Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Nine years later: Blanchard's dream
Thursday, May 29, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
13
Research looks at
new uses for T-rays
Event blends art and science
By JAKE LOURIM
ManagingSports Editor
Sixty feet. Besides about 1,000
miles down to Tallahassee, Fla.
for the Super Regionals, Cait-
lin Blanchard's journey took her
around the country for weekend
tournaments and on countless
drives to Ann Arbor in between.
Now, she found herself at third
base in the deciding game of the
Super Regional, 60 feet away from.
scoring, giving Michigan the lead
and continuing her dream.
Blanchard followed the 2005
Michigan softball team, the first
team east of the Mississippi River
to win the national championship.
That dream was years in the mak-
ing, and sincethat teamgotitshappy
ending, Blanchard has wanted one
of her own. The daughter of two
Michigan graduates, she grew up in
nearby Petersburg, Mich., coming
to Michigan softball games all the
time and dreamingthat it would be
her on Alumni Field one day.
But growing up ina town with a
population of just over 1,000, those
opportunities aren't easy to find.
Though she starred on her high
school team and worked her way
up to better travel teams as often as
she could, she was rarely noticedby
big schools.
Not until Blanchard arrived
in Ann Arbor did she realize that
there were players who were
offered full scholarships almost on
the spot. But she wouldn't have it
any other way.
"It was definitely difficult to get
noticed, but I kind of like the fact
that I knew what Michigan soft-
ball was all about coming into it,"
Blanchard said on April 9. "I have
a shirt signed by the 2005 national
championship team. Other people,
they don't know who the players on
that team were, whereas I kind of
idolized them."
Several Michigan players have
said that the program has tested
them in ways they've never been
tested before, that this is the
hardest part of their careers. For
Blanchard, getting here was no
easy task, either.
It took years of hard work, an
intense desire and an element of
chance. Then, she got the chance
to live the dream she had watched
play out five years earlier.
Ironically, Blanchard had to
travel across the country to get
noticed by coaches who worked at
a school 30 miles from her house.
She played for a handful of differ-
ent teams over the years, in front
of too many colleges to count, but
there was only one she ever wanted
to play for.
People sometimes use the
term "dream" as a cliche, but for
Blanchard, coming to Michigan
was just that. When she caught a
pitching lesson taught by Jennie
Ritter, who led the Wolverines to
the 2005 national championship
with five wins in the Women's
College World Series, she was
awestruck. When Michigan coach
Carol Hutchins called her the first
time to tell her she was interested,
Blanchard said she almost passed
out.
Eventually, Hutchins offered
Blanchard the chance to join the
team as a walk-on, but there was
one more roadblock to overcome -
paying tuition.
Blanchard's grandparents
answered the bell, agreeing to pay
her tuition and allowing her to ful-.
fill her dream.
"When they told me that news,"
Blanchard said, "I almost had a
heart attack."
On a team stocked with All-
Americans who had chosen Michi-
gan over several other top schools,
Blanchard became a regular. This
year, she hit behind sophomore
shortstop Sierra Romero, who bat-
ted almost .500 and was a National
Player of the Year finalist.
One of the bestin program histo-
ry, Blanchard was not. A formidable
hitter to protect Romero, she was.
"Caitlin is what we call a gamer,"
Hutchins said on April 9. "Caitlin
has been hitting in the middle of
the lineup for a long time because
she's clutch. She thrives under pres-
sure.... She doesn't make more of it
than it is. Those kids do well. They
stay consistent because they're not
caught up in the surroundings."
For years, schools around the
country overlooked Blanchard,
including her dream school. But
years after she found Michigan,
Michigan finally found her.
In the end, Blanchard came
to Michigan for the same kind of
fairytale ending the Wolverines
earned in 2005. In her first three
the dream seemed unlikely. But
Michigan won the regional, thanks
in part to a go-ahead two-run
homer by Blanchard in the first of
two elimination games against the
Sun Devils.
Michigan loaded the bases with
no outs inthe seventh inning of a tie
game last Friday night. Blanchard
moved up to third with two outs on
a fielder's choice.
But she was stranded there, and
then.things went downhill: In the
bottom half, Florida State hit a
walk-off two-run home run to end
Blanchard's career.
Blanchard was playing first base
during thatshot, and she watched it
clear the left-field fence easily. She
walked toward the dugoutafterthe
game and stood there, speechless.
Was it really over? Nine years, nine
NCAA Tournaments and seven
Big Ten championships after she
watched Hutchins' team win the
national championship, would she
really never put on a Michigan uni-
form again?
When the 2005 team won the
national title, it sparked an invin-
cible dream inside Blanchard.
