LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, March 13, 1997 - 3A
* * ~~I1f
Smith recieves
foundation
fellowship
Mathematics assistant Prof. Karen
mith has been selected as an Alfred
P. Sloan Research Fellow. As part of
The fellowship, she will receive a
$35,000 grant to use toward graduate
study.
"I hope that your selection from
among this remarkable group of nomi-
nees will ... convey a clear indication of
the high esteem in which your past
work and future potentials are held by
ur fellow scientists," Ralph Gomory,
esident of the New York-based foun-
dation, wrote in a release announcing
Smith's selection.
'U' underwater
robot helps police
The University's underwater robot,
M-Rover, recently traveled to the
Mackinac Bridge in northern Michigan
assist authorities in the recovery of a
hicle.
The vehicle had swerved over the
side of the bridge, killing its only pas-
senger last week.
The Ford Bronco broke through the
ice 190 feet below the bridge and con-
tinued its plunge another 190 feet. It
took M-Rover less than 15 minutes to
locate the vehicle, which the Coast
Guard and police officers were then
able to recover.
applications for
fellowship now
available
The third annual Predoctoral and
Postdoctoral Fellowship Competition
has been announced by the University's
center for organogenesis.
The award provides two years of
*pport to graduate students who wish
to conduct a research project in the
field of organogenesis, which is the
study of the development of biological
organs.
The project should be inter-discipli-
nary and must fit with the goals of the
center. For application materials, send
e-mail to MshukaitCdunic/h.edu or call
936-2499.
tarrett awarded
ergman Prize
Mathematics Prof. David Barrett is
one of two recipients of the 1997
Stefan Bergman Prize.
The prize is named for the late
Stefan Bergman, who was known for
his research in the field of "several
complex variables."
The selection committee members
id Barrett's work "is characterized by
highly original and deep insight," and
they called his contributions to the sev-
eral complex variables as "unexpected
developments which settled crucial nat-
ural problems and initiated new direc-
tions of research," according to a writ-
ten statement.
Committee seeks
cure for disease
The Comprehensive Cancer
Center's Prostrate SPORE
Committee requests applications
from faculty for the investigation of a
cure for prostate cancer.
The committee is placing an empha-
sis on research proposals that seek to
understand the mechanisms involved in
prostate cancer development. It is espe-
cially seeking out translational
earch.
Submission deadline is May 15. For
application forms, call 763-3455 or
send e-mail to bardella uumich.edit.
- Compiled by Daily Staff Reporter
Mac Lightdale.
Cadaver shortages face medical students
By Joelle Renstrom
Daily Staff Reporter
The doctors of tomorrow may be
missing experience they need, due to a
shortage of cadavers around the nation.
William Burkel, director of the
University's anatomical donations, said
this shortage is a nationwide problem that
affects the education of medical students.
"We've had enough donations, but
there are always more requests for indi-
viduals, like teaching surgeons, profes-
sionals, physical therapists or graduate
students. That's when there aren't
enough," Burkel said.
Barbara Rosso, at Wayne State
University's anatomical study program,
said the donated cadavers are vital to
medical students.
"There has always been a shortage,"
Rosso said. "We realize donating is not
for everyone, but the medical commu-
nity really suffers.
"It's getting harder for students to get
what they need," she added. "There is
just no alternative to research."
Rosso said Wayne State receives about
185 adult cadavers each year but needs
more than 230 to adequately suit students.
"The demand is always greater than
the supply," Rosso said. "We try to team
up. A number of students use the same
materials."
School of Nursing sophomore Kyle
Rinehart said the shortage of donations
affects students in the nursing school.
"Because there aren't enough, we
have to sign up to watch autopsies"
Rinehart said. "It's rare to see an autop-
sy because you never know when one
will be performed.
"Although I keep signing up, I
haven't been able to see one autopsy
yet," Rinehart said. "The cadaver short-
age has really hurt nursing students. We
can't even get what's second best."
Burkel agreed that nothing compares
to the real experience.
"Technology is a long way from being
able to compensate," Burkel said.
