Geniuses at play

This Saturday at MTSU, ingenious, creative middle and high school students--from more than 20 public and private schools in Nashville, Franklin, Murfreesboro, Smyrna, Portland, Gallatin, Hendersonville, Harrogate, and Madison--will go head to head in 20-plus competitions involving science, engineering, math, writing, bridge building, bottle rocket design, and much more. The Science Olympiad will begin at 9 a.m. (end at 3 p.m.) at various campus locations. Event sponsor State Farm Insurance will present scholarships to winning teams. Registration will start at 7 a.m. in the Business and Aerospace Building. Media welcomed.

Contact Dr. Pat Patterson, event director, at 615-904-8252. Contact the NPA office for a schedule and location of events--615-898-2919.

Look! ... Up in the sky! ... Friday!

Recently MTSU's aerospace department purchased a new fleet of 25 planes for $4.8 million. This Friday at 2:30 p.m., a single-engine, 4-seat DA40-180 Diamond Star aircraft--identical to 20 of the planes purchased from and being built by Diamond, will fly into the Murfreesboro Airport. MTSU President Sidney A. McPhee will be there to "kick the tires" and welcome John Gauch, vice president of marketing for Diamond. The remaining five planes were purchased from The New Piper Aircraft. "We spent less money than we thought we would because we were able to get fleet discounts," notes Dr. Paul Craig, aerospace chair.

Contact Craig at 615-898-2788.
pcraig@mtsu.edu

Smallpox vaccination

According to a story in The New York Times, thousands of health-care workers have refused the smallpox vaccination. That same sentiment is being demonstrated by some local health personnel. Dr. Rebecca Seipelt, assistant professor, biology, says that while those people would need to be asked directly for their reasons, there is always risk with any treatment, and the benefit must outweigh the risk to make it a viable option. "The groups may simply believe that either the risk of smallpox contact is still very low or that the small number of negatively reacting individuals does not yet outweigh the benefit of taking the vaccine."

Contact Seipelt at 615-904-8393.
rseipelt@mtsu.edu

TODAY'S MTSU UPLINK AT 10 A.M. SEGMENT 1: Dr. William Ford talks about the economic impact of war with Iraq.
SEGMENT 2: A 75th birthday celebration of the Homer Pittard Campus School, coupled with an oral history project involving the school children and Dr. Ron Kates' English class at MTSU.
SEGMENT 3: Dr. Jette Halladay talks about directing the upcoming MTSU production of "A Woman Called Truth," the story of African American heroine Sojourner Truth. Includes the cast in rehearsal. Performances will be Feb. 28 and March 1 at 7 p.m., Tucker Theatre.

TR EXTRA: THIS EVENING, 8-9 p.m. "Closeup with President McPhee," MTTV cable Channel 10, also on the Web at www.mtsu.edu and via satellite on Channel 22 in Cookeville. It will air again on Channel 10 and on Nashville's NewsChannel 5+. Discussions will include the lottery, MTSU's new parking proposal, and questions from viewers.
TOMORROW, Feb. 20: More than 300 area high school students (Riverdale, Blackman, Mt. Juliet) will experience the sights, sounds and smells of science demonstrations from 9:30 to 11 a.m. in the Keathley University Theater, performed by MTSU chemistry students. Contact Dr. Gary White at 615-898-2072 or Dr. Andrienne Friedli at 615-898-2071. Media welcomed.
TOMORROW, Feb. 20: videoconference (and live audience), 3:30 p.m., Learning Resources Center, professional development for teachers, "Physical Activity's Impact on Childhood Disorders," Drs. Chris Quarto and Susan Sobel. Contact Quarto at 615-898-5933 and Sobel at 615-898-5288. Media welcomed.
TOMORROW AND FRIDAY, Feb. 20-21: Adult Learning Conference, James Union Building, starts at 10:45 a.m. (8:30 a.m. Friday). Contact Dr. Carol Ann Baily at 615-898-5989.