LOCAL/STATE
ktudents
th
to Diag t
sculpture,
SErena Baybik ~
'y Staff Reporter
Hundreds gathered on the Diag on
Friday to enjoy a free showing ofgradu-
ate student Jeremy Kaplan's art scuip-
tures and to hear music from Perplexa,
a graduate student band.
:Kaplan said one of the purposes of
thti event was to bring artwork that is
usually displayed on North Campus to
CIptral Campus so that more students
c Tsee it.
4 This was an effort to bring things to
people who would not normally see
it.," Kaplan said. "There are events all
the time at the Art School that many
students from Central Campus do not
get to see."
SStephanie H anor, who lives in Min-
nesota and was visiting Ann Arbor,
said the display was an interesting
variation from the usual types of show-
igsshe attends. "This is the first time
I v' seen anything like this -usually
you see art in a gallery or museum,
not in an informal setting like this,"
Hanor said.
- The display featuredthree sculptures.
Odfe of the sculptures depicted a wagon
supporingabox withatelevisionmoni-
to ni.A video played on the monitor.
"It's a very mechanical looking de-
vice," Kaplan said.
Another sculpture was a wooden
bring a
Trough
music
rt
The Michigan Daily - Monday, April 22, 1996 - 5A
GVSU,'U' plan to
bud freshwater
research center
frame with a silver ball hanging from
a cable. The sculpture, a machine with
a motor that lifted the ball up and
down, was perplexing even to the art-
ist. "This is a machine that does some-
thing, exactly what I'm not sure,"
Kaplan said.
The final sculpture was one that
Kaplan built with the help of several
Engineering students. The sculpture
included an open box that contained
wires and motor parts. Kaplan said the
machine uses gasoline to rotate the air.
"It's a machine - a somewhat absurd
machine. It has no purpose - it just is
what it is," Kaplan said.
Kaplan said he creates the artwork
because he feels a compulsion to do so.
"I've got ideas I'm not sure I under-
stand- these arejust manifestations of
that."
On a literal level, Kaplan said his
sculptures are completely impractical,
yet on an artistic level, they are there for
everyone to enjoy.
"This is a great opportunity to do
something different," said LSA sopho-
more Andrew Copp. "It's nice to see
people with artistic ability able to show
their work because usually those on
Central Campus don't get to see them."
Kaplan said that after the success of
this show there may be more attempts
to bring artwork to Central Campus.
NOPPORN KICHANANTHA/Daily
Rackham student Jeremy Kaplan explains his kinetic sculptures to Scott
Bickmore, an LSA sophomore. The sculptures were on display on the Diag Friday.
By Alice Robinson
Daily Staff Reporter
University students and researchers
may soon be able to take an in-depth
look at freshwater ecosystems in a
unique facility overlooking Lake Michi-
gan.
The University has plans to convert a
historic water filtration plant in western
Michigan into a new facility, the Grand
Haven Aquatic Research and Educa-
tion Center. The innovative site is ex-
pected to house laboratories, classrooms
and an aquarium. The project is a col-
laboration with Grand Valley State Uni-
versity and the city of Grand Haven.
The plan is pending approval by re-
gents at both universities; after the agree-
ment is formally signed, the three parties
must come up with
$3 million to fi- 6
nance the venture. Our re
The facilita-
tors, who plan to have bee
rely heavily on
state and federal toe ach o
research grants,W
hope to have most long time
of the funds in
hand within a
year, said Ron Grand Valley vi
Ward, director of Universityt
GVSU's Water
Research Institute.
The center will be located near the
University's research ship, the
Laurentian, providing easy access to
the ship's resources. GVSU's research
vessel, the Augusta, also is harbored in
Grand Haven.
The collaboration between the uni-
versities will benefit all sides, said Re-
gent Daniel Horning (R-Grand Haven),
who helped bring GVSU and the Loutit
foundation, a community organization,
into the venture.
"It's natural, for educational pur-
poses, that Grand Valley be involved,"
Horning said.
A consortium approving the facility
is expected to be signed by the three
m
s'
ic
cc
parties in June, Ward said.
