| News | . . . . | Arts | . . . . | Calendars | . . . . | Letters | . . . . | Links | . . . . | Deadlines | . . . . | Archive |
By Lisa M. Rosellini
Public Information
As a boy, James Pawelczyk's two most prized possessions were his
insect collection and a 
tattered newspaper clipping of astronaut
Alan Shepard's 1961 flight into space -- the first American to enter that
elusive realm. The way Pawelczyk sees it, being selected to fly on a shuttle
mission must have been his destiny.
Pawelczyk, assistant professor of applied physiology and kinesiology in the College of Health and Human Development, has been named by NASA as one of two payload specialists who will fly aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. He will be the first Penn State faculty member in space and is one of only a handful of university-based researchers to ever fly on a shuttle mission.
"It's still one of those 'pinch me' kind of things," Pawelczyk said during a telephone interview from his office at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center in Houston. "I don't think the reality of it has set in, but it is such a pleasure to be able to represent the University in this way and it's such an incredible opportunity for research."
Thirty-six-year-old Pawelczyk and Jay C. Buckey from Dartmouth Medical School were named by NASA on April 28 from a pool of four potential researchers who will board the 16-day Neurolab mission. The two men will fly with five career astronauts to make up the seven-member crew on the shuttle scheduled to launch on April 2, 1998. Payload specialists are responsible for conducting experiments on behalf of about two dozen researchers divided among eight teams. The specialists oversee all of the experiments on the flight, performing the necessary "hands-on work and making decisions" for the Earthbound investigators.
The Neurolab mission, a joint venture of six space agencies and seven U.S. research agencies, will focus on neuroscience research and will include 26 projects -- including one on which Pawelczyk is a co-investigator -- from a variety of institutions and organizations. It is one of several shuttle flights dedicated to life sciences research.
Pawelczyk, who has been involved in NASA-related research for a number of years, has spent the past year training at the space center and learning intimate details about each of the experiments that will be on his space flight. He has been involved in what he calls "a series of mini sabbaticals" traveling to various laboratories to gain in-depth knowledge about the projects.
Pawelczyk's own experiment that will be on board the flight involves studying the change in blood pressure that occurs with space flight. About two-thirds of the individuals returning from space experience an inability to stand or an unsteadiness for several hours. His research will look at the changes in vascular resistance and the release of norepinephrine -- the predominant hormone involved in the constriction of blood vessels -- in the microgravity environment of space.
"There is such a variety of experiments going on this flight," he said. "As an investigator, it is a tremendous opportunity to do field research in probably the most unique environment that anyone could ask for. As a payload specialist, it's an extraordinary opportunity to work with outstanding researchers from nine different countries and absorb all their wealth of knowledge and experience and techniques that I hope to transfer to my own research on the ground. This has been a dream of mine for years.
Pawelczyk said when he was first told of his appointment to the mission, the thought that immediately surfaced in his mind was, "Aaaah. Finally!"
"I've been training for a year and it's nice to have this milestone of progress so we can continue into the next segment of our training," he said. "Over the next year, I will learn more about the shuttle operation ... things like what goes on before a launch or what happens when the main engines are cut off."
But Pawelczyk said the best response to his being named to the space crew actually came from his six-year-old daughter who told her dad to "make sure he took good pictures of all the planets for her."
Pawelczyk has already started physical training for his mission. He will begin experiencing microgravity this week by being a passenger on an aircraft that will perform dozens of parabolic maneuvers. In January, he went through water-survival training.
But as for the danger of entering space, Pawelczyk said there is no danger.
"I think it's important for people to discriminate between risk and danger," he said. "We all assume risk in life. You have some knowledge about those risks and you decide it's a tolerable risk. Things become dangerous when you don't know the risks and you don't plan contingencies. I'm comfortable with this risk."
The Penn State faculty member said that the most important lesson his recent NASA stint has reaffirmed for him is the need to be a "renaissance researcher."
"It's so important to try to gain a diversity of skills, a diversity of knowledge," he said. "I think that by being open to things and curious, that's how you gain those serendipitous findings that have become so important in research."
