LOCAL/STATE
The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 10, 1998 - 3A
RESEARCH
'U' conference
to unite music,
technology
Composers, engineers and consul-
tants will try to bridge the gap between
creativity and technology at the
University's International Computer
Music Conference Oct. 1-6.
Music Prof. Mary Simoni is orgmniz-
ing the event, which is being hosted by
the School of Music.
Through workshops, seminars and
demonstrations engineers will apply
the latest technology to music and com-
osers will show how they incorporate
'chnology into their performing
ensembles.
Conference highlights will include
an Oct. 5 symphony band performance,
leaturing the world premiere of a David
Jaffe electronic violin concerto.
Study: Maternal
preferences
*ffect offspring's
childbearing age
Young men and women whose moth-
ers urged them to marry and have a
large family tend to have children soon-
er than their peers, according to a new
University study.
Jennifer Barber, a sociologist at the
University's Institute for Social
Research, compiled a data set on 835
mother-child pairs who were studied
*r 31 years.
She found that daughters whose
mothers preferred they marry by age
21 had their first child seven years
faster than mothers who preferred their
children marry at age 30.
Initiative to give
road map to new
technologies
'hirty years ago, most Americans
had never touched a computer. But now
many need help learning and other
technologies that are becoming a part
of daily life.
The University announced an initia-
tive Sept. 2 which is designed to give
teachers, students and workers a road
map to understand new information
technologies.
*The project, called the Ameritech
Learning Initiative, will be lunded over
the next five years with a S5 million
grant from Ameritech.
Katherine Willis, director of pro-
gram development for the School of
Information, said the project is aimned
at "real people who have real work they
want to achieve."
est measures
effectiveness of
chemotherapy
A new study released this summer
by the University Comprehensive
Cancer Center suggests a prostate-
specific antigen test can determine
how well chemotherapy has worked
in patients with advanced prostate
cancer.
PSA screening tests are used to
*tect prostate cancer by measuring the
level of a prostate-specific antigen in
the blood. The validity of previous
efforts to use the test to gauge patient
response to therapy was questionable.
University researchers studied 62
men with prostate cancer and found
those whose PSA level declined 50 per-
cent or niore after eight weeks of
hemotherapy had a significantly high-
survival rate.
Study: Blacks
concerned with
the environment
Blacks are equally or more con-
cerned as whites about water and air
pollution, and other environmental
issues, according to a University study.
"The conventional wisdom is that,
e to greater concerns about jobs,
crime education and other 'survival'
issues, black Americans are uncon-
cerned about the environment," said
SNRE associate Prof. Paul Mohai.
"This study provides clear evidence
that conventional wisdom is wrong."
For the study, 793 people were sur-
veyed to identify their views on a wide
range of environmental issues.
* Conpilel by Daily Staff Reporter
Jason Stoffer:
'U' prof. proves ancient Kepler theory
By Erin Holmes
Baits StallReporter
in 1611, Johannes Kepler proposed a theory
of the most efficient way to stack three-dimen-
sional spherical objects.
Ten years ago, mathematics Prof. Thomas
lales set out to become the first person in 400
years to prove Kepler's theory.
Iast month -lales announced a solution -
280 pages of mathematical proof -- to the
ancient problem. But when asked if he knew
what he was getting into, he gave a nervous
chuckle.
"I couldn't imagine it would be so difficult,"
Hales said. "I realized pretty quick that it was
harder than it seemed."
Ilales defined the problem as "proving the
densest packing of spheres in space." The solu-
tion, called face-centered cubic packing by
Kepler, was obvious for hundreds of years, he
said.
"The best arrangement is familiar, IHales
said. "It's the cannonball arrangement that
shows up in war menorials or trust stands
when people stack oranges."
But the proof of the solution was ttses' goat
- work that he said initially sioves a lot sf
uncertainty.
