100 Years of Barzun by Donors Kraft and Campbell

open wide Kara Walker siemens Columbia Expands On Exhibit at science day its Dental Plan | 5 The Whitney| 2 for Budding Scientists | 6

vol. 33, no. 04 NEWS and ideas FOR THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY October 25, 2007 Athletic Goal: Climate Scientists Work To Battle $100 Million Disease By Bridget O’Brian By Clare Oh olumbia launched its $100 million campaign to transform the he International Research CUniversity’s athletics program, Institute for Climate and and in recognition of a $5 million Society (IRI), housed at gift, the playing field at Lawrence T Columbia’s Lamont campus A. Wien Stadium was named the in Palisades, New York, is Robert K. Kraft Field. Kraft is a 1963 graduate of Columbia College working with policy makers who now owns the New England in the nation of Colombia to Patriots. The field was renamed show how climate forecasts during homecoming weekend. can help communities better In addition to that gift, William prepare for climate-sensitive C. Campbell, chairman of the Uni- disease outbreaks. versity’s board of trustees and him- IRI scientists work around self a former captain and head coach the world to expand the knowl- of Lions football, pledged more than edge of climate and its rela- $10 million to the athletics initia- tionship to health, agriculture, tive. There were eight other gifts of water, and other sectors, $1 million or more. The Columbia Campaign for and help communities better Athletics: Achieving Excellence, adapt to changes that affect part of the University’s $4 billion their lives and livelihoods. capital campaign, has raised $46 Over the past three de- million so far. The money will be cades, Colombia has seen a used to invest in people, places and jump in vector-borne diseases. in programs, said athletics director The number of malaria cases M. Dianne Murphy. averaged 142,297 between A major part of the plan is to re- 2001 and 2005, and there were cruit and retain administrative and 43,257 reported cases of den- coaching talent, as Columbia does for gue in 2005—a 90% percent its academic departments. “We have set the financial goals for establishing jump over the previous year. endowments to be consistent with The World Health Organi- professorships and department chairs zation (WHO) estimated that, across the University,” Murphy said. in 2000, approximately 2.4% of the world’s total diarrhea cases and 6% of malaria cases in some middle-income countries could be attributed to climate change. Poor countries are especially burdened, because they do not have the resources to effectively treat their grow- Courtesy of time magazine ing populations, particularly those who live in rural ar- eas. Nearly half of Colombia’s population lives in poverty. eileen barroso eileen In Colombia, Gilma Man- Head Football Coach Norries Wilson flanked 100 years of barzun by donors Kraft and Campbell. tilla, who until recently ran By Anne Burt the infectious disease surveil- The campaign reflects the im- lance program at the Instituto portance that Columbia places on utside of academic circles, Jacques famed core curriculum and held legendary Nacional de Salud in Bogotá, athletics. “I don’t think of intercol- Barzun is best known for the quote seminars. He authored and edited more than said that scientists have found legiate athletics as something ex- tra-curricular,” said president Lee inscribed at the Baseball Hall of Fame 40 books, including Teacher in America that periods of intense rain- C. Bollinger. “I think of athletics as in Cooperstown, N.Y.: “Whoever wants (1945), The House of Intellect (1959) and fall or drought increases the Oto know the heart and soul of America had Dawn to Decadence (2000), a best-seller for breeding habitats of vectors. co-curricular. This means to me that mediocrity in athletics is better learn baseball.” its then 92-year-old author. Time magazine “This results in a pattern of den- simply not acceptable.” Here at Columbia, where members of the put him on its cover in 1956 (above) as the gue and malaria transmission The largest component of the Society of Columbia Graduates gathered on epitome of the intellectual. that is highly associated with campaign will be facilities, spe- October 18th to present Barzun with their Barzun, University Professor and Provost seasonal rainfall, especially in cifically the construction of a new annual Great Teacher Award a month before Emeritus of Columbia University, accepted Colombia,” she said. sports complex at the Baker Field his 100th birthday, it is equally appropriate the Society of Columbia Graduates’ 59th an- Mantilla, who started the Athletics Complex, making it a des- to say that whoever wants to know the heart nual Great Teacher Award in absentia at a gala 12-month Master of Arts in tination for student-athletes and pro- and soul of Columbia College had better learn dinner co-hosted by the Society and Alan Climate and Society at Colum- viding additional recreational space for faculty, staff and students. “From about Jacques Barzun. Brinkley, the current provost, in the Low bia this fall, is working with the boathouses to the tennis center Barzun founded and championed the field Library Rotunda. Barzun lives in San Antonio, the IRI to improve an exist- to our playing fields, we will ensure of cultural history, and with Lionel Trilling Tx., and was not able to make the trip to ing early warning system that that the entire complex is first-rate,” designed the humanities portion of Columbia’s New York. can help predict outbreaks in Murphy said. n continued on page 8 continued on page 6

www.columbia.edu/news 2 OCTOBER 25, 2007 TheRecord

ON CAMPUS MILESTONES

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (LDEO) ranked ﬁ rst out of 201 participating U.S. universities in two categories in the 2007 annual RecycleMania Competition. In the Per Capita Classic competition, LDEO collected 101.12 pounds of materials per person, and also came in ﬁ rst in the Targeted Materials category for most paper recycled during the 10-week contest. LDEO came in third overall in the contest. Above are LDEO’s assistant director of facilities and engineering PATRICK O’REILLY and the Borehole Lab’s deputy director of operations MARY REAGAN, with the winning trophy at the Oct. 12 unveiling.

