September 19, 2002
1. Cedar Creek celebrates 60th anniversary
2. Book examines trends in mobile homes
3. U of M e-postcards: No stamp required
4. Considering acupuncture? Be a smart consumer
5. UMC students receive new Dell laptops
6. New turkey vaccine gains USDA approval
7. U of M Happenings
8. Links
U IN THE NEWS
Cedar Creek celebrates 60th anniversary
Glistening like a teardrop on the green landscape, tiny Cedar Bog Lake looks much as it did more than 60
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| Photo courtesy of College of Biological Sciences |
years ago, when a brilliant but sickly University graduate student used the lake as a model to discover how ecosystems function. His findings ignited a new era in ecology, full of fresh insights into the elemental forces that shape forests, oceans, and even your back lawn. This month, the College of Biological Sciences celebrates six decades of endeavor at its Cedar Creek Natural History Area (CCNHA), home to Cedar Bog Lake and an ecologist's dream mix of ecosystems—all only 35 miles north of the Twin Cities near Isanti, Minnesota.
Cedar Creek is nine square miles of untouched bogs, fields, and forests. The 5,400-acre lab is unique for its convergence of three ecosystems—hardwood forest, evergreen, and prairie—that create a one-of-a-kind microcosm of North America's biological heritage.
"Cedar Creek is the best ecological research site I could imagine," says David Tilman, director of the natural history area. "It's a gem in the University’s endowment."
The anniversary celebration will be from 1:30 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 21, and will feature a rare, public open house and tours. Visitors can take a walking tour of Cedar Bog Lake and watch a radio-tracking demonstration with Goldy Gopher. Children can enjoy a nature adventure. During a program at 1:30 p.m., University officials will share some of the achievements of Cedar Creek and plant a tree marking the 60th anniversary. An ice cream social will follow.
"Children and adults alike will be fascinated by Cedar Creek's rare features, such as a rare black spruce bog, a white cedar forest, never-plowed prairies surrounded by oak savannas, and a mile-wide lake," says Clarence Lehman, associate director of CCNHA. "We're excited to show people this beautiful ecosystem and the important research taking place here over the last 60 years."
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| Photo courtesy of College of Biological Sciences |
Cedar Creek is considered by many the birthplace of modern ecology and is one of the nation's most well-known ecology labs. Since 1942, University researchers have been studying the interactions between plant and animal species within its ecosystems. Telemetry or radio tracking was also developed at Cedar Creek in the 1950s.
Tilman, University of Minnesota McKnight Presidential Endowed Chair in Ecology and the most cited environmental author of the decade for 1990-2000, is the lead researcher at Cedar Creek, and for the past 20 years he has been studying the value of biodiversity and ecosystems.
The anniversary event is free and open to the public. To learn more about Cedar Creek or for directions, see www.cedarcreek.umn.edu. Also, look for an in-depth article on Cedar Creek in the next issue of M, the publication for alumni and friends of the University of Minnesota.
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Book examines trends in mobile homes
By the end of the decade, more than half of all new homes could be mobile units, according to author and University of Minnesota professor John Fraser Hart. His book The Unknown World of the Mobile Home, written in collaboration with geographers Michelle Rhodes and John Morgan, was released by Johns Hopkins University Press on Sept. 1. The book looks at the growing trends of mobile homes and reveals the prejudice and myths associated with them.
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"Mobile homes symbolize rural poverty, loose sexual morals, and lawlessness, or they become the butt of tornado jokes," says Hart. "Even here in Minnesota, mobile home communities like Landfall or Hilltop in Columbia Heights struggle to fight discrimination."
In Minnesota, recent census figures showed 4.5 percent of households live in mobile homes. Seven percent of Americans (20 million people) live in mobile homes, and that number is rising. Mobile homes also account for 20 percent of all new, single-family housing construction and about 30 percent of all new, single-family houses sold.
Mobile homes originated as travel trailers that were towed behind the family automobile. The 8-by-40-foot travel trailer of the 1950s has evolved into 14-by-70-foot mobile homes that are rarely moved after they have been sited.
