IS SCHOOL OUT AT THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE?
Notwithstanding the debate over reforming or eliminating the Electoral College, the Electoral College remains an archaic, anti-democratic and confusing election system. Sooner or later it is going to leave the American people with a genuine constitutional crisis. So say Michael Young and G. Terry Madonna in an opinion piece for media today. Michael Young is director of the Center for Survey Research at Penn State Harrisburg and assistant professor of politics and public affairs. G. Terry Madonna is on the faculty at Millersville University. For the full story, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/oped/young.html.
QUASAR HELPS CHANDRA MEASURE EXPANSION OF UNIVERSE
Astronomers using the Chandra X-ray Observatory have identified a flickering, four-way mirage image of a distant quasar. A carefully planned observation of this mirage may be used to determine the expansion rate of the Universe as well as to measure the distances to extragalactic objects, arguably two of the most important pursuits in modern astronomy. George Chartas, senior research associate at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State) and Mashall W. Bautz, principal research scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Space Research, present their findings today at the meeting of the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society in Honolulu, Hawaii. For more on this story, go to http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/Chartas11-2000.htm
PSU COLLEGE OF MEDICINE ON MISSION TO ECUADOR
A medical team of 21 people from Penn State’s College of Medicine and the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, consisting of physicians, nurses, and other staff members, are currently on a medical and educational mission trip to Ecuador. The team is working all day and into the evening, evaluating patients and performing life-saving medical procedures and surgeries. In addition, Dr. Keith Verner, chief of developmental pediatrics and learning, is initiating the formation of health education programs in Ecuadorian public schools. The mission is sponsored by Lifeline International and the Penn State Hershey Medical Center. For the full story, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/2000/ecuador.html
PENN STATE LAUNCHES E-BUSINESS INITIATIVE
Businesses around the globe are exploring the opportunities and challenges of the Internet and can now gain access to leading-edge research on e-business through the eBusiness Research Center. The center is a joint effort of the Smeal College of Business Administration and the School of Information Sciences, and will be dedicated at an "e-Business Dedication Day" at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 13, in Deans Hall II at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. The event is open to the public. Joining President Graham Spanier and eBusiness Research Center Executive Director Nirmal Pal will be representatives from IBM, Unisys, Xerox, AT&T Wireless, Delphi Ventures and Cigna Group. For more on this story, go to http://www.psu.edu/ur/2000/ededication.html
JOURNALISM EDUCATORS TO CONVENE ON-LINE IN MARCH
Journalism educators world-wide will share research and experiences without leaving home at the "Best Practices in Journalism Education: An International Web Conference" to be held March 26-April 7. Conference co-directors are Gerald Grow, Florida A&M University, and R. Thomas Berner, Penn State. The conference is an outreach program of the College of Communications and will be offered via the World Campus. For more information, go to http://www.worldcampus.psu.edu/offer/BPJE
OTHER LECTURES AND EVENTS
Michael Weinstein, Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, will give a public lecture titled "Was There a Big Bang?" at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 12, in 101 Thomas Building. Weinstein will discuss the question of how the whole universe came to be, which has been described as a fundamental question in the quest to understand the nature of human life. For more on this story, go to http://www.science.psu.edu/alert/Friedman11-2000.htm
Penn State Altoona Distinguished Lecture Series is sponsoring a talk by Judy Shepard, mother of Matthew Shepard who was brutally attacked and died because he was gay. She will share Matthew’s legacy in her talk at 7:30 on Monday, Nov. 13, in the Adler Athletic Complex. The event is free, but tickets are required and are available at the Penn State Altoona Bookstore. For more on the Speaker Series, go to http://www.aa.psu.edu/administrative_depts/university_relations/releases/08_21_00.htm
"Technology in Graduate Education: Challenges and Opportunities," the fourth in a series of professional development workshops hosted by the Graduate School, at 4 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 21, in the Presidents Hall at the Penn Stater Conference Center Hotel. James B. Thomas, dean of the School of Information Sciences and Technology, will give the keynote address titled, "Educational Challenges and Opportunities in an e-World." A panel presentation discussing the challenges of mobile and net centric computing and simulations, 3-D visualization, and immersion will follow. For more information and registration, go to http://www.gradsch.psu.edu/calendar/TGEworkshop.shtml