LISA HOGARTY, executive vice president for student and administrative services for Columbia University, was named chief operating ofﬁ cer at Columbia University Medi-

DAVID WENTWORTH DAVID cal Center. Hogarty has worked at Columbia for fi ve years; IT TAKES TWO TO TANGO before that, she was corpo- rate vice president for facility Step aside, Dancing with the Stars. Barnard College, along with Columbia and the World Music Institute, hosted some operations and hos- 900 tango lovers at a festival Oct. 4 - 9, to celebrate Latino/a Heritage Month. Participants came from as far as Los pital support services for Continuum Health Part- Angeles and Boston for an opportunity to see and learn from 30 leading tango dancers, musicians and scholars. Pictured above is Mariela Franganillo, primary organizer of the event, in a performance with tango partner Oscar ners and assistant hospital director at Mount Martinez Pey. Participants were also treated to instructional classes from beginner to advanced levels, lectures on the Sinai Medical Center. At Columbia, Hogarty has played a social history and development of the dance form, and evenings of milongas, or social dance parties with live music. large part in restructuring human resources and information technology for academic and administrative applications. She will start the new job Dec. 1. Dental Students of Yore The Columbia University Medical Center has appointed ANNE L. TAYLOR to the position of vice dean of academic Dear Alma’s Owl, affairs at the College of Physicians and Surgeons, effective The College of Dental Medicine turns 90 Nov. 23. Taylor directs faculty recruitment searches and the this year. Was it the fi rst dental school? appointments process, and works to enhance faculty career development and programming. Previously, at the University USPS 090-710 ISSN 0747-4504 of Minnesota, she served as associate dean for faculty affairs Vol. 33, No. 04, Oct. 25, 2007 No, the Baltimore College of Dental at the medical school and co-directed the Deborah E. Medicine was fi rst, in 1840, and in 1865, Powell National Center for Excellence in Women’s Health. Harvard founded the fi rst dental school Taylor has written more than 62 publications. Published by the affi liated with a university. Columbia is Offi ce of Communications and Public Affairs the fourth-oldest university-affi liated The Society for Urban, dental school. National and Transnational Prominent dentists, physicians and Anthropology has given its TheRecord Staff: scientists started advocating for a den- 2007 Anthony Leeds Award tal school at Columbia starting in 1892, Editor: Bridget O’Brian ASK ALMA’S OWL for Urban Anthropology to Graphic Designer: Nicoletta Barolini but then-president Seth Low thought the STEVEN GREGORY for his Senior Writer: Melanie A. Farmer proposition was too expensive, according University Photographer: Eileen Barroso new book, The Devil Be- to a history of the school written for its estimate included $3,000 a year for rent, hind the Mirror: Global- Contact The Record: 75th anniversary. and $3,000 in an- t: 212-854-2391 ization and Politics in the f: 212-678-4817 The medical nual salary for the Dominican Republic, which e: [email protected] faculty made a school’s dean and looks at how globalization affects the social structures formal proposal each of its fi ve full The Record is published twice a month dur- and cultural practices in that country. Gregory is an asso- ing the academic year, except for holiday and in 1915, put- professors. (Dental ciate professor of anthropology. vacation periods. Permission is given to use ting forward the chairs were a big Record material in other media. somewhat novel line-item, costing Three members of the Co- idea that dentists a then-whopping lumbia University Medi- David M. Stone Executive Vice President should be edu- $300 each.) cal Center faculty were for Communications cated as doctors From 1919-20, elected to the Institute of were. The fol- Columbia became Medicine of the National Dental Students Play Correspondence/Subscriptions lowing year, the the fi rst univer- Academy of Sciences. They Anyone may subscribe to The Record for $27 Dental School of Columbia University sity to offer courses in oral hygiene. are KATHRYN CALAME, per year. The amount is payable in advance to Columbia University, at the address below. admitted its fi rst two students for a joint Its students also put on dental-themed (photo left) professor of mi- Allow 6 to 8 weeks for address changes. six-year program. Joseph Schroff earned plays, and the cast picture (above) is of crobiology and of biochemis- his M.D. in 1920 and received the fi rst the 1922 production of The War on try and molecular biophysics Postmaster/Address Changes Columbia D.D.S in 1922. Dental Caries. at the College of Physicians Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY and TIMOTHY PEDLEY additional mailing offi ces. Postmaster: Send Funding for the school came from In its early years, Columbia merged and Surgeons (P&S); , the Henry and address changes to The Record, 535 W. $100,000 donated by James N. Jarvie, with two other dental schools and was Lucy Moses Professor of Neurology and chair of the De- 116th St., 402 Low Library, Mail Code 4321, CAROLYN WESTHOFF New York, NY 10027. a prominent New York banker whose called the School of Oral and Dental partment of Neurology at P&S; and , brother, a well-known Brooklyn dentist, Surgery. In 2006, the name was changed professor of obstetrics and gynecology at P&S and profes- had helped push for the school’s estab- to the College of Dental Medicine to bet- sor of epidemiology and of population and family health at lishment. Jarvie’s gift was more than ade- ter refl ect the school’s academic and Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health. Members of quate given that the fi rst year of operation scientifi c bent. the institute are recognized for their contributions to the TheRecord welcomes your input for news was expected to cost $24,000, according —By Bridget O’Brian advancement of the medical science, health care and pub- items and staff profi les. You can submit to a copy of the initial budget, which is on lic health fi elds, and volunteer on study committees that your suggestions to: display in Low Library’s Rotunda along Send your questions for Alma’s Owl to serve as national resources for various inquiries related to [email protected] with other artifacts of the school. That [email protected]. the scientifi c analysis of human health.

