Browning Receives Engineering Grant

A Boise State engineering professor is partnering with an Austin, Texas-based company to develop a miniaturized device to generate high-frequency electromagnetic waves. The device could someday help provide a safer alternative to X-rays or be used as part of new secure communications systems.

Jim Browning, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Boise State, is working with Stellar Micro Devices in Texas with $100,000 in start-up funding from the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.

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Otter Signs Proclamation For Idaho Engineers Month

Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter signs a proclamation declaring February to be Idaho Engineers Month. Boise State College of Engineering Dean Cheryl Schrader stands to the right of Otter. Click image to enlarge

Acknowledging that professional engineers “have made significant contributions to Idaho throughout its history,” Gov. C.L. “Butch” Otter signed a proclamation declaring February to be Idaho Engineers Month. Boise State College of Engineering Dean Cheryl Schrader was among university officials, corporate and business leaders and students who attended the official ceremony last Friday in the governor's office.

Boise State’s College of Engineering has a number of activities planned during the month, beginning with Discover Engineering Days last weekend that attracted more than 1,500 participants, and culminating with a presentation by the Discovery Channel’s “MythBusters”  on Feb. 25 in the Taco Bell Arena. More information on events planned during National Engineers Week Feb. 20-25 is at coen.boisestate.edu under the button, Celebrate Engineering Events.

Six Talkin' Broncos Named All-Conference
Six members of the Boise State debate and speech team were named to the 2006-2007 Division I All-Northwest Forensics Conference Team, announced this week. This is especially impressive considering the team attended only one of the three sanctioned tournaments, choosing instead to travel to tournaments outside the NFC.
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Boise State received its largest contribution in school history – a $12.5 million gift from the Micron Technology Foundation in January to help fund a new building for the College of Business and Economics.

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ON OUR CAMPUS

Feb. 14 Reception to Honor Provost’s Excellence in Advising Award Winners

The university community is invited to a reception from 4-6 p.m. Feb. 14 in the Bishop Barnwell Room of the Student Union to honor the winners of the 2006 Provost’s Excellence in Advising Awards.  The recipients will be recognized in a short ceremony at 5 p.m.

The purpose of the Provost’s Excellence in Advising Award is to recognize members of the university community who demonstrate excellence in advising undergraduate students.  Nominations are solicited from current students.  The awards are given annually to one faculty or professional adviser in each college.
 

The 2006 recipients are:

College of Applied Technology – Olga Salinas, Student Services Division

College of Arts and Sciences – James Long, Department of Biology

College of Business and Economics – Rob Anson, Department of Networking, Operations, and Information Systems

College of Education – Lynda Ransdell, Department of Kinesiology

College of Engineering – Janet Hampikian, Dean’s Office

College of Health Sciences – Jeff Anderson,  Department of Respiratory Care

College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs – Robin Allen, School of Social Work

Professional Adviser Category – Sharon Meriwether, Academic Support

Peer Adviser Category – Clay Cox, Academic Support

Award winners are selected based on the evidence of effective advising qualities and distinguishing advising practices.  The selection committee looks for nominees who have made a significant contribution to advising at Boise State.

Food for Thought to Feature Engineering’s Gardner Feb. 14
Join President Bob Kustra for Boise State’s next “Food for Thought” brown bag luncheon at noon Feb. 14 in the Lookout Room of the Student Union.

The guest speaker will be John Gardner, professor and chair of the Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering Department. Gardner’s specialty is modeling and control of complex systems and he has published two textbooks in that area.  Over his 20 year academic career he has worked in areas as diverse as railroad car dynamics, artificial hearts and robotic dolphins. He is currently director of Boise State’s wind energy research program in the College of Engineering and teaches courses in engineering dynamics, mechatronics and control systems. His talk is titled “Our Energy Future: Is the Answer ‘Blowin’ in the Wind?’” University Dining will be on hand with brown bag lunches for purchase for around $5.
 

Groundbreaking for Stadium Expansion Set Feb. 14
On Feb. 14 at 2:30 p.m., the Athletic Department will host a groundbreaking ceremony for the Bronco Stadium expansion project. The event will take place on the southwest corner outside of Bronco Stadium, next to the Allen Noble Hall of Fame.

Women’s Center Offers Spring Programs
The Boise State Women’s Center invites women students and staff to participate in two spring semester programs. For more information, call the Center at ext. 6-4259.

•  Returning Women’s Discussion Group Luncheons are held from 11:30-1 p.m. every other Thursday at the Women’s Center. Come and stay for all or part of the luncheon.

