Alumni Association Honors
Top Ten Scholars Tonight

The Alumni Association will honor 10 of the university’s best and brightest graduating students at the annual Top Ten Scholars awards banquet tonight in the Student Union Jordan Ballroom; doors open at 6 p.m. and the dinner begins at 6:30 p.m. The banquet is open to the public.

The keynote speaker for this year’s event is James J. Davis, a 1975 Boise State alumnus. Davis is the owner and sole practitioner of James J. Davis, Attorney at Law.

Top Ten Scholars are chosen from among the top 10 percent of Boise State’s graduating class of more than 3,000 students for 2007-08. They are selected based on academic performance, recommendation from college deans, and extracurricular and research activities. Each student also honors a Boise State professor who was particularly influential to his or her success.

read more for the complete list

Purchase of Key Instrument Provides Strong Boost to Research Prospects

A key building block of Boise State’s advancement as a metropolitan research university of distinction could be in place and operational as soon as the fall semester.

The recent purchase of a new nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometer and accompanying cryoprobe, as well as related liquids and solids probes, significantly advances research potential in several academic disciplines at Boise State and several key areas of the regional economy, including technology and agriculture.

“Very few universities in the Pacific Northwest, including research universities, have an instrument comparable to this one,” said Mark Rudin, Boise State’s vice president for research. “We’re very excited about how this core piece of equipment will elevate our ability to conduct high level research across a wide range of disciplines. And a number of our partners in government, private industry and academia are quite interested in what it may be able to do for them.”

Delivery and installation of the 600-megahertz spectrometer is expected during the late summer months.

NMR is a technique used to determine how atoms are arranged in molecules. The NMR spectrometer uses a magnet to align atomic nuclei and then identifies their tell-tale responses to irradiation with a radio frequency field. The cyroprobe amplifies the spectrometer’s signal, providing results similar to that of 800- or 900-megahertz instruments without the prohibitive costs associated with them.

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In This Issue

  1. Top Ten Scholars
  2. Key Research Instrument Purchased
  3. Distinguished Lecture Series Thursday
  4. International Connections
  5. Shared Leadership
  6. Boise State Radio Goes HD in SV
  7. Professional Staff Luncheon
  8. Founders Leadership Society Inductees
  9. Slam Poet Holds Workshop
  10. ASBSU Election Results
  11. President's Writing Awards
  12. Fettuccine Forum
  13. National Day of Silence
  14. Blood Drive
  15. Campus Crime Log
  16. Faculty and Staff in Action
New Horizons in Education

Richard Louv

Author Focused on Kids and Nature

200th Guest

Friday, 5:30 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m. on NPR News 91

Beyond The Blue

Tonight, 10 of the best and brightest among Boise State’s Class of 2008 will be honored by the Boise State Alumni Association at the university’s annual Top Ten Scholars awards banquet in the Jordan Ballroom.

DISTINGUISHED LECTURE SERIES

Renowned Green Architect Visits Campus Thursday

William McDonoughWilliam McDonough (right), internationally renowned “green” designer and winner of the Presidential Award for Sustainable Development, will speak as part of the Distinguished Lecture Series just days before Earth Day. McDonough will speak at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Morrison Center.

His lecture, “The Next Industrial Revolution,” is free and no tickets are required. Limited seating is available on a first-come basis. Doors open at 6 p.m. and parking is free. In 1999, Time magazine recognized McDonough as a “Hero for the Planet,” stating “his utopianism is grounded in a unified philosophy that in demonstrable and practical ways is changing the design of the world.”

INTERNATIONAL CONNECTIONS

Kelly Discusses Teaching in Northern Uganda for Brown Bag Luncheon

“Teaching in Northern Uganda,” an International Connections Brown Bag Luncheon featuring Phillip Kelly, will be held from 12:30-1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Lookout Room of the Student Union Building.

Kelly, an associate professor in curriculum instruction and foundational studies in the College of Education, spent six weeks last summer teaching high school physics and chemistry in northern Uganda as part of a volunteer program coordinated by Invisible Children, an organization that assists children who were abducted during the civil war in Uganda. Kelly will talk about his experiences teaching and interacting with students and teachers, as well as his initiative to sponsor a student from northern Uganda at Boise State during the upcoming fall semester.

Light refreshments will be provided or bring your own lunch. The event is sponsored by the Albertsons Library and Boise State International Programs. For more information, call ext. 6-3652.

SHARED LEADERSHIP

Employee Learning and Development Invites Applications for 2008-09 Program

Classified staff, faculty and professional staff are invited to participate in a two-year learning experience that explores issues, functions, offices and opportunities on campus. The Shared Leadership Program provides faculty and staff with the information they need to become active participants in the university. The goals are to:

Participants must hold a 20+ hours-per-week permanent position, receive supervisor's approval, commit to participation this year (2008-2009) and help plan and produce the following year's (2009-2010) program. Applications and nominations are due no later than June 30. Applications should be submitted to Jerri Mizrahi, training manager, at MS 1265. The application can be downloaded here.

