Arizona State University

After two weeks of intensive training following the selection camp held last month, the roster for the Senior Women’s National Team has been determined. Nineteen players have been selected by Head Coach Arnd Ludwig to compete in international play this summer. Included in the roster were current sophomore Sofie Schlagintweit and former middle, Colette Meek.

The Sun Devils will travel to Miami for their first competition of the summer with the rest of the 2009 Senior Women’s Team roster, consisting of:

Setters:
Larissa Cundy - Edmonton, AB
Samantha Loewen - East St. Paul, MB
Lauren O’Reilly - Langley, BC

Outside:
Tiffany Dodds - Lucky Lake, SK
Tammy Mahon - Holland, MB
Ashley Voth - Winnipeg, MB
Sofie-Hanna Schlagintweit - Abbotsford, BC
Tonya Mokelki - Weyburn, SK
Kyla Richey - Roberts Creek, BC
Marie-Pier Murray Methot - Montreal, QC
Brittney Page - Vernon, BC

Middles:
Tasha Holness - Calgary, AB
Jennifer Hinze - Vancouver, BC
Nadine Alphonse - Montreal, QC
Colette Meek - Sherwood Park, AB
Marisa Field - Kelowna, BC

Liberos:
Janie Guimond - Bécancour, QC
Claire Hanna - Calgary, AB
Julie Young - Red Deer, AB

Team Canada Women’s 2009 International Schedule:
June 24 - July 5 Women’s Pan American Cup - Miami, USA
July 1 - 12 25th Universiade (FISU Games) - Belgrade, Serbia
July 5-10 World Championship Qualifying Tournament - Puerto Rico
September 20 - 28 Women’s NORCECA Continental Championship - Bayamon, Puerto Rico

A new Navajo textiles exhibit at the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History has taken shape under the guidance of Arizona State University Museum of Anthropology exhibit developer Judy Newland. The exhibit, which opened May 29 and runs until May 30, 2010, will feature 90 pieces from the 20th century or later.

A tapestry weaver with over 30 years’ experience and a museum anthropologist, Newland believes textiles tell stories that reflect the life and culture of the weavers, and are often mirrors of shifting traditions and landscapes.

This is particularly evident in Navajo weaving, one of Newland’s areas of special interest. During her graduate studies at the University of Colorado – Boulder, Newland had the opportunity to learn from several Navajo teachers and develop skills on the Navajo hip spindle and loom. In the years since, she has earned a reputation as a respected textile historian.

Considering her background, it is not surprising that Newland was recently invited by the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History to act as guest curator for an exhibit of notable Navajo textiles.

“Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” is a yearlong exhibit that will unfold in three phases and feature objects from the university’s Joe Ben Wheat Southwestern Textile Collection. Steve Lekson, the Colorado museum’s anthropology curator, calls the assemblage of over 800 historically and culturally significant pieces “one of the best collections of textiles anywhere.”

“Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” will be the first major exhibit from the collection in nearly 20 years. Each phase will present around 30 textiles, and many of the pieces will be on public display for the first time.

Newland was first approached about curating the exhibit in summer 2008. Museum administrators asked her to design a yearlong showcase illustrating the depth of the collection and using contemporary pieces instead of the older, cultural works that had been displayed several times.

“Textiles cannot be displayed for longer than four months at a time, or you run the risk of light damage,” Newland explains. “So, it seemed logical to have a changing exhibit that included three different rotations. This also allows more of the collection to be viewed publicly and gives visitors to Boulder the opportunity to see two different exhibits on two different days if they time their visit around the end of one rotation and the beginning of the next.”

Choosing the items for each part of the cycle was a challenge for Newland, who did not have a database of images to consult and had to work from a distance except for three visits to Colorado. “I had to literally pull the textiles and look at each one of them. I must have looked at about 100 pieces during that first trip. It was enjoyable but a lot of work, and I needed help deciding how to theme the rotations.”  

So, Newland called on a long-time friend – international printmaker and University of Colorado associate professor of art Melanie Yazzie – to help shape the exhibit. After spending countless hours together looking at the textiles and considering the weavers and their histories, they decided to divide the textiles into themed groups for revolving display.

The first phase, in place until October 1, is “Diamonds and Beyond,” which focuses on the common diamond motif found in Navajo weavings. Yei rugs and pictorial works provided the inspirations for the second iteration, “Dreams, Schemes and Stories,” beginning October 2 and featuring narrative and image-based weavings that highlight the stories of Navajo weavers and the Diné – the Navajo people. The third and final iteration – “Landscapes,” opening February 5, 2010 – emphasizes the Southwestern landscape that has influenced every aspect of Diné life and remains an integral part of the Navajo people.

Each exhibit phase is augmented by programming, like lectures; movies featuring or created by Native Americans; and demonstrations and workshops. And complementing the entire exhibit is “Weaving Memory: Monotypes by Melanie Yazzie.” This group of prints inspired by the Joe Ben Wheat Collection and Yazzie’s Navajo weaver grandmother, Thelma Baldwin, will occupy the museum’s Second Floor Gallery until May 30, 2010.