•  Women in Careers is a new program featuring local women with non-traditional careers. Held in brown bag lunch format, the program features guest speakers each month from noon-1 p.m. at the Women’s Center. Guests include State Rep. Nicole LeFavour on Feb. 14; Toni Hardesty, director of the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality on March 14; and Cheryl Schrader, dean of the College of Engineering on April 11.

Morrison Center to Feature Regina Carter Quintet Feb. 22
The Morrison Center will host an Evening with the Regina Carter Quintet at 8 p.m. Feb. 22. Verve Recording Artist and 2006 MacArthur Fellow Carter is one of the world’s top violinists. Tickets are $35 and on Sale now through Select‑A‑Seat at ext. 6-1110 or www.idahotickets.com.

Legacy tickets to the concert are $65 and include a one-year membership to the Idaho Black History Museum President’s Circle. Premier tickets for $125 include premier seating, a one-year  museum membership and admission to the “backstage pass” pre-performance reception. For more information on these tickets or the museum call 433‑0017 or http://ibhm.org/events.php. 

Northern Irish Historian Paul Arthur to Give Free Lecture in Boise
Northern Irish historian Paul Arthur will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 20 at the Idaho State Historical Museum in Boise. The lecture is free and open to the public.

The topic of Arthur’s lecture is “The Role of Memory in the Northern Irish Conflict.” His remarks come at a particularly appropriate time, as the March 7 elections aimed at restoring shared government in Northern Ireland approach.
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Visual Arts Center Visiting Artist and Scholar Program Presents Artist Evan Holloway
Artist Evan Holloway will speak at 6 p.m. tonight in the Student Union Bishop Barnwell Room as part of the Visual Arts Center Visiting Artist and Scholar Program. The lecture is free and parking is available in the Student Union visitor parking lot. read more

Pulitzer Prize-Winning Author Tracy Kidder to Speak at Boise State as Part of Common Reading Program

Tracy Kidder, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, will speak at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 in the Student Union Special Events Center at Boise State. The event is free and open to the public and tickets are not required. Limited seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Free parking will be available in the Liberal Arts lot adjacent to the Special Events Center.

Freshmen at Boise State have been reading Kidder’s book “Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World” as part of the Common Reading Program. The students received their books before the start of the academic year, and the university has developed events around the book and is using it as a teaching tool.

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Career Expo at Boise State Highlights High-Demand Professional, Technical Training Opportunities
The Larry Selland College will host its annual Career Expo from 4-7:30 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Grace Jordan Ballroom, second floor of the Student Union Building on the Boise State campus.
The free event features dozens of information booths, interactive displays, student projects and much more. Drawings will be held for free Bronco gear and other prizes. read more
 

Boise State Workshop Looks at Canadian Issues
The Canadian Studies program is offering a workshop titled “Critical Issues for Canada” from 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. March 10-11. The one-credit workshop will be held in Room 203 of the Multipurpose Classroom Building.

Students, teachers, business professionals and community members may register for the workshop through BroncoWeb at http://broncoweb.boisestate.edu  David Christensen, with Boise State’s Global Business Consortium, is the instructor for the workshop (CANSTD 494 or 594). For information on how to register as a non-degree seeking student, call ext. 6-3492.

The workshop will focus on some of the major challenges and issues faced by our northern neighbors, and how Canada’s responses to these issues affect Canadian domestic developments and U.S.-Canadian relations. Topics to be covered in the workshop include Canadian geography, history, politics, culture, foreign policy and economics.

Comedian Roy Wood Jr. Performs for Boise State Student Programs Board's Monday Night Laughs
Boise State Student Programs Board presents comedian Roy Wood Jr. at 7 p.m. Feb. 12 in the Student Union Hatch Ballroom. The show is part of SPB’s Monday Night Laughs, which showcases a comedian one Monday each month. The event is free and open to the public.

Wood is from Birmingham, Ala., and began his career in comedy in 1999. Since then, his creative style and dedication has led him to perform in front of millions. In the past year, Wood has been featured on “The Late Show with David Letterman,” B.E.T., “Comedy Central’s Bob & Tom Comedy Tour” and the Montreal Comedy Festival.
 

Student Programs Board Presents 'Borat'
Boise State Student Programs Board will show the film “Borat” four times, at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. Feb. 15 and 16 in the Student Union Special Events Center. The film is free for Boise State students with ID and $1 for non-students. British Comedian Sacha Baron Cohen stars in this 2006 Golden Globe-winning film. In the controversial comedy, Kazakh character Borat Sagdiyev tours America with a documentary crew in tow. On his quest, Borat encounters real people in real situations. This film is rated “R.” SPB will show other films this semester, including “We are Marshall” and “Night at the Museum.” For more information, contact April Raine at ext. 6-3835.
 

