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The campus community biweekly February 24, 2005, vol. 5, no. 4 Rain spells delays Ride launches festival

Girls, let's do launch! That's the way one waggish Florida newspaper headlined a story on the Sally Ride Science Festival, which comes to Caltech on Saturday, March 19. As you might guess, the fes­ tival is the brainchild of Ride, America's first female astronaut, and is primarily intended for girls in grades five through eight, their parents, and educators. That age group is a critical time for girls and science, since it's the time when they Hefty telescope begin to drift away from their natural interests in science and math. That's a to float situation that Ride, the Ingrid and Joseph Assuming all goes well this April, a high­ Hibben Professor of Space Science and altitude balloon flight in New Mexico will professor of physics at UC San Diego, help to demonstrate whether an innovative has devoted a large part of her life to CALTECH telescope is ready to launch into space. reversing. PARKING If chosen by NASA. the telescope, Over the last few years Ride has orga­ ONLY called the Nuclear Spectroscopic Tele­ nized these festivals around the country, scope Array, or NuSTAR for short, should attracting hundreds of girls and parents be orbiting Earth by the end of the de­ for a day of science, socializing, and fun. cade, taking the first foeused high-energy Her company, Sally Ride Science, is dedi­ X-ray pictures of matter falling into black cated to creating events, programs, and Ytsrtor vehi.;les must be holes and shooting out of exploding registered U'T~rea ~s be die< see Sally Ride, page 6 stars. In addition, it will give scientists an ana or towea.cvc 22651 unprecedented look at the origins of the \lehSI

