# u n i v e r s i t y o f m a i n e a t p r e s q u e i s l e December 5, 2008 $ issue 2008.12 University signs contract for wind turbine Officials from the University of Maine at Presque Isle and energy needs, significantly reduce our energy costs, and Lumus Construction, Inc. have signed a $2 million contract help us to leave a much small carbon footprint,” President for the installation of a 600 Don Zillman said. kW wind turbine at the “This is the most sig - southern end of campus. nificant renewable They held a press confer - energy project we, ence on MoM nday, Nov. 24 to as a campus, have participate in a formal sign - ever undertaken, ing ceremony and and we are both announce the details of proud and humbled their project, which estab - to be stepping for - lishes UMPI as the first uni - ward as a statewide versity in the State of Maine leader in the utiliza - and one of only a handful in tion of wind as a New England to install a renewable energy mid-size wind turbine. University and Lumus Construction, Inc. officials held a press conference on Nov. 24 resource.” The turbine will produce to announce the details of their $2 million wind turbine project. Construction about 1 million kilowatt- work on the project hours of electricity per year and is expected to save the insti - began on Nov. 19. Sumul Shah, President of Lumus tution more than $100,000 annually in electricity charges. Construction, Inc., explained that crews are working to It also will save an estimated 572 tons of carbon dioxide build a strong foundation at the wind turbine site. Workers from being released into the atmosphere each year. have drilled 40-foot-deep holes in order to install anchors “This historic project will help to meet the campus’s into the bedrock underneath the continued on page 2 1968 Retrospective embraced by community Students, staff, faculty and communi - with journalist Richard Dudman. The President Don Zillman said. ty members turned out night after event reportedly was the The Retrospective began on night to take part in the University’s only one of its kind to Monday, Nov. 10 with a look at week-long 1968 Retrospective held happen in Maine, if rospect the music and art of 1968. et ive R # 2 68 0 Nov. 10-15, learning about the major not New England. 9 0 Students presented an exhibi - 1 8 events that helped to make 1968 a “We’re quite U tion, “Sex, Drugs, and Rock n e i l v Is M e transformational year in politics, edu - pleased that so many rs e and Roll: An Homage to ity qu o res cation, science and culture. campus and communi - f Maine at P Radical Counter-culture in The event included roundtable dis - ty members attended 1968” in the Pullen Art Gallery. cussions, presentations, movie screen - our 1968 Retrospective Afterward, President Zillman led the ings, slideshows, musical performanc - events and were able to learn, or learn official kick-off for the 1968 es, an art exhibit, and a conversation more, about this important year,” Retrospective in continued on page 4 Veterans Graves Math Writing Giles Fort Fairfield 3 Day 4 awarded 5 Day 5 Center 8 Research 8 Exhibit image Gelder presents “Parasites for the Classroom” Dr. Andrea Gorman Gelder recently ices affects the way these vectors are middle school curricula. This provides a presented a paper entitled “Parasites able to transmit disease, which means means of addressing aspects of the for the Classroom” at the National that it is becoming increasingly impor - state and national learning results, Association of Biology Teachers tant for students to be knowledgeable from biology and ecology to health, (NABT) meeting in Memphis, Tenn. about parasitic diseases and the organ - history and communication. The purpose of the paper was to urge Classroom topics regarding mos - M 5th – 8th gM rade teachers to incorpo - quitoes can range from their morphol - rate common arthropod parasites, pri - ogy, host detection and selection, gen - marily mosquitoes, into their curricula. eral ecology, diseases they transmit, Gorman points out that well known isms that transmit them. and means of protecting ourselves arthropods like mosquitoes, lice, fleas By the time students reach the 5th from them by reducing their numbers and ticks serve as “vectors” of diseases grade, they are familiar with basic and attraction to us. Gorman used “I- and have had a profound effect on arthropod morphology and the insect goggles” during her presentation to both public health and history. They life cycle, and fortunately, they are also demonstrate how mosquitoes view the have been responsible for disseminat - generally fascinated by topics that are world. She also provided teachers with ing such pestilence as malaria, plague, gross. Gorman argues that the conflu - a series of lesson plans (lists of materi - West Nile Virus and Lyme disease. ence of student knowledge and fasci - als, objectives and procedures), includ - Everything from increasing temper - nation provides a window of opportu - ing background information and refer - atures caused by global warming and nity to exploit the situation and intro - ences (internet and text) regarding the way we exchange goods and serv - duce parasites into the 5th through mosquitoes. # Wind turbine continued from page 1 site. They will then pour more than 100 cubic yards of con - crete interlaced with steel to create the turbine base. Turbine blades that are 47 meters in diameter, as well as a 20-ton nacelle – which houses the turbine’s gearbox and generator – are being assembled in Chennai, India by RRB Energy Ltd. The 65-meter turbine tower is being manufac - tured in the U.S. Officials expect the turbine parts to be Woodard & Curran created a visual representation of how the new delivered to the site by March. They hope to erect the tur - wind turbine is expected to fit in with the campus landscape. bine in early April and have it ready to produce electricity by the end of April. “It is a great honor to be part of this project that brings Commission to go toward the project. the University of Maine at Presque Isle to the forefront in Officials have promised to make the wind turbine proj - renewable energy,” Shah said. “Our company has a long ect very public and show all sides of completing an alterna - history of working on projects that serve the greater good. tive energy project, both the value and cost-effectiveness of We applaud the University’s enthusiasm for producing on- harnessing natural resources for clean electricity as well as site green energy and thank University officials for allowing any problems encountered along the way. us to be a part of this exciting project.” A new website for the project, www.umpi.edu/wind, The University announced its intentions to move for - will serve as a major resource for anyone who wants to ward on a wind turbine project in May 2007. Funding for learn more about the University’s alternative energy project. the project is coming from campus – not University of The University also intends to incorporate aspects of its Maine System – reserves, which have been built up through wind project into some of the courses it offers, as well as more than 20 years of careful financial stewardship. The encouraging area schools and other educational institutions University also received a $50,000 Voluntary Renewable to learn about, build into their curriculums, and otherwise Resources Fund grant from the Maine Public Utilities take advantage of this resource. # 2 university of maine at presque isle $ north of ordinary december 5, 2008 Veterans Day event focuses on the veteran experience The University held a special Veterans erans’ experiences through what has learned a lot since then. They’re Day event on Tuesday, Nov. 11, gather - they’d seen in such movies as Forrest pleased by how much better people ing together several local veterans and Gump. So Hawkins asked a real veter - treat the troops returning home today. University officials for an evening of an to come to her class. That veteran, But they also believe that there’s one tribute and appreciation. Lionel Lavoie, was able to talk about important thing that people need to A seven-member panel discussed his experiences during the war and do better: they need to ensure that the veteranM experience – from the ini - how they changed his life. younger generations really understand tial decision to enter military service Lavoie then spoke to the crowd at what our nation’s veterans have gone and the nature of that service to the UMPI, saying that when he first went through and what support needs to be impact of a veteran’s service on loved to Vietnam, he had only been there offered when veterans return home. ones and the lessons that stay with a three weeks before he found himself in “I felt it was important to be a part veteran for the remainder of life. This his first battle. Of his platoon, he was of this discussion because it gives me special event was part of the University’s weeklong 1968 Retrospective, held November 10-15. Participating in the panel were four local veterans – Rudy Buitron, US Army retired (Sgt. 1st class), who now lives in Portage; John Barlow, US Air Force (Staff Sgt.), who now lives in Fort Fairfield; Disabled American A seven-member panel, including four local veterans, participated in a special Veterans Day event held on Nov.