Boise State Hosts Boise Code Camp, Free Event for Those Working or Interested in Information Technology
The College of Business and Economics will present the second annual Boise Code Camp from 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, with onsite registration beginning at 8 a.m.

Code Camp is a free software development conference hosted by developers for developers, students and other interested parties. Professionally produced training sessions will be offered on current and new technical tools such as ASP.net, Lego Mind Storm programming, Ruby on Rails, SQL for beginners and much more.
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Building Web Pages Workshops Offered
Two workshops for faculty and staff who have primary responsibility for maintaining Web pages at Boise State and focus solely on production of Web pages at and for the university are being offered. Participants are required to have a university active directory Web account. Individuals who do not have an active directory account can attend if space is available. The two classes are taught by university Web master Skip Knox and will be held in Room 209 of the Simplot/Micron Building. Seating for each class is limited to 18 participants. Following is the schedule:

Building Web Pages Using HTML Workshop I is from 1-4 p.m. Feb. 27. This workshop is for beginners. The only prior knowledge needed is how to type and a familiarity with using a Web browser. Attendees will learn how Web pages are served over the Internet to a browser, how to create simple pages, and how to transfer them to a public Web server. Among the specific skills are: how to create paragraphs, headings, and how to make hyperlinks. The workshop concludes with a brief introduction to style sheets and the basic principles of separating style from content and structure.

Building Web Pages Using HTML Workshop II is from 9 a.m.-noon March 13. Prerequisite is participation in the Web Workshop 1 or equivalent knowledge. Attendees will learn how to add images to their Web pages, how to modify the appearance of a page using style sheets, how to make e-mail links, and how to link to PDF files, multimedia and other non-HTML file formats.

Register online at http://cedar.boisestate.edu/hrs/workshops/default.asp or e-mail Training and Development at HRTrainingDevelopment@boisestate.edu. The materials for the workshops are online at http://www.boisestate.edu/webcenter/workshops/

Art Department Hosts Guest Workshop in April
Artist Jamie Walker from the University of Washington will perform a two-day workshop from 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. April 4 and 5 as a guest of the Art Department. The workshop will be in Room 150 of the Liberal Arts Building. Walker received his master of fine arts degree from the Rhode Island School of Design. He demonstrated his artistic process at last year’s National Council on Education in the Ceramic Arts conference in Portland, Ore. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to stop by at any time to engage with the visiting artist. The workshop is made possible through the ceramics Clay and Fire sale held each semester. This spring’s sale will be from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. May 6-8 in the Liberal Arts Building Gallery.
 

AFLAC Drop-In Sessions Offered Friday
Drop-In Sessions with AFLAC will be held on Friday from 9 a.m.-noon in the Alexander Room in the Student Union Building. For more information, contact Nancy Regent, benefits assistant with Human Resources, at ext. 6-4450.
 

Score with Red-Hot Deals and Monday Madness Discounts at the Bookstore
During the Boise State Bookstore’s Red Hot Deals clearance sale this week, all clearance merchandise is an additional 25 percent off the lowest marked clearance price. Red Hot Deals sales also include the Boise State silver logo frame for $4.99, 25 percent off Valentine’s Day and special occasion balloons, Valentine’s Day cards from $2.49-$2.79, and red foiled leather journal for $11.95. To buy these items, visit the Featured Items section at www.boisestatebooks.com.  

It pays to support Bronco basketball. Fans can score with Monday Madness discounts at the Bookstore and Bronco Shop. The next Monday Madness discounts will be honored on Feb. 12 when customers will receive a 5 percent discount off regular-priced apparel for every 3-point basket the Bronco women’s basketball team score (maximum of 25 percent) in the game Saturday against San Jose State. Monday Madness discount days follow Friday or Saturday men’s or women’s home conference games.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE BOARD

Volunteer Services Board Seeks Leaders
The Volunteer Services Board is looking for volunteer leaders. Students can learn how to coordinate volunteer programs and increase their leadership and organizational skills. If you know a student who might be interested, direct them to the VSB’s campus coalition meeting at 2:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Brink Room to find out more. For information call  ext. 6-4240.

Volunteer Services Board Presents Youth Issues Awareness Week
Come learn about today’s youth through topics such as school, playtime, vaccines and sexuality during the Volunteer Services Board Youth Issues Awareness Week, Feb. 12-15. The sessions are free and open to the public.