Numb3rs, from page 1 Meanwhile, an array of , calculations, and equations scribbled on blackboards or overlaid through special NewsBriefs effects offers a glimpse into the mind of the math whiz who teaches at "Cal Sci"-the California School of Science and Technology. Caltech's imprint on Numb3rs is no accident. The show's creators-Pasadena residents and -approached the Institute last summer about shooting some scenes on campus, and for help in making the math as realistic as possible. That led the hus­ band-and-wife team to Lorden, Caltech's The Women's Center-whose staff includes, executive officer for mathematics, who left to right, Emery Johnson, administrative assistant; Candace Rypisi, director; and Jennifer was soon hired as a consultant. Cichocki, assistant director-hosts the campus "I was thrilled to see the show ap­ lactation room. proach Caltech," says Lorden. He finds it remarkable that in the finished product, Numb3rs depicts "math as not only inter­ Lactation room helps esting, but actually cool and sexy. It also does a good job of showing the reality working mothers of being stuck on problems, and working and suffering along the way to finding a When graduate student Christine Esber solution." Richardson returned to campus and her Lorden's job is to help the scripts program in energy research after credibly utilize bona fide mathematical having her baby, she wanted to continue techniques such as cryptography, combi­ breast-feeding. Caltech's lactation room In Vienna, the good Duke has been so lax in enforcing the laws that the citizenry in the Caltech Women's Center made it is in turmoil. In order to observe his subjects, he disguises himself as a friar natorics, number theory, and epidemiol­ possible. and leaves his deputy Angelo in his place to clean up the town and mete out ogy statistics in solving crimes. Besides punishment. Caught up in the plot of Measure for Measure are the lovers Claudio reviewing scripts for mathematical "We definitely knew that breast milk and Juliet, who bears Claudio's child. Here Claudio's sister Isabella, played by authenticity, he has also been asked to was best for the baby," says Esber Rich­ graduate student Tosin Otitoju, pleads with Angelo, Todd Brun, PhD '94, for her come up with math or physics concepts ardson, who pumped twice a day and brother's life. Angelo, however, has his own ideas about how to make things also rode her bike home at lunchtime right again. Gavin Claypool, production coordinator on the latest TACIT play, and equations that provide the "math­ to feed baby Aiden until he was seven says, "It's interesting that the issues of personal behavior and the state's interest ematical background to what some of the in it are in the news. It shows that Shakespeare wrote about universal themes." characters are doing, saying, or thinking. months old. "It was great to know that I This production of Shakespeare's darkest of dark comedies, directed by Shirley This could include pictures or things to could feed him and still work on campus. Marneus, will be presented this weekend and the next in Ramo Auditorium. For write in notepads that the camera might I knew that I could go home and be sure details and tickets, contact Caltech Public Events at 395-4652. see, or stuff that Charlie writes on a that my milk production would be suffi­ blackboard or whiteboard." cient to provide for his nutrition." He also has assisted by writing equa­ Esber Richardson, pursuing a pro­ tions as needed, both in campus shoots gram in applied physics, is one of seven David Goodstein, Caltech's vice provost, profes­ women, mostly staff and graduate stu­ Personals sor of physics and applied physics, and Gil loon and at a downtown Los Angeles studio Distinguished Teaching and Service Professor, where the FBI -office scenes are filmed. dents, who have used the lactation room Welcome to Caltech has had his book Out of Gas: Th e End of the Age " It's been f un and stimulating, hanging during the past year. Located in the of Oil (New York: W. W. Norton & Company, 2004) around w ith the actors and writers on Center for Student Services, the space January chosen by the New York Times Book Review as the set, and somewhat glamorous, but otherwise serves as the Women's Center one of its 100 Notable Books of the Year for 2004. library-lounge, and contains breast-feed­ Sebastian Breitenbach, visitor in environmental In the book, Goodstein sees difficult choices fac­ it's a long day," Lorden says. Initially, ing information, a hospital-caliber breast science and engineering; Jennifer Chen, major ing human society worldwide as global oil pro­ he assisted on story lines involving the gifts officer, Development and Alumni Relations; duction peaks in the near future. "The crisis will epidemiology of human virus transmis­ pump, a small refrigerator in which users research technicians Alan Fung, engineering and occur, and it will be painful," he writes. "Civiliza­ sion, the responses of skyscrapers to can store expressed milk, nearby access applied science, and Andrew Hsieh, biology; Ai tion as we know it will come to an end sometime earthquakes and strong winds, the aero­ to a sink, and a comfortable couch and lnada, researcher, planetary science; Michael in this century unless we can find a way to live chair. Slessor, licensing associate, Office of Technology without fossil fuels." He dedicates the book "to dynamics of falling human bodies, and Employer-provided lactation rooms Transfer; Charles Williams, visitor in geophysics. our children and grandchildren, who will not in­ predictive models regarding criminal herit the riches that we inherited." After receiving behavior. Also pitching in as needed are are a national trend, says Amy Seidel February his BS from Brooklyn College in 1960 and his PhD math professors Dinarkar Ramakrishnan Malak, who coordinates the WorkLife from the University of Washington in 1965, Good­ and Rick Wilson, as well as associate Program for the Staff and Faculty Con­ Leonard Edwards Jr., associate desktop support, stein joined Caltech's faculty in 1966 as a research sultation Center, oversees the lactation Information Technology Services; Maria Flores, fellow in physics. He became assistant professor professor Nathan Dunfield. room, and provides lactation classes. housekeeper, Athenaeum; Stephanie Follis, of physics in 1967 and was appointed professor A touch of the TV spotlight has also administrative assistant, Financial Aid Office; of physics and applied physics in 1976. He was fallen on one of Wilson's graduate stu­ Such services are increasingly mandated Angelica Maria Gonzalez, environmental, named vice provost in 1987 and Gilloon Profes­ dents, David Grynkiewicz. "The produc­ by law. California in 2002 joined a grow­ health, and safety technician, Safety Office; sor in 1995. Other works by Goodstein include ers thought David Krumholtz would have ing number of states requiring employers Mani Hossein-Zadeh, postdoctoral scholar in his award-winning PBS series The Mechanical to provide break time, and a room, other applied physics; Desirea Mecenas, assistant Universe, and the best-selling book Feynman's trouble writing some of the complicated than a bathroom stall, where women can research technician, biology; Greg Miles, security Lost Lecture. numerical expressions, and my hand officer, Campus Security and Parking Services; looks similar to his," says Grynkiewicz, express milk. Toyoki Nishimata, visitor in chemistry; Sheyla David Levy, director of financial aid, has been who is studying combinatorics. During Society's growing recognition that Perez Martinez, research aide, biology; Cheryl named to receive the College Board Western Re­ a shooting period when Lorden was un­ mother's milk provides the best nutrition Petterson, scanning clerk, Development and gional Assembly's Exemplar Award in recognition for infants aside, the logistics of breast­ Alumni Relations; Hardy Siahaan, visitor in of "his exceptional professional service and con­ available, he spent more than 30 hours feeding can seem insurmountable to new control and dynamical systems; Husen Zhang, tributions." The award announcement continues: standing in as both hand-double and postdoctoral scholar in geobiology. "An exceptionally dedicated financial aid expert, math advisor. mothers returning to work, Malak says. Levy is known for tirelessly traveling throughout The Institute came close to being iden­ If the location isn't convenient, women the region to offer sage advice on financially plan­ tified as Charlie's university, according may find it difficult to pump frequently ning for higher education to prospective college enough to maintain an adequate milk students and their families." Noted for his partici­ to Caltech public events director Denise supply. Honors and awards pation in annual events such as Cash for College Nelson Nash. The stumbling block was and in collaborative productions for media such that network officials were unwilling to "We've made great strides, getting Mark Konishi, Bing Professor of Behavioral Biol­ as newspapers and local news channels, "Levy is allow the Institute script review. a place on campus, but that was a first admired and respected by all who know him." He ogy, and Fernando Nottebohm of Rockefeller "CBS wanted to have complete cre­ step," Malak says, adding that she'd like University have jointly received the American will be recognized at the College Board's Western to see several such rooms placed stra­ Regional Conference in San Diego on Sunday, ative control, which was fine with us, as Philosophical Society's 2004 Karl Spencer Lash­ tegically around the campus. She also ley Award for their work illuminating the physi­ February 27, for his many accomplishments. long as there were no illegal or illicit rela­ ological basis of the vocal-learning abilities of tionships or activities depicted involving plans to build a "holistic" program that certain birds. Presented at the society's autumn Caltech people." But the network decided includes prenatal and postnatal breast­ general meeting in Philadelphia, the award was against allowing even that level of over­ feeding support, as well as assistance in established in 1957 by a gift from Dr. Lashley to sight, Nelson Nash said. locating quality childcare. recognize work on the integrative neuroscience of Jean Shin, Athenaeum marketing and behavior. Konishi specifically was recognized for • his experiments demonstrating that birds "de­ membership coordinator, had a less posi ~ pend heavily on their ability to monitor their own tive experience with the lactation center, voice, both to produce previously memorized but applauds the effort. "They were songs and to maintain them once developed." A great with follow-up, and asked me what member of the Caltech faculty since 1975, Konishi worked and what didn't." She used the received his BS and MS from Hokkaido University and his PhD from UC Berkeley. The American room for only one week, saying, "You Philosophical Society was founded in 1743 by see Women's Center, page 6 Benjamin Franklin. the acad em ic week at Ca It ec h is a printed version of selected events from the online master calendar. http://today.caltech.edu/calendar. To publish events online, register as an event planner on the Caltech Today calendar. If unable to submit electronically,

