Monday, July 30, 2007

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The Jolly Green Giant

Al Gore gets a lot of headlines for his devotion to environmentalism, but a fellow named Norman Borlaug is considered by many to be the father of the “green revolution.” Borlaug was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal for his lifetime of achievements in agricultural science. Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says, “Ironically, Norman Borlaug became a giant in the world of agriculture by introducing ‘dwarf genes’ into wheat crops that were being grown in developing countries. Since [fewer] of the plants’ nutrients went into producing long stems, which are inedible and prone to buckling in high winds or rain, the result was much higher yields of grain. Subsequently, ‘short-stature’ varieties of maize and rice have had profound success.”

Contact MacDougall at 615-898-5265.
pmacdoug@mtsu.edu

For insurance’s sake

Three insurance professionals comprise the 2007 slate of honorees to be inducted into the Robert E. Musto Insurance Hall of Fame, Tuesday, July 31. The banquet and ceremony will be held at 5:30 p.m. at the Franklin Marriott at Cool Springs. Inductee Dr. Kenneth W. Hollman, the first and sole holder of MTSU’s Tommy T. Martin Chair of Insurance, serves as a mentor to aspiring insurance professionals and is a resource person for the industry. Edwin Craig joined the National Life & Accident Insurance Company in Nashville, played a role in the company’s decision to enter broadcasting, and was instrumental in launching the Grand Ole Opry. The late John Spann was twice honored as Professional Insurance Agents of Tennessee’s Agent of the Year, serving as the organization’s vice president and president.

Contact Hollman at 615-898-2673.
khollman@mtsu.edu

More than just pond scum

The July 2007 edition of Popular Science magazine features a story on the prospects for using algae as an alternative energy source. Dr. Cliff Ricketts, agribusiness and agriscience, says, “It would take 140 billion gallons of biodiesel every year to replace petroleum-based diesel. It would take three billion acres of fertile cropland of soybeans and other oil crops to produce this amount of fuel. Unfortunately, there [are] only 434 million acres of cropland in the U.S. Of course, we still need land for food. With green algae, the soydiesel could be produced on 95 million acres, and it does not require fertile land. It can be grown on flooded western desert land.” Ricketts adds, however, that research in this area is far from complete.

Contact Ricketts at 615-898-2430.
srickett@mtsu.edu


TR EXTRA

STAND AND DELIVER--The MTSU McNair Program invites you to attend the 8th annual MTSU McNair Symposium Tuesday, July 31, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Tom H. Jackson Building. The McNair Program is designed to give low-income/first generation and underrepresented undergraduate students the support they need to prepare for and successfully complete a doctoral degree in their chosen fields. McNair scholars will make oral presentations of their 2007 summer research. Their research posters also will be on display. For more information, contact the McNair office at 615-904-8462 or mcnair@mtsu.edu.

RECORDING REDUX--It’s not too late to enroll your child in the Youth Culture and Arts Center’s (YCAC) recording workshops at MTSU. The current enrollment period is in effect through Aug. 10 for the upcoming Aug.16-Sept. 9 workshop in MTSU’s John Bragg Mass Communication Building. The workshop is for youngsters ages 12-17, and the fee is $125 per student. Classes are taught by Ryan York, a 21-year-old MTSU student and teacher of guitar, bass, and drums lessons at Chambers Guitars and Musical Instruments in Murfreesboro. Ryan will provide instruction in cassette four-track instruction, digital eight-track, computer recording and electronic music. All proceeds will benefit YCAC, a program of Youth Empowerment Through Arts and Humanities (YEAH), a nonprofit organization. Call 615-849-7140 or contact York at bororecording@gmail.com.


UNCLE DAVE’S DAYS--With a focus on paying tribute to the beloved old-time music festival known as Uncle Dave Macon Days, the staff of The Heritage Center of Murfreesboro and Rutherford County recently unveiled an exhibit titled “Uncle Dave Macon Days: Celebrating Old Time Music in Rutherford County.” Melissa A. Zimmerman, heritage programming specialist with MTSU’s Center for Historic Preservation, said the two-panel display offers viewers a bit of history, photographs and quotes from the earliest years of the festival to the present day. Located at 225 W. College St., the history-laden center also features photographs of Uncle Dave and his home as part of its newly opened display, “Entering the Modern Era: Murfreesboro’s Jazz Age.” Open 9 a.m.-3 p.m. each Monday through Friday, admission to the center is always free. For more information, call the center at 615-217-8013. Please direct any inquiries for jpegs for editorial use to the center’s staff or by e-mailing mzimmerm@mtsu.edu.