"Virtual reality is visual, but it can't
replace the 3-D. hands-on kinesthetic
sensations."
Burkel also emphasized how grateful
students are for donations.
"We respect that each was an individ-
ual, and we look at them that way, not as
objects," he said. "We respect the fact
that they laughed, cried and had friends
just like us."
Criteria must be met before a dona-
tiont can be used for study, Rosso said.
The body cannot have undergone
surgery in the past six months, she said.
"The embalming fluid we use is real-
ly strong. We keep bodies for up to two
years at room temperature," Rosso said.
Another problem is obesity. Schools
prefer that donations be of relatively pro-
portionate height and weight. Bodies
that have been badly burned or decom-
posed also cannot be used, she said.
Rosso said there is a danger in using
a cadaver that had a contagious disease.
"The risk of transmission is too great,
especially at Wayne State, which has
the largest number of entering freshmen
in the country' she said.
There are alternatives for people who
are uncomfortable with whole-body
donation. The Organ Procurement
Society is for people who want to des-
ignate certain organs for study.
"People will themselves to science
for the good of mankind," Rosso said.
"We appreciate any donations."
The Organ Procurement Society can
be reached at (313) 464-7988. The
University's anatomical study depart-
ment can be reached at 764-4359.
'U,
students recycle trees
to make new buildings
By Greg Cox
Daily Staff Reporter
Growing a thriving forest can be a
messy process.
But two University students are tak-
ing small trees that usually go to waste
and are using them to construct new
buildings.
Architecture graduate students Paul
Warner and Craig Synnestvedt
designed and partially built a structure
using timber that was cleared from
forests. The U. S. Forest Service clears
small timbers, making room for larger
trees to prosper.
The project's aim is to provide a
unique solution to the dilemma that
arises when forests are thinned to pro-
mote the growth of large trees.
"We tried to find something interest-
ing to do with, small poles instead of
simply grinding them up," Synnestvedt
said.
Their project is on display in the Art
and Architecture Building on North
Campus, and was one of several student
projects recognized with an Alumni
Choice Award at an annual exhibit of
student work.
"Removing stems mechanically is
expensive, as selective cutting and har-
vesting must be done in a manner that
will minimize damage to the higher-
quality timber," said Ronald Wolfe, a
research engineer for the U.S.
Department of Agriculture Forest
Service.
Wolfe said that when the smaller
trees are cleared from the forest, they
are usually wasted or not fully utilized.
Oftentimes, the common solutions
don't make economic sense.
"In most instances, products such as
paper or composite panels do not gen-
erate enough revenue by themselves to
cover the cost of harvesting thinnings,"
Wolfe said.
For these reasons, researchers at the
Forest Products Laboratory in Madison,
Wis., have been looking for an alterna-
tive solution for a number of years.
Warner and Synnestvedt visited the lab
and have been working closely with the
Forest Service on a solution since the
beginning of the year.
The structure they created uses bent
small timbers as trusses. It is intended
to replace the visitor's center at the
north end of the Mackinac Bridge.
The center is a place where people
visiting the area can pick up maps and
other information regarding their vaca-
tion. The current center was established
by the Department of Transportation as
a temporary installation.
However, it is not certain whether the
award-winning design will be con-
structed.
"Being only one structure, building
the new visitor center wouldn't solve
all of the problems," Warner said,
adding that it may provide a model for
later use. "It is an example of what
could be done and might give others
ideas."
"The idea of the new design is'to
bring a new look to. the facility and
give visitors a message of our efforts
to utilize resources to their fullest,"
said Daryl Dean, a U. S. Forest Service
official.
Having backgrounds in civil engi-
neering as well as architecture, Warner
and Synnestvedt said they were able to
have a better understanding of what
could work in designing their struc-
ture.
"The engineering background gives
us an intuition of where the structural
forces should be," Warner said. "We
were thinking about how the building
would be put together while building
our project."
Warner and Synnestvedt have now
entered the waiting stage of the project.
Further testing must be done before the
Forest Service can approve the con-
struction.
