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Summer 2024

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Spring 2003

Letters from Vladivostok

“This is the best research project I’ve ever had. It’s invaded my life in a very good way.” So says Birgitta Ingemanson, associate professor of Russian at Washington State University, about her current project transcribing and editing more than 2,100 letters written by an American woman, Eleanor Pray, in Vladivostok between 1894 and 1930.

The collection consists primarily of letters written by Pray and her sister-in-law, but also includes hundreds of photos taken by Pray of Vladivostok before the Russian Revolution and World War I. The array of letters and photographs provides glimpses of the city’s culture, politics, and merchant life from an American woman’s … » More …

Spring 2003

One hot link: WSU’s Ownbey Herbarium website

[ Unfortunately, the current WSU Ownbey Herbarium website has depreciated the reference links discussed in this article. You can, however, still access these valuable pages via Internet Archive’s “Wayback Machine” by clicking on the backeted links below. ]

 

[ http://www.wsu.edu/~wsherb/ ]

 

“From Rainforest to Grassland,” on WSU’s Ownbey Herbarium website, takes you on a virtual tour of Washington plant communities, from Cape Flattery on the northwestern tip of the Olympic Peninsula to the confluence of the Snake and Grand Ronde Rivers at the southeastern corner of the state. Along the way you … » More …

Spring 2003

Living and gardening in the Pacific Northwest — Spring 2003

Some gardeners work to change conditions in their yard to create havens of greenery and blooms with plants that wouldn’t grow there otherwise. They amend the soil to suit plants’ needs, they water a lot during the summer, and they give added protection to non-hardy plants.

More and more gardeners today are saying “No!” to extra tasks, choosing to work with nature instead of against it. They are using nature as a model in creating yards and gardens that reflect the natural beauty of the place where they live. They’re determining the aspects their yards share with surrounding natural areas-sun, shade, rocks, slopes-and they’re choosing … » More …

Spring 2003

Solid footing

Ah, for the safety and comfort of computer modeling in a cozy office.

Instead, Thanos Papanicolaou, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Washington State University, found himself in a small boat in the churning waters of the Tacoma Narrows during a “peak tidal event” taking water velocity measurements, soundings, and underwater pictures of the bottom of the channel.

“I was a little nervous,” he admits, recalling his guide’s efforts to avoid vortices in the current.

Papanicolaou and graduate student Kyle Strom have been working to determine exactly how much of a scour hole tides make around the pilings that hold … » More …

Spring 2003

Rebuilding a city, repairing psyches

“You can’t put the blame on one side. Everybody has made some contributions to the misery.”

So thought Rafi Samizay, professor in the School of Architecture and Construction Management at Washington State University, as he stood in what is left of his high school in Kabul, Afghanistan. As he tried to chat cheerfully with students about favorite teachers they shared, the remains of the school teetered around them. Classes are still held in part of the building that was blown up, so students have to gingerly make their way across a second-story, narrow piece of concrete that falls off to nothing. Others walk below. Where … » More …

Winter 2001

Gorham earns award for animal disease research

John Gorham, longtime professor of veterinary microbiology and pathology in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Washington State University, received the Gold Head Cane Award in July. The award from the Hartz Mountain Corp. recognizes his landmark contributions to the epidemiology of certain animal diseases, some of which also affect humans.

Gorham is an international authority on slow-virus disease research in animals. He is perhaps best known for his 1953 co-discovery of the microorganism responsible for salmon poisoning in dogs and foxes.

In recent years, Gorham’s research group has worked on three fronts—developing a diagnostic test for scrapie in sheep; investigating the molecular biology, immunology, … » More …

Winter 2001

A better system of braces

“Imagine if you are a patient, the significant difference that decreased pressure is going to make to your comfort level.”

As a child, Dr. Dwight Damon (’62 Zoology) had more than his share of curiosity.

Damon’s father, who taught math and science at Spokane’s West Valley High School, always encouraged him to question and explore everything. “He instilled in me that desire to always find the better solution.”

At Washington State University, encouragement came from zoology professor Herbert Eastlick.

“Herb was my advisor, my mentor, and my friend,” says Damon. “He was constantly challenging us, encouraging everyone to reach their full potential.”

That desire … » More …

Winter 2001

Hastad heads University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

In March Douglas N. Hastad was appointed ninth chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse, a school of more than 9,000 students. The Moorhead, Minnesota, native earned a master’s degree in health and physical education at Washington State University in 1971. He holds an Ed.D. from Arizona State University.

Hastad joined UW-La Crosse in 1989 as dean of the College of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and as professor of exercise and sport science. In 1998 he was named interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs. He previously was associate professor and chairman of the Department of Physical Education at Texas Christian University (1984-89).

… » More …

Winter 2001

Life’s twists and turns lead WSU alumna to success

“At Washington State, I found … professors who encouraged us to formulate our own thoughts and opinions.” —Jodi Vevoda

At one time or another, we’ve all formulated plans for where we want to be five, 10, 20 years down the road. But life has a way of making its own plans for us. No one knows that better than Jodi Vevoda, vice president of advertising for USA TODAY.

After graduating in 1979 from Washington State University, where she focused on interior design, she interviewed at several design firms. She was surprised to receive the same advice from each of them: Gain experience in sales … » More …