If forced to pick a favorite piece from the exhibit, Newland would choose an all-white cashmere sash woven by contemporary artist Morris Muskett, whom she met in Peru a few years ago. She is impressed by the versatility and uniqueness of his work and has included at least one of his textiles in each of the exhibit’s rotations. Newland states, “One of the goals I had in designing this exhibit was to show the world that the Navajo people are alive and well and that a lot of amazing weaving is still going on. I think Morris Muskett demonstrates that beautifully.”

Putting textiles into context in her own life, Newland says, “I use textiles to gain an understanding of cultures worldwide and have applied this to my teaching and my own weaving.” She recently completed a vibrant piece that is an amalgam of cultural inspirations: a tapestry titled “Cultural Stratigraphy” based on the Amish quilt pattern known as Chinese Coins. Dedicated to the Navajo weavers and artists Newland calls friends, the tapestry uses black wool from Burnham’s Trading Post and multicolored threads dyed using plants gathered around the mesas of the Window Rock area. All were spun on a Navajo hip spindle. The tapestry serves as a new teaching tool for her classes.

In addition to curating museum exhibits, Newland teaches exhibit design and development in the ASU School of Human Evolution and Social Change’s museum anthropology program. This unique master’s program in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences explores fundamental questions about the role of museums in society and the ways they produce knowledge. Next up for her is a six-week visit to Peru, where she will be analyzing archaeological textiles as part of a transdisciplinary project that uses the humanities and social, life and physical sciences to explore the construction of ancient Andean identity. She will also be traveling to Colorado to host the openings of Navajo Weaving’s last two stages.

For more information on “Navajo Weaving: Diamonds, Dreams, Landscapes” and linked events, visit the University of Colorado Museum of Natural History online at cumuseum.colorado.edu.

For information on the ASU Museum of Anthropology, visit asuma.asu.edu or call 480-965-6224. The museum is open by appointment throughout the summer. “Past Forms” – an exhibit of archaeological and historical ceramic pieces presented by Newland’s museum anthropology graduate students – runs through August 10.

Two Arizona State University researchers learned recently that they are among a select group chosen as nominees for a 2009 World Technology Award by The World Technology Network (WTN), in association with TIME magazine, Fortune magazine, and Science magazine, among others.

Scientists Qiang Hu and Milton Sommerfeld in the College of Technology and Innovation at ASU’s Polytechnic campus, have been selected as nominees for the award for their work with algal feedstocks and biodiesel fuel. In November 2008, TIME magazine selected the researchers’ work as one of the top 10 best innovations for 2008.

Winners of the WTN Award will be announced on July 16, 2009, in New York, at the World Technology Awards gala ceremony at the TIME & Life Building at the conclusion of the two-day World Technology Summit. The World Technology Awards recognize individuals and corporations from 20 technology-related sectors, viewed by their peers as being the most innovative and doing the work of the greatest likely long-term significance. Award categories range from biotechnology, space and energy through to ethics, design and entertainment.

Nominees for the 2009 World Technology Awards were identified based on an intensive, global process over a period of many months in which current individual WTN members — primarily elected WTN Fellows from previous awards cycles who now number over 1000, spread out over 60 countries — as well as others made their nominations based on who they think is doing the innovative work in their field of the greatest likely long-term significance. After the WTN gathers further information from nominees, WTN individual member then vote on their preferences within their category. The top five selections in each category are announced from the podium on stage at the awards ceremony, and inducted into the WTN membership as Fellows. The winner receives an award on stage and makes comments about their innovative work to those assembled.

For information on the World Technology Network, World Technology Awards and World Technology Summit, visit www.wtn.net.

Media Contact(s):

Christine Lambrakis, Arizona State University, 480/727-1173, 602/316-5616, lambrakis@asu.edu
James P. Clark, The World Technology Network, jpclark@wtn.net

About Arizona State University Polytechnic
Arizona State University Polytechnic campus offers technical and professional programs that provide a project based, hands-on learning experience for students. Programs are available in business administration, education, arts and sciences, technology and engineering. Visit us online at www.poly.asu.edu.

About The World Technology Network
The World Technology Network is a New York-headquartered organization that was created to "encourage serendipity” - happy accidents - amongst those individuals and companies deemed by their peers to be the most innovative in the science and technology world. The WTN’s areas of interest range from IT and communications to biotech, energy, materials, space, as well as related fields such as finance, marketing, policy, law, design, and ethics. Each year, WTN members are brought together through an ongoing global series of regional roundtables, global Summits, and other events. The WTN has also convened the World Energy Technologies Summit at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. The central events in the WTN calendar include the annual World Technology Summit and World Technology Awards - the culmination of a global judging program through which new members are nominated and selected and by which the network grows and is refreshed.

Martin Popov may one day save your life.

Incoming Arizona State University student Popov recently earned a prestigious scholarship from FBI National Academy Associates that will help achieve his goal of working with law enforcement agencies to provide national security.

The nonprofit international organization of senior law enforcement professionals gives this award to only 1 to 2 percent of applicants nationwide.

