u?ub TdQ^adj
Outlook
The University of Maryland Faculty and Staff 'Weekly Newspaper
Volume 13 • Number 29 • May 11, 1999
Explore Our World,
pages 4 & 5
Flipping for Art Attack
Will it Rain Today?
Meteorology Makes It Easier to Know When
to Expect Heat, Rain or Snow
ne university oi
The campus went "Y2 Krazy" last Friday when SEE Productions
hosted its annual Art Attack event. Held on McKeldln Mail, this
year's Art Attack Included the MTV Campus Invasion Tour which
featured several specialty tents. By day, students had an
opportunity to partake In activities like human velcro wall Jump-
ing, rock climbing and giant-glove boxing. In the evening
the pop/rock band Sugar Ray performed In concert.
Will it rain (or snow or haiO or won't it? Not even a meteo-
rologist can always predict for sure. But thanks to new "real-
time," localized weather forecasts from the University of
Maryland's department of meteorology
<www.meto.umd.edu>, the science of
predicting the weather in the
Washington, D.C. area is becoming morej
precise.
Using computer models developed
by its researchers, powerful, newly-purchased
computer workstations, and weather data from the National
Weather Service, the university's meteorology department
has begun providing 36-hour weather forecasts that can pre-
^^^^ diet more accurately what the weather will
^0 ^^k be for a specific area, or even neighbor-
^pL J^ hood, in our region.
■ ^M " We are ver y excitetl that W€ are
^ M able to provide the area, state and
^^■^p H^r region with new, high-resolution weath-
er forecasts that make it easier to predict
things such as which parts of the region will
get buffeted by spring thunderstorms or exactly
when winter snowstorms will hit and how much snow will
fall in different areas of the region,™ says Da-
Lin Zhang, an associate professor of
meteorology who heads the depart-
ment's real-time weather forecasting
project.
Project director Zhang says that the
meteorology department will use the
new forecasting ability to aid the
Maryland Department of Transportation and to provide local
TV stations with forecast data and tools for visually present-
ing the forecasts.
Continued on page 7
Facilitating Good Teamwork: CQI Provides Organizational Training
A facilitator's role on a team is that
of a partner to the leader. With this in
mind, the Office for Continuous Quality
Improvement has been holding annual
workshops for facilitator training. The
most recent was in January this year.
The organizational skills of some tal-
ented members of the university com-
munity are further honed at these
small, 8- to 10-member workshops that
prepare them to facilitate future CQI
teams.
"Part of our vision is to create a
group of facilitators skilled in group
dynamics, team effectiveness, CQI prin-
ciples and techniques and meeting
management who can use and share
the knowledge on CQI teams, within
their own departments and on cam-
pus," says Vicky Foxworth, organization-
al development specialist for CQI, who
designed and led the two workshops
held so far.
Since the first workshop, some facili-
tators have served successfully on
cross-functional CQI teams on safety
and security, improving the experience
of transfer students, parking for visitors
and undergraduate advising, among
other topics.
A good facilitator is a helper to the
leader, says CQI director George Dieter.
"Someone who can jump in and help
out the team leader, advise them on
how to approach a problem, and also
be an impartial observer of what hap-
pens in the team."
A team facilitator is also expected to
help guide the team to resolve disputes
among team members and keep the
team focused on the task at hand (see
sidebar on page 3 for a "Role of a Team
Facilitator" description).
By the end of the workshop, partici-
pants gained an opportunity to get an
understanding of CQI and its functions,
learn about the project-process cycle,
learn and practice group problem-solv-
ing tools, and develop and practice
skills necessary to be an effective team
facilitator. Participants are encouraged
to apply these skills to a variety of pro-
fessional and personal settings.
"On the first day of training, we give
each participant a toolbox," says Dieter,
holding up a big plastic box with a han-
dle. It contains markers, post-it notes
and other tools to get organized, along
with some reading material on how to
be a good facilitator. Books like "The
Team Handbook" and "Faultless
Facilitation:A Resource Guide for
Group and Team Leaders," are also hand-
ed out.
To date, participants have been invit-
ed based on skills, invitations and word
of mouth. "We selected people who had
strong facilitator strengths and had
expressed interest. Many of them had
served earlier on CQI teams," Foxworth
says.
Several participants hold high-level
jobs on campus, but still found the time
to participate, "It is amazing that such
busy people devote so much time to
this. They make a huge commitment to
campus," she says. Each participant
agrees to facilitate a team in the next
three years.
Terry Flannery, executive director of
university communications and director
of marketing, says she took up the invi-
tation to participate in the CQI work-
shop this year because she "wanted to
be a supporter of the quality and
improvement process at the university."
Flannery, who had earlier served as a
member on a CQI team on open com-
munication, saw the workshop as an
opportunity to develop her natural
skills as a manager. But there were
other rewards as well. "You learn to
become a great observer and listener,"
she says. These skills, in turn, helped her
on her job as well.
"I used the training in many ways— it
helped me conceptualize what it takes
to be a good meeting manager, remlnd-
Continued on page 3
2 Outlook May 11,1999
America Reads Celebrates Success at Maryland
atim
"Officers need to realize that their best weapon for reducing
crime is the mouth, not the pistol. In training police, the big chal-
lenge is to get officers who are oriented toward action to take the
salesman approach." — Lawrence Sherman, chair of criminal jt4s-
tice and criminology, in a Feb. 25 New York Times column by
John Tierney about New York's need to shift gears from winning
the war on crime to winning the peace in the streets.