"The problem starts out with so itsuite
number of variables," 'iaLes said. "Oi si ttie
hardest things to do was bring it sosu to
finite number'"
Iventually, Hales said, he wis aheti condense
the problem to an equtson sit 155 risles
"You need to make a list sit escry sphers.
packing that can potentially be hetter t s the
one you want t o show is best," ttales said
"There are about 5,000 possibilities out there "
Although it didn't originate as s sist pro-
ject, Ilales received help fron sis graduate
assistant Samuel Fergusun.
Fergusun "wrote his Ph.D. undei my dsres.-
lion,"H ales said. "tis thesis project actuily
solved part of the problem
On August 9, lIales presented hss fisistied
proof to mathematiciansis, whi wilt liut it
through a 'refereeing process" to ensure that
thlere are nsi errors.
"IVe tried to be very careful," Bales said. "It
will actualty be a relief when somebody else
can say they've checked it and everything
lIle ssid the University's mathematics
teparsmessi v-s supportive during his search
for , sslutirn - although he never reveasled to
theim how close he was to the answer.
"tihey knew I was working on the problem:"
II stes said. "I jest didn't tell them how close I
Mattiemaltics department Chair Al faylor
salid he knew as early as 1992 that Hales was
working on the problem.
"In the math department, everyone is work-
ing on a problem," Taylor said. "It's the typical
thing that happens all the time here.. But
(Itales) really did it."
Taylsir added that the department is pleaised
wiIb llaIes' proof and the internationat fame lie
receied because of the situation's rarity.
"Iiere aren't many 41)1-year-old problems
that get solved," Taylor said. "This is an
unusual occurrence.
'Taylor said Bales' success isn't the first in
the Unisersity's mathemities department. In
the 1970s, mathlematics Prof. Robert Griess
solved a problem stemming from a 19th
('entury theory.
But Griess said a lot has changed since his
success more than 20 years ago.
"I got calls nd letters from all over the
world,' Griess said. "But currently mathemati-
cal (media) coverage is at a higher level than it
was then. there hasn't been a lot of coverage of
math advancements in the past."
With his proof now out sif his hands, hales
said he isn't certain what his next undertaking
will be.
"I like big prejects;' hales said. But he said
there is one challenge he can't handle.
"Right after I finished the problem, I went to
Germany a nd signed sip for super-intensive
German" Ilales sid. "I reilly struggled."
Social 3 Y-.
Work
,
addition
complete
By Lauren Gibbs
The bulldozers and cranes that
have been a permanent fixture on the
southwest corner of East and South
University since August 1995 have
finally gone away leaving the
shiny new School of Social Work
Building in their place.
In the summer of 1988, Social
Work Prof. Jesse (iordon wrote a
proposal to the University empha-
sizing the need to build a new
social work building.
Ten years later, the building is
completed and University commu-
nity members can take part in a
dedication day and celebration cer-
emonies on Sept. 25.
Until this semester, the school was
based mainly in the Frieze Building,
where space was growing scare for
the expanding school, and the facul-
ty was scattered across Central
Campus.
the University approved Giordon's
proposal in July of 1988, and ground-
breaking to begin construction took
place in August.
The new
building, A
which was "One o1
finished last
semeste r, x ex iting tl
houses the top
ranked social the no wbi
work gradu-- a
ate program, e ctac i
according to
U.S. News &
W o r l d
Report.
David Crampton, a Social Work
graduate student, said the new building
"helps everyone (in the school) feel
more professional and legitimate.
Social Work Dean Paula Allen-
Meares said the most impressive
feature of the new building is the
access to technology resources.
"I think that one of the most excit-
ing things about the new building is
Circle K wins
international
recogniion
University chapter raised
more than $5, 000
The School of Social Work Building was recently completed. A dedic
ceremony will be held Sept. 25 for University community members.
F
I
the spectacular library and cutting
edge technology thst it slers"
Allen-Meares said.
Along with a full library, which
Allen-Meares has dubbed "the hub
o intellectual activity," the
Comprehensive Resource Center
contains a fuly integrated computing
site tir students to retrieve informa-
tion at the push of a button.
lvry
'the most a s
(NO $NO~tr o o m
. cont ains
ings about e iheruc
phrt for
ilding is theo 11 i n e
r library de s k to p
Paula Allen-Meares comput-
e rs and
Social Work Dean d e o
projec-
tors. From each podium, the
instructor can control the, lights,
projector and VCR. The touch-
screen information station in the
lobby allows visitors access to a
full directory and schedule of
classes and events.