FBI National Academy Associates is recognized globally among government leaders, law enforcement agencies and communities as the premier provider of law enforcement expertise, training, education and information.

Popov will start undergraduate courses this fall in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at ASU’s College of Public Programs on the Downtown Phoenix campus.  

"The FBI scholarship is among the most prestigious honors available to a student in our field," says Scott Decker, director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. "Students who are awarded this scholarship have a combination of academic excellence and commitment to the field. We are proud of Martin’s accomplishments and look forward to his career with federal law enforcement."

Popov says, "I’ve always believed that protecting the people has to be a high priority of any individual who is part of a community that faces many challenges as a result of globalization and constant threat of terrorism. At ASU, I would most like to focus on different types of crimes that endanger the American public and the international interest of the U.S. as well as learning specific techniques necessary to fight these crimes."

Popov, who is 22, speaks fluent Bulgarian, Russian and English. He was born in Bulgaria and came to America five years ago to pursue a career in the FBI. Popov was inspired at an early age by his father, a senior lieutenant from the Bulgarian army, who served two United Nations military peacekeeping missions in Asia and has been recognized with a diploma and medal for his distinguished service with the U.N.

"He showed me that discipline is extremely important, and that motivation, patience, and self-reliance are crucial factors necessary to keep your mind focused over assigned tasks," Popov says.

Popov recently received an Arizona General Education Curriculum-Arts certificate from Phoenix College. He earned a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice merges theory with practice in areas such as the nature of crime, theories of crime, criminal justice system responses and problem-solving techniques. Its faculty includes some of the world’s foremost experts on topics such as policing, juvenile justice, gangs, drugs, criminological theory, victimization, and corrections. Graduates of the School can be found in all facets of the criminal justice system.

For information about the School, visit http://ccj.asu.edu.

The ASU Alumni Association was honored with three awards from the 2009 APEX Awards for Publication Excellence. The APEX competition, now in its 21st year, recognizes those who have produced outstanding graphic design or editorial content, and demonstrated the ability to achieve overall success in their communication programs.

Robert Cao-Ba, art/creative director for the association, was recognized for his cover design for ASU Magazine’s September 2008 issue, titled “What’s The Big Idea?” The March 2009 issue of ASU Magazine was recognized for overall excellence in the category for print magazines and journals longer than 32 pages; Cao-Ba was responsible for the design of the issue and Managing Editor Liz Massey was responsible for its content.

Alissa Pierson, associate executive director of alumni programs, was awarded with an APEX in the meeting & event campaigns, programs & plans category for her work with the Alumni Association’s 2009 Founders’ Day event, which is held annually to commemorate the establishment of the university’s predecessor institution in 1885.

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera releases its first images of the Moon

NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) has taken and received its first images of the Moon, kicking off the year-long mapping mission of Earth’s nearest celestial neighbor. The LROC imaging system, under the watchful eyes of Arizona State University professor Mark Robison, the principal investigator, consists of two Narrow Angle Cameras (NACs) to provide high-resolution black-and-white images, a Wide Angle Camera (WAC) to provide images in seven color bands over a 60-kilometer (37.28-mile) swath, and a Sequence and Compressor System (SCS) supporting data acquisition for both cameras.

NASA reports that the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, which launched June 18, is performing exceptionally well and spacecraft checkout is proceeding smoothly, so smoothly in fact that LROC was given an early, but short (two orbits) opportunity Tuesday evening to measure temperatures and background values while imaging. Since LRO is in a terminator orbit, much of the area photographed was in shadows, which is actually a good situation for performing engineering checks of camera settings, according to Robinson, with ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration. Much to the delight of the LROC team, a few of the images captured dramatic views of the surface.

"Our first images were taken along the Moon’s terminator - the dividing line between day and night - making us initially unsure of how they would turn out," says Robinson. "Because of the deep shadowing, subtle topography is exaggerated suggesting a craggy and inhospitable surface. In reality, the area is similar to the region where the Apollo 16 astronauts comfortably explored in 1972. Though these images are magnificent in their own right, the main message is that LROC is nearly ready to begin its mission."

The public can view LROC images online at http://www.nasa.gov/lro.

Additional information about the LROC instrument is at http://lroc.sese.asu.edu.

LROC NAC: Details from one of the first images

LRO was 70 kilometers (43.5 miles) above the lunar surface when the summed mode image was taken, resulting in a resolution of approximately 1.4-meters/pixel (34.4°S, 6.0°W). Incredible levels of detail are visible in these two (1000 pixel-by-1000 pixel) cutouts from the full image (2532 pixels-by-53,248 pixels). The NAC data shown has not been calibrated, and the pixel values were stretched to enhance contrast.

Along the terminator, there simply is not much light - the instrument is "photon-starved," resulting in suboptimal signal-to-noise ratios. Without summing, images taken in this circumstance would be underexposed. To compensate for low light levels, the pixels can effectively be made larger by summing adjacent pixels to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, making the image sharper, though with 2x lower resolution. At this resolution, features as small as three meters (9.8 feet) wide can be discerned.

