NDSU Magazine
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NDSUmagazineNORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY FALL 2001 Leo Kim, Stark County, N.D. LEO KIM, a wordly North Dakotan 9/11/01 -photo by Julie Babler, Lower Manhattan, summer 1999 Editor Laura McDaniel Editorial staff Steve Bergeson Dan Koeck Kathy Laid David Wahlberg Art Direction/Design Julie Babler Address changes Send address and name changes to: [email protected] Letters Unless noted “not for publication,” communications to the editor are considered for publication, often in a condensed version. E-mail: laura.mcdaniel@ ndsu.nodak.edu PO Box 5167 Fargo, ND 58105 Fax: 701.231.1989 Volume 2, number 1 NDSUmagazine is published twice a year, in spring and fall, by North Dakota State University, Office of the President/ University Relations, PO Box 5167, Fargo ND 58105. NDSU is an equal opportunity institution. Volume 2 Number 1 FALL 2001 President NDSUmagazine Joseph A. Chapman [email protected] Vice President for Academic Affairs R. Craig Schnell [email protected] Vice President for Student Affairs George H. Wallman [email protected] Vice President for Research, Creative Activities and Technology Transfer Philip Boudjouk [email protected] Vice President, Dean and Director for Agricultural Affairs Patricia A. Jensen [email protected] Vice President for Business and Finance Richard L. Rayl [email protected] Executive Director of University Relations Keith D. Bjerke [email protected] 4 NDSUmagazine Letters 6 contents Editor’s note 7 Contributors 8-9 “Far” “go” North Dakota Essayist reveals the origins of a fascination with North Dakota 10-11 Photographer Leo Kim He sees things differently 12-17 Amy Ruley Excerpts: Thoughts on life, leadership and the future 18-19 The Duke was here Historic Duke Ellington recording made in 1940 20-25 Diversity A difficult concept to define 26-29 North Dakota agriculture One expert sees a tough road ahead 30-31 Extraordinary average guy Microsoft Great Plains software architect keeps an eye on the prize 32-35 The legacy of Samuel F.B. Morse Information technology in American life 36-37 The little biotechnology firm that could NDSU alum finds a way 38-43 Fantastic voyage NDSU’s entry into tiny nano-world is a big step for technology transfer 44-45 Computer whiz kids Essay: Information technology leader Jim Ross 46-47 5 letters What an emotionally, I got a lot out of Rebecca not out drinking. That’s In the spring issue of the intellectually and visually Knutson’s story on the way it should be. NDSU magazine there is stimulating magazine you underage drinking on After all, we were there a very interesting article have created! Thank you campus in the Spring to go to college and about Lowell for the beautiful profiles 2001 issue. I can now achieve academic success. Christiansen, class of ’63. of a variety of NDSU think of the ways I could I wish programs like this Lowell and I were people. “The Right apply some of the things the best of luck. close friends in college. I Combination” about I read about when I work Dan Sullivan too belonged to the SPD Ana Simonovic and with my church’s youth Class of ’92 fraternity and attended Marc Anderson was an group. the LSA on a regular especially moving cele- I felt one of the reasons The latest edition, Spring basis. We both worked bration of the art of the contributing to the prob- 2001, was fabulous! summers for the USFS in possible, as well as the lem at NDSU was that I especially enjoyed the Idaho. After graduation power of the Internet of boredom. That was article about Lowell we went our separate to bring us closer. especially true in the win- Christiansen. Great suc- ways and lost touch. Compliments to Martin ter. Creating safe and cess story! I am so proud Imagine my surprise Fredricks. accessible alternatives of NDSU’s research! when I saw the article. Cecilia Matta to drinking is certainly LaRon Croft Eugene (Gene) Hanson, Dayton, NV Casey Riske a positive and measurable Arch Eng., Class of ’63. Class of ’84 Portland, ND Seattle, WA approach. Students show- ing up at functions like MU Live are obviously 6 NDSUmagazine editor s note ’ A little lesson Even the most rewarding jobs are chained to the to think me greedy, but is happy to see a familiar face. He promises to stay reality that you have to do them. All day, every in touch. day. Which is why I enjoy simple pleasures. An And so on a morning when an extra muffin was going to be the highlight, example: one of my co-workers comes in and a whole better thing does the job. How fortunate we are to be part of a place announces that an office