3304.indd 2 10/24/07 1:49:19 PM TheRecord OCTOBER 25, 2007 3 GLASS, REFLECTING ON ARCHITECTURE By Fred A. Bernstein

he Wood Auditorium is three levels below sun into electricity, has the potential to improve our the name of art, the other in the name of science.” Avery Hall (home of Columbia’s Graduate quality of life while diminishing the environmen- Other panelists looked at the social meaning of School of Architecture, Planning, and tal costs of buildings. Elizabeth Diller, a prominent glass. Columbia’s Beatriz Colomina spoke about the Preservation, or GSAPP), but for two days architect who teaches at Princeton University, de- parallels between the advent of glass buildings and recentlyT the basement room was fi lled with talk scribed a futuristic house in which the building is that of medical imaging technologies. “The fear of a of windows. an “organism” that responds to the movement of the glass box and the fear of an X-ray,” which developed A conference sponsored by GSAPP, the Department sun through the sky as well as to the movements of roughly in tandem, “seem quaint today,” said of Civil Engineering and Engineering Mechanics and its owners. The glass, which “hibernates” when the Colomina. “The defi nition of private has changed in the Oldcastle Glass Co. brought together experts to owners are away, knows just what to do when—with response to each of those invasions.” discuss how technology is changing the role of glass the help of GPS and wireless technology—it receives Kazuo Sejima, a Japanese architect, spoke on the in building design and construction. As Mark Wigley, word that they are on their way home. fi rst night of the conference about her minimalist GSAPP dean, put it: “We’ve poured more intelligence That’s not the only quantum leap in glass buildings, including a new museum in Toledo, Ohio, into glass than any other material. As a result, glass technology. After centuries in which glass was designed (fi ttingly) for glass art. Sejima was present itself has become intelligent.” inserted into openings in wood, stone or masonry in Wood Auditorium even after she departed, thanks Conference participants described new forms of structures, glass is becoming its own support system, to the frequent, laudatory references to the growing glass that can adjust how much light and heat they according to James Carpenter, a lower Manhattan infl uence of her Tokyo fi rm, SANAA. Professor Colo- transmit to a building, as uses and outdoor condi- architect and glass artist. Carpenter showed examples mina compared Sejima’s ephemeral glass structures tions change. So-called of buildings in which he has pioneered the use of to the sharp-cornered glass boxes created by Ludwig switchable glass, as glass as structure. Mies van der Rohe half a century ago. To enter a well as glass contain- Another devotee of structural glass is Steven Sejima building “is to be caressed by a softness never ing invisible photovol- Holl, the Columbia professor whose new addition to found in Mies,” Colomina said. taic cells, technology the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City consists Another building that received numerous accolades that uses solar cells to largely of glass “lenses” that rise from underground was Frank Gehry’s new IAC headquarters, a curving, convert light from the galleries without any additional support. Holl shared white glass “iceberg” on the West Side of Manhattan. the stage with Werner Sobek, a German engineer Roberto Bicchiarelli, vice president of Permasteelisa who is pioneering research into Cladding Technologies, the Connecticut company glass membranes so thin they that manufactured the building’s glass “curtain produce buildings that resemble walls,” described the diffi culty of creating more than soap bubbles. Sobek recalled 1,000 uniquely shaped, curving, multilayer panels. members of his parents’ generation The designs for the panels consumed 146 gigabytes who were unwilling to say what of data, Bicchiarelli said. they did during World War II. The conference also included a discussion of ways When his children ask what he did to make glass blast-resistant, moderated by Michael during the global warming crisis, Bell, a professor of architecture, and Christian Meyer, Sobek said, he would like to have a chair of the department of civil engineering and good answer. Engineering Mechanics. If the engineers described how According to Professor Diller, in the early 20th glass is changing, the architects century there was a great optimism about glass, described how glass is changing a material, she said, that was “synonymous with what they do. According to Dean democratization.” Recently, with the advent of Wigley, “The architect and the terrorism, “There was paranoia about glass.” Now, engineer stretch each other, one in she said, “We’re in a post-paranoid era.” Oscar Talk By Melanie A. Farmer