The NAC image shows a starkly beautiful region a few kilometers east of Hell E crater, which is located on the floor of the ancient Imbrian-aged Deslandres impact structure in the lunar highlands south of Mare Nubium. Numerous small, secondary craters can be identified, including several small crater chains. Also identifiable are distinctive lineations made readily apparent by the extreme lighting, representing ejecta from a nearby impact. The quality of these early engineering test images gives the LROC science team confidence it can achieve its primary goals, including obtaining the data needed to support future human lunar exploration and utilization.

Once LRO finishes commissioning operations and enters its 50-kilometer x 50-kilometer (31 miles x 31 miles) mapping orbit, a maneuver currently scheduled for mid-August, the LROC NAC will take images of over 8 percent of the Moon at 50-cm/pixel.

LROC WAC: Seeing the colors of the Moon

The LROC WAC represents a very different type of imaging system than the NAC. The WAC sees the surface in seven colors, one after the other. Looking at the raw image is akin to looking through venetian blinds, which is a little confusing at first.

First you notice the five stair step-like visible bands, and then the two lower-resolution and barely visible ultraviolet bands. During processing, these seven bands are pulled apart and seven single-filter mosaics are created that can be combined in various combinations for scientific analysis.

The WAC is designed to help place the super-high-resolution NAC images into their proper geologic context, as well as discriminate color units on the surface to help geologists map rock types and identify resources. Acquired at the same time as the NAC image, more of the Deslandres region is visible because the WAC has a field of view 20 times wider than the NAC though with substantially lower resolution. For comparison, the width of the NAC image is shown as two vertical bars in the center of the image. The WAC image shown here has not been calibrated and the pixel values were stretched to enhance contrast.

LROC is scheduled for activation July 3 to formally begin its commissioning activities. The LROC Science Operations Center, part of the School of Earth and Space Exploration in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences on ASU’s Tempe campus plans to steadily release images of the lunar frontier as more data is collected and processed.

LRO will spend the next year gathering crucial data on the lunar environment that will help astronauts prepare for exploring the Moon and eventually leaving the Earth-Moon system for voyages to Mars and beyond.

Nikki Staab, nstaab@asu.edu
480-727-9329
School of Earth and Space Exploration

The American – and world – economy is in its worst shape in decades, and newspapers (which themselves are under siege) are filled with doomsday stories of global warming, nuclear threats, flu pandemics, war, murder and much mayhem.

Wouldn’t this be the time for universities to graduate classes and classes of business majors, science researchers and lawyers, all poised to fix the problems that beset us?

And the time to cut down on, or eliminate, classes in history, philosophy, English, art history and religion, and to prepare students for “real jobs”?

Sally Kitch, director of the Institute for Humanities Research, disagrees with that proposition. Now, more than ever, she explained, students need to study the humanities.

“The university isn’t just about educating students for jobs. It’s also about preparing students for citizenship. Only educated citizens can make informed judgments about the problems that confront our country and elect the kind of officials we need to solve them.

“The humanities helps us understand the historical background and cultural frameworks of the issues we face and the possible unintended consequences of various solutions to them. In many cases, a humanities education helps us understand how we got into the dilemmas of the present, such as the current economic crisis, which is as much about weak values and modes of thought as about financial malfeasance.”

“If we are to have informed citizens, it is essential to educate students who understand the foundations on which major civilizations have been built and will continue to flourish,” stressed Deborah Losse, dean of humanities in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of French.

“The humanities assist students in learning to ask the important questions, not only how we do something but whether we should continue to engage in that same activity. The field of ethics lies at the heart of a humanist education.

She added, “Within the context of the changing world, we need to be mindful of preparing professionals who can function globally. One of the essential parts of the humanities education is providing the opportunity to develop cultural and linguistic fluency in order to adapt to interact effectively with professionals in other cultural settings.”

Quentin D. Wheeler, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, agrees. In severe economic times such as the United States is currently experiencing, he said, “people need to be able to think critically and have a wide view of the world, both of which are gained from studies in the humanities.”

Robert Mittelstaedt, dean of the W.P. Carey School of Business, argues that while a university education is “designed to make us useful members of society for the long term,” students also must learn how to change and adapt as the world around them evolves.

Business schools teach “what some would call ‘skills’ in the short term,” Mittelstaedt added, “but the ability to learn, again and again, over a lifetime becomes the most important capability.

“Regardless of where we start each of us must learn to add value in society in some way to survive, prosper and enhance our world. Some of us start with more skill based initial contributions. Others start with broad based education to develop learning discipline without knowing where that capability will be useful in the short term.”

Business school MBA enrollments generally increase during hard economic times because students see the downturn as an opportunity to return to school, with the hope that the economy will have recovered by the time they are looking for a job, Mittelstaedt said.

“But in the current recession we also hear stories about a deep desire to understand more about history, philosophy and ethics. Maybe tough times make us realize that each of us requires a fairly broad body of knowledge to succeed and feel complete.”