downstairs has food to that provides such promise to its students. share. I am out of my chair like a shot, grinning silly at the prospect of a day-old muffin to Everything has changed assuage my rather loud hunger pangs. It is, after Much of the work in putting together this magazine took place, or at least all, two hours into the workday, and worse, two began, during the summer. Looking over the work this fall in preparation for long hours until lunch. printing, it is a different issue than originally envisioned. As I hurry toward the promised snacks, I pass a After Sept. 11, we wondered how, or even if, this magazine should attempt new student I’d met the previous day. He com- to address the events. When it’s possible to stand back from the sadness, it is ments that I sure do look happy. “There’s food!” interesting to note that the topic emerged without our bidding. New York I blurt, but stop for a minute or two to further and Washington, D.C., used to seem far away, but what happened there welcome this student, who, it turns out, has come matters everywhere. The photograph on pp. 2-3 was taken by our graphic to North Dakota State University from Africa and designer, Julie Babler, a couple of summers ago. It is our tribute to the victims. is going to work hard to make his dreams come true. Oh. I wonder how it strikes him to hear a Thank you for reading. well-off American say she’s hungry. He seems not 7 contributors Patrick Springer Julie Babler David Danbom Martin Fredricks When he was a kid, Patrick journalism and writing at works very hard, but under The press-release definition Springer dreamed of becom- Concordia College, where kinder conditions. In addition of David Danbom is: professor ing a scientist. He was he is a visiting journalist. to freelance writing, he is an of history at North Dakota especially fascinated with advertising agency copywriter. State University since 1974, geology and paleontology. A few years ago, Martin a nationally-known scholar But he discovered that he Fredricks became captivated You will see Julie Babler’s of American agricultural was, in a word, horrible at by the story of two guys who fingerprints all over this mag- history, recipient of numerous math and science. He found happened to record a Duke azine. She is the art awards from colleagues and words more welcoming than Ellington performance in director/designer for North students, prolific researcher numbers, and started writing Fargo, N.D. He has nurtured Dakota State University, but and writer. Students love him; for publication in high school this article like a chef frets she’s on the verge of taking evaluations are full of com- when a friend cajoled him over a duck á l’orange. over the whole shop. She also ments about having hated into writing for the school Fredricks knows to appreciate writes seriously good head- history in high school and paper. Somehow it took. a fine story, having worked so lines, and is not a bad being quite surprised to not He has written for daily hard at jobs that required photographer. She shot the only enjoy his classes but to newspapers for almost 20 more in the way of stamina photo of the lower Manhattan actually learn from him. years, at the Argus Leader than finesse. That is to say, skyline on pp. 2-3 while on While these statements are in Sioux Falls, S.D., and his first job in 1990, fresh out vacation a few years ago, accurate, they fail to capture The Forum in Fargo, N.D. of the English program at obviously never imagining that Danbom’s wit and wisdom, His work also has appeared North Dakota State it would someday appear as the rare ability to write beau- in Newsweek. He has covered University, was to edit a small a memorial. tifully yet simply. murder cases, parades, scan- town weekly newspaper, as dals and a dog that could difficult a journalistic task as climb trees. He teaches there is. These days, he still 8 NDSUmagazine Jonathan Twingley Dale Keiger Jim Ross Jerry Richardson Jonathan Twingley’s career Dale Keiger is a writer, teacher, Jim Ross is a dad, an informa- Jerry Richardson is the writer ambitions determine his cur- marathon runner and avid tion technology professional and editor many of us hope, rent location — national backroads driver. Professionally in a supervisory role at North someday, to become. In his publications tend to be he’s a senior writer at Johns Dakota State University and years as director of the North located in New York City — Hopkins Magazine, where an historian who has taught Dakota State University com- but he returns happily and he reports on the fine arts, at the university.