meeting Pre-admission certifi cation is required criteria, Opperman said. “Our funds are have come together to suggest ideas for cost the Basic Medical deductible or Basic Med- within 48 hours after an emergency or ur- obviously limited – otherwise we’d be savings and to support one another. We will ical coinsurance maximum of Empire’s gent hospital admission. If you do not call, giving out raises. But what we have, we’ll work through these diffi cult times together regular (non-mental health care) medical a $200 inpatient penalty will be applied, if give to those who need it the most.” and emerge a stronger community. Until health care coverage. it is determined your hospitalization is In addition, the university is providing an then, I encourage staff who are concerned Remember, whenever you seek care from medically necessary. annual bonus for some staff. Regular non- about their own job security to speak with a provider who is out-of-network, you must If you have questions regarding partici- bargaining full-time staff members earning their supervisors, to talk with their human call the Empire Plan at 1-877-769-7447 and pating providers, call the Empire Plan at $40,000 per year or less can expect a $750 resource representatives or to seek out sup- choose OptumHealth before seeking treat- 1-877-769-7447 and listen to the prompts. You bonus in their fi rst July paycheck. Regular, port services such as the Employee Assis- ment to obtain pre-admission certifi cation. may wish to contact Cayuga Medical Center part-time staff in the same salary range tance Program. My door is always open.” For an emergency or urgent admission, you at 607-274-4400 to discuss payment options. 107 January 30, 2009 Cornell Chronicle THINGS TO DO UNIVERSITY PHOTOGRAPHY/FILE PHOTO Junior First Lego League Expo. See No. 7. print from the Library of Polly want a lecture? Congress, will be accom- 1. Noite Brasileira 4. panied by pianist and si- The College lent fi lm historian Philip A concert of Brazilian music Carli. Proceeds from chosen by Cornell ethno- of Veterinary Medicine the event will support musicologist Steven Pond Cornell Cinema’s pro- will be held Saturday, Feb. presents a parrot gramming. Tickets are 1, at 3 p.m. in Barnes Hall. $50 each ($90 for a pair); Chicago-based Dois no behavior and training $25 for students ($40 a Choro (pictured)– a fl utist, pair), available starting guitarist and singer – will workshop Feb. 7 at 10 a.m. in Monday, Feb. 2, in 104 play traditional and con- Willard Straight Hall or temporary choro, samba, the Veterinary Medicine by calling 255-3522. frevo and bossa nova. Also PROVIDED PROVIDED performing: Remeleixo, a Center, Room guitar/saxophone duo from C2539. Presenter Barbara Heidenreich, author of “Good the Ithaca College faculty Bird! A Guide to Solving Behavior Problems in Compan- 7. Model weather and Cornell’s own samba ion Parrots” and “The Parrot Problem Solver: Finding Solutions to Aggressive Behavior,” advocates positive The Cornell NanoScale Facility hosts the Third Annual group, Deixa Sambar. Free Junior First Lego League Expo Saturday, Jan. 31, at 1 p.m. PROVIDED and open to the public. reinforcement and careful observation of bird body lan- guage to produce well-behaved, interactive, entertaining in the Duffi eld Hall atrium. Teams of up to 6 children ages companion parrots. Preregistration recommended. Fee: 6 to 9 will work with an adult mentor to explore, investi- $50. Information: Lyn Netter, 253-3468, [email protected]. gate, design and build a model about climate study from 2. Closing Guantánamo Lego bricks. Models to be displayed include the Northeast Regional Climate Center at Cornell, along with its weather Sarah E. instruments; a motorized device that measures snowfall; Mendelson, 5. Galaxy quest a helicopter that drops seedling pods to speed reforesta- director of the Cornell senior research associate in astronomy Dan tion; and “The Climate Clones” from Owego, N.Y., made a Human Rights model of the polar, desert, temperate and equatorial zones. and Security Weedman presents “Evolution of the Most Luminous Initiative at Galaxies in the Universe,” Feb. 5 at 4:30 p.m. in 105 Space the Center for Sciences Building. He will discuss how the Cornell-led Strategic and infrared spectrograph (IRS) on the Spitzer Space Tele- International scope (pictured) has accumulated