please call (626) 395-3630. For further information or a schedule of deadlines, call (626) 395-3630, fax (626) 449-2159, write 336 Calendar, 1-71,

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, or e-mail [email protected]. February 28-M arch 6, 2005

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Monday, February 28 Wednesday, March 2 Thursday, March 3

Geological and Planetary Sciences Technical Computing with MATLAB Bioengineering Seminar Series Seminar and Simulink 142 Keck, 4 p.m.-" Running at the Solid/ 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, Beckman Institute auditorium, 8:30 to Fluid Interface: Biomechanics of Sand 2 p.m .-"Experimental Condensation 11 a.m.-"Technical Computing with Locomotion in Lizards," Wyatt Korff, of Silicate Gases: Application to the MATLAB and Simulink," Pete Stagg, integrative biology department, UC Formation of the First Solar Minerals Mathworks. This technical session will Berkeley. and of Interstellar Dust Particles," Alice introduce how MATLAB and its family of Toppani, postdoctoral researcher, In­ products are used as a flexible platform Everhart lecture Series stitute for Geophysics and Planetary for technical computing and application 101 Guggenheim Lab, Lees-Kubota Physics, Lawrence Livermore National development in engineering, math, Lecture Hall, 4 p.m.-"Were Microbes Laboratory. and science curricula and research. the Architects of Ancient Shorelines?", Sponsored by Information Technology Tanja Bosak, graduate student in High Energy Physics Seminar and Services (ITS). Registration: www. geobiology, Caltech. 469 Lauritsen, 4 p.m.-"CP Violation mathworks.com/seminars/caltech. in the Lepton Sector," Stephen Parke, Geology Club Seminar theoretical physics department, Fermi Environmental Science and 151 Arms, Buwalda Room, 4 p.m.­ National Accelerator Laboratory. Engineering Seminar "Paleointensity Variations in the 142 Keck, 3:40 to 5 p.m.-"The Water Cretaceous Long Normal Polarity Framework Directive as the Paradigm for Interval as Constrained by Marine Tuesday, March 1 the Ecological and Chemical Protection Magnetic Anomalies," Steve Cande, of European Surface Waters," Steven professor of geophysics, Scripps Caltech Library System Presents: Eisenreich, unit head, Inland and Marine Institution of Oceanography. Open Access Waters Unit, Joint Research Centre. Sherman Fairchild Library, multimedia conference room, noon to 1:30 p.m.­ Astronomy Colloquium Friday, March 4 An overview of the many faces of Open 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, Access. Topics covered will include 4 p.m.-Topic to be announced. Tsvi High Energy Theory Seminar disciplinary archives, dissertations, Piran, Moore Distinguished Scholar in 469 Lauritsen, 11 a.m.-"Topological 3 institutional archives, overlay journals, ," physics, Caltech. String Theory on H3 x S Martijn born-OA journals, converted-OA Wijnholt, research associate in physics, journals, Walker-Prosser OA-by-the­ Information Science and Princeton University. article journals, and scanned heritage Technology Seminar (EMANI, Gallica, etc.). There will be 74 Jorgensen, 4 p.m.-Topic to be Mathematics of Information a special update on the NIH policy. announced. Professor Asuman Ozdaglar, Seminar Registration and information: http:// department of electrical engineering and 239 Moore, 2:30 to 4 p.m.-Topic to I i bra ry.ca Itech .ed u/lea rn i ng/defa u it. htm. computer science, MIT. be announced. Chaitanya Swamy, postdoctoral scholar, Center for the Carnegie Observatories Colloquium Organic Chemistry Seminar Mathematics of Information (CMI), Series 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, Caltech. William T. Golden Auditorium, 813 Santa 4 p.m.-"Recent Advances in Barbara Street, 3:30 to 5 p.m.-" Lyman­ Combination of Metal and Enzyme lnorganic-Organometallics Seminar alpha in the Intergalactic Medium: Catalysis for Asymmetric Synthesis," 151 Crellin, 4 p.m.-"lmprovement Beyond the Forest," Steven Furlanetto, Professor Jan Backvall, department of Ruthenium-Catalyzed Olefin postdoctoral scholar in physics, of Organic Chemistry, Stockholm Metathesis Reaction Efficiency Through mathematics and astronomy, Caltech. University. Understanding Catalyst Stability," Refreshments, 3:30p.m. Soon Hyeok Hong, graduate student in Special Seminar in Applied and chemistry, Caltech. Ulric B. and Evelyn L. Bray Seminar Computational Mathematics in Political Economy 306 Firestone, 4 p.m.-"Time-Asymptotic 25 Baxter, 4 p.m.-Topic to be Behavior in Hamilton-Jacobi Equations," announced. Professor Andrew Martin, Professor Jean-Michel Roquejoffor, department of political science, applied mathematics, University of Washington University in St. Louis. Toulouse.