• “School is Becoming More of a Challenge.” 7 p.m. Feb. 12, Jordan A.
• “Why Aren’t the Kids Outside?” 7 p.m. Feb. 13, Hatch A and B.
• “Gardasil — the New Vaccine Against Cervical Cancer.” 6 p.m. Feb. 14, Jordan A.
• “Sex: Beyond the Birds and the Bees.” 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Hatch A and B.

Call 426-4240 or 426-4248 for more information, or e-mail vsboutreach@boisestate.edu or vsbdirector@boisestate.edu


PHOTOGRAPHIC SERVICES

Event Planners Reminded to Follow Proper Steps for Photography Requests
With numerous events coming up later this semester, university event planners are reminded of the policies and procedures regarding coverage by Photographic Services. Requests are required in advance, and those who plan to ask Photo Services for coverage of their events are encouraged to plan ahead and consult Photo Services Web site and follow the appropriate steps.

Boise State employees are required to adhere to the polices in regard to requesting photo shoots, the procurement of photographs and other images, payment and prices of services, Web use, copyright laws and ownership of images taken and held by Photographic Services.

IN MEMORIAM

Two Longtime Boise State Community Members Pass Away
Florence M. Miles and Acel “Ace” Chatburn, two longtime members of the Boise State community, passed away recently.

Miles, the first chair of Boise State’s Department of Nursing, died Jan. 20 at the age of 88. She worked with the Idaho State Board of Nursing in 1955 when Boise Junior College was granted permission to start a nursing program, and later became director of that program, which started as a three-year curriculum. She devoted 25 years of service to Boise State until her retirement in 1980.
 

Chatburn, a former Boise State professor and administer who passed away Feb. 1 at the age of 94, left his mark at the university with more than 30 years of service. He was named chair of Boise Junior College’s Department of Education in 1945, and from 1956-68 he was the school’s dean of faculty. From 1968-70 he was director of educational services before his retirement from Boise State in 1977. He also served one term as Idaho’s superintendent of public instruction. Boise State extends it deepest sympathy to the families of Florence Miles and Ace Chatburn.

CAMPUS CRIME REPORT

Weekly Crime Log

Boise City Police and Campus Security present the weekly crime report. read more

In an effort to raise awareness about violence against women and girls, the Boise State University Women’s Center is creating a calendar. Each month features a group of Boise women who are working to end violence against women. Calendars will be ready for purchase in April. Pictured above are Women’s Center staff (in alphabetical order): Farkhunda Ahmadi, Jenna Clark, Linda Giefer, Jeana Johnson, Whitney Johnson, Lindsey Rhodes, Petya Stoyanova, Mindy Tennison and Wanda Viento. Photo by John Kelly

John Ziker, anthropology, was selected by the Evolutionary Anthropology Society (a section of the American Anthropological Association) as contributing editor to the AAA’s Anthropology News — the association’s monthly publication. He will serve a four-year term.  In addition to being responsible for timely submission of the EAS

column, he also will attend annual AAA board and business meetings. Ziker is also book reviews editor for an academic journal called Sibirica: Interdisciplinary Journal of Siberian Studies. He has been on the editorial board of Sibirica since April 2005. The journal is published semi-annually by Berghahn Books.

A paper written by sociology professor Huei-Hsia Wu has been accepted for publication in The International Journal of Diversity in Organizations, Communities and Nations. The paper is titled “Reading Romance Novels and Female Sexuality among American Heterosexual and Lesbian College Students."

Mary Jarratt Smith, Department of Mathematics, spoke to students at InTech Collegiate High School, Logan, Utah, on Jan. 18.  In her presentation, Smith emphasized the importance of studying mathematics and science in high school to prepare for careers in business, academia, and technical fields.

Alan Hausrath, chair of the Department of Mathematics, has been invited  by Boise Mayor David Bieter to join the city’s new Climate Protection Advisory Committee. The volunteer group will provide community input on Boise's efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as part of the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The committee also will suggest and review strategies and partnerships that will assist the city in meeting its greenhouse-gas reduction targets, and will assist in communicating that progress to the larger community.

Christopher Hill, anthropology, published a refereed article on climate change and landscape evolution. Titled “Geoarchaeology and Late Glacial Landscapes in the Western Lake Superior Region, Central North America,” the article appeared in the January 2007 Geoarchaeology: An International Journal. The study is part of an interdisciplinary research project focused on evaluating human-environment links, as well as extinction patterns related to climate change.
 

Marcy Newman, an English professor currently working as a visiting professor at the American University of Beirut, was featured in a Feb. 4 Idaho Statesman article on her experiences as a witness to the current violence in the city. Student rioting started at a nearby university in late January.
 

other news sources:
The Idaho Statesman - The Idaho Press Tribune - The Boise Weekly - The Arbiter - Boise State Radio