"The country had just gone through the Great Depression, when
there was not much housing construction, so there was a tremen-
dous housing shortage. Then you had the wartime industries
switching to peacetime production. And you had all these people
coming back from the war and anxious to get on with life, get
back to normalcy, start families." — Mary Corbin Sies, associate
professor of American studies, in a fan. 31 Philadelphia Inquirer
story about the history and effects of suburbanization.
"Blacks have always been conservative on issues, in part because
they are the most heavily churched community hi the country.
But those are social issues. For blacks, the larger question is: 'Do
you want to change your position in society?'" — Ron Walters,
professor of African-American Studies, in a March 9 Christian
Science Monitor story about Rep.J.C. Watts (R-Okta.) the
Republican African American in Congress and the challenge of
appealing to Republicans and African Americans.
"Everybody but the schools had been running high school sports,
and though colleges had gotten serious about sports — the NCAA
was established in 1906 — high schools didn't follow until some
time later. But going into the 1920s, principals began saying/ If
we're going to run this world, let's make it educational.'" — foan
S. Hull, emeritus professor and sports historian, in a Feb. 24
Education Week story about the unstructured nature of high
school athletics in the early 20th century.
Economic development and prosperity are "what the Chinese
people want.They don't want a confrontation. They don't want to
be stirred up about fighting for sovereignty. They want a better
life. Give it to them." —fames Lilley, fellow of the Institute for
Global Chinese Affairs, quoted in a March 10 Central News
Agency (Taiwan) story about his views on relations between
Taiwan and Mainland China.
"Given that we don't have an exit strategy, I think it could
become a problem for him, not so much as judgments of morality
but because armies don't like to lose." —David Segal, director of
the Center for Research and Military Organization, in a March
26 Christian Science Monitor story about the potential effect of
the KJosovo bombing campaign on President Bill Clinton's rela-
tions with the military establishment.
"Ineffective study habits, commonly inculcated in both black and
white students in most high schools, is the second major academ-
ic reason for the difficulties in college calculus classes. These
'study' habits often included little or no time spent on under-
standing the mathematics but too much time spent memorizing
too many formulas and prescriptions for calculations and doing
lots of rote computations." —ferome Dancis, associate professor
of mathematics, in a March 11 letter to the Washington Post
urging workshops to help new college students with math.
Seeing the captured soldiers on Yugoslavian television "makes
people feel uncomfortable. It makes them mad. It dampens their
enthusiasm for the mission, but doesn't necessarily lead them to
want to withdraw." — Steven Kali, director of the Program for
International Policy Attitudes in the Center for International
and Security Studies, in an April 3 story in the South China
Morning Post about the impact the capture of three soldiers
might have on public support for the American effort in
Yugoslavia. The soldiers have since been released.
Four hundred first- and second- grade students
in Prince George's County are well on their way
to mastering basic reading skills thanks, in large
measure, to 70 University of Maryland student
mentors in the America Reads Program.
Deputy Superintendent Louise Waynant joined
University President Dan Mote in a special recog-
nition reception on May 7 to celebrate the men-
tors' success in boosting literacy rates among ele-
mentary school children. The reception was held
at the President's Residence.
According to Prince George's County School
Board researchers, scores for first graders in let-
ter recognition advanced 14 percent and the
scores for second graders advanced six percent.
In word recognition, first graders* scores showed
an increase of 119 percent and second graders'
scores increased nine percent.
Beyond the numbers, the mentors say the real
success can be seen in the growing enthusiasm
of the children. "Just recently, when a student
read an entire book to me, she gave me a big hug
because earlier this year she was barely able to
read a sentence. It's that kind of progress that
makes tutoring so rewarding," says Crystal Bell,
freshman, animal science major.
Bell and the other mentors spend between six
and 20 hours each week to provide reading
lessons and other educational activities for 400
first- and second-graders in eight elementary
schools in Prince George's County.
The program has prompted several mentors,
including Betsy Bratek, to change their majors to
elementary education.
"The program lias given me an outlet to discover
that I wanted to be a teacher. As a mentor, Ive
learned that it does not take colorful magnetic letters
or smelly markers to make the impact but just a sim-
ple book and an ear for them to read to," says Bratek.
America Reads Corps is a major initiative of
the Clinton administration designed to ensure
every child by the end of third grade will be able
to read well and independently. The university
was one of the first 20 charter universities to
establish an America Reads program. There are
now over 1,000 colleges and universities partici-
pating in the America Reads challenge.
KPMG, Alumni Give $250,000 to Smith School
Through the generosity of alumni and a corpo-
rate foundation, the Robert H. Smith School of
Business has added a new faculty position, the
KPMG Professorship in Accounting. Alumni for
the university and other University System of
Maryland institutions now working at KPMG LLP
have committed $100,000 to establish the profes-
sorship. The KPMG Foundation has committed an
additional $ 1 50,000 to support the professorship
endowment, for a total gift of $250,000.
The KPMG gift is part of the Smith School's
effort to raise $30 million in endowment funds
as part of Bold Vision • Bright Future: The
Campaign for the University of Maryland, a $350
million fund raising effort.
"We are proud and excited that our firm will be
associated with the Smith School of Business in
this way," says John Keenan, managing partner of
KPMG's Baltimore office and a 1975 Smith School
graduate. "We see this as a wonderful opportunity
to help the Smith School strengthen its standing
among the nation's best business schools."
"This wonderful gift will enhance the promi-
nence of our accounting faculty and of the school,"
says Howard Frank, Smith School dean. "We appre-
ciate the generosity of our alumni and of KPMG."