Chemical Physics Seminar 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, 4 p.m .-"Spatiotemporal Correlations in Liquid Water: 1/f Noise as a Probe," Professor Ramakrishna Ramaswamy, Nehru Research Center, New Delhi. the acad em ic week at Ca It ec h is a printed version of selected events from the online master calendar. http://today.caltech.edu/calendar. To publish events online, register as an event planner on the Caltech Today calendar. If unable to submit electronically, please call (626) 395-3630. For further information or a schedule of deadlines, call (626) 395-3630, fax (626) 449-2159, write 336 Calendar, 1-71,

California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, or e-mail [email protected]. March 7-13,2005

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Monday, March 7 Wednesday, March 9 Social and Information Sciences Laboratory Seminar Series (SISL) Biophysics Lecture Series Astronomy Colloquium 25 Baxter, 4 p.m.-"Predicting the 153 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, 'Unpredictable,"' Rakesh Vohra, Kellogg 4 p.m.-"Exploring the Protein Funnel 4 p.m.-"Observations of Ultraluminous Professor of Managerial Economics and Energy Landscape for Folding and Infrared Galaxies with the IRS on Spitzer," Decision Sciences, MEDS department, Function," Professor Jose Nelson Lee Armus, Spitzer Science Center, Kellogg School of Management, Onuchic, department of physics, UC Caltech. Northwestern University. San Diego. Caltech Presidential Lecture Series Friday, March 11 Geological and Planetary Sciences on Achieving Diversity in Science, Seminar Math, and Engineering High Energy Theory Seminar 155 Arms, Robert Sharp Lecture Hall, B_eckman Institute auditorium, 4 p.m.­ 469 Lauritsen, 11 a.m.-Topic to be 4 p.m.-" Microbial Activities in Deep "Stars in Her Eyes: From Poet to Rocket announced. James Liu, assistant Subseafloor Sediments," Steven Scientist to Chancellor," Dr. France professor, department of physics, D'Hondt, professor of oceanography, Cordova, chancellor, UC Riverside. This University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. University of Rhode Island. event is free and open to the public. No tickets or reservations are required. Mathematics of Information High Energy Physics Seminar Free parking is available. Please go to Seminar 469 Lauritsen, 4 p.m.-"Simple Atoms the parking structure at 370 S. Holliston 239 Moore, 3 to 4:30 p.m.-Topic to be and the Determination of Fundamental Avenue for a parking permit and announced. Daniel Marco, postdoctoral Constants," Professor Andrzej Czarnecki, directions to the auditorium. scholar, Center for the Mathematics of department of physics, University of Information, Caltech. Alberta. Organic Chemistry Seminar 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, lnorganic-Organometallics Seminar Applied Mathematics Colloquium 4 p.m.-" Asymmetric Synthesis: From 151 Crellin, 4 p.m.-"Selectivity 101 Guggenheim Lab, Lees-Kubota Transition Metals to Organocatalysis," Trends in C-H Bond Activation of Alkyl­ Lecture Hall, 4:15 p.m.-"On the Professor Pavel Kocovsky, department Substituted Benzenes by Cationic Pt(ll) Regularity Conditions for the Navier­ of chemistry, University of Glasgow. Complexes," Tom Driver, postdoctoral Stokes and the Related Equations," scholar in chemistry, Caltech. Dongho Chae, visiting professor, Earnest C. Watson Lecture Series Center for Scientific Computing and Beckman Auditorium, 8 p.m.-"Lifting Mathematical Modeling, University of the Cosmic Veil: The Infrared Universe Maryland, College Park. Revealed by the Spitzer ," Michael Werner, project scientist, Spitzer Science Center. Tuesday, March 8 Admission is free.