How should a student decide what to study? Kitch believes that “parents should encourage their children to study what they love. Parents should say to a child, ‘Take a lot of courses. Prepare yourself for change.’ The only thing we can predict is that the world will change.”

Wheeler agrees. He said, “Statistics tell us that students graduating today will hold many jobs in their lifetimes. Being narrowly trained for one job will not serve you well for long, but a broad education in the humanities will prepare you to succeed in any number of careers and at the same time lead a far more textured and fulfilling life.”

Mittelstaedt suggested that there are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answers to what to study. “There is just a realization that in a modern world there is more to learn than ever and we must not stop learning if we are to be successful.”

When a university professor retires, he or she leaves behind the academic network of colleagues, deadlines for research work and writing, help with computer problems – and, of course, a feeling of belonging.

That’s why the ASU Emeritus College has struck such a responsive chord with retired faculty, both from ASU and other universities.

With membership in the College, they have all of the above, perhaps with the exception of deadlines.

A poll of the nearly 400 members brought similar answers to why they enjoy belong to the Emeritus College:

Opportunities for personal and intellectual growth, a sense of family, an outlet for creativity, and a place to meet faculty from other disciplines.

Elaine Katzman, professor emerita of nursing, said, “Classes sponsored by the College and the Piper Center have introduced me to concepts and varying perspectives on creative writing. Having some of my own essays published in the Emeritus Journal has been particularly gratifying.  

“I give much credit to the staff at the Emeritus College for their limitless support for whatever I may need. Outstanding telephone communication and technical support are but two examples out of many.”

Bruce Mason, who taught political science and public administration and retired in 1989 after taking a year’s leave to teach military personnel in four countries, said he enjoys hearing his fellow faculty give talks about their respective disciplines.

“I know fewer and fewer t of the current faculty but even among the retirees I know fewer each time I go back to Tempe.  However, there are still some I know and enjoy seeing again. Finally, I regard ASU, in a sense as ‘family.’"

Lou Weschler, who taught political science, resumed his serious art career – which he started in high school — when he retired in 2000. He now has several paintings on display at the ongoing Emeritus College exhibit at University Center at the Downtown Phoenix campus.

Weschler belongs to both the Emeritus College and the ASU Retirees Association. “I enjoy helping other retirees on various issues they face in retirement,” he said. “My main enjoyment is facilitating other retirees in making better use of ASU resources and opportunities in their ‘golden years.’  I appreciate the efforts of the College in helping me show my art work.”

Jerry Buley, professor emeritus of communication, is limited in his participation because he lives in Sedona, but he still contributes photos to the Emeritus College journal.

“I have made photography a more central part of my life since I retired,” he said. With it, I have found niches in which I can participate long distance.”

In addition to submitting his artwork to the College publications, Buley has six photographs in the University Center exhibit. “I wish I could do more, but living two hours away prohibits it,” he said.

Patricia Etter, a retired ASU librarian, said she particularly enjoys the College’s luncheon get-togethers and seminars.

“What is really neat is that our gatherings include professionals from a myriad of disciplines. The conversations can go from moon rocks to genetics and on to forensics, then perhaps some psychology, maybe even geography or social science thrown in. We could call that continued learning.

“The College has a grants program, which encourages us to keep on writing/creating/etc. I for one was grateful for a grant that helped pay for student help and a cartographer who worked on maps for my book.”

Etter added, “Very often people who retire from an organization are simply put out to pasture and are never heard from again. The Emeritus College was a great idea since members know they are still respected by ASU even if retired. I particularly enjoy the comradeship. It feels good to say I’m emerita from ASU.”

Winifred W. Doane, professor emerita of life sciences, said the Emeritus College was founded just in time to help her through a difficult time in her life.

Doane, a member of the steering committee that wrote the proposal for establishing the college, lost her husband in 1999, a year after she retired from ASU. Within the next seven months, both of her sisters passed away, and then a year later, her nephew. After settling all their estates, dealing with property, having a medical problem of her own, and finishing a research project on an obesity gene that she had discovered 50 years ago, Doane found herself “living day to day” as she contemplated a future alone and without research to do.

Then, she was asked to service on the college steering committee. “Accepting that invitation was one of the best decisions I have made in my lifetime,” she said. “It brought a new focus to my life, I met many retired faculty from other departments and schools on campus, and was able to fill my days with meaningful activities.”

Robert Barnhill, professor emeritus of computer science and engineering, said the establishment of the Emeritus College is a sign that ASU is growing up.

“Mature universities deploy people of every age and accomplishment to improve the university and its community,” he said. “It is of course a pleasure to continue to interact with my emeritus colleagues for many additional years. It is also a pleasure to be associated with a university that is maturing.”

Bill Kaufmann, professor emeritus of physics, perhaps listed one of the more popular perks of College membership. “The parking decal,” he said.

Christine K. Wilkinson, Senior Vice President and Secretary of the University and President of the ASU Alumni Association, was honored by the local organization Asian Pacific Community in Action (APCA) at their annual “Art of Giving” reception on May 30. Two hundred community members gathered at the Phoenix Art Museum for the presentation, which recognized Wilkinson and two other women for their outstanding contributions to the Asian and Pacific Islander community.