Scott Horner, part of a team of researchers that found a
new planet, shows
models of the star and its companion planet.
Photo: Greg Grieco
Scientists from several different institutions -- including Penn State -- have discovered a giant, Jupiter-like planet orbiting a star in the constellation Northern Crown. The newly discovered planet offers additional evidence for how such systems form, and bolsters the idea that other worlds like our own may be widespread throughout the galaxy.
Scott Horner, a research associate in astronomy and astrophysics, is part of the team of scientists that announced its finding on April 24. The discovery, actually made in late February, is based on observations at the Smithsonian's Fred Lawrence Whipple Observatory on Mount Hopkins, Ariz.
Using a special instrument called the Advanced Fiber Optic Echelle spectro-graph, the scientists detected extremely small variations in the motion of a star --Rho Coronae Borealis. Rho Coronae Borealis is visible to the naked eye in the Northern Hemisphere from February through September and is located approximately 50 light-years from Earth. The star Rho Coronae Borealis is believed to be about 10 billion years old -- twice as old as the Sun.
The irregularities in the star's velocity are thought to be caused by the presence of an orbiting companion. After carefully monitoring the star and its speed, the team of scientists concluded that the new-found planet orbits the star in 40 days. These variations also led the team to conclude that the planet must be slightly more massive than the planet Jupiter.
The short orbital period means the planet is closer to its star than Mercury is to the sun. This also implies its temperature would be more than 500 degrees Fahrenheit -- much too hot for liquid water to exist, and hence not a likely place for life to form. According to the researchers, the circular nature of the orbit suggests that the planet was formed like the planets in our solar system, through the slow coalescence of dust and gas from the rotating disk that is thought to surround all newborn stars. A more eggshaped orbit would suggest that the companion object was not a planet but a failed star.
The other scientists are from the Smithsonian Institution's Astrophysical Observatory (SAO) in Cambridge, Mass., and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo. The scientific team includes Sylvain Korzennik, Martin Krockenberger, Peter Nisenson and Robert Noyes of SAO; Harvard University graduate student Saurabh Jha; Timothy Brown and Edward Kennelly of NCAR; and Horner.
A scientific paper describing the discovery has been accepted for publication in the Astrophysical Journal Letters.
"This discovery helps show that giant planets like Jupiter may be reasonably common around ordinary stars," Robert Noyes of SAO said. "It is exciting to think that there may be many smaller planets much more like the Earth in orbit around these stars, as in our own solar system."
Timothy Brown of NCAR said that all of the giant planets found so far orbit sun-like stars.
This is the second "planet" discovery for a Penn State scientist. In 1994, Alexander Wolszczan, distinguished professor of astronomy and astrophysics, confirmed the presence of the first known planets outside our solar system.
A pre-publication version of the paper is available on the Web at http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/afoe.
The Paul Robeson Cultural Center (in the background) has
served as the cultural core for two generations of Penn State students.
The center is celebrating 25 years of existence this year.
Photo: Greg Grieco
For 25 years, the Paul Robeson Cultural Center has made an indelible mark on the University Park campus. What began as a USO building on an Army base in Lebanon, Pa., was transferred piece-by-piece in 1948 to its present site on Shortlidge Road. It became the Temporary Union Building until the present Hetzel Union Building opened in 1955.
In 1972, the building, by then known as Walnut Building, officially became the Black Cultural Center and after major renovations was renamed the Paul Robeson Cultural Center in 1984 for Paul Robeson (1898-1976), singer, actor and civil rights activist.
Despite being scheduled for demolition several times, the building has become a powerful cultural core for two generations of minority students and a place where the whole Penn State community participates in and celebrates the accomplishments of nationally recognized artists, writers and politicians such as Roots author Alex Haley; politician Jesse Jackson; writer and poet Nikki Giovanni; musician Gil Scott-Heron and the musical group Earth, Wind & Fire. Today the center hosts more than 500 events a year.
The center will begin another metamorphosis on Friday, May 2, when it celebrates both its 25 years of service at its current location and the groundbreaking for a new center (see story on page 2) as part of the HUB/Robeson expansion and renovations.
