THE CALIFORNIA VOLUME 86 PASADENA, CALIFORNIA I FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1985 NUMBER 13 SURF Applications Marcus Wins Now Available Wolf Prize by Lily Wu made during the school year to by Lily Wu The Summer Undergraduate groups such as the Caltech Alum­ Rudolph A. Marcus, the Noyes Research Fellowship (SURF) ap­ ni Board and an IBM technical Professor ofChemistry at Caltech, plications are now available for the group. Also, a total of 41 papers will be awarded the $100,000 Wolf summer. have been published by SURFers Prize in Chemistry for 1984-85. The SURF program is and their sponsors as a result of Marcus was selected in operating this year with additional their research project work. recognition ofhis career-long con­ contributions and a new ad­ Later this month, a two-time tributions to chemical kinetics. He ministrative committee. SURFer, Tak Leuk Kwok helped to pioneer work iri reaction Last April, President Marvin (1982,1983) will receive the Apker rate theories with the RRKM Goldberger created a new Ad­ Award from the American Physical theory in 1951, which he ministrative Committee for SURF. Society. The national prize will be co-authored. The committee is chaired by Pro­ awarded to Kwok for the most pro­ Marcus also worked on models fessor Fred Shair and it includes 15 mising undergraduate research in <: to describe molecular break-up members of the faculty and ad­ physics, which he performed in a ~:;, rates of uni-molecular reactions ministration. The purpose for the surf. ~ and electron transfer reactions. committee is to plan and administer The stipends for this year will ~ Such information helps chemists SURF every year, as well as to again be $2800. Several faculty and -:; characterize element structures and develop the program on a long­ IPL staff members have submitted I transition states. Recently, Marcus term basis. research proposals that they need I has been working on semi-classical Previous years' SURF students students for. Of course, students dynamics and chaos. were very successful. In addition are also encouraged to develop The Symposium on Perspectives In Fluid Mechanics was held on Before joining the Caltech to the SURF seminar day where all their own project ideas. campus last weekend, attracting numerous visitors and lecturers faculty in 1978 as Professor of the participants present their pro­ Humanities and Social Science from all parts of the nation. Above is Dr. M. Van Dyke of Stanford Chemistry, Marcus taught at the U. jects, special presentations are also continued on page 3 speaking on Samples From an Album of Fluid Mechanics of North Carolina, Brooklyn ASCIT By-Laws Polytechnic, New York U., U. of The two proposed By-Laws Illinois, U. of Texas, Tel Aviv U. changes passed on Monday. and Oxford. He received his B.S. ASCIT Elections Coming Soon The ASCIT President and and Ph.D. from McGill Treasurer will be elected two University. Written nominations should fices of Vice President (BOC January 30th, and close on weeks before the other elective Other honors ofMarcus include be addressed to the ASCIT" Chairman), IHC Chairman, Tuesday, February 5th. offices. Also, campaigning in the Irving Langmuir Award in Secretary and delivered in per­ Secretary, Director for Social 5. California Tech polling places is now pro­ Chemical Physics of the American son to the Deans' office. A list Activities, Director for statements will be due in the hibited by the By-Laws. Chemical Society and the Silver of nominees will be posted on Academic Affairs, Directors at Tech office at 8:00 pm on Feb. The ASCIT BOD is submit­ Medal of the Royal Society of the door to the Master of Stu­ Large, Activities Chairman, 5th. ting an other "gender" By-Laws Chemistry. Marcus is the first dent Houses' office and will be Athletic Manager, BOC proposal for a vote along with Caltech recipient of the Wolf Prize updated daily. Secretary, and California Tech 6. Elections will be held on the elections for President and in Chemistry. The Board of Directors Editor open on Wednesday, Monday, Feb. lIth. Treasurer. continued on page 3 would like to encourage people to get involved and run for Feature these offices. We need good people to help keep the ball rolling on a number of projects Hollywood Attempts to Capture Caltech we have started over the last year. Here are some of the by Lily Wu Whew! Did I miss anything? A one affecting scene where a Great efforts were made to things we have been working "I heard they're making a bit unbelievable, huh? That's student goes berserk from the study Caltech and how to cor­ on: movie about Caltech." what I thought. Anyway, studying pressures, the film rectly model PacTech. The 1. Low-cost long distance "Yeah? I'll bet it's gonna be Mitch is an entering freshman does seem to lack emphasis on dorm sets are exact