uban-American writer Oscar Hijuelos is a the fact that Columbia child of Morningside Heights. He browsed had acquired his the many bookstores along Broadway papers “is the kind of in the 1960s and worked in Columbia’s thing that would have librariesC while he was an undergraduate at City truly amazed my im- University of New York. migrant parents.” Although he grew up on West 118th Street and his Raised by Cuban- mother continued to live there for much of her life, he’d born parents who never set foot in the School of International and Public came to New York Affairs (SIPA) building until Oct. 11, when Friends in the 1940s, his of Columbia Libraries hosted an evening with the father died when Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist that paid tribute to Hijuelos was a small his life and work. child, and his mother Interviewed by his friend Gay Talese, the (who died three acclaimed nonfi ction writer and former New York years ago) spent Times reporter, the conversation started with most of her life as DIANE BONDAREFF Hijuelos’ immigrant upbringing and his journey into a hotel worker and Oscar Hijuelos, left, talks about his life with fellow author Gay Talese. the literary world. “What was it like to grow up next homemaker. door to Columbia University?” Talese asked. He enjoyed books at a young age, but it wasn’t fi rst time and began The Mambo Kings Play Songs of “We were aware there was a university, but we until college—fi rst at Manhattan Community Col- Love, which would win the 1990 Pulitzer for fi ction. really didn’t have access to that world of learning lege and later at CUNY—that Hijuelos fell in love Being in a different country for the fi rst time was or wonderfulness,” said Hijuelos. It was a different with literature. “I never thought I’d be a writer as what it must have been like for his parents when they neighborhood in the 1960s, Hijuelos added, a lot a kid,” he said.“I wanted to be a cartoonist. I read fi rst arrived in New York, he said. “I was energized “rougher.” Rows of tenement apartment housing comic books.” to write this novel.” dominated the stretch of Amsterdam Avenue While at CUNY, Hijuelos began writing his fi rst Hijuelos’ life as a writer gained momentum. between West 116th Street and West 118th Street, novel, Our House in the Last World. A publisher Talese wondered what pushed Hijuelos to leave the before SIPA and Columbia Law School were built. bought the manuscript for $1,500 after attending a neighborhood in the fi rst place and graduate from But Hijuelos is now connected to the University reading where Hijuelos fi lled in for a no-show. He college, particularly since it seemed he had few role in a way that will give others access to his life and continued to work in advertising after graduation, models. He asked, “You didn’t have people advising work. In August 2006, Columbia’s Rare Book & crediting his working-class roots for not allowing a you. … Something must’ve motivated you.” Manuscript Library acquired a large collection of published book to go to his head. “One thing my father told me was if you Hijuelos’ manuscripts, including thousands of pages But then, in 1984, a letter arrived in the mail that don’t want to be a bum, go to college,” Hijuelos and drafts from his novels and shorter works that changed his life—an offer by the American Institute responded. “I don’t know. You just try to fi nd your document the author’s process of composition and of Arts and Letters for a writing residency in Rome. way in the world.” revision. At the time of the acquisition, Hijuelos said Hijuelos, then 33 years old, left for Europe for the

3304.indd 3 10/24/07 1:49:26 PM 4 OCTOBER 25, 2007 TheRecord

A DAY FOR BUDDING SCIENTISTS Award-Winning Campus By Stacy Parker Aab

he kids knew their mission: save the egg. olumbia is getting a star—a Spread across the fl oor of Earl Hall, they surveyed their Green Star Award, to be exact— Tmaterials and strategized. Would drinking straws, Popsicle Cfrom the Professional Grounds sticks, a plastic baggie and masking tape cushion an egg against a Management Society, which gave the fi ve-foot drop? The countdown began. The egg, heavily insulated, University its Grand Award for best in plummeted to the ground. “It’s good!” Lauren called, to cheers urban university grounds. In August, and applause. Columbia’s landscaping team submitted Enthusiasm and inspiration were in large supply at Siemens Science 26 photos for consideration, all taken by Day at Columbia University on Oct 20th. More than 1,300 students, parents University photographer Eileen Barroso, and instructors participated in 20-plus workshops and exhibits, taught that showed campus scenes during the by Columbia faculty and graduate students, Siemens professionals and four seasons and highlighted a few of specialists, such as criminalists from New York City’s own crime lab. the landscaping challenges and the staff From classroom to classroom students practiced with robot snakes at work. Pictured here is a sample of used for surgical procedures, listened to earthquakes and learned about the winning photos. The award will be endangered species. Local teachers had their own workshops, designed to presented on Oct. 27 by the society at its provide them with curriculum ideas to make science fun, with titles like annual expo in Louisville, Ky. “School of Rock Workshops.” —By Record Staff The Siemens Foundation is one of the private sectors’ biggest proponents of math and science education. Since launching Siemens Science Day in 2005, the program has reached 30,000 children nationwide. This was Columbia’s fi rst time hosting the event. U.S. Rep. Charles Rangel, whose congressional district includes Harlem and Columbia, lauded the science day as an investment ensuring “our young people become part of the most educated workforce in the world.” City Councilman Robert Jackson also welcomed participants and presented a proclamation from the mayor. In the “Bath Bubblers” workshop, Dr. Aberdeen Allen, a senior research scientist at Colgate-Palmolive, showed students how to make bath bombs- soaps that fi zzle and dissolve in bathwater. “I had fun,” said Jazmine, 8, after attending the workshop. “I also learned that scientists sometimes make mistakes. You shouldn’t get intimidated.” Graduate student Andy Washkowitz’s exhibit, “Who Stole the Cookies from the Cookie Jar,” showed students how to analyze DNA samples. He marveled at the wealth of interactive play at Siemens Science Day: “I would have found my way to science a lot easier if I’d seen something like this as a kid.” During the opening ceremony, Nobel Laureate Horst Stormer described one of his most affecting childhood memories: hearing the “beep...beep... beep” of the Soviet Union’s Sputnik satellite on his radio 50 years ago. This generation faces another wake-up call, he said. “Young people like you will address global warming,” adding that he hopes to see many of them at Columbia again—as students. James Whaley, president of the Siemens Foundation, thinks that’s possible. “We inspired some kids today,” he said. “As I was walking out of the egg-drop workshop, I heard a young girl say: ‘I’m going to be a scientist now.’” EILEEN BARROSO

