Paul Dubas of Lincoln Glass installs a panel of glass art by artist Stephen Knapp outside the newly remodeled Love Library South entrance on Aug. 15. The kiln-formed glass sculpture is made up of 18 individual pieces that, if needed, can also be formed into one single piece of art, according to Knapp.
Glass artist Stephen Knapp stands in the new Love Library South entryway as his "crystal quilt" art work is installed. The artwork, entailing 18 panels of kiln-formed glass, contains references to Shakespeare, Sandoz, the arts and humanities, technology and much more. The piece creates a "gateway to the library and to the world," Knapp said.

Glass Art Enlightens Library Visitors

By Joan Barnes, UNL Librariess

An abacus, musical notes and a Native American rug pattern intertwined with prairie grass, the University seal and Shakespeare's First Folio are just some of the images frozen into a "crystal quilt" of kiln-formed glass panels at the newly refurbished entryway of Love Library South.

"Please touch the glass" invites Stephen Knapp, artist and vanguard of architectural art.

"Many are hesitant at first, but the texture and kinetic display of light beckons people to touch it and wonder how it was made," he said.

Knapp, an artist from Worcester, Mass., was commissioned to create the 18-panel work, funded by the state mandate that 1 percent of construction cost of state buildings be set aside for art acquisition.

Knapp is a big fan of libraries and is inspired by what they represent.

"I believe libraries are the repositories of our collective past. They are our gateway to the world and beyond. Our dreams for the future begin in libraries."

His focus began with "the history of the world - all the stuff you find in a library," he said.

Knapp began his research a year ago by "practically living in Special Collections" and collaborating with the Archives and Special Collections staff. Mary Ellen Ducey, special collections and archives librarian, helped Knapp gather and learn about the treasures of the library and the university.

Science, art, literature, cultures - represented in non-text form like Aztec art and an African mask - were included. Then Knapp moved to more specific to images representing Nebraska and its history - the railroad, trails, pioneers and authors such as Willa Cather and Mari Sandoz.

It was at that point Ducey remarked that men were not as well represented as women in the initial maquette. Knapp then included images representing Harold Edgerton's strobe photography and writer John G. Neihardt.

Some of the inspiration for elements within the glass panels came from the university itself.

"I was blown away by the extraordinary skill of landscaping and sculpture placement on campus. I've not been to another campus that does it as well as Nebraska. Around every corner is a series of new discoveries," Knapp said.

It is the thrill of discovering new meanings and interpretations within the glass panels that Knapp hopes viewers will experience. He also hopes that students and faculty will be drawn into the warm and inviting library.

Other Works Other examples of Knapp's work can be viewed at http://www.stephenknapp.com.

UNL junior Kandi Stallings dissects a cricket while conducting research into a cricket's immune system. She will continue her research into the school year.

Research Program Encourages Students to Pursue Graduate Degrees

Undergrads Learn Research, Teamwork

By Kelly Bartling, University Communications

Vianett Munoz has the attention of her audience at Selleck Hall as she flips through her PowerPoint, exhibiting slides on the thermal and mechanical differences between metals and polymers.

It's a highly technical subject but she knows it well, having finished eight weeks' research and chemical analyses at UNL mechanical engineering labs.

Munoz, an undergraduate from University of Texas-El Paso, is ending a summer research program that gave her a chance to research, find out about graduate school options, learn how to compete for scarce graduate positions, and deliver a professional presentation.

Munoz's friendly audience applauds her work. The other 36 Summer Research Opportunity Program students appreciate her diligent research and the quality of her presentation because they have spent their summers the same way and will soon present their own research findings.

From institutions such as Mississippi Valley State University, Grambling State, Hampton University, Cleveland State and Alcorn State, the SROP students spent part of their summers at UNL researching and exploring graduate opportunities. Funded and backed by state and federal programs like Ronald E. McNair, EPSCoR and UNL Graduate Studies, the programs bring visiting and enrolled UNL students to campus to realize their potential for graduate school. The summer undergraduate research opportunity programs have existed at UNL since 1992. Since then, they have opened doors for many students.