duplicates phone service for students; stupid like Revenge of the and he is only 15. He ends up that one aspect that is actually of the old houses. The house 2. Plans for a new student Nerds or something." rooming with Chris and besides number one in most of our libraries, the sky beds, the center; Maybe; maybe not. Here's the fact that Mitch is also a lives here. But understandably, steam tunnels, the room 3. High quality copying the scoop, though, and we'll genius, their personalities are a film about a bunch of study­ layouts, and even the graffiti facilities for students; see for ourselves. different. Mitch is socially shy, ing students would never make here were photographed and 4. Opportunities hand- The film, which is currently a bit vulnerable, and it, so the pranks steal the show. rebuilt in the sound stages. book; under production, is called everything you'd expect an Of course, all films need an Caltech rituals such as frash 5. Expansion of transfer Real Genius. Yes, I know what camp and decompression are and exchange opportunities; you are probably thinking also included. The director's at­ 6. Ice machines for the about a title likethat. But after tention to detail really paid off houses; visiting the sets, reading the here. Props were obtained 7. Procurement of a new script and production notes, from campus to as great an ex­ van; and talking with some of the tent as possible: used lab 8. Follow-up report for the people involved, I thought, notebooks, green nerd paper, Faculty-Student conference. despite that corny title, it will blue books, and textbooks 9. Organizing the efforts of be the fairest a place like (most noticeably the three­ the undergraduate members of CaItech can ever hope to be volume Feynmans). DEI even the faculty committees. treated by a medium like gets debuted in this movie. If you are interested in Hollywood. In other words, Two phony company names helping these activities to con­ there is a genuine sense of in­ used in the film are Darlington tinue, or if you just want to tegrity to this film. The extent Electronics, Inc., and Drain make sure that competent peo­ to which the director, Martha Experts Incorporated. ple are spending your ASCIT Coolidge, and producer, Brian The pranks include such dues, run for office. Grazer, seek reality is enough spectacles as the conversion of Elections Schedule to satisfy the most critical the dorm halls into a giant ice 1. Nominations for Presi­ among us. Meyrink,Kilmer(Chris),Jarret(Mitch),Gries(seated) in Real Genius rink, and the blowing up or a dent and Treasurer opened on The movie is billed as a underaged freshman to be like. adventure element and in Real professor's home by heating up Jan. 16th at noon and close high-tech comedy and the The movie is about them and Genius, it is provided by a thousands of kernels of pop­ Tuesday, Jan. 22nd at 5:00 characters are the students who how they cope with and survive duplicious professor who uses corn instantly (with a laser, pm. attend the fictitious Pacific In­ their year's curriculum, which the students' research for his believe it or not) within the 2. Statements by candidates stitute of Technology (PacTech is rigorous, demanding, and own purposes (not too far­ house. There are also standard for Treasurer and President are or PIT), which is modeled after well, CaItech-like. fetched) in a laser weapon and pranks like the re-assembling due in the California Tech Caltech. The main characters Aspects of our lifestyle Chris and Mitch attempt to foil of automobiles in dorm rooms. office by 8:00 pm on Tuesday, are Chris Knight and Mitch which they chose to emphasize his efforts. There is even a love All through the film, there are Jan. 22nd. Taylor. Chris is a senior, who are the prank playing, the interest here, and it comes in technical puns, both visual and 3. Elections for President is also eccentric, cool, in­ social strains from the lack of the character of Jordan in the dialogue, which again and Treasurer are Monday, credibly intelligent, not bad women, and the unique Cochran, an engineering stu­ draws attention to the detail ef­ January 28th. looking, witty, something of a scientifically-oriented student dent at PacTech who falls for forts taken. 4. Nominations for the of- party animal, and honest. personalities. Though there is Mitch (how sweet). continued on page 3 2 THE CALIFORNIA TECH / FRIDAY, JANUARY 18, 1985 . E ~o M.ec~anical U~iverse :::i u: • .. Cambridge Etetters5 To ~h:e;~li~o:~osen by the staff of FII min9 Continues lAP Program at MIT The California Tech for my article by Charles Barrett magnetism and modern on the new pregnancy and elective With the announcement last physics) will have their first abortion benefits, which appeared by Ken Whang Punning Contest), performances week in the Tech that copies of showing in January of 1987.