COLUMBIA PEOPLE RICHARD BUSSERT

WHO HE IS: Director of Landscaping and Grounds, Morningside Campus and Baker Field START DATE AT COLUMBIA: January 2006 WHAT HE DOES: Every morning, Bussert tours campus by foot, checking the condition of the lawns, noting any irregularities in the landscaping and hardscapes (the concrete, granite and asphalt surfaces.) He routinely examines the irrigation systems and ensures the grounds are presentable, particularly if there was an outdoor event the night before. If something is out of place, the grounds supervisor is alerted, and it becomes a topic during the grounds crews’ daily 9:00 a.m. meeting. Bussert also works with the sports turf manager at Baker Field and the supervisor at the Morningside Campus who oversees the labor shop employees charged with event set-ups, tear-downs and furniture moves. A GOOD DAY ON THE JOB: “At the end of a difficult day, before I leave campus, I may reflect on the beauty of the architecture and landscape for a moment, and amidst the activity of the lawns and plazas come to recognize a sense of pride in what I do and where I work.” Others recognize it, too. EILEEN BARROSO This month, the Professional Grounds Management Society will honor Columbia with the BEST PART OF THE JOB: Grand Award for best in urban university grounds. “As much as I like the grass, shrubs and trees, the best part of my job is the people I deal BEFORE COLUMBIA: with on a daily basis: employees, co-workers, clients, contractors, event people I have never After graduating from Lafayette College in Easton, Penn., Bussert worked on a golf course previously met. The diversity of the people and the fact that my workload changes both daily landscaping crew. He had always been fascinated with golf as a player, but working in the and seasonally make this work challenging, exciting and rewarding.” outdoors had a special appeal, he said. Bussert later attended Pennsylvania State University to IN HIS SPARE TIME: pursue a specialized certificate program in turfgrass management, taking courses on botany, irrigation, plant pathology, tree identification and other related subjects. Before joining Bussert still enjoys playing golf and loves spending time outdoors. At age 56, this is the first Columbia, he worked at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and, before that, in the time in his life he is taking the subway to and from work. “I remind myself what Professor construction and management of golf courses. Originally from the Midwest, Bussert has— Kenneth Jackson said: ‘It only takes a week to become a New Yorker, really.” until now—spent the majority of his life in upstate New York. — By Melanie A. Farmer

3304.indd 4 10/24/07 1:49:28 PM TheRecord OCTOBER 25, 2007 5 Out With the Old Card, In With the New By Record Staff

etween now and Nov. 16, Columbia and its affiliates provide access to buildings, library borrowing and, for students, will issue and replace tens of thousands of ID cards, as their debit accounts. In addition, the system’s old card swipers the University moves to a new security system designed will be replaced by contact-less card readers. to address identity theft concerns and make the cards There were a few early glitches with dining privileges associated generallyB easier to use. with the card, as Columbia began switching from a system with The new ID cards will go to all faculty, staff and students at 70,000 card users, 37 formats and 13 security systems. “The past every Columbia campus, as well as those who work or study at problems have mostly been in getting the systems to talk to each Barnard College, Union Theological Seminary, Teacher’s College other,” said Rosemary Keane, assistant vice president of student and Harlem Hospital. About a third of the new cards were services at Columbia. “Since the summer, we’ve been operating distributed at the start of the academic year to incoming students two parallel systems.” The issuance of the new cards will put all and new faculty and staff hires. the users into one system. A main purpose behind the switch is to issue new cards For students, Columbia also is looking into whether the cards that do not have the user’s Social Security number embedded can be used off-campus to charge items. “We’d like to do that for into the magnetic strip. With the new system, each individual students, but there are a couple of steps involved,” said Keane. will be assigned a randomly generated number (known as a “The first step that we’re taking now is to talk with students about unique identifier) in place of the Social Security number. As an where they would want to see the card accepted off-campus.” additional layer of security, each card is also assigned a unique And no, despite the ubiquity of her name and picture on all number; if a card is lost, only the card number—not the unique the sample ID cards, there is no Rita Hollander at Columbia. The identifier—is exposed. The new card numbers will continue to woman in the picture is a model.

Features of the University ID Card

INSTITUTION The institution shown on the CONTACT NUMBERS front of your card reﬂ ects your Building access and emergency primary afﬁ liation. contact information is listed on the back of the card.

AFFILIATION Various afﬁ liations—employee, EXPIRATION DATE student—are shown on the Employee cards expire every ﬁ ve back of the card. years. Student cards expire after your expected graduation.