She never got the fairytale end-
ing she always sought. But then
again, maybe she was living it all
along
"I'm not a
Sierra Romero,"
Blanchard said.
"There's not the
pressure of, you
have to hit 20
home runs this
year. I can just
go up to the plate
seasons, sea-
sons that each
included Big
"When they told me Ten champion-
ships and NCAA
that news, I almost Tournament
had a heart attack." appearances,
that dream elud-
ed her.
Technology may
be implemented in
medical science
By CAROLYN GEARIG
Managing Design Editor '
Terahertz rays may be invis-
ible to the human eye, but Uni-
versity research on these waves is
spotlighting their possible uses,
ranging from deciphering water
content in a bodily tissue to detect-
ing concealed weapons on a person
to quality control in manufactur-
ing.
T-rays, as they are called, are
not as ubiquitous as other energies
on the electromagnetic spectrum,
like ultraviolet waves, which are
used in barcodes, medical light
therapy, DNA sequencing and
other applications. However, a
detector developed by Engineer-
ing Prof. Jay Guo and his research
lab could allow T-rays to become
more of a household necessity.
T-rays fall on the electromag-
netic spectrum below infrared
waves - energy that's harnessed
in-things like remote controls and
heat lamps that warm food - and
visible light, which humans can
see. They have shorter wave-
lengths and are of a higher energy
than microwaves and radio waves.
Though T-rays have been dif-
ficult for engineers to study and to
develop technologies around, Guo
said their uses are quite varied.
"It is a scientifically rich fre-
quency band and offers unique
value for imaging, chemical iden-
tification and characterization of
materials," Guo wrote in an email.
Current T-ray detectors are dif-
ficult to work with because they
are too cumbersome, need espe-
cially cold temperatures or are
unable to work in real time. Guos'
transducer - a technology which,
in essence, transforms one form of
energy to another - eases this pro-
cess by allowing for T-ray conver-
sion into sound waves.
The transducer is composed
of plastic and carbon nanotubes.
When T-rays reach the device, they
are absorbed by the nanotubes
and turned into heat energy. This
energy is passed onto the plastic,
which is called polydimethylsilox-
ane, PDMS for short. The PDMS
expands and makes an ultrasound
wave.
Researchers developed an
ultrasound detector, a tiny plastic
ring that is only a few millimeters
wide. This detector has a response
time of a fraction of a millionth of
a second. Guo said this allows for
real-time terahertz imaging most
of the time.
"The low photon energy of tera-
hertz radiation is biologicallysafe,"
Guo wrote. "Therefore develop-
ing small and easy-to-operate
terahertz components, including
sources, waveguides, and detec-
tors, would benefit both funda-
mental research and applications."
While the team's work is cur-
rently devoted to the development
of a compact, sensitive and fast
T-ray detector capable of oper-
ating in room temperature, Guo
hopes they will be able to improve
the sensitivity. Improved sensitiv-
ity can show video-rate imaging,
opening doors for more uses and
opportunities with T-rays.
Artists paired with eled to the artists' studios to learn
more about the artistic process.
scientists to create Ranging from paintings to
pieces to support sculptures to video displays, the
art sought to encapsulate the
bio-med research nature of research through the
exploration of a great number of
By IAN DILLINGHAM media.
Editor in Chief Some of the art, such as Koen
Vanmechelen's "Bio-Care" series,
Smooth jazz played, cocktails explored complex scientific prin-
were served and donors were ciples. Vanmechelen, who was
schmoozed - all the appearances paired with Charles Burant,
of a typically University fundrais- professor of internal medicine
er. and molecular and integrative
However, those gathered at the physiology, used a process called
Museum of Contemporary Art untargeted metabolomic profil-
Detroit Thursday evening were ing to create webs showcases the
engaging in something differ- physiological similarities and dif-
ent, as physician-scientists from ferences between humans and
the A. Alfred Taubman Medical other animals.
Research Institute paired with Other submissions, such as Aku
professional artists to create 11 Kadogo's "Love Cancer" series,
pieces for the first-ever Evening of drew focus toward the human
Art and Science event. aspect of disease and health.
The pieces, all original works After being paired with Ronald
inspired by research being con- Buckanovich, assistant professor
ducted at the institute, were used of internal medicine and obstet-
to raise funds for the institute and rics and gynecology, Kadogo said
its scholars. After being paired she was moved by the love that he
with a scientist, each artist had showed for his cancer patients.
the opportunity to tour the lab She said her piece, a series of
and learn about the work being photographs of her in the brush,
done before creating the piece. In inspired by recent fires in Sydney,
turn, several of the scientists trav- Australia, portrayed the "patient"
as a "warrior" in the fight against
cancer.
