10-30-98

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OHIO STATE HONORS U.S. SEN. JOHN GLENN’S RETURN TO SPACE WITH WEEK OF ACTIVITIES--through Nov. 7. A series of campus lectures and symposia, a statewide rocket-launching competition at Ohio Stadium, the John Glenn Fitness 5-K Run and live coverage of the Shuttle Discovery mission highlight Space Week activities at Ohio State today through next Saturday (11/7). Space Week is a series of campus events designed to acknowledge U.S. Sen. John Glenn’s contributions to the country and highlight Ohio State space-related research. The events will coincide with shuttle Discovery’s nine-day mission and include:
Today (10/30)--Economics Nobel Laureate Douglass North of Washington University in St. Louis will discuss the ability of the U.S. economy to finance space exploration from 3:30-5 p.m. in the Wexner Center, 1871 N. High St.
Saturday(10/31)--The John Glenn Fitness 5-K run begins at the north entrance of Ohio Stadium and will follow a course adjacent to the Oval beginning at 8 a.m. Registration is $5 and begins at 7 a.m. the day of the race at the stadium. Preregistration is available at 106 Larkins Hall, 337 W. 17th Ave., or by calling 292-7671.
-- The John Glenn Aerospace Invitational, a rocket-building and launching event, is expected to attract more than 400 children from around the state from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Ohio Stadium. Water-fueled rockets will be used. Registration is required by calling 292-6942.
Sunday(11/1)--The Rocket Rally on the Oval, where children ages 8 to 12 and families will build their own model rockets, runs from noon to 4 p.m. Advance registration is required by calling 688-3334.
Monday(11/2)-- Ghassem Asrar, associate administrator for earth science for NASA, and Prasad Gogineni, manager of NASA’s Polar Oceans and Ice Sheets Program, will discuss the commercialization of space at the Columbus Rotary Club meeting from 11:45 a.m.-1:10 p.m. at the Hyatt Regency in downtown Columbus. Lunch is $10.25; call 221-3127 for reservations.
-- Professor Lonnie Thompson, of the Department of Geological Sciences and Byrd Polar Research Center, will present a University Distinguished Lecture on “Past and Current Global Climate Change: Implications for Our Future” at 4 p.m. in the Wexner Center’s Film/Video Theater.
-- Hiroyuki Matsumiya of the Japanese Space Agency (NASDA) will visit Ohio State as the guest of the College of Biological Sciences. NASDA is funding OSU plant biology research aboard Discovery. Matsumiya will give a public lecture on “Space Biology of Japan” Tuesday (11/3) at 4 p.m. in 209 Campbell Hall. A replica of the Ohio State experiment will be set up for the talk. Contact Sandi Rutkowski, College of Biological Sciences, 292-4759. Saturday(11/7)--Bob Dixon, senior research engineer for emerging technologies in UTS, will discuss “Scientific Search for Intelligent Life Outside of Earth” from 7 to 9 p.m. in Independence Hall Auditorium, 1923 Neil Ave.
CONTACT: Dave Ferguson, Academic Affairs, 292-6743.

HAUNTED SWAMP TO THRILL AND CHILL--Oct. 30. If you’ve ever had nightmares of spending Halloween trapped in a dark and dreary swamp, those dreams can come true tonight (10/30) from 4 to 11 p.m. at Haunted Swamp at The Ohio State University’s Olentangy River Wetland Research Park, 352 Dodridge Road. Small children can paint pumpkins, enter a costume contest, enjoy candy and refreshments and ride hayrides from 4 to 6 p.m. Fright night for older kids and adults runs from 6 to 11 p.m. Admission is $2, with $1 going to the wetland endowment. Parents enter for free with admission of a child under 12.
CONTACT: Teresa Fournier, department of recreational sports, 292-7671.