"That's the first step - agreeing to'
go forward," he said. "I think that's A
sure thing to happen.
"In my guess it's ... a year beforewe
have the money in hand," Ward said.
One ofthe facility's majorgoals will be
to serve as an educational resource for
students from grade school to grad school,
according to an informational brochure.
Everything from microscopic organisms
to the food chain will be studied.
The research center staff will give
tours and demonstrations to elementary
and junior high school students when
they visit.
Marvin Parnes, assistant vice presi-
dent for research at the University, said
the research center will benefit students
as well as scien-
tists. "It will pro-
earchers vide lecture and
laboratory facili-
ties for spring and
summer classes
her for a and for field trips
1s to the lake during
the fall and win-
ter semesters," he
Matt Mc Logan said.
e president for Grand Valley
)mmunications administrators
said they are ex-
cited about the partnership.
"The University of Michigan's re-
search capability is legendary," said
GVSU Vice President for University
Communications Matt McLogan. "Be-
cause of the location of our vessel and
(the University's) vessel, our research-
ers have been talking to each other for
a long time."
The facility's resources will be avail-
able to other universities that are inter-
ested in freshwater research and educa-
tion, along with state and federal agen-
cies.
Organizers say they hope the state-
of-the-art facility, the only one of its
kind on the Great Lakes, will become a
nationwide leader in aquatic research.
"There's a lot ofstuff that goes on at the
Art School that many people are just
not aware of," Kaplan said.
Copp said he agrees. "Anytime you
get people in the Diag to see what's
going on in any school, it's a great
thing."
Kaplan said he was encouraged by
his display.
"I am thrilled with the turn-out and
hope that this will motivate more stu-
dents to do things like this," he said.
Local Dems. unveil 12 environmental bills
! Legislation targets toxic waste,
promotes land and water quality
Stephanie Jo Klein
lily Staff Reporter
In anticipation of Earth Day today, three Demo-
cratic state legislators joined together Friday to unveil
a package of environmental legislation aimed at pre-
serving the quality of land and water throughout
Michigan.
At a joint press conference, state Rep. Liz Brater
(D-Ann Arbor), state Rep. Mary Schroer (D-Ann
Arbor) and state Sen. Alma Wheeler Smith (D-Salem
Twp.) introduced local residents to 12 different bills
that would promote recycling, clean water standards
d toxic waste cleanup.
Brater, who proposed the establishment of a com-
mission on environmental health risk assessment pro-
cedures, requiring safety inspections for hazardous
waste haulers and creating a monitor program for
water use in the Great Lakes Basin, said such pro-
grams are necessary for the state.
"We need to have these proposals in place," she
said in an interview with The Michigan Daily, stress-
ing the need for environmental regulations in a time of
weakened legislation in the state.
Brater pointed out that in 1995 Gov. John Engler
and other state Republicans re-
versed the Polluter Pay laws, which
required businesses to pay for their
own environmental cleanup.
"I believe (the governor) is pan-
dering to the business interest,"
Brater said.
Smith said yesterday that the
public announcement of her bills,
which include regulation of haz-
ardous waste injection in deep
Smith wells,,creating an assistance pro-
gram for business to reduce use of
toxic materials, and giving tax credits to businesses
that clean up sites contaminated byother businesses,
serves as a wake-up call to voters.
She said voters need to be aware, "of the losses that
they have suffered under this current administra-
tion."
Smith criticized the reversal of the Polluter Pay
law, a decision that enables businesses to keep their
pollution violations private, as long as they promise
state officials to clean up their site in the future.
"It's kind of like 'don't ask, don't tell,"' she said.
"The public has the right to know."
In a statement, Schroer said Michigan's position as
the Great Lakes State should make it more environ-
mentally conscious.
"This year Michigan relaxed its advisory on Great
Lakes salmon, which is absurd when we should be
leading the way and setting higher standards," said
Schroer, who proposed more stringent standards on
sport fishing.
All three of the officials are doubtful that their
bills will be passed through the pro-Engler Legis-
lature.
"They should be aware that the chance of any ofmy
bills passing is slim to none," Smith said.