hundreds of mid- Studies in infrared spectra of the most luminous galaxies in the Washington, universe. These starbursts or active galactic nuclei (AGN) THINGS have most of their luminosity emerging in the infrared D.C., will PROVIDED speak Feb. 5 at because of heavy obscuration by dust. Using the IRS, 12:15 p.m. in G08 Uris Hall. President Barack Obama’s re- the luminosities of these galaxies can be traced to TO DO cent executive order to close the military detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, implements many of the recom- 11.5 billion years ago with mendations of a report Mendelson wrote. She will discuss a single spectral indicator. All Events: developments since the executive order was signed. Summary results from www.cornell.edu/events/ the IRS will be presented for these starbursts and Student events: Juilliard Quartet matinee AGN, showing how these www.dos.cornell.edu/dos/activities/ 3. luminosities have evolved events.cfm The Juilliard String Quartet (violinists Joel Smirnoff and in the universe, describ- Ronald Copes, violist Samuel Rhodes and cellist Joel ing the dusty structure of International events: Krosnick) brings a Franz Joseph Haydn anniversary pro- the sources and estimat- www.international.cornell.edu/ gram to Bailey Hall, Saturday, Feb. 3, at 3 p.m.: Haydn’s ing the epoch when the overview/calendar.asp Op. 20 “Sun” Quartets universe contained the No. 4 in D Major, No. 3 in most luminous, dusty Music: G Minor, No. 5 in F Minor galaxies. Free and open to www.music.cornell.edu PROVIDED the public. and No. 2 in C Major. Movies: The quartet, formed six http://cinema.cornell.edu decades ago, is noted for its clarity of structure, 6. Elegant Winter Party Art: beauty of sound and una- www.museum.cornell.edu nimity of purpose. Tickets Cornell Cinema’s Fifth Annual Elegant Winter Party, ($22-$32; $16 for students): Feb. 7 at 7:15 p.m., is a social event with hors d’oeuvres more Faith: and desserts from Ithaca restaurants and caterers; a cash cornellconcertseries. www.curw.cornell.edu com or call 273-4497. Free bar, live music, drawings for door prizes and a 9 p.m. parking at Schoellkopf screening of “Mantrap,” starring “It Girl” Clara Bow Athletics: (pictured). The sexy silent comedy, in a restored 35mm PROVIDED Field Garage. www.cornellbigred.com www.news.cornell.edu Cornell Chronicle January 30, 2009 11 >Around Campus >Seen & Heard Wear Red Day, Feb. 6 >>The essen Bowled over ideas>>people When TV viewers like a company’s >>details>>data Super Bowl commercial, the >>happenings company’s stock tials<<< price goes up, http://web.cornell.edu/blogs/theessentials/ according to Charles Chang of Cornell’s Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of women, Hotel School and since 2004, the American Heart and researchers at the University at Association’s Go Red for Women has Buffalo School of Management. The worked to educate women about the >Health Watch study examined 529 commercials that disease to improve heart health and save aired during 17 Super Bowls from 1989 to lives. On Feb. 6 the association is encour- Kits for quitting 2005 and found that investors favored aging women at Cornell to wear red to stocks of fi rms that aired likeable Super publicize this effort. Information: Bowl commercials. Companies with the GoRedForWomen.org. least-liked commercials experienced a less dramatic increase in stock price. Ad likeability should have a positive effect on stock prices of companies advertising during the Super Bowl broadcast Feb. 1, >Shelf Life the researchers say. Kids’ corner >Flora & Fauna Birds in Art When times are tough and stress increases, some people feel a stronger urge to smoke a cigarette than they do in good times. However, the costs of smoking are signifi cant. Spend some quality time with kids, birds In the short run, smoking can hurt your budget (see the “smoking calculator” at and books at the Lab of Ornithology’s americanheart.org to see how much money you can save by quitting smoking). In the Adelson Library at 4 p.m. on the third long run, smoking has a signifi cant and negative impact on your physical health and Thursday of every month during the overall quality of life. If you’re interested in tobacco cessation, the Gannett Phar- academic year. The library offers a macy offers free “quit kits” and nicotine replacement therapies to relieve