Wednesday, March 3, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

Bound by books

What better place to display new and innovative books than the James E. Walker Library? The MTSU facility is providing a showcase for student-created books sure to spark conversation and ignite the imagination now through Thursday, April 1, in the Special Collections area on the fourth floor. This is the second annual juried show featuring the work of MTSU’s Book Arts students. The Department of Art’s Book Arts Program offers classes in which students learn bookbinding techniques using both traditional and nontraditional forms and materials. Student works on display in Special Collections reflect individual creativity in expressing tributes to family or personal or humorous stories. Materials used include graphite, ribbon, rice paper, string, linen, cardstock, acetate, canvas, India ink, lithographs and leaves. The Special Collections area is open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday.

For more information, call 615-904-8501. For photos of the student art, contact Gina Logue in the Office of News and Public Affairs at 615-898-5081.
gklogue@mtsu.edu

Boric, but never boring

What does chemistry have to do with the sweet sound of an expertly crafted violin? Dr. Preston MacDougall, chemistry, says he found out from Dr. Joseph Nagyvery, professor emeritus of biochemistry and biophysics at Texas A&M, that “efforts to prevent pests such as carpenter ants from harming the wood used for violins in Cremona (Italy) might have played an important role in generating their magnificent sound. Boric acid was, and still is, commonly used for pest control as well as other uses, such as a laundry additive. ... Boric acid reacts with so-called hydroxyl groups of biomolecules. When these biomolecules are the cellulose in wood, this can result in structural reinforcement and a tonal impact on instruments made from that wood.”

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

“Roam if you want to/Roam around the world”—The B-52s

The world is your oyster if you attend MTSU. The university provides international education opportunities in a variety of ways and to many nations. MTSU sent 254 participants, including 232 undergraduates, abroad in the 2008-2009 academic year. Sixty-seven percent of them went to Western Europe. Twenty percent went to Latin America. Nine percent went to Asia. In the same year, MTSU hosted 46 exchange students from 15 countries ranging from Antilles to Thailand. Seven of those students came from France, the destination for MTSU’s general education courses at the Institut Universitaire de Technologie in Cherbourg. The school hosts MTSU undergraduates each June for summer classes augmented by historical trips to the UNESCO World Heritage site of Mont St. Michel and the D-Day beaches of Normandy.

Contact the Office of Education Abroad and Student Exchange at 615-898-5179.
mtabroad@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

THE GANG’S ALL HERE.--The Forensic Institute for Research and Education (FIRE) and the Tennessee Gang Investigators Association will present the 2010 Youth Gang Organized Crime Symposium March 11-13 in MTSU’s Business and Aerospace Building. This symposium will examine contemporary gang issues involving (and distinguishing) youth and adult gang members. The subject matter will be of interest to law enforcement, business and education professionals and community leaders. The training is being provided free to attendees with scholarship support from the U.S. Department of Justice. Scheduled topics include “The Impact of Youth Gangs on Our Communities,” Ethnic Youth Gangs in the Community: How Are They Different?,” “Not Just Sex, Drugs and Firepower—The Anatomy of a Gang;” and “Hispanic Gang Identification and Officer Safety Issues.” The deadline for registration is Thursday, March 4. Go to http://mtsufire.ning.com for more information. To register, go to http://cte.mtsu.edu/gangs/new.htm.

LEARNING FROM THE LANDSCAPE--MTSU history students produced the exhibit “Listening to the Landscape: The Stories of Stones River National Battlefield,” which is on display at Linebaugh Public Library, 105 W. Vine St. in Murfreesboro, through March 9th. The exhibit highlights the changes that occurred on the battlefield landscape prior to the Civil War through the present. One of the four exhibit panels highlights the African-American community known as “Cemetery.” It formed around Stones River National Cemetery after the Civil War. Linebaugh also will feature books that are related to the exhibit. “Listening to the Landscape” is sponsored by Eastern National, the Public History Program at MTSU, the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area and Stones River National Battlefield. Contact the Tennessee Civil War National Heritage Area office at 615-898-2947 or the MTSU Department of History at 615-898-2536.

HOME IS WHERE THE VOLUNTEERS ARE.--MTSU students are building a second Habitat for Humanity home for a Rutherford County resident. Building dates will include Wednesdays, Fridays and some Saturdays. There will be two shifts per day—in the morning from 8:30 a.m. to noon and in the afternoon from noon until 4 p.m. The home dedication is tentatively scheduled for Thursday, March 25. The Office of Leadership and Service is rounding up volunteers from student organizations for this humanitarian effort. The future resident’s family also will be helping to build their home, and Central Middle School and Jason’s Deli are pitching in. Media welcomed. Good photo opportunities throughout the construction process. For more information, contact Jackie Victory at 615-898-5812 or mtleader@mtsu.edu.