Carnegie Observatories Colloquium Series Thursday, March 10 William T. Golden Auditorium, 813 Santa Barbara Street, 3:30 to 5 p.m.-"The Star Caltech Library System Presents Formation Histories and Stellar Masses Endnote for Absolute Beginners of Red Galaxies at Z>2," lvo Labbe, Sherman Fairchild Library, multimedia Observatories of the Carnegie Institution conference room, 2 to 3:30 p.m.-Learn of Washington (QCIW). Refreshments, what Endnote is and how it can work 3:30p.m. for you to create bibliographies within a document, and as a search interface to Chemical Physics Seminar online databases and catalogs allowing 147 Noyes, Sturdivant Lecture Hall, you to directly export records to your 4 p.m.-"Stochastic Chemistry: Kinetics computer. Not for Mac users. Space is and Thermodynamics of Living Systems limited. Registration: http://oliphaunt. and Cellular Signal Transduction," Hong I i bra ry.ca ltech .ed u/fo rms/cls-classes. Oian, associate professor, department Walk-ins will be accepted only if space of applied mathematics, University of permits. Washington. Chemical Engineering Seminar General Biology Seminar 106 Spalding Lab, Hartley Memorial 119 Kerckhoff, 4 p.m.-" Beyond the Seminar Room, 4 p.m.-" Rheology Double Helix: Writing and Reading the and Microrheology of Composite Actin 'Histone Code,"' Professor David Allis, Networks," Professor David A. Weitz, Rockefeller University. Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University. Refresh­ ments, 113 Spalding Lab, 3:30p.m.

Geology Club Seminar 151 Arms, Buwalda Room, 4 p.m.­ "Neutron Computer Tomography and the Search for Life in Rocks," Dawn Sumner, associate professor, department of geology, UC Davis. Caltech 336, February 24, 2005 5 CampusEvents