"Several of these students say they never seriously considered graduate school before," said Sara Granberg-Rademacker, SROP facilitator at UNL. "Through this program they can consider the benefits of a graduate education... . Think outside the box, become inspired by their own research and see that they can do it. It breaks down barriers."

The students qualify for the programs if their social and economic life experiences have placed them at a disadvantage to reach their full potential, or if they are from underrepresented populations. A candidate must submit an application, his or her GPA, a faculty recommendation and a project proposal. Those selected receive a stipend to conduct summer research and participate in various test preparation courses and seminars that put them in good position to apply to graduate school. With the SROP experience, they will find themselves highly marketable to graduate schools. They have presentation and research experience, know how to apply and how to find fellowships and assistantships.

"These students learn how exciting it is to generate new knowledge and to contribute," said Merlin Lawson, UNL dean of graduate studies and dean of international affairs. "This year we have 37 stories about these students making a difference."

With research topics like "The Role of Mass Media in Shaping the Public Perception of African-Americans," "Globalization and Its Effects on Comparative Advantage in the Japanese Automobile Agency," and "Atomic Force Microscopy for Materials Characterization," the students explore topics of interest with a UNL faculty mentor. Many travel from smaller schools that lack the programs, facilities and opportunities of a large research institution like UNL.

Latotsha Douglas, a biology major from Grambling State University, worked her summer in professor Ted Pardy's lab, conducting groundbreaking research on crickets' innate immune systems. That experience, she said, was inspiring.

"Every class I've taken so far ... this lab experience brings it all together. I'm seeing everything I learned, much faster," Douglas said. "I'm recognizing what I learned in class and seeing that I can do it."

Pardy said undergraduate research opportunities are vital, putting learning to action and bringing students new ideas about their futures.

"This gives these students a chance to do original, actual research ... outside of a textbook," he said. "But they also learn lab safety and etiquette as well as working in teams. This experience opens the way for new ideas."

Many students eventually apply and are accepted in graduate programs, and some decide an advanced degree isn't right for them. Some choose to continue their research at UNL with their faculty mentors or in the department. That helps UNL become more diverse and creates opportunities for UNL students to continue relationships with other institutions, faculty and student peers.

"Our ultimate goal is to socialize students to think about graduate school opportunities, especially funding and career opportunities at UNL," said Keith Parker, associate dean of graduate studies. "We're here to show them what they can do, when to apply and how to search for funding. Those are the things we do a good job of, making the connection to the information."

Munoz and Douglas ended their summer presenting their research findings at a national McNair conference at Penn State, and their research has not ended. While Munoz will continue to study polymers and metals, Douglas will stay in close contact with Pardy and a UNL undergraduate co-researcher, Kandi Stallings, who will continue to work this year in Pardy's lab as a UCARE researcher. Stallings, a sophomore from Papillion, plans to participate in SROP next summer.

"I think everyone should have this opportunity to do research and learn in a totally different way," she said. "And I'll be more confident about my chances in applying to graduate school."

Glossary of Terms SROP, or Summer Undergraduate Research Opportunity Programs: UNL program that combines and supports the research programs. It is administered by Office of Graduate Studies, directed by Keith Parker, assistant dean. EPSCoR: Experimental Programs to Stimulate Competitive Research. Supported by National Science Foundation and administered by 21 selected states, projects are merit-based competitive programs to meet national needs in science and engineering research. This program is directed by Royce Ballinger. Ronald E. McNair Project: Named for the former Challenger astronaut, the project provides grants to 156 institutions to advance underprivileged potential doctoral students involved in research and scholarly activities, directed by Vaughn Robertson.

The new 17th & R Parking Garage is now open for all permit holders, according to Tad McDowell, director of Parking and Transit Services. Perimeter-parking-permit holders will be allowed to park in the facility after 3 p.m. There is still some finishing work to be completed, McDowell said.

