May 1996 AAark Wysocki, lecturer in atmospheric sciences, is at home under lightning-filled skies. Eyes on the Skies As Bob Dylan sang, you don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows. But you do need a degree in atmospheric sciences to predict severe thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. E veryone was caught off guard in March of 1888 when a great blizzard swept in from the Atlantic bringing New York City to a standstill. They had no way to see it coming. Not so this past January when mountains of snow closed major airports in six Northeastern states and 17 inches fell in Washington, D.C., shutting down the federal government. Millions of Americans knew the Blizzard of ’96 [story continued on page I) Po rt ro il by F ra nk D iM eo lig ht ni ng p ho to b y M ar k W ys oc ki Agriculture and Life Sciences A Publication for Alumni and Friends of the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell University/May 1996 Eyes on the Skies (continued from cover) SLOWIN' IN THE WIND: Keith Eggleston of the Noitheost Regional Climate Centei in Bradfield Hall is shown with o greatly magnified computer-generated weather map would be a whopper, thanks to those trusty men and women who report the weather. We took heed—well, most of us did anyway. Sitting In Ithaca the day after the big blizzard (oddly, we got no snow from that storm), I wondered about those folks who point to the shifting clumps of green and swirls of white moving across the television screen. Doppler radar they call it. They talk of highs and lows and fronts. What do you suppose it would take to be an on-air weather forecaster? Who better to ask than Mark W. Wysocki MS '88. a lecturer in the Department of Soil, Crop, and Atmospheric Sciences, the man who takes undergrads and turns them into meteorologists. As It happens, that particular question Is rather a sore point. "Just think David Letterman and Pat Sajak." replied Wysocki, voice booming across a conference table on the 11th floor of Bradfield Hall. To report the weather on television or radio, even to call yourself a meteorologist and to Issue 'your' forecast. you don't have to have any training in the field at all.' In the 1950s and 1960s. people with the right looks and the right delivery broke Into television doing the weather. It was the entry-level job from which to move up to better things. By the late '70s. the trend broke with a few stations starting to hire trained meteorologists. But even today, as Wysocki points out, the national weather forecasts on the major morning shows such as Good Morning America and the Today Show aren't given by meteorologists but by entertainers This is what our graduates are up against,' Wysocki says. With several of the45atmospheric science majors hankering for broadcast careers, an illusion of authority, not a foundation of Faces and Voices from the College Although the majority of atmospheric science graduates go on to research careers, growing numbers become broad­ cast meteorologists Here’s some of the crop from the last 15 years. (Some of these television voices may be familiar from the radio, too, because they provide radio broadcasts lor multiple markets.) Kevin William. 81 WROC-TVCh 8 Rochester. N.Y Alan Seal). '<5 WGN-TV Chicogo, III. Evan Eldridge '91 WSEE-TV Ch 35 Erie, Pa Kim Martvcci '93 WAFF-TV Ch 48 Huntsville, Ala Peter Hall '95 WSTM-TV Ch. 3 Syracuse, N.Y. Wayne Hart (Hortvng) '84 WEHT.TVCh.25 Evansville. Ind Bob Maxon '87 WMUR-TV Ch. 9 Kevin Lemanowicz '91 WTIC-TV Ch. 61 loo Goldberg '94 WTVH-TV Ch 5 Manchester. N H Hartford, Conn Syracuse. N Y John Morales (Toohey) 84 WITVCh 23 (Spanish languoge| Miami, Fla Mishello Michael. Hillary Andrew. ’92 Justin Bede '95 (Mishtu Mukherieo) ’90 KFZS-TV Ch 12 WBNG-TV Ch. 12 WHDH-TVCh 7 Boston. Mass Cope Girordoou, Mo Binghamton, N.Y knowledge, is st ill what often lands the Job. To pass muster as a college- trained meteorologist Is not a breeze It’s a hard science fraught with four math courses and a hefty dose of physics and computer sci­ ence To become trained as a fore­ caster requires three specialized courses (covering such topics as instrumentation and observation, weather map analysis, and numeri­ cal techniques used in the com­ puter programming language FOR­ TRAN) with seven more general ones in atmospheric sciences. The biggest leap in accuracy of predictions has occurred in early detection of major weather events—hurri­ canes, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms— even as they form. The Proving Ground Although the department has no broadcast course, students get practice writing their own forecasts (complete with the requirement that they sign It. just as the lead forecasters with the National Weather Service must do), then delivering them before the camera and on a voice-mail system that simulates radio reporting The on-air experience is offered by ICTV at Ithaca College, where for 15 years students majoring in forecasting have been trekking to report the weather on the nightly news pro-gram When storms are brewing, the Weather Phone (607-255- 6567), staffed by students, averages 300 callers a day, among them superintendents of area school districts res|xmslble for declaring snow days. In making their forecasts, students take the raw data col­ lected by the National Weather Service, and using computer models and their familiarity with local influences, predict the Ithaca weather for the next 48 hours and give a trend for the following 24 hours. Updates are recorded twice daily and once on the weekend. Not only do the broadcasts give students real-world experi­ ence in forecasting for the general public, but the specialized information that callers request represents the variety of weat her information demanded by professionals Contractors for a major building project, for example, call to ask the number of hours the temperature will be below freezing when deciding which day to pour cement. The ability to actually write forecasts and to answer special­ ized questions sets trained meteorologists apart from their comedian and show-host comrades on television. "When the public looks at those pretty colors on the Doppler radar pictures, they have no Idea what’s going on.' Wysocki says ■Neither do the broadcasters, regardless of whether they call themselves meteorologists or not. unless they’re trained with the rigor that our students are.” He adds. "Only meteorolo­ gists from the National Weather Service can issue weather watches or weather warnings ' Which brings up a good point. All weather data—including those entrancing satellite photos—are collected and dissemi­ nated solely by the National Weather Service through its central forecast office, the National Centers for Environmental Predic­ tion in Suitland. Maryland The data and pictures are public information, paid for by our tax dollars. The weather maps and satellite pictures on TV are not in the original format Specialized companies package technical weather data for public consumption. They use National Weat her Service information tocreatethe'prettified pictures,’as Wysocki calls them, and sell them to the networks The forecasts themselves are made by National Weather Service lead forecasters in Washington. D.C., who do a broad overview for the country, then the predictions are localized by lead forecasters in each state. Forecasts may then be refined further still by trained meteorologists at many radio and TV stations who write the script for the on-air celebrity (continued on page 2) The News Tonight ON-AIR: ALS student Jeff Berardelli '97 gives the wealhercast on Ithaca College's ICTV several evenings a week Balloons, Satellites, and Advanced Radar Weather data is collected by several means: 1,000 ground observation sites report hourly: National Weather Service employees stationed at the nation’s air­ ports collect hourly observations of surface weat tier con­ ditions These include temperature, barometric pressure, relative humidity, cloud type and cover, and wind direction and speed. Special reports are Issuer! within minutes if conditions change drastically. 150 NEXRAD stations report hourly: Next Generation Radar tracks the movement of precipitation within a 250- mile radius These advanced radar systems also measure the amount of precipitation, the vertical height of the storms, and a variety of wind information. 78 upper-air stations report twice daily: Upper-air data are collected twice a day from radio transmitters sent alolt 40,000 to 90.000 feet In helium balloons. Each balloon carries a $50 instrumentation package about the size of a Sony Walkman. Information collected from these dispos­ able balloons gives meteorologists a vertical profile of the atmosphere. 