The university's accounting faculty has
achieved prominence in a number of areas. The
faculty includes a member of the federal Cost
Accounting Standards Board and the co-editors of
the fournal of Accounting and Public Policy, a
highly regarded publication in the accounting
field. The accounting faculty, along with the
finance faculty, is a select member of the presti-
gious Financial Economics and Accounting
Research Consortium.
KPMG LLP is one of the worlds largest profes-
sional services firms, operating in more than 840
cities in 155 countries.The global advisory firm
offers a range of services, including accountancy,
auditing, tax, management constancy and corpo-
rate finance.
University Chosen to Work On Health Initiative
The University of Maryland is one of only five
universities in the nation chosen to participate in
a study designed to promote social norms for
tobacco-free decision-making among its students.
According to Jody Gan, a health educator at
the university, there is a Social Norming Theory
that people would rather be "normal" than
healthy. For many in this group, decisions and
behaviors are based on what they perceive most
of their peers are doing. Research shows, howev-
er, that most students have a false perception of
what is actually occurring.
The study intends to use health promotion
tools such as posters, advertising and other media
to promote healthy decisions and behaviors
regarding no tobacco use wliile at the same time
letting students know what the true norms are on
campus. Campaigns will begin in the fall of 1 999.
"We are excited to be part of this project
because it involves using positive messages
rather than scare tactics," Gan says. "This type of
social marketing is a great complement to the
health education programs we currently offer as
part of the university's health services program."
The study is directed by The BACCHUS and
GAMMA Peer Education Network and sponsored
by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention in Atlanta. The BACCHUS and GAMMA
Peer Education Network is a national nonprofit
health organization based in Denver and commit-
ted to promoting health education at colleges and
universities throughout North America. The CDC
has funded BACCHUS to look into health initia-
tives regarding sexual health as well as tobacco
issues for students.
Approximately 500 students at each of the par-
ticipating universities will be part of the study,
which will survey and track respondents over a
one-year period. Findings from the study will be
released in summer 2000. Each university will
receive the results from its campus community in
order to plan continuous effective programming.
Other schools participating in the study are
Gustavus Adolphus College, Osweg State
University, University of North Carolina at
Ashe ville and Texas Christian University.
Outlook
Outlook is the weekly faculty-staff newspaper serving trie University of Maryland campus community. William Destler. Interim Vice President for University Advancement;
Teresa Flannery. Executive Director of University Communications and Director of Marketing; George Cathcart. Executive Editor; Londa Scott Forte, Acting Editor;
Vaishall Honawar, Graduate Assistant; Phillip Wlrtz, Editorial Intern. Letters to the editor, story suggestions and campus information are welcome. Please submit all
material two weeks before the Tuesday of publication. Send material to Editor, Outlook. 2101 Turner Hall, College Park, MD 207 42 .Tele phone (301) 405-4629; e-mail
outlook@accmatl.umd.edu; fax (301) 314-9344. Ouftooftcan be found online at www.inform.umd.edu/outlook/
May II, 1999 Outlook 3
Fighting Crime with Technology
Students Create New Police-Alert Security Device
A student team at the university has
developed a system that, with the click
of a button, may ease one of the big
concerns on campuses nationwide: the
fear of crime.
The team's new BEACON
Emergency Locator System will enable
students equipped •with a key-chain-
sized device to call police with the
push of a button. The device will signal
not only where the student is, but also
his/her identity.
The undergraduate inventors of the
just-completed system
prototype say it is techni-
cally advanced, surpass-
ing anything of its kind
now available on the mar-
ket. The current design
blends new technology
with an existing campus
security system at the
University of Maryland.
However, the students say
the system's technology
is being refined so that it
can be used on any col-
lege campus.
"The bottom-line is
that we wanted the
police to be able to tell who's in trou-
ble and where they are," says senior
electrical and computer engineering
student Christian Rieser, who came up
with the idea for the BEACON project
In a technical writing class last year.'T
wanted to create a device that could
save lives. I knew that this system, if
implemented, would not only deter
crime and give people peace of mind,
but it would bring distinction to the
university because our community is
actively seeking to solve a problem that
every campus in the nation feces,"
Once in place, the new system will
work like this: when a student or other
user triggers a locator device, a distress
signal is sent to the nearest emergency
phone box. The phone then automati-
cally transmits a call to campus police,
passing on the user's unique identifica-
tion information. This information is
automatically matched with data in the
police command center's database,
telling the dispatcher the identity of
the person who sent the distress signal,
what that person looks like, and exactly
which security phone was triggered.
Help is dien sent immediately. Security
phones are spread across the College
Park campus and are known as "blue
light" phones because they are topped
by a blue light that flashes when the
actual corporation within the campus
environment. "The more we got into
the project, the
tlon to the new Virtual Corporation par-
adigm, BEACON team members plan to
look at other loca-
are.
ir
The BEACON team tested out several prototypes of
the system on campus.
phone is activated.
Rieser says BEACON team members
have tried to keep down the cost for
the end user, students primarily,
although university faculty and staff
will have access to the BEACON system
as well.
"We wanted to keep the total cost
for the product under $20," he says. "So
we found ourselves having to use inex-
pensive, off-the-shelf equipment for
rapid prototyping."
Team members hope that eventually,
if the product is successful enough, it
can be marketed by the university and
made available to students at little or
no cost.
The hope for the eventual commer-
cial release of a BEACON product has
led students to the idea of creating an
more we started
to realize that it
was a lot like run-
ning a business,"
says junior electri-
cal engineering
student Mehul
Gandhi, project
manager for BEA-
CON. "After all,
we were looking
at taking what
was basically a
pure concept and
seeing it through
to the end prod-
uct."
