September 19, 2003 Highlights
Friends'
Season Opener
 No,
it wasn't the television event of the fall, but it was the season
opener for Friends — Friends of the Libraries, that is.
An opening reception, hosted by President Kermit L. Hall and
Phyllis Hall, was held Sept. 12 at the institutional residence.
The libraries' friends braved a blustery fall evening to see
the plans for the new library at Utah State University.
An architect's rendering of the library was unveiled, as was
a computer animation that detailed the library's automated retrieval
system — the first system of its kind to be used in a
library in the state. The system is but one example of the cutting-edge
technology that is incorporated in the new structure.
President Hall spoke briefly, welcoming the guests and thanking
them for their support of University Libraries and Utah State.
The university library is important to Utah State's success,
he told the Friends crowd.
"Utah State is getting better," President Hall said.
"We have the best-prepared incoming class in our history.
Our graduation rates are up and our retention rates are up –
there is nothing more important than ensuring that each and
every one of the students who come to Utah State stay and graduate."
Referring to the university's mission statement, President
Hall emphasized that academics come first at Utah State, and
the new library, he said, supports that. "The library makes
Utah State a better place."
Linda Wolcott, vice provost for libraries and instructional
support, welcomed the crowd and thanked those involved, especially
the administrators who provided the leadership that moved the
library building project forward, making it a success. The efforts
of all involved assure that the new library will be the intellectual
center of campus, she said. The library supports the goals of
discovery, learning and engagement.
The evening concluded with an acknowledgment of William F.
Lye, long-time Friends of the Libraries president, and board
member Kaye Steed. Both were thanked for their years of support
and service since the organization's beginning.
An overview of coming Friends' events follows. All lectures
begin at 7 p.m. and are held in the Merrill Library on campus.
October 17 — Ona Siporin, assistant editor of the Western
Historical Quartely, Guarding the Stones of Venice.
January 23, 2004 — Ron Shook, associate professor of
English, Racing on the Bonneville Salt Flats.
February 13 — Sarah Gordon, assistant professor of
French, A Culinary Comedy in Medieval French Literature.
March 2004 — To be announced.
April 16 — JaDene Denniston, media specialist at Sunrise
Elementary School, USU Alumni Contributions to Children’s
Literature.
Article
Published in Journal of the American Chemical Society
 Utah
State University graduate student Anastassia Alexandrova, undergraduate
K. Alexander Birch and chemistry professor Alexander Boldyrev,
recently had an article published in The Journal of the
American Chemical Society.
Working alongside Boldyrev, the two students spent almost a
year on the study, which expounds on new chemical formations
of boron. The study was published about nine months later.
Alexandrova, a Russian native, received her master's degree
at Saratov State University in Russia and has been at Utah State
for almost three years working on her doctorate. Birch grew
up in Hyrum and has now graduated from Utah State with dual
bachelor's degrees in chemistry and computer science.
Siberian native Boldyrev spent almost 20 years in Moscow, Russia,
teaching at the Moscow Physical Technical Institute, then, seven
years at the University of Utah before coming to Utah State.
Boldyrev is very pleased with the publication of the article
and the ongoing graduate studies in the chemistry department.
He said the department's goal is to continue "using computers
to design new molecules and materials."
John
Neely — International Exhibition
 Department
of Art faculty member and ceramist John Neely has been invited
to participate in the major international exhibition 21st
Century Ceramics in the United States and Canada. Neely
is department head for art and has been the long time head of
the successful ceramics program.
 The
exhibition is seen Oct. 10 through Dec. 7 at the Canzani Center
Gallery on the campus of Columbus College of Art and Design
in Columbus, Ohio. The show is curated by Bill Hunt, former
editor of Ceramics Monthly magazine. The exhibition
features 500 distinctive works from 250 of the top professional
North American ceramists, including Neely.
utah
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