Skeptics Society Lecture Monday, February 28 Friday, March 4 Baxter Lecture Hall, 2 p.m.-"When They Severed Earth from Sky: How the Human Mind Shapes Mondays GSC Housing Committee Monthly Meeting Myth," Elizabeth Barber, professor of linguistics Hustle Dance Class Broad Cafe, noon-The GSC Housing Committee and archaeology, Occidental College. Donation Winnett lounge, 8 p.m.- This is the third class meets monthly on the first Friday of the month at Lunchtime Pickup Ultimate Frisbee is $8 for nonmembers and non-Caltech students. in a four-class hustle dance series taught by a noon to discuss campus housing as it applies to Fox Stanton Track and Field, 12:15 p.m.-The Free to the Caltech/JPL community. Tickets and professional instructor. No partner is required, graduate students. The committee works closely Caltech Penultimate Frisbee players make up an information: 794-3119 or [email protected]. but some previous knowledge of hustle is helpful. with the Caltech housing office. informal recreational group that plays pickup Cost for Caltech students: $6 per class. For non­ A book signing will follow the lecture. games of Ultimate Frisbee at lunchtime on Mon­ students, $8 per class. Women's Water Polo days, Wednesdays, and Fridays. No experience Caltech-Occidental Symphony Orchestra at UC Santa Cruz, 4 p.m. is needed, and complete novices are welcome. Ramo Auditorium, 7:30 p.m.-The program Information: http://mailman.its.caltech.edu/ features Stravinsky's Firebird Suite and the win­ Caltech Glee Clubs Winter Concert penultimate. Tuesday, March 1 ner of this year's concerto competition. A free Dabney Lounge, 8 p.m.- This concert will feature reception for all will follow the performance. (See Floorball Club Student Insurance Questions Answered the Magnificat of Andrea Gabrieli. Also included Public Events contact information on this page.) Brown Gymnasium, 10 p.m.- Caltech Floorball Winnett clubroom #1, 10 to 11:30 a.m.- David will be works by Brahms, Thompson, Victoria, Club holds pickup floorball games on Mondays Paragone and Mike Conway from the Chickering and others. Admission is free. from 10 p.m. to midnight. For more information, Group will be on campus to answer any questions see our website at http://floorball.caltech.edu. related to student health insurance. To schedule Measure for Measure Monday, March 7 an appointment, please contact Mike Conway Ramo Auditorium, 8 p.m.- Theater Arts at at (877) 375-7912 or [email protected]. Caltech (TACIT) presents Shakespeare's dark Hustle Dance Class Walk-ins are welcome. comedy. Performances are Fridays, Saturdays, Winnett lounge, 8 p.m.-This is the fourth and Tuesdays and Sundays through March 5. (See Public Events final class in a four-class hustle dance series. No contact information on this page.) partner is required, but some previous knowledge Preschool Playgroup of hustle is helpful. Cost for Caltech students: $6 Tournament Park, 10 a.m. to noon-Song and Wednesday, March 2 Michelin Distinguished Visitors Lecture per class. For nonstudents, $8 per class. storytime, crafts and free play for toddlers and Beckman Auditorium, 8 to 9:30 p.m.-Best-known preschoolers (from walking to age 4). Sponsored Rita Arditti: Searching for Life for his popular mysteries featuring private inves­ by the Caltech Women's Club. Information: 584- Athenaeum, noon-Author and biologist Rita tigator Easy Rawlins, Walter Mosley transcends Tuesday, March 8 0970 or [email protected]. Arditti will discuss the Grandmothers of the Plaza the conventional bounds of fiction writing. His de Mayo, a group of Argentinean women who is an active voice for the black community in the Men's Golf CIT Knitters Group Meeting acted as detectives and human-rights advocates ongoing effort for racial equality. In his essays at Whittier College, 12:30 p.m. 256 Mudd Laboratory, South, noon-All level of as they searched for their grandchildren. These and nonfiction, he has examined ways that the knitters and related handcrafters are welcome. women helped create a genetic data bank that African American perspective can contribute to Amnesty International Letter Writing We make items for others and ourselves. identified some of the children born in detention political and social progress in the United States. Athenaeum Rathskeller, 7:30 p.m.-Caltech/ Information: 395-6905. ce nters and given to other families during the In this lecture, Mosley will address the topic of Pasadena AI Group 22 will host an informal dictatorship that ruled Argentina from 1976 to "The Literary Life." Admission is free; no tickets meeting to write letters on human-rights Caltech Tai Chi Club 1983. RSVP: [email protected]. or reservations required. abuses around the world. All are welcome. Winnett lounge, 7 p.m.-Meets Tuesdays and Beginning Ballet Classes Refreshments. Information: (818) 354-4461 or Fridays weekly. Sessions are free. Information: Braun Gym, multipurpose room, 8 p.m.-An [email protected]. Visit our website at www.its.caltech.edu/- taichi. eight-week series of ballet lessons taught by a Saturday, March 5 www.its.caltech.edu/-aigp22. Caltech dancer. Classes began on January 12. Women's Water Polo Wednesdays Hayward Tourney, at Hayward, 8 a.m . Thursday, March 10 Thursday, March 3 Track and Field Wednesdays in the Park Beginning/Intermediate Jazz Classes Trinity Invitational, at San Antonio, Texas, 9 a.m. Toy_rnament eark, 10 a.m. to noon E GSC Board of Directors Monthly Meeting Braun Gym, multipurpose room, 9 p.m.