OPEN WIDE: NEW DENTAL BENEFITS By Record Staff

olumbia is expanding and enhancing its dental coverage for faculty and staff, lowering the cost of coverage, increasing Creimbursement and adding a nationwide network of dentists beyond what the University currently offers. Under the new coverage, the University will offer a single plan called the Aetna Columbia Dental Plan. It will include the current CU dental network as well as the national network offered by Aetna’s dental plan. In addition, it will offer coverage for any dentist, even those not in either network. The new plan goes into effect Jan. 1. Those who use Columbia network dentists will receive higher coverage than they do today. For example, if you use a Columbia network dentist, your annual maximum benefi t will be $1,500. If you use an Aetna dentist, the annual maximum benefi t will remain the same as it is now, at $1,250. “Currently, we have a dental plan with access to Columbia alumni dentists,” said Linda Nilsen, assistant vice president for Human Resources Benefi ts at Columbia. “Through our arrangement with Aetna, we’ve been able to build on this network while lowering administrative costs.” The savings will be passed on to participants through lower premium costs, even as the network is expanded nationwide. With the addition of Aetna, plus the out-of-network feature, “all our families can fi nd a dentist close to home—even children away at college can get coverage by their school,” Nilsen added. Participants can get more information about the dental plan by going to the human resources Web site, www.hr.columbia.edu. This year, online Open Enrollment for Benefi ts is from Oct. 29 to Nov. 16. Sign up for the new dental benefi ts for 2008!

3304.indd 5 10/24/07 1:49:34 PM 6 OCTOBER 25, 2007 TheRecord RESEARCH BOO! HOW THE BRAIN HANDLES SURPRISE, GOOD AND BAD

hether it’s a mugger or a friend who as they recorded the activity of neurons in the jumps out of the bushes, you’re still animals’ amygdala. In one experiment, they taught surprised. But your response—to fl ee the monkeys to associate a pattern on a TV monitor or to hug—must be very different. with either the rewarding experience of a sip of Now,W researchers have begun to distinguish water or an unpleasant puff of air to the face. the circuitry in the brain’s emotion center that The researchers measured how well the monkeys processes surprise from that which processes the learned the association by recording how frequently aversive or reward “valence” of a stimulus. the animals anticipated the water sip or the air puff C. Daniel Salzman, M.D., Ph.D. and colleagues at by, respectively, licking the water spout or blinking. the Columbia University Medical Center published This experiment was intended to establish whether their fi ndings in the September 20, 2007 issue of there were specifi c amygdala neurons activated by the journal Neuron, published by Cell Press. rewarding or aversive stimuli. “Animals and humans learn to approach and In the other experiment, the researchers acquire pleasant stimuli and to avoid or defend surprised the monkeys by randomly delivering against aversive ones,” wrote the researchers. either the water sip or the air puff—which aimed to “However, both pleasant and aversive stimuli can establish whether the amygdala harbored specifi c elicit arousal and attention, and their salience or surprise-processing circuitry. intensity increases when they occur by surprise. The researchers’ analyses of the activity of the Thus, adaptive behavior may require that neural amygdala neurons did reveal different types of circuits compute both stimulus valence—or value— neurons. Some neurons responded to either the and intensity.” reward or the aversive stimulus, but not both. The researchers concentrated their study on However, the activity of distinctly different sets the amygdala, known to be the brain center that of neurons was affected by expectation of either a processes the emotional substance of sensory input reward or an aversive experience. and helps shape behavioral response to that input. In their studies, which used monkeys, the researchers performed two types of experiments —Courtesy of Cell Press

NICOLETTA BAROLINI

Climate Scientists Work To Battle Disease Clean Tech Mixer to continued from page 1 Show Off Inventions can help predict outbreaks in malaria or dengue. In Botswana, IRI experts, working in collaboration with the WHO and other By Stacy Parker Aab partner organizations, helped develop such a system, based on population vulnerability, rainfall and health ow do you connect leading Columbia who presented their technologies at the surveillance, to predict malaria epidemics. experts who are developing cutting- cleantech forum included Klaus Lackner By using a number of climate models the Hedge scientifi c innovations in clean on zero-emission cement kilns, sulfur researchers were able to consider the uncer- technology with investors who can help bring management, and carbon electrochemistry; tainties in the predictions, which could such advances into our economy and society? Vijay Modi on concentrated photovoltaics; then be expressed reliably as probabili- The answer is to create opportunities Marco Castaldi on biomass as a sustainable ties. The researchers’ fi ndings, pub- for both groups to meet in a forum that energy source, and waste water to hydrogen; lished last year in Nature, show that is “somewhere between a speed date and Tuncel Yegulalp on carbon capture during these probabilistic climate forecasts a candlelight dinner,” according to Dan methane reform; Kartik Chandran on can be combined and used effective- Abraham, director of Columbia’s Science and bioenergetics and nano-bio-info technologies; ly in malaria forecasting. Technology Ventures (STV). and Paul Van der Wilt, presenting on behalf of In Botswana, forecasts provide On October 9, STV hosted just such an James Im, on high-effi ciency, thin-fi lm silicon health service managers with event, a half-day meeting where more than solar cells via laser crystallization. warnings of changes in epidemic 20 representatives from 14 investment funds At the Oct. 9 forum, Arthur Kressner, risk fi ve months before the peak met Columbia University scientists and director of research and development at malaria season and four weeks learned about their innovations in clean tech. Con Edison, discussed the fi rm’s current earlier than predictions based Called Where Change Begins: An “Smart Grid” collaboration with Columbia, on actual rainfall observations. Introduction to Clean and the innovations Following Botswana’s lead, Technologies, the event necessary for a system- integrated malaria early warn- included presentations STV gets researchers wide modernization ing and response systems are about photovoltaic cells, program for New York being developed in conjunc- zero-emission cement and investors talking City’s electric grid. tion with epidemic prevention kilns, and other clean Charles Goulding, and response planning activi- technologies, after which founder of Energy ties in a number of Southern participants mixed and mingled over lunch— Tax Savers, Inc., spoke about research African countries—and now in making contacts and connections that could and development, and energy tax Latin America as well. lead to fruitful collaborations. incentive opportunities. “What makes this work fresh The STV clean tech forum, co-hosted with As Columbia’s technology transfer or- and exciting is its approach,” says the Lenfest Center for Sustainable Energy at ganization, STV’s core objective is to help Walter Baethgen, director of IRI’s Columbia University, was the fourth in an facilitate the development and real-world Latin America and Caribbean Program. ongoing series of what Abraham has called application of Columbia innovations to “We have here a project on climate “matchmaking events.” Past forums show- benefi t business and society across the globe. change adaptation, funded by a large cased innovations in medical device STV starts the dialogue between researchers and respected global institution, that is technology, computer sciences, and nano- and investors early in the research and looking at ways to reduce a society’s current technology. Upcoming forums will likely development process. NICOLETTA BAROLINI NICOLETTA vulnerabilities to climate as a means of improv- focus on wireless communications and “Sometimes it can take a couple of years to ing its future ability to adapt.” biomedical engineering. form a business relationship,” said Abraham. Columbia scientists from the Fu Foundation “Information exchange can lead to a start-up —Francesco Fiondella contributed to this story. School of Engineering and Applied Sciences or investments or other partnerships.”

