Monday, June 14, 2010

Today’s Response
Middle Tennessee State University

The counts in the counties

The last county estimates to use 2000 U.S. Census Bureau results as a base are now posted on the website of MTSU’s Business and Economic Research Center (http://frank.mtsu.edu/~berc/index.html). The data are broken down by age, gender and race. Overall, the data show an increasingly racially diverse nation. According to the estimates, Bedford County had the largest Hispanic population in the state of Tennessee in 2009. Hispanics made up slightly over 15 percent of Bedford’s population of nearly 50,000 people. Hamblen County was the only other county in double digits with 12.51 percent. The Hispanic populations of the counties where Tennessee’s major urban areas are located break down this way: Davidson County (Nashville) 8.75 percent; Shelby County (Memphis) 5.13 percent; Hamilton County (Chattanooga) 3.42 percent; and Knox County (Knoxville) 2.71 percent.

Contact the Business and Economic Research Center at 615-898-2610.

Flying high in the friendly sky

MTSU’s Department of Aerospace is one of 33 ITT Corp. team members involved in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Next Generation Air Transportation System to modernize the U.S. national airspace system. Specifically, MTSU aerospace will provide support in air traffic management systems, human-factor research, technology assessment and large-scale demonstrations. “Being one of the ITT team members on this project will enable us to be involved in cutting-edge research and concept development that will be used to transform the national air transportation system,” says Dr. Wayne Dornan, chair of the aerospace department. “It is impossible at this point to tell exactly how much funding will come to MTSU, but this is a huge victory for us,” says Dr. Mike Allen, vice provost for research and dean of MTSU’s College of Graduate Studies.

Contact Dornan at 615-898-2788.
wdornan@mtsu.edu

Bringing it all together

The staff and volunteers of two of MTSU’s busiest agencies are working hard this summer. They are merging the June Anderson Women’s Center and the Off-Campus Student Services Office into the June Anderson Center for Women and Nontraditional Students. By the target date of July 1, the new center will be housed in the current OCSS digs in Room 320 of the Keathley University Center with clerical support from the Center for Student Involvement and Leadership. By September, director Terri Johnson intends to have everything in readiness for an open house to help people familiarize themselves with the consolidated center.”We’re open to suggestions and comments,” says Johnson. “I think a lot of the first year will include listening to students and assessing their needs. At the same time, we’ll be doing important projects and reaching out to the community.”

Contact Johnson at 615-898-2193.
trjohnso@mtsu.edu

TR EXTRA

KEYBOARD CAMPERS--“Partners for Innovation in Information Technology” at MTSU will be conducting summer computer camps for local area high school students July 12-16. Starting with rising ninth-graders, students will be invited to attend one of the three week-long (full-time, 40-hour) summer camps: the Alice camp, the Robotics camp and the Multimedia camp. Students will be introduced to the fundamentals of computer science through experiences that have proven successful in advancing learning of high school students. The week-long camps will be free to attend, but seating will be limited. For more information and camp applications, contact the PIIT website at http://www.mtsu.edu/~piit.

SUMMER SCRIPTS--MTSU’s Youth Writers’ Camp is in progress and runs through Thursday, June 17 for students who have completed sixth through twelfth grades. This annual project of the Middle Tennessee Writing Project aims to make each camper part of a community of authors working to explore different writing styles and genres. Within this community, each camper spends extended periods of time writing, conferences with peers and teachers and ultimately discovers his or her own writing style. Each student receives a writer’s notebook, a camp T-shirt, a daily snack, a writing anthology and a visit with a published author. Camp instructors are experienced classroom teachers. Contact MTWP Youth Camp Coordinator Angela Pope at pope_a@worldnet.att.net.

2 + 2 = TEACHERS--MTSU will host an orientation and advising session for the “2+2” bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies at 4:30 p.m. tomorrow, June 15, at the Middle Tennessee Education Center, 841 Union St. in Shelbyville. “2+2+ is a joint effort of MTSU and Motlow State Community College to enable students to earn an Associate of Science in Teaching degree at Motlow and a bachelor’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from MTSU. The courses of study will prepare students for teaching careers in K-6 elementary education. Attendees to the orientation session should bring unofficial copies of their transcripts. Contact Molly Culbreath or Renea Cotham at 931-685-4444.

THE CLUE CREW--The MTSU Forensic Institute for Research and Education will sponsor “CSI-MTSU,” a four-day program designed for students entering the 10th, 11th and 12th grades in Rutherford and surrounding counties June 22-25. The student investigators will be presented with a re-creation of an actual crime scene. They will be divided into several teams. A professional will direct and coach each team as the students use math and science to solve the crime. Each student will be trained in the fundamental processes of collecting evidence, including DNA, fingerprints, hair and fibers, simulated blood spatter and shoe prints. Additionally, students will learn how to process the evidence, conduct interviews and formulate theories while working in a team environment. Snacks, lunches, T-shirts and baseball-style caps are included in the fee of $250. For more information, contact Eve Shockley at 615-898-5530, or go to http://www.mtsu.edu/fire/workshops.shtml.

I’M PLAYING WITH MY BOOKS, MOMMY.--“Books and Children in the 19th Century: A Small Portrait” is the theme of an exhibit on display now and throughout this summer in the fourth floor Special Collections area of MTSU’s James E. Walker Library. The purpose is to show the variety of ways children and the adults around them engaged with books in the 1800s and early 1900s. The works available for viewing are indicative of the children’s book as an object of moral and educational value. The idea behind the books is to teach values and build character. Entertainment techniques are employed strictly to attract the children and hold their interest. Highlights include several movable books, which are books that contain text or illustrations that the child can manipulate. Pop-up books are one such type of movable book. Many items in the display have never been exhibited previously. Call the James E. Walker Library at 615-898-2772.

ADOPT A VET--The Albert Gore Research Center is an official partner in the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. The center participates as part of its public service mission. Currently, the Gore Center has about 50 veterans of World War II and Korea on its list of those willing to be interviewed for the Veterans History Project at MTSU, but these vets are in their 80s and 90s. It is urgent that the Gore Center have funds in hand to record their stories in 2010. With each tax-deductible contribution of only $50, the Gore Center can fund one interview with a WWII, Korean War, Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War or Iraq/Afghanistan veteran, or a civilian who supported the war effort by working in war industries or volunteering for the USO, Red Cross or other support organizations. Your donation will pay for tapes and other supplies, transcription, permanent archiving and posting of the materials on a website. For more information, go to http://gorecenter.mtsu.edu/adoptvet.hem.

APRENDA CON ME--The University School of Nashville is hosting MTSU’s 2010 Summer Language Institute, where you can learn Spanish in a fun, low-stress environment. The methods employed are Total Physical Response (TPR) and Teaching Proficiency through Reading and Storytelling (TPRS). These methods mimic the way you learned your first language. Movement, games, songs and storytelling are all part of the instruction. Brian Roberts will teach Spanish I for ages 16 and up from July 19-23 at the University School and from Aug. 2-6 at the O’More School of Design in Franklin. Jason Fritze will teach Spanish II for ages 16 and up from July 19-23 at the University School. The cost for all language classes is $350 with a $20 materials fee due on the first day of class. Contact Dr. Shelley Thomas at 615-898-5757 or shthomas@mtsu.edu.