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June 2007

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GUSH Today


Friday June 15 at 6pm at Central Catalina Courtyard -- outdoor space near Central Rec Room. Come for drinks and selection of cheeses. Stay for Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure.

Beach Trip

Caltech Public Events

Mango Blue

Friday, June 22, 8pm
Beckman Mall
This ensemble, whose members come from Ecuador, Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico, Columbia, Venezuela, Germany, and France, mixes musical styles to create a new sound in Afro-Latin and world music. Admission: free. Call campus extension 4652.

Orquesta Charangoa

Saturday, June 23, 8pm
Beckman Mall
Flutist Fay Roberts keeps the flame of traditional Charanga alive with Los Angeles' most authentic Cuban dance music group, Orquesta Charangoa. Admission: free. Call campus extension 4652.

Career Seminar

Floorball

Floorball is a lightweight, non-contact version of indoor hockey played in tennis shoes-no skates. Pickup games are in Brown gym on Monday nights from 8 to 10pm during the summer. We're always happy to get new players-no experience is necessary. There's a lot of running, so dress comfortably. Questions? Email Andrew at bandy@its.caltech.edu.

Amnesty International

Sunday, June 17, 6:30 pm:
Human-rights book discussion group meets at Vroman's Bookstore (695 E. Colorado Blvd in Pasadena), 2nd floor. This month our book is "The Line of Beauty" by Alan Hollinghurst, a novel of four emotionally charged years framed by two general elections that returned Margaret Thatcher to power in Britain. Come and join the discussion, even if you haven't read the book.

Thursday, June 28, 7:30 pm:
Monthly meeting. Since the Caltech Y is closed for inventory that week, we will be meeting at a TBD location; check our website (www.its.caltech.edu/~aigp22/) for details. We will be discussing plans for the coming month.

Tuesday, July 10, 7:30 pm:
letter-writing in the Athenaeum. We will meet in the Rath al Fresco on the lawn behind the building. (Look for a table with the Amnesty sign.) Join us for actions on human-rights violations around the world, talk, and refreshments.

Sunday, July 15, 6:30 pm:
Human-rights book discussion group meets at Vroman's Bookstore (695 E. Colorado Blvd in Pasadena), 2nd floor. This month our book is "Three Cups of Tea" by Greg Mortenson, an adventure story as well as a tale of humanitarian spirit set in the border regions between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Come and join the discussion, even if you haven't read the book.

GSC Teaching and Mentoring Awards

For the 15th time the Academic Committee on behalf of the GSC stood in front of a difficult decision to choose the winner of the GSC Teaching and Mentoring Awards. 12 nominations altogether in three categories (teaching assistant, teacher, and mentor) were submitted. The awards are given to recognize extraordinary teaching and mentoring. Moreover, these awards should encourage the tradition of top quality teaching and mentoring at Caltech.

The GSC award in the Teacher category has been awarded to Ray Deshaies for his class Topics in Molecular and Cellular Biology, Bi 250. The nomination stated:

  • "Ray elegantly illustrates common principles and pitfalls of scientific reasoning and concepts that canŐt be easily learned from books."
  • "Ray weaves the research fields together to exemplify scientific logic and this is a mark of a great teacher

    • The GSC award in the Mentor category has been awarded to R. Michael Alvarez, professor of Political Science. The nomination stated:

  • "Michael Alvarez is a bulldog for his students, he encourages them to achieve at levels higher than they thought possible."
  • "His mentorship style is [...] particularly time-intensive, [...] so that his students graduate as independent scholars."
  • "Michael Alvarez has a great record of advancing women into academia"
  • "Professor Alvarez is always willing to spend time discussing my research, [...] often with great humor (by occasionally betting lunch on who is correct while debating about data results)".

    • The GSC award in the Teaching Assistant category has been awarded to Rich Wildman. He is a fourth-year student in Environmental Science and Engineering who TA-ed aquatic chemistry, ESE 142. The nomination stated:

  • "Rich was a tremendous resource in office hours" [...were] "80% of the class would come to each".
  • "There are no stupid questions with Rich".
  • "Enthusiasm. Rich is extremely enthusiastic" [... and gets the] most uninterested student excited about it too."
  • "Someone I could ask not only how to calculate the alkalinity of a complicated chemical system, but also how to navigate a PhD program as an overwhelmed first year student".

    • Congratulations to all winners! If you know someone who deserves being awarded in of the three categories, you may submit an application through the GSC website. More information on the nomination process can be found here. Since the committee makes its decision on the basis of provided information, we encourage everyone to be as detailed as possible. The 2007/08 GSC Teaching and Mentoring Awards will be announced at the beginning of June 2008.

    GSC Academics committee

    Reader Contest- "LA Summer" - $50 CASH prize

    In 1998, Kahneman found that "everyone in California and the Midwest think that people are happier in California". The most robust factor was weather, and here we are in the middle of a Californian summer. Compose a photo, write an editorial, or sketch a cartoon about summer in LA. The winning entry will be featured in the next edition, win $50 cold hard CASH, and be in the running for a sweet ipod. Maybe that could make you happy in addition to the weather.

    BEAVER FEVER

    Got school spirit? Show it with a BEAVER FEVER t-shirt! It reads CALTECH on the back. For every t-shirt sold, $3.50 comes back to the GSC to support pep rallies and tailgate parties. Go Beavers! T-shirts are available in the bookstore.

    Gradiators


    photographed by Charisse Massay and Lindsay King

    The Athenaeum

    The excitement from commencement is settled and we are ready for the summer! The Athenaeum kicked off our summer dining with the opening of the Rath al Fresco for casual dining on the lawn. Come by and try our newly revised menu, play a game of table tennis and enjoy the evening breeze. Remember to stop by The Ath and enjoy the Express Lunch Buffet for a mere $10.95.

    Our Main Dining Room is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner Monday through Friday. Breakfast is served from 7:00 am to 9:00 am, lunch from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm and dinner 5:30 pm to 9:00 pm. The Rath al Fresco is open for food service Monday through Friday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Bar service is available Monday to Thursday from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm and Friday 4:30 pm to 10:00 pm.

    If you are a 2007 graduate, we congratulate you on your academic accomplishments. Remember that Athenaeum membership is available to all Caltech alumni. If you are an alumni and reside more than 100 miles from The Athenaeum, contact the membership department at (626) 395-8206 for available membership options. Athenaeum membership is available to faculty, visiting faculty, postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, alumni and all Caltech, JPL and Huntington Library benefit-based staff and employees. For membership information, call (626) 395-8206 and (626) 395-8282 for reservations. Visit our website for more information. Join us at The Athenaeum in June and July for the following special events:

    June & July Prime Rib Buffet (all you can eat every Wednesday night)
    June 18 International Night (featuring Venetian cuisine)
    June 20 Wine & Spirits Tasting (featuring International Rums)
    June 22 Lobster Night (enjoy a 1 _ -pound lobster)
    June 25 Luau-Styled Family Barbecue (Polynesian dance show)
    June 29 Date Night Cooking Class (bring a date a prepare a meal together)
    July 9 Family Barbecue - Kansas City Style (Olympic games for the children)
    July 18 Wine & Spirits Tasting (featuring Small Batch Bourbon)
    July 20 Flamenco Night Under the Stars (with a Flamenco dance performance)
    July 23 Family Barbecue (featuring a magic show)