UNIVERSITY HOSTS GRADUATE SCHOOL VISITATION DAYS--Nov. 1-3. Some 200 honors seniors from 57 colleges and universities will visit Ohio State as part of the Office of Minority Affairs annual graduate school visitation days. The event kicks off with an opening session on Sunday (11/1) at 4:30 p.m. at the Holiday Inn on the Lane, 328 W. Lane Ave. At 8 p.m., the public is invited to a gospel concert featuring bass-baritone Wintley Phipps in the Ohio Union West Ballroom. Monday, students will meet with faculty and visit academic units. The event ends with a banquet at the Holiday Inn on the Lane at 6:30 p.m. Rear Adm. Barry C. Black, deputy chief of chaplains, U.S. Navy, is the keynote speaker.
CONTACT: Rose Wilson-Hill, Office of Minority Affairs, 292-8156.

AMERICAN INDIAN VIETNAM VET, PROFESSOR MARK NATIVE AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH--Nov. 2-3. James Fenelon, a member of the Standing Rock Lakota/Dakota and a professor of sociology at John Carroll University, will speak Monday (11/2) at 3:30 p.m. in Stecker Lounge at the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St., as part of activities at Ohio State to recognize National Native American Heritage Month. Dwight Birdwell, author, attorney and member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, will discuss his book A Hundred Miles of Bad Road, Wednesday (11/4) at 3:30 p.m. at the Ohio Union Main Lounge. His book details his personal experiences as a Vietnam veteran and his postwar struggles to become an attorney and businessman. The events are free and open to the public.
CONTACT: Marti Chaatsmith, American Indian student services, 292-7521.

COMPUTER ACCESS FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES--Nov. 3-4. Norm Coombs, a professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and Richard Banks, electronic resource manager for Equal Access to Software and Information, will speak on “The Computer Revolution: Access for Students with Disabilities” Tuesday and Wednesday (11/3-4) beginning at 9 a.m. both days at the Ohio Union Conference Theater. They will discuss issues such as adaptive technology, accessible Web sites and distance learning. The program is free for Ohio State students, faculty and staff, and $25 for all others.
CONTACT: Ellen Radcliff, 292-3307.

SCHOTTENSTEIN CENTER HOLDS GRAND OPENING--NOV. 4. Students, faculty and staff will show their scarlet and gray spirit at the “We Got Spirit” grand opening pep rally for the new Jerome Schottenstein center Wednesday (11/4) from 6 to 10 p.m. Members of the men’s and women’s basketball teams, hockey team, cheerleaders, Neutron Man and the Buckeye Dance Force will be on hand with Kirk Herbstreit, WBNS 10TV, and Ryan Miller, 1460 The Fan, serving as masters of ceremony. There will be a free barbecue in the Schottenstein parking lot from 6 to 8 p.m., with the pep rally beginning at 8 p.m. Following the pep rally, the arena will be open for tours. Prizes will be given away, including a chance for a current Ohio State student to win $10,000 for tuition, room and board, and books. All in attendance will be eligible for the remainder of the prizes.
CONTACT: Jennifer Hixon, Ohio Staters, Inc., 292-2130.

OHIO STATE HOSTS CONFERENCE ON TEACHING FOR THE DIVERSE CLASSROOM--Nov. 5. Ohio State’s Office of Faculty and Teaching Associates Development and the Office of Minority Affairs are co- sponsoring a day-long conference for faculty, teaching assistants and staff on “Teaching for the Diverse Classroom” Thursday (11/5) from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Ohio Union. Topics include identity development in the college classroom; designing inclusive courses and curricula; classroom and college climate assessment techniques; and broaching diversity issues in the classroom. Kaylynn TwoTrees from the Cleveland Institute of Art, Ohio State President William E. Kirwan and Barbara Rich, interim vice provost for minority affairs, will speak. The day will conclude with a panel discussion of teaching assistants experiences with multicultural teaching at Ohio State.
CONTACT: Christine Stanley, associate director, faculty and teaching assistants development, 292-3644.

The person listed as the contact for each item will have the best information about the story. Feel free to call on our news services staff for assistance with these or other Ohio State news stories--Ruth Gerstner, 292-8424; Tracy Turner, 688-3682; and Emily Caldwell, 292-8309.
**Compiled by Tracy Turner, University Communications, (Turner.44@osu.edu).