Once the testing is complete, Warner
and Synnestvedt said they are opti-
mistic that USDA will go through with
the project.
"We hope that the Madison Lab will
do the structural testing," Synnestvedt
said. "If all goes well, then we might
build a piece of it for the (Ann Arbor)
Art Fair."
Building parts of the structure is not,
simple. Warner and Synnestvedt had to
bend the poles using a pickup truck in
the Media Union parking lot. The
process involved a great deal of trial
and error.
The small trees often snapped under
the stress of being bent, and urgency
was added to the problem, as the tim-
bers became more dry and less flexible
with each hour.
"Getting blisters and splinters was a
big part of the learning process,"
Warner said.
Warner and Synnestvedt said they
can't wait indefinitely for their propos-
al to be approved for construction, as
other work opportunities arise during
USDA testing.
"We hope it will be built,"
Synnestvedt said. "The great delays do
present problems, however."
JOSH BIGG:
Architecture graduate students Paul Warner and Craig Synnestvedt stand
under the structure they created with timber cleared from forests.
ISSUE
Continued from Page 1A
Liberty Party vice presidential candi-
date Liz Keslacy said the problem with
minority enrollment doesn't lie at the
University level,{so MSA cannot have a
direct effect on the issue.
pus," Curtin said, adding that the stu-
dent population is becoming richer,
whiter and more male. "We want to
increase minority enrollment. We think
that it is going to take building a student
movement to do that." .
Jim Riske, the Victors Party's presiden-
tial candidate, said MSA can't do much
"It's not the
University's fault -
black kids didn't We I
apply here"
Keslacy said thisis
"'(Sending the let-
ters) seems a little campus
extreme to me."
Liberty Party
presidential candi- Indep
date Martin
Howrylak said this
is an extremely complex issue that
probably begins at the community
level,
Jessica Curtin, an independent presi-
dential candidate, claimed minority
enrollment is low because of high
tuition and not enough financial aid.
"We don't think this a diverse cam-
uon't think
a diverse
- Jessica Curtin
except work
with high
schools to pro-
duce quality
students that
diversify the
campus.
"That in it
of itself will
the world is getting smaller
smell better.
per
ndent candidate help improve
the number of
minority stu-
dents coming here," Riske said. "MSA
can't play a direct role, but it can make
a difference."
Riske said the University is a diverse
campus, but not as diverse as it could
be, and that the University should not
look solely at applicant percentages to
measure the campus climate.
Correction
Business senior Adwowa Afenyi-Annan was misidentified in yesterday's Daily.
What
GROUP MEETINGS
U Campus Crusade for Christ,
Fellowship meetin$, Dental
School, Kellog Auditorium, 7
p.m.
U Lutheran Campus Ministry Issues of
Faith Group, 668-7622, Lord of
Light Lutheran Church, 801 South
Forest, 7 p.m.
0 UJA Half Shekel, Campaign meeting
998-1964, Hillel, 1429 Hill St., 6
p.m.
U Undergraduate Mathematics
SocietX, 213-2018, East Hall,
Q ALL.N LI
's happening in Ann Arbor today
Presentation, sponsored by The
International Center, Michigan
Union, International Center, 3-
4:30 p.m.
U "Kinesiology Day," sponsored by
The Division of Kinesiology,
Michigan League Ballroom, 8
a.m.-2 p.m.
U "Laurence Lieberman," Book read-
ing, sponsored by The English
Department, Rack ham
Amphitheater, 5 p.m.
U "PersonalWellnesshWorkshop,'
sponsored by The Michigan
Union Welness Workshop,
SERVICES
U Campus Information Centers,
Michigan Union and Pierpont
Commons, 763-INFO,
irifo@umich.edu, UM*Events on
GOpherBLUE, and http://
www.umich.edu/-info on the
World Wide Web
0 English Composition Board Peer
Tutoring, need help with a paper?,
Angell Hall, Room 444C, 7-11
p.m.
U Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley Hall,
Pcv l Dnp a, hdaes micsA ini-
m111