Also, the Distance Learning Facility
allows students and faculty to commu-
nicate in a video conference to almost
any locasion around the world.
Thle f'.cuity oftices were
desipsued .rsuissd sctagonal open
sts i.wsys, i order to promote
fsee-ti-sce csInommuication
beiwees, the s:lf, whsile sthe class-
sroms isis) resesrch offices have
been built is' te heills between the
stairw.ays. GOordon said.
('rimpton said thc new facilities
t hs ise students and faculty in
the school) to interact rsore than
before and create more of a com-
munity within the school"
In addition to the technological
and educational adsantages the
new building offers, it is also quite
a work of art, Allen-Meares said.
The brick and limestone exterior
remains consistent to the dominant
genre of the buildings on Central
C'ampus. The school's interior con-
tains 40 museum-quality works,
including a commissioned sculp-
ture by nationally renowned sculp-
tor Sam Gilliam.
The facilities of this new building
correspond to a revised curriculum
that was established in 1997, which
Dean Allen-Meares said "provides a
rich environment to support and add to
the research, instruction and service
agenda of the school"
By William Nash
Daily Staff Reporter
Eighteen members of Circle K, an
on-campus community service
group, returned from a trip to
Jamaica last month with nice tans
and and the first-place Gold
Achievement Award.
The award was presented on August
10 to the club with the highest overall
achievement in the areas of communi-
ty service and fundraising.
The chapter received the brass cup
for raising more than $5,000 for
charities and
doing more
than 2,500 "(The a
hours t sicom-
munity ser- literallyti
vice.
"To win the Champiow
International
Gold Cup of organizati
Achievement
is beyond all
words," said former p
Rishi Mougil,
former president of the University's
Circle K chapter. "It is literally the
national championship of our orga-
nization."
The organization, which is spon-
sored by the Kiwanis Club, stresses
leadership, fellowship and service,
Members also have done activities
for area children such as visiting the
Motts Children Hospital, helping
with the Ozone House's open house
and being active in K-grams, a pro-
gram that pen-pals college and ele-
mentary students.
Chapter members said they had no
idea how the voting would turn out
in Jamaica.
"I thought we were in the running,"
said Katie Foley, chapter vice presi-
dent. "I knew we'd done great things."
One of those great things was to
increase student participatio in
Circle K.
The group more than tripled its
membership for a total of 105 mem-
bers, earning it the Growth
Enhances Membership Award.
e
I/
The organization's campaign of
posting signs with an encircled 'K'
on billboards peaked interest on
campus, said Beth Morrison, chap-
ter secretary.
"We grabbed people's attention, and
once they came to our programs and
events, it was the energy and heart that
retained them," Mougil said.
The chapter also started Website
where students can join the organi-
zation (www.umich.edu/-circlek)
and obtained an on-campus office. It
meets every Thursday and has a
mass meet-
ing sched-
ward) is uled for
Sept. 17 in
National gt h e
Michigan
ship of our U n i o n 's
Kuenzel
on. Room.
In addi-
- Rishi Mougil tion to the
resident of Circle K GEM and
G o 1 d
Achievement Awards, a few individuals
awards hound their way into some Circle
Member's hands.
Honore Brodene, former chapter
district governor, and Jennifer
Bucholz, former chapter secretary,
received distinguished status for
their services.
Moudgil wpn a $1,000 scholar-
ship for his leadership and academic
achievements.
"The scholarship I won was a nice
one for tuition purposes, and it was
very nice that the Michigan District
had nominated me," Mougil said.
Circle K had more student involve-
ment this year than any other in its 30-
year existence at the University.
Hard work, talented officials and
a recent restructuring are reasons for
this years triumph, Foley said.
Although last year's officers have
moved on, this year's leaders hope to
maintain the precedent set by the group.