-Learn Wednesday there's conversation and coffee jazz dance from Colette in this eight-week series. Winnett clubroom #1 , noon-The GSC meets Belly Dance Class for parents and caregivers, and playtime and Lessons began on January 20. once a month to discuss student concerns, plan Braun Gym, multipurpose room, 12:45 p.m.­ snacks for children. Stop by and make new social events, and approve funding for various Learn to belly dance with Leela, a popular friends from around the world. Sponsored by the activities around campus. Meetings are open to performer and instructor. Fee for trial class: $5 for Caltech Women's Club. Information: 793-2535 or the Caltech community. Caltech students, $8 for others. Fee for full 8-week Friday, March 11 [email protected]. series: $20 for Caltech students, $50 for others. Men's Golf The Invisible Man: Special School-Day Lunchtime Pickup Ultimate Frisbee at Cal Lutheran University, 12:30 p.m. A Woman's Best Defense Performance See "Mondays," above, for details. Caltech Women's Center, 1 to 5 p.m.-One in Beckman Auditorium, 10 a.m.-The Aquila The­ Beginning Ballroom Team Class: Standard every three women in Los Angeles County will atre Company presents this special one-hour pro­ Dances be assaulted in her lifetime. This is a frightening duction of The Invisible Man for school groups, Thursdays Winnett lounge, 8 p.m.-The beginning ballroom statistic, but each woman has the power to grades 6 through 12. Information 395-6059. (A team classes concentrate on the waltz, tango, decrease her chances of becoming a victim full-length production will be performed tonight Baby Furniture and Household Equipment foxtrot, quickstep, and Viennese waltz dances. No of violent crime. This introductory workshop at 8 p.m.; see the listing below.) partner is necessary. The cost is $25 for Caltech 234 S. Catalina, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.-Loans of features skills for avoidance, deterrence, and kitchen and household necessities and baby students and $40 for nonstudents. Classes began resistance of physical and verbal assault. Track and Field on January 13. furniture are made to members of the Caltech Registration: [email protected]. Women's SCIAC Multi Dual Meet, at University of and JPL communities. Open on Thursdays only. La Verne, 3 p.m. Beginning/Intermediate Jazz Classes No appointment is necessary. Information: 584- Measure for Measure 9773 or [email protected]. Braun Gym, multipurpose room, 9 p.m.-Learn Ramo Auditorium, 2 p.m .- Theater Arts at The Invisible Man: Aquila Theatre Company jazz dance from Colette in this eight-week series. Caltech (TACIT) presents Shakespeare's dark Beckman Auditorium, 8 p.m.-The Aquila The­ Lessons began on January 20. comedy. Performances are Fridays, Saturdays, atre Company will peform an adaptation of H. G. and Sundays through March 5. (See Public Events Wells's The Invisible Man, which tells the story Fridays Beginning Ballroom Team Class: Latin contact information on this page.) of an English scientist whose ability to render Dances himself invisible proves more curse than bless­ Lunchtime Pickup Ultimate Frisbee Winnett lounge, 9:30p.m.-The beginning Latin Caltech Folk Music Society Presents Vishten ing. (See Public Events contact information on See "Mondays," above, for details. classes concentrate on the technique for five Beckman Auditorium, 8 p.m.-Vishten's music this page.) dances: rumba, samba, cha-cha, jive, and paso reflects the special joie de vivre unique to the Caltech Tai Chi Club doble. No partner is necessary. The cost is $25 Acadian culture of Eastern Canada. Visit the Folk Winnett lounge, 7 p.m.-Meets Tuesdays and for Caltech students and $40 for nonstudents. Music Society at www.folkmusic.caltech.edu. (See Fridays weekly. Sessions are free. Information: Classes began on January 13. Saturday, March 12 Public Events contact information on this page.) www.its.caltech.edu/-taichi. Track and Field Men's SCIAC Multi Dual Meet, at Claremont­ Caltech Chess Club Sunday, March 6 Mudd-Scripps, 9 a.m. Page House dining room, 8 p.m .-Be you master or novice, you will enjoy the chess club's Women's Water Polo Wild Weather: weekly meetings. Information: www.its.caltech. Hayward Tourney, at Hayward, 8 a.m. Beckman Auditorium, 2 to 3:30 p.m.-Wild edu/- citchess. Weather: Wind explores the journey the winds Women's Tennis take from their birth at the equator to the North vs. Vassar College, 1:30 p.m. Pole. A discussion will follow the screening. Suitable for ages 6 and older. (See Public Events Baseball contact information on this page.) Public Events information vs. alumni, at Pasadena Polytechnic School, 2 p.m. and tickets Sunday, March 13 Men's Tennis 395-4652, 1 (888) 2CALTECH, or events@ at Chapman College, 2 p.m. caltech.edu. Individuals with a disability: Lagerstrom Chamber Music Concert 395-4688 (voice) or 395-3700 (TOO). Visit Dabney Lounge, 3:30 p.m.- The Primavera Public Events at www.events.caltech.edu. Trio will perform three works by the composer Rebecca Clarke (1886-1979) and one by Johannes Brahms. Admission is free. 6 Caltech 336, February 24, 2005

