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Summer 2024

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Summer 2003

Minding her B’s & T’s

In the fast paced world of immunological research, it’s not your p’s and q’s you have to mind, but your b’s and t’s. That’s B cells and T cells, two of the main players in the complex orchestra that makes up your immune system. B. Paige Lawrence, assistant professor in the College of Pharmacy, keeps track of both in her research into how the environmental contaminant dioxin affects immune system function but spends most of her time with T cells.

Dioxins are the byproducts of many industrial processes, including the incineration of municipal and medical wastes and of plastics. While they are destroyed by heat, … » More …

Summer 2003

Don Zajac named WSU Dad of the Year

Like the husband in O. Henry’s famous story, “Gift of the Magi,” who sold his prized watch to buy his wife a comb for Christmas, Don Zajac sold his vast collection of vintage metal lunch boxes to take his daughter, Meggan Zajac, on a month- long European tour last summer.

As a way of showing her appreciation, Meggan successfully nominated her father for Washington State University’s Dad of the Year. He was honored November 2 at the annual Dad’s Weekend breakfast in the Compton Union Building.

Don Zajac, a single father, has been there for his daughter “all of my life, and our relationship has … » More …

Summer 2006

Iraq fallen remembered: Jaimie Campbell, James Shull, Damien Ficek

In late January students, friends, and faculty gathered on the Pullman campus for a memorial service and candlelight vigil for First Lieutenant Jaime (Krausse) Campbell, who died when the BlackHawk helicopter she was flying went down in northern Iraq January 7. The 25-year-old graduated from WSU in 2002 with a degree in apparel, merchandising, and textiles.

Campbell grew up in Ephrata and had been the Washington State Rodeo Queen. At WSU, she was a member of the Army ROTC program, where she developed an interest in flying. After finishing her degree, she chose to pursue a career in aviation with the National Guard. She and … » More …

Summer 2006

Alumni Achievement 2006

The Alumni Achievement Award was created in 1970 by the alumni association board of directors “to recognize and honor alumni who have given outstanding service,…and provide encouragement to alumni for perpetual service to Washington State University.” Criteria for nomination include “significant service to Washington State University and/or outstanding contributions to community and/or profession and/or nation.” Since 1970, more than 400 deserving alumni have been honored with this award. Unfortunately, we’re able to include here only a few of the many fine Cougars honored with Alumni Achievement Awards. Following is a list of awardees since 2002.

Manzoor Ahmad ’61, Lahore, Pakistan

Robert Alessandro ’57, Gig Harbor

… » More …

Summer 2006

Busting out

One rainy afternoon this spring filmmaker Francine Strickwerda entered the El Diablo coffee shop in Seattle. She ordered a cubano latte and then sat at a table overlooking Queen Anne Avenue. She looked around the busy room. The scene brought back memories of a time, a few years before, when she was working on her first documentary, a film about breasts. “I wrote a lot of grants for Busting Out sitting in this coffee shop,” she said.

Five years in the making, the hour-long movie is, in her words, “a strange mix of pop, politics, and history, and economics, and health, all these things that … » More …

Summer 2006

Journalism’s grandest prize

On the morning of Tuesday, May 20, 1980, journalists arrived at The Daily News, turned on their computers, and were greeted with the daily message from managing editor Bob Gaston (’67 Journ.). That day’s message was far from typical.

This was two days after the devastating eruption of Mount St. Helens and less than 24 hours after the Longview newspaper staff published an astounding 45 of its own stories and numerous jaw-dropping photographs of the deadly blast.

Although his exact words are lost to time, the gist of Gaston’s message to the newsroom was this: After just one issue, there was a tremendous buzz in … » More …

Summer 2006

Cherries—The sweet fruit of worry

In March, Don Olmstead Jr. (’70 Hort.) watches over his cherry trees night and day, ready to activate a heating system or switch on the wind machines to protect the tender buds from a killing frost. It’s a task he shares with his son and business partner, Don Olmstead III (’98 Hort.).

In April, the Olmsteads worry about pollination, which only works if pollen is on the blossoms and the weather is right for insect activity. Since most cherries can’t self-pollinate, there must be another variety close by and in bloom. To facilitate cross-pollination, the Olmsteads hire one beehive per acre, inviting a few million … » More …

Summer 2006

The CUB: Back to the future

Work has begun on a two-year, $86-million project to remodel the Compton Union Building. The plan is to modernize the 1951 building, carving out 53,000 square feet for stores and restaurants, installing a new state-of-the-art auditorium, and introducing more light and style.

The price tag, 60 percent of which will be covered by a student assessment of $120 a semester, is the highest in Washington State University history. That’s because at six stories and 235,000 square feet, the CUB is one of WSU’s largest buildings, says Travis Duncan ’05, the CUB project coordinator. The renovation involves gutting the entire building and the costly endeavor of … » More …

Summer 2006

Learning what it is to do science

A few years ago, Tom Dickinson lifted the lid from his grande americano and started wondering about the water droplets that clung to its underside. Why were they that size? Why did some merge into bigger drops surrounded by little drops?

Coming from someone else, such questions might indicate that the asker has too much time on his hands. Coming from Dickinson, they launch serious research-and new careers.

Dickinson has an international reputation in the physics of surfaces and optics, and a lab that every summer brims with undergraduates doing research projects. In fact, his resume wouldn’t show nearly the breadth it does without his … » More …