LOCAL/STATE

The Michigan Daily - Friday, October 11, 1996 - 5


'U'

alum wins Nobel Prize in chemisy

By Chris Metinko
For the Daily
The University has added another Nobel Prize win-
ner to its history.
Richard Smalley, a 1965 University graduate, was
awarded Wednesday the Nobel Prize for chemistry for
his 1985 discovery of"Buckminsterfullerenes," a new
family of carbon molecules. He collaborated on the
project with Robert Curl of Rice University in Texas
and Harold Kroto of Sussex University in England.
"We hoped, but we didn't expect (to win). In 1985,
we were on cloud nine. We knew it was something sig-
nificant' Curl said.
"I like working with (Smalley) a lot," Curl said.
"He's a really bright guy."
Smalley was out of town and could not be reached
for comment.
University chemistry Prof. Christer Nordman
taught Smalley, an organic chemistry undergraduate at
the time, in his physical chemistry class in fall 1963.
"It was well deserved. 've been expecting it. I fig-
ured he was in for a Nobel Prize sometime," said
Nordman, who described Smalley's findings as

"extremely exciting."
"To discover a new form of carbon is a sensation,"
Nordman said.
Chemistry Prof. Richard Lawton agreed.
"I would liken (his finding) to the finding of peni-
cillin by Sir Alexander Fleming."
While Smalley now works at Rice University,
Nordman said the Nobel glow also extends to the
University of Michigan.
"It shines a little glory on us" Nordman said. "We
have a pretty good undergraduate body here."
Lawton said Smalley's award was well deserved.
"He is a creative and thorough scientist and has
an enormous curiosity," Lawton said. Curl echoed
that sentiment, but said Smalley's imagination and
focus played an important role in winning the
award.
"He's always looking for the most important thing
to be done - then he sits down and figures out how
to do it," Curl said.
"I think what we did in 1985 - it was the most
gigantic thing we ever did, but in Rick's case, he's
done some very special things. He would have won

prizes without this work."
Many members of the chemistry program at the
University said they were proud of Smalley's accom-
plishments.
"Many of us know him - he gives both general and
private lectures here;" said Prof. Anthony Francis, who
researches the same carbon family.
Francis said Smalley was on campus a year ago giv-
ing a lecture. Francis said he was very excited to hear
about Smalley's discovery.
"I think it speaks of a tradition of excellence at
Michigan that is recognized nationally" Francis s .
Francis said, however, that many graduates go ortto
great careers from the University and don't win'a
Nobel Prize. Smalley is just one who has gone verb far.
But Lawton said he doesn't believe the award'says
anything about the University today.
"The undergraduate department has changed enor-
mously since then," Lawton said.
Nevertheless, Michigan has another name to add to
its already rich tradition.
"You have a great alumnus,"Curl said. "He's a great
scientist."

Canadian auto worker strike escalates

DETROIT (AP) - Another 6,350
Canadian Auto Workers joined a strike
late Wednesday and brought a halt to
General Motor's Canada operations.
But the action is not expected to hurt
the automaker's U.S. operations for a
few days, a company spokesperson and
industry analysts said.
The walkout had originally been set
to start at midnight, but workers left
early following a wildcat strike late
Wednesday afternoon at GM's parts
depot in Woodstock, Ont.
"Talks stalled, and there was no reason
to wait," Kruno Ozvald, an assembler,

said shortly before midnight outside a
transmission plant in Windsor, Ont.
The workers from the last four GM
plants that were operating in Canada
have brought the total number of strik-
ing workers to 28,510. They include
3,640 workers at two Windsor plants,
2,260 workers at a London plant and
450 workers at a Woodstock plant, a
CAW spokesperson said.

Canadian Auto Workers President
Buzz Hargrove said before boarding a
plane to Windsor that workers in

Woodstock "blew up" when GM bffi-
cials brought in rail cars to try and-hip
out extra parts before work stopped.-

take the inside track to
grad school admissions.

JENNIFER BRADLEY-SWIFT/Daily
Love's labor lost
Tim Johnson, chair of the OBGYN department at the University Medical
Center, shows Barbara Levin, wife of Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.), a private
labor room. Mrs. Levin toured University medical facilities yesterday.

Asian American games open today

Come to a free
Kaplan seminar
and leam ho'
overcnime then

W to
- hurdIles

OAnn Stewart
Daily Staff Reporter
Some lucky Asian American stu-
dents just might claim the titles of
Twister Champ and Stairmaster
Supreme tonight.
The second annual Asian Pacific
American Games are scheduled for
10:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m. at the Central
Campus Recreation Building.
The event, sponsored by United
Asian American Organizations, is
meant to welcome Asian American
students to the University community.
10 "It's giving students a chance to
compete with each other and join dif-
ferent ethnicities to build a sense of
community," said Tait Sye, Asian
Pacific American coordinator for
Minority Student Services.

The variety of games will include
traditional sports such as volleyball,
basketball, relay races and soccer, as
well as more original competitions
like the Twister tournament,
Stairmaster challenge and arm-
wrestling contests.
UAAO vice chair Christine Seto
said she looks forward to a good time,
even through "potentially painful"
events like a bungee run in which a
student attempts to run while attached
to a cord and eventually gets snapped
back to the start.
"(We want them to) come out of
their holes in the dorm, have fun and
meet people," Seto said.
Sye said 16 different Asian
American groups will take part in the
games.

He said part of the purpose of the
event is to bring groups together as
one community and "working togeth-
er on common goals and agendas" is
an very effective way to do precisely
that.
While last year's games were held
outdoors, weather constraints forced
the games inside this year.
Yet organizers said some of the new
creative contests will make up for
strictly outdoor games.
"Hopefully (there will be) a good
turnout and a lot of interaction
between the groups," Seto said.
Sye said the games are targeted
toward, but not limited to, Asian
American students. Students must
prosent University identification at
the door.

Sschool selection
.entrance exams
* personal statements
. recommendations

University of Michigan
Tuesday, October 15
LSAT: 6:30-8pm
MCAT: 8-9:30pm
Wednesday, October 16
GRE: 6:30-8pm
GMAT: 8-9:30pm
Space is limited.
Call today!

1 -800-KAP-TEST

I

..

I.
,,

Eat real bagels... rollerblade in Central Park...
tour Black Rock... see the lions... study

Shakespeare...

watch

Shakespeare...

do

s t.
x*
f.

Shakespeare... join the crowds... feel the beat...
smell the roses... smell the subway... rise and
shine... never sleep... hit the clubs... catch a
show... see a game... experience the art... embrace
the music... get to class... learn something... see
everything... come back changed.

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