Inside NAU, a publication of the Office of Public Affairs


Calendar \| Spotlight \| NAU in the News \| Archives \| Submit a News Tip	Vol. 3 No. 17 \| April 26, 2006

•	'Maar' she blows: Grad student gets grant to study crater volcanoes
•	Undergraduate research exhibition like a 'science fair on steroids'
•	Universities must adapt to fight 'viral attack,' ASU president says
•	Long-time NAU professor named interim vice provost for research
•	NAU students gain prestigious national award
•	Survey shows freshman commitment to NAU
•	COE names new assistant dean
•	SPAC conference offers something for every professional
•	Spring and football are in the air
•	Public mood takes negative turn in latest SRL survey
•	Alumni photojournalism career awarded
•	Martin-Springer Institute honors five with Moral Courage awards
•	Jazz ensemble to perform standards at church 'night club'
•	Environmental lecture features Native filmmakers
•	Triathlete wins despite diabetes
•	Coconino County provides running scholarships to five youth
•	Arizona State University is adopting LOUIE
•	Wayne Sjoberg retiring from psychology department
•	Austin Shepard leaving NAU
•	Celebration of Val Avery's life planned
•	Spotlight
•	NAU in the News

Inside NAU is published weekly for faculty, staff and friends of Northern Arizona University. We welcome story ideas related to NAU's mission, its employees and its students. Submit story ideas to
Tracie Hansen, (928) 523-6908, or
e-mail Inside@nau.edu.

Publisher: John D. Haeger,
   President
Contributing writers: Tom Bauer,    Tracie Hansen, Elizabeth
   Hellstern, Diane Rechel, Lisa
   Nelson— Office of Public Affairs
Design: Tracie Hansen—Office
   of Public Affairs

Comments? Questions? Suggestions?
Send us an e-mail.

Here's a sampling of upcoming events at NAU. For a complete listing of campus events for the next two weeks, including times and locations of those items listed here, click on the links below:

Academic Calendar & Official Dates
•	April 28: Undergraduate graduation application deadline at the Registrar's Office for fall 2006 commencement
Arts & Entertainment
•	Through April 29: 'The Taming of the Shrew' by William Shakespeare
•	April 28-29: It's the Peaks: It's All Connected
	May 5: Shrine of the Ages Choir Spring Concert
Employee Development
•	May 2: NAU web site Content Management System training
Lectures, Workshops, Seminars & Conferences
•	May 3: Lecture: The 1956 Grand Canyon Air Disaster
Museums & Galleries
	Through May 30: Third Biennial National Print Exhibition
Student Life
•	April 29: Concert: Ingram Hill
Prospective Students and Parents
•	April 29: Transfer Student Orientation
•	April 29: Get Your Global Groove On! wine tasting and entertainment benefit
Submit your NAU events online at events.nau.edu.

Around Flagstaff @ AZdailysun.com
•	May 2: Community Forest Forum
•	May 3: Elderhostel Kayaking

'Maar' she blows: Grad student gets grant to study crater volcanoes
Northern Arizona University geology graduate student Allison Austin figures the best way to understand a certain type of volcanic explosion is to re-create it.

Undergraduate research exhibition like a 'science fair on steroids'
It's a science fair like no other, where exhibits range from a study on Pinyon jays wearing radio harnesses to a look at how tongueless frogs eat their prey through high-speed suction.

At NAU's second annual Celebration of Undergraduate Research and Design on Friday, April 28, undergraduate students will display more than 80 poster presentations on their research in chemistry, biology, microbiology and physical or Earth sciences, while 25 teams of students will make presentations on their engineering design projects.

It's no wonder chemistry professor Ed Lewis calls this research exhibition a "science fair on steroids."

Universities must adapt to fight 'viral attack,' ASU president says
Michael Crow has a Ph.D. in public administration, but the way he talks you'd think he has an M.D.

As the final speaker in President John Haeger's Speakers Series, Crow, the president of Arizona State University, last week discussed his remedy for the virus that has been attacking American universities for half a century.

Long-time NAU professor named
interim vice provost for research
English professor William Grabe, who has worked at Northern Arizona University for 22 years, has been named interim vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies.

NAU students gain prestigious national award
Julia Mackey and Robert Buscaglia will have money for living expenses while continuing work on their groundbreaking research as 2006 recipients of the Beckman Scholar Award.

New buildings get
official dedication
New buildings get official dedication

Junior mechanical engineering major Israel Marcos Ibarra, left, and Isaac Gastelum Muñoz, a senior accounting major, hold a ceremonial ribbon as it is cut by NAU President John Haeger, Arizona Board of Regents President Christina Palacios and Regent Ernest Calderón. Nearly 250 people turned out to celebrate the dedication of NAU's new Engineering and Business Administration buildings April 21.

The Northern Arizona University students will each receive $17,600 for new equipment, experimental samples, travel and living expenses. The Beckman Scholar Award recognizes outstanding undergraduate research students in the chemistry and biological sciences.