"When the project is completed in 1999, we will have a 21st-century building," Lawrence Young, director of the center, said.
The new Robeson Center will have 12,000 square feet of flexible space in three stories, advanced audio-video capabilities in its meeting rooms and a 425-seat auditorium -- a far cry from the current facility, which in recent years has been bursting at the seams. For Young, the groundbreaking for the new center makes a strong statement about its permanence and the importance of its goals to the University.
When Penn State President Eric A. Walker established a special commission to examine the relationships among various segments of the University community in 1969, a subcommittee in the black community and others made recommendations to establish a cultural center, which the new president, John W. Oswald, endorsed. The cultural center was to promote African American and other cultures and to encourage intercultural exchange. It was to help alleviate cultural shock for blacks and other minorities coming to Penn State; provide a forum for students, faculty and staff of all ethnic groups; and provide cultural support for blacks and other minorities through the exposure of contributions and achievements of minorities.
On May 21, 1971, the Black Cultural Center became a reality. Warren Coleman was asked to serve as acting director until a permanent replacement could be found. After much negotiation, the Walnut Building on Shortlidge Road was selected as the center's home. During the spring of 1973 discussions began about changing the name in honor of an African American who had made significant achievements in education, the arts and civil rights. Paul Robeson was chosen, but because of the controversy surrounding Robeson as a civil rights activist, the University did not officially adopt the name for the center until 1984.
A 1974 expansion and 1986 remodeling of the exterior helped sustain the Robeson Center through a quarter-century of growth. Robeson events such as the "Caribbean Experience" and "Touch of Africa" celebrations, guest speakers and art exhibits spanned the multicultural heritage that define a thriving and diverse University community. With the number of annual events and visitors increasing every year and the changing demographics of the student body, which increased the demand for multicultural events and resources, the center rapidly outgrew its space. Besides space limitations, the physical condition of the aging building was also cause for concern.
During the winter of 1989, Young and his staff unlocked the door one morning and were greeted by the sight of several waterfalls streaming through a leaky roof. "We couldn't find enough buckets!" Young recalls.
The 1999 completion of the new HUB/Robeson Center will change all that. Its expansive floor space and enhanced media capabilities will better support the needs of its student groups, exhibitors and guest speakers.
Young looks forward to occupying the new facility, but recalls that the real lifeblood of the bustling center, throughout its history, has been the students.
"We have been fortunate to have a number of talented and enthusiastic students working with us and for us," he said "Although they have gone on to make careers for themselves, they still stay in touch."
Students in the Class of 2000 will enjoy a new Robeson Center that bears little resemblance to the physical space it occupied 25 years ago. What Young is sure they will recognize is the opening and welcoming spirit of the center -- one that will be a second home to all Penn Staters, young and the old.
Students Rob Keller and Amy Vorgity study on the HUB lawn,
which will be the site of a groundbreaking ceremony on May 2.
Photo: Greg Grieco
The University will launch a two-year construction project for the HUB-Robeson Complex, which will renovate and expand the Hetzel Union Building (HUB) and house the new Paul Robeson Cultural Center at University Park. A groundbreaking ceremony will be held at 2 p.m., Friday, May 2, on the HUB lawn. Scheduled speakers include President Graham B. Spanier; Jesse Arnelle, chairman of the Board of Trustees; M. Nathan Nair, student trustee; and William Asbury, vice president for student affairs.
Designed by Williams Trebilcock Whitehead Architects of Pittsburgh, the HUB/Robeson complex will add 91,000 square feet to the existing 154,000 square feet composing the HUB and add the new Robeson Cultural Center. A linear addition will run from the west end of the HUB to the middle of the south wall of the Penn State Bookstore, preserving nearly all of the HUB lawn area. The new Robeson Center will be part of the complex but bear a distinctive oval-shaped identity.
The existing HUB will be renovated to become an integrated part of the whole complex, connected by a new four-story atrium space with skylights.
