April 23, 2003 Announcements
Utah State Blue Light
Honors D. Wynne Thorne Research Award Recipient
 The
Utah State University blue light atop Old Main will light the
night sky Wednesday, April 23, to honor Steven Aust, professor
in the chemistry and biochemistry department, for receiving
the D. Wynne Thorne Research Award.
Aust is an internationally recognized expert in a number of
fields. He studies such topics as the toxicology of polyhalogenated
aromatic hydrocarbons, lipid peroxidation, the role of iron
in the deleterious oxidation of biomolecules and the degredation
of lignin and environmental pollutants by white-rot fungi. In
2002, Aust received the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology
from Gov. Michael O. Leavitt.
He has contributed much to the Utah environment by founding
the Intech One-Eighty Corporation to market white-rot fungus
technology for the biodegration of environmental pollutants.
The technology has been sublicensed to EarthFax Engineering,
Inc., to clean up environmental pollution sites in Utah as well
as the nation.
Aust's research has attracted national attention and has garnered
funding from such prestigious and competitive agencies as the
National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation,
the Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Army and Navy. He
has secured more than $12 million for his research.
Aust is loved by students and has mentored nearly 50 graduate
students and 16 postdoctoral trainees, said Steve Scheiner,
chemistry department head. Many students come from all over
the world including Japan, Italy and Poland to study under Aust's
direction. He also teaches a class on biochemistry to non-science
majors.
Aust will receive the award at Utah State's 110th commencement,
Saturday, May 3.
The Aggie Blue Pride Light atop Old Main lights the Cache Valley
night sky as a symbol of Aggie tradition, heritage and pride.
Faculty researchers are a part of the heritage that contributes
to the quality of Utah State.
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