Next semester, BEACON team mem-
bers plan to start a virtual corporation,
bringing in additional students from
areas such as business and government
and politics to engage in the marketing
and promotions facets of what, in
essence, will be BEACON corporation.
But the main focus is on education.
"The BEACON project provides an edu-
cational playground for people to learn,
and to implement and test the things
they get on paper in their classes,"
Rieser says. "Through this project we've
all had the chance to see how our edu-
cation is actually used by engineers.
Plus, when you are working on some-
thing like this, students get really excit-
ed, and it motivates their learning even
more."
"The ultimate culmination to my
studies at Maryland," says electrical
engineering senior Anne Pak,"has been
to actually produce something as an
engineer. The BEACON project has
allowed me to do just that."
Having just completed the first proto-
type for the BEACON Emergency
Locator System, the team is already plan-
ning for the system's next generation of
technical development. Next fall, in addi-
"The bottom line is that
we wanted the police to
be able to tell who's in
trouble and where they
— Christian Rieser,
creator of the BEACON project
tion technologies
to implement the
actual product
design. For exam-
ple, the team will
further examine
the use of a sys-
tem based on the
global positioning
system (GPS) or
the use of wireless
technologies to
pinpoint the loca-
tion of a BEACON
user. The key to
the feasibility of
using such technologies will be to con-
tinue to keep costs down, the team says.
The BEACON team
<www.ece.umd.edu/Beacou> has taken
a systems approach to product develop-
ment, dividing the team members into
several small focused groups, each with
specialized responsibilities. These groups
include the Transmitter Group, the
Receiver Signal Processing Group, the
Command Center Group, and the
Campus Relations and Promotions
Group. Team members are also working
with many groups across campus to
ensure the project meets the university's
needs. Campus groups involved in the
project Include the University Police, the
President's Continuous Quality
Improvement (CQD Security
Committee, the Department of Physical
Plant and the Department of Electrical
and Computer Engineering.
The A. James Clark School of
Engineering is providing $20,000 In
funding and the university's Engineering
Research Center is providing laboratory
space for the project through its
Technology Advancement Program.
Technical consultation is being provided
by Motorola Corporation, Hewlett
Packard and Texas Instruments.
Facilitating Good Teamwork: CQI Provides Organizational Training
continued from page 1
ed me about things I needed to remember," she says.
Sue Baughman, manager at McKeldin Library, was
nominated to the training project by the library
administration. "It was very good training" she says. "I
definitely learned a good deal."
The workshop covered five days during which "we
had to do homework," Flannery recalls with a laugh.
"Readings, journals... "As part of the training, partici-
pants were paired and asked to observe each other's
performance in fecilitating a team/committee meeting.
This year's workshop also included panel discus-
sions by facilitators, CQI team sponsors, leaders and
members trained at the previous workshop.
Tom Ruggieri, coordinator of the Faculty and Staff
Assistance Program, was attracted to the workshop
because in his job he gets several calls to run retreats, and
this turned out to be an "excellent" learning opportunity.
Says Ruggieri, who has since facilitated a CQI project on
parking for visitors at the university: "The CQI tools were
very helpful in going dirough with this project," he says.
One of the best things about being part of this
workshop, Baughman says, was the chance to get to
know people from all over campus. "All these people
are a new network now and can serve as a sounding
board for each other. That is a big plus," she says.
Foxworth points out that she and the participants
of the two workshops meet every month to get feed-
back from each other on team issues and challenges
and to learn new skills. "Part of my goal is to create a
learning community, an ongoing network where we
can learn and grow."
For example, workshop members have also been
introduced to Ellen Borkowski of Academic
Information Technology Services to learn about teach-
ing theaters and computer software that can help
with team projects."
The next CQI workshop for facilitator training will like-
ly be in June 2000, she says. "Another vision for the office
is creating an internal peer consultant network.
Facilitators will receive additional training in January 2000
on the consulting process on how to conduct a retreat."
To date, Foxworth, who consults actively across cam-
pus, has arranged over six campus consultations with
facilitators trained last year.
For further information on the CQI facilitator train-
ing workshops and setting up teams for improvement
at the university, contact Vicky Foxworth at 405-5249.
Role of a Team Facilitator:
• Works with team leader to establish meeting
agenda
• Reflects on team process and proposes Inter-
ventions to ensure high productivity and full
participation
■ As requested, provides feedback on team
process and meeting effectiveness
• Coaches team on use of CQI tools and tech-
niques
• Fulfills all duties of team member but
remains neutral In team discussions
• Resolves team disputes
• Provides team dynamics Improvements
• Provides more structure at beginning, less at
end
• Assists team with data collection activities
• Keeps group focused on task
4 Outlook May 11,1 999
MARYLAND DAY 1999
\4
Approximately 20,000
people — Including faculty,
staff, students, community
members and their
families — attended the
Maryland Day 1999: Explore
Our World celebration which
took place Saturday, April
24. live musical and dance
performances, an Insect-pet-
ting zoo, puppet shows,
campus tours, child safety
seat checks, blood-pressure
screening, an African mar
ketplace, lectures on topical
subjects, art exhibits, sport-
ing events and an ice-cream
social were among the more
than 200 activities held that
day. The open house was the
last In a series of activities
planned to celebrate the
Inauguration of University
President Dan Mote.
»
May 11. I* W9 Outlook 5
6 Outlook May 11,1999
datelin e
mary
mem
'land
May 11
Your Guide to University Events
May 11-18
May 14
*Tj 2-3 p.m. afTs: Web Clinic.