3 satellites beam liack pictures from 22.000 miles in space even 15 minutes: Two satellites are in geostationary orbit (so they photograph the same spot as the Earth rotates) over the East and West Coasts, the third rotates around the poles They observe the movement of clouds over large areas and generate Information about the surface tempera­ ture of the oceans, foretelling storms that are brewing, and the severity of those storms. The two geostationary satel­ lites transmit black and white images every 15 minutes and have a resolution of lOsquare kilometers; hourly transmis­ sions offer linages discernible down to 1 square kilometer The satellites are usually destroyed by collisions with small particles in space within three to seven years. Mena Winter 2 Message from the Dean Budget Cuts Force Hard Choices ike the rest of SUNY, theCollege of Agriculture and Life Sciences has been anxiously awaiting the final decision on its ’96-’97 funding. Esti­ mates coming through SUNY indicate a reduc­ tion of from 4 to 8 percent. That means we must be prepared to get by with from $1.5 million to $3.5 million less than in '95-'96—a year in which we had to absorb a 6 percent cut, or $2.6 million. This is not good news. In the six months since my arrival at Cornell, I have been proud of the willingness of our faculty and staff to pick up the slack already caused by budget-related personnel shortages. When financial crises occur, people are always asked to do more with less The response I've seen in the college is testimony to the dedication of the people who work here. We can only ask people to do more with less up to a point, however, and we clearly have reached that point. When our faculty and staff are already putting in 50- and 60- hour weeks, we cannot in good conscience ask any more of them. I've learned through experience that when cuts are inevitable and your personnel are stretched to the limit, there is only one recourse available. You must take a hard look at what you do. prioritize your activities, and analyze the impact of eliminating the least important of them This is a task I have asked all our administrative units to undertake. We are looking at what we do and asking ourselves a lot of questions. What are the things we need to be highly invested in? What can we still accomplish with a smaller investment? And, most difficult of all. what can we live without? Because the budget cuts will have an impact on every area of the college, these issues may funnel down to the Alumni Association. I've asked Rebecca Smith and Dick Church to identify and prioritize all the activities overseen by the Alumni Affairs Office. In the event that funding cuts do call for the downsizing or elimination of some of those activities, we will be in the best position to make decisions about which are the least critical. On the positive side, the strength and commitment of our alumni make it entirely reasonable to hope that responsibility for some of these activities might be assumed by the association. In the midst of all this gloom and doom, we have continued to pursue our most important goals. We are working hard to get special legislative support for some of the things we're particularly interested in. One of these is reinvestment in the Geneva Experiment Station. Over the last 15 years, funds for Geneva have eroded tremendously. We've downsized from 70 faculty to approximately 50. The last seven years alone have seen a 35 percent reduction in the operating budget In light of this, we've asked for a gradual three-year increase that would ultimately result in a net addition of $1 million to our base budget for Geneva. This would raise the budget from approximately $ 10 million to $ 11 million. We're also asking for a one­ time addition of $450,000 to upgrade field and laboratory equipment. We realize this is not the best time to start asking for additions to the budget, but we also believe it's never too soon to put your needs on the table. Another strategy we've undertaken is to contract with retired faculty members to serve as independent consultants. Of the 35 faculty members who retired last year, we replaced only 11. But we contracted with 20 or so to continue their teaching, research, and extension work part-time on campus for one to three years. As those contracts end. we'll be asking the remaining faculty members to examine their teaching loads to help us determine how to distribute the teaching responsibilities As we confront the budget situation, it's become clear that we need to treat the funds we have as an investment portfolio. The question becomes how can we invest that money to achieve the best return? The state has certain expectations of us, as do our students and our stakeholders. It’s our Job to meet those expectations. If you’re a fan of the television comedy News Radio, you've often heard the owner of the radio station joke about getting the most bang for his buck. That's our goal in these difficult fiscal times—getting the most bang for our buck. The better we do it, the better the college will be. I look forward to seeing many of you at commencement, reunion, and other activities this spring. And please accept my thanks for all your past support and the support you'll provide us in the future. Daryl Lund, Dean Weather story (continued from page // Better Tracking Record Has the accuracy of weather prediction Im­ proved In the last 25 years? It has indeed, says Keith L Eggleston '82. regional climatologist of the Northeast Regional Climate Center. The center, located here in the college, is a federally funded repository of weather data going back more than 100 years for some weather stations. More accurate predictions are the result of research that led to a better understanding of how storms form, a refinement of computer models that are the bedrock of the trade, ad­ vancements in satellite and radar technology, and an Improved weather data collection net­ work. With hurricanes season not far off, you'll be pleased to know that the biggest leap has occurred in early detection of major weather events—hurricanes, tornadoes, and severe thunderstorms—even as they form. "In the past, tornado warnings were issued for a large area," Eggleston says. “Now we have radar with such high resolution that it can pinpoint where these storms are going to occur right down to. say, the northern part of county X and give a much more precise tag on when they're likely to hit." Satellite pictures allow the National Weather Service to track hurricanes as they develop over the ocean, up to a week before they hit land. Eggleston says that in predicting landfall and speed, there's a long way to go, explaining that satellite technology must advance to the point of accurately measuring the water tem­ perature at the ocean's surface over a one kilometer square area before such determina­ tions can be made with any precision. Yet he points out that the ability to issue early hurricane watches is a significant accom­ plishment. "In terms of saving Ilves," he says, "we've already done a great deal." A4efl0 Winter Michael Jahncke MS '81, PhD '86 Food Scientist Foils Poachers With Biochemical Bag of Tricks Using analyses he developed, Jahncke identi­ fied illegally taken sea turtles and hybrid striped bass in his job with the Department of Commerce. Now he is protecting people by screening seafood for contaminants. he next time you munch on a tuna sandwich or savor a bite of elegantly grilled swordfish, think of Michael Jahncke. He's thinking of you. As deputy director of the National Seafood In­ spection Laboratory, Jahncke's the guy who is on the lookout to see that the tuna is free of histamines, the swordfish free of meth­ ylmercury. More than 200 Department of Commerce seafood inspectors throughout the country send samples of fish and seafood products to his lab in Pascagoula, Miss. There, they are subjected to chemical and microbiologi­ cal analysis to screen for potential contami­ nants, high levels of which would render them unsafe to eat. Although the inspection program is voluntary, more than 300 compa­ nies participate so their products can dis­ play the depart ment's USDC seal, reassuring consumers that their products are of high quality. The farm-raised fish and their game-fish cousins looked exactly alike—an opportunity poachers couldn't resist. Jahncke developed a forensic method of distinguishing between wild and cultured fish. Humans aren't the only species Jahncke has protected as he's worked his way up through the ranks of the lab's supervising agency, the National Marine fisheries Ser­ vice. He had been watching over sea turtles and hybrid striped bass. In the ten years since Jahncke received his PhD in food science, his career has moved back and forth between product develop­ ment activities (such as extracting the flesh from catfish backbones to make "seafood salad," or surimi) to the more regulatory side of things where he is now His first posting was at the National Marine Fisheries Service Laboratory in Charleston. S.C., where he conducted research on the handling and processing quality of farm-raised hybrid striped bass A seemingly insurmountable problem, however, put the success of this newly emer­ gent industry at risk: the farm-raised fish and t heir game-fish cousins looked exact ly alike— owwu CAIC-Hf hsh and seafood from across the national lab in Pascagoula, Miss., lor chemical and country are sent to Jahncke's microbiological analysis an opportunity poachers couldn't resist. It then became Jahncke's job to come up with a way to distinguish between the two. “You know the old saying, You are what youeat'?" Jahncke asks. "Well thesame thing goes for fish." Hybrid striped bass in the wild eat other fish, whereas farm-raised ones eat a com­ mercially formulated soybean-based diet. The differences between the two diets show up in biochemical profiles of the fatty acids in the fish's flesh. By demonstrating these differences. Jahncke developed a