Along the way, construction standards increased dramatically while construction costs remained much lower than for conventional site-built homes. In 1997, for example, mobiles homes cost between $26 and $31 per square foot to build, compared with $61 per square foot for a traditional home. While mobile homes still predominantly house lower-income Americans, the authors find that they are increasingly popular with middle-class families, particularly in places like southern California where the cost of traditional real estate has become exorbitant.
Mobile home parks range from the utilitarian sites dotting the fringes of cities to luxurious, landscaped estates dominated by elaborate "double-wides." Half of all new mobile homes are double-wides that are virtually indistinguishable from conventional houses.
The Unknown World of the Mobile Home will be available at University of Minnesota bookstores and Barnes & Noble stores in the Twin Cities metro area.
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U of M e-postcards: No stamp required
If you ever wanted to share a treasured campus scene with a friend or send old classmates a University of Minnesota greeting, now is your chance—and it's free!
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Visitors to the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA) Web site can now send e-postcards featuring campus scenes, Gopher sports images, and Wish You Were Here greetings. E-postcard senders choose a card at www.alumni.umn.edu/epostcards and type in one or more e-mail addresses along with a personal message. An e-mail message is then automatically sent to the recipient with a Web link to the e-postcard. The cards are a great way to invite a friend to an event at the University, congratulate an alum or student on a new job or accomplishment, or just say hi to friend from the University.
Other new features on the site include alumni polls and slide shows. The unscientific but fun instant polls for alumni ask questions like, "Where was your favorite campus hangout?" As soon as you vote, percentage results appear to show how the answers are measuring up. A growing collection of slide shows at www.alumni.umn.edu/slideshows includes scenes from Homecoming 2001 and the UMAA annual celebration.
"The response we've gotten to e-postcards has been great," says UMAA senior Web editor Gina Kennedy. "Alumni are sending the cards to their friends, parents are sending them to students, and U of M employees are sending them to coworkers. We've been getting a lot of suggestions from visitors to the site for new e-postcard scenes, which we'll be adding on an ongoing basis."
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Considering acupuncture? Be a smart consumer
As more and more people turn to complementary forms of healthcare, consumers should follow somesimplesteps to ensure a positive experience, says Marilyn Adams Maiser, an educator with the University of Minnesota Extension Service. Acupuncture, for example, is a service offered in some clinics and hospitals, and it may be covered by your health insurance company if used as part of a medical treatment plan.
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Acupuncture, which originated in Asia well over 2,000 years ago as a treatment used in traditional Chinese medicine, is commonly practiced today throughout the world. Although still considered an alternative form of treatment by some in the United States, it is increasingly being used—along with conventional care—by trained medical doctors as part of a holistic treatment regimen.
Acupuncture has grown in popularity in the United States during the past two decades, according to the National Institutes of Health, Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (NCCAM). A Harvard University study published in 1998 estimated that Americans make more than five million visits per year to acupuncture practitioners. NCCAM says acupuncture is being "widely practiced—by thousands of physicians, dentists, acupuncturists, and other practitioners—for relief or prevention of pain and for various other health conditions."
So where do you start if you're considering complementary or alternative treatments, including acupuncture? Follow these five steps to avoid a bad experience.
- Start by doing your homework (see the list of information sources at the end of this article). Use reliable information sources to check potential benefits and risks.
- Talk things over with your doctor. It's important to let him or her know if you're considering acupuncture so it can be coordinated with the rest of your medical care. Your doctor will want to rule out life-threatening conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and acute infections.
- Make a plan. Decide how long you'll try the treatment. Then assess how effective it is. There's no use continuing a therapy that isn't working for you.
- Learn how to choose a qualified acupuncturist. They're not all the same.
- Check with your health insurance company's member services department to find out whether or not your policy will cover this treatment.
Maiser offers these reliable sources of information for health care consumers:
National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, http://nccam.nih.gov/health/acupuncture; Mayo Clinic, http://www.mayohealth.org or http://www.mayoclinic.com, then search for acupuncture or complementary; American Medical Association Report 12--alternative medicine, http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/article/2036-2523.html; and American Academy of Medical Acupuncture, http://www.medicalacupuncture.org/acu_info/faqs.html.
