PRINCETON UNIVERSITY BULLETINVolume 106, Number 1 Sept. 29, 2016 “September is an ebullient time on college campuses. … It is, by its Eisgruber welcomes Class of 2020: very nature, a season of fresh starts and high expectations. It is a season of optimism,” Eisgruber said. “This ‘We’re all in it together’ afternoon, however, we gather not in a season of carefree high spirits, but in E MILY A RONSON for generations through their intellect, religious and philosophical traditions. the closing weeks of a summer stained creativity and passion,” Eisgruber Undergraduate students also were by violence, sorrow and loss. We tressing a theme of community, said. He called the 1,306 first-year stu- recognized for their academic achieve- gather, moreover, on a date — Septem- Princeton President Christopher dents an “extraordinarily accomplished ments during the previous year. ber 11th — forever marked as a tragic SL. Eisgruber welcomed the Class and diverse” group, hailing from 48 While the event featured festive cel- day in American history.” of 2020 to the University on Sunday, states and 53 countries besides the ebration, such as the processional into Eisgruber then noted cities in the Sept. 11, during Opening Exercises United States. the chapel followed by students waving United States and abroad that were marking the start of the academic year. In addition to Eisgruber’s address, colorful kites and African drum music, the sites of mass shootings and acts “Those of you who begin your Opening Exercises included music, this year’s ceremony also included of terrorism this summer, asking the undergraduate or graduate careers prayers and readings from various somber reflection. audience to join him in a moment of today, or who enter the ranks of the silence. staff and the faculty, have joined a As students start a new school year, community,” Eisgruber said. “Our Eisgruber said he understands if they destinies are linked to one another in also might be grappling with the myriad ways — not just for the years question, “What does it mean to be that you spend on this campus, but a college student when the course of long beyond them. Being a Princeton- human events seems so frenzied and ian is now — was from the day that tumultuous?” you accepted your offer of admission, For possible answers, Eisgruber really — a part of your identity.” turned to the Pre-read book he asked After a week of Orientation activi- the incoming class to read, “Our ties, first-year students wearing shirts Declaration: A Reading of the Declara- representing their residential colleges tion of Independence in the Defense gathered for the event in the Univer- of Equality,” by Danielle Allen. A sity Chapel. The interfaith ceremony, member of Princeton’s Class of 1993, a tradition dating to at least 1802, Allen is director of the Edmond J. includes the first-year class as well as Safra Center for Ethics and professor other undergraduates, graduate stu- in the Department of Government and dents, faculty and staff. Classes began in the Graduate School of Education at on Wednesday, Sept. 14. Applewhite Denise by Photo Harvard University. “Today you join the ranks of stu- Students holding the Class of 2020 banner lead the Pre-rade through the walkway in front dents who have left their marks on the of Nassau Hall, followed by students carrying the gonfalons of the University’s residential Princeton campus — and the world — colleges. Continued on page 12 radio waves can travel through clouds and be detected at any hour. Cold War-era satellite dish, restored by The idea to take on the refurbishing of the InfoAge dish — which spans Princeton scientists, becomes teaching tool 60 feet across and sits on a base that is 40 feet tall — came out of a chance conversation between Marlow and Jarosik. CATHERINE Z ANDONELLA ushering in the era of modern weather “Luckily we had a lot of coopera- forecasting. tion from Princeton’s Department of Continued on page 12 n its heyday, the towering metal sat- After a decade of scanning the skies, Physics and the University, along with ellite dish located about three miles however, the dish fell into disuse and terrific partners in the community.” Ifrom the Jersey Shore’s boardwalks became immobilized by rust while hosted its share of historical moments: weeds grew up around the base and Bringing a forsaken dish back to life It tracked the flights of some of Amer- wasps nested in its crevices. There Built in 1958, the dish is 40 miles ica’s first space launches, and in 1960 it sat until four years ago, when two east of the Princeton campus and it collected the first images beamed Princeton University scientists set out occupies the grounds of a former U.S. to Earth from an orbiting weather to restore the dish as a way to bring Army base known as Camp Evans in satellite. The feat was considered so students — both from the University Wall