forensic- method of distinguishing between wild and cultured fish that promoted the aquaculture industry in the state while protecting one of its up-and-coming sport fish species From there he branched out into develop­ ing identification programs for protected and endangered species, among them the sea turtle. All he needed to do was check a piece of meat, and Jahncke could tell whether it was a sea turtle or not. sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against those bent on making turtle soup the illegal way. "I really enjoyed using thetvchniqiu-* scientists use—DNA probes and electro phoresis—for the protection of endangered species," says Jahncke of the five years he spent in Charleston. Solving the technical problems in develop­ ing such tests and setting up both the experi­ mental seafood processing and analytical regulatory labs were tasks made easier lie­ cause of his years in the college, Jahncke is quick to point out. "When I look back, I realize that what other people saw as insurmountable problems, I approached as very doable," he explains. “Training in an atmosphere where everyone is conducting research teaches you a logical, analytical way of thinking while imparting an attitude that points you toward finding solutions." Metta Winter Botanical Art’s Beauty Lies ii The Details Bente King, illustrator for the Bailey Hortorium for 15 years, creates exquisite drawings and paintings—all scientifically correct. ne snowy afternoon back in 1982, Bente King took a pencil sketch to an L H. Bailey Hortorium bota­ nist for the first of three routine accuracy checks her pen and ink drawings had to pass before they were ready for publication. Pointing to a fine detail, he questioned what it was. “I don't know, you tell me,” King recalls saying. “But it’s there.” After looking through King's microscope, he said. “Why that's a gland; I'd never noticed it before!” In creating drawings of plants that accompany scientific articles, accuracy is the undisputed bottom line. “Although I have taken courses in botany and have much experience, 1 am not a trained botanist.” points out King, botanical illustrator for the L. H. Bailey Hortorium for 15 years. “1 am not familiar with all the plant groups, therefore 1 had no preconceived notions of what I was supposed to find when I looked through the microscope," she says. “I just drew what 1 saw without being hampered by what I expected to see or not to see." And so. more than once, she found features of plants that previously had been overlooked. “Even though the watercolors aren't done fora scientific pur­ pose, I'd prefer they're correct. If I'm going to do something that pretends to be a botani­ cal, it better well be." —King IHuU’Obon by Bente King town of Copenhagen. Tolerating so much fine work would bore many people, she admits. Instead for her, that's where the fascination lies. A typical full-page illustration depicting the whole plant plus anywhere from three to six details showing, perhaps, the texture of the stalk, the sepals as distinct from the petals of the flower, the arrangement of the plant's seeds, even the filament-thin hairs on the tips of the leaves, takes between 15 and 24 hours, pen in hand. Too, it is the painstakingly executed minute varia­ tions in line that make the plant—usually drawn from dried or pickled specimens—come alive on the page. This, King says, is lost when Illustra­ tions are done on the computer, as they are now with the emphasis having shifted to the study of biology on the molecular level. “It's like the difference between listening to a beautiful old bronze church bell and an elec­ tronic one,” King says. “There’s no variation to the sound of the electronic one, it’s a flat tone. That’s what you get with a computer, a totally even line.” Since King's retirement from the hortorium in August 1995, she will continue to teach the college s only course In scientific illustration. An Introduction to Natural Science Illustration, during the six-week summer session. And she will give courses on the same subject for beginning and advanced amateurs through the Cornell Plantations. Once again she’s become a pen for hire just as she was for the first 25 years after coming to Ithaca from her native Denmark. In the early days, her work ranged from a painting of the deadly parasite Schistosoma haematobium for a film prod uced jointly by the college and the Smithsonian Institution to a Christmas card for the New York State Breeders Association showing a cow jumping over the moon. Then, and now, she’s never turned down a project. Some commissions come from the college, such as the one to paint an amaryllis for a plant biology professor. Others just call to her from the roadside ditches near her Warren Road home—painting native wildflowers is King’s greatest pleasure. It's well that these plants continue to beckon because King's work Is in much demand. Ten days after packing up her studio on the fourth floor of Mann Library, she set off to Copenhagen to hang her second show sponsored by the Royal Danish Horticultural Society in the last three years. “Art and Nature” featured 34 watercolors, some layered with colored pencil, a technique she came to quite by accident. Excelling in an art where the minuscule squiggle is every bit as important as the broader outline also has a lot to do with what King calls her “quirky kind of mind.” And she has a degree In commercial arts and scientific illustration from the Tegne-og Kunstindustriskolen for Kvinder in her home- liluyrohon fcy Benle King "i was working on a painting of a tiger lily and couldn’t get the very intense color I needed in one spot, so I ’cheated’ with a colored pencil,” King explains. “It’s very exciting because you can layer up many different colors to get just the right depth of hue. If you tried to do that with water­ color, you’d most likely end up with mud.” King’s deadline is the life of the plant she is drawing. “At the hortorium, if somebody's plant came into bloom in the greenhouse at 3 pm and it was brought to me for an illustration, then I’d stay and work until that flower was drawn, because by the next morning the bloom would have wilted.” Mello Winter By comparing the mechanics of nature to human-made devices, students learn fundamental engineering principles. Cometimes undergrads wonder whether their professors have a heart. By five weeks into the semes­ ter, the 30 men and women taking Physiological Engineering no longer harbor such doubts. They have seen the genuine article beating away right there in Ron Pitt's chest. As often as not, the human animal—pro­ fessor and student alike—is the research subject for labs in ABEN 454. a course that lets juniors and seniors apply their engineer­ ing tools through the study of animal physi­ ology Put another way, it’s a primer on how ani mals work from an engineer s perspect ive. It seems an unlikely match: the gill that enables a fish to breathe and the radiator that warms your living room. Not at all, says Ronald E. Pitt, professor of agricultural and biological engineering. By the end of his course, students have proven to themselves that animals, in all their wondrous complex­ ity, work on the same physical principles as the objects we humans have so proudly devised. What’s ironic is that the invention often is a poor imitation of what nature has done to perfection. Take the principle of countercurrent ex­ change. That s what makes a heat exchanger work and a fish's gill, too. In both instances, the goal is to exchange something between two fluids—in the case of the fish, oxygen and carbon dioxide. For this exchange to occur efficiently, the fluids (blood and stream water, hot and cold fluids) must flow in opposite directions, hence the term coun­ tercurrent. Little vertical extensions called secondary lamellae on the gill look remark­ ably like the fins on a radiator pipe, which act to increase the surface area for exchange between hot water and the air. "Engineers always use countercurrent ex­ change and so does nature." Pitt notes. "Yet the person who designed the radiator prob­ ably knew no more about fish than that they were good eating. However, had that engi­ neer looked at the gill, how it works would have been immediately obvious." By using examples of how animal bodies function, Pitt drives home two broad con­ cepts fundamental to engineering: frequency analysis and systematics. The study of fre­ quency information explains how whales can navigate across enormous tracts of ocean and how we can recognize our favorite radio commentator's voice—as well as how sonar and radio work in the first place. Systematics brings together information from various components of a system to study how the system as a whole functions. The human cardiovascular system is the ideal model "We do problems on the components of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems and how they interact." Pitt explains. “By taking information from each of these and fitting them together, students learn how they work in unison." ENGINEERING INGENUITY: Pitt lays cul all the necessary pieces to make a spirometer, the plastic device that measures the breath ol post-operative patients Students have to pul together a spirometer as part ol the Apollo 13 lab, they all ao it in under halt on hour The course is hands-on by design, a wel­ come breather from the