Women's Center, from page 2 Sally Ride, from page 1 Spitzer, from page 1 have to have someone let you in and out. activities that support girls' interest in Universe Revealed by the Spitzer Space I felt like it was an imposition on others. science, math, and technology. Telescope," part of the Ernest C. Watson I would prefer to have a room where you This is the third year the festival has Lecture Series. could go in and lock the door yourself." taken place on the Caltech campus. This The Spitzer explores the heavens at Since then, she has found an alterna­ year, registration begins at 11:00 a.m. infrared wavelengths, the heat radiation tive location to pump, and still feeds her The festival runs from 11:00 a.m. to 4:15 emitted by celestial objects. That allows baby, Alexander, at lunchtime. p.m. The $18 advance registration fee astronomers to study the coldest, most Candace Rypisi, director of the Wom­ ($25 the day of the event) includes full distant, most hidden objects in the uni­ en's Center, offered the use of the lounge, festival participation, souvenirs, and verse. Cool dim objects like small stars, which users can reserve on a sign-up lunch. Girls attending the festival also brown dwarfs, and planets emit electro­ sheet. "We knew there were mothers out can join the Sally Ride Science Club for a magnetic radiation most strongly in the there who had been asking for it. sponsored rate of $5 for the first year. infrared, the wavelengths of which are "I think for new mothers, whether or Highlights will include: longer than those of visible light, and not they use the lactation room, having ·A keynote address by Ride describ­ which can pass through the interstellar that space open to them helps create ing her experiences in space; dust clouds that often shroud new stars. All aboard! Staff members board a bus at CIT" to a perception of a workplace that cares • A "Sour Power" electrochemical But Earth's atmosphere blocks infrared head to Caltech. about them and their needs. I like know­ engineering workshop; light. As a result, prospective infrared ing the space is being used." • A biological science workshop called astronomers have had to turn to space. • "CSI Los Angeles-A Science 'Who-Dun­ Launched in August 2003, the Spitzer Parking, from page 1 It?"' that let's kids become a crime scene Space Telescope is the fourth of the pristine parking spaces-is expected investigator for the afternoon; NASA Great Observatories, a program to open at the end of March, weather • Hands-on, creative science, math, that also includes the Hubble Space permitting. and technology-related workshops such Telescope, Chandra X-ray Observatory, As for the work on the temporary as "Mystery of Booming Sand," and "A and Compton Ray Observatory. student housing, water and sewage lines Tumble Through Time: How You Devel­ The Spitzer design incorporates major NuSTAR, from page 1 need to be installed, as do data cables oped From a Single Cell," presented by innovations in cryogenics, optics, and and electrical infrastructure. Lighting NuSTAR will be much better than Caltech faculty; infrared detector arrays into an extremely will be added or moved, and landscap­ the balloon experiment, says Caltech • A street fair with science demonstra­ efficient and cost-effective telescope ing will begin. With the work scheduled astrophysicist Fiona Harrison, NuSTAR's tions, entertainment, free stuff, a drawing that achieves a thousandfold increase in to begin right after Presidents Day, the principal investigator, because it's neces­ for prizes, and the chance to meet the capability over previous infrared space modular units are expected in April. sary to get above Earth's atmosphere for former astronaut. observatories. "The rehab on the South Houses is an­ extended periods to get a good view of • For parents and teachers, the op­ Werner has been working on the ticipated to last 14 months," Henderson the X-ray sky. NuSTAR will orbit Earth at portunity to participate in workshops on Spitzer since 1977 and has been Project says, adding that it will begin at the end an altitude of about 300 miles or so for ways to support girls' interests in science Scientist since 1984. He is responsible of Commencement. at least three years. "With this mission, and math; for seeing that the mission's scientific Other measures have been taken to we'll open the hard X-ray frontier and Ride, a member of the Caltech Board objectives are clearly defined and that mitigate the loss of the parking lots. Of look at things never seen before," says of Trustees, became the first American the telescope's scientific performance will the 35 visitor spaces on the top level of Harrison, who is also associate professor woman to orbit Earth when she flew achieve those objectives. In his talk, Wer­ the Holliston parking structure, 25 have of physics and astronomy at Caltech. aboard the space shuttle Challenger in ner will describe the technical and scien­ been returned to the commuter pool. NuSTAR has three basic science goals: 1983. Her second flight was also aboard tific principles that power the Spitzer, and Henderson reports that his office • The taking of a census of black holes Challenger in 1984, and she was training display and explain the Spitzer's images recently asked the city to alter the Pasa­ at all scales. NuSTAR will not only count for a third mission when the spaceship and spectra (graphical representations of dena ARTS bus route 10 so that it travels them, but will also measure the rate at exploded shortly after liftoff in 1986. a celestial object's unique blend of light). on Del Mar Boulevard, making it easier which material has fallen into them over Ride is the only person to serve on the and the revolutionary scientific results for Caltech commuters to catch the Met­ time, and the rate at which supermassive accident investigation boards for both they have produced. ro Gold Line light-rail system. black holes have grown. space shuttles Columbia and Challenger. Caltech has offered the Watson Lec­ "The new route began on the 20th," • The detecting and measuring of ra­ Sally Ride Science was founded by her ture Series since 1922, when it was he says. "It's another method of getting dioactive material in recently exploded to support the large numbers of girls conceived by the late Caltech physicist people to work without bringing their stars. These remnants of supernovae will and young women who are, or might Earnest Watson as a way to explain sci­ cars." provide a better idea of how elements become, interested in science, math, ence to the local community. Seating are formed in supernova explosions and • and technology. The company organizes for this free public event in Beckman then mixed in the interstellar medium events, programs, and activities for girls Auditorium on the Caltech campus is on (the space between stars). that empower them, engage them, and a first-come, first-served basis, beginning • The observing and imaging of the encourage their interests. Besides the at 7:30p.m. highly energetic jets that stream out of festivals, current programs include Sally For more information, contact Public certain black holes at nearly the speed of Ride Science Camps, TOYchallenge, and Events at 1 (888) 2CALTECH, (626) 395- light. the Sally Ride Science Club-a national 4652, or [email protected], or visit NASA will give NuSTAR an up-or­ club created to keep middle-school girls www.events.caltech.edu. Individuals with down decision by next year for launch engaged in science adventures by con­ a disability can call (626) 395-4688 (voice) in 2009. The proposed telescope is part necting them to people, information, and or (626) 395-3700 (TDD). All lectures will of the agency's Small Explorer Program attitudes that will nurture their relation­ be available online at Caltech's Stream­ (SMEX), which seeks out new technolo­ ship with science. For more information ing Theater, http://today.caltech.edu/ gies and proposals for space missions on Sally Ride Science programs, please theater. that can be launched at low cost. visit: www.SallyRideScience.com, or call • • (800) 561-5161 . •

Caltech 336 ......

The campus community biweekly California Institute of Technology February 24, 2005, vol. 5, no. 4 Pasadena, California 91125

Editor: Javier Marquez ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED (626) 395-6624; [email protected] Writers: Rhonda Hillbery, Mark Wheeler Calendar Editor: Emily Adelsohn (626) 395·4605; [email protected] Calendar Administrator: Debbie Bradbury (626) 395·3630; [email protected] Graphic Artist: Doug Cummings Photographer: Bob Paz Published by the Office of Public Relations