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UMC students receive new Dell laptops
The University of Minnesota, Crookston (UMC), is celebrating its 10th year as a "laptop university." It was the world's first educational institution to provide every student and faculty member with a laptop computer in the fall of 1993. This year, more than 1,300 new Dell Latitude C610 laptop computers were issued to replace the IBM ThinkPad i series (model 1482), which was the standard model for 2000–02. Financing of the new computers is possible through a combination of student technology access fees (currently $500 per semester), careful campus budgeting, and a two-year lease program with Dell computers.
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Students and faculty have seen yearly upgrades since UMC's computing initiative was launched, and four distinct models have been used thus far. The first was a 486 notebook computer with monochrome screen, 148 MB hard drive, 4 MB RAM, and running Windows 3.1. The new Dell laptop weighs 5.87 lbs. and features a Pentium III 1.2 GHz processor, 40 GB hard drive, 256 MB RAM, built-in Ethernet, and wireless capabilities.
Earlier this year IBM, Compaq, and Dell all offered lease proposals. Dell's two-year proposal was the most competitive, and the Austin, Texas-based company was selected. "We think it is critical that these students are introduced to the same technology that they are going to encounter whey they go out into the working world," says John Mullen, director of Dell's Higher Education Division.
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At a press conference on Aug. 27, Chancellor Don Sargeant (left) and Dell's John Mullen touted the value of offering the most current technology for UMC students.
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UMC Chancellor Don Sargeant says that offering current technology like wireless connectivity and computer-based video better prepares graduates for life after UMC. Faculty, students, and graduates exhibit a technological skill and comfort level that is extremely high because of the ubiquitous computing environment and the unique peer and community learning processes. This "techno-savvy" has been noted by employers and by visitors to the campus, and it has helped enhance UMC’s image as one of the nation’s most wired universities.
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New turkey vaccine gains USDA approval
A new vaccine developed by a University of Minnesota scientist, in collaboration with scientists of Biomune Company, may go a long way toward alleviating a disease in turkeys that costs Minnesota growers millions of dollars a year.
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The vaccine protects turkeys from a severe respiratory disease caused by avian pneumovirus, and has been recently approved by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) for sale in the Midwest. It is now available to turkey growers in Minnesota—the largest turkey producing state in the country—as well as North Dakota, South Dakota, Wisconsin, and Iowa.
"This disease spreads quickly through turkey flocks and is devastating to turkey growers in Minnesota, costing them roughly $15 million dollars a year," says Sagar M. Goyal, professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine. "We knew isolating the virus was the first step toward developing a vaccine, and that's exactly what we did."
Through funding from the Minnesota Turkey Research and Promotions Council and from the Rapid Agricultural Response Fund, Goyal began working on the vaccine. He and the other scientists isolated the virus from diseased turkeys in 1997, and almost immediately began the process of weakening the virus for the purposes of developing a live vaccine against the disease.
The respiratory disease was first discovered in South Africa in 1978, and it had spread to European countries by the mid-1980s. Cases in the United States were detected in flocks in Colorado in 1996, and the following year the disease had arrived in Minnesota.
The virus causes acute rhinotracheitis characterized by coughing, nasal discharge, and other symptoms. In uncomplicated cases, the mortality rate is 2 to 5 percent, but it can go up to 25 percent in the presence of secondary infection with bacteria. In laying birds, there is a temporary drop in egg production along with mild respiratory illness. This disease does not affect humans.
Biomune, a Kansas-based, veterinary vaccine company, has licensed the rights to produce and market the vaccine from the University of Minnesota and is selling the vaccine in the Midwest. Turkey growers can purchase the vaccine through Best Veterinary Solutions and Northwestern Supply Company.