Township, New Jersey. By the amazing that the photos were rushed and local communities — closer to mid-1970s, the dish was considered to President Dwight D. Eisenhower, outer space. obsolete and its use was discontinued. This spring, the now-functional It might have been torn down if not satellite receiver hosted about 20 for the efforts of radio enthusiasts and Princeton students from an undergrad- other volunteers from a grassroots uate physics class who learned how museum in Wall called the Informa- to receive radio signals not just from tion Age Science History Museum and orbiting satellites but also from astro- Learning Center, or InfoAge. physical objects such as dying stars. The quest to restore the dish origi- The dish has also hosted scores of nated from Marlow’s desire to build a amateur radio enthusiasts and is open radio telescope that Princeton stu- to the public each Wednesday and on dents could use to study objects in the weekends, when visitors can watch as universe. A typical home-use telescope the massive dish sweeps the sky. works by collecting visible light into “We didn’t realize what we were its lens, whereas the refurbished dish getting into when we first decided collects radio waves. Both visible light Marlow Daniel by Photo and radio signals are electromagnetic to take on this project,” said Daniel Princeton Senior Research Physicist waves, but visible-light telescopes need Marlow, Princeton’s Evans Crawford Norman Jarosik (left) and engineer Geoffrey good weather and dark conditions, 1911 Professor of Physics, who led Gettelfinger view the satellite dish in Wall, whereas the longer wavelengths of the refurbishment effort with Senior New Jersey, shortly after its first change in Research Physicist Norman Jarosik. elevation in more than 30 years. What’s Princetonians win Olympic medals in Rio 3 Community Action 2016: Service shows its many stripes 6 inside? Wang looks for order in chaos 11 PRINCETON 2 UNIVERSITY BULLETIN Sept. 29, 2016 the same time. Other books include “Reading Judas: The Gospel of Judas Historian of religion Pagels awarded and the Shaping of Christianity,” co- authored with Karen King, a professor of divinity at Harvard University; National Humanities Medal “The Origin of Satan”; and “Adam, Eve and the Serpent.” Last year, she taught the fresh- JAMIE SAXON In addition to Pagels, two other win- Pagels, the Har- man seminar “Who Is — Or Was ners of this year’s National Humanities rington Spear Paine — Jesus?” and a graduate course rinceton University faculty mem- Medal have Princeton ties. Isabel Foundation Professor “Studies in Greco-Roman Religions: ber Elaine Pagels, an authority Wilkerson, an author and Pulitzer of Religion, joined Authority, Ritual and Politics in Early Pon the religions of late antiquity Prize-winning former national cor- the Princeton faculty Christianity.” She has also taught and the author of “The Gnostic Gos- respondent and Chicago bureau chief in 1982, shortly after “Christianity: From Illegal Move- pels” and “Beyond Belief: The Secret for The New York Times, was a Ferris receiving a MacAr- ment to World Religion,” “Jesus of Gospel of Thomas,” has been named a Professor of Journalism in 1997-98. thur Fellowship. Pagels Nazareth: Ancient Controversies” and recipient of the 2015 National Humani- Louis Menand, a critic, cultural his- Her books bring a “From Jesus to Constantine,” among ties Medal. The announcement was torian and staff writer for The New fresh perspective to many other courses. made Sept. 14 by the White House. Yorker, was a Whitney J. Oates Fellow the history of Christianity. “Gnostic Prior to coming to Princeton, Pagels The medal was conferred by President of the Council of the Humanities at Gospels,” an examination of the early was a professor and chair of the Barack Obama at a ceremony at the Princeton and guest of the Department Christian religious movement called Department of Religion at Barnard White House on Sept. 22. of English in 2008-09. Gnosticism, won the National Book College, and an associate professor at The medal honors an individual or “Through path-breaking research Award and the National Book Critics Columbia University. organization whose work has deep- and dedicated teaching, Elaine Pagels Circle Award and was selected by the Pagels earned her bachelor’s in ened the nation’s understanding of has enlivened the study of religion and Modern Library as one of the best 100 history and master’s in classics from the human experience, broadened helped to shed light on the develop- English-language nonfiction books of Stanford University and her Ph.D. in citizens’ engagement with history ment of Christianity and Gnosticism the 20th century. “Beyond Belief: The religion from Harvard. She received and literature, or helped preserve and over many centuries,” said Princeton Secret Gospel of Thomas” was a New Princeton’s Howard T.