Wilkinson was presented with the award because of her leadership activities in the Valley of the Sun, many of which are healthcare focused.

Wilkinson currently serves as Chairman of St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation Board, as a board member of the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association Board, the Southwest Autism Research and Resource Center Board, St. Luke’s Health Initiatives Board and Executive Committee, and the Arizona State Government Relations Committee of the American Red Cross.  

The APCA is a nonprofit community organization that was established in August 2002. Their mission is to improve the well-being of Asian and Pacific Islanders living in Maricopa County through empowerment, health promotion and disease prevention.

Arizona State University junior place kicker Thomas Weber (Downey, Calif.), has been named to the 2009 Playboy Magazine College Football All-American team, the magazine announced today. The members of the team will be announced in September when the issues hits the newsstands.

This is the second straight year that Weber has earned membership on the prestigious Playboy Magazine All-American team, having made it in 2008 as well following a fantastic freshman campaign. In the history of Sun Devil football, Weber becomes only the second player to be named to the Playboy All-America team twice. Cornerback Mike Richardson, who was a second-round draft pick (33rd selection overall) of the Chicago Bears in 1983, made the team in 1981 and 1982.

Weber becomes the 14th Sun Devil to be named to the Playboy All-America team. It is the 16th time an ASU player has been named to the squad (Weber and Richardson twice). Former Sun Devil head coach Bruce Snyder was named to the team in 1997 as the National Coach-of-the-Year.

In 2008, Weber connected on 19 of 25 field goals, including a long of 49 yards. Three of his field goal tries were blocked. He his 29 of 30 extra points and scored 86 points to lead ASU. He also handled the punting duties, punting 59 times for a 41.4-yard average. He had a long punt of 61 yards.

In two years as a Sun Devil, Weber has hit 43 of 50 field goals, including a career-long 53-yarder. He has scored 204 points and sports a 40.5 yards per punt average on 106 punts. Weber is 33 of 36 on field goals inside 40 yards in his career.

Weber won the 2007 Lou Groza Award, which is presented annually to the nation’s top place kicker, and was named to the 2008 Associated Press First-Team All-American squad.

Martin Popov may one day save your life.

Incoming Arizona State University student Popov recently earned a prestigious scholarship from FBI National Academy Associates that will help achieve his goal of working with law enforcement agencies to provide national security.

The nonprofit international organization of senior law enforcement professionals gives this award to only 1 to 2 percent of applicants nationwide.

FBI National Academy Associates is recognized globally among government leaders, law enforcement agencies and communities as the premier provider of law enforcement expertise, training, education and information.

Popov will start undergraduate courses this fall in the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice at ASU’s College of Public Programs on the Downtown Phoenix campus.  

"The FBI scholarship is among the most prestigious honors available to a student in our field," says Scott Decker, director of the School of Criminology and Criminal Justice. "Students who are awarded this scholarship have a combination of academic excellence and commitment to the field. We are proud of Martin’s accomplishments and look forward to his career with federal law enforcement."

Popov says, "I’ve always believed that protecting the people has to be a high priority of any individual who is part of a community that faces many challenges as a result of globalization and constant threat of terrorism. At ASU, I would most like to focus on different types of crimes that endanger the American public and the international interest of the U.S. as well as learning specific techniques necessary to fight these crimes."

Popov, who is 22, speaks fluent Bulgarian, Russian and English. He was born in Bulgaria and came to America five years ago to pursue a career in the FBI. Popov was inspired at an early age by his father, a senior lieutenant from the Bulgarian army, who served two United Nations military peacekeeping missions in Asia and has been recognized with a diploma and medal for his distinguished service with the U.N.

"He showed me that discipline is extremely important, and that motivation, patience, and self-reliance are crucial factors necessary to keep your mind focused over assigned tasks," Popov says.

Popov recently received an Arizona General Education Curriculum-Arts certificate from Phoenix College. He earned a 4.0 GPA and is a member of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society.

The School of Criminology and Criminal Justice merges theory with practice in areas such as the nature of crime, theories of crime, criminal justice system responses and problem-solving techniques. Its faculty includes some of the world’s foremost experts on topics such as policing, juvenile justice, gangs, drugs, criminological theory, victimization, and corrections. Graduates of the School can be found in all facets of the criminal justice system.

For information about the School, visit http://ccj.asu.edu.

Findings in New England Journal of Medicine point to younger populations

There is no way to know how the newest strain of the H1N1 influenza virus will behave in the future. But scientists, notably those working at the intersections of epidemiology, mathematics, modeling and statistics, are monitoring it closely to identify anomalies on its pattern of spread while evaluating ways of mitigating its impact.

"Public health officials have the ability to track confirmed cases and hospitalizations in real-time with modern data collection approaches and the aid of modeling as well as the ability to quickly identify new strains and track their evolution," says mathematical epidemiologist Gerardo Chowell-Puente, an assistant professor at Arizona State University’s School of Human Evolution and Social Change in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.