4404 Computer Sl Space
Sciences Bldg. www. inform.
umd.edu/WebClinics.
Gy^ 3-5 p.m. Committee on
Africa and the Americas: "Racial
Strategies in the Public Sphere "A
Research and Travel Grant panel
discussion. With Cedric Johnson.
Wendy Smooth, J udi Moore" La tta
and moderator, Fancillc Kusan
Wilson, 1104 Jimenez Hall. 5-
6835.
May 12
"** 9 a.m. -noon. "Printing
Presumptions," This seminar con-
ducted at Printing Services gives
a comprehensive overview of the
process a job follows from
designer through mailing. A tour
of the printing plant is included.
This is an opportunity to learn
from the experts what terms like
"bluellne, film-stripping, ptate-
making and Cheshire labels"
mean, 1 122 Patapsco Bldg, 5-
9500.
6V 4-5 p.m. Department of
Astronomy: "Cosmology from
Supernova," Bradley Schaefer.Yale
University. 2400 Computer Sl
Space Sciences Bldg.
May 13
■*■ 7:30-8:45 p.m. Physics is
Phun. "Seeing the Light: Light,
Lenses, Mirrors and the Eye."
Halls open at 7 p.m. for hands-tin
experiments, forma] program
from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m. 1410,
1412 Physics Bldg. 5-5994.
**" 9 a.m.-noon. "Printing
Presumptions." This seminar con-
ducted at Printing Services gives
a comprehensive overview of
the process a job follows from
designer through mailing. A tour
of the printing plant is included.
This is an opportunity to learn
from the experts what terms like
"blueline, film stripping, plate
making and Cheshire labels"
mean. 1 122 Patapsco Bldg.
5-9500.
Ir Last Day of Classes for Spring Term
*"7:30*45 p.m. Physics is Phun:
"Seeing the Light: light, Lenses,
Mirrors and the Eye" Hands-on exper-
iments at 7 p.m., formal program
from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.. 1410, 1412
Physics Bldg. 5-5994.
J" 8 p.m. School of Music: University
of Maryland Symphony Orchestra.
Conducted by Larry Rachleff. Music
of Mozart, Daugherty and Debussy.
Tawes Theater. 5-1 150.
May 15
""7:30-8:45 p.m. Physics is Phun:
"Seeing the Light: Light, Lenses,
Mirrors and the Eye." Hands-on exper-
iments at 7 p.m.. formal program
from 7:30 to 8:45 p.m.. 1410, 1412
Physics Bldg. 5-5994,
May 18
*" 1 1 :30 a.m. Campus Black
Ministries: "Drum Majors of
Excellence" luncheon. Atrium, Stamp
Student Union. 4-7759.'
Calendar phone numbers listed as
4-xxxx or 5-xxxx stand for the
prefix 314- or 405. Events are free
and open to the public unless
noted by an asterisk (•>■ Calendar
information for Outlook is com-
piled from a combination of
inforM's calendars and submissions
in the Outlook office. To reach the
calendar editor, call 405-761 5 or e-
mail outIook@accmalI, umd.edu.
NOTABLE
U.S. Congressman Stony Hoyer (D-MD 5) presented the CFl's annual award for Fire
Service Organization of the Year to MFRI Director Steven Edwards at the 11th Annual
National Fire and Emergency Services Dinner in Washington, D.C.
Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute
Presented with Prestigious
Fire Service Award
The Maryland Fire and Rescue Institute
(MFRI) was awarded the Congressional Fire
Services Institute's 1999 Fire Service
Organization of the Year Award on April 21.
The award is given each year to an organi-
zation recognized for contributing to the
CFSI effort to advance Its fire and life safety
mission on Capitol Hill.The award was pre-
sented at the 1 1th Annual National Fire and
Emergency Service Dinner held in
Washington, D.C. Maryland Congressman
Steny Hoyer, co-chairman of the
Congressional Fire Service Caucus, present-
ed the award to MFRI Director Steven
Edwards.
Architecture profes-
sor Ralph Bennett was
one of five professors
nationally recognized
with the Distinguished
Professor Award at the
annual meeting of the
Association of
Collegiate Schools of
Architecture.
"Professor Ralph
Bennett, AIA, has dis-
played a pattern of sig-
nificant support to stu-
dents following their
formal education at the University of
Maryland. Students attest to the guidance
and care provided by Professor Bennett
both as students and during the time fol-
lowing their education. He counsels them,
guides them toward graduate school or pro-
Ralph Bennett
fessional options and, at times, hires them at
his private firm Bennett Frank McCarthy.
He has also provided start-up space for for-
mer students to begin businesses that are
recognized nationwide," says the ACSA
Newsletter.
Kimthi Bui, a Montgomery County staff
member of the College of Agriculture &
Natural Resources' Maryland Cooperative
Extension, was one of four individuals
nationwide honored on April 14 in
Washington, DC, by USDA Secretary Dan
Glickman. Bui and the other honorees
were recognized for their outstanding con-
tributions as nutrition assistants with the
Expanded Food and Nutrition Education
Program (EFNEP). A 30-year partnership
involving USDA and land-grant universities,
EFNEP is designed to help limited-income
Americans acquire the knowledge, skills,
attitudes, and behavior changes neces-
sary to maintain nutritionally sound
diets and enhance personal develop-
ment.
In Maryland, EFNEP is organized
and operated by Maryland
Cooperative Extension. Last year fac-
ulty-trained paraprofessionals, like Bui,
taught 3,363 families plus 10,613 addi-
tional young people how to make
more nutritious food choices,- manage
food budgets wisely, practice proper
food safety sanitation and storage
methods, and reduce their risk of diet-
related chronic diseases.