engineeringcurricu­ lum dominated by math and theory. Here, students get to make working models. Taking t he course was a natural for Vanessa Cole '96. a pre-med student majoring in bio­ logical engineering. The big draw was the labs. She got cold feet, however, when she read over the outline for week 11, what Pitt refers to as the Apollo 13 lab. Animals, in all their wondrous complexity, work on the same physical principles as the objects we humans have so proudly devised. What's ironic is that the invention often is a poor imitation of what nature has done to perfection. In that lab. the students have to make a spirometer, the plastic device that post-op­ erative patients breathe into to measure how deeply they can breathe. Pitt lays out all it takes to make a spirometer: a few buckets, tubing, gaskets, paper clips, weights, duct tape, and water. Pitt says that all the students figure out how to make the device in under half an hour. The fun doesn't stop there. The students then need to use their spirometers to calcu­ late their own lung volumes. Providing novel ways for students to prac­ tice taking this and other measurements, which is the stuff of engineering, is a goal for most of the labs. A lab on image processing demonstrates the similarity between the workings of the human eye and mathemati­ cally based imaging systems It particularly appeals to students who delight in the maca­ bre. Not only does Pitt bring in an ultrasound machine so they can watch his heart beating, he also shows magnetic resonance images of his brain. “Once an image is digitized, as it is in an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging), you can look at distances between things on the im­ age or measure how big something is," Pitt explains. "So we put my scans on the com­ puter and students make various measure­ ments of my brain. It's really a very funny lab." Field trips are the other highlight of the course Perhaps the most dramatic is a jaunt to the vet school where Pamela Wilkins from veterinary physiology demonstrates how she collects data on changes in cardiopulmo­ nary pressures in an exercising horse. “To stand next to a horse while it runs full speed on a t readmill is actually kind of scary." says Cole, who thought the visit rivaled the Apollo 13 lab in capturing students' interest Pitt sees it as the highlight of the semester "The animals are so beautiful.* he says, "plus it's really nice for students to see all the engineering that goes into collecting the va­ riety of Information Wilkins needs " Hawks featured in the lab on flight are pretty stunning too. They are brought by John Parks, director of the Cornell Raptor Program Not only does Pitt bring in an ultrasound machine so the students can watch his heart beating, he also shows magnetic resonance images of his brain. Pitt, who describes himself as a traditional agricultural (and mechanical) engineer is no stranger to working with what he calls "living systems." His first exposure to physiological engineering occurred when, as an undergrad taking Psychology 101 at the University of Wisconsin in Madison, he was looking for a term paper topic. He came up with lie detec­ tion In which machines monitor skin electri­ cal resistance, breathing rate, finger move­ ment, and other aspects of physiology to determine if a person is telling the truth. Much of Pitt 's research since he joined the faculty here in 1980, after getting his PhD in mechanical engineering at Cornell that year, has been biologically based including fermentation systems, reproductive tech­ nologies, low-temperature methods of preserving biological material, and models of ruminant nutrition. “Over the years as I followed my own interests, I kept thinking that I was stumbling into areas of biology where engineering was really useful, where it made sense." Pitt re­ calls. "Eventually I came to realize this was no coincidence. Really all of biology has an engineering basis to it. When it comes right down to it, everything in the automobile runs on the same principles as our bodies do." Last year Pitt was chosen by the senior class to receive the college's Professor ofMerit Award This award is given to one faculty member each year who has excelled in undergraduate teaching and advising Mena Winter Donald A. Rakow MPS '77, PhD '87 has been named the Elizabeth Newman Wilds Direc­ tor of Cornell Plantations, which administers the arboretum, botanical garden, and other natural areas of Cornell's Ithaca campus. He had been the acting director and is also an associate professor in the Department of Floriculture and Ornamental Horticulture As director of the university's outdoor museum for living plants, Rakow will lead efforts to continue to beaut ify more than 2,900acres of awe-inspiring gorges, manicured lawns framed by venerable structures, and exquisite bo­ tanical gardens, as well as keep up with the latest in arboretum technology In September. Cornell Plantat ions received a $112,500 grant from the federal Institute of Museum Services. The grant came at a criti­ cal time for the Plantations. according to Ra­ kow. because it was the only one of 27 grants bestowed to botancial gardens In New York. Norman R. Scott, PhD '62 vice president for research and advanced studies and pro­ fessor of agricultural and biological engi­ neering. has been given Cornell Cooperative Extension's highest honor: the 1995 Friend of Extension Award. The award is given by Director of Extension William B. Lacy, on behalf of the Cornell Cooperative Extension System and Epsilon Sigma Phi, to honor per­ sons who have had an ongoing commitment and partnership with Cooperative Extension in New York State. Anthony Shelton, associate director of research for the college and professor of entomology at the New York State Agricul­ tural Experiment Station at Geneva, received the 1995 Entomology Society of America's Award of Excellence In Integrated Pest Man­ agement. The award is given annually to an entomologist who has “ . . . accomplished outstanding research which has direct rela­ tion toarthropod pest management and who has displayed independence of thought and originality . . ." Shelton is credited with having made substantial contributions to the development of pest management pro­ grams both nationally and internationally. Liberty Hyde Bailey Professors Named Three faculty members have been named Liberty Hyde Bailey Professors George Casella, professor of plant breeding, Dennis Gonsalves, professor of plant pathology at the Geneva Experiment Statlon;and Maureen R. Hanson professor of genetics and devel­ opment. The professorships were estab­ lished in 1972 to provide recognition for distinguished faculty who have national and international reputations in agriculture and related sciences. ALS News Writer Receives Creal Award Metta L Winter, writer for ALSNews and Media Services at Cornell, received the Harold L. “Cap" Creal '19 Award for out­ standing agricultural journalism. Win­ ter was recognized for her story “Bill Wickham Keeps City Folks Up on the Farm." which appeared in the August 1995 ALS News. The award was pre­ sented during the Century Farms Award Luncheon for the New York State Agri­ cultural Society in Liverpool. N.Y., on January 4 Also receiving the Creal award was Blaine P Friedlander Jr., senior science writer with the Cornell News Service. He was honored for his article “Scientists Help Butchers Create Leaner Cuts of Meat." which appeared in the June 29. 1995, issue of the Cornell Chronicle. 5 Lynn W. Jelinski The Jelinski Factor Heading up the biotech center means looking for new ways to tie science with industry, understanding research in dozens of fields, and always seeing the big picture. n the middle of Lynn Jelinsla's office on the first floor of the Biotechnology Build­ ing sits a low glass coffee table, four feet square. On it are a dozen piles of pa­ pers, each perhaps half an inch thick, ar­ ranged neatly row upon row. Each bears a yellow Post-it note to refocus her attention as a new task comes to hand. "I've got to get through them all before I fly to Hawaii in the morning," remarks Jelinski, director of the New York State Center for Advanced Technology in Biotechnology (CAT). She talks so matter of factly, in a soft voice revealing her rural Virginia upbring­ ing, paced so evenly it bears no hint of the pressures of the day. Those papers are the tip-off. "I can't afford to let them get out of order," she says. Keeping all things in their rightful place is essential when you're moving in 10 directions at once. Turns out Jelinski had just returned the night before from Washing­ ton, D.C., after serving on a National Acad­ emy of Sciences panel. She had yet to put the final touches on the talk she was about to give in Honolulu at the joint meeting between the American Chemical Society and the Chemical Society of Japan. And she still needed to help a grad student she was taking with her to make a centerpiece for his dis­ play poster. It was not an unusual day for a biophysicist of international repute whose idea of heaven is this: "When you go to heaven you'll know everything, and that’s what science is all about—learning or knowing everything." The closest she can come to a heavenly existence on earth, she says, is through the administra­ tion of science where “you get to see the bigger picture of how it