3304.indd 6 10/24/07 1:49:43 PM TheRecord OCTOBER 25, 2007 7 FACULTY Q&A Suzanne Bakken Interviewed by Melanie A. Farmer

s a nurse who specializes in biomedical What are some key issues the center is informatics, Suzanne Bakken focuses her Q.addressing? research on ways to use information and Much of the materials that are written and on Web communication technologies to improve A.sites tend to be written at eighth-grade levels and careA for those who need it most: the elderly, young above. Some people use the approach of just writing children, and groups that are more vulnerable to everything at a low level, like third- to sixth-grade certain diseases. They are, in nursing speak, the levels. That’s not the approach we like to use. We ﬁ rmly underserved, and most broadly they are “those believe that, regardless of the level of health literacy people who are most at risk for health disparities,” that a patient has, it is the clinician’s responsibility to said 56-year-old Bakken. “There’s all kinds of data on ﬁ gure out how to communicate with that patient. This what that is, and it’s very clear that particular racial is essential for high-quality care and it is essential for and ethnic groups are more likely to experience such patient safety … It is very important that you match the disparities.” level of the message with the person’s literacy level. Bakken is principal investigator of the School of Nursing’s Center for Evidence-based Practice in the What challenges do you face in delivering the Underserved, which develops tools to help patients Q.necessary health information to the communities manage their own healthcare, or provide them with you serve? the resources to do so. Sometimes it is the language [barrier], so most of The center, which was established in 2001, A.the materials are still in English; sometimes there received $2.4 million from the National Institute of are increasing amounts in Spanish. Sometimes they are Nursing Research to fund it for the next five years. culturally inappropriate. And thirdly, there is the issue of

CHARLES E. MANLEY Bakken and her colleagues are using the grant for the readability—a mismatch between the readability of POSITION: four feasibility studies: evaluating a tailored, Web- the health information that is presented and the health based intervention to help adolescent diabetics and The Alumni Professor of Nursing, literacy of the person who needs the information. parents learn how to manage their diabetes using School of Nursing You are originally from the San Francisco Bay insulin pump technology; developing interventions .area. What brought you to Columbia? Professor of Biomedical Informatics, for Heart Healthy living in HIV/AIDS; evaluating a Q College of Physicians & Surgeons self-management technique that adult diabetics with It was the ability to have a joint appointment hypertension can use to help reduce their blood A.at a place that was good in both nursing and LENGTH OF SERVICE: pressure; and designing a fall-and-injury assessment biomedical informatics. [Columbia] is one of the few 7 and prevention module for elderly patients that could places in the country that has strength in both. be included in their medical records, so that there is What excites you about nursing an account of their risks to such injuries. HISTORY: Q. Bakken spent six years early in her career as a Professor of Nursing at University of From the minute I was a nurse, I was always critical care nurse, but turned to informatics to help California-San Francisco A.thinking about how to make it better for a group more people. “Although I enjoyed making things of patients. So I probably was an informatician before Critical Care Nurse, better for one patient,” she said, “I would always try to I even knew what one was. That is the part that I still Cardiovascular Intensive Care Unit, think, ‘How can we develop a standard of care for this enjoy—designing tools that help both clinicians and Stanford University Medical Center kind of patient?’” patients address healthcare problems.