Bui was a lawyer in Vietnam before immi-
grating to the United States in 1975. Fluent
in Vietnamese, French and English, she
chose to work with EFNEP bi cause, she
says, "I can help Asian people more through
EFNEP than as a lawyer."
May I ! . I 999 Outlook 7
Suheil Bushrui's Insight on Diversity
Through the Eyes of Kahlil Gibran
After 44 years of scholarly
research dedicated to studying
Kahlil Gibran 's life, and writing
and editing many books about
him, Suheil Bushrui wrote
"Kahlil Gibran: Man and Poet"
(1998) with Joe Jenkins.
The book has received rave
reviews in the British,
American, and Arab press.
According to The New York
Times Book Review," [This
book] breaks new ground,
falling into the category that
lies somewhere between
hagiography and history . . . the
authors add substantial texture
to previous descriptions of
Gibran 's social and work
habits . . ."
Bushrui says this is the first
scholarly and critical analysis
of Gibran's work and the first
time it has been placed in the
Anglo-American literary tradi-
tion; it is also a reappraisal of
the value of Gibran's Arabic
works within the Arabic liter-
ary tradition.
This study is long overdue
because Gibran has been very
influential and widely read in
the United States and abroad.
"The Prophet," Gibran's master
piece, has sold more than five
million copies and has been
translated into over 30 Ia n ■ —
strength, he [Gibran] was able
in the process to produce a
gospel of love and reconcilia-
tion," says Bushrui.
That gospel is illustrated in
both his philosophy and his
work, culminating in "The
Prophet." "This book was nei-
ther of the east nor the west, it
belonged to humanity at large .
. . it is extremely popular in
both the east and the west,"
says Bushrui. "It is remarkable
Gibran was able to connect
these two worlds and create
his own."
The message of unity and
diversity is Gibran's most
important message for humani-
ty. His concept of diversity
summarizes this message of
culture, universalism, and rec-
onciliation, and is illustrated in
the following statement from
Gibran's "Secrets of the Heart":
"All things in this creation
exist within you, and all things
in you exist in creation;there is
no bocdcr between you and
the closest things, and there is
no distance between you and
the farthest dungs, and all
things, from the lowest to the
loftiest, from the smallest to
the greatest are within you as
equal things. In one atom are
found all of the elements of
guages. JkAl) V/ I tn£ cart ' 1 ' m one motion of the
In addition to his latest mind are found the motions of
book, Bushrui and Miles all the laws of existence; In
Bradbury of the history depart- one drop of ■water are found
ment are currently teaching at
Maryland the "first course ever
taught in America" on Gibran.
The course, "Kahlil Gibran and
the Immigrant Traditions in
America: The Reconciliation of
Cultures," is cross-listed as both
Honors 289D and HIST 219Q.
Bushrui's inspiration for
both the book and the class
came from his fascination in
Gibran. "I became fascinated
with Gibran's work at an early
age and I feel an affinity with
him since we had similar expe-
riences," says Bushrui.
Bushrui was born in the for-
mer country of Palestine and
spent many years living in
Lebanon (Gibran's birthplace).
He later lived and taught in
countries such as Africa,
Canada, and Britain and trav-
eled extensively throughout
Europe before moving to the
United States in 1986 with his
wife.
"The remarkable thing
about Gibran is that he was
able to reconcile disparate cul-
mres. He came at the age of
12 and accepted western cul-
ture widiout relinquishing his
own values. By marrying one
culture to another and accept-
ing both on their own terms,
deriving from each his own
the Secrets of all the endless
oceans; in one aspect of you
are found all the aspects of
existence."
Says Bushrui: "This vision of
the world emphasizes our
interconnectedness. It tends to
'contradict' the beliefs held by
the ordinary man in the street
who believes that the distinc-
tions he makes between black
and white, male and female,
Arab and Jew, Christian and
Muslim, capitalist and commu-
nist refer to mutually exclusive
objective realities. We're all one
in our humanity."
Since Gibran was one of the
earliest poets of modern times
to discuss profound Issues,
such as women's rights and
human rights, Bushrui named
him the "poet of ecology of
life." In fact, Bushrui believes
Gibran anticipated the
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights. Gibran also
focused on the life of new
immigrants in his poetry
which relates to diversity and
living a new identity, "the basic
identity — human identity."
At the university, Bushrui
assisted the Office of Human
Relations Programs (OHRP)
when it crafted the purpose
and mission of the Diversity
Initiative. His contribution
was valuable because of his
vast and varied life experi-
ences: his studies of Gibran's
life and works, his academic
experience (which focused on
comparative literature), his
practical experience as cultur-
al advisor to the president of
Lebanon, and his current posi-
tions at the university as a pro-
fessor, the Baha'i Chair for
World Peace, and director of
the University of Maryland's
Kahlil Gibran Research and
Studies Project.
The Diversity Initiative,
through its programming phi-
losophy and implementation,
strives to "explore and
enhance values that emphasize
interconnectedness, equity, jus-
tice, and the sanctity of each
individual's dignity" says Gloria
Bouis, associate director of
OHRP. "We, in the Initiative, try
to raise the awareness of the
campus to understand diversi-
ty as an individual, global and
human right," adds Bouis.
"Diversity is more than a
question of human relation-
ships. It is a state of mind and
an attitude. You cannot trans-
form human beings except
through a profound change in
the vision with which they see
the world - there should devel-
op within each one of us a
unity of vision and ethic."