all works together." The closest she can come to a heavenly existence on earth, Jelinski says, is through the admin­ istration of science where “you get to see the bigger picture of how it all works together." That possibility enticed her away from a plum job in industry to come here and head the CAT, the ultimate opportunity to reward scientists for collaborative efforts that ben­ efit the citizens of New York. The goal of the center is economic devel­ opment, to take high-tech, interdisciplinary research and turn it into jobs for New York­ ers. Since Jelinski came five years ago, 14 new companies have been founded to bring CAT Woman: A biophysicist of international repute, Jelinski directs the Center tor Advanced Technology in Biotechnology, or CAT The center's goal is to fake high-tech, interdisciplinary research and turn it info jobs for New Yorkers to market products developed through re­ search done at Cornell. These companies employ 160 people with salaries and benefits averaging $80,000 to $100,000. As tliat $16 mil­ lion is spent and respent, it has a $48 million impact on the state's economy This year alone the center will award $800,000 in grants for about 35 research projects. They span six colleges and include subjects ranging from plant biotechnology to composting agricultural waste to cancer research, so there's promise of new prod­ ucts to come down the pipeline. Such success occurs through Jelinski's efforts to encourage scientists to go out and beat the bushes, to establish partnerships with industry—a stipulation for receiving a center grant—and to get legislators and in­ dustry executives to "buy Into" the center's goal both literally and figuratively. So far, she says, mentally knocking on wood, no one has ever told her "no." "The management of science causes you to stretch and grow," Jelinski explains. "Not only do I have to be an expert in my own field (she supervises a thriving research program in engineering to determine how spider silk can lx- as strong as steel yet as flexible as a rubber band) but I have to be able to speak in a coherent and interesting way about what scientists in dozens of fields are doing. This pushes me to read their papers and talk to them so I can put their science in a language your mother can understand." When she madethedecision to leave AT&T Bell l-abs at Murray Hill, N.J, Jelinski had spent 11 years as a research engineer using magnetic resonance imaging to discern the molecular structure of biomaterials and as chair of the departments of polymer chemis­ try research and biophysics. Ready for a change, she wanted to do something “harder.” That's the same reason she gave for choosing chemistry as her undergradu­ ate major at a time when she saw her future as a veterinarian: "I figured that was the toughest science you could do to be pre-vet." Since Jelinski came five years ago, 14 new companies have been founded to market products developed through research done at Cornell. The $16 million they pay to employees is spent and respent, having a $48 million impact on the state's economy. If Jelinski is energized by tough situations, she'll be going full throttle in the decade ahead. A balanced federal budget has poten­ tially devastating consequences for research universities. This woman is a pragmatist who not only sees it coming, but rises to the occasion. "If we manage it right, the huge cuts that are just around the comer will be an oppor­ tunity for Cornell to leapfrog up in its com­ petitive standing with other universities," Jelinski says. Critical to doing so is to reward coopera­ tive research endeavors, the bedrock of Jelinski's approach to projects funded through the center. In other places, scien­ tists at opposite ends of the corridor often don't know what each other is doing That's not the way science works here, Jelinski notes with pride. "We have this wonderful tradition of work­ ing together, of building groups of investiga­ tors." she explains. "People who can work together to get research done efficiently with less money are the ones who will prosper. At Cornell we can do better for less, better than any other university in the nation " A4efta Winter Seminars Help Alumni Plan for Their Future According to Elwyn Voss '64, chair of the ALS Planned Giving Committee and a financial plan­ ner by profession, many people don't think about how their estate assets are owned. "The consequences of a poorly organized estate can be terrible People are often amazed when they do a trial probate of their own estate and actually see how it turns out But the beauty of it is they are still around to do something alxiut it!" Voss says. ALS alumni in the Albany and Rochester areas had a chance to “do something about it” this past fall through the Planning Futures YOURS and Cornell's seminars sponsored by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and the ALS Planned Giving Committee. The semi­ nars focused on the idea of probating one's own estate to determine how assets will be allocated The results? Here's a sample from a few of the participants: "Stimulated me to begin to get organized for retirement ." "Clarified my views on the direction I will go to protect my estate from the IRS and ensure charttable giv­ ing." "The seminar presented an opportunity to rethink options." Voss presented the estate planning and trial probate section of the seminar, discussing what types of assets are counted In the gross estate and what types of credits and deductions are allowed. He gave examples of probate and nonprobate assets, tying his presentation to­ gether with an illustration of one couple's es­ tate and what happens to it with different types of asset allocations. Voss showed how a $2 million gross estate with no estate plan could result in as much as $700,000, or nearly one- third of the estate, being lost to taxes. With the use of a few estate planning tools (such as a credit shelter trust, an insurance trust, and a charitable bequest of $300,000) and different asset allocations, that same $2 million estate could have an estate tax of $0 Voss's Illustrations clearly demonstrate the potential advantage to an individual's estate (and beneficiaries) of planning that incorpo­ rates charitable giving. "Elwyn makes the op­ tions very clear and understandable." said one seminar participant. Tom Foulkes '52. director of university planned giving, and Dick Klotz, assistant direc­ tor of university planned giving and director of real estate gifts, illustrated the types of chari­ table gift instruments supported by and avail­ able through Cornell University and the exper­ tise and help available to help tailor a planned gift to each donor's unique situation Their presentation included discussion of the types of charitable gift options that can generate a current income, trigger current tax benefits (and sometimes estate tax benefits as well), and benefit Cornell such as charitable gift an­ nuities, pooled income funds, and charitable trusts Another option is to include the college as a beneficiary in your will, IRA. or life insur­ ance. "Tom's low-key approach is good. These Ideas and options grow slowly, particularly for those of us who do not con­ sider ourselves at all wealthy,' yet find that good fortune and good health have allowed as­ sets to accumulate," said one participant. If you would like more infor­ mation or the hand-outs from Monon Wail Walsh '71 (left), Jone A Won '43, and David Nolan 49 colch up on college news ol the Manning Futures YOURS and Corneas seminar held in Albany this post December the seminar, call or write Margaret Leach. Planned Giving Coordinator. ALS Public Affairs. 265 Rob eris Hill, Ithaca. NY 14853.607-255-7378 (or e-mail at mal 14®comell.edu) And if any of this sounds interesting to you. be sure to watch for future announcements of this seminar in your area Jean Rowley '54. chair of the donor relations subcommittee ol the ALS Planned Giving Committee, said his committee is planning to have three seminars in fall '96 and possibly one or two next winter 14%25c2%25aecomell.edu 6 M. 1 -awrence Bayern '49conimutes between Bozeman. Monl., and Yuma. Ariz He Is re­ tired and enjoys golfing and traveling to visit his children, who live In lour different states Harry Merfcer ’51 of Palo Alto. Calif. started his own advertising business called ‘Great Ideas." based on his hobby of writing parte dies, tingles, and slogans He had previously worked In agriculture for 40 years William H. Hubbard '52 of Poughkeepsie. N.Y. retired from his position as head real estate appraiser for the Poughkeepsie Sav­ ings Bank, but continues to work |>art-tlme He has two daughters Frank Crossen '53 of Humboldt, Ariz , Is the president of Force international. Inc. an equipment and consulting company. He has one son Jeremiali Tarr ‘56 of Rutland. Vt_ Is the presi­ dent ol Rutland House. Ud. He Is Involved tn Class of 1956 fuixlraislng. alumni interviewing, and the Quill and Dagger Alumni Association He has a son. David Tarr '87. and a daughter-in­ law. Jennifer McEnroe Tarr '87 D. Guy Bums '59 of Ithaca. N.Y. a retired Cornell Cooperative Extension development specialist, received the Cornell Community and Rural Development Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award In November Helene S. Woolsey '60 of La Selva Beach, Calif. earned her JD degree from the Univer­ sity ol Santa Clara in 1980. She and her husliand have three children. Carlo R Brunori '62 ol Annapolis. Md . re­ tired in March 1995 from the Maryland De­ partment of Natural Resources-Wlldlife Division He Is starting his own environ­ mental consulting business and remains In­ volved with the Maryland Cornell Alumni Association. Hal D. Siding '62 of Carlsbad. Calif, is a managing partner In Hal Siding & Assoc a consulting firm to the restaurant Industry' Sandra K. Hansen '63 ol Dexter, Mich , started a joint partnership landscape archi­ tecture firm In 1993 alter working In large multidisciplinary firms for 24 years She has one daughter Janice B. Byrne '73 ol Houston, Tex., is an assistant professoral BaylorCollegeofMedi cine In the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology She works In the Division ol Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Reproductive Genetics and Is married to Jerry Byrne, a Texas A&M grad She has a son. Matthew, who is 7-1/2. Candace E. Cornell '73 ol Ithaca. NY . Is adively dedicated to local environmental protection. She Is the recipient ol the 1995 American Planning Association's Upstate New York Chapter's Distinguished leader­ ship Award She Is married to chemistry prolessor David B Collum '77 and lias two sons. Thomas Ezra and William Alan A. Mapes'73olDelmar. NY .Ischief ol the Bureau of Environmental Education. New York Department of Environmental Conser­ vation. He is married with a son. Phillip J. '74 and Linda H. Riedesci '74 ol Ripley. N Y . have three children at home Phillip Is a full-time farmer and Involved In community activities, such as town posi­ tions and Hie Farm Bureau Linda has worked lor various food Industries for 20 years Janice S Bigler '76 of Queens, N.Y. Is a contract administrator with the New York State Department ol Health. She Is married to Robert Llsch and has a daughter, Stephanie, who Is 3. Michelle H. Bloch '76 ol Rockville. Md Is a health policy consultant in die public health arena, specifically tobacco control and pre­ vention She completed an MD/PhD in 1983 and Is now married with two children Mary E- Conroy '76 ol Sudbury . Mass Is the medical director of the Maternal Child Health Program She is a pedlalrleian with a 4-year- old son named William Daria M. Addabbo '78 ol Teaneck. NJ., teaches chemistry at Bergen Community College. She Is married with twin daughters Harris A. Lewin '79 ol Champaign, III, was awarded the 1995 H. H Mitchell Award lor Graduate Teaching and Research In the De­ partment of Animal Sciences at the Univer­ sity of Illinois Craig Reid '79 ol New Haven, Conn, has a PhD In entomology Irom the University of Illinois He Is a screenwriter and fight chore­ ographer In film and TV Russel S. Bernard 80 of Santa Monica. Ca­ lif. is senior managing director for Oaktree Management. He and his wife havetwochll- dren. John A. Hash '80 ol Brighton. Mich, is mar­ ried and luu recently moved to Michigan He and his wile. Terry, have three chil­ dren—John. 6; Christine, 4, and David. 2. Timothy Foxen '82 ol Shelton. Conn, a former Big Red wrestler. Is a project coordinator at Iroquois Gas Transmission Systems He av­ idly attends Cornell-Yale (unctions In New Haven, cheering lor his alma mater' He says lie looks lor any excuse to visit campus Janis 1- Boettlnger '84 ol Hyde Park, Utah, Is assistant professor of soli science at Utah State University where she teaches about general soils, soil genesis, and environmen­ tal quality She is researching environmen­ tal and agricultural uses ol zeolite minerals, and soli genesis In the Uinta Mountains. Colorado Plateau, and Great Basin Judith S. Brant '84 of Visalia, Calif. Is a technician with Celebrant Singers. Thecom- pany spends a third of Its time overseas In third world countries Elicnmarie M. Gaskell '84 ol Topsfield, Mass .istliemotherola 16-rnontti-olddaugh ter named Annie She will be helping out with high school recruitment lor Cornell soon Timothy J. Shetler '84 of Indianapolis. Ind . is employed as a pharmacologist at Ell Lilly and Company He received his master's de­ gree from Butler University Kevin Mahaney '85 ol Ithaca. N Y„ is the director ol development at Wells College In Aurora He married fellow Cornell alum Sheri FoxfHum Ec'86)ln 1988 They have a son. Corey, who is 2-1/2. Sheri Is the coordi­ nator ol the ALS Alumni Career Link Stephanie Robinson '86 of Yorktown Heights, N Y . Is manager of canine leglsla- t Ion lor the American Kennel Club Stie sings bass lor Ramapo Valley, a New Jersey Chap­ ter of Sweet Adelines International, which is a liarbershopmusic organization for women Jennifer I- O’Brien '87 ol Newark. Del.. Is the mother ol Matt hew Lotwis O'Brien, bom July 7.1995 Stic also earned her master's In exercise physiology Irom McMaster Univer­ sity. Ontario. Canada In 1994 Leigh J. Maynard '88 of State College, Pa . Is working on his PhD In agricultural econom­ ics at Penn State. Kristin Kroll '88 of East Lansing. Mich . Is back In the United States alter six years In Kenya She Is pursuing a master's In re­ source development at Michigan State University. Philip E. Goodrum '89 of Manlius, N. Y, is a scientist with Syracuse Research Corp He married Ann M Wilson '89 and just cel­ ebrated their second anniversary this past December He is currently pursuing his Ph J) and also Instructs al SUNY ESF Angela S. Clarke 90 of Rochester. N Y.. Is In private veterinary practice now. alter gradu­ ating from Michigan State University Col­ lege of Veterinary Medicine and vn'ing an Internship al Pittsford Animal Hospital In 1994-95 Judl Feagle. 90 ol Fori Plain N Y . Is a new field adviser for tlie New York Farm Bureau. She is responsible lor Clinton. Essex. Rensselaer. Saratoga, and Washington counties. Peter A. Ixhnlng '90 ol Holley. N Y . an Army captain, iscurrently stationed in Seoul. South Korea, and files Medeval helicopters Mark Prinzl '90 ol Rochester. N Y, Is a machinist with Eastman Kodak He has been working for Kodak lor five years and has recently purchased a house Christopher C ripps '91 ol Middle Falls, N Y . Is a dairy veterinarian In Washington. Rensselear, and Saratoga counties He re­ ceived Ills DVM from Ohio State In 1995 Michael S. Sbappe '91 ol Eden Prairie. Minn started work as a senior program­ mer at Eden Prairie In November Debra G. ZJmble '91 of Auburn. Ala , has worked as a veterinary technician at an exotlc/avlan veterinary practice In louls- vtlle. Ky She Is currently a second-year veterinary student at Auburn University. Michael W. Brown '92 of San Diego, Calif. Is the director of Agtrade International He has received broad experience in agribusiness management which Included seven years ol International work In trade promotion, product development, and marketing. His area of expertise is tropical horticultural products Sharon E. Kowar '92 of Phillipsburg, N J, is a senior accountant for the B 0 C Group She has just received her C PA certifica­ tion lor New York Stale and is currently going lor her C.MA Jennifer B. Lynham '92 of New York City is an account executive for Ammiratl and Punsluntos, where she started as a secre­ tary She is involved In several community activities, including the ASPCA. Rebecca L Landenberger '93 ol Ithaca. N Y .was promoted to direc tor of sales and marketing at Quinlan and O'Rourke Travel Ltd m November Shawn L Carter '94 of Blacksburg. Va . Is a graduate student at Virginia Tech and holds an assistantship in the School ol Wildlife and Fisheries Sarah J. Pryputniewicz '94 ol Blacksburg. Va.. Is a graduate student at Virginia Tech In the Immunotoiacology program Dov C. Bloch '94 ol Douglaston. N.Y . is an HIV counselor and outreach worker lor a nonprofit organization He hopes to attend medical school In tall 1996 Joy Baldwin '95 ol Hermitage. Tenn , is an AmeriCorps volunteer with the Nashville Health Corps She works with the Healthy Start Program and plans to start medical school in tall 1996 Timothy Ball '95 ol Liverpool N.Y.. Is a retail representative lor Daymon Associ­ ates. serving all PAC Supermarkets In east­ ern New York The drawings of the foods for each decode were done by Ithaca artist Jim Houghton CORRECTION: We regret the omission of Irwin J. .Sitkin ’52 from the list of ALS members of the Cayuga Society in the December '95 issue of AIS Neuis. Moving or Just Heading North for the Summer? Stay In touch with your alma mater through uninterrupted delivery of Agriculture & Life Sciences News by returning the changeof-address form. Mail lo Alumnus Honors Professor Conklin with Gift to Mann Office of Alumni Affairs 265 Roberts Hall College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Cornell University Ithaca. NY 14853-4203 Name Class Year I.D.8 Alum? Faculty? Friend? Former Address New Address Heading North? as of until Phone (Home) (Office) Occufiation Personal News (Use separate sheet of paper it necessary ) Geoffrey Ferster PhD '69 had a nice idea about how to honor one of his former professors, so he decided to make it happen. Ferster has ar­ ranged with Howard E. Conklin, emeritus professor, and Sam Demas, head of collection develop­ ment and preservation at Mann Library, toestablish an endowment for books in Conklin's area of inter­ est. Prof. Conklin will work with other faculty and the collection development staff to select titles that will enhance the collection. Conklin is delighted with