Spring 2009 Contentstable of Vol. XXIII • No. 1 • Spring 2009 9 Reflections 13 Science for the Future President Christoph M. Kimmich The Fine Art of Medicinal Chemistry Reinventing Computing Saving the Planet AREAC DEPARTMENTS Editor-in-Chief Art Director Brooklyn College Magazine Pat Willard Joe Loguirato is published by the Office of Communications 2 From Our Readers Associate Editors Senior and Magazine Brooklyn College Stephen Garone Designer 4 Top of the Quad 2900 Bedford Avenue Elaine Weisenberg Lisa Panazzolo 24 College News Brooklyn, New York 11210-2889. Contributing Editor Production Assistant Copyright © 2009 Brooklyn College. 31 Faculty and Staff News Joe Fodor Mammen P.Thomas E-mail: [email protected] Website: www.brooklyn.cuny.edu 35 Alumni News Writers Staff Photographers 36 Foundation News Jamilah Evelyn Claudia Mandlik Lisa Lincoln John Ricasoli Front cover: Molecule of 38 Alumni Newsmakers Ernesto Mora life-threatening virus 41 Class Notes Richard Sheridan Back cover: Free Speech on the Quad, 48 Recent Books Class Notes Editor April 2009 Eileen E. Howlin 50 In Memoriam 52 Endpaper Readersfrom our To the Editor: From the Editor: I do very much enjoy the magazine; it helps to stir fond memories of younger Scientific literacy is becoming a necessity in these and free-spirited days. complicated days. For this reason, CUNY has proclaimed The unusual part of my work life 2005 to 2015 to be the decade of science—a period in has been devoted to thirty years of which the University is renewing its commitment to its working with Native American tribal science facilities and training students for a future in organizations throughout the country, which scientific understanding and knowledge will be consulting and advising these entities on of the utmost importance. management strategies and legal issues. With that in mind, this issue examines the work The advent of Indian gaming has our teaching scientists are conducting on campus. dramatically changed the life of most Brooklyn College has been the home of some illustrious tribal members; some ways for the scientists, among them the microbiologist Albert Schatz, better and, of course, some for the the co-discoverer of streptomycin, and the psychologist wors[e]. I’ve traveled to virtually all states of Abraham Maslow, considered the leader of the humanistic our country (and Canada) and seen school of psychology, to name but two. some awe-inspiring sites; yet, every time You will read about some of our best current I’ve had occasion to visit Brooklyn, I drive faculty researchers, including Richard Magliozzo, who by the campus…and simply reminisce. is studying drug-resistant tuberculosis; Roberto Keep up the excellent work. Sanchez-Delgado, who is researching malaria; and Dr. Joseph Pluchinota, ’71 Joshua Cheng, who is developing new ways to clean up the environment, among a host of others. A superb new Alumni Newsmakers science complex is on the drawing board for the To the Editor: campus but, for now, the magazine takes a look at the I was the conductor of the Brooklyn Aquatic Research and Environmental Assessment College Chorus from 1972 to 1988 and Center (AREAC), which has a new director and is have just read your article about Fred Lonberg-Holm, Class of 1988. I wanted reaching out to help save city waterways, including to tell you how happy I am that Mr. Jamaica Bay. Lonberg-Holm chose to “pick up his On another note, we hope you enjoy the interview cello again,” thus sparing the dedicated President Christoph M. Kimmich gave to the magazine members of the Brooklyn College as he was leaving office after serving almost ten years. Chorus from having to experience his His thoughts on the role of public education and on his “rock and roll attitude.” I trust that, after more than thirty-six-year tenure at the College reveal he “picked up the cello again,” he didn’t much about the man. It’s been our pleasure to write play in the Conservatory Orchestra, for I about him, and we’ll miss the kind support—he and his doubt that the cello section would have wife, Dr. Flora Graham Kimmich, have given to us over been happy playing with someone who the years. wished to “redefine the instrument— essentially crafting a new identity as an ‘anti-cellist.’” Pat Willard Please do not equate the minimal Editor musical skills which allow one to be a success in popular music with the BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 2 incredibly high level of skill required just with Professor Paul Willliams to design A Correction to attempt a career in what is commonly and build BC’s first television space in the In putting together a magazine, we do our called classical music.Your article is full of mid-fifties. best to be accurate. In the fall 2008 issue what you must think are clever-sounding Our