spring 12 THE MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF UTAH VOL. 21 NO. 4 TRACKING Winged Sentinels A U professor works to conserve birds’ dwindling numbers FACES OF CHANGE: THE UNIVERSITY’S NEW ENROLLMENT PLAN PROVING DARWIN: A PROFESSOR PRESENTS THE EVIDENCE FOSTERING EDUCATION: U ALUMNI HELP REFUGEE STUDENTS STILL A TEAM: THREE FORMER U PLAYERS START IN THE NFL Continuum_Spring12_Cover.indd 1 2/9/12 5:23 PM Continuum_Spring12_Cover.indd 2 2/13/12 1:59 PM spring 12 contents 2 Feedback Your letters 4 Gazette News of the University 36 Bookshelf Anthropologist Alan Rogers’ book aims to convince skeptics that Darwin was right. 8 Sidelines By Marcia C. Three former Dibble Utah players make history 40 Association News with the Record amount NFL’s Miami raised in food Dolphins. drive; 2012 By Robert Founders Day Hoffman honorees; alumni help mobilize caucus attendance. Orange-collared manakin 44 Through the Years (Photo courtesy Çağan H. Şekercioğlu) Keeping up with alumni FEATURES 48 And Finally… The Blitz Kids 30 Alum Profile Tracking Winged Sentinels 22 Visit continuum. John Bennion’s utah.edu for Bryant A U professor travels the world to document birds’ crucial role and conserve their Scholarship dwindling numbers. By Elaine Jarvik additional photos Project nurtures and videos of Çağan refugee Şekercioğlu and his students’ Faces of the Future 14 work, the Bryant dreams and A new enrollment plan aims to increase the academic quality and success of the Scholarship Project, hopes. University’s student body. By Stephen Speckman and much By Kelley J. P. more. Lindberg Cover photo: Çağan H. Şekercioğlu releases a long-legged buzzard in eastern Turkey. (Photo courtesy Şekercioğlu) Continuum_Spring12_feedback.indd 1 2/10/12 9:56 AM feedback The copper exhibit Publisher William Warren Executive Editor Your Letters M. John Ashton BS’66 JD’69 is on the outside. BACK TO THE FUTURE or propane), which in today’s [market] is extremely Editor Jason Matthew Smith I wanted to comment on the article in the expensive. All information I learned from my RV Kennecott has supported the Natural History recent Continuum about “A House for the Future” experience tells me to focus on conserving heat Managing Editor Julianne Basinger BA’87 MA’91 Museum of Utah for decades. When the Museum [Winter 2011-12]. and minimizing the need for cooling, [and to] use Back in the late ’70s, there was quite a “push” appliances that work using the most efficient, least Associate Editor needed a new home, we decided to dig deeper. Marcia C. Dibble for passive solar home design. In the late ’70s and costly fuels. Highly efficient homes would be a giant As part of our $15 million contribution, we Advertising Manager early ’80s, my partner and I designed and built step forward in reducing the amount of electricity Bill Lines BS’83 supplied more than 100,000 pounds of copper passive solar homes, office buildings, and additions and fuel required to run the various systems and Art Direction/Design from the Bingham Canyon Mine for the new in northern Wyoming and southern Montana. We appliances found in today’s homes. University Marketing & used many of the same ideas mentioned in your Communications building’s exterior surface. The Natural History article. We didn’t have the advantage of some of Edward Meisenbach BS’71 David E. Titensor BFA’91 Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center is a the recent technology available today; however, Comment submitted via continuum.utah.edu Corporate Sponsors valuable addition to our community, and we are our buildings performed very well, and we never ARUP Laboratories Continuing Education at the proud to be a part of it. needed a backup heating system other than some- KUDOS FOR CONTINUUM’S NEW WEB SITE University of Utah times a wood stove. What a great way to provide info regarding the Crowell Advertising I am glad to see someone is still utilizing what U, especially for those of us who no longer reside Intermountain Healthcare Physician Recruiting nature has given us. I agree 100 percent that proper in the shadow of the U. More great articles are Moran Eye Center siting and proper construction details are the presented, along with video and links. This was a Rowland Hall key to success. We always oriented them by using pleasant surprise. University Credit Union University of Utah the sun at noon and always stayed within the 15 Development Office degrees suggested by Professor [Jörg] Rügemer. A Steven M. Hansen BS’66 University of Utah Health Care few homes we bent in the middle 15 degrees to form Richmond, Texas Van Cott a “V” shape. Depending upon which way we bent Editorial Advisory Committee the building, we obtained the maximum advantage A TIP OF THE HAT TO SORENSON Colleen Casto BS’82 Vanessa Chang in either the west or east wing in the morning and What a beautiful story [“A Quiet Force,” Winter Ann Clark BS’97 Jim DeGooyer