ON EXHIBIT: KARA WALKER

n her new exhibit at the Whitney I Museum, Visual Arts professor Kara Walker’s compositions, set in the antebellum South, play off ste- reotypes and portray life on the plantation, with masters and slaves in an unsettling historical struggle. Arranged as a narrative, Kara Walker: My Complement, My Enemy, My Oppressor, My Love, features works ranging from the artist’s signature black-paper silhouettes to recent ﬁ lm anima- tions. Walker has gained national and international recognition for her large-scale (often room-sized) scenes, in which she combines themes of racism, violence and sexuality. She has received many grants and fellowships including the John D. and Catherine T. Ma- cArthur Foundation Achievement Award in 1997, the Deutsche Bank Prize in 2004 and the Larry Aldrich Award in 2005. The exhibit will be on view at the Whitney through Feb. 3, 2008. —By Record Staff COURTESY OF SIKKEMA JENKINS & CO Slavery! Slavery! By Kara Walker

3304.indd 7 10/24/07 1:50:29 PM TheRecord SCRAPBOOK OCTOBER 25, 2007 8 DAVID WENTWORTH DAVID EILEEN BARROSO NO PLACE LIKE HOMECOMING ALL SCIENCE, ALL DAY. The stands at Wien Stadium at the Baker Field Athletics That’s what was in store for more than 1,300 students, parents and Complex—newly named Robert K. Kraft Field—were packed for instructors who participated in workshops and science exhibits at the Columbia’s Homecoming game Oct. 13 against the University Oct. 20th Siemens Science Day at Columbia. Above photo: Middle school of Pennsylvania. Across, from left to right: Creative fans roar students learn how to test water quality in “Rain or Drain!” workshop—one for the Lions, and Head Football Coach Norries Wilson shares of many interactive workshops offered at the all-day event.

EILEEN BARROSO a moment with son Cecil. EILEEN BARROSO EILEEN BARROSO A GREAT READ FOR LITTLE READERS Who doesn’t love a good bedtime story? Especially in the middle of the day. More than 10,000 people attended the third annual New York Times Great Read Oct. 14, hosted by Columbia and presented by

MICHAEL DAMES Target. Civic leaders, journalists and television, film GOLD MEDALISTS 2016 and Broadway stars read to children from throughout Kids aged three to 12 got to tumbling in Dodge Physical Fitness Center Oct. 5 and 12, for free the city from books selected by librarians from the gymnastics clinics to show off what the Wendy Hilliard Foundation offers in its gymnastics five boroughs. Clockwise, from top left: NYPD Police training and sports clinics. The Hilliard Foundation, which aims its efforts toward inner city Commissioner Ray Kelly reads Dr. Seuss’ Green Eggs youth, is one of the recipients of funds from Columbia Community Service, an employee-driven and Ham; Actress Julie Andrews Edwards reads from fund-raising campaign, which raises money for more than 55 local community groups. Above her book, Thanks to You: Wisdom from Mother & photo: Budding gymnasts participate in a free class; bottom photo: A child enjoys one-on-one Child; and Mariska Hargitay of Law & Order: SVU instruction on the parallel bars from a Wendy Hilliard trainer.

EILEEN BARROSO reads from Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White

100 Years of Barzun Matthews Professor of Dramatic Literature; continued from page 1 Henry R. Graff, professor emeritus of history; William Theodore De Bary, John Mitchell “As one whose teaching career began Mason Professor Emeritus and University virtually in college, when I did a good deal of provost emeritus; and Kenneth T. Jackson, tutoring, I could readily understand receiving Jacques Barzun Professor in History and the a Long Teacher award,” Barzun wrote. “The Social Sciences. appellation of Great Teacher must come to Graff, co-author with Barzun of six editions anybody as a surprise and make one feel of The Modern Researcher and a fellow humble and grateful. This is because teaching baseball aﬁ cionado, capped his remarks by is an activity that deﬁ nes assessment, certainly mentioning a baseball bat that Barzun bought assessment by the performer. It consists in in Cooperstown, presented to Graff with his the effort to change the contents of many signature, and which Graff, in turn, sent back minds at a time, by removing error and to the Baseball Hall of Fame where it now inserting knowledge in its place. What an resides in the museum alongside Barzun’s most impossible task!” famous quote. Born in France on November 30, 1907, “If all the Great Teachers chosen by the Barzun moved from Paris to New York City Society of Columbia Graduates could somehow

in 1920, was valedictorian of the Columbia EILEEN BARROSO be here tonight,” said Graff, “they would College Class of 1927, and received his Ph.D. collectively rejoice over their ranks being joined from Columbia in 1932. He taught as Seth Low this year by the towering—and handsome— Professor of History and in the course of his WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT? Jacques Barzun, the Babe Ruth of humanistic career served as dean of the Graduate School, study and teaching.” HINT: Rain or shine, this knight stands guard on a popular ledge. dean of Faculties and as provost before re- Where does he keep post? Send answers to curecord@columbia. In a quote that is not nearly so famous, tiring in 1975 as University Professor. edu. First to e-mail us the right answer wins a Record mug. but certainly explains his standing as a great Speakers at the dinner included Austin E. teacher, Barzun said, “when all is said and Quigley, dean of Columbia College, Henry ANSWER TO LAST CHALLENGE: The lamp post in front of done, one does not teach a subject, one L. and Lucy C. Moses Professor, and Brander Havemeyer; No winner. teaches a student how to learn it.”

3304.indd 8 10/24/07 1:50:32 PM