Chowell-Puente is co-author of a new study of the A(H1N1) influenza pandemic strain circulating around the world. The study’s findings reveal an age shift in the proportion of cases toward a younger population when compared with historical patterns of seasonal influenza in Mexico. The findings are published June 29 online in the New England Journal of Medicine. Other authors of "Reported severe respiratory disease and deaths concurrent with atypical A(H1N1) influenza circulation of swine origin in Mexico, 2009" include Stefano Bertozzi and Arantxa Colchero, Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health; Hugo Lopez-Gatell, Celia Alpuche and Mauricio Hernandez, Mexico Ministry of Health; and Mark A. Miller, National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center,

"The data show that the vast majority of cases of severe pneumonia and deaths occurred among those ages between 5 and 59, which is atypical when compared with the age pattern supported by seasonal flu," says Chowell-Puente. "If resources or vaccine supplies are limited, focusing prevention efforts on these age classes must be considered."

Specifically, according to the findings, 87 percent of the deaths and 71 percent of the cases of severe pneumonia occurred in persons aged 5-59, compared to an average 17 percent and 32 percent, respectively, for influenza seasons from 2006 through 2008. "These findings suggest relative protection for those persons exposed to H1N1 influenza viruses during childhood prior to the 1957 pandemic," Chowell-Puente says.

Chowell-Puente and other mathematicians and biostaticians attending a swine flu workshop at Arizona State University June 25-28, note that vaccines and anti-viral medications are in limited supply.

"Because achieving high vaccination rates before the fall is not feasible with current technologies, effective distribution of a limited vaccine and antiviral stockpiles will be crucial to mitigate a potential second pandemic wave. The seasonal influenza vaccination strategy focuses on the very young and the very old - the most vulnerable populations. This is not necessarily the case for pandemics as we showed in our study."

According to Chowell-Puente, the key to containing pandemic flu is closely tied in to the ability to quickly produce a good stockpile of vaccines and following a reactive distribution plan that targets the appropriate age cohorts of the population. The first wave of the current strain has not been particularly deadly, but subsequent waves may be more virulent, though it is too early to tell, he notes.

"For the 1918 ("Spanish flu") influenza pandemic, this was the pattern - first a mild wave, and then a severe one with higher case fatality rates," notes Chowell-Puente.

The features of the A(H1N1) epidemic, according to the findings, are "somewhat similar to past influenza pandemics in that circulation of a new influenza virus is associated with an unseasonal wave of disease affecting a younger population."

It is the hope of Chowell-Puente that making this data available will help politicians make science-based decisions on how to optimize the use of limited resources to manage this and future epidemics.

In addition to this latest research, Chowell-Puente also was a co-author on a recent study of the flu in Japan. "Here we looked at the public health strategies they used that essentially stopped the spread of the disease in its tracks," he says.

The researchers found that in Japan, more than 90 percent of the cases were in school-aged children and teens. Quick action was taken to contain the disease through school closures and other social distancing measures, such as avoiding use of public transportation and the use of face masks. In addition, Japan employed active surveillance at airports, using recently developed sensors to detect passengers with fevers for additional screening. The disease was contained within two-to-three weeks, with only about 500 cases and no fatalities. Findings from this study appeared in the June 4 issue of Eurosurveillance in an article titled "Transmission potential of the new influenza A(H1N1) virus and its age-specificity in Japan."

Other authors on the Japanese study include: Hiroshi Nishiura, University of Utrecht, the Netherlands; Carlos Castillo-Chavez, Arizona State University; and Muntaser Safan, Mansoura University, Egypt.

Reducing the spread of the disease is key to preventing deaths, according to Chowell-Puente. "As transmissibility grows, timely implementation of control measures is key to reduce epidemic impact on the population."

Carol Hughes, carol.hughes@asu.edu
480-965-6375
College of Liberal Arts and Sciences

Jodi Guyot, jodi.guyot@asu.edu
480-727-8739
School of Human Evolution and Social Change

The recession has pushed more people out of work, and as a result, swelled the ranks of Arizona’s uninsured. Arizona has one of the nation’s highest levels of residents without health insurance – almost one in five people.

Truth and Consequences: Gambling, Shifting, and Hoping in Arizona Health Care, a new report by Morrison Institute for Public Policy, St. Luke’s Health Initiatives, and the L. William Seidman Research Institute at the W. P. Carey School of Business, combines research on the costs and benefits of health insurance with the stories of Arizonans who lack health insurance. The result is a compelling picture of lost dollars, potential, and opportunity.

According to report contributor and ASU economist Dr. Kent Hill, “Health care is expensive, but the costs of poor health can be enormous.” Treatment costs alone for chronic disease in Arizona for example are estimated to be $4.2 billion, or 2.3% of the gross state product. By 2023, projected costs for major chronic diseases are $99 billion, of which more than $25 billion could be avoidable.