According to Bushrui, the
Diversity Initiative can be sum-
marized in the phrase "unity in
diversity." "The Diversity
Initiative strives to create an
atmosphere in which students
of different backgrounds, cul-
tures and ways of life learn to
communicate and interact
with a spirit of understanding
and respect, honoring the
humanity of each member of
the group," says Bushrui. "To
accomplish this one must
believe it and act it."
Gibran recognized the
nobility and greatness of
human beings. He believed
one's identity as a human iden-
tity" — was very important.
Therefore, if people recognize
their nobility they also recog-
nize that human beings have
certain responsibilities.
According to Bushrui, one
of the basic aspects of a diver-
sity program should be to help
people develop a sense of
responsibility, which is one of
the many goals of the universi-
ty's Diversity Initiative.
Gibran's contribution to the
world lives through his words.
"He is alive through the power
of his word; he can never die
because the power of the
word never dies," says Bushrui.
According to the poet Horace
Will it Rain Today?
continued from page 1
"We also will be supplying
National Weather Service fore-
casters at Sterling, Va, with
high-resolution data that has
better time and location reso-
lution. And we'll be helping
the National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration/National
Ocean Service to better pre-
dict the surface winds, water
level and water waves over
the Chesapeake Bay and
coastal regions," he says.
"This project is another
fine example of how univer-
sity research enhances the
well-being of the citizens of
our state and region" says
University President Dan
Mote. "We look forward to
seeing our essential role in
fostering the welfare of the
state and region grow even
more vibrant in the years
ahead."
The weather prediction
model developed by the uni-
versity's department of meteo-
rology for its real-time weath-
er forecasts is a modified ver-
sion of a model developed by
Penn State and the National
Center for Atmospheric
Research.The University of
Maryland's model uses a set of
partial differential equations
describing atmospheric
motion, and a complicated
package of sophisticated
cloud micro-physics, bound-
ary-layer processes and earth
surface conditions. According
to Zhang, Maryland's model
can provide forecasts that
"telescope from a coarse to a
finer resolution."This allows
weather predictions that
cover either a broad area (the
eastern two-thirds of the
United States and portions of
the western Atlantic), an inter-
mediate area (the Mid-
Atlantic states) or a localized
area (the Washington-
Baltimore metropolitan
region). Predictions for the
intermediate area can be
determined to within about
12 km (7.5 miles) and local
area predictions can be pin-
pointed to within some 4 km
(2.5 miles). The most accurate
forecasts now available are
from the National Weather
Service and can be resolved
only to about 29 km (18
miles).
Developing and providing
real-time forecasts are part of
the meteorology depart-
ment's academic research as
well as its efforts to serve the
state of Maryland and nearby
communities. The use of the
models will help departmen-
tal researchers' efforts to bet-
ter understand the physical
processes that are at work in
different weather systems
found from the Adantic
coastal regions to the moun-
tains. The forecasts are also
part of the department's
ongoing effort to assist the
state of Maryland and nearby
communities through
improved prediction of
regional weather, and
through increased under-
standing of regional air quali-
ty and of the role of atmos-
pheric conditions in the
transport and deposition of
pollutants from one area to
another. For example, the
new forecasting models will
help departmental
researchers estimate atmos-
pheric transport of photo-
chemical smog, acid deposi-
tion and haze as well as the
flux of nitrogen and other
pollutants to the Chesapeake
Bay and its watershed.
Through its Regional
Atmospheric Modeling,
Measurement and Prediction
Program (RAMMPP), the
department has made consid-
erable effort in recent years to
examine summertime condi-
tions leading to the photo-
chemical smog (ground level
ozone) episodes that trigger
air quality alertsThrough this
research, the department is
helping Maryland, Washington,
D.C. and Virginia with their
efforts to better comply with
the Clean Air Act. Weather
models from the new real-time
forecasting project will be
used as input into an ozone
prediction model that is being
developed to forecast what are
known as "ozone action days"
when the air quality index will
be in the red.
Amateur meteorologists
and others interested in get-
ting the department's real-time
forecasts and upto-the-minute
local and regional weather
conditions can visit the depart-
ment of meteorology's weath-
er web pages at
<www.meto.umd.edu/weath-
er.html>.
(as quoted by Bushrui) the
poet's work is "a monument
that shall outlast both brass
and stone." Indeed, Gibran's
poetry will outlast both brass
and stone; Bushrui will make
sure of that.
—JAMIE FEEHERYSIMMONS
S Outlook May 11,1999
Not Your Typical
Crafts and Campfires
Center Provides Kids with Opportunities to
Learn About Art, Plus Contemporary Issues
The Art & Learning Center
is tackling some tougher issues
as part of its summer program-
ming This year, a new summer
camp session will help teenage
women learn about confusing
images in the media and how
to fight back with images of
their own.
"Exploring Female
Creativity" is just one of nine
summer camp sessions, which
run June 21 to Aug. 13, offered
by the Art & Learning Center.
The center's
summer
programs
are in their
tenth year
and offer art
experiences
for children
and teenagers
through visual,
performing and
literary arts.
Director Barbara
Tyroler and assis-
tant director
Heather Kelley
head the camp.
"Exploring
Female Creativity"
combines elements
of cooking and pho-
tography Kelley, a
graduate student who leads
the session, teaches women's
studies courses during the
school year and wanted to
combine two things that were
of interest to her.
"It's basically combining my
life," Kelley says."I really think
there's a place to combine the
two...I'll be working at a
teenage level talking to these
women."