BFA’96 the opposite wing in the afternoon. Several of our 2011-12]. Thank you, Beverley [Taylor Sorenson], for Kelli Fratto BS’99 homes were “earth bermed” for further shelter from sharing your love of children and passion for the Jenn Gibbs ex’02 Mike Lageschulte the cold. arts; you’re an inspiration. Traci O’Very Covey BFA’83 Jodi Patterson Passive solar has a difficult time competing Keven M. Rowe BS’83 JD’86 because there is nothing to sell other than your Rick Cordova Kathy Wilets BA’89 Craig Wirth BS’73 knowledge and building skills. The sun’s energy is Comment submitted via continuum.utah.edu free. All you have to do is capture and contain it as Continuum is published in summer, fall, winter, and spring long as possible. I hope Prof. Rügemer can influ- MARVELOUS MUSEUM by the University of Utah Alumni Association and University ence the building trades, and the general public, to The ewn Natural History Museum of Utah is Marketing & Communications. use more of the simple and inexpensive technology Subscriptions are available to U an absolute gem [“Reflecting the Land,” Winter faculty/staff (visit continuum.utah. available. 2011-12]—everyone associated with the University edu/subscribe.php) and through membership in should visit and show it off to guests. The setting, the Alumni Association Leroy Kingery MS’63 ($40/year). Call (801) 581-6995 the building, the angles, the displays, are all for more information. Douglas, Wyo. outstanding. Kudos to Sarah George and the staff Opinions expressed in Continuum are not neccessarily those of the and donors. University of Utah administration. EFFICIENCY IS KEY Copyright ©2012 by the University of Utah Alumni Association. The Some of the things we’re excited about at the Natural History Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center: I totally agree with Professor [Jörg ] Rügemer’s Kristin Madden BA’71 MBA’83 University of Utah is an equal comment on focusing on the efficiency of the Comment submitted via continuum.utah.edu opportunity/affirmative shelter versus thermal or solar energy [“A House action institution. for the Future,” Winter 2011-12]. Having recently For advertising opportunities, Sustainability Trail Research & Education Mineral Science please call Bill Lines installed a solar array on my RV camper (totally at (801) 581-3718. Explore strategies for Research facilities and Utah’s largest collection thermally inefficient), I can attest to the fact that We’re eager to hear from you. Please send letters sustainable living learning labs for students of rocks and minerals to editor Jason Matthew Smith, Standard postage paid at Salt Lake solar arrays are costly, inefficient, and still require City and additional mailing offices. standard utility backup for the systems they power. [email protected], or to 201 Associated solar arrays, batteries, and inverters are Presidents Circle, Room 308, Send address changes to: Continuum very inefficient and costly compared to raw utility Salt Lake City, UT 84112. TM Alumni House We’re part of something bigger More information at: kennecott.com power. Prof. Rügemer noted the use of gas (natural University of Utah 155 S. Central Campus Drive Salt Lake City, UT 84112 spring 12 Continuum 2 Continuum_Spring12_feedback.indd 2 2/10/12 4:07 PM The copper exhibit is on the outside. Kennecott has supported the Natural History Museum of Utah for decades. When the Museum needed a new home, we decided to dig deeper. As part of our $15 million contribution, we supplied more than 100,000 pounds of copper from the Bingham Canyon Mine for the new building’s exterior surface. The Natural History Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center is a valuable addition to our community, and we are proud to be a part of it. Some of the things we’re excited about at the Natural History Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center: Sustainability Trail Research & Education Mineral Science Explore strategies for Research facilities and Utah’s largest collection sustainable living learning labs for students of rocks and minerals TM We’re part of something bigger More information at: kennecott.com Continuum_Spring12_feedback.indd 3 2/3/12 5:47 PM gazette NEWS OF THE UNIVERSITY David W. Pershing Named President of the U n January 20, the State assists those who seek a college educa- Board of Regents announced tion. “I want every well-prepared high that David W. Pershing school student to think about coming to had been selected as the the University of Utah,” he said. He pointed O15th president of the University of Utah, out that the U’s enrollment strategy would capping a seven-month national search. be undergoing a change (see “Faces of the Pershing, senior vice president of Future,” page 14) and that the University academic affairs at the U since 1998, of Utah would strive to help students joined the University as an assistant graduate in a timely fashion.