Survey shows freshman commitment to NAU
Nearly eight out of 10 incoming freshmen reported that Northern Arizona University was their first choice for college and that the university's size was one of the determining factors in choosing NAU, a survey reported.

COE names new assistant dean
Kathy Hildebrand, a professor of health sciences, has been appointed assistant dean for assessment, evaluation and continuous improvement the College of Education.

SPAC conference offers something
for every professional
If words like blogging, smartphone or green computing sound familiar but you aren't sure how they could benefit you, attend one of the workshops at the Service Professional Advisory Council Summer Conference, "Moving Ahead in a High Tech, High Touch World."

Spring and football
are in the air
With hockey and basketball playoffs just getting started and the baseball season less than a month old, it's time, of course, for spring football.

Watch the Lumberjacks play their annual spring football game beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 29, at the practice fields, east of the Skydome.

The game is free, and food will be available afterward. Members of the Lumberjacks Athletics Association get to chow down for nothing.

Public mood takes negative turn
in latest SRL survey
The Social Research Lab has conducted its annual Flagstaff Report Card study by asking local residents to evaluate how things are going in the area and to rate the quality of several local institutions and the economic health of the area. This year's results are in, and the overall mood in the area is slightly more negative than last year.

Alumni photojournalism career awarded
The photojournalism career of NAU alumnus Gary O'Brien will come into focus during the Eunson/AP Awards Ceremony at 7 p.m. April 27 in room 119 of the School of Communication.

Martin-Springer Institute honors five
with Moral Courage awards
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard is one of five individuals receiving a Moral Courage Award today from NAU's Martin-Springer Institute for making a difference in Arizona schools and communities. The awards are presented annually to those who exemplify the courage of the institute's founder Doris Martin, a survivor of the Holocaust who now speaks about her experiences with middle and high school students.

Jazz ensemble to perform standards at church 'night club'
The NAU Vocal Jazz Ensemble will turn a Flagstaff church into a nightclub—temporarily of course—for an evening of standards by 12 soloists.

Environmental lecture features Native filmmakers
Discover the cultural meanings behind Native American songs during an event featuring an award-winning film and the women who produced it.

Triathlete wins despite diabetes
When Rachel Crawford, an administrative associate in the School of Forestry, recently won second place in the women's division of the Lake Havasu Triathlon, she said the victory was not hers alone.

Coconino County provides running scholarships
to five youth
The Center for High Altitude Training is hosting the Daniels High Altitude Running Camp in June and five youth will attend compliments of Coconino County.

Arizona State University is adopting LOUIE
NAU's information technology department is helping Arizona State University transition from its legacy systems to the Oracle/PeopleSoft program that runs the Lumberjack's Online Information Environment, better known as LOUIE.

Wayne Sjoberg retiring from psychology department
Wayne Sjoberg, professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Letters, is retiring from the psychology department after 39 years. A reception in his honor will be held at 3 p.m. May 3 at The Inn at NAU.

Austin Shepard leaving NAU
Austin Shepard, assistant director of the Multicultural Student Center, is leaving NAU after 10 years to become director of academic outreach at Estrella Mountain Community College. A reception in his honor will be held at 2 p.m. April 27 in the Multicultural Student Center in the University Union, room 104.

Celebration of Val Avery's life planned
The history department is hosting a celebration of Val Avery's life and achievements at 4 p.m. May 1 in Ashurst Auditorium. Avery, who taught history at NAU for 22 years and retired from the university in 2005, died April 7 at age 69.

"Val touched the lives of so many of us, students and faculty alike," said Cynthia Kosso, chair of the history department. "Her passing has surprised and saddened us and we would like to offer the university community a chance to share their memories."

Northern Arizona University and Don Carter, director of the E-Learning Center at NAU
Mary I. Dereshiwsky and Gary L. Emanuel, associate professors of educational leadership in the College of Education, and Bill Wright, department chair
Peter Friederici, associate editor at NAU's Ecological Restoration Institute
Senior art education students Denise Horton, Maggie Smola, Lydia Phelps, and Jessica Mitchell
Lea J. Parker, professor of environmental communication and journalism, Richard A. (Tony) Parker, professor of speech communication, and Martin D. Sommerness, professor of journalism and mass communication
Richard Quartaroli, Cline Library special collections librarian

Scholarly pursuits
Over the past four years, ASU and UA have spent tens of millions of dollars in scholarships to recruit nearly 850 National Merit Scholars. ASU ranked 13th in the country in number of freshman scholars last year, with 156. Having National Merit Scholars or other top students doesn't automatically make a school better, said David Bousquet, who handles Northern Arizona University's enrollment and student affairs. He has recruited students for universities in Massachusetts, Virginia and Iowa. Bousquet said it depends on whether schools ensure that the students are active beyond academics.
AZCentral.com (online), 4/17/2006

For more NAU in the News this week, click here.