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The following is a selection of recent media coverage of Lafayette:
National Media
C-SPAN and Book TV, Jan. 1 and Dec. 23-25
Donald L. Miller, John Henry MacCracken Professor of History, was featured in programs related to his newest book, Masters of the Air: America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War Against Nazi Germany.
All About Jazz (N.Y.), January
The new CD by Skip Wilkins, assistant professor of music, Skip Wilkins Quintet: Volume Ireceived a solid review in All About Jazz. The first CD in a two-album package, Volume I was released by Dreambox Media in September.
Science News, Dec. 23
Research by Cliff Reiter, professor of mathematics, was featured in the article “What a Flake: Computers get the hang of ice-crystal growth.” The article delves into the physics and mystery of the symmetry of snowflakes. Reiter has researched the mathematical generation of snowflake patterns for a number of years. His work on the topic has appeared in Nature and Chaos, Solutions and Fractals.
Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Wash.), USA Today, Dec. 19
Jennifer Talarico, assistant professor of psychology, was quoted in the article “Report links 9/11 memories to proximity.” The article discusses the theory of flashbulb memories, which are a psychological concept where memories of shocking events are remembered in more vivid detail than other memories. Researchers at New York University explored this idea through a study which compared the memories of New Yorkers who were close to the World Trade Center during the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001 to people who were further away.
USA Today, Dec. 11
Mark Crain, William E. Simon Professor of Political Economy, was quoted in the article “Microbusinesses find huge benefits in outsourcing.” Crain said that the amount of overhead for legal advice, bookkeeping and other expenses to comply with federal employment regulations are larger per employee for smaller employers as compared to large businesses. Crain has done extensive research on the effects of government regulations on business.
Spotlight on Students in Their Hometown Newspapers
Times Tribune (Pa.), Dec. 11
Lora Nageli, of Taylor, is trying to determine how viewing professional models in the media influences women’s satisfaction with their own bodies. Soon, the Lafayette College senior and 2003 graduate of Riverside Junior/Senior High School, will share what she has learned. Nageli is making the study for her honors thesis research this year “on how media portrayals of women’s bodies affect how women view themselves.” She has been interviewing and studying fellow Lafayette students for her project. John Shaw, associate professor and assistant head of psychology, is serving as Lora’s thesis adviser. He said she is examining a topic that is of particular interest to college students. “Only the very best students qualify to conduct honors projects, and Lora is clearly one of our best,” Shaw said.
Abington Journal (Pa.), Nov. 16
Experimental science research has always interested Lafayette junior Victor Fiore of Clarks Summit. Through Lafayette’s distinctive EXCEL Scholars program, Fiore is collaborating with Andrew Kortyna, assistant professor of physics, to study molecular dynamics. The researchers will examine how atoms interact with each other and how they form into molecules by observing collisions between atoms that have been carefully prepared into specific and well-defined initial states. The results of such collisions yield information about inter-atomic forces that underlie all of chemistry. As part of the project, Fiore has built electronic circuits, including a servo-feedback circuit that locks laser frequency to that of an atomic transition. He also has integrated a locking circuit into a laser system. Fiore is pursuing B.S. degrees in physics and chemistry.
Public Opinion (Pa.), Nov. 13
Brandon Beidel ’09, of Newburg, Pa., researched and experimented with turning bacteria into plastic. The chemical engineering major worked on an EXCEL project with Polly Piergiovanni, associate professor of chemical engineering, as he used Lafayette’s new bioreactor device to grow the bacteria that he would use in the process of extracting plastic. Beidel hopes to do another experiment in the near future focusing on biodegradable fuel and soybean oil.
Stratford Star (Conn.), Nov. 2
Patrick Zboray ’07, of Stratford, Conn., conducted research for a senior thesis on the national savings rate. A Trustee Scholar, Zboray’s thesis claims that experts predicting that the savings rate is too low are not considering the value of capital gains and losses on investments, only the amounts that are originally invested. Edward Gamber, professor of economics and business, worked with Zboray on this project. Zboray plans to pursue a career as a certified public accountant after graduation.