Brater said she hopes her bills at least get to be
heard in committee chambers. "That would be repre-
sentative of the Democratic process," she said.
Hundreds mourn with
family of Israeli victims
to use $3M grant to start biomedical dept
By Rajal Pitroda
Daily Staff Reporter
A $3 million grant, offered to the
University's College of Engineering by
the Whitaker Foundation, will be used
to aid in the creation of a new biomedi-
cal engineering department.
The Whitaker Foundation offers sup-
port to universities around the country
promote the use of engineering to
ay elp solve medical problems and im-
prove the quality of life.
"The University has shown Whitaker
that we are the place for the grant," said
George Carignan, assistant dean for
graduate education and research. "We
have one of the best engineering and
medical schools in the nation, and now
we can work to further raise our level of
activity."
* The grant, which is still pending
approval from the University Board
of Regents, is part of the Whitaker
'Foundation's Biomedical Engineer-
ing Development Awards program.
This specific program supports bio-
medical engineering research and edu-
cation at leading universities around
the country.
"A new department of biomedical
engineering will enable the focused
faculty effort necessary to create and
maintain a state-of-the-art curricu-
lum," said Charles Cain, director of
the current bioengineering program.
"The new Center for Biomedical En-
gineering Research will involve fac-
ulty and students from many depart-
ments in a broadly based interdisci-
plinary environment to develop ex-
cellent research programs in exciting
new areas.'"
Now that the department has the
opportunity to create its own depart-
mental curriculum, control its own fa-
cilities and recruit additional faculty,
it will be able to attract a more quali-
fied body of graduate students and
establish a new series of joint
bachelor's/master's degree programs
for undergraduates.
The new department will include 12
faculty members who will work to
develop a strong curriculum in five
To remain competitive, we must
adapt and evolve in a changing world."
- Charles Cain
Director of bioengineering program
2 sons killed in attack
on U.N. camp
DEARBORN(AP)-A local family
whose two sons wereamong those killed
by an Israeli attack on a U.N. peace-
keepers' base in Lebanon prayed with
other area Lebanese yesterday.
About 1,300 people, including U.S.
Sen. Spencer Abraham (R-Mich.),
prayed for the victims of the attack
during a service yesterday at the Is-
lamic Center of America in Detroit.
"People were quite emotional because
this incident has reached home," Nassib
Fawaz, a member of the mosque, said.
Haider and Chadia Bitar's sons, Hadi
and Abdul, were on spring break visit-
ing their paternal grandmother when
fighting between Lebanese guerrillas
and Israeli soldiers intensified.
The three were forced to seek shelter
at a U.N. refugee camp, which came
under attack Thursday. The two chil-
dren were killed Thursday and their
grandmother lost an arm.
"I will pray for the children," Haider
Bitar told The Detroit News in a story
yesterday. "All the children of Lebanon
and around the world, for real peace."
The fighting continued for an 11th
straight day yesterday as Israeli gun-
boats and warplanes pounded south
Lebanon and Hezbollah guerrillas fired
more rockets into northern Israel.
The continued bloodshed is hinder-
ing the Bitar's attempts to bury their
children and bring the boys' grand-
mother totheir Dearborn home.
"Wejust have to wait," said Ali Jabre,
a spokesperson for the family. "You
can't get to the area where this great
slaughter took place.
"Until there is a cease-fire agreement
and everybody recognizes everybody's
place, we can't make plans."
The family's hopes now rests on the
peace efforts of President Clinton and
Secretary of State Warren Christopher.
"I pray that they can bring peace,"
Haider Bitar said.
areas - biomedical imaging,
biomaterials, bioelectric systems and
biotechnology, Cain said. The new re-
search center will coordinate and pro-
mote interdisciplinary research pro-
grams, as it will be jointly adminis-
tered by the College of Engineering
and the Medical School.
"Worldwide demand for high qual-
ity health care-related technologies is
unlikely to decrease," Cain said. "Stu-
dent interest in biomedical engineer-
ing will increase substantially in the
next century. To remain competitive,
we must adapt and evolve in a chang-
ing world."
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