Boise State Radio

New HD Service Debuts in Sun Valley

Boise State RadioBoise State Radio announces the launch of its new HD2 service in the Sun Valley area. The service enables FM stations to broadcast additional programming digitally on a single frequency. HD2 service went into effect on other Boise State Radio stations in February.

What began as a cutting-edge feature first unveiled in 2003 in Hailey is now a new 24/7 service in the Wood River Valley area. The new signal is broadcasting Boise State Radio’s Jazz service. The KBSS HD2 signal covers a large area, including the downtown areas of Ketchum, Sun Valley, Hailey and Bellevue. It also covers large tracts of Highways 75 and 26.

PROFESSIONAL STAFF

Spring Awards Luncheon Set for May 6

On May 6, the Professional Staff Association will host the 26th Annual Spring Luncheon Awards Ceremony honoring Professional Staff members who have attained 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 years of service at the university. The luncheon will be held in the Jordan Ballroom and doors will open at 11:30 a.m.

Luncheon choices are balsamic and rosemary tri-tip steak or herb-crusted supreme chicken or vegetarian curry. If you would like to attend, please call Laurie Oliver at ext. 6-1616 with your entrée selection. Cost is $10 paid in advance. Please pay by check payable to BSU and mail to Laurie Oliver, Human Resource Services, MS 1265. Honoree lunches are complimentary.

FOUNDERS LEADERSHIP SOCIETY

20 Students Inducted for Class of 2008

The Boise State Founders Leadership Society inducted 20 students April 11 for the Class of 2008. The program recognizes graduating students for their outstanding leadership involvement.

The honorees were: Deborah Allen, public administration; Kylie Boggess, political science; Julie Carr, nursing; Brandon Christoffersen, materials science and engineering; Amber Corner, social work; Celeste De Vore, social work; Ben Hartley, business administration; Britton Holdaway, political science and economics; Jody Hull, environmental studies; Margaret Kecskes, anthropology; Courtney Kirchner, operations management; Russ O’Leary, social work; Wyatt Parke, business administration; Patrick Price, materials science and engineering; Michael W. Reed, political science and history; Geneva Roman, political science; Christa Rowland, music; Vivianne Sanchez, history of art and visual culture; Tommy Smith, mechanical engineering; and Crystal Woolf, environmental and occupational health and biology.

Student Activities

Slam Poet Jared Paul Can Teach You to be a Better Performer

Jared PaulSlam poet Jared Paul will present an educational workshop and perform at a poetry slam on April 17. The workshop is from 10:30 a.m.-noon in the Hatch D Ballroom. Participants can discover how poet/spoken word artists get started and learn about tricks and tips for performances. The workshop is free.

Paul will be the featured poet during the poetry slam, 6-9 p.m. in the Hatch Ballroom. Paul is a social worker, journalist and organizer from Providence, RI. Known for his thoroughly researched work, poignant presentation and dedication to craft, Paul is widely recognized as one of the top spoken word artists in the country. The slam is free and open to all students. Sign ups are first come, first served beginning at 6 p.m.

The slam and workshop are presented by Fine Arts Programs. Contact Student Activities at ext. 6-1223 or visit finearts.boisestate.edu for more information. Visit Paul's page at myspace.com/jaredpaul.

ASBSU ELECTIONS

Grigg, Bunt Elected President, Vice President of Student Government

Trevor Grigg and Joe Bunt were elected president and vice president of the Associated Students of Boise State University in last week’s student government elections. The ASBSU inauguration is April 23 and the new senate convenes for the first time April 24.

Grigg and Bunt received 641 of the 1,686 votes cast. Brett Berning and Tyler Gaylord came in second with 530 votes. Jessica Martin and Evan Meriwether received 351 and Jesse Barnum and Martin Taylor took 164 votes.

The college senators are: Justin White, College of Arts and Sciences; Kayleigh Jack, College of Social Sciences and Public Affairs; Robert Heise, College of Applied Technology; Saul Solis, College of Business and Economics; Cara Mia De Marco, College of Education; Geo Engberson, College of Engineering; and Mark Bathrick, Graduate College. There is currently no College of Health Sciences senator.

There were 10 people running for the eight at-large senate seats. The winners for those eight seats are: Gracie Bingham, Cortney Christian, Kelsey Ferrel, Joel Henretty, Bridget Montgomery, Gabe Murphy, Kyle Tuckness and Sami Winkelman.

PRESIDENT’S WRITING AWARDS

Winners Announced

The Committee for the President’s Writing Awards has announced the following winners and thanks the students and judges for their participation.

Personal Essay: 1st place—Toby Reynolds; 2nd place—Anna Demetriades

Critical Analysis: 1st place—Erica Martz; 2nd place—Jake Lutz

Research-Based: 1st Place—Vivianne Sanchez; 2nd place—Matthew Mayer

First Year Writing: 1st place—Viktoriya Yugay; 2nd place—Brenda Revard

Multilingual First Year Writing: 1st place—Soichiro Fujimori; 2nd place—Liga Spjute

Center for Idaho History and Politics

May Fettuccine Forum Recalls Old Boise’s Trolley System

The past and future of Boise’s streetcar and electric rail system will take center stage at the May Fettuccine Forum, presented by Boise State. The free event is May 1 in the Rose Room on the historic Union Block, 718 W. Idaho Street. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the presentation begins at 5:30 p.m., followed by questions. Free appetizers will be served and fettuccine will be available for $5.

