Web site shares stories of fire impact on UCSD
A Web site accessible through the main UCSD news site was established on Nov. 8 for people to share stories of the San Diego wildfires’ impact on the UCSD community. The site includes stories from different aspects of campus, from health care workers to professors, and from staff to students.
One story was about a UCSD nurse, Karen Belvin, who helped set up on-the-spot care for fire evacuees. Others focused on the Respiratory Care and Medical Burn Unit’s responses to the crisis, with a telling of how UCSD health care staff helped set up a makeshift day care center so that co-workers with children could stay at work. Another story told of how neighbors fought the fire to save the home of Kelly Briggs, associate director of development at the Jacobs School of Engineering, who was out of town.
Video footage showing early stages of the Cedar Fire is available from Hans-Werner Braun, a research scientist at San Diego Supercomputer Center, who shot the footage as part of wireless networking research from the top of Mt. Laguna. The footage shows the spread of the fire 300 times faster than it happened. Students who helped organize relief efforts on campus were the focus of another story, with a special emphasis on UCSD Community Cares, a drive that became so large it got the attention of Sen. Diane Feinstein (D-CA), whose office called the organization to recognize their efforts.
One story showcased the efforts of various staff members to keep residence halls and dining facilities running.
The site, available at http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/fire, also includes a message from Acting Chancellor Marsha A. Chandler. A corresponding special fire edition of the UCSD Times has also been released.
Info Fair to showcase more than 75 law schools
The UCSD Career Services Center will present the Law School Information Fair on Nov. 13, which will showcase more than 75 law schools from across the country. Half of the law schools considered to be the in top 25 in the nation, according to the 2003 U.S. News and World Report survey, will be in attendance. The fair will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Participants include schools such as Cornell, Columbia and New York University. A complete list of participating schools is available at http://career.ucsd.edu/sa/lawgradfairs.shtml.
The fair will also be followed by a Law School Admissions Panel at 2:30 p.m. in the Career Services Center. The panel will consist of admissions experts who will discuss how to apply for law school. Topics to be discussed also include selection criteria, how admissions decisions are made, law school experience and financial aid.
Author to visit campus for book signing on Nov. 13
John de Pillis, author of “”777 Mathemical Conversation Starters,”” will appear at UCSD Bookstore on Nov. 13. from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m and will be available to sign copies and discuss his book.
“”777 Mathematical Conversation Starters”” uses original cartoons, illustrations, essays, quotes and jokes to show that mathematical ideas and good conversation are related. In his book, de Pillis maintains that mathematics is not just for mathematicians. He illustrates this idea by presenting conversation starters that are universally accessible.
De Pillis first trained as a commercial artist and went on to earn a mechanical engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology. He then earned a doctoral degree in mathematics from the UC Berkeley. De Pillis is currently a professor at UC Riverside.
Conference to celebrate DNA discovery
A symposium titled “”A Celebration of 50 Years in Medicine”” will be held Nov. 14 and Nov. 15 at Price Center Theater to highlight the 50th anniversary of the description of DNA by James Watson and Francis Crick. The conference will feature renowned scientists who are leaders in the research and study of molecular medicine. Speakers will also discuss the impact of DNA findings in the medical field.
Presenters include Francis Collins, director of the National Human Genome Research Institute, which recently announced the completion of the human genome project. Nobel Prize Winners J. Michael Bishop from UC San Francisco and Sydney Brenner from Salk Institute will also be present.
Other presenters come from various specialties such as stem cell research, plasmid DNA-based vaccines and molecular genetics. The symposium will emphasize how genetic and genomic knowledge can be translated to the patient’s bedside.
For more information, call (858) 534-3940.