"It was really a humbling and
a flattering experience to have
someone want to make art out of
our science," Buckanovich said.
"My-patients will know they have
terminal illness ... and that is a
really difficult thing to discuss
and a lot of patients express that
through art."
The art pieces were available to
attendees through auction or pur-
chase, and were valued anywhere
from $150 to $40,000. Prior to
the art showcase, the Institute
hosted an exclusive dinner, which
provided some of the artists and
scientists a chance to discuss the
process with potential donors.
Artist Allie McGhee said he
spent years as an abstract land-
scape painter before he decided
he wanted to learn moreabout
the science behind what made his
subjects come to life.
"I got bored with the subject
matter," McGhee said. "I wanted
to know more about my subject
- what made trees what they
are - so I started to look at the
microworld ... these are realities
you can't ignore."
and do my own
thing for the team, and normally it
works out."
In many cases this year,
Blanchard's job was to punish
teams that decided not to pitch to
Romero, and more often than not,
she came through.
Trailing 1-0 on April 19 against
Minnesota, the Wolverines needed
some offense, having lost 1-0 the
night before. With two on, the
Golden Gophers walked Romero
to load the bases. And Blanchard
made them pay, lacing a three-run
double to the gap.
So she came
back for one more run at it. When
the Wolverines started the NCAA
Tournament in Tempe, Ariz.
against No. 8 seed Arizona State_
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PESCOVITZ
From Page 1
es in her honor, including Univer-
sity Regent Shauna Ryder-Diggs
(D-Grosse Pointe) and James Wool-
liscroft, dean of the University's
medical school.
Woolliscroft, praising Pesco-
vitz's legacy at UMHS, touched on
her efforts to partner with other
health systems, her work with the
Regents and executive offices and
her efforts to make her job as trans-
parent as possible by starting a blog
and Twitter page.
"Her example will leave a last-
ing impression on all of use here,"
Woolliscroft said. "And so I really
think that Ora's legacy is in the
people, the impact here on each one
of us."
Pescovitz acknowledged the
unique challenges the UMHS has
faced over the course of her tenure,
including the effects of the national
healthcare reform, decreased fed-
eral funding for research, the grow-
ing competition among medical
schools and the increasing difficul-
ty for students to pay for a medical
education. Sh'e said UMHS over-
came these hurdles and emerged
stronger due to the staff, students,
faculty, trainees and volunteers that
comprises the health system.
COLEMAN
From Page 1
citizens and our nations to flour-
ish," Coleman said in her recorded
acceptance speech. "That is why,
as president of the University of
Michigan, I have led faculty del-
egations to develop partnerships
with colleagues on three conti-
nents."
According to a University press
release, the number of undergrad-
uate students who studied abroad
doubled under Coleman's presi-
dency. Participation increased in
underrepresented fields of study
and programs in nontraditional
and diverse locations.
Coleman also created partner-
ships at universities in Ghana,
China, Rwanda, Brazil, South
Africa and India. She made trips
abroad during her tenure to pro-
mote engagement for interna-
tional students. During her most
recent visit to India she promoted
the University of Michigan Health
System's partnership with the
only freestanding trauma center
in India, the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences.
"International education is
important to sustaining the
world," Coleman said. "It deliv-
ers powerful rewards and I can
know of no more important work
than joining hands with other uni-
versities to transform lives with
the power and promise of global
knowledge."
Students currently research
in various countries preforming
projects like diabetes research in
Bolivia, the effects of television
violence on emotions in Germany
and aquaculture investigation
in Vietnam.acceptance speech.
"That is why, as president of the
University of Michigan, I have
led faculty delegations to develop
partnerships with colleagues on
three continents."
According to a University press
release, the number of undergrad-
uate students who studied abroad
doubled under Coleman's presi-
dency. Participation increased in
underrepresented fields of study
and programs in nontraditional
and diverse locations.
Coleman also created partner-
ships at universities in Ghana,
China, Rwanda, Brazil, South
Africa and India. She made trips
abroad during her tenure to pro-
mote engagement for interna-
tional students. During her most
recent visit to India she promoted
the University of Michigan Health
System's partnership with the
only freestanding trauma center
in India, the All India Institute of
Medical Sciences.
Students currently research
in various countries preforming
projects like diabetes research in
Bolivia, the effects of television
violence on emotions in Germany
and aquaculture investigation in
Vietnam.
"International education is
important to sustaining the
world," Coleman said. "It deliv-
ers powerful rewards and I can
know of no more important work
than joining handswith other uni-
versities to transform lives with
the power and promise of global
knowledge."
| Caitlin Blanchard's dream was always to play softball for Michigan,.