Among the many changes are a new Pollock Road entrance, a new auditorium, additional meeting rooms and student offices, renovated and expanded HUB Eateries dining areas, dedicated quiet study lounges, information and computer services, improved access for users with disabilities, art gallery space and an expanded ballroom.
The public is invited to the May 2 event, which will be a representation of the joining of the HUB and the Robeson Cultural Center. Speakers will be laying inscribed bricks representing the HUB and the Robeson Cultural Center, and the bricks will be placed in the new complex when it is completed. Also invited to the ceremony are student leaders, donors and staff members of the offices affiliated with the HUB and Robeson Cultural Center such as Student Life, Student Union, Housing and Food Services, ID card office and the Penn State Bookstore.
Built in 1955, the HUB is the main student union at the University Park campus, serving more than 50,000 students, faculty, staff and visitors. Approximately 25,000 people are estimated to use the building each day, and nearly 7,000 events are scheduled each year in the facility.
The Robeson Cultural Center sponsored 561 events in 1995, attracting 24,000 participants. The center is located in a World War II building that was moved to the campus in the early 1950s and designated as a temporary student union building.
The total construction budget is a little more than $26.8 million. The project will be financed with funds generated by a portion of University Park student activity fees, private support, Housing and Food Services and University funds.
Starting later this month, workers are expected to begin the first phase of the construction project for the new Hetzel Robeson Complex. Site work for the relocation of utility lines will begin approximately May 26.
However, all services and operations in the HUB and at the Paul Robeson Cultural Center will continue as usual with just a few changes. Most of the HUB rooms such as the Ballroom and Fishbowl will still be available this year and in early 1998 for events, except for the Main Lounge and the Reading Room.
The construction management firm and contractors for the construction project will be selected soon.
More serious shifts in HUB operations are expected to happen sometime early to mid-1998 when the new addition is well under construction.
When site work begins in late May, the upper sidewalk nearest the lawn side of the HUB building will be closed, as well as the lawn ground-level entrance nearest the Billiards Room. A site fence will be set up around the construction area surrounding the sidewalk and slightly touching the lawn. But the HUB lawn outside the construction area will still be available for scheduled events as appropriate.
In early summer, construction and information updates will be posted on various bulletin boards and at the information desks at the HUB and Robeson Center, and at the expansion site on the Web at http://www.psu.edu/HUB/Expansion/. A newsletter will communicate regular updates to employees of the HUB and Robeson Center offices, and continual updates will be provided to the entire University community and the surrounding community.
By Alan Janesch
Public Information
Attention, high school classes of 2001 and beyond: If you want to go to Penn State, no matter what major you choose, you'll need to take at least two years of foreign language study in high school.
The University Faculty Senate voted to impose the new requirement after lengthy debate at its final meeting of the current academic year. Currently, foreign language study in high school is required only for B.A. degrees in the Eberly College of Science, the College of the Liberal Arts, and the College of Arts and Architecture.
The change will affect only students who graduate from high school in May 2001 or in subsequent years. For students who don't meet the requirement, but who otherwise would have been offered admission to Penn State, the Senate offered an alternate route. They can still be admitted, but with a "deficiency in a foreign/second language" that they must remove within two years, or before graduation, whichever comes first.
Twice during the meeting, University President Graham B. Spanier spoke in favor of the new requirement. Spanier has visited 30 high schools over the past 18 months and reported that there is strong support in the high schools for a foreign language requirement.
In the increasingly international markets that Pennsylvania-based and other U.S. firms now operate in, Spanier said that proficiency in foreign languages will give the edge to students. Spanier said he has heard this repeatedly from the CEOs of the firms he has visited.
Debate on the requirement centered on the differing impact that the requirement would have on Penn State locations across the state. The Senate Committee on Admissions, Records, Scheduling and Student Aid, which developed the new requirement, noted that the percentage of first-year students in 1995 who did not meet the requirement ranged from a low of 2 percent to a high of a little more than 10 percent at some locations.
But James W. Robinson, vice chair of the committee, said the committee discussed the differential impact of the requirement and decided to address it by allowing the admission of students with a deficiency in language study rather than imposing a strict admissions requirement and completely excluding those who haven't met it.