In addition to facts and figures, the report puts faces and stories to the statistics

• Josh, age 47, unemployed and without health insurance suffers from hypertension: “It’s either eat and pay the rent, or pay insurance. I’d rather keep a roof over my head at this point.” He hopes to find work soon, just as he hopes to have health insurance someday. “I have a lot of friends who don’t have it (insurance),” he said. “I think they’re dealing with it like I am: Hoping we don’t get sick.”

• Andrea, mother of two, panicked when her husband lost his job and her family lost their health insurance. Now they gamble on good health: “I’ve been lucky. I have healthy kids” she says. “Yes, I do wish I had insurance, but I have one of those attitudes that says, ‘We’ll just deal with it.’”

• Margaret, age 43, lost her health insurance when the marketing firm where she worked went bankrupt: “(Recently) I was lying in my bed shaking and sweating and in more pain that I ever thought I could be in,” said Margaret, who lives alone. “My family members were going to call 911 but I said give me another 20 minutes, ’cause I was afraid of the bill. I gutted it out.”

Truth and Consequences presents recommendations to Arizona’s policymakers that could help the state fare better in the future so that Arizona can stop taking risks on residents’ health and health care. Read the full report at MorrisonInstitute.asu.edu and www.slhi.org.

Aaron Brown, the Walter Cronkite Professor of Journalism at Arizona State University and former CNN news anchor, is hosting the PBS international affairs weekly series “Wide Angle” this summer.

The series, which was created in 2001 by WNET/Thirteen in New York, focuses on in-depth international news coverage. “Wide Angle” is the only program exclusively dedicated to international current affairs documentaries, according to PBS. “For each broadcast, producers and journalists from around the globe report on an event, issue or trend through the eyes of the people who are living it day to day,” PBS said in a statement. “The show has traveled to more than 50 countries to explore the forces that are shaping the world today, presenting global stories on a human scale and offering Americans uncommon and invaluable insight into today’s interconnected world.”

Brown, the former CNN anchor who teaches full time at ASU’s Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication as the Cronkite Professor of Journalism, travels the globe following the academic year to report. This is his second year as “Wide Angle” anchor.

Cronkite, the former CBS News anchor and the namesake of Brown’s school, has called the series “just good television. The series tells stories, portrays people and reveals places that are too often overlooked or neglected.”

“Wide Angle” can be seen in Arizona on Eight/KAET on Wednesdays at 10 p.m.

The following is this season’s lineup, reproduced from the Eight/KAET Web site:

July 1: Crossing Heaven’s Border

North Korean defectors take a life-threatening journey, traveling thousands of miles through China, Laos and Thailand in the hope of settling as free citizens in South Korea. Intrepid South Korean journalists risk their lives to capture the action and emotion.

July 8: Heart of Jenin

When 12-year-old Palestinian Ahmed Khatib was accidentally shot and killed by Israeli soldiers in the West Bank city of Jenin, the boy’s parents turned their sorrow into a gift of hope for six Israeli children by consenting to donate Ahmed’s organs.

July 15: Birth of a Surgeon

“Wide Angle” travels to Mozambique where, for the first time, midwives are being trained in advanced life-saving surgery. Suffering from an acute shortage of doctors, Mozambique’s bold grassroots initiatives have cut the maternal death rate in half.

July 22: The Market Maker

“Wide Angle” travels to East Africa to tell the dramatic story of an Ethiopian economist on a mission. Seeking a market-based solution to ending hunger in her famine-plagued country, she creates Ethiopia’s first commodities exchange. What she didn’t count on was a world financial crisis getting in the way.

July 29: Contestant No .2

Duah Fares is an Arab-Israeli teenager and member of the Druze religion. When she sets her sights on the Miss Israel pageant, her tight-knit religious community balks. The pageant requires contestants to wear a bathing suit, an act that could disgrace her family and even put her in danger.

Aug. 12: Victory is Your Duty

“Wide Angle” gains intimate access to the Havana Boxing Academy on the outskirts of Cuba’s capital. There, from the tender age of 9, boys hand-picked as future Olympians are molded into soldiers of the ring.

Sept. 2 and 9: Time for School Series

The show’s award-winning 12-year documentary project “Time for School” travels to seven classrooms – in Afghanistan, Benin, Brazil, India, Japan, Kenya and Romania – to offer a glimpse into the lives of seven winning children who are struggling to achieve what is not yet a global birthright – a basic education.

Statement from ASU President Michael Crow

Arizona State University, which has nearly 20,000 students attending summer classes and programs, more than 10,000 staff and students involved in research supported by a wide range of funding sources, and 70,000 students arriving in 6 weeks for the fall semester will remain open for service during this period of financial decisions by our partner, the State of Arizona.

More than 75 percent of ASU operating revenues come from sources other than the state of Arizona. Specific tuition driven and research driven revenues fund our summer operations. As a result we will focus our attention relative to state funding interruptions on our planning for the fall semester.

A state government shutdown lasting through the opening of the fall semester on Aug. 24 would impact staffing and program availability significantly.  The exact impact and the ability of the university to operate normally will be evaluated on a weekly basis moving forward.  

In the interim all assignments and work of the university will move forward.

Michael M. Crow,
ASU President
http://president.asu.edu