this trib­ ute by his former student. “Cer­ tainly, my academic life has l>een enlivened by books, and I am pleased to be recognized in a way that will pass along great books to a new generation of scholars and teachers." he said. Ferster did his graduate work in the Department of Agricultural Eco­ nomics (now Agricultural. Re­ source, and Managerial Econom­ ics) in regional agricultural eco­ nomics and water resources. He has done health and population work, often Internationally, includ­ ing assignments for the World Health Organization in Indonesia, the British National Health Service in the U.K., and the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. He is currently managing director of an independent consulting organiza­ tion called Health Sector 2000 In­ ternationa) in Minneapolis and Singapore. He wanted to do something to convey his appreciation to Conklin for the life-long influence he has had on his work. He first had the idea for how to honor his profes­ sor a couple of years ago while on an international assignment. More recently, he read an article in ALS News about ways Mann Library needs support and decided to make his gift for books. Ferster said this about Conklin: “The dept h of Howard s knowledge in many fields, together with the manner he conveyed creative ways to look at issues and ideas, has become a most treasured gift. Pro­ fessor Conklin's universal model encouraged full freedom of thought with responsible creativ­ ity within a systematic context." Ferster says that, with this gift, he hopes “to provide Howard a vehicle to explore some ideas he had been deliberating upon—and enable the college to again gain and savor Professor Conklin's wis­ dom." If you have a professor you would like to honor in this way, please call, write, or e-mail Maya Gasuk, director of development, at 607-255-0359; 265 Roberts Halt, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences; mlg2@cornell.edu for details. mailto:mlg2@cornell.edu Agriculture and Life Sciences Alumni Association Only New Yak Stole members ore listed in this issue because of space limitations Members from other states and international members will be in the August issue NIW YOBK Choilene F Baxter '74 A Message from the President 1995-96 Excellence: A tradition for which the College of Agriculture and life Sciences has become known Your college alumni association exemplifies excel­ lence in its recognition of outstanding students, faculty, and alumni The AIS Alumni Association strives to provide enriching experiences for all members via a growing variety of local and campus-based activities that feature the many aspects of the college One of the main purposes of the AIS Afumm Association is to enhance the lifelong learning experiences of all students—both current and former ur calendar of events lor 1995 brought many of you back to campus for the ALS Atumni Forum in April, Alumni Reunion Breakfast in June, and the Outstanding Alumni Awards Banquet and Homecoming Tailgate event in September. Locally, we brought Cornell closer to you with numerous Dean-Alumni Get-togethers, picnics for alumni and students, hay rides, sleigh rides, hockey games, and barbecues. In the life of a college as renowned as ours, the arrival of a new dean is a major event. Dean Daryl Lund became the leader of our college last summer and immediately began interacting with ALS alumni at New England's Big E and the Homecoming Tailgate Dean Lund has embraced a vision for the college embodied in its strategic plan. He continues the college's commitment to its former students—alumni whose names you see on these pages. Dean Lund has started to meet with alumni throughout the country and has expressed his enthusiastic support for our work. The ALS Alumni Association has welcomed him and will work closely with him to advance the goals of the association and the college. With a much leaner state budget, the ALS Alumni Association's support for student scholarships, innova­ tive teaching, technology, and career planning is more critical than ever. As your president this year, I find my enthusiasm for the excellence of this college soaring Nowhere will you find a more outstanding group of students, faculty, and alumni. We'll continue to find exciting and effective ways to connect students with alumni, alumni with their college, and alumni with one another. If you are not yet a part of this ever-widening membership, please take a minute or two to join. Once you have, you can look forward to your connection to EXCELLENCE with the college! H*r Vm TtMtfofT W 44 MMlm. Round G 3C Mann Garth Aho 54 UnelmM Jota '41 TvWr UwGtyO Ataortt. Rxhard G 73 so T» 8 Total Revonues Total balance* of aaoti Rtchord Kgont 57. Chou. Audit Committeo Huab&h LoPon 84 lroosuw -Charter fcfe member endowment marie* value S145.075 hmopal n protected Account mdude» 1986 1995 Me membo’ih.pj Total Expenditures Year-End Balonce Financial Statement OOifM W D'Afbroiic. Anhui L CH M«hU.S«MU *92 R«cd. WUUtd L 41 $4 ewart. KMph I4wafd 54 SUMMARY OF ASSETS las of June 30 1995) Charter life Member Endowment /long hum .iMrsmem pool) Holding Account iPr crated dues hr future year use) life Member Reserve Account /Short term investment pool/ Statement ol Revenues Expenses, and Fund Balances lor the AIS Alumni Association REVENUES {Accrual system started in 1992-93/ Membership Dues Twoyear (Includes prorated dues from 93-94) Fouryeor (Includes prorated dues from 93-94) life Alumni Program Fees/CoBege Support Gifts Vic Stephen Prints Othei Interest Julian Carter Memoriol Fund for Ambassadors Reimbursements life Member long Term Investment Pool Fund Interest life Member Short Torn Investment Pool Fund Interest life Memberships Scrrmgs to Reserves Interest Transfer from Reserves Miscellaneous Carryover EXPENSES Alumni Association Sponsored Programs — campus & regional Alumni District Program Membership/Mairmal Support Boords/Commiltees/Conferences/Travel Vc Stephen Prints Student Awords/Scholarships. Open House/Ambassador Support AIS News life Memberships—Tiansferred Io life Member Fund SUNY and CU Alumni Federation Dues/Iravel life Member Interest-Supported Programs Membership Benefits Miscellaneous W Aaltr. M 73 *11 Ni/
  • ■««-. K ltoXi'itart»Har n MSaWlatr SiwwltlMnC Si he 1996Reunion Breakfast for ALSalumni and friends will take place on Saturday. June 8, at 7:30 a m. The breakfast will be held under a white tent on the Ag Quad near Kennedy and Roberts halls. The exciting changes happening in the college will be reflected at the breakfast. ALS Alumni Association president Charlene Baxter '74 will preside over the morning's festivities as we recognize a prestigious group of retiring faculty, receive the annual ALS Alumni Association report, and hear from Dean Daryl Lund. Immediately following the breakfast, the David L. Call Alumni Auditorium in Kennedy Hall will lie dedicated More than 330 alumni attended this festive occasion last year. Send your reservation in early to be sure you have a seat. Ralph L Higley '30 and his brother Philip I Hialey '26 {right) listen to speakers al last year's Reunion Breakfast e Retirees to be recognized Richord D Aplin Agricultural, Resource, and Monogeriol Economics N|oku E Awo, Communication Randolph Barker Agricultural. Resource, and Managerial Economics Arthur I Berkey. Education Malcolm C Boume. food Science Technology—Genevo David R Bouldin. Soil, Crop, ond Atmospheric Sciences David I Col, Agricultural Resource, and Managerial Economics George I Cosier, Agricultural Resource, ond Managerial Economics Michoe! H Dickson Horticultural Sciences—Geneva Donald I Downing. Food Science Technology—Geneva Elmer E Ewing. Fruit ond Vegetable Science Oion D Former, Agricultural Resource, ond Managerial Economics Ronald B furry. Agricultural and Biolcgical Engineering Corl F Gortag, Floriculture ond Omomenlal Horticulture, Plontotions Douglas E Hogue. Animal Science Donald lisk. Fruit ond Vegetable Science Robert F lucey. Soil. Crop and Atmospheric Sciences Pamela M ludford. Fruit and Vegetable Science David C tudingion. Agr,l| (518/747-4165)0 Lisa Baylor David '90 New Orleans, La. 1. One of my roommates wasapreveterinary stu­ dent. She convinced two of us to show a horse in the student livestock show I am from the city and had no farm experience. 1 was in the beginners group and won first prize in my showing. She placed first in her class, too. I also milked a cow and fed a baby goat 2.1 came to Cornell as a biology major and always knew that I would go to medical school. My adviser suggested that I change my major from biology to agricultural eco­ nomics. I was the only ag. econ major to go to med school in my class, but the busi­ ness management and marketing skills will help me in my practice and make me more efficient. 2.1 really looked up to the people in the classes ahead of me. The college taught me how to really think and not just the basic nuts and bolts. 1 was an ag. econ. major and am still involved in the field. 3. The people in my sorority (Tri Delt) really helped me grow beyond what I was learn­ ing in school. 4.1 came to Cornell because of the great education 1 would get and it was close to home. Also. I was involved in field hockey and needed a school with a field hockey program. Where else could you find such a great education? 