What's New on Campus?

By Tom Simons, University Communications

When students and faculty return to campus for fall semester, they will see a lot of changes from when they left in May.

One of the biggest changes (and maybe the most welcome) will be the addition of the new 1,700-stall parking garage at 17th and R streets on the southeast corner of City Campus. At least 1,550 of the stalls will be available for use before the start of classes on Aug. 27, with the remainder to be completed within a month.

Other major changes at the university since the end of the spring semester (in no particular order):

· Teachers College Hall at the northeast corner of 14th and Vine streets will be in service, linking Mabel Lee and Henzlik halls and providing a home to the departments of educational psychology and educational administration, the Buros Institute for Mental Measurements and several new classrooms.

· The entrance to Love Library will revert to the south wing of the building and will feature a newly installed wall of elaborate art glass. The library also will a feature a new reading room funded by the Friends of the Library in the second-floor area formerly occupied by the Great Plains Art Collection Gallery. The three-year, $12.6 million renovation of Love is scheduled for completion in the spring.

· Bancroft and Lyman halls on the southeast corner of 14th and Vine will be mounds of rubble after their Aug. 20-21 demolition.

· The College of Journalism and Mass Communications will have completed its move from Avery Hall to Andersen Hall at 200 N. Centennial Mall (the old Security Mutual Life Building).

· The $14.7 million, 116-student Esther L. Kauffman Academic Residential Center, home of the J.D. Edwards Honors Program in Computer Science and Management, will house its first residents.

· The Nebraska Alumni Association's Champions Club building will be not quite complete but ready for use on the site of the old Big Red Shop at Stadium Drive and U Street.

· Construction of the Van Brunt Visitors Center and the Mary Riepma Ross Film Theater has begun at the northwest corner of 14th and Q streets.

· Buck Beltzer Stadium, home of Nebraska baseball for more than 25 years and where the Huskers clinched their first College World Series berth June 2, will have departed to be reconstructed at the University of Nebraska at Kearney's softball field. The Bauman Building remains, as do (for the time being) the stadium's lights, AstroTurf infield and scoreboard. The Husker baseball team has moved across Interstate 180 to its new home in the $23 million Haymarket Park, where the Husker softball team's new stadium is under construction.

· East Campus Mall will be closed to traffic while it is renovated.

· Construction of a low-level hazardous materials storage facility next to Hamilton Hall will be complete. Renovation of Hamilton Hall is scheduled to begin this fall.

· The expansion and renovation of Schmidt Law Library in East Campus' McCollum Hall will be under way.

· The old livestock judging area on East Campus will be gone, replaced by a new parking lot.

It will be a few more weeks before the East Campus Mall south of L.W. Chase Hall will reopen, said Roger Sutliff, project inspector for facilities management and planning. Work crews are replacing the sewer lines, installing sidewalks and widening the street by 3 feet.

Renovation Required A Look at History

By Kay Kottas, Manager of Education Programs, UNL Botanical Garden and Arboretum

Many of you have witnessed the busy work on the East Campus Quadrangle Mall. This Mall is one of the oldest areas on East Campus and lies between Agriculture Hall and the Home Economics buildings on the west and Agricultural Communications and Plant Industries on the east. In preparation for this project, many of the perennial plants were salvaged and moved to our nursery for later replacement on the Mall. The major roadway area is being rebuilt with new pavement, curbs, gutters and storm drains. Handicap access is being added with enhanced new concrete walks and appropriate curb cuts.

Careful planning helped ensure the well-being of some of the oldest trees on the UNL campus. Some of the oak trees on this Mall were planted in April 1909, in observance of Arbor Day by dignitaries at the time. These include Charles Bessey, E.A. Emerson, S.W. Perin, W.H. Dunman, and J. Sterling Morton. Exploratory digging by Landscape Services helped to position parking spaces in areas that would not disturb tree roots. For this reason, the parking spaces are not symmetrical with respect to one another.