During the session, girls
aged 13 to 16 will learn about
nutritional misunderstandings
that come with dieting the
"cult of thinness." For two
Saturdays, Kelley will cook
with the girls while concur-
rently teaching them about the
importance of exercise and
the dangers of concepts like
"yo-yo dieting*
Participants in this session
will look through advertise-
ments in maga-
zines and how
each one por-
trays women.
Eventually the
young women
will redesign
ads so they
become "girl-
friendry."This
involves the
teenagers
using one
another to
take pho-
tographs,
S.\ develop-
ing the
photos
and
eventual-
ly redesigning the ads
considering the social and
visual aspects they discuss.
They will also analyze compet-
ing messages in editorials and
television programs.
The twoday session takes
many of its ideas from another
summer session titled "A Path
of Her Own "This five-day
experience brings in a psy-
chologist and art educator —
who are sisters — to lead the
young women.
Each summer the Art & Learning Center provides a variety of day camps for boys and girls of all ages.
Also new this summer is
"Theatre Arts Lab" which helps
campers explore the creativity,
process and ensemble required
for theater arts. Tyroler points
to the importance of this ses-
sion because it is the only one
currendy offered for young
men over the age of 12,This is
important for those teenagers
who have participated in the
past and wish to continue as
campers. The leadership tracks
for females allow them to par-
ticipate up to age 16.
The Art & Learning Center
created its summer camps a
decade ago when funding for
arts was reduced in the public
schools. In the beginning, par-
ents helped support and teach
the camp.Today, the center
hires teachers, artists and assis-
tants, all mainly from the
Washington DC. area.
"It's really clustered around
the university group but we
also scatter out into the com-
munity," Tyroler says.
The price of camp is
reduced for children of univer-
sity faculty and staff.Tyroler
Summer Camp Schedule
Session 1: "Multimedia Arts," June 21-25 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ages 8-1 l.$200
(S250).
Session 2:"Exploring Female Creativity". June 19 and 26 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Ages 13-16. $75 ($90).
Session 3:"Afriea, Rhythm, and Pattern," June 28-July 2 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Ages
8-12. $210 ($260).
Session 4: "Theatre Arts Lab, "July 5-16 from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Grades 7-12. $400
($500).
Sessifia j|"«ay,Art T and Photography," July 1 2-23 from 9 a.ni.-5 p.m,Ages 8-1 2.
$42¥(Mz6T
Session 6:'A Path of Her Own." July 26-30 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Ages 13-15.
$200 C$250),
Session 7: "Learning from [he Masters." July 26-30 from 9 a.m. -5 p.m. Ages 8-12
$200 C$250).
Session «a:"Hands on Art History." Aug. 2-6 from 9 a.m.-l p.m. Ages 8-12. $ 100
($125).
Session 8b:"Wortd of Music Revisited," Aug. 2-6 from 1-5 p.m.Ages 8-12. $100
($125).
Session 9:"Flne Arts Fun," Aug. 9-13 from 9 a.m.- 5 p.m.Ages 8-12. $210 ($260)
*1tiitioti for non-unitierstty participants in parenthesis
*J}tition for non-unit
hopes that in the future, the
center can reduce its tuition
even more as it receives grants
from outside sources. The
Maryland State Arts Council as
well as the Prince George's
County Arts Council currently
support the center by aiding
with supplies.
Many sessions are still open
but most fill to capacity by the
end of May. For more informa-
tion, call 314-2787 or visit
<www. inform . umd .edu/
artcenterx
— PHILLIP WIRTZ
back issues. Breaking news of
Luncheon on May 18 at 11
ITV Building and participants
_^
a research or science policy
a.m. in the Stamp Student
will discuss the protocols,
■ or i
/our
nature is published daily.
Union Atrium. The emcee for
standards and advantages asso-
■ ^L^ m
j ^M»^ WmM M
Information on career, grants
the afternoon will be Marie
ciated with high-speed net-
intei
LPflj^^*^^ J"
and products are among the
Davidson and Mary Cothran,
work technologies like
resi
many enhanced features.
Rev. Susan Astarita and Harry
Ethernet LAN Switching
Journal Citation Reports
Teabout will be honored.
Methods, ISDN, X.25, Frame
events* lectures* sent
Inars • awards • etc.
(JCR) on the Web provides
Tickets for the luncheon
Relaym FDD1 and FDDI-1I,
access to citation data that
are $20, For more information
DQDB, SMDS, ATM and
helps users evaluate and com-
pare scholarly journals in the
or tickets, contact Anne
Carswell at 314-7759 orYvette
Residential Broadband Access
technologies
Library Announces New
FJectronic Resources.
sciences and social sciences.
Nickerson at 405-9005.
The cost of the program is
Electronic Resources
Science Online, from the
Coverage is interdisciplinary
$345 per person for faculty
In the past few weeks
American Association for the
and incorporates journals
Telecommunications
and staff. For a full course
University Libraries has added
Advancement of Science, is
from over 300O publishers in
Training
description and a registration
subscriptions to two signifi-
available via the e-journals link
60 countries.
Instructional Television
form please contact ITV
cant new electronic
on the home page. Every
System (LTV) will present a
Professional Development
resources — Science Online
upcoming issue of Science is
Drum Majors of
training seminar, "Introduction
Assistants at 405-4913-
and Journal Citation Reports
published online. You can
Excellence
to High Speed Networks," on
on the Web. The periodicals
search by issue, by keyword
The Campus Black
May 13-14, from 1 1 a.m. to 5
can be found at <www.lib.
and author, you can also
Ministries will hold its Annual
p.m.
umd.edu/LIMCP> under
browse by subject and look at
Drum Majors of Excellence
The class takes place in the
Open Library