5. Ask the alumni for more money. That is, ask the rich alumni! Play the Florida lot­ tery and win $ 16 million it s a shame to get rid of programs that aren't as well known or don't have as many students. It's silly to cut programs when they are the best in the country. The students won't like this, but 3. The whole school is a support system Prof. Bill Ghiorse in microbiology influ­ enced me most. Working with him in Ills biodegradation research got me interested in the topic, which I later got my master's degree in. 4.1 was interested in biological sciences, and Cornell had the most different classes 1 had heard good things about the school. 5. The audiovisuals were great, don't cut them. You would need to talk to an ag. econ. profes­ sor for the appropriate cuts v. M Uerblow —■ xn High Street 83 Ashland <* 97520 (503/488461 OjH Dean's Representative U Ronnie Coffman 71 Associate Dean lor Research 245 Roberts Hall Mhaca. NY 14853 (607/2592552)0 Development borson Jane UxigicyX «mA 69 I Woodside Circle Hartford. CT 06105 (203’232-4992^1 FocuFty Director Richard D Aplin PhD 59 357 Warren Hall Cornell UntwrMty Ithaca NY 14053 (607/2593068)0 DISTRICT DIRECTORS by Julie Berry "97 3. Friendsand parents influenced me most. A group of five of us made it through to medical school—we all supported each other. 4 I heard that Cornell was an excellent school and it was in a good location—my parents live in Binghamton. It intrigued me that by attending a state-subsidized college 1 could get an Ivy League education at half the cost. 5.1 had an excellent female professor in ag. economics. She taught more on the black­ board rather than using extravagant hand­ outs. I would suggest more teaching and less passing out of information. For the students, 1 would suggest only investing in books that you know you will read and are practical. Soon to Become an Alum! 15. Hit every bar in Collegetown (in one night, if I'm feeling overzealous) Senior year is almost over. It has just begun to hit me that after working for the past two years in the ALS Alumni Association, I am about to become a member. When I wrote an article a few years ago. I interviewed ALS alumni about their Cornell experiences. One question I posed to the alums was, “What do you feel you missed at Cornell or what is your biggest regret about yourCornellexperience?' Answers were wide ranging. When I was a freshman, I made a checklist of things to do before I graduated. Here's the list: Climb the Lindseth climbing wall Take a class in every major in ALS 1. 2. 3. 4. Nadina Shear '89 Portland, Maine 1. Going to take a Psychology 101 exam with 2000 other jieople sitting in a huge audito­ rium was definitely a unique experience. 5. 6. 7. Eat in every cafeteria on campus Climb to the top of McGraw Tower Watch the sunset from the Johnson Art Museum's top floor Eat at the Dairy Bar 2.1 stayed in the same field of environmental sciences. I wasn’t really focused when I started at Cornell, but the biology and science classes really helped me focus my interests. I participated in a wl''’er gram inWashington.D.C.,whichaddressed a different environmental problem each day. This opportunity really affirmed my interest in environmental sciences. 8. 9. 3. Cornell had a good reputation Coming from a large high school. 1 wantedla^di­ verse atmosphere and I knew I could find that at Cornell. 4. Friends influenced me most. I ers I talked to. but living at Alpha Gamma Delta made me interact with a lot of differ- Venture into every library on campus On a warm spring day. study outside Mann for a change Go watch the lacrosse and baseball teams play at the same time 10. Attend an extracurricular theatrical production 11. Eat lunch In the Plantations 12. Go to Hat Rock to relax on a warm spring afternoon 13 Jump off the foot bridge into Beelx- Lake or off Lovers Leap if I'm feeling gutsy 14. Meet with one of my professors just to talk 16. Check out all the museums on campus (the art museum is just one of many) Samuel Clemens once said. Tm glad I did it, partially because I've done it. but mostly because I'll never have to do it again." To all those alums who have regrets and unfulfilled desires about Cornell, come on back, you're al­ ways welcome. •Seniors: Don't forget to sign up for the ALS Alumni Association mem­ bership—IT'S FREE. NEWS by James Nutt '96 District 1: Nassau, Suffolk Counties Howard Stone'88 10 Country Squire Ct Dix 1 tolls NY 11746 (5I6/4»IO7O) H (SlMD-IStW) <> Diifncf 2: Kings. Qv—nt, Richmond Counties District 3: Bron*. New York Countses •E|nar Knudsen ■ 81 Grand Centra) Station r < • Bqr >ii New York. NY 101653811 (212532 MBH (212-916-7923)0 District 4: Putnam, We*Khe*ter Rockland Counties vacant District 5: Sullrvon Orang., Ulster Counties Tyler Eire! Jr 78 PO Box447 Monroe. NY 10950 (914/7?4«*6>H District 6: Columbia, Dutchess, Greene Counties Dave Tetor '65 RR 2. Box 443 Clinton Comers. NY 12SI4 S 14/14647796)H 14 677-8223 X106)0 District 7: Afoony, Rensselaer, Schenectady Counties •Peter Panikowski 74 29 Concord Dr Schenectady. NY 12309 (518-78936/5*1 (5184S7-I954)O District 8: Fulton Montgomery, Schoharie Larry Van De Valk 87 22 Clinton Circle Cobleskill NV 12043 (518/2343984)0 (518/2346572)H District * Saratoga, Warren Washington Counties Dttabeth K LaPan 84 RR I Box 1021 2524 Route 4 Fort Edward. NY 12828 511 M7-86SMH (518/747-4165)0 District 10: Clinton, Essex, Franklm Hamilton Countses Geoffrey Yates 77 37 Lake Rat* I’nvr Chazy NY 12921 (5I8>846.733O)H District 11: Jefferson, Lewis, St. Lowtwk. Counties William I Rodee '57 Route 82. Boot 218 Canton NY 13617 (3I5/3864447)H District 12: Herkimer. Modi ton, Oneida Countses John M Clark '80 35 North Fourth Ave UkMi.NY 1335? (3198941817*4 District 13: Choncnoo Otsego, Delaware Counties Patna T Ryan 84 RD81 Box II3F Oxford. NY 13830 -- M (607/753X331)0 District 14: Tompkins, Cortland Counties JohnWhtttkton 506 Nye Raed . RD *3 Cortted. NY 13045 (W7;7S3-7219)H (315/471-1861)0 District 15: Oswego, Dnondooa Seneca, Cayuga Countses Rk lord Bonanno 63 |W Townhne Road Fulton. NY 1306® SI$/58M063)H 15/4538593)0 District 16t Monroe, Wayne Onfo-w Count..* Ted Muttra *55 29 Banta Street Phelps NY 14512 (315/548-2544*1 District 17: Yates, Schuyler Ch.mung Counties James Preston SO 5455 Pea. h orchard Point Hector. NY 14841 (607/546-2167)H District 18: Allegany, Steuben Counties Duriand Weak '44 3 Cleveland Dr Addison. NY I4M1I (607,35*2179)11 District 19: Orleans, Geneso., Wyoming, Uvingifon Counties Robert L Pask '52 4578 E Shelby Rd Medina NY 141(0 (7I67984543)H District 20: Niogora, In. Count..* Nathan Herendeen M NOW Mill Rd Gasport. NY 14067 (716/772^7243)11 (716/433-2651)0 District 21: Chautouquo, Cattarougu* Count*.* Antoinette Naeser 85 8486 Rle 3M0 Brocton. NY 14716 (716,792-4731*1 (716^79-3366)0 District 22: tew England PalrtcuA Chatterton 36 75 Washinflon Ave Needham. MA 02192 (6I7/4443822)H Dotrut 23: Canada Mkhacl R Barren 71 2063 Rrrcry Brae Dr Mmissa^ < >nt L4YIN2 ms Z7RMH (416/777-8111)0 District 24: Mid-AHontk/ Southeost Regton Tootoko Monnaga ** 45l5VMUard Ase South 81617 Chevy Chase Ml) 20815 (Wl/W7-0806)H Disfrict 25. Aiidwesf/ Central Regran TTkxnaa K Jeffers 6< I JO < fuller sweet Drnv (^rentteM IN 46140 QI7/462-9733JH <317/277 -024)0 Distrwl 26: Western/ Judith R < .n 1841 WrtMime Aw EncinM as. CA 92024 (619,*9424210)H (619/4S83029)O District 27: Broome, Tiogo Counties AlanR KnMhf 77 96Tarfu*hRd Candor NY 13743 MM MBCISH (607/6594326)0 ST ATI COORDIMATORS / AREA CAPTAIN! Anxooa State Coordinator Alien B Simons 64 ddlohM Tuacon. AZ 85748 (■B nS421«>H (602421-1296)0 CaWormo Northern Californio Area Captain Raymond Borton S3 101 East 7th St Davto j a ■<>.,(. Si., mtmH 16/322-3541)0 Rrveeside Area Captain Allvn Smith -60 10i3 LcConte Dr Riverside. CA 92507 (71448*92371H (714-787-3321)0 Southam California Area Captain Judith R Cox '61 See Western Mountain Rrgkei ConnectKut Slate Coordinator Jane Lon«le>-Cook W 1 Woodside Grek Hartford. CT 06105 (203/2324992) H Florida Northern Florida Area Captain Randall B Brown « 3423 NW 7lh Place Gtewvffle. FL 32607 (904/37S4302>H Central Honda Area Captain DonakiG Robmaon.Sr 41 125 (ameba Trail Ixcsburtf. FL 34748 (9047X7-3M4 )H Are* kur Haraun 11 «44 Monroe Dr souM.n.ura (S13/»IMS)H Mo.Mxhu.xn. State < <»ofdm*t«x Rkhard Baldwin 71 5 Birch Terrace WwifieM. MA 01085 (4I356MSMI1H (203/5293373)0 N.w Stale Coordinator vacant SUMr Coordinator Richard Partes *61 703 Mien Lee Court Bryan TX 77802 (469 (4094934265)0 Eyes on the Skies The Proving Ground Better Tracking Record Botanical Art’s Beauty Lies ii The Details Bente King, illustrator for the Bailey Hortorium for 15 years, creates exquisite drawings and paintings—all scientifically correct. By comparing the mechanics of nature to human-made devices, students learn fundamental engineering principles. Liberty Hyde Bailey Professors Named ALS News Writer Receives Creal Award Lynn W. Jelinski The Jelinski Factor Heading up the biotech center means looking for new ways to tie science with industry, understanding research in dozens of fields, and always seeing the big picture. CORRECTION: Alumnus Honors Professor Conklin with Gift to Mann Excellence: I also wish to join Cornell Federal Credit Union! Retirees to be recognized ALS Campaign Committee Grows the Ivy Question 1 Question 2 Question 3 Question 4 Question 5 Jennifer Ritter '89 Coral Springs, Fla. Lisa Baylor David Soon to Become an Alum!