When completed, the Mall will include diagonal sidewalks to help you get where you want to go. Plantings will be added to the Mall in a more formal pattern consistent with the historical plantings.

For more information on some of the unique trees on the UNL campus, call Landscape Services at 472-2679 (or log on to our web page,http://busfin.unl.edu/UNLB GA/index.html and request the brochure "Famous and Historic Trees of The Garden."

Athletics Announces Game-Day Policies

By Tom Simons, University Communications

With Nebraska's first home football game set for Aug. 25, fans should review the university's stadium policies as well as some tips for the best ways to get to and from Memorial Stadium.

Policies regarding security, parking and other issues in and around Memorial Stadium during home football games have been announced by Butch Hug, assistant athletics director for events.

Memorial Stadium policies:

• Gates open 90 minutes before kickoff.
• Stadium Drive, the street on the west side of the stadium, will be closed on game days. Only vehicles with permits for lots adjacent south and southwest of the stadium will be allowed to enter T Street.
• For the easiest access to their seats, fans should enter the gate number indicated on their tickets. The entrance to the sky boxes is at street level on the west side of the stadium.
• Memorial Stadium is alcohol-free. Fans should not bring any alcoholic beverages into the stadium. It is against the law to consume alcoholic beverages on state property. Law enforcement officials will issue citations to anyone seen consuming alcohol on campus.
• Memorial Stadium, like all UNL buildings, is a non-smoking area. Those who want to smoke must leave the stadium to do so. Re-entry passes are available at each gate.
• Fans are not allowed to bring glass, cans, large coolers, backpacks, video cameras, parcels or umbrellas into the stadium. Squeeze bottles or Thermos bottles no larger than one quart are permissible but are subject to inspection.
• Throwing of any object in the stadium is prohibited. Any person throwing an object is subject to removal from the stadium.
• If fans become separated from their friends, they should report to any First Aid station for assistance.
• Lost and found areas are at the south ends of the east and west concourses.
• All parking lots on City Campus require fees or permits. On game days, all lots are reserved for booster club parking and paid permits are required. Parking for people with disabilities is available for $10 for people who have state-issued handicapped parking permits. This parking is available in lots at the corner of 18th and Vine streets. A shuttle service will take people from to the east side of Memorial Stadium for drop-off and pick-up. Wheelchair van accessible vehicles will be allowed to park on the north side of Mabel Lee Hall, 14th and W streets, and at the northeast corner of Morrill Hall, 14th and U streets.

Traffic and transportation information:

• A taxi drop-off and pick-up area is at the northwest corner of the stadium.
• The "Big Red Express" will offer shuttle service to and from the stadium from various sites around Lincoln. For the Aug. 25 game vs. Texas Christian only, the charge will be $2 each way. Beginning with the Sept. 1 game vs. Troy State, the charge will be $3 each way. Service begins two hours before kickoff with the last pre-game shuttle running 45 minutes before kickoff. Post-game shuttles begin running at the end of the game and will continue until all fans are transported back. Pick-up locations are parking lots at the State Department of Roads at 14th and Burnham streets, Gateway Mall, Holmes Park, Sam's Club, Super K-Mart, Southeast Community College and South Pointe Pavilions. For more information, call StarTran at 476-1234.
• After the game, portions of three streets near the stadium will become one-way: Tenth Street, northbound from Military Avenue to Sun Valley Boulevard; 14th Street northbound from Avery Avenue to Cornhusker Highway; Eighth Street, southbound from S Street to J Street.
• Interstate 180 will have construction during game days but will have two lanes open in each direction. Cornhusker Highway in the area of I-180 may have only one lane open each direction on game days. In southeast Lincoln, 84th Street will be closed between A and South streets.
• Fans coming from outside Lincoln are encouraged to use the airport exit on Interstate 80 (Exit 399) rather than the downtown exit (Exit 401), especially if they plan to park north or west of downtown, including in the lots at the Haymarket Park baseball and softball complex.
• The Pinnacle Sports Network will broadcast traffic information as part of its pre-game programming.