Historian Barbara Perry Bauer, the final speaker for this season, will talk about “Once Upon the Trolley: Boise’s Electric Road.” Perry Bauer, of TAG Historical Research and Consulting, is an authority on Boise neighborhood history, historical photography and founding of the trolley system. Her research recalls a time when inexpensive Snake River hydropower electrified a trolley loop from Boise to Caldwell, connecting the farm towns of Ustick, Nampa, Middleton, Meridian, Eagle and Star.

Following the forum, at 7 p.m., a trolley-bus tour will introduce riders to the current plan to rebuild the trolley system as a smart-growth development tool. The tour will include a discussion of trolleys past, present and future and will approximate one of the proposed future streetcar lines. Tickets for the tour are $20 at the door or $15 if purchased in advance. Ticket price includes a copy of the book “Trolley: Boise Valley’s Electric Road.” Tickets may be purchased by calling 333-8066 or at www.idahosmartgrowth.org (click on “Support/Join”).

HOUSING

Campus to Participate in National Day of Silence

University HousingUniversity Housing is sponsoring an observance of The National Day of Silence on Friday, April 25, to bring awareness to anti-LGBT name-calling, bullying and harassment in schools.

University Housing will sponsor the following events leading up to the Day of Silence:

Students and staff are invited to wear the shirts they made and to refrain from speaking on April 25. All participants will be given cards explaining the Day of Silence to give to anyone questioning why they are not speaking. Questions should be directed to resident adviser Alissa Waggerby (alissawaggerby@boisestate.edu) or RHA officer Andrew Wingfield (andrewwingfield@u.boisestate.edu).

BLOOD DRIVE

American Red Cross at Student Union Wednesday

The American Red Cross will hold a blood donor drive from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday in the Hatch Ballroom of the Student Union Building. To schedule an appointment, call the Volunteer Services Board at 426-4240, or donors can register online: go to www.givelife.org; click "My Profile" and "create a profile;" complete the form and click "submit;" enter BSU in the sponsor code field; select a drive date and appointment time; follow the onscreen instructions; confirmation and reminder will be e-mailed to participants. For additional information, please call Ann Callanan at 429-5832.

CRIME LOG

Crime SceneWeekly Crime Log

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


Faculty & Staff In Action

Craig Hemmens, criminal justice and director of the Honors College, recently published "Waist Deep in the Big Muddy: The JD/PhD Debate In Criminal Justice Education" in the Journal of Criminal Justice Education 19:1 (March, 2008).

Siân Mooney, economics, presented "Suitability of Layered Basalt for Industrial CO2 Sequestration" to the Idaho Academy of Science Conference March 28. A new working paper, assessing the value of Idaho’s agricultural lands (Mooney, S. 2008. Jobs, Income, Services and Value: Economic Contributions of Maintaining Agricultural Lands to the State of Idaho. February), was quoted extensively in the Idaho Statesman on April 3. A copy of the full paper is available online. Mooney also presented a guest lecture "Economics of Carbon Sequestration and the Carbon Market: Selling the Invisible" on April 4 to ECON 498 - The Economics of Global Change.

Gary Moncrief, political science, was quoted in a story in the Las Vegas Sun on top Nevada legislators who stand to lose their seats due to term limits. Moncrief said that the measure, which was touted as a way to end career politicians, simply diverts politicians’ career paths. Moncrief was also interviewed for a story in the Sunday Mobile, Ala., Press Register on how local residents are skeptical of the Alabama Legislature.

Lynn Lubamersky, history, has received a fellowship from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum to participate in the “Curt C. and Else Silberman Seminar for University Faculty on Teaching the Legacy of the Holocaust: Poland, Lithuania, and Ukraine” this coming June.

Don Holley, economics, was quoted in an Idaho Statesman story on inflation and its effect on local residents.

Debbie Kaylor, Career Center, was quoted in an Idaho Press-Tribune story on pay. Kaylor said about 85 percent of Boise State students stay in the valley after graduation.

Roberto Bahruth, bilingual education, and Stan Steiner, literacy, have been accepted to present at the International Institute on Peace Education Conference in Haifa, Israel, on July 28-Aug. 5.

Karen Uehling, English, has had a chapter published in "Basic Writing in America: The History of Nine College Programs," edited by Nicole Pepinster Greene and Patricia J. McAlexander and published by Hampton Press. Uehling's chapter is "From Community College to Urban University: Beginning Writing Instruction for Diverse Students at Boise State University." Uehling also attended the Conference on College Composition and Communication in New Orleans in April. She presented at the Conference on Basic Writing workshop as part of a team focused on "Creating a National Database abut Basic Writing Programs, Students and Faculty." Uehling also presented materials on online teaching techniques using adult learning principles at the "Teaching Adult Writers in Diverse Contexts" Special Interest Group.

Local News Sources:

The Idaho Statesman - The Idaho Press Tribune - The Boise Weekly - The Arbiter - Boise State Radio

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