withdrawal reading program designed for school-age symptoms. Search www.gannett.cornell.edu for information about additional cessation children, and it’s open to beginning services and for a list of healthy “stress busters.” birders of all ages. A collection of children’s books is also available at a child’s eye level. Information: www.birds. cornell.edu/Adelson/. > Course Work Learn to farm Now through Feb. 28, you can enter the >Download This Do you have land that Lab of Ornithology’s newest contest. Go could be used for farm- outside and look for art in birds. It could Nothing to sniff at ing or for an agrofor- be a broken-down nest in winter, a song estry enterprise? If recording, a video of a bird perching on you have been thinking your window, something that makes you about farming and want pause, look twice, laugh or cry. Take to learn more, Cornell photos, paint, write a story, create a Cooperative Exten- sculpture. Information: birds.cornell.edu/ sion offers a Beginning celebration/challenge/birds-in-art. Prizes Farmer Workshop Feb. 7 include bird-sound recordings, books, gift and 14 from 9 a.m. to 3 certifi cates and green products. Selected p.m. at the extension’s images will be posted on the Celebrate Schuyler County offi ce Urban Birds Web site. in Montour Falls, N.Y. The two-day program focuses on choosing an enterprise that suits your interests and your property’s capabili- The Cornell Waste Management Insti- ties, assessing what is >Be Essential! tute is digitizing all of its videos and needed to get started, print publications for free download at estimating costs and ecommons.library.cornell.edu/. Video learning about markets. highlights include: “Do You Know Where Participants will be Your Garbage Is?”; “Life After the Curb,” Have an essentials item? invited to discuss their about recycling; and “It’s Gotten Rot- Have a tip to share on something essential, business interests with ten,” on composting. Cornell Univer- interesting, hidden, strange or otherwise an extension educator and receive one-on-one guidance on developing their farming sity Library’s eCommons@Cornell is a worth knowing about at Cornell? Send it to plans. Cost for both workshops: $25 per person or $40 per couple; includes lunch. Pre- >>> gateway to many digital repositories and [email protected] and include “Essen- register by Feb. 2 by calling 607-535-7161. collections. tial” in the subject line. 12 January 30, 2009 Cornell Chronicle A holy man prays with a cup of tea on the pilgrimage route An archway looking into the courtyard of the Badan Singh Palace, built during the Sinsini Jat Dynasty in the early 18th century. near Amarnath Cave. Life’s work onl Anthropologist’s images i of India, Sri Lanka get n global audience e The façade of a Jain temple in Sonagir, India. BY GWEN GLAZER eyond the Taj, ” an collection is the life’s work of anthropologist and archi- anthropologist’s personal tect Robert “Scotty” MacDougall, a former Cornell pro- “Bcollection of 7,000 images fessor in the College of Architecture, Art and Planning from India and Sri Lanka, and dean of the School of Continuing Education. After will soon travel beyond his death in 1987, researchers in the Knight Cornell to a world- Visual Resources Facility in collaboration wide audience on a with his widow, associate professor of ar- subscriber art chitecture Bonnie MacDougall, began to Web site. identify and catalog his photographs of The architecture, places of pilgrimage and domestic life in India and Sri Lanka. Digitizing the project became the next big hurdle. In 2004 Bonnie MacDougall received a Faculty E-Grant for Digital Library Collections, which funded the creation of digital images by experts at Cornell University Library. In 2006 a Faculty Innovation in Teaching Award enabled the project to be completed. Ultimately, all 7,000 images were scanned and included in the col- lection. An agreement was recently signed to allow these digital resources to be published as an open collection on ARTstor, making it broadly available to subscrib- ers by fall 2009. See the collection at ALL PHOTOS ARE FROM THE BEYOND THE TAJ COLLECTION OF ROBERT MACDOUGALL. Robert MacDougall stands in the foreground of a statue of Madurai Viran and a horse at the Kochadai Aiyanar Koil. Flower offerings sit on a Buddhapada, or footprint of the Buddha, See the collection at