The committee developed the language requirement after meeting with Spanier in August 1996 and subsequently seeking comment from administrators at Commonwealth campuses and other Penn State locations. In the summer of 1996, Spanier had asked the committee to add a foreign language requirement.
Spanier also addressed the Senate on a differential tuition plan, which is now being developed and may be considered by the University Board of Trustees at its upcoming meeting in July. Even though it costs more to educate upper-division students or students in certain majors, Spanier said, "we're still pretending it costs the same" to educate all students.
If the level of state support was much higher and tuition could be kept quite low, a single tuition rate would be easier to justify, Spanier said. "But we've reached a point where tuition levels are very high and probably unfair to some." Any phase-in of a differential tuition rate would be planned and implemented carefully to have the least negative impact on students, he said.
Many other Big Ten schools already have tuition differentials, as well as other schools Penn State competes with for students, Spanier said.
In other business, the Senate:
* Delegated to the faculty of the Dickinson School of Law the responsibility for the approval and content of courses taken by law students in the law curriculum. Penn State's merger with the law school, approved in January by the Board of Trustees, will begin its three-year phase-in on July 1.
* Discussed a recommendation to change the bylaws to rescind the delegation of authority over curriculum to Penn State Harrisburg, in light of the changing responsibilities and relationships being brought about by the implementation of the new Commonwealth College structure. The recommendation will come up for a final vote at a future Senate meeting.
* Changed its admission policy to allow the use of appropriate, academically relevant information, such as improvement in academic performance, extracurricular activities and work experience, in making admissions. The previous policy suggested that the only criteria used were high school performance and standardized test results.
* Discussed but did not vote on rule changes related to intercollegiate athletics, designed to take into account the implementation of the new Commonwealth College structure. The proposal was withdrawn and will be brought back to the Senate at a later meeting.
At the meeting's conclusion, outgoing Senate Chair R. Scott Kretchmar turned over the gavel to incoming Chair Louis F. Geschwindner.
The Senate will next meet on Sept. 8, at 1:30 p.m. in Room 112 Kern Building on the University Park campus.
Graduate student in soils Emily Majcher is showing other
students in her Soils 101 class how to do soil profile descriptions. The
class meets in the fields near the University Salvage and Surplus warehouse.
Classes end May 2.
Photo: Greg Grieco
The American Red Cross is currently searching for University employees interested in being part of a new Blood Services Focus Group, to share ideas for further development of faculty/staff participation in the campus blood program. Individuals who have received blood and are willing to describe their experience with others also are sought. If interested in helping, please contact Connie Schroeder, American Red Cross blood services campus coordinator, at (814) 237-2713.
Call the Human Resource Development Center at (814) 865-8216 to register for the following programs:
* Avoiding Burnout: Balancing Your Life at Home and Your Career
May 13, 8:30-11:30 a.m., 319 Rider Building. Cost: $35.
* Marketing Communications for Beginners
Learn marketing terms and definitions, campaign strategies and tactics and marketing tools to enable you to develop an effective marketing communications plan. May 15, 1:30-4:30 p.m. , 319 Rider Building. Cost: $35.
* Movin' On: Developing Yourself for a New Position
May 15 and 22, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 319 Rider Building. Cost: $35.
* Proofamatics
Reduce errors in the manuscripts you produce with a series of scanning techniques which will improve your proofreading skills. May 15, 8:30-10:30 a.m., 319 Rider Building. Cost: $120.
Pamela A. Albert, applications systems analyst at The Hershey Medical Center.
Jodie A. Auman, staff assistant VI in College of the Liberal Arts.
James B. Babcock, cinematographer /videographer III in Continuing and Distance Education.
Rebecca L. Barnhart, staff assistant VI in Division of Development and Alumni Relations.
Kimberly K. Beard, medical review coordinator at The Hershey Medical Center.
Going on sabbatical, or just away for the summer? Now you can stay in touch with Penn State through the Intercom Online at http://www.psu.edu/ur/INTERCOM/Home.html. Or, for more extended time away, try an annual subscription to the Intercom for $25. For more information, call (814) 865-7517.
