3 U. PROFESSORS GET AWARDS FOR RESEARCH
Three professors have won the University of Utah 1999 Distinguished Research Awards. Each will receive a paid leave of one semester to carry out research and other creative pursuits, plus a $2,500 grant for the professor and a grant of twice that for the department.The honorees are:
Bradley D. Anderson, professor of pharmaceutics and pharmaceutical chemistry, cited for research, such as attempting to understand biological barriers to efficient drug delivery, optimizing drug formulations and drug delivery to specific targets in the body.
John S. Parkinson, professor of biology and chairman of the Department of Biology. He is a leader in the study of the way signals are processed inside the cells of bacteria. He has also led the way in discovering the molecular mechanisms governing the process.
Pierre Sokolsky, professor of physics, leader of what the U. calls the world's premier high-energy cosmic ray experiment, the Fly's Eye observatory at Dugway Proving Ground.
Among his group's recent discoveries is the recording of a cosmic-ray particle whose energy is greater than any previously seen. The group also has managed to determine the chemical composition of the rays, which are actually particles from space.
FIGHTING FOREST FIRES -- VIA THE INTERNET
The U.S. Forest Service is taking fire-fighting a notch higher than Smokey Bear pounding the flames with his shovel.
The agency has established a Web site for the Utah Fire Management Project, an effort by the six Utah national forests to amend their forest plans. They are the Ashley, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, Uinta and Wasatch-Cache national forests.
Changes to the plans would let forest managers greatly increase their use of fire to sustain the ecosystems.
To access the new Web site, direct an Internet browser to www.fs.fed.us/dxnf/ufmp/index.html.
EARTHLINGS WANTED AT NASA LABORATORY
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., is looking for at least 40 science educators to share the thrill of discovering distant planets.
The volunteers will help introduce the public to JPL's role in exploring the solar system, such as the Cassini mission that is on its way to Saturn, the Galileo spacecraft that is orbiting Jupiter, Stardust on its way to a comet rendezvous and other probes.
Volunteers will interact with JPL scientists, engineers and project members during teleconference training. Then they will help launch four public events per year at local museums, planetariums and community groups.
"It's helpful, but not essential, for applicants to have a formal or informal science or teaching background," said Jane Platt of JPL.
Application deadline is May 17. For more information, including online application forms, visit the JPL Internet site at www.jpl.nasa.gov/ambassador/.
RED CROSS RAISES $1 MILLION OVER NET
For the first time in its history, the American Red Cross has raised more than $1 million in a single month through online donations.
During April -- which hasn't yet ended -- the group raised the money for various relief operations through the American Red Cross main Internet site, www.redcross.org, and its sister site, www.DistarRelief.org.
Much of the total went toward relief efforts for Kosovar refugee camps.