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U OF M HAPPENINGS
The U of M Music Library is holding a record sale. To make room for new merchandise, thousands of LPs will be offered at bargain prices. You’ll find classical and pop/rock, schmaltzy music and bizarre cover art galore. The sale will be held in the Ferguson Hall lobby, Friday, Sept. 20, noon–4 p.m. and Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m.–2 p.m.
What is the best source of omega-3 fatty acids? Are phytoestrogens from soy the answer to women's health concerns? These questions and others have been addressed during the forum series sponsored by the Center for Plants and Human Health. The monthly lectures alternate between the Academic Health Center and the College of Agricultural, Food, and Environmental Sciences. The role of whole grains in disease prevention is the subject of the next forum to be held Friday, Sept. 20, 1–3 p.m., in 306 Borlaug Hall. David Jacobs, Department of Epidemiology, is the presenter. For more details on the center and its programs, see http://cphh.coafes.umn.edu.
The University’s Raptor Center will hold its annual Fall Bird Release at Hyland Lake Park Reserve in Bloomington, Minn., on Saturday, Sept. 21, 10 a.m.–3 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. Call 612-624-4745 or visit www.raptor.cvm.umn.edu.
The University of Minnesota, Duluth library is one of 100 voting sites around the state selected for the People's Choice Award, a program sponsored by Minnesota Center for the Book and Minnesota Humanities Commission to celebrate America's stories and Minnesota's authors. Vote for your favorite Minnesota authors by Sept. 22 near the welcome kiosk on the first floor of the library. Winners will be announced Oct. 12 at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC.
The Great Conversations series, which pairs leading University faculty with eminent world authorities to explore subjects in today's headlines, is back by popular demand. Great Conversations, Season Two will kick off with "The War with Germs" featuring Michael Osterholm, director of the University's Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy, and Judith Miller, New York Times Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and author of Germs, on Tuesday, Sept. 24. The series will continue with "The Future of Music Education" on Oct. 22 and "The Art of Remembering" on Nov. 19. Season tickets are $60 and individual tickets $27. UMAA members receive a discounted price of $45 and $22, respectively. For more information, see www.cce.umn.edu/conversations.
Ralph Nader will open this year's Convocations Series at the University of Minnesota, Morris, on Wednesday, Sept. 25. He will speak on "Democracy, Big Business, and the American Duopoly" at 7:30 p.m. in the Edson Auditorium of the UMM Student Center. Nader will be available to sign copies of his books at 6:30 p.m. in Oyate Hall of the Student Center (across the hall from Edson Auditorium). Nader's visit to UMM is cosponsored by the Campus Activities Council and the Minnesota Public Interest Research Group (MPIRG), both at UMM. The public is cordially invited to attend.
The kickoff for the School of Music's centennial year is an all-University convocation at 11:15 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, in Ted Mann Concert Hall. The ceremony features reflections by students, faculty, and administration as well as performances by School of Music ensembles and faculty. The public is welcome and the event is free. The centennial celebration continues throughout the year with hundreds of free concerts and events at the School of Music. For the full concert calendar—and more information about the centennial—visit www.music.umn.edu.
The University of Minnesota's College of Veterinary Medicine will offer a "Mini-Vet School"—an opportunity to learn about a variety of animal-related topics in six two-hour evening sessions taught by college faculty. Participants will discover and explore the many facets of veterinary medicine and gain a sense of the veterinary student experience. The school will be on Tuesdays, 6:30–8:30 p.m., beginning Oct. 8, in Room 135 of the Animal Science/Veterinary Medicine Building in St. Paul. The sessions are open to all interested persons, and a $65 registration fee covers all of the sessions. To register or obtain additional information, call (612) 624-3434 or (800) 380-8636, or go to http://www.cvm.umn.edu/outreach.
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LINKS
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U of M Legislative Network: Read about the University's legislative request and how you can help.
University of Minnesota Systemwide Home Page
U of M E-News is a biweekly e-mail newsletter for alumni and friends of the University of Minnesota. The newsletter, a free information source prepared by University Relations, is designed to help alumni and friends stay connected to the University of Minnesota campuses in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Crookston, Morris and Duluth.
PRIVACY POLICY
© 2002 by the Regents of the University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer.
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