"We're going to do our best to
keep it up and, most importantly,
have fun," Foley said.
Judge dismisses Temptations suit.
DETROIT (AP) - A federal judge
yesterday dismissed an injunction
request by the family of former
Temptations lead singer David Ruffin
seeking to stop the filming and airing of
a miniseries about the group.
U S. District Court Judge John
Feikens said he could not stop the fihn-
ing of the program, scheduled to air on
NBC Nov. 1-2.
Gregory Reed argued the series,
labeled as a docudrama, should be
stopped because it would confuse its
viewers.
"Any docudrama is not covered by
the First Amendment," Reed said. "It
creates a state of confusion. The viewer
doesn't know what is fact and what is
fiction."
Attorney Melanie LaFave, represent-
ing the series producer Suzanne de about Ruffin's grandchildren.
Passe, argued that claim had no Attorney Herschel Fink, representing
grounds. Motown, cited cases such as the
"Fiction, fact, a blend - its protect- Pentagon Papers and argued that "we
ed," she said. simply can't consider a prior restraint.
Reed also argued that the four-hour Ihe law, the Constitution, prohibits it"
series would damage the Ruffin family. Members of the Ruffin family said
Excerpts from the script show that they were disappointed by the judge's
Ruffin's mother, Earlene Ruffin, is decision. Ruffin died in 1991.
depicted as an unchaste woman and that Ruffin's ex-wife, Sandra Ruffin, said
she gave the young David to a pimp. she was upset that the series could not
Reed said these images are false. be stopped.
Feikens said such complaints could "Everybody will suffer because it's
be sorted out as defamation lawsuits not true," she said. "They didn't come
after the series has been made and to anybody in the family for the truth."
broadcast.
Reed disagreed.
"'Ihere's no accurate remedy when
you have children who have to carry
this burden of shame," he said, talking
I
University of Wisconsin- Platteville
"If e" hare built cast. s is he ir,
yosur vwrs r. ,)not be bts. i_
Ihatis akere they shosld be. A
Now put 'he foundations under them.
-Herry Davidtihoreau
Learn Your Way Around The World
* Stuily abroad :n England, Mexico, Japan, or Spain
* Courses in liberal arts and international business
* Fluency in a foreign language not required
* Home-stays or dorms with meals
* Field trips
* Financial aid applies (except for summer session)
Program Costs:
* For tuition, room, board and field trips per semester (for
Wisconsin residents/non-residents)
* In London, England: $4675/$4975
* In Puebla, Mexico: $52751$5575
* In Nagasaki, Japan: $4075/$4375
* In Seville, Spain: $5975/$6275
Application deadlines:
" April 1 for summer session " April 30 for fall semester
* October 15 for spring semester
For further information contact:
Toll free: 1-800-342-1725
E-mail: StudyAbroad@uwplatt.edu
Weo: http://www.uwplatt.edu/programs/study abroad/
EVENTS SERVICES cuby,8 p.m. -z du.m.
J "Rudolf Steiner's Contributions to J Campus Information Centers, 763- Your ever cOu t sbe 'ere ,
the Visual Arts," Exhibition, INFO, info@umich.edu, and
Sponsored by Anthroposophical www.umich.edu/-info on the The Calendar is r sn everydav and is
Society, Exhibition Hall, Rackham World Wide Web a greaf wy to publicie Upcemmg1
Graduate School, 8 a m.-11 p.m. J "HIV/AIDS Testing," Community eavnts, furnp me I ,ng,or otsis-
.1 "Dinner for the Homeless," Sosored Family Health Center, 1230 N. tent Stu nt serves. Stop by Tho
b Hillel, First United Methodst Maple Rd., 6-9 p.m. Dai yat 420 M nard, and ask to
Church, 120 S. State St..3-7 p.m. J Northwalk, 763-WALK, Bursley theoNews e to et r your
Lobby, 8 p.m.- 1:30 am. group'$0ventsor ma Ii s. -
1 Safewalk, 9361000, Shapiro Library
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