wonderful mentors,“Skip” we made the kind of mistake that kept phrases. But they are an insult to those of Davidson (whose son, Gordon, was a us up for many nights. As Mr. Feinberg us who have dedicated our lives to very well-known stage director for years) rightfully points out, the picture we used on training tomorrow’s classical musicians. and “Doc” Foster, did some extraordinary the back cover does not show Larry Gold Professor Emeritus Harry Saltzman productions in that cramped space. I can with Paul Newman. Larry did, indeed, only imagine what they might do in the accompany and drive Newman around, but Dante Negro proposed performing arts center! somehow Glen Frontera got into the picture. To the Editor: Doris Jacoby Despite identification from three separate The Brooklyn College Magazine serves as (neé Doris Faith Rosenzweig, sources on the archival photograph, we got an important communications medium professionally Doris Storm) it wrong. When we called his parents, for our entire BC community. By reading Hilary and Arlene Gold, to make our the fall 2008 issue I learned of the passing Paul Newman apologies, they quickly forgave us and lent of Dante Negro of which I was unaware To the Editor: us this terrific photo to show the real Larry. even though I was an adjunct lecturer at Liked your fall 2008 issue.The “Paul Newman the College for over twenty-five years, and the Brooklyn Kid” back cover really 1949 to 1974, in the Romance Language caught my attention, because I was a Department and previous to that a BC student at the time and remember his student from 1940 to 1946. I knew Dante visit. I was also a film student with Larry as a colleague. So thanks to the magazine, Gold and knew him well. But in looking we are all appraised of the good at the photo, the tall fellow standing to happenings as well as the sad. Newman’s right does not look like Larry Paul Ash Gold, as you’ve designated. Forgive me if I’m mistaken about this, but that fellow Performing Arts looks like Glen (don’t recall his last To the Editor: name), who was another film student After reading of the new performing arts at the time. I’m almost sure it’s not center to be built at dear old BC, I Larry. Glen, Larry, and I took many film couldn’t help but think back to my days classes together. putting on shows in 4200 Boylan Hall. If I’m wrong, my apologies. But I was part of the Class of ’47, along another film student at the time, who I’m with Fred Hellerman of the Weavers, presently in touch with, made the same Marvin Kaplan of TV sitcoms, and Ben observation about the photo. No big deal. Hammer of the New York stage.There Just thought I’d mention it, though you’re BROOKLYN COLLEGE MAGAZINE SPRING 2009 were some 20 of us who lived for probably already aware of it. Masquers and the Varsity Players; Steve Feinberg amazingly, 17 or 18 of that group made our livings—and sometimes still do—in theatre and television. Many of us still get together about once a year in Manhattan. My association with BC continued for quite a while: My husband, Frank, then one of NBC’s first TV directors, worked 3 theTop Quad of Sex, Drugs, and the Internet The World Wide Hunter College Professor Jeffrey T. Parsons, chairperson of Web has the Psychology Department. transformed many “It is more difficult to approach someone in a bar, and aspects of our lives, say,‘I want to do this with you,’ than to post it in your including the way profile,” says Grov. “So if you had to do it the old way, people find sex maybe you wouldn’t have sex as often.” partners and Grov, a sex researcher who specializes in hidden and establish long-term hard-to-reach populations, including club (multiple) drug relationships, users and gay and bisexual men, likes the large data pool according to an afforded by Internet-based research, but notes,“there is a article published in debate about whether the Internet facilitates and increases the International risk-taking.” Journal of Sexual Some websites are more controversial than others, Health, November but Grov does not advocate that they be shut down. “All 2008. Christian you are doing is closing your access to that population,” he Grov, Brooklyn says, thereby sabotaging effective educational outreach and College assistant intervention. Do some sites pose a real public health professor of health and nutrition sciences, helped analyze threat? “A lot of fantasy happens online,” says Grov, and a 2004 MSNBC survey for the journal article. while multiple partners can increase the risk of sexually “The Internet has revolutionized how people talk transmitted disease and infection, “some argue that now about sex,” says Grov, a team member of the Center for that you can screen